"Ahem."
Clearing her throat, Ria stared intensely at Mok, who was busy checking a paper in his hands.
"You are a petty assassin, right?"
"Yes," a voice replied, "but Mok, can I change it? I don't think this costume fits me either."
"Really?" Nodding, Mok reached for his phone, planning to make a call.
"Wait, who are you calling?"
"The professor..."
"What the heck... Forget it."
Quickly snatching the dress from the box, Mok's classmate sprinted away with a heavy heart, mumbling, "I hate you. I hate this dress..."
Mok tilted his head. 'So he took it and his number.' He ticked the number on the paper as he waited for the other owners.
"Mok," Ria called out, approaching him with some drinks. "Do you want one?" she asked reluctantly.
"No." Mok shook his head, although he was already thirsty.
Outside, the preparations were only halfway finished. The assigned departments were so busy that no one had time to check on other matters.
'I'm getting bored.'
Peering through the window, Ria took a quick glance at Mok. He was scrolling through his phone, completely unaware of her.
'I'm getting envious. Who is he chatting with that makes him smile like that?' She exhaled softly, unable to avert her eyes. 'He is really handsome and comes from a good family, just like me. But how can I get close to him? I feel like the more I talk, the higher the wall between us grows.'
Sigh!
Sigh!
"Are you alright?" Mok, who heard it, asked.
"You can go back. I am okay on my own."
Mok was always like that, not only with her but with anyone. He felt she was tired of spending time with him in there while the whole campus was celebrating.
"Well... I..."
'Is he worried about me?' she wondered, both her ear tips flushing like pink roses.
"Mok, mind if you have a coffee with me?"
"Coffee..." His eyes twitched. "I don't..."
"You don't like coffee either, right?" Ria cut in, disbelief filling her voice. "Mok, did I do something wrong? Why do you treat me like this?"
Her expression shifted into pure anger, and her fingers clenched into a fist.
"I saw you. I saw you smiling at that senior. Are you two in a relationship?"
Mok was too stunned to speak. He never liked anyone outside his close circle speaking like this. He wanted to throw everything right into her face, but he didn't do it.
"It's not like that. We have known each other for quite some time," Mok stumbled, avoiding her. But his mind was filled with regrets. 'I should have just said he was mine.'
"Then why do you treat me so differently?"
She was quite a stubborn character, not someone who gave up easily.
"Tell me... are you lying to me?"
Despair washed over her face, as if everything were slipping from her fingertips. Her arms lunged desperately around his chest, burying her head against him.
"Mok, I am your friend, right?" Her voice cracked with tears. "Then why are you avoiding me? I followed you from the very first time we met." She lifted her head, meeting his trembling eyes. "Your favorite food, your hobbies, everything—I know it all. I qualify to be your friend, right...? I am more qualified than him."
"Let go..." Gritting his teeth, he hated her smell, which was obviously trying to lure him into something more than friendship, despite what she said.
Mok pushed her, but not too hard.
"I respect you as a senior, so please..."
"I... I am sorry..."
Ria stood frozen, shaking her head as tears drifted down her cheeks.
"I am sorry, Mok. I must be out of my mind. I am sorry..."
She dropped to the floor, salty drops meeting her lap as she tried to touch his feet.
He stepped backward until his waist hit the table. 'What the heck is she doing?'
"I like you... Mok... Please..." Her soaked face and her messed dress showed her desperation for him. Instead of turning her down and calming her, he wanted to run far away from her.
'I need to...' His mind went blank. Running a hand through his hair, Mok soothed himself.
'It's okay... Breathe in... Breathe out.'
Placing the paper on the table, he walked out, telling her to finish the remaining work.
"Mok... Mok..."
He ignored it. He didn't want to blame anyone; he just wanted to be alone.
...
"Ha... hah..."
Mok finally took a breath. It was the first time something like this had happened since the incident involving his caretaker when he was a kid.
She had also acted like this when they caught her doing mean things to Mok. Maybe that was why he felt even more disgusted when Ria leaned into him.
'But she is really crying. What if I am wrong? What if she is really hurt by me?'
Mok called his professor to double-check if he had crossed a line. She was a girl, and as a man, he couldn't shake the guilt of pushing her away.
The conversation had gone smoothly at first, but now he was too shaken.
"What are you saying, Mok? I called Ria to look after you. What does she need to look after you for? Don't I know my students better than your seniors? Well, forget it. If she really wants to do it, let her. You can spend your time outside."
'He never called her. From the tone, the professor doesn't seem to like her. Now everything feels weird. There is no other name for this but stalking.'
Mok ran into the bathroom. All the images of what had just happened were spinning through his mind like a roller coaster.
Did she know about his relationship with Kao? That was what troubled him even more.
'I am scared... Really scared.'
'What if she hurts Kao?'
...
"Cute!"
Toffee bragged about the fluffy little puppy doll he had just bought after bargaining for nearly half an hour.
"It's worth it, isn't it? Doesn't it look like our Noi?"
Standing nearby, Mok disagreed, insisting that Noi was way cuter.
Meanwhile, the ghost costume fashion show was starting earlier than planned. On the outdoor stage, crowds of students were already gathering.
Phayu, representing their department as a ghost, was waiting while the four of them made their way over to watch.
Bua had her camera ready to capture every single memory, since this was their first time gathering together after solving all their recent trials.
The sun was ready to set, crowning the clouds in shades of orange tulips mixed with lilies of the valley. Students snapped photos of the sky as a cool breeze swept past them for a brief moment.
Different club stalls were set up like small camps, selling handmade items and promoting their activities. They were in the middle of a heated competition to win the festival's best-seller prize.
As time passed, the crowd only grew livelier.
The first band's performance lit up the evening, and the students sang along, completely lost in the celebration. Before they even knew it, the performance had ended, leaving them disappointed as they wished it could have lasted a little longer.
"When can we see Phayu?"
"I don't know..."
"Bua, is something wrong with the camera?"
"No, but Toffee, look. It's slowing down."
"Maybe something is wrong with the settings."
"Can I have a look?"
Lamon reached out, tossing his finished popsicle into the waste bin. Bua and Lamon continued checking the camera, though Toffee kept one eye on Mok.
"You don't look well."
"It's because of this outfit. Everyone is staring at me."
"It's just for one day. Smile more, Mok."
Mok leaned close to his ear. "I am really happy, Toffee. Happy that I have so many friends. Don't worry about me."
"Mmh."
Toffee hummed before suddenly screaming, "Phayu! It's Phayu! Huuuu! Phayu, fighting!"
The show began before they even knew it.
"Phayu! Phayu! Phayu!"
They cheered in unison as Phayu did his ghost walk on the stage.
Agh!
He even imitated a ghost's wail.
"Oh my God... What is he doing...?" Toffee laughed, kneeling on the ground as if to say, 'I don't know him, don't look at us,' while Bua completely forgot to record. Mok, however, had already captured it on his phone just to laugh at later.
Lamon missed the last part because he was busy unpacking a snack.
"Is it done? But..."
Still waiting to eat and watch, Lamon froze like a statue.
"Lamon, where did you get that idea? It's not like we are watching a movie."
"What?!"
That was when Lamon finally realized the fashion show only lasted sixteen minutes. The main band performance, which was scheduled to last until midnight, wouldn't start for another two hours—though the stage needed to be ready one hour beforehand.
They all calmed him down, assuring him it was fine. Since he still wanted to watch something while eating his snacks, they planned a movie night back at the dorm instead.
Buzzz!
Continuous messages vibrated in Mok's pocket. Thinking it was Kao, he hurried to check his screen.
'Again.'
He sighed.
"Toffee, I need to go to the department office."
"What? I can't hear you!"
The loud music was blasting to keep the students entertained, and to make matters worse, the four of them were standing right next to the speakers.
Mok flashed the screen in front of him.
[Mok, come to the office room. I want to ask something regarding the paper Ria gave me.]
Toffee typed quickly on his own phone.
"Are you going alone?"
"Mhm."
Resting his hands on his chest, Toffee typed back, "I am coming too."
"No, stay here with them. Phayu is already sweating on stage, so you guys should go grab a drink at a stall. By the time I get back, I'll join you."
"Okay..." Toffee shouted over the noise. "I will text you!"
"Bye..."
...
"Excuse me... Can I get through...?"
Mok struggled to get out of the crowd. His robe dragged along the floor as students kept stepping on it. Finally, he got free and took a deep breath.
Looking back, he thought only a quarter of the students were there. By night, the campus would be full of students from all years.
He headed toward his department. Because the stage and the office were quite far apart, he decided to take his car.
Beep! Beep!
After locking his car, Mok headed toward the office. Along the way, students were getting ready. It was louder on the first floor, but the second-floor hallway was so quiet that even a falling pin would sound loud. It was darker, too.
He was already tired from what happened in the morning, but spending time with his friends made him feel better. Mok quickly fixed his attire before tapping on the door.
Knock!
Receiving no response, he called his professor.
Ring!
He pressed his ear closer, listening to the phone ring from inside.
"Professor..." he called out.
'Why isn't he answering?'
He planned to leave, but tried to twist the handle anyway.
The door opened easily.
'Now I feel embarrassed. Whatever.'
He trudged inside. The interior was even darker, and the sharp scent of wet paint filled the air, as if someone had been working just moments ago.
Mok recalled that the special guests for the festival—the famous band members—were supposed to receive two paintings, one of which was created by a first-year teacher.
"Professor..."
He kept calling as he approached the desk.
At that exact moment, the door slammed shut from the outside with a heavy thud. Mok rushed toward it before it could fully close.
Slam! Slam!
"Hey... I am still inside!"
"Hello...?"
He tried to stay calm, but the lights wouldn't even turn on. He found the situation ridiculous.
"...Why isn't it working? Hello! I am still inside!"
The loud music outside was muffled through the windows. No one outside could hear any sound from the room. He repeatedly banged on the door, but no response came.
'There is no signal.'
He tried to look down through the window. Forget the music; no one was there. He stretched his arm outside, trying to get a phone signal.
'Just a little more...'
He managed to dial a familiar number.
"Mok...?"
"I am done with my work..."
"Mok..."
The voice on the other end was hazy, and Mok's words weren't reaching Kao clearly.
"Kao... Kao..."
"What's wrong? I can't hear you."
"Kao, I am trapped in the department office!"
With a sharp beep, the call cut off completely.
'Damn it...'
'First that woman, and now I'm stuck. Is someone targeting me? I should have at least told Toffee what happened between her and me.'
He pressed his hands against his forehead, his thoughts tangled with worry and fear, but they always ended with Kao.
'He will come. I am sure of it.'
Kao had heard nothing, but Mok believed he would come.
He sat near the window, suddenly hating the dark even though a little light still filtered in from outside. He could still hear the distant music and loud cheers outside. The cold breeze moved the small curtain as his eyes fixed on the painting across the room.
'Where have I seen that before?'
The moment he noticed the canvas—which depicted a dark hand reaching against a background of black rain—Mok couldn't shake the familiarity.
He went to where the other paintings were left in the corner. Using his phone's flashlight, Mok checked it.
'Fon... isn't he the one who painted it? Am I wrong?'
He searched for other matching pieces, knowing that artists often leave a signature style or a hidden mark within their work.
But before he could look any closer, the door suddenly swung open.
Relieved, he stood up instantly.
"Kao...!"
He ran forward with a smile.
"Kao..."
A figure hugged him tightly.
"I was so worried about you. When I heard you were locked in here..."
"R-Ria...?"
"Let me go, P'Ria...!"
He pushed her back until she hit the wall. Instead of falling, she grabbed Mok's shirt tightly, refusing to let him go.
Slowly lifting her head, she moved her light-red lips toward his.
"Mok, I love you..." she whispered.
Locking her arms securely around his waist, she sobbed against his chest.
"I really love you... Don't leave me..."
"I'm scared... Mok."