OOPS! MYSTERIOUS SOUNDS: BOOK 2.

The Sixteenth voice. 

[Jin]

 

"You're acting strange today, Jin," Beam spoke up after the other person had been staring at me for a while. Their pretty face was furrowed in a questioning expression as they chewed their food. Hey everyone! Thiw and Beam finished work early today, so we had a chance to sit down and have a nice meal together.

 

"What's got you in such a good mood? Is it about the beetle? You've been grinning from ear to ear ever since you came back."

 

"Eat a lot."

 

I changed the subject by putting some food on his plate. He immediately started eating, looking very hungry, which was unusually good because he's usually not like this. The shop owner always lets the dog eat at the shop before it goes home.

 

"Didn't you eat today?"

 

"Mmm."

 

"Escaping from people"

 

Thiw, who had been eating quietly without speaking, spoke up.

 

"Who are you running away from?"

 

Beam cleared his throat loudly, as if he was choking, so I poured him a glass of water. Beam drank more water and continued eating, pretending he hadn't heard. Based on what Thiw and I discussed.

 

"What's going on at Beam's shop today, Thiw?" Thiw shrugged, glancing at Beam, who was looking down.

 

"P'Pop seems interested in Beam."

 

"Which one, Pao?"

 

I furrowed my brows before my eyes widened as I realised, "That's the famous guy from the law faculty! And a notorious womaniser at that. His reputation is quite something."

 

That guy is incredibly dangerous. How did Beam even get to meet him?

 

"I remember now who it is. But Beam, how did you manage to meet him?"

 

"The shop where Beam works belongs to P'Po's cousin," Thiw answered the question for him.

 

"Is he hitting on you, Beam?"

 

Beam looked stunned before glaring at us.

 

"I don't know."

 

I exchanged a glance with Thiw before sighing.

 

"You know I've never thought about those things. I just want to focus on my studies and work hard to save a lot of money. I want to go back and take care of Aunt Dao," Beam said seriously.

 

"Let's stop talking about the mountain."

I shook my head.

 

"We were just talking about you, Jin," he pointed the tip of his spoon at me. "How was your visit to the abbot with Thiw?" 

 

Beam changed the subject, but the question made me pause, recalling the conversation the abbot had with me before we left.  Many people never get the chance to meet their real families. Some spend their whole lives searching. But I have this opportunity. Why wouldn't I want it?

 

"Save that chance, son."

 

"My family consists of Luang Ta, Beam, and Thiw."

 

"Being stubborn will prevent you from seeing the good intentions of those around you, Jin."

 

"Before she died, our mother wanted Jin to meet his father."

 

'I don't have a father.'

 

"Then how did we come into existence, my child?"

 

Some men are just the ones who bring someone into the world, but they can't be 'fathers'.

 

'Time moves forward; it never returns. Once it's gone, it's gone. If you've made this decision, don't regret it, even if you can't. You can't go back and change what has already happened."

 

I pursed my lips tightly as I recalled the monk's teachings.

 

"He is well, he is just ill with a fever," I replied to Beam because he also wanted to visit, but had exams.

 

"Did the Venerable Monk ask you to tell me anything?"

 

"He told you to rest more and not take on so much extra work."

 

Thiw answered the question for him, causing the owner of the pretty face to secretly pout.

 

"And warned us to be careful."

 

"What should I be careful about?"

 

I shook my head because he didn't tell me what to be careful about. He only said to be mindful of everything that comes my way, because when you are mindful, you can overcome unexpected situations. I'm not sure if he knew anything about the future or about the strange headphones that let me hear Anda's voice, but before I left, he tied a sacred thread around my wrist and said..."If you're going to help, you have to help all the way, my child, because the souls waiting for help are suffering."

 

"You guys"

"that"

 

Beam looked up from his fruit plate after we had finished eating and helped wash the dishes. I walked over to my backpack, which was hanging in the corner. I then took out my earphones. Thiw leaned over to glance at what I was holding, but didn't say anything.

 

"Are those the headphones you showed us once?" Beam asked.

 

"yes"

 

"There's evidence that it really did belong to Anda before."

 

"Just like Thiw said that day." I nodded.

 

"I'm asking seriously, have any of you ever felt the presence of Anda?"

 

"What do you mean?" Thiw asked.

 

"I heard Anda's voice in the faculty library, not through headphones."

 

Beam immediately shook his head vigorously.

 

"I've never seen Anda, but I see other spirits regularly."

 

"Apart from holding the earphones that day, I never felt Anda's presence again."

 

Thiw also shook his head in denial. That made me sigh heavily, because I was the only one who could sense that Anda was still nearby. So I brought up something I was wondering about.

 

"I have a feeling Andaman didn't commit suicide."

 

"Don't tell me that..."

 

"Anda told me he doesn't want to die." Thiw and Beam straightened up, as if listening intently to what I was about to say.

 

"Wait a minute, if Phodduang’s headphones used to belong to Anda, then the news about crucial evidence at the crime scene going missing... were those headphones mentioned?"

 

"That's right. Even the condo security guard confessed to stealing from Anda's car."

 

"But the point is, the security guard's statement doesn't match the situation he found Anda. Anda was found dead in a car that was locked from the inside, but the security guard said Anda turned off the engine and unlocked the doors, so he was able to easily take Anda's belongings. He also said that after he stole the things, he heard the engine start up."

 

"You're wondering, aren't you, if there might have been a third person at the scene besides the security guard?"

 

I nodded in agreement with what Thiw said.

"And that person might be the murderer."

 

"Okay, bingo!" Beam snapped his fingers. "The security camera in that parking lot corner is broken. Plus, Anda just got hit hard by the media. Anda also has a history of depression. So, people would think that taking sleeping pills and going to sleep was something Anda did intentionally, perhaps impulsively wanting to end his life."

 

"Without further evidence, the police might conclude that Anda committed suicide, because everything was staged to look like a genuine suicide."

 

"But coincidentally, this story has additional characters, like a security guard and an anti-fan who sends a doll stained with red paint."

 

"And then there's the matter of the money being transferred into Anda's boyfriend's account."

 

"Brother Aquarius might not be the most guilty," I spoke up.

 

"What makes you so confident, Jin?"

 

"Because I heard Anda crying when I went to visit P'Kumbh. Jin, please help P'Kumbh. 

 

*sobs*"

'Help my loved one.'

 

Even though his spirit couldn't reveal the cause of his death in his final moments or who harmed him, Anda's last thought was love. The purity of love for a loved one remains even after death because of the strong spiritual bond.

 

It was very late when I parted ways with Beam and Thiw and went into my room. I sat looking at the earphone case on the table for a while before reaching for it. It's possible the headphones are the missing evidence from the crime scene. If they are, should I have Phodduang return them to the investigators? I'm not sure how important this evidence is to the case. While I was considering these possibilities, I felt a gentle breeze pass over my body. Then, suddenly, I felt goosebumps and a chill run down my spine.

 

I glanced around my bedroom. It was very late now, and the atmosphere was quiet. A gentle breeze was blowing through the open door. There was one window in the room. I heard the sound of slow footsteps stopping behind me, but when I turned around, I saw only emptiness, and a scent...A familiar perfume wafted to my nose.

 

"Anda"

 

I spoke to the emptiness before a gentle breeze brushed against my ear, as if someone whispered in my ear.

 

"Is that you?"

 

"What do you want to tell me?"

 

"Jin"

 

Anda's whisper in my ear was filled with sadness. The hairs on my body stood on end. The gentle breeze made me stand still.

 

"Keep the headphones."

 

"Why? What's so special about these headphones?"

 

"Don't give it to anyone, Jin. Keep it. Don't give it to anyone."

 

I gazed into the emptiness, where the voice of my deceased best friend echoed, a trembling, sobbing sound that would break anyone's heart. Then, the chilling feeling was replaced by a gentle breeze before Anda's voice finally faded away.

 

I stared at the earphones in my hand, motionless.

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[Podduang]

 

"What's wrong with your mouth?"

 

That question startled me. I rubbed the area around my lips even harder until they felt hot and burning. It might swell up slightly.

 

"N-no."

 

"Why are you licking your lips, P'Phod?" Satang asked curiously, before Saidaman examined my face and smirked.

 

"That's strange."

 

I darted around nervously, running one hand through my hair and waving the other in a gesture of refusal.

 

"N-nothing."

 

"Really?... Why are your lips swollen?"

 

"Xie," I quickly covered my mouth again amidst my younger brother's laughter, then glared at him before hurrying to examine my reflection in the mirror. 

 

My reflection showed me in a t-shirt and long pants, ready for sleep. My face was pale, my eyebrows and chin normal, and my lips seemed slightly shinier. There was no sign of swelling anywhere. I spun around to look at my younger brother, who was sitting in front of the television, laughing. He must be playing a trick on me. So I strode over and smacked him on the head, but he dodged.

 

"Well, you've been sitting there covering your mouth ever since you got back." he moved closer. "Why? What did you do?" I shook my head immediately, but I pictured myself kissing Jin at the bus stop. I don't know how I could have done that. Luckily, no one saw.

 

I don't know if someone secretly took pictures. Thinking about it gives me a headache. It's all Jin's fault. He's the only one who made me do crazy things like that.

 

"P'Phod"

 

"Uh...what?"

 

"I called several times. What's wrong? You're not answering my questions."

 

"So what do you want?" I pretended to change the subject.

 

"Can I borrow your headphones? Mine are broken."

 

"Oh"

 

I took out my wired headphones and gave them to my younger brother.

 

"Oh, and what about the other one?"

It must mean the one that Jin has.

 

"A friend borrowed it."

 

Satang nodded and took the wired headphones to use instead. Speaking of headphones, I couldn't help but think of Anda. The fact that I can hear his voice asking for help from Anda shows that he hasn't gone anywhere yet. If I myself were to leave this world suddenly without receiving justice, my spirit would probably linger and refuse to move on as well.

 

The story of Anda makes me feel a pang of sadness, especially when I go on Twitter and see retweeted videos of Anda; it makes me miss him even more.

 

The video clip shows a bright and cheerful smile, depicting the flourishing period of his life, but tragically, an unexpected event led to his untimely death. No one knows when their last day will come.

 

That morning, after my brother and I finished having breakfast, we walked out to wait for the elevator. When the elevator arrived, my brother and I walked inside. Satang pressed the call button, preparing to close the doors, when a woman came running, breathless, and asked to ride the elevator with them.

 

"Which floor?"

 

"Where is it?" I asked, glancing at the young woman wearing a hat that covered her face and dark sunglasses. She replied, "The bottom floor."

 

Before we could even look down, the elevator soon brought us to the ground floor, and the young woman abruptly got out. I watched her tall, slender figure until she disappeared around the corner of the condo's management office. I recognised her then; she was a woman, the same person who rode in the car with James.

 

"P'Phod"

 

"Huh?"

 

"I just saw," Satang said, looking puzzled, "a bruise on her cheekbone."

 

She was standing next to my younger brother. It's not surprising that he noticed something unusual on the girl's face.

 

"Her lips are purple and bruised, like she's been physically assaulted, P'Phod," Satang said.

 

"She might have tripped and fallen."

 

"Definitely not. That's clearly a handprint on her neck."

 

I pursed my lips tightly, unable to stop thinking about what Satang had said. If that woman was really being physically abused, we should lend a hand. For a moment, I recalled the image of the pregnancy test she dropped the other day, and I couldn't help but worry about that woman's fate.

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"Why are you staring at me?"

 

I stared at Tum until he looked up from his phone at me with a questioning look. This time, I leaned closer, causing him to flinch and recoil.

 

"W-what the heck?"

 

"Answer me."

 

"What's the answer?"

 

"Return the headphones you bought for me."

After I said that, the bastard was about to run away, but I grabbed his shirt.

 

"Don't run away."

 

"I'm going to buy some rice."

 

"Sit down."

 

I glared at it. Just then, Boom and Dang returned from buying rice.

 

"What the hell?"

 

"You two hold him in a headlock."

 

"Why?"

 

"Okay, okay, I give up," Tum shouted.

 

Boom asked suspiciously, but his hands still managed to help Dang lock Tum in a headlock, until finally Tum surrendered and sat down on the chair.

 

"That's all."

 

"What the hell is this?" Ai Dang asked.

 

"Phu had something he wanted to ask him, but he kept dodging the question and wouldn't answer."

 

"About what?"

 

"earphones"

 

I stared at Tum's face as he dodged away.

 

"How did you get those headphones?"

 

"Uh... I bought it from an acquaintance."

 

"fib"

 

"I actually bought it from someone I know."

 

"Did you buy stolen goods?"

 

"What?!" Tum yelled, his face contorted with anger. "It wasn't me!"

 

"And did you know that those headphones used to belong to Anda?"

 

"That's insane!" Tum yelled loudly.

 

"What did you say?!" 

 "Huh?!"

 

Boom and Dang both exclaimed in surprise, while Tum looked genuinely shocked, as if he hadn't known before. His face was pale, and his eyes widened.

 

"Say that again."

 

"Don't you know anything, Tum? Where did those headphones come from?"

 

"I don't know."

 

"Then why don't you want to answer my question?"

 

It sighed deeply before speaking in a low voice.

 

"I bought it from a website," he confessed in a low voice. "I saw it was cheap." Tum bowed respectfully to me. "I don't have many dunks, so...Uh, I went and bought it online," he exhaled sharply. "Besides, it comes with a warranty, and the store guarantees it, so I..."

 

I sighed and shook my head immediately.

"But when you said earlier that it used to belong to Anda, were you telling the truth?"

 

"Yes, it used to belong to Anda. And if I'm not mistaken, the condo security guard probably stole it and sold it on an underground website; that's how you ended up buying it."

 

"Did I just buy stolen goods?"

 

"Yeah, that's right."

 

Tum's face fell, and he slapped his forehead.

 

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"I'm almost done with my internship hours!"

 

The senior sports scientist, who's always on the soccer team, said this after signing my notebook. That notebook is my internship hour log. The team manager must sign it to approve it.

 

"Yes, sir."

 

"If you have some free time, drop by and help out with the football team. You can help me a lot."

 

"Yes, sir."

 

He smiled before returning the notebook. After that, I put the notebook away and went to grab the first-aid kit from the athletes' locker. Just then, Jin walked in with Tos. He gave me a smirk, so I glared at him because it wasn't just him and me here. Tos was secretly watching us!

 

"No need to stop, you guys can flirt all you want. I'll change my clothes first."

 

Tos said something jokingly before walking away, leaving just me and Jin in the locker room. I pretended to be interested in packing my things until I heard footsteps stop in front of me. When I looked up, I saw its handsome face.

 

"what"

 

"Is it wrong for me to want to look at your face up close?" Jin spoke with a straight face.

 

"That goose!"

 

"Why do you sound so harsh when you're embarrassed?"

 

"You know I'm shy, so why do you still like to tease me?"

 

"I told you I would make your heart flutter even more."

 

"You're doing it," I grumbled. "That's why the girls are attracted to you, with your sweet talk." Then I glared at him.

 

"Because you are  friendly."

 

"No wonder the girls are attracted to you. Just being a soccer player already puts you in a higher position than everyone else. And then there's the fact that you have a special ability... You're going to be unstoppable."

 

"Why don't you share your special abilities with others?"

 

"Are you jealous of me?"

I hate that forced smirk.

 

"If you're so jealous, why don't you be my boyfriend? Then everyone else will be jealous of you instead." It said with a smile.

 

"Of course, you know that sports science and engineering don't get along."

 

"Don't you want to date an engineering 

student?"

 

"No," I made a face at it.

 

"How about you become a football player's boyfriend instead?"

 

Damn, I'm never used to Jin using that high-pitched voice.