60 Seconds

Chapter 17

"I will get back here." He said and left. Aum didn't respond and let her ex-husband go. She went back to their apartment while New is still in shock knowing it was his biological father. Half an hour passed when New decided to go home. He sees his mother drowning herself in liquor.

"Who's that man?" New asked. His mother just glared and ignored him. Continue to drink his liquor. New grabbed the glass in her hand and smashed it on the floor. "I said who is that man?!" He shouted.

"You piece of shit. Have you completely lost your manners? I'm your mother!"

"Just tell me who..." He asked, he couldn't even finish his sentence. "I heard everything." He added.

"Why are eavesdropping--"

"He's my father, right?" New breathes.  His mother avoids his gaze. "Why are you even hiding this? I don't get it. Is there something you don't want me to know?"

"Stop being stupid and go to your room--"

"ALL YOU DO IS LIE!" New doesn't even care anymore. He stares straight into his mother's eyes. He breathes heavily after shouting. "You told me that my father doesn't want me that's why he left right after I was born!"

His mother stood up. "I should have killed you." She said and left.

New did all he could trying to stop his tears from coming out but those words stabbed him directly in his chest. He never expected his mother to hate him this much, that she is willing to get rid of him for the rest of his life. He heard the door slam and he chuckled bitterly. 

He grabbed his phone and messages Tay and asked him to meet him at the bus station. He wants someone to talk to and let this anger out of his chest. He should have messaged Namtan instead but he does wanna see Tay's face. He got the last bus on the way to their meeting place. He didn't even wait for his reply if he could come or not.

He arrived at the bus station looking so distraught. No matter how hard he tries to forget his mother's last word to him, he can't. It's like a broken record that keeps playing in his head. He was looking at the ground waiting for Tay to come until he saw feet standing in front of him.

"What took you so long—" he got cut off when he saw the person in front of him.

The guy scratched his head. "I'm sorry. You didn't include the time so..." He said showing him New's message.

New nodded. His sight is blurry when he types those messages.

Looking at New, he noticed how red his eyes and nose is. "Are you okay?" He asked in a serious tone.

"I am." New cleared his throat. "Off, I'm really sorry for dragging you here. I was supposed to be Tay, I didn't know I pressed the wrong number—"

"I know." Off said and sat beside him. "You even included his name but look, I still came." He said. New shrugged and tries to give a reassuring smile to the other guy. "In this kind of situation, I should have forward the message to Tay and let him come instead but I got curious and worried at the same time."

"Okay, I get you're worried but curious. Curious of what?"

Off chuckled at New's confused reaction. "Well, a lot of things."

"Wow, I didn't know you are a gossip king. I always thought you are just a plain handsome and mature guy. You even went here just for that?"

"Not exactly." Off response. "I'm handsome?"

New nodded. "Heck yeah and I never failed to tell you that though."

"When?" Off asked, he can't recall New telling his this kind of thing before. The first time New called him handsome is the day when they met again at Tay's café.

"Did I spill myself?" New asked and laughed at himself. "Probably not telling you directly—who am I kidding? I always thought you are handsome."

Off bites his lips after hearing those words from New. He's really flattered by it. Good thing, Off was the one who came. As he said, he's mature enough for this kind of situation. He is sure he is one of the perfect people to open up with.

"It becomes more and more unbearable." Off was listening for the entire time. "I just act like this because I need to, though sometimes, I adapt it. This time, I can't. It was really beyond my ability to pretend." He added.

"Would you trade anything to escape this kind of your life?" Off asked.

"Is this one of your curious questions?"

"Yes to be honest."

"Yes." He saw how Off's gaze lingers on his face. He can feel how many questions he wants to ask. "Spill it out, I know you have many questions in your pocket."

Off flashes his smile and playfully puts his hands in his pocket pretending that he was grabbing something. He pulled his hand like he was holding a piece of paper and opened it.

"Ohhh, this is a kinda tough question. Are you ready?" Off said. New smiled as he nodded in response. "The first question is.... would you trade Tay to escape this kind of your life?"

New was stunned. It was really a tough question but he can't be stupid and cowardly in front of Off.

"Your question is out of order. Shouldn't you be asking me first if I like Tay?"

"I kinda summarize all my questions with it, if you answered it, I got all my answers." Off said before New could react to it, he cuts him off. "And yes, to answer you, I knew it ever since. You like Tay. I mean, who wouldn't notice it? Aside from Tay and uhm, Arm, smart people can sense it." He said in confidence.

New actually thought that Mild told him. "Then why didn't you help me out back then?"

"Can I answer that later? Let's go back to our original topic." Off seems to have trouble answering New's question.

"Forget it. I want to rest." New said. Off slowly puts New head on his shoulder. New was confused for a second but he just let it go since he badly need to rest.

"Aren't you sad anymore?" Off asked. New nodded. "Just for you to know, I can tell you your worth every single day. You just... have to call me."