Love Lies Fame & Regret (18+)

Chapter 15

The door creaked open slightly, and Gulf looked up to see Mew stepping inside, carrying a cup of coffee. He wore a gentle expression, one that Gulf used to find reassuring, but now it only deepened the ache in his chest.

“Hey,” Mew said softly, holding out the cup to Gulf. “Thought you might need this.”

Gulf took the cup with a small nod, trying to muster a smile but failing. He felt a lump forming in his throat, threatening to choke him. “Thanks.”

Mew sat down on the edge of the bed beside him, close enough that Gulf could feel the warmth of his body, but it wasn’t the same. The closeness that once existed between them was gone, replaced by a chasm that Gulf didn’t know how to cross.

“You must be in pain,” Mew continued, his voice laced with concern. “Do you… do you want to talk about it?”

Gulf swallowed hard, gripping the cup tighter as he stared into the dark liquid. There was so much he wanted to say, so many things he needed to get off his chest, but the words wouldn’t come. They were lodged deep inside him, buried under layers of pain and confusion.

“I’m fine,” Gulf finally muttered, though the words felt hollow, even to him.

Mew frowned slightly, not convinced. “Gulf… you’re not fine. I know you’re going through a lot right now. We can talk about it,"

For a moment, Gulf considered opening up, letting Mew in just like he used to. But then the image of Mew and Lisa together flashed in his mind again, and the anger and bitterness surged back, drowning out any desire to confide in him.

“What’s there to talk about?” Gulf said, his voice sharper than he intended. “You’re with Lisa now. I’m just… I’m just someone you used to know.”

Mew’s expression softened with regret, but it only made Gulf’s heart ache more. “Gulf, you’ll always be important to me. Just because things have changed doesn’t mean I don’t care about you.”

Gulf scoffed, setting the cup down on the nightstand. “You care about me? Then why did you leave? Why did you move on so easily?”

Mew’s eyes flickered with guilt, and he looked down at his hands, which were resting on his lap. “It wasn’t easy, Gulf. It never was. But we both needed to move forward, and I thought you understood that.”

“Move forward?” Gulf repeated, his voice rising with emotion. “How am I supposed to move forward when everything’s falling apart? When you’re the only thing I ever wanted, and now you’re just… gone?”

Mew looked up at him, his eyes filled with sorrow. “Gulf, I’m sorry. I really am. But I can’t change what happened, and neither can you. We have to live with our choices.”

Gulf shook his head, feeling tears prick at the corners of his eyes. “You don’t get it, Mew. You have Lisa, you have someone to lean on, someone to love. But what do I have? Nothing. No one.”

Mew reached out, placing a hand on Gulf’s arm, but Gulf pulled away, the touch too painful to bear. “Gulf, please… don’t say that. You’re not alone.”

“I am alone!” Gulf snapped, standing up abruptly. “You moved on! You’re happy! And I’m stuck here, still in love with someone who doesn’t care about me anymore! And our fucking relationship is now the reason why that old bastard tortures me!"

The silence that followed was deafening, punctuated only by Gulf’s ragged breathing. Mew looked up at him, his eyes wide with shock and something else—pity. That was the last straw for Gulf.

“I can’t stay here,” Gulf said, his voice trembling. “I need to go.”

Mew stood up, reaching out as if to stop him. “Gulf, please… just stay for a bit longer. Let’s talk this through.”