"Tong, your letter!"

 

I gently knock on the wooden door, waiting for the room owner to get his letter. In one of my hands is a piece of white paper, which the club president forced me to read to learn the details of the applied arts contest.

 

‘Apply objects in everyday life to art.'

 

I don't have any idea. I still can't even complete the projects and assignments piling up in my room. Who would have an idea for the contest with an unknown award? The door slowly opens, revealing a man with sharp eyes, tan skin, and a flawless face, unlike usual.

 

"Who is this?"

 

"Shut up, Kieng." Tong snatches the letter from my hand and tears it open. I brought it to him because it was too large to fit in the mailbox. I don't really care about the change in his appearance. He used to look like a criminal. Today he's a sexy boy.

 

Tong has become a decent human again after finishing Mario Neko. The difference is that someone is reading in his room, looking all comfortable, as if this is his place, even on Sunday. He turns his handsome face from the book and looks at me through Tong's armpit.

 

Ket has been sticking by Tong's side like a pretzel. He won't sleep in his own room. I always see him coming out of Tong's room in the morning. Even though I know he needs Tong's advice for his subjects, I wonder if every political science subject is the same as the law ones. Is that why Ket hasn't been in his own room?

 

Why is it irking me?

 

I ran across the polished floor to Class 2 of the tenth grade. A sign, 'Art-Math,' was on the door. I brought a snack for someone here since he loved it. I looked around for the familiar face. Usually, I could spot him in an instant because he stood out.

I didn't find Ket in his regular seat, but I saw a group of students gathering at the back of the room, cheering. Ket's classmate walked past me. I grabbed his collar.

 

'What's going on?'

 

'Oh, Kieng.'

'Over there. What are they doing?' I pointed at the loud crowd. The classmate then made an acknowledgement. It's the twelfth grader.'

 

A twelfth grader? Why? It didn't feel right.

 

‘He confessed his feelings for Ket, bringing his favourite snack.’ 

 

'Hey, hey, what are you doing? Make way.' A science-math twelfth grader with his gang entered the classroom. The group of tenth graders slowly split up, still teasing loudly. At the back of the room, a cute boy was holding out a snack to Ket. It was the same package as mine. Ket didn't accept it, though.

 

'Another failed confession.' Ket's friend said that, laughing

 

I clutched the snack in my hand, twisting it out of shape, pressing my lips so tightly they hurt. The upset feeling and jealousy formed into a large cloud over my head. They were strangers, yet he had the courage to confess. We were together, yet we didn't even dare to hold hands publicly.

 

Ket flicked his beautiful eyes to me and looked alarmed. I turned around and ran off, ignoring his voice calling my name. Didn't he know I was jealous like crazy?

"Don't you have your own room?" I tease the man closing the book, annoyed.

 

"I asked Tong to tutor me."

 

Oh, yeah?

 

"Do political science students have the same subjects as law students? You've been studying until morning every day."

 

"What does it have to do with an art student like you?" Tong interrupts. I narrow my eyes at the man inside the room in irritation.

 

They sure get along well.

How annoying!

 

"Nothing. Just asking."

 

"Will you come in?" Tong invites me, seeing me scowling at Ket from the outside. I crane my neck to take a look at the messy room and make a decision.

 

"No, thanks."

 

"Why? Is my room so messy that a person with a pure mind like you dreads it?"

 

"Yes."

 

"I'll kick your ass."

 

I dodge Tong's foot and walk back to my room. I didn't reject the invitation because it was messy; It was because someone else was there. The person who is pushed toward me, no matter how hard I try to run away, the one who tells me not to think of, yet he keeps showing up in every wrinkle of my brain.

 

Buzz, buzz.

My phone vibrates in my pocket. I stop and take it out to check.

 

‘Unknown'

I'm relieved it's not Ning. My sister hasn't been calling me lately, which is great. I don't want to talk to her.

 

"Hello," I say into the phone, leaning on the second-floor rail overlooking the floor below. My free left hand fans myself with the club president's detail sheet.

 

"Hello. Who is this?" I hear a clattering sound breaking the silence on the other end, but no one speaks.

 

"Why the hell did you call me just to not say anything? If you don't speak, I'll hang up, you motherfu.."

 

[Kieng.]

The familiar, clear voice wipes away the rest of the word. I crack a sheepish smile to the phone and soften my voice. I know this crystal clear voice. It's the only girl I'm close to.

 

"Yes"

[It's Mi.]

 

"Yes"

[You live at Wun Wan, right?]

 

"Ah, yes." I lift my eyebrow. Mi is suddenly asking where I live. She probably asked Fou. I've never seen her outside of the club, though.

 

[l'm in front of the restaurant. Can you come here?]

"Is something wrong?"

 

Her crystal clear voice turns gloomy.

[I need your advice.]

 

I hang up and march down to open the door for Mi. Som and Mee aren't here since the restaurant is closed for a day. I have no clue where the owner and his partner were headed early in the morning. They left a tiny note stating they had an errand to run and would be back in the evening.

 

The girl, as tall as my chest, wears a cute dress today with her unique Hello Kitty clips. Mi gives me a meek smile as soon as she sees me, then she sits across from my seat.

 

"What is it? Did someone hurt you?"

 

"Well.." Mi keeps her eyes on her palms. "Don't be mad when I say it."

 

"Why would I be mad? I'm not that cruel."

 

"Well."

 

"." What?

 

"Do you know..."

 

".." Know what?

 

"Do you know what type of girls Fou likes?!" she blurts out in a tiny voice, almost knocking me off my seat.

 

Damn, I thought the club president had wronged her somehow. Apparently, she wonders what Fou's type is. What a surprise.

 

"Why were you afraid I'd be mad?"

"I thought it would be troublesome to you."

 

It's not troublesome at all. I sincerely hope Fou reciprocates her feelings.

 

"Fou?" I contemplate. Ever since we knew each other, I've never seen him interested in any girls. His eyes have always been on paintings. Still, Fou has a habit that has been on my mind to this day. He's a man who loves painting flowers.

His type is probably gentle and sweet girls, delicate like flowers.

 

"Oh, Ket."

 

Before I say anything, that damn devil descends the stairs.

 

"Hi," Mi greets Ket with a friendly smile. She speaks to him rather casually, even though he's six months older than me. But since he got into the university later, our roles are switched. I'm the senior, while he's the junior.

 

"Hey."

 

"Good timing. You can help us think."

 

Think? What the hell do we have to think about, Mi? Types aren't something to think about. I'm about to protest, but that man pulls a chair and sits down without permission. I scowl at Ket, to which he responds with that annoying emotionless face.

 

"Think about what, Mi?" Ket asks the girl in the same year but in a different department, his voice gentle.

 

Right. His voice is gentle. He's never used that tone with anyone but me. Wait. You have no right to be jealous now, Kieng. You don't have feelings for him anymore.

I hear the angel and devil fighting in my mind.

 

"Does Fou have a crush on someone?" The girl's worried face makes Ket and me glance at each other. We turn our heads in opposite directions instantly. We can fight right now, but we pretend to get along in front of Mi because she needs help

 

"No. He wouldn't even look at a dog."

 

"Really?" The Daisy girl casts a smile of relief. "What does it have to do with this, Kieng? Dogs are dogs. They're not girls!"

"Oh, yeah? Hahaha."

 

I have no idea. I'm not by Fou's side 24/7.

 

"I don't think he has a crush on someone," says the man, acting like a love expert.

 

"How come?"

 

"A person in love thinks of the person he loves all the time."

 

"Mmmm."

 

"When he eats, sits, or sleeps. Even though he doesn't say or express it, you'll know if you spend time with him often."

 

"Fou is hard to read, though."

 

"No matter how well he hides his feelings, there must be a weakness. Something unusual or his extra attentiveness."

 

"You're right." Mi smiles sweetly, relieved. Ket is right about this. Even if I'm not with Fou all the time, I think I know him pretty well. The club president is never interested in anyone. He's never even considered dating as if love is unnecessary to his life.

 

"For some people, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out who they have feelings for."

 

"Pardon?"

 

"For some, even though that person is right in front of them, they're too big an idiot to see it."

 

Right. Everyone can tell Mi has a thing for Fou, yet he's too stupid to realise it.

I close my eyes and picture it, nodding in agreement with those words. When I open my eyes, I see Mi smiling sweetly at me. The Daisy girl shoots a smile at Ket as if they've been friends forever.

 

"You're right. What a damn idiot."

 

Hold up. Why are you smiling at me when saying the word idiot, girl?

"Kieng"

 

"Kieng." 

 

Someone shakes my body gently. I open my eyes to someone with a smubbed mose and roughly tied shoulder-length hair.

 

"Um", Sorn?

 

My body feels so heavy-

How sleepy-

 

"Kieng, go to your room if you need to sleep."

 

Those hands keep shaking me.

 

Ter."

Ter."

 

"Kieng."

 

Someone called me in a clear voice and shook my body with small hands. I opened my right eye and looked at the other boy. Realising who it was, I shut my eyes again. How sleepy.

 

'Kieng, you can't sleep here. You'll get sick.'

 

Mm.

I responded with a groggy mumble. The boy slid his small palms to pinch both my cheeks and leaned close. Go to the nurse's office if you're really sleepy.' I tried to open my eyes upon Ket's grumble.

 

'I don't want to.' I wasn't sick. The nurse would scold me if I went there.

 

'Take a nap in your classroom, then.'

 

'It's hot. The library is better!

 

‘But your body is all cold.'

 

'Mm.'

He pressed my cheeks with his soft hands, making my lips perk up.

 

"I want to sleeeep."

 

I closed my heavy eyelids again. The boy before me laughed softly.

 

'I give up. ’

 

Ket, let me continue sleeping. But instead of going out to play with other friends, he held my left hand in his soft palm.

 

'Don't complain if you're sick.'

Mm.'

 

I woke up slowly with something on my left hand. Once I fully opened my eyes, I realised it was Ket's hand from the opposite side. The way his back steadily heaved meant he was asleep. When did he decide to take a nap with me? Anyway, what time was it?

 

The clock showed it was 12.45 pm. The afternoon class hadn't started, and I was about to get up, but stopped since my hand was gripped tightly. My grogginess vanished, replaced with the heat rushing to my face and ears. Both my cheeks.

 

"Achoo!"

 

I sneezed loudly, jolting him awake. Ket released my hand and rubbed his eyes.

 

'Ah, I fell asleep."

 

"Why didn't you wake me?

 

‘I did, but you wouldn't wake up?

 

'So you stayed with me?' I grinned, flashing my white teeth.

 

‘The teacher will scold you if you don't wake up.’

 

"You slept, too!'

 

'Well, you made that face.'

 

Hmm? What kind of face did I make?

 

“That was why I let you sleep some more, then I fell asleep with you."

"Kieng."

"Mmmm."

 

Someone calls me again, shaking my shoulder. It's not Son's voice this time. I don't open my eyes to check who it is, but 1 can feel both my cheeks squished in someone's palms.

 

"Go to sleep upstairs."

 

"Nah."

 

"You'll get sick."

 

"Nah."

 

“Leave me alone. I want to sleep here.”

 

I whine and lay my head on the table. It works. That person no longer bothers me. The cool air from the AC and the faint, pleasant smell make me feel good. I'm about to drift off again, but wait… That voice is...

 

I rapidly sit up straight and hit my knee against a table leg. The pang of pain shooting up makes me curl and groan. I gaze up at the man sitting across from me with a book in his hands. Ket peels his eyes from it and looks at me in silence.

This is crazy...Sorn tried to wake me up earlier. Why is Ket here now?

 

I glance at the clock on the wall. Is it nine already? I remember working on my assignment after talking to Mi. After I finished, I attempted to think of an idea for the contest and fell asleep after a while.

 

The humming AC and the wind chime by the entrance blend together. Ket and I remain silent. The warmth from the touch lingers on my face. Like that day. Was it a dream?

 

I rub my cheeks gently and straighten my back before gathering my stuff, trying to ignore those eyes locked on my every movement. Why am I so flustered when I no longer feel anything toward him?

 

"Why didn't you wake me?" I blame him, not knowing what else to say.

 

"I did, but you wouldn't wake up."

Oh, it wasn't a dream?

 

"You."

 

You stayed with me?

 

Those words get stuck in my throat, and I swallow them. I'd better not say it. It might've been all in my head. Ket probably went down to find something to eat and saw me mapping, so he decided to mess with me with his stare.

 

"Shout in my ears next time if I don't wake up"

 

"No."

 

"Why?"

 

"You made that face, so I let you sleep some more™

 

Upon those words, my legs freeze as I turn around to go back to my room. It's like I'm being held by invisible hands

 

Ba dump.

 

My heart skips a beat, my chest tingling. This odd heat spreads all over my face despite myself. No way. This is...

 

I slowly look up at Ket, who has been staring at me since earlier. The expression of the man in front of me shows how surprised he is, as if he's seeing something he's not supposed to.

 

This is bad.