"Yesterday, you were a vengeful spirit; today, you're a shy ghost? What the hell is wrong with you again? Oh, my head hurts!" Right now, Jinn wishes the world had superpowers like in the movies, healing powers that could reattach Jerome's broken finger and make it heal quickly. Because if it takes any longer, he won't be able to bear it anymore!

 

"It's my business. I'm not eating today. You go alone," Jerome said, then immediately walked away in a different direction, looking hurried as if he was afraid Jin would run after him and catch him.

 

"Hey, that's your problem!" The one who was dumped flipped the other off aggressively before walking towards the cafeteria as usual.

 

The students in the area were just as puzzled as the person in the story. They thought JJ and the other person had made up, considering the two weeks they'd been going to and from school together every day, sometimes eating at the same table, sometimes smiling at each other like normal friends. They were even discussing in their group chat that maybe the "JJ and the other person don't get along" legend was over.

 

But today, it's like time has gone back to the way it was. Even though they're studying together again, Jerome's reluctant attitude and Jinn’s actions are making them dizzy once more. Don't play with a busybody's heart, it's a sin, don't you know that!

 

"What should we do? You keep changing your mind, I can't keep up anymore."

 

"I don't know. Let's wait and see. Maybe we'll get an answer by evening. Is fashion class all day today?"

 

"It's been like this all day, my friend told me. Better keep an eye out, or you'll miss out!"

 

The person at the centre of the story wasn't comfortable either. Jerome slumped into a chair in the classroom like a soulless person. There was no one around him. The young man sighed and closed his eyes, looking exhausted. He hadn't slept much last night, his mind preoccupied with what he had just learned. On the other hand, he was afraid of dreaming about a future he wasn't ready to acknowledge yet.

 

The young man desperately wanted to believe that his earlier thoughts were all nonsense, wrong, and untrue. He wanted to believe that he himself was at fault. But when he thought back to the beginning, slowly observing and piecing together the events he had witnessed, he was shocked and broke out in a cold sweat. When he didn't look, he couldn't see it, but when he did look...it was crystal clear. Nothing could be clearer than that.

 

A future where he and Jinn are dating? That's insane!

 

"Oh my god, how did this even happen?" He raised his large hand to his head, deep in thought. No wonder he had never seen himself before. How would you ever see it? You'd have to look in a mirror to see it!

 

Jerome wasn't disgusted or upset, but the feeling was incredibly confusing. Think about it: at this age, everyone's getting along great, fighting over men left and right, but now in their thirties, they're getting together... What happened?!

 

"Hey, Jay, where's your partner today? Why are you alone?" A familiar voice called out from the doorway. Jerome snapped out of his thoughts and turned to look at his classmate with a challenging expression.

 

"What kind of partner are you talking about? He's practically his best friend. Go ask him yourself," Van said, glaring irritably.

 

"Hey, what's going on? Are they fighting again? I thought they'd always be on good terms," ​​Van said, placing his bag on the other side before turning and walking towards his friend, a classmate he could talk to but wasn't particularly close to.

 

"We were never on good terms."

 

"Oh, remember? Everyone at the university saw you two together. You went to and from school together, ate together, and you were together almost all the time. I became the black sheep of the family!" The teasing guy slumped down onto a chair in the front row, his tall friend laughing uncontrollably.

 

"If you laugh like that again, I'll kick you. No wonder you two are friends; you're both equally annoying." Jerome didn't bother maintaining his gentlemanly image in front of his classmates because it was too exhausting. He usually just lets himself go without hiding anything.

 

"Oh, come on, go ahead and say that. If things weren't working out, why would you choose to be with Jinn instead of Beam? I heard it didn't end well, did it?"

 

Jerome paused at the question. His mind raced back to the latest kid he'd snatched away from Jinn—a kid who came and went so quickly he could barely keep up. It wasn't that he was bored or that the kid had done anything wrong, but after the accident and being placed on probation, he was constantly glued to Jinn, so he didn't have time to wander off like before. Once he wasn't in Jinn’s sights, the other person gradually faded from his mind. When they met again, the excitement and fun they once shared had vanished. Besides, if he had separated from Beam that day, what would he have done when his mother called?

 

Jerome wasn't being paranoid, but his mother, Jenny, was a woman of her word. The young man feared that if she called and he didn't answer because he wasn't with Jinn, she'd surely come to his condo, and the punishment would increase. Instead of just losing a finger, it might change to graduating from his fourth year of university. But the worst-case scenario was Jinn gaining an unfair advantage over him in certain matters, which Jerome didn't want. Because of this, they both had to follow their elders' instructions without question.

 

No one wants their rival to have more self-control than they deserve, right?

 

Seeing that he showed no interest, Beam seemed to understand what was going on. The kid had cursed at him several times before turning away, but Jerome didn't remember anything. He only knew that it was over. Jinn wasn't interested in that kid anymore. What fun would it be to keep fighting over him?

 

"Because my family ordered it. Didn't they tell you? Separating when they call means you're dead, I'm telling you. Besides, this is normal, isn't it? Whether it ends quickly or slowly, it's still the same ending," Jerome shrugged, indifferent.

 

"You guys are really the same, aren't you? Sometimes I wonder if you don't actually dislike each other. I don't know, it just feels a little strange." Van stroked his chin thoughtfully. The young man was sensitive, and most people of that type are quite good at sensing others' feelings, as if they can feel them faster than average.

 

"Anyway," Jerome initially wanted to argue, but stopped himself. It was as if he himself wanted to know what made Van think that way.

 

“Hmm, I’ve never told Jinn about this because I’d definitely get kicked. But you’re not the hot-tempered type like him. At most, you’d probably just yell at me, I guess. I just feel like you guys are trying to get the other person's attention. Hey, don’t yell yet, listen first.” Seeing the other person about to speak, Van quickly stopped him because he hadn’t finished talking.

 

“He always says you copy him in everything. He came out as gay, so you followed suit. You like to date the same people as him. You even studied design like him. You compete with him in everything. But at the same time, he does the same thing to you. When you're interested in something, he'll be interested in it too. When you're good at something, he'll do the same. But you two never actually hurt each other, even though you've had so many opportunities. That's why I always say you two are so similar.” The speaker looked at Jerome's silent demeanour with relief. At least he wouldn't get kicked... for now.

 

"I didn't want it to be that intense," Jerome argued confidently. "We're competing for fun, not to the death because we hate each other. I don't hate him, and he doesn't hate me." They enjoyed competing because it was fun and they wanted to win, not because of hatred.

 

"See? That's why I said you guys are weird. You compete in everything because you want to win. You want the other person to do whatever you say, but I never get to order anything appropriate. Every time, it's like you're just teasing. And besides, Jay, sometimes I don't even see you showing any interest in the person you've snatched away. There's no interest in your eyes at all—just satisfaction at having snatched Jinn. And when you don't get him, your eyes show more displeasure than sadness. That's why I think you guys are just attention seekers who want to be close but don't know how. Jinn isn't calm enough to figure it out. But you... Really, can't you figure it out?"

 

Van gazed thoughtfully at Jerome's handsome face, wondering if he'd get kicked first if he revealed that last thing, then kicked again by his best friend, or maybe both at once...

 

"Sometimes I think the reason Jinn has that kind of preference is that he wants to annoy you."

 

"Why?" Jerome blurted out, unable to help himself, even though his brain wasn't processing it properly at the moment. He wanted to hear the rest, because perhaps this was the key to making the future that way...

 

"Didn't you notice that everyone they're interested in usually has a sweet face, lots of eyelashes, looks harmless, and a gentle, soft appearance? If they have droopy eyes that make them look pitiful, they'll be especially interested. But if they add the full option of being mixed-race or part-Thai, oh my god, they're 100% head over heels in love...just like you, isn't it?"

 

"Aside from your height and big build, everything else is practically perfect, isn't it? Have you ever noticed?"

 

Yes, it's strange that he didn't know this before. It's odd that he'd been competing and vying with Jinn for so long, but never noticed that he'd been snatching someone similar to himself from him all along, until a knockout punch from the future hit him squarely in the brain. That's when he finally realised it.

 

Perhaps it was because Jerome had never looked that deeply before. He only knew what Jinn liked, what kind of person the other would definitely be interested in if they encountered something like that. If the other person made the first move, he would try to steal him away, but if the other person hadn't made the first move, Jerome would take the initiative because he knew that no matter what, if…

 

If things are left as they are, Jinn will eventually come and try to win him over. But if he does and he chooses him, the other party won't bother him anymore.

 

Jerome didn't like those people at all. Never did. He didn't feel the need to prioritise his own feelings. He knew his actions were terrible, but he didn't know why. Whenever he saw Jinn with someone else, he always wanted to intervene, to pull that person away from Jinn, to make Jinn stop paying attention to those people.

 

He had never once stopped to think why Jinn liked people with these characteristics. Why did he like effeminate men? Why was he always so interested when he found out the other person was half-Thai? He would only think about trying to win them over. If he succeeded, great; if not, so be it, because ultimately, it wouldn't go far. Even if they talked for months, it would always end the same way, and Jinn would start looking for someone new. 

 

Before, he never cared why, but now he was slowly beginning to understand. It was as if Jinn was trying to find something in those people, trying to make himself like the ones who were pursuing him. When things didn't work out as expected, he would distance himself and keep looking for someone new, like someone who was never satisfied, like a wicked, promiscuous person, when in reality, deep down, he might be searching for someone special.

 

Jerome himself had forgotten when it all started, forgotten why Jinn liked this type of person, until he found out that he was the other's future boyfriend. Only then did the forgotten memories begin to become clearer.

 

The dark past that Jinn didn't want him to talk about was also related to this.

 

The fact that the other person used to like him before.

 

He’s liked me since I was seven years old.