"Nikki, remember the first time we met?" Liam chuckled, remembering the most embarrassing youth moments they did back in their old days. Nikki smiled lightly and nodded, holding Liam's hand.
"I can't believe we ended up like this. But, I'm lucky to have you." Liam said dotingly.
"Me too." Nikki said happily. They both chuckled lightly while reminiscing the past. Looking at the old album full of old pictures, they felt nostalgic and deeply recall how they first met.
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10 years ago...
"Liam wake up!" Liam's mom shouted half-way across the room. However, the young man inside his messy bed didn't wake up despite his mom's loud voice. He was still snoring, he even drooled on his pillow.
In fact, Liam had a very interesting dream. He was dreaming that he was the protagonist of the novel he just read and was about to marry the male lead when a loud, shrieking voice woke him up.
"You and your books! Do you want me to throw them away? Next time if you stay up late, don't expect that you can still read those books again. You hear me Mr. Jones!?"
"Okay, okay! I'm up! Jeez, I'm in the middle of important situation." Liam 'tsked' and looked at the messy books sprawled on his bed. He looked at the one he just read recently and sighed. He thought, "Right, it only existed in books."
Because he still have to go to school, Liam groggily sat up on his bed and stared blankly at the door. He didn't want to get up nor he wanted to go, but he have to or he will suffer the power of poverty. What would he do if he doesn't have money?
He couldn't buy BL books which was the source of his happiness.
Right, Liam has a big secret, he loves reading BL stories, movies, novels, comics...
Just all about BLs.
When his favorite author published good BL books, he automatically clicked. When there was a good BL movie, he would definitely watch it. One thing that he struggled with this secret...
He doesn't have anyone to share his excitement which was a little dull and lonely for him.
People who have this hobby couldn't say it out loud. There are many homophobic out there, and poor Liam just didn't want to be judged.
He just shared his misery, happiness, and excitement to himself. Though he had friends, it's not like they can accept it easily if they found out. Not all, but there's still a possibility.
Back to the present, he dragged himself to the bathroom and took a bath.
The lukewarm water glided his fair skin, and the mist made his cheeks blushed. After he took a bath, he immediately prepared himself to go to school because he was late after he checked the clock.
He even ran to the streets holding his cup noodles, ignoring the gazes that fell on him. Good thing he still managed to catch up with the bus. He entered the bus with a cup noodles on his hand.
The people who saw him suddenly felt funny. He still had a noodle dangling on his lips and slurped it hurriedly. He helplessly chuckled at the people laughing at him and joined them.
Until he arrived at school, he hurried up ran all the way to the gate. Unluckily, he was one step ahead when the gate was closed. He was pissed off the he kicked the stone lying defenselessly on the ground and thought of a way to enter without getting caught.
He suddenly remembered that one gangster uke when he coolly entered the school grounds as he climbed the gate. His school uniform fluttered in the air and noticed that the council president was underneath the school grounds. He lost his way and panicked, good thing he accidentally fell to the school president's arms. Their hearts beat in unison. Their positions were awkward and the gangster uke lost his coolness.
He didn't know he could use that technique. He was glad he read that one.
He copied that gangster uke's action in the novel with difficulty and jumped the school grounds quickly when he noticed that someone was there.
Tall man, stone-face, ethereal beauty...
Isn't this the student council president?!
Wait, this scene feels familiar. This is the actual scene of the book! Liam's heart throbbed heavily and was expecting to land on the man's arms when...
The man avoided the falling man and Liam successfully landed on the ground with his back.
Liam couldn't even utter a single word because he 'fell' hard with a thump.
The man just stared at him and didn't even helped him. Liam really wanted to stab the student council president to death.
"Are you okay?" The student council president said indifferently, staring at the sorry figure lying on the ground.
'Okay? Am I looking okay?!'
"I'm fine. REALLY FINE!" Liam said sarcastically and got up with difficulty. Nikki misinterpreted his words and thought that he was really fine so he said, "Okay."
...
'What the actual fvck!?'
"What's your name?" He said without emotion. Liam gritted his teeth and said aggrievedly, "Liam Jones from class B."
"Liam Jones from class B, you are tasked to throw the garbage."
"What?!" Liam shrieked while the sculpture Nikki didn't even care.
"You're late, you are required to join the late students there." Nikki pointed the place where the late students gathered and stared at Liam.
"You can go after that."
A moment of silence...
"Um, my back hurts and I really can't move. I think my ribs just broke. It hurts~" Liam whined just to convince the sculpture Nikki to let him go. But sculpture Nikki was immovable and stared at him quietly.
"You just said that you're fine."
Liam really wanted to punch student council president's face. But if he really do that, he'll be killed for sure. So, he followed Nikki's instructions. He crouched down, throwing garbages as what Nikki said with anger.
"Nikki's handsome as always!" One of Nikki's fans said while looking at Nikki with admiration.
"He's so domineering! I pictured him as cold on the outside, and soft on the inside."
'Soft as hell, he even ignored me while hurting my back. Stupid president!'
"I kept thinking about it too. And he's giving me cool CEO vibes." Another one said.
Liam got tired listening to them and started to pick up the trashes scattered everywhere.
'People still have no common sense? Didn't even know how to throw trashes?'
Liam indignantly uttered the word 'useless' and laughed angrily. Until he finished his job then he went to Nikki.
"Done, can I go now?" Liam said indifferently. Nikki looked over to where Liam recently was and nodded.
Liam's mood went up to heaven and grabbed his bag happily.
"Hold up, your zipper's open. Remember to close it. That's all. You can go now."
Liam felt like he had been poured by cold water and looked down on his pants.
'God, just kill me now!'
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"MY ZIPPER IS OPEN! MY ZIPPER IS OPEN AND HE SAW MY UNDERWEAR!" Liam said angrily while his best friend, Jake was litening to him blabbering.
"I told you to sleep early. You know, sleeping late will make your head bald." Jake said as he read comics. Jake seems to be the only one who knows Liam's secret. He never really reacted, he just said that it's normal. People have different tastes.
"I can't help it! As soon as I started reading, I'm craving for more. And when I'm craving, I can't stop reading!" Liam said helplessly as Jake pushed his eyeglasses as he continued reading.
"Then go get bald then."
"You really know how to spoil people's mood. And that Nikki! He didn't even catch me falling to the ground. My back hurts, you know?" Liam said displeased as he touched his back.
"I would also do that to you."
"Are you really my friend?" Liam pouted and Jake stared at him, unmoved.
"Although you're my friend, you're so silly that I doubted I know you." Jake said expressionlessly.
"That's it! Friendship's over!" He helped and sat on his desk. He opened his bag and grabbed his newly bought book which was a trend by his favorite author. Glancing from left to right, he read the book secretly.
Although he had a straight face, he was inwardly screaming about the scene on the book.
It was the protagonist and male lead kissing. He wanted to scream so bad, but he knew he can't do that. So, he was feeling his misery secretly.
"Mr. Jones... Answer my question please." The teacher said while Liam didn't hear the question.
"Mr. Jones!"
"Yes?!" He quickly stood up straight as he faced the teacher. The teacher questioned about his lesson. However, the poor Liam didn't even listened to the discussion so he smiled and said nervously, "I don't know Sir!"
"Stand in the hallway." The grumpy teacher said as Liam sighed. Jake face-palmed and sighed, his friend was hopeless.
Liam went out and stood in the hallway when Nikki passed by. Nikki looked at Liam. Liam raised his one brow and said arrogantly, "What?"
Nikki just looked at him and walked away.
'This person is really mocking me!'