WHYARU, Chapter 04:
“Tor’s here!” Someone’s voice rang out after Tutor entered the house. When he turned to look, he realized it was Nam, one of Hwahwa’s faculty friends, who came to greet him. “The cake you said you made—is this it?”
“Alright.”
“Then, Tor, go prepare the candles in the backyard. Nam and
“Day will keep watch at the front.”
“Got it,” Tutor nodded to Nam, just as Fighter walked into the house. Tutor didn’t pay much attention and was about to head to the kitchen.
“Tor, hold on,” Nam called out, stopping Tutor. “Take Phii Fai with you. Let Phii Fai carry the cake out for Hwa.”
It wasn’t just Tutor who looked surprised. Fighter himself didn’t understand Nam’s reasoning either. Since he wasn’t the one who bought the cake, why did he have to be the one to carry it out for Hwahwa?
But, Nam… I think…” Day, standing nearby, started to look hesitant and was about to say something to Nam.
“Talk later, Day. For now, let these two hurry up and get going. When you’re done, signal to me and Day,” Nam said, pushing Fighter and Tutor toward the kitchen.
Fighter let out a soft sigh, clearly not thrilled about being the one to carry the cake. But Tutor stayed silent, likely because he didn’t want his close friend’s birthday to get complicated with unnecessary drama.
Fighter followed Tutor into the kitchen quietly. The smaller guy turned on the kitchen light like he knew the place inside out. Well, of course—he’d been best friends with the owner since childhood. It’d be weird if he didn’t know every corner of the house.
“You in the way,” Tutor said when the taller guy blocked his path. The one called “in the way” just stood there until Tutor placed the cake on the counter in the middle of the room. Only then did Fighter step closer to stand beside him.
Fighter showed no sign of helping. He just leaned against the counter with his arms crossed, watching Tutor pull out candles to stick into the cake. But soon, a slight smirk appeared on his face as something occurred to him, and he spoke up, clearly amused.
“Not happy that I’m the one carrying the cake, huh?”
“…” Tutor had decided not to bring it up, so why was this guy still poking at it, trying to hit a nerve?
“Right?”
“Does my face look like I’m happy?” Tutor looked up at
Fighter and handed him the candles. “Here, take these.”
Use them, since you’re so talkative.
“?”
“Do something useful for once. I’m going to find a lighter.”
“You saying I’m useless?”
“Yeah.”
“You little—Tor!”
“Just take them, Phii Fai. I’m getting the lighter.” Tutor shoved the candles into Fighter’s hands and went to find the lighter, his expression clearly showing he was beyond annoyed.
“Why are you standing there dazed, Phii? Hurry up and stick the candles in!” The small guy looking for a lighter still managed to scold him again.
What the hell?
Fighter was tired of dragging things out, so he turned to stick the candles into the cake instead. But when his eyes caught the greeting written on the cake, he couldn’t help but nod in quiet amazement.
The thought that Tutor liked his friend was still stuck in his head. Even though Tutor denied it, the message on the cake strongly reinforced his belief that Tutor had a crush on Hwahwa.
“Done sticking them yet?” The cake’s owner returned with a lighter. “Move over a bit. I need to light the candles all at once so we don’t waste time.”
Fighter stepped aside to let Tutor come closer. Both of them focused on their tasks, but it wasn’t long before Fighter said something with a slightly mocking tone.
“Happy, birthday, to, my, beloved, friend… huh?”
The person being teased stayed silent, showing no sign of responding, though he was thoroughly annoyed inside.
“Honestly, you didn’t even need the word ‘friend,’” Fighter continued, his gaze full of mischief. Finally, Tutor couldn’t take it anymore. He looked up at Fighter with an equally displeased expression.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Exactly what I said.”
“Phii Fai.”
“Deep down, you don’t really want to be just friends, do you… or am I wrong?” “You’re wrong.”
“Sure about that?” Fighter asked, leaning his face closer to Tutor than before. His challenging expression and refusal to back off made him chuckle.
But when he really stared into Tutor’s face, a strange feeling bubbled up, making everything feel off.
It definitely wasn’t infatuation, but it was a desire to explore
and…
to… touch those soft lips in front of him again.
He wasn’t sure what it was. Maybe he just wanted to know if they were still as soft as they had been before. Fighter’s gaze shifted from the clear, round eyes to the orange-tinted lips.
Tutor pursed his lips slightly, sensing the stare, but he still didn’t move his face away. Until…
Fighter leaned in closer and closer to Tutor. The faint traces of their warm breaths collided, their faces so close now.
So close that he could feel their lips about to press together…
“What are you doing, Phii?” Tutor, the one who seemed to have his wits about him, pushed the other person away first, his expression suspicious.
The smaller guy’s lips were still pressed tight, as if afraid Fighter might pounce on him like before.
“You’re hilarious,” Fighter let out a smirk and shook his head before turning back to stick candles into the cake. Naturally, the one who’d almost been “attacked” wasn’t too thrilled.
“You’re messing with me again, huh?”
“What do you think?” Fighter turned to face the questioner.
“You think I actually want to kiss you or something, Tor?”
“…”
“Hmph.” A tired sigh escaped, making the listener pout slightly. Tutor gave up pressing the issue and turned to light the candles Fighter had just placed. But purely out of irritation, he muttered something under his breath, hoping it’d hit the ears of the guy standing next to him.
“But you never know with stuff like this, right, Phii Fai? Who could possibly know your heart better than you?”
“…”
“Right?” In that final moment, Tutor locked eyes with Fighter, flashing a sly grin. The younger guy raised his eyebrows cheekily a couple of times before turning back to focus on lighting the candles.
Fighter shook his head at his junior, amused. How could it be like that? He didn’t feel his heart race being near Tutor. Right now, he just wanted to look at his face, to see what the smaller guy was doing with such focus.
He just… wanted to stare at those soft, orange-tinted lips, slightly pursed, as if aware they were being watched.
Maybe it was just the urge to tease. Deep down, he wasn’t ready to admit what that desire to kiss those soft lips might mean. For now, he’d stick to the belief that he was just messing with the guy in front of him.
“Done,” Tutor said, turning to give him a squinting, childlike smile, as if he’d just gotten candy—when all he did was light some candles. No need to be that excited.
“Then take it outside,” Fighter nodded slightly, gesturing to leave the kitchen.
“Wait, Phii Fai!” But it was Tutor who shouted, holding the cake and blocking his path.
“What?”
“Hold it.” Tutor offered the cake to him.
“Nope.”
“Why not? Nam wants you to carry it.” “But I don’t want to… it’s heavy. You carry it.”
“But…” The listener still looked a bit hesitant.
“Don’t make me say it too often, Tor. It’s just a cake worth a few hundred, I got something for Hwa that’s more expensive than what you’re holding,” Fighter said with an annoyed tone, making the listener roll their eyes in irritation.
Whatever. If Phii Fai didn’t care, Tutor would care instead. He smirked to himself.
“Though I don’t really want to say it,” Tutor looked up at
Fighter and smiled, “thanks anyway.”
“…”
In that moment of eye contact, it felt like the whole world stopped spinning, like a waterfall slowing as it hit the rocks below. For just a few seconds, Fighter saw the bright smile in front of him.
“Yeah,” Fighter nodded, as if annoyed, before walking ahead of Tutor outside. Day, who was standing nearby, quickly went to turn off the lights as the “Happy Birthday” song filled the room. Hwahwa smiled happily at Tutor. Earlier, she’d been pressured by her faculty friends, questioned about why she still hadn’t dated Fighter, which made her feel uncomfortable. Luckily, Tutor came out at just the right moment, and Day was the one who rushed to turn off the lights.
“Happy Birthday to You, ♫~”
The song ended with applause. Tutor walked forward, holding the birthday cake lit with candlelight, and handed it to his close friend. Hwahwa smiled back, looking at Tutor with gratitude once more.
“Thanks so much, Tor.”
“Mmm, I wish you the happiest of times,” Hwahwa nodded, making a silent wish before blowing out the candles. The cake in Tutor’s hands was cut and shared with those at the party who wanted some, though most didn’t care much for it. Only Day, Hwahwa, and Fighter sat quietly eating the cake.
“Super tasty, Tor,” Hwahwa, true to form, could tell from the first bite that her close friend had made it. Day, pleased, handed Hwahwa a gift he’d prepared. The two chatted warmly, with Tutor occasionally joining in.
Until the friends at the party called for Hwahwa, that is. She excused herself to go join them.
Day watched her go with a look that Tutor understood, even if he didn’t say or ask anything outright.
Neither of them noticed that someone else had been watching the whole scene from the start.
The sight made it hard not to wonder if maybe he liked Hwahwa too.
So, to sum it up simply: the people Fighter was talking to— whether it was his close friend Tutor or a friend of a friend like Day—all seemed to have a thing for Hwahwa… Sigh… What a mess.
The atmosphere at Hwahwa’s house grew quieter by the minute. Tutor hadn’t heard chatter for a while. Even though he was in the kitchen, the silence from outside made it easy to guess that most of Hwahwa’s friends had probably started heading home.
“No need to do anything, Tor. I’ll take care of this,” the housekeeper, Phii Jan, hurried over to stop Tutor as he handled dishes at the sink. Her expression was a mix of politeness and a firm warning not to continue.
“Come on, Phii Jan, it’s just washing dishes. I can handle it.”
“You can handle it, but don’t, okay? If Hwa sees, I’ll get scolded.”
“Hwa doesn’t scold, you know that.”
“I know, but let me do my job, please. Why don’t you go relax in the living room and wait for Hwa?”
“…”
“Please?” Her pleading look and earnest eyes—how could he say no?
“Alright, but if you need help with anything, just call me, okay, Phii Jan?”
“Got it.”
Tutor gave Phii Jan a small nod before leaving the kitchen for the living room. The room was nearly empty, with only one person still there.
Phii Fai.
Fighter was sitting in a corner of the sofa, engrossed in his phone, oblivious to anyone else entering. It wasn’t until Tutor sat down in a chair that Fighter looked up, his eyes seeming to ask why Tutor was still there.
“It’s my friend’s house,” Tutor said casually, not too pleased with someone in particular. But right after he spoke, Fighter smirked mockingly. Almost instantly, when Tutor frowned at him, he got an equally annoying raised eyebrow in return.
“…”
“…”
“What?” Tutor mouthed silently, questioning the guy staring at him.
“…” But Fighter didn’t answer.
“Jerk.”
“You or me?”
“You.”
“Hmph.” Instead of getting angry, Fighter just smirked back provocatively.
Why did he have to know such an annoying guy like Phii Fai?
“Tor, Phii Fai,” someone’s voice interrupted them both. Turning around, they saw it was Hwahwa and Day walking into the house. “It’s late. You two should head back.”
“Oh… sure.” Tutor nodded, stood up, and tucked his phone into his pocket.
Day, however, showed no sign of leaving with Tutor despite arriving together. Maybe because Day’s house wasn’t far from Hwahwa’s, unlike Tutor, who might need to take a taxi.
“Wait, Tor, don’t go yet,” Hwahwa, the host, called out to him.
“What’s up?” Tutor raised an eyebrow, but instead of answering, Hwahwa turned to Fighter, who had just gotten up from the sofa.
“Phii Fai, Tor’s dorm is far. Could you drop him off?”
“Hey, no need, Hwa. I can get back on my own,” Tutor quickly protested as soon as he heard Hwahwa suggesting Fighter drive him.
“Don’t be stubborn, Tor. Let Phii Fai take you… please.” Not just saying it, Hwahwa dragged and pulled him out of her house toward Fai’s car.
“Hwa!” He tried calling her name several times, but she stayed silent, shaking her head and ignoring him. It wasn’t until they reached Phii Fai’s car that Day, who had followed, offered another option.
“Or you could crash at my place.”
“Yeah, it’s late. You don’t have to go back,” Hwahwa seemed to agree with Day’s idea. “But you don’t need to stay at Day’s. If you’re staying, just stay at my place.”
“Day’s house is fine.”
“Hwa’s house, duh. I’m Hwa’s friend, Day.”
“Tor’s my friend too.”
“But I came first.”
“…”
“…”
When the argument went nowhere, he ended up being the one caught in the middle, pressured. Just look at Day and Hwahwa’s faces—so funny. Both looked expectant, waiting for him to choose whose house to stay at.
“Neither house works.”
“Why not?”
“I’ve got work tomorrow.”
“Oh,” Day replied.
“That sucks,” Hwahwa said, pouting with disappointment.
“Well… I guess there’s only one option left then.”
Hwahwa flashed a sly smile, and he could tell she was scheming to make him and Fighter get closer, just like she wanted.
“Don’t smile like that, Hwa.”
“I’m not smiling… Fai, unlock the car door,” Hwahwa said, turning to Fighter to get the car owner to unlock the door. Fighter complied without complaint, and Hwahwa grinned widely, pushing Tutor into the car. “Don’t make that face, Tor. This way, you won’t have to waste money on a taxi. And today, I’m super thankful to you, Tor. Thanks for the birthday cake too—it was the best.” “Mm, no problem.”
“Good night, Tor.”
“You too, Hwa. Happy birthday.” Hwahwa smiled and closed the car door immediately.
Tutor watched from inside the car as Fighter stood talking with Day and Hwahwa. After a few words, Fighter walked around to the driver’s seat.
Bang
The sound of the door closing on the opposite side hadn’t faded before the car was started.
Phii Fai buckled his seatbelt before backing the car out of Hwahwa’s house. The house’s owner and his other close friend stood waving enthusiastically as they saw them off.
Tutor sighed at his friends’ efforts to make him and Fighter get along, which, as expected, still wasn’t working. Even now, his feelings toward Fighter remained the same—this guy just didn’t seem like someone worth getting close to.
Just think about it—almost an hour in the car, and not a single word passed between them. It’s not like he didn’t try to talk; Tutor did, but this guy responded like he was afraid a flower would fall out of his mouth. In the end, we just sat in silence the whole way, as you can see.
“Thanks a lot for the ride, Phii,” the speaker turned to thank Fighter before unbuckling his seatbelt.
“Mm.”
“And also…” It seemed like Tutor had more to say, but even after waiting, he didn’t open his mouth. It wasn’t until Fighter turned back and raised an eyebrow, as if prompting him, that Tutor finally spoke. “Thanks again for letting me hold the cake today.”
“Well, you bought the cake. Wouldn’t it be weird if the buyer didn’t hold it?”
“It’s not bought. I made it myself.”
“You know how to make cakes? A guy baking cakes… isn’t that a bit odd? Who taught you?”
“I learned it.”
“Learned?”
“Yeah, I took classes… what can I do? My sister loves eating cake.” Tutor’s face beamed with pride, making Fighter quietly curious. He wondered what kind of person Tutor’s sister was— why did this stubborn guy in his eyes seem so devoted and submissive when talking about her?
“Well… I’m off then. Good night, Phii.”
“Hm?” Before he could respond, the slimmer guy had already opened the car door and left.
“Good night, huh…” Fighter muttered to himself softly.
“Saying that to someone you don’t even like?”
His eyes followed the person walking toward the dorm. He didn’t quite understand this feeling, but it didn’t bother him much.
Just didn’t understand, that’s all… Sighhh.
A loud sigh echoed as the room’s owner flopped face-down onto the pillow, exhausted. His heavy eyelids were about to close in seconds. But then, the phone in his pants pocket vibrated. Tutor pulled it out, shifting to lie on his back to read the message more comfortably.
MommyGig: Nong Tor,
About the tutoring we discussed earlier, I’m afraid I’ll have to cancel for now.
I’m really sorry, dear. It’s just that I recently enrolled my kid in a course at their school.
Let’s try again next time, okay? I’m really sorry.
Tutor: It’s okay, Mam. Next time works!
Buzz, buzz.
Before Tutor could reply to the message, a new one from someone else popped up on his screen.
Kaykai: Nong Tor
Tutor: Yes, Phii Kae?
Kaykai: Sorry for messaging you so late.
Tutor: It’s fine, no worries.
Kaykai: Remember when you talked to me about taking on extra work?
Tutor: Yeah, I remember, Phii Kae. What’s up?
Kaykai: Well, my business partner is looking to cut costs. So, could you go back to your original work schedule? I’ve been trying to find a solution, and this seems best for you.
Tutor: Sure, that’s fine. No problem at all.
Kaykai: I’m worried about you, you know.
Tutor: It’s okay, Phii Kae. Honestly, I’ve got some new students, so don’t worry about me.
Kaykai: That’s a relief. Thanks so much, Nong Tor!
Tutor: No prob.
New students? What new students, Tor? He didn’t have a single one lined up.
Sigh. Tutor turned off his phone and placed it on the empty spot on his bed before slowly closing his eyes. If he counted the days he’d work with Phii Kae, it was just Tuesday and Thursday evenings, plus full days on Saturday. That amount of work, compared to the expenses he actually had… it wasn’t nearly enough.
Looked like he’d have to find more work. But where?
Tutor grabbed a nearby pillow, pressed it to his face, and curled up tighter. A lump seemed to lodge in his throat, forcing him to hide his face in the pillow.
He was tired. So damn tired. He’d never faced anything like this before—never had to struggle or scrape for money like this.
But what could he do? His life didn’t come with choices. And because he had no choice, all he could do was fight. Even though a voice inside screamed how unbearable it was, his lips kept muttering, praying over and over to himself that he could handle it.
He could do it.
He could… definitely.
Just gotta keep fighting… stay strong.
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