"Are you in your dorm? What's that noise?" Ai'No asked Can Over the phone.

"Yeah, I'm it my dorm. There's an on-going construction outside, they said they will finish in a few minutes." Can speak closely to his phone, while he's plugged into his earphones so he could hear Ai'No better "Can you hear me clearly"

"Yeah, that's fine," Ai'No answered. "So what's up? Why did you call?"

"I have something to tell you" Can paused. He was trying to find the right words to say.

"You sound serious... What's going on?" Ai'No replied, sounding worried and confused.

"There's something I want to tell you and but I don't know how to say it." Can sound a bit apprehensive.

"Come on spill it" Ai'No replied. The noise caning from the outside seemed to have stopped right at that moment he was to confess to Ai'No about his feelings.

"I like Tin" He paused for a bit "I don't know how it happened when it happened... One day. I just felt it. I really like him. Ai'No. I think I, I might be in love with him"

There was a sudden silence. Can could only hear was his breathing becoming deeper and his heartbeat becoming faster. Ai'No was at a loss for words to say

"I'm afraid, Ai'No. I don't know if I will be able to tell him. I don't know if I should. Not now"

"Why?" Ai'No asked.

Can was startled by the noise from his door. He felt and heard something drop on the floor, and a pair of footsteps running away.

"Who's there?" He asked. He walked towards the door, till his feet tripped on something. He bent down to pick it up. upon realizing what it was, he felt his heart skip a beat,

His umbrella. The one Tin borrowed from him.

Tin was there and he heard everything Can Said.

Tin did not come to school the next day. Can felt anxious, knowing that he only has few days left with him. He felt like not seeing Tin today is just a greatly missed opportunity of savoring their last few days together.

Ai'No and Tin never spoke about what they talked over the phone yesterday. And Can knew that Tin heard everything he told Ai'No. And him not coming to school that day, made Can feel like Tin was avoiding him because of it---just like what he did to Ai'No two years ago.

All this time, Can thought that Tin was already determined to change, but might be wrong.

Ignored

The dismissal came and Ai'No was about to walk Can home when he saw Tin waiting for Can outside the door.

"Your official chaperone's here. Guess I'll better be going then" Ai'No told Can. Gave him a small hug and said goodbye.

Tin took Can's backpack and grabbed Can's hand. But instead of putting it on his arm where CAN would usually hold him, he interlocked his fingers with him. Their palms press together for the first time, their fingers fit perfectly in between each other.

"Let's go," Tin told Can, who was both surprised and speechless by Tin's action. Can tried to pull his hand away, but Tin would only tighten more his grip.

They walked through the corridors of the school while holding hands, people giving them both a surprised and intriguing look. The campus bad boy intimately holding hands with the school's disabled student.

They were quiet on their way home. No one spoke about anything. Can could only assume that Tin's gesture means that he didn't mind knowing about him having feelings for him. He still came to walk him home, anyway. And for him, that was enough.

Tin, on the other hand, was completely dazed about everything. He was hoping his simple gesture would already tell Can what he could not say with words just yet. And the longer they walked holding hands, the more Tin felt sure about his feelings for CAN.

In deep shit

That night, Can was still floating. Tin held his hand while walking home and he even kissed him goodbye. He didn't want to assume, but it felt like Tin also likes him back. He wanted to tell Techno about it immediately, but his phone rang suddenly, the Super Mario theme song filling the silence in his room.

"Hi N'Lay!" Can speak to the phone. "Me? Extra happy? Really?" He continued, as N'Lay asked why he suddenly sounds so cheerful. "Maybe I am just in a good mood." He continued. "Yes, Nong! Five more days. I know... I understand... Okay... I'll see you on Saturday... I love you too" He hangs up the phone.

He went to take a shower after and was just finished changing into his pajamas when he heard a knock on his door. He was puzzled who it might be. He could only think of either Ai'No or Tin coming to check on him at that time in the night. Just the thought of Tin already put a smile on Can's face.

Surprise *evil laugh*

He went to pick the door, and was greeted by a voice he was quite unfamiliar with but was sure he already heard before. "Mr. Can Kirakorn?" The man said.

"Yes?" Can answered

"Hi, may I come in?" The guy asked. He was skeptical about letting anyone in, but before he could even say no, the guy just welcomed himself into the room. Can already felt quite alarmed and anxious. His suspicion grew, even more, when he heard not one but two pairs of feet were walking on his wooden flooring in the room.

"We were sent here by Mr. Tin Medthanan. He wants you to come with us, and we'll bring you to his surprise dinner date with you." Another unfamiliar voice spoke, then he heard the door of his room locked. "Tin prepared it very well and very thoughtfully for you. He wanted to really surprise you."

The thought of Tin setting up a surprise dinner was so unlike Tin, Can thought. As far as he knew him, Can knew that Tin would never in a million years think of doing something like that for anyone. It was just not him at all.

"Is it okay if call Tin first to confirm?" He asked, his voice slightly shaking.

"Sure. Please do?" The first guy answered.

Can reached out for his phone laying on the bed. He sat on the floor just beside the bed, one hand unlocking the phone, and his hand secretly reaching out for the baseball bat under the bed. His heart was already beating crazy. But before he could even dial Tin's phone number, he felt a solid strong blow at the back of his head before falling down unconscious on the floor.

Tin had his most needed talk with his best friends that night. They were hanging out at Ai'Nic's place when he received Tul's text message.

Like a time bomb exploding right at his face, Tin jumped out of his seat upon reading Tul's cryptic message.

Can.

Without saying any word, he bolted out of Ai'Nic's apartment to Can's dorm.

Tin ran as fast as he can. He didn't mind how far Can's dorm was. All he knew is that he needed to get there. The closer he got to Can's dorm, the more his heart beats faster. When he got there, he found Can unconscious tying on the floor, naked. He hurriedly went to check on him, lifting his face from the floor. His head was bleeding, his face swollen and badly beaten up.

"No, no, no. please CAN. Wake up! CAN!!!" Tin cried. He cradled Can n his arms, while he lifted him up. He put his ear close to Can's nose. He wasn't breathing. He put his shaking hands over Can's left chest. His heartbeat was slowing down.

"HELP!!! Somebody, please help!!!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, while he burst in uncontrollable tears. Tin couldn't bear looking at Can's body covered in blood, bruises and cigarette burns. He tried taking off the packaging tape tied around Can's arms and legs. On Can's hand was a note, Tin took it and it read PAY UP MOTHERFUCKER.

It was only a matter of minutes until people from the dorm came to Can's room. "Call an ambulance, quick" Tin shouted. as the others panicked at the bloody sight of their dorm-mate's body.

"Can, hang in there. " Tin whispered into Can's ears. crying "Hang in there... Can. Please.. I'm so sorry.. I'm so sorry.."

Tin's heart was breaking into a million pieces. Like every inch of his being was being simultaneously crushed and pounded into fine useless dust. Every fiber of his consciousness is being pulled and stretched out into an unending tangle of pain and guilt

Tin knew he brought the upon Can. He was mad angry with Tarn and Tul for having to use and abuse Can just to get to him. But more so. Tin was very angry at himself having been careless and reckless. Now other people are paying for his past actions and mistakes.

He stared at Can's lace thinking he could never ever forgive himself for making Can suffer because of him.

The ambulance finally arrived.

At the hospital, Tin was anxious and nervous. Walking in circles just outside the emergency room door waiting for the latest update about Can. He already called N'Lay using Can's phone, and said he'll drive up to Bangkok immediately.

The doctor finally came out, and Tin eagerly asked about Can. "Ire's safe now All his vital signs are normal. We'll be discussing everything about the patient once his family is already here. We gave him some pain relievers and pills to rest his body for now. You'll get to talk to him once he wakes up in the morning."

He's safe. That's all that matters for now

N'Lay arrived at the hospital a little past midnight and went straight to check on his brother. He was clueless as to what happened, and whenever he asked Tin about what happened, all he ever did was cry and say sorry.

Tin sat on the corner of the waiting area outside the emergency room. He wanted to see Can, but he just couldn't make himself go without seeing extremely guilty and angry at himself.

He felt the phone in his pocket vibrate as "Walking on Sunshine' started paying. What a moment breaker, Tin thought It was Can's phone, and it was Ai'No ringtone. He picked the call and spoke to Ai'No for a little bit. He told him which hospital CAN was at and gave an update about his condition.

Tin stared at CAN's phone. His wallpaper was his family's photo, the same as the one hanging inside his closet's door. Funny how even if he could not see, he would still use and put the photos of those very special to him.

Tin took out his own phone and started dialing CAN's number...

A mellow piano song started playing. This would be the first time he'd know about CAN's song for him..

Can's ringtone for Tin: T

(Writer's note. Please listen to the song and its lyrics. And imagine the scenario at the hospital with CAN sleeping on his hospital bed, and Tin crying in a dark empty comer)

I've waited a hundred years

But I'd wait for a million more for you

Nothing prepared me for

What the privilege of being yours would do

It I had only felt the warmth within your touch

If I had only seen how you smile when you blush

Or how you curl your tip when you concentrate enough

Well I would have known

What I was living for all along

What I've been lying for

Your love is my turning page

Where only the sheerest words remain

Every kiss is a cursive line

Every touch is a redefining phrase

I surrender who eye been for who you are

For nothing makes me stronger than your fragile heart

If 1 had only felt how it feels to be yours

Well I would have known

What I've boon living for all along

What rye been living for

Though were tethered to the story we must tell

When I saw you, well I knew we'd tell it well

With a whisper we will tame the vicious seas

Like a feather bringing kingdoms to their knees

Tin listened All throughout the song until it was finished, with no more tears let to cry, and no more space for hurting in his already hollowed