OOPS! MYSTERIOUS SOUNDS: BOOK 2.

The 21st voice. 

"It must be someone close to Anda who knows him very well."

 

Beam's words kept replaying in my head until I drove to the parking lot of the Faculty of Sports Science. Then I saw two familiar men in black who were loitering around. When they saw me, they hurried closer.

 

"Mr Jin"

 

"Has anything unusual happened today?"

 

"Everything's normal, but..." One of them hesitated, as if he had something to say, "Mr Jin's motorcycle broke down. The boss ordered us to handle it."

 

"You can use another bike, Mr Jin, for now. We'll drive it and park it at your rental house tomorrow."

 

I reluctantly nodded in agreement.

 

"And this weekend, the chairman said that Mr Jin has to attend an event with him."

 

"Mmm."

The two of them nodded, as if trying to avoid speaking to each other.

 

"Anything else?"

 

"We think the nails scattered in front of the rental house can't be a coincidence."

 

"..."

"The boss asked me to tell you to be careful, Mr Jin. He'll be sending a couple of his best bodyguards tomorrow." I sighed heavily before forcing a smile. These days, everything I do is met with attention; whatever I want, someone gets it for me. Life today is surprisingly comfortable, a stark contrast to the past, where people struggled to survive day by day.

 

Hmph, being in the elite circle really does mean you can have anything you want, huh? I pity my own fate. Why is it so difficult for ordinary people to struggle so hard to get the things that are normal in society, while those with power and money just have those things provided for them with a glance?

 

"So, are your bosses in the real estate development business or are they mafia?"

Those two kept their mouths shut, refusing to say anything, just standing there holding hands, their faces expressionless, like emotionless robots. Hmph, just getting to work.

 

"That's really my duty," I just shook my head before walking away. As I was about to walk past the soccer field in front of the faculty building, I saw Dang standing there smoking a cigarette.

 

"Hey," it greeted, "Came to pick up some beetles?"

 

"Yes"

 

"Are you two dating?" Dang asked with a smile.

 

"Yes," I answered in a firm voice, not averting my gaze, which made them pout.

 

"So you're turning a lie into reality, huh?"

 

"You know?" I squinted at it.

 

"Phodduang is my best friend. I know all the tricks he's been telling you."

 

"Just best friends?"

 

"Are you jealous?" That sarcastic expression and the probing question made me itchy to do something.

 

"Hey Jin, the reason I didn't interfere in your and my friend's business is that it's a private matter between the two of you. Besides, I respect your decision."

 

"That's the thing," he lightly punched my shoulder and said, "More importantly, I trust you."

 

"I've liked it for a long time. Now that you own it, take good care of it."

 

"Yeah, thanks."

 

"But let me warn you, if you ever hurt my friend," he moved closer and spoke in a threatening tone, "no matter how good you are, I won't hold back."

 

"Is this a threat?"

He shrugged.

 

"Fine," I stared him straight in the face. "Even though you're Phodduang's best friend, he's my boyfriend. If you try to subtly win him over, I..."

 

"Clearly, you're not going to raise them either."

The guy burst into loud laughter.

 

"Damn it, Phodduang and I have been friends since day one. There's no way that's going to change."

 

"Don't you know who it's all thanks to?"

I unconsciously smiled slightly.

 

"Now that you know, love each other well. Please take good care of it."

 

"Of course."

 

"But let me tell you, if you two ever fight, I'll definitely side with Phodduang."

 

"Yeah, you bastard."

 

I glared at it before bursting into laughter. Jin, with his two close friends, walked out. When they saw me, they waved. He walked towards me with a wide smile, trembling slightly.

 

"Have you been waiting long?"

 

Before I could answer his question, I heard loud jeers and teasing from his friends.

 

"He looks three centimetres small, but is actually one hundred and eighty centimetres tall."

 

"My hair has grown all the way to Chiang Mai."

 

"Normally, they speak in a high-pitched voice. My friend, however, speaks in a very high-pitched voice." Phodduang pursed his lips tightly before glaring at his friend, who had teased him, making me burst out laughing.

 

"What are you laughing at?" Phodduang bared his teeth at me. "Don't you dare laugh!"

 

"It wasn't me."

 

"Because you were laughing just now."

 

"No," I said with a smile.

 

"Hey, don't smile!"

 

"It stinks!"

Tum raised his hand and brushed his nose back and forth.

 

"What's that smell?"

 

"I hate it when people are in love."

 

As soon as they finished speaking, they burst into teasing remarks, making Phodduang's face flush red. The owner of the pale face gaped open, unable to find an excuse for himself. He's so cute when he's embarrassed.

 

"Seriously, did you get the gear from Jin yet?"

 

"Which gear?"

 

"Well, engineering students like to give each other gears as tokens of affection."

 

"Why would you give it to me?"

 

"Hey, so are you Jin's boyfriend yet?"

 

"It's happened. Huh?"

 

Phodduang seemed to realise he had let something slip, while Tum and Bum smiled broadly before high-fiving each other as if their plan had succeeded.

 

"That's all."

 

"Yeah, he's my boyfriend," Phodduang pouted before putting his arm around my shoulder. "This is Jin, my boyfriend. Did you hear that?"

 

"I heard you!"

 

I looked up at the second floor of the building and saw a large crowd of people. One of them shouted down, "I heard you!"

 

Phodduang looked stunned, while his friends burst into laughter because the three of them, plus the people in the club room on the second floor, had heard it. Everyone is happy.

 

"I can't stay here anymore."

 

I broke free from the pull and started to follow, or rather, I was dragged, because that person immediately yanked my arm and pulled me away from there.

 

"Slowly, or you'll fall."

 

"It's all your fault!"

 

"Why me?"

 

"Still smiling?"

 

"So what are you angry about?"

 

"Don't talk," Phodduang said with a displeased expression, but his cheeks were flushed red. "Hmph."

 

It didn't answer, so I reached out and gently shook its head before taking its arm and urging it to walk again.

 

"Seriously?"

 

"Uh-huh"

 

"Don't you want others to know what we are to each other?"

"nothing"

 

It spoke in a soft voice.

 

"Are you shy?"

 

"Are you crazy? I've never been ashamed of being your boyfriend, Jin," Poodduang said with a serious expression, turning left and right as if afraid someone might overhear. "But..."

 

"Huh?"

 

"I'll push it." It spoke softly, making muffled, indistinct noises in its throat.

 

"That's cute."

 

"Mmm."

 

"You're so," I leaned down and whispered in the other person's ear, "you're incredibly cute, do you know that?"

 

"Jin"

He let out a high-pitched cry as the tip of my nose deliberately brushed against his pale cheek.

 

════[changbins_delulu_wife]════

 

[Phodduang]

 

"I'll stop by and buy some food to bring back for them first."

 

I nodded in acknowledgement. Right now, Jin's friends from college are at my house. Boom and Thiw aren't working part-time either. I don't know why they're all getting together. Why? 

 

After parking the car, I followed Jin into A-Eia's usual restaurant. While Jin ordered, I looked around until I noticed a familiar-looking boy sitting at a table with a younger-looking boy. I thought back to the little boy who sold us snacks the day we ate at Ah-Hia Don's restaurant. But today, the little boy didn't seem to have his basket of goods. I guess he probably brought his sister to eat today, because I remember that day he said he wanted to take the food that Jin had treated us to home to eat with his father and siblings.

 

I rested my chin on my hand, watching the boy attentively serve food to his younger sister. He's definitely going to be a very good person when he grows up, because even at such a young age, he's already so caring and attentive to his sister.

 

"What are you smiling about?"

 

I didn't answer immediately, but I gestured with my mouth towards the two little children.

 

"Do you remember?"

 

"That's that kid."

 

"Hmm, there's nothing for sale today."

 

"So I didn't get to buy any food," Jin said with a smile.

 

"But why are you two having dinner together?"

 

I scanned the table, looking for the children's parents, because there was so much food on the table; two people couldn't possibly finish it all. Besides, judging by the bill, it would be quite expensive. I worried about whether the two children would have enough money to pay for the meal. Just then, I saw someone sitting at the table with the two children. He's likely the father of the two children.

 

"That's..." I spun around to look at Jin, who had just blurted out an exclamation.

 

"What is it, Jin?"

 

"Security guard at Anda's condo"

 

"What did you say?"

 

"The person who confessed to stealing from Anda's car."

 

"Look for!"

 

I looked startled.

 

"I think something's fishy about this."

 

Jin spoke in a stressed tone. Just then, his food arrived, so he went to pay. I still didn't understand the situation, but I followed along. Following closely behind her boyfriend.

 

"Are you saying that the security guard suddenly looked really wealthy and ordered a whole table full of food?" I sat quietly eating peanuts, listening to my friends Jin and Thiw talking. Thiw had gone off to take a phone call after eating, and Beam was typing on his phone.

 

"So the assumption that the security guard knows Madakon makes sense then."

 

"I think so. How did they suddenly have so much money to spend after living such a difficult life?"

 

"This suggests that the real killer may have hired the security guard to retract his confession."

 

"Is it a coincidence? Maybe the old man won the lottery and now has money to take his children out for a meal."

 

"Go away, you naive fool." Toss swore Art on his toes.

 

"Yeah, I don't want you guys to be stressed. Look at the faces of your friends."

Art pouted towards us, so I glanced at Jin, who was furrowing his brows. He looked really stressed.

 

So I reached out and took his hand, squeezing it gently. Jin turned to look at me, smiled, and squeezed my hand in return.

 

"Do you think what we're doing right now will really bring justice to the Andaman region?"

 

"Why are you asking that?"

 

"What if the power of money turned this case into just an ordinary suicide?"

 

"Do you think we're capable of doing anything more than this?" Tos asked softly.

 

"It's a difficult question to answer, but we've come a long way. We don't know when we'll reach our destination, but at least we've started."

 

And then, they weren't in the same place anymore.

 

Just as Jin said, even though the evidence hasn't surfaced yet, we've already started looking for answers.

 

"I don't know if justice really exists."

"…"

 

"I know that the criminal, if they go to prison or serve their sentence, will one day be released. But for Anda's parents, they will never get Anda back."

 

"Never again for the rest of my life."

 

I was stunned by Jin's words, as were the others, who could only sigh. The punishment for the wrongdoer is nothing compared to the loss is devastating for the grieving family, because that loss will gnaw away at their lives until their last breath. No one can forget the loss of a family member.

 

I sat still, letting my thoughts wander, when Thiw returned with about four bottles of beer.

 

"I was wondering where you'd gone."

 

Beam looked up from his computer screen and shook his head. After that, they started drinking, so I went to get the snacks I'd bought earlier. I served them on a plate as an appetiser.

 

"Want to drink?" Jin handed me a can of beer.

 

"Really?" I stared at the amber-coloured drink, licked my lips, and said, "Ugh."

 

"Okay."

 

When I reached out to take it, it accidentally deflected the beer can away.

 

"How much do you usually have to drink to get drunk?"

 

"Two cans are enough to make you dizzy."

 

Jin smirked, leaned in, whispered in my ear, and handed me a beer.

 

"Then these two cans are for you."

 

"That's kind of you."

 

"He's trying to drug you." Art teased, and Jin spun around to face his friend before pointing his finger at him.

 

"You...!"

 

"You're absolutely right."

 

This time, my friend burst into laughter.

 

"That Jin"

 

"I was joking."

 

"But you really think so, right?"

 

It sat there smiling, not answering, but it was a very dazzling smile.

 

"No answer means it's true."

 

Jin reached out and gently stroked my cheek. The look in his eyes was incredibly dangerous. Jin is a bad boy. On the outside, he seems polite and kind, but when we're together, it always makes my heart flutter.

 

"You're evil."

 

"I'm aware of it."

 

"you"

 

I playfully punched him on the shoulder. "Damn, just one can, and he's already drunk? He must be really drunk to think Jin looks so handsome today."

 

"yes"

 

"He's too handsome."

 

I blurted that out loud. The other person smiled slightly, tilted their face closer, and kissed my temple. I didn't know how the people around us reacted; it was like my ears went deaf; all I could see was Jin's handsome face floating clearly in front of me. Would he ever know how incredibly handsome he is when he smiles?

 

"Are you drunk?"

 

"Mmm."

 

His body smelled good. I felt dizzy, so I leaned against his broad chest. One of Jin's hands was around my waist.

 

"Jin"

 

"Mmm."

 

"How's the gear?"

 

"What did you say?"

 

"Gear a"

 

While I was listening to them talk, I secretly opened Google to look up what Tum had said earlier. There was a saying that giving a gear is like giving your heart.

So I wanted to know what the truth was. Jin fidgeted for a moment and then pulled something out from around his neck. It was probably a necklace, round in shape with jagged, indented edges.

 

"This is a gear."

 

"Uh-huh."

 

"Engineering students often say something cool like, 'Giving someone your gear is like giving them your heart.'" I closed my eyes and listened intently.

 

"Oh, you mean the one where Tum asked if I'd gotten the gear yet?"

 

"Something like that."

 

"So, can I have it?"

 

"No," Jin said hesitantly. "It's hard to get that gear. We went through so much hazing before the seniors gave it to us. Can't we get something else instead?"

 

"You bastard." I punched it once, and Jin grabbed its hand and kissed it softly.

 

"No kissing, give me the gear lever."

 

"Can I not?"

 

"Bring the gear."

I rubbed my face against its chest.

 

"It's just an object. It's not as important as my feelings."

 

"But you said it was important."

 

"Nothing is as important to me as you, Poodduang."

 

"Then bring the gear."

 

"No."

 

"Wow"

 

"Let's sleep in Beam's room tonight."

 

"Then why stop?"

 

"Phod"

 

It reached out its fingertips and playfully stroked my face.

 

"It won't stop at just us holding hands," it whispered in my ear, making me turn my face away. "If you sleep in my room tonight, you won't get..."

 

"Just lie still, okay?"

 

"Why? Are you going to do some difficult poses?"

 

"Phod Duang"

 

"Bring the gear."

 

I lunged at the other person.

 

"What you're holding isn't a gear, it's my gear."

 

"They're pretty much the same."

 

"Phod, you're drunk."

 

"Before you went home, I saw you stop at 7-Eleven to buy condoms."

 

"I don't want to use Re."

 

"How about I give you a kiss to shut you up? Why are you so provocative when you're drunk?"

 

"Mmm."

 

Jin really did what he said. He kissed me until I couldn't breathe. That hot tongue was doing a great job. It chased my tongue with arrogant abandon. Now my mind was so disoriented that before I knew it, my back had hit the bedroom door.

 

"How about we change our minds and go sleep in the Beam’s room?"

 

"no"

 

"Are you really ready, Phod?"

 

I paused for a moment as the handsome face turned away.

 

"You're really good, you know?"

 

"Even though what we're doing is dangerous, you're not giving up." I held his face closer and gently stroked his rough cheek.

 

"The answer is not relevant to the question."

 

It whispered close to his lips.

"You're handsome."

 

"I think he's really drunk."

 

"Don't get drunk."

 

"You haven't answered a single question directly."

 

It said it with a mischievous grin and then kissed my nose.

 

"Hmm"

 

"You're making it impossible for yourself to sleep."

 

"Why? What are you going to do to me?"

 

It whispered in my ear.

 

"Other options are good, want to try?"

 

"Do you realise how incredibly cute you are when you're drunk?"

 

I smiled, Da Yi.

 

"And one more thing..."

 

I turned away because that whisper sent shivers down my spine.

 

"You make me want to have sex with you day and night."

 

"Mmm."

 

"Ready to go?"

 

"what"

 

"Are you ready to be mine?"

 

"Uh... yes."

 

"what"

 

"Did you buy enough condoms, Jin?"

 

"Left for"

 

"Talkative"

He slapped my butt hard before pushing me from behind, urging me into the bedroom.