Until Then...

Chapter - 17

She Li sat in his usual place at the counter and took a quick glance at the crowd in the bar. Since it was Friday night, the bar was bustling with people and loud music. Both Mo and Lee were occupied and nearly overwhelmed by the orders. He sucked on the cigarette which was a little bit of cigarette and a little bit of something else and felt the smokes filled his throat and later saturated inside his lungs. The familiar feeling of floating and numbness passed through his conscious and he felt lighter. A wide smile appeared on his face as he enjoyed the euphoria lingering on the nerves when he turned his attention back to the bar. His golden eyes misted by the effect of drugs took in Mo's working figure behind the counter without reservation.

Unusually red short hair in contrast against pale skin and tight leather pants and vest without a shirt. Under the dimmed light of the bar, the sight was a treat to the eyes. He nodded to himself. Yes, if it was him, he could do it. In fact, he might enjoy it more than he did with previous partners. Because of his nature, he preferred the live fish to dead and docile ones. And this Mo Gaung Shan here was very much alive and definitely not the image of docile. He rubbed his lips with much pleasure in own thoughts while eyeing Mo's ass in tight leather pants. "Big brother..." one of his underlings came up from behind him and drew him back from his fantasy. "He Tian is here. With not many guards, should we take him out?"

He turned around and pulled his idiot subordinate from his shirt. "What did I said just an hour ago? Huh? Did I tell you to start a pointless fight with He group?" The man shook his head meekly. "Just follow what I say. Gather the men and wait for me in the back alley. We gonna take care of the red head here first." He pushed the guy away, making him stumble backward. A few people noticed the scuffle between them but they soon turned back to their own business. "Dude, was that guy fighting?" Lee asked while whisking milk in a steel shaker. Mo, busy pouring shots for customers, quickly glanced at Shen Li's direction. "Nah...I don't think so. He is a bit...but doesn't seem violent." At least not in front of people, Mo swallowed the words and quickly shoved it back of the mind. Even though he didn't know anything about him, Mo could tell the guy was no ordinary hooligan.

Lee shrugged and said, "Well, just go talk to him and access the situation. I got it here. The boss will kill us if a fight breaks out." Mo sighed and picked up a towel. "Access the situation...pssh...what are we, undercover cops now?" Even though he was grumbling, he still headed to Shen Li's place and started wiping down the counter in attempt to make small talk. Shen Li seeing Mo had came to him, smiled widely and leaned forward. "Here I thought, you ignored and abandoned me." Mo wanted to cringe so badly but he was at work so he just tried a smile. "It's Friday so busy tonight. Do you want anything?" Shen Li raised his empty shot glass and his cigarette in his hand and said, "Nah, I am good. Actually I was going to head out." "Oh..." an obvious relief could be detected in Mo's voice. One less hassle to deal with.

"But since you are here, I gonna sit here for a while." Mo gritted his teeth and cursed him under quiet breath. "Say Little Mo. Do you see the couple over there?" He pointed to the far end corner where dimmed red lights were gleaming down at people wrapped in each other's accompany. Shen Li was pointing at a male couple who were kissing. Mo turned away quickly. "What do you think of it?" His face was starting to warm up. "I...I have no idea." "Oh, you are not against homosexuality?" Mo's fingers trembled around the glass in his hand but he kept his composure. "Um...No, I don't have." Shen Li nodded and took another long drag from cigarette. "Do you have anyone you are dating?"

This time, the glass stumbled off his hand and with a sharp clink, it softly hit the counter. "Oh, careful. Did it break?" Shen Li leaned closer to take a look but Mo raised the glass and showed him it didn't break. "I am sorry...." "So do you have any one you are seeing, Mo?" Mo's face was tinted with red hue for once he thanked the poor lighting inside the bar. He was definitely not good with such topics. There should be a limit to how much he wanted to pry into his personal life but if he stayed quiet, there was no chance that guy will let it go. Swallowing hard, he lifted his face and said, "No, I am not in a relationship at the moment." Color from Shen Li's face faded a little but he was still smiling. "Ohh, is that so? I see..." There was quiet between the two. Mo was glad the music inside was booming and it was enough to dissipate the awkwardness between them.