Chapter Four

Two souls in Bangkok...

Kieran bends earnestly on the circle table and slices the Thai Roti using the table knife. Bahagya siyang ngumingiti habang ginagawa ‘yon. When he sits straight his eyebrows knitted together. Nagtataka siya kung bakit hindi pa rin umaalis si Pharm. What was wrong with Pharm? Parang gusto niyang batuhin ito ng lunch box. Ano namang prank ang naisip ni Pharm? Kieran thought, hoping if Pharm has a prank it won’t work that time.

“Pharm ano ba!” maarteng sambit niya alam niyang hindi ‘yon maintindihan ng kaibigan. “Go and buy me a Pink Milk.” Yumuko ulit siya at ipinagtuloy ang ginagawa niya. He creatively slices again the Thai Roti and pours liquid chocolate on it. He raised his chin again, Pharm still stood there. He stood up to check what hinder Pharm from going out. Parang may kausap ito.

A damn perfect guy who leaning his body outside the door looked at him. The stranger’s eyes flickered in a fine color of sunrise, burning with passion. He keeps looking at Kieran with his cosmic smile. Kieran sniffed in the air, and the guy’s edible and tropical accent of freesia scent swirled which makes the guy adorable. Napalunok siya.

Nakakahiya pero hindi niya maibaba ang tingin sa maamong mukha ng lalaki. Gano’n na ba siya ka easy ma-attract? For Kieran, the guy in front of him was damn perfect. He was adored indeed like a good actor who plays a good romantic rough s*x scene in a movie. Bumilis ang tahip ng dibdib ni Kieran.

Pharm went back and sit again on the sofa. Now it was only him and the guy who looked straight in his eyes stood there. Inoobserba siya nito mula ulo hanggang paa. Hindi niya naiintindihan ang malagkit nitong pagtitig sa kanya. His eyes that stared linger on Kieran are like a merciless hand that rip his shirt off.

The guy’s scent was so familiar to Kieran, and even his smile. Kieran could see the beam of happiness in the stranger’s eyes. His smile is like the possession that Kieran had been kept looking for.

“Pee,” sambit niya. Inoobserba niya ang buong mukha ng lalaki. He felt that there are track of memories that connected him with the guy.

The guy raised his arm, and Kieran saw him holding Pink milk in a plastic bottle. “This is for you.”

Ngumiti siya, and without a second thought, he grabbed the bottle in the stranger’s hand. Wala siyang hiya. Blessing iyon. Nang tingnan niya ‘yon ay muntik na niyang mabitawan. The same bottle he received when he took the entrance exam at the university. There’s a word written in the bottle.

Congratulations.

Muli siyang napatingin sa lalaki. The guy smiled again and the mole on his lower lip was visible, which reminded Kieran of a guy where his heart was longing. Kieran wants to run to him. Kieran wants to bury his face on his massive face. Kieran wants to tell him how he misses him. “You!” Kieran doesn’t want to mention his name. Nag-iwas siya ng tingin. “Y-you!” his throat constricted.

“It’s been a long time.”

“Thousand times,” Kieran murmured.

“Who me.” The guy moved close to him.

“Pee Hardin,” sambit niya sa masiglang tono. Hindi niya kailanman makalimutan ito, ang unang crush niya, kaibigan na minahal niya nang palihim. “A lonesome fifteen years old wandering in Rama VIII. A guy I treat a Guay Teow, a guy who gave me a black hoodie jacket. A guy who asked me to keep his photo, and he wants to get it when he’s in College-

“Hardin- a guy who asked me to study in the same university. And a guy-” Kieran is unable to speak the last word.

Nasa harapan na niya ito. He was seven feet tall at hanggang sa labi lang siya ni Hardin. Kieran felt Hardin’s breath on his face. Kieran looked up at him, Hardin was so close. What is this? Kieran feels nervous. Ginulo nito ang buhok niya. 

“You remembered so much.” Hardin coaxed.

Kieran bites his upper lip. He wants Hardin’s touch. Hindi niya alam kung bakit ang pagkagulo nito sa buhok niya ay nagpabigat sa talukap ng kanyang mga mata. “And a guy, who said that he will take care of his junior.” Ngumiti siya. Hindi na siya nahihiya pa. Hardin said that line back then, a line that Kieran cared about.

Matamis itong ngumiti. Then he grabbed Kieran close to his body. Ikinulong siya nito sa isang mahigpit na yakap. Hindi man nito masabi sa kanya na na-miss siya nito but since Hardin was the first one who hugged him therefore he thought that his old best friend also misses him.

Kieran wrapped his arms around Hardin’s body. Ginawa nitong unan ang ulo niya. He lay his face on top of Kieran’s head. Tumagal ang yakapan nilang ‘yon nang halos isang minuto. No one seemed to want to let go of another person. Finally, their paths cross again.

“Good god, you’re here,” sambit ni Arthit.

Kaagad silang dumistansiya sa isa’t-isa. He turned his back to see Arthit’s gallant visage. What? Magkakilala rin ba ang dalawa? How come? Niyaya ni Arthit na umupo si Hardin. Habang magka-usap ang dalawa ay panay ang sulyap niya kay Hardin. Kailan pa magka-close ang dalawa? May bagay ba siyang dapat malaman?

“I met your brother a long time ago, at siya ang naging tulay ko para kamustahin ka, and even the day you took the entrance exam, si Arthit ang nagsabi sa akin,” paliwanag nito na tila nabasa nito ang nasa isip ni Kieran.

Tumingin siya kay Arthit. “You didn’t tell me.”

“It was a promise,” said Arthit. “He asked me to keep it a secret.”

Si Hardin naman ang hinarap niya. “Bakit?” gusto niyang malaman kung bakit kailangang itago pa iyon sa kanya. Pero parang walang narinig si Hardin.

“Please,” Hardin pleaded Arthit. “Pee, Please.”

He feel that he was out of place because of his older brother’s presence.  He stood up and he was about to step and move out there pero bigla siyang hinawakan ni Hardin sa kanyang beywang at hinala pababa at bumagsak sa tabi nito. His heart raced and butterflies flew fast circles in his stomach. His heart beat faster and faster as Hardin wrapped his arm around Kieran’s neck and he grabbed Kieran close to his body. What a superb feeling for Kieran.

“May I?” Hardin’s face still pleading.

“Hmm... Mae and Dad aren’t here,” said Arthit.

“That’s why I’m asking your permission.”

“Ask him.” Arthit leaned his back against the couch.

“Him? your Dad?” Hardin asked.

“Him.” Itinuro ni Arthit si Kieran gamit ang mga labi nito.

Kieran was confused hindi niya alam kung ano ang pinag-usapan ng dalawa. Nanatili siyang ikinulong ni Hardin sa bisig nito. Ayaw na niyang magprotesta pa. Tahimik na lamang siya sa pagdikit ng mga katawan nila, at pinakinggan ang mga tibok ng kanyang puso.

“Payag ka bang tumira sa bahay?” he asked Kieran. In that house, it was only Kieran who knows how to speak Tagalog. Hindi marunong mag Tagalog si Arthit. “Congratulations, by the way, tinupad mo nga ang hiling ko. Now we are in the same university-”

“Kieran will live together with us in the same house,” mabilis na sambot ni Ayne.

Hardin smirked. “Please, I’m waiting for how many years. I don’t even show up to you. Even the day when you took the exam. I only stared at you in the distance and tasked my friend to give you a Nom Yen. Sorry khrub, but I don’t want to distract you during your exam.”

Tanda pa nga niya ang pink milk na natanggap niya noong nag-take siya ng entrance exam sa university. Si Hardin pala ang nagbigay niyon. Hindi nga siya nagkamali sa hinala niya noon. “Yeah, I made it,” masiglang sambit niya. “And I thought you will no longer see me as a best friend,” he said sadly.

Hardin raised his right hand folding the four-finger and raising the pinky finger. “We will be friends no matter what. Let’s pinky swear.”

He smiled and he do the same. The two linked their pinky fingers together. Ayne and Pharm’s eyebrows were arch.

Hardin smiled. “Now, I’m asking you, and I hate when you refuse it, would you live in the house where I lived?”

Inilibot niya ang kanyang paningin kay Ayne at Pharm. Nakasimangot ang mukha ng mga ito. “For one condition, Pee.”

“What condition?”

“Please let these two bast*rds live there also. They would pay for the electricity, and water bills and they would cook breakfast, and wash dishes.”

“You’re too much Nong’Kieran.” Ayne protested.

“Okay, okay. These two would occupy the available room, you? Yes, you Nong’Kieran will occupy my room.”

“What about you?”

“Dalawa nga tayo sa room ko.” Kinindatan siya nito.

His eyes widened “Are you serious?” Gusto niya ba ‘yon? Parang oo ata. Pero para kay Hardin ay wala namang malisya ‘yon.

“Thank you Pee,” Ayne and Pharm said in unison.

“Hardin,” Hardin mentioned his name.

“Thank you.” The two wai.

Bumaling si Hardin kay Arthit. “So, he said yes, please permit me.”

“Okay, bro. I trust you. This my Nong’Kieran is stubborn but weak,” ani Arthit.

“Pee Arthit.” He looked at Arthit, at nagpakawala siya nang malalim na buntong hininga “How about, Dad?”

Lumapit ito sa tabi ng kapatid. “Everything will be fine, trust me.”

“Senior will take care of his junior,” Hardin chimed in.

He used to say the same thing when Kieran met him seven years ago on Rama VIII bridge. He used to say that he will take care of Kieran. Kaya narito ba ito dahil binigyan nito ng katuparan ang sinasabi nito noon. Maybe a part of it. Pero wala na siyang masabi pa. Isa lang ang alam niya ‘yon ay ang saya-saya niya. Kieran was on cloud nine.

“Only him?” Pharm asked. “What about us?”

“I will crush your bones if you fool around,” said Hardin, laughing.

Nang nagkaroon siya ng pagkakataong tumingin sa mukha nito ay nakita niya ang payapa’t masayang anyo ni Hardin. “Thanks.”

“What for?” Hardin asked.

“For being my best friend. For keeping your words.”

“You’re my favorite. I care for you Nong.” Hardin smiled.

Ngumiti nang mapait si Arthit alam nitong may masakit pang yugto sa buhay ni Kieran. Why was it hard for their dad, and Mr. Pornthip's family side to accept and tolerate Kieran’s sexual orientation? Kieran went through so much, emotional, mental, and physical pain. Discriminated, rejected, and hated. Too much for innocent Kieran. Pinisil ni Hardin ang tungki ng kanyang ilong. Kieran was feeling enraptured. His whole world has been waiting for this moment. Kieran has a rare feeling of being safe in Hardin’s arms.