OOPS! MYSTERIOUS SOUNDS: BOOK 1.

Second voice. 

Tum nudged me with his foot and asked, "This jerk has hands but uses his foot! So annoying!" I bared my teeth at him.

 

"Not getting anywhere."

 

"Is there a lot left?"

 

I sighed and nodded slightly, quite worried about this. I'm in my third year, so I don't have much time left to complete my internship hours before I have to go out for my professional practice in my field in my fourth year. But the faculty has regulations requiring students to complete a certain number of internship hours, and these hours are divided into different tasks based on what needs to be done first. In my major, I have to be a fitness leader, a research assistant, and most importantly, a member of a sports team. 

 

Each task requires a different number of internship hours. I've already completed all the other required hours, except for those assigned to the sports team. Because it's a key unit, there are mandatory additional hours that need to be earned. It's been over twenty hours since I refilled it.

 

"Go and join the soccer team."

 

Tum gestured towards Dang, who was a university football player on the same team as Jin.

 

"Your friend is on the university soccer team, and the head coach is an upperclassman from your faculty. You can easily ask him for coaching hours." I shook my head wearily. Any team would do, but definitely not a football team. Tum saw the expression on my face and immediately shut his mouth. He probably knew exactly why I didn't want to be on a football team.

 

Because he doesn't want to be near Dang, if he were on a football team, he'd definitely see Boom visiting Dang often. I don't want to see it.

 

"I'm going to be on the swimming team."

 

"I heard they're not training these days because they're all in training camp for the national team tryouts. Who are you going to train with to gain practice hours?"

 

"Then, the rugby team."

 

"Can you handle massaging a rugby player?"

 

Of course, when you join a sports team, taking care of the athletes is unavoidable, from their diet to injuries, and often involves massaging their muscles. The point is, rugby players are generally big and muscular. Even with strong pressure, they don't feel anything; it's like ants massaging a giant.

 

I tried it once last year and almost died, despite putting in so much effort. Yet, the athletes said they didn't even feel their muscles relax. Damn, that's such a blow to my self-esteem.

 

"What about the hockey team?"

 

They sighed.

 

"No practice sessions during this period."

 

Damn, I'm clutching my head because there's absolutely no other option.

 

"Why? Why don't you want to be on the football team regularly?" The guy narrowed his eyes at me.

 

"nothing"

 

"If you don't join a football team, you won't be able to complete your internship hours in time."

 

What Ai’Dang said made sense, but I didn't want to hear it. I sighed, glancing at Tum, who was looking at me sympathetically. I only have one semester left to complete another twenty-plus hours. Of course, the soccer team is the best option, because I can spend my after-school time supervising their evening practice sessions. That's at least two or three hours a day. I expect to complete it within a month.

 

I sighed deeply. Just then, Boom walked back to the table with an iced bread in her hand, a popular treat among the students in my faculty. The two friends' attention shifted to the Ovaltine shaved ice, and the previous conversation was put aside.

 

"I don't eat ice."

 

Boom used a spoon to scoop up finely shaved ice and held it in front of me, forcing me to open my mouth to accept it.

 

"Is it delicious?" I nodded slightly and smiled at her.

 

"It's delicious, but I want something spicy. I'm feeling sleepy, and I'm afraid I'll fall asleep during the afternoon class." Saying that, I stood up and scanned the food stalls in the cafeteria. My faculty's cafeteria is shared with two other faculties. It's quite crowded around lunchtime.

 

While standing in line at the spicy salad stall, I saw a small, smiling friend from another faculty approaching from afar. Beam smiled, squinting his eyes, waved at me, and walked towards me. Besides Beam, I also saw another close friend from that side. It wasn't Jin, but the tall, stoic-faced man, a science student I mentioned earlier, often stops by to have meals with Beam.

 

He nodded and gave me a slight smile, typical of someone who doesn't talk much, unlike Beam, who is both talkative and smiles a lot. During this time, I secretly glanced at him. I looked around, but didn't see anyone from the engineering faculty. But it's good that way. I'm not ready to face it directly yet because I still haven't forgotten what happened the other day—the incident where I lied about having something going on with him. Just thinking about it makes me so embarrassed that I can't speak. 

 

Luckily, after I finished talking to Beam, Jin just smiled but didn't say anything to make me look foolish. So I quickly grabbed Beam’s arm and pulled him away.

 

"What are you eating?"

 

"It's a spicy salad."

 

"Yeah, my mouth is watering. I want to try it now."

 

I smiled slightly before my smile faded, and my expression turned sour when I saw the person I had just trusted not to show up standing next to Beam. Then I forced a smirk. His mouth moved towards me as a greeting.

 

"Uh, Beam, I have a stomachache. I'm going to the bathroom first."

 

I can't stay here anymore!

If you can run, run first.

 

I quickly pulled away without looking back, because I didn't dare face someone who always had a smile on their face like that. So, I walked on for a while until I stopped at a bench under the building outside and sat down there. Damn it.

 

Knowing full well that I hate his guts, how could I accidentally blurt out that I'm talking to Jin? Damn it! I clutched my head, biting my nails, trying to figure out how long I have to keep lying to Boom. As long as Jin and I are strangers, Boom will eventually find out. I don't even want to think about what it will be like when that day comes.

 

I stood there for I don't know how long, until I heard footsteps approaching me. I turned to look. What the heck is Jin talking on the phone about? I quickly turned my back and tried to avert my face so he wouldn't notice. During that time, I heard a deep voice but couldn't make out what was being said. The sound faded away. I guessed it had gone back. I turned around to look and jumped in surprise to see it standing beside me. I don't know when it started. He crossed his arms and looked at me with a smile.

 

"Do you like eavesdropping on other people's phone conversations?"

 

"It wasn't me."

 

"Then why are you acting so secretive?"

 

"I don't want to hear or get involved in your affairs at all."

 

"Is that how someone says, 'We're just talking'?"

 

My face flushed, especially when I saw those sharp eyes staring directly at me like that.

 

"I..."

It moved closer.

 

"Do you like me?"

 

I shook my head quickly. I really hated the smirk on his face.

 

"No way"

 

"Then why did you say that?"

 

I swallowed hard before lowering my gaze to the floor.

 

"It's just to make the people I love feel comfortable."

 

"For what?"

 

I looked up and sighed.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that."

 

It narrowed its eyes at me before nodding slightly. Just then, Boom walked towards us. I didn't know how to react when I saw Boom's wide grin upon seeing me. She looked at Jin before turning her face and walking away in another direction. I sighed deeply.

 

"I would never hurt my best friend's feelings. Never."

 

"Wait a minute"

 

I grabbed its arm. It paused for a moment before turning around.

 

"Since I've already been impersonated anyway..."

 

It made a confused face. "Help....

 

"what"

 

"Help by flirting with me," I mumbled something under my breath.

 

 "What did you say?"

 

"Could you pretend you're flirting with me?" I looked up and stared straight at it. 

 

"Why would I do that?" 

 

I pressed my lips together tightly. "You once asked me..." I lowered my gaze to the floor, "What did you have to do to make me stop being angry about what happened last year?”

 

"already..."

 

"If you act like you're flirting with me... I'll let go of my prejudice and stop being angry with you." He smirked and burst into laughter.

 

"How long?" It asked with a smile.

 

"Just one month. Only one month."

 

"Just one month," it repeated, "Okay."

 

Huh? I was stunned by how easily he agreed. The more I looked into his eyes, the more awkward I felt.

 

"I'm going to win you over."

 

Wait a minute.

Why does this feel so strange... like it's actually flirting with me?

 

════[changbins_delulu_wife]════

 

This afternoon, my friends and I had a class outside our faculty, located in a different zone. Since my health science faculty is separate and quite far from the main faculty buildings, we had to take the university shuttle bus, which stops near the engineering faculty. But Boom wanted coffee, so she dragged us to a coffee shop near the engineering faculty, not far from the science faculty where we had our class today.

 

"Iced cocoa"

 

I went in to order my favourite menu item, while Dang and Tum waited outside. On the other hand, Boom is a fan of strong coffee. Meanwhile, I felt my phone ring with a notification. When I took it out, I saw a notification on the screen saying someone had added me as a friend on Facebook.

 

Facebook

'Jin. Jinna added you as a friend'

 

I was surprised to see someone's Facebook name send a friend request. I knew who the owner of the Facebook account was because I've known Beam for a long time. We're friends on this app. Every time Beam posts something, her close friends will like or comment. Of course, even though I'm not friends with that person, I see all the notifications.

 

'I'm going to court you.'

 

The person who said that sent me a friend request. I froze. Honestly, I didn't know what to do. We'd agreed that he should act as if he were flirting. Maybe his friend request was the first step. If he just came straight up and started flirting, it would be weird, especially since my friends know that he and I haven't gotten along in the first place.

 

I hesitated for a moment before accepting the friend request. As I put my phone in my pocket, it vibrated violently in my hand as if I had an incoming call. Looking closely, it was a call from the Messenger app.

 

Facebook

'Audio Call

Tap to call again'

 

It seemed like they had called via chat and then hung up before I could answer. I frowned in surprise. Just then, another message from them popped up.

 

Deep. Deep: Sorry, my friend, I was messing with you.

PP.Phodduang: Yeah.

 

I typed back, "I knew there was no way he'd call me himself, even though we're temporarily allies right now."

 

Deep. Deep: My friend is pretending to hang up.

Wait a minute?

 

I stared at the chat message, wanting to read it clearly to understand its meaning. My friend was about to hang up, but it didn't work. Did you intend to hang up yourself? I didn't know how to react, but then the person who sent the message called again.

 

'Jin. Jinna is calling'

 

"Yes", I spoke into the phone.

 

[Are you at the coffee shop in front of my faculty building?]

 

How did it know? Does he have psychic abilities? I immediately looked left and right, searching for him.

 

"Yes"

[Wait there.]

 

"Why?"

[You told me to act like I'm trying to flirt with you.]

 

Yes, that's right.

[I'm on my way...]

 

"..."

[This is the first day I've started courting you.]

 

I pursed my lips tightly, feeling my ears burning for some reason, until the waiter called me to take my order. I walked out of the restaurant dazed. Boom looked surprised as he silently watched from afar.

 

"What's wrong with you, P'D?"

"Uh..."

 

I scratched my head and looked around to find the person I had just hung up on.

 

"Who called just now?"

 

I forced a smile before saying, "That Jin guy."

 

"There you go," she teased, smiling. "You know what? When you said you were talking to Jin, I didn't really believe it. You two hate each other's guts."

 

Not only did she disbelieve it, but I also couldn't believe my ears that he actually agreed to pretend to flirt with me. I gave my best friend an awkward smile before walking away. 

 

He joined his two friends outside the shop, just as someone walked by with their close group of friends, except for Anda, who wasn't there. I was taken aback when he walked straight up to me and stopped. His handsome face curved into a slight smile, his eyes fixed on me, leaving me speechless. Are you playing the role a little too well?

 

"What are you doing around here?" He asked, while I just stood there stunned. Dang frowned, and Tum looked completely bewildered that the news of the two faculties getting along last year had spread everywhere. Of course, my close friend knew exactly how much I disliked Jin, and he himself seemed not to want anything to do with me, but today he surprisingly came over and talked to me normally. Actually, it was even unusually normal because he was talking and smiling like that.

 

"Uh," I scratched my head, "I have classes at the faculty of science."

 

"Okay, study hard."

 

My group of friends whistled and cheered, making faces as if they were teasing me.

 

"Uh..."

 

Tum's eyes widened in shock, as if he'd seen a ghost. Dang had already choked on the coffee that Boom had bought for him. This was in stark contrast to Jin's friends. A mere shrug wasn't enough; both Tos and Art high-fived as if they were quite amused by Jin's chillingly soft question. I should get out of this awkward situation, so I grabbed his arm and pulled him away.

 

"Where are you going?" Jin asked with a smile after I had dragged him quite a distance from the coffee shop. I crossed my arms and glared at him, looking serious.

 

"What are you planning to do?"

 

"I'm trying to woo you."

 

I immediately bared my fangs at him.

 

"You're acting way too realistically."

 

The person in front of me shrugged before a smirk appeared on their lips. That kind of behaviour made me shake my head.

 

"That's enough for today. My friends are already shocked enough." I said with a dejected expression. "We've hated each other's guts for years, and suddenly we're sparking a romance. Isn't that a bit too strange?"

 

"Do you think it's strange?"

 

"That's weird. Why would you ask that?"

 

"Really?" he said, smiling. "I don't think that's surprising."

 

"It's normal for people who are dating."

 

Damn it, I feel my face flush. "You're being too nice to me." I frowned.

 

"So how should I say it?" he asked, smiling.

 

"Don't use a sweet, flirtatious tone with me."

 

"What are you doing around here today?"

 

The tone of the sound is normal, but it's my ears that are abnormal, because it sounds so soft and gentle, I can't quite explain it.

 

"Or, what are you doing around here today?"

His voice became flat, but his eyes remained fixed on me.

 

"Uh..."

 

"Which one do you prefer?"

 

"Do you prefer it the way I said it before, or the way I said it just now?" I pressed my lips together tightly.

 

"When did you start liking me?"

That question is incredibly ambiguous.

 

"I don't like you."

 

Jin smirked while I made a face at him. Just then, Anda walked towards us. He grinned and waved at me. I smiled back at him before he furrowed his brows when he noticed something unusual on Anda's face. The corner of his mouth was bruised and swollen, as if he had hit something.

 

"What's wrong with your face, Anda?"

 

"I just tripped and fell a little."

 

Anda's voice was cheerful, but his eyes looked strangely sad, which worried me.

 

"I saw your tweet, Phodduang. Thank you very much."

 

"Mmm." I smiled to encourage him.

 

"Some messages on social media, if they're toxic, be selective about what you consume," I told my idol. "Maybe you should stop consuming social media for now. Sometimes, acquaintances formed through written words can be cruel, perhaps because they don't speak face-to-face, and therefore don't consider the feelings of the person who might read the message. Stay strong, Anda."

 

Anda mumbled thank you to me.

 

"It's almost afternoon. You should go back to class."

 

Someone who had been standing there silently for a long time spoke to me. I glared at them, and Anda smiled, teasing his best friend's reaction. Then he turned and smiled at me for a moment.

 

"We're going now, Phodduang. Thanks a lot," Anda smiled before turning to his best friend. "I'll wait in the room, Jin. Oh no, I forgot you're dating someone."

 

"The beetle is here!"

 

Anda walked away, so I spun around to glare at Jin. I bet everyone knows about my relationship with him by now.

 

"Study hard."

 

"You already said it."

 

I made a face at it.

 

"People who are newly dating never get tired of hearing the same things," Jin said with a smile, so I immediately bared my teeth at him.

 

"But we weren't really dating."

 

"So, do you want to turn something that's a joke into something real?"

 

I almost recoiled when his handsome face leaned closer. He smirked before pulling away, leaving the burden on me. It was so awkward, and I didn't know what to do.