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After the hardest week of his life, where he’d completed half a dozen mock exams and three major projects, Arthit was ready to relax. He’d treated himself to a new Manga that he’d been eyeing up for ages, bought a supply of nom yen and other snacks and switched his phone onto silent.
Now he was holed up in his room, ignoring the world outside and trying to let the tension of the past week flow out of him.
Somewhere in his mind, there was an errant thought that perhaps one thing could make this day off better - but he was trying to ignore it. He was having some well-needed ‘Me’ time.
However, after eating a little too much sugar, Arthit had to alter his plans. He needed a savoury snack and only one thing would do - Tom Yum from his favourite place on campus. The auntie there was the only one who added the right mix of sweet and sour and he was craving her food. So he had a fast shower, not bothering to dry his hair and then hopped on his bike to cycle the mile to university.
He’d chosen the perfect time to arrive. As a fourth year, he had occasional days without lectures, like today, but everyone else was in class, so for now, he had the canteen to himself.
He strolled along and placed his order with the auntie, then grabbed a fresh nom yen and headed to a table to wait. He was planning to take the food home and continue his day of freedom..
But his plans changed when a group of first years suddenly interrupted the calm.
“Come on, Didi, you can’t confess on an empty stomach, you’ll just feel sick the whole time.” A boy said as the group passed Arthit, all pausing to Wai to him, respectfully.
“I think if she eats, she’ll throw up everywhere though since she’s so nervous!”
“I’m not nervous!” A slight girl, who must be Didi, laughed, pushing one of the boys in the group.
“You're brave then,” another girl replied as the group settled at the table next to Arthit, “I wouldn’t dare confess to a second year, how are you going to do it?”
As the girl began to detail her plan, Arthit’s order was called out and he headed over to the auntie to pay. He wasn’t overly interested in other people’s lives by his nature, but hearing that someone was going to confess to a junior from his hazing batch made him feel curious. As they were in the engineering canteen, it was highly likely Arthit would know them - by name, face or student ID he supposed.
So, uncharacteristically, Arthit stuck around. He had an excuse - his soup was hot and wouldn’t stay that way if he took it home - if anyone asked.
But the group of first years ignored the silent fourth year as they continued to tease poor Didi.
“Will they be out of their lesson soon?” One of the first years asked. And Arthit automatically checked his watch, whispering, ‘They’ll be here in five minutes,’ to himself. (So what if he knew his boyfriend’s schedule off by heart! He was just looking out for Kongpob and making sure he took the time to eat and rest between classes.)
As he realised the time, Arthit decided that perhaps he might as well stick around to say hi to Kongpob before he headed back to his dorm, after all, he hadn’t actually seen him apart from on FaceTime for a long, lonely week.
Making his decision, he decided to grab another drink and get Kongpob his favourite iced coffee too. So he strode away, just as the second years entered the canteen.
Kongpob’s gang of friends were chatting loudly about their last lecture, laughing at Tew who was moaning that he’d made a mistake. Arthit heard them from his place by the drink stall and a smile curved his lips as he heard his boyfriend teasing Tew and suggesting that he should try eating the textbook instead of simply reading it next time.
While he waited for his order, the second years chose to sit at his table, so he could see when the first years nearby started to take an interest.
‘Interesting. It must be one of them..’ As the girl hadn’t specified a gender, and Arthit knew firsthand that it could be either, his eyes flitted amongst the whole group, trying to decide who she was looking at the most. But from his angle it wasn’t clear.
Eventually, his drinks were ready and he began to move back towards the table, happy that Kongpob had somehow naturally chosen the same one.
At the same time, Didi stood up from her own table and stepped into his eyeline as she approached the second years.
She spoke quietly, so Arthit didn’t hear what she said, but he could see the reactions of the rest of the group.
Prae and Maprang were smiling politely, Oak was leaning in like he would say yes if she asked him out, May was looking anxiously between the girl and Nong M, while Tew and Kongpob smiled genially in their roles as class president and soon to be head hazer.
Arthit grinned, knowing that his boyfriend would be polite to her and ensure that whoever she was asking out was kind in response.
At that moment, Kongpob caught sight of him over the shoulder of the girl and smiled brilliantly as Arthit returned his grin, holding up their drinks.
And that’s when Didi reacted, running round the table to throw her arms over Kongpob’s shoulders even as his boyfriend stared at her in horror.
At the nearby table, the first years began to cheer, while the second years stared at each other in shock.
Arthit found himself rushing to the table, intending to peel the girl off Kongpob and give her a piece of his mind. But Kongpob reacted first.
He spoke gently, slipping out of her hold and putting his hands palms up between them, easing her backwards. Arthit made it to his side as Kongpob began to speak and stood a little way off to let his boyfriend handle it.
“I’m sorry Nong Didi,” (‘Of course Kongpob knew her name!’) “But I don’t think of you that way. Besides, I’m actually already in a relationship.” He said firmly.
Arthit let a small smile overtake the fierceness of his expression and leaned a little closer.
“But you smiled at me, Phi Kongpob! When I asked, you gave me the most beautiful smile and I just thought you meant yes! Why would you smile at me like that?” The girl was a little distraught and Prae was already getting up and sliding an arm over her shoulders to offer some comfort.
But Didi shrugged it off, “No, Phi! You don’t smile at a girl like that and then claim you don’t like her! I know you like me!”
“I’m sorry.” Kongpob said again, “I wasn’t smiling at you.”
Two of Didi’s friends appeared at her side and began to motion for her to step away, but she was so worked up, she wouldn’t move. She was strong for such a slight girl, “Then why did you smile like that when I was asking you out? It’s not fair!”
Arthit understood how she felt, Kongpob’s smile could slay monsters. More than once he’d found himself completing some task or other just because Kongpob had mentioned it with that smile. He decided that as much as he liked the quiet life without first years poking into his business, he should help his lover out.
“He was smiling at me.”Arthit said, stepping up to stand beside Kongpob, the younger’s eyes meeting his and the same smile covering his face.
“P’Arthit,” Didi said wai-ing to him immediately. Her friends also followed and then the three first years stood there, staring between Kongpob and Arthit, questions painted on their faces.
Kongpob looked helplessly at his boyfriend, aware of how much Arthit enjoyed his privacy. He would follow Arthit’s lead, that was clear.
So Arthit sat beside his nong and held out the iced coffee, “I brought you this,”
Kongpob took the drink and gave him another grin. Beside them the first years still looked puzzled, so Arthit did something completely out of the ordinary. He glanced between the first and second years at the table and then locked his eyes on Kong.
“Well, Kong?” He asked, “Where’s my reward for bringing your drink?”
Kongpob’s smile grew even wider as he took in the sincerity on his Phi’s face, the meaning quite clear as they locked eyes. Then he leaned forward and pressed a kiss on Arthit’s cheek.
The first years gasped, while the second years merely smiled at the sight of their ex-head hazer blushing.
“Oh..” Didi said, sounding miserable, “I.. I’m.. I didn’t..”
But she didn’t finish her sentence, Arthit interrupting, “Well now you do, Nong.” Then he picked up Kongpob’s coffee and took a sip, wrinkling his nose at the bitter taste.
“I don’t know how you drink this Kongpob,” he frowned and reached for his pink milk - which Kong held up in front of him, face alight with mischief as Arthit wrapped his fingers over Kong’s and sucked on the straw.
“You never seem to mind the taste when we’re..”
Arthit slams his free hand over Kong’s mouth, face flushing red at Kong’s insinuation. The he glares at the entire group, still hovering around them. “Not a word!” He growls.
“I guess I owe you an apology, Phi?” Kongpob asks, grinning still.
“Too right you do!” Arthit agrees quickly.
“Well, our last lecture got cancelled, Phi, so I can take you home now and we can negotiate how I can say sorry?!” Kongpob raised his eyebrow and Arthit was about to lash out, when Didi started to giggle.
“I can’t believe how sweet you two are! I’m so sorry I tried to ask out Phi Kongpob.”
“You should be!” Arthit said shortly, standing up, nom yen in one hand and Kongpob’s fingers in his other, “Now, I’m taking my boyfriend home, any objections?”
“Only one, Phi!” Kongpob laughed as he was half-dragged from the table, “Your reward wasn’t big enough for the whole canteen to see!”
“Kongpob!”