Love You Teacher

Chapter 12. 

The atmosphere after school was quite quiet. Pobmek walked around the hallways, observing the various classrooms. He saw other teachers diligently supervising students' rehearsals for the play. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, which relieved Pobmek somewhat. Perhaps his worries weren't as bad as he thought.

He walked on until he reached the door of classroom 2/1. The door was tightly shut, but the children's voices were loud and boisterous from inside. Suddenly, Jee opened the door, holding a large sheet of paper in his hand.

"How's it going?" Jee looked at Pobmek with a weary expression. 

"It's nothing much. The kids are just rehearsing for the play." Jee slightly raised the paper in his hand. "I just got the brief for the set design."

Pobmek tried to look on the bright side, "Hmm... or maybe it's not so bad."

"Just as we were worried about?"

Jee shook his head with a sigh. "You... I'm usually quite optimistic about the world. On the positive side, but this is the brief I received."

Jee held up the paper and showed it to Pobmek. The words on the paper were scattered haphazardly, as if an explosion had occurred. Each letter was completely disorganised. Pobmek felt a heavy weight fall on his chest again. His hopes faded in an instant.

"Do you think we'll ever finish this set in this lifetime?" Jee said with a disheartened tone. Pobmek sighed softly. "I'll handle it." Pobmek slightly opened the door to the small room, but before he could step inside, the sharp voice rang out as if ordering him to stop in his tracks.

"There's an intruder!!"

Suddenly, Four and King accurately threw balloons filled with red and green watercolour paint at him. The balloons burst, and the cold, sticky watercolour paint stained his clothes. Pobmek felt like he'd been hit with rotten eggs in front of a large crowd.

"Oh my! What's going on?!"

"Oh, it's Pobmek, isn't it? I thought those guys from the next room were going to copy my idea." Sun ignored Pobmek and turned to talk to his friends enthusiastically. "Come on, guys, let's continue practising."

Sun and the children continued rehearsing the play happily, completely ignoring Pobmek’s condition. Pobmek was so annoyed that he almost wanted to go home. He just closed the door and walked out slowly. When Jee saw his friend's state, he gave a nervous, guilty smile.

"Sorry, I forgot to warn you about this."

Pobmek sighed heavily. "Looks like this, the play is definitely going to be a disaster."

Pobmek glanced inside the room and saw Sun standing there, directing his friends with a face full of enthusiasm. A whirlwind of emotions flooded Pobmek’s mind. He looked at Sun and was reminded of a surprisingly similar past.

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Pobmek, in his student uniform, his shirt untucked, stood calmly, leaning against the dorm wall. He let Solar do what he was good at. His roommate was enthusiastically reciting a script, acting out the characters with great enthusiasm and gestures. Solar's facial expressions and eyes changed according to the characters' emotions, making him seem like a completely different person. Pobmek couldn't help but admire the talent of his secretly crush's friend.

"You show such humility in your devotion because even saints have hands that pilgrims can touch, and when palms meet, it is considered a sacred kiss."

As soon as he finished speaking, Solar walked over to Pobmek and extended his hand. Pobmek looked bewildered and confused. He had never rehearsed a play so seriously before. Hundreds of question arrows flashed through his mind, causing him to awkwardly lower his head and read the script in his hands.

"Um... and what about saints? Don't they have lips like pilgrims?"

Solar frowned slightly. He used the hand he had previously extended to meet Pobmek and raised it. He scratched his head in frustration.

"Should we try again? You look confused."

"Ugh, no way! What are you making me do? I'm done with this!" Pobmek slammed the script down, looking dejected. He slumped onto the bed, utterly devastated. He couldn't understand why he had to rehearse a romantic play like this with his friend.

"Please, consider this a favour to me. My sparring partner is in a different faculty, and I'm practically broke."

"I didn't practice with it at all. And I have a real acting exam today."

"Aren't there any other scenes? Like, just Romeo and Juliet sitting next to each other?"

"Just enjoying the scenery and watching the birds."

"Yes, there is, but I drew a lottery ticket the first time we met, okay? Please, please, help me out," Solar pleaded, sitting beside the bed. He found Mek looking at the little kitten with a weary expression, finally giving in to the kitten's adorable pleading.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

"My roommate is the cutest! Okay, let's practice one more time."

Solar and Pobmek stood in opposite corners of the room, each meditating. Solar played instrumental music from his phone. The soft melody blended with the room's silence. Solar slowly raised his hands, making gestures as if meticulously directing something.

"Put the mask on slowly..."

They both took out the masks they had prepared and put them on, then walked in opposite directions. They drifted along to the increasingly heavy melody.

"Both of them strolled around the dance floor, enjoying the atmosphere, not paying attention to anyone in particular until their eyes slowly met."

Solar and Pobmek slowly walked towards each other, as if drawn by some kind of force. They looked into each other's eyes, like the way one looks at something one loves.

Specifically, encountering Pobmek felt like an electric current was coursing through my entire body.

"Their eyes were drawn to each other, just like when we look at each other. The person we like."

They slowly brought their hands together affectionately, their fingers gently touching as if dancing. They gradually moved closer, their faces drawing nearer. Pobmek felt as if the whole world had stopped spinning. His heart pounded as if it would burst from his chest. He was so lost in the moment that he could barely control himself, almost kissing Solar.

"We can just hide in a corner, you don't have to actually kiss."

"So... if I really want to kiss you."

"Wow... How dare you?"

After Solar's question, Pobmek fell silent. The two gazed at each other. Just as Pobmek slowly moved closer to Solar again, intending to kiss him, Solar's phone rang. Solar quickly went to check it, removing his mask, causing Pobmek to stop abruptly before he could.

"Damn it! I have an exam to take! I'm going now. I practised a lot just now."

Thanks, man!

Solar quickly grabbed his bag and rushed out of the room, leaving only Pobmek standing alone. He was still reeling from the moment they had just shared. He lightly touched his lips with his fingertips; the feeling was still vivid in his mind, as if it had happened moments ago. Then he noticed the mask Solar had left on the table, so Pobmek quickly grabbed it and ran out of the room after him.

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The boisterous shouts of students rehearsing a play echoed throughout the small auditorium. Pobmek calmly walked through the crowd, his eyes scanning the area for Solar. Finally, he spotted Solar standing alone. Seeing him, Phopmek hurried over to him.

"Solar! Did you forget something?"

Pobmek hastily extended the mask in his hand to Solar, but Solar shook his head gently.

"Oh... thanks, but I probably won't need it anymore."

"Hey, why not?"

Solar's face was so dejected that he almost wanted to devour everything around him. He stared, reached for the mask in Pobmek’s hand with a wistful look.

"It's my sparring partner. He forgot he has an exam today. He just went to a camp in another province."

"I don't have a performing partner anymore."

A heavy feeling of anxiety, like a large rock pressing down on Pobmek’s chest, gripped his mind. He rapidly searched for a solution for his loved ones, scanning the surroundings for a student who might be able to help.

"Okay, I'll try asking other people if anyone else performed this scene like you."

Pobmek was about to walk away, but Solar grabbed his hand. Pobmek’s arm felt as if it were being bound by something strong yet gentle at the same time.

"I've spotted some clouds..."

"That?"

Solar looked at Pobmek with a more serious expression than ever before. Pobmek had never seen Solar like this before. It captivated him, and he couldn't take his eyes off his friend.

"Why don't you just be my sparring partner?"

Solar's words echoed in Pobmek’s ears like an explosion that reverberated throughout the universe. His mind went completely blank, unable to process anything.

"Huh... Me?"

Solar nodded and grinned broadly at Pobmek as if nothing had happened. But for Pobmek, it was an event that changed his life forever. He remained standing there, like a cursed statue.

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The soft morning sunlight streamed into the condo through the large window. The calendar indicated it was Tuesday. He found Mek curled up on the sofa, a tense expression on his face. On his laptop screen was the performance plan he'd received during the teachers' and principal's meeting—a refreshing surprise, but everything hadn't gone as he'd hoped. Anxiety clung to him like a tangled spiderweb.

Soon after, Solar, who had just woken up, walked out of the bedroom. He looked a little groggy, but the moment he saw Pobmek sitting there with a face like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, Solar immediately walked over. He leaned down and kissed Pobmek’s cheek, as if it were a daily routine.

"You look stressed out all morning. What's up this time?"

"Well, yesterday we started rehearsing the play in front of the classroom, but Sun got in."

"He is a director."

"Really? Wow, Sun is quite the troublemaker."

Solar's laughter didn't make Pombek feel any better. He continued to sigh deeply.

"Yeah, at first I planned with Jee to block him from doing it. But I don't know what possessed him to get so excited... Ugh... I wonder if he'll make it." Solar felt sorry for his boyfriend. He knew how dedicated and serious Pobmek was about everything he did. Solar walked over to the table, quickly punched two holes in a piece of paper with his fingers, and then placed it over his face to make a simple mask.

"Do you remember this?"

Pobmek watched Solar's expression and let out a soft chuckle.

"Of course I remember. I'll never forget."

"Yeah, then you probably know how much both Sun and I are into acting," Pobmek nodded in understanding. He knew that Solar must have been like that when he was a kid. Definitely has a talent for acting.

"Just let the kids do it. Your job is to just watch from a distance. That's enough... Just trust Sun."

Solar's words were like a cool stream of water, slowly calming the burning anxiety in Pobmek’s heart. It made him begin to feel a little more relaxed, Solar said. "I'm really curious to know what Director Sun's drama will be like."

Time passed to Wednesday, and the boisterous sounds of the children filled the classroom. They were diligently rehearsing their play, which seemed far too grand for elementary school children.

King, in his villainous role as Thanos, is walking towards Aurora with a pained expression, surrounded by his fellow villains who look like they've just been attacked.

"Who... Who are you?"

Aurora slowly turned around, wearing gloves on her hands. Seven-coloured rainbow-coloured papers were hung up as if they were the Infinity Stones.

"I am.... Snow White!"

"Snap your fingers!" Sun shouted in a powerful voice. The moment he gave the command, Aurora confidently snapped her gloved hand. Immediately, the villains began convulsing as if struck by lightning, their groans echoing throughout the room as if they were on the brink of death. The classroom was plunged into chaos. Elsa stood in the corner, a knowing look on her face.

"Struggle more! Struggle more! Struggle harder!!"

The children obeyed Sun’s commands, wriggling like snakes shedding their skin, even collapsing onto the ground. Pobmek, watching, could only gape in utter shock. He felt as if hundreds of rocks had fallen from the sky and hit him on the head. He remained motionless, unable to believe his eyes.

The air in the gym was quite hot and stuffy at the moment. Pobmek, who had taken a break from watching the play rehearsal, just arrived and was stunned by the sight before him. Jee was busily working on the play set, with Sodchuen assisting him wholeheartedly. The set he was constructing was so large and extravagant that it could hardly be the set for a primary school play.

"Wow... Is this a scene from a primary school play or a Ratchadalai Theatre production?"

"You saying that makes me feel relieved. At first, I was terrified and thought about leaving. Is it good?"

"Please, just come out with something better. I'm too lazy to argue with those girls."

The parents were wondering where the school had put all the budget. Jee saw Sodchuen colouring, but it didn't seem to turn out as she wanted, so Jee spoke up.

"Uh...Sodchuen, you can't vent like that. Come on, let me show you. Let's look at this."

Jee took the brush from Sodchuen's hand and showed a new painting technique that looked the same no matter how you looked at it. Perfectly matched, looking at Sodchuen with curiosity.

"It's the same pose as yours, isn't it?"

"No, it has to be my pose. Otherwise, the colours won't be perfectly even."

"Look, I'm here to help you vent, and you're still being difficult? I'm the director!"

"Naya"

"Then please feel free to rest, Director. I'll continue the venting myself," Jee’s words shocked her, causing her to pull away from him. She walked away and stood beside Pobmek, muttering to herself.

"Why does it have to be so precise? They're using that scene next week, not this year!"

"Study this page!"

Pobmek could only smile at how precise Jee was, secretly thinking to myself that it must be Jee who was able to create such a spectacular scene! Suddenly, Tinkerbell and Four ran towards Pobmek, looking frantic. They exchanged hesitant glances, unsure what to say.

"Tinkerbell Four... what's wrong?" Pobmek asked.

Four hesitated, not knowing what to say, so Tinkerbell whispered something to him. Four then gathered his courage and spoke up.

"Teacher Pobmek, Sun is arguing with Elsa."

"Yes, Sun is having an argument with Elsa."

"Ha!?"

The two teachers' exclamations rang out simultaneously, like a clap of thunder in broad daylight. Both Pobmek and Sodchuen widened their eyes in extreme shock. Pobmek, Sodchuen, Four, and Tinkerbell Pobmek rushed back to the classroom. Pobmek’s heart pounded like a war drum.

The moment they opened the classroom door, Pobmek and Sodchuen were met with a sight that made their hearts sink. Sun stood before Elsa, who was crying and trembling like a leaf in a strong wind. The sight enraged Pobmek; he lunged forward and grabbed Sun’s arm, his grip like iron clamps threatening to crush his bones.

"Sun! What are you doing to your friend? Causing trouble again, huh?!"

Sun remained silent, not answering. His face turned as pale as a blank sheet of paper. He looked up at Pobmek with eyes filled with fear, like a kitten about to be punished by its owner.

"Teacher Pobmek, please calm down and listen to the children first," the acting principal said. Sun's face looked like he was about to cry from being scolded. Seeing this, Pobmek immediately let go of Sun's arm. The anger that had been raging within him began to fade, replaced by guilt.

"Children, what's happening?"

"Elsa wanted to play as Snow White, but she chose Aurora first."

Elsa said that Aurora wasn't pretty and couldn't be the heroine.

"Sun then said that Elsa wasn't pretty either, so Elsa started crying."

Every word that came out of the children's mouths was like a knife cutting into Pobmek’s heart. He turned to scold Sun again, but this time his voice was softer.

"You're always causing trouble."

"Elsa started it first, didn't you hear, Uncle?"

"Listen, but we made things worse. We're the directors, we should speak kindly to our friends, don't be so harsh that they cry."

"Uncle hasn't said anything nice to me yet."

Sun’s words were like tiny needles piercing Pobmek’s heart. He fell silent, not knowing what to say in response. Frustration overwhelmed him, and he decided to resolve the situation quickly to prevent it from escalating.

"Okay, kids, as the teacher in charge of this performance, I'd like to relieve myself from the position of director."

"Uncle is mean! I hate him the most!!" Sun stormed out of the room angrily. Sodchuen watched him go, feeling worried. She turned to Pobmek and spoke with a concerned tone.

"The teacher said to Pobmek. Are you really going to do it this way?"

Pobmek had fallen silent, not giving a cheerful reply. He pondered the cheerful question that had been asked of him. His heart felt heavy, as if a large, dark cloud hung over him.

Ding! Thump! Ding!

Footsteps echoed through the condo hallway. The moment he reached the room, Sun stormed into the bedroom like a furious tempest. A few seconds later, the door burst open again, and Pobmek’s pillow and blanket were carelessly tossed out onto the floor. Sun strode back into the bedroom and slammed the door shut, as if cutting himself off from the outside world.

"Hey, how long are you going to sulk? It's your fault," Pobmek walked over and knocked on the bedroom door. The knocking sound was heard...The rhythm was there, but there was no response from those inside.

"And open the door! Uncle hasn't showered yet!" Sun peeked out the door slightly, only his angry eyes glaring. A towel was thrown on the floor in front of the door before he quickly slammed the door shut and locked it again. Pobmek felt so stiff he almost sighed.

"Go ahead and sulk! You'll realise it eventually!"

Pobmek picked up a towel and looked at it, feeling disheartened. He glanced at the kitchen sink; it was small and dirty. He shook his head in resignation.

"So, I have to shower in the sink, huh...?"