The Man He Chose

Chapter 7

A/N: The image above does not belong to me. It belongs to the person who uploaded it on the internet.

Santa's POV

"I love you, Kao ... "

I had been stroking Cooheart's hair when I heard him say those words so lovingly to me.

My fingers froze their stroking motion.

Cooheart didn't seem to be aware of what he had just said. He wound his arms around my neck and kissed me once more, smiling lovingly at me.

I pretended not to notice his mistake which had caused irreparable damage to my already broken heart.

"Wanna shower with me?" he asked with a naughty gleam in his eye. "I wanna give you the same pleasure you gave me, except I wanna do it in the shower."

"No, it's okay, Coo," I said, trying hard to keep the pain from showing in my eyes. "You go ahead and take your shower. I will shower after you."

"Are you sure?" he asked. His playful expression turned into a combination of a hurt and offended look. 

"I'm sure. Go on," I said, closing my eyes and placing an arm across my face.

"Suit yourself," he said as he made his way to the bathroom.

I could not find it in me to shed even one tear. The pain was too deep to waste a tear over. I just lay in bed, my heart beating fast and erratically, thinking carefully before making a decision that I might regret for the rest of my life.

By the time he came back to the bedroom I had made up my mind what I was going to do.

"Your turn to shower," Cooheart said while rubbing his hair dry with his towel.

I slowly got out of bed and without a word went inside the bathroom.

I noticed Cooheart shooting a confused glance at me. I wasn't going to explain to him the change in my mood.

Inside the shower I let the water mix with the salty tears that streamed down my face.

I stayed a long time inside the shower, hoping that by the time I came back to the bedroom Cooheart had fallen asleep.

When I did come out of the bathroom, the bedroom was enveloped in darkness except for the soft glow of the night light at one corner of the room.

I knew that I wasn't going to be able to sleep a wink.

I decided to carry out my plan while Cooheart was sleeping.

I very quietly took out my suitcase from the shelf at the top of the closet.  Then I took out a few shirts and pants that were hanging inside the closet. Then I noiselessly pulled out the dresser drawer and took out several underwear and plain t-shirts and stuffed them all inside my suitcase.

I went to the bathroom and placed my toiletries inside a sandwich bag and placed them in the pocket of my suitcase.

I quietly took my chocolate brown leather satchel, pulled out a pen and a pad with sticky pages and noiselessly walked to the bathroom.

I turned on the light and shut the door.

Inside the bathroom I started to scribble my good bye note to Cooheart.

I could hardly see what I was writing through my tears.

My dearest Cooheart, the one and only love of my life,

I no longer want to keep you tied to me.

You are free to live with Kao, the only person whom I know you will always love in your whole life.

I have tried my best to keep you happy every single day that we have lived together but because your heart beats for Kao alone, it would not be fair for me to keep you from going back to him.

Be happy, stay well and give Kao all the love that your heart has to give.

In spite of your inability to love me back, I will never stop loving you, but I think it is time for me to stop being selfish and to set you free.

I signed my name through my tears at the bottom of the page.

Then I stuck the paper to the middle of the mirror where he would surely see it in the morning when he came to do his morning rituals.

I quietly walked back to the room and slung the strap of my satchel across my shoulder and started to noiselessly pull the suitcase by the handle.

"Where are you going?" Cooheart asked sleepily.

I froze in my tracks.