TL Chapter 6

“Hey, are you for real, Âi Shin-jang? Aren't you afraid your senior will cut your ties or something?”

“For real. Afraid of what? If anyone asks, just say I studied in Japan, I don't understand Thai traditions. End of story. I think it’s a waste of time, man.”

At noon, the faculty cafeteria was full of students replenishing the energy lost from sleeping (?), playing games under the table (?), secretly snacking (?). There was almost no free table to be found. In one corner of the cafeteria, the gazes of the young women (who were few in number, and if not toms, were super manly) were fixed on one table where the famously notorious freshmen were sitting.

How could they not be famous? In just one week, that guy who was asking his friend in disbelief, Nai Sunny, had fought with everyone from his own year up to the seniors, to the point where the news was that he had attended class for four days but had gone drinking with eight different groups of the faculty's big shots, averaging two places a day. It was unbelievable how he managed it. No wonder the women, both from his year and others, desperately wanted to strike up a conversation with him.

But now, gossiping about others didn't seem as interesting as that half-blood saying... he wouldn't attend the cheer meeting.

Damn, fucking brave.

“It’s the dignity of the Engineering faculty, man!”

“Dignity can’t be eaten, man,” Âi Shin-jang, the handsome guy the women gossiped must have a Korean drama star for a relative, besides having a Japanese mother, said nonchalantly, shrugging in a way that Chan could guess from having been with him for several days.

Âi Shin-jang, he's the god of being artsy, man. Anything I don't want to do, I won't do. But if it's something I want to do, even if you forbid me to death, I'll get it.

“Dude, you're a freshman for only one year. The cheer meetings are just over a month. Go make a meek face for just a few hours a day, you won't die.”
“Well, I don’t want to go. I don’t see anything interesting about it. Going in to sing songs, get yelled at... I think it's better I use that time to do a part-time job and earn some money for my pocket,” Âi Shin-jang shrugged with an 'I don't care' attitude. He didn't care about not being able to enter the cheer meeting room next year, didn't care if his senior would cut his ties. He just didn't want to do it. What's anyone going to do to me?

An attitude that made the listener scratch their head raw. Since this was about dignity, you know. Being a freshman and not joining the cheer, it's a fucking waste of a life.

“Hey, Dear, you deal with your friend.” Seeing the half-blood turn back to picking up noodles into his mouth with a gentlemanly manner, Sunny turned to his friend sitting on the other side, at his wit's end. But this time, he encountered someone who... had a more severe condition.

“Hey, Âi Dear, what’s wrong with you?” Since his small close friend was holding a spoon suspended in mid-air, his gaze fixed straight ahead, he had to follow that gaze to see something that made the handsome guy turn around almost too late.

Thwack

“Âi Dear!!!”

Gasp!

“Huh... Hmph, what’s your problem? So loud, you...” The spaced-out person was startled to the core when suddenly his close friend grabbed both his shoulders and yanked him around to make eye contact, his mouth open, calling him crazy or something.

My shoulders are gonna dislocate. But he wasn't quick enough to speak a full sentence.

“You, I love you, man. Don’t think so shortsighted like this. If you die, damn it, how will I have the face to tell that Âi Ae? How will I have the face to see my little sister, that I took such bad care of you that you thought shortsightedly by...”

“Whoa!!! You crazy jerk, what nonsense are you spouting? Stop blabbering! What heartbreak are you thinking about again, you fresh mushroom!” The listener shouted back angrily at the guy spouting such a dramatic story, while he, damn it, had no idea when he was supposed to go kill himself. He heard I was sitting eating my food quietly, and you come yank my shoulders.

Can't I just think quietly, you heartbroken fool? I'm stressed, you know. I'm stressed. Look at my eyes, do you see? Your friend is worrying too much, couldn't sleep all night!!!

The person who had just been kissed yesterday wanted to throw a major tantrum. Since yesterday, when Phîi Porsche put his mouth on his, he admitted that he, damn it, lost his mind, ran into his room like a stupid heroine from a post-news drama, and then lay thinking about it all night: why did Phîi Porsche do that?

He admitted that pair of eyes was still imprinted behind his eyelids. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw that sharp, handsome face so close he could reach out. Plus, the warm feeling pressed against his lips was so clear he unconsciously raised his hand to touch them many times. And every time he did, his heart... beat so hard it annoyed him.

He admitted, manfully... he was happy. But also... didn't understand.

Why did Phîi kiss Dear?

The thoughts of the person who thought back to several years ago, he remembered well. Phîi Porsche only dated women. Plus, each one was stunningly beautiful, the kind he had been jealous of before. That was the memory before his heart foolishly fell in love with this older brother. So, Dear was confident: Phîi Porsche was not gay, did not like men. Which raised the question: what exactly happened last night?

Do I have hope? Or did Phîi just... slip up?

“I should be asking you...” His thoughts had to circle back to Âi Sunny, who was making a horrified face and then leaned in to whisper softly. “...what shortsighted thought were you having, staring at that group of 'Jae' with such a drippingly sweet gaze? I heard if those 'Jae' set their sights on anyone, they really go for the liver, man.” The whispered words made the listener frown and concentrate for a moment before turning back to look in the same direction, his face heating up in a flash.

Was he thinking of Phîi Porsche and made that kind of expression? But...

“Hey!!!”

Snap

“Youuuuu, Âi Sunny, I'm screwed, man! How am I screwed nowwwww?”

“Don't you 'Âi Sun' me. You were the one staring at your thing. Look, she even winked at you, man.”

Because the direction he had been staring at earlier was a group of five third-year seniors wearing shop shirts, proclaiming their engineering student status, but... damn, they had eyelashes as long as banana leaves, wore bright red lipstick, and were now looking over with sweet eyes that made the freshmen break out in goosebumps.

“I wasn’t looking, man! I wasn’t lookinggggg!”

“Hey, Dear, the senior is waving at you.” And the guy eating noodles like a khun-nŭu didn't fail to look up and add fuel to the fire. I heard he was just arguing with Âi Sun. Hah, when it's about me, you guys really pile on, don't you?

“You, has he looked elsewhere yet? Has he looked elsewhere yet?” He said, ducking his head down as far as possible, looking only at his own plate of rice and curry he had only managed three bites of, praying for those seniors not to target him. I admit it, man, I like men, but my type isn't this, okay?

“Dunno. Not my business. You chose, chose the wrong person to perve on... but wait, I still have to persuade Âi Shin-jang. He’s not going to the cheer meeting tonight, man.” Not helping, he, damn it, changed the subject, pointing at the half-blood who, when this topic came up, just went back to eating his noodles with a straight face.

“Huh? Why aren’t you going? You’re gonna get it, man. Your senior, even yesterday that person looked super fierce. He’ll come after you for sure.”

Words that made Dear only raise his eyebrows in surprise. The matter of the fluttering-eyelashed senior vanished from his heart first, then he looked at his other friend who insisted firmly he definitely wouldn't go to the cheer. “Eh, whatever. I can handle myself.” A firm tone that indicated don't make it hard for me to change my mind, making the persuader give up.

“Well, it’s your business, I guess.”

Words that said his two friends were at their wits' end trying to persuade him made the person slurping his noodles without wasting a drop smile back. Although his sharp eyes were showing a thoughtful glint. Because it wasn't that he was being stubborn and refusing to join the cheer, it was just... he had something to take care of in the evening, that's all.

“Freshmen! Who here is Dranphat, Computer Engineering?”

Snap

But just as the group was turning back to continue handling their lunch, someone's voice rose above their heads, making them all turn snap to look in unison, only to see... a Tom (or not?).

Since the person who called out seemed to be a second-year senior (but his face, damn, looked super young). This senior was wearing a male student uniform, had a slim figure, probably tall enough to reach Sunny's nose. But his fair face, with a short layered brown-blond haircut framing his face, wasn't exactly handsome; it leaned more towards pretty. Playful mouth, prominent nose, but he was crossing his arms tightly, looking more like he came to pick a fight than to ask for someone, making Sunny whistle, or...

Pity, man. Damn, so pretty, why does he want to be a Tom? And damn, he can't style himself manly. A shame.

“And what business does the pretty senior have with Dranphat, Computer Engineering, huh, pretty senior?”

Âi fresh mushroom Sunny!!!

Dear swore he flinched immediately when his troublemaking close friend started again. He called the senior 'pretty,' and as if that wasn't enough, he winked with an expression that even after years of friendship made him want to shove him. And with the senior? Look, his eyebrow twitched, man. His eyebrow twitched.

But it seemed the person being annoyed was still calm enough, because he unfolded his crossed arms and gave a wide grin. “And have you ever encountered a senior's foot yet?” “Whoa, pretty and fierce, mannnn!” Don't you drag me into this. Don't you drag me along. Let me just sit and perv quietly on my own, that's enough.

He wanted to say that to his friend, but could only give a stiff, awkward smile to the senior, who acted like he was about to grab Sunny's collar and lift him up. Unlike the troublemaker, who gave a wide grin and even leaned in closer. “A senior’s foot, I haven’t encountered yet. But pretty people? I’ve 'taken down' more than I can count on my fingers, you know.”

“YOU!!!” The senior in front of him nearly had blood rush to his face. His face was flushed dark red, super angry, but his friend who came with him grabbed his arm just in time. And was the person about to get kicked scared? He wasn't scared. Besides laughing loudly, he said, just joking.

“Come on, senior, don’t be so serious. Hey, I see a pretty person and I just greet them for good luck, that's all.”

“Are you messing with me?”

“No. Since I can remember, I’ve never had a friend as pretty as you, senior...”

Thwack

“Âi Sunny, enough, man! Âi Shin-jang, stuff your foot in his mouth... Uh, senior, that would be me. I'm Dranphat.” Dear, seeing the situation turning bad, quickly grabbed the arm of his close friend, who was leaning in to get punched by the senior, and inserted himself as a barrier, offering a dry smile as the front line, then raised his hands in a wai, a plea of 'please don't take issue with this damn guy.'

A gesture that made Sunny just raise a slight eyebrow.

Fweep

"Argghhh, Âi Sunny!!!”

“Shorty, just be quiet, man. I’m talking to the senior here, man!” Not only was he not remorseful, Âi Sunny pressed down on the head of his close friend who was standing in the way, making Dear's face plunge down, thus clearing the way to look back at the pretty-faced senior, who was being held by one female friend grabbing his arm and another male friend holding his shoulder firmly.

Well, I'm not really someone who likes to pick fights, you see. But seeing the senior frown and scowl, I just wanted to help relieve the stress (?).

“Calm down, Ryu. This is the middle of the cafeteria. And are you going to pick a fight with a freshman?”

“Ming, he started it with us, didn't you see?” At the same time, the female senior who seemed much calmer told her friend while also stroking his arm, making the senior named Ryu or something pull a face but clearly calm down significantly. Sure enough, this was the middle of the cafeteria; causing a scene wasn't worth it.

The demeanor of the two seniors made Sunny raise his eyebrows in surprise, and his gaze lowered to look at the hands of those two seniors holding each other, making him have to whistle, or... “Oh, are you two seniors dating? Aww, what a shame, two fewer pretty people.”

Âi Sunny, I think you should stop. Do you want to get beaten to death by the pretty people?

Dear could only think it because, after shaking his head free from his close friend's wooden-spoon-sized hand, he sidestepped to stand next to Âi Shin-jang, who stood with his hands in his pockets watching expressionlessly. You could bet your life he wouldn't stop it. But if a fight broke out, looking at his fierce eyes... he'd be the first to jump in.

But it seemed this thought didn't reach his close friend, because he was still winking his eyebrows, and even turned to wink at the female senior named Ming, exuding maximum charm.

“Ryu, come on, the junior is just teasing.” And it seemed to work, because Phîi Ming turned to look at her friend and shook her arm gently, as if coaxing him to calm down. But it seemed that only added fuel to the anger of the senior named Ryu or whatever.

“Teasing, my ass! He started with us, Ming!”

“But Ryu is... really pretty, though.”

“Âi Ming!!!”

“Oyy, Phîi Ming, well said. I give you a barrage of likes!” Sunny even laughed loudly, extremely pleased that the senior took his side. Well, as soon as Phîi Ming finished speaking, Phîi Ryu shouted loudly in anger, almost able to eat his friend's head whole. And just feeling satisfied probably wasn't enough, so he hammered it in, making a mouse-clicking motion repeatedly, annoying the other party a bit more.

So what? When the senior's eyes go wide, daaammmnn, it's so fun to tease.

“By the way, my name is Sunny, you see, senior. Freshman, Computer Engineering major. Pleased to meet a pretty person like yo...”

Thwack

“Stop calling me pretty, you damn brat! I'm a man! Are you looking with fish eyes or something, calling me pretty like this? You nearsighted jerk!!!”

And it seemed that however much pretty Sunny couldn't remember was enough to make the angry person lose his patience, because he shook his arm free from his friend's grasp and grabbed the collar of the taller freshman's shirt with ultimate impatience, also yelling loudly, making half the cafeteria turn snap to look in unison.

The person whose collar was grabbed wasn't afraid, because the tall person just took the hand holding his collar and pulled it off gently. It's just that the senior was holding on tight, that's all.

“Your Adam's apple is about to poke my eye out. How was I supposed to know you were a man?” Words that seemed to calm the listener down, the hand holding the collar loosened. And that allowed Sunny to successfully pry the (somehow soft) hand off his own collar. But before he could make the senior any calmer, the troublemaking mouth worked again. “But... you are a pretty man, though. But don't overthink it, senior. Nowadays there are lots of pretty men. I'm modern-minded. I can accept it.”

Dear swore at this very moment... I will stop being friends with him!!!!

“Heh, Âi Sunny damn copied my line,” Âi Shin-jang muttered in a pleased tone, making Dear start thinking seriously.

I should find new friends. I should change groups. I should stay away from them, right?

At the same time, the person more stunned was probably the pretty man who was angry until his face was red, angry until the veins on his temples throbbed, his eyes gleaming, and it was enough to cause the following event.

Smack!!!

“Go die, you brat!!!”

A warm fist without any warning swung full force into the cheek of the Father Sun of the freshman year, making the tall body reel backwards. Luckily, Âi Shin-jang, who seemed to have expected it, rushed over to catch him in time, amid the loud yelling of Phîi Ryu that made the cafeteria... dead silent.

Snap

“And you..." “Ye... yes, yes!” Dear was startled out of his skin when the senior who had just punched his friend turned snap to look at him with eyes that almost wanted to eat his head alive, making him quickly acknowledge, until that figure gave him a wide grin with an expression that made Dear want to mutter to himself.

You're cruel, senior. I haven't said anything yet.

“My name is Ryu... I'm your second-year senior. Tonight, after the cheer meeting, half past seven, meet me in front of the building. Phîi Boem sent word: today's first drink, hee, I'll make you crawl like a dog! And this is a senior's order... stop being friends with your friend!” The senior wasn't cruel enough; it was like he was taking his anger out on him, because as soon as he finished speaking, Phîi Ryu stomped off angrily in another direction, making Phîi Ming have to run after him, while the other male senior who came along could only laugh.

“You’ve got guts, man. How dare you provoke Âi Ryu like that?” the senior standing there asked amusedly, looking at Âi Sunny, who was moving his hand away from his cupped cheek, groaning softly.

“Oww, it hurts. I didn't think he'd actually punch, you see,” Âi Sunny still had the face to answer like that.

I swear on everything belonging to me, Nai Dranphat, he deserved to be stomped with both feet, not just one punch.

“Let me apologize on his behalf. Âi Ryu doesn't like anyone complimenting him as pretty. As you know, our faculty has lots of men. Last year, Âi Ryu got hit on by many people, both from his year and seniors. So he doesn't like anyone saying things that make him seem like a woman. Oh, my name is Nut. Honestly, I really like your annoying attitude.” Phîi Nut said laughingly, finishing exposing his friend, then patted Âi Sunny's shoulder twice. After that, he walked after his friends with a relaxed manner.

A demeanor that made Âi Sunny pause for a moment before laughing loudly. “Hahahaha... Oww! It hurts, man. My face will definitely be bruised tomorrow.”

“Serves you right. What were you thinking, annoying the senior like that?” Sure enough, now there was no sympathy, only 'serves you right.' Moreover, Dear pushed his close friend's head hard. But still having some kindness, he turned to grab an empty glass with only ice left, poured it onto a handkerchief with an extremely regretful expression, and handed it over.

But inevitably... “Here, take it. So it won't swell.”

Âi Sunny took the offered item and started dabbing and wiping his cheek. “Worried about Phîi Sunny, are you, Nong Dear?”

Pluck

“You heartbroken fool! I should have told Phîi Ryu to punch you one more time!” Dear said while pushing the head of the guy who was laughing and flinching alternately, feeling annoyed, before slumping down to sit in his original spot.

Meanwhile, Âi Shin-jang also slumped down to sit on the other side. “So what are you going to do about it? The senior's order for you to break up with your romantic partner?” Âi Shin-jang said jokingly, making the person with a romantic partner turn to look at him with glaring eyes. “Do you want me to say it until my mouth tears to my earholes that he and I are not romantic partners?”

“But you and him might have torn from the asshole to who knows where.”

You half-blood, damn it, I want to kill you!

Âi Shin-jang made a face like 'I totally don't believe it,' while turning to grab Âi Sunny's glass and sucking loudly. I heard that's my money, you know. Âi Sunny hasn't paid me back a single baht yet. Then he shook the glass back and forth in front of his face, his other hand raising to pat his shoulder hard. “Friends. But damn, you know what I want to drink without asking... I told you I'm modern-minded. I can accept it... Yeah, I'm going to the room first. Gotta take a shit, man.” Having said that, the person who needed to shit turned to grab his backpack, slung it over his shoulder, and walked out of the cafeteria with his hands in his pockets, looking super cool, in a way that made Dear want to throw the glass at his back.

Your 'gotta take a shit' pose is making the girls' eyes turn into heart shapes, you poser!

“Âi Sunny, I'm asking seriously, why did you go pick a fight with the senior?”

“I didn't. The senior was just pretty. I'm just a person whose mouth and heart are in sync. Pretty is pretty, I just complimented... Speaking of which, are you breaking up with me? And how will I tell my little sister? She'll definitely scold me for breaking up with you.”

The first part sounded okay, but when he made a lamenting expression like he was about to be dumped by his romantic partner, it made the person who was worried about his friend pull a supremely annoyed face. “If I break up with you, it's because of your mouth, man. Stop playing around! Go clear the plates.” Dear made a pouty face at him. Fine then, with a troublemaking friend like this. His hand pushed the plate of rice he couldn't finish eating towards his friend, before turning to see something...

Âi Shin-jang, you didn't need to shit, you just didn't want to clear your own plate, did you? Answer me!!!!

“But my cheek hurts, man. Look, look, it's gonna bruise for sure. You go clear them. Ah, I stacked the plates and glasses already. You take them to throw away too.” Not only refusing to go, when he turned around again, friend Sunny had stacked the plates neatly for him, the water glasses arranged nicely right in front of him. Then he continued holding his cheek and lamenting, making the listener pull a face.

“Always. It's always me. With you guys, it's always meeee.” His mouth complained, but in the end, he willingly got up and took both the plates and glasses to the collection point arranged in the corner of the cafeteria. Amid the laughter of Âi Sunny, who could annoy people endlessly.

Âi Dear likes to complain, but actually, he's the softest-hearted in the group. Plus, his personality is super good. Is it any wonder that he has to take special care of him?

The thoughts of the person who turned to look in another direction of the cafeteria, where someone else had stormed out, his hand also rubbing his own cheek.

How should I get back at the senior for this punch... Should I just follow and annoy him forever? Hee.

***

Inside the large meeting hall, the wide area was now filled with over a thousand students from the Faculty of Engineering, made to sit in orderly rows. Meanwhile, on the large stage in front, seniors with super fierce faces, wearing black shirts, red shirts, and shop shirts, stood in lines. At the very back was a large stand where seniors from many years had come to watch the cheer meeting.

At the same time, Dear was sitting in the middle, far right side of the hall, back straight, his eyes gazing blankly ahead. He wasn't paying much attention to what the seniors were saying because, once sitting still, his mind... drifted back to thinking about last evening.

Phîi Porsche... Why did you kiss me? I really don't understand. I don't.

I don't understand myself either, why I ran away from him. Really, Phîi Porsche might not have meant to kiss me. Maybe his mouth just accidentally touched when he bent down to look at my eyes... maybe.

A thought that made his heart sink immediately. Not because Phîi Porsche might not have meant to kiss him, but it made his running into his room like that seem like he was avoiding the other party, when really... he could have just laughed it off and been done with it.

What to do? Why couldn't you think of that last night? And now, how will I look Phîi Porsche in the face... Ugh.

“...You!!!"

Sigh, what should I do, Dear? I have to see Phîi Porsche when I go back tonight too.

“You, sitting at the far right end!”

Or should I have Jae Dream pick me up? Yeah, it's Friday, I haven't called to talk with Jae yet.

“You!!!"

Crashhhh

Thwack

"Ha... Hmphh”

While Dear was letting his mind wander far away, a loud yell from a senior standing on the stage echoed throughout the meeting hall. But it seemed the spaced-out person still didn't realize that the singing had completely stopped, and that the entire auditorium was turning to look at him... in unison.

But even so, Dear was still lost in his own thoughts. He only became aware again when his shoulder was grabbed, making him look up, before... being startled to the core.

Hey, the yelling senior in black!!!

“Ye... yes, yes!” Dear called out softly before realizing the whole hall was looking at him in unison. But most importantly, the fierce-faced senior with a thick beard and mustache, his dark eyes gleaming frighteningly straight ahead, made him tremble slightly.

Meanwhile, the other party let go of the shoulder he had nudged as a warning and yelled loudly, echoing throughout the hall. “You!!! Are you enjoying freeloading off your friends? Your friends are singing earnestly, but you just sit there idle!!!” Dear's face instantly flushed hot when the hand of the scary-faced senior pointed directly at him, indicating exactly who the idle person was. “I'm telling you, when you enter this cheer hall, I am the master here. If I tell you to sing, you sing. No spacing out. No freeloading. Have some awareness of what others are doing and what you are doing... Don't turn!!! Look straight ahead! Did I tell you all to turn and look at the freeloading friend?! Turn!” And the senior in black yelled loudly, telling the murmuring freshmen to turn snap to face the front of the hall, while... still scolding him in polite language.

The words were polite, but the tone was so contemptuous it made the listener's face flush hot.

Dear could only look up before seeing the sharp, piercing gaze staring intently at him as if he had committed a serious crime, making him quickly lower his eyes.

“What is your name?”

“Da... Dranphat, sir.”

“Then remember this, Khun Dranphat. Your freeloading will cause trouble for your entire year.” The tall figure in faded jeans and a black shirt known throughout the university as the most fearsome yellers of the Engineering faculty, if you meet them anywhere, don't make eye contact, avoiding them is best his voice stern, his eyes ten times fiercer than Ryu's at noon, made him only mumble softly.

In a flash, “I'm sorry, sir.”

A voice that indicated genuine remorse made the senior turn to look only briefly. “Face forward. Did I tell you to speak?” The deep, frightening voice spoke before that figure stepped back up onto the stage and signaled for the juniors to continue. Amid the tense atmosphere the senior created for the juniors, the person who was the first to be scolded, Dear, could only feel his face flush hot.

A demeanor that made Âi Sunny, sitting next to him, grit his teeth in anger. “Who do you think you are, coming to yell at my friend like that!” A muttered phrase that Dear wanted to speak up to stop, but was hindered because the eyes of that yelling senior were staring intently at him, making him sit up straight, more attentive than before. Even though from then on, for hours, that senior in black made the entire year shrink in fear, and by his attitude, they probably all hated him too.