Chapter 8 – A Day Together
Noah was sleeping comfortably, snuggled in his bed when his phone began to ring. Half-asleep, he absentmindedly answered the call.
"Hello," he mumbled.
"Good morning, love," said the voice on the other side.
Noah blinked, suddenly wide awake as he recognized Kai's voice. He sat up quickly, running his hands through his messy hair.
"Hm," he muttered, stifling a yawn.
"Are you still sleeping?" Kai asked, laughing.
Noah blushed slightly, feeling embarrassed. "Why are you calling so early?" he asked, pretending to be annoyed.
"Did you forget? I'm coming to your house today," Kai teased.
Noah's heart skipped a beat as excitement washed over him. He remembered the plan and couldn't help but smile. They would be spending the whole day together. After hanging up, Noah quickly rushed to the shower, humming happily, too excited to contain himself.
By the time he dressed, his grandma had already left for the shop, and Noah decided to join her for a bit. As he helped out, he couldn't stop thinking about Kai. His thoughts made him so giddy that he started singing loudly, drawing curious glances from strangers, though Noah didn't seem to notice.
When he reached the shop, he saw Kai already waiting, grinning broadly. Noah was a bit surprised since it was still early. He hadn't expected Kai to arrive so soon. The blush that crept onto his ears quickly spread across his cheeks as he shyly approached him.
Kai, making sure Noah's grandma wasn't watching, leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the corner of his lips. Noah pushed him away, his face turning an even deeper shade of red, while Kai flashed a mischievous smile.
They both headed over to meet Noah's grandma, who was overjoyed to see Noah so happy. She had always worried about him since his parents' death, fearing he would be lonely. But now, watching Noah laugh with Kai, her heart felt at ease.
"I'm so happy to see you and Noah getting along so well," she said to Kai, patting his head. "Please, take care of him."
Kai chuckled, glancing over at Noah. "Don't worry, Grandma. I'll take good care of him."
Noah's heart fluttered at Kai's words, though he tried to hide his smile, pretending to be annoyed.
They spent the next few hours helping at the shop, preparing snacks for the festival. By 2 o'clock, as the crowd began to thin, Noah's grandma insisted that they take the rest of the day off. Although Noah initially resisted, Grandma gestured for Kai to take him away. Laughing, Kai grabbed Noah's hand and pulled him along.
Noah's heart raced, feeling Kai's hand in his. His pulse was so loud he was sure Kai could hear it. After walking for a while, Noah finally asked, "Where are we going?"
Kai gave him an evil grin. "To my place," he said. "My parents are out, and they won't be back until tomorrow."
Realizing the implication, Noah's cheeks flushed again. He tried to push Kai away, but Kai only laughed, grabbing his hand and pulling him close. Noah snuggled into Kai's chest, biting his lower lip playfully, making Kai yelp in surprise. They both laughed as they made their way to Kai's house.
Noah marveled at how big Kai's house was, his eyes wide with awe. Kai smiled at Noah's amazement and opened the door for him. The inside was even more beautiful than Noah had imagined. Before Noah could take in more of his surroundings, he felt himself being lifted off the ground.
Kai scooped him up effortlessly, one arm under his knees and the other around his back. Startled, Noah gasped and wrapped his arms around Kai's neck, clinging tightly.
Kai carried him up the stairs, kicking open the door to his room. He gently placed Noah on the bed, hovering over him with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Noah's heart thudded in his chest as Kai traced his fingers down Noah's face, moving slowly to his neck.
Noah's breath hitched as Kai leaned down, pressing his lips to the sensitive skin on his neck. A groan escaped Noah's lips as his arms instinctively wrapped around Kai's waist. Kai's fingers slipped to Noah's shirt, slowly unbuttoning it.
But just as things began to intensify, Noah's mind caught up with his emotions. He gently pushed Kai back, his whole body trembling slightly. Kai, confused, looked at Noah with a hurt expression.
"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice soft.
Noah took a moment to catch his breath, calming his racing heart. He placed a hand on Kai's cheek and smiled gently. "It's just… too fast. I think we should wait, get to know each other better."
Kai exhaled and nodded, understanding. "I'll wait," he promised, brushing a hand through Noah's hair. "Whenever you're ready."
Just then, Kai's phone buzzed. It was his father, calling him urgently. Kai stood up quickly, apologizing to Noah. "I'm sorry, I have to go. My dad needs me."
Noah nodded, urging him to leave. "It's okay. Go, don't worry about it."
As Kai hurried out, Noah stood by the door, watching him disappear down the street. A sigh escaped his lips as he stared after him, feeling a mix of emotions. With a soft smile, Noah turned back toward the house and headed home, his thoughts filled with the day's events.
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