MIONG: And the Sublime Paralytic

Debate

"Miong?" Appy called, rubbing his newly-awoken eyes.

Miong, who was trying to be sneaky walking towards his sofa, paused to look at Appy. "I'm sorry. Did I wake you."

"Yes you did. I was sleeping deeply." Appy deadpanned.

"Oh, I'm sor..."

"Miong. I was just joking. Why are you like that?" The boy chuckled. The boy really wants to make it up to Miong by, maybe, starting a light sarcasm. It's awkward to fight with someone you see every single day, what more, someone who is literally your caretaker. He smiled again. "It's 2 am. Have you slept? It looks like you're just going to your bed-sofa thing." And the boy blushed, remembering why Miong had to sleep in an uncomfortable sofa. Maybe tonight, he'll let Miong sleep beside him. The bed is large and there would be a pillow-size distance between them. It wouldn't be awkward-- for two boys.

"No. I was reading your paper. It's brilliant." Miong simply said, sitting on his sofa.

"Oh." Appy blushed again. "You shouldn't have. It's a hard read. Very boring, too. Even I got bored while doing it."

"Bored?" Miong chuckled. "With all the enthusiastic work you did every early morning? And all that books you made me borrow because online sources cannot satisfy you?"

"The STR* teacher wanted us to have non-online sources, for referencing. Haha."

"And how about those thick books on the lamp table? You're still reading them, right?" Miong said, pointing out the pile of thick books beside Appy.

"Ah, just to make me go to sleep. Hard-to-read boring books make me nappy." The boy defended.

"And how about the overly detailed outlining? Other students would just work with 'Introduction, Body, Conclusion' outline. But you made a very detailed outline."

Appy's ears are getting redder, Miong can see. The boy doesn't know how to accept compliments, and so he'd rather deny his passion. "Oh please. It's because I want it to look professional somehow. But that paper isn't that groundbreaking." 

Miong smirked. Appy is getting redder and redder the more he emphasizes his effort on that paper. Appy is almost red and pouting, it was a sight to see. "You're shy."

A pillow suddenly flew across the air, hitting Miong right on the face. Miong just sneaked a manly 'oof', while Appy squeaked irritably and hid himself under the thick blankets. "You piece of shit!" He muffled under the blankets.

Miong took the pillow that hit his face, and slowly walked towards the figure under the blanket. He set the pillow beside the boy, and then he sat beside him. He likes teasing the boy, at least. His reddened face is hilarious. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tease you. I was sincere about your paper. I really think it's great."

"..."

Miong took the silence as an end of that discussion. And so, he decided to open something else. "Appy, in your paper, it seems you don't like the government."

Appy's interest piqued. He slowly revealed himself from under the blanket, but left his mouth hidden. "Why not? No matter where I look at, things could have been better if they're less corrupt."

"But we're in the mercy of the government." Miong simply stated.

"Are you telling me that we must conform to their greed?" Appy asked, turning his head towards the guy.

"Nope." Miong tried to smile Appy's anger away. "Nobody must conform to something that is getting wrong, but I'm just saying not everything the government does is greedy."

"So you'd rather let them continue this stupidity? You know Philippines could do better than this. We have money, we have funds, but where are they going?"

Miong laughed monotoneously. "You sound like them."

"Them?" Appy asked, assuming the worst and getting furious about it.

"Them. The not-very-well-informed activists. Those people who only join rallies for being brainwashed by a university idiot."

"Don't look down at them! What do you know about their dilemma? Rich kids like you will never feel the poverty caused by the government!"

"And so what? You will rally? Instead of working hard to rise up? Maybe it's good that you paralyzed your legs, at least you won't be able to..."

It was a hard thud. It wasn't just a pillow; it was a book thrown, luckily not at Miong's face, but at the wall just right behind him.