Gemini and Fourth were returning home from university. Gemini looked back and held Fourth's hand as soon as the road started to become empty.
Fourth chuckled.
"Aren't you brave?" He teased Gemini.
"Stop teasing me ok?" Gemini nudged his shoulder playfully.
"What was it in the class huh? You were day dreaming."
"About you. Beside you." Gemini winked and got flustered himself smiling, like a fool.
Fourth couldn't help but chuckle. He gave his hand a light squeeze. "I knew you were a pathetic lover, but I never know you could be this cheesy."
Gemini raised his eyebrow at him. "Lover? Are we lovers?"
Fourth smiled. "You tell me. What are we?"
"Labels? We will need many."
"Huh? What does that mean?"
"I mean... You are my neighbor, my childhood friend, my classmate, my desk mate, my study mate, my lunch mate, my... hugging mate, kissing mate..."
"Shit! Stop! It's getting gross with every next word."
"Why? Is it making you feel things?"
"Gem!" Fourth gave him a warning look.
Gemini chuckled. Both of them were laughing their heart out when Gemini saw his father's car across the road. His laugh turned into a scowl in seconds.
Fourth turned to look into the direction Gemini was looking at. When he recognized the car, he immediately left Gemini's hand and stood a foot apart from him.
But when the car passed by them, Gemini saw what he always witnesses but never wishes to see. His father was with his secretary holding hands and laughing without a care in the world.
He immediately gritted his teeth and turned to look at Fourth. But when Fourth turned to look at him Gemini looked down on the road.
"Ummm... Gem..." Fourth tried to hold his shoulder and talk but Gemini glared at him instead.
"You know it all... So don't even try to console me." He said with almost red eyes and then stormed away fast without letting Fourth say anything.
Fourth on the other hand stood there helpless not knowing how to comfort him.
It's true that he knows it all. Because they practically grew up together. There are no secrets between them.
But to think about it now, Gemini never behaved this way with Fourth before. It was like Gemini would go silent and then after a while they will just continue whatever they were doing.
Fourth walked back home disheartened. Whole evening, he wasn't focused on anything. He kept checking his phone if Gemini had sent any message. But he wasn't able to call him on his own with the fear of making him feel even more bad then he was already feeling.
"Why? Why am I hesitating? It was always like this and it was never awkward before..."
And then it clicked him.
He immediately got up and wore his jacket before running out of the house.
"Fourth, dinner is ready. Where are you going?" His mother called him as soon as she saw him leaving from main door.
"Mom, I'll be back in a while. Please don't wait for me for dinner." He yelled and ran away before his mom could stop him.
Gemini was aiming darts on the board in his room trying to take out his annoyance and embarrassment. He wasn't sure why he was more embarrassed today than any other day before.
Fourth knew his family and everything going around there. Then why was it like he felt Fourth shouldn't have seen that today.
Gemini was internally cursing his whole family and the fucked up environment of his house and with each dart he was trying to take out his frustration. But every time he recalled Fourth's face, he only felt more annoyed.
Suddenly a stone landed on his window distracting him from his thoughts.
Gemini frown and walked towards his window. He saw a paper wrapped on a stone in his balcony below the window. He walked out in the balcony and picked it up to check it.
In the crumpled paper was something written.
'Asshole, I am also your best friend!'
Gemini read it twice to grasp the meaning behind it. He instantly knew the handwriting but the meaning of the message was confusing until he read the word 'also'.
He sighed out loud and a smile crept on his face. He ran to the edge and saw Fourth waving at him with a smile from below.
"Asshole!" He mumbled with a grin and ran below throwing away the stone but keeping the paper in his pocket.
Fourth kept smiling till Gemini wan to him. Gemini looked into his eyes and couldn't stop smiling. He realized why he was feeling embarrassed. He was only thinking about the trial. He did not want someone he was dating to know his ugly family secrets. But to date his best friend was a completely different scenario. There was nothing to hide, nothing to pretend, nothing to decorate. Everything was transparent and simple.
In fact, he was now suddenly happy that it was Fourth by his side and no one else.
"Why didn't you remind me then?" Geminin punched his shoulder.
"Jerk! I came here without having dinner. I am hungry." Fourth punched back his shoulder.
"I haven't had dinner yet either." Geminin scratched his head pressing his lips guiltily.
"Guess we will have to make do with your salty noodles like always?" Fourth raised his eyebrow.
"You can cook if you want."
"No can do. I am your guest. This is your house. I will eat whatever you will serve." Fourth teased him smirking.
Gemini took a breath of relief. In this moment he realized how easy was it to be with this one person. No matter what happens around, Fourth will always be there with him the way he has been. No questions asked, no explanations given.
Except for one thing that was now added. The feeling that was making him want to lean towards Fourth.
Gemini walked closer to Fourth and without giving much time for him to think, placed a peck on his lips.
"Hey!" Fourth looked at him stunned.
"You are also my boyfriend!" Gemini shrugged with a wink and a grin before taking his hand and walking him into his house for some salty noodles.
Fourth was as usual flushed pink because he was falling and falling deeply with each passing day and there was no denying it anymore.