like good oldtime buddies.

"Tayong dalawa lang sana maglalaro kaya lang di ka naman puede, next time na lang."

Then there was a voice emanating from my internal organs Fuck! Sayang! Your chance! Your chance! The badminton buddy, it was he who texted that. Oh how the universe conspires indeed! This guy's a real flirt. So I flirt back.

"Ganun ba? Sayang pala. Sige next time I'll make sure na puede na ko."

So my head turned to daydream mode. Fast forward to that next time, good time. We're meeting at around 7pm. Awkward, knowing smiles are exchanged. With butterflies inhabiting my midsection, I manage a hi, hello. Then hel goes, bihis na tayo! My mind throws Oh boy, you're clicking the right buttons. We then hit the shower area. Put down our things. He takes off his shirt. Slowly. Like we're following a script. I play and pretend like I'm breathing normally, when all of me is throbbing. Shirt's now off. Mine too. I braved to steal a shot of him shirtless. The scene numbs my brain. I hint a grin on his face. And I grin back. He knows. Whatever he knows, he knows.

With such stupid grins on our faces, we headed to the court and sweat it all out. Smashing the cock, that is. The shuttlecock. And I think to myself that he's the sexiest badminton player I've ever seen in my entire fucked up life.

Afterwards, I got us two iced tea energy bottles we both love drinking after our games. We're needing that more than any other time. He twists the cap open and I watch him gulp the bottle out. Imagining how lucky the molecules of that liquid are to be able to come inside him. They must be jumping head over heels in glee as they slide down his throat. Curse those molecules! Now Physics makes sense.

Then we packed up. Head back to the shower room. Now the butterflies multiplied a millionfold. Our shirts soaking wet. And so is every skin on my body. I hear dub-dubs from my chest echoing from the insides of my ears. I think I'm getting crazy. Inside the shower room, I break again the uneasy silence between us and ask him if he needs to go home right away. Now I'm talking. Then he sport yet another deliberate smile, his eyes glowing before he answers:

'Di naman, okay lang.

Followed by the necessary:

Bakit?

Pointlessly rummaging into my gym bag, I said:

Walang lang, baka lang gusto mo lumabas... inom tayo.

Then it's no longer just a discreet smile, now it's a bigger smile. Almost a chuckle. What? C'mon let's have a good time, let's get you drunk and let's see what happens next! Thinking he's dismissing the idea, I frowned and fiddled more inside my bag and reached for the cologne for some splashing. To my surprise, he went:

Sa'n tayo?

I lit up like a candle in the midst of a blacked out town.

Shoot! Name it!

We left the place, paid the bills and left the place. As we step out of the door, I feel his right arms semi-circling my shoulder. His right hand resting on my right shoulder, slightly touching my jaw. Then my eyes will motion to that rested hand, I flanked my head too and try to snuffle any hint of the sweat left. There is and it's intoxicating. And as I look at his face, at a proximity we've never shared before, he has not, for the first time, the slightest ambience of uneasiness. Then a weird feeling dawned in me. I didn't like it but it's getting the better of my system. As I still look at his face, while he enjoys the splurge of wind against his now refreshed skin, I knew it. Yes. Strange but I feel that we've suddenly got a connection. I suddenly saw him in a different light. I still so wanted to get laid with him but there is more to him than that now. Connection. The word repeatedly echoes in my head. This is something beyond physical. Something beyond lust.

Then I asked like almost a whisper, Hey nag-enjoy ka? His eyes are closed then, savoring perhaps the invigorating effect of the cool breeze on his once-drenched bod. He motioned his head to mine, looking me straight in the eyes. I see his soul through that pair of brown bedroom windows. He look serious. Sexy serious. Then he opened his lips and flashed me the most assuring and the most heartdrowning smile I've ever seen. He's a smile-man. He did enjoy. He need not say it.

Then, as though it's a scheme, we both looked straight our direction. We both closed our eyes as we feel the gushing of the highway air. I opened my eyes and looked at the surroundings. The roads are almost empty with only occasional drag-racers spreading freaking noise pollution around the neighborhood. But things around seem to make perfect, harmonious sense. With him. Then my eyes ended up on him. His eyes are still closed. He sure looks hot. He wet his lips with his tongue. His hair flown by the wind. This guy. Effortless god.

I lifted my right arms and ravel it up his shoulder. With his arms on my shoulder and mine on his, we spanned the rest of the sidewalk to the nearest bar for a drink or two. Like good oldtime buddies. Wow.

Poof! Hankpank wakes up from his daydream.