Keit lies awake in his bed, his body burning up with fever, eyes red because of excessive crying. The tears have now stopped but his heart is still in pain.
The college authorities called his parents and informed them about Keit's condition. He asked them not to but professor Kai was adamant on giving them a call. His mum freaked out but he tried his best to reassure her.
He was sent back to his dorm and wasn't allowed to sit for the exams. The teachers told him that all the students who won't be able to give these exams for certain reasons will be given a new schedule. It relieved him big time. He was in no condition to write anyway.
It's been five days since his panic attack and his mum calls him daily to check on him and apologize that she can't come to him right away because of some work. Whenever she said that she's less worried because Dean is there to take care of him, he could hear his heart crack. How will he tell her that they are no longer together?
His friends came to visit him daily for at least half an hour but they can't visit today because tomorrow's a very tough exam and here he is, lying in bed like a corpse. Sleep doesn't seem to come as he drowns in the memory of him and Dean, yet again.
It's a fine Sunday morning and a fourteen year old Keit is helping his mum preparing for breakfast and his dad is setting up the dining table. The Wongsuwans are going to visit their home and Keit can hardly control his excitement. Dean calls him every weekend and they both talk about their week. It's been weird for Keit for a while. His heartbeat oddly increases whenever Dean comes and he feels something weird in his stomach.
They both have always been very affectionate with each other but now both of their breath hitches when they come close to each other and can hardly manage to look in each other's eyes. Something is changing but Keit couldn't put a finger on it.
After the painful wait of two hours Dean arrives at his place with his parents and it takes all the effort for Keit to not jump in excitement. A bright smile makes it's way on Keit's face and Dean mirrors his expressions.
They are all enjoying the brunch as the dining room is filled with hearty laughs and giggles. The parents have a good time talking and gossiping while Keit and Dean are lost in their own world, trying to steal food from each other's food, Dean almost winning but giving up after looking at Keit's pout.
They both run out towards the play ground as the sun starts to set for a volley ball match with the neighborhood kids. Their team wins and they both start jumping while hugging each other. When Keit realizes how close Dean is holding him, he freezes. It's nothing out of the ordinary for both of them but it still has something unusual about it. A good kind of unusual which makes both of them flustered and slowly remove their hold from each other.
Keit and Dean talk nonstop about their week, about school, about their friends. They are so engrossed in talking that they don't even realize that it's time for bed.
They both lay on the same bed in their respective corner. The space in between them seems big enough to accumulate the entire world. The tension could be felt in the air. Keit is busy shying away from Dean when an arm reaches towards him and gently taps on his shoulders.
Keit looks at Dean with shy eyes, his face heating up a little for the reasons unknown. The soft yet hesitant look that Dean gives him makes his breath stuck in his throat. Keit is a little surprised to see that Dean has shifted closer to him, just a small distance left which Keit knows Dean wants him to close. There isn't any need for words. Keit knows what Dean wants and shifts closer to Dean which makes the latter smile brightly.
It is the first time that Dean rounds his arm across Keit's waist and spoons him.
The flower of their innocent love slowly blooms without them realizing.
Keit's eyes water again as he remembers the days of their budding love. He feels as if he's about to faint when he feels someone touching his forehead. The hand feels cold against his burning forehead which makes him shrink away from the touch and whimper. A very familiar voice reaches his ears as the person curses and makes Keit sit up straight on the bed or tries to. Keit is slowly losing his consciousness and can't tell if he's hallucinating or the person his really there.
He tries to open his eyes and nearly cries out when he sees Dean's worried face in front of him.
"De- Dean! I- Is that you?" Keit slurs as he tries to reach out and touch the boy standing in front of him to make sure he is real.
He doesn't get a reply as Dean makes him sit comfortably against the pillow and then starts searching his drawers. After a few seconds Dean walks back and makes Keit take the medicine. Tears are still falling down the sick boy's cheeks as he can't believe Dean is here taking care of him.
"De- Dean" Keit hiccups and starts crying again. He missed this. This loving voice. This endearment.
"Shh baby. Don't cry." Keit's cheeks are cradled lovingly and he is rewarded a kiss on his forehead. If it's a dream, he doesn't want to wake up. he doesn't want to lose the hope and happiness that is blooming inside his heart.
Dean disappears inside the bathroom as Keit's heart starts beating wildly at the possibility of it all being a dream and Dean not coming out. The fear immediately vanished as Dean comes out with a bowl of water and a towel in his hands. Keit is stripped off his clothes and his sweaty body is wiped clean gently by the boy who claims he doesn't love him anymore.
Keit receives and apologetic smile from Dean as he helps him dress up and wraps him in the warm blanket after himself getting in.
It's a nice dream.
A content smile makes its way on Keit's face despite the still teary eyes.
"Yo- You'll not leave me again, right?" Keit's voice is a mere whisper as if he speaks any louder, the spell he's under in will break and Dean will disappear. Dean cups his face and wipes the tears from the corner of his eyes that are threatening to fall.
"I'm so sorry baby." Dean whispers and places a quick but meaningful kiss on Keit's lips. Keit's head is gently placed on a shirtless chest and his hair is stroked softly until he falls asleep.
❤❤❤
Dean holds Keit as close to him possible. When he feels Keit's breathing even out then only he let's his tears trickle down his cheeks. At this moment he just wants to apologize to Keit for being an asshole to him. He knows Keit is a soft person yet he decided to hurt him this way. He was supposed to take care of him no matter what but look what he did. He left Keit midway.
"Will you be my boyfriend, Keit?" Dean asks out of nowhere, shocking Keit to his core. They are inside a haunted house in a carnival. Keit kept on procrastinating on entering the Haunted house. The whole day he wanted to take one or the other ride and some he took twice! Now Dean and Keit were the only ones in here and Keit regrets not entering when other people were also in the line.
He is tightly clutching Dean's shirt and is hugging him close while his eyes are wide like saucers as Dean just asked the question a few seconds back. Keit so wanted to scream at Dean's face YOU DECIDE TO ASK THIS QUESTION WHEN I'M SCARED SHITLESS but his tongue has decided not to speak.
"Won't you answer me?" Dean asks in a husky voice which makes Keit shiver. A mischievous smirk forms on Dean's face when he notices Keit's reaction. Someone dressed as a zombie pops out of nowhere to give them a jump scare from Keit's side but fortunately, Dean saw him already and turns them in times so that he himself is now facing the zombie, burying Keit's face in his chest. The zombie huffs and stomps his feet in disappointment because of his failed attempt at scaring them and leaves.
Dean shifts his attention towards the scared boy and pulls his face away from his chest.
"I'll save you like this forever from all the problems in your life. I love you Keit. Now tell me, will you be my boyfriend?" Dean asks Keit again, looking in his eyes as if staring right into his soul.
"I-" Keit gets tongue tied yet again, his face feels so warm and he's sure that he has turned red. Dean is still looking at him intently, his eyes full of so much love that it makes Keit unable to breathe for a second.
"Yes." A whisper leaves Keit's lips but Dean hears him clearly.
"YES!" Dean releases his hold on Keit and jumps while screaming. Keit turns a darker shade of red at Dean's excitement. Dean then picks up Keit in his arms and twirls him around.
The happy laughter resonates inside the haunted house as the other zombies and ghosts are left scratching their head at the sounds.
Dean bites his knuckles to stop himself from crying out loud and waking up a sound asleep Keit as tears endlessly fall down his eyes. He broke his promise to his baby and he will never be able to forgive himself for this.
But he had to do it. He had no choice. He was helpless.
❤❤❤
Dean wakes up early and just stares at Keit who is peacefully sleeping in his arms. He mumbles a quiet I'm sorry baby and carefully removes Keit's head from his chest and settles him comfortably on the bed. Keit's body is not as warm as last night so his fever is dropping which is a good thing. Dean wraps Keit in the blanket properly and slips on his Tee-shirt and prepares to leave the room.
As soon as he opens the door, he freezes as he sees Keit's mum standing in front of him. His mum's eyes lit up as she sees Dean.
"Dean, thank god you're here!" she smiles and touches Dean's cheek in affection. Dean comes out of his shocked state and joins his hands to greet Keit's mum. He gives hew way to enter the room and follows her.
"My boy is still sleeping." She looks at Keit and hurriedly sits on the bed beside him. When she looks at Keit properly covered in blanket, she knows that Dean is taking care of him very well.
"He had fever last night but seems to be fine now." Dean informs her and sits near Keit's feet on the bed. Keit's mum leans down and lovingly pecks Keit's forehead.
"What happened to him? The teachers informed me that he had a panic attack." She asks worriedly and Dean's eyes cast down in shame. It takes him a few seconds to collect himself and looks at Keit's mum though he can't gather up the strength to look in her eyes. He failed her too, how can he match her gaze?
"He was very stressed about his studies. It took a toll on him." He wants to slap himself on the face but he can't tell her the truth. He can't tell her that he is the reason for Keit's condition. He's too much of a coward to do that.
"My poor child." Her eyes water as she caresses her son's hair. It makes Dean a thousand times worse.
"Where were you going this early?" she asks after wiping her eyes.
"To bring food for us before he wakes up." he tells her to which he receives a nod. Well, he will first freshen up in his own room and then bring the breakfast.
"Well, I'll bring food for all of us." Dean says and leaves the room.
He returns after an hour with warm food and finds Keit awake and dressed in different clothes. His mum helped him clean up.
"Oh, you're back. Please help Keit eat the breakfast. I'll freshen up." Keit's mum says and disappears inside the bathroom. Keit's expression sours as he sees Dean which comes as a shock to Dean. Well, what did he expect? Keit smiling and asking for a kiss after he broke his heart?
Dean bought veg sandwich with boiled eggs for him. He plates up Keit's breakfast and sits on the bed, next to Keit. Keit turns away his head and huffs making Dean's heart drop.
"I know things are not right between us. But you can't compromise your health for it." Dean says softly, gauging the angry boy's reaction carefully.
"There is nothing between us now, remember." Keit says bitterly which makes Dean flinch. Dean feels as if Keit ripped his heart out from his chest and stepped on it. He is confused for a second but then unserstanding dawns on him. Keit thinks last night didn't happen. He thinks he was dreaming.
When Dean picks up the sandwich to feed Keit he simply snatches away the plate and the piece in Dean's hand.
"I can eat myself." Keit snaps, not looking towards Dean and starts eating.
"Will you tell your mum about the breakup?" Dean asks and is taken aback when Keit rolls his eyes.
"Don't worry, I won't tell her now. She will find out eventually but now is not the time." Keit says dryly as he continues to eat. Dean never imagined that Keit can speak to him emotionlessly and here they are.
Keit's mum comes out and sits with them as they try hard not to show that there is anything wrong between them. The whole day passes like this. The next day, Keit's mum asks Keit to come home for a few days to which he declines. He'll go home after the semester is over.
After she leaves Keit and Dean get back to not talking to each other. Dean wants to try but cannot gather the courage to do so.
Dean knows about people saying bitter things about Keit, making fun of him, trying to bother him one way or another. Just because of him...
Dean is returning from the class when he sees a commotion in front of his dorm building.
"What happened here?" he asks a nearby student and what he hears makes his blood run cold. He runs towards the building with full force, his feet not stopping until he reaches his floor.
"Oh, a student committed suicide because they couldn't handle the bullying and-"
Dean made a run for it with chanting one thing in his mind.
Please don't let it be Keit, please not Keit, not my Keit!
* * *
Hello everyone! I'd like to apologize for the delay and the long wait.
I'll be honest with you guys. This book is not doing good at all. It literally killed my motivation to write and continue this book. It was just a temporary thing though. But yeah I felt down those days.
Argh! I'll delete these notes when I edit this book because I can't let everyone see my random breakdowns LOL.
Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. Please press on that cute little heart if you haven't already and comment your thoughts about the book.
Do leave your reviews and share the book if you think it's good enough with your friends.
Also, I am a part of an FB group which involves readers and writers from different platforms. If you wanna join. I'll be posting the link on the wall.