Friends With Benefits *Gay Love story * *love triangle* *fiction*

Echoes of Departure

Chapter 24: Echoes of Departure

The air hung heavy with the weight of Harsh's tearful departure, leaving a palpable tension in the room. Shompu, still processing the whirlwind of emotions, stood in the aftermath of the shattered confession. Jai, torn between concern and his own complex feelings, hesitated before breaking the silence.

Jai: (Softly) "Shompu, are you okay?"

Shompu: (Nervously) "I... I don't know, Jai. Everything happened so fast. Harsh... he just confessed, and then he ran away."

Jai: (Sighing) "I didn't see that coming. This... changes things, doesn't it?"

Shompu: (Confused) "Changes what, Jai? I don't even know what I feel right now. It's all so complicated."

Jai: (Avoiding eye contact) "Yeah, maybe. But... what about us, Shompu? What about the love that we share?"

Shompu: "Jai....."

Jai: "No Shompu, I need an answer. I've waited, patiently, I needed time and now I've had enough. please, just please answer me! Is this love I have for you one sided?"

Shompu: "Jai I need more time...."

Jai: (Inhaling deeply) "Shompu, there's a storm inside me, and it's time I let it out. You deserve to know the truth, even if I can't find the perfect words."

Shompu, his eyes reflecting a mix of curiosity and concern, turned his full attention to Jai. The air seemed to crackle with an unspoken intensity, a prelude to the emotional tempest about to be unleashed.

Jai: (Softly) "I've grappled with this for so long, convinced that I could push these feelings aside. But, Shompu, it's not fair to you or to me. I need to be honest, even if it changes everything."

A heaviness permeated each syllable Jai uttered, as if the weight of his unspoken emotions had found voice at last. Shompu, sensing the gravity of the moment, leaned in, his eyes urging Jai to continue.

Jai: "You're the sun in my universe, Shompu. I've orbited around you, basking in the warmth of your presence, but it's more than just friendship. It's a magnetic force I can't escape, nor do I want to. You light up my world in ways I can't describe."

The vulnerability in Jai's confession hung in the air, an emotional tapestry slowly unraveling before Shompu's eyes. The room itself seemed to lean in, as if eager to absorb the truths that had long remained concealed.

Jai: "When you smile, it's like the universe aligns in perfect harmony. And, Shompu, I can't keep ignoring the truth. This feeling. It's love."

Jai: (With vulnerability) "Shompu, do you feel even a fraction of what I just confessed?"