Do you think I'm annoying?

Lying on his bed, Poll stares at the message he has typed on his phone. He considers hitting the backspace for a second before he decides against it and taps the send button. With a sigh, he sets his phone down on his bed and covers his eyes with the back of his right hand as he ponders.

It has been days since he and Eujae had a row in a grill restaurant and they have not seen each other since then. It doesn't take a genius to understand that Eujae is determined to avoid him. Following the incident at the restaurant, the guy has not joined their friends for lunch even once. It is not like Poll wants to see him—of course not—but he'd be lying if he said it didn't bother him when their friends kept asking where Eujae was. Their group never talked about what happened between him and Eujae again and they made sure not to make him feel bad about it. Nonetheless, Poll can't help but feel guilty. Guilty for their friends not for Eujae.

He sits bolt upright in bed, screaming. He grabs the closest thing his hand can get to—a Charmander plush—and throws it across the room, hitting his Fairy Tail poster on the wall.

"And you always call me immature but who's acting like a child between us now?" he grumbles, glaring at the poor stuffed toy that has fallen on the floor.

It has taken him a full minute to calm down and get off his bed to pick up the thing that he'd thrown. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to take it out on you," he speaks softly to the stuffed toy as if it is a living being.

Hugging Charmander, he walks back to his bed, just in time to see his phone light up and vibrate. With an arm still around the plush toy, he sits on the edge of his bed and opens the new message on his phone.

From: Gaele

Nope. I never think you're annoying, Ten-Ten. Talk a lot? Yes, but you don't need to worry about it because I like listening to people. I'm more of a listener than a speaker actually, and I never think you telling me a lot of stories is annoying. If anything, I find it endearing. So can you tell me now, did something happen that made you suddenly ask the question?

A faint smile spreads over his lips as he reads the message. His online friend knows. Gaele always knows when he's upset and what to say to make him feel better. How does he do that?

Poll opens their chatbox and sees the green dot beside his friend's handle name. Gaele is currently online so he quickly types his reply.

Ten2: well I was supposed to tell you about that day but I dont know mayb because I have been feeling bad and guilty about a lot of things, been thinking maybe my friends find me annoying because of that one stupid thing i did that it made me think what if you find me annoying too because I keep on venting out to you. so I couldnt bring myself to tell you about it

Gaele: And here I was thinking you got bored of talking to me since all I received from you these past few days are good mornings and good nights. Okay, I think I already covered the fact that I like to listen more than I like to talk so it's fine if you continue venting out to me. Believe me, Ten-Ten, it doesn't bother me at all. In fact, it makes me feel better as I like being depended on. Also, did any of your friends tell you you're annoying?

Poll is just about to type about that certain guy who keeps calling him annoying and childish, but stops when he remembers that Eujae is not his friend. He scowls. Gaele was asking about his friends, not his enemy. Why did he even think about that jerk?

Ten2: no, they never told me anything like that and I think they are actually making it so I wont feel bad about what happened

Gaele: See? So stop thinking about useless things, alright? I honestly don't see a reason why people will find my cute, li'l Ten-Ten annoying.

Ten2: don't call me cute. -_- you dont even know what I look like. alright, im sorry for doubting you and im sorry for not talking to you these past few days. Just so you know there is no way i'll get bored talking to you

Gaele: Cute is subjective and it doesn't have to be about physical appearance, so there's no need for me to see how you look to know that you're cute. It can be all about one's personality. I think you're cute because you sound really cute. And apology accepted. I hope you won't underestimate my loyalty to you again, Ten-Ten. So tell me, you missed talking to me, didn't you? You did.

Rereading the whole text, Poll feels his face start to get warm. Jeez, he knows they were just joking around when Gaele said that he had a harem and when he dubbed Gaele 'Casanova' but if his online friend can make him—a guy—blush with those simple words through a text message, then what does it say about the real him? Is he a womanizer? Maybe not. Poll believes that Gaele sounds too decent to be like that. Lady-killer? That seems closer to the impression that Gaele is giving, although Poll can tell his friend's charm may work not only to ladies but also to gentlemen. And rather than Casanova, doesn't he sound more like Romeo?

Ten2: save your sweet talk for your girlfriendsssss, romeo. and i am just saying i am 173cm so you cant really call me cute and little

Gaele: Eh, why? Did I make you blush? That's girlfriends too many. I don't have one though. Also, I'm a couple of cm taller than you so you're cute li'l Ten-Ten to me.

Ten2: you and your stupid logic. -_- a boyfriend then?

Gaele: I told you it's called Gaele's logic, not stupid logic. I don't have a boyfriend either, but thank you for asking.

Unsure what else to reply, Poll pauses and stares at his phone for a minute. He is thinking about what to type when he receives another message from Gaele.

Gaele: So do you feel better now?

Poll smiles softly. How can he not feel better if he has someone like Gaele to talk to?

Ten2: yes. thank you bro

Gaele: Anytime. By the way, I have to go for now. Need to go out to buy stuff. I'll catch you later, alright?

Ten2: okay catch you later

With a smile on his face, Poll closes the app. He lays his phone on his bed and hugs his stuffed toy tightly.

He is still in a good mood when the door to his room opens. He looks up to see his twin sister giving him a strange look. Unhappy with the intrusion, the smile slips away from his face just to be replaced by a frown. "Don't you know how to knock, Tem?"

The female twin rolls her eyes. "And missed seeing you make out with your stuffed toy? No thanks. Anyway, I just came here to ask if you want to come with me and Cloud to the mall."

"And what makes you think I want to be a third wheel on your date?"

"Nope." Tem shakes her head. "I am inviting you because I thought you need to unwind."

Confused, Poll's frown deepens. "Unwind? I'm good. Why would you even think I need that?"

"I don't know, Poll. You tell me. I heard you screaming earlier and I thought I had to check on you but when I came here a few minutes after that, I found you grinning like an idiot while making out with that orange stuffed toy. I am honestly worried about you, dear brother." Despite her words, Tem makes an expression that is akin to a grimace.

"I am not making out with my stuffed toy! And he has a name!"

"I don't care about his name." Tem sighs. "So are you going with us or not?"

Poll would tell her no but he remembers he's missing a color for his painting. "Fine. I need to buy acrylic paint anyway."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"Hey, is that Eujae?"

Poll immediately looks down from the mall's indoor balcony, following Cloud's gaze, his eyes raking the ground floor for the mentioned guy. When he can't find him, he turns to his friend with a glare. "Stop shitting me."

"I'm not. I really thought I saw–" Cloud stops and stares at Poll as if he realizes something. "Wait, why are you mad at me that you can't find Eujae? Do you actually want to see him?"

"What? Why would I want to see him?" Poll asks, his cringe noticeable.

Before it turns into a stupid conversation, Poll decides to walk out of there. He is pretty sure his friend can manage to wait for his girlfriend alone while said girlfriend is shopping for god-knows-what.

"I'll go to the art supplies store for now. Just let Tem know when she gets back," he tells his friend though he knows he will be back before his sister does. Girls like to take their sweet time when buying something after all. And his twin sister is no different.

He looks up as he tries to remember the location of the art supplies store. "What floor is it again?" he asks to no one in particular.

"Top floor beside a watch boutique," Cloud answers.

"Oh yeah." He looks at his friend. "Thanks, man. I'll be back."

He starts to walk for the escalator which is closer to them but quickly reconsiders when he thinks about where they currently are. They are on the first floor and the store is on the fourth floor which means he needs to take three separate escalators to arrive at his destination. Spinning on his heels, he saunters to the direction where the elevator is.

He stops in front of the door and peeks at the hall lantern. The arrow indicates that the elevator car is going down from the third floor. After a couple of seconds, the door opens, revealing six passengers inside. Two of them get off.

One of the four remaining people, a guy who looks around his age, gives him a look that says 'Quickly get in if you're going to get in.' Next to the guy, an older woman speaks softly, "Ground floor?"

Poll smiles at the woman politely and shakes his head to answer her. He doesn't like to stay inside an elevator for too long so he decides to get in once it's going up again.

The door closes and when the hall lantern flashes G,—ground floor—Poll presses the call button. He waits for another few seconds for the elevator car to reach him again.

When the door opens, Poll notes the lone person inside. He assumes the person came from the ground floor because he didn't see him earlier. The guy is wearing a blue sleeveless hoodie on top of a white t-shirt. His hood is pulled over his head and he is busy with his phone so Poll can't see his face clearly.

Deciding not to give it any more thought, he steps inside the elevator.

And stops dead. His eyes widen in disbelief as he gets a good look at the guy's face. At that moment, Poll feels like time has stopped with him. Vaguely, he hears the soft ding of the elevator as the door closes behind him.

Everything moves in slow motion as Poll watches the guy look up from his phone. He stays still until those eyes meet his.

Gold. His eyes are gold today, with specks of lime green and dark brown. Anyone who is well acquainted with the guy can easily tell that those are contact lenses. Poll knows he always wears colored contacts and they are usually blue or brown.

But today, they are a stunning shade of gold. The same shade Eujae wore during their first day in college, during the first time they saw each other.

Recognition and surprise briefly cross those golden eyes, and then they are gone. Poll blinks, realizing that Eujae is staring at him impassively.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Poll blurts out. It is a reflex, a question he always asks every time he sees Eujae in unexpected places.

He walks to the corner of the elevator, opposite Eujae, and waits for the guy's comeback.

One second. Three seconds. Five seconds. Nothing. No response.

Perplexed, Poll peeks at Eujae, wondering why he is not saying anything at all. Eujae is quietly browsing—or whatever he's doing—on his phone again.

Poll is certain that Eujae heard him and if the jerk is his usual jackass self, he had fired his sardonic reply by now. He had already retorted with something like 'I don't remember you owning this place, Apollo.' But based on the way he keeps silent and avoids giving Poll any attention, it is obvious that he is not his usual jackass self.

What the hell is up with him?

The elevator stops. Looking at the indicator, Poll learns that they are on the third floor. He follows Eujae with his glaring eyes when the door opens and the jerk wordlessly steps out. A group of noisy teenagers comes in but Poll pays them no heed as he is busy figuring out what he feels about Eujae's behavior. He is dumbfounded and irked, sure, but it feels like there is something more.

Seething, Poll gets off on the fourth floor.

What the fuck was that? Did he just fucking ignore me? Who does he think he is, acting all high and mighty like that?

Poll halts in his track, a look of horror coming across his face as he realizes what his thoughts were trying to suggest. He remains frozen in place and ignores the people who are giving him weird looks.

And why the hell do I sound disappointed that that jerk ignored me? What the hell do I fucking care?

He sighs. That has totally dampened his mood. He should have just stayed in his room and watched anime if he knew it was going to happen.

"Unwind, my foot," he grumbles and begins to walk. That jerk can ignore me all he wants for all I care. Hell, I'm glad I don't have to hear his annoying remarks anymore.

When the art supplies store comes into his view, he increases his pace. Pausing at the entrance, he glances at the shop next to it. And for the nth time, he freezes.

"What the fuck?" The words come out before Poll can stop himself.

It seems like the jerk holds the same sentiment judging from his displeased expression.

Poll looks around and notices the escalator just a few feet away from where they are. "Did you just get off on the third floor to take the escalator up here? What the hell is wrong with you?" he asks incredulously.

Eujae sends him a cold look. "I don't think that's any of your business, asshole." That's all Poll gets from him before he enters the watch boutique, leaving Poll gaping at his retreating form.

And right there and then, Apollo Torres feels like screaming again.