15. RE-UNION [PART.2]

The room was thick with silence. They just stood there, staring at each other. No one moved. No one spoke. The air felt heavy, as if something unspoken had wrapped around them all.

Scott, sitting beside Dave, nudged him and whispered, "You guys know each other"

Dave didn't answer immediately. He looked at Scott, then at Terah, and then back at Scott before finally saying, "Yeah"

His voice was casual, but his eyes weren't.Feeling the weight of the moment, he cleared his throat and said louder, "Hey."

Mia and Terah responded at the same time. "Hi."

Then Clara. Then Hannah. One after the other, like a chain reaction. Mike, who had been watching silently, turned to Hannah and raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you guys know each other?"

Hannah just smiled and nodded, offering no explanation. The tension only grew thicker. No one wanted to ask the real question; why did it feel like something was lurking beneath the surface?

Scott, sensing the weight in the room, clapped his hands together. "Alright. Balcony, Let's go"

Mike, as if expecting this, stood up. "Actually I'd already set something up outside. Thought we'd need it" 

They moved, single file, out up to the balcony. The space was breathtaking.

Soft, warm lights lined the wooden railings, casting a golden glow. The sky stretched wide above them, scattered with stars that looked close enough to touch. A gentle breeze carried the scent of the ocean, mixing with the faintest hint of flowers from a nearby planter.

In the center, a round table sat perfectly positioned beneath the open sky. A few bottles and glasses were already there, waiting for them.

They took their seats. No one spoke immediately. Mike passed out the drinks, and they all sipped in silence. Clink. A glass hit the table. Then another.

Minutes passed, the quiet stretching between them. The only sound was the distant hum of the city and the occasional rustling of leaves.

Then, Mike leaned over and whispered something to Scott. Scott barely reacted. He just nodded, stood up, and stretched. "We'll be back".

Mike stood, too. "Yeah, give us a sec"

And then, just like that, they were gone. Leaving the four of them alone. A setup. It had to be.

Scott and Mike stood at a quiet corner outside the house, side by side, saying nothing. The muffled sounds of conversation and music from inside barely reached them.

Mike shifted his weight, then turned to look at Scott as if really noticing him for the first time. His brows furrowed slightly before he spoke.

"Wait… haven't we met before?"

Scott blinked, turning his head slightly. "I don't think so."

Mike tilted his head, thinking. "The other day… I bumped into you in front of the theater hall. Remember?"

Scott frowned, trying to recall, but nothing came to mind. "Uh… not really. Sorry."

Mike let out a short laugh, crossing his arms. "It's okay. Guess I'm just bad at making an impression."

Scott shrugged. "Or I'm just bad at remembering."

Mike smiled but said nothing, looking away.

Scott, however, wasn't really focused on their conversation. His thoughts kept circling back to Dave. Dave, who knew how he felt. Dave, who kissed him. And yet, Dave, who never once gave him a sign that he felt the same way.

Since that night, they had been walking together, spending time together, but to Dave, it was just… friendship. He never let Scott bring up that kiss, always brushing it off like it never happened.

Scott exhaled slowly, dragging himself out of his thoughts. On impulse, he turned his head and took a good look at Mike.

He was handsome.

His soft brown hair fell just above his brows, slightly tousled, catching the dim glow from the house lights. There was something relaxed about him, but his eyes were sharp, aware.

As if sensing Scott's gaze, Mike turned to look at him. Their eyes met, and he smiled. Scott immediately turned away, clearing his throat.

Mike smirked slightly. "They should be done talking up there by now. We should head back."

Scott nodded, but just as they were about to move, he saw a taxi pull up in the distance. The headlights cut through the dark street before turning away as the car drove off, leaving a figure standing on the sidewalk.

It was Alex. He was looking down at his phone, seemingly making a call, then slipped it into his pocket and started walking toward the house.

Scott felt a small twist in his stomach. He knew about the tension between Alex and Dave, even if no one talked about it.

Before Alex could reach them, the front door swung open, and Terah rushed out. She passed Scott and Mike without a glance, heading straight for Alex.

"You came," she said, stopping in front of him.

Alex let out a breath, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "No. You forced me to."

Terah rolled her eyes but lowered her voice. "Listen, just so you know, this isn't exactly the best place for you to be right now. The others are here, and… it might not be a good sight to see. I had no idea they would be here"

Alex didn't even hesitate. "I see. I'm fine"

Terah sighed, then reached out and grabbed his hand. "Come on."

She turned to Scott and Mike. "We're going up."

Scott glanced at Alex. "Hey."

Alex looked at him, then offered a small, polite smile. "Hey." He gave a slight wave before following Terah inside.

Mike watched them disappear through the door, then turned back to Scott. "Another friend of theirs?"

Scott let out a dry chuckle. "Obviously."

Mike just hummed in response, looking toward the house. The night wasn't over yet.

Alex and Terah reached the balcony. The atmosphere felt lighter than expected. Maybe the initial tension had settled, or maybe everyone was just pretending it wasn't there. Even Clara and Alex seemed to handle the situation better than anyone had imagined.

But the most surprised person in the room was Dave.

The second he looked up and saw Alex standing there, it was like seeing a long-lost lover return. His fingers tightened slightly around his glass, but he said nothing. Alex gave a small, polite nod to Hannah and Mia. Then to Clara.

And then, finally, to Dave. Instead of standing awkwardly, he walked straight over and sat beside him.

"Terah invited me," Alex said, leaning back slightly. "I didn't know you guys would be here."

"No one asked," Dave muttered.

But instead of making things awkward, everyone just chuckled, a few grins passing around. Everyone except Dave, who kept side-eyeing Alex like he was trying to figure out if he was even real.

Sensing the small tension, Terah took the chance to introduce Mia.

"Alex, this is Mia."

Alex nodded at her. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," Mia replied with a small smile.

Then, leaning slightly toward Terah, Alex whispered, "Did you talk to Hannah?" Hannah, who clearly overheard, answered for herself. "We're cool."

Alex let out a sharp, amused smile and sat back. A minute passed. Then Alex turned to Clara. "Can we talk for a minute?"

Clara hesitated only briefly before nodding. "Sure."

Without another word, they left the balcony and headed downstairs to Mike's room. The door clicked shut behind them. They sat, silent for a while. Neither of them spoke at first. Clara crossed her legs, waiting. Alex stared at his hands.

Then, finally, he exhaled and spoke. "I'm sorry." Clara tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable.

"For everything," Alex continued. "For putting you through all that stress."

She let out a breath, shaking her head. "I'm fine." "You're not," Alex said softly. "And neither am I."

He looked at her carefully. "If I had known I was…" He hesitated, struggling to say the word.

"Gay," she finished for him. Alex swallowed and nodded. "Yeah."

For a second, she just stared at him. Then, to his surprise, she let out a small chuckle.

"Wait… completely gay?" she asked, a slight smirk playing on her lips. Alex shrugged, avoiding her eyes.

"Well," she sighed, "I'm just glad you told me. Some people would've ghosted me out of embarrassment. At least you didn't."

He looked up, meeting her gaze.

"You're forgiven," she said. "And… I hope you get Dave back."

Alex blinked. "How did you—"

She rolled her eyes. "Since the kiss."

His heart skipped. "You knew?"

Clara gave him a knowing look. "Come on, Alex. Talk to him. Don't waste time."

Alex hesitated. "But isn't he with Scott?"

Clara leaned back, considering for a moment. Then she shook her head. "I don't think so."

She stood up, walking toward the door. But before she left, she turned back and pulled him into a tight hug. "Good luck," she whispered.

Then she was gone. Alex sat there for a moment, staring at the floor. His heart was beating too fast, his hands slightly trembling. He wasn't sure if he was ready, but he knew there was no running away now.

Then there was a soft knock on the door, Alex froze. The door opened, and Dave stepped in. For a second, neither of them moved. Then Alex shot up to his feet.

They stared at each other, both waiting for the other to make the first move. The silence between them wasn't just quiet; it was loud, heavy, filled with a thousand unspoken words.

Alex's fingers curled into his palms. Then, slowly, he stepped closer. His heart pounded in his chest as he reached out, grabbed Dave by the wrist, and kissed him. Dave let out a breath of hesitation and pulled back slightly, their faces inches apart. Alex looked at him, searching for a reaction.

Dave exhaled, eyes flickering with something deep, something unreadable, then he grabbed Alex back. And kissed him too. It was different this time. Deeper. Stronger.

Alex felt something break inside him. A wall he had built for too long. And before he could stop it, a tear slipped down his cheek. Dave noticed. He pulled back, his thumb brushing against Alex's skin, wiping the tear away.

But the tears kept coming.

"I'm sorry," Alex whispered. His voice was raw, broken. "I'm so sorry."

Dave didn't say anything. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Alex, holding him close, holding him tight; like he was something precious, and he was. He had been waiting for this moment just as long as Alex had. And in that embrace, Alex finally felt it. That long-lost happiness he thought he would never get back.

Outside the room, Scott and Mike stood quietly. Scott hadn't moved, hadn't spoken. Mike glanced at him, his expression unreadable, but Scott wasn't looking at him. He was staring at the door. Like the world had just crashed around him.

His chest felt tight. His mind felt blank. Then, before he even realized, a single tear slipped down his cheek. He wiped it away quickly, turning so Mike wouldn't see.

But Mike did. And before Scott could leave, Mike reached into his pocket, pulled out a neatly folded white handkerchief, and held it out.

Scott hesitated. Then he took it, forcing a small smile. "Thanks."

He turned and walked outside. And Mike just stood there, watching him go.