SNL 2020

Hang Out pt1

Me: (utterly confuse) Right. I need to see Qing. Why are you all here? Who else are here? Why?

Yao: Oh. Go to Qing, he can explain everything. We will clean this up.

Me: (flinching) What?! No! Don't touch anything.

My OCD suddenly woke up in full alert. People in my house. A lot of people in my house. I spilled some juice and I have to hunt all the broken glasses before someone accidentally step on them.

But really, what the fuck is going on?!

Me: No one moves, I have to clean the floor.

I quickly went to look for the dustpan, broom and some rags. I blotted the spilled juice first before sweeping the floor and scooping all the broken glasses. I garbaged the glasses and the rag then look for the hand vacuum. It will be less noisy than the regular vacuum but I had to make sure that all pieces of the broken glass are out of my floor or else Qing might step on them and get hurt.

Yao, MD and Joi were silent as they watched me meticulously work to clean the mess I made. When I was done, I turned to them.

Me: I'm just gonna...talk to Qing.

I walked speedily back to our bedroom. I happened to pass the guest room with its door opened. I stopped and stared in horror as I try to count how many bodies were in my guestroom. Some are sleeping on the bed and I saw one sleeping on the floor using a thick blanket as beddings. I only counted three but I don't think I am that lucky.

I passed the guestroom to get to our room. Qing is still asleep on our bed. I wonder if I should kick him awake or get some water and splash it on his face. How dare he...his friends...in my home...argh!

In the end, I decided to stay calm and wake Qing up by nudging at his sidearm.

Me: Qing, wake up. Wake up!

Qing: (moaning) L-love...what's going on?

Me: You tell me. There are...people outside. What the hell was that?

Qing: (frowning as he sits up on the bed) What do you mean...oh...you already saw them.

Me: Uhuh. Tell me...this is not what I think this is...right?

Qing: (reaching for my hand) Love...

Me: (stepping away from him) Tell me...why are they here?

Qing: (sighing) The guys and I plan to hang out here in the condo for the weekend.

Me: (eyes widening) The whole weekend?

Qing: (wincing as he nods) Yes.

Me: Oh...I see...(frowning) why here?

Qing: MD's place is busted. We planned to hang out there but we can't. It's messy there.

Me: Why? What happened to his place?

Qing: Some busted pipes or something. It was a mess. He'll need a week to figure it out. This weekend, someone will come to fix the pipes and then he can come home to clean it all up. The guys and I are planning to help him out. For now, we have no place to go but here.

Me: No place? Really?

Qing: We thought about it the whole time last night. We cannot think of a place where we can hang out, play games, eat our hearts out and drink the weekend away safely aside from here. Some places we used to go to are compromised as well. We really have no other place where we can go, Love. I swear...

I stared at Qing. My fiancé gave me a hopeful look.

Me: But the whole weekend...

Qing: Please. Let us stay here.

I want to say no. I do. I really do. But this is actually the first time Qing has asked me to house his friends for the weekend. He doesn't usually call the boys to stay in our love nest. He has his turn to host mahjong and poker game nights but aside from that, Qing fairly shielded me from the full force of having his friends over.

And if you think about it, I think I would rather they stay here in the condo where it's safe than have them roaming outside and hanging out in places where they could get sick.

Me: (reluctantly nodding) Okay. Stay here. Why not?

Qing's face brightened up as he gave me a happy smile. He gets off the bed to hug me.

Qing: Thank you, Love. I promise, the boys and I will behave. And we will clean up after ourselves.

Me: Of course. I won't play maid for the weekend for all of you.

Qing: I know. Thank you again. I'll just see what the others are doing.

Qing kissed my cheek before running outside the bedroom to see his friends. I feel like I am already regretting my decision to permit this to happen but I am sure glad that at least Qing could keep his pride.

I mean, guys talk too. I know if I said no, Qing will respect my decision and he will bundle his friends and relocate somewhere else. But I know his friends will look at Qing and wonder why he couldn't even manage to get a yes out of me to let them stay in the condo, that Qing co owned, to hang out.

In a way, this is a matter of pride for my husband to be.

I fisted my hands and nod in determination.

Me: Right! I just have to endure it for two days. I can do that. It'll be fine. I like most of those guys. It'll be fine.

(Was it fine, Dayu ah?)

No. Within the first hour of being with them, I decided to pack a bag and run to the museleom to Mama and Baba.

I cannot do it. I cannot stay in one space with Qing and his friends. I just can't.