Chapter 18: The Moment Of Confession
"Kai..." Noah stammered, his voice barely above a whisper as he stared at the man before him. Kai, standing calmly by the sink, simply smiled as he washed his hands. The contrast between Kai's nonchalance and Noah's shock was almost surreal. After drying his hands, Kai glanced over at Noah once more and repeated, "How are you?"
Noah blinked, still in a daze, before he managed to gather enough composure to answer, "I... I'm fine... How do you know me?" His heart raced, the sheer absurdity of the situation was almost too much for him to process. Just yesterday, Kai had looked at him like a stranger, and now, he was casually asking how he was doing as if they'd known each other all along.
"If you don't mind, can we talk for a bit?" Kai asked, his tone calm but oddly familiar.
"Sure..." Noah replied, still confused and a bit surprised at the sudden turn of events. He had half expected Kai to dismiss him again or worse, ignore him completely. But then Noah remembered something: "What about your date?" he asked, trying not to sound too concerned but failing miserably.
Kai's expression remained indifferent as he met Noah's gaze. He didn't answer, instead, he led Noah back to the table where he had been sitting earlier. Noah's heart dropped as he noticed the woman from before was gone. She had left without a word, and it was clear Kai had no intention of explaining her absence. Instead, Noah quietly slid into the seat she had vacated, his heart pounding in his chest.
Kai sat across from him, his cool gaze steady. "What will you order?" he asked.
Noah felt his throat tighten. "Nothing," he stammered. His mind was racing, a storm of confusion and old emotions surging forward.
Without hesitation, Kai ordered a cold coffee for himself and a black coffee for Noah, the exact same order they had shared countless times before. As soon as Noah realized this, memories flooded his mind unbidden—of the two of them sitting at this very cafe, sharing stolen moments of happiness amidst the uncertainty of their short-lived relationship. Noah swallowed hard, trying to push the memories away, but the familiar gesture stirred emotions that refused to stay buried.
Kai's voice snapped him back to the present. "Hey."
Noah blinked, realizing that the coffee had already arrived. His black coffee sat untouched before him, and he reached for it automatically, taking a sip as if the action alone could calm his restless mind. But it didn't.
Kai's voice broke the silence again, more serious this time. "There's something I want to ask you."
Noah set his cup down, his gaze meeting Kai's across the table. "What do you want to ask?"
Kai leaned forward slightly, his eyes searching Noah's face. "When you came to my house that day... I didn't know who you were. But after you left, I started seeing flashes of something. Pictures... of us, together." He paused, struggling to find the right words. "They weren't clear, but I could feel... something familiar. I don't understand any of it. So, I need to ask—what's the relationship between us?"
Noah's heart clenched painfully in his chest. He had known this moment would come eventually, but he wasn't prepared for how much it would hurt. Kai had forgotten everything, and now he was asking Noah to explain what they had meant to each other. Noah took a deep breath, his hands trembling slightly as he gripped the edge of the table.
"Do you really want to know?" Noah's voice was quiet, almost fragile.
Kai nodded, his expression serious.
And so, Noah began to tell him. He told Kai about the time they had first met, how their relationship had begun as a strange, unexpected agreement to stay together for just one week. He told him about their fleeting moments of happiness, the growing connection that neither of them had been able to ignore. And then, he told him about the day Kai had left—how he had disappeared without a word, leaving Noah devastated and alone.
As Noah spoke, Kai listened in silence, his face unreadable. But when Noah finished, Kai's hand shot up to his head, pressing against his temple as if he were in pain. His body tensed, and a small groan escaped his lips.
"Kai?" Noah's voice was filled with worry as he rushed to his side, grabbing his hands in concern. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
For a moment, Kai didn't respond. His eyes were shut tight, and it was clear he was trying to push through whatever was happening in his mind. Slowly, the tension in his body eased, and he opened his eyes, tears welling up at the corners. Before Noah could say anything more, Kai's arms wrapped around him in a sudden, desperate embrace.
Noah froze, startled by the sudden contact, but then he felt Kai's tears against his shoulder, and something inside him broke. All the pain and longing he had been holding back rushed forward in an overwhelming wave, and he found himself hugging Kai back just as tightly, his own tears falling freely now.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. They stood there, clinging to each other, the weight of their shared history pressing down on them both. When they finally pulled apart, they left the cafe, wordlessly seeking a quieter place to talk.
Once they were outside, away from the prying eyes of the cafe patrons, Kai pulled Noah into another embrace, resting his chin on Noah's shoulder. His voice was soft, filled with regret. "I'm so sorry, Noah... I remember everything now." His grip tightened as if he feared Noah would slip away again. "I'm sorry for everything. I love you, Noah."
Noah felt his heart swell with emotion. He had waited so long to hear those words again, and now that they were finally spoken, he could hardly believe it. He let out a laugh, the sound mingling with his tears of relief and happiness. "I love you too, Kai," he whispered, smiling through his tears as he gazed at the man he had never stopped loving.
In that moment, nothing else mattered. Kai was here, in his arms, and their love—despite everything—was real.
Without another word, Noah leaned in and pressed his lips to Kai's, sealing the promise of their shared future with a kiss.
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