A couple of days later, people started to take notice.
Honestly, it was hard not to.
Fame—one of the most popular students at the university—was suddenly everywhere with the quiet girl from the Economics department.
In the cafeteria.
In the courtyard.
Outside lecture halls.
Even by the library steps.
Wherever Nonglak went, Fame was right there.
And as usual, Fame didn't seem to mind who was watching.
"Are you stalking me?"
Nonglak asked calmly one afternoon as they paused near the faculty building.
Fame, who had been trailing a couple of steps behind, blinked innocently.
"I prefer to think of it as accompanying you."
"You're following me."
"I just happen to be headed in the same direction."
"For the third time today?"
Fame paused.
"…Coincidence?"
Nonglak shot her a long look.
Fame smiled.
Nonglak sighed and resumed walking.
Fame quickly caught up.
"What class did you just finish?" Fame asked.
"World History."
"That sounds serious."
"..."
"My class was all about muscle endurance today."
Nonglak glanced at her.
"You actually attend your classes?"
Fame gasped dramatically.
"That's very insulting."
"I've only ever seen you outside my classes."
"That's because your schedule is more interesting."
Nonglak stopped again.
"You skipped class."
"Only one."
"You just said it was about muscle endurance."
"It was yesterday's class."
Nonglak closed her eyes briefly.
"You're unbelievable."
Fame grinned proudly.
"I hear that a lot."
As they strolled through the courtyard, several students cast glances their way.
Some whispered.
Some stared.
Fame was oblivious.
But Nonglak noticed.
"People are watching," she said quietly.
"So?"
"You're famous here."
Fame shrugged.
"That's their problem."
"It becomes my problem when they start staring."
Fame finally looked around and spotted a group of students whispering near the stairs.
"…Oh."
Nonglak kept walking toward the library.
"You should stop following me," she said.
"Why?"
"Because it will create rumors."
Fame walked beside her casually.
"What kind of rumors?"
Nonglak didn't respond.
Fame leaned a little closer.
"…The interesting kind?"
Nonglak stopped again.
"You're doing this on purpose."
Fame raised an eyebrow.
"Doing what?"
"Making things complicated."
Fame's smile softened.
"I'm just trying to talk to you."
"That's exactly the issue."
Fame studied her expression closely.
"You don't like it?"
Nonglak hesitated.
"…It's distracting."
Fame suddenly looked pleased.
"That means you're thinking about me."
"That's not what I meant."
"It still counts."
Nonglak shook her head and pushed open the library door.
The quiet inside instantly absorbed the sounds of campus life.
Students sat at tables, reading or typing away on their laptops.
Nonglak headed straight for her usual seat by the window.
Fame followed, naturally.
"You're not staying here too," Nonglak said quietly.
"Why not?"
"This is the library."
"Yes."
"You'll talk."
"I can be quiet."
Nonglak shot her a skeptical look.
"Five minutes."
"I can manage ten."
"Five."
Fame raised both hands in surrender.
"Fine."
They settled down across from each other.
Nonglak opened her notebook and began reviewing her notes.
Fame rested her chin on her hand and watched her.
Five minutes passed.
Then six.
Then seven.
Finally, Fame whispered.
"Are you always this serious?"
Nonglak didn't look up.
"You promised five minutes."
"I lasted seven."
"That's worse."
Fame leaned forward slightly.
"Why do you avoid people?"
Nonglak paused.
"I don't avoid people."
"You kind of do."
"I just prefer quiet."
Fame studied her intently.
"You don't have many friends, do you?"
Nonglak slowly closed her notebook.
"That's none of your business."
Fame didn't seem offended.
Instead, she smiled gently.
"I can be your friend."
Nonglak met her gaze.
"Why?"
"Because I want to."
"That's not a reason."
"It's a good enough one."
Nonglak held her gaze for a moment.
"You don't even know me."
Fame shrugged.
"I'm working on that."
A small silence settled between them.
Outside the window, the sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting soft shadows across the table.
Finally, Nonglak spoke again.
"You're very persistent."
Fame beamed.
"Yes."
"And you won't stop."
"Nope."
Nonglak sighed quietly.
"…You're very troublesome."
Fame's smile widened.
"But you're still talking to me."
Nonglak couldn't argue with that.
Meanwhile, across campus, Min sat with a group of friends in the cafeteria.
"A week," he announced.
"A week of what?" someone asked.
"Fame chasing that girl."
Another friend laughed.
"That's a new record."
Min shook his head.
"No."
She looked out the window toward the library.
"This is different."
"Why?"
Min leaned back in his chair.
"Because…Fame actually looks serious."
Min exhaled slowly.
This is going to cause problems.
Later that evening, Fame returned home.
The large mansion stood quietly under the fading sunlight, its polished gates opening automatically as her car rolled into the driveway.
Fame walked down the hallway toward her room, her mood light and cheerful.
Min followed behind after parking the car.
Just as he stepped inside, a deep voice halted him.
"Min."
He froze.
Standing near the living room entrance was Amorn, Fame's father.
The man's sharp gaze could make anyone nervous.
Min straightened immediately.
"Yes, sir."
Amorn folded his arms.
"I heard Fame has been getting close to a girl lately."
Min felt his stomach knot.
"…She's just a friend, sir."
Amorn's eyes narrowed slightly.
"A friend…"
An uncomfortable silence filled the room.
"That better be true, Min."
His tone was calm, but the underlying warning was unmistakable.
Amorn turned slightly toward the window.
"You know how important Fame's future is."
"Yes, sir."
"I cannot have another failure in this family."
Min lowered his head slightly.
"…I understand."
Amorn nodded once before dismissing him with a wave of his hand.
Min walked away slowly, his thoughts heavy.
What Amorn didn't say was already known to everyone in the household.
Fame's father was not fond of the idea of his daughter being interested in another girl.
His prodigy.
The athlete meant to bring glory to the family.
Over the years, several girls had come close to Fame.
None of them lasted long. Good thing Fame wasn't serious about any of them yet.
One transferred schools.
Another suddenly stopped responding to Fame's messages.
A third simply vanished from Fame's life.
Fame never understood why.
But Min did.
Her father always ensured it.
Min sighed quietly.
If Fame keeps pursuing Nonglak...
This time might be harder to hide.
Inside her room, Fame had already flopped onto her bed.
Her damp hair spread across the pillow as she lazily stared at her phone.
Then she smiled.
On the screen was a photo.
A picture of Nonglak sitting under the rain tree on campus, her head slightly tilted down as she read.
Fame had snapped it earlier when Nonglak wasn't looking.
"Cute," Fame murmured.
Her smile widened.
"She definitely has feelings for me."
She turned slightly onto her side.
"Maybe she's not quite there yet…"
Her finger traced the edge of the photo.
"But she will be."
Across the city, Nonglak had just returned home.
The metal gate closed softly behind her as she stepped into the yard.
"Lak, you're back late today," her mother called from inside the house. "Go wash up and come have dinner. Your father just arrived too."
"Okay," Nonglak replied.
She quickly went upstairs, showered, and changed into comfy clothes.
When she stepped out of her room, she nearly jumped.
Her younger brother Chit was leaning casually against the wall.
"…What are you doing?" she asked.
Chit grinned.
"Waiting."
"For what?"
"For you."
Nonglak frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
Chit pushed himself off the wall.
"At the café earlier today," he said casually.
"I saw everything."
Nonglak's eyes widened slightly.
Did he see me with Fame?
She cleared her throat.
"…Just a friend."
Chit's grin widened.
He walked beside her as they headed toward the stairs.
"She looked more than a friend."
Nonglak ignored him and kept walking.
Chit leaned closer.
"Hmmm…"
He suddenly mimicked two hands holding together.
"I didn't know friends could be like that."
Nonglak stopped in her tracks.
"You—"
She raised her hand as if about to hit him.
"Stop teasing me."
Chit laughed and dashed down the stairs ahead of her.
Just then, their mother's voice echoed from the dining room.
"You two come eat dinner!"
When they entered, their mother sighed as she looked at them.
"Look at you two," she said with amusement. "Already this old and still playing around like children."
Chit immediately wrapped an arm around her.
"It was Lak!" he complained dramatically. "She was going to hit me!"
Their mother playfully pushed his forehead away.
"You naughty boy."
She pointed toward the dining table.
"Go sit."
Chit pouted for exactly two seconds before grinning again and plopping down.
He inhaled deeply as food was placed on the table.
"Ahh," he said dramatically.
"The smell of love is delicious."
Nonglak glared at him.
"You—"
"Alright," their father interrupted calmly as he took a seat.
"That's enough."
He picked up his chopsticks.
"Let's eat."
The family began dinner together.
But while Nonglak quietly consumed her food—
A certain confident girl kept popping into her mind.
And for some reason—
She couldn't shake the thought of Fame.