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Perspective - Ae (Inthach)
"Is that all the volume you've got? How many times do I have to tell you—sing from your diaphragm, not from your throat, or you'll all lose your voices when the real event comes around!"
"How many of you are there? Your voices are so weak. Do you want the other faculties to mock us and say Engineering is only good for its numbers?"
"A faculty song reflects who we are. Sing well, sing loud. Show respect to the seniors who wrote this song for you to sing today."
After a long break of several months, my university is now back in session. This is a good thing for me, as it means I'll be returning to the dorms. Most importantly, I'll get to see Ai'Pete.
Seeing him more than just twice a week is worth it, but I forgot what the new term also brings with it.
Freshman Orientation.
I'm not the one saying all those words up there though.
There's no way I'd ever get up and take on the job of teaching freshmen to sing, standing in front of a crowd of hundreds. For Ai'Pond, though… This role suits him perfectly. So here I am, sitting in one corner of the cheering practice room, watching as Ai'Pond–now the head of the second-year students–scolds the first-years. In my opinion, he's overdoing it. These freshmen have only been at practice for three days—they're doing their best.
Just look at Ai'Pond last year. I can vouch that he skipped as many practices as he possibly could. And now... he's the one chewing out the kids.
You're enjoying this, I know, Ai'Pond.
I sigh as I watch Ai'Pond, who's putting on a tough expression, saying this and that. But I know all too well that he's having the time of his life, seeing those kids go pale as if they're about to faint.
"Don't you know that those strict seniors during cheer practice end up loving you after it's all over?"
Fine, I'll just wait and see how you get mobbed by the kids at the end of cheer practice.
As for my own responsibilities here… They are miscellaneous, I guess.
"Ae, go check on that kid over there. He mentioned he has a health condition, and I've noticed him nodding off for a while now."
So when Bow pokes me, I walk around to the back and head over to the guy who, according to her, has been nodding off for a while.
But as soon as I get closer—
"Damn it, he's asleep!" I blurt out, realizing that this kid who's been nodding like he's about to pass out is, in fact, just dozing off.
His head is bobbing slightly, his eyes shut in a way that makes me sigh heavily, drawing a few wary glances from the other freshmen sitting nearby.
"Kid."
Ignoring the others, I just give him a little nudge. There is no response.
"Kid, wake up!" I raise my voice a bit, hoping Pond doesn't notice, or he'll definitely seize the chance to harass him again. Still, no reaction. The kid's head slumps forward even more, and I shake my head.
"Wake up already. This is still cheer practice."
Bobbing.
Not only does he keep his head down, but he actually nods as if acknowledging me—probably just sleep-talking. So…
Thwack!
"Hey, what the hell!"
Yep, I smack him on the head. Not too hard, but enough to jolt him awake. He shouts, startling everyone in the room and drawing every pair of eyes our way. He looks up at me in total confusion. Judging by his size, he's actually bigger than me, but I just stare back and speak to him in a low voice.
"This is a cheer room, not a bedroom. If you want to sleep, get out."
My tone is normal, but for some reason, the kid in front of me looks deathly pale and hurriedly raises his hands in a full wai.
"Sorry, Phii. I won't do it again." Seeing he's fully awake, I simply nod and walk away from the line. I notice Pond looking like he wants to make an example out of the kid, so I give him a quick warning glance, figuring the embarrassment alone should be enough. Then I head back to my spot—right as a senior year Phii approaches me.
"Ai'Ae."
"Yes, Phii?" I turn to him, only to hear something that makes me frown.
"Interested in being a cheer enforcer next year?" I shake my head immediately.
"I'm not suited for that. Who'd listen to me, anyway?"
"Come on, not listen to you? Your expression back there was so intimidating without even trying. Seriously, think about it for next year. Just observe this time around. With that face, you're practically destined to be a head cheer enforcer." I look at him in disbelief, but he brushes off my refusal, even going over to tell his friends.
Left with no choice, I raise a hand to my face.
What part of me looks that tough? Honestly.
It's a question I'm still mulling over even as practice ends and I walk outside, where someone's already waiting for me.
"What are you sitting here for? You're going to get eaten alive by mosquitoes." I hurry over to the person engrossed in a thick stack of paperwork—none other than Pete, who looks up with a grin and holds up a familiar pink packet I've seen almost daily in the freshman orientation room lately.
"The mosquito repellent's working fine."
"Heh, Khun-chai Pete using a five-baht packet of mosquito repellent—isn't that a bit odd?" I lightly tap his head, more out of affection than anything, and sit beside him, peeking over to see what he's been working on while waiting for my practice to end. English articles.
I really should consider putting serious effort into language study.
"What're you reading? I can't understand a thing."
"This is a good article, Ae. Want to give it a try? It's a simple health piece, relevant for athletes too. Want me to translate it?" He offers kindly, but I take the article itself and tap it against his head, knowing full well he's teasing me about not being good with languages.
"No need. I don't even read Thai articles. Why would I bother with another language?"
"Oh, come on, I was just saying. Why'd you have to hit me? That's violence, you know," he says, feigning offense.
I know he's only messing with me, and I'm about to pull him into a headlock and ruffle his hair when, suddenly...
"Uh… Hi, Phii!"
"Hi, P'Ae!"
"Hello, Phii."
Some of the freshmen are heading out, calling out and giving respectful bows all around, which makes me turn to look. I can't shake the feeling that they seem a little nervous around me for some reason. I nod back, saying nothing.
Then, I hear it.
"Hey, don't mess with Phii. I heard he's pretty intense."
What!?!
"Does he pick on the good-looking ones or something? Heard he smacks heads—looks seriously fierce too."
When did I ever hit Pete on the head!?
"Yeah, yeah, P'Ae's serious business. Anyone who messes with him gets shredded. You're lucky he only yelled at you earlier."
I'm stunned. When did I ever yell at anyone? I just warned the kid about falling asleep.
"How do you know that?"
"P'Pond told me."
"Fucking shit-lizard Pond!!!" The moment I hear that name, I curse under my breath, getting ready to dash back into the cheer room where the head committee is still in their meeting.
I can't move though because the person beside me is gripping my shirt tightly.
When I glance over…
"…Ha… hahaha… P'Ae… you're so intense… hahaha… P'Ae's a gangster too…" Pete laughs, baring all his teeth, even pretending to wipe away tears from laughing too hard.
I grind my teeth, feeling the urge to whip that little shit Pond into shape, but seeing my partner laugh this much, I just sigh.
"Had enough laughing?"
Yeah, I think Pete looks unbelievably cute when he laughs.
"Yeah, yeah… I'm good… haha… all done…" he says, though he keeps laughing for a few more seconds before finally giving me a broad smile.
"P'Ae's become the scary guy now," he teases, prompting me to ask seriously.
"Does my face really look that fierce?" I'm genuinely curious, and my partner tilts his head left, then right, even reaching out to touch my cheek.
After a moment, he shakes his head and says…
"I can't speak for anyone else, Ae, but for me…"
I pay close attention as his cheeks redden, but Pete doesn't pull his hand away from my cheek. His broad smile shows every tooth, his sharp, handsome eyes narrowing, and his lips that always seem sweet, say…
"Ae is the most handsome."
These days, Pete doesn't hesitate to tell me things directly, unlike before when he'd get tongue-tied. And his straightforwardness is so endearing that I get up, gather his things in one hand, swing his bag onto my shoulder, and take his hand with the other. He quickly stands up to follow me.
"I think… The roast duck rice outside campus can wait until after I've eaten you first." I go for the direct line too, walking hand-in-hand with him, not caring how many freshmen give us respectful bows or how many people know I have a partner who's a guy.
I'm just happy to hear Pete mumble shyly behind me. "Finished eating... Can we have two plates, please? It looks like I'll need the extra energy."
"Heh, let's finish the special order first before asking for more."
I laugh, admitting that I enjoy our lighthearted banter, even when it occasionally gets a bit lowbrow. I don't want anything more from Pete than this: having him by my side every day brings me happiness.
Perspective - Pete (Pitchaya)
"Exhausted and drained, but you look radiant... What have you been doing, little brother Pete!!!"
While everyone else is starting their semester, I am currently in summer classes. Most of my friends are traveling abroad, so it's fortunate for me that I chose the same elective as Money. This morning, I dragged my tired body to sit beside her as she played on her phone.
Then her loud greeting makes me feel quite... embarrassed.
"I haven't done anything, just that I probably stayed up late last night."
"Hey, staying up late, doing what, hmm?" Money leans in so close that our faces are nearly touching, causing me to quickly avert my gaze. Even though I've never told her directly that I'm dating someone, the fact that we went to the water park together probably makes her realize what's going on. Especially lately, since we've been seeing each other often in the mornings, she's noticed that Ae has been spending more nights at my dorm than his own.
"Today I see you, and yesterday too. Your color is probably rubbing off on me already, you little dark-skinned shorty." I see Money referring to Ae like that, but I don't understand why she always touches Ae's arm whenever she gets the chance.
"I'm... uh... doing my homework…"
"But her face clearly says that she wants to wrestle!" A friend in the classroom teasingly comments about Sister Money, who is well-liked by everyone, which makes everyone want to tease her.
Meanwhile, I just laugh, watching the person who releases my arm and turns to scold someone else while I think about what Sister Money said...
It probably isn't anything, right?
I shrug as the teacher walks in, causing everyone who is chatting to disperse and return to their seats, and I completely forget about this.
~~~
"Ai'Tinn has disappeared! My lousy partner, such a depraved character!"
"Calm down, Khaen. Isn't Tinn just working?"
"I know that! But he hasn't replied to my message for 24 hours now. Look at me! I have to reply within an hour! Last time I fell asleep before telling him I was going to bed and my phone ran out of battery, he sulked. Then I felt like smashing his head! But then, when he's sulking, I have to beg for his forgiveness to the point that the bed nearly breaks (?). It makes my jaw hurt (?). So look at him, Ai'Pete, look at your friend!"
Everyone must be wondering where I am... Yes, I am with Khaen.
Khaen, who is shoving a whole piece of fried chicken into his mouth while talking almost without taking a breath, so I can only smile awkwardly, passing him water, because he's angry with his partner and invited me to eat.
The reason I ended up alone with Khaen is that I happened to see him arguing with friends. When I asked, I found out he was upset because no one wanted to go eat in front of the university with him. So, I volunteered to go instead. That's how it ended up with Khaen grabbing fried chicken from my plate while cursing my friend.
"That bloody Tinn." Khaen gulps. "He promised that today he'd go eat with me. He even promised I could eat as much ice cream as I wanted, as much as I wanted. But look at him, look at him, you—he just stood me up."
"Yeah, sure, he thinks his father is more important. These days, whenever his dad calls for anything, he always runs straight over. He has no appreciation at all for who made things good between him and his dad!"
I don't really know what problems Tinn has with his family. All I know is that this term, he didn't register for summer classes but instead chose to intern at his dad's friend's company. I've vaguely heard that if he works somewhere else, he can gain experience without being treated like the owner's son.
"He has business to take care of," I try to comfort someone who is stressed while looking for something to eat.
"Auntie, I'll take one more plate of this… What kind of stupid business is this? So, my dinner plans aren't important to him, is that it?"
Khaen starts to complain again, but I'm smiling. I feel like the two of them are finally acting a bit more like a couple. What were they like before? It seemed like it was always Tinn who was worried about Khaen, but I never saw Khaen showing much concern about my friend's issues.
Though really, the main point here is that Tinn stood him up for dinner.
"Sulking, are we?"
I ask him directly, and see him freeze with a chicken leg in both hands, turning sharply to look at me, then shaking his head hard.
"Hmph, me, sulking?"
Thunk.
Khaen actually pauses what he's doing and looks at me.
"No way! I'm not sulking; I'm angry!"
I smile and say, "I'd call this sulking, not being angry… You keep looking at your phone every five minutes."
Khaen pauses with food in both hands, mumbling quietly to himself, embarrassed.
"Sulking is for fools—it's the same as jealousy. I don't like that feeling. It's irritating and makes me uneasy. So, I'm angry at him. I'll talk to him man-to-man, fair and square, and explain things clearly. Then I'll stop being angry."
How's that any different from sulking?
I think to myself because, honestly, I don't understand him sometimes.
Then Khaen's phone rings. I glance over and almost laugh when I see the picture of my friend—Tinn lying sprawled on the bed with doodles of a cat drawn over his face in marker.
I quickly turn away, quietly chuckling, since I'm sure Tinn wouldn't let anyone else see a picture like this. The only person who'd even have it would be the one glaring at his phone right now. After a second, Khaen crosses his arms, sits with his legs crossed, tapping his foot, then turns to give me a wide smile.
"You want to bet with me on how many times Ai'Tinn will have the patience to call me?"
I pause for a moment, unsure how to respond, because right now, the person with greasy stains around his mouth is smiling wide and looks in a much better mood than just a moment ago.
So I respond, uncertainly. "Until Khaen picks up... maybe?"
I guess, seeing Khaen's confidence. Whatever he has in mind, he seems sure Tinn will have to beg for forgiveness in some way, but then he tells me...
"No… Normally, Ai'Tinn does one of two things. Either he keeps calling until I pick up, or he just gives up and leaves it alone. Then I think this time it's the second option. Watch—he'll call once and won't call again."
I frown, not fully understanding, watching as the phone goes silent. I'm sure Tinn would call again to keep trying, but… silence.
Does Tinn make up with his partner like this?
I'm just left confused and puzzled because if Ae did this, I'd be feeling hurt that he didn't care about me. However, it seems I'm so focused on staring at the phone that I don't notice the restaurant door opening.
"Why didn't you answer my call?"
Snap.
I look up immediately and see Tinn… wearing dark slacks and a button-up shirt that looks good on his tall frame. Khaen, on the other hand, spreads his arms and tells me in a cheerful tone...
"Because he was going to show up here!" And with that, he looks up at the person standing over him and accuses him in a peeved tone,
"You stood me up!"
"Who says I stood you up? I'm just late. I went to find you at the university a bit ago, but I didn't see you, so I had to come all the way here," Tinn says, sighing, his face covered in sweat, showing he must've rushed.
Khaen then accuses again, "You didn't answer my LINE messages all day."
Tinn rolls his eyes at this accusation.
"It's because you were sending headless ghost images all day! I already told you I had to work, so I just turned my phone off… I went to work at my dad's friend's company, not my dad's. He was kind enough to accept a second-year student as an intern—that's more than enough strings pulled already. Playing on my phone would probably get us both in trouble."
Tinn gives his reasoning, which makes Khaen narrow his eyes until they're nearly closed. And then he… nods.
"Okay, excuse accepted. I'm not mad anymore, but you're paying for this pile of chicken... Auntie! More, please!"
"Haha, still eating as rudely as ever."
"Come on, you should be used to it by now."
Sometimes, I should probably stop being surprised by this pair's relationship. At first, Khaen seemed so angry that I didn't even know how to help talk it out, but the moment Tinn explains with a single sentence, Khaen's anger disappears. Then as for Tinn, he may say Khaen is rude, but why is he putting his arm around the rude guy's shoulder?
"So how did you know Tinn would only call once, Khaen?" I ask, unable to resist my curiosity, and he seems eager to explain.
"This, right here." He says, tapping on his phone a few times and then handing it to me.
"Hm? What app is this?"
"Finding friends… not that kind of friend for hooking up, you. This one shows where your friends are if both phones are connected. I saw that Ai'Tinn left the office, so I guessed he was probably coming to find me. As for calling once… that guy's got this habit. He'll call just once when he's almost here, and if I don't pick up, even if I'm sitting on the toilet at home, he'll barge right in." Khaen explains this cheerfully, seeming to have completely forgotten he was ever mad.
"Enough talking." Tinn turns and scolds him in a stern voice, but I just laugh.
Honestly, they're strange, but they understand each other. It's like Khaen understands the way Tinn is, and Tinn understands the way Khaen is.
"By the way, do you have this, too? Open it up, add me! That way, if Ai'Tinn ditches again, and you're nearby, I can call you to grab something to eat." Khaen leans in toward me, phone in hand, but…
Grab.
Khaen gets yanked back by his collar, and Tinn snatches the phone out of his hand, frowning deeply. "Why do you have all these random people!"
"Who's 'random'? They're all my friends. Give it back… Fine, don't bother. Just give me your phone, Ai'Pete, and I'll download it for you."
At first, I hesitate, but after a moment, I unlock my phone and hand it over. I don't see any harm in letting friends know where I'm going.
Meanwhile, Tinn is gritting his teeth, muttering through clenched jaws. "Tonight, we need to clear this up."
"With your 'clearing up,' am I going to have to put in extra effort? If so… let me eat first."
Sometimes, I really don't know whether to laugh or what expression to make when I'm with these two.
One of them… seems to think a lot, while the other… Does Khaen think too little, or does he not think at all?
In the end, I don't go back to wait for Ae at the engineering faculty. Instead, I head back to my dorm. Ae says he'll probably be stuck in meetings until late tonight. Now, I'm putting all my things on the bed and heading into the bathroom.
While I'm showering, I hear the phone ring, but since the caller tune isn't Mom or Ae, I decide to finish up before answering.
When I get out, the phone is still ringing, which makes me think it might be important. I hurry over to it and see it's an unknown number. When I pick up...
"Hello?"
Beep, beep.
The other party hangs up, leaving me frowning.
"Wrong number, maybe," I say, tossing the phone onto the bed as I go to get dressed.
…
"Yes, hello." I see it's the same number, but I quickly answer. The other end is still silent, making me uneasy.
"Hello? If you don't say anything, I'll hang up."
…
I notice that the caller hasn't disconnected, but there's still no response. I start feeling nervous and decide that if I hang up, I won't answer this number again.
"Hey, Pete."
The voice finally speaks, making me furrow my brow, as I don't recognize it. I quickly ask, "Who is this? I haven't saved the number." I say it directly, only to hear… laughter. The kind of laughter that chills me to the bone. I freeze when the voice says,
"Don't recognize your ex, Pete?"
Click.
Thud!
The moment I hear this, I hurriedly hang up, my hands shaking, and throw the phone onto the bed as though it were a snake ready to strike. I step back several paces, my eyes wide with shock. And… I realize who's been calling me.
P'Trump.
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