Even After Everything (After #1) (COMPLETED)

23: Seb

"Yeah, right. I don't look good with a bald head, thanks."

"How did you know I was thinking that?!"

"I just know."

Laughing, the thought of him in short hair sent shivers down my spine. But to admit it honestly... I wasn't expecting him to say that. That... that his dream was to be in the military, serving a country... Kahit minsan, nakitaan ko siya ng signs na may gusto siya roon. Not even some clothes with camouflage in it!

"Why?" I asked in a little voice.

Hyung handed me the hotdog and I glanced away when he put it in his mouth. God. His small mouth with this large... Fuck.

"If you've enlisted in the military, the chances of training and doing something that benefits you in return tickled my liking."

"Gusto mong sumabak sa giyera?"

"Why people always have that connotation when someone wants to enlist on a military?" because that's literally the impasse the military reaches after their training? "Of course, not. Pero 'yung thought lang na may matutulungan ka in return of all you have to face... I want that."

"You want to do something to provide a thing in return?"

"Yep."

Why? I almost asked but didn't. "You'll be a great soldier, hyung. But why not here?"

"Would it surprise you if I said I don't like being in the Philippines?"

I mean... hindi naman siya bibigyan ng green card kung gusto niya talaga rito, right? "Why, though? Every soldier here is nice."

"How sure are you?"

I just shrugged. But it is still rolling in my mind how he almost had another job than this... "Magiging masaya ka ba roon kung natuloy ka?"

"How would I know?" I could make you happy with me. "But who knows? It's what I want and its goal was my goal in life."

For the first time, hindi ko siya naintindihan sa sinabi niyang iyon. Inaya ko siya na maglakad uli and there it is... I point at the silhouette from where we are and slowly but surely, the tower is starting to be illuminated from head to ground.

This is my first time here but I hid that fact. "Akala ko... a-agree ako sa sinabi mo kanina na the French people are so over with it."

"But?"

Looking up, his handsome and chiseled face together with those brown eyes I adored for so long, the essence of going here in the City of Love brought another meaning and feeling. "My parents brought me here before so I knew how it feels to be here but..."

"I should've asked you..." Panic raised in my voice.

"No. No." then he proceeds on holding my hand, here in public. "It feels like the first time again and... I'd choose this over and over again."

Did he just infer that the vacation he had with his parents was lackluster? Kinda felt bad a little pero... "You're enjoying this? Ours?"

"Very much. You've brought another soul of me being here."

"Say my name."

"Johann." brows up high, I chuckled.

"Hyung, you don't know how much that..."

Thankfully, I brought back my mask up and he hasn't need to worry about seeing me sob. But he still did. Pinunasan niya ang parehong mata at pisngi ko at umirap sa akin. "Ganoon mo ba ako kagusto at fluttered na fluttered ka sa sinabi kong mas maganda 'tong trip na 'to?"