I Want You To Be My Last

Part 23 : Promises broken

A/N:  This is where the story takes a turn. Please check the tags before continuing. I have written parts that I'm not sure I should post here (but let me know if you want them) This has #sexualassault in its tags for a reason. If that's triggering for you, close this now and go read something else. Your mental health is more important. 

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They parted ways at the airport, barely glancing at each other on their way out. Gulf kept walking after P'Best quietly, keeping his head down if only to avoid looking at P'Mew entirely. But even then, he'd still noticed the presence of P'Mew's almost (but not quite) ex following after him like an unwanted shadow, and thus making his unruly chest tight at the sight.

The urge to call P'Mew again once he was inside the safety of his manager's car came back strongly, but he held himself. The last thing he wanted was to make P'Mew feel more uncomfortable than he already was; if anything, he wished he could do more than stand quietly in the background, watching helplessly, to try and do something to get P'Mew out of this awkward situation, but he knew he couldn't.

The rest of the drive was quiet, neither him or P'Best had felt the need to talk during the entire car ride from the airport to his apartment. It was only when they reached the apartment building that P'Best remembered to ask him if he was certain he didn't need the older man to come over for that telephone interview later in the afternoon, with which he answered with a terse nod and a curt, "I'm sure I can manage that job without help or supervision, Phi, but thank you. Just get some rest. We both need it."

If P'Best looked unconvinced, Gulf ignored it. He figured his manager was as tired as he was; the older man would most probably appreciate the unexpected weekend free later, once he'd eaten and slept peacefully without worrying about anything, enough to be grateful.

He was literally dragging himself from the car to the building's entrance, already anticipating the few hours of sleep he'd been hoping for when he realized the security person sitting in place of the receptionist was waving at him from the reception table. Gulf swallowed the urge to keep walking - he was exhausted, alright, but that didn't give him the right to act like an asshole; his parents taught him better than that, of course - and instead pivoted around and walked towards the security person's direction.

He was close enough when he noticed the guy picking something - two somethings - up from the floor, and placing them on the counter. A small parcel box and a paper bag.

Even without looking at the label, Gulf knew who they were from.

"These came for you this morning, Nong." Phi security said. Gulf nodded and bowed his head in thanks before reaching over to collect both the box and the paper bag from the counter, already contemplating calling P'Mew to tell him he got the gifts on his way to the elevator, but thought better of it.

He was inside his apartment when he decided to send a message instead.

He dropped them on the low table and took a quick snapshot, attaching the photo on the message that read, Not that I don't appreciate it, but could you please let me know in advance when you're planning on sending me gifts? Thanks, by the way. I'll open them later, when you get here, so I'll have the pleasure of verbally boxing your ears while I'm opening these.

Not expecting an answer so soon, he put his phone down and decided to take a quick shower first. When he was done and checked his phone again, there was still no reply from his Phi, and it looked like the message hadn't gone through either.

He frowned, confused and equal-parts worried as he switched apps and typed the same message on Line, attaching the same photo too before sending it, even though it sure seemed like P'Mew hadn't been online for quite some time. He'd contemplated calling, but he'd already promised he wouldn't, so he didn't, opting on charging his phone for now but setting up his alarm first before he could forget it.