The group chat was too quiet.
That was the first thing Phuwin noticed.
He stared at his phone, lying flat on his bed, one arm covering his eyes like that would somehow block out the feeling sitting in his chest.
Krit:"Did you eat?"Mali:"Answer."Krit:"If you die I'm not attending your funeral."
Phuwin huffed.
"…You're so annoying," he muttered, even though they weren't there.
His fingers hovered over the keyboard.
He typed:
I'm fine.
Then deleted it.
Typed again:
Leave me alone.
Deleted.
Then—
I ate.
Sent.
He dropped the phone beside him immediately, like he didn't want to see what came next.
It buzzed anyway.
Mali:"Liar."Krit:"What did you eat?"
Phuwin stared at the ceiling.
"…Air," he whispered.
Rain tapped softly against the window.
Not heavy like earlier.
Just enough to be there.
Just enough to remind him.
He turned to the side, pulling his blanket up even though it wasn't cold.
His phone lit up again.
He didn't want to check it.
So of course—
He did.
Not the group chat.
The other one.
Still open.
Still the same message.
"I think we should stop."
Phuwin frowned slightly.
"…You couldn't even say my name," he murmured.
It felt stupid.
That that was what bothered him.
Not the breakup.Not the ending.
But the fact that it felt… generic.
Like something you could send to anyone.
His chest tightened.
He opened the chat.
Scrolled up.
Photos.Voice notes.Random conversations.
"Did you eat?""Send me your homework.""You're so annoying.""Goodnight."
Normal things.
That used to mean something.
Now they just… sat there.
Useless.
Phuwin swallowed.
Then quickly—
Locked his phone.
Threw it to the other side of the bed.
"…I hate this," he said into the pillow.
A few seconds passed.
Then—
Buzz.
He groaned loudly. "What now—"
He reached over blindly, grabbed his phone, unlocked it.
Incoming call: Krit
Phuwin stared at it.
Let it ring.
Ring.
Ring—
"Ugh," he muttered, answering it. "What?"
"Open your door."
Phuwin blinked. "…What?"
"Your door," Krit repeated. "Open it."
Phuwin sat up. "No."
"Why?"
"Because I'm not in the mood."
"Okay, well I am, so open it."
"…Go home."
"I am home."
Phuwin froze.
"…What?"
Mali's voice came faintly through the phone. "Just open it."
Phuwin stared at the door.
Then at the phone.
Then back at the door.
"You guys are actually insane," he said, already getting up.
He opened the door.
Krit stood there.
Completely soaked.
Mali beside him, holding an umbrella that clearly failed its job.
"…What is wrong with you?" Phuwin said immediately.
Krit stepped inside like he owned the place. "Wow, no 'hello'? No 'thank you for coming in the rain'? Rude."
Mali slipped in after him. "Move, you're dripping everywhere."
Phuwin closed the door slowly.
"…Why are you here?"
Krit shrugged. "You were being depressing."
"I was not—"
"You were," Mali cut in. "Your 'I ate' text was embarrassing."
Phuwin scoffed. "I did eat."
"What did you eat?" Krit asked instantly.
"…That's not the point."
"Exactly."
Phuwin tried to stay annoyed.
He really did.
But then—
Krit shook his head like a dog, water flying everywhere.
"OH MY GOD—" Mali shrieked, backing away.
Phuwin jumped. "ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"
Krit grinned. "I had to. For dramatic effect."
"You're disgusting!"
"You're welcome."
Mali grabbed a random towel and threw it at him. "Dry yourself before I kick you out."
"You wouldn't."
"I would."
Phuwin watched them.
Arguing.Loud.Annoying.
Normal.
His chest felt weird again.
But… lighter.
Just a little.
They ended up on the floor.
Because of course they did.
Krit sitting cross-legged, still slightly damp.Mali leaning against the bed.Phuwin lying flat, staring at the ceiling again.
Silence.
But not uncomfortable this time.
"…So," Krit said finally. "Are we hating him or pretending to be mature?"
Mali sighed. "Can we not—"
"No, I need to know," Krit insisted. "I need direction."
Phuwin let out a small breath.
"I don't know."
That was the truth.
"I feel like I should hate him," he continued. "But I don't."
Mali nodded slowly. "That's normal."
Krit frowned. "I still vote hate."
"No one asked you."
"I'm contributing."
Phuwin smiled faintly.
Then it faded.
"…Do you think he ever liked me?" he asked.
There it was again.
That question.
The one that sits quietly until it doesn't.
Krit didn't joke this time.
Mali didn't answer immediately.
"…I think," she said carefully, "he liked you as much as he could."
Phuwin blinked.
"That doesn't make sense."
"I know."
Silence.
Rain, again.
Soft.
Constant.
Phuwin turned his head slightly.
"…I think I liked him more."
Krit nodded once. "Yeah."
No hesitation.
Phuwin let out a weak laugh. "Wow. Thanks."
"You wanted honesty."
"I regret asking."
Another pause.
Then—
"Do you think love is supposed to feel like this?" Phuwin asked.
Mali frowned. "Like what?"
"Confusing."
Krit snorted. "That's literally the definition."
"I'm serious."
"I am too."
Phuwin sat up slightly.
"I thought it was supposed to feel… obvious."
Mali looked at him.
"…I think that's what movies say."
Krit added, "Movies also say running in the rain fixes everything."
Phuwin glanced at him. "…It didn't."
"Yeah, shocking."
Mali smiled faintly.
Then—
"…Maybe we just don't understand it yet," she said.
Phuwin leaned back again.
"…Yeah."
Maybe.
The room fell quiet again.
Not empty.
Just… full of things they weren't saying.
Krit suddenly stood up.
"Okay. New rule."
Mali looked at him suspiciously. "What now?"
"No crying alone."
Phuwin groaned. "I'm not crying—"
"No being sad alone," Krit corrected. "Better wording."
Mali nodded. "Agreed."
Phuwin stared at both of them.
"You're making this into a contract?"
"Yes," Krit said. "We're very official."
"…You're both insane."
"And you're stuck with us," Mali added.
Phuwin looked at them.
Really looked.
And for the first time since the message—
He didn't feel alone.
"…Okay," he said quietly.
Outside, the rain didn't stop.
But inside—
It didn't feel as heavy anymore.
End of Chapter 2