[T/N] I apologize for grammar mistakes and incoherencies
Chapter 56: Our Story
They are entering the final stretch before the mid-term exams.
Counting from the day of the university's star and moon contest, they had exactly two weeks left to prepare for the exams. Pai didn't see much of a problem in preparing himself because he was attentive in classes (in sessions where there was content he didn't know before) and constantly reviewed before the exams. However, the bigger issue he faced was with Itt, who seemed to need more of his time.
If you ask whether he likes Itt, the answer would be that he likes Itt a lot.
He was once infatuated with Itt, but that was a long time ago. Back then, Itt saved him from a tight spot. He was being harassed by thugs on a bus, and that moment made him fall head over heels for the other, to the point where he almost lost his sense of self. At that time, he had just moved to a new school and was adjusting. He drew Itt into his life as a source of encouragement for going to school without realizing how dangerous it was to attach himself so deeply to someone. It wasn't long before he found out that Itt already had a girlfriend and they loved each other very much, which nearly shattered his world.
But it was funny that he was asked by a teacher at school to tutor the very person he was trying to get over.
They ended up getting close by accident, and the more he got to know Itt, the more he saw the good in him, and understood that the best he could offer Itt was his goodwill. After the tutoring sessions ended and Itt passed his exams, they didn't speak again. Normally, when they saw each other, they never greeted one another. He didn't plan to continue the relationship, to be honest, he didn't want to know much about Itt's love life. Although he said he had moved on, the wound from Itt took a long time to heal completely. Eventually, they both disappeared from each other's lives. He could only watch from afar and pray for Itt to have a good life.
It's unclear whether it's good luck or bad that Itt “came back” At this time.
Now, he isn't the same plain Pai who was blindly in love as before. He still has a lot of good feelings for Itt, but it's not a passionate feeling; rather, it's more calm and serene. Their relationship has matured. Both he and Itt have to adjust, learning to understand each other more rather than rushing into a relationship with childish emotions.
He believes in Itt, but he's not so confident in the surrounding circumstances.
He tries to adapt to Itt while also expressing his true self. He's looking for a balance between them that feels right. He doesn't have to force himself to be someone he's not, and both are learning more about each other. Itt has many options. He's unsure if Itt will understand the “empty space” in the middle of the relationship he desires. Judging by the personality of Itt's ex, Paeng, he doesn't really want to think too highly of himself. But regardless of how it ends, this time is still very valuable in his life.
“I've told you how many times already, when you substitute values into the formula, include the units too. When you cancel them out, you won't end up with the wrong unit in the final answer, huh, Itt.”
The voice of Pai grumbled like a bee-eating bear in their small study group of five: Pai, Wan, Itt, Pure, and Folk, who all gathered to study in Wan's room. Now, his roommate had already moved out to prepare for exams in another faculty. Compared to the size of the room, Wan's room was the largest (except for Pure's, but Pure still had a roommate). So, they all gathered here to study.
“It's too long, I'm too lazy to write it.” Itt mumbled but continued to work on the problem.
“Come on, I included the units, praise me a bit.” Wan interjected, sounding like he was teasing.
“Let me see the solution to check if it's right.” Pure said, reaching out for the old exam paper in his hand. Meanwhile, Folk was solving problems with a serious but calm expression.
“Alright, I'm done. Is it correct?” Itt spoke up after wrestling with a physics problem for a while.
“Pure is right. You're wrong.” Pai replied with a hint of annoyance, telling him to include units, which he didn't. In the end, he forced through to finish but still got it wrong.
“Damn, there goes my chance, I was hoping for a little reward if I got it right.” Itt said with a disappointed look, but it was clear he was just stirring trouble.
“Idiot.” Pai muttered in exasperation.
“Pai and Itt, you two seem really close, huh?”
Folk's voice rose as if to start a conversation, but that sentence made the whole group pause with mixed feelings. Itt turned to him for advice, Wan looked at Folk observantly. As for Pure, he was now pressing his pencil so hard into the test paper that the tip broke off.
“I'm heading out, just remembered I have an appointment.”
Pure stood up from the table, sweeping all his things into his bag, and walked out without looking at anyone. They hadn't even finished the first chapter, and the awkward atmosphere was already suffocating.
“Hey, wait up, Pure!” Itt immediately followed his close friend, almost right behind as the university dorm door closed after him.
“Itt, you didn't take your key card. You won't be able to get back in.”
Wan called out to his friend when he noticed that Itt didn't take his bag with him, probably just going to talk to Pure and would have to come back to the room again. But when Itt seemed not to hear, Wan grabbed the keycard and hurriedly followed him out.
“Is there something you want to talk to me about?”
Pai spoke up when now only he and Folk were left in the room.
“Sigh, I don't really know, man.” The other replied with a confused look.
“Folk, I don't know how close you are with the other guys in the faculty.”
“...”
“But out of the five of us sitting here just now, you're probably closest to me, right? You can tell me anything, dude. After all, you and I are friends.” He said.
“It's a long story.” Folk continued, looking perplexed.
“If everything's really bad, you can lean on my shoulder. I've always got one reserved for you.”
Pai spoke with a wide smile. Folk, now sitting a bit further away, started to have tears welling up in his eyes. He moved to sit next to Pai and rested his head on his shoulder. Pai felt he wasn't imagining things; he could feel the wetness on his right shoulder.
“I'm confused.” The person on his shoulder began after a long silence.
“Hmm.” He intentionally let the person in front of him vent out the bad feelings.
“How should I put this?”
“...”
“I should like you, like be into you.” Folk said, still with his face buried in his shoulder.
“But...”
“But I...”
“...”
“I accidentally...” Folk spoke hesitantly.
“...”
“...”
“You accidentally had sex with Pure.” Pai finished the sentence for him, seeing that the other was silent, unable to finish speaking.
“Pai!” The other called his name in shock.
“You wouldn't say it, so I helped you finish.”
“You knew...”
“Yep.”
“Never mind, it's something like that.” Folk said.
“You don't really like me, not now anyway.” He said when he noticed the other had gone quiet.
“Do I seem that fickle to you?”
“You might not realize that these days, your eyes don't look at me as often as they used to.”
“Really?”
“You probably know your eyes are searching for someone else.”
“...”
There was no response from the person still resting his head on his shoulder, as if seeking refuge. Folk remained silent, seemingly reflecting on many things in his mind.
“Folk. You're just confused.”
“...”
“You just feel like you like me, but one day you found yourself liking Pure instead.”
“...”
“You feel like you're a bad person. That you're terrible.”
“Uh-huh.”
“But in reality, when it comes to matters of the heart, there's no right or wrong, right?”
“I'm confused.”
“Folk”
“Uh-huh.”
“You can stop liking me, you know.”
“...”
“Everything you've told me. It's just between the two of us, right?” Pai continued when he saw the other didn't object.
“Uh, I didn't tell anyone.”
“So if you decide not to like me today, it's okay, right?”
“...”
“You're okay, I'm okay, then it's all okay, isn't it? Since it's just our thing.”
Click
The sound of the doorknob turning came as he finished speaking. When the door opened wide, it was none other than Itt who entered. The newcomer stared intently at Folk, who was leaning on his shoulder. The room fell silent for a moment; no words were spoken in that instant, from him who was lending his shoulder to Folk, from Folk who was still lost in his confusion, and from Itt who stood there frozen.
Could this be the story of a love triangle, as Itt once defined it?
Chapter 57: Game Theory
The atmosphere in the room was silent for a moment.
Pai, who was comforting his friend caught in a whirl of distress, seemed slightly startled when he saw the other person walk in. At that moment, Pai couldn't see Folk's expression, but what was clear was Itt's eyes; they seemed to reproach, his hand still on the doorknob as if undecided whether to step into the room or retreat and close the door as it was before.
“Itt. You don't have to go, just stay here with me.”
Pai finally spoke up when he saw Itt's demeanor, as if he was deciding to close the door and walk out. It seemed like Itt shot a glance of resentment for a split second, but he easily returned to sit down. Folk, who had propped himself up from his shoulder, sat back down normally. The little monkey wiped the tears from his face with his clean hands and then tidied his hair.
“Folk.”
Pai finally made his decision and spoke. Although his words were directed to the person sitting beside him, his gaze was fixed on another, as if he too had something to overcome.
Pai had always dreamed of standing beside the person who had helped him on that bus, but in truth, he had never imagined what would happen after standing here. What else did he have to accept and bear?
“Yes.” The little monkey replied, his voice much improved.
“Itt and I are flirting.”
Pai said after taking a deep breath. The relationship between him and Itt was known only to Wan. He wasn't fond of being in the spotlight or being the topic of conversation. Acknowledging this matter to others wasn't easy, but somehow, the boy who only clutched his dusty gown smiled genuinely from his heart. Today, he had decided.
“I've been preparing for this for a long time.”
Folk replied with a smile. Pai tried to read his eyes for signs of sadness but found none. As for the other, his initially sullen face had turned into a broad smile, his demeanor now lively, as if he were a different person from the one who had just shown resentment.
“You change moods quickly.” Pai chuckled.
“It's not related, knowing and understanding are different things, man.”
Folk continued casually, as if a good cry had relieved some of the pressure in his heart. Pai sighed in relief, Folk seemed to understand him well, and Itt showed no signs of anger.
“Hey, I'm telling you, Folk, you know now, right? Next time, I'm not letting you lean on Pai's shoulder anymore, I'm possessive.”
King Kong, the giant gorilla, spoke for the first time after returning to the room, acting like a child guarding his toy, which inevitably made Pai's face heat up as he tried to keep a straight face, but it wasn't very effective.
“Yeah, I'm heartbroken, man. Not like I was rubbing my head on your boyfriend's shoulder for fun.” Folk complained, not seriously, but the word 'boyfriend' made Pai, who had almost managed to regain his composure, blush again.
“Not my boyfriend. We're just flirting.” Pai quickly protested, his reaction making Itt even more cheerful.
“Your face is red now, your expressions and words don't match at all, haha.” Folk said with a relaxed demeanor.
“Not long now before we become boyfriends, Pai has softened up a lot.” Itt spoke to Folk as if Pai wasn't there.
“Yeah, hurry up and woo him, Pai has charm. Anyone close to him gets charmed.” Folk replied to Itt, also ignoring Pai's presence in the room.
“Oh, I said he's not my boyfriend.” Pai protested loudly, his face now as red as a baboon's butt.
“I was thinking the same, gotta make sure no one gets too close to him. Otherwise, it'll be chaotic.” Itt turned to nod approvingly at Folk's words.
“Watch out for those tigers, lions, buffaloes, and rhinos. With a university Moon like this, everyone wants to come and admire.” Folk said, pretending to analyze seriously.
“I've got a rifle ready. Anything that comes close, I'll shoot it down clean.” Itt declared with determination.
“Wow!”
“By the way, haven't you seen Wan?” Pai asked Itt, changing the subject.
“I saw him.”
Itt answered simply while grabbing a nearby soda can for a sip, the vice president of the university returning to his normal speech, seemingly tired of teasing the person in front of him.
“Huh, then where did he go?” Pai asked, confused.
“He got bored, so he went down to eat first. He'll come back up later.” Itt replied.
“Bored of what?” Pai continued, not understanding.
“We've been standing here listening to you guys in front of the room for a long time. Wan is lazy, so he went down to eat and said he'd let me summarize it for him later.” Itt said indifferently.
“Damn.” Folk exclaimed in surprise.
“I didn't want to disturb you, so I didn't come in.” Itt shrugged as he spoke.
“So you heard everything I said?” Folk's face turned red as he spoke.
“We only caught the part after you and Pure had your moment.” Itt replied nonchalantly.
“Damn.” This time it was Folk who was blushing.
“You're really shameless.” Pai scolded, but the person being scolded showed no sign of being bothered.
“I didn't want to choose, but there was something else going on, so I had to choose.” The King Kong man shrugged as he spoke.
“And if you were considerate, why did you open the door to come in?” Pai retorted teasingly.
“At first, I wasn't going to interrupt, but when you said it was about us two, I got annoyed, so I decided to come in and sit as a guard dog.”
“So what about Pure, what's next?” This time, it was Itt who asked with a more serious tone.
“Nothing.” Folk answered bluntly.
“Huh?” Pai said, not understanding.
“I can't stop it.” Folk said quietly. Although he tried to cover it up, his eyes still showed sadness.
“You two are equally bad, both you and Pure.” Itt said, shaking his head in annoyance.
“What do you mean?” Folk asked, not understanding.
“You're not clear, always having issues with Pai. And he's never serious, when will this ever end?” Itt complained from the other side of the table.
“Folk.” Pai said seriously.
“What?”
“Do you like Pure?” Pai asked again for confirmation.
“...”
“...If you want us to help, we'll help.”
“...”
“But if you're not sure, we won't interfere, because Pure is also my friend.” Pai continued, while the other remained silent.
“Hmm.” Folk acknowledged with a grunt.
“What does 'hmm' mean?”
Itt asked with a rather serious tone. It wasn't surprising that Itt would specifically seek confirmation from Folk, since Pure was also a close friend of Itt.
“Hmm, I like him.” Folk hesitated for a moment before finally speaking out.
“Itt, what do you think Pure thinks?” Pai turned to ask the close friend of the other party, seeing that Folk's attitude was clear enough.
“I know as much as you do.” Itt replied.
“Meaning you also think Pure has shown interest?” Pai pressed further.
“I guess so.” Itt answered.
“Wait, what are you guys saying?” Folk interrupted the conversation.
“Pure seems to be interested in you too.” Pai turned to reply.
“Really?” Folk's face turned slightly red.
“Yeah, are you dumb or just pretending? Didn't you notice when you were annoyed about Pai, Pure was so tense he broke the pencil lead in his hand?” Itt said, pointing at the pencil marks on the scratch paper that Pure didn't take with him.
“I saw him changing partners all the time.” The dental student responded quietly.
“So, Itt, are you going to help or not?” Pai asked the person sitting opposite him. Itt, who was Pure's friend. He didn't want to force the other to help Folk if he wasn't willing.
“I'm in, but if Pure starts to feel uncomfortable at any point, I'm out.” Itt said.
“Okay.” Pai acknowledged.
“And where the hell did Wan go, that bastard hasn't come back yet, what's taking him so long to eat?” Itt grumbled softly.
“Yeah, yeah, just let him be. If we need something, we'll ask him later.” Pai replied, knowing Wan's habits well.
“What should we do?” Itt asked, while Folk remained silent, listening to the others' opinions.
“We'll use game theory.” Pai said with a sly smile.
“What the hell is game theory?” Itt asked, puzzled.
“Damn. How can you not know what game theory is?” Pai complained.
“Pai, I don't know it either.” Folk said quietly.
“Alright, alright, let me explain it simply first.” Pai said.
“Ah.” This time it was Itt who responded.
“See, right now, Pure doesn't need to choose, right? Because whether he has someone or not, you'll still have sex with him.” Pai turned to Folk with a neutral expression.
“Me?” Folk started to deny, but couldn't quite finish his sentence.
“Don't lie to me. You're still having sex with Pure, aren't you?” Pai turned serious.
“Well, uh...” Folk stammered.
“Well?” Pai pressed.
“Sometimes it's just an accident.” Folk said, blushing slightly.
“There you go. If you keep acting like this, Pure doesn't need to choose, because whether he's with someone or not, you'll still go along with him.” Pai continued as if explaining a math equation from a textbook.
“And how does this relate to the game thing you mentioned?” Itt asked.
“Game theory, it's about people's decision-making. People choose the option that benefits them the most in different situations.” The scheming strategist explained.
“Ah.” Folk acknowledged.
“So, Pure won't choose because right now he's already getting the maximum benefit.” Pai explained further.
“And what should I do then?” Itt asked, still not understanding.
“First, Folk you have to force it to choose.” Pai continued.
“Okay.” Folk exclaimed.
“You need to stop giving in to him so easily, Folk. You have to make it clear that if he wants you, he has to be serious. If he’s not serious, you absolutely must not give in. This way, the situation where he benefits the most won't be the same anymore. Meaning, if he still wants to move forward with you, he has to be serious about you, choose only you.” Pai said simply, while Folk's face now turned as red as a ripe lychee.
“I...” Folk started, unsure of what to say next.
“Sounds fun.” Itt smiled with interest.
“Follow this, Folk, do not soften your heart for him. If he's not serious about you!” Pai concluded seriously.
Chapter 58: The Honorary Pillow
Knock, knock.
“Come in, the door isn't locked.”
Before Pai could finish speaking, the door swung open, and the ever-clingy engineering moon slipped into the room as if he belonged there. It was Sunday, and Itt had asked to come study at his place. After yesterday, when studying at Wan's room yielded almost no progress because they were busy plotting about Folk.
“Missed you so much, Pai.”
Pai, who was about to drink some water, nearly choked, almost spitting water out of his nose. Itt, in casual wear, greeted him with a sweet, sincere tone. When it's just the two of them, he doesn't stop flirting, does he?
“How far have you read?” Pai asked, ignoring the previous comment.
“Can't focus on reading, keep thinking about you.”
The King Kong man sat down at the Japanese table across from him. Itt showed no intention of picking up his book, just sat there, chin in hand, staring at him.
“Funny.”
“It's not funny at all.” The other person said with a smile.
“Then you better pick up that book and start reading. If you fail, I'll scold you.” He said while reaching for his bag to rummage for a sheet, then pulled it out and set it up for reading.
“Can't I just sit and look at your face for a bit? It's rare we get to be alone together.” Itt said, not paying attention to the sheets arranged in front of him.
“Don't lie. I go back and forth to the university with you every day, and we eat almost every meal together. I see your face more often than I see myself in the mirror.”
He grumbled continuously, his mouth never still. At first, he thought having someone close would be more awkward, but once Itt really inserted himself into his life, he didn't feel awkward at all. In fact, it seemed to make him feel better.
“See, you can't concentrate on reading when someone else is around.” Itt said with sweet, pleading eyes.
“Then you have to promise that when we go back, you'll study.” He asked.
“Promise.”
After saying that, King Kong easily lifted the Japanese table in front of them with both arms, then turned to place it in another corner of the room. Now, it was just the two of them facing each other. Itt slowly lay down, resting his head on his lap, their eyes locked as if magnetically drawn together.
“It's been a week now, have you softened up to me yet?”
The person lying on his lap asked with a smile. Pai gently stroked the other's face, as if wanting to confirm that what he saw was real.
“If you talk too much, I'll take my lap back.” Pai complained, not too seriously.
“I won't let that happen, your lap is too comfy.”
Itt said, acting like a child guarding a toy, both hands clutching his knees tightly as if he would never get up from this honorary pillow. Seeing this, Pai reached out to ruffle his hair, messing up the neat hairstyle of King Kong with playful mischief.
“Itt, you know I've liked you for a long time too, right?” He was the one to ask this time.
“I can only guess, you never told, and I didn't dare to ask.”
A former rival reached out to gently hold his hand as he was stroking his sharp jawline on his lap. Then, Itt took his hand and placed it on his own chest.
“You once saved me from some thugs on the bus, but you probably don't remember.” Pai began.
“Hmm.” The person on his lap responded with a curious tone, his beautiful eyebrows slightly furrowed.
“Back then, I snuck onto the bus to go home, but I ran into some thugs who thought I was a student from their rival school. They took my belt buckle, and then you came to save me.”
“I don't remember at all.”
“How could the school prince remember a plain new kid, right?”
Pai said with a smile, gently running his free hand over the eyebrows of the person on his lap, smoothing out the frown with his fingertips.
“Does this mean I missed my best chance?” The person in front of him asked.
“You're lying on my lap right now. Did you forget something?” Pai countered.
“Mmm, so happy.” Itt said, squeezing his hand that was held against his chest.
“Mmm.” He responded simply.
“I don't want to wait for 30 days anymore. I want to ask you to be my boyfriend starting today.” Said the person lying on his lap, squeezing his hand gently and looking up with sweet, clear eyes and a smile.
“Really?” Pai teased back, slightly lifting the corner of his mouth. “Just saying that?”
“I won't stop, or else you will think I can't keep my word, how will I take care of you in the future?”
“Why ask yourself if you can't do it? Hmm.” He reached out to pinch the prominent nose of the person on his lap in annoyance.
“Wow, do you know how much courage I had to gather to invite you to the club room that day?”
“Don't know, don't care to know.” Pai replied, deliberately teasing.
“That's so mean. I've gone and fallen for a cruel person. What should I do now?” Itt said mockingly with a wide smile.
“Just stop loving me then. Who's stopping you?” He said while running his other hand over the shoulder area of the engineering student playfully.
“Pai.” The person on his lap spoke while taking the hand that was restlessly moving, making it still.
“What?”
“Pai, you are making me... feel hot.” The person on his lap said, deliberately emphasizing the word 'hot' clearly.
“That's your problem. Not mine at all.” Pai said, intentionally flicking the hand he was holding in a teasing manner.
“Right now, it's still my issue, but if it gets any hotter, it'll become your issue too.”
Itt spoke, casting a gaze filled with various emotions towards him, and once again, the temperature on his face surrendered to those eyes.
“Did Sister Aom call?” Pai's voice broke in as he sensed the conversation was becoming dangerously ambiguous.
“Aom?” The person on his lap repeated as a question.
“The woman who's the club president we met during the star and moon contest.” The owner of the soft lap answered.
“No, she didn't. Did she call you?” Itt asked, bringing the other's hand to nestle it against his neck.
“Yeah. She said that for this year's university open house, they want the top three stars and moons to perform on stage. I thought she would have called you by now.” Pai explained.
“Not yet. Maybe a runner-up moon like me isn't as important as the university's moon like you, Pai.” Itt said, pretending to be upset, but his eyes sparkled with mischief.
“Smart mouth.” The university moon said, almost scolding.
“Want to taste?” Itt teased, rubbing Pai's hand against his own lips.
“Damn it!”
Pai cursed lightly in frustration as his attempt to change the subject failed, and that clean hand then pinched the talkative lips out of slight annoyance.
Chapter 59: Amber Color
“Hello.”
Pai heard a familiar voice while sitting in the cafeteria, early in the morning of the last week before exams. When he looked up, he saw that the owner of the voice was none other than the handsome dental student, Folk. Even though today his expression was notably disheveled, it had to be admitted that he looked very handsome today. Today, this mischievous monkey seemed to have styled his hair meticulously, causing girls to turn their heads as he walked into the cafeteria.
“You look grumpy today.” Pai greeted me.
“Yeah, feeling down.” Folk complained as he slumped into a seat at the table. This morning, the engineering faculty had classes in their own building, so Itt had left early after breakfast because it was close to exam time. Being late to class might mean he couldn't keep up with the content. As for Wan, he was probably stuck in traffic; on a Monday morning like this, his close friend drove from home, not from the dorm like other days.
“What are you down about?” He asked.
“Same old thing.”
The other guy grumbled, his gaze drifting towards a group of girls who were sneaking glances at him. When Folk caught their eyes, they quickly looked away, giggling. He turned back to scrutinize the other's face closely. What had Folk done today? Why did he have such a special aura?
“You didn't shave, huh?”
Pai asked when he figured out what was different about Folk today; he hadn't shaved his beard. The stubble around his jawline was slightly more pronounced, but instead of making him look unkempt, it gave him a more serious, mature look. The once clean-faced kid now appeared as a fair-faced young man with neatly styled hair and a hint of sexy stubble.
“Yeah, totally forgot.” Folk said, rubbing his face as if just realizing it.
“Looking rugged like this suits you, man. The girls are all looking.” Pai teased with a chuckle.
“Too late to change my mind now, dude. Itt would come and beat me up, haha.”
“Folk.”
A loud voice called from behind him. Pai turned around and saw the source of the voice, none other than Pure. Today, Pure had a new haircut, changing from his banyan tree hairstyle to a shortcut resembling a high fade, with the sides neatly shaved and set with shiny hair gel, pointing upwards, complementing the short buzz on the sides of his head and his usual cross-shaped earrings.
“How's Folk's new look?” Pai thought. Pure's new look was just as handsome.
“Hello.” Folk looked up briefly at Pure, greeted him, and then returned his attention to his mobile phone.
“Why greet if you're not going to respond?” Pure asked with an irritated tone.
“I'm not on LINE.” Folk replied without looking up from his phone.
“But you're still posting statuses on Facebook.”
The aura of dissatisfaction from Pure grew more evident. Pai started looking for an escape route. Right now, he really wished Itt was here to help manage the situation, but unfortunately, he wasn't around at this moment.
“Oh, well, I'm on Facebook, not LINE.”
Folk looked up with a response that was unusual for him. Today's Folk wasn't the ever-smiling, cheerful person he usually was. He seemed annoyed, speaking curtly and provocatively, which, if Folk was occasionally like this, wouldn't be an issue, but not with Pure right now, who was already a hot-tempered person. Faced with Folk's apparent disinterest, Pure seemed like a volatile substance ready to explode.
“Come outside and settle this with me.”
Pure said as he grabbed Folk's arm, trying to pull him to stand up. The situation with his dear friend Itt seemed to be reaching a boiling point. Pure tried to control his emotions and pull the person in front of him to a quieter place.
“Enough, Pure. If you keep this up, I think I'll back off. Dragging this on will just make things worse for everyone.”
Folk spoke with a voice that was cold and serious, yet sharp. If he hadn't known the backstory, he might have thought “this” referred to the hot temper. But after that kid cried to him last Saturday, Pai understood what “this” really meant.
“Let's settle this outside.”
Pure refused to comment further but insisted on taking the conversation outside to a more private space. He didn't use force on Folk, but from the way he wouldn't let go of his arm, his intention was clear through his touch.
“Let go of Folk right now!”
A cool, decisive voice came from behind Pure and Folk, but in front of Pai. The newcomer was someone Pai didn't recognize at all. He looked at the owner of the voice, puzzled. The person in front of him was dressed in a short lab coat embroidered with the logo of the country's top international hospital, a neat shirt, and an air of dignity that suggested he was already working. His elongated face with flawless white skin stood out brilliantly among the surrounding onlookers. At that moment, Folk turned towards the source of the voice, before exclaiming in barely concealed surprise:
“Fiat!”
Chapter 60: Door Opens
Folk could only press his lips together, feeling uncomfortable.
“Folk!”
Pure's voice rose as he looked at him with confusion. His gaze shifted between the newcomer and Folk, back and forth, his eyes clearly conveying a sense of reproach.
He was speechless, wanting to say something but unable to find the words.
The newcomer now directed a stern look at him, as if conveying a sharp command through those eyes. He could only sigh deeply. Pure slowly loosened his tight grip on his arm before turning his back and walking away from Pai in the end.
“Fiat, what's up?” He turned to ask the fully dressed professional.
“Is this the one you told me about?”
The center of attention at this moment spoke as he sat down beside Folk, looking around. He noticed many eyes in the cafeteria were on them. The scene just now must have given people quite a bit to imagine.
“Yeah.” He replied in a bored tone.
“Hello.” came a voice from the other side of the table.
“Fiat, this is Pai, a friend from university, studying in the Faculty of Medicine.” He introduced his friend.
“Hello.” The newcomer said, with a slight smile.
“Pai, this is Fiat, my brother. He's now working as a hospital pharmacist.” Folk said.
“Oh.” Pai responded, somewhat confused.
“Yeah, my real brother, my actual brother.”
Folk continued, while Fiat broke into a wide grin as if pleased, his expression briefly showing confusion before returning to his usual neutral face.
“What are you doing here?” He asked his brother, who was sitting confidently and showed no sign of leaving.
“You left your sheet in the car, and since you're not going home this week, I walked it over for you, in case you need it.”
His brother handed him something he had just noticed in his hand. He reached out to take it, thanking him softly, thinking how typical it was to forget it at such a crucial moment. He tried to make it clear that he didn't like Pai anymore. He had arranged for Itt to tell Pure that Pai had talked about Itt to him, and he was aware. The rest of the plan was for him to stay firm and wait until Pure couldn't stand his indifference and would decide to stop for him.
But it seemed the plan was failing; Pure's reproachful look when he saw Fiat just now made him realize that the distance between them hadn't closed at all. Pure had just shifted his annoyance from Pai to Fiat instead.
“How's it going with Pure?” The voice asked as soon as he managed to send his brother back to work.
“He's been messaging me ever since that day.” ‘That day’ refers to the day he cried and leaned on the shoulder of a university senior in front of him.
“And what did you do?” The other asked.
“Nothing. Didn't reply. Didn't talk, like you said. I went home early on Saturday evening, so if he came to the dorm, he wouldn't find me.” Folk replied.
“Did he message asking you to meet him?” The question was asked more softly, out of consideration.
“Something like that.”
He replied with a reflective tone. After their one-night stand, Fold continued to have fleeting encounters with Pure, like an addiction hard to quit. Time and again, his resolve crumbled under the pleading voice and those eyes, feeling more pathetic each time he thought about it. Folk turned away so Pai wouldn't see the sadness he couldn't quite hide in his eyes.
“Do you think he'll misunderstand your brother?”
Pai's voice broke in. After being heartbroken by the other, they switched to using more casual pronouns, “you” And “me.” He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt they had become much closer friends.
“Would there be any left?” He responded with a sigh.
“Come on, I'll subtly explain it to him when I get the chance.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Don't lose heart yet, man. The plan's just starting, stay cool, buddy.” Said Pai, the wise doctor, with a comforting smile.
“I'm kinda letting go already.” Folk said with a sigh.
“Chill, he's jealous of you, which means he must have some feelings, right?”
“If only that were true. I'm afraid he might just be like a dog guarding a bone.” He spoke while turning his gaze outside the cafeteria, letting his thoughts drift far away.
“Tonight, Karn is throwing a birthday party at the bar next to the university. Both Pure and Itt are going. Are you coming? I'll get Itt to casually invite you to join us. You've met Karn at the leadership camp before. It shouldn't be awkward.” Pai proposed his plan.
“Would that be okay, Pai? I'm starting to feel tired, man. Maybe someone like me isn't suited for someone like him.”
Folk spoke with a tone of resignation. Both he and Pure seemed to live in different worlds. Forcing it might work for today, but what about the future? How far could a relationship filled with such differences really go?
“It's up to you.”
“...”
“...”
“Alright, I'll go. What do I need to do? Tell me.”
He finally decided to respond, seeing the efforts of Itt and Pai to help, and he wanted to give it another try. If it really wasn't working out, he would be the one to let Pure go himself.
…
“Hey, Folk, what are you doing here?”
A familiar voice greeted him against the backdrop of the non-stop music in the bar. Itt called out to him from a table not far from the stage. Itt had arranged for him to pretend to drink alone at the bar counter to relieve stress, and then the other would find a moment to drag him over to the table. He feigned surprise for authenticity, his eyes sweeping the area only to spot someone who nearly drove him mad at that moment, the owner of the familiar cross-shaped earrings.
“Oh, Itt, what are you doing? I thought I'd come for a drink, stressed about exams.”
He responded according to the script he had long prepared. Pure, who was picking up a glass of liquor, glanced at him briefly before looking away indifferently, a behavior that made him want to turn around and leave the bar right then.
“Hey, Folk, come sit with us. It's my birthday, I'll treat you to a bottle of liquor. We'll split the rest, interested?”
Karn, the freshman class president of the engineering faculty, invited him with good social skills. He scanned the table and saw three people he didn't know.
“Sure.”
He spoke casually, squeezing into the table. Itt maneuvered himself to create space between him and Pure on the sofa. Pure looked at him silently without saying anything. He too sat down in the empty spot without a word.
“Cheers!”
Folk's voice blended with the clinking of glasses in the small drinking circle consisting of 7 people: Karn, the birthday boy; Itt, his former rival; Pure, whom he couldn't stand; three other engineering friends of Karn's he didn't know; and himself, Folk, a dental student now inexplicably sitting with engineering students.
“Let me clink glasses.”
A voice rose as a glass was extended towards him. Turning, he saw one of the guys in the group he didn't recognize, offering to clink glasses with him.
“My name is Folk.” He replied, clinking glasses before taking a sip of the amber-colored drink. The liquor in the glass wasn't strong at all; Itt had poured it for him, probably intending not to let him get so drunk that their plans would be ruined.
“My name is Jet.” The other person said, gently clinking glasses before introducing himself. Jet was good-looking, about a seven, not overly so, more in a clean-cut way like a well-kept student. Perhaps it was because he was surrounded by handsome guys like Itt, Pure, Wan, and Pai that made it hard for him to see others as particularly attractive. Even when he glanced at Jet, Pure was still in his line of sight, sitting at the far end of the sofa, blocking his view of Jet.
“Are you studying dentistry?” Jet's voice came again with a question. After smiling and not paying much attention, Folk turned back when he realized Jet was asking him. The first thing he saw before Jet was Pure's expression, which was now souring as if in a bad mood.
“Yes, how did you know?” Folk responded, looking down at his clothes in confusion. He had changed into private clothes because Itt had instructed him to try to look good to make Pure feel a bit jealous. He had even driven back to the dorm to change into a slim-fit shirt, slim-cut slacks, styled his hair anew, and shaved cleanly. Truth be told, he wanted to look even better, but he couldn't figure out how. The best he could do was to keep his hair neat and tidy.
“I know, Folk, the dentistry student, the owner of the most romantic short story at the moon contest.” Jet said with a broad smile.
“Oh.” Folk responded, understanding.
“I cheered for you, Folk. During the moon contest, I got tired of cheering for Itt; his face is already annoying enough.”
“Wow, thank you very much.”
“Your drink is empty, Folk. Let me pour you one. I'm known as the number one drink mixer in the engineering faculty.”
Jet reached out for his glass. Folk glanced at Itt for advice, but saw that he was talking to Karn, who was sitting further away. Thus, Folk had no choice but to hand his glass to Jet, not wanting to be rude.
“Thank you.”
Folk took the glass back, tried a sip, and found that the liquor Jet mixed was very strong. He didn't know if the other intentionally made it strong, or if engineering students usually drank it this strong, but before he could decide, Jet clinked glasses with him again and urged him to finish the drink.
“I'll drink it myself.”
The person sitting between them didn't say much but grabbed the glass of liquor Jet had mixed from his hand assertively. Pure clinked glasses with Jet and downed the liquor in one gulp, just as Jet had initially encouraged him.
That Pure...
“Pure, I mixed that for Folk, not you.”
Jet's voice protested loudly when Pure took the glass from his hand and downed it. Folk turned to look at the instigator, but the other showed no expression. Pure's hand returned the glass, now only containing ice, with a neutral face.
“He came alone. No need to let him drink anymore. He won't be able to drive back.” Said Pure.
“If he's drunk, I can drive him. I won't get drunk anyway.” Jet continued, his tone slightly irritated.
“And why are you messing with Folk? He came alone, let him go back alone.” Pure argued back.
“What's your problem, man, Pure?” Jet complained.
“My business.” Pure replied with a completely straight face.
“Is your exam coming up, Folk?” Jet changed the subject back to him after getting nowhere with Pure.
“He said he's stressed about the exam, that's why he's drinking. If it wasn't close to the exam, why would he be stressed?”
The response didn't come from him but from the person sitting between him and Jet. Pure answered with a slightly provocative tone but a calm face. He swallowed hard, fearing the irritation radiating from the person next to him.
“I'm asking Folk.” Jet retorted.
“I wanted to answer for him.” Pure shot back, not backing down.
“Jet, want anything else to eat? I'm thinking of ordering some fried chicken tendons, this place makes them really good.”
The voice of the person to his right interrupted the conversation. After Folk tugged at Itt's shirt sleeve, seeking help, Itt turned for just a moment and understood the situation. The engineering student then interjected abruptly:
“Uh, I dunno either.” Jet replied to Itt, looking puzzled.
“I wanna eat fried larb too. Are you eating? I'll order some, but I might not finish it alone.” Itt continued with a straight face, seemingly oblivious to the tense atmosphere emanating from Pure.
“Yeah, sure, order it. I'll help eat.” Jet responded.
100%PURE: Return
His phone, set to silent but vibrate, buzzed in his pocket like someone was trying to reach him. Folk pulled out his phone from his trouser pocket and saw that the message on the green chat app was from none other than the sullen-faced guy sitting next to him.
100%PURE: Return
The first time the message came through, he only glanced at the notification on his lock screen before putting the phone back in his pocket. Moments later, the darn phone vibrated again. He took it out to see the same message from the same person.
100%PURE: Return
Pure sent the message for the third time when he saw no response. Folk looked at him, confused, but said nothing. Why bother with someone who never took anything seriously with him?
“Karn, I'm heading out first. Got class tomorrow, don't wanna miss it with exams coming up.” Folk finally decided to tell the birthday boy.
Truth be told, he didn't intend to obey Pure's wishes, but he was bored. Especially sitting next to someone with a constant scowl. It wasn't fun anymore.
“Yeah, go get some sleep, your faculty must be tough.” Karn replied casually.
“Good luck, man.”
Folk stood up from the sofa and gave a small wave to everyone around as a farewell. He had only one drink, which was very diluted by Itt. He could drive without any issues.
“I'm leaving too.” Pure said, making a move to follow him out.
“Hey, Pure, why are you returning back so early?” Asked another friend in the group, whose name Folk didn't know.
“Sleepy.” Pure replied curtly.
“You, sleepy, Pure? It's only 10 PM. Since when do you sleep before 2 AM?” Kan asked loudly.
“Yeah, I didn't sleep last night.” The sullen-faced person said before walking out from the drinking table without asking for permission. Truthfully, Pure should have told them he wanted to hitch a ride back to the dorm, but he was too lazy to argue in front of others for no good reason. In the end, he couldn't really refuse anyway. They both walked to the car without saying a word. Folk glanced at Pure, with a tired feeling towards Pai and Pure, even though his feelings were similar, they were very different.
Pai was always clear with him, straightforward, always telling him what could or couldn't be done. Importantly, Pai always gave him respect whenever he expressed his feelings clearly. So, he could pursue Pai wholeheartedly, without feeling uneasy, knowing at least that his efforts had value, even if they might end in rejection.
But with Pure, it was almost the opposite. Their relationship started with physicality before feelings. Of course, that night wasn't a mistake; it was consensual on both sides. But after that day, everything was unclear. Sometimes Pure acted jealous, other times he didn't care. Importantly, Pure was still seeing different women, so where did that leave him?
“Got something to say?” He asked once they both got into the car.
“Nothing.” Replied the person sitting in the passenger seat.
“Didn't you say this morning you wanted to clear things up with me? Here I am, ready. Let's clear it up.” Folk said decisively. He would do as Pai advised, give it a try, and if it wasn't meant to be, he could finally say goodbye.
“Why didn't you answer my calls?” Pure started.
“In what capacity should I answer?” Folk shot back, as if he had the response ready.
“...”
“...”
“As Folk, of course.” Pure answered after a pause.
“Is this 'Folk' like a sex partner or what?” He asked back, his tone barely concealing his sadness.
“I'm sick of being just your fuck buddy, Pure.” He continued when the other remained silent.
“I admit, the first day we did it, I was happy. I thought it was just physical. You were happy, I was happy, everything was win-win.”
“...”
“But now, I don't think it's like that anymore.” Folk added, while Pure remained as quiet as ever.
“...”
“I'm not happy anymore.” Folk emphasized again.
“Why?” Pure softly asked.
“Have you never thought about how I feel after we're done? You walk out of my room, and when I look at myself in the mirror, how do you think I feel?”
Yes. He felt disgusted with himself every time he thought he was just an object to satisfy the sexual desires of the person in front of him. He was utterly repulsed by the thought of being just an empty, soulless vessel.
“Did I hurt you that much?” The other murmured reflectively.
“You didn't hurt me; I'm the one hurting myself.”
The sound of the engine grew slightly louder as the driver pressed the accelerator, taking both of them away from the parking lot. The atmosphere inside the car was completely silent, with only the faint sound of the air conditioning diluting the quietness. One man focused his gaze on the road ahead, while the other stared out through the window at the vast sky.
The long hand of the clock hadn't even completed twenty rounds when the vehicle brought them to the familiar dormitory of the driver. Folk turned off the engine and stepped out of the car without a word, and the other followed suit. They walked towards the dormitory in silence. When Folk turned around, he saw the owner of the vivid tattoo he was so used to seeing following him. He didn't ask what the other wanted; Folk decided to head back to his room without any questions between them.
“Fortunately.”
Folk's voice was heard as he opened his room door and was about to close it to bid farewell to the man who had walked him to his room.
“Wait.” The person in front of him exerted force with his hand to prevent the door from closing.
“What is it?” Folk asked.
“...” Pure didn't speak but tried to push the door to wedge himself inside.
“Enough, Pure.” Folk said while still resisting to keep the door from opening further.
“Why?” Pure's voice asked.
“I can't keep going with these one-night stands anymore.” Folk replied, barely containing his sadness.
“...”
“Pure.” Folk spoke after a moment of silence.
“...”
“I like you, but...” He continued.
“But…” Pure echoed the word.
“But I can't remain just your bedmate for life.” Folk finally said with difficulty.
“So what do you want me to do?”
“If you still want to come into this room, you have to enter my world, start anew with me the way it should be.”
“You mean you'll be my boyfriend?”
“Maybe... If you still want to pass through this door.”
Those eyes he had seen countless times now gazed at him in a way he couldn't understand, the pink lips he had kissed, the broad shoulders he had hugged, the hands he had held, and the captivating abdomen he had caressed; everything remained vivid in his memory, never fading.
No words came from the mouth of the person who was both his classmate and bedmate.
Pure slowly but firmly stepped back, the owner of the cross-shaped earrings released his force, finally letting go. There were no more attempts to force his way into his world.
A familiar hand reached out to grasp the doorknob and pulled until his room was completely shut. Actions spoke louder than any words could, a million times over.
He left and it seemed to have taken his heart with it.
The sound of the closing door was like a nail in the coffin of their relationship.
The cross that once was familiar was no more.
Pure had closed the door on his world, just as he had chosen to leave his entire world behind.
As if the sound of this closing door would be the shattering of his heart into pieces beyond repair.
It was over.
Everything had truly ended.
“Folk, it's me.”