Happily Ever After
He was dead tired.
A full day of basketball practice, then two hours at the gym, and his body already felt like it was running on empty. All he wanted was a quick swim—just ten minutes in the water before sleep.
But then his phone lit up.
Zona calling.
He hesitated for half a second… then picked up.
“Pick me up around eight. Shelly and the gang are with me. And bring a decent car.” she said sarcastically,
No greeting. No “how are you.” No asking if he was free or alive .
Just instructions as usual,
He tried to speak, to tell her he was exhausted—his wrist was aching, his legs felt heavy, he wanted nothing more than to sleep.
But she didn’t wait.
“I love you too. Bye.”
The call ended.
He stayed still.
The phone was still pressed to his ear, even though silence had already replaced her voice.
Then he slowly lowered it.
Leaning his head back, he stared at the high ceiling of the gymnasium.
His chest felt tight—not angry, not surprised… just tired in a way sleep couldn’t fix.
Then he whispered to himself:
“I love her.”
A pause.
“I value her.”
Another breath.
“She’s my responsibility.”
He pushed himself up.
There was no argument in his life strong enough to override that sentence in his head.
Responsibility.
He wished, briefly, that he could just throw on anything and go. That she wouldn’t care what he looked like, that she would meet him with the same casual love he gave her.
But he knew better.
Around her friends, appearance mattered.
So he got dressed properly.
His hair was already perfect—but he fixed it anyway.
Fast steps down the stairs.
That’s when he saw his parents.
They were also getting ready to leave.
And something about them felt familiar.
His mother always looked decked younger than his father and his father was looking same old tired person with same tired eyes.
The same practiced smiles.
Like they were all pretending to look perfect couple or perfectly in love with each other
“Are you okay?” his father asked, noticing him immediately. Concern softened his voice.
“Yes,” he replied quickly. “I was tired and wanted to sleep… but Zona called.”
His father nodded at once and was about to say something when his mother intervene
“Good. You should take care of her. You love her. She’s your responsibility.”
His mother stepped closer, adjusting his father’s sleeve while smiling softly.
“Yes, my love,” she added. “We always sacrifice a lot to keep each other happy, don’t we my love?
Jewel forced a small smile.
His father’s expression tightened slightly, like he already understood more than what was said.
“You’ve been overworking yourself jo,” he said more quietly. “Basketball, gym and relationships … don’t push too hard.”
A pause.
Then, softer—
“I worry about you.”
Before Jewel could respond, his mother stepped in, gently tap his arm with a warm smile, he's strong boy, he's fine
Then she looked at Jewel with calm certainty.
“Soon you two will be married anyway and then you will have your happily even after,
His father look at his mother and the gave a small smile but he was still looking in to his eyes,
“Yes… just take care of yourself too.”
Jewel stood there for a second longer than he should have.
Something in his father’s eyes stayed with him.
But he didn’t know what to do with it.
So he just nodded.
And left.
The night blurred into movement.
He picked up five girls and one boy from the mall.
No one noticed how quiet he was.
No one asked if he was tired.
They laughed, talked over music, argued over songs, filled the car like it was a party.
And he drove.
Two hours.
Different directions.
One house after another.
Until the city finally emptied into silence.
By the time he reached Zona ’s home, his body felt completely drained.
She stepped out, looking at him like the night hadn’t taken anything from him at all.
“Aren’t you coming up?” she raised her perfect eyebrows,
He swallowed.
“I’m very tired, baby.”
A pause.
Then her voice changed slightly.
“Sometimes I feel like you don’t love me anymore… am I getting boring to you?”
His shoulders dropped.
“…Okay. I’ll come for a while.”
Inside, the world was bright again.
Too bright.
Too loud for a body that wanted rest.
She smiled, moved past him, already half-distracted.
“ I want my beauty sleep soon,” she said casually and moved inside without looking at him,
He stood there for a moment longer.
Quietly.
Outside, the night stayed still.
And Jewel stood at the doorstep for a second too long.
Tired.
Empty.
Smiling anyway and then he went inside.
It was almost 2 a.m. when he finally reached home.
He didn’t even have the energy to think properly.
Just enough awareness to set three alarms—6 a.m., 6:10, 6:20.
School. Practice. Life.
All waiting for him like nothing had happened.
He didn’t change clothes.
Just pulled his shirt off, dropped onto the bed, and fell asleep.
His body was already giving up.
His arms ached like they were carrying something too heavy for too long. His legs felt like they had forgotten how to rest.
But still, he showed up in the morning.
Still stepped onto the court.
Still tried to play.
It was his coach who stopped everything.
One hand on his shoulder.
Then a pause.
A closer look.
“You’re burning up,” the coach said, frowning. “Did you drive here like this?”
Jewel blinked slowly.
“…I think I did.”
His coach shook his head immediately.
“Go rest. You’re not playing today.”
He didn’t argue.
He wanted to.
His team had been training too hard for this final season. He didn’t want to leave them alone.
But his body decided before his pride did.
And somewhere between the noise of the gym and the heat in his head…
He fell asleep.
When he woke up, the light outside had shifted.
Not morning anymore.
Not quite night.
A soft, tired evening glow was coming through the gym windows.
He blinked.
“…Did I sleep the whole day?”
His body felt different.
Lighter.
Better.
There was a blanket over him.
And something else—draped on his shoulders.
A jacket.
He slowly sat up and touched it.
Soft fabric.
Heavy, slightly warm.
Black… with something unusual stitched on the back.
Pink rhinestones.
“Hey, you up?”
A voice came from beside him.
Jewel turned his head slowly.
And for a moment, his brain refused to process what he was seeing.
The boy looked unreal.
Not in a dramatic way.
Just… too soft for this environment.
Light golden hair that caught even the dull gym light.
Eyes that looked like they had just woken up from a long, peaceful dream.
Skin so smooth it almost looked unreal under the fluorescent lights.
He was carrying food.
Two bowls of vegetables and chicken salad.
Then a plate with eggs, nuts, and baked chicken placed carefully on the bench.
“I kept food for you,” the boy said casually, sitting down nearby. “Sir told me to look after you .”
He shrugged lightly.
“I can’t play in matches, so I’ll help like this. See? I’m very useful.”
And then he smiled.
Bright.
Unbothered.
Jo looked at him smiling and tried to understand what made his brain see millions of colours around that smile
but he was smiling and eating with his silver spoon that has some shiny stones on it, he didn’t even realize how strange he sounded in a place like this.
He kept talking while arranging napkins neatly on his lap.
Completely at ease.
Completely unaware of how everyone else would react to him.
Jewel just stared.
Not because he was angry.
Not because he was confused.
But because something about him didn’t fit into anything Jewel had ever known.
The boy paused mid-motion.
Then tilted his head.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” he put his pinky under his perfect chin,
A beat.
“…Who are you?”
The boy blinked.
Then laughed softly like he had just remembered something important.
“Oh—right. Sorry. I talked too much.”
He smiled again, a little brighter this time.
“I’m Benni. My family moved here three days ago. It’s my first day at this school.”
He adjusted the napkin again, completely relaxed.
Then added:
“And I already got assigned to take care of you guys.”
He started eating like nothing unusual had happened.
Completely ignoring Jewel’s stunned silence.
As if this moment was normal.
As if he was normal.
Jewel sat there.
Blanket on his shoulders.
Strange boy beside him.
Heart still heavy from everything he couldn’t explain.
Benni quickly became the new favourite person in the whole school. Almost everyone liked him, they all have something to talk with him, he had something itresting for everyone
Some students made fun of him, calling him names out of jealousy. Others simply watched him with envy—especially the girls who couldn’t understand how someone could be that effortlessly liked.
But those who actually knew him? They knew the truth.
Benni had the sweetest, most golden heart.
He was kind to everyone. Friendly without effort. Caring without limits.
People who worked with him or spent time around him always ended up liking him more than they expected. It felt natural. Like he made it impossible not to.
Even the sports faculty had a strange reaction to him.
He was supposed to join a team, but even teachers were ready to change rules for him, they refused to let him train under the harsh sun or on rough grounds. One coach even joked that they would rather “put him in a glass jar and watch from a distance” than let him get hurt.
The whole school seemed to adjust around him.
The gym, once loud and routine, became strangely lively when he was there.
Benni had a habit of making everything brighter—literally.
He was obsessed with colours and small details of beauty. It was physically impossible for him to keep anything plain or ordinary.
He always carried rhinestone stickers or tiny decorative pieces in his bag.
And he used them everywhere.
On objects he liked.
On things he owned or owned by human he liked,
And sometimes… on people he felt comfortable with.
Water bottles started changing first. he started adding beautiful designs or flowers or stickers on bottles and they all loved it and then
Then phones.
Then notebooks.
A few players would suddenly find a tiny rhinestone stuck on their bottle or bag after practice
At first they complained.
Then they got used to it.
and then he started distributing golden stars to good players, it very naturally became a new thing, who got a gold star today? who didn't get any star or who got sticker on arm or on their faces.
Then they started noticing they didn’t want to remove them.
Benni didn’t decorate things to show off.
He decorated things the way he cared—quietly, without asking, without making it a big deal.
And somehow, that made it even cuter,
Because it meant he wasn’t trying to be liked.
He just naturally was.
and everyone started loving him, even the girls who were jealous of him in start. he always paid attention to little details of literally everyone especially Jo.
Jo alway like how brightly he smiles whenever he look at him and how bright his smiles make jo's life his world or his heart, but he noticed, actually everyone notice how he lost all his glee every time Zona calls Jo
----------------------------------------------------------------------
“I brought Yummieat food for all of you!”
Benni had been saying it all day.
Every break. Every pause between practice drills. Every time someone even looked slightly tired.
“I told you, right? Proper food. Not just snacks.”
At first, no one took him seriously.
But he kept repeating it—with the same excitement, the same certainty—until they had no choice but to believe him.
He had started staying late with them now.
Even though he didn’t play.
Even though the coaches still refused to let him train under the harsh sun or on the rough court.
He stayed anyway.
Watching. Talking. Helping.
Belonging.
No one really knew much about him yet.
Only pieces.
That he lived in a huge house.
That his family owned luxury hotel chains back in their country.
That they had moved here just for his studies… and maybe for him to have a little more freedom.
There were only a few people in his home—his parents, his grandparents…
And Benni.
The only child.
“Food is here!”
His voice echoed through the gym around six in the evening.
Loud. Bright. Impossible to ignore.
Practice stopped.
Completely.
Even the coach didn’t argue.
“Go freshen up,” someone said, already laughing.
No one needed convincing.
But nothing prepared them for what they walked back into.
The gym… didn’t look like a gym anymore.
It looked like something else entirely.
Something unreal.
Long tables stretched across the hall, covered in white and silver cloth.
Silver chairs placed neatly, like a formal dinner setup.
Polished cutlery. Glassware catching the light.
And food—
From one end to the other.
Dishes lined perfectly. Warm. Fresh. Carefully arranged.
Grilled chicken, vegetables, salads, proteins—everything balanced, everything aligned with their diet plans.
Healthy.
Perfect.
But still… luxurious.
There were people moving around.
Staff.
At least fifteen or sixteen of them, quietly setting everything in place like this was a five-star dining hall.
Not a school gym.
For a moment—
No one spoke.
“…What is this?” someone whispered.
Benni stood near the table, fixing something small and unnecessary—adjusting a spoon that was already perfectly aligned.
Then he looked up.
Smiled.
Like this was completely normal.
“You guys work so hard,” he said simply.
“So… you should eat properly.”
Silence.
Then someone laughed.
Another stared.
Someone else just shook their head in disbelief.
And in the middle of all that—
Jewel stood still.
Watching him.
Not the food.
Not the setup.
Not the effort.
Just Benni.
Because nothing about this made sense.
Not the money.
Not the effort.
Not the care.
And definitely not…
why it felt like this wasn’t for “everyone.”
It felt personal.
Everyone was having a blast.
The food. The drinks. The laughter.
For once, the gym didn’t feel like a place of pressure—it felt alive.
Even the teachers stayed longer than usual, smiling, talking, enjoying the moment like they didn’t want it to end.
And for once…
everyone left early.
By nine, the place was almost empty.
Jewel headed toward the showers.
His body still ached, but the warmth of the evening had softened something inside him.
Maybe it was the food.
Maybe it was the quiet.
Maybe it was… something else.
He stepped out after a quick shower, drying his hair slightly as he walked into the changing room—
And stopped.
Benni was sitting there.
On the bench.
Waiting.
He looked up the moment he saw Jewel.
Smiling.
But… a little nervous this time.
Jewel felt it instantly.
That strange, soft feeling again.
The one he didn’t understand.
He walked to his locker, placing his things inside.
“What’s up?” he asked casually, glancing at him.
Benni hesitated for a second.
Then spoke, a little quieter than usual.
“Could you… drop me home?”
A pause.
“I didn’t bring my car. And I don’t want to call my parents.”
Jewel nodded immediately.
“Yeah, sure.”
Then, with a small smile—
“After that dinner? I’d do anything for you.”
They walked out together.
The night air felt cooler now.
Quieter.
Jewel glanced at him once.
“You okay? You look… different.”
Benni smiled.
Soft.
“I know, right?”
They sat in the car.
For a second, there was silence.
Then—
Benni reached into his purple leather bag and pulled out a small black box.
Carefully.
Like it mattered.
He held it out toward Jewel.
“Happy birthday.”
Jewel froze.
“I didn’t want to give it to you at school,” Benni added softly.
“I hope you like it.”
He bit his lip slightly.
Waiting.
Jewel stared at him.
“…How do you know?”
“I just know.”
A pause.
Then, quieter—
“Please take it.”
Jewel took the box.
But his hands didn’t feel steady.
“How do you know, Benni?”
Benni looked down for a moment.
Then said, almost like a secret—
“I like celebrating the people I like.”
Something in Jewel’s chest shifted.
Sharp.
Deep.
Unfamiliar.
No one had ever celebrated his birthday.
Not once.
His mother believed boys shouldn’t get used to things like that.
No expectations. No softness.
“Boys should be strong.”
So he never asked.
Never expected.
Never imagined…
that someone would remember.
Slowly, he opened the box.
And his breath caught.
It was the watch.
The one he had wanted for so long.
The one he had seen so many times but never bought.
Because every time he tried to buy it e was with zona
Soana didn’t like him buyg anything for himself when shes buyingfor herself
Jewel looked up.
Still shocked.
Still trying to understand.
And Benni?
He just smiled.
Like it was nothing. And then very softly hsed massging his left wrist, yoir wrist is hurting isn't it,jo was shoked
Like it wasn’t the first time someone had ever made Jewel feel seen.
But it was.
And somewhere in that quiet car—
Jewel felt something fall apart.
And something else…
begin.
The car slowed to a stop.
Benni unbuckled his seatbelt slowly, then looked outside.
“This is my house.”
A pause.
Then, softer—
“Now you know where to find me… if you ever want to.”
He stepped out.
Closed the door gently.
And walked toward the gate.
But he didn’t go in immediately.
He turned back once.
Then again.
And again.
Jewel was still there.
Still watching.
And something about the way Benni kept looking back—
like he didn’t want the moment to end—
settled somewhere deep inside Jewel.
The gate closed.
Benni disappeared inside.
And the street fell quiet again.
Jewel stayed there for a few seconds longer.
Hands still on the steering wheel.
Heart… not where it was supposed to be.
Then he drove home.
The house was silent.
As always.
He stepped inside.
Waited.
Just for a second.
Maybe someone would remember.
Maybe a message.
A call.
Anything.
Nothing.
Even Soana hadn’t called.
He stood there a little longer than necessary.
Then let out a small breath.
Not disappointed.
Just… used to it.
His eyes dropped to the box in his hand.
Slowly, he opened it again.
The watch caught the light.
Perfect.
Exactly what he had wanted.
And for the first time that night—
he felt something warm.
Something real.
He changed quietly and got into bed.
Didn’t turn on the lights.
Didn’t check his phone again.
In fact—
he switched it off.
He didn’t want noise.
He didn’t want explanations.
He didn’t want to go back to normal.
He just wanted…
to think.
About Benni.
The way he smiled.
The way he spoke.
The way he knew.
A strange feeling spread through him.
Light.
Unfamiliar.
Almost like a soft tingling under his skin.
He closed his eyes.
And let himself go back to that moment.
The car.
The quiet.
The small black box.
“Happy birthday.”
He replayed it once.
Then again.
Then again.
Like he was afraid it would disappear if he didn’t hold onto it tightly enough.
And somewhere between memory and sleep—
Jewel realized something without fully understanding it yet.
This was the first time…
his birthday had ever felt like it belonged to him.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Benni sat on the third floor.
Chemistry book open. Pen moving quickly across the page.
On paper, he was working.
In reality—
his entire body was listening.
The faint echoes from the ground below.
Shoes scraping the court.
A whistle.
Voices calling out plays.
And somewhere in all that noise—
Jewel.
Benni’s hand moved faster.
Finishing lines. Solving questions. Writing things he wasn’t even fully reading.
Because his mind wasn’t there.
It was downstairs.
He wanted to go.
Badly.
But he couldn’t.
So he waited.
The moment the teacher stepped out of the classroom—
his chair scraped back.
Too fast.
Too sudden.
He didn’t care.
He was already at the window.
He leaned forward slightly.
Looked down.
Searching.
And then—
he saw him.
At the exact same moment—
Jewel looked up.
Their eyes met.
No smile.
No wave.
No reaction that anyone else would notice.
Just—
looking.
Jewel stood there on the court, slightly out of breath.
But the moment felt… still.
He liked looking at him.
He didn’t know why.
Didn’t question it.
Didn’t try to explain it.
It just felt…
pleasant.
Upstairs, Benni didn’t move.
Didn’t blink.
Like if he moved even a little, the moment would break.
This wasn’t the first time.
Jewel had been looking up at that window for hours.
Between plays. Between breaks.
Quick glances.
Small searches.
One time.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Nothing.
Until now.
The seventh time—
Benni was there.
And somehow, that felt important.
Benni exhaled softly.
Relief spreading through his chest.
Light.
Warm.
Unexplainable.
He didn’t smile.
But something inside him did.
Down on the court—
Jewel looked away first.
But not because he wanted to.
And for the rest of the practice—
he didn’t need to look up again.
Because he already knew—
someone was there.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Benni was everywhere that day.
Not loudly.
Not chaotically.
But present.
He was leading the entire decorating team for the school’s annual day preparations.
Every section of the hall was under his direction.
Lights. Stages. Stalls. Activities.
Everything.
He had even gone to the principal himself.
With calm confidence, he convinced the school to let students take full control of the event.
No heavy teacher interference.
Just trust.
And somehow—
he made it sound so simple that the principal agreed within minutes.
After that, everything changed.
Students were assigned roles.
Ideas were shared freely.
Everyone was involved.
Everyone was excited.
And Benni?
He was in the center of it all.
Not demanding attention.
Just… pulling everyone into movement.
Like gravity.
Like light.
People didn’t just like him.
They wanted to make him proud.
Even those who once disliked him… found themselves wanting his approval.
Because when Benni smiled—
it felt like winning something.
But then—
he stopped.
His smile faded slightly.
His gaze shifted.
Past the crowd.
Far behind them.
Jewel noticed it immediately.
That shift.
That pause.
That silence in him.
He turned his head.
And saw her.
Soana.
Standing with her friends under a tree.
Watching.
Then her eyes moved.
From Benni.
To Jewel.
And then—
she raised her finger slightly.
Calling him over like she owns him
Like he was supposed to obey.
Something in Jewel’s chest tightened.
But he moved anyway.
Instinctively.
Before he could take a step—
Benni grabbed his wrist.
Softly.
But firmly enough to stop him.
Jewel froze.
“…Benni.”
Benni didn’t look away from Soana.
“Please handle the groups, for me ” he said calmly.
“You stay.”
Then he lowered his voice slightly.
“I need to talk to her.”
Jewel shook his head immediately.
“No—I should go. She wants to talk to me.”
Benni finally looked at him.
And his expression changed.
Not anger.
Not frustration.
Something steadier.
Stronger.
“I don’t care,” he said quietly.
Then more clearly—
“I will not let her talk to you like that.”
Jewel went still.
Completely still.
Because no one had ever said that before.
Not like that.
Not for him.
He whispered, almost helplessly:
“Benni… she’s my girlfriend.”
Benni’s grip didn’t loosen.
“I don’t care.”
A pause.
Then—
“She is not allowed to treat you like that.”
Jewel couldn’t answer.
Not because he disagreed.
But because no one had ever spoken about him like he mattered that much.
Benni turned away.
And walked toward Soana.
She didn’t smile when she saw him.
She noticed him immediately. she has never seen more prettier human being in her life but she felt burning head in her body without any reason,
And something in her expression shifted—
subtle insecurity hiding behind irritation.
“Who are you?” she asked sharply.
Benni didn’t flinch.
“I’m Benni.”
She ignored that.
“You didn’t pick up my calls,” she said, pointing toward Jewel behind him.
Benni’s voice dropped.
Cold.
Controlled.
“Don’t talk to him like that.”
Soana’s expression cracked slightly.
“What did you just say?”
“I said,” Benni repeated, stepping closer,
“I will not tolerate that tone toward him.”
Her confidence flickered.
Then returned sharper.
“Who the hell are you to talk to me like that?”
Benni didn’t move back.
“I’m someone who respects him.”
A pause.
“You should try it.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Pressing.
Soana’s voice rose.
“Don’t tell me how to treat my man.”
That word—
my
Benni’s expression didn’t change.
But something in the air did.
“He is not your possession,” Benni said quietly.
“He is a human being. And he deserves respect.”
Soana’s hands tightened slightly.
“Shut up.”
Benni stepped half a step closer.
Voice steady.
“Make me.”
For the first time—
she hesitated.
Her confidence wavered.
Not because she was weak.
But because no one had ever stood in front of her like this before.
She turned sharply toward Jewel.
“Are you going to let him talk to me like this?”
Jewel didn’t answer immediately.
Because for the first time…
he didn’t know what the right answer was.
Benni didn’t wait.
He turned back, grabbed Jewel’s hand—
gently this time.
Not forcing.
Just choosing.
And walked away.
Soana stood there.
Watching them leave.
Watching Jewel follow.
Watching something she thought she owned…
slip out of reach.
