Red Strings

Chapter Four

***

Winny finished his rehearsal earlier than expected and decided to head back to his family home. As soon as he stepped inside, the familiar warmth of home greeted him, wrapping around him like a cozy blanket. Just as he was closing the door behind him, he heard a familiar voice.

"Gummy boy!" Force greeted him with a teasing grin, using the nickname he had given Winny years ago.

Winny chuckled at the affectionate term. "Phi..." he murmured, using the casual address he had always preferred with his adoptive dad, even though Force often joked about how it made him feel young.

Before Winny could say more, he leaned into Force's arms, the embrace grounding him after a busy day. Force patted his back affectionately.

"You're home early. Must've gone well, huh?" Force asked, his voice full of encouragement.

Before Winny could respond, Book, appeared from the kitchen doorway, wiping his hands on a towel. His eyes lit up at the sight of them.

"Oh, you're both here already!" Book said warmly, stepping closer.

Winny nodded, feeling his shoulders relax even further. Everything about Book's presence exuded care and calm.

"Go freshen up," Book urged, his tone gentle but firm. "Dinner will be ready soon."

Winny gave him a quick nod and headed for the stairs, but not before Book pulled him into a quick hug and kissed his cheek—a small but meaningful gesture that had always reassured Winny of how much he was loved.

An hour later, just as Winny finished soaking in a relaxing bath, he heard a knock at his door.

"Dinner's ready!" Force called from the other side.

"Coming!" Winny replied, throwing on a comfortable set of clothes.

As he descended the stairs, he heard familiar voices from the living room. Off and Prem, his older adoptive brothers, had arrived and were already in the middle of one of their usual playful arguments.

"What's going on now?" Winny asked, stepping into the room.

Before either could answer, Winny's attention was drawn to someone standing next to Off—a slim, soft-spoken man he recognized immediately.

"Oh... Hello, P'Gun," Winny greeted politely, addressing Off's secretary.

Gun smiled shyly in response. Meanwhile, Prem caught Winny's eye from across the room, his grin practically bursting with mischief. They both had to stifle their laughter. Prem had been teasing Off for weeks about Gun, and now, seeing Gun here confirmed his suspicions.

"Prem, stop teasing your brother," Book's voice came from the dining room, calm but with an unmistakable note of authority. "Come on, everyone. Dinner's on the table."

The family gathered around the dining table, with Gun sitting somewhat nervously next to Off. Winny slid into his seat next to Prem, who kept elbowing him with barely contained glee as they both watched Off act more flustered than usual.

Finally, Off sighed, his patience wearing thin. "Guys..." he started, his voice tinged with exasperation.

Force chuckled and waved it off. "Alright, alright. Let's not make Gun uncomfortable," he said, his deep voice warm and reassuring.

As the meal began, the playful teasing subsided, and the conversation shifted to lighter topics. Somewhere in between bites, Winny mustered the courage to speak up.

"Um... So, tomorrow's the big day," he began, his voice tinged with excitement. "It's our competition. It's at 7 PM in the campus auditorium. Can you guys come?"

Book and Force exchanged a quick glance before Book spoke first.

"Of course, we'll be there," Book said, his tone steady and reassuring.

Force nodded in agreement. "Off, Prem, make sure you both leave work early tomorrow. This is important."

"Got it," Off replied, while Prem gave a cheerful thumbs-up.

Feeling encouraged, Winny turned to Gun. "P'Gun, you're welcome to come too... if you'd like."

Gun hesitated for a moment, glancing at Off, who gave him a subtle nod of encouragement. "Sure," Gun replied with a small smile.

After dinner, Winny retreated to his room, his heart full. He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling with a quiet sense of happiness.

Tomorrow would be a big day—another chance to shine and show what he'd been working on since high school. The thought of having his parents, brothers, and even Satang in the audience cheering him on filled him with gratitude.

Smiling to himself, Winny closed his eyes and allowed sleep to take over, resting every nerve in his body in preparation for the competition.

End of Chapter.