19 Days - One Shots

Self-Defence

One Day

At 6:30 in the evening, He Tian lit a cigarette and placed his head against the floor-to-ceiling window next to his bed. He watched the people below him as he relished in the silence that the evening brought him. The only thing he missed was the smell of beef stew cooking in the kitchen and the grumblings of a certain redhead. Before he could pull out his phone to message Mo Guan Shan and order him to come around and cook for him, the front door opened.

He Tian turned to see his older brother walk in with his usual idle expression. "That's right brother, just come on in. It's not like I could have been naked or with someone." A sardonic smile made it's way across He Tian's face.

Ignoring his younger brother's comments, He Cheng shut the door and walked into the kitchen causing He Tian to roll his eyes and follow him. "I have a job for you."

"Shove it up your-"

"It's about Jian Yi." He Cheng interrupted, looking his brother straight in the eyes.

"I'm not spying on him for his father." He Tian stubbed his cigarette into the nearest ashtray and folded his arms, determined not to give in to his brother's demands.

"We don't want you to spy on him, little brother. I need you to teach him how to fight." He Cheng walked to the fridge and pulled out two bottles of water. He threw one to He Tian and poured some of the contents of the other into a glass he got out of the cabinet. "We've recently come into a situation that may put him in danger. It's about time the boy learned to look after himself anyway."

He Tian shook his head, "Can't you put one of your guys on him like you have with Brother Qiu?"

"We tried that route remember? Jian Yi just keeps getting away the slippery little bastard. We, of course, will always have someone watching him but there will be times when he's on his own. He needs to be able to fight back if someone tries to hurt him. This is serious now, Tian. This is a matter of life and death."

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"He Tian, where are we going?" Jian Yi whined as He Tian dragged him by his wrist to the school gym. "Xixi must be waiting for me."

"Zhan Zheng Xi has clean up duty today; he's not waiting." He Tian turned his head and grinned at Jian Yi. "What's wrong? Don't you trust me?"

He snorted. "No."

He Tian chuckled and turned to face forward. "Wise man."

When they reached the gym, He Tian and Jian Yi put their school things aside. Jian Yi scratched the back of his head. "He Tian, I don't wanna exercise; it makes me itchy."

"So scratch yourself and you'll be fine you idiot. But that's not why we're here - I'm going to teach you some self-defence." He Tian rolled up his sleeves and indicated that Jian Yi should do the same.

"Why?"

"Because it's about time you learned."

"Why?"

He Tian's eye twitched with annoyance. "Because a little self-defence is a good thing to learn."

"But I don't wanna fight." Jian Yi pouted.

"I'm not teaching you how to fight," He Tian folded his arms. "I'm teaching you how not to get hurt." Deciding a little motivation was needed, He Tian decided to take a more personal approach. "What about Zhan Zheng Xi?"

Jian Yi's whole body visibly tensed up. "What about him?"

"Well, you remember when we all first met our little redhead. He fought with Zhan Zheng Xi. I'm sure you felt defenceless as you stood by and watched your best friend get knocked unconscious."

Jian Yi clenched his jaw. "That was an unfair fight and you know it."

Things were getting serious now. He Tian decided to push him a little further. "It's not about the fight itself, Jian Yi. You just stood there as your friend was getting beaten up. You did nothing to help him and he lay there bleeding on the-"

Suddenly, Jian Yi came charging at He Tian. Just before he reached He Tian, the latter moved out of the way, grabbing Jian Yi's arm and twisting it behind his back. He then use his other arm to grab Jian Yi's shirt and kicked the back of his knees, causing him to fall. He Tian pushed his back and gently pushed him to the ground, using his knee to hold him down.

"You bastard, He Tian. How could you?" Jian Yi huffed with anger and He Tian let his arm go but remained holding him down with his knee.

"I'm sorry, Jian Yi, but I had to prove my point. I wasn't wrong - you are defenceless. But you don't have to be. You can protect Zhan Zheng Xi, your mother and yourself. You just have to let me show you."

The gym was silent for a second before Jian Yi breathed out heavily and slowly nodded. "Okay. You're right. Teach me. But I have one condition." He Tian moved away and they both came to their feet.

"What is it?"

Suddenly, Jian Yi punched He Tian in the face. "Never use Xixi against me again."

He Tian rubbed his cheek before a slow grin spread across his face. "You've got yourself a deal."