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Third and Two both got boyfriends in the same month, which was a first for Third who had been single for three years and Two who had never dated a man before.
Third and Two had always been close, especially ever since Two had helped Third out when he was in his pining-for-Khai-but-also-hating-him phase, but even more so once they got into relationships. Now, they had so much complaining (and also bragging) about their boyfriends to do.
And despite always wanting to prove the other their couple was the best, they were genuinely happy for each other. So Third wanted to celebrate that with a double date with Khai and Un.
“Third, I don’t know about that,” Two had said that, making a weird face. “In case you haven’t noticed, Khai and P’Un kinda hate each other.”
Third huffed. “That was months ago when Khai thought P’Un was trying to get with me and he punched him! I’m sure everything’s fine now.”
Two stared at him in disbelief. “Third… haven’t you noticed how cold the room gets when those two are together? They always avoid sitting too close to each other or interacting, so I don’t think forcing them to meet is a good -”
Third suddenly put his hand on Two’s shoulder. “This is exactly why we have to force them to be friends. I don’t like having my boyfriend and yours not friends. Besides, imagine all the cute Instagram pictures we could have from this double date. The captions are already writing themselves i n my head .”
Two laughed loudly, wondering when his best friend had become so capricious. Khai really was spoiling him too much.
“I’m gonna ask,” Two replied. “But I don’t think P’Un’s gonna accept.”
Third’s brow shot up as he gazed at his best friend with an incredulous look. “Two, you really think P’Un is gonna be able to say no to your adorable pouting face? He’s so in love with you he’d jump from a bridge for you. Khai is the exact same with me. So you seduce him a little and he’ll say yes.”
At that point, Two was just done with his best friend. “You are so messed up.”
It didn’t keep him from doing exactly what Third has advised him to do, and, on the same day, a double date was scheduled for the next week-end.
Un and Two had arrived first, sitting at the small restaurant’s table while waiting for the other two to arrive.
“Be good, P’,” Two ordered with a small smile, putting his hand on his thigh.
Un nodded with a smile. “Hm, anything for you.”
Two rolled his eyes and sat there, a ball of energy.
“Are you excited?” Un asked passing an arm around his shoulders.
Two nodded. “I’ve never been on a double date before. I’m happy to be showing you off.”
Un stayed silent, staring at him with shock. After a while, he spoke again. “I will never get used to your cheesy side. I love it,” he grinned, leaving a small peck on Two’s jaw.
“They’re coming!” Two exclaimed, pushing him slightly away while also lacing their hands together. “Finally!” he said in Third’s direction.
“We’re five minutes late, come on!” Third replied, rolling his eyes.
Third and Two were so happy to be here they chatted happily for a few minutes before noticing how chilly the air around them had gotten.
Khai was staring at Un and Un was staring at Khai. Not one word was exchanged, just gazes. Two and Third t raded glances, before coming up with their first solution.
1. Pretend not to see anything and include their boyfriends in the conversation.
“Khai, what did you think of the movie we saw in class today?” Third asked, putting a hand on his boyfriend’s thigh.
“T’was good,” Khai muttered, eyes still firmly placed on their senior.
“P’Un, did you see this movie last year?” Two wondered, squeezing his boyfriend’s hand.
“Yeah.”
Well, shit. Two shot Third a panicked glance. It was time for another try.
2. Order their items while still making casual and relaxed conversation.
“Look, P’Un, this sounds so good! Let’s order it!” Two exclaimed cheerfully, squeezing his boyfriend’s thigh in the hopes of telling him to calm down.
Next to him, Un sent him an enamored smile before going back to his cold default expression around Khai.
Speaking of whom, Khai was just the same, flirting around with Third while smiling like an idiot in love before crossing gazes with Un and losing it immediately, settling back into his dirty look.
Two and Third spoke a lot during this time, trying to pretend this double date wasn’t a complete fail. When the food arrived, Third asked a traumatized waitress who could definitely feel the tension around the table to take a picture of them. That boy really wanted his Instagram post.
“Here you go,” the waitress smiled shyly, handing him back the phone.
Third looked at the pictures before showing them to Two, then Khai and Un. He was so annoyed.
“Are you freaking kidding me?! Why aren’t you two smiling?? I wanted to post these pictures on Instagram and now you’ve ruined it!”
Silence fell on the table as the culprits didn’t reply anything, Two wishing he could disappear into a hole. It was time for their third and last attempt at peace.
3. Face the anger head on.
“Isn’t it great that we’re all here together?” Third spoke again. “Now we can leave the past in the past and focus on the present as two couples. So why are you both sulking?”
Khai and Un stared at each other again. It was like one of those old western movies, wondering who’d shoot the other first.
Khai spoke first. “Well, if you all want to know, P’Un’s presence makes me uncomfortable.”
Un’s eyebrows were raised as he chuckled in defiance. “That’s funny because I feel exactly the same about you, Ai’Khai.”
“Oh, that’s great,” Khai’s face got a little red as he leaned closer to the table. “I don’t know what I did for you to feel uncomfortable about me but you certainly know what you did to me.”
“What did I do?” Un looked confused.
Khai huffed loudly. “Hum, you tried to steal my boyfriend? And no, don’t tell me it was just rumors spread by P’Shane. You might pretend to have liked Two for years but I sure saw you get very cozy with Third a few months ago. Going to the cinema, eating out together, basically attached at hip. You might’ve liked Two more but you had a crush on my boyfriend and I cannot forgive that.”
“What?!” Un explained, face creased with incredulity. “I’ve always been friends with Third but I’ve never had feelings for him! You were the psychopath who punched me out of nowhere because I made out with a girl!”
“You told me you had forgiven me!” Khai gasped.
“Well, turns out my freaking beaten up face didn’t forgive you!” Un retorted. “You’re also a bad friend to Two and you were a bad friend to Third so honestly, I wouldn’t mind if Two stopped hanging out with you.”
Khai’s mouth went gaping. “Now you want me to lose one of my best friends?! You see, I knew you were toxic and abusive, you want to control Two’s friendships!”
“What?! Don’t be crazy,” Two exclaimed as Un looked at Khai with shock.
“You’re a manipulator and a bad person and you know what, I don’t want you near my friend or my boyfriend either!”
Un’s hand massaged his own nose in a position of pure frustration. “Once again, Khai, I don’t want your freaking boyfriend and I never have! I’m in love with Two! No offense but how could you even compare the two of them!”
Now it was Third’s turn to look hurt. “Excuse me?”
“I’m sorry, Third,” Un apologized, realizing his mistake.
“Now you insult my boyfriend?!” Khai shouted, getting up and towering over the table.
“You think you’re scaring me?!” Un replied, getting up too and putting himself in the same exact position.
And just as they were ready to jump over the poor restaurant’s table and fight, Two got up as well and slammed his fists into the table.
“STOP IT!!!”
The whole restaurant had been silent for a while, staring at them, but the four of them only seemed to notice it at that moment.
“Stop it,” Two repeated, mouth dry. He expected a waiter to come at any moment to kick them out but he never came. “Sit. Down.”
They all sat down again, Khai and Un looking quite ashamed of their behavior.
“Third and I will speak for you guys from now on. Let me start,” Two mediated. “Khai, the true reason why P’Un dislikes you is not because you punched him. Sure, he still resents you a little bit for that, but the truth is that he has always found it annoying for you to be chased by girls all around campus and be a player. You’re too popular, too good-looking, too annoying, and that’s why P’Un has disliked you since he first saw you freshman year. Third, it’s you turn.”
Third sighed, forcing a smile on his face. The whole situation had stressed him out. “P’Un, the reason why Khai dislikes you is exactly the same. You’ve always been a competitor of his because of all the girls who wanted your attention. You present yourself too perfectly, you’re too good-looking, and you’re basically exactly like Khai in terms of popularity. So, you see… the reason why you hate each other is exactly the same.”
Khai and Un stared at their boyfriends in surprise, brows furrowed, before turning to look at each other.
“Is that true?” they said simultaneously.
“You speak first,” Un offered.
“Well… yeah,” Khai admitted, looking shy all of sudden. “I didn’t know you felt the exact same.”
“I do,” Un admitted.
They fell silent, the whole restaurant still looking at them while they lost themselves in each other’s eyes.
“Hu-hum,” Third cleared his throat loudly to get their attention. “Do you wanna go make out or something?”
Both men blushed furiously and exclaimed: “No!”
“Well then, let’s conclude this feud between the two of you by saying that you hated each other because of your similarities,” Two declared. “But similarities are good, they show you that you could get along, if you wanted. So could you try, this time around? For Third and I?”
Their boyfriends looked at each other once again for confirmation before nodding. “Let’s do that.”
Third and Two finally allowed themselves to smile, both putting their hands on their boyfriends’.
“I’m proud of you,” Two said to Un.
“Good boy,” Third teased Khai who immediately pouted.
By the end of the date, Khai and Un were finally on the long road to friendship, and Third did get his smiling double-date Instagram picture. At last, t hat date hadn’t been such a disaster .