Code of Love

A Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

"Is this guy for real? He is getting on my nerves. Why does he tease me if we are not even close?", Jared said to himself trying to ignore what Ai just said.

Jared's stomach growled. He forgot he hadn't had anything since he woke up before dawn and it's almost noon. It was loud enough that Matt and Ai heard it. Ai's stomach growled too but louder.

"I didn't get you anything like you said, Jared.", Matt reminded Jared, so he can't be mad at him for his fault.

Matt leaned against the gray five-foot two-door fridge.

Jared looked at the jar of his oatmeal on top of the fridge only to find out that it was empty.

"I haven't had any since last night before the flight in China.", Ai interrupted, then chuckled.

"Help yourself with what you might like in the fridge. Jared and I are currently working on a tight deadline, so I can't prepare a meal for you.", Matt said to Ai and stood properly while holding the handle of the freezer door as if Ai will be able to see what's inside where Ai is sitting.

"I wouldn't recommend you Jared's all-charred meals in his menu.", Matt added while staring at Jared already scowling at him. Ai chuckled.

"She was strict, but she was a little overboard with Matt. You can always see us walking with red marks behind our legs with her favorite meter stick she always beat us with. Some people thought we had the same birthmarks, and some find it cute.", Ai laughingly added.

"Why is that?", Jared got curious not because he was interested in the story but Ai looking at him smiling is smiling.

"Nǎi nai is my Chinese father's mother.", said Ai.

"His mother and mine are sisters.", Matt added.

"In the past, Chinese marriage was more like a merger of two businesses. Marrying a non-Chinese is taboo. Our mother's family always loiter at our house because Filipinos have an unnecessarily excessive bond, and they are rowdy, so nǎi nai was like that. ", Ai explained as Matt continuously nodded as he sat on the chair at the dining table.

Ai was unaware that he was being cute while explaining. Occasionally combing his wet hair up as soon as a cluster falls near his face.

Jared was unaware that he was starting to smile without being obvious. He was hearing the words from Ai but was not understanding any of them. He looked away from Ai as soon as Ai stopped talking.

"Do you like bacon, Jared?", Ai offered because he's famished and wanted to start cooking.

"Thank you, Ai. I don't like to eat oily food without beer or soda. I'm craving a large bowl of Japanese ramen downstairs.", Jared is shy and didn't want to bother Ai.

Jared didn't want to impose.

"That sounds more enticing! Can I come with?", Ai's smile grew bigger and his wide-set eyes also smiled.

"Oh, you asked for it, you moron.", Jared silently scolded himself. He was planning to get his sweet precious moment of being alone, but Ai seems to keep sticking on his hair. His nose twitched.

Ai looked at Jared who was again staring at his empty jar of oats. Devastated and can't give an excuse.

"I've never been outside the house much when I was here. I didn't even learn how to use public transport because my mother didn't let me mingle with my classmates outside of school. I've never ridden a jeepney before.", Ai explained in a sorry tone.

"Sure thing!", Jared replied nervously while trying to put on a smile let them know he liked the idea but the right side of his mouth just twitched.

"I... I hope I'm not bothering you too much. We just met today and...", Ai said with hesitation while looking away.

"You've already caused me to start on my work again.", Jared said in his head.

"I only have a hundred pesos with me and I'm yet to get cash...", Ai explained.

"My pay hasn't been credited yet to my account. Will you lend him, Jared?", Matt interrupted.

Jared knows where the conversation is heading and was just helping Ai out with the words. His right eyebrow twitched again.

"Sure. Let me go grab my wallet first.", said Jared and hurried inside his room.

Jared and Ai went out of the unit and slowly walked towards the elevator that is three doors away from unit twenty-seven.

Ai has his hands on the back of his head while humming. His stretched exposed arms are so fair that the veins are barely visible. His underarm was letting more scent of the after-shower he had on. Jared remained silent and kept his eyes on the ground.

Jared ran when they were only a few steps away from the elevator and hurriedly pressed the button. Its doors quickly slid open.

Jared shuffled his feet to get in the empty four-square meter elevator. He then hurriedly pressed the "G" button as soon as Ai got in.

Jared got more nervous as they get farther away from unit 27. Ai continued humming behind Jared while he looks at the back of Jared's short messy french crop black hair.

Jared can feel Ai's eyes staring at him that he can feel the hair at the back of his neck standing.

The elevator doors swung open momentarily when they reached the ground floor. You can see the view outside from the elevator. It was raining heavily.

It was facing the entrance to the building that has glass doors that automatically opens when someone walks near. There are two twelve-foot parlor palms on both sides of the entrance in a large cube granite pot. The lobby had granite walls and the white ceiling with warm yellow lights is about twenty feet high.

"I'll just get us a cab at the reception.", said Jared.

"Why do you we need to get a cab when the mall is just across the street? Aren't we going there?", Ai was standing on the left of Jared grabbed him by the left arm with his right hand.

"Right. I'll just borrow umbrellas then.", Jared got free from Ai and walked quickly to the receptionist while occasionally pushing his eyeglasses up his nose bridge as it kept sliding down the tip of his nose.

Ai slowly walked closer to the entrance doors and watched the rain falling on the bustling street. People and vehicles coming from every direction.

"Here. They only had one left.", Jared handing a large pink umbrella with the building's logo to Ai while he looks at the ground.

Ai unfurled the umbrella, and it got the attention of a young lady wearing a typical blank bank employee uniform who just entered the building. She looked at them curiously.

"Hi, did you guys just move in?", asked the lady with a friendly smile. Jared rarely goes out of his room, so anyone else in the building doesn't know he has been staying there for five years.

Ai wrapped his right arms around Jared while his left hand held the unfurled umbrella downward. Ai's arms are warmer than his hands as Jared recalls it. The soft hairs on his armpit gently tickled the back of Jared's neck.

Jared froze as if a bucket of water and ice was poured on him.

"Hello! Yes, I just moved in with my boyfriend today.", Ai's gullible reply that's radiating joy.

"BOY...?!", Jared's immediate remark in disbelief and shock that he wasn't able to finish.

Jared tried to fight back and escape Ai's arms but Ai's arm tightened to a caring hug and his hands quickly and gently squeezed Jared's right arm. Ai covered his from the lady with the huge pink umbrella.

The young lady's eyes quickly widened as she looked at the two. Surprised from what he heard, her right hand immediately covered her mouth, the moment, her jaw slightly dropped. She quickly walked to the elevator without saying a word in that gesture like a gossiper who just learned of a juicy scandal that she is.

Ai gently pushed Jared to walk forward outside the entrance as he silently struggles from Ai. He let go of Jared as soon as they got out and held the umbrella up as he faces Jared. Jared's face and simian ears are glowing red. Jared is aggravated.

"What was on your head that made you say that to a stranger?!", Jared whispered angrily. His eyebrows raised. Ai chuckled.

"f**k you, Ai! You... Asshole! You... Giant... Gorgeous... Charming... You bastard!", Jared continued while trying to think of all the harsh words he could say right away.

All of his irritation this morning got charged up for holding back his grumpiness from an acquaintance.

Jared spoke a bit louder this time and got the security guard's attention standing by the entrance behind them.

"Is there a problem, sir?", the guard that looked like a typical copper-skinned Filipino of Indonesian descent with a protruding stomach approached them.

Jared lost his train of thought and looked at the guard while trying to pull himself together. Ai was just quietly looking and smiling at him all this time.

"No, there isn't, sir. I'm sorry.", Jared replied apologetically. He felt humiliated.

Ai wrapped his left arm around Jared and chuckled while holding the umbrella upward. Ai gently pushed him forward to cross the street.

Jared was silent and is just staring at his feet wearing black Havaianas flip-flops getting wet as they walk alone with his thoughts. He wanted to run back to the comfort of his bedroom.

"I'm glad you got to say mean things to me.", Ai chuckled.

"What do you mean by that?", Jared replied in a sorry tone.

"I want you to be comfortable around me like you are to my cousin.", Ai chuckled. Jared looked at him puzzled.

"You're being weird.", Jared in a serious tone.

"You are being cute.", Ai replied quickly then chuckled.

"What do you mean by that?", Jared got more puzzled as he continues to stare at him.

Ai has been getting on his nerves since they met and the day is not over yet. Ai, on the other hand, is just staring ahead.

There was a moment of silence.

Jared removed himself from Ai's arm as soon as they reached the other side of the street.

"What do you mean by that?", Jared repeated himself.

"Nothing. You're being cute... like a cat.", Ai smiled and continued walking ahead leaving Jared still standing. Jared's eyes followed him.

Jared is completely famished and mentally exhausted at this point. He shrugged the things in his head and followed Ai.

"Shio, shoyu, miso, tonkutsu, which of you should I have today?", Jared sang repeatedly as he walks behind.

Ai started to tap the tip of the umbrella on the pavement in the rhythm of Jared's rhyme. Jared subconsciously heard the tapping and started to skip.

Ai stopped walking when he heard Jared's skipping and watched. Jared didn't notice Ai and continued without looking ahead.

Jared accidentally stepped on a tile on the pavement that gets slippery when wet. His right flip-flops slipped making him fall backward. Some people saw it and gasps echoed.

Ai dropped the umbrella. He was close and quick enough to catch Jared in his arms like a baby.

Jared's eyeglasses fell off. The neckline of this white loose shirt got stretched that his right shoulder showed.

Jared's back arched backward and they're facing each other in an awkward position that you typically see in movies where the leading man lands a kiss on his leading lady's neck.

They both froze staring at each other's eyes. Jared began to feel his face burning.

"You are cute and clumsy.", Ai smiled in an attempt to comfort Jared from the shock.