Chapter 11. Surprise or Shock..
"Yayyy. I won again". Tee was jumping in joy. He had beaten Tae with 3-2, winning the last round of the game. And the most interesting fact, it was Tae who had taught him the tricks.
"Not fair". Tae pouted making Tee laugh in glee.
"Aweeee. Baby iz shaddd. How to make my baby happy". Tee sat down in his lap, pinching his cheeks, talking in a baby tone and Tae was done for it.
He held Tee close and flipped them on the floor.
"Am shad. Vely vely shad". Tae sniffed kissed his neck, biting his collarbone. He was laughing listening to the giggles.
"Taee. It ticklessss". Tee tried to pry away those hands roaming on his body but he couldnt move an inch. Tae had pressed his body down on him.
"Mmmhmmm". Tae stopped tickling him but didnt leave his lips off the skin. "Tee"?? Tae put his head on Tee's chest
"Hmmm. What is it"? Tee ruffled his hair.
"Lets go on a date". Tae lifted his head up. He placed both his folded hands on his chest and put his chin on the back of his palms. This way he could stare direct in Tee's eyes.
"Today"?
"Yeah now. Lets get ready and spend the day together. You have your quizzes strating next week. And my tests. We have only today. Lets go". Tae quickly settled the program and he was right.
Tee knew the upcoming week would be so busy that he wont be able to meet Tae properly.
"What say". Tae wiggled his eye brows.
"But i cant go". Tee said making Tae frown. "If you keep on laying on me, how can i go and change"? Tee started laughing at his confused boy.
Tae saw and laughed too. "But i don wanaaa". He pecked those cherry lips again and again.
"Seriously Tae. We wont be able to go on a date if you keep doing this". Tee cupped his cheeks to look at him. His own cheeks tinted pink.
"Arghhh. Okay. I will get back to you at night". Tae huffed and pulled off to help Tee stand too.
They chose matching shirts and jeans, simple yet enchanting. Tae held his hand and opened the door to go out but they were rooted at their place.
No one knew the address of their new apartment except Tae Tee's friends and Tae's family. Not even Tee's parents were aware. So... How and who?
For the first time since Tee had started receiving those, he felt scared. Who the hell was the person to know so much about him. He was getting paranoid now looking at the wall size bouquet with his picture on it and a gift for new home.
"Tae.. This.. I dont know who sent this Tae. I didnt give my address to anyone Tae". Tee clutched Tae's arm who was frowning. His face was deprived of any emotions and that was scaring Tee more.
He knew Tae knew it wasnt his fault, but those expressions were making him lose his confidence level. He felt as if Tae didnt believe him. As if Tae thought Tee did it on purpose.
"I.. I am sorry Tae. I am sorry". Tee was frightened. He was never this afraid of anything but the silence from Tae. He was sobbing hard as he ran inside the apartment and to his bedroom.
Only then Tae looked towards him. Wait? Shittt. Tae smacked his hand on the wall. He realised his silent treatment, that too due to the shock, had scared Tee.
He kicked the flowers and ran inside the apartment shutting down the locks.
"Tee. Love". He found Tee sitting on the floor, face in his knees but Tae could clear see he was crying hard. He sat beside him and engulfed him in his arms.
"Am not angry at you Tee. Why would i? I know you never told anyone about our home. I was actually angry at the audacity of the person to keep stalking you. And that too with pictures.
I love you Tee and most important, i trust you. Even if its not that longer, i know you. I admire your strong personality. The way you know how to put limits. How to stand on your ground. How to defend yourself in a clear state.
I was just shocked baby. Relax. I will never leave you, atleast not for these stupid stunts someone is pulling to take you away from me". Tae kept rubbing Tee's arms and back until he stopped crying.
"You trust me Tae". He asked with a tear strained face, looking so beautiful in Tae's eyes.
"I trust you with my life Tee. Now relax and smile. That stupid person has already spoiled our half hour, get fresh now". Tae wiped his eyes and patted his cheeks.
"But Tae.. This..".
"Tee. Listen. Whoever the person is, he or she, they want us to be unhappy. To fight. To stop living our life happily. Can we let them happy"? Tae asked in a serious tone. Tee shook his head, pursing his lips.
He understood what Tae was saying and no he wont let anyone to destroy their happiness.
*********
It was surely a great decision that Tae forced Tee to go out. Because it helped Tee to forget the aweful incident. They went to have a yummy lunch. Nothing extraordinary.
They went to the amusement park, walking hands in hands. Screaming in joy on rides.
Tae was playing speed bike in the arcade when he heard a scoff.
"Real men drive on roads. Not in arcades". Tae turned to find a boy, more or less his age, with like 6 boys more standing behind him. He turned to Tee who narrowed his gaze at them.
"Am here to enjoy my evening, not to challenge". Tae replied as calm as he could.
"pssstttt. What are you? A girl"? This time the boy mocked him with a laughter. "Come on. The winner get 10,000 cash. On the spot. Your bike, my bike. One on one. I will take my boy, you can bring your boy too. It would be fair match.
I may be rude, but fair player. Say? Deal"? He held his hand out. "By the way i am Porsch. And he is Arm".
Tae looked at him and then towards Tee who nodded his head.
"Am Tae. And he is my boyfriend Tee. Where is the track"? Tae held his hand for a while before stepping back.
"Around the corner. 2 kilometer back and forth". He said before turning to go out followed by his boys and Tae.
"Nice bike". Tae appreciated the beauty in front of him. He himself had a Yamaha, midnight blue.
"So you do". Porsch nodded, stepping on his bike with Arm sitting behind him. He saw Tae had no gloves so he picked an extra pair from under the seat and tossed at him who nodded as a thankyou and pulled them on. It was a good thing that he always had an extra helmet for Tee.
They drove to the deserted road that Porsch told and well it wasnt that straight. Bumps and turns. An oval natural track. They took their marks.
"1. No cheating.
2. The one who reach this spot first would be the winner. There are sensors that track time lapse. My friend has set our names on his screen.
3. You can check the timer on that spot light too". Porsch pointed to a screen above.
4. Its not about money, but i loved you skills in the arcade. So lets say, i want to welcome you to Falcons". He turned the ignition on, a signal that the race was about to begun.
"On the count of three.
1
2
3......".
The otherwise silent area was echoed with the roar of engines followed by a zoom sound, as the drivers sped off as soon as the whistle blew.
Tee clutched Tae hard at his jacket. He never experienced Tae driving so fast, but again it was a challenge, not some random bike drive.
Indeed both drivers were skilled and pro. They only stopped when they crossed the line they started from. Now their eyes were stuck at the screen that was replaying their race with minutes and seconds falling quickly.
"Yayyyy. We won Taeeee". Tee jumped on Tae with joy, pecking his lips before they turned to Porsch who was smiling.
"I am never wrong in calculating people. What did i say love"? He turned to Arm to kiss him on lips before pulling out cash.
"It wasnt about winning or losing like i said before. Welcome to our club. Here is my mumber and our club pin. Call me whenever you need me. As a friend, as a brother, i will be here". Porsch patted his shoulder
"Thank you Phi. It was just for fun Phi. I dont need this money". Tae politely tried to refused but Arm step down.
"Come on. Its not always that i see my husband losing a game. Take it. You won it". He chuckled.
"Husband"? Tee asked with wide eyes.
"Yeah. Married for 5 years. Its dinner time. Lets go. My treat". Porsch signaled his boys who left beforehand.
"Umm. We dont want to bother you Phi". Tee was reluctant.
"Its okay nong. Lets go". He patted Tee's arm before hoping on his bike and Tae, well they didnt have any option.
Dinner with them was really fun to say. Tae was missing his friends too as he came to know that Porsch and Arm had graduated from the same university they were sutdying in, around 3 years ago.
The discussion was really interesting and Porsch had offered Tae to join his company for internship because he was dealing in Mechanical And Robotics. And since Tae was in Automobiles, they could surely work together.
They exchanged contacts to meet up some other time with all of their friends, before they parted their ways.
"Had fun"? Tae held both Tee's hands on his stomach while driving back home. Contrary to fast driving earlier, Tae was driving slow and steady. Savouring the journey.
"Yeah i had. Its always good to be with you Tae". Tee put his head on Tee's shoulders, taking a whiff.
"But it was just ordinary restaurant and food. Nothing extravagant". Tae muttered.
"Its not about the place Tae. Its about us. You and me. And everything is precious and expensive when i have you". Tee smooched his shoulder as an affirmation.
They reached home in no time even if they wanted to prolong the journey in the calm of the night. The ride to stairs up to their floor would have been smooth and quick only if they both didnt get handsy on each other.
Laughing and joshing with each other they reached their floor and Tee sighed in relief to find no more flowers. Unknown to him, Tae looked around with a narrow gaze and took a deep breath too.
Tee opened the door quickly because he was tired and he wanted to take bath but an envelope from the mailbox on the door caught his attraction.
Before he could grab it, Tae held it in his hand. No sender information. No name.
'For my Love who is unaware of my love. Tee'
Just one line. And that was enough to make Tee choke on air. Now this was getting out of hands. Tae wrapped his arms around Tee to support him, physically and mentally too, and took him to the living room.
He opened the envelope taking deep breaths and his eyes were open wide to see their pictures in the most intimate moments. Them kissing, hugging each other. Laughing. But.... What caught their attention were the red CROSS over Tae's face in every picture.
Tee was as pale as a ghost. His breath hitched with fear. Whoever the person was surely hated Tae. But why? And how did the person captured those pictures. Though they were not from inside the apartment. Still.
"Tae...". Tee licked his dry lips. His eyes were frantically looking around as if searching for the intruder.
"Am here love. Am here. Dont worry". His forehead was creased with worry too, but he managed to hide it from Tee. He didnt want to add to his burdens. But whoever it was, it was a dirty play and he had to find it as soon as possible.