Selcouth Wakings | brightwin |

O: 12

"Good evening Off, is Bright with you?"

The sleek car door closed with a soft thump allowing a brief flow of chilling air to pass between them.

"Sir Chivaree," Off pronounces the short name with coordinated respect like he was trained all those years; and suddenly his backpack straps were clenching ropes he comforted his trembling hands with.

"Late night class?" An exact carbon copy of Bright but older with just the same midnight black eyes.

Bright's father.

"Yes sir," Off nodded while the air grew heavy but he decided to deny it by holding up the stack of papers in his other hand. "Some late night researching you could say."

The older man produced one of those laughs that Off was only able to hear when he was around his own father's colleagues. Then again, growing up with a business family allowed social functions and sorts to become his birthday parties where he was able to meet kids his age—kids who ran in the same elite groups with his parents and were all ill-fated to have their whole life planned out before they could even think of their first childhood dream.

"Your Dad did mention a couple of times that you tend to stay out late for researches, though he wasn't overly fond of some classes being repeated." Bright's father narrated like he was enumerating gross income sales without batting an eyelash. Peeking behind him, the old man nods at the forgotten company. "One of your classmates?"

Pursuing his lips in a neutral line, Off could feel a hand clutching the back of his shirt reminding him of Gun's presence. The small act alone was enough to widen his stance wider, effortlessly matching his height with Bright's father.

"I'm afraid I wasn't able to get a hold of Bright since this morning, sir."

"This morning? So he always sleeps at the dorm then?" The old man questioned with a calm stature. His ambiance was not a stranger to Off yet he could feel his body tightening the longer they all stood there while Gun's fingers continued to grip his shirt.

As if noticing the troubled silence, Bright's father clicks a hand against his jaw to offer those fatherly smiles that screams comfort. "It's getting late, I'll let you kids go."

Letting out a breath he couldn't understand why he kept in the first place, Off nods his farewell with a breathy sigh."Alright sir, don't hesitate to contact Tay or I to save you this trouble of driving all the way here."

"I should definitely do that. Say my regards to Tay, son." Pushing the car door open, Off steps forward to close it for the older man. The scent of expensive cigarettes fiddled inside his nose trills before he could fully close the door.

"And one more thing, Off?"

"Tell Bright to answer my calls one of these days."

In silence, they could only watch the car drive away smoothly while Off secretly times Gun until he relishes the words he was supposed to rattle out with the recent events that took place.

"What the fuck just happened, Jumpol?" Gun demanded as if seconds ago he wasn't practicing his koala potential by clinging on someone's shirt.

"You wrapped your arms around me for five minutes straight, Atthaphan. That's what happened."

Stretching his arms up, Off fake yawns before swinging his other arm around the smaller boy. "So stop being mean to me all the time."

"Jumpol—that man..."

"Shhh, now that I remember we still have crepes back at the dorm. What do you say, we eat them while I sort out the references?"