North stared at his phone screen, reading the same message over and over again, hoping he'd somehow misread it.
[JOHAN]: I'm in front of the dormitory.
[JOHAN]: Come down.
[JOHAN]: Didn't I tell you not to go anywhere?
His heart raced. This was serious.
"Ter!" he shouted, startling his friend, who was sitting nearby.
"What? You scared me!" Easter exclaimed, clutching his chest.
"P'Johan said he's in front of the dormitory!" North thrust his phone toward Easter, his voice shaky with disbelief.
Easter's eyes widened as he leaned closer to inspect the screen. "Huh? Really? Do you two have plans?"
North furrowed his brows. "No! Why would I?"
He quickly typed back, fingers trembling.
[NORTH]: Huh? You're in front of my dorm?!
[JOHAN]: I already told you.
[NORTH]: Wait, what's going on? Are you coming for me?
[JOHAN]: Yes.
[NORTH]: Where are we going?
[JOHAN]: Hurry up. I'll give you five minutes.
North stared at the screen, dumbfounded. "He's here to pick me up but won't even tell me where we're going!"
"Do you think he expects you to stay over somewhere?" Easter asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't know!" North paced the room, scratching his head in frustration.
He'd just gotten off work, hadn't showered, and now, out of nowhere, Johan was demanding he come down. Why was Johan always like this—impulsive and impossible to predict?
"What do I do, Ter? Can I say no?"
Easter shot him a pointed look. "Have you ever said no to P'Johan?"
The question hit North like a brick. No, he hadn't. Johan never left room for refusal. His stomach tightened at the thought.
A new message popped up on his phone:
[JOHAN]: Don't make me come up there to get you.
North's panic hit a new level. He frantically typed back:
[NORTH]: Phi, wait! Let me take a shower first.
[JOHAN]: You've got ten minutes. Otherwise, I'm coming up.
"Damn it!" North groaned. "Ter, help me pack my things! Use my black bag!"
Easter blinked, momentarily stunned by the urgency, but then jumped into action. "What do you need?"
"Anything! My college uniform—it's in the closet. And shoes! Don't forget socks."
"Where are your socks?" Easter called out.
"Bottom drawer!" North shouted from the bathroom, rushing through a quick shower.
"I don't see any socks!" Easter hollered back.
"Ah, maybe I forgot to wash them! Just lend me yours!"
Easter groaned loudly. "How many pairs have you borrowed already? You better give them back!"
By the time North emerged, hastily dressed in a soccer shirt and shorts, Easter had the bag half-packed. "What else do you need? Charger?"
"Yes, don't forget the charger," North replied, snatching it off the table.
Easter tossed a bottle of mosquito repellent into the bag.
"What's this for?" North asked, baffled.
"In case P'Johan drags you camping. You never know with him."
North shot Easter an incredulous look. "Camping?! Be serious!"
Easter shrugged, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "You might wake up on a mountain—or by the sea. Want sunscreen too?"
"Stop it!" North shook his head in exasperation. "Just pack my uniform, in case."
Easter complied, but his expression turned mockingly somber. "You're abandoning me, you know. You never leave me alone at night."
"Don't guilt-trip me now!" North sighed, lacing up his shoes.
His phone buzzed again.
[JOHAN]: Hurry.
[NORTH]: I'm coming! I just finished my shower.
[NORTH]: You want me to slip and crack my head?!
Easter smirked. "At least he didn't give you a countdown this time."
Before leaving, North hesitated. "You sure you'll be okay alone?"
Easter waved him off. "I'll be fine. But call me if you get stranded on a beach somewhere."
As North descended the dormitory stairs, a sleek Benz and an Audi came into view, parked side by side under the dim streetlights. He paused mid step, his heart pounding. If this had been during the day, the sight would've drawn a crowd.
"Isn't this a bit much?" he muttered.
Easter, who had followed him partway down, chuckled. "What did you expect? Subtlety?"
North took a deep breath, clutching his bag tightly. Whatever awaited him outside, he wasn't prepared—but with Johan, he rarely ever was. North approached the parked car with measured steps, his gaze drawn to Hill and Johan. They leaned casually against the vehicle, deep in conversation. Even though they were just chatting, their presence carried an undeniable charisma.
Why do they look like models in a car commercial? North wondered. If I snapped a photo right now, it'd belong on a magazine cover. Before North could dwell on that thought, Easter emerged from the building and strode straight toward Hill, his tone carrying a mix of reproach and affection.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier that you were coming?" Easter demanded.
Hill met the question with a warm smile, raising his hand to tousle Easter's hair affectionately. The gesture softened the atmosphere, as if the world around them shifted into pastel hues. North watched the interaction with a sense of admiration.
How is he so effortlessly charming? he mused.
In contrast, Johan stood stoically, his face an unreadable mask. The difference between the two men was striking—one exuding warmth and ease, the other radiating quiet intensity.
"When did you leave?" Easter continued, addressing Hill.
"When Johan said he'd be here," Hill replied simply.
As the conversation continued, North lingered a short distance away, observing. There was something magnetic about the way they interacted. He couldn't help but compare the composed camaraderie between Hill and Johan to the more exasperated exchanges he often had with Johan.
Eventually, Johan turned to North, his tone clipped. "Slow!" he barked, criticizing North's pace.
"Oh, come on," North snapped back irritably. "I was already moving as fast as I could."
The banter between Johan and North was familiar—a blend of irritation and reluctant understanding. But the underlying tension simmered, ready to boil over at the slightest provocation.
When it was time to leave, Hill and Easter climbed into the sleek white Mercedes, its luxurious presence fitting for the aura of its owner. Before getting in, Hill turned to Johan and said, "Don't be late tomorrow."
Johan nodded. "Eight o'clock okay?"
"As long as you're on time, it's fine," Hill replied with a smirk before driving off.
North was left standing awkwardly next to Johan, the silence heavy.
Without a word, Johan opened the door to his own car and gestured for North to get in. The atmosphere inside the vehicle was tense, a stark contrast to the lighthearted moment he'd just witnessed with Hill. Johan adjusted the seat and glanced briefly at North before starting the engine.
As Johan backed the car out of the lot with practiced ease, North couldn't help but think, If I were a girl, that move alone would've made me swoon. But the calm didn't last. The moment Johan accelerated, the car surged forward, pressing North back against the seat. He fumbled to fasten his seatbelt in time, muttering under his breath about Johan's reckless driving.
"Can you slow down? My legs are going numb from the tension," North said.
Johan glanced at him, then eased his speed without a word. The silence that followed was oppressive. North toyed with the idea of putting on his headphones but decided against it. Instead, he stared out the window, trying to piece together why Johan seemed so on edge.
When Johan's phone buzzed with an incoming call, North glanced at the screen. "It's 'May,'" he said, his voice uncertain. "Want me to answer?"
Johan gave a small nod, his eyes fixed on the road. North hesitated, then answered the call. The voice on the other end was sharp and probing, and North did his best to navigate the awkward exchange. May's questions came fast, her tone accusatory.
"Where's Johan? Why isn't he answering my messages?" she demanded.
"He's driving," North replied hesitantly, glancing at Johan for guidance.
May's response was cutting. "Driving? At this hour? And who are you?"
Caught off guard, North stumbled over his words, finally introducing himself. But May's curiosity didn't waver. "Put me on speaker," she insisted.
North hesitated, unsure if he should comply. "You can talk to me for now. P'Johan's focused on the road."
Johan's reaction was swift. He snatched the phone from North, ended the call, and tossed it onto the dashboard with a frustrated sigh. The rest of the drive was a blur of tension and unanswered questions.
When they finally reached Johan's condo, he exited the car abruptly, leaving North scrambling to follow. Inside, the silence continued to loom, thick and suffocating. Johan sat on the sofa, his demeanor distant. North joined him hesitantly, unsure of what to say or do.
"Where were you earlier?" Johan asked suddenly, his tone sharp.
The question caught North off guard. He stammered a vague response, but Johan wasn't satisfied. His relentless questioning made North feel cornered, guilty even though he'd done nothing wrong.
"What did I tell you?" Johan asked, his voice steady but edged with irritation.
North hesitated before answering, his tone calm but subdued. "That I don't have to go anywhere?"
He repeated what he remembered Johan saying in the chat earlier, though he couldn't fathom why it had angered him so much. When Johan was upset, his presence was suffocating, like being trapped in a room with no windows.
"Why weren't you answering?" Johan pressed.
"Sorry," North mumbled, glancing at the floor.
"What time do you go to and from work?"
"At dusk," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.
Johan raked a hand through his hair in frustration, letting out a curt "Um" before falling silent.
North's stomach twisted. He had a sinking feeling Johan didn't believe him, even though he hadn't said anything to indicate it outright. The guilt of lying—it wasn't really a lie, was it?—made his throat tighten. All he'd done was go to work. Why did it feel so wrong?
"Uh, Phi..." he began, uncertain.
"What?"
"Oh, it's okay." North shook his head, deciding against asking if Johan planned to cut off his money. Better to stay quiet, to avoid provoking him further.
Johan suddenly rose and left the room, heading to what North assumed was the bedroom. He stood there for a moment, lost in thought. Why had Johan dragged him here? What was he supposed to do now? Where would he sleep? And, most importantly, would he be allowed to go to college tomorrow?
With nothing else to do, North pulled out his phone and began playing a game to pass the time. He hadn't even gotten through the first level when something struck him.
"Hey!" he exclaimed, quickly emptying the contents of his bag onto the coffee table. His movements were frantic.
"What are you doing?" Johan's voice startled him from behind.
North spun around, his hands still mid-motion. Johan stood there, fresh from changing clothes, eyeing the chaos with a mixture of curiosity and exasperation.
"Uh, I was looking for my wallet," North admitted, resuming his search.
Johan, now seated on the sofa, watched as North sifted through the mess.
"I forgot to bring my wallet," North muttered, almost to himself.
"You forgot your wallet but remembered mosquito repellent?" Johan's brow furrowed, his tone teetering between disbelief and mockery.
North winced. "Please don't look at me like that," he thought but didn't dare say aloud. It wasn't helping his guilt. He cursed internally—how had he managed to prioritize mosquito repellent over his wallet?
"Why did you bring mosquito repellent?" Johan asked.
"In case you wanted to take me camping," North quipped, his voice barely steady enough to carry the joke.
Johan sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, his silence somehow more unnerving than his earlier frustration.
North decided to change the subject. "Do you have a blanket for me?" he asked, already dreading the answer. The thought of sleeping on the cold sofa without one made him shiver.
"Why?"
"At least give me a blanket. Sleeping without one would be freezing," North replied as he stood and scanned the room.
"Upstairs," Johan said, gesturing vaguely toward a large cupboard.
North headed to the cupboard, only to realize the blanket was on a shelf too high for him to reach. "Do you have a chair?"
Johan didn't respond. Instead, he walked over, grabbed the blanket with ease, and handed it to North without a word.
"Thank you," North said quietly, clutching the thin, plain blanket. He returned to the sofa, spreading it out and assessing its softness. It wasn't much, but it would do.
"Can you sleep on the sofa?" Johan asked, standing nearby.
"Yes," North replied, sitting down and patting the cushion. "It's softer than the bed in my room."
Johan didn't react. Instead, he turned and disappeared into the bedroom. North exhaled and sank into the sofa, trying to convince himself this was just a minor inconvenience. He picked up his phone again, scrolling aimlessly. The stillness of the room pressed in on him, making it impossible to sleep.
He opened Line and scrolled through his contacts, finally settling on DuenNao. He dialed. The call connected, and Duen Nao's irritated voice cut through the quiet.
"What are you doing calling me this late?"
"I know you haven't slept," North teased.
"What do you want, North? I'm busy!"
"I can't sleep," North admitted.
Duen Nao groaned. "Why are you telling me this?
"Shit! Ger, I've been shot! I don't even know who did it. I'm already crouching," Duen Nao muttered, his voice trembling.
"Where is it? On the right?" Tiger asked urgently. "Wait, I'll get it for you. Hold on."
"Just heal me," came the desperate plea.
"Oh, are you with your husband?" North asked, having heard the distinct voice of Duen Nao's roommate.
That's what he called him—"husband." In truth, his name was Tiger, though Duen Nao affectionately referred to him as Ger. Only Duen Nao could get away with it.
"Tiger," North said pointedly, "you never let anyone else call you Ger, do you? Only Duen Nao. You've been stuck in the friend zone for years, haven't you?" His tone carried a hint of teasing.
Embarrassed, Tiger snapped, "Stop being annoying. What do you want?"
"Nothing! I was just making conversation," North replied with a smirk.
Tiger's irritation was palpable. "What's wrong with you? You're always causing trouble," he grumbled.
"Me? Troublemaker? That's rich, coming from someone who's been mooning over Duen Nao since kindergarten!" North countered.
At that, Tiger's voice dropped to a whisper, likely stepping away from DuenNao to avoid him overhearing. "Don't push your luck, North. I'll buy you tea tomorrow. Now leave me alone."
"Oh, so you're not playing anymore?" North teased again, only to be met with Tiger's resigned groan.
Tiger muttered under his breath, "I die holding bullets for my husband. That's what a tiger man does."
"Your husband?" North asked, feigning shock. "Since when is he your husband?"
"It will happen. Mark my words," Tiger shot back. "And if you don't keep my secret, you'll regret it."
North chuckled, "Fine, fine. I'll keep quiet. Just go back before Duen Nao gets suspicious."
Reluctantly, Tiger relented, his voice softening slightly. "Alright. But you better not say anything."
Later that night, North found himself still wide awake, plagued by a gnawing fear. He reached for his phone again, calling Duen Nao for company.
"I'm scared," North admitted. "Really scared. I feel like there are ghosts everywhere."
"Ghosts?" Duen Nao echoed. "Seriously, North?"
"Don't joke about it!" North scolded, his voice pitching higher. "I'm all alone here, and this place gives me the creeps."
Duen Nao's attempts to reassure him didn't help much. North was on edge, imagining shadows in every corner of the unfamiliar room. Eventually, Duen Nao encouraged him to relax, talk about other things, and try to sleep.
Despite his fears, North couldn't help but smile at Duen Nao's genuine kindness. But it was Tiger who, though gruff and impatient, eventually eased North's nerves. Their banter, laced with thinly veiled affection and mutual annoyance, kept the ghosts—real or imagined—at bay.
Finally, after much coaxing, North gathered the courage to approach Johan, to borrow a sweater. But Johan, rather than sending him away, invited him inside. What began as a simple favor ended with North preparing a late night drink and sharing quiet moments in the dimly lit kitchen.
For a fleeting moment, North felt at ease. It wasn't the sweater or the milk that calmed him, but the presence of someone else—a reminder that he wasn't truly alone. When Johan offered him a place to sleep, North hesitated but ultimately accepted, comforted by the sound of another person's breath in the quiet room.
It wasn't the way North imagined the night unfolding, but as exhaustion finally overtook him, he felt a strange sense of gratitude for the chaos and camaraderie that kept his fears at bay.
⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ⊹⋆.˚
The sharp tug of a blanket being thrown off startled North awake, his groggy state interrupted by an impatient voice.
"Hey, wake up!"
Blinking against the sunlight streaming through the window, he squinted and let out a muffled groan. His hand instinctively reached up to rub his eyes, though the motion only made them sting more.
"What time is it?" North murmured, his voice heavy with sleep as he groped for his phone. The screen glowed faintly. "Seven forty... too early," he grumbled, rolling over to pull the remaining corner of the blanket over his head.
"I'm going to be late, get up!" Johan snapped, his tone laced with frustration.
"But I only have class in the afternoon," North whined, burying himself deeper into the mattress.
"Make some coffee," Johan demanded, running a hand roughly through his tousled hair.
"Huh? Coffee?"
"Yes. Coffee," Johan repeated, his patience clearly wearing thin.
North reluctantly dragged himself out of bed, his movements sluggish and confused. Make coffee? That's what this was all about? Stumbling into the kitchen, he fumbled with the supplies, still half-asleep.
"When you're done, get dressed," Johan added, adjusting the buttons on his shirt with one hand while gathering his belongings with the other.
"What, you want me to wear the uniform?" North asked, yawning.
"Yes."
"But I only—"
"I don't care."
North huffed under his breath, muttering about the injustice of it all. Why did he have to leave so early when his class wasn't until the afternoon? As he prepped Johan's coffee, he couldn't help but notice how effortlessly his friend pulled himself together. Even in a rush, Johan managed to exude an air of casual elegance. His hair, though hastily combed, fell into place perfectly.
After hurriedly showering and changing, North grabbed the sweater he'd borrowed last night. The fabric was soft and oversized, the sleeves bunching at his wrists as he rolled them up. He was about to make a comment when Johan tossed a black helmet in his direction.
"Wait..." North hesitated, staring at the sleek motorcycle parked outside.
"Don't tell me we're using that."
Johan shot him an annoyed glance. "Traffic's bad. We'll get there faster."
"But you're a terrible car driver! How much worse is this going to be?"
North protested, eyeing the imposing machine.
Johan ignored him, climbing on and gesturing for North to follow. "Hurry up."
Swallowing his nerves, North awkwardly swung a leg over the seat. The engine roared to life, sending a shiver of apprehension down his spine.
"Hold on," Johan instructed firmly.
North's arms hesitated before wrapping around Johan's waist. His heart pounded—not from the speed, but from the unexpected proximity. By the time they arrived at the Faculty of Medicine, North's knuckles were white, and his legs felt like jelly. He stumbled off the bike, muttering under his breath about near-death experiences.
"You're scared?" Johan teased, removing his helmet with a quick, practiced motion. His hair, annoyingly perfect as always, barely needed fixing.
"I was terrified," North admitted, holding up trembling hands. "But hey, the coffee survived." He pulled the cup from his bag, handing it over with a triumphant smirk.
Johan accepted it without comment, sipping as he strode toward the building. "Stay here," he said over his shoulder.
"Here? What am I supposed to do?" North called after him.
"Study with me?" Johan suggested, his expression unreadable.
"Are you insane?" North barked out a laugh. "I'll call someone to pick me up."
With that, Johan disappeared into the crowd, leaving North standing awkwardly by the entrance. It wasn't until he reached into his sweater pocket to grab his phone that he froze. His fingers brushed against something unexpected.
"Wait... is this—money?" Pulling out three crisp gray bills, his eyes widened. "Three thousand baht?!"
North quickly texted Johan.
[NORTH]: Phi, I found a lot of money in the sweater pocket.
[NORTH]: Do you want me to give it back?
[JOHAN]: No need.
[JOHAN]: Keep it.
[JOHAN]: Didn't you forget your wallet?
North stared at the screen, a mix of gratitude and exasperation washing over him. "What kind of person just forgets three thousand baht like that?" he muttered, shaking his head. Still, he couldn't help but smile a little. Johan's gruffness always carried a surprising undercurrent of care.
With a sigh, North tucked the money back into his pocket and began dialing his friends. This day was already shaping up to be far more chaotic than he'd planned.