Happy reading
It has been 3 days since Khaotung and First had that serious conversation that night.
It was the day of the tournament, Khaotung left for the football ground with Marc. First didn't seem bothered by that fact either, both of them acted strangers to each other and Marc didn't have the courage to ask either of them.
"I'll wait for Aje here."
"Is it okay to be alone?" Asked Marc, when they arrived at the motorbike park Marc was required to gather with the other prospective members of the football team inside the building. First was also already there because he came to the field earlier.
"It's okay, go."
After Marc went inside the field, Khaotung walked around the motorbike park with his eyes busy looking at his phone. Aje said he was on his way, he should have arrived earlier since the field was closer to Aje's house.
Louis and Neo were also still not here yet, he said they would be a little late as well due to a problem with Neo's motorbike.
"Hey, Nong."
Khaotung turned his head, Fluke who was already wearing a football uniform came running up to him.
"Did you see First?" He asked.
"Maybe gathering with the new football recruits? Marc just went there too."
"He's not there anymore," Fluke replied.
"I thought he went to see you because he's always with you," Fluke continued with a small smile from Khaotung.
Soon a car pulled into the parking lot, it was Nan's car as far as Khaotung knew. He knew that his teacher was coming, but was surprised to see Mike and Aje coming from Nan's car.
"Sir!" Fluke immediately went to Nan, the two chatted and Fluke then led Nan to the room where the gym teacher and his team coach were gathered.
"Khaotung!"
Khaotung quickly replaced his surprised expression with a smile, he welcomed Aje who came over to him occasionally turning to Mike who also seemed to have gone to the teacher's room. This was the first time Mike had not interacted with Khaotung, and it seemed that day was the point of his realisation that Khaotung would never like him.
"I thought you were going on your bike," Khaotung said and walked hand in hand with Aje towards the food stand.
Both of them came for the food anyway, the match was secondary.
"My bike has a problem, I was waiting for the bus when Mr Mike saw me. Your teacher also offered me to go together, so I just went along," explained Aje then pulled Khaotung's hand towards the drink stand.
----
The match was about to start, Neo and Louis had arrived.
Now they were busy arranging the benches that Neo had marked.
Neo obviously had to get Louis next to him, and Joong had to sit next to Dunk.
There were only four empty seats left, and Aje chose where to sit without any difficulty.
There was one more empty seat between Aje and Dunk, and then two empty seats on Aje's other side.
Khaotung thought for a while before deciding to take the seat between Aje and Dunk.
After seeing Khaotung sit down, Marc and First sat down side by side with a sigh.
"Ah, your order."
Khaotung handed Marc a canned drink, Marc had told him to bring it to the stands.
"How much?" Marc asked about the price.
"Never mind, it's my petrol money."
First quietly chuckled, petrol money he said.
"First! Cheer for my team!"
Fluke was seen smiling broadly down there, waving his hand in encouragement which was returned by a smile from First as well.
"Don't dishonour our school name!" First retorted.
"I'll give you the gold medal!"
Louis and Joong then turned to Khaotung, both of them who knew how Firkshao's statusless relationship was clearly looking worried as well as confused, especially since Khaotung was just staring flatly at Fluke.
"Right, give your gold medal to your school like Khaotung did!"
Aje's shout at Fluke was able to change the awkward atmosphere into a boisterous one, Neo agreed with Aje that Khaotung had indeed been the most contributor to the school's name.
"Hey, you're making him a pessimistic bastard." First immediately reprimanded Aje. Everything Aje said whether it was a compliment or an insult always sounded like sarcasm.
Khaotung then turned to First who was still busy arguing with Aje, after the two accidentally stared at each other First could only sigh and watch the football that had started.
Khaotung really didn't seem to be enjoying the match, even though his school team was currently ahead in many ways, even the zero score had been broken, it was now 1-0 and seemed to be winning.
Fluke repeatedly ran to the side of the pitch where First was sitting, interacting as much as he could despite the fact that his position on the pitch was quite far from the stands where First and Khaotung themselves were.
Flashback.
That night First came to his house after dinner was over, Khaotung had also done all his schoolwork.
Although First was already sitting at his study table, the conversation still hadn't started.
There were many things First wanted to say but the feeling of not wanting to hurt Khaotung with his words remained one of First's fears.
"What do you want to talk about?"
First raised his head and looked at Khaotung with a longing gaze.
"I have a lot to complain about but... I was wondering too, will this burden you?"
First always felt that he should be grateful that Khaotung was willing to accept him, and all of Khaotung's complaints that he didn't want his study time to be interrupted because of dating during school but still tried to be with First. First felt that it was enough, Khaotung no longer needed to feel like he had to give him anything more.
"What do you mean that you miss me even though you see me every day."
"You never look at me for more than 2 seconds, you never say things that I am important to you. You don't want to be with me for a long time, you don't prioritise me during your time off. I didn't even have the courage to hug you. I wonder if this is the selfish side as well as the side that I wanted more when it was agreed that I would wait? Is it your fault? Is it just my fault?"
First also didn't like how Khaotung was always happy when he had activities, Small reasons like Khaotung feeling relieved that First won't stick to him 24 hours is what makes First feel excluded.
"At that time I was too naive, I thought that you accepting me was enough. But now I'm thinking, did you accept me because you had the same feelings or just pity?"
"The point is, I don't want to look pathetic. I love myself, and I don't want to get hurt because I'm the only one chasing after you. You said that you were in the same place as me, but I can't see you if I don't look. I'm not tired, I want to be found. I want to be found by you, want to be missed, want to be chased? At least I want to know if it's true that you love me."
First then mentioned Khaotung's departure with Marc yesterday, when Khaotung refused to accompany him to breakfast and other things that made First feel he had no chance of maintaining this relationship.
First felt that he would need Khaotung for the rest of his life, he was afraid that his feelings would disappear but he still needed Khaotung.
Khaotung also had grievances, but felt like a bad person if he expressed them now. Also, he accepted well what First said at this time. It was true that he couldn't be with First 24 hours. Khaotung was an ambitious person, but when he was with First, his nature seemed to be blinded by the sweetness of being with someone he loved.
He wanted to do both but not at the same time, he wanted his school life to be normal as usual and play with First during school holidays.
But, these few days during holidays he always had activities that made him unable to be with First, also in his spare time First was always with Fluke.
Their relationship became distant without realising it, and now both of them realise it.
"I don't think I can stay overnight, you'll have trouble sleeping right? I'll wake you up if you sleep late tonight." First then got up from his seat, and prepared to go out of Khaotung's room again.
"I apologise for making you think that much. But I, for one, am glad that I can still see you in the midst of our busy lives."
First then looked back at Khaotung. There was a spark of hope returning to him, should he do this kind of thing every day to get at least a few sweet words like that from Khaotung?
"If you miss me, come and hug me without saying anything," Khaotung continued.
Flashback end.
The conversation that night seemed fine, as if they had found the beginning of the problem and handled it well.
Instead, they seemed to be drifting apart.
Away without any quarrel or misunderstanding like jealousy or anything else.
They were purely distant from each other because their activities were now different.
First was always busy with the football boys and Khaotung was busy with his activities as a smart student as well as an extra class student.
First also rarely went to the extra class, while Marc who was going to be in the football team still normally followed the extra class schedule, Joong especially.
.
.
.
.
The match was over, Khaotung went to play with Aje and Louis at a nearby café.
Joong, Dunk, Marc, and First went to celebrate their senior team's current victory.
"Tomorrow the extra classes will start in the afternoon. Why?"
Aje shook his head. "I don't know, not usually?"
"Last year, we went home at night. Remember?" Louis asked.
At that time Aje had already left the extra class, so he didn't know.
It was when he was about to enter the second grade, and the teacher wasn't Mike.
"Was it fun?" Aje asked.
"It's fun, I think." Khaotung could be more focused when studying in the afternoon and into the evening.
It was also not something he was used to by Bangkok schools so it was fun.
Moreover, there was a break for dinner, and the dinner was provided by their teacher.
"Really? It's as fun as it sounds," Aje replied.
"But why now? We haven't even been given a practice test for the promotion yet." Louis was still trying to figure out why Mike was doing his extra night class method at such an inopportune time.
"Maybe he has his own method? Every teacher has their own methods," Khaotung replied.
Aje then discussed First, he couldn't believe that a First would want to be a member of a football club. He saw how the members of Khaotung's school football team were gaining a lot of fans, just looking at them made him hot.
"He likes attention apparently," Aje said again.
"Ah, I heard rumours about First and Fluke's relationship," Aje continued, making Louis who was drinking his coffee choke.
"If First can get into membership and even get an important position, then I'll believe that he made it because of Fluke."
"He has talent," said Khaotung.
"But if he becomes Captain with such a small talent, I will think the same," Khaotung continued.
Louis couldn't believe that he was joining such insulting people.
"Joong and Dunk are two strong candidates to be the next captain, both went to football school," Louis said.
"Just going to football school doesn't mean they can be captain. Joong might be able to, he has experience leading the misfits in our class, but Dunk? He even got fooled by Pawin." Khaotung was getting further and further away with his mouth.
"Stop it," Louis said and then talked about Pawin. Ah, he missed Pawin.
----
First was currently with the senior team and his friends.
Eating at one of the restaurants while listening to the coach's short speech for the new kids he would be training.
First looked uncomfortable with Mike's arrival at this gathering, who was he to come here he thought.
"Come with me."
First lifted hisbhead as Fluke suddenly pulled hisnhand who was sitting on one of the restaurant chairs.
"Where to?" First asked but Fluke didn't answer him and just kept pulling him until he went to the hallway of the restaurant which was quite quiet from visitors as well as staff.
Fluke smiled and showed the gold medal he got for winning this one-off match.
"What? You're really going to give it to me?" First asked.
Fluke nodded his head and put the medallion around First's neck.
Fluke then took First's hand.
"Maybe you'll think it's too early, but I like you."
First was stunned for a moment. "You know me and Khaotung-"
"I know, but you guys aren't official yet, right? I could have a chance?"
First looked surprised, then looked down at his hand that Fluke was holding so gently.
Damn, since when did Fluke like him like this?
TBC.