19. The Birthday Man

August and Leon's questions really annoyed Javin. He felt uneasy, thinking more deeply what the most appropriate answer to answer that question.

Is it true, what he feels for Forth, is love? Javin is worried, it's too soon, to confess that he loves Forth. How could it be?

It's only been a few months and even though he's feeling more and more erratic around Forth, could it just be an adrenaline-fuelled rush of hormones?

Or, did he just feel grateful for Forth's kindness and concern for him? After all, it seemed that Forth had also set his heart on someone else, so Javin didn't dare boldly declare that he was in love with the quiet man.

Javin had never been in love with anyone before, but he knew the signs, at least from websites and articles on teenagers, psychology, or everyday life. Some movies and novel, too.

Javin doesn't know if he's straight, bi, or maybe gay, because he's never been attracted to anyone.

Forth makes feelings different from what Javin has ever felt for other people, including those who have expressed their feelings for him, other women or men. But, he can be sure that's love.

"Hey, Nong, why are you daydreaming?" asked Shone who suddenly stood behind Javin. "What are thinking? Your brows furrowed so hard."

Javin was surprised and turned his head, saw Shone smiling at him while holding out a box with a glass lid to him.

Javin looked inside the box. "Oh wow, it's so beautiful Phi? Is there someone having a birthday?" asked Javin, admiring the dark blue birthday cake decorated with a motif of planets, moon and scattered stars depicting the night sky.

Shone tilted his head. "Hm. Forth. Tomorrow," Shone answered. "You did not know?"

Javin gasped. "Phi Forth's birthday tomorrow?"

"Yes. Didn't he say anything to you?"

"No, Phi. He just said that tomorrow will be a busy day, so I don't have to cook lunch for him because he has other things he wants me to do."

Shone chuckled. "He's always like that, but yes, tomorrow you will be very busy receiving various packages that will come. Actually until at least the next two or three days you will be busy receiving all those packages."

Javin's brow furrowed. "What package, Phi?"

"Gifts, of course, what else?"

"Owh," Javin muttered impressed. "How old is Phi Forth tomorrow?"

"28 years."

Javin stood up and took the cake box on the counter, then put it in the refrigerator in the kitchen.

"Phi Shone, do we need to buy a big birthday cake for Phi Forth? I didn't mean to say this cake wasn't big enough, sorry."

Shone raised an eyebrow. "Oh, that's not necessary, Nong. Do you know what we will need later?"

"Hm? What's that, Phi?"

"New fridge."

Javin paused for a moment, then looked at the fridge behind him. The refrigerator was very large, like those used in large restaurants or the kitchens of large hotels.

"This freezer is so big, Phi, we can hide two or three bodies in it without stacking them up."

Shone burst out laughing at Javin's words. "Oh, you are so funny with that dark joke, Nong Javin!"

Forth walked down the stairs, already showered and looking fresh with half wet hair. "What are you laughing at, Shone?"

Shone didn't answer, just trying to hold his laugh and pointed to Javin who's look upset because Shone laughed at him.

"Phi Forth, you're not drying your hair properly anymore," Javin complained.

He opened a cupboard near the guest bathroom and took out two towels. Javin opened a chair at the dining table. "Sit here, Phi, I'll dry your hair."

Forth followed what Javin said. Shone watched all the scenes with blank eyes. "Why don't you just use a hair dryer to make it go faster, Nong?" asked Shone carefully.

Forth turned to him with a sharp gaze and Shone winked at his best friend.

"Phi Forth doesn't like the noise and hot air from the hair dryer. It makes Phi Forth nervous," Javin replied while gently rubbing Forth's head.

Shone looked at Javin with unreadable eyes, but he nodded when Forth gave him a sign with his eyes.

"I'll bring a new refrigerator tonight, Javin," Shone said in a light tone. "You should be prepared to put and arrange all the cakes that will come in it. Ice cream and gelato, too."

Shone then walked to the door and walked out. The sound of his car was heard leaving the yard moments later.

Javin looked at Forth from the side of his head. "Why didn't you say that tomorrow is your birthday, Phi? I didn't prepare anything for you at all," said Javin in a slightly sulky tone.

Forth turned and his eyes met Javin's. He shook his head. "I hate my birthday," Forth muttered sharply. "They all--" Forth pointed towards the door. "--my friends and family, always try to make me like birthday parties and I always try to please them by pretending to be happy. But the truth is, I've hated my own birthday for a long time."

Javin's hand, which was brushing Forth's hair, stopped moving. He placed his towel on the table and pulled another chair in front of the one occupied by Forth. He stared straight into Forth's eyes. "Why?"

"It's nothing," Forth replied flatly. "Just a sad story that has haunted me for years now."

Javin put his hand on Forth's knee. "If you don't like birthday parties, why not try something different this time?"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Spending the night by the beach until sunrise, maybe it will make you like your birthday again. Or sleeping on an empty ridge on the hill while looking up at the night sky that looks very close to us. That's fun," replied Javin cheerfully. "I always do it every my birthday."

"You don't like your birthday either?"

"No. That's because my parents really like nature and they always make time to take a trip to nature every time one of us has a birthday. According to them, going back to nature is a way for us to love ourselves by admitting that we are very small and nothing in this universe."

"What a fine philosophy," Forth muttered. He looked down at Javin's hand on his knee.

"So where are you going? The beach or the hills?" Javin asked in a serious tone. "I'll accompany you, if you want."

Forth saw Javin's beautiful eyes looking at him tenderly and his faint smile, calming the turmoil of hurt feelings that had been buried deep in his subconscious for a long time, only appearing at times like this.

He felt that there was something familiar about the young man in front of him now, as if he had seen that same look and smile from someone he had been looking for for a long time, who had meant a lot in his life, but then disappeared like the wind and made him unable to stop wishing to meet again.

Forth leaned towards Javin and instead of answering Javin's question, Forth asked. "Javin, do you have a sister?"

***