The Other Man

Ch4 - Only photograph, what you love

It's the second semester. The cultural and art events are round-the corner. Tay is heading the photography fest. He is taking applications of every interested student. He is seated on the chair set with a table allotted to him for collecting the applications. He has received hundreds of them so far.

Eyes set on reading the previous application, his hand goes out for taking the new application being submitted by a student. As the paper touches his fingers and he tries to grab it, the paper is whisked away. Tay again makes the hand gesture to take the application still looking down into the previous application. "Business etiquettes say – any face to face exchange between two people shouldn't be done without eye-contact", the applicant says. Wait. That sound is familiar. Tay looks up and his eyes go wide. Sure, he has been adoring this man since months now, but he never had an encounter in person with him. "Newwiee", he says stupidly, standing up from his seat. New sees him weird. Only one person has called him Newwiee so far. With raised eyebrow, "My name is New." Tay is still awestruck. And after a moment New raises both his thumbs in front and says like a devout student he is, "And standing up is also a part of business exchange b-but not required right now."

[Tay is having a fanboy moment; how can he not stand up from his seat? On days when he sees New coming from the opposite side in the lobby, he starts walking backwards subconsciously, he goes and sits on the bench New sits at after the lecture hours to feel him, once he stole New's pen that he forgot in the classroom for a sake of having a memory associated with him. How can he not sand up right now?]

He cannot look fool in front of his idol. He collects himself quickly, "I mean New- we", Tay says all his fingers pointing to himself, "we will take care of what you said from next time. Thanks for your application."

New is no fool. He is a brilliant kid. He knows who this person possibly is. Tay's behavior on the top is an easy give away but he is in no mood to out someone, but little fun is no bad. He asks further, "But how do you know my name? We are not even in the same class."

"Oh! Last semester your team won the football match remember? Everybody knows you."

"Hmm. Okay."

Tay smiled, looked down at his application, and shook his head slightly. "Aren't you more into sports? How come you are applying for photography?"

"That's the very reason. I don't know even a P of photography. I want to learn it. What best way to learn than participating in a competition?"

"Right. Well said. All the best."

"Thanks. So, you are Tawan. The student head of photography fest?"

"Yes, that's me. Tay Tawan. You can call me Tay"

"Okay. Can I seek your help in learning a bit of skills, Te?"

"It's Tay, New"

"Yeah Te. Right?"

"Perfect. And sure, I will help you." Te accepted his new name gracefully.

***

It's the theme deciding week. "Time Walker says – Only photograph, what you love," Tay quoted. "So, you first have to decide what is the most important thing to you." 

New understood the task well and decided his themes for each submission in no time. Tay told him not to share the themes with him as he too was a participant in the same competition.

The trees are growing extra flowers, the weather is becoming extra pleasant, birds singing voice reach Tay's ears more often, basically the entire world of Tay Tawan is thriving. It's December but it is Tay Tawan's spring season. He cannot contain his happiness. He gets to spend some time with his favorite person and gets to know him more in person.