South; Beside the Sky. 

"Thanks for what?"

 

"Why did Phi Fah say thank you, or did I mishear?"

 

"I don't know, Phoon. You've been asking me that since this morning."

 

"It keeps ringing in my mind."

 

"I don't know either. I'm not Phi Fah." Ter turned away with a sigh, giving me a tired look. Phi Fah's thanks kept me awake last night, and I ended up bothering Ter with my confusion. "So? What we're supposed to think is that Phi Fah came to help you, right?"

 

"About that," I said softly as I leaned into Ter's arms. "Oh, Ter."

 

"Ouch! Phoon, let me go, it's hot."

 

"Terrrrr."

 

"Your voice is strange again."

 

"Ohhhhh, I'm just glad Phi Fah is still nice and that he also remembers that I'm afraid of the dark." I ignored Ter, who tried to push me away. I moved closer until Ter finally sighed in resignation and stopped pushing me.

Me.

 

"Yes, go ahead."

 

“I feel that way.” I put a hand to my chest, looking proud.

 

"You remind me of a meme," Ter said after seeing my expression. "A picture of a fat cat clutching its chest."

 

"Really?" I thought for a moment. "Yes, I saw it."

 

"Try again. I want to make you a meme."

 

"No, I'm ashamed."

 

"Hurry up, I'll give you twenty baht."

"Okay." I put a hand to my chest and grimaced proudly again. Ter held up his camera to take my picture. "Where's the twenty?"

 

"Ah," Ter handed me a green bill and smiled. I took it immediately. It was like a sign that he was going to use my photo as a meme. "I don't need to make memes anymore. I'll use you as a cat meme."

 

"Oh," I said, annoyed. "Okay, let's talk about me first." Ter sighed wearily. I'd been pestering him all morning. "Why the thank you?"

 

"I don't know, Meeeoowww!!!" Ter shook me impatiently. "He just said thank you. You should know, not me. Why are you pressuring me?"

 

"Ahhh, I'm already getting a headache thinking about it. Wait," I said before Ter let me go. "Or do you think it's possible Phi Fah already knows about the person in the letter?"

 

"Do you really think so? But how do I know?"

 

"Who knows?"

 

"Is it possible that you accidentally wrote the same thing in the letter to Phi Fah?"

 

"No," I shook my head. I was sure I'd written a regular note on the gift. "No, no, I didn't."

 

"So maybe he's just grateful that you apologised."

 

"Do people usually say thank you when someone apologises?"

 

“I’m not sure, but I don’t think so,” Ter replied, annoyed.

 

"Ask him, and you will know."

 

“I can’t believe it,” I protested when Ter insisted I ask Phi Fah. “If I don’t ask, I won’t know. If I don’t go, I won’t see him. No, no.”

 

"Come on, you're good at making me smile."

 

"Well, I still don't know what to do when I meet Phi Fah. When I heard we were supposed to see each other again tonight, I practised smiling the day before." I was honest because I hadn't spoken to him in a year. I felt a little awkward and didn't know what to say. When I heard we were supposed to see each other again today, I tried to practice acting natural.

 

“Smile a little,” I smiled broadly.

 

"Um, your eyebrows look tense."

 

"Really?"

 

"Yes, act normally."

 

"Really? We haven't spoken in a year. I don't know what to do."

 

"Come on, don't worry," Ter said, patting me on the shoulder. "After class, we'll eat together."

 

"Okay," I nodded. Ter and I were in class, and Foam hadn't returned yet due to family matters. "Hey, we haven't been to see Daotok yet."

 

"Daotok has been discharged from the hospital. Didn't you read the message on LINE?"

 

"Really? Out now."

 

"It's not that bad."

 

"Is he better?"

 

"I think so, otherwise the doctor wouldn't have let him go home."

 

"Hmmm. It's annoying that he doesn't want to eat."

 

"You didn't eat much either, Phoon. Don't criticise the others," Ter said with a tired expression. "I didn't eat much either, and I didn't sleep well.

 

"Now I have to eat, you forced me," I said with a grimace. I remembered that when I didn't want to eat, Nord had threatened to hit me and raised his fist. Deep down, he cared, but his way of showing concern was too harsh. "North should force Daotok to eat too."

 

"You'll see, North might put food in his mouth."

"Seriously, it seems a little rude, but it's funny."

 

"Yes, it's a sweet side of the North that's hard to see."

 

"Ahaha."

 

Today we had a date to eat and study together. Usually, I have to wait until five or six to go to the Phi Gip cafeteria and deliver something, but now, at four, Phi Hill is waiting for me.

 

"What should I do?"

 

"Okay, just say you have something to do, and I'll talk to you later."

 

"I can?"

 

"Yes, or we can wait for you."

 

"No, okay, go ahead. I'll leave my things at the bar and then take a taxi to meet you. Which restaurant are you going to? I forget the name of the restaurant, but I'll send you the address later."

 

"All right."

 

"Okay, don't get lost."

 

"I'll take a taxi, there's no way I'll get lost."

 

I said goodbye to Ter. I waited a bit in the faculty building before heading to the medical building. It was around 5:30, and people were starting to leave. I quickly ran to the Phi Gip cafeteria.

 

"How was your morning?" I asked Phi Gip quietly when Phi Fah would be picking up my delivery. I'd left him a birthday present, a Polaroid camera.

 

"The doctor smiled."

 

"Does he look happy?"

 

"Yes," Phi Gip nodded with a smile. "Here," he said, handing me the bag Phi Fah had left that morning. I took it and immediately put it in my backpack.

 

"I'll leave it to you." I smiled as I handed over the items I wanted to give to Phi Fah. Phi Gip took them and put them in the cash drawer.

 

"Thank you."

 

"Okay. How's your relationship going?"

 

"Hmm." I paused briefly, trying to suppress a smile, but smiled anyway.

 

"All right."

 

"Oh, the doctor told me to take care of you, so I gave you this chocolate," said Phi Gip. I nodded, indicating that I understood. My relationship with Phi Fah was like this: we asked each other to take care of us. I was waiting, sitting on a chair in front of the register. There was no one else in the store because it was almost closing time. I saw someone enter the store out of the corner of my eye. Phi Fah?

 

My heart seemed to stop beating for a moment before starting to beat faster again. I was surprised to see someone I knew standing next to me.

 

"Why? What's wrong with you?" Phi Fah looked at me with a surprised expression, then smiled. I slowly returned the smile, though I'm sure mine was a very stiff one.

 

"Here you go: chocolate for someone special." Phi Gip turned to look at me, holding a glass of chocolate. I was shocked to see Phi Fah standing next to me. I looked at Phi Gip sheepishly. Phi Gip smiled sheepishly, as if apologetically, and placed the glass of chocolate in front of me.

 

"Someone special?" asked Phi Fah. My heart skipped a beat, and my hands began shaking uncontrollably. I didn't turn to look at the expression on the person next to me, but the tone of his voice completely numbed me. What's that sly tone?

 

"Oh, because Phoon is a special customer of my shop."

 

"Oh, I see," said Phi Fah. "I came to get something."

 

The doctor usually comes early in the morning. Why is it different today?

 

"I have some free time." I bent down to pick up the chocolate I was holding, trying to calm my nerves. Phi Gip bent down to pick up the bag I'd just given him. "Thanks."

 

"Nail."

 

"And Phi, did you give him any chocolate?"

 

"Oh, of course."

 

"Has he been here long?"

 

"YES."

 

"Okay," Phi Gip said with a smile. I remained silent, unsure how to express my feelings. The chocolate Phi Fah had asked Phi Gip to give me was now in my hand. I tried to control my heartbeat, but I couldn't. I was almost out of breath.

 

"Do you want to study with us, Phoon?"

 

"Well, yes."

 

"How do you plan to get there?"

 

"I'll take a taxi."

 

"Do you want to go with Phi?"

 

I didn't answer right away. If I'd refused, it would have been a problem, since we were going in the same direction. So I nodded slowly and followed Phi Fah in silence. "Do you like this shop?" Phi Fah asked as we walked to the car. I didn't walk alongside him, but kept a safe distance.

 

"Hmm. I like it."

 

"I thought your faculty had its own cafeteria. Is this one better?"

 

"YES."

 

Why do I feel uncomfortable? I feel uncomfortable for no reason. The coffee at my college is good, but I still have to come here. I nervously got into the car with Phi Fah. Maybe because it had been a long time since I'd ridden with Phi Fah. Thinking about it, this car felt different. Did Phi Fah change cars again? The things Phi Fah just gave me are also in my bag.

 

The cold air in the car didn't help me feel more relaxed, even with the chocolate in my hand. My face and ears were burning. I kept staring out the window. The luxury car slowly pulled out of the medical school parking lot. Phi Fah was still driving calmly, as usual. I felt at ease because Phi Fah is one of the few people who keep me from getting drunk while driving.

 

"Phoon."

 

"YES?"

 

"How are you?"

 

"I'm fine. And Phi Fah?"

 

"I am fine."

 

"If you want to say something, you can say it."

 

"Ah, yes."

 

I pursed my lips and began to feel a pressure in my chest. Of course, disappearing and reappearing so suddenly would have surprised anyone.

 

We sat in silence until we reached the restaurant, where we had dinner. As usual, I was walking behind Phi Fah. I saw Ter, North, Phi Hill, Phi Jo, and Phi Arthit already seated there, all present. The ones who seemed most surprised to see me arrive with Phi Fah were North and Ter.

 

I sat down next to Ter. The person next to me didn't say anything, probably because they knew it wasn't the right time to talk. We ordered our food and began eating. The atmosphere at the table wasn't different from usual, but I noticed that all the doctors looked tired, probably from their tests.

 

"Want a beer?" Phi Jo asked Phi Arthit. The person in question nodded before Phi Jo called the waiter.

 

"Don't overdo it," Phi Fah told Jo. "Just enough to relieve the fatigue."

"Hm."

 

I've heard that drinking beer after work can help relieve fatigue. I'm not sure if that's true. It depends on the person, but North didn't say anything when he saw Phi Jo drinking. As long as he didn't drink too much, he could still drive.

 

“The wind is so strong I think it’s going to rain,” Ter said after hearing the wind blow.

 

"Let's hope it doesn't rain heavily again." I looked around and felt the wind picking up. It was making me anxious because it had rained yesterday and the power had gone out, and now it's about to rain again.

 

"Damn," someone cursed after the rain started falling. After eating, we went out, and the dust was still there.

 

"Hill, where did you park your car?" asked Phi Jo. The restaurant parking lot looked quite spacious.

 

"Behind."

 

"Next to Thit."

 

"So?" asked Phi Hill. "Shall we go to the cafeteria?"

 

“I think I should go first, otherwise I won’t be able to study in time,” Phi Jo said.

 

"Fah, where did you park?"

 

"In front of."

 

"Okay, then I'll see you at the bar."

 

"Okay," Phi Fah replied before Phi Jo led North to the parking lot, followed by Phi Arthit. Then Phi Hill turned to ask me.

 

"Do you want to come with Fah or with us?"

 

"Um, I went with Fah," I replied, because I'd come with Phi Fah. How could I leave him walking alone in the rain to the car? After that, Hill and Ter came out the other side.

"Wouldn't it be better to go with Hill? You won't get too wet," Phi Fah said, as we were the only two there, sheltering from the rain. I shook my head slightly.

 

"All right."

 

Silence enveloped us again, accompanied only by the sound of the rain getting heavier. It reminded me of yesterday, when Phi Fah came to help me while I was stuck in the bathroom. It felt strange; even though we'd been running to the car then, now we were standing there as if we had something to discuss.

 

"Yesterday, thank you for coming to help me."

 

"It does not matter."

 

"Thank you, Phi Fah, for remembering that Phoon is afraid of the dark."

 

"Of course I remember."

 

Then silence again.

 

"You've changed a lot this year."

 

"I feel the same way; it's a good thing." I smiled a little when I heard that, but I didn't turn to see the expression on the person next to me.

 

"Phi Fah, don't ask why, Phoon."

 

"Why? You don't want to tell me?"

 

"NO."

 

"Then that's okay. Maybe that's why you're so worried."

 

I'd like to thank you for your understanding, but I've been thanking Phi Fah way too much lately. Maybe because I have a hundred reasons to be grateful.

 

"At first, I was terrified you'd get angry, Phi." I turned to the person next to me, before freezing as a large hand reached out to gently caress my head. I looked at Phi Fah and felt my breath catch for a moment when I saw the warm smile that person gave me.

 

"I told you, Phi Fah isn't mad, so don't think about it too much."

 

I smiled a little, my face flushed. I felt heat fill my chest, my heart beating so hard it almost leapt out of my chest, until Phi Fah let out a giggle. I turned my head again.

 

"What is it?"

 

"No. I just thought you were small."