OOPS! MYSTERIOUS SOUNDS: BOOK 1.

Third voice. 

I sighed and spoke softly, under the expectant gazes of two of my three close friends. Boom was the only one who smiled sweetly. Everyone was suspicious, except for the other two, who weren't entirely convinced. The first was Dang, who furrowed his brows in thought. He was definitely suspicious because he was a close friend of Jin's from their university, having known him since their first year. They both got into university through the Athletic Excellence Scholarship Program, so they were quite close and knew each other well.

 

As for Tum, he knows exactly how much I hate Jin. Every time I talk about him, I never say anything good. There's no way Jin and I can get along easily. Now I'm suddenly saying I'm talking to Jin, so how can my friends not be surprised and make faces as they've actually seen it happen? It's hard to believe, I know.

 

"So, you two finally got together, huh?" Dang was the first to speak. "I'm serious, why do you like him?"

 

"Yeah," Tum narrowed his eyes at me. "You guys aren't close, and suddenly you're saying you're talking to each other?" Honestly, I wanted to secretly whisper to Tum that Jin and I were pretending to date. Still, I just found out that the reason Boom was suspicious about me and Dang was because Tum blabs when he's drunk. If I want to trick Boom into believing that Jin and I are really having something going on, I have to trick everyone else, too.

 

If it's convincing enough that Tum stops suspecting, then there's nothing to worry about. But that's the problem. The person in front of me is still suspicious and looking for fault.

 

"We happened to run into each other often, so we ended up talking," I answered hesitantly.

 

"Where did you meet him?" Tum kept pestering me relentlessly until I pouted at him before racking my brain to figure out why.

 

"He drives for Grab to earn extra income."

 

I remember seeing Jin delivering food to the condo where I live with my two younger brothers. I didn't actually meet him in person, but that day, I went to the convenience store with my younger sibling, and coincidentally, my sibling had just ordered food. The Grab delivery driver was Jin.

 

'Satang,' my younger brother, is a fan of Jin's team. That day, I overheard them talking.

 

"He used to deliver food to my condo," I said, secretly crossing my index and middle fingers behind my back. "We've been talking ever since."

 

The guy nodded his head.

 

"Honestly, I don't really want to believe you, but only a few people know that Jin drives for Grab." Dang looked me straight in the face. 

 

"After soccer practice, every day he goes to drive for Grab. Only his group of friends and the soccer players know about it."

 

I secretly sighed deeply, grateful for all the coincidences that made my lie more believable.

 

"But..." Tum still looked puzzled, "You've never told us this before."

 

"When two people are meant to be together, they won't tell you everything, Tum." Boom spoke up, as if to help me in a subtle way.

 

"It's hard to believe, isn't it? Suddenly, rivals become partners."

 

"Just talking." I disagreed with Tum.

 

"Are you sure you're just talking?" It made a questioning face.

 

"Today, Jin actually dared to walk up to you directly," Tum said. "I didn't want to believe it, but Jin just boldly showed up and walked straight towards me."

 

"You completely disregard your popularity with the girls, which surprises me."

 

Don't just say you're surprised, I'm surprised too. That's what I said to myself.

 

"I'm surprised too, like Tum," Dang said frankly. "But I'm glad you feel good about him." I paused, seeing Dang smiling happily at the relationship between me and Jin.

 

"It's a joyful thing that my two friends have feelings for each other."

 

The person I have feelings for is you, Dang.

 

"Jin's a good guy, you know," Dang said seriously. "If it's him, I'm relieved. I was so worried when you guys were fighting last year." He reached out and ruffled my hair. I quickly lowered my gaze, not wanting to meet his worried eyes because I was afraid. Afraid that his kindness would sway me while Boom was sitting right there.

 

"Are you sure you were talking to Jin?" Tum asked again, as if he could tell that I was doing that to try to distance myself from Dang.

 

"Um," I answered softly before turning my face away, avoiding eye contact with it.

 

"Your friend is in love. Why are you guys making such suspicious faces?" The guy shook his head before putting his arm around my shoulder and rocking me back and forth. "You guys..."

 

"You should be happy for your friend. Happy to see him happy." The two of them nodded slightly. "Look how supportive you are, Pod. If you feel good about it, go for it. But if one day you feel like it's not right, don't forget that you still have us." 

 

Boom's face and eyes showed genuine happiness, which made me smile too. Boom is the first friend who knows about my preferences. She has always encouraged and supported me for who I am, just as Dang and Tum do. Dang even got into a fight with someone else to protect me.

 

It's obvious who that jerk is, the one who likes to make nasty jokes about me being gay. I admit I don't like it, but I'm not the type of person who wants trouble. There was a minor incident that was initially ignored, but when that guy, Dang, heard about it, it ended with him getting a split lip. That might have been the first impression that made me look at my best friend with a different expression.

 

It was good for me, so good that one of my friends wanted to cross the line from friendship. I like it, while it likes to dart. Dang and Tum are my best friends. They've always been good friends to me. Even though it hurts so much inside, I can't help but accept those two.

 

They're a perfect match. They're best friends who developed a romantic relationship. If it were someone else that Dang loved, I wouldn't give up so easily. But this is Boom. No matter how much it hurts, I would never destroy their relationship. 

 

I sighed heavily after my friends lost interest in my story. Dang turned to talk to Boom softly, while Tum still looked at me suspiciously. But because I didn't say anything, he sighed again. It seems he's still interested in this; I'll have to find a way to distract him.

 

"Look at me. Have you found a replacement for my broken earpiece yet?" I raised my eyebrows in question, remembering that Tum still owed me something: he had borrowed my popular-brand wireless Bluetooth headphones. It's been a week, and they still haven't returned it.

 

"Heh"

That bastard jumped in surprise as if he'd been caught red-handed doing something wrong.

 

"but

 

"Huh?"

 

"I think I lost it."

 

"That damn Tum!"

It made a remorseful face.

 

"Yeah, yeah, I'll definitely buy you a replacement." He promised firmly, then got up and went to the restroom before the teacher arrived.

 

#Andasmile

 

Just seeing the number one trending topic on Twitter today has eased my negative feelings. As I said, I'm a fan of Anda, and the fact that the other side was harshly criticised made me feel sorry for him. Some of what was said wasn't even true. Seeing his face and eyes today made me feel even more sympathetic. Even though Anda tried to appear cheerful, his eyes showed a lot of pain.

 

I love you, Anda @Andalovelove

 

"For a mom, just seeing her child eat well, sleep soundly, be free from pain, and be happy is enough for me. #Anda'sSmile Smile a lot!

'My child'

Mumme Tao Anda @mysun0

 

"I really like the hashtag #Anda'sSmile. If you're secretly sending me a message, please accept all the good encouragement from here, my dear son, Dao."

 

Tawan likes watching BL series. @tawan_ddc

'Please, let's send lots of support to #Anda'sSmile. We once saw him helping to buy all the snacks from an elderly street vendor to give to his fans.'

 

"He's incredibly cute and such a good person. Please don't tweet anything negative or hurtful. I don't want to say 'don't talk about his good deeds' when he's no longer here. Let's be a source of positive energy for him."

 

You're an empty-headed person. @eryu_45

 

"Just because he admitted to having a husband, does he really need to use the hashtag #Anda'sSmile? That's so ridiculous."

 

Najaw 'ngmengsi @NajanaJa 'Choose. If you can't think of anything good, then shut up. 

 

#Anda'sSmile' Quote Tweet by Geryu_45: 'Just because he admitted to having a husband, you have to tag #Anda'sSmile? So ridiculous.'

 

Essence Powders = It's powder. @ltispowders

Did #Anda'sSmile come out as gay because someone caught him red-handed? I thought he was effeminate ever since he starred in the BL series.

 

"That BL (Boys' Love) company only sells fan fiction. The dramas he starred in were flukes that became popular, so he's benefited from that ever since. I don't give him any value."

 

I want to wear flip-flops and then wear them to @dfcvis.

 

People who get upset when they see others receive love should reflect on themselves. Being jealous isn't wrong, but you need to know how to control your emotions. And in my opinion, #Anda'sSmile is a space for people who love their artist. If you're not into it, there's a button to delete trending tweets you're not interested in. Just in case you didn't know, it's easier to delete than long tweets with negative tags.

 

Karnsali wants to marry Jinna. @Karnsali

 

#Anda'sSmile If we look at it without gender as a determining factor, it's simply two people who love each other. We should be happier to see people in love than with those who are not.

 

"Don't hate each other. And besides, whether they love or break up with someone, please don't interfere too much in other people's private lives. The more we value our own privacy, the more we should respect the personal rights of others."

 

I smiled when I saw that most of the messages were positive, even though some were quite harsh. But I believe that if Anda came to read this, he'll probably choose to focus only on the positive things. I smiled slightly before tweeting Anda an encouraging message.

 

Phodduang is the hub currency. @Phodduang_is_happy

Smile a lot! #Anda'sSmile Sending encouragement and admiration for Anda's courage in being himself.

 

════[changbins_delulu_wife]════

 

I initially sought internship hours with another sports team, but I returned to the university football team because no other team accepted me. I went to do my internship and accumulate internship hours. That evening, I had to follow Dang to the football team's practice at the university's stadium.

 

On this first day, I planned to gather information and watch the practice, as I hadn't brought any equipment. After greeting and introducing myself to the coach and the team's sports scientist, who were seniors from my faculty who had already graduated, I sat and watched the practice until it ended. During that time, I saw some female fans stopping by to give snacks to the football players practising, especially Jin, who received more than anyone else.

 

I looked at its pile of snacks and secretly made a face. Hmph, you have so many fans, huh? Meanwhile, my senior asked me to get some massage cream from the athletes' changing room. I froze when I saw someone about to change out of their sports clothes into the uniform of a delivery driver for a famous food company, who was sitting on the long bench. That reminded me of seeing him wear that uniform while delivering food, and then I remembered that Dang had said he would drive for Grab after soccer practice. He glanced at me for a moment and smirked. 

 

"Dung," he said. "Dung."

 

"It's so hard, you bastard!"

 

"My asshole!" I glared at the person who called me that. "My name is Phodduang. Call me by my full name. 

 

'Asshole,' you mean 'beetle'? From currency to winged insect!" It laughed amusedly.

 

"Your name is too long and hard to pronounce."

 

"If calling me 'Phod Duang' is too long, just call me 'Phod,' you bastard."

 

It shook its head before turning to take off its clothes and change, so I averted my gaze and focused on the first-aid kit. Then I heard the sound of clothes rustling against his body, so I couldn't help but sneak a peek. Damn, he has a really good physique.

 

Tall and slender with an athletic build, plus a good face, he is sure to have girls flocking to him. And today, even just observing quietly, I can still see that an LGBTQ group bought him snacks. You're way too charming, damn it! I guess my face must have shown how much I disliked him, because when he turned around, he raised an eyebrow as if to ask me something. So he quickly shrugged, pretending not to know anything.

 

"Is something wrong?"

 

"nothing"

 

"Your face"

 

It moved closer.

 

"What the hell?"

 

"May I ask a question?"

 

"cannot"

 

I responded so quickly that they dropped a leg.

 

"What's the real reason you're asking me to help you win him over?"

 

"Just help, that's all. You don't need to know the reasons."

 

I sighed deeply as it looked directly into my eyes. That reminded me of something it had said the other day.

 

"So, do you want to turn a joke into something real?" I don't know what his intention was in saying that, but that day I gave him the middle finger before walking away.

 

"Dang came to talk to me today."

 

I almost choked on my breath when he said that.

 

"It asked me directly if I was really trying to court you."

 

"So what did you answer?" I stammered out the question.

 

"Because of it?"

 

"Uh...what?" I turned my face away.

 

"You like him, don't you?"

 

I stood there speechless.

"nothing"

 

"Do we really have to go to this extent?"

It looked like it knew everything, and I didn't dare meet its gaze.

 

"You promised you'd help me," I spoke curtly.

 

"Pod"

 

I must have misheard. I must have imagined it calling my name in such a gentle voice.

 

"Do you know what people do when they're dating?"

 

"Well..." I was speechless when I met the other person's gaze. "I was just pretending to flirt."

 

"What you force yourself to do will one day become irreversible."

 

"So what do we do now?" I asked, bewildered, before instinctively stepping back as it cornered me until my back hit the locker.

 

"That damn Jin!"

 

"Shhh"

 

He raised his eyebrow and touched his lips, gesturing for me to stop saying anything, before leaning his face closer, the tip of his prominent nose brushing against my cheek. 

 

"That guy, Dang, is secretly watching from the gate." It whispered in my ear, which made me stand still. But that bastard in front of me wouldn't stop walking towards me until there was no space between our bodies. Then, I raised one hand and pushed against its chest.

 

"Jin"

 

It held out a tube of massage cream right in front of me.

 

"Leg pain"

"So what?"

 

It tugged my arm, making me sit down next to it. As if that wasn't enough, it then placed its foot on my thigh.

 

"Give me a massage."

 

I really wanted to flick its twitching foot away, but then I caught a glimpse out of the corner of my eye of Dang's soccer shirt. Still being at the door, I reluctantly squeezed some massage cream from the tube and pretended to give the other person a massage. Should I pretend to give him a stimulating massage?

 

I secretly bared my teeth at it because, after a strenuous workout, you really should get a massage to relax tense muscles. And this massage thing...The stimulating aspect is that massages are commonly done before competitions to prepare the body. I bowed my head, silently playing the role of a masseur, listening intently to the sound of Dang's footsteps slowly moving further away.

 

"This is a good massage." Jin broke the silence, so I looked up from his sturdy feet and met the gaze of the other person, who was sitting with both arms resting on the ground behind him. His gaze, meeting mine directly like this, was as if he had been silently staring at me for a long time.

 

"Ouch"

 

I deliberately put a bit of weight on his knee, which made Jin flinch and exclaim. He frowned for a moment. The look on his face showed genuine pain, which made me feel bad. The look of pain in his eyes just now wasn't fake. I glanced at the spot where I'd accidentally put pressure on it and suddensed...

 

Last year, he suffered an injury that sidelined him for a year, and there's no sign he'll ever return to try out for the national team again. For footballers, the legs are very important organs; a serious injury can mean the end of their sports career.

 

"I," I pursed my lips tightly, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." He shook his head as if to say it was okay. 

 

"Dang's gone." It glanced towards the door before shifting its foot away from my thigh.

 

"Mmm."

 

"Let me be frank," he stood up, "your friend won't easily believe that I'm hitting on you." I pursed my lips tightly, knowing that Dang wouldn't believe it easily.

 

"So what should I do?"

 

Jin shook his head before walking away. His demeanour left me unsure whether he would continue helping me, so I hurried after him. But I hurriedly tripped over a water bottle nearby, falling forward. Both hands desperately tried to grab onto something for support, and eventually, I did manage to grasp something very crowded.

 

They're so firm, like little balls.

Shit!

 

I jumped in surprise, looking at my hand that was gripping his butt tightly. Jin turned around, narrowed his eyes, and smirked. I quickly stood up. He stood straight, pretending I hadn't tripped, because I didn't want to lose face in front of him.

 

"I just wanted to touch it," I shrugged. "Nice firm butt." He smirked and turned around.

 

"You grabbed my butt because you wanted to know if my butt was firm, huh?"

 

"Yeah." I shrugged, trying my best to suppress my embarrassment.

 

"Oh, really?" It asked with a smile.

 

"Are you embarrassed? Hey, why would a guy be embarrassed?"

 

"It wasn't me."

 

"You look so disappointed,  Jin," I smirked, intending to tease him, but he moved closer and grabbed my wrist.

 

"what"

"I'll give you one for free."

 

His handsome face twitched into a smirk as he spoke. I stared in disbelief and quickly pulled my hand back when he grabbed it and placed it in the middle of his body. That damn Jin! Damn it, my hands are full!

 

I followed him closely, intending to clear things up, but when I got outside, I saw Jin talking to Anda. Anda smiled slightly. They saw me and waved hello.

 

"Wow, Jin, you've been working really hard to win over Phudduang lately since you said you were going to try and get him," Anda teased his friend, while I could only manage a weak smile.

 

"Do you need anything?"

 

"I stopped by to drop off the flash drive with my midterm assignments."

 

Anda handed his best friend a small flash drive. I realised this wasn't my business, so I walked away. At that moment, I overheard Jin talking to Anda.

 

"Where are you going after you're done?"

 

"I have a dinner date with my boyfriend. Aquarius is free today." Anda answered in a cheerful voice.

 

"Uh, and what's in the box?"

 

"Oh, it's a haunted doll," Anda chuckled. "Andy, his girlfriend, sent it to me." My eyes widened as I secretly glanced at the contents of the box Anda was holding. Damn, they even sent a doll stained red as a threat? That's too much. I feel bad hearing that, just like Jin, the person frowned.

 

"Sometimes, I can't help but wonder if these people would feel sad if I really disappeared or something happened to me," Anda said softly, but his words made my heart skip a beat. I felt an inexplicable pang of loneliness.

 

"What kind of thing are you saying, Anda?"

 

"I was just saying, Jin."

 

Jin's expression wasn't good. He sighed heavily and spoke up. "Take care of yourself during this time."

 

"If possible"

 

Jin glanced at me, which startled me and made me quickly walk away, afraid he'd think I was being rude for eavesdropping on their conversation. Nevertheless, I still heard the next sentence.

 

"Don't sleep in your car these days."

 

"Why?"

 

"I want you to be careful about this, Anda. Be very careful."

 

"Mmm."

 

That's strange. Why would Jin say that to Anda? 

 

The matter faded from my mind when I got back to my condo. That night, I played games with my younger brother until late, and didn't go to sleep until morning. The next day, I woke up with a start when Tum called.

 

[you]

Tum's voice sounded strangely frantic.

 

"What the hell?"

[Have you heard the news?]

 

"What news is that?"

[Turn on the TV now]

 

I jumped up, still half-asleep, and walked to the living room to turn on the television. A news anchor was reporting the news.

 

"Shocking news hit the entertainment industry this morning: Young actor Anda, who rose to fame from a popular series, was found dead in his private car."

 

"He acquired a condo, and it is presumed that he was stressed from the intense media criticism he has been receiving lately, leading him to commit suicide."

 

My knees went weak, and I could barely stand when I heard that.