Forbidden Lovers (MewGulf AU)

🌞Chapter 25

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"Hey, you're going to the cultural festival this weekend, right?" a friend asked Mew before the lecture started.

Mew stared blankly. "The cultural festival?"

Which one?

"Hey, hey! The cultural festival at your old high school!" his friend replied.

"Huh?" All of a sudden, someone's face flashed through Mew's mind. It was painful.

"No, I..."

"Time flies, doesn't it?" his friend continued. "It's already been six months since we graduated! Let's meet in front of the train station, okay? Everyone else is coming, so make sure you're there!"

"No, I'll pass..." Mew mumbled.

"What? Why?" his friend asked incredulously.

Another voice overlapped with his friend's, saying, "What? Why not?"

It was Mew's girlfriend, Ice Penkawin. They weren't formally going out, but they were having sex. But, to him, it just didn't feel like they were dating.

"Isn't that where you went to in high school?" Ice asked.

He knew what she wasn't saying.

"Isn't that the school where all the rich kids go?" Maybe she wanted to get the ever-popular younger boyfriend.

"I wanna see where you went to in high school, Mew!" she urged. "Hey, let's go, okay?"

"Come on, even Ice is looking forward to it," his friend chimed in. "It's a good opportunity to show off to everyone else how you got such a cute girlfriend as soon after starting college!"

Ice jumped in. "Mew, will you introduce me to all your friends?"

There was no way he could say no now, and they eventually all coerced him into going to the cultural festival.

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Finally, the day of the festival came, and he felt extremely conflicted. He hadn't had any contact with Gulf since graduation. Gulf had changed his cellphone number, and when Mew sent him a postcard updating him on his life at college, all he had received was in overly formal response like any teacher would send a forner student. Mew didn't send him anymore postcards after that. Gulf's postcard had implicitly said, 'We're over. Just move on.'

The scars from their break up hadn't yet healed. Mew wasn't ready to see Gulf's face.

One of his friends spotted Gulf in the hallway. "Hmm? Doesn't it look like Teacher Gulf lost a lot of weight? Maybe he's with someone now. What do you think, Mew?" he asked innocently.

Mew didn't answer.

Gulf did look thinner. He was surrounded by students, popular as always. Mew wondered if there was someone among them that Gulf was seriously in love with. He wondered if Gulf had moved on already. Just thinking of those things was painful for Mew. He was still in love with Gulf. Even though their game of make-believe lovers was over, and even though he had been working so hard these past six months, he couldn't bring an end to his feelings for Gulf.

"Teach Gulf!" His friends ran up to Gulf in the hallway. Mew trailed behind them.

"Long time no see! How is everyone?"

They all exchanged friendly greetings, and then went off one by one. Finally, Gulf's gaze settled on Mew. At that moment, a troubled expression passed over Gulf's face, which strengthened Mew's resolve. He bowed his head and then left. He wasn't running away. But he had become a little more of an adult, so he couldn't be near Gulf.

TBC