Mr. Blue (Complete ✅)

Pulling Pigtails

"Hi," Tay greets. He waits for a second and adds, "New Thitipoom—uhm Techaapaikhun."

New narrows his eyes. Tay is being weirder than usual. "Hi?"

"Earlier," he says. "I lied. I know your name."

"Oh, I know you do. You said my name on the day you called me uncouth, tacky, and vulgar." Tay looks down. His face colors a little. "Are you here to insult me more?"

"No." He lifts his head. His eyes now do not look too critical. "I am here to apologize for earlier and—," he fumbles. "All the other times."

"Oh." New gapes. "What? Why? I mean, why now?"

"I made a discovery today. I take pride in being true to myself. I know my attitude toward you has been a bit censorious."

"I think it has been more than a bit. So what? Are you here to tell me you won't judge my blue hair—,"

Tay sighs. "I was not judging your hair. Your niece is not the only one who thinks you have pretty hair. My daughter does too. She calls you Mr. Blue."

Curiouser and curiouser. Who would've thought Tay Tawan and his daughter would make him their topic of discussion? "And you?"

"What?"

"What do you think of my hair? Do you think it's pretty too?"

"I uh," Tay squints up at his hair. "It looks better when it's not in pigtails."

"Ah." He forgot about the pigtails. Tay's little compliment speeds up his heartbeat. New's clumsy hands pull two hair bands out of his hair. Messy locks tumble over his eyes. He suddenly recollects why he had his hair up in the first place. It has grown too long. He was pushing the strands to the side too often so Primily suggested he do his hair instead of hers.

"It'll look prethier on you anyway," she said.

After a long moment of shoving his hair to the side, he looks up. Chokes. Tay Tawan Vihokratana is smiling. At him. Wide gums. Heart-shaped lips. Soft eyes.

The butterflies in his belly come alive. He cannot remember what it is they were talking about. "Ah," he repeats like the vegetable he has been reduced to. "Why are you here?"

Tay bites his upper lip. "I was apologizing for my behavior."

Oh right. "Yes. As you were."

"Uhm— I was too hard on you. You were right. Everyone is as loud as you are. Some, even louder. I just never noticed because Uh," he shifts his weight to his other foot. "I just—I have been focused on you from the day you walked into the class. I hated you from the moment I saw you. You were—different."

He is hardly surprised. Tay is just another one of those judgmental stuck-ups. Why is he standing here...

"You were—are beautiful." Tay continues. "I don't know why that annoyed me."

New's brain is sent into shock again. Tay is speaking too fast. "What? Did you call me beautiful?" He feels the pounding of his heart in the earth.

"I didn't—I, ahh!" He exhales. His shoulders fall and his elusive eyes hold New's. "Yes, yes I did. For three months you've been running around in my head. And for these three months, I thought it was because I disliked you.

"After our conversation today, I came to a realization. I quite enjoy the sound of your laugh. Your jokes are terrible but I like your voice." He is blabbering. His hands cannot stay still.

"I like that your voice is softer when you speak to your niece. I think your chest is beautiful. Your shirts annoy me. And—and your hands. I like them, I like how they move when you make Primily's hair. You deserved the win today. I believe you annoy me because I envy you.

"You make jokes throughout lessons yet do the best amongst all of us. You make everything look easy and I know they aren't. I—," his breath quavers. "I think," he shakes his head. "No, I like you, New. I believe I have liked you from the moment I saw you."

New stays silent. Not because he wants to. He has so many thoughts but they have declined to make the connection to his lips. His feet are sinking through the concrete floor. That is what it feels like. A car honks and pulls out of the parking lot. Little Frank is belting another tune somewhere close by. Tay's eyes are getting wider. His ears look redder. Two giant red maple leaves.

"Sorry," he says. His left hand—New likes his hands too—rises to fiddle with the collar of his red Lacoste. "This is too much to spring on you. I'm aware and I apologize. I—I should," One leg steps back. "I should go. I'll uh see you or—Uhm okay. Sorry." The other leg follows.

"I've painted you!" New spouts before he can turn around. "Many times." Tay's brows go up. "I'm an artist, a great artist. I own a tattoo shop but I don't have any. I am a three-time ROV champion. Consecutively. I had lunch with Gun Atthaphan three years ago. And—I painted you many times."

New is breathless when he finishes. Tawan's eyes crinkle at the corners. Then his lips curve into a smile. "You like me too?"

"It's pretty clear." A foreign voice says. New spins around so fast. Joss Wayar is sitting on the hood of the car behind them. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop. Your car is blocking mine."

"Dammit, Joss!" He's too happy to be upset about the intrusion. Tay hasn't lost his smile. He doesn't seem surprised by Joss's interruption; he must have noticed his presence a long time ago.

"Tu must be getting antsy by now. I left her with Namtan. I'd like to go on a date with you sometime this week. And—," he adds when New opens his mouth to respond. "If liking me is not an adequate incentive to date me, you should know that Off Jumpol is my best friend."

"Gun's husband?" He cannot bottle up his animation.

"Yes." Tay seems proud of the fact. "We are very close."

"Well, in that case, I would love to date you." Not that he would've said no without the added incentive.

"Great." He is grinning from ear to ear. "May I have your number?"

New brushes off the request. "No need. I'll text you," Tay frowns. "Oh, I stole it from Namtan's signup book." The frown deepens. Perhaps he should stop talking. He cocks his brows. "You hate my shirts because they cover my bare chest. You cannot judge me, Tay Tawan."

Tay laughs. It is lovelier than his smile. "Touché. I'll be waiting for your text, New Thitipoom Techaapaikhun."

"You won't have to wait for long."

New waves at him. He watches as Tay disappears into the building. His heart is still pounding and his lips are smiling. He meets Joss Wayar's eyes again. The man winks. New rolls his eyes and enters his car.

Primily is sleeping in the back. The poor child. He rolls up the windows. Starts the engine. Then pulls up Tay's number.

'Mr. Blue here. Celadon at 7 on Friday?'

The reply is instant. 'Yes!'

New smiles. He is an awesome artist. His tattoo shop is the best in the city. He is a three times ROV champion. He once had lunch with popular Thai actor, Gun Atthaphan Phunsawat. He is the best and prethiest uncle in the world. And—

He has a date with the hottest dad in town.

FIN!

AN: AS I SAID THIS IS A SHORT ONE. TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK 💙💕💙💕 SEE YOU ALL AT HE, HIM & US.