Only Friends: Dream On.

Rome was utterly exhausted, to the point that he had to call Pink to take time off work so he could go home and rest and have the energy for the play's final performance. He was one of the last to leave the theatre and happened to meet Jack, who was also heading home.

 

"Hey, man," the other person greeted.

"Are you going home?"

 

"Damn, you know I haven't been home in ages," Jack lit a cigarette and put it in his mouth, not forgetting to share one with the person next to him. "How's it going working on the play? Do you like it?"

 

"No," Rome replied without thinking, shaking his head and accepting the lighter from the other person.

 

"Let me light a cigarette. 'Everything's just messed up. It's such a cheesy mess.'"

 

"I heard you were the first one to know that Pete was the one who leaked the video, right?"

 

"Hmm, but I just found out too that he stole money from the theatre troupe."

 

"Timmy has already reported it to the police. It's a shame he acted like that."

 

Wow, that's impressive. But thanks a lot. I always know you're reliable."

 

"What the hell are you talking about? That's creepy," the young DJ made a disgusted face. 

 

"I'm going to get revenge first."

 

"I need to get some sleep to regain my strength so I can help you with your work tomorrow."

 

"Thank you so much. Please thank Raff for me."

 

"Why don't you go thank him yourself?"

 

Jack smirked, shaking his head as if his younger brother was utterly stupid, but finally decided to wave goodbye before walking away quietly in another direction, hands in pockets.

 

Rome scratched his head as he walked to his car before noticing something. Someone was standing with their arms crossed, leaning against their car. Raffy nodded towards the person walking away in the distance, smiling.

 

"What were you talking to Jack about? Are you on good terms with your brother now?"

 

"What are you meddling in?" Rome said irritably. "And why are you here?"

 

"I was going to leave at first, but I changed my mind and wanted to see you first. I was afraid you wouldn't get a gift like everyone else," Raffy revealed a box of chocolates hidden behind him. Rome paused for a moment, then let out a nonchalant laugh.

 

"Let me tell you, three or four pretty juniors asked me to take pictures with them."

 

"Really? So you're telling me this to make me jealous, right?"

 

"Hmph, jealous of what?" Rome bit his cheek, pretending to be annoyed, but quickly grabbed the box from Raffy's hand. "Great, I was just getting hungry."

 

"Thanks for helping me with Pete."

 

"No need to thank me. And don't regret losing a shitty friend like that. No one deserves to go through what you did," Rome said. "But it looks like Jack and Dean still haven't made up. Your chance is here. Why not give it a try?" Raffy folded his arms and pondered, making Rome feel disheartened and guilty for saying it sarcastically like that. But in the end, Raffy chose what was best.

 

"I don't want to look back anymore. It's time to look straight ahead. Maybe then I'll see the person I've been waiting for."

 

Rome paused, still not believing what he had heard, until the other person confirmed it. "What would you say if I tried looking at you?"

 

"I don't want to be a substitute for anyone. You should understand how I feel," the young DJ emphasised. "Honestly, I've been hurt by you repeatedly to the point where I'm not sure if I can always be there for you."

 

"I'm sorry, I've made you feel bad so many times," Raffy said understandingly. He paused for a moment before flashing an unsettling smile, which made Rome flinch. "Then from now on, I'll approach you. I'll make you fall for me again."

 

Raffy snatched the car remote from the other man's hand and, without permission, got into the passenger seat. Rome needed a moment to process what was happening. The DJ shook his head helplessly. If Raffy insisted, he would just wait and see.

════[changbins_delulu_wife]════

"Dean, you were amazing today. I almost teared up watching you," Gameplay said after pouring wine into the glass of the person sitting next to him.

 

"However, Dean was absent-minded, as if his mind wasn't present."

 

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

 

The Prince of Fine Arts regained his composure, startled, and forced a smile. "It's alright. Maybe I'm a little tired. Today has been quite stressful"

 

"It's about Jack, isn't it?" Gameplay observed. "Looks like it's over for today. Not pretty."

 

"I don't even know if we can call it the end, sir. Maybe it's not even finished yet."

start…

 

Gameplay saw an opportunity. He slowly moved closer to the person next to him and wrapped his arm around the vulnerable person's shoulder, yet he felt extremely uncomfortable.

 

"If it seems like it's not going to work out, why not try dating someone else?"

 

"Brother, Gameplay..."

 

"Can I be the one to take care of Dean? I'm ready for everything. I can accept Dean completely. Just give me a chance to be in your life, Dean," Gameplay gently lifted the chin of the person in his arms. He gave Dean a sweet look that initially made him feel a little flustered, but the closer their lips came together, the more certain Dean was that it wasn't right. He pushed the other person away before moving back to a more comfortable distance.

 

"I'm sorry, but I really can't do it. Even without Jack, I can't choose you. I've never thought of you as anything more than that," the Prince of Commerce confessed from the heart. "I'm sorry, sir."

 

Gameplay showed a disappointed expression, but he still asked again to be sure.

 

"Are you sure about this? From now on, I won't hold you back anymore."

 

"I'm confident," Dean said, tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm grateful for all your help. All along, but I really can't fool my own feelings," Dean took out the key card and returned it to its owner. Gameplay glanced at it thoughtfully, hoping to make the other person reconsider, but Dean couldn't change his mind.

 

"I think it's time for me to stand on my own two feet, to accept the reality, and to fight for my own life, because I know I can't rely on others forever."

 

He paused briefly before continuing firmly.

 

"I'll be moving out tomorrow morning." The Prince of Fine Arts apologised again. Shortly after, he walked into the room that would house him for the last time, leaving gameplay and the key card he had returned beside an ignored glass of wine.

════[changbins_delulu_wife]════

News of Pete spread by word of mouth, and soon the whole group knew, even reaching Tua’s ears. Tua never imagined that Pete, with his seemingly perfect image, would turn out to be a deceiver. That's why they say you can't judge a book by its cover.

 

"So, in short, Pete is the one who leaked the video of Dean and me. You know that, right?" Arnold asked the other person when it was time to change clothes and prepare for the performance.

 

"Hmm, I know."

 

"What's wrong now?" Arnold asked when he saw that Tua was still tight.

 

"I told you, Dean, and I weren't going to kiss in the end. I thought we were back to how we used to be yesterday."

 

"Happiness that's been lost is hard to heal, you know?"

"I know, but what am I supposed to do? I've explained everything already. What am I supposed to do? Then you'll really stop being angry with me."

 

"It takes time." A voice answered, and Dean appeared with two suitcases. Tua recognised them; they were the same suitcases he had left Dean's clothes in front of the house on that rainy day.

 

The Prince of Merchant gave both of them a genuine smile. Arnold knew his role well; he stepped back to give his two friends space. They talked, and Tua remained just as cold towards Dean, but he couldn't help but ask about those bags.

 

"Where are you moving to?"

 

"I'm not sure, but we'll find out soon enough," Dean shrugged, showing no sign of distress.

 

"How are you?"

 

"Everything's fine," Tua replied calmly before turning back to ironing.

 

"You might not want to talk to me or listen to what I have to say, but I can help confirm this. That night, Arnold and I didn't actually kiss."

 

"You two can always make excuses, can't you?"

 

"I'm not asking you to believe me, and if you don't want to believe me, I understand. Even Jack still doesn't believe me."

 

Tua flinched when he heard that. Suddenly, he felt sorry for his friend. He didn't like how Dean spoke like that with a smile, as if he had become indifferent.

 

"You're probably right. It will take time. Use it for as long as you want," Dean said, before ending with a short sentence he'd wanted to say for a long time, "I will miss you."

 

The Prince of Fine Arts left with a sorrowful look in his eyes, before waving goodbye to Arnold, who had returned to Tua. He had overheard their conversation, so he was being careful not to inadvertently do anything to hurt Tua's feelings again.

 

"I'm going to go change my clothes."

 

"Arnold"

 

"What's up?" The tall man turned around quickly, his voice filled with hope. The other man stared into the other's eyes, hoping he hadn't made another mistake.

 

"I have to help my dad with some work this week. Want to come with me?"

 

"Go for it," Arnold replied quickly. "I'd be very happy to go with you Tua."

════[changbins_delulu_wife]════

The curtain officially fell on the performance, amidst praise and positive feedback. Although everything went smoothly, the atmosphere was far from celebratory. Timmy hesitated to invite anyone other than Jack for a celebratory drink, and the director didn't object. He simply wanted to sit and pass the time aimlessly, to make up for the exhaustion and headaches he'd endured for months.

 

"Now all that's left is to go around thanking our sponsors," Timmy remarked. He stood up after taking a big, refreshing gulp of beer.

 

"What's the final decision on Pete?" Jack asked.

 

"I've filed a police report and submitted the matter to the university. Now we'll just have to wait and see, but I don't expect to get the money back. At least I'm relieved that I finished the project without a loss. Thanks to the Arnold-Dean pairing hype."

 

Timmy accidentally blurted out those two names without thinking. He wanted to slap himself for that. He had a loose tongue, but Jack didn't say anything.

 

"Hmm, I guess so."

 

"I don't like seeing you guys having problems, man. You, Dean, and Tua are all my best friends," Timmy said. "But we finished the big event on a high note, so I don't want to be sad. Come dance with me."

 

"Go ahead."

 

Timmy dragged Jack onto the dance floor. The two best friends temporarily forgot their troubles and let loose, dancing wildly like children again.

 

After resolutely moving out of Gameplay's room last night, Dean had found a new place to live: a small condo not far from the university, which had been listed for rent for about two months at a price he could afford.

 

Dao volunteered to help her younger brother move his belongings. She looked around the room with a slightly worried expression, as it was smaller and more cramped than she had expected. But when she saw Dean standing there, grinning proudly as if he had claimed his own little kingdom, she chose to say nothing, instead quietly helping to arrange the room with a gentle smile as a sign of her congratulations.

 

"Are you really sure you can manage on your own? Do you want me to move in with you for a while to keep you company?"

 

"Should we do it first?"

 

"I've only just managed to take care of myself," Dean teased his well-meaning sister. 

 

"It's okay, Dean can manage. You're already sharing a room with a work colleague, aren't you? I can be alone, no problem." Dao watched her brother before speaking cautiously.

 

"Are you really okay?"

 

"Hmm," Dean forced a smile, "Why are you asking?"

 

"The last time I saw you, I thought you and Jack would have a happy ending."

 

"Nothing is certain, is it?"

 

"Even though I like Jack, you're my younger brother, understand?" Dao stroked his back. The younger brother said, "If you can't handle it, just move on. Your life is just beginning."

 

"Thank you, brother. See? We siblings always comfort each other."

 

“I'll probably go back to see P'Dao again next time."

 

Dao laughed at her brother's joke. She playfully patted Dean on the head before turning back to help unpack. She pulled a box out of the crate; it looked like a small treasure chest, concealing treasure just like the pirate movies her brother used to watch as a child. When she opened it, she found a large stack of letters.

"What the hell?"

 

Dean glanced at it for a moment before quickly looking away. "A mailbox, for storing letters between Jack and me."

 

"Are you really a kid of the 2000s? Who writes letters these days?

 

"Staying together again."

 

"Jack was a romantic," Dean murmured, putting down what he was doing to go to his sister. "These are Jack's and my annual time capsule letters. We used to write down what we wanted to do together each year, and then on New Year's Day we'd open them to see if we'd actually accomplished them."

 

"Are you still going to keep them?"

 

Dean pondered his sister's point for a moment. "I don't want to regret it later."

 

"That's right." Dao nodded. "Just take your time to think it over and make a decision. I've seen it all before. I just don't want you to end up crying like my sister."

 

Dean hugged Dao tightly, and the two siblings comforted each other warmly until they were interrupted by the vibrating alert of their cell phones. The screen displayed Jack's name, someone they never expected to call. The two siblings exchanged glances for a moment before the phone's owner answered the call. 

 

"Hello, Jack."

[Take it easy.]

 

"What's wrong?" Dean suddenly felt a shiver down his spine.

 

"Tim's been in an accident," Jack announced in a chillingly cold voice.

 

My heart is racing. "I'm at the hospital now."