When Worlds Collide (Taynew)

episode ✍️ 40

When they arrived at the hotel, New got a call from Force. He answered, and Force’s voice came through excitedly, "Hey, New! We’re planning to play basketball on the sand. Come join us!"

New smiled slightly. "Okay, I’ll be there in a minute." He hung up and turned to Tay. "Tay, do you want to join us at the beach to play basketball?"

Tay shook his head. "No, I have work to do."

New nodded, respecting his decision, and made his way to the beach.

At the beach, everyone was having fun playing basketball while Jeni and her friends sat on the side, gossiping. One of her friends nudged her and said, "Jeni, you and Tay look so good together."

Jeni beamed, feeling proud. "Of course! I’m the most beautiful girl in our college, and Tay is the most handsome guy. Naturally, we make a perfect match."

New overheard their conversation, and a sinking feeling settled in his chest. He wondered if Tay had already given her his number and even allowed her to take pictures with him. His mind raced with insecurity.

Force noticed New’s distracted mood and called out, "Hey, New! What’s up with you today? You seem a little off."

New forced a smile but felt overwhelmed. "Nothing. I just don’t feel that great. I think I’m going to head back. I’ll play tomorrow."

Pond looked at him with concern. "Hmm... go ahead and rest, then."

New nodded and quietly left the beach, returning to his room. When he walked in, he saw Tay on a video conference, discussing some important matters. Tay paused the conversation as soon as he noticed New, saying, "I’ll discuss this matter later tonight." He closed his laptop and looked at New. "Didn’t you say you were going to play with them?"

New didn’t respond directly. Instead, he asked softly, "Did I disturb you? You can keep working. I’ll go back to my room."

Tay frowned slightly. "I asked why you didn’t play and came back here instead. I didn’t tell you to leave."

New hesitated, then mumbled, "I just feel sleepy and tired, that’s all."

Tay sighed, "Alright, then sleep. I’ll finish up some work." He shifted to the side of the bed, making room for New to lie down, while he continued working on his laptop.

New lay down but couldn’t fall asleep. His mind was restless. After a while, Tay glanced over at him and noticed that New was still awake. "Why are you still awake?" Tay asked with confusion.

New sighed, "I just... I don’t feel sleepy anymore."

Tay, even more confused now, asked, "Do you want to sleep or not?"

New shook his head. "I want to go home."

Tay raised an eyebrow, trying to make sense of New’s sudden shift in mood. New had a habit of feeling insecure and uncomfortable whenever someone close to him seemed to drift away. It reminded him of when Arm was busy with college and didn’t have much time for him. During that period, New often sought comfort with his mom, spending more time with her than usual. Now, with the thought that Tay might soon drift away if he got a girlfriend, those same feelings started creeping back in even more than before.

Tay’s voice broke through New’s thoughts. "You’ve only been here for two days, and now you want to go home? Why did you come here in the first place?"

New hesitated, then answered, "I miss my family."

Tay shook his head, a mix of teasing and disbelief in his tone. "If you’re such a baby that you miss your family after just two days apart, maybe you shouldn’t go out with anyone at all. You’ve been getting calls from them every hour, and you still miss them? I wonder how you even considered going to that bastard Kay, leaving your family behind, if you miss them this much."