Jean couldn't believe what he was feeling.
The water in the container was hot. He could have noticed the steam rising from it if not for the morning darkness. It was still 4AM. and the world was still enshrouded in darkness.
But still, Jean was able to spot the container, thanks to his nice night vision.
For the very first time, he was going to take a hot bath since he started staying with Casper. Although the act of Casper giving Jean cold water to take a bath despite how horrible his health condition had been a few days ago, could be considered harsh, the guy didn't want to pamper the boy too much. He believed that by exposing the boy to such kind of sufferings will push him to strive towards recovering.
Jean was giddy with happiness as he threw the thoughts of someone peeping him while taking a bath through the visors on the bathroom wooden wall at the back of his mind, and started splashing the water onto his body.
The next fifteen minutes, Jean had already taken the shower and was now in the bedroom rummaging through a bundle of clothes that Casper gave him some minutes ago. He was trying to look for better clothes that could fit him.
Most of these clothes were Casper's while he was still young.
Somebody could wonder why the guy had to keep all those clothes for all this time yet he couldn't use them since his body build was bigger currently than when he used to wear the clothes.
Jean had asked him similar question when the guy handed him the clothes some minutes ago, but he was surprised by the answer that Casper provided.
The guy just said that it was for remembrance. The clothes were like souvenirs to him, which was strange considering that they were the same clothes he used to wear himself in the past.
'This guy's youth memories must have been remarkable considering how much souvenirs in the name of clothes of that period he has kept.'
Jean thought with a frown.
At this point, all Jean could think of the reasons behind Casper's act of keeping his youth time clothes was good youthful memories. He believed that souvenirs were mostly obtained from good memories that are hard to repeat. That's why it was easy for him to believe that the same could apply for Casper's own collection.
Ten minutes later, Jean had found something that matched his demands. Although he wasn't that picky when it came to choosing what to wear, this was a different scenario.
He was going to visit someone that could play a key role for his return to his home country. So, in order to attract maximum support from the guy, he needed to leave a good impression. And that begun with his dressing code.
He had found a light blue short sleeved plain shirt and a black cotton trouser.
One of the reasons to why he chose the two, it was because the fitted him perfectly and the two colours blended well.
During this time, Casper was in the living room reading a novel as he waited for Jean to ramp up his preparations.
Although Jean had intended to ask the guy why he chose to wear safety boots for such a long journey a while ago, he still revoked his intentions and decided to find out during the journey.
Since Casper dodged telling Jean if he actually share the bed with him at night, Jean had been a little bit reluctant to ask the guy any further question for the fear of the repeat of the same.
He was tired of disappointments that could ruin his mood.
As soon as he had put on the clothes he selected, he was complacent to continue rummaging through the clothes.
'I don't have time for such a farce. I believe these are the best as far as I am concerned.'
Jean contemplated as he removed the bundle of clothes from the bed and heaped it in a corner.
'At least your souvenirs aren't as useless as I thought, as they can be put back to use by guests like me.'
Jean thought to himself as he leisurely walked out of the room.
As soon as Casper heard his approaching footsteps, he lowered the novel in his hands, turned back and looked at him.
When his sight caught him, he unconsciously gazed at him from toe to head with a glint of curiosity.
'I can't lie. I am jealous of his handsomeness.'
"Wow!"
Casper exclaimed.
When he saw how the blonde haired boy fitted in the clothes he was putting on, he couldn't help but put on a genuine smile.
Although he used to be a handsome youth just like Jean back then, he still had to admit that Jean was a par higher when it came to physical appearance despite his lean physic.
"When will we be leaving?"
Jean asked as he approached the guy with a measured gait.
"Any moment from now."
Casper answered with a nod.
"Then I don't think we have that much time considering the length of the journey."
Jean said as he stopped next to the seat that Casper was sitting on.
"You are right, but don't you think you are forgetting something?"
Casper asked with a slightly contorted face.
'I did it on purpose so that I could make you feel a little bit jealous of my dressing code.'
Jean sneered internally.
"Where is your jacket?"
Casper asked.
Jean had purposely left the jacket behind so that he could flaunt in order to get back at Casper for failing to answer his questions some hours ago. He believed that if he put on the jacket before the guy saw him wearing the light blue shirt, it could be difficult for the guy to appreciate how good he looked since the shirt will be under the jacket that Casper was used to seeing him with.
So, when Casper said that he was forgetting something, he immediately knew what he was trying to mean. But he still acted confused.
"Oh! Thanks for the reminder. But I have a request..."
With that Jean went mute for a few seconds before continuing.
"Since it seems like safety boots are the best suited for this journey, why can't I have mine too?"
Jean asked jokingly.
With a snort, Casper responded.
"Just check under the bed closer to the drawer, you will find your own pair there."
Casper answered with a serious face.
Suddenly, Jean was stunned.
He couldn't believe that his joke yielded a serious outcome. When he requested for the boots, he only did that as a joke, but when Casper answered him with seriousness, he was surprised.
Although he could have mistaken Casper's answer to a joke, the serious expression on the guy's face stated otherwise.
At this point, he didn't know whether to refute the guy or just stick to the truth and tell the guy that he was joking. Either of the two options could look absurd, considering how much respect Jean held for the guy.
After lingering for a moment, Jean decided to yield to Casper's suggestion and went for the boots.
Some of his thoughts kept telling him that the boots could be light under his feet. This was the only reason Jean accepted to go for the boots.
When he got in the partially lit room, he was about to kneel down when he remembered that this act could dirten his clothes and stopped in an instance.
In the next moment, he scanned the room and his sight caught a dirty trouser lying lonely at a certain spot on the floor. Judging by its location in the room, it was easier to deduce that the trouser was part of the clothes that Jean heaped in a corner.
Without further hesitations, he walked straight to the trouser, picked it up and dropped it on the floor closer to the drawer next to the bed.
He then lowered himself and knelt on the trouser. This was the moment he recalled something that was very important for the trip.
'The cellphone.'
Jean mused as he slowly pulled the drawer open. When he rummaged though it, he was shocked not to find the cellphone inside.
Just at that moment, he suspected that Casper could have taken it.
With that thought in mind, he subconsciously pushed the drawer back in place with vitality that it produced a banging sound for Casper to hear from the living room.
'What is this boy doing?'
When Jean noticed his strange action, he covered his mouth in embarrassment. A few seconds later, he quickly surfaced under the bed and within a minute or two, he had found the safety boots he was here for.
When he pulled them out of the shadows, he was surprised to find out that they were of the same make and colour as Casper's own safety boots, although somewhat smaller to fit him. They weighed about five hundred grams which was beyond Jean's expectations.
Despite all these, there was only one thing that surprised Jean the most. The boots were strangely old despite their impeccable leathered surfaces.
If Jean was going to put on the boots, it was going to be the only thing out of place considering how well groomed he was.
'Did this nasty guy did this on purpose so that he could ruin my dressing code?'
Jean thought as barred his teeth in anger.
Although Jean had intended to put on the boots despite its heavy weight. But when he noticed how old they looked, he reconsidered his decision.
'I am not going to put on these old things.'
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