I Want You To Be My Last

Part 15 : Crush

The next few days after their 'accidental' encounter at the press conference were uneventful, given the fact that P'Mew was in Manila for almost two days and Gulf had luckily been granted both days free, and taking advantage of it by going home, just as he promised his mother.

Still, that fact didn't stop them from messaging each other - Gulf found it easier to send the first text of the day now instead of just waiting to answer the one he received from P'Mew, and he believed that the events from the day before contributed to it. He felt honestly more confident now than he was days prior, and it made him wonder if somehow, P'Mew had noticed it too.

The replies came, surprisingly and thankfully, after dinner, when Gulf had been contemplating all day to call the older man himself just to hear his voice. Unfortunately, the first reply was enough to make Gulf consider buying himself a plane ticket to Manila and leave right away to see P'Mew.

To be fair, it wasn't as if he was worried something bad might have happened to P'Mew - his Filipino fans took care of that by posting live updates on Twitter, photos and videos, you name it, they've got it - well, maybe apart from the fact that he'd taken Manila by storm and doing the exact same thing on Twitter when Gulf saw the trending tags from the moment the fanmeet started, he guessed he had nothing to worry about.

Or at least that was what he thought.

Hey, uh, sorry I've been so busy I didn't even get to touch my phone until I was in the car and we were driving back to the hotel. I thought I'd message you once I get comfortable, but guess what, I closed my eyes for a second, just for a moment I swear, and when I opened them again, my manager was on my face, talking to the interpreter on the phone and asking them where the nearest hospital is. Turned out they were trying to wake me up for the last ten minutes but I wasn't responding. They thought I was dead.

The message read, making the hairs at the back of Gulf's head stand on end in fear, the addition of those three consecutive laughing emojis did nothing to ease the dread settling over him like second skin.

It must have been horrifying, especially for everyone there who witnessed it and Gulf didn't even have to imagine it to know what caused it. The exhaustion was getting to P'Mew, and the older man was too busy to even realize it. Gulf didn't know whether to be angry or worried or both.

The next one had a picture attached with it, but Gulf was too upset (and equal parts worried, really) to even pay attention to it.

He was typing his reply before he could even stop himself, fingers shaking as he tapped send.

Where are you now, Phi? At the hotel?

P'Mew was obviously free, because Gulf saw the ellipsis appear almost immediately.

Yeah, I just got here two minutes ago. Did you see the photo I sent you? Guess what it is, Nong. It's your favorite. Or at least the chopped version of it. I mean, I swear I have never felt scared of anything I'm supposed to put in my mouth to eat until the venue's staff brought that thing in and told me it's a gift from the fans. I mean, how do they even expect me to -

Gulf didn't bother reading the rest. He was switching apps as quickly as his trembling fingers would allow him, hesitating only a moment before he switched apps again and opted on calling P'Mew on Line instead. They've added each other there days before the press conference happened, although neither of them had suggested using the said app for their nightly conversations just yet, but he guessed P'Mew would understand if he wanted to start right now.

He'd tapped on the video call button without thinking, half-wondering and equal-parts hoping P'Mew would answer.

The familiar ringing sound came next, and Gulf didn't realize he was bracing himself until the sound stopped, replaced by a grainy image of P'Mew smiling at him from the screen, waving a hand and making funny faces through the camera that made Gulf's unruly chest tight in answer.