MY RIVAL BECOME MY LOVER

Chapter 16:The Truth

2:17 AM.

The key turned in Room 14’s lock.

Jay was already awake. Hadn’t slept. Wearing Brian’s #14 jersey for the third day straight. It didn’t smell like Brian anymore. It smelled like Jay’s detergent and missing someone.

The door opened.

Brian.

Backpack slung over one shoulder. White hoodie wrinkled. Hair damp from Singapore rain. Eyes bloodshot from a 12-hour flight and zero sleep.

For five whole seconds, neither of them moved.

"You’re not answering my calls," Brian said. His voice was quiet. Broken.

Jay stood up from the bed. Arms crossed. Jaw tight.

"You posted her."

Brian blinked. "What?"

"i********:. 2 AM your time. Party. You and some girl. Your arm around her waist. Caption: _night out with bestie._" Jay laughed, but it wasn’t funny. "Rule 2, Brian. No lying."

Brian dropped his bag. It hit the floor with a thud.

"She’s my cousin. Minji. From Busan. She came to visit."

"Could’ve told me."

"I was going to. On the call. You blocked me, Jay. Three days."

The room was too small. It felt like Chapter 1 again, but worse. Because now they knew what it felt like to not be cold to each other.

Brian stepped closer. Didn’t touch Jay yet.

"Do you really think I’d do that? After the jersey? After the promise? After I got on a plane and lied to my professor that my mom was sick just to see you?"

Jay’s chest hurt.

"Sera said—"

"I don’t care what Sera said!" Brian snapped, then immediately softened. He ran a hand through his hair. "I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Minji. I was scared you’d overthink. I’m bad at this, okay? I’m bad at telling you things before they become problems."

Tears were already falling down Jay’s face and he hated it.

"You scared me," he whispered. "I thought you forgot me in Singapore."

Brian’s expression cracked.

"Jay."

He pulled Jay in. No warning. No asking. Just arms around him, tight, like he was scared Jay would disappear if he let go.

Jay hit his chest once. Twice. Then his hands fisted in Brian’s hoodie and he didn’t let go.

"i***t," Jay mumbled into his chest. "Biggest i***t in the world."

"Yeah," Brian whispered back, face buried in Jay’s hair. "I’m your idiot."

They stayed like that. Breathing each other in. Room 14 smelled like Brian again. Jet lag and laundry soap and home.

Then Brian pulled back just enough to look at him. Thumb brushed tears off Jay’s cheeks.

"Can I fix it?"

Jay nodded.

The kiss wasn’t like Chapter 9. That one was soft and new and brave.

This one was desperate. Angry. Relief.

Brian backed Jay up until his knees hit the bed. They fell together.

Jersey got twisted between them. Hoodie ended up on the floor.

Hands everywhere — checking, holding, making sure this was real and not another photo on i********:.

"Say it," Brian breathed against Jay’s mouth. "Say you don’t think I left you."

"I don’t think you left," Jay choked out, clutching Brian’s shirt. "I’m just scared you will."

"I’m not going anywhere without you." Brian kissed him again. Slower this time. Deeper. "Not in 5 months. Not ever."

They didn’t go further.

Brian had a flight back to Singapore in 4 hours.

So they just lay there. Tangled. Brian’s arm under Jay’s head. Jay’s leg thrown over Brian’s.

At 5:30 AM the alarm on Brian’s phone went off.

He groaned and kissed Jay’s forehead. Nose. Lips.

"I have to go."

"I know."

"Don’t block me again. Even if you’re mad. Especially if you’re mad. Promise me."

"Promise," Jay whispered.

Brian stood, grabbed his bag. At the door he stopped and reached into his pocket.

He walked back, took Jay’s hand, and pressed something cold into his palm.

A key card. Singapore dorm.

"So you know I’ll come back to you," Brian said. "So you have something of mine when I’m gone."

Then he was gone.

Room 14 was empty again.

But on the pillow: the key card.

And a sticky note on the desk in Brian’s handwriting:

_Rule 5: No blocking. No secrets. Even when it’s scary. Especially then.

- B_

Jay picked it up and pressed it to his chest.

4600km didn’t feel as far anymore.