the truth told

I have been cuddling Nanon since last night. It's 8 already, but seeing him snuggle in my chest makes me happy. He looks like he just wants to settle in with me. He is so freaking adorable.

"Are you up already?" Nanon said, looking up at me from my chest. Not opening his eyes, trying to adjust to the light coming from the window.

"I am, princess. Are you alright?"

"I am. I got a little overwhelmed, that's all."

"Good to know you are alright."

I was snuggling with him, peppering the morning with kisses. This is the first time we are in my room in the morning.

"Non"

"Yes."

"Would you like to stay with me until the promotion ends?"

I don't know what he was thinking. He was obviously thinking about how stupid I am. We had sex once. One date, that too, was messed up. Yes, we have been helping each other find things we like, but who asks their partner to stay this early in a relationship?

"What if I want to stay more? What if I want to stay forever?" Came out of Non's mouth.

"Who'll be dumb enough to say no?"

As I was about to kiss him, my phone rang. It was Thai. Only if he was not my blood.

"What's up, hia?"

"I am alive." I said while Non scooched off my side, so Thai didn't realise we were cuddling.

"Can I come by your house? I miss you and phi." Thai said.

"Are you hiding from mom?"

"What? No. I just got over my practice and want to hangout with you two."

"Okay. Come over."

.......

"You will not step inside my house with those shoes."

"I just told you; I came from practice."

"If you bring those dirty shoes into my house, I'll ban you from ever coming here forever."

"Oh, come on, Ohm. Will you not even get him off the lift?" Nanon said from behind me. 

"No, Non, he will dirty the hallway. I barely get days off; I don't want to spend one cleaning up the mess."

"You know you'll clean anyway, right?"

"He is not getting into my apartment with those shoes. Good thing i saw him from the balcony."

"What am I supposed to do? Walk barefoot."

"Are your feet clean? If yes, then sure. If not, i dare you to walk."

"They are. They are. Geez-, you are worse than mom."

"I am telling her, you said that."

"eh, what?"

Thai removed his shoes and came barefoot into the house. When he entered the apartment, he was about to take the house slippers.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"Am I handstanding again?"

"No."

"Then it's visible; I am taking the house slippers."

"Who allowed you to do that? you just walked on the bare ground with your feet. Do you think I'll allow such feet to dirty my house slippers? Go take a bath."

"What? Why can't I just wash my feet?"

"Well, you can, if you are planning on standing the whole time."

"What?"

"You think I will allow you to sit on any of my furniture considering how sweaty you are?"

 "Ugh. You are annoying."

.....

Non's pov:

"Where's hia?"

"In the kitchen. Cooking something for you. He considered that you might be hungry given that you just came back from your basketball practice."

"Great. So how is your relationship with my brother going?"

"What?" I was in utter shock. Has Ohm told him? Is he bluffing? What is happening?

"Phi, I know he thinks I don't understand him because he doesn't show his true self much, but at the end of the day, we are the same blood. you have no idea how many days I have caught him smiling towards you. I have known since those days that he likes you. the only difference today was that you smiled back at him the same way he does."

"Also, I saw you scooch from his side this morning."

At this point, I was blushing like a tomato. These kids are younger than us, but they knew about our feelings even before we did. These two have grown up. 

"But why? Why would you choose a clean freak, pain in the ass like him?"

"Because he let's off his schedule for me."

"He does what?"

"Lays off his schedule."

"He might really like you. One time, this popular girl in his class asked him for a coffee, and he said he'd rather have a poisoned coffee than overrule a schedule for her."

"he said that?"

"on her face."

"Has he always been this schedule freak?"

"No. Mom said he was a very laid-down kid before going to that hostel. I was curious about what changed him so much. so I made him sit down and tell me that story. Since that day, I respect this man more than anything in the world."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it is his personal business. but I know he likes you too much to never bring it in front of you. this remains between me and you."

"You can trust me."

"I hope, too."

"When Hia was 13 and I was 10, our dad got a transfer. I decided to leave with my parents. But Hia's teachers said he might have to repeat a class if he was moved in the middle. Dad and Hia didn't want that to happen, so they decided to shift him to the hostel provided by the school. The only thing my dad didn't and still doesn't know is that he was sending Hia into a living hell. The place was not safe for a kid. They had strict rules. Hia and I were sincerely and, in all honesty, very pampered kids. So we were not that used to doing our chores. It turns out the kids had to do everything by themselves there. I'm not saying that's wrong, but the way it was implemented was. They were very strict people, so even if the chores were delayed by one day, they didn't use to give their meals. Or they would wake them up in the night until the chores were done. same went for their homeworks. If their homework was not done, they weren't given lunch. He had to earn everything. 

Even when he was sick, he was not provided with the necessities, and even our parents were not informed about his illness. One time, the situation got so critical that they had to take Hia to the hospital, even then, they never told our parents. Hia also kept his mouth shut because that's what he was being taught. Shutting up and listening. He thought that's the only way he could receive love. when we came back and retracted Hia from the hostel, Hia always used to follow the same rules. No dinner until the homework's done. He always kept his schedule packed because he thought if he sat ideal, our parents would hate him and send him there again. he never kept his opinions in front of others. He went ahead with what was told to him. At one place where my mom was thinking that the hostel made him sincere, the truth was that the hostel made him so insecure that he thought he didn't deserve love. he has been a people-pleaser since he came back. he thinks the only way he can get people to love and accept him is by shutting up and doing whatever they say. hia starts thinking he is not good enough if something in his schedule doesn't go as planned."

at this point, i had straight-up tears in my eyes. I wiped them as soon as possible because I didn't want Ohm to find out that I cried. I know he will panic. that's not how a kid should be treated. that's not how kids are supposed to be brought up. the 'love of my life' rather stayed silent than telling me something so fucking important because he thinks shutting up will keep my love intact. I always thought he had OCD; he is the one person with the most sorted mindset, the person who is most calm and clear about his life. I didn't know he was fighting his own battle. I always told him not to be too kind, but he did it because he didn't receive the kindness he needed. he is still afraid to be his real self in front of me. is that why he was saying he was not good enough for me when our date plan got a little out of hand? he is the only one I deserve.

"Please don't tell him; I told you. he'd kill me."

"Don't worry. I know exactly what I have to do for my man."

ANNOUNCEMENT: I have a question, nothing else.

Do you guys want me to write the side stories of the side characters? (mostly FilmPrim's first date). LucasDan having a toxic confession (2). ThaiNonnie shipping their brothers (3). add the number you like in the comment box. you can add any of them because I have some ideas for all of them. the one most requested will be worked on (if I am in the mood, I'll write all three).

A/N: Thank you for 1k reads and 100 votes. they mean a lot to me. when I started writing this book, I didn't think we'd come this far. I really thought I'd make this as short as possible and disappear. well turns out your love made me stay. the story was about betrayal. the plot kept writing itself, but the betrayal will come. it will come and break our hearts. the story was not supposed to be what it turned out to be. but I guess it's fine because anything that matters is the love you guys have for me. thank you for loving the author, the little cat, and the cute little Ronan so much.