Two weeks before the beginning of the semester; One week left before Coppper's planned expulsion of his uncle.
All five of us dived through files and persons that we found suspicious. Day-by-day, an evidence adds up to the piles of documents that we've already accumulated. Copper didn't want any exit that his uncle could escape to when the trial would take place next week.
We became investigators and detectives in just a span of one week. The files started to storm Copper's room as each one of us brought them all together and finally sent pictures of the evidences to the committee's head. I haven't even messaged Sun about what we were doing, but I still tell him about how I was, or if have I eaten already and such. It's just that I don't want him to be involved in this matter.
One week passed and the hearing of Copper's uncle came to a due. We didn't attend the hearing in offense to the head of course, we dusguised as one of Copper's uncle's supporters.
The judgement started smoothly. The head denied all the accusations against him as he stood in a room composed of the committee and some of our school's teachers.
The head's attorney started to defend him, walking and blabbing about false accusations. The committee members were already nodding their heads, even the teachers did too, but two boxes of documents, pictures and witnesses' written narration and admissions in regards to the head's charges surprised everyone. Each committee member read each and everyone of the files.
In the end, the head was suspended and Miss Jitra was assigned to be the temporary head of the school while the former head's in trial.
The semsester will start in just a week already. I'll see Sun in two days when he gets back from Chiangmai.
---
Two days after the hearing, Copper called us again to a bar that we always go to whenever we feel like going.
We just had some drinks and planned to go home already even though it was just 12 in the midnight, the climax hour for drinkers.
We exited the pub and was talking on our way to Copper and Saunk's cars.
"Good to him" Copper said as he clicked his car keys.
"Yeah. So what's next?" Lot sounded excited as he grabbed for Copper's car's door.
"It's my father's turn now." Copper answered, looking at his own reflection on his car window.
Saunk and Tae were already inside Saunk's car, when a sound of shattering windows echoed through the parking lot.
It was Saunk's car's window being hit by a baseball bat.
"Sh*t!" I cursed, making Lot and Copper look to Saunk's car. Another hit, and another window of Saunk's car again was broken.
Lot, Copper and I immediately ran and lurched to the one batting Saunk's car. He stumbled and fall to the ground, but he wasn't affected at all even though his nose was already bleeding. Using the bat as his support, he slowly stood up. Along with him standing up were the echoes of the steps from the pub's metal stairs.
It was P'Pot, Copper's cousin.
Pot was leading the group of six guys including the one holding the bat. They were all equipped with bats except from Pot who was in his business clothes and was looking directly at us. He was acting like his usual self, smiling and laughing.
Saunk and Tae got out from Saunk's car, panting like dogs.
Pot and Copper were actually a tag team. Pot's gang would ask for Copper's help when his mates are in need of something, or when Copper needs theirs; but Pot's ways are way too brutal than Copper's. Pot, being a smiling man, prefers to hurt not the person that he has grudge to, but someone who is important to that person. Some of the times though, rarely, when he feels like it, he just bats whoever he wants to hit. He hits directly the person that he hates that it may seem that he was about to kill him.
Copper haven't thought of it. P'Pot slipped out of his mind. He forgot that one of his uncle's sons bears the mark of a grim reaper.
"P'" Copper greeted, already clenching his right fist.
"Hey. Relax Copper." the grinning Pot said, "we're not here to fight." He snatched a bat from his mates and raised it high then acted to hit Copper, to which Copper backed out immediately. "Oy oy. Tsk. Tsk. Why are you so afraid of P'Pot?"
Using his mighty bat, P'Pot pointed to Copper, reaching almost an inch to Copper's face. This time, Copper didn't flinch a bit, instead waved the bat away from his face.
"I know it was you." P'Pot pointed to each one of us. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I just want to make you know who Pot is."
Plock. Plock.
The bat made a sound as its tip touched the floor when it was lowered to the ground and bounced a bit, echoing through the whole parking lot. The other six of P'Pot's gangs encircled on us five.
Then the war started.
One by one, the six guys neared to each one of us as we fought back. It was a battle between gangs. A battle that I haven't had for so long, since I haven't been with Copper for almost half a year.
I sidestepped the one who came after me and jabbed his right abdomen with my fist, making him limp back. I went after him again, and using my knee, I hit him on his face and taken over of his bat.
I got hold of the bat, giving P'Pot a confused look, putting my focus out of the owner of the bat that I just kicked to the ground, but a punch surprised me as he stood again.
The bat that I was holding rolled off to the ground as it slipped away from my hand. It was my turn to be pushed towards the ground and be hit by him.
It was Tae who pulled him away from me. Punching the one strangling me, Tae did. I wiped the blood from my mouth as Tae offered his hands on me.
"Thanks." I said and Tae nodded.
The one nearest to Copper raised his bat, but Copper was faster. He gripped the guy's wrist and twisted it as his bat falls to the ground. Copper immediately went for the fallen bat, but someone was already on his back and hit him hard on the head with the bat's handle.
We saw how Copper's head bled. The blood traced from his brow down to his jaw. As fast as we could, we ran towards Copper and helped him stand as he lost his consciousness. The one who hit him was taken over by Saunk and Lot while Tae and I grabbed Copper by his shoulders.
"Stop!" P'Pot shouted, pausing everyone.
"I told you, I will not hurt you." P'Pot laughed wildly. "Let's go!" Then he led his group away from us.
Copper was badly hurt. We dragged him towards his car and drove him back to his home.
Copper's father saw us carrying the bleeding Copper inside their house, but he just shook his head and didn't mind his sorry son.
---
Two days. Sun is coming back home. My patches are still fresh and visible on my face.
Sun will scold me for sure! Sh*t!
"I'm here already. Where are you?" Sun messaged me.
"I'm almost there." I responded.
I'm still in the rest room, checking on how I look. I tried covering my bruises but I just gave up in the end.
I saw Sun walking with his shades on, gripping a Doraemon pillow that I know he likes so much. He was wearing black shirt and was looking intently on his phone.
I messaged him again.
"Don't walk while texting Mr. Akin."
I saw Sun stop in his tracks. He then put his phone in his pocket and lifted his shades up.
He emraced his Doraemon pillow tightly and turned his head to different directions, probably looking for me.
He was losing his temper already. He couldn't catch me, he withdrew a sigh and was almost irritated.
From behind a walking gentleman, I showed myself.
Then he saw me. I greeted him with the widest smile that I could offer, while he responded with his smile that made me curse even though it showed annoyance towards me.
F*ck Sun! Don't smile at me like that!
I paced fastly as I approached him, but his eyes suddenly gave a threatening look.
I grabbed Sun's things from him, trying to escape from his murderous glare, but he pulled his Doraemon pillow and raised it higher.
I chase after the pillow with my eyes until our eyes crossed again. His brows were almost touching, his lips pursed, his eyes are on my face.
"Let's go!" I excused then walked fastly, almost running.
While in the cab on the way to Sun's aunty's house, I was trying to cover my face. It scares me more that Sun just stares at me and wasn't asking about how I got the bruises.
"Can you...uh..." my heart was beating fast, still scared of Sun's glares, "uh...stop staring at me?" I faced Sun, but he just neared his face towards me, I smiled sarcastically and giggled nervously as I tried to withdrew from the distance that he was trying to close second-by-second.
"What?" I asked again.
"Innnnnnnnnnnnnnn." Sun finally spoke.
"Hey! Don't..."
"Innnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn."
"It's nothing!" I snapped, pushing him away.
"Okay." Sun sounded hurt.
Sh*t! How can I deny this? I don't know what to tell him. What excuse can I make about this bruise?
I pulled his Doraemon pillow from him by surprise, then he looked at me again.
"I missed you." I said, calmly, one again smiling.
Sun was holding his smile as I said those words.
Bingo!
"Yeah." Sun looked away, but I saw his smiles peeking. "I missed you too."
I went home right after I have taken Sun to his aunty's house, but right before I have touched our gate, my phone vibrated.
"Come here quickly! We're in Tae's house." I could hear Lot gasping. He sounds tired.
I suddenly made a turn and went to Tae's house.
"What is it?" I asked them as soon as I saw them beaten down on the sofa.
"P'Pot's doing it." Lot tried to explain.
Copper was pacing back and forth in front of them, his right hand cupping his jaw while he unconsciously bit his lower lip.
"They went after Yuri." Lot added.
"What did they do?" I curiously asked.
Tae stood up as soon as I asked the question and walked away towards outside of the house.
Yuri is Tae's girlfriend. I could feel the anger emanating from Tae.
"They didn't touch her, but they sent a clip of Yuri with a guy from P'Pot's gang. Yuri was unconscious, but it was clear that they were in a hotel. We searched for the hotel and there we found Yuri lying on the bed and naked. Her hands were tied and her mouth was gagged." Lot paused for a moment then continued while looking at Copper who suddenly stopped walking, "She was crying."
Copper's look changed in an instant. The beast that was hiding inside him solidified.
"Be ready." He said again. "Let's give them what they want."
---
First day of school.
I was surprised when I saw my aunt Krai outside our classroom.
"Sawatdee aunty Krai." I greeted her.
"Sawatdee In." She smiled at me, "wait. You belong to this class?" She pointed to my classroom.
"Krap."
"Oh! What a coincidence! I'm your homeroom teacher!"
"Really aunty?" I exclaimed.
"Yeah. Be good okay?" She told me.
"Krap."
I opened the door slowly and entered the classroom, then took the seat beside Sun.
I saw Sun again. Yeah. I saw him again, but something in me was blocking my thirst to talk with him.
I was scared. I was scared that he'll experience what Yuri has experienced.
"Where do you want to eat?" Sun asked me as soon as my aunt Krai left our classroom.
"Ah. You and Nam eat already. I'll eat with someone" I stammered, while I was lost in my thoughts.
"Huh? Who?" Sun was curious.
"Oy. In. You have other friends beside us? Why didn't you tell me?" It was Nam.
"Maaai." I smiled nervously as I pinched Nam's cheeks. "I just need to talk with someone. See you later Nam."
Then I grabbed my things and walked fastly so I couldn't be asked by Sun for more questions. I don't know if I could answer them all.
"Where are you?"
"We're going to eat now. Should I buy you a meal?"
"We're in the canteen already."
"I bought you noodles."
Sun's texts stormed my phone, but I don't know what to tell him.
I was with Copper in the restroom, we were supposed to talk about how we're going to avenge Yuri, but Saunk spoke right before we could start.
"They're done with Nairuk." He said, his face was blank. Nairuk is his sister.
"What?!" Copper irritably shouted.
"They harassed my sister." Saunk's face was starting to change.
"F*ck!" Lot cried. "F*ck! F*ck!" He cursed even more.
"Will Jean be okay Lot?" Copper asked him.
"F*ck! F*ck!" was just what Lot answered.
Then it came to me: Sun is in danger too.
Lot and I looked at each other, fear creeping on both of us. "How about Sun?" He asked me.
I was speechless. I don't know if I could do what Lot is thinking.
"I'm doing it." Lot announced when he finally made up his mind. He rushed outside of the rest room and left us.
Copper and the others were looking at me.
"They may not know about you and Sun. Just look after him."
"But what if they find out?" I went out of the rest room and leaned against the wall as I was thinking if I should do it or not.
Copper is right. They may not know that Sun and I are close friends. Yeah. Just close friends. They may not go after Sun. But Nairuk is just Saunk's sister, and they still went after her.
"So?" Copper asked me when all three of them got out of the restroom.
"I will do it." I answered. "I'll put distance between me and Sun."
The three of them nodded.
"How?" Copper asked again.
"I'll make him hate me. Yeah. Maybe. I don't know. Just until we're done with Pot, then I'll tell him all of this; and I'll be needing your help."
We all went to the canteen, including Lot who wasn't in the mood to talk. He has finally broken up with Jean.
I saw Sun looking at his phone. I know he was waiting for my reply. Copper took the table beside them.
I just looked at Sun's back. Mesmerizing how his slim body ate the spicy noodles that he was slurping.
I treasured that moment. I was happy seeing him eating.
It was the first day of class, and the last day of us.
---
A/N Do you guys recognize who P'Pot is? 😁 ❤❤❤
P.S. I'm sorry if it seems like P'Pot's a bad guy, but...you know...there's always a but. I love you all ❤