"I can't express enough how much I appreciate your gift—these books," Tret exclaimed, lifting the paper bag with enthusiasm. He forgot to say thank you earlier, his mind consumed with thoughts about the meaning behind Heo's choice of sad and advice-filled books. "Thank you so much!"
Heo's smile widened. "You deserve it."
"Can you promise me there's no hidden message behind these books?" Tret joked.
Heo chuckled and lightly pinched Tret's cheek. "You're silly. There's no hidden meaning. Tragic books are just a genre. What did you think?"
"Friendship over... it seems you got these for me to prepare for what comes after friendship ends... that's all I could think of," Tret mumbled pensively, locking eyes with Heo. He could see the surprise in Heo's expression, perhaps startled by his words.
Heo pulled the car to a stop at a familiar spot at Arellano St. Koronadal City. As he unbuckled his seatbelt, he turned to face Tret. Gently, Heo cupped Tret's smooth face in his warm hands, wanting Tret to focus on him and listen to every word he spoke.
"I'm here, always listening to your stories," Heo said softly, his tone full of sincerity. "I'm here, always reminding you not to fall in love with someone who won't choose you. And I'm sorry for not choosing you when you fell in love with me. But I'm always here, your best friend, no matter what. There's no reason to tear us apart; not even death can separate our friendship and memories. Because..."
Heo couldn't hold back the tears welling up in his eyes, and they began to fall. Seeing Tret cry, he let his own tears flow freely, offering Tret the freedom to release his own pent-up emotions.
Heo pointed to his chest, and as the tears continued to fall, he continued speaking, "We will never be distant in heart. And no matter what happens, promise me, don't let your heart hold onto sadness; let it hold onto our memories."
Tret didn't fully understand what Heo meant by his last words. He could feel the weight of what his friend was saying. Tret felt like there was something Heo wanted to say, but Tret sensed he couldn't express it directly. Leaning his forehead against Heo's, Tret felt a profound sadness wash over them both, tears streaming down their faces as they cried together, the sound of their sobs echoing in the air. It was the first time Tret had seen Heo cry alongside him, and amidst his own pain, he felt a twinge of pity for his best friend, as if he were hurting on Heo's behalf.
"I'm here for you too, Heo," he whispered softly. "I love you, you goof. Welcome home." Tret chuckled as he unclipped his seatbelt and swung open the passenger door, motioning for Heo to step out. He grabbed the items he had brought for his family from the backseat, which he had bought in Davao City and at KCC Mall of Gensan with Heo.
"I was so nervous about meeting your dad..." Heo confessed, lifting the paper bags filled with chocolates. "When I first met him two years ago, he looked like he could bench-press a truck."
"Yeah, that was your first impression of him. You mentioned that to me back then," Tret said, grabbing the carton and leading the way, with Heo following behind him carrying the paper bags. "My dad is a teddy bear, Heo, don't worry. Once you get to know him, you'll be rolling on the floor laughing at his jokes. Unfortunately, back then, he was really busy at the office, so we didn't have many chances to hang out."
Before they left General Santos City earlier, Tret had texted his mom to let her know that he was coming home with Heo. He just hadn't mentioned that they were already in Gensan. Even without him asking her to cook his favorite dishes, he knew his mom would. When she replied, he asked if his dad was home yet. His mom said he hadn't come home yet. Tret's dad was a civil engineer, and Tret was following in his father's footsteps. Among his three siblings, he was the only one who pursued engineering. Initially, his dad had wanted him to pursue civil engineering, but Tret had managed to persuade him to support his choice of biomedical engineering.
"And don't worry..." Tret turned to face Heo, who was trailing behind him. "My dad still hasn't shown up, and besides, you're not my boyfriend. You're my partner in crime—my best friend. My whole family knows you're my best friend. They know I have a handsome best friend. Handsome, right?" Tret teased.
"Tret..." Heo called out as Tret continued walking. When Tret stopped, Heo gathered his thoughts and sighed. "When you came out, did your dad freak out?"
"Hmmm... He did. He made me feel like I was two feet tall. He called me names. And during Father's Day, my siblings pushed me to celebrate and surprise dad. I hated it, knowing that my dad was lousy at being a dad. My Dad, Michael, was the first man to break my heart. Don't worry, Heo, you're the second," he chuckled. Though his past, when his dad hadn't accepted him yet and had treated him poorly, was painful. He was always compared to his brother Ender whenever his brother introduced his girlfriend. "It hurts when it's your own dad who doesn't accept you."
"At first, I couldn't wrap my head around why he hated me. But when the moment came for him to apologize, and I did the same, he simply couldn't stand to see me suffer, to be treated unfairly and discriminated against by others. It's just a father's dream for his son—to be loved by everyone. I couldn't be the person he wanted me to be. But he accepted me, loved me wholeheartedly. And that was the best thing that ever happened. He hated seeing me go to bed feeling down," he smiled.
Heo nodded solemnly, touched by his best friend's bittersweet story. Tret had been fortunate; although his father initially rejected him, their relationship had eventually healed. Heo knew that for many, the experience was much harsher. He had heard stories of fathers who disowned their sons for coming out as gay, leaving them to face rejection and isolation. In those cases, acceptance wasn't just about modernity; it was about the willingness and understanding to embrace what others might see as mistakes.
He remembered when Tret came out as bisexual, he had felt a mix of betrayal and disappointment. However, over time, he had helped Tret love himself, and accept himself. Heo had shown him that true acceptance starts from within.
"Oh, there you go again, staring off into space," Tret said when he noticed Heo spacing out.