Parcel | StellJun

Chapter 54 - Sign

AFTER fixing his things, Pavlo hurriedly goes out and runs towards the car park. He's on the way meeting Jallen in a restaurant with Julian. They are planning on another project again. Unfortunately, Keir is too busy to join them.

He hums while walking towards Dusty, hands both in his pocket. He smiles, showing off his dimples when eventually, that smile falters instantly. He froze, mouth gaping. His heart thuds as he remains frozen in his spot.

"V-Vester?" With widened eyes, he called the nervous person standing beside Dusty. No matter how long they've been separated, he can always see through him.

"Pao..." That voice, it's too familiar and eventually calms his raging seas. Since how long has he heard him say his name? He can't barely remember.

"Ikaw ba talaga iyan?" he asked.

When the younger nodded, he blinked as he slowly walked towards him. He's hoping that this Vester in front of him is not the same Vester who will leave him in a snap because the Vester he always saw is just a glimpse of memories from his head and when it glitches, one moment, he's gone entirely.

"A-Anong ginagawa mo rito?" His voice is raspy and hoarse.

As soon as he reached the younger, without a word, Vester pulled him into a tight embrace. His heart swells and his rational brain malfunctions. Unknowingly, he brought his hands up, caressing the younger's back carefully as if he were a glass.

Vester's embrace tightened even more but he's not complaining. He missed his warmth. He missed this feeling. He missed him so much. Silently, he is chanting that the moment he held Vester in his arms, it was not the same dream he often dreamed before because it felt so real. He can feel it and even his fragrant smell.

"Hey..." He pulled him slightly, not completely removing the younger away from him. "Why are you crying?"

"I miss you—no, bago ang lahat, sorry. I'm so sorry pero Pao, pagod na pagod na ako. Hindi ko na kayang magtago. Hindi ko rin pala kayang makita ka kasama ang iba. Sorry sa lahat ng nagawa ko. Sana mapatawad mo pa ako."

He smiled while rubbing the younger's back, shushing him. "Ssshh! It's okay. Ang tagal na no'n. You're long forgiven, Vester. You can now stop blaming yourself. Stop crying over past things—"

"It's not just past things, Pao. It's more than that." Vester looks up, his face soaked with his hot tears.

Pavlo looks down, staring into the younger's eyes. He brought up his hands into Vester's cheeks that the latter leaned on. He thumbs those tears away. "God knows how much I've missed you."

"I still love you, Pao..." Vester said it with a tear in his eyes. "Mahal mo pa ba ako?"

"Vester—" He held his breath. "Listen—"

"I understand. I'm sorry for coming back like this," Vester whispered, hiccupping. "I just wanna say I missed you so much."

Then there was this strange sound from nowhere and before everything in him sinks in, he wakes up hugging his hotdog pillow much to his frustrations. He wails in madness, curling himself into the duvet.

He's tired. He's too tired. He cried out in annoyance. If he were given the chance to choose, he would choose not to wake up if he held Vester like that again. From all the dreams he had with the younger, the recent one feels so real. It's like Vester is really there with him and that's the first time he even has the chance to touch him in his dream.

He snaps at his alarm clock and angrily silenced it. "Wrong timing ka, alam mo ba 'yon? Saka ka pa talaga tumunog eh sasabihin ko na 'yong sagot ko! Palitan na nga kita ng bago. Iyong gagawin ang trabaho niya ng maayos. Kaasar!"