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“Heeseung.” Riki suddenly snuck in beside Heeseung who's studying at the corner of the cafeteria. Heeseung didn't expect it to come so the surprise on his face was visible and that made Riki chuckle.
“Tangina, ano ba ‘yon? kitang nag-aaral yung tao rito, eh.”
Riki only grinned at Heeseung and proceeded to show him the self-made centimeter yarn Ditto.
“Look at this, it's pretty, doesn't it? Do you think magugustuhan ‘to ni Sunoo?” Heeseung looked at the thing with curiosity and inspected it like a detective.
Riki scoffed and frowned at what Heeseung did and then rolled his eyes at the latter.
“Ano ba, para ka talaga daga. Ditto yan, Sunoo's favorite character in Pokemon and it's self-made. Ilang araw ko ‘yan pinagpuyatan pati inulit-ulit until makuha ko tamang shape and make it perfect.” Said Riki with all his confidence in front of Heeseung. Taking his chest out like a proud Superman.
“Para saan naman?” Heeseung asked, dismissing everything Riki said.
Riki’s jaw hangs open. “Dude, are you kidding? Valentine's day is coming in six days, take a break from studying. A day without studying won't make you as a Dean's lister go into waste.” Riki exclaimed, slamming his fist on the table causing Heeseung's literature books to hump.
“Dami mo namang sinabi."
“Stop slamming your hand, you're messing up my books. Sasapakin kita.” Riki tuts and takes another one out from his pocket.
“And look, I made two and these are all for him. Iyong sayo iniwan ko sa bahay. Dragon ball naman sayo, si Master Majimbu.” Riki showed in front of Heeseung's face the two yarn Dittos with different colors. One is the color pink and the other one is purple.
“Are you gonna ask him out with just… that?” Heeseung asked with doubt plastered on his face and one eyebrow creased.
“Tanga, of course not. Syempre hindi lang ganito.” Riki countered.
“Ewan ko sayo. You really like him, don't you? Kahit alam mong—”
“Hep, kung ako sayo wag mo na ituloy ‘yang sasabihin mo. Babasagin mo pa mood ko, eh."
Heeseung only shrugged his shoulders and chose not to spoil Riki's mood.
“But if I were you, aagahan ko na syang yayayain."
Heeseung received a silent response from Riki who now has his chin on his palm and made a sad, loud sigh while fidgeting the Ditto on the table with the other hand.
“But you know what? Maybe… I don't know. I've been seeing him with Sunghoon lately everywhere. At the campus’ park, football field, even coming out from the library together. I'm so upset but, you know, I couldn't do anything.”
Heeseung was just silently staring at Riki's gloomy face and listening to his misery.
‘Poor boy’ He thought.
Riki's pupils quickly turned at Heeseung's face, as if he heard the latter's mind out loud. Riki pinches Heeseung's cheek firmly until it goes pinkish.
“Aw– asshole, stop." Heeseung slapped Riki's hand away.
“I'm not a poor boy. I won't let myself be like that and stop feeling pity for me over small things.”
“Then make a move, bro. You're acting like a puss.”
Riki ignored what Heeseung said and looked out to the huge glass windows of the cafeteria and saw the sky in slightly dark as if it'll gonna rain sooner.
“I think uulan na. Ang hangin na rin sa labas." Riki stared back at Heeseung and closed the latter's notes himself.
“Tama na yan. Sabay na tayo umuwi. I brought payong earlier and I just remembered may isa pa pala akong naiwan sa locker. pahiram ko na sayo, kawawa ka naman.”
Heeseung couldn't do anything at all and just stood up from the chair with Riki, fixing his things and taking his books with his hands but Riki offered to help him.
After watching Heeseung return the tray to the counter, they finally went out of the cafeteria and walked towards their locker to put Heeseung's things back and also grab Riki's umbrella.
“Hindi ka ba nahihiya kanina? Ikaw na lang senior sa loob ng cafeteria tapos doon ka pa gumawa ng notes mo or whatever that was. Feeling wanna be different ka rin, ah.” Riki teased and Heeseung slammed his head using the thick book he was holding before lining it up in his locker.
“Sana maunahan ka ni Sunghoon sa pag-ask kay Sunoo on dating him for Valentines.”
Riki's laughter slowly died down. “Ito naman, parang wala kang gusto doon sa tao kung makatulak ka.”
“Dude, for your information, Jungwon’s now my crush of the month.”
“Sick weirdo. Spare the guy, dude, he's also just like you– a study freak.” Heeseung just glared at him at what he said. He just laughed it out.
“Here's the umbrella. It's only eighty-hundred, cash.”
"Eighty-hundred, the fuck pinagsasabi mo, baliw.” Heeseung exaggerated and snatched the umbrella out of Riki's hand.
When they were about to leave the locker room, Sunghoon and Sunoo entered at the same time with their hair and clothes soaked in wet, which obviously just got out of the rain, laughing. It surprised Heeseung and took a quick glance at the man beside him and he noticed Riki with an unreadable expression in his eyes.
Kasabay noon ay ang pag-ingay naman ng cellphone ni Riki na hawak nito and there it is he saw Riki's mother's contact name in display.
Riki took a glance at his phone and answered it in front of the three people inside the room.
“Hello–”
‘Riki, we're in the hospital. Anata no otōsan wa jinzō ishoku ga hitsuyōdesu…’
Riki didn't even realize that his phone was put in the loud speaker and the people in the room heard about it, especially Heeseung.
Heeseung was about to talk to Riki but the latter immediately left the space and dash off the rainy and gloomy street without even using an umbrella.
Heeseung picked up the two crochets on the floor.
He saw how Sunoo's face changed into a worried expression while looking at the receding shadow of the young man. Bago pa man din makapag-tanong ang lalaki ay tumakbo na rin siya to follow his friend.
————
When Riki finally arrives at the hospital, he asks for his father's name and immediately goes where his siblings and mother are standing up outside the emergency room who's crying and worried sick. Riki hugged his mother and planted a kiss on her forehead.
“Ma, stop crying. I told you I'd do this for dad, didn't I?” Riki hushed his mother and siblings.
“Subete umaku ikudeshou.”
“I don't want to lose you, too.”
“You won't. I promise.” Riki gave his mother a reassuring smile to calm the situation.
The doctor who took care of his Dad finally came out of the emergency room and talked to them about the situation and the immediate decision to make for his father. Riki didn't even think twice to agree and follow the doctor where they needed to check up on him first.
His phone kept on ringing and saw that Heeseung had 5 missed calls. He answered one of the man's message saka ibinalik ang atensyon sa doctor na kausap.
Riki would be lying if the preparation of the operation didn't make him feel nervous but he needs to remind himself that he wanted to do this and this for his old man. His father also doesn't want him to sacrifice himself pero ano pa bang pwede nyang gawin kung ang kaisa-isa niyang ama at tinuturing din na kaibigan ay nasa loob ng emergency room at nag-aagaw buhay?
—————
Heeseung was walking back and forth to his house's living room, heart couldn't stop beating faster than normal, hands were sweating and shaking uncontrollably.
The doorbell rang and Heeseung quickly opened the door for Jungwon. He told the latter about Riki's situation.
“Hyung, ano– what happened? Is Riki gonna be fine?” Jungwon, panicking, asked him immediately.
“He just messaged me back a while ago to tell me that they are fine but five hours had passed and I haven't heard any update about him.”
Jungwon kept snapping his fingers while thinking of any ideas on how they could reach and talk to Riki.
“Maybe call his sister? May number ka ba nila?”
“I–” Heeseung was about to tell him that he doesn't have any before his phone rang, and now he saw Riki's name displayed on the phone screen.
He constantly answered the call thinking that it was Riki to tell them the situation was already in a calm storm, but instead the voice of Riki's sister welcomed his ears, sobbing and shaking, and sounding distressed.
A long silence invaded his ear before heeseung heard the faint and weak voice from the other line.
‘Is this Riki-kun’s friend?…’
Heeseung put the call on a loudspeaker so Jungwon could also hear what she's about to tell them.
Jungwon’s phone vibrates and they saw Sunoo's name on it. Jungwon looks at him with confused but worried eyes because Jungwon also knows Riki's feelings for Sunoo and he's going to be sure that Sunoo would ask him about Riki.
“Yes, yes, this is Heeseung, his friend. Why's his phone with you, is he okay?” Another long silence surrounded the other line but Heeseung was hearing a faint foreign language talking in the background.
‘Okāsan, … ni … hō ga īdesu …?’
Heeseung couldn't quite hear and understand what they're saying but he knew something was not right. Heeseung's gaze averted to Jungwon who's now messaging Sunoo. He saw on the screen that Sunoo was asking about Jungwon and Riki. Sunoo knew that Riki and Jungwon were friends.
“Heeseung-kun…” The person's voice on the other line got his attention.
“Riki-kun is fine…” Heeseung felt a thorn had been removed from his chest but he was still waiting for the other person to finish what she was saying.
“B– but he fell into a temporary coma.”
Heeseung felt like his world collapsed, his blood running cold and body hair crawling.
“Hyung…” Jungwon called him anxiously.
“What– why– what do you mean coma? Where are you guys?” Heeseung could feel his tears forming in the corner of his eyes.
Jungwon and Heeseung don't know what to prioritize anymore. They just take everything they think is important so they could finally go to the hospital address where Riki's sister gave them.
—————
As they arrived at the location, they immediately noticed where Riki's siblings were sitting outside a room, comforting each other and crying in distress.
“Hey…”
Riki's sisters awkwardly stood up in front of them, wiping the tears streaming down their faces.
“Hey… M– my mom is inside the room talking to the doctor about Riki-san’s condition.”
“H– how about uncle? Is he okay? N– no complications?”
The younger girl shook her head and said, “Nothing…” in a low and quiet voice wiping her eyes.
They are all sitting quietly on the benches outside the private room waiting for the new news to come out. Sooner or later, it was Sunoo's turn to arrive at the hospital. Heeseung stared at Jungwon with confusion plastered in his eyes.
“Jungwon, Heeseung hyung!” Sunoo called them.
“I– I'm sorry, hyung, he was worried sick and won't stop until I tell him. I know it's not my place to–”
“Jungwon, it's okay. It's okay. I think it's better that he's here.”
Heeseung searches for his phone in his pants pocket when he remembers that he still has those Ditto crotchets that Riki made where he put them inside his pocket. He stared at Sunoo who's sitting beside him and watching before the latter quickly averted his eyes somewhere else when he caught him.
He took them out of his pocket and stared at them for a moment, wondering if he should give them to Sunoo but then later on, without a word, he handed it to the latter.
Sunoo's eyebrows furrowed but still reached the crotchets from Heeseung's hand.
“Bakit– bakit mo sakin binibigay? Are these for me?” Sunoo asked him in confusion.
Heeseung shrugged his shoulders.
“Riki made those for you. He was supposed to ask you out on a date for valentine's day. I know it's not my words to tell but, I'm afraid there will be a day that he asks you those before the valentine's come.”
Sunoo’s lips quiver. “Why didn't he ask me sooner?”
Heeseung exhales a loud breath, “He was about to, but he saw you with your… boyfriend.”
“I– I don't have any. Who are you talking about?” Sunoo's forehead creased.
“… Isn't Sunghoon your suitor?”
Sunoo frowned hearing what Heeseung said before he responded. “N– no! I mean, yes, he was. Pero sinabi ko na sa kaniya na I already had someone in mind so I finally asked him to stop pursuing me anymore.”
“Then, what were you two doing earlier when Riki and I found you all lovey-dovey soaking in the rain?” Heeseung squinted his eyes.
“Lovey-dove– Are you joking? It was the time when I stopped him from courting me. Nagkataon lang na umulan and we didn't bring umbrellas with us.”
Heeseung nodded and hummed, completely convinced with Sunoo's explanation. It's not like Sunoo's the type of person who would lie just to defend himself.
Naramdaman naman ni Heeseung ang biglang pananahimik ni Sunoo while softly caressing the two Dittos on his hands.
“May I ask who's the person you like?”
Heeseung can see how Sunoo's face becomes flushed little by little and fidgets the poor crochets. Jungwon was just watching the feelings of his friend unfold in front of him, with a frowning face. He got eye to eye contact with Heeseung.
“It's your… friend.” Heeseung and Jungwon didn't quite hear what the latter said because he got his head bowed down a little so they even needed to crouch down towards Sunoo.
“I can't hear anything, Sunoo-yah.” Jungwon whines.
“It's– “
“Riki-san will be fine. There's no complications at all and he's gonna wake up soon.”
The doctor and Riki's mother finally came out of the private room along with the nurses as they accidentally heard the good news.
“Riki…” Sunoo whispered unconsciously as they all finally stood up from sitting. He inserted the crotchets in his pocket. Riki's mother's attention diverted to their direction or specifically to Sunoo. The surprise in Riki's mother plastered on her face.
“Excuse me for now.” The Doctor bid them goodbye.
“Oh God, you must be Sunoo-san,” Riki's mother approached Sunoo and softly held his hands, “Musuko tells me so much about you all the time. Kare wa hontōni anata ga sukina ndesu. I understand him now, you're such a beautiful man.”
“Understand what po?”
“Oh, silly, I forgot,” Riki's mother smiled at him affectionately, “Riki, my son, he really likes you. In fact, he told me he really wanted to ask you out as his date.”
“I– well,” Sunoo almost felt all his blood go up to his cheeks and stuttered in front of Riki's mother. Couldn't figure out what words he should say.
“I also want to– you know, date him for the valentine's– I mean not just on valentine's day but I was really, I mean, I can't find the right things or– or time to tell him because I get humble.” Riki's mother gets teary in front of him, making him panic.
“Dear, you should've told him that sooner. He was about to risk it all to save his father, good thing they are both lucky.”
Sunoo giggles in awkwardness but not in the kind of uncomfortable feelings. “I’m– uhm, I'm proud of him for being brave fighting this situation to stay alive all by himself, really, Mrs. Nishimura. One of the things I admire about him and– and I wanted to ask if, uhm, can I date your son?”
Sunoo watches Riki's mother's tears streaming down to her cheeks with a beam of happiness. “I won't say no because I also want this to happen for my son. He's such a great guy. Give him a chance to prove to you, you will be happy with him, I promise.”
“I can already see the vision of that, Mrs. Nishi–”
“What's with all the formality, sweetheart? You can call me mom from now on.” He can feel his cheeks get even hotter, adding the jacket he's wearing wasn't helping.
“M– mom. Oh my God.” Sunoo could hear his friends snickering around beside him and he sent them glares secretly.
Riki's mom giggles and intertwines their hands before speaking, “Alright. Let's visit Riki's father from another room. I know he's not awake but I'm just excited to introduce you as my son's boyfriend. And then we're gonna visit Riki.”
Sunoo searches for the crotchets Riki made for him in his pocket and unconsciously smiles and gets all thrilled because of the thought that Riki likes him too all along.