Happy reading!!
The situation got worse. After First said about Pawin being caught going through Khaotung's bag -according to him- the boy became suspected by several students, including Joong and Louis.
Pawin even swore that he didn't do anything to Khaotung's books and stool.
But first's words were believed by them, making Pawin upset and then go to first who was currently in the cafeteria.
"You must take responsibility."
First raised his eyebrows, confused by Pawin's sudden arrival with an angry look on his face.
"I didn't do anything to Khaotung. But because of you, now everyone thinks it was me."
"What did I say wrong?"
Pawin gritted his teeth, obviously First was wrong to accuse him of rummaging through Khaotung's bag at that time but of course Pawin had no other alibi to explain his actions at that time.
"But I swear to you, I'm not the culprit."
"I am not accusing you."
Pawin sighed, he did not know how else to explain his situation as badly as Khaotung was right now because of first.
"How much do you hate me because of that group chat?" pawin asked.
first sighed. khaotung didn't even talk about that anymore, he was more curious about who and why his math book was missing.
first also told pawin to be casual like khaotung if he wasn't the culprit, because what would protect him was not first but the truth he had.
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"You're really not planning to report this to Mr. Nan?"
first went back to khaotung who was still at home on the roof, waiting for his books to dry.
"No," khaotung replied as he savored the canned drink brought by his friend.
"Why? Are you afraid things will get worse if you complain to the teachers?"
first then sighed and patted khaotung's shoulder. he said khaotung didn't need to worry because first would always be by his side.
"No, silly. I'm an adult, I can handle this kind of problem by myself."
First recalled how Khaotung looked weak in Marc's arms, but now he was trying to look strong in front of First.
Maybe first's jealousy didn't know the time, but he couldn't help it anymore.
"hey, khao."
"hem?"
"Can you tell me if you're afraid of this kind of thing?"
Khaotung blinked his eyes in confusion, but finally nodded in agreement to first's request.
"Um, of course. You're the first person I'll go to."
First smiled a little, then tore his gaze away from Khaotung's face. He was so self-conscious.
That one sweet sentence was enough to make First happy and forget his jealousy.
"Why are you accusing pawin?" asked first, trying to divert his misbehavior by changing the subject.
Khaotung shrugged his shoulders. "Because on that bench his words showed that he was like Pawin, he wanted me to confess to being the thief of his book? Because Louis had said that he believed me, so I immediately thought that it was Pawin."
That makes sense, because Khaotung's suspicions were confirmed by Pawin himself yesterday at First, if Pawin did not yet believe that Khaotung was not the perpetrator of the disappearance of his book and also Louis' book.
"If you think about it, is pawin really the victim of bullying from aje?"
Khaotung then chuckled, after all this time and first questioned.
"What if Aje is actually his victim?" Khaotung asked back.
First wanted to say that it was impossible, but seeing Aje's twin, Khaotung himself, First nodded his head several times. "Maybe, you're a victim, let alone another annoying human like Aje."
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Two days after the incident, pawin and khaotung became the main topic of group chat.
Pawin was first accused of being the perpetrator of the incident where Khaotung's books got wet, and Khaotung was accused by Pawin of being the perpetrator of the disappearance of his and Louis' physics books.
Both lacked accurate evidence, but the kids seemed to have their own theories about the incident.
But either way, Khaotung had the most support.
Perhaps because pawin was the new kid, they trusted khaotung more, who was even reluctant to report the problem to nan.
Then pawin who felt cornered really went crazy, he was accused of something he didn't do. even though he wanted to do that to khaotung by using louis' book, but karma came early.
The only way to make things better was to immediately launch his plan to take down Khaotung.
Dunk: Oh, I'm sorry paw. I have a family event today, next time.
Neo: How about next week? My mom wants me to study harder now.
Pawin sighed, then bit his nails nervously.
Even Dunk and Neo, who were most attached to him because of money, refused to play with him since that day.
Pawin was afraid that more and more people would not trust him, if his honesty was not acceptable then sacrificing Khaotung was the savior of his school life.
Pawin really didn't care why and who the real culprits were who tried to bully Khaotung, he was more concerned about clearing his own name.
after returning from extra class Pawin was currently at a tavern, a tavern he had been going to with Dunk and Neo lately.
Just as Pawin was about to rise from his seat he saw Khaotung walking with someone familiar to him from outside the shop.
That's it.
Pawin rushed out of the shop and noticed how Khaotung was still laughing with Aje.
How could khaotung be that relaxed?
someone tried to suppress him, but khaotung seemed unperturbed and went about his life just the same.
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"mom, i'm home!"
Mrs. Thana came out from the kitchen and welcomed her son back from school quite late in the afternoon. she had actually been told by Khaotung himself that he would go play for a while with Aje after the extra class, but still Mrs. Thana was worried and seemed relieved to see her son back in good health.
"You're so weird, mom." But, khaotung was never worried like that by his mother.
It was because he had just come home at this hour that khaotung had done it several times, and she never overreacted like this, as if khaotung had just returned safely from the war.
"Mom saw the news about bullies on television, it's happening in several schools."
Khaotung put his bag on the living room sofa and followed Mrs. Thana who was still discussing school bullies.
"Mom hasn't asked about how you're doing at school for a long time, how is everything going well?"
Khaotung smiled and nodded a few times.
"Of course, my schoolmates are very nice. There are no bullies."
Madame Thana breathed a sigh of relief, she was worried because First had said that Khaotung was more of a potential bully than a victim. "I just found out that Aje is a bully and the victim is in your class as a new student."
"How did you know?"
"No need to know where mom found out. Eat first, then go take a shower," said Mrs. Thana.
"Slowly, stay away. Got it?"
After that, Madame Thana went to the living room to watch the news on television again.
Maybe Pawin's mother joined the parents' chat group and told everyone about her son's case.
Forgive khaotung, Madame Thana.
Because it looks like she will still meet Aje.
----
Marc was seen coming out of first house in his casual clothes, then walked across the street to see Khaotung who was studying in his room with the window open.
"hey, khao."
khaotung then turned his head and smiled at marc who was standing at his fence.
"Um, what's up?"
"Just saying hi. What time did you get home?"
Khaotung then recalled. "Around 6pm."
"No school tomorrow?"
Khaotung frowned, that was an extremely rare question he heard for him.
Marc should have asked that question first.
"You talk a lot, Marc. Come in, it's drizzling outside."
Marc could no longer contain his smile, he nodded and was about to go to the gate, but Khaotung immediately stopped him and asked why he didn't just jump off the fence?
"Huh? May I?"
"First does it all the time, so I have no reason to take care of my lawn. just do it, it'll get there fast."
Despite his confusion, Marc still decided to climb the fence of the khaotung's house, not as big as the fence of the first's house.
when marc's feet had landed on the grass of the garden beside khaotung's room, in the middle of the grass was only visible soil overgrown with small grasses. it showed how often first passed this fence.
As first had just returned from taking his mother to the supermarket, he accidentally saw khaotung and marc together in khaotung's own room, chatting and laughing.
First was about to go to them, but for some reason his steps stopped and then returned to his motorcycle.
"First! Hurry up and bring mom's groceries home!"
"Yes, mom!"
khaotung heard first shouting but didn't hear the motorcycle.
Marc immediately explained that first had gone to accompany his mother shopping for the house.
First put his bike in the garage, it was too early in the morning for his bike to rest.
"I've always heard that First's mom wants you to be her son-in-law, you know?"
Khaotung nodded his head and turned back to Marc. "Of course, my mom also wants First to be her son-in-law."
Marc shouldn't have been surprised, they had been neighbors for a very long time, and that thought always came to mothers who felt their friendship should be closer than ever.
"Are you okay with that?" Marc asked again.
"Of course not, what if it's my first soul mate someday?"
Marc just smiled a little and nodded, it could be.
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first looked ready with his uniform, while marc even just woke up and was about to heat up his motorcycle, he was also surprised to see first early in the morning ready, even his motorcycle was outside the fence of the house.
"Where are you going?" marc asked, approaching first after starting his motorcycle engine to heat up.
"Don't you see my shirt?" first asked back as he put on his helmet.
Shortly thereafter came Khaotung who also looked ready from his fence, helmet already on his head.
"We have business outside of school, so we are leaving early," said Khaotung answering Marc's curiosity which was ignored by First.
Marc nodded his head in understanding and then walked closer to first's motorcycle, it seemed that he was about to try to help Khaotung to attach the hook to his friend's helmet strap but was immediately stopped by first.
"I'll do it."
Marc just nodded and then moved his hand back from Khaotung's chin.
"Ah, I forgot." khaotung, who had been busy with his bag, immediately shut up when first tried to put his helmet on properly.
After that, the two of them left leaving Marc who seemed to be increasingly convinced that first actually liked Khaotung too. but the boy always seemed not to want to show it to Marc or other friends.
With first's dislike for him getting more and more annoying by the day, marc could be sure that first did it because marc openly approached khaotung with a specific intention.
"Why are you taking me to the bookstore?"
"Wait here."
First gave his helmet to Khaotung who didn't get off his bike at all, even though it was parked.
This was the bookstore that Khaotung often went to, as well as the one that First blamed the most because if Khaotung was here for a very long time but only bought one book.
"You're getting interested in studying because of the extra class?" asked Khaotung to First who was already in front of the entrance.
"Shut your mouth," first replied.
"What's wrong with him today," khaotung muttered. a little angry, but considerate.
While waiting for First to come back out of the bookstore, Khaotung saw a car pull into the parking lot and saw that it was Mike's car.
Both of them didn't think they would meet here so when they accidentally looked at each other, they had to say hello.
"Why don't you come inside?" asked mike, no matter how often he was rejected by khaotung, his confident attitude to keep interacting deserved a thumbs up.
"I'm not buying a book, that's first."
"First? First khanapan?"
khaotung nodded his head.
"Rumor has it that he's not interested in studying."
Khaotung chuckled, it wasn't really a rumor.
First had finished his business, he came out of the shop and saw Khaotung chatting with Mike.
His face had not shown any expression since morning, but he still tried to be polite by greeting Mike as his extra class teacher.
"You bought a book?" asked Mike.
"No, I bought them for khao."
It wasn't only Mike who was surprised, Khaotung was surprised when First gave him the plastic bag with many books.
"There are many books you can't save," said First.
"Why? Did something happen to you?"
"ah-"
"It's okay, nothing happened.
Sorry sir, we have to go to school soon."
First got on his motorcycle and said goodbye to Mike, as did Khaotung.
On the way, khaotung then asked first not to be too rude to mike. the incident where mike asked him to be his lover was long enough, and it was not something that first needed to hate for life. he was still a teacher that first had to respect.
"Isn't my attitude your attitude? You treat him the same as me, why suddenly think I'm overreacting?"
khaotung sighed, first didn't have the right to do so because he wasn't someone being chased by mike.
----
The two of them had arrived at the school parking lot, it was already crowded. even marc's motorcycle was seen in the line of parked motorcycles.
"If there are any books I didn't buy, just let me know."
Khaotung frowned. "Whose attitude is this?"
"My attitude, and only you will see it." First blinked his eyes and smiled, first smile of the day for flirting with Khaotung.
"Let's go in," he invited then embraced Khaotung to go to their class.
The class was already full, but the bell had not yet rung.
As the two entered the classroom, Pawin came over with a bright smile.
"Today is my birthday, so I want to treat my classmates to this." pawin handed khaotung and first a bottle of coffee drink.
Khaotung took a long look at the bottle in Pawin's hand. He didn't like that bright smile on his face, forgetting yesterday's case just like that?
"I don't drink bottled coffee."
The class atmosphere became a little awkward after Khaotung refused Pawin's gift, he didn't even wish Pawin a happy birthday.
Instead, Khaotung went straight to his seat to see what books First had bought him, not caring if the class atmosphere turned bad because of his attitude.
---
"If any of you want to take the test for the English exam, come to the teacher's room now."
Nan made the announcement just 5 minutes before recess.
Joong and Pawin were the two people Nan persuaded to try out, both got up from their seats to go to the teacher's lounge.
"Khaotung?"
Pawin and Joong then turned their heads when they saw that Khaotung had also gotten up from his seat.
"I wanted to try, why didn't you tell me?" protested khaotung to nan.
That's because khaotung also refused to be invited to take the test for the physics competition. Nan eagerly encouraged khaotung to go with joong and pawin, he would follow them to the teacher's room after the break bell rang.
Joong eagerly embraced Khaotung, even though the boy had repeatedly refused Joong's invitation to try out for the test, but today he suddenly wanted to try.
The two of them seemed to be having fun chatting together, leaving Pawin alone behind them who looked annoyed at being ignored.
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The break that was supposed to end had actually increased, Nan said the physics teacher was absent so the second grade class would now spend the third period playing soccer.
Nan would call them back to class after an hour.
all the kids were already at the soccer field including khaotung, joong, and pawin.
"Why didn't any of you take the initiative to bring the ball from the warehouse?" joong complained, they were too dependent on joong just because he was the class president.
"Let me get it," pawin said and was about to leave the field.
"No!" Dunk stopped Pawin.
"It's your birthday, let me get it," dunk continued.
Pawin smiled and nodded, and Dunk ran back into the school building to get the ball from the warehouse. while waiting for Dunk, some students decided to play catch with Khaotung and first.
Pawin just realized that Marc wasn't playing either, more busy watching Khaotung and First who were playing happily.
"Who do you think will be selected for the competition?" asked Pawin.
Joong turned his head to Pawin. "If it's not khaotung, it'll be you."
"But you are very good with English," replied Pawin.
Koong chuckled, that's true. but somehow his English scores were always below khaotung's, even pawin overtook him recently.
---
After the hour was over, the kids returned to class as Nan called them.
There was still one more lesson before the dismissal bell rang.
"I lost my phone."
Dunk suddenly panicked when he couldn't find his cell phone in his bag.
Everyone then focused on Dunk and asked him not to panic and search better.
"You didn't bring it to the field?" joong asked as he searched dunk's bag and under his seat.
"Of course not," Dunk replied.
"Let's get started right away." Nan walked into the classroom and was surprised to see the kids focused on Dunk, they didn't even realize he had come into the classroom.
"What's going on in there?" Nan asked once again.
"Dunk lost his cell phone, sir." Neo complained.
"Then put your bags on the benches," Nan ordered.
Dunk refused, he didn't think the kids in his class were the culprits, but Nan still told the kids to put their bags on the bench. Joong agreed with Nan.
Louis, pawin, and Khaotung just lost their books.
"Joong, start at Pawin's desk."
As class president, Joong went to check the kids bags.
Pawin, Louis, his own bag, and now he was at First's seat.
"Have you tried calling?" First asked Dunk who was sitting behind him.
"I tried, but it's off," replied Louis.
"Maybe the battery died?" asked Dunk.
"Or it was intentionally turned off by a thief," said Pawin in response to Dunk's question.
After checking First's bag, Joong went to Khaotung's bag.
"I still see him using his cell phone during recess," said Khaotung, to which Joong nodded. He also saw Dunk using it earlier.
"Maybe-"
Joong was stunned by what he found in Khaotung's bag.
He raised his head to look at Khaotung.
"What's wrong, Joong?" Nan asked.
"You found a dunk cell phone in Khaotung's bag?" Nan asked again because Joong didn't answer him.
"What?" Khaotung looked surprised, he immediately grabbed his bag from Joong's hand and he was surprised by what he found in the bag.
"I found louis and pawin's physics book in khaotung's bag," said joong.
tbc.