third time's a charm

16

AUTHOR's NOTE: Everyone say Happy Birthday to one of our dearest readers This is for YOU. 

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Unlike his experience with Lucas, Win and Jasper became close friends. Honestly, he didn't expect it because he cried all over their separation. But unlike Lucas, Jasper chose to stay by Win's side even though he was unable to reciprocate the affection he gave him.

Jasper Hall, a tall, dark, and handsome brood apparently became a doctor, a far cry from his wild past as a bartender. Whenever Win was feeling a bit out of the weather, he would visit Jasper's clinic and would insist on a check-up. Just like today, Win came with his friends Gun, New, and Tay who weren't strangers to Jasper, and visited his clinic for a check-up when he started complaining about headaches from being stressed out with Gulf and Madame Sukie. Although Jasper knew there was really nothing wrong with him, his cuteness made it difficult for the young doctor to refuse his request.

"Did you hear anything?"

The corner of Jasper's mouth turned up, trying to stifle a grin. He then moved the stethoscope to another position on his chest wall, to listen closely to his heartbeat, and asked, "Like what?"

"Like...something that would cause a heart attack the moment my heart starts beating for another person?"

New, who was staring at the handsome young doctor groaned in frustration, "Win, you eat nothing but lettuce, you'll die of starvation before a heart attack gets to you!"

Tay glared at him, only because he had seen how New was so flattered at the sight of Jasper each time they visited his clinic. "Seriously, Win, what is your problem now? You can't just avoid seeing Madame Sukie because you're writing a piece about her. She's your subject."

Win frowned at his friends. Actually, he was just making excuses to avoid meeting with the fortune teller. Too much had happened in the past few days and the last thing he wanted to hear was her scary predictions. But it was too late to back down because too many people were interested in the old lady and what kind of person she was before she awakened her "divine" powers.

"Do you want me to write a letter and request for a day off?" Jasper asked, smiling warmly at the young man sitting on the adjustable overbed cot.

Win thought for a moment and shook his head. "No need," he said. "Nothing can be changed even if you make a request."

"Good that you know," replied Gun. "Get up. Gulf will only make you suffer more the longer we stay here."

He clicked his tongue and jumped from the cot, but not without Jasper's assistance. He was so surprised by Win's action that he instinctively put a hand on the small of his back for leverage. "Thanks," Win said before he turned his attention to his impatient friends. "Since neither one of you received a terrible reading from her, you don't care about my feelings at all! Do you know what it's like to be told that you're going to die if you break your heart for the third time when all you wanted, in your whole life, is to fall madly in love with someone?"

Tay crossed his arms and leaned on the counter. "The problem is you have more shiesty motherfuckers than any real ones. And then people try to make scenarios that will validate the fortune tellers' answers for it to have meaning in their life."

Jasper chuckled softly at this and turned to Win. "Are we talking about the same fortune teller?"

"Yes," Win said to him. "The same one who predicted that Lucas and you would break my heart. No offense."

The other man raised both hands. "None taken."

"Win, can we get to the bottom of this?" Tay continued with his narratives much to the annoyance of both New and Win. "So, let's say a psychic says "I see you'll be walking into a mess soon." Then you step into a pile of dog shit. People will convince themselves that it was divine intervention. When in reality that was just dog taking a random shit."