" Come on, let's go sit and take a rest," Toffee said. He grabbed both Lamon and Mok by their hands, forcing them to follow him.
They found a bench in an open resting area near the faculty. It was a cool spot where they could grab drinks from a nearby stall. They picked the perfect table and sat down.
Toffee looked at Lamon.
Lamon was busy staring at Mok. Mok, however, was looking at Toffee. They kept glancing at each other awkwardly until—BANG!
Mok accidentally hit the bench so hard it made a loud noise. Everyone nearby stopped talking and turned to look at them.
Panicking, Mok jumped up and started bowing. "I'm sorry ! I'm sorry !" he shouted, apologizing over and over with his hands pressed together in a wai.
"Is that freshman out of his mind?" someone whispered.
"Is he okay?" another student asked.
Toffee quickly grabbed Mok's arm and forced him to sit back down.
"Mok, are you crazy? Why did you do that?"
Mok huffed, "Oh, so it's my fault now? You didn't say a single word! You just kept making that face at me." He leaned in closer. "Tell me everything. Don't leave anything out. Talk. Now."
Well, well, Mok... where do I start?" Toffee sighed.
"Lamon, you start!"
"Start what?" Lamon asked, blinking.
"Oh, Lamon! Yesterday, after we met Phayu... we saw P'Artit and P'Oat. Did you forget already?"
Lamon's face instantly changed at the mention of Oat's name,but he quickly regained his composure, trying not to let them notice anything.
"Oh, Phayu! Right... but it's a long story."
"Where do I start?" Lamon cleared his throat, looking troubled as he tried to find the right words.
Lamon began to explain everything—the chaos in the Music Department, running and hiding, the disaster happens with the food stall auntie in the canteen, and how they barely escaped a total disaster.
Mok was shocked. He covered his face, trying to hold it in, but as soon as Lamon finished, he burst out laughing.
He made such a weird face while laughing that people walking by looked at him in fear.
Toffee quickly reached over to cover Mok's mouth. "Mok! Stop smiling like that!"
Mok immediately pulled himself together, looking around at the awkward stares from the public.
"I was gone for only one day," Toffee groaned. "Just one day, and you guys brought all the trouble in the college to us!"
Mok put his head on the table and started shaking with laughter again.
Finally, he calmed down and took a deep breath.
"Well, at least nothing worse happened," Mok said, finally catching his breath.
"But what's even worse is Mok laugh!
Mok tried to control his weird smile, but he couldn't help it.
'At least I should congratulate you guys for escaping,' Mok teased. 'But man, I really want to meet this Phayu guy—the one who brought all this trouble to you two!'"
"It's a first for me," Toffee sighed. "I was just a bystander, but I ended up as a prime suspect! Seriously?"
Lamon continued telling them how they met P'Artit and P'Oat, explaining everything that happened in front of the faculty.
After hearing everything, Mok felt confused. He tried to piece together all the details like a puzzle.
"But... something doesn't add up," Mok said, narrowing his eyes. "Why did P'Artit offer you his clothes when Lamon was also standing right there too? Why was it only you?"
Well, maybe he just felt sorry for me. Right, Lamon?" Toffee asked.
"That's right. We were soaking wet, and our clothes were completely drenched in sweat," Lamon added.
"That's exactly what I'm asking! Lamon was soaked in sweat, and so was Toffee. So why only Toffee? That's my question," Mok pressed.
Mok looked up at Toffee suspiciously.
"Oh, Mok... are you a detective now? Stop it!" Toffee pouted, crossing his arms.
"I have questions, Toffee, and I need answers from you!" Mok suddenly pushed his glasses up his nose. He sat in his best 'detective style,' leaning in close to Toffee, waiting to hear the truth."Then what happened after you went with P'Artit , Toffee?"
"Well, he gave me some spare clothes and dropped me off at the dorm. That's it... why?"
"Something doesn't add up, Toffee," Mok said, narrowing his eyes. "I've heard about P'Artit . This whole college knows him. Everyone admires him and wants him; even the freshers come here just to see his face. He's incredibly famous."
Mok leaned in closer. "But they say his personality sucks. He's cold, rude, and doesn't care about anyone. He hates it when people invade his personal space. I even heard he never lets anyone inside his car. So, Toffee... tell me why you were in there?"
"Mok, aren't you exaggerating?" Toffee replied. "I mean, there are always rumors. Even if he seems cold and reserved, he wasn't like that with me. He was actually... kind of caring."
"Toffee... did you know him before this?"
"No! If I knew someone as handsome as him, you'd be the first to know."
Mok smirked. "Then I think something is going on here, Toffee."
"What's going on? Mok, stop with the suspense!"
"I think you've fallen into a trap—a trap that's going to end your single life. Congratulations!"
"Oh, what are you talking about?" Toffee sighed, blushing. "It's not like he fell in love with me at first sight, Mok."
Mok suddenly flicked Toffee's forehead. "You're so dumb, Toffee... really dumb." He kept teasing him, but Toffee looked down at his phone. He was staring at the comments on a photo that a senior named Pim had posted.
"Toffee... Toffee!"- Lamon
"Huh? What?" Toffee blinked. "I just... I think he likes someone else."
Mok reached out and patted Toffee's head. "Even if he likes someone, it's definitely not her."
Toffee looked at Mok in confusion. "Why, Mok?"
"I did some digging. She's just someone who chasing after P'Artit . So don't worry, puppy." [ Pim mentioned in chapter 12]
"Mok! You're messing up my hair!" Toffee complained, while Lamon watched them both with a warm smile.
Suddenly, Toffee grabbed both their hands. "Thank you, guys."
Oh, so cheeky!" both Mok and Lamon said together, giving each other a high-five.
"Oh, you guys... really..." Toffee sighed, shaking his head.
"Lamon, let's exchange numbers," Mok said.
"Sure, let me scan yours," Lamon replied.
"I'm going to go buy some drinks. What do you guys want?" Toffee asked.
"I want that one!" Mok and Lamon pointed at the same time.
"Wait here, I'll go get them." Toffee headed off to the drink stall while Lamon and Mok waited behind.
After finishing their drinks, the trio started to move.
"Where are we heading now?" Lamon asked. "Toffee, don't you want to color your hair?"
"Oh, that's right! I totally forgot," Toffee replied.
Lamon gently touched Toffee's hair to check it. "If you wait too long to dye it, your hair might get damaged."
"Let's go then!" Mok said. They walked to the front of the faculty. "Wait here, guys. I'll go grab my car."
Lamon and Toffee nodded. But just as Mok was about to leave, a voice called out from behind.
"Mok! Hey, Mok!" Oat waved his hand energetically.
Mok didn't even look back. He just kept walking.
"Wow, he's just like you, Artit ... so cold," Oat teased.
Oat and Artit walked closer to the group. While Toffee and Lamon were busy staring at their phones, discussing hair color ideas, Mok was the only one who noticed the two seniors approaching.
"Sawatdee khrap, Toffee! Sawatdee khrap, Lamon!" Oat greeted them with a big smile.
The moment Lamon heard Oat's voice, his face turned bright red. Oat, on the other hand, couldn't take his eyes off Lamon for even a second.
"Sawatdee khrap, P'Oat. Sawatdee khrap, P'Artit ," Lamon and Toffee greeted them politely.
Mok stood there, feeling totally confused. Oat and Artit didn't even look at him; they were too busy staring at his friends like they were the only people there.
Suddenly, Mok's phone rang. "Toffee, let me take this call."
"Okay, Mok," Toffee said.
While the juniors were distracted, Oat and Artit didn't say a word. Instead, they were communicating with just their eyes—like they were in a silent movie.
Oat leaned in and whispered to Artit so the others couldn't hear, "How about we split up? You take yours, I'll take mine."
"Deal," Artit replied with a smirk.
"But what about Mok?" Oat asked.
Artit glanced at the phone-distracted Mok and whispered, "Don't worry about him. He's already busy with someone else. He won't be a problem."
They both smirked like villains in a drama.
Meanwhile, Toffee and Lamon just stood there, blinking in confusion, trying to read the weird vibe in the air.
Mok hung up his phone, looking frustrated and angry. He looked like he wanted to smash his phone right then and there.
He turned back to see the two seniors and his two friends. His clueless friends still had no idea what was happening, but Mok had already figured out the seniors' plan. He looked at Toffee and Lamon with sympathy, knowing his own situation was just as messy.
Mok walked over to them and said, "Toffee, I have to go somewhere..."
"Is it urgent, Mok?" Toffee asked, worried.
"Yeah, kind of urgent," Mok replied.
"Okay, you can go. We'll manage," Toffee said, still looking concerned for his friend.
"Don't worry, Toffee. I'm off then. Bye, Toffee! Bye, Lamon!" Mok waved. Then he turned to the seniors. "P'Artit , P'Oat, I'm leaving them with you. I hope you can take good care of them."
Lamon and Toffee were totally confused by what Mok was saying. Meanwhile, P'Artit and P'Oat just smirked. "We'll take care of them. You can relax and go," they said.
"Mok! Don't go!" Toffee called out, but Mok pretended not to hear.
"Fight on, Toffee!" Mok shouted back from a distance.
"You... Mok!" Toffee muttered, his face full of confusion.
"Alright, Lamon, let's go!" P'Oat suddenly grabbed Lamon's hand and said "Bye, Toffee!"
"Take care of Lamon, P'Oat!" Toffee called out.
Lamon looked back anxiously. "But what about your hair, Toffee?"
"We can do it another day," Toffee said, waving goodbye to his friend.
Now, only Artit and Toffee were left standing there. They started to look at each other, and Toffee's face slowly began to turn bright pink.