"You are spying on him a lot, for someone who's supposed to let him go."
"Why do you keep coming back here?"
"It's not like I have things to do or anywhere else I have to be," Love sighs as she makes herself at home on Bright's pillows.
"Please do nothing somewhere else. My room is not a hangout place."
"Let's strike a deal. I will leave if you stop staring at them like some pervert."
Bright looks away from the driveway for a moment to throw his phone at Love. But it passes through her like nothing. She merely snorts, making Bright more irritated.
He turns back to the driveway, covertly watching Win and Kit idle by the gate.
Love was right of course - he should stop watching the romance blossom between the two. But it was hypnotic torture. He couldn't look away.
So here he was, watching Kit's fingers shyly trail downwards Metawin's forearm as every vein his own body felt like it was going to burst from pent up anger.
How dare that fucking mortal touch his Metawin?
But then again, Metawin wasn't his. Not in this lifetime anyway.
He looks at his beloved's face and sees a small grin play at the corner of his lips. Bright's pain magnifies.
But isn't this what he wanted? For Win to finally have a life devoid of tragedy? For him to have love and affection without the curse slowly killing him?
He watches as Kit slowly leans in.
This is their fourth date. That would mean. Oh God, that means -
"STOP!"
Bright hears a loud voice shout. It was so loud that the dog of their next door neighbor starts barking. So loud that Win and Kit jump backwards.
Win looks upwards and glowers. If looks could kill, Bright would be dust by now.
That's when Bright realizes, the loud shout was his.
Love was full on laughing, rolling around the bed. "On second thought, I approve of this madness. It is highly entertaining."
"Shut up," Bright hisses, scrambling to close his blinds even if it was clearly too late to hide his presence.
He stands in the middle of the room at a loss at what to do next.
"You should apologize to him. He was about to get kissed and you ruined it," Love says as she studies her perfectly manicured nails.
"What do I even say? What do I even say?.." Bright panics.
"I still don't understand why you are doing this to yourself."
"Not wanting Win to die is not enough of a reason for you?"
"Do you really think The Benevolent would let you get away with circumventing their punishment? You may be sacrificing all this for nothing. Ever thought about that?"
"How am I circumventing punishment? I am in excruciating pain while making myself look like a buffoon."
Love sighs. She is tired of drilling reason into Bright's too thick skull. "The Prince of Ice also broke their rules. He is not exempt from the punishment."
"It's one lifetime. One. Surely they can let him grow old and happy in one lifetime."
A knock on the door disrupts their conversation.
Bright rushes to the sound as he tries to shoo Love away, hoping she gets the message and disappears.
He opens the door slightly and sees a seething Metawin on the other side.
"You went inside my house," was the only sentence Bright could think of saying.
"Well, it seems that crossing boundaries is the theme of the night. Who am I not to participate?," comes the icy response.
"I -"
"Why are you spying on me? Why are you meddling with my life?"
"I was just curious! I wasn't meddling -"
"Oh come on. You have been meddling since Kit set foot in our store. I have been trying to ignore it. But what you did just now? That is too much."
"You see, I...well, to be honest..."
"Honest? Right. You're so capable of that."
"Win...I...I am sorry. I am. You see, well - there...there was a bee.."
Win purses his lips. His anger is being overcome by confusion. Then Bright catches it, a glimmer of hope. It's but a flash but it was there. "Are you jealous?," Win asks slowly.
"Why would I be jealous?"
Win takes a breath. "I don't know why. But are you?"
Win steps just a little closer. And Bright startles, taking a step back from the door frame. This causes his bedroom door to swing wide open.
Win immediately turns rigid. "Obviously I am mistaken," he says. "Keep away Bright. We are friends but that doesn't mean you get to mess with me and my life."
Win casts one last look at Bright's room and walks away. Win's anger and misery clung to Bright like a barnacle.
Bright is at a loss. What just happened?
He turns and sees Love in full view, sitting on his bed, tapping away on his phone.
Bright grabs the gadget in frustration.
"Hey! My high score!," Love sulks.
"Win saw you!"
"So what?"
"So what?! You're a woman in my room, on my bed! What will he think?"
"But honey, that helps your little plan, doesn't it? Now he will take that doctor seriously. Anything to forget about you and your new girlfriend."
"Hurting him wasn't the plan!"
Love rolls her eyes. "You used to be smart. What happened? You are hurting him. You're disregarding how he feels about you."
"The Win from this life doesn't love me. Not that way."
"He does. And you know it. Getting him to date someone else is a jerk move and you know that too."
Bright doesn't respond.
Instead he turns away from Love and runs after Win.
He catches him just before he could leave the store. Bright latches on to Win's wrist.
"Don't go."
"Why not?," Win counters. His anger is palpable now. Gone were the other emotions he was wrestling with just a moment ago.
"I am sorry. I have no excuse for how I have been acting. Kit...he...Kit looks good with you, you fit together. I was afraid of the change in our lives once you got serious but I know now that's absurd. I won't get in the way of your happiness, I promise."
Bright thought he said the right words, he even expressed more than he normally would have. But the anger in Win's eyes swirls faster, building up like a storm.
"How dare you," Win says voice soft but menacing. "You are able to say all of this with a straight face? While some stranger sits on your bed?"
"She's -"
"I don't care who she is. I am not supposed to care. And you don't get to care either. You have no right to tell me who fits well with me, no right to think you get an opinion on my happiness."
"I don't understand why you're so angry..."
"Stop lying. You understand. I am the only one here who doesn't understand a goddamn thing."
"Win -"
"You're lying to me. I feel it. I don't know what the lie is but I feel it. I thought perhaps you're hiding how you feel about me but - it doesn't matter. You don't trust me? Well, I don't trust you either. Stay out of my life."
"All of this just because of Kit and -"
"You will not gaslight me into making this about Kit. You heard what I said. I don't trust you. Good bye."
Bright holds on to his hand tighter. "Don't. Stay."
"Exactly," Win says as he pulls his hand away and walks out the store.
- - -
Win was walking aimlessly. His outburst took a lot from him. And to be honest, he was feeling ashamed of his dramatics.
He didn't mean to let all those emotions out.
He looked so stupid now. So pathetic.
It wouldn't take a genius to piece together how he felt for Bright after his hysterics.
Not that it took a genius to figure it out before.
Win was trying his best to forget about Bright. He had focused his attention on Kit this past few weeks - going out, chatting, sending each other small gifts.
The doctor is handsome and funny. He has bursts of confidence but is mostly shy. He treats Win well, caring for him in many ways. And he was vocal about his affections.
Win didn't quite feel the same way Kit did. But it's been only four dates...surely he just needed a bit more time.
Even now, he knew he was lying to himself. He didn't like it. But what could he do? Should he uproot his life again? Close shop? Just because of the stupid mistake of falling for a man who didn't feel the same?
'Does Bright really not feel the same for me?' He sighs. Why was he doing this again? 'He doesn't love you. He is not interested. Whatever he is hiding it has nothing to do with you. He had a woman on his bed.'
'He had a woman on his bed.'
Win wipes the tears that escaped his eyes. Fucking hell. He wasn't some high schooler. He should handle his unrequited crush a little better.
He keeps walking. Oblivious of the rain now pattering softly on his shoulders.
He would get over it. He was very good at getting over these kind of feelings. All his life he has been able to side step serious relationships thank to this ability.
Bright would be no different.
Right?
Why would he be?
But something has always been different about that man. Since the night they first met at the hospital , his existence would burrow into Win's thoughts.
There was something Bright wasn't telling him. Did he really want to know what it was? Would it matter if he never found out?
Maybe not.
He lets out a growl of frustration.
How does one learn to stop caring?
His phone rings and he sighs. Readying to tell Bright to fuck off.
But it was Kit's name flashing on the screen.
Win composes himself, summons the cheerful mask he had long cultivated.
He presses the screen. "Kit hey!"
"Hey, you okay? You seemed pretty upset -"
"I'm okay! I'm super okay. My landlord was trying to be funny but it was getting on my nerves. Sorry about that."
"By landlord do you mean your friend Bright?"
"He has been demoted."
Kit laughs and it's light and melodic. "You know, maybe your landlord is acting funny because he secretly likes-"
Win doesn't allow Kit to finish the thought. "He doesn't. He doesn't. You have nothing to worry about in that department. He doesn't like me, he's just obnoxious."
"You sure, you're okay? I could swing by now. Bring you some ice cream?"
If Win had any common sense, he should say yes. He should run into the arms of this man who clearly likes him and is not causing him any stress nor uncertainty.
He should say yes. But he doesn't.
"How about, I see you on Wednesday instead? I have a new cookie recipe I'd like you to try."
"I would love that. It's a date."
"It is," Win smiles, his mask steady.
"I would also love to have kissed you today. Maybe on Wednesday."
The mask threatens to slip. But Win powers through. "On Wednesday," he says sweetly. Like he meant it.
He ends the call.
And he finally realizes that he is drenched in rain.