Exchange Gift

4

Everyone is talking all at the same time.

Well, everyone except the man holding the ring.

Bright sits there in stunned silence. Almost statue still.

Milk and First tried to console him but soon ended up arguing with each other and now everyone is talking, assuming they know what just happened when Bright himself didn't have a single clue.

"Maybe he was just surprised by the proposal you know? I mean were you even dating?"

"Of course they're dating! Why would he propose if they weren't?"

"Win said they weren't. We asked him like before anyone else came. Why would he lie?"

"Maybe we're misreading this guys. I mean maybe it's more of a 'would you be my boyfriend' proposal. And not marriage."

"But with a Tiffany diamond ring?? Let's start dating with a ring?! Bright! A ring?!"

Bright in a daze could only say "Supposed to get a dog together."

"A ring and a dog? Oh wow, my commitment issues could never."

"But that's you. Does Win have commitment issues?"

"Even if you're secure, wouldn't you be shocked by a ring and a dog from a man you haven't even kissed yet?," Namtan counters.

"Well, they've kissed."

Bright's head snaps up.

"Sorry Babe. Win told us. The whole mistletoe in an ice rink? Julia Roberts stuff. But I think the 2 of you never talked about it afterwards? Am I right?"

"What's there to talk about? A kiss is pretty clear," First interjects as he pops a cookie into his mouth.

"Ugh. Boys. Sure attraction is clear but what else? I don't kiss someone and immediately think 'happy ever after'. We're not 12."

"That's because before Love, you were kind of slutty."

"First, you have double my body count."

"Never said I wasn't slutty too."

"That still leaves us with Win panicking because of a diamond ring, okay. Can we talk about your past sex lives some other time?"

"Alright. Bright. I know this cannot be easy for you. But what the hell was the thought process here? Was this marriage? Commitment? Have you ever even told Win that you love him?"

"Yeah. Where did the whole leap frog to a ring come from? You've never been impulsive."

"And I am your best friend! Wasn't I supposed to know?," First whines.

"Win is my best friend," is all Bright says.

"Nope. I maintain, the two of you? That was never friendship."

"True. Anyone with eyes could see the two of you have been into each other since college."

"Remember when they jokingly slow danced during Gun's wedding? And almost stole the show?"

"Gun had the music switched to Lizzo so fast," Namtan laughs.

Bright sits there listening to everyone recount how blindingly obvious it is that he and Win were more than just friends.

And the confusion inside him grows.

Were they more than friends?

But why did Win run away if he felt that way?

Did Bright feel that way?

If yes, how come Bright never noticed?

Ok. That was kind of a lie.