The F5 (Fraternal Five)

Liquid Courage

In the end, Off let Gun's girl friend come. In hindsight, though, he shouldn't have let her. She stole Gun away at first chance she got, and Off ended up losing them for a good two hours. It's way past midnight when he, along with Tay and New, finally found Gun. Leaning dangerously against the yatch's fence, all alone, an empty bottle in his hand and eyes showing little consciousness.

"Teacup! Hey, where's your friend?"

Tay touches his arms and yelps. "You're freezing! How long have you been out here?"

"Yeah, it's quiet chilly I guesssss." Gun chuckles half-sober. "And my bottle's empty, boo."

New quickly takes off his blazer and drapes it around Gun's shoulders. "Let's get you inside, Nong Gun."

Off pulls Gun's arm around his shoulders to support his limp body, as Gun catches New and drapes his free arm around him as well. "Heh. Are you guys human heaters? Sure are warmmm." He slurs about.

Tay clears the path to Gun's cabin. The partygoers have mostly gone by now, but each one left is another thread of swaying, staggering body.

The four arrive eventually. As Off and New finally lays Gun on his bed, Tay abruptly says, "I'm sorry for sticking to Nong Gun all afternoon, Peng."

Off looks up from Gun, who mumbles incoherent words in his half-asleep state. "Huh, me?"

"No need to play dumb, Peng, I know you're interested in him." Tay offers Off a soft smile. "In fact, I think I might be a bit of help."

"Must you discuss it here in front of the very person?" New says with scolding tone as he pulls a blanket to cover Gun's freezing body.

"Just humor me, Hin. I don't feel right talking about him behind his back."

New thinks for a while before lying down beside Gun. "Your call." He shrugs.

Tay can't help but sighs adoringly as Gun automatically snuggles New close. "Aww, can I please take a picture of you cute puppies?"

"We're chicks." New corrects him.

Pulling up his phone, Tay chuckles. "What's it with you and chicks?"

"I've yet to hear about said help ...." Off crosses his arms, cutting in sarcastically.

"Oh! Peng! Yeah. Have you ever heard about abandonment issue?"

"A little. Are you saying that he suffers from one? Doesn't look like that to me." Off takes his time to think it over. But no matter how he sees it, Gun always strikes him as strong and self-reliant.

"He's an orphan, Peng. His father left when he and his little sister were just kids and his mother died of cancer just last year. At our age, he needs to fend for himself and his nong and his grandma. Sure, financial-wise he has nothing to worry about, but to be the head of family is a lot more than that. I'm just afraid that the playful, careless Gun we all know is just a front he puts up." Tay sighs. "So I didn't have the heart to push him away, no matter how reluctant I was to cross you."

Gun stirs in his sleep and mumbles, "What the hell, P'Tay? There's no issue whatsoever. I only clung to you to make P'New jealous." Tay looks dumbfounded at the revelation. "Sheesh, Papii's right. You have the weirdest mind."

New's soft chuckles pulls Tay back to reality. "Aw! Then why do you push people away? Sure you're cuddly but you don't let people in, not really. Never, even."

"Just want to have a bit of me to myself." Gun shrugs, eyes opened wide. "People obsess about my life all the time, okay, you can't blame me."

"Then, then ...! Why don't you believe in love?"

"For the record, it's a preference, it has nothing to do with your so-called issue. But I do, I just don't feel like go through all the trouble."

"Shut up! My point exactly! Ai Teacup, are you my other half? Seriously, we should just get together already!" Off says in the heat of the moment.

"Whoa, you've moved far forward, huh." New remarks, amused.

"What about us, Hin? What do you say we move our relationship forward, too?" Tay turns to New, face red as tomato, of hard blushing and alcohol boosting his courage.

"Huh??!" New blinks, taken aback.

Gun chuckles. "You know what, let's do it like this. We'll date if you guys date."

"Sure!" Off grins, eyes twinkling.

"Fine by me!" Tay nods giddily.

"...I mean for a believer you sure treat this like a plaything." New states, frowning.

"Carpe diem, P'New. If you can't be happy later at least be happy now. And, I don't know ..." Gun offers New a sincere smile, "I think if your parents can't see what makes you happy then they don't deserve to be put first."

"Again, TMI." Off glares at the two juniors.

"Then, again, I'll see you in my ... oh, wait, this is my room."

"Actually, it sounds personal, sure you'd want to talk about it now, Nong Gun?"

"No issues, P'Tay, Jesus! You sure are persistent." Gun grumbles.

"Ask me again when you're all sobered up." New blurts out his answer suddenly.

"Huh??!" It's the other three's turn to be taken aback.

"I just don't want you to regret this, Te. Every couple has its own hardship, but there would never be a future for us, not in this lifetime. When the time comes, you need to let me go. Still, Nong Gun's right. I'd regret it if I don't give it a try."

"Aww, congrats, P'Tay!" Gun's the first to break out of daze, clinging onto Tay's as he hugs him.

"Yes, yes, yes! A thousand times yes!" Tay shouts happily.

Off hits his head. "He's not proposing to you, idiot!" Peeling off Gun from Tay, he proceeds to ask the little guy, "And we're dating for real, right? It's not only to encourage Newwie?"

Gun grins at Off. "Ask me again when we're sober, Papii."

"Oooi, this brat!" New pulls Gun and makes a mess of his hair, as Off stands dumbfounded.