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[ FLASHBACK ]

"Ugh… I\'m so bored." The seventeen-year-old Maynard scrunched his nose, looking at his friend, Conrad, who was reading a book silently. It had been their habit to idle in the academy\'s greenhouse every vacant time. Or rather, it had always been Maynard\'s accompanying Conrad and complaining about how bored he was.

Maynard was almost reclining in the chair with his leg on top of his knee. His hands were linked behind his head, supporting its weight, wondering what else to do.

"Damn…" he whistled, making the always silent Conrad pause from reading a book. Seeing that Conrad, who was always immersed in his own world, stopped reading, Maynard swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

Conrad slowly turned his head in Maynard\'s direction, bearing his classic poker face. "Leave."

"Oh, come on, dude!" Maynard exclaimed dramatically. "I\'m just saying I\'m bored. Let\'s do something else!"

"You do something else."

"But I always accompany you so you\'re not alone! Friendship should go both ways, eh? Let\'s do something fun in my own way!"

"I am already having fun — was."

Maynard clicked his tongue in irritation, questioning this friendship with Conrad. They\'d been friends since forever and Conrad never changed. The latter was always the aloof and serious type.

"Sometimes, I really wonder why we\'re even friends," Maynard expressed in dismay.

"I do too." Conrad slowly set his eyes back on the open book in his hand. "You are so loud, but I tolerate you."

Conrad\'s reply wasn\'t new, but somehow, it still put Maynard in disbelief. Conrad had always been so cold; the type of person Maynard wouldn\'t hang out with. However, Maynard had always stuck to the guy, even though Maynard himself couldn\'t understand his own reason.

Was it because there were times Conrad could be very… considerate? For example, explaining the book he was reading? Or sharing his food if he didn\'t like it anymore? Probably because Maynard knew that even though Conrad was often savage and distant, he would never betray or lie to Maynard. Conrad would always stay true to himself and to his one and only friend.

That was probably it.

"God…" Maynard clicked his tongue as his mood continued to dwindle, crossing his arms and pouting. "I still want to go."

"Not interested," replied Conrad while flipping the page.

"You don\'t love me."

"Never said I did."

"This is unfair!"

"One more word and you\'ll see." This time, Conrad cast Maynard another look. "Good."

Maynard zipped his mouth, stopping himself from acting like a needy girlfriend. At this point, their relationship was almost like that.

"If you really want to go, you should just make up with Rocco and stop bugging me," Conrad advised, keeping his eyes on the open book, but not totally reading it. "Why did you two even fight?"

"Tch! Don\'t mention that bastard!" Maynard instantly turned aggressive at the thought of Rocco, the other member of this friendship. "I don\'t want to talk to him."

Conrad side-eyed Maynard. "You miss him."

"Hey, I\'m a man, alright?! Why would I miss that guy?!"

"He\'s your best friend."

"Best friend my ass! Friends over! I don\'t like him anymore."

"Why are you even so angry at him?" Conrad put down the book, his demeanor relaxed as he faced Maynard. "I am asking with great hopes it\'s not lame."

"Tch!" Maynard clicked his tongue louder, glaring at Conrad. "The dude won\'t accept my offer. I told him I\'d pay him ten times more than what he is getting from those useless part times, but he just refused. That\'s not lame. That ungrateful bastard. I\'m just trying to help."

A shallow breath slipped past Conrad\'s lips, finally understanding why Rocco had kept his distance from Maynard. Rocco was always cool with everything, and to be honest, he was far better company than Maynard.

"Why do you always stick with me?" asked Conrad out of nowhere, making Maynard\'s brows raise. "Your intentions are good, and I\'m certain Rocco is aware of that. However, if he accepted your offer, have you not thought of how that will make him appear to others?"

"Who cares about what other people think?"

"Rocco isn\'t as privileged as you and me." Conrad peeled his eyes away, setting his gaze on the beautiful green and the luminescent glow filtering through the greenhouse. "He entered the university through a scholarship, doing part-time to his everyday expenses and his grandmother, and despite the environment of the academy, he never tried to fit in."

"He is someone very proud and the most genuine person I had met. Rocco befriended us because he liked us, not because of which family we came from, and what sort of connections and benefits we can give him." Conrad set his eyes back to Maynard, explaining his take on this since this spoiled Maynard was just too insensitive. "We could\'ve helped him financially, but he has pride and credence to protect. At one point, once problems arise, how he got help from you and me financially will be brought up."

"You are offering the wrong type of help," he added solemnly. "You only help when asked, otherwise, just be present and be a good support like what a real friend does."

Maynard\'s frown deepen, but he couldn\'t retaliate. It wasn\'t like he wasn\'t aware of why Rocco refused his offer, but it was upsetting. Maynard cared about his friend, and maybe a little too much. Watching Rocco tire himself working multiple part-time and then go to school in the morning was hard to watch.

"If we\'re capable, why not just accept help?" Maynard clicked his tongue in irritation, but calmer now than minutes ago. "It\'s not like I plan to bring it up later."

Conrad didn\'t answer anymore and simply shook his head mildly, letting Maynard ramble on and on. He just pretended to read, but silently listened and let Maynard vent.

"Ugh! That guy is so annoying!" Maynard ruffled his hair. "Why do I have very stubborn friends?!"

Because Maynard was stubborn.

"Want to visit him later and see what he is doing?" offered Conrad when he felt like Maynard released his frustrations enough.

"Huh?" Maynard arched a brow, watching Conrad shrug nonchalantly. He could\'ve said no firmly, but Maynard didn\'t answer. Before he knew it, they were already standing in the back entrance of the diner Rocco was working part-time, watching their dearest friend bowing his head while getting scolded by the store owner.