Misunderstanding

Truth 1

"I like you, Max.."

Roan keep replaying the scene that had just happened. After walking away he went back home, Arthur and Lila were still there but he didn't really care. He didn't feel like talking with anyone. He is upset that Max pushed him away for crying out loud! After moving past Arthur and Lila who kept asking him what happened, he locked his room and gloated.

He didn't lie when he said that he liked Max. In fact, Roan liked him for a very long time. At first, he admired Max for his upright personality. Max was strict, caring, and observant with the people around him. At times he noticed how Max acted more selfishly but never by stepping or using others. Max was the type who would rather accomplish the task by himself and he loved that about him. Among all the people, Max never judged Roan based on his looks and rumors. Truthfully, Roan was glad to be friends with Max. He wondered why Max suddenly showed interest in spending time with Roan and Arthur, but he was glad either way.

He fell in love with Max when they were alone by the river bay.

After showing his secret place to Max, he looked awestricken by the beautiful scenery. Roan looked at Max and for the first time, he felt as if he had met the real Max. He looked calm and soft, bright as if he was glowing with nature. Everything seems like it comes together at last.

*Thump, thump, thump, thump

Roan felt his heart skip faster and faster, face burning, hands sweating. What is this feeling? Do I perhaps...

"Why did you show me this place, Roan? I thought this was supposed to be your secret hiding place" Max asked with a playful and light tone. Roan's mind was blank, everything around Max was more beautiful than usual.

"Because I like you Max Hyung." Roan said unknowingly. Ah... AH!? OH NO, WHAT DID I JUST SAY!??? Roan was having an internal panic! Level 9000 emergency. How could a guy suddenly tell his senior that he liked him!? Roan couldn't take the embarrassment of the thing he just said but at the same time he wanted to see Max's reaction and so he looked at Max.

To Roan's surprise, Max was flushed! Ah does this mean that..!? Seeing Max's reaction, he couldn't help but smile.

"Call me Max." ..."Thank you... at times like this, a place this peaceful, a person like you, it ain't so bad."

Max's remarks made Roan even happier than he already was. How could he say all these things to me with that beautiful face of his!!! Roan thought as he was punching the air in his head. After that, Roan went home, ate dinner with Lila, and straight to his room.

Roan was contemplating what his feeling are for Max. Was he gay? Roan thought to himself and so he imagined dating a guy. Roan suddenly felt like he was about to throw up. He thought that maybe he needed a much more realistic model, so he imagined being in a romantic relationship with Arthur... nothing. Roan can't even imagine such a thing to ever happen with Arthur and him. Then what about Max? The simple act of thinking about Max made Roan blush like crazy.

HOW AM I GOING TO FACE MAX IF I'M LIKE THIS??? Calm down Roan, phew I can do this.

Roan didn't want their relationship to change just because he had feelings for him. He didn't want Max to find out and so he came up with the operation "Pillow Max". This was a plan Roan made so that he could get used to being around Max without becoming a tomato. That night he imagined his pillow as Max and tried to hold its hand??? (Roan... pillows have no hands.)

Roan ended up staying up all night, he lacked sleep and desperately needed coffee. Entering the campus Max saw Roan and approached him. When Max was about to say hi Roan suddenly was about to fall forward. Max rushed to catch Roan without a second thought.

"Roan! Are you okay? why are you wobbling like that." Max asked Roan while helping him to get back up. Roan was so sleepy that he didn't really notice that Max was holding his waist and was close. During lunch Roan still didn't have his coffee, Arthur was sitting in front of him and Max sat next to him and ate lunch. Roan didn't have the energy to eat nor did he has the energy to lift up his hands. To Roan's surprise, the food was suddenly entering his mouth on its own. Hmmm yummy, Roan continued to eat as food magically enter his mouth.

Max was worried for Roan, He was acting strange all day. Max noticed that Roan wasn't eating his lunch so he thought that there was something definitely wrong since Roan is a glutton. Looking at his own lunch he saw shrimp and remembered that it was Roan's favorite food. Max picked up the shrimp with his chopsticks and was going to offer it to Roan when... CHOMP Roan ate it... Max paused for a while but continued to feed Roan.

* Arthur was just there being a third wheel. Guys what are you doing inside the school campus??? Public display of affection especially in front of me, a single person is a crime!

Since then Roan had mastered his reactions when Max was around through constant training! Max's sweet talk and advances don't work on Roan and warrant a reaction. Deep down Roan was going crazy, at times he would bite the corner of his mouth just to seem calm or unaffected by Max's charms. After some incidents, Roan would...

MAX U SON OF A BITCH! HOW CAN U KISS THE BACK OF MY HAND???? heh, well I do look good... AHHHH NO WHY? MAX U GOD-GIVEN MAN I JUST WANT TO %&$#?@! Roan thought while acting calm and collected next to Max.

Going back to the present, Roan started to cry. Max...

Roan wanted to understand why Max was so hostile to him. This was the first time he had heard that Max hated homosexuals or had a prejudice against them. He wondered if Max was only making it as an excuse but remembered Max's face while saying those things to him.

Roan then proceeded to think of other things such as the fact that Lila created a fake love letter and Arthur thought that it was for Max and so he gave it on his behalf. Is that why Max was so sweet and intimate with me? is it because he thought I liked him... if so then doesn't that mean that he's willing to accept me and my feelings?... Roan wasn't really bothered by Max's reasons for approaching him and their whole misunderstanding, what's important is that he fell in love with the Max he got to know and spend time with. Still, it did not change the fact that Max told him he was straight. It didn't make sense at all Roan concluded. Perhaps Roan was missing an important detail. Roan tried to recall what Max had told him near the bay...

Father...