The Snare of Symmetry C10

Chapter 10

“—Hello? You said you were going out with Elliott, but you picked up fast.”

It was a familiar voice. At the faintly dissatisfied question, Bernard couldn’t answer—he only swallowed his breath.

“—Bernard?”

He hadn’t even cried out loud, yet the other person reacted as if they’d heard something terribly wrong.

“—Bernard, are you crying?”

“I—I don’t know what to do.”

“—What’s wrong? What happened. Where are you?”

“I… Elliott is just… it hurts so much. What do I do?”

Bernard’s sobs echoed in the restroom. His words spilled out without order. I don’t want to see Elliott right now. I’m awful for feeling that way. It hurts. I don’t know what to do.

Over and over, the reply came back—calm down.

“—Let’s meet first. Where are you?”

When Bernard haltingly gave the location, the answer came immediately.

“—Don’t move. Stay right there.”

The repeated instructions sounded like an attempt to soothe him. Even though the other person couldn’t see him, Bernard kept nodding as he clutched his phone.

“—Please… stop crying.”

At the sigh-laced words, Bernard finally whispered an apology, his breathing uneven. Rhyno answered with a more irritated voice than before.

“—Don’t cry when I get there, Bernard.”

He knew it was Rhyno’s clumsy way of comforting him, so Bernard only nodded again. He thought the call might end there—but Rhyno kept talking.

“—I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”

“Okay…” he replied in a tiny voice, and the sobs leaked through clenched teeth. After ending the call, Bernard rubbed his face again.

Should I lock the bathroom door?

The thought came late, but he dismissed it, afraid someone else might need it. He took off his glasses, stuffed them into his pocket, and splashed his face with cold water again and again—until his ears were soaked, until his hair was drenched.

Anyone who saw him would’ve thought he was insane.

He’d done something foolish just to hide the fact that he’d been crying. Bernard’s narrow world shrank a little more that way.

On nights when worry weighed on him, Elliott would crawl into Bernard’s bed. Even as grown adults, they couldn’t quite separate themselves from each other. Elliott would whisper excitedly that twins must share a special bond.

“I’m on your side, Bernard. No matter what happens, you have to tell me.”

When Elliott shared his troubles, Bernard became his reliable counselor. Bernard already knew that Elliott would pass along whatever advice he gave. Elliott often brought others’ worries to him as if they were his own—and whether that earned Elliott goodwill or not, Bernard didn’t mind. It was goodwill Bernard would never receive anyway.

Steadying his breathing, Bernard left the restroom. There was no way to hide how disheveled he looked; even after putting his glasses back on, he still appeared pitiful.

Elliott—who hadn’t come looking for him despite his long absence—rose with a startled expression. But Bernard spoke first.

“…I completely forgot I had plans with Rhyno.”

“I’m sorry, Bernard. I didn’t make things awkward for you, did I?”

At a loss, Elliott gently rubbed Bernard’s back. Bernard forced a bright smile. He hoped it looked convincing.

Rubens’s gaze was openly examining Bernard’s face.

“No. I was the idiot who forgot… Please enjoy your time with Mr. Hurt.”

When Bernard kissed Elliott’s cheek in a show of affection, Rubens’s eyes narrowed instantly. Watching him pull Elliott closer, Bernard smiled bitterly.

“Thank you for your time.”

“Not at all. It was a pleasure meeting you.”

As Bernard shook Rubens’s large hand, he realized belatedly—so this is what it feels like.

Because it felt different from that night, he smiled wryly once more.

He firmly refused Elliott’s offer to walk him out and hurried away. More than anything, he didn’t want to keep watching the two of them together—so at least that goal had been accomplished.

After running two full blocks, Bernard stopped in the middle of downtown, gasping. Not long after he texted Rhyno his location, a car pulled over and blared its horn. Clicking his tongue at Bernard’s tear-streaked state, Rhyno rummaged through the front seat and passed tissues out the window, then popped open the passenger door from inside.

“Get in. You’re making me nervous.”

Bernard, suddenly cowed, obediently climbed in. Rhyno groaned.

“That’s not what I—”

He trailed off, tapped the steering wheel a few times, then gave up with a defeated look.

“…Is this something I’m allowed to interfere in?”

Rhyno stared at him with a face full of tangled thoughts. The pressure made Bernard look away. The question pricked at his chest.

Come to think of it, he felt bad. Before being Bernard’s friend, Rhyno had a crush on Elliott. Bernard couldn’t bring himself to say again that Elliott was the reason he was hurting. His face flushed with shame.

“I’m sorry. You probably… don’t want to hear this kind of thing.”

“What kind of thing do you think that is?”

“Bad-mouthing someone you like. That’s the worst.”

At Bernard’s hesitant words, Rhyno’s eyes narrowed. Veins faintly stood out on the hand gripping the wheel. His furrowed brow spoke volumes, and after a long exhale, he shook his head.

“Bernard. Look at me.”

But Bernard only lowered his head further. Rhyno ran a hand through his hair and fell silent. The heavy quiet lingered until Bernard slowly lifted his gaze.

He flinched.

Those gray eyes looked unusually dark.

“If it’s about Elliott, you can talk freely.”

He flexed his fingers as if enduring something. His slow voice carried a sharp edge—one that strangely drew Bernard’s attention.

“Is there really something friends can’t talk about?”

He lingered on the word friends as if grinding it down, but Bernard didn’t think much of it. Rhyno had never hidden their friendship from others—yet when they were alone, he always seemed to want to erase some invisible boundary.

When Bernard still didn’t answer, Rhyno’s frown deepened, turning ominous. Strangely, Bernard thought—he really is impressive.

Anyone else might’ve been frightened by the atmosphere, but Bernard wasn’t. He trusted Rhyno completely.

“Stop crying already… what is all this.”

“…Sorry.”

Seeing Bernard’s red, swollen eyes, Rhyno sighed deeply, then reached out and took off Bernard’s glasses. Bernard flinched reflexively at the touch, then looked down awkwardly. When Rhyno gently tapped under his eyes with a finger, Bernard blinked a few times and met his gaze.

Bernard had always been good at running away—from situations, from people. He never neglected his duties, but he’d abandoned countless relationships and opportunities to hide inward instead. He had no idea what he was supposed to say to Rhyno now.

For Rhyno, on the other hand, human relationships had never been difficult. He had plenty of people within reach and never clung too tightly to connections.

Except with Bernard.

“What are you sorry for?”

“I’m always bothering you. Always asking for help.”

Rhyno knew exactly what Bernard was trying to do—smooth things over, escape—but pretended not to notice. Bernard’s ears burned red. He felt shameless, rambling after breaking their plans.

“Is that what you call asking? Why don’t you ask for more.”

After a long silence, Rhyno laughed lightly. Without waiting for an answer, he started the car and drove off without explaining the destination. Bernard hastily buckled his seatbelt, staring at Rhyno’s profile.

“You said you were having dinner with Elliott. I doubt Elliott said anything stupid to you. So who were you eating with?”

“Elliott introduced someone to me. Said it was his lover… They looked good together.”

Bernard touched the back of his neck and swallowed an awkward smile. Rhyno always noticed far too much. Sometimes Bernard was grateful—other times, unbearably burdened.

“Then why were you crying there?”

“I… I like someone.”

Bernard’s answer came out of nowhere. The car screeched to a sudden stop.

Bernard lurched forward, then snapped back, the violent jolt sending a chill through him. Pale-faced and breathless, he clung to the seatbelt like a lifeline.

Rhyno’s driving was usually rough—but never like this. Bernard turned to speak, only to meet a blunt stare.

“Who? Someone I know? Nora? Jettis? Amy? Don’t tell me Adam?”

The rapid-fire names stunned Bernard. Rhyno, face stiff, waved both hands as if he didn’t even want an answer. Horns blared behind them after the abrupt stop, but when Rhyno rolled down the window and hurled curses with a raised fist, the noise quickly died.

Rhyno looked unmistakably furious—nothing like his usual mild, easygoing self. Bernard knew he had a fiery side from watching rugby matches, but seeing such open anger was new.

“They’re just school friends.”

“Don’t give me that bullshit.”

Snapping back with an uncharacteristically twisted reply, Rhyno soon dropped his forehead onto the steering wheel. The horn blared again. Bernard couldn’t keep up with his wildly swinging mood.

After a long sigh, Rhyno pressed the accelerator and drove on. His expression looked sulky, jaw clenched tight. Intimidated by his harsh aura, Bernard stayed silent. Even though Rhyno surely knew what he was thinking, he didn’t speak as they left the city behind.

“…But the person I like doesn’t like me back.”

“So that’s why you cried?”

“That’s just how I am.”

Watching Bernard accept it so easily, Rhyno rapidly ran through a list of people in his head. Who had Bernard liked back then?

Frowning as he searched his fading memories, a crease formed between his brows.

“Why do you always fall for assholes like that instead of just—me?”

HOOOONK—

The horn blared loudly once more.