30 30.Laboured Love

Mark and Akio decided to give up everything and headed towards home.They had come to know Wang Xiu's killer and were content enough.Gu Ren also went back home with Li Wei,his new found friend.The only person who was not at peace was Zhang Wei,who had lost his love forever.

Mark unlocked the door and both entered their house,rushing towards the bed.They plopped down and breathed a heavy sigh of relief.Mark headed to the kitchen to brew a cup of chai,as his head felt heavy.Akio had nothing to do,so he decided to take a nap.

However,the smell of the tea brewing was irresistible.Hence,he dropped the idea of sleeping.Mark came out from the kitchen and handed a cup to him.

"How did you know that I also wanted a cup?"Akio questioned.

"I simply had a gut feeling."Mark replied.

"May I ask you something?"Mark requested a he sipped the hot tea.

"Go on."Akio replied.

"Can we go out for a walk?I feel stuffed in here."Mark indicated.

"Where do you want to go?"Akio hinted agreement.

"Anywhere outside this place."Mark replied.

The night had fell and the winter sky seemed hazy.Due to the light snowfall,the city had been covered in a white blanket of snow.Temperatures soared below zero degree Celsius and ice lakes were formed upon the puddles.

Mark and Akio made sure to cover themselves with enough clothes However,they still seemed less.

"Brr...it's..c..cc.cold."Mark shivered as he cracked an ice puddle and unitentionally dipped his leg into it.

Akio saw a place which was serving hot sake,a Japanese alcoholic beverage.However,he seemed skeptical about it.He kept on staring at the neon board,which flashed green light upon his face.Before he knew it,he was sweating profusely.

"Let's have a drink!"Mark said as he dragged Akio along with him inside the shop.They sat down in a kotatsu,a traditional Japanese heating mechanism.They ordered Sake,edamame and tempura,Japanese drink snacks.

In no time,their order arrived.The tempura plate comprised of a variety of vegetables and seafood,coated in batter and deep fried to perfection.Mark couldn't resist anymore.He divided the disposable chopsticks and picked up a piece of tempura.

"You also eat it."He said to Akio,as he bit the piece of shrimp with a perfect crunch.

Akio was very nervous.He kept on swinging back and forth,along with sweating profusely.Mark noticed something was wrong.Akio began breathing abnormally with heavy sighs in between each breath.

"Are you all right?"He asked Akio as he wiped his sweat with a napkin.

"Yes.I am fine."Akio replied with a shiver in his voice.

"Do you not like all this?"Mark questioned with concern.

"It's not the problem of this.The smell of the sake is making me nauseous."He replied as he kept on fiddling with his fingers.The flowery smell of the alcohol reached Akio's nostrils and made it unbearable for him.He got up and left the place,going to the rear entrance of the shop.

Mark noticed the abnormality and decided to pay the bill and leave.However,the bill machine was damaged and he had to wait till the machine was repaired.Mark was now helpless as he was not allowed to leave.

Akio had come out of the place but the deadly silence made him think more about the incident which he was trying to erase from the corners of his brain.He kept on seeing that person in front of him.THAT PERSON,who destroyed his life.His sweat froze because of the cold.Even his tears froze at the contact of the cold,dry air.

Mark paid the bill at the counter and exited the restaurant,only to see Akio in that pathetic state.Akio saw Mark and rushed towards him.He threw him on the wall and stood in front of him.Mark was nervous.He could see Akio,who had icicles on his face.He wiped it off with his fingers,but Akio held his hand and dragged it down.

Before Mark knew it,Akio thrust his lips against his.his lips were hard due to the cold but eventually they warmed and became velvety soft.Akio put his tongue out and started licking Mark's cheeks.Mark did not know how to respond.His limbs froze at the contact but there was a warm feeling growing inside his heart.

Was this a beginning a new love or end of a great friendship?