Caleb's heart was at its happiest after hearing Han say, "Iyo ako. Iyo lang, noon pa." It was just a mumble, but for Caleb, he heard it sound and clear. And it lingered in his ear, repeatedly hearing the sweet, deep voice of the latter.
His lips quirked unconscious, matching his flushed cheeks. And so, Han couldn't suppress his feelings as well. Grinning, he reached out to grasp Caleb's hand and inquired, "Day one of thirty?"
It was not possible for Caleb to reply, "No, it's day one of a lifetime," as much as he would have liked to. He knew exactly where he stood. He was well aware of the repercussions for either of them if they decide to fight for this uncertain feelings they have for one another. Could it be love? Or simply a yearning for something that only they could provide for one another—comfort and attention, maybe—a sense of familial belonging that neither of them had in their early years.
Caleb managed to respond with a smile, "Day one of many," which made Han beam even more. For Han, it may seem a bit unsecured, but hearing him say it gave his heart a bit of hope. A bit of light, a hint of vivid splendor, embraces his pure and gentle heart.
Being deprived of freedom, Caleb really doesn't know how to enjoy life. It seemed like his emotions were caged, or worse, being taken away from him, leaving him with only grimace feelings. Despite his frequent smiles, he knows that everything is coming to an end and is therefore unable to be fully joyful. However, this time, he wanted to take a risk with Han. He wanted to figure out emotions—no, everything—with him.
With curiosity, Caleb asked the man next to him—who was still making circles with his hand—"How do you usually go out on a date?" He felt Han's gaze at him, and he noticed that he was thinking hard about what to say.
Han took awhile before he was able to answer, "Kung tutuusin, matagal na rin nung huli akong nakipagdate. Kasi hangout-hangout lang naman kami ni Gold noon. Kaya limot ko na rin."
Feeling a little unsure, Caleb said, "Maybe we'll start by asking one out?" But when Han questioned him directly, his pulse skipped a beat.
"Would you like to go out on a date with me? Amusement park, museum, arcade, bowling, golfing, camping, coffee? Name it, Cal."
"Anywhere with you, hon," Caleb responded. "Lahat 'yan gagawin natin," he added.
Han extended his pinky again and said, "Promise?" Caleb accepted right away.
Caleb felt a ray of sunlight hit his face as they spent the evening together on the couch, just talking. "Umaga na pala," he thought as he felt the warmth of the person next to him, who just so happened to be tightly hugging him.
Both of them were startled by each other's actions. They opened their eyes, looked surprised, and shifted apart from one another as they awoke.
Someone cleared their throat, surprising them even more; it was Crimson, sitting across from them as he observed the two of them getting intimate. Silver, enjoying his morning coffee, sat next to Crimson, said, "Good morning! Ang close niyo namang dalawa."
Caleb, being surprised, hadn't ended right away when Han began exclaiming, "Par! Kami na ni Cal! Magjowa na kami! Gets niyo? Boyfriend ko na siya!" He hadn't anticipated Han to be this ecstatic; he had assumed Han would be quite discreet about it. Han's words and deeds made him laugh.
Crimson casually said, "Congratulations? Akala ko matagal nang kayo," observing as Han leaped and rolled with delight. His lover, Silver, however, was his opposite.
Silver tossed and turned with Han, exclaiming, "Sabi na nga ba mahal niyo ang isa't isa!" At that point, Han slowed down and started to feel shy. "Ay hindi ba?" dismayed Silver questioned, lowering his shoulders.
But Caleb seemed a bit enthusiastic as well, unintentionally making a statement that he himself wasn't sure of: "We'll get there."
Crimson gave a startled cough. Upon noticing, Caleb attempted to retract his statement, saying, "I mean, if we're in a different world, it might happen, right?"
"I don't know about that, Calamine. Let me remind you, though, of our predicament. At the very least, let me know if you intend to oppose the engagement so I can prepare for a defense," Crimson said with an authoritative voice.
"I understand. Sorry, Crimson. This will only last for a month," Caleb said, taking care to ensure Crimson wouldn't suffer any harm. It takes two to really tango. The other will be in danger if one of them flees. However, there will be far more dangers for the one who departs. Their families just can't let them live their own lives, as they too have experienced it before.
Caleb recalled how his mother was forced to wed a Hue just because their families told her so, even when Mr. Hue's heart already belonged to someone else—Austin's mother. Having to flee, Caleb's mother met her demise. In addition, Austin's mother has also been lost to history, but Mr. Hue's affection for her has never faded. Austin, their son, carried on it; giving Caleb nothing more than resentment.
He would not want them to experience the same fate. Crimson would be in danger if he ran. And if they run away, Han will be too. He is forced to obey orders in order to keep both of them safe.
Caleb felt uneasy, he had to talk to Han with a clearer mind. "Can we talk?"
Anxiety over what would transpire next started to overwhelm Han. What Caleb is going to tell him worries him. He had a hunch that Caleb would back out of their agreement, but he had to deal with it. With a nod, he went with Caleb outside.
Han questioned, "Teka, saan tayo pupunta?" as Caleb continued to go ahead of him. Han, starting to get puzzled, gripped Caleb's hand to signal him to stop.
Caleb turned to look at him. He muttered, "It's now or never," which Han overheard and looked at him bewildered.
Caleb felt Han's breath, narrowing the distance between them and pausing. Again, he said, "Can I kiss you?" Han's lips did the answering, his soft lips moistened Caleb's.
It was just a quick and gentle kiss, but the feelings lingered. Their smiles won't leave their faces. "It's day two of many. I promise to end this before I harm someone's life."
It should be happy tears for having been kissed by the person he loves, but it went otherwise—Han felt as if it were a kiss from death. For a moment, he had a sensation he hadn't experienced in a while, but it was gone in just a single snap of a finger.
"If this is once in a lifetime, I wouldn't want to wait too long for it to happen again in another life."
To be continued...
ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ Author's notes:
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