Chapter 43: The "Thank You"

Vira had the urge to pull him towards him and squeeze him, but he resisted it. He is still a kid, have some self-restraint, his mind warned him. He hated his conscience, but it was right.

Saka suddenly yanked his hand out and said, "Your presents!"

He jumped to the other side and got it from his table and handed it over to Vira.

Vira opened the heavier pack first. He saw the new latest model phone and sighed. His grandma knew him like the back of her hand. She knew he would not waste money on something like this.

"You don't like it?" Saka asked him.

Vira laughed. "It's not like that. I just didn't have that many people who would call me. So I never found any use for a phone."

He looked at Saka and handed the phone to him.

"Key in your number, let me start with yours. And add your e-mail while we are at it."

Saka brightened. He saved his details and handed the phone back to Vira. Vira gave him a missed call. He laughingly said, "Good, you didn't dupe me."

Saka looked at him indignantly.

Vira then opened the smaller packet. When he saw the small manga-based charm, he immediately fell in love with it. "Dang you! You know how to please me alright!"

He muttered, making Saka blush with happiness. He hung the charm on his phone.

Vira then said, "Only one more thing left, and that is getting your profile pic."

Before Saka could react, Vira took his picture.

"Sen! I look like an idiot! Delete it."

Vira looked at it and smirked. "You look cute. See?"

Saka tried to grab the mobile from Vira's hand, but Vira was too quick for him, causing Saka to lose his balance. He yelped as he fell on Vira.

****

Laika was trying to sleep. He had to wake up early, he was on unlocking duty. He could hear monster stomping sounds from Laika's room.

What in the world was his brother upto?

Unable to bear it anymore, he decided to give his brother a piece of his mind.

He flung the door open and growled, "Saka, would you mind keeping it down?"

His eyes widened when he saw Saka lying right on top of Vira.

Laika quickly closed his eyes. "You guys continue." 

Saka tried pushing himself up while he said, "It's not what you think!" But he was speaking to the closed door.

Laika had already left.

Saka went a brighter shade of red. Dang it. He was going to be teased.

Laika smiled to himself as he walked back to his room. Vira at least knew how to make it up to his brother.

Saka tried getting up again, but Vira put a hand around him. "Could you stay this way for some time?" He asked softly.

Saka lay still. His heart was beating at 300 per second. Vira's warmth from his body engulfed Saka.

"Thank you, Saka."

It seemed Vira was speaking more to himself than to Saka. His voice was that low.

There was no sound. Vira gently stroked Saka's head. "I am grateful to God that I was led to this island. I feel grateful to have run into you, and even more grateful that I got to know you.I am not the smartest person around, so I can only ask you to be patient with me and bear with my idiosyncrasies. But I promise you, I'll work hard at becoming a better person towards you, and work harder at making you happy."

Saka looked up and saw Vira. Vira looked tenderly at him.

He rolled to his side and sat up. Vira sat next to him.

"Sen, I am happy just being around you. I am the blessed person; maybe it's all the good karma from past lives?" He laughed off his shyness. Saka just didn't know how to handle Vira at moments like these.

Vira melted him with his sincerity and innocent words. Saka wanted this man to belong only to him. That strong sense of possessiveness scared Saka sometimes. He wanted to look cool in front of Sen, but sometimes, he couldn't help but be a child.

Vira smiled, and gathered his things; it was almost three-thirty. "I should go back now."

Saka nodded. He didn't want Vira to go. He just wanted to hug Vira and sleep. He wanted to feel the warmth he had felt minutes before. It seemed to be addictive.

But saying all that would make him seem like an immature pervert.

He just nodded and said, "Take care, Sen! Good luck with the project!"

Vira nodded. He went back to where Saka sat. "Before I leave, I want to thank you and Gran for the presents. Is it okay if I thank you like I normally thank her?"

Saka nodded. He had seen Vira always hugging his Gran.

Vira gently kissed him on both his cheeks, taking Saka by complete surprise.

"Oh, wait, I should probably give Gran hers directly, not through you. I'll take it back," Vira said, kissing him again, before ruffling his hair and leaving. He turned back and said, "Text me a good night every day, would you? No point having this phone if I can't use it." With that, he closed the door.

Saka could hear Vira's footsteps getting faint. The front door opened. Vira was gone.

He wanted to run after Vira and wave goodbye. But he was too stunned to breathe or move. His brain hadn't registered what had happened.

And when it did, he felt his nose bleed.

He was prone to a heart attack around Vira, he realized.

His cheeks burned. He fell on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He could still sense Vira; the bedsheet had the faint smell of his perfume.

He could still feel Vira's lips gently touching his cheeks. His breath appeared ragged, like he had run a marathon.

What was Vira thinking? Did guys kiss to show their appreciation? Even though it had been on the cheek, to Saka, it felt intimate. There was no way he could sleep now.

Vira smiled to himself. It had been by far the best birthday he had ever had.

He reached back an hour before sunrise. Kenta was asleep, but Akat was up.

"How did it go?"

Vira smiled. "I got to kiss him. Let me catch some sleep; I'll tell you about it tomorrow."

He crawled into his bed and slept, while Akat stared after him. Kiss? Had his kitten become a tiger now?