章 56: Their First Goodbye

[Johan's POV]

"Thanks again for letting us stay the night, Kristoff," Johan said, adjusting the strap of his bag over his shoulder. He received a two-finger salute from the tattooed man.

"No problem, Cousin-in-la—hey!" Kristoff's hands flew to his disarranged hair when Sean pulled the elastic band holding them together.

"Can you stop calling him that? If my parent heard you, I'm shaving your head," Sean scolded Kristoff before shifting his attention to him. "You sure you have everything you need, Couz?"

Johan nodded, lifting the second bag he's carrying. "Thanks a lot, Couz. I'll give them back to you once I visited again."

"What's inside the bag, Han?" Adrian frowned at the black traveling bag containing Sean's old school notes, books, and things he grabbed in his grandfather's house. "It looks heavy."

"Just some stuff. Don't worry about it," Johan dismissed with a smile. Looking outside Sean's balcony, the heavy rain showed no sign of stopping. He turned to Adrian. "Maybe it's best to wait at the bus terminal after all. I won't make it to Subic before noon we just sit here and wait for the rain to stop."

"It's up to you, Couz."

"Should I go call for a cab?" Kristoff asked.

Sean rolled his eyes, smiling. "There's no cab here, Kris."

"I meant the tricycle, Mine." Kristoff stood from his seat and grabbed an umbrella, receiving a warning look for his use of the pet name within possible hearing range of Sean's parents.

"He's getting shameless each day," Sean grumbled and reoccupied Kristoff's previous spot. "I can't wait to go to Manila to get rid of him."

"Why don't you just give him a chance?" Adrian suggested, pressing closer to Johan's side. "He doesn't seem like a bad guy."

Sean embraced his mid-section and looked away, a hidden pain flashing across his face. "He no longer is. I've forgiven him too. But that's all I can do."

When Adrian opened his mouth to interrogate him more, Johan bumped his shoulder against him as a subtle warning not to pry too much. He had heard a brief summary of their past, and Johan couldn't blame his cousin for closing his heart to the man who once tormented him.

"The trike's here!" Kristoff yelled, waving at them from the side of the road.

After a quick argument of who should carry the bag, Johan bid his farewell to Sean and his family and thanked them for letting him stay for a couple of days. He heaved the traveling bag in front of him whilst Adrian held onto the umbrella for the both of them, much to the latter's chagrin.

"Why can't you just let me carry the bag, Han?"

"Why can't you just hold onto the freaking umbrella properly? You're getting us wet," Johan argued back as they walked to the awaiting vehicle.

Kristoff flashed them a smirk and raised a fist for Adrian to bump with his own. "Take care, bro. Hope you two had fun last night."

"Yeah. Yeah. Thanks, bro." Adrian patted Kristoff's shoulder. "Sorry for the trouble."

"Since when did you become bros? Let's go." Johan asked, flushing when the driver gave an impatient look. Oh, wait. "Kristoff."

"Yes, Cousin-in-law?"

Johan pierced him with a warning glare, making sure to drill it in his skull that he meant every word he's about to say. "Take care of Sean. Hurt him in any way and you'll find me in your doorstep. I know where you live."

Kristoff's smile faltered just a tiny bit. "Y-yes. I will. Take care."

Johan nodded before he entered the tricycle. And Adrian followed suit, closing the umbrella and the door, shielding them from the rain's spray. He turned to the driver. "To the bus station, Mister."

———

As usual, the bus terminal was packed with people. After he bought a bus ticket and a take out meal from a nearby fast-food restaurant, Johan boarded the bus and sat second to the last row at the back, with Adrian still by his side.

"You should go, Adrian," Johan urged, squeezing their intertwined fingers. "Your Mom's going to scold you big time."

Adrian glanced at his wristwatch before scratching the back of his head. "She'll scold me whether I go now or later, so..." He smiled like a sheepish child and brought Johan's hand to his lips. "I'll go once it's time for the bus to go."

"Seriously?" Out of habit, Johan's eyes flickered around to see if someone saw what Adrian did. No one. The bus was still half-empty and it's just them at the back.

Adrian rested his head on the back of the cushioned seat, turning to him with a grin. Johan had to admit, Adrian's smile always brought this calming sense of safety in his chest. He couldn't help but to smile back.

"Han?"

"Yeah?"

"Are we boyfriends now? Like, for real?" Adrian asked, hope dancing in his irises.

Johan made a thinking face, and his smile widened. "No. Not yet."

Adrian's grin turned into a cute pout. "Not yet?"

"Break up with Rhia first," Johan said, wincing internally at the selfish request, leaving a sour taste in his tongue. He broke eye contact with Adrian. "We'll date as boyfriends three or six months after your break up."

"Six months?!" Adrian raised his voice in protest, earning a surprised look from the growing passengers sitting at the front seat. He shrunk away from their accusing stare and moved closer to his ear. "Han! That's a bit too long don't you think?"

"You said you'll make this right." Johan slumped back on his seat. "Think about how she'd feel, would you? She'll need time to move on."

Adrian's eyes cast down, his grip tightening. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry, Han. I'm such a scumbag, aren't I?"

A snort. "You are."

"..."

"What? You admitted it yourself." Johan parted the yellow curtain and stared outside. It's still raining.

"Would you still accept me after what I've done?" Adrian asked, his voice solemn.

Sighing, Johan shrugged his shoulders and smiled, a sad one. "I don't know. I'm not the one you cheated on. But if I am Rhia, I won't. No second chance. Nothing. I'll disappear from your life even if it pains me to part ways with you."

"That's..." Adrian's arms slithered around him in a side hug, his head nestling to his chest. "That's not reassuring at all."

"I told you this won't be easy," Johan said, curling his fingers around Adrian's arm, pulling him close. He placed a kiss on top of his head. "I'll give this a chance though. I'm half-responsible to your action."

"Are you doing this out of obligation?"

"I'm doing this because I love you that much." Johan felt a tear slid down his cheek when he admitted it out loud. "So please never break my heart the way you break hers. That's all I'm asking, Adrian. That's all."

Adrian pulled away and brushed his tears. He placed a kiss on his lips, uncaring about the people around him. "I won't, Han. Promise, I won't."

The bus's engined roared to life. Johan pushed Adrian with great reluctance. "Bye for now, Adrian."

Adrian gave another kiss before he climbed down the bus.

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