The trio got drunk enough that Inho could easily pretend he wasn’t devastated. At around 11 pm they staggered in a six-legged tangle back to Jasmine’s place to drink more. When they arrived, Nathan ran to the bathroom immediately to pee, and Jasmine went to gather wine and glasses. Inho fell into her vintage floral couch with a heavy thump. A chunky old beagle immediately ran over to him and jumped full-bodied into his lap, knocking the wind out of him.

“That’s Jellybean,” Jasmine called through the kitchen passthrough, “Give him some snacks from the table and he’ll leave you alone.”

Inho looked at the mess on the table. He lifted a few closed bags of chips, and candy spilled out, falling onto some books and a jumble of headphone cables and remotes. He rifled through it until he found a jar of dog treats. Jellybean started bounding in place and Inho laughed at his enthusiasm. Then the dog opened his jaws for a baying howl and Inho scrambled to open the jar.

“No, Jellybean! Be quiet,” he gave him some dog treats, and Jellybean ran off to chew in the corner, giving Inho the stink eye as if he might try to reclaim them. “Ungrateful,” Inho muttered, grabbing a very small bag of gummy bears off the table to munch on himself.

Jasmine came back in the room with a bottle and corkscrew clutched to her chest and three wine glasses in her hands at the same time Nathan got back from the bathroom. Nathan helped her unload and started opening the wine. Leaving him to it, she flopped on the couch next to Inho. He was spinning a little from the drinks, but feeling ok. He put another gummy bear in his mouth. They were all the same raspberry flavor and they tasted good but smelled horrible.

“Inho, what are you eating?” Jasmine asked suddenly.

“Bears,” he replied, then raised the bag in the air as Jellybean finished his own treats and tried to snag it out of his hands.

“Inho, no. Inho, that’s not candy.”

Inho and Nathan both stopped and looked at her, arrested by the urgency in her voice.

“What is it then?” Inho frowned, examining the small print on the little bag.

“Well, they’re um, weed gummies. They’re Jellybean’s.”

Nathan stared at her, “Why is Jellybean doing drugs?”

“They’re not drugs! They’re for his arthritis, he doesn’t like the drops. Inho how many did you eat?”

Inho rubbed his jaw, “Wait like marijuana? These are drugs? Illegal ones?”

“It’s legal here, and they’re a low dose so it should be okay. How many did you eat? Two? Three?”

Inho felt tense, “I dunno. I think like eight?”

Jasmine let out a nervous trill of laughter. Nathan gave her a heavy look.

“What? What is it?” Inho was catching their discomfort.

“Inho have you ever smoked weed before?” Nathan asked in an even tone.

“No, it’s like super illegal in back home.”

“Well, hmmm. It’s going to be an experience for you tonight. But, you’ll be fine, and we’ll take care of you.” Nathan’s voice was still steady, but his brows were drawn together with a fine line between them.

“Should I take some too?” Jasmine asked, “Would that make you feel better?”

“No Jasmine,” Nathan replied before Inho could consider, “Don’t make me look after both of you being nuisances.”

Jasmine rolled her eyes, “Fine. It’s going to be alright Inho. Do you have any questions?”

Inho wasn’t sure, his mind was still clouded from the tequila shots, and he’d never intended to try any drugs.

“I guess...how long till it hits me?”

They exchanged looks again.

“Probably another 20 minutes,” Nathan answered.

“Have some chips,” Jasmine suggested, tearing open a bag, “And, try not to worry about it. It’ll just make it worse.”

Inho crunched on chips and Jellybean crawled up to sit next to him, putting his heavy head on Inho’s leg to snuffle for chip crumbs if they fell. Inho scratched his ears absentmindedly and let Nathan and Jasmine’s conversation wash over him. They were both speaking in soft soothing voices.

He pulled out his phone and opened his checklist app. “Text Stephen to apologize,” he wrote. Just below it, there was that list, the one about making Jamie fall in love with him again. He started deleting each item from the top. “Step 1” it read, “get a job”, he deleted till he got to “Step 5: Be in love,” and “Step 6: Be together.” He looked at the words on the screen, and it hit him again that it was over. He had dumped Jamie, and they were done.

Relief washed through him, and he laughed out loud. Jasmine and Nathan both snapped to watch him.

“You okay there, bud?” Jasmine asked.

“Yep,” Inho answered, beaming, “I’m actually so great. I broke up with Jamie, and do you know what that means?”

“What does it mean?” She asked politely.

“I don’t have to do it again!” he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “It’s over, and that was the hardest part. Ending it.”

Jasmine and Nathan both smiled back at him and nodded.

“You’re high now Inho,” Nathan said.

“No, I’m just–”

Next thing he knew he was staring at the toilet bowl as he vomited violently into it. Jasmine was petting his back.

“What’s happening? When did I–”

He woke up on Jasmine’s couch several hours later, wrapped in a blanket. It was dark, but he could see Jasmine and Nathan standing together through the kitchen passthrough.

They were talking quietly about something so as to not wake him. He opened his mouth to call out to them, but he went silent when Jasmine twined her arms around Nathan’s neck and dragged his face down for a deep kiss.

Inho looked away, blushing as if they had noticed him watching. They hadn’t, and they were still kissing. He rolled over and shut his eyes to the sight. Sleep took him and kept him until morning.

~~

Author's note:

Did you know there's a Kiss It Better mini comic? It's a non-canon AU and it's ultra spicy! Releasing now, click this banner to read and subscribe!