I Want You To Be My Last

Part 4 : Change

As much as he wanted to drop by at Mild's bar that night and collect the gift S promised would be delivered at their mutual friend's place himself, he didn't.

Not that he didn't want to, but part of the reason why he'd foregone picking the package himself despite the excitement settling over him like second skin, the almost unnerving curiosity to know what it was as soon as he was told Mild had it, was because he was scared.

He didn't want to take his chance; going to the bar and collecting the package himself at the time it had been dropped there sounded kind of dangerous, for very obvious reasons. He didn't want to make it sound like he was doubting S' when he'd agreed about the part that they should stay anonymous to each other, but Gulf thought it was still better not to act rashly. Getting the package himself meant showing his face there, and he was afraid S might have sent someone there to check.

Gulf just wanted to be on the safe side, really.

He didn't even need to call Mild to check; his friend did the courtesy the second the package was brought in by the courier guy, calling Gulf at the same time he was receiving it. Mild sounded curious, that much was obvious - Gulf could picture him trying to restrain himself asking Gulf what the package was (Mild had been informed beforehand about it arriving at the older man's place and who was sending it there) as the package sat there in front of him.

He got home almost two hours before he'd received the call from Mild, and it was about one and a half hour later when his friend called him again to say he was parked at the front of Gulf's apartment building waiting for him.

To say that he was shocked was an understatement.

"You're what?" he asked, more like yelled, surprised and equal-parts confused.

" I brought you your gift. Now come down and get it, " Mild answered, his voice marred with amusement, but refused to come up when Gulf told him he would call the front desk to let him in.

" I can't, Nong, but maybe another time. I'm dying to know what he had sent you too, but you know I can't leave Champ to man the bar longer than five minutes. He'll eat all the food there and we won't be left with anything to sell the customers. Now stop talking and come down here fast. I'm not even sure I'm allowed to park here - oh wait, shit, I think someone's coming. Oh, he walked past me, thank God - "

Gulf chuckled. "I'll be right down, Phi. Give me a minute." he replied without hearing the rest of what Mild was saying, rushing quickly towards the door and almost forgetting his keycard and a mask to cover his face on his way out.

+

It would have been totally embarrassing, to say the least, if anyone had been there with him while he opened the box because Gulf didn't know how to contain his excitement, fingers shaking as he tore open the box wondering what was inside.

The outer box fell on the carpeted floor, but Gulf paid no mind to it. His attention was solely focused on the familiar-looking square-shaped, black-colored velvet jewelry box and the logo adorning its front. He'd honestly stopped breathing altogether when his fingers touched the outside interior, thumbing the G logo at the forefront delicately before pushing it open.

What he saw lying inside the box made him gasp, shook his head and allowed himself a moment to breathe through the bewilderment rocking him to the core.

He honestly didn't know how long he was staring at it without touching it when the sound of his phone vibrating on the table next to the box took his attention away from it. It was a text; Gulf was half-expecting it was Mild messaging him but turned out it was someone else.

It was from S, and it read, So, I heard you got my gift? Mild told me he personally delivered it to you. Have you opened it yet?

Gulf read the message twice, shook his head and put his phone down, uncertain of what to say. He stared at the bracelet gleaming from under the bright light of his living room, bit his lips and reached down to take it in between his shaking fingers, inspecting it over with a sigh when he spied the letter K engraved in the middle. It was lighter than it looked, but that didn't surprise Gulf more than he had when he'd first laid eyes on it. He heaved another sigh before he decided to try it on, realizing that it fit his wrist perfectly.