Autistic Goblin

Gene is brushing his teeth in his bathroom when his phone starts to ring. At first Gene ignores it but it just won’t stop. He goes to check his phone thinking that it’s Tum invading his privacy again.. but it’s his mom. Gene answers the phone hurriedly only to have his Mom ask in a loud voice how he’s doing. Gene moves the phone away from his face to make the volume more tolerable.

Gene moves the phone back closer to his ear to ask his Mom where she is, since it’s so loud. His Mom says that she is out dancing with Aunt Orn then asks if it’s really that loud. Gene asks if she is doing aerobics which is actually what she’s up to. She wants to know how he is though since he seems to have disappeared. Gene tells her that he’s working on his manuscript. Gene reassures his Mom that he’s okay and she teases him that she thought he forgot about his parents. His Mom also tells him that Aunt Orn is asking about them as well.

Gene promises to go home when he gets some free time. His Mom tells him to hold on as Aunt Orn wants to chat with him as well. She complains that Gene hasn’t seen her in awhile either so he promises that when goes home, he will visit her as well. Aunt Orn tells Gene that he’s the sweetest and when he comes over, she will cook something for him to eat. Gene tells her that she’s the Sweetest Aunt. Aunt Orn says that she will hand the phone back over to his mother so that she can go bust some moves. Gene tells her to go take care of her health.

Gene asks after his Dad and Jap. Mom says it’s the same old as Jap just stays in his room all day playing video games, when the Dad nags him they both give each other the silent treatment. His Mom says that it’s very tiring. Gene tells her not to nag so much as it will make her age more quickly. His Mom indignantly asks if he’s telling her that she’s old. Gene laughs saying no. His Mom tells him that he’s going to go dance, then reminds him to eat something before hanging up.

Gene finally gets to put the toothbrush back in his mouth (how did he not have to spit before talking to people?? Magic Gene). He receives a text from Tum saying that everyone is at the hotel’s dining room. Gene texts back that he’s on his way and that he really wants to get drunk tonight. Nubsib comes into Gene’s room which startles him. Gene wonders why Nubsib is there. Nubsib smiles saying that he heard Gene was going out tonight.

Nubsib says that since Gene hasn’t left yet, he stepped in to check on him. Gene says that he’s brushing teeth and still has to shower and will leave after he’s done. Nubsib tells him not to rush or his gums might bleed or his mouth might not get clean enough. Cue the obligatory placement add for the toothbrush that Gene is using.

Nubsib says that Gene is so good at selling the toothbrush that he should join him for the toothbrush ad that Tum had contacted Nubsib about. Gene tells him to quit teasing and get out of his room. Nubsib says he only does it because he cares. Nubsib goes to leave but can’t resist teasing Gene, asking if he needs help brushing his teeth. Gene says he can brush his own teeth and tells Nubsib to leave his room.

At the hotel dining room a woman wonders if anyone has heard that Jim has finally getting a girlfriend. Jim says that they shouldn’t make fun of him but Tum says it’s good news because Jim has always been a player talking to 4-5 girls. The conversation then turns to Tum, as they wonder if he has a girlfriend yet. Tum says that he hasn’t found anyone yet.

Tum says that he thinks both he and Gene have zero chance of finding a girlfriend. One of the guys asks if Tum has his eye on anyone. Another friend says that it’s true that things aren’t the same as they were before. Tum excitedly asks if the man means that they have gotten better but the guy says that they actually got worse.

The guy apologizes and says that things should actually be better since Tum is very hot now. They tell him that he shouldn’t hide things from them, tell them who he likes. Tum says that if they mean feelings for someone then there is indeed such a person. Tum says that he’s not that confident though. Tum tries to play it off like he’s not that serious about Tiffy. A woman then asks if Gene forgot to come, which is when Gene actually shows up.

The group welcomes Gene while one of the women says that they were just gossiping about him. They all have a drink, when one of the women asks Gene how life has been going. Gene says that all he does is work but who could be as happy as she is, since she’s about to get married. The woman gets close to her fiancée and thanks everyone for keeping Gene up to date on what’s happening.

Tum says that he’s the only one that keeps Gene up to date on what’s going on as Gene never knows anything. Tum says that all Gene does is write. Apparently only some of the group know that Gene writes novels. This leads the others to ask what kind of novels does he write, romance? Gene says that it’s something like that. (There should be no shame in writing BL).

That’s when the woman that’s about to get married announces to everyone that Gene writes BL novels, she’s a fan of them and finds his couples very shippable. Tum apparently has a big mouth because he also told her that one of his novels is going to be turned into a series. She also knows that Nubsib is going to star in the drama. She’s very excited. Gene is surprised that she knows Nubsib but she says that of course she does since she likes him. Her husband tells her to calm down while Tum says that her husband is sitting right there.

The wife teases back “what husband?” It’s just a friend (they’re not married yet). Koran is giving Gene a really weird look since he found about Gene writing BL novels. Gene calls him out on it so Korn just says that he was going to ask what the BL series is about.

Tum apparently can’t keep his mouth shut since he’s says it’s about two guys screwing each other. That gets him kneed under the table by Gene. Tum quickly says that it’s just a romance series, just like a normal heterosexual one but the main leads are both male. Korn is clearly homophobic as he asks if Gene is capable of writing stuff like that. Korn then asks if Gene is gay. Gene then asks what being gay or not has to do with it since most BL novels are written by women (TRUE).

Gene says that Korn’s logic is flawed. However the conversation has gone into the bullying territory with another male of the group saying that Gene does look more feminine lately. They say that Gene looks so cute that any guy would have feelings. Gene tries to go along with teasing saying to the guy that said he was cute that his dad had feelings for him. However another one says that he always thought something was off about Gene even in University as Gene never had a girlfriend.

One of the guys asks if Gene started liking men around then (this is just such a gross conversation, it’s none of their business!). The wife says that it’s okay if Gene’s okay that his friends are okay with it but it’s clear by the conversation especially from Korn that no it’s not okay at all. Thankfully Gene tells them all that it’s none of their business if he’s gay or not.

Tum tries to smooth things over as he’s the only one that seemed uncomfortable with what the “friends” were doing. Tum says that it doesn’t matter what Gene is, he’s still their friend and that they should quit bothering Gene so much about it. Tum says that when the time comes then Gene will tell them about his life. Korn (his name should be SCUM) says that he just wants to know how his friend is. Tum says that they should just party and stuff since they haven’t seen each other in ages. Tum says all that talk made him feel like he was in a variety show (or an interrogation). They all kind of laugh it off but Gene is still really uncomfortable.

Alone in the condo Nubsib hides a pink dragon in a closet behind some blankets. He then gets a phone call from a very drunk Gene. Gene asks Nubsib to come pick him up. Nubsib asks him who he’s with and Gene says that he’s with Tum and his really nosy friends. Gene says that if Nubsib doesn’t come pick him up then he’ll just sleep right there and not come home.

Nubsib tells Gene that he wants to talk to Tum. When Tum gets on the line Nubsib demands to know where they are. Tum tells him that they are Hotel L but that Nubsib doesn’t have to come because he’s sure that Gene is babbling. Nubsib tells Tum to take care of Gene and that he’s on his way. It’s clear that Nubsib is angry with Tum and he doesn’t even know what happened yet.

That’s the end of Episode 4 Part 1!