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Gun almost bounces down the hallway, buzzing with excitement - they got their music results back and he got full marks! No one else got full marks! He can’t wait to tell his parents, they’re going to be so proud of him - and maybe they’ll take him out for dinner as a treat.
Unable to stop grinning, Gun has to stop outside the office to compose himself before pushing open the door. Looking around, he finds the secretary behind her desk typing something, and makes his way over to her. “Hello, I got called down?”
The secretary looks at him, then pushes her glasses up her nose, squinting slightly. “Name, please?”
“Um, Gun. Guntaphon Wongwitthaya.”
She nods and writes down something on a sticky note before picking up the phone next to her. “You have a phone call.”
A phone call? Gun nods, thanking her, and takes the receiver. There’s a sudden feeling of dread in his stomach - he was just thinking about calling his dad about his top score, but why would he be called?
Shaking his head, Gun puts it to his ear. Everything is fine, probably. He can just tell his dad about his score now! “Hello?”
“Gun? Baby?” It’s his mom. She sounds off - like she’s been crying, or like she’s trying not to cry. The good mood Gun’s in dissipates instantly.
Swallowing, he brings the receiver closer to his mouth. “Mom? What’s wrong, are you okay? Why did you call me?”
There’s a beat, and the silence feels deafening. “Baby, I’m - I’m okay, Gun, but I just got a -” she cuts off, inhaling. “I’m coming to pick you up, okay? Don’t worry about your - your bag, we’ll get it later. Just - stay there, okay?”
Gun doesn’t realize how tightly he’s been holding the phone until his hand starts to ache. Loosening his grip, he says, “Mom, what happened?” The desperation seeps into his voice, but he doesn’t understand, he doesn’t get why his mom sounds like that and -
“It’s your dad,” his mom says, voice cracking. “He got into an accident.”
Gun’s heart stops.
“What?”
“I’m almost there, darling, don’t worry, okay? Everything’s going to be okay, just - stay there, I’m almost there,” she says, and Gun thinks he says something in response but he’s not quite paying attention because it doesn’t - it doesn’t make sense.
He’s supposed to call his dad and give him the good news and they’re supposed to go celebrate and then - and then Gun is supposed to - what is Gun supposed to do? What is he -?
A tap on his shoulder gets his attention, and he glances up to find the secretary frowning down at him. “Is everything okay?”
Gun blinks, realizing he’s trembling. Why is he trembling? Nothing else is moving. It’s just him. Opening his mouth, he tries to say something. “M-” he swallows. “My mom -”
The secretary pauses before leaning over the counter and easing the receiver out of his hand. Gun forgot to put it back. He should have - done that.
He’s staring at the receiver blankly when the secretary steps out and guides him to a chair. “Take a seat, okay? Do you want some water?”
Gun nods jerkily. He doesn’t know if he actually wants water, but he’s still shaking and maybe that will help him stop. The secretary pats his knee and turns to get the water.
Tilting his head down, Gun looks at his own hands and watches as water appears on them. Why is the - it can’t be raining indoors, why -
He’s crying.
Suddenly, Gun is acutely aware of his tears, streaming down his face and he can’t stop shaking, all he can think about is the fact that he was supposed to tell his dad about his score and they were supposed to go out and he doesn’t know what’s happening, anymore, because his dad isn’t - it’s not right, nothing’s right, Gun is useless all he can do is sit there and wait for his mom to come.
It feels like the end of the world, right there in the office.