"Nothing," Joshua starts, "Carl is telling me how much trouble you make for him." he laughs. Jeonghan gives a skeptical look to his butler while Carl just rolls his eyes.
"Come, I'm starving," says Joshua
"Okay," says Jeonghan taking the chair beside Joshua. He was paying less attention to food and more to him. Sneaking glances while eating, it was so hard not to look while you're sitting next to him. Whenever Joshua notices him staring, he just responds to him with a cute smile. To which Jeonghan blushed and then focused back on his plate.
All chat with one another during the meal. After devouring their tummy full, Carl asks for Joshua's feedback on the special dish he made for him, "Did you like it, Mr. Joshua?"
"Oh, it was one of the delicious dishes I've ever tasted," he answers
"I'm so glad you liked it," Carl says back.
"Let's go to my room, Shua," says Jeonghan standing up from the chair.
"Okay," Joshua replies
"Your room?" Carl asks
"He's staying the night here,"
"Oh, should I prepare a separate room for him?"
"No need, he can sleep in mine," Jeonghan says. Hearing his words, the butler fakes a cough. "What?" Jeonghan asks. Carl looks at Joshua first and then at him, gesturing something with his eyes with a smirk on his face. Jeonghan gets wide-eyed after understanding him, "What the-...no, I'm not gonna do anything like that,"
"What's going on?" asks Joshua. He was just standing confused between them.
"Nothing, he's stupid. Let's go," Jeonghan says putting his hand on his back and leading him upstairs to his room.
His room was bigger than Joshua's dorm apartment. Filled with different kinds of stuff. You name it and it was present there. A large smart TV, a king-size bed, a horse painting just above it, a chandelier in the middle of the ceiling, a book-shelf in the corner, a gaming console, and other items for entertainment. But the only thing missing was a family picture.
"Your room smells so nice," says Joshua. Of course, it will be. Jeonghan was late on dinner for nothing.
"Is it? I don't think so," Jeonghan pretends.
The rain was still pouring heavily. Making drum-like sounds on the window pane. Suddenly, with a bright flash of lightning outside, all the lights go off in the house. The room went completely dark.
"What happened?" asks Joshua, a little worried.
"Maybe it's because of the heavy rain. Don't worry, I have some emergency candles in my drawer," says Jeonghan making his way towards the cupboard. He lights a candle and places it on his table beside the bed. The weak amber flame lits the room but was not enough to dispel the darkness.
Casually, Joshua goes and stands in front of the window, staring at the constant falling droplets. He puts his palm on the glass to feel the coldness of it. A loud rumbling of thunder roars in the night sky, he flinches and takes a step back and was met with Jeonghan's chest. Joshua tries to turn but Jeonghan doesn't let him. Instead, he wraps his arms around his stomach from behind and rests his head on his shoulder. Joshua's body gets stiffen. He could feel his warm breath on his neck, a wave of goosebumps rushes down his body.
"Are you scared of thunderstorms?" asks Jeonghan. They stare outside together.
Joshua nods. After a short pause, he says, "I need someone to comfort me....when it begins to thunder."
Jeonghan plants a kiss on his neck, then his cheekbone. Joshua closes his eyes on the touch. "I'm here for you, my love. Always." Jeonghan whispers in his ear. 'My love', Joshua's heart skipped a beat at these two words. He tilts his head slightly toward Jeonghan and was met with his gaze. So close. Only a little gap between their lips. And Jeonghan doesn't take time to seal it. He brushes his lips against his, very softly. Joshua lightly touches his face. Jeonghan makes him turn to him, puts his arms just above his hips, and pulls him closer, then kisses leaning into him. Running a hand through his hair, he deepens the kiss, making Joshua clench onto his shirt. The sweetness, the softness, the wetness --- exactly perfect. He gently nibbles on his bottom lip, gaining a little moan from him. He wanted to get even closer, wanted to touch him more, feel him more, taste him more but was afraid he might freak him out. In his eyes, Joshua is so fragile like a flower, so sensitive and loving, that he needs to be taken care of delicately. So he doesn't try to move further without his permission. Kissing is okay for now.
The need for air makes them break away from the kiss. Jeonghan stares at him with immense love while Joshua refuses to meet his eyes and looks at his chest, playing with a button on his shirt. Jeonghan takes his chin and gives a peck on his lips. "I like your lips. They're so soft..... and sweet." He whispers. Joshua averts his eyes in embarrassment, though it sounded more like a compliment. The room was dark enough, but his cheeks' bright pink shade could be spotted in the yellow-orange hue of the candle. Jeonghan chuckles, "You are so cute when you blush," Joshua blushes even harder. "Aw, so adorable." Jeonghan says pressing his cheek against his, "Just how much I love you. What do I do?"
"S-Stop it." Joshua whines. Jeonghan squeezes him in his arms and nuzzles his face in the crook of his neck, taking his scent in. Joshua closes his eyes and rests his head on his shoulder. They stay in each other's embrace for a while. It felt so warm and fuzzy in this rainy weather.
"Jeonghan, I... I'm sorry," says Joshua softly
"Why?"
"For what I said about your parents the other day. I shouldn't have said that. Sorry, I got angry,"
"Don't be sorry. I guess you were right." Jeonghan takes a breath, "They got bored of me."
"No, don't think like that," Joshua says looking him into the eyes. "You deserve better, you are not boring, you are... you're so cool," he blurts out
Jeonghan smirks, "You think I'm cool?"
"Th-That's not the p-point," Joshua stutters, "I mean, your parents-"
"You don't know my parents," Jeonghan cuts him, "They don't care where I'm and where not,"
"You should talk to them,"
"I don't want to, they don't like me, I don't like them,"
"Jeonghan-"
"Shua," Jeonghan shuts him, "Can we not talk about them? Please. It's ruining the mood,"
"Ok," says Joshua disappointed. He wanted to discuss his parents, to change his perspective about them. He couldn't bear to see him like that forever. He has parents, they are alive, so he doesn't have to live like an orphan.
Seeing his discontented face, Jeonghan releases a sigh, "C'mere" he hugs him. He doesn't want them to go back to how they were before. Moreover, he doesn't want to argue with Joshua right now. "We will find some other time to bicker about it, okay?"
"Hm," Joshua nods and buries his face in his chest. Silence captures them for some time. Jeonghan slowly strokes his fingers through his hair.
"You read books?" says Joshua after a while, noticing a bookshelf in his room.
"I know I don't look like a nerd, but yeah I do," mumbles Jeonghan still hugging him close.
"Can I see them?" Joshua asks.
"No, I want to stay like this a little more,"
"C'mon, you can hug me later,"
"Ahh... ok, come," says Jeonghan pulling away reluctantly.
"Wow, that's so many," Joshua says trailing his fingers on the spine of books.
Jeonghan was never an organized person but he kept his books in order of their genres and series on different shelves. "I'm collecting them since I was a kid. They're my escape from reality when I feel down," He says reminiscing his childhood. His face gets solemn suddenly remembering those old days. How hard it was to live alone in a house this big. He still didn't get used to it.
Joshua looks at him, to change the mood he asks, "Which is your favorite?"
Jeonghan snaps out from his thoughts, "Um, all are my favorites. But, recently it's this one," he says taking out a book from the upper shelf and giving it to Joshua.
"Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe, whoa," Joshua tries to read the title in the little candlelight. "The title is amazing,"
"The book too," says Jeonghan.
"What is it about?"
"Two boys, first friends, then boyfriends, I don't know how to describe it, but... it's beautiful, really beautiful," He notices how Joshua instantly made himself immersed in pages. He enjoyed that he was showing interest in something he likes. "Come with me." He grabs his wrist and takes him toward his bed. "I'll read for you, my favorite parts. I highlighted them,"
"Sounds nice," says Joshua
"Anyways, we don't have anything else to do in dark," says Jeonghan
"Yeah,"
They both climbed into bed, sitting next to each other, with their backs on the headboard. Because the candle was just beside the bed, there was proper light to read. Joshua rests his head on Jeonghan's shoulder. "Okay, so, wait a sec, let me find it," Jeonghan says turning the pages.
"You talk funny," I said. "Allergies," he said. "What are you allergic to?" "The air," he said. That made me laugh. "My name is Dante," he said. That made me laugh harder. "Sorry," I said. "It's okay. People laugh at my name." "No, no," I said. "See, it's just that my name's Aristotle." His eyes lit up. I mean, the guy was ready to listen to every word I said. "Aristotle," I repeated. Then we both kind of went a little crazy. Laughing. Jeonghan reads to him in a very soft voice. The light raining sound on the window was making the atmosphere so cozy and comforting. He reads some more.
there wasn't anything mean about him. I didn't understand how you could live in a mean world and not have any of that meanness rub off on you. How could a guy live without some meanness? Jeonghan says looking at Joshua as if he was relating this to him. I thought of Dante and wondered about him. And it seemed to me that Dante's face was a map of this world. A world without darkness. Wow, a world without darkness. How beautiful was that
He takes Joshua's hand and intertwines their fingers together while holding the book in his other hand. I wondered what that was like, to hold someone's hand. I bet you could sometimes find all of the mysteries of the universe in someone's hand.
"Oh is that why-"
"Shh, listen, this one's my favourite,"
"Close your eyes," he said. So I closed my eyes. And he kissed me. And I kissed him back. And then he really started kissing me. Jeonghan said this in a whisper.
"Now, are you going to kiss me too?" Joshua asks him jokingly.
Jeonghan shifts himself a little, and gives him a quick peck on the lips, "Yes,"
Joshua was as baffled as always at his sudden unexpected acts. He chooses to not react to it. "Read on, I want to hear more," he mumbles
Gradually, Jeonghan was moving further into the story. Telling all about what the protagonist thinks is the secret of the universe and what it really is. After reading the last paragraph, he closed the book. "So, how was it?" he asks but the boy was already asleep on his shoulder. He moves carefully and makes Joshua lie in a comfortable position. "You really sleep like a baby," he chuckles staring at his parted lips. After a moment, he gets up from the bed, blows the candle, then lies down close to him.
Lastly, Jeonghan kisses his cheek, and whispers, "Good night, my universe,"
______________________________
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
- Novel by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
This book will never disappoint you. So do have a read.