Hope's morning started at 11:00.

He had long been kept awake at night by the loud moans of the couple in the room across the hall. Occasionally he heard their voices, and he felt ashamed that he was unwittingly listening to their passionate speeches, so he put on headphones and turned up the music, but he didn't fall asleep to it either, so he just tried to fall asleep with a pillow over his head. Questions attacked his head incessantly:

"Grandpa and Yellow? How is that even possible?

Troy's straight. Or is he? Now I'm not sure. Maybe he plays for both teams?

What about the almost three times age difference?

Do they love each other? No, they just met, and Grandpa's a free spirit, like he keeps saying.

So it's a one-night stand? Who took advantage of who?

Are the walls cardboard? You can even recognize the words... ahhh....

Told you sick people needed a good night's sleep. How can I sleep in this environment? I can't sleep a wink with all this moaning.

How embarrassing! It's like I'm peeking through a keyhole at my friends' sex, or worse, my parents' sex.

How can I look them in the eye now?

What do I tell them in the morning? Pretend I didn't hear anything and was in a deep sleep all night?

How long will this last?

How long can it last?

Why so long? Wow, Grandpa, and you're still full of energy... Well done, Grandpa!

Gods, what am I thinking?"

Finally awake, Hope tiptoed down the hallway without washing his face and went down to the first floor. The house was dead silent, so they weren't awake yet.

The boy, as quietly as possible, poured water into the kettle and put it on the fire. He wanted to get something to eat and go upstairs so that he wouldn't have to face the household. He made himself a sandwich and brewed some tea, then slowly pushed back his chair, sat down and began to chew slowly and sipped very carefully from the mug.

Suddenly.

"Why are you moving so funny like a sloth? Something hurt?" - Troy's rather loud voice from the stairs startled Hope, his hand went slack and the mug of tea landed on the table with a loud thud, spilling half of its contents.

"Something's definitely wrong, and he's all flushed. Is your temperature up again?" - The man walked over to the boy and touched his forehead: "It's all right. No fever. What happened then?" -Grandpa sat down on a chair opposite his son and looked intently into his face, the boy in turn averted his eyes.

"It's all right, Grandpa. Did you...ahem...get a good night's sleep?" - Hope looked first at the puddle on the table, then stood up and went to get a rag.

"Yeah, I slept well," a satisfied smile spread across Troy's face.

"Well yes, you slept good, of course you did. Even I didn't sleep!" - Hope's thoughts were answering his grandpa's remarks, but he didn't dare speak aloud.

For a moment there was silence.

Suddenly there came the slightly muffled sound of water from above and... a beautiful voice singing There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back (Shawn Mendes), every word of the chorus was audible:

And maybe I should stop and start confessing

Confessing, yeah

Oh, I've been shaking

I love it when you go crazy

You take all my inhibitions

Baby, there's nothing holdin' me back

"Wow, how audible our house is...and I didn't realize..." - Troy said quietly and looked into Hope's eyes, who looked away again.

"I'm going to go to my place. I don't want breakfast, I've already had a snack," the boy wanted to leave quickly and was already getting up, but Troy's strong hand stopped him:

"Stop! Son, sit down, let's talk. If you leave, the situation will only get worse. You and I have talked about all sorts of things! I'm ashamed and embarrassed too, but we have to get over this feeling. Did you hear something last night? When I got out of the shower, you seemed to be asleep, or was it just me?"

"I was just reflexing with my eyes closed..."

"I see. Sorry... Ahem... Was it really loud?" - at the same time as Troy's words, the guy in the shower went back to the chorus and was already singing at the top of his voice, which made them look at each other and smile, and the man added: "You don't have to answer that, honey. Ahem. It's pretty self-explanatory. Do you perhaps have any questions?"

"A million! A million questions for you, Grandpa!" - The boy remembered how for nearly five hours last night there had been countless questions running through his mind, and he really wanted answers to them, but he was too embarrassed to say them out loud right now, so he just squeezed one out as he realized that Grandpa wouldn't just let him go:

"Are you and Yellow having an affair? Or..."

"Or a one-night stand? Is that what you were going to ask? Or rather just that?" - Troy laughed.

"Just that for now," Hope muttered embarrassedly.

"I like the kid. He's simple, open and honest. He's also...sweet...and good at everything...including...," Troy spoke with pauses and a slyness in his eyes before the boy, who was drenched in color, interrupted him abruptly:

"I got it, don't go on, please!"

"Ahahaha, I meant to say in business planning. Didn't he help you with your project yesterday?!" - Grandpa was clearly having fun joking at his son. Laughing back, he added seriously: "I don't know if there's a sequel waiting for us, but...I'd like to give it a try."

At that moment, footsteps were heard on the stairs and turning around, the family saw Panit with wet hair in a t-shirt and short shorts, smiling at all 32. Hope immediately stood up and went to the stove with the kettle.

"Good morning, haven't you had breakfast yet? I can make you something," the rumpy-haired boy slowly walked over to Troy and furtively gave him a quick kiss on the temple, thinking Hope couldn't see. But the man turned his head just then and, blushing again, turned away:

"Oh, I'm so uncomfortable in this house. What if this night happens again? And more than once? I should get earplugs!"

Hope coughed warningly and, taking an apple from a large bowl, sat down at the table:

"I've had a snack, and Grandpa hasn't eaten anything yet. Grandpa, are you going to let a guest to boss around in your kitchen?"

"Of course not. This rule is unalterable! I'll whip something up real quick," Troy's cheeks flushed slightly, and smiling a mysterious smile not yet seen on Hope's face, he headed for the refrigerator.

"Did you sleep well?" - The boy blurted out as he looked at Panit. He wanted only to ask him that question in his mind, but the words jumped out, and he was immediately embarrassed before he could contain them in time.

"Don't answer that! That rascal heard everything in the night, and he's probably trying to tease you like that. Ain't that right, son?" - Troy hovered over Hope with a frying spatula.

"Sorry, P'Panit, it just slipped out..." - Two apologetic oceans looked back and forth at both Troy and his guest, who sat with slightly flushed cheeks and smiled sweetly, fixing his hair with his hand.

"Let's get it all out at once, or do you want to shoot questions at us in portions?" - The man added.

Hope gathered his thoughts and strength and began to speak slowly, picking his words, "Okay. You asked for it... I'm just worried about both of you. It was mildly surprising to me to hear... to learn that you... sympathize with each other so much, even though you only met yesterday."

There was silence.

It was only when Troy was about to say something that Panit's quiet voice came through, "I guess you're not the only one surprised by what happened. Yesterday morning, I thought I was in a deep hole, it just so happened that everything in my life had gone downhill, but... When Hia came and reached out to me, I was so happy. We haven't had a chance to talk to him yet, but I can also tell in front of you that I have never felt as comfortable around anyone as I did with him... I don't want to annoy you too much. Please forgive me for this situation. If you have something your mind, I'll take the blame for it." When he finished, looking into the eyes of his interlocutor, the boy blushed and lowered his head.

While Hope took a couple seconds to digest Panit's words, Troy coughed and said:

"Boys, let me summarize and we'll have coffee together with roti, whipped cream and mango! I want to say right off the bat that no one is guilty of anything. Honestly, I didn't know this house was so audible, we must have lived quietly with you before, son. Ha-ha. You, Panit, don't bother us at all... ahem... I'll buy soundproofing today... well, for the future... all sorts of situations can happen in life," Troy started cheerfully, but at the end of his speech he got a little stifled and looked at the boy with his head down.

Hope realized that Grandpa was unusually embarrassed because he hadn't talked to Panit about what had happened, so he didn't know how their relationship would develop, so he got up from the table and said cheerfully, "Thanks, Grandpa, I'm full of sandwiches and I have so much homework to do. Panit, I'm glad you're safe now. Behind grandpa like a stone wall! That's it, I'm going to my room!" - The boy ran up the stairs.

But as he rounded the corner Hope did not enter the room, but only slammed the door, and remained to overhear the conversation of the couple. He'd never done that in his life, it was embarrassing, but his interest in what was going on was off the charts, and he compromised his principles once.

"You're not mad at me?" - Panit broke the silence.

"Why? You didn't do anything wrong, on the contrary... you gave me a wonderful night. I was of course a little shocked by what happened, but I've given it a lot of thought. I wouldn't mind getting to know you better and maybe... we have a chance for a future together," Grandpa spoke seriously and softly - that tone was his thing.

"Really, Snowy? You just voiced my thoughts."

"What?" – Blurted out Troy.

"I'm sorry, Hia! It slipped out," Panit hurriedly excused himself.

"Ahahahaha! Why Snowy?" - laughed the man.

"Well, you're so white like snow... really I've only seen it in movies and pictures..." - After these words from Panit, Hope smiled widely and even had to cover his mouth to avoid making a sound.

*Ding*

The doorbell rang, then it opened and male voices were heard:

"Hello Hia! I brought the documents from Amon as you requested. He swore at me, so I had to loosen him up a little," apparently it was one of the kids from the Farm.

Hope had no idea what documents he was talking about, and he only knew one Amon, a former client who no longer showed up at the Club after talking to Grandpa.

"Ha, and he's in his repertoire, idiot. That's okay, he won't have long to shit left and right with impunity. Tell everyone I'll be there in an hour. Get ready," Troy closed the door and started rustling papers.

After a minute he spoke cheerfully, "Kid, congratulations! You're debt free!"

"How, that can't be!" - came the sound of a chair falling.

"Come look yourself. You wasn't the only one who Amon  crossed. That asshole's a disgusting creature! When I think of what he wanted to do to my son, I want to kill him," Troy's angry words made Hope realize that this was the same client and that he was somehow connected to Yellow's debt.

Panit rustled the papers and then shouted "Snowy!" and there was silence. Hope listened, turning around and putting his ear close to the stairs, but heard nothing as he suddenly...

"Aaaaahhhh," someone's quiet, blissful moan echoed from the first floor and the boy abruptly crept toward the door of his room. As he slowly pulled the knob down, another one sounded, and Hope's heart was already pounding wildly:

"We can't hurry! Otherwise they'll notice!"

Going inside at last, and closing the door sloooooowly behind him, the boy slid to the floor and grinned.

It was clear to him that Panit would be staying here indefinitely and Grandpa would be happy about that, judging by his words.

"And when your close person is happy, so are you," Hope thought as he put on his headphones and turned the music up to full volume.

The day stretched on long and sweetly. Hope felt fine, with only a slightly bothersome runny nose. He didn't have to go anywhere and transform, he could be himself in these walls and it was a joy. He did his homework, completed a project, did a few sets of 40 push-ups and jumped on the jump rope. After a few hours, he sneaked out of his room and tiptoed down to the kitchen where he saw Panit alone reading a book. That meant that Grandpa was already at work. They got to talking and the guest told him his life story and how Troy had gotten him out of the shit he'd gotten himself into. Then they had a fun game of basketball in the backyard.

Toward 7 p.m., the homeowner arrived with a large number of bags and thunderously announced:

"We're having a barbecue party tonight!"

While the men were getting everything ready for dinner, a cargo van arrived and guys in blue tracksuits began unloading rolls of soundproofing membrane, drywall and tools, and bringing everything into the house.

"Grandpa, have you decided to open your recording studio?" - Hope couldn't resist joking, and Panit blushed as he realized why the man needed the materials.

"Shhh, child! All my aspirations for you! You might as well check it out," Troy chuckled, glancing at his young guest.

While they were enjoying an outdoor barbecue to their grandpa's favorite music, the noise from the renovations being done in the house continued unabated.

After three hours, the boys in blue said their goodbyes and left, and Troy announced that the party had come to an end. Panit volunteered to do the dishes, and Hope and Grandpa stayed outside and gazed into the dark, cloudless sky for a while longer.

"I'm happy for you, Grandpa! Yellow is a good kid, smart and open-minded, just like you. I hope things work out for you," Hope began.

"Thanks, son. You're right - he's almost a carbon copy of me, just a little one. I try not to look too far ahead. Here and now - I feel good," the man replied, not taking his eyes off the clear starry sky.

"Grandpa, I feel great already. We'll stop by tomorrow morning to pick up a note from Dr. Sunan, I've already made arrangements, and I'll be back to school."

Troy turned his head sharply and looked at his son studyingly, then sighed and said: "Okay. I won't race you tomorrow, we'll do some gun assembly and disassembly and go to the hospital."

"Okay. I'm going to bed," Hope turned around and touched the man's shoulder, but he placed his palm on top of Hope's: "Thank you, sweetheart. Nothing much will change for the two of us. I promise."

"I'm sure in your huge heart we can both fit comfortably. I'm not worried one bit. Sweet dreams...ahem...ahem...well, or a fun night," the boy chuckled and disappeared behind the door.

"Shameless," a happy smile spread across Troy's lips, he ruffled his hair and went into the kitchen to Panit.

Wednesday morning

Hope woke up before his alarm clock, feeling sleepy and full of energy. As he washed his face and got ready, Troy flew into the room as usual:

"Sleepy bird, it's time to get up... Wow, you're all packed already! I'll run to make breakfast then," as he was about to leave, the man stopped and asked a little embarrassed: "And that... Did you sleep well today?"

"Slept like a baby. Did you?" - Hope chuckled.

"I won't answer your provocative questions! Get downstairs!" - Troy spoke theatrically menacingly, but you could tell by the look on his face how happy he was. Still, unable to contain his smile, he walked out the door, and Hope, smiling, collapsed on the bed and closed his eyes.

"It must be great to be so close to someone you like," he muttered, and the image of Jake's hateful stare appeared in front of his eyes again. He stood up, shook his head to push the vision away, and said to himself: "Fly away, little bird! I won't think about it anymore. Be as it will!"

After the breakfast and forty minutes of speedy disassembly and reassembly of the machine gun, Troy and his son changed their clothes and went to the car. Panit saw them off with a bag in his hands, and as Hope climbed into the car, the boy rose on tiptoe and kissed the man on the nose, which made him smile from ear to ear and grabbed him by the waist, pulled him close and kissed him softly on the lips. Hope, pretending not to see anything, began rummaging through his backpack.

Troy slid into his old Mercedes with the ease of a chamois and he and Hope headed for the hospital.

"Here, Panit made lunch for you while we were training," the man handed over a lunchbox bag.

"Wow, thanks to him. That's right, the way to a man's heart is through his son's stomach!" - laughed Hope.

"He's so cute, isn't he!" - cheered Grandpa, and then, apparently remembering something, continued: "Remember that little bird that flew in to visit us when you and Panit were laboring on the project. Any guesses as to who it was?" - The man spoke cheerfully a couple minutes after leaving.

"I have no idea. Calleo maybe?" - The guy suggested.

"No. Okay, I guess you'll never guess. Ha ha ha. Oh, youth... That was your coach," Troy muttered and looked at Hope, whose eyes were almost popping out of their arbs at this point, his mouth ajar and his fingers pressed hard into his knees.

"Aren't you going to faint? Should I open the window? Though no, out of harm's way! Sometimes I don't know what teenagers have in their heated heads. I don't remember being like that.

"And...and...and...what? Why? P...please, Grandpa, go on!" - the guy finally started to speak, staring at the driver and waiting impatiently for his answer.

"Worried about you and the team, since the game with the other school is on Friday," Troy spoke calmly, not taking his eyes off the road.

"Ahhhh, I see. He could have called... Why come!" - Hope muttered quietly.

"Ahahahaha. Were you hoping he'd sing you a Don Juan serenade under your windows? Ah, come to the window my treasure! Come and dry my tears. If you reject me, I'll die before your eyes. You whose lips are sweeter than honey, you whose heart is full of love and tenderness. Don't be cruel to me, my joy, my beauty!"

While Troy was tearing up his throat, Hope thought:

"Really, what was I hoping for?"

The man finished and turned to his son, who sat blacker than a cloud, "Well, I'm sorry, honey! Don't make such a sad face, please. Why did I even bring him up?! Oh, I got a few things out of him. First of all, he knows you and Red are the same person, and I think he's gonna keep it a secret. Second, he wants to help you, but he doesn't know how. I don't know how to get you out yet either, but one thing I do know is that this whole feelings thing is not a good thing right now. You're not going to be able to handle it in the current situation."

Every word Troy said made him feel like he was being doused with ice water, cold and hot, his thoughts confused:

"He knows? Came here for what? Worried about me. Why? Can he? No, no. What if? I can't, no way! It's nearly a year yet!"

"Okay, don't be quiet, please!" - Seeing the boy's condition, Troy was already pulling over to the side of the road and, stopping the car, leaned over and started rubbing his son's hands, "Come on, let's not worry beforehand. We'll see what happens"

"Uh-huh. Right away, Grandpa... It's just... it all shocked me, though I had thoughts that he knew all about me. And how did he find out? What's he going to do next? Why is he mad at me? I have hundreds of questions... And I have to go to training today. How? How can I look him in the eye? Just thinking about it makes me sick. Aaaaah. What a miserable fate!" - Troy saw signs of hysteria in the boy's words and actions, as he moved his hands erratically, clutching his head and rubbing his shorts, his eyes running and already glistening with tears.

"Yep. It's a good thing we're going to the hospital. I'll ask Dr. Sunanan for a sedative. What a fool I am...bad timing to bring this up," Troy turned on some soothing music and pulled the old lady onto the road.

In Sunan's office

There was no face on the kid and the doctor noticed it right away:

"Young man, please take the couch. You said on the phone that you were completely healthy, but you don't look... ahem... I can't tell."

Having performed all the necessary manipulations, the doctor announced:

"Physically, everything is almost perfect. Oh, youth! Everything on you kids heals like on cats. And I, if I get sick, I'm down for a week or even two, but it rarely happens"

Sunan walked to his desk and summarized, "If your body is fine, then your soul hurts. Can I help?"

"I'm just a little stressed out, I thi...-I think it'll pass," Hope mumbled, stammering.

"Doctor, can't you give him a mild sedative? He's young - his blood's rushing, he's got a lot on his mind. I'm worried," Troy, who had hitherto been silent, entered the conversation.

"I can. There's an herbal remedy that stabilizes the nervous state. I'll give him a prescription," Sunan wrote out the medicine and handed it to Hope together with the certificate: "Be strong, my dear! I understand you - not an easy fate, and 18 years - a difficult age in itself, they say "the crisis of meeting with adulthood", a lot of unanswered questions, and if there is also unrequited love, it seems to be a lost cause, hehehe. I won't give you any advice, I think you're a good guy with a smart head, you can overcome anything."

Hope smiled at Sunan, thanked him and he and Troy walked out of the building. Their next destination was school. It was reassuring to the boy that there would still be time before class to sit under the shade of the albizia and think about it all.

As they pulled into the school parking lot, Hope looked for a silver Mazda CX-5, but he didn't find it, and he didn't understand why he was a little upset about it.

After saying goodbye to Grandpa and picking up the medicine they had bought on the way, he made his way to his bench and, assuming a relaxed pose, closed his eyes and began a quiet dialog with himself:

"So he really recognized me! I wonder when and how it happened?

Not on the first day of coming to school? That's unrealistic.

Why didn't he tell me everything right away? He could have found a way to tell me.

Maybe he was quietly making fun of me. But I didn't see it. He didn't pick on me with words or actions.

But he was angry. What made him angry?

Grandpa says he's worried about me. He even came to my house... Does that mean he feels something? No, no, no, no, Hope, don't get your hopes up, it'll hurt a lot more when it turns out to be wrong. Maybe he's worried, like P's worried about Nong.

We need to be calm and collected. I threw an hysteria in front of Grandpa, it's embarrassing! I was as nervous as a kid who broke an expensive vase and is waiting at home for his mom, who's already been informed of what happened.

Oh, I'm so scared! I can't look him in the eye, I can't talk to him. Gods, please help me! Let the training not happen today!!!"

Hope tried to bring himself to order through breathing exercises, but it was barely helping, everything was turning over inside, his heart was racing, his palms were sweating, and his whole body was shaking.

He remembered about the pills, took water out of his backpack and took one. Just then Jean ran up to him and started in a concerned voice:

"Honey, hi, how are you? Did you come to school sick since you have to take pills?"

"Hi, honey! I'm fine, and these are just vitamins - Grandpa's anxiety knows no bounds," Hope lied as plausibly as possible, because he didn't want to answer his friend's many questions, and he couldn't tell her much.

"How was your weekend?" - he decided to steer the conversation away from his person.

"It was the usual. Nothing too bad," she answered vaguely, and Hope got worried:

"The weekend's 'usual,' but you, Jean's kind of unusual. Every time you give me a whole rant about your parents, homework, and even tell me about the movies you've seen, and now you're just four words. Tell me, what did you do?"

"How insightful you are, though! Everything's just fine. I didn't watch anything, my parents went to their relatives for four days, and I did my homework, what's to talk about?"

Just then, Pruit ran up to the guys, "Jean, let's talk!"

But the girl quickly stood up and without saying anything, walked briskly to the school building.

"What happened while I was gone? Did you have a fight?" - Hope didn't understand the situation.

"We didn't have a fight. We'll talk later, buddy!" - Pruit patted his friend on the shoulder and ran in the same direction Jean had left a few seconds ago.

"What's up with them?" - The friends were acting weird again and it couldn't help but worry the boy.

Classes flew by quickly, even too quickly, and Hope distracted himself as best he could from thoughts of the upcoming training. He had posted in the seniors' chat room about an emergency gathering during the big break to discuss the inexorably approaching trip to the sea.

During the break between second and third class, he noticed that Jean left the classroom right after the bell rang and Pruit followed her. Hope decided to talk to his friends and followed them.

They went into the library, Jean sat down by the window and began to leaf through a small book, and Pruit picked up the first book he could find without looking and went over to it and began to read aloud with expression on a randomly opened page:

"Once upon a time there lived a wave and loved a cliff, somewhere in the sea, say, in the bay of Capri. She showered it with foam and spray, kissed it day and night, wrapped her white arms around it. She sighed, and cried, and begged: "Come to me, cliff!" She loved him, she pelted him with foam, and slowly undermined him. And then one day, quite undermined, the cliff swayed and collapsed into her arms..."

Hope recognized the Arc de Triomphe, but he didn't understand what it was all about. The guys didn't notice him, so he stopped at the bookcase to watch the events unfold.

(From the Author: "Arc de Triomphe" by Erich Maria Remarque)

"What are you doing?" - Jean asked sternly.

"Reading. I mean, it's a public library. It's interestingly written, don't you think?" - Pruit spoke softly and slightly playfully, the kind of tone of a friend was new to Hope.

"There's still plenty of room here. I want to be alone. Leave me alone!"

"Jean, let's talk already! We're not little kids, after all! Why do I have to follow you around everywhere?" - Pruit was boiling, but it was obvious he was holding back.

"I've told you everything already. You don't have to do anything. Stop following me, Pruit," Jean lowered her head and seemed sad, this prompted Hope to suddenly appear.

"Why are you guys here? Now that's a craving for knowledge! Haven't observed such a thing in you before," the headman walked over and stood between them, placing his hands on their shoulders. Pruit grew sad, and Jean, as if seeing Hope as a lifeline, immediately began to babble and giggle:

"I'm finally getting my head on straight, Hopie! You see - all your efforts to get me to acquire more knowledge have not been in vain! Are you glad?"

"I'm off to class," Pruit muttered and walked away, and Jean immediately relaxed.

"So what's going on with you guys? Just let's be honest, I can see everything, and I'm no fool," the headman said seriously. Jean immediately lowered her eyes and mumbled: "Weeeell, it's a long story... a few words won't do."

"What? I've only been gone for two days! Did you two have a fight after all? Did he mess up again and now he's running around begging for forgiveness?"

"No, it's not like that... Let's do it after school! I'll tell you everything honestly!"

"I have.... training after school and then work. How about tomorrow morning on the bench?"

"Deal. Let's go to class! Class is coming up," Jean took Hope's hand and pulled him toward the library exit.