4.Invasive Intruder
"What are you doing here?!"Mark asked angrily.
"I probably think the landlady has explained well enough. If you don't or even do mind, I don't care. Now move aside and let me settle in my new place."Akio said, budging Mark and entering the house, sitting on his bed.
"Can you please stop invading my privacy?"Mark questioned in a dire state of desperation.
"It's not that you have a hidden stack of inappropriate magazines!"Akio said, with a sense of awareness.
"What if I have them? What's it got to do with you?"Mark rebutted.
"FIRST, based on your personality, you don't look like someone who's even interested in these things.SECOND, even if you are, I'll get to see a completely new side of you, which is even better."Akio answered, in a single breath.
"All this talking has made me very hungry. What's there for breakfast?" Akio asked, placidly.
"For brunch, there are deliciously deadly punches served with a side of scrumptiously sanguine kicks. Would you like to have it?"Mark asked, gritting his teeth.
"Says someone who couldn't deal with a bunch of kiddish bullies. I already knew you wouldn't have anything, so I bought it myself."Akio replied, sarcastically.
He held a white plastic bag and emptied out its contents. It was a local favourite, Youtiao, or fried breakfast dough and sweetened soy milk. Mark forgot about everything and took a piece. He put it to his mouth when Akio screamed, "STOP!"
"Why? What's wrong?"Mark asked, stunned.
"Let me teach you how to eat it," Akio answered, like an expert.
He took a piece of the dough and broke it into bite-sized pieces. He then took the pack of milk, poured it into a bowl, and added the pieces so that they get soaked and absorb the sweetness of the milk. He grabbed a spoon, scooped some of the sweet dough and put it to Mark's mouth.
"Eat it now."He said, bringing it even closer to Mark's mouth. Mark hesitated at first but eventually gave in. He took the bite. It was astonishing as to how something so simple could give you the best pleasures. The saltiness of the yeasty dough, when mixed in with the sweet milk, was Ecstasy. If Akio could give something like this to him every day, he would forgive him even if it was for a thousand times.
"I have forgiven you," Mark said, hurting his deeply embedded ego.
"I knew it!"Akio had a shocking reply.
"And...how..did you know it?"Mark asked.
"Actually, it was very simple. Whenever I looked at it, it reminded me of you. The way in which the dough is fat at the edges so are you. So, I thought you might really like it."
"I CAN NEVER FORGIVE THIS PERSON!",Mark concluded.
the day had passed and night had befallen. It was the beginning of Autumn and the sky was hazy due to mist and low clouds. The stars were twinkling through the fog and the sky seemed like a glittering glory. Couples were walking on the street, sharing umbrellas. Ah, everything was so poetic and serene.
"If only I had a date."Mark sighed.
Mark's new roommate, Akio had gone out on a date with his classmate. Akio usually preferred shy and simple girls, but this time he took things too far and started dating the rebel of the class who had an unusual name which was not easy to remember. Of all things he knew, Akio did not know that he was going to get screwed for this. The girl he was dating was Gu Ren or 'The Boss', his close enemy's very own dear sister.
"His face would be worth seeing when he realises this fact."Mark thought to himself and chuckled.
At about 10 o'clock, the doorbell rang. Mark ran to open it. It was Akio, with his face covered with blood. The blood flowed through the shirt which he was wearing. It was rusty red in colour. Everything was the same as the day they met. However, there was a drastic change of expression on his face. The other day, it was gleaming with pride and today, it was exhaustion and tiredness...
"What happened to you?"Mark questioned, with his heart on pins and needles.
Akio said nothing. He drooped on Mark and then embraced him tightly, placing his head on Mark's broad shoulder.
What could have happened to Akio? Moreover, why is Mark concerned? Or is this the beginning of something unexpected?