North: How much is your love?
Chapter 16: There for you.
[>> North <<]
Am I the only one here...?
I sat down, clenching my hands. As my brain processed the person's words, a jumble of emotions overwhelmed me, leaving me utterly bewildered. I sat in silence, letting the pounding of my heart echo, hoping only I could hear it.
Happy.
I feel happy.
And I almost went crazy because of it.
The luxurious car was still parked in front of the medical faculty. I tried to take a deep breath to calm myself. Johan was someone who could make me feel completely helpless. I don't remember how many times, but both his actions and words sometimes made me feel like I wasn't myself anymore. Maybe I really have gone crazy.
"Um... me."
I spoke softly. However, in the very quiet car, my voice became the clearest sound. Honestly, I wanted to say thank you. I'm really glad you said that. Thank you for thinking of my feelings. Although I don't think much about it, it's really nice when someone cares about your feelings, isn't it? And more importantly, thank you for making me feel like the only one.
"Thank you." I finally said thank you. At least I had to say what I felt in my heart. The other person didn't respond. I didn't even dare to look up because I felt too timid, so I decided to change the subject to break the silence.
“Yeah, Johan, Ter, and Hill are going to see a movie,” I said. I didn’t know if Johan usually went to the movies, but as Ter had said, it would be nice if we could go together once.
“Can we come along?”
"Watch a movie?"
"Yes."
"Do you want to go see a movie?"
"Yes."
"Okay," Johan replied without much thought. I raised my eyebrows, utterly surprised that it was so easy.
“Really?” I said cheerfully, “I want to see a horror movie, but if you don’t want to, that’s okay. Or maybe I could ask Ter to come along? He said he doesn’t have any particular movie he wants to see, or is there a movie you’d especially like to see?”
"Anything will do."
"Ah, well then, never mind."
"But if you want me to come with you, what do you have to do?"
“…”
I looked up and turned to look at the person sitting next to me, feeling confused.
"What’s that?"
“…”
Those words immediately brought back memories of yesterday afternoon. No matter how much I begged or tried to stay away from him, Johan wouldn't stop until my head was spinning. He told me to tell the story, but how many times has he kissed me? I probably couldn't count until I remembered what Johan said: if I wanted to ask for something, I had to be the one to kiss him first.
"Oh, it's better not to," I said, my heart sinking as I understood Johan's intention. I glanced at the person sitting next to me, then turned away. Just thinking about it made my heart race again.
"Hurry up," Johan said in a low voice. His expression seemed unaffected, and he patiently waited. Why was I so nervous? Of course, I was so embarrassed I almost fainted. Just this alone nearly stopped my heart!
"If you let me do it myself, I'm not sure if your lip will get cut or not."
!!!
Damned!
All I could do was curse silently, lament, and force myself to do it. Why did things have to be like this? Now I don't know how to get out of here. Anyway, maybe I have to do it.
I gently closed my eyes, my body tensing slightly, then leaned closer, getting closer and closer to his face. Johan looked straight into my eyes and lips without blinking. I closed my eyes again as our lips almost touched. As my soft lips lightly touched his, I intended to stop the kiss immediately. But just as I was about to pause, a strong hand pressed against the back of my neck, pulling me closer, continuing the kiss, and his lips descended forcefully. He held me like that for a moment before releasing me.
I returned to my original position. My breathing was slightly laboured, and I unconsciously bit my lip. A warm sensation filled my chest, and my face began to flush. Although the car's air conditioning was very cold, my hands were still drenched in sweat. I was trying to sort out my thoughts when suddenly there was a knock on the car door. I saw P’Hill knocking on the car door next to Johan.
Damned.
Will P’Hill see us?
Ah… but this car has tinted windows, so it’s highly unlikely.
Johan rolled down the window. Hill looked at us and sighed, "What are we going to do next?"
!!!
"How?"
"Do you want to go see a movie?"
"Okay," Johan said, nodding slightly, "What would you like to eat?"
“Anything is fine, whatever North wants,” P’Hill said. I raised my eyebrows in surprise at his words. Immediately, I looked outside and saw Ter. Why did he have to say that?
"Me?"
"Yes," P’Hill said, "So, can we meet at the mall?"
“Okay,” Johan said before rolling up the car window, and we left the department parking lot. The car's air conditioning didn’t make me feel any better. I knew Hill realised what had happened because my face was very red.
Even if I kissed him a hundred times, I probably would never get used to it. I don't know why I have to do it; he always wants me to initiate the kiss. The only thing I know is that Johan seems to really enjoy it.
And I… I’m really embarrassed for doing that. Damn…
I'm so embarrassed I want to cry ðŸ˜.
“It’s been a long time since we last ate together,” Johan said to Hill, who was sitting across from us. Now there were four of us in a butcher shop. I didn't know what to eat. So I played rock-paper-scissors for quite a while and finally chose this restaurant. I don't come here often either. But judging by the decor, we'll probably only eat here once; otherwise, I'll run out of food money for the whole month.
“It’s been a while, maybe since last year,” P’Hill said while opening the restaurant menu. I looked at the menu too. Did Ter often eat expensive dishes with P’Hill? I was so envious; it must be great to have such a rich boyfriend.
Well, speaking of which, when I go somewhere with Ter and Hill, he treats me well, too.
"North, what are you eating?"
"I don't know, I suddenly don't feel hungry. Can I order mashed potatoes?" Even though it's something you can eat in your room, "What about you?"
"I don't know," Ter said, shaking his head.
"If you don't like it, we can go somewhere else," P’Hill said. Ter smiled slightly, feeling appreciated. "North, don't overthink it," P’Hill told me. I nodded, looking at how he was taking care of me.
“P’Hill always takes such good care of me; he’s so thoughtful. Thank you,” I said, ready to offer him a smile.
"You're thanking the wrong person," P’Hill said before pulling out a black card. Then he handed it to Johan. I saw Johan take the card. What kind of card was it?
"Shut your mouth!" Johan said, shaking his head as he took the card and put it in his wallet. "What are you looking at?"
Johan turned around and asked me something. He probably realised I was looking at him.
"Oh... P’Hill said, "I thanked the wrong person."
"Oh, right, you should thank Johan. All the money I used to take you out to eat was Johan's."
!!
"Huh!?" My eyes widened in surprise. Was that money Johan's? So that card was Johan's, and Hill had been using it all this time? I mean, look, he'd been using it for months. He'd treated me to meals whenever he and Ter went out, paid for all of them, and bought a lot of things that totalled tens of thousands of dollars.
"Is that yours?" I asked, raising my eyebrows and turning to Johan.
"Yeah, why are you surprised?"
"You..."
I was quite surprised because I initially thought P’Hill was the one taking care of me all this time. That means, if it were Johan's money, then… he’s liked me for a long time? And besides…He also bought me everything I wanted.
"It looks like you're about to get into trouble for telling me, North," P’Hill said, sighing in relief. "But I need to know who owns the money and who's been making you use it all this time."
He said this while looking at Johan, his expression worried. Well, P’Hill once asked me if I wanted a house or an apartment, but that’s a bit much.
"Um, thank you," I said, remembering how I'd been treated to so many delicious meals before. If I had the chance and the money, I'd like to take care of Johan as a way of repaying him. I repeated, if I had the chance and the money.
"Hmm," Johan said, sounding rather indifferent.
"Is everyone ready to order?" the waiter asked as he stopped at our table. I decided to order something simple. After we finished ordering, the waiter left.
“North,” P’Hill called.
"Yes?"
“Applying a warm compress will help,” P’Hill said. I tilted my head in disbelief, then saw him point to his neck. That made me understand immediately…
“…Yes,” I replied, tilting my head shyly, “Thank you.”
"Oh, Hill…" Johan suddenly called out to Hill as if he had just remembered something.
"What's wrong?"
"I've finished all my work, so I guess it's time for me to go."
"Really? How long?"
"About a week, a maximum of two weeks."
"That long? You can't work and take exams at the same time," P’Hill said. "Couldn't they just give you some time off?"
They seem a little worried. From what I've heard, it looks like Johan is going somewhere.
"My dad won't allow it. Let me tell you, if the medical faculty gets a new building, it'll all be paid for with my money," Johan said irritably.
"It'll be easy for you, just sign the papers."
"What kind of paper is that?"
"Letter of resignation."
"You son of a bitch!!"
“So how are you and Fah going to handle this, Johan? Seriously,” P’Hill asked in a serious tone. I sensed the atmosphere at the table had become tense. “There’s another tough exam coming up.”
“I’ll do everything I can,” Johan replied. “I’ll go back and handle it myself.”
"Oh, when are you leaving?"
"After the midterm exams," Johan replied.
"Well, there's a book you need to take a look at."
"There's so much to do, it's so annoying," Johan said enthusiastically. "I could die in there, and then I have final exams to take when I get back."
"Bring your boy with you," P’Hill said, turning to look at me.
"What's going on?" I finally decided to ask. Based on what they'd said, I understood, but I also wanted more details.
"You still haven't told him?" P’Hill asked, a little surprised.
"Not yet," Johan replied softly before turning to look at me. "I'll be working out for almost two weeks," Johan said.
"Yes." I nodded, indicating that I understood. Based on what I heard, I could grasp it. That was fine.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"Boston."
"Yes," I said, sounding a little surprised. Boston? Is that Boston in the US? Two weeks? So it won't affect his studies? Two weeks off, and it's in the medical department too.
"You can take that much time off?" I asked.
"Before he could leave, Johan had to speak with Fah's father many times," P’Hill explained.
"Why Tonfah's father?" Ter asked.
"Well, Fah's father is the head of the medical department."
"Huh?"
!!SURPRISED!! That's impressive, the head of the Medical Faculty? P’Tonfah is truly a remarkable person. I heard his family has a very high social standing, but I didn't think it was this high.
"So, what have you done?" P’Hill asked.
“There was a lot of work to do. I had to negotiate a lot. Besides, we talked for hours about donations. Donations until we can build a new department building. That’s why you all have new equipment.”
Did he donate to build a new science building? So how much did he donate? ðŸ˜
"I'll see a new building named after you, right?"
"Maybe, but I've decided to donate in secret."
"Then they'll put your father's name on it."
"No," Johan said before the food we ordered was brought to the table, "Two weeks after the midterm exams is Sports Day, right?"
"Probably. I'll participate in the competition too."
"This isn't worth doing."
“Your department’s booth is next to the engineering department’s,” P’Hill said while chewing. He looked up, his mouth still full of beef. Speaking of sports day, I have to go to the cheerleading area too, that’s my duty this year. I’m still thinking about it so much. How did I even survive?
"Really? Is your department's counter next to the medical department's?" I asked.
"Yes, as far as I know."
"Yes."
"Are you going to have to go on stage with the cheerleading squad?" my friend asked.
"All engineering students must come up."
"Why don't you find a reason not to go up there?"
“I tried. I said I’d participate in the sports competition, but they said I had to come to practice both cheerleading and sports. How can I do both? I’m just a human being,” I complained to him.
After talking about sports day, I found out that Hill and Johan were there for the basketball club, Arthit was in the soccer club, and Tonfah was in the tennis club. It seems I knew that but forgot. Second-year students are supposed to be supervisors. First-year students have to be actively involved. And Johan has to study, read, participate in activities, and work too. Honestly, I'm starting to worry. Maybe this is why Johan is so addicted to coffee. Is it getting too serious?
"What do you want to see?" Johan asked when we stopped in front of the movie theatre. Johan paid for me again. I wanted to say I could pay myself, but actually, I couldn't afford it.
"It's a horror movie."
"Do you want to see something scary?"
"Yes."
"That's so stupid." ðŸ˜
What's the problem? There are plenty of people who are afraid of ghosts but still want to watch horror movies.
"What do you want to see?" P’Hill asked. Wait, why would he ask that? We're going to see the same movie, right?
"I don't particularly want to see anything. Should we watch a horror movie with North?"
"Okay, but you won't be scared, will you?"
"I'm scared, but I still want to watch."
"If you're scared, you can hug me."
Damned!
Get me out of here ðŸ˜
"There's a VIP room over there," P’Hill said, pointing to the sign above. That's true, but I've never been to a VIP room. Why didn't anyone ask me? Not everyone brought enough money.
"Then I'll make the reservation," Johan said. In the end, we all got to see a horror movie, which was great. I've watched horror movies all by myself in the theatre. I've invited friends to watch with me many times, but nobody has time. Once a movie is out, watching it alone in the theatre feels so lonely. Moreover, I often cry when watching horror films because I'm scared.
"Do you want some popcorn?" Ter punched me lightly and pointed to the popcorn sign, "It's cheap."
"No, the last time I bought popcorn, it cost the same as a movie ticket."
"So you bought it?"
"Yeah, but when I got scared and screamed, I spilt it all over the person sitting right next to me."
"That's a shame," Ter said with a smile.
When we went into the movie theatre, it was an experience I wasn't quite used to. There was a full food and drink service at the front, and the prices were reasonable. Once inside, we realised that there was no one else there, just the two of us.
The VIP room was quite luxurious, not much different from what I had imagined. In particular, it offered ample privacy and included a sofa and several towels. Johan and I sat on the double sofa. Ter and Hill sat next to each other. The lights in the movie theatre dimmed a little before the commercials started. I didn't think about it, but watching a movie like that with Johan was really different.
"Do you watch movies often?" I asked quietly, since there was no one else around.
"Are not."
"Don't you often go to the cinema?"
"Yes, the last time was many years ago."
"Oh, you work hard, don't you?"
"Hmm."
I remained silent, not knowing what else to ask. When the movie started, I sat comfortably on the sofa; it was really pleasant, and if it hadn't been a horror movie, I probably would have fallen asleep.
"Damn it." I tried to suppress my scream. It was terrifying. Why was the sound so loud? I instinctively pulled my legs up, afraid someone would grab them, like in those movies. I glanced at Johan, who seemed perfectly calm beside me. The music suddenly stops, replaced by the characters' breathing. The female protagonist, wearing a blood-stained white T-shirt and holding a flashlight, slowly walked into the storage room.
"Why are you in there? Damn it. Get out."
I screamed when a strange figure suddenly appeared at the window, and for some reason, I grabbed Johan's hand tightly, but he didn't seem surprised at all. Then he picked me up and placed me on his lap. He wrapped the blanket around me and hugged me from behind. Because the sofa was quite wide, I could lift my legs and rest them on it. I was afraid my legs would get pulled away ðŸ˜.
I couldn't think of anything else but hoping the female protagonist would get out of there. Don't go in there, it's a room used for rituals. Why go in? Her son isn't there.
“Ahhh!” I screamed again as something appeared. But I didn’t have time to see clearly. What was it? When I regained my senses, I realised I had turned around and fallen into Johan’s arms. He didn’t notice, just quietly covered my eyes with the blanket and gently stroked my head. I don't understand why.
Are we friends? If other people saw us, they would think we had a relationship beyond friendship, even though I'm sure we're just friends. But in this situation, I can't say that anymore.
The movie lasted over an hour. Normally, I would get angry if he made me sit on his lap. But since we were watching this movie, I didn't think much about it anymore. Johan didn't say anything either. He just hugged me and comforted me when I was scared. But sometimes he would tease me when I asked if the ghost was gone. Johan said it was, but every time I opened my eyes, the ghost was still on the screen ðŸ˜.
"Phew." I breathed a sigh of relief as I left the movie theatre. Finally, the movie was over. An entire hour of adrenaline had gone cold.
"You're shouting too loudly," Ter said.
"Because there weren't many people around," I said honestly. Because there was no one else, I could yell freely, whereas if there were more people, it would probably just be normal noise.
"But I didn't really understand the movie."
"How can you understand if you don't watch?" Johan said. "You keep your eyes closed all the time."
"Because it's scary," I whispered.
"Really?"
"So why does the female protagonist's daughter ultimately disappear?" I asked Johan, who was calmly watching the movie. He showed no signs of surprise or fear, even during the climactic scene. He treated it like any other film.
"Actually, the female protagonist doesn't have a daughter. What she sees is just a hallucination."
"Oh, really? So it's a doll? She said her daughter loves that doll very much."
"That's just a symbolic image of the aborted child."
"So she doesn't have any children? I thought she really had a daughter."
"So, did you come here to watch the movie or for me to explain it to you?"
...
...
...
After eating and watching a movie, I went back to my room with Ter. Johan looked a little rushed, but I didn't ask anything. Throughout the journey home, Ter didn't talk as much as usual either.
"Ter," I called out as I was taking things out of my bag, "Just now, when we were watching the movie, did you hug Hill?"
“…” Ter looked at me in surprise. “Why are you asking that?”
"Answer me."
"So… what if I hug him? Why are you asking?" Ter said, sounding a little embarrassed by my strange question.
From the first time he hugged me, I felt a little strange, but I gradually got used to it. Now, it turns out I've started to like that feeling. It makes me feel comfortable and warm, and I want to be hugged again. This feeling certainly isn't bad, right?
“Do you… want him to hug you again?” I asked, making him even more flustered. Before taking his eyes off the bag, he sat down beside me, looked at me with a surprised expression, then smiled slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"Answer me first, stop teasing me."
“Yeah, I want Hill to keep hugging me. Do you feel the same way? And you want Johan to hug you too, right?” Ter said, narrowing his eyes. “You two were hugging just now, weren’t you?” A slight, teasing smile curved his lips.
"I'm not talking to you anymore, you're annoying me," I said, getting up from my chair, but he grabbed my hand.
"Okay, I won't tease you anymore. I told you so. I could clearly feel it... warm."
Um… And I also like it when he strokes my head. Even when someone else patted my head, I didn't really like it. For example, when Than patted my head, I screamed inwardly and almost died of embarrassment.
"That's good too. Is that the feeling that arises when two people are together?"
"What do you mean?"
"It's about connection."
"What does that mean?"
"It's like hugging, holding hands, touching each other."
"Ah." If that's what Ter meant by skinship, then Johan is probably the type who enjoys physical contact. I don't know if he's like that with everyone, but if it's just me, that's fine too. That's great...
"North, what's wrong?"
"It's nothing," I replied.
"Your face is all red," Ter said, raising his hand and gently stroking my face. What I was thinking earlier meant I liked him even more, right? I had opened up to him before, and now I like him even more.
"Wait, give me a moment," I said, raising a hand to signal that I was okay. I covered my face with my other hand and bowed my head. I took a deep breath to calm myself down.
"You look so cute when you're embarrassed," Ter said.
"You don't need to compliment me, but thanks," I replied, sighing and looking up at Ter as usual. "Okay."
"That's funny," Ter said, chuckling at my reaction. "So what are you ashamed of?"
"I don't know," I replied.
"It seems I'm not the person you need right now," Ter continued, his face a picture of lament. "I wanted to yell at the bar when I saw Johan get back the card he gave Hill to take care of you. But you looked so embarrassed that I held back."
"Are you still thinking about that?" I still remember him kicking my chair. I was really shocked.
"That proves he's liked you for a long time."
“…”
"You're embarrassed again."
"Enough, stop teasing me!" I shouted. Thinking back on it, I felt embarrassed again. I thought P’Hill always treated me well, but it was actually Johan who did. Oh my god!
"You looked so embarrassed, so I had to take advantage of the situation."
"Want to tease me? Then go ahead and tease me."
"Okay, no more joking. Johan is going to work in Boston, so what are you going to do?" Ter asked.
"Do what?"
"Go with him."
"Are you crazy? I still have to study!" I think it's been over two weeks since the new semester started. Balancing studying and working is making my head spin, and Johan must be exhausted, too.
"Isn't it too much for Johan to have to study and work at the same time? Actually, if he could do both, he wouldn't need to work so much, would he?" Ter said, his face thoughtful,
"Doesn't he take any breaks?"
"Probably not." I shook my head. Although I was worried about him being exhausted, I didn't dare tell him to rest. I thought that people who work so hard must be highly motivated, and suddenly telling them to rest might discourage them.
"If he can't take it anymore, he'll just take a break. Let him decide for himself." I smiled and said, "My job is to support him."
“What a great supporter. No matter what he does, he’s never stopped, always by my side. Would you be willing to support him?” Ter narrowed his eyes at me, a teasing smile on his face. How annoying, always trying to provoke me. “Oh, right, North, I forgot to tell you this.”
"What's wrong?"
"The dormitory fees have already been paid."
"Huh? I haven't given you the money yet?"
"Yesterday, the landlady came and said that if I didn't pay the rent soon, the water and electricity would be cut off, so I had to transfer the money immediately."
"Yeah, that's fine. I'll pay you back later."
Thinking about it, maybe that's why Ter said he was out of money. Transferring money in advance to avoid having the electricity and water cut off like this is also difficult.
"No need. Give it back to Johan."
"Huh? What do you mean?" I asked, tilting my head slightly in confusion.
“Yesterday I was in a hurry and didn’t have any money, so I messaged Johan on Line. I only mentioned I needed to pay the dorm fee, and he immediately transferred 7,000 baht to me.” Ter explained, then took out his wallet and gave me some change, “Here, this is your change.”
I received the change and was still in disbelief.
"Wait a minute, Ter... If you borrowed 7,000 baht from Johan to pay for your dorm, why do I need to borrow another 50,000 baht? I only need 10,000 baht to pay for my dorm."
"What about tuition fees?" Ter asked again.
"It's okay, I have enough money for tuition."
"Well, yesterday was really urgent. The dorm manager came at eight o'clock in the evening and said that if we didn't pay immediately, they would cut off the electricity, and we'd have to wait a few days for it to be restored."
"But this amount of money is too much, man."
"Just take it."
"I won't accept it. He’ll record this as an additional debt," I said, rubbing my temples. Why didn't he ask me before borrowing? I haven't even paid off the old debt yet, and now there's another 7,000 baht. After borrowing, Johan won't accept repayment in cash.
"Sorry, I didn't know how to return it. At first, I just thought you'd be able to pay. I didn't expect you to refuse the money," Ter said softly, patting my hand lightly.
"Hey, why are you hitting me?"
“What are the conditions for repayment? Oh my god, I’m so embarrassed. Why don’t you tell him straight away?” Ter said, shaking my arm, making me even more embarrassed. He shook it so hard that my arm started to ache.
"Have you counted how many kisses you've given him in return? Have you paid it all back yet?"
"Well..." I shook my head slightly, "How would I get there?"
"Johan must have counted them already."
"What?"
"Seriously, why don't you count them yourself?"
My eyes widened when I understood. It was true, Johan probably knew I had no mind to count. Who would bother counting? My mind was completely blank at the time. I'd forget everything after each count, never remembering how many there were.
Oh my god… that’s definitely cheating.
...
...
...
"Duaen Nao, hurry up!" I called out irritably as I walked, turning back to greet him. Duean Nao was already waiting with his motorbike.
"You're the one who's slow, always dawdling!"
"Hurry up, or we'll be late for practice!"
"What a fussy little thing!" Duean Nao charged forward at me when he heard that, so I pretended to step back to tease him.
"Hurry up, when are we leaving?"
"North, you hateful thing, stop right there!"
"I'm in a hurry! You're too slow! How about I go wait on the football field first?"
"Trying to tease me about this?" Duean Nao yelled, making me laugh. He wasn't wearing a helmet, so he had to walk in because the security guard wouldn't let him in without one. He was still slowly making his way in, taking a really long time.
"North, that's my bike!"
"I know! But hurry up a bit, otherwise I'll go first."
"You hateful thing!" Duean Nao yelled back, finally arriving and giving me a hard whack on the head. Even with my hat on, it hurt. Tiger had said Duean Nao had incredible strength, and he was absolutely right.
Today is Monday, and since that movie screening, I haven't had a chance to talk to Johan again. It's also the first day of preparations for the sports day. There will be activities like sports training, cheerleading, and midterm exam preparation. After the exams, in about two weeks, the sports day will officially take place. And that's also when Johan will be preparing to go to Boston.
Initially, I wondered why the preparation time for the sports festival was so long, but after reviewing last year's event, I understood; it was truly spectacular. From early morning to late night, the whole day was filled with sporting activities and cheering.
Luckily, I'm a football player, so I don't need to join the engineering department's cheerleading club. Other departments can choose to participate in other activities, but in the engineering department, everyone has to participate. Even if it's for sports, you still have to be present. But I think, if I were a little more tactful and also played sports, it would probably be easier to get away with it.
I parked near the main football field, while Khet had just arrived with his friends who were roller skating. Today was the football club's tryouts to find the starting and reserve squads for the upcoming tournament. Anyone not selected would have to return to the cheerleading club. Only Duean Nao had registered today; Khet and I were watching.
“Oh, North!” I turned around when I heard my name; it was Arthit. He was with the medical school's soccer team. To get to the tryouts, I had to pass by my department's area. So the medical and engineering tryouts are close together? It seems the fierce competition has already begun in the tryouts.
Tiger, the captain of the engineering team, always said he didn't want to face the medical team because they were too strong. Their captain was Arthit. These two departments have been competing for the championship for many years now.
"Hello, Arthit!" I greeted him immediately. He was wearing his sports uniform and looked even more handsome than before. Sportswear really suited him.
"You play football too?"
"Oh, no. I just came to see my friend."
"Why not join the cheerleading squad?"
"No more going in, haha," I replied with an awkward smile, then let my friends go ahead,
"So, has Team Y started recruiting yet?"
"Today is the selection day, we're waiting for the first-year students."
"Ah." I nodded. "And... What about Johan?" I asked unconsciously to find out what he was doing. It had been a long time since we'd been in contact, and I didn't dare text him.
"Huh?" Arthit raised his eyebrows, looking a little surprised. "Oh, Fah's dad just called him. If he's finished talking, he'll probably be back at the basketball club."
"Ah... yes." Fah's father is the department head, right? And yet his leave request still hasn't been processed?
"Oh, by the way, could I take a picture with you?" Arthit asked, surprising me. I was momentarily confused; why would he suddenly want to take a picture with me?
"Um... yes." I agreed, even though I didn't quite understand what was happening. But I still smiled when he took the picture.
"Can I post it?"
"Yes."
"So, I'll tag you on Facebook then."
"Yes." I immediately gave him my Facebook name. Then, Arthit posted the photo we had just taken and tagged me, "But why did you take a picture with me?"
"Huh?"
"Nothing. Just wanted to tease someone."
Oh no, this is so complicated…
I opened Facebook and, sure enough, saw a photo tagged me. In the picture, Arthit looked very handsome, while I didn't look good at all. The caption under the photo read:
Arthit Sw has just added a new photo – with North Natchanan @Johan Ct. He even tagged Johan…
The number of likes and comments is increasing rapidly. Wait a minute, is that really me? Besides thinking I'm ugly, there's nothing else. I'm probably going to get insulted.
Tonfah also commented:
Powarut Tf. : You did that to tease people, and even tagged them!
Arthit Sw: @Powarut Tf. I just wanted to see someone get angry.
Then there were lots of comments asking who I was, and people were tagging Johan, too. Why was this happening? But there were so many comments that I didn't bother reading any further.
“North, come here!” I heard Duean Nao call. Initially, I intended to ask Arthit something, but I had to apologise to him and run over to Duean Nao first. I saw Arthit looking at his phone and chuckling softly, then he pressed the answer button and put the phone to his ear. He left, and I didn't know who had called him.
—————-
[>> Arthit <<]
I received a call from Johan
(Delete.)
"I don't want to."
(Delete the photo.)
"Don't delete."
(Damn it, Meat, where are you?)
"You'll definitely be going to the football field, right?"
(I can't go. The head of department is a troublesome monster.)
"What's up?"
(He made me wait, and I'm fed up.)
"So you're in Fah's dad's office?"
(He's in a meeting, I'm waiting here.)
"Aren't you two supposed to meet to talk?"
(That's it. If you still don't understand what I'm saying, then don't say anything more. This is me talking to myself, or my dad will be here.)
"If your father comes, there will be trouble."
(Okay, if you don't want me to explode, then do as I say. If I get through this, you'll be in trouble.)
"Are you angry? I've made you even angrier, haven't I?"
(Yeah, delete it, you son of a bitch.)
"Don't delete."
(You really are…)
"What?"
(That dog.)
"If you want me to delete it, pay me."
(You need money so badly that you have to take it from me?)
"No, I don't need the money. But if you want me to delete it, then pay me."
(How much?)
"Twenty."
(Twenty thousand?)
"Two thousand, twenty thousand, two hundred thousand would be fine too."
(You bastard.)
"Okay, I'll delete it. I've figured out how to make money."
(It's really tough dealing with scammers these days, isn't it?)
"Johan, do you think I'm a con artist?"
(You're no different. Where are you?)
"The football field."
(What are you doing there?)
"I'm waiting for the freshmen to come for the entrance exam."
(I wasn't asking you. Don't get cocky.)
"Ah, that important person?"
(...)
“He’s with his friends. He’s not in the cheerleading squad; he just came to see a friend. Aren’t you going to ask about me?”
(Fuck off!)
"You're secretly laughing, aren't you?"
(What the hell are you talking about? Just take a picture of him, no need to include your face.)
"How much does each one cost?"
(If we didn't know each other, I'd think you were a real money-grubber.)
"How much are you paying?"
(How much will you pay?)
"Three thousand dong a photo, I'll send you the whole album."
(Well, but it has to be a good photo.)
Okay.
...
...
[>> North <<]
The weather was a bit chilly, even though it was only 4 a.m., and there wasn't much sunshine. It really felt like winter, though not extremely cold. But in Thailand, weather like this is actually a good thing.
"It looks like it's going to rain," Phoon said when Duean Nao and Khet arrived. We changed our shoes.
"You're strange, North. You don't wear a sweater on cold days, but you do on hot days," Khet said.
Actually, I wore a T-shirt, not because of the weather, but because P’Hill said a hot compress would help reduce the redness, so I crawled around all night. And the redness on my neck really did disappear. Thank you, P’Hill, for the advice. Johan certainly knows about such things. But why didn't he tell me?
"Oh, Duean Nao," I called out, suddenly remembering, "Your brother lives in Boston, right?"
I remember Duean Nao once saying that he had a twin brother. He showed off a photo and introduced his brother, "Duean Nan," who was studying abroad in America.
I like these two names: Duean Nan and Duean Nao. They both sound great together, although they might be a little confusing.
"Oh, right. What's wrong?"
"Johan will be going to work in Boston."
"Really? That's quite far." Phoon seemed a little surprised. "So, will that affect his studies?"
"I think I can get permission from the school," I replied.
"How long will he be there?" Khet asked.
"It might be two weeks."
"That would be exhausting. He's not the type to work like a superhero, is he?"
"Daniel called me the other day and said it's really cold in Boston these days, and there's even snow. The temperature has dropped below 0 degrees," Duean Nao said.
“Daniel?” I repeated the question. Who is Daniel?
"Duan Nuea, when we were there, everyone called him Dan. Then I realised Dan stood for Daniel. We used to tease him by calling him Daniel, and now it's become a habit."
"Oh, that sounds good. With that name, he'll definitely have an easier time studying abroad." I thought to myself, "How many hours is Boston from Thailand?"
"Eleven hours, day and night alternating."
“I haven’t met your brother yet. I’ve only seen his picture. Hasn’t he returned to Thailand?” I asked. I’d only heard Duean Nao talk about him; I hadn’t had a chance to meet him.
"Not yet, but I think I'll save up some money and fly over to visit him. He'll be so surprised."
"Really? When are you leaving?"
"I'll wait until the holidays and when I have the money to think about it. But I've never been abroad before, I don't know if I can even go," Duean Nao said with a slightly worried expression.
“Why don’t you try inviting Tiger along? He travels abroad often, right?” I said. I had been quietly supporting this small relationship for a long time. Many times, I helped discreetly, guiding it forward little by little. However, they say that if the captain doesn’t agree, then so be it. Well, for better or worse, it might not go anywhere; perhaps I’m the only one swimming alone from the start.
"I asked him, but he said he didn't have time. It's a shame."
"Really? He said he was busy?"
"Yeah, haha."
I winced, as if I couldn't believe what I was hearing. That idiot could say he was busy with other people, but not with Duean Nao. There must be a reason: maybe he doesn't like him anymore? Could that be possible? He still seemed to like him. He even bought him lunch.
"Try inviting him again," I said.
"Why?"
"He might think you're just inviting him for fun. Try to persuade him, add a few conditions. Let's see if Tiger dies of a heart attack this time."
"What are you talking about? Why would I beg him? But I'll try again," Duean Nao said. "I miss Dan so much. I'm worried something might have happened to him because he's so far away. I'm even more worried that he's alone there. I wonder if anyone is bullying him."
"So, do you two talk on the phone all the time?" I asked.
"He's been crying and saying he misses home lately. My heart feels like it's breaking, brother, oh my god!" Duean Nao sighed deeply. I really don't understand sibling relationships. Is it because I don't have siblings? Being twins means they've been together since birth, so they must love each other very much.
We talked for a while, and the coach called the other players back. Only Phoon and I were left sitting here waiting. I asked Tiger to put Phoon and me on the reserve list. If the fans came to watch, they would see me near the field. So I could say I came to practice and there was no problem.
While I was sitting there, my phone suddenly rang. This call is from Ms Prang. Whether it's a text message or a call, if it's from Prang, I always answer.
"Yes, Ms Prang."
(North, what is your student ID number?)
"The number of students in my class? 249."
(Ah, the electrical engineering department, right? The engineering department?)
"Yes, why?"
(I'm here to pay your tuition. Time's almost up, you nearly lost your credits. Didn't you know? Johan told me to come here quickly.)
"Huh? Tuition fees?"
(I'll call you back right away. I need to pay first.)
Ms Prang hung up. I completely forgot about paying my tuition. I talked to Ter about it yesterday, but I forgot again today. It's almost time to pay anyway. But Ms Prang said she's paying it for me. Ten minutes later, Prang called again. I immediately answered the call.
(Okay, I managed to pay the tuition. It would be terrible if I got my credits revoked.)
"Sorry, I forgot," I said apologetically. Why am I so forgetful? 😠I urgently need to improve this.
(It's okay. Luckily, your boss pays you well.)
"Did Johan pay my tuition?"
(Yeah, and that'll add to my debt too.)
"Well, that's a bit bad," I muttered to myself, letting out a deep sigh.
(I was going to ask you first, but it was too urgent, so I didn't have time.)
It's like the story about Ter's dorm fees. Why does everything seem so rushed? ðŸ˜
"How much is the tuition fee?"
"Ten thousand six hundred. Wait a minute. Let me double-check." She said that, and then I heard her rummaging through her bag.
(The total is two hundred seventy-nine thousand nine hundred thirty-three baht.)
(That leaves seventy-three baht so that it will be two hundred and eighty baht. Can you round it up to zero?)
"No, no, it's only seventy-three baht," I said hastily. Now, did the price even matter?
(Could you please calculate it for me using your phone? Round numbers are easier to calculate; these numbers are too difficult.)
"Yes, Ms Prang." Actually, my total debt has reached 280,000 baht. How can it be so much?
(Can I get my debt reduced?)
"Huh? How can I reduce my debt?"
(Did I get my debt reduced? Like… oh my god, I’m so embarrassed.)
"Sister Prang... you know about this, too?"
(Um, I almost died asking that question. It's too much, really too much, but somehow it feels quite interesting.)
"Sister Prang, please don't embarrass me anymore, I beg you." Oh my god, I'm so embarrassed, I want to bow down and let the earth swallow me up and disappear along with the lava underground.
(I trust you, there's no need to be embarrassed. This way it's easier to handle.)
"Sister Prang, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa." I dragged out the sound for a long time because I didn't know what to say. Should I die? It would be a lie to say I wasn't ashamed.
(Okay, where are you? I'll come pick you up. I'm on campus right now.)
"Huh? Where are you taking me?"
(We're going to find Johan. He told me to pick you up and take you to his place.)
"I'm at the football field, in front of the school. The big one."
(Alright.)
As soon as I knew Prang would be coming to pick me up, I immediately packed my things. When I saw a black car parked nearby, the driver rolled down the window, and I recognised Prang. I immediately ran out to find her.
"Wait, North, where are you going?" Phoon pulled me aside and asked in surprise.
"Ah… um."
“…”
"I'm going to see the doctor."
"Huh? Are you sick?"
"Yeah, see you later," I said, then quickly ran off. Actually, I wasn't lying. I really was going to see the doctor. If I had said I was going to see Johan, everyone would have teased me endlessly.
I got into Prang's car. She smiled at me kindly. A little while later, the morning rain started to fall heavily. Because it was the end of school and raining, traffic on campus was very congested.
"Why do I always have to encounter these kinds of things when I travel?" Prang sighed.
"Oh, right, this is what I wrote. See if it's true."
She took out a small piece of paper and handed it to me. I looked at the paper Prang gave me and realised she had written about my debt on it. Tuition fees, dormitory fees, and motorbike repair fees. Plus fifty thousand I borrowed, that makes two hundred and eighty thousand.
"That's a lot," Prang said.
"Yes, that's a lot." I sighed.
“So what about the repayment terms? How are you? Would you be angry with me if I told you I saw the cracks on your lips and the red marks on your neck? Oh my goodness, no matter how old I am, I can never get over my embarrassment about these things.” Prang said, then raised her hand to touch her cheek.
"Oh, Prang-san!" I quickly raised my hand to cover my face. The red mark on my neck had indeed disappeared, but if you looked closely, there were still a few faint traces, though I thought it was just a little bit.
"Okay, okay, I won't say any more. Next, um... write down the amount of debt you need to reduce."
I looked at the paper in front of me with difficulty. How much? I guessed I'd have to make a guess. When I finished writing, I handed the paper back to Prang.
"Oh, you only wrote 10,500 baht? You're not kidding, hugging counts, right?"
“…”
"North, don't blush or get angry with me. This is embarrassing for both of us."
"Please stop teasing me, Prang," I said, preparing to make an angry face at her.
"Oh, right, I have a lot more to say. First, we have to leave. As for you working part-time at the shop, I've noticed we don't have many staff or activities lately, but if you want, you can come and work; you'll be paid daily."
"Oh, yes." I nodded as if I understood. But I was still worried. The exams were coming up, and I couldn't go to work.
"If you need any extra pocket money, you can ask Johan. The conditions are the same as when you repay the debt."
“…”
"Oh my goodness, you can't stop teasing me, it's so funny," Prang said, about to burst out laughing. She patted my head affectionately,
"And one more thing, you don't need to transfer the money to me. I don't accept loans, you know that, right?"
I nodded slowly.
"And one more thing… very important."
"Yes?"
"Johan is going to Boston, you know?"
"Yes."
"He'll leave after the exams. He's exhausted from both work and studying, and then he works all night to the point where he can't sleep. Yesterday there was a lot of urgent work; he had to go to work early in the morning, then attend extra classes at noon. When he came back to work, it was pitch dark, and by the time he finished, it was almost dawn."
"He doesn't take care of himself at all; his work keeps him too busy."
"That's terrible..."
After dropping me off at the dorm, he left immediately, and I couldn't help but feel...
I feel guilty. I shouldn't have asked him to go to the movies. If he had work, he could have told me; I'm not stupid. Instead, he had to rush back to work so quickly that he couldn't even sleep.
“Johan wasn’t usually so irritable or grumpy. He was even a little more cheerful. Sometimes he seemed quiet and withdrawn due to work pressure, stress from various sources, and fatigue. How can someone endure all that at this age? But Johan was always patient.”
“Things have been much more difficult lately. Before meeting North, the chairman wanted to hand over all the work to Johan before he graduated. I advised him to wait until he graduated. But Johan insisted he was fine. I don’t understand why he’s so passionate about his work,” Prang continued, while I listened attentively. Outside, it was raining, and traffic was congested, which perhaps gave us more time to talk.
“Johan is really talented. I’ve never seen anyone as dedicated to their work as he is. He’s even studying to become a doctor. Normally, people who have already studied medicine can’t do anything more, but Johan is different. As you can see, he rarely attends classes, often missing them due to work. That’s not surprising. He works at the family business.”
"Really?"
“Actually, people like Johan are easily workaholics. At first, I thought flirting with you was just the same old game, that you were like everyone else, easily accepting any conditions. But things are different now. Did you use any tactics to win him over?” Prang asked, her face showing concern, before changing the subject as the car began to move.
"No, I didn't do anything." I shook my head.
"That's the key point. If it were any of the girls Johan dated before, none of them could tolerate him as you do. Even if you could, it probably wouldn't be easy. But no matter what, Johan will always be there for you."
“…”
"What I mean is, I'm so glad it's you, North.
Johan told me a little bit, but only a little, and I hardly know anything at all."
"What did he say about me?" I asked. I really wanted to know what Johan had told her.
“I won’t tell you, but you just need to know that it’s you, North. Even though Johan isn’t the one who needs looking after, but… what can I say? It’s like having North around makes him feel better.”
Right now I'm feeling a bit disoriented, so is that a good thing?
"If he has me by his side and gradually gets better, then I won't go anywhere."