thirty-two

Pete

"What-what are you doing here?"

Kao's prominent frown and surprise were obvious on his face the moment I rolled down the window and stopped my car not far away from where he was standing outside some cafe near his university.

"Oh, hey! Kao! Just as I thought. I, well, Uhm, I had a quick meeting a few blocks away. I didn't know you're around. I just thought of getting myself coffee before I drive back."

The truth was, I just got there.

There was no meeting and Kaleb had to literally hold me down just so I would not run to where Kao was.

But obviously my best friend didn't succeed.

"So. You're still not done yet!?!"

I asked casually, trying to hide the fact that I knew he was done already and was about to head home as per what Gum had reported to me.

"No, we just, wrapped it up. I'm actually on my way-no, they actually offered to take me home."

I labored a sigh before I gave Kao a strained smile.

"Oh? Who are they? Your new friends?"

To whom one of them was the the city mayor's son and was known for being a player?

That was according to Kaleb's initial findings.

I urged him to dig some more.

"They're my group mates."

He corrected.

As if it would cover the fact that he's starting to be friends with the kind of guys I would never allowed him to be with even from a distance-if it were up to me.

"Hmm. I see."

I nodded as if I really cared about his new friends.

"Where are they? Can I met them?"

The crease on Kao's forehead deepened as he weighed the option of answering my question or not.

"Uhm, they're getting their car from the uni. We just walked her to avoid traffic."

Kao answered in the end but he looked as if he just did so I would not bother him too much later on.

"So, you still want them to bring you home?"

I asked straightforwardly and hoped that Kao got the message that I didn't want anyone bringing him home even if it's his new friends or classmates or whatever!

"Uhm, they, kind of insisted."

I raised my brows at him.

"But I'm here now."

Because I made sure that I would be.

"Don't you have somewhere else to go?"

I shook my head as if it was the most important thing to do at the moment.

"I was done. I told you. But I can just go so your new friends could send you home. And maybe have dinner there what do you think?"

I almost was not able to finish what I said when Kao shook his head the way I did beforehand.

"Ah, no. It's-Uhm, I'll just, tell them you're here."

He said as I saw him took his phone form his bag.

"I'll just tell them to head straight home."

I couldn't help but frown at Kao.

"You gave them your number?"

Kao stoped texting and looked at me over his phone.

"They're my classmates and group mates, how am I supposed to communicate with them if I didn't?"

Kao regarded me as if I was a confusing item in an art gallery wondering why I was even there.

"Yeah. Of course! Sure, you're right. Haha!"

Damn! Pete.

Really!?!

I tutted and opened the passenger door for Kao to get in which he did.

At least, he didn't make it so hard for me as what Kaleb predicted.

"Wait. Didn't you say you wanted coffee?"

Kao asked right after he put his phone away and I revved the car.

And man did I just blow my cover!?!

"Yeah, Uhm, I remembered we have excellent coffee beans at home. I'll just have some there."

Kao looked at me as if he didn't believe what I just said but he didn't say anything and I drove off.

Not long after, his phone rang.

"Caizer, hi!"

That's the mayor's son calling him.

"Yeah, thank you, maybe next time. My boss had a meeting nearby and came to the cafe, I'm going back home with him. Yes. Thanks again. See you. Bye!"

I made a face when I heard Kao address me as his boss.

I still am not in favor of the honorific but Kao seemed to have set his mind on it.

I concentrated back on the road when I saw Kao on his phone again.

He was texting.

I couldn't make out any of it though because his phone screen was broken and all I could see from my vantage point was that of shattered glass.

Reminded me to get him a new phone.

But maybe not explicitly tho.

He declined the idea when I offered it to him a few weeks ago.

"So, how was your first day?"

Kao looked up from his phone and regarded me.

"Great. I guess. I was surprised that I was not the only old man in the class. I mean, I really think I'd he the oldest considering the years I had off school. Turns out, there are a lot of us. Caizer, one of my group mates? He's just a year younger. And it makes me happy knowing that I would not feel so left out as I thought I would."

I was smiling as I watched Kao talked animatedly.

I was really happy for him.

Not so with how he seemed to be so fond of that Caizer first day into university but never the less, I was glad that Kao was starting to open up more theses days.

"Also, do you know that Caizer is the city mayor's son? But he's like so cool and down to earth. Curt, the other one comes from family of hoteliers. They are so rich but are so cool and kind."

I'm glad that he's obviously having a good time.

But can Kao stop mentioning about other guys!?!

And what's with him pointing out there being cool and kind and down to earth???

"Uhuh. I didn't know that. Good for them. But Uhm, when will you introduce me to your new friends?"

Kao looked at me.

"What for?"

I raised my brows at him.

Really!?!

"I mean, yeah, okay. Sure. Maybe, some other time. Yeah."

Kao said after a while.

"Great. And maybe you know, you can stop telling them I'm your boss or something."

I really didn't like the gap it's representing.

"But you are my boss. I'm working for you."

I groaned inwardly.

Trust Kao to always rub that in.

"Yes, true but it's not like you're really working for me full time."

In fact, you really didn't have to do it.

"But still. I'm in school because of the money you pay me for my job."

Because you wouldn't accept it if it wouldn't be disguised as that.

"Yeah, but, I don't know, maybe you can just tell them I'm your guardian or something."

Kao turned towards me with a furrowed brows.

"You're my boss."

I smiled and nodded.

"And guardian."

I added.

"I'm twenty three."

Kao said as he prepared for a discussion as evident on the way he angled himself on his seat to face me.

"And I'm twenty eight. A bit older than you I must say. And in this country, you need to be over twenty five for you not to need a guardian anymore."

I can see Kao blinking on my peripheral vision before he sighed and sat back and leaned back on his seat.

"Okay, so, why are we talking about this now?"

He regarded me yet again after some time.

"Because it's important?"

I looked at him and made a turn towards the way home.

"Also, it would be nice if you don't easily agree for strangers to send you home. Although, your friends are welcome. You can invite them over for dinner actually or anytime you like. Just tell me so I'll have the preparation ready."

I heard Kao sighed and I was pretty much sure he rolled his eyes with that one.

"I appreciate the offer but no thank you. I'm not that thick skinned. It's not my house to begin with."

I tutted and nodded at what he said.

"You're right. About the house. It's not yours. It's mine, and that's why I'm telling you, you can bring friends over, I don't mind."

I smiled at him to which he returned with a married eyes.

"Do you also allow Gum, and Len, and everyone else to bring their friends over at your house for dinner?"

I shook my head.

"No. Not them."

I said as I glanced at Kao furrowing his brows at me.

"And why is that? We're all working for you. We're all in your payroll. Why am I allowed to do it and they're not?"

I smiled before I made the last turn towards the hill and into the house before I smiled and turned toward him and answered Kao with all honesty.

"That's because you're special."