Jock Next Bed (BL)
Chapter 169: Twins’ reconciliation

Chapter 169: Twins’ reconciliation

"You challenged Dad," Rain said with her unreadable gaze fixed on Sky.

Challenged? Sky thought. He didn’t think that was the right way to put it.

"I didn’t," he mumbled.

"You stood up for Henry."

"Henry is my friend. Besides, I simply told the truth."

A truth which wouldn’t please his Dad.

A truth he’d never have dared to speak before.

"That’s the point," Rain countered. "Henry has always been your friend, and that was the first time you said that ’truth’ to Dad." She pointed out to him just in case he has forgotten.

"You always did what you were told. Always took out your piercings from one look from him."

"What are you trying to say, Rain?" He hated how defensive he sounded.

She sighed, the sound laced with weariness. "I said a lot of hurtful things to you yesterday. I thought about it, and I guess breakfast today also... changed my perspective."

He raised a brow, unsure what to reply.

"Seeing you talk like that," Rain continued, her voice softer now, "made me realize that truly, you have been keeping a lot to yourself. Far more than I had thought. And as your twin sister, I am rather embarrassed."

Embarrassed?

"You don’t have to—" he began, but she cut him off.

"Grandma... Her death also hurt me," Rain said, her voice laced with a raw emotion that mirrored his own whenever he thought about her.

"And I guess I hated you at some point for it. But I guess it was all just me being childish and jealous."

"I told you... there is nothing to be jealous of, Rain," Sky said, trying not to sound pitiful.

She nodded slowly. "Maybe so."

"And I am sorry," he said, the apology finally feeling genuine. "As your brother, I should have taken better note of your feelings and not just thought you had things better than me."

She shook her head. "I guess we have both been stupid." A small, sad smile touched her lips. "When did it go wrong? We used to be inseparable as kids even as teens. I didn’t think growing up would ever make us this... distant."

She thought back to a few years ago. What had changed? Mei. It had to be. Sky’s sudden announcement that he wanted to be engaged to Mei, had come out of nowhere. It didn’t make sense. Mei was a darling. But she was Ash’s sister. Mei’s family was fucked up. They were bullies and Ash was mostly the cause of a lot of mess that happened.

Their father was a man who looked down on everyone. And then their own parents? They had let Sky do as he pleased, while Rain couldn’t even have a boyfriend without them grilling her about it. It was like they were living in two different worlds.

"I never thought we were distant," Sky said, the lie tasting like ash in his mouth (no pun intended here at all).

"I just... I guess it was my fault. I have always been in my head and not considered those around me."

"But Noel and Henry were always beside you," Rain pointed out, her voice tinged with a familiar bitterness. "I wasn’t. And I am supposed to know you better."

As his twin sister. They had come into this world together.

He smiled at her, a tentative, almost awkward gesture. "Well, I guess it’s because they are guys. If I were a girl, or you were a guy, maybe we would have been closer?"

She laughed, a genuine, warm sound that eased some of the tension. "I don’t know about it if we were both guys. Maybe if we were both girls. Gossip a lot. Go shopping, talk about... boys..." Her voice trailed off, the word hanging in the air between them, charged with unspoken meaning.

The atmosphere suddenly shifted, replaced by a thick, uncomfortable tension once again.

Sky could feel the heat rising in his neck.

"I can see it now," Rain said, her voice quiet but firm. "You like him."

Sky’s breath hitched. He hadn’t expected her to be so direct. Quietly direct. Trying to get him to talk even if he didn’t want to.

"I...," he began, but Rain held up a hand, stopping him.

"Don’t," she said. "Don’t lie. Not to me. Not anymore."

He looked at her, his gaze searching hers. He could see the understanding in her eyes, the acceptance. And something else, too. A flicker of sadness.

"I’ve been thinking about it," Rain continued, her voice barely a whisper.

"Since that night at the party. Since... the kiss." She paused, a small, almost embarrassed smile touching her lips. "I thought I was just... imagining things. That I was reading too much into it."

She paused and then continued. "You’re always... flirty. Maybe you don’t let peoole touch you, but you’re good at teasing others. So I... I didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want to see it."

"See... what?" Sky asked, his voice low.

"That you... that you liked him," Rain said, her gaze unwavering. "It was right there, in front of me the entire time. The way you looked at him. The way you lingered near him. The way you... overreacted about everything when he was involved." She paused, a hint of amusement creeping into her voice. "And suddenly eager to always return to the dorm."

Sky’s face flushed slightly. He did remember. But to be honest, he hadn’t been sure what he had been doing either.

"And then there was... everything else," Rain continued. "The way you talked about him, the way you defended him. It was all so... obvious. But I was too blind to see it. Or maybe I just didn’t want to see it." She sighed. "I was stupid."

It was very clear that there were no kinds of lies he could tell his sister now. He could not deny any of it. And it scared him that more people were learning about it and he couldn’t even deny it.

"What do you intend to do?" Rain asked, her gaze locking with his.

He knew what she was asking, yet he still asked, the question a desperate attempt to delay the inevitable. "About... what?"

"Chris." The single word hung in the air, heavy with unspoken implications.

Sky looked away. What did he intend to do about Chris? The question had been plaguing him for a long time too.

"I... I don’t know," he finally admitted, the words laced with a frustrating honesty. It was the truth. He didn’t know.

Rain’s gaze softened slightly, a flicker of understanding crossing her face. "You need to figure it out, Sky," she said gently. "You can’t just... leave things like this."

He knew she was right. He couldn’t. He was already entangled in something he could not bring himself out of.

"And Mei," Rain added, her voice dropping to a near whisper.

Sky winced inwardly. Mei. Another complication, a promise he’d made, a life he’d envisioned. He thought of Mei, her bright smile, her easy laughter. While he was never in love with her, he liked Mei. He really did. And he had never thought anyone would be capable of making him suddenly want to break his promise to her. Chris. The thought of him, his smile, his kiss, his everything sent a shiver down his spine. He had to let one go.

It was painful even for him. And it was more scary because he knew if he was forced to make a choice and let one go, it would be... Mei.

"Fix the whole mess," she said simply, her gaze meeting his with unwavering intensity. "But start with yourself, Sky. Be honest. Be real. And... I will support you. You have my word."

The last two short sentences touched him far more than he cared to admit, a surprising warmth spreading through his chest. Before he could process the emotion, she hugged him, a brief, tight squeeze that spoke volumes.

"I’m kinda hoping he at least likes you more than you like him," she said, still in the embrace, a playful jab tinged with genuine concern.

He hugged her back, a flicker of amusement breaking through the tension. "I doubt it," he said, the words laced with a bittersweet truth. Then he almost winced at how he had just indirectly admitted his feelings openly to his sister. She already knew, didn’t she?

But that was the truth. It was impossible for Chris to like him as much as he liked him. It was just the truth.

She chuckled, but she didn’t comment on that.

"Then at least, be the boss," she said, her voice laced with playful threat. "I would be traumatized if I learned that my brother is being topped."

He shoved her away from the hug quickly, his eyes widening and cheeks reddening, "What the hell?"

She took in his look, laughing. "What? I’m just saying!"

"I so didn’t need you to say that. Besides... there is... there is nothing like that between us." But even as he said that, he remembered this morning and how Chris was beneath him. His flushed face, awkward looks, and nervous gulps.

Why did she have to bring that up?

"Pervert," Rain said as she watched his red face, a smirk playing on her lips, before walking away, leaving him there.

He stood there, the image of Chris beneath him still flashing through his mind, his cheeks still burning.

However, knowing that they had to talk and probably discuss something deep tonight made him feel dreadful. Regardless, he still looked forward to tonight.