Deciding Us (KENTIN Au)

24.

He unlocks the door, a little nervous to enter Justin's privacy. He turns on the light and greeted with clean room. There is suspicion crepts in when there is nothing at the vanity table, not a small product left. He opens the wardrobe, frowning when it is also empty. He goes through others drawers to find Justin's belongings, but there is none.

He knew Justin had been outstation for works, but it is impossible to bring all his clothes and things along. It seems like the room is like how it used to be, before Justin moved in here months ago.

"What are you doing?" He looks over to see Justin at the door with small luggage at his side. They haven't seen each other for almost a month, it shocks him how the younger guy looks a little different now, in a good way.

"I want to prepare the room for our moms. Why is the wardrobe empty? Where are all of your clothes?" he asks. "I send it to the agency for wardrobe's team. I'll take over this room. You should clean up somewhere else, the house is dusty especially the living room." He notices how Justin avoids his eyes, face sterns.

Ken doesn't want to ruin Justin's mood more, so he walks out of the room. He reaches for the vacuum, agrees that the house has not been cleaned for long. He had been busy with his new project that he spent his time in office, using Justin's absence to only come home for shower before heading back to work. 

He was caught in surprise when his mom called and told him that she will stay over at their house for few days. His parents had been here only that one time when he started to move in, sort of a house-warming party. He didn't accept any visitors since then. Once Justin lived together here, it has been only them two makes the house become home.

"Okay, Mama. Drive safely. We'll wait you here." Justin ends the call, closing his room's door and pockets his phone. He is about to ask when Justin informs, "They're buying groceries for lunch later. We just need to make the house clean and leave the cooking on them."

He notices the different tone in his voice. There is no warmth and cheery Justin, instead he is being serious and cold. "You seem different. Is everything okay?" he voices out his thoughts. The question unaswered as Justin starts cleaning up the fridge, ignoring him. He is about to ask more when his phone rings, which he answers as it is from his PA.

He will find the time later, he promised.

• • • • •

Still on the phone call, he pays Justin a look as he walks out from the shower. Drying his wet brown hair with a towel and dressed up in shorts and shirts, the man still looks attractive without trying. He follows his movement, who reaches for his phone at the night stand. A notification dings and Ken frowns seeing Justin smiles at the screen.

"Sir?" The voice from his phone brings him back to the conversation he had with his PA. He steals another glance when Justin walks out of the room while typing something on the phone. He focuses back to the call, although he isn't in the mood to think about work today.

It takes him about half an hour before he can finally ends the call. He heads into the shower to freshen up after doing the chores and changed into similar outfits like Justin. Frown forms when he came across Justin's opened luggage on the floor, beside his wardrobe. There isn't much clothes in there, probably only for few days. The knocks on the door with Justin's voice informs him that their moms arrived cuts his thoughts out.

The guy had lots to explain.

He walks out the room, greets his mom and Gemma with a smile. "I thought you're at work," his mom comments while placing the groceries on the dining table. "I took days off for your visit," he explains. "Oh, talaga? It's good then. Now, let help us cook for lunch. We'll make Pinoy Chicken Curry and adobong kangkong."

"Ken, wash the chicken and peel the potatoes," his mom orders. Justin had been asked to prepare the other dish upon Gemma's requests. "How is Malaysia?" Justin's question makes the conversation lighten up with his mom shared about her recent trip. Although Justin laughs and smiles the whole time, he will change his expression when their eyes met.

It seems like he is playing two characters at a time, and Ken doesn't like the fact that he gets the cold one.