The Ghost of You - A YokAyan Story

Chapter 7: That Was Your Chance to Continue What We Started Last Night

Receiving a message from Gram inviting me out for a drink was a delightful surprise. Ever since he became a human rights lawyer, Gram's schedule has been hectic, making outings like this a rarity. He mentioned that White and Sean couldn't make it tonight, and Black was off doing who knows what again, so it would just be the two of us. Frankly, I welcomed the idea. My mind was still in a jumble after my conversation with Ayan earlier, and I didn't have the energy to engage in banter with Sean or deal with Black's off hand insults. Gram, who has surprisingly matured over the years, is the best companion for me because he knows when to prod and when to give me space. After receiving the address to a small bar, I headed there directly, thanking the heavens that Gram is no longer the party animal he used to be and now prefers quiet, off-grid places like this.

Gram and I arrived at the bar almost simultaneously, meeting at the entrance. We entered together and were shown to a table near the west side of the bar. I could hear a group of friends engaged in lighthearted conversations, with one man being particularly boisterous. When that loud man spotted me walking in their direction, his eyes widened like saucers, grabbing the attention of the man sitting in front of him. As the guy turned around, I immediately recognized him—it was Aye.

A clearly intoxicated Aye, with flushed cheeks and drowsy eyes. He seemed just as surprised to see me there as I was to see him. Gram called me over, and I signaled him to give me a moment as I approached Ayan. Four pairs of eyes were fixed on me as I drew closer, and I overheard a short guy saying, "He really does look like Akk!" The taller person beside him squeezed his arm, probably signaling him to quiet down. Aye greeted me by asking, "Yok, what are you doing here? Are you already stalking me, as you said you would?" I couldn't help but grin in response. "No, Aye, I'm here with a friend," I replied, pointing to Gram, who waved in acknowledgment, realizing that I knew these people. Aye simply said, "Uhuh," and the guy whose shoulder Aye had been leaning on introduced himself as Thua, Aye's friend. Thua said, "You must be Yok," to which I raised my eyebrows in surprise that they knew my name. He laughed awkwardly and explained that Aye had mentioned working with someone who resembled a friend of theirs. Accepting that as the extent of the explanation, I confirmed and shook hands with the rest as they introduced themselves—Khan, the loud one; Wat, the tall one; and Namo, the short one.

Glancing meaningfully at Aye, who was still leaning on Thua's shoulder but gazing at me with drowsy eyes, I desperately wanted to peel him away but clenched my hands to stop myself. I bid them farewell, explaining that I had to join my friend. From my seat, I had a clear view of Aye, and I couldn't help but notice how he smiled and responded softly whenever his friends addressed him. At some point, his arms wrapped around Thua's neck while Thua seemed to be saying something to him, a conversation I wished I could hear. Gram had to clear his throat a few times before I tore my gaze away and met his face, finding him wearing the silliest grin I had seen in a long time.

"What?" I asked. "Buddy, you're clearly beyond gone. Is he someone from work?" Gram inquired. He had been one of the few people who witnessed the devastating aftermath of my affair with Dan, and I had confided in him about the scars it left me with. He also saw how I avoided complications in relationships ever since. So his reaction was completely justified. I nodded to acknowledge his question. He nodded in return and said, "They're just friends, you don't need to worry." "How can you say that so confidently?" I retorted. "Well, I'm pretty good at reading people and body language. The loud one is the boyfriend. Couldn't you tell from the way they're eye-fucking each other?" he scoffed. "Don't worry about your friend," he added sarcastically.

After Gram pointed it out, I slowly began to see the dynamics of this group of friends. Khan would reach out for Thua's hands and playfully swat Aye's hands away whenever he tried to draw Thua closer. Wat, the taller one, seemed completely oblivious to Namo's obvious adoration and flirtatious gestures, as he occasionally took videos. Aye was treated as the baby of the group, engaged in conversations and his alcohol consumption monitored to prevent him from drinking more. Perhaps they noticed that my eyes were almost always fixed on Aye because I caught Khan and Wat throwing protective glances my way.

Gram shared updates on his recent cases and his love life. He had ended things with Eugene a few months after they started dating realizing that Eugene was still pining over Black and their relationship was likely just a rebound. Gram had dated a few men and women since then but hadn't entered into a serious relationship, claiming that defending people was already exhausting enough.

I noticed Aye getting up, probably to use the restroom, and didn't hesitate to follow him. One of his friends seemed inclined to follow me as well, but Thua stopped them and instructed them to stay seated. He's the smart one, I thought to myself.

I found Ayan washing his face and approached him. "Fancy meeting you here again, Aye," I teased. He responded with a smirk, clearly semi-intoxicated. "So you followed me here, Hotstuff," he grinned back. "Well, what if I did, my little dynamite? What are you going to do about it?" I inquired, sauntering toward him. Instantly, he reached out and pulled me closer, kissing me as if he had been longing for nothing else since he saw me enter the bar. He kissed me with sweet abandon, running his hands through my hair and exploring my body wherever he could touch bare skin. He pushed me against the bathroom wall and trailed his tongue along my neck and collarbones. I moaned with pleasure and desire, reciprocating by touching him wherever I could. The passion grew too intense too quickly, and I finally regained my senses, realizing that we were in a public restroom and Aye was probably too drunk to remember what we were doing.

I gently pushed him back and said, "Aye, hold on. Let's slow down a bit. You've had a bit too much to drink." Reluctantly, I peeled his hands off me while assessing the situation. Looking at our disheveled hair and clothes, it was evident that our friends would know exactly what we had been doing in here when we returned to our tables. I fixed Aye's hair and clothes as best as I could, to which he smirked and patted my cheeks in a cocky manner, saying, "Hotstuff, that was your chance to continue what we started last night." Then, he walked out.