Hello, Yellow Fellow

Chapter 22

Hello, Yellow Fellow
Chapter 22: Confusions

The heat of his touch sent shivers and a rush of heat through my body, pero hindi ko na alam kung kinakabahan lang ba ako or it's something else.

"M-Maki…" I whispered, barely audible as his grip on my waist tightened.

His focus wasn't on me— nakatingin na siya kay Shan ngayon, whose gaze was now filled with confusion and curiosity.

Shan's brows furrowed, obviously wondering what was happening, but Maki didn't seem bothered. Instead, ngumisi siya nang bahagya, almost as if he was amused by the situation. 

"So, this is what it takes for you to feel secure, Matthew?" Shan sneered, crossing his arms over his chest, his eyes flicking briefly to Maki's possessive hold on me.

The air around us thickened, tension building up with every second. I could feel it— there was something deeper brewing between them, parang hindi lang ito simpleng inis.

Maki's smirk widened, pero may lamig na ngayon ang mga mata niya. "You know what," he began, his tone calm pero may halong bahid ng asar, "I never thought you'd be the type to involve yourself in things that don't concern you." 

His smile didn't reach his eyes, and there was an underlying sharpness to his tone, like he was playing some kind of game.

Shan's lips quirked up in a dry smile, shaking his head lightly. "I didn't realize you thought that highly of yourself, Matthew," he said, his tone calm but equally as sharp. "Pero siguro nga, I gave you too much credit. Believe me, I don't get involved unless it's necessary."

Maki chuckled, a low sound that sent a chill down my spine. "Oh, I'm sure you don't. You only step in kapag convenient para sayo. You've always been good at staying in your lane, right? Lurking on the sidelines, waiting for things to fall apart so you can swoop in. That's your style, isn't it?"

Shan's eyes flashed, but his smile stayed in place, tight and controlled. "Well, I guess someone has to clean up the mess when people don't know how to handle what they've got." He shot Maki a pointed look, as if to say more than his words were letting on.

"Unlike you, I don't need to put on a show to prove anything. And as far as I'm concerned, I'm not the one still chasing ghosts," Maki replied smoothly, pero may bahid ng lamig sa boses niya.

Shan’s jaw tightened, and his smile faltered. "Ghosts?" he echoed bitterly, stepping forward, just a bit too close. "Funny how you talk about ghosts when you're the one clinging onto a relationship that doesn't even exist. Whatever you think you have with Elio, it's all in your head."

Maki’s eyes narrowed, and his grip on my waist tightened even more, almost like a silent warning.

"Says the guy who's been running around trying to fill his father's shoes, failing miserably, by the way," Maki shot back, pero ramdam ko 'yong bigat ng bawat salita.

Shan's jaw clenched, his calm exterior cracking. "Don't you dare bring him into this, Matthew," he growled, stepping forward. "You've always been all talk. But when it comes to facing the consequences, you fall short."

Maki's expression didn't waver, but the intensity in his voice did. "I'm handling things just fine," he said, his smirk turning sharp. "Pero ikaw? Watching from the sidelines, waiting for your moment. Parang ang desperado mo na rin, don't you think?"

Shan's expression twisted, 'yong mga mata niya, it's now burning with something darker. "Desperado? At least I never had to chain anyone to my side just to keep them around," Shan spat, stepping closer, his words laced with venom. "Kahit ano pang isipin mo, what you have isn't real. You know that deep down."