Paving Grey

Blinding Flash

That morning, everyone seemed to wake up with one resolve: to finish the game. It was an hour before practice time but it was already crowded in the gym room.

Well, kidding. It was only Tay and New in addition to the regulars Bright and Win.

"Aw! What coincidence, the two troubled couples are missing ...." New, who had just arrived with Tay, smirked suggestively.

"Well I don't know about Sing-Kit, but you do know Peng and Nong Gun don't like to work out." Tay shrugged, didn't quite catch the hint.

"Nah, I bet the makeup sex was wild. Or ... should I say 'were'?" New chuckled at his own joke.

"I can't with your filthy mouth this early in the morning, Hin." Tay grumbled as he put on headphones and walked away.

"Aw." New chuckled as he watched Tay go. "That dork, always so uptight. No funnn."

"...so heavy, P'Bai. Have mercy ...!"

"Whoa! Such unsettling words." New mumbled to himself as he came over to where Bright was teasing Win, adding weight to his bench press barbel.

"Aw, sawasdee krub, P'New." Bright wai-ed him.

"Sawasdee ... huff ... krub, Phi."

"You look ... exhausted." New chuckled.

Win put his barbel and sat up. "Well, I'm nearly done for today. Care to join us in the pool, Phi?"

"'Fraid I can't. I haven't even started yet and it's already seven. Rain check?"

"Tomorrow, then." Bright offered. "And we can start a bit late if you prefer, since it's our day off."

"Nah, let's make it tonight. Should we finish the game?"

"Yes! A celebratory swim." Win looked excited. "I'm in."

Bright fell silent all of the sudden.

"How are you feeling?" New nudged him carefully.

"To tell you the truth ... it sucks to be the last, Phi."

"Yeah?"

"It's like I have no choice. No matter what the secret is, you all would just point it to me."

"Surely you have some ideas of which secret will be revealed?"

Bright looked hesitant before answering, "Yeah. It's, like, the obvious first choice. But then again, P'Tha never fails to surprise us. Daddy issue, remember?" Bright grimaced. "I won't be too surprised if he chooses to bring up my past instead."

Win patted Bright's shoulder supportingly. "We'll get through this together, P'Bai."

"Susu na, Nong Bai." New replied with a weak smile, not even half as hopeful as Win. "I hope it isn't too personal. Like mine, heh. And don't feel forced to claim it whatsoever. We can always do our celebratory swim whenever."

"Thanks, Phi. We'll leave you to your routine then."

They said goodbye, but it hadn't even been two steps when New called out, "Ai Bai, I think you left your water bottle here!"

Bright did a quick once-over to himself and chuckled. "Oh, right." He jogged back to New.

"You're just like Te." The phi commented as he adjusted the weight on the barbel. "Remember to do a quick scan before leaving, hope it helps. Disclaimer: it doesn't help with Te."

Bright laughed. "But how do you know it's not Nong Win's?"

"Because you left your phone with it." New nodded at the phone beside the water bottle.