CHAPTER 19

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When New got to their house, he saw Mint sitting at the edge of the stairs waiting for him.

"New!" Mint suddenly stood up and approached New.

"What are you still doing up?" He asked her.

"What happened?" She asked worriedly.

"Nothing. Don't mind about it." New just walked towards the stairs but Mint held his wrist.

"Hey, talk to me. Don't bottle up everything." Mint said softly but New just removed her hand gently and proceeded to his room.

When he got there, he got a message from Gun.

From: Gunniee Atthaphan

We need to talk.

To: Gunniee Atthaphan

How is he?

From: Gunniee Atthaphan

He's now in the bedroom, sleeping. Papii had to carry him all the way and put him on the bed. I think he got exhausted from his breakdown awhile ago. Papii and I will sleep here for tonight.

To: Gunniee Atthaphan

Sorry that Off had to do that. Thank you for taking care of him.

From: Gunniee Atthaphan

He's our friend, too. We care for him as much as we care for you. But Newwiee, you really need to talk to him now. He's going crazy here.

To: Gunniee Atthaphan

I know. I know that. I just don't know how. I don't know what I will say once he asks me to come back the moment we talk.

It took a while before New received a reply.

From: Gunniee Atthaphan

Let me handle that. I'll tell you the plan tomorrow. Papii and I badly need to sleep now. We borrowed one of your extra mattresses and laid it in the living room.

To: Gunniee Atthaphan

Okay. Thank you. For everything, really.

As New looked at the ceiling, he can't help but think back on what he saw a while ago. As he did, his tears flowed down his face.

I have a lot to apologize for, Tay. I'm sorry.

---

While Tay was in a meeting for a new project, he received a text from Off.

From: Off Jumpol

I'll pick you up later. What time will you be done?

To: Off Jumpol

Probably 5. Why?

From: Off Jumpol

Okay. Then we will just pick Gun up.

To: Off Jumpol

Why?

From: Off Jumpol

Then Arm will just follow

To: Off Jumpol

FOR THE THIRD TIME, WHY????

Tay did not receive any response from Off anymore. What the hell?

At two minutes before five, Off's car arrived at the entrance of the MMG building. Tay got in the backseat and Off drove.

"Why did you pick me up? Where are we going?" Tay asked Off as he scrolled through his phone.

"In your apartment."

Tay suddenly looked up at Off, "Huh? Why?"

"You need a drink." Off looked at him through the rear-view mirror.

Tay smirked by the statement, "You just want to drink and you're using me as a reason."

"That's why you're my best friend, Peng. You read me so well." Off sarcastically countered.

After about thirty minutes, they stopped in front of a café near the Land of the Gents building. Almost at the same time, Gun went out holding two cups on his left hand and one iced drink on his right. When he got in the car, he kissed Off and gave him one of the cups while the other one he gave to Tay.

"Seriously guys, can you please not kiss in front of me?" Then he made a vomiting-like expression.

"Been a while since you had one, huh?" Off remarked but it earned a light punch on his arm from Gun.

"Papii!"

Tay just laughed and took a sip on his hot chocolate drink.

Once they got to the apartment, Tay took a shower while Off set the drinks on the coffee table in the living room. Gun, on the other hand, proceeded to the kitchen and got themselves glasses. About fifteen minutes, the doorbell rang, just as Tay went outside his room after putting on clothes.

Gun was about to stand up to answer the door but Tay waved him off.

"I'll get it."

When he opened the door, he saw Arm with two paper bags containing one box of chicken each. He let him in, and they all gathered around the coffee table, sitting on the floor. Once settled, they started drinking the night away.

After a few hours of drinking, laughing, and what seemed like endless ramblings of Off and Arm, the former is now sleeping on the table, with his head resting on his forearm, while the latter is now lying down on the floor.

Gun and Tay are the only two awake now since Tay chose not to get so drunk because he knows nobody will take care him if he does, whereas Gun just hasn't reached his limit yet.

They were silent for awhile, but Gun eventually chose to break the silence. "What will you do if you talked to Newwiee, Pet?"

Tay was startled by the sudden question, "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Answer the question."

Tay thought for a moment before he responded. "I don't know. It's been a while since we last talked. I have a lot of questions but I don't if I will be able to ask them."

"Would you ask him to come back right away?" Gun looked at Tay while he sipped from the bottle his holding.

Tay returned the stare, thinking if he would ask New that. He then took a sip on his bottle too and spoke, "If you asked me that before, I would have said yes in a heartbeat. But now, I don't know. If he wanted to come back, he would be here with me now, right? I guess I just want to know what's holding him back."

Gun smiled at Tay's answer. He picked up his phone from the table and typed on it. When he put it down, he looked at Tay and said, "Remember when I told you New's address? I told you not to make me regret it. I hope I can still trust you now."

Tay got confused with Gun's statement and was just about to ask when he felt his phone vibrate on his side. He picked his phone up and when he saw the caller ID, he almost let go of the bottle. He looked at Gun, and the latter just smiled.

Tay immediately stood up, left the bottle on the table, and almost ran to the balcony. Once he's there, he looked at the name appearing on his phone for a few more seconds.

Once he gathered himself, he picked up the call.

"Hin"?

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