(Timeline: Week 3 Thursday)
"Hanson... you would have sex with anybody then?"
"I would. As a matter of fact, I'm going to the Hawaii Bar at 9 tonight and hiring a sex worker. I pay them, they work, I finish and go to bed. Nothing special about that."
"... you do that... every night?" For a split second, Kexing felt disgusted by Hanson.
"No, just when I have a day off from work. My night job is cancelled this week, so I get 5 nights off."
"So you went to the Hawaii Bar 5 nights this week?"
"Three nights this week. Tonight is night 4. Tomorrow will be night 5. I have to work weekends."
- -
"Hey, we got company today!" Tony said as he walked out of the bedroom, shirtless. "Wow! Simon, you never told me you have a boyfriend... and a damn hot one!"
"Shh! That's Hanson, my boss. And Tony, my roommate. And his boyfriend Yang Yang, behind him." Kexing introduced them.
"Ohhh... so that's the hot guy...!" Tony was eying Hanson up and down, when Yang Yang snapped his fingers at Tony.
"Hotter than me?" Yang Yang asked with an annoyed look.
"Of course not, hun" Tony quickly said.
"Then stop staring" Yang Yang ordered with a jealous look.
"Ok babe" Tony kissed Yang Yang on the lips. Then they started making out again. Kexing walked over and broke the embrace "Stop it already!"
"I finished eating, I will go now." Hanson said flatly.
"Let me walk you out! Ziggy, come with us!" Kexing said and walked out with Hanson and Ziggy.
---
"Sorry about that, those 2 have no manners, and no self-control." Kexing apologized.
"Don't matter."
"I'm going to walk Ziggy for a few minutes. Would you like to walk with us?"
"Ok."
They walked around the bloc so Ziggy could use the bathroom since he just ate dinner.
"Are you... going to the Hawaii Bar now?"
"No, I go to the bookstore until 9pm, then the bar."
"Can I go with you?"
"To the bookstore? or the bar?"
"How about ... both?"
"I didn't think you could... I didn't think you read much."
"I read cartoons!"
"Bring some money with you."
"To buy books?"
"No, for the bar, I'm not paying your bill."
"Uh... can we.. not go to the bar tonight? And tomorrow night?"
"You don't have to go, you said you wanted to, I can go alone."
"I don't want you to go."
"Why not?"
"You... you should wait until you find somebody you like."
"What if I never find anybody I like?"
"What kind of person do you like? Men? women? tall? short? fat? slim? Asian? Caucasian? Black?"
"What if I just don't like anybody?"
"Well, how do you pick your ... sex worker at the bar?"
"Whoever is available."
"How much do you pay them?"
"They have a flat rate. It's posted on the door."
"Do you hire the same person each time?"
"Never"
"Why?"
"No reason. I just don't."
"Well, there is a reason, otherwise, you would rehire the same person. There's a reason why you don't, so what is that reason?"
Hanson thought for a moment, and didn't know what to say. Indeed, there is a reason for everything. Why did he make sure he never rehire the same person twice?
"It just so happens, I guess. I never gave it much thought."
"Do they sometimes ask for your number or contact information?"
"Sometimes."
"Do you share the info with them?"
"Never."
"Why not?"
"I just don't"
"Well there must be a reason for that too. What's the reason?"
Hanson thought for a moment, and didn't know what to say either.
"... I'm going to the bookstore now. Are you coming or not?" Hanson said, looking at his watch.
"Yes, let me bring Ziggy upstairs and then I'll be right back."
---
At the bookstore, Hanson reads his computer technology magazines, while Kexing flipped through the cartoons in the young adult section.
When it was approaching 9 pm, Hanson told Kexing it was time to go to the Hawaii Bar.
"You don't have to come if you don't want to." Hanson could tell Kexing was uncomfortable.
"I want to."
"Did you bring money? Credit cards? I'm not picking up your bill. It's a hefty bill."
"I brought money."
"Ok let's go."
Kexing's heartbeats suddenly sped up. He was not sure what he was getting himself into. This was a bad idea.
God help me, Kexing thought to himself.
(Timeline: Week 3 Thursday)
YOU ARE READING
A smile in purgatory 火海一笑 (BxB)
RomanceSpoiler: This is a boy's love story with a happy ending. In this story, Zhou Zishu is a very emotionless, cold character. He was abandoned by his parents at age 5, and grew up resenting society. He does not believe in kindness, love, or family. He h...
