Elisha swallowed, his voice becoming quieter.
"I’m especially sorry for the way I spoke to you that morning after we first crossed that line,"
Elisha murmured, his gaze locked on Henry’s. "You trusted me with everything. We’ve been friends since childhood. If anything, I should have been the one to pull you close, tell you to calm down, and say, I know we’ve crossed a line. Let’s talk about what this means for us. But instead, I panicked and acted like a complete idiot. I pushed you away and told you we should just act like it never happened."
He shook his head, regret filling his eyes. "I shouldn’t have done that. I regret it, Henry. I regret every single cold word I said to you. Every time I think about that morning, it hurts me just as much as I know it hurt you. I was selfish, and I left you to carry all that pain and confusion by yourself. You deserved so much better than the coward I was back then."
He reached out, his hand hovering just inches from Henry’s knee before he slowly lowered it onto the center console instead. He didn’t dare cross that remaining distance, silently asking for permission without touching him.
"I’m sorry, Henry," Elisha pleaded, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "I know I hurt you so deeply, but please... forgive me. I ruined our friendship, and even though you try to put on a brave face and act like everything is fine, I know deep down that something is broken between us. Can you ever forgive me?"
His voice trembled. "Please, Henry. Name your price. Ask for whatever it takes to make this right, and I’ll do it. I’ll take full responsibility. Just please..."
Henry sat completely still in the passenger seat, the crimson camellias resting in his lap. The quiet confines of the car seemed to shrink around them, heavy with everything they had left unsaid and the raw vulnerability of the moment.
For a long moment, Henry didn’t say anything. He simply looked at Elisha, taking in the sincerity of his apology. Then, a quiet sigh slipped past his lips.
"You really did hurt me, Eli," Henry said, his voice quiet and steady, carrying a deep sadness. "And out of everyone in this world, you were the last person I ever expected to do it."
Elisha flinched as if struck, his throat tightening.
"I was in physical pain for days afterward. I couldn’t even sit comfortably," Henry continued, his eyes glistening as the memory of that morning came rushing back. "That was my first, Eli. You took something so sacred and intimate from me, and then you looked me in the eye and told me we should pretend it never happened. Do you have any idea how much that broke me? How humiliating and painful it was to cry myself to sleep because the man I cared so much about treated me like a mistake?"
"I’m sorry, Henry," Elisha choked out, his voice breaking. "Please, forgive me..."
Henry looked at him, his gaze steady, carrying all the hurt he had been trying to bury. "I’ll be real with you, Eli," Henry whispered.
Elisha listened intently, his heart pounding as he waited to hear what Henry had to say.
"I heard your apology," Henry continued, his voice calm, "but I didn’t accept it."
Elisha’s mouth parted, a panicked denial or plea hovering on his lips, but Henry cut him off by raising a single finger.
"Listen carefully," Henry said, his eyes fixed on him. "When you hurt me, you didn’t come back on your own to apologize. You didn’t feel remorse until you found out about my engagement. That was when you stormed into my office, full of pride, and had the absolute audacity to be angry with me."
"Henry, I’m sorry—"
"Quiet, Eli. I’m still talking," Henry said softly, but there was no room for argument.
Elisha immediately fell silent, swallowing hard as he lowered his head.
"The only reason you’re sitting here right now, trying to make up for what you did, is because you’re terrified of losing me. You don’t want me to go through with my wedding," Henry said, his voice filled with bitter honesty. "So listen to me, Eli. I’m not going to make this easy for you. You’re going to have to earn my forgiveness, and you won’t do it just by handing me a bouquet of flowers. You have to actually prove that you understand how deeply you messed up."
Elisha nodded quickly, desperate to hold on to the chance he was being given. "Alright. Tell me how. How do I prove it to you?"
Henry stared at him in disbelief and let out a dry breath. "I don’t know, Eli. Figure it out yourself."
"I will. I’ll try," Elisha pleaded, his eyes shining in the dim light of the car. "Just please... give me a chance to actually prove myself. Stop shutting me out completely, okay?"
Henry held his gaze for a long moment before finally giving a faint, reluctant nod. "Alright, then." He shifted in his seat, smoothing down the front of his silk shirt. "Can we go now?"
Alright," Elisha whispered. But before he started the car, he looked at Henry. "Before we go... I have a question to ask."
Henry turned to him. "What is it?"
Elisha hesitated briefly before finally asking, "Is it really true? Are you actually engaged and getting married next month?"
Henry let out a mocking scoff. "Of course I am. But..." He paused, watching as Elisha’s face instantly paled. "If someone’s effort actually shows, maybe I could consider calling off the engagement. But for now? The engagement still holds."
"I understand," Elisha murmured, determination replacing some of the fear in his eyes. "We should go."
Elisha pressed the start button, and the engine quietly came to life. He pulled away from the curb and drove into the evening traffic toward their dinner destination.
For a while, neither of them said anything. The heavy atmosphere between them slowly began to lift. Henry pulled out his phone, unlocked it, and snapped a quick picture of the bouquet resting in his lap.
He opened his chat and tapped on his mother’s contact, attaching the photo.
Henry:Mom... you won’t believe this. Elisha actually apologized to me today. He was so sincere about everything that happened between us, and he even showed up with these beautiful flowers for me. ❤️
Within seconds, his mother’s reply appeared, filled with warmth and amusement.
Mom:Finally, such a clumsy boy. Why is he so slow? But at least it’s progress! I knew he’d come around eventually and realize what he feels. Don’t put too much pressure on him yet. I’ll do my part tomorrow, I’m calling his parents again to subtly remind them about the wedding timeline...
Henry:Okay, Mom.
Mom:Did the apology at least make you smile a little bit?
Henry looked down at his phone, a soft blush warming his cheeks. He opened the emoji menu and sent back a blushing sticker. 🤭😊
Mom:Oh, my poor baby. If only Elisha had any idea how deeply you’ve loved him all these years.
Henry glanced up from his phone and looked at Elisha, who was focused on the road ahead. A small smile tugged at his lips as he typed his reply.
Henry:I can’t wait for him to actually say it out loud to me, Mom.
Mom:Don’t be too desperate. Wait for the right moment, okay?
Henry:Okay, Mom. I love you so much.
Mom: I love you more, my son. Come home whenever you’re free so we can talk about all of this.
Henry:Okay, Mom. He’s actually taking me out for a dinner date right now.
Mom:Oh my God, baby! A dinner date?! With Elisha?! I’m already dying to hear how it goes! Come home as soon as you can and tell me absolutely everything, okay? ❤️
Henry smiled before replying.
Henry:Mom, you’re too dramatic. It’s just a dinner date. Nothing special.
Mom:Baby, it’s special as long as you enjoy yourself and you’re happy about it. If I were there right now, I’d be looking at your face. I already know your cheeks must be all red.
Henry smiled and typed back.
Henry:I’m already wearing a red silk shirt. If I blush, you can just blame the reflection of my shirt.
Mom:🤣🤣 Henry! Okay, bring Elisha home one of these days. Come spend the weekend with us.
As Henry smiled at his phone, Elisha glanced at him from behind the wheel. He didn’t ask what had made him smile. Instead, he simply focused on the road and continued driving.
Henry:Alright, Mom. Talk to you later.
Mom:Bye. Love you.😘
Henry locked his phone and slipped it back into his pocket, a genuine smile lingering on his lips.
Henry had always been extremely close to his mother. She was the one person he could tell almost anything to, especially when it came to his feelings for Elisha.
She had known for a long time that Henry loved him, and she had never judged him for it. Their families had been close for years, and Elisha had practically grown up alongside Henry, so she understood how naturally those feelings had developed.
More than anything, she wanted her son to be happy, and if Elisha was the person who made his heart happy, she had no reason to stand in the way.
With his mother, Henry never had to think twice about talking about Elisha. With his father, it was different. He loved and respected him, but he could never sit down with him and talk about loving a man, especially when that man was Elisha.
When things between him and Elisha fell apart, Henry tried to keep everything to himself. After Elisha told him to forget what had happened between them and pretend they had never crossed that line, Henry convinced himself that he could do the same. He told himself he was strong enough to move on.
But he wasn’t.
The first week passed with Henry forcing himself to act as though everything was fine. He buried the pain, avoided talking about it, and tried to carry on with his life. By the second week, however, he couldn’t keep it inside anymore.
One evening, he drove straight to his mother’s house.