Baam.
Fluke's racket hit the tennis ball sending it to the right end of the court. Prem missed the ball by a hair.
Earth blew the whistle. The automatic scoreboard showed eleven on Fluke's side indicating his victory.
Fluke did a victory jump before going to the other side of the court to hug the panting Prem.
The duo hugged and walked together to the viewer's area.
Everyone was clapping for them.
Fluke and Prem were surprised to see the elders. They were so engrossed in the game that they did notice their arrival.
They waied to the elders.
Sammy hurriedly handed them towels and bottles of water.
"When did you arrive, Hia?" Prem asked Boun as he took a huge sip of water.
"We just arrived a few minutes ago." Boun walked over to Prem
"We have been so worried about the two of you and you guys seem to be having so much fun," Boun said sarcastically.
The younger duo responded with cheeky smiles.
Fluke noticed Ohm staring at him.
"P' Ohm, how long have you not slept? You looked like a zombie." Fluke asked as he gestured to the waiter.
Fluke had heard from Earth and Sammy that in the past few weeks Ohm had been running around having continuous meetings and negotiations with various departments, the board of directors, and especially the media. He knew how much pressure was lying on Ohm's shoulders. But he hadn't imagined that Ohm's condition would be much worse than he imagined.
"He hasn't been sleeping for days now," Boun answered on Ohm's behalf.
"No wonder his face is like this. Since you two are here, you are staying overnight, right?" Fluke asked looking at the elders.
"No. We just came to check if you the two of you are doing okay. We didn't bring anything with us." Ohm rejected the offer.
"That is okay. The resort provides everything." Fluke looked at Ohm with pleading eyes.
Boun couldn't take it anymore. Both his cousins were idiots when it came to the people they love.
"We are staying," Boun said before Ohm could open his mouth.
Fluke squatted down next to Prem who was sitting on the viewer's bench. He swiftly took off Prem's left shoe and sock exposing his legs.
"Hey, Hey. What are you doing?" a confused Prem asked.
A waiter approached with a tray.
Fluke took the ice pack from the tray and applied it to Prem's angle.
Prem groaned in pain.
That was when everyone noticed the reddish angle.
"Why the hell did you continue to play when you were in pain?" Sammy smacked the back of Prem's head.
"I can bear the pain. It has been so long since I touched the racket. Now that I am finally getting a chance, I didn't want to miss it." Prem hissed as Fluke applied the pain relief spray.
"When did you notice that I was in pain?" Prem asked Fluke.
"I would be blind if I didn't notice how you were trying to avoid putting strain on the left leg," Fluke said as he continued to apply ice on Prem's leg.
"Don't tell me that was why you were sending all the balls to the left side. I felt that it was weird. Normally you would make me run around the court." Prem fumed.
"Am I not really considerate?" Fluke struck a cut pose.
"Khrab, Khun Fluke is the most considerate man on Earth." Prem kicked Fluke with the other leg playfully causing Fluke to fall on his butt.
Everyone started laughing except Ohm who went forward to help Fluke up.
Fluke gave a smile as he saw Ohm's worried expression.
"This better be the last time you are doing that. I don't want to see you get disabled." Fluke said to Prem as he patted off the dust from his clothes.
Earth walked over and handed room cards to both Boun and Ohm.
"Let's go get fresh first and met at the dining table," Earth said as he pushed the sweaty Fluke forward.
"Sounds like a plan to me," Prem said as he picked up the ice pack from his legs and stood up with much difficulty.
"Let me," Boun said as he picked up Prem in a bridal style.
"Hia, what are you doing? Put me down." Prem was turning red.
"Your leg is injured. You shouldn't be straining it." Boun marched forward.
Sammy elbowed Fluke and Earth as they watched the scene unfold. They smiled at each other in hidden understanding.
Fluke turned around to see Ohm standing at his initial position looking at the floor lost in thought.
"P' Ohm." Fluke tapped his shoulders.
Ohm looked up to see Fluke's smiling face.
"Let's go, phi." Fluke grabbed Ohm's wrist and pulled him along.
Ohm let the little one drag him along.
Ohm's room was opposite Fluke's.
Fluke only let go of Ohm's hand after they reached the doorstep.
"Phi, let's meet in half an hour," Fluke said before skipping into his room.
Ohm watched as the door close slowly before opening his own.
Ohm took a quick shower and changed into the clothes that the resort had provided him. When he came out of his room the hallway was empty.
Ohm looked at the door opposite him unsure if should knock or not. It has been half an hour.
'Should I wait for him?'
'No. maybe he already left or maybe not?'
Ohm was feeling conflicted.
"P' Ohm, what are you doing there?" Earth asked as he walked over.
"Nothing. I just came out of my room." Ohm said pointing at his door.
"Oh! I thought you were waiting for Fluke."
Ohm gave an awkward smile.
"He is going to take a while. Let's go to the dining area." Earth started walking.
Seeing that no one was following him, Earth turned around to look at Ohm who was staring at Fluke's door.
"Phi, let's go. He will come there by himself. He knows the way."
Ohm quietly followed Earth.
They met up with others at the entrance of the dining area.
"This is quite a spread," Boun said as he saw the table full of dishes in front of them.
"Let's dig in. All that workout has made me hungry. I could eat a whole cow now." Prem dug in directly without waiting for others.
Everyone followed the suite.
Earth noticed that Ohm had not touched his food.
"P' Ohm, is the food not to your liking?" Earth asked in concern.
Ohm shook his head in denial.
"He is waiting for Fluke," Boun said as he placed the peeled prawn on Prem's plate.
"Speak of the devil," Earth said as he saw Fluke walking over.
"You guys started without me." Fluke pouted.
He then noticed the untouched food on Ohm's plate.
"You were waiting for me?" Fluke smiled at Ohm before starting to eat.
Ohm was surprised when he saw Fluke picking up food for him.
Ohm kept eating while Fluke kept piling his plate with more food.
"He is going to get an ingestion if you keep feeding him," Earth said biting onto the greasy pork rib.
Only then did Fluke realize that he had put too much food on Ohm's plate.
Smiling awkwardly Fluke stopped picking food and started eating himself.