Secret Admirer

23. Misunderstanding

June chuckled to himself as he noticed a small shopping bag resting on the floor of his car, somehow missed during his earlier sweep. With a sigh, he picked it up, recognizing it as yet another gift he had bought for Kayu. 

"Of course, this one slipped through," he muttered with a smile. 

Knowing Kayu, June figured he would be showering by now after the long day, and he didn't want to disturb him. 

But with the bag in hand, June pulled out his spare key and made his way quietly into Kayu's apartment.

As he stepped inside, he immediately heard voices. 

June froze, uncertain, his curiosity piqued as he recognized them as Kayu and Ciro's. He moved further in, his footsteps light, and paused when he caught sight of them in the living room.

 Neither seemed to notice him as their voices grew heated, the words unmistakably about him.

June stepped back, hidden from their view, but within earshot, listening intently.

"I am telling you, Khun Ciro, stop making assumptions about my relationship," Kayu said firmly. He stood with arms crossed, frustration clearly written across his face.

Ciro's tone was low, almost resigned. "I am not making assumptions. I am telling you what is best, Kayu." He exhaled slowly, his gaze hard as he continued, "Your relationship with June isn't going to work. June and Buri...they were only separated because of a misunderstanding."

June felt his heart clench at the mention of Buri, an ache rising in his chest. He hadn't heard Buri's name spoken with such familiarity in years. 

June remained rooted to the spot, his breath shallow, willing himself to stay quiet.

He heard Kayu's questioning tone. "What do you mean by a 'misunderstanding'?"

Ciro looked at Kayu, his expression softening. "Buri never cheated on June. June thought he did, but it was all a misunderstanding."

June's pulse quickened, his thoughts racing as he processed Ciro's words. He held his breath as Ciro began explaining.

"Buri was trying to open a tattoo parlor back then," Ciro said, his voice calm but laced with a tone of sympathy. "He struggled to find investors and went through hell just trying to keep it together. I was starting my own company at the time, and I couldn't afford to invest in his startup, but he finally found an investor. Everything seemed set. But at the last minute, the investor backed out without warning. It was the day before the grand opening, and Buri was devastated."

Kayu listened, brow furrowed in confusion. "So what happened?"

Ciro nodded, his eyes distant as he recalled the story. "Yen, who was raising money to start her own hair salon, stepped in. She offered to combine their businesses into a joint venture. It was a godsend for Buri; she was the only reason he could open the shop. He didn't get a chance to tell June about the change because he was working nonstop, setting up Yen's space and partitioning his parlor to fit her salon. Yen's boyfriend, Mork, was there at the opening. There was no affair, no deception. Buri thought June understood, but..."

June closed his eyes, his breath hitching as the truth hit him. Every suspicion, every painful assumption he had harbored about Buri—none of it had been true. He felt an overwhelming rush of shame and grief as the memories came flooding back. His mind lingered on every detail he'd buried, all the accusations he had hurled at Buri, all the anger he had carried for so long.

All of it had been for nothing.

Ciro continued softly, "For years, Buri has never moved on from June. He couldn't bring himself to date anyone else. His heart...has always been with him."

The bag in June's hand slipped from his grip and fell to the floor with a dull thud. 

The sound startled Kayu and Ciro, who both turned to find him standing there, his face pale, eyes wide and glistening with unshed tears. 

Kayu knew immediately that June had heard everything from the way June's eyes filled with pain, the raw disbelief written across his face.

"June..." Kayu began, his voice gentle, his expression full of understanding. He took a small step forward, noticing the way June's shoulders shook, the silent tears that finally slipped down his cheeks.

June tried to form words, but all that came out was a strangled whisper. "I...I didn't know." His voice was full of regret, heavy with the weight of all the years lost, of the love he had tried to bury but now felt even more acutely. 

His gaze flickered to Kayu, his heart aching at the realization of what he had done. "Kayu...I—"

But Kayu only gave him a sad, understanding smile. He reached out, placing a reassuring hand on June's arm. "It's okay, June," he said softly. "You don't have to explain." His words were laced with empathy, the kind only a friend could offer. "Go to him. P' Buri...he deserves to know that you still care, that you are still in love with him."

June's eyes widened, tears still falling as he looked into Kayu's face, searching for any sign of anger or resentment. 

Instead, all he saw was kindness, understanding, the unspoken knowledge that they both had come to realize where they each stood.

"Are...are you sure?" June's voice was barely audible, shaky with disbelief. He hadn't expected this level of selflessness, this grace. 

He was prepared for Kayu to be furious, to hate him, but instead, Kayu was giving him a way out, a path back to where he belonged.

Kayu gave him a small nod, his own eyes misting over as he squeezed June's arm gently. "I am. You need to go, June. Don't waste any more time." He forced a smile, trying to hold back the sadness of goodbye. "You owe it to yourself to go to the one you love."

June's heart twisted painfully, but there was a relief in the release, a sense that his long-buried feelings could finally be set free. He gave Kayu a shaky nod, his lips moving soundlessly as he tried to form words, to convey the gratitude and sorrow swelling within him. 

"Thank you," he finally managed, his voice trembling, gratitude and guilt mingling as he held Kayu's gaze.

Kayu returned the look with a sad but genuine smile, gesturing toward the door. "Hurry. Go find him."

June didn't hesitate another moment. He turned, almost stumbling as he bolted out of the door, his heart racing as he left the apartment, leaving behind the chapter he knew he could never have with Kayu. 

He didn't look back, his thoughts fixed now on Buri—the man he had loved all along.