Chapter Text
And a week after that fashion show, Tee found himself and the kids sitting on the VIP area of Por’s concert venue. “Is papa coming out now?” Aela asked while waving Por’s light stick – a polar bear paws that is also a snow globe but with long handle. If you shake the light stick, you will see the tiny stars moving. “Maybe” Tee replied unsurely because he knows there’s a VCR that Por and his team provided. The screams were loud when it finally started.
‘When I was young, all I wanted was to perform on stage and exhaust myself performing. I imagine myself standing in front of the crowds who are enjoying my music’
It was Por’s voice. A montage of him and his career showing – when he was just starting, recording song, meeting the fans. “Papa is so pretty” Aero said while he was watching intensely. “Papa?” Aeris asked as she played with her light stick. She would giggle every time the stars move and the light stick changes color.
“I used to perform in front of my husband – Tee and he would use his phone flash light as a light stick. I remember that argument with my parents… when they refused to let me pursue singing. Tee built a stage for me where I performed in front of him and our friends.’
And it showed those exact moments, Tee building the stage with North, Wave, Thomas, and Auau. It was when Por just gave birth to the twins.
You can see the tiny cribs on the side but Por wasn’t there because that day, he spent a whole day locked up inside their room crying. That’s how the VCR ended, no outro, no anything. “IT’S PAPA” the twins exclaimed and clapped their hands when Por finally appeared. He was holding a guitar, dressed up in Tee’s shirt and washed-out denim jeans. The arena cheered for him and he smiled sweetly.
“Pip… you really belong on the stage” was what Tee whispered to himself. The first song was a cheerful one.
“Unexpected people comes in our life
And I had mine when I was in college
A younger business ad student.
He was persistent, you give him an inch, he takes a mile”
Por’s angelic voice wrapped around them like a blanket. Tee couldn’t help to laugh. It’s Por’s concert yet the first song he sang was the song written for him. “THAT’S DADDY!” Aela shouted excitedly. Aeris clapped her hands and bounced on her pudgy toes while watching papa. The fans posted clips on different platform and Por will always be relevant. Different articles and news outlets are posting about his concert.
“He would call me ‘ter’ and pout when I glare at him
His energy is always at 200%
But it never drains me
In fact, he gives me energy
I thought I was never gonna fall
But surprise, we have now three kids”
The fans, despite falling in love, laughed at the lyrics. Of course, it’s always the unexpected stuffs. Por’s fans are aware that Por don’t have that much social battery. He was quiet and reserved, some even call him cold but Por has this charm – his cuteness, his angel-like looks, his funny humor. “Daddy” the twins couldn’t even finish their words because they were laughing. “Funny” Aeris giggled and covered her mouth. Tee sighed and looked at his kids helplessly.
“You’re teasing daddy, huh?” he asked and tickled them lightly. “Man, we’re late” wave suddenly spoke and sat beside Aero. “UNCLES!!” the kids yelled excitedly and clapped their hands. North took Aeris and settled her on his lap. “You’re late” Tee scolded them and Auau just chuckled. “North was driving like a turtle” Thomas even sighed and they just took over and took the kids.
The camera pans to them and Por let out a smile. His family’s here. Auau waved at the camera and Aeris pouted, the one that looks like Por. “We’re late, sorry!” Thomas mouthed and waved his hand. This circle was one of the strongest circles of friends that they have seen. They’ve heard bits of stories from each people. The college friends who stick together. Thomas works as a director, North and Wave are both BL actors and making names with their onscreen partners (NorthOtto and TheeWave). Auau’s a member of tpop boyband DEXX.
The concert lasted four hours since Por also included some games and entertainment to the audience. He stood in the middle of the stage after his last performance. “Thank you to everyone who came to see me. Please take care on your way home” he said affectionately and waved. The lights on the venue were turned off, fans leaving, but the gang remained.
They waited for Por in the backstage. The kids’ energy was at 300% so they’re not planning to sleep anytime. “Should we recreate our college photo?” Auau asked while he was chasing Aeris. He showed them the college photo, it was the six of them laying down on the floor, wearing all their graduation gown despite graduating separate years. “That’s smart” Por said after he drank the water that Tee opened for him. Tee chuckled and North side-eyed him, he was braiding Aela’s hair.
“No, but Pippor has this habit of drinking from the side of his mouth when using straw” Tee said and copied Por’s way of drinking. The straw on the side of his mouth and tilted head. Por pinched his side and rolled his eyes. “Stop it, Tee” but their friends are laughing when they realized it. Aero was climbing like a monkey bar.
“You see the difference?” Thomas asked when he wore his graduation gown but holding his awards – Film Director of the Year, All Time Favorite Director, and Film Industries Director. Wave and North printed their own series where they’re the main lead – Hate You, Love You (NorthOtto), The Second Chance We’ll Take (NorthOtto), Unexpected Person (TheeWave), Case No. 2346: Finding Raon. Auau, holding his group’s albums – Clang Clang by DEXX, Summer Shine by DEXX. Tee holding his magazine and the café’s logo and Por, holding his mic, albums, and their café’s logo picture.
They stared at themselves in the camera and burst out laughing. “Remember when we have to share laundry detergents because we’re barely holding on?” Tee asked. “When we used to to accept extra shifts just to pay tuition” Por added. The six of them stood in the middle of the empty stage and took the photo.
The kids’ and the staffs are their audience as they recreated the photos. They’ll be entering their 30s soon but they know, they will never forget those college days that they tried to romanticize (money will come back even if we spent it today. Rant now, procrastinate later. Do today, due today). Tee scooped the kids up and they made space for them. “Smile” Por commanded and the kids’ stuck their tongue out.
They posted the two collaged photos on their own accounts.
@twnpch_
College humbled us all
@porsuppakarn_
Six college boys with only dream and caffeine.
@jaonorth
Back when we treat mental breakdowns as daily affirmations
@thomastsch
Lesson learned: romanticize your college days, it gets you by
@auauofficial
Money will come back. Rant now, procrastinate later. Do today, due today – this was our daily motivations
@wAve
What should I say? They already said it. ChatGPT, construct an emotional message for me.
The twins watched the six of them laugh, of course, they know nothing about the twins’ time-traveled. But the twins witnessed all of these, the breakdowns, sharing laundry detergent, Por choosing to cook for all of them despite the different schedules.
“See you when we see you” Tee said when he placed sleeping Aeris on her baby car seat. “Man, working is hard” Thomas groaned and stretched his arm. He was the director of North and Otto’s series – Hate You, Love You. “Should I massage you, director?” North asked and Thomas side-eyed him. “You’re so fake” he said and North pretended he was hurt. “Don’t be so dramatic, warrior” Por said when North was about to speak.
Tee drove them back home while holding Por’s hand. The kids have fallen asleep in the backseat so it’s just two of them. “Ter” Tee called and Por looked at him. “Hmm?” he asked. “I love you” Tee said as he glanced at him. “I love you” Por replied and kissed the back of Tee’s palm and the younger did the same thing.
When they got home, they didn’t sleep immediately instead, they watched the kids’ sleep. Silence engulfed the two of them, no words were spoken, just them admiring the life they created.
And Vava, she was watching all of these from the sky. She smiled and finally, her little snow globe blacked out. “Live a life, my kids” was Vava’s last words.