Chapter Text
before.
Jihoon barely dates.
Masyado siyang busy or too occupied.
Sometimes he wasn’t even busy.
Wala lang talaga siya sa mood for it.
Hindi naman necessary mag-date para mabuhay.
That’s right, single siya by choice.
He’s not someone din who’d date just for the heck of it.
Ay wait.
Pause.
Actually… He did date like that once.
Naging curious rin naman lahat about dating, right?
It was like that.
Some people even call it their first love.
Kaso, that wasn’t the case with this one.
Jihoon’s first dating experience wasn’t anything special.
It was purely platonic and it was a decision poorly made kasi single lang sila pareho that time ng dorm mate niya.
Oh diba, cliché na nga tapos it was more of a desperate attempt pa.
Now, It wasn’t Jihoon’s character to do something like that. He couldn’t care less if he didn’t have anyone.
But during that time kasi, pagod siya from readings, was feeling particularly lonely, and,
Well.
Pogi naman si Wonwoo so why not?
- Wonwoo Jeon
Dos.
Naririnig niya pa ang pagbigkas ni Atty. Salvador ng grade niya after siya paupuin.
Nakaka-frustrate. Nasagot naman niya ah? Gusto pa ba ni Atty. na bolahin niya sagot niya? Wouldn’t that earn him a Tres if he did?
Kung kinulang siya sa sagot ni Jihoon sana man lang sinabi niya pero wala.
“Dos. Thank you, Mr. Lee. You may sit down.”
Dos only meant Jihoon had the right answer pero it was lacking.
What was it lacking? Bakit ‘di niya pinoint out? Isn’t that what educators are for?
To tell him kung saan siya nagkulang so Jihoon would know better the next time the question was asked again?
And okay, don’t tell him that law professors don’t give explanations because Jihoon’s perfectly aware of this fact.
He just wishes there was some sort of explanation so he’d know what to improve.
Sa totoo lang, Jihoon wouldn’t really obsess over this kung hindi siya nagpuyat over this recitation.
Kung hindi siya nagpakabusog on instant ramen and a mixture of cheap coffee he blended himself (and ang sarap ng timpla niya, mind you.) with the hopes of awakening every nerve in his body in order to retain everything he’d be reading.
He’d even consider getting the nearest vitamin B from the pharmacy.
Nakaka-frustrate lang kasi.
Gusto pa naman niya mag DL next sem.
Paano siya makakapasok sa maayos na law school kung pangit ihaharap niyang grades from his pre-law?
Jihoon pinches the bridge of his nose to stop himself from overthinking and then breathes.
It would definitely be a good time to call him now.
Jihoon’s sure he’d somehow know the words to make him feel better.
So habang hawak niya ang readings niya sa kabilang kamay, Jihoon proceeds to fish his phone in his pocket with the other, already pressing speed dial 1.
Jihoon stops himself from letting out a sigh of relief when the receiver picks up immediately.
“Balita kay Salvi? Ayos?”
Jihoon leans into the nearest wall once he hears his voice, already feeling his insides calming for some reason.
“Tangina niya kamo.”
“Bakit? Di ka ba niya tinawag? Sige Ji, mamaya puntahan ko office niya, tapos ilalagay ko sa ibabaw ng pile yung index card mo. G?”
“Ah sige edi tangina mo rin, Cheol.”
He hears his friend laugh through the phone,
“Oh ba’t ako rin? Tinulungan ka na nga eh! HAHA. Joke lang. So ano na nga nangyari? Tinawag ka nga?”
“Oo. Nasagot ko nga eh.”
“Oh eh bakit tangina niya?”
“Dos daw gago. Wala rason kung bakit ‘di uno. Dos lang. Gagawin ko do’n?”
Seungcheol hums, “Di naman talaga sila nag-eexplain kung bakit, diba? Tsaka, ano ba gusto mo, dos o tres?”
Jihoon frowns.
“Wala ba sa choice ‘yung Uno?” He hears Seungcheol chuckle.
“There are things in life na hindi meant maging choice natin, my dear Jihoon. We must be content with the options presented to us instead of looking for absent alternatives.
So? Dos or Tres?”
Jihoon rolls his eyes, “Feeling philo major ka na naman. You took philo that one sem.”
“I still read about it kaya. Ay hoy dali na, sagot.”
Jihoon groans in defeat, “Dos.”
He hears Seungcheol let out a sound of approval, “There we go. Stepping stone ‘yan, Ji. Don’t push yourself too hard. You did your best, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Then you did. Wala na si Salvi and his impossible standards. For that I congratulate you. You did a great job. Progress. Mag-celebrate pala tayo! I’ll VC you later mga 10pm.”
“Alright fine. Pero ang tagal ng 10? Baka tulog na ako.”
Seungcheol makes a sound, “I’m on a date with Hao ngayon kasi,”
Jihoon then hears a soft voice in the background, “He says hi daw.”
Oh.
“Tanga nasa date ka pala dapat later mo na ako sinagot,” Jihoon grumbles earning a laugh from Seungcheol.
“I had to congratulate you muna ‘no! Congrats sa first recit, Ji.”
Jihoon sighs, knowing his friend is smiling at him through the phone, “Thanks, Cheol. Tell Hao I said hello din.”
“Mhm, I’ll tell him. Ah right, sige rest ka muna later. Lunch tayo bukas?”
“Okay.”
“Okay! Bye, Ji! Congrats ulit!” Seungcheol says with a hearty laugh,
“Thank you, Cheol.” Jihoon responds, before swiping to end the call.
Well. That was something.
Seungcheol’s on a date with his boyfriend.
Good for him.
Jihoon will see him tomorrow, he supposes.
Okay.
Sige.
Ibinulsa na ni Jihoon ang phone bago magsimulang maglakad ulit.
Malapit na rin pala siya sa dorm.
Makatulog na.
-
When Jihoon keys the door open, instead of an empty room, what greets him is none other than his roommate, sitting on the living room couch, in the middle of taking a swig of beer whilst litters of similar bottles surround him.
“Jihoon, huy. Nom?” He says simply.
“Uh. Hi Wonwoo. Aga ng inom ah?” Jihoon replies, papunta sa kwarto niya when he does.
Ibinaba niya mga gamit niya sa desk niya bago bumalik sa living room para umupo sa tapat ng roommate niya.
Hindi naman mukhang sawi si Wonwoo.
So ano okasyon?
The confusion must have been evident on Jihoon’s face, that it earns him a laugh from the other.
“Anong itsura ‘yan? Mukha ba akong broken sa ‘yo? Nanalo kaya ako sa pustahan kanina. Dapat iinom ako mag-isa to celebrate kasi akala ko gagabihin ka pa but since you’re here na, join me.”
“Sure?”
Wonwoo nods. “Oo naman. There’s enough for the both of us. Tsaka, you look like you need it. Bad day ba?”
Jihoon finally leans into his seat,
“Well. Yes. Sort of bad kasi pangit recit ko kanina. Talked to Cheol na though so medyo okay na.”
Wonwoo hands him the freshly open bottle, “Ah, the boyfriend saves the day. Good for you, bro.”
Natigilan si Jihoon sa narinig.
“What? Boyfriend?“
Wonwoo gestures for him to accept the beer so he does, “Yeah? Diba boyfriend mo ‘yung Cheol? Seungcheol, right? You mention him a lot sa stories mo so I figured.”
Jihoon takes a long swig before replying.
“He’s.. not. Seungcheol’s not my boyfriend. I mention him a lot lang. Teka. You didn’t even think baka close friend ko lang talaga siya or something?”
Natawa si Wonwoo do’n,
“Well doesn’t that just say a lot about me and how progressive I am?” Wonwoo muses, “So ano, He’s really not your boyfriend?”
Jihoon shakes his head, “Nope. He’s got his own boyfriend. Been dating for a month na I think.”
“Oh? How long have you and Seungcheol been friends?”
“I don’t know. 2 years? 3?” Jihoon genuinely tried to recall. He wasn’t the type to keep track.
Wonwoo hums, “And how long have you been in love with him?”
What.
Bakit naman niya naisip ‘yon?
They’re just… friends.
Best friend niya ba si Seungcheol?
Jihoon doesn’t think so.
Or ewan. Medyo cliché na best friends ngayon, right?
May gano’n pa ba these days?
“Gago. We’re just friends.”
“Jihoon, that doesn’t really answer the question.”
Did it not?
They’re close enough to be friends yet probably not that close to… establish something more.
So he’s not in love with him.
Hindi.
May boyfriend si Seungcheol.
And well Jihoon… he has himself.
And that’s all he needs.
“Ha? Hindi nga. I’m not talaga.”
It must have taken too long for him to answer because Wonwoo’s already laughing.
“Someone needs a journey of self-discovery.”
Binato ni Jihoon si Wonwoo ng ilang kapirasong mani.
“Hindi nga!”
The other merely waves him off. “Alright fine, nang-aasar lang ako. But I do want one. Someone to like ba? Sounds nice.” Wonwoo says wistfully.
Jihoon makes a sound, “I didn’t know you wanted someone. No offense, Mukha ka walang interes mag-jowa.”
Wonwoo laughs again,
“None taken. I didn’t know I wanted one lang din until kanina. Alam mo ‘yung nanalo ako kanina tapos walang jowa na kauna-unahang magco-congrats sakin? Parang ganun ba. Babaw ‘no?”
Jihoon finds himself agreeing,
“Actually, I get what you mean. Must be nice rin if I had someone waiting for me after recit. Good or bad recit, ando’n lang siya. Waiting to congratulate or cheer me up.”
“Pero gano’n si Seungcheol sayo right?”
“May boyfriend nga si Seungcheol.”
“Ah so kung wala edi siya talaga standing boyfriend mo?” Wonwoo teases and inakmang sasapakin na agad siya ni Jihoon.
“Again, inaasar ka lang! Defensive mo diyan.”
Wonwoo suddenly laughs amusingly.
“Gago narealize ko ‘di man lang connection hanap natin ‘no. Gusto lang natin may mag v-validate sa pinagagawa natin.”
“Totoo,” Jihoon says, “Kawawa naman tayo.”
He watches Wonwoo empty the beer before proceeding to uncap another for himself.
“Alam mo Jihoon,” Wonwoo says after a moment,
“I don’t think it would be bad to have you as a boyfriend. Sakto lang din sched natin so if one of us wants to see the other, madali lang mag-adjust.”
Jihoon tilts his head at this, “Ano sinasabi mo? Gusto mo ako na lang jowain mo?”
“Hm. Think about it lang. I wouldn’t be bad as a boyfriend din if I do say so myself. Wala kang pagseselosan besides sa paglalaro ko. And if magkagusto man ako sa iba you’ll be the first to know.”
“You’re actually considering this?”
“Aren’t you? And besides, I want to know what Seungcheol thinks if he finds out you’re dating.”
“Why does it matter what he thinks?”
“Maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t. Bored and alone ako Jihoon, humor me naman.”
Jihoon sets his bottle down, “Alright let me ask. May gusto ka ba sakin?”
Wonwoo mirrors him as he sets his own bottle down on the table, “Maybe? I might.”
“See, You don’t even like me like that.”
“I like you enough to suggest this. Come on, Jihoon. Ayaw mo ba makita itsura ni Seungcheol when you break the news to him na may boyfriend ka na? I know I would.”
Jihoon starts to ponder,
Wonwoo adds, “And I don’t think you like me like that either but I know you’re considering the offer just as much as I am.”
Jihoon sits up.
Wonwoo was right.
Andl… Wonwoo seems serious with this and well, with that other remark, maybe he does want to see what Seungcheol thinks about all of this.
Not to make him jealous or anything, of course.
Pero sa tagal ng friendship nilang dalawa ni Seungcheol, Jihoon’s never dated while naka-ilan na kaibigan niya.
Surely it would make Seungcheol proud of him at least.
And Wonwoo’s always been a friend of his. A good one at that.
Plus, to make matters even better, Wonwoo doesn’t look bad.
He’s… good looking.
Pogi, actually.
Could he really say no to that?
So Jihoon decides he’d trust his own judgement.
“Okay sige. Let’s date. 3pm tapos ng classes ko pero minsan 9pm. Kaya mo?”
Jihoon holds out his hand for the other to take as he finally resigns to the deal.
Wonwoo reaches out and shakes it, grinning cheekily.
“Kayang-kaya. Minsan lang mga laro ko since may classes din ako pero I’ll text you if nasa comp shop na ako or if last game na namin.
I don’t require you din naman to be there always considering your workload, kaya a few times would be nice lang. Just show me that you care, Jihoon.” Wonwoo purrs and somehow, Jihoon finds himself smiling back.
“Yeah, okay. I can do that.” Jihoon shakes his hand once more before letting go.
“So? I guess may boyfriend ka na, Jihoon.”
“I guess may boyfriend ka na rin, Wonwoo.”
They both sat there, cheeks flushed from alcohol, smiles intact.
They’re really doing this.
“So ano pala nangyari sa recit mo kanina?” Wonwoo says as he holds up his beer again, as if picking up where they initially left off before the deal,
“Dos. Pero okay lang siguro. At least hindi Tres.”
“You know, my friends call me Dos.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Kaya kiligin ka na lang sa tuwing Dos grade mo. And that I’m proud of you. Genuine ‘yan ha.”
“Okay, noted.”
“Good.”
“Great.”
“Tara momol?”
“Okay.”
When Jihoon told Seungcheol over lunch the next day that he was dating his roommate, to say he was surprised was an understatement.
“Gago, si Wonwoo talaga? Karibal ko ‘yon eh!” Seungcheol all but shouts over the table, water spluttering everywhere.
Jihoon shakes his head, “Oo nga. Pero pakialam ko. When I go there, I'll be supporting him and not you.”
Seungcheol’s face sours, “Ang tagal na kita pinapapunta sa mga laro ko tapos ngayong pupunta ka, kalaban ko pa susuportahan mo? Aray ha.”
“There’s Minghao naman ah? Ba’t hindi siya papuntahin mo?”
“He’s not interested eh. He’s too busy din. Eh ikaw, at least I know you play sometimes.”
Wala na dapat pakialam si Jihoon do’n.
“Are you seriously not happy for me?” Jihoon finally asks.
Seungcheol stares at him seriously then, looking as if debating what to say next.
“You really like him?”
“Well we just started dating last night so I’d say I like him a fair amount. But yes I do.”
“And… he makes you happy?”
“Enough,”
Napapikit si Seungcheol before nodding,
“Then I’m happy for you. Wag na lang siguro kayo masyado PDA when you go visit.”
Good enough.
Jihoon smiles, “Can’t promise that.”
Seungcheol grimaces, “Kadiri gago. Ay he’s your first boyfriend pala so I’ll be watching out. Subukan ka lang niya saktan,”
Jihoon dismisses him, “He won’t.”
“You don’t know that. Ngayong college mo lang nakilala ‘yan si Wonwoo, Ji. Who knows what he’ll do?”
“I’ll be fine.”
Looking back at it now, It wasn’t hard dating Wonwoo, and true to his word, despite the fact na hindi naman talaga seloso si Jihoon, wala naman talaga siya pagseselosan.
He supported Wonwoo sa bawat laro na kaya niya puntahan, securing the other in his arms whenever Wonwoo would secure his own victory.
With his recits twice a week naman, Wonwoo never failed to miss a day. He would always be there outside waiting for him with a snack and a promise of dinner.
God, those were good times.
Kaso despite the regular boyfriend things, they didn’t really have the connection they both thought they didn’t need.
They worked well together, sure, but that wasn’t enough to maintain an adult relationship.
One could simply get their own boyfriend or girlfriend right this second and even if they had a lot in common, if they didn’t connect, wala din kwenta.
To add to that, Jihoon knew he and Wonwoo liked each other, pero kasi it’s not really hard to like someone.
It’s even easier when one realizes it’s all platonic pala.
Jihoon and Wonwoo dated for a month until Wonwoo started falling for someone he met at the animal shelter, Junhui.
And Jihoon was completely fine.
Kasi with that lacking connection, Wonwoo found that certainty in Junhui.
To make things funnier, It was Jihoon who saw it.
Wonwoo was telling him about Junhui and the cat he suggested Wonwoo should adopt with that certain look in his eyes and Jihoon found himself interrupting.
“Tiningnan ba naman ako kanina parang gusto ko na mag yes pero bawal pets dito sa condo.”
“Wonwoo…. You like him.”
“Ha? ‘Yung pusa?”
Jihoon doesn’t waver.
Realization slowly dawns on the other’s features.
His eyes widening at the new found information.
“Jihoon… No. Hindi. ‘Yung ano.. ‘Yung pusa gusto ko.” Wonwoo attempts to say.
He shakes his head. “Hay na‘ko, yes you do. And before you feel guilty, remember the night we agreed to date?”
“Yeah…?”
“We both wanted validation but not the connection. You and I both know platonic lang tayo in that aspect. But with him… I think you have that with Junhui. Kaya, it's okay with me.”
Wonwoo inches closer, holding Jihoon’s pinky with his, “Okay maybe. Pero paano tayo? Okay tayo?”
“Tanga as if naman we’d be awkward after this. This is the cleanest break up ever.”
“Okay you’re right,” Wonwoo says, “Thank you, Jihoon. Was a nice month, wasn’t it?”
“It really was. Thank you rin, Wonwoo.”
Wonwoo hums, “So I’ll tell Jun that I like him… Gago. Now we have to get that cat now.”
Sabay sila natawa at that,
“Well good luck. Siguro naman he has his own place na pwede pets.”
“He better, baka iyakan ko siya. Cute kaya ni Mello.”
“See, you’re already perfect for each other.” Jihoon muses.
Wonwoo glances back at him, “Okay pero paano mo sasabihin kay Seungcheol?”
“Anong pa’no? Edi I'll tell him nag break tayo. He’s not really concerned?”
“He’ll wonder why kaya. If he finds out I fell for somebody else? I’m fucked.”
Jihoon dismisses him with a wave,
“Ako na bahala do’n. Tsaka ako naman nakipag break kaya baka nga proud pa sakin yo’n.”
Wonwoo tilts his head, “Proud or relieved?
Jihoon pauses, “Ano na naman, Wonwoo? Again with the allegations?”
The other holds his hands up in defense, “All I’m saying is, you should really have your vision checked. It’s plain as day.”
“And I’m telling you, we’re just friends.”
“Okay I’ll believe you for now,” Wonwoo reaches him for a hug, “As thanks for breaking up with me.”
“Pleasure’s all mine,” Jihoon pats him on the back before pulling away. “Best of luck.”
Wonwoo starts for the door, “You too, Ji. You too. All the best.”
Once Wonwoo finally leaves their shared dorm to confess (and to adopt that kitten), Jihoon’s left alone to deal with the inevitable.
He presses speed dial 1.
When Jihoon tells Seungcheol about the break-up, instead of a chorus of comforts like he’d been expecting,
Seungcheol breathes a sigh of what sounds like—relief?—and offers his congratulations.
Nag-aya pa uminom and sagot na raw niya.
He thinks Seungcheol sounded too happy for someone comforting a friend pero sige.
Jihoon tries not to think about it.