Demand 1

"So why?"

Arghi felt his throat dry up that very second after hearing that short question that escaped Reiki's lips. He didn't know what expression he was showing Arghi right now, was that a display of pity? Or something else? Arghi can't see that.

Arghi chose to be silent for a while, it was very difficult to repeat that bad moment spinning in Arghi's head and dancing mocking Arghi for his helplessness. Feeling the inside of his stomach as if churning to expel the contents of his stomach again, his hand rose to his mouth to press harder there.

A touch behind Arghi's back made him flinch in surprise as his body stiffened. Arghi relaxed again realizing it wasn't a danger from the things he feared would happen, and where the touch remained there sent a warm feeling that spread throughout Arghi's body.

"Sorry. I will never do it again. I'll get rid of that." Reiki said next to him, Reiki's palm that had been resting on Arghi's back gently moved up and down and Arghi felt he hated himself.

Arghi wanted to say a lot of things that were already on the tip of his tongue but it seemed like Arghi was about to spit stones out of his stomach. Whatever happened to him, it was Arghi's problem and Arghi couldn't involve Reiki in getting into the mud puddle that Arghi had created himself.

If only Arghi had listened to Galant then. Listening to Galant not to come down to face the thief like a hero, then Arghi won't be able to lose his sight and he won't be a parasite to Galant's life either.

"No," said Arghi, straightening his back. He had never felt more vulnerable to the feeling of shame that surrounded him than now right next to Reiki. Arghi then continued, "Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong, Reiki."

There was a breath that soft brushed Arghi's neck until a hand wrapped around his waist. Reiki was completely leaning on Arghi resting his head on Arghi's shoulder, then he said in a low mumble, "How long exactly, have we not been sitting alone or spending time like this?"

Not. Reiki shouldn't go back to those days again. Thinking of Arghi's good days feels like an illusion in the past and it never happens just a flower of sleep. Arghi found himself closing his eyes because he suddenly felt so tired just opening his eyelids and found nothing to see with his two eyeballs.

However, behind it, all Arghi was still trying to spread an arch in each corner of his lips. "It's probably been centuries and I've been overgrown with moss."

"So you were waiting for me?" Reiki asked with a humorous tone that filled his sentence and Arghi couldn't help but smile even wider than this.

"You have to wake up from your dream."

"I was wondering about Galant, why is he so fast body overtaking us. Did you feed him or something?"

Arghi chuckled even though he didn't know for sure how Galant had changed besides his height increase and his behavior getting weirder towards Arghi. "If I could do it, of course, I would do it myself."

"No, I like you more like this."

"Reiki, after going to another country for so long, why don't you bring or tell someone to me now? I'll listen to it with interest."

"What did you just say?"

Arghi's smile instantly faded from his face and also he had lost the warmth from the weight on his shoulders. He felt Reiki's gaze on Arghi, instead of him saying the meaningless thing just now. Reiki was in a place tens of kilometers away from Arghi and the two of them had completely separated and related like normal friends were impossible if Reiki just enjoyed himself for that long.

"Is that you?" Reiki's tone changed so much from before bringing a soft tingle to Arghi's skin.

Arghi did not attempt to answer or counter anything Reiki asked him. Since Galant's father spent a lot of time in the hospital, Arghi had no time to himself in such matters. He only focused on how Galant didn't feel worried and lonely all the time and Arghi also had to be around Galant when his father died.

"So it's true?" Reiki asked again.

Arghi didn't expect this kind of loud conversation, he just wanted Reiki to understand that Arghi is okay if Reiki has someone else and that they are done.

"You know Arghi, that as long as I'm away from you I can't see anyone else like I've seen you all this time. So how can I? How can I switch?"

There was a pause between them as Arghi guessed what was going on inside Reiki's head right now. Arghi also blocked all any feelings that would expand in his chest because of Reiki's words just now, he just felt that they were inappropriate for him. Arghi seemed to be pulled back into reality when he heard a small cough from Reiki which startled Arghi.

"Fine, let's forget about that," Reiki said with a sigh and Arghi sensed that Reiki was leaning on his sofa. There was awkwardness in both of them, Arghi ignored that so he opened his eyes again.

Arghi upraised his hand wiping his hair to the side, but it seems it will not be easy and his hair will go back to the previous point. Arghi was silent as a hand wrapped around Arghi's wrist to stop him from moving continuously.

"I know you are uncomfortable, can I help you to cut it?" asked Reiki sinking his fingers into Arghi's strands of hair.

"No, Galant forbids me to do that," said Arghi who this time became more relaxed than before.

"You don't have to do what Galant wants Arghi. If it doesn't make you comfortable or makes you better, then don't do it."

Arghi knows that, but...

But what? Arghi himself didn't know that.

"It's okay, it doesn't bother me."

Reiki let out a short sigh next to him, Arghi followed Reiki leaning next to him.

"You should know Galant is no longer a child. You also can't have to do what Galant wants if it's not supposed to happen." Reiki said with words that Arghi immediately disapproved of.

"Reciprocity? Responsibility?" asked Reiki which made Arghi successfully lock his lips tightly. He didn't expect there to be so much change in Reiki's nature after so long that Arghi didn't speak properly.

However, Arghi still said, "What's the matter with you, Reiki? What can I do for Galant when I can't even see? If it's a return then why? It's Galant asks for okay this and that, I just don't know in what way. Again I repay the kindness of him and his family."

"Even if he asks you in his bed?"