Chapter 1: Fight at First Sight

"What are you looking at, you assholes? Is my face like some soap opera character or what? Or maybe you want to win the lottery? Huh! Even if you buy the same face as yours, it won't hit the jackpot. You lottery slaves, stop staring now!"

Sounds harsh, doesn't it? For the first impression that I've given, I must sincerely apologize and strongly hope that you won't hold it against me. I didn't mean to be rude at all, honestly. I can swear to it, but I can't keep my mouth shut because I am too nervous. These symptoms often occur when I have to walk through a crowd that I'm not familiar with, especially alone. It gets even worse if I become the target of more than five pairs of eyes. The chances of me blurting out swear words, scratching my head awkwardly, or saying something unpleasant tend to increase. It happens easily, as you can see right now. What's even worse is that now I don't just have five pairs of eyes, but it might be a hundred now, damn!

I am currently walking through the front courtyard of the Engineering Faculty building around noon, in an atmosphere reminiscent of a day when monks gathered one thousand two hundred fifty images for... for what, huh? Well, I can't remember why the monks gathered but let's put that aside for now. I want to know more about why Thailand has to produce so many engineers. Who says we're an agricultural country? Why don't you produce more farmers then?

I am a naturally curious person, with a high imagination and observant (sometimes excessive) nature. Therefore, I often pay attention to things happening around me. When I become the focus of someone's attention, I sometimes think that I might receive attention from others in the same way. However, the reality is... Is anyone free enough to bother with whether I'm passing by? Each person looks preoccupied with their food and thick study materials. But my senses keep telling me that there might be something there. Like I said, my imagination is high.

I mustered the courage and sneakily glanced from the corner of my eye, only to realize that some groups of students were looking at me for real. Moreover, they were whispering to each other and bursting into laughter. Now, what should I do? Should I smile back or pretend not to notice? Which is the best way?? Oh lord! I have no idea what they're laughing about. Perhaps it's about solving a physics exam question (back in high school, I used to enjoy laughing when solving physics problems because doing anything more than that was beyond my capacity). But no matter what those people are laughing about, individuals with a 'positive' mindset like me should issue a warning right away: "You guys better keep your mouths shut, just a little advice."

I want to lift my head and look directly at them, but I don't dare to. I can only lower my head and mutter like a bear eating honey, all while speeding up to almost a sprint to get out of this spot as quickly as possible.

Seriously, being a socially awkward person is not a laughing matter.

"Hey, Nong! What's your name? So adorable! My friend here likes you."

There you have it! Just like what a fortune teller told me before, my senses are pretty accurate when it comes to picking up this kind of shit.

As one of those bastards called out to tease me, there were echoes of laughter following it. Believe me when I say karma is real! I've experienced similar behaviors when my friends and I used to ogle at girls passing by the faculty. Now I know how those girls felt.

I'm sure those girls are feeling the same way as I am right now. It's a feeling of wanting to stop walking, take off my shoes, and smack those guys in the face, one by one. Then, silently not in your heart: "Don't ever pass these groups alone"

"Hey, I'm Din, 069-22-3333. I'm free any day any time, just give me a call"

Alright, I'm done with this prologue. From now on, I would like to be myself completely.

"Love - lovely my foot, you son a b***!" I wanted to shout at them. "Who would call you? You idiots!"

But in reality, I could only keep my head down and quicken my pace until it almost turned into a run. Even if they were on the wrong side, this is the engineering zone. If I yelled out what I felt, I'm sure hundreds of engineering students would gladly come together to decorate my face with feet and heels.

Just you wait, guys. This grudge must be settled. Another ten years is still not too late.

"Hey, Peem! Peem! This way!"

Like the sound of a bell ringing at the end of the year. Like a mortar that's been pushed to the summit. Like lice found on a head. Like a husband... wait a minute. Before I go to the sea, before I go down to the bay, let me quickly move forward to find the person who called me.

(T/N: he rambles so much haha)

Thaen!! Where the hell have you been!? To let me face such a terrible fate for a long time by myself.

I silently groaned, not forgetting to turn around and look at those bastards with a scrutinizing gaze. As soon as I have my friends with me, I can fight anyone! My condition now is probably similar to a dog seeing its owner return home, or like a princess about to be cursed by a witch, and a prince appears just in time to save. Only this prince didn't ride a white horse; instead, he just jumped off the back of a motorcycle before shouting thanks to his friend who rode off with the scrap metal.

"Look how cool my friend's motorcycle is! His family opened an auto repair shop. He just customized it himself recently. Cool right?!" Thaen excitedly told me, hands by the hips, eyes still watching the motorcycle with admiration. Too busy admiring to glance at me to realize what he had done that led me to face these unfortunate events today.

"You think it looks like Transformer? Same, huh? We rode here from the library. Gotta say the girls were all looking at us"

Or maybe they were looking not because you guys were cool, but because they were annoyed.

"Really? Do you have insurance?" I asked, not referring to the motorcycle, but rather if he had life insurance. Thaen just laughed loudly, poor guy didn't get the joke.

"Why, would you buy me that? Oii, why are you kicking me? Ouch! It hurts, you jerk! Fuck Peem! Small like a puppy but damn harsh punches" Thaen wailed as I kicked his shin with the force of a cat's scratch, but he made it sounds so serious.

"Stop that now, ok? Do you want to stand and talk here until tomorrow evening? Let me go find a mat to sit on," I grumbled, annoyed. Thaen laughed loudly before using my shoulder as an armrest. The air was so hot it could kill, yet he dared to put his heavy arm on me.

This guy is weird as fuck. Even after being scolded by his friend, he's still in a good mood, looking as happy as a dog owner who has just returned home from work to play with his favorite dog. But today, the dog doesn't want to play, it wants to chew your head instead.

"So, today Khun Peem is playing the role of a villain, huh? What's up? Bad mood? Not happy to see my face?"

"Stop it, will you? I wanna puke"

"Haha, don't be upset. Come on, let me treat you to a meal"

Thaen is just like that. Enjoys teasing others, then pats them on the back. Likes to play pranks to make friends upset, and then comes to console. Seeing friends in a bad mood makes him happy. Others may define him as a playful guy, but I think the line between playfulness and Thaen's mental issues is very thin. Just a little more and he'll cross that line.

"What are you laughing at? Did you smoke something? Your mood is different from when you called me earlier." I wrinkled my nose like a police dog sniffing for drugs while walking toward the engineering faculty's cafeteria. Thaen laughed even louder. But...let's stop bringing the dog into this matter anymore, please.

"Oh, come on, can't I just laugh? Do you know when you complain, your face is hilarious? Pretty cute"

I instantly turned my head to look at my dear friend. Out of nowhere, he compliments me as cute. Or maybe...

"Not the way I thought, right?" I teased, using my elbow to nudge him. He furrowed his brows and looked at my face for a moment. Once he understood what I meant, he pushed me away, a bit harder and I'll get my head smacked down to the ground. (I was just exaggerating, he didn't push that hard hehe.)

"Yeah, damn right! Stop smiling like that, you bastard! I'll kick you if you don't cut it out. No matter how cute you are, you're not my type."

"Ah? Why so jumpy? Don't deny your own heart, Thaen. Admit it, you secretly like me, don't you? I know~"

"Know-know my ass. Even if you're not my friend, I still won't like you. Plus a shorty like a Corgi is not my type. You know my type already - tall, slim, long legs like a model."

"You jerk, don't bully me." What Corgi, you asshole. Didn't I say we should stop talking about dogs? But Thaen just has to mention again making me worked up. That guy laughed loudly. A man born over 180 cm like you will never understand the pain of a guy standing at merely 170 cm!

I speak as if I'm laughing right now, but I'm not laughing. This topic is just a bit sensitive, but I understand that friends sometimes just blurt things out without intending to hurt me. Like when I call him a "jerk," I don't mean it completely, even if he is one. I just use it as a pronoun instead of "you," replacing it with "jerk" Ha ha ha.

"Oops, sorry sorry. Don't get mad, my friend. Stay calm. What does my friend want? I'll be at your service all day today."

This guy at least is quite understanding. He knows me too well, you know? It's true; we've been hanging out since junior high school. We even wrote friendship chips when we graduated, promising to be friends forever. Thinking about it makes me embarrassed, damn it. Well, it was during graduation, that we wrote farewell letters to each other as if we wouldn't meet again. Two months later, when high school started, we stuck to each other until now, attending the same university.

"Today, Daddy Thaen is treating all, go all-out with a flashy outfit and sparkling lights. What do you want to feast on? Come on!! Eat to your heart's content until your stomach bursts and I'll cover the medicine fees." Well, doesn't that sound good. The word "free" sounds good no matter how many times you hear it, except drawing for free.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I study in the Faculty of Fine Arts. The location of my faculty and that of Thaen's are like continents apart. To see him I'd rather go to Don Muang, catch a plane to get to the engineering faculty, than wait for the university shuttle bus which never comes on time. Today, I had to walk, and my legs almost gave out. To make matters worse, I encountered those annoying people. How can I not be in a bad mood?

Having that said, it's also questionable why the tuition fees are so expensive. What do university administrators use it all for? If there's no development whatsoever, at least help improve the university shuttle service. Can you do that, Mr. Chancellor?

Speaking of my faculty, I think the reason I attract attention from engineering students might be because of the way I dress. Wearing thin baggy pants, a tie-dyed oil-stained shirt, a shoulder bag, and a messy bun walking around without having bathed, and not returning home for three days because of work commitments, leading me to sleep in the faculty. No wonder students from other faculties find my appearance peculiar.

Personally, I never thought that I was weird at all, guys. (I want you to meet friends from my faculty first then judge me) Others may just not be comfortable with this look. Engineering students, in particular, simply can't tolerate anything different from their society.

If they could be more open-minded and give it a try, try to experience and understand the work we do. Try doing some art and expand your horizons. If you've never tried, you'll never know.

After working my ass off for days until it looked bleak (I'm referring to my work situation, not my appearance, haha, oh I am so funny, talk and joke alone, so talented), I was about rest in the corner of the deserted workshop room when this guy who has his arm around my shoulder called. You really can't let me rest for a second huh?

He told me there's Code Red, needs my help urgently. He said he needed my help, even going as far as saying he didn't want to exist on this planet anymore due to stress. I'm such a saint, eyes barely opened yet still crossed so far through the burning heat to find my friend, no matter how tired I am. Yet when I arrived, this guy appeared to be completely normal in every way and the one who truly needed help became me. Lack of sleep can be deadly, you know. Life is short if you study art is real.

"So what's going on that you make me come all the way here? What's the matter?" I asked.

"Oh, um, let's talk later. Find a table to sit down first. Why are you in a hurry? If there's nothing urgent, then come eat with me. I just want to have a meal with my dear friend, can't I?"

"Stop playing around, Thaen". Even with closed eyes, I could tell that he was lying. If there's a lie detector, he'll get shocked to death.

"Then why don't you just drive to my faculty to see me instead?

"My car got confiscated," Thaen said casually, as if he was fined 5 Baht by the teacher because he refused to take a midday nap; not confiscate a million-dollar car. So casually that people with low blood sugar like me were startled awake.

"Hah? Who took it?" I halted in my tracks, pulling Thaen's arm, and dodging a group of students walking out of the cafeteria. For now, let's put eating matter aside. When I heard the words 'car confiscated,' my ears practically went deaf. "I thought you bought it in cash. Are you on installments? If you don't have the money to pay the installment, why didn't you say anything?"

"If I told you, would you have lent me the money?" Thaen retorted teasingly, casually draping the shirt he was holding over his shoulder. I just noticed now that today Thaen is wearing a loose gray T-shirt, not the usual style he prefers.

"Alright, but seriously, you got your car seized for real? So, what are you going to do? Why don't you try to negotiate first? But wait, your family sells cars, isn't that right?" Thaen grinned mischievously, you little prick.

"Haha, you're so easy to be tricked. Who else can take my car but my dad?" he smirked as he pulled me to keep walking. The conversation got cut off, though I get it, but I'm still annoyed with his answer.

As soon as I stepped inside the cafeteria, I almost felt lightheaded. Did they organize a feast here or something? Why are there so many people? The sound of people talking loudly was like a swarm of bees. This is making my ears hurt and dizzy.

Thaen still has a grip on my neck and refuses to let go. He's dragging me around in circles, scanning for a place to sit. Finding an empty table at this time is probably going to be as difficult as delving into the depths of my brain for knowledge. Since I started university two years ago, I've only been here three times and vowed to myself each time that I wouldn't set foot here again. The engineering faculty cafeteria is a place filled with chaotic vibes, excessively loud, and super crowded. Even though it has two floors, it's still not enough for the vast number of students.

Humans, oh humans! Born to exist just to fight for food and resources. I stand still, contemplating in my head.

"Peem! Hey, Peem! Spacing out in the middle of the way. What do you want to eat?"

I frowned, turning to face Thaen. He brought me to stand in front of a food stall among the tens of stalls, each with a line of about ten people waiting.

"Alright, what are you ordering? You can choose whatever you want. Just don't say 'anything' or I'll drag you to the restroom to eat"

Well if you're going to threaten me like that...then you decide for me. I just want to get away from this madness. I'm about to die here, my friend. So I randomly blurt out the first food that comes to mind.

"Chicken rice"

"Aw, then what are you standing in a pork rice stall for?"

Hey, hey you are the one who dragged me here. Thaen finally pulled me out of the pork rice shop to prove that it wasn't the chicken rice stall for me.

"You wait here. I'll go buy it" Thaen ordered, and I reluctantly accepted.

At least it's better this way. Just now I almost suffocated because of all the tall giants stealing all the oxygen. I am very annoyed with those born with long legs. I don't like it; it doesn't sit well with me. But I can't do anything but accept the reality. Of all heavens and hells I am stuck with friends who are tall like models walking on Milan Fashion Week. All of them are 180 cm and above.

I'm just complaining but doesn't mean anything by it. We all have to love and take pride in who we are, right? We have to accept the differences, and the diversity of others, because in the end, appearance and external features are not as important as thoughts and inner feelings. In conclusion, my mind is just nosy, damn it!

While I was standing and chatting with an imaginary friend, waiting for Thaen to buy food. Peem, myself here, also scan for a place to sit, but no sign of available seats anywhere. Wow! It's so crowded.

I also didn't want to become the focus for all the intellectuals there who didn't know anything about art people. Stop staring, guys. I know I look weird. I'm sorry, next time, I promise to wear my student uniform before leaving the faculty building.

"Hey Peem, find a seat."

"Oh, why so fast?"

"Because I'm handsome."

"Really?"

"Really!"

We burst into laughter. This exchange of jokes is a matter of trust. When you're with friends who understand you with just a word, you can laugh without saying anything. Even if it's absurd, we can still laugh. We haven't even found a table to sit at yet, but we can still laugh.

After walking around thirty times, I meant Thaen who walks. He went to buy a ton more things to eat. Finally, we found seats by squeezing in with a first-year student. There were only three people at the table. And I saw there was still some available space, so I went to ask if we could share. But when the students saw Thaen's face, the group stood up and gave the table to us. Was it because they were afraid of the seniors? No. Or out of disgust? Haha also no. They did it simply out of kindness.

Thaen is the head hazer here. That's why the juniors might be familiar with his face. Seeing his friendly and playful demeanor, he was chosen to be the head hazer of the Faculty of Engineering. The faculty, which has gained a reputation as a ruthless totalitarian system, the SOTUS system, seems more like a military camp. I thought he was joking at first because looking at his face and personality, how can he shout and yell at anyone? But apparently, he got the role.

(T/N: in case you don't already know, SOTUS is a hazing system to discipline new students at Engineering faculty in Thailand)

"In summary, you brought your girlfriend home and Dad caught you. So, your car keys got confiscated, and can't drive?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Oh boy..."

I tried to say something more, but no words came out. It was stuck in my throat. Thaen stuffed my mouth with a cucumber and grabbed my jaws to clamp together. I swatted his hand away from my face with disgust. Don't touch me! Take your dirty hands off!!

I've been listening attentively for several minutes. I had to cross mountains and rivers to get here only to hear this pointless story. You asshole! Give me back my precious time.

Ever since I unluckily stumbled upon and befriended this jerk, we've shared joys and sorrows for almost a decade. It means we both know each other's true (mischievous) nature very well and get along great, even with our families.

As far as I know, his family spoiled him a lot. The type of spoil that if Thaen suddenly kicks a dog, then the dog is wrong. How fortunate that he somehow grew up well and hasn't caused any harm to others despite how spoiled he is. His parents hardly ever scold him; in fact, they never say anything negative. Whatever Nong Thaen wants, he gets it. Whatever he wants to do, he does it. If he wants to study something, he studies. No matter how crazy he acts, they never complain. But there is only one rule: never bring a girlfriend home. Whether it's a condo, a hotel, or a resort, he can go anywhere, just not bring them home.

Thaen complained that his family is a bit conservative. Especially regarding having a girlfriend, he had to get married first to have the right to bring someone home. That was the rule. In the past, there was never a problem. He was willing to cooperate with his parents' request, but now suddenly why is he going against the family rule?

"I'm not taking sides or anything, but are you crazy? You know it's not allowed, so why would you bring your girlfriend home?"

"Don't start lecturing me. Just getting scolded by Dad is already annoying. What era are we living in now? Why the prohibition? I'm not a kid anymore. If I were in my teens, I could understand, but now?"

Thaen said angrily and started tearing apart the chicken bones in the soup with his bare hands, not caring how people looked at him. Actually, my friend is a very good-looking person. It's a bit embarrassing to say as his friend. However, I have to say he is handsome. Since I can remember, even during the twenty years of my existence on this planet, I've met people with really good looks, but Thaen is still in the top 3. Rankings might vary sometimes, like right now when he sucks the chicken bones loudly in front of me...

Back in high school, Thaen used to model for teen magazines did some commercials, and appeared in music videos. But when he started university, he quit all. He said he didn't want to pursue a career in the entertainment industry, he tried it because someone suggested it to him. It was fun, but he didn't like it so much.

At the moment, he spends his time on (other) activities that he especially likes, so much that I'm worried AIDS might catch him by the throat, even though he said he always uses protective measures. But who knows what can happen?

"To be honest Thaen, I don't know if I should feel sorry, keep a straight face, or just laugh. How did you manage to attend classes in the morning?"

"Cost me a 200 baht ride, gosh it made me dizzy"

"Yeah, people like you need to face this kind of thing. I'm not saying your parents did the right thing, but it's something you already agreed to. And then suddenly you broke the rule. You're lucky they still give you money to spend. So what are you thinking about bringing them home? Has your regular hotel closed down, or what?" I laughed at him, hands reaching over to steal some chicken liver.

"Because I'm serious this time, maybe even marry them. I was going to formally introduce them to the family, but bastard Then reported to Dad first. Damn him, talking about him makes me mad. He doesn't know shit". P'Then is this idiot's older brother - the typical next-door kid. Well, I'll save the story about P'Then for another time if there's an opportunity. For now, let me continue the story about this guy.

"Hoy! What are you talking about? Stop daydreaming. You're only in the second year of college. Who's going to marry you? Stop being delusional"

"So what if I'm a second year? I'm 20 already. I'm a legal adult to make my own decisions. So why can't I get married? In the past, people used to get married at the age of 14 or 15. What's the big deal?"

"In the past, people had shorter lifespans, died quickly, and there were no modern medicines like today. So, they had to quickly have many children to help with farming, plowing fields, and earning a living. Now, what's your reason for rushing to get married? Are you afraid you'll die at thirty?"

"I don't know, I love this person so I want to marry them. We love each other, what other reasons do we need than that?"

"Thaen, I think you've been cursed, my friend." Do I need to the temple and give him some holy water? Is this one of the symptoms?

"Peem, I'm serious. I'm serious about this person" Thaen said earnestly.

"Er, I believe you're serious. You said that every time" I chuckled, stuffing a bite of roasted pork neck into my mouth. The food at the engineering faculty was truly delicious, living up to its reputation. Everything tasted amazing. If it weren't for the fact that it was far away and didn't have those evil foul-mouthed people, I'd come here every day.

"Damn it! The other times were different. I really mean it this time, I really do love this person"

Thaen shouted, trying to explain his love to me, but I just let his words pass from one ear to another. When there's crispy pork right in front of me, nothing else matters.

"Oh yeah forgot to ask, where did Q go? Why didn't he come with you?" Oh ho, how about you wonder about after graduation instead?

"I don't know, probably having lunch with his girlfriend, I guess"

"Girlfriend? Same one?

"The same n-nth one. He's like you, only good at making people upset everywhere. You guys are all assholes" Thaen laughed and give a thumbs-up gesture at me.

"You're exaggerating. When did I make someone upset? Where? How? Give me some proof. Don't just throw accusations around. Having many exes just means people move on fast. That doesn't mean I'm a bad person". Thaen acted all smug, I really wanted to smack him with the spoon. I scrunch my face in disgust at the guy who dares to brag about his affairs. Seeing him makes me want to splash the chicken soup all over his face.

"That damn guy, Q, is such a badass. He hasn't broken up yet, right? And now he's going with someone else, too. I guess P'Jen can't keep him grounded."

You're probably wondering who P'Jen is. She is the girlfriend of that Q. So, who the hell is Q? Well, he is someone sent from hell to be another friend of mine. Our group consists of five guys: me, Thaen, Q, Pun, and Shane. We've been buddies since grade school.

Guess I don't have to explain to you that, at present, we've come to understand each other's family backgrounds and dark sides to a significant extent. Whether we love or not, just consider how devoted we are, agreeing not to part ways. Therefore, we all decided to stick together and apply to the same university. Thank god luck is on our end that we were all successfully admitted to our chosen school. Thaen is in Engineering, Shane is in Dentistry, Q and I are in Fine Arts, and Pun is studying Political Science because his ultimate aspiration is to become the Prime Minister (connect the dots by yourself as I don't quite understand it either)

Since entering university, even though we've separated and moved on to new friend groups and new societies, we still make plans to meet every weekend, or if possible, we'll try to do it more often than that. However, most of the time, it's not easy to do so because each of us is buried in our studies, especially Shane.

As for Q and I, we meet every day. It's been 8 years of seeing each other every day, to the point where I'm starting to feel fed up with his face. We're practically attached at the hip, so people in our faculty jokingly say we're like a couple because we're always together. But even real couples are probably not as close as we are. Pun once joked that Q and I are like Rama and Sita reincarnated, that's why we never separated. If that is true, if my life has to endure being with someone like Q, I'd rather let Ravana take me

from the very first chapter.

(T/N: Rama and Sita are gods in Hindu mythology Ramayana, they represent the ideal, perfect couple. Ravana is the 10-headed king of demons who is the main villain and abducted Sita. Correct me if I'm wrong, I looked it up bc I'm not so familiar with religions :))

"Saying all that, but you're even worse than him" I pushed the empty plate, as clean as a dog licking it, to the side before taking a big gulp of soda. Ah, I'm full now. Next on the agenda, I'll need a pillow and a blanket.

"I've never dated 2 at the same time, you know me. Only one at a time. But when I don't have a partner, then it doesn't count. I can talk to whoever I want at that time"

Sounds skeptical but let me give my guarantee for him. Thaen might seem like a player or a flirt, but he dates only one person at a time. It's just that his relationships never last long, and he stays single for a very short time. Since he entered adolescence and had his first girlfriend in middle school, up until now, I've never seen him stay single for more than two days, honestly.

"Ok, stop talking or you're going to spoil my chicken rice. I'm afraid that the more I listen to you flattering yourself I'm going to puke it all out. Also, how are we going to spend Friday? Is Shane free?"

I'm asking about the dentistry student whose schedule is as chaotic as a love affair (this one is the real deal, Q and Thaen are just little worms compared to Mr. Fanda here). Whenever we want to go get drinks, we have to book an appointment a lifetime in advance. Oh, I forgot to mention that Fanda is a nickname Pun gave to Shane. Sounds cute, kawaii with a strong Japanese vibe, but the meaning is quite the opposite. If you know Shane more than this, you'll understand that this nickname suits him perfectly.

"Even if Shane is not free, he always manages to find a way to make time. Whether it's good or bad, he always somehow pulls it off. I think he'll keep doing this for days to come."

"Have you talked to him?" I have to ask again for certainty because this asshole likes to think for others.

"Erm, I talked to him last night...Uh, Peem don't you have class later aa-ei-ooong-u-o" Uh...does anyone understand what the fuck he's saying. Swallow first then speak dumbass. If food gets stuck in your windpipe, you'll be in trouble again.

"Take your time, no rush. I'm not in a hurry"

But it seems Thaen is in a hurry, really really hurry because he's taking big scoops of rice. Yep, there's a whole chicken piece falling out of his mouth. Even though he's handsome, eating without manners like this is seriously annoying.

After sweeping everything down his stomach, he placed his plate on top of mine grabbed a glass, and...

Cr-unch

And then he started crunching on ice, hoiiii. My teeth hurt hearing that, stop it!!!!

"Do you want to come watch me practice basketball?"

"I want you to stop crunching on ice first, damn it! It's giving me chills!"

Thaen laughed, leaning so close that I startled me. I wasn't shocked because his face was close to me because Thaen's playful nature has always been like this. But I'm shuddering at the sound of teeth grinding on ice.

What I was surprised about was when Thaen invited me to watch him play basketball. It's been ages since he's ever invited me to join him in any activity, so I rarely get the chance to get to know his friends in the Engineering faculty. Unlike me, he knew everyone in my faculty, including the security, the cleaning staff, and even the dogs playing in front of the Fine Arts faculty. Thaen often mocks me until there's nothing left. The point is Thaen is a university soccer (football) player, so why would he go and compete in basketball?

"What's with your face?" He laughed, poking at the ice cubes in the glass as if contemplating which piece to pick up and munch next.

"I just invited you to watch basketball, not to accompany me to a slaughterhouse. You don't need to be that stressed out."

"Why the hell did you invite me to watch basketball out of the blue? Didn't you say there's something to talk about? In the end, it's just about getting your car seized. Just that? Fuck you, Thaen, do you have something against me? You made me walk all the way here under the scorching sun. I'm not in a good to joke around. If there's nothing else, I'll go back to sleep. You go borrow a friend's car to drive me back." I complained. Thaen's face turned sour.

"Peem! I'm not teasing or having a grudge against you. I really have something I want to talk about" He licks his lips, sighs softly, and scratches his head. Not even looking at me, seems pretty frustrated. "Look...I've been thinking about this for a while. How do I say it? This thing happened a while back, but I don't know. How do I tell you guys? It's not that I don't want to tell, but I don't know where to start. Just thinking about having to say it is tiring, but if I keep it a secret, it'll probably eat me alive. So, I decided to tell you first". Thaen sighed heavily. I sat still, waiting for him to speak. It's not often that you see Thaen in such a serious and tense mode.

"Well, you've chosen the right person, my friend. I'm here to listen to everything, ready to be by your side all the time. I won't judge, but I'll give you perspectives if needed" I joked, sacking lightly on his hand with the straw. Thaen smiled subtly and took a deep breath as if gathering the strength to speak. The next moment, he uttered a sentence that made me want to cut off both the friendship and behead him right away. He said:

"I want to introduce you to my new lover"

Hah!!!!

You son of a b****! And you're making a big deal out of it as if you're about to die. Damn it! Want me to destroy it and make you split up? Waste of my concern for you, give it backkkk!!!

After I tried holding back my emotions and gritting my teeth to listen to Thaen spitting sugar and butterflies about his love life for the nth time without me slitting his throat first, Thaen brought me to the basketball court of his faculty. Plus he asked his lover to come here too.

But when we arrived, there was no sign of any living creature, not even a single dog (apologies to the dogs that I often mention). There were only engineering students, about 5-6 people, having some kind of meeting.

While Thaen was confused and looking around, his phone rang.

"Uh, where are you? I'm at the basketball court and see no one around... Oh, you bastard, you told me to come here... Uh, okay, I'll be right there." He hung up impatiently.

"Is there something wrong? Why do you seem so unhappy? Your wife's pregnant?" The consequence of speaking too freely was being slapped with a shoe, a hefty one at that.

"My friend is at the soccer field"

"Oh, then why did you bring me here? Are you testing my endurance with hidden cameras?" Walking around the whole damn university! Watch it, I will unleash fire and burn down the engineering building.

"I'm sorry, the bastard changed his mind and wants to play soccer instead. Wait for me at the football field. Go straight, then turn left. At the next intersection, turn right, and you'll see a lot of people sitting and waiting for me there. I'll follow you shortly"

"Wtf??????? Can you see the question marks on my head??

"Oy, then where are you going? You brought me here just to ditch me? If that's the case, I'll go back first." I retorted, wondering what the heck is going on.

"Peemmm I beg you, don't go back just yet. I want you to meet my true love. I'll go pick them up real quick. You wait for me at the football field. Consider it a favor for me. I checked the calendar, and today is a good day, a day of victory. Introducing him today should be smooth. I don't want to postpone it to another day."

Ai'Thaen held my hand, pleading with pitiful eyes. But perhaps he forgot that it wasn't just the two of us here. There are still five witnesses observing this scene. I quickly adjusted my expression, pretending not to care, and nodded agree.

"Yesss, that's my friend. I love youuu"

"Stop it, that's enough." Can't you see that people are watching us?

"I'll be back soon. My 'faen' doesn't pick up the phone, and I'm afraid they'll get lost if they come and don't find anyone"

"Oh, how are you going to pick up your girlfriend then?"

"Walk"

"To where?"

"Architecture building"

"I think we should seriously talk about getting you some holy water, Ai'Thaen"

Thaen didn't hear what I said. He smiled and ran happily outside. What's so exciting about bringing a friend to meet your girlfriend? He's making a big deal out of it. I sighed before realizing...how do I get to the soccer field?

"Hoii Thaen! Wait Thaen! I can't remember the way. Fuck you Ai'Thaen"

I screamed after him. The other people in the hall turned and looked at me again. I closed my mouth, smiled awkwardly, bowed slightly, and quickly walked out. That damn Thaen disappeared as if he had teleported. I'll remember this, ditching your friend for a girlfriend. I won't come to the engineering faculty for you again, you asshole! Even if bring a car full of offerings to ask for forgiveness, I won't care!!!

And what the hell did he say? Left, right, straight, then turn, right? His directions are so confusing. I'll just walk around randomly. If I don't find it, then fuck it.

This area belongs to the Faculty of Engineering. It's massive, like extremely big. There are lecture buildings and about 10 smaller buildings for each department. This doesn't even include the international section yet. This faculty is so big and crowded, so all the buildings are gigantic. I understand that, but seeing this makes me realize my faculty is like poor Cinderella.

I passed through the tennis court, the open basketball court, that Thaen took me to. Well, your faculty seems quite luxurious. How did you manage to allocate the budget to make it even fancier than the villagers' homes?

I cried silently in my head because I couldn't do anything except follow the route that shitface (promoting his rank because I'm angry) told me to follow. In this university, if it isn't your familiar area, you'll get lost for sure.

After wandering around this maze, I finally found my way out. I saw the soccer field in the distance.

Phew! I'm not lost anymore.

I blew the air out from my mouth, wiped off the sweat from my temple, and looked from this angle to see a small football field in the distance. People are running around all over the field. On the bleachers, a few people are sitting, most are probably engineering students.

I scan through the place for where I can wait for Thaen without getting too close to those guys. I want to avoid them in case of any unnecessary issues.

The truth is, I'm scared. Earlier, I just went to check out their faces and what they were up to. I'm afraid of running into those guys I cursed at again.

After turning left and right for a while, I finally see on the other side of the field, there are stone tables with shades, the perfect spot for me after all the effort to get here. The target is set, all I need is to go there.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that the simple walk to sit at the stone table across the field that day would change the life of I, Peeranut, myself, forever. Before I could take more than seven steps, something slammed into my back.

"Oi! What the fuck?"

The impact wasn't too strong, just slight pain. I was more surprised than anything. So, I unintentionally cursed out. After turning left and right to find the cause, I finally realized that the object that had hit my back was the rolling soccer ball on the ground.

Luckily it's just a ball, not a bullet or I wouldn't know how to return it.

Anyway, being the kind-hearted person that I am, I was going to return the ball to its owner if not for what came out of the other person's mouth.

"Hey shorty, pick up the ball for me"

Never in my 20 years of existence had I ever heard someone dare to order me, let alone call me "shorty". Who taught to ask for help from strangers using such language? Did no one tell you discriminating people's appearance is bad? You kicked the ball and it hit me; I didn't say anything because it was probably an accident. I can understand that, but calling me "shorty"? I won't tolerate it!

I bent down to pick up the ball with trembling hands from anger. The rage shook my entire being. I told myself to take a deep breath, attempting to suppress the boiling emotions and cool down. Then, I turned around to face that jerk. In that moment of turning back, I saw the face of the person standing a few steps away, a mix of regret mixed with the remaining anger. When I saw his, I couldn't believe those nasty words came from someone with such a good-looking face, so handsome it's unreal. Damn it! I'm shocked! Is this person even real, or did you just step out of an anime?

"Oi Shorty, are you deaf? I told you to pick up the ball"

It's like I can hear the roaring thunder right next to my ears. All the patience, righteousness, and dignity that I, Peem, have built shattered in the blink of an eye. No need for Hanuman, I will be the one to burn down all of you. Looks bright, but foul mouth. One word shorty, two words shorty. Er I know I'm short; I knew it before you did. I don't need you to keep reminding me. Especially assholes like you!!!

(T/N: Hanuman is a half-monkey half-human deity who's a devoted follower of Prince Rama in Hindu stories)

I stare at his face, and he doesn't even look away. Moreover, his expression annoys me even more. Even a toddler would probably sense that someone like this must not be a good person. I took two deep breaths before tossing the ball back to him. He caught it without saying a word of thanks, as expected. If he does speak, I'd be surprised. As he turns and walks away, my hands and feet finally catch up to my brain. Everything connects so quickly. This is what they call an impulsive action. I took off my sandals and threw them at the guy's back in full force. Everything happened so quickly that it was startling.

"Oii, fuck!"

"Oops, sorry, let me pick up my shoes...you bastard!" That's it. That's all it takes for that handsome yet ill-mannered asshole to turn to me and grab my shirt collar, almost lifting me off the ground. Come on! I'll fight or die with you today!

"You-" he hissed through his teeth, fiercely yelling at me. Eyes burning with anger, neck, and ears also turn red from anger.

Upon close inspection, his face is so clear. His skin is smooth like there's no acne since birth. His eye color was beautiful, a rare shade of brown. I secretly took pride in the theoretical knowledge I gained in the past two years of study finally being put to good use. The nose is beautifully shaped and complements the cheekbones. If I were to use him for a sculpting project, I'd earn an 'A' because the divine creator already did an excellent job, just need to mold it. Horned chestnut lips with a rosy hue, like they've never touched a cigarette. That's not always the case because Q's lips were naturally pink despite chewing several cigarettes a day. The facial structure might be a bit small, but the proportions were just right. Everything on his face seemed to harmonize perfectly. It's safe to say this person must have excellent genetics. His parents passed down remarkable genes to achieve such perfection. Do you believe, people like this look good even if they use 50 cents of soap to shampoo, shower, and wash their face altogether?

In a time like this, it's crazy that I still have time to admire the artistic beauty of this bastard's face. If I were to die, it would be a dutiful death, die with dignity. The art teacher will not be disappointed!

"Hey, hey, you guys!!! What's going on? Peem, Phum?"

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