Symphony | ✓

Chapter 48

It felt odd sitting on one of the metal chairs that were arranged in rows close to the boarding gates. James was slouched in his seat in an odd way as he went through his phone. Kenneth was crouching forward, his feet tapping the concert ground as he hummed the lyrics of a song to himself. It seemed like the flight James was going to be on wasn't full based on the number of people that were waiting at the gate.

It had taken some begging and written permission for Kenneth to follow James past the luggage check-in point.

"Are you nervous?" Kenneth asked, making James look up from his phone so that he could stare at Kenneth. The redhead sat up straight before putting his phone away and humming as he thought to himself.

"Maybe," James said with a small smile that had a teasing yet sad demeanor. He couldn't believe that he and Kenneth would be separated in less than two hours. They had shared a short time together, but there was no need to think about what could have been if they had been a little less stubborn and upfront with their feelings. Kenneth chuckled at James' answer, giving him an equally sad smile before letting out a sigh and looking into the waiting area. A gate announcement was made, and the two watched as people speed walked to the queue forming at the waiting area for another gate.

"Call me immediately you get there," Kenneth mumbled, making James nod. The redhead looked down at Kenneth's fidgeting hand, and after thinking about it for a hot minute he reached out for it and gave it a tight squeeze. James was sure he heard someone let out a shocked gasp, but his hold on Kenneth's hand only got tighter. Who cared if people gave them funny looks? He wouldn't see those people in less than two hours anyway.

"I'll call you immediately I get a new number," James replied, giving Kenneth's hand another reassuring squeeze. Kenneth was smiling ear to ear as he looked at James. His heart was beating a little too fast to the point that it hurt, but he couldn't help it. It didn't matter how much James initiated gestures like holding hands, it was still a pleasant surprise every time.

"I'll miss you." Kenneth's words hung in the air like morning dew caught in a fog. There was silence between the two after that. James didn't know what to say to that, and Kenneth didn't know what to add to the conversation. He was still overwhelmed. In a short while, James wouldn't be in front of him physically. He wouldn't be able to hold him, bicker with him—kiss him. It was a stinging realization that became harder to swallow with every passing minute.

"Don't make that face, we'll call each other a lot," James promised, giving Kenneth a nudge that made the man realize he had spaced out for a bit. Kenneth muttered a small apology, covering his face with his free hands as he let out a sigh to calm his nerves. When he took his hand away, he saw that James was on his phone again. He smiled at him, trying to recollect the memories they had shared for the past few days—keeping them fresh. They were all he would have for the next six months—it would be six months if the two of them didn't call it quits before he got his visa and flew over to France.

There I go again ruining my own mood. Kenneth shook his head as a frown wrinkled the bridge of his nose at his thought. His mind kept wandering to the 'what ifs' that could go wrong and ruin their new, still budding relationship.

"Where are you going?" James asked when Kenneth got up from his seat.

"Follow me," Ken said, reaching for James' hand. James gave him a frown as he wondered what on earth was going on in the man's head, but he couldn't resist the pull of Ken's pleading eyes and practiced puppy dog gaze. It got him every time. So, with some hesitance, James took Ken's hand and was pulled up. After the two found someone to watch his bags Kenneth dragged James out of the waiting area and lead James down the row of stores that offered duty-free shopping. James was confused but still let Kenneth drag him from store to store. Sometimes the man would curse or groan. What he was looking for, James couldn't tell. James could only make a guess and with every awkward store stop and shake of Kenneth's head, the guesses kept changing.

It was only when Kenneth pulled him into a jewelry store and gave a grin of victory that things fell into place.

"Do you have lockets?" Kenneth asked, walking up to the store's counter. The person behind it nodded, and the relief on Kenneth's face was obvious. They only had so much time until James' flight had to take off. If this store didn't carry it Kenneth would have had to abandon the whole idea.

"Great! Can I have two matching ones?" Kenneth asked, walking from one end of the counter to the other, attempting to follow the lady as she searched the display cases. She nodded after a while, pointing at some to show Kenneth. James was still standing by the store's door with his hands folded across his chest. He couldn't really understand what was going on apart from the fact that Kenneth looked excited.

"Do you by any chance have ones that are shaped like instruments?" Kenneth asked, and he was shown some in the shape of guitars and drums. His smile dimmed a little. He had been looking for Saxophones, but he decided to settle for the ones shaped like music notes instead.

"Some time ago a friend showed me a locket that was also a music box, do you sell those here?" Kenneth asked. There was a high chance he would receive a no—he was expecting a no, but he was pleasantly surprised when the lady with dark hair smiled and nodded her head while mouthing an enthusiastic 'yes.'

"They're very expensive though," she pointed out as she walked to the side to take out the little music pieces just small enough to fit into the center of the lockets.

"It doesn't matter," Kenneth said, smiling in victory as he looked from the lady to James whose eyes were wide with both confusion and interest.

"Do you have a song you want to put in it, or do you want to pick one from our collection?" the woman asked, and Kenneth quickly reached into the pockets of his jeans to fish for his phone. When he took it out, he searched it for a song he had in mind. He smiled, looking down at the love song he had played with James as a 'joke' as they strolled through the park together.

Just the Way You Are by Billy Joel.

Kenneth talked to the woman for a bit, and in the next twenty minutes or so Kenneth and James left the store with matching silver lockets that played a brief part of the song Kenneth had selected when opened.

"Why did you get this?" James asked as the two climbed the escalator. "It's expensive..." James trailed, and Kenneth rolled his eyes. I should have never shown him the bill. He thought. James sighed, looking away. Despite his complaint, he couldn't help but touch the locket throughout the rest of his wait. It was the same thing when he boarded the plane, and throughout the flight.

He couldn't get his mind off Kenneth or the stupid song the locket played.