2. An Unexpected Meeting

"Ravi asked me to come, so here I am. It doesn't matter that it's not the right time, because if Ravi hadn't called, this meeting wouldn't have happened so soon," Raymond said in a half-whisper that Ravi could still hear clearly.

A line appeared between Ravi's eyebrows as he didn't understand the last sentence that came out of Raymond's mouth. He saw the sincerity in Raymond's differently colored eyes, which were starting to tear up. But Ravi couldn't recall when he had asked Raymond to come. He didn't even know Raymond until the man suddenly appeared before him. It was all nonsense!

"It hurts, Ravi," Raymond grimaced, looking at him with teary eyes as if begging Ravi not to push him too hard.

When Ravi felt that Raymond wouldn't harm him, he released his grip and took a few steps back. Still, he didn't look away from him, afraid he might miss something in Raymond's hidden expression. But deep down, Ravi couldn't help but believe that Raymond wasn't a bad person and that what he had said was the truth.

Ravi's brown eyes narrowed when he saw Raymond's hand caressing his tattooed chest, and Ravi suddenly remembered the important thing he had forgotten earlier. "Why is my name there?" Ravi pointed with a determined gaze.

Raymond raised his head, and a quick, sincere smile spread across his face as he locked eyes with Ravi again. Raymond's hand gently touched where the tattoo was, like glass that could shatter at any moment. "It's a mark of ownership that has been there since I was born, Ravi. I belong entirely to Ravi and will protect and do anything Ravi wishes."

Ravi squinted and blinked with disbelief crossing his mind. This man had just been about to cry over his presence, and now he could smile so broadly while talking about a tattoo on his chest. "You don't belong to anyone. I don't even know who you are, and you shouldn't be here." Ravi emphasized his words.

Raymond was shocked by Ravi's words, he shook his head quickly, his eyes welled up, and tears started flowing down his brown cheeks. Ravi saw Raymond looking at him with disbelief written all over his face, his eyes widened instantly. "I belong to Ravi, and Ravi doesn't want it. Why?"

Raymond slumped to the floor, hugging his knees and sobbing as if Ravi's words had slapped him right to his heart. Ravi winced at the sight of Raymond, who had suddenly appeared in his room and started saying things that Ravi couldn't quickly grasp. Was this a deception? Was he part of a gang of thieves, Ravi thought.

Ravi took a deep breath, and the sweet scent was no longer as strong as before, making him feel relieved because the odor had faded. "No, it's not like that. You're a stranger, entering someone's room without clothes and with my name on your chest. I don't know your true intentions; you could be up to no good, right?"

Raymond looked up at Ravi, wiping his tear-streaked cheeks with the back of his hand, then shook his head. "My purpose is solely to protect Ravi; I swear I will never harm Ravi. Do you want me to show you something, Ravi?"

Ravi gripped the racket tightly by his side, tensing up. "Go ahead, but if you try anything dangerous, I'll call the police and shoot you on the spot."

"I won't hurt Ravi. I'm here to protect Ravi."

Ravi scowled, not pleased with Raymond's time-dragging. "Do it!"

Raymond rose to his feet, wiping his runny nose with the back of his hand. He then looked at Ravi with the confidence he was trying to convey. His lips moved as he spoke again, "I won't hurt Ravi. I promise."

"Who would believe promises made by a stranger like you?"

"I'll show you." Raymond then tilted his back slightly, and Ravi watched warily. He seemed to lose his breath as he saw clearly in front of his own eyes, on Raymond's back, two small, black, hairy bumps that were gradually growing.

Ravi instinctively moved closer to the wall, and the racket in his hand fell to the ground. Ravi's breath caught, and he gasped, and his heart raced. Raymond seemed to be waiting for Ravi to say something, with a curious look in his eyes that sparkled even brighter than before, until Ravi felt mesmerized by those eyes.

Ravi blinked, then widened his eyes as he shifted his gaze and focused on something behind Raymond. It was a large wing that had appeared and was slowly flapping by his side. Ravi's throat went dry as he realized the feathers he had just seen were not from a bird or any other animal but from a human.

"Oh my God. What kind of human is this?"

Ravi tightly closed his eyes, losing his words in shock, and then quickly opened them to make sure the person standing in front of him was only an illusion. A door slammed against the wall with a loud noise. Another problem emerged. His brother, Daniel, had arrived at the wrong time, barging in with firm steps, appearing before Ravi. He pushed Ravi to stand behind him, and Ravi could feel the anger emanating from him.

"Who are you?" Daniel hissed, staring sharply at Raymond. One of his hands gripped Raymond's shoulder tightly, and Ravi could see Daniel's nails turning white as if they were about to pierce Raymond's skin.

Even before he could answer, Daniel swung his hand and struck Raymond's cheek hard with an explosion of anger that Ravi had never seen before, causing Raymond to stumble and fall to the floor.

As if Daniel had one hundred percent courage and indifference to what kind of human Raymond was, he held Raymond, who cried with painful sobs, to his knees. Daniel growled with a red face, full of anger. "Why are you in my brother's room? What have you done? If you've touched him with your filthy hands, you'll see who you're dealing with."

Raymond's wings curved, covering his own body, and he cried inside them with heart-wrenching sobs. Ravi held Daniel's hand to prevent anything else from happening, and he pulled Daniel away from Raymond.

Daniel's hateful gaze pierced Raymond without diminishing as Ravi moved him, and Ravi felt deeply resentful of Daniel's actions, even though Arghi himself did not know this Raymond figure.

Ravi blinked at all the sudden oddities happening in his life. He must be dreaming. Dreaming enveloped in the thick scent of chocolate, rain, and freshly cut grass. He would wake up, and things would return to normal. Then he felt a jolt in his wrist.

And everything went dark.