In truth, everyone suffers when they break up, but no one can suffer forever. Seeing Lễ manage to cry after getting over Khánh Đăng actually made me relieved — if he had kept it all bottled up inside, that would have worried me far more.
Right at that moment, there was a knock at the door. Ngọc Lễ was free, so he went to open it — and of course, it was Hoàng Tuấn. Ngọc Lễ immediately shouted:
“Borrowing Hưng for just a few days and you’re already coming to collect him back huh?”
Duy Long chimed in:
“Yo Hưng, I’ve figured out what to do with your pot of porridge!”
Hoàng Tuấn replied:
“Porridge my wife cooked? Leave it all for me!”
Ngọc Lễ wailed:
“Damn it, I want bún đậu mắm tôm, not dog-food rice!”
So that afternoon the whole group ordered bún đậu mắm tôm to eat together. While eating, Hoàng Tuấn told us:
“Yesterday I went for my regular check-up at Dr. Tân’s place. Something really unexpected happened.”
I slapped Hoàng Tuấn’s shoulder and growled:
“Did you let him ‘do it’ again or not?”
Hoàng Tuấn shook his head:
“He asked, but I didn’t let him! Saved everything for my wife!”
The other two yelled:
“Oh my god, let us finish the meal first please!”
Hoàng Tuấn continued:
“There was a batch of medical records transferred to Dr. Tân’s office, and among them was the file of the guy who ‘dueled’ with you the other day!”
From that day on, Ngọc Duy was referred to as my “dueling opponent.”
Curious, I asked:
“Clean or not?” (Meaning: Did Ngọc Duy have any diseases?)
Hoàng Tuấn shook his head:
“Nope. He has warts in his throat, plus genital herpes. Other conditions are still pending confirmation. Lucky he was on PrEP, otherwise HIV probably would have caught him already!”
I was stunned and said:
“Huh? I thought I heard he got vaccinated before?”
Hoàng Tuấn replied:
“He did get vaccinated, but nothing is 100% guaranteed. Effectiveness depends on physical condition, constitution, lifestyle habits, etc. He dodged several diseases but still caught these two — honestly, he’s still considered lucky!”
Duy Long clasped his hands like he was praying:
“Heaven really has eyes! Thank goodness he didn’t get HIV.”
Ngọc Lễ popped a piece of cucumber into his mouth and asked:
“Wait, you’re happy for him?”
Duy Long answered:
“Happy for other people, bro. When other people get sick, at least they become more aware and protect their partners. But that guy? I’m sure he would hide it and infect everyone he can!”
Hearing that Ngọc Duy had fallen on hard times, surprisingly I didn’t feel as happy as I had imagined. In the end, he was more pitiable than blameworthy.
If his family had been happy and whole, perhaps he wouldn’t have stepped onto that path so recklessly.
If he had received enough love, he wouldn’t have needed to use every trick to seize the person he liked.
If he had enough care and attention, he wouldn’t have sought it in fleeting sexual encounters to temporarily fill the emptiness inside.
Even though his actions went too far, at his core he was still someone desperate in his own circumstances, struggling to break free from what people call “fate” and find a safe harbor for himself.
Just like someone who doesn’t know how to swim falling into water — no support on the left, none on the right, only thrashing desperately. The harder they struggle, the deeper they sink. If they’re lucky enough to surface, they only find themselves drifting farther and farther from shore…
I can only hope that if fate has swept someone away, it will also give them a solid, timely anchor before they give up everything.
When Nhật Hào heard about Ngọc Duy’s situation, he was the first to panic. Not because he had slept with Ngọc Duy (that was a long time ago — any disease would have already shown up), but because he himself was no better than Ngọc Duy. Wherever he went, he “cleaned up” all the guys in the area. And he didn’t even have to look — people just threw themselves at him.
A few days later Nhật Hào texted me:
“Brother, what should I do now?”
I replied:
“Go get checked, obviously. Or are you planning to stay home, eat vegetarian and chant sutras until the disease goes away by itself?”
Nhật Hào:
“No way! I’m too embarrassed! Or… can you come with me?”
Me:
“So we can be embarrassed together?”
Nhật Hào begged:
“Come on! Listen — if I go alone, people will think I’m sick and that’s why I’m getting checked. But if I go with someone, they’ll just think it’s a couple doing a routine health check!”
It actually made sense, but thinking of Hoàng Tuấn immediately gave me chills down my spine. I’m healthy, but if I went through this, I’d probably “get beaten” when I came back. So I answered:
“Ask Hoàng Tuấn. If Hoàng Tuấn says yes, then I’ll go with you!”
Nhật Hào complained:
“Oh my god! He’s jealous like a demon! Let’s sneak away!”
I shot back without hesitation:
“I bow to you! My home is finally peaceful — don’t tempt me into trouble! Why don’t you ask Quân to go with you? The hospital is practically begging people like you to come get checked, and you’re shy? Ridiculous!”
Nhật Hào mumbled vaguely to end the conversation. I thought he would ask Trọng Quân or someone else. Who would have guessed that a few days later Hoàng Tuấn told me:
“Tomorrow come get checked with me okay! Nhật Hào is coming along too!”
My brain started glitching. If I answered wrong this time, the house would burn down. I said:
“No need, just you two go. Why do I have to go? Are you afraid I have something contagious?”
Hoàng Tuấn, who was standing by the wardrobe, immediately stopped what he was doing, jumped onto the bed, wrapped all his limbs around me and said:
“No, I’m taking you for a full general check-up. That place does all kinds of tests, not just STDs!”
I asked again:
“Then the two of us can go. Why invite Hào along?”
Hoàng Tuấn:
“Ah, the kid texted me asking for a good place to get checked. He said he’s embarrassed to go alone. Since I was taking you anyway, I figured I’d bring him too.”
I narrowly escaped that “calamity” and didn’t dare ask anything more. People say the longer you’re together, the easier it is to get bored. But for me and Hoàng Tuấn, the longer we’re together, the more my friends get tired of me. At home I can dress like I’m going to a gala and it’s fine, but the moment I step outside, Hoàng Tuấn immediately makes me dress as simply and covered-up as possible.
The peak was when we met Duy Long and Ngọc Lễ for photos. After taking them, Long cursed:
“Fuck, look at yourself in the picture! You look like a lottery ticket seller who just stopped by our table for a group shot!”
Yet when I showed them to Hoàng Tuấn, he kept praising me endlessly, or denying it:
“No way, I think you look handsome!”
My wardrobe is never short of nice clothes because Hoàng Tuấn often takes me shopping, and every month he pays off my Shopee cart. But only when I go out with him do I actually get to wear the flashy stuff.
Anyway, having a boyfriend who “wraps himself around me” like this — I guess I just have to accept it!
The next day, I went to Dr. Duy Tân for a full check-up including STD screening. As soon as I took everything off and lay on the exam chair, Hoàng Tuấn stood right beside me staring intently. Dr. Tân was working while clearly feeling pressured. Before the exam even finished, Hoàng Tuấn already had my clothes ready to help me put back on. Dr. Tân jokingly complained:
“See how scary it is? Next time I might not dare examine you anymore, Hưng!”
Hoàng Tuấn replied:
“Don’t worry! This is the only time Hưng gets an STD check. There won’t be a next time!”
What he meant was: since I don’t have anything and we only have monogamous sex, there’s no need for future STD checks.
After my turn, it was Nhật Hào’s. The moment the kid took his pants off, Dr. Tân exclaimed:
“If every day has patients like this, I’d love my job way too much! Handsome, six-pack, smooth skin, and a 20 cm monster. Got a boyfriend yet, kid?”
Dr. Tân knew Nhật Hào was close with us, so he was relaxed. Nhật Hào replied:
“Looks like it, but everyone criticizes me!”
Dr. Tân:
“Whoever criticizes can step aside. Haha! Plenty of people drool over it but you don’t let them — what’s there to criticize?”
Nhật Hào half-jokingly asked:
“So… do you drool over it?”
Dr. Tân laughed loudly:
“Of course I do. And then what?”
Right after that, Nhật Hào reached behind the curtain, grabbed Dr. Tân’s hair, pulled his head toward his cock and said:
“Then please let the doctor take care of it for a bit!”
Nhật Hào’s hand moved up and down steadily while wet sucking sounds came from inside. Hoàng Tuấn clicked his tongue:
“An exam like this is gonna take forever. Okay Nhật Hào, stay here. We’re heading out first.”
Hoàng Tuấn stood up and pulled me away. From inside, Dr. Tân shouted:
“Remember to lock the door for me!”
The next day, Nhật Hào didn’t disappoint — he sent me a nearly 30-minute video. After we left, Nhật Hào pulled the curtain aside, used his phone to record Dr. Tân’s satisfied-yet-hungry expression while deep-throating his rock-hard cock.
Nhật Hào asked lewdly:
“Taste good, huh?”
Dr. Tân pulled off, smiled and answered:
“This is the best cock that’s ever appeared in this place!”
Nhật Hào is the cunning, playful hot-boy type — fresh, youthful, energetic on the outside; but once naked, he radiates an allure that makes people lose their minds. Dr. Tân had seen countless cocks, yet he was still captivated in just a few sentences.
Nhật Hào grabbed his hair again, shoved deep into his throat, thrusting while saying:
“Good, huh? Then eat more!”
His style remained the same. When Nhật Hào fucks, he always takes full control, his words carrying an authority that forces submission.
After a while of sucking, Nhật Hào said:
“Your upper hole is full now, right? Time for the lower one to eat!”
Nhật Hào flipped Dr. Tân onto his back on the chair, stripped him completely and tossed the clothes aside. He stroked and slapped his own cock against his palm, then suddenly asked:
“Do you mind if I piss on you?”
Dr. Tân:
“Not at all! I’d be very willing!”
Nhật Hào:
“Then get ready for my piss shower!”
With that, he aimed his cock at Dr. Tân and relaxed. Because he was hard, precum mixed with the urine and splashed everywhere on Dr. Tân’s body. Dr. Tân showed no discomfort even when it hit his face, chest, stomach, thighs. He seemed to enjoy it, rubbing the piss all over himself with his hands.
I was a bit shocked — I hadn’t expected Nhật Hào’s sexual tastes to have shifted to this in such a short time.
Nhật Hào pulled open some nearby drawers and found a whole collection of sex toys — not just chastity devices, but full BDSM and dom/sub gear too. Turns out Dr. Tân was into this as well; no wonder he was so happy.
Nhật Hào rubbed his cockhead against the entrance and said very lewdly:
“What do you want me to do next? Tell me.”
Dr. Tân pinched Nhật Hào’s nipples and answered:
“I’m so fucking horny! I want you to fuck me! Want you to shove that cock deep into my hole! Want you to shoot your load inside!”
Nhật Hào:
“Then spread that hole wide open quick!”
Dr. Tân obediently grabbed both cheeks and pulled them apart, exposing his pink, twitching hole. Nhật Hào reached for a bottle of lube, jammed the nozzle into the hole and squeezed hard. The cool gel flowed in, making Dr. Tân moan “Mmm” at the refreshing sensation.
Just before pushing in, Nhật Hào looked at Dr. Tân’s cock and said:
“Your cock is so big. I don’t want to see it hard at all! Put the chastity cage on for me!”
Dr. Tân groaned:
“Can’t — I’m too horny, it won’t go down!”
Nhật Hào immediately thrust in hard and fast. Dr. Tân could only moan in ecstasy. The lube inside got pushed out with each thrust, making wet, obscene squelching sounds. The intense friction eventually softened Dr. Tân’s cock, and Nhật Hào took the chance to lock a chastity cage on him, then said:
“Unless I allow it, you don’t take this off. Remember?”
Dr. Tân, moaning in pleasure:
“Mmm… yes… yes… I remember…”
Nhật Hào kept pounding, then ordered:
“Turn over! Don’t let my cock slip out!”
Dr. Tân carefully rotated until he was face-down. Nhật Hào signaled him to get on his knees and hands, then put a BDSM collar around his neck. After that, he continued thrusting, one hand pulling the leash backward so Dr. Tân’s head was forced up, moaning in sweet suffering. His other hand spanked the ass hard; each slap made Dr. Tân cry out louder, which only aroused Nhật Hào more.
After nearly 30 minutes, Nhật Hào was finally ready to cum. He asked:
“Where do you want me to shoot? Inside okay?”
Dr. Tân squeezed his cheeks together tighter, increasing the friction, and answered:
“Impregnate me! Breed me quick!”
Nhật Hào slammed in hard a few more times:
“Feels too fucking good! Mmm… Getting you pregnant with my baby! Mmm… I’m cumming… I’m cumming… Ah… Ah…”
Nhật Hào came deep inside, but kept thrusting. Cum leaked out with every stroke. Even locked, Dr. Tân still managed to ejaculate, spurting onto the chair. Partly because Nhật Hào fucked him so well, partly because he was experienced in cum control and could manipulate his own release.
After sending the video, Nhật Hào texted me:
“I used to think I only liked vanilla. After yesterday I realized my type is actually B-52 bombers like Tân!”
I teased:
“Go get him!”
Nhật Hào replied confidently:
“He fell for me on his own yesterday — didn’t even need to chase! He even begged me to be his boyfriend!”
Me:
“So what’s your plan?”
Nhật Hào:
“Take him, of course! I like him too, but we’ll take it slow and get to know each other more. Don’t be sad, brother, but… I think I’ve finally found someone who matches my taste perfectly — even more than you…”
I laughed and replied right away:
“I’m genuinely happy for you. Why would I be sad? I already have Hoàng Tuấn — the one who fits me best. I just hope everyone finds their perfect match too!”
In the end, a playboy like Nhật Hào was captivated by the maturity and stability of Duy Tân. Thinking back — if Nhật Hào hadn’t let go of me early and gone on his own journey of “adventuring,” if he had stayed stuck as a satellite orbiting me, how could he have ever found the person truly meant for him?
Love and many other things require experience. Experience isn’t about finding something different out there — it’s about clearly seeing what you yourself truly want. Like me, Hoàng Tuấn, Nhật Hào, and everyone else — we’ve all gone through enough to understand our deepest desires. Only then do we know what is just fleeting pleasure and what is truly “meant for us.”
…
People say late autumn turning into winter is when Đà Lạt is most beautiful. Hoàng Tuấn had a few consecutive days off and wanted to buy tickets to take me there. Lately I’ve been taking time off from the restaurant and Đức Công isn’t worried because Duy Long is always ready to help. This would actually be the first time Hoàng Tuấn and I traveled alone together. Calling it a “delayed honeymoon” wouldn’t be wrong at all.
Đà Lạt in winter is cool and crisp. Hoàng Tuấn and I just stayed in the room hugging each other the whole time. At this stage, we don’t even need to talk about sex — just holding hands and quietly looking at each other is enough to make my heart flutter indescribably.
(Okay, I lied — yesterday until now we’ve already gone at it 3 or 4 rounds.)
At dawn, I woke Hoàng Tuấn up to go “cloud hunting.” Honestly I wasn’t sure if there would be clouds this season, but since we were already here, not going would be a waste. Hoàng Tuấn whined and refused to get up:
“Let me sleep a bit more! Or we can go tomorrow? We’re staying the whole week anyway!”
I didn’t answer, silently got out of bed without turning on the light, walked to the door, opened it, then slammed it shut hard as if I had left. Hoàng Tuấn reached over, felt nothing on the bed, panicked instantly, jumped up and shouted while scrambling out:
“Wife! Wife! Wait for me!”
Thanks to that, I finally dragged Hoàng Tuấn out of the room at dawn. He drove with me sitting behind, slowly climbing the hills. Since neither of us had been there before, we got lost several times before finding the right spot. In return, we got photos against rolling white clouds in the crystal-clear early morning air.
On the way back, we realized we had forgotten to fill up gas before leaving — so Hoàng Tuấn had to push the bike. Parts of the road were muddy, and both our shoes got soaked. At one point the bike sank into a puddle; Hoàng Tuấn in front, me behind — both pushing together. Exhausted and out of breath, but we could still look at each other and smile.
Along the way back through a small village, we passed a house decorated in classic style — very beautiful. But it looked newly built, or at least recently repainted. In front were neat vegetable beds and a trellis full of ripening gourds and pumpkins. The owner was up early, watering the plants before the sun got too hot.
Seeing us pushing the bike, the owner looked out and kindly asked:
“Out of gas? Come in — I’ll give you some!”
Hoàng Tuấn and I thought we were dreaming in broad daylight, but he really brought out a can of gas. When he came closer, all three of us froze in shock. He looked exactly like Hoàng Tuấn.
Hoàng Tuấn instinctively shouted:
“Đông Quân! You’re Đông Quân, right?”
The guy dropped the gas can (I caught it just in time), panicked, ran back inside yelling:
“No! It’s not me!”
I could already guess it was Đông Quân — his voice was unmistakable. That denial was clearly because he didn’t want anyone to know. Hoàng Tuấn pulled out his phone, dialed someone. As soon as the other side said “Hello,” Hoàng Tuấn poured out:
“Minh, I just saw brother Quân! You couldn’t find photos over there, right? He’s in Đà Lạt! But from his reaction, he seems really scared of strangers. I’m afraid he’ll run away. How do we keep him here for you?”
Hoàng Tuấn kept ringing the doorbell nonstop, hoping Đông Quân would come out. But Đông Quân didn’t appear — only Xuân Minh’s shout came from inside:
“Oh my god, you broke the doorbell! Stop pressing it!”
Hoàng Tuấn looked at me, I looked at Hoàng Tuấn — both of us dumbfounded, not understanding what just happened. But a second later, Xuân Minh stepped out from that very house, calmly opened the gate in front of our stunned faces.
Without much formality, Xuân Minh looked at me and asked Hoàng Tuấn:
“Quốc Hưng, your boyfriend, right?”
Hoàng Tuấn shook his head:
“No — my wife!”
Xuân Minh made a “tsk” sound, then signaled us to push the bike inside. Once all four of us were seated around the table, Hoàng Tuấn asked:
“When did you come back? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Xuân Minh answered:
“I came back without telling anyone — even Duy Tân. Everyone still thinks I’m overseas looking for Đông Quân.”
So the person sitting next to Xuân Minh right now was the real, living Đông Quân. I asked:
“Why did you run so fast when we mentioned Quân’s name earlier?”
Xuân Minh smiled:
“I told him to do that. If any acquaintance comes here and finds out he’s here, his family will come make a huge scene.”
Đông Quân smiled gently:
“You two, please keep this secret for us, okay?”
Hoàng Tuấn nodded and smiled:
“So you’ve remembered everything, right?”
Đông Quân shook his head:
“I can’t remember anything. I only know that every night in my dreams, I see Xuân Minh. And I feel like I really want to stay by Minh’s side — I can’t explain it. Even if most of my past memories are gone, it’s okay. From now on, Minh and I will make new memories together.”
Not only do they look alike on the outside — Đông Quân’s warmth is exactly like Hoàng Tuấn’s. Even with most memories damaged, his heart still points toward only one person.
I suddenly asked:
“But are you two planning to live like this forever?”
I was happy for them, yet I also felt quite sorry. They love each other — nothing wrong with that — yet they have to run and hide from society like fugitives.
Xuân Minh turned to Đông Quân:
“Are you willing to live like this with me forever?”
Đông Quân pulled Xuân Minh closer, gently kissed his forehead and answered:
“As long as it’s ‘with you,’ I’ll accept anything.”
Xuân Minh smiled brightly — so radiant that even spring sunlight couldn’t compare.
After going through storms, they no longer cared about gain or loss.
At this moment, the only thing that mattered was those two words: “together.”
Đông Quân suddenly left the table, went over and turned on the radio in the house. That radio was actually a pair with the one at Xuân Minh’s place.
A music program was playing. By chance, the song “Đưa Nhau Đi Trốn” (Take Each Other and Run) came on — the lyrics felt like they were written just for them…
“Honestly I dream of going with you to the very end
To the edge of the clouds, over high mountains or deep seas
How much is enough love?
How much time needs to be killed?
When in love we dream of each other
Many times the heart feels so light
Want to throw everything away and just go
Live once like homeless kids
Waking up early in a faraway place…”
*** THE END ***