Chapter Text
Pran pulls his cell phone from his pocket, rolling his eyes because he knows Wai's name will be flashing on the screen, and he answers without even greeting his friend.
“I'll be right back,” he says, walking slowly along the sidewalk. “It's the fourth time you've called me. Gimme a break”.
"You still haven't found anything, have you?" Wai's question is rhetorical and Pran clicks his tongue impatiently. "Why don't you go home and talk to your mother? She will understand…”
“Wai,” Pran interrupts, taking a deep breath. “Please let me try just a little longer. If I don't get anything by the end of the day, I'll talk to her, okay?”
Wai sighs on the other end of the line, but nods. Although Pran gave in to his friend's requests with some frequency, this was a very personal part of his life and he wouldn't be able to change his mind now. Not yet. Not under those conditions.
Pran was burnt out. He hadn't felt well for a few months now, but it was only when he was hit by a bout of tachycardia inside his own dormitory that he decided to listen to his friends' advice and look for help. His parents didn’t know about it and, according to Pran, they couldn’t know. Dissaya had placed too many expectations on his academic life and he doesn't want to worry her or make her think he isn't capable of handling it.
However, the medical recommendations he received didn’t please him at all. He needs to take a break, take it easy, distract himself and look for the core of his anxiety to treat it.
Pran had no problem listing all the things he was involved in. In addition to the mandatory classes, there were extracurricular classes, drama club activities, music club, the rugby team… It was also common for seniors to ask him out for drinks— he couldn’t refuse because it would sound too rude. He needed to be involved in everything, have a more energetic social life than he could handle and deal with all of his own habits and quirks on his own.
When asked why he got involved in so many activities, however, Pran preferred to remain silent. He didn't want to blame anyone for what was happening and he would feel really bad if he tried to look too deep inside. Ungrateful .
Although he tried to continue with his routine after the incident, Pran knew he wasn't doing well. He was still very anxious, changing moods too quickly, spending entire days exhausted, and often forgetting important things, which only made his performance worse in his studies.
Fearing his anxiety would only get worse, Pran decided to take a break from the university for a while to recover. Which wasn't a bad idea… if he hadn't decided to hide that information from his parents.
Wai insisted that he should speak to his mother and explain the situation, convinced that she would understand and allow him to take some time to rest. Pran, however, was determined to keep his current condition to himself.
Unable to stay in his college dorm, Wai opened the doors of the small apartment he lived in to welcome his friend, just for a while. Pran was determined to find something to do, to "distract" himself as he was instructed, looking for something to occupy his mind that was different from the usual so he wouldn’t feel so pressured.
Pran felt he was inconveniencing Wai and needed to find a way to resolve the situation without alerting his family. That's why he'd been looking for a job for days, anything, just to take responsibility for his recent decisions without involving anyone else.
Wai was worried that day, calling more times than Pran could bring himself to bear, and he felt guilty all over again. He really doesn't want to have to go back home and explain to Dissaya what had happened, or have to deal with her disappointed look, so he needs to succeed in what he is looking for. Today .
The last job he had applied for on the company's website was in a hotel nearby. He had passed the first phase of online tests and only needed to introduce himself for the interview to find out whether or not he would get the job. He was hopeful — needed to be — despite all the rejections he'd gotten so far.
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The Tinidee hotel was huge and Pran was taken to at least three different floors to complete the interview. Pran left the building with the promise of a call later that night to accept or reject him.
Wai has the day off tonight, so Pran doesn't have time to rest or mentally prepare for the flood of questions that he receives as soon as he sets foot in the house.
Pran had given up talking about the jobs he was applying for because it created unnecessary discussion. Wai thinks he is wasting all his effort, but Pran disagrees on so many levels that he hardly knows where to begin.
There is food on the table in the center of the small room. Wai looks at Pran as if about to console him for his failure, visibly relieved to believe that Pran's search is over and he will finally go home and tell the truth.
"I’m still waiting for a callback," Pran says without even greeting his friend and drops his belongings on the couch.
Then, he goes to the bathroom, desperately in need of a shower. Wai doesn't follow him and just waits until Pran comes back into the living room to eat with him while they watch TV.
“Your mother will understand,” Wai says once more, softly and Pran sighs. “You don't have to hurt yourself like this. It's your health..."
"I know I'm causing you problems" Pran interrupts without taking his eyes off the TV "If all goes well, this will be solved too. The job I applied for today has a dorm".
“Pran.” Wai fidgets, displeased. “You're not causing me any problems. That's not why I'm insisting. I'm doing this because I'm worried about you". Upon receiving silence, he continues, nervous. "Do you want to go to a dormitory? Do you even know what this place is really like? What job did you apply for?"
"Housekeeping" Pran only answers the last question and shrugs "The hotel is quite big and beautiful, it's probably comfortable enough. I don't need much".
"You gotta be kidding me".
Theysuddenly interrupted by Pran's cell phone ringing. He answers, wide-eyed, and repeats the word “yes” stupidly until he hangs up. Wai already knows what that means.
"I got the job"
"Pran…"
Wai is still worried and Pran takes a few seconds to hold his hand, squeezing his fingers. He is anxious, as usual, but he needs to make Wai understand. "I know you're trying to help me." Pran sighs again "but I can't do what you're asking me to do. I'll take responsibility for this, so please don't try to stop me from making my own choices".
“I…” Wai takes a deep breath, bites his bottom lip and squeezes Pran's hand back. “I just don't know why you're making such difficult choices".
“But I do.” Pran waits until Wai's eyes meet his once more. “I know why. Can you deal with it?"
Wai wants to scream a big no. He does not understand why Pran can't share with him what is so heavy that he has to lie to his parents like that, look for that kind of work, and leave. He has no idea how that can really help his situation.
Wai wants to shake Pran until he comes to his senses, but it had been so many days and this argument had gone nowhere… There is nothing more he can do. So he just nods at the question and shuts up, begging the universe for Pran to be okay and not end up making things worse.
Mrs. Payao is the one who guides Pran through the Tinidee hotel on his first day. She amicably warns him that he needs to take measurements for his uniform, and then another employee will introduce him to the main premises.
Unlike the lobby or administrative floors he had been on before, Pran is taken to the back of the hotel, where the atmosphere is more energetic, hectic and noisy. He sees cooks, maids, concierges and other employees walking frantically, all in uniform and with no time to notice him in the middle of the mess.
Pran needs to pick up the pace so he doesn't miss Mrs. Payao. He is afraid to even look away and lose sight of her, but that doesn't happen. She stops so abruptly that Pran nearly walks into her, but manages to stop in time.
"You can come in," Mrs. Payao instructs, opening the door to a small room. “I need to get back to work now, but don't worry. When you're done here, another employee will be waiting to continue your tour.
Pran nods, somewhat shyly, and smiles as she says goodbye. Inside the room, a lady asks him to come closer, measuring tape in hand, with no desire to waste time. She introduces herself as Mrs. Sunee as she manipulates Pran's arms to take measurements and writes everything down on a pad.
"That's it?" Pran asks and Mrs. Sunee confirms with a smile.
"Yes. Wait a second" she walks to the door and yells at someone outside. After that, she waves for Pran to follow her "Come on. Pat will escort you now"
Pran doesn't have time to think too much about that name, or question any orders. He's numbed by the hiring and baffled by the frenetic pace of everything. However, when he steps out of the room and looks up, the world spins very slowly.
Pat Napat stares back at him, seemingly as shocked as Pran. His hair is oddly neat, the top buttons of his white shirt are undone, the sleeves are rolled up to the elbows, the apron is tucked into his slim waist, and his long legs are clad in black pants.
Pat looks annoyingly gorgeous in such a simple uniform.
Pran feels the air slowly leaving his lungs as his eyes go down Pat's whole body, but when his gaze returns to Pat's unforgettable face, that roguish smile is there.
Pran wants to finish him off; since forever, maybe forever and ever.
“Pran” Pat calls his name and he feels his breath hitch once more “I told you I'd meet you again".
Despite the surprise and that irritating feeling — much noisier than it used to be years ago — Pran smiles.
Life is indeed mischievous.