Right Where You Belong

Chapter Twenty-Three

"𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠...𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐠."

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Narrator's

"Bish." Agad namang napatingin itong si Sei ng mahinang tawagin s'ya ng kan'yang katabi na si Junji. Sinara na muna n'ya ang laptop kasabay ng pagtunog ng bell na hudyat ng pag-alis ng kanilang prof at hudyat din na oras na ng kanilang break time. Tumayo muna ito at isunuot ng mabilisan ang bag at binuhat ang mga gamit sa lamesa at niyakap sa kan'yang mga bisig bago ito tumugon, "Meet mo ako sa usual spot, may kukunin lang ako sa lib. Kuha lang ako book reference para sa project." Tsaka ito tuluyang lumabas ng classroom hindi pa man din nakakatugon itong si Sei.

Nagkibat balikat nalang ito at tumayo narin. Sinuot ang earphones bago buhatin ang mga gamit.

"Pst!" Pagtawag naman sa kan'ya ni Janno mula sa likuran, hindi n'ya ito narinig dahil sa earphones na suot n'ya kaya hinayaan nalamang ito ng binata. He's just going to ask if they are going to the cafeteria. Since, these two, Shun and Janno still have no friends to hang-out with during break times.

Sei goes straight to their usual seat in the cafeteria and patiently waits for Junji as promised. Binaba n'ya ang kan'yang mga gamit to secure the spot bago s'ya pumila at bumili ng drinks. May baon naman sila lagi ni Junji na lunch kaya no need ng bumili nito.

Kinuha n'ya ang phone n'ya from his pocket habang nasa pila. He checks the messages first. Himala? Hindi nag chat or text? Baka busy sa audition? Siguro.

Next n'yang ginawa ay pinalitan n'ya 'yong song then turn to other apps para iwas boredom. Habang busy s'ya sa pags-scroll naramdaman n'yang parang may nakatingin sa kan'ya from behind. Maybe, trying to peek at his screen.

He slowly looks over his shoulder and sees this familiar tall guy standing behind him. Ano ba naman 'yan? Bakit nakita ko pa ito? Akala ko ba busy? He is just staring straight at him. Tumango lamang s'ya dito at humarap naulit s'ya sa pila.

But in just a second, the guy grabs him by the waist and kisses his hair. Napailing nalang s'ya at napairap.

"Nero, Please..." annoyance is evident in Sei's voice. Remembering an earlier argument with the boyfriend. He's still pissed off despite the surprise present he received from him this morning.

The line moves forward so Nero pushes him gently while he's still holding him by the waist. "Buying drinks? The usual ba, Bam?" He asks as if nothing is wrong between them.

"Ako na bibili. 'Wag kana mag-abala."

"Okay, One orange soda, noted." Nero still insists, liningun s'ya ni Sei.

Sei gazes at him in disbelief, Grabe! Ang kulit talaga! "Hindi ka talaga makaintindi ng 'No', 'no, Nero?" Pagmamataray nito.

Nero meets his eyes and shakes his head, "Kaya nga napa-Oo kita, diba?" Nero wants to smile by his remarks but he refuses, he knows Sei is so frustrated with him right now for not allowing him to hang-out with his friends, so he doesn't really want to add fuel to the fire anymore. To be honest, He is aware of what is Sei or Sei's friends are thinking about him. But what they don't know is, Nero tries his best not to be like that all the time. But after everything that happened in their relationship in the past, he couldn't just let Sei be around people who ruined his trust.

Sei rolls his eyes, nakakailang taray na s'ya ngayong araw pero may magagawa ba s'ya? "Ewan ko sa'yo. Nagmamakaawa ako sa'yo, Nero. 'Wag mo akong sagarin." bumuntong hininga s'ya. Nakarating na sila sa counter, Nero maneuvers him to the side and he's the one who ordered for them instead, "Two orange soda and 3 apple juice, Miss." the other drinks are for Han and Jin who are waiting for him in the theater. He glances at Sei, who is crossing his arms while looking down. Napailing si Nero, thinking kung paano n'ya susuyuin ito kung ganito ito kainis sakan'ya.