Heo and Tret quietly drove home. Tret didn't glance at Heo, who was driving. They brought barbecues and chicken shredded pastil (Filipino packed rice dish made with steamed rice wrapped in banana leaves with dry chicken) for Wren and Han. After their hug earlier, they returned to the market to buy takeout.
The memory of their embrace lingered vividly amidst the flickering city lights. Heo's decision to reciprocate the hug had likely been prompted by something, though Tret wasn't exactly sure what. Heo didn't care about the people in the park as he returned the embrace, gently rubbing Tret's back.
However, Tret wanted to forget that moment, so he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. Unbeknownst to him, Heo glanced at his serene face, brushing aside Tret's hair that covered his forehead with his left hand. To Heo, his best friend Tret was a charming guy. Heo often wondered who Tret might like.
Little did he know that he was the one Tret had been yearning for all this time. Heo always valued listening to Tret, regardless of Tret's preferences. Heo wanted to be Tret's foremost supporter. That's just how Tret was to Heo. Heo hoped that whoever Tret loved would accept him for who he was. He didn't want to see his friend crying or hurting. He smiled, diverting his attention back to the road, just as Tret stirred.
He thought Tret was awake, but he wasn't. He understood why Tret had fallen asleep. Tret was probably tired, or perhaps he was lost in thought. Who knew? Little did Heo know that while Tret appeared to be asleep, a myriad of thoughts ran through his mind.
He knew his friend well. He was the only one who truly understood Tret's vulnerability, and as a result, Tret always relied on him. Heo was concerned whether Tret was actually sleeping because that position seemed uncomfortable. So, he drove cautiously, frequently glancing at Tret, who was dozing.
After almost fifteen minutes of driving, they arrived at their apartment. He drove into the garage and turned off the car engine. He wanted to wake Tret up, but Tret seemed deeply asleep. So, he exited the car and opened the passenger side door, carefully unbuckling Tret's seatbelt and embracing his best friend. Despite the weight of Tret, he carried him cheerfully.
In the living room, they found Wren and Han playing online games on their phones. But when Wren and Han noticed Heo, they stopped and put their phones down.
He noticed Han's surprised reaction. Han stood a few inches away from Heo.
"What's wrong with him? Have you been drinking? Did you get him drunk?" Han asked, his voice filled with concern.
Heo smirked but shook his head in response. "He just dozed off, probably from exhaustion. We weren't out drinking, and I know it's not his usual hangout."
"Okay, good to hear that..." Han sighed with relief.
Heo nodded. "I'll ask you a question one day, Han. I want to know something, not now though." He continued walking but stopped suddenly. "Wren, please lock the car for me, and grab our takeout, the barbecues and pastil, those are for you guys."
"Oh, yeah, thank you, man." Wren smiled.
Heo nodded and went upstairs. He carefully laid the still-sleeping Tret on his bed and tucked him in.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, he gazed at Tret, gently playing with his hair. Playing with Tret's soft hair helped alleviate the numbness he had been feeling all morning, and he smiled, feeling content.
However, as he admired Tret's flawless lips, his smile slowly faded. Something strange stirred within him. This couldn't be right, he reasoned. It wasn't healthy to feel these odd emotions while admiring Tret's beauty.
Standing up, Heo grinned and turned to head back to his own bed when he heard Tret muttering something. He stopped and turned back to face Tret once more, grinning.
"Please don't disappear," Tret muttered.
Heo bit his lower lip and smiled cutely. He sat back down and adjusted Tret's blanket. Earlier, he had promised himself that he would do anything for Tret.
Over the years, though he hadn't been overt about it, he had taken care of Tret. Yet, it was clear that Tret had taken better care of him than Heo could have ever imagined.
Heo remembered the times when he had been sick, and Tret had always been by his side, taking care of him. Tret hadn't gone to class but stayed by his side.
Heo wanted to share the story of their companionship with his future children, even if it was the only story left. It had once given him hope in the barren garden of existence.
In his heart, their friendship was a precious bloom that he would cherish amidst life's storms. He longed to see its flowers and foliage sparkle and flourish even more as time went on.
Because of everything they've been through together, he would prefer not to lose his best friend Tret in this lifetime. Even if their paths diverge tomorrow, he will always be Tret's best friend and brother.
But at that moment, he felt differently. It wasn't right. It wasn't pleasant. He is known as a player, having dated many girls from every department of their university.
It wasn't new to Heo to hear his name mentioned by girls in the lobby, warning others to avoid guys like him.
He may be handsome, they say, but he's a notorious heartbreaker. And all of that was true. He never learned to love someone for real. He found it challenging.
He stood up and immediately took out his phone from his pocket, opened the camera, and took a photo of Tret. He took several photos of Tret from different angles, and no matter the angle, Tret still looked cute. He opened his Instagram.
"Choose to be a rainbow over the cloud of someone you love #Marcuscutie #bestfriend," he captioned, and without a second thought, he updated his Instagram status. He felt relieved when he returned to his bed and sank into its plush embrace.
It was eleven in the evening, and sleep still hadn't visited Heo. So, he lingered on Instagram. He was surprised when he received a message from his ex-girlfriend, Elle.
Elle:
I saw your status—is that Tret? You and Tret were holding hands in the Roxas night market. Davao's Bisexual page posted you and Tret as a ship couple. Pathetic.
He grinned. Perhaps dealing with others who believed that he and Tret were dating presented a new issue. Holding Tret's hand wasn't really against his better judgment.
What's wrong with people, and why did they seem mentally ill? As he closed his eyes, he dropped his cellphone on the bed. Thinking about what Elle sent him wasn't pleasant. Elle cheated on him, but just a day earlier, she asked Heo if he could love her again. No way.
It was 3:00 A.M. when Tret woke up. He found himself in bed with a headache. He yawned and, still feeling hungry, got out of bed. He went down to the kitchen, prepared warm milk, and returned to his room. Heo was fast asleep at that time. Tret just sat at his study table, ate cookies, and drank milk.
He opened his cellphone and checked the Instagram notification. He was tagged by Heo in his status, but he was surprised to see his stolen photos exposed.
He didn't know how to react to those stolen shots by Heo. Nevertheless, he felt glad because Heo never posted anything about him. It's kind of weird though, that since Heo's breakup, he seemed to spend more time with him. He smiled cheerfully.
However, his sweet smile vanished when he heard Heo moaning. He stood up and approached his bed, fearing that his friend might be having a nightmare. But he suddenly froze when he saw that the blanket covering Heo's naked body was gone.
He swallowed repeatedly, as if his saliva didn't want to leave his throat. It wasn't the first time he had seen Heo's body.
But he felt different at that moment, seeing Heo sleeping so peacefully, naked, and him being the only person there who could freely gaze at his body. He sighed and turned away, collapsing onto his bed. He released a deep sigh.