Chapter 13: Who Are You?
Noah woke up the next morning with a heavy heart. The events of the previous night replayed in his mind like a vivid, haunting dream. The kiss—the moment he'd impulsively pressed his lips against Alex's—hung in the air like a shadow he couldn't shake. He sat up in bed, running a hand through his hair as guilt washed over him. Though Alex had not been angry or upset, Noah felt as though he had ruined something precious. He feared he might lose yet another person he cared deeply about. First Kai, and now possibly Alex.
Noah sighed deeply, standing up and stretching his limbs before heading to the kitchen. He expected awkwardness, perhaps even tension, after what had happened the night before. But to his surprise, when he entered the kitchen, there was Alex, humming softly as he scrambled eggs in the pan.
When Alex looked over at Noah, his face broke into a smile. "Good morning! Come and have breakfast," he called out, his voice warm and cheerful.
Noah hesitated for a moment, watching him. He felt relieved that Alex wasn't upset, and the guilt that had been gnawing at him softened slightly. Noah quickly got ready, washing up and dressing before joining Alex at the table.
As Noah sat down, Alex grinned and suddenly pinched Noah's cheek playfully. It caught Noah completely off guard, and he stared at Alex in shock, feeling the warmth of the touch linger on his skin.
Alex, realizing what he had done in a moment of impulse, quickly pulled back, his face turning red as he nervously stammered, "Sorry... I didn't mean to do that." He looked genuinely flustered, clearly unsure how Noah would react.
But Noah didn't say anything. He just nodded and started eating his breakfast in silence. The tension from the previous night still hung between them, but Noah chose not to address it. He wasn't ready for that conversation, and apparently, neither was Alex.
Alex, seeing that Noah wasn't angry or upset, breathed a sigh of relief and joined him at the table, the two of them eating their meal in silence. But the silence wasn't necessarily uncomfortable—it was more a quiet understanding. They both knew that the kiss had changed things, but neither of them was ready to talk about it yet.
After breakfast, Noah stood up and grabbed his jacket. "I should go," he said softly, looking anywhere but at Alex.
"You don't have to leave so soon," Alex replied, trying to sound casual but clearly wanting him to stay. "We could hang out, watch something, or—"
"No," Noah interrupted, offering a faint smile. "I... I need to go. There's some stuff I need to do."
Alex hesitated but eventually nodded. "Okay. Take care, alright?"
Noah nodded and left, the door clicking shut behind him. He didn't have any real plans for the day. He just needed to clear his head, to figure out what he was feeling. Alex had been so good to him, so kind, and yet Noah still couldn't shake the ghost of Kai from his heart.
He found himself walking aimlessly through the streets, his feet eventually taking him to the art gallery where he and Kai had once spent an entire afternoon together. The memory hit him hard. He could still remember the way Kai had slipped his arm around Noah's waist that day, pulling him close as they admired the paintings.
But now, as Noah walked through the gallery alone, all he could think of was how much things had changed. Five years had passed, and though he had tried to move on, the pain of Kai's disappearance still lingered.
Noah sighed as he stared at a painting that reminded him of that day. But before he could get lost in his memories again, another image flashed in his mind: Alex's smiling face. Alex had always been there for him, through everything. The way he made Noah laugh, the way he stayed by his side when no one else did.
Noah was torn. He didn't know what to do. His feelings for Alex were real, but so was the unresolved heartache he felt for Kai. Could he let go of Kai and move forward with Alex? Or was he destined to be haunted by Kai's memory forever?
In a moment of frustration, Noah pulled out his phone and stared at the only photo he had left of Kai. It had been taken five years ago, right before Kai disappeared. He hadn't heard from him since, but Noah never gave up hope that Kai might return someday.
Suddenly, a thought struck him. On weekends, he always visited Kai's old home, even though it had been locked and abandoned for years. He would stand outside the door, waiting for some sign, some clue that Kai might come back. Maybe today, he'd feel closer to an answer.
Noah made his way to Kai's home, his heart heavy with the familiar routine. But when he arrived, something was different. The door wasn't locked. It was open.
His heart raced as he approached the door and knocked lightly. He could feel his pulse pounding in his ears as he waited.
To his surprise, a young boy, no older than ten, opened the door. The boy looked strikingly familiar, like a miniature version of Kai. Noah stared in shock, unable to find his voice for a moment.
"Who are you?" the boy asked, his tone curt.
"I... I was wondering when you moved here," Noah stammered. "You see, my friend Kai used to live here, five years ago. I was just—"
Before he could finish, the boy's eyes widened slightly. "Oh, you're talking about Brother Kai. Come in."
Noah's heart leapt into his throat. Brother Kai?
The boy shouted up the stairs, "Kai! Someone's here to see you!"
Noah's breath caught in his throat. His mind raced, heart hammering in his chest as he heard footsteps descending the stairs. Could it really be him?
Then, at the bottom of the staircase, Kai appeared. Noah's entire world seemed to freeze. There he was—the man Noah had been waiting for all these years. But before Noah could say anything, Kai's eyes landed on him, and with a puzzled expression, he asked,
"Who are you?"
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