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Milk regained consciousness to the sharp smell of antiseptic, the soft beeping of a heart monitor, and the quiet murmur of voices that sounded like they were arguing.
At first, she didn’t open her eyes. She floated in that fuzzy space between sleep and awareness, trying to piece together what had happened. The last thing she remembered was sitting in a café with Film and Namtan, laughing and teasing, enjoying the simple chaos of the afternoon. Then they had walked out onto the sidewalk. Somewhere in the blur of shouts and passing pedestrians, she remembered someone yelling her name, “Milk! Milk!”
Suddenly the world had tilted strangely. Then nothing.
“I think she still looks so pale,” a familiar voice she cannot quite place yet said.
“She always looks pale,” another replied. Another too familiar voice. “That’s just Milk.”
Milk finally opened her eyes. She was certain this wasn’t her room. The ceiling wasn’t this white, and the lights were so bright they almost hurt her eyes. She turned her head to the left, trying to make sense of where she was.
Film leaned closer immediately. “Milk! You’re awake.”
Milk blinked up at her. Film looked so worried, her bubble-tea eyes impossibly large and beautiful, that Milk felt her chest tighten. Once upon a time, she had spent hours staring into those eyes. Once upon a time, she had been absolutely convinced she was in love with her.
She had met Film during her first year of university. Study sessions that turned into midnight snack runs. Group projects where they did everything except the actual work. Movie nights that always ended with them dozing off on Milk’s creaky old couch in her dorm room. Milk had thought those were the happiest days of her life. Somewhere along the way, she had fallen for Film.
Only for Film to fall for Namtan instead. Namtan was Milk’s dorm roommate, whose hands were currently resting on Film’s shoulders with a grin that screamed something not good is about to happen.
It had stung at the time, but life had a funny way of moving forward. The awkwardness faded. They remained friends. And now, years later, Milk was the one teasing them about being the most disgustingly cute couple she knew.
“I think I’m okay,” Milk said softly, relief evident in her voice.
“Oh, thank god,” Film whispered.
Milk tried to sit up. “What happened?”
“Easy,” Namtan said, stepping forward and pressing a hand to Milk’s shoulder. “When we were leaving the café a random basketball was thrown right at your head.”
Milk groaned, dropping her head back onto the pillow. “Seriously?! This is embarrassing.”
“You don’t have an idea. But surely it won't even be the highlight of the day," Namtan said cheerfully. Then pointed toward the sofa at foot of the hospital bed.
Milk turned her head and immediately wished she hadn’t. Sitting there casually was Ciize. Her grin was slow, deliberate. “Well,” she said, “look who finally decided to wake up.”
Milk’s stomach did a little flip. “Why are you here?”
Ciize lifted one eyebrow. “Wow. No hello?”
“Why are you here?” Milk repeated.
“Because the hospital called me,” Ciize said, as if it were obvious.
Milk blinked. “Why would the hospital call you?”
Ciize stared at her like she’d just asked the dumbest question imaginable. And then it clicked. Milk groaned. “Oh no.”
Ciize’s grin widened. “Oh yes.”
Milk buried her face in her hands. “You’re still my emergency contact. I forgot to change it.”
“Two years is a long time to forget,” Ciize said casually.
Ciize had always been annoyingly confident. She's the kind of person who walked into a room and immediately owned it. She had a way of making Milk feel both seen and exasperated at the same time, with her easy smirk and sharp, calculating eyes that always seemed two steps ahead. They had met at Milk’s previous job, and what followed had been chaotic, intense, and entirely unpredictable. They had even lived together for a while, and Ciize had been a good partner in her own infuriating way. The break-up, at least the final one, was not the best though. And now, here Ciize was, sitting comfortably in the hospital room, glaring across at her with that same confident, maddening poise that had once made Milk’s heart skip a beat and her brain short-circuit.
“Well, thanks for coming quickly,” Milk muttered.
“Actually,” a new voice said on her right, “I got here first.”
Milk tilted her head. Standing there in scrubs was Jingjing.
“Jingjing?” Milk asked. “What are you doing here?”
Jingjing had been Milk’s first official girlfriend back in university, arriving shortly after the whole Film heartbreak era like a whirlwind of stability and teasing affection all at once. They had dated through most of Milk’s remaining college years, surviving long, groggy study sessions fueled by cheap instant noodles, late-night walks full of whispered arguments and laughter, and the kind of passionate young love that felt absolutely vital at the time. They had broken up amicably… mostly. Jingjing needed to focus on medical school, and Milk had needed to figure out how to survive without her.
“Creeping into your life silently, as always,” Ciize whispered.
Jingjing rolled her eyes. “I work here. There was a buzz about someone fainting, and I saw her name. Of course I’d check on her. You’re still an asshole, you know?”
“Me? An asshole? Wasn’t it supposed to be you?” Ciize shot back, smirking. “You were the one orbiting her the entire time we were together.”
“The time you were together? And how long was that, exactly?” Jingjing snapped, crossing her arms. “You were more off than on! Breaking up with her every other week hardly counts as ‘the entire time,’ Ciize.”
Milk groaned, glancing at Namtan, whose grin had gone full-on mischievous. Film, arms crossed, gave Milk a helpless look.
Before she could think of a way to escape, a soft knock sounded at the door. “Hello?”
Milk’s heart lurched upon hearing the voice.
Love.
She stepped into the room with that effortless calm Milk had come to adore. Love had the kind of presence that made everything else fade into the background. She's just the right mix of warmth, confidence, and timing. Her hair fell perfectly over one shoulder, her eyes bright and curious, and the faintest smile tugged at her lips, gentle but knowing. Love had been the highlight of the last few weeks, the one Milk had quietly been hoping would become more than a casual companion. They weren’t officially together yet, but they had gone on countless casual dates, and Milk had enjoyed every single moment. Milk really, really liked her, more than she was ready to admit.
Love’s gaze swept the room, pausing briefly at Film and Namtan. “Thank you for calling me,” she said politely.
Then her eyes moved slowly and deliberately. Towards Ciize. Towards Jingjing.
Milk’s chest constricted. The room had doubled in size, the air thick with tension, and she felt trapped.
“Uh… Love, this is…” Milk began.
Ciize waved her off. “Hello. Ciize. Milk’s one great love,” she said with mock solemnity.
Milk groaned. “Ciize!”
Jingjing shook her head, smirking. “Let her think that. We all know I’m your one great love. And, of course, your first love.”
Ciize laughed, leaning back with a grin. “First love? That would be Film. Right, Film?”
Film wrinkled her nose and held up her hands. “I don’t want to be part of this.”
“It doesn’t count,” Jingjing shot back. “It wasn’t mutual. Technically, I’m first.”
“Oh, like you always boasted,” Ciize muttered.
Milk’s panic grew. Her fingers twitched. Her stomach felt like it had turned into a tangle of spaghetti. Every ex, all the history, everyone in one room. She glanced at Love, just standing there, trying to process it all.
Jingjing and Ciize immediately started bickering again, voices rising just enough to make Milk’s head throb.
Love shifted slightly toward the door. “…I think I’ll just go get something,” she murmured, and slipped out before Milk could even open her mouth.
Milk groaned and buried her face in her hands. “Oh my god. Stop it, both of you!”
Ciize and Jingjing paused mid-argument but the glare they were shooting each other could have melted steel. Milk flailed her arms helplessly. “Look, I appreciate you both coming here, but you just scared her! Seriously, enough with whatever this is!”
“Who’s she anyway?” Ciize asked, ignoring Milk entirely.
“Milk’s girlfriend,” Namtan said cheerfully, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“No, they’re not together yet,” Film clarified quickly, “but they will be soon.”
“Oh, she looks really pretty!” Jingjing said, glaring pointedly at Ciize. “What an upgrade.”
“Like how she upgraded from you to me?” Ciize shot back, perfectly deadpan.
Milk groaned again, burying her face in her hands. “Okay! Out! Both of you!” she shouted, waving dramatically like she was conducting an orchestra gone terribly wrong.
Ciize shrugged and headed for the door. Jingjing followed without another word. Film and Namtan said they were going to check on food. Within moments, the room was quiet.
Milk sank back into the pillow, staring at the ceiling. Her heart still thumped from the chaos. She replayed Love’s polite smile, the soft, “I’ll just go get something.” Her chest tightened, and for a moment she was sure she had ruined everything.
A soft knock pulled her from her thoughts. The door opened and there was Love, holding a small plastic cup and a spoon.
“Love?” Milk blinked, sitting up slightly.
“It’s your favorite pudding,” Love said casually, setting it on the tray table.
Milk stared, momentarily speechless. Chocolate pudding was her absolute comfort dessert. Love’s gentle smile made her stomach flutter.
“I ran over as soon as Film called,” Love said softly. “I forgot to bring anything at first, and then… well, I saw all of this. I can only imagine how crazy it must have felt, so I got your favorite.”
Milk felt warmth spread through her chest. Love sat down beside the bed, close enough that she could feel the faint brush of her shoulder.
“You’re not scared off?” Milk asked quietly, voice trembling a little.
Love shrugged, playful and calm. “Why would I be? Honestly, it’s kind of funny.”
Milk hesitated, then laughed softly. “A little.”
“It must be interesting to be your ex,” Love teased, her grin gentle but mischievous.
“Sorry,” she said. “I mean, sorry about the chaos, but also sorry you’ll never get to experience all the fun firsthand.”
“And why’s that?” Love asked, leaning a little closer, her eyes soft and curious.
“Because when we finally get together,” Milk said, smiling, heart thumping, “I’ll make sure you never, ever have to be my ex.”
Milk noticed Love’s cheeks warming to a soft pink. Love busied herself, carefully opening a pudding cup and guiding a spoonful toward Milk’s mouth. Milk’s pulse spiked, and a soft laugh escaped her when the chocolate pudding touched her tongue. She closed her eyes, savoring not just the sweetness of the chocolate, but the even sweeter feeling of Love taking care of her.
Maybe today's not too bad after all.