Chapter Text
Mingyu is not fond of the whole friends-to-lovers trope. For him, dating a close friend just destroys the perfect dynamic between two people.
Ganda-ganda ng pagkakaibigan niyo tapos masisira dahil na realize mo after a few years na gusto mo siya?
Now, don’t get Mingyu wrong. There’s nothing wrong with dating a friend kasi diyan naman talaga nagsisimula lahat. Kaibigan kayo for a few months or maybe even a year then nakita mo sa kanya lahat ng gusto mo within that time, okay lang yun. Walang say si Mingyu dun. That’s how some of his relationships started din naman.
Pero ibang usapan na yung kaibigan kayo for five years, even a decade tapos biglang nagka-feelings ka. Ano yun? Free trial yung iba mong jowa tapos after all this time, close friend mo pala yung gusto mo?
But again, to Mingyu’s defense, that’s just him. Wala naman siyang say sa relasyon ng iba. In fact, madami siyang kilala who are dating their childhood friends or someone they’ve known for years. Some are currently living their happily ever after, while a good number din ended badly.
Preference niya lang talaga.
Well, that was Mingyu seven months ago.
Ngayon, he's a changed man. Because all of a sudden, he finds himself seeing his long-time friend Jeon Wonwoo in a different light.
He and Wonwoo met when they were 16 and in college. Hindi naman sila ka-course but they shared a few general education classes together plus, by chance, magkatabi dorm rooms nila.
Si Mingyu yung tipong gustong may kasama pag nag-aaral pero dapat tahimik lang. At si Wonwoo yung di naman maarte kung saan at sino kasamang mag-aral pero di mo naman halos makausap.
So nung nalaman ito ni Mingyu, he decided there and then na perfect si Wonwoo as a study buddy. Umabot sa point na muntik ng lumipat si Mingyu sa unit ni Wonwoo dahil doon talaga ito tumatambay every chance he gets.
Not to mention, Wonwoo is the kind of person na you want in your life. Mabait, matalino, pranka in a good way, understanding, maalaga, at alagain (which is a plus for Mingyu because he likes taking care of people.)
Kasama sa inuman, kasama sa puyatan, kasamang nabuhay sa pancit canton, noodles at siomai, kasamang grumaduate.
Least to say, Wonwoo's a very, very, very close friend. Second to his best friends, Seokmin and Minghao.
And to make it a bit worse, Wonwoo is number one on Mingyu's 'wag jowain' list.
And it's not because he doesn't like the man.
But because Mingyu likes him so much and treasures their friendship to the bones that he can't risk losing Wonwoo to a silly little thing called love.
Pero ayun nga. Medyo nahuhulog na siya sa kaibigan.
Now what?
“Inom tubig, Won,” sabi ni Mingyu habang pinapasa kay Wonwoo ang isang basong tubig.
11 p.m. na. They’ve been drinking since 7 p.m. to celebrate Jeonghan’s birthday. Hindi naman heavy drinker si Wonwoo, in fact he’s one of the most responsible sa kanila, but apparently, work has been tough lately kaya napapainom nang marami ang isa.
At dahil sa kanyang newfound feelings, Mingyu can’t help but lessen his own drinks and watch over Wonwoo instead.
Wonwoo tipsily nods at kinuha ang baso sa kamay ni Mingyu pero dahil nga may kalasingan na siya, muntik na niyang mabitawan ito. Napabuntong hininga na lang si Mingyu at kinuha ang baso sa kamay ng kaibigan.
“Ano ba yan,” sabi ni Mingyu habang tinutulungan ito uminom, yung isang kamay niya gumagabay sa ulo ni Wonwoo.
Wonwoo giggled and Mingyu almost dramatically gasped because my God, ang cute niya.
It’s not the first time Wonwoo giggled, of course. Sa isang dekadang pagkakaibigan nila, Mingyu has seen all of Wonwoo. Happy Wonwoo, malungkot na Wonwoo, pagod na Wonwoo, takot na Wonwoo, lasing na Wonwoo, everything, but this is the first time a Wonwoo giggle has affected him this much.
“Saya yan?” Mingyu says, a smile on his lips, as he softly flicks the other’s forehead.
Wonwoo only gives him a drunken nod while downing another shot.
“Gyu, shot,” sabi ng kasama nilang si Seungcheol while inaabot kay Mingyu ang baso.
Mingyu shakes his head, declining the drink at tinuro si Wonwoo. “Pass na ako ‘tol. Ihahatid ko pa to,” while casually slinging an arm behind Wonwoo’s chair.
Napatutok si Seungcheol sa kanya, the other’s perfect doe eyes digging into Mingyu’s soul. Tumingin naman pabalik si Mingyu, eyebrows raised, as if he’s innocently questioning the other.
“Himala at di ka nagpapakalasing ngayon?” Seungcheol asks, inhaling the drink na dapat ibibigay niya kay Mingyu.
“Ito kasi,” sabi ni Mingyu at saglit na tumingin kay Wonwoo na tumatawa sa sinabi ng katabi niya.
“Ahh…”
And Seungcheol drops the topic.
Alam naman ni Mingyu na hindi tanga si Seungcheol. Sa buong barkadahan nila, kay Seungcheol at Jeonghan siya dapat nag-iingat. Malas lang niya at mag-jowa ang dalawa.
But he hopes wala ng ibang tanong ang kaibigan about it.
When the clock strikes 12:30 a.m., Mingyu decides to pack up and go.
Lalo na’t nagiging clingy na si Wonwoo, and at the wrong person pa.
Kanina pa inoobserbahan ni Mingyu si Wonwoo at ang katabi nitong lalaki. Di maalala ni Mingyu ang pangalan nito and he doesn’t care much to do so, ang alam niya lang ay officemate ito ni Jeonghan.
Wala namang problema nung una.
When Jeonghan’s college friends (Mingyu, Wonwoo, and seven others) met his officemates (this guy and five others), all was well naman. May introduction na naganap, usapan during dinner, at tawanan during inuman.
Mingyu is all for Wonwoo making new friends. May pagka-introvert ang kaibigan kaya if nakakakita si Mingyu na nagwa-warm up si Wonwoo sa mga bagong kakilala, he can’t help but be proud of the other.
Kaya, at first, wala talagang problema.
Pero ngayon, meron na. For the past two hours actually, nagkakaproblema na.
One, the officemate guy is getting touchy. Two, Wonwoo is letting him.
Most times, meaning all of their ten-year-old friendship, wala naman paki-alam si Mingyu who Wonwoo cozies up to. It could be a casual or serious relationship, as long mabait yung tao at hindi sinasaktan intentionally si Wonwoo, Mingyu is fine with it.
Pero this time, meaning the past seven months, hindi na okay kay Mingyu yan. May protectiveness na, biglang hindi na okay sa kanya if may ibang nakapatong na kamay sa hita ni Wonwoo, if may taong nakikipag-usap kay Wonwoo na alam naman ni Mingyu hindi pagkakaibigan ang habol.
‘Just like this piece of shit,’ isip ni Mingyu, habang tinitignan ang officemate ni Jeonghan na may binubulong kay Wonwoo. Iba yung tingin eh at lalong nag init yung dugo ni Mingyu nung nakita niyang may papisil na sa hita ng kaibigan.
‘Isa pa. Isa na lang.’
At si Wonwoo naman, the kind soul he is, ay umiling lang with a small smile sa kung ano man ang binulong ng lalaki. Nakita niyang medyo sumimangot ang officemate at bumulong ulit pero this time, may pahila na sa braso.
‘Ay putangina talaga oh.’
“Won, tara na,” sabi ni Mingyu, sabay tayo. May authority ang boses nito at sa laking tao pa naman, sino ba ang hindi mapatingin?
With a tipsy and cute smile, Wonwoo nodded and immediately stands. Hinarap niya ang kausap niyang lalaki at nagpaalam dito.
“It was nice meeting you Joon,” sabi ni Wonwoo. Tumingin naman siya kina Jeonghan at Seungcheol at kumaway.
“Hannie, Cheol, una kami ni Gyu!”
Tumayo naman si Jeonghan at niyakap ang kaibigan. “Wonwooo, thank you sa pagpunta ha.”
“Happy birthday ulit Han!”
“Gyu,” sabi ni Seungcheol na may mapang-asar na ngiti.
“Ano?”
“Hmm, wala naman. Basta, dito lang kami ni Hannie if need mo ng kausap.”
Lumapit na si Jeonghan at Wonwoo, hawak-hawak ni Jeonghan ang braso ng kaibigan.
“Gyu, hatid mo ha. Tipsy to.” Isa pa to, may pang-aasar sa salita na din.
Sabi na nga ni Mingyu. Wala talagang nakakalagpas sa mata ng mag-jowang ito.
***
“Won, kaya mong magbihis?” Tanong ni Mingyu sa kaibigan na nakahilata na sa sofa.
Wala namang ganap pauwi nila sa unit ni Wonwoo, something Mingyu is mildly thankful for.
Since his sudden feelings kasi, sensitive na siya kahit sa pinakamaliit na galaw ni Wonwoo. Kahit nga pag-hawi ng buhok, bigla siyang nang-iinit.
Nakatulog si Wonwoo sa biyahe at sinabayan siya ni Mingyu paakyat. Pagpasok nila, diretsong humiga ang kaibigan sa sofa, at nakaititig lang sa kisame.
‘Ang cute naman ng baby na yan.’
“Oo, Gyu. Thank you,” mahina na sabi ni Wonwoo at tumingin sa kaibigan. “Uwi ka na? Kaya mo pa mag-drive pauwi?”
“Yeah, kaya pa naman. Di naman marami nainom ko.”
‘Hindi marami’ is an understatement. Isang baso lang ata talaga ang nainom niya, respeto lang nung nag-cheers ang birthday celebrant.
Papunta pa lang kasi sila, nagchat na si Wonwoo na iinom siya dahil pagod siya sa trabaho at magta-taxi na lang siya pauwi.
Si Mingyu naman, usually, hindi talaga nagpapatalo sa mga inuman pero nung nabasa niya ang chat ng kaibigan, automatic pass sa mga shot.
“Dito ka na lang kaya?”
As friends, Mingyu would love to stay and sleep over, lalo na at nakainom at gabi na para magdrive pauwi sa unit niya. Minsan nga, hindi na ito nagpapaalam, diretso na higa.
“Wag na, Won. Para makapagpahinga ka din ng maayos.”
Iisa lang kasi ang kama ni Wonwoo, at hindi din kasya si Mingyu sa sofa. Medyo malikot pa naman siya matulog.
They’ve shared a bed millions of times, and wala lang naman yun kasi matalik sila na magkaibigan.
Pero this time, may feelings na siya.
At kahit sa totoo ay gusto niyang tabihan sa pagtulog si Wonwoo at gumising na siya ang unang nakikita, pinipilit ni Mingyu na hindi pwede.
He’ll stand by what he said. Close friends are off-limits, lalo na si Wonwoo.
Again, Mingyu has no say sa relasyon ng iba. Sa kanila yun. Pero para sa kanya, mas masakit mawalan ng kaibigan kaysa kasintahan.
Lalo na si Wonwoo.