"I'm not saying there's something wrong with you two but I know there is so what the hell is happening between the two of you? Why are you ignoring each other? Did something happen? During your sleepover?" Pete asks, frustration clear from his voice seeing Can and his brother going back to square one.
"No. Nothing. Nothing happened." Can insists.
Yeah. Nothing happened, they just kissed accidentally, because they thought it was the right time and the right place, however, now, they regretted it- wait no, Tin might be regretting it but Can isn't.
"I'm not buying that. I've already asked Tin about this but you know what he told me? He told me that it's not my business and how is it that it's not my business? I'm so invested in your lives I can barely enjoy mine."
Can holds his tongue from saying out 'Well, who told you to meddle in our lives?' but that will only ignite the intense feeling Pete's feeling so he controls himself.
"... So now I'm asking..." Pete is still ranting. "... I'm really hoping you'll tell me because I'm your best friend and best friends tell everything to each other so please tell me Can, I promise you I won't tell it to anyone plus, maybe, I can help you guys, just please, trust me on this one, please?"
"Pete, I trust you. But I've already told you, there's nothing wrong, at least on my part, there isn't."
"Okay, you don't want to tell me as well. Well, nice to know that my best friend doesn't trust me enough to tell me what's happening in his life."
"I don't really know what happened, okay? He just suddenly ignored me. When I texted him a while ago to ask if he has something against me, he didn't respond so, Pete, I don't know anything."
"But, did you do something to him that might you know hint why is he acting like this?"
Can shakes his head profusely. "Honestly, I don't know, we were fine and when I left him, we were still talking that's why I'm so confused right now why he is acting like this."
"Well, have you tried calling him again?"
"No. I don't want to look as if I'm so needy and so desperate to talk to him again when in the first place, it's him who acted weird all of a sudden."
Pete snickers. "Aren't you?"
"I'm not. If there's anyone desperate here Pete, I think it's you."
"Can you blame me? I just want you guys to be happy."
"Well, in order for us to be happy, Tin should pull his head out of his ass."
Pete nods and pats Can's shoulder. "You're right. Don't worry, I'll talk to him again later, but promise me, if I did talk to him and he told me what's bothering him, can you please talk to him also and settle whatever this is once and for all?"
"Pete, be honest, why do you want to fix this badly?"
"Because you guys are doing great and I don't want whatever relationship you have vanishing all of a sudden."
Can raises his eyebrow. "Really?"
"I want my brother to be happy and after so many years, this is the first time I've seen him smiling again after a long time. I can't even remember the last time I saw him with a genuine smile so please Can?"
Can shrugs. "Okay, let's see what happens later."
Before going to their next class, Can decides to so leave his book in his locker so he walks straight to his locker. However, the moment a bucket of green slime pours straight on him, drenching him.
Pete gasps from beside him. Can feels more enraged than the first time it happened to him.
He can't believe it, how can Tin betray him like this? Like they did not have a good time together these past few days.
Sure, they started on the wrong foot but Can thought they were beyond that already, he thought they were friends, he actually thought they could be more than that because he felt something when they're together, whether its from the accidental and intentional touches or from the incomprehensible look they have in each other's eyes whenever they so glance at each other or from the first time their lips had touched.
Can knew he was not the only one who felt that they seemed to fit right together but Can's a fool. It was all his expectations, probably his dream prompted by his feelings for Tin when in reality, it's all him, Tin doesn't think of him that way, the way he wants Tin to think him of.
Probably, Tin just earned his trust and he's finding the right time to execute his plan the way he knows it will hurt so much, like what just happened today.
And with Can's feelings involved, it certainly hurts like a bitch.
Livid, Can faces Pete, trying to wipe out the slimes, however, the more he does it, the more it spreads on his once neat uniform. With gritted teeth and a controlled voice to stop himself from crying, Can says, "I guess this is your answer, Pete. By the way, tell your brother, if he's just going back to pouring slimes out of nowhere for whatever futile reason he has, he might as well told me he doesn't want to be friends with me anymore."
"Wait, I'm sure there's an explanation about this."
"What explanation can you think of Pete? How can you explain to me why all of a sudden, he's turned into a bully again?"
"Well, what if it's not Tin?"
"Pete, please. This is a slime, for goodness' sake you said it yourself, this is his signature move so please don't you protect Tin anymore, it's very obvious that he's behind all this, maybe he still hasn't moved on from what I did to him." Can tries to wipe the slime again but to no avail, he sighs in irritation. "I'll be going somewhere, can you please tell the professor I had a stomach ache or something?"
"Can-"
"Please Pete? You're my best friend, right?"
Pete sighs and nods, albeit a little adamant. "Okay. Don't worry, I'll talk to Tin, I'll knock some sense into him."
"Don't bother."
Can runs away from Pete. Before he steps out of the school, he sees Tum walking in.
Tum, seeing Can's state stops midway from greeting him. "Hey, you okay?"
"No. I need to go home. Fast."
"Do you have a car with you? I can accompany you if you like."
"But you have classes."
"No. I don't have any. I'm just on my way to bid goodbye to my friends before I go home but I can just line them so I can accompany to your house."
Since Can just wants to go home, he has no choice but to agree. "Okay sure. Thank you, Tum."
Tum smiles and ruffles Can's hair. "Anytime, Can."
/
"What happened to you two?" Tum asks as he takes in the sight of Can's room, after dropping Can off, he insists to Can that he stays in his room for a while since he doesn't have anything better to make use of his time than ask Can about his life. Can, not having the heart to say no to Tum after helping him, agrees anyway.
"I really don't know, we were okay the last time we talked," Can explains as he sits on his bed, drying his hair. "We were doing fine actually but then suddenly, he just ignored me I don't know why."
Tum nods, smile still intact on his face. "Typical of Tin."
"What do you mean?"
"That he's confusing sometimes, he's just had this, I don't know how to describe it... but let's say unique way of interpreting some things and instead of talking civilly with the person involved, he prefers to think it to himself more and fixes it himself. Just like your cousin."
Can stops drying his locks and looks at Tum in confusion. "Tar? What about my cousin?"
Tum stops walking around to sit beside Can, distance a little nearer from Can's liking. "Well, I probably haven't told you this but your cousin and I, we had a thing until he called it off because he said he needed to think off some things but I know we're just drifting apart but now," Tum moves a little nearer. "And now, I think I'm ready to move on."
Can backs away from Tum. He gives Tum an uneasy smile. "W-what do you mean?"
"Can-"
"P'Can!"
Can sighs in relief. This is the first time he's grateful for Lemon's high pitched voice. "That's my sister, Lemon, I guess I better come down and meet her. You want to stay here for a while?"
"No. I'll be leaving too."
"Thanks for dropping me off."
Tum smiles again and reaches out his hand to ruffle Can's hair but the latter backs away with an indescribable look settled in his eyes. "I'm sorry. Just forget what I said earlier."
"Sure."
/
"Tin!" Pete barges in Tin's room and snatches the headphones from his step brother's ears. "What was that?"
"What was what?" Tin tries to get the earphones from Pete's clutches but Pete throws his headphones on the corner. Tin's eyes widen and splutters, "Okay, what the hell is wrong with you? That's expensive, you're going to pay for that."
Pete rolls his eyes and snarls at Tin. "What is wrong with me? No. What the hell is wrong with you?"
Tin, too, rolls his eyes. "I don't know what's happening on you. If you have a grudge on Ae, stop taking it on me."
"This isn't about Ae and me. It's about you and Can, actually."
Tin sits up on his bed and looks at the floor solemnly. "So you've heard."
"I did not just hear it, I saw it."
Tin's eyebrows furrow. "Saw what?"
"The slime."
"What slime?"
"The slime, the green slime you had for him earlier, the thing you put in his locker."
"I did not put anything anywhere."
In an instant, Pete is seated beside his confused stepbrother. "Are you sure? It wasn't you behind it?"
"No. You know me, Pete, I may be mean sometimes but I'm no liar."
Pete nods. "I know I trust you Tin," Pete gasps in realization. "Oh gosh, so I am right. Can hates you for a thing you didn't do."
He chuckles a little to which Tin gives him a glare. "I'm sorry but you have to admit, it's funny, this person who obviously holds a grudge on you used your own signature move. Told you to change it. But now, you are tasting your own medicine."
"So, now, Can hates me."
"Yes. Why did you ignore him in the first place anyway?"
"We kissed, I don't know if it was me who had the first move or him... I don't know but we kissed and I was so confused and so I decided to ignore him for a while to think things through. I never thought this would happen though."
Pete squeals. "So he has feelings for you. I'm right, he has feelings for you. Now that's more reason for you two to talk and fix this. Don't worry, I'll talk to him. I'll explain to him that it wasn't you who did this, I'm sure he'll understand."
"Please don't interfere, Pete. You've done enough. Let us handle this on our own."
Pete nods. "Okay, but if I can do anything to help you, let me know, okay?"
Tin hugs Pete. "Thank you, Pete."
//