Knowing You
Class of The Elites, A-1
~
The very next day, after filing paperwork and signing documents, getting his school ID updated and getting taught the basic rules of the school once again, Elix stood at the front of the white, double doors that lead to the Elite class, A-1. Nervously, he knocked on the door, gently yet loud enough to be heard. It hasn’t been but a few seconds, the door opened and behind the door was an old man, seemingly around his mid sixties. His white mustache twitched a smile, he nodded and held up a palm, signaling Elix to wait for a moment.
He turned to the class, and stood up straight. “Class, please take a moment to pay attention here. I have to announce that we have a class transfer student.” The class broke out into a small group of whispers, curious who the new kid was. “Are they cute or hot?” “Is he or she smart?” “are they educated and well mannered?” “Who could it be?” “Can’t wait to see them!” “Is it a boy or a girl?” The class got a bit too excited, Elix got anxious and fiddled with his fingers. The old man held out his arm, signaling Elix to come into the class. Elix stopped fiddling and slowly walked into the classroom, the bright, airy room shining brightly at his face. The classroom was very fancy: White walls with gold-framed artwork. Ferns and plants in porcelain vases, bouquets of roses adorned the corners around the classroom, sitting upon small marble pillars. The desks were large and square, they seemed to have a box inside to place books and other supplies in them. The floor was square black, white and gray marble, very well polished that shined and shimmered in the well lit room. One corner of the classroom was a small bookcase area, four large bookshelves covered a sixth of each corner of the wall. The room had four large windows, all of them opened to let fresh air into the room. The curtains were opaque-white, which blew gently in the air. The classroom was well settled, clearly built for the Elite; it was all a bit too fancy for Elix.
“Please welcome Elix Jung, our new class transfer student. Please treat him well, and with respect.” Elix stood there, next to the old man at the front of the class. He gave a small bow to the other students, who all stared at him with intensity. His nervousness made him frown a bit, making him look quite angry and upset. The students then looked away, nervous and a bit taken back from Elix’s facial expression. Looking around the class, Elix noticed a familiar figure. The curtain suddenly blew, hiding the figure behind it– the silhouette visible from upfront. Elix stared at the figure, curious to see who it was. The wind stopped blowing, the curtain slowly going back to its original place. Red long hair shone in the light, blowing gently in the breeze. A face settled to lean on a hand, as the figure looked out the window. It was no one other than Haru Kollins. Elix stared at him in awe, which caught Haru’s attention. Turning his gaze towards Elix, he turned slowly and leaned his head sideways on his hand, a smile growing on his face. His golden yellow eyes glistened with the light, captivating Elix in a trance of awe. Haru’s smile never fading, he raised an eyebrow. Elix blinked and snapped back to focus, his face burning up and he quickly turned away. The old man looked at Elix, twisting his white mustache between his fingers.
“Well then, let me introduce myself, I am Mr. Burloid, the teacher of this class. I teach every subject, except for the elective classes students are allowed to take. This will be your main class from now on, you are required to stay here; you will not be switching classes like the rest of the school does. Unless, of course, you have elective classes. Lunch time remains the same, so do not worry about that. I require you to pay attention in class, follow directions and participate in class daily. I also expect you to not be late and arrive on time daily. You must keep excellent grades and pass each assignment, homework is given out daily and expected to be returned the next day. Any failed exams or assignments will have to be retaken after school. And if you miss a day of class, school or an hour of school work time, you are expected to make up for it and turn it in on time. I will not accept any late work. Have you understood?” Mr. Burloid twirled his white mustache.
Elix nodded, “Yes sir, I have understood.” His anxiety was almost audible, he tried his best to stay calm. Mr. Burloid then nodded, and looked down at Elix. “You may sit at desk 23, which is the desk behind Haru Kollins, the boy next to the window. If you have any questions or concerns, you may ask me or Mr. Kollins, he may be willing to help. Now go settle down before we resume our lesson.” Mr. Burloid nodded, releasing his mustache from his fingers’ grasp. Elix nodded and slowly walked towards the back of the class, passing by Haru who glanced at him, his face in a small frown. Elix nervously settled his stuff down, sitting down and shifting his body to adjust to the new seat. Surprisingly, it was a comfortable chair to sit on, the wood seemed to be made of mahogany wood– it was well built and shaped– enough to stay comfortable for the class. Elix glanced up to see a geometry lesson start up, he panicked a bit and started to search for his math notebook. He looked around to see the students had a large, thick, workbook– assuming that the book was what they were working on, he panicked. He didn’t have any class material books yet, and the lesson was advancing quite fast. Elix, feeling overwhelmed, decided to write down as many notes he could. The mathematics coming in fast, he wrote hastily enough to catch up with the teacher. Soon enough, the sound of chalk being placed down alerted Elix, Mr. Burloid was staring at him with a raised eyebrow, his white mustache twitching.
“Mr. Jung, are you doing well? You seem a bit troubled, do you need assistance?” Elix looked surprised, and laughed a bit nervously,
“Well, I saw the other students writing on their workbooks, but I don’t have one yet. I saw you writing geometrical math equations, I assume for the lesson, so I took note of them and solved them as much as I could.” He laughed a bit, a look of sorry on his face. Mr. Burloid started to stroke his mustache, a hum of amusement and interest could be heard. He started to approach Elix, and leaned over to see his notes on the notebook. Elix fidgeted with his fingers, nervous and worried about what Mr. Burloid would think. A loud hum of surprise and the twitching and twisting of his mustache made Elix curious. Mr. Burloid leaned back up and stroked his mustache.
“I am quite impressed with you, Mr. Jung. You wrote every question and answered it correctly despite the short time. Your work is shown; precise and clearly understandable. I see you put some effort into solving these geometric problems, and I am quite impressed. Surely this is the work of the second-rank student.” Mr. Burloid let out a laugh, sounding like the classic fancy laughter. Elix froze, everyone turned to stare at him intensely with surprise, one with their mouth dropped open.
“You’re a second-ranked student? But I thought it was Jules Morris?” A girl exclaimed, “Yeah! I thought Jules was the second-rank in school! Why is he the second rank now?” someone questioned, “What rank were you before, Elix?” A boy smirked, arms crossed and his voice high and mocking. “Tell us, what rank were you previously? Did you buy yourself into this class? Cheat on the midterm exams or did you bribe the headmaster? Tell us, Elix Jung.”
Elix felt uneasy, frowning and his eyebrows furrowing. He was about to say something before a familiar voice rang through the room: “Jules Morris, are you really going to try to take back your rank by trying to humiliate the new student? If you’re that upset, then take your personal matters home and leave them there. I expected better of you, the previous second-rank. I see now that you are not worthy of such rank. How pitiful.”
Haru was standing up, his golden eyes glowed with intensity and disgust. Looking down at the surprised Jules, who was now shaking on his feet. Jules hissed, taking a step forward and squaring up, “You–” Haru frowned even more, his eyes glowing more. “You wouldn’t dare go against me now. That would be a grave mistake, Jules.”
The atmosphere in the class got heavy and tense, Elix didn’t expect Haru to be that frightening. Elix shivered a bit when Haru turned to look at him, his face now calm and expressionless. Haru turned away and sat back down at his desk, resuming the work on his workbook that he had yet to finish. Jules was shaking, he had fallen down on his seat, staring at Haru and Elix with bewilderment. He scoffed and mumbled a few words under his breath, crossing his arms and trying to relax. Mr. Burloid, amused, took a good look at Elix, stroking his mustache with amusing curiosity.
“Very well then class, settle down, I will resume the lesson.” Mr. Burloid started to note more questions down on the chalkboard, the sound of papers rustling, the clicks and sketchy sounds of pens and pencils, and the sound of wind blowing in from the windows. Elix tried to focus on the work, but he couldn’t focus properly. He glanced up at Haru, his back facing Elix. His back was up straight, shoulders broad and moving ever so slightly. Elix started to question and wonder why Haru speaked up for him, and who he is in reality. To intimidate someone down to shaking their knees, he must be a highly authoritative figure in the school, which brings him to the question, what rank is he? Elix sighed, shaking his head and letting his worries pass by. But he had to get a time to thank Haru for what he did. He looked up at the fancy clock that sat above the chalkboard, it was twenty-five minutes past eleven o’clock. There was about thirty five minutes until lunch break, which made Elix huff quietly. Staring at his notebook full of noted down geometric equations with their problems solved, he tapped the tip of the pencil on the paper out of boredom. He looked around the class, everyone was focused on their work. He then looked at the teacher, who now sat on his chair behind his neatly organized desk, grading papers and looking through his answer key sheets, his white mustache twitching ever so slightly. The class was very quiet, not a single whisper was heard. Suddenly, the bell rang and everyone got up, putting their papers, books and pencils in their desk cubbies. Elix stretched, noticing that Haru was walking out the doors, he stopped stretching and rushed over to follow him.
“H-hey wait! Haru, wait!-” he swiftly sprinted towards Haru, who seemed to have stopped. Looking up at him, Haru turned around and looked down at Elix, his smile plastered on his face.
“Do you need something, Elix?” His soft, deep and whispered voice rang through the hall. Elix nodded, straightening up and frowning a bit. “Why did you help me?” Elix stood there, waiting for an answer.
Haru smiled, a small chuckle came from him. “Why can’t I? Are you embarrassed of me standing up for you?”
Elix’s eyebrow twitched, and he shook his head. “No, in fact, I want to thank you for that.” He turned away a bit embarrassed. Squeezing his fist a bit, he gave a small bow. “Thank you, Haru. For standing up for me.”
Haru looked amused, and smiled. Patting Elix on the shoulder, he lifted him up from the bow. “I would have done it even if you protested or fought back. It is a pleasure, by the way.” Haru’s smile softened, he pat Elix on the head. Elix flinched, surprised by this action and tensed up. Haru chuckled, and took his hand away from his head. Taking a step back, Haru turned and took a few steps forward. Elix, standing there, didn’t know what to do. Then Haru stopped, not turning to face Elix.
“Would you like to accompany me to lunch? I will invite you to a meal of your choice.” Haru then turned around, his smile never fading. Elix, surprised, smiled a bit and walked towards Haru. “Sure, I’m starving after all.” He laughed a bit.
Walking on about the halls, taking left and right turns around corners, going down staircases and out the doors, they walked out the building and made their way towards the food court. The air outside was breezy and cool, the weather clear and sunny. White fluffy clouds floated lazily above in the bright blue sky, Haru looked down at Elix, who was looking up at the sky. He smiled widely, and then turned away.
“Your blue eyes reflect the color of the sky, it matches you quite well.” Haru walked on. Elix, surprised by the compliment, felt his face heat up a bit. “Shut up goldfish eyes–” he accidentally said out loud, covering his mouth with his hand. Haru stopped suddenly, making Elix bump into him. “H-hey! Why did you stop so suddenly?” Elix complained. Haru turned around to face Elix, and leaned in close to Elix’s face. “What did you call me?” His golden eyes glowed a bit, Elix felt uneasy and that feeling of the unknown. Elix’s breath hitched, a bit scared. He frowned, trying to calm down and stood up straight, his face inches away from Haru’s. “Shut up, goldfish eyes.” He smirked smugly, trying to show bravery towards Haru.
Haru’s smile cracked into a wider one, he looked down and trembled. Elix confused, frowned even more. Snickering and a bit of laughter was heard, clearly, Haru was trying his best to stay serious and not laugh. Elix let out an audible pout, causing Haru to break out laughing. His laugh was bright and gentle, his smile as bright as his laugh. Elix fumed, his eyebrow twitching.
“What’s so funny? Was my insult not good?! How dare you laugh!” he hissed, fuming and pouting at Haru’s laughter.
Haru, laughing still with tears in his eyes, he looked at Elix. “G-goldfish eyes? That is the best insult I have heard from anyone about me, you’re very funny you know, Elix?”
This made Elix even more annoyed, crossing his arms and angrily starting to walk away quickly. “Well screw you then Haru!” he exclaimed.
Haru looked at Elix, calming down fully and walking quickly to Elix, grabbing onto his hand and pulling Elix back towards him. Elix yelped, falling back onto Haru as he shut his eyes tightly. After a few seconds, he opened them and looked up at the looming shadow of Haru, who was smiling down at him.
“Don’t leave me here, if you leave, then I won’t be able to pay for your meal,” He said softly.
Elix pouted and pushed himself off Haru, facing his back towards him. He crossed his arms and looked back at him, “Hurry up and let's get moving, I am really hungry.” He let out a small smile, which caused Haru to smile more. He started walking with Elix, and looked down at him.
“Alright then, what would you like to eat then?”
Elix let out a hum, thinking. Then he suddenly remembered something he has been longing to try, “There’s this cafe in the east part of the food court, I heard they sell a really tasty fruit parfait there. I have been wanting to try it for a while now, but I never had enough money to buy it.” Elix looked down, thinking about the tasty fruit parfait, his mouth starting to water. Haru looked down at Elix with amusement, and smiled. “Then let's get going, I’ll buy you that parfait you want to try.” He smiled at Elix.
Elix smiled more, starting to walk faster. “Then I’ll race you there!” he started to run, leaving Haru behind. Haru, walking still, let out a small chuckle and started to speed up as well. Elix was already a few meters away, the distance between Haru and him growing longer. He smiled, proudly running towards the food court. Suddenly, a breeze of air blew past him, looking to see what it was, Haru was in the lead, his speed incredibly fast.
“Huh? Wait– Wait!!” Elix started running as fast as he could, trying to catch up with Haru but failing miserably. By the time they arrived at the cafe, Haru stood by the entrance, a smile plastered on his face. Elix on the other hand, was out of breath and huffing and gasping for air. Haru patted Elix on the back, his smile still there.
“Nice try, Elix. Nice try.” he chuckled.
Ten minutes have passed, they have settled down and had taken their order. Haru has ordered a black coffee with a side of ham, spinach and tomato, and ricotta cheese sandwiches, Elix had a very large fruit parfait, his eyes sparkling and mouth watering. He grabbed the long thin spoon, and dipped it into the creamy, fruity parfait. As soon as he scooped a spoonful, he took a bite, moaning in delight of the sweet, creamy, tangy and flavorful parfait. Haru stared at him with pure amusement as he sipped his black coffee. Elix, beaming with pure happiness and delight, kept on eating the fruit parfait. Then he looked up at Haru, who was drinking black coffee and eating a pair of sandwiches sliced into triangles. Elix moved the parfait to the middle, and held out the spoon, Haru looked up at him with a questioning look and Elix smiled.
“Do you want to try it? It is really good for a parfait!” he smiled widely, his cheek speckled with a bit of the cream from the parfait. Haru smiled softly, and shook his head.
“I am not a fan of sweets, I prefer bitter things.” He sipped his black coffee. Elix nodded in acknowledgement, shifting his parfait to himself again. “I didn’t expect you to be the bitter flavors-type of guy, you seem like you would enjoy sweets.” Elix said amusedly.
Haru looked back up at him, smiling and got up a bit to lean towards Elix. Taking his thumb and wiping off the cream off Elix’s cheek, then licking the white, sweet cream.
“It’s very sweet. Plus, looks can be very deceiving. I think you are aware of that, Elix.” he sat back down and took a bite out of the sandwich.
Elix felt his face heat up intensely, eyebrows furrowing and eyes widened. He leaned back on his seat, his face turning red. Haru stared at Elix with the same golden glow, complex intensity, the intimidation soft yet overpowering, and the suppressing feeling of that one unknown feeling that causes Elix to feel a bit faint. His smile never fading as always.
“I-I don’t know what y-you mean– a-and what the hell’s wrong with you?!” Elix felt his face burn, his cheeks flushed and eyebrows furrowing and twitching with confusion, embarrassment and overwhelm. Haru chuckled, and leaned his head on his hand.
“I think you’ll know sooner or later, Elix.” Haru’s voice whispered, the ominous tone sending chills down Elix’s spine. Elix frowned more, his head too full and occupied with embarrassment to even process what Haru had said. Haru let out a small sigh, and got up. He placed a few notes of cash on the table, tipping the waiter that had attended them. He took a few steps away, and stopped, not turning to Elix.
“You should get going, Mr. Burloid will be mad if you arrive late to class.” Then he started walking away, leaving Elix behind. Elix, who snapped out of his thoughts, gasped and started to scarf down the parfait, shooting up and leaving some coins along with the tip.
“W-wait for me!” He ran out of the cafe, hoping to catch up with Haru, but by the time he ran out of the cafe, Haru was gone. Groaning, he started to run to class, hoping he wouldn't be late.
By the time he got to the class, he was already five minutes late. Breathing heavily, he apologized to Mr. Burloid and made his way to his seat. He then realized that Haru was already doing his English work, calm and seemingly not tired at all. Elix furrowed his eyebrows, wondering how Haru even got there so quickly. He quickly sat on his seat and opened up his desk to grab his notebook, then noticed that there were textbooks, workbooks and a few supplies. He raised an eyebrow and noticed a slip of paper, picking it up and opening it to read the note.
Elix Jung,
I have been informed of your financial and academic situation, so I have been requested to supply you with the materials that you need. If you need any help, or have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact me any time after class, before and/or after school. If you do need assistance for any reason, please contact me immediately. Whether it is an emergency or an important thing I need to know.
Your regards, Marley Holmes Burloid
MARLEY H. BURLOID, MR. BURLOID, ELITE CLASS A-1 TEACHER
[email protected]
1283-XXX-XXXX
Classroom A-1, Building A, Room 313
Elix nodded, saving the note in his pocket for future reference. He pulled out the English workbook, and looked up on the chalkboard to see what page number they should be working on. Page 563, Chapter 13– Writing Skills In Persuasive Texts. Elix sighed quietly, writing was not his strongest point; it was one of his major academic weaknesses. He knew this was going to take a long while to complete. Sitting up and flipping through the pages to find the lesson he had to do, he started to doze off slowly. The flipping of pages seemed quite hypnotic, enough to make Elix feel sleepy and make him doze off to sleep. His head made a loud thump on the desk, making everyone turn to him. Noticing he fell asleep, the crumpled pages of the workbook under his face, some smiled at him, finding it cute that he fell asleep. Others like Jules scoffed, knowing it was a large mistake to sleep in the presence of Mr. Burloid. Some others just glanced and then looked away, returning to their duty to complete the assignment. Haru was the only one who didn’t turn around, continuing to write his assignment away. Elix’s soft snores were the only thing heard in the classroom, Mr. Burloid stared at him and sighed, shaking his head. He then resumed grading papers from the previous works the students had done.
Elix woke up to gentle pats on the back, a bit of gentle shaking and the calling of his name.
“Elix, Elix, school is over, wake up or you’ll be locked in here. It’s already past seven-forty three PM.” The familiar voice of Haru whispered into Elix’s ears. Elix groaned, his eyes fluttering open to see bright orange light flowing through the windows. Sitting up and looking up at Haru hazily, he yawned a bit and looked out the window.
“It’s already past evening..? The sun is setting already.” He blinked slowly, trying to process where he was, the time and scenery. Haru smiled a bit, patting Elix on the shoulder as he sighed a bit.
“Come on, the school will be closing soon. We have to leave or the school officials will punish us for staying after school so late.” Haru grabbed Elix’s arm, lifting him up from his seat. Elix, still trying to wake up, nodded and let himself get led out of the classroom and out of school. By the time they got to the main gate, Elix was wide awake. Both walking down the sidewalk towards the bus stop that was two blocks away. Elix glanced at Haru, the height difference between them was very visible. Elix huffed, looking away and kept on walking.
“Do you want to say something to me? You seem to want to tell me something, I noticed that you keep glancing and staring at me.” Haru smiled, his pace keeping up with Elix, who flinched a bit as he mentioned it. Elix stopped and looked down at the sidewalk, the cracks on the concrete stretching block by block. The moss and weeds that grew between the cracks tainted with the golden yellow hue of the evening sunset. The thoughts racing through his mind, his lips twitched a bit and then he opened his mouth to say something.
“Thank you for helping me today. For standing up for me, the meal, and for waking me up after class. I owe you one, Haru.” His face’s expression was hidden behind his long bangs, his lips pressed together tightly and the golden light shining against his grayish-black hair. Haru smiled, and patted Elix on the head. Elix looked up at him, his blue eyes contrasting with the golden sunlight that reflected on Haru’s golden yellow eyes.
“Your eyes reflect the evening sunset, your eyes are like two shimmering orbs of gold– they’re like a shining sunset, large and round. They’re really pretty, Haru.”
Haru became surprised, his smile fading into one of amusement and surprise. He smiled wider, it becoming a smirk. Elix, realizing what he just said, stuttered and his face started to burn with embarrassment; his face turned a bright red. He shook his arms around, his head shaking as well. Haru watched him with pure amusement, a chuckle emitted from him.
“No no no no no– that I didn’t mean- yeah your eyes are pretty, b-but don’t get t-the wrong idea goldfish e-eyes! Yeah! You’re g-goldfish eyes now! N-now shut up and never speak of this again!”
His voice cracked and his stutter turned into a rambling nonsense, almost seeming as a verbal keyboard smash. He quickly started walking away hastily, his face flushed with embarrassment. He suddenly felt his hand get grabbed, a tight grip on his wrist. He got pulled back and suddenly harshly pushed against a wall which acted as a fence for a house that sat behind the wall. His eyes shut the moment he got pushed into the wall, his eyes then opening to see Haru holding his arm up and pinning him against the wall. His face inches away from Elix’s face, his usual smile was now a serious frown, his golden eyes glowed with a mysterious intensity. Elix shook a bit, feeling a bit scared from this sudden change of mood. Haru stared into Elix’s open wide eyes, the blueness of them gave a hint of green from the mixture of the yellow sunlight and his eyes.
“H-Haru? What ar–” his words were cut off by a finger getting pressed against his lips, Elix stayed quiet and looked at Haru with a confused expression.
“Shh, stay quiet and don’t move.” Haru turned around, looking around to see something. But by the time he caught what was observing them, it was gone in a blink of an eye. Haru frowned heavily, gently releasing the pinned Elix from the wall. Elix, confused as to why he did that, looked at Haru, who turned around to look back at Elix.
“Come with me, it is not safe out here, less during the night. Stay over at my place tonight, it’ll be safer there. I know a shortcut.” Haru grabbed Elix by the wrist again, pulling him away and turning around a corner, then arriving and walking through a dark alleyway. Elix, confused and trying to protest against Haru as he got taken away, blinked to find a large ten-story, luxury suite apartment. Elix yelped as he got pulled into the building, getting pulled into an elevator and stood there nervously. He looked around the elevator, seeing the numbers of the floors rising.
“Where are we going? Why are we here in these expensive luxury apartments?” Elix looked down at Haru’s hand which held onto Elix’s wrist. By the time the elevator dinged and stopped, Haru didn’t say anything and proceeded to walk out of the elevator, pulling Elix behind him. He took out a key from his pocket and opened a door that led to a room. The only door on this floor.
Haru walked in, pulling Elix inside and closed the door behind them. Elix looked around nervously, the whole place looked modern, expensive and fancy. It was all very clean and organized, it was almost sparkling. Elix took his shoes off before walking in, looking around the place in awe.
“Make yourself at home, the bathroom is in the hallway to the right, second door on the left. The guest bedroom is across the bathroom, first door on the right. I will prepare some dinner for us, feel free to take a bath for now. There’s clothes in the guest room which you can use, clean towels are already hung up in the bathroom. If you need anything, please call me.” Haru hung his coat up on a coat hanger, took his shoes off and walked into the apartment towards the large kitchen. Elix watched him go, nodding quietly before slowly walking inside. He looked around, noticing the hallway Haru mentioned. Walking there, he opened a door that led to a very large bathroom with a shower, a large tub, a toilet and sink, a small closet and a few small drawers filled with bathroom supplies. The light was already on surprisingly, he nodded and walked out the bathroom to get the clothes and towel. He walked a bit further down the hallway, and noticed a door that was slightly opened. Curious, he walked towards it and opened the door, turning the light on and looking around. It was a normal bedroom, the bed was king size, there was a large desk full of books and papers, a black dresser sat against a wall, a mirror stood up against a corner, its tall rectangular frame tilted slightly upwards. The bed was neatly done, its bedsheet covers black and white, designed with rectangles of different sizes overlapping each other. Next to the bed was a small nightstand, a fancy modern lamp and a picture frame put down. Elix, curious, walked towards it and picked up the picture frame, its golden frame glimmered in the light. In the picture, there was a torn picture. Four people stood there: A woman wearing a pink slim dress, A man with a dark blue tuxedo, A small boy with short, red hair, a white shirt and black overalls, and another boy whose face was not visible. Noticing that the heads of the man and woman and the other child except the one with short red hair had their faces ripped off from the photo. The boy with the short red hair had a frown, his eyes were dull and golden yellow. Suddenly, he saw the picture frame get snatched away from him, startling him as he turned around. Haru stood next to him, his face in an upset frown, he looked at Elix, and placed the picture facing down again.
“What are you doing here? You’re not supposed to come in here and touch anything. I did not allow you to come into my room without permission.” His voice was deep and heavy, clearly upset. Elix looked down, guilty and nodded.
“I am sorry Haru, I promise I won’t do it again. I am sorry for coming in and grabbing your stuff without permission as well. Please forgive me.” Elix felt his heart race and pound, his fist tightening a bit. Haru nodded, accepting his apology.
“Very well then, I forgive you. Don’t do it again. You may go take a bath, dinner is almost ready, so don’t take too long.” Haru led Elix out the room, who nodded and walked away to grab some clothes and a towel. Frowning more, he shut off the light and closed the door, locking it with a key. Then he walked away to the kitchen to check on the meal.
After a fifteen minute shower, Elix dried his hair with the white fluffy towel, he was wearing a white T-shirt that was two sizes too large, and a pair of shorts. He walked to the dining room slowly and nervously, looking around to see Haru. As soon as he turned around, Haru walked in with two plates, which he placed down on the table across from each other.
“Please have a seat, dinner is served.” Haru walked over to take a seat, pulling the chair out and sitting on it, then pushing himself a bit forward. Elix nodded, nervously and slowly approaching the table and pulling the chair out to sit. As soon as he got comfortable, he noticed the plates on the table. A plate of spaghetti and watery tomato sauce with a small basil leaf sat there, it looked a bit sad. Haru picked up the fork that sat next to the plate, twirling the fork around the watery spaghetti and taking a bite out of the sad spaghetti. Elix did the same, gulping at the red, watery tomato sauce. He opened his mouth and slowly took a bite. The spaghetti was extremely bland and stale; the pasta was undercooked, and the tomato sauce was watery and unflavored. Elix cringed a bit, and looked up at Haru, who looked indifferent and ate it without a look of disgust.
“Haru– what is this?” Elix poked the pasta with the fork, looking at Haru. Haru looked up, chewing his food and then placing his fork down. “It’s spaghetti and meatballs, do you not like it?” Haru blinked, raising an eyebrow. Elix stared down at the plate of pasta and then back up at Haru, then back down at the food and back at Haru again.
“This has meat? You call this a meal? The pasta is undercooked and the sauce is watery and bland! It needs salt, pepper and more spices! The meat is nonexistent in this dish! And you call this a meal?” Elix shot up from his seat, taking his and Haru’s plate and walked off to the kitchen. Haru was surprised at the sudden outburst, getting up and following Elix to the kitchen. Elix was taking out a bunch of vegetables and spices, a box of spaghetti and a small carton chunk of minced meat sat next to the supplies. On the stove, a pot of water that was heating up, sat there patiently. Elix started chopping up tomatoes, onions, garlic, red and yellow peppers, fresh parsley and basil, and then he sprinkled the heating water with salt and a bit of olive oil. He started to cook the vegetables, stirring them on occasion. Until the veggies started to simmer lightly, he poured in a bit of water in the sauce– about an inch more worth of water went in to create the sauce. Soon, he took a handful of pasta and swirled it around the pot to create a nest-like basket, the pasta slowly bending into the pot to boil. Then he quickly added the spices to the simmering veggies: Oregano, Basil, Parsley, Garlic powder, Onion powder, a bit of rosemary and thyme, and some salt and pepper, generously sprinkling them into the tomato sauce. He then took out a box of breadcrumbs and an egg, dumping the carton of minced meat into a large bowl, then the egg, breadcrumbs, a bit of parsley, garlic and onion powder and a pinch of salt and pepper. He quickly started to mix the meat, folding it in and then putting his hand to knead it properly. After the kneading, he quickly shaped the meat into small balls, placing them aside on a plate and putting them to fry in a prepared frying pan that was on low heat and generously coated with a bit of oil and butter. He then finished shaping the meatballs, then rushed to wash his hands. Elix then turned around to stir the tomato sauce gently and also stir the pasta that way it can cook thoroughly. He rolled the meatballs gently, the sizzling juices and fats pouring out the meatball like an almost ready to burst waterfall contained in an orb. The delicious scent of the tomato sauce and sizzling meatballs filled the air, Haru stood at the entrance of the kitchen, watching Elix with awe and pure amazement and wonder. Elix had a determined smile, he seemed to be having lots of fun as well. Haru smiled, and then walked away to sit down. He couldn’t wait to try Elix’s spaghetti and meatballs. After about five minutes, Elix walked into the dining room, carrying two medium-sized plates. He placed the plates down, first for Haru and then for himself. He then sat down staring at Haru who looked down at the pasta dish. His face looked indifferent– almost poker-like– he picked up the fork and swirled the pasta which was generously coated in the tomato sauce. Leaning in slowly, he took a bite. Haru leaned back, a small frown on his face. Elix looked anxious, he leaned in and looked at Haru.
“So… how is it? Is it good?” his anxiety showed both physically and in tone. Haru looked up at Elix, his expression serious.
“There is one small issue.” He placed down the fork, Elix frowned and leaned back a bit. Was it bad? Was it overly seasoned or too bland? Is the pasta undercooked? Is the tomato too chunky?
“A-and that is..?” He was worried, starting to over think, he started to look upset. Haru picked the fork up again, took another bite of the pasta and started to eat it all. Elix watched him with surprise and worry, he sat up and stuttered a bit.
“I-if it’s that bad, don’t force yourself to eat it all! You might get sick if you keep eating it!” He exclaimed. Haru looked up, his frown turning into a large, soft smile. Elix was confused after seeing Haru’s face change.
Haru then softly spoke, “The issue is, that it’s very delicious, Elix. It really is. Rest assured, I was surprised at your talent for cooking; seeing you cook and move around the kitchen was like watching a professional dancer on stage. The pasta is well cooked, the sauce creamy and well seasoned. The tomato isn’t overly chunky, and it is well done. It is indeed a dish made by an amazing chef.” He smiled more, “You should try it, Elix. I am being completely honest.”
Elix looked hesitant, and then picked up the fork and swirled the pasta, taking a bite from it. It was absolutely delicious. Elix put the fork down, looking down as his long bangs hid his face once again. Haru raised an eyebrow, curious to what Elix was feeling.
“You… How dare you not say anything?! I was worried sick that you may have not liked it– That it would make you sick or worse! Your frowning face made me think that you didn’t like it at all– You looked serious when you told me there was an issue– I was worried, Haru. Don’t scare me like that again!” He fumed, his face red and small tears threatened to fall. Haru was taken back by surprise, and frowned a bit.
“Elix I–” He was suddenly cut off, “But… I am glad to hear that you think the opposite… You said my cooking is good… And it makes me happy now that I know that.” Elix turned away, his ears were a bright red. He trembled a bit, and looked back at Haru. “B-but don’t get the wrong i-idea! I know my cooking is a-absolutely amazing! I h-have years of experience a-and practice after all! Living on m-my own and having no one to rely on made me independent! I learned it all by myself!” He crossed his arms, puffing up his chest to show his pride. Clearly, he just wanted to clarify things and not make Haru think weirdly of him– as if Elix wasn’t a shy girl in love and showing off her cooking skills to her crush. His face was flushed and bright red, his heart was pounding fast and he trembled a bit. Haru looked a bit taken back, but his smile remained intact.
“You live on your own? What about any relatives?” Haru leaned his head on his hand, tilting his head sideways. He has grown curious now. Elix flinched a bit, his face fading into a sad frown.
“I never met my parents. I don’t have any relatives either; I’ve been orphaned for as long as I can remember. No one wanted to take me in either, so by the time I turned sixteen, I left the orphanage and went to live by myself in a small apartment. I have barely any money to be able to pay the rent, and my job isn’t very safe. I don’t have any friends either, so I’m basically all alone here. But that’s okay, as long as I have the strength to go on and keep my head up, I can do anything!” He smiled brightly, his determination radiating off him like a warm radiator. Haru’s eyes widened a bit in surprise and admiration, he smiled softly and a bit sadly.
“You are strong, Elix. I admire that determination and positivity you have. I am sorry to hear you were left alone in this large world. But do not worry, I will be here for you, whenever or wherever you are, call for me and I will be there for you. So don’t be sad, afraid or upset, you can rely on me from now on. Consider me as your friend, someone you can trust and rely on. I promise you I will never go behind your back.” He smiled softly, his eyes glowing with a gentle shimmer. Elix looked at Haru, his face lightening up. Haru wants to be his friend? He really wants to be his friend? Elix smiled brightly and a bit shyly, beaming with happiness and excitement. Haru watched him with pure amusement, his smile growing wider. “You’re like a cute hyperactive puppy when you’re not mad or anxious.” He laughed a bit, Elix scoffed a bit, starting to fume and huff.
“Shut it goldfish eyes! And don’t compare me to a puppy! I am not a small, immature, hyperactive, hairy canine! Don’t compare me to those things!” He grew flustered and frustrated, letting out a small ‘hmph!’ he turned away with his arms crossed. Haru chuckled, waving his hand a bit.
“Okay okay, I get it, I won’t compare you to a small cute hyperactive puppy anymore. Instead, I’ll call you Pup.” He teased, his voice purring a bit. Elix hissed, his face growing redder by the second.
“S-screw you! Goldfish eyes!” He hissed, picking up his plate and inhaling the food quickly. He then got up and picked up Haru’s plate and fork, storming off to the kitchen to wash the dishes. Haru watched him with more amusement, he chuckled and got up from his seat, pushing his chair in and Elix’s chair in as well. He then went away to sit on the couch to wait for Elix to finish. Elix angrily and flusteredly washed the dishes, the cold water running down his hands. He scrubbed the dishes hard, he grumbled and hissed lightly, cursing under his breath. Picking up the knife he used earlier, he started to wash it.
“Stupid goldfish eyes– how dare he embarrass me like that?! Comparing me to such a small, vulnerable, and hairy thing! I am not small, nor am I vulnerable and hairy! I am not a dog– I am a man and I am that, only that! Nothing more or nothing less, I am a man!” He quickly scrubbed the knife. Being careless, the knife slipped and cut his finger. He hissed loudly in pain, wincing as he looked down at the wound. It was bleeding quite a bit. Cursing under his breath, he quickly washed off the blood, cleaning his wound and quickly finished washing the dishes around the kitchen. He dried his hands and rushed out the kitchen, noticing Haru wasn’t in the dining room, he walked to the living room. Elix saw Haru sitting down on the couch, scrolling through his phone. Haru then noticed Elix, and smiled, turning off and placing down his phone. He shifted a bit aside and patted the side next to him on the couch, signaling Elix to go sit with him. Elix nodded, walking towards him and sitting next to him. He glanced at Haru who was looking at him.
“Was there too many dishes to wash?” Haru tilted his head a bit. Elix shook his head, smiling a bit. “No, there wasn’t much to wash. I was a bit careless over my rage and ended up slitting my finger with a knife. It’s okay though, I cleaned my wound and it doesn’t hurt much any more.” He smiled more, showing the cut on his ring finger. It was a medium-sized cut, the skin was a bit red and the blood threatened to come out again. Haru grabbed his hand, inspecting the cut. Elix tried to pull away his hand, but Haru’s grip was strong and tight.
“H-Haru I am fine! There’s no need to–” Haru slowly placed Elix’s cut finger in his mouth, licking and sucking the wound gently. Elix’s eyes widened, his face burning up a bright red as he furrowed his eyebrows.
“Haru what the he–'' He tried to pull his hand away quickly, but Haru’s grip was still strong and tight. “H-Haru what are you–” Elix finally pulled away free from Haru’s grasp. He held his hand against his chest, his other hand hiding his hand. He scooted away from Haru, his face red as a tomato as he blushed intensely– flustered by Haru’s random action. Haru looked at Elix, whose face was flushed and bright red, he was trembling a bit, making him seem vulnerable and weak. Haru shifted a bit, turning his body towards Elix. He then suddenly put himself above Elix, pinning Elix down on the couch as Elix leaned back a bit on the armrest. Elix’s eyes widened, his face burning more and his heart pounding loudly and harshly against his chest. Haru leaned in a bit, his face inches away from Elix’s face. Haru’s eyes glowed gently, his gaze locking with Elix’s surprise and startled bright blue eyes. Their breaths brushed each other, Elix shook a bit, his eyes never looking away from Haru's golden gaze.
“Haru what a–” Elix was cut off suddenly, His eyes widening even more. Their lips interlocked each other into a kiss, Haru leaned in and kissed Elix. Elix, scared and surprised, pushed Haru off him. Elix frowned heavily, getting up and turning around to face Haru.
“What the hell is wrong with you?!” He yelled harshly, making Haru flinch a bit. Elix quickly rushed out the living room and put his shoes on, he opened the front door and rushed out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him. He ran down the stairs and out the building, running to the nearest bus stop. He sat down on the bench, trying to catch his breath. He looked up at the sky, it was very dark and cloudy; it was soon to rain. It must have been around midnight by now, so the buses weren’t even in service at this time. Even if there were buses around, he wouldn’t be able to get on them as he had forgotten his wallet with his bus card in it. The soft pitter patter of rain started to sound, the leaves of the trees around him rustled with the wind. He sighed and got up, starting to walk away under the rain, hoping he would find a familiar street where he could find his way home. The rain was coming in hard, the wind started to blow harshly, he started to walk faster, rushing around roads and streets where he could lead his way home. After about an hour of running around in the rain, he found the street where his apartment was, and started to run to the familiar, worn down, and unmaintained building. Rushing up the stairs, he quickly pulled out his key and opened the door, stumbling inside, taking off his shoes and taking off the wet shirt and shorts. He stumbled off to his bed and flopped on it, hugging his thin blanket. He then turned onto his back, lifting his hand to touch his lips. He blushed a bit, feeling his face heat up and his heart pound. He frowned, punching his blanket harshly.
“That idiot– why did he do that? Why did he kiss me?! I am straight! Men don’t kiss each other, less if they barely know each other! But…” He pressed his fingers against his lips, his face burning up more.
His lips were soft and gentle, they were plump yet they seemed thin… That kiss… It was my first kiss too… A male kissed me, who is a male. I should be kissing girls, not boys– but… Haru’s kiss felt nice..?
He frowned more, punching his blanket one more time. He hissed a bit in frustration, he was confused now. If he kissed a boy, and he is a boy, does that make him gay? Is he gay? How could he enjoy the lips of another man? It was a sin– a sin to kiss another man. How could he let himself get kissed like that? And by the one and only Haru Kollins? He barely knew the guy, and Haru randomly pinned him down on his couch and kissed Elix. It’s barely been two days since he met him and he already kissed him. Elix was confused and grew even more frustrated. He hugged his blanket and started to get drowsy, his eyelids feeling heavy, he drifted off to sleep.
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