I thought everything had finally settled down—until the very next morning, when my salary for the previous month came through… along with an email informing me that I’d been let go.
Reading the line “Due to the company’s financial difficulties,” my eyes welled up. No job meant no credit loans. And what about the remaining twenty million I still owed? Even worse, I had no idea when the pandemic would end, or when I’d be able to find another job just to survive.
I asked around, but when disaster strikes, everyone has to protect themselves first. I didn’t blame them. I had no right to. In times like this, the fact that they weren’t running around borrowing money and dragging others down with them already made them better off than me.
I sat in front of my computer and cried my eyes out like a kid who’d just been beaten. I had never felt this trapped, this hopeless. Seeing me like that, both Duy Long and Ngọc Lễ panicked. I wished everything could just stop here—before I had to face what I knew was coming next.
After lying awake all night, one thought kept creeping back into my head: selling my body to pay off the debt.
There were tons of gays in my area—more than a dozen in this very building alone. White-collar professionals, educated, stable jobs, polished appearances. People like that had money, for sure. I’d been hit on plenty of times before. If I reached out now, I might be worth a little less—but at least I’d have cash.
After a day spent crying myself dry, I opened App B again and checked nearby users. During the pandemic, everyone was active. Green lights everywhere. I quietly changed my avatar, rewrote my profile like a callboy’s ad.
Within minutes, a client showed up. He lived close by—just the next building over.
He asked, “How much do you charge?”
I hesitated for a long time. I had no idea how to price myself. I scrolled through Twitter for reference, then finally replied, “300k.”
I didn’t know what he thought—but I felt disgustingly cheap. Still, if I charged more, what if he didn’t book me? Then I’d get nothing at all.
Unexpectedly, he replied, “Only 300k? That’s cheap. Come over—I’ll give you 500k.”
If this had been about anything else, I might’ve felt flattered. But now? I felt nothing. Still… 500k per person. Forty people, and I’d have enough to clear the debt.
Just forty people.
He sent me his address. It was only a few steps away—but my feet felt glued to the floor. I opened the door, then shut it again. Stepped one foot out, then pulled it back.
It was daytime outside, yet somehow it felt like once I crossed that threshold, I’d never find my way back.
Right then, Duy Long came running downstairs and asked, “Hey, we’re in lockdown—where are you going? Get back in here. I’ve got good news!”
I knew damn well he wouldn’t call it good news unless it had something to do with my family’s debt. I kicked off my shoes, rushed over, and sat beside him.
He said, “A woman at my company—she’s been doing a lot of charity work lately. I told her about your situation, and she agreed to lend you the money. Don’t worry anymore.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. “R-Really… really?”
Duy Long beamed. “Yeah! She lives in Saigon. We were in the same Social Work team back in school. She does charity all the time. She said she normally wouldn’t lend money during times like this—but since you’re my friend, she trusts you.”
Tears welled up instantly. I didn’t know what to say beyond, “Thank you.”
This wasn’t just saving my family—it was saving me from falling into a road with no return.
Maybe I was horny, but I wasn’t rotten to the core. Guess people were right after all—good things do happen to decent folks.
Just as I was still riding that relief, the client from earlier messaged again, urging me to hurry up. I didn’t know how to explain. I just replied, “I’m sorry. I can’t come.”
Then I blocked him. Deleted my account. Erased every trace that I’d ever been a rookie callboy.
A few days later, I created a new account—reborn as someone else, with no trace of those days left behind.
The pandemic dragged on forever. I was too scared to count the days. The only comfort was knowing my family back home was safe now.
For months, Duy Long lent me money to get by since he could still work online. Sometimes I worried I was burdening him, but he always said, “You’re overthinking it. It’s not like you’re freeloading—we help each other when times are tough.”
I mean… I was technically doing nothing—but it still helped to hear.
Half a year later, things finally eased up. I started job hunting again. Once things stabilized, I told my former coworkers what had happened. After leaving the company, I’d only stayed in touch with Ngân and Định.
Ngân scolded me, “Are you kidding me? Why didn’t you say anything earlier? We’re not rich, but helping you out wouldn’t have been impossible!”
Định cursed, “It’s all that bitch’s fault! Fuck! Good thing everything worked out—or I’d tear her pussy apart myself!”
Mentioning her sparked an idea—I sent them the clip I’d filmed.
Ngân panicked, “Holy shit! I’m at a café—opened it and her moans blasted the whole place!”
Định got fired up, “Good, good! That slut’s fucking dead!”
I replied, “Forget it. It’s over. I just need to find a job and pay off my debt first—almost fifty million now.”
Ngân said, “Yeah, hang in there. If you’re ever desperate, call me. I don’t have much—but I don’t have little either.”
Định reacted with a sarcastic laugh emoji. “Then why’d you even say anything?”
The two of them started bickering again like always. Despite the debt hanging over me, my heart felt strangely light. As long as the forest stands, there’ll always be firewood.
That said, I still couldn’t find a job for an entire month. Eventually, through connections, Duy Long introduced me to someone he knew.
Watching him, I couldn’t help but regret not being more active back in school. If I had, maybe I’d have had some solid connections of my own by now.
Then again—Duy Long was one of those connections, wasn’t he?
He asked me, “This place sells bubble tea. The pay’s good, but it’s hard work. They’re hiring a manager—though it’s outside your field.”
I replied immediately, “Field my ass. As long as I can work, I’m grateful. I’ll pay off the debt first—everything else can wait.”
So I took the job. On the outside, I was a manager. On the inside, I mostly just scheduled shifts for younger staff.
The work was brutal. I arrived at 7 a.m. and clocked out after 11 p.m.—sixteen hours a day. But the pay was nearly double.
I calculated silently, “Fifteen million a month, bonuses not included. Five million for living expenses—ten million saved. Less than six months and the debt’s gone.”
I kept myself cheerful with thoughts like that. The staff kept teasing me, “Brother Hưng, got a lover or something? You’re smiling all the time.”
Another chimed in, “Must be! Morning shift says he’s glowing, evening shift says the same. No way he’s this happy without a boyfriend.”
I waved them off. “Enough guessing! Get back in there and make pudding!”
One girl complained, hands on hips, “Speaking of pudding—I’m pissed. Some old lady wanted triple egg pudding. I told her it was sold out, and she said, ‘Then go make more—I’ll wait.’ Isn’t that ridiculous?”
A boy beside her added, “Not as bad as that grandpa who ordered sugar-free milk tea last week.”
Every day at that place was filled with ridiculous stories. It was exhausting—but my mind felt light. Away from office drama, I finally recharged myself.
One night when I got home early, Ngọc Lễ stared at me and exclaimed, “Holy shit! First time you’re home early in a month! Why do you look so pale?”
Duy Long added, “Don’t overwork yourself! Cut back on shifts! My friend’s not rushing you for the money!”
Even they noticed. No wonder my mom sounded uneasy on the phone earlier.
Still, happiness made me forget my exhaustion. Every night after work, I rode alone through quiet streets, humming songs I loved. The road was long, the night empty—but my heart felt lively.
But tonight… Why did the road feel so long?
The surroundings were dark. Streetlights blurred. What was that ahead?
I… I didn’t know.
“Bang—”
My bike lay toppled on the roadside. My vision went black, ears ringing.
I vaguely felt someone lift me up… and place me onto a bed.