Chapter 5 CROSSING THE LINE

Kornel paid the driver once they arrived, muttering a quiet "thank you" before gently maneuvering Time onto his back again.

"Man, you really are heavier than you look," Kornel muttered, adjusting Time's weight. The cab driver gave him a knowing smile before driving off.

Kornel carried Time up the stairs, fumbling slightly as he unlocked the door to their shared dorm. He pushed it open with his shoulder and made his way inside, heading straight for Time's room. Once there, Kornel carefully laid Time down on the bed.

"Alright, buddy, let's get you comfortable," Kornel said softly. He removed Time's shoes and socks, then unbuttoned his shirt and slid it off, leaving him in his singlet and boxers. He hesitated for a moment, lightly tapping Time on the shoulder.

"Time, wake up. Don't you want to shower before sleeping?" he asked.

Time groaned faintly but didn't respond. Kornel tapped him again, a bit harder this time, but still no reaction. After a few more tries, Kornel sighed, shaking his head. "Guess not," he muttered.

He grabbed a duvet from the edge of the bed and draped it over Time, tucking him in. For a moment, Kornel just stood there, looking down at his best friend. He reached out, his hand instinctively brushing through Time's hair, a familiar gesture he'd done countless times before.

"You're such a mess, you know that?" Kornel whispered, a small smirk tugging at his lips.

Just as Kornel turned to leave, Time's hand shot out, grabbing Kornel's wrist. The grip wasn't tight, but it was firm enough to stop Kornel in his tracks. Surprised, Kornel turned back, raising an eyebrow.

"Are you awake now?" he asked, sitting back down on the bed.

Time didn't answer right away. Instead, with glassy, half-lidded eyes, he tugged Kornel closer. Before Kornel could process what was happening, Time leaned in and kissed him deeply.

It wasn't a quick peck or a sloppy drunk kiss-it was slow and deliberate. Time's lips lingered on Kornel's, and the world seemed to stop for a moment. Kornel froze, too shocked to react.

When Time finally pulled away, his cheeks were flushed, but it was hard to tell if it was from the alcohol or something else entirely. "I like you...uh..no, I love you, Kornel," he slurred, his voice barely above a whisper. And just like that, his head fell back onto the pillow, and he was out cold again.

Kornel sat there, utterly flabbergasted. His heart raced as he replayed what had just happened. Time kissed him. Time said he loved him.

He stared at Time's sleeping face, his chest rising and falling steadily. The moments stretched into minutes as Kornel remained seated, unable to tear his gaze away. His thoughts were a chaotic swirl of confusion, disbelief, and something else he couldn't quite name.

By the time his phone alarm buzzed at 2 a.m., Kornel snapped out of his daze. He looked down at Time again and hesitated before lightly tapping his shoulder. "Time?" he called softly.

No response.

Kornel sighed, brushing his hand through his hair as he stood up. He adjusted the duvet over Time one last time, making sure he was comfortable, before quietly leaving the room.

In his own room, Kornel paced back and forth, his mind still reeling. "Did he... did he mistake me for someone else? Was it the alcohol talking?" he murmured to himself.

He sat on the edge of his bed, rubbing his temples. The memory of the kiss replayed in his mind, unbidden and vivid. He could still feel the warmth of Time's lips on his own, the way Time had looked at him in that brief moment.

"But why didn't I stop him?" Kornel muttered, his voice filled with frustration. He leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

The more he thought about it, the more restless he became. He rolled onto his side, then onto his back, then to the other side, unable to find a comfortable position. "It's just the alcohol. He didn't mean it. He couldn't have meant it," Kornel whispered, trying to convince himself.

But deep down, a small voice questioned everything. What if Time did mean it? What if this wasn't just some drunken mistake? And why, despite his confusion, did Kornel feel a strange warmth spreading in his chest every time he thought about it?

Finally, exhaustion won out, and Kornel drifted off into a fitful sleep, his dreams filled with flashes of Time's face and the words, "I love you, Kornel," echoing in his mind.

The next morning, Kornel woke up early, his mind still replaying the events of the previous night. Though he'd eventually fallen asleep, he hadn't been able to shake the memory of Time's kiss-or the words that followed. Shaking his head as if to clear it, Kornel decided to distract himself by preparing breakfast.

In the kitchen, he brewed a pot of strong hangover tea and began cooking. The aroma of freshly made omelets and toasted bread filled the air, mixing with the faint warmth of the morning sunlight streaming through the windows. Kornel set the table neatly and checked the clock. Time was still asleep, so he waited.

Eventually, he heard the creak of a door opening and turned to see Time emerge from his room, looking groggy and a little pale. Time rubbed his temples, his face scrunching up as he muttered, "Ugh... my head." He walked straight to the living room, spotting Kornel at the dining table.

"Morning, sunshine," Kornel said with a teasing smile, standing up to retrieve the tea. He returned with a steaming mug and handed it to Time. "Here. Hangover tea. Drink it. It'll help."

Time took the mug, mumbling a soft, "Thanks," before taking a cautious sip.

Kornel sat down across from him, watching him carefully. "You were really drunk last night," Kornel said casually. "Why did you drink so much?"

Time hesitated, his eyes darting away. "Eh... no reason. I just... got carried away, I guess."

"Uh-huh," Kornel replied, raising an eyebrow. He decided not to press further. "Hope you're feeling a bit better now?"

"Yeah, a little," Time said, leaning back in his chair. After a pause, he looked at Kornel nervously. "Um... I didn't say or do anything stupid last night, did I?"

At that, Kornel froze for a split second but quickly recovered, letting out a light chuckle. "Why? Do you think you did?"

Time scratched his head, his brow furrowing in thought. "I... I don't know. I can't remember much after I started drinking. I just... remember bits and pieces. But I feel like I might've done something dumb."

Kornel leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as he studied Time. "So you really don't remember everything?"

"Nope," Time admitted, looking genuinely puzzled. He recounted what he did remember-the games, the dares, and the point where he started drinking more heavily. "That's all I've got," he finished with a sigh.

Kornel laughed softly, shaking his head. "Well, if that's all you remember, then that's all there is."

"Wait, so I didn't do anything else?" Time asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"Nope," Kornel replied smoothly

Sure," Time said as he began eating, joining Kornel in the meal. The food was delicious, but Time couldn't help noticing that Kornel kept stealing glances at him. Every now and then, Time would catch Kornel staring, and Kornel would quickly avert his gaze, pretending to focus on his food. It wasn't like Kornel to act so distracted, but Time decided not to bring it up.

After breakfast, they cleared the table, washed the dishes together, and then headed to their respective rooms to shower and pack up the last of their belongings. Kornel finished first and was waiting by the door with their bags when Time finally emerged. "Took you long enough," Kornel teased.

"Sorry, Mr. Impatient," Time shot back with a small laugh as he grabbed his bag.

They headed out of their dorm with the remaining luggage, called a cab, and made their way to the bus station. Once there, they boarded the next bus heading toward their hometown. The bus was moderately crowded, but they managed to find seats together near the back.

The ride was quiet at first, the hum of the engine and occasional chatter from other passengers filling the space. Time stared out the window, watching the scenery pass by, but he could feel Kornel's eyes on him. It wasn't just once or twice-Kornel kept glancing at him as if he wanted to say something but was holding back.

Eventually, Time couldn't ignore it anymore. He turned to Kornel, raising an eyebrow. "Okay, what's up? You've been staring at me since breakfast."

Kornel looked startled for a moment, then chuckled nervously. "What? No, I haven't."

"Yes, you have," Time insisted. "Seriously, is there something on my face? Or are you just acting weird today?"

Kornel sighed, leaning back in his seat. "I'm not acting weird. You're just imagining things."

Time wasn't convinced, but he decided to let it slide-until another few minutes passed, and Kornel was still stealing glances.

"Alright, spill it," Time said, turning fully to face Kornel. "Did I really not say or do anything stupid last night? Because I can't shake the feeling that I did, and you're not telling me."

Kornel smirked, leaning closer until their faces were only inches apart. He reached out and lightly held Time's chin, tilting it up. "You didn't, dear," Kornel said, his tone playful but with an edge of sincerity. "If you had, I'd tell you. Trust me."

Time felt a strange flutter in his chest at the way Kornel looked at him-so calm, so composed, as if nothing could rattle him. But something about Kornel's answer didn't sit right. "I don't believe you," Time muttered, pulling away and crossing his arms. "I feel like you're hiding something."

Kornel laughed softly and shook his head. "You're overthinking it. Relax. Nothing happened, okay?"

But Kornel's heart was racing as he spoke. He knew he was lying, but he couldn't bring himself to tell Time what had happened the night before. He didn't want to embarrass him, and more importantly, he didn't want to risk changing their friendship. For now, it was better to let Time think nothing had happened-unless he remembered on his own.

Time, however, wasn't satisfied with Kornel's response. He felt like there was something important he couldn't recall, and it gnawed at him. He leaned his head back against the seat, trying to piece together the fragments of the night before, but no matter how hard he tried, the memories wouldn't come.

The rest of the ride was quiet, with a palpable tension hanging in the air between them. Kornel kept glancing at Time, wondering if he'd made the right choice by keeping the truth to himself, while Time stared out the window, lost in his thoughts.