Chapter Five: He's Very Lovable [Continuation]

Keith smiled and sat in the backseat. Calming himself. His mother also said her goodbyes and then they left. On their way, His mother asked him about his day. Keith told her it was okay and then, she asked the specific detail she wanted, "That student helped you throughout the whole day?"

"Yes, ma."

"He's a playboy, right? I remember one of my students last year, she pulled out her junior's hair because they both dated him at the same time. Such a sinner! I'm not against you becoming close friends with him. But be careful. Don't pick up his bad habits." She lectured.

"He's not that bad." He insisted but the reminder that he's a playboy ruined the pink fantasy around him. But he further defended Drake to them, "The rumors around him are just exaggerated."

"You're red, son." His father said looking at his son through the rearview mirror. "Are you sick?"

Déjà vu… He felt uneasy and looked at the mirror and saw that he was indeed blushing so hard. He felt embarrassed. All that acting. All that energy was wasted on suppressing his emotions. But his body betrayed him just like that. He's red down to his neck. He's like a ripe juicy tomato who if not eaten by Drake immediately, will rot instead.

"I'm dizzy pa. I might be having a low fever." He lied. He doesn't like lying to his parents since he's already lying about his sexuality. But he has to.

"Should we call Aaron? Maybe that's because you lost so much blood or maybe because there's an infection on your foot."

He didn't like lying but he didn't like this lie to become true too. At dinner, he thought, perhaps, because Kiara was the one who cooked, he didn't have any appetite and vomited instead. But he passed out in the toilet, they had to admit him to the hospital because of high fever and anemia. There was also an infection because there were still tiny shards of glasses stuck in his foot. He was so busy enjoying the fluff he ignored even his foot. He was blushing when he was even low on red blood cells. Sure enough, flirting can be lethal.

When he regained consciousness, his sister Kylie was the one watching him. He was in the ward with three other patients. His whole body felt so heavy and his head was aching so much. His throat felt dry and the swelling pain in his foot can't be ignored.

"You're awake. What do you need, baby boy?" Kylie tugged his hair.

"Water." He slowly answered.

After drinking, he felt slightly better but still sick. "Where's mama and papa?"

"School. They have to work and leave their favorite baby boy in my care. How are you feeling? The doctors just finished their rounds, they also gave you the shot already, should I call them back?"

"Am I allowed to eat?"

"Of course. Let me peel some fruits first, eat them. Then, I'll get you some porridge later." She then took the apples, peeled them, and fed him. "The doctor said that it seems you've been under too much stress lately and you don't sleep properly, that's why your body is so weak. Do you know that you've been sleeping for two days?"

"What?" Keith can't deny any of that. "What day is it? What time?" He remembered how he had plans to hang out at Drake's place… now, it's ruined.

"It's almost six, Friday. Ma and Pa will arrive soon." She put the fruit in his mouth. "Turns out you have anemia. You're the only one in the family who has it. Maybe it's because you're adopted?"

"Once, I'm out of here, I'll teach your sons bad words."

"I was just joking. Sorry." She laughed and fed him another piece of apple, "There was a very handsome boy who came here yesterday with Nick. He's looking so good on that uniform..."

His heart skipped a beat at her news. "Drake visited?"

"Oh yeah, Drake… he brought a fruit basket and those flowers." She pointed to the one in the cupboard beside the nursery bed. It was a bouquet of white lily flowers. "He's very sweet and he knows how to talk!"

"What did you talk about?"

"You. Who else?! He kept talking about you. I thought that he has a thing for you but apparently, he dated so many girls. He's just seventeen. Are high school boys like that nowadays? He's like a real-life school prince in shoujo manga."

Keith stayed silent. He's afraid that his sister will catch on to his secret soon. He has to be careful. If Kylie thinks other people, especially guys, have a thing for him, if he's careless and show something, maybe she'll come to think that he might have a thing for other guys. He can't risk it. He closed his eyes and said he wanted to rest again.

Just at the time that he was about to fall asleep after deep thoughts of what-ifs and how to avoid those scenarios, Drake came to visit…alone.

"Hi. Drake." Kylie greeted him.

Keith pretended to be asleep the entire time. Of all the things he's worried about. Now, he's stressing about what he looked like. Am I haggard? Kylie wiped my shitty face, right? Do I look fucking ugly?

"Hi, sister Kylie. How is he?" Drake asked. Keith felt that he was standing close. And that voice sounded so sweet, it didn't help him calm down at all.

"He just woke up, after eating a few slices of apple, he slept again."

Keith felt soft fingers pressed on his forehead. They were light and gentle. And it was Drake's hand. Fucking shit. Can you let me calm down and give my heart a rest?

"His fever is not high anymore." He lifted his finger and it gave relief to Keith. But it didn't last because those fingers came back, tugging his bangs out of his forehead as if he were caressing his hair. He cursed from A-Z internally as if he was reciting some holy mantra. He has no words for this natural fucker.

"Drake, watch over him for me. I'm going out to get him porridge."

"Sure sister Kylie."

'Nooooooooooooo! My sister, you bitch, get your ass back here!!!!!!!!!' Keith pleaded inwardly, but she left feeling relieved that someone so handsome was watching their baby boy.

"Boss. Are you asleep? Your eyebrows were twitching. I know you're not sleeping, right?"

Keith opened his eyes. "I was about to fall asleep."

Drake chuckled and he still did not stop caressing Keith's hair. "It's good that you're awake now."

Keith tried to get up and Drake helped him to get up and sit. The physical contact was pure and an act of kindness, but somehow, it tortured Keith's heart. "How are you feeling?"

Keith was self-conscious when Drake was so close to him. He remembered that he was just woken up and he might have bad breath. So he did not dare to open his mouth until Drake stood up and a significant distance separate them apart. He raised his hands to cover his face even when his hands feel so heavy to him. Then he asked, "Is there a toothbrush there?"

Drake bowed to hear him better drawing his face nearer to him again, "What did you say?"

"Fuck. I said, is there a toothbrush there… I want to brush my teeth."

Drake laughed. And then searched for it in the cupboard and the duffel bag. "Seems like you're doing better if you can curse now."

He found a disposable toothbrush and toothpaste. He put water on a glass and then put a pea-sized toothpaste over the toothbrush bristles. "Take your hands off your face now and open your mouth. I'll do it for you."

"I can do it myse-." Keith immediately said but Drake already put the brush over his lips. Drake was sitting on his bed facing him, his left hand carried the glass of water and the toothbrush was in his right hand. They were close. "Open your mouth," Drake instructed while his eyes look straight to Keith who was pouting and glaring at him like a mouse. He looked so funny and cute to Drake. So he cooed him, "Come on… Open your mouth, I'll do the rest." Then he smiled.

He's fragile, his crush is this close and gentle, his sister is away… so he gave in and opened his mouth. Drake gently brushed Keith's teeth. He wanted to clean every corner, every gum and he drew his face nearer to see.

"I just noticed, you have nice teeth. I wore braces in middle school, you know."

Keith can't help but try to take a glimpse of Drake's teeth but he can only see his thin pinkish lips.

"Can you open your mouth wider?" Drake requested so he can brush the molars.

Keith was 13 when he first encountered an R-18 material. It wasn't a pornographic video or magazine. He hasn't seen any of those yet due to strict parental guidance and monitoring. It wasn't a sensual mature film either... his parents would skip the movie 2X fast forward when things get steamy. It was from a fantasy novel that he liked, the main character became so invincible. The plot stagnated and it became a harem. he fucked different girls in different arcs. It was disappointing because it started very interesting and then ended up becoming full of fan service with fucked up character development. Since he read it, he came upon another fantasy novel in his recommendation list with almost the same cultivation setting as that novel but it was different. It was between two main characters having a relationship as close as brothers. There was a good progression in the plot and what shocked him was after more than a hundred chapters, they kissed and became "soul mates"… after another ten chapters, from kissing… He learned the term "BJ". Can you open your mouth wider? Those were the same words that blew his mind away. Too bad for him, the thing pervading his mouth is a stiff toothbrush. But the imagery when his crush is just right in front of him saying words like that made him wander into fantasy.

After thorough brushing, his mouth was filled with minty bubbles, Drake made him sip water from the glass to rinse his mouth. Suddenly the door opened and he heard his mother. "Is my baby boy still slee-"

The word "baby boy" was embarrassing. It made him want to vomit and as a result, the solution of water, saliva, bacteria, and toothpaste bubbles was splashed on Drake's face.

At first when he heard "baby boy", Drake thought it was funny, especially because Mrs. Lim was the one calling him like that but after being splashed like that, it wasn't funny anymore. People had to process what happened first but Keith even with fatigue, immediately pulled his blanket and used it to wipe Drake's face. "Sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm sorry…."

Mr. Lim walked to them and took the glass and the toothbrush from Drake's hand while Keith was still panicking and wiping Drake's face as hard as he could and saying a lot of sorry like a chant. When Drake recovered he gripped Keith's hands. He's practically wrapped in a blanket. He calmed him down and countered Keith's chants with many "It's okay…It's okay…". Then, Drake pulled Keith towards him and hugged him to calm him down and a few minutes later, Keith was lulled and fell asleep, he doesn't have much choice but to get away with this awkward incident.

Only Drake and Mrs. Lim did not notice how ambiguous the air was. Mr. Lim put the toothbrush away.

"Why are you here student Ran? Where's his sister Kylie?" Mrs. Lim asked.

"Ah. Sister Kylie went out to get porridge teacher." Drake quietly answered while caressing Keith's back and still covered with the blanket.

Mrs. Lim helped to pull down the blanket over his head. And then he saw Keith buried in his chest, sleeping after panicking.

"You still did not answer my first question. Answer it." Mrs. Lim demanded while releasing pressure.

Drake got scared but the pressure pushed him to answer, "I want to visit your son, teacher."

Mr. Lim came across the fruit basket and flowers and got a premonition… He braced his resolve. With willpower, he did not let his Hypertension take advantage of this situation. Then his wife laughed. "What a funny kid! It's nice to have a caring friend. You're even better than Nick!"

After laughing, the air was awkward again seeing that Drake seem to have no plan of letting go of their son. So, Mr. Lim took out the wet wipes and handed them to Drake. He thought that it would make the boy let go so his hand will be free and then clean his face. But the boy smiled, one of his hands still caressing the back of his son and the other hand took one ply of wet wipes then singlehandedly wiped his face.

"He's calm now. Is he sleeping?" Mrs. Lim asked him. This time, Mr. Lim was so proud of his wife.

Drake nodded. Then he said, "He looked so stressed. I wish I can do something for him."

Mr. Lim admitted that maybe this boy is good. So, he figured he had to go straight right out of the bat. He pulled his son away gently while saying, "Then let's let him sleep properly and have a good rest. So, he can recover." He tried to smile. But he was glaring at him deep inside.

"Student Ran, it's already late." Mrs. Lim mentioned.

Why don't you go home? Mr. Lim wanted his wife to utter those words.

"Have you eaten?" Mrs. Lim asked instead and then without waiting for an answer, she said, "Stay here for a while. Let's eat all together. Okay?"

Drake can't help but smile. "Okay, teacher."

"Also, don't call us teachers. We only teach Science Program students anyway. Call me auntie and call him uncle." She generously integrated the boy into her family. Her husband's heart dropped. He was about to doubt his wife's IQ and EQ. "Honey, go to Kylie and get more food. Then ask the staff if we can borrow some foldable table or something. Let's all eat here. I don't want to eat in the cafeteria... And I don't like the food there!"

As soon as Mr. Lim left bitterly to do his chore, Mrs. Lim talked about Keith. Drake would nod, trying to hold back all his laughs.

"...Do you know that my son is very popular among dogs? They would follow him and I would check if he shit his pants or not, but he didn't. But this baffled me, if baby poop did not attract them, what logical reason is there to explain my son's popularity? I even thought maybe it's because my Keith is very special. I didn't know it was because he fed those dogs his snacks. My baby boy has been so kind since he was young. He doesn't have playmates before, he only has those stinky dogs. Even Nick didn't play much with him before. I coaxed his mother to make him and my son friends. I've always been worried about it, you know. I want him to have fun... to have good friends." Mrs. Lim wiped Keith's face while talking. Contrary to the usual loud and scary voice. Mrs. Lim sounded so loving and gentle.

"Keith is very lovable auntie. There will be no lack in people who will love him." Drake smiled at Mrs. Lim reassuring her that she should not worry about such a thing. But that smile was forced. He doesn't want to smile actually. He looked at his sleeping face. He realized it wasn't his popularity that he envied… It was his warm family.