PRESENT
"Wow, Arthur August, you're looking fantastic! I almost forgot you can dress up for a party like this!"
I laughed and messed Jihan's hair just because she can't stop teasing me. She was laughing, too, and proceeded to helping me with my bowtie.
The party where Yuan invited me to is tonight, and it's a formal one for the annual charity event lead by his own family. The whole city knows about this but the party itself only welcomes those who belong to the wealthiest of the wealthiest families and most well-known personalities. Never in my life that I imagined I will be attending to this party but there's really no turning back now.
It's not like I haven't attended formal parties but this is only the second time that I put a lot of effort to everything. The first one was when I asked Ji to come to a makeshift prom with me because she didn't get to attend hers in high school. I even asked my Aunt Melina for the suit I am wearing tonight!
Ji straightens my lapels then pats my shoulders. "Please, promise me that you'll enjoy tonight and you will not overthink things. You will have Yuan, the hottest attorney, by your side. Take note of that and remember it well. Plus, Aunt Melina even got back with Uncle Andy for your suit!"
I couldn't help but to feel bad after laughing with what she last said. "Yeah, thank you for reminding me."
Aunt Melina is the most supportive auntie there is and when I told her that I needed help with what I should wear for tonight, she immediately got back with Uncle Andy, so he could help me in her behalf. Uncle Andy is her most constant boyfriend of all, despite breaking-up constantly for no real, deep reason. If I'm still correct with our tally, it's their forty-ninth reconciliation for the most random of reasons. Their relationship is not the best one there is and it can certainly be considered as the messiest one to ever happen—but I guess they're old enough to do what they want, and we're just here to support them.
I looked at the watch that Uncle Andy even gave me just because he thought it perfectly matches the suit that he prepared for me. It's already past six in the evening and I still have half an hour before Yuan comes in. He insisted on fetching me instead of us simply meeting in the venue.
Ji's phone rings and, of course, it was Uno.
Speaking of Uno, he also invited Jihan to come tonight to the party with him; but I can really say now that my bestfriend is more cunning than anyone else. She simply said, with all honesty and straightforwardness, that she prefers a movie night him than going to the party and then bam! The poor officer was more willing to spend this night alone with her.
Not surprisingly, Ji's real reason why she didn't want to come is that she wanted me to spend my own night with Yuan alone—not literally though because, obviously, we will be with at least a hundred different people at the party. I still got her intention crystal clear though.
As I said that this party is going lead by Yuan's family, I should really be nervous about the hundred and one percent chance that I am going to meet them tonight. It's not a surprise anymore nor just a simple assumption because Yuan couldn't help himself but to remind me that he will introduce me to his family... as the one who find their grandfather's journal. But surprisingly enough, I am actually ready to meet them.
Maybe it's because of the latest journal entry that I've read. We also agreed that I will tell him all about it tonight.
"Hey, Art—just to quickly inform you, Uno and Yuan are already on their way here." Ji suddenly cut-off my thoughts.
"What?! I thought I had half an hour left!"
Ji laugh evilly. "Oh, please! You look incredible, so you better suck the fact already that you're the hottest attorney's date for tonight!"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Okay, being the date of the "hottest attorney" is literally not the easiest title to have.
We are almost at the main entrance of the venue and I can already see all the media people eager to welcome all the attendees that go out of their own cars. I didn't know that I am actually nervous for those flashing camera lights until tonight that I know those will be directed at us.
"Are you sure you want to continue?" Yuan suddenly asks, worry is evident on his tone. "We can just—"
"O-Of course!" I immediately said. Goodness, I should get my act together because I don't want to further worry him! "I-I'm sorry. I'm just a little n-nervous."
Nervous is an understatement but I really have to calm myself down. I breathe deeply and tried to relax myself as I remember Jihan's reminders. I shouldn't overthink things and enjoy myself. I repeated that mantra three more times.
I thought I was saying it in my head but Yuan laughs, so I knew I said it out loud. His laugh is so much of a happy that it is almost contagious. I am already unconsciously smiling with him.
He shakes his head, smiling widely. "You're making me the happiest person tonight, August, just by doing your best to calm yourself down. Thank you for doing this with and for me."
I can feel my whole face literally heating up! "S-Sorry—"
"Hey, there's no need to apologize for anything. Seriously, thank you doing this."
He unexpectedly offers me his hand and I didn't know my own ones were shaking until I reached for his. He softly squeezed my hand as if reassuring me that there's nothing I should be nervous about. That easily did the trick. I'm no longer nervous about anything else—it's just my heart, doing somersaults, that is left for me to handle.
Calm down, heart, calm down or I am actually afraid that he will hear us.
When it was our turn to get out of the car and face all the media, I knew I had nothing to worry about.
Yuan is by my side after all.
••••••••••
"I don't know if it's just me but I can somehow feel that there really is something with that boy, Yuan. I can somehow feel why he was the one who found the journal after almost two decades of waiting for it," said my eldest brother.
I accept the wine he offered me and nodded. I knew exactly what he meant.
Looking at how August easily blended and fitted to our family like it's the most natural thing in the world is amazing. I've never seen anyone became close with my own family this quick. Especially mom and dad. It's almost like we found a long-lost family member.
"You like him, don't you?"
That made me chuckle and finish my wine in an instant. "I am being too obvious, big brother?"
My brother laughs and pats my back. "My wife kept whispering to me how much you're whipped for him. I would have to agree because I can see it with my own eyes."
I could only shake my head. I feel my ears heating up and I'm sure they are as red as tomato.
It really feels like I am a teenager experiencing first love.
First love...
I have never given a thought about my own first love until that day of the kindergarten event. I really did give it a thought and from everything that I concluded, I can easily say that August is my first love. Saying it out loud in my mind like this make my heart race.
August is my first love.
My brother pats my back again. "We're here to support you, baby bro. As long as you're happy."
August looks at our direction; he smiles widely and even waves at me.
My heart has never been this wild inside my chest that it almost hurt. A good kind of hurt because I know this is all because of the man I like. Only August can literally cause me my death because of how possible it is for my heart to break my chest at this point.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
The event is halfway through and the floor has been opened for everyone who wants to dance. Finally, after almost all evening, I have August back by my side because my family is dancing with their own partners. I wanted to ask him to dance with me but I know he needed to rest for a bit. My family can be too much for a single person.
So, instead of dancing, I asked him to come to the balcony with him.
"You really have a nice family, Yuan." He said as we were walking.
I chuckle. "They certainly like you."
The skies are clear and we can easily the beautiful night sky. August leans in to the balcony's rail and inhales the cold breeze. Having him under the moonlight like this hit differently. He looks almost ethereal as his grey suit matches the setting very well. I couldn't help but to be mesmerized and I took all my chance to stare at him for as long as I can.
I didn't have the chance to look away when he turns to me again. He smiles. "Thank you for letting me meet your family, Yuan. It was really nice meeting them."
I debated whether to tell him what my brother told me—I dwelled on it and decided that there is a right time for everything. Instead, I reminded him about the journal entry that we need to talk about.
August immediately beamed and I know that he liked what was written in the entry. He proceeded to telling me all about it and I can't help but think that I am kid in the library eagerly listening to his storytelling. I teased him about what I was thinking and it made me pause to laugh. He even teased me back that I can't be a kid because I'm too big.
"...I don't know how to explain it properly and on how it will make sense, but when I read the part when Nurse L is finally back—I just knew that I felt happy that they met again." August's eyes are almost glistening with the moonlight.
When he was done telling me all about it, I felt that same heaviness in my heart. This familiar heaviness that happens right after everything.
He was suddenly looking all worried and it made me chuckle. "I-I'm fine, August. In fact, I was thinking about asking you to have the next dance with me. Only if you're not tired."
August's smile is something really contagious. "I am honestly thinking of the same thing."
The heaviness in my chest slowly starts fading away. I offered him my hand and we both laughed because it is our first-time dancing like this; we ended up placing his hands on my shoulder as I hold onto his waist. The music from inside plus the natural serene of the night made it possible for us to dance in our pace. Slowly and gentle, eyes locked within each other gazes.
"Do you remember when you told me that the journal was cursed?" He suddenly asks.
I nodded. Of course, I remember that because that was the first day we met.
He is the first one to look down. I thought we would stop dancing, but instead he gently leans his head on my chest as we continue dancing our slow dance.
Then I realized that he was all red and probably drunk from all the wine he had. That made me shake my head and simply tighten my hold of him just in case he collapses.
He looked up to me again, looking more adorable because he really is drunk. "C-Cursed or not, Y-Yuan, I'm glad I got to meet you like this."
"You're drunk." I said a matter of fact yet I can't remove my happy smile from what he said. I am the one to break up our dancing so I could cup his cheeks. "I think we should go, okay?"
This young man leans in more to my touch and when he opens his eyes again, he said, "will you kiss me, Yuan?"
My heart rejoices from what he said and I gladly oblige.
"Please..." He whispers more.
"You can't forget about this tomorrow, August."
I did it—I kissed August Arthur, my first love, and my heart happily hurts.
A thunder suddenly lights up the night sky and the unexpected rain pours hard. We both ended up laughing, almost sobering both us.
A thunder crashes once again and what happened next froze me in place. My aching heart is beating so fast. I felt a chill down in my spine—I can feel all my goosebumps across all my skin.
With that sudden thunder flash, I saw someone else in him. I saw a different face.
I know for sure that I saw Nurse L in August.