North: How much is your love?

Chapter 21: So far away

(>> North <<)

Many days have passed…We're heading into our midterm exams. Having just finished my core subject tests, I stood up, walked to the teacher's desk to submit my paper, and let out a weary sigh. I never imagined studying engineering would be so difficult.

 

Since I fell ill, I stayed with Johan until I fully recovered, and he agreed to let me return to the dorm. But to be allowed to go back to the dorm on my own, I had to beg and plead.

It's really difficult😭

 

As exam season approached, we hardly saw each other. For three days now, the only news I'd received about Johan was from Prang. She said he was preparing for a job in Boston and was busier than usual with exams. I didn't have much free time either; the exams and freshman activities kept me in a never-ending whirlwind. Everyone knows how demanding my department's schedule is. The only consolation at university right now is having some time off to study for exams.

 

The luckiest person was probably Hill because Ter was studying veterinary medicine, so they had many subjects in common, and some basic courses were even in the same class, allowing him to provide extra guidance. Even though they weren't in the same class, Hill was still willing to tutor Ter. As for me, I was studying a completely different subject. Honestly… I also wish I had an older student to help me with my studies.

 

“North, how did the exam go?” Sket, who was waiting outside the exam room, turned to ask me. I immediately responded with a bewildered look. It turned out I was the last one to leave the exam room. Is this really my group of friends? No matter how long I study, I still can't do well on the test.  I sighed and shook my head in frustration.

 

"What about you guys?"

 

“I think it’s fine. It’s just like what we’ve learned,” one of the group replied casually. Sket was the best student in the group, so we had to ask him to tutor us, but even so…

 

"Similar?" Duean Nao frowned, as if disbelieving. "Similar in which part? Or maybe I just can't remember?"

 

"You probably just don't remember," Sket replied. "Anyway, let's continue studying, shall we? We have a Physics test tomorrow. Although I don't think it'll be too difficult."

 

Actually, Physics shouldn't be too difficult because it's similar to what we learned in high school. But the problem is that the content goes into more depth because it's physics for engineering. Not to mention, the teacher said the test will be in English.

 

While the group was discussing where to study together, I took out my phone and turned it on because I had to turn it off and put it in my pocket before entering the exam room. When I turned it on, I saw a message that had been sent a few minutes earlier.

 

Johan: Have you finished your exams yet?

 

"Looking at your phone and giggling again, North? That's a sign of someone in love!" Ikkyu teased. I just smiled and continued checking my messages.

 

North♣️ : I'm done.

Johan: I'll come pick you up.

North♣️ : Do you want to come? I'm sorry, but I probably can't. I have a study group with my friend😭

Johan: What are you studying?

North♣️ : Physics, I have an exam in this subject tomorrow.

Johan: I'll tutor you. Go outside and wait for me in front of the building.

 

Will you be tutoring me?

 

"Sorry, guys, I probably can't join the study group," I said, turning to him. If Johan told me to wait outside, it meant he'd be here soon.

 

"Are you going with the doctor?" Ikkyu asked.

 

"How do you know?"

 

"That's obvious. What about group study?"

 

"He said he would tutor me."

 

“Really? Can he tutor? That’s amazing.” Ikyuu’s eyes widened in surprise, “Is he really that good?”

 

"He's definitely talented, I was surprised when I found out," Sket said, surprising the whole group. Actually, I was just as shocked when I heard about it. "He owns a company. North is just a kid."

 

"Uh... that sounds embarrassing," I said, thinking of Johan, who was always so humble and never paid attention to compliments. Even Prang had once said that he wasn't easily swayed by praise, so no matter how much you complimented him, it would be useless if it didn't have any effect.

 

"You never ask him about his work? Never thought about interning at his company?" Duean Nao raised his eyebrows in curiosity.

 

"Oh, actually, I've asked that before." I once asked Johan about an internship at his company. How can I get him to accept me? What if my grades aren't good enough...?

 

"So what did he say in response?"

 

"He said that if I applied for an internship, he would personally conduct the interview."

 

"Oh my god, that's amazing! The CEO himself is doing the interview!" someone in the group exclaimed, their eyes sparkling. Why are they so excited? That's precisely why I don't want to go; I'm so scared 😭.

 

“Okay, I’ll go first. See you guys later.” I waved goodbye to the group and strode toward the front of the building. Before long, a luxurious, unfamiliar car stopped right in front of me and rolled down its window.

 

"Get in the car."

 

"Ah." I nodded, walking over to the passenger seat. A new car? He usually drives an Audi. But this one is just as fancy, and it still smells brand new. He must have just bought it, right? 

 

"A new car, sir?"

 

"Hmm."

 

"Did you just buy it? The car smells new."

 

"Yes, I bought it yesterday."

 

“Ah”, I just mumbled, suddenly realising it had been several days since we last saw each other. Johan looked a little tired. “How did your test go?”

 

"Uh.."

 

Uh?

What's going on?

 

Suddenly, the car braked sharply in front of a diner near the back of the school, which startled me a little. Although I was still a bit scared, he seemed to be driving more carefully now, not as dangerously as the first time I saw him drive.

 

"What would you like to buy, sir?"

 

"Yeah, I was asked to buy some things," Johan said, handing me his phone. "Order them for me." He then opened the car door and got out. I called and saw someone's conversation on his phone screen.

 

Tf: Johan, where are you going?

Johan: Going to pick up my baby.

 

My baby…?

Is that me? You call me "baby"... Why do you call me that with your friends? When you're with me, you never call me that, you just call me by my name – and even then, very rarely. Should I read on…?

 

Tf: Please buy this for me…Two portions of chicken and pork steak, plus two whole cuts of meat.

Johan: Why should I have to do these things? That's really annoying. Okay, I'll go buy it now.

Tf: Thanks.

 

It turns out Tonfah asked him to buy them for him. Judging by the quantity, it's probably for about four people. Ter is definitely one of them.

 

"Would you like something to eat?" I turned around and asked when I saw Johan sitting on the sofa near the counter. I glanced quickly at the menu in front of the restaurant and saw that the prices weren't low at all.

 

"Have you eaten anything before the exam?"

 

"Not yet."

 

"Order the food, I'll pay."

 

I nodded as if I understood, then ordered for Tonfah, and then for myself and Johan. I just sat and waited, and after a while, the food arrived.

 

“That’s 1,250 baht in total. Um, the machine is broken. Can you pay with cash?” the waitress asked when she saw Johan pull out his card. The person sitting next to me didn't pay attention, just took out two 2,000 baht bills to pay while the staff gave back the change. Johan took all the items, pretended to walk away first, so I had to get the change back.

 

Arriving at the medical school parking lot, I saw three doctors sitting in the faculty area with Ter sitting next to Hill. We approached and placed the things Johan had bought on the table.

 

"Let's see, what's in here?" Arthit joked, looking into the bag. The table was covered with books and textbooks. Are they tutoring?

 

I sat next to Johan, and Ter sat opposite me. At first, I intended to greet Ter since it had been a long time, but then I remembered we were roommates, seeing each other all the time, waking up in the morning, going to bed at night, always together.

 

"Did you just finish your exam?" Ter asked, turning to receive the box of meat from me. I turned back to thank Tonfah for giving me his box.

 

"Yeah, and you? Have you been finished for a long time?"

 

"It's been about an hour."

 

"Ah," I replied, looking at the book Ter was reading. I also found it difficult to memorise. Although I had to study physics, if I had to choose between this book and physics, I didn't know which was easier.

 

"Ah, P’Johan, here's your change." I took out my wallet and gave him 750 baht in change.

 

"Leave it there," Johan said.

 

"Yes." I nodded and put my wallet back in its place. Johan doesn't like carrying small change. Besides a thousand-baht note, he doesn't have any other small bills, not even a five-hundred-baht note. Whenever we go shopping together, I'm always the one who gets the change.

 

"Just cash?" Tonfah asked.

 

"YES."

 

"But why are you carrying so much cash?"

 

“It’s not because I like it. Some shops only accept cash,” Johan replied dejectedly. “Why don’t they just handle these things with bank transfers?”

 

Those are 12,000 baht notes.

 

"Johan is angry," Arthit said, chuckling softly.

 

After that, we ate and chatted for a while. I realised they also had an early morning test tomorrow. Ah, that's right...I was rummaging through my bag when I suddenly remembered something. Hurry, or I'll forget again. The gear bracelet… Ever since I gave Johan the gear, I've been asking if he wanted to wear it so I could buy him another bracelet. But if he didn't want it, that was okay too. Johan agreed, so I went and bought a new bracelet. At first, I was worried it wouldn't suit him, but when I saw Tiger wearing it, I felt reassured.

 

Speaking of Tiger… he’s making progress with Duean Nao. I saw Tiger secretly swap his gear with Duean Nao while he was asleep. The problem is, I don't know whether to laugh or cry about it. I don't know which emotion to choose at all. Will Duean Nao find out that it was Tiger's gear?

 

I asked why it changed the gears since both were the same, and Ger said it depended on the heart of the wearer; it was enough for just one person to know.

 

Damned!

I can't accept defeat...

 

"Johan," I called.

“…”

"Gears."

 

"What do you need the gear for?" Johan asked, slightly surprised and raising an eyebrow. He looked at the bracelet I was holding, then took the gear out of his wallet and handed it to me.

 

He kept it in his wallet. That's great. At first, I thought he wouldn't bring it.

 

I attached the gear to the hanging point on the bracelet. A moment later, I saw Johan extend his left hand because I was sitting directly to his left. I looked up and saw him looking at me. I want to say, let me put it this way...

 

"Could you take off your watch first?" I asked. I couldn't put the bracelet on him with that watch on his wrist. I just realised his watch was beautiful, definitely very expensive. I'd seen Tiger wearing a similar one.

 

"Yes," Johan replied, and I began to take off his watch. But I didn't know how to do it properly. After a moment of fumbling, Johan sighed softly, took off the watch himself, and tossed it onto the table. He didn't seem to mind much.

 

"You just handled the gears so gently and then threw the Rolex watch like that?" Tonfah asked.

 

“Did you give him the gear?” P’Hill asked, sounding unsurprised, “Did you actually wear it?”

 

"Yes, what is it?"

 

"No, that's fine."

 

"To get this, he must have worked really hard, Hill. Just think," Athit said, "he’s teaching him how to be a human being."

 

"You're just like him, Thit," P’Hill asked. "He deserved it."

 

Johan turned to Athit and said in a light, slightly playful tone, "You get rid of him, Thit."

 

"What are your thoughts, Johan?"

 

“This Hill guy, even my dad never scolded me like that,” the person sitting next to me said, chuckling softly. Hill shook his head, looking a little dejected. Johan was very cheerful when he was with his friends, but his eyes still showed signs of fatigue. 

 

“Say another word, and I’ll think you’re jealous of me.”

 

"Is it really that bad?" Arthit chuckled at what he had just heard.

 

"We just have to try, that's all I can say."

 

"I don't need you guys anymore. Can you please stay away from my boyfriend? This Johan is always talking about how he's going to woo North, it's giving me a headache just listening to him," P’Hill said, his voice tinged with sadness. It was unbelievable that he would complain like that.

 

When I put the bracelet on Johan, he took off his watch and put it back on as usual. It turned out that my gear-shaped bracelet matched his watch so well. It matched even better than I thought. I was so lucky to have chosen black.

 

“Johan…” Suddenly, a voice called from the opposite side. I turned around and saw a girl with short hair, wearing a short school uniform. She smiled slightly at me. Ter also looked confused, as if he didn’t recognise her. “Could we talk for a bit?”

 

“…” Johan didn’t answer immediately but stood up and left the table. She looked at Johan’s bracelet, then glanced at me a few times. After that, they both went outside to talk, not going too far.

 

"Again? Why can't you just leave it alone?" Arthit said, watching the two people standing and chatting.

 

"So who is she?" P’Hill turned to ask P’Tonfah, his eyes never leaving P’Johan.

 

"Anchan Niti, third year."

 

"Ah, so that's the person who was attracted by the smell of Johan's money, huh?"

 

"Thit, you're being a bit harsh," Tonfah said, his voice gentle, "She's still here."

 

"Aren't you angry?" P’Hill asked.

 

"No."

 

“Really? Aren’t you bothered that Johan goes out to talk to other girls?” Athit asked, raising an eyebrow, seemingly surprised. I shook my head. Why should I be angry? They’re just talking.

 

"You really won't get angry?"

 

"I'm not so sure," I said, frowning. Wait, why did I say that? If I felt I'd overreacted, I'd probably get really angry. I'd feel terrible. I don't want to think about that feeling. Really, I don't want that situation to happen at all.

 

“I wonder what they’re talking about? She’s so stubbornly obsessed,” P’Hill said. “You should be angry because I see that when Johan holds the gear, he cherishes it more than his Rolex. You know what that means, right?”

 

Does Johan have feelings for me?

P’Hill, please don't say things like that... 😭

 

“Ah, yes, it really has become a little bird.” Athit nodded, “Oh, she’s crying…” She sobbed, her shoulders trembling, but Johan did nothing to comfort her.

 

"He won't offer any comfort."

"He's allergic to tears," P’Hill replied.

 

"Hmm, it depends on whose tears they are," Arthit said, a slight smile playing on his lips as if recalling something, "North."

 

"Yes?"

 

"Thit, don't do that," Tonfah spoke up again.

 

"Why? It would be fun."

 

"Stop those negative thoughts right now."

 

"What's wrong?" Athit asked, his face showing signs of anger.

 

"What? Could Arthit make me cry? And how could he possibly make someone cry?"

 

A little while later, Johan returned and sat down next to me, in the same spot. He wasn't looking at the girl anymore; perhaps they had finished talking. But Johan's expression didn't seem happy at all.

 

"How are things going?" Tonfah asked immediately.

 

"It should be fine," Johan replied.

 

"So why was she crying?"

 

"She asked about the gear," Johan replied.

 

"Really? Anything else?"

 

"Who owns the gear?"

 

"So what did you answer?"

 

"If I wasn't serious, I wouldn't be wearing it," Johan said.

 

!!!

Tonfah and Athit's giggling made me lower my head. I was amused, but mostly embarrassed. My face flushed, and I felt my heart start racing again. Before Johan could approach, the conversation at the table had shifted to a different topic.

 

"Ah, Johan, I also have something to say," Ter said. I immediately turned to look at him. What was he going to say? Johan also turned to look at Ter, seemingly very curious.

 

"North has been liking to cuddle with me to sleep lately."

 

"A hug?" Johan repeated the other person's words.

 

"Yes, he likes to come close and curl up in my arms. When I'm not hugging him, he pushes me until I almost fall off the bed."

 

"Ter! What's wrong with you?" I yelled, "What are you talking about?"

 

"Seriously, do you know how much trouble I have sleeping?" Ter said.

 

"So what do you do?" P’Hill asked.

 

"Well, I just hug North. Otherwise, how would it stop thrashing around?"

 

"Ter, are you serious?" I asked, unable to believe it. This morning, he complained that I was disturbing his sleep, and at first, I thought he was joking.

 

"Johan, I think it's time," P’Hill said.

 

"Yeah, when I get back from Boston."

 

"What's going on?" I turned to ask Johan, still confused.

 

"You're going to move in with me."

 

"I don't want to." I immediately shook my head in refusal. Johan looked at me disapprovingly.

 

"Will you move in with me permanently, or should I kick you out of the dorm? Choose!!"

 

════[changbins_delulu_wife]════

 

"Did you really rely on luck to get into the engineering department?" A voice from behind me made me feel down. Johan had said he would tutor me, then he led me back to his room, sat me down at his desk, um… He made me sit on his lap and hugged me from behind.

 

Here we go again…How many more times do I have to get used to this 😭? But most of all, I got scolded for not being able to answer the questions. 

 

Johan is very good at explaining physics problems in English. At first, he only gave a brief explanation because he thought I had grasped the basics. But when he found out I had forgotten almost all the basic concepts, I started getting scolded 😭. Can I go back to tutoring with Sket?

 

The most stressful class of my life was over. Johan hugged me tighter and rested his chin on my shoulder. He sighed softly, closing his eyes in exhaustion.

 

"Are you tired?"

 

"Yeah, I'm tired."

 

"If you go to Boston, it must be exhausting, right?" I asked, feeling increasingly worried. I was already concerned about him just because we hadn't seen each other during the exams, but the work in Boston seemed even more demanding.

 

"Yes," he replied.

 

"You can do it," I said, trying to encourage him, "You're going in a few days, staying there for two weeks, right?"

 

"Regarding that matter..."

 

"Yes..." I was silent for a moment, waiting for him to continue.

 

"I'm really going to miss you."

 

"Come home quickly."

 

"You know what...?"

 

“…”

 

"I never thought getting to Boston would be so difficult."

════[changbins_delulu_wife]════

 

Johan has arrived in Boston. He left yesterday afternoon. I couldn't see him off at the airport because I had exams, and I saw he had finished them earlier. Johan didn't say anything; he just checked the flight time. He's probably almost there now. He's travelling with his father, and several people from the company, and Arthit is also on that flight. However, Arthit will be going separately; he's just going on a short trip and will be back soon.

 

Fourteen days left… I guess we won’t talk as much as usual because you’re so busy with work. Besides, if you have free time,please take some timed to rest.

 

Ms Prang came to tell me that Johan had spoken to his father about work and received an offer to work in Boston. If successful, he wouldn't have to work so hard anymore, just help out a little and want to dedicate more time to studying because doctors these days have to study a lot. Ms Prang also said that the most important thing to Johan is me…

 

"The people who are truly important to Johan are those who can capture his time."

 

I'm really glad he can reduce his workload, but as Prang said, he needs to study first. After graduating, he'll start working for real. If he continues to push himself like this, he'll definitely be exhausted; just studying medicine alone is very difficult. What about spending time with me? You can do that after work and studies.

 

“North!” I turned around when I heard my name. I realised it was Tiger calling me, coming down from the building after finishing my midterm exams.

 

"What's going on?"

 

"There's something I need your help with."

 

"Thanks to what?"

 

"Duean Nao is driving me crazy," Ger said, his face serious. "You know what? Duean Nao is going to live-stream playing games."

 

“Playing games?” I raised my eyebrows, repeating his words. Ah, I remember Duean Nao once said he wanted to try this because it was fun, and I encouraged him back then. It must be interesting. “He’s already done it?”

 

"Yeah, he's been doing it for a long time. Didn't you know?"

 

"No," I shook my head, "I just found out."

 

"Oh, he said he didn't want to tell anyone yet because he was embarrassed, but I'm sharing a room with him."

 

"So he actually did it?" I asked, my voice full of excitement. "Wow, that's great, I want to see."

 

"Listen to me first. I'm here to ask for help," Tiger repeated, his voice serious. Why did he look so awkward? "I'm about to go crazy."

 

"Oh, what's wrong?" I turned around and listened as he continued his story.

 

"Well, can you talk to Duean Nao? Tell him to stop."

 

"Huh? Why?"

 

“Because so many people want to flirt with him. When the cameras came on, and they saw him looking so cool and cute, netizens started buzzing, and things got chaotic. I couldn’t take it anymore, I was really worried. He’s also working on some kind of show,” Tiger said, his face full of tension. He seemed… jealous. “At first, I supported him, I was happy to see him like it, but now it’s not okay at all.”

 

"So how do we get him to stop here?" I asked again.

 

"North, you don't understand how I feel. Please, I'm really going crazy."

 

"Yeah, I'll try talking to him," I said, even though I honestly didn't want to help, but I understood how Tiger felt. He's jealous, and this is something I have to help with 😭

 

"Say whatever you want to say," Tiger replied.

 

"Then tell him to turn the camera off, he doesn't need to talk to anyone, just commenting will do," I suggested. This was probably the gentlest approach; if I told him to stop what he was doing, he would immediately grow cold and angry. Moreover, that could hurt his feelings.

 

"Oh, that's fine too."

 

"So how should I tell him? If I suddenly tell him, wouldn't it seem strange?"

 

"Come to my room tonight. You'll see everything they said."

 

"Okay, I'll go change and then come find you," I said excitedly. I really wanted to see Duean Nao's live performance. I hurried back to my room, changed, and then ran to Tiger's room.

 

“Duean Nao, Ger, I’m here.” I stood in front of the room door and knocked a few times. After a while, Tiger opened the door. It was a fairly spacious room; Duean Nao was sitting at the computer desk, and Tiger was lying on the bed.

 

"North, come here," Duean Nao called out coldly. I hurried over and sat down next to him.

 

"Oh, you're live streaming?" I peeked over. Duean Nao was live-streaming a game. He'd said he wanted to try this because he enjoyed it, but felt shy about it and hadn't done it yet. He hadn't told us beforehand, but I already knew, and it was okay. He planned to share it with us later, so he might as well just play for now. He already has nearly 10,000 followers, which is impressive, even though he's only just started.

 

"YES."

 

"Wow, that's amazing." Over 2,000 people were watching the live stream, and the number of viewers kept increasing, with comments popping up constantly.

 

-Who is it?

-His friend is as cute as Duean Nao.

-I miss you, Tiger. Where are you, Tiger?

 

"Say hello to the audience, introduce yourself," Duean Nao said. Turns out… I'm appearing in this live broadcast too?

 

“Oh, hello, I’m North,” I said, feeling a little nervous. A flood of comments was pouring in. It felt like I was actually having a conversation with the viewers.

 

"Please read the comments for me. I can't play and read comments at the same time right now; I'm not used to it yet," Duean Nao said, then focused back on the game.

 

"Okay, alright."

 

-You play so well. I wish I could play like that too. Let's test the new tank.

 

"Duean Nao, someone said they're going to test the new tank." I read the comment.

 

"I tried playing it, but it didn't work out. It's too fragile, but I saw Tiger playing it, and I don't know how to play it. Next time I'll try something different, next time I'll try again."

 

-I really miss Tiger, he's so good. Haha. Let's put him in front of the camera. I miss Tiger.

 

"Ger, someone said they miss you too." I said, 

 

"Did you do live streams together before?"

 

"Yes, the tigers are back to life. Tiger, come here," Duean Nao called.

 

"No, I'm lazy."

 

"Oh well, we're not helping each other." Duean Nao's cold voice fell silent for a long time. I turned around and saw Tiger sitting on the bed, leaning against the wall. He was wearing headphones and intently staring at his phone screen. Play the game I sent you. I want to watch you play.

 

"Play the game you sent? What game is it?"

 

"What's going on? Are you kidding me? You sent me a spooky game, and I'm afraid I don't want to play it."

 

Duean Nao shook his head and made a slightly sulky face, still glued to the screen. After a while, this part of the game seemed to be nearing its end.

 

Friends are here. Why are you still scared? Let's play together.

 

: +++ tặng 100 bits.

 

"Thank you for the 100 bits." I read it with a smile and sent it back to the live stream. Someone online also sent bits to show their support. 100 bits is equivalent to ten baht; making money this way is quite fun.

 

-Hey, that's so cute. Why are your friends so cute?

-Let's play a ghost game.

 

When I saw many comments urging Duean Nao to play the ghost game, I knew I had to join in since I was sitting next to him. So Duean Nao and I started playing together, but we kept arguing because neither of us wanted to die first.

 

"Damn it, Duean Nao, don't go over there, that's the transformation point!" I said, preparing to shake Duean Nao's arm immediately. Both of us panicked; the game was terrifying, and we were still arguing about it.

 

"Oh no, I'm stuck. I can't move."

 

"You're stuck in a cold box, just running back and forth."

 

"He's chasing me. He's right behind me."

 

It was a truly chaotic scene. Comments kept pouring in. Why are people so happy to see others scared like that? 😭. But there were still many comments praising Duean Nao for being so cute.

 

"Don't worry, just rest a bit." Duean Nao sighed and closed the door. He locked his game character in the bathroom to avoid the ghosts. It was safe in here, as long as nothing appeared.

 

"I can't stand it anymore. Who would send this game? It's so cruel."

 

-Right now, it's safe here. But if you hide for too long, it'll appear behind you.

 

-Look to the left. There are plenty of things to hide there.

 

"I just went to check it out, and I didn't see anything." I was a little annoyed by the many comments urging me to go over there. 

 

-Actually, there was a ghost waiting there.

-North is so cute. Do you have a channel? I'd like to subscribe.

 

"Huh? Me? I don't have one."

Open the channel. Here are 100 bits.

 

"Thank you for the 100 bits. But I probably can't open it, but I'll come visit often."

 

-Tell Tiger to leave. I'll miss him so much.

 

-FC Brother Tiger, my handsome and athletic boyfriend.

 

“Where’s Tiger? Everyone’s calling you. Why aren’t you coming out?” Duean Nao turned around and asked. Actually, many people were asking about Tiger, probably the girls at school, because a fan club had confirmed that he knew Duean Nao.

 

"No," Tiger replied irritably.

 

-Tiger, do you have a girlfriend? He's so handsome. Is she also a member of the group?

 

-I love Tiger. I'm going to cry, I love him 😭. I'm willing to pay.

 

"Tiger doesn't have a girlfriend," Duean Nao replied to that comment. "He hasn't even tried to flirt with anyone yet. Hopefully, he'll get one someday."

 

Ger, are you okay 😭?

 

I turned around and looked at the person sitting ther,e talking on the phon and, wearing headphones. He didn't seem very interested. Was he really not paying attention, or was he pretending not to hear? Suddenly, my phone vibrated with a notification, and I opened it immediately.

 

Tg: That's typical of a dog…I'm going to cry.

North♣️ : Just be patient, okay?

Tg: I told you to come and advise him. Why are you sitting there playing with them? Everyone's flirting with my wife over there.

North♣️ : Well, he likes to play.

Tg : Just wait, it still hasn't arrived.

North♣️: Nothing yet? Are you watching a live stream?

Tg : Yes.

North♣️ : Why don't you come and play with us?

Tg : Because the problem has already arisen.

 

So, that's how Tiger was. They invited him to play with them, but he didn't want to. Instead, he put on his headphones and watched us live. What the heck is that?

 

Guitarrr : Today's live stream went by so fast, I just joined. Giving you 1,000 bits.

You're here today too? You're a lovely friend.

Tg : Did you see this?

North♣️: What's wrong?

Tg : Yeah, look.

 

"Thank you, Tar, for the 1,000 bits," Duean Nao said.

 

Because I was so engrossed in playing with my phone, I forgot to thank Tar for cheering on Bits. It seems he's watched and cheered Bits on many times. Duean Nao must be very grateful.

 

Tgkljhgtyuik : Cheered 1,000 bits.

 

"Oh, thanks for the 1,000 bits." I read the comment, but how do you pronounce the name? Is that how it sounds because the keyboard is sliding?

 

Tg : That's me, read it as Kan.

 

Is that really true?!

 

"Thank you, P’Kan," Duean Nao said, giving P’Kan a smile.

 

What's going on, Tiger? Why the name Kan?

 

"His name is Kan? Why can't I pronounce it?" I asked.

 

"Hmm, he often comes to cheer on Bits. He's been following me from the beginning, so I asked his name and he said I could call him Kan. That's why I called him 'brother' thinking he might be older."

 

Ah, the story behind Kan, the one who's always so kind to Duean Nao, is actually about the person sitting in the back!

 

Tg : He called me "brother." My heart feels like it's about to die. Damage +9999999.

 

He was typing very quickly, but hid face was incredibly calm. I turned to look at him and pursed my lips tightly, trying my best not to laugh. Don't laugh, North.

Not laughing will save you from a heart attack.

Damn, I'm trying so hard to hold back my laughter that my stomach hurts.

 

North♣️ : What about that other guy?

Tg : What is my real name?

 

Ah… Tiger’s real name is Kannathee, so why is he called Kan? Surprisingly, perhaps Duean doesn’t know this. There are hundreds of thousands of people named Kan.

 

Guitarrr : I studied a lot today and felt very tired, but Duean Nao healed my heart. My fatigue is gone. Thank you.

Tgkljhgtyuik : What isgoing ong? Giving away 5,000 bits.

Guitarrr : It's you again? Why do you like arguing with me so much? Giving away 5,000 bits.

Tgkljhgtyuik : Give away 10,000 bits.

Guitarrr : Giving away 25,000 bits.

Tgkljhgtyuik : Give away 50,000 bits.

Guitarrr : Giving away 50,000 bits.

Tgkljhgtyuik : Give away 75,000 bits.

What the hell is this?

 

"Uh... Duean Nao. Check the comments quickly!" I yelled, not knowing what to do.

What are those two doing? Is this Nao's paid contest? Nao is set up to display the number of people donating bits on the screen. It can only see comments because Duean Nao said it distracts him. But I'll turn it off once I get used to it and then put it back on.

 

"What's going on?"

 

"Here it is."

 

“Hey! Thanks to both of you. I’m so happy. But don’t argue, get along well,” Duean Nao said, preparing to give an embarrassed smile to the camera. I must be doing something wrong, it feels like I’m not doing anything right. 25,000 bits is about 10,000 baht, and Tiger just sent him 75,000 bits. That’s 30,000 baht worth of land, damn, how did he get so rich?

 

Guitarrr : See? Duean Nao said we shouldn't argue anymore.

Tgkljhgtyuik : Go away.

 

He's always so arrogant! That guy even asked me to help talk to Duean Nao. I turned around and saw Tiger sitting there staring at his phone with a blank expression, but I think he's definitely annoyed. If someone flirts with Duean Nao, he'll be like this, but he can't show it on his face.

…Let's fight him…

 

Tg : North, you said you'd help me, right? That hateful thing.

North♣️: If you're angry at Tar, don't come and take your anger out on me.

Tg : I told you to come and persuade him to stop, not to hang out with him.

North♣️ : This looks like it's going to be fun.

Ty : First, be quiet. Normally, Duean Nao doesn't read comments as much as you do; it's because of you that he has more followers.

North♣️ : The more followers the better, right?

Duean Nao will no longer have to fight with dogs for food in front of the dormitory.

(Read)

 

Tiger stopped replying to my messages. After a while, the ghost came out, looking a bit creepy. Why is this game scaring me so much? 😭, I saw Tiger seemed to be on the phone, so I turned my attention back to the game.

.....

 

"Brother, where are you?"

(Don't bother me, you bastard.)

 

"Where are you, Johan?"

(Boston, what's wrong?)

 

"Did you just arrive?"

(Oh, I just arrived, what's up?)

 

"Have you seen what I sent you in the chat?"

(Not yet.)

 

"Open it and take a look."

(Why didn't you just tell me?)

 

"Open it and take a look, it's about your boyfriend."

 

(What is that?)

"North is live playing a game with Duean Nao."

 

(I know, so what do you want to say?)

 

"You're still asking? I initially asked North to help stop Duean Nao, but then it came and now even more people are coming to watch."

 

(Did you consider taking the website down completely?)

 

"I initially intended to do that. But Duean Nao will find a way to live stream elsewhere. First, I'll stop my wife, trying to prevent people from commenting unnecessarily. North is just talking too much, which only attracts more viewers."

(Uh.)

...

 

-North, do you usually play? Play with Duean Nao often, you two are so cute. You cooperate so well too, I'll give you 50 bits.

 

"Me? I usually hang out with Duean Nao," I replied to the comment because I'm talkative and easy to get along with. It was fun when we chatted and interacted so much. I felt like I was helping Duean Nao make money.

 

-Oh, money for snacks, I love you. Playing ghost games makes both of you scared, it looks so cute.

 

"I already said I was scared," Duean Nao said, turning back to read some comments, "Send it in here, it's a ghost story."

 

-Oh, Pay, North. Grit your teeth and add a little more, you look so cute, can I flirt with you? -Please, let me flirt with you. I want a little minion to hug me at home or kiss me on the head. 10,000 bits.

 

"Thanks. But I'm not capable of flirting," I said, smiling at the camera.

: Giving away 200,000 bits.

 

-I was only gone for a short while and you're already getting mischievous?

 

-If you want anything, come and get it.

 

Shiaaaaa… 200,000 bits!

 

Suddenly, I got goosebumps when I saw this comment. Goosebumps because of the huge amount of money and also because of the bolding. I immediately stopped laughing, and although I didn't say it out loud, I thought I knew enough.

 

"Just for a moment," I said before getting up from my chair. Then I went and sat on the bed next to Tiger.

 

"I'm really angry."

 

“…” I didn’t reply until I received a notification on my phone.

 

Johan : What are you doing?

North♣️ : 😭 hyung, I'm just here to help Duean Nao play the game.

Johan: Do you need to quantify the number of times you smile at other people in monetary terms?

North♣️: I don't want to 😭 If you don't like it, I won't do it anymore.

Johan: Okay, alright.

Johan : So when are you coming back?

North♣️: I just wanted to come and hang out with Duean Nao. 

 

Honestly, I was initially excited to see my friends doing such amazing things, so I just wanted to come and watch, but the more I went, the more fun it became.

 

Johan :Really?

North♣️: Yes, you can earn extra income here as well.

Johan: Do you want it?

North♣️ : Okay?

Johan: Shoot a video and I'll give you 100.

Right now. 

 

My video?

Johan : Hurry up, I have to go to work.

 

"Tiger, what should I do?" I asked, phone in hand. Tiger turned to look at me for a moment."So, you're going to film a video? What's so difficult about that?"

 

"So why did he want me to film it?"

 

"He might want to see your face. He might also want to hear your voice, but he probably won't have time to call. The video can be saved to watch later."

 

Ah, I nodded, indicating I understood. It's like I've seen everyone else do it. I couldn't call or chat because he was busy; it felt like he wanted me to take pictures for him, but now it's switched to video because it has sound too.

 

"So what should I do?"

 

"Just record a video, talk, say you're working hard, say whatever you want, go out onto the balcony, there's too much noise in this game."

 

"Hey, Tiger, come with me," I said, getting ready to pull Tiger along. I was hesitant to film alone. I wanted Ger to hold the camera steady. I tried to speak, but several times I just laughed out of embarrassment. I've never filmed a video or done anything like that for others to see; the person who will be watching it is Johan.

 

"Okay," Tiger said, also looking at my phone, 

 

"100? You'll get six thousand a minute with this video."

 

"Isn't that strange? I don't dare film it. I'm too shy."

 

"Hey, you're so annoying. Just film it, he'll like it no matter what."

 

"You damn Tiger."

 

"Yeah, I'm going to press the button," Tiger said, taking my phone and pressing it. I took a deep breath to calm myself, and when I heard the sound of the camera, I started speaking again.

 

“Yeah… Well then, Johan, go to work and do your best. It’s very cold there, remember to take care of yourself and don’t get sick. Ah…” And I fell silent for a moment, lost in thought.

 

"I miss you. I'll wait for you to come home."

Tiger stopped recording before returning the phone to me.

 

"Okay, that's it. I really want Duean Nao to talk to me like that. If that happens, I'll give him 300 yen," Tiger said, sighing in relief.

 

"You've probably suffered enough because of Duean Nao, stop thinking about him, think about yourself instead." That's what I thought before deciding to send the video I just recorded. I don't know if it's okay, but I really don't know what to say. I don't dare watch it again because I'm too embarrassed 😭.

 

"It won't be long, only 20 seconds, so at 100 per second, it'll only be 2,000."

 

"That's enough, okay?" Don't tell me it's only two thousand, alright? That's enough to eat for a long time, plus there's extra money left over. I feel a little guilty keeping this money. Should I try to return it?

 

North♣️ : *Sent a video*

(Read)

 

He read it but didn't reply. He's probably busy working, right?

 

'Account x676457x has received a transfer of 66,000 baht.'

!!

 

“Tiger…” I called his name and showed him my phone screen. There were 3,300 baht in the account… Why did you say there were only 2,000? “You said it was only 100, so why is it like this?”

 

"Ah, I know now." Tiger looked at his phone screen for a moment, his face showing that he had just understood something.

 

"What do you know?"

 

"It's not 100 baht, it's 100 dollars."