Here All Along

chapter - 9

Five new things I grew to like about Win since his twelfth birthday

1. He folds his clothes nicely in the shelf. Good boy!

2. He does not skip bathing every second day.

3. He has learned how to use chopsticks.

4. He fights with his friends because of me which he absolutely should NOT. I like it. But I'd like it more if you get along with others.

5. He does not bother to ask before taking my clothes. I like that you know they are all yours anyway.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Just reading the lists you made me on my birthdays" Win chirped excitedly while phi Mia smiled awkwardly. She was the housemaid of our house and apparently, free enough to humour Win and his trivialities.

"I never imagined nong bright had a friend he cared so much for. He hardly smiles at home" phi Mia said. Win grinned. I rolled my eyes.

"How was your day at college?" Win asked, sitting on my bed.

He had his own in the other corner and yet, he'd never get out from mine. These little things had started affecting me for reasons i did not know.

"Hectic" i replied, "how was yours? Did you get bored?"

"Not really" said he and then counted me all the things he did since morning.

Jogged, worked out, baked pastries for mom dad (i was sure they must have passed out of surprise), hung out with phi Mia, slept, ate, talked to a friend on phone, waited for me to come back...."

"A rather productive day" I concluded, confirmed by a fat thumbs up from him.

Win was wonderful. The way he carried himself was a true inspiration. I imagined if i were in his place, I'd have moped around all day, waiting for Win to come back and bring life with him.

"Do we have any plans now? He asked, dangling his legs down the bed, looking hopefully at me.

The memory of the morning hit me. Win was arranging his clothes in the makeshift wardrobe while grumbling about not having anything proper to wear and roasting himself for not saving up and much more incoherent babbles in between.

"Would you want some shopping?" I asked.

His lips parted incredulously, his legs stopping where they are.

"How do you know i wanted to shop?"

I shrugged, like i wanted to say if it's about him, i would know and he nodded as if he heard me. He'd always hear me.

"I am running out of my savings" he said, crestfallen (or so he pretended).

"It's okay" i said, throwing my denim jacket he liked at his side, "put on this. It's windy outside. Let's go."

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"Seriously, who do you have to impress?" I asked after we were done passing through every aisle of every store in the mall only to end up at the food house, tired, empty hands and starving. Win religiously denounced all the stores, finding faults (that made no sense sometimes) in every piece of fabric his eyes laid on. I was not unused to Win being fussy about his occupations but I never knew he was so conscious of his appearance. Honestly, he did not need to be. He effortlessly carried a natural charm around him like a halo around a deity.

"No one?" he said defensively, "who on Earth would I want to impress?"

I shrugged, "I don't know, a boyfriend may be-"