Beautiful Dreamer

27. Cornered

"He finally shows up."

"Missed me that much?" Ari asked, taking off his shoes.

"Not really. I've been busy at work, and I hardly spent time here. Though lately, this place feels much more like my house than yours. Why don't you move in with that lover of yours? His premature marriage is all over the news."

"I see you're well informed." Ari's response was pensive as he walked towards the kitchen. "Did you throw out my tea collection?"

"Recheck your drawers; if you find something is missing, you might want to blame a certain someone."

"Yeah, right," Ari replied passively. He brewed himself a cup of jasmine tea and then walked to the living room. Whilst placing the cup on the table, he noticed a bundle of roses at the counter set neatly behind Mun. Unable to hide his need to tease his best friend, Ari laughed and slurped his drink, which prompted Mun to laugh as well.

"This is the first time I've seen you this soft. I'm amused."

"What are you talking about?"

"I thought you weren't serious with your fresh catch. Did she spend the night here?"

Raising an eyebrow, Mun stood up and placed a palm on his friend's forehead. "You must really be in love to think everyone is as lucky as you are."

Ari frowned, pushing Mun's hand away. "Those flowers." Ari pointed at them. "I'm talking about them."

"Oh! Right!" Mun exclaimed, realizing what Ari meant. "Yes, she did, but the flowers are not for me."

"Obviously," Ari affirmed, taking another slurp of his hot jasmine tea. "Who buys themselves those, especially a guy like you who's afraid to commit? I pity her for thinking you'd fancy such a gesture."

Mun chuckled and then squeezed beside where his friend sat, an act which irritated Ari, forcing him to stand up with his cup still in his hand. He then walked towards the banquet of red roses and rubbed the petals gently, frowning at the sight of the edges looking a little dried up. Throwing Mun a questioning look, he stated, "If you're going to buy so many flowers, at least put them in a vase."

"Where is your rich lover?" Mun changed the subject. He was tempted to reveal that those roses had indeed come from Rey but decided to delay the news. Seeing that Ari looked more relaxed these days, he didn't want to ruin the mood even though he planned on doing so eventually. Rey had paid him a visit without missing a day for a couple of weeks since that uncomfortable incident. At least, that was the last memory of Rey to Ari in this exact same place. However, lately, Rey had submerged himself in work that Mun could bet he was still in the office at this late hour.

"He went on a trip. He will be away for a week, and I got lonely, so I came here seeking inspiration. I'm still on my break but get bored whenever Ned isn't around. I think I will start looking for another job."

"Right..." Mun replied. However, his mind was on other matters. "Anyway, the flowers were not for me nor from me. Rather, they were for you. A peace offering from someone who might have wronged you."

"Peace offering?" Ari asked, confused. "I can't think of anyone I may have brought to buy half-dried roses."

"They've been sitting there for a week. First, First, I used to water them, then got bored and too lazy to care."

"Who are they from?"

"Can you imagine anyone who might want to buy you roses?"

"Mr. Valswalva, for sure," Ari replied instantly. "He's pulled such an act before and owes me a huge apology, if not a peace offering."

"Really? Him?" Mun asked, seeming disappointed. " What about Rey?"

"Rey?" Ari's eyes grew wide in shock. "Why would that kid... Wait... He came here again?"

"What's important is he is trying to reach out, yet you keep ignoring him. I wonder why."

"Because I don't want anything to do with him!"

"You slept with him, though."

"A mistake that shouldn't have happened."

"He told me to tell you that you don't have to feel guilty about anything."

"Why would I be guilty?"

"He believes you think you had taken advantage of him whilst drunk..."

"Wait, wait, wait... Taken advantage of who? "

"Look, Ari, I think you should clear things out with him. Avoiding seeing him doesn't mean he will stop looking for you. Might I add he is extremely persistent?"

"I've got nothing to say to him."

"He seems to have much to say to you, though."

"Whose side are you on?"

"Nobody's. I am simply enjoying the fact that your life has begun looking interesting."

"You're exasperating." Ari placed his cup on the table and threw the flowers in the trash bin. "There. In the bin as you should have done instead of entertaining him in our house."

"Ari, the boy is confused after what the two of you did. I suggest you give another try at getting down and dirty."

"Don't even think about it, Mun. I know you love making light of situations, but this is not one of them. I'm in a serious relationship with Ned."

"It must feel like a struggle to be with someone you love lesser than your first love."

"Rey wasn't my first love."

"Interesting." Mun seemed amused. " I didn't know that."

"Stop with your trickery. Instead of giving him false hope, tell him to stay away. My life is starting to look stable, and I want to keep it that way. If he feels the need to confirm his sexuality in whatever way, I shouldn't be part of it. Besides, it's not as if he has been respectful towards me from the very beginning."

"Yeah, keep trying to convince yourself that," Mun said, then stood up. "I'm off to bed."

"Mun, please. Stop encouraging him. I'm serious."

"I didn't do anything. I just told you the flowers were from him, that's all."

"Such a lousy attempt from him, though. You'd think he was wooing a girl. Doesn't he respect my age? I'm older than that kid, for crying out loud!"

"Then tell him instead of flowers, you prefer premium tea."

"You are enjoying my suffering, aren't you?"

"All I'm saying is have a sit down with him. You made a mess of him, Ari, and he must feel terribly confused. Can you imagine being in his shoes, sleeping with a girl despite being gay, a girl that told you you were her first love?"

"Touché. You have made your point, but I can't meet him alone. So you'll have to be there."

"Okay."

Ari squared his eyes suspiciously. "You agreed far too quickly."

"Would you rather I refused? I'm being a supportive friend for free. Of the anxiety you have given me because of him, I think it's time you began paying for my support services."

"You're living in my house rent-free."

"Oh yeah, about that, forget I said anything."

"Ass."

"I'm straight."

"Ow, shut up!"