Jake was still awake when they arrived at his place. Noon was sober since he insisted he was a light drinker and only drank two or three shots.
He was about to leave when suddenly Jake got a hold of his wrist.
"Why?"
Jake's voice sounded sane. He thought he was drunk.
Noon didn't dare look at him, he didn't want to face him now. He does not want this conversation to even start.
"It's really late, I need to g-"
Jake cuts him off and thugs him, forcing him to look at him. Jake looks a little lost, although there was a hint of anger.
"Why did you pluck up the courage and leave that goddamn town you always love just to be here and be in this kind of situation?"
Noon cannot find the right words, so he just stood there, praying for Jake to just shrug it all off and just be the same jerk he was to him for the past few days.
It was better that way, than to talk with this kind of Jake because he cannot answer him with honesty.
"Why did you come here and act like nothing was going on"
Noon bit his lip. He never saw himself working for him, but right now he has no choice.
"You threw me out when you knew you were the only person I can depend on. You made me become this alcoholic and problematic star everyone is talking about"
Noon can only look at the floor, but Jake suddenly shakes him up and forcefully made him look at him.
"You made me into this fucking mess, and now you act like you're the only one having a hard time when I was the one who had to suffer the fatal blows"
They were both fighting back their tears.
"I became the person I never wanted to be. You knew this was never a part of my dreams"
"Please, don't think I'm coming after you. I needed this job, so can we separate feelings from our job? Let's be professional. We grew apart after we broke up. We barely know each other now, and let's keep it that way. You're Jake now, and Min was just a memory from my past" Noon argues.
There was silence after. But Jake's grip never loosened.
"The hell are you talking about? We never grew apart after we broke up! You fucking grew apart from me even before we broke up! I fucking begged for you but you fucking left me!" Jake shouts at his face.
"I've moved on, I hope you also let it go"
And with that, Noon gently takes off Jake's hand on his wrist and left.
//
I never moved on, Noon thought as he let's out the tears he's been holding up ever since Jake talked about their past.
Noon never forgot how he was madly in love with him back then. He may have looked like he was strong enough to forget it all, but he wasn't.
It also took a toll on him that he stopped singing, or making music, or doing things that he used to do with Jake.
Because he remembers it all.
He remembers how Jake would play his guitar while he sings the songs he had written.
He remembers the late nights where they would sneak out and just sit next to the sea, talking about their dreams.
He remembers how they would laugh every time they go on unusual dates.
He remembers the smile Jake would give him and the warmth it makes him feel.
He remembers how they promised each other that they'll gonna reach for their dreams together.
And it still haunts him, it never left him.
He was still stuck in those days.
Unlike Jake who had faced it head on, he got stuck, and until now he can't get back on his feet and still blindly takes a step without knowing what's gonna bring him for his next step.
He's still clueless on what his future will be. It's hard not to remember when he sees Jake's face everyday. He was his first love. And still is.
He was still the coward he was 8 years ago.
And Jake doesn't need to know anything about those. All those years he had to endure because of his cowardly decisions.
Because Jake doesn't deserve him. He was just that clueless countriside boy who was holding Jake back on what he was supposed to become.
He was the biggest obstacle Jake needed to overcome.
Even when it almost cost him his life.
//
Kit was about to go to sleep when suddenly his phone rang and he heard Jake's deep sigh on the other line.
"I talked to him but he was not willing to talk about it" Jake tells him, the disappointment in his voice was evident.
"Maybe this is not the right time, but eventually, you'll get the answers you need from him. Just take it slowly" Kit advises him.
"I just can't stop this. The feelings were never gone. And as much as I hate it, I still love him"
He sounds broken, and it was times like this when Jake would be true to himself and tell him what he really feels.
Kit just listens, it was always like this. Jake would call him everytime he goes home drunk, rants on him about his first love and he would just listen. He can't help him, not when he never experienced such kind of things.
He's never been in love, and he tells himself not to. And Jake is a strong reminder that he would rather stay alone than end up just like his parents.
Kit is 28, and he was way ahead of anyone his age in terms of career.
Everyone looks up at him and that's all he needed. He survived on his own, and he will continue surviving in his own.
He met Jake when the kid transferred here in Bangkok and was also there when Jake's mother introduced him to the agency. Jake was a brilliant kid, despite everything the tabloids had shown people what he is.
Jake is always trying to make himself believe he has never been through such brokenness. Even though he needs to fake it. Build a whole new story of his past just to bury his pain.
He remembers the interview a few days ago, how he suddenly blurted out those lies in the interview and came back from his senses the day after and called him to call the magazine company to not include those stories he told them.
He was reckless, he was careless, but at the same time he sees a man trying to runaway from his nightmares. Just like him.
He was just mature enough to handle the pressure, unlike Jake.
He laid there waiting for Jake to fall asleep between the call.
_____________________________________
(╭☞•́⍛•̀)╭☞ AUTHOR'S NOTE
I've been down these last few weeks since adult responsibilities are taking me to a whole new level 😞 But yeah, please do understand and I promise I will never abandon this story 🫡🫡
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The Last String
RomanceA story where Jake is a famous singer in Thailand and Noon is a striving fresh graduate from the countryside trying his luck in Bangkok. Jake is a reckless idol who doesn't care about rumors because people love him nonetheless because of his voice a...
