Villa Nettiea

CHAPTER 23

Flashback continues.....

"Where did this come from?" Mew wondered to himself as he walked up to his desk. He looked at the paper bag in his hand, puzzled. It wasn't his usual lunch. His gaze moved around the room, and he noticed Gulf, who was sitting by the window, fast asleep in his chair, the soft hum of the air conditioner almost masking his quiet breathing.

Mew smiled to himself, a little amused. Gulf always seemed to fall asleep at the most random times, and yet, there was something strangely calming about his presence.

He carefully opened the paper bag, hoping it would at least be something decent. To his surprise, inside was a neatly wrapped sandwich and a small container of yogurt. The sandwich looked fresh, and the yogurt was one of his favorite flavors. His brow furrowed for a moment—had Gulf brought this for him?

Mew glanced up and saw Gulf stir slightly, shifting in his sleep. It was then that Mew noticed something that made his heart skip a beat—Gulf's eyes kept flicking over to him, almost as if he was trying to sneak a glance without being noticed. Every time Mew looked up, Gulf would quickly look away, pretending to be busy with something else.

Mew's lips curled into a secretive smile. Was Gulf shy? Or was it just his imagination? The thought that maybe Gulf was actually noticing him made his chest tighten, a mix of excitement and nervousness building within him. Maybe, just maybe, this was his chance—his chance to finally get Gulf's attention, to show him that he was more than just a friend.

He took a bite of the sandwich, still lost in his thoughts, but his eyes kept drifting back to Gulf. There was something about the way Gulf would steal glances, the way he tried to act like he wasn't interested, that made Mew feel like he was finally being seen. He wanted to tease him a little, to see if Gulf would keep doing it. A quiet game, just the two of them.

As Mew finished the last of the sandwich, he leaned back in his chair, glancing at Gulf once more. This time, when Gulf's eyes met his, there was no quick look away. Instead, Gulf held his gaze for a brief moment, and Mew's heart skipped again. Gulf wasn't smiling, but there was a softness in his expression, something that told Mew it wasn't just his imagination after all.

For the first time in a while, Mew felt like maybe things were about to change. He wasn't sure how or when, but today, it seemed like a new beginning was just within reach.

For the past few days, Mew had always found food waiting for him on his desk. He also asked Mae if Gulf was the one putting it there, but Mae would never answer and would quickly turn away from him. This only made Mew more excited. He also noticed that Gulf was wearing the cat paw keychain Mew had given him, hanging from his ID lace. At first, Mew thought Gulf hadn't noticed any of the gifts he had given him, but now he was sure. And it gave him the courage to finally talk to Gulf.

One afternoon, he hid in the locker room because he felt like Gulf was following him. Just as Gulf was about to catch up with him, Mew suddenly grabbed him.

"What... hmmmmf!" Gulf's surprised shout was muffled as Mew quickly covered his mouth with his hand.

But Mew pulled his hand away almost immediately.

"What's the matter with you?!" Gulf snapped, clearly annoyed. "What do you want?"

Mew looked at him intently, unfazed. "You. What do you want? Why have you been following me?"

Gulf quickly turned his gaze away, but Mew didn't break his serious stare.

"W-What? I'm not following you!" Gulf stammered, his face flushing in frustration. "You've got some nerve accusing me of that! Who do you think you are?"