"Kao, stand and try to walk." I said, holding drunk Kao by the shoulders.
When I found him slumped over the table in the bar, I was more than shocked. The bartender that served him told he had been drinking since evening. I couldn't believe it. Kao never drank. He distaste the taste of alcohol. But here he was, barely standing with my support.
I managed to throw him in the passenger side of my car and got in.
"Why did you drink so much?" I muttered as I drove towards his place.
He was mumbling things. It took me an hour to reach his place. I balanced him to his apartment and stopped in front of the locked door.
"What's your pass code?" I asked.
"Hm? Why do you want? I won't let you break in." He sulked.
"It's cold. I need the pass code to get you inside. Aren't you cold?" I said, as if speaking to a five year old.
"Cold? I am cold. I am always cold. But hey, you smell familiar. I like the smell. Reminds me of Kwan." He smiled, completely wasted.
My heart beat fastened as I stared at the locked door. "Who is Kwan?" I asked.
He smiled again. "My lover."
My heart clenched. "Is it?"
He giggled. "I feel happy when I see him. He gives me butterflies."
"Do you like him?" I asked.
Before he could answer, The door unlocked from inside and a person appeared. I frowned. I recognized that face.
"What are you doing here!" Kao exclaimed angrily at the person.
"Honey, why are you so drunk?" He hastily reached to take Kao from me. I stared at him as the term he just used to call Kao rang in my ears repeatedly.
"Stay away." Kao pushed him away and stumbled towards me. I caught him, tightening my hands on his shoulders. "This guy smells like Kwan."
The guy exhaled, the frustration clear in his eyes. "Kao, come here. It's late. I was sleeping."
"No." Kao said, wrapping his arms around my waist. "You took everything from me. You sucked me dry. I won't stay with you."
The guy's eyes flickered nervously at me and he once more reached to take Kao from me. This time, I didn't give him up. I tightened my arms around Kao. The guy looked up at me in surprise.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"Oh. I-I am his boyfriend. We live together. We actually fought so he left in a fit of anger." The guy exclaimed, avoiding my eyes. It was definitely the guy I saw at school, arguing with Kao in the doctor's chamber.
"Liar. You took my car! You went to party with your friends!" Kao grumbled.
I frowned. Boyfriend? But...
"I am really sorry for the inconvenience. Let me handle him. Please go home and rest." The guy pulled Kao away from me, ushering him in.
I stared at nowhere after the door closed on my face. I couldn't think of anything. I couldn't differentiate between the truths and lies. Did Kao lie to me?
That night I tossed and turned on bed, wondering about the incident. I even thought of calling him the next day but dropped the idea. I didn't know what to say to him. Maybe he just blabbered nonsense in his drunk state. Maybe he lied about being embarrassed because he already had a boyfriend. But some things just didn't make sense.
I fell asleep at four thirty in the morning only to wake up at six by a strange dream which I couldn't remember anymore. I tossed and turned for another hour. I spent the entire day in bed, not even bothering to take a shower. I felt depressed.
The next few days went by in surprise as I would get drunk calls from Kao almost every night and I would be on my way to pick him up and drop him home. It felt strange as he never called me during the day when he was sober. I found him at the same bar every time.
It was on New Year's eve when I decided to go to the bar earlier and wait for him. We definitely needed to sort things out. I stopped by my sister's for a brief moment and left early. I sat at a bar stool and waited patiently for him to arrive. For the last few days, I broke, picked myself up and decided to face him. Better sooner than later. I had lots of questions. But I may not get all the answers. I could only try.
I was on my third drink when the bar stool beside me dragged quietly. I turned to look at him and there he was, staring blankly at the bartender.
"The usual please." He spoke in a low voice.
The bartender threw me a look before going ahead to make his drink. He was the same bartender who had been picking up my call to ask me to take Kao home. I was surprised as Kao didn't pay me attention.
Gathering the courage, I spoke. "Hi."
He turned to look at me and his eyes widened. "Kwan!" He exclaimed.
I didn't know what to do. And in that moment, involuntarily, a small embarrassed smile spread across my face.
He stared at me for a moment than frowned. "W-why are you here?"
"To take you home in advance, before you get too drunk." I said.
His ears started to turn red. He looked away from me. "I-I am sorry for bothering you."
"It's fine. At least, it's a way for me to know you think about me."
He fiddled with his fingers on his lap.
"You are a doctor yourself. You know it's not good for your health to get drunk regularly." I said genuinely.
He nodded. "I know." His quiet voice clenched my heart.
I sighed, watching his red ears. His face had started to turn red too. "So, let's drink together. It's the New Year's eve." I smiled, trying to lighten the atmosphere.
He looked at me in confusion. "Um okay."
The bartender placed his drink in front of him and he took a sip. He frowned and looked at the bartender. "This is not my usual drink."
"Yeah, made it lighter today. You lose shit after two shots." The bartender feigned annoyance and walked away.
I chuckled. "Two shots? That's your limit?"
Kao looked at me. "I guess."
I smiled, bringing my drink closer to his. "Cheers."
"Cheers." We clinked glasses and took a sip of our drinks.
"So when did you start drinking?" I asked after a moment of silence.
"Six years ago probably."
I raised my eyebrows.
"Just tried one day and liked it." He said, staring ahead. He had been trying to avoid eye contact with me.
I nodded. I didn't want to bring the past up. "Good. We can catch a drink together sometime."
He looked at me.
I smiled. For some reason, my eyes fell on his left hand holding a drink and I noticed something. There was a dark bruise in his ring finger, a sign that a ring worn for a long time had been taken off.
"Why are you here?" He asked.
"Oh, I told you. You would call me anyway so I thought of catching a drink with you." I said.
He nodded.
"Who is that guy that claimed to be your boyfriend?" I asked, right on point. The drinks must be getting into my head.
His expression hardened and he looked away, avoiding my eyes again. He nervously took a sip of his drink. "H-he is not my boyfriend."
"You can tell the truth." I said. God, how much I wished what he had said was true.
"I am telling the truth. He is not." He said and called the bartender to make another drink for us.
I frowned. "He told me-"
"Don't listen to him. I-I..." He trailed off, eyes flickering nervously.
He looked tensed. I must be getting drunk to get the courage. I gently placed my hand over his on the counter and he looked at me in surprise. "Calm down. You can tell me, you know." I spoke softly.
This time he stared right into my eyes, trying to say something. I suspected that something was terribly wrong between them. And I wanted to know. He looked troubled.
He shook his head. "It's...It's nothing. He is just not my boyfriend."
I hoped it was true. "Okay."
Our drinks were served and I decided not to drink anymore. I had to drive. He gulped down the glass in one go and grimaced.
"Hey, slow down." I said, rubbing his back.
"It feels right to drink in one go." He said and rested his chin on the counter. I leaned my elbow against the counter and rested my head on my hand, watching him. He was getting drunk.
"If he isn't your boyfriend, why does he live with you?" I asked, pushing the conversation.
"I told him to go but he doesn't leave. That parasite! He is such a bad man. He...is just bad."
I thought he was just talking drunk until I heard a sniffle and realized he was crying. I shifted closer to him in concern. "Hey, why are you crying?"
He turned to me and sniffled again. "Kwan." He called.
"Yeah?"
"Help me."
I frowned.
"Help me get rid of him."
.