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Jun was having a day like any other.
He'd gone straight to the gym as soon as the first rays of sunlight appeared, had a haircut appointment scheduled with his stylist, and he had been rehearsing the script for his next acting workshop, where a recurring role in a major, well-known film awaited him.
He attributed his lack of appetite to nerves and the stress of such a leading role, it was the first time he'd been stepping outside his comfort zone. Usually, Jun played dynamic characters with a touch of humor and a bubbly personality in action dramas and romantic comedies, but he'd been presented with the opportunity to portray a melancholic young man struggling daily with the grief of losing his special someone, and he had to learn to bare his soul in the role. So it was no surprise that he didn't have the stomach for anything; that was the first symptom he seemed to ignore.
As the hours passed, Jun felt an abdominal pain that started around his navel and migrated to his right side, he mistakenly believed it was just a minor stomach ache and decided to take a nap, ignoring the warning signs.
Jun is the type of person who solves his problems alone, who keeps his emotions locked away no matter how much pain he bleeds, who doesn't bother others with trivialities, like the chronic insomnia that haunts him in not usual places. No one knew this until Thame caught him one night on the balcony railing of a hotel in Nagoya. Jun told him he was admiring the view, Thame told him to shut up and dragged him to his own bed. They discovered that sleeping in the same space with someone else helped, at least in most cases.
Nano was the one who welcomed into the family to Cays, the yellow stuffed dog Jun grew up with. It was old—Jun's father had given it to him when he was just a newborn—and it was frayed at one ear, and has five stitched seams at the body, including one on a paw. It had a small face, round eyes, and a tiny mouth that was barely visible. Nano squealed when he saw it and took it out of the dryer; it had accidentally fallen into Jun's laundry basket. But it was so cute that he couldn't resist hugging it in front of everyone.
Jun wasn't keen on discussing his bad sleeping habits and the fact that the only sure way to fall asleep was by cuddling Cays, so he kept it to himself. Mars never said anything to him about it; in fact, they exchanged stories about their childhoods and favorite toys.
Thame had a toy microphone that he sang into all the time, but it got a terrible sore throat and couldn't sing anymore. Actually, Thame's parents took the batteries out because their son kept singing in the shower, and they were afraid something bad would happen. For Pepper, it was his stuffed tiger that he got at the Chiang Mai Zoo when he was three, he assured that he was still at his parents' house, waiting for his longed-for return every time he visited them on vacation. Nano's most precious possession was his dollhouse, every afternoon after snack time, he would invent a new story for a plastic family, his moms always joined him, like spectators of a new adventure. Dylan recounted a funny anecdote about when his wooden train was stolen on a school trip, he wasn't supposed to bring it, but was excited about the picnic in the park that his kindergarten had organized, he only looked away for a second, and another child was already grabbing his toy train. Dylan threw a classic tantrum, typical of his age, and snatched the toy from the other child's hands.
Jun felt a little better expressing his thoughts without overthinking them, although when it comes to medical situations, it's a very different story. Jun didn't like hospitals, so he drifted off to sleep believing the sharp pain in his abdomen would vanish in a flash with a restorative nap.
It didn't. It got worse.
He woke up barely an hour and a half later, his stomach clenched with pain and tears already escaping his eyes. His head felt hot, and the sheets clung to his sweaty skin. Jun squeezed his eyes shut and tried to get out of bed, but without much success. He took a deep breath and used what little strength he had left to force his legs up onto the bed and use the momentum to pull himself to his feet.
Perhaps a second or two passed before his weight gave way, and he fell face-first to the floor, knocking over his bedside table and scattering his belongings. Jun was breathing in short gasps, his forehead pressed to the floor and his knees drawn up to his chest.
His first thought was to call his friends, but there was only one other person at home today. Thame and Po are currently in Rome, Italy, probably enjoying their well-deserved break with champagne. Nano had taken a bus to his hometown a day before, Pepper had taken the longer route to Gam's parents' house. This left Dylan, who was most likely buried in his headphones with the volume cranked up, working on his own music with his usual furrowed brow, but awake nonetheless.
He needed to get to Dylan, his room was at the end of the hall, but Jun couldn't move from the pain enough to crawl there. He was scared, and the first tear fell from his eye, rolling down his temple and disappearing beyond. He closed his eyes involuntarily, and more tears escaped without asking permission. His vision went completely dark, and he didn't know if was taking a moment to calm down or if he had fainted.
— ღ —
Bam! A dull noise woke Dylan with a jolt.
He'd fallen asleep at his desk, a sheet of paper pressed against his cheek, his fingers numb from holding a pen for hours, it took him a couple of seconds to wake up and get up from his chair, following the noise, he rubbed his eye with the back of his hand as he crossed the threshold. He'd been staying up late for days over the lyrics to a song stuck deep in his brain, lyrics he still couldn't quite put into the correct words. The demo only needed a couple of tweaks to the bridge, and the whole melody would be ready.
He froze as he passed Jun's door and heard pained groans. Dylan was usually one of the first to respect the privacy of all the members of Mars, five men crammed into one house had to learn to behave and not cross each other's boundaries, but this time, he didn't knock on his bandmate's door; he walked right in. Dylan gasped as he saw Jun collapsed on the floor.
"Jun, hey, calm, I'm here, I'm here now." He rushed to him, helping him stretch his limbs and rest his head on his lap. Dylan placed his hand on Jun's forehead, noticing the rising fever. "My God, you're burning up, we need to bring your temperature down."
"It hurts so much," He groaned, barely able to breathe. "My stomach hurts so much, Dylan."
"Breathe with me, can you get up? Lean on me." Dylan moved, taking Jun under his arms to help him sit up, causing Jun to groan in pain once he was upright.
"I can't, I can't do it, it hurts so much." Jun shook his head, his forearms covering his abdomen. Dylan could barely support him by the shoulders to keep him upright.
"You can do it, Jun. You have to get up." Jun kept shaking his head, small, involuntary sounds escaping his pale lips, unable to open his eyes, his body spasming sporadically. "Please, Jun, I know it hurts, but you have to get up… That's it, gently…" With a trembling sigh, Jun stood up, almost falling back to the floor, but Dylan gently caught him in his arms as if watching his world crumble before him.
It was slow, steady progress; they managed to reach the living room with slow steps. Jun sat down in the entryway, the trembling growing fast from the very core of his being. Hiccuping, he hugged himself once more, as if he could protect himself from what was coming.
Dylan didn't hesitate.
He ran through the house, searching in his phone for the nearest uber that could take them to a hospital. He found a pair of comfortable shoes for Jun because he couldn't go barefoot and one of his cardigans so he could cope with the inherent chill of the night. He took a cloth, dampened it with water, and then placed it on Jun's forehead, who let himself be soothed against Dylan's fresh palms on his face.
Dylan barely remembered to lock the house when a car pulled up idling a few feet away. He helped Jun inside and didn't leave his side for a millimeter, even interlacing their pinkies like an anchor, still unsure if he was doing it for Jun's sake or his own.
"To the nearest hospital, any hospital, quick, quick!" The engine roared in response, the tires screeched against the asphalt, the city's skyscrapers flashed past in monochromatic blurs through the car windows, as did Dylan's consciousness, clouded by a haze of despair.
— ღ —
"We're here, Jun. Hang in there a little longer, let's just walk... Slowly like this, and we'll get to the emergency room."
"I can't stand the pain anymore, I think I'm going to die." Jun hissed through gritted teeth.
"You're not going to die."
"I swear, it's unbearable."
"...You said we'd go eat spicy noodles at that street food restaurant, the one we keep putting off because we have so much work... You promised me."
"I know, I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you." Jun's face contorted with guilt, Dylan shook his head, his eyes welling up. "Something's really wrong with me, Dyl."
"Everything will be alright, okay?" Dylan's voice broke at the end. Two nurses trotted over when they saw them stumbling in, one of them with a wheelchair ready, and diligently sat Jun down. Dylan asked them to be careful, and they took him away almost running, with Dylan right on their heels.
The white corridors seemed endless, the unmistakable smell of antiseptic permeated the air, the beeping of a heart monitor could be heard both far away and close at the same time, someone coughed in the distance, another snored louder than was allowed, and when they reached the examination tables, a doctor blocked Dylan's path.
"I'm with him," He said with conviction, which the doctor didn't care about.
"I'm very sorry, but we need space to examine him. You'll have to take a seat in the waiting room and help us with the paperwork."
"It's just... I need to know how is he. He was fine the last time I saw him this morning, and now he has terrible abdominal pain! I don't know what's wrong with him."
"I understand your concern, but we need to make a proper diagnosis to figure out what’s wrong. There are many factors to consider, it could be a stomach infection or intestinal obstruction. I’ll authorize a chest x-ray if the physical exam raises suspicion of appendicitis, which would be our primary concern, but we can’t be sure that’s the case. For now, I can only ask you to help us with the patient’s medical history. Please proceed to the next triage area. " The doctor escorted him to the unit where a couple of nurses were casually gossiping.
One of them, the younger one, who was closest to a desktop computer, asked him a few routine questions about Jun, such as his personal information and current symptoms, and dismissed him with a reassuring smile, promising to keep him updated on Jun’s condition.
Dylan took a moment to sit in a metal chair and release the tension in his body. He started making calls, first to Jun's parents, who were asleep at their home on the limits of the city and would get to the hospital as soon as possible, then to Thame, who was already packing his bags halfway through the call, and Po, who was looking for the earliest flight to Thailand. Nano promised he'd be there first hour in the morning, taking a bus back, and Pepper drove to the exit ramp leading back to the main highway toward Bangkok.
All of them going back to Jun.
— ღ —
Forty minutes passed and there was still no news of Jun.
Dylan sighed in exasperation, his gaze fixed on the ceiling panels. He tried to be patient for the first fifteen minutes until he couldn't stand it anymore and asked about Jun, the answer was still unclear; they were still doing a general check-up.
His leg bounced faster and faster with worry, the sole of his shoe echoing with a repetitive tap, tap, tap. His phone screen lit up with an incoming message from Jun's mother, asking about her son; Dylan took it as an instant signal to act. He returned to the triage area. The female nurse from before was nowhere to be seen; in her place was a man not much older than Dylan, blinking from lack of sleep after working extra shifts.
"Excuse me, I've been waiting quite a while for news about Junn Tangsakultham. He was admitted with severe abdominal pain, and the doctor said it could be appendicitis, but wasn't sure."
"Are you a direct relative of the patient?"
"Huh, I… Why is that relevant?"
"We can’t give out personal information about our patients for security and confidentiality reasons. If you’re not a direct relative of the patient, we can’t confirm anything."
"That’s ridiculous. I brought him here. I want to know if he’s okay. We were at home when he started feeling sick in the middle of the night and…"
He cut him off abruptly. "I can’t do anything for you right now. If you’re really worried, you can contact his family, and when they arrive, we’ll notify them of his condition. " A spark of anger ignited in Dylan’s chest—like a raging fire—when the male nurse gave him a fake smile and invited him to sit down.
"I’m his husband, for God’s sake, and if you don’t tell me right now how is he, I swear I’ll go from bed to bed until I find him. I don’t care if I have to step over you to do it." The lie escaped his lips before he could even taste it.
"Listen, you already told me you’re worried, but I can’t just assume you’re his husband out of nowhere because you want to know about the patient’s condition. We have no record of a husband in Mr. Tangsakultham’s medical chart."
"If you’re so concerned about security and confidentiality clauses, you better than anyone, should know we can’t just talk about this kind of thing lightly. We’re public figures, we’re idols, or what? Didn’t you even bother to read my husband’s occupation? " Dylan interlaced his trembling fingers, fearing his cover would slip and he’d be exposed, though the fire inside him hadn’t diminished at all. The nurse’s gaze lingered on his ring finger, where the absence of a silver wedding band was conspicuous.
"I highly doubt you…"
"I can’t wear my wedding ring the way I should, I can’t shout to the world how much I love this man." Tears overwhelmed Dylan, the anxiety and worry of the past hour were finally taking their toll. "We've been together for five years, and when we need each other most, we're being unfairly denied. " He finished with an ugly sob escaping his lips, drawing the attention of the medical staff and the few other people in the waiting room.
"Okay, okay, I understand. Please calm down. I'll go ask the internist if you can see your… husband," The nurse said suspiciously, rising from the chair. Dylan wiped away his tears and felt much better after releasing the pressure in his chest.
The doctor approached with measured steps, the male nurse following behind with the same wary and weary expression, Dylan sniffled and forced himself to steady a bit, ready for any reality check.
"We apologize for the delay, but we have the results with us now," He said with a serious expression, practiced for this type of situation. "The clinical tests of blood and urine showed a normal white blood cell count, however, Mr. Tangsakultham vomited shortly after arriving, and we administered intravenous fluids to treat his dehydration.”
"So, what is the cause of the pain? "
"The computed tomography shows a larger than normal appendix, dilated and with thick walls, with no abscess visible, which is good because it hasn’t ruptured yet and would trigger an infection. However, there are surrounding inflammatory changes, so we can’t wait any longer in case it ruptures at any moment."
"You mean, it’s appendicitis?" Dylan said in a whisper.
The doctor nodded solemnly. "We’re already preparing an operating room to operate and remove it. Since the appendix hasn't ruptured yet, we'll perform a laparoscopy, the procedure doesn't usually take long, and recovery is much faster."
"How long does the surgery take?"
"At most an hour, we've already given a preoperative dose of antibiotics to prevent infection. The surgery will start soon."
"I need to see him before the surgery starts."
"We only have a couple of minutes."
"It won't take any longer than that." Dylan walked behind the doctor after being told to follow. He resumed walking down the endless white corridors, each step heavier than the last, unsettled by spending almost an hour in a room filled with uncertainty.
Alone. Completely alone.
Regretting not noticing Jun's condition earlier, one question would have sufficed. Regretting not taking those driving lessons last summer, perhaps he could have spared Jun some of the suffering if only he knew how to drive and simply took Jun's car to drive him there.
Dylan told himself not to torment himself with such thoughts.
When he saw Jun, a weight of sorrow, grief, and anguish bubbled in his chest. He had an intravenous line connected to his forearm because, according to the doctor, Jun was so dehydrated they couldn't easily find a vein on the back of his hand. His face was less pale than the last time he'd seen him, he looked better, and his eyes even lit up when he noticed Dylan.
He looked fragile, as if he weren't the same Jun he usually was.
The female nurse from before gave him a knowing smile as she changed the same damp cloth Dylan had put on Jun to bring down his fever. They were left alone in the privacy of a small room that lacked a main barrier of privacy, like a door.
"How are you?" Dylan stroked his chest with his fingertips, giving him a gentle, comforting massage.
"The pain has lessened a little, but it's still there," Jun said, pausing between words. "They're going to operate on me, they're going to remove my appendix. Do you know how long it is?" Just a finger, Dyl. All this fuss over something less than 10 cm long!"
"I know, Junnie. You'll be fine, I promise."
"I want to believe that, I'm just... Scared."
"Me too, you really scared me back there. Don't ever do anything like that again."
"I guess I really should make it up to you... That date at the noodle restaurant really should be worth it."
"Is it a date now?" Dylan blurted out with a half-smile, worry still lingering in his eyes.
"I have to treat my husband with the most care, just like he's doing for me right now." Dylan's ear tips got all hot, contrasting sharply with the silver of his hair. A smile widened on Jun's face. "Not too long ago, a nurse came running in because a patient's husband was causing a scene outside, tears worthy of a lakorn and everything."
"Oh, that... That nurse was being a pain in the ass, and I just... I gave him the same treatment, but I wasn't making a scene! I just wanted to know that you are fine."
"I bet..." Jun studied him closely, analyzing every part of the man in front of him. Dylan still had fresh tears trapped between his eyelashes, the corners of his eyes and the tip of his nose already frosted with a reddish hue, the end of his shirt was wrinkled and stretched unevenly, something Dylan's hands needed to be occupied with. "I'm sorry for worried you so much."
"You made me look ten years older."
"That bad mood and the gray hair you already had it."
"You're lucky you're recovering, otherwise I would have hit you over the head by now."
"That's marital violence."
"I'm going to show you what a real marital violence is."
"Not before I file for divorce."
"I’ll gladly sign the papers. "
"To get married or divorced? "
"Don’t pressure." Jun and Dylan shared private giggles. Dylan’s hand found Jun’s, and they intertwined their pinkies, again for support. "I told your parents and the guys we’re at the hospital, they’re on the way."
"Oh…" He blurted out, as if feeling guilty. "I didn’t want to ruin everyone’s vacation."
Dylan shook his head repeatedly. "You didn’t ruin anything. They’re coming because they’re worried about you."
"Tell them it was a false alarm and that I’m fine."
"You know that even if I do, they still won’t stop until they see it with their own eyes."
"It’s just… This was the only time we’d have free time in our schedules, and I know how hard Thame worked to buy those plane tickets, and how much Nano wanted to see his moms, and the itinerary Pepper put together for him and Gam, and oh my God, I was supposed to visit my parents this weekend, help my mom with the fried chicken business."
"That’s the least of it. They care about you more than their vacation, Jun. I assure you, your mom cares more about her son than the business."
"But she’s been under so much pressure lately! An employee quit last week, they’re training a new one who just started, and my mom’s handling everything. She's exhausted and I'm just another burden on her pile of things to do."
"You're not a burden." Dylan stroked his cheek with his thumb. "I can help your mom if she needs it."
"Your mother-in-law," Jun corrected.
Dylan snorted. "Can't you go a second without thinking about that? Just forget it."
"Never."
"I'm sorry." The same female nurse returned, apologizing with a smile. "We're ready to start your appendectomy, Mr. Tangsakultham."
"Sure, it's ok." Dylan gave him one last stroke of the face and stepped back, giving them space to prepare Jun for his surgery. "I'll be outside waiting. Be good, Junnie, and don't make things any more complicated for the doctors."
"Don't make another scene out there, and we'll be fine."
"Please take good care of him," Dylan said to the nurse, who was looking at him with amusement. "I only have one husband, it would be a tragedy if I were widowed so young."
"Well, at least we had a prenuptial agreement."
"You didn't want to participate in what's yours, is mine, except when it comes to cake. You're always stealing mine."
"I'm craving for cake right now."
"You only crave it because you know you can't eat it."
"Dylan, please just go. I'll never get to the operating room like this."
"Yes, of course, I'll go. Don't panic, everything will be fine." Dylan slipped away before any more nonsense could escape from his lips.
"You two really do fight like an old married couple," The nurse said as she changed the intravenous bag and helped Jun get settled.
"That’s what we always hear."
"You remind me of my parents. You fight about everything, even sleeping on the same side of the bed and the color of the cutlery, but it’s never hurtful. They just need each other’s attention all the time."
"Yeah, that sounds like Dylan and me."
— ღ —
Another hour passed in a blur, and then forty-five more minutes until they heard news from Jun.
His parents arrived shortly after Jun went into surgery, and Dylan took care of bringing them up to speed. They sat in the waiting room until 4 a.m.
The operation was a success; there were no complications removing his appendix. The patient was already resting in a room, still under the effects of the anesthesia. Dylan gave his parents the opportunity to be a moment with him, while he informed the rest of Mars that everything had gone well.
Nano called as soon as he arrived at the bus station, it wasn't open yet, but he would keep his word and take the first bus back. Pepper was driving cautiously in the early morning darkness, so Gam answered the phone. Thame was desperate; there were no flights available—the layovers took too long—and he didn't think it was possible to return so soon.
Dylan was now in Jun's room, watching over him. The room was moderately small, white throughout, with the bed in the center and a small loveseat near the window, where the curtains were drawn to keep out the first rays of sunlight.
Not long after he woke up, Jun asked to see his husband. Needless to say, Dylan was overcome with embarrassment, trying to explain the misunderstanding to Jun's parents, claiming it must be a delayed effect of the anesthesia. Both of them laughed while Dylan lay embarrassed in front of them, a small spark of relief after the unnoticed and mortifying wait.
"You'd better put a ring on his finger someday, son," Jun's father said proudly.
"We're not even dating," Jun mentioned when he fully regained consciousness, though speaking more slowly than usual.
"So what are you waiting for?" His mother chimed in, her hands folded in her lap with a slow pause. "We didn’t spend all these years raising a coward, it’s not like we refused to give them our blessing. Every time you come home, you’re always talking about Dylan. I was wondering when you were going to take the big step."
"Mae! You don’t need to say any more, just leave us alone." Jun squealed, embarrassed. Dylan could only laugh nervously.
It wasn’t like Jun’s mother was wrong, either.
"Thame’s calling, " Dylan said, after his face regained its natural color, showing his ringing phone with a lovely picture of Thame and Po cuddling on the screen. "Hello?"
"Is he okay? What did the doctor say after the operation? How long will be he in the hospital?” A voice on the other side rushed to say as he answered the call. Another voice, distorted by static, told him to calm down.
"Tell him we don’t miss him while he’s in Italy."
"Is that Jun? Is he awake? Let me talk to him." Dylan handed the phone to Jun with a small, whispered for you. "Jun, how are you? Don't talk too much, just nod when you want to say yes, no, wait, I can't see that, let me switch to a video call."
"I'm not dying, Thame."
"You could have died. In Thailand, approximately 2.3% of the population dies annually from appendicitis."
"I want to talk to Po, press speakerphone, I need him to know he needs to monitor your internet searches more closely."
"This isn't the time for jokes, Jun."
"It's what's keeping me alive."
"Forget that. We're still trying to get return tickets, but I promise we'll come see you soon."
Jun sighed. "The surgery went well, Thame. I'm fine. You don't have to fly back for that. Stay there and have a good glass of wine for me, okay?"
"It's just that…" Thame's voice cracked. "You were there for me when I had gastroenteritis that time, you even made me congee because it was one of the few things I could eat."
"You ate one a day, you ate so much it made you sick."
"And now, I can't be there for you. I'm not at peace knowing you're bedridden, suffering in pain, and I can't even hold your hand."
"I'm okay now, Thame, I promise."
"Besides, I'm here," Dylan interjected. "I'll take care of him for you, I'll hold his hand so he's not alone."
"That's sweet," Jun's mother said for the first time since the call began.
"That's why I married you, Dylanboo," Jun said sweetly, and Dylan stuck his tongue out at him.
"Married you?" Thame asked, and even though they were on the other side of the phone, they knew the confused look on his face.
"Dylanboo?" Po asked this time, more interested in the nickname than anything else.
Well, now they had something to explain, and the call didn't seem likely to end anytime soon.
— ღ —
After forty-eight hours, Jun was discharged from the hospital.
"Post-operative care is essential to promote healing and full recovery," The on-duty doctor explained to everyone present in the hospital room. "Jun need to rest for seven days, only taking short walks for now. After these days, depending on your progress, you can begin to resume your daily activities, without overexerting yourself or lifting heavy objects. Every two days, the wounds should be cleaned with a saline solution, and the dressings should be changed two to three times a day. A soft diet is recommended for now, no fats or spicy foods, and it's advisable to drink at least eight glasses of water a day to prevent constipation."
"What position should he sleep in?" Dylan asked, as if it weren't enough that he was already taking notes on all the instructions in one of his notebooks. His sidelong glance fell upon Cays, the little dog resting among the soft pillows. The first day Jun was hospitalized, Dylan went home to a quick shower and rest, and when he returned to the hospital, he brought a new companion.
"Face up, always face up for the next two weeks. No pressure on the wounds. We'll remove the stitches in eight days, and if you show any warning signs such as severe pain in the wounds or a persistent fever, go to the emergency room immediately," The doctor finished, and Dylan nodded, his eyes fixed on his notes.
Jun's mother approached the doctor to ask about administering the analgesics, and Dylan stayed behind her, listening. Jun turned to Nano and Pepper, his face etched with horror.
"It's like Dylan has become my mother."
"I see him more as a concerned husband," Pepper said with a sly smile.
"Hey! That's only funny when Dylan and me joke around."
"It's not," Nano said. "You can't deprive us, your best friends, of you being the butt of our jokes."
"I'm always the butt of our jokes."
"You are," Pepper agreed.
"I'm just getting revenge because we weren't invited to their hypothetical wedding." Nano sighed.
"If Dylan and me ever get married, you can bet you won't be invited."
"Did you hear that?" Nano shook Pepper vigorously. "The church bells are ringing! We really are having a wedding!"
"I said if we ever do."
"Details."
"I hope you at least consider your parents," Jun's father said.
"I honestly forgot you were here. I wouldn't be surprised if I forgot you that day too."
"How can you say that to your own phor!" Nano let out an effortless laugh. Dylan turned to look at him reproachfully, putting a finger to his lips as a signal for silence. At least the four of them had the decency to look guilty. "Look, this is what your future is going to be like from now on."
"Keeping silent, not letting me speak?" Jun replied.
"Getting scolded by Dylan," Jun's father responded, earning a chuckle from both Pepper and Nano, and a snort from Jun.
— ღ —
Dylan's medical assistance and aftercare truly paid off.
He take care of Jun for the entire recovery period. The first few days were the most difficult, with three small, fresh incisions on his lower body that required delicate care.
Jun's mother prepared his meals, all based on a soft, easily digestible diet. She stayed at Mars's house, helping with domestic chores like mopping and doing laundry, because despite everything, she was also a homemaker, and one of those who couldn't stand still. Jun's father had returned home when his son left the hospital, taking charge of the fried chicken business' accounting, and a week later his wife joined him.
The rest of the Mars took turns caring for Jun, but with his quick recovery, there weren't many problems.
His scars healed. Thame returned home with Po after a few days. Jun was able to resume his daily routine without exerting himself.
But there was something that couldn't be forgotten. The kind of thing you can't just sweep under the rug and move on from.
When feelings are involved, the kind that resurface with the heavy weight of sleepless nights, giving you goosebumps, making your heart race and your mind go blank, the kind that keep you up until the wee hours writing lyrics for someone nameless, the kind that make you fall for your bandmate when you're dyeing his hair in the garden front of the house, after so many years, those feelings can't be ignored.
No, not the feelings that make your heart bleed when you see that person suffering, hunched over on their bedroom floor, that oppressive unease of being in a hospital room with no information, the simmering anger when you're denied any details about their condition.
So they talked things out. Contrary to popular belief, the kind that's always lurking around because Dylan and Jun never stop fighting, they sat down and talked things out. They displayed those feelings in glass cases for all to admire—Mars, friends, family, spheres—and shared a piece of their own little world with the rest of the world.
These fights, were the result of wanting each other's attention, that push and pull that always kept them together by the hips no matter how hurtful the words, began to soften over the following years.
They started going out more, on small lunch dates, from intimate restaurants where no one seemed to recognize them to street stalls that no one seemed to frequent.
The promise to go for those spicy noodles was finally kept. Months after the medical incident and after Jun had recovered his strong stomach for spices; on a free night after Jun had an emotionally charged day with the acting workshop and Dylan's reunion as the producer of his own independent EP, they sat on two stools under the light of a broken streetlamp, thick fog swirling in the humid air of a still night.
The noodles were delicious, with a sauce that burned the palate and fresh seasonal vegetables. Hot steam from the bowls swirled in aromatic spirals, distorting their faces in a curtain of smoke.
"I was thinking," Jun said after slurping his noodles, setting his chopsticks aside and running his hands over his thighs, which were covered by his jeans. "About that time you had to pretend to be my husband so they'd let you see me in the hospital."
Dylan makes a pout. "And it's become an inside joke ever since, one we'll apparently never forget."
"It's funny." Dylan smiled sweetly, tilting his head in that way that always makes Jun's heart flutter. "But it's something I wouldn't want to happen again, not for you or me." Jun took a small, dark, velvety box from his pocket, opened it, and placed it on the table, leaving the decision solely to Dylan. "Do you want to stop pretending and getting real?"
"Yes," Dylan said automatically, without wasting another second, he looked at the gleaming silver ring that would fit perfectly on his ring finger, and then at the face of the man he loved. "Yes, I'd love to call you my husband, all joking aside." Jun smiled at him like a devoted man would, devoted to Dylan, and retrieved the ring to slip it onto his fiancé's hand.
Dylan hold a sigh.
"Oh my! I can't believe it!" One of the aunts, the owner of the noodle stand, pulling her son out of the back room to watch the scene with curious eyes. "A marriage proposal, and it happened at my store! Oh, how wonderful! You have to let me cater the wedding banquet, I'll cook whatever you want for you. We have to take a picture, to remember it!" She gestured to her son to take a pic with the cellphone.
Jun and Dylan sat at a wobbly table, their bowls of noodles forgotten; Jun with his hands outstretched towards Dylan showing him off, Dylan with his hand outstretched showing his ring and his eyes closed tenderly, the aunt behind them, with a hand on each of the boys' shoulders and a smile of contagious happiness.
In that noodle stand, the pic hung on the wall like a trophy, one that attracted all sorts of customers and told a beautiful love story that lay planted deep within, and blossomed from a diseased appendix.