Jai's POV
I was walking into the university with Krit, joking and teasing each other like we always did on mornings like this. The air was light, the kind of carefree energy that made me forget the world for a few seconds—until we ran into P'Thorn.
He didn't even notice me. Not really. He was surrounded by his friends, their laughter and chatter pulling his attention in every direction. For a moment, I felt completely invisible, like I was standing outside some bubble of his world. And, damn it, I hated how much that tiny realization stung in my chest.
"P'Thorn kha, my friend wants you to have this!" A girl approached him with a bright smile, holding out a small gift.
I watched him take it without hesitation, his expression unreadable. I scowled slightly at myself before I even realized it. It was such a small thing—just a silly gift—but my chest tightened anyway. Jealousy bubbled up before I could stop it, sudden and sharp.
Just then, Kim and Van arrived, and saw what had happened.
"Aww, Jai!" Kim's voice was soft, full of sympathy.
"It's okay guys…" I muttered, barely audible, completely lost on what to do with myself.
My hands twitched at my sides, useless, like I wanted to grab the world and shake it just to make him notice me.
"I told you… liking someone everyone else likes is just… impossible!" Van added, rolling his eyes and glancing around like he was half-checking for witnesses.
"What do you mean, 'liking someone'?" Krit's sudden question cut through the tension, making both of us freeze and look at him.
Oh. Right, he didn't know. Not yet. Not about P'Thorn. Not about the way my chest clenches when he's near, or how my stomach flips when he laughs. Not about how a single glance from him can ruin my whole morning or make it feel perfect.
"Uh… nothing," Van said quickly, nudging me forward with a forced grin. "Come on, let's go to class!"
I glanced at Krit and let a small, awkward smile slip out. This guy… he really can't stop talking sometimes, can he? And in my chest, the jealousy and insecurity mingled with something warmer, something I wasn't ready to name out loud yet.
I knew, deep down that I couldn't keep letting this simmer. If I didn't face my feelings soon, I'd drown in the green-eyed monster I was feeling right now—and it would only get worse from here.
Every step toward the gym felt heavier than the last, each of us struggling under the weight of the drums.
"Ugh, this is so heavy! Why did Prof even pick us to carry this all the way to the court?" Van grumbled, nearly hugging the massive bass drum as if it were about to escape.
"Well… maybe because you were so loud earlier," Kim shot back, clearly winded himself, but not missing a chance to tease.
I walked silently behind them, gripping the two snare drums, feeling the sharp ache in my arms from the strain. Alongside us were two other classmates, both looking like they regretted volunteering for this chore.
"Almost there… just a little further," I muttered, trying to keep morale up, even as my own muscles screamed.
The moment we pushed open the gym doors, a sharp rhythm hit us—thump. thump. thump.—the unmistakable bounce of a basketball on the court.
We all froze, our eyes drawn to the center of the gym. And there he was. P'Thorn, moving across the court with effortless control, surrounded by his friends. He sprinted toward the hoop, smoothly executing a lay-up as the ball dropped in, prompting cheers from his teammates.
"Nice shot!" Art clapped, loud and enthusiastic.
"Hey, foul!" Way complained, clutching his knee dramatically as if the ball had personally wronged him.
Off to the side, Yujin leaned casually against the wall, a basketball in her hands. She looked calm, relaxed, smiling as she watched the chaos unfold on the court, like she'd been here a thousand times before.
"Look… P'Thorn," Van whispered beside me.
I followed her gaze and my heart did a little skip. He was drenched in sweat, his hair plastered to his forehead, wearing a worn jersey that looked like it had seen countless games. He didn't care who was watching as he contested the ball with Way, moving with a natural, practiced ease that made it clear basketball wasn't just a game—it was his element.
"Jai!"
His voice cut through the sound of bouncing balls and sneakers skidding across the court. I snapped my head toward the source, and Kim and Van followed. For a moment, I was frozen, still absorbing the sight of him, until I spotted Pete waving from not far away, jogging toward us with a grin plastered on his face.
"Aww, P'Pete!" I couldn't help the smile that escaped me.
"How's my uniform?" he asked breathlessly as he came closer, like he'd run halfway across the gym just to check.
"I'm still drying it. You'll get it tomorrow," I said, smiling faintly as I remembered how panicked I'd been when I spilled coffee on it.
He nodded, casual, unbothered, but I noticed the glint in his eyes.
"Who's that? Your friend?" Van asked from beside me, raising an eyebrow with that mischievous smirk she loved to wear.
I sighed internally. Yeah, he's thinking something again.
"Mm… he's the guy I spilled coffee on at the café," I explained, gesturing toward Pete.
"Just a boy-friend… or a boyfriend?" Van teased, the smirk now full-on teasing.
I grimaced. "What are you talking, Van?!"
Kim gave her a sharp elbow, silently warning her to ease up.
Pete, ever the good sport, just grinned.
"Friend first, I guess," he said, playing along, making it impossible not to laugh at the absurdity of it all.
"Oieee!" came the chorus of playful teasing from our group, echoing across the gym.
"Van's just joking, right Van?" Kim quickly interjected, trying to diffuse the sudden tension while shooting Van a look that said stop it.
A sudden thump of a basketball against the court drew our attention back. P'Thorn had paused mid-dribble, standing upright. And then… his gaze met mine. Time seemed to slow. The gym felt warmer—not just from the humidity, but from the way he was looking at me.
"Sorry!" he shouted from across the court, breaking the spell, and I realized my heart had skipped a beat.
Suddenly, Prof came.
"Students, move those drums here!" Prof's loud voice cracked across the gym, snapping us all back to reality.
"O-okay, Prof!" we chorused, hurrying into action.
I exhaled sharply, adjusting my grip on the drums. They were heavy—heavier than ever, it seemed, my arms already screaming from the walk from the classroom.
"Need some help?" Pete asked quietly, stepping closer, his eyes on the drums.
I glanced at him, hesitating.
"Ah… it's okay. Not too bad," I said, though my arms were definitely reaching their limit.
"I'll take one of them," he offered, crouching slightly to get a better hold. "You look like you're struggling a bit."
"I-I'm fine—"
Before I could finish, he simply grabbed the drum from my left hand.
"Consider this payback for the uniform laundry," he added, winking at me.
I froze mid-step, completely caught off-guard. For a second, I didn't know whether to laugh, thank him, or wrestle the drum back. Clueless as I was, one thing was certain—he looked ridiculously good doing it. I let out a long sigh, resigned but secretly amused as we continued toward the court.
Hayss… focus, Jai. P'Thorn's still out there.
After we finally set the drums down at the side of the gym, we all let out a deep breath almost at the same time. It felt like the exhaustion we'd been holding in finally escaped all at once, leaving our bodies heavier than before.
Van and Kim immediately reached for their backs, their faces twisting in pain as they tried to stretch out the stiffness from carrying the instruments across the court.
"Damn… I swear my back just broke from those drums," Van complained, arching his back as he tried to loosen up. His voice echoed slightly in the gym, filled with dramatic suffering.
"Same here. I don't think I can even feel my arms anymore," Kim added, shaking his arms as if trying to bring them back to life.
I couldn't blame them. The drums were ridiculously heavy. Even now, I could still feel the dull ache lingering in my arms, like the weight hadn't fully left yet. My fingers twitched slightly as I flexed them, trying to shake off the soreness.
"Hey, guys! Let's grab something to eat outside—I'm starving!" Kim suddenly said, as if a second wind had hit him out of nowhere.
"Yeah, same! And let's bring P'Pete with us!" Van added quickly, his tone bright and full of energy, like he'd been waiting for the perfect moment to say it.
Kim and I both turned to look at him at the same time.
"What?" Van shrugged, raising an eyebrow like his idea was completely reasonable. "He helped us earlier, right? Think of it as paying him back."
"Sure… as long as you're the one paying for his food," Kim shot back immediately, not missing a beat.
"Why me? It should be Jai!" Van protested, pointing straight at me without hesitation.
I raised an eyebrow, disbelief written all over my face.
"Excuse me? You're the one who invited him," I argued, crossing my arms despite the lingering soreness.
"Tsk. See that, P'Pete? Jai doesn't even care about you," Van added dramatically, pretending to sulk as if he'd been personally offended on Pete's behalf.
Kim and I exchanged another look before sighing at the exact same time, completely in sync.
"Fine… fine," we both gave in, our voices carrying the same defeated tone. At this point, arguing with Van felt more exhausting than carrying the drums.
"Let's eat outside—it's better there!" Van added cheerfully, already walking ahead like the decision had been finalized from the start.
In the end, we had no choice but to follow. Even with the exhaustion weighing down our bodies, the noise, the teasing, and the chaos of our little group somehow made everything feel lighter.
———
When we arrived at a small restaurant just outside the campus, we quickly settled into an empty table near the window. The place was lively—filled with students, laughter overlapping conversations, and the constant clinking of utensils that blended into a warm, chaotic rhythm.
"Good afternoooon!" the waiter greeted us enthusiastically.
I glanced up and immediately smiled when I recognized him. P'Wen.
"Aww, hello, P'Wen!" we greeted in unison, our voices naturally brightening.
We all knew him well by now. We ate here often enough that he'd become part of our routine. Flamboyant, loud, and endlessly energetic—he was the kind of person who could light up an entire room without even trying.
His eyes quickly landed on Pete, who was quietly sitting beside us.
"Wait a second… who's this handsome guy you brought with you?" P'Wen asked, grinning mischievously as he scanned Pete from head to toe.
We didn't even react. This was completely normal coming from him.
"Oh! That's P'Pete, our senior," Van answered quickly.
Kim frowned slightly and glanced at Van.
"How do you even know he's our senior?"
"Uh…" Van paused for a second before flashing a confident smile. "He was with P'Thorn earlier. So obviously, he's a senior, right P'Pete?"
Pete chuckled softly and nodded.
"Mmm… we're actually rivals in basketball, so yeah. That's why we were on the same court earlier," he explained casually.
"Wait—seriously?!" Van almost jumped out of his seat, eyes lighting up with excitement. "You're rivals?"
Pete nodded again, calm as ever.
"That's so cool! I wanna join basketball too!" Van added, practically vibrating with enthusiasm.
"Yeah, and you'll probably be the reason your team loses," Kim shot back immediately.
"Oho, Kim, you're so negative. Want me to show you my moves right now?" Van fired back, clearly offended.
"Ew, no thanks. You'll probably look like a chimpanzee," Kim teased.
Pete let out a quiet laugh, clearly entertained, while Van looked like he was about to declare war.
"I'll get back at you for that!"
"Sure. How?"
Van froze—and that was enough to make all of us burst into laughter.
While the teasing continued, I noticed P'Wen had gone quiet. He was staring at Pete now, like he was analyzing something. Then suddenly—
"So… do you have a girlfriend?"
All of us turned to him at the same time. That was so random.
"No," Pete answered simply, shaking his head.
"Boyfriend?" P'Wen followed up instantly.
"None either," Pete replied, already laughing.
"So that means you and—"
"Oy!" Kim quickly cut him off before he could finish, throwing a warning glance at Van. "That's enough. Just take our orders, you're asking too many questions Van."
"Aww, right…" P'Wen pouted slightly before putting on an awkward smile. "What will you have?"
"The usual, P'," Van answered.
P'Wen nodded and started writing everything down. I turned slightly toward Pete.
"Mm… you should try Pad Thai, P'Pete. It's really good," I said, smiling lightly.
He looked at me for a moment before nodding.
"Okay."
I don't know why, but the atmosphere at the table suddenly felt lighter. Even Van, for once, had gone quiet—though the mischievous grin on his face never fully disappeared.
When the food arrived, Van clapped his hands like a kid who had been waiting forever for candy.
"Mmm… so delicious!" he exclaimed loudly, catching the attention of a few nearby tables.
He immediately froze and glanced around. "Ehe… happy eating everyone!"
"You're so embarrassing," Kim muttered, closing his eyes in defeat.
We started eating, the table quickly filling with laughter and nonstop chatter. Van, as usual, talked endlessly—even with his mouth full—jumping from one story to another without pause.
Time slipped by without me noticing. Before I knew it, we were done, standing up and heading out of the restaurant together.
"Oiiieee!" Van groaned dramatically, clutching his stomach.
We all laughed. Clearly, he had eaten way too much.
"By the way, I'll head home first. I still have somewhere to go," Van said, waving lazily before walking off.
We nodded and watched him disappear into the crowd.
Ding.
"Oh—Jai, I need to go too. There's an emergency at home," Kim suddenly said, eyes glued to his phone.
"Aww… so who's walking home with me?" I asked instinctively.
Kim hesitated for a second before turning to Pete.
"Uh… P'Pete, could you walk Jai home?"
"Huh? Hey, that's embarrassing," I quickly protested, my ears heating up slightly.
"It's fine," Pete said calmly, a small smile forming on his lips. "I need to get my uniform back anyway."
"Oh, see? Perfect! Thank you very much, P'! Take care, I'm leaving!" Kim said quickly before rushing off without giving me time to argue.
"Oy…" I sighed, watching him disappear.
I turned to Pete, unsure of what to say.
"I'm sorry P!" I awkwardly said and smile.
He simply smiled—like none of this was a big deal at all. And just like that… he ended up walking home with me.
———
When Pete and I arrived at my apartment, I quickly let him inside. I felt a bit self-conscious the moment he stepped in—the place wasn't that big, just a simple space—but at least it was clean and organized enough to not feel embarrassing.
"Uh… you can sit here for a bit, P'. I'll just go get your uniform," I said, gesturing toward the small sofa.
He nodded and sat down without hesitation, his eyes casually scanning the apartment, taking in every little detail as if he were quietly memorizing the place. Meanwhile, I hurried into my room, grabbing the neatly folded uniform I had washed earlier.
It didn't take long before I returned to the living room, and the uniform in my hands.
"Here… sorry again!" I said, handing it over with a small, apologetic smile.
Pete accepted it and smiled faintly, inspecting the fabric.
"You washed it pretty fast," he commented, sounding a bit impressed.
I scratched the back of my neck, a little embarrassed.
"It's nothing… it wasn't that hard anyway."
A brief silence settled between us, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Just… quiet.
"Do you live here alone?" he asked, glancing around again, his tone is casual.
"Ah… yeah," I replied. "But Kim and Van visit sometimes. Though most of the time, Krit's the one who hangs out here with me."
"Krit?" he repeated, slightly curious.
"Mm. My childhood friend. His room's just across the hall," I explained, pointing vaguely toward the direction outside.
He nodded slowly, understanding.
"Hm… it's nice here. So quiet," he said, leaning back slightly, his voice softer this time.
I smiled faintly. For some reason, even though I had only just met Pete, talking to him didn't feel awkward at all. It felt… natural. Easy. Like the conversation just flowed without either of us trying too hard.
We hadn't been talking for long when a sudden knock echoed through the apartment. I flinched slightly, startled, before quickly standing up to open the door.
When I pulled it open, Krit was standing there, holding a plastic bag filled with food. Without waiting for permission, he stepped inside like he always did. I followed him back in, a sudden wave of panic rising in my chest.
What if he misunderstand's us?
"Let's eat together, I bought something really good—"
He stopped mid-sentence the moment his eyes landed on Pete sitting on the sofa.
The entire room fell silent.
The two of them stared at each other, and found myself froze in between, unsure of what to say or do. The air suddenly felt heavier, thicker—like something invisible had just settled between them.
"So… you have company," Krit said flatly, his voice calm but edged with something unreadable. "You didn't mention it earlier."
"Ah… yeah, I—he just came to get his… his uniform," I explained, my words stumbling over each other.
"Oh? Is he the childhood friend you mentioned, Jai?" Pete suddenly asked, glancing at me.
"Uh—yeah!" I answered quickly, even though my chest still felt tight.
"Nice to meet you, Krit. I'm Pete," he said with a friendly smile, extending his hand.
But Krit didn't move. He just stared at him, not even acknowledging the gesture. I saw it—the slight flicker of disappointment in Pete's eyes.
The tension became unbearable.
"Ah—right, P'… aren't you heading home? It's getting a bit late," I cut in quickly, forcing a smile, trying to break whatever this was before it got worse.
Pete looked at me for a moment, then nodded slowly.
"Mm. I'll get going. Thanks again for washing my uniform, Jai. See you at school," he said, smiling gently.
He walked past us toward the door, brushing by Krit without another word. And Krit… He didn't take his eyes off on Pete. Not even for a second.
I followed Pete all the way to the door. The moment he stepped out, I quietly shut it behind him and turned back inside, my chest already tightening with irritation. I didn't waste a second before walking straight toward Krit.
"Oii, Krit! What was that about? Why did you treat P'Pete like that?" I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended.
Krit didn't even flinch. He just stood there, unfazed.
"What? I didn't do anything."
I scoffed, running a hand through my hair in frustration.
"Yeah, right. Whatever."
He clicked his tongue, his expression hardening.
"That's because of you. You just let anyone go inside here in your apartment. What if he's not a good person?"
"What are you saying?" I shot back immediately. "P'Pete is my friend! He just came to get his uniform. What's wrong about that?"
"Friend?" Krit repeated, letting out a short, humorless laugh. But there was irritation underneath it—clear and sharp. "Jai, you just met him. And you're already calling him a friend?"
"Why are you so mad about this?" I fired back, my voice rising. "He is my friend! Not my fault you don't have any—maybe because you're too cold!"
The moment the words left my mouth, I knew I had crossed a line. Krit's expression shifted instantly. The air between us turned cold.
"Oh, really?" he said quietly, his voice dropping to something dangerously calm. "That's what you're going to throw at me now?"
My chest tightened, but I didn't back down.
"If something happens to you," he continued, his tone sharper now, "I'll be the one Mom blames again—for not watching over you."
"Then don't watch over me!" I snapped. "Did I ever ask you to? No, right?"
"Tss…" He shook his head, frustration clear in the way his jaw tightened. "Fine. Whatever. You're not my responsibility anyway!"
He raised his voice at the last part before turning around abruptly and storming out of the apartment.
The door slammed shut.
And just like that… everything went quiet.
I stood there in the middle of the living room, unmoving, my eyes fixed on the door he had just walked out of. The silence pressed against me, heavier than the argument itself.
I didn't understand why… but my chest suddenly felt tight—too tight.
My heartbeat started to race, faster and faster, like it was trying to escape my ribcage. Panic crept in, wrapping around me before I could even process it.
"Not now…" I whispered under my breath.
I hurriedly reached for my inhaler, my hands slightly trembling, gripping it tightly as I tried to steady my breathing before my condition could take over again.