The F5 (Fraternal Five)

Slipping

"So ...."

"So ...."

Off groans at Krist's sympathetic gaze. "Everyone looks at me like I just said I only got two months to live."

"First of all, P'Off, thanks for talking to P'Sing about me not willing to move there."

"Yeah, you're welc—not willing, not not ready??"

"Second of all," Krist brushes him off on purpose. "Why do you choose a cute cafe like this?? Forget two months, if we get caught by P'Gun's fans, we only have tonight!"

"Huh. Because it's close to Gun's set. And he's coming in a bit."

"What! Are you setting me up?!"

"No, I would never! I'm leaving in a bit."

"WHAT!"

"Shush! You really have a death wish??" Off hisses across the table. "Just get a conversation going and then randomly ask him if I were to tell him I love him, what would he do?"

"WTF? That's your plan??"

"You're, like, our best friend! Take one for the team!"

"No—that's not even what I—"

"He's coming! Act casual and keep this face down!" Off gets up, shoving a phone to Krist's direction, on a call and loudspeaker mode.

"When did you—P'Gun, hi!" Krist waves Gun over as his other hand hides the phone under the table and turns off the call. He gets that Off's anxious, but eavesdropping is still an invasion of privacy.

"Was that, um ...." Gun trails off, frowning at the direction Off's just gone to.

"It was my uh, my senior. In ... uni, yeah." Krist forces a grin. "Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"My set's just two houses away from here!" Gun smiles, sitting down across of Krist. "It's nice to see a familiar face from uni. How's, you know, uni?"

"Uni, or a particular senior who goes to, you know, uni?" Krist smirks.

Gun chuckles. "Is it insensitive of me to say I miss him?"

"You said it anyway." Krist scoffs. "And I don't mind, not really. When's the last time you saw him?"

"IDK like maybe a week ago?"

"At the afterparty?"

"Nah, at Papii's family gathering."

"Did something happen there?"

Gun furrows his eyebrows in confusion. "Why would something happen?"

"IDK just random thoughts."

"Huh."

A crew comes by to give Gun a cup of coffee. Krist waits until they're out of earshot to continue.

"Speaking of random, you two seem to move fast these days. Meeting the big family, already?" Krist raises his eyebrow at Gun.

"Heh, yeah. Just one of the impulses."

Krist is stunned. "...Impulses?"

Gun looks up from his coffee, smiling obliviously. "Yeah, why?"

"It seems to me a lot like P'Off's catching feelings, no?"

This time, it's Gun's turn to freeze.

"P'Gun?"

Gun gets up abruptly. "I ... gotta go. Catch you later—"

"P'Gun, wait!" Krist grabs Gun's arm to stop him. "What happened? Did I say something wrong? If so, I'm—"

"I just wish he'd come to me himself." Krist's grip falters at Gun's cold words and Gun takes the chance to easily free himself. "Bye now, Kit."

Krist whips out his phone and quickly dials Off's number.

*

Outside, Gun meets Oab, who's oblivious to his troubled expression and drapes an arm around Gun's shoulders casually. "Hey, why don't you wait inside? It's hot out here."

"Oh, I was just, uh ... hey, Oab, the BBQ place I told you about, let's try it now?" Gun grins at his on-screen partner he promised to have coffee together.

Oab blinks. "What? You wanna have BBQ for a coffee break?"

"C'mon! It'll be fun!" Gun pulls Oab toward his car, but instantly halts at the sight of Off waiting beside it.

"Ooh, the boyfriend! We meet, at last—"

"Ex. Err ... Oab, can I take a rain check for today? Sorry." Gun says without taking his eyes off of Off.

"Now you're taking a rain check??" Oab looks dramatically betrayed. "I mean, of course you can, you—" But Gun's already left him for his boyfriend. Ex. Whatever. "Hey, rude!" Getting no reaction from Gun, he turns around and walks away, fuming.

*

"Gun, I'm sorry—"

"Don't apologize, P'Off, because your feelings are always valid. Let's just end this quietly, okay?"

Off gapes at Gun, crestfallen. He doesn't know what hits him harder, the way Gun calls him or dumps him on the spot. "What ...?"

"It'll be fun, right? I can cut you off anytime? And if the offer still stands, I'd like to go back to being friends with you, please." Gun offers Off a small smile.

"Gun, that was—"

"That is your promise to me, P'Off."

Off winces, cursing at his idiotic self for not thinking this through. Nothing gets past Gun. Nothing. "Can I fix this, please? I can't lose you, Gun. Not like this."

"Don't get attached, P'Off." Gun lets out a nervous laugh. "Haven't I said enough?"

"Okay, that's it." Off growls. "Just what exactly did your ex do to make you like this?? Huh?? You believe in love but are scared of it?? That just doesn't make any sense!"

"This." Gun calmly gestures to Off. "He did just like what you do now. Became obsessed."

Off stares at Gun speechless.

"I'm sorry we couldn't make it." Gun smiles softly at Off. "But I enjoyed getting to know you. Be happy now, P'Off."

"No!" Off wails, knowing full well holding onto Gun would freak him out even more. But he's slipping. Gun's slipping out of his life .... "Can we, can we start over? Hello, Nong Gun I'm Off. I think you're cute so do you maybe want to be my boyfriend? I promise, it'll be fun. And I, and I definitely won't feel anything toward you." He pauses, voice caught. Face contorted in pain. "Okay, maybe I'll love you, but I'll ask nothing of you in return. Nothing! We can be impulsive like always. Can kiss and make out and not meet each other for a whole week, it's fine. We can ... we can just be friends, I'll take it, I'll take anything, just ... just don't kick me out of your life, please Nong Gun ...." Lost and hopeless, he finally breaks down in tears. "I'm sorry .... I can't help what I feel but I swear ... I can be whoever you want me to be, just say the word Gun ...."

Gun doesn't know what to think. All he knows is that he just really can't see Off crying. Just really can't see him looking very vulnerable, like he could break into pieces at any moment. Before Gun realized, his feet have already closed the distance, as his arms bury Off in a hug. And when he speaks, his words sound as desperate as Off's. "Papii, don't cry ... don't cry, na, let's try again. Please stop crying, na? I just ... it was very sudden and I freaked out, I'm sorry ...."