Vol 6 Bonus track 2

The first day back at school after Philip came to Peter’s room and confessed his feelings.

 

For the first time in his life, Peter opened his eyes wide awake in the morning. He even felt a bit excited. However, that excitement didn’t last long.

 

‘Hey, how are you feeling?’

 

He thought Philip would acknowledge him, but he didn’t expect him to barge into his classroom and start talking to him.

 

‘What? Oh. Yes. I’m fine…’

 

‘You’ll have lunch with me later, right?’

 

‘…Uh, yes…’

 

‘Then, see you later.’

 

After saying that, Philip suddenly went, ‘Oh, right,’ and pulled something out of his pocket.

 

‘Here, take this.’

 

It was a lemon candy. When Peter took it, blinking, not sure how to respond, Philip asked, ‘You don’t like it?’ Peter hastily shook his head. Then, Philip smiled in his usual princely way and walked away.

 

As soon as he left the classroom, people surrounded Peter—specifically, the girls.

 

Was that really Philip Levin who just left?

 

How on earth did he know Philip?

 

Why did Philip ask him to have lunch?

 

How long had they known each other? And so on.

 

The overwhelming attention he was receiving for the first time in his life made it hard for Peter to breathe. The math teacher who entered as he was searching for words with a bright red face had never looked so welcoming.

 

As soon as break started, Peter fled to the library before people could gather around him again. Once there, he messaged Philip that he wanted to eat lunch at the bench behind the library rather than the cafeteria.

 

That day, they ate lunch there. And, before eating, they shared a brief kiss. Philip lay down with his head on Peter’s lap and dozed off. He said he hadn’t slept at all after returning home in the early morning hours. Peter was the same. He couldn’t sleep, afraid that it might all be a dream if he closed his eyes.

 

While Philip slept on his lap, Peter pinched his own cheeks several times. It was a sight he couldn’t believe even as he looked at it.

 

…What if people hiding somewhere suddenly appeared and mocked him, saying this was all a scripted prank?

 

Fortunately, no one appeared until lunchtime ended. After classes, Peter was putting away his books in the cabinet when he overheard a group of girls chattering nearby. Normally, he wouldn’t have paid any attention to their conversation, but he caught Philip’s name.

 

‘Philip? With who?’

 

‘That pale, skinny Asian guy. What was his name? Anyway, he said he had lunch with him today.’

 

‘No way. Philip Levin?’

 

‘The kids in his class saw him ask him to have lunch together. Has Philip’s type changed or something?’

 

‘Are you crazy? It’ll be more believable if your cat is Philip’s type.’

 

Laughter followed.

 

‘But why would Philip have lunch with a guy like that?’

 

‘I don’t know. Maybe he’s doing charity work or school service or something?’

 

Peter stood there with his face hidden behind the cabinet door. Only after the gossiping voices disappeared did he raise his head.

 

The next day, Philip showed up driving a bright red sports car, saying they should go to school together. The moment Peter saw him, a cold sweat ran down his back. He didn’t even have time to faint. He couldn’t remember how he had the nerve to get in that car and go to school. Getting out of the car and walking to his classroom, he felt he’d received a lifetime’s worth of stares.

 

‘Why is Philip with him?’

 

‘Did he catch him doing something?’

 

‘Is he on drugs or something, being with a nerd like that?’

 

With each whisper and stare, Peter felt himself sinking further into the ground. As soon as he entered the classroom, he messaged Philip.

 

He said he had an appointment, so he couldn’t go back with him. He also said he’d be eating lunch with his brother.

 

After a while, a short reply came back: ‘Okay.’ The next day, and the day after, Peter told Philip it’d be hard for them to go to school together. During lunch, he made excuses to avoid him as well. Philip only said he understood and didn’t ask further, which made Peter feel even guiltier.

 

When he came down with a cold and stayed home for a few days, he even felt somewhat relieved.

 

“Guess it’s not easy dating someone who’s mentally unstable, huh.” A self-mocking smile flickered at the corner of Philip’s eyes. Peter quickly grabbed his hand.

 

“It’s not like that. I’ve never thought that way, not even once. I swear to God, I…”

 

Peter’s large eyes were filled with earnest sincerity. He felt so sorry that Philip was taking unwarranted criticism because of him. At the same time, he was afraid that, in this situation, Philip’s feelings for him might fade. That’s why, when he got a message to meet briefly today, it felt like his heart dropped.

 

“Then why?”

 

Philip persistently pressed him for a reason.

 

“…Because I’m scared.”

 

“Of me?”

 

“No. Of people staring.”

 

Holding Philip’s hand, Peter added that Philip didn’t scare him. He didn’t see the faint smile that crossed Philip’s lips.

 

“You’re scared of people looking at you?”

 

“…Yes.”

 

To be precise, he was afraid of the hostility in those stares. And that hostility might be directed at him…

 

Philip’s large hand cupped Peter’s cheek.

 

“If I gouged out the eyes of the people staring, we’d both feel better.”

 

“What?”

 

“Kidding.”

 

As he brushed back Peter’s wind-tousled hair, he continued, “So what should I do? I’ll do whatever you want.” Philip was never one to hide a relationship; on the contrary, he seemed to enjoy it when his partner felt restless about the attention. Every time he dated someone new, his photos would pop up on social media like news reports.

 

“Uh, just…” Peter stammered, unable to finish. Dating someone was new to him, and the idea of that someone being the most popular guy in school—and a guy, no less—wasn’t something he’d ever imagined. Naturally, he had no idea how to handle it.

 

“Just… try not to stand out too much…”

 

Even as he said it, Peter realized how ridiculous his request sounded. Asking Philip Levin, of all people, to not stand out. He had a physique that made him stand out even among the football players, not to mention striking looks that drew eyes wherever he went. When he walked into the cafeteria, silence would fall, and everyone would turn his way.

 

“Hmm.” Philip let out a slight laugh, then adjusted his grip on Peter’s hand. “I’ll try,” he said. They started walking along the beach again, feeling the loose sand beneath their feet, the gentle pressure of their interlocked fingers, the warm sea breeze, and the indescribable emotion flowing between them.

 

“Then, shall we have lunch there?” Peter nodded. Philip hadn’t specified a place, but Peter knew exactly where “there” was. It was childish, but it made him happy that he was the only one who knew.

 

“Is it okay if we meet outside of school?” Philip asked.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“What are you doing this weekend?”

 

“Weekend? Oh, well…”

 

Peter’s face fell as he remembered the geometry assignments piling up after missing school with a cold.

 

“I’ve got homework. Geometry.” Philip let out a short laugh. “Anyone else would have heard that as a polite way to say, ‘Go away, I’m not interested.’”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Someone doing homework as a response to a date proposal usually means they’re not interested.”

 

“No, I really do have homework…”

 

“I know.” Philip held back a smile, fully aware that Peter wasn’t the type to play coy or test his interest.

 

“Then shall we do homework at my place tomorrow?”

 

“Yeah, sounds good.”

 

“I’d come pick you up, but you’d probably prefer I didn’t, right?” At Philip’s teasing, Peter let out a small laugh. Philip tightened his grip momentarily.

 

“What about a kiss?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Can I kiss you again?”

 

Peter blinked. Did he always ask every time? Would he have to ask if he wanted to, too? …This was complicated.

 

“I’ll do it without anyone noticing.” When Peter hesitated, Philip leaned down and murmured in a low voice. Peter gave a slight nod, and as their shadows merged, the sound of the night waves echoed over them.