The Magus and His Alpha

Phone Calls

"Hello Ma!"

"Hi, Son! Have you had your dinner?"

"About to. Just got home after getting stuck in an excruciating traffic jam for over an hour. Thankfully, I got home in one piece," Roseller paused for a moment to release a sigh.

"So… uhm why are you calling?"

Roseller's mother, Angie, sensed a slight tone of arrogance in her son's reply. But she decided to forgo that and proceeded to relay her purpose.

"Your older brother has already set the date for his engagement party. It will be next week. Are you free by that time?"

"I will be in Manila for a client meeting two days from now. But I will be back in Cebu after that and will be available for the party. And yes, it's about time for him to decide that!! Thank God!"

"So when's the wedding?" Roseller inquired.

"We would like it to be held next year so there will be more room for preparation. Obviously, the girl wanted it to be a centennial wedding, so your brother earnestly granted that for her." Angie sniggered on the other end of the line, leaving Roseller baffled, but he decided not to pursue the matter.

Roseller knew that his parents practiced frugality. But they could be lavish if they wanted, to the point of being excessively unreasonable to a certain extent. That occasion, however, was rare.

Angie proceeded to discuss other matters that would be deemed trivial for Roseller's attention. But the latter still managed to engage her mother over the phone. Thankfully, his mother did not open the matter regarding Justin. Perhaps she was not updated yet or she decided not to chase her son regarding his reaction to his significant other.

After a few exchanges, Angie decided to end the call.

“Don’t forget to eat your dinner. I know it’s late but you should not sleep without taking any food.” His mother spoke as she ended with a note, “I love you, son!”

“Love you too, Ma!”

It was good for him to take his mother's call. That helped in temporarily forgetting the matter about Justin.

He felt exhausted, but he still managed to rise up from the loveseat and swaggered his way to the kitchen.

Instead of making a full meal, Roseller went to the fridge, retrieving the banana, apple, and mangoes and slicing them to create a salad in a bowl with sprinkles of chia seeds to add.

He managed to get seven hours of sleep during the night time, steering him into a better relaxed mood the next day.

He decided to laze around during the morning as a way of rewarding himself after accomplishing his project report for his client yesterday. He still had a plan to prepare for his client's meeting in Manila scheduled for tomorrow during the day. Preparations should be made in the afternoon.

An hour before lunchtime, he witnessed the name of a person on his mobile phone screen, someone he wanted to avoid momentarily.

After deliberately deciding to avoid five missed calls, he began to sense an ominous feeling.

He decided to take the subsequent call.

He wanted to just be in silent mode as he proceeded to take the call. But then he couldn't help but be stupefied when he heard, "Babe, Mommy passed away."

“Babe, let’s meet in Manila, instead. I will be taking my flight to Japan at Manila Airport. We can rendezvous inside our favorite coffee shop.”

“So you don’t want me to go to Boracay? Are you done seeing the property?” Roseller asked over the phone.

“I will inform you of the updates once we meet. I will try to phone Atty. Darwin if he is available. I need a lawyer with me there to help with the processing and all.” Justin spoke, his voice audible, but the way he sent the words was like a mumble to Roseller.

“Okay, then. Have a safe trip. Love you!” Roller did not forget to add endearment before waiting for Justin’s response.

“Love you too, babe! Bye!” Justin hung up.

He stared at a certain space in his room, absent-mindedly taking a glance at the wall clock at which its two hands would then point at twelve after a few moments.

It was nearing lunchtime but he could not manage to move away from the loveseat.

He heard Justin bawling over the phone. He understood his situation and his emotions.

He thought of buying a ticket online to Boracay so he could be there and comfort his lover.

Yes. Justin, his lover.

Instead of following Justin to Boracay, they both planned to meet in Manila at the airport. Justin decided to fly to Osaka the next day after finding out about his mother's death. But he needed to see his lawyer and also his lover prior to his planned departure to Japan.

At the moment, Roseller decided to stay seated even though his mind was elsewhere.

____________________

It had become frequent for Roseller to stare at any space when he felt anxiety or something that could stir his mental equilibrium.

Performing retrospective scrying on the wall mirror in one corner of the living room, he began to immerse himself in the things that happened almost eight years ago.

(Flashback)

It was at the back corner of the classroom near the exit door where a teenage boy selected a class chair and brought his ass down, momentarily surveying a few individuals at the front. He gazed at the empty chairs and then turned his eyes to the window sills.

The classroom was newly painted with a bland off-white hue, something he didn't like but couldn't help but affirm its appropriateness in a classroom setting.

He could not glimpse through further what could be from the windows as they were halfway covered by a tree, its leaves occasionally danced with the breeze.

It was two hours before noon as he awaited his first class at the university.

Gradually, more seats had been occupied but two seats in his row beside him still remained empty.

Suddenly, his gaze turned abruptly towards the entrance where a tall guy, whose height he thought to have reached 180 cm, slowly approached where he was seated. After arriving near Roseller, that guy, wearing a simple white shirt and blue denim jeans, chose the closest seat next to him.

The room was almost full, so Roseller understood that the guy he considered, obviously, his classmate, could not choose another seat. Despite the momentary shyness, he decided to be more amiable.

First impressions last, as the usual adage reckoned. And so Roseller put on a friendly smile as he met Justin, who sat beside him.

"Hi! I'm Rosler!" Roseller started, maintaining a mature decorum as he was almost startled at the handsomeness of the guy at a closer glance.