"Did you drink?" Gael asked after they finished eating. Matteo seemed out of it, staring blankly like he was lost in thought. Gael wondered if something was bothering his friend. He wanted to find the right time to ask if Matteo had a problem. Earlier, after Matteo told him to focus on driving, he hadn’t said another word. Gael felt like he was alone, as if no one was riding with him.
"Yeah, water." Matteo laughed softly.
Gael couldn’t help but chuckle. He always wanted to see Matteo smile, hoping it would ease his suspicion that something had changed in him. Matteo was handsome, especially when he smiled. He used to smile a lot. But now, he seemed distant, always quiet, and very serious. "I mean alcohol," Gael said, laughing. How innocent Matteo was, saying he only drank water. Matteo was the one who introduced him to drinking, and Gael had embraced it and loved it, which was why he drank often.
"Of course, but not too much."
"Why?" Gael noticed a guy sitting nearby who kept looking at them. His mind began to wander, thinking that people might assume he and Matteo were a couple. It wasn’t the first time someone had come to that conclusion. He just shook his head.
"Matteo, seriously, are you okay? You always seem distant. Do you have a problem?" Gael asked, trying to sound casual but genuinely concerned. He knew he shouldn’t bring up that subject, but he couldn’t help it. He was always the one to start a conversation, and Matteo never bothered to bring up any topics.
Matteo sighed and finally looked at Gael. "No, bro. Just thinking about a lot of things."
Gael leaned back. "What are you thinking about? Maybe you just need to talk it out. You can tell me."
Matteo smirked. "If I told you, you’d think I’m crazy."
"Too late, bro. I already think you’re crazy," Gael joked, trying to lighten the mood. "But seriously, what’s on your mind?"
Matteo hesitated, then finally spoke. "I was just thinking, what if everything we see isn’t real? Like in the Matrix. What if we’re all in a big simulation?"
Gael burst out laughing. "Matrix? Bro, maybe you’ve just been watching too many sci-fi movies. But seriously, it’s okay to think about stuff like that, but maybe you’re just stressed from work or something."
Gael stopped laughing and looked at Matteo seriously. "Matteo, if you feel like something’s wrong, you should talk to someone. Maybe you need help. There’s no shame in that."
Matteo sighed again, but there was a hint of a smile on his face. "Thanks, Gael. I know you’re always there. But in twenty-eight days, you’ll be going back to Manila."
"Of course, bro. I’m always here for you," Gael replied, giving Matteo a reassuring pat on the back.
They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments until Gael couldn’t resist making another joke. "So, about that simulation, what’s the plan? Are we going to look for the red pill?"
Matteo chuckled, shaking his head. "No, bro. I think I’ll stick with water for now."
They both laughed, and the tension eased a bit. Gael felt better knowing that Matteo could still laugh despite whatever he was going through. Maybe things would get better. Yes, Gael sensed that Matteo had a big problem, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. It was obvious he was embarrassed. But since when did friends become embarrassed with each other? Gael was always willing to help if needed.
After a while, Gael noticed the same guy still looking at them. He leaned over to Matteo and whispered, "Bro, I think that guy is confused about whether we’re a couple. Maybe we should hold hands just to mess with him."
Matteo burst out laughing. "Gael, you’re ridiculous. But fine, let’s give him a show."
Gael reached out and dramatically took Matteo’s hand. The guy’s eyes widened, and he quickly looked away. Matteo and Gael couldn’t stop laughing.
"See, Matteo? Laughter is the best medicine," Gael said, wiping a tear from his eye.
"Yeah, thanks, Gael. I needed that," Matteo replied, smiling genuinely for the first time in a while. "Now, about that red pill..."
Gael shook his head, observing Matteo's face. His friend seemed okay now, unlike earlier and yesterday. "Are you sure?" he asked, concerned that Matteo’s handsome face might just be hiding deeper problems. It had been seven years, and as expected, he didn’t know any of Matteo’s recent experiences. He wanted to ask a question but kept it to himself for now. "Earlier, you didn’t want to."
"That was earlier," Matteo laughed genuinely. "People change, and so do ideas in a matter of seconds."
Gael shrugged. "Good point."