Chapter 25: Chapter Twenty-five

Gun automatically closed his eyes when he noticed that Off was about to wake up.

He didn't want Off to see him gawking at him in his sleep so he shut his eyes instead and made fake light snores.

He felt him move on his seat and he had this gut feeling that Off was staring at him.

He knew it.

He could feel it.

He went on with his acting, breathing slowly and snoring lightly to save his face and to avoid awkward situation between them.

His acting went on for several minutes when Off suddenly chuckled and ruffled his hair.

"Stop pretending to be asleep. I know you're awake."

His breath hitched but he went on pretending.

"Oh come on, Gun. I know you so well. You don't breathe like that when you're sleeping."

That was his cue to open his eyes. He slowly stretched his arms and yawned as he slowly opened his eyes, fully putting on a "just woke up" show.

He immediately saw Off smiling at him.

He shifted on his seat and faced front to avoid Off's gaze.

"You don't have to pretend when you're around me. You've fallen asleep in my arms countless times, Gun. I know even the way you breathe in your sleep."

Gun didn't respond and just cleared his throat.

"I miss mornings like this. I've always loved seeing your face first thing in the morning."

He fiddled with his fingers to distract himself from stealing glances at Off whose eyes never left him.

"We should get back. My boyfriend might be looking for me," he said as he glanced at Off who didn't even move a single muscle.

"I'm already here though."

He furrowed his eyebrows as soon as he heard Off's answer.

He turned to him and gave him a disinterested look.

"Ex-boyfriend," he replied, putting too much emphasis on the first syllable.

"You broke up with me. I didn't break up with you. So technically I'm still your boyfriend."

He sighed aggressively as he watched Off smile from ear to ear.

"You're delusional. Let's go. I need to go back. Jaylerr might be looking for me. And isn't your fiancée looking for you? You should be seeing her face first thing in the morning, not mine."

"You look cute when you're jealous."

"Excuse me?! Who said I'm jealous?"

"Well, aren't you?"

"Of course I'm not!"

Off just chuckled at him and reached out a hand to touch his cheek.

"Your face is red."

Gun almost cussed the moment Off caressed his cheek with his thumb.

"I-I have to go back. I have to see Jaylerr," his voice cracked as he spoke.

"Happy supposed to be 7th year anniversary, love."

Gun froze as Off spoke those words.

He then remembered the date.

It was supposed to be their 7th anniversary, if only they didn't break up.

A tear slowly fell down his cheek.

For the past five years, he had always loathed that date.

He cursed that date, actually.

For as much as it was special date, it was also a cursed one.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

5 years ago. October, Gun's birthday.

Gun languishingly opened the door of Off's unit.

After Jaylerr dropped him off that morning, he decided to go Off's unit to get his things.

His talk with Jaylerr knocked some sense in him in some way.

He even offered to help him look for a job in the film industry since Jaylerr was about to be signed to an entertainment agency as an actor but he refused.

He didn't want to owe him especially that he was related to Off.

He slowly closed the door behind him.

The usual silence greeted him and he was not even surprised, not even a bit.

He directly went to the bedroom, their bedroom to be exact, to get the clothes that he left.

Since he usually slept in his unit, Off told him to put enough clothes.

He even bought him a dresser.

Gun chuckled.

Bitterly.

But the moment he set foot inside the room, he was greeted by Off who had a small cake in his hands.

He looked around the room.

A Happy Birthday banner was hanging on the wall.

Sprawled on the bed were sunflowers and confetti.

There were no balloons in sight, but he didn't really care.

Off wouldn't even go near balloons for he feared them, let alone decorating their space.

Happy birthday to you.

Happy birthday to you.

Happy birthday,

happy birthday,

happy birthday to you.

Off held the cake closer to him for him to blow the candle.

And he did, in the laziest way he could.

He didn't even make a wish.

It's not gonna happen anymore anyway.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to greet you first like the usual. Something came up at home. My phone got damaged so I wasn't able to text you. But I promise, I'll make it up to you today. You wanna go somewhere?"

"Oh really?" Gun replied nonchalantly while putting on a disinterested face.

"You wanna go somewhere?" Off excitedly asked him.

But he didn't answer. Instead, he grabbed his bag and opened the dresser.

"Hey. You wanna go on a long trip? How many clothes should I pack?" Off asked as he grabbed his own bag and opened his dresser.

Gun didn't respond and continued putting all of his clothes inside his bag, not leaving a single piece behind.

He was about to leave when Off suddenly grabbed his hand.

"Hey, wait for me, love."

Gun just stared at him.

Tears were slowly brimming in his eyes.

"Hey are you okay?"

He bit his lips to avoid crying as he looked at Off.

"Gun, tell me. What's wrong?" Off held his face, slightly caressing his cheeks.

"I have to go," he replied as he attempted to walk away but Off held his shoulders tightly.

"Hey, tell me is everything —"

Gun aggressively removed Off's hands on his shoulders.

"I can't believe you still have the audacity to ask me that after what you've done!"

He threw his bag at Off and charged at him, pounding his fists on Off's chest with all his might, oblivious to the fact that Off was already wincing in pain.

"I hate you! You liar! You're such a liar! I hate you, Off! I fucking hate you!"

"Hey! Gun! Wait, let's talk properly! What's wrong?! Hey, wait!"

"I hate you, Off. Fuck you! I hate y—"

His words got cut off when Off grabbed his hands tightly.

He winced in pain when he felt his back hit the wall. His hands were strongly pinned over his shoulders.

"Let me go!"

"Not until you calm down and tell me what's wrong!"

He stifled his cries, biting his lips as hard as he could as he stared at Off whose face was already red.

It was the first time Off raised his voice at him.

He was always soft-spoken when he talked to him. That was one of the things he loved about him.

"What's wrong? Did I do something? Tell me," Off pleaded in a soft voice.

"Let's break up," Gun whispered as he avoided Off's intense stares.

"Wait. Where is that coming from now huh?" Off let go of his hands and stared at him.

"Nothing. Let's just end this fucking relationship," he pushed Off aside and grabbed his bag on the floor.

"Wait Gun! Are you just gonna leave without an explanation?!" Off once again grabbed his hand.

Frustration was painted all over his face and so was on Gun's.

"Shit, Off Jumpol! I don't need to fucking explain for you to know what's fucking wrong!"

"Can," Off ran his fingers through his hair frustratingly, "can you just tell it straight to my face?!"

"Where were you for the past days?!"

Off took a deep breath and puffed it out loudly.

"I told you I have some things to attend to! I have my problems too, Gun and I'm trying to fix them. We're adults with individual lives for fuck's sake! You can't expect me to be always at your beck and call!"

"Some things?"

Gun laughed bitterly as he wiped his tears with the back of his hand.

"Some things, Off. Some things!"

He grabbed the book on the nearby table.

"Some things you say! Shit Jumpol!"

He exclaimed as he threw the book at Off, hitting him hard on the chest.

Gun watched as something fell off from the book, a goldish white card to be exact.

His breath hitched up upon the sudden realization that hit him.

He watched as Off hurriedly grabbed the card from the floor and inserted it back to the book before hiding it at his back.

With long strides, he approached Off and aggressively grabbed the book from him.

"Gun give me that one, please," Off pleaded as he held out his hand.

He glared at him. His hands were shaking as he held the book tightly, not even giving a damn about Off who was begging him to give it back.

He furiously flipped through the pages and grabbed the card.

Off Jumpol x Mild Lapassalan Nuptials

May xx, xxxx

He crumpled the card and threw it at him, hitting him directly on the face.

"Seriously Off. Of all dates? You chose our anniversary?!" he exclaimed as he made his way out of the bedroom and into the living room.

"Gun wait! I was not the one who chose it! Wait, I'm trying to fix things, okay! Wait, can you listen to me first! I'm trying to fix things here!"

He quickened his pace as he walked towards the door. He was about to grab the knob when Off shouted.

"SHIT GUN! WILL YOU LISTEN TO ME FIRST?!"

Gun stopped on his tracks as Off's voice resonated in the whole room.

He turned to face him. Tears were streaming down his face as he grabbed his bag tightly.

His hands were shaking because of too much anger and frustration that were consuming his system.

He couldn't even think straight.

He couldn't even think properly.

"I don't wanna hear your lies, Off. Huh, your phone was damaged? Shit Off, I love you but don't make look like total fool!"

"Wait, wha-"

"Do you know where I was last night? I went to your hometown to look for you because you fucking went missing on me without saying a damn thing! I called you several times but guess who answered? Huh, well who else? Of course, it's your... fiancée."

Gun laughed bitterly as he mockingly spouted the last word.

"Wait, Gun, I didn't know-"

"Of course you wouldn't! And how would you? You can't even say a single word where on earth you are!"

"Wait Gun let me explain, okay? It's not what you think."

"Let's just end this shit, Off. This isn't even going anywhere. Oh by the way, did you enjoy it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, are you done showering?" he chortled as he mimicked Mild's question last night.

"Wait Gun. It's not what you think. Nothing happened between us. I promise. Gun, just trust me okay? I'm trying to fix this. I'm trying to make a way out of this, okay. I'm gonna fix this. You trust me right? Right, love? You said you'd trust me. I-I'll solve this, okay? Just trust me," Off pleaded as he reached out to hold Gun's hands.

Gun sensed the desperation in his voice, but he didn't cave in.

Off was crying but that was not enough to affect him. His face remained stoic.

He whisked his hand away and furiously removed the watch from his wrist.

With all the strength that was left in him, he threw the watch at Off.

Off winced as it hit his forehead.

Gun watched as blood trickled down Off's face, but he didn't give two shits about it.

He just turned around and grabbed the door knob.

As he opened the door, his frustration even soared higher as he saw the person standing outside, Mild.

"Hi, Gun!"

But Gun just passed by her. He didn't even know how long she was standing outside the door

Or if she heard everything.

"Gun wait!"

He continued walking, not even looking back despite Off's voice calling him desperately.

He quickened his pace and uttered a silent thank you when the elevator was empty.

He didn't wanna break down in front of other people.

He clutched his heart as he entered the elevator, his breath labored from all the crying and walking he made.

With blurry eyes, he watched Off who was talking to Mild as the elevator doors slowly closed in front of him.

He clenched his fist and felt something.

And that was when he broke down.

For in his finger was the promise ring that Off gave him.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

"Wait Gun!"

Gun went out of the car and started walking away.

Behind him was Off who was continuously calling his name.

"Wait Gun," Off grabbed his arm tightly and blocked his way.

"Please, don't go there Off. I've already moved on. Let's just pretend nothing ever happened between us."

Gun bit his lips to stop himself from crying as he looked at Off who was also teary eyed.

"Don't you love me anymore?"

"Le-Let's just bury the past Off. And to answer your question. Yes. I don't l-love you anymore."

He evaded Off's gaze as he heard the crack on his own voice.

But his next question made him look back again at him. Gun stilled as he looked at Off who was now looking at his neck. The ring pendant of his necklace was making a dent on his shirt.

"Then why are you still keeping the ring, Gun?"