Absinthe

"Stop!" I said, devastated to hear that Jiwoo had to experience all that in the hands of a gay teacher at a young age.

"Sorry," Jiwoo replied.

"No, I'm sorry." I said. "You should have reported him."

"My mom told me I should have said yes and asked for more money. My stepdad was furious that I said no."

I didn't know how to react, so I just kept quiet. The whole thing was too depressing.

"So I let him do it. I couldn't afford to be a high school dropout," Jiwoo said, and my world fell apart.

It has always been difficult living as a gay guy. I mean, I did get fired for being gay, and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. Then there's the notion that we're always thirsty for sex, that we're willing to open our mouths wide and spread our legs apart as soon as a dick comes our way.

And no one takes us seriously in almost every industry, except maybe for fashion and entertainment. It's a never-ending struggle for us to prove to everyone that there's so much more to us than our sexual preference.

That's why it infuriates me whenever I hear about gays tarnishing the image the rest of us have worked hard to build, abusing their authorities, and forcing themselves on the straight populace.

Unforgivable.

"Although in hindsight, I guess it would have been better to just drop out," said Jiwoo. "I wasn't able to finish college anyway." He fiddled with his fork before continuing. "I met that bastard Jesus again four years later, I think, in one of the bars I worked at." I was seriously dreading the words he was going to say next. "He bragged to everyone around that I couldn't get enough of him. Then, he slid a few hundred-peso bills into my pocket before copping a feel."

"Fuck," I said. "On behalf of the gay federation, I would like to apologize."

"Hahahaha!" Fortunately, it was the genuine sort of laughter. "That's what I realized. I thought he acted that way because he was gay, and I thought all of you were one and the same."

"That's why you did what you did..."

Jiwoo said. "But I know now that my math teacher did that not because he was gay but because

thankful for reasons I couldn't quite

you got mad and stopped talking to me," Jiwoo began. "I visited him in my

"..."

Followed him

"Jiwoo—"

beat him. It felt like he was the reason why I made you angry, like he was the reason why

me you didn't

it. I couldn't hit him despite

sighed in relief. Jiwoo wasn't looking at me;

to do with what I did to you," Jiwoo said, finally. "I

"Okay," I said.

"You mean we're friends

okay, I accept your apology. But I don't think I'm ready to be friends with you

it. But you'll let me earn it back,

"And please stop asking

against the moonlight.

our relationship would flourish if we use them. I

laughed my heart out. "Are you being serious right now?" It was difficult to talk because

months of friendship

"There's no

it, why not wear

because it's ugly?" I

doesn't have to be visible. C'mon, wear it

tie the necklace around my neck. The cold of the metal pendant felt strange against my skin.