The Color of Fame: A BounPrem Short Story

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Boun regretted turning the TV on the moment he saw the face that haunted his dreams. His dark eyes that were a stark contrast to his hair that was currently dyed a silver-gray. His sharp jawline. But it was his smile--oh, that smile!--that pained Boun the most. The smile that lip up the room. The smile that Boun had fallen in love with.

Boun had taken pride in the fact that in the four years since they had graduated, he had not once watched even one of Prem's shows or interviews. He couldn't. It hurt too much. But something Prem said coming from the TV made him pause, his finger hovering over the power button.

"Next week, I'm performing in my home town for the first time since I started touring and I'm so excited!" 

"Oh, that does sound fun!" the interviewer said enthusiastically. "Are you looking forward to seeing some 'Familiar Faces' in the crowd? That is, after all, your best hit song."

Prem let out a soft laugh that Boun's aching heart knew too well.

"Yes, I'm looking forward to seeing all my old friends and family, but you know, as my song says, there's only one familiar face that I care about the most."

"Oh, so you have a special someone back home then?"

"Well, I wouldn't say they are 'mine,' but they are special to me for sure--"

Click.

Boun couldn't watch anymore. He couldn't listen to the boy he used to love talk about his "special someone."

Boun grabbed his phone and tapped the first number in his favorites list.

"What the actual fuck, Kao?!"

"I'm guessing you saw the interview?" Kao's nervous laugh came across the line.

"So, tell me when exactly we're you planning on telling me?" Boun hissed at his best friend, the owner of the largest concert venue in town, the only venue big enough to accommodate Prem and his fandom.

"Well, to be honest, I was expecting you to just ignore it and pretend like Prem doesn't even exist like you have been doing for the past four years."

"That's not fair, Kao, and you know it."

"Is it not? You pretty much ghosted him, Boun. You've never watched a single interview or concert footage. Do you even know any of his songs? Of course you don't because you always turn the radio off when you hear his voice. I know you guys have history, Boun, but that's no excuse for shutting out your best friend."

"He shut me out first, Kao! And that's why it hurts so much," Boun tried to swallow the tears that threatened to spill over. 

"But at least he has been trying to make things right. For four years, Prem has been trying to make things right with you, Boun, but you're just too stubborn to see. No matter what we've told you,  you just won't listen." Kao was silent for a moment before he spoke again, softly this time. "You know, Prem asks about you. Every time we talk, he asks how you are. He still cares. He really does. Just listen." 

Boun let Kao's words simmer in his brain a little while after he hung up. Prem was the one who pushed Boun away so why would he still care after all these years?

Maybe because you didn't tell him to stay.

Boun felt like he had been punched in the gut with the sudden realization. Were things this bad because he hadn't fought for Prem? Because he let Prem go?

~

The rain made Boun feel even more depressed than usual. Normally, there was one person who could always turn his mood around and make everything better, but that one person was the source of his sour mood this time. And that one person was on his way up the walk toward Boun's door, huddled under an umbrella but still had a slight spring in his step. His dark eyes lit up the moment they spotted Boun sitting on the porch and his smile grew wide.