A whisper beneath the waves

The Clash Of Wills

The golden sun dipped lower, casting a warm glow over the crowded street festival. The sounds of drums, the chatter of excited festival-goers, and the mouthwatering scent of sizzling street food filled the air. Thuhinu, in his black tank top and navy slacks, walked through the hustle and bustle, the weight of his plans making him slightly impatient. He wasn't here for fun; he was here to get the job done. He had a meetup to attend and didn't have time for distractions.

As he moved through the crowd, his eyes scanned the stalls—pol roti, katta sambol, and the ever-popular kottu—tempting his senses. But today, he wasn't here to eat. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he glanced at it: Shayel—his best friend—was running late as usual.

Sighing, Thuhinu made his way to a quieter spot near a sugarcane juice stand, where he could at least escape the noise. He was in no mood for the usual chatter of the festival-goers. A quick glance around revealed that most of the people here were lost in the festive atmosphere, some laughing, others arguing over which stall had the best food. His thoughts were interrupted when a loud voice cut through the air.

"Oi! Can you stop bumping into people, bosa?"

Thuhinu stopped, frowning. Who was this? He turned around and found a guy standing a few feet away, a youthful grin plastered on his face. The man was holding a tray of food, clearly annoyed by the crowd, but his presence was somehow... unreasonably irritating.

"Excuse me?"

Thuhinu's voice was already colder than he intended.

"Did you just talk to me like that?"

The stranger chuckled, a low, cocky laugh that made Thuhinu's blood start to boil.

"Well, yeah. You're practically bumping into everyone here. Are you blind or just plain rude?"

The guy's posture was relaxed, as if nothing in the world could faze him.

"I'm not rude,"

Thuhinu replied sharply, stepping forward.

"But you're surely getting on my nerves. What's your problem?"

The guy raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms in mock contemplation.

"Oh, I'm sorry, was I not supposed to call out a guy who's practically walking into people like a bull in a china shop?"

Thuhinu's patience was thinning.

"Maybe you should mind your own business."

The guy smiled again, a grin that Thuhinu could swear was more irritating than anything.

"What, are you going to lecture me on manners now? I've got more important things to do than listen to some uptight guy whine."

Thuhinu clenched his jaw, but before he could snap back, the guy stepped closer, the intensity of his presence almost pushing Thuhinu back a step.

"What's your problem, huh? Don't like being called out for your bad manners?"

Something in Thuhinu snapped.

"No. I don't like being lectured by someone who thinks he owns the place."

The guy's eyes gleamed with amusement, and for a moment, Thuhinu could've sworn he saw a flash of something else behind that playful grin.

"Oh, I see,"

the stranger said,

"You're one of those 'I'm too important to be bothered by anyone' types, aren't you?"

"I'm just not in the mood for games,"

Thuhinu said curtly.

"So if you don't mind, I'll go about my day."

"You sure about that? Or do you need a little push to get things moving?"

The stranger grinned like he was having the time of his life.

"Push me one more time,"

Thuhinu warned,

"and you'll regret it."

"Is that a challenge?"

the stranger taunted, leaning in just a bit closer, his voice dropping low.

"You're just like all the others, all serious, no fun. Ever thought of just letting go for once?"

Thuhinu's patience was officially exhausted.

"You've got to be kidding me. I'm not here to make friends, okay?"

The guy shrugged casually, completely unfazed.

"Fair enough, buddy. But hey, life's too short to spend it all scowling."

Just as Thuhinu was about to respond, a loud voice interrupted them.

"Hey! Keyol, there you are!"

Both Thuhinu and the stranger, who turned out to be Keyol, turned toward the voice. A girl with bright eyes and a teasing smile waved from across the street. She was holding two large trays of food, seemingly amused by the scene.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!"

Keyol called back, giving one last look at Thuhinu before shrugging.

"Looks like I'll let you off the hook for now."

Thuhinu scowled, shaking his head.

"Glad to know you have the decency to walk away for once."

Keyol raised an eyebrow and smiled again, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"We'll see each other again, trust me."

Thuhinu gritted his teeth as Keyol walked off, joining the girl who had been calling for him. His thoughts were swirling. He had no idea who this Keyol was or why he was so insufferably cocky, but something told him their paths were bound to cross again.

Later that day, Thuhinu was finally able to meet up with Shayel. As the two walked through the festival together, Thuhinu couldn't shake off the encounter. The carefree way Keyol had treated the entire situation—it rubbed him the wrong way, but at the same time, something about it made him uneasy.

"Is everything alright with you?"

Shayel asked, nudging him lightly.

Thuhinu gave him a sidelong glance.

"Just had a run-in with a complete dickhead who thinks he can lecture me on how to live."

Shayel's eyes lit up with curiosity.

"A stranger, huh? Was he cute?"

"Definitely not,"

Thuhinu muttered.

Shayel just laughed.

"Sounds like you two had a bit of a clash. Bet he's going to show up again soon."

Thuhinu wasn't so sure about that. But somehow, he couldn't deny the tension in the air whenever he thought of Keyol. Whether he liked it or not, something told him their paths would cross again, and when they did, it would be just as annoying and just as fascinating as the first encounter.