22 Tussle

The clock ticked. It ticked and ticked and ticked. Every tick was a step closer to death. Time didn't stop. The ticks didn't stop. The Man wouldn't stop.

And Yi Fan knew it.

"Goodbye, honey," Mr. Mo said. He gave Mrs. Mo a small kiss on the cheek, softly smiling when he pulled away. Mrs. Mo smiled back at Mr. Mo, having a little moment between the couple. She suddenly snapped back, realizing she was running late.

"Make sure to read the kids to sleep. I don't want to come back to see them jumping around!" Mrs. Mo said as she sternly eyed the kids. She remembered the first time she went out alone... it was horrendous.

Mrs. Mo was out for a Neighborhood Association party and she came back expecting mere silence. Her husband was an early sleeper and her children had a curfew that they've always obediently followed. She always bragged about this to the other moms who've complained about their rowdy children getting sugar frenzies at night despite not getting any sugar at all.

However, she turned on the lights to see the same sugar frenzies with-no-sugar kids acting up like it was their birthday every day that the moms have complained of... in her own children.

It was already midnight and these giggling kids were joyfully rolling around and jumping on the couches. In her violent temper, Mrs. Mo lightly slapped their little buttocks 3 times and gave a really long time-out to the 4 and 5 year olds. They had to raise their arms and stand by the wall for 30 minutes, which was pretty long for their age.

Mrs. Mo snapped back into reality, realizing she needed to get going for the second time. She quickly gave a loving, tight hug to both Yi Fan and Yi Fei before leaving Mr. Mo alone with the kids. Abruptly, the sunny and lively room turned damp and dark when the door closed shut. It seemed that when Mrs. Mo was gone, so was the happy atmosphere. That is, for Yi Fan.

The alert Yi Fei noticed how off-putting Yi Fan looked and swiftly came up with an idea.

Yi Fei slightly pulled on Mr. Mo's vest.

"Can I sleep with Brother tonight?" Yi Fei asked cluelessly.

When they were young, Yi Fei and Yi Fan would sleep together. So whenever her brother felt down, she would always try to cheer him up. Yi Fei usually did this by distracting him of his fears and blabbering on as they slowly fell asleep.

And as expected, Yi Fan felt some hope when he heard those words come out of Yi Fei's mouth. Though he knew the incoming punishment would come inevitably, he couldn't help but desperately want to delay it.

Yi Fan didn't dare to look at The Man's face, fearing The Man would see his hopeful expectations and decide otherwise.

The silence went on. The Man was thinking. Yi Fan was thinking. Yi Fan was scared. He didn't want to face the retributions. What if he says no? What if he says yes? Either way, what was Yi Fan suppose to do? Or... what could he do? Yi Fan could do nothing but take it all in.

"Anything for you, Yi Fei," Mr. Mo smiled.

Yi Fei sweetly nodded as a reply and quickly grabbed Yi Fan's hand. Yi Fan didn't resist at all as she pulled him to her bedroom.

The moment they entered, Yi Fei slammed the door shut and her face was towards the floor, hidden by the strings of her hair. Yi Fan couldn't read Yi Fei at all, what was she thinking? Does Yi Fei know something is up?

"Brother..." Yi Fei faintly spoke.

Yi Fan's thoughts were all over the place. Does Yi Fei know... about The Man? No, how could she? The Man always kept it under the covers and Yi Fan never spoke a word of it. How could innocent Yi Fei know?

"You—" Yi Fei looked up to Yi Fan, revealing a playful smile on her lips. She suddenly bounced at Yi Fan, forcefully hurling him onto the floor. "You're the worst! How come you didn't show me your present! I've always been showing you all of mine!"

Yi Fei was on top of Yi Fan, giving him a pout. Yi Fan was completely shocked by Yi Fei. So this is what she wanted?

"Okay, okay. Just let me use the restroom first," Yi Fan said, trying to get Yi Fei off his body.

"No! You want to look at it alone!" Yi Fei completely saw through Yi Fan.

Yi Fan sweated. This was the first time he felt so flustered other than...

Yi Fan shook his head in dismay. Every negative circumstance always led him to thinking about The Man.

"Now, show me!!!" Yi Fei strenuously shook Yi Fan's shoulders, making his head bob up and down several times.

"Yi Fei, I'm getting dizzy..." Yi Fan spoke.

"Ah," Yi Fei instantly stopped and let go of Yi Fan. Yi Fan started to cough violently. It made Yi Fei worry, and she hastily got off Yi Fan.

At that moment, Yi Fan suddenly stopped coughing. He quickly slipped out of Yi Fei's grasp and ran for the door. He hurriedly turned the door handle, not resting for breath. Yi Fei turned around and got up with a murderous look, intending to pin her brother down.

Yi Fan rapidly opened the door, trying to flee the moment his path was unblocked. But instead, he bumped into a wall-like shape.

"What are you guys doing?" A menacing voice growled, making the two shudder.

It was The Man. Who was Yi Fan kidding, it has always been The Man.