Love Me, Sensei

5

Win musters all the courage he could in a long drag of breathe before clenching his fist and gently knocks the door.

"Come in" a baritone voice propels through the door.

"Are you free, Mr. Chivaaree?"

Bright looks up at the boy who seems a lot better than he was two evenings ago.

"Hey Win, come sit" Bright says, smiling amiably.

Win plants himself in a chair before clearing his throat. Now that he's here, he can't work his nervousness out.

"You want something?" Bright asks, hesitantly.

"Uhm.. I came to thank you for the other day you dropped me home."

Bright waves his hand dismissively, "ah it's nothing. You already thanked me a lot that night."

Win knows he did. It's just he couldn't come up with any better excuse to meet Bright.

"I also thought about what you said about not giving up" Win starts, "and I have decided to apply for revaluation of my performance in the competition."

Bright's eyes sparkle as he listens attentively to the boy.

"Wow" he exclaims, "that's great, Win. I am proud of you."

Win's heart flutters but also swells with pride, making him feel like a teenager in love.

He continues, "also, I finally talked to my parents about how I feel about their constant fights. It didn't go that well and honestly, I'm not even sure if they'll stop but I feel better."

Bright smiles, nodding in assurance.

"And..." Win's mouth feels dry but he won't falter this time, not when Bright is already looking at him, waiting for him to speak.

"I have decided to confess my feelings to the one I like" he says, finally, squeezing his eyes shut, missing the startled look on the other's face.

Bright's eyes pop out comically. Wait, what? Now??

Bright gulps, suddenly very conscious of the fact that this boy is finally making a move after two years of staring from a distance and he measures the probability of this confession ruining what has (probably) begun between them.

"Mr. Chivaaree" Win says firmly, "I like -"

"Do you want to hang out later?" Bright interrupts abruptly, "i bought a PS5 recently and also, a new projector. We could play games.."

He clams up on seeing Win's puzzled expressions. He feels terrible on intervening when he understands it must have taken a lot of courage for the other to come here today. But Bright knows it would be worse if he had let him finish his sentence.

"O- okay?" Win says, half confused and half disappointed for failing at what his intention had been primarily.

He frowns and waits for the other to speak but Bright simply nods, busying himself in other works.

Win gets up from his chair but turns back again, opening his mouth but shutting it up again. At last, he bows down politely before leaving, shutting the door behind and Bright releases a breathe he didn't even know he was holding.

"That was close.." he mutters under his breathe.

....

Fong saunters back and forth in Win's room, scratching his chin with his index as they drill down in comprehensive analysis of Mr. Chivaaree's gesture.

"What must he be thinking?" Win mumbles, staring at the ceiling.

Fong shrugs, "your guess is as good as mine."

"It's not" Win disagrees, "not when he's the matter of our concern."

Fong gasps, rushing to the bed.

"He's pitying on you" Fong concludes, "when you cried and all, he must have thought what a poor and lonely boy you are. That's it, he's sympathetic."

Win grimaces, kicking Fong out of his blanket.

"No, fuck!" he exclaims, "I don't want him to look down upon me."

Fong shrugs, flashing dramatically sad eyes.

"I am afraid he already does."

Win looks into the space, Fong's words do make sense.

Oh my god, I have messed it up, haven't I?

🖤🤍