Chapter 24 Surprise

Chapter 24 Surprise

The alarm on my phone pulled me from sleep. I reached over to the bedside table, turned it off, and set it back down.

For a second, I just lay there — eyes half-open, caught between dreaming and waking. Soft morning light filtered through the curtains, painting gentle lines across the wall. I stretched, yawned, and grabbed my phone again, only to see dozens of unread messages waiting.

When I finally stepped out of my room, the rich smell of brewed coffee filled the house, mixed with the playful barking of my dog, TanTan.

As I made my way downstairs, the barks grew louder and more excited. Then I saw him — Kuya Dave, sitting cross-legged on the floor, tossing a small plush toy while TanTan dashed back and forth, tail wagging like crazy.

When did he get back? He didn’t even tell me he was coming home.

I paused on the staircase, just watching them. There was something peaceful about the scene — the way Kuya laughed so freely, so light. It reminded me how simple happiness could be sometimes. Just a quiet morning, and someone (or something) that makes you feel completely at ease.

It had been almost a month since I last saw or spoke to him. His face looked different now — brighter, more relaxed. Nothing like the tired photo Mom had shown me before.

I walked over, still rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “When did you get home?” I asked, my voice still groggy.

He looked up and smiled. “You’re awake. I got in around 5 a.m. I didn’t wake you — you were sleeping so soundly when I checked on you.”

I nodded, then pulled him into a tight hug. He returned it immediately, his hand warm on my back. God, I missed him. I missed this.

I suddenly remembered the day he left for Japan to take over the family business. I had cried so hard — it was the first time we’d ever been apart.

When I finally let go, he frowned at me.

“Oh Lord, how old are you again?”

“Twenty-two,” I answered.

He facepalmed. “And you’re still acting like a baby?”

I shot him a glare. “You used to say I was your one and only baby. I guess that’s not true anymore.”

I turned away, pretending to be mad even though I wasn’t. It didn’t really bother me if he wasn’t as affectionate now that he had a boyfriend, but my mood was acting up, so I decided to tease him.

“You still are, Lucas.”

I turned back with a smile. “Okay.”

Good. I’m still his baby. If not… well, Ethan can be mine.

Sometimes I really laugh at my own thoughts.

“By the way, Lucas,” he said, “can you at least wear boxers when you sleep? I saw everything when I checked on you earlier.”

So he really did see me naked.

“It’s not my problem,” I shrugged. “And I have nothing to be ashamed of.”

He raised his hand. I flinched, thinking he was going to smack me, but he only ruffled my hair.

“I know you have nothing to be ashamed of. You inherited that from me,” he added with a wink.

I swatted his hand away and glared. Inherited? Mine’s definitely bigger.

He moved to the couch while I picked up TanTan, who was barking for attention. I sat beside Kuya and patted the dog’s head.

“TanTan’s like a kid, huh?” I said.

“More behaved than some kids, actually,” Kuya laughed.

TanTan barked at him right away.

“You’re in trouble, Kuya. When you have a kid, I’m training them to bite you,” I teased.

“You idiot, he doesn’t even want to have —” He stopped mid-sentence, as if realizing he was about to say something I shouldn’t hear.

I just smiled, letting him know it was okay if he wasn’t ready to introduce his boyfriend yet. It was his choice. No pressure.

“It’s fine, Kuya,” I said, patting his shoulder.

“When I’m ready, I’ll introduce him to you right away.”

I smiled and set TanTan down on the floor. He’d been licking me nonstop. I watched him chase the robotic vacuum like it was his favorite toy.

After a while, as TanTan’s playful noises faded into comfortable background sounds, I felt the question I’d been carrying for days rise to the surface.

I sat up properly and faced Kuya, who was busy on his phone.

He must have felt my stare because he pocketed it and turned to me.

I took a deep breath. “Kuya… can I ask you something?”

I wasn’t sure where to start, but I knew he was someone who could help me sort through what I was feeling.

“Do you remember when you were in college?” I began.

He nodded. “Yeah, why?”

“You had a lot of girlfriends back then. You even brought some home. Like Cheska — she was your girlfriend, right?”

Confusion crossed his face for a moment, but he nodded. “Second year, I think. Why? Is something bothering you?”

I shook my head quickly. “Not really.” I closed my eyes briefly, gathering my thoughts. “How many girlfriends have you had?”

He smiled a little. “Serious ones or…?”

“I don’t care. I want the number.”

“Chill,” he sighed. “Six, maybe? I’m not even sure anymore. I kind of forgot.”

“Forgot, or that’s just the ones you remember?”

We both laughed.

“But anyway…” I scratched the back of my neck, hesitating. I was scared he might not be comfortable with the next question.

“Go ahead, Lucas. Ask it,” he said gently.

I paused for a few seconds before speaking. “How did you know you liked men? When did you realize?”

His brows lifted slightly — not in shock, but with quiet understanding.

He didn’t answer right away. He leaned back on the couch and thought for a moment.

“It wasn’t something I figured out overnight,” he said finally. “It was slow… like discovering a part of yourself that had always been there, just waiting for you to notice.”

He swallowed. “At first, I ignored it. I told myself it was just admiration. Because who would’ve thought I’d fall for someone who had liked another person for almost four years — someone who clearly didn’t have a chance with them.”

He looked at me intently, as if the words were meant for me too.

“At first, I tried to go back to how I was before. I thought I was just confused. But I wasn’t. Eventually, I got tired of pretending. The truth is… it feels lighter when you finally accept who you are.”

I looked at him thoughtfully. “Weren’t you scared?”

“Terrified,” he admitted with a faint smile. “Not of Mom, Dad, or you — I knew you’d accept me. But I was scared of other people. That fear disappeared because he stayed with me through everything. He kept reminding me that we can’t change how others see us — all we can do is stop listening to them. What scared me more was the thought of living a life that wasn’t true to myself. So even though it was hard, I chose to be honest.”

His words sank deep.

I stood up, walked over, and hugged him tightly, kissing his forehead.

He deserved this. I never knew how much he had gone through.

Why do people have to meddle in others’ lives? Why can’t they just focus on their own?

Most of them are older folks who act like their children’s lives are perfect — until they find out their “perfect” son got someone pregnant and has no job. Then who do they expect to support them? The government?

“I love you, Kuya. I accept you,” I whispered in his ear.

I went back to my seat and let everything sink in. It really is hard. I suddenly felt so much admiration for people brave enough to show their true selves.

Kuya suddenly spoke. “Why are you asking, Lucas? Is there something you’re trying to figure out?”

I shrugged, trying to sound casual. “No, not really. Just wondering.”

He chuckled. “Curious, huh?”

I smiled faintly and said nothing.

He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Listen,” he said gently. “If you ever start feeling something — whoever it’s for — don’t rush to define it. Don’t force yourself to understand everything right away. Feelings make sense in their own time.”

His words stayed with me. Not just as advice, but as something I didn’t know I needed to hear.

After our talk, Kuya went to the kitchen for another cup of coffee. I stayed on the couch. When he returned, I rested my head on his lap without a word.

He began running his fingers through my hair — an old habit from when we were younger.

Maybe I didn’t need to rush, like Kuya said. But deep down, I already knew — it wasn’t just admiration anymore. It was something deeper. Softer.

And as I lay there, my thoughts drifted to Ethan. His laughter. His calm voice when everyone else was stressed. The way he always put others first without even realizing it.

Then it hit me — his birthday was coming up.

I sat up quickly. “Oh no. I still don’t have a gift.”

Kuya laughed. “So that’s what’s been bothering you all morning.”

I grinned sheepishly. “Maybe.”

I grabbed my phone and messaged Caleb. I wanted the gift to be something Ethan could use every day.

Lucas Buenavista
Hey, need help. Any idea what would be a good gift for a nursing student? For research purposes, bro.

Caleb Stratton
Lol, “research purposes.” Sure, man. Practical or sentimental?

Lucas Buenavista
Maybe both? Something he can actually use but still feels personal.

Caleb Stratton
Hmm. Personalized tumbler? Stethoscope tag? Or a nursing-themed planner. Those usually work.

I read his suggestions again. Stethoscope tag felt too common. Planner? Not quite right. Tumbler? Too simple.

Whatever. I’ll figure it out.

Lucas Buenavista
Thanks, bro.

Caleb Stratton
Anytime, lover boy.

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop smiling.

Saturday arrived faster than I expected.

I barely slept the night before, replaying everything in my head. What if the cake didn’t look good? What if he didn’t like the gift? What if he hated the surprise?

It was almost noon when I got up. I showered quickly and threw on a plain white shirt and jeans — simple but decent.

Before grabbing my phone, my eyes landed on the gift I’d prepared for Ethan. I really hoped he’d like it.

When I opened my phone, there were tons of notifications, but I only cared about the ones from Elijah.

Elijah Hale
Kuya Lucas, Kuya Ethan already left for work. You can come over now.

I facepalmed. He’s working even on his birthday?

Lucas Buenavista
On the way. I’ll pick up the cake first. Do you guys need anything else?

Elijah Hale
Nothing. Everything’s ready. We’re just waiting for you hehe.

I reacted to his message, slipped my phone in my pocket, and took Ethan’s gift from the bedside table.

I drove to the bakery first. When I saw the cake, I couldn’t help but smile. It was perfect for someone who lived and breathed medicine.

The cake was covered in smooth white fondant. A red heartbeat line wrapped around the sides, ending in a big red heart. On top sat a tiny fondant stethoscope beside a rolled-up chart, a nurse’s cap with its signature black stripe, scattered pills and capsules, and a syringe next to an open pill bottle with yellow tablets spilling out like confetti.

It wasn’t just a cake — it was a tribute to care, dedication, and healing.

I drove carefully to Ethan’s house, constantly checking the cake box. I arrived around 2 p.m. Elijah and Elise were already waiting outside. Elise waved excitedly while Elijah struggled with a bag of decorations and a roll of tape.

How I wished I had younger siblings like them.

I walked over carrying the cake in one hand and the gift in the other.

“Traffic,” I explained as I stepped inside.

“It’s okay. The important thing is you’re here,” Elijah said, holding the door wide open.

The living room was a mess of decorations. Elise apologized shyly, but I just smiled and sat on the floor. “It’s fine. Let’s get started.”

We worked together — Elijah on the balloons, Elise cutting out photos of Ethan. They wanted the whole room filled with balloons and the wall covered with his pictures under a big banner.

The house was small and simple — three tiny bedrooms, a modest kitchen, and one bathroom. Yet the first time I slept here, it felt warmer than any big empty mansion.

“Where’s Evan?” I asked.

“With Kuya,” Elise answered.

I frowned. “He brought him to work?”

Elijah, who was fixing the banner, shook his head. “He’ll leave him with a friend and pick him up after his shift.”

“Good,” Elise added. “Evan’s too hyper. He’d just mess everything up.”

Halfway through decorating, my food delivery arrived. Elijah groaned dramatically about being hungry, accidentally letting a balloon fly across the room with a loud squeak. Elise burst out laughing.

After arranging all the food—carbonara, fried chicken, lumpiang shanghai, barbecue, pancit canton Elise insisted on noodles for long life, drinks, and a chocolate mousse cake — we went back to decorating.

By 6 p.m., we were finally done.

The wall looked magical. The colorful “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” banner stretched across the top. Below it, strings of Ethan’s photos swayed gently — baby pictures (including some naked ones), his messy smiles, first steps, and candid shots Elise had chosen.

Balloons in every color floated near the ceiling or rolled across the floor.

We collapsed onto the sofa, exhausted but proud.

“Finally,” Elijah sighed, nudging me.

“We could’ve finished earlier if you did it properly,” Elise teased, eyes on her phone.

“Whatever. We’re done now,” Elijah shot back.

“Kuya just texted,” Elise announced. “He’s almost here.”

Elijah and I jumped up at the same time.

Everything was finally ready.

I stood behind Elijah and Elise so they would be the first ones Ethan saw. We each held a confetti popper.

“I can hear him,” Elise whispered.

I took a slow, deep breath. My palms were sweaty. I couldn’t wait to see his reaction — to see him smile, to know he felt loved and surprised. This was all for him.

The door clicked open.

“One… two… three… go!” Elise shouted.

We popped the confetti all at once, colorful bits exploding into the air.

“Happy Birthday, Kuya!” they cheered.

For a moment, Ethan stood frozen in the doorway, eyes wide with disbelief. Then that familiar, genuine smile broke across his face — the kind that made everyone around him soften.

But just as I started to smile back, my eyes landed on the person beside him.

Blake.

He stood close, one arm protectively around Evan, who was cradled against his chest. The little boy blinked at the flying confetti, tiny hands reaching out to catch the colors. Blake smiled down at him gently, his hand steady on Evan’s back.

My chest tightened.

Ethan looked at me.

It was only for a second, but I saw it — that quick flicker in his eyes. Shock… surprise… or something I couldn’t quite name. His smile faltered for a heartbeat before he looked away, back at his cheering siblings.

The excitement that had been bubbling inside me suddenly drained away. I forced a smile and joined the laughter, but something inside me had already gone quiet.

Maybe it shouldn’t matter.

Maybe it didn’t.

But as Ethan stepped further inside with Blake still close beside him, the space between us suddenly felt much wider than before.