cliché: a song about us

strawberries

__________

“It really looks pretty on you.”

“It does to you too.”

“Is it really okay to wear this?”

“I mean yeah? Earrings are supposed to be worn duh?”

“You know that's—”

“It is, don't worry. It is.”

__________

Despite the liveliness of a bar, there will always be something distasteful about it: sometimes the reeks of smoke and alcohol, but most often it's the people. Rarely does Win enjoy other people's company and if he does, it usually involves 1 to 3 people. He could tolerate up to 15 if it's a family gathering, but a space with more than 40 or so strangers? Nothing, but annoyance. Still, being amiable to your friends is an ingredient to avoid loneliness— so attending a gathering it is.

Win look at the blue colored signage pasted on the wall and cringe inside. Alkohol. What a well-put name, he thought. Must've taken a lot of brain cells, he chuckled to himself.

Unlike the bar's name, the interior of the place took a lot of effort. It resembles that of a medieval tavern, one you could spot inside a fantasy game or in a classic-themed movie. Win looked around and hummed appreciatively at how red and black was blended well as the couches and stools' seat covers. He eyes the counter and let out a low hoot, it was made of wood and some parts looked to have smirch of black as if burnt. Looks pleasant to the eye, he concluded.

Well, he was quick to judge it seems.

He followed Mike and Pluem at the front, JJ quietly trailing beside him. His friends were headed to a table with 4 people. Win cracks his neck and presses his left ear. Eight people. He could handle that much (kinda).

He spares the strangers a glance from right to left: a man wearing a black graphic shirt (is that his face on the print?), a blonde woman with a youthful face, a short-haired (and very pretty) female, and last was a man currently chugging a bottle of beer. Win's sight lingers longer on the latter, narrowing to the guy's pierced ears. 

“Strawberries.”

“What?” JJ asked. Win snaps his head back at him, “Hmm?” JJ furrows his brows at him and tilts his head to the side, “You said something a while ago.”

“I did? Ah, yeah.” Win pouts towards the table's direction, “One of the guys have pierced ears.” JJ's mouth formed an 'o' and nodded in understanding. It was no secret after all that Win wanted to have his ears pierced, he just had no courage to go through the process. It might hurt, he often reasons. JJ looks at the man and nodded once more, “That's a very cute earring.”

Win eyes the man, nodded to his direction when their eyes met and gave a polite smile which was returned, “Yeah, it is. A dangling strawberry.”

When they were a few feet from the table, the man with a graphic shirt stood up and welcomed Mike in a hug then clapped Mike's back hard twice. 

'Oh, that hurts.'

Win winced upon hearing Mike's thought. Mike's friend pulled back and looked at them, “Who do we have here, Mickey?”

“They're my friends, you rat.” Mike faced his friend and pushed him back to his seat. Their friend then waved them over and did an introduction. He lightly smacked Pluem's chest, “This one's Pluem, single but don't mingle with him ladies.” Mike then points to JJ, “This guy's JJ. Has an unhealthy relationship with sleep and his ex, so he's a no go too.” JJ only smiled at the silly introduction. Mike motions to Win, “And this tall and has a shitty personality of a human being is Win.” Win flicked a finger at his friend and raised his hand as hi to the other four. 

“Name's Gunsmile, Gun for short. Sit first guys. Squeeze in, there's space for you all.” Gunsmile spoke with a smile, “Bright, move further.” Win followed the man's gaze and it landed at the guy, with pierced ears, who's arms are sprawled atop the couch.

“Ya want me to fall?”

“Ya want to pay?” The person named Bright rolled his eyes and inched towards the far end of the couch, the other three followed suit and so did their clique with Mike beside his friend, then Pluem followed by JJ, and Win at the other end of the U-shaped couch.

“That cranky guy's Bright,” Gunsmile starts and turns at them, “Do I really have to say if he's single or some shit? We ain't at blind date anyway.”

“Then don't.” Mike replied.

“Hmm,” Gunsmile mused and scratched his chin, “I will then.”

'Cute.' Win perked up his ears at the feminine voice. He threw a glance at their female companions and saw them both looking at Gunsmile. He looked away, his hand slowly tapping the wooden table. The thought he heard sounds fond and gentle. If it's targeted at Gunsmile, one of the two must've adored the man.

He must object though; Gunsmile's not certainly cute. Still, the crackhead energy he oozes is charming.

Charming. Eh, that's better than cute. Wait. Huh. Wow, I'm strange.

“— one's Earn. Medicine student. Single, but don't bother.” Win blinked in attention and saw the blonde girl smiled cheerfully at them, “Hi!” Win raises a brow, not the voice he heard it seems. 

Gunsmile motions at the short-haired woman, “This is Love. My girlfriend with space in the middle.”

'And this is Gunsmile, a dense idiot.' 

He watched Love looked Gunsmile in the eye, “Single.” she muttered (Win could see how she slightly gritted her teeth) and smiled at them, “Love Pattranite. Love for short.”

There it is. The fond voice.

Gunsmile waved his hand dismissively, “Yeah, single.” He pointed at the last person, “That one's Bright. Cranky when tipsy or drunk, but overall a sunshine when sober. Or at least, that's what some say. He's overall cranky for me to be honest.”

“Hey!” Bright called Gunsmile, “Stop delving my details, will you?” The man pointed at himself, “Inlove.” Win pursed his lips at the expression he saw on the man, he seems pained as if heartbroken despite the little detail he let out.

Ah. That expression looks like constipation.

It doesn't suit him.

“Okay, that's cheesy enough.” He heard Gunsmile say, “We came here to drink,” the man followed and raised a glass, “so drinking it is!”

What followed was an easy flow of conversation between the eight; inquiries about their major and each other's hobbies. Their past high schools became a topic too and their former professors and teachers a laughing matter. A slight awkwardness still hangs in the air, but their talk was continuous with how much Mike, Gunsmile, and Pluem blabber. JJ, on the other hand, quietly eats peanuts and sips his drink from time to time. Earn and Love, as Win observed got a lot of stories to share too and worries to rant about the most random of things. Bright, he watched, easily let go of his sullen expression and participated in the conversation. Win could see the glimpse of sunshine Gunsmile talked. The man smiled and laughed often which brightens his face, and his eyes gleam with unabashed adoration at everything as if all stories exchanged were precious and what he sees are all dear to him.

It must have been the tension of the day which dissipated upon introducing themselves, but Win suddenly felt light and focused on their company. Amidst the loud humming of bar music and voices around them, he was able to focus at their talk— able to grasp the information exchanged, able to laugh at dry jokes thrown around, able to feel light. 

Albeit only for a while, the loudness was welcomed.