Arthit's POV
"P'Arthit, explain to me why I am here?" Maprang grouses as she helps me carry a table.
"Everyone else is busy with setting up their own surprises," I explain. "Why are you griping? You girls were the ones that made this so complicated."
"Face it, P'," Maprang smirks, "You would have ended up in some stall, and what? Given him a card?"
"I hate you, and he likes sappy shit like cards," I grumble, "I think here is fine. Will you help me haul up the other stuff? I stashed it in a closet."
"What if I say no?" Maprang questions as I glare at her, "Fine. Fine. How does Kong put up with your death threats."
"When did I threaten to kill you?" I glare at her. She just shakes her head laughing.
"Nevermind," Maprang laughs, "Let's go get the rest of the stuff and get it all set up. You only have when Kong is in the booth, right?"
"Yeah," I reply, "I have had to hide stuff everywhere. He almost found some of it this week. He is a little pissed at me since I banned him from my dorm for the past two days."
"You banned him?" Maprang stops and looks at me.
"That is enough questions. You have to be in the booth soon," I deflect. Why did I tell her that? Who knows how she will take that?
Prem's POV
Walking into the photography shop, I am excited to pick up the prints I have ordered. Prae handed me the bag of stuff I had asked her to pick up for me yesterday. All I need to do now is to figure out how to escape from Wad long enough to set everything up.
"Here are your prints," the lady behind the counter breaks me out of my thoughts, "It seems like you had a favorite subject." I flinch. I didn't think they would pay much attention to what they printed out.
"Yeah," I mutter, "It was for a project."
"They came out very well," the lady smiles at me. Ok. It is beginning to creep me out.
"I need to go," I smile, taking the envelope of prints from her. "I have an appointment later."
"Good luck," she calls after me. Huh? Good luck? I don't look back and just make a mental note to use another shop next time, possibly.
My phone rings in my pocket, and I smile to see my mom is calling me. "Hello, mom," I say as I try to hail a taxi, "Is something wrong? Sorry, mom. I didn't mean that. My dorm? Now? Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I will be there in fifteen. See if ..." I stop. I am trying to think about how Wad and I left the dorm this morning. Damn it. I can't remember!! "I will be there soon." I hang up. Should I call Wad and ask him? No. He would panic.
I took a bike instead of a taxi to get to the dorm. It was quicker. Walking up to my dorm, I see my mom sitting on a bench with a pile of things next to her.
"Hi, Mom," I walk over and kiss her cheek before I join her on the bench, "Why the surprise visit?"
"What do you have planned?" She turns to me, grinning.
"Planned?" I ask, confused, "Like my plans for the day? Do you want to go somewhere? Why did you come on a weekday? Does dad know you are here?" I don't ask why today of all days but I really want to.
"Enough questions already, and no, you idiot," my mom huffs, "For Valentine's Day! What are you doing for N'Wad?"
"You came all the way here for that?" I question, beginning to get concerned and start to look at the stuff sitting beside her.
"It is important! You haven't planned anything," she sighs, "I told your father you would do this. He was so upset he couldn't come, but there was a big project today and..."
"Wait. Mom, stop," I laugh, "I have a plan." Holding up the package I just picked up. "See. Plan." I look again at the stuff beside her, "And what is all that? Wasn't it a pain on the BTS?"
"I brought food and side dishes," Mom explains. "Everything N'Wad liked when he visited." She turns on me, "That reminds me. When are you two coming again? His mom told me you had been there twice, but you two haven't come back once."
Wad's mom and my mom talk to each other? When did this start? Does Wad know?
"We will make time soon," I say, picking up a package before I run away from her. "I will go first," I call back. Now to make it to my room before her so I can check it.
Walking into my dorm, I do a quick once over to make sure nothing is out. I am coming out of the bathroom when my mom walks in.
"Did you have to go that bad?" Mom questions, "You are not eating right. I am glad I brought you two food."
"Huh?" I look at the bathroom and realize what she is talking about. "We have had a lot of junk at the festival, but it is only once a year."
"Once a year or not," Mom scolds, "You need to eat better. Even if it is just one meal a day."
"Yes, Mom," I mumble, happy that she thought that this was the issue and not that I was trying to hide something.
"So what do you need me to help with?" Mom asks, putting her hands on her hips and looking determined.
Tutah's POV
Jett is in the booth right now, so I have about an hour before he starts looking for me. As much as I have hated the booth, I appreciate this window of time it is granting me today.
I look over at my desk and can't help but smile when I see the small package sitting on it. It was a miracle I was able to pull that off. I know it will mean the world to Jett.
"You realize you are looking like a lunatic," Bright grumbles as he sets down the bags he helped me carry.
"I don't care," I smile back at him, "Are you sure you know how to cook this dish?" When Bright volunteered to help me with it, I was hesitant to take him up on his offer, but it is Jett's favorite, and I am not confident to make it.
"I went home two weekends in a row to learn this," Bright says, "My mom was about to have me checked out by a psychiatrist. I mean, I went home willingly for two weekends and helped cook."
"Yeah," I laugh, "I am sure you looked mental."
Following my friend, I have to think how lucky I was to meet him the first year. I look at a photo on my desk and smile. We need a new one with everyone.
"Can you peel this?" Bright asks, holding an onion up, "I hate peeling them," he grumbles.
"Sure. Toss it here," I say, getting a knife out of the drawer. "What the hell, Ai'Bright? That was my head." I pick the onion up from the floor, debating if I should launch it at Bright's head or not.
"Did you or did you not tell me to toss it to you?" Bright turns around, pointing his knife at me.
"You could have made sure I was looking before you threw it," I mutter.
"So just a meal and a present?" Bright asks, getting back to preparing. "No hanky panky?"
"As if I would tell you, pervert," I snort, "I don't know," I add after a short pause.
"He is a good kid," Bright tells me as he cranks the flame on the stove. "He makes you happy. I like him for that."
I stop peeling the onion and go to wipe my eyes that are tearing.
"Here, you idiot," Bright says, throwing a wet towel at me, "Don't use your hands. It will make it worse." He turns back to the stove, "I will need to tell N'Jett to take cooking lessons. You are hopeless."
"Hey," I huff, "I can make some things."
"Ramyeon," Bright snorts, "That doesn't count as food, Ai'Tutah. Besides, it would be nice to have a nong who takes care of you."
"Speaking of nongs," I counter, "Did N'Aim find you yesterday?"
"So you were the one who sent him after me," Bright grumbles shaking his head, "Why did you do that? Since when do I need a keeper?"
I look at my friend's back. "Since when? Since you were born!" I chuckle, "What was going on yesterday? You walked off the stage and just left. Did you go to the bar?"
"Of course not," Bright answers, "It was too damn early, and why would I go by myself. That is no fun. Enough questions about me. Are you ever going to get that damn onion peeled? We don't have all day!"
Knott's POV
"N'Wad, why are you helping me?" I look at my friend's boyfriend setting the bags on my table.
"If I don't help you, May is going to kill me," N'Wad answers. "So what do I need to do?"
"N'May threatened you?" I ask, shocked.
"If you guys change her chat name, we will all kill you," N'Wad grumbles as he starts taking things out of a bag. "P'Bright is right. She DOES need a warning label. I never knew she could be scarier than Maprang. Hell, girls, in general, are just scary."
"Guess it is a good thing you are dating a guy," I laugh, "Even though he ranks up there as pretty frightening himself."
"He is not that bad," N'Wad pouts. "He is just misunderstood."
"Misunderstood?" I gape at the nong, "That is rich coming from you. You do realize you are the Prem of your group?"
"Isn't that better than being the Knott of the group?" N'Wad snarks. "How have you not killed your friends? P'Bright is a train wreck, and P'Arthit is a surly little monster."
"I noticed you left out your boyfriend and Ai'Tutah," I smirk. "And don't think I haven't thought about killing them."
"P'Tutah is nice most of the time, and I am dating P'Prem," N'Wad shrugs, "Do you think I would say something bad? And what is all this for? I have yet to figure out what you are doing for Ai'Tew."
"I thought it was obvious," I say, looking at the things on the table. "Do you think he will like it? You won't tell him, will you?"
"I value my life," N'Wad explains, "May would kill me. I don't know how Ai'Aim has survived. And it helps that I have no clue what you are doing. Where do I put this?"
"Over there," I point at the dresser, "He said that he liked these, and he has several in his dorm."
"I have seen them," N'Wad says, arranging the collection I bought for Tew on my dresser. "Who did you borrow the projector from?"
"Ai'Tee helped me get it," I smile, "I sort of guilted him into getting it for me."
"You guilted someone?" N'Wad looks at me, "Wow! I would have liked to have seen that."
"I don't know why everyone always thinks I am nice 24/7," I huff, "I was the original hothead of the bunch."
"What were you and the others like during your first year?" N'Wad asks, looking at me like a puppy begging for a treat.
"We were like you guys," I laugh, "I was the hothead. Ai'Bright was not a big flirt or clown back then. Ai'Arthit was a lot like I am now. Ai'Prem was our geek and Ai'Tutah... well, I guess he is the only one who is the same as he was back then."
"I can't imagine a calm P'Arthit or a geeky P'Prem," N'Wad grins. "Much less, you being a hothead."
"That's enough questions. Let's get this finished. I am sure you have things to get ready for today, too," I say, looking at N'Wad. N'Wad walks over to the other bag taking it back to the dresser.
"It will be interesting to see how you guys are in your third year," I mumble. "It will be interesting indeed.
2063 6-23-19
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