HEMP ROPE

19.

*When two seniors graduated*

At Pharm's condo.

 

"Celebrating exam completion!! Celebrating Dean and Hia's graduation, yay!"

 

Team clinked his glass with everyone in the circle. The said circle were just a group of four people: Dean, Win, Pharm and Team himself. Of course, the idea was his, being the most cheerful guy. Drinking wasn't their habit, but they did once in a while. A glass of amber liquid after another went from one hand to another. Empty bottles were pushed to the corner of the room.

 

Dean glanced at Pharm, laughing next to him. His cheeks turned light red, his eyes were glistening, but it seemed his consciousness was fully intact.

 

"Are you ok? You have had many." Dean asked, but Pharm gave him a wide grin.

"I'm good. I know my limit."

 

"Holy cow, you're a heavyweight." Win was slowing down; he was getting tipsy.

 

"My mother taught my siblings and me to drink when we were fifteen. My family runs a restaurant. There are lots of people drinking there. She wanted us to learn how to handle drinking." Pharm said as he mixed his drink. Pharm's drink was neither light nor heavy.

 

"Then how much could you handle?"

 

The young man thought about it. "To be honest, P' Win... I don't know either."

"What?" Dean and Win questioned.

 

"The one teaching me to drink had got drunk before I was. So, I quit drinking." Pharm was about to mix another glass of drink for Dean, but Dean shook his head.

 

"That's good", Dean muttered. At least Pharm could handle himself well with alcohol.

 

"P' Win..'m good but argh!!!" Pharm rolled over, his head almost hitting the floor. Dean saved him from it.

 

"Pharmmm." The affectionate voice creeped them out. Dean furrowed his brows, followed by his eyes rolling. He forgot.

 

"You're heavy, Team." Pharm held back his big lug of a friend, who turned affectionate. "I was about to say. Team's lightweight. Ngh-hh, stop, stop." His two hands pushed back his best friend's face. You can't kiss a person just because you're drunk!!

 

"Fuck! Team!" Dean grouched, pulling at Team's collar and throwing him back. He wrapped protective arms around his Pharm.

 

"You ever drink with him alone?"

"Er." Pharm scratched his cheek. "Nothing happened, P' Dean."

 

He quickly explained to avoid misunderstanding. Luckily, Dean was accepting without drama. He picked up his glass and downed the rest to finish a drink today, but... Sloshhh.

 

"Cough, Team. Oi, cough, cough." Pharm choked on his drink, seeing how Team clambered on Win and kissed him. Dean tsked, one hand closed Pharm's eyes, another rubbing his back. His leg pushed against his friend.

 

"Enough, you jerk." Look at him returning the kiss!

 

"Sorry." Win laughed, liking what he got. His hand brought Team's head to his chest. "I'm having too much fun."

 

He hadn't seen Team intoxicated since the raft trip years ago. He couldn't help it. Pharm tried to remove Dean's arms to secure him. He had the gist of these two's relationship, but this was the first time he saw it firsthand. Geez, he wished he could take a photo of that incident!

 

"Stop, enough for today." Dean held a naughty kid up. "Extra mattresses and pillows are over there." Pharm got frequent visitors.

 

"And don't you dare!" He reiterated to laughing Win. As for Pharm, he looked dejected; he fussed. I want to see them, P' Deannnn!