STRINGS

♪ ONLY CHAPTER ♪

Everyone is scattered.
Don and his friends are lighting fireworks, being watched by Manaow and Del. Dean and Pharm are near the water, the younger laying down between his boyfriend's legs. Sorn and Sin just went back to their room.

Team was the only one near the fire, waiting for the sweet potatoes to cook properly. It has been an amazing day so far. They had so much fun with water sports, the food is spectacular and the bed is like heaven. It was an amazing idea to celebrate the holiday together at Win's family resort.

- Hia... - Team looked around, looking for Phawin. He was around just a moment ago, laughing and eating, after spend the whole day organizing things and being a good host to everyone. Where's he? He picked up the potatoes, putting near the bonfire to keep them warm, and getting one before get up.

- Hey Team! C'mon! You're gonna like to light it up some fireworks! - Del called the boy, who just started to walk in the sand.

- Seems very fun! - He said, biting the sweet potato, trying not to burn his mouth. - Potatoes are ready. Won't you gonna eat them?

- Nah, we ate a lot at the restaurant! I'm so happy P'Win is one of the owners! - Manaow said laughing with the others and Team saw that as an oportunity.

- And where's Hia Win? - He asked before another bite at his hot snack. Don laughed at the boy, exchanging looks with the others. There's someone here who's not in some kind of relationship?

- I saw him going that way with the guitar!

- Oyy.. He doesn't know how to play guitar... - He said while chewing.

- Who would say there's something P'Win doesn't know! - Day said and Team looked at him. He can think about a lot of things Phawin can't do. He can't eat mushrooms, he can't fold his tongue in a U shape, he can't sleep with the lights on but can sleep with loud noises, he can't kiss underwater even being a swimmer. There's a lot of things that Hia can't do, but Team won't share them.

- Why don't you go there? - Del asked with a smile.

- No way... For what?! - He answered.

- Actually, we need to ask some things about the hotel. You could go there and bring him here for us! - Don answered, barely holding his laugh.

- Maeng P'! Why don't you go then?

- Ai Nong... Go there and make this favor to us, huh? - Dew said this time, kinda pushing the younger a bit, making the others laugh while Team walks and grumbles.

Phawin was not that far. Behind some rocks, at a little pier use to stop the jet skies, he seated with the acoustic guitar. Looking at the moon and hearing the sea, Win was trying to remember the few details his brother and his senior told him about the guitar, the many things he learned on Youtube, in the many nights he couldn't sleep since Team didn't show up anymore.

That song was in his head all this time. It was suffocating. The melody, the lyrics, the memory of Team playing it. All these were making he feels extremely anxious until he started to learn how to play it.

Everytime he was trying, it seems that his efforts to learn kinda put his crowded mind at ease. Sometimes, he wanted to crash and burn every single piece of that instrument, but nothing that a few swimming hours didn't cure.

– I thought Hia couldn't play the guitar. Looks like someone lied to me. – He heard Team's voice at the shore, his steps bringing the younger to him. Win just sighed, turning his head back to the sea.

Most of the time, he was acting normal. Just pretending all this distance wasn't hurting at all. Trying to approach lightly, don't pressure, trying to do his best so Team could feel comfortable to be with him. But today, after the whole day being distant and confused by Team's attitudes, Phawin just wanted to be kinda off his own mind. He kept making his fingers run through the guitar's strings. Team's footsteps closer now.