Stranger Times

~ 28 ~

8 45 PM 8th Apr

"Do you think what you say makes sense?" Forth asked Beam, he could not believe his ears "Not that I don't trust you – but don't you think you have to be fair to me" he whined, he knew that pressuring Beam is not the right thing to do, but the fact that Beam doesn't trust him still hurt.

"Forth, it is not my secret to share" Beam replied, "and if you trust me – then you should not push me, why can't you take my word for it?"

There was an awkward silence between them, and Forth sighed "Okay.... I just want to know when you will trust me" he took another bite out of the pizza they were having and when Beam didn't reply, Forth continued "Have it your way"

Beam looked into Forth eyes, he could not actually get a read, so he just nodded "Thanks". This is not going the way he thought it will, he had not expected Forth to open the discussion with Kit. He was very surprised when Forth had said 'I know it was not my place – but can you please let me know who Kit is, there is something very strange about him'

Forth wanted to break the silence that was building up like a big wall between them, he made the mistake by starting the conversation about p'Kit but he couldn't control his curiosity, so he decided to change the subject "Why did you choose medicine?"

Beam smiled "Pha chose it for me" he shook his head, "I was not really keen on it at first but now I think I made the right choice." The conversation was flowing casually, but mostly like between two friends and Beam felt something had changed in Forth, but he could not guess what it was.

8 40 PM 8th Apr 2017

"What else, tell me more" Pha drank more as he listened into stories about future from Kit, Kit took another sip and started eating "What else... you know that self-drive cars" Pha eagerly nodded "They are not just theory; you punch in the address and the system navigates on its own"

"Wow" muttered Pha "Amazing"

Kit smiled, it was surreal to be having this discussion with Pha; he was the first to buy one when they were introduced in the market.

"Can I see all the pictures again?" Pha asked "Why don't Yo and I have a kid?"

"Sure" Kit handed over the phone "Aren't you to young now to be thinking about kids?" he laughed, they had opted for surrogacy when he left to South Africa – Kit sighed wondering what was happening in his time and what his friends were doing

"Do you miss your time?" Pha asked "Do you miss us?"

Kit nodded "Isn't it strange – I am talking to you about missing your future-self"

"If you think about it... yes" Pha looked into Kit's eye and then asked "Can you tell me why you never moved forward; it was not like you and Ming were in a relationship for long.... A year max before the accident, I can't understand"

Kit sighed "I don't know too.... You guys did try to set me up with few and I did try" he teared up "but no matter how much I tried.... It was not Ming" Pha nodded, even when he could not completely comprehend what Kit was saying.

"He was all I saw, you know....". Kit smiled, but Pha felt like his heart breaking into pieces when he saw that sad smile. If this was future of Kitty – He wanted Ming out of Kitty's life immediately, he was not sure how deep Kitty was in already.

"Let me have at least a year with him Pha" Kit pleaded "I can guess what you are thinking"

"At what cost?" Pha questioned

"Things are changing" Kit replied looking at pictures on his phone "All of my photo's with Ming is hazy – but I think it will be okay" he kept scrolling

"Was Beam somehow involved in the accident?" Pha asked

"What?" Kit was not expecting it.

"It is just that you never talk about how Ming di.. er how the accident happened... and your gaze kept hovering over him when we spoke the other day" Pha explained

"Ming died saving Beam" Kit said "I don't know how to stop it, and that is the reason why every time Beam's picture becomes hazy I get worried"

"WHAT?" Pha was shocked "Is it like Ming or Beam?"

Kit nodded and took another shot. "SHIT" Pha mumbled

"Let's make sure nothing happens to either of them" Kit said looking at picture of Duo "I can't let anything happen to him", but the photo turned hazy as they spoke and Kit stopped talking "Call Beam"

"Why?" asked Pha, seeing panic written all over Kit's phase "What happened?"

"I don't know – but Duo is disappearing as we speak" Kit turned his phone to Pha

"Beam?" Pha had called by then "Where are you?"; he nodded "You okay?", he was silent for some time "Why don't we tell him the truth?", he then turned to look at Kit, "Looks like Forth is suspicious about you"

Kit nodded, if this was going to cause a strain on their relationship; maybe they should be honest to Forth

"Beam – come with Forth to the bar by our faculty; I am already here with Kit" Pha ended the call

"Do you think it will be okay?" Pha asked worried

"Let's hope it does" Kit mumbled as he looked at Duo's picture, but as soon as the decision was made the changes on the picture stopped; but it was still murky.

9 15 PM 8th Apr 2017

"Get in" Ming held the door opened for Kitty as they entered the lift after the dinner, but Kitty just shot him a dirty look "I am going to shove that chivalry right up your ass if you don't stop doing it"

Ming smirked "Really... I don't think so" he said as he pushed Kitty into the lift and cornered him between the wall and himself and waited for the lift to close, he then crushed his lips on Kitty's with his. One of his hands moved behind Kitty's shoulder and held his nape, while other slid down Kitty hands , he opened up the his fingers that were curled into a fist and raised it up and placed them on his chest; where Kitty did cling on to him like a kitten.

Ming could feel the hesitation in Kitty's response but he also felt him shiver, he withdrew and looked into Kitty's eyes "I love you", his voice was hoarse with lust he then bent down but this time there was no rush, there was no need to dominate but instead his lips wrapped around Kitty's that were soft and warm.

They broke apart on hearing the doorbell chime, Kitty's face was all red and flushed at the same time, and Ming saw his was the same on the reflection. Neither made a move, they were too caught up in the moment to move

"I love you, Kitty" Ming sighed into him "More than you realize, more than I realized", he continued looking into Kitty's eyes "I have to go tomorrow with my parents; but I am going to confess that I love you to them"

Kitty was stunned and then he mumbled "You don't have too; not to prove yourself to me"

"No, it is not just to prove myself.... but" he was silenced when Kitty closed his mouth with his hands "I only said I liked you earlier... but know this"

Kitty was turning beat red by the second "I have loved you since the say I saw you with Ming, I thought maybe you loved Yo.... But I have always loved you and will only love you"