Chapter 8

Rai cleaned up the living room and then proceeded to Kota's room with a big basket of cleaning equipment. He picked up all the dirty clothes and put them in the washing machine then changed the bed sheets, rolled up the rug and swept the room, mopped the floor and cleaned every surface with disinfectants then spray some air freshener. He also cleaned up the bathroom.

It was 2:40 am when he finished but still went to check up on Kota who was fast asleep already. Ramen bowl licked clean. He felt fuzzy inside. Kota must have loved it.

Rai decided that he had never seen anything more beautiful than a sleeping Kota. He seemed to be glowing and his face looked serene. The skin had regained its normal colour. His lips were bright pink and he had the longest lashes. They formed crescents over his upper cheeks. Rai felt that if he wasn't so tired after all the work, he'd be content to watch Kota sleep all night.

He changed into his favourite purple and white striped pyjamas then went downstairs and lay on the couch. There, he fell into a sweet sleep with the thought of Kota's sleeping face.

************************

Rai yawned for the tenth time in class that morning. He didn't get much sleep because he had set his alarm to 5 am so he could complete an essay which's deadline was today and the professor was a grumpy old man who could use any excuse to make a student fail and repeat his course. It was like he lived to fail students.

"Dude you okay?" Maki asked, gazing at him with concern. "You look like a zombie clown"

Rai yawned again. "Thanks, Maki. You always say things that make me feel better"

Maki snickered and winked. "You're welcome. But seriously, what's wrong?"

Maki is one of Rai's friends. They're not close but they study together all the time since they were both photography majors. She had brown waist-length hair with a short fringe, big brown eyes and the cutest smile.

"Nothing. I was up writing Professor William's essay on the history of photography and the camera. I've been trying to finish it all week" Rai said, placing his head on his table.

Maki nodded in understanding. Everyone knew how Professor William was.

"Poor you. Why did you decide to take his class? I ran away when I saw his name"

"I saw it as a challenge and you know how I get when that happens," he said, already giving up on listening to the lecturer that was currently teaching.

Maki chuckled. Of course she knew. Rai is a fierce competitor. "And now you regret it?"

He snorted. "No way. I'm gonna conquer every stupid essay he assigns and emerge from that class victorious"

She laughed, shaking her head. Typical Rai.

After three more classes and a surprise test, Rai felt like his bones were jelly and he was just wiggling and wobbling his way to the parking lot with his friend. He had taken a bus because he was so sleepy in the morning and he didn't trust himself to drive so now, Yami was gonna drop him off.

"Guess what happened today," Yami said. They were walking side by side. Yami was looking handsome as usual, wearing grey sweatpants and a black hoodie while Rai looked as Maki said, a clown. He was so sleepy that he just threw on whatever his hand grabbed. A shirt which was yellow in front and red in the back and a pair of army print shorts with one black sneaker and one red sneaker.

Even though he looked like that, girls still winked at him and blew him kisses as they passed by.

"I can't guess Yami" he whined. "My brain is mush right now"

"Kosuke went back to Japan with Yuri"

Rai tripped on his own feet but Yami caught him before he fell. Rai was shell shocked!

"What?"

Yami chuckled. "You heard me. Looks like what your crush said to him got through"

Rai's mouth was wide open. He didn't know what to think or say. Kosuke really went back to Japan!

"So he's gonna tell his parents?"

Yami shrugged. "Seems like it. I hope he won't chicken out though. He's super scared of them. You should have seen when I took them to the airport. He was sweating like a Christmas goat and kept farting every 5 minutes"

Rai burst into laughter. "Poor Yuri".

Yami smiled. "And the people boarding the same plane with them". He then stopped walking. "Hey Rai, isn't that your crush?"

Rai snapped his head up so fast his neck hurt but sure enough, Kota was standing a few feet away, staring at them or more specifically, at Rai.

"Okay," Yami said. "I'm gonna go find Haru. Considering what happened yesterday, you two have something important to talk about. Call me if you still need a ride and fill me in"

Rai gave him a grateful smile and nodded then proceeded to walk to Kota. The thoughts of sleep disappeared. Instead, he felt energized.

He was absolutely breathtaking. Kota was dressed in a pair of simple worn-out jeans and a plain black hoodie with the Nike logo on it but he looked like a gorgeous model. The clothes fit him effortlessly. His hair wasn't a nest anymore. Instead, it was shiny, wavy and went past his eyes a bit.

Kota had the kind of face that could bend the straightest man. As Rai got closer, he realized that the clothes were his own! Kota was wearing his clothes!

Kota couldn't keep his eyes off Rai. Though the boy was dressed ridiculously, he walked like he owned the world with a little bit of sexiness and full confidence. The wind was blowing his hair and his movements seemed to slow in Kota's eyes. Just like they do in movies. He could even see the sunlight making his skin glisten, accentuating those firm muscles.

“Hey. I’m surprised to see you here” Rai said when he got close enough.

Kota blinked, once then twice, surprised to see Rai standing before him. He didn't say anything but turned and started to walk. 'What the fuck was that just now?' He asked himself.

Rai followed. It was silent between them until they got to the car and entered. It was Kyo's car. Rai couldn't believe Kota came to pick him up! The thought of it made him giddy.