January 2017
Tine's POV
"Tine... Tine wake up..."
When I opened my eyes, I could see the sun just rising through the window and then I noticed Sarawat standing next to the bed.
"Hey..." I rubbed my eyes and slowly sat up on the bed. "What time is it?"
"It's about 6.30 in the morning. I am sorry for waking you up I didn't want to leave without letting you know."
"What's there to let me know? Wat, I know you get up early to go see your dad, I will see you at night. Let me sleep. Goodnight." I lied down in my bed again with my blanket over me when Sarawat called me out again.
"No Tine, I won't be home tonight."
And that's when I suddenly looked up. "Wait, why?"
"I need to go to Phuket for a shoot and then I'll be going back to our old house for sometime. All of the old documents are there in the house. If we are going to change the future, we need to be sure of how we can change. We can't just keep throwing arrows in the dark. What if this all backfires."
"What-what do you mean?"
"I mean what if we change the future that leads to me never renting out this apartment, Tine? Then you and I would never be able to see each other. We need to be able to see and talk to each other to change the future."
"Yeah, yeah you are right. God, I never even thought about it Wat. What happens if I mess things up too much for you and you aren't even here anymore? Dammit, I need to really think this through. I can't make any mistakes and I just—"
"Tine..." I felt Sarawat's hand over mine. "Don't think so much about it, okay? We'll figure it out. I am going to go and find some information about what really happened in the past with everything and everyone — and you, you should just focus on befriending me in your world and joining the music club, okay?"
"Okay, okay yeah. I will get on it today."
"Good, then I'll see you in a few days then"
"Yeah. Take care."
"You too. Oh and if we become friends in your world, may be you should show me this apartment and introduce the idea in my head that someday I could live here? We want to make sure that even if we change the past by a lot, we can still see each other."
"That's actually a good idea. Although, I have no idea how I will do that, but I will try my best."
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When I went to the college, I found out that the music club was actually holding auditions — and so I went, just in the hopes of meeting Sarawat again, well the Sarawat from my world, but he was nowhere to be found. And I also totally bombed my auditions. At this point, I was just hoping some of my charm and weird jokes helped me get in.
Sarawat just told me to get into the music club like it would be the easiest thing to do. But there were so many girls auditioning for the club, I didn't even think they would let everyone in. Come to think of it, when I saw Sarawat for the first time in college, he had a lot of girls following him too. I just so shocked seeing Sarawat at my college, I had totally forgotten about that part.
But where the hell is Sarawat Guntithanon?
After finishing up the auditions, I went straight to the Political Science building where I saw him the first time in the hopes that I would run into him again. But what I saw at the building was a line of girls, all holding flowers and chocolates.
"Tine, what are you doing here?"
I turned back and realised it was Fong calling me out.
"I—I had some work here. What are you doing here?"
"I needed to talk to the professor here. Uggh, Sarawat's wives are crowding the whole entrance again. So annoying I swear."
"What—what wives? What the hell did you just say?"
"Sarawat, he's a really popular student here in Political Science. All of these girls are just his fans I guess? They themselves his wives. They literally line up to get him gifts and chocolates to confess to him."
I clicked my tongue. "Confess to what? That they are all delusional idiots calling themselves someone else's wife for no reason at all? I mean why would Sarawat have 'wives?' He is not interested in them at all."
"Okay, may be he isn't interested in them or may be he is. But why are you getting so bothered about it?"
"I am not getting bothered about it. Why would I get bothered about it? It does not bother me at all.
"Sounds like its bothering you a lot, Tine."
"Like I said, it does not bother me at all. I just think all of this is really stupid."
"More stupid than auditioning for the music club even though you literally don't know how to play a single instrument?"
I suddenly looked at Fong. "How do you know about it?"
"Love told me."
"Dammit, I forgot she was there too, but I can't believe she told everyone so soon."
"She texted us the minute you started your audition."
I shook my head. "I should have known."
"Why do you even want to go to the music club? Are you just bored now that you aren't doing part-time jobs?"
"Well, I have some free time and I want to learn to play the guitar."
"What for?"
"I don't know. I just want to. Anyways, lets just go to the cafeteria, I am starving. What's the point even standing here with all of these girls hoarding the entrance."
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We sat in peace at the cafeteria for exactly 10 minutes before all of Sarawat's fake wives came in, following in Sarawat. And this was the first time I got a good look at him since I had seen him the first time here. His hairs were different, his clothes were different, he didn't even smile like the Sarawat I had met in the apartment. He seemed to only talk to a few friends around him and ignore everyone else.
No wonder he became so famous, he already had fans lining up. He seems so antisocial though. How can someone change so much in just 3 years?
"Tine?
Tine?"
"Huh? What?" I looked back at the table, only to realise everyone at the table was looking at me.
"We have been calling you for the past five minutes but it seems like you were too focused staring at Sarawat." said Ohm.
"I WAS NOT!" I yelled back.
"Oh my god, does our little Tine have a crush on someone?" Fong gave me a smug smile.
"Shut up Fong. Its not that.."
"Dont worry Tine, we are going to help you. I'll help you find Sarawat's schedule so you can talk to him." Ohm interrupted me.
"Wait, what? You know Sarawat's schedule? Seriously."
"SEE? I told you guys, he has a crush on him!!" Fong exclaimed.
"You were right, Fong! Oh my god, I am so happy for you, Tine." Love squealed
"Guys, please just tone it down a notch. I don't have a crush on someone, I just need to talk to Sarawat about 'something"'
"Sure Tine." Fong smiled. "And we hope when you talk to him about this 'something' he says yes to you."
"Fong, there is nothing like that.."
"Okay listen to me carefully.." Ohm spoke up while still staring at his phone. "Sarawat has classes till 3.30pm today and then he will probably leave. He drives a white BMW, which is usually parked on the other end of the North side parking lot."
"How do you even know all this, Ohm?" I looked at him all confused.
"Oh, Sarawat's wives have this Facebook group where they update his movements."
"Wow, that does not sound stalkerish at all." I shook my head.
"Its not that bad or stalkerish. I am sure celebrities have it worse."
"Yeah, imagine if Sarawat was a celebrity." I sighed and picked up my plate. "I'll see you guys in class."
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I reached the North campus around 3:15pm and it took exactly 10 seconds for me to find Sarawat's character. It was the only white BMW in the parking lot and honestly looked pretty amazing. I peeped inside the car to look at the interiors and they looked better than I had thought.
In another life, if I saw a car this amazing, I would have just gone out and bought one for myself the next day. But not in this life. In this life, I was just happy I had enough money to put food on the table and get a bus home. That's how my life was now and I needed to get comfortable with it.
"Hey! Who the hell are you? Why are you trying to get into my car?"
I turned back, only to realise, Sarawat was standing right in front of me.
"Hi! Sarawat, right? I was waiting for you..."
But Sarawat didn't answer me, he just stood there staring at me, and I couldn't for the love of god, understand his expressions, so I just continued talking to kill the awkwardness between us.
'I am Tine Teepakorn, I am a finance student here. I am not sure if you remember me, but I ran into you yesterday."
And there was just more silence with even more staring.
"Umm..." I ran my hands through my hairs. "I just—I just came here because I wanted to ask you something.."
"What?" And that's when I heard Sarawat's voice for the first time.
"What? Well..." I laughed nervously. "Do you want to be friends may be? Trust me, I am not as annoying as I look—"
"No." Sarawat cut me off, unlocked his car, and got in before I could say anything.
"Wait, no listen..."
Before I could say anything else, Sarawat had already sped off.
"Did—did he just ignore me and drive away?" I shook my head. "And what the hell is wrong with me? Why did I just ask him to be his friend? I was supposed to be friendly not ask him to just be friends head on." Looking up at the road, I saw Sarawat's car get farther and farther away from me. Frustrated, I kicked the stone in front of me. "You know what? Fuck this. May be Sarawat was just an asshole 3 years ago and I just need to accept the fact that he isn't the same guy anymore."
I picked out my phone and sent a text on the group chat.
Tine[03:32pm]: Drinks tonight at the usual bar?
Ohm [03:33pm]: Aren't you supposed to find Sarawat at the parking lot right now?
Tine [03:33pm]: For the last time, I am not interested in Sarawat
Love [03:34pm]: I think you are very interested in Sarawat
Fong [03:34pm]: Same
Ohm [03:34pm]: Same
Tine [03:35pm]: I am going to be at the bar tonight at 8pm, you guys can come if you want
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I was already down two bottles of beer and still alone at the bar. Everyone else was running late and they apparently had something or the other to do. So I just kept sipping the last of my beer, reminding myself that I couldn't afford to spend money on another bottle of beer and I definitely couldn't get too drunk here by myself on a third beer.
But that's when I saw him again — Three-year younger Sarawat Guntithanon, the apparent ice king, who was now walking towards the restroom in the bar.
"Who does he even think he is? Just because he drives a nice car, he can be mean to me?" I took a final sip of my beer. "Why should I even help this idiot? He is nothing like the Sarawat I know, who is nice, who is kind, and who is — still feeling guilty about his father's accident" I closed my eyes for a few seconds and slammed my bottle on the table. "Fuck this. There are only two weeks left until the accident."
I got up from my chair and followed Sarawat into the restroom. When I went inside the restroom, there was only Sarawat there, washing his hands.
"I just want to be your friend. Why are you being so defensive, Sarawat?" I yelled out at him
He looked back in shock. "Tine...?"
"Yes, Tine. At least you remember my name."
"Are you.. drunk?"
"Why do you care? Just tell me why you don't want to be friends with me?"
"I—I don't want us to be friends."
"Why? Because you hate me, Sarawat?"
"No, I don't hate you, I think you are cute" He squinted his eyebrows.
"What? That makes no sense, I swear.." Like an instinct, I walked up and took out Sarawat's phone from his pocket to steal his phone number.
"Hey! Give my phone back." He tried to take it back, but I didn't let him.
"No, not until I get your number. Trust me, you will thank me in three years."
"Give it back Tine" Sarawat tried to take his phone away but I pulled away from him and that's when — that's when Sarawat's phone slipped right out of my hands and onto the floor. And just like that, all the beer drained out of my body.
"Did you—did you just break my phone Tine?"
"Well, no. It seems like the phone screen broke itself."
"You are going to buy me a new phone and until then..." He snatched my phone from me. "Until then, I am going to keep my phone with you."
"No, please no. I literally just got some money. I can't buy you a new phone."
"I don't care. I better see you tomorrow with a new phone, Tine Teepakorn."
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A/N: This chapter was supposed to be longer but then I got a surprise guest tonight. Long story short, there is a boy in my bed right now, who will possibly be snoring by the time I finish publishing this chapter, while I am still on the desk editing it. So please remember I am sacrificing a lot to write these fics LOL
More on Tine and Sarawat in college in the next chapter as they get to know each other more.
But.. how will Tine and Sarawat meeting again affect the future now? What would change? What still wouldn't change?
*Lord please forgive me for the typos*