It is the second day of their new semester. They are the Engineering department's canteen. Sarawat and Tine are sitting with Peuk, Tharn, and Mork. Sarawat tells them they are living together now and Tine gives them an open invitation to their new condo. It eventually evolves into everyone's dating life discussion. Tharn promises he will introduce his boyfriend to them one day. He has been asking to meet them. Peuk teases Mork about dating his cousin, Sun, the owner of the cafe they frequent. Mork grunts, frowning but his smile doesn't go unnoticed by them. Peuk says he is glad to have new members in the family. Mork chokes on his Oishi drink.
"We are just in a relationship. Not married," Mork mumbles.
"Same thing," Peuk says flippantly. "Friends and family are getting closer and closer. I like that."
Tharn chuckles at that. Sarawat turns to Tine and asks,
"Will P'Type be coming tonight to our place?"
"Why so suddenly?"
"Just remembered."
"He hasn't said anything about not coming so he should be."
"Who is P'Type?" Tharn asks, leaning closer.
"My brother," Tine replies.
"Oh, nice! My boyfriend's name Type too. Is he studying here?"
"No, he is quite senior. He's -"
"Look who is here!" A voice booms across the canteen. They look towards the entrance. Boss and Man are walking in. "Didn't even invite us to this gathering." They pull two chairs across the hall and join them at their table.
"Hope you guys don't mind," Man tells Mork and Tharn. "Hopefully, we are not disturbing any important band meeting."
"Could have asked before you did," Sarawat says dryly as Boss sits down next to Peuk. Tine elbows him.
"No, we were already done with that," Tharn says smiling. "Don't worry."
"Hey," Man glances at Tine as he places his chair between Tine and Boss.
"Hey." Tine blinks.
They chat about football, upcoming sports, and music competitions, and the protests on the street.
"What is it?" Sarawat whispers into his ear. "Why do you keep looking at Man?"
Tine tears his eyes away from the boy sitting next to him and looks at his boyfriend. "I was thinking something."
"And ...?"
"..."
"Do you think he would be a better boyfriend?"
"What? No." Tine shakes his head. "I want to invite him tonight to our place."
"But your brother will be there."
"I know. That's why."
Sarawat slowly raises his eyebrows. "What is it that you're planning, L'tl Buffalo?"
"How disastrous of an idea do you think setting them on a blind date would be?"
Sarawat's eyes bug out. "What the fuck?"
*
That evening goes very awkward for them. Man appears with a lot of food in hand. Type calls around 8 to inform that he is stuck with extra and wouldn't be able to make it. Man watches Sarawat with suspicion after a point. Sarawat is not good at acting subtly. Tine texts Pear, Thun quickly and tells them to bring their friends over.
Man hits it off with Thun's friends immediately who are all quite surprised to be invited to Tine and Sarawat's place but are happy nonetheless. He is also quick to point out that Praifah looks a lot like his and Sarawat's friend from High School. They are very surprised with her likeness in the pictures.
After that, it goes smoothly.
An hour into their impromptu housewarming party (Boss and Tine's friends have arrived by now), Sarawat notices the artificial incense stick lit in Thun's backpack pocket.
"Hey, your -"
Tine notices what he is going to ask his classmate and pulls his boyfriend back towards him. "Don't ask."
"What happened?" Thun looks at them innocently.
"Do you want more chips or drinks?" Tine asks instead.
"Nah, thanks." He goes back to focus on his cards game with Fong, Khiew, and Boss. Man is sitting next to them chatting with Prince, Praifah, and Ohm. Peuk couldn't make it because he was out on a date.
"I don't get it," Sarawat says, confused.
"He gets distressed if someone mentions it."
"But, the battery must be getting wasted."
"Probably but it's his choice. Let it be."
"If you say so."
Thun looks up at them just then and glimpses at his bag as if he heard them even though he is on the other side of the hall.
Tine smiles at him.
Sarawat shivers next to him.
"What?"
"I felt chills." He shows Tine the hair raising up on his arms.
"You're cold?"
"No. Just- Nevermind."
As Tine faces away from him, he sees Thun looking at some point beyond Sarawat's shoulders and a slight smile playing on his lips. He then catches Tine's eyes and drops his eyes to his cards.
Thun is usually very distracted, off staring into walls in random moments but sometimes ...
Tine shivers himself.
*
With a reluctant Sarwat's help, Tine sets his brother Type and Man on a blind date at the restaurant near their place. He send them both the restaurant. Man is delighted when he is informed that it is a blind date. He laughs at Sarawat who is grumbling in the background of the call.
"I'm very touched, Ai'Tine that you thought of this. Where did you even find the guinea pig for this experiment?"
"It's P'Type," Sarawat interrupts, "Tine's older brother. Behave well."
"P'Type?" Man repeats slowly.
"He doesn't know it's a date. You can tell him. All the best!" Tine says hurriedly. Sarawat disconnects the call. He then leaves for his band practice.
Tine paces in circles the whole evening in the flat, texting Sarawat every now and then asking if he had heard from them.
Around 10, Sarawat texts Man is hear. Ill tell u when Im home
That sounded like it had gone wrong but his brother is yet to call him. Surely, it isn't all bad?
Tine calls Fong to ask what he thinks about it.
"Are you crazy?" That is the first thing he says.
No way it went well.
*
Sarawat finally comes back a few minutes to midnight. Tine rushes down the stairs.
"So? What happened? Why the suspense?"
Sarawat kicks his shoes off, putting his home slippers on. "Give me a kiss first." He takes his bag off his shoulders and opens his arms. Tine walks into them and hugs him. Sarawat kisses him on the temple. Tine turns his head to kiss him on the mouth.
"Was waiting for you to get back. P' hasn't said anything. What did he say?" Tine takes the bag from Sarawat's hand before he puts it on the floor. "Not here, Wat."
"Sorry," he grins and then frowns. "Let's sit first."
Tine pulls him towards the kitchen island and then pushes him onto one of the stools. "Now, say," he demands.
"It's not that serious."
"Did P'Type shout at him?"
"No." Sarawat fills a glass with water from the pitcher next to him. "Turns out your brother was the senior guy my friend likes."
"What?"
"Yep."
"Then what?"
"Well, Ai'Man was quite upset. He came all the way to the cafe to tell me. He always kept everything about that guy a secret and tonight ... it was the opposite.
"Hadn't Ai'Man said that guy used to like him too?" Tine recalls his brother smiling at the phone when they were home as he asks this.
"Yeah, he had."
"Did he say why P' had turned him down?"
"He stood up for your brother in front of his office seniors. He did not like that. They fought over it." Sarawat looks at him with a grim expression. "We are a bunch of immature guys. Your brother doesn't like people like us."
"Hey, don't say that," Tine says guiltily. "P'-"
"It doesn't matter to me. Not like that but it does to Ai'Man." Tine feels awful. "Get our hearts broken twice by you brothers is our thing, eh?"
Tine's stomach drops. "Why- why are you saying that?"
Sarawat stands up, running his hand through his hair. "I had told you not to go ahead with this."
Tine watches him with wide eyes, worried. "Wat, I just wanted to help."
"It helps if you don't interfere."
As they stare at each other, flashes of their own memories and past problems pass in their minds.
Tine looks down at his feet, his ears burning from sheer embarrassment and guilt.
"Sorry," he says with a low voice.
Sarawat stands up and wraps his arms around Tine. "You don't have to apologise to me."
"Sorry."
"Let's not do this again." He presses a fleeting kiss on his temple and then takes the bag from Tine's hand and sidesteps him. "I'll take a shower and come back."
Sarawat walks away without looking at him. His voice tells Tine he is upset.
Tine has known how much Man had been heartbroken over his senior. By doing this, he must have hurt him more. Tine glances up as he hears Sarawat padding around on the upper floor. Sarawat and Type's relationship also leaves for more to desire. This surely didn't help either.
Tine sighs. He takes his mobile out from his pocket and texts Man.
I'm sorry.
*
One day Phukong calls him in the morning. It's been a month since he had last seen him.
"P'Tine, can you distract my brother for a bit?"
"Why, what are you up to?" Tine laughs.
"Please, P'! Just twenty minutes or so. He is going to my class looking for me."
"Okay, I will try. Where are you now?"
"Uh ..."
"Are you on campus?"
"Yes."
"... Are you at the Architecture department?"
"... No."
"But you're on the way?"
"Yes. P', please, keep my brother away." The call ends.
Tine texts Sarawat. He doesn't reply. He calls him but he doesn't receive. He heads to the Library to look for him.
5 minutes later Sarawat calls back.
"I can't find my brother. Did he text you?"
"No?" He lies unconvincingly. "Where are you?"
"At his department. His classmates said he was here but I don't see him."
"He could be at the canteen or the theatre."
"Why will he be at the theatre? He knows he is supposed to meet me now."
"Why?"
"It's my free hour. I was supposed to teach him. He never does anything before informing."
Sarawat sounds worried.
"Wat," Tine begins, unable to lie to his boyfriend. "Don't scold him."
"What?"
"He is at the Architecture department."
"..."
"He said he'll back soon."
"To see P'Mil?"
"Not necessary. He could have gone to meet his friends?"
"Phukong has no friends."
"Just wait there for him," Tine says exasperated.
"Too late. I am already on my way."
Tine rolls his eyes and walks back out of the Library, hoping to intercept Sarawat before he meets his brother. Otherwise, he will scold him in front of others.
Tine has just passed the Humanities departments when Sarawat curses in the call and disconnects abruptly. He calls him again but his boyfriend doesn't pick up.
Just then Mil calls. Surprised, Tine picks his call.
"N'Tine."
"P'Mil, w-"
"Some of the Engineering students are planning to beat n'Phukong today."
"What?" Tine stops walking.
"I tried calling him but he isn't receiving. Tell your boyfriend and stop him from coming here."
"He went to your department looking for you some time ago."
"Shit. That boy." Mil disconnects.
Worried, Tine starts running.