Finally, the Masked Moon Festival knocked on their door.
"Ouch!"
A flyer smacked a student directly in the cheek. With a sharp gasp, she snatched the crumpled paper in pure annoyance.
"Masked Moon Festival," she muttered, wanting to throw the poster away, but her long skirt tripped her up.
"Why did I get stuck with such an ugly costume...?" she whined, while others whispered around her, "Don't look. She's scary."
But she wasn't the only one suffering. The Phassakorn campus was packed with students in various disguises, ranging from animals and ghosts to hidden princesses and princes. Those dressed as supernatural creatures envied the ones in normal human clothes. In fact, an entire group of people in animal suits were crying together in a corner.
...
Boys' Dormitory----
"Ahhh..."
"Uwaahhaa..."
"I don't want to go..."
Inside the first-year dormitory, the situation was even more chaotic than on campus.
In Mok's Room---
"I look like a real ghost," Phayu sighed, seriously wondering if he should have thought twice before enrolling here.
Just then, Lamon stepped out of the bathroom.
He wore a black wig adorned with glittering white pearls, paired with a light rose-colored half-top and a white, two-layered long skirt.
He irritably scratched his hair. 'It's so itchy... It's so hot... I never wanted to be a cross-dressing idol...' However, Lamon kept his complaints to himself. He refused to be a crybaby today, especially with his friends waiting to tease him.
Lamon shuffled out, hanging his head like a tired sloth. "Haa..." But in seconds, he froze as his mind went blank and his breathing grew shallow.
A white-clothed figure sat on the floor, long hair pooling across the ground.
"Ahh... Mmm..." His voice cracked. "Toffee..." That was the only name he could manage to utter.
The figure shifted its head toward the sound, as if thinking, 'Who dares to interrupt me?' Then, parting its red lips, it asked with a smile, "What's the matter, Lamon?"
"Ahhhhhhh!"
Lamon finally screamed with all his strength. With his survival skills practically at minus zero, he dropped to the floor, unable to stop himself. If this continued, he would end up in the hospital instead of going to the campus festival.
Slam!
"Who made my Lamon cry?!"
Toffee rushed into the room. He had been on the phone with Artit but immediately cut the call when he heard his friend crying on the floor.
Behind him, Phayu had no idea what was happening, but he covered his ears to block out the noise pollution.
"You... You bullied Lamon, right?!" Toffee yelled at the ghost.
The fake blood on Toffee's neck was the highlight of his Dracula concept—a Dracula who had been bitten by another Dracula and died miserably before he could even enjoy life.
"Dracu..." Lamon muttered, casting a helpless glance at Phayu,"... Ghos..."
Toffee stepped over quickly to hug Lamon, but the sudden movement only made things worse.
Neither of them understood why Lamon was in such a state.
"Why aren't you breathing, Lamon?!"
"Mok!" Toffee cried out.
The room descended into absolute chaos.
Then, Mok walked in. A prince— no, an exiled prince who had fallen in love with his brother's wife—looking unexpectedly breathtaking.
"My eyes are blinded..." Phayu mumbled.
Mok's white shirt was loose, and his tie hung like a rope connecting to a red robe that trailed along the floor. His hair was styled effortlessly, giving him a refreshing look. He wasn't wearing his glasses today. Even without makeup, his fair skin looked flawless. Every tiny imperfection seemed perfect, and his tailored pants added a touch of nobility.
Everything about him was too perfect, making the other three instantly feel insecure about their own costumes.
"Uwahhhh..."
"Mok, you traitor!"
"I hate you..."
...
Cold drops from a bottle dripped down onto some ants making their way home. The insects seemed to curse the person disturbing them, but that person just slurped the drink as if it were the first beverage he'd ever tasted.
"Lamon, slow down..."
Lamon shook his head and looked away.
"Let him be. He's already in total shock."
Lamon shot Phayu a sideways glare.
Phayu lowered his head, trying his best not to smile because he knew he would burst out laughing if he did.
"Here, drink this. I bought it for you," Mok said, handing Lamon a green colored drink while taking the empty bottle to throw it away.
"Do you want something to eat?" the Dracula asked.
"No..."
"Eat so you can get some energy back after all that screaming," the ghost mimicked. But the cross-dressed idol crushed him with a single, cold stare.
(Cross-dressed idol—a man pretending to be a woman to become a successful star, only to end up doomed to failure.)
While the others bickered, Mok stood in the corner, checking his phone.
The Dracula approached him. "Mok... Oh, sorry. Masked Prince, where is your actual mask for the costume?"
"That mask... I don't know."
"Grrrr..." Toffee growled like a fierce tiger, though the sound came out more like a cat.
"Hah..." Mok sealed his mouth tightly. He couldn't take the risk—not today, not at all.
"Toffee... I..."
"Grrr!" Toffee growled again. No, it was definitely the sound of a cat, but Mok pretended it was a tiger—a fierce one.
"The mask looked weird with the outfit. So I... I didn't bring it."
"I knew it..." Toffee groaned. "But they are handing out special masks when the program starts, right?"
The ghost and the cross-dressed idol, who had been pulling each other's hair, stopped mid-fight and turned to Toffee.
"They are?!"
"Yes. Did you guys completely forget?"
"Yes, we forgot!"
"No wonder we thought we had so much time. There's an announcement: 'First come, first served!'"
'Damn...'
The same thought struck the Dracula and the prince. Before anyone could say another word, the two sprinted out, grabbing their costumes carefully, as if they were holding water in their palms and trying not to spill a drop. In their hurry, they forgot to explain anything.
"What's going on? Why is everyone running?" Lamon watched as students bolted in every direction across campus.
"Mask... We forget it..."
Screams and shouts echoed from all sides.
It looked like everyone was running for their lives.
"Hey, kids!" a rough voice called out to them.
Lamon and Phayu pointed at themselves.
"Yes, you, ghost and idol! Your friends said that since it's first come, first served, the good masks will be gone if you don't hurry!"
"Shit!"
They bolted too. The ghost's long wig swayed wildly in terror, while the idol's hair bounced, threatening to fly off at any second.
The food stall owner scratched his head, "Are they idiots...?"
...
'I got the good one!'
With a happy expression, Mok stepped out of the classroom, which looked like the middle of a battlefield.
"Give me that mask! I need it!"
"Go away, you rotten merchant!" students shouted at each other inside.
Mok started humming happily. But before he could fully enjoy his victory, his phone rang.
"Mok, there are still some students who haven't collected their concept costumes. Stay in our department club room and hand them out," the professor spoke rapidly, clearly busy.
"Khap..."
"Okay, see you in class. Oh, just a minute—" The professor's voice turned serious as he spoke to someone else before hanging up.
Mok tied his new mask around his waist.
He walked into the club room, which had been left unlocked—the exact reason the professor had called him. Elsewhere at the festival, people were literally fighting over pieces of candy, so leaving the room open was risky.
He scanned the space, which smelled strongly of fresh paint. Red curtains were stacked in boxes along one side, while various costume boxes were piled along the other, waiting for their owners to arrive.
'Finally, peace...'
Through the open windows, a gentle breeze brushed across Mok's flushed face, giving him a brief moment of relief.
The campus was crowded, but Mok didn't hate it. Even though he usually disliked noisy places, he didn't mind it today.
He had actually enjoyed getting ready with his friends—Lamon's dramatic crying, Phayu's endless teasing, and his classmates helping him score a great mask.
Nothing felt like a burden. Instead, he felt a warm sensation in his chest.
'So this is college life.'
Relationships, true friendship... so many things he had never expected were coming to him naturally.
Taking his phone from his pocket, Mok hesitated for a moment. Then, he dialed the number marked as his top priority.
On the first try, there was no answer.
He tried a second time.
Ring!
With a gasp, he turned around, his eyes instantly shining like a flower blooming in the morning sun.
"Kao..." His lips parted, curving into a soft smile. "When did you get here...?"
Kao approached him, his phone still in hand, but his attention was entirely on Mok. He knew Mok's costume concept, but he hadn't expected him to look like this.
"Is my outfit weird?"
Mok averted his eyes. 'It must look really strange then...'
Leaning closer, Kao whispered to Mok's right ear, "You're handsome."
Mok's face turned as red as a tomato. His cheeks puffed up in embarrassment as he covered his ear and lightly tapped Kao's chest.
"Y-You... Kao... You're late..."
It wasn't the first time he'd heard those words today, from the dorm to the campus. But when they came from Kao, they felt completely different. Even his heart couldn't stop exaggerating every little thing.
While, Mok had so many things he wanted to ask. 'How did you know I was here? When did you arrive? Why didn't you call me back?'
But those questions didn't matter anymore. He could only look at Kao, who gently held his hands and kissed him.
It wasn't their first kiss, but it had been a few days since they had seen each other.
'He's my boyfriend.'
The realization made them both blush.
All the memories of how they met, their first kiss, and the quiet nights they shared flooded back. They had grown deeply close long before putting a name on their relationship.
"Kao... You're sweating."
"Mhm. How could I not be, when I'm seeing you look like this?" Kao, whose eyes never left Mok, was so straightforward that he always caught Mok off guard.
'...Why is it suddenly so hot in here?'
Mok stood by the window as the heavy white curtains fell shut behind him, hiding him from the outside world.
'He's trying to ignore me again. But I'm not stopping, Mok. I'm Kao... your boyfriend.'
Pushing aside the white curtains, Kao brushed his body against Mok's, breathing in his scent.
"You smell good..."
He was blabbering again, clearly trying to get hit by Mok. But instead of his usual reaction, Mok stayed completely still.
"Kao... We're in a classroom..."
Kao's lips traced against Mok's exposed neck, causing Mok's fingers to clench tightly around the window frame.
"Phi... Stop..." His tone was low, deep, and meant only for him.
"It's been a while, right, Mok? We've been busy for days. Now that I can finally see you, stop pushing me away... Your voice is only making me fall harder."
"You are being shameless..." His words broke off before he bumped his forehead against Kao's chest.
"If it's you, I can be even more shameless."
"Y-You..."
Kao's tongue lightly nipped Mok's outer lip before capturing it fully. Mok's waist tilted back, opening up to deepen the kiss.
"Haa... mm..."
Parting slightly to catch their breath, they stayed hidden beneath the swaying curtains.
"Mok..."
Mok wrapped his arms around Kao's neck.
"Kao..."
Their bodies pressed together, hearts racing against each other's chests as they shared another deep, quiet kiss.
Then, suddenly, from the doorway—
Clank!
Startled, both of them snapped their heads toward the sound.
'Why are you here...?' Mok stared at the door.