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“You know how to swim, right?”
“Of course I know how to swim!” Chu Wanning spat back angrily to hide the fact that even after all the lessons he still felt slightly anxious.
Mo Ran looked at him with a gentle smile that held sincerity in it. Which infuriated Chu Wanning even more because of how it seemed to make his knees even wobblier than they already were.
It was the same smile he had when he was younger, which didn't help Chu Wanning's situation at all.
“It’s okay to be afraid, you know?”
“Who is afraid?!” Chu Wanning shot back, but still reluctantly took the hand his diving instructor held out to help him get onto the boat, pointedly ignoring Mo Ran’s smile turning into a grin.
He settled down, the weight-belt shifting slightly around the waist of his wetsuit, and looked out at the vast ocean, waiting for the others to get on, too.
Chu Wanning had only agreed to go on this trip because Xue Zhengyong had told him to try something new out, something that would be equally challenging and rewarding at once. Chu Wanning had no idea what to do with that and so Xue Zhengyong himself had suggested doing this scuba diving course, as his nephew, Mo Ran, was an instructor and offered him a discount.
He remembered Mo Ran from when he was still young and living here with his uncle and cousin. Chu Wanning would come visit them in the summer and spend a lot of his time with Mo Ran clinging to his side. But that was years ago. Mo Ran had grown since then.
Originally Xue Zhengyong was supposed to join Chu Wanning, but he had fallen ill at the last minute. Which was how Chu Wanning had found himself on this boat, heading out to the shallow training area after some theory lessons and instructions on the equipment.
Once the boat came to a halt, Mo Ran played the part of his diving buddy, since they were one person short now, and demonstrated the buddy check everyone had to perform on their partner.
Mo Ran made a show of “making sure the weight-belt is fastly secured”, by stepping closer than necessary towards Chu Wanning and placing his hands on the straps of the belt.
It took everything in Chu Wanning not to squirm at the touch and closeness of the other man.
Grinning smugly at Chu Wanning, who had averted his gaze, Mo Ran’s voice dropped to a near-whisper, “Sits tight, yet snug. Very good.”
Chu Wanning wanted to slap Mo Ran across the face for his indecency, – and in front of others nonetheless!
At first, when Chu Wanning joined the class, he had thought Mo Ran was just like that with anyone, and didn’t think much of it. The more time he spent with Mo Ran however, there might have even been a selfish part of him that wanted Mo Ran only to pay this kind of special attention to him. He tried to disregard these kinds of thoughts, but as the lessons continued the more difficult it was to keep them down.
Nevertheless, Chu Wanning now was sure that Mo Ran must only be playing with him because the more he thought about it the more he reasoned that someone as good looking as Mo Ran would obviously have no interest in an old man like Chu Wanning. He was clearly only trying to curry his favour for good reviews or something.
And so it had started to irritate him.
But most of all it irritated him how much it affected him anyway. It was truly pathetic.
Chu Wanning only gritted his teeth as Mo Ran continued to make sure his oxygen tank sat properly, and tried to avoid the eye contact of anyone on the boat as he waited for Mo Ran to finish his demonstration.
Once it was time to fall backwards into the water after Mo Ran’s example, Chu Wanning felt his stomach lurch. He didn’t want to admit defeat so easily though and so he carefully sat down on the edge of the boat, positioning himself with his back to the water.
“You can do it, Wanning. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’ll be safe!”
At the use of his name in such a familiar way like that, Chu Wanning nearly lost his balance.
How unbelievably shameless!
Chu Wanning tried to compose himself and blamed his quickened heart rate on the daunting task and not Mo Ran’s words.
He let out a breath, held his diving mask and regulator with one hand, and before any further thoughts could creep up and hold him back, Chu Wanning pushed himself off.
With a swoop of his stomach he breached the surface of the water and with surprising ease managed to keep himself afloat thanks to his gear.
“You did perfectly, Wanning,” a deep voice rumbled into his ear, and as if on instinct, Chu Wanning splashed water in Mo Ran’s face reflexively.
He immediately felt foolish, and shame-driven heat crawled up his neck. Chu Wanning turned around to apologise, but when he saw Mo Ran laughing, his worries were swept away and replaced with irritation once more.
“Impudent!”
This only made Mo Ran laugh harder but then he finally let up and focused on the other students.
***
On the last day of the course Mo Ran took them further out than their usual spots and promised them it would be worth it.
And sure enough, Mo Ran was true to his word.
The world they were met with underwater was (quite literally) breathtaking.
They swam past beautiful corals dotting the seafloor and on the cliffside they dove around at. Chu Wanning didn’t even know where to look first, there was life everywhere. Outside of the corals and various plants, they spotted various reef fish and even a little squid which swam curiously close.
It was mesmerising.
For once Chu Wanning even let Mo Ran have his way and mostly bit back any remarks to the younger man’s insolent comments.
All the while being underwater, Chu Wanning also couldn’t help feeling like Mo Ran kept looking at him more than usual. Almost as though he was eagerly anticipating Chu Wanning’s reaction to it all.
Or, and this was more likely, Chu Wanning just wanted him to look over more.
When they were back on land, thoroughly exhausted and full of the lingering wonder, they headed for the showers and began to get out of their suits.
As it was their last diving day together, Chu Wanning couldn’t help but glance over to where Mo Ran was languidly showering. The water droplets rolled down those defined muscles on his chest and abdomen, making his sun-kissed skin glisten in the sun.
He started to lose himself in the sight, following the trail of the droplets down when Mo Ran’s voice suddenly rang through to him, “Wanning, let’s meet up after, I have something I want to ask you.”
Heat arose in Chu Wanning’s cheeks and he immediately turned around, “Mn, fine.”
Back in his normal clothes, Chu Wanning met a smiling Mo Ran outside of the diving centre.
“You came, I’m glad. I just wanted to ask if you would like to walk down the pier with me?”
Chu Wanning stared at Mo Ran. That was certainly not a question he had anticipated.
After a bout of prolonged silence, Mo Ran added, “Please? We can get ice cream. For old time’s sake?”
Mo Ran searched Chu Wanning’s eyes with his own pleading ones.
And that was when Chu Wanning remembered. Back then a much younger Mo Ran had always pestered him to go down to the pier and walk with him. Chu Wanning could never fathom why he’d want to hang out with someone so much older than him, but the sparkle in Mo Ran’s eyes was worth it.
Absent-mindedly he caught himself nodding at Mo Ran’s request. Mo Ran’s face brightened instantly, rivalling the shine of the setting sun.
Chu Wanning’s heart suddenly thumped harder in his chest and he hoped Mo Ran couldn’t hear it.
After getting their ice cream and walking by the sea side, they chatted a bit about old times and what Mo Ran had been doing to get here.
When they finished their ice cream, Mo Ran stopped to look directly at Chu Wanning.
“You know, I’m really happy I managed to convince uncle to make something up not to come so I could spend time with you alone –”
Chu Wanning’s eyes widened, “You what?!”
“Ah! Nothing! Nothing, I swear I just phrased it badly! I –”
With a big splash Mo Ran landed in the water and when he resurfaced, he was laughing.
“So Wanning does have a sense of humour!”
Chu Wanning was furious and he felt his ears and cheeks betraying his inner turmoil.
“Shameless! Absolutely shameless! Putting me through all this just because you wanted to hang out with me?!”
But Mo Ran didn’t let himself be deterred by Chu Wanning’s angry rant. Dripping wet he stood before Chu Wanning and then shook out his hair.
Cold droplets landed on Chu Wanning’s face and he stopped in his movements.
Mo Ran was clearly fighting another laughing fit as he managed to get out, “Here, let me help you wipe it off.”
Before Chu Wanning could stop him and remind him that his hand was equally as wet, Mo Ran cupped his face instead, and leaned in. Chu Wanning stiffened.
Hot breath ghosted over his lips and then they were captured by Mo Ran’s plush ones.
The kiss was wet and didn’t last long, but it left Chu Wanning breathless anyway.
Mo Ran placed his forehead against Chu Wanning’s and whispered, “I’ve been meaning to do this ever since I first saw you.”
Chu Wanning didn’t ask which first moment he meant and decided to enjoy this one right now instead. Something told him he knew the answer anyway, as he thought about the brightly shining eyes looking up at him.
Despite the cold wetness of Mo Ran’s touch, Chu Wanning’s body and heart warmed up from the inside out.
“You’re getting me all wet, Mo Ran,” Chu Wanning mumbled, which earned him a small chuckle.
“Good, the show during the shower worked then.”
Chu Wanning blanched, he tried to pull away from Mo Ran’s hold, heat from embarrassment taking over the blooming warmth, but Mo Ran held him in a firm embrace.
“How utterly impudent…Talking to your customers like that. This will get you a bad review, you know…” Chu Wanning grumbled against Mo Ran’s shirt, trying to ignore that he was getting soaked now, too.
He felt Mo Ran’s laughter rumble through his chest.
With one finger he tilted Chu Wanning’s chin up, forcing him to meet his sharp gaze that had Chu Wanning hold back a gasp, “Allow me to make you reconsider the rating then.”
Chu Wanning knew there was no point in fighting it. He too had lost his heart a long time ago after all.