Love and Red Coloured Ties

Chapter song: Strangers - Kenya Grace 

Julius sat quietly on the bleachers, watching the volleyball practice unfold. The players were impressive, especially Agares, whose dexterity and agility were out of this world. As he swung his muscular arms to deliver powerful serves, Julius couldn't help but be struck by his skill. It was evident that he was the ace of the team, coordinating seamlessly with the others. The level of trust and teamwork among the players was extraordinary. 

Despite the entire team's impressive performance, Julius was especially captivated by Agares and Epaphras. The way Epaphras would toss Agares a set, and he would land it flawlessly every single time, was mesmerizing. The more Julius watched him, the more he realized how incredible he truly was. Not only was he blessed with good looks, but he was highly gifted in sports and according to Silas, he was also very smart.

He could now understand why everyone went crazy over him, and he couldn't help feeling the same way. Agares Montgomery was the type of person who naturally commanded attention. His enigmatic and magnetic presence drew people in, while also pushing them away. The more Julius observed him, the more Agares' image transformed in his mind.

He was no longer the rude jerk Julius had first encountered. Instead of feeling irritated by his behavior, Julius found himself captivated. Each time he looked at the dark-haired boy, a knot formed in his stomach, and his heart raced whenever their eyes met. His thoughts were consumed by him, and he often pondered what was going through his mind.

All these feelings pointed to one undeniable truth. Despite his reluctance to admit it, Julius recognized that he had developed feelings for Agares. He wasn't sure when it had happened, but he knew it was real. 

This realization left him feeling uneasy and distraught.

*

Later that evening, Julius sank into his bed, his mind clearly elsewhere. Silas, noticing his distracted demeanor, sighed.

"What's up with you? You've been acting weird since you watched the volleyball practice," Silas remarked as he looked up from his game console.

"There's nothing wrong. I'm completely fine," Julius said, curling deeper into his blanket.

"Yeah, clearly," Silas replied, rolling his eyes and focusing back on his game.

"Ugh, why am I feeling this way?" Julius wailed, his frustration evident. This was the first time something related to romantic feelings had plagued his thoughts. He had never once experienced such visceral emotions before and didn't know what to make of them. He suddenly wished Amélie was by his side to give him some guidance.

Silas who was still knee deep into his game shot him a curious glance before returning to his game, though his mumblings did manage to catch some of his attention.

"Do I really like him?" Julius mumbled to himself, his voice low but audible to Silas.

Silas's ears perked up. Dropping his console, he sat up with a playful glint in his eyes. "Julius, do you have someone you like?" he asked, grinning.

Julius froze, caught off guard. The question struck him deeply.

One thing to know about Julius was that he was inexperienced when it came to love and relationships. He had never been interested in romance before, and no one had ever confessed their feelings to him. So, when faced with the possibility of having feelings for someone else, he was at a loss.

"What do you mean, 'like'?" Julius asked with uncertainty.

Silas raised an eyebrow, surprised by Julius's lack of understanding. "I mean having feelings for someone. Have you ever liked anyone before?"

"...I'm not sure," Julius admitted honestly.

Silas's expression turned deadpan. "What?"

Julius looked up at him. "What?"

Silas sighed. "Have you never had someone like you or confess their feelings for you?"

"No, never. I wasn't popular, so no one ever confessed their feelings to me," Julius said.

Silas looked at him with a mix of disbelief and sympathy. "There have obviously been people who liked you; they just couldn't bring themselves to tell you."

"Huh?" Julius was stunned. The thought that someone might have had feelings for him had never occurred to him.

Silas sighed again. "You owe those poor souls an apology for not realizing their feelings."

"...What does it even mean to like someone?" Julius asked, his curiosity innocent and sincere.

Silas was a bit flustered by the question, but answered anyway. "It's when you think about someone constantly, you're always noticing them, and your heart beats faster when they're around. Something like that," he explained, his face flushing slightly with embarrassment.

He couldn't believe he was explaining this to an eighteen-year-old boy. Meanwhile, Julius reflected on how often he thought about Agares and how he found himself drawn to him.

As I thought, I do like him.

"So, does anyone fit that description for you?" Silas finally asked. The teasing edge in his voice was unmistakable. Julius froze again, and Silas's grin widened.

"Oh~ What's this? So you do have someone you like~," Silas teased.

In a panic, Julius blurted out, "That's for me to know and for you to never find out!"

Silas pouted, putting on a hurt expression. "I thought we were friends?" he said, sounding dejected.

Julius looked at him but remained firm. He wasn't about to fall for Silas's manipulations. The thought of admitting his crush on Agares, especially to someone who was notoriously known for teasing others was too overwhelming. Besides, he wasn't entirely sure of his feelings yet—he could just be infatuated.

For now, Silas was left guessing, though he had his own suspicions about who Julius might like. He decided he'd keep his thoughts to himself, for the time being.