MY RIVAL BECOME MY LOVER

Chapter 15:The Misunderstanding

Jay thought he was hallucinating.

It was 11 PM on a Tuesday, 32 days since Brian left. Room 14 was cold because Jay refused to fix the buzzing air conditioner without Brian.

He was doing Econ homework on the floor, wearing Brian's #14 jersey, when he heard a key turn.

Only two people had a key to Room 14. Jay, and Brian who was supposed to be 4600km away in Singapore.

The door opened.

Brian stood there.

Suitcase. Hoodie. Messy hair from a 6-hour flight. Dinosaur socks. And eyes that looked straight at Jay like Jay was the only thing he wanted to see after 4600km.

Jay dropped his pen.

"Bri?"

"Hey, roommate."

Jay didn't move. "Is this... are you... is this video call? Did I fall asleep?"

Brian laughed, tired and nervous. "No. I'm real. Touch me and see."

Jay stood up slowly. He walked over. He touched Brian's face. Warm. Real. Stubble because he didn't shave on the plane.

"You... you are here," Jay whispered.

"24 hours. I have a flight back tomorrow night. Dad doesn't know. I used my own savings."

Jay hit him. Hard on the chest. "You i***t! 24 hours! You flew 6 hours for 24 hours!"

"I know. I'm stupid."

"Yes you are stupid!"

Then Jay was crying and hugging him so tight Brian's suitcase fell over.

"I missed you, I missed you, I missed you," Jay repeated like a prayer into Brian's neck.

Brian hugged him back, lifting him off the floor, spinning him once like in movies. "I missed you too. Room 14 missed you too."

They fell onto the floor, their floor spot, with Brian's suitcase still open in the doorway.

"How? Why? Your classes?" Jay asked between kisses on Brian's cheeks, nose, everywhere.

"Because you saw Linh's photo and you stopped eating. Maya told me. She said you ate only half a noodle cup yesterday. That's not allowed in Room 14 rules."

"Maya snitches!"

"Maya loves you. And I... I couldn't wait 152 days to tell you in person that Linh is my cousin. Well, not my real cousin. She's my dad's partner's daughter. Like family. She was helping me find chicken rice for you because I promised to bring you chicken rice souvenir."

Jay stared. "Cousin?"

"Second cousin? Something like that. She has a boyfriend anyway. A very big boyfriend who does boxing. She thinks I'm annoying."

Jay started laughing and crying. "I thought... I thought you found a pretty Singapore girl..."

"Jay Lee, I have a pretty Korean boy in Room 14 who wears dinosaur socks and sleeps with his mouth open. Why would I look at any Singapore girl?"

"Do NOT bring up mouth open again!"

Brian kissed him to shut him up. Real kiss after 32 days apart. It was not soft like before. It was desperate, hungry, like they wanted to make up for 32 days of video call kisses that didn't feel real.

Jay's back hit the floor. Brian was on top of him, his hands in Jay's hair, Jay's hands under Brian's hoodie feeling warm skin he had missed.

"Bri, the door—"

Maya appeared in doorway, saw them on floor, screamed, closed door. "I SAW NOTHING! CONTINUE! I WILL GUARD THE DOOR!"

They laughed against each other's lips.

"She is still the worst guard," Brian said.

"Best guard. She told you I wasn't eating."

Brian sat up and pulled Jay into his lap. "Hey, listen. About Singapore. It's hard, I know. It's hard for me too. But I need you to trust me. Even when you see photos. Even when Sera says things. Trust me like I trust you?"

Jay nodded, forehead against Brian's. "I trust you. I'm sorry I was jealous."

"Don't be sorry. Be jealous a little. It means you like me."

"I like you more than a little."

"I know. You love me. You said it."

"I did. I do."

Brian took something from his backpack. A small plastic container. "I brought you something. Real Singapore chicken rice. It's cold now because plane, but..."

Jay opened it. It was indeed chicken rice. Cold. Looked sad after flight.

"It's perfect," Jay said, and ate a bite with his hands. "Tastes like Singapore. Tastes like you came back."

Brian watched him eat, soft eyes.

"Jay?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I sleep here tonight? In our bed? The small one?"

"Our bed is your bed now. Since you left, I sleep there every night."

They moved to Brian's bed - which was now Jay's bed too - the bed that smelled like both of them. They fit perfectly, even though it was small. Jay's head on Brian's chest, listening to his heart which was beating fast from travel and love.

"What time is your flight tomorrow?" Jay whispered.

"8 PM. So we have... 21 hours left."

"Then we don't sleep. We talk all night."

"Deal. Tell me everything I missed in Room 14."

Jay told him about Davis giving him a B+ because he missed Brian and couldn't focus. About Sera trying to sit in Brian's seat. About the air conditioner buzzing louder. About how he carved another line under their names: *Day 32: He came back.*

Brian told him about Singapore being too hot, about his dad being strict, about how he put Jay's Polaroid on his desk and his Singapore roommate thinks he's whipped.

"You are whipped," Jay said.

"So whipped. For dinosaur socks boy."

At 3 AM, they finally fell asleep, holding hands, Polaroid of 32 days ago now replaced with real thing.

Next morning, Room 14 woke up warm again. Two boys, one small bed, suitcase open, cold chicken rice container on floor.

Jay woke up first this time. He looked at Brian sleeping, peaceful, mouth slightly open, and whispered, "Don't go."

Brian, half asleep, pulled him closer. "I have to. But I will come back again. And again. Until 152 days are zero."

At 7 PM, they were at the airport again. Same place as Chapter 13, but different.

This time, Jay didn't cry hard. Because this time he knew Brian could come back in 6 hours if he wanted to.

"I'll wait," Jay said, holding Brian's hand.

"I know. Wear my jersey?"

"Always."

Final call. Brian kissed him quick but deep. "See you soon, roommate."

"See you soon, boyfriend."

Brian walked through gate, turned back this time, and waved. Jay waved with dinosaur socks keychain.

When Brian landed in Singapore, his first text: *Landed again. My cousin Linh says hi and says you are cute and to stop being jealous. I told her you are cuter when jealous.*

Jay replied: *Tell your cousin I said hi and thank you for chicken rice. But you are still mine.*

Brian: *Always yours. Room 14 forever.*

Maya posted that night: "PLOT TWIST: Room 14 boy flew 4600km for 24 hours just to explain a photo. This is not love, this is INSANITY. I'm crying. #Room14Forever #BoyfriendOfTheYear"

2,000 likes.