Love Time (MewGulf AU)

🌞Chapter 28

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As his work sessions outside of the company with AA increased, obviously the number of times he came back to the office decreased.

There were many times that he never came to the office even once all day; he would just circle around their business partners.

It concerned him that he left all the work to Kaownah, but it was a new experience for him to be involved with the sales. Not only that, but Gulf went through the trouble of promoting him, so he didn't want to betray his trust. He did his best following AA around.

Even when he came back to the dorm, there was work remaining for organizing the documents he received from their business partners, and recording his work process for the day. Time-wise, it might have been less paperwork for him to remain at the office. However, this way, he was able to do work according to his own pace, without worrying about how others thought about it. He felt less
stressed out this way.

On a rare day where he did outside work only for the morning, he came back to the office. He had Chinese food with AA for lunch, but his stomach started to hurt. Mew was drinking some water at the snack room located at the end of the hallway.

He leaned against the sink, as if sitting on it. He was rubbing his chest. That was when he noticed the noisy footsteps.

"You said you were free today."

Kaownah's voice. Mew didn't need to do so, but he hurriedly pressed his body against shadow of the refridgerator, as if hiding.

"Sorry, my promise with Yaya was first."

The mixed footsteps' other owner was Samantha. Mew slowed his breathing. The steps stopped right in front of the snack room, and refused to move.

"It's always like that. Whenever I ask you out, you always say you have something else to do. If you hate me, come out and say so."

"…I don't hate you. I think you're a good friend, Kaownah. But...I have someone else I love right now."

"You're talking about Mew, aren't you?"

When he swallowed, it felt like the noise of saliva passing his throat echoed more loudly than usual.

Mew unconsciously pressed his hand against his mouth, breathing more softly. Samantha didn't say anything. Kaownah seemed to have grown anxious from the silence, since he continued talking.

"He already has someone else he likes. You said he told you that, and cried, remember? Just forget about a guy like that. There is no hope. If it's you, Samantha, you can pick and choose any other guy you want..."

He heard a clicking of the high heel that sounded unusually loud.

"If it's you, Kaownah, you can find a much better girl than I am. You're popular among the girls, too."

"You're the one I love, Samantha. I can't think of any other girl."

"Why would you like someone like me? I'm a twisted, depressed coward. What could you possibly like about a girl like me?"

"That's not true. You're cute, Samantha."

"That's only my face!" She sounded like she was screaming.

"I'm serious. I seriously want him. Why would you say bad things about Mew, Kaownah?"

"But he is...not very dependable. He's slow at work, and he's dense so he doesn't realize it when he's causing problems for other people. Why would you fall for a guy like that?"
Kaownah's voice gradually lost its strength.

"He helped me out."

"You mean when you couldn't move because of anemia? No matter who it had been, if a pretty woman like Samantha looked like she was sick, he'd stop. Anyone would've wanted to give you a hand. It's not like Mew is someone special."

He couldn't hear footsteps, nor voices. Only silence heavily walked around.

"So…"

"I had my head lowered."
Her voice sounded like it would sink.

"Wh-what did you say?"

"I said, I had my head lowered. I felt so horrible that I couldn't remain standing. I was crouching on the side of the road, my head bowed down. I was like that for about 30 minutes. At that time, no one bothered to come talk to me. I knew that footsteps slowed down when they got near me, but they'd walk right by...I wanted to call out for help, but I've lost my voice as well. It was only Mew  who asked me if I was okay."

"That's..."

"He bought me juice, and stayed by my side until I felt better. Until then, I had my head lowered. He did all that, regardless of my looks."

"…"

"It doesn't surprise me at all that Mew would have a girlfriend. Anyone would fall in love with a kind person like him. But...Even when he tells me that he already has someone else in his mind, I just can't give him up."

Her teary voice followed her tiny footsteps that started to move further away. The other footstep didn't move from that spot for a long time.

Mew pressed his hand against his chest. She had never told him so seriously that she was in love with him. It would be inhuman not to be shaken up by that. But he did have someone else that he loved right now. If only he would return his feelings, he would be willing to give up anything in the world for his sake.

"Even if it were me, I would've done
the same…"

He heard the small muttering.

Kaownah clucked his tongue and walked away. He felt like he, Samantha, and Kaownah were all the same. In that they couldn't stop the love that would not be repaid….

TBC