Comrade
Gene Yuan

"Your current works aren't depressing as before," Fyzz commented tactlessly while reading the script I wrote for the film that we are planning to produce for the school festival.

His twin, Kaios on the other hand, looked at me with furrowed brows.

"Did something good happen with you lately? Your works before, how should I say this?" He scratched his head while thinking of an appropriate word before he continued with his remarks, "It's as if they were written by someone who was severely damaged and abandoned by the person they love. But now, it's different. Still angsty, but it was toned down a bit."

Fyzz slammed the table with excitement to his twin's comments. "Exactly! When I first skimmed his notebook that Sean asked us to read, I cried. The emotion of the characters, you could feel it. It was my first time feeling so damn heartbroken."

Kaios nods, "It made me hate that diapered-arsehole. But why do you call Cupid like that by the way?" He asked enthusiastically while I just looked at them, speechless.

"He deserves it anyway. If my heart gets broken like that, I'll call him names too and even curse him for tricking me that love is amazing. Dang! Just thinking about it makes me not want to fall in love." Fyzz said seriously before leaning on the table as he looked at me with a wide grin on his lips, "So? Who broke your heart? Is she a beauty? What cup?"

"Stupid!"

Kaios smacked his younger twin's head that made them start throwing punches on each other like a kid. I am lost for words and shifted my gaze to Achlys Sean who maintained his silence and has been avoiding looking at me since Fyzz and Kaios starts blabbering things I didn't know. But it was surprising to know that these chaotic twins are fond of reading and that they have read my former works. Since they don't look like the type who reads and they never mentioned it.

Among the other members, since our school is not strict, these two have fully bleached hair and piercings. They are identical that's why they tried to differentiate each other by the color and style of their hair. Fyzz has undercut blonde hair with a fringe flipped to the right and he has a piercing on the left side of his lower lip. While Kaios dyed his medium-length wavy hair with gray and had his tongue pierced.

Fyzz and Kaios are Sean's childhood friends. Their names are derived from Peace and Chaos. Unfortunately, Fyzz doesn't live up to the origin of his name unlike his younger twin Kaios, who stands up for his name. In short, they are both chaotic, but fun to be with. Although they used to fight over nonsensical things, they get serious when Sean tells them so.

And despite looking like gangsters, these two are quite famous and certainly liked by everyone in our school no matter how wild they are. For that reason, they were tasked to look for people who will be in our film for the upcoming school festival.

"Don't glare at me. They are part of our club, there is no harm to let them read your works. They are all amazing." Achlys Sean mumbled with honesty and looked at me with a sweet smile on his lips. "But they were right. Your hatred for that diapered-arsehole has toned down a bit."

I punched his shoulder lightly for teasing me. Sean certainly knows how to sweet-talk. He got me with his sweet words before that made me join his club and he still got me now.

"You're amazing, Gene. I honestly didn't know that you can pull it off. Writing a Boy's love story is difficult, especially since you're also a guy. It might be awkward writing one." Autumn added to the twin's comments earlier. She looked at Achlys Sean with approval.

"I like to begin the location hunting as soon as possible. Kindly write a letter to the student council once I found the perfect places for this film. I'll be partnering with Winter for this one." She said before looking at our cameraman, who seemed uninterested in our discussion and just keep fiddling with his phone.

"Come on, Win! At least say something. Stop playing with your phone! God! You're all annoying! I will kill that Natsu." She yelled in annoyance and glared at the twin who stopped fighting immediately.

Autumn is our art director. She sometimes helps me write the best settings for my stories and she was also the one who suggested the theme for our film. In our club, aside from Achlys Sean, she's the most reliable and approachable. Autumn is also the only woman in our club, and despite her boyish look, I find her pretty.

She has apple-cut hair with highlighted tips that are perfect for her small face. She is small and looked pale that makes you want to protect her, but among us, she's the most dangerous. Because she might be small but she knows boxing and is a black belter in Taekwondo. It's the reason why the twin and Natsu are afraid of her.

And then there's Winter, like Kaios, he lived up to his name. He's cold and doesn't talk much not unless needed or when the twins are making a mess of his things. He hides his eyes with his unruly black hair. I haven't seen his face clearly because most of the time, he has his head down even when we are talking.

"What about me? What should I do?" We all looked at the door when it opened wide, revealing Natsu, the half-Japanese member of our club with a primary task to help with editing when we finished filming as well as for poster making. He's just like the twins, chaotic and childish, but he has amazing art skills.

Autumn's glare shifted to Natsu before picking up her things.

"You can go jump from the window and die, you stupid late-comer!" She hissed at him before checking her phone when it beeps. "I'll go ahead. Natsu's bastard of a brother will die today." She hissed in anger talking about her boyfriend and Natsu's older brother.

"I told you to just date me instead! I won't be bothersome like my brother. Plus I can make you happier!" Natsu teased Autumn with a wide grin on his lips who just give him a dirty finger sign for his joke.

"Shut up, slave. If you want to make me happier, date Fyzz." She responded before shutting the door to his face.

Autumn's words got me confused for a moment. I looked at Fyzz and Natsu, bewildered at what Autumn was implying. I wanted to ask, but Winter resolved the misunderstanding going in my head.

"They're not gay. She just loves to ship boys together. She loves BL stuff, so don't mind Autumn if she happens to ship you with anyone here." He said in a bored tone while flipping his copy of the script I made without throwing me a look.

I don't know if I'm just being sensitive, but I feel like Winter is being cautious with me. He won't talk to me not unless it's necessary as if he's excluding me from their circle. And somehow, it makes me feel that joining their club is a bad idea.

"I'm sorry about that." Achlys Sean apologetically said that made me look at him and erase the pessimistic emotion from creeping into my system." This is how chaotic the film club is."

I smiled and shook my head. "I don't mind. I like how lively your friends are. But they are different from what I thought they would be. To be honest, I thought that you dragged them to join your club." I admitted that made Sean chuckle and shift his gaze to his friends.

"You're right at some point. I grew up with Fyzz and Kaios. Our house is just right to each other. And since my parents are busy working until late, I always come over to their house to play. Because of them, I wasn't lonely anymore. They are more like a family to me. And despite looking like goons, they love reading. They got it from their mom who loves to collect books." Achlys Sean said with fondness in his voice and eyes gleaming with happiness while recalling his childhood.

"What about the others?" I asked while trying not to burst into laughter while watching Natsu join the twin in taking a video of their weird dancing.

Achlys turns his gaze back at me. "We met them during junior high and decided to stick together to form our club, which is this Film club. We share the same interests so I didn't need to convince them to join. I only do that with you. Cause I absolutely want you." He said without breaking our eye contact.

I don't know if he is doing it on purpose, making my heart feel restless with his punchlines. If I was a girl, I might think that he's hitting on me. But I should stop assuming things because he isn't like that. He's not like me. Achlys Sean is a straight guy and falling in love with a straight guy is the last thing that I wanted to do.

"If I didn't know that you're straight, I'll think that you are aiming for Gene. Your way of talking sounds like you're flirting with him." Winter commented and sighed. "You should start talking to the other club presidents if you want this film to be finished on time for the school festival."

"You're so serious Win! Let them flirt for a moment. Autumn will love their ship for sure!" Natsu teased that made me feel uncomfortable.

An awkward smile formed my lips and just remained silent to his teasing. I don't want to sound defensive and it's not that I'm hiding my sexuality but I'm being careful. I know them for a short time, and I don't think that it is a good idea to let them know more about me. After all, I doubt they will accept me in their club if they learned that I'm gay. They might be okay with the idea of Autumn shipping boys, but it's different if they learned that I can only fall in love with men.

"You should start doing your jobs too. Go and find someone suitable for the main leads." Winter said with authority to the chaotic trio. They just make a face but still left the club room to do what he said. I guess those three are afraid not only of Autumn but also of Winter.

"I'll go talk to the president of the theatre club. Will you be fine here?" Sean asked after the chaotic trio left while glancing at Winter who seemed to be in a bad mood now, so I just nod at him to assure him that I'm fine being alone with Winter.

When Sean left, only the sound of the pages that Winter is flipping could be heard. I remained in my seat and checked for the errors in the script that I made. But the deafening silence didn't last long when he spoke to me in a now much calmer yet still cold tone.

"The emotion in your work is so realistic." He looked at me, and this time I could see his eyes peeking from those bangs of his. "Is that mean that you're over with Eros?"

My eyes widened in surprise when he mentioned my Ex's name. I could feel my body shiver with anxiety under Winter's cold gaze. He placed down the script he was holding and sighed. I’m not afraid that people will learn about my sexuality, but I’m not yet ready to let my secret out in the open.

"I'm his cousin on his mother's side so our last names are different. I saw you sleeping in his room once when I dropped by and I knew that you're special since no one could enter his room without him making a fuss." He explained.

My mind is in an utter mess, and I can't say a word. My whole system is clouded with fear and anxiety. However, it was short-lived when I heard Winter's next set of words.

"I'm gay too so you don't have to feel scared that I might spill your secret. Besides, I'm not that kind of person." He nonchalantly said as if it wasn't a big deal to come out.

"Then why?" I asked and for the first time, I saw him plastered a genuine smile.

"To give you a friendly advice, maybe?"

My brows furrowed. "Advice?"

Winter sighed and in his eyes, I could tell that he too is suffering from being stuck in Cupid's lair.

"Don't fall in love again with a straight guy. They are not like us so let's not ruin their future." His voice sounds melancholic while telling me those words. I already figured that like me, he underwent the same doom.

I looked at him with a sad smile on my lips. "I'm trying my best not to. But our opponent is a sadistic and manipulative God. How can we stop him when he's always one step ahead of us?"

Winter chuckled and stared at the open window of our clubroom. "Keep dodging. Keep running. Or just keep throwing curses on that diapered-arsehole."

We both laughed at what he said. For the first time, I met someone who shared the same idea of cursing that diapered-arsehole. I finally got a friend who was the same as me. A comrade that I never had when I was suffering alone.

--

"I will make him mine again no matter what. This is the only chance to make him love me again, Winter. Please stop getting in my way."

I woke up when I felt someone's arguing in my room but didn't open my eyes even when I heard Eros say those words, I keep pretending that I'm sleeping and didn't dare to look behind to check who is he talking with.

"Gene is not yours! He got over you a long time ago. He's dating my friend now so it's you who should stop making him not remember the past that he has forgotten!" My heart feels like it is being squeezed tightly to what that person said. And the question that I asked in my head was verbalized by Eros in a mocking tone.

"Does making him remember your friend that important? Gene forgot him because he caused him too much pain. More than the pain that I inflicted on him. He's not worth remembering! He made Gene like that! Did you know how scared I was when I saw him almost lifeless? It's my only chance to correct the mistakes I did in the past. So don't get in the way, Winter. Or your lover should say goodbye to his modeling career."

I was about to open my eyes to stop them from arguing but Winter's cold and taunting voice stopped me from doing so.

"You said it yourself, my dear cousin. Sean caused him too much pain more than you did. Isn't that the same thing as Gene loves him more than he loves you?" He scoffed and walked to the side of my bed. I felt his cold hands touch my hair and gently ruffle them.

"And you can do whatever you like. Kaios can deal with it and I'm always with him no matter what will happen. We're stronger together. That’s why I will do everything to make my best friend remember the past that you were trying to prevent him from remembering." He stated with conviction. Eros got silent so he continued.

"Achlys Sean is the person who helped him escape that diapered-arsehole's lair. And they are each other's half." He mumbles under his breath, but enough to make us hear, and those words made my chest and head twinge in pain.

"I don't care! What matters is that Gene only remembers me. And even if he remember Sean, they wouldn't be together anyway. That friend of yours broke up with Gene. So don't get in my way!" Eros refutes conceitedly.

I sensed that Winter shifted his body, facing Eros, making it easy for me to take a peek at his figure. We have the same height and physique. His jet-black hair was tied neatly behind, revealing his sharp features. He looked like he haven't shaved for days with those stubbles but I could tell that despite those, women will surely give him a second glance if he walks by.

"They broke up because of what you did! He said words that he didn't mean because of your lies!" Winter exclaimed in anger that made me stop pretending that I'm still asleep.

I sat on my bed and looked at them both with a cold stare and asked,

"What lies?"