The Stars In Your Eyes

Jian Kang Lu looked at his poor breakfast, two slices of egg coated bread and a few slices of papaya. Although the egg coated bread tasted very good, as expected from his kitten's cook, it was still far from the usual breakfast menu. This kind of menu means that he had to prepare welcoming the days of his kitten's period.

Jian Kang Lu looked at the calendar, and he guessed right. Luckily his kitten only will have this phase several times four times a year, unlike the heterosexual couple that had to deal with it on monthly basis. Sometimes Jian Kang Lu thought that he chose men rather than women because men don't have PMS.

Well, for his kitten's case Jian Kang Lu called it PES, abbreviation from Pre Exam Syndrome. In these times, his kitten will turn into a sensitive kitten, a moody kitten. No wonder, since his kitten will have sleep deprivation and all the tension from his study and projects.

Jian Kang Lu carefully looked at his kitten who was still preparing their coffee. In days like this, he had to choose his words wisely, and can't grope his kitten excessively. He knew well how severe the consequences of his unwise act were..

"Baby, the coffee smells good. Different beans?"

"Um, i bought the Excelso house blend. Try it, gege. I like the aroma."

Jian Kang Lu inhales the scent of coffee in front of him. When he tasted it, he could feel a hint of spicy, floral, and tantalizing dried fruit in harmony. Simply enjoyable. It's a refreshing change from their usual bold italian roast coffee.

"I like it."

Jian Kang Lu truly likes it. He likes when his kitten buys various things for him to try. Jian Kang Lu himself has been living on his own for more than 10 years. He was busy, so he stuck to the things he used to buy. Once he likes something, he will keep buying the same things without changing it for years. Too lazy to try something else that he might not enjoy.

His kitten smiled, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Jian Kang Lu almost returns the kiss and wants to hug his kitten's tiny waist, but he manages to halt his desire. He can't risk his docile kitten turning fiery in an instant because he can't hold his hand to touch his kitten. He once suffered from it.

"I'm sorry, gege. Today's breakfast is simple. But tomorrow i'll cook something more."

"It's okay, or we can order more food at night for breakfast the next day. I know you have a lot of projects and exams coming soon."

His kitten looked at him with an unreadable expression. Jian Kang Lu tries to think whether he chose his words wrong and prepares for the bomb. But his kitten wasn't mad. He only nodded his head.

"Okay, how about salty egg tofu for dinner tonight? And some vegetable soup? We can order from Jade."

Jian Kang Lu smiled, and felt safe to spend one peaceful morning in this period. But he knows that this is only the beginning. He still has to spend another three weeks walking in an egg shell. 

Today Chen Rong asked him to have lunch together, so they went to the Japanese restaurant near the hospital for their lunch. Zhou Ying shamelessly invited himself and joined them also.

"You don't have surgery today?" Jian Kang Lu asked Zhou Ying when he just jumped into his car, followed them for lunch.

Zhou Ying answered leisurely. "Nope. Only small pins removal this morning. Tomorrow i had two knee surgeries though."

"Thought you will hook with the new interns like usual. Why do you suddenly want to hang out with us old men today?" Zhou Ying put on his safety belt.

Zhou Ying's voice clearly sounds disappointed. "I can't believe that all interns this year don't even have a single cute one. They looked so serious and clearly bookworms only. Not fun at all."

Jian Kang Lu chuckled, "Be careful, you're lucky that your wife didn't really care about what you do outside."

"She knew exactly that I have no guts to do more than teasing and admiring the beauty of youth. That's why we're happily married."

Three of them ordered one of these Japanese restaurant specialties. Their udon is really worth the title as the best udon in B city. The tongue-twister of a dish consists of slippery noodles topped with lightly flavoured pieces of chicken tempura, plus grated daikon, sesame seeds, nori seaweed, and green onion. It makes for a satisfyingly hearty one bowl meal.

The conversation was moved on how they handled the wives at home. Chen Rong is a henpecked husband, so his ultimate and the only weapon is to admit his defeat as early as possible.

Zhou Ying laughed like a maniac and almost toppled his mentaiko when they recall the scene when Chen Rong's wife caught Chen Rong told one cute intern that he was single. At that time, both of them were residents and not yet married.

Chen Rong's wife suddenly appeared behind them and told the intern that Chen Rong was once caught having STD (Sexual Transmitted Disease), that's why he stayed single because no one wanted to be his girlfriend after that.

"Ahaha.. I still remember that intern's face when she told her that you're having syphilis. That was gold. I was wondering what makes her want to marry you after that incident." Zhou Ying wiped his tears from laughing too much.

"You won't believe how many times i have to kneel and beg for her. I even told her that she has to take responsibility for me since i caught that syphilis from her." Chen Rong solemnly said.

"This guy is lucky, didn't have to deal with wife at home." Zhou Ying pointed at Jian Kang Lu.

"True, i'm so lucky." Jian Kang Lu added inside his heart that he was lucky to have a cute boyfriend at home. He then remembered that he was in the dangerous period now. He can't help himself to ask these two veteran.

"By the way, how do you guys deal with your wives when they're on their monthly period?"

Both of them suddenly silenced and looked at him with a fiery gaze. Their eyes squinted, clearly shown hostility.

"Why do you have to bring that now? Ughh, it reminds me that the hellish period will fall upon me next week." Zhou Ying resentfully scolded him.

"I'm on that period now." Chen Rong's voice sounds devastated. Zhou Ying looked at him pitifully.

Jian Kang Lu almost blurted that he was on the same period with Chen Rong now. Luckily he managed to keep his mouth shut. "So, what do you guys do? Come on, share some tips and tricks."

"Why the hell do you need it? You're so single like an amoeba." Zhou Ying slurped his chawan mushi.

Chen Rong sighed, "For me, It's better to keep my mouth shut all the time. Work extra time. Better stay outside rather than fail to pay attention for any single details. For example, once I didn't notice she had a new haircut. She accused me of being a selfish pig who only could think about myself and didn't care about her at all."

Zhou Ying nodded, "True true. I once almost got kicked out from the house when I told her that she better not wear her pink dress because it makes her tummy stand out. I already got along with her opinion and she told me that I am ashamed of her because she's getting fat. Until now I truly can't understand what's on her mind at that time."

Listening to both of them rambling about their experience makes Jian Kang Lu relieved. At least he was not alone. He almost wants to share his story when his kitten furiously almost throws their dinner away because he groped his kitten's waist when he fried the vegetables in the kitchen.

The three of them finished their lunch. Before they got out of the car, Zhou Ying tapped Jian Kang Lu's shoulder. "The best way to get through a hellish period safely is to give them all your cards. Told them they could use it as much as they want. It works all the time."

Jian Kang Lu smiled. He feels a little bit jealous of Zhou Ying. Even to make his kitten receive his gifts is already a headache. If he dares to follow Zhou Ying's advice, for sure he will be kicked out of the house. Or worse, his kitten will run away from him again.

Once he came home that day, his kitten holed up in his studio. Jian Kang Lu opened the door and looked at his kitten's serious face in front of the computer. His hair is getting longer and falls on his forehead, framing his delicate face like a watercolour painting. So beautiful. Calm his heart. Ease his tired old bones.

His kitten noticed him, and turned his head. "Gege, you're home? Let's eat first, i'm hungry."

Jian Kang Lu felt guilty that his kitten always had his dinner late because he was waiting for him. More than dozens of times Jian Kang Lu told his kitten to have his dinner first, but his kitten refused. Deep inside, he felt happy with it. He was so busy, so most of their time together was the time when they had breakfast and dinner, and also the time in bed.

"Thank you for waiting for me, TangTang."

His kitten hugged him, and kissed his cheek. "I missed you. How's your day, gege?"

For the next three week his kitten didn't blow up even just once. Jian Kang Lu's worries turn out for nothing. He didn't know whether it was because he could handle his kitten's period expertly, or his kitten truly changed.

He hoped it was for the first reason. Because he could sense after that storm, his kitten tried to please him as much as he could. Jian Kang Lu can't complain about that, but he's afraid that his kitten just bottled up his feelings, and one day it could backfire on him.

It was better for him to have his kitten snapped like those wives, rather than suddenly one day his kitten said he could not live with him again. Jian Kang Lu is more than willing to receive a million harsh words and treatment from his kitten if that means his kitten will forever stay with him.