as the thread stays, i stay | taynew, offnew

5

2021

New caresses the thread with his thumb.

"Where is he now?" 

New looked up at his date, "4th anniversary. He left."

---

— 6 years ago

They were at Tay's, in bed to be exact. New was lying with his head on Tay's chest, hugging him. "Babe? Our anniversary is coming up. Where do you want to celebrate it?" asked New. 

Tay's hand automatically went into New's hair and stroked it gently. “Stay at home? I would like to stay in bed the whole day during our anniversary.” Tay placed his cheek on top of his boyfriend’s head. 

“Let’s go to the beach?” 

And so they did. 

On the day of their anniversary, they tied new red threads around each other’s fingers. 

"Why do you have to perfect the tie? Just tie it double," New says, as Tay takes plenty of time to tie the thread into a ribbon. "It's our anniversary. The tie has to be special." Tay smiled as he admired his work. He grabbed New's hands and kissed him on the ring finger with the ribbon.

---

2021

New was breathing heavily, tears threatening to flow as Off grabbed his hands on the table. "It's okay, don't force yourself."

"Off," New's voice broke. "I am wearing this red thread because this was the last thread he tied, and I am only holding on by his rules."

---

— 6 years ago

“I’ll be back, I forgot something in the car.” New stood up and shook off the excess sand on his shorts. At the same time, Tay held out his hand as a sign to be pulled up and New obeyed. 

“I’m going to swim,” 

“Okay, be safe. I’ll be back”

“Don’t be too long, love you”

New rolled his eyes as he huffed a laugh “I'm just going to get something. Love you too”

When New returned, it was déjà vu. Tay was missing from his field of vision. "Fuck Tay, this isn't funny" New walked to their spot and put down the things he was holding. He was terrified and just hoped Tay would show up or surprise him. 

After ten minutes, there was still no sign of Tay. He asked the people around for help if they had seen his boyfriend, but to his chagrin, no one did. 

Three hours in, someone was pulled out of the water. When New heard about it, he immediately went to the scene where an unconscious body was surrounded by people.

Never would New have imagined a day like this. Especially not on the day of their anniversary. Tay's face was pale and his lips were not the same rosy ones New had kissed that morning. His fingers were wrinkled, not the soft ones that tied the thread for him earlier. 

"Tay, wake up!" New yelled the moment he knelt beside the body on the ground. He kept shaking Tay, hoping he would open his eyes. New wailed as Tay continued to be unresponsive. "Babe! Look, I'm crying now, please wake up. Please tell me this is a joke. I forgive you even if you say you'll never do it again. Just wake up... please" 

People pulled New away as they had to check for Tay's pulse again, but New fought back and begged people to revive his boyfriend.

When the random guy next to Tay apologized to New, he shook his head aggressively, tears flowing like a waterfall. "No, he's a swimmer. That's not possible," he crawled over to Tay and grabbed his hand, the red thread still knotted tightly. "You told me as the red thread stays, you stay." As those words came out of New's mouth, memories of the night Tay had told him those words rushed in, causing more tears and unbearable pain in his chest.