BETWEEN LOVE AND LIES || JAESAHI

CHAPTER XXVI

(Another sensitive topic in this chapter, skip this part if you find it uncomfortable to read)

Arthur has been feeling tired and exhausted these past few days. The young lad has been having constant nightmares ever since his father's third death anniversary and Arthur will always wake up drenched with sweats, emotionally and mentally tired. As much as Arthur wants to tell his nightmares to Kevin, he decided to keep it on his own because he don't want to be a burden anymore to Kevin as much as he is right now. Although things are slowly turning into normal these past few days except for Arthur's constant nightmares obviously, but his friendship with Justin and Jun are starting to patch again, but in Travis case, Arthur still have a long way to go to make ammend with Travis. Travis avoided him at all cost and it includes sitting with them during lunch so Justin always had a hard time to choose whom to accompany during those times whether it's Travis or his other friends. Arthur tried to talk to Travis a couple of times but the latter doesn't want to hear his explanation, and it looks like Travis isn't ready to listen anytime sooner.

Arthur was sitting on the kitchen stool in Kevin's house drinking some tea with Philip; Cortez's butler. He was about to go home earlier but Philip called him and asked him for help to bake some goodies. Arthur was reluctant at first because he would missed the bus but Philip insisted that he will drive Arthur home, and Arthur couldn't do anything but to accept the offer. They were sitting next to each other, sipping teas and waiting for the cookies to be cooked at the oven.

"How are you and Kevin?" Philip breaks the silence. He wants to ask Arthur that question since the very start.

"Things are going okay I guess." Arthur said. Arthur noticed that Kevin has been extra nice and kind to him these past few days, although he likes that, he couldn't help but think if they are already okay since they still haven't talked about their past issues formally, and Arthur thinks they need to sort that out first.

"I'm just glad that he finally has someone to confide to when he is having a hard time. That boy may looks like he didn't have problems at all but I know him for so long that I can easily figure out if he's having a tough battle. He's already like a son to me."

Philip is a trusted butler of the family. Kevin haven't even born and Philip was already there serving the Cortez. And him and Kevin grew up treating Philip like he is their father too.

"Imagine my dread and my pain when I saw him one night lying on the bathroom floor, blood oozing on his left arm."

Arthur froze, his mind suddenly stopped the moment he heard that. He looked at Philip with wide eyes, unable to comprehend what the man beside him just said. Philip was staring at his tea, clueless at the stupefied boy beside him.

"He already told it to you isn't he?" Philip asked Arthur, still looking absentmindedly at the tea in front of him. What the butler didn't know is that Kevin still haven't told anything to Arthur, and Arthur doesn't know what to say.

"W-what did you say?" Arthur breathes, tears already prickling his eyes.

"He is like a second child to me, I was the one who took care of him while growing up. If I didn't check on him that night to ask him to eat dinner, I would probably forever regret it. That child doesn't deserve it, it's too painful to watch him suffer like that." Philip continues, Arthur suddenly stood up, eyes still staring widely at Philip, and that's when Philip finally looked at Arthur. When Philip saw Arthur's petrified face, the butler finally realized that Arthur still doesn't know anything and he returned the shock face at Arthur.

"Wait, so Kevin haven't told it to you?!"

"God, no."

Before Philip realize it, Arthur was already running upstairs leaving Philip behind.