Everything started a month ago, Mai wanted us to spend the weekend in his parents resort cause we hadn't spent a lot of time together after his internship ended. And so I went shopping really early that Saturday for the trip but then I went past a cafe and I saw Mai with a girl, they looked like they were on a date."

"I didn't want to make any assumptions but then Mai called and he said he wouldn't make it that day and that we would go the next day. I asked him if he went anywhere that day but he told me that he was home. I don't know why he lied so I became upset and cancelled the entire trip. He didn't call me back or come visiting and that just confirmed that he really was on a date with the girl." Jade explained.

"Hold up, how can you be so sure it wasn't just a friend?" Uea asked.

"She came to me and asked me to help her get back together with Mai." Jade said.

"What?" Uea asked.

"She was his ex girlfriend. Apparently she did a little digging on me and found out that I was close to Mai. She said that she broke up with Mai to go study abroad but now that's she's back and she wanted my help to get them back together." Jade explained.

"She knew you and Mai were dating and yet she asked for your help to get them back together?" King asked angrily.

"She said that she had met up with Mai on Saturday and Mai told her that he was single." Jade said as his eyes started to sting with unshed tears.

"Mai wouldn't do that. There's no way." Uea said.

"And what did you tell her?" King asked.

"I wanted to tell her that I was dating Mai but since he said he was single, I didn't have the courage to and so I just excused myself and started avoiding her from that day. Luckily for about a week, I didn't see her again and then Mai came to pick me up from the office, he took me grocery shopping and apologised for the previous weekend. He didn't mention anything about his ex girlfriend and I wanted to ask so badly but I didn't want to come off as insecure or clingy."

"Still you should have said something." Uea said.

Jade wouldn't admit it out loud but he didn't care about anything else, just as long as Mai continues to treat him in a good way, even if it was only pretense, he didn't care to know and would like it to stay that way. Even if Mai two-times him.

"I still don't get why you hurt yourself Jade." King said as he was getting impatient.

"King..." Uea reprimanded him for trying to rush Jade.

"A week later, she found me again and kept begging me to help with Mai and that's when I told her that me and Mai were actually dating and then she said that... she said Mai would never date someone like me." Jade said his voice low as he recalled her words.

"You know that's not true right?" Uea said.

"I just couldn't stop thinking about what she said. She also said it was only a matter of time before Mai broke up with me. I knew she was just trying to get under my skin but I let her. I believed everything she said." Jade wiped his tears before they got the chance of rolling down his cheeks.

"Jade..." Uea's heart broke for his friend. He couldn't believe that Jade went through all of that.

"That night I dreamt about the night P'Top broke up with me, at first it was P'Top but then it was Mai who was standing in front of me. It felt so real. I ended up crying in my bathroom. When I saw my reflection in the mirror, I couldn't stand it and so I broke the mirror. I don't know what came over me at that moment, I wasn't thinking and I took a shard of the mirror and cut myself with it."

"I felt some sort of relief as I bled. The emotional pain I couldn't see was turned to physical pain, I preferred the physical pain. I cut myself some more before realising what I was doing, but it felt great. And so I continued doing it with razors because the mirror shards cut me too deep and I just continued like that. That's why I've been avoiding everyone lately." Jade explained.

"When was the last time you cut yourself?" King asked.

"Yesterday." Jade answered.

Uea allowed himself to cry, hearing what Jade went through.

"And when did you plan on telling us Jade!?" King yelled angrily.

"I did not want to tell you because I knew this was how you guys were going to react." Jade said.

"Well how the fuck else did you think we would react? Did you think we were going to give you a fucking trophy? What? you want a medal? For the biggest dumbass ever?" King yelled.

"King!" Uea warned. That was not the right reaction to Jade telling them about his traumatic experience.

King took a deep breath to calm his nerves. "And Mai? When is he getting here? You called him already right?" King asked.

Uea looked at Jade before looking at King. "Actually, Jade doesn't want us to get Mai involved."

"Are you kidding me? If anyone Mai should know about this. Look, I'm not blaming the kid, but he needs to explain what the hell is going on here." King said.

Jade was about to protest when Uea spoke "but Jade's not ready..."

"And he will never be." King cut Uea off. "If Jade had his way, he wouldn't have told us. Mai needs to know about this. You know I'm right." King said.

Uea knew that. It would be better if they could resolve the entire issue immediately than drag it out longer than necessary.

As Uea remained quiet, Jade decided to speak up for himself. "King, dont..."

"You, be quiet. Don't think you have any rights to ask me to change my mind." King said before leaving the sitting room most likely phoning Mai.

"Uea, please stop him." Jade begged Uea. Jade's tears had always been Uea's weakness but he knew there was no way to change King's mind and he also knew that King was right so instead he comforted Jade.

"Why don't you want Mai to know?" Uea asked softly.

"He can't know.  I don't want him to see how pathetic I am." Jade said.

"You are not pathetic." Uea said.

"Yes I am. I have been avoiding him all this time because I thought if we ever met, he was going to break up with me. Mai is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I don't want to lose him." Jade said.

"If he finds out about this, it's a guarantee that he's going to break up with me." He continued.

"Why do you always make out the worst of every situation?" Uea asked sadly

"Because I'm proved wrong every single time I hope. Every time I try to be optimistic, I'm always proved wrong. I'm not as good looking and confident as you are or as rich and admired like King is. I'm just me. Plain, boring me. Somehow Mai was able to fall for me and just like me I found a way to fuck it up." Jade said.

Uea had no idea Jade still struggled with self-esteem issues. He had believed Jade had stopped looking down on himself after he started dating Mai. Uea once again reprimanded himself for overlooking Jade just because he started dating.

Uea took both of Jade's hands into his own. "Jade.... you are not plain and you are definitely not boring. You are one of the most beautiful people I know. You have a good heart and you are always kind to everybody. Most times you put other people's needs before your own. You are beautiful inside and outside and if Mai is stupid enough to let you go, then it's his loss." Uea reassured Jade.

"I love you Jade. There are a lot of us who love and care about you. Including sakoo." Uea said.

Sakoo barked in response to hearing his name.

Jade started crying again but this time not tears of sadness but of some sort of relief.

Uea hugged Jade and sakoo laid at his feet as a way of comforting his master.

"Uea is right Jade. We care about you, and we just want what's best for you." King spoke from behind them.

Jade tried glaring at King but King ignored it.

"Have you two eaten?" King asked.

Thinking about it, they hadn't eaten cause they planned on having breakfast in a restaurant.

"No." Uea answered.

"Then let me go grab you guys some food." King said before leaving.

King had barely left Jade's apartment when Mai ran into him almost bumping into him. How did he get there so fast?

"Is P'Jade alright?" Mai asked frantically.

"No he's not." King answered.

Mai tried running into Jade's apartment before King stopped him.

"First let's chat. Who was the girl you were  with on the Saturday you were supposed to pick up Jade for your trip?" King asked trying his best to keep his voice calm as he did not want to make any assumptions.

Mai thought about that day.

"I was with P'Ploy. She's my brother's girlfriend." Mai explained.

King didn't buy it. "Then why did you lie to Jade about not meeting someone?"

"She's actually a house agent and she was helping me look for an apartment so P'Jade and I could move in together. It was supposed to be a secret that's all. That's why I couldn't tell P'Jade." Mai explained.

It made sense to King. King knew Mai was heads over heels for Jade. "Then what about your ex girlfriend? Are you aware that she had been harassing Jade?"

"I had no idea. I, we met that Saturday and I told her I was dating P'Jade. She said that she respected my decision. I had no idea that she would go and meet up with P'Jade." Mai explained.

"So this is all just a big misunderstanding?" King asked.

"Yes. I promise. It's just a misunderstanding. Please allow me to clear things up with P'Jade." Mai pleaded.

"That's why I called you here. Listen to me, I going to need you to be super mature about this okay? Jade is really sensitive so take it easy alright?" King said.

"Okay P'King." Mai replied.

Mai prepared himself as he was about to enter Jade's apartment. He didn't know what he was expecting but it was definitely not Jade crying while hugging sakoo and Uea comforting him.

This was all his fault. If only he had noticed it sooner, Jade wouldn't be in that spot but he was determined to fix things