West: The Sun From Another Star

"Is that okay?"

 

"Hmm."

 

"His face was completely pale."

 

"My face was already pale to begin with."

 

"Really? So what was that mark?"

 

"There's a ghost in that room," I answered North's question. It was an elective course, open to students from all departments, and North, needing to earn credits, had chosen to take it with me. Ter and Mew weren't coming.

 

Initially, having a friend sit with me in class felt a little strange because I usually studied alone. But North, who occasionally struck up conversations, and sometimes secretly dozed off or played games, made my study sessions much more enjoyable.

 

The dark blue faculty shirt of the person secretly snacking next to him stood out quite prominently among the pristine white student uniforms. Since this was a shared classroom, there were students from many departments, and the engineering faculty shirt naturally attracted attention.

 

"Did the ghost in the room bite you?" North asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise. I nodded in reply.

 

"What did you do to it that made it bite so hard? Let me see." Then he casually pulled down my collar to look at the bite mark.

 

"I remember I didn't do anything to it, and I told it not to do it again."

 

"A ghost that listens? But I have to admit, this ghost has incredibly sharp teeth."

 

"Really?"

 

"Yeah, right here on these canine teeth," North said, opening his mouth and pointing to his two canine teeth as an example. I reached up and touched the wound on my neck again.

 

"I didn't even notice."

 

"If you told me you were a werewolf or a vampire, I'd believe you."

 

"Maybe it really was a vampire. Then I must have been bitten and had my blood sucked last night."

 

"Ah, no wonder your face was so pale. So that's it." North made a face as if he had just understood something, then chuckled softly. That made me unconsciously smile along. Being around North made my mind feel much lighter.

 

"What about Thit? I left his picture on the floor of your room last night."

 

"Nothing much," I replied, and the other person looked thoughtful. "What's wrong?"

 

"Nothing," North shook his head. "It's good that nothing happened."

 

"So, are you going by motorbike today?" I asked, remembering that North had classes all day and had to drive himself there. His free time doesn't coincide with his boyfriend’s, so if he’s free, he’ll come pick him up.

 

"Yes, why?"

 

"Could you give me a ride?"

 

"Oh, you didn't bring your motorbike?"

 

"I didn't bring any."

 

"So how did you get here?"

 

"My neighbour drove me here."

 

“…” My answer silenced North, who frowned in confusion.

 

"Why did he take you with him?"

 

"He said it was because I was sick."

 

Are you sick?

 

"I had a fever last night, but I think I'm feeling better now."

 

“Ah… um… ummm.” North pursed his lips, looking very thoughtful. Why was he hesitating so much just for a ride home?

 

"It's okay if it doesn't work."

 

"No, no, no! I mean… okay, fine. Let me take you back to the dorm."

 

"Thank you."

 

"YES."

 

Once I got North's agreement to drive me home, I secretly took out my phone and texted my neighbour on Line, telling him he didn't need to come pick me up anymore.

 

ss.: No need to come pick me up anymore.

☀️: ?

☀️: Why so?

 

I don't know why, but when I saw his reply, the image of his displeased face and grumpy voice flashed through my mind. Maybe I've been spending too much time with him lately.

 

ss.: I'm going back to North.

☀️North, are you going there?

ss.: I study with North.

☀️An elective course?

ss.: Yes.

☀️Jo, aren't you going to take it with you?

ss.: North has classes starting early this morning.

☀️Can he take you home?

ss.: Okay, I've already asked.

 

He didn't reply again, so I put away my phone and focused on studying. I glanced over and saw the person next to me secretly using their phone under the table, but I didn't pay much attention.

 

☀️Do you want your tyre to burst?

Nrth : What is that?

Ah, hahahahaha!

Who said we would cut off those feelings?

"So you're pretending to give people a ride home? Hmph, I haven't seen you give anyone a ride in a hundred years!"

That's great!

☀️: _thing…

Nrth : If you're not happy, then curse.

You weakling!

☀️What are you going to do to me?

Nrth : Whatever.

Do you like my friend?

☀️: YES.

: Prefer.

Are you satisfied now?

I'll come pick you up and take you out for dinner.

Nrth : Let's go!

☀️You're too picky.

Nrth : I don't believe you, I'm watching you.

"The wound on its neck was inflicted by you, wasn't it? Tell me!"

 

That bastard took advantage of the situation! I tried to trust him enough to let him sleep in his room. I understand, because he likes it, how could he resist?

 

The person I like is sleeping right next to me; how could a scoundrel like me possibly stand that?

: Right?

☀️What about your husband?

When Jo was flirting with you, he wasn't exactly innocent either.

Nrth : …….

So what then?

Are you going to flirt with him?

Is that okay?

Have you thought this through carefully?

☀️I don't know either.

Nrth : Let's talk about this later.

We still have a lot to talk about. I'll come with you.

To watch! To observe!

: I'll keep an eye on you! Dylan!

☀️But you have to sit behind me.

Nrth : No.

Sit behind me!

☀️Why are you competing with me?

We'll definitely be going home together on the way back.

Nrth : Yeah, right.

: *Send image

Here, take one.

This is Phi Phung Tai.

Haha!

☀️What is this for?

Nrth : Don't let me know that you secretly saved it.

☀️Yes, I've saved it.

: hahahahaha

Nrth : hahahahaha

——–

 

"Phi Phung Tai."

"What's up?"

 

"I just remembered my tyre is flat, it could be dangerous if someone were in the back. Driving alone is already difficult enough."

 

"Really? Well, that's fine." I nodded in response before turning my attention back to the teacher standing at the front of the class. It looked like North had secretly taken a picture of me just now, but whatever. North likes to take pictures of people when they're not paying attention or when they're making silly faces. I wonder if there are any good ones on that camera?

 

The person North usually teases about the leaked photos is Ter. Being yelled at or showing displeasure by Ter is a sign that North has succeeded. The two used to be roommates until they both got partners and moved out. Mew is never photographed secretly because he always knows when someone is raising a camera to take a picture. Maybe it's a photographer's instinct. 

 

I've been photographed many times too, sometimes I know, but I pretend not to notice, like just now. North once complained that teasing me isn't as fun as teasing Ter because I don't yell and scream.

 

"So how are you going to get home? Are you going to have Thit come pick you up?"

 

"I guess we’ll just walk."

 

"Why?"

 

"That's because it's been a long time since I've taken a stroll and enjoyed the scenery here."

 

"That sounds interesting," North said, puckering his lips. "Why don't we ask Thit to take us sightseeing?"

 

"No."

 

"What's up?"

 

"I should be asking why we need to ask him," I asked, turning to North with a bewildered expression. North burst out laughing for no reason. North was always like that, able to laugh at anything in the world.

 

"You once said you didn't want a boyfriend, right?"

 

"Yeah, so why are you suddenly asking about this?"

 

"Nothing," North shrugged. "Do you have any criteria? I can introduce you to someone."

 

Since North mentioned that many of his friends are interested in me, and I'm still single, he seems very keen on introducing me to someone. Even though I've said I don't want anyone, it seems North wants me to try opening up. That's a good idea because people keep complaining that I don't take care of myself, so they want someone to look after me. But even so, I still maintain that I prefer to be alone.

 

"I don't know, I don't care," I replied.

 

"If he's handsome, would you care?"

 

"Huh?"

 

"Handsome, rich, that kind of guy."

 

"Are not."

 

"What's up?"

 

"What does North like about his boyfriend?" I asked. He seemed surprised by the question, but still answered.

"He's been nice to me."

 

"Ah, um."

 

"Do you want to have people who are nice to you?"

 

"No." I shook my head slightly.

 

"Do you like people who are bad to you?"

 

"No," I replied calmly, turning to him. "I don't like anyone."

 

"Oh, what's wrong? You're really tough!"

 

North frowned in his usual frustrated way when things didn't go his way. He rested his chin on his hand and looked at me instead of at the front of the classroom. Luckily, it was a tutoring session, so the teacher paid little attention.

 

"North."

 

"What?"

 

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

 

"Just considering it," North replied, stroking his chin. Why do I feel like I'm being stared at so much lately? What's going on? "Oh, and honestly, you're pretty handsome, though not quite as handsome as me."

 

"Thank."

 

"But they keep acting all mysterious; it's incomprehensible."

 

"Well, that's good. If I were like North, I'd probably be exhausted to death."

 

"It's tough not having as much energy as I do," North said with a half-smile. "Going back to the topic, are you really going to walk home?" I nodded in response. He sighed.

 

"Should we call Thit to pick us up? If he comes, we can go with him."

 

"It's alright," I replied, my hand still writing down what the teacher was saying, unlike North, who had already lost interest in the teacher by the middle of the lesson. With the exams approaching, he'd probably just borrow my materials to read, as usual.

 

"Do you hate him?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

"Are not."

 

"Then why not let him come pick you up?"

 

"Because I can walk."

 

"Wouldn't it be more convenient for him to come pick me up?"

 

"It's alright," I replied honestly, because I had told him I'd go home with North, but if North couldn't take me home, I didn't want to bother anyone else, and walking home wouldn't be a problem.

 

"You live independently and don't need to rely on others, do you?" the other person said. 

 

"Let's go eat. Thit will pick us up, and then we'll eat together."

 

"The two of us can go out to eat."

 

"Why would I go have dinner with Thit?"

 

I frowned slightly, turned to look at the other person, and began to suspect that North's attitude was somehow strange. But when I saw North's annoyed expression, I stopped suspecting and said, "Okay, that's fine."

 

I took out my phone again and texted my neighbour, asking if I'd be so kind as to pick him up again, and that North would join us for lunch. Then I returned my attention to what the teacher was saying. North, however, only half-understood, probably because the lesson was so boring. Besides, someone studying engineering like North certainly wouldn't like this kind of chemistry stuff.

 

When it was time for class to end, I packed my bag and went downstairs with North. The parking area in front of the department became the focus of many passersby, especially the girls, as a tall, handsome young man stood, leaning against a large, attractive motorcycle, seemingly looking for someone. When his eyes landed on North and me, he stopped as well. North and I approached.

 

"It's so annoying, everyone stares wherever I go," North complained sarcastically, to which the person being mocked merely shrugged indifferently.

 

"That's normal. So you'll come along, right?"

 

"Yes, absolutely."

 

“Why are you following me? Go back to your husband.” He dismissed him, but not seriously. North didn’t reply, only raised his index and middle fingers to his eyes before turning to look at him, as if to say he was watching.

 

I'd rather ride a regular motorbike than this big-displacement one because I feel completely unsafe riding it here. Since North said his tyres are underinflated, there's no other option.

 

He got on the motorbike and handed me a helmet. I took it, put it on, and sat behind him. Last time I tried, it was difficult; it looked like it would be easier if I held onto his shoulder.

 

"Excuse me," I said, as if asking permission to touch him, then put my hands on his shoulders and successfully lifted myself up to sit behind him.

 

"Hold on tight, be careful, or you'll fall. Thit is a terrible driver," North reminded me. I nodded slightly as if I understood. Immediately, the large, beautiful motorcycle sped off.

 

════[changbins_delulu_wife]════

 

My gaze remained fixed straight ahead as I steered my favourite motorcycle. Unlike usual, when I was alone, there was someone sitting behind me, their jacket wrapped tightly around my waist.

 

I've never let anyone ride on the back of my motorcycle because I find it inconvenient. When someone is sitting behind me, the added weight makes me feel uncomfortable, or simply put, less agile.

 

At first, when I saw that person trying to sit on the bike, I found it really funny, like a little animal trying to climb onto something. But it was actually good that they were clinging to my shoulder and sitting so close.

 

I don't think I'm that scary when driving. Maybe they're scared because they've never been in the back seat before. It would be scary if I were driving in a race.

 

When we arrived at the restaurant, the kid behind me clung to my shoulder and slowly got off the motorbike. For some reason, I felt he was a little silly. He couldn't even take off his helmet, so I had to help him like last time. Couldn't he even take off a helmet? And what's with that tired look? He must be exhausted just sitting behind me on the motorbike.

 

"Are you scared?"

 

“…” It didn’t answer, only nodded slightly. 

 

Seeing that, I wanted to hug it right here and now!

.…..

 

Wait a minute…

Weren't you crazy enough last night, Thit?! You can't always want to hug this kid like this!!

Huh… maybe it’s possible…

 

Before we could do anything else, North, riding a black motorcycle, stopped beside us. He took off his helmet, placed it on the rearview mirror, and turned to look at us.

 

"What's up?"

 

"Just arrived," the kid replied. The three of us went into the restaurant. Although I still felt uncomfortable with North following us, I just shrugged it off.

 

"That's great, so intimate." North quickly stepped up beside me, covering his mouth and whispering, laughing in a hateful way that made me want to slap him.

 

We sat down at the table. I sat opposite the kid, and North sat next to him. I remember back when Hill went everywhere, North always followed him around like a shadow, and Hill didn't seem bothered at all. Even though Hill didn't mind, I certainly did.

 

"Hehe."

 

"What are you laughing at?" I turned to ask North.

 

"I don't know, sir. It seems like something good is about to happen, doesn't it?"

 

"Really?" the boy replied in his usual soft voice, a stark contrast to the jerk sitting next to him, who was always the same, cheerful as a Golden Retriever.

 

"You came here to eat, and your husband doesn't say anything?"

 

"No, I already asked permission. I'll buy some food for him later."

 

"Yeah."

 

"What is Phi Phung Tai eating?"

 

"What about North?"

 

We had finished ordering. When I had some free time, I rested my chin on my hand and looked at the person sitting opposite me, as usual, because I had nothing to do.

 

Today seems just as sluggish as any other day, but you appear a little tired. Is your fever gone? Thankfully, it hasn't relapsed; it would have been terrible.

 

I noticed something moving out of the corner of my eye, so I turned to look. I saw North frown, look surprised, and glance back and forth between the kid and me.

 

"Why are you looking around like that?"

 

"I was just wondering."

 

"Any further questions?"

 

"Actually..." North made an awkward face, "Is there always just silence between the two of you? Is it the same even when you're abroad?"

 

"Yes," I replied.

 

"What's with this tense atmosphere?"

 

"You get stressed out so easily, don't you?"

 

"No, sir. I'm fine, but you two are really strange, completely insane." The boy let out a deep sigh, exclaiming, "Phi Phung Tai."

 

"Huh?"

 

"Let's review our San Francisco trip with Arthit."

 

“…Nothing much.” He answered curtly, just as I had expected. I raised an eyebrow at North, not surprised at all. Then North started asking this and that, and the kid's only job was to answer and occasionally ask questions in return. His fate was no different from mine; it was incredibly boring. If I weren't so talkative, I would have given up already.

 

But unlike when he spoke to me, he gave a more lengthy reply and even smiled at North, albeit just a slight smile. That guy North…That annoying kid.

 

“That time you got your fortune told, right? You said my life was going to take a turning point. I think…” I heard North say. A little later, the food was brought out, including takeout for Jo. Don’t tell me I have to treat Jo. No way!

 

"Yeah, but you're paying for this, right?"

 

"Not for you and Jo."

 

"How stingy! You can't even afford this much."

 

"Your husband is rich, too. Why are you so stingy?"

 

"That's completely irrelevant. The question should be: why does Jo work so hard while I have to spend money so extravagantly?"

 

"Yeah, but your husband uses money instead of scrap paper, you know?"

 

"That's outrageous, but if it were a paper aeroplane, I would have seen it. I heard they were bored and had nothing to do at the time, so they did it."

 

"Folding paper aeroplanes? That's normal. That day, we were reading together, and the table was too low, so Jo used a stack of money as a makeshift book stand. I felt so much more comfortable while reading."

 

"Wow," North exclaimed, then burst out laughing. "You've probably never seen anyone use money to make a blanket. One day, he asked me to sew one into a blanket, a cover to keep him warm. It took me two or three days to sew it, and it was a huge blanket!"

 

"Damn, you're getting more and more ridiculous," I chuckled softly at the absurdity of their conversation. What they just said was just a joke about Jo's unbelievably rich life. By now, he's probably sneezed his eyes out. We joked around like that. North turned to the short guy and started talking. I glanced at him a couple of times while we finished eating and called for the bill. I paid for everything; it wasn't a big deal, just a meal.

 

As we left the bar, North pretended to walk closer and whispered something in my ear.

"What's this? It doesn't sound like a dating atmosphere at all."

 

"Who are you trying to woo?"

 

"He's flirting! He likes him, doesn't he? But why is it so awkward?" He covered his mouth and whispered.

I glanced at the person with blue hair standing in front of me.

 

"And then what? I don't know."

 

"Good heavens, I thought you were a 'ladies' man,' but you're such a coward."

 

"You're the killer, don't talk like I'm some kind of terrible person!" I cursed. This guy was acting like I was some kind of scoundrel. "I've never been through anything like this, understand?"

 

"Oh no, this is going to be tough. The person you want to woo... oh, there's no hope, should I give up?"

 

"Forget it, you idiot!" I lowered my voice. "Are you going home now?" I asked as we approached the parking lot, ready to part ways.

 

"Of course I'm going home, why... Uh." North nodded, appearing to understand immediately, "I have to go home and bring lunch to Jo."

 

"You talk as if my friend is a dog."

 

"Come over to my room, let's discuss something, plan ahead." North narrowed his eyes; that kind of smile definitely had some ulterior motive.

 

"Inviting me into your room? Fine, I'll be your little husband then."

 

"Pfft! Are you crazy? What do you want? If we don't help, you're helpless. Do you know what to do?" He said irritably. "The only thing you're good at is probably grabbing it. You bit my friend's neck before you could do anything!"

 

"I really want to argue, but… uh, yes, it's true." 

 

I sighed, accepting the reality. The only thing I could think of right now was to grab it and bite and tear it apart to vent my anger. Just keep doing it until it's covered in bruises.

 

What else could I do? I've never even thought about flirting with anyone in my life. Just admitting I like someone is incredibly difficult, and now I have to go through all this complicated stuff like flirting. Can't I just not flirt? It's complicated, it's a waste of time. If only I could just open my eyes and she'd be my wife, that would be so much easier.

 

"Or... how about a video call? No, something this big needs to be discussed in person. We need to hold a meeting. I swear I'm still in shock, give me some time to prepare myself."

 

"Okay, do whatever you want. I'll come over to your room. Remember to tie Jo up for me. That guy is as vicious as a rabid dog; he hates anyone who comes into his room."

 

"It's okay. I've slept on the sofa there before."

 

"Yeah, yeah," I replied to North before walking toward my car, where the short guy was waiting. He stood there, silent, oblivious to what North and I had just been discussing, even though he was the main topic of conversation.

 

"You," I said.

 

"What?"

 

I bent down to look at its shorter figure, while it looked up at me. It's only this tall. If I pulled it into a hug, it would surely bury itself in my chest.

 

Before I even realised it, I instinctively reached out a hand, intending to pull it into a hug to see what it would feel like. But at the last moment, that hand changed direction, gently stroking its hair instead. The person whose hair was being ruffled frowned, clearly displeased, but what puzzled me even more was why I had done it. I stepped back slightly, glanced at their annoyed expression, and unconsciously smiled.

 

"You really are..."

 

"What is that?"

 

"Nothing."

 

I grabbed my helmet, put it on him first, then my own. I climbed onto the motorbike, waiting for him to settle down. It seemed he realised that holding onto my shoulder would make it easier to climb on, so he did that again. As the bike drove towards my apartment building, he kept holding onto my shirt the whole way.

 

"It would be safer if we hugged," I said.

 

He didn't say anything, but when I accelerated, he was forced to wrap his arms around my waist, much better than just holding onto my shirt. Why didn't it just hug me from the start?

 

I turned the car onto a detour. And while I was at it, I still had plenty of gas. And I also want it to hug me for even longer.

 

"Could you slow down a bit?" I heard a voice behind me, but it was hard to make out because of the strong wind.

 

"Are not."

“…”

 

"But if you hold on a little tighter, I might slow down."

 

I said it with a subtle smile that no one could see at that moment. Feeling the tighter embrace from behind, I slowly and contentedly reduced the throttle. Perhaps it was truly scared now? It wasn't afraid of fast cars, but it was afraid of high-powered motorcycles. That's not surprising; the level of danger they pose is vastly different.

 

When I slowed down, it let go of my hand, and when I accelerated again, it hugged me tightly as before. Would it be strange if I said I liked the feeling of it hugging me with its whole body trembling like this? That feeling made me want to comfort it; I don't understand why I felt that way.

 

Finally, I parked the car in the apartment building's parking lot. He slowly got off; his expression wasn't very good, but he didn't say anything. He went inside, and I followed him.

 

If anyone asks why I still followed it even after we were outside, I just want to say… I brought it all the way home. I said I would bring it home, so I had to see it through.

 

I noticed he was still trembling slightly. Anyone else would have reacted strongly, but this short guy didn't say anything about hugging. Maybe he doesn't care anymore. Well, that's good, he's a good faker. Keep pretending, I don't care.

 

He opened his room door and turned back to say thank you. I winked to signal that it was nothing, then turned around, got on the bike, and drove back to Jo and his wife's room as planned.

 

Besides Fah's room, Jo's and Hill's rooms were also my usual hiding places whenever I was in trouble, especially when I lost my key card. That key card problem had become a long-term issue I couldn't resolve. Sometimes I'd forget it after a few drinks, and changing to an electronic lock was out of the question because I was just renting the room, not the landlord. If the building owner didn't agree, how could I change it?

 

I often went to Fah's room because he was kind and easy to take advantage of for people like me. I could lie on the sofa, eat free meals without having to wash dishes, water and electricity were free, the bathroom was clean, and the room was cool and tidy. Fah's wife was also wonderful; he would take my clothes to wash for me. Every morning, I would wake up to find my jacket already ironed and ready for school.

 

Hill and Ter’s room is very small, unless they're being nice. I feel a little guilty towards Fah, but if it were Hill, it would take him a whole afternoon to agree. Hill hates everything in the world except his wife and himself; he's so cold and indifferent to me. But he's very good to his wife, and Hill's wife is wonderful too; he even makes me extra meals and washes my clothes. Honestly, Hill's wife is a good person.

 

It took me quite a while to get Jo's room. Living with him wasn't fun at all; he was as annoying as a dog, barking and cursing at me all day long. Living with Jo was enough to drive me crazy. But his room was huge and luxurious, while North was always shouting and singing, and even though he sang well, I couldn't stand the noise. Actually, I couldn't really complain; it wasn't my room.

 

And one thing I think about is that every time I sleep over at their place, they definitely don't do anything. They're probably shy; they could do it, but don't dare. Especially Jo, if he did anything, he wouldn't mind me sleeping outside, but luckily, I've never heard anything get out. I'm not someone who likes to hear those things; I just feel a little uncomfortable thinking about them.

.….

I went to Johan's room, rang the doorbell for a while, and then North appeared and opened the door. As I expected, the occupant looked displeased; he glared at me with undisguised hatred.

 

"What are you doing here?" Johan asked irritably.

 

"Calm down, Johan, didn't North tell you?"

 

"Just saying it casually," Johan replied, sighing wearily. "I've thought about it, and it has to be this way; there's no breaking it."

 

"I did my best, my friend."

 

"Yeah, I have to admit, you're quite interesting when you're serious."

 

“Really?” I asked, frowning, and took off the black jacket I usually wear when driving. “So what? Honestly, what am I supposed to do now? If I don’t advise him now, I’ll come back tonight and wreck his room, grab the bed and pin him down on it.”

 

"Too rough." Johan shook his head slightly.

 

"So you're not going to do it?"

 

"Yes, I did. At first, I almost couldn't hold it in, you know that."

 

"You really couldn't hold it in?"

 

"Of course not." North set his glass of water on the table and sat next to Johan.

 

"When Johan was flirting with you, he couldn't possibly hold back any pain."

 

"I've been holding back too," Johan said. North turned to look at Johan with a displeased expression, then sighed.

 

"Let me ask you first, do you really like my friend?" I nodded in response, "So, has anyone else found out?"

 

"It's just you guys and Fah."

 

"What about Hill?"

 

"Not yet."

 

"You can't hide it for long, Thit. Actually, you should just tell the truth. Hill is more perceptive than Fah, and you're not good at lying anyway."

 

"I'm a straightforward person, that's why I'm not good at lying," I said. Actually, I realised I wasn't good at lying because I didn't really want to lie; I preferred to be direct. Or if there was something that shouldn't be said, it was best not to say it. "Actually, North isn't good at lying either."

 

"That's right," Johan agreed.

 

"He's just a fool, but honest," he said, giving a thumbs-up, proudly. "But the problem is, how are you going to woo Phi Phung Tai? Wait a minute, Phi Phung Tai is the type who follows his friends' advice, especially Ter and Phoon."

 

"Why is that?"

 

"I'm just guessing, but I think Phi Phung Tai is attracted to that nice guy. At first, when he opened up to us – his only friends – it was Ter who tried to approach him first. So you should ask Ter."

 

There it is, Hill is unavoidable.

 

"Damn it." I cursed dejectedly, running my hand through my hair. "No need, I have my own way. But can I just be myself, like, be true to myself? Isn't that what they say is better when you're being yourself?"

 

"You don't need to be such a person; just being a little better would be enough."

 

"Damn."

 

"Oh, but I think you shouldn't rush into anything; overdoing it will only make you more closed off."

 

"YES."

 

"There's an old wound; you have to prove to him that you won't hurt him."

 

"Ah, the previous guy," I repeated North's words, thinking to myself. The previous guy must be that bastard Khram I kicked into the hospital, right? He's a real scoundrel. Look at his face, see what he did to get himself into this state. He should just die. If I had known, I would have had him dead at my feet. I remember when that kid insulted him like a dog at the coffee shop.

 

"I'm not his ex, so what's there to be afraid of?"

 

"People have already made a strong impression; what can we do about it?"

 

"Sigh, shouldn't we avoid rushing? It seems like it's getting late. I bit its neck, but luckily it thought it was a ghost. Sometimes, ghosts can be useful, huh?"

 

"Biting the neck?" Jo asked, raising an eyebrow as he repeated what I had just said.

 

"Yeah, bite deep in there, make it hurt."

 

"That's good enough, isn't it?"

 

"Jo, how could that be good?!"

 

"I did it the first time too, not biting, but it was almost the same," Jo said with an expressionless face, a stark contrast to North, who looked worried and strange. "It wasn't very nice, but I did it because I wanted to."

 

"Yeah, it's not good, but if you want to do it, then do it," I said, mimicking Jo's words. North sighed again; he seemed tired.

 

"Sigh, stop it, both of you. Phi Phung Tai isn't me, okay?"

 

"I know, if it were you, I wouldn't bother."

 

"Just give it a try."

 

"Wow, that's intense."

 

"Phi Phung Tai is someone who needs nothing; he has a job, he’s fine living alone, and he’s happy with everything. You should ask why he wants him in his life."

 

"Yeah... that's right, I'm of no use either."

 

"Oh my god, that's enough, I'm going to bed, you bastard," Jo said dejectedly, about to get up from the sofa, but North held him back, 

 

"Tell me, what good are you?"

 

"Handsome, rich dad, big...

 

"I've seen you brag about it many times. Is it really that big?" Jo squinted. I smiled at him.

 

"You'll only know if you try it, Jo."

 

"You don't stand a chance against me, you son of a bitch."

 

"Not necessarily. We'll know as soon as we try it and see if it works."

 

"Oh, dear." North sighed again, looking pitiful. He tried to steer the conversation back to the topic, but we kept rambling on. "Answer properly, I'm getting annoyed."

 

"Don't get angry, little brother. Well... It's better if I'm here; it makes me feel more secure."

 

"Is that all?"

 

"What else?" I frowned, trying to think of an answer. "I can protect it, take care of it when it's unwell... that's fine too, I can be its support."

 

"What kind of support are you talking about? You can't even take care of yourself right now."

 

"Let me be a burden; maybe that will make his life better."

 

"Oh, my God." North began rubbing his forehead.

 

“I think I’m handsome, and that’s enough, right?” I said in a serious and confident tone, 

“Right, Johan?”

 

"That applies to you, too."

 

"Look, Jo agrees too."

 

“You said you could take care of it, right?” North ignored everything we said and started thinking seriously about it, “Protecting it, yeah, that’s true.”

 

"Oh, really?"

 

"You wouldn't betray it, would you?"

 

"Are not."

 

"How can you be so sure? You've never been in love before."

 

"If we do that, it will hurt, right? Then let's not do it."

 

I answered frankly, and that shocked both of them a little: "Why? Surprised?"

 

"No, sir. That's fine, you look very serious. I agree, I'll be on your team."

 

"You have to be on my team, North."

 

"Yeah," North said sarcastically, "Phi Phung Tai doesn't have a problem with rude people, so you can breathe easier. But don't do anything too daring, okay? Oh, does he know you like him?"

 

"I don't know. And I'm not hiding anything, I just want him to hug me while we're driving," I said frankly. When I asked him to hug me, I didn't think much of it; I simply wanted to be hugged. After that, whatever happened, I didn't care anymore.

 

"That's because you're driving fast."

 

"Yes, but it's good, to be honest, I'm still very happy right now."

 

"Okay, that's good."

 

"You used to be like that, too, didn't you?"

 

"Exactly." I gave a thumbs-up, agreeing with Johan, my best friend with whom I've always shared similar views on most things, "If you hug, it means you have feelings for each other, right?"

 

"Yeah, right. I think he likes me too."

 

“…Wait a minute,” North said in a dejected tone. Don’t let those smug people sit around talking, I advise. “But you forced him…”

 

"Are you really my brother, North? I'm just asking, are you my little brother? In the three years we've known each other, what have you given me?"

 

“…Uh, he likes him. Oh my god, who wouldn't like someone so handsome and rich? He's like an angel descended from heaven, who can compare to my brother? Everyone else is useless; whoever gets him is so lucky. That Phi Phung Tai can't possibly miss out on him.”

 

"That's a good point, North. He really is my brother."

 

"Just flirt with him first, Thit. Don't overthink it." Johan waved his hand as if to say not to overreact, "If it doesn't work out in the end, just grab him and be done with it."

 

"Yeah, yeah, just grab him and be done with it. Even if you don't win his heart, you'll get his body, which is better than getting nothing at all."

 

"Wait, that's your friend, North. You told me to stay calm earlier."

 

"I can't stay calm anymore! Go, Thit. If that wall is too thick, just ram it down!"

 

"Calm down, man." I had to intervene because my friend's wife looked like he was about to spit fire. "Just leave it like that, as long as you don't do anything rash, right? You didn't need to say that."

 

"I have to tell you. I'm worried about my friend, too; everything has to go through me."

 

"Okay then. I'm going home." I said, standing up and slinging my jacket over my shoulders.

 

"Why the rush, honey? Stay and play games with me for a bit longer." "Maybe next time. I have to go see my fiancée first. He probably misses me so much he’s  crying."