In One Frame

Sunsets

Where there is Kao there was Pete...

Kao Panuwat a model student, straight-laced A's, academic achiever, and at the top of the class. Well, respected student President of the Engineering department. He was the cream of the crop with a promising future ahead of him.

Pete Phubodin is an athlete, captain of the basketball club, and forward shooter and has a lot of offers from different national basketball teams that vying for his interest to be in their team. He was ace, he was the school jockey the school boy next door, the perfect boyfriend material as girls tagged him.

Two young and bright potentials both can make it a long way ahead of their future. Both were childhood friends and they always come in a combo. Both lovers in secret.

Where there is Kao there would be Pete with him. But school was never perfect there would be bullies that would try to ruin the perfect school year that Kao had built up to protect his image as the model student he prides on.

When someone uploaded a picture of him hugging another student at the back of the school gym and being too close for comfort. Too close for being called just friends. That photo circulated to the school org website. And life was never the same for him, the other person who was with him was never captured on camera as he was facing the other way around and it could be anyone.
Others suspected it was Pete Phubodin but it was shut down by Kao wanting to protect Pete from what he is experiencing right now, he doesn't want his Pete to be outcasted like what they are doing to him right now. Some people supported his preference but some bullies just don't want to keep it peaceful for him that they have to bother him with every prank and derogatory remark they could muster.

Once Kao went home drenched with filthy slime that stuck to his uniform, him being a clean freak it was the most horrible thing for him but he endured it a few more months they would graduate and he can leave their university with flying colors.
All his hard work would pay off if he could just endure it.

Pete became worried as time passed by Kao distanced himself from him when they are on the school campus he became aloof and would sometimes eat alone. His friends had left him once his image had been tainted. But he would always smile at Pete, always smile like nothing was wrong whenever they talked.

One time he saw Kao being beat up in the locker halls by some bullies which surprised him because they were from his team. He wanted to help running to Kao but when Kao saw him he held up his hand.
Motioning him not to do anything irrational until the school guards showed up to break the fight.
Kao can land punches but what fight would he have with 5 guys at the same time.

Pete secretly snuck into the nurse's office only to find Kao lying on the bed in a fetal position crying, his sobs broke Pete's heart. He can't do anything for his Kao, he was all bruised up with black and blue patches on his face and arms.
His pristine skin that Pete always admired had been smeared with filthy marks made by those disgusting dogs.
He tried to touch Kao but he flinched, he was afraid his Kao was never afraid but why was he afraid now.

When Kao shifted his position his shirt lifted a bit and Pete saw some marks that were already fading, he abruptly grabbed the shirt upward only to see his Kao littered with marks that were already fading. It hurt him, it hurt his heart since when was he hiding something like this.
Since when was he enduring this shit that had been thrown to him because his sexuality was in question.

He was angry, infuriated he wanted to get back to those people who did that to his Kao, but Kao just tugged the hem of his shirt and asked him to stay.

After the incident, Kao never came back to school for days neither did Pete. Pete had always been with Kao beside him watching him, sleeping beside him taking care of his precious Kao. Nothing else mattered to him but his Kao.
Pete found out that Kao had lost his position as the student president, lost his chance at being the top student in the Engineering department, and his scholarship was stripped off just because some parents that had shares from the school were so adamant about him being a model student because he was gay, a fag, he was judged because of his sexuality not with his ability.
In an instant, Kao lost it all while he protected me.
Pete cried for days with Kao, his Kao who smiled brightly, his Kao who was gentle, his Kao who was sweet was no more.
His Kao now only stared at the ceiling of his room, looking at Pete smiling but never reaching his eyes.
His Kao was now empty and broken.
His Kao had fallen into the abyss and he could not reach him anymore.

One day Kao spoke...

"Pete, my Pete ... Do you love me?"- Kao

" I love you, Kao, I love you so much" - Pete

"Pete, I want to go to the beach" - Kao

Pete did everything Kao requested they went to the beach every day just standing there looking at the horizons of the setting sun.
Every day he would see Kao smile again as the sun sets. He was happy Kao was being his Kao again.
A month passed and this routine continued when one afternoon when Kao asked Pete to buy him ice cream at the nearest convenience store.
Pete obliged he was happy Kao is starting to like things he liked.

It was a 15-minute walk back and forth to the beach. But when Pete came back Kao was nowhere to be found.
His slippers were left at the place he stood.
Leaving the ice cream Pete frantically looked for Kao when he was blinded by the setting sun he saw a silhouette from afar darting to the sea, wading through the waves.
It was that familiar red polo he wore over the shirt he ran, he ran like he was running for his life.
His Kao he was running after his Kao's life.
He cried the strong winds hurt his eyes, the salty waves won't let him get to Kao fast enough.
Fear started to creep up on him, it started to eat him from the inside.
Losing his Kao made his heart beat wildly as it would come out of his ribcage. He called and called for his name but he never looked back the waves were too loud for him to be heard.

"KAOOOOO PLEEASSEEE COME BACK KAO!!! KAO!!!"- Pete

Pete prayed Pete pleaded to anyone who can hear his thoughts. He swam until he reached his Kao just floating on the water his place was calm now Pete had passed the raging waves and reached his beloved Kao.

Kao was calm his eyes shut when Pete reached him, he looked like he was feeling the cold waters.

"Kao?.." - Pete

Pete was crying as he reached for Kao's hand which the latter squeezed.

"Go back Pete, you still have a lot on your hands" - Kao

"But Kao, please go back with me" - Pete

"Pete I am tired I want to rest, please let me go" - Kao

Kao faced me his eyes empty he was looking at me but it was pure emptiness.

"Kao, I .. I'll be with you I promise" - Pete

"I love you Pete" - Kao

"I love you much more Kao, my Kao" - Pete

We watched as the sun sunk to the horizons of the cold calm waters around us, I hugged him to share my warmth with him. I want to be always with him my Kao. He gripped me tightly embracing me as we both kissed like it was our first.

My Kao would be my first and my last as it was to him with me.

It was a month since Kao and Pete vanished from the school, and everyone was puzzled that the two-star models of the campus had vanished. Teachers and students alike wondered. But with Kao, they were not surprised but with Pete's disappearance as well the basketball club was left hanging losing their ace and also losing their chance at the national playoffs. Also in academic contests, the school lost the chance to compete in the nationals. The Phubodins withdrew their shares from the school board, and the kids who bullied Kao had been expelled and blacklisted from getting scholarships from schools.
Everything went quiet but murmurs can still be heard for the whereabouts of the two. Suddenly vanishing into thin air.

"They must be together.. "

Where there is Kao there was Pete, they never parted. Even if they were buried six feet below they were always together till the next life, with the promise of happy skies and bright rays of sunshine.

Where there is Kao there would always be Pete.