WHYARU, Chapter 07:
“Where the hell is Saifah?”
“Not here yet,” Tutor, who had been resting his chin in his hand, lost in thought, turned to answer his close friend sitting across from him. “He’s probably meeting us at the classroom. There’s still almost two hours left.”
“Oh, really?”
“You’re the one who showed up too early, Day.”
“Well, my place is far, dude. You, on the other hand—your dorm’s so close, why’d you get here so early?”
“Too lazy to stay in my room,” Tor’s response didn’t surprise Day much. He was always like this, treating the library like a second home. But what Day couldn’t quite grasp was the unusually dull expression on Tutor’s face.
“You getting any sleep?”
“Not really.”
“Stressed about finding a job?”
“Yeah, a bit.” The listener nodded slightly. The low mumble in Tutor’s throat suggested he was too tired to talk about it.
“Have you checked online?”
“I did,” Tutor replied. “Most places near our dorm don’t really take part-timers. The ones that do are far, and when you calculate the money, it’s not worth it.”
“…”
“But I’ll probably find something soon.” Tutor flashed a smile at his close friend. He could tell from Day’s expression that he was worried, so he gave another wide grin.
“Don’t give me that smile. Seriously, have you talked to your family? Your sister, or your parents?”
“It’s not that bad, Day. I’m still managing.”
“…” Day looked unconvinced.
“For real.”
“Alright, alright, I believe you. No need to glare at me.”
“You’re the one talking too much, Day.”
“Does Hwa know about this?”
“Kind of. I haven’t told her the details.” Tutor had only told Hwahwa he was looking for a new job, but not why.
Day watched his friend quietly for a moment before standing up, as if something had just occurred to him.
“I’ll be back.” Tutor nodded absentmindedly. He didn’t ask where Day was going, maybe because the accumulated sleepiness slowed his brain’s processing. Before long, he rested his head on his arm and slowly closed his eyes.
Tutor wasn’t sure how long he’d been asleep. When he came to, he felt like someone was staring at him. As he started to move, the feeling of being watched grew stronger. Finally, he looked up and turned to the person across from him.
“Phii Fai,” Tutor called out to the guy resting his chin in his hand, staring at him. He couldn’t read the look in his eyes— maybe it was just a casual glance, or maybe he was just trying to mess with him.
“Who else would it be?”
“What are you doing here?” Tutor sat up properly, rubbing his brow as if to wake himself up.
“Hwa called me.”
“What’s up?”
“…”
“Why’d you call me here?” Fighter didn’t answer, just gave a light shrug, as if he couldn’t care less about responding. “What’s with you, man?”
Asking was pointless because Fighter stayed silent, staring at his face like he was looking for trouble. It turned into a small war between them, a staring contest where neither would back down.
Tutor wasn’t about to lose, and Fighter was no different. They locked eyes for a good while until the one who started the stareoff shifted his gaze elsewhere. It wouldn’t have been surprising at all—except Fighter’s sharp eyes didn’t just move away; they dropped to Tutor’s lips.
“…”
What’s he staring at?
That was the voice screaming in the younger one’s head. Though he didn’t say it out loud, Fighter could sense it. He wasn’t sure whether to laugh, because every time he looked at the smaller guy’s lips, Tutor reacted the same way—either furrowing his brows in a mess or pursing his lips tightly, like now. Even when he tried to act unbothered by looking away, his red ears betrayed the embarrassment he couldn’t hide.
Fighter smirked, watching Tutor’s flustered behavior with amusement. He’d never seen this side of his junior before. He never thought the guy who always glared at him would have such a… cute side.
“Tor!” A voice called out from behind. Turning around, Tutor saw Hwahwa flashing him a smile. The glint in her eyes seemed suspicious, making him wonder if his close friend was plotting something—especially with Day trailing behind her. That only made him more certain there was some kind of scheme at play.
“What’s up, Hwa?”
“Do I need a reason? Maybe I just came to see you.”
“Really? Why don’t I believe it’s just that?”
“Always so perceptive,” Hwahwa said with a grin, sliding into the seat next to him. Meanwhile, Day sat across from them, next to Phii Fai. “Fine, let’s get to the point.”
“…” Hwahwa’s expression made it seem like she was about to drop a huge problem on him.
“I want you to tutor Phii Fai in English.” There it is. Called it.
“Wait a sec, Hwa,” Tutor quickly objected. Fighter didn’t say anything, but the slight furrow of his brows made it clear he was just as clueless about this English tutoring plan. Still, despite that, Fighter stayed quiet and didn’t protest.
“No waiting. Just say yes. Didn’t you say you don’t have any tutoring students right now?”
“Well, yeah, but I…”
“Please, Tor, help Phii Fai. You’re the only one who can. You know I’m terrible at English, and Phii Fai’s stuck on Eng 4. He’s taken it two semesters and still hasn’t passed.”
“…”
“If he doesn’t pass this semester, who knows if he’ll ever graduate.” At Tutor’s university, students must take four English courses, from Eng 1 to Eng 4, with placement based on admission test scores. Since Tutor scored high in English, he skipped straight to Eng 4 in his freshman year and passed it back then.
“But it’s got nothing to do with me,” Tutor grumbled, eyeing his close friend who was bringing him this big problem.
“It does! It’s a big deal because you’re Phii Fai’s junior in the code line and his last hope.”
“…” Code line? He doesn’t even act like he’s part of it.
“Please, Tor, help him out.”
“Yeah, help him, man. You’re in the same code line, right? Plus, Hwa told me Phii Fai pays 500 baht an hour for English tutoring. That’s more than what you make, Tor.” The hourly rate wasn’t the point.
“Or if you really won’t tutor Phii Fai, you’ll have to let my family help you with money. Deal?”
“We’ve already talked about this, haven’t we, Hwa?”
“We did, but…”
“Be honest. Is everyone doing this because I look so pitiful? Do I really seem that helpless?”
“Tor, it’s not like that at all. I just saw that Phii Fai’s bad at English, and you’re tutoring anyway. It’s a win-win, right?”
“…”
“But if… my good intentions made you feel that way, then I’m sorry,” Hwahwa’s tone shifted to one of displeasure. Her scowl made Day, sitting across from her, start to fidget.
“Tor, you know Hwa’s just trying to help. No one’s looking at you the way you’re thinking.”
“…” Tutor didn’t respond to Day. He was fed up with how everyone kept pushing things on him. Above all, he hated how people pitied him.
He knew his starting point in life was in the negative, but he wanted to struggle and make it on his own first. If he had to tutor Phii Fai, he wanted it to be because Phii Fai genuinely wanted to hire him, not because it felt like someone reaching out to save him in a desperate situation.
“Tch,” Fighter let out an irritated huff, glaring at Tutor with mild displeasure. “So what if your friends actually see you that way? What’s wrong with them wanting to help? The one who’s ashamed of who they are is the one who should feel guilty.”
“I’ve never been ashamed of who I am.”
“Then why won’t you take the job?”
“…”
“Because the money’s too little? Because you don’t like me? Or because…” Fighter paused for a moment, a sly smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth before he slowly reached up to touch his own lips. “…something else.”
Of course, his actions indirectly hinted that he was referring to the kiss that happened not too long ago.
“Phii Fai!”
“Enough already,” Hwahwa stepped in to intervene again.
“Stop fighting, you two.”
“…”
“Look, I understand why you refuses to tutor Phii Fai in English—because you two don’t get along. Hwa doesn’t feel… well, sometimes I can’t help but think that maybe I’m not important enough to ask you for something like this.”
Hwahwa let out a sigh, her face looking quite upset. But Tutor knew his close friend too well—she always pulled this act when she wanted to coax him into doing what she wanted. Usually, he’d give in sometimes and not others, but this time…
Tutor glanced at Fighter again. That wicked smile and the unusually challenging body language made him uneasy, prompting him to shift his gaze back to Hwahwa. Of course, his childhood friend was still pouting, clearly displeased, but her eyes were filled with hope that he’d change his mind or say something.
Seeing this, he couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.
“What is this, a drama?”
“Yup, drama,” Hwahwa nodded, admitting it outright. “So, is it working?”
“…”
“Come on, Tor, is it working or not?” The one being coaxed wanted to say it wasn’t, but agreeing to tutor Phii Fai wasn’t just because of Hwahwa’s request.
There was another reason, one that carried more weight and couldn’t be ignored. “You already know that this kind of thing always works, don’t you?”
“Tor you pull this kind of thing all the time too, so I had to whip out the drama card. You don’t respond to nice requests. So, are you tutoring Phii Fai or what?”
“Mm,” Tutor nodded, and Hwahwa immediately broke into a wide smile.
The other reason was Fighter—the guy standing in front of him, flashing that mischievous grin.
Tutor knew Phii Fai would never tell anyone about the kiss they shared, especially since he’d been so adamant about keeping it a secret. But the reason he agreed was because of the challenge Phii Fai was throwing his way. Normally, he wasn’t one to take up challenges easily, but for some reason, he couldn’t figure out why he was acting so recklessly this time.
Rrrrrrrrrrrrr
The phone rang just as Tutor was reading at the low Japanesestyle table in the middle of the room. The name on the screen didn’t surprise him much.
“What’s up, Hwa…”
(Are you in your room right now, Tor?)
“Yeah, I’m here. What’s going on, Hwa?”
(I was just talking to Phii Fai earlier, and I thought he could come study with you today. Not sure if you’re free?)
“I’m free. When are you and Phii Fai coming over?”
(Probably this afternoon, but I won’t be coming along.)
“Huh? Why not?”
(I don’t want to disturb Phii Fai’s study time. Doesn’t it require focus?)
“Yeah.”
(I’ll have him call you later then.)
“Alright, whatever works.” Tutor exchanged a few more words with Hwahwa before hanging up. He let out another sigh, hoping there wouldn’t be any need for arguments or aggravation during the tutoring session.
Rrrrrrrrrrrrr
The phone rang again, but this time the room’s owner frowned slightly in confusion. Hwahwa had just said Fighter would come in the afternoon, but it wasn’t even 10 a.m. yet. He wasn’t sure why.
“Hello?”
(I’m at your dorm already.)
“What?”
(I said I’m at your dorm already.)
“Wait, Fai, didn’t Hwa say you were coming this afternoon?”
(But I’m here now, so hurry up and come get me. It’s hot.)
Beep, beep, beep
Tutor looked at the phone in his hand and let out a frustrated sigh. He couldn’t help but wonder how Fighter’s family raised him to be so self-centered and headache-inducing. In the end, he got up, grabbed his dorm pass, and hurried downstairs to meet the other guy, who was likely in a pretty bad mood.
And yes… Tutor guessed right.
Fighter was indeed irritated.
“Phii Fai!” Tutor stepped out of the dorm and shouted at the guy playing on his phone. The older one looked up and walked straight toward Tutor.
“Slow snail.”
“Slow? It hasn’t even been five minutes,” Tutor grumbled as the other guy brushed past him.
“Still slow.”
“How long are you gonna stand there? I’m hot.”
Man, is it too late to cancel this tutoring session?
“Phii Fai, are you actually going to study properly?” Tutor propped his chin up, glaring at the taller guy with mild irritation. The person in question merely glanced up from his phone screen, looked at him for a second, then went back to whatever he was doing. Earlier, he and Fighter had already argued once about how, no matter how much he taught, Fighter didn’t seem to grasp anything.
Even basic grammar—his senior kept getting it wrong. That part, he could somewhat accept. But the lack of effort? That, he couldn’t stand.
“If you don’t understand what I’m teaching, I’m still willing to keep going. But look at you! You know you’re weak in English, yet you’re not even trying. Honestly, seeing you like this makes me not want to teach you anymore, Phii Fai.”
“…” No response. It was unclear if he even heard what was said.
“Hey, did you hear me?”
“I heard you.”
“Then take it seriously! If you don’t, I’m really going to quit.”
“If you suddenly quit like that, aren’t you afraid I’ll tell your friend?”
“Hwa knows what kind of person I am. She knows the one thing I can’t stand when teaching is someone not paying attention—like what you’re doing right now.” Fighter looked up at the speaker. Tutor couldn’t quite read what was going through Phii Fai’s mind with that look.
“But in the end, even if I just sit here, you still get paid, don’t you?”
“Phii Fai, do you think I’m that kind of person? That I care that much about money?”
“Look at your situation. You’re really saying that?”
“Fai…” The way Tutor said Fighter’s name trembled, unsteady. The eyes reflecting back at him were filled with hurt, though he tried to hide it.
Truthfully, Fighter hadn’t meant to say that last sentence. But it slipped out, and he wasn’t the type to easily apologize. Especially when the smaller guy pursed his lips tightly and took a deep breath, as if holding back his emotions—it only made him…
“Look, I—”
“Then I guess I won’t be teaching you anymore.”
“Hold on a sec.”
“Go back, please. I really don’t want to tutor you anymore.”
Tutor spoke in a faint, weary tone, his gaze fixed on Fighter, filled with exhaustion, like a cliff slowly being chipped away.
“You sure you want it like this?”
“Yeah, this is fine. It’s better this way.”
“…”
“…”
“Alright then. I didn’t want you to tutor me either.” With that, Fighter pulled out about four thousand-baht bills from his wallet and placed them on the low table. “This is for today’s session.” Tutor looked at the money, took one bill, and handed the rest back to the man who had just stood up.
“It’s too much, Phii Fai.”
“Just take it. It’s no big deal, just money.”
“Phii Fai, please, stop looking down on me… please.”
“Such a hassle.” Fighter stuffed the excess money into his pocket and walked to the door, then turned back to look at Tutor again.
“What now?”
“You’re leaving, so why don’t you just go?”
“Don’t you need to walk me out?”
“Do I have to? It’s not hard to walk downstairs, Phii Fai.”
“I don’t have a keycard. How am I supposed to open the door downstairs?”
“You don’t need a keycard, Phii Fai. Just press the button and walk out.”
“…”
“Please, stop messing with me. If you’re going, just go.”
Bang
The sound of the door closing echoed as Tutor leaned back against the bed. He tilted his head to stare at the ceiling before slowly closing his eyes.
In your state, you really think you can talk like that?
Yeah, in his current situation, he shouldn’t even have the pride to act like this. So Phii Fai wasn’t wrong to say what he did— because it was the truth.
“Haa…” A hot breath escaped again, his mind occupied with thoughts of starting to apply for jobs once more. At first, he thought tutoring Fighter might have been a good solution.
But it wasn’t too far off from what he expected.
Sometimes, he was just so tired of this feeling of starting over.
But if he didn’t start, he’d never reach the finish line…
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