"Haha, your mothers should have thought of this from the start. That's insane! Oh, my stomach hurts."

 

"Go on, go on! I'll kick you from the thirty-fourth floor down to the first floor, you damn idiot!" Jinn lifted his foot as if to actually kick his best friend, who was sitting on the floor, until the other person had to raise his arms to block him.

 

"You're always so cruel, Jinn. But like, haha, damn it, like this..." Mai shifted his butt away from the room owner's foot before it landed squarely on his face. His eyes glanced at his other friend, who was in a similar state—completely annoyed.

 

"Come on, hurry up! You said you'd help Jay yourself," Jinn urged impatiently.

 

If you're wondering how they ended up sitting here looking so miserable, you'd have to go back to after school. Since they only had classes in the morning, Jinn initially planned to sneak off and relax, leaving Jerome to fend for himself. He himself was going to invite his old friends out to see a movie or something, like a typical lonely handsome guy. But as soon as class ended, the phone rang with the number he dreaded the most lately. As soon as he answered, his mother, who seemed to have psychic abilities, had already preempted his plans, saying they should go to school together and come home together. And to top it all off, wherever Jinn went, Jerome had to go too.

 

The plan, which had been devised but never implemented, was scrapped from the start. When asked why he didn't just nod in agreement without following through, did he think Jerome didn't want to? But his mother made it clear that from now on she would randomly video-call, either on his phone or on Jerome's, to ensure they were truly together. And it seemed Jerome was receiving similar calls, judging by his dazed, almost ghostly demeanour, just like he usually was.

 

Truly make amends for our karma together.

 

As for Mai, he wanted to visit his injured friend, inquire about his condition out of concern, and ask about what he'd heard that morning: what exactly happened? Jerome, who needed help unpacking, quickly dragged the other guy along. Upon hearing what happened, he burst into laughter.

 

That concludes my two-minute review of my miserable life...

 

“See? You see, my hand is perfectly still. As for Jerome's fingers, it’ll probably take at least a month or so. Remember when Dom broke his toe? It took a long time. Even after taking off the splint, it doesn’t mean it’s healed. He still needs care as he recovers gradually. In my opinion, it’ll probably be two months or more, maybe even until next semester. Three fingers!” Mai analysed step by step. He wasn’t lying to his friend, because from what he’d seen, it was always around that time. For some bigger injuries, like torn arms or legs, it could even take half a year to heal fully.

 

"...Do you think I don't know? I'm just trying to fool myself into thinking he'll be gone tomorrow. I fool myself every day in the hope that it will actually happen."

 

"Nonsense. If it healed that easily, would it even be called a fracture?" Jerome, who had been listening for a while, interrupted coldly.

 

"Or, if that's not enough, how about we deduct another two inches? Since we're going to be together anyway, let's make the most of it." Jinn’s foot twitched immediately. What does that mean? Are you sure? I can do it.

 

"No, no, no! Don't fight! You guys are something else!" Mai quickly intervened before things escalated.

 

"Hmph!" The rivals glared at each other and turned to walk away in opposite directions.

 

The middleman shook his head in exasperation. Mai had never understood his two friends, from high school through university. He couldn't say they hated each other outright, but saying they didn't hate each other felt too awkward. Sometimes, he thought they probably didn't even know how to define their feelings for each other.

 

The reason they hate each other is that whenever they meet, they insult and humiliate each other. They compete in everything they can. Whatever one person is interested in, the other will want to join in. The facial expressions and gestures they show towards the other are like those of vengeful enemies. They'll trample on someone when they're down, and fighting over men is their favourite pastime. If someone's not careful, they'll get kicked or something.

 

But the reason I don't think they hate them is that they have no problem with being in the same group of friends. They can go on trips together, as long as they don't live too close to each other, don't share a room, don't go everywhere alone, and don't ride in the same car. But if there's an activity they really need to do together, they can do it. There might be some friction, but they don't go outside the rules, they don't backstab, and they don't go so far as to want the other person to fail. They just want to win and compete.

 

It's a confusing and perplexing relationship, a relationship that defies definition, with the closest word being "adversarial."

 

"So where are we going to put these? We'll have to put them with yours, right? We're studying the same thing," Mai pointed to a large pile of sketchpapers and various design school supplies.

 

Jinn rolled his eyes thoughtfully, glancing at his own desk and then at his best friend's belongings. Finally, he sighed.

 

“Yeah, I guess that’s what we’ll have to do for now, Jay. You buy a desk, okay? My desk is already full just from my own things!” No matter how much he wanted to throw it out of the room, he knew he couldn’t. So, anything that needed to be done had to be bought. Luckily, his living room was big enough for two desks to fit comfortably – I mean, spaced far apart, on opposite sides of the room.

 

"Well, I really need it," Jerome nodded slightly. Bringing a whole table from his condo here would be too much trouble. Why carry it back and forth? He'd have to find a table of the right size to use as a temporary solution.

 

"I want to say something, but I know I'll get kicked in the face with all fours. So I won't say it," Mai tried his best to restrain himself from saying, "You guys are like people who are seriously starting their lives together." He knew that if he let it slip, he might have to say goodbye to his front teeth as well.

 

"That's it. 'Then shut up and pack quietly. I'll treat you to dinner,' Jerome interrupted his friend, making him spin his wheels. He didn't want to hear any more strange comments."

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

After that, the three young men ordered food to eat in their room rather than go out. Mai stayed with them from the afternoon until late into the night before finally leaving. They talked about many things they hadn't talked about much lately because they were in different faculties. It was like going back in time to their high school days.

 

The old atmosphere was great; I got to mediate JJ's verbal sparring, we laughed, and teased each other about trivial things – enough to make up for lost time. It ended with him saying he'd bring other friends next time. It's not easy getting an enemy like JJ to live under the same roof, so we'll have to have a reunion of the old gang.

 

"Yes, yes, here it is. Mom saw it too. It's been in Jinn’s room the whole time. It's called three times already. Go to sleep, madam. It's past eleven o'clock."

 

[Okay, no sneaking out, and no going out at night, neither of you. Okay?]

 

"Sigh, that's it. What else can Jinn do?"

 

[Okay, good night, Jay. Good night, Jinn. Stop fighting now.]

 

"Yes, Aunt Chan."

 

“Good night, Mom.”

 

The video call from Jan, for the third time in just five hours, was finally cut off, followed by two heavy sighs that sounded simultaneously, causing both of them to pause and then burst into laughter.

 

"Damn, I thought he was ten years old," Jinn shook his head, muttering softly, but Jerome still heard him.

 

"Because you're such a smooth talker, always going with the flow until Aunt Jan doesn't believe you anymore," he said sarcastically, unable to resist.

 

"Pfft, you idiot! How dare you say that? How many times has Aunt Jane called you? You're a bigger liar than anyone. Your mother knows best. Oh, come on, stop pretending!" Jinn dragged out the words, making the listener's foot twitch. Jerome's mother had called him for the fifth time—two more than his own mother. Only his mother knew her son best and knew what kind of person he was.

 

"That's called maintaining your image, not lying!" the injured person argued vehemently. "Who would want to act like such a brat in front of other people? Nonsense!"

 

"It's just flowery words, really. It's all lies. End of story." The landlord refused to accept any differing opinion.

 

"I really don't know how putting you and me together almost 24 hours a day like this is supposed to make us closer. The longer we're together, the more I want to fight you," Jerome gritted his teeth. The young man couldn't see any sign of the unity others expected of them. All he saw was the blood-red colour of blood... blood from his own head and the other's.

 

"I want to know too. It's only been two days. I already want to bang your head against the wall. If we're really going to be together for two months, it'll definitely mean we'll be staying at the hospital. I'm certain of it," Jinn smirked wickedly.

 

They usually avoid long conversations because it's easy to get into a fight. Tensions flare up easily. People who have been at odds their whole lives are like oil and fire; being close to each other will burn them both to ashes.

 

"What a shame. 'I thought so too. Since even I, no one, can put it down,' the prejudice that has been accumulating over many years—who would easily give it up?"

 

"What is there to put aside? There's nothing that makes me think I need to give in to you. It's better this way. But if this is over, the punishment this time will just have to be presented in front of the parents." The owner of the light-coloured hair slumped back onto the soft sofa, as if too exhausted to think any further.

 

"Probably." Since neither of them was willing to back down, the matter was settled. Jerome didn't think he was wrong at all. Why should he be the one to give in first?

 

They've been fighting for so long they can't even remember where it all began. Why do they compete in everything? Why do they always want to be better than the other? Why do they constantly fight over the man the other is interested in? They barely remember the start. All they remember is keeping going, competing until one of them gives up. Competing endlessly, without knowing when it will end.

 

It was fun, you just need to be a little more careful.

 

Yes, be careful not to let your parents know.