From Something To Everything (Bounprem)

74. Overthink

"Today, after everyone packed up, I was waiting for Prem. He said that he had some think to talk o Fluke and it would just take a few minutes and asked me to wait for him..."

Ohm felt Boun's pausing was building up suspense.

"I happen to eavesdrop into Sammy's conversation with Pineare."

Ohm had met Pineare when she came to meet the junior group. He wasn't very familiar with the girl but knew that she was a close friend on Sammy.

"Sammy was telling Pineare about how Prem had been struggling financially, mentally and emotionally before he managed to crack the audition..." Boun looked at the floor. "That was when I actually got to know what happened to his parents. He didn't tell me anything about that, Ohm nor did he tell me that he was struggling to find investors for his coaching center."

"He has a coaching center?"

"He plans to open one. He has already brought a building by himself. But he might need investors to help him financially if he has to convert the building into a functional one."

"Did you offer to invest?"

"No! I had no idea about the whole thing Ohm. I just got to know about all these today. I wouldn't have known all these even today if not for my bad habit of listening into others conversation." Boun's frustration was clearly shown in his voice.

"He most probably didn't want to burden you. That must be the reason why he never told you anything." Ohm knew that he had to calm Boun down before things got out of his hands.

"He wasn't like that, Ohm. He used to tell me anything and everything. He used to tell me every minute detail of what happened in his day-to-day life. Now he no longer tells me anything, Ohm. He has changed. I can feel it, Ohm."

"Dude, you are making a mountain out of a molehill. Stop overthinking and give your brain a break. He might not have wanted to ask for your help"

"No, Ohm. You don't understand. He told everything Fluke. Every single thing. He finds Fluke more reliable than me."

"That's because Fluke 'is' more reliable Boun. You ditched him once. It is only natural that he is not fully depended in you." Ohm sighed.

"I feel that he and Fluke are much more than friends. Maybe those two..."

"No. Stop. Stop it right there. Don't think anything that stupid. They have a brotherly friendship, Boun. Nothing more."

"Now that Fluke is here. Pao doesn't need me. What if one day he realizes that he no longer has any lingering feelings for me and leaves me? What will I do? How will I live without him?"

Ohm wanted to crack open Boun's head and see what it was made of that his imagination could run so wild. "Boun, first of all, with Fluke around or without him, Prem genuinely cares about you. I can guarantee you on that. As for needing you, it is your responsibility to create a reason and cause for him to choose to stay with you rather than leaving you."

"And that is why both me and P' Kao has been asking you to treat him better." Ohm placed his hand on Boun's shoulder. "Instead of finding faults with him. Learn to adjust. Learn to make sacrifices, just like how you gave up sleeping around after meeting Prem. Didn't you do it voluntarily? That shows that you are willing to make changes and amendments to your lifestyle in order to accommodate him."

"I just want him to be open to me like he used to me. I want him to depend on me. I want to be the person who he goes to when something happens. Not Fluke. But I don't know what to do, Ohm. I really don't have any idea."

Seeing that Boun had almost calmed down, Ohm left out a sigh of relief internally. "Boun, Fluke is his best friend, someone he had grown up with, someone who had been by his side through years. It is completely understandable that he depends on Fluke more. That doesn't change anything between the two of you."

Ohm was happy that Boun was paying attention to what he was trying to say. "What happens in between you and Prem is something you two have to figure out by yourselves together. None of us can help you with that."

"Even though I have never been in a relationship, I have interacted with many couples and there is something I have noticed in common in them." Ohm paused making Boun look up. "And that is that 'Transparency is not everything in a relationship'. Having personal space is very important in a relationship, Boun."

"I don't understand what you are trying to say, Ohm"

"You want Prem to tell you everything but have you ever thought of sharing everything with Prem? Everything Prem knows about you is something that he found out by coincidence. You never opened up to him. You want to keep it from him, don't you?"

Boun nodded.

"That is what I am trying to say. When you yourself is not ready to share your secrets with him, why do you expect him to do so with you?"

"But he told Fluke..."

"Fluke is his 'best friend' Boun. Best friend. Best friend is someone whom you can open up without worrying about being judged. Just like how you are here to talk to me because I am your best friend. No matter if one has a partner or not, the person who one could always run to when they mess up is their best friend. It is common between couples to keep secrets from each other but share them with their best friends. It's no big deal."

Boun threw his head back and groaned. "I feel like shit, Ohm."

"Good that you have a little bit of self-awareness left in you." Ohm chuckled getting up. "Care for a drink?"

"No, Pao doesn't want me to touch alcohol for a while."

"Woah! That's a surprise. You are actually listening to Prem now." Ohm chuckled and shook his head.

"Asshole."

Ohm laughed louder hearing Boun curse. "Now that you are feeling better, get going."

"Are you kicking me out?"

"Yes. I would like some privacy."

"To hell with your privacy. I am not going anywhere. I am sleeping over. I don't think that I am ready to face Pao yet."

Ohm knew that no matter what he was going to say, Boun wouldn't listen to him. So, he decided to save his energy instead of arguing with Boun.

A few hours later when he came back to the living room, he found Boun as a crying mess. He immediately realised that the whole conversation they had had actually gone down the drain. Without a second thought, he rushed over to pull Boun up from the cold floor.

He was trying to make Boun talk as to discover a way to salvage the situation, his doorbell rung.