V

Chapter Five 

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The afternoon sun, a warm, lazy hand, painted the room in hues of gold and amber. It was a Sunday morning, the air thick with the scent of freshly brewed coffee and the promise of a day free from the pressures of university life. Ford, ever the responsible one, was already stirring, the aroma of coffee filling the air. "What do you guys want for breakfast?" he asked, his voice raspy from sleep.

Gemini, still nestled in his blankets, yawned and stretched. "Nah, let's go out. My treat," he declared, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Winny, always up for a good time, shot up from the sofa where he'd been napping. "Wow, you're paying for us?" he exclaimed with mock disbelief. 

"You sure you can afford it, Gem?"

Gemini chuckled, his voice laced with amusement. "Only for them," he said, gesturing towards 

Fourth and Satang, who were still half-asleep. "You, my friend, are on your own."

The room erupted in laughter, except for Satang. He sat up slowly, his gaze distant, a quietness that had settled over him since he woke up. Fourth noticed it, a furrow forming on his brow. "You coming with us?" he asked, his voice soft.

Satang hesitated, his eyes flitting to the others. "Uh, no. I think I'll just go home."

Winny, ever the optimist, immediately jumped in. "No, you're coming with us. It'll be fun!" Satang, despite his initial reluctance, found himself swept along with the group. They ended up in a fancy restaurant, the air thick with the scent of exotic spices and the murmur of conversation. Gemini, ever the leader, took charge. "Let's order some food," he said, his voice echoing in the quiet space.

As they waited for their food, Winny, always the chatterbox, started asking questions. First, about their project, then about their lives. The conversation flowed easily, punctuated by Ford's teasing remarks and Fourth's shy laughter. Gemini found himself drawn to Fourth, his gaze lingering on him as he laughed with Ford and Winny, defending himself with a playful spirit. It was the first time he'd seen Fourth truly relax, truly smile, and he felt a pang of guilt, wondering if he'd been the reason for Fourth's guarded demeanor all these years.

The food arrived, a feast for the senses, the aroma mingling with the chatter and laughter. They ate, sharing stories, jokes, and comfortable silences. For the first time, Fourth felt truly comfortable, able to speak freely without the fear of judgment. Satang, too, found himself drawn into the conversation, his quietness replaced by playful banter with Winny, who seemed to delight in teasing him. Ford, ever the peacemaker, mediated their playful squabbles.

After their meal, Winny, always the one to push boundaries, suggested an arcade. "Let's take advantage of it. He never treats us like this," he said, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

Gemini, surprised by his own impulsiveness, agreed. "Sure," he said, his voice echoing with the unexpectedness of his own decision."Are you for real?" Winny exclaimed, his eyes wide with disbelief. Even Satang, who knew Gemini well, seemed speechless.

"Or, should I change my mind?" Gemini teased, a playful smirk playing on his lips.

"No, no, let's go and play there!" Ford said, his voice filled with excitement, as he followed Winny who was already dragging Satang and Fourth towards the arcade.

The day unfolded in a blur of flashing lights, arcade sounds, and laughter. They played games, sang karaoke, and shared inside jokes. Ford, with his beautiful voice, sang duets with Winny, who surprised everyone with his rapping skills.

Ford, ever the charmer, asked Fourth to sing with him. Fourth, shy as always, hesitated. But when Winny handed him the microphone, he sang, his voice surprisingly beautiful, a soft melody that filled the room.

Gemini, surprised by Fourth's hidden talent, watched him, a sense of wonder filling him. But the surprise wasn't over yet. Ford, ever the instigator, turned to Satang. "You like to sing too, right? I heard you always won competitions in high school."

Satang, his eyes meeting Gemini's, hesitated. "But I don't like to sing anymore," he said, his voice barely a whisper. Winny, ever the unpredictable one, handed him the microphone. "Sing this for me," he said, his voice filled with a playful challenge.

Fourth and Ford exchanged surprised glances. Satang, caught off guard, shook his head, but Winny insisted. He took the microphone, his eyes meeting Winny's, and began to sing.

The room fell silent. Satang's voice, in stark contrast to his cold demeanor, was warm and sweet, a melody that seemed to melt the tension in the room. Winny, mesmerized, found himself staring at Satang, his heart skipping a beat.

After Satang's performance, Winny, ever the showman, turned to Gemini. "Your turn, Gem," he said, pushing him towards the microphone.

Gemini, knowing Winny's stubbornness, reluctantly agreed. Winny knew Gemini could sing well as well as Satang, having competed against him in high school, but Ford and Fourth were surprised. Gemini's voice, strong and confident, filled the room, his gaze locking with Fourth's as he sang.

Fourth, for some reason, felt his heart race again, just like the night before. He couldn't explain it, this inexplicable pull towards Gemini, this feeling of warmth that spread through him whenever their eyes met.

The day ended with ice cream, the sweet taste lingering on their tongues as they walked home. They had spent the day together, laughing, sharing, and growing closer. Even in the University, where they were surrounded by familiar faces, their newfound closeness was evident. Students whispered and gossiped as they saw Gemini and Winny with Fourth during lunch, Ford absent and Satang claiming he wasn't hungry.

They were chatting while eating, their laughter echoing in the cafeteria, when Prom, always the observer, interrupted them. "Oh, I see. You guys have new friends now," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, his gaze fixed on Fourth.

Gemini, his brows furrowing, scoffed at Prom's remark. "What's wrong with hanging out with him?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of defiance.

Prom rolled his eyes, his displeasure evident. "You know what, we can hang out too later if you wanted to. Are you being jealous?" Winny chimed in, his voice teasing, but Prom ignored him, turning away and walking off.

Gemini and Winny exchanged confused glances, but they let it go, continuing their meal. But in Gemini's mind, a thought lingered. He needed to talk to Prom, to understand his sudden change in behavior.

After class, Gemini went to find Prom at their usual hideout, a secluded corner of the library where they often retreated to escape the university's hustle and bustle. As he entered, he saw Prom and Perth sitting together, Perth giving him a nod while Prom ignored him. "Let's talk, Prom." Gemini said.

Prom looked at him, and said, "Sure. What should we talk about, Gem?""I don't like how you talk to me about hanging out with Fourth, Prom." Gemini said directly to Prom who let out a scoffed. "You know what, I thought at first you just got scared of that incident." Prom said, referring to the incident during the party. "That's why you asked us not to touch him anymore but right now, I am not sure if I am seeing things right, but you're being friends with him after being groupmates in one project? And not only you, but Winny too?" He added and let out a disbelief chuckled."Well, yeah. You're right. At first I was just scared of what happened." Gemini spoke after a few seconds of being quiet trying to process what Prom was saying. "But, after being with them for almost a week everyday, I see them in different perspective. I am sure, Winny saw what I see too." He uttered.

"But, it doesn't mean I am forgetting about you, Prom. You were the one who saved me before and thought me how to be strong but for a change, its quite alright to be friend with someone different from us." Gemini continued.

"I am just protecting you, Gemini. I don't want to see you like how I first saw you before." Prom stated. Gemini shut his eyes tightly before responding to Prom, "I know Prom. And I am grateful but don't you think you are being like this because you are just being jealous?" Gemini said, frustrated by his best friend's behavior.

"Whatever, Gemini. I am just warning you." Prom said before leaving the area. Gemini was stunned on his feet, he was confused about his friend but then, Perth who is witnessing everything, spoke. "Don't worry about it Gem. I'll talk to him. Give him some space." He said giving assurance to Gemini.

End of Chapter Five