Paving Grey

Dust and Ashes

That morning, Gun has just arrived downstairs when Tay and New ambushed and kidnapped him to a quiet corner in living room.

"What happened last night?" Tay skipped the opening and went straight to the main part.

New squinted his eyes to study Gun and said, "You look ... radiant. Ah-ha! Did you two finally do it last night?"

"Hin!!" Tay hit New's arm, flustered. "It's not funny anymore, now that ... you know!"

"No, P'Tay, it's fine. No need to treat me like some China doll. Just act like usual is fine." Gun patted Tay's shoulder gently before turning to New and cussed, "Sat."

New instantly laughed. "Aw! What's with the different treatment?"

"You deserve it." Gun shot him a sidelong glance, then looked around and asked, "Where's Papii?"

"You know. Around." Tay shrugged, his jittery expression completely betrayed him.

Gun squinted his eyes intimidatingly. "Did he send you to check on me?"

Tay just grimaced in surrender.

"Ha, ha. I'd say it's his own fault for asking this transparent fool." New slapped the back of Tay's head playfully.

"Hin ...!"

"What else did he tell you?"

"Just that you had a nightmare some nights ago."

"Yeah, he had his head in the clouds all day worrying about you, and still couldn't work up the courage to call." Tay laughed. "I swear, he's so whipped!"

"Huh ... maybe that's why he sent me off that day." Gun looked thoughtful as he mused about the idea. "I really thought it was about his weird obsession with Oab."

"Of course not! He's a bit of a tsundere, don't you think?"

"Huh? How do you know about this, Te?"

"Huh? How do you not know about this? It's trending on Twitter, even though P'Kwang didn't attach any photos/videos!"

"Well, excuse me for having a life outside my phone!"

"I don't want to hear that from you, Mr. I-Miss-You-Baby-Girl!"

"Aw! Am I not allowed to miss my own girlfriend? I haven't met her in, like, three weeks at least!"

Gun looked between the two of them and smiled, amused. "Anyway, I'm okay, guys, and thank you. It's just one of those days." Gun opened his arms and pulled them in an embrace.

"But you're okay now?" New quickly diverted his attention back to Gun.

Gun looked down and sighed. "Hardly."

"What!" Tay turned around, already stomping his feet as he stormed toward the door to the pool outside—where Off's supposedly at. "Off Jumpol, you pig ...!"

Gun laughed as he caught Tay's arm. "Kidding! Papii took the utmost care of me."

"Eii ... 'radiant', indeed." New wiggled his eyebrow suggestively.

"Go to hell, bastard." Gun cussed again.

New laughed. "Anyway, you know we're here, yeah, Nong Gun?" He said. "Don't be a stranger."

Tay shot him an impatient glare. "That's not even how you use the expression."

"What the—don't be fussy, Tawan! What's important is Nong Gun understand what I mean." He then turned to Gun. "Right?"

Gun just laughed in silence. "Will it kill you to be nice to each other for just one day?"

"Hey! I don't want to hear that from you love-hate couple!"