49 ✒ Chapter 37 : I'm here for you

Currently shaking his hands off, Ethan inhaled deeply to release the nervousness he was feeling.

"Hey! Relax, I'm here" Rei said with a smile. Standing next to Ethan, Rei felt too relax while the other one was nervous.

"I'm here too" Center said while wearing that grumpy face. Khein scoffed as he sat on the bench near the backstage. Today is the audition day for the search of the band that Ethan's father had been wishing for his son to join. The four of them were currently standing by at the backstage together with the other auditionees.

"Kheiny, do you want something to eat? Are you thirsty? Do you feel uncomfortable here?" Rei asked Khein as he placed the drumsticks on the bench and sat beside the rebel guy.

"Shut up, dumbass. I'm doing fine." Khein said bitterly and averted his gaze towards the other contestants. Rei bit his bottom lip and later on made a pouting face. Khein was busy looking at the other guys that he didn't notice the slumpy puppy beside him.

"Stop checking out on other guys" Rei said while pouting. Khein looked at the psycho guy with a horrible face. Of course he would not do such thing, he couldn't even think about being with other guys.

"What the hell are you talking about? I'm not checking them out" Khein said calmly. He was just trying to entertain himself because he was getting bored. He thought, 'How could I even stay longer in a place like this just for this dumbass's sake?'

Khein sighed as he realized how much he had done for Rei without even noticing them.

"Do you wanna get out of here?" Rei asked politely. He tried to hide his disappointed face because he knew from the start that Khein hated boring places. Khein suddenly felt guilty and faked a cough.

"Ah! No! Not really, yeah" Khein lied as he scratched the side of his neck. Rei noticed one of Khein's habit when he is lying.

"You're lying." Rei said and bit his bottom lip.

"You scratch your neck when you lie" Rei said politely which made the rebel guy felt deeply guilty.

"Fine fine" Khein said and sighed.

"I'm bored" the rebel guy said while avoiding Rei's gaze. He couldn't say the proper words but he wanted to make Rei felt relieved.

"and?" Rei asked sadly.

"But I'll stay because A-a uhm..." Khein stuttered. He wanted to say, 'Because I want to see you perform!' or 'I want to cheer you up!' or 'I'm here to support you!' but he was to shy to say it out loud.

"ecause?" Rei asked. He felt suddenly worried that Khein might lose his temper and storm out of the place because of getting bored. Khein bowed his head as he felt his cheeks burned out of the sudden.

"Because... I..." Khein saw a vending machine with full of junk foods and drinks not far from them "...I  like the snacks here."

Rei chuckled and he softly patted Khein's head. Even though Khein didn't tell him the real reason, having Khein staying at the place was enough to make his heart felt warm.

...

"Hey" Center said and smiled at Ethan.

"Yeah?" Ethan asked with a slight smile. Center looked at Ethan sitting on the bench while hugging his electric guitar.

"You look cool" Center said confidently. He wanted to say, 'But you look cooler when you play music again with me'

"Yeah?" Ethan chuckled. Things were still unclear for the two of them. Ethan knew that Center liked him. It bothered him from the start but ever since Center confessed to him, the spoiled brat never changed at all. It was as if he was not bothered nor discouraged at all.

"I'll cheer up on you later! Do your best! You can do it!" Center said. He was too loud that the other guys were looking at him already. Ethan bowed his head because of embarrassment. Center giggled and made an awkward wave towards the guys.

"Just cheering my buddy!" Center said awkwardly and bit his lips. The spoiled brat covered his face with his palms while murmuring the words, "God that was awkward. Screw me, have some shame!"

Ethan chuckled with the sudden behavior.

Rei chuckled as he saw Center being shy while Ethan was secretly laughing at the spoiled brat's behavior.

Khein thought as he looked at Rei's envious aura, 'Should I say something like that too?'

"Center really do stupid things for the President. He can just simply cheer him in a more silent way-" Rei was thunder shocked when a soft kiss landed on his cheek. Rei blinked multiple times and looked at Khein who was currently spacing out.

'What the hell did I just do?!' Khein shouted in his mind as he remained frozen. He just kissed Rei on the cheek without thinking.

"Uhm" Khein mumbled as he couldn't find the words to utter. Rei's face was flushed red as he stared at Khein. If there weren't anyone around, he would have grabbed the rebel boy's neck and ravish his lips. Rei sighed and calmed himself down. His heart was screaming Khein's name nonstop.

"I'll find you in the crowd during our performance." Rei said happily and pinched Khein's chin softly. Khein's eyes widened because of the unexpected yet cute attack.

One of the organizers ordered both Center and Khein together with the other non-participating guys in the backstage to exit the area. They were told to get in the crowd because the backstage was only reserved for the participants. Khein was leaning against the wall while tucking his hands on his pocket.

"Oh my! I heard that two good looking guys from our school are joining the audition!" the girl cheered together with her friends.

'These babes are too distracting.' Khein thought. The numbers of people were increasing and the large place suddenly turned into a crowded space. Rei was only there to support Ethan with playing the drums. One after auditionees walked in and out of the stage, Khein was getting bored. A loud cheerings of the crowd, mostly from the ladies made Khein looked on the stage.

"Waaa!!! It's him it's him!! Come on raise them up!" the girl from before shouted. Khein saw Center from afar cheering lively on Ethan as the tandem entered the stage.

"Higher!!" the lady who seemed to be the leader of the three girls yelled. Khein frowned as the girls kept bumping him to the wall.

With the signal of Rei's drumsticks, Ethan started the song. They were both doing well on stage together with the other members of the band. Ethan saw Center cheering for him in the crowd. Rei's eyes were searching for Khein's presence but he couldn't spot him.

"Hey! It's so unfair! Why am I holding two of these?!" the girl beside Khein protested. The three girls were raising the big letters and one heart.

"I can't wave to Rei if I keep holding these!!" the lady said as if she was about to cry. Khein looked at the letters that they were holding: R - E - I and a ♥ symbol.

"Can you raise this for me?" the girl beside Khein said in a flirty way as she handed him the heart symbol.

Khein thought, 'No way in hell!!!'

Rei had been searching for Khein but to no avail he still couldn't find the rebel guy in the place. He thought while playing the drums, 'Maybe he left already.'

As the song almost ended, Rei noticed the three ladies from the back. They were raising three letters. Rei never thought he could have fans. Rei noticed the heart was slowly raised compared to the three letters. Rei instantly recognized the person who was holding the heart.

'My my. What am I seeing?' Rei thought unbelievably. Khein was holding the heart next to letter while bowing his head. He was too shy to show his face while raising the heart and acting like Rei's boyfriend and a die hard fan. Rei thought he could die any sooner out of happiness.