Ephemeral: Love, Pleasure and Hidden Pains

Six

ps: medical inaccuracies, mention of blood. And I don't know what am I doing,

"Kinn?" Apo whispered. The other person on line stops laughing. There is a beat of silence. Heartbeat drumming through his ribcage. "Where are you?", he asked gently. Not wanting to raise the man's anger.

There was a hum, like he was satisfied hearing the younger voice, "Po," he finally called him. There is the sound of cars in the back. Mile, no, Kinn must have woken by something. Did Mile feel stress before this? They promise each other to talk, sharing their problems.

"Kinn, where are you?" he asked with more power, like he was scolding the older. The sound of the car slowly disappeared, only the tap of his shoes echoing, it is likely he is in some  kind of hallway, it is echoing loudly. He is worried, what if Kinn in the middle of nowhere? What if he decided to do something stupid?

The sound of the brogue shoes meeting the floor is so prominent. He walked slowly but by the sound of it, he confidently knew where his destination was. Apo got more frustrated at the silence, but chose to not hang up.

The sound of the shoes abruptly stopped, he heard Kinn hum happily. Then more silent, Apo is slowly whispered, frustrated, "Ki—" "Sweetheart, open the door"

***

Apo was beyond panic, he ran into the room, Dan watching him with a frown, he was laying on the bed, looking at Apo as if he had grown another head. Apo gave no mind, he immediately ran to his dressing table, hand fast as lightning applied the foundation on his bruises. It's fast, it's sting.

Dan frown,"What the fuck are you doing?", he spat. But his mouth fell silent at the bang on the door. It was so loud, it could destroy their door. "What the hell is that?" he asked, eyes flashing with fear.

Apo chose to ignore the older, immediately changing into a turtleneck outfit he wore yesterday at work, praying it could cover the bruises. With one last glance in the mirror he turns to the bedroom door.

Dan held his arm, "What the hell?", he whispered-yelled, eyes flash with fear. Apo hand interlace with his finger on the arm, drag the older to sit him on the bed, "Hear me out. Don't come out. Any sound, anything happened. Lock the door", he commanded.

Dan look angry now, "Who are you to—"

"Dan you die if you did", he said, seriously. "Please listen. Lock the door", without giving any explanation, he left Dan with his own thoughts.

***

February 24, 2013
12.14 AM

Apo walked back from his part-time job at fast food restaurants. It was normal for him to be home around this time. With little money his parents gave him, part time was needed. It was good news when they allowed him to work after 5 pm, his class ended, until midnight, closing the restaurant was his daily work. But today's different, his motorcycle is still in repair. The only good thing is he only had to spend 20 minutes walking before arriving at his dormitory.

He walked silently in an almost dark area while he wore his airpods that Mile gifted on his birthday last year. Still intact and taken care greatly. The song playing was soothing to his ear, not too loud, not too silent. He hummed to the song.

He should arrive around 6 to 7 minutes. The eerie air of the night and dark corner gave him shivers. It was unarguably too quiet tonight. Usually college students would love to hangout on Saturday night as tomorrow, no, today is Sunday. It strange

This fact alone makes him nervous, heartbeat drumming through his chest. Then rusling voice filters through his airpods. Apo frowned, he heard something, did his head mess with him or his airpod broke. Slowly he slipped one of the airpod from his right ear, silence. Too silent for his liking.