NORTHHOWMUCHISYOURLOVE, Chapter 30 part 1
Chapter 30: Never Be Alone
I woke up groggily to the sound of the alarm clock; it was 6 AM. Normally, I wake up around this time to make breakfast, and today was no exception. Today is the Sports Day event, where my faculty has an early event. As a second-year, my activities include looking after the freshmen, managing various tasks for them, and it seems Phii Johan has free time since he doesn’t care much about such events.
I slowly moved out of the embrace from behind and got out of bed. Since he was asleep, he wasn’t holding me tightly. I got up to shower and then went into the kitchen. Yesterday, we went to the supermarket with Kett to stock up on fresh ingredients. I opened the fridge, scanning the contents while thinking about what to cook.
“Why aren’t you in bed?” The deep, slightly irritated voice came from behind. Phii Joe had just woken up, but as I’ve noted before, he always looks good regardless.
This happens all the time. If I get up from bed, about half an hour later, Phii Joe would wake up too. I think it’s a better alarm than any clock. If I’m still in bed, he won’t wake up no matter how many alarms go off.
“Making breakfast.” I said, turning back to the kitchen counter.
“Isn’t today a weekend?”
“I have to go to Sports Day.” I said as I prepared the food. Suddenly, Phii Joe hugged me from behind, leaning down to press his lips against my cheek.
“Can I have a morning kiss?”
I turned around, tilting my head up to meet his lips in a gentle kiss, holding it for a moment before pulling away.
“Good morning.” I said with a smile, and Phii Joe returned a slight smile as well.
“What are we having for breakfast?”
“Soymilk with Chinese doughnuts.” I said teasingly with a slight chuckle, then heard Phii Joe sigh.
“Ugh, do I have to eat that again?”
“Bored of it?”
“I’ve been eating it for breakfast for three years.” Phii Joe said with a tone of boredom, “But I’ll eat more if you made it. I could eat it for a lifetime.”
“Then…I’ll make it for you for a lifetime, don’t get tired of it, okay?” I responded with an embarrassed smile.
“Even if it’s sweet.”
“You’re complaining about it being sweet again. Without sugar syrup, it wouldn’t taste good.” I objected.
“Did you sneak in sugar syrup?”
“Yes, I always do. Without it, it wouldn’t be tasty.”
“Don’t you understand the concept of ‘not sweet’?”
“It’s not sweet then.”
“You argue well.” Phii Joe said before pinching my cheek in annoyance, then kissed my cheek again and let go. He probably went to shower while I was cooking, “Make me some coffee too.” “No can do, today’s a no-coffee day, you don’t have classes or work, take a break from coffee, please.” I said. After my words, Phii Joe didn’t respond. I didn’t turn around to look, but I bet he was making a sulky face, because I’m just worried, he’s too addicted to coffee.
I placed the finished meal on the table.
“Are you staying at the university today, or will you be in the room?” I asked, because Phii Joe didn’t have to go to the university today, it seemed like his day off.
“I’ll stay at the university.”
“Will you be at the medical school’s stand?”
“Yes.”
“Will you be working late? I feel lazy.” I grumbled while making a sulky face, “Did you get on the stand as a freshman?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“And what did you do as a freshman?”
“Nothing really.”
“Okay.”
I think Phii Joe isn’t really suited for university life, because he already has a job, and he’s good at it. It seems like he’s only studying out of necessity for his image. He doesn’t care much about studies or activities, just studying to get the degree, but being a doctor is hard work, so he can’t really take it easy.
“Uh, Phii.” I said, remembering something, “About the job thing.”
“I thought we’ve already talked this through.”
“Yes, but I wants to say, can you not hire a housekeeper anymore? Hire me instead, like for cleaning the room and stuff. I’ll take the same salary as the housekeeper.” I proposed what Nao had suggested. It counts as work, doesn’t it? And since Phii Joe doesn’t want me to do part-time work outside, there’s no need for me to leave the house.
Phii Joe was silent for a moment before agreeing.
“You still want to work, right?” He asked, reaching out to gently pat my head.
“Yes, it feels strange doing nothing at all.”
“Hmm.” Before he took out his wallet and placed some bills on the table in front of me.
“Yes, what’s this?”
“It’s for making breakfast.”
I glanced at the money on the table.
Five thousand…?
“Isn’t that too much?” I asked, feeling hesitant. Just for making breakfast, five thousand seemed excessive, but my words seemed to slightly displease him.
“Take it.”
“Okay.” I picked up the five thousand baht and put it in my wallet, because from his demeanor, Phii Joe would definitely be annoyed if I didn’t accept it. Why does he always seem displeased when I say I feel hesitant? Maybe like Nao said, sometimes the giver really wants to give, and being too hesitant might be considered impolite.
“North, you could ask for something sometimes, Joe wants to give anyway.”
That’s something Phii Hill once told me, but I’m not really fond of asking for things from others. I’ve been working and saving for a long time, but if you ask if I’ve ever asked for anything at home, it usually comes with conditions, like I have to do something in return for the reward, because I feel like I’ve earned it by effort, not gotten it for free.
“Phii Joe.” I called out, moving from my chair to sit next to him instead.
“Hmm?” “I wants to ask for something.”
“Say.”
“If North gets a GPA of 3.5 this semester, I want a PS4.”
“Sure, but 3.5, really?” Phii Joe asked back, “What was your GPA last semester?”
“2.7.”
“Then a 3 should be enough.”
“Wow, but, a PS4? Is just a 3 good enough?”
“I could just buy it for you, you know.”
“No, we should trade for it. I doesn’t want to just ask for it.” I said, “So, if I get a 3, can I ask for a game from a stream, one that just came out, North wants to play.”
Phii Johan raised his hand to his chin, looking at me with a somewhat puzzled expression.
“You’re so frugal.”
“It’s not being frugal, the game costs over seven hundred baht.”
“You could buy it with the money I just gave you.” Phii Joe said, “And what about the tens of thousands I gave you before, what did you do with that? Why haven’t you used it?”
“Oh, I saved it.” I said truthfully. I always send part of the money I earn back home, saving it for emergencies.
“Is that why you complain about not having money?”
“Huh? Does I complain?” I do complain, but I remember not complaining to Phii Joe. The reason I don’t have much money is because I’m not working.
“Ter told me.”
“Such a tattletale.” I muttered softly, making a slight pout. Why does Ter snitch like that? Or is it revenge for all the times I tattled on him to Phii Hill? He can be quite vindictive. “Why don’t you ever tell me anything?”
“…North is just being considerate.” I answered honestly, then inadvertently avoided the serious gaze of the person in front of me.
“Normally, I have to work, right? If I’m just sitting idle, there’s no way I’d get anything. It’s a habit from childhood. If have no money, I work more. Not doing anything makes me feel like I’m not useful at all.” Because my dad passed away when I was young, I felt like I had to take care of my mom. I’ve been working since I was very young, and when my little brother Night came along, I had to take care of him too. I feel like the eldest brother.
I felt like I needed to be strong for everyone at home.
“So you need to work all the time?” Phii Joe asked.
“Yes.” I nodded in response, “But because I’m studying too, sometimes I can’t go to work. Those times were really tough. No work, no money.” I said with a chuckle directed at him. It really was tough back then. I didn’t dare tell the family because I felt too reluctant. Phii Joe let out a small sigh at my words, then reached out to gently pat my head.
“From now on…”
“…”
“You can rely on me sometimes, okay?”
His words, the warm gaze, and the firm hand stroking my head felt like a surge of strength was flowing through me. I suddenly hugged him without even understanding my own actions.
Why do I, who thought I was always strong, feel like this is the place where I can show my vulnerability?
“North; you aren’t alone anymore, understand?”
“Yes, I understand.”
I’ve been sitting on the engineering faculty stands all day. The Sports Day at my university is divided into two parts. The daytime, known as Sports Day, involves track and field events. We’ve been cheering all day under the hot sun. The nighttime, called Spirit Night, is for performances by each faculty’s stands and cheerleaders.
Phii Joe was with Phii Hill and Phii Fah at the medical faculty stands, right next to the engineering ones. The medical faculty’s stand was incredibly elaborate, clearly a lot of money was spent on it. Our engineering stand was also quite nice, though not as grandiose.
Today’s weather during the day was pretty hot, and Phii Joe isn’t fond of the heat. I was a bit worried, especially since he didn’t have coffee today, which I guessed would make him both sleepy and irritable, having to sit and be bored at the stands in this heat.
During the daytime sports events, there wasn’t much to do besides cheering. Nao was in the relay race, being the first leg, and Tiger was the last. They seemed to be on normal speaking terms, so I guess they’ve made up.
Now it’s evening, and there’s going to be a parade of each faculty. I’m quite excited; I’ve heard that the parades are so spectacular they’re almost unbelievable. The medical faculty is particularly watched because not only is their stand elaborate, but their parade is expected to be as well.
But oddly, as the parade was being prepared, the weather wasn’t cooperative. It’s said that this happens every year, similar to many past Spirit Night events where the parade was held despite the rain. Since preparation for the event takes months, stopping for rain would be a pity, including for the stands and cheerleaders.
“Are they here? Which faculty is first?” Skater asked excitedly as he leaned forward to look. The parade began to enter through the main gate, and the announcer introduced the first faculty as the Faculty of Medicine. “Did your boyfriend get to walk?” Nao turned to ask me. I shook my head in response, “I thought he would.”
Screams erupted from the stands next to us as people started standing up to get a better view, blocking my sight. The engineering stand started getting noisy too. Everyone seemed to be in a frenzy.
I could barely hear over the screaming and the shrieking, it was so loud I wanted to cover my ears. As the parade passed by our stand, I finally got to see it. It was Phii Hill in his student uniform with slightly styled hair, leading the parade with the Faculty of Medicine’s banner.
“Hey, did Phii Hill get a haircut or something? It’s not the style he had before.” Skater asked, shouting to be heard over the screams.
“I guess so, Phii Hill looks insanely handsome with this haircut.” I said, reflecting my thoughts.
“Yeah, he’s handsome, really handsome, I’ll admit.” Duennao said, “When he leads the parade like this, his aura is just through the roof.” I nodded in agreement, Phii Hill is genuinely handsome, otherwise, he wouldn’t be the faculty’s representative. I’ve been praising Phii Hill to the point of exhaustion ever since he started courting Ter.
“Wait a minute.” I said, “More than anything, I hate that he doesn’t look at any other camera except Ter’s.” I spoke up when I noticed Ter with a camera capturing the parade, and Phii Hill wasn’t looking at any other camera but Ter’s, because Ter is the club’s photographer, and he often gets to photograph events like this because Phii Hill requested him. Phii Hill is the club’s president, after all.
“Is he looking at the camera or the photographer? Seriously, he’s smiling so sweetly.” Kett teased, “Try smiling like that at someone else’s camera, there’d be people fainting all over the place.” “I’m embarrassed for Ter.” I said, “He’s not smiling at the camera but at the photographer, damn, it’s so embarrassing.” I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed remembering when Phii Hill was courting Ter in public. It made me really shy back then.
“It’s a shame Phii Joe isn’t walking. Otherwise, there’d be someone else following him around with a camera.” Kyu teased. I immediately turned to look at him, then the screams continued as Phii Fah walked by, holding a banner with a female senior. I couldn’t quite see what was on the banner.
“Phii Fah is also handsome, damn.” Skater remarked, “Are they choosing partners based on looks now? Seriously?”
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