Before, he thought, maybe it was just a coincidence that the doctor had the same appearance as his deceased husband, that the boy in his dreams and the doctor had the same name. Everything could be just a coincidence but... "We have never talked about what I want and what I like," he wanted to brush it off, the feeling of being toyed with, lied to, and constantly being kept in the dark. The doctor had helped him, and Kole did so much with patience. Maybe, Kole was a friend from before. Maybe, Kai's face was just so ordinary that there will be a perfect copy of him, maybe... maybe... "Tell me, who are you?" he couldn't hide his emotion anymore, his blood boiling from confusion, his mind was too muddled he cannot fathom the situation. "Please, tell me, are you that boy in my dream?" He knew it was crazy to ask Kole about this, he could be jumping to conclusions and he might not be that boy but what can he do? Clues and shreds of evidence were already laid in front of him. It might n
[TW: Kidnapping.] Taking a deep breath, Kole started to speak, "It was seventeen years ago when we first met..." After he and Sky became lovers that rainy night, Kole started to pick up Sky at his school. Kole was in an All-Boys School while Sky was in a mixed-gender Private School. Every day, after school, Kole will quickly leave to wait for Sky outside the school gate. He will always wait for his baby to come out from that gold, high towering gate of the luxurious school. And every day he will bring Sky a gift, yesterday it was an apple, then a sandwich, dumplings, sometimes gardenia flowers, a plumeria, and a blue rose. Whatever he could think of that looks pretty or will suit Sky he will undoubtedly bring. A cute and pure love between them who were in the prime of their youth. "Sky! Here." A surge of students wearing gold yellow skirts and pants with white upper long-sleeved and yellow gold neckties walked outside of the school gate. Even if it's a hundred or a thousand stude
[TW: Kidnapping. Self-blame.]If money was involved, they could still be saved. Transactions between their parents and these people will take time but it will also give them time to plan out an escape. If there was no money involved then... what does it mean? Who was the master they were talking about? There was no time to think deeper about that sentence, they have to escape. Sky looked at Kole and as if they were talking through telepathy, they both grabbed the hair of the two kidnappers and bite their ears without hesitation. When the car zigzag, Sky then let go of the driver and open the door, both of them jump and landed on the road, rolling. When they bounced on the cliff barrier, they stood up and while holding each other's hand, run as fast as they could without looking back. It was the adrenaline that gave them instant speed, it was the desire to save each other that gave their legs extra strength and it was fear that kept them going.They have hidden in the bushes, crouc
It was a miscalculation on their part. A well-thought plan but not well-implemented and delivered. A plan that caused more injury than cure, how can they right their mistakes? They don't even know and they don't have time to think.They had a heavy feeling in their stomach as if they have indigestion, they knew that at that very moment, they both ruined and save a life. Sky had started living a new life, free from guilt and pain. He was transferred to a new school and met new people. Kole was still recovering and maybe... maybe he won't be the same as before, maybe he will be crippled or maybe he will... no matter what justification they could think of, their guilty conscience still creeps inside them like a pest. "Son?" His mother cried with happiness. Despite the guilt of their decision, they were still happy that Kole woke up."I want...to..see...Sky."The room fell silent, nobody knew what to say until the doctor saved them from the situation. Every day, Kole will ask about Sky
Sky was listening intently to Kole's story pursing his lips once in a while. Every word that comes out from Kole was another memory remembered. The flow of memories was not clear and not everything can be remembered at once but thanks to Kole some of it came back. Something he thought was important.Learning that Kole was his past lover, he finally understood why he felt familiar, why he listens to him and opens his heart to Kole quickly, turns out they have a deeper connection than he could have imagined."I'm sorry," Sky spoke in a weak voice.Kole looked at him, lashes trembling, his tears flowing to his cheeks, "Don't be. It's not your fault. It's never your fault."He will never blame Sky because he knew he had a fair share of the incident. Everything could have been avoided if that incident did not happen. If only he did not dare to tell his parents about his sexuality. Some things were better kept hidden, at least that was what he learned from this experience. "You are precio
All the pent-up emotion, the words unsaid and the longing was all let loose in that kiss. It wasn't easy for Kole to just leave Sky there, if he could he would hold on to him but he was his forgotten past and it would be taking advantage of a wounded heart.If he will start with Sky again it must be when he was better, guilt-free, and moved on from Kai. In the end, his protection, his care, and his goal to cure Sky cost him to lose him again.Kole drove to his clinic, it was already past the afternoon, with only one patient left for consultation. He was wearing black sunglasses to cover his eyes with visible traces of sobbing.Entering the clinic, he went straight to his office and sat at his table looking at the photo. Gazed fixed on it, his eyes sting again, "All I wanted was for you to be well instead I caused you much more pain."In the photo was the young Sky wearing an ocean blue sweater paired with denim shorts. The young Sky smiles brightly while holding a bouquet of gardenia
How many untold secrets will be revealed if Kole pursues Sky? How many tears will Sky shed if he knows all those secrets? Was this love worth it at the expense of Sky's pain? No. It would be better to have a separate path and bury the secrets than be with him and be continuously tormented. "I should not have appeared in front of him again..." Kole hugs the photo frame and burst out crying. This was the first time that Yara saw him this heartbroken, this helpless. Kole was always trying to make everyone happy. Always tried to make everyone feel comfortable yet deep down in his heart he hid so much pain. "... I'm an idiot. I'm truly an idiot!" Yara can't bear to see her friend in such a state. She rises from her chair and went to hug Kole. "Kole, don't be so selfless. You have the right to be happy too." Yara's tears can't be controlled anymore. "Please, you sacrificed enough. Don't let him control you!" He wished it was that easy. He really does. "He isn't fully recovered yet. Can
The first step towards change was awareness. The second step was acceptance. Sky had long been aware of his illusion of Kai. It was a big leap for him to step out of his comfort zone.He still had fear of leaving and walking outside but greater was his desire to give his remaining lifetime to someone who gave all his devotion to him and to do this he needed to brave himself and face reality.Was he going after Kole because of pity, gratitude, or conscience?It could be said that these three reasons were true but Sky knew deep down in his heart, there was still a small space that Kole occupied. A small space that now emerges and was understood after hearing the truth.After visiting Kai's grave, Sky went to the foot of the mountain, there was a small rundown hut beside the koi pond. The place was surrounded by rice paddy with yellow-colored rice husks, screaming for harvest.A man in his fifties sits in a shabby chair under the tall maidenhair tree. Its leaves are like a shape of a fan
Time pass by quickly and it was already their ten years wedding anniversary. Kole had been thinking of a better anniversary gift this time, something that could topple the other gifts that he had given his husband. He spent the entire month thinking about it but none crossed his mind. He was roaming around the mall, entering all stores until he bumped into a familiar face, "Kai?!" his twin brother. "Oh. What are you doing here?" said Kai without much surprise. "Looking for a gift," he replied. Kole was already comfortable mentioning Sky whenever he was with Kai. His brother had stopped his therapy session with him five years ago when the General miraculously accepts his pursuit. From then on, Kai was well behaved than ever. "What a coincidence, me too. It's my honey's birthday next week," In truth, Kai also spent a lot of time thinking of what gift to give. At the same time, he was planning to propose to his General on his birthday. "Why not buy a ring if you want to propose?
It took Kai a week to recover and Erviz stayed with him all these days without neglecting his duty. It could be said that he was a stay-in Nanny for Kai, a friend, a confidant, and someone Kai persistently flirts with. Erviz was so used to it that it seems like a lullaby to him. Five years passed and Kai was still chasing Erviz, never getting a chance to bed the man. Up to this day, Erviz listened to Kai whenever the other needed it. Kai consistently pursues him, giving him flowers, and gifts and picking him up at work. If General Erviz Mason was feared by all in the department before now, nobody even dared to talk behind his back. They were more afraid of Kai's deathly gaze than the General's quick fist! "Yo! Honey," it was already midnight but Kai still picks up Erviz in his work not minding his own fatigue. "Hungry? I bought you a congee," inside the car was an insulated box where the said congee was kept to stay warm. "En," he responded. He was exhausted from today's meeting.
It was seven in the morning when Erviz woke up in the same position they were in when they slept only that Kai was embracing him now and he was wrapped in his arms. Slowly, he lifted Kai's arm and slip out making the man groan, "Shh, sleep." He went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Today, he needed to go to the base to report but what will he report? That he had slept in the same bed with the enemy? He toasted some bread, fry an egg and reheat the coffee that was left unattended. Thirty minutes later, Kai came out of the room with drowsy eyes and like a magnet, sticking close to Erviz landing a kiss on his lips, "Morning, wifey." His body slumped on the General with his hands on the waist. "For the nth time, I'm not your wife," he said while busy preparing the food on the table. "En, understood... wifey." They had breakfast and Erviz had taken a bath after some struggle to keep Kai outside the bathroom. When he came out, Kai was nowhere to be found except for a simple note l
He lost hope to convince Kai that he was not gay, that he was not into men and will never have sex with men. But the stubborn man was pestering him and kissing him as he pleases. He had thought of ways to attack Kai but he knew he will be killed in the end with how many men were hiding outside. Yes. Hiding. It will be inconvenient for them to surround the house visible to all the neighbors so the men were dispersed in the shadow. "God! You're so... sigh, Kai, what is it that you really want?" Kai stopped what he was doing and for a minute there was silence between them. He felt the hidden emotion in Kai's silence, he might be wrong but he saw sadness in those eyes, fear, and hatred. Why was he sad? Why was he afraid? Who does he hate? These were questions that he wanted to ask but felt that it was not right after all. He was an outsider and was an enemy even. Will he be swayed if he knew this man's hidden thoughts and real self? He does not know. He would never know. Kai step bac
It was already ten minutes since the cars stopped in the middle of the road. All men had their heads bowed down for the same amount of time waiting for Erviz to say that he will reconsider. Whoever their boss has a liking to, they consider them instant family. If the boss said he will kill himself because the lady boss does not want to have sex with him then it was solid proof that their boss was head over heels for Erviz. Inside the car was silent with Kai still holding him by the waist. Erviz had no plan to retaliate, after all, this is the yakuza surrounding him. Dying because of a sex-deprived yakuza boss was something he wanted to avoid. "... can't you tell your men to stop bowing?" he whispered making sure only Kai heard it. Kai responded with a bite on his forefinger and licked it after, "I can't. I'm using them to pressure you," he admitted shamelessly. He does not know what goes on through the mind of this man and he can shamelessly and confidently admit that he was usin
It was not even an hour passed that Erviz punched him for the kiss and now he was asking for sex. Erviz scowled hearing what he said, "Are you pent up? Is sex all you have in that mind of yours?"But Kai answered him through his action. His hand slipped down until it reaches the slit and went to touch his butt. His lips kissed Erviz's neck leaving marks in each part his lips landed. "Have sex with me, hmm? You want me to beg you, sexy?"It was only with Erviz that he begged, it was his way of chasing that warmth that he felt and was feeling now. He was aware of his action; he was aware of his stupid move. He was not acting like a leader of the group right now but as Kai himself. Kai had this fear in his heart for the first time again after losing his brother and Sky, he was afraid that if he let go... he will never feel this warmth again. "Sexy, stay with me." The hand that reaches in between the cheeks of Erviz's butt was suddenly pinched to stop, "I'm not a whore," he said. "I'
It was not a minute after the punch that another thunder clapped. Along with the sound was the simultaneous raising of guns toward Erviz. Hurting the head of the group was equivalent to hurting all the members of the group, insulting them, and announcing war with them. The members' priority was to keep their heads safe and, in this case, it was Kai. Kai's lips bleed on the same side where Erviz's lips were wounded. The strong punch was not enough to move Kai's body but it did move his face to turn sideward. "Dare to hurt me? Brave, aren't we?!" His eyes were glaring red. His tongue sticks out to lick the blood that drips from his swollen lips and with a step forward he held Erviz's jaw clenching it hard but there was no panic or fear in the eyes of the other man. Instead, he stared back as if taunting the glaring Kai like he was hoping for some action. "Do you know what will happen to you if I let those men click the trigger?" He was sending a threat that was neither a threat. It
It was already late in the night but the city just started to get lively and noisy. Cars that were seen on the roads were so fancy they could blind one's eyes. Young people and other party people were out wearing their best outfits for the night. "Where are we going?" asked Erviz as he fixed his messy hair. Kai was sitting with him at the back of the car, his legs crossed over each other looking outside as if lost in thoughts. For a second there was complete silence. Erviz stopped brushing his hair and looked at Kai with questioning eyes. "Hey!" it was neither a shout nor a loud voice. It was neutral, so neutral that you can sense that the person speaking was not nervous at all. "... you're not planning to abduct me, right?" Kai's eyes were still fixed outside but this time he answered, "Calm down. I don't plan on killing someone tonight.""Oh. Then thanks." he blurted out and return to fixing his hair. After ten minutes, they arrived at a secluded area with only one building er
Tonight, he wanted to be with his brother again. Lately, he had been feeling a little empty inside. It has been two years since he had not talked to his brother and just three months ago, his adoptive father, who had died of old age, left him hundreds of people he needed to lead. It was already known inside the group that Kai will be the next in line, the child honed and treated as a real son by their deceased boss. No one objected, everyone saw how Kai was capable of leading the group. Even the business was prospering when he handled it. But each one also knew how lifeless their leader was. Looking at the side mirror, Kai saw Kole and Sky embracing each other. He had once embraced Sky; he had once felt that warmth but longing for it now was not something he deserved. He understood that it was his fault and because of a wrong decision pushed by his own demon. "Go to the club," he said in passing. Anywhere noisy was better than being alone in a big house. Though there were his un