I'm actually going to babysit some brat. Mew lets out a sigh and looks at his room. "All for you." He says and shakes his head. He needs encouragement. And Earth is the best person to give him some of that.
"Nong Earth."
"What's wrong P'Mew?"
"I need encouragement. Encourage me please."
"What for?"
"I have to babysit some brat. How will I survive?" Mew whines.
"Phi, do you know you sound like a baby right now?"
"I'm a baby! I'm just 19!" Mew says and pouts.
"Twenty nine, Phi. Whom do you have to babysit though?"
"Well you know my friend Golf, don't you?"
"Yes?"
"He has a little bro named Gulf. Golf asked me to tutor him. Heard that he's a brat. Damn, I can't handle brats." Mew says and slumps down on his bed.
Gulf freezes at his spot. The phone falls down from his hand. Dammit P'Golf! What the fuck is this?!
"Hello? Earth? You there?" Gulf hears the faint voice of Mew coming out from his phone. Gulf hurriedly picks up the phone from the bed. "Phi, mom is calling me for some work. I have to go. I will talk to you later then!" He says and hangs up.
Mew looks at his phone screen and frowns. "Hoiiiiiiii! Today is not my day." Mew kicks the blanket and looks at the time. He panicks as he finds out that he's got only an hour. I just needed some encouragement. Never mind. He thinks and rushes to the bathroom.
——————
Gulf rushes downstairs to confront his brother. He fumes with anger, ready to empty a bucketful of water on his brother if he can. "P'Golf? P'Golf!" He shouts as he enters the living room.
"Whoa whoa lil bro, whassup?"
"When were you gonna tell me that P'Mew is going to tutor me? And what subject?! And ohhh God he's going to know my identity! Damn you, big bro!"
"Calm down, calm down. Let's go talk in your room, shall we?" Golf says.
Gulf stomps towards his room with Golf tailing behind him. "Now cut the crap, Phi!"
"Look my dear Nong, I think it's the best time to tell him the truth."
"But, but, he's going to hate me!"
"Well, do you know human nature? One cannot hate someone that easily, when they love that someone." Golf explains.
"But he asked me not to fool him."
"Then this is a chance for you to explain and apologize. Gulf, you can do this." Golf pats his shoulder.
"But you should have told me about this beforehand." The fight is out of Gulf's voice.
"Nong, you would have freaked out and asked me to refuse Mew to tutor you." Golf looks at his watch and says, "He's going to be here within 15 minutes. I would let you get dressed then."
"What?!" Gulf panicks, but Golf has left the room by then. Dammit P'Golf.
——————
The doorbell rings exactly after 15 minutes. Gulf finds himself hyperventilating. Calm down. Calm down. He tries to tell himself, but that word seems to be off his dictionary right now. Better face it today than later. Gulf sucks in some air and goes downstairs.
"Welcome, Mew! This is the first time you are here." Gulf's mom almost pulls Mew into the house.
"Hello Auntie." Mew smiles politely. "Where should I put my shoes?"
"Here." Earn points towards the shoe rack.
"Welcome bro." Golf puts his arm around Mew. "So my brat of a bro is in your hands."
"Golf!"
"Okay mom. I won't call him brat. Now where is he?"
Gulf enters the room, looking at everywhere but Mew.
"Nong Earth? What are you doing here?" Mew asks, shocked to see Earth here.
"Talking about me?" Gulf's dad enters the room and looks at Mew questioningly.
"Hello, uncle. I'm talking about Earth." Mew looks at Gulf, whose head is hung down in embarrassment.
"Well, I am the head of this family?" Earth says and raises his eyebrows at Mew.
"No uncle, I am not talking about you. I'm talking about Nong Earth here. Nong Earth, what are you doing here?"
"Nong?" Gulf's dad looks at Mew, then at his wife and then at Golf.
"Well, the brat of my brother, Gulf, is him." Golf points out at Gulf.
"He's not Gulf. He's Earth." Mew turns towards Gulf and says, "Earth, how do you know my friend Golf here?"
"Well, I know Golf because he's my son?" Earth says, clearly in a state where he can't process what's going on.
"What the hell is going on?" Mew looks at everyone, not knowing what to do and what to believe.
"Phi, come with me." Gulf finally comes into the scene and drags Mew upstairs. He looks at Golf and signals him to follow them.
"Mom, dad I will explain everything later. But right now, I need to fix some issues." Golf bows swiftly and runs upstairs.
Gulf drags Mew to his room and releases him only when Mew tugs at his hand. "What the hell was that?" Mew says, not able to find his voice. Gulf looks at Golf, asking him to butt in.
"Mew, listen to me then. This is not Earth. This is Gulf, my little brother." Golf looks at his brother, who nods violently. "Earth, is my dad's name."
"But—" Mew starts to say, but Gulf cuts him midway.
"P'Mew, please listen to me before you come to any conclusion. I didn't mean to lie to you or fool you." Gulf says, panicking.
"But you did." Mew says and crosses his arms across his chest.
"Phi, I—"
"Look Mew, listen to what he has to say."
"Okay, go on, Earth. Oh sorry, Gulf." Mew says, suspicion lacing his voice.
"When I first met you in person, I was scared. I was scared you would find about me from P'Golf." Gulf continues. "I was scared that you'd think of me as just another fan of yours. I was scared to face you. I was scared when I found out you're my new neighbor."
"Why were you scared?" Mew asks, his voice gentle.
"Because I was nervous and panicking."
"You could have told me anytime before, and not make a fool out of me."
"I was scared you'd hate me if I told you my real name after I lied to you." Gulf looks down at his feet.
"Why were you nervous and panicking?"
"Because.... because.... because.."
"Look me in the eyes and be honest with me." Mew says. "I'll believe whatever you have to say."
Gulf exhales and looks at Mew. Those eyes give me courage. I can do this. "Because I liked you back then."
Mew looks at Gulf in surprise, trying to process what he just heard. Without breaking eye contact, he asks Golf to leave them alone for some time.
"Take your time, bro. My Nong is all yours." Golf chuckles and leaves. He closes the door behind him. Oh yes, I got to explain the situation to my parents. He thinks and goes downstairs.
"How about now? Do you still like me?" Mew asks.
Pause.
"I do." Gulf says after a few seconds. Gulf flushes a light shade of red, and looks down. Mew's heart starts beating like never before. The ecstatic feeling of a sweet confession; he has never felt it before. He wants time to stop right here. He wants to look at his Gulf being shy and adorable this way, forever. He wants to brush Gulf's hair away from his eyes. So he does. He wants to fix a stray lock of hair on Gulf's forehead. So he does. He wants to run his fingers down Gulf's cheek. So he does. He wants to pull Gulf close to him.
So he does.
Gulf looks at his Phi. He wants to grab Mew's shoulders. So he does. He wants to feel his heart say only one name. And that is "Mew." So it does. Gulf wants to kiss the corner of Mew's mouth.
So he does.
Mew wants to say this to Gulf. "You have taken a courageous step for me. Can I take a step ahead?" So he does.
Gulf wants his Phi to take that step. So he agrees.
Mew wants to push Gulf on the bed and kiss him for hours.
So he does.
Savouring the victory of their courage, the victory of their feelings, they lay there and kiss for what seems like eternity. Just as they become breathless, Mew breaks away from the kiss and says, "Look at you! All courageous when you took a stand for me against P'Dan. But shying away and scared and panicking away when you should have been honest with me." Mew smiles and places a soft kiss around Gulf's lips.
"Phi don't tease me about this. I'm really shy right now." Gulf says as he fidgets with the collar of Mew's shirt.
"As much as I want to kiss you for an hour longer, I think we should go downstairs. Also, I think I should tell your parents that I want to tutor you." Mew says and pulls Gulf out of the bed. He goes on to place a swift peck on Gulf's lips and they reluctantly let go of each other's hands. "Let's go." Mew says. Gulf nods and leads the way.
—————
"So Mew, what do you think about tutoring my lil brat of a son?" Earth asks.
"He's a brat, but I can babysit him for life." Mew says and smiles softly at Gulf.