Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Today could not get any worse, Pran thought as he slumped down the wall and sat. He put his head in his hands, trying to block out the situation around him.

“Man! I can’t believe I’m actually stuck in here with an architecture bastard!” Pran heard from the other party. He recognized the guy the moment he got into the elevator, but had assumed that the short ten seconds of the ride wouldn’t cause any real annoyance on the other’s part. How wrong Pran was. Of course he had to get on the elevator with one of Pat’s friends— Korn, he’s pretty sure his name is— and then get stuck with him during an elevator jam.

Pran decided to speak up. “I’m not exactly thrilled here, either.” He meant it to be somewhat scathing, but even Pran heard the term in a commiserating tone too. Then, it went silent, save for the awkward shuffling noises of Korn trying to get comfortable.

“You’re that bastard’s friend, right? You know, the one that works at the bar?” Korn asked.

Pran only nodded.

“What’s his problem man? I don’t see you at our fights very often, so I gotta guess you aren’t the fighting type, but you sure made buddies with a barbarian!” Korn exclaimed.

Pran sighed. “I just don’t want anyone to get in trouble. And you all have. Multiple times. I’m tired of having to deal with it, but I can’t hang my friend out to dry.” Pran lifted his head to look at Korn. “I’m sure you get it. Besides, to me, you engineering guys look like barbarians just as much. All of you are fighting over nonsense.”

Korn huffed. “It’s a pride thing!”

Pran scoffed. “Exactly. Nonsense.”

“Oh come on! Haven’t you ever been stubborn over something? Enough that it looked like nonsense to others, but to you it was important? That’s pride!”

Pran immediately thought of Pat. Their rivalry, their situationship in school, before he was ripped away from that school, and his friend/enemy/rival/crush. Pran had never been so stubborn except around Pat. Pran wondered if all that was pride. Maybe a bit, especially in the beginning, but Pran knew better. Now, it was less pride and more fear. Fear that if he got too close, got too nice, Pat would know the affection Pran had for him, the affection he’d swore he’d take to his grave with him.

“I kind of get it. I do, but sometimes pride is messy. It gets in the way. It’s not like I don’t understand wanting to defend your faculty, or your pride, but the fights you get into just bring everyone’s reputation down. It makes us all look bad.” Pran said.

Korn thought about this, and shrugged, “I think it only makes us look bad if we lose.”

Pran shook his head. “No. It still reflects badly on you. Do you think the video of you guys picking on Wai at his job makes you look cool? Superior? It just makes you look like assholes messing with someone who’s trying to support themselves.”

“He started it!” Korn yelled. Pran nodded.

“I know that. And I think Wai was wrong to do what he did too. Why start a fight when people are just trying to have a good time? But getting back at him like that didn’t make you look any better. It just made you stoop down to his level and look petty.” Pran said.

Korn hummed. “Then what the hell do we do? Just sit down and take it?”

Pran shook his head. “Wai’s a hotheaded guy, sure, but he’s pretty gullible too. Just don’t let his provocations visibly bother you and spin it like you’re better than him because you quit fighting. It’ll piss him off, but he’ll stop because he wants to win.”

Korn laughed, “Holy shit! You’re pretty smart! How the hell did you make friends with a bonehead like Wai when you’re basically a genius?”

Pran just shrugged. “He was there for me when no one else was. I had a pretty bad time in high school, I had to transfer suddenly, and he was the first and best friend I made in my new school.”

Pran saw Korn’s expression soften. “Oh. Yeah, I guess that would make sense.” Pran nodded.

Korn scooted a bit closer, as if to physically show his lack of hostility. “If I can ask, why’d you have to transfer?”

Pran considered snapping at him, to tell him to mind his own business, but something held him back. Pran had never been able to talk about his situation with Pat. He’d buried it, because there was nowhere safe to unload it. His friends weren’t untrustworthy, but it was like the closer he got to them, the more private he wanted his thoughts to become. And talking to his parents about it would be nothing short of disaster. Pran had assumed that keeping his feelings inside was just his lot in life, but here Korn was, trying to unearth Pran’s emotions again. It was sort of nice, knowing that someone he’d interacted with for all of ten minutes actually seemed to care, even nicer knowing that it was likely they’d never speak again. So Pran thought, why the hell not?

“I have this neighbor. His family and my family have been fighting for longer than we’ve been alive. Him and I grew up hearing nasty things about each other, and saying even nastier things to each other out of familial pride.” Pran looked up, and examined Korn’s expression. It was clear Korn was enraptured by the story, but didn’t recognize it as familiar. Seems Pat had been just as secretive about Pran. Something about that made his stomach feel both heavy and cold, but his chest felt sort of warm.

“But when we got to high school, we both started to care about music, and before we knew it, we were in a band together. The more we spent time together, the more we felt like friends, like at least at school, we could leave the family feud behind.” Pran said.

Korn scooted closer. “Okay… What happened next?”

Pran looked at his lap. “At the Christmas concert, where we were meant to play onstage together, my parents showed up in the middle of our song, and I just knew I was screwed. So I ran.”

“No! Really?” Korn gasped.

Pran nodded. “Then, I got the scolding of a lifetime, and my parents pulled me out of that school that same day, and transferred me. I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”

Korn seemed to take this all in. “That’s insane. And awful. I mean, I get not liking another family, but why is that your problem? Why should you have to move just because that other guy exists?

Pran grit his teeth, and blinked. It was words he’d wanted to hear for a long time. Words he’d almost said to himself in the dark of night when he was sure no one, not even a god, could hear him. He’d always sort of blamed Pat for the transfer, but that was because it was easiest to blame the kid he was sure he’d never see again, rather than blame his mother, who he loved with every inch of his childhood innocence.

“Yeah. It was crazy.” Pran just croaked out.

Korn hummed. “Well I guess that explains your loyalty to that Wai bastard. If he was there for me after a shitshow like that, then I’d probably like the guy too, despite all that he is.

Pran just laughed. “He’s not that bad.”

Korn gave him a pointed look, “to you.”

Pran shrugged.

Korn decided to change the subject, “so have you ever seen that guy again? I mean, if you guys were friends for a time, he might miss you, despite the family feud.”

Pran just shook his head. “Trust me, he doesn’t miss me.”

“So you have seen him again.”

“I’m pretty sure he’s as sick of the sight of me as I am of him.” Pran said.

Korn furrowed his brows. “So, you’ve seen him a lot since then. Right? Does he go here?”

Pran jolted. “How’d you come to that conclusion?”

“There was a vibe.”

Pran just stared. “What?”

Korn kept pushing. “So he does go here, right? What faculty? Don’t tell me he’s in Architecture too? Y’know, since you both like music, maybe you both like architecture too?”

Pran shook his head, “it’s not like we’re the same in everything! We’re more opposites, really.” Pran then clamped his mouth shut. Why was he just telling this guy everything!?

Korn whistled. “Oh shit, so he’s in engineering. That sucks. No wonder you guys couldn’t make up after that fiasco. Now you’re on opposite sides again.” Korn took a hand and patted Pran’s back, which Pran found himself strangely not flinching away from.

Pran just decided to accept that Korn was better at getting information out of someone than he first thought, and took the comfort. “It’s like fate enjoys laughing at me.”

Korn pursed his lips. “It’s not so bad. At least it’s not like you’re in love with the guy.”

Pran froze. It was only for a split second, but Korn saw it.

“Oh shit! Really? Man, I am so sorry!”

Pran just sighed and shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. I’m an idiot for liking the guy in the first place. Even if he didn’t hate me, our families are still enemies, so we’d never work out.”

Korn made an indignant sound, “Never say never! I’m sure a guy like you could win him over, easy! Especially if you put your mind to it. And besides, you’ll move away from your parents soon, and what they don’t know won’t kill them.”

Pran just chuckled. “You’re pretty optimistic, huh?”

Korn shrugged. “I’d say my buddy Pat is more optimistic than I am, but I try to copy it since it looks like a good time.”

Pran luckily didn’t even twitch at the mention of Pat’s name. There are just some secrets you can’t even share with strangers.

For the next hour, both Pran and Korn talked about random things, and left the talk of the forbidden crush alone, to Pran’s relief. It was around eight at night when finally, some repairmen came and fixed the elevator, letting Korn and Pran go their separate ways. Pran quickly decided to just forget about the experience, and hoped that if nothing else, it might make Korn more likely to leave Pran’s friends alone.

Chapter Text

Korn likes to think of himself as a pretty chill guy. He gets angry, sure, but he’s not unreasonable, and he can definitely be generous and kind too. So sure, he wasn’t initially pleased with getting stuck in the elevator with the faculty president of Architecture, much less the best friend of that Wai bastard, but he wasn’t dumb enough to pick a fight in a jammed elevator.

He’d been pretty surprised by the guy’s intelligence, and pleased with the advice he’d gotten. Not to mention, the guy had opened up about some pretty serious stuff with him, and Korn was kind of a bleeding heart. He couldn’t help but want to help, or at least be a shoulder for the guy to cry on, although the guy didn’t seem like the emotional type. Nonetheless, the guy was in a rough situation, and just because it didn’t personally concern him, it didn’t mean Korn could just forget about it.

The day after, he’d woken up and realized he’d never even gotten the guy’s name. He felt a bit bad about it, but it’s not like he couldn’t find it out. So, when he met up with Pat in their first class of the day, he decided to just ask him about it.

“Hey, you the other faculty presidents, right? You have to, as ours?” Korn asked.

Pat looked confused but he nodded. “Yeah, why?”

“What’s the architecture president’s name?”

“You mean Pran? Why the hell do you wanna know his name?” Pat’s face had a harsh expression on it, though Korn couldn’t really place it, he just decided to leave it, since it was likely Pat was pretty annoyed by the guy. The guy, whose name was Pran.

Korn just shrugged in response. “I don’t know, I was just curious.”

And the conversation was left at that.

Korn didn’t really think too much about it until he saw Pran again, just minding his own business, walking towards their shared class. He almost wanted to call out to him to greet him, but he realized it would probably create a scene, so he stopped himself. He assumed that was likely why Pran had ignored his presence too. He was a smart guy, so he probably knew that the two of them acting like friends wouldn’t be an easy thing for anyone to move past. He went into class and sat down, and found himself sneaking peeks at Pran, just to see what it was he got up to in that class. Before, he’d been so preoccupied either talking crap about the architecture guys or pointedly ignoring them to really know, but his curiosity was growing.

Pran was just taking notes, and dutifully paying attention to the lecture. His friends were whispering among themselves, probably making it hard for Pran to concentrate, but it was like he was in his own world, the way he concentrated. It was sort of impressive.

As he watched him, Korn began to wonder how he might feel, being in love with someone who in pretty much every way, was born to be his enemy. He couldn’t imagine how difficult it would feel, and he also didn’t know how he would try to solve the problem either.

“Hey Pat, I got a question for you,” Korn asked.

Pat leaned over a bit, so Korn could whisper in his ear.

“I have this friend, okay? And he’s in a tight spot right now, and I wanted some advice for him.” Korn said. Pat looked at him with concern, and nodded. He leaned over to whisper back.

“Yeah, ask me at lunch. That cool?” Pat asked. Korn nodded.

At lunch, Korn sat down and waited for Pat. Chang and Mo were there too, but they were arguing about some stupid video game, so Korn decided to just ignore it.

“So, what does this ‘friend’ of yours need help with?” Pat asked as he sat down. Immediately, Korn picked up on the strange tone of the word “friend”. Clearly, Pat thought this was about him. He decided he didn’t really care. Besides, it definitely meant he’d be keeping Pran’s secret despite technically telling Pat about it. He was tentative friends with the architecture president, and he kind of didn’t want to ruin that.

“Well, this friend of mine likes someone from another faculty.” Korn said, deciding to lead with the more vague of the two issues.

Pat shrugged. “Okay? And?”

Korn sighed. “Look, this friend of mine and their crush are in Architecture and Engineering. They’re in enemy faculties.”

Pat flinched. “Seriously? Where is their taste?”

“I thought the same thing, but you like who you like, y’know?” Korn said. Pat softened at that.

“Yeah, that’s true. Well, maybe your friend should just go for it anyway, if they like this girl so much.”

Korn shook his head. “It’s not a girl. It’s a guy.”

Pat raised his eyebrows. “Wait really? Oh… I see. Well that doesn’t mean all hope is lost right?”

Korn nodded. “True, but the two of them have a history. And it’s not exactly a pretty one. They fought in the past, and although it’s not impossible for them to make up, the faculties being enemies isn’t helping.”

Pat seemed to consider this. “Well, then maybe the first step is to apologize. Regardless of who was more in the wrong, extending an olive branch like that is commendable, and might change things.”

Korn thought about this. Pran wasn’t exactly in the wrong, right? I mean, his family made him treat his crush like that, and then his family took him away when they finally had something good going.

“Yeah, but the problem is that the fighting really happened because of other people’s influence. He didn’t fight with the guy because he hated him, but because he had to out of loyalty. On both sides, really.”

Pat nodded. “I see. Well, maybe trying to change the opinions of those around them would help. Or if that’s too hard, he should try to at least explain why he did what he did, so the other person knows it wasn’t out of true malice.”

Korn smiled. “You know, that’s pretty good advice.”

Pat chuckled, “I mean, yeah, I’m a genius!”

Korn just laughed harder, “No, man, I’ve met a real genius, and he is a sight to behold!”

Pat looked confused, but took the jab well. The rest of lunch was spent listening to Chang and Mo argue about a dumb video game.

The next time Korn saw Pran it was when they had finally finished the bus stop. Korn physically had to stop himself from being friendly with Pran, but it was difficult. Over time, he’d really begun to empathize with him over his whole crush situation, and it made Korn want to reach out more. Fortunately, Pran’s friends went a separate way than he did, so Korn just followed him for a second until he caught up to talk to him.

“Pran! Hey!” He called out, racing to walk in stride with him.

Pran jumped at the name call, but he turned around and looked very surprised to see Korn there. Something in his look just seemed so shocked, Korn put the pieces together. Pran hadn’t been ignoring his presence out of courtesy, he’d done it because he genuinely didn’t think Korn would want to talk to him again. Something about that kind of put an ache in Korn’s chest, but he pushed it away. Korn would just have to prove to Pran that he did want to be friends, despite their rocky start.

“Sorry I haven’t talked to you recently, we’ve always been around our faculty pals, and you know how dramatic they’d be if we were ‘fraternizing with the enemy’.” Korn said.

Pran nodded, although still a bit shell shocked and wary. “I didn’t realize you wanted to talk again.”

Korn just looked shocked in return. “Why wouldn’t I? We bonded in that elevator! We’re friends now, we have to be!”

Pran laughed at his dramatic response, but kept walking. “Well, then, what did you want to talk about?”

Korn took a deep breath. “Well, you know, I’ve been thinking about your whole crush situation and—”

Pran had stopped. Korn looked at him, worried that he’d said too much. Pran did seem like a ‘hold it in’ kind of guy, and maybe talking in public was a bit too much for him. But Pran wasn’t even aware Korn was there anymore. Pran’s eyes were fixated on a photography shoot, where that new girl, Ink, and Pat were. Immediately, Korn felt bad. Pat had told him that he’d had a ‘family emergency’ which really could’ve been anything, but Korn had been the one to cover for him. He hadn’t meant to so clearly lie to Pran, and he hadn’t meant to get caught like this either.

“I’m sorry man, I didn’t know the ‘family emergency’ was this! Really I—”

Korn stopped trying to explain when he saw Pran’s expression.

Pran wasn’t mad at him. Pran looked devastated. Korn peered back over to the shoot, and saw Ink and Pat hanging on each other. Suddenly, everything made sense, and Korn felt like a major asshole.

Instead of letting Pran sit there and wallow, Korn very gently put his hand on Pran’s shoulder to snap him out of it. Pran whirled back around, and Korn saw panic in his eyes. Korn just smiled, although it was probably outlined with pity, and just took Pran by the arm and led him away.

After the discovery Korn had made about Pran’s crush, Korn had gotten the full story from Pran. Korn had been shocked to know that his best friend was Pran’s crush, but if anything, it was also a relief. Pran’s crush was at least a really good guy. Korn could vouch for Pat’s loyalty and likability, so Korn was less worried that Pran was after a basket case. Not to mention, the idea of Pran and Pat together was kind of neat. They seemed different, opposites really, just like Pran had said, but still like they somehow matched.

Immediately after knowing the truth, Korn decided he was going to help Pran woo Pat. Who wouldn’t want to play matchmaker for their two friends? Pran though, was certain that nothing would sway Pat his way.

“The food thing won’t work. Besides, we’ve already had that fiasco before. I’m green tea girl.” Pran said.

Korn couldn’t help but laugh his ass off at that admission.

Korn had also suggested music as a way to get closer again, but that ship had already sailed, and with it, Korn’s two best ideas.

But the question remained of how to make Pat realize that Pran was an obvious catch. Korn went to bed pondering it, and when he woke up, in the haze of brushing his teeth; he realized he had an ingenious plan.

Chapter Text

Pat was worried for his friend, Korn. Seemingly out of nowhere, Korn starts asking him strange questions and asks for some pretty serious advice. Korn isn’t really the ‘asking for advice’ type, he usually just dives in headfirst and thinks about the consequences later. Which means if he was already considering the consequences, they had to be staring him right in the face.

That’s where Pat’s worry comes into play.

It was pretty obvious that Korn’s ‘friend’ was just Korn himself. At first, Pat wondered who on earth was the guy Korn was crushing on, but the more he thought about it, it was obvious. It was that Wai dude from architecture. Pran’s best friend. He still has no idea why Pran likes that hotheaded bastard, but apparently he was likable enough for his best friend to like him too, so Wai had to have some redeeming qualities. Okay, the guy’s face wasn’t bad looking, but Pran totally beat him in the looks department, and even in the grades department too. Korn did seem like the type to like athletic guys, which was probably the only area Wai could outdo someone like Pran. So Pat just assumed Korn liked his physical abilities.

Ew. Okay, that sounded like an innuendo. It wasn’t.

Regardless, if his best friend was crushing on someone, especially someone as difficult as Wai, it was Pat’s responsibility as his friend to help Korn. So, at lunch that next week, he decided to prod Korn about his ‘friend’s’ crush.

“So, what’s he like?” Pat asked.

Korn looked up. “Huh?”

“Your friend. You said he had a crush,” Pat started, “what’s his crush like?”

Korn suddenly looked uncomfortable. Pat kind of empathized. How does one talk about Wai in a good way?

“Well, he’s good on his feet. You know, fast.” Korn said.

Pat nodded. Yup, sounds like Wai. He made a motion for Korn to continue.

“Well, okay, the guy seems pretty put together y’know. He knows what he wants and he goes for it. Determined, but not pushy.” Korn said. Pat nodded slowly, although he definitely thought Wai was a pushy guy.

“What else?”

Korn sighed. “I don’t know, he’s pretty level headed. And responsible. Not to mention he’s smart. Maybe even a genius,” Korn said, rolling his eyes fondly at the last bit.

Okay. Pat was confused. Wai would maybe pass as just determined, but no way was he a genius. That moniker definitely belonged to Pran way more than—

Oh god no.

Was it true? Had Pat completely missed the mark? Suddenly, he thought back to something Korn had said before, “They fought because of the influence of other people.” Technically, Korn and Pran had fought before, but only because Wai had started fights between them. Holy shit. Holy shit. Was his best friend in love with Pran?

Pat spoke up. “This guy, does he like music? Like, play an instrument?”

Korn’s eyebrows shot up. “How the hell did you know that?”

Pat’s heart sank. “Um. Just a lucky guess.”

Korn continued to talk about something else, and Pat let him change the subject. His mind was racing. Korn had a crush on Pran? He supposed he sort of understood, Pran was an impressive guy, he had to be in order to be Pat’s rival throughout life. Pat thought about how if Pran and Korn started to date, he’d have a better chance of actually having a good excuse to hang out with Pran as friends. That couldn’t be a bad thing, right?

Pat tried to think of the crush as a good thing.

As he kept going about his day, he tried to imagine Korn and Pran holding hands, laughing together, kissing.

All of it sent shivers of disgust down his spine. He felt awful for it, but the thought of them together was just so wrong to him. While yeah, it was kind of weird to think about Korn kissing anyone at all, it was really the thought of Pran kissing someone that bothered him. Pat assumed he still had some pent up anger at his old enemy, and resolved to try and get over it. After all, what kind of friend would he be if he felt sick every time his friend had PDA with his boyfriend?

Of course, Pat doubted Korn could win over Pran.

He felt bad for thinking it, but Pran was a guy with high standards. He’d never seen him crush on anyone ever, and there had been plenty of both girls and guys who had found him attractive over the years. Pran had turned all of them away, just saying that he was waiting for the right one. Korn might be a really great guy, but Pran was uptight, a neat freak, and very particular. Korn just went with the flow. Pran was quiet, and reflective. Korn was loud and impulsive. How would they work together? Did Pat even want them to work together?

Pat had been sort of grateful to Ink for roping him into the photoshoot before lunch that day, if only so Pat had an excuse to ask her to go out for drinks that night so he could get his mind off of it.

When at the bar though, the person who was clouding his thoughts just had to be there. In a rugby uniform no less. Ink called Pran over, and Pat just shorted out.Something about seeing him, sweaty and tired, made his mind go to bad places. The guilt from thinking of his friend’s crush like that set in. He tried to dismiss it all as intrusive thoughts. He sat in silence as Ink and Pran caught up. After a minute of spacing out, he heard Pran ask in joking tone,

“What is this? You guys on a date?”

Ink just laughed, but for some reason Pat’s anger flared.

“Yeah, what do you know about dates anyway?” he said.

Pran flinched like he’d been slapped. Immediately, Pat felt guilty. He shouldn’t have been so mean. There wasn’t anything wrong with Pran deciding to wait to date someone he really loved. In fact, Pat thought that it was quite commendable. A lot of his past girlfriends hadn’t exactly been great to him. Before he could take it back though, Pran regrouped.

“I know plenty. Do you think I’ve never dated anyone before?”

This time, Pat was taken aback. Had Pran actually dated after his transfer? Who? What kind of person had been good enough for uptight Pran to fall for? This question just made Pat double down on his faux pas.

“Yeah right. Who on earth would date you?” He snarked.

Pran froze. His face was pinched with anger. Pat was actually really intimidated by the look, so he stayed still. Ink didn’t say a word either. Instead of Pran continuing the verbal fistfight, he just stood up and exhaled.

“God, I hate you.” Pran whispered.

And then he walked away.

Pat felt cold and empty after that altercation, and couldn't even respond when Ink thoroughly scolded him for his awful comments. He just went through the motions until he was in his bed that night, trying to sleep.

The silence of his room was deafening.

One last time, he tried to imagine Pran and Korn happy and in love. This time, it didn’t disgust him, but it still felt wrong. It made him feel like crying. Pat just didn’t understand why.

Chapter Text

Pran isn’t the type to make impulsive decisions. Like ever. So it shocked even him when he talked to Korn the next day and eventually agreed to Korn’s crazy plan.

When Korn had first walked up to him, Pran almost didn’t really want to speak to him, too angry and raw from Pat’s rude comments the day before. But Korn was a soothing presence, without even meaning to be, and Pran still let Korn take up his entire free period with an in depth conversation of his ‘master plan’.

The plan was insane.

Korn had suggested that they pretend to date. That way, Pran could show how desirable he was as a partner and make Pat jealous in one fell swoop. It had the added bonus that they could use the fake relationship as a way to get the drama of an architecture and engineering student dating out of the way before Pran and Pat would have to deal with it. Korn could also use the opportunity to force Wai to stop picking fights with them and make himself look like the better person. Pran thought the last reason was a little silly, but if that made the trade-off fair to Korn, Pran wouldn’t argue.

Still, Pran thought the idea was sort of crazy.

How would it work? They’d have to act intimate, like all the time. Not to mention Pat didn’t seem like the kind of asshole to make moves on someone who’s taken. Pran also seriously doubted anything would make Pat see Pran as desirable.

But… if nothing else, the idea would likely help the faculties from fighting anymore. Not to mention, Pran would really be shoving Pat’s rude words right back in his face if he started dating his best friend. It was poetic irony. So, despite trying to convince Korn that it would never work, and thinking he would never actually go through with it, it only took until the next day for Pran to agree.

After hearing Pat ask if Pran liked Ink of all people, he thought, fuck it. Let’s just do this.

But before Korn and Pran would pretend to date, they had to fix a few issues. They met up that afternoon at a cafe to hammer it all out.

First, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to see that Pran wasn’t a touchy person. If they were going to be convincing, the two of them would have to be comfortable touching each other. Pran agreed, but put his foot down that he would not kiss Korn. Korn easily agreed. So, Pran offered to have Korn come over so they could ‘practice’ hanging off of each other a little bit.

Korn looked a bit concerned at the offer. “Don’t you live right across from Pat? What if he sees us?”

Pran rolled his eyes. “Then it looks more convincing that we’re actually dating. Meeting in secret so no one else knows? Pat won’t make a scene if he sees us anyway. After all, he and I have kept our situation quiet all this time.”

Korn nodded. “Okay, makes sense. But what do we do about our friends?”

Pran sighed. This was the other issue. How to tell their friends they were dating and not piss them off?

“I don’t know. It’d be good if we had a story to explain why we started to like each other in the first place. Then we’ll just have to rip it off like a bandage. They’ll be mad, but they should get over it soon. Especially if you stop fighting with them.”

“Alright. I can definitely do that. As for a story, we don’t really need to make anything up, right?”

Pran furrowed his brow. “Huh?”

Korn shrugged. “We met when an elevator got stuck. Just spin it so it sounds super romantic, and that we couldn’t help but want to be with each other and we’ve got a compelling Romeo and Juliet dynamic.”

Pran laughed. “Sure! But who’s Romeo and who’s Juliet?!”

Korn scoffed. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m the pretty one, so I’m Juliet!”

Pran snorted, “you do have the hair for it.”

Korn grabbed his chest, “Oh Romeo! Where are you, Romeo?”

Pran knocked Korn over the head. “It’s ‘Wherefore art thou, Romeo’. It means ‘Why are you Romeo’. Juliet’s upset that Romeo is the son of her family’s enemies.”

Korn just rubbed his head and chuckled. “Damn, maybe you’re Juliet. But that definitely means Pat is your Romeo.”

Pran sighed. “God I hope not. He actually would drink the poison at the end because he doesn’t know I’m just passed out.”

Korn laughed. “True! Seems like Juliet is the smarter of the two, though. You’re a guy, so you’d be like ‘Jules’ or something.”

Pran just shook his head. “You’re crazy.”

Korn moved on, “So when do you think we should start? Like, should we make an announcement?”

Pran considered this. “Maybe at the faculty concert? If one of us wins we just decide to announce it right there. If it’s neither of us, we both go to the same bar to drown our sorrows and tell our friends there.”

Korn nodded. “Heck yeah! I’ll call my beautiful boyfriend up there when I win!”

Pran just gagged. “I will not ever get used to that. Also, you must be delusional, since I’m definitely gonna win.”

Korn just scoffed “Man, whatever.”

Pran cackled, “I can already tell you’re a sore loser!”

Korn made a noise of offense. “I am nothing but graceful in both winning and losing!”

“I suppose you’ve had your fair share of both.”

“Hey!”

Pran and Korn had met up later at Pran’s apartment to practice getting more comfortable sharing personal space. It took a few hours of working through awkwardness and explaining to Korn what kind of touches were off limits, and which just needed more practice, but by the time the evening came around, they had essentially worked out all the kinks. They sat in each other’s space, Korn could easily put an arm over Pran’s shoulders, and they even felt okay with holding hands. Eye contact was the hardest, but it was so intimate that they assumed they wouldn’t have to engage in that too much. For hasty work, Pran was proud of how well they could sell it.

“Want me to order some dinner?” Pran asked, after they decided to quit for the day.

Korn shrugged. “Sure. You seem pretty kitchen savvy though, actually having stuff in your fridge for guests. Surprised you don’t want to cook to save money.”

Pran rolled his eyes. “I tend to cook for myself mostly, but it is effort. Besides, I only want to put in the effort to cook for myself or my significant other.”

Korn snickered. “Oh, so you’d cook for Pat!”

Pran’s face flushed immediately. “No! Not right now, at least!”

Korn huffed. “Good! ‘Cause even if it’s fake, you’re dating me right now! Don’t cook for a guy who hasn’t realized your worth yet!”

Pran sighed, but his smile was fond. “I have a feeling that even if this crazy plan somehow works, that you’re going to be Pat’s most tall hurdle to pass.”

“What do you mean?”

“I feel like it’s gonna be hard for Pat to get your blessing.”

Korn cackled. “Ha! That’s for sure! You more than have my blessing to date him, but he’s gotta work hard to be a proper boyfriend to anyone, much less another one of my friends!”

Pran smiled, and for once, he really felt like someone was looking out for him.

After they ordered food, and made sure to eat their fill, Pran and Korn exchanged numbers so they’d be able to keep in touch. It’d be weird to not have your boyfriend’s number, right? After Korn saved Pran’s number, he giggled.

“What was that?” Pran asked.

Korn smiled like a devil. “It just feels so… scandalous. Because we’re hiding this from everyone.”

Pran rolled his eyes. “Korn, we’re not actually dating, so we don’t have anything to hide.”

Korn shook his head, “No, we’re fake dating, which means we’re hiding two secrets! Even more scandalous!”

Pran laughed, “ Yeah, I guess so! But it won’t be a secret forever.”

Korn winked. “Exactly.”

Pran scrunched his nose. “Ew. Don’t wink at me.”

Korn pouted. “My fake boyfriend is so mean.”

“Next time, get a real boyfriend, and I’m sure he’ll be nicer.”

Korn hummed. “I don’t know, I think feisty ones are my type.”

Pran raised his eyebrows, “Feisty ones? Wow, I see. Guy or girl?”

Korn nodded. “I’ve only dated girls so far, but I’m open to guys too. I’ve just never had one hit on me.”

Pran eyed Korn, “Oh, so if it’s a guy, you want to be pursued?”

Korn nodded.

Pran laughed. “Nice! Good to know. I guess in our story, I asked you out first, then.”

Korn seemed to think this over. “Y’know, I think it would be kind of surprising for everyone to hear you were the aggressor, but I think it works!”

“Hey! I can be aggressive!”

Korn shrugged, “yeah, but you tend to choose not to be.”

Pran agreed.

An hour later, Korn finally left, and Pran went to bed in a good mood.

The next day, Pran did chores and made time to go to the music store in the afternoon. He expected his trip to be quiet and relaxing, but of course, it wasn’t.

As Pran walked in, he noticed Pat already checking out some stuff. The anger underneath his skin still burned, the scathing remarks Pat said to him hadn’t yet faded from memory. But, despite Pat’s sharp tongue, the burning was matched by the tingle of seeing him unexpectedly. Pran’s anger would not overpower his affection, and the serendipity of seeing Pat only added to Pran’s hopeless feelings. The world pushed Pat at him, and yet Pran would never stand beside him. Pran was cursed to always be in Pat’s periphery, never making eye contact.

Despite the swirl of feelings he felt, Pran didn’t give away a single one of them on his face. It’s a natural thing to him, to be blank and unreadable. He walked into the store, and tried to focus on gathering what he needed.

Before he knew it, Pran’s hand was covered by Pat’s— the both of them holding the same guitar.

Pat looked tired, or maybe frustrated, but Pran’s face felt numb. He wondered if his expression was too open, too readable. He hoped not.

“What brings you here?” Pat asked. He crossed his arms.

Pran knew that body language. Pat was closing himself off from Pran. Somehow, the menial gesture stung. Pran couldn’t just ignore it. “Why?Are you the only one that can come here?”

Pat seemed to mull this over, and turned away.

Pran immediately went to examine the guitars again, anything to stop staring at Pat. To stop interpreting his body language.

The shopkeeper handed Pat his drumsticks, but Pat didn’t move.

Pran picked at the guitar, feeling his hairs stand up on the back of his neck. He peered over to look at Pat. But Pat was looking around, not paying attention to him. But why would he? Pat wanted Ink, and Pran was never going to be her.

Suddenly, Pran’s phone rang.

He picked it up and said, “Hello?”

Korn’s voice came through the receiver. “Hey! Where are you?”

“At the instrument shop, why?”

Korn gasped. “Cool! I wanted to ask if it’s fine if I start dropping hints that I like someone. It feels weird to not do that.”

Pran agreed. “Yeah sure, I think that’s fine. By the way, do you need anything while I’m here?”

“Helping a rival are you? Very upstanding.”

Pran chuckled. “Be serious.”

“I might want something. Can you look at the guitar picks?”

“Yeah sure, I’ll send you some pictures.”

“Thanks! Bye, fake boyfriend!”

“Yeah okay,” and Pran hung up.

“You’re in such a good mood,” Pat snarked.

Pran looked at Pat, confused.

“Was that your date?” He asked, smirking.

This time, Pran didn’t let Pat’s word affect him. “Not your business.”

Satisfied with his rebuttal, Pran went to take pictures of the picks. He quickly texted some to Korn, and peered up to see Pat suitably upset. Likely he was mad he couldn’t get Pran angry. Served him right. Pran turned to go deeper into the store, but Pat moved to be perfectly in his way. Pran tried to move again, but Pat moved with him. With a huff, Pat pushed him out of the way, and left.

“What's the matter with him?” Pran asked aloud. But it was almost a reflex. Pran knew why. The callousness of Pat’s actions left Pran feeling sort of numb. Perhaps it was hopelessness. No matter how good Pran tried to be, no matter how much he loved Pat, Pat couldn’t seem to ever see Pran as anything more than an annoying obstacle in his life. And wasn’t that just awful?

His phone dinged. Korn had decided. Quickly, Pran buys what he and Korn need, and leaves the store, feeling like the day was partially lost.

The next time Pat came around, Pran favored Wai over Pat, trying to make sure his complicated feelings could not be seen. After all, Pran had been a master at hiding his affection for Pat, and recent events wouldn’t stop Pran from continuing his streak. Pat seemed just as frustrated and jumpy as before, and huffed before he left again. Pran tried not to dwell on it, but more and more it felt like Pat hated being in his presence. And it hurt.

The day of the music competition came fast, and Pran was ready. His friendship and ensuing plan with Korn had taken some weight off his shoulders, and given him leeway to write a great song. It was more melancholy, sure, but it had defiant hope written in it. “I know you don’t look my way, but I’ve always looked at you.”

Was it obviously written about Pat? Sure, but nobody had to know that.

Before the competition, Pran saw Pat again, but this time, Pran couldn’t help but stare. Pat was turning in his lyrics too, and for once, Pat didn’t look angry or haughty in Pran’s presence. Something about that hurt in a different way.

“How are you doing? Are you ready?” Pat asked. Pran almost wished he hadn’t.

“More than ready.” Pran said, forcing himself to look confident. “I have to be. Where’s Ink?” Pran couldn’t help but ask.

“Why?” Pat asks.

Pran almost wanted to roll his eyes, but he stayed polite. Because you like her. Why aren’t you trying to impress her? It’d be easier to tell myself I can’t have you if you’re already hers. But he didn’t say those things. Instead, he said, “I just want to know. I thought she’d be here to support you.”

Pat nodded. “She will be, she’s just not backstage.”

Pran felt a pang in his heart. It felt like tearing. “Cool.”

Pat looked around. “Anyone here to support you today?”

Pran automatically nodded before he could stop himself.

Pat looked surprised, but didn’t use it to poke fun, he just asked, “oh, who?”

Feeling like he had the upper hand for once, Pran just smirked. “Oh, just someone special.”

Pat’s face twisted weirdly. Pran’s not sure if it’s annoyance, confusion, or something else, but it’s awful to see on Pat’s face. “Oh. Cool.”

Pran just tried to play it off, not sure why Pat’s mood had crumbled. “Like Ink isn’t someone special to you. We’ve all gotta have somebody, right?”

And Pat just nodded. Pran shrugged, and waved Pat goodbye, and wished him luck.

Before going onstage, Pran texted Korn to ask if the announcement plan was still on, and quickly, Pran got a text back saying, “absolutely.”

Pran went onstage, and while he played the song he wrote, he let his brain turn off. He just let himself feel. Something he doesn’t do often. He let himself enjoy the song, the sound, the crowd, and most of all, his hard work. Despite the lyrics, Pran couldn’t help but smile as he played.

After the song ended, he left the stage feeling much lighter than before. The last time he’d gotten onstage had been a disaster. It had destroyed his life. Now, at the very least, Pran can look back at this moment and know that music hadn’t betrayed him. Performing was something beautiful, and something he loved. And he had been able to accomplish it with some really good friends.

Pran rode the high of performing and waited to hear which team had won. Somehow, he was sure they would win. Pat and Korn’s team had been great, and so had everyone else, but they were the only team that wrote their own song. Surely that had to count for something?

Sure enough, when the winner was announced, Architecture had won.

Pran felt euphoria. It was blinding. He jumped and yelled and cheered. In the back of his mind, he remembered he had an announcement to make.

“Can I say something!?” He yelled to the student announcing. The student looked surprised, but he shrugged and handed the mic down to Pran.

“Sorry for derailing,” Pran began, “but I have something I really wanted to share. I’m sure everyone on campus knows about the rivalry between Architecture and Engineering.”

The crowd yelled back.

“While I understand friendly rivalry very well, I’d like to make sure the violence and hostility between us faculties can soon be let go. Of course, I’ve always felt this way as Architecture’s faculty president, but I have a much more personal reason now.”

The crowd was silent. They all seemed entranced.

“I’d really like to not have to fight with the faculty my boyfriend is in.” Pran said.

The yelling and gasping was so loud, Pran almost flinched. But he stood strong. He motioned for Korn to come forward. Easily, Korn broke out of formation with his band and came to stand with Pran. His bandmates looked shocked, and Pat even looked somewhat betrayed. Pran forced himself to not look at Wai or his friends. He already knew they’d be furious with him. He’d deal with the fallout later.

Korn put his arm around Pran, and Pran sat comfortably with it, the two of them looking natural. Korn motioned for the mic, and Pran handed it over.

“I’m definitely upset that Engineering wasn’t victorious today. However, I think Architecture’s band was a solid rival, and I can’t help but reluctantly congratulate them. I used to be the most avid Architecture hater. I’ve been pretty immature in the past with my attitude towards them. Of course, now that I’m with someone from Architecture, I see I’ve been too harsh. I still enjoy our rivalry, but I hope Architecture and Engineering can stay civil while competing.”

Pran nodded. The student announcer took back his mic and congratulated both the Moi band, and Pran and Korn for their budding relationship. The two of them turned back to their friends, and Pran noticed that all three of his friends were already gone. Pran then moved to see Korn’s band, and while the other two guys seemed shocked and fairly pleased to see Korn so happy, Pat was a different story.

Pran didn’t have a word to describe Pat’s expression, but the closest word Pran could think of, was; devastated. Pran felt his fingers twinge, guilt swirling inside him, and suddenly Pran wondered if Pat was upset because Pran was taking Pat’s closest friend away. Strangely, Korn seemingly ignored Pat’s face, pulling Pran in for a hug. Pran turned into the hug, holding Korn tight if only so he didn’t have to look at the hurt he’d wrought onto the man he loved.

Chapter Text

It had been three days since Pat found out his best friend Korn, and his childhood rival, Pran, were dating. It had also been three days since Pat realized he really didn’t want Pran to date anyone but Pat himself.

Ink had opened Pat’s eyes a bit, and Pat had wondered, what if I like Pran? After his confession to Ink, even he could tell that his feelings for Ink were in the past, and the present was all about someone else. It was just unfortunate that the 'someone else' didn’t like him very much, and was also dating his best friend. He’d skipped out on school the past two days, unable to face the idea of seeing Pran and Korn too close and loving with each other. But tonight, he wouldn’t be able to avoid it.

Korn had texted Pat earlier, asking him to come out to dinner with Korn, Pran, as well as Korn and Pat’s friends and Pran’s friends. Apparently, Pran’s friends had been giving him the cold shoulder, and Korn was trying to see if he could get everyone to make up and make nice. Seeing Korn try so hard for Pran was nice, since Pran deserved that, but it was also really difficult. Pat wished he could be helping Pran, he wished he was the shoulder for Pran to lean on. Pran wasn’t a vulnerable person, and he didn’t show weakness. If Pran had asked Korn for help with his friends, it was because deep trust ran between the two of them. And that made Pat feel like his skin was flayed open. Because whatever bond Pran and him had, it obviously paled in comparison to the bond between Korn and Pran.

What Pat wouldn’t give to be Pran’s.

But tonight, Pat had to push that aside. Right now, his friend needed him. Pran needed him too, although not in the way Pat would’ve liked. Nonetheless, despite his feelings, Pat needed to be there to support them. Everyone was already calling them star-crossed lovers because of the faculty rivalries, and Pat hated that people didn’t support them. Neither of them deserved that hardship.

Pran deserved everything good, and Pat couldn’t give him that. But maybe Korn could.

In the next hour, Pat got up to get ready. He dragged his feet, and he wished a phantom cough would show up and successfully make him too sick to go, but still, Pat arrived punctual to dinner.

Pran and Korn sat next to each other, apparently early. Pat was the only other person who’d arrived. He greeted them and sat down across from them, trying to ignore that they were definitely holding hands beneath the table.

Pran and Korn had already ordered for everyone, and Pat wondered if it was Pran who knew exactly what he’d like, or if it was Korn. He didn’t want to know the answer.

“Thanks for coming, Pat. You guys have been fine about Pran and I’s relationship, but Pran’s friends have been major assholes, so we’re trying to guilt them into being nice.” Korn said.

Pran bumped Korn lightly with his shoulder. “Don’t say it like that. They… Just need some time. And maybe if we show them we’re happy, they’ll forgive me faster.”

Korn rolled his eyes, and turned to Pran. “You’ve done nothing wrong. Why do you need to be forgiven?”

Pran shrugged. “Wai is… sensitive.” Both Korn and Pat snorted, and Pran bristled. “Really! He is! He’s got a much softer heart than people realize. More than he wants people to know, you know? But I know how he gets, and I should’ve known better than to expect him to take this well.”

Pat’s mouth twisted. Pran was far too sweet for his own good. Even someone like Wai was treated like something precious to Pran. If only Pat could be treated with as much care. If only Pran cared about him that much.

Korn sighed. “Sure. Fine. I guess. But he’s your friend, and even if he’s mad at you, he should be trying to support you and be there for you. I mean, damn, if he just got off his high horse and asked for an apology, you’d fold immediately and give him one.”

Pran smacked Korn’s shoulder. “Don’t say it like I’m a little bitch!”

Korn smirked. “Maybe you are a little bitch— my little bit—”

Pran slapped his hand over Korn’s mouth and cut him off.

“Absolutely not. I cannot take you anywhere, oh my god. I’m gonna wash out your mouth with soap for that.” Pran hissed at Korn.

Pat sat dumbfounded.

He was shocked at their easy interaction, their banter, the weird tension between them that he was terrified to admit might be… sexual. Pran’s admonishment of Korn’s behavior sent a shiver down his spine, wondering what it would be like if Pran threatened to punish him. All at once, Pat was hit with a mix of jealousy, intrigue, heartbreak, and desire. He didn’t know how to navigate through it. It hurt. He wanted. He wanted so much.

In the next moment, Wai strolled in, and sat down next to Pat. “Fine. I’m here,” he announced as if they hadn’t noticed his presence.

Pran’s face softened. Pat hated seeing such a fond look given to such an asshole. “Thanks for coming, Wai,” Pran said.

Wai rolled his eyes, and Pat felt his anger flare. Wai spoke, “yeah, whatever. I came to get the story of how all this happened. And to give ponytail a hard time.”

Korn sat back and sighed. “I have a name, you know.”

Wai sneered, “Well thank god your mother didn’t forget that.”

Both Korn and Pat tensed up. Pat turned his head to Korn, who’d sat up and leaned forward with a dark look on his face.

“My mother is dead. You keep her out of your filthy fucking mouth, you hear me?”

Pat saw Pran’s face go white. For a second, he wondered if it was because he had never seen Korn so threatening before, or if he was afraid a fight might start. He immediately dashed both ideas because Pran did not care if people were threatening, and a fight was more annoying to Pran than horrifying.

In a flash, it hit him. Pran hadn’t known that Korn’s mother had passed. And damn, what a way to find out.

Wai was taken aback too, and he looked away. Interestingly, it seemed there were limits to even Wai’s behavior because he apologized. “Fine. I’m sorry.”

Korn took such a deep breath it moved his shoulders, too. “Apology accepted.”

Pran’s eyes met Pat’s, and Pat couldn’t help but give him a reassuring look. The air was awkward and tense, and while Pat was able to let the atmosphere roll off his back like water, he was pretty sure Pran wasn’t like that.

Pran smiled back, grateful for the support, and looked away.

Pat couldn’t help the butterflies he felt. For a moment, Pran’s attention was on just him. Not Korn, not Wai, not any other person, just him. And it had been electrifying. He missed it already. He wanted it back.

He shook his head. He needed to get his head out of the clouds. He was being a dick. He looked at Korn, who was clearly still trying to calm himself down. He waited for Korn to peer up and meet Pat’s eyes, and when he did, Pat asked with his eyes if Korn was okay. Korn nodded, annoyance rolling off of him in tired waves. Despite Wai’s mouth, Korn was still clearly trying to put effort forward for Pran’s friend.

God, the people he loved were amazing, and all he could do was wish he could take what was theirs away from them. He was the worst.

“I am curious though,” Pat started, trying to move the mood to a better place. “How did this all happen? Like, when did you two get so close? And how?”

Pran and Korn met eyes and shared a smile. It was almost precocious, the way they looked at each other, and it made Pat’s heart lurch. He swallowed the pain down.

Pran started to talk, “Well, we got stuck in an elevator together.”

Korn continued, “And it’s pretty boring in there, and so we just started talking to pass the time.”

Pran nodded. “I mean, at first, we were just having a verbal spat—”

Korn cut in, “we were talking crap,” he corrected.

Pran rolled his eyes. “Yeah sure, that. But then we started to get to know each other.”

“And frankly, Pran’s pretty cool.” Korn said. “After we got out, I couldn’t help but want to keep talking to him.”

Pran shrugged and looked bashful. “I guess I got woo’ed by the attention. But I couldn’t help but like Korn’s sense of humor. And he’s nicer than I expected.”

Pat felt like he wilted. That’s all it took? Attention? Some woo’ing? Being nice and funny? If Pat hadn’t had his head in his ass, it easily could’ve been him who stole Pran’s heart. But instead, his family’s rivalry had thoroughly fucked him over.

“Aw stop,” Korn said. “You’re gonna make me blush.”

Wai huffed. “Okay, sure. But why date? Sounds like you could’ve just been friends.”

Pran looked taken aback by the statement, and looked at Korn.

Korn shrugged. “Honestly, we are friends. Or at least, we started that way.”

Pran just kept watching Korn’s face, all his attention there. Pat could barely stand it.

“The truth is, I helped Pran get with his old crush. A real jerk of a guy who had his head in his ass and I just couldn’t stand Pran going all goo-goo over him. Before I knew it, Pran was flirting with me for real, and I’m a weak man. He’s pretty. ” Korn said.

Pran looked like a deer in headlights. Pat found himself wondering. Who the hell did Pran like before?

Wai scoffed. “You were the upgrade?”

With a deadpan look, Korn just said, “better than you, that’s for sure.”

Pat’s stomach rolled. Was Wai Pran’s old crush? How was it that Pran was crushing on every guy except him? Pran liking Wai was just an awful thought. Korn was right, if Pran’s old crush was Wai, then Korn was a major upgrade.

Pran stepped into the conversation. “Look, I understand all of us here had a… less than ideal meeting, but I think we can all get past it… If we try.”

Korn turned to Pran, and with a soft look on his face he said, “You know I’m willing to try for you, babe.”

Babe.

Babe.

Pat felt like he’d been slapped.

He had no right to feel that way, and yet he did.

Pat, almost robotically, pitched in, “Yeah. I’m always willing to try for a friend.”

Korn beamed at him, but Pran looked more hesitant. Or was it concerned? Pat didn’t know, and he felt too numb to care.

Wai squinted. He took a deep breath. “I guess I’ll try. But Pran is my best friend, and I’m only doing this for his ungrateful ass, not any of you fuckers.”

Pran looked at Wai, and mouthed, “thank you.”

Pat would do anything to switch places with even Wai right now, and that’s how he knew he was so fucked.

Korn sighed and leaned back, “hopefully us dating will help anyone who wants to date between our faculties. I mean, we’ll get some crap for a while, but people will eventually get over it, and it will just be normal.”

Pran turned to Korn, and smiled while nodding.

Pat couldn’t help but feel his heart squeeze. Only his friends could think about helping other people through loving openly, only his friends could be so good, so sweet. A small part of him hated how lovable and righteous they were, if only because it meant he couldn’t allow his jealousy to make him resentful towards them.

They ate with minimal conversation, until Pran and Korn said they had to leave. When Pat asked for what, Korn had just nudged Pran and insinuated something intimate between them. It made Pat nauseous. He swallowed it down.

As soon as they left, Wai snickered. “Well that was sad.”

Pat furrowed his brow and turned to Wai. “What?”

“Oh come on, Pat, do you think I’m stupid?” Wai asked.

“Well…”

“Okay, fuck you, don’t answer that.” Wai snapped. “Regardless of what you think about my intelligence, I’m not unobservant. Pran might not wear his heart on his sleeve, but you do.”

Pat was taken aback. “Excuse me?”

Wai laughed. “If you think I haven’t noticed your pining looks towards Pran this entire time, then you must actually think I’m dense. But I noticed. You want him. You want him bad.”

Pat growled, “Fuck off. You’re such a piece of shit.”

Wai shrugged. “Whatever. What I am isn’t the point. The point is, you’re in love with Pran and can’t have him because Pran and Korn are together.”

Pat rolled his eyes. “Even if you were right, what does that matter?”

Wai sighed. “Look, I don’t like you. In fact, I think you and your friends are annoying. But, even I admit you’re a better option for Pran than Korn.”

“That is my best friend you’re talking about.”

“My condolences.”

Pat huffed. “God, you suck.”

“Whatever,” Wai scoffed. “My point is, I’d rather you be with Pran than Korn, and you obviously wish you were with him too. So, what if we team up to break them up?”

Pat was stunned. What the fuck is wrong with this guy?

“Korn is my friend. And Pran is supposed to be yours. What I want doesn’t matter. They deserve to be happy. You’re a selfish asshole for trying to put what you want above what Pran wants. Why can’t you just be happy for him?”

Wai grits his teeth. “What I’m hearing is that you don’t care if Pran is stolen away from you.”

“Pran isn’t my property! He can’t be stolen from me! What I’m hearing is that you’re actually the shittiest friend ever, and you don’t deserve Pran!”

“Then why didn’t he tell me!?” Wai yelled.

Pat recoiled. “What?”

Wai sneered and turned away. “Why didn’t Pran tell me he liked someone? Why didn’t he tell me anything before he announced it to everyone? If I’m his best friend, then why did I find out when strangers found out? How is that fair?”

Pat sighed. “I don’t know, Wai.”

Wai clicked his tongue.

“Really,” Pat urged, “I don’t know. But what I do know is that you would be better served asking Pran that question. It’d be better for you and him to talk things out than for you to sit here and try to betray your friend with me. It’s not right.”

Wai scoffed. “Fine. Whatever. Get cucked. See if I care.”

And Wai stalked off.

Pat sat there for a minute, just wondering how long his heart could take him being the good guy he knew he wasn’t.

Pran let Korn come back to his dorm with him. The entire trip back, it seemed like Korn was vibrating with excited energy, and Pran didn’t know why. If anything, Pran felt guilty.

There was no way Pat wasn’t upset with Pran dating Korn. He could tell. Pat and Pran being in each other’s spaces had always ended badly, and now Pran was butting into Pat’s closest friendship and dating his best friend. Pran felt like he was taking away Pat’s safe space, much like how Pran’s safe space was ripped from him after the band fiasco.

As soon as Pran’s door closed, Korn was rushing him into a hug.

“Holy shit! I can’t believe it’s working!” Korn yelled.

Pran stood awkwardly in the hug before he pried Korn’s grip off of him. “What do you mean?”

“Pat is so jealous! He wants you! He must’ve figured it out after we announced us being together. It fucking worked!”

Pran gulped. He didn’t agree. Pat may be upset, that was easy to tell, but it couldn’t be from wanting Pran. Pran wasn’t… Worth that. He never had been.

“I don’t know.”

Korn bumped him. “He was totally giving you puppy eyes! He’s pining for you! Straight up yearning, my guy!”

Pran scoffed. “I’m not so sure about that, Korn.”

Korn rolled his eyes. “I am. Give him a week, he’ll be begging you to be his ‘wifey’. I just know it.”

Pran grimaced. “Stop it with the ‘wife’ crap.”

Korn wiggled his eyebrows. “Why? Don’t wanna be Pat’s wifey?”

Pran grit his teeth. “If you keep calling me a wife,” He glared, “I will make sure you are the ‘wife’ in your next relationship.”

Korn leaned back. “Are you… Are you threatening to cut off my dick?”

“Worse,” Pran sneered, “I’m threatening to cut off your balls.”

Korn’s posture snapped to perfection in a second. “Okay, Mister Husband Sir.”

Pran groaned.

“But really, I actually think this is working. He’s figuring out that he can’t have you, and it’s bothering him.”

Pran shrugged. “Are you sure he’s not just pissed I’m taking his friend away from him?”

Korn laughed. “He’s never been that possessive over me. We don’t work like that.”

Pran nodded. He’d think about what Korn was saying. He wasn’t convinced that Korn was right, but he’d feel bad just dismissing him.

“Speaking of possessiveness, what the hell is up with Wai?” Korn asked, and walked over to sit down on Pran’s couch.

Pran followed and sat down near him. “What do you mean?”

“Why’s he so possessive of you? And I’m not gonna lie, I wasn’t expecting him to back down when I told him off today. It was weird.” Korn said.

Pran pursed his lips. He doesn’t like to talk about Wai’s personal business. He often doesn’t defend Wai’s behavior, because despite the fact that he does have his reasons for it, there’s not much excuse for the way he acts, and Pran doesn’t want to unconditionally defend bad behavior.

He sighed. “Wai is… Well… A couple of years ago his little brother died.”

Korn raised his eyebrows. “Shit. Okay. And what does that have to do with his behavior?”

“Well, I know he backed down after you told him off because despite his attitude, Wai doesn’t ever speak ill of the dead. He’s heard crap said about his brother too many times for him to do that.”

Pran continued, “His little brother didn’t… He committed suicide. He was bullied for being outed as gay in school, and even though it got bad, he wouldn’t let Wai help him.”

Korn swallowed.

“Wai’s been really, really possessive of the people he cares about ever since. Sometimes, he treats them more like things than people, because it’s easier to protect and keep things than trying to keep people. I think he worries that letting people stray too far from him means he’ll lose them. Sometimes I’m not sure if he knows he’s doing it or not.”

Korn nodded. “I kinda get it.”

“It’s not an excuse for his behavior.” Pran said, “but it’s so much easier to accept how prickly and rude he is when you realize he’s just acting out of his grief. And I know he cares about me because he tries to put his opinion into everything I do.”

Korn gave him a face. “Man, I can understand letting him off the hook because of his grief, but don’t feel cared for because he’s a controlling ass with you. You deserve better friendship than that. You deserve love that puts you first, not others.”

Pran sat stunned. He’d… never heard it like that before.

It was always, ‘do this for mom because she loves me’, ‘do this for Wai because he cares about me’, or even ‘do this for Pat because I love him’... and never anything else.

“I…” Pran croaked.

“Damn,” Korn said, chuckling nervously and putting his hand on Pran’s shoulder. “I didn’t mean to make your head explode.”

Pran felt his throat close. He couldn’t say anything. He just felt a bit too much.

Korn leaned back. “I’m gonna be honest. Part of why I think you and Pat would be good together is because you’re both so selfless. You’d give everything to each other. No imbalance. Just love.”

Pran nodded. He knew how selfless Pat could be. He’d seen it. Even experienced it a few times. It was part of why he fell for him. He just never thought he’d get to keep it. Never thought that selflessness was something he deserved. Pran was a giver, he’d not often received. Pat gave just as much, like he was an endless pool of generosity and goodwill. A good guy that Pran just couldn’t be, could never live up to. Pran felt so selfish wanting Pat, wanting him despite the family rivalry, despite the rift between them from high school, despite the anguish he knew he’d cause Pat just by being around.

Korn didn’t see selfishness in Pran’s desire. Just love. It stung just as much as it lifted a weight off of him.

Pran swallowed so hard his throat clicked, but Korn just ignored it out of courtesy. Pretended not to see Pran’s vulnerability, almost like he knew it would bother Pran to have it be called out so openly.

Maybe he’d fallen into favor with a god that day he’d gotten stuck in the elevator with Korn, because he felt so lucky to be known and supported by this man as a friend.

Chapter Text

Wai was not a man who gave up easily. Call him an asshole, call him a jerk, whatever, but you can’t call him a coward. He was impulsive, hot-tempered, and had a startling amount of persistence. It was something Korn could admire about the guy, as much as he couldn’t stand the rest of him. Of course, with Wai following him around so persistently, Korn was starting to hate that part of the guy too.

“Why the fuck are you following me around?” Korn grouched. Not only was it unwelcome, but it was surprising, too. Korn hadn't exactly handled his last interaction with Wai carefully, telling him off and all, even if the rebuttal had been deserved. Korn figured Wai would want Pran around as a buffer between the two for the foreseeable future, but apparently Wai was determined to be insufferable.

Wai shrugged. “To bother you.”

Korn rolled his eyes. He sighed and stopped walking. “I know, asshole, I meant why are you trying to bother me?”

Wai got to the point. “I don’t like that you’re dating my friend.”

“Damn good thing I ain’t then,” muttered Korn. He said it with the intention of making a joke out of it, really. He’d been hoping to mess with Wai, have him go ‘what?’ and then Korn could bring it back and say ‘we’re past the dating stage, we’re husbands to be!’ and watch Wai blow himself into the sky with rage. What he hadn’t expected was for Wai to grab his shoulder with an iron grip and wrench him closer, snarling in his face.

“What the fuck? You telling me you’re messing with my best friend? You gonna dump him or something? He’s not some damn floozy.”

Korn had seen Wai irritated. Angry. Pissed. But with his teeth bared and eyes darker than an eclipse, he looked downright wrathful. It sent goosebumps down his arms. He felt his breath hitch. If you ever asked Korn after the fact, he’d say Wai had never scared him, but truthfully, he was quite intimidating like this.

“Fuck no! I was just- Wait a minute, I thought you wanted us to break up?” Korn said, trying to change the subject.

Wai’s grip loosened a bit, but he kept in Korn’s space. “Look, I want you two to stop dating, yeah, but I want Pran to dump you, not the other way around. He’s way too good for someone like you and I’d take you out myself if you ever thought you could hurt him and get away with it.”

It was moments like this that made Korn wonder if Wai knew just how much of a hypocrite he was.

"Do you ever hear yourself? For someone so determined to walk over your friends like dirt, you sure get angry if anyone else sees them as a stepping stone." Korn snapped.

Wai’s face shone red, but seemingly tamped down on his anger enough to hiss instead of yell, "how dare you. You don't understand anything about me or my friends."

Korn shrugged. "Not like you've ever given me a chance to know you beyond the bullshit outer layer. Regardless, I know enough to say that instead of worrying about Pran being mistreated by others, you should start worrying about how you treat him."

Wai flinched. Korn noticed it, but in his annoyance decided to ignore it, and the way Wai's face almost softened with worry. "Did Pran say some shit to you?"

Korn shook his head. "No. Pran's too willing to overlook your flaws because you were there when no one else was. I don't share the sentiment. Pran's not a lone wolf anymore. He doesn't need you like he did then. Instead of trying to stay with him by raking your hands through every part of his life, why don't you treat him with some goddamn respect and maybe he'll actually want to stay."

Wai turned his face away. "...You think I'm too insufferable for him to want to stay right now?"

Korn didn't take any time to consider his answer, despite the heaviness of the question. "Maybe. Pran's a bleeding heart and we both know it. But as someone who understands grief with every bone in his body, no grief justifies treating the people who are still here like they've got one foot out the door already. Someday, he'll get tired of you testing him that way."

Wai's face was unreadable. Korn took a deep breath, and for a moment he wondered if he actually took his words too far.

"Grief… huh?" Wai chuckled something bitter. "I didn't realize you two talk about me when I'm not there."

Korn blinked. "Huh?"

Wai sneered, "you wouldn't call my attitude grief unless Pran told you shit he didn't have the right to tell you. For someone so tight-lipped with me, he's sure fucking loose-tongued around you."

Korn felt anger flare up once more, but it was undercut by guilt. "I get you're mad, but stop talking about Pran like that."

Wai rolled his eyes. "I'm not calling him a whore, so calm the fuck down. Besides, as much as I might hold on too tight because of grief… Pran pushes people away for that same reason. He mourns things he's never had. The moment you're too close, there's wall after wall keeping you out. You think he's yours? He's never belonged to anyone. He's too paranoid for that."

Korn shrugged. "Maybe so."

"You won't last. His partners never do."

Korn rolled his eyes. "I'm not like them."

"True. You're worse."

“Look, you’re not getting rid of me so easily. I care about Pran and I’m not planning on leaving his life.”

Wai squinted. “You’re weird as hell.”

Korn was taken aback. “What?”

“Just say you love him. You say shit like ‘care’ and ‘staying in his life’ and it makes it sound like you’re his fucking uncle and not someone who wants to suck his dick.” Wai griped.

Korn spluttered a bit. “I-I don’t-I can talk about my feelings however I want!”

Wai blinked, same pinched expression on his face. “Did you know he has a birthmark on left ass cheek?”

Korn choked on his own spit. “What the fuck!?”

Wai hummed. “Guess not. Have you ever had his spicy fish curry?”

Korn shook his head. “No, uh, not yet.”

Wai nodded, seemingly to himself. “Well, whatever. I’m gonna go, I have better things to do.”

Before Korn could ask what changed Wai’s mind, the guy had already rushed away.

-------

After the awkward way Wai had left after Pat had downright scolded him, he hadn’t expected the guy to come back around for a bit. Pat expected that Wai would grumble and maybe even completely disregard Pat’s words in favor of being a complete asshole, but instead, against expectations, Wai had ambushed him in the school corridor a mere two days later.

“They’re not dating.” Wai said.

Pat paused and looked at Wai. “I’m sorry, context please?”

Wai looked aggravated and sighed harshly. “Korn and Pran. They’re not actually dating. I guess they’re faking it, or shit, I don’t even know, but they’re not dating.”

Pat felt his stomach lurch. A sick bead of hope rolled around his chest like a jumping marble, pinging around with a vengeance. He felt like a pinball machine.

“Okay… let’s say I believe you. How the hell would you know that? Did Pran tell you?” Pat asked, trying to calm himself.

Wai scoffed. “Since when does Pran tell me anything these days? He didn’t have to tell me. I figured it out.”

Pat stomped on his hope and tried to kill it. Wai wasn’t exactly a detective, so any conclusion he made was probably haphazard at best. “Yeah? And how’d you do that?”

Wai grinned like a feral animal. “Korn admitted that Pran never cooked his fish curry for him.”

Pat blinked. “Okay… And?”

Wai huffed. “Look, Pran isn’t the most romantic person ever. His few past partners were always the pursuers, and they always planned dates and what not.”

Pat felt a twinge of pain in his chest. Pran had dated before. Maybe Pran wasn’t that hard to please or off-limits to everyone. Maybe he was just closed-off with Pat. It hurt to consider, but he also sort of understood. The only closeness they’d ever shared was from a sick rivalry their parents pushed on them, and even their tentative truce in high school had been built on teasing jabs and roughhousing instead of any genuine connection.

Wai continued, “the only thing Pran ever does to prove how much he cares for who he dates is to cook for them. I thought it was weird how little tension Pran and Korn had, so I asked him whether or not Pran had made his fish curry for him. Korn looked like he didn’t even know Pran could make fish curry.”

Pat rolled his eyes. “So he doesn’t know Pran’s a culinary artist. Whatever.”

“Not whatever,” Wai hissed. “Pran has waxed fucking poetic about cooking for the person he dates. It’d be the first thing he’d do. That’s straight up Pran’s move. If he loves someone, if he’s committed to them, he cooks for them. And if he’s in love, he cooks fish curry, which is his best dish because he’s a people pleaser and would want to impress who he likes.”

Pat nods, if not just to appease Wai, who looks insane at the moment.

“If Pran’s never cooked fish curry for Korn, then he doesn’t love him, if he doesn’t love Korn, then he’s not actually dating him, because Pran doesn’t date without at least a pathetic amount of pining in his back pocket.”

Pat considered this. “Are you sure?”

Wai nodded. “Also, Korn has no idea about Pran’s birthmark, so they definitely haven’t fucked, either.”

Pat’s brain shorted out a bit. He forced himself to not think about that statement again. “So you’re confident you’re right about this?”

Wai rolled his eyes, “look, Pran is private about his feelings, but I know everything about him, at least everything you can learn about a person before you end up a criminal. I know what side of the bed he sleeps on, I know his shoe size, shit, I know whether the guy sits or stands to wipe his ass, and I know he’s not dating your best friend.”

“Why the fuck would you know whether he- Wait he doesn’t stand to wipe, does he?”

“Fuck no, I’m still friends with him, aren’t I?

“Okay, so they’re not dating?”

Wai sighed again, but it was softer this time. “No, they’re not. And you know what that means, right?”

Pat shook his head.

“It means,” Wai stressed, “you motherfucker, that you have a chance. You can still make Pran fall for you. Whatever weird thing they’re doing right now is not real, and you can move in without feeling guilty.”

Pat opened his mouth to answer, but he was speechless.

“That settles it,” Wai laughed, “Plan ‘Team the fuck up’, is a-go!”

-----------

If someone had told Pat even two months ago that he was going to team up with Wai in order to win his childhood nemesis/rival’s- Pran’s- heart, not only would he have laughed at such a delusional joke, he would’ve been worried that person was drinking some messed up Kool-aid.

But, here he was, hopelessly in love with Pran, and the one person who had his back was Pran’s asshole best friend, Wai. He hated to admit it, but despite Wai’s seemingly selfish reasons for helping Pat, the guy was taking it very seriously.

Wai had demanded Pat’s phone, snatched it from Pat’s hands, and saved his own number in Pat’s contacts and made sure to text himself from Pat’s phone in order to open a line of communication between them. Since then, Wai had been updating Pat about the ‘fake lover’s status’ pretty much any time he had new information. Pat told him it wasn’t necessary, but Wai had persisted, noting that “I’ve never seen them kiss,” and noticing “They’re never intimate when no one’s watching.” Which, really, was a bit creepy because it meant Wai was watching them and the two didn’t know about it, but the information comforted him nonetheless, and made him believe Wai’s theory just a bit more.

Wai had continued his efforts with suggesting scenarios for Pat and Pran to be alone, even going so far as to volunteer himself to occupy Korn’s attention whenever he could to open the way for Pat.

It was… Well it was certainly odd, how well Wai took helping Pat like a fish to water, but even more so it was strangely endearing. Pat hadn’t even asked Wai for anything, and yet he was exerting every effort to not only inform and encourage him, but also to comfort him and challenge him. A part of him began to understand why Pran cared for Wai so much, even with his flaws, if this was the way he treated a friend when they were truly in need.

The dedication Wai showed convinced Pat to throw caution to the wind and trust his next plan; go on the Architecture camp trip with them.

Normally, he wouldn’t dare to put himself in a position to watch Pran and Korn flirt outside of school bounds, but Wai had promised he’d personally see to it that Korn would be constantly distracted. Part of Pat felt bad for scheming like this, for relying on sketchy plans and messing with Korn’s relationship like this, but everytime the guilt rushed forward, Pat would text Wai, “are you sure we should do this?” and everytime Wai would answer, “fuck yes,” and really, the assurance was quite convincing.

Pat reminded himself that for some reason, Korn was fake dating Pran, not really dating him. Pat had asked Wai his thoughts about why their friends could possibly have decided to fake date, and Wai had figured it was likely to get the faculties to stop fighting. Although it hadn’t completely stopped, Architecture and Engineering had become much more friendly with one another, and even the worst offenders (namely Wai and Korn, and a few others,) had created at least a tense truce.

Wai had sounded a bit regretful when he explained his theory, but Pat didn’t ask him why. Maybe he felt guilty for pushing Pran to these lengths to stop his fighting with Korn, or maybe it was something else. Either way, Pat thought Wai’s theory was pretty solid, considering that Pat hadn’t been called in by any professors because of faculty feuds.

The morning of the architecture camp, he met up with Wai and they boarded the bus together.

When Pran saw Wai and Pat sitting next to each other, Pran blinked hard, and asked Wai, “Uh… What are you doing?”

Pat didn’t have an answer, not a good one at least, but Wai apparently came prepared. He huffed out a breath through his nose and said, “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m putting forth effort. For you.”

Which, frankly, Pat considered, wasn’t exactly a lie.

Pran blinked again, and again, struck silent. Just before the pause became too awkward, his face broke out into a watery grin.

“...Thank you…” He whispered. Pran then bit down on his smile and blushed something fierce and turned back to sit with Korn.

Pat swallowed, trying not to dwell on just how beautiful Pran looked with the flush on his cheeks, grateful smile on his face. He turned to Wai, who looked relatively shell-shocked.

Wai shook himself out of it, and looked at Pat, and sneered, “Pick your fucking jaw up from the ground, it’s not that big of a deal.”

Pat schooled his expression, but he knew Wai had been just as floored as he’d been.

For a moment, Pat wondered if Wai and him could really be considered good attentive friends. Wai clearly hadn't seen Pran's grateful expression like ever, and Pat's best friend was apparently fake-dating somebody (Pat's crush but hey… semantics) and Pat had been none the wiser. Why—if Korn and Pran were only dating to make their faculties get along—wouldn't Korn tell him about it? If anything, Pat would've figured that Korn would've urged Pran to add him into this ridiculous plan immediately just so Korn could brag to Pat that he found a solution before him.

The secretive party must be Pran. Pat easily saw why Pran would've only gone through with such an idea if Pat and all of their friends were ignorant to the truth. They'd tease the two of them mercilessly and Pat nor Wai would've never let them actually go through with something so insane.

And the plan was insane. Pat had a hard time coping with the fact that it must've been Pran's idea, because Korn….

Wait. Was this Korn's plan? It was exactly the crazy sort of thing Korn would do, but why would Pran listen to him? And why would Korn have gone to Pran to pitch the idea? What would've motivated Korn to care about fixing the war between the faculties in the first place?

These questions bounced around in his head, no answers readily found. When they arrived at the camp, Pat had the beginnings of a headache from all the wondering.

During the camp, it was almost comical the way Wai went out of his way to grab Korn to join him for everything. The comical part was the fact that Wai was actually being civil, even downright polite in every interaction he forced upon Korn.

Pat watched on with sick curiosity, finding it incredibly entertaining. Korn looked far more uncomfortable with dealing with a kind Wai than he'd ever looked while putting up with the jerkwad version of him.

While Wai distracted Korn, Pat moved in, pairing with Pran on what he would say is "a friendly attempt to get along with my best friend's boyfriend."

While he did this and was in the middle of exercises, he also attempted to do some of his own reconnaissance.

"So, to be honest I never expected you and Korn to end up together. Really out of left field." Pat said.

Pran blinked. "I guess so. I mean, it was a coincidence we got stuck in the elevator together."

Pat nodded. "True. To be fair though, he is really different from you too. I mean, he's just as much of a slob as I am."

"That's true " Pran rolled his eyes and scoffed. "The both of you I swear… but it turns out it's something that's easy to get used to. And he's doing his best to be more clean for me."

Pat pursed his lips. "So you like sloppy guys who can clean up for you?"

"Um… yeah I guess so."

Pat snorted. "You don't seem so sure. So if that's not it, why do you like Korn so much?"

Pran stayed silent for a moment. "Well, it's actually simple. He was there when I needed him. Even though I didn't know I needed anyone. And he cares about my happiness more than he cares about his comfort."

Pat squinted. "I'm not… following."

Pran sighed. "It's okay. You don't have to, really."

Pat shook his head and took Pran's wrist. "No, really. I wanna know."

Pran raised his eyebrows, "I… well… sometimes I feel like people in my life care more about what's convenient for them than about what's difficult for me. They put themselves first all the time, every time, even when they know I need them to help me."

Pat's grip on Pran's wrist loosened. "And Korn doesn't do that? He helps you? Puts you first?"

Pran smiled and nodded. "He does. Even when I expect him not to."

Pat thinks about this for a moment. He thinks about every time he cared a little bit more about what he was going through than what Pran might've been feeling. He thinks about how even if he was allowed to sweep Pran off his feet right now, he wouldn't be able to because of their parents, and because Pat is afraid of the consequences of defying his father. He thinks about how Korn will never have to hold back, will never have to silence his love for his partner, even if that partner is Pran. He thinks about the fact that Korn and Pran's relationship is fake.

He thinks about how yes, they might only be fake dating, but Pran isn't faking anything about the way he looks when he talks about Korn. Their relationship, albeit not romantic… was very real.

And maybe as he always should have, he lets Pran go.

When they broke for dinner, Pat pulled Wai over and spoke to him.

"I appreciate what you've been doing."

"Good. Korn sucks, and this is so boring." Wai sighed.

Pat bit his lip to stop a snarky comeback. "I need to talk to Korn for a bit, so you don't need to come distract him okay?"

Wai furrowed his brow but he nodded. "Fine. Looks like I'll actually get to spend some time with Pran this camp. Yippee."

Pat bit his tongue again and went to grab Korn.

After he brought Korn to a lone part of beach, Korn asked, "why'd we come all the way out here?"

Pat sighed. "Because I have to talk to you about something that no one else can hear, okay?"

Korn seemed to smother a smile but he nodded.

Pat took another deep breath. "Look, I know you and Pran are fake dating."

Korn immediately paled. "What?! What are you… saying…"

Pat grimaced. Korn was so awkward when caught in a lie. "Look, I know, okay? I know you guys are doing it to stop our faculties from fighting and although it's working, I'm worried."

Korn seemed to give up any pretenses and answered, "what are you worried about?"

Pat looked away. "Look, I don't know if you know this, but Pran really cares about you. Have you seen the way he talks about you? It's like you're his hero! I'm worried that he's all in for real and you're not."

Korn cocks his head to the side. "Firstly, I can guarantee Pran is not all in for real. And secondly, why do you care about how he feels so much? It's none of your business, really."

Pat feels anger flare up but he beats it down. It's a fair question, really. One he can't answer unless he tells some truth. "Look, I don't know if Pran's told you this, but I've known him my whole life. We grew up as neighbors and also enemies. Our families hate each other so we pretend we don't know each other, but he's never been a stranger to me."

Korn seemed to take this information well. "Even if that's true, shouldn't you hate him too? Being enemies shouldn't make you care about his feelings."

Pat grit his teeth. Korn wasn't always the most intuitive friend, but he could read Pat's heart like a map. Korn knew exactly where this was going, but he still wanted Pat to name it.

"I love him."

Korn stood in silence, and Pat watched his friend stare at him. All Pat could do was keep going.

"I've always cared about him. When we were younger it was resentment and jealousy, because I was always compared to him. As I got older, I was so curious about him, the boy I was born to hate, and yet I wanted to know everything about him. He was closed off, private, and I wanted more." Pat felt his eyes sting, he hoped it was the salt from the beach, but he knew better.

"Just recently, I realized that I don't want to be like him, I don't just want to know him, I want to have him. I want him in any way I can have him. If that means I can only have him as a friend because I'm not who he loves, that's fine." The tears were rolling down his face. His sight was so blurry he couldn't see Korn's expression. A part of him was relieved at that.

"If I'm not the right one for him, I won't be greedy. I need him to be loved, I need him to be happy and safe. And I don't think he'll ever want that from me. I don't know if I can give that to him. So I'm asking you," Pat put his hand on Korn's shoulder, "I'm begging you to be gentle with him. If you don't love him the way I love him, then please, for me, don't hurt him. He's been hurt enough."

Korn took Pat's wrist in hand and lowered it back.

"And I think I've hurt you enough." Korn whispered. Pat's head turned back to Korn, confused.

"I knew you were jealous of me with Pran. I can tell how much you care about him. And I can assure you that he only cares for me as a friend. I know it." Korn moved closer.

"I wanted to support him because I saw a man drowning in his own body when I looked at him. I know hurt like the back of my hand, and I wanted to pull him out of it, the way you pulled me out of mine."

Pat sniffled, his thoughts reminding him of Korn, kneeling at his mother's grave on her death anniversary, and when Pat pulled at him to leave the tombstone in the pouring rain. He remembered Korn's resistance because of all his guilt, and how Pat was able to relieve him of some of his pain with nothing more than a friendly shoulder to lean on.

"I never meant to cause you suffering. I only wanted to be for him who you were for me. And that's all I am. I don't love him how you love him, but I won't hurt him, I promise." Korn admitted.

Pat's breath crumbled, and he let out a sob.

Korn gripped him tighter. "And as your friend, I am begging you to be his hero. If you want him safe, if you want him happy, be the man that does that for him. There's no one else like you. Whatever might hold you back doesn't hold a candle to what you push through. What you can't do won't matter compared to what you will do for him. I am begging you to go for it. Don't let him go. Don't give up on him."

Korn pulled Pat into a crushing hug, and he sobbed.

----------------------------

Pran noticed Pat and Korn leave to go down the beach, and as soon as they made their way away from the group, Wai moved beside him.

"Hey, I feel like I haven't talked to you all day." Pran said.

Wai nodded, but he didn't say anything.

Pran frowned. Wai was actually very nice today. He'd gone out of his way to get along with both Korn and Pat, and Pran had been so proud. Now, he looks… off.

"Are you okay? You don't have to push yourself so hard to get along with Korn if it's too hard. You're already working on it for me, and I appreciate it." Pran said.

Wai shook his head. "No, it's fine. That's definitely not the problem."

Pran squinted. "Then what's up?"

Wai sighed. "Look, I… I know I've been… a lot to deal with sometimes."

Pran gaped. What? Of course not! "I didn't expect you to admit it."

Wai glared at Pran. "You definitely switched your thoughts with what you meant to say."

Pran grimaced.

Wai turned away. "but I know I have been a lot. You've always cleaned up my messes and never got mad at me so I just… never stopped. It's easier to be the version of me that only puts myself first because then I won't worry myself silly over you. And then you won't leave me because you know I need you to pick up after me."

Pran stayed quiet. He didn't know what to say.

"I guess I was testing you. You must care about me if you stay even though this is who I am." Wai swallowed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken advantage of your kindness. And I'm sorry that I'm about to do it again."

Pran blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I think I want to fuck your boyfriend." Wai looked up at him finally. "I'm really sorry."

Pran felt like he'd been sucker punched. "I'm sorry what!? I thought you hated him?!"

Wai nodded. "Oh I do." Wai clenches his fist. "And yet I still want him. Carnally."

"Oh my fucking god!"

"It means nothing though. He's your boyfriend and I'm not gonna mess with that. But I can't keep that secret from you. I just can't." Wai said, looking ashamed.

Pran blinked a few more times. Wai actually looked ashamed. It was surreal. And here was Wai, finally bearing his heart to Pran. In an unorthodox way, true, but he was still being incredibly vulnerable and open.

Pran felt a pit of guilt in his stomach. It was true that Pran had always been more than willing to keep secrets from Wai, often preferring to keep quiet than ever be completely open with him. He used to think it was to spare Wai the trouble, but often it had been because Pran himself never wanted to admit the truth.

He'd never truly depended on Wai, never trusted Wai with anything too personal. How were they supposed to be friends—true friends of equal standing— if he was never vulnerable with Wai as well. Pran had always cleaned up after Wai, and had always made excuses for him. And that wasn't how you made somebody better. He'd never held Wai accountable.

Maybe it was time to be truthful. Maybe it was time to be harsh, blunt, and vulnerable. It was time to be friends.

"Okay. Firstly, very fucked up of you to want to fuck my boyfriend. In any other circumstance I want you to know I would've considered beating the shit out of you." Pran said.

Wai looked up at Pran, surprise written on his face. Pran just steamrolled forward.

"You are so lucky that Korn and I are not actually dating and I don't see him as fuckable material. You are so lucky I am incredibly in love with Pat and as far as I'm concerned you can ride the rodeo that is Korn as soon as you have his consent."

Wai's jaw dropped further. "Holdup, you're pining over drum boy? For real?"

Pran paused his rant and nodded. "You do not seem fazed about the fake dating part."

Wai waved him off "I knew that a while ago. He didn't know about your birthmark or the fish curry. He was caught in a lie before he even finished telling it. Regardless, I still felt bad because he's still your boyfriend."

Pran groaned. "I regret ever going into a locker room with you. You're such an ass-hunter."

Wai shrugs. "It's hilarious. I won't apologize for grabbing your ass."

Pran sighed, "at this point I don't expect you to."

"So why are you fake dating ponytail if you actually wanna bang that drum if you get my feel?"

Pran rolled his eyes. "It was Korn's idea. He thought we would make Pat realize I'm… dateable or whatever and make him jealous."

Wai let out a sharp laugh "well it Fucking worked!"

Pran almost flinched back. "Huh?"

Wai bit his lip. "Okay, look, I'm definitely not supposed to tell you but you're my best friend and I'm doing both of you idiots a favor by saying this, but Pat is pining so hard for you right now. He's major jealous and wants to like… sweep you off your feet or something romantic and gross like that."

Pran's mouth stayed open, but no words came out.

Wai gave him a look. "I'm not lying. Also, I would know because I'm the whole reason he's on this trip. I've been getting you alone with him all day so he would at least attempt to flirt with you, but he's too in his head about you and Korn."

Pran exclaimed, "well of course he is!"

Wai huffed. "That's not the point. The point is, you and him are both in love and all that's in the way is your lie. Tell him the truth, and he's yours."

Pran felt his chest fall into itself. That wasn't the only obstacle. Even if Pat and Pran loved each other, there were so many things in their way. Could any love be able to overcome that? Was it worth it?

"No, that's not everything. Our families have hated each other since before we were born. Our feelings mean nothing because our parents would rather die than see us together." Pran admitted.

"So you're telling me, that after doing all this, working up this whole scheme and lying to all of us, you're gonna give up before you even start?" Wai said.

Pran looked down. What other options were there?

Wai growled. "Fuck that! And fuck your parents for pushing that on you. You love each other. They can't ever change that. Distance only makes the heart grow fonder."

Wai got louder, a more urgent look on his face. "It doesn't matter how they push you down, try to shame you for what you want, because they'll never be able to change you. And they shouldn't want to."

Pran looked at Wai's passionate expression, and with startling clarity, he realized the last part wasn't just for him. Wai was saying that for his brother, too.

For a moment, he thinks about how Wai felt, knowing he'd never see his brother grow up. He thinks about all the opportunities lost, all of the memories never made, and every dream unfulfilled.

He thinks about how if he doesn't ever try to live his life, if he buries himself underneath everyone's expectations, he'll lose things before he even has a chance to have them. He'll be stuck in a limbo of longing and he'll become one more tragedy.

So he leaned closer to Wai, leaning on him for the first time in forever, and told him, "I'll tell him. I promise. But right now, I'm where I wanna be."

Break time for dinner passed, and everyone went off to their sleeping arrangements.

Wai and Pran were together and Korn and Pat were assigned together.

Wai jokingly asked "hey, you wanna switch with Korn and make some music with Pat tonight?"

Pran replied, "and let you try to fuck my boyfriend? Absolutely not. He may be a fake one, but he's still mine right now."

Wai made a smug expression, "ooh, possessive! I should tell Pat how jealous you get over your man!"

"Don't you dare!" Pran exclaimed.

"Your face!" Wai cackled, "oh my God the look on your face!"

Pran grabbed Wai's arm and they went to their cabin to sleep. But they didn't sleep, and instead spent the whole night bickering and teasing each other. For once, Pran spent a night not worrying about his parents, or his love for Pat.

____________________

By the time the camp finished, Wai and Pran had been joined at the hip for a majority of the trip, and Korn and Pat had been comfortably paired up as well. To outsiders, it almost looked like things were back to normal.

But Pran could tell from the lingering stares from Pat that nothing was normal anymore. Now that he had found it within himself to believe that Pat truly liked him, it was as though he couldn't unsee it. It was like every curve of Pat's expression was molded into one of love and yearning and it was incredibly jarring to see. It was odd but exhilarating and also a little saddening.

Pran knew Pat loved him. Pat had no idea that his affections were returned. Pran was going to change that.