02: Too Much Red

KNOCK KNOCK

Phukong knocked on Sarawat door. "P'Wat, it's me," He said, "Can I come in?"

The last time, when he dropped in unannounced, he saw something that he shouldn't see.

Tine opened the door with a huge grin. "Hi, Nong! Come in," He said.

Phukong waiied him and entered inside the room.

Sarawat was sitting on his bed, with his guitar on his hands.

"Hey, Phukong," He said, putting away his guitar.

Phukong put a plastic bag on the table and said, "I brought food for both of you. Eat it before it cools down."

Tine opened the bag and saw only two takeaways. "Huey! There's only two in here. Where's yours?" He asked.

"I have plans with my friends. I only came here to give you food," Phukong said.

"Since when did you start caring for us?" Sarawat asked, looking at his brother suspiciously.

"Shut it, Phi. You two clearly don't have the talent to cook. I just don't want P'Tine to die before he meets our family officially," Phukong said.

Tine's eyes widened.

"Don't you know how embarrassing is it for everyone to know that the great Sarawat and Tine the chic guy died because they can't cook?" Phukong continued, "My reputation would be ruin."

Sarawat took a pillow from the bed and threw it towards his brother.

"Phukong! Get out!" He yelled, "Don't come here, unless you need a shoulder to cry!"

Phukong stuck out his tongue and marched out of the room.

"Your brother is really something," Tine said, looking amused.

Sarawat looked at his boyfriend, feeling betrayed. "He is just a burden," He said.

Phukong gasped. "Phi! At least, Mom and Dad love me more than you!" He yelled as loud as he could.

"Phukong! Get lost!" Sarawat yelled back.

*

"Phukong! Wait for me!" Boss yelled, running towards Phukong with Man.

"Sawadee krap, P'Boss, P'Man," Phukong said, waiing at them.

"So, what did you decide?" Man asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Phukong frowned in confusion.

"Decide what, Phi?" He asked.

Boss sighed in disbelief. "About Mil! What did you decide? What are you going to do?" He asked.

"I'm not going to join the cheerleading team," Phukong said, "And that's final."

"Huey! Then what are you going to do?" Man asked.

Phukong shrugged. "I don't know," He said.

"We are going to help you! Right, Man!" Boss said, enthusiastically.

Man nodded.

"Phi, I already told you, I'm not going to sign up for the cheerleaders team," Phukong said.

"We are not going to do that," Boss said, "We will figure out another way to help you."

Phukong looked at the two friends, suspiciously.

"Chill! Trust us!" Man said, batting his eyes innocently.

"That makes you more suspicious," Phukong said.

Man and Boss held Phukong's arms from both side.

"Trust us! Why would we betray you? You are Sarawat's brother!" Boss said.

"Yeah!" Man agreed, "We won't do anything without your consent!"

"Hey!"

A loud voice startled the three boys.

Sarawat was coming towards them with his crutches.

"Ai'Wat! What are you doing here?" Boss said.

Man supported Sarawat to stand up. "You should take rest, don't you know?" He said.

"P's, I'm going back. I'll see you guys later," Phukong said, starting to leave.

"Wait," Sarawat stopped his brother.

Phukong looked at his brother, unamused.

"What, Phi?" He asked.

"What were Boss and Man telling you?" Sarawat asked, seriously.

He didn't want Phukong to get influenced by his two idiots friends.

Phukong rolled his eyes. "Nothing," He said, flatly.

Sarawat turned towards his friends and glared at them. "What were you two telling him?" He asked.

Boss laughed. "Ai'Wat, we were just talking causally," He said.

Sarawat scoffed. "Yeah?" He said in sarcasm, "Your casual talking is what worries me the most."

Phukong slowly turned his feet towards the exit and marched away.

He sighed in relief when he found himself far away from his brother and his brother's annoying friend.

Just in a few distance away, he saw Mil laughing and joking with his friends.

Phukong gulped. His face turned into a cherry.

He nearly melted in that smile of Mil.

"Phukong!" Mil called out, waving at the latter.

Phukong walked towards the senior. "Yes, Phi?" He asked, "You need something?"

Mil turned towards his friends and gestured them.

"Phukong," His friends said, "We are sorry for what we said about your brother."

Phukong's eyes widened.

"Oh—"

"And we won't do it again," Mil's friends continued.

"No, no!" Phukong said, "It's okay. I was just out of my mind yesterday. Forgive my language, but you can talk shit about my brother. I will gladly join in, as long as, you don't cross the line."

Mil and the rest of the boys frowned in confusion.

"You..." One of the boys began, "You are giving us the permission to talk behind your brother's back?"

Phukong nodded. "Krap, Phi!" He said, "Everyone loves my brother. I never met someone who can talk bad shits about him. You guys are quite interesting."

The boys, including Mil, busted into laughter.

"You are really something, Phukong," Mil said, tapping on the junior's shoulder.

He then turned towards his friends and said, "We have a class. Let's go."

The boys assembled their things and told a goodbye to Phukong.

"Alright, Phukong," Mil said, smiling, "I'll meet you later."

With that, he left with his friends.

Phukong banged his head on the wooden table.

"****, Phukong..." He whispered to himself, "You are doomed..."

Letting out a big sigh, he also took his leave.

*

At night, Phukong went to the nearby food stall to meet Sarawat, Tine and Boss.

The table was a four people table with two benches. On the first bench, Boss and Phukong sat down and on the second bench, Sarawat and Tine sat down.

"So, Phukong," Tine said, eating his tomyum, "What's interesting in your life? Got any crushes yet?" He teased.

Boss choked on his food, coughing loudly.

Sarawat looked at his friend, unamused. "What happened to you?" He asked.

"Nothing, nothing!" Boss quickly defended himself, "Yeah! Phukong, got any crushes yet?"

Before Phukong could answer, his brother spoke on his behalf.

"No," Sarawat said, "Phukong has no crushes. No girls, in my view, match his standard."

Phukong smiled and nodded.

"Oh really?" Boss said, teasingly, "No girls? Then is it a boy?"

It was now Phukong's turn to choke on his food.

Sarawat turned towards his brother. "You..." He said, hesitantly, "You have a crush on a boy?"

Phukong had now red cheeks decorated on his face.

"What?!" He said, taking a tissue to wipe his mouth, "No, Phi! Don't you know how P'Boss is? I have no one like that in my life."

"Really?" Tine asked, unsure, "Are you sure?"

Phukong nodded, fastly.

Sarawat leaned towards Boss and smacked him on his head.

"Stop talking nonsense!" He said, sternly.

"But I'm not—"

Phukong kicked Boss under the table. He then turned towards Sarawat and asked, "Phi, where is P'Man?"

"Oh!" Tine exclaimed, "He is having a dinner date with my brother."

Phukong nodded.

Boss leaned towards Phukong and whispered in his ear, "If Mil becomes your boyfriend, who will be the top?"

Phukong gasped. "P'Boss!" He yelled, with cheeks more redder than the previous one.

Sarawat looked at Phukong. "What happened? Why do you look red?" He asked, "Do you have a fever?"

Phukong shook his head.

*

Later on, Mil asked Phukong to meet him on the usual place.

The football field.

"P'Mil, why did you call me here?" Phukong asked, "I thought you had to study for your tests."

Mil took out his watch and gave it to Phukong.

Phukong looked at the watch in confusion. "Why are you giving me this?" He asked.

"Take it," Mil said, "Your teachers will be giving you a lot of pop quizzes. This watch is a lucky charm."

"Thanks, Phi," Phukong said, smiling.

Mil touched Phukong's shoulder and said, "I like you—"

Phukong's eyes widened. His cheeks reddened. He was grateful of the night time.

"As a brother," Mil continued.

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