32. Scratching My Back

"Agh! My back!"

"You're not supposed to lift the heavy ones by yourself, Manager Ari. Let me help you."

"No, I'm fine! These items of luggage are my responsibility." Brushing Rey's hand away from the boxes, Ari warned him against meddling. "You've helped enough."

Rey let out a low laugh. "For someone getting flustered so easily, your warning does sound weak."

"Boy, haven't you become courageously mannerless," Ari grunted, then took in a deep breath and bent a little lower as if he were about to do a deadlift. It was a struggle with gravity, but he managed to lift one heavy box containing his belongings and waddle walked to his room. Rey watched him on and chuckled. 'He may have slept through his hurt, but there was no doubt his patience was hanging by a thin thread.'

"I promise not to touch you," Rey said after being caught carrying another box towards Ari's room. "I'm aware of how faithful you wish to remain to partner, so please let me help."

"It must be snowing in summer for you to admit aloud two men can be lovers."

Rey simply smiled and walked past Ari. "It's your private affair, and I have no say in it."

"So you do know how to keep off other people's businesses, don't you?"

Rey smirked but didn't respond. Seeing that the mood was lighter, Ari finally accepted a helping hand, not that he had any say in it with Rey's stubbornness. Besides, them being back to his home was a significant contributor to his lifted spirits; therefore, he felt no need to stay on guard around Rey. After all, what else had Rey not seen about him? From his naked body to having sex and being bashed by his family.<i> 'Come to think of it, Mun has never met them, yet he is the only person that knows me well and the longest.' </i>

Thoughts of waking up beside Rey that morning brought blood rising to his cheeks from embarrassment. Luckily, Rey hadn't heard his escape towards the washroom.

Earlier on that morning, Ari speculated Rey had a point to prove, for he'd been adamant about checking out without breakfast. Whilst clearing their bill, he'd loudly claimed having shared a single room together with his grieving lover. It was almost laughable when the receptionist's jaw dropped as he openly pointed towards Ari shamelessly. Afterwards, requests to get assistance in carrying their pieces of luggage outside were met with a cold shoulder from the staff, and neither was any one of them maintaining eye contact with them.

"You know, I can never tell with you. It feels as if you are hanging in the middle." Ari spoke, a smile creeping in at the corner of his mouth. "If you continue to stick around me, you'll end up with a boyfriend."

"I'm not sleeping with another man."

"I'm being serious."

"Last time I checked, Manager Mun was straight."

"So it seems." Ari sighed in surrender. 'There was no winning with this one.' "Anyway, thank you for your help today and yesterday. You may leave now to your so-called manager. Off with you."

"Are you kicking me out?" Rey seemed adamant about leaving. "At least offer me a glass of water before I go."

"Get you one outside by the kiosk."

"Then let me take a shower first. Your boxes were not exactly light, and I've equally assisted you in unpacking almost everything."

"You can have one when you reach your apartment."

"Can't I just stay until Manager Mun gets back?"

"Rey, I'm too old to be going back and forth with you. My back hurts, and your nagging gives me a migraine."

"Did you see the look on their faces when we left?"

"What?"

"The staff at the hotel." Rey appeared to be amused. He casually slumbered on the couch and leaned back. Lifting his chin up, he let a loud laugh out. "To think that was me a couple of months ago. Now that I've had a new perspective, I can clearly see how everything is from the other side. Ignorance is indeed a disease."

"Can you please leave my house?"

"A kiss. That's all I ask for, then."

"Excuse me?"

"You won't let me have sex with you again, so a mare peck on the cheek would suffice, and I'll leave peacefully."

"When did this become a negotiation?"

Rey lowered his chin to look back at a frustrated Ari. <i>'With his earlier smile gone, there was no doubt he was growing impatient. Perhaps he wants some time alone to cry again, or maybe now that he no longer has any use for me, I've lost my relevance. But if I walk out, I might never see him again. I've equally run out of excuses to have him meet me and... This sudden creeping feeling, this intense fear of him disappearing again... It cripples my rationality. I can't simply write it off as a mere sexual desire. </i>

<i>He is going to go return to that man and forget about me!'</i>

"You know very well how I feel, but you keep mocking me. If you hold respect for me, then put an end to disregarding my efforts in moving on."

"I am respecting you, but leaving someone in pain alone will be against my nature. As I see it, you've temporarily become my responsibility until Manager Mun's return."

"What are you even talking about now? Do I look like some child who can't be left unattended?"

Rey left Ari's question unanswered, his mind on their little truffle the previous night. If anything, Ari only slept due to his deep dejected state. Otherwise, he'd have argued on and probably left the room.

Truthfully, Rey had to admit having become accustomed to Ari around and hadn't realized he was equally aware of him as someone he'd consider favourably admirable. He had kept his word and only slept beside Ari after he'd passed out, maintaining a respectable distance between them in bed. Despite being uncomfortable and the temptation to go beyond teasing him, he feared losing Ari's respect, something he never thought he'd have to worry about. Additionally, Ari's vulnerable state unearthed a side of him he'd only reserved for his sister, especially after she'd reformed after abandoning her gambling addiction. It was hell surviving the withdrawal period, and Rey had been present through the tears, tantrums, depression, cheerlessness... Everything! Most of the time, he'd wake up in the middle of the night to check if she was still breathing, an act he'd caught himself doing the previous night with Ari.

"We may be acquaintances, but I have to respect your work," Ari spoke while rubbing his shoulder, then flinched in pain. "Damn it, I think I slept on one side for too long."

"I'm a good masseuse." Rey jumped in on the opportunity. He still wished to maintain his relevance despite knowing full well it was a desperate attempt.

"Nope. I know that move far too well, so get out."

"I'm not making a pass at you. If you allow me, this will be the last thing I do; then I shall leave. I give you my word."

Ari pondered over Rey's offer, thinking back on how he'd probably spent the night awake just to make sure he was comfortable but then shook his head. "I have nothing to pay you for it. I'm unemployed, remember?"

"I wasn't asking for any pay apart from becoming your friend."

"No."

"Are you rejecting my friendship or the massage offer?"

"Both."

"As you wish, then." Rey conceded defeat after a long silence and stood up, then bowed his head, thanking Ari for allowing him a fraction of his private life.

<i>'Darn, why do I feel guilty all of a sudden?'</i> Ari wondered. He despised the conflict within him; however, considering the current circumstances, he felt guilty, having kept Rey awake the entire night and then had him carry his belongings from the moving van to the lift, one box after another. "My back, neck and upper shoulder. No touching anywhere else."

With a light grin, Rey was relieved to have his push-and-pull plan work out well. "I promise."

"We will do it in the living room. I don't want to give you any ideas." Ari said, then began unbuttoning his shirt.

Rey studied Ari's back and noticed a light swelling. "The pain could be channelling from your lower back and then spreading across. You don't need to take your shirt off completely. We can start as you sit down and figure out where you feel pain and how much on a scale of one to ten."

Ari did as instructed but immediately jumped up when Rey put a little pressure on his lower back. "That hurts!"

"Try lying down than on a flat surface. I think I know where the problem is. It will hurt, but with pestered pressure, you should be fine."

"You'd better not break anything!"

Rey laughed. "You slept on one side the whole night, so this was bound to happen. Perhaps you also knocked yourself on something judging from the swelling I'm looking at."

"Yesterday in the bathroom, yes! That was why I took so long to come out."

"Stop lying. You were in there bawling your eyes out."

"Keep quiet!"