Here All Along

chapter - 21

A/n: i have decided to update two chapters a day (or even more if i can) instead of one because i feel one is too less may be? I feel so happy that this story is keeping some people intrigued so yeah.. feel like i could save them from extra slow burn.. let's see 😬

....

The next morning I woke up with a massive urge to not see Win for a couple days. I had no complaints from him. I was not angry. I just wanted some time to make peace with my feelings for him. But I also wanted to keep my promise that nothing indeed had changed and we were still okay. So when he texted me whether our plan to hang out was on, i couldn't say no. His Sunday trainings got over around four in the evening. By the time i reached there, Win was already saving a table for us in his academy cafetaria. He waved, i waved back.

After the intense emotional ride we went through the last night, we had parted our ways with a mute agreement that this conversation would never see the light of the day again because it was hurtful and had potential to make things awkward between us. And letting any discomfort marr our friendship would have been worse than any heartbreak for me. So i was normal. But Win kept stealing glances of me, his worried gazes trying to read my state were not subtle at all.

"Stop looking at me like I'm going to die" i sighed, slurping the broth of the chicken soup. In return, he threw a handful of noodles in my direction. I exclaimed, it was so hard to understand this boy sometimes.

"What you do want me to do then?"

"Act normal, may be?" I shrugged my shoulders.

He tched, "you shouldn't have done that thing if you wanted me to be normal. How is that normal?"

He was a mixture of rambles, sighs and exclaimations that he hardly bothered to interpret to me as well. When i dropped my spoon in the bowl, the clanking sound of it startled him.

"What is going on?" I asked, folding my hands on my chest.

He took a deep breath, twiddled his head around before getting up from him chair and dragging it next to me.

"I have decided that we should try this out" he said.

I quirked a brow up, "huh?"

"I think we should date. What do you say?"

"No" i said in a heartbeat and he flinched.

"But weren't you the one who..oh my god, was that all a prank?!"

I grimaced at his high pitch which was also inviting unnecessary attention.

"Of course not Win. I meant everything i said yesterday."

"Then why are you refusing now?"

"Because i know better than forcing my feelings on you, Win. You're not obliged to do anything about it. It's fine, you don't have to go that far.."

"I'm not forcing myself to do anything" he mumbled after a pause, "i thought about it all night. I know it's a little weird but i want to try this with you.."

He was speaking carefully. I could see a fear hovering over his face. He was hesitant, scared and still, willing to do this for me. I wanted to refuse again and say that he didn't have to but he looked into my eyes and i felt maybe it was okay to be a little selfish.

"Are you sure?" I asked hopefully.

There it was again, a flicker of doubt that he couldn't hide but he shook his head in affirmation.

"So does that mean...we can go on real dates?" I mumbled.

I heard him swallowing nervously. He was not sure. He looked anything but sure. And yet, he had decided to give it a shot for me. My heart swelled with a bittersweet pain. The more he was trying to save me from the hurt, the more it hurt to realise how much I needed him. Despite knowing that it would be more appropriate to discuss his doubts before trying what fucking ever thing it was, i went along with him. I was afraid if he thought more about them, he'd change his mind.

"I think I'm sure" he said.

I was overwhelmed. I had no idea how to respond. It was huge.

"Don't worry. We'll do whatever you want" i said gently, caressing the hair at his nape, "thank you Win."

He always leaned in to my touch without even realising. Looking back at me, he nodded. I was torn between taking the things slow and kissing the daylights out of him. I pulled my hand and looked away. Aunt Irin's call came as a saviour and i cleared my throat and told him i needed to take the call. He went back to his food before I walked outside and leaned against the door of the café. My heartbeats were wild, lips split in a big happy smile. Win had actually allowed me to pursue him and it was not a dream. I was so thrilled i felt like floating away. I took deep breathes to calm myself down and received the call.

I greeted aunt Irin before she started grumbling about how she was angry with me. I wouldn't have blamed her.

"You're being dramatic like your son" i laughed, "it has only been two months since we talked."

"My son will never feel me ai Bright because you can't not talk to him for even a day."

She was right and i had no intension to disagree on that.

"I miss you mae" I said simply. It was probably all that she wanted to hear.

Perhaps i imagined or perhaps she actually teared up on the other side of the phone.

"Come meet me Bright" her sweet voice wavered, "i miss all my three sons."

I smiled warmly.

"We will come home soon. I promise" i said, waiting for her to chide me like she always did, saying i just liked making false promises. I loved when she'd scold me but that time, she just sighed and said, "i have to tell you guys about something. Try to come here as soon as possible."

Before i could ask anything, she cut the call.

"What could it be.." i whispered to myself when i felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned back to see a boy, almost Win's age, with a friendly smile on his face.

"Um, I'm looking for a Win Metawin. He's a swimmer here" he asked.

I frowned deeply. He looked strangely familiar but I couldn't remember where had i seen him. He had the similar expressions on his face until he clicked his tongue like he won a lottery.

"Hey.." he smirked, reaching his hand out, "i remember now. You must be Bright."

I blinked in confusion for a few more seconds until the realisation dawned upon me. My shoulders drooped in heavy trepidation, heart crashed with unnamed fears.

"Hey.." i barely whispered, shaking his hand with mine, "and you must be Kavin."

He grinned, fixing his glasses before looking through the glass window at Win.

🖤🤍

A/n: what is it that people say about timing 🙃