Chapter 11

[Oh yeah...I'll show him the picture I took!] Eric thought once he and Dino reached the exit of the mall while they were on their way home.

"Hey, Dino, I'll show you something," Eric declared while grinning.

Dino looked at Eric innocently and asked, "What is it?"

Eric showed Dino the picture that the former took when the latter and Ivan kissed on the stage. Dino blushed upon seeing it.

"Oh my God!" Dino blurted out with his face red from blushing. "So you took a picture of us!"

Eric laughed and responded, "Yes, I did! But don't worry...Your face here can't be seen. Ivan's hand covered your face here." 

"Really?!" Dino asked before taking a closer look at the picture.

True enough, Ivan's hands were placed on the sides of Dino's head when they were kissing, making the latter's face not very visible. It was as if Ivan was trying to protect Dino's identity by doing so. Then Dino also remembered that Ivan firmly held the former's head when they kissed at the stage.

"Yeah, you're right!" Dino exclaimed happily. "It seems that he was protecting my identity by placing his hands on the sides of my face."

"Well, yeah...It looks like it," Eric replied while nodding in agreement. "Seems like he's very considerate of you."

"Yeah, I guess," Dino responded while blushing.

"By the way, how was Ivan's kiss? Did you like it?" Eric inquired teasingly. 

Dino blushed and turned away from Eric before replying, "Well...I think so. It felt good."

Eric laughed and declared, "Just as I thought! You really, really like Ivan! Am I right, Dino?"

Feeling annoyed, Dino turned to face Eric again and responded, "Hey! I don't!" 

"But your face says otherwise, man!" Eric exclaimed while grinning from ear to ear. "Your face is red, and you're feeling embarrassed to admit it!"

"Hey, stop it now, Eric!" Dino retorted. "I won't say anything!"

"You love him, don't you?" Eric declared teasingly. "So, when are you going to confess your feelings to Ivan?"

"You pronounced it wrong," Dino answered. "It's pronounced as 'ee-van', not 'eye-van'."

"Okay, I'll pronounce his name as 'ee-van' from now on," Eric replied while smiling. "But how do you know about the correct pronunciation? I really don't think that you researched about that, man."

[I can't let him know that I met Ivan yesterday.] Dino thought decidedly.

"Well..I realized that his name would be pronounced as either 'ee-van' or 'eye-van' by different people, so I researched about the correct pronunciation," Dino answered as straightforwardly as he could.

"I see," Eric replied while grinning. "So, how about your feelings? When will you tell him about it?"

"I told you, I'm not!" Dino retorted. "And please stop asking me about it now!"

"Okay, fine then," Eric answered while smiling in a friendly way. "Anyway, shall we go home now?"

"Yeah, let's go," Dino responded, obviously still annoyed with Eric's teasing.

[I still don't know if I like him romantically, so I shouldn't even answer Eric's question right now.] Dino thought while he was walking a few steps ahead of Eric.

[It seems like he isn't sure about his feelings for Ivan yet.] Eric thought while staring at Dino from behind. Yeah, right...I shouldn't be teasing or asking him about that if that's the case.

"Hey, Dino, I'm sorry," Eric declared apologetically.

"Please don't talk to me for now," Dino answered bluntly. 

"Okay then," Eric replied.

Dino and Eric did not say even a word to each other while they were on their way home. It was when they were already near their respective homes when Dino spoke again. 

"Okay, see you tomorrow, Eric," Dino declared while smiling innocently.

"Yeah, man," Eric answered with a nod. "You're not mad anymore?"

"I wasn't mad. I was just annoyed, you know," Dino replied with his hands on his waist. "Anyway, it's okay now. Don't even think that I'm mad at you before you sleep tonight. Okay?"

"Okay!" Eric exclaimed merrily. "Thanks, Dino! See you tomorrow then!" 

Eric and Dino waved at each other before both of them proceeded to enter their respective homes. 

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That evening, Gian noticed how happy Dino was when they were working together to wash the dishes and clean up the kitchen and dining room after having their dinner.

"Hey, you look happy, Dino," Gian declared upon seeing his younger brother's smile. 

"Oh? It's really that obvious?" Dino asked while smiling from ear to ear.

"Yeah!" Gian answered with a nod. "So, why are you happy? Did something happen to you today?"

"Yeah! I got the chance to meet Ivan Sadovsky at the fan meeting today!" Dino exclaimed joyfully.

Just like Eric, Gian was confused since Dino had pronounced Ivan's name differently from usual.

"Ivan (ee-van)? Who's that?" Gian inquired with a confused look.

"Ah, right," Dino replied, realizing that his older brother does not know about the correct pronunciation of Ivan's name yet.

"Ivan, as in that Russian swimmer whom I had bet on when we watched a swimming match on TV recently," Din explained

"What?!" Gian asked surprisingly. "You mean that swimmer whom you admire so much?!"

"Yes!" Dino exclaimed merrily. "Eric and I went there to meet him."

"I see," Gian declared with a smile. "You should have told me about that. I'd like to meet him too if given the chance."

"Oh, sorry!" Dino said apologetically. "I forgot to tell you."

"It's fine. Just remember to tell me next time," Gian replied while still grinning. "Alright?"

"Okay, I'll tell you next time," Dino answered while grinning innocently.

"Thank you," Gian answered. "And how did you know that his name is pronounced as 'ee-van'."

"I researched about it," Dino replied with a grin.

"Okay," Gian responded with a nod. "That makes sense. But why did you research that?"

"I just got curious," Dino replied.

"I see," Gian responded. 

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Once he was inside his own room, Dino kept on thinking about the two times that he and Ivan had kissed already. He still could not believe that things were going that quickly between them. 

[Yeah...Ivan and I have kissed twice already.] Dino thought while sitting on his bed. I...I want him to kiss me again.

Then Dino shook his head and thought, [Wait...What am I thinking? Shouldn't kissing be done between two people who are in love? And I'm still not sure of how I feel for Ivan.]

At that moment, Dino heard his mobile phone ringing. When he checked, he saw that it was Ivan who was calling.

It's Ivan! Dino thought happily before answering his mobile phone.

"Hello, Ivan?" Dino said as soon as he picked up.

"Dino! Hello!" Ivan exclaimed merrily. "How are you?"

"I'm good!" Dino replied cheerfully. "And you?"

"I'm good too, especially because you came to meet me again today," Ivan answered with a voice that sounded like he was really happy about seeing the person he likes. "Thanks for coming to the event today!"

"Ah, no problem, Ivan!" Dino exclaimed. "My friend and I planned to meet you there after all."

"That's great!" Ivan declared merrily. "Anyway, see you this Sunday, Dino! I'd be glad to see you again!"

"Yeah! See you there, Ivan!" Dino answered excitedly.

"Yeah! Bye for now, Dino. I like you!" Ivan declared in a lively manner..

"Okay! Bye!" Dino replied sweetly before he and Ivan disconnected from the call.

Unbeknownst to Dino, his older brother Gian was listening while the former was talking to Ivan over the phone.

[What the heck?! Did Dino say 'Ivan'?!] Gian thought while wearing an amazed look on his face. [Was he talking to that Russian swimmer Ivan? What's going on?!]