HE, HIM, AND US (Complete ✅)

You need to stop showing up

Life here sucks.

Singto is a great friend. He accompanies New to eat out when he's available. He discusses everything they'd have to do beforehand at every event so New wouldn't be caught off guard or uncomfortable. He protects New from rowdy fans. But—he's not him.

When he attempts to play-fight, Singto gives him the side eye and moves away. When he disagrees with him, the man shrugs and drops the topic. Singto does not need New to drive him around. Or fix his mistakes. He does not make stupid puns. They do not share inside jokes. He does not make New's heart flutter.

Singto is not Tay. And it is incredibly boring.

It is another day in bumfuck nowhere universe 207 or God knows which. New moseys through the lobby of the Gmm building, hoisting the gifts fans basically threw at him. He reaches the elevator just as it's closing. He quickly presses the buttons and breathes out when the doors slide back open.

"Sorry." He hefts the bags into the elevator. "I have to get to the thirtie..." he trails off.

It is Tay Tawan Vihokratana in the elevator with him. The man has been avoiding him since they last met. New has been to his apartment twice since their last meeting. Though his lock combination hasn't changed (Which he finds strange), he hasn't been around. He eyes New up and down, eyes steely as always, then moves to exit.

"Wait wait Teh," New grabs his forearm. "Sorry, I mean Tay." The man throws a dirty look to the hand on him. New pulls his hand back. Holds it to his chest. "Sorry. Please stay, I won't bother you." He draws a cross over his chest. "Promise."

Tay slants his eyes. He regards New for a second, huffs and retreats to the far corner of the lift. New presses the button to the 30th floor.

"So..." New starts.

"You said you wouldn't bother me."

"Right. Sorry." Silence. Then, "This is hard for me Teh. Sorry, Tay. You and I..." It sucks, he wants to say. He misses his best friend. He misses everyone. "I can't be like this with you. I can't accept that this is our fate. Not in this universe, not in any universe. We are Tay and New, we complete each other."

Tay backs further into the wall. His jaws are held tight. He is not looking at New. "Let it go." He says. Simple. Void of emotion.

"I need your help Tay." He blurts. He hopes this will get to him. "I am not New. Not the New of this universe. I woke up in his bed one morning." The elevator is almost on the 30th floor.  He speaks faster. "I thought I'd switch back if I gave it some time but it's been a month." He takes a step closer. Tay leans back into the wall. "I think you are the key to switching back."

Tay Tawan has the same unbothered expression with a hint of 'I might kill you if you push it' look. "What tricks are you playing this time, Thitipoom?"

"It's no trick." New yells. His vision clouds with tears. He just wants to go home. "I don't know how to prove it to you but you have to trust me."

The elevator stops on the 30th floor. Tay quickly exits. New watches him leave. He wipes away the tears with his shirt sleeves.

****************

Tay's schedule is easy to find thanks to his fan pages. Today, he is talking with the highest spenders of a brand he couldn't be bothered to care about via video call. New sneaks into the room with a cup of Kale juice for his best friend. He makes himself comfortable in the back whilst Gun and Tay pretend to be a couple for fans. He bites his upper lips as he tamps down the jealousy. It is his job and this is not really Teh anyway. He shouldn't care. He doesn't care.