"Come on; you can't stay mad at me forever, Mun. I only kept my distance until Ned came to his senses."
"And I'm glad he did enough to break up with your ass! You're finally free to compensate me for taking good care of your apartment. As a matter of fact, I should consider cohabitating with you for as long as I want. Now that's fair compensation."
"Aren't you living there already?"
"With constant threats to kick me out? I hardly consider that comfortable living."
"Yea, yea, kiss my ass."
"I would, but I'm not Rey."
Ari frowned. "The next time I hear that name, I'm going to strangle a certain someone."
"He misses you, you know."
"Mun, it's barely a month since Ned and I parted ways. Can you let me breathe?"
"You've had enough time to rest as it is. The guy undoubtedly knows how to work under pressure, meeting deadlines and all, but it's after work I'm worried about. The longer you avoid him, the more he bothers me. On the days that I'm supposed to be off and finally happy to get some prolonged shuteye, he is at my doorstep. Ari, I get his stubbornness is annoying, but he is a kid. He is pursuing you the only way he knows how."
"I'm avoiding him with good reason, and he is not a kid as you think. Rey knows exactly what he is doing. The security grew tight after our last incident, and he was there as a catalyst. Honestly, I'd never seen Ned that infuriated."
"Did he do something wrong? Rey, I mean."
"Doesn't he always?"
Mun laughed. "He never ceases to amaze me. Anyway, you managed to turn our homophobe into a hopeless romantic, and I can't think of anyone that crushed on a straight guy and had a happy ending. Things considered, you two have chemistry. Why waste any more time? Life is for the living."
"Ned and I broke up peacefully, and I don't want to move on as easily; it'd be a mockery of what we had. I ceased to be a player years ago, remember? You may still be enjoying a debaucherous life, but what he and I had wasn't just a fling Mun. I want to respect his need to mourn the end of us. You can attest he deserves this parting respect."
"Even so, Rey is hellbent on finding you. It's pathetic at your age to play hard to get Ari, so cut him slack."
"Why are you defending him so much?"
"I pity the guy."
"That's your reason?"
"I like his sister too."
"Mun," Ari's face turned sinister. "Don't do it, please."
"I haven't made a move on her yet, so relax. Besides, she is the one who led her brother to accumulate so much debt, and Rey took responsibility for both her gambling addiction and his ex-girlfriends."
"You certainly seem to know much about him."
"What do you think happens when I find him waiting for your return by the door? Of course, I invite him over, and we start talking."
"So, you came all this way to bother me about him?"
"Ari..."
"My business is not afloat yet for it to grant me the privilege to think about relationships and sex. And Mun, don't even think of telling him where Ned's apartment is. For all I know, Ned could still be keeping eyes on me."
"For what purpose?."
"I can't tell you."
"So many secrets. Anyway, a month is all I can endure, so you better show up soon and meet up with Rey. I can't hide you forever, nor should you still be staying at your ex's house."
"Ned will be away for weeks, and I hardly have time to move back." Bumping his shoulder onto Mun teasingly, Ari added, "That's why you're here, right? To help me take some of my stuff away?"
"You really know how to use and abuse me," Mun replied, then looked around the apartment. "Anyway, I get why you don't want to leave this place yet. The guy has expensive taste. Dating Rey will be a huge downgrade."
Ari remained silent upon Mun's remark. He contemplated on it briefly before asking, "In retrospect, sex with him was great, and Rey probably just wants to experience something new. But what if he develops an appetite or gets curious about other men? Look at him. He is practically a toddler on this side of orientation. My guess is he has not yet contemplated how much he is giving up not dating a woman. What if he regrets it later, and I must live with that? What if he becomes sick of me and wants out? Honestly, I don't think I have the heart to handle that."
"So that's the true reason why you are keeping him at bay."
"One of the reasons."
"As if!" Mun scoffed. "Are you planning on rejecting every other guy who approaches you because you can't get over Rey or don't wish to hurt Ned by moving on too quickly?"
"N-No..."
"Ari, Rey and his sister visited the office several times and guess where they would go together. To your office which either of them are not allowed! I'd be pissed if I were his sister, but for some reason, she seems to enjoy seeing his brother panting after a man who wants nothing to do with him."
"He's turned, stalker."
"Yea. If he were well-networked, he'd have found you already; but maybe he is not looking hard enough."
"That's impossible."
"Come on, Ari, you worked with the guy. I'm convinced he knows I know where you are right now."
"Why are you defending him so much? I thought you'd at least show more compassion towards Ned."
"The guy has a decent face. He might not be the type that hit you up, or you hit on, but you somehow managed not to get rid of him after all these years. The inner you perhaps prefer normal guys, not the rich spoiled brats like that ass of a client Mr. Liwaswalva."
"That excuse of a human being is still bringing you a business?"
"I may despise him, but thanks to his attempt at jumping Rey, you two finally had sex."
"Right," Ari smirked. "And it was exhilarating."
"You see! Work it out with Rey then! I told him about your tea obsession because he wouldn't stop asking me of your hobbies! He'll eventually get tired and move on if you continue avoiding him."
"You came to smoother me up today, didn't you?"
Mun sighed, slumping next to where Ari had sat and took his laptop away from his lap. "Stop intentionally putting yourself at a loss. Do you even have the time to play hide and seek right now? This used to be a dream for you, and now, it's within your grasp. So stop worrying about what-ifs and go with the flow. If ever Rey screws things up, which he eventually will, I'll always be here to offer my shoulder to cry on."
"Ned said the same thing, except it was a threat."
"Oh, I'd hate to be Rey."
"Now you understand why I'm taking my time with this."
"Is that the secret you are keeping from me?"
"I don't know if it's a secret or a hunch, but I must tread carefully. Ned is volatile right now, and I've only experienced a fraction of his temper. He may be a great guy, but anger is his weakness."
"You think he is going to hurt Rey?"
"Of course not, but I get the feeling they met."
"What are you trying to say? Are those two at war with each other behind your back?"
"Correct."