Chapter Text
Ivan groans, memories from yesterday rushes in his mind like a hangover. Yeah, the drunken conversation was much, much worse than the aftermath of the drinking spree last night.
"....I dare you, Ivan, to date one guy from different departments every week for five weeks! One guy per week, got it!"
Screw those bastards.
But what was more damning was his drunken self's stupid response to their bullshit.
Ivan grins, slamming down the empty bottle on the table, eyes spinning as his face heats up from the excessive alcohol in his system. "Fuck yeah!"
Ivan groans. More memories flood in his head.
His drinking buddies all collectively booed at him.
“Boo! Not Luka! Take that message back! You can’t fake-date Luka!”
“That’s right! That’s right! Tell him that it was a wrong send!”
Feeling lightheaded and exhausted, Ivan propped his face onto the cold glass table. “Then who can I fake-date?”
“Guys who you’re not close to. From five different departments!”
—
[ 1 ]
This is pure bullshit.
Ivan stood in front of Marty's house. He was the second best person beside Luka to start this stupid bet. Sure, the man would hate this, maybe flip him his middle finger and slam the door on his face.
But Marty owed him big time back in high school.
After he tried to pick a fight with Ivan, spreading rumors about Ivan supposedly buying his way into the Top list of their grade level—Ivan politely called out Marty one breaktime, took him to the back garden, then proceeded to beat him up.
Because, news flash, Ivan became Till's best friend for a reason, and it sure as hell isn't because of his smooth talking. Nah, rather, the process of them becoming friends was through the use of fists and screaming.
Long story short, Marty learned how to lower his head each time they would pass each other in the hallway.
So really, Marty would be the second best person to do this bet.
Ivan repeatedly punched the doorbell, grinning widely. "Marty, honey~ open the gate, babe~!"
"Fuck!" Marty's voice rang out from the entrance door, he still had his toothbrush hanging in his mouth, foam around his lips. "What are you doing here, you demon?!"
"You owe me, right, Marty~?" Ivan beckons him to come closer. "Help a buddy out, 'kay?"
"Spare me please?" Marty slowly inches towards him.
"Teehee~"
—
Till had to do a double take. Have his lips twitch, his brows furrow. Because whatever he's looking at right now is just... wrong , in so many ways.
It was one thing to see Ivan cling to Luka, who is the only male person aside Till that Ivan is comfortable with sharing intimate touches and hugs, but Marty? Till could still remember him as that one dude who spread false rumors about Ivan back in high school. Now, just why the hell are those two holding hands, without a care in the world, as they walked in the campus ground.
When Ivan planted a quick kiss on his cheeks before waving goodbye, Till stomped his way towards him.
"Ivan?" He could hear his own voice trailed off in uncertainty. "What the fuck?"
"Oh, Till! Good morning~"
Answer the fucking question, bastard. Till grabbed Ivan's cuffs, dragging him away from the nosy crowd, because for some stupid reason, this shithead is famous, despite his weird shenanigans. "Why were you with that guy? Are you two friends now?"
"We've always been friends, Tilly~" Ivan giggles. "But he's more than a friend now~" he leans closer, cupping his hands in front of his mouth, lowering to whisper in Till's ear. "He's my b-o-y-f-r-i-e-n-d."
"I'm sorry, fucking what?"
"I said~ my boyfriend~" Ivan had the balls to cutely grin while doing two peace signs in front of him. "We're going out~"
Since fucking when??!!
✿
News travels fast in this campus, mainly because of the students' tendency to gossip left and right. And more often than not, the prime subject is always about Ivan and his love life. Well, before all of this, it was about Ivan and his lack of love life, which surprised all the female students in all departments.
So when he was spotted holding hands with someone, and even exchanged farewell kisses? All sorts of rumors were passed out left and right.
Apparently, Ivan confessed to Marty, the students from the Sports Department said.
But then the Engineering Department would rebuttal that, no, it was Marty who confessed first—it seems like the two of them had history back in high school, with Marty always chasing after Ivan in academics, making them rivals.
While the Arts and Literature Department actively adds in the fuel. They gush—it was definitely Marty's desperate attempt to catch Ivan's attention. And now? This is obviously the fruit of his hard work!
As for Till? The whole thing reeks in bullshit and obvious crap. Because he had personally witnessed the manslaughter that had occured back in highschool, with Ivan beating Marty repeatedly, even when Marty begged him to stop. The bastard did everything but stop. Safe to say that Marty was straight out petrified to even breathe in the same room as Ivan for the remaining duration of their high school years.
So what the fuck is going with these two? Kisses and hugs and holding hands? Sure, Ivan likes to do that, annoyingly so. But only to a handful of people, like him, Luka, and the others. Marty was not among said 'others'.
Till stalks behind the oblivious ravenhead, who is busy feeding Marty a spoonful of whatever was on the menu today. Till didn't check, he just bought the same one that Ivan bought. "Say 'ahh~', love~"
He was supposed to be the one sitting next to Ivan. He always sits beside Ivan. Why is Marty sitting there? Get the fuck up, Marty.
"Thank you, Ivan– I mean, love." Marty, in fact, did not stand up. This shithead must be feeling confident now, being Ivan's 'boyfriend', because he acted like he didn't notice Till's blatant glares and curses.
Marty continues to chew, as Ivan continues to coo.
It was sickening.
Till would know, Ivan, that bastard, used to do that crap all the time to him.
He stomped his way to the seat across Ivan, slamming down the tray hard on the table. Ivan paid him no mind. He continues to chat with Marty. "Don't forget to eat your veggies, love~"
"I won't. You should eat yours too, love."
"Oh, please~" Ivan flutters his long eyelashes, blushing. Till gagged at the sight, grimacing and wondering if he should have eaten his lunch at his department's cafeteria instead. "Seeing you full is enough to make me feel full~ do you want dessert too~?"
The food tastes extra bitter and disgusting today, huh.
✿
No matter where Ivan goes, Marty is somehow next to him. And the two of them seem to be glued together—if they're not leaning on each other when sitting, they'd be holding hands. If they're not holding hands, Ivan would be hugging Marty from behind, circling his arms around Marty's waist, his face deep in the bastard's neck.
Every free time, every lunch break, every freaking second whenever Ivan doesn't have a class, the two would be flirting with each other without a care in the world.
It's been three days. Three days! Are they actually going out, for real?! Sua was even muttering her disbelief, did the stupid idiot move on now? This back burner? Whatever that was... He tried to ask her what she meant, but the girl merely looked him dead in the eye long enough for him to look away awkwardly.
Mizi seems to be the only one who gave Ivan's, uhh, relationship, a positive reaction. She practically exploded in excitement, bouncing around cutely while shaking Ivan's hands madly. "Ohhh! Congratulations, Vani~!"
"Thank you, Mizi-ya~" Ivan whipped out his phone to bombard Mizi with his pictures with Marty, during their 'dates', apparently. Till refused to acknowledge even a single pixel of his pictures.
Till's initial thought of this being a prank crumbles a bit, just a little bit. From 100% to around 68%. Because, yeah, Ivan is a little shit who spats out bullcrap as easy as breathing, but he can't be that shitty enough to deceive Mizi, his second best friend right after Till, right?
"Who confessed first?" Mizi asked the million dollar question, and instantly, the busy students roaming around the open field perked up simultaneously, they all tried to act as natural as possible as they inched closer.
Ivan hums, playing and twirling Marty's hair, who sat completely still as he keeps a straight face while leaning on Ivan. "Marty-ya did. Isn't that right, love?"
"Yup, you're absolutely correct. I have been in love with Ivan since forever, even before I realized that it was love. I thought I hated him, but really, I was just madly and undeniably in love with Ivan-ya. Which is why I, Marty, professed my feelings for him last night."
"Aww, love~" Ivan coos teasingly.
"... I knew it. Give me my money, bitch."
"Fuck, I owe a lot of people some money."
"I told you so!"
"Yeah, yeah. Lower your voice, asshole. Keep that shit up, they'd notice us!"
Till deadpan at the gossiping bunch hovering closely at their spot. What bet?! There's people betting about this whole thing?! While muttering curses, Till happens to make eye contact with Sua. They seemed to be sharing the same thought.
This stupid idiot... he can't be serious, right?
.
.
.
.
.
Said stupid idiot continues to flirt with Marty for more than five days. Five days! For Ivan, who has the attention span of a toddler when it comes to things unrelated to lessons, this was serious.
For five days, he was consistent with walking to school with Marty, saying goodbye with loving kisses with Marty, eating lunch with Marty, and being all flirty and sticky with Marty up until the end of the day.
Till debated if he should even wait for Ivan outside the Business Department building anymore, mainly because he would be stuck waiting for Ivan with freaking Marty!
Or if he should even expect Ivan to be waiting for him, in return, for Till to finish his last class for the day, just so they could take the bus home together. But now, there would always be a Marty standing next to Ivan each time he would exit the building. Till realized that seeing the man's face each time made his blood pressure spike up, and he would be feeling shitty all the way home.
Well, at least seeing Ivan's beaming face each time he would spot Till in the crowd like always made the whole 'Ivan-having-a-boyfriend' shit bearable, just barely though.
But still, Till would prefer to exclude Marty out of the whole thing if possible.
When he tried to voice his feelings out to Mizi and Sua, the two girls gave him two different responses.
For starters, Mizi tilted her head cutely. "You're like a pouty younger brother who found out that his big brother made new friends, and that you're jealous because of it."
Till loves Mizi, he really does. More so before, back in middle school wherein he was pining for the maiden. But now, mostly platonically. But Till would like to strongly disagree with Mizi's words.
No, he does not consider Ivan as his big brother. The fucker is more of a brat than any other brat in this world. He's a baby—who likes to just intake sugary treats and would play pranks. Not to mention the tantrums and cries that he would fake whenever he doesn't get his way. Ivan is not a big brother material. Till would rather die than consider him a big brother.
And jealous? Pfft, yeah right. As if Till is jealous of Ivan, of all people. Till refused to be jealous of Ivan for such a stupid reason. Till is much more sociable than Ivan, okay?
It may not look like it, seeing as Ivan is popular and all of that. But don't let those fake smiles and laughter fool you, that bastard would be scheming out possible actions to escape a conversation while having, well, a conversation! He's more antisocial than Till! Till has more friends outside their little friend group than Ivan!
"Nah, I don't think that's it, Mizi." Of course, Till wouldn't dare to say all of that to Mizi, this sweet and innocent friend of his. So he shifts his attention to Sua. "What about you, Sua? What are your thoughts on all of this?"
"Well..."Sua calmly puts down her book. "I don't like this one bit."
Thank you!" Till cheers.
"I've known him since diapers. Ivan does not act all flirty and lovingly when he's with the person that he likes. He's not the kind of person to do that."
Till froze. "Huh?"
"There has to be a catch to this whole thing. Maybe there's someone forcing him to do this. Or maybe there's a bet... Or maybe..." Sua mumbles the last part, unconsciously telling all of her thoughts to herself rather than to Till. "I just know that this is a scam."
What was the last part though? Till really wanted to ask. Sua is like the psychic person in their group. Someone who, aside from Luka, is capable of predicting things and is sometimes 100% correct.
But Sua scares Till sometimes with her all-knowing stares. The same one that she's using right now as she looks at Till.
"I don't know if it's related but I saw Ivan with his classmates last time." Mizi chimes in. "It was the same day he first started going out with Marty. Those guys seemed to be rather excited about his relationship. I think I heard one of them say, uh, 'keep it up', or something?"
Keep it up?
✿
Till watches as Ivan says his goodbye to Marty, gushing and fawning over him relentlessly. They're currently in front of Marty's house, and the guy seems to be very eager to go in already, but Ivan being Ivan, wanted to prolong their time for a while.
Maybe it's the fatigue from an entire week of studying, or from an entire week of dealing with the blatant flirting of the two, but Till wanted nothing more than just grab Ivan's hands, yank him away, and to just leave Marty there.
At least, by doing so, he could finally go home with Ivan in peace.
And away from Marty.
Till doesn't know anymore, he's just feeling exhausted and weirdly defeated at this point.
And okay, maybe he's feeling rather shitty and maybe wanted Ivan to spoil him for a change. Friday is the cringy 'Spoil-My-Tilly-Time', after all. Ivan's words, not Till's.
Oh, but maybe they're just going straight home now. Ivan's overbearing flood of affection is now directed to someone that’s not him anymore. It'd be weird if he'd still regard Till as his [ Favorite Person In The Whole Wide World! ]. Again, Ivan's words, not Till's.
Till happens to glance at his watch, 6:00 pm. When he looks back at the couple, Till had to do a double take.
What the fuck?
Ivan seems to have let go of Marty's hands, there's an obvious boredom oozing in his eyes as he turns around, away from Marty. And Marty seems to see this as a cue, immediately opening the gate and wordlessly walking in the house. Without as much as a quick glance at Ivan anymore. Same goes for Ivan.
"Till~" Ivan grins. "Didn't you say you were craving for some fries and burgers last time? Let's go!" Before he could even voice out anything, Ivan was already dragging him away.
.
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The two of them, once they had enough burgers and fries, opted to play at the arcade. Ivan even won a couple's matching keychains, one's blue, rock-shaped face with a goofy face, and the other one's green that's spiky with a mean face.
Ivan happily shoved the blue one to Till. "Here you go, Till~ let's match~"
"What about Marty?" Till tried to ask.
Ivan tilted his head. "What about him?"
The genuine question in his tone made him swallow back the following question that he was planning to ask. Yeah, who cares about Marty. Ivan wants to give the other keychain to him, so might as well, right?
"Nah, nevermind. Thanks." In the corner of his eyes, he could see Ivan happily strapping the keychain on the case of his phone, grinning widely as he finished.
By the time he got home, Till may or may not have decided to use the keychain as a decoration on his phone.