The days after the dance show seemed to pass quickly. Whether it was fetching water from the well, helping Tang San with chores, or sneaking off into the nearby hills, Ayan and Tang San were almost never apart.
One afternoon, the two sat by the edge of a quiet stream, skipping stones across the water's surface. The gentle plop of each stone was broken only by their occasional bursts of laughter.
"You throw like a granny," Ayan teased after Tang San's stone sank without skipping.
Tang San snorted. "Says the one who missed completely last time."
Ayan grinned, tossing another stone that bounced three times before sinking. "I still beat you."
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, listening to the trickling water. Then Tang San spoke, his voice softer than usual.
"You know… before you came, I didn't really have anyone to talk to. Most kids think I'm strange."
Ayan leaned back on his hands, looking up at the clear blue sky. "Guess that makes two of us. I don't fit in much either. But… we don't need the rest of them, right? Just us."
Tang San looked over, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Brothers?"
"Brothers," Ayan confirmed, holding out his fist.
Tang San bumped it with his own, sealing their wordless promise.
From that day on, their bond wasn't just friendship — it was a brotherhood forged in laughter, shared secrets, and the unspoken vow to watch each other's backs, no matter what the future held.