"Aldo, this is Jacques. Jacques, this is Aldo," Ethan introduced them.
But both boys stayed locked in cold war mode. Outwardly, it looked like nothing more than a chilly silence, like an icy mountain where nothing stirred. But inside? The horn of war had already sounded, and soldiers were banging their shields, itching for battle.
"Why is he here, again?" Aldo asked, casting Jacques a dismissive glance.
"He's my cousin," Ethan repeated.
"He doesn't look like you. I mean, you're a Chungwa, and he's clearly Earthling," Aldo scoffed, giving Jacques a condescending up-and-down look.
"He doesn't have to look like me. My uncle's an Earthling," Ethan corrected him, then stood up from the round table. "It's 5 PM. You guys must be hungry—I'll cook something."
"I'll help you out, babe," Aldo said, following him.
The word babe burned into Jacques like acid. He felt his ears melt.
His phone buzzed again. A new message from Charles:"Alright, be careful on the way home. I'll make excuses for you."
Now Jacques was torn. Should he stay—to find out whether Ethan already had a boyfriend? Or go back to the dorm, where Charles was waiting?
From the kitchen came the sound of activity—clinking utensils, bubbling pots, and laughter. Ethan giggled at something Aldo said. Jacques heard Aldo sniff at Ethan's ear, and Ethan squealed and squirmed.
They definitely looked like more than friends.
"Aldo, stop it," Ethan said, gently pushing him away. But his expression betrayed him—he clearly liked it.
"We look like a young married couple," Aldo teased while peeling onions.
Ethan pinched his side in response, and they burst into giggles again.
Jacques sat frozen, completely at war with himself. One part of him burned with the urge to grab Ethan, pull him close, and shove Aldo out the veranda. But another voice told him to hold back—that it was up to Ethan to choose. If Ethan was happier with Aldo, who was he to interfere? That would be robbery. A violation of Ethan's freedom.
And then came a third voice—one that reminded him of Charles:"You already have a fucking boyfriend. And Ethan looks happy with Aldo. Why are you even fighting for this? This isn't right, man."
Normally, Jacques would've walked away. He would've chosen Charles. Kept the peace.
But this time…
He couldn't move.
His ass might as well have been glued to the floor—warm like a stubborn hen sitting on three eggs.
He just couldn't let Ethan be taken from him.
"He should've picked me. We were lovers in a past life, weren't we?"Jacques raged at himself, throwing his frustration at the voices inside his head.
He finally stood up—not to leave the flat, but to storm out to the veranda. He tried to subdue the fire of jealousy by catching some fresh air. The wind outside was strong, but not strong enough to calm the storm raging inside him.
He was still angry. Still mad.
He grabbed the railing, his fingers tightening until it creaked. He stopped himself just before it snapped—just before Ethan would have to pay extra to the landlord for the damage.
"Jacques?" Ethan's voice came from inside the flat. "Come here, dinner's ready."
Jacques returned to the studio, where Aldo—like a supportive, loving husband—was helping Ethan prepare the food.
While waiting, Jacques felt his fists clench involuntarily. He didn't fully remember who Ethan was, or why that powerful déjà vu hit him so hard the first time he arrived at Ethan's flat. He only knew one thing for certain: he had been here before, and he had a burning desire for Ethan. And it didn't feel one-sided either—that's why he kept chasing Ethan, even after being told no.
But this?
Seeing Ethan and Aldo together like this—so in sync, so natural—it cut deep. Jacques could tell this wasn't their first time cooking or having dinner together.
And then, suddenly, a flash of memory surged through him—
He saw Ethan and Aldo again, but this time much older. Probably in their thirties.
He couldn't tell what had happened, but in that vision, Ethan was holding Aldo's hand and walking away from him.
The next image in the flash: Jacques, flying his pod alone, heading into the sky.
As he entered the void of space, he felt nothing but emptiness.Stars surrounded him. Galaxies stretched beyond reach.But inside, his broken heart bled quietly.
Yes, he had finally flown. But the betrayal made it all meaningless.
The dream he had chased for so long… had lost its value.
So Jacques turned off the oxygen supply——and ended it all in silence, letting carbon monoxide fill the pod.
The flash ended.
"Oh wait, my mom's calling—I'll be back, babe," Aldo said as his phone buzzed. He stepped out, heading down to the street to take the call, leaving Jacques and Ethan alone.
Jacques stepped toward the kitchen."Is that your boyfriend?" he asked.
"No, he's not," Ethan replied flatly, without even looking at him. He was too busy arranging the plates.
"He looked close to you. And he called you babe," Jacques said, leaning on the doorframe to the veranda, arms folded.
Ethan finally looked up. "He's nice. He's always been there for me. But... I don't feel anything."
"He definitely likes you," Jacques warned, hoping that might be enough to make Ethan push Aldo away.
Ethan let out a small chuckle, his voice soft."What are you trying to say? That I should try to open my heart?"
"Do you want that to happen?" Jacques raised a brow.
"I don't know. If I felt something, maybe I would."
That hit Jacques like a punch to the gut. He was about to unleash his anger—until Aldo re-entered at the worst possible moment.
"Daddy's back~!" Aldo announced, sliding into the flat. He joined Ethan at the table and looked over at the plates. "And look! Mommy's setting the table!"
What hurt more than the words was Ethan's expression when he looked at Aldo—fond, almost loving. Ethan liked Aldo's light-hearted vibe.
Then Aldo looked at Jacques and grinned."Sit down, son. Let's eat with Mom and Dad."
Jacques wanted to flip the table. But he stayed still.
It wasn't his place. If Ethan liked Aldo, who was he to interfere? Even if those flashes—those past life memories—told him Ethan used to be his, that didn't mean anything now.
Ethan would definitely reject Aldo… because his heart belongs to me.
...Would he?
Jacques takes a deep breath, hoping it will be enough to calm his burning heart, but the fire of jealousy just won't go away. It's torturing him—especially now, watching Ethan smile at Aldo and feed him.
Jacques puts down the bowl and escapes to the veranda door—his favorite spot. He stands there and watches.
He has to respect Ethan's decision, right?
If he wants to be with Aldo, then Jacques should wish them all the best.
But each interaction just makes them look even closer.
"I think you need to be my boyfriend. I mean, we have dinner every day, I drive you back and forth to medical school..." Aldo declares, sounding confident. What makes Jacques feel like a loser is the fact that Ethan seems to love the idea—even as he gestures "no."
"Come on, be my boyfriend," Aldo insists.
Ethan pauses for a moment, clearly considering it. That alone alerts Jacques—because it means Ethan is actually weighing a yes.
"I'll take you to my house if you say yes. You won't need to work at that lousy diner anymore. No more dealing with space pirates," Aldo says, casually continuing his meal. His eyes glance at Ethan, waiting.
"Alright, I'll learn to reciprocate your feelings," Ethan says, touching Aldo's hand.
"I'll take good care of you."
Aldo takes Ethan's hand and stands. "Let's go. My house is big enough for both of us. You'll live in a better place than this cramped flat."
"Let me pack my stuff," Ethan says, kissing Aldo on the cheek. Aldo walks out of the flat.
As Ethan starts packing, Jacques protests, "What are you doing? You're supposed to be mine!"
Ethan doesn't even look back. "Yes, but... I feel happier with him. So I think he deserves a chance, right?"
"What about me?!"
Ethan finally turns to Jacques and adjusts his glasses. "Don't you have Charles?"
That hits Jacques even harder. It makes him feel like a confused, immature jerk—someone who plays with people here and there and still ends up losing everything. A complete loser.
"I'm going to be really hurt if you leave me," Jacques says, his voice raw with vulnerability.
"I'm sorry for that," Ethan replies gently, "but I have to choose what makes me happy—someone who actually wants me."
He finishes packing his bag and leaves.
Only cold, empty space remains for Jacques. He stands frozen, even when he hears the sound of Aldo's motorcycle roaring away. The sound fades into the distance... and so does Ethan.
Jacques clenches his fists and screams in rage, "No! Why is this happening?! Why didn't he save himself for me?! I thought he was mine!!"
Before him stands the figure of a man.
A man from his dreams—tall, broad-shouldered, tough. He is everything Jacques aspires to be.
It's The New Mentor.