Chapter 5

There is always something about silence that makes us stop and makes us think, and it is the only thing filling Tiwa's hotel room right now. Silence is both an upside and a downside to living in a small, dimly lit room. During moments of quiet and confusion, we find ourselves in a void where no sound can reach us. That is what Tiwa is experiencing at this very moment.

Without his brother by his side, there is no one to keep him entertained and distract him from this solitude. His brother had ensured his comfort, reminding him to lock the door before heading out with Kay to meet their band manager, Faisol Chaiwong, who's the elder brother of Decha in their group, to discuss an upcoming four-month tour that will take them on a journey across not only Thailand but all of Asia.

The television plays on mute, and the curtains are drawn, blocking out the sunlight and creating a cocoon of darkness as Tiwa lies on the couch. His eyes are fixed on the plaster of the ceiling as it refuses to close. The various flashes and colors on the structure above feel too stimulating for his mind, but he lacks the motivation to get up and turn off the television.

He sighs and grabs a magazine from the coffee table, trying to clear his mind, but it doesn't help. He's staring at the same page for what feels like hours. A headache tightens its grip on his temples, clouding his thoughts and darkening his mood further.

Frustrated, he blows out a breath and shifts around, massaging his temples with the tips of his fingers. In his mind, he can practically hear the ticking clock that always fills the thick silence of the night when nothing else stirs. Instead of helping time pass, it only leads his thoughts back to the past.

Tiwa knew better than to look up when he heard the thunk of something heavy falling into the seat across from him. Unless it was his brother or cousins, nothing good ever came of anyone approaching him. He'd been fooled countless times before, easily lured into traps, false promises, or other schemes that always ended with him doing someone else's homework.

As he sat in the library reading a book, waiting for his brother to finish his football practice so they could go home, he couldn't help but feel vulnerable. This familiar scenario made him choose to ignore the unexpected presence that had appeared across from him and instead redirect his attention back to the book in his hands.

However, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it entirely, whoever had decided it would be a good idea to sit across from him didn't let him concentrate on the book. It felt like one half of his brain was focused on the book while the other half was attentive to the person across from him. He hadn't done anything about it until the person across from him slid their hand into his view.

The hand had blocked a few words, stopping just above the edge of his book, with fingers hovering over the top of the page. It had been blotched, with black streaks and grubby fingernails to match. They had asked, "Whatcha reading?"

Tiwa scowled and looked up. He wasn't one for clichés, but it was undeniable that his soul left his body when he made eye contact with them. He growled and ignored the dark brown-eyed boy, who had been staring at him because he was the one who had helped Kay catch him while they were playing that day.

"You look like a baby deer!" The boy smiled and leaned across the table, pushing the strand of hair that had been falling into Tiwa's eyes.

Without ever breaking the silent battle of wills, Tiwa swatted the hand away and gave a silent glare. Maybe a pointed go-away if his patented glare hadn't done the trick.

The boy raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair, watching Tiwa with an odd sort of smile, one that seemed entirely inappropriate for the situation at hand. "How come I've never seen you here before?"

Tiwa was perplexed. He couldn't understand how the boy hadn't noticed him in the library all this time. Perhaps libraries had some sort of magical memory-voiding power or something. "What? I'm here twice a week, from four to six," he said, offering it as if that were some sort of explanation.

The boy tapped his fingers on the tabletop and pursed his lips as he looked ahead, lost in thought. "Mm, honestly? Which days?"

"Tuesday and Thursday." Tiwa rolled his eyes, but the boy across from him simply grinned.

"Thank you for providing the information." The boy said finally, drawing his hands up, balling them into fists, and then resting his chin on them, elbows pressed into the hard surface of the table.

Tiwa blinks back, unsure of how to respond. The strange approach scared him a bit when he considered the prospect of doing the other boy's homework in the days ahead.

Tiwa snaps out of his thoughts when the magazine on his lap falls. He groans, lowering his head, attempting to anchor his wandering mind, but it slips through his grasp, elusive and untamed.

Frustrated, he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, attempting to clear his mind of all distractions once more. Even though nothing gets his attention, sleep finally overtakes his body and gives it some rest.

Several hours later, he jolts awake to the sound of his phone buzzing. Disregarding the stiffness in his neck, he adjusts his position and gazes at his phone for a moment before reaching for it and perusing the text sent by Decha.

"Come to the lobby. We're heading out for lunch." - Decha

Sighing, Tiwa types a reply stating that he won't go out with anyone if his brother isn't there. Although they are both omegas, Tiwa knows Decha is less concerned because he has some clever tricks up his sleeve to protect himself from humiliation. Plus, he always has the comfort of knowing that there's a strong and protective presence watching over him.

Tiwa doesn't think things are any easier, just like Decha does. Also, he doesn't believe others in his safety. So whenever Decha calls him to get out of the room, he finds some excuse about why he can't go. Not today, though. He groans as he hears his phone buzzing again, signaling that he has received another text.

"Don't worry. Your brother will be there." - Decha

Tiwa bites his lip and stares at the text. He can't help but wonder if it's true or just a trick. He berates himself for overthinking when the answer is right in front of him. Determined, he calls his brother's number to confirm Decha's statement. Once his brother confirms and asks if he's okay with it, Tiwa hangs up the phone. Finally, Decha's wish comes to fruition—they are going to hang out.