CHAPTER XXVIII

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It was almost midnight. The fire was slowly disappearing, bottles of beers was littered on the ground, the sound of owl's howl and crickets are the only sound that can be heard on the surrounding. And there they were, Justin, Jun, Jaden, Travis, Arthur and Kevin. Still sitting on their usual seats, not uttering a single word after they heard Arthur's story. The four of them don't know if they would feel hurt, or felt bad for not letting them realized the hell that their two friends were facing for the past two years, especially Travis. He felt bad for judging Arthur easily, without letting him explain his side. He keeps his eyes fixated on the ground, unable to look at Arthur because the moment he'll look at those eyes, he knows he will loose himself and cried in front of Arthur. Justin and Jaden were silently crying, and Jun was looking up the sky, he keeps on swallowing the lump in his throat.



"I don't want you guys to feel bad for yourselves that you haven't been able to help us during those times, or you didn't noticed that. We told it you because we don't want you guys to keep in the dark anymore, we both want a piece of mind and the only way to do it was to tell it to all of you and because you deserve to know it, since the four of you are already a family to us, we are a family here. And we are really sorry for keeping it to all of you." Kevin says after a long silence, he knew that his friends was feeling bad to themselves right now, and he doesn't want that.


"I'm sorry for turning my back on you during those times. It's not like I want it, but I need time to heal on my own. I need time to collect myself up again and strive on my own. It sounds selfish but I need it, I don't want to be a burden to you and most of all I don't want to bring you to the mess that my family endures, I did it because I wanted to protect you all." Arthur explained, voice shaking. The thought of that picture with him and his friends on the school ground someone had put in his locker almost three years ago still gave him chills up to this day. Jaden stood up and walks closer to Arthur and Kevin, he drop down and hugged his friends, still crying for the misery his two friends experienced. Justin and Jun got up too and hugged the two also. At this point, they didn't care if they look like a bunch of weirdos at their state, the three boys wanted Arthur and Kevin to feel that they are there, and they will always be there with them starting tonight and until they are all grey and old. Justin noticed that Travis got up, but he didn't come for a hug instead, he walks away heading on the lake. They parted their hug and teased each other for being a loser at their state, but they laughed it off and went back to their usual seat, not until Kevin realized that Travis was missing.

"Where's Travis?" Kevin asked, and Arthur immediately feels down, Travis really hate him for walking away at them after hearing his story.

"I think he is at the lake. Don't mind him, he's probably needs some air." Justin stated, not a single worry was etched on his face. He knew that Travis wouldn't do something stupid, he knew the boy just needs some air. Arthur stood up, if he really wanted Travis to forgive him, he needs to do it now. Kevin looked at him and he looks down, nodding at him.


"You know where to find me. Okay? It's going to be alright." Kevin squeezed Arthur's hand, giving him some support and Arthur followed Travis on the lake.

----





Travis was sitting at the end of the dock, dangling his feet under the water. The air started to get a little bit colder, and he grits his teeth hard out of cold. He didn't want to walk out on them, the guiltiness was just so heavy that he couldn't help himself but to get away for a moment and took some fresh breath. Travis finally decided that he will come to Arthur later and asked some forgiveness to him. But Arthur beat him to his decision when Travis felt someone sat down beside him. He thought it was Justin, he is used to it by now that wherever he was, Justin was there.

"I'm fine, I just had to breathe." Travis says, still oblivious to the name of the boy beside him. It was really dark that time so he couldn't see the boy's face.



"You are right. I've been denying it everytime you say it but this time you are right. I am fucking stupid and immature. How come I hate Arthur when he has been in a lot of pain for the past years? I am so fucking immature Justin, it's Arthur who should hate me and not me hating him."





"You're right."

Travis jump a little and looked to the boy beside him. He squints his eyes just for him to see clearly who's beside him and when he finally saw that it was Arthur, he cursed under his breath.


"You're right. I should've hate you for not trusting me and for not giving me the benefit of the doubt. But you are also wrong. You are not immature, you are hurt for what I did, and it's valid. Your emotions are valid. You cannot just accept someone who turned their back on you without any explanation, especially when you needed them the most, you cannot just forgive them easily and it's fine."


Travis didn't say anything, he was on the verge of crying right now. He felt bad for himself more for hating Arthur and Arthur still understands where his hate for him was coming from, he now regrets everything that he said to Arthur.

"I'm sorry for everything." It was Arthur who finally breaks the silence. The cold air push past through them and Arthur hugs himself, trying to lessen the cold of the chilly night.

"It was me who should say sorry." Travis finally speaks up, his voice cracks in the end. Arthur noticed it and he looks at Travis, although he couldn't see him right now, he knows that Travis was already crying.


"Come here." Arthur immediately hugged his little brother and Travis hugs him back, a series of sorry and Travis' sob was the only noise that can be heard in the dead chilly night.

"Hyung is sorry too. But I'm here now, I will never turn my back on you again. I promise I'm gonna be there with you again always, I have your back again now. Forgive me for everything."


Arthur shed tears too, he is more than happy that he finally earn Travis' forgiveness, that he finally got his brother back. They stayed like that for a little bit longer. They decided to catch up with the things thay they've been missed with each other for the past years. And when they decided to go back, they already found their friends gone with the fire already gone and their friends was probably already back at the cabin.



Arthur silently walks around the room going to him and Kevin's room. He opened the door and closed it silently, afraid that he might wake up Kevin. The lamp on Kevin's side was still on, he probably waited on Arthur until he dozed off. Arthur silently walks up to Kevin and lay down beside him, facing Kevin who was already in his deep slumber. Arthur chuckled at the way how Kevin's lips puckered, a silent snore was coming out of it. He scoots closer to Kevin and hugs him tightly trying his best to bury his face underneath Kevin. Kevin feels that Arthur was already beside him and he hugs the boy back, caging him with his arms and legs.

"Are you okay?" Kevin asks, eyes still closed and mind still on a deep sleep. Arthur knows that Kevin doesn't know what he is talking about, so he just hummed in response and listened to Kevin's steady heartbeats, already falling into his dreamland with his dream boy beside him.



"I love you." Kevin whispered to Arthur. Arthur didn't know if he was already dreaming or what he heard was real, but he was already halfway in a deep sleep that he doesn't care anymore if what he heard was real or just a dream,



























"I love you, more."

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