Bouquet

Sharibel only slept for more than two hours, but when he woke up, Adelphiel was no longer there.

The theater was closed on Sunday, and the boy still had a part-time job to do, so he left the semi-basement early.Two empty bottles of Smirnoff lay on the floor near the foot of the bed, one and a half of which Adelphie drank.

"It's amazing to be young..."

Sharibel had a splitting headache, and every slight movement could make him feel dizzy.Alcohol can make people fall into a hazy pleasure, but it can't make people sleep well.Fortunately, there is nothing to do today, he can lie on the bed and quietly digest these happy and sad liquids, while continuing his unfinished thinking.

"...Damn!"

Someone's cell phone alarm rang next door, and the movement immediately reminded Sharibel to grab his cell phone.After Zefeilan landed last night, he must have sent him a message to report his safety.With the time difference and Saturday's schedule, the other party knew that he might not receive a call.

There are two unread messages on the phone.The latest one is from Adelphire, with just one word and one punctuation mark: Silly X!

Another older one from Zephyran: Arrived safely.Agenda to be determined.Good night.

The information Zephyran gave him was always concise and well-regulated.Perhaps he chose to do so because he was worried about the harm caused by information leakage now, or he himself was like this.

Saribel fell back on the bed with the phone resting on his chin.

He thought that he and Zephilan had never had anything similar to sweet talk between lovers.The lack of stickiness and the space left on both sides, which he once loved so much, only made his trepidation worse.

Man always needs a contract, a guarantee, a promise, something like that.

Not to enhance the atmosphere when the relationship is strong, but to hurt and threaten each other with the last bit of control when the game is broken, or just use it to deceive yourself.But José Filan really sent a message full of sweet words, and I'm afraid it's even more important to confirm the fact that he has changed his mind-look, once a person becomes suspicious, what the other party really does is wrong.

Sharibel's eyes rolled slowly, and he typed in the phone: just be safe.In the end, he opened the expression bar, chose a heart and filled it in at the end of the message, but it was not sent.

It is too early.

Estimated the time difference, it was early morning at Zefeilan's side.After a tiring day and night, he hoped that the other party could rest as much as possible before starting work.

But why should I care if he rests well or not?

The mobile phone was put back on the chin by Saribel again, the screen went dark, and many things that he had never thought of before gradually became clear. "Predecessors", deeds, reformation...Adelphiel's messy words last night are still in my ears, the former Saribel...the former Saribel would not care whether the time for sending messages is suitable for the other party, there are many things in the past , he will first make arrangements centered on himself.But since when did he start to worry about others?

No, no one else but... Zephyran.Just him.

Why is he so special?

Saribel activated the phone again, staring at the red heart in the input field.

As an "artist", he prefers to use emoji rather than words - the information that images can convey is more intuitive and ambiguous than words.A heart can be interpreted however you want.Tend to sex, tend to love, tend to be purely friendly and grateful, how to understand it depends on how the receiver defines the relationship with himself.

When Zephyran asked him about his intention for a second date, Saribel didn't think much, and reflexively added a heart to the message to confirm the time and sent it out. Only when he received the reply did he notice his habit. That star immediately jumped excitedly.

He fell on the bed, the mobile phone rested on his chin as usual, and quickly slipped to the pillow - the makeup artist turned over implicitly, but he actually wanted to roll.A 30-year-old grown man rolling over in shame because he suspected he had exposed his frivolity in the other person—realizing it just made him need to roll twice.

Want to explain?But the contact has come to an end, and the explanation is more like trying to cover up.And—he thought of last weekend's after-dinner making out—it felt so good, better than ever.Even if Zefiran hadn't asked that question when parting, he would have wanted to see him again.The heart at the end of the message is his original heart.

Maybe I don't need to be too serious, thinking about what fits and what is responsible... like a joke.

I have never pursued a long-term relationship before, so don't expect too much this time.Busy, self-centered urbanites have a consensus on this aspect without opening their mouths.When there is no next time, they will naturally terminate the contact and each go to the next goal.To have the opportunity to be intimate with such a person is already an honor that can be engraved into a medal and worn out to show off. How much you think highly of yourself after looking forward and backward.

In other words, how much you expect the other party to think highly of you.

Thinking about it now, at that time, there would be a moment of shame, and there would be this expectation, that is, to have acknowledged his specialness.

Saribel exited the message sending interface and clicked on the picture library.There are not many photos of Zephyran, mixed in the faces of his work photos, and they have not been classified separately.The other party doesn't like to take pictures, and I don't like it without makeup. I can only take pictures of the other party by myself, and without the other party's knowledge, it has become a constant hobby of Saribel for three years.

The most recent one shows Zephyran reading a book on the sofa.He was cooking in the kitchen. After setting the oven, he came out and saw his lover's blond hair and ankles on the step table, so he took out his mobile phone to take a picture.

It was clearly a picture without artistry or thought, and it couldn't even highlight the beauty of Zephilan in his eyes.A back view blocked by an obstacle was so ordinary that he locked it in his phone without thinking.

This is something that Sharibel has never done before.In the fleeting relationship, no one thought of keeping the memories about each other, because forgetting is the driving force to continue living.But here at Zefeilan, he has accumulated even a little bit. At first, he thought it could be used as capital to show off in the future, but gradually he couldn't think of this idea.Some things that I never bothered to do before have now become part of my habit.

"Unbelievable, have you never done it before?"

Zephyran tasted the thick soup he made, and admired from the bottom of his heart: "Either you are lying to me, or you are really talented."

"Nature is my talent."

Across the dining table, Sharibel was also a little proud.He really has no cooking experience and relies on delivery and restaurants all year round.Cooking this time was just a whim, and after being dissatisfied with the taste of the restaurant he took Zefeilan to, he boasted: "Everything I cook is better than this."

Unexpectedly, Zefeilan took it seriously: "Really."

Sharibel had already seen the other party's serious personality, and hurriedly begged for mercy: "It's an exaggeration, just to express my dissatisfaction. This soup was clearly recommended in the review, but the result is really disappointing."

"Evaluation..." Zefeilan looked at him, "Could it be..."

Falling into the trap he dug for himself, Sharibel had no choice but to honestly admit: "...I haven't been here before."

On the second date, Zefeilan asked Saribel to choose a restaurant he liked to go to. The makeup artist racked his brains and searched in every possible way before deciding on a restaurant that was worthy of Zefeilan.However, the unpalatable soup and the choice that went against the original intention seemed to be self-defeating in the end and ruined the supposedly pleasant meeting.

"That's not bad." Zefilan wiped her mouth with a napkin, and winked at Saribel, "We'll know if it's good after we try it. Of course, we don't have to think about this one in the future."

The "we" scratched Sharibel's itch warmly.

How can this person be so comfortable.

Is it serving important people, allowing him to develop his ability to perceive words and emotions, or is his straightforwardness just in line with his own wishes?

No matter the reason, the result is everything.There have been similar incidents in the past, and the other party often blamed Saribel for not doing things according to the requirements, and a light complaint was thrown over, which was immediately enough to make Saribel furious: Why do you blame me?Which one of us is nobler than the other, why do you take yourself so seriously in front of me?

And Zephylan's attitude made him feel ironic, which was the opposite reason.

He is indeed noble to himself, and he did not choose the restaurant he liked to go to according to his proposal.He had every reason to boss around, but he didn't.

Tonight, as an audience, he took Zeffilan to watch the newly opened musical. The two of them scheduled to order wine at the bar of the theater, so they didn't drink any alcohol during dinner, but Saribel fell into the same dizzy joy.Zephyran walked beside him, skipping over the dinner complaints with ease and recounting his college roommate's poor cooking skills.When shoulders collided with him occasionally, he really wanted to hug him.

It was called throbbing, he understood now.

Look at him, kiss him, listen to him talk about topics that you would never be interested in, and tell him interesting things that have happened to him.In the short time he spent with Zefeilan, what he felt the most was this throbbing.Not sexual impulses in the instinctual category, but expectations generated and fulfilled in the spiritual category.

He didn't listen to musicals at all.

After the show ended, Saribel had to confess to Zefilan who asked him how he felt: "I didn't listen carefully."

He saw the doubt in the green eyes of the other party, but he couldn't think of any rhetoric: "...It's the ulterior motive."

Then he held Zephyran's cheek and kissed her lips nervously.

Back in the semi-basement, Sharibel was still criticizing himself on the second date:

Choosing restaurants indiscriminately, watching dramas badly, and being shameless in the end... definitely there will be no next time.Because Zephyran didn't ask him if he could meet again this time, and didn't respond enthusiastically to his kiss, the two finally said goodbye politely and went back to their respective residences.

What offended him the most was that he didn't take the show seriously.

The other party sought to communicate with him, and he himself blocked this access, which is really stupid.Alas, one-night stands are still simple and burden-free.Here at Zephyran, there is too much self-doubt, too much worry, and too much expectation, so the disappointment is too heavy.

At first, this was what I was afraid of.

Saribel sat on the bed after washing up and thought.

The target is the elite in the group concept. As a member of the group, he will not think about whether it is the fault of the other party. Pressure from social conventions.The process of revealing himself is consensual. In theory, he has done nothing wrong, but he has to blame himself because of the higher status of the other party.

Am I making him unhappy?It should be said that he was the one who came to me first, asking for trouble.

He felt unconvinced, unwilling, and even a little sad.The atmosphere was so good last time, could it be just an illusion?Or was he a compromise he chose due to his sudden tyranny?If so, tonight's date shouldn't exist.So the problem really is tonight...

Saribel groaned, finding himself in the expected self-blame.God, why?At first, I wanted to reject his temptation, but now I was panicked, wondering what made him unhappy.I already knew that they were not from the same country, so why did I still refuse to nod to this "sure enough".What are you pitying?Following his steps to abide by the gentleman's contract without eating a "big meal"?But how can a person like him... It really is his own wishful thinking.

"Sure enough", as expected, I still can't have contact with those visitors from the cloud.Slime should still play with other dirty animals obediently.

He put a mask on himself, and the sadness in his heart turned into anger.

In the future, you don't have to be careful about whether you will rub the makeup on the other person's face or what.It's you, Zephyrin, who makes me so...not like me.

When Sharibel accused Zephylan viciously in his heart, the phone vibrated as if it had been sensed, which startled him.

It was the message from the person who was blamed: I don't know if you are free tomorrow.

Sharibel's head buzzed for a moment, not knowing what the other party meant by this move: Yes.

The other party seems to have typed and deleted, and the receiving interface shows back and forth that the other party is typing but has not sent a reply.Sharibel didn't know why, so he asked: What's the matter?

After a while, the reply arrived: can you come to my house to make the soup that I ate tonight?

Saribel laughed.

What's going on, what's going on with this person.

Holding the phone, he put the back of his hand on his forehead and smiled wantonly, completely forgetting that there was a mask on his face.Does the other party take his complaint seriously, or is it some new euphemistic invitation?You group of proud sons of heaven, no, why do you play with my emotions like this.

Can.He returned, and the laughter still didn't stop.But I said that was just hyperbole, I can't guarantee that it will be better than tonight.The disclaimer is as above, please remember to bear the consequences for the rest.

The end is a heart.

Later, I really found that cooking was very interesting, and it was also because of that time... probably because of him.

Sharibel turned the picture to the very beginning.The mobile phone was just changed half a year ago, and the earliest photo was Zefeilan: the other party was making coffee in the kitchen, and after setting up the new machine, he turned back from the sofa to take a photo of his lover's side face.

"Please use."

The next afternoon, when he arrived at Zeffilan's apartment with the ingredients he bought according to the recipe, the other party treated him with coffee just like when they first met because of business.

Saribel took a sip and wondered, "Why does it taste the same as that day? Could it be—"

Zephyran turned back and gestured to the compressed coffee machine in the kitchen: "I also made it that day."

"It's amazing, let high-level talents come to make coffee for people like me." Saribel was really surprised, "It's a waste of your craftsmanship and heart..."

He paused, feeling that he had said something that could be called self-absorbed.Zefeilan smiled and raised her cup: "Then, let's make it up today."

It's that comfortable "we" again.

Saribel felt that he could put his thoughts aside again and focus on the present.He clinked glasses with Zephilan beside him, and talked about the topic of movies amidst the aroma of the drink. When he talked about something interesting, the other party would smile and squint his eyes, and the light-colored eyelashes would hang down, so soft and so beautiful.

Saribel is still without makeup today.

But he didn't dare to be too proactive.Before today's sudden invitation, the polite parting last night still made him hesitate.To deal with Zephilan, it seems that it is safe to let the other party take the lead.

In order to be able to... and next time.

Fortunately, the novice's soup challenge was a perfect success.If this is a competition, this battle should give him a lot of impression points.Cooking and makeup are both hands-on skills, and they also require the accuracy of quantity and observation of subtleties. I am afraid that it is Saribel's excellent professional skills that have laid the foundation for today's cross-border success.

"It means that everything has something in common? When you say this, it even has a philosophical meaning."

Zephyran's solemn approval of his vaunted point of view made me feel embarrassed: "But this is an afterthought. If it fails, I have a disclaimer. You can't fault it left or right."

"Cunning."

You should be the cunning one.Saribel thought.Why did you come to me, why did you treat me like this, why did it make me feel ups and downs, why did it make me feel throbbing, until there are answers to these questions, I can only follow your pace.Isn't it cunning.

The two didn't go out after the meal, but sat back on the sofa and watched an old movie.

The movie is really old, 50s.After turning on the lights, he glanced at the inventory on the disc rack. It was obvious that the young staff members were not satisfied with the widescreen Hollywood blockbusters with dazzling special effects.

"Have you been in a theater since this century?" Sharibel joked.

Zephyran seemed a little distracted.He stared at the wall clock on the wall, and it took a few seconds for him to react, and smiled: "I have been in it, but I like very few new movies. In fact... the core of the story under those beautiful visual effects is not superior to the old movies. and reasonable."

"Secondary." Sharibel shrugged, "It can even be said that the cart is putting the cart before the horse. Using special effects to cover up the shortcomings in the plot—oh, it's very similar to my job content."

"Your associations are always interesting."

Sharibel was about to say something, but seeing Zephilan's uneasy look, he had to change his tone: "...Then, after watching the movie, it's getting late—"

Zephyran seemed to be waiting for his words: "You can stay overnight... Would you like to stay overnight?"

TBC