Secret Admirer

25. Apology

Buri stood motionless as June entered, his smirk subtle yet disarming. 

"That shirt looks good on you, Hia," June remarked, the teasing lilt in his voice sending a ripple through Buri's already unsteady heart.

Buri clenched his jaw, fighting against the lump forming in his throat. His heart raced, and he struggled to maintain composure under June's gaze. He refused to let his emotions spill over—not here, not in front of June. 

His lips parted as though to respond, but no words came. Instead, he remained silent, staring at June, whose smirk only deepened as he stepped closer.

June's fingers brushed against Buri's collar, straightening it with a practiced ease. 

The gesture was so familiar, so intimate, that it felt like a dagger to Buri's chest. "Tell me, Hia" June began in a light, playful tone, "did you wear my shirt to dinner with Khun Ciro and Kayu just to irritate Kayu?"

Buri said nothing. He couldn't deny the thought had crossed his mind, but his reasons for wearing the shirt were far more complicated. It wasn't about Kayu, not entirely. Khun Ciro's instruction to dress decently had left him no choice but to dig into the pile of clothes he had taken from June's place—the ones he had stolen during a vulnerable moment.

June's next comment hit harder than Buri expected. "What is this, then, Hia? Have you turned into a thief now, instead of a tattoo artist?" Though June's voice was lighthearted, the words stung.

Buri's head dropped slightly as shame and hurt flooded his senses. He hadn't meant to take anything from June's place. 

That night, June's rejection had been so cold, so cutting, that it felt like all the confidence he had built up to win June back had crumbled into dust. 

Taking those items—shirts, a coffee mug, and a few small belongings—had been his way of coping. They were a desperate attempt to hold onto a piece of June, to convince himself that June wasn't entirely out of reach.

He took a steadying breath and forced himself to speak. "I am sorry," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I will return everything I took."

June didn't answer immediately. Instead, his gaze softened, though the smirk lingered. To him, Buri's attempt to put on a brave face was endearing, like a child clutching a favorite toy they were reluctant to give up. 

June stepped closer, closing the distance between them even further. "It's good to know you are willing to return my things, Hia," he teased. "Why don't we start with the shirt you are wearing now?" His fingers moved to the buttons, his intent clear.

Buri's hand shot up, grabbing June's wrist. "I will dry-clean it first," he said quickly, avoiding June's eyes. "It is dirty. I have worn it."

June chuckled, a sound so rich and warm that it sent a shiver down Buri's spine. "You can keep the shirt," June said with a mischievous grin, "but it's going to cost you."

Buri frowned, the words breaking through his haze of emotions. "Cost me what?"

Without warning, June's hand reached up to cup Buri's face, and before Buri could process what was happening, June leaned in and kissed him. 

The kiss was soft yet insistent, catching Buri completely off guard. His mind raced, and when June pulled away, Buri stared at him in stunned silence. 

"What... what was that?" he asked, his voice hoarse with confusion and suppressed emotion.

June's chuckle was softer this time, almost tender. "A kiss," he said simply, tilting his head. "Didn't you want me to kiss you?"

Buri's throat tightened as he tried to respond. He wanted to deny it, to protect himself, but the words wouldn't come. He wanted it—desperately, achingly—but he couldn't reconcile it with what he had seen earlier that evening. "You looked so happy with Kayu," he managed to say, his voice barely above a whisper. "I saw you go to that restaurant with him to have dinner. I saw you two. Laughing, smiling... I thought..."

June's smile didn't waver, though his gaze softened. He stepped forward again, this time with an unspoken determination. "You thought wrong, Hia" he said, his voice low but firm. 

Then he kissed Buri again, this time slower, deeper. 

The kiss ignited something in both of them—a fire they had tried to suppress for far too long.

June's hands slipped into Buri's hair, and Buri's arms instinctively wrapped around June's waist, pulling him closer.

They moved together, June guiding Buri back until his shoulder blades hit the wall. 

The kiss grew more intense, more urgent with each passing second, their breaths mingling as they poured every unspoken word, every buried emotion into the moment. By the time they pulled away, both were panting, their faces flushed.

"I love you," June whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I have missed you so much, Hia."

Buri blinked, his vision blurring with unshed tears. "What are you saying?" he asked, his voice trembling. His hands tightened their grip on June's shirt, as though afraid this moment would slip away.

"I am saying I was wrong," June said softly, his eyes never leaving Buri's. "I was hot-headed. I jumped to conclusions without understanding what was going on. I caused so much pain—for both of us. I didn't trust you, and I accused you of something you didn't do. I hurt you, Hia, and I am so sorry, Hia. I am sorry for everything"

Buri's tears finally spilled over. He tried to wipe them away, but June caught his hands and held them, his own eyes glistening. "I was wrong to walk away. I was wrong to let my pride get in the way of what we had. Can we... can we start over? Can I be your boyfriend again?"

The words hit Buri like a tidal wave. He couldn't speak, couldn't form a coherent thought. Instead, he threw his arms around June, pulling him into a crushing hug. 

His body shook with sobs as he buried his face in June's shoulder, clutching at him like a lifeline. "I have dreamed of this day," Buri choked out between sobs. "For so long, I have dreamed of hearing you say that."

June held him just as tightly, his own tears falling freely now. "I am sorry for everything," Buri continued, his voice muffled against June's shoulder. "For not communicating, for letting the misunderstanding grow. I love you, June. I have always loved you and only you."

"I love you too, Hia" June whispered, pressing a soft kiss to Buri's temple. "And I am not going anywhere. Not this time."

They held each other for what felt like an eternity, their tears mingling as they let the pain, the guilt, and the regret melt away in the warmth of their embrace. 

In that moment, nothing else mattered—only the love they shared and the promise of a new beginning.