Chapter 13

3rd person pov:

The early morning light spilled through the curtains, painting the room in soft hues of gold and amber. Gemini had fallen asleep on the couch after a long night of keeping an eye on Fourth, his book still open on the table beside him. Fourth, feeling more rested than he had in days, carefully pushed the blanket aside and got up. His movements were slow, still mindful of his recovering body, but the ache in his chest had lessened, and the fever was a memory now.

He glanced over at Gemini, who was still sound asleep, his head tilted at an awkward angle. Fourth couldn't help but smile faintly at the sight. It was strange how comforting Gemini's presence had become, how much he now found himself drawn to the older boy in a way he couldn't quite explain.

Fourth stretched carefully, the hem of his loose T-shirt riding up slightly as he moved. He winced as his hand brushed over the sensitive skin near his waist—an area he rarely thought about, except in moments like these. The faint outline of his butterfly-shaped birthmark peeked out from beneath the fabric, and instinctively, he pulled his shirt back down, covering it.

But Gemini's groggy voice startled him.

"Wait."

Fourth froze, turning to see Gemini sitting up now, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. His gaze was sharp, though, focused on the spot where Fourth had hurriedly pulled his shirt down.

"What is it?" Fourth asked, trying to sound casual, though his voice was tinged with nervousness.

Gemini stood, crossing the room in a few strides. "Just now..." he began, his voice low, almost as if he was speaking to himself. "I thought I saw..."

Fourth's brows furrowed. "Saw what?"

Gemini hesitated. The sight of the butterfly-shaped mark on Fourth's waist had sent a jolt through him, awakening a memory he'd carried for years. A memory of a little boy, laughter ringing through a sunny garden, and the distinct butterfly birthmark he'd seen on that boy's side. His heart raced as the realization struck him like a tidal wave.

"Nong Si..." Gemini whispered, almost inaudibly.

Fourth blinked, confused. "What did you say?"

Gemini looked at him, his gaze filled with a mix of disbelief and hope. "Fourth, can I see your side for a second? Please."

The sudden request made Fourth instinctively take a step back, his hand clutching the hem of his shirt protectively. "Why would you need to—"

"Please," Gemini interrupted gently, his tone earnest. "I need to see if—just trust me."

Something in Gemini's voice softened Fourth's resistance. Hesitantly, he lifted his shirt just enough to reveal the faint butterfly-shaped mark on his waist.

Gemini's breath caught. There it was—the birthmark he'd never forgotten, the one he'd searched for all these years. His hands trembled slightly as he pointed to it.

"You..." Gemini's voice was thick with emotion. "You're him. You're Nong Si."

Fourth frowned, his confusion only deepening. "Nong Si? What are you talking about?"

Gemini stepped back, running a hand through his hair as the flood of memories overwhelmed him. "When I was a kid," he began, his voice shaking slightly, "I met this boy. We spent a summer together. He had the same birthmark as you, right there on his side. I called him Nong Si because he was like a little butterfly, flitting around, laughing, making everything brighter."

Fourth's eyes widened as the words began to piece together something buried deep in his own memories. A vague recollection surfaced—a summer spent with an older boy, playing hide-and-seek, climbing trees, sharing secrets in the golden light of a childhood long past.

"You..." Fourth said slowly, his voice trembling. "You were the boy I called Phi Mini..."

Gemini's heart pounded in his chest as he heard the name he hadn't been called in years. "You remember?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Fourth nodded, his hand unconsciously brushing over the birthmark. "I... I didn't think it was real. I thought it was just a dream from when I was little. You were the one who taught me to climb trees, who caught me when I fell..."

"And you were the one who gave me my first flower," Gemini added, a small, incredulous laugh escaping him. "I kept looking for you, all these years. I never stopped thinking about you."

Fourth's lips parted in disbelief. "You were looking for me?"

Gemini nodded, his gaze softening as he took a step closer. "You've been in my heart since then, Fourth. Even when I didn't know your name, even when I thought I'd never see you again. I kept searching because I couldn't forget you."

Fourth's breath hitched, his mind racing to process the whirlwind of emotions swirling around them. The boy he had adored as a child, the one who had made him feel special and seen, was standing in front of him now, after all this time.

The room felt smaller, the air heavier with the weight of their shared past. Fourth looked at Gemini, his heart pounding in his chest. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again, either," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Gemini reached out, hesitating before gently placing a hand on Fourth's shoulder. "I'm here now," he said, his voice steady but filled with emotion. "And I'm not going anywhere."

For the first time in a long while, Fourth felt a sense of completeness, as though a piece of his life he hadn't realized was missing had finally fallen into place. As they stood there, their gazes locked, the quiet revelation of their shared history seemed to forge an unspoken promise between them—one that hinted at a future neither of them could have imagined.

The butterfly mark that had once been a symbol of fleeting childhood had now become a sign of something deeper, something destined to bring them together once again.