25
Narration
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It's already sunset as the sky's painted with a mixture of orange and yellow making it look like someone's making fire up there, reflecting the blaze in the human world. It's beautiful especially when it touches Keith's face making his eyes shift into a golden brown color which amazes the man beside him—Fern Dale.
Once they finished eating, Keith volunteered to clean the plates. Fern volunteered too as he immediately helped the boy gather the utensils they used. They both went straight to the kitchen and placed the utensils in the sink.
Keith, even though his heart's pounding loudly because of the fact that the person he likes is with him and they are alone, managed to move although a little bit of extra conscious.
He places the plates, forks, spoons, and glasses on the dishwasher before he set the time and let it start. Keith leaned on the counter near the washer while Fern's leaning on the other side across him.
"Hindi ka pa babalik do'n, Kuya Fern?" he asked.
"Hihintayin mo pa ba 'yan?" Fern asked back.
Keith nodded in response.
"Okay, samahan na muna kita."
"Kaya ko naman na 'to, Kuya. Sanay na ako rito. Kasi kahit may maids naman, ginagawa ko parin 'to paminsan-minsan," as usual, Keith's talkative and has long answers. It seems like he always say what's on his mind—at least that's what Fern thinks.
"I know," Fern chuckled. Talking to Keith, for him, is easy. It's so easy to create a topic and reply on every banter. It's light, comforting, and it amazes him.
"Naglalaro ka pala ng COD?" Fern this time initiated a topic.
"Opo. Kaming tatlo ni Precious at Greed. Minsan naman Valorant, si Greed kasama ko dahil ayaw ni Shushie sa pc or laptop na laro. Mas madali raw kasi kapag sa phone lang sabi niya," Keith answered.
"Hindi ko alam kung may pagkakaiba ba. Hindi ako marunong sa kahit anong laro e," Fern shyly laughed at his own remarked.
"Ay talaga Kuya? Akala ko marunong ka kasi si Kuya Arkin naglalaro e. Magaling din."
"How did you know about that?" asked Fern.
"Naglaro po kami noong isang araw," Keith slightly smiled. When the dishwasher stopped and the plates are completely clean, Keith squatted to open it. He needs to wipe them before arranging them.
"Let me do the wiping. Ikaw na mag-arrange," Fern volunteered. Keith didn't argue and just stood up. They exchanged positions as he gave Fern a clean towel to use.
Fern started wiping the plates one-by-one before giving it to Keith beside him as the latter arranged it to its designated places.
"Arkin actually invited me before to play games with him," Fern said. "Pero hindi rin nagtagal dahil hindi talaga ako marunong at mukhang napagod siya magturo," the man chuckled.
"May gano'n naman po talaga. Iyong hindi marunong sa mga online games? Si Kuya Hasper po gano'n. Si Kuya Jaxie naman naglalaro rin paminsan-minsan," said Keith.
Keith's surprised that they're conversing smoothly and calmly. His heart calmed down too and he's not nervous anymore. He's not conscious with his actions around Fern anymore. And that's maybe because Fern has this energy around him that makes people comfortable.
"Marunong ka mag-bilyar?" Fern asked this time.
"Slight lang."
They went to the last plate already, the biggest one. Keith had a hard time because he can't reach the top cabinet.
"Ako na."
Fern rose from his position and went behind Keith. He reached for the plate, opened the cabinet and placed it carefully inside. He didn't realize that they're so close.
Keith's facing the man's chest, frozen and cheeks flustered. The space between them is so little and Keith's afraid that the man would hear his heart racing so fast, going wild.
Ang bango niya, Lord! Huhuhuhuhu!
Once Fern closed the cabinet, he looked down and the moment he did that, their eyes connected. It downed on him when he realized that they're so close. He automatically stepped away, giving the both of them the distance that they really needed.
"Sorry," Fern whispered. He's worried that what just happened made Keith uncomfortable because the boy's not saying anything yet.
"'Yong mga b-baso, Kuya Fern," Keith instead answer.
Fern just nodded and went back to facing the dishwasher as he started wiping the glasses. He tried to focus as he's trying to think of a topic. But he failed. All he could think is the cute blushing face of the man beside him.
Tangina Fern, bata pa niyan.
He mentally scolded himself but decided that it won't help him on anything so he just accepted his thoughts.
"Are you aware...?" Fern started.
"Saan po?"
"Of the things that you can do?" he looked at Keith when he reached the glass which the latter carefully received.
"May pagkatanga at slow po talaga ako minsan, Kuya Fern, kaya hindi ko po gets ang sinasabi mo," Keith pouted before he turned around to place the glasses on the cupboard.
Fern chuckled lightly at that, finding it so amusing and cute.
"Nagets ko na kung bakit ka bine-baby nila Jaxon at Hasper. Pati si Drazen bine-baby ka rin."
"Syempre bata pa kasi ang tingin nila sa'kin kahit ang totoo 19 na talaga ako," Keith pouted even more and rolled his eyes cutely. Fern couldn't help but to chuckle.
He turned around and started wiping another glass. They were occupied with silence once again before Fern said something that made Keith's system crumble.
"You have this ability to make people around you wanted to take care of you so much. Including me."
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25
Narration
