Our Heart (Rewritten)

Past

Summer flew by so quickly and before they know it, the boys are back in school. A lot has changed over the course of a few months but not as much for others as it has for Boss.

Ever since he found out that Noeul's heart is Ple's, it's been difficult to pretend like he doesn't know to say the least. And it's only a matter of time before Noeul catches on that something's...different.

At the moment, Noeul is staring at the door with his phone in hand, knees bouncing under the table and chewing on his lower lip.

"Noeul, what the heck?" Peat hisses, slapping his thigh to stop it from vibrating.

At this, Noeul mumbles, "Why isn't he here yet? Earlier, he said he's on his way."

"Who? Boss?" Peat quirks a questioning brow at his friend. Then he flashes an amused smile and remarks, "How clingy. Maybe he's just caught in traffic."

"Maybe." Noeul mumbles and yet, he himself doesn't believe it. Something just feels...off.

Seconds later and Fort arrives with Boss tailing close behind. They barely make it on time and earn a hiss from their teacher as they make their way to their seats. Noeul visibly perks up at Boss' arrival and the latter gently pats his head when he passes him to which Noeul thinks to himself that perhaps he's worrying over nothing.

They're the same as before and maybe Peat is right; he's just clingy.

Come lunch break, as usual, the four of them leave as a group to find someplace to eat together.

"I'm sick of cafeteria food." Noeul remarks, rubbing his stomach as if the thought is already making him feel sick. "Is there nowhere else we can go?"

"Well, there's the cafe." Peat replies a bit recklessly and he stiffens upon remembering that the said cafe and, coincidentally, Noeul's favorite drink from there is a touchy issue for Boss. "Uh, s-sorry. Bad idea." Peat says then.

None of them ever talked about it or agreed on anything but it just became a norm, a given for the four of them to avoid the places that somehow triggered Boss. But it's been ages since he and Noeul fought over a Freddo Espresso and so much has changed since then that it has slipped Peat's mind.

"Should we go off-campus?" Noeul asks in a small voice. Deep down, he hopes that they could slowly start to touch on those places and topics that Boss so adamantly avoids because it isn't as though they can do so forever. But at the same time, he doesn't want to push it. He wants Boss to open up in his own time. "Ah, there's this place that sells really good-" He starts to say when Boss cuts in, "Let's go...to the cafe."

The three look visibly taken aback and Fort looks particularly worried. But it's Noeul who then asks, "Are you sure?"

And at this, Boss flashes a soft smile and nods his head.

At the cafe, Noeul orders a Freddo, no sugar and with milk cubes instead of ice after Boss told him not to worry and order his favorite. Meanwhile, Boss and Peat have an Iced Americano while Fort gets a Frappe.

At first, it's awkward and a bit uncomfortable. But soon, the four settle into their usual conversations about what parts of the lecture they couldn't understand and dreading the classes which they don't share this semester.

Everyone's practically forgotten about what Noeul's drink entails except for one. As Noeul is chatting away about this and that whilst occasionally sipping his drink, Boss' eyes settle on him, unconsciously gazing at him forlornly.

And Fort notices this but doesn't say anything at that time.

Boss isn't doing it on purpose but after learning the truth, it's become impossible to look at Noeul and only think of him. It's even more difficult to sit and chat with him without Ple intruding in his thoughts.