C5 Dada & Beyb

“Dinner’s ready.”

When Kei lifted his head, he was in awe when he saw Chris in an apron, His apron. He was standing at the entrance of his kitchen. He was holding a ladle and he wasn’t smiling but his eyes were sparkling. Or was it just his imagination? But maybe he could get used to this.

“Let’s eat,” he said and stood up.

He let JD walk on his own and the kid went after Chris. He took the child’s hand and gave him a sweet smile. He was wondering if his neighbor has a multiple personality. How come he’s so soft and gentle when JD’s concerned? He never saw him like that in the past three years.

When he entered the kitchen-slash-dining room, he was surprised when everything was already prepared. Chris was fast and efficient at cooking, he may say. He really bought beef and cooked steak. He also made mashed potatoes.

“Where’s your friend?” Chris asked and looked behind him.

He frowned and didn’t like the attention Chris was giving to Elle. “She left.”

“That was fast.”

“Why? You wanted to have dinner with her? I can call and ask her to come back if you want.”

“Whoa,” Chris said and raised both of his hands, still holding the ladle, he looked flabbergasted at the sudden rise of his voice. “Chill, babe.”

“I’m chill,” he said and took a seat.

“Okay?” Chris was somehow uncertain when he said that but didn’t say anything else.

“Dada.”

“Holy shi—”

“Korrigan!”

“JD said ‘Dada’,” he told Chris and still wide-eyed.

“Yeah but that doesn't mean you can swear,” Chris replied.

“I was just surprised that’s all.” He looked at JD, who was now busy eating his mashed potatoes given by Chris, and smiled. “He called for me, didn’t he?” He felt proud all of a sudden that he forgot what they were talking about.

Chris opposed him. “Uh, no? I don’t think so, babe.”

“What made you say that?”

“He called me ‘Dada’ last night, too.”

“He did?” He felt betrayed by the kid and wanted to take away his food. “Hey, JD,” he called him and he succeeded in getting his attention. The kid looked at him and his face was a mess but it didn't matter because he’s cute. “What about me? Aren’t you going to call me ‘Dada’, too?”

JD didn’t answer and continued eating as if he wasn’t talking to him. Chris patted the kid’s head and sat beside him.

“Jayden has favoritism,” he concluded. Chris laughed and he didn’t anticipate that.

“What made you say that?” Chris asked him.

“The fact that he listens to you very well made me think so.”

“Nah, babe, that’s not true.”

“Can you stop calling me ‘Babe’?” The truth was when he first called him that, he could feel his face burning. His heart beats faster than usual but he decided not to pay attention to it. He thought that it was just a slip of the tongue.

“You don’t like it?” Chris asked as if it doesn’t matter to him.

“It’s not because I don’t like it—”

“Then, you do?” Chris smirked and looked the sexiest he has ever seen him. He was tongue-tied and didn’t answer. “Babe,” he called him and grinned.

“Stop teasing me, Chris,” he said and tried really hard to look annoyed. He was restraining himself not to smile like an idiot.

“Babe.”

“You’re flirting with me right now, aren’t you?”

“Babe.”

“Chris—”

“Beyyyb…”

Both of them looked at JD and the kid was looking at him.

He pointed at himself and asked him, “Me? Were you calling for me?”

“Beyyyb…”

He sighed and scratched his head. “Look at that, Chris, that was because of you.”

“JD’s a fast learner. Good job, kiddo.” He lovingly messes up the child's hair and has a smile on his lips.

“You’re the dad and I’m the babe? Really?”

Chris shrugged and said, “It suits you, babe.”

AFTER their chaotic dinner, Chris insisted on washing the dishes too. Even though he declined multiple times but the guy was pretty consistent. Now, he was sitting on the sofa and JD was busy playing with his toys.

What the hell just happened? Does Chris also swing that way? That was the question Kei repeatedly asked himself. But he reminded himself not to get carried away. After his last relationship ended four years ago, he decided to fully commit to himself. Not to someone who would leave when he’s not feeling himself. Not to someone who would run away when he’s fucked up. Not again, he said and sighed.

“What’s that sigh for?” Chris asked as he sat down next to him. He crossed his arms and looked directly at his eyes.

“Nothing. I was just thinking,” he replied.

“What were you thinking?”

“Why do you keep on asking questions?”

“Because I’m curious.”

“Me, too,” he stated. He faced him, put his arm on the sofa and stared at Chris intently. “I’m curious about you.”

“Really?” he smirked. “Then ask me what you want to know. I’ll answer them honestly.”

“Do you have a girlfriend?” he asked without any hesitation.

“No.”

\ “Never had one?”

“I had one when I was in university.”

“What happened?”

“Just like the usual couples, it didn’t work out,” he answered as if it wasn’t a big deal.

“I think I know why,” he teased him. “Because you’re not the affectionate type. She might have felt like you weren’t dating after all, so she dumped you.”

He shrugged. “I wish that was the reason.”

“So, what was the real reason?”

Chris looked at him and he wanted to melt away. There was something in the way he stared at him. If his teammate ever found out that he has a crush on him this instant, he won’t be surprised anymore. He could feel that Chris was trying to peek on the deepest, darkest part of him.

“She found out that I still have feelings for my first love.”

He was appalled by the way Chris answered his question earlier. He did it without hesitation and he was poised when he said that. Like it doesn’t bother him even if his ex-girlfriend might call him a dick.

“So, you’ve been single since then?”

“Yep.”

He was dumbfounded when he answered right away. “What about now? Your feelings for your first love never changed?”

Chris nodded. “It was always the same.”

He snorted and shook his head. “Why don’t you just move on?”

“Sometimes it’s much more difficult to get over from someone who was never yours. From someone you never had.” Chris shrugged and added, “I guess that’s just how it is.”