Cursed Love (Geminifourth)

CHAPTER 9: A quiet prayer

FOURTH

I blinked, still frozen in place, trying to process what had just happened. My lips tingled where his had touched mine, and I felt my face heating up. Did he just… My mind raced, words failing me as I stared at Gemini, his own eyes wide with shock. Neither of us moved for what felt like an eternity.

"Gem…" I started, my voice barely above a whisper, but the words got stuck in my throat. I didn’t know what to say—didn’t even know how to feel. My heart was beating so loud I was sure he could hear it too.

Gemini quickly scrambled to his feet, as he stumbled over his words. "I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…" he stammered, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. He looked everywhere but at me, clearly embarrassed.

I sat up, still on the floor, feeling a weird mix of emotions—confusion, surprise, maybe even a little something else I wasn’t ready to admit. My fingers touched my lips absentmindedly, and I swallowed hard.

"It’s okay…" I managed to say, but even to my own ears, it sounded unconvincing. Nothing about this was okay.

I stood up slowly, brushing off my clothes, trying to regain some composure. "Gem, it’s fine. I mean, it was an accident" I tried to sound casual, but my voice was shaky, and I could tell he noticed.

He nodded quickly, way too quickly. "Yeah, totally an accident."

But the way he was avoiding eye contact told me something else. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps approaching broke the tension between us. Satang appeared around the corner, rubbing his eyes as if he’d just woken up. "Hey, what are you guys doing? Breakfast is ready!!?" he yawned, completely oblivious to the strange atmosphere in the room.

Gemini jumped at the chance to escape. "Uh, yeah, breakfast. Let’s go," he said hurriedly, practically rushing past Satang toward the kitchen.

I stood there for a second longer, still trying to make sense of everything.

I glanced at Gemini, who was now sitting at the table, pretending to be engrossed in his breakfast. He wasn’t looking at me, but I could feel the awkwardness between us.

GEMINI

I couldn’t focus on anything. The kiss—it had just happened, but why did it feel like everything had changed? My mind was in overdrive, replaying the moment again and again. Fourth’s surprised face, the warmth of his lips—it had been so brief, but it was all I could think about.

I needed to get a grip. It was an accident, that’s all. I kept telling myself that, but my body wasn’t buying it.

Fourth sat down across from me, and I could feel his eyes on me. I avoided looking at him, focusing instead on my aunt’s pancakes, even though I had no appetite.

"Are you okay, Gem?" he asked, his voice quieter than usual.

I hesitated, unsure of how to answer. "Yeah, I’m fine," I lied, shoving a piece of pancake into my mouth to avoid saying more.

FOURTH

The awkwardness hung in the air like a fog, following us through the morning. After breakfast, everyone scattered to their own corners of the house, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Gemini. Every time I tried to distract myself, my mind went back to that kiss, to the way it had felt like everything shifted in that instant.

AUTHOR

As soon as Fourth entered his home, the familiar warmth of his mother’s embrace wrapped around him.
"Ohhh, Fourth!" she exclaimed, her arms squeezing him tight.

He smiled, hugging her back just as firmly. "I missed youuuu," he said with a playful tone. "I missed you too, son!" she replied, ruffling his hair like she used to when he was younger. After a moment, she let go, and Fourth headed upstairs to his room.

Once inside, he closed the door softly behind him and sighed, letting the silence wash over him. As he prepared to shower, a fleeting thought crossed his mind—Why not go to church and pray? He frowned slightly. Growing up, he never had dreams like the one that had been haunting him lately. Something about it felt different, strange even.

"No, I won’t tell Mom," he decided. She’d only worry, and she had enough on her plate already. He didn’t want to burden her with this.

Fourth finished his shower, the hot water doing little to soothe his racing thoughts. He quickly dried off and got dressed, feeling a pull towards the church that he couldn’t ignore. Maybe the familiar calm of the place would help settle his mind.

As he made his way downstairs, the sound of clinking dishes came from the kitchen. "Momm…" he murmured.
She chuckled, turning her head slightly. "What’s gotten into you?" she asked, amused.

"Nothing, by the way I’m heading out for a bit, but I’ll be back soon," he said,
His mother frowned slightly. "You just got home, and now you’re leaving again? Where are you off to?"

"Don’t worry, I won’t be long," Fourth reassured her with a grin, blowing her a playful kiss. She shook her head with a smile, watching as he walked out the door.

The church wasn’t far—just a quick 10- to 15-minute walk down the road. Fourth had been there more times than he could count, whether with his mom or alone, usually on Mondays or Tuesdays when the world felt a little too heavy. Today was one of those days.

The church was peaceful as always, its tall, quiet spires reaching toward the sky. The calmness of the place washed over him the moment he stepped inside, and the familiar scent of candles and aged wood welcomed him.

He walked slowly down the aisle, his footsteps echoing softly in the empty space. He always overthought things—every little detail stuck in his mind longer than it should. This was no different.

Reaching the altar, Fourth knelt and closed his eyes, whispering a simple prayer. He hoped that the unsettling dream was just a dream, nothing more. As he prayed, the weight on his chest seemed to lift, just a little, enough for him to breathe easier.

When he finished, he sat on one of the benches near the front, taking in the quiet ambience of the church. It was a place where time seemed to slow down, where the outside world didn’t matter for a while. He liked that about this place.

Just as he was about to leave, a familiar voice called his name.
"Fourth." He turned, surprised, and saw Father Lee standing by the doorway to the side chapel. A smile spread across Fourth’s face.

"Father Lee!" he called, walking over to him. The old priest had been part of his life since childhood, teaching him many things over the years. "It’s good to see you, Fourth," Father Lee said, his eyes warm but observant. "How have you been, my boy?"

"I’m good, Father. How are you? Sorry I haven’t been around the last couple of weeks," Fourth replied, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. Father Lee smiled gently. "It’s alright. I’ve been waiting for you, though. Something tells me you’re not as okay as you say. Has something happened?"

For a moment, Fourth hesitated, caught off guard by the priest’s intuition. But he shook his head, forcing a smile. "No, nothing like that. Just life, I guess."
Father Lee didn’t push further, but his eyes softened with understanding.

He reached out and placed a hand on Fourth’s shoulder. "Pray to God. Whatever it is, everything will be alright in the end. Trust Him, and trust yourself."

Fourth nodded, feeling a strange comfort in those words. He bowed his head slightly in gratitude before heading towards the door. "Take care, Father," he called as he left the church, feeling the old man’s eyes on him as he walked away.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that Father Lee knew more than he was letting on, as if he could sense something looming on the horizon. Something that even Fourth didn’t fully understand yet.

The air outside felt a little lighter as he made his way back home, though a sliver of uncertainty still lingered in his heart. What was coming?

Sorry guyss😭late bcz of my exam
And They're Christian in this ff😭✌🏻