Author's note: hey guys! I'm sorry for the late post, I didn't mean to take this long but writer's block can be tough. Anyway, there may be even more later posts than this in the future, I apologize in advance. In the mean time read and enjoy this chapter. Don't forget to vote if you like it.
Chapter 6
It was the café. Phun and his still tagging junior took me to the café. I thought it would be somewhere more... exciting. I sighed.
"Why do you look bummed, Noh?" Phun asked smiling. I am glad he is back in a good mood, I have no idea what that was with P'Ae back in the music room.
"I just thought we would be going somewhere fun," I said.
"P'Phun still has classes," the small voice came from the small girl. Eh, isn't it weird that she hasn't left Phun's side once. I sighed, "If you were busy then why did you come to find me?"
"I told you, Nong Ruth wanted to meet you, she is your biggest fan." Phun nudged her, "come on, ask him what you want to ask him."
So he came all the way here because of her? If I counted, it hasn't been more than two weeks since Phun and I decided to give up on getting our memories back. Okay, Phun was taking a break, I have given up. Anyway, it feels a little weird that he is introducing this girl to me.
She shyly held on to Phun's shirt and opened her small mouth, "P'Noh, is it true that you and P'Phun are a couple?"
Phun and I shared a glance. What? Where did that come from?
"Ruth, is that the question you wanted to ask?" Phun asked, his head bent towards her and I couldn't see her respond but I guess she nodded because Phun looked uncomfortably at me.
I cleared my throat, "well yeah but it's not like that anymore," I said. I don't want anyone, especially girls thinking that. This is kind of a big problem. If girls think that Phun and I are still together then they wouldn't come near me with a ten foot pole. I've got to set this straight fast.
"But we could be," the former student council secretary's mouth was faster than my own. Hey wait a minute there, I have no part in that.
"But we are not," I stressed.
"For now," Phun said.
I glared. Boy did he love contradicting me. "Not for a very, very long time."
"But still in the future." Before I could make my own come back he continued, "but why are you asking Ruth?"
"No reason," her cheeks reminded me of ripe peaches.
"It's okay, you can tell me."
"No I can't tell P'Phun," she shied away.
"Then do you want to tell me," I pointed at myself.
"P'Noh," her eyes sparkled then she nodded. "I will tell you in your ear."
"Oh my ear?" I gave Phun a satisfied smirk. She came around the table gingerly and I leaned over to get closer.
"P'Noh, do you think you can help me ask P'Phun out?" my smirk fell. Phun's expression shifted and he lifted a brow in askance, mighty curious he was but what kind of twist was this. She just came here to make me help her with Phun?
She pulled back and I leaned back blinking, unable to reply.
"Well?" Phun asked.
I licked my lips and shrugged, "sure, why not." It was actually kinda perfect, yeah: If Phun gets a girlfriend then he wouldn't care about getting our memories back anymore. Would he?
She returned to his side looking happy. I twisted my mouth and smiled back at Phun's constant inquiry.
After seeing off Ruth, Phun and I were walking back to the department.
"So you are really not going to tell me?" he asked.
I shook my head and returned to my thoughts. I guess it wasn't strange that girls liked Phun and she was pretty too. This guy was also good looking... I caught myself watching him. He did have that sort of look girls would like.
"Noh," he stopped me and we stood by the side of the road. What's up, I said with my expression. "What's going on with you and P'Ae?"
I frowned, what did he mean? "Why? Are you jealous?" I asked in jest then paused. Why would he be, that doesn't even make sense, damn my missing puzzles brain.
"I'm not," he defended smoothly, letting go of my arm. "I'm just curious."
I guess he didn't think my question was weird. "Nothing is going on, I think my mother... or doctor Gray, put him on watch duty."
"You sure about that?"
"What? Then what the hell else would he be doing with a person like me?"
"A person like you? Noh, you are a great person."
My mouth fell open and my cheeks started feeling itchy. "Um, don't just say that with a straight face, Phun."
"What kind of face do you want me to use then?"
"I don't know. That's not something people just blurt out without any hesitation. I mean what do you know about me."
"Not much," he said, "but there is probably nothing about you that I don't know and even without my memories gone I still know that you are great person Noh."
I give up. This guy is seriously hopeless. Sometimes I am afraid that he is starting to remember things. "Fine, fine, whatever you say."
We parted so that Phun can go to his classes.
The following days went a little too fast. Oh, I forgot to say—that is not a pun— I got scouted by a music director. I am supposed to be presenting a song to them this weekend, my band mates were obviously coming. Phun can't come, when I told him he said he had a really tough test to take and was really regretful that he wouldn't get to see me sing. Well, no problem with me. The person who is coming is P'Ae.
"Noh," he got out of his car as me and my noisy band mates are walking with our instruments to the place. "Sorry I'm late."
"Oh, P'Ae." I stopped walking to wait for him. He looked the same; short brown hair, broad shoulders and charcoal eyes. He was wearing a long sleeved round-neck shirt and jeans.
"Why are you guys walking?" he asked me.
"Because none of the guys have a car and they are too cheap to hire a bus," I said.
"What about you asshole!" they chorused at us. I didn't even know they had stopped and were watching us. Jeez, don't eavesdrop on people's conversations. We were lugging our equipments; mine a box of my guitar. Word is just lucky that we didn't have to carry any sound equipment.
"Anyway," I stretched the word, "that's why."
"Do you want me to give you a ride?" he asked.
"A ride?" well yeah. But we are five, obviously one of us is going to have to stay behind and I could just see the guys telling me to since I am the captain. I eyed the distance to the high school we were going; I would at least go from my old house to the main road and back on that distance. I can't be the one to get left out.
"Yeah sure, but you will have to take the guys," I said sounding as sincere as possible. "They look a little beat."
"Oh wow," Inn zoomed like a broom to me, because he as thin as a broom stick, and said, "Noh, so you are this selfless."
I shrugged, "as the captain, I have no other choice."
"Then why didn't you hire a bus for all of us?"
I eyed Road. Do you have any idea how much that costs? Don't even get me started. I'm not working you know, I'm still the type of guy who has to depend on his parents for monthly allowance and I recently had to start paying rent so don't even look at me with that you are so cheap eyes.
"Road, don't ruin a good thing," Word said nudging the emo guitarist and smiling like a cat. I bet his legs are killing him. I'm laughing inside. Don't even relax yet asshole; see how you are going to walk all the way there. Useless manager couldn't even spare fifty baht.
Pick was silent as I cleared my throat, "anyway, P'Ae, that's how it is. Just take these guys."
"But Noh," he looked as reluctant as I was hoping. "I don't want to leave you behind, you know I came here to help you. "
"uh, that's right, I just got out from a really horrible accident," I shook my head with grieved sigh.
"Oh, is he going to play the I just got out of an accident card," Pick muttered.
I ignored the orange haired feminist. "But P'Ae, don't worry, I will make it. "
"Are you sure."
I looked at the guys, "Word, you should just take my guitar with you; you are the one who looks least tired."
"What—"
"Oh, Word, since you aren't really tired how about I take Noh and the others and come back later for you."
"no, no, why should I be the one to stay. Road?"
"aren't you the band manager?" I closed my mouth to hold from laughing at Word's face. I knew Road would throw him under the bus. Honestly, he is the best person to take the fall.
"But wait."
It was decided. I smiled at Word as I entered the front seat. He was complaining but none of us were listening to him anymore.
"I am going to tell," he switched tactics.
"Tell what?" I asked my brows squeezed.
"Tell Phun that you are entering another man's car"
I spluttered. "What? So what, tell him and how many times do I have to tell you..." I glanced at P'Ae. I don't want him to think I was weird with these guys. Damn it, that Word had a mouth on him didn't he. I glared my best at him.
"I hope the ride is comfortable," Word said, "seating so close together, so cozy."
"Shut up Word."
"What is he talking about, Noh?" P'Ae was done putting on his seat belt.
"Ignore him P'Ae, he is just jealous." I stuck my tongue out at Word and closed the door carefully.
I guess I should have listened to Word. Who knew he would actually call Phun. My eyes nearly fell off when I saw him walking towards me back stage. We weren't even singing yet, how did he get here so fast.
"Phun, what are you doing here?" I asked.
"To see you sing," Phun said smiling as if it was natural to be standing there looking all relaxed.
"Don't you have a test?" I asked.
"No, it was canceled. I was going to come later but someone said something about you entering another man's car?"
My mouth closed up like a clam. Word.
"So, who is this man?"
"And you believed him Phun?" I chuckled. Just then P'Ae comes walking around Phun.
"Noh, are you ready?" what was he, the guy manning the stage?
"Um, yeah..." I trailed off as I catch Phun's expression. See I was kinda of instinctively wary of this. I don't know why. Something just told me that Phun isn't too happy to see P'Ae.
"Phun," P'Ae said looking a little nonplussed, I think that's the word for his expression. "Why are you here?"
Phun smiled, I expected a smartass comment, but he said, "Noh specifically invited me."
"He invited me too," P'Ae felt the need to say.
"I'm sure it was right after he invited me."
Okay, was there a lot of testerones flying around in here?
"Um, Phun, P'Ae, I don't think you guys are invited back here." I quickly took away their free pass. Don't blame me, I don't know what to do with these two and I need to be on my A game. "Come on go to the seating area," I was smiling so awkwardly, my cheeks ached.
"Noh, don't forget later."
Later. Oh yeah, that. "Sure," I said.
P'Ae exchanged some kind of look with Phun and then he walked off. Phun didn't follow but stepped forward, "what's later?"
"I...I uh," why is his face so terribly close. I'm starting to sweat like mad. "He promised to take me to Siam if I get the audition, " I said.
"Just that?"
"Yeah."
"Are you sure"
"Yeah now leave me alone, jeez."
Phun shrugged and really left. Should I relax now?
"Ooh, how does it feel to be caught between two hot guys?"
Of course I can't! I whipped around on Word. "Stop saying that you asshole, just wait until I get my hands on your lousy behind."
I started chasing him around with a poky stick that I was going to shove up his ass.
Later, I was done singing. My voice felt rough, like I had been screaming my head off, which I have. I was beat, but the first person to meet me was P'Ae.
"Noh, you were so good. I can't believe how incredible you are on stage, it's like you become another entirely different person."
My head was growing large as I ruminated in all the praises
Phun didn't so much as look my way even though he was there with all the guys making a lot of noise, cheering about the success of our audition. I kept looking at him which was really annoying. It's not like the room was empty of people to look at but my eyes keep coming to land on him. Was it because he was practically ignoring me? Jeez, I don't understand anything anymore.
We all cheered loudly till we were out in the night air and open space.
"Noh," Phun suddenly spoke and I stood at rapt attention paying every word he spoke to me some stupid kind of reverence. "Since you made the audition, shouldn't you treat us to a nice feast for celebration?"
What? A cheer from the guys nearly blasted my ear drums.
"Sounds like a good idea Noh," Pick said. Wait for the person involved to say that damn it.
"I like it, let's go to Siam!" Word and his loud mouth.
"Actually..." I loudly declared, "P'Ae and I were going to go..."
Gasp, "a date? No no, Noh, not in front of Phun."
My face turned red and I turned to smack him but Word rushed to hide behind Road.
"it's not a date..."
"So what if it's a date."
Wait where did that come from? Not Word again.
P'Ae stepped forward and stared at me so sincerely. "How about it Noh, do you want to make it a date?"
"um, uh," I have become a blubbering idiot because I can't put words together anymore. I feel like I entered into some kind of comedy show and I didn't even know they've said action already.
"You can't ask Noh on a date, P'Ae," Phun said, stepping to my side. Oh, my savior. I had no idea what I was going to say just now. But Phun wasn't done. "Not when he has a boyfriend."
"huh?!" I look at him with my mouth hanging my eyes like balls.