The Boy Outside the Plan

The first time they met, the paint palette in the boy's hands ended up all over him. From then on, he put that colorful suit away in the closet, never to see the light of day again.

The second time they met, the boy smiled at him and said, "Hi~ Fancy seeing you again, mister. Sorry about last time." From then on, the boy's smiling face stayed in his mind.

The third time they met, the boy was covered in blood from head to toe, yet he still smiled and said, "Mister, help me." From then on, the boy became part of his plans.

The boy: You're the mister in my plans.

The man: You're the boy I never planned for.

In the end, neither of them knew whose plans the other had entered.

Shen Xu x Chu Qiao

Short story, older man/younger man

Theme: Finding warmth in each other