OOPS! MYSTERIOUS SOUNDS: BOOK 2.

The Seventeenth voice. 

 [Jinna]

 

"Finally finished."

 

Tos grumbled as he lay sprawled under the car in the faculty's training ground. He slowly crawled out, his face covered in black sores, until Art, who was sitting in a corner, typing away, suddenly burst into laughter.

 

"Why are you in such a mess? You don't look anything like Jin."

 

Art gestured towards me with his mouth while I was wiping the sweat from my brow with a towel. Earlier, I had also crawled under the car. Lately, these guys and I  often have to help out my professors at the faculty.

 

"Ugh, why am I sweating so much?" Tos grumbled, raising his arm to sniff his armpit before turning his face away. "It's so sweaty in the training hall. It's so hot. I'm as big as an ox trying to squeeze through. If someone small like Anda were here, that would be different."

 

The name Anda, which slipped from Tos's lips, made us exchange silent glances before they let out a deep sigh.

 

"Talking about him makes me miss him." Art grumbled before turning back to type, while Tos went to wash his face. In the meantime, I went to check on the Engine connection

 

"Jin"

"What"

"About you..."

 

"What's wrong with you guys?" Art spoke up just as Tos walked back. They looked around nervously before moving closer to me.

 

"You said you heard Anda's voice..." Tos glanced back, looking wary. "That means he hasn't gone anywhere, right?"

 

"Is he here?"

 

I shook my head because I couldn't sense Anda's presence nearby.

 

"Are you afraid of it?" I pretended to ask.

 

"Damn it, Jin! It's a ghost! Even if you're friends, you'd still get chills down your spine!"

 

"The reason it hasn't gone anywhere is that it still has lingering attachments," I spoke up.

 

"Speaking of which, I heard that Anda's father has filed a request to access the CCTV footage at the condo to use as evidence in court," Art said angrily.

 

"The investigator said the CCTV camera was malfunctioning after the crime."

"Even though his father is a prosecutor, this matter still seems so mysterious and complicated," Tos commented. "If this happened to an ordinary person, it would..."

 

How was it? We could only shake our heads, knowing full well that the answer would be truly cruel to the listener.

 

"Do you guys think that security guard really hurt Anda?"

 

"Can't tell."

 

"Following the backlash against P'Khumbh regarding the money deposited into his account a few days ago, it now seems that the security guard might be the next target."

 

"Sometimes justice seems far removed from ordinary people who have no connections." I listened silently.

 

"Anything can happen. That illogical stuff is commonplace in this society," Tos's voice was calm, but his eyes hardened with displeasure. I couldn't help but nod in agreement. Anda's case was full of suspicious circumstances. Anda was a celebrity, his family had connections, and social media was abuzz with criticism and opinions. The case was under intense public scrutiny, yet all the irregularities seemed inexplicable.

 

"It says it doesn't want to die, which means someone killed it," Tos spoke in a stern voice.

 

"If we look at it from an accident perspective, starting the car while sleeping draws outside air into the sealed vehicle," Art analysed, because previously, evidence had been revealed that Anda did indeed start the engine, based on the testimony of a security guard. The engine was heard, and the headlights' daytime running lights reflected off the parking lot wall. However, when the body was found, the engine was completely off, and the car's remote key was missing from the scene. This information has sparked widespread public criticism.

 

"You're right."

 

Carbon monoxide from outside is drawn into the passenger compartment, an enclosed space with no airflow, for extended periods. Dizziness is very dangerous for people who are in deep sleep, especially those who fall asleep due to the effects of sleeping pills like Anda.

 

"But there's information from overseas that they've solved the problem by adjusting the start-up time in newer engine models."

 

"How so?"

 

"Well, during startup, it automatically switches to using outside air."

 

"That's some European car models. If it's a Japanese car, it's usually set to recirculate air only and stays in that mode all the time," I argued, knowing full well that Andaman drove a popular, top-of-the-line Japanese car.

 

"But passenger cars use spark plugs for ignition," Art analysed. "Which means incomplete combustion is inevitable, producing toxic gases."

 

"But newer car models have a catalytic converter to eliminate pollutants in the exhaust. It might not be related to suffocation, right?"

 

"Don't forget that the car's design, from the engine compartment to the passenger compartment, includes certain rubber seals. If there's a leak, there's a chance that Outside air will get in, you know." I objected again.

 

"That's true."

 

"Also, newer car models have double-layered door seals, right? Anda uses the top-of-the-line model, so it must have all the safety features." They nodded in agreement.

 

"The advantage of newer car models is that they block out odours and noise from the outside, but the disadvantage is that they cut off outside air inside the car. They're still being deprived of oxygen."

 

We looked at each other.

 

"Jin said Anda doesn't want to die, and I believe Jin knew about these automotive systems as we do. At least if he really starts the car and goes to sleep He should have rolled down the windows, but they're all completely shut. Besides, do you think he's going to take sleeping pills and then start the car and sleep? Sleeping pills, you know, he'll definitely sleep for a long time. Why doesn't he go to his room and get a proper night's sleep? Why start the car and sleep?" Art asked.

 

"That's strange. The security guard said that when he went in to steal things, Andaman was asleep in his car, the engine off. But why did Anda not hear a noise? If Anda started the car after that, and then the engine just died on its own? Especially since Anda was completely unconscious. Then someone must have started the car for it."

 

I pursed my lips tightly, thinking about the lecture notes Professor Phak had given me that day.

 

"And if I had to guess, Anda was fast asleep without realising it. And when he sleeps for a long time, the air inside the car is depleted, and toxic gases from outside come in to replace it. It's like committing suicide or having an accident from sleeping with the engine running."

 

"Yes, the person who did it intentionally made the surrounding evidence point to Andaman being insulted to the point of committing suicide. In the end, no one expected it to be murder"

 

"What a shame," Tos spoke up.

 

"What is there to regret?"

 

"It's a shame the security camera under the condo is broken."

 

"That's right. It's not that it's broken, but rather that someone is trying to destroy the evidence."

 

"Then that bastard must have some serious connections."

 

"It's quite a big deal. It clashes with both the prosecutor's office and the police."

 

"Who is it?"

 

That's right, who hurt Anda? I furrowed my brows and thought about what Tos had said earlier.

 

"It's a shame the security camera under the condo is broken."

 

The condo owner, Ronalak, remained completely silent. Damn, that's just how it is; money and power can really silence the truth.

 

"Your father still wishes to speak with you, Jin. He said he would agree to anything, as long as Jin agrees to meet him."

 

Are you really going to agree to everything? I sighed deeply, recalling my conversation with my lawyer uncle a few days ago.

 

════[changbins_delulu_wife]════

 

[Podduang]

 

I held my head in my hands, staring at my computer screen after Tum sent me a link to an underground website where he bought his headphones. I hadn't found anything suspicious, and the reviews were all positive about the cheap, good-value products. But who exactly did the shop owner get their goods from? I tried searching the name online, and the shop was legally established and registered. My vision is blurry now.

 

I let out a heavy sigh before sitting up and stretching, tired from staring at the computer for so long. Luckily, there were no classes today, so I was able to stay engrossed in my work this morning.

 

While I was selecting my lunch menu on the app this morning, I received a call from a familiar face. I smiled when I saw the number, which I recognised perfectly.

 

"that"

 

[There's no school today?] Jin's voice came through the phone.

 

"Oh, the professor cancelled the afternoon class. So there's no class today."

[oh]

 

"Are you at my faculty?"

 

[Oh, me and Tos were having lunch with Beam, we ran into Dang.]

 

I nodded in agreement because Dang really did go to the faculty today to submit his assignment. I saw it in the group chat.

 

[I was planning to invite him to have dinner.]

 

If someone were here right now, they'd understand I must be crazy for smiling at my phone all alone like this.

 

"Which meal are you having?"

[Breakfast]

 

"You haven't eaten yet?"

[I have been in the lab since morning.]

 

"Be careful, you might get gastritis."

[Are you worried about me?]

 

I pursed my lips tightly and didn't answer the question.

 

"You already know that."

[I want to hear it with my own ears.]

 

"Mm..." I mumbled in response.

[Uh, that means...]

 

"You bastard."

[Speak up.]

 

Oh my heart!

"I hate you."

 

If there's someone here who's being insincere, someone who says they hate them but is smiling at the person on the other end of the line like this, that person is me.

I sighed heavily while it chuckled softly, as if amused by me.

 

"I'm worried about you," I bit my lip tightly. "Next time, eat on time."

 

[yes]

Damn it!

My heart trembled again at the gentle sound of its voice.

 

After hanging up with Jin, I ordered a Grab food delivery because I was starting to get hungry. It didn't take long before Grab called to say they were delivering the food to my condo. After going down to get the food and returning upstairs, I was about to use my key card to enter my room when I heard a loud crash from one of the rooms at the end of the hallway.

 

After the loud crash, I heard a woman's scream, so I hurried towards the room. Luckily, the door wasn't completely closed, or the person inside might have been about to open it. But before they could, the woman collapsed to the floor, and shockingly, her skirt and the floor were stained with bright red blood. My heart sank, almost jumping out of my chest. The woman in front of me was the same one I'd met in the elevator twice before.

 

"help"

 

The sound of sobbing brought me back to my senses. I quickly dialled the building management's number for help before rushing off to go and help the young woman who was crying and distraught at the sight of so much blood coming out of her own body.

 

‘The woman is out of danger.’ I breathed a sigh of relief after receiving confirmation from the attending doctor. Donny, a female legal representative, accompanied the young woman in the ambulance. The mystery is that she's calling relatives to inform them of the situation. The attending doctor wants to contact the patient's relatives because the young woman is experiencing a threatened miscarriage, and her condition is still worrying.

 

I stood gazing at the young woman sleeping soundly. Her face was pale, and tubes were everywhere. Who was she? And why was she suddenly bleeding so badly that she almost miscarried? I gazed at her beautiful face for a moment until her long eyelashes fluttered as if she were about to open her eyes. The young woman looked around. She looked puzzled. I stood silently watching until the building management approached.

 

"Khun Am"

 

The woman from the legal department seemed quite familiar with the mysterious woman named 'Am,' as the patient reached out and held the woman's hand.

 

"My...child?" The sick person tried to speak, their eyes welling up with tears.

 

"The child is safe," the legal representative reassured her. "Luckily, Mr Poodduang found you." She gestured towards me, causing Ms Am's gaze to fall on me. That made me move closer to the patient's bedside. It was as if they were trying to thank me even though they didn't have the strength to speak, but I could tell from the movement of their lips and catch their words.

 

"It's alright. Please rest."

 

She nodded after the patient had fallen asleep, so I excused myself because, before I hung up, Jin had invited me to eat.

 

I already shared the location of the rice with them at Aunt Amporn's house, and they said they would arrive soon. While I was hunched over, replying to Jin's message, I saw a man's shirt move quickly past. I saw the back of P'Itthi, Anda's older brother. He was the one who walked past me quickly just now. And what was suspicious was that Anda's brother opened the door and went into Am's recovery room. Does P'Itthi know Khun Am?

 

I furrowed my brows in suspicion. What connection did this woman, my condo neighbour, have to the actor James? Moreover, it seemed she was also an acquaintance of P'Itti, Anda's older brother. I kept this suspicion to myself until Jin came to pick me up on his motorcycle.

 

"Why did you ask me to pick you up here?" Jin asked before handing me a helmet.

 

"I just helped a woman who was bleeding profusely from her condo and brought her to the hospital," Jin frowned immediately.

 

"And is she safe?"

 

"Hmm", I nodded before hopping onto the back of the motorcycle. Once the bike started moving, our conversation ended.

 

It took us quite a while before we finally parked in front of the gate of the house he'd taken me to once before. The dogs inside the house were barking and wagging their tails repeatedly. It even poked its head out from under the fence, wagging its tail as if happy.

 

As I stepped out of the car, I mustered the courage to stroke their heads after Jin had parked by the fence. Soon, I heard the sound of the homeowner with the four-legged creatures.

 

"Oh, Jin, you're here, my child."

 

"Hello, Auntie."

 

I bowed respectfully to the homeowner, following Jin's example, and Aunt Amporn returned the greeting with a smiling face before busily opening the gate for us.

 

"I was just thinking about you, Jin. Auntie cooked a lot of homemade food today. Please pass some on to Beam and Thiw too."

 

"Okay, so my friend and I will be having our meal at your place today, Auntie."

 

"Go ahead, son," she reached out and gently touched Jin's hand. "I’ve been eating alone for many days now." Her voice sounded lonely, and her eyes held traces of pain. I began to understand why Jin seemed so worried about 

Aunt Amporn. 

 

I followed Jin into the house, intending to help him arrange the food on the plates, but when I reached the middle of the house, I saw Aunt Amporn standing and looking at a picture. It was probably a family photo of her son, the one Jin had told me about. Aunt Amporn turned and smiled at me, then led the way to sit down in the living room.

 

"I heard Jin say that his aunt likes to eat glutinous rice balls in ginger syrup from this shop."

 

I started a conversation with the old lady before handing Jin the bag of ginger-flavoured glutinous rice balls to pour into a bowl.

 

"Thank you, son."

 

"never mind"

 

The other person beckoned me to move and sit with them.

 

"Jin is very observant."

 

"Yes, Jin specifically went to queue up to buy it for you. He said that you don't eat much rice, but like to eat small portions. Sorry, that's intrusive."

 

Aunt Amporn smiled broadly regardless of what I said, and even reached out to gently pat my arm.

 

"Since I've known Jin, he's always been consistent. He's a respectful child. You know, when I first met Jin, he and his friends were looking for a house to rent, the very house he and his friends live in now, my old house. Those kids asked to rent it because they saw the 'for rent' sign I had posted. They were all drenched in sweat. I felt so sorry for them." I sat and listened attentively.

 

"That's why I rented it out. At first, I was a little worried because it was all teenagers, but I was wrong. Those kids are all well-behaved. If they're not going to school, they're working part-time. None of them would engage in any bad behaviour. The house is clean and tidy," she said, smiling. "Sometimes Jin and his friends are kind enough to help cut the lawn and paint the fence. They fix anything that's broken, and they won't even take the money." The aunt's voice was full of affection for Jin.

 

"Jin is really skilled. Once, my aunt's son, Pira, broke down his car, and Jin just touched it up a little bit and fixed it in no time." Aunt Amporn recounted the story cheerfully.

 

"Back when Pira and his wife and children were still alive, this house was never lonely."

 

The aunt's voice trembled as she spoke, so I reached out and held her hand. Jin had told me that she had lost both her son and grandson in an accident a while ago. It was the most painful loss. 

 

I followed her gaze to a black-and-white photograph of a man, presumably her son. What made me frown was that the photo showed the date of birth and the date of death, and the latter puzzled me even more.

 

"That's Pira, my son. He passed away about a year ago in an accident along with his wife and child," the aunt said, her voice trembling.

 

"I'm sorry to hear that, Auntie."

 

"Thank you so much, dear. At first, it was hard to accept. Luckily, Jin and his friends often come to visit and keep me company. But it's tough being an old woman all alone. I don't know if I'm being a burden to them," she said apologetically. "Look, every time they come to visit, they bring so many gifts." She gestured with her mouth towards the fruit and other food items placed on the table.

 

"Auntie, please don't say that. I think Jin is happy to take care of you."

 

"Thank you for your words of encouragement, dear, but it's because of me that Jin has had a hard time."

 

"Yes?" She sighed.

 

"Your Jin's friend, aren't we, dear?"

 

"yes"

 

"You probably already know that Jin and his friends are more special than anyone else." I reluctantly nodded in agreement.

 

"That day when Pira was hit by a car, Jin was also hit by a car because he went to help his aunt's son."

 

I froze instantly.

 

"Because of that accident, Jin had to recover for a year," the aunt wiped away tears. Just then, Jin came in with some snacks.

 

This morning, after we finished eating, I went for a walk in Aunt Amporn's backyard. Jin took Aunt Amporn to rest, while I snuck out for a walk to help digest my food. The atmosphere this evening is so peaceful. It's unbelievable that there's such a quiet place in Bangkok, with all the hustle and bustle. Even though it's not far from the main road, it's so peaceful and cool once you get onto the side street. I squatted down and reached out to touch the creeping vines. As soon as my fingers touched them, the leaves folded up like magic.

 

"These are toys from when I was a kid!" I turned around and saw Jin had been standing there watching me for who knows how long.

 

"Hmm, my grandmother's house in the countryside had something like this, too. But I haven't been back since my grandparents passed away. I miss the atmosphere of the countryside. If I have the chance, I'd like to take you to pay respects to the Venerable Monk."

 

I immediately turned to look at him.

 

"I want you to meet someone important to me."

"..."

 

"I want you to see the place where I grew up."

 

I felt a sudden rush of heat to my face for no reason, because that comment made it sound like Jin wanted me to get to know his family. 

 

"Do you know why I invited you to have dinner with Aunt Amporn?" I shook my head quickly.

 

"Because I want you to meet the elders that Phu respects."

 

Those simple words made my heart flutter inexplicably, so I pretended to look away.

 

"Even though you wanted me to meet your elders, you wouldn't tell me why you didn't want to coach the football team last year," I said, looking at him.

 

"That oily face... 'Let the kids from my faculty and your faculty get along until it becomes a big problem.'"

 

It went still instantly.

 

"Did you already know?"

 

I stood up and walked over to sit on the stone bench. Jin followed closely behind.

 

"Did you get hit by a car that you couldn't come?"

 

"..  ."

"Was it the accident last year that forced you to rest your leg and prevented you from making it to the final national team tryouts?" He sat silently, not speaking.

 

"Why did you let me get so angry that I said hurtful things to you for a year?" I asked softly until it reached out and took my hand in its grasp.

 

"I feel terrible for misunderstanding you for so long." I sighed heavily. The day Aunt Amporn's son died was the day of last year's freshman football competition, and it was also the day Jin had an accident that injured his ligaments.

 

"I'm fine."

 

"Okay."

 

"Can't you be weak sometimes?" I asked teasingly. "How long are you going to stay strong? Don't you know some people want to comfort you when you're feeling down?"

 

"I didn't know before, but now I know." It said with a smile.

 

"You know people care about you. Can you at least act a little weak sometimes and let others do their job?" He smirked before leaning closer, catching me off guard. Jin threw himself down, resting his head on my head and stretching his feet all the way out of the seat.

 

"tired"

".."

 

"Can I lie down and ambush you?"

 

"You're already asking after I've let you?"

 

"Well, I'm exercising my right to be weak right now," he said, taking one of my hands and kissing the back of it. "Let me sleep for a while," he said, then fell asleep, still holding my hand. I looked at his handsome face as he slept soundly on the seat, and a smile spread across my face.

 

I couldn't resist reaching out with my free hand to twist its nose, but it seemed to anticipate my move and grabbed my hand, leaving both my hands in its grasp. Jin hadn't opened his eyes yet, but he pressed a smile to the corner of his mouth.

"Doing what"

 

"Just stay still for now."

 

It felt like it was playfully flicking my palm.

 

"Jin"

 

"Shhh"

 

I sat still, letting it doodle on my hand.

 

"What does it say?"

 

"Guess."

 

A smile escaped his lips.

 

I immediately made a face at it before sitting still, trying to figure out what word Jin had written on my palm with its finger. After a while, I finally...

 

You're such a...I shook my head before leaning down to whisper in the ear of the person pretending to be asleep.

 

"I like you too."

 

Jin wrote the word 'like' on my palm. 

 

"You just like me?" He opened his eyes and stared at me from close range. "But I'm already in love."

 

"Eh"

 

Before I knew it, he held my face, preventing me from moving away, before leaning up and gently pressing a kiss to my lips.

 

"Can you speak up? I want to exercise my right as the weak."