Morning came like nothing happened.
That was the annoying part.
Same school gates. Same shouting. Same footsteps rushing past like everyone had somewhere important to be.
Phuwin stood by the entrance for a second longer than usual.
Just watching.
People laughed too loudly for 7 a.m.
Someone was already arguing.
A girl fixed her hair in her phone camera like the day needed her approval.
"…Normal," he muttered.
But it didn't feel normal.
It felt like the world was pretending.
"Don't stand there like a statue," Krit said, bumping his shoulder as he passed.
"I wasn't—"
"You were."
Mali walked beside them, tying her hair up. "You're doing that thing again."
"What thing?"
"Thinking too much before school even starts."
Phuwin scoffed. "That's not a thing."
"It is for you," Krit said.
They entered the building.
Noise swallowed them instantly.
Shoes squeaking. Chairs scraping. Someone laughing like they hadn't slept.
Phuwin adjusted his bag.
"…I replied," he said suddenly.
Krit didn't even stop walking. "Yeah, we know."
Mali glanced at him. "Did he reply back?"
Phuwin hesitated.
"…No."
That should've meant something.
It didn't feel like anything.
Just… empty.
"Good," Krit said.
"That's not good," Mali corrected immediately.
"It is. Less drama."
"It's not about drama," she said.
Phuwin didn't say anything.
He just kept walking.
🏫 CLASSROOM — TOO LOUD FOR NO REASON
The classroom was already loud before they even entered.
Someone was playing music from their phone.
Someone else was arguing about homework.
A paper ball flew across the room and hit a fan.
Phuwin stopped at the door for half a second.
"…Why is it always like this?" he muttered.
"Because we're teenagers," Krit said, walking in like he owned the place.
"That's not an explanation."
"It is. Just not a good one."
Mali slid into her seat. "Sit down before someone throws something at you."
Phuwin sat.
He didn't open his bag immediately.
Just sat there.
Watching.
Across the room—
Arthit.
Talking to someone.
Smiling slightly.
Normal.
Too normal.
Phuwin looked away first.
Again.
"…I hate that I keep noticing him," he said quietly.
Krit leaned back in his chair. "That's because your brain is bored."
"That's not how brains work."
"It is mine."
Mali sighed. "Please stop talking."
Krit ignored her. "Also, you're not noticing him. You're reacting."
Phuwin frowned. "What's the difference?"
Mali answered this time.
"…Noticing is accidental," she said. "Reacting means it already matters."
That hit a little too accurately.
Phuwin didn't respond.
🌧 LUNCH — WORDS SPREAD WITHOUT SOUND
The cafeteria was worse.
Not louder.
Just heavier.
People weren't looking directly at him anymore.
They were looking around him.
Like he was a topic that had already been discussed.
"Why does it feel like I'm being watched?" Phuwin muttered.
Krit opened his drink. "Because you are."
"I hate you."
"You keep saying that."
"Because it's true."
Mali looked up suddenly.
"…Someone's talking about you again."
Phuwin didn't even ask who.
He already knew.
He didn't look.
But he heard it anyway.
"—they're still in the same group, right?"
"—it's awkward."
"—I'd never go through that."
Krit stood up.
Instantly.
Mali grabbed his wrist. "No."
"They're loud," he said.
"And you're louder. Sit down."
Phuwin didn't move.
"…It's fine," he said.
Krit stared at him. "No it's not."
"I said it's fine."
"That's not the same thing."
Phuwin finally looked up.
His voice quieter now.
"…I don't want to fight anymore."
That stopped everything.
Even Krit.
For a second.
Then Krit slowly sat back down.
"…Okay," he said.
But he didn't look happy.
🌫 AFTER SCHOOL — WHEN EVERYTHING FEELS TOO STILL
The sky looked wrong.
Too grey for the heat.
Too heavy for nothing to happen.
They walked without talking at first.
Then Krit kicked a stone down the road.
"…I hate school," he said.
"That's not new," Mali replied.
"I mean it today."
Phuwin didn't laugh.
That was noticeable.
Mali slowed slightly. "What's wrong with you?"
Phuwin blinked. "…Nothing."
"That's a lie," Krit said immediately.
"I'm just tired."
"You've been tired for days," Mali said.
Phuwin stopped walking.
That made them stop too.
Silence.
Cars passing.
A dog barking somewhere far.
Then—
"…Do you ever feel like you're watching your own life?" Phuwin asked.
Krit frowned. "What?"
"Like everything is happening, but you're not really inside it."
Mali's expression softened slightly.
"…Yeah," she said quietly.
Krit hesitated. "…Sometimes."
Phuwin nodded slowly.
"…That's what this feels like."
No one joked.
No one interrupted.
For once.
Because that didn't sound like drama.
It sounded real.
🌙 EVENING — THE CITY DOESN'T CARE
They ended up walking again.
No destination.
Just movement.
Streetlights flickered on one by one.
The city waking up in a different way than morning.
Louder now.
Messier.
More alive.
Krit suddenly stopped at a crossing.
"…Let's do something stupid," he said.
Mali groaned. "No."
"Yes."
"Absolutely not."
Phuwin blinked. "…What kind of stupid?"
Krit pointed across the street. "That arcade."
Mali followed his finger. "…Why?"
"Because we're alive," he said. "And we're acting like we're not."
That sentence sat there.
Too honest for him.
Phuwin looked at the arcade.
Bright lights.
Fast sounds.
People going in and out like they belonged somewhere.
"…Okay," Phuwin said.
Mali turned instantly. "No."
Phuwin shrugged. "We're already confused anyway."
Krit grinned. "Exactly."
Mali stared at both of them.
"…You two are a problem."
"Correct," they said at the same time.
She sighed.
"…Fine."
🎮 ARCADE — TOO MUCH LIGHT, TOO MUCH NOISE
Inside, everything moved too fast.
Beeping machines.
Flashing screens.
Kids shouting.
Coins dropping.
It felt like the world sped up just to distract itself.
Krit immediately ran to a racing game. "I'm winning everything."
"You're not winning anything," Mali said.
"I already won mentally."
"That doesn't count."
Phuwin stood near the entrance for a second.
Watching.
Then slowly walked in.
Something about the noise helped.
It didn't give answers.
But it drowned questions.
Mali joined him quietly.
"…You okay?" she asked.
Phuwin watched Krit lose a race dramatically.
"…Yeah," he said.
Pause.
Then—
"…I think I am."
Mali nodded.
Not convinced.
But accepting it.
Across the arcade—
Arthit stood near the claw machines.
Alone.
For a second, Phuwin saw him.
Just a second.
Then the machine lights shifted and blocked the view.
Phuwin didn't move toward him.
Didn't look again.
Just stayed where he was.
Krit suddenly yelled. "I WON!"
Mali: "You cheated."
"I used strategy."
"That's not strategy."
"It is now."
Phuwin laughed.
This time—
it didn't feel forced.
Not fixed.
Not healed.
Just…
a moment where he wasn't thinking too much.
And for now—
that was enough.
🌙 END OF CHAPTER 13
Because life at 17 doesn't give answers.
It just keeps moving.
And sometimes—
you move with it.