A Rectified Relationship

"Yes...t-that's the truth," I stammered.

"Oh."

There was a drawn-out stillness that may have persisted only a couple of seconds. It had felt at the time like hours: so much so, I could perceive the chilled bite surge.

He looked at me, ostensibly offended. The night sky disguised his face, so I wasn't sure. The passion that had permeated my judgment had transformed into a burgeoning disillusionment. Tears had overflowed my vision. No longer had I wanted to change. The longer he stood, silent, the more intense my sorrow developed. Repeatedly, I questioned him, suppressing a scream. My self-conviction descended, like the evening dew. Unrelenting thoughts ensued, muddling my perception. My fist clenched, I would strike Jun if his heartfelt eloquence didn't stir me. He proceeded to pace, neglecting me on the floor, heaving for air as I asphyxiated. I lied on the harsh pavement, sobbing. The vivid red and green hues of neon signs beamed into my eyes, effectively blinding me.

The subsequent morning was unmerciful. What had I been thinking? The felonious emotions I had for Jun came with consequences. The innumerable quantity of people that would disparage me for my immorality. It was false to treasure another boy—right?

No light shone through my window. Murkiness blanketed my room: its unyielding energy oppressed me. Despondent and soundless, I navigated my apartment blundering more prominently than usual.

The bathroom mirror displayed a pathetic figure. My weighted arms dragged upwards before grappling the toothbrush. A restless notion of despair overwhelmed my thoughts, tugging at my soul. Drops of toothpaste drizzled from my mouth; dripping like melted iron. An irritated expression formed on my face as I cleaned myself and shifted away from the mirror. My mother was not home; presumably gone to give me space. My body slumped over the dining table as the sun rose. Dried tears cracked my skin as the hissing of the heater rung through my ears.

The bus ride was nothing exciting.

People dispersed in the courtyard. Instead of heading to the library, I sat on a concrete bench, waiting for the bell to ring. For the first time, I was able to take in the bustling spectacle. Cherry blossoms drifted through the hair, some landing in people's hair. The wheezing of vehicles and the indistinct chatter of passing students encompassed me. Tapping my foot whilst staring blankly at the cement floor, I slid off my backpack. The frozen, dense bench did not comfort my behind, yet it was better than Will and Alison witnessing my appalling state. Bags of skin dropped from my eyes, moulding after puddles of liquid had rushed out. My nervous tapping met with a hushed whimper. I stifled the urge to bawl as prevailing ideas circled my head.

Suddenly, I overheard my name.

The voice was familiar. My eyes focused on a figure: Jun. Swiftly turning my head down, I began to feel tears emerge as they slipped away. His pained posture hurried over as he sat next to me. Without a budge, I turned to him, trembling as I forced a smile.

"Hi, Jun."

He didn't ask, nor did he give any warning, but he clutched my body and yanked me up, embracing me in his arms. It didn't matter anymore: I didn't care. More soundless cries bellowed from my innards. Jun caressed the rear of my head and rhythmically bounced idyllically soothing me. I wept, expressing regret several times before he whispered to me that he forgave me. Jun also atoned for his mistakes as I sank back and studied his expression: Jun was on the verge of sobbing. He grinned.

"Emotional as ever," he remarked.

"Yep."

It was only a few minutes, but it felt like hours.

Jun wasn't all that wrong. It was true: as a child, I was sensitive. When middle school arrived, it was my duty to rid myself of my turmoil. I started to take situations rationally, abandoning a core part of my old personality. Maybe it was Jun that convoked my emotions. After all, if he hadn't abruptly bumped into me in the hallway, we wouldn't have reached to this point. The circumstances were similar to Will; although I supposed, I had feelings for Jun. He would accept me or perhaps, he wouldn't. Still, Jun invited me after school at the arcade. I hoped he'd fill the empty gap in my heart.

Much of my class, I spent time pondering. Jun seemed satisfactorily with what had occurred. Me, however, I was struggling to offer myself leniency for my thoughts and actions. My legs and arms drooped as my head rested on the desk. Eyes closed, my face relaxed. At least I'd get to spend the rest of today with Jun. I just had to wait until school ended.

The next class was PE. A period that I never really paid attention to, mainly because it was an elective. Our teacher liked to push us to our limits—something I wasn't keen on. Sweating my ass off and aching like a dying cat the proceeding day wasn't what I envisioned as growth. Nevertheless, I trudged it out, getting hit in the face by flying balls no matter the sport. Whether it was football, rugby, dodgeball, kickball, or basketball, my face seemed to attract balls.

PE was outside that day, likely a cause of the weather. With the beautiful scenery, the class was just a bit more manageable. My shoes rubbed against the old asphalt road as pebbles rolled behind. Trees swung in the breeze, the nearby river rippled, cars darted by, and the sun blazed. Slowly but surely, my mood shifted. The exercise had taken my mind off the disaster that was last night. Content and serene, I glanced over at my watch. Only a couple of minutes had passed.

Good.

A breath of fresh air quelled my anxiety. Jogging down the street, our class passed by several familiar landmarks: the coffee shop, the ice cream store, and the many convenience stores that stood. I had never visited the coffee shop. Maybe I'd explore it after school today? The teacher suddenly changed direction as we passed through a crosswalk, heading towards the park. A grin slithered up my face. Sakura trees waved, expressing a greeting, as we took a break. Catching my breath, I leaned against one of the trees. Not far, I saw two boys at a small bridge that crossed the river. They looked happy together; of course, they probably didn't share the same feelings I had for Jun, but I was pleased nonetheless. Fresh oxygen traversed my lungs as I took a deep breath, admiring the landscape. Oh, how I wished that Jun was there.

Exhaling, I walked over to the bridge for a close inspection. The teacher allowed me to go and watch the fishes. Soon, I overheard their conversation. To my surprise, they talked about nature, only exemplifying my sights. The aroma of life besieged me. Smells of the trees, the soil, the fishes, the water, and the plants saturated my senses. I did something that various guys in my school failed to do: appreciate life. My desolate thoughts had dissipated like the fizzles of soda pop. Gleaming, my expression turned into pure delight.

Lunchtime, I sat by the usual cherry blossom tree. Will was already there, waiting for me. He noticed my absence this morning.

"Where were you this morning dude?" he inquired.

Abashedly, I overcame a chuckle.

"Do you really want to know?" I answered.

"Is it serious?" he continued.

"Yeah."

After a brief explanation, he gazed at the floor with a shocked expression.

"You're-" he started.

"Homosexual," I finished.

Aghast, he shifted to me as I sensed judgement. Will assured me that he was only just surprised. After a fleeting pause, he cuddled me: another hug that enamoured me.

With heartfelt eyes, he confessed, "Evan, to be completely honest, I never really liked Alison the same way she does. And I've been hiding that I-"

"WAIT-" I interrupted.

We gaped at each other. A nonverbal understanding between us conceived that day. No one outside of the three of us—Will, Jun, and I—would know that the two of us were the way we were.

Processing what Will had conceded, I asked him for advice. He seemed to know he was this way for a while. He hesitated and thought about it for a moment.

"Fight for what you believe in. If you truly feel the way you feel about him, fight for it," he reflected before proceeding, "Follow your heart. What you want, you have to chase."

Soon, the school day ended. The classes that proceeded lunch were nothing special, only the usual. Jun appeared from the crowds of people, standing still as he smiled at me. His dyed orange hair swept in the soft draft, his gaze glittered like stars in the night sky, and his clothes ragged and smudged as accustomed. Jun's patch wrinkled as his expression widened, never before had he looked this happy.

"You ready?" he remarked.

I nodded.

Jun had called an uber to pick us up. We waited in the school parking lot until the Uber driver saw us waving. She parked in front of us as we sat in the back. The Uber driver announced that it was alright if someone fancied sitting in the passenger seat, but we both declined the offer. She smirked as if implying we were together. I couldn't resist a blush.

The colossal exterior of the arcade towered over us. It looked to be about fifteen or so stories high. Admiring the building, we entered through a pair of automatic glass doors. Inside, the glow of machines blasted our eyes whilst booming music thumped our chests. It was a different world. Jun led me towards an escalator that went past a massive room, all filled with claw machines. It was encircled by different levels: all reaching to the ceiling, which was all glass. This centre resembled a mall. Tiny figures roamed the room, as I could see each floor on the other side of the building with different themed areas. The escalator ended on the sixth floor, and we stepped off. Speechless, I followed Jun, who directed me to the entrance of the building. It was weird that the entry would be on the sixth floor until Jun told me there was an ice rink, baseball field, football field, tennis court, badminton court, and a bowling ally someplace on the first floor. My jaw dropped: a sports centre AND an arcade mixed into one building? It was a paradise. Jun spoke, explaining that he came here often to play videogames in their gaming rooms. They also had rentable living spaces for people who planned to stay overnight. The building was indescribably tremendous. I'd only seen this place once, as a young child; although, I'd only caught a glimpse of the exterior. It resembled a casino.

Speaking to the staff worker, he ordered an all-day pass for two. The lady seemed to be in her 20's, still young. Looking abhorred, she wrapped wristbands on us before we left. Jun proceeded down a long winding corridor. In the back, he showed me a room filled with people sitting on bean bags. It looked to be sort of a lounge. To the side, there was a long shelf full of manga. Across the walls, abstract paintings hung. It was a room that ended with a tiny staircase that led to a quaint computer area. Shaking my head, I said I wanted to do something more energetic. Jun's eye lit up as he sped walked a different direction, across a lobby-centric area before turning down a broad hall. At the very end, an elevator stood. He pulled my hand along. We passed a snack stand, and I eyed the menu, savouring the items. Entering the elevator, Jun pressed a button to the first floor before leading me to the ice rink he mentioned earlier.

As the doors opened, a jarring gust shot through the doors. Jun slipped off his coat and told me to put it on. I heeded as I peered around. A familiar puff of expiration steamed from my lips. Licking my dry lips, I could see people skating, laughing and talking. A wave of regret overcame me. I didn't know how to skate: Jun should've known. Drops of anxiousness slowly filled my metre. Children ran by, almost tripping me. Jun took a skate for my foot size and urged me to put them on. Yes, he did know I couldn't skate—that cheeky bastard. Jun helped me waddle over to the rink, and as my metal skates clicked against the ice, my ankles quivered. My feet weren't strong enough to handle such pressure. Jun skated toward, twirling and circling a spot before returning to me. Amazed, I slipped and fell. He helped me up before teaching me the basics of ice skating. He held me up.

"First, stand up straight, you need to balance your weight so that you don't keep falling," he directed, "so then, you wanna lean a little bit forwards and bend your knees."

I squatted a bit, resembling a constipated kangaroo. Jun laughed before telling me not to exaggerate the pose so much.

"Next, you gotta like move your feet forwards. Make sure you're gliding your feet across like socks on a slick floor." Jun resumed, "And then, when you get used to it, make bigger glides with your legs, making sure to bend those knees."

I attempted to follow his instructions. Instead, I fell flat on the floor with my body spread like a bird. He giggled before pulling me up.

"Okay, try again. Don't worry, it comes with practice," Jun affirmed.

I eventually became used to the movements, and my feet slid across the floor. My speed wasn't very much, but gradually widening my glides, I paced. Jun clapped in reaffirmation. He caught up with me as he swirled in a posh, graceful manner. His opulent movements only caused me to gain more determination. For an hour, I learned to skate across the entire rink swiftly, but haphazardly. Proudly, Jun expressed his disbelief in how briskly I had learned to ice skate.

Another hour had already passed: five o'clock in the afternoon.

We tiredly exited the ice rink and entered the elevator. Arriving on the eighth floor, Jun showed me the food court. It was a modest place crammed with people: it seemed like everyone was taking a break from their activities. Wafts of food engulfed my nose: the one standing out the most being chicken nuggets.

Childishly, I turned to Jun, exclaiming, "Chicken nuggies!"

We both howled in hilarity before strolling down the different choices. One stand sold pizza, another sold regular bento boxes, and the last one sold the nuggets. Jun swapped an expression of enthusiasm with me as we bought a bag of fries and a box of chicken nuggets. So far, he had paid for everything today. In response, I chipped in by paying for the food. We sat at an empty table, relaxing as we took in the view. Our chairs sat next to a window that illustrated our elevated height alongside the stunning city. The sunset was nothing unfamiliar, yet it seemed, at the time, breathtaking. A surreal glistening drifted into my vision, the yellowish-orange tones highlighting the city below. The ocean's captivating blue swells amplified from the subtle hues. Jun marvelled at the sight, slipping a piece of chicken nuggets into his mouth. In awe, my heart melted at the pulchritudinous landscape of the irradiating city. It appeared similar to the blossoming spring orchids, maturing into something virtually undefinable.

My phone vibrated.

I slid it out to discover a notification: a text by Alison.

ALISON

Evvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv, Will wont stop asking me were u r!! Lets hang out :p

I showed the text to Jun, who had never met Will or Alison. He said I could invite them over. My body perked up.

"Karaoke!" I proposed.

"Sure,"

I felt a hum from my phone again, it was Will this time, calling me. I swiped to answer.

"Yo, we're on our way there now, I'm driving Alison-" he yelled over the loud music playing in the background, "What's the plan?"

"Uh, my friend Jun said we'd be doin' some karaoke if that's fine with you two?" I replied.

Will accepted before hanging up.

It wasn't long until the pitter-patter of the rain sounded in my ears. Worried, I texted Alison if Will was driving safely.

ME

Will driving safe?

ALISON

Mhm! Why u ask? lol

ME

No reason, can't wait to see you two :^

Jun and I waited by playing with the claw machines. Jun spotted a claw machine with an adorable giant cat plushie. He slotted a coin in before trying to claw it into the drop spot. The claw spun, whirred, and fell, clutching aimlessly before climbing back up as the plush slowly slipped away. The claw jolted, dropping the plush before actuating back to its original spot. Jun gestured to me, offering me a chance to try. With two attempts left in the machine, I started up the claw. Searching for a viable plushie to snatch, I located one with its tag sticking out. The claw thrust back, swinging in circles as it lowered. Watching its pegs sway back and forth, I banged the machine's window as the stud swished past the tag. Jun's brows furrowed.

"You must be good at this stuff," he observed, leaning on one side of the machine.

I started the machine again: last chance. Another attempt at my tactic was in place. The claw lurched once again, encircling my prey as it dropped. The peg hooked onto the tag. Success! Filled with energy, I jumped in anticipation. The claw swung, fastened to my prey. Jun high-fived me as the claw released its spikes, causing the plush to drop into the dropzone. I grasped the plush out of the pick-up area and held it up in triumph. Winning felt great.

My phone rang, it was Will again.

"Yo, we're here, where are ya two?" he insouciantly articulated.

"We'll be right there," I answered.

Jun acknowledged my speech as we left to the lobby. Soft background music played as I could hear Alison telling off will for some reason.

"...and you'd better not spend ALL our money on snacks! Cuz I-" she whined.

"Wassup!" I hollered.

Will greeted me with a firm grasp of our arms. Jun popped up behind me with his hands in his pockets and his orange hair nicely parted in the middle; his white shirt also depicted lines of colours resembling VHS distortion.

Will smirked and whispered in my ear aloud, "So this is the guy you've been slobbering all over?"

"I heard that!" Jun bellowed, groaning in his tone.

All three of us snickered as Alison stood like a human watching birds mate. Jun then led us towards a karaoke room. A hallway full of rooms hid behind the lounge. The four of us walked in before I closed the door behind. Soft red leather couches surrounded three out of four of the room's walls. A quaint coffee table with multiple layers welcomed us as we all took off our shoes and placed them into the shoe shelf. Stepping up the platform, we felt the strawed floor cushion our socks. Two tablets sat on the table before Jun picked one up. He turned it on as a screen faded on a message: Welcome to the Karaoke rooms! Please sign in through the box. Jun signed his name as a green light above the door flipped to red—signifying occupancy. Will used the other tablet to scroll through the selection of songs. Eventually, he started with the most popular track in the world at that point: "Blinding Lights" by The Weeknd. As the instrumentals began, Alison picked up a microphone, switched it on, and handed it to Will before grabbing one for herself. The two of them sang together, smiling and suppressing laughter. Jun sat next to me, leaning over to tell me something.

"It says on the tablet that we can order food here," he stated informatively.

"Ah, cools, can we get s'more fries up in here?" I joked.

Jun clicked through the menu before ordering an extra-large basket of salted french fries. He added a bowl of ketchup to the order. As Jun raised his finger to hit the Order button, I interrupted him and tapped it for him. He laughed as I tilted in, his shoulder and right arm against my front. Leaning too far in, I collapsed on him, falling onto his side. Will yelped and hopped up before assuring if I was well. Jun pushed me back up as I leaned on his shoulder. He didn't appear to mind. Will slid forward to get a clear view.

"Oooooo, lovebirds!" he teased.

"Leave him be," Jun shot back, "If he wanted to lay on you, he would."

Will snorted, "As if he'd do THAT-"

Alison still focused on singing, looked at us with a scary glare.

"Alright, alright, I'll sing BOSS," Will sneered playfully.

She made a girl noise: probably hmph before Will continued to sing, straining his voice but still delivering an angelic tone. As the song finished, Will offered Alison's microphone to Jun, who begrudgingly received it. Will and Jun sang in the background, as Alison and I simply stared at Will, appreciating his singing. As the song reached a high note, Jun backed out.

"NOPE," he vocalised before moving the microphone away momentarily.

Will stood his ground and pushed his vocal cords to their limit, creating a high-pitched guttural vibration. Still, it sounded almost intentional. A staff worker knocked on the door: stealing our attention before entering the room and bowing. We bowed back as he placed our orders on the table. Alison almost instantaneously dug in, dragging handfuls of fries into her mouth. I eyed her judgmentally before she spoke, muffled by her stuffed mouth.

"What-"

The young man politely queried if we needed anything more. I ordered a soda-flavoured slushie as Jun and Alison ordered teas. Will requested a diet cola. Aghast, I shifted to Will.

"You drink soda?!" I questioned.

"Yeah, why?" I replied.

"But you—nevermind," I paused before thanking the staff worker as he bowed and left.

Shortly after, Jun gave the microphone back to Alison, who shook her head and pointed to me.

"Oh right, you haven't sung yet," he remembered.

Will expressed encouragement before I grabbed the mic. Instead of singing for the majority of the song, Will provided support as I, in essence, screamed through the lyrics. The melody dragged on for what seemed like hours. Ironically, the song was the shortest of our selection clocking in around two minutes. As I panted, everyone clapped, denoting my bold endeavour.

I laid down and pressed against my cat plush. Closing my eyes, I could hear Jun and Will conversing as Alison continued to munch on the fries. It was unequivocally a tiring day full of ups and downs. I started the day depressed and ended the day like this: full of joy. Though, maybe Jun was right. I wasn't the one for him. He appeared to be someone I could rely on; he planned to bring me here as an indirect apology, didn't he? It was fine: I accepted it. Subconsciously, I snuggled up to his lap as Will snickered. Jun sighed and stroked my hair. Soon, I was asleep.

To my lack of knowledge, Will had stared at my throughout that entire night. At some point, Jun had transferred my unconscious body on Will. Alison was a bit jealous, but Will assured her that he was only just considerate. Jun had left early due to his curfew, leaving Alison, Will, and I. As the karaoke rooms closed, Will carried me in his arms to his car where Alison fussed about me. She repeatedly annoyed Will about awaking me. If I had known how curt he had been with Alison, I would've been blushing. Alison would later say it was because he was busy driving; although, we both knew that wasn't the case. Road lights fluttered over my eyelids until the car halted at a traffic light. A luminescent, creamy road light hovered over the vehicle, illuminating the passenger seats. My eyes flickered open to the sight. The night sky and the golden hue of the surrounding area filtered the road light. The signature humming of the vehicle nudged me to sit up.

Will turned from his seat to greet me.

"Evening, prince."