Bittersweet Love // #KaoEarth AU

24

One sunny day, Earth laid down on a thin piece of clothes and gazed dazedly at the bright sky above him. He absentmindedly observed the shapes of each cloud that looked like they were moving.

"You know that it's hella bright to look at the sky, right?"

Earth didn't move an inch from his spot because he knew who came by the voice. "It's rather calming, Phi." There were chuckles, and someone sat down beside him.

"A week more, huh," Kao glanced at the younger one and shook Earth's hair which was all over the place because he was lying down.

Usually, there would be a shout of protest whenever the older one did that to him. But Earth felt listless even to swat Kao's hand away from his hair. "You know, you never told me the university you were going for, Phi."

There was silence for some moments.

Until there were scuffled sounds coming from Kao's side, Earth turned his head, and he found something like guilt written all over the older one's face.

"I will continue my study in the UK," Kao whispered.

There was no surprise in Earth's face after hearing that. Instead, he gave out a small smile to the older. "You will be moving out with your family next month, right, Phi?"

Kao looked stunned, hearing the younger one's words.

"There were rumors flying around the school. You're famous in this school, Phi, no wonder rumors about you spread so fast."

There was a grim expression on Kao's face after Earth said that. Then he looked apologetically at the younger ones, "I'm sorry I never said anything until now, Earth."

Earth let out a soft laugh, even though he wants to cry so much right now. "You don't have to feel sorry, Phi."

"I actually considered telling you before I sent my application to a university there, but I don't want to bother you when studying for the exam." Kao looked at the iron fence installed around the rooftop with a faraway look.

"Did they accept you, Phi? Which major will you be taking?" Earth sounded enthusiastic about changing the hollow atmosphere around them.

"Yes, they accepted my application, it's for the computer science and management major.".

"Wait, don't tell me it's in St Andrews?!" Earth looked gobsmacked at the older.

Kao turned his head fast towards Earth's shocked face, but he was also surprised. "You know of the university?"

"I actually guessed that you will take business majors, so I looked it up when I heard the rumors of you studying in the UK." Earth smiled sheepishly at having confessed that he looked up about it like that was important to him.

Kao chuckles, "My parents will be in London because my dad's business resides there, meanwhile I will be in Scotland pursuing my bachelor and probably master degree too."

"You probably won't move back here then," Earth looked sad for a moment before vanishing those expressions on his face, afraid the older would see it.

"I still don't know," Kao looked back up at the sky.

Both heads were filled with many thoughts. Different, but not so different after all. So many different kinds of feelings surrounded them; doubt, sadness, guilt, and soon...regret.

to be continue

a/n:
A bonus update because when I scrolled on my draft, this flashback wasn't so filling for a single day of chapter, so I put it out now.

Updated on the 27th of April 2021,

junijunipers.

Shit, my birthday is coming up, and I don't really feel like celebrating.