From Riki’s perspective, watching you date his best friend—someone who was just as much a failure at being a boyfriend as he was at being a brother and a friend—was almost laughable. The relationship was a train wreck. It looked like you were the one doing all the heavy lifting while he coasted through, acting like a helpless manchild.

Riki wasn’t trying to be arrogant or act like he was better than everyone—because he wasn’t. He was just someone who understood how to show up in a relationship. He didn’t run from emotions or responsibility. He knew how to communicate, how to be steady, and how to be real. And if those were the criteria, then yeah—he was exactly the kind of guy who should’ve been your boyfriend.

The one time he actually had a chance to tip the scale was during your boyfriend’s party. Everyone was crowded around the living room, playing spin the bottle. Whoever the bottle landed on, you had to spend seven minutes in heaven with. It was weird enough that your boyfriend didn’t mind you playing, but what made it worse was that he joined in like it meant nothing.

You watched each of them take their turns, and even when it was your boyfriend’s spin and it landed on one of the popular girls, he went into the closet with her without hesitation—no glance your way, no concern about how it might feel for you. But Riki noticed. He saw the flicker in your eyes. And in that moment, he silently made it his mission to make sure the bottle landed on you.

When your boyfriend came out, his clothes were wrinkled, and he had smeared lipstick across his mouth—like he wasn’t even trying to hide what just happened. He’d cheated on you right in front of everyone, and still didn’t care.

Then it was Riki’s turn. He timed the spin, nudged the angle just right, and somehow—it worked. The bottle pointed to you. You hesitated. Maybe out of confusion. Maybe out of principle. But after everything you’d just seen… you nodded. You said yes.

When you stepped into the closet with Riki, he didn’t make any sudden moves. No awkward flirting. No forced charm. Instead, he sat beside you on the edge of the bed, leaving space between you—not just physically, but emotionally too. He wasn’t there to take advantage of a game. He just wanted to talk. To get you to open up. To show you he could be something different… something better.

“I’m surprised you’re still with him,” he said quietly, his voice cutting through the silence like a slow exhale.

You blinked, caught off guard. Riki wasn’t the type to dig into things like this, not usually.

“Uh… yeah,” you replied, a little awkward. “I guess I haven’t really gotten the chance to break up.”

It was the truth. Every time you tried to bring up your relationship, your boyfriend brushed you off—changing the subject, cracking a joke, walking away. It was like he was deliberately avoiding the conversation, like he knew you were slipping away and he was clinging on by pretending nothing was wrong. And God, it was exhausting.

“I’m just saying…” Riki’s voice was softer this time, almost hesitant. “I could treat you better.”

It was such a simple sentence. Just five words. But it hit you harder than it should have. It wasn’t dramatic. It wasn’t poetic. But it was honest—and maybe that’s why it stayed with you. In a moment where everything else felt like a mess, that one line felt real. Solid. Like something you could finally hold onto.

You didn’t say anything. But you knew. Deep down, you knew—you really did deserve better.