Chapter 3 - Season 1: Planet Romeo
1614 Words
January 25, 2012 - Diary
The clock struck 8:30 PM as I stepped off the LRT at Legarda Station. The bustling energy of Manila seemed to press down on me as I decided to make a quick detour to an internet café. It had been weeks since I’d been online, ever since I arrived in this city. I felt disconnected, like I’d been cut off from my life in La Union. I had no idea how my friends were doing, no updates on their lives, no shared jokes or memes to lighten my day. My phone had gone missing soon after I arrived, along with all my contacts. I sighed as I logged into f*******:.
The notifications flooded in—a cascade of messages, friend requests, and tags. Where do I even begin? I clicked on the first message, and to my surprise, it was from my best friend, Vince.
I wasn’t prepared for what I read. Vince, my childhood buddy, my confidant, had just confessed something monumental: he was bisexual. On top of that, he revealed that he was married now, to a man. Same-s*x marriage, legal in Canada, had allowed him to take a leap of faith. He met his husband on a site called Planet Romeo.
Curiosity got the better of me. What was this Planet Romeo? A quick Google search revealed that it was a social media network, similar to f*******: but catering exclusively to men seeking men. Intriguing. A sly smile crossed my face. “Why not try registering?” I muttered to myself, feeling an odd mixture of amusement and nervousness.
I brainstormed usernames, but my mind kept circling back to "niceguy87," the moniker of the stranger who’d once found my lost paycheck. Unfortunately, the name was already taken. After some thought, I settled on "mikearchangel01," a playful nod to my favorite archangel, Mike.
I couldn’t help but wonder if the user of “niceguy87” on Planet Romeo was the same person who had found my paycheck. I searched for the username and found a profile. No photo, just basic details—22 years old, from Singapore. His latest status update made my eyes widen:
“I’m still new here in Planet Romeo. I’ve never been in a relationship with a guy or been attracted to one before. I was purely straight, with several ex-girlfriends. But lately, I find myself falling for a guy, and I don’t know where these feelings are coming from. I’m confused. I love my girlfriend, but I can’t deny this... Can anyone help me?”
This man was living in a whirlwind of emotions. Compelled to reach out, I sent him a message.
“Hi, niceguy87. I saw your status. Are you Chinese, Filipino, Malaysian, or Thai? You don’t have a photo, so I’m curious.”
I knew he was Filipino, but it felt like an easy conversation starter.
“No, I’m Filipino,” he replied quickly. “I’m working here in Singapore. Are you Filipino too?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” I teased. “Quezon City, Philippines is on my profile.”
He laughed, an “Ahehehe” that felt warm despite the distance.
“Did you read my status?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Do you think you can help me?”
I hesitated, not sure what advice I could give. “I’m new here, too. But I think you should follow your heart. Go where you’re happiest.”
“That’s easier said than done. My girlfriend and I have been together for years. And what if this guy doesn’t even like me back?”
“That’s tough. But can you suppress how you feel for him—for your girlfriend’s sake?”
“I don’t think I can. I melt every time he smiles at me.”
“How much do you love your girlfriend? Can you avoid this guy for her?”
“I love her as much as I love my job here. But avoiding him is impossible. We work together, and... her dad is my boss.”
Ouch. That was messy.
“So... what makes you happier?” I asked.
“I’ve been intimate with my girlfriend so many times. But the thought of just kissing this guy feels... stronger. Like fire in my veins.”
I grinned. “So, would you kiss him to see if what you’re feeling is real?”
“How can I? He’s straight.”
“Is he, though? These days, you can’t tell who’s straight and who’s... in the closet. Like us.”
“Maybe. How do I know if he likes guys too?”
“Kiss him!” I joked. “Kidding, kidding.”
He sent back laughing emojis. “You’re crazy.”
“Seriously, though. Get to know him. Start as friends.”
“Okay. And then maybe I can kiss him? Hehehe.”
“Maybe. But not now.”
“Yeah. Not yet.”
The conversation wound down after that, and we promised to talk again soon.
By the time I stepped out of the café, it was close to 10 PM. Walking home, I passed a group of teenagers crowding around another boy near the basketball court. The tension was palpable. As I got closer, I overheard one of them shout:
“Go hang out with your slutty mom! From now on, we don’t want a gay kid like you around us.”
The boy on the ground pleaded, “We’ve been friends for so long. Don’t do this.”
“Yeah? Then why were you hanging out with those other fags earlier?”
My heart broke for him. Even now, even in this supposedly modern world, people still treated others like dirt just for being different. Was it really so hard to be open-minded, to accept? I clenched my fists, my thoughts racing.
That boy could’ve been me.
But that wasn’t the only thing that shattered my heart that evening. As I climbed the stairs to the second floor of our rented house, I stumbled upon a scene of raw grief. Aling Mercedita’s family was in tears, their sobs echoing through the narrow hallways. I stopped to ask her daughter, Elsa, what had happened. Her voice trembled as she told me the devastating news: their eldest, Kuya Marcus, had taken his own life.
The heartbreak didn’t stop there. The heated argument between Aling Mercedita and her husband, Mang Elmer, filled the air, loud enough for the neighbors to hear.
“This is all your fault, Elmer! If you hadn’t thrown our son out, if you had just accepted him for who he was, this wouldn’t have happened!” Aling Mercedita’s voice cracked, her anger sharpened by grief.
When I got back to our apartment, my Tito Jerry sat me down and explained the full story. Mang Elmer had never accepted Kuya Marcus’ relationship with his boyfriend. He had even gone so far as to threaten the boyfriend’s life. Faced with such hostility, Kuya Marcus decided to leave their home and live with his partner.
But tragedy struck. Just a few days ago, news broke that Kuya Marcus’ boyfriend had been murdered—salvaged, as the term goes. No one knew who was responsible, but Mang Elmer, a police officer with powerful connections, was the prime suspect in Kuya Marcus’ eyes. The weight of it all—the rejection, the threats, the loss—must have been too much to bear. Perhaps Kuya Marcus loved his boyfriend so deeply that he couldn’t imagine life without him. And so, he chose to follow him into the afterlife.
My chest felt tight as I tried to process it all. Haaaay…
It was close to 11:00 PM by the time I finished my shower. I crawled into bed, but sleep refused to come. My thoughts kept drifting back to Kuya Marcus, replaying the pain and injustice of it all. Life can be so unfair. In Canada, people of the same gender can love openly and even marry. Why couldn’t it be the same here? The contrast only made me more grateful that Vince had found happiness and acceptance with his husband.
I couldn’t help but wonder: What if Mike and I were to become a couple? Would his family accept us? Or would we face the same struggles? My mind spiraled with questions, conjuring up impossible scenarios that made me chuckle and groan in equal measure. Hmpf!
Was I getting ahead of myself? I didn’t even know if Mike liked me back. Hmmmm... I could only hope. Hehehe. Who knows, right?
Restless, I left my room and settled on the sofa in the living room. I turned on the TV, aimlessly flipping channels until I landed on CNN. A segment about the LGBT community was airing, and I paused, drawn in by the gravity of the discussion.
They were interviewing a man named Shane Bitney Crone. His words were electrifying, each one resonating with a truth I couldn’t ignore:
“We need to fight for what is right, we need to fight for what we believe in, and we cannot just stand back anymore. We need to fight for a change and for equality! We need to take a stand for equality and promote tolerance. Don’t let fear or bullies prevent you from fighting for equality, sharing your stories, or loving whomever you choose to love. Whatever your s****l orientation, I plead you to take necessary steps to protect yourself and the ones you love. Don’t wait until it’s too late. The time is now!”
His conviction lit a spark within me. The time was now. Not tomorrow, not someday—now.
To be continued...
- Writer
