[T/N] I apologize for grammar mistakes and incoherencies
Chapter 04: The Fourth Bed.
The first week of the moon star gathering has passed by joyfully. Everyone is becoming close knit, dining together for twenty four and a half hours a day for a week. As for Saturdays and Sundays, it’s free style. Anyone who wants to go home can do so, whether they want to return to their own dormitory or stay in the moon dormitory.
“Nuea.”
“Oh, what’s up, Phaepaeng?” The person who just finished drinking fruit juice smiled widely at the Communication Arts star. Recently, Phaepaeng has been talking a lot with Nuea, especially chatting incessantly. Some days, he even separates chat messages to ask Phaepaeng to take him to Seven Eleven. The conclusion is that Daonuea is teased by his friends that he is dating Phaepaeng and Maithee is left sulking because he can’t compete with Phaepaeng to flirt with Nuea.
“Nuea, are you going home today?”
“Oh, no. I am not going back. My parents are in Germany, and my brother isn’t likely to return to the condo... He’s probably busy at the clinic.”
“Is your brother a doctor, Nuea?”
“yeah.”
“Is he really a doctor, Nuea?”
“You’re nosy, huh, Maithee.” At first, Maithee was speaking politely and a bit formally with Daonuea, but later they started teasing each other to the point where the dorm almost exploded, so they became close friends. It’s comfortable for both of them. Most recently, Maithee teased Daonuea by sneaking into the bathroom when Daonuea was taking off his shirt, without thinking much about it.
It turned out that Daonuea’s white body made Maithee blush... His face turned red, and his friends teased him for days.
“Turn your face away.”
“I miss you, I’ll go home soon.”
“Go wherever you want, I don’t care. You like teasing me.” Maithee, with his chin resting on Daonuea’s shoulder, made him annoyeds. Phaepaeng who looked like she was not in the frame coughed so hard causing the guys to pay attention back to her.
“Nuea, can you drop me off at home?”
“...Uh, well, I’m not going home, but I have an appointment. Sorry,
Phapaeng.”
“Hey, I am Thee and I am going back so I can drop you.”
“Okay, then.” Phaepaeng muttered quietly before getting up and walking away to collect her belongings. Maithee on his shoulder indicated to Daonuea that women are like this—they can never do anything, they are like mothers.
“Hey, Nuea, is your husband coming to pick you up?”
“Yes.”
So, do you really have a boyfriend?”
“Just wait and ask him yourself, he is probably close.”
“Milk.” The soft sound that echoed interrupted every conversation. Tingting giggled, greeting Khabkluen. This person is both fierce and silent, simultaneously nervous. It depends on the mood, unpredictable each day.
Some days he withdraws, some days he engages in intentional activities.
He’s a confused guy, lost in thought.
Khabkluen placed fresh milk right in front of Daonuea, the owner of the face. With a cheeky smile and raised eyebrows, he poked at the person standing in front of him. Today, Kluen wore a gray winter jacket with bold green stripes resembling a football jersey. He wore loose brown trousers and a plaid shirt. The round glasses he wore recently became his signature because friends voted that he looked cooler and less grumpy with them on.
So, he had no choice but to wear them.
“Thank you.”
“Wow, how do you get home?”
“I’m staying here. Not going home, but I’ll go out with Ne later.”
“Narakorn]”
“Ne Narakorn. Do you know him?”
“We’re in the same school.” Nuea remained silent because he was afraid Kluen might catch on. The awkwardness was palpable, so Khabkluen took the initiative to break the ice.
“Where are you going, Kluen?”
“Paragon and then to the condo.”
“With your girlfriend?”
“With Georgia.”
“Oh, the girl who often comes to see you. Have you been dating for a long?” Despite not knowing, Khabkluen somehow knew that he liked her. He couldn’t pretend not to pay attention and listened carefully to every word.
He’s a decisive and straightforward guy.
Not answering that it’s with a girlfriend, but saying it’s with Georgia... there was pain in the top left corner of the heart.
“Butt off.”
“Ah? You always cuss me all the time.”
Ne is already here, Nuea.” Ting poked the person drinking milk who looked like he was about to die from surprise.
Maithee turned to look at the person walking down from the black BMW, and even though he dressed casually with a white T shirt and jeans, the brand on his car indicated his status very well... Moreover, the closer he walked like this, the more suspicious he became.
Why the hell didn’t you become the Moon? Dammit.
“You don’t have to run, Nuea.”
“Ne, Ne, Ne~” Go over there, Daonuea.
Daonuea ran four hundred times faster to meet his close friend. Last week, he didn’t go to school because of moon activities, so he will go to school next week. He only talked to Ne through Line or called him when he thought about it.
“I miss you, I’m crying, look at my tears.” Squeezing the tears to show when jumping to hug his friend and grabbing his waist like a baby monkey. Noen’s pose. Bored first before stopping and greeting Tingting who was standing under the Moon building, asking if she’s embarrassed. Well, she is. Everyone in the building can see it. In this particular spot, Daonuea has truly become someones’ wife.
But what the fuck. They have known each other since high school.
“Are you that happy to hug even though your real crush is looking from there?”
“Who?”
“Kluen.” Ne whispered before pretending to kneel down on the floor like a normal person. It’s a habit he got from his brother. They are so close it’s excessive.
“He remembers you, Ne”
“How handsome am I? What are you saying? Is he crazy about my face?”
“Listen, Ne. If you’re truly handsome, you should be a moon.” Daonuea widened his eyes and said.
Noen looked bored because he didn’t know how many times it had been said in this pattern, and it had been going on for months. It reached the point where he would call overseas to boast about his parents and all the relatives he had become a moon, just leaving out the part about boasting about his siblings. It seemed like he wanted to say it when they met.
But who cares about moons, I’m the most handsome. Oh well, here I go again. I’m really confused.” That sarcastic remark made Daonuea burst into laughter until his eyes watered.
Maithee saw that gesture but kept it to himself. He might actually be a real fan, not like what Daonuea was telling everyone.
“Well, Dad, let it go.”
“Oh, look good. Who wouldn’t let it go?”
“We’re friends, close friends.”
“Can’t think straight.”
“Can’t think straight at all. Just being around Ne is taking care of Nuea... like this, it’s obvious Daonuea is genuinely interested. That’s why.”
“Well, it’s cute. What can you do?” The Architecture Faculty Moon rested his chin on his arm placed on the table. He looked at Daonuea with delight.
Close friends, huh? They seem to have chemistry together.
“Kluen come over and let’s hug each other.”
“...”
“Let’s see if we’ll be as cute as Nuea with his boyfriend.” The wooden expression Khabkluen wore didn’t respond, he just walked away, which clearly conveyed a body language that could be translated as ‘Go to hell, Thee’ Something like that.
“Hmm.”
“Nuea is single, confirmed.”
“Don’t fool yourself, really, a lot of people like him. You never know when he’s serious, but this time he is.”
“Hey, Maithee, your head is like medusa.”
“This flirt won’t stop because he has a husband.”
“Damn it.” Tingting, the uncompromising girl, didn’t leave the wooden expression before walking away from Maithee.
The Architecture Faculty Moon took a deep breath and sighed once more. Daonuea was charming, and everyone liked him... He had never been interested in men before, but when he met this person, it was like encountering a whole sun.
Could anyone be so radiant?
“...”
But sometimes, he looked sad... incredibly sad.
…
Khabkluen with a shopping bag for his mother’s birthday tomorrow and thinking he would have to meet her at the Hua Hin house he collapses on the sofa in the exhausted condominium. He wasn’t good at pleasing women. Moreover, he didn’t like expressing opinions. And even if he did, it would often upset Gia because he rarely spoke. IF she asks him which color of lipstick is prettier, he couldn’t answer what color it was... it was always the same color.
He didn’t really understand women.
The tall man took off his shirt and threw it in the laundry basket. Wearing only light brown trousers, he walked around the room getting ready to cook dinner. Another thing he didn’t understand about women was their maniac desire for weight loss despite being slim. It was difficult for him to come back and cook dinner for himself in the room while Paragon had only delicious food.
Ting.
Ting.
Ting ting ting~.
The sound of text messages like this was probably inseparable from the group of Moons and Stars who didn’t sleep together today. Kluen glanced at the message displayed on his iPhone screen while sprinkling Thai chili flakes on a large piece of steak.
T: So, who slept in the dormitory tonight?
hamhammmm: Most girls buried themselves at home.
typhoon: As far as I know, only Daonuea.
Ppla: Oh no, in that case, let me send one big staff member to sleep with Nong Nuea.
T: Probably will haunt him, @dn.
While reading the messages, his eyebrows furrowed... why not go back home on weekends? At least it would be better to sleep with friends than alone in the dormitory.
You’re too good, Daonuea.
“...” Khabkluen placed the meat on the pan after letting butter dissolve in the fragrance of rosemary leaves for a while. He quite enjoyed cooking, but few people knew about it, like the moon star activity that involved cooking.
He didn’t tell anyone about it and let friends in the group do it. He quietly washed the vegetables and secretly stole some strawberries from Sean’s stash to make it better.
Dn: I can sleep alone, don’t worry.
T: Can I go to sleep with you too? Please, I will be cutely begging you. I want to hurry and drive to see you even though I am in Nakhon Pathom now.
dn: Goodbye, Maithee.
The sound of sizzling meat echoed from the skillet. The tall man flipped the meat on the other side, ensuring it cooked evenly. Meanwhile, Kluen peeled off the skin and went to find the tupperware before pouring salad dressing and lettuce he bought from Gourmet Market to cover it.
He hated the chaos.
Sean: Nuea, no stealing blankets.
dn: Who would know? Q.
And this, Daonuea, is true chaos.
The large steak that was meant to be eaten by one person was cut in half and placed in two tupperwares. Black pepper sauce was drizzled on the meat along with fresh black peppercorns. Kluen lazily walked over to pick up his old shirt and grabbed the car keys...
Chaos.
“...”
Utterly chaos.
“I can sleep alone, you do not need to call.” Daonuea responded to Typhoon again. This wasn’t the first time. All day and all night, everyone bombarded him with calls just to make sure he could sleep alone.
The answer is yes, of course. He’s not a little kid.
“Sweet dreams, Phoon. Don’t forget to bring some delicious food from home to share with us.” He pressed the line before stretching and lazily twisting. He had just finished drawing the work to be submitted this Monday in his basic drawing class. In truth, he was skillful with oil and wood colors, but this time he wanted to try watercolors, so he asked Ne to take him to buy them at the mall. That matter was already taken care of.
Daonuea stood up to grab a glass and fill it with water in the bathroom. The more than ten empty beds made him feel a bit lonely, but he wasn’t afraid of ghosts or anything.
He looked at himself in the mirror with his natural light brown hair in disarray, probably because he drew a picture in the afternoon. Daonuea decided to wash his face with cold water to clear his mind. He had a lot to do, like searching for a mentor on Facebook.
They didn’t talk much, only short replies scattered among the busy schedule with the clinic. There was hardly any personal time, no time to sleep, but... even so, seeing someone we love being happy with something brings happiness as well.
The person wearing a bright Hawaiian shirt unbuttoned two buttons because he was alone, walking out of the bathroom with an exhausted look, holding a glass of water. Now he wore glasses to do some coloring. It was meticulous work, and he was afraid of making mistakes if he didn’t wear them.
“Hey.”
“Uh... Kluen.” The person who almost dropped the glass, his eyes widening. It was Nuea, expecting too much when suddenly coming out of the bathroom sleepy, only to meet Khabkluen. Khabkluen, who wore the same outfit as when they separated in the morning, wearing round golden rimmed glasses, looking better than an ordinary human.
The shorter person hesitated to walk towards them. They didn’t know where to put their hands, just awkwardly fidgeting.
“Let’s eat.”
“How did you come here?”
“I forgot something, I came back to get it.”
“Are... are you going back to sleep?”
“Oh, I’m too lazy to drive back.”
“The condo is in Asoke, right?”
“Too lazy. Should I drive you there?”
“Then we’ll have to go to your condo, Kluen.”
The black wallet was thrown on the table. The small person burst into laughter before putting on a nervous face, pretending to be annoyed. The definition of “stoic” was Khabkluen, that’s what it meant.
“Are you joking?”
“Why does it have to be a joke?”
“If you want the money then just say so.”
“Tell me the ATM code for your bank card.”
“827979.”
“Hey, are you for real?”
“Oh, yes.” Daonuea laughed and ate.
Never thought I would get to have a meal with someone I secretly liked for almost four years. What’s even harder than hiding my embarrassment is trying to stop laughing because of Khabkluen. What a crazy person he is, so stubborn and irritating to the extreme.
“And what are you looking for?”
“Just finished looking for a job.”
“Why not go home?” Khabkluen, who is not a talkative person, but today he is full of questions, making Daonuea pay attention to answer. He feels thankful because that the steak doesn’t look like it came from a restaurant because it looks very homemade.
“No one is at home. Whether staying at home or staying in the dorm, I have to sleep alone, so I think staying in the dorm is better. So I don’t have to travel on Sundays, and what about Kluen? Did you have a good trip?”
“Oh, it was fun.”
“Did you go to Paragon? It must be fun.”
“I went to buy a gift for Mom.”
“Tomorrow is your mom’s birthday?” A huge salad was sent into the mouth of the person talking, and they kept eating without changing. Kluen paused with a light face, listening. Another person who kept talking non stop finally slammed the table as if he had figured something out.
“Can I draw a picture for your mama!”
“...”
“I can draw. I have colors and paper.”
“Here.” The agreement made the person who still had his hands itching to draw another picture smile. Daonuea hurriedly collected his own tupperware and those of Kluen, who had finished eating and put them in a trash bag. He ran to wash his hands in the bathroom and came back to drink water in big gulps. All of that was done in just a blink of an eye, making the taller person look and sit down while looking at such chaos made him have to control himself.
“Take your time, Nuea. Don’t rush.”
“I want to draw. What kind of picture should I draw for your mama?” He immediately asked for a picture as they sat at their own workspace table. Kluen leaned against the table of Daonuea and slid over a photo of his mother taken with his own camera.
“Wow, it’s beautiful.”
“I drew it beautifully like the one in the photo.”
“Of course. This hand is number one.” Kluen paused... knowing that he could draw beautifully.
Daonuea with Khabkluen’s phone and a soft song that the smaller person had just connected to a loudspeaker, disrupting the silence. The taller person dropped himself onto his own bed, looking at Daonuea, who was focused on work at the table near the end of the bed.
“Kluen... Your girlfriend messaged, can I borrow your airdropped photo so you can chat with her?”
“Finish drawing and then return it.”
The listener paused, understanding but stopped thinking about the person who sent the message. That person’s name in Khabkluen’s phone is my g.
If memory serves correctly, Daonuea first met Khabkluen under a tree near the library. The boy with a loose shirt but pinned a gold star on his chest. That means he’s in the top King’s room, the smartest class in the school, knitting a scarf for a cute girl. His face seemed calm as if he wasn’t wholeheartedly making it, but the result was beautiful.
Daonuea didn’t know if there was any other guy who did cute things like that for his own girlfriend like Khabkluen did. But he has been broken since the first day he felt attracted to someone.
“Kluen.”
“Hmm.”
“It’s quiet... Tell me a story about you and your girlfriend.”
“Why do you want to hear that?”
“Then tell me any story.”
“...”
He turned and said with a smile, causing the person to look silently.
“Our parents get along well, so they’ve known each other since childhood... I don’t know, even before understanding the meaning, I knew that I had was going to take care of this girl.” Listen to that, Daonuea... the smaller person whispered to himself as the sketch was about to be completed.
He wanted to listen to himself, hoping to remember whether he should stop liking the owner of that beautiful low pitched voice.
He should stop liking someone who has no possibility of forgetting things because she is more organized than anyone else.
He should stop liking someone who never avoids eye contact... someone who seems to have something to say.
“They’ve been dating for a long time, trying to understand love.” Should stop liking him.
“And...”
“Kluen.”
“How is it going?”
Stop liking Khabkluen.
“What color should I paint here?” Daonuea stopped telling the story that he wanted to hear because he felt that just a little bit more, he might burst out crying because no matter what he did... he couldn’t stop liking Kluen.
The last light on the ceiling was turned off by the same person. Khabkluen threw himself down at the end of the bed, wiped his still damp hair and looked at Daonuea who was peacefully sleeping on a softer pillow than anyone else’s.
The deep blue blanket almost reached the waistline as the person wriggled around in the manner they boasted about, and every time Daonuea wriggled, he would find a way to deal with it because they had been sleeping side by side for almost a week.
It’s just... “...Uh.”
The gentle stroking of the hair would eventually cease the wriggling.
The larger hand than the soft stroking hair of the slowly calming person. Not long after, it was time to cover the other person with a blanket. Kluen wiped his own hair a little more, picked up the phone that Daonuea had returned to him a while ago but hadn’t checked any messages from anyone. my g.: Kluen, come pick me up tomorrow before ten o’clock, okay?
my g.: Kluen. Have you arrived at the condo yet? my g.: I’ve called three times already. Are we still on for the plan? my g.: I am angry :)
After scanning through the messages and only exhaling, Khabkluen walked out onto the balcony of the not so big, not so small room to make a call to Miss Georgia.
It was agreed upon that if she called more than three times and he didn’t answer, he would have to give in.
[...]
“Gia.”
[Why did you just call, Kluen?]
“I was talking to Nuea.”
[Then why didn’t you tell me? I wouldn’t have to be so worried.]
“Sorry about that.”
[Tomorrow, will you come to pick you up or should I go with my parents?]
“I can go pick you up, but I’m not sure if it’ll be before ten o’clock.” Kluen said that while turning back to look at Daonuea, who was sleeping soundly on the bed. It would be a bad feeling if he woke up and didn’t see anyone around.
And he knew very well that Daonuea liked waking up at the usual time because the time zone between Germany and Thailand is different.
“Well, I have to go to sleep now. Gia, you should go to bed too. See you tomorrow. Okay... Good night.”
He pressed send and took another breath. His sleepy eyes looked up at the night sky. There were no stars... Well, maybe there were, there must be a star sleeping right there. He wouldn’t toss and turn anymore because he received a full dose of hair ruffling.
Kluen turned off the last light, which was the light above bed number three, before lying down.
At first, he didn’t really like sleeping close to someone else. He didn’t know what the team was thinking about putting the beds together like this.
On one side was Win the Humanities Faculty Moon and on the other side was Daonuea, who was a restless sleeper. But after staying like this for a week, he thought it was okay. It would be lonely to sleep alone on a six foot bed in the moon condominium.
Kluen checked the time on his phone again and gambled that Daonuea would wake up in a few minutes. His sleepy eyes closed along with the tightness of the blanket.
The air conditioner in the spacious room felt quite cold with only two people sleeping.
There was a loud movement just as Kluen was about to fall asleep. The owner of bed number four woke up startled every day, and this was another day when Kluen pretended to sleep so as not to startle Daonuea. He heard the small person complaining softly that he was sleepy. He felt the need to find the teddy bear that the little one clung to and kicked off somewhere.
“...”
But today is different.
There was something brushing against the corner of his eye, like the fluttering of a butterfly, soft and gentle... as if it hadn’t gone anywhere before the touch of its owner to lie down. Kluen didn’t think about what it was. He didn’t even seek a reason.
Because chaos doesn’t require reasoning.
And he didn’t need a reason either.
Chapter 05: Sunday.
I woke up with a heavy head, probably because I slept too much. It’s already past two in the afternoon ‘why do I sleep so much?’. Last night, I drew a picture of Khabkluen’s mother until late, but the owner of the phone was still sitting there, waiting with clear eyes. I yawned and rubbed my sleepy eyes almost out of breath, and some people opened the dormitory door and came in. I waved my hand to greet Vin, who was the first one back.
“Are you having lunch, Nuea? The girls brought some snacks. They’re in the common room.”
“Yes, but let me take a shower first.”
“Hurry up. Looks like we’re going to watch a movie again.”
I rubbed my face and quickly grabbed a towel to shower, but my gaze inadvertently fell on the blue sticky note posted on my work table. It had Khabkluen’s neat handwriting written on it.
‘See you on Monday.’
Oh, right. I woke up and didn’t see him. Kluen must have left in the morning because he had to go to his mother’s birthday party.
Seeing him, he looks like a good kid, not talkative, but Kluen doesn’t mention his father much. Maybe they’re not close... I splashed some cold water on my face, starting with brushing my teeth before taking off my shirt and pants to go shower. It didn’t take long for me to change into a simple outfit—jeans and not too long, not too short shorts. Today, I plan to stay in the dorm all day and prepare myself for the real battle of studying tomorrow.
“Hey, kids, haven’t you gotten your student uniforms from Phii Pape yet?”
“I haven’t.”
“Then let’s go get them from Phii Pape.”
“I’ll go find that short rascal first.”
“Don’t mess with Daonuea, Nong Thee.” That’s all I have to say. Then Thewarut rushed in and grabbed my head as I entered the recreation room ‘or the lounge, as it’s called’ frantically.
“Don’t be naughty Thee, I’m even more busy.”
“I see your face, and it looks annoying. What should I do?”
“Just one day back home and I have to do all this?”
“Stop complaining. There’s doughnuts right there. Go eat it. I saved it for you, damn it.” I made a disgusted face, wrinkling my nose, and let Maithee handle the clothing issue. He stays at the dormitory near the Moon Star Building, which offers laundry services for students, similar to the off campus dorms, but it’s free and very convenient.
I hesitated, looking at the box of doughnuts that I think someone bought for me. There was a box with the name Daonuea on it. I opened the box and found four pink colored donuts. Yes, I really liked them. I love everything with strawberry flavor, especially those pink frosted ones that sit on top of a pink cookie. I enjoy nibbling on them all day long.
How did my stomach become so round like this?
How is it sleeping alone? Is it creepy?” Ham asked when she delivered food to me. It seems like everyone who comes back from home brings something to share.
“No.” I can’t say I didn’t sleep alone. I said it was on the star side. There’s no night without talking about Khabkluen. The problem is that Kluen already has a girlfriend. If not, they would probably compete for him and argue for sure.
Women are scary creatures.
“Oh, Nuea.”
“What’s up, Ham?”
“Papaeng, wanted me to ask if you have a girlfriend or not.” “I already do.” I replied.
“Don’t you like women?”
“What can I say? I like people I want to like, regardless of their gender... Love shouldn’t need much reason. It’s that simple. But it doesn’t mean I like every man.” I smiled.
Right. Let’s go along with that.
So it goes.
Besides Khabkluen, I’ve never liked any man.
“Nuea, you are really charming, you know.”
“Just like Typhoon.”
“That guy has a sexy vibe, we say.” Ham whispered as the newcomer, Typhoon, walked in. He had black hair that stuck to his red Hawaiian shirt, unbuttoned with several buttons, and wore revealing ripped jeans with multiple ear piercings. He was undeniably sexy.
I once saw his tattoo when he took off his shirt before going for a shower.
It’s probably some Japanese character, about three inches long on his right chest. I kept it as a midnight conversation starter. I’ll try asking what it means. And besides, Typhoon was quite the heartthrob because he smoked cigarettes. Actually, there were many people who smoked cigarettes, like Maithee. I’ve seen him smoke in the garden next to the dormitory several times.
I don’t see smoking as cool in any way. It must be because they are more stressed. So people who smoke are probably dealing with something in their minds. Girls should be consoled rather than screamed at. That’s what I think. “Nuea, you sleep next to Kluen?”
“Hey, why do you want to pry into another secret? Khabkluen, where he sleeps before going to bed, is the same place he wakes up.” It’s true, he’s just like that, sleeping peacefully, like a sleeping prince. When he wakes up, he looks handsome. I’m not jealous or anything. Sean even secretly took a picture of Kluen while he was sleeping and posted it on Facebook. It got more likes than any other picture he has ever posted.
Kluen is someone whose eyelashes match his eyes so much that I don’t know how to describe it. He’s like a painting... It looks half real, half dreamy.
“Does he talk to his girlfriend often?”
“Not sure, Kluen doesn’t use his phone much.”
“Nuea, you went to the same school as Kluen, have you ever met Kluen?” “Well, I have.” I blurted out. If I said no, it wouldn’t be smooth.
When someone asks about that time during class, I usually make an improper face because it makes me think of that moment every time. How should I respond? I started drawing pictures because of Kluen. He was the first person I drew, and I kept getting better at it because of him.
“Kluen has been dating his girlfriend since high school. I’ve seen them together before.”
“Wow, it’s been such a long time. They don’t seem likely to break up easily.”
“Oh well, I guess there’s always hope for liking someone else.” I chuckled softly. It should be that way, shouldn’t it? She herself might have seen Georgia. She is more beautiful and complete than any star in this dormitory. That’s all I can say, really.
“But Kluen’s girlfriend is really beautiful. That time we met... I felt like she was a University Star.”
“Gia has been beautiful since high school.” I imagined the times when she was in high school. She was simply stunning, making me almost break my neck trying to catch a glimpse of her as she walked in the cafeteria with her group of friends.
Beautiful, rich, talented. It’s not just something you see in dramas.
“I don’t know, my friend studies dentistry like Kluen, and they also went to the same high school. They seem pretty close. He said that Kluen broke up with his girlfriend during their fifth year.”
No way.” I said confidently.
“Hey, why are you so sure?”
‘I don’t know. Since I got to know her, I realized I had to take care of this girl.
‘We’ve been dating continuously, trying to understand love.’
The sentence Kluen spoke to me last night echoed in my mind. That alone made it clear, didn’t it? I think if Khabkluen loves someone, he must truly love them. He has changed so slowly, almost no different from when we were in high school... But it’s not because I like Kluen for his good looks, tall figure, or cool and calm demeanor.
I like him...
“They look so cute together. They’ve been dating for three or four years. It doesn’t seem likely they’ll break up.”
“That’s true. Wow, they’re still going strong.”
Because he gives me inspiration. I like what he does to me.
Despite being an outlier, I’ve gained the skill of drawing beautiful pictures because I like Khabkluen, that’s all.
“Ham is so beautiful, and still single.”
“Who do you like now, Thee?”
“Calm down first, no need to like anyone. Trust me.”
“Nuea is quite entertaining. We’ll talk more about it with Tingting later.
She likes to complain about Nuea to me regularly. Says he’s annoying.”
“Haha, that’s what she said. I am used to it. I am not very good at taking care of others.”
“It’s fine. Regardless, Nuea already has a girlfriend. Let his girlfriend take care of him. If we were Nuea’s girlfriend, I would want to take care of him even more than he takes care of me.” Ham’s serious face only made me laugh.
I have been taken care of all my life. Phii Fah, oh, he’s been with me since I was a child. Once I entered school, there was Noen who always looked after me. Currently, it’s Typhoon and Sean who take care of me more than anyone else.
“How about basketball, Nuea?” Typhoon appeared from behind the sofa, put his hand on my head, and asked. I immediately frowned, looking at the air conditioned gym at the university. Have I stopped by? I’ve been there two or three times.
“Can I invite two more friends?”
“Sure, let’s meet in ten minutes under the tree, okay?”
“Okay.” I said goodbye to Ham, who was about to watch a movie with the girls’ group, and headed off to call Noen and Pokpong, my close friend whom I know from Germany. Pong is Thai just like me, the same age, and we went to the same school. When it was time to go to university, we decided to study in Thailand together.
We’re even studying in the same faculty. I have really smart friends.
“Haha, are you with Pong now?”
[Yeah, just eating, what’s up?]
“Basketball, same court as before. I’m going to play with the guys.”
[Oh, theme.]
“Oh, the white and red basketball jersey, who messed up the theme?”
[It’s a big deal, seriously. You, Pong. The white and red theme is yours. Messing up the theme, how annoying. Geez, Nuea.] I didn’t care and hung up on those two annoying people. I quickly headed back to my dorm room to look for my own white basketball jersey with red stripes, number 23.
You might ask why number 23.
“You go take off your shirt in the bathroom, Nuea. If you change your clothes here, Maithee’s nosebleed will start again.”
“What are you talking about, Win you asshole?”
“Yeah, just a little.” Well, it’s 23, after all.
...
I may not be with Kluen, but that’s fine. Following behind is still good.
“Oh, my, you are so white. I’m not happy about it. Get out.” Win closed his eyes on the bed like a pouty child. When I took off my shirt and pants ‘I was wearing boxers’ I turned to look at Maithee, who was bending over, engrossed in playing ROV.
“Nuea, did you change clothes in this room?”
“Yeah.”
Damn it, I shouldn’t be playing games. I missed the show.” Maithee’s annoyed face drew laughter from other Moons very well. I made a scared face.
What a crazy person, always watching when I take off my shirt.
“Nuea, oh, take off your shirt for me to see.”
“Oh, I’m going to play basketball.”
“I’ll come with you, Nuea.”
Geez, he’s really crazy. :)
The gym of the university almost caught fire because Moons from almost every faculty in the first year played basketball together for four hours straight. Nuea was panting and gasping beside the field after changing with Pong. His cheeks, which were originally fair, turned bright red because of the extreme heat, even though he was in an air conditioned gymnasium.
“You haven’t played for long, have you? You’re panting like a dog.”
“Maithee, you’re panting too.”
“I’m not panting, I’m just breathing faster.”
Well, they call it breathing faster in your village, don’t they? Geez.
Daonuea splashed half a bottle of water because he was extremely tired. After this match, he would stop playing and go eat pork dipping with Ne as they had promised from the beginning.
The person who was shorter than anyone else sat down by the field and looked at Noen, who was dribbling Typhoon back and forth. He heard the voices of the girls coming from somewhere, even though it was Sunday, whispering that Khabkluen was handsome.
It doesn’t matter, but he saw their faces until he got bored. He saw everything from the unattractive teeth to the pimple free, fair skin, and then went back to replace them because he had gone sunbathing at Mai Ami during summer. So, Ne is Ne, the one who races cars together, and when they crashed into a wall, they hugged each other and cried together.
After gathering Star and Moon, there would be older seniors taking pictures of the activities for general promotion. Whenever the camera took a shot of Daonuea, Maithee sometimes ran in from behind, hugging him, smelling his head, doing everything to make Faculty Moon of Arts feel uncomfortable.
Only when the pictures were released.
‘Hey, look at Daonuea and Maithee, they’re so adorable.’
‘#TheeNuea, not really stepping on his face.’
‘I’ve seen them buying snacks together near Star Moon dormitory.
Chemistry is really strong. #TheeNuea, right?’
‘#PhoonNuea only, sexy, tempting, they sleep together, ah’
And that’s it. What happened on the Star Moon page, the small couple’s war that broke out, had a lot to do with #TyphoonDaonuea team. That’s because there was a picture of Daonuea sitting on Typhoo’s lap taken by a senior, which the person taking the photo intended to capture everyone, the stars and the moons. But the page fans were observant and zoomed in on the picture of the people scooping each other in one corner of the room, which became the origin of #PhoonNuea.
But Daonuea didn’t understand at all, why is he mentioned after Miss-
Ting when she is younger? Is it really #NueaKluen? :)
“Do you want me to kiss you on the cheek? Give points to #TheeNuea’s team.”
“Shush.” Daonuea responded aggressively to the person who overplayed throughout.
“I missed you... Daonuea.”
“Damn it, you went too far. What are you missing? You’ve been with me all day.”
“I’m going to class tomorrow. I’ll only see you in the evening.”
“You go play over there, Maithee.” The short guy pointed towards the gym door, his busy face igniting the team around Nuea. It was adorable how they hugged each other and fought playfully. In the end, the taller guy conceded by hugging Nuea’s neck and walking away.
That’s just how it is. The true reality.
“You’re Maithee?”
“Yeah, Noen as well.”
“Oh, come on, let’s eat Jim Chum together with Pong and Nuea.”
“Hey, I like your boyfriend. Can you invite me too?” Noen turned to look at Daonuea, who was smiling mischievously. Oops, he forgot that they had already agreed to be a couple, but wait...Maithee liked Nuea.
“You seem normal, so why do you like Nuea?”
“Oops, I thought he was your boyfriend.”
Yeah, my boyfriend, duh! He’s a pain, though.”
“Alright, I am confused.”
“We agreed that if someone asks, we’ll say we’re dating. Actually, we’re just really good friends, but you looked okay with. If you want to pursue him, go ahead. It’ll pass eventually.”
“Hey, is that even possible?” Maithee thinks that he has been brokenhearted for about a week. When he looks at the root of the problem, which is giving him a sly smile, he doesn’t dare to criticize it.
Hey, where the hell did you go?
“But Ne, did you make it easier for him to pursue me?”
“You play hard to get. No one wants you. Not girls, not guys. You should date a rock, you jackass.”
“Oh, insult me all you want.”
“Damn it, Phoon, you’re so good at playing basketball. Why didn’t you try out for the World Basketball Championship? Asshole.” Noen, who couldn’t stand the heat, looked annoyed and squinted at Typhoon, who was shirtless. His slicked back hair on one side was incredibly hot. Maybe he had a tattoo there too, sexy and mysterious.
These girls have been giggling since forever, right? When The Medicine Moon took off his shirt.
“Damn, where does he get all this perfection? Isn’t being a doctor enough? He has to be sexy too.”
“What are you jealous of, Ne?” Daonuea laughed because he was bored. Bored of Phoon’s hotness. He exudes charm, sometimes playful, but overall, he’s someone you can rely on. Whenever he gets a girlfriend, that person would probably be the most envied in the world.
“Who could be more perfect than him?”
“Speaking like that shows that you don’t know Khabkluen.” Maithee chuckled.
“Ah, forget it! Typhoon would be dead if that damn Kluen showed up today, where did he disappear to?”
“I have no idea. He better not come or my rating will drop.”
Yeah, he’s not coming, that’s good. Kluen is really good at basketball, the sport he loves the most. He’s adored by everyone in school, and the reason he’s so tall is because of basketball.
“Phii, want some dipping sauce?”
“Get lost.”
“Just conclude it, for an entire month. Me and Ne will be dogs.” We protectively lie on the wooden gym floor, speaking in a teasing manner. It’s true that a title Moon is guaranteed to be the best looking group from each faculty. He and Ne went for a walk and Thee is a dog.
Good dogs indeed.
“You’re just one dog, Pong. I can handle you.”
“Bring it on.”
“Damn it, Maithee, are you messing with me? I’m Nuea’s boyfriend.”
“I’ll kick your ass even if you play with my hair, damn Ne.”
“You’re being cheeky.” Daonuea could only smile because everyone became close so quickly. Ting said that is how it is when guys enjoy playing sports together. It’s a form of socializing. Just by playing together for four or five matches, they’ve become friends for over ten years.
Nuea, along with his friends, has been helping with rice harvesting and moving heavy sacks out of the gym for almost ten people. Some girls asked to take pictures with the other Moons, while Nuea, who had Ne hugging him with a tough looking face, managed to escape because everyone whispered that his boyfriend was here or that Nuea was taken.
Take it easy. He’s ready to be paired with everyone. It’s going to be fun to death.
The small guy walks while poking at his phone, scrolling through Facebook feed, occasionally glancing at himself.
#KluenNuea.
Quiet, but extremely cute.
“...”
A picture of two people with a significant height difference walking together, with the taller person carrying bags from the supermarket. The shorter one sneakily glances back. This picture was taken from behind by someone who happened to encounter them while they (Kluen and Nuea) went to the supermarket together to buy things as ordered by their seniors.
‘This couple looks alike. There isn’t much affection, but I think there must be something!’
‘Not good at talking but wholeheartedly in love. It’s clear about
Khabkluen.’
‘+1000000.’
‘Wow, finally someone opens up! When will it be my turn? This couple has been around for a long time!’
Daonuea touches the screen, leaving it on hold to save a quiet, smiling picture of himself. He feels his heart beating faster, even though it’s just a matter of being playfully teased like bubble tea in every cup. It’s the same with #TheeNuea, just like #PhoonNuea...
But damn.
Feels good.
“Oh hey, I see you. Save it.”
“Ne, you zip your lips.” Daonuea makes a threatening face.
“Take a dip, dude.”
“Oh shit, you’re really nosy Thee. After this, don’t ever look at my phone.”
“You dream on. I still know your password, you know.”
“And will he be jealous?”
“If he’s jealous, he probably won’t talk to you anymore.”
“Do you remember... Kluen?” Ne shoulder bumps and walks over to Nuea to the university bus to go eat hot pot together with about ten friends. While he narrows his eyes, concerned, as he looks at the worried face of Daonuea.
“I remember so.”
“...”
“If I can’t remember, it’s terrible that I have a crazy brain like that crazy Kluen. He knows nothing, he passed his medical exam but is not nosy about it. But you have more crazier than him around know, you asshole. Go tell him you like him, cry in front of him, and then just disappear.” Damn, you’re really insane.
“If it was me, I’d be angry.”
“But he told me to travel safely.”
“He’s a good hearted person. You’ve liked him for years and still don’t know why, pretending to be calm and strong... but he loves playing with cats.”
“Well, it’s because he’s kind hearted... that’s why I can’t stop liking him.” “Oh, and he’s not only kind to you. He acts kindly towards everyone. No wonder you like him.”
I don’t know about that but for Daonuea... Khabkluen is a gentle person. He does things that shouldn’t be done. Moreover, everything he does is adorable, like being a librarian at his school. Khabkluen often takes the initiative to help his aunt organize books for sale almost every afternoon, sometimes skipping classes even when he doesn’t have to.
Kind hearted.
Calm hearted.
Until it makes some people’s hearts melt.
“Do you know that someone who likes someone else has to take responsibility for their own feelings?”
“Oh, like the one who likes the Moon.”
“Wasn’t that a crush?”
The name that wasn’t heard for a long time, made the person who was supposed to be the Fine Arts Moon’s heart feel a little tight on the left side of my chest and wanting to die. That round yellow face in the middle of the dark sky...
“Wow, so beautiful, right? Your eyes are so big, did something happen?
Today?” Sasi.
“It’s almost Loy Krathong, is it okay? Isn’t it normal? It should be about this size.”
“Stop walking for a moment, I want to take a picture.”
Translated as “moon.”
‘Ne... I’m sorry. I don’t like younger people. I don’t want to have more headaches.’
But you, Moon…’ You’re even smaller now?
Damn it.