My Missing Piece (Theory of Love) (KhaiThird/OffGun)

Chapter 16

     Khai didn't know how much time had passed.  He just stood there for a while, eyes still in the direction where Third had been before his figure disappeared.  Khai snapped out of his revere, quickly pulling out his phone to dial Two.  Khai needed  to talk to Third.  This couldn't wait. "Khai?" 

    "Two!  Is Third with you?" Khai asked as soon as he heard his voice.

    "What?  No...I thought he was still with you.  What happened?" Two asked.

    Khai groaned as he ran his hand over his face, "I was an idiot, that's what." 

     "Oh god, what did you do?"

    "I fucking kissed him like an idiot.  He told me he liked me and that he felt like I was taking advantage of his feelings and I just kissed  him, without even asking or telling him how I felt" Khai paced back and forth.

    "Khai!  How dumb can you be?!" Two exclaimed.

    "I already know I'm dumb, Two!" Khai sighed, "I need to find him.  Just...call or text me if you see him before I do, okay?"

    "Alright...good luck.  If you find him please, please  think before you speak."

    "I know, I know.  Thanks, bye" Khai hung up before running in the direction Third had gone. "Damn...which way did he turn?" Khai asked himself, trying to wrack his brain to remember. Despite watching him leave, he couldn't even figure out the direction Third had went in, his brain had shut down.  Khai went for the left, he had to start somewhere.  He had no idea how far Third had went, but he was almost certain he was off campus.  Khai stopped in his tracks, if he was going to look for Third properly, the smart thing to do would be to bring his motorcycle, things would be a lot faster that way.  Khai wished he could always be this logical, it would have prevented this mess from happening in the first place.

    Time was forgotten as Khai searched for Third.  The only signal of how much time had passed being the blue sky fading over time.  By this time, Third could have been back at his apartment for all he knew, but something told him to keep searching.  Khai blinked seeing a small figure sat down on a bench at the side of the road, facing the sky.  Was Khai just seeing things now or was it actually Third?  No, it had  to be him.  Khai quickly pulled to the side, jumping off his motorcycle to go closer to the figure, "Third?"  The boy startled, jumping slightly in his place on the bench.  He couldn't say he expected the tall boy to just pop out of nowhere.  Third turned his head to look at Khai for a short moment before turning his gaze to look back at the sky that was now golden as the sun set.

    "Khai, go away.  I don't want to talk to you" Third said in a smooth, steady voice.

    "I don't blame you" Khai sighed softly as he set next to Third on the bench, eliciting a soft sigh from the latter.  "I can't let this go unfixed though.  Can we please talk?" Third was silent and Khai decided that was his cue to continue.  "What I did was completely uncalled for and inexcusable.  I'm not going to sit here and make excuses for myself.  I shouldn't have just kissed you like that without asking you first, without even replying to what you had to say with my words.  It was really dumb of me and I'm so sorry." Khai sighed softly as he took his eyes away from Third to look at the sky.  He needed something to distract himself for the next words he was about to say.  "Now...about what you said in the canteen...I'm so sorry that I have been giving you so many mixed messages.   I'm sure it really has played with your emotions.  I didn't intend to treat your feelings like a game, but I was.  I love teasing you because I crave your reactions but it wasn't fair of me to tease you before I got my own feelings in check.  It must have been so confusing for you to hear me say those things about not liking you in the café and then have me tease you whenever I'm around you.  I just want you to know that I didn't mean what I said in the café, not at all.  I was scared Third, shit I hate saying that I'm scared so much" Khai laughed.  "When Bone and Two asked me if I liked you, I felt cornered because I never told them I was gay. I never wanted to admit to myself that I was scared of telling my friends my sexuality, but I was.  It's so fucking dumb isn't it?  That we have to live in fear because of the people we want to bang?  I only meant the words I said when you had already left.  I'm gay and I really, really like you Third.  I mean it.  I'm sorry for being an idiot." Khai let out a breath, "That was a lot" Khai said before bracing himself to look at Third again.  Third's face was hard to read in this moment and Khai was immensely scared that Third had put up his walls for good.  He'd rather Third scream at him than act completely void of emotion.  Khai was about to speak again when Third let out a small laugh.