Only Friends: Dream On.

Dean sat alone at the bus stop, in the relentless pouring rain. Beside him was the suitcase that Tua had left outside his house, letting the rain dry. He tried ringing the doorbell several times, but there was no answer. He knew Tua was inside, but he didn't want to come out and confront him. That only made the night even more depressing.

His cell phone vibrated. Seeing his sister's name made him cry even harder. Dean tried to compose himself before answering and speaking in the most normal tone possible.

 

"How are you, P'Dao?"

[I'm here to tell you I'm home.] Dao reported to her younger brother. [Where are you?]

 

Why is it so noisy? Is it raining there? Dean looked around the bus stop, trying to think of a lie to tell the other person.

 

"I opened the window, P'Dao."

[Don't go out in the rain, you'll catch a cold. Oh, are you with Jack?]

"You should thank him."

 

Just hearing that name made tears well up in his eyes. He tried to force himself to hold back.

 

"Jack's in the bathroom right now. I'll tell him." [Are you okay, Dean? You sound like you're about to cry.] Dao started to sense something suspicious tinged in the younger brother's voice.

 

"Are you crazy? Why would I cry? It's probably just the rain." [Oh... then please thank Jack for me. Mom said to bring him along sometime.]

 

[She also wanted to thank Jack by visiting home.]

 

"Hmm," Dean didn't know if that day would ever come. "I'll tell them later. That's all for now."

 

After hanging up, Dean burst into tears. His sobs were almost drowned out by the sound of raindrops falling on the street. At least he knew he still had family on a day when he had no one else. He had nowhere to go, and he couldn't possibly humble himself and ask Jack for shelter.

 

Dean resorted to a last-ditch effort to avoid being alone. A luxury car pulled up in front of the bus stop. The driver got out with an umbrella and walked around to the person sitting huddled and crying, before offering a gentle smile and stroking their head in a comforting gesture. He was tall and well-dressed in expensive yet tasteful attire. Dean looked up at the person in front of him, tears welling up in his eyes.

 

"Brother, gameplay..."

 

"Stop crying now. Let's get in the car."

 

A hero on a white horse came to the rescue, helping Dean into a car. They loaded numerous bags into the trunk and then drove off into the rainy night.

 

Arnold doesn't give up easily if he can't clear something up. To understand himself, he would probably hate himself for the rest of his life. He waited for Tua in front of the house all night, but no matter how many times he rang the doorbell, it seemed to be in vain. He decided to go home when the rain started to threaten to fall soon, but he didn't forget to leave a message for the other party, clinging to hope.

'Let's talk, please.'

I care about you a lot, dear.

 

Arnold rode his motorcycle back to Tua’s house again at seven o'clock in the morning. It was a time when he was confident he could intercept him before he headed to university. He decided to ring the doorbell again, and soon there was the sound of footsteps before the electric gate slid open, as if by divine intervention. However, the person who came out to greet him wasn't the actual homeowner.

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"Hey man," Boston grinned from afar, "I heard yesterday was pretty intense. It's a shame I wasn't free to take pictures. I missed seeing it with my own eyes."

 

"How did you get here!"

 

Boston didn't answer, merely shrugged as if deliberately trying to provoke him. Just then, Tua walked out of the house. He glanced at Arnold briefly before speaking to Boston.

 

"Go now, or I'll be late."

 

"I have to go take Tua to the university," Boston told Arnold. "See you later."

 

"Wait, what is this Tua?"

 

Arnold lunged forward and grabbed the other man's wrist, hoping to hear an explanation. Tua was quickly pulled away with a flick of the arm.

 

"I have to go to school now."

 

"I understand you're unhappy with me, but what does that have to do with him?" he meant Boston: "You let him come to your house?"

 

"Calm down," Boston intervened between the two.

 

"Don't interfere!"

Wham!!*

 

Arnold punched Boston squarely in the face. The latter, unwilling to be outdone, retaliated immediately and relentlessly. A fighter rushed in to intervene but misjudged the situation, stumbling as Arnold's hand unintentionally struck his face.

"Tua! I'm sorry!"

 

Tua raised his hand to stop the person who was about to help, but then allowed the other instead. Boston helped him to his car parked nearby. Arnold watched with a pained heart, but the guilt of unintentionally hurting him made him decide to back away. Arnold thought it was better to leave than to stay and witness more disappointment. As soon as the motorcycle drove away, Boston groaned loudly, touching the bruise above his lip and glancing in the rearview mirror.

 

"You! Last night, you got so drunk you called me, making me come all the way here in the middle of the night. And this morning you hurt me again."

 

"I...I'm sorry," Tua said softly. Although he was hurting too, he knew it wasn't as bad as the other person's. "I'll pay for the medical expenses."

 

"No thanks, just treat me to a meal another time," Boston said, looking at Tua. "Now, do you know if I'm as bad as you always say? Last night you were completely drunk, and I didn't do anything. You didn't want to see Arnold, so I helped you out. And look what I got in return."

 

Those words only made Tua feel even more guilty. He remembered vividly how humiliated he was when he woke up to see Boston sleeping beside him and told him that he had been so drunk the night before that he had offered himself to him every five minutes, until Boston finally had to get him to sleep for his own safety.

 

"I didn't think it would actually get that heated."

 

"Come on, let's give Arnold a chance to clear his name. I'll be the one definitely going to die while awake."

 

"Thank you for not doing anything to me last night."

 

"Next time, don't try to spite anyone by finding someone to sleep with again. You're lucky I don't like sleeping with drunk people, but don't forget that other people might not be as kind as I am." Boston put on his sunglasses, started the car, and smirked.

 

"But if you're sober and still want to have your way, I'm happy to provide my services."

 

"Please drive away from my house."

 

"Oh, yes, sir," Boston replied, pressing the accelerator.

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This could be considered the lowest point in Jack's life. He skipped classes, skipped rehearsals, and spent his days hanging out at bars, getting drunk as if trying to forget everything that had happened. Timmy, as the producer, was quite worried as the opening day fast approached, knowing many things weren't quite ready and that they would remain that way until the director regained his composure.

 

Everyone sees Jack at the Pink Pony Club every night. He's usually sitting alone, drunk and out of control, and constantly getting into fights with the clubgoers. Anyone who tries to intervene is usually chased away without a word, making everyone fed up and unwilling to get involved.

 

Rome and Raffy had been observing Jack for several days. Although they wanted to help, seeing the fate of someone being treated like a dog and chased away, they could only sigh.

 

"What if my family finds out?" Rome shook his head, looking at his older brother, who sat slumped at the table, looking dejected.

 

"Aren't you going to help him out?"

 

"No, it's all his own fault. He refused to listen to his ex-boyfriend's explanation. It's not his fault."

 

"But we're the ones who know the truth, aren't we? If we tell Jack, he will understand. Maybe he'll reconcile with Dean," Raffy said.

 

"When did you become such a good person?"

Raffy didn't comment; he just looked at Jack with concern.

 

"I just don't want to see talented people fall apart in that situation."

 

Rome looked at Raffy thoughtfully. He was wondering if Raffy hadn't completely given up on Jack yet. He was getting irritated, then ignored the man and turned back to his DJ duties.

 

It was at that moment that Jack woke up with a start. The young, intoxicated director, his clothes dishevelled, struggled to support himself as he tried to make his way to the restroom. Several customers parted to make way for him, not out of politeness, but probably out of disgust. Eventually, Jack stumbled and fell, bumping into a local resident. The other man pushed the drunk man, sending him crashing against the bar where Pink, the owner, worked.

 

"Hey, calm down!!" Pink shouted to stop them. Raffy sensed something was wrong, so he left the DJ booth and rushed in to help. He stood in the way of Jack and the other party, then raised his hands in apology.

 

"I apologise on behalf of my friend, sir. My friend was drunk. Please don't hold it against him." The other party looked at the person intervening. Seeing the guilty expression and demeanour of the person who caused the problem, having softened his stance, Raffy quickly backed down and supported Jack to prevent him from falling.

 

"Who the hell is it!" Jack struggled to get a clear look at who had come to his rescue.

 

"Raffy?...Raffy, huh?"

 

"Yeah, it's me. I'll take you back."

 

"No!"

 

"Jack, all your friends are worried about you," Raffy tried to calm him down.

 

"Go back. I'll take care of you."

 

Those words saved Jack's life. The young director didn't object any further, letting the other man take care of his pathetic state. Raffy helped Jack out of the bar, leaving Rome, who was working as a DJ, watching them until they were out of sight.

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This was the third day Dean had woken up in Gameplay's condo. It had become his hiding place, both from the outside world and from the people at the university, whom he wasn't ready to face. He didn't want to run away, but he didn't have the strength to stand there any longer. Both the people he loved and his closest friend, who was once like family, had pushed him out of their lives. 

 

Dean first met Gameplay at a lavish party while working as a hostess. Gameplay felt an immediate connection and pity for Dean when he learned of Dean's family problems, but he never once looked down on him. Gameplay treated Dean like an older brother, offering encouragement, financial support, and advice, but never crossed the line or thought of doing anything beyond the brotherly relationship. 

 

Even when Dean told him he wanted to be an actor, Gameplay never laughed. On the contrary, he fully supported him. Although deep down, Gameplay wanted his relationship with Dean to develop further, he knew how much Dean loved Jack. Dean only saw him as an older brother, nothing more.

 

The first thing Dean smelled was food as he stepped out of the bedroom.

 

"You're awake? Perfect! Would you like some coffee?" The owner of the room turned around and smiled in the kitchen.

 

"okay"

 

Dean walked over to the counter, looking utterly dejected and sat down until Gameplay served him a coffee made from a luxurious coffee maker and placed it in front of him.

 

"You've been with me for three days now. Are you ready to tell me what happened?"

 

"You remember my ex-boyfriend, right?"

 

"Of course I remember. I remember it very well," Gameplay chuckled softly when he heard the name.

 

"He came to the party to cause trouble. He hates that I hired you as an entertainer. Honestly, I'm partly the reason you broke up with your boyfriend, aren't I?"

 

"Let's not bring it up again, man. It was a long time ago," Dean sighed. Although what the other person said was true, Gameplay was partly to blame for his breakup with Jack. "I'm having trouble with it right now."

 

"Oh, so Dean isn't working anymore? I thought you two had made up."

 

"At first it seemed like that, but now I understand that I kissed another man, even though it was a misunderstanding.

 

"um"

Dean wondered, "Do you really believe me?"

"Why would Dean lie to me?" Gameplay smiled warmly. "Didn't any of our other friends help you explain?"

 

"Here's the thing: that guy is the one my best friend likes. He kicked me out of the house, and I have nowhere to sleep, so I called you. Thank you, sir."

 

"It's alright, I'm happy to help. Dean knows I always welcome him," the landlord said. "Eat something. Three days of being depressed is enough. Eat, then take a shower and go to university, okay?"

 

"Thank you, sir."

 

Dean felt a pang of sadness and guilt. He wasn't sure if he'd inadvertently given the other person false hope again, when, in truth, he hadn't harboured any feelings for Gameplay beyond brotherly affection since the first day they met.

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Upon hearing that the long-absent director and actors were returning to the university, Timmy, who had been suffering from a splitting headache for days, was undoubtedly the happiest person. The producer instructed the crew to get ready for theatre rehearsals. 

 

Rome handled the sound system and wireless microphones for the actors, while Tua, from the costume department, prepared the costumes. However, he still had to constantly dodge Arnold, who seemed determined to approach him for a conversation. Luckily, Boston was there for a behind-the-scenes shoot today, providing a suitable character to use as a shield against the other actor.

 

"You can't keep me as your shield forever," Boston whispered with a wicked smile. "Just get together for real, then Arnold won't bother you anymore."

 

"Shut up," the young stylist snapped, mending the damaged suit. Dean was ready for the stage, trying to keep his emotions in check and work as professionally as his feelings allowed. While he was concentrating, the theatre crew suddenly started whispering amongst themselves.

 

"What the heck?"

 

"Are Jack and Raffy my brothers?"

 

"No way! Why are you two together?"

 

"Isn't it clear enough? It's obvious that Raffy is the one who leaked Dean's video."

 

"He's going to steal Jack."

 

Rome, with his keen musician's hearing, couldn't help but overhear. He turned towards the main doorway and saw Jack and Raffy walking side by side. Dean, standing in the centre of the stage, pursed his lips tightly at the sight.

 

"Are you awake, Jack?" Timmy ran over to check on his friend. "I thought you needed to be sent to rehabilitation."

 

"I'm okay now. You guys have Raffy to thank," Jack said, as if that were his first words.

 

Deliberately making sure the people on stage could hear, Jack said, "Let's get back to work." He walked onto the stage, leaving Raffy to find a suitable seat to watch the rehearsal. Rome, carrying a tangled mess of wires, walked over and started the conversation.

 

"So you got what you wanted, didn't you? You've been waiting for so long. Congratulations!"

 

"What are you talking about, Rome?"

 

"I know we're not together, but let me speak as your friend. What you're doing is just self-destructive; it doesn't make you feel any more valuable. Have you heard what other people are saying about you?"

 

"Think whatever you want," Raffy looked at the other person. "Are you done talking? I want to watch a stage play"

 

Raffy's words broke Rome's heart, but he backed down just like every time.