✒ Chapter 18 : Warm hearted

AT THE public market...

"This place is so stinky, I want to puke somewhere. Ethan, don't you agree?" Center said while wearing a protective face mask. Ethan ignored Center as he continued talking with some of the vendors who obviously were happy seeing the good guy around. Center has never been to a public market in his whole life. Ethan knew that but the spoiled brat insisted, he would follow Ethan everywhere.

'It's just a public market. There's no harm in going there, right Ethan?' Center asked Ethan a while ago.

"Hey Ethan, can we go back now?" Center asked with a pleading voice as if he would throw up anytime soon. The smell of the fish, the raw meat, the flies and the dried vegetables on the ground gave Center enough reason to back out. As a child who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he just found those things nasty. Ethan glared at Center as he reminded the spoiled brat.

"I told you not to come with me. Now you're just disturbing me. I cannot even choose the proper items my father wanted me to buy because of you. You're really troublesom-" Ethan didn't happen to finish what he was going to say because Center covered his mouth and said, "Please Ethan, I'm going to get sick"

Ethan rolled his eyes as he lend the bags to Center and pulled the taller guy's hand, dragging him out of the place. Center didn't protest as he let the smaller boy dragged him harshly outside the public market. They went inside a big pharmacy to buy medicine.

"What's the medicine for?" Center asked as he felt he was getting better and his breathing turned to normal.

"It's for my father" Ethan said as he picked a priority number near the counter and handed it to Center who was currently sitting on one of the benches. The day was Sunday so there were a lot of people inside the place.

"This is the receipt, give it to the pharmacist once your number is called." Ethan said as he looked down at Center who was currently looking up at him, staring as he realized how cute Ethan looked on that view. Him sitting on a bench and Ethan standing in front of him between his parted legs.

"Stop dozing off. You wait here for me, I'll go back to the market. You buy father's medicine, got it?" Ethan said as if he was talking to a child who never seemed to understand things easily. Center nodded and smiled.

'He's acting like a girlfriend' Center thought as he tried not to smile.

"Wait for me here" Ethan said and left the spoiled brat.

"Number 68? Number 68 please?" the lady said and Center made his way to the counter. He handed her the paper and the lady said, "Is it for your father, sir?"

"Ahh, no. My friend's father" Center said. He wanted to say it was his boyfriend's father, he wished. The lady nodded and looked for the medicine and placed them inside the small tray.

"1,002.25 pesos, sir" the lady said as Center remembered Ethan didn't hand him money. The spoiled brat chuckled as he got his own wallet from his pocket and paid the bill. As Center went outside the store, he decided to get back to the market where he remembered Ethan was. He planned to tease Ethan for not giving him money for the medicine. He always wanted to see how cute the good boy blushes when he is embarrassed.

•••

"Here, thank you. Come again sometime" the vegetable lady said to Ethan as the good guy returned her kindness with a smile. Ethan just finished buying the things he needed to buy and planned to go back to Center. He felt weird and wondered why his money was a bit bigger than usual. He usually computes the budget accurately. Gasping, Ethan realized he didn't give Center the money for the medicine. Ethan mentally slapped his face as he rushed towards the exit.

"How come I didn't notice?" Ethan murmured while stomping one of his feet silently.

Center was heading towards Ethan while the smaller boy made his way towards the poor spoiled brat he left in the pharmacy. Luckily Center saw Ethan in the middle of the crowd. Ethan didn't notice Center and he was about to rush towards the opposite direction when Center called him.

"Ethan, I'm right here!" Center shouted without minding the eyes of other people on him. He was waving his two hands with the plastic bag and smiled widely. Ethan saw Center from a far and he immediately walked towards the taller boy. Panting, Center too made his steps longer as he approached Ethan. Unfortunately, an old man was not able to notice that Center was walking beside his fish displays. The old man was carrying a black basin with water inside it, not the clean water but the used ones. The water that the old man used for cleansing the raw fishes was thrown right coincidentally towards Center's direction. The stinky smell tickled Center's nose as he was about to explode out of disgust and anger when Ethan immediately dragged him away from the old man. The man felt sorry for Center and so was Ethan. The good boy just made the right decision or else Center would freak out and might scold the old man. That would definitely bring disaster and Ethan knew that Center would regret afterwards when he already calmed down. Center did his best to cover the medicine inside the plastic bag underneath his shirt and silently handed the bag to Ethan.

"I'm sorry if I left without giving you money. I'll pay you once we get home." Ethan murmured, guilt and embarrassment written all over his face.

"I got no more pocket money to buy new and clean clothes" Center said honestly while pouting.

"Your clothes from before were still in my closet. You can use them" Ethan said when he remembered he was not able to return Center's clothes yet.

"Yeah, and you owe me a dinner" Center said while grinning, not minding the stinky smell in his clothes and the disgusted face of the people passing through them.

"I think you should change right now" Ethan concluded. Ethan bought a pair of not so decent pair of clothings including a local branded underwear. He handed the clothes to Center and accompanied the spoiled brat to a public comfort room. Center barely touched the clothes but he wore them anyway. He put the stinky clothes inside the plastic bag Ethan provided him and went out of the cubicle. The scrunching face of the popular guy was welcomed with a wet wipes on his forehead. Center frowned when he realized that Ethan was wiping his own arms to remove the unpleasant smell.

"Just bear with it for now. You can shower all you want when we arrive at my house." Ethan said as he handed the wipes to Center. Center pouted and started wiping his face. He flinched when Ethan helped him wipe his neck and arm. Center's heart was beating so loud that he was afraid Ethan might hear it. Ethan realized what he did and withdrawed his hand. He never intended to give Center another wierd conclusions, he really just wanted to help. But it would never changed the fact that Center liked Ethan wiping his neck. Before Center could say anything to tease Ethan and made the smaller boy felt self-conscious, he just stared at Ethan in awe.

"I just want to help, it would take forever if you don't hurry up. You know what I mean" Ethan said as he avoided Center's gaze.

"Oh?" Center said absentmindedly

"Thanks" he added as he averted his gaze away from Ethan. The spoiled brat was blushing sheepishly.