Teach me, Touch me. 

Part 11: Private Convo.

 

The frequent visits to the club lately had made Gear a better drinker. Every night, this place became a rendezvous point for Gear and Kanthi. Kanthi taught him to understand drinks better, to take care of himself amid the nightlife crowd, and, most importantly, to master the rhythm and prowess that brought joy to both of them.

 

Hanging out with his group of senior business administration friends today was far from boring, as it used to be. Gear had been coming here so often that his friends suggested it as the venue for White's birthday party, one of his close friends who got along well with everyone.

 

"I'm not surprised anymore why Gear comes here every day. The vibe here is just so damn good."

 

"But I'm still surprised. Someone like our little prince Gear suddenly turning into a partygoer?"

 

"He got his heart broken, remember?"

 

'"Alright, stop it now. Pay attention to the birthday boy. White is about to get drunk." Gear, the subject of the conversation, quickly put an end to his friends' bickering.

 

On this lively Friday night, Gear spent time partying with his friends as planned. As for Kanthi, all Gear knew was that he had a dinner appointment with a client, with no clear end time. They hadn't made any personal plans for the night, so Gear only had a vague idea of his whereabouts.

 

Gear hadn't informed Kanthi about his visit to the Rose Club tonight either. He thought it wasn't a big deal. The man probably didn't care much about his movements. Besides, they likely wouldn't meet tonight due to Kanthi's tight schedule.

 

The owner of soft, light brown hair occasionally nodded his head to the rhythm of the music, listening to his friends' conversations and chiming in when he had something to say. He tried more of the alcoholic drinks on the table, but still drank less than his friends. Even though Gear had become a better drinker, he was still considered a lightweight.

 

Tonight, the Rose Club seemed devoid of Kanthi's presence. Porsche, the club owner, came over to greet him briefly, but Gear didn't ask about his close friend, and Porsche didn't mention it.

 

Ding!

 

"Be careful not to get drunk."

 

Gear frowned after reading the message on his phone from Kanthi, who seemed to be nearby. He looked up and scanned the usual spot where he often saw him. The man was sitting at a table with the club owner on a luxurious red velvet sofa. His handsome face raised an eyebrow slightly in a charming greeting for the night.

So we meet again...

 

Gear hid his smile to prevent his friends from noticing or suspecting anything. However, their eyes kept meeting throughout the night, irresistibly drawn to each other.

 

"You guys see the dude sitting in that corner? The red sofa. Look slowly, so he doesn't notice." After the whispered comment, the group of students subtly turned to look at what their friend had pointed out.

 

"Damn! He's freakin' handsome."

 

"Yeah, I noticed him when he walked into the club. Who is he? His aura is insane."

 

"Gear, do you know him? You come here often, right? Have you seen him before?"

 

"l... haven't either." Gear chose to answer contrary to the truth because the reality was something he couldn't reveal.

 

"He's been looking at our table a lot."

 

"Damn! He's walking this way. Does he know we were talking about him?" Gear's friends quickly turned their faces away to hide their guilt from staring at the good-looking man, except for Gear, who stood still but managed to keep his composure better than anyone.

 

Kanthi only intended to walk past their table, but the narrow path and the crowd forced him to brush past the stiffly standing Gear, so close that the scent of his expensive, warm cologne lingered at the tip of Gear's nose. Moreover, Kanthi took the opportunity to gently brush his soft hand as he passed, unnoticed by anyone else. Only Gear and Kanthi felt the electrifying moment between them.

 

"Dang, up close, he's insanely handsome." The group's compliments didn't register with Gear, as the lingering sensation from Kanthis' touch had already sent him adrift in his charm.

 

"I'm going to the restroom," Gear said in a calm tone to avoid suspicion. The touch from Kanthi guided him on what to do next. Gear decided to excuse himself and walked towards the restroom, a dimly lit area where making out was not uncommon.

 

The tall man leaned his back against the raw concrete wall, one leg resting casually, with his hands in his pockets. He lifted his face to look at the younger man walking towards him, just as he'd planned.

 

"Don't tell me you're drunk," Kanthi asked in an alluring voice, observing the younger man's face.

 

"I'm not."

 

"It seems like you've been drinking more than usual."

 

"Maybe because I'm with friends. I got carried away."

 

"And you weren't planning to say hi? If I hadn't come out like this, would we have even talked?" Kanthi's slender finger brushed against the younger man's cheek as he gazed at him with a dangerous look.

 

"I was afraid my friends would ask questions. I wouldn't know how to answer."

Kanthi couldn't help but smile at the explanation.

 

“The person who taught me about sex? That doesn't sound right," Gear said, laughing at his own reasoning.

 

"So your friends mustn't know we know each other?"

 

"I guess so. I don't want to answer their probing questions."

 

Kanthi raised an eyebrow in understanding. Since the younger man was clear about it, he was willing to cooperate.

Even though he didn't want to use his cunning to take advantage of the boy, the opportunity was too tempting. When Kanthi noticed one of Gear's friends walking towards them, he didn't hesitate to switch their positions. He pushed the smaller man against the wall, slightly shielding him from view, and kissed him passionately without delay.

 

"Mmph." With that, the students couldn't see that the person Kanthi was fervently kissing was their own friend. Helping Gear keep this a secret was part of it, but the main reason was that the soft lips were driving Kanthi crazy with desire.

 

Kanthi completely claimed the sweet and bitter taste of alcohol in the warm mouth. He teased with his tongue, alternating with sucking on the lower lip, exchanging deep, passionate touches that left Gear almost melting and unable to stand.

 

"Ah, Kanthi," Gear's dewy eyes looked up at the taller man, whose gaze made Kanthi reluctant to part from those lips.

 

"Your friend just walked by."

 

"So you pulled me in for a kiss?"

 

Kanthi shrugged with a sly smile, making Gear unintentionally smile back at his cunning help.

 

"I think I should head back to my table now."

 

"Wait." The large hand grabbed the younger man's arm as he tried to leave.

 

"..."

"If you're not tied up, come back with me tonight." Gear looked at the hand holding his arm, feeling Kanthi's thumb gently stroking his smooth skin as he spoke with a charming gaze.

 

In the end, Gear chose not to respond with words but with a smile before walking back to his table. He maintained his composure well, and none of his friends suspected anything, even though his restroom trip had taken unusually long.

 

"Guys, when I went to the restroom, I saw that dude making out with someone."

 

"Maybe it was his partner. With looks like that, it's no surprise he'd have one."

"I don't know, but the way they kissed was so intense. If I were kissed like that, my soul would leave my body." The friend who witnessed the scene joked, but Gear, who had firsthand experience, couldn't laugh at all. Each time Kanthi kissed him, it felt as if his soul were truly leaving his body.

 

"By the way, was his partner hot? Could they compare to Gear?" The group's best-looking member, Gear, was brought up as an example, almost revealing his secret.

 

"Hmm..."

 

"Don't look at me like that." Gear quickly dismissed his friend's attempt to analyse the scene.

 

"I don't know. It was dark, and I couldn't see clearly. Besides, I didn't dare to look at him."

 

With his friend's answer, Gear let out a sigh of relief as if a weight had been lifted off his chest. He didn't know whether to blame Kanthi for pulling him into a kiss or himself for following him.

 

"Should we head home? If we stay longer, we might get too drunk."

 

"Sounds good, go ahead," one of the friends said, and with the majority in agreement, it was time to settle the bill for the countless drinks on the table.

 

"Sirs, someone has already paid for your table," the staff informed them.

 

"Huh?"

 

"Who paid?"

 

"Who was it?"

 

"They just asked us to let you know it was a friend of Mr Porsche."

 

"Guys, Porsche who?" While everyone else had questions, Gear was the only one who understood everything without further explanation. He glanced over at the table where Kanthi was sitting, smiled in acknowledgement as a silent thank you, and tried to convince his friends not to dig any deeper.

"So, how are you getting home, Gear? Get in the car, and I'll drop you off," one of his friends offered.

 

"No, no, you go ahead," Gear replied quickly.

 

"Come on, man. If your dad finds out we left you at a club, we're all going to be in trouble."

 

"It's fine. I'll get home on my own."

 

"Or are you waiting for Kim to pick you up?"

 

"Ooh, if you care about your friend, maybe don't mock him about his ex's name," another friend chimed in, laughing,

 

"Gear, you're acting all suspicious, like someone in love."

 

"Nothing is going on. Just go home, all of you," Gear said firmly, finally putting an end to the conversation.

 

Afterwards, Gear stepped outside to wait by another entrance of the club, the one Kanthi frequently used. He hadn't been waiting long when someone approached from behind, draped an arm around his neck, and planted a kiss on his hair. The familiar scent of cologne and the touch of it were unmistakably Kanthi.

 

"Did I keep you waiting long?"

 

"Not at all. I just said goodbye to my friends a moment ago," Gear replied, looking up at him as they started walking together.

 

"Are you hungry? Do you want to grab something to eat? I can take you somewhere," Kanthi offered.

 

"No, I'm good. I already ate a lot with my friends. But are you hungry? We can stop somewhere if you want."

 

"...'m only craving for you," Kanthi whispered slyly into Gear's ear, making his face flush red.

 

"Um... thank you for paying for the drinks for us," Gear said, trying to change the subject.

"Why are you changing the topic?" Kanthi asked, smirking.

 

"I'm not. You paid for us, so I have to thank you," Gear replied earnestly.

 

"I plan to collect it back from you," Kanthi said with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

 

"And how exactly do you plan to collect it?" Gear asked, pretending not to know, though Kanthis' gaze made it clear.

 

"Are you sure you want me to say it out loud?"

 

"Um... maybe it's better if you don't," Gear admitted, finally conceding. He lowered his head to hide the blush spreading across his cheeks.

 

"Then can I collect it in the car?" Kanthi asked, his voice dripping with mischief.

 

"It's... cramped in there," Gear stammered.

 

"Then just don't try anything too complicated."