That evening, Noel and Walther lay on the green grass by the river. There was no cacophony of metropolitan sounds, only the rustle of the wind rustling through the leaves. A group of sparrows were chatting on a tree branch, flying above the surface of the river. Flapping their wings, they swept across the river and created golden ripples in the green water. They folded their arms to rest their heads as they looked up at the clear afternoon sky, a burst of orange painting the late July horizon.
"Let's tell a story," pleaded a bored Noel.
"I'm not good at telling stories," Walther replied simply.
After a moment of silence, Noel said, "You can tell me anything, like... about your childhood. Come on!" Noel coaxed like a child asking to be told a bedtime story.
Walther sighed. "There were no special stories when I was a child, perhaps the only story of my childhood was about my father who always went to work early in the morning."
"Weren't you lonely?" Noel was a little surprised, he never thought that Walther had a childhood that was not much different from his, namely being left by his parents to work and ending up lonely.
"I've been left behind to work by my father many times since I was a child, so I'm used to it." Walther got up and turned to look at Noel. "But now that things don't feel so lonely anymore, it's because of you." At the end of the sentence his lips twisted into a smile.
"What about your mom?"
""My mom died when I was still a child."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up." Noel was a little sorry for asking that question.
"That's okay." Walther smiled and occasionally sighed lightly, while his lips still developed a smile.
This time it was Noel's turn to start telling the story.
"Since childhood... I haven't even gotten to know about my mother. There wasn't a single memory with her that I knew. When I asked my father about my mother, my father wouldn't say anything, as if he was keeping his mouth shut about anything related to my mother."
Noel sat down and picked up a small pebble and threw it. The stone glided through the water three times before sinking, Noel continued his story. "Every Sunday afternoon, my father always took me fishing under the bridge, while waiting for the fish to eat the bait, we always counted the cars that passed by, my father counted the cars that were black while I was red, whoever had the most colors won.
"That must have been a lot of fun."
Noel nodded and smiled. "Yeah, but now I can't do that anymore. My dad rarely comes home, he doesn't have time for me anymore."
"Let's do it!" said Walther, making Noel turn to him. "Fishing while counting the cars that pass by, you can do that with me. How about it?"
Before answering, Noel hugged Walther, his body on top of the young man. "Yes, it would be fun."
"Next Tuesday I have some free time. I'll pick you up."
"No need, I have Tuesday off, so I can come by myself. Besides, my coworkers at the cafe are wondering about you always picking me up."
"Really? Are any of them interested in me?"
"None."
"Really? It's a pity none of them are interested in this handsome me." Walther sighed while putting on a sad face.
"No, you're mine!" There was emphasis on the last sentence Noel said.
"Why, are you jealous?"
"Why should I be jealous?"
"Because I'm yours." Walther smiled, a brief peck landed on Noel's lips.
In an instant he could feel his face turning red. "Don't kiss me here, what if someone sees?" Noel hurriedly looked around.
Walther who saw Noel's reaction to the kiss got up and embraced the young man.
"No one will see, why the embarrassment on your face?"
" ... "
"Noel, your heart is beating fast."
" ... "
"Noel!" called Walther softly.
"Hmnnn ..."
"I have a snack." Walther showed a packet of potato chips that he had taken from the backpack he had been carrying.
Noel's eyes immediately lit up. "Give it to me!"
Just as Noel was about to take the chips from Walther's hand. The young man immediately hid them behind his body.
"Kiss me first!"
"No, I'll get them myself."
At that moment Noel pressed his body against Walther's, blocking his lover's movement to take the potato chips.
*
The weather in early August was quite hot as it entered the summer phase. Noel Baluev sighed, enveloping himself in silence amidst the hustle and bustle of the city streets. Meanwhile, the sun was in full glory, baking the asphalt with its hot rays.
Noel Baluev stares at the black paved streets that are run over by various vehicles, racing against the clock. He sees an inbox text message from his girlfriend on the small screen of his thick, nokia branded cell phone. A glance provoked a smile on his lips as fifteen minutes passed waiting for the school bus that never came. His legs were stiff as he stood, while the bus stop seats were full of students chatting or busy with themselves.
"Noel!" Someone called out to him along with a gentle pat on the left shoulder.
Noel turned to the owner of the voice who was a slightly pale white youth, handsome with a black mane. He was wearing a high school uniform it seemed.
The young man was Yuri Viktorovic, Noel Baluev's best friend.
"Do you have free time on Tuesday?" The question slipped low from his lips, heard over the roar of traffic noise.
Noel shrugged his shoulders briefly before replying with a question. "No. Why?"
The next second a faint smile spread. "I need you to help me pick out some painting tools."
Noel gave a slightly surprised look. "Do you like painting now?"
"Not really, the art teacher in next Sunday's class is going to hold a painting activity, so all students are required to bring painting supplies. And you happen to know a lot about painting, so ... do you want to help me? I'll buy you a caramel macchiato if you like." Yuri tried to persuade Noel while gently rubbing the back of his neck.
Immediately, one of Noel's hands reached out and wrapped around Yuri's shoulder. "You're not mistaken."
Yuri's pair of brown irises widened when he realized the distance between his face and his best friend's face was so close. A shiver ran through his chest. No, it was more than just a tremor. For a moment, Yuri was frozen in silence, mesmerized by his childhood friend's bright smile.
The rumble of the engine of a bus that stopped in front of the bus stop woke Yuri up from his mesmerized feeling—along with a hand that pulled him to enter the old iron. Some of the people who joined in seemed invisible to Yuri, all he saw was Noel's figure, telling him to move quickly to choose a seat, and ended up both sitting in the very back seat.
"Yuri, your hand," Noel reprimanded.
Yuri glanced at his hand which was still tightly grasping Noel's hand, immediately let go, and led to a crisp laugh that came out of the young man's mouth accompanied by an embarrassed grin from him.
*
The sun slowly slipped from the horizon, setting towards the west signaling that the moon would soon ascend the throne along with the coming of darkness to envelop the earth.
On the sidewalk of a warm street, a reprieve from the burning sun, two pairs of limbs belonging to two young men walked hand in hand. They were busy exchanging words with each other, ending in laughter. While both of their hands were full of luggage in the form of painting supplies.
"When you graduate, which university will you choose?" Yuri asked while staring at the burning sun.
"That ..., ihaven't decided yet." Noel gave a brief shrug. "Where are you going yourself?"
"York University," Yuri replied as he gave Noel a quick glance between the noise of the roaring vehicles.
"That's right, a state university?" There was a surprised tone in his voice.
"Yes, I deliberately looked for a cheap university because I don't want the cost of my education this time to be fully borne by my adoptive parents. Even though I already think of them as my biological parents, and so do they, I still don't want to continue to burden them."
"Did they know about your decision?"
"My mom refused at first. However, they eventually gave in. After I explained it gradually, they understood. My dad was the first to say that he would always support me," she said. Noel was still listening with no intention of interrupting. Yuri continued, "After graduation, I will rent a simple apartment and work, like you."
"It wasn't easy." Noel was somewhat surprised at the decision his best friend had made.
Yuri gave him a soft smile. "Yeah, I know, I'll try to finance my goals." He stopped his steps. "I want to be an FBI, SWAT or detective."
Noel smiled too, giving his best friend a gentle pat on the shoulder for encouragement. "Good luck. Whatever path you choose, I will always support you as a friend."
Best friend, huh?
Yuri smiled. Noel wasn't observant enough to notice that it was a bland smile.
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