Hours slipped by in a blur, until the bell finally screamed freedom.
Chairs scraped, bags zipped, and in under three seconds half the class had already evaporated into the hallway.
It was finally lunch time.
"Bro," Shen Yun said, twisting in his seat to face Ah Chong, "there's this new Thai place that just opened near the station. We're going. If you have any issues with that please call this hotline at 1800-I-don't-care."
Ah Chong rolls his eyes, there was no going against Shen Yun when it came to places to eat.
Most students would usually choose to eat outside rather than the school's cafeteria—and the two of them were proud members of Anti-Cafeteria Culture. (Founded solely by Shen Yun.) Mainly because of The Incident™ that happened in their first year but that's a story for another time.
"Oho, what's this about Thai food?" A voice cut in.
He Fei leaned one hand on the edge of their table, grin cheshire cat like wide, the silver ring on his lip glinting as he smiled. He had mismatched earrings and an unbothered posture. His uniform was a mess as always—shirt untucked, sleeves rolled without permission, top buttons undone. But despite his delinquent-ish looks—annoyingly enough, the boy was annoyingly smart.
Shen Yun squinted at him. "Who invited you?"
"Aih!!" He Fei clutched his chest like he'd been shot. "Classmate Shen Yun… how could you?"
Then, without warning, he bent down and collapsed dramatically over Shen Yun's back, "Yun-ge…" he wailed into his shoulder, "aren't we buddies…"
Shen Yun went rigid. "Get off me, you emotionally parasitic leech!"
Ah Chong, chin in palm, commented lazily, "Wow. Treating your maiden like this. Disgraceful behavior."
He Fei shot up and jabbed a finger at him. "SEE! Ah Chong understands our tragic romance! Yun-ge, why do you reject meee—"
Ah Chong placed a solemn hand on his shoulder. "I see you. I hear you. I mourn with you."
"Ugh, shut up you two." Shen Yun groans. "And stop enabling him!" Shen Yun jabs a finger at Ah Chong, shrugging He Fei off like a fly then fixing his collar like nothing happened.
After a few seconds of contemplative silence,"Fine," he said, pointing two fingers at He Fei's face, "but you're buying us Thai milk tea. With pearls."
He Fei lit up like stadium floodlights. "Done. See, Ah Chong? He does love me. Deep, deep down, beneath his emotionally constipated exterior."
Shen Yun growled. "I hope you trip off your skateboard and split your head open."
He Fei gasps. "Monster..."
Ah Chong snorted, getting up from his chair. "Let's just go before he starts writing an epic of friendship."
"I can and I will—"
"Don't."
The walk to the restaurant was rowdy.
He Fei kept swinging an arm over Shen Yun's shoulder at inconvenient intervals, Shen Yun kept threatening violence, and Ah Chong was just there laughing his way through the two's bantering the whole way there.
The bell above the restaurant door jingled as they stepped inside.
"Welcome—!" the owner began, then blinked. "Oh! You brought friends?"
The three of them paused.
Seated at the counter of the restaurant was Jia Wei, sipping through a glass of Thai milk tea, staring at his phone playing some kind of mobile game.
"Dunno them." He replied simply, not looking up.
My angel, speaks! Ah Chong's brain was working overtime and next thing before he knew it, his soul had left his body.
Jia Wei glanced up, paused, and nodded once in polite acknowledgment. "Hi."
Ah Chong said nothing. Mainly because he had already short-circuited. He just remained there, still.
Come on, wave at him stupid! He scolded himself. In the midst of his internal scolding—Shen Yun barges in, blissfully unaware, waved normally. Like a functional person. "Oh, it's you. You eat here too?"
Jia Wei tilted his head slightly. "Kinda. My mom's friend opened this place. I help out sometimes."
His mom's friends.
He helps sometimes.
He does things outside of school.
God, this is too much information right now! Ah Chong felt like he was going to pass out from this information overload.
Shen Yun nodded. "Ohhh. So like… family friends."
"Yep."
"Cool."
A perfectly standard and normal conversation. Smooth and human.
"Please, you boys, take a seat! Come, come!" the owner chirped, waving them in. "Xiao Wei, bring them some menus!"
Jia Wei nods and stood, walked to the counter corner, retrieved three menus, and approached their table—placing the menus on the 4-seater table right by the counter when they got situated at their seats.
The moment he set the menus down—Ah Chong nearly passed away a second time. He can't believe he's in such close proximity to his angel right now.
Shen Yun pointed at the menu. "Anything you recommend?"
Jia Wei blinked—not long, but just enough to register surprise. It piqued some curiosity in Ah Chong. Why did that catch him off-guard? Is he not used to being asked things? Do people avoid engaging? Did someone hurt you????
Then, as quickly as it came, the flicker vanished. Jia Wei looked up slightly, thinking. "Basil pork rice. Curry noodles. And pandan chicken if you want something dry." He finally replies.
Ah Chong whispered, reverent: "…He can give recommendations."
Shen Yun blinked, "What?"
"Nothing."
He Fei looks at Ah Chong suspiciously. "…Mhm," He hummed.
Jia Wei turned his head slightly, gesturing toward the counter. "You can call me when you're ready."
Then he walked off. Internally, Ah Chong was screaming, "NOOO!" His heart aching as his brain started to process the way Jia Wei walked off to be in slow-motion, a sparkly vignette around him again.
"Hmm interesting… interesting." He Fei hummed again, noticing the way Ah Chong eyes trails Jia Wei's silhouette walking away.
"What's interesting?" Shen Yun blinks.
"Ohhh…nothing." He Fei leaned back, fingers lacing behind his head, a grin slowly creeping on his face and he gave Ah Chong a teasing look. Ah Chong's face heats up in an instant—he quickly grabs a menu and slammed the laminated menu open like a battle plan.
"Let's order." He grits his teeth slightly, glaring at He Fei. " "I will decide scientifically.""
"You mean emotionally." He Fei snickers.
"I mean intellectually." Ah Chong hisses.
"Bro," Shen Yun deadpanned, "the menu is two pages."
"And I will analyze both."
Shen Yun picks up the menu and has it opened for a split second before snapping it close and slapping it down with confidence, "Okay! I know what I want."
Ah Chong pointed at him immediately, "Don't say green cur—"
"Green curry!"
Ah Chong slammed both hands on the table, "This is a Thai restaurant, not a personality test! Order something with dignity for fucks sake."
Shen Yun looks at Ah Chong in offence, "Green curry has dignity!"
"It has coconut milk and identity issues." Ah Chong explains flatly.
He Fei snickers and raises a hand with a grin, "I like something that's a bit more spiritually damaging." Shen Yun looked at his classmate and recoiled, "Seriously?"
He Fei ignored him and sighed wistfully. "I want something spiritually devastating. A dish that stares into my soul and whispers secrets."
"You need counseling," Shen Yun said.
Ah Chong was about to say something but before their argument could escalate further with his input— " Basil pork rice with extra chili." a voice said from beside their table. "Great flavour. With a kick of emotional turmoil."
The three of them stilled.
Jia Wei was approaching them with a note pad in hand—pen loosely between his fingers. His expression was neutral but his deadpan delivery hit the three of them like thunder. He Fei was trying his best to hold back a chuckle and Ah Chong felt as if his heart dropped.
"Is that a recommendation," Shen Yun asked, "…or a threat?"
Jia Wei considered the question seriously. "...Both."
At that point, He Fei exploded into laughter. "HE'S HILARIOUS—"
"No, he's terrifying," Shen Yun countered, but there was awe in his voice. Beside him, Ah Chong muttered under his breath—
"...he can do comedy."
Shen Yun snapped towards him. "What?" Ah Chong jumps and shakes his head, looking back at the menu, gripping it like a life line.
Jia Wei glanced at him for a beat—a beat too long for Ah Chong's composure. Then he looked away and tapped his notepad, "So. One basil pork rice. Any takers?"
He must really like it if he's recommending it. TAKE IT, AH CHONG. After an intense internal discussion that lasted 0.7 seconds—Ah Chong raises his hand. "I'll take it." The words shot out of his mouth with full conviction. Jia Wei nodded and proceeded to write down the order. Ah Chong could've sworn he saw his lips twitched upwards for a millisecond.
Oh. Be still, my heart.
"I'll take it too." He Fei raises his hand, "Yun-ge wants green curry." He decides, pointing at Shen Yun. Jia Wei nods once and writes it down.
"Why are you ordering for me?" Shen Yun squinted at him, offended. He Fei raised both hands, feigning innocence. "But Yun-ge…" He blinked at him innocently. "Don't you want green curry?"
Shen Yun opened his mouth. Then closed it. Then folded in on himself like a defeated accordion. "…Fine."
"Any drinks?" Jia Wei asks simply.
"Thai milk tea with pearls—make that three!" He Fei shot his hand up again, three fingers proudly extended.
Jia Wei ducked his head to jot it down, then looked up.
"Got it. Coming right up."