Theory of Love

If You Want to Make a Move, Why Hiding It?

 

BAM!

I was pushed down to the floor, and the person who did this is no one other than the one I've just been enjoying crushing his lips with mine. Looking at his expression now, he must be so furious that he wants to burn me alive.

 

"Why the fuck did you do that?!" I haven't gotten myself back up when Third plunges forwards to tackle me again. Good thing the staff around us helped me in time. I don't want to imagine what a mess I would've been if he'd beaten me up.

 

Bua is the first one to come and help me as Chen pulls Third away.

 

"Why the hell did you go off-script, Khai?" Un blurts out after I was helped up. I noticed he's been staring at me. With that and the resentment I've felt towards him, I bite back without a care. You can say that I'm trying to get on his nerves.

 

“I didn't go off-script. I vaguely remember the scene goes that way."

 

"How can you remember it? I didn't write something like that." Third strikes back, his lips trembling. I feel bad seeing him like this. I want to walk to him and crush his lips with mine again until they swell. Why is he so fucking cute in my eyes?

 

“I remember it when I memorised the script back when I was the male lead. What the hell? You're gonna tackle me again just because I mistook it?" I feign innocence. Everyone forgives me and splits up to do their jobs. Bone is the only one holding onto me, whispering knowingly.

 

"Nice move."

 

"Who am I? I'm your friend."

 

"Watch out for Too; he's staring at you as if he wants to eat your head." I turn my face to the third person. Urgh... he's planning to blast me. I don't know what the fuck is wrong with him. 

 

Even though Too said he'd really want to help me, he actually opposes me on the inside because, at the end of the day, he's on Third's side.

 

"He's not in my team anymore?"

 

"He's trying to help you, but don't be stupid, Third is his dear friend." 

 

Shick! The word 'stupid' pierces through my heart. Ever since I discovered my true feelings, has there been anyone who didn't call me stupid repeatedly?

 

"Am I not his dear friend?"

 

"A scumbag like you dares to compare himself with Third, huh?" Shick! Again.

 

"I did something wrong, so I'm trying to improve myself."

 

"Then you'd better hurry. He's walking over there." Bone pats my shoulder to encourage me and strides after my sulking best friend out of the rehearsal room. Third flees to the restroom. I see him washing his face. His eyes reflected in the mirror are full of resentment.

 

"Your skin will get red if you wash your face that hard." I can't fathom how angry he is with me, but I think he's angry enough to punch me in the face. But I'm not afraid. I step closer to him and sit on the sink countertop, my eyes locked on the person beside me.

 

I really like him, so much that I can't help myself. All men know how a horny tiger that hasn't let off some steam is, and 1 am that tiger.

 

"Are you mad at me?" I say cutely. If there was an award for Film Kids, I'd definitely get it. I'd win the fakest bitch award of the year without any objection.

 

"Go the hell away."

 

"You're really mad at me. Let's make up~" I say and keep poking his shoulder.

 

"What the fuck have you done?" He explodes. All I can do is sweet-talk him. Good thing I've had this skill since I was a teenager, or else I wouldn't've made tons of girls fall for me. But it'll be more difficult this time because the person beside me is none other than my best friend, and I'm so serious about him that I don't want to lose him.

 

"I'm sorry for embarrassing you."

 

"It's not about that. Khai, let me ask you again. How long have we been friends?" His eyes are stern, so I stop joking around.

 

"Over two years."

 

"Right, we've been friends for that long. Haven't you done hurting me?"

 

"Wait, Third, what do you mean?"

 

"All the shitty things you've done to me. You're toying with my feelings. For what? You want to make my heart flutter and play with my head, right? Is that what you want?"

 

"It's not like that." I hop down from the countertop and face him.

 

“I know, Praew, and you have never gone out. You just wanted to play with my head."

 

"I know you think of me as more than just a friend."

 

Our argument breaks off. We both fall silent, but I notice his wavering eyes. I don't want to lie to him about what happened anymore, no matter what. I want him to trust me. I want him to be the most important person to me.

 

I've been suspecting that his change of behaviour might start from my secret about Praew, and it's just as I thought. Now that I have a chance, I don't want to keep things like this anymore. If I say it..Third might be the same or hate me even more, but it's time to accept the truth.

 

"Third, let's have a proper conversation." His eyes are red as if he's about to cry. I feel bad, so I hug him, but he pushes my chest so hard to keep me away.

 

Our friendship has ended since that day, the day I knew I loved you more than just a friend. But it was also the time I lost Third because I was a scumbag. I want to fix it so we can eventually be in love.

 

"I know you like me. I've known it since the day I watched your confession video on YouTube. I know everything.."

 

"And you feel disgusted with me, right?" His expression and cold smile tell me how pathetic he feels towards himself.

 

"Yes."

 

"!..."

 

"Yes, I used to feel that way. I felt terrible because of what you felt towards me. I felt terrible because my friends hid the truth from me as if I were a fool. Do you have any idea what I've been through to do something stupid on my own? I asked Praew to be my fake girlfriend. I kissed you and said her name. I did everything on purpose."

 

"Why did you do that?" He asks, his red eyes brimming with tears, but he keeps blinking to stop the tears from falling down. "To make you get over me. I did everything out of my stupidity. And you know what? It turned out I was running away from my true self. I tried to be a scumbag like before. I fucked around with girls to convince myself that I didn't change, but still, I ended up thinking about you."

 

“I came back to you because I couldn't live without you. I wanted to fix everything because our damn friendship had turned into love. I wanted a second chance even though it was too late "

 

"You know I like you but still keep it from me. Are you happy seeing how stupid I am?"

 

"It's because I don't want to lose you. I didn't say it because you've changed. Too said you got over me, so I have no choice but to do stupid things like now."

 

"You're right, I got over you, so stop doing all these stupid things," he replies, his voice muffled. I want to hug him again, but don't dare. I can only continue listening to what he has to say. "Khai, I know you well. You don't actually like me."

 

"How well do you know me to spill that kind of shit?" Sometimes I just want to spank his butt real hard. It took me everything to know what I truly feel, but this punk is saying he knows better.

 

"You're wishy-washy, always changing your mind according to how the situation goes. If you hadn't discovered how I felt by chance, you wouldn't've liked me back."

 

"It could be like that, but I'd discover it myself someday. What exactly is our relationship? Just best friends in the same group? You've always been more special. I just didn't know what that 'special' meant."

 

"I've never thought of my future without you. I've always thought I'd have the same job as yours after we've graduated, and we'd meet every day. That was what I thought. I asked myself whether I could live without you and found the answer when time disappeared... I can't." I keep blabbering out as much as my small brain can think of. At least I just want to hold him back here to listen to these stupid words a bit more.

 

"Ever since we knew each other, you've never confessed your feelings or gone out with anyone. Do you know that I always felt at ease when you were by my side? I thought I'd never lose you. But when you decided to walk out of my life and start with someone else, I couldn't take it and went crazy, as you've seen. Third."

 

I want a second chance, even though I barely have any hopes left. At least let someone who has been a scumbag all his life, like me, do good things, as I should have done before.

 

"Can we start over?"

 

"But I don't want to get hurt anymore." The answer isn't that bad, considering what I've done to him. And a shameless person like me won't give up just because of this answer.

 

"It's all right, but I still want to improve myself. If I stop being a playboy, quit flirting around, quit two-timing anyone, and change myself to be a better person, do you think that'll be okay?"

 

"Um." He gives a short answer.

 

"If I can do that much, do you think someone will like me?"

 

"Of course."

 

"Will you like me?"

 

"I'll wait. I'll wait for the day you like me again."

 

The day I've become the person who's good enough for you...

 

Third doesn't answer directly. He just blinks slowly in acknowledgement, but it's enough to make me smile. The atmosphere in the restroom might not be so romantic. But I've found that if Third is there, everywhere is happiness.

 

The mission to win my best friend's heart is still ongoing. It doesn't make much progress, but Third doesn't keep his walls up so high that I can't see my way in. Good thing Too and Bone are helping me out, so I've made some progress compared to Un, who has Chen as his matchmaker.

 

Over the past month, those two Extremes have strengthened our friendship because we've been putting our heads together to accomplish this mission. The other goddamn unshaken Extreme made me work through blood, sweat, and tears. Our status is still best friends, but it's just a status. Our actual relationship has a thin line between trust and fear.

 

The stage play's rehearsal has been put off because everyone has to prepare for the midterm exams. The president of the Film major holds a group tutoring for dumb students, and of course, I'm one of them. I  hate dumbness for bringing us sadness; I  might get smarter someday if I keep singing.

 

We're using a private room in the library for tutoring. After showering and eating, everyone must be there at eight. We have twelve people in total. One of them is the Extreme I've been after, who's here to tutor us.

 

Third's wearing a white T-shirt, knee-length shorts and a pair of comfortable sandals. He looks like a wife doing chores, waiting for the husband, which is me. The first thing a shameless guy like me does is cut through my friends to sit next to Third.

 

"Awwwww. There are tons of empty seats, and you chose to sit there," the major's president says loudly. I glare at him.

 

"I thought the cushion would be soft here. Why? Can't I sit here?"

 

"Do as you want, Khai. I don't want to mess with a lame person."

 

"Wait 'til I remove my cast. I'll slap your mouth with it."

 

"I'm so scared, Mister Khunpol. You can't even run."

 

"You moron!" The top-notch douches of the Film major are a bunch of assholes. Don't think Film Kids are only the Extreme Gang, Chen, or that bastard Un. The male humans here are as crazy as we are. We're a group of artists cast out by society.

 

"That's enough. Let's start tutoring." My future wife's voice stops us. Third gets up, picks up a whiteboard marker, and walks to the whiteboard with determination in his eyes. He's the smartest one in the major. Nobody can beat him.

 

“I'm gonna tutor you guys in English and give guidelines for the short essay. Mo will tutor you in other subjects."

 

Everyone nods, picking up notebooks and pens to take notes diligently. We take turns asking and answering questions. We sometimes get them right, and sometimes wrong, depending on the little knowledge left in our brains, but ...

 

"Khai, what's the answer to this question?" 

 

Third asks me as we're almost halfway through the tutoring

 

"D.?"

 

"Wrong. You haven't gotten a question right. Be focused." I'm stupid and can't concentrate well because I keep looking at your face. You're so cute that my heart flutters.

 

"I am."

 

"Was my teaching bad?"

 

"No, you're damn good at teaching; I'm just stupid."

 

"Sucker."

 

"I might not be able to do well on exams, but at least there's something good."

 

"Did you find the black magic of making a wild guess?"

 

"Nothing like that. I got to keep looking at your face today."

 

"Woooooooooo! What's with you two?" The quiet room is brightened up by the teasing voices. Our friends in the major kinda got a clue what's going on because I've been flirting with Third every day lately. Lots of them know, lots of them can tell. But I've never said out loud that I'm hitting on Third, or else he'll be mad at me again.

 

“Instead of blabbering nonsense, you'd better spend that time getting the questions right." My best friend once again becomes my dream ruiner.

 

"What will I get if I get the questions right?" I start making a bargain.

 

"You'll get scores."

 

"I don't want to get scores. Is it possible to get someone's heart?"

 

"One point!" Bone chimes in close by.

 

"It'll be hard to give you a heart, but you can get a kick in the face right now. You want it?" 

 

Everyone quickly zips their lips and focuses on studying with all our might. Nobody in the major dares to raise their voice to Third. When he plays around, he does it with gusto. But when he's determined or gets serious, he doesn't hold himself back either. Even Mo, the mighty major's president, doesn't dare to fight him.

 

We've spent almost an hour and a half taking notes, and now we get a twenty-minute break. Other friends go downstairs to buy food and drink to feed themselves. What about me, who's about to get up from my seat?

 

"Where are you going?" There, my love's calling.

 

"I'm gonna buy something to eat. I'll buy you some, too."

 

"Sit down, I'll tutor you. Are you two gonna go or stay here with us?" He turns to those two Extremes. His expression says he's not asking, but he's forcing us.

 

"Judging from your face, I gotta stay, right?" Too sits back down, followed by Bone, who was going to text with his girl outside at first.

 

"Let's have a look at this sheet again, especially you, Khai. You couldn't answer any damn questions." 

 

I do as I'm told obediently. My brain can only understand some things. I mostly waste my time looking at his side profile and stern expression.

 

"You're cute." Shit! It slipped out of my mouth.

 

"What did you say?" He glares at me. Quickly make an excuse.

 

"Nothing, I mean the movie."

 

"Stay focused. If you guys fail, I'll smack the three of you in the head." As if I'd be scared. I don't say that out loud just because I don't want to argue with you, boo...

 

Third has been a member of the Extreme Gang for over two years now. He's been a great help. He hung out with us when we partied, tutored us before exams, hosted our birthday parties, became our slave at faculty events, listened to every friend's concerns, but he never told anyone his own.

 

I didn't know how shitty I've been with him as a friend. My exes messed with him. It's true that we helped each other in difficult situations, but if he didn't tell us how he felt, we'd be indifferent and wouldn't care much about him. I always feel terrible when I think back to the past, so I want to make good memories with him now.

 

"Why is it A.? Isn't B. also correct?"

 

"No, you can't use this word in the past tense. I'll explain it to you.." Third elaborates on the subject as if he's telling us an epic. When he's done, Bone almost crawls down the seat and puts his feet on his forehead.

 

"Studying is stressful. Take me to a massage parlour tonight."

 

"Count me in; I'm thirsty."

 

"What's a parlour? Is it a milk shop?" I pretend to ask. When Too and Bone brought this up, Third turned to look at us, his eyes indecipherable. I don't think it's a good sign.

 

"Yeah, there'll be lots of milk. Wanna go with us, Khai?"

 

"Can I go?" I ask my special tutor.

 

"Up to you."

 

"You look upset. You guys go. Third doesn't let me."

 

"I haven't said anything like that."

 

"You didn't say it, but your eyes said it all. It's okay. I've stopped being a scumbag." I kinda throw shit at those two, but Too and Bone don't seem affected by it. They're even planning to skip the second part of tutoring to go to a massage parlour.

 

"I don't care about what you said. Studying is fucking boring. See ya tomorrow."

 

"See ya, buddies."

 

Third's about to object, but he's not as fast as those punks.

 

"It's all because of you."

 

"How is it because of me? They want to hang out, so let them. Plus, I know they're smart enough to get by. They always passed the exams." Otherwise, Third would've held them back like me.

 

"Right! You're the one who can't get your shit together. Bone told me you once had jock itch."

 

"Argh, that was long ago. I wasn't even weaned."

 

"I'm your friend, so I can only warn you."

 

"Just scold me next time. I don't want to be your friend. You know what I mean."

 

"I want you to be my wife."

 

"Go to hell."

 

"Can't hear ya."

 

"You're a prick."

 

"Good, good. When your lovers curse at you, it means they love you."

 

"I've given you a chance, but it doesn't mean I'm gonna go out with you." His voice doesn't sound serious, just a bit annoyed, which is how his voice normally sounds, so I'm not afraid and keep on teasing him enjoyingly.

 

"Okay, you don't have to give in now. It's all right," I say, leaning down slowly. I use this chance to lay my head on his lap.

 

Third twists my ears, slaps my face, and even pulls my hair to get me up, but I hold onto his waist tightly and keep at it, not even budging. The door opens, and footsteps follow as our friends walk inside. The sound I hear clearly is the major's president's voice.

 

"Khai's sleeping? I saw Too and Bone downstairs. They fled to a massage parlour."

 

"They're dickheads."

 

“Look at Khai. There are lots of empty seats. Why is he sleeping on your lap?"

 

"He's begging for attention."

 

"It's funny seeing him clingy to you. I'll definitely buy it if you two date."

 

"Don't speak nonsense!" I hear Third's voice, so I tighten my embrace around his thin waist.

 

"I said what I saw."

 

"There's nothing."

 

"Yeah."

 

"Khai is my friend. He's just sleeping. I don't mind."

 

"Ah."

 

"I came here to tutor because he's stupid. That's it."

 

"Got it."

 

"Believe me, there's nothing at all. He can't even answer easy questions. That's why I'm here to help."

 

“Like this one, the answer is A., but he chose C. I wondered why he thought that way, you know.”

 

"Third. Got it. Why are you getting all flustered? Haaaaaaah."

 

Right then, the hands pulling my hair at first change their target to my ears. He pulls them so hard that I have to clench my teeth and scream on the inside. Fuck! Why are you taking it out on me when you're the one getting flustered? Ouuuuch! What a joke.

 

Fate brought us together, and I have to put up with everything that comes after. DAMN IT!

 

Khunpol Krichpirom Here goes the first subject. The adventure of a below-average score.

 

Manut Molitkul Have you ever scored above the average in your life? I feel bad for the teacher.

 

Bone Chone You'd better feel bad for Third, who tutored you.

 

Khunpol Krichpirom Will he cry? Will he be mad at me? Let's make up. - Third Techaphon

 

"Still talking like that?" The owner of the tagged name puts down his phone, showing his glowering face. The first subject's test results were announced one week after the midterm exams. And my score is fucking crappy.

 

"Are you mad?"

 

"Why would I be? Your score, your future."

 

"But I scored more than fifty per cent. It's just below average. This is soooooo much better than before."

 

"Whatever."

 

"Enjoy yourself more. We're at a party."

 

SPLASH!!!

I hear the sound of someone jumping into the pool in front of us. Of course, everyone has gathered again as it's Film Kids' tradition: We have a party after the exams to relieve stress. It's so that we can boost our energy and creativity for the next projects.

 

This is a private pool party, but Film Kids from the first year to the fourth year have gathered here to get together and bond. I'm lying down on a cushion. Since I haven't removed my cast yet, I lose the chance to swim with girls in bikinis in the pool. What a damn waste. The atmosphere is full of alcohol and music, but I can't jump around and enjoy it as I want. 

 

Looking at Too and Bone now, I'm suddenly on the verge of tears. Huh, they're bobbing up and down, flirting with girls merrily in the water. Now pan the camera back to Khunpol; I'm topless, wearing only shorts, my left leg wrapped in a cast, resting on a canvas cushion. Third's not the only one sitting next to me, but Chen and that bastard Un are also here to keep an eye on me. So annoying.

 

"Khai, want some booze?" The bear-like human asks as if he knows I'm bad-mouthing him in my mind.

 

"Sure."

 

"Champagne or vodka?"

 

"Vodka." He pours the drink into a glass that fits perfectly in my hand without putting any mixers, not even ice.

 

"Neat."

 

"Yeah." I chug down the vodka. My stomach feels hot. The bitterness shoots up to my brainstem, making me scrunch up my face in satisfaction. How long has it been since the last time I drank? Just one glass got my blood pumping at its max.

 

Third doesn't stop me because he's holding a glass too. We're drinking quietly, enjoying the music and the joyful laughter from the pool. Those two Extremes who swam till their skins got wrinkly are done flirting with girls and have gotten out of the pool to join us. Everyone gets more high-spirited later into the night. The more they drink, the crazier they get. 

 

The horny guys I call friends assemble in a large group to chit-chat with gusto. There are many groups in the party. The first- and second-year students are close, as are the third- and fourth-year students, just like how we are right now.

 

"More vodka?"

 

"Hell yeah!" I'm an alcohol-tolerant person. If I don't drink beer or drink from the buckets girls carry around the pool, I can hold my drink all night long. "Here you go, my fellow Extreme." One friend in the circle hands me a glass. Im not extreme anymore. I only love one person."

 

"Wooooah, are you gonna change your gang's name?"

 

"No, I'm just not extreme."

 

"Change it. What about 'Sucker?"

 

"Don't meddle, or you'll lose your teeth."

 

"What a dick."

 

"I'm only nice to someone," I say, looking at the person drinking beside me. Third is actually a funny guy, but I don't know why he always acts stern when he's with me. It sucks.

 

"Just admit that you're a sucker. Don't be shy."

 

"Yeah, I admit I'm a scumbag, a sucker, promiscuous, stupid, good-for-nothing, but handsome."

 

"There you go again, asshead."

 

"Oh, Preecha..."

 

"You shit, that's my dad." His dad must be sneezing at home. I fucking hate it when they mock their parents' names. They even laugh at it playfully.

 

We continue drinking, singing, and playing guitar drunkenly. We take turns jumping into the pool to cool down, only to come back and drink even more. Good thing tomorrow is Saturday. Nobody's gonna scold us no matter how terrible our hangover is. At almost 10 p.m., the party gets even more jolly. Girls ask us to dance with them, give us booze, and this time..

 

"Ooooooh, what can I do for you, Noona?" 

 

The neon pink bikini is blinding my eyes. A second-year student came to us holding a board. Beside her is another board with several girls with tits so big they're covering my sight. I'd get a hard-on if it were before. I'd catch them and fulfil my lust. But now, I don't even dare to get a hard-on because a giant beside me is keeping an eye on me, Third...I might be a scumbag, but I have an adorable wife.

 

When Third and I date, I'm gonna post 'Happy Anniversary' every two minutes until someone close by chokes on his jealous blood to death.

 

“We're doing a poll to find the hottest boy and girl of the Film Pool Party tonight. Boys and girls will be voted separately. You can put stickers on the names of the ones you like."

 

"Daaaaaamn, can we put it on your body?"

 

"You can't. Only put it on the board." Fucking flirts.

 

There are around ten names of those who were selected beforehand on each board. I know every name on the girl board. They're all pretty and sexy. Every member of The Extreme Gang is selected on the boy board. The rest are students in different years, but my worst adversary, Un, is also selected.

 

The hard work falls on Third: Who is he going to vote for?

 

Everyone got three stickers each, and we can put them on anyone we like. I don't care much about the girl board. The one with the biggest tits gets all my stickers. Now it's the boy board; I choose Third, of course. I take Bone and Too's stickers to put on his name as my love score. Third: I gave him lots of hearts.

 

Nine hearts from me alone, but I'm more excited about who the person next to me is going to put his stickers on. Please make it worth all the hearts I gave you.

 

"Go for it, Third. Who are you gonna vote for?"

 

He reaches for the board and puts a small red sticker on someone's name.

 

"One heart for Tool" Everyone around there updates us on the situation. He gives the second heart to Bone, and the third one..

 

"Ahem." I cough a bit to get his attention. 

 

Third turns to look at me with those adorable eyes and puts the sticker on my name

yieldingly.

 

Khai:

 

"You only gave me one," I say jokingly.

 

"One is good enough. It's better than nothing." 

 

Such a hurtful answer. Other friends who were excited to know the result are now making fun of me.

 

"Just say you gave me your only one heart."

 

"Unlike you, you have many hearts to spare."

 

"Well, I have many hearts, but I gave them all to you."

 

One point!

 

"W00000000o! What's going on between you two?"

 

"Don't be shy, everyone's here." At that, the person being teased doesn't know where to hide his face anymore. I have to make up an excuse for him for a while before I can continue drinking with him without being blasted. It's tiring, but if I can make Chen and Un imitate, I think it's worth it.

 

I don't know who the hottest boy is gonna be tonight, but to me...Third is that person.

 

It's late. The alcohol is running wild in our blood. We sing and dance like crazy, as it's wild men's nature, then we're dragged back to our circle to play many odd games, from card games to spilling your guts game. This is the third game so far. The losers have to chug down the booze. I don't think I'll make it either because the world starts tilting several times that I want to puke. Never have I ever.

 

"Never have I ever tried swinging."

 

"I have"

 

"Holy fuuuuuck!" The sound of them chugging down their drinks is repeated over and over again. We take turns playing in a clockwise direction. The player will start a sentence with 'Never have I ever...' to announce things they've never done, but if anyone in the circle has done it, they have to chug down the booze. This game always makes us spill all our shitty secrets. It's fun because we're honest when we're drunk.

 

"Never have I ever peed my bed."

 

"I have!" Daaaaamn, chug it all down, everyone. Who in the world has never peed their bed?

 

"Never have I ever_had less than ten girlfriends."

 

"But I have!" Many people chug down their drinks, including Third, while Too, Bone, Un, and I sit still, exchanging glances nervously.

 

Don't make me count my exes. I'm sorry, but I don't really remember. It seems like the past is haunting both Third and me.

 

The playfulness in his eyes fades, leaving only a bitter smile on his face. I fucking want to pull him into a hug and comfort him. I'm sorry. I've done wrong.

 

"Next, never have I ever gotten an A."

 

"I have!" Everyone chugs down the booze at the same time, except...me.

 

"Whoa, Khai, you haven't only had jock itch, but you're also stupid. It's okay, bro. Don't cry, haha." Shit, being teased by the senior hurts more than sitting in silence. Chen, you jackass! I hate myself for being born stupid.

 

It's Bone's turn this time. He looks at everyone in the circle and rolls his eyes back and forth, thinking. The more he gets people to drink, the better, and it'll be fun if he can make his gang spill their guts in front of everyone.

 

"Never have I ever... had a crush on my best friend."

 

"I have." Third's even voice echoes in my ears. He picks up a glass of vodka, chugs it down, and slams it on the table. Silence takes over the area, and soon, Too speaks.

 

"Chug it, Khai, or do you want ice?"

 

"Yeah, I have." I chug the booze down in one go. Everyone in the circle looks stunned. My gang has only four members, so we're really close. If you talk about best friends, there'll only be the four of us. And two of us chugged our drinks. I suppose nobody's stupid enough to think I like Bone.

 

Now it's Third's turn. Everyone's waiting for him to speak attentively...

 

"Never have I ever failed an exam."

 

"Third, you puuuuuuuunk." Everyone chugs the booze. He's the only winner.

 

Everyone starts to be careful not to spill their secrets, so a senior suggests we change the game. Of course, we agree out of drunkenness. The additional rule is that no one can quit the game before time is up.

 

This is how to play this game. The first player will say one word, which can be things, places, or anything that relates to a person in the circle. The one who gets the answer right wins, and the rest of us have to chug down the booze til we choke to death. The first player is Un.

 

"Leica M."

 

"Chen."

 

"Wrong."

 

"Too."

 

"Correct." Yes, I look smarter than everyone now. I watch drunk people drinking happily. Leica M is Too's dope film camera. He doesn't use it much because it's his favourite possession. I wonder how Un finds out about this. He must've used some kind of mental power to pry our lives.

 

"Mild, you're the first one who got it wrong. Slam your head on the table three times."

 

"That hurts, you fuck."

 

"Don't dally." He slams his head on the table three times in a row. Many of us clap, happy to see our friend's swollen forehead. They don't stop, though. We continue taking turns playing.

 

"AV480XX."

 

"Khai."

 

"Wrong!"

 

"Bone."

 

"Correeeeeeect." Urgh, they always jump to the conclusion that it's me when shitty things come up. This one is Bone's favourite porn. I don't know it at all. I don't know Mikami or Mayuko. Why do they have to accuse me like this? I don't get it. With such deep resentment, I tell the senior who said my name to swim a lap. This is nice.

 

Now it's my time.

 

"Flipped, 2010."

 

"Chen? Or Beam?"

 

"Wrong."

 

"Metee. He likes romantic stuff."

 

"Wrong?°

 

"Un, is it you?"

 

"You guys got it wrong three times. The answer is Third."

 

"Arrgh." How many people would know what Third likes and dislikes? Even Too and Bone know only some things. But to me, everything about him is the important thing I need to care about.

 

Three wasted people are ordered to spin twenty times. One of them falls into the pool and gets back up to play. The next player is Too.

 

"His girlfriend studies Science."

 

"Tong," I answer confidently.

 

"Wrong."

 

"Mild's girlfriend."

 

"Correeeect. Science, not Med-Sci, dumbass." 

 

It's like I was slapped in the face with his foot. I'm gonna reap what I sow now.

 

"All right, tell me what I have to do." I survived continuous drinking. This is a piece of cake.

 

"Kiss Bone one time."

 

"Fuck" This is fucking cruel. The person mentioned raises his foot to block himself, but I feel pressured, so I force myself to plunge forward, cup his face, and kiss his forehead really hard. Gotta get the most out of it since I got only one chance.

 

"You prick, you gotta do it to Bone." My friends kick a fuss. Of course, they do. Third's sitting next to Bone. Seeing him like that, I couldn't help myself and assaulted him instead. His eyes are bulging right now, and I  burst out laughing. Why is this fierce guy so cute?

 

“Oh! I forgot. What do I do now?"

 

"Liar."

 

"Sorry, my vision was blurry."

 

"Blurry your ass."

 

“I'm soooorry, Third, I am soooo druuuuunk."

 

"Go spin twenty times, asshole. So annoying." 

 

We continue playing this game for a while. Now it's Bone's turn again. He looks at me this time with those drunk, glassy eyes, then he blurts out.

 

"The person Khai likes."

 

"Mudmee," Un answers in a low voice. He must know my secrets quite a lot, but sorry, Mudmee and I didn't go that far because I quit fucking around.

 

"Wrong."

 

"Pink, the stage play's female lead."

 

"Wrong."

 

"Maprang."

 

"Wrong. Three times already."

 

"Wait, wait, let me try again. Fah, Eco."

 

"Wrong. Anyone else?"

 

"Me." Chen volunteers.

 

"Go ahead, bro."

 

"Third."

 

Bone doesn't tell them the answer, letting everyone stare at Third and me back and forth. Since this question is about me, shouldn't I be the one telling them the answer?

 

"Yeah, right, I like Third."

 

“If anyone dares to get in the way, I'mma fucking kill you."

 

"HOLY FAAAAAAAK!"