[T/N] I apologize for grammar mistakes and incoherencies
Chapter 5: Who is he?
“Did you go all the way to Chiang Rai to deliver coffee?” That was the first thing Ter said when I opened the door to the shop. I gave him a frustrated look before slumping into the chair next to the counter where Ter was practicing making coffee as instructed by Tharn.
Can we stop with the coffee making for now...
It’s Phii Johan, he doesn’t know what, but he kept telling me to make it again. I’ve made so much coffee I’m now drunk on the smell of it, and finally, after what felt like forever, it was good enough for him, that’s why I was allowed to come back.
“You were gone for so long, it’s like you skived off, can I dock your pay?” Phii Tharn turned to me with a teasing tone.
“Oh come on, Phii, don’t do this to me.” I said with the most pleading look I could muster. What’s this? When I come back here to work, Phii Johan wants to dock me, and when I’m over there, Phii Tharn wants to dock my salary...
Can I choose something else, please?
“Come make coffee with me, it’s fun.” Ter said with enthusiasm, which was in stark contrast to me who was already dizzy from the smell of coffee. T^T
“No, maybe another day.”
“Oh, North, I’ve asked my relatives about it.” Phii Tharn suddenly said as if he just remembered, and he handed me a small piece of paper with a phone number, “This is Phii Chain’s number, my relative who owns the shop. I asked, and Phii Chain said it’s okay, try contacting him first.”
“Oh, thank you, why are you so kind?” I said with a heartfelt tone before taking the piece of paper.
“When you’re going to work, just tell me, and I’ll drop you off.”
“Thank you, but you don’t have to trouble yourself, I can go by myself.” I said, feeling awkward.
“And what about Ter, will he go too?” Phii Tharn turned to ask Ter, who immediately shook his head.
“I’m not going, Phii Hill definitely won’t let me...just here, it’s already hard to get permission...”
“That’s typical of people with connections.”
“And can you handle it alone?” Phii Tharn turned to me with a slightly concerned look, “Should I pick you up and drop you off at first, since the place closes late?”
“Oh...it’s a bar, right?” I asked to confirm. I’ve never worked at a bar, “Like, an alcohol shop or something, Phii?”
“Not that kind of bar, it’s more laid-back, but let me drop you off, at least at first, you’re not familiar with the route yet.” Phii Tharn offered again. So I agreed, it’s also Tharn’s relative’s shop, so I wouldn’t feel too out of place.
“Alright then. I’ll call you when I’ve spoken with brother Shane.” I said, and he gave me a kind smile while ruffling my hair. I could only give a wry smile in return, why does he like to ruffle my hair so much? I’m not a dog!
Ter looked at me with a similar blank expression, as if he found Phii Tharn’s head-rubbing gesture odd.
Ding!
Someone else has texted...
Please don’t tell me it’s Phii Johan again. Don’t tell me he’s going to make me do something else. I’m done with that. I’m exhausted from making coffee today, T^T
Oh. It’s not Phii Jo but Phii Hill. Phii Hill rarely texts me. No, let’s say he never has before, how could he? I’ve never had anything to talk about with Phii Hill.
HillRatchakit: Don’t do this again, please.
?
What’s that?
“Ter, what’s this?” I turned the phone screen to show Ter, who looked at it in surprise.
“What is it?”
“I don’t know, your boyfriend just sent it.” I said, confused.
“What did you talk about with my boyfriend? Are you trying to flirt with him?” Ter said, glaring at me suspiciously, making me give him a confused look before he burst out laughing, “What did you do?”
“What did I do?” I asked myself while trying to remember, “Maybe Phii Hill sent the message to the wrong person, he might have been talking to his flirt before sending it to me by mistake.” I said. Right after, Ter gave me a light smack on the head.
“You liar, always trying to make trouble in other people’s relationships.”
“Shh.” I shushed Ter, then turned to see Tharn smiling slightly at our playful argument.
“Cute.”
“Huh?”
“I mean the two of you, it’s cute how you play around.”
“Cute what? If we’re in the same room, we’d kill each other. North is such a pain.” Ter complained before turning to wipe glasses grumpily.
“You’re slandering me.” I said, sticking out my tongue.
“Slander what? I have proof.”
“Let me see it then.”
“Bring out your car key.” Ter said. I laughed when I successfully annoyed him, then took out my car key as he instructed.
“What’s this?” Phii Tharn asked after I placed my car key on Ter’s counter, and Ter took out his as well, “Are they a matching set?” The keychains. Both mine and Ter’s were figurines of little boys, but they’re not really matching.
“No, they’re not.” Ter said, “This North, what a bastard, always trying to meddle in other people’s affairs.”
“Yeah, so what? I went to the mountains and bought these keychains. What’s wrong with that?”
“The problem is you did it on purpose.”
“What’s going on?” PhiiTharn asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.
“Well, Ter uses this keychain as a pair with Hill, right? When I went to the mountains and saw these keychains, I bought some too, and it just so happened that the last one matched mine, so I ended up using it as a pair as well.”
“You bastard.”
“Oh, so what if I use it too? It’s not like they only made two of them.”
“Because you did it on purpose, I wanted to use it as a pair with my boyfriend, and now I have to use it as a pair with you.”
“Just think of me as another boyfriend.”
“North, you bastard...I’m not surprised that Skater saved your number as ‘the bastard’. But really, why did Skater do that?” I don’t understand why he did that. Was he upset because I ate the snack he intended to give to a girl from agriculture? It was just a little bite. The agriculture girl didn’t mind anyway.
“Oh, I just found out that North you are this kind of troublemaker.” Phii Tharn said with a face that looked like he didn’t want to believe it.
“Hey...why am I suddenly getting ganged up on?”
“Serves you right, you always ask why people curse you out. It’s because of things like this.” Ter said before sticking out his tongue at me, “Change your keychain too.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier if you change yours? Get one that’s just for two people, custom-made or something.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“You have to change, I won’t.”
“See, you just want to win against me.”
“Ha, just wait until you get a girlfriend, you’ll see me, I’ll even wear matching outfits, I swear.”
“You’re so petty.”
And our pointless argument began again, until we realized how much energy we were wasting and stopped. Phii Tharn said that Ter and I are the most chaotic roommates in the world, which might be true. By ten in the evening, we finished work. The first day went well because I hardly did anything, just drained Ter’s energy.
“Drive safely, and let me know how it goes with you, North.” Phii Tharn said before driving off, leaving me and Ter at the parking lot in front of the shop, getting ready to head back to the dorm.
“Hey.” Ter called out while I was about to get on his motorbike as a passenger.
“What?”
“I...um...”
“What is it?”
“Phii Tharn, he...what do you think, like...”
“Are you gossiping about the shop owner?”
“No! I was just wondering, sharing stories, like...he likes to ruffle your hair, so I thought...”
“Thought what?”
“That you look like his dog or something.”
“Bastard.” I sighed in frustration before starting the motorbike. Riding back to the dorm, “So, you’ve been talking all this time just to insult me?”
“No, no, seriously, it’s just weird that he ruffles your hair so much, he’s always ruffling your hair.” Ter said, “And he also said he’d pick you up and drop you off at work.”
“So, what are you trying to say?”
“He definitely likes you.”
“Pfft!”
“Hey, I’m serious. When you went to see Phii Jo, Phii Tharn didn’t seem too pleased, especially when you said you’d be late, he looked even more displeased.”
“Well, I am his employee, anyone would be mad if I skipped work.”
“Really...If it were me, I might not have been mad, admit it, you’ve thought about it when I say it like that.”
“...”
“Doesn’t it seem a bit self-centered?” It didn’t take long to get back to the dorm. We talked about this all the way until we got to the room, “It’s just...we’ve only just met. I don’t think so, and there’s nothing about me for him to like.”
“He might like assholes.”
“You’re insulting me again.”
“But he does say ‘cute’ a lot when he’s around you, you know that, right?”
“I kind of know, but...it’s nothing, right?” I sighed slightly, why is Ter so intent on discussing this?
“Seriously. You know. You just don’t want to admit it.”
“Yeah. Don’t think like that, or it’ll just make things awkward for everyone, we still have to work together.” I said with another sigh. It’s not that I haven’t thought about it, but let’s say I’ve been trying not to think about it. I don’t know if Phii Tharn likes me the way Ter says. I also feel a bit odd about both his words and actions.
But I chose not to care, one reason being that he might not actually like me. Ter and I might have just imagined it. Second, I don’t like him either, and I think it can’t be anything more than a sibling relationship. I felt that way.
“So, you didn’t choose Phii Tharn, right?”
“Well...aren’t we like senior-junior?” I said, very puzzled by Ter’s reaction. Why is he acting so weird?
“Wow, Phii zone.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“That means my ship isn’t going to sink, my Johan-North ship.”
“Spit, I’ll launch torpedoes at your ship.” I said, annoyed, now understanding his exaggerated reactions. He was trying to pair me up with Phii Jo!
“Don’t, captain, or I’ll drown. I can’t swim.”
“Annoying. If you knew what Phii Johan did to me, you wouldn’t say that.”
“What, what? So, what exactly did you do at his place for so long?” Ter asked eagerly. What’s with him? So, I told Ter everything. From delivering the coffee, Phii Johan making me watch him work, me accidentally falling asleep, until I had to make coffee until I was dizzy.
“You suddenly feel dizzy, huh?” Ter said, furrowing his brows.
“What’s wrong?”
“Seasick, I guess the ship was sailing too fast today.”
“Sigh...If you’re happy, then I’m okay.”
Start of the semester
Just a few days had passed since then. I haven’t talked to my creditor again; Phii Johan didn’t message me, and I didn’t see the point in messaging him either. Only Phii Prang, Phii Johan’s secretary, added me on LINE, saying she would handle the accounting of my debt. If I wanted to pay back, I should tell her, or if Johan deducted my money again, she would keep a record because Johan is too lazy to remember.
Phii Prang was complaining a lot about being used, but there was nothing she could do because of the words ‘salary’ and ‘bonus’ hanging over her head.
Not much different from me, huh...T^T
MaPrang: Last time Jo deducted twice, six hundred and sixty-two baht, so that makes a total of one hundred ninety-nine thousand four hundred twelve baht and fifty satang.
MaPrang: It’s a lot, the numbers are scary. Don’t let it reach two hundred thousand, North.
North♣: Wait, how can you break it twice? I only remember once.
MaPrang: I don’t know, I’m going back to work. Study hard, I heard the second term has started. Good luck!
North♣: Yes, Phii~, TT
I told my three friends everything. They seemed troubled too, saying they wanted to help but I refused, and they teased me about my new phone. At first, they thought I had stolen it or found it and didn’t return it to its owner. But when I told them Phii Johan had thrown away my old phone and bought me a new one, they were all stunned.
“Our North’s friend has someone paying for him.”
“Should we call him ‘Daddy’ then? I feel like crawling to him on my knees, oh my.” I hate Skater’s teasing, can I throw him away?
“How mad does someone have to be to throw away someone else’s phone? And then buy a new one, that’s beyond words, especially when he threw away mine.” Said Duennao.
“I think there must be something...ever since he picked up North.”
“Enough with the teasing. No need to brew coffee for that animal.”
“Can’t not brew it now, your Ter is on your North-Johan boat, right? We’re here too, we’ll help row the boat.”
“You bastards, I’m about to fall off the boat.” I said before shaking my head slightly.
“Oh, so you admit there’s a boat now?”
“You guys!” Before I could complain any further, my phone rang.
Phii Tharn is calling...
“What’s up, Phii?”
(Today’s your first day at work, right?)
“Oh, yes, how did you know?”
(I asked Phii Chain, what time do you finish class today?)
“Around four o’clock.”
(Then I’ll pick you up, you study at the engineering building, right?)
“Yes, but the shop opens at six-thirty.”
(I could pick you up for dinner, is that okay?)
“Hmm? Yeah, that’s fine.”
(Study hard, and see you later.)
“Yes, you too.”
“Who was that?” Skater asked immediately after I hung up, his curiosity was piqued completely.
“Phii Tharn.”
“Which Phii Tharn?”
“The third-year business faculty student, he owns the cafe where I do part-time work.” I replied, “He’s going to pick me up and drop me off at my new workplace. He’s related to the shop owner.”
“Why would he pick you up? Normally, he doesn’t do that.”
“I don’t know, he said he would.” I said, pulling a slightly annoyed face.
“So how will you get back to the dorm? Will he wait until you finish work and then take you back?”
“Yeah, that’s what he said. If he doesn’t take me back, how else will I get back?”
“Is Phii Tharn hitting on my friend or what?” Skater said, “Choose between a second-year med student and a third-year business student, North.” and he held a pen to my mouth like he was conducting an interview.
“...”
I didn’t respond, just gave him an annoyed look. It felt familiar, like Ter had interrogated me like this before.
“North, look at this.” Skater whispered beside me while I was trying to study. Studying doesn’t last long anyway, just during the first week of the semester. Skater was always sneaking looks at his phone. I turned to look at the screen he was showing me.
“What?”
“Look at this.”
Cute Boy & Girl – MU – Posted a new photo 15 minutes ago
Hello everyone, the second day of the new semester! I’m so happy because now I’ll get to see my beloved more often, ><. Today, I want to introduce you to someone great from the Faculty of Medicine, Johan, second-year medical student. I’ve been posting a lot of his pictures lately because I’m totally smitten with this bad boy. And here’s the photo you asked for…How to take photos in Thailand that look like they’re from Korea, How to wear a student uniform in a way that looks like it’s a brand name. I can’t take it anymore, I’m about to faint, Johan, please step on me @JohanCt.
It’s a picture of Phii Johan wearing a not-so-tidy student shirt, with one side of the shirt out of his trousers, one hand holding the lab coat over his shoulder, the other hand in his pants pocket, his hair styled messily as if he’s just woken up, with an expression that seems to say he’s bored with the world.
“Caption is scary, please step on me.” Skater said. I nodded in agreement. Why step on me, because he’s so full of himself? Lately, the cute boy cute girl page has been posting pictures of Phii Johan a lot because the admin is heartbroken that Phii Hill already has a partner.
“The comments are terrifying too.” Skater said, scrolling through the comments for me to see.
: Oh my God, why is he so dangerously handsome? I fainted at the pose with the shirt over the shoulder.
: Phii Johan, I love you. If I were rich, I would buy you to live with me!
: Admin. You didn’t take a photo when he styled his hair too. At that time, I couldn’t handle it, I would have fallen over!
: Let’s campaign to keep Phii Jo single, to protect the faculty’s treasure with our lives. Just Phii Hill having a partner already broke my heart.
: How can someone be so handsome with his shirt out of his pants? If it’s not Phii Jo, it can’t be done! Looks like he just woke up but still so handsome, I give in.
: I like it, I want it, attaches a picture of a thousand baht bill
:. We probably can’t pay for Phii Jo because he’s richer than us, so instead, we’ll have Phii Jo pay for us, the wildest imagination in the world, LOL.
: Actually, that day Phii Johan was hanging out with me, sorry everyone, LOL.
:. At first, I wanted to complain about the unstyled hair, but looking at it again, it’s super handsome. I won’t complain anymore, I still love you though.
: Wow, nicely shot, the lighting is beautiful, and the model is also very good-looking.
“Each person, I think many people want to be in debt to him instead of you.” Said Skater.
“Wait, who would want to be in debt? You’re crazy.” I said, shaking my head lightly, “They need to experience what it’s like when he uses his sharp tongue on them like he does with me, then they’d want to take back every compliment they’ve ever given.”
“Not necessarily, he’s got that charm.”
“Really? With that attitude, girls would still like him?”
“You need to be handsome too.”
“End of story.” I cut Skater off, summing up that being handsome ends all arguments, no need for any other reason.
Before I turned my attention back to the board.
4:08 PM
I finished my last class. Everyone was filing out of the classroom just now when Phii Tharn sent a chat saying to wait in front of the faculty building; he was coming to pick me up. I’m not sure if I’m imagining it, but it seems like Phii Tharn is really making an effort to come for me. He’s been asking if I’m done yet, saying he didn’t want me to wait long.
“Is Phii Tharn picking you up?” Kyu asked.
“Yeah.” I nodded in response.
“If he does anything weird, call me.” Skater said with a hint of jest, causing me to tap his head once. He always talks nonsense like this, “Alright, we’ll head back first, don’t work too hard.”
“Yeah, yeah, see you tomorrow.” I waved goodbye to my three friends before we went our separate ways, and I went to sit on the marble table near the gear square.
Ding!
T-Than: Just finishing with a professor, I’m heading out now.
T-Than: Where are you?
North♣: I’m at the front of the faculty, near the gear square.
T-Than: Oh, really? That’s disappointing, I was going to be the one waiting for you, North.
North♣: Why wait? Haha
T-Than: Want to score some points, haha.
T-Than: Just kidding.
T-Than: I don’t like making others wait.
North♣: I can wait, I just finished.
T-Than: Okay, okay, I’m on my way, just wait a bit.
North♣: Sure.
North♣: Sends sticker
Heh, tell me I’m not overthinking this, T^T. He said he was joking. Yeah, he was joking. Try not to think too much about it, or else it’ll just feel awkward.
Dong!
What now? We just talked, didn’t we?
Johan: Where are you?
Oh...It’s Phii Johan texting me. When it’s this name in the chat, it doesn’t feel good at all. He’s not going to ask me to do something for him again, right? T^T
North♣: At the faculty.
Johan: Go buy coffee at the engineering faculty.
North♣: ?
North♣: The coffee at my faculty?
Johan: Yes.
North♣: Okay, and don’t tell me you want me to deliver it?
Johan: No.
Johan: I’ll come pick it up.
Pick it up...
What’s this all about now?
North♣: Pick it up for what?
North♣: I mean...I’m not free.
North♣: But I’ll buy the coffee for you.
Johan: Why?
North♣: Someone is already coming to pick me up.
Johan: Who?
Johan: Fuck it.
Johan: But if I go, I have to meet you.
North♣: Oh, Phii-
Johan: Go buy the coffee, I’m leaving now.
It’s like I’m talking to a wall!
What should I do now? Phii Tharn is already out, and Phii Jo is about to come out too, but it looks like Tharn will get here first since the medical faculty is on the other side. What should I do? I can’t split myself to go with both of them.
And can I choose anything? T^T
But right now, I need to go buy coffee first.
I walked into the area under the building, where there’s a coffee shop in the engineering faculty. They have a recommended menu called “Engineering Coffee.” not sure if it’s some special recipe or not. I ordered one cup.
While waiting for the coffee, I had to quickly tell Tharn that I couldn’t go with him. I had to choose the creditor first; that’s a big deal if I upset him. As for Phii Tharn, I guess we can talk it out.
And Phii Johan is the most self-centered creature in the world!
North♣: Tharn, sorry, but I can’t go with you anymore.
I decided to type out the chat and send it; calling wouldn’t work because he’s driving.
North♣: I have some business to attend to.
T-Than: Oh, how come?
T-Than: We already agreed, didn’t we?
T-Than: I’m just one traffic light away.
North♣: Really can’t this time, can we do it next time?
T-Than: Sigh, I rushed over because I didn’t want you to wait long.
North♣: I’m sorry, TT^TT
North♣: Sends sticker
T-Than: Alright, alright, next time let’s go eat together.
T-Than: Okay?
North♣: Sure.
T-Than: And how will you get to the shop?
North♣: I can go on my own today.
T-Than: Really? I could still give you a ride.
North♣: It’s okay, no trouble at all.
Before I could even finish talking with Phii Tharn, I heard the sound of tires screeching on the road, so loud it was painful to the ears, and then a luxurious sports car pulled up in front of the gear area. This is within the university, for God’s sake! Why the need to drift burn?
Johan: Get in.
Huh?! Don’t tell me this is Phii Jo’s car. Hey! That was too fast. Isn’t the medical faculty on the other side? Did he get here even before Phii Tharn, or could it be Phii Jo studies in another faculty building? No, that can’t be, all the medical students study over there.
I put my phone in my pocket and walked towards the luxury car that had just parked amidst the gazes of everyone at the faculty. Bringing such a fancy car because he likes it, and now he’s the center of attention, wow, such a fancy car.
I didn’t dare to touch it.
I opened the passenger door and got in as instructed.
“Here’s the coffee.” I said, handing over the coffee cup. Phii Johan took it and placed it next to the steering wheel, “Uh...where are we going?”
“Who was supposed to pick you up at first?”
“Phii Tharn, you probably don’t know him.” I answered truthfully. The phone in my pocket vibrated strongly; Phii Tharn must have sent another message.
“Hmm. Don’t know him.” Phii Johan said, his eyes glanced at the side mirror, started the car, turned the steering wheel, and the car moved off faster than I expected, startling me.
Oh my God, holy shit, the driving is terrifyingly bad!!
“And where were you going with him?” Phii Johan asked, his eyes still fixed on the road. I, sitting next to him, was starting to tense up, feeling like I might step on the brakes myself. I had heard Ter complain that Phii Johan drives terribly, and now I understand why.
“Just...going to eat.”
“...”
Phii Johan didn’t respond. I didn’t say anything either because I was too busy praying silently. Oh God, please help. I’m done, let me out, I suddenly thought of Phii Hill. Phii Hill drives very smoothly, smooth enough to fall asleep, but try falling asleep in Phii Jo’s car, and you’d surely fly out the window.
I didn’t even get a chance to look at the route, and the car stopped in front of a restaurant. Phii Johan turned off the engine and got out of the car. I had to follow, even though my legs were still shaking from fear.
“Are you going to eat?” I asked softly.
“Hmm. You said you were going to eat with Tharn.”
...?
Oh, he’s talking about when I said I was going to eat with Phii Tharn. I followed him into the restaurant, which was more ordinary than I expected. When I think of Phii Jo, I imagine an upscale restaurant, but this is fine, it’s much more relaxing.
“Isn’t the coffee at the medical faculty good?” I asked curiously when I saw the person in front of me drinking the coffee I bought.
“Hmm.”
“Usually, Hill takes me to eat like this. I didn’t think you’d like this kind of place too.” I said. Ter and I agreed that these ordinary places are better, mainly out of consideration.
“What has Phii Hill treated you to?”
“Just the usual stuff, a simple place like this, but he likes to stop for sweets too, only Ter bought them.”
“And you didn’t buy anything?”
“No. I felt bad about it.”
“That explains why the money in the card lasts longer.”
Huh?
What does that mean...
The money in the card lasts longer?
“Give me your phone.” Johan suddenly said. I tilted my head slightly in confusion.
“Sorry?”
“Your phone.”
“Yeah, what for?” Even though I asked that, I still had to hand my phone over to him. What could I possibly do to resist? T^T. Johan took it and started scrolling through my phone for a while.
But wait a minute, how can he use my phone with his fingerprint? When did he register his fingerprint?
“Where are you going?”
“Sorry?”
“He said he would drop you off.” Phii Johan handed me his phone to see a message from Phii Tharn stating he would drop me off at the shop.
“Oh...I’m going to my part-time job.”
“...” I felt awkward when suddenly Phii Johan seemed displeased. Sitting across from each other like this, with him being so quiet, made me even more uncomfortable. I was starting to get scared. Why was he so irritated?
“I’ve got a new part-time job. Phii Tharn is related to the shop owner, so he offered to drop me off.”
“And who is this Phii Tharn?”
“He’s the owner of the coffee shop where I work, sir.”
“Where’s this new place?”
“It’s called ‘Sold Out,’“ I answered softly, wondering why Phii Johan was questioning me so harshly.
“A bar?”
“Yes, do you know it?”
“Just a bit.” Phii Johan said before standing up from the table, paying the bill to the staff, and leaving without waiting for his change. When I followed him out, the staff handed the change to me instead.
“Are we going back now?” I asked after getting into the car. But why didn’t Phii Johan give back my phone yet?
“I’ll drop you off.”
“Drop me off? At the shop?”
“Back to the dorm.”
“You don’t need to go anywhere, you.”
T-Than: Are you going with Johan? Why didn’t you tell me? Did he threaten you or something? Where are you going?
T-Than: North, I can really drop you off at the bar. Don’t feel shy.
T-Than: I can also pick you up afterward; I’ve cleared my schedule.
T-Than: Let me know if anything happens.
T-Than: I’m waiting for you; I’m worried.
North♣: No need to worry.
T-Than: ...
T-Than: North?