It's not what you think!

Saturday came, all is well, weather is clear and the neighborhood is calm. People are strolling, walking their dogs and cats? One can say that the neighborhood is indeed unique and strange. As for Zaiex, he woke up and opened the windows, and then a warm breeze came in greeting him with a nice comfort. Feeling refreshed, he fixed his bed, brushed his teeth and went downstairs to prepare his breakfast. A warm chocolate milk, with matching peanut butter and jelly sandwich. “Morning son! You sure are up early. Any plans today?” Her mother greeted him and got some milk and eggs out the fridge. “Hey mom. Well, I seem to be a bit clumsy recently, so I thought of going to see our optometrist.” Zaiex replied. “Huh?! Why would you want to be going to the optometrist? Isn’t being clumsy normal to you by now.” Zaiex’s mom giggled. “M-mom! I am NOT clumsy, okay? I’ve been bumping into people since the start of the school, so maybe I thought my eyesight is getting blurry.” “Is that so… Do you want me to go with you? You might hit a pole or something this time.” Zaiex’s mom sarcastically exclaimed. “Wha- MOM! Your making me sound like I’m going blind?!” Despite a rowdy morning caused by their silly bickering, Zaiex faintly heard his phone’s ringtone. He stopped his argument and his Mom stopped as well, calming the situation down. He then picked up his phone, opened the messaging app and saw an unknown number sent a message to him. With mild nervousness and curiosity, he calmly checked the message and saw it was from Damian asking him if he has plans today. He chuckled slightly, then he happily replied. “For a second there, I thought someone who potentially my stalker got my number. Good thing it was just you Damian.” And in a few seconds, Damian replied… “Hahaha! I’m sorry. I wanted to surprise you. So, do you have any plans today? Our club activities were cancelled and I thought we should hangout for old times’ sake, what do you say?” With a huge grin on his face, he ecstatically agreed and told him to meet him up in a fast-food chain in the main city.

After finishing his breakfast and prepping himself to go see Damian and the optometrist, he scurried off with a skip. Zaiex has arrived at the main city of Paopiance called Paofu Compass Square. He waited for Damian in front of a fast food chain called WcDonalds. Meanwhile, just beside the fast food’s alleyway, there are three students ganging and beating up another student. The rowdy commotion was being muffled by the noise of the crowd around the block for Zaiex to not even notice. After a few minutes, Damian has arrived, and the fighting between the students seemed to have died down then the three went away and left the bruised and weakened student on the ground. All along, the beat up student was Aiden. A few scratches on the face, clothes all torn and dirtied, and a black eye on his right side. He is struggling to get up, but as he managed to support himself up while holding his stomach grimacing from the pain; he looked around to see if anyone is there. With one eye shut, he managed to notice from afar, Zaiex and Damian standing just outside the alleyway, talking and laughing. He was in an unbearable physical pain, but just seeing them together… was entirely a different and more excruciating pain. His face scrunched up, and he firmly clenched his fist, and then quickly punched the side of the wall with a loud thud. A drop of blood got out his knuckles from the strength he exerted, but his face seemed to have felt nothing. He just couldn’t bear the sight of them, his fist felt numb, and his whole body was trembling. His own body doesn’t know how to cope from all the discomfort. In response to the agonizing pain, an uncontrollable stream of tears flowed down from both of his eyes. It’s been a long time since he cried so hard. He was so confused and frustrated, the feeling he just felt was coming to him in a blinding flash, memories of the past came to him like a train that is unable to stop. He tried to wipe his tears away with his injured arm and hands, but no matter how hard he tries, the tears won’t stop. “Damn it! What is this?! Stop it you idiot! Argh!” With all the mustered hurt and anger, he kicked the trashcan with a booming clunk, enough to be heard by the two. Curious, Zaiex took a side-glance at the alleyway, and saw that no one was around but just a pile of trash strewn around. “What’s up Zaiex? What are you looking at?” “Oh… Uh it’s nothing. So… Shall we go? I forgot to mention that I made an appointment with my optometrist today. Would you mind accompanying me?” Zaiex suggested. “Really? Ofcourse! Let’s go!” Damian raised his hands while wearing a big smile. “Someone sure is excited.” Zaiex laughed. The two left to go to the optometrist, and on the other side of the alleyway, is Aiden clenching his scraped fist, still crying from the awful situation he has encountered. A reality that he has been struggling to escape from since the time that they have avoided and ultimately not interacting with each other.

The two have finally arrived at the optometrist, and Zaiex began to have his eye checked. “How is it doc?” “Well, you’re right eyes is 0.25 higher than before but your left eye is still the same. I will issue you a new set of glasses right now.” “Thank you Doc. I thought for a moment that I was becoming a klutz.” “Hahaha. Far from it. Don’t worry you’ll be able to see clearly again soon enough. Just wait here for a few minutes okay?” Zaiex patiently waited and after a few minutes, he got his new but same style set of glasses. As he got out of the doctors office, Zaiex fabulously showed Damian his new glasses. “How does it look Damian?” “Looks the same to me. But nonetheless, looks greay!” “Are you saying I’m basic?” Zaiex grumbled a bit and finally both laughed. Zaiex thanked the doctor and they left the store to get some lunch. They started walking down what seems to be a food street, where lots of stalls and stores are scattered about selling various scrumptious and fragrant food. They found a busy store that sells ramen. The two settled down and ordered their meal. “So… Damian. I’ve been meaning to ask, how’d you get my number?” “OH! Sorry, hahaha. I asked Lily for your number, she was really enthusiastic about it when she gave it to me. She was like… ‘Here you go Damian! I’m almost certain he’d be jumping like a kangaroo once you messaged him. Wink wink’ Like that. Hahaha” Damian chuckled. Zaiex started blushing from the weirdly good impression of Lily and then in his thought he started to sarcastically curse her. “I swear Lily, you’re starting to get on my nerves! If I get my hands on you I’ll beat the crap out of you!” “She was really excited too. But I can’t blame her, I’m excited as well to finally be able to hang out with you again!” Damian smiled. “Yeah… Speaking of hang out… It’s kind of convenient that you had time today to accompany me?” Zaiex asked. “Ah well... I was supposed to have Taekwondo practice, but our sensei is out to get her wife from the airport. And then I remembered you, so I texted you and I’ll ask if you have time to hangout and catch up.” “Ah! Well glad you’re here then. Thank you Damian.” The two continued to talk about school while eating. Damian asked Zaiex if he’s still considering to join the Martial Arts club. Zaiex still turned him down, but he can tell that Damian will not give up, as that is how Damian is even before, so persistent. While talking about the clubs, Damian thought of teaching Zaiex a few self-defense. He accepted and after their meal, they went out to a nearby park.

They finally reached a busy park, with a small kid’s play area and few people doing their own things. They looked for an empty clearing and started to work out the basics for the self-defense. “Okay, I’m going to teach you how to defend on various scenarios like a person puts out a knife, an incoming punch or kick, or even when someone shows a gun in front of you.” “Wait Damian… Did you say gun? I’m not sure if I can handle that!” “Hahaha. Silly! I’m not saying you should fight if the person has a gun from a distance, but to defend if someone placed a gun point-blank.” Zaiex sighed with a huge relief. “Okay. Let’s start. First is… “The teaching started at a slow pace, expertly and patiently instructing Zaiex the stance and footing. Zaiex was struggling to copy what Damian is teaching him. Without a second thought, Damian slowly approached him from behind. He casually and calmly holds Zaiex in his calloused and firm hands, gently positioning his arms and easing the tension from his shoulders. He then gradually closed his distance even more to Zaiex, still holding a calm and firm posture while trying to position him properly. Zaiex was struggling to not lose focus, because of the sudden peculiar situation they’re in. Surprisingly, he was able to hide his flustered self from Damian’s close distance and his being caressing him all over his body, feeling the warmth and yet careful presence. Zaiex can clearly tell from his gentle touch, that Damian is trying his best to be careful and is treating him like a delicate flower. As Damian is explaining the positioning while holding him, he took a small peek at Damian’s eyes. His eyes meets Damian’s focused expression, his hearing was starting to blur, and all he can see now is him moving his lips, his tanned face glistening in the sun light, and his hair flowing beautifully from the cool breeze, and few leaves falling from the background seems to complete the dreamy scenery. It was a blissful moment for him, this was his second time experiencing this, and he is still unable to process his feeling from yesterday’s circumstances. Then, in a split second, Damian started to look at Zaiex, and then he startled breaking off from the frozen time of whimsical moment. “Huh?! What?” “I said, clench your fist like this…” Damian released his steady grip on Zaiex’s fists, wondering why he was staring into space. “Are you all right? Looks like you went to another world or something.” He slapped his face with both hands trying to snap himself out. “Sorry! Lost in thought I guess. Where were we?” Zaiex asked. “Right. Let’s continue!” After returning focus, he shrugged off the awkward situation and just continued with the teaching.

Dawn is arriving, and Zaiex completed the difficult and intense hours of training with flying colors. In Damian’s mind, he felt relieved and happy that he managed to instill some of his knowledge to him, knowing that he will be safe even if he is not around to protect him. “Okay! You’re all set. No one can touch you now. Hahaha!” He grinned and placed both of his hands atop Zaiex’s shoulder, reassuring him. “What do you say we celebrate this with a few drinks! I’ll treat you.” Damian raised his arms, clenched his fists in celebration, and then began to turn and walk away. “Hold it Damian! We… We are too young for alcohol!” “Huh? What do you mean…? I already bought these ‘drinks’” Two juices in can came out from the vending machine near the park with a clunk. “Oh! You mean those ‘drinks’ Hahaha! Sorry! My bad.” Damian gave the orange juice to Zaiex and both of them looked for a bench to sit on and talk. “By the way Zai, what made you decide to go to the optometrist all of a sudden?” Damian asked. “Ah! Well you know the other day that I bumped into you? Actually that was not the only time I bumped into someone, I think within 2 days I at least ran into 3 people including you. At first I thought I was clumsy but then I figured it might be because my eyes are getting blurry.” Zaiex said. “Ah! Well good thing you got it sorted out then. Thinking about it, when you bumped into me it felt almost like a thin paper just hit me.” “Yeah… I’m so…. HEY! I heard that!” Zaiex shouted with annoyance and hit Damian on his arm. “Hahaha! All right, all right! How about a small kid instead?” Damian chuckled even harder. “Why you!! Stop it you goof! It’s not funny!” Zaiex almost let out a tear from embarrassment and anger “Okay, okay chill dude! Hahaha. I’m sorry, I just wanted to tease you.” “Hmph… Seriously though… Thank you so much for teaching me… I feel more confident and strong.” Zaiex smiled brightly at him with such sincerity.

The breeze is starting to go cold, the sun is slowly setting, making the sky grow bright red orange. The two silently took in the air and relaxed themselves. As they closed their eyes, a slight jolt in Damian’s mind came. A scary memory has been unearthed from Damian’s mind. Damian started sweating and jumped from the sudden flash of that memory. He slowly looked at Zaiex and he saw him all calm and smiling in peace. He opened his eyes and looked at Damian in return. Seeing him smile like that, Damian couldn’t help but frown and avoid Zaiex’s eyes. Confused, Zaiex put his comforting hands atop his clenched fist and then he asked what was wrong. “Hey… Damian is everything all right? Why did you tense up?” Damian hesitated for a moment to open his mouth. He then started to sweat a bit more. “It’s all right if you don’t want to tell me. Take your time okay?” After Zaiex’s comforting voice, Damian slowly uttered… “I-I was helpless… I didn’t know what to do then. I feel such a coward, Zai.” Zaiex started to worry, he crunch up his eyes and firmly held his trembling hands and consoled him by asking if he wants to talk about what happened.

“You remembered when I first met you? That smile you just did reminded of that one moment where you stood up against the bullies. They targeted me all the time because I was an exchange student and I had a petit body. In that moment, you were beat up instead of me. I was paralyzed by fear… They were kicking you around and punching your face. You ended up going to the nurse’s office full of scratches and bruises, but you still managed to smile brightly, asking if I was okay.” Zaiex tensed up from hearing the memory. His grip on Damian’s hand got stronger. “Yeah… I-I remember. But I couldn’t bear to watch you get bullied by them. That’s why I rushed in.” Zaiex replied in a worried expression. “That’s just it, ZAIEX! If I hadn’t been the weak and defenseless idiot back then. You didn’t have to end up that way. You could’ve suffered a serious injury because of me! I was so frustrated at myself. How could I be so pathetic? ” After letting out a loud uproar from his sudden outburst, he clenched his other hand and the liquid inside the can of orange juice spurted out from his tremendous grip, and then he cried helplessly. His whole body started shaking, and his hands are tightening even further quivering from anger. This was the first time he saw Damian lose himself from all the welled up emotions he has been holding. Seeing him, Zaiex instantly and gently hugged Damian. “Damian… It’s okay! It is my own decision. I wanted to you to feel that you belong then and become my friend. I would do anything for my friends, even if it means getting beat up. But… I’m really sorry that you’ve been feeling like this all this time. It’s all right now, please don’t cry. Besides, look on the bright side, if that unfortunate event did not happen, we wouldn’t be here talking and teaching me how to defend myself!” Hearing his uplifting reassurance and heartfelt care, it felt like a huge thorn has been removed from his chest. He started to calm down and the tension from his body dissipated. He lifted his head up and finally he returned Zaiex’s warm embrace. “Thank you Zaiex. I don’t know how long I’ve been holding this regret and helplessness. You know… You are the reason why I started taking up martial arts. I wanted to prove to you that I can become strong, and confidently say to you that I will protect you this time. I promise… I will not let any harm get to you again Zaiex. This I vow.” Zaiex flinched, but he made his embrace even closer and more firm, their bodies clashing together, making each other feel secure and warm. “Haha. Stupid. You don’t need to promise me anything. I’ll be careful, okay? Just having you close is enough to make me feel safe. So, stop the tough guy act and bring back the goofy Damian I know. You Demon! Just kidding! Hahaha” Zaiex laughed uncontrollably. Damian released himself from the embrace and started to chuckle as well whilst extending his arm out and ruffling around Zaiex’s hair.

Amidst their silly bickering, a disturbing noise is resonating between the trees. Startled, the two started to investigate the noise, and as they reach closer, they saw a girl in uniform and three boys in uniform as well where they are pulling her around and uttering indecent words at her. The two went out from the trees and Damian expertly pulled away the girl from their grip, and stood in front of the three students while Zaiex held the girl and put him behind him. “Now gentlemen, that’s not a good way to treat a lady. Please leave now.” Damian exclaimed with intense glare and unwavering voice. “Ohhh! Scary. Or what punk? You don’t stand a chance against us. Give up now when you still have a chance.” The guy wearing an un-buttoned shirt and has a pierced lip with purple hair spurted out and the suddenly held out a knife, threatening them. Damian’s gaze faltered a bit, but stood his ground firmly with his clenched fists at his side. The other two students sent out a bat and the other wore a brass knuckle. Seeing them using different weapons, Damian still held high, and he placed his fist in front of him, and positioned his footing in a strong and steady stance. Worried, Zaiex told the girl to hide behind the trees and then he quickly took a stance beside Damian. “Zaiex? What are you doing?” “I’m here to be your sidekick. I don’t want my ‘hero’ to be the only one fighting right?” “Hahaha. Well this hero will show how strong he is. Don’t fall behind now, sidekick.” “Stop talking and start fighting!” With those final words, the three rushed forward screaming all at once. They threw wild slashes, punches and kicks, but Damian and Zaiex dodged them one after another, seeming to not break a sweat. “Idiots! What are you doing? Keep hitting them! Argh! You’ll pay for taking our prey from us. Take this!” The purple haired guy positioned himself behind Zaiex and held the knife with both hands and then he quickly thrusts towards him. However, in an instant Damian rushed in front of the guy and he skillfully redirected the knife to the side and with a light movement to his side he raised his right foot high and slammed the guy down the ground with a loud crack. The guy was unable to stand from the intense pain, the other students stopped attacking and took the now unconscious boy away. The three left in a shameful run with their tails behind their back. “Phew. That was fun! I’ve never felt so alive!” Zaiex panted with a sigh of relief. Damian nervously rushed to Zaiex and touched both his arms looking for any injury. “Are you alright? Are you hurt?” “I’m fine. You big dummy. I can’t believe my hero saved me again. I owe you one again. Hahaha.” Zaiex giggled. “Phew! I’m glad. Those three didn’t know who they’re dealing with. I must say though, we make a pretty good team. Put her there!” Damian raised his arm asking for a high five. Zaiex returned with the gesture. After their small celebration, they looked around behind the trees and ask the girl if she’s hurt. But it seems that she already took off without a word. “How rude! She didn’t even thank us for saving her butt. We were almost harmed.” Zaiex grumbled. “It’s all right Zaiex. At least we saved her right?” “I guess you’re right… Oh! Look at the time it’s almost nightfall. We should get going.” The two shook off the dirt from their clothes, picked up their things and started heading home.

On their way home, Zaiex’s mom texted him. Zaiex checked his phone and she instructed him to buy their dinner. “Hey Damian! I’ll be heading this way. I need to buy some dinner for us. You head on ahead.” “Are you sure? I can come with you.” “No. It’s fine, there’s a store near our block, so it wouldn’t be that far.” “Okay. If you say so. Well then, you take care, and Zaiex. Thank you for today. I’m happy that I get to see and talk to you again.” “Me too Damian. Don’t be gloomy now okay? I know how to punch and kick now, so you’d better watch out if I see you frown!” Zaiex shouted and waved goodbye to Damian and they started to separate their ways. As Damian walked towards the direction of their house, he looked up the stars and uttered under his breath… “Silly Zaiex… Always the jokester. I promise to protect that precious smile no matter what. I will always make you happy.”

Zaiex arrived at the convenience store and bought a few pieces of chicken. As he walked out the store, just across the street near a lamppost, he noticed the girl that they saved before was standing there and a guy was in front of her. He silently hid beside a parked car that was near the lamppost. While hiding, he tried focusing on the guy that was talking to the girl. “Is that… It can’t be? Aiden? What’s he doing with her?” He continued on spying on them, but he is still unable to hear their conversation. After a few minutes, with a big surprise, the girl closed in on Aiden and kissed him. Zaiex quickly held his mouth shut, he began to shiver from the sight, he fell down and the baggage he was carrying made a small sound, enough to be heard by Aiden. He took a quick back look on the car, and Zaiex was already gone. “What is it Aiden? Why’d you stop?” Said the girl. “Oh! Uh it’s… nothing…” The continued kissing. As Aiden closed his eyes, a memory of him seeing Zaiex smile cheerfully at him flashed before him and this caused him to flinch and instantly pushed away from the girl “Aiden! What the heck? You’ve been distracted so much.” Aiden was confused as well. He was unsure why he suddenly remembered that. “I’m sorry… I have to go…” Aiden exclaimed nervously. The girl reached out to grab his arm, but Aiden forcibly removed her hands. “I said. I have to go! Leave now! I don’t have time for this!” The girl was shocked from his scary outburst. “What the?! Don’t expect me to leave like that after our kiss. I said I was sorry didn’t I? I know that you didn’t like me having to hang out with your previous friends, so I went to them earlier today at the park. But then they tried to harass me, good thing two guys appeared wearing your school uniform, one was with a black hair with glasses that seemed pretty nerdy and that one buff guy saved me before they even got to bully me.” After hearing her story, he couldn’t help but ask her about the guy. He turned and angrily held the girl’s uniform and pulled her close to him. “What did you say? A guy with glasses? Who was he? Tell me!” “I-I don’t know! I left immediately when they started fighting” The girl started to tremble from fear, struggling to remove Aiden’s hands from his strop grip on her clothes. Aiden’s eyes gets intense and his hands shaking from anger. In his mind, he didn’t doubt for a second that what she was saying is Zaiex. “A-Aiden? You’re scaring me… Please let me go…” Before his sight goes completely black, he quickly removed his grip on the girl, and then she hurriedly ran away. In a panic, she left a frozen and trembling Aiden in the shadows.

After a few moments of deafening silence, Aiden scoffed and smacked the wall with his fist from extreme anger. “Why did I freaking remember him again! What is wrong with me? Get out of my head!” He started to freak out and he held his head trying to force his brain to forget, but to no avail. The memory of Zaiex was kept playing in his mind. He began bursting out in tears, and a loud and hurtful scream spread across the block. The scream was full of agony and hatred. Zaiex was already running away from Aiden, but he can’t hear Aiden’s cry as he himself is crying and his hearing was foggy from the pain he just felt seeing him together with the girl. Under his breath he muttered the words with a shivering and excruciating feeling… “Why are you doing this to me Aiden? Seeing your face is enough to hurt me, but you being with another… It’s… It’s too much for me to bear. You said you’d be by my side no matter what, but this is what you do? I can’t believe I fell for someone as weak and cowardly as you. But you disappeared before I even got to say anything. I hate you… I don’t want to see you anymore.” He continued running towards home, while still carrying a heavy and prickly burden in his back.

The night became cold and barren, the neighborhood is silent, and the sky was dark and clouds blocking the moon and the stars. Zaiex turned to bed, covered in his pillows and covers, all crumpled up, still shuddering from the intense hurt he just experienced. He muffled himself under the pillow to mute his uncontrollable crying. At the same time, Aiden was in the bathroom, all bare and firmly leaning against the wall with his arms in front of him. Letting the flow of hot water run across his body, standing still with his head held down. With all the steam coming out, and the running water, his tears was completely mixing in with it that it is almost unnoticeable. This was a moment for the two that they didn’t anticipate happening when they met again after a year not seeing each other. Both fell asleep from exhaustion, the night went on as if nothing happened. Everything was quiet, darkness taking over and covering the wake of the severe pain that was witnessed. However, unknowingly by each of them, they completely misunderstood each other, and the gap between them just grew larger. A test of time will only tell if they’ll be able to resolve this predicament that both of them have made.

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