Tay and New

The Chase

"Have you heard from New" Tay tried to act nonchalant as he sat next to Off who was busy gorging on a pint of ice cream.

Off looked at the boy, who averted his eyes, and shook his head negatively. Tay sighed loudly and rested his head on the back rest of the couch.

"Although..." Off paused dramatically to witness Tay as he straightened instantly from his seating position "I heard Kit talking to him over the phone and it seemed like he went home to Hat Yai"

"Home" Tay whispered mindlessly. New missed his hometown every day and has whined and cried about it to Tay but he has always been adamant about going home when he's in the middle of work. Tay wanted to ask P'Yui, he wanted to ask Kit, he wanted to ask everyone why New left suddenly but he was aware that no one will know the answer because New was never one to bare his emotions that easily.

Tay grew worried as their disagreement from a few nights ago replayed in his mind. He has had countless of fights with New over the years and they had employed different kinds of physical and emotional punishments to make the other surrender but Tay knew that this time would be different. He was bound to either yield or lose New.

"Where are you going?" Off asked Tay as the latter hurried for the exit.

The jaded man paused and looked over at Off, he contemplated for a while before saying "I'm going to Hat Yai. Peng, the truth is I haven't seen or heard anything from New in the past three days and I am worried"

"Don't you think that chasing after New would be an overreaction?" Unlike the other times, Off did not want to pry on the latest 'TayNew' fight but he wanted to at least caution his friend.

"Maybe. But not doing anything would be worse" Tay has already reached for the handle when he looked back at his dear friend again "I promise to give you the details once we're back. I'm sorry if New and I are making you worry. We'll be better, dad" He smiled and left.

"They'll be fine. They always find a way to reconcile" Off thought as the sounds of Tay's hurried steps faded away.

At quarter past two in the afternoon he received a panicked call from Tay asking for help to book a flight to Hat Yai. Apparently, Tay's quest to look for New coincided with the long weekend when a lot people were traveling outside of Bangkok to cities like Hat Yai.

"Oi! You should have anticipated this" Off reprimanded Tay who just droned a response "Many of these people have long booked their tickets. The only other option is to take an almost 14-hour car ride to Hat Yai"

"So, how do I rent a private car?" Tay excitedly asked. Off just sighed and told him the details.

More than half a day later, New opened the door of his parents' house to a weary looking Tay who quickly entered and headed straight for the restroom mumbling apologies, politeness be damned.

"Was that Tay?" his mother asked from the kitchen.

"I think so" New replied scratching his head at Mimi who was mewling and scratching the restroom door.

"What a weird way to start the day" said New quietly to no one.

((Author's Note (char!): I'm sorry but I can't write angst to save my life so you'd have to deal with this mediocre chapter))