The sound of the shower finally stops, and the air between Pun and Chain grows tense. They quickly put the pills back in place, trying to make everything look untouched. They exchange worried glances, each wondering how to bring this up with Tan.
Moments later, Tan walks into the room, a towel slung over his shoulders and his damp hair slightly tousled. He notices Pun and Chain looking a little tense, but he brushes it off, thinking it’s just their usual antics.
Tan trying to lighten the mood "Alright, you guys look like you’re about to rob a bank or something. What’s with the serious faces?"
Chain and Pun exchange a quick, silent look before Pun finally breaks the silence.
Pun's trying to sound casual, but failing "Hey, Tan... Can we talk?"
Tan’s smile falters slightly as he senses the seriousness in Pun’s tone. He sits down on the edge of his bed, glancing between his two friends.
"Sure, what’s up? You two look like you’ve seen a ghost." tan said forcing to smile
Chain shifts uncomfortably, looking at the floor before meeting Tan’s gaze.
"Tan… we’re worried about you." chain gently said
Tan’s face freezes for a moment. He tries to brush it off with a smile, but there’s a slight tremor in his voice.
"Worried? About me? What’s there to worry about? You guys know I’m fine."
Pun: unable to keep the concern out of his voice "Tan, we found… your meds. And the… well, you know."
Tan’s face drops, his mask cracking for just a moment before he quickly tries to recover. His gaze darts around, as if searching for a way out, a way to deny what they’re saying. But the truth is out now, and there’s no hiding it.
the quiet on tan's voice barely above a whisper "You… you weren’t supposed to see those."
Chain and Pun exchange a look, the concern in their eyes deepening.
Chain's gently, trying not to push too hard "Tan, why didn’t you tell us? We’re your friends. You don’t have to hide this from us."
Tan looks down, his shoulders slumping as he struggles to find the words. He’s always been the one to carry everyone else’s burdens, to be the strong one. Admitting his own struggles feels like a betrayal of everything he’s tried to be.
Tan's voice began to shake "I just… didn’t want anyone to worry. I thought I could handle it on my own."
Pun steps closer, putting a hand on Tan’s shoulder.
Pun softly said "Tan, it’s okay to need help. We’re here for you, even if it’s something heavy like this. You don’t have to go through it alone."
Tan glances at Pun, his eyes filled with a mixture of gratitude and fear. He opens his mouth to speak, but the words catch in his throat. He’s so used to hiding his pain that letting it out feels almost impossible.
"Look, we’re not going to push you to talk about everything tonight. But please, let us help. We don’t want you to feel like you’re alone in this." chain said
There’s a long pause as Tan takes a deep breath, his eyes glistening as he realizes that his friends aren’t going to judge him or look down on him for struggling. Slowly, he nods, a small, vulnerable smile breaking through his usually guarded expression.
"Thank you… I don’t know what I’d do without you guys."
They sit together in a comfortable silence for a while, the tension easing as they realize that they don’t have to pretend with each other anymore. Tonight, for the first time in a long time, Tan feels the weight on his shoulders lighten just a bit. He’s still got a long way to go, but with Pun and Chain by his side, he knows he doesn’t have to face it alone.
