Lantern Lights (Khun Bam)

Lantern Lights

The push and the pull

Of attraction to you

Let's start the game

And break the rules

**

The lanterns glowed softly against the artificial black sky of the Tower. They came in all sort of colors – the brilliant red, the mandarin orange, and a yellow that would have been the same color of an Emperor's robe. Across the stalls there was a delightful lake that curved like a rainbow. 

The group had made an unexpected stop at one of the nearby towns where the Hell Train passed. Boro, their dependable Hell Train veteran, gushed that a remarkable lantern festival was just a stone's throw away from the train's next stop. A consensus was reached quickly – the group was weary from their last battle and looked forward to having several restful nights.

"Over here!"

Bam weaved his way through a sea of people, his chestnut brown head soon getting lost amongst the crowd. Khun followed closely behind, tugging his necktie loose as he hurried after his best friend. It was getting warm with all the people that came in droves, and the crowd simmered under the heat of the lanterns.

"Look at this!" Bam exclaimed, as he held up an adorable turtle figurine molded on a stick. It was made of some sort of colored sugar paste and there was a sign in front of the shop that read "handmade fresh everyday".

His golden eyes scoured through the rows of sticks that were propped up on display. "Red turtle for Rak...black turtle for me..." he mumbled. "Blue turtle –" He frowned. There was no blue turtle there on display.

"Khun, there's no blue turtle," he complained. "It has to be the three of us –" Bam turned to look at Khun, who was distracted with the next stall which served the most delicious looking candied hawthorn.

He gave Khun a good elbow in the ribs and earned himself a well-deserved glare from his companion.

"Well it has to be here somewhere, there's tons of other blue colored stuff."

Bam clutched the two chosen sticks tightly and nudged his way forward till he was face to face with the owner of the store.

"Ma'am, we can't find a blue turtle stick, please can you help us!"

The store owner was a stout, middle aged woman whose jaw seemed to be working hard on some sort of gum in her mouth, and she wasn't impressed by Bam's determination. She smacked her lips together.

"It's all here, boy. If you can't find it then we don't have it," she replied, her tone bored. She barely glanced at him again as she collected a handful of coins from another customer and tinkled them into her wooden box.

Khun grabbed Bam's elbow as he started to protest. "Let me," he mouthed, brushing past Bam to take his spot.

"We would like to buy these two figurines," he said, plucking the sticks smoothly from Bam's hand.

He gave her the most brilliant smile. "Your handicraft is fantastic," Khun remarked, touching her hand lightly as he handed the money over. "As lovely as its creator," he added sweetly. He made sure to flutter his pale lashes once when she finally looked at him properly.

She preened. "Oh – you handsome young lad," she said appraisingly. "Come back again if you want anything, I'll give you an excellent discount."

Khun pretended to be pleasantly surprised at the suggestion and took one of her hands in his in mock gratitude. "I was just really hoping to get a blue turtle figurine to match my eyes – if you could...?"