The F5 (Fraternal Five)

Salvation

A few steps from the field, they can already make of Bright's laughter.

Off chuckles. "He's never this cheerful."

Tay nods. "Or laugh this loud."

"The kid's so reserved I sometimes wonder if he actually enjoys our company."

Tay stares at Off in betrayal. "How dare you! He loves us!"

Off snickers. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that."

"Hey, don't make me rethink my life decisions!"

"Idiot." Off chuckles. Reaching the side of the field, he catches sight of Win telling a story to the team while throwing occasional joke in between. "No wonder Bai's been spending more and more time in football club."

Beside him, Tay sighs dramatically. "Oh, how I hope they have their happy ending."

Off hits the back of Tay's head to pull him back to reality. "Ew. Keep disgusting thoughts to yourself, Peng."

"Alaiwa, I was just giving them my blessing." Tay grumbles.

"Ai Bai!" Without so much of a response, Off calls out to his other friend.

Bright perks up and, recognizing his two seniors, jogs to them. "Hey. What's up, phis?"

"Hey, um, first of all—don't take this personally, okay? This is important I know and I swear we intend to see this through, just, we suddenly got a call, it was urgent and unplanned and we're really, really sorry we end up unable to be there to—"

"We need to go. Kit's unreachable and Singto asks us to check on him." Off cuts Tay short. "You win this for us, okay?"

"We will." Bai shoots Off a grateful look, before turning to Tay. "It's okay, P'Tay, I get it. And I appreciate the gesture, really."

"Then, we're going. Tell Nong Win we say hi."

"OK. Take care, phis. Thanks for coming!"

*

"He rejected my calls and turned his phone off. The last time he did that, it was when my dad found out about us and looked glaringly disappointed that Kit's a boy. I just ... I'm worried sick because Kit's meeting his parents earlier today. He's the type who keeps everything inside so you wouldn't know what happens until it's too late. I don't ... I don't want that to happen." Singto's voice cracks a little. "I've tried his manager, his friends, even his receptionist. I couldn't reach him at all. You're my last resort, Phi."

Off throws a worried glance at a very silent Tay before saying, "Don't worry. We're close. He's gonna be fine, trust me."

"...Okay. Please keep me updated, Phi."

"I will. In the mean time, try not to worry yourself so much, okay, can you promise me?"

Singto lets out a weak laugh. "Okay ... I promise. Then, I'm counting on you, P'Off."

"Heh. As you should." Off hangs up, then turns to Tay. "You okay there, friend?"

"Uh, sure. Thanks but don't make this about me. Not the time, Peng."

"Yeah? Well New's seeing his girl as we speak." Off's words are blunt but his voice is gentle. "Unless you're okay with that ...." From the corner of his eyes, he catches Tay wincing. "Why don't you let it out, it's still a good ten minutes before we arrive at Kit's." He offers an encouraging smile.

Tay takes a glance at the ETA displayed on the screen and sighs. "You really are the big brother. I don't know ... it's just hard, Peng. I keep telling myself that it's not that hard, that I can handle it like the big guy I am, that what's important is Hin only has his eyes on me, that Kik's completely innocent safe for being there at the wrong time, that ... that his parents only want what's best for Hin—" Tay pauses, voice caught. "But lately it's just not enough anymore."

"I'm sure." Off reaches out and pats Tay's arm with one hand. "And it's not on you, okay?"

Tay flashes a bitter smile. "Oh, but that's the thing. It's entirely on me. If only I didn't have one too many that day, if only I just had a bit more control of myself, to refrain doing dumb thing like asking him out, maybe ... maybe their path to happy ending wouldn't be so complicated. They were fine before I came destroying everything, Peng! New's life was perfect but now look what I've done! He strays off path, and I still have the audacity to hate Kik, even put the blame on her? Fuck, how I wish we didn't meet at all ...." He inhales, fighting back tears.

"Don't say such nonsense." Off growls. "You are not his burden, Tay."

"Yeah? Tell me something good that happens to him because of me!"

"I don't know about something good, but I can think of something real."

Tay groans. "Why must you always come up with the right thing to say??"

"Because I'm right, like always. And trust me when I say New depends on you just as much." Off remembers the day he consulted New about Gun, the light in New's eyes whenever he spoke of Tay. How proud he sounded when he said he was Tay's exception. "And if you didn't make a move that day, he would. Maybe not right away, but eventually. Because unlike what you lead yourself to believe, your feelings for him is never one-sided, you dipshit!" Off cusses at Tay in annoyance. "Forget being burdened, why would he put up with your whole attitude in the first place?! Huh, did you think he's a maso or a moroon?!"

"Huh?? No but you're right, why??!" Tay becomes a panic mess in no time.

"Oii! ISTG your perfect 4.0 GPA is wasted on you when it comes to New!" Off can't help but hit his friend's head. "It's because you're each other's salvation, this idiot!"

"Huh? Is ... is that true?" A smile creeps onto Tay's face as he gradually calms down.

"Now you're smiling." Off grumbles. "Idiot."

Tay breaks into a grin so full and wide his face is hurting, but he couldn't care less. "Did New tell you all this? How romantic. Aww, my Hin's so romantic ...."

"Simp." Off snickers, stopping his car in front of what's supposed to be Krist's condo. "Now if you're done making ugly face, get your ass out of here."