Are We Too Late or Am I Too Soon? (Completed ☑️)

CHAPTER 39

Both men cried hard while being held in each other's arms. Fears and uncertainties being washed away not by the heavy rain pour but by the tight and warm embrace of each other.

Tay pulled away and held New's face. He spoke in a loud voice as to enable New to hear him, going against the loud sound of the rain around them."Hin, why are you here? It's raining hard. You might get sick!"

"Te. Te. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I don't want to lose you, Te. I can't. I can't." New shook his head frantically.

"What are you talking about? You're not going to lose me, Hin. Never. Why do you think that?"

"I saw Lee at home a while ago. I thought...I thought..." New could not finish talking because he's having a hard time breathing.

"Let's talk at home, okay? You might be freezing." Tay held him in his arms and got him in the car. Both rode at the back seat and Tay did not let go of New. He hugged him tightly, trying to warm him up.

"Peng, sorry but can you please turn off the aircon? Hin is freezing." 

"Sure, sure." Peng complied immediately.

"Thank you."

New suddenly released two consecutive sneezes. Tay touched his forehead and felt his body heating up.

"Peng, I'm really sorry but can you drive a little faster? He's feverish."

"Yes, Peng. Don't worry. I'm driving as fast as our laws allow me to."

"Thank you." He then turned to New and whispered, "Hang in there Hin."

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When they got to the apartment building, Off accompanied Tay as he brought New inside their home. Tay laid him down on the bed and removed his clothes.

"Peng, can you please get me-"

"On it." Off then went out and proceeded to the bathroom.

Tay took a towel, a shirt, a sweatshirt, and jogging pants from the closet. He dried New's body first before he dressed him up.  After that, he tucked him in the comforter just as when Off came back.

"Sorry. I still had to look for your face towels." He placed them on the bedside table.

"It's okay, Peng. I just finished changing his clothes anyway. Thank you." Tay knelt beside the bed as he wiped New's face lightly, down to his neck. He washed the cloth again in the basin and folded it then he put it on top of New's forehead.

"You should change, too, Peng. You got rained on yourself. You can't take care of someone sick if you're sick, too."

Tay lingered for a few seconds as he held New's face before he stood up. He looked at Off and they both went outside the room.

"Do you need me here? I can just tell Gun that I'll stay for the night."

"No, Peng, it's okay. I can take care of him alone." Tay gave Off a reassuring smile. He accompanied him towards the door. 

"Alright, but I'll be on alert nonetheless. In case you need to rush him to the hospital, don't hesitate to call me. I can drive you there."

"Thank you, Peng. For everything." They held each other's hand and gave each other a shoulder bump.

Once Off left, Tay took a shower and put on fresh clothes. He then sat by the bed beside New and took the vapor rub balm in the drawer. He slipped his hands inside the latter's shirt and gently rubbed New's chest with the balm. Once he was done, he turned New's body to the side to access his back and rubbed balm on it, too.