The Backup Boyfriend

Episode 9: The First Invitation

Adrian woke up the next morning with a strange feeling.

For a few seconds, he stared at the ceiling, trying to remember why he felt so... happy.

Then he looked down.

The silver ring was still on his finger.

His eyes widened.

"Oh."

He lifted his hand.

The ring caught the morning sunlight coming through the curtains.

Adrian smiled.

Then immediately frowned.

"Why am I smiling?"

He turned his hand around.

The ring looked almost too natural sitting there.

He remembered Ethan's words from the night before.

I'm still waiting.

And then...

You.

Adrian groaned and pulled the blanket over his face.

"This is ridiculous."

His phone suddenly rang.

He pulled it out from underneath the blanket.

His manager's name appeared on the screen.

Adrian answered.

"Good morning."

"You sound suspiciously cheerful."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I'm tired."

"You're smiling."

Adrian froze.

"How would you know that?"

"Because I know you."

Adrian sat up.

"That's creepy."

His manager laughed.

"Are you still wearing the ring?"

Adrian looked down.

"...Maybe."

There was a long silence.

Then—

"You're wearing it."

"No."

"You just said maybe."

"I could have said maybe to anything."

"Adrian."

"What?"

"You met Ethan yesterday."

Adrian didn't answer.

"And you're wearing the ring he gave you."

Still silence.

His manager sighed.

"You're in trouble."

Adrian smiled.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

---

Later that morning, Adrian arrived at the studio for a scheduled meeting.

He tried to focus.

He really did.

His manager was going through his schedule for the next two weeks.

"Your interview is tomorrow."

"Okay."

"Then you have the commercial shoot."

"Okay."

"After that, rehearsals begin."

"Okay."

"And on Friday—"

Adrian looked down at his phone.

Nothing.

He frowned.

His manager stopped talking.

"What are you doing?"

"Nothing."

"You're staring at your phone."

"I'm checking the time."

"You have a watch."

Adrian glanced at his wrist.

He was wearing an expensive watch.

"Right."

His manager folded his arms.

"You're waiting for Ethan to text you."

Adrian looked offended.

"I'm not."

His phone buzzed.

Adrian nearly jumped.

His manager slowly raised an eyebrow.

Adrian looked at the screen.

His heart stopped.

Ethan Brooks.

He opened the message immediately.

«Are you free tonight?»

Adrian stared at it.

His manager leaned over.

"What did he say?"

Adrian quickly turned the phone away.

"Nothing."

"Adrian."

"It's private."

His manager smiled.

"That's Ethan."

Adrian looked at him.

"How did you know?"

"Your face."

Adrian looked down at the message again.

His heart was beating strangely fast.

He typed:

«Yes.»

Then deleted it.

Too eager.

He typed again.

«I think so. Why?»

He stared at it.

Then deleted that too.

Finally, he wrote:

«I'm free. What's up?»

He sent it.

Three dots appeared almost immediately.

«Dinner?»

Adrian smiled.

He didn't even realize it.

«Sure.»

Another message came.

«I'll send you the place.»

Adrian stared at the screen.

That was it.

Nothing dramatic.

Nothing romantic.

Just dinner.

Yet somehow...

His entire day suddenly felt better.

---

Across the city, Ethan placed his phone down on the hospital cafeteria table.

His colleague Daniel immediately noticed his smile.

"What?"

Ethan looked up.

"Nothing."

"You're smiling."

"No, I'm not."

"You are."

Ethan picked up his fork.

"I'm eating."

"That has nothing to do with your face."

Ethan laughed.

Daniel leaned closer.

"Who are you texting?"

"No one."

"You're a terrible liar."

Ethan shook his head.

"You ask too many questions."

Daniel smiled.

"Is it someone special?"

Ethan paused.

His eyes briefly dropped to his phone.

Then he smiled.

"Maybe."

Daniel's eyes widened.

"Wait."

Ethan laughed.

"Don't start."

"Who is it?"

"I said don't start."

Daniel pointed at him.

"You've never smiled at your phone like that."

Ethan ignored him.

But his smile remained.

---

That evening, Adrian arrived at the restaurant Ethan had chosen.

It was a small Italian restaurant tucked away on a quiet street.

No red carpets.

No photographers.

No crowds.

Just warm lights, wooden tables, and soft music playing in the background.

Adrian looked around.

Then he saw Ethan.

Ethan stood when he noticed him.

"You came."

Adrian smiled.

"You invited me."

"I know."

"So?"

Ethan laughed.

"Nothing."

Adrian sat down.

"You look tired."

"Long day."

"Saving children?"

"Trying to."

Adrian smiled.

"Still the same."

"What?"

"You always looked exhausted during exams too."

Ethan laughed.

"And you always looked like you hadn't studied."

"I never studied."

"I know."

"And yet I passed."

"Because I studied for you."

Adrian pointed at him.

"Exactly."

Ethan shook his head.

"You were impossible."

"You missed me."

Ethan smiled.

"Maybe."

Adrian laughed.

They ordered dinner.

The conversation flowed easily.

They talked about work.

Movies.

Medicine.

University.

Friends they hadn't seen in years.

Old professors.

Old jokes.

At one point, Adrian nearly choked laughing when Ethan reminded him about the time he had accidentally walked into the women's restroom during university orientation.

"I was distracted!"

"You walked past the sign."

"I thought it was decorative."

Ethan laughed so hard he had to put his glass down.

Adrian stared at him.

Then smiled.

There it was again.

That feeling.

The one he had forgotten.

The comfort.

The ease.

Being with Ethan didn't feel like starting over.

It felt like picking up something that had been left unfinished.

---

After dinner, they stayed at the table.

Neither wanted to leave yet.

Ethan rested his arms on the table.

"Can I ask you something?"

Adrian nodded.

"Sure."

"Do you remember why you chose me?"

Adrian blinked.

"Chose you?"

"For the promise."

"Oh."

Adrian smiled.

"That."

Ethan nodded.

"When you suggested it, why me?"

Adrian laughed.

"Because you're the only person who could tolerate me."

Ethan smiled.

"That's not the real reason."

Adrian's laughter faded.

"What do you mean?"

"You could have chosen anyone."

"I wasn't thinking about marriage seriously."

"I know."

"Then why are you asking?"

Ethan looked at him.

"Because I've wondered."

Adrian leaned back.

"About what?"

"About what made you look at me and think..."

Ethan paused.

"...if I'm still single at thirty, I'd rather marry you than anyone else."

Adrian went quiet.

He honestly didn't know.

He remembered the joke.

He remembered writing the words.

He remembered laughing.

But he'd never stopped to ask himself why Ethan had been the person who immediately came to mind.

Adrian looked down.

"I don't know."

Ethan nodded.

"That's okay."

"No."

Adrian looked up.

"I want to know."

Ethan waited.

Adrian thought.

Then slowly smiled.

"Maybe..."

He paused.

"...because you were always there."

Ethan's expression softened.

"When everyone else came and went, you stayed."

"You knew all my worst habits."

"You knew when I was lying."

"You knew when I was scared."

"And somehow..."

Adrian smiled.

"You still wanted to be around me."

Ethan looked down.

"That sounds like a terrible reason to marry someone."

Adrian laughed.

"Maybe."

They both smiled.

Then Adrian's expression became more serious.

"But there was something else."

Ethan looked up.

"What?"

Adrian hesitated.

"I just..."

He struggled to find the words.

"I couldn't imagine my life without you."

Ethan went completely still.

Adrian realized what he'd said.

His own heart began racing.

"So..."

He cleared his throat.

"Maybe that's why."

Ethan looked at him for several seconds.

Then smiled.

"That's a better answer."

Adrian laughed nervously.

"Good."

Neither of them said anything for a while.

But the silence felt different now.

Warmer.

More intimate.

Ethan finally picked up his glass.

"You know..."

"Hm?"

"Maybe nineteen-year-old you knew something thirty-year-old you didn't."

Adrian smiled.

"Maybe."

---

When they finally left the restaurant, they stood outside beneath the streetlights.

Ethan looked at Adrian.

"Thanks for coming."

Adrian smiled.

"Thank you for inviting me."

A small silence followed.

Then Ethan said,

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Ethan took a few steps away.

Then turned.

"Adrian?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't take too long thinking about it."

Adrian smiled.

"About the marriage?"

Ethan laughed.

"About us."

Adrian's smile slowly softened.

"I won't."

Ethan nodded.

Then walked away.

Adrian watched him disappear down the street.

He looked at the ring on his finger.

For the first time...

He didn't feel like he was wearing a joke.

He felt like he was wearing a promise.

And somewhere in the back of his mind, one thought refused to leave.

Maybe I didn't choose Ethan as my backup because I couldn't find anyone else.

Maybe I chose him because, even at nineteen, he was already the person I wanted first.