NEMESIS.

011 • first kiss

first kiss

Naiirita na talaga si Jihoon.

Una, iniwan siyang mag-isa ni Soonyoung. Pangalawa, ilang minuto na rin siyang naglalakad kahit na sobrang lamig ng panahon. Pangatlo, itong kidnapping na 'to. Kanina lamang ay kausap niya si Soonyoung at nag-tantrums pa ito tapos kalahating oras lamang ay malalaman niyang na-kidnap ito?

At sino namang matinong tao ang kikidnap sa isang binata na?

Jihoon messed with his hair in frustration. They were supposed to unwind after mass but look at him now, stressing himself over Kwon freaking Soonyoung. Kung hindi lang niya talaga mahal ang kaibigan niya, hahayaan na niya ito mag-isa. Malaki na naman ang taong iyon kaya bakit niya pa kakailanganin ng tulong? But Jihoon knows he has to secure his best friend's safety.

Jihoon thought of the possible places where Soonyoung could be. Abandonadong gusali raw ang sabi ng lalaki. Maraming abandonadong gusali sa lugar na ito. Pero kung siya ang kidnapper, saan naman niya dadalhin ang kinidnap niya? Siyempre sa lugar na madilim pero malawak, at hindi agad mapupuntahan ng pulis.

Ah.

Something seemed to click inside Jihoon's mind. May isang lugar dito na madalas tambayan ni Soonyoung. Kaya posible na doon siya nakidnap at doon din siya hinostage.

Without having a second thought, Jihoon ran towards that place. Mabuti na lamang at may alam siyang shortcut patungo sa lugar na iyon dahil madalas niyang sundan si Soonyoung kapag umaalis ito. Madalas kasing ang dahilan nito kaya pumupunta sa lugar na iyon ay upang umiyak at ilabas ang lahat ng frustrations niya. Sa tuwing nakikita nga iyon ni Jihoon ay gusto niyang lapitan ang kaibigan, pero alam niyang kailangan nito ng oras para sa sarili niya at hindi niya ito dapat pakialaman.

Even tho Soonyoung is five months older than him, he still felt the need to take care of the older. Sa kabila kasi ng masayahing personality nito, alam ni Jihoon na may mga panahon na nagiging mahina ito, and Jihoon is Soonyoung's only source of happiness.

Nang makarating si Jihoon sa gusaling iyon, kaagad niyang hinanap si Soonyoung. And there he found him in the middle of the abandoned building, with a spotlight on him. May hawak itong Dahlias at nakangiti nang malawak sa kaniya, na para bang ine-expect ni Soonyoung na makakarating na agad siya.

"Hi bespren," may hawak pa na mic ang loko. "Sorry kung natakot kita, ang slow mo kasi. Dapat sa police station ka muna pupunta kaso slow ka nga."

Jihoon was stunned on his place. Hindi niya alam kung anong gagawin niya. For sure, kalokohan na naman ito ni Soonyoung pero kung tama ang iniisip niya, baka mag-breakdown na naman siya sa harap ni Soonyoung.

"Naiiyak ka na naman," natatawang komento ni Soonyoung habang naglalakad papalapit sa kaniya. "Mukhang alam mo na kung para saan 'to."

Napatawa na lang din si Jihoon. Soonyoung can really be cheesy sometimes--well, most of the time. All these act of kindness make Jihoon's heart melt into puddles.

"Lee Jihoon, ang aking kaibigan," Soonyoung was grinning sheepishly. "Alam mo bang ang laking pasasalamat ko kasi nilagyan mo ng glue ang buhok ko noon? That may sound weird pero I really am happy since our friendship started on that very same day. Kung hindi siguro nangyari 'yun, hindi sana tayo nandito ngayon. And I'm very thankful for that."

Lots of sweet messages, all from Soonyoung. Jihoon later learned that his friends and family were involved in this. Ang tumawag sa kaniya kanina ay ang kaibigan nilang si Wonwoo. Of course, bakit hindi niya nakilala sa boses ang lalaking iyon?

"Jihoon," Soonyoung, who was slow dancing with him right now, muttered under his breath.

Jihoon hummed in response.

"Happy birthday."

Jihoon chuckled. "Salamat, kahit late na yung celebration."

"Binigyan naman kita ng gift kahapon!"

Hinigpitan lamang ni Jihoon ang pagkakayakap sa nakakatanda. "I know. I did appreciate it."

They stood there, bodies close to each other with Jihoon's head resting on Soonyoung's chest, listening closely to every beat of Soonyoung's heart.

"Umiiyak ka ba?"

Jihoon huffed. "Hindi, a. Ano'ng tingin mo sa 'kin? Iyakin?"

He heard the older laughed and he felt his heart melted, kung may ikatutunaw pa ba ito.

"Soonyoung, salamat. Hindi mo alam kung gaano mo ako pinasaya."

Soonyoung did not answer. Kaya naman umalis siya sa pagkakayakap dito at hinarap ang kaibigan. Nakatingin lamang ito sa kaniya habang may ngiti sa labi. His smile was so genuine that Jihoon couldn't help it but to smile back at him. Just before Jihoon could hug Soonyoung again, he suddenly felt a pair of lips on his right cheek and the hot breath of Soonyoung against his skin.

Jihoon stalled for a second before bringing his hand up to his burning cheeks. Soonyoung stood in front of him with a smug look on his face.

"Happy birthday ulit," sabi nito habang nakangiti nang nakakaloko.

That gift was even better than yesterday's.

Hindi mapigilang mapangiti ni Jihoon. All these years of being the closest friends, ito ang unang beses na hinalikan siya ni Soonyoung. That kiss was genuine, innocent and was meant to cheer Jihoon up.

And it meant the world to Jihoon.