9. First Nightmare

"Do you live alone here, Phi?" Javin asked while looking around.

This house is very nice, luxurious and big. It feels wider because of the high ceiling and open concepts are applied, so much light from outside that makes the room become natural lights.

"Previously I lived with my brother and Kwan. After marriage, my brother bought another house and moved with his wife. Kwan has been named as head of security since his father retired two years ago and automatically he had to return to the main house--my parents' house. I also often stay in the apartment, so this house more often empty. Two weeks ago, my nephew began to college and he needed a place to live, so I gave my apartment to be occupied by him and I returned here."

"It's very quiet here. Are you not lonely?"

Forth chuckled. He poured mineral water into a glass for Javin. The young man eats all he cooked, not just a fetucini, also salmon steak and chocolate pudding.

"Morning until lunch time, this house is crowded. My friends will come alternately to do their work here, hold a meeting or internal discussion, or just take a break and eat together. You could say, this house is a place to live, office, as well as headquarters."

"Owh, Phi, then whether my arrival now makes your work disturbed? According to Phi Kwan, you can't work with many people around you."

Forth smiled tendered. "You're not much, Javin and my job has also finished before you come with Kwan."

Javin blushed and quickly sipped his drinking water to disguise nervousness. Forth took the used plate of eating, but the young man held back his hand.

"Don't, Phi, let me cleaned. You've cooked, so let me help wash."

Forth looked at Javin's hand that was above his hand. Their skin color difference is quite contrasting. Javin's milky white skin on top of his tan.  Beautiful. 

Javin followed Forth's gaze and when he saw the position of their hands, he quickly withdrew his hand. 

Forth smiled. "Let's clean it up together. You can wash it and I'll help dry it. After that, I'll take you to the mini market." 

Javin and Forth together clean up used cutlery. They stand in front of the sink. Javin washed the dishes, Forth dried, while chatting. 

Javin stole a glance at Forth's profile and felt his heart beating fast, remembering how Forth had kissed the tip of his nose earlier. 

What does it mean? His mother used to do that to him when she was alive and said it was a form of affection. 

Javin bit his lower lip, trying not to be too happy with Forth's treatment of him. 

The man was much more mature than him and he was a businessman. Being friendly may have become a habit to attract clients and what he does is definitely not worth it.

 "Javin," Forth called. He touched Javin's shoulder gently and made the young man surprised. 

The plate he was holding fell slid back into the sink and split in two. Javin gasped and quickly took the plate, then quickly released it again because something stung his palm. 

Forth was very surprised, seeing blood flowing from Javin's palm to the sink.  He took Javin's hand and opened his palm. There was a long scratch on Javin's palm, because he was holding a broken plate. 

"Why are you so careless, Nong?"  grumbled Forth as he quickly took a tissue. "Your hands are precious because you're going to be a doctor, right?" 

Javin winced as Forth washed his injured hand in running water. Forth dried Javin's hands with a tissue and led him to the sofa. He took the first aid kit and sat next to Javin. 

The antiseptic sting and anti-infective ointment that Forth had applied to the wound made Javin wince. He bit his lower lip to hold back the pain and a few tears flowed down his face. 

Forth blew into his palm and looked up at the young man in front of him.  "Don't cry, little one," Forth said with a smile. 

He wiped Javin's tears with his hand and his thumb brushed Javin's lips gently.  "And don't bite your lip, you'll bleed. I'm not sure I can stop myself from licking your lips with mine if they hurt." 

Javin blushed so intensely that he felt his body heat up. Forth ignored the exasperated feeling in his heart, saw how blushing Javin's smooth cheeks made him turn red. 

After all, this person in front of him was a man like himself, but why was he so beautiful and adorable? 

Javin is tall, slender, with well-defined muscles, not stocky and bulky like Forth, but not limp and delicate like a woman. 

His face had ideal lines and features in an oval shape, making him handsome, but also beautiful and cute. 

Forth covered the bandage and rubbed Javin's palm gently. "That's done. Now sit quietly and wait until I finish cleaning up the kitchen. We'll be home after I wash up." 

Forth handed the television remote to Javin.  "Watch whatever you like while you wait for me." 

Javin wanted to say something about the kitchen but Forth looked at him and put his index finger over his lips and walked into the kitchen. 

Javin finally relented and searched for netflix channels on the large television attached to the wall. 

Forth finished his business in the kitchen, then went straight to his room to take a shower.

Javin watched a documentary on Netflix and felt sleepy. He leaned against the back of the sofa and hugged the soft pillow, then slowly his eyes closed and he flew into dreamland.

He was dreaming. A man was chasing him with a hunting rifle in his hand. Javin ran and one of his shoes fell off.

He cried all the way through, because he was tired and afraid of being caught. Javin sprinted around and left his pursuers far behind.

He stopped and caught his breath, hiding in the bushes and trying not to make a sound.

He had to go back to the old barn, where the man who was chasing him, caught Javin trying to open the chain with a large padlock that locked the door.

The person confined in the warehouse must be waiting to be rescued. Javin came out of the bushes, but a big hand grabbed his nape.

"No, no, let me go, let me go!"

Forth grabbed Javin's neck and pulled the man's shoulders who looked scared and panicked into his arms.

"Javin, hey, wake up, sshhh... it's me, Nong, calm down," Forth coaxed while stroking Javin's back.

The body of the young man in his arms shook for a moment, then was still and stiff. Forth let go of the hug and looked into Javin's watery eyes and trembling lips.

"Phi Forth...."

Forth's hand stretched out, touching Javin's wet eyes. "You had a bad dream."

Javin was so scared. The image of the man with the gun and the person in the shed felt so real.

Javin sobbed and his hands clenched tightly on Forth's chest. Slowly, Forth cupped Javin's face and rested his lips on Javin's. He heard, this vanilla-scented young man gasped.

***