aibaexchange | prompt 1 by rinji pt. 2 (Reply)

LINK TO PART 1

A month had passed since Sho and Aiba started dating. Things were going pretty well for the couple; they’ve gone to amusement parks, went to watch theatre plays, and even went to a concert of a famous idol group. Of course, Sho would go on and ramble about it to Nino, who was very much pleased… at first. Ever since Sho had gotten a boyfriend, their time with each other had somehow become unnecessary. Sho would always be on his phone, wherever and whenever. Nino would always feel alienated during those instances, because all of Sho’s attention was on the phone—all the attention went to Aiba Masaki. And worse, Nino wasn’t the only one who noticed this but even the students and their fellow teachers too. The girls would tease Nino every time in class, claiming he was jealous now that Sho was dating someone else.

Nino wasn’t jealous. Well, he was, but for a different reason. Right after the day they almost got caught by Sho, Ohno had drawn a line and forbid Nino from interacting with him during work hours. And with Sho who was all over Aiba, Nino basically had no one else to turn to. In fact, Nino had grown to hate Aiba. Even mentioning his name would make Nino feel like barfing. Another thing that Nino hated were those horoscope readings from Sho’s favorite magazine. There was something weird about the readings that made Nino tick off. He figured it might be because all the readings led to the mention of Aiba doing this, Aiba doing that. Aiba, Aiba, Aiba, Aiba…

Nino was at the verge of pulling his hairs off. It drove him crazy that Sho actually believed that Aiba was his destined person since he fit all the characteristics and other stuff mentioned in the readings. It was all too good to be true…

“Wow, I can’t believe the school festival’s gonna start in a few days.” Sho said. “Time flies so fast, don’t you think?”

‘Maybe if you had started to pay more attention to your surroundings, maybe you would have noticed.’ Nino thought. “Yeah, tell me about it.” He replied. “Got any plans during the festival?”

Sho shrugged.

“Well, same here then.”

“Oh,” Sho’s face had lit up. “Maybe I should ask Aiba if he’s got any plans.” Sho took out his phone from his pocket and all Nino could do was roll his eyes.

“I’m gonna go out and buy a drink.” Nino said and stepped out of his cubicle.

“Alright.” Sho had his eyes still focused on the screen. “See you later then.”

Nino closed the door behind him. He didn’t know what the point of Sho going in the computer lab was anymore. Sho barely even acknowledged his presence, and yet it seemed necessary for him to come in and stay just like that.

Nino longed for his best friend to come back. The awkward but cheerful man who would always laugh at his blunt jokes and would scold him for doing nasty things; Nino wanted that Sakurai Sho to come back.

“Itadakimasu!” Aiba said and bowed his head to Jun, who laughed at the gesture.

“Just eat up already!” Jun said.

“Yeah, yeah, I will.” Aiba went to reach for his bowl of rice and his chopsticks. Tonight’s dinner was chicken cutlet with curry prepared by Jun. The crunching sound of the chicken’s golden brown breadcrumbs against the chopsticks satisfied Aiba very much. More so as he bit it down and let the meat juices flow inside his mouth.

“How is it?” Jun asked.

“It tastes delicious!” Aiba beamed. “You should expand your café into a restaurant.”

“No way,” Jun chuckled. “I’m not that into cooking.”

“Eh? Really?”

“Nope.”

“But you always cook for me though.”

“It’s because you can’t cook for yourself.”

“What are you talking about?” Aiba exclaimed. “I can cook fine meals for myself; I don’t really need you to do it.”

“It was you who suggested it first that I cook meals for you, don’t you remember? You even requested me to make bento for you since you were so busy back then.”

“I did?” Aiba furrowed his eyebrows. “I don’t really remember; my memory’s gotten a bit blurry.”

“Yeah, blurry enough to remember that Sho was your classmate.” Jun scoffed.

“I’ve known Sho since the 7th grade. We were almost like family back then, so of course I’ll remember. I just don’t remember little things like that…”

All of a sudden, Jun turned quiet. Aiba wasn’t bothered at all, not even a little bit. With that, the younger man finally took his bowl of rice and chopsticks, and began to eat, at a slow pace however.

“Oh yeah, Sho invited me to their school’s festival, wanna go?” Aiba asked.

Jun then swallowed his food. “Me? Going with you?” He said. “Wouldn’t that be…weird?”

Aiba’s eyebrows furrowed. “Why would it be weird?”

“I mean, Sho probably wants it to be just the two of you.”

“Don’t worry, it’s fine. Sho himself told me I could bring some friends along.” Aiba took a sip of his beer.

Jun placed his bowl and chopsticks back on the table. “So, you’re really not going to tell him?” He asked.

“About what?”

“About you being the horoscope writer.”

Hearing those words, Aiba’s smile at once turned into a frown. He was once again reminded of his guilt which dwelled within—the burden which he had to carry until his contract with Kagoshima ended. “I can’t.” Aiba said.

“Come on, you have to tell him one day. Sooner or later, he’s going to find out about it.”

Aiba sighed. “Well, how exactly am I going to tell him then? Go on, tell me.” Once again, Jun was speechless. “Just as I thought, you can’t think of an answer either.” Aiba said.

Jun stood up and picked up Aiba’s empty bowl and chopsticks, along with his own, and walked out of Aiba’s room. Aiba stared at the table as he heard the sound of running water coming from the kitchen sink. Frustrated, Aiba ran his hand through his hair and played with it by twirling the strands around his fingers. The pressure took over and ate him up. He just needed to wait for the contract to end, and then everything will turn back to normal. He promised himself that since the night he decided to write all those fake readings.

Aiba looked at the green bracelet on his wrist and held onto it, clutching it tightly around his fingers. He wasn’t ready to let go yet. He wanted to tell the truth badly, but he didn’t want to take any more risks. And if he’d tell Sho about it right now, just when they’re at the peak of their romantic relationship, all would be lost. He needed more time, just a bit more and he’ll be ready…

The television screen constantly blinked as Ohno scanned through each channel, looking for something to watch. He was sitting near the edge of the bed; Nino, on the other hand, was playing games on his phone. “Ah, shit!” He said. “I died again, dammit.”

Ohno quietly made a smirk hearing Nino’s bemoaning. On the bright side, he had finally found a variety show worth watching to pass the time. Ohno kept laughing at the exaggerated expressions and also the silly difficult tasks which idols and comedians alike had to go through. All the while, he hadn’t noticed that Nino had his phone down, placing it aside on the bed. Before he knew it, Ohno was captured within Nino’s arms. He tried to shrug him off, but Nino wouldn’t budge.

Ohno sighed. “Nino, please,” He said. “I’m not in the mood today.”

“I know. I just wanted to touch you.”

“Geez, you miss me that much already?”

“I got lonely.” Nino said. “Since Sho’s occupied with his boyfriend, I have no one to talk to…”

“Oh, yeah, I heard about it. The students even told me how grumpy you were whenever they mention it in class.”

“It’s because they think I like Sho, that’s why they make such a big fuss about it.”

Ohno chuckled. “Well, you guys are close after all.”

“Not anymore, and it’s all thanks to his stupid boyfriend.”

Ohno hummed. “I wonder what Sho’s boyfriend is like…”

“Please don’t even bother thinking that.”

“Why not?”

“It’s not worth it. He’s kind of a boring guy.”

“Oh, so you’ve met him already? What’s his name?”

“Aiba Masaki.”

Ohno felt the inside of his chest tighten. He hadn’t heard that name in a long while, and hearing it now seemed so nostalgic, along with memories which flashed in his mind instantly. “Oh, I see.” Ohno said. “He has a very nice name…” Feeling heavy, he lied down on Nino’s chest, trying to find comfort in the softness of Nino’s sweater, in order to get Aiba Masaki out of his mind.

“What’s wrong?” Nino asked.

Ohno shook his head. “Nothing. I just feel a bit sleepy right now that’s why.”

“Alright.” It was reassuring for Ohno to hear that from Nino, who then looked away and focused on the screen in front of him.

The feeling of worry went over his face again. He didn’t want to tell Nino about Aiba; there wasn’t any need to tell him anyway, or so he thought. But, if he were to stumble upon Aiba again, Ohno wouldn’t know what to do. Moreover, he wouldn’t even know how to face Sho if he were to know about his past relationship with Aiba. Ohno’s heart trembled at such thoughts. He looked up at Nino, who was unaware of his inner conflict, and lingered his gaze on him, hoping Nino would look back and ask him again if he were okay. But time had gotten the better of him, and unwillingly, Ohno closed his eyes and fell asleep.

***

The sun shone brightly upon the school campus like Sho had hoped it would. There was not a single cloud anywhere in the vast blue sky above, and that was indeed a good sign. The booths had already been put up on the field, and the rides too have started running. As joyous music came out through the speakers, the school festival has been brought to life.

Culture Day was everyone’s favorite day, without a doubt. The excitement in the faces of both students and teachers was enough proof to say so, and Sho was no exception. Although he was well-known for his reticent personality, the cheerful grin on his face was no stranger to anyone when it was Culture Day. And Sho was blooming more than ever this year because Aiba will be coming to join in the fun later.

As always, a slouching Nino stood by his side, eating a riceball which he bought from one of the food stalls. He was fully aware of the traces of sadness on Nino’s face since he wouldn’t be able to enjoy the festival without Ohno. And Nino’s endless sighing was becoming a rain on Sho’s parade, much to Sho’s displeasure. Even if he tried to cheer Nino up, Sho couldn’t convince him otherwise.

From the school gates, Sho saw Aiba, along with his friend, Jun, approaching. As he waved his hand, Sho quickly went to accompany them. “You’re here,” Sho said. “You’re finally here.” He was about to open his arms and embrace Aiba, but then he remembered that they were inside the campus, and so put his arms behind him. It was quite a shame, but Sho didn’t mind, Aiba’s loving gaze was enough to satisfy him.

“The school’s indeed livelier than usual, just like you said.” Aiba chuckled.

Sho gave a nod. “I’m really so glad you guys came to celebrate with us. Thank you.” He said to the both of them.

Aiba and Jun’s gazes passed by Sho’s, and their attention now focused on the man who slowly came up to them, whose sullen face remained unchanged among a crowd of smiles. “And so we finally meet again, Aiba-san.” Nino said and crossed his arms.

“Yeah, it’s been a while.” Aiba said and bowed his head.

“Indeed.” Nino put up a smirk. He then looked at Aiba’s friend, who was very much flustered by his presence.

“I’m Matsumoto Jun, Aiba’s friend.” He said to Nino. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Ninomiya Kazunari, Nino for short.”

“So, what do you guys think?” Sho asked.

“Well, the food stalls are sure making me hungry.” Aiba said.

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll love the food they’re selling. Especially, the crab cream croquette made by the students.”

“That sounds lovely.” Jun beamed.

“Well, I’m in the mood for just the usual takoyaki, if that’ll be alright.”

“It’s fine. I’ll take you to the takoyaki stand then. Ah, but the crab cream croquette is on the opposite side…” Sho then turned to Nino. “Nino, could you take Jun with you to the croquette stand?”

“Huh?” Nino’s raised a brow. “Why me? Why don’t you just take them both there yourself?”

Sho huddled Nino closer and whispered to him. “Come on, don’t be such a brat and let Jun keep you company. It’s not like a day without Ohno’s going to kill you.”

“You’re only doing this because you’re jealous, aren’t you?”

Sho’s face gradually started to heat up. “I’m not!” He said, although his actions say otherwise. He still couldn’t forget how Jun delayed their first kiss and even hugged Aiba in front of his face. Sho knew it was unintentional, but the childish part of him couldn’t help but be ill towards him.

“Alright, fine.” Nino said, rolling his eyes. “I’ll take care of him for you.” Sho then gave a sigh of relief and smiled.

Sho turned back towards Aiba and Jun. “Since going back and forth around the campus would be tiring, I think it’s best if we split ways.” He said. “Nino will be the one to escort you, Matsumoto-san.”

“Oh, thank you, but is it really okay?” Jun said and looked at Aiba, who just smiled and wrapped his shoulder around him.

“Come on, don’t be shy.” Aiba said. “I’m sure you and Nino will get along quickly.” Jun then nodded and followed suit, trailing behind Nino, who had already gone ahead of him.

“You two have fun!” Sho yelled and watched as Nino and Jun blend into the crowd. Sho whirled around and found Aiba looking back at him with a worried face.

“You sure it’s a good idea to leave them together?” Aiba said. “They only just met, and Jun doesn’t seem warmed up to him either.”

“I’m sure they’re going to be fine. Don’t worry about it.”

They went to the takoyaki stand, where Aiba had ordered one huge takoyaki which was as big as his palm. Sho laughed as he watched Aiba try to figure out how to eat it with a tiny spork. “So, how is it?” Sho asked when Aiba finally managed to get a bite.

“Too much sauce.” Aiba said with his mouth full. “Still good though.” He took some tissue and wiped the sauce off the corner of his lips.

Sho took a spork of his own and scooped about a quarter of the takoyaki and ate it. “You’re right.” He then nodded. Aiba chuckled, and Sho eventually laughed along. The two of them managed to finish up the takoyaki quickly and with pretty much nothing left to do, Sho held onto Aiba’s wrist. “Let’s go.” He said.

“Where?” Aiba asked, and Sho shrugged.

“Somewhere around the campus,” Sho said. “Come on.”

Sho ran and dragged Aiba along. They ran away from the crowds and went into the school building. They went up a few floors and roamed along the empty hallway and the two of them stopped to look down below and gaze upon the busy festival. At that point, it all had seemed surreal for Sho to be in two worlds at once. “Brings back memories, doesn’t it?” He said.

“Yeah,” Aiba said. “Sure feels good to feel young again.” Sho then smiled and the two shared a kiss.

Sho pulled back and let out a satisfied sigh. He looked up at Aiba, only to find him staring aimlessly pass through him. Sho wanted to ask what was wrong, but instead, he turned around to where Aiba looked. Ohno stood near the stairs and seemed to be holding big sheets of papers in his hands.

“Ohno-san!” Sho called out to him.

Ohno looked at the two of them with an alarmed face, as if startled by their presence. “Oh, um, this is Aiba Masaki.” Sho said. “He’s my boyfriend.”

Ohno only gave a nod, with his gaze shifting back and forth to Sho and Aiba. It was unusual for Ohno to stay silent; Sho had never seen this side of him until now.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Aiba spoke up first. “Ohno-san.” He then bowed his head.

“You too.” Ohno replied.

“What are those, by the way?” Sho asked.

“Oh, these,” Ohno then held up the papers. “They’re for the art gallery. I haven’t finished putting all the artworks up, that’s why I happened to pass by.”

“Is that so? We could help you out if you want.”

Ohno shook his head. “It’s alright, I’m sure I can manage…”

“But they’re so many, it would be much faster if we do it together.”

“Well, I—“

A familiar melody rang out, and realizing it was his phone, Sho quickly took it out. “Hello?” He said. “Eh? The science exhibit is going to open already? …Oh, no, I’m sorry. I’ll be there in a sec. Alright, bye.” He took down his phone and turned towards Aiba. “Hey, you don’t mind helping Ohno without me, right?” Sho asked.

Aiba glanced at Ohno for a moment, the two of them silently staring at each other. “Not at all.” Aiba replied.

“Alright.” Sho nodded. “I’ll be back before you know it!” He then started running down the stairs, without looking back. The way Aiba looked at Ohno with such a meaningful gaze had stirred Sho on the inside. He tried to put the thought behind him, deeming he was just overthinking it. Either way, he trusted Ohno very much, and he trusted Aiba too… or did he? Sho stopped his tracks, pausing for a while as he pondered at the thought. Just how much did he know about Aiba and was it enough for him to be trusted? Sho shook his head and stopped his questioning. He needed to do more important things rather than let his mind linger on such feelings, and so he continued to run and went out to the field…

There were cheers and laughter all around the campus. Nino watched all the students, faculty members, and the school’s visitors having a great time with all the delicious foods to offer, the live performances at the school field, and, of course, the magnificent and well-managed rides like the mini Ferris wheel, which was as tall as the school building itself, a mini rollercoaster ride, and a few bouncing houses in each corner for the middle school students.

Despite all that, Nino wasn’t happy. He wanted to be, for his students, at least; and for Sho, for his sake, since he’s gotten preoccupied with Aiba Masaki. With Ohno out of his sight, there seems like nothing to look forward to today. And he has to spend it with a man he barely knew, and only met today to be exact. Matsumoto Jun, if he remembered correctly, was the man’s name. It was surprising to think that Aiba had brought himself company coming here, and yet, he left his friend of his with him. It turned out that Aiba was more of a jerk than Nino thought he’d be, leaving his friend to spend time with his lover—making Matsumoto Jun a mere third-wheel.

Although Jun was a friend of Aiba, Nino could sense that the young guy was different and much more likable compared to the latter. It was sympathy, probably, that made him think so.

“So, Matsumoto-san, what exactly do you do? What kind of work?” Nino asked.

“Oh, I have my own café business, not far from here. You can come in and visit anytime.” And automatically, like it was a part of his system, Jun pulled out a card from his pocket and gave it to Nino. “Here,” he said. “The address is written on the card.”

Nino took a glance, though he didn’t bother reading what was written, and shoved it in his pocket.

“How about you, Ninomiya-sensei? What subject do you teach?”

“Computer science. Also, as I said earlier, Nino is fine.”

“Alright, Nino-sensei.” Jun then beamed with a smile. His charm was captivating, even for Nino, and it was unlikely to think that this man was friends with someone like Aiba. Unless…

“Mind if I ask, Matsumoto-san, do you have a girlfriend? Or boyfriend perhaps?”

“Neither.” He said. “I’m single.”

“How strange…” Nino remarked. “For someone as attractive as you, it’s strange.”

Jun’s eyebrows furrowed, gathering the wrinkles on his forehead. “Well, hopefully a time will come when I’ll have a lover.” Jun said. “Why, are you single, Nino-sensei?”

“No, I’m not. I’m dating someone.”

“Oh, I see.” Jun chuckled. “For a second there, I thought you kind of liked me, since you asked such a question. Is it a fellow teacher, perhaps?”

Nino slowly nodded. “That’s a good guess.” He said. “I still can’t believe you’re single, I really wonder why… Is there someone you like, Matsumoto-san?”

Jun’s smile disappeared in a blink of an eye, and a gloom went over his face. He wore an expression sullener than Nino would be able to pull off. And Nino simply stared at him, anticipating what Jun would do next. However, it seemed Jun decided to keep his mouth shut.

“So, there is someone.” Nino said, smirking. “That’s very understandable. You’re reserving yourself for the person you like, that’s very nice and even cute actually.” He patted Jun’s shoulder, but Jun remained unresponsive. “Let me guess. It’s Aiba Masaki, isn’t it?” He then asked. It was only then that Jun’s expression change; he could clearly see the stir of panic and shock as Jun looked at him with such wide eyes.

Nino tried to hold in a chuckle and nudged Jun’s back. “Dude, lighten up.” Nino said. “I was just messing with you. Don’t worry; I get jokes like these all the time from people thinking I like Sho. And heck, since he and Aiba are so madly in love, I don’t think someone like you would even stand a chance…” He then laughed out loud.

“And I think I won’t even stand a chance either.” Nino continued. “You know, because I’m his best friend, who’s always been there for him, and then his boyfriend’s gonna snatch him away from me like that? It’s kind of ironic. You know, I remember that time when I—“

All at once, Nino felt something hard on his face. It happened so fast that the shock in him made him feel the pain a little later, once he had hit flat on the ground. His face, specifically the part near his eye, suddenly felt a bit hot. And when he touched it, it stung very badly. When finally sat up, he saw Jun with fire in his eyes, concealed by the tears which were stuck in his eyes.

And just when Nino was starting to warm up to the guy…

Nino cursed at him out loud, probably loud enough that everyone else in the area had heard it. But Nino didn’t care, not anymore. Sho would get mad at him for this, and Ohno more so. The thought of Ohno just made his heart ache for a moment. He wanted to escape the situation and run crying to wherever Ohno was, but his boiling anger filled up his mind.

And Nino charged forward…

“There,” Aiba said. “It’s all done.”

The classroom walls were pasted and decorated with student’s artworks, from youngest to oldest. Each picture had their own special style, their own special skill. It took him back to the times he was still in the entertainment industry as a personal manager, back when the idols he had handled were still young. Each sticky note had a distinguishable and unique handwriting, and it was heart-warming how some would draw in emoticons or even put stickers in their messages. Aiba sighed as remembered how time flies so fast.

Ohno held out his camera and took pictures. Every click and flash from the camera made Aiba’s heart quiver. It’s been so long since he had seen those hands, and to think that he used to hold those hands… “It’s really a small world, isn’t it?” Aiba said. “You know, I never thought we’d meet again like this. Especially after all we’d been through.”

“You could’ve said no.” Ohno said with his gaze remaining on the camera.

“Eh?”

“You heard me.”

“It would’ve been wrong of me to refuse, either way.” Aiba went closer to take a glimpse of the image Ohno’s had taken. “So, you still do photography?”

“Of course, I do.” He said. “I still get some offers here and there, but recently, it’s not enough. So, I had to take this job.”

Aiba nodded. “I understand.”

“And let me guess, you’re still working in that agency, aren’t you?” Ohno said. “Man, what a crazy world we live in. It must have been a shock for you that one of your idols had a threesome.”

Aiba narrowed his eyes and shook his head. “I… wasn’t aware.” He couldn’t believe what he had heard. He knew those boys ever since they were still trainees, and thinking that they were now having a bad time had made Aiba grew anxious, knowing that he couldn’t be by their side to comfort them or to give them advice.

“I don’t think anyone else was aware either.” Ohno said. “I mean, he’s one of Japan’s top idols. Who would’ve thought, right? Then again, that agency of yours is super strict. The man probably couldn’t keep it in his pants. Well, I’m sure he’s learned his lesson.”

“I’m sure he did.” Aiba said and did wish that he was right.

Indeed, a lot had happened and changed within a year, and yet, here they were at this very moment. Aiba glanced at Ohno, who was still as beautiful as ever and was aging gracefully. It seemed that time led them here, despite being on different paths now. Although, he had no romantic attraction towards Ohno, Aiba still had sympathy left for him. “I’m sorry.” Aiba said.

Ohno had his eyebrows raised. “Again?”

“I never got to apologize properly back then.” Aiba continued. “I wasn’t able to spend more time with you because of my schedule. Our relationship never felt like one because of that. It must’ve been hard for you to cope with me at that time. And for that, I really am sorry…”

His gaze had left the camera and was now focused on Aiba. He feared that Ohno was annoyed or maybe tired of his never-ending apologies, but the soft and tender gaze in front of him had lightened him up. “It’s ironic, how things have turned out, don’t you think?” Ohno said. “You’re currently dating Sho, and I’m now dating his best friend…”

“Wait, you’re dating Nino?”

Ohno nodded.

“How is he?”

“He’s more stubborn than you’ll ever be.”

Aiba chuckled. “Really?”

“Even since the first day of school, he’s always been following me. Even if I told him to go away, he wouldn’t.”

“But you like him?”

Ohno gave out a sigh and briefly smiled. “Yeah, I do, very much…” However, the sorrow in his eyes gave away the burden he was trying to hide. “I just don’t know how to tell him about you.” He said.

“You don’t need to. But, you don’t have to be afraid of telling him either.” Aiba took hold of Ohno’s hands. “It might be hard to believe, but I’m glad that you’ve found someone. I’m happy for you.”

It was only then that Ohno was able to smile widely. “Me too.” He said.

Suddenly, they heard footsteps approaching and echoing through the hallway and Aiba quickly let go of Ohno’s hands. As Ohno turned towards the door, a student rushed and stopped at the doorway, gasping for air. “Ohno-sensei!” He cried out. “There’s a commotion happening in the school grounds.”

“What happened?” Ohno asked. “Are there students fighting again?”

“No, worse. Ninomiya-sensei got into a fight with an outsider.”

“What?” Ohno exclaimed.

“Oh no…” Aiba gasped. “I knew I shouldn’t have left him with Nino.”

“Him?” Ohno turned to Aiba. “What do you mean?”

Aiba groaned. “I brought MatsuJun with me here.” He said. “I didn’t want to leave him behind but…”

“Oh God,” Ohno shook his head. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

The student led them and the three went to the scene. From afar, Aiba and Ohno could clearly see the crowd surrounding Nino and Jun. As they moved closer, they witnessed the two tackling each other on the ground. Nino had grabbed hold of Jun’s locks and the younger man screamed, the sound of his voice had caused Aiba’s heart to waver. Aiba then plunged into the warzone and attempted to pull the two apart. “Let him go!” Aiba cried out and forced Nino’s grip off of Jun by clutching his wrist, his nails nearly piercing Nino’s skin. As Nino backed off, Aiba went to Jun’s aid. “Jun, are you okay?” He said and saw the bruises on Jun’s face, with a portion of lip still bleeding. Jun managed to nod in response and slowly sat up. Aiba then turned to Nino. “What the hell’s your problem?” He shouted.

“Why’re you asking me?” Nino talked back. “It’s your friend who has a problem!”

“Nino!” Ohno cried out and went to him. “Nino, please, you have to calm down.”

“Calm down?” Nino exclaimed. “How could I? He hit me first!” He then pushed Ohno away and went face to face with Aiba. “You see this?” He pointed to his eye which had swollen up. “Yeah? Do you really think I’d go easy on your friend right after he punched me, huh?”

Aiba pulled Nino in closer by his shirt collar. “Listen here, you freakin’ bastard.” Aiba shouted. “I’m not backing out until you tell me exactly what you’ve done to Jun. You hear me?”

“Unbelievable.” Nino cracked a smile. “Your pretty friend’s got a few scratches, so what? That’s nothing compared to what I have.”

“Why you little—“ Aiba raised his fist in the air, ready to blow a punch.

“No!” Ohno barged in and took hold of Aiba’s arm. “Stop it!” He shook Aiba’s arm and, as Aiba’s grip on Nino began to loosen, Ohno pushed him away. “Please, leave him alone, Masaki!” He said; with his arms open wide, blocking Aiba’s way. Aiba caught a glimpse of the pain in Ohno’s eyes. He knew that look very well; it was the same one from before-- from the time when they broke up.

Aiba looked around at the surrounding crowd and found Sho pushing himself through. “What’s going on?” He heard Sho saying out loud. As he saw Nino’s condition, Sho’s face had gone pale in an instant. “Oh my God; Nino, are you alright?”

Aiba watched Sho run to Nino and embrace him. He turned away and clenched his fists. The prickling emotion was still there, like the time he first saw Sho and Nino walking home together. Aiba knew that Nino was special, no matter what he did. The computer teacher didn’t need any effort for Sho to love him. Unlike Aiba, Nino was loved by Sho naturally. His jealously towards Nino had reached to a boiling point.

Aiba looked at Jun, who was still sitting on the ground, and approached him. “What’s gotten into you?” Aiba said.

“I’m sorry.” Jun replied with his head down.

“A simple sorry isn’t going to fix what you’ve done, don’t you know that?” Aiba scolded him, and the teary-eyed Jun glared up at him.

“Look who’s talking.” Jun scorned him. Despite his aching body, the younger man managed to stand up on his own.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Aiba grabbed Jun’s arm but Jun brushed it off.

“I’m going home.” Jun said. “Things would only get worse if I stay here…” He then turned his back on Aiba and walked away. Aiba watched him walk pass the school gate, without even casting a second glance at him.

.”Aiba,” Aiba whirled around and found Sho in front him. “Aiba,” he said. “What on earth is going on?”

Aiba shook his head. “I- I don’t know. I’m just as clueless as you are.”

“I don’t want to burst your bubble, but what your friend did was totally out of the line!”

“I’m sure he has his reasons.” Aiba argued. “Jun isn’t someone who’d attack someone out of the blue.”

“Just because he has a reason doesn’t mean it’s justified! I know Nino can be a jerk sometimes, but we should hear his side of the story.”

“God, honestly,” Aiba scoffed. “You’re being way too nice to that guy. Sho, open your eyes! Can’t you see how terrible Nino really is?”

“I get what you mean, but Nino’s still my friend.”

“You can’t just side with him because he’s your friend!”

“I’m not siding with anyone, alright?” Sho raged, screaming at the top of his lungs. “If that’s the case, then you shouldn’t side Jun either!” Aiba was taken aback by the sudden burst of emotion. Sho’s face was red all over, and, as he squinted his eyes, the tears came pouring down. The teacher covered his face with his hands and sobbed. “It’s my fault.” Sho said. “I was the one who led them to this. And it’s all because of my selfishness.”

“Please, don’t say that…” Aiba said. The sight of Sho being like this had strained him. Aiba then wrapped his arms around him. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”

“I’m sorry too.”

Aiba let out a sigh.

“Ow!” Nino shouted as Ohno put ointment on his bruises.

“Will you just hold still?” Ohno exclaimed. “This is hard for me as it is for you.”

“It still hurts…”

Ohno sighed. “Seriously, what am I gonna do with you.” He then put a band aid over the bruise on his cheek. “There, we’re done. Happy?”

Nino grabbed a hand mirror and looked at his reflection. He frowned as he stared at his swollen black eye. “Darn that, Matsumoto.” He said, putting down the mirror. “And I even have to look like this probably for the next few months.” He then clicked his tongue.

They sat still on the clinic bed, side by side. Ohno was looking down to his feet, trying to avoid Nino’s gaze once again. It had been a while since they met up inside the campus; even though they often saw each other outside the school premises, the feeling was still different.

“Hey.” Nino said.

Ohno flicked his gaze towards Nino. “What?”

“Just earlier, you called him by his first name.”

“Eh?”

“Masaki.” He said. “You called him, Masaki.”

As soon as he realized, Ohno felt his face burning with embarrassment. Nino’s emotionless gaze had shaken him to his core. “I’m sorry…” Ohno mumbled over and over.

“Ohno,” Nino took hold of his shoulders. “Ohno, snap out of it.” He said, and Ohno sealed his lips. “What are you apologizing for?”

Ohno averted his eyes and tried not to let his fear get to him. He then took a deep breath and spoke up. “Remember, that one time I told you I dated a younger guy before you?”

“Yes, of course, I do.”

“That was Aiba Masaki.” He said rather slowly. “He’s my ex.”

Nino stared at him in silence, and Ohno began to feel tense again. “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you about it beforehand. I thought that, if I told you, you would think of me differently…”

At that moment, Nino’s face had twisted and he let out a little chuckle. “There’s no way I’d think of that.” He said. “Well, at least, I know why I hate him so much.”

“You didn’t have to hurt Jun though.”

“But he started it!”

“I know. Just be careful next time, alright?”

Nino crossed his arms and was back to his sullen self again. Ohno huddled closer and put his arm over Nino. “Hey, cheer up,” He said. “Even if you have that ugly thing on your face, you still look handsome. Well, to me, at least.”

Nino shook his head and gave a smirk. “I bet my face is not as handsome as Aiba’s though.”

Ohno furrowed his eyebrows. “Why would you even think that?” He asked, but he figured he didn’t need to hear Nino’s answer. Despite his unchanged expression, a tear had come out and trickled down Nino’s cheek.

“Nino…” Ohno wiped the tear off with his thumb, and that alone had triggered Nino. His confidence had vanished; he started to break down, whimpering like a puppy, and rested his head against Ohno’s shoulder.

Ohno was baffled to witness Nino in such a vulnerable state. At the same time, he was moved, thinking Nino had put up a strong front in order to hide how he truly felt. He cupped Nino’s face with his hands and pecked on Nino’s lips. “You’re the one I love right now, alright? Don’t forget that.”

The younger man then embraced him tightly. “I won’t.”

***

It’s best to stay away from bad company this week, since they will only be a burden to you…

The school bell’s tune echoed throughout the hallway where Sho stood. His mind was fleeting; his gaze went from the grass and the trees of the campus to the bright blue sky above, and it felt as if he could touch the clouds with his hands. Sho loved instances like this: a simple daydream that wasn’t too hard for him grasp nor too complicated for him to comprehend, when everything he saw would just be taken as it is. No hidden meanings, no symbolism, and all sorts of abstractions.

If he were to come across those things, he would be stressed out.

“You just don’t get it…”

And love was one of them.

Of course, Sho knew what love was, he understood it very well. But love seemed to be out of his reach no matter how hard he tried to get a hold of it. He had become closer to Aiba in a few months and yet Aiba still seemed to be so far away…

And Sho snapped back to reality and found Nino approaching him.

Sho still hadn’t gotten used to seeing Nino in those dark-tinted shades. Despite knowing that his friend badly wanted to hide his black eye, Sho couldn’t take Nino seriously with the shades. He remembered how he desperately tried to hold back his laughter the first time he saw it.

Nino came to him with a slouched back and his head down. “You alright?” Sho asked.

Nino clicked his tongue. “At this point, I don’t know what’s more embarrassing,” he said. “The bruises or these?” He then pointed to his shades. “It’s making me stand out too much.”

“I thought you liked standing out?”

“I do, but not like this! Parents and teachers are giving me bad looks because of it. Everyone thinks like I’m some kind of criminal, and it’s all because some guy can’t even take a damn joke.”

“You can’t expect everyone to take your harsh jokes lightly like how I do.”

“Still!” Nino argued. He took off his shades and pointed directly to his black eye. “I didn’t need this to remind myself that whenever I look in the mirror!”

Sho put his hand over his head and sighed. “With that temper of yours,” he said. “You might come across the wrong person again, honestly.”

“Ah, there you go again saying that.” Nino grumbled.

“Just don’t get into any more fights, alright?”

“That’s easy for you to say.”

“I’m saying this because I care.” Sho said, but at this point, the words which he spoke out felt empty. For how long did his talks with Nino feel that way? Sho didn’t know, but it just happened, and it was only now that he realized it. Being with Nino wasn’t just a habit anymore, it was a chore. Sho patted Nino’s shoulder to give a sign of reassurance for Nino, and the latter seemed pleased and convinced when he did that. And off they went to have their lunch break just like that.

When, Sho wondered, would it be the time he would be able to say: ’I’m tired; I need space, is that okay?’ Surely, Nino would understand, or rather, Sho hoped that he would. Of course, Sho still saw Nino as a friend, but he wanted more time for himself.

Sho wanted to break free from all the restrictions; he didn’t want anything to hold him back or to drag him down. He wished he’ll finally be able to say the things he’d always wanted to tell, especially to Aiba. Most importantly, to Aiba. He needed to tell him about that time-- that day… Sho placed his hand on his chest. His heart still beat fervently whenever he remembered it. He had to tell Aiba everything; he couldn’t hold onto his secret no more.

“Sho, come on, hurry up!” He heard Nino’s high-pitched voice ringing in his ears. “The food’s gonna run out if you keep spacing out like that.”

“Alright, alright…” He then ran to Nino.

Someday, I’ll tell him my true feelings…

The zoo was pretty crowded than usual today. Although they didn’t mind it, Aiba and Sho had to hold hands the whole time so they wouldn’t get separated while they pushed their way into the crowd. Earlier, they had got to pat elephants, feed some birds, and (unwillingly) have large snakes resting on their shoulders. However, they didn’t get to see up close the rest of the animals because too many people were blocking their way. And currently, the two were exhausted and so they looked for an empty bench where they could breathe and rest for a while. Sho pulled out his water bottle from his bag and almost gulped down the whole thing.

“I was close to fainting just now.” Aiba said, panting. He began to fan himself with an uchiwa which the staff gave them as a freebee.

“Tell me about it.” Sho said. “Wait, are you serious?”

“Not really.” He said and began to cough. Sho put his hand over Aiba’s back and patted it. Sho offered his water bottle to Aiba, who gladly drank from it.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t know what to do if you’d faint. I’d probably just lose my mind.”

“Don’t worry about such a thing. I’m going to be alright, I’m sure of that.”

Sho looked at him with a meaningful gaze, and brushed Aiba’s bangs to the side with his fingers. There was a tinge of sadness in Sho’s eyes that Aiba couldn’t comprehend. “I’m really sorry about what happened last time during the festival.” Aiba said.

Sho shook his head. “It’s fine.”

Aiba stood up and offered his hand to Sho, who held it back. Sho’s hand was so warm and soft when he felt it, his heart skipped a beat as it happened. They journeyed on until they had reached a downward stairway. Without second thoughts, the two went underground. As they ventured further, the place grew darker and darker. As they reached the end of the stairway, they came across aquariums which glowed in various colors. Some contained species of fish, but most of the aquariums contained pretty jellyfish which also frequently changed color based on the lights which illuminated below.

As they passed the last aquarium, Sho gasped when he saw the huge underwater tunnel which appeared before their very eyes. Aiba too was mesmerized by the sight as they walked through it. They watched as a school of fish passed by them from above and Sho chuckled as soon as he saw a starfish sticking on one of the glass panels. Aiba couldn’t help but gaze at how beautiful Sho looked under the blue light. And once again, Aiba felt the guilt crawling back to him again. He still couldn’t bring himself to tell Sho the truth.

Aiba found Sho looking at him, with a puzzled face. “You alright?” He asked. Aiba then nodded.

“Yeah.” He said with a smile.

They didn’t know for how long they were in the tunnel and didn’t bother to check the time anyway, and so when they finally went out, to their surprise, it was already night time. “That was fun.” Sho said, as they walked, side by side, out of the zoo.

“It sure was.” Aiba replied.

“I haven’t had that much fun in years.”

“Really?”

Sho shook his head. “I kept focusing so much on my studies back then, I didn’t have the time… no, I didn’t give any time for myself at all.”

“Me either. You’ve always been a hardworker after all. I remember that sometimes I’d see you in the library back then.”

“Eh?” Sho flicked his gaze towards him. “You noticed?”

“Yeah, always.”

“Oh…” Sho slightly blushed. “I didn’t know.”

Aiba looked up at the sky where he found the grinning moon among the stars. The sight felt so peaceful, so quiet; the night was bringing in a cool breeze which passed by them. Aiba felt a sort of satisfaction which calmed his worrying mind. At that moment, Aiba paused as a sudden desire had struck him. It was, after all, a beautiful night, and Aiba thought it wouldn’t be bad if he’d take the chance to make everything worthwhile. “Hey, Sho.” Aiba called out.

Sho turned to him. “Yeah?”

Aiba went forward and kissed him. Sho’s lips were still as soft as ever, just like the first time they kissed. Only this time, Sho had gotten more confidence in kissing back. As Aiba pulled back, a sigh escaped from Sho’s lips. Their faces were just an inch apart. “Sorry,” Aiba said. “If it was too sudden…”

“Don’t be.” Sho said and licked his lips. “Just continue.” He then kissed Aiba again. Their surroundings faded into the dark night. The only thing that mattered was the feeling of each other’s warmth as they drew closer, their bodies pressing against each other into an embrace, and the yellow light from above which engraved their silhouettes onto the ground.

As Aiba deepened the kiss, Sho’s grip on the back of his shirt had tightened. Sho’s legs buckled and the two of them nearly lost balance, so Aiba held onto the rail of the nearby bench to keep their stance. Sho gasped for air as soon as Aiba pulled himself away.

"Wow…" Sho said, with his face beaming red. "You're much more aggressive than I thought you’d be."

"Surprised?"

"Not really."

Aiba laughed, and Sho laughed along as well. They sat on the bench and rested for a while. “It’s getting late.” Aiba said. “I guess we better go home soon. You have class tomorrow in the morning, right?”

“Yeah…” Sho looked down to his feet.

“Is something wrong?” Aiba asked.

Sho shook his head. “I just don’t feel like going home yet.” He said.

“Alright. We could stay here longer if you want.”

Aiba could clearly hear the trees rustle nearby. They had spent their time resting without saying a word. It was only the sounds of their heavy breathing that filled up the silence. There was an invisible gap between them that Aiba wanted to overcome, however he didn’t want to cross it yet. Aiba yearned to see Sho as he is, nothing more, nothing less, but only if Sho would let him…

“Masaki…” Sho said, fiddling his fingers.

Aiba felt jittery as he heard Sho say his name. He flicked his gaze towards him.

“Can I come to your place tonight?”

Aiba’s heart skipped a beat. Sho was now directly looking at him, anticipating his response.

And with the way Sho bit his lip, there’s no way Aiba could refuse.

***

“Just the usual coffee, please.” Aiba said.

He watched Jun look up at him and raise a brow. Jun’s face still had those band aid strips on his cheek and on his chin. The younger man silently scanned him from head to toe. Aiba could tell that Jun caught sight of how he styled his hair neatly and how he wore his favorite green sweatshirt and khaki pants. “You seem different today.” Jun said, with an unimpressed expression.

“And different is good, right?” Aiba grinned.

“Uh-huh. You must’ve slept well last night, haven’t you?”

“You could say that.”

Jun briefly chuckled. “Of course,” He said. “After all, I happened to bump ways with Cinderella in the hallway at our apartment earlier. I even had to point out that his fly was open. Anything else you’d like to say, Aiba Masaki?”

Aiba’s smile faltered, taken aback with Jun’s response. “Well,” Aiba said. “It feels good to be someone’s first, indeed.”

“Uh-huh.” Jun said with his arms crossed. “And did you tell him?”

“Tell him what?”

Jun rolled his eyes and groaned. “About the horoscopes.”

Aiba blew a raspberry. “That doesn’t matter.”

“No, Aiba. It does matter.” Jun then walked away and went out through the back door of the café. Aiba rushed in to follow him.

“Jun!” Aiba found the younger man standing on the end of the staircase. He went to him and found Jun already getting teary-eyed. “Hey, relax; I’ve got everything under control.”

“You…” Jun said, shaking his head. “You’ve gone way past the line! If you keep being like this…”

“Stop crying. I know you’re worried about me. But it’s too late for me to back out of it.”

“So, you’ll just keep lying until you can’t lie anymore then?”

“That’s not what I meant!”

“You know what?” Jun raised his voice. “Fine! If that’s what you want, go ahead!” He then went back up the staircase. “Just don’t come to me for help, ever.” Jun slammed the door and Aiba was left stunned in the chilly weather.

Sho shivered as he brought the cold, running water to his face with his hands. He turned the faucet off, and took out his towel to wipe his face. Slowly, he slid the towel down to his chin and put it down. Sho stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror and let out a deep sigh. He was late for today’s morning ceremony, and he even had to bow and apologize to the higher-ups earlier.

And to think that it all happened because Sho got carried away with his feelings for Aiba… He felt like being a teenager all over again. Until now, Sho couldn’t get over last night. The sense of Aiba’s warmth still lingered on his very skin.

“You were late today.”

Sho’s gaze flicked towards the doorway where Nino was standing. He still had those dark tinted shades of his. “Yeah,” Sho said. “I was.”

Nino frowned. “That’s so unlike you.”

Even if he couldn’t see Nino’s eyes, Sho could tell by the sound of his voice that he wasn’t pleased. Nino was surely going to ask him why he was late; Sho knew very well that he would. “Excuse me.” He said and proceeded to leave. However, Nino grabbed hold on him and pinned him against the nearest wall. Sho could feel the coldness of the tiles as the back of his head had hit it. Nino rummaged Sho’s collar and began to unbutton his shirt.

“Nino, what the heck are you doing!” Sho cried out and squirmed.

Nino managed to force open Sho’s collar and saw the red marks around his collarbones. “I knew it!” Nino said. “So you did have sex with him!”

Sho quickly pushed him away, as he was off guard. “What the heck is wrong with you?” Sho yelled at him. “Why are making a big fuss about my personal life, huh? I never meddled into yours! So, what if we had sex? You and Ohno probably have sex at least thrice a week.”

Nino kept silent and simply looked down, avoiding Sho’s gaze.

“You know what? Aiba was right about you.” Sho said. “Heck, I don’t even remember why we’re even friends in the first place.”

Nino slowly raised his head and seemed to be staring at him. Sho went towards the door but Nino suddenly began to speak. “I,” He said. “I began teaching after I got fired in my previous job as a head technician. During my first day as a teacher, I wasn’t passionate; I was still disappointed with myself. But you were there, and you talked to me. I forgot what we talked about, but, I remember I said something funny and you kept laughing. And then I laughed too, for the first time in a long while, that day.” He then chuckled. “Right after that, you were the only one I wanted be with. Maybe, I did like you a little bit. I don’t know…”

Sho just stared at the door in front of him; he didn’t want to face Nino. He couldn’t bring himself to handle that they had some sort of attachment to each other. Hence, that’s why he would go meet up with Nino, even if there was no other reason for doing so. The horoscope compatibility was probably true, Sho thought. But now, he grew bored of it, unfortunately.

“It’s alright,” Nino said. “It’s alright for me if you think little of our friendship. But, I did truly believe that you were my friend, and I hope you feel the same way as well…”

Sho shut his eyes and sighed. “Just leave me alone, Nino.” He then went out and slammed the door close.

“Class is dismissed.” Nino said. The students then begin to pack up and, in two lines, went out of the computer lab. As soon as the coast was clear, Nino then had his face flat on his computer desk. His mind was mocking him about what happened earlier in the faculty restroom. Stupid, stupid, stupid… Sho was now completely on Aiba’s side and that wasn’t good. Much worse, Sho hated him now.

Suddenly, Nino had heard chuckling near the corner of the room, and so he looked up and found out that a group of girls were still in the room. Nino stood up from his seat and went to approach them. “Hey, what are you girls doing? You’re going to be late for the next class if you stay here.”

“Oh, we’re just talking about horoscopes readings from the magazine Mina brought, Ninomiya-sensei.” Said one of them.

“Horoscopes? Again?” Nino said.

“Would you like to know yours, sensei?” Mina asked.

“I’m not into that kind of stuff.”

“It’s alright, sensei. I’m not into it too, but I’m curious.” The other girl said.

“Do you want to know yours, Yuki-chan?” Mina asked her. “I’ll read it out for you if you want. What’s your sign?”

“I’m an Aquarius.”

“Oh, just like Sakurai-sensei!” Mina squealed. “Okay, let’s see…”

Nino turned his back on them and rolled his eyes. After all, there was no reason to listen; he already knew what would be said.

“You are quite easy to deceive this week.” Mina read, and Nino stopped on his tracks. “Be careful about who you trust, for not everything is as it seems. Beware of the wolf behind the sheep’s clothing.”

“Scary!” The girls cried out in unison. Unbeknownst to them though, Nino was the most shocked among them. “You gotta be extra careful, Yuki-chan!” He heard Mina say.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Let’s just go back to our room now.”

And so they went off, rushing past by Nino. “Bye, Ninomiya-sensei!” They said. Nino didn’t move from where he stood, not even a trace of flinching on his face. Everything was still sinking onto him; he had yet to realize that he had finally found the last piece of the puzzle, until Mina, who would be the last to go out, passed by him.

At that moment, everything clicked and he figured out the answer.

“Mina,” Nino called out to her.

“Yes, sensei?” She said.

“On second thought, may I take a look in that magazine of yours?”

Ohno sat waiting at the ramen stall like Nino had told him to earlier. Ohno was puzzled why Nino messaged him all of a sudden, when they’ve always went home together since they started dating. Nino could’ve just told him straight when they meet up, but he didn’t. And there was a sense of urgency that was unusual of Nino in his message. ‘Meet up; ramen stall, at 7.’ And Ohno couldn’t help but worry.

When Nino arrived, Ohno noticed him holding a plastic bag from a convenience store. Nino sat down beside him and brought out what seemed to be a kids’ magazine and placed it on the table counter.

Ohno furrowed his eyebrows. “You messaged me to come here…for this?” He said.

“Not exactly.” Nino replied.

He sighed. “What is it that you want to talk about this time?”

“Remember I told you about a magazine that Sho reads every week?”

“Yeah, what about it?”

“Well, the only reason why he buys it is because he reads the horoscope article. Though recently, ever since he met Aiba, the horoscope readings have gotten a bit too real.”

“Uh, okay?”

“I know it doesn’t make any sense, but you have to believe me.” Nino said, putting his hands on Ohno’s shoulders. “The magazine’s horoscope article was rigged; it doesn’t match with the readings from that magazine which one of our students bought.”

“I think you’re jumping to conclusions, Nino.” Ohno told him. “It’s just a kids’ magazine. And of course, it’s going to be different; they’re two magazines who have different writers. Besides, you can’t base everything only on this.”

“That is why I had bought these…” Nino got the plastic bag and poured out the newspapers and other magazines he brought on the table. “I’ve read them all, line by line.” He said, as he picked up one of them. “Each has different words but in the end, they all say the same thing, except for this damned magazine.” Nino held up the Mikadzuki magazine to Ohno’s face with both hands, nearly crumpling the paper.

Ohno took it from him and read its contents. When he finished, he read the other magazines on the table, and as he was on his fifth magazine, he sighed and slowly put it down. “I don’t believe it.” He said. “You’re right, it is different… But, why? I don’t understand.”

“I didn’t understand either at first. But when I did some research, I found this.” Nino picked out a magazine from the pile and flipped the pages until they came across a table chart of the zodiacs’ relationship compatibility. Nino’s finger then pointed at a box in which intersected Capricorn and Aquarius. “And, as it turns out, Capricorn and Aquarius can’t be together.”

“Why should that matter though?”

“It matters because Sho believes in it.” Nino chuckled. However, Ohno was still sceptic about the whole dilemma. “You know what?” Nino said. “Since we have some doubts, why don’t we ask them for ourselves?” Nino then flipped the front cover of the Mikadzuki magazine, and printed at the bottom left corner was the office number.

Ohno gulped and watched Nino dial in the number in his phone and pressed the call button. The phone buzzed in Nino’s hands, and the two silently waited for someone to answer back…

LINK TO PART 3