WHYARU, Chapter 17:

Deawdry changed the group name from “Gang of Jerks” to “(Fai) The Ultimate Jerk”

Out of nowhere, a notification from the high school group chat, which they rarely used, popped up on Fighter’s screen. Deawdry had changed the group name to something with his name in it, and Fighter couldn’t help but ask why.

 

   Fighter; What’s your deal, Deawdry? 

   

   Deawdry: What’s with your private IG? That latest post— what’s up with that?

  

Fighter had a private Instagram account that only a handful of close friends followed. Most of the posts there were casual— scenery, streets, or random people. But last night, for the first time, he posted a picture of Tutor. Not counting the public IG where he’d shared photos of Tutor in a mascot costume, because the private account was his truly personal space.

 

   Deawdry: Posting on your private IG is one thing, but that pic you posted is next-level.

   

   Fighter: Next-level what?

   

   Deawdry: Next-level adorable, you jerk.

   The picture Fighter posted was of his younger companion, face buried in a white blanket, with only their eyes peeking out. Not only was their face tucked into the blanket, but they were also adorably resting their head on his arm. When the photo was taken, a bit of his jawline was visible, but not the whole thing.

Fighter: So what? It’s just a picture

   

   Deawdry: Liar!!!

   Since when did you start lying to your friends, huh?

   

   Dew chimes in: @deww, is the person in his latest post the same one who was with him at that job thing?

   

deww: Yup, that’s the one.

 

Deawdry: See! How is that any different from what I said!!!!

   

   TOMON: The annoying thing is how he doesn’t update his friends.

   Back then, he was all, “It’s nothing, blah blah.”

   Now he’s taking the kid to the beach, huh? What’s that about, Phii?

   What’s really going on?

   

   Fighter: Nothing’s going on, I just took the kid along

   

   Deawdry: Kid???? KID?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

   Back then, didn’t I hear you call them “that guy” or something?

   

   TOMON: His heart’s not his own anymore, that’s what.

   From “that guy” to “kid,” what’s next?

   

Fighter: Whatever the kid wants it to be

 

Deawdry: A dog, maybe?

   

   deww: LOLOLOLOLOLOL

   

   TOMON: LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

   And after that, they spammed stickers like crazy. I was about to mute them when I saw Dew’s question.

 

   deww: So, how was last night?

   

   Alright: Fighter

   

   Deawdry: Have you guys hooked up yet?

    

   Fighter: Jerk

   

   TOMON: LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

   

Fighter: Laugh it up

 

deww: Can I ask something serious for a sec, Fai?

   

   Deawdry: Asking if we’ve hooked up counts as serious?

   

   deww: No, you idiot! I was just gonna ask if the kid actually likes you.

   

   Fighter: Would he have come with me if he didn’t?

   

   Deawdry: Just because he came doesn’t mean he’s into you, you dumbass.

   

   TOMON: Maybe he came out of politeness?

   

   Deawdry: Didn’t want to hurt his friend’s feelings, you know.

   But he hasn’t said a single word about liking you, right?

   

   Fighter: Yeah

But you can feel these things through actions, can’t you?

 

deww: Feeling it through actions but never saying it or admitting he likes you even once? Sounds like it’s not the real deal.

   

   TOMON: True.

   

   deww: Real talk, Fai. Whether or not the kid says he likes you isn’t the main issue. Have you ever told him how you feel?

   If you keep dragging your feet, someone else might snatch him up first.

  

As Dew finished, the group flooded the chat with another wave of LINE stickers. Fighter let out an annoyed sigh, sat up, and glanced at the person who showed no signs of waking up.

Yesterday, Fighter let the guy sleep to his heart’s content. Even took him out for dinner in the evening, only for him to come back and sleep more.

This morning, seeing someone who’s usually an early riser still buried in the blankets, Fighter couldn’t help but shake his head with fond amusement.

 

“You awake, Tor? You’ve been sleeping all day,” Fighter asked the figure still buried in a pile of white blankets. Tutor stirred slightly, groggily sitting up from the bed with his eyes still closed, swaying as if he might collapse back onto the mattress. Fighter, watching him, couldn’t resist reaching out to ruffle the messy hair of the person in front of him. The clean, fair skin and the eyes peeking out from the collar of his shirt were another striking feature he couldn’t look away from. He wondered if, should anything mar that fair skin, it could be him who left the mark.

“Awake yet?” The large hand resting on the smaller one’s head gently ruffled it, as if trying to wake him again.

“…” Tutor didn’t answer. He just shifted, resting his face on Fighter’s shoulder, eyes still closed.

Was he used to this kind of clinginess from the younger one? Never. Not even once.

“Tor.”

“Mm.”

“You really gonna keep sleeping?” Fighter asked the drowsy figure on his shoulder, stroking his head.

“Five more minutes.”

“Can’t give you that,” Fighter teased, making the one leaning on his shoulder turn to glare at him with mild annoyance.

“Just five minutes. Why so stingy?”

“We agreed to go out together,” Fighter said with a sly smirk, looking at Tutor. “You know, Tor, since we got here, you haven’t acted like my boyfriend at all.”

“Don’t use that word,” Tutor, who had seemed half-asleep, sat up and narrowed his eyes at him. That stubborn face made Fighter want to pin him down on the bed and tease him right then and there.

“Then what word should I use?”

“Tutor or Tor is enough.”

“But I really want to say ‘boyfriend,’ boyfriend.”

“…” The younger one stayed silent, looking away.

“Your ears are red, boyfriend.”

“It’s hot.”

“The AC’s at twenty degrees. Really hot, huh?”

“…”

“Look at me,” Fighter used his fingertip to gently lift the smaller one’s chin, making their eyes meet. “If I can’t call you boyfriend, can I call you darling instead?”

“So this is the kind of person you are, huh?”

“What kind?”

“Such a pain in the ass, seriously,” Tutor said, shoving Fighter’s face in annoyance.

“Oww! That hurts!” The guy who got pushed wailed dramatically, flopping onto the bed as if in agony.

“Overdramatic much,” Tutor shook his head, ignoring the guy acting like he was in pain. He got up from the bed, grabbed a towel, and headed to the bathroom. He didn’t even care how loudly Fighter was groaning, because once he was in the bathroom, the sounds following him made it clear Phii Fai was just faking it.

“Hurry up and shower, Tor. We’ve got a lot of places to hit today.”

“I know, I know,” Tutor muttered, looking at himself in the mirror. The redness on his cheeks and ears was proof that the guy outside had way too much influence on his heart.

Way too much.

Whether it was his words, his actions, or even his gaze.

“Where are we going today, Phii Fai?” Tutor, dressed in a tshirt, shorts, and flip-flops, raised a hand to shield his eyes from the sun, looking at the guy fiddling with a camera.

“Just walking around the city, taking some photos. Later this afternoon, we’ll head to the island. I’ve already booked the tickets,” Fighter replied, lifting his camera to snap a shot of Tutor. At first, Tutor wasn’t used to having the older guy constantly pointing a camera at him for every little thing, but eventually, he just had to get used to it. The guy even took pictures while he was eating. Maybe it was because of the joyful smile Fighter had while snapping photos of crabs or whatever that made Tutor not want to protest too much.

“The island, huh?”

“Being a smartass, are we? Watch it, or you’re gonna get it.” Fighter raised his hand as if to bop Tutor on the head, but Tutor blocked it just in time, raising an eyebrow cheekily as if to say he wasn’t fazed. Of course, Fighter’s other hand still managed to ruffle his hair anyway.

The two of them wandered around the city, taking photos, grabbing street food here and there, and even climbing up to pray at a temple on the hill. The view was peaceful, even if the sun was a bit intense. It was fun, partly because of the person by his side.

“Smile for me.”

Having someone who kept turning to check in, asking this and that all the time.

   Having someone who, whenever he turned around, was always standing beside him or just behind him.

   It felt… really good.

   So good that he couldn’t help but wonder how he’d feel if, in the future, Fai wasn’t there with him anymore.

   “What’s wrong? Why the long face? Hot?” Fighter walked over, placing the back of his hand on Tutor’s forehead. “You feeling okay?”

“Nah,” Tutor flashed a wide grin, brushing off the worries in his mind and scrunching his nose. “Just hungry, Phii Fai. Wanna grab something to eat before we get on the boat?”

“What do you feel like eating? Noodles?”

“Tea! Tea!”

Before Fighter could finish speaking, rain came out of nowhere, pouring down without warning. They, along with others nearby, scrambled for cover. Many ducked into shops or convenience stores. Fighter was no different, pulling the smaller figure by the hand into a large convenience store.

“It’s coming down hard,” Fighter grumbled, eyeing the relentless rain that showed no signs of stopping.

“Yeah.”

“Will we even get to visit the island like this? I went through the trouble of booking a boat.”

“Probably not. With rain this heavy, they won’t let the boats go out.”

“Ugh, what a bummer.” Fighter looked like a big, sulky dog, his pout oddly endearing.

“You really wanted to go, huh?”

“Of course. We came all this way.”

“Then let’s go tomorrow.”

“But what if it rains again tomorrow?”

“If it rains again, we’ll try another time,” the smaller one said, shaking their wet hair as if to flick off the raindrops clinging to their head.

“You’d come with me again?” Fighter asked, his voice tinged with excitement.

“If not with you, then who?” Tutor’s reply brought a smile to Fighter’s face, almost as if Natee were there.

“You are…”

“What?” Tutor looked up, raising an eyebrow as if to question.

Cute.

   So damn cute.

   “Nothing,” Fighter brushed it off, knowing if he said it out loud, the younger one would get so shy they’d lose their natural charm. In the end, he just reached out to wipe the wet hair from their face. The damp strands, with droplets trickling down their cheeks and hair, made the person in front of him look… sexier.

But none of it compared to the few words the younger one had said.

If not with you, then who?

 

7:27 PM

   The post-rain atmosphere cleared the sky, making the stars stand out vividly against the black canvas. A cool sea breeze brushed their faces, sending their hair fluttering in the wind. Tutor and Fighter were strolling along the beach in front of the hotel after returning from the walking street.

Fighter loved moments like this.

And he liked it even more when Tutor turned to smile and look at him. The only thing that bothered him was that the guy refused to wear his shoes.

“You should put your shoes on, Tor. Why are you carrying them? You’ll end up stepping on glass or something.”

“No way, Phii Fai. I haven’t seen any glass since we started walking.”

“How would you know? It’s this dark. There’s no way to tell what’s buried in the sand. Just put them on.”

“Let me go a bit longer, okay?”

“If you step on glass, I’m gonna make it worse,” Fighter grumbled softly, only for Tutor to flash him another wide smile. Tutor’s bare feet splashed through the sand and seawater with obvious joy, his beaming expression reflecting genuine happiness that Fighter could feel.

Fighter wasn’t fooling himself into thinking that Tutor’s big smile was all because of him.

Part of that relaxed grin came from the fact that Tutor was out on a trip, finally getting some rest.

He got it—working hard for years had kept Tutor from going out with anyone. Now that he finally had a chance to have fun, Tutor seemed happier than usual. Seeing him like this, Fighter couldn’t help but think that if Tutor took Phii Tong’s advice and quit his job, he’d probably live a much happier life.

But as expected, Tutor refused to quit. He’d explained his perspective: if he left his job, the family would be left with only one option. If something happened to Phii Tong someday, there’d be no one left to support the family.

So, he chose to keep working, even if it meant cutting back on hours.

“Ow!” A yelp came from behind. Fighter turned to look at the person who was supposed to be following him but had stopped, standing still with a guilty expression.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Tutor denied, lifting one foot slightly.

“I asked what’s wrong.”

“If I tell you, promise not to get mad?”

“You stepped on glass, didn’t you?”

“Not sure.”

“Seriously, I just warned you,” Fighter rushed over in a panic, crouching down to check Tutor’s foot. But it was too dark to see clearly. In the moment, he didn’t think to use his phone’s flashlight, too focused on grabbing his junior’s foot to inspect the wound. “Lift it up so I can see.”

“…”

“Put it on my lap.”

Tutor steadied himself with one hand on Fighter’s shoulder and placed the foot that had stepped on something onto his senior’s lap.

“Can’t see a thing, but it doesn’t look like it’s bleeding.”

“Then it’s probably not a big deal, right?”

“But your foot still hurts, doesn’t it?”

“Mm,” Tutor nodded, admitting it readily.

“No more taking off your shoes to walk on the sand at night. I warn you about stuff, so listen sometimes instead of just being stubborn,” Fighter shook his head at the younger one, his face showing mild frustration, making Tutor feel guilty.

“Phii Fai.”

“What?”

“Don’t scold me. I already feel bad,” the younger one said in a soft, pleading tone, his guilty expression melting more than half of Fighter’s irritation.

“Fine, fine. Let’s go check the wound in the room first to see how bad it is,” Fighter said, turning his back to Tutor. “Get on… piggyback.”

Tutor didn’t dare defy the older one too much. Though he felt embarrassed about being carried on someone’s back in front of others, he eventually climbed onto Fighter’s back, resting his chin on his shoulder in a clingy way. “What a nagger.”

“You’re just as good at being stubborn. When I teach you something, try remembering it.”

“Got it already.”

“Better mean it.” The one carrying someone almost his size on his back glanced at the side of Tutor’s face, catching a slightly skeptical look. But when Tutor didn’t say anything back, Fighter just carried him back to the room.

Good thing Tutor had brought first-aid supplies, or he’d have to waste time going back downstairs.

“Sit on the bed,” Fighter said to Tutor, who had just come out of the bathroom after being told to wash his feet.

“You don’t have to check it, Phii Fai,” Tutor mumbled to himself softly as he sat on the bed. “The wound’s not that deep.”

“No way. We’re checking it first,” Fighter insisted, sitting on the floor. He pulled Tutor’s foot onto his lap, but Tutor hesitated, trying to pull it back.

“But it’s really not bad, Phii Fai.”

“Even if it’s not bad, I need to see it’s not deep,” Fighter said. Tutor looked a bit uneasy but finally let his foot rest on Fighter’s lap.

Truthfully, Fighter had suspected from the start that it wasn’t a serious wound. But he didn’t expect it to be this minor—just a small scratch.

“Just this little scratch, and you acted like you stepped on a landmine. So dramatic.”

“You’re the one being dramatic first, Phii Fai.”

“With the way you were crying, anyone would think you got cut by glass.”

“It was dark, okay? How was I supposed to know if it was a seashell or broken glass? You’re nagging like an old man, Phii. Any more of this, and I’ll start thinking you’re my dad.”

“You want me to be your dad, huh?”

“…”

“A dad who’s not actually a dad,” Fighter said with a sly eyebrow wiggle and a mischievous look. Seeing that, Tutor couldn’t help but kick at Fighter in annoyance. “Whoa, Tutor, getting bold enough to kick now, huh?”

“You’re the one talking nonsense.”

“Pretty gutsy, using force like that,” the older guy said in a chilling tone, grabbing Tutor’s leg and pulling it toward himself.

“Phii Fai…” Tutor’s voice came out as he felt the warm breath and lips of the older guy inching closer to the sensitive skin of his inner thigh. “Let go of my leg first.”

But saying that now was like shouting at a wall. Fighter didn’t listen. Instead, he stood up, pulling Tutor’s leg to wrap around his waist. Just as Tutor tried to squirm away, Fighter moved to straddle him.

A larger hand pinned Tutor’s wrists to the bed. Those cunning eyes locked onto his, making his heart race wildly. The face inching closer felt like danger was seconds away.

“I… want to shower first,” Tutor finally said, twisting to the side. Even as he dodged, he could still feel the brush of Fighter’s nose and warm breath grazing his cheek.

“…”

“Go ahead.”

“Fine, go shower,” Fighter said, flopping onto the bed beside him and closing his eyes slowly. Tutor got up and headed to the bathroom instead. He didn’t know if Phii Fai was mad or not. He wasn’t even sure if Fighter might’ve misunderstood, thinking he didn’t want to do anything.

But how could he explain? It wasn’t that Tutor was scared or anything.

He already knew that coming on this trip, it was normal for two people who liked each other to have sex.

But it was pure embarrassment that made him run off to regroup like this.

Creak.

When Tutor opened the bathroom door, the room’s lights were off, leaving only the soft glow of a small bedside lamp. Phii Fai was outside talking on the phone. When he came back, he went straight to the bathroom to shower.

Tutor thought Phii Fai was probably upset about being rejected earlier. The way he didn’t say a word and disappeared into the bathroom made him wonder if he was angry. But that thought vanished the moment his eyes landed on a familiar-looking box tucked under Fighter’s wallet.

At first, when Tutor came to check, he wasn’t sure if it was what he thought, but upon closer inspection, he realized Fighter wasn’t the type to forget something like this.

Damn… seeing this, he couldn’t help but want to ask Phii Fai outright how much preparation went into this trip. What else was in that suitcase that he didn’t know about? Because Tutor was certain the box of condoms casually tucked under the wallet wasn’t something bought while they were strolling in town. Phii Fai had to have brought it from home.

Phii Fai, oh Phii Fai… you’re getting way too cunning.

   Always one step ahead, huh? If Tutor went to buy something himself, would it be like a challenge to let Phii Fai know he wasn’t just going to stay on the bottom?

   What to do? Should he go buy something himself?

   “I thought you were already asleep,” Fighter said.

“!!?”

“Why’d you jump like that?” The guy who’d just come out of the shower asked, a towel wrapped around his waist, one hand holding a smaller towel to dry his hair.

“Nothing. I just couldn’t sleep,” Tutor said, putting the item he’d been holding back in its place before sitting on the bed, acting like nothing was up. But the more he tried to play it cool, the more suspicious he seemed. Even though the dim light from the lamp made it hard to see Fighter’s face clearly, Tutor caught the small smile when Fighter glanced at the box under his wallet.

“Really?” Fighter said, walking over to where Tutor sat on the bed. His strong fingers gently brushed Tutor’s cheek, a tender touch that contrasted with the intensity in his eyes.

“…”

“If you can’t sleep, then… how about we find something to do to pass the time?”

        WHYARU : Fighter-Tutor CHAPTERS HOME

   WHYARU, Chapter 16:

“Hey, Tor, Day, you guys came to this event too?” Zen asked as Tutor and Day reached the ticket booth. Today, the football club was holding a concert to raise funds to buy sports equipment for kids at a rural school.

“Yeah, Hwa invited me, and this guy next to me forced me to come,” Tutor replied with a bored expression. Normally, he wouldn’t attend an event this crowded.

“Man, you’re something else,” Day said, playfully shoving

Tutor’s head. “No one should have to force you to come to this. Your two friends, Zon and Saifah, are performing, and you wouldn’t show up to support them? That’s just too much.”

“I came because I knew they were performing,” Tutor muttered under his breath before turning to Zen and Tee again. “By the way, how much are the tickets?”

“A hundred each,” Natee answered. “But if you want to donate more, just drop it in this box.”

“Alright.” Tutor pulled out some cash, stuffed it into the donation box, and handed two hundred-baht bills to Tee. “So why are you and Zen selling tickets for the football club? I thought you two weren’t in it.”

“Blame Tai and Jia. They forced us to sell tickets. We were supposed to just enjoy the concert, but those guys made us work the booth.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yup. You two better head inside now. It’s getting crowded,” Tee said. Tutor nodded, took the tickets from Zen’s hand, and walked into the auditorium.

The place was starting to fill up with people claiming their spots. The dim, muted lighting made it hard to see clearly, and the chatter mixed with the microphone testing on stage was so loud they practically had to shout to talk.

“Have you seen Hwa?”

“Not yet. No idea where she’s at. Let’s call her,” Tutor and Day searched for Hwahwa for a while until they finally called and found out she was standing almost right in front of the stage. “You’re late, Day,” Hwahwa said with a slightly pouty tone.

“Sorry, the professor asked me and Tor to help clean up, so we got delayed a bit. Don’t be mad at me, okay?” Tutor watched the scene with a hint of surprise. Especially when Day placed a hand on Hwahwa’s head and gently ruffled her hair—it made him wonder if their relationship was more than ordinary.

With Day… Tutor had always known he felt something more than friendship for Hwahwa.

   But with Hwahwa, he wasn’t sure when it started.

   Until she caught his curious gaze and scrunched her nose in a cute way.

   “Don’t tease me, Tor.”

“Not teasing,” Tutor shrugged casually. “Just curious when it started.”

“Feelings or the relationship?”

“Day! What are you saying?” Hwahwa said, playfully hitting Day, who laughed in response.

“I just wanted to know what Tor was curious about. If it’s feelings, that’s been there for a while. The relationship? Not that long.”

“So, you’re dating?”

“Yup, we’re dating,” Tutor nodded with a teasing grin, earning another playful smack from Hwahwa.

“What the heck? I can’t even nod?”

“Nope,” Hwahwa pouted, then turned to cling to the person beside her. “Tor’s bullying me, Day.”

Tutor looked at his two friends, now a couple, and couldn’t help but smile at the sight. Maybe because all he’d ever wanted for Hwahwa was her happiness. Seeing her smile so brightly made him happy too.

“Oh, that’s Phii Fai over there,” Tutor’s thoughts paused at

Hwahwa’s voice and her glance toward someone with a group of friends.

“Should we go say hi?”

“Nah,” Hwahwa replied to Day with a slight pout, making Day reach over and pinch her lips affectionately.

“Why not?”

“Just don’t feel like it. I’m over it.”

“Are you mad because he couldn’t give you a reason why he started pursuing you?”

“Not at all,” Hwahwa denied, looking straight at Fighter’s group. Suddenly, a woman walked up and clung to Fighter’s arm with familiarity, making Hwahwa huff in annoyance. It wasn’t that she felt anything, but she was just confused—was this really the woman Fighter liked? The one who made him so hesitant and confused?

Flash!

The lights in the auditorium went out, followed by excited murmurs from the crowd.

“Hello, everyone! Welcome to the football club’s charity concert!!!” The emcee’s voice from the stage drew everyone’s attention, including Tutor, Day, and Hwahwa. “As you all know, this is a charity event. Every baht and satang donated will go toward buying sports equipment for kids in rural areas, with no deductions whatsoever.”

The emcees on stage were Soda and Luktan. They began by explaining the objectives of the event. After their introduction, Soda and Luktan announced the duo voted to open the concert tonight.

Saifah and Zon.

   Tutor watched the scene in front of him with disbelief. He couldn’t believe that Zon, who was usually engrossed in writing novels, could step up to play the guitar and sing so captivatingly. Zon was the type who didn’t like standing out in a crowd, didn’t enjoy performing, and generally avoided activities altogether. But today was different. Zon had stepped forward, embracing a new world that brought a smile to his face.

Maybe the guitar and music could become a new source of happiness for him.

Truthfully, Tutor wasn’t thrilled about Zon’s novel-writing. It stressed Zon out too much with view counts and an obsession with perfection. Especially lately, with Zon’s idea that they were both somehow trapped in a novel, Tutor wanted him to break free from that mindset.

“Look at that woman,” Hwahwa said, nodding toward Fighter’s group again. “So clingy. How could Phii Fai like someone like that?”

“Hwa,” Day, standing beside her, tugged at his girlfriend’s cheek. “Don’t judge other people’s preferences. Everyone’s likes and loves are different, so we shouldn’t look down on anyone for it, got it?”

“Okay, okay, I get it. Stop making that scary face already.”

Tutor no longer paid attention to what Hwahwa and Day were saying. His gaze was fixed on someone standing out among the crowd.

   To say he felt nothing would be a lie.

   Because the dull ache in his heart right now told him he was feeling… dislike.

   “Hey, Tor, where you off to?”

“I’m heading back. Got a bit of a headache.”

“Want me and Hwa to drop you at your dorm?”

“Nah, you two enjoy the concert. I’ll catch you tomorrow,” Tutor said with a smile, giving Day a light pat on the shoulder before turning to walk away.

As that small back moved away from the auditorium, someone caught sight of Tutor just in time. In the split second Fighter spotted him, he noticed the calm, almost indifferent look in Tutor’s eyes. Fighter had to admit—he was scared.

   Scared that Tutor might misunderstand.

   Scared that everything he’d done so far would go to waste again.

   In the end, all he could do was hurry out of there, pushing through the crowd blocking his way to catch up with the smaller figure walking further and further away.

   “Tor!!” Fighter shouted at the top of his lungs, calling out to that familiar back. He wasn’t even sure if Tutor would stop, but when he did and turned around, a wave of relief washed over Fighter almost instantly.

Because in that moment, seeing Tutor’s slightly annoyed face and those displeased eyes, Fighter knew—Tutor was jealous. That sulky look screamed, I didn’t like what you did back there.

Those eyes were so much better than that indifferent gaze. Not feeling anything hurt far worse.

Maybe he shouldn’t feel this way, but honestly, Tutor’s reaction felt like confirmation that their hearts were aligned.

“What’s with that grin?” And yeah, Fighter hadn’t even realized he was smiling. It must’ve come from the mischievous thoughts that popped into his head just seconds ago.

Thoughts of taking Tutor somewhere.

Just the two of them. Just him and Tutor.

“I’ve got a bit of a headache, uh, don’t worry… If the professor hands out any sheets, grab one for me, okay? Yeah, see you,” Tutor let out a relieved sigh. It was the first time he’d lied to a friend about something so trivial, but what else could he do? When he thought about that sulky, pleading face from last night, he couldn’t help but soften.

“Who was that on the phone?” The person in his thoughts asked, after loading all the bags into the back of the car. Fighter walked up to stand in front of Tutor, taking off his expensive sunglasses and tucking them into his collar. His thick hand reached out to gently brush the hair covering Tutor’s eyes, a fond gesture.

“Day.”

“Calling about what?”

“You’ve got the nerve to ask? You already know what he was calling about,” Tutor said, and the guy in front of him broke into a grin almost instantly.

“Just tell him you’re out on a date with me.”

“Very funny. Who’s gonna say something like that?”

“Telling the truth isn’t funny at all.”

“But Day and Hwa still don’t know…”

“About us two, khrap?” Fighter smirked, his sly gaze completely untrustworthy. But more than that, it was the way he ended his sentence with “khrap.” Normally, when he spoke, it was in his usual teasing, playful tone as Phii Fai, but this time it felt different.

“Khrap, huh?”

“Yeah, doesn’t it sound cuter like this?”

“Nope.”

“Harsh, man.”

“I’m just not used to it. Go back to talking like you usually do.”

“It’s only been four days and three nights, Tutor. Can’t you get used to it for me, khrap?” Fighter placed his hand on Tutor’s head, gently ruffling it. His pleading expression seemed to beg for another chance to accept the new offer. If Tutor gave in again, his already racing heart might just overwork itself.

“No way.”

“Why not? Are you shy?”

“…”

“Holy crap, you are!” Fighter’s face lit up with disbelief as he moved his hand from ruffling Tutor’s head to softly brushing his cheek. “Shy because of me, khrap? Your face is all red and green.”

“…Phii Fai.”

“Yes, Nong Tor?”

“Stop messing around, seriously,” Tutor said, his face looking like he might cry. “If you don’t stop, I’m really going back to the dorm.”

“Okay, okay!” Fighter burst out laughing again at the sight of his little brother’s expression. “I’ll stop messing around. Let’s hurry up, or you’ll miss your flight.”

Tutor nodded and opened the car door. He let out a sigh, as if trying to slow down his racing heart. If only he’d turned down Phii Fai last night.

“What’s with that smile?”

“Nothing. I just want you to hear me out first. That person you saw? They’re nothing to me, Tor. Just a friend, that’s all.”

“Whether they’re something or not doesn’t really have anything to do with me, does it, Phii Fai?”

“Tor… you know damn well it does.”

“…”

“Don’t be mad, okay? I’ll make it up to you by taking you on a trip out of town.”

“What does a trip have to do with anything?”

“It’s to make up for it, plus it’ll prove how I feel.”

Prove what, Phii Fai? What exactly are you planning?”

“I’m not planning anything. I’m really confused. Don’t you remember when I said confused feelings need to be tested often? This time, it’ll probably give the clearest answer. If we’re really meant to be… we’ll just be together. But if not, we’ll go back to being like siblings.”

“…”

“Come on, Tor, let’s go together, please.”

“Fine.”

At that moment, Tutor agreed because of Phii Fai’s dejected expression. It was so sad and pleading that he couldn’t help but soften. But thinking back, he realized he’d overlooked that behind that pitiful look was a dangerously sly smile.

   What a mistake, Tutor.

   He really shouldn’t have fallen into his senior’s trap.

   2:21 P.M.

   “Finally here,” Tutor said, collapsing onto the bed in the middle of the room, exhausted.

The journey today had been so grueling that he swore he’d never pick a “beautiful” hotel based on Fighter’s recommendations again. The hotel they chose took nearly two hours to reach from the airport, and to top it off, the van’s tire blew out halfway. In the end, it took almost five to six hours to get to the place.

“You’re seriously going to sleep?” Fighter asked, even though it was obvious Tutor was about to crash. The way he burrowed into the blankets and rubbed his face against the soft pillow— did he really think Tutor was going to go for a stroll with him? “Tutor?”

“Ugh, yeah, I’m sleeping.”

“What the heck? We came all this way, and you’re just going to nap in an air-conditioned room?”

“I’m exhausted, Phii Fai, and sleepy.”

“So, is this my trip or yours?”

“Your trip,” Tutor mumbled to the guy now sitting on the bed. “But I’m still tired. Let’s talk about it later this evening.”

“Aren’t you being a bit too selfish?”

“Just indulge me a little.”

“What do I get for indulging you?”

“What do you want?” Tutor lifted his face from the pillow to meet the eyes of the person staring at him.

“You…” Fighter said with a smirk, looking at the guy lying on the bed. “What do you think I want, huh?”

The sound at the end came from Tutor throwing a pillow at Fighter’s face. An annoying guy will always be an annoying guy, day or night.

“Why’d you throw the pillow?”

“Because you’re being annoying,” Tutor replied.

“I wasn’t being annoying. I was just asking nicely what you think I want.”

“Who’s supposed to just know what you want?”

“Then ask me again.”

“Not asking again.”

“Ask again, please. This time I’ll answer for real. I swear I won’t mess around.”

“…”

“…”

“What do you want?”

“If I say I want you, no jokes, would you let me have you?” Tutor went silent. He didn’t say or respond at all, maybe because he was stunned and didn’t expect Fighter to pull that line again. In the end, he just buried his face in the blanket and closed his eyes, as if he hadn’t heard the laughter or the irritating voice of the guy.

“Gone quiet, huh?”

“I’m tired of talking to you.”

“Fine, no more talking then. But can I sleep here?”

“…”

“I’m sleepy too, Tor. Driving was tiring, carrying stuff was exhausting, and that damn camera was heavy as hell. Now that I want to sleep, someone’s hogging all the space.”

“You talk too much,” Tutor shifted and lifted the thick blanket, as if inviting Fighter into his space. “You gonna sleep or just sit there staring?”

“Feels like you’re flirting,” the taller guy teased, but he still slipped under the blanket.

“So you really do have a death wish, huh?” Tutor shot back, not backing down.

“Haha, just kidding,” Fighter said before moving even closer to Tutor.

It was so close that Tutor could feel the warm breath on his face. Honestly, they didn’t need to be this close—the bed was plenty big—but Tutor didn’t say anything.

“Tor,” a low voice spoke as fingertips gently brushed against his cheek. “What do you want to eat tonight?”

“I want to sleep.”

“I asked what you want to eat, not what you want to do.” “Well, right now I want to sleep first. We’ll figure out food later.”

“Man, you’re getting pretty cheeky these days, huh?”

“…”

“And whiny too.”

“I’m only like this with certain people, Phii Fai.”

“Certain people? Who’s on that list?”

“Well, there’s Dad, Mom, Phii Tong… and you,” Tutor mumbled into his pillow, instinctively scooting closer to the warmth of someone else. “Doesn’t that make you happy?”

“…”

“Because I’m really happy to have you as one of those people…” His voice trailed off, almost melting into the embrace he nestled into.

Fighter looked at the clingy guy, now seemingly half-asleep while still muttering. He was like a stubborn kitten—sometimes running in to play or cuddle, but when he got feisty, it was like he had claws and teeth ready to bite at any moment.

“I’m happy too,” Fighter said, pulling Tutor a little closer than before. “Really happy.”

Because Tutor letting himself be vulnerable like this meant their bond was growing stronger. Fighter reached out to ruffle the younger guy’s hair, a faint smile on his lips.

“Sweet dreams, Tutor.”

In his dream, Tutor felt the warm press of lips on his eyelids— light but firm, making his heart race even in sleep.

Sweet dreams to you too, Phii Fai.

        WHYARU : Fighter-Tutor CHAPTERS HOME

   WHYARU, Chapter 14:

   “I’m back,” Tutor said as he opened the door and stepped into the room.

“Back already, Tor? Go, go wash your hands first. I’ve finished making sukiyaki, so you can come eat,” his sister said. Tutor nodded, went to wash his hands, and then sat down to eat the sukiyaki his sister had prepared.

“Eat a lot, okay? So you can grow up fast.”

“Tor’s already grown up.”

“Grown up or not, you’re still a little kid in my eyes. Eat,”

Tongtaa said, picking up shrimp and fish balls to put in her little brother’s bowl. She cherished this time with him—talking, smiling, laughing, and taking care of him in a way she didn’t often get to do. Tongtaa didn’t know when she’d return to Thailand or how tough her work abroad would be. But as the eldest sister, all she could do now was fulfill her role as best she could.

Tutor and Tongtaa spent a good while eating sukiyaki together, sharing stories and laughing. But during their conversation, Tongtaa sensed Tutor was hiding something.

Though she didn’t ask, her instincts told her something was up. The timing just wasn’t right to press him.

10:45 PM

   Tongtaa stepped out of the bathroom after her shower. The first thing she noticed was the empty bed—no sign of her little brother. Looking around, she spotted Tutor sitting out on the balcony.

The loneliness radiating from his back was overwhelming, making her wonder what was troubling him. In the end, all she could do was walk out and ask him directly.

“Can I sit with you?” Tongtaa opened the balcony door and peeked out.

“Come on, Phii Tong,” Tutor smiled and shifted to another chair.

“Do you come out here often, Tor? Aren’t you afraid of mosquito bites?”

“Nah, Phii Tong. I only come out here when I’ve got something on my mind.”

“So, you’ve got something on your mind now, huh?”

“…” Tutor didn’t respond. He just leaned back in his chair and let out a sigh.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had a heart-to-heart, hasn’t it?”

“Oh.”

“So… how about we open up and talk today?”

“Alright.”

“Then… I’ll go first,” Tongtaa said, gazing at the view in front of her. “Tor, do you believe that when I applied for this job abroad, I wasn’t confident at all? I was just full of fear—afraid from the moment I applied, through the interviews, getting the visa or work permit, and even now, when I’m about to fly out to start the job, I’m still scared.”

“…”

“But do you know what made me stop being afraid?” Tongtaa’s final sentence was almost a question as she turned to look at Tutor, one hand reaching out to affectionately ruffle his hair.

“No idea.”

“Hardship.”

“…”

“Not my hardship, though. It’s the hardship of Dad, Mom, and you, Tor. I don’t want any of you to have to struggle anymore. I’m going to earn money to pay off the debts, and… I’ll make sure you can go to school.”

“Phii Tong,” Tutor called out to Tongtaa with a trembling voice, his eyes reflecting the same emotion. Knowing how much his older sister was willing to overcome her fears for the family made him feel even more touched.

“So, from now on, I want you to live your teenage life to the fullest. Eat what you want, go where you want, do whatever you want—but don’t break the law or go astray, got it?”

“Got it.”

“And quit that job already. Resign today or tomorrow.”

“It’s fine, Phii Tong. I can handle it. It’s just this job.”

“Don’t be stubborn, Tor. Trust me. Go live your teenage years to the fullest. If you need anything, I’ll take care of it.” Once again, Tutor felt his eyes burning, almost unable to hold back. Looking into Phii Tong’s eyes, he realized how lucky he was to be born into this family, with a sister who did so much for him and parents who understood. The exhaustion from work felt insignificant compared to what he gained in return. The struggles at home had truly made their family stronger and more loving. “Don’t you dare cry, you hear me?”

Tongtaa told her younger brother, ruffling his hair vigorously.

She said it because her own eyes were red, barely holding back her emotions. If Tutor started crying, she’d likely break down too.

“Hic… ugh… I’m not crying,” Tutor said, rubbing his eyes with both hands to wipe away the feelings and tears. He swallowed the lump in his throat, looked up, and turned to his sister again.

“Now it’s your turn, Tor. Open up to me. Don’t say there’s nothing, because I can tell there’s something.”

“…” Tutor didn’t respond. He just stared at the dark sky ahead, where today, like every day, the stars twinkled faintly. In his mind, he was still wondering whether he should tell Phii Tong about it, whether it would be okay to share. But in the end, he decided to speak up.

“Phii Tong, when it comes to kissing someone, does there need to be a reason to back it up?”

“What does Tutor think?”

“I don’t know…”

“Honestly, Tutor, a kiss doesn’t need any reason to back it up. But if you want me to find reasons,” Tongtaa paused, pretending to think, “there probably aren’t many. Maybe it comes from desire, lust, anger, or even work. But sometimes, there might be no reason at all. Just wanting to kiss for the sake of it—that happens too. Still, for most people, when they kiss, it usually starts with good feelings, or maybe even love.”

“Is that so? How do we know which feeling it is?”

“You feel it from the kiss itself, when your lips touch. Is it warm? Does your stomach flutter? Do you feel excited, your heart racing like you’re under a spell when you open your eyes and look at each other?”

“That kind of thing… can you really feel it, Phii Tong?” Tutor muttered, biting his lower lip until it turned red, perhaps because of what Tongtaa said. He could feel it all.

“So, Tutor, can you tell what kind of feeling it was?”

“I didn’t say it was about me.”

“Oh, really?” Tongtaa’s teasing expression left Tutor flustered, and she let out a laugh. “Seriously, Tutor, all the reasons for kissing I just told you about—if you’re not thinking too deeply about it, it’s just a kiss, plain and simple.”

“…”

“But whenever you keep thinking about it all the time, the sensation, their face, every little thing that happened during that kiss—if it’s like that, it’s probably not just an ordinary kiss anymore. It’s much more than that… in a way I think you already understands.”

“But…” Tutor hesitated, unsure if he should say it. But the gentle look in Tongtaa’s eyes gave him enough confidence that his big sister would accept anything, no matter what. “But what if the person I kissed was another guy, Phii Tong? If it’s like that, what would you do?”

Tongtaa smiled at Tutor’s endearing question, her little brother who was now grappling with his own feelings. To her, it felt so innocent.

“I think, Tutor, you need to let go of those norms first. Gender, age, status, wealth, fame, or anything else that’s holding back your feelings right now—let them go. Because in the end, love, affection, or good feelings aren’t defined by those things.”

“…”

“Love is love. Gender doesn’t define it, status doesn’t either. It’s the feeling that matters.” Tongtaa’s words cleared almost all the fog in Tutor’s heart. The weight that had been pressing on his chest felt like it had been pulled away completely. But still…    There’s still something lingering in my feelings.

   “What if the person I have feelings for is someone my friend is kind of flirting to? What would you do in that case?”

“Kind of flirting to, so not a boyfriend, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Does your friend like him?”

“I’m not sure.” Because during that one conversation, it seemed like Hwahwa was just teasing Zon and Phii Fai. In the end, Tutor didn’t really know what was going on.

Alright, I’ll answer as a regular person, and this might be right or wrong, okay? But I think feelings can’t be controlled. If both of you already have feelings for each other, there’s no point in hiding or suppressing it anymore. When it gets to that point, I’d ask that person straight-up what they want to do. If they truly have feelings for me, they need to sort things out with my friend properly. Because if it stays unresolved like this, it’ll only get worse.”

“And what about my friend, Phii Tong? How would they feel?”

“I think if the friend you’re talking about, Tor, is someone who truly loves and cares about you, they’d understand. You just need to tell them how you feel.”

“…” Tutor stayed quiet, staring at his older sister, who still looked confused and troubled. All she could do was reach out and gently ruffle Tutor’s hair to encourage him.

“Trust me, Tor. Hwa will understand, no matter how long it takes.”

“Phii Tong…” Tutor’s eyes widened. He hadn’t expected Tongtaa to guess that the friend was Hwahwa.

“I’m your sister, Tor. How many friends do you care about this much in the world? There’s Hwa, there’s Zon, but if I had to guess, it’s probably just Hwa.”

“…”

“So, what you need to do now is sort things out with that guy, figure out what’s next, and then tell Hwa everything—what you feel, what he feels. And most importantly, don’t let Hwa find out on her own. Otherwise, it’ll be a mess. Got it?”

“Yeah, I understand.”

“Oh,” Tongtaa turned to look at Tutor again, “bring him along when you drop me off.”

“Huh?”

“When you take me to the airport, bring him to meet me. I want to see…” Tutor didn’t promise Tongtaa anything, because he wasn’t sure if he could even invite Fighter.

He didn’t know if Fighter would turn him down.

What he feared now wasn’t his own feelings, but Phii Fai’s.

“Sighhh,” Tongtaa let out a heavy sigh, stood up, stretched lazily, and glanced at her younger brother again. “I’m going to bed.”

“Okay.”

“Let’s not stay out too long, or the mosquitoes will bite.”

“Mm, it’s not late. I’ll head in soon. Good night, Phii Tong. Thanks a lot, sis,” Tutor looked up at his sister, who pulled his head into a comforting hug. Tongtaa ruffled his hair affectionately as he clung to her waist, reluctant to let go.

“Can you let go now, you little pup?”

“Mm,” Tutor released Tongtaa’s waist and roughly wiped away his tears. She looked at her brother again, thinking that this was all she could do for him. The rest was up to Tutor—how much he’d reflect on her words and learn from them.

She didn’t know if the candle she’d lit for him would illuminate his heart or reach someone else.

She could only hope it would.

…

Today, Fighter had no classes. Normally, he’d go somewhere familiar, but things weren’t normal now. So, he drove to the building where Hwahwa was studying and messaged her that they’d grab dinner together tonight.

“Hey, Phii Fai,” someone called out to Fighter, who was engrossed in his phone. He looked up. “Here to pick up Hwa?”

“Yeah,” Fighter replied to the girl in front of him. He didn’t remember who she was, but if she approached him so familiarly, she was probably Hwahwa’s friend.

“Hwa’s at the copy shop behind the building, Phii Fai. I can take you there if you want.”

“Oh, no worries. I’ll head over myself.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. Thanks,” Fighter smiled at Hwahwa’s friend and walked in the direction she’d pointed out. He strolled casually until he reached the corner where the copy shop was, but there was no sign of Hwahwa. He almost turned back, but then he heard her voice coming from an alley nearby.

“Day, wait! Can you listen to me first?”

“What else does I need to hear, Hwa? When everything’s already this clear? You don’t need to explain. I get it.”

“No, Day, you don’t understand!!!”

“You’re the one who doesn’t understand, Hwa!!!”

Day’s shout made the air around them tense. Fighter watched the two, their faces etched with pain. Day turned away, while Hwahwa stared at the ground. The looks in their eyes clearly showed how much they were hurting.

“Day…”

It wasn’t much different for Fighter, standing there. He didn’t know how to feel. It wasn’t sadness or embarrassment that Hwahwa was talking to someone else. It was guilt—he felt responsible for causing so many relationships to become tangled and messy.

“Don’t you feel a bit weird that your partner’s gotten so close to that Day guy?”

“Do I have to feel something? Hwa and I aren’t even together.”

How could he forget what Dew said?

   How could he forget that Day and Hwahwa had grown close while he was busy burying himself with Tutor? Maybe because when that incident with Tutor happened, all he could think about was going back to Hwahwa to find some clarity for the confusion he felt. But he forgot to consider that Hwahwa had someone else in her life too.

   “Day, don’t do this,” Hwahwa said to Day with a trembling voice, reaching out to grab his arm and shaking it gently, as if pleading.

Fighter watched the scene with a pang of guilt. He didn’t know how someone as selfish as him, coming back just to figure out his own feelings, could apologize to both of them. In the end, all Fighter could do was quietly walk away. He left the two of them to sort things out and went to wait in front of the building as usual.

Fighter didn’t run away. Maybe because he thought today was the day to finally put an end to these unresolved issues.

“Phii Fai,” someone called his name from behind. When he turned around, he saw Day approaching with a forced smile. Despite the strain, Day still managed to smile at him. “Here to pick up Hwa, huh?”

“Yeah. What’re you doing around here?”

“Just stopping by to see a friend, Phii Fai. I was about to head back. Been feeling kinda tired lately.”

“What’s wrong?” Fighter asked. “If you need to vent, you can talk to me, Day.”

“It’s nothing, Phii Fai. Just trivial stuff.”

“I don’t think what’s going on between you and Hwa is trivial, Day.”

“Whoa, Phii Fai, what’s with you? Hwa and I are just friends. Whatever you heard from someone, don’t believe it. Hwa loves you.”

“…”

“Loves you a lot,” Day’s voice softened at the end, his eyes betraying something off. He tried to hide his feelings by looking away before turning back with another smile. “Let’s talk another time, Phii Fai. We’ll catch up for drinks or something when we’re free.”

“That’s the plan?”

“Yup.”

“Alright, see you then.” Fighter nodded and patted Day’s shoulder a few times. After that, Day walked away. Fighter didn’t want to push Day to admit to the fragile nature of their relationship, knowing it might make him feel worse. In the end, the only ones who could resolve this were him and Hwahwa.

“Phii Fai,” a clear voice called out a few minutes after Day left.

“Hey, Hwa.”

“Have you been waiting long?”

“No way.”

“By the way, what should we eat tonight?” Hwahwa flashed a wide smile to greet Fighter, but beneath her smile, he could sense a hint of sadness.

“What does you want to eat?”

“Anything’s fine. Let’s go check and decide later, okay?” Hwahwa said, reaching out to hold Fighter’s arm as she often did. The two walked to the parked car, acting as if everything was normal, as if nothing had happened. They talked, asked about school, and brought up various topics, but in the end, they couldn’t suppress the feelings stirring inside. Barely ten minutes after the car hit the road, a quiet settled in slowly. Both sank back into their own thoughts. Hwahwa didn’t even realize Fighter had driven her straight home without stopping for dinner as planned until he called out to her.

“Hwa… we’re at your place.”

“Huh?” Hwahwa looked confused. “Aren’t we stopping for dinner, Phii Fai? Sorry, I was spacing out. Work’s been a lot lately, so I’m a bit out of it.”

Hwahwa gave a broad smile. Fighter smiled back, letting out a soft sigh.

“I feel like what we’re doing right now… are we just pretending, Hwa?”

“…”

“I know about you and Day.”

“So what if you know? Knowing doesn’t mean you understand me, Phii Fai.”

“I do understand. Why wouldn’t I?”

“How do you understand it?” Hwahwa turned to meet

Fighter’s gaze, asking the question she wanted answered.

“I understand what kind of confusion you’re feeling right now.”

“Hmph,” Hwahwa let out a breath, almost amused. “So you’re confused too, Phii Fai? Who’s the one making you feel like this?”

“…”

“That person must be really important to you, huh?” Hwahwa said with a slight mocking tone. “Sigh, I’m kind of jealous, you know. I’ve been with you for so long, but I’ve never once felt that from you.”

“…”

“Seeing this makes me want to bring up Zon.”

“Hwa.”

“I’m kidding,” Hwahwa said playfully. “Because what you’re going through right now has already made me realize who I should choose. Thank you so much, Phii Fai, for finally opening my eyes. But… can I ask you something? Back when you first approached me, were you genuinely interested in me, or was it for some other reason?”

“…”

“Why are you so quiet? Is it because you don’t want to tell me, or because you yourself don’t know why you got involved?”

“…”

“Forget it. Let’s just say I understands. You’ve been so good to me all this time, even holding back when things could’ve happened between us. Maybe that’s part of it. That’s why I can’t help but wonder why you got involved in the first place. Anyway, good luck, okay? Take care of yourself.”

Bang

The door closed along with Fighter’s weary eyes. He shut them and thought back on everything that had happened. He tried to revisit Hwahwa’s question again.

Why did he approach Hwahwa back then?

“Phii Fai, my name isn’t written like that…”

“So what? I’ll write it however I want.”

Maybe it started back then, from the very first moment his junior walked in on orientation day.

From the moment he saw that stubborn face and the annoyed look when he was teased.

And maybe it grew from the image of Hwahwa talking with Tutor under the engineering building, full of smiles and laughter—an image that made him want to claim it for himself.

Perhaps that was the only answer to the hundred questions he kept asking himself.

An answer he already knew deep down.

“Phii Fai, can you stop playing with your phone and start tutoring?”

“Phii Fai… why are you staring at me? Read the book already.”

“Phii Fai… ugh.”

He missed him so much.

   Missed him until his heart ached.

   Missed him so much that walking away that day felt like the worst mistake of his life.

   He kept wondering why he didn’t tell him, why he didn’t talk to him, why he let confusion take over and just walked away like that.

   Now, he didn’t know where to begin. He didn’t know if going back would mean his junior would still welcome him. And most importantly, he didn’t know if his junior felt the same way he did.

   The confusion that once plagued him was now turning into fear.

   Fear that, in the end, what he felt would be for nothing.

   Ding!

Tutor: Phii Fai, are you free around 9 p.m. tonight?

   By the way, Phii Tong is leaving for abroad today. She wants to meet you. 

   But if you’re not free, it’s okay. 

   Tutor: I understand.

          WHYARU : Fighter-Tutor CHAPTERS HOME

   WHYARU, Chapter 13:

   “Phii Fai… you know what you just did, right?”

“…”

“…”

“I know,” Fighter answered the person in front of him. Though his eyes were filled with confusion at first, they eventually settled, as if he’d decided to believe what he wanted to believe for now. “I… I was just caught up in the moment, or maybe I just wanted to mess with you, that’s all.”

The awkwardness that was already there only grew heavier after Fighter finished speaking.

“Is that so?” Tutor barely noticed the hint of disappointment flickering in his own eyes.

He didn’t know how he should feel. He couldn’t quite explain what it was.

Maybe it was like Phii Fai said… just the atmosphere pulling them in, or his senior just teasing him. Everything aligned at the perfect moment, leading to this.

But deep down… Tutor still believed it wasn’t just that. Still, since Fighter chose to brush it off, fine, whatever.

“If you want to believe that’s all it was, then suit yourself,” Tutor said with a sense of resignation. He stood up, intending to walk away, but he didn’t get far because Fighter stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

“And what do you think it was?”

“…”

“You think I’m into guys? You think I’m into you?”

“Or maybe not?” Tutor asked back.

“No way.”

“I figured you’d say that,” Tutor replied.

“What about you, Tor?” Fighter said with a mocking tone.

“When you let me kiss you, did you ever ask yourself why?”

“…”

“Do you like me?”

“No… I don’t like you,” Tutor denied immediately, without even thinking. He stared into the sharp eyes in front of him, their gazes reflecting different emotions. Tutor didn’t know what Fighter was thinking, but for himself, he was certain he could never feel that way about Phii Fai.

Perhaps it was because of one thing that always anchored his feelings: Hwahwa, his childhood friend of over ten years. Even though Tutor now knew the truth—that Hwahwa and Phii Fai weren’t dating—they still talked. Lately, Tutor had noticed some changes, but… whatever.

He didn’t need to find answers. He already knew how things were.

“Hmph,” Fighter let out a frustrated huff. “You can deny it for yourself, so why can’t you think I could be the same, Tor?”

“Because if you knew what you really liked, you’d stop messing with my friend.”

“Is that so?”

“…”

“So everything you’ve said boils down to wanting me to stop bothering your friend,” Fighter’s scoffing tone didn’t match the wavering look in his eyes as he stared at the person in front of him. “Your friend, who you might not see as just a friend.”

“Think what you want.”

“How about this, Tor? If you really believe I’m what you think I am, prove it. Prove it so I stop being confused, so I know for sure who I am.”

“…”

“Or are you scared?”

“I’m not scared!!” As soon as he spoke, Tutor pushed the person in front of him down onto the bed. He climbed on top of the larger figure, his mind filled with nothing but anger and a desire to make Fighter understand his own feelings.

Of course, the older one’s gaze, directed straight at him, was filled with confusion.

Yes… Tutor didn’t understand either.

He didn’t understand why he was so angry.

He didn’t understand why he was so upset with Fighter.

And he didn’t understand why he leaned down to kiss Phii

Fai—a kiss that wasn’t soft or sweet like the one Fighter had given before. It was fierce and intense, their lips crashing together.

“Tor, you—”

“…” But he wanted Fighter to know, to stop being confused, to finally understand his own heart.

This was all he felt…

“Phii… Fai,” Tutor let out a soft moan of the name, the earlier intensity somehow softening without him noticing when. Fai’s large hand—Tor’s too—was raised, gently threading through his hair, stroking it slowly. The tongue that slipped through the sweetness into his mouth felt tender, too gentle to ignore.

Even though he’d told himself a hundred times in his heart that he just wanted to prove something to the guy in front of him.

In the end, it was he who couldn’t resist the feeling.

In that kiss, he felt something special.

He could even hear the loud thumping of his heart right now,

but…

“Enough,” Fighter said softly, pushing Tutor’s shoulders away. “I think… it’s not just me who’s confused anymore.”

“…”

“You need to find the answers to the questions you keep asking me. What do you really feel?”

With that, Fighter got up from the bed, grabbed his phone and wallet from the Japanese-style table, and walked out immediately. Phii Fai didn’t even glance back at the person lying on the bed.

Bang!

The door slammed shut, and the room returned to silence once more.

Tutor rolled onto his back. He stared at the ceiling calmly, a stark contrast to the storm of questions swirling in his heart. The exhaustion flooding in was nothing compared to the feeling of being left behind by Fighter like this.

Tutor closed his eyes slowly. He tried to forget everything clashing in his mind.

   Forget Phii Fai’s words.

   Forget the kiss…

   Forget the good feelings that came when their lips touched.

   And forget… the confusion now stirring in his heart.

   A burning sensation welled up in his eyes as his pale hand rose to wipe his lips forcefully.

   “You think I wanted to kiss you that badly, huh… You think I…” As the emotions surged to his throat, Tutor grabbed a large pillow and hugged it tightly. Right now, only this pillow could hold his feelings together.

Rrrrrrrrrrrrr

Suddenly, the sound of a ringing phone interrupted. Tutor reluctantly reached for it.

‘Phii Tong’

   The name on the screen was his only older sister. Tutor quickly sat up and answered the call.

“Phii Tong!”

(Yep, it’s me.)

   “Why’s you calling?”

(Do I need a reason to call my little brother?)

   “Not at all!”

(I’m in front of your dorm.)

   “What?”

(I’m right outside our dorm. Come down and meet me.)

   “No way!” Tutor’s voice was soft, filled with disbelief. He rushed to the balcony and looked down. There was Phii Tong, waving at him with a wide smile, just as a car drove off.

Tutor pushed aside some emotions and hurried downstairs.

The first sight was Phii Tong standing there, beaming at him.

“Phii Tong!!!” No matter how much bigger he’d grown compared to his sister, he was still her little brother, running to hug her tightly. Phii Tong wrapped her arms around him, reluctant to let go, overwhelmed with affection. She patted her stubborn little brother’s shoulder, shaking her head lightly.

“What’s up, you little pup? All grown up and still clinging to your big sis?” Tutor didn’t answer. He just closed his eyes, soaking in the warmth from his sister as much as he could.

“It’s so great you’re here, really great.”

“What’s with you? Got something you wanna tell your sis?”

“Nope.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah… I just missed you Phii Tong a ton, that’s all.”

“Better be true.” Tutor didn’t say more. He looked up at his sister, pouting playfully. Though his face wore a bright smile, the look in his eyes—the only little brother’s eyes—told a different story.

What’s going on with my little brother?

   Phii Tong wondered silently. Though she didn’t say it out loud, she could sense that Tutor’s smile hid a heart that wasn’t smiling at all.

She could only hope that during these four or five days together, Tutor would open up and tell her what had happened.

She hoped he would share, and she hoped… she could help him feel better somehow.

The room’s a bit messy, Phii Tong. I’ve been studying,” Tutor said, then started picking up the scattered books and study sheets from the floor to place them on the table.

“Doesn’t look messy to me,” Tongtaa replied, walking around the room for a bit before sitting on the bed and beckoning Tutor to join her. “Tor… come here, let’s talk.”

Tutor nodded and sat beside her. Tongtaa kept eyeing him with a scrutinizing gaze.

“What’s up, Phii Tong?”

“You look worn out.”

“Do I?” Tutor glanced at himself before looking up at his sister. “Maybe a little.”

“Are you tired?” The question, paired with Tongtaa’s concerned look, carried so much care that the one being asked could feel it.

“Not at all,” Tutor answered with his widest smile. “I’m doing great, Phii Tong. Tor’s actually having fun.”

“Yeah, right. If you’re tired or can’t handle it, just tell me.”

“I know.”

“You know, but you never say a word, you stubborn kid.”

“I’m not stubborn,” Tutor pouted, making his sister want to pinch his cheeks.

“Fine, not stubborn then.”

“By the way, what brings you to Bangkok, Phii Tong? Are you thinking of taking a full-time job?” Normally, Tutor’s sister worked as a freelancer, taking on projects from home. She had quit her full-time job to help their parents with the family business when they moved to the countryside. But thanks to Phii Tong’s skills, freelance work kept coming her way.

“Yeah, a full-time job with a great salary, overtime pay, travel allowance, and awesome benefits too.”

“Really? That’s awesome! Tor doesn’t really like you doing freelance work. It’s exhausting, taking on so many projects. I’m worried you’ll get sick. Are Mom and Dad okay with this?”

“They’re totally fine with it. I’m the one who’s worried. But I can’t turn down this job. If I work here, it’ll help our family pay off debts faster.”

“If you’re working full-time in Bangkok, you could stay at my dorm, right? Is your workplace far? Where is it?”

   Tongtaa didn’t answer. She just smiled a little.

“Why that face, Phii Tong? Wait, you’re not working in Bangkok?”

“Mm,” Tongtaa nodded. “The head office is in Germany.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just what I said. Phii Tong is going to work abroad.”

“When is Phii Tong leaving?”

“This Saturday.”

“Phii Tong…” Tutor called his older sister’s name, his voice instantly tinged with sadness, prompting her to reach out and gently ruffle her younger brother’s hair.

“But going to work abroad like this, you must’ve known for a while. Why didn’t you tell me, Phii Tong?”

“I’m really sorry, Tor. After I passed the job interview, I got caught up with visa and work permit stuff. Once that was done, the company set the flight date right away.”

“…”

“Don’t make that face, Tor. It’s breaking my heart.”

“Sorry,” Tutor said softly, letting out a heavy sigh. Was he reluctant? Very much so. This time, if he missed Phii Tong or wanted to see her, he couldn’t just take a bus back to their hometown like before.

But oh well. No matter how much Tutor didn’t want his sister to go work abroad, he had to let her go without making her worry.

“I’m happy for you, Phii Tong, for getting to work abroad like you always dreamed. Have fun with your work,” Tutor said, ultimately offering only his heartfelt congratulations to his

sister. He hoped she’d be happy there, working her dream job and collaborating with talented people, just as Phii Tong had always wanted.

“It’s bound to be fun,” Tongtaa’s laughter was as bright as ever. Tutor hadn’t seen his sister in months; they usually only talked on the phone, mostly brief chats—asking if he’d eaten, what he was doing, and a bit more before hanging up. But today was different. They sat and talked face-to-face, catching up on everything, and the happiness from Phii Tong eased some of the bad feelings in his heart.

Not entirely, though. Whenever he was alone with his thoughts, certain things about certain people kept circling in his mind.

The hydro exam went well. Tutor thought he did alright, despite moments that made him think of other things. For this quiz, he expected a decent score.

“Hey, Tor, want to grab lunch at the alley behind the uni? Zon invited us.”

“Hmm, Zon, huh?”

“Yeah,” Saifah nodded.

“You two are getting close, huh?”

“We see each other every evening—how could we not get close? Anyway, you’re coming with us, right? Zon wants to talk to you anyway,” Saifah said, recounting what Phii Tong had told Zon a few days ago. He mentioned that Tutor seemed stressed lately, likely because Phii Tong had to go work abroad. So, Zon suggested inviting Tutor for dinner after the hydro quiz.

“Alright, I’ll go,” Tutor nodded.

“What about you, Day? You coming?” Saifah turned to ask his close friend standing with them.

“Too lazy. I was gonna nap in the library,” Day said, his face looking glum. He’d been like this for three or four days now. Even Saifah wasn’t sure what was up with him since Day didn’t say, and Saifah didn’t ask.

“What’s with the grumpy attitude, Day? Come on, join us. The afternoon class won’t give us an easy break, man. Just come,” Saifah patted Day’s shoulder, urging him to walk along. Day sighed but reluctantly followed.

The lively chatter in the restaurant clearly showed how many people were there. It was a popular spot for students, probably because the food was tasty, not too expensive, and close to the university. Those tired of cafeteria food often chose to eat here instead.

Zon had reserved seats for the three of them. They chatted for a bit while waiting for the server to take orders from other tables. During the conversation, Zon asked about Phii Tong. Tutor shared with a slightly dejected tone, making it hard for others not to feel for him.

“Stop making that face, Tor. It’s stressing me out just looking at you,” Zon said with a concerned tone. “Your sister’s just going to work, make money, chase her dreams. You can’t keep moping like a sad puppy and acting all irrational.”

“Exactly. Let Zon be the only irrational one. Don’t add to the chaos,” Saifah, sitting next to Zon, chimed in.

“You talking about me, Saifah?”

“Yup.”

“You… wanna get poked in the eye with a chopstick?” Tutor watched Saifah and Zon bicker, shaking his head wearily. Even though they’d gotten closer, they still argued over pointless stuff.

“Why are you guys fighting so much? Just order already,” Day said irritably, prompting Zon, sitting across from him, to nod quickly and open the menu almost immediately.

“Saifah… I want pork curry.”

“Order it.”

“But I also want crispy pork with kale.”

“Picky much?”

“Why you gotta call me out? I just want two dishes,” Zon whined with a slight pout.

“Fine, order the pork curry. I’ll get the crispy pork with kale.” “You’re ordering the kale because you’re nice enough to share, right?”

“Nope, I just want it.”

“Ughhh!”

“Haha!”

“You’ve got the nerve to laugh? I ordered kale, but I’m eating your food too, deal?” Zon didn’t wait for Saifah to agree, quickly scanning the restaurant for a waiter to order food. But something caught his eye first, and his gaze, initially searching for a waiter, suddenly lit up.

“Guys, isn’t that Fai and Hwahwa?”

As soon as Zon spoke, both Tutor and Day turned to look in the direction he was staring. Fighter and Hwahwa were walking into the restaurant together, seemingly looking for a place to sit, but every table appeared full.

“They’re probably looking for a seat, man. Should we call them over to join us? Squeeze in a bit. What do you guys think?” Zon asked the table, but both Tutor and Day stayed silent, offering no opinion. “What’s the move, Saifah? Should we call them?”

“Just call them.”

“You sure? I saw Tor and Day’s faces, and I’m not so sure about calling them. Don’t know if their grumpy looks have anything to do with those two.”

“You’re overthinking again, Zon.”

“I’m serious, I’ve got a gut feeling.”

“A gut feeling for drama, you mean.”

“Saifah, why do you always gotta argue with me? Is your dad a pot scrubber or something?”

“Bringing my dad into this, Zon?”

“You started it, jerk. So, what’s the call? Invite Phii Fai and Hwahwa or not?”

“Phii Fai! Phii! Over here, come sit with us!” In the end, it was Saifah who shouted to Fighter and Hwahwa. Zon grinned and gave him a thumbs-up, earning a light head-shove from Saifah, who couldn’t help but think Zon was such a nutcase.

“Zon, Saifah!” Hwahwa approached first, flashing a smile at them. “Mind if I join? It’s super crowded, and other places are even worse.”

“Sure, sit! You can sit next to Tor.”

“Oh… Tor’s here too? Mind if I join, Tor?”

“Of course not. Why don’t you sit next to Day? I’ll take the head of the table instead.” Tutor stood up to switch seats with Hwahwa.

As he moved to the other end of the table, someone was blocking his path.

   Fighter stood there, not budging an inch.

   “Phii Fai, can you let me through?” Tutor called out, looking up to meet his eyes. But the look Fighter gave him…

The message you sent left him stunned, almost unable to function.

   In those eyes, a mix of emotions reflected back—anger, confusion, and sometimes a lack of understanding about himself. But none of it compared to the final look they shared.

Longing…

   Tutor pursed his lips tightly, because this feeling shouldn’t even exist between them.

   “Day, you are here too?” Hwahwa’s voice snapped them both back to reality. Tutor sidestepped Fighter and walked to sit at the head of the table, while Hwahwa glanced at Day again, thinking he hadn’t heard her call. “Day.”

But, as expected, Day’s response was the same silence, leaving Hwahwa with a sad expression instead.

“It’s… kinda weird, isn’t it?” Zon muttered to himself. He sensed the awkward atmosphere, picking up on something off. Naturally, someone like Zon would try to lighten the mood— chatting, asking about this and that, anything to keep things lively. But nothing went as he hoped, so he ended up whispering to Saifah, who was sitting beside him.

“Saifah, you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Nope.”

“You never notice anything about them, do you?”

“I’m not as picky as you.”

“I’m not picky! I just care about our friends, man.”

“Same thing.”

“It’s not!” Zon snapped, throwing his chopsticks at the person next to him, causing them to fall to the floor.

“Pick them up.”

“I know, I know,” Zon grumbled but bent down to retrieve the chopsticks. It would’ve been fine, except he noticed something odd.

Zon saw Hwahwa’s hand reaching for Day’s, again and again, only for Day to pull away each time.

And when Zon looked up from under the table, the sight of Fighter and Tutor staring at each other made him even more surprised.

Because the relationships around him now seemed tangled and chaotic, and if left unresolved, things would only get worse.

“Saifah… I think I have a plan.”

“Keep your plan to yourself and let them sort it out.”

“But…”

“Don’t meddle too much, Zon. Shouldn’t you focus on memorizing your guitar chords first?”

“I can do it, I’m awesome,”

“Your face like that, do you even remember anything when you wake up in the morning? Work’s starting in just a few weeks, how many chords can you even recall?”

“Alright, fine,” Zon shrugged confidently, while Saifah, sitting beside him, could only shake his head lightly before turning to look at the other four friends at the table.

   It’s not that he didn’t notice something was off.

   Whether it was Day and Hwahwa, or Fighter and Tutor, the only thing Saifah could do right now was offer support.

   Because someone’s problem is theirs to solve.

 

  WHYARU : Fighter-Tutor CHAPTERS HOME

   WHYARU, Chapter 12:

   “Your face looks so sleepy, Tor,” the house’s owner said, nudging him to walk inside. He glanced at Tutor again. “Did you stay up late last night or what?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Did you keep studying after I left?”

“Yeah.”

“Until ten?”

“Three in the morning.”

“Are you crazy? That’s way too much.”

“What can I do, Phii? I’m not good at this subject,” Tutor said with a big yawn. He’d almost canceled or postponed his meetup with Phii Fai, but the thought that skipping this might lead to even more teasing from the guy made him scrap that idea.

Fighter looked at the guy who couldn’t stop yawning. Tutor’s face screamed he could fall asleep any second.

“That sleepy, huh?”

“Beyond sleepy. If there was a bed right now, I’d collapse onto it, no joke.”

“Then come here,” Fighter said, grabbing the younger guy’s hand to follow him.

“Where to?”

“My room.”

“For what?”

“You said you wanted to sleep.”

“What about the snacks? Aren’t they making them now? I’m worried if I sleep, I’ll miss it.”

“Not yet. Probably a while before they start. If they do, I’ll wake you up.”    “…”

“Okay?”

“Mm, fine,” Tutor nodded to the house’s owner and followed Fighter’s pull without resistance. Maybe it was the sleepiness, making him go along with everything despite not usually being this compliant.

As he followed Fighter, his eyes quietly scanned the house. He had to admit, Phii Fai’s place was big and elegantly decorated. But despite its grandeur, there was a lingering sense of loneliness. He wasn’t sure if it came from the house itself or from the person holding his hand.

“Go to sleep.” The room’s owner nudged Tutor’s shoulder, urging him toward the bed. The smaller guy nodded hesitantly before trudging slowly to the king-sized bed. He slipped under the thick blanket, feeling a sense of contentment.

He never imagined an expensive bed would feel this good—so different from the cheap one in his dorm.

I want one like this someday.

   “You look way too happy. You like the bed or what?”

“Mm, it’s insanely comfy,” Tutor mumbled, his voice groggy as his eyelids drooped, nearly closing. Fighter shifted to sit against the headboard next to his guest. “Phii Fai, your house is huge.”

“It’s not my house.”

“…”

“It’s my dad’s house.”

“Your dad’s house is huge… but it feels kinda lonely.”

“…”

“Are you lonely, Phii Fai?” Tutor’s murmured words sounded almost like sleep-talk, as if he were speaking to himself rather than Fighter. His half-closed eyes slowly shut, his steady breathing signaling he’d fallen asleep.

Fighter glanced at the sleeping figure for a moment before picking up his phone to scroll aimlessly. Tutor’s question still echoed in his mind. Maybe because it had been so long since Fighter had asked himself something like that—probably since he’d grown up and started understanding the ways of the world.

Being asked again now left him feeling oddly unsettled.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Khun Fai, sir?” A voice from outside interrupted his thoughts. He got up to open the door for the housekeeper.

“Yes?”

“The chef has arrived and is preparing ingredients.”

“Well…” Fighter hesitated, unsure whether to wake the person who’d just fallen asleep less than five minutes ago. “Tell the chef to wait about ten minutes, okay? I’ll come down soon.”

“Alright,” the housekeeper agreed. Fighter returned to the bed, looking again at the sleeping figure.

“Tor…”

“…”

“Hey, Tor,” Fighter called again. The only response was Tutor pulling the blanket over his face, leaving just his eyes visible. “They’re starting to make dessert. You wanna go watch?”

“…”

“Did you hear that?”

“No.”

“If you didn’t hear, who the hell answered me?”

“…”

“You little punk, so are you going downstairs to watch them make desserts or not?”

“Can I not go, Phii Fai? I’m sleepy,” the kid said lazily, looking up at Fighter with pleading eyes, as if already knowing the answer was that he didn’t want to go.

“Fine, then sleep.”

“Mm.”

“Good night,” a large hand reached up to ruffle his hair, as if soothing a younger sibling. Tutor tilted his head and snuggled into his chest, making Fighter involuntarily swallow hard. This kind of thing had never happened before. The kid had never been this clingy with him. It was the first time he felt so flustered he didn’t know what to do.

In the end, he chose to get up and let the kid sleep as he wanted. Meanwhile, he went downstairs to pick out desserts for tomorrow’s event.

Normally, at his father’s company, Fighter didn’t get many chances to help out much since his father didn’t assign him regular responsibilities. He only did tasks when specifically told to, like choosing desserts or meeting clients. This time, his father had asked if he wanted to handle the dessert selection. At first, he thought about declining, but then he remembered what Tutor had said about making desserts for his older sister. The little guy had looked so proud and happy that the image stuck with him. So, he decided to take on the task, hoping to let the kid pick up some knowledge about it.

But as you can see, it was a complete flop. The person he wanted to come watch the process was sleepy and passed out in his room.

“I’ll head out then, Khun Fai.”

“Alright, Chef. I’ll have my dad’s secretary send the dessert list by 7 p.m. today.” The chef nodded, exchanged a few more words with Fighter, and then left the kitchen. Fighter looked at the desserts in front of him, unsure which ones to pick for tomorrow’s event.

“Phii Fai.” It seemed like heaven had sent someone to help Fighter choose the desserts.

“Awake now?”

“Yeah.” Tutor nodded and walked into the kitchen, carefully inspecting the desserts in front of him. “The chef’s gone already?”

“Yep.”

“Such a pity.”

“I tried waking you up.”

“I know, but I still feel reluctant,” Tutor said, turning to look at the snacks in front of him. He observed each piece carefully, even leaning in close to examine their intricacy and arrangement.

“Try one.”

“Can I?”

“Yeah, try it, and make a list for me of which ones are tasty and worth bringing to tomorrow’s event.”

“Alright, I’ll try this one first.” The speaker picked up a fruittopped snack, inspected it, then took a bite. The first sensation was how delicious it was. Whether it was hunger or the snack’s quality, it was clear this piece wasn’t cheap. “Tasty.”

“Try the others too,” Tutor nodded, then sampled a few more himself, until he found one he particularly liked.

“This one’s really good, Phii Fai, try it,” Tutor said, holding the snack he’d just bitten toward Fighter’s mouth, urging him to take a bite. “Quick, Phii Fai.”

Tutor pressed Fighter to eat the snack in his hand. In the end, Fighter had no choice but to lean forward and take a bite of the snack Tutor offered.

It was at that moment that a heartbeat thumped loudly again— maybe when Fighter’s lips brushed the tip of Tutor’s fingers, or perhaps when their eyes met.

Tutor didn’t know how to explain it. He’d been feeling something unusual for a while now.

He sensed something was there, but he kept pretending to ignore it, acting as if he didn’t see it.

Even though it was so clear it made his heart race every time.

“Fai?” A voice called, snapping both of them back to reality as they turned to look.

What Tutor saw was a middle-aged man in work attire staring directly at him. The look wasn’t one of displeasure or annoyance, more like curiosity about who Tutor was.

“Hey, Dad,” Fighter said, addressing the owner of that gaze. “Have you been here long?”

“Just got here. And that’s…?”

“Hello,” Tutor didn’t wait for Fighter to introduce him. He raised his hands in a wai and gave a broad smile. “I’m Tutor.”

“Tutor?”

“Yes, that’s my name, but I also tutor English for Phii Fai.”

“Oh,” Phii Fai’s father nodded, then shifted his gaze to his son. “So, Fai, have you picked out the snacks yet?”

“Not yet, but I’ll be done soon. I’ll send the list to your secretary by this evening.”

“Okay, and make sure you’re ready to attend the event with me tomorrow.”

“…” Fighter didn’t respond.

His father didn’t press the issue or say much. He just looked at the two of them quietly before leaving the room. Tutor wasn’t sure if he was imagining it, but the look in Phii Fai’s father’s eyes made him feel uneasy. It wasn’t a look of dislike, but it wasn’t exactly one of affection either.

“Once we’re done picking out snacks, you can head back, alright?”

“Sure.”

“And let’s grab some food at the stall near your dorm.”

“Isn’t you eating with his dad?”

“Nah… I usually don’t anyway.” Tutor nodded in understanding. He didn’t ask further questions, just listed the snacks he liked for Fighter. Then the two of them left the house with the microwave they’d talked about from the start.

Fighter and Tutor stopped to eat some red pork rice at a stall near the alley before heading back to the dorm. At first, the car’s owner seemed like he was going to get out too, but Tutor stopped him.

“You sure you’re good, Tor?”

“I’m fine. It’s just a microwave box. No need for both of us to carry it.”

“Alright, I know you’re super strong.”

“Obviously. I’ll head off then.” Tutor finished speaking and turned to open his side of the car door. But it seemed like something crossed his mind, so he turned back to Fai—Tor— again. “I’m studying a lot these days because of a quiz.”

“I know.”

“If you know, then don’t come bug me for a while. Once I’m done with the quiz, I’ll call you, okay?”

“Okay.” Tutor smiled when he saw the usually stubborn Phii Fai agree so easily. He didn’t even realize he’d reached out to gently pat the older guy’s head.

“So cute.”

“…”

“…” He hadn’t thought about whether patting his senior’s head was appropriate or not, but when he saw the look Phii Fai gave him, the hand that was rubbing froze and stopped almost instantly.

Yeah… Phii Fai’s look wasn’t one of annoyance, but it was a look Tutor couldn’t quite explain.

   “Well… I’m off then, Phii. See you later.” With that, Tutor quickly opened the car door and got out.

In his mind, he kept thinking how lucky it was that he caught himself in time. Otherwise, he might’ve been stuck in that awkward atmosphere for who knows how long.

“Day, calm down and check the group chat again. We highlighted the parts we think the professor might test on. Not sure if they’ll show up, but it’s better to read them first.”    (But I’m scared I won’t finish studying in time, Tor.)

“Well, if you keep calling to complain like this, how are you going to have time to study?”

(Well, I’m beat. Can you come tutor me early before the exam?) 

   “Sure.”

(Love you to the maxxxx!) 

   “Ugh, go study already.” Tutor hung up the phone and let out a tired sigh. All day, whether it was Saifah, Day, or faculty friends, they kept calling him about the hydro exam. It’s not like he was an expert in this subject; the info he shared on LINE was just what he thought the professor might test.

Creak

The door to Tutor’s room swung open, accompanied by an annoying grin from someone who’d promised not to bother him during study time.

“Phii Fai.” Besides the irritated glare, Tutor’s tone was dripping with frustration as he called out Fighter’s name. “Didn’t we agree you wouldn’t come?”

“Who said that?”

“Yourself!”

“Oh, really? Why don’t I remember that?” Fighter shrugged mischievously, dodging the topic and holding up a cake instead.

“Want some?”

“If I eat it, will you leave right after?”

“Nah, I’m here to help you study hydro today.”

“But I can study on my own, you know.”

“You can study, sure, but isn’t it better to have someone who’s passed this subject tutor you? I can even guess what the professor’s gonna put on the exam.”     “…” Tutor stayed silent.

“Come on, trust me.”

“You’re such a…”

“What?”

“Stubborn jerk.”

“Haha, yeah, stubbornness my thing. So, you eating this cake now or later?”

“I’m not hungry yet. You can put it in the fridge.” Tutor’s voice softened considerably from earlier.

“Cool.”

“And don’t bug me while I’m studying, got it?”

“I know, I know. But I was serious about tutoring you on hydro, want me to do it for free?”

“No need, Phii. If I don’t get something, I’ll just ask you.”

“Alright,” Fighter replied to the room’s owner before putting the cake in the fridge. “If you’re hungry, just let me know.” “Mm,” the kid mumbled under his breath, then turned back to his book. After storing the cake, Fighter plopped down on the bed, lounging and occasionally glancing at the stressed-out figure. True to his word, he didn’t bother Tutor—no chatting, no questions, no nonsense. He just sat there, lay there, until he eventually dozed off.

“Ugh, why is this so hard?” Fighter jolted awake after nearly three or four hours when he heard the room’s owner grumbling.

“You’re stressing too much.” Still groggy, he scooted closer to the kid leaning against the bed.

“Oh, did I wake you up with my noise? Sorry, Phii, go back to sleep.”

“Can’t sleep now,” Fighter said honestly. Tutor just nodded, slumping his head onto the bed. The study sheet in his hand was now pressed against his face, lightly tapped as if hoping the hydro formulas would osmosis into his brain. Seeing this, Fighter couldn’t help but chuckle. He got up, grabbed the cake from the fridge, and sat back down next to the stressed-out kid.

“Take a ten-minute break from stressing, yeah? Chill for a bit.”

“Can’t, Phii Fai,” Tutor said, his face still covered by the sheet.

“Why not? Hydro’s not that bad. If you get the gist or memorize the formulas you need, it’s actually pretty easy, trust me.”

“Easy, my ass,” Tutor yanked the sheet off his face and turned to look at the guy beside him. “It’s not easy at all, Phii Fai. I can’t remember the formulas, some I don’t even understand, and I’m still confused reading the problems.”

“…”

“Whatever, no point talking about it. You’re not me, so you wouldn’t get it anyway.”

“I get it. I’ve been there.”

“Says the guy who flunked engineering twice?”

“Hold up, that’s not fair. Just because I dropped out of engineering twice doesn’t mean I flunked hydro.”

“…”

“Come on, take a break. Eat some cake.” Fighter slid the cake on the low table toward Tutor. The smaller guy looked at the one offering cake as comfort and couldn’t help but smile. “What’s with the grin?”

“Nothing… I just didn’t think Phii Fai had this side to him.”

“What side?”

“It’s the side of you that’s not power-hungry or the side that doesn’t make this sulky face,” Tutor said, turning to speak before mimicking the sulky expression he meant and directing it at Fighter.

“I don’t make that face you’re talking about.”

“You do.”

“No, I don’t.”

“You really do, like this,” Tutor said, raising one hand and curling his fingers while pulling a pouty face again for Fighter to see, making Fighter shake his head in exasperation.

“Just eat already.”

“Want some, Phii?” Tutor scooped up a piece of cake.

“Nah, you eat it.”

“Okay,” Tutor replied softly, then put the cake in his mouth instead. Neither spoke further. Tutor quietly ate his cake and read his book, while Fighter, after the younger one finished, took the plate away and sat down to play a game nearby.

Fighter didn’t disturb him. He just sat there, watching someone who sometimes looked serious, sometimes confused, or sometimes smiled because they solved a problem correctly, clearly enjoying it.

7:15 PM.

   Some time passed, but Tutor was still reading. Meanwhile, Fighter was watching a series without feeling bored.

“Phii Fai,” the one reading suddenly called out to the person sitting beside him.

“Hm?” Fighter took off his headphones and looked up at the caller.

“When are you heading back?”

“Trying to kick me out?”

“Yup.”

“Then I’m not going.”

“You’re such a pain, hurry up and go already,” Fighter shrugged instead of answering. He propped his chin on the Japanese table and turned to look at Tutor as if he had a question, until the younger one noticed. “What now?”

“When are you going to stop reading?”

“In a bit.”

“But it’s already past seven. Aren’t you hungry?”

“Not really.”

“But I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten anything since noon.”

“You didn’t eat when I offered you cake.”

“I just want you to eat first.”

“…”

“Why’d you go quiet?” Suddenly, the younger guy fell silent. Fighter wasn’t sure what he was thinking, as he seemed to freeze for a moment after that last sentence.

“Nothing. Just thinking if you’re hungry, you should go eat first. I need to review this part a bit more,” Tutor replied to the guy beside him without looking up.

“You’re stressing too much, Tor.”

“I can’t not stress, Phii. I’m not good at hydro. I have to try harder than others.”

“I’m not saying don’t try, but did you forget it’s just a quiz? The points for this are tiny. Most of your grade comes from the midterm, final, and project. Even if you ace this, it doesn’t guarantee an A.”

“But it’s still points, Phii Fai. Please, don’t mess with me right now.” Fighter looked at the speaker and raised an eyebrow slightly. Tutor was stubborn—no amount of pulling, even by an elephant, would make him budge if he didn’t want to.

“You’re really sticking to this, huh?”

“Yup.”

“Fine.” A sly smirk crept onto Fighter’s lips as he reached out and snatched the study sheet from Tutor’s desk.

“Phii Fai!!!” Besides the annoyed shout, Tutor’s face showed clear frustration. “Give me back my sheet!”

Tutor held out his hand, demanding the sheet from the guy in front of him, who clearly had no intention of giving it back easily.

“Hurry up, Phii Fai!” Not only did he not return it, but he hid the sheet behind his back. “Phii Fai!”

 

In the end, all Tutor could do was reach to grab the sheet back from the teasing jerk. But that was it—Fighter not only refused to give it up but dodged his attempts to snatch it back.

“Phii Fai!! Give it back!”

Instead of responding, Fighter raised a taunting eyebrow. In the end, Tutor poured all his energy into trying to reclaim the sheet. Of course, the bigger guy, Fighter, barely needed any effort to dodge the hands desperately reaching for it. It was Tutor who was practically climbing onto Fighter’s lap by now.

In the heat of their tug-of-war, they forgot something.

They forgot how close their bodies had become.

By the time Tutor realized, he’d already lost his balance and fallen onto Fighter.

“Huh??”

It was like time was about to stop again. Maybe it did stop because of the sharp gaze fixed on him. But those piercing eyes were nothing compared to the sensation of their breaths so close together.

“Forget it,” Tutor said with a shaky voice, trying to pull away from Fighter. “I don’t need to study that sheet anymore.”

Once he managed to break free, he turned to grab another sheet from his desk.

Silence settled in, accompanied by Tutor’s hand covering his face to avoid looking at the person beside him. It wasn’t that he didn’t notice the gaze fixed on him, but those eyes made him feel uneasy.

“Tor.”

“Hm?”

“I’ll give it back.” Fighter reluctantly handed the sheet back to its owner. Though Tutor hesitated at first, he eventually turned to take it from Fighter’s hand.

“Phii Fai,” he called out, noticing that the person who promised to return the study sheet wasn’t letting go. “Let go of the sheet.”

“…” Instead of responding, Phii Fai pulled the sheet toward himself.

“Phii Fai… mmph.” Before he could react, Fighter’s lips pressed against his, the hand that had been holding the sheet now cradling his face.

For a moment, Tutor thought he should push Fighter away, but another part of him didn’t want to. Maybe because this kiss was different from the first one at the bar. It wasn’t fueled by the older guy’s anger. This kiss stirred a hollow flutter in his stomach, gentle yet possessive, making him feel good all at once.

As Fighter tilted his head for a better angle, pressing his lips more insistently, Tutor’s heart trembled harder. He could even feel his lower lip being drawn in, melded to Fighter’s. Their heads pressed close, the hand cradling his face, their staggered breaths blending into one.

Both of them sensed something was off, yet neither spoke it aloud.

The tender kiss continued, Tutor’s hand now clutching Fighter’s shirt, as if anchoring his swirling emotions.

Questions flooded his mind, each one tied to “why,” accompanied by a gnawing guilt toward someone else.

What he felt wasn’t right at all.

Not even a little.

“Phii Fai,” Tutor called out to the person in front of him, his grip on the older guy’s shirt tugging lightly, as if pleading for a pause. His eyes, half-pleading, half-confused, belonged to the smaller figure.

Fighter kissed his lips once more before pulling back. He gazed at the younger one with equally conflicted eyes.

Fighter knew this shouldn’t have happened. The kiss at the bar might’ve been driven by anger or frustration, but this—this was different.

But now, things are different.

So different that he doesn’t understand why he’s acting this way.

At first, he was convinced he had a thing for Zon. But as they got closer, he thought it might just be the fondness of an older brother for a younger one, the feeling of an only child finally having a little brother like Tutor.

But now, Fighter isn’t so sure if that’s what he’s feeling anymore.

“Why did you kiss me?” Tutor’s eyes demanded an answer, unlike the one being questioned, who had no idea if his response would even be the right one.

He was afraid that if he spoke while still so uncertain, it might end up hurting someone.

   Either himself… or the person standing in front of him.

   The one waiting for his answer right now.

   But he doesn’t know. He doesn’t know how to respond. Maybe denying the confusion he’s feeling is the best way out… for both of them.

           WHYARU : Fighter-Tutor CHAPTERS HOME

   WHYARU, Chapter 11:

The weather today was hotter than usual, the temperature matching the heat in his body, making Tutor, who had just returned from 7-Eleven, feel an indescribable thirst. He’d gone to buy some things for himself and for someone who was coming to restart tutoring today.

“Kid!” A shout rang out. Tutor turned to see a familiar face, someone who always showed up around this time. “I’m here to collect the interest today.”

“Yes, sir,” Tutor replied, pulling out four thousand baht from his wallet and handing it over.

“Good job.”

This money was tied to a loan one of his high school friends had taken out, using Tutor’s name as a guarantor. At first, he hadn’t wanted to co-sign. He knew these things couldn’t be trusted, even with close friends or relatives. But his soft heart gave in when his friend, crying and pleading, said the money was for their sick mother’s treatment. Family was everything to Tutor, so despite feeling it wasn’t right, he signed the agreement, trusting that a friend he’d known for years wouldn’t betray him.

But, as people say, money spares no one. The problem he’d gotten himself into unfolded just as he’d feared. That friend, who promised to pay back both principal and interest, vanished three or four months ago. In the end, the entire burden fell on Tutor.

He couldn’t shirk the responsibility—not when his name was prominently on the contract.

And he couldn’t tell anyone about it.

Not his dad, not his mom, and definitely not his older sibling.

Tutor had to swallow his own foolishness and vow never to trust anyone like this again. He couldn’t let himself be softhearted anymore. Never again.

“By the way, how much of the principal is left, sir?”

“Twenty thousand, of course.”

“Sir, I’ve been paying you for months. Why hasn’t the principal gone down?”

“Did you forget? This is floating interest—twenty percent a month. You borrowed twenty thousand, so the interest is four thousand a month, and it doesn’t touch the principal. If you want to reduce the principal, pay the full amount.”

“Come on, Phii. Isn’t this a bit much?” Tutor complained.

“It’s not too much. You came to borrow the money yourself, signed the contract yourself. No one forced you. Don’t let me find out you’re trying to run,” the debt collector said, pointing a finger in his face. “Not that you could, since you’re stuck studying at this university anyway.”    Right.

“How much is the total debt?” Fighter spoke up as the debt collector was about to leave. Tutor looked up, meeting Fighter’s eyes and shaking his head to tell him not to get involved. But did Fighter care? He looked straight at the debt collector again. “So, how much is the total debt?”

“Twenty thousand.”

“Okay. I’ve got the cash right here. Did you bring the contract?”

“Of course I did,” the debt collector grinned, walking to his motorcycle. Meanwhile, Fighter approached Tutor.

“Phii Fai, can you not get involved? You know I don’t like this.”

“I’m not helping you for free. The money I’m paying off, you can deduct it from the English tutoring fees you charge me.”

“…”

“It’s not free help. Just deduct it from the tutoring fees, but… in a way that doesn’t put you in a tough spot, got it?” Fighter’s serious tone made Tutor purse his lips tightly. “Got it?”

“Yeah, I got it.”

“Here’s the contract.” The debt collector approached again, contract in hand. Fighter read it over once more before passing it to Tor beside him. This time, Fighter didn’t forget to sign an agreement with the collector, confirming that the borrowed amount had been fully repaid. “Guess we settled the debt faster than expected, huh, kid? But if you run into trouble again, you know you can call on me.”

The debt collector grinned before riding off on his motorcycle.

“You shouldn’t have done that, Phii,” Tutor said, still worried about the situation. He felt bad because it was a problem he caused, yet Fighter had to step in to help.

“I told you, take that money and deduct it from the tutoring fees. I’m not giving it to you for free,” Fighter said, unintentionally placing his heavy hand on the smaller boy’s head. Their eyes met in that moment, and it stirred a feeling in Tutor that he couldn’t quite explain. He wasn’t sure if it was fate or something else, but lately, whenever he had a problem, Fighter was always the one to lend a hand.

In the end, he wasn’t certain what caused this overwhelming feeling that made his heart race—whether it was the concern his senior showed or the way those eyes were looking at him.

“So… you get it, right?”

“I get it.”

“Good.” The hand that had gently rested on his head was lightly pushed away, along with the racing heartbeat.

“By the way, do you have a spare keycard for your dorm?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Give it to me.”

“Huh?”

“And the key too.”

“What’s with you, Phii Fai?” Tutor frowned, confused. “Is all this really necessary?”

“Yeah, it’s necessary. So if I get to your place first, I can go up and wait in your room.”

“…”

“Hand them over.”

“Alright, alright, why do you have to sound so bossy?” Tutor sighed in exasperation, reluctantly handing over the key and keycard with a sulky expression.

“Because you’re so stubborn,” Fighter said, taking the keycard and key from the smaller boy while giving his head a light tap. Tutor, who had just been teased, could only mutter complaints under his breath, glaring at the guy still smirking annoyingly.

“Hot as hell,” the taller guy grumbled as soon as he stepped into the room. Fighter plopped down cross-legged at the low Japanese-style table, turning the fan directly toward his face as if it were the only thing keeping him alive right now.

Seeing Fighter like that, he didn’t even mention turning on the AC. He probably knew Tutor usually didn’t use it. Last time he came to tutor, he didn’t ask to turn it on either—just got straight to studying. Seeing someone like Fighter, who usually preferred comfort, act like this made Tutor feel a bit sorry for him. In the end, he decided to turn on the AC and then sat back down next to the guy.

“I’ll chip in for the electricity bill,” Fighter said.

“No need. I’m already getting paid to tutor you.”

“Nah, usually you tutor people outside, but this time I’m using your space and the AC. I’m covering the electricity.”

“Phii Fai.”

“Tutor.”

“You know…”

“You already know I don’t like this kind of thing,” Fighter said, mimicking the younger guy’s usual tone.

Tutor pursed his lips slightly, aware he was being teased.

“But you already know what kind of person I am,” Fighter continued. They locked eyes, both fully aware neither would back down. It was just how they were. But then… “How about we meet halfway?”

Maybe it was the second time Phii Fai had given in to him.

The first was when he asked Tutor to come back and tutor.

And this was the second.

“We split the electricity bill. Fifty-fifty, you and me. That work for you?”

“…”

“I’m compromising this much, Tor… Deal?”

“I didn’t say no yet.”

“Alright, settled.” With that, Fighter leaned his head back on the bed, closing his eyes to enjoy the cool air from the AC. Tutor wasn’t in the mood to tease him just yet. He simply turned to grab his books and notebook, setting them on the low Japanese table to prepare for the lesson.

Once Tutor finished arranging his things, he was about to tell the other guy they could start. But when he turned, he caught Fighter’s eyes already on him.

A look that even Fighter himself probably didn’t realize he was giving.

“Something up?”

“Nothing.”

“Ready to study?”

“Absolutely.”

“Okay, let’s start with this then.”

The tutoring session started slowly. Tutor tried to explain the basics of English in the simplest way possible. Honestly, he didn’t think Fighter was dumb at all. If his senior grasped the fundamentals, he could understand things quite easily. But in the past, it was more about not paying attention or not being open to learning, which made everything seem harder than it was and left him uninterested in trying.

Tutor always thought that someone like Fighter, with all his money, must have had countless English tutors. But because he didn’t care or wasn’t interested, he probably ended up canceling those lessons without a second thought.

“Phii Fai, do you understand what I just explained?” Tutor asked, glancing at the guy spinning a pen after nearly two hours of teaching.

“Huh?” But it seemed Fighter’s focus was waning significantly. What had been taught didn’t seem to be sinking in anymore. Especially now, with the taller guy resting his chin in his hand, listening without concentration, his eyes practically begging for a break.

Faced with that look, Tutor could only sigh.

“Let’s take a ten-minute break.”

“Should’ve taken one ages ago,” Fighter said, grabbing his phone and leaning back against the bed, looking sore and tired.

“You’re addicted to your phone.”

“I’m not addicted to my phone,” Fighter looked up to retort.

“I’m addicted to games.”

He answered with a smug eyebrow raise, which was insanely irritating.

“And how’s that different?”

“It’s not, but come here and look at this first.”

“What?”

“Just come on.” Tutor stayed still until the older guy pulled him to sit closer, then handed over his phone.

On the Instagram screen, Tutor saw pictures of himself in the mascot costume from before. The set included solo shots of him handing out flyers and a couple of photos with Phii Fai.

Seeing them made him want to delete them so badly.

With that thought, Tutor actually moved to delete the photos on the screen.

“Hey, hey! What are you doing?” Fighter quickly snatched his phone back.

“Deleting the photos, duh.”

“Who said you could delete them? This is my Instagram.”

“It’s your Instagram, but it’s got my face.”

“I took the photos, so you don’t get to delete them.”

“That’s got nothing to do with it, Phii Fai. Delete them now,” Tutor said, his face showing clear displeasure.

“Why would I delete it? Even Hwahwa complimented it.”

“Complimented what?”

“…”

“…”

“Cute.” As Fighter spoke, he looked up, meeting Tutor’s eyes perfectly. In that moment, it felt like the world stopped spinning. The only thing that didn’t stop was Tutor’s heart, beating faster and faster. “Wanna see?”

Thankfully, Fighter cut in before things got too awkward.

“Mhm.” Tutor nodded and reached for Fighter’s phone to check the comments. The top ones were, of course, from Phii Fai’s friends.

“What’s up with this pair?”

“This is getting serious… is that the kid we met?”

“All aboard! I know he’s got a girlfriend, but I’m still shipping.”

“But I don’t think Phii Fai and Hwahwa are actually dating. Phii Fai’s talking to a bunch of people, so maybe this guy’s one of them too?”

“Bet it’s him.”

“For sure.”

“Here we go, #FighterTutor. Their names alone scream soulmates!”

“So cute, Tor! Next time, wear it and take a pic with Hwa too!”

“+1”

The “+1” at the end was from Day. Lately, he and Hwahwa seemed especially close, but Tutor didn’t ask much about it. He was too exhausted from work to have time for anything else. The other comments were, well, oddly intense for a photo of two guys together. But honestly, Tutor was used to it. On Facebook, whenever Day or Saifah posted couple or group photos, there were always weird comments like these.

But with Phii Fai… Tutor couldn’t quite figure out why he felt strange. Was it because it was a photo of just the two of them? Or was it the events of the day they took the picture that made him feel this way?

“What?” Fighter suddenly raised an eyebrow, probably noticing Tutor staring at him with a curious look.

“Nothing,” Tutor replied, choosing not to voice his thoughts.

“I was just gonna ask if we should keep studying.”

“Man, Tor, I haven’t even had a ten-minute break yet. I’m starving. Wanna order something?”

“I already bought snacks and rice. If you don’t mind, you can eat with me.”

“Who’s gonna complain? I’m more worried you won’t have enough to eat.”

“It’s enough. I bought a ton. Just wait there, Phii. I’ll plate it up.” The room’s owner finished speaking, stood up, and grabbed the rice and snacks he’d bought to put on plates. “No microwave, so it might be a bit cold.”

“Buy one next time.”

“You know I don’t have the money.”

“Then I’ll buy it for you.”

“Phii Fai.” His voice wasn’t as sharp as the glare he shot.

“Why don’t we just get one from your place? You’ve got tons.”

“No way.”

“But I’m gonna be studying here all the time, and I like eating hot food. I’ll bring one here, and I’ll cover half the electricity bill. Think of it as me leaving my microwave at your place. Deal?”

“…”

“Is it a deal, Tor?”

“…”

“Please?”

“Ugh, fine. Do whatever you want, Phii.”

Fighter grinned when Tutor gave in. Truth be told, he didn’t actually have a bunch of microwaves—he just said that to make it sound like he did and planned to buy one to bring over.

Not that he was doing it for Tutor, of course.

It was just for himself, because he liked eating hot food. That’s all.

“What’s got you in such a good mood?” Saifah asked, noticing Day grinning at his phone.

“Yeah, what’s up?” Tutor chimed in, agreeing. Lately, Day had been unusually cheerful, and he wasn’t sure why.

“Nothing!” But instead of answering, Day just shrugged like it was no big deal. “You’re the same, though, Saifah. You’ve been in a great mood lately too, haven’t you?”

“What’s that got to do with me?”

“How’s it not? Don’t think I don’t know, man.”

“I’m asking you, not the other way around. Drop it—the professor’s looking. We’ll get in trouble.” Saifah quickly cut the conversation short, ignoring Day’s half-teasing, half-mocking expression. To Tutor, it was just a small change, and he wasn’t sure what was going on with either of them. Maybe they had girlfriends or were talking to someone they liked. That seemed like the most likely explanation.

But whatever. If they wanted to share, they’d tell him eventually.

Tutor wasn’t much different from them, really. Over the past two or three weeks, he’d barely told his friends anything. Maybe it was the exhaustion from working at Sis Fai’s shop and dealing with Phii Fai, leaving him no time to catch up with them.

Plus, lately, that guy was at his place almost every day. Even when they’d agreed there was no tutoring, Fighter still showed up. Who knows if he was free or just wanted to mess with him? At least he didn’t bother him at work, though sometimes he’d wait around to grab dinner together. Most of the time, he’d just hang out at Tutor’s room, lingering until it was time to go home.

Of course, some days he’d come over and barely study or tutor at all. At first, Tutor was annoyed, but later it felt like talking to a wall. So, he let it go. If Fighter wanted to study, fine. If he just wanted to sit, lie around, or play games, whatever. In the end, Tutor only charged for the actual tutoring time anyway.

“That’s all for today, class dismissed,” the professor said. Students started filing out of the room. Day and Saifah seemed to have other things to do, but Tutor chose to head back to his dorm to study since he had a quiz next week. Luckily, Phii Fai was kind enough to let him take time off to study during exam periods, unlike a certain someone who knew full well about the upcoming quiz but still came to bother him.

Before heading back, Tutor stopped to buy some food and snacks. When he opened the door, he saw someone’s shoes tossed by the entrance.

“Phii Fai, didn’t I tell you to put your shoes in the cabinet?”

“Forgot.”

“Every single time.”

“And you never stop nagging.”

Then follow the rules a bit. You’ve been coming here for weeks, so at least respect the room’s owner.”

“Yeah, yeah, got it,” the guy playing games on the bed said without looking up at Tutor. “Can we skip tutoring today?”

“No tutoring anyway. I told you I have a quiz next week.”

“Oh, right, hydro, yeah? I can help. I got a B in that,” Fighter said, throwing a sly eyebrow raise.

“I’m aiming for an A.”

“High hopes.”

“Just gotta aim high. If I don’t get it, I lose my free tuition,” Tutor said, more to himself than to Fighter, but the older guy overheard.

“You can ask me, though. I might suck at English, but I aced all the engineering calc stuff.”

“Alright, I’ll ask if I need help,” Tutor replied. “So, when are you heading back?”

“Barely here ten minutes and you’re kicking me out?”

“Good that you know. Now hurry up and go. I need to study.”

“Not going. I’m sleepy. I’m gonna crash.”

“If you’re sleepy, go sleep at your place, Fai.”

“Can’t I just sleep here?”

“Very funny,” Fighter said, raising an eyebrow. The smaller guy tilted his head, glaring at the person on the bed with annoyance.

“Not joking. I just figured sleeping here’s convenient since I’m coming back tomorrow anyway.”

“For what? I’ve got midterms coming up, Phii Fai. You don’t need to come. Even if you do, I won’t have time to tutor you.”

“I’m not coming for tutoring. I’m coming to take you to my place to pick up the microwave. Don’t you remember?” How could he forget? Fighter had practically forced him to take it. But since he hadn’t mentioned it again, Tutor thought he’d forgotten.

“Why didn’t you just bring it to me?”

“It’s your stuff, so you gotta come get it yourself.”

“It’s not mine. Guess I’m not going then.”

“Hey, no way. We already agreed you’d take one for here,” Fighter said, his tone serious. Naturally, the guy who hadn’t agreed in the first place just pouted.

“But I don’t need it. It’s not even necessary.”

“Well, I need it.”

“What’s that got to do with me?”

“Ugh, Tor.”

“…”

“Come on, just go. Tomorrow, there’s a chef at my place making hotel-quality desserts. I want you to come taste them. They’re for a product launch at my dad’s company, and they need people to test them. Plus, if you go, you might pick up some tips from the chef.”

“…”

“Didn’t you say you started baking because your sister loves it? If you learn something new and make it taste even better, isn’t that worth it?”

“…” Tutor stayed silent, his face showing hesitation about what to do.

“So, you going or not? I’m counting to five. If you don’t go, forget it. One… two… three… four…”

“I’ll go,” Tutor cut in before Fighter could finish. “Fine, I’ll go.”

But that “fine” still irritated Fighter, even though he was secretly thrilled.

Tutor hid a small smile. He tried to suppress his excitement so the other guy wouldn’t notice, then walked over to plate the boxed food he’d bought instead.

“What’s that?!” Fighter shouted, trying to tease the younger one.

“Red pork rice,” Tutor replied calmly, unfazed, instead of jumping in surprise.

“Man, what’s that? Not even gonna flinch for me?”

“You do this every time. Have you ever seen me get startled?” Tutor said, turning his attention back to the red pork rice in front of him.

“You bought two boxes, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“One’s for me, right?”

“Nope. One’s for my dinner, and the other’s for breakfast tomorrow. Nothing to do with you, Phii Fai.”

“Liar.” The taller guy chuckled, lightly ruffling Tutor’s hair. “If you bought it for me, just say so. And then you try to shoo me home? Not cute at all, Nong Tutor.”

Fighter used that tone again, calling his full name while giving him a tender look. But that wasn’t even the worst of it—his fingertips brushed against Tutor’s cheek.

Lately, Fighter had been acting strange. His behavior, his tone. Sure, he was still a bit of a tease, but there was something new.

Something that made Tutor’s heart skip a beat.

“…”

“Come here… I’ll open it.” Fighter pulled his hand away from Tutor’s cheek and reached for the food container. “You go clear the stuff off the Japanese table. Once you’re done, I’ll bring the food over. Hurry up.”

“Alright, alright,” Tutor muttered, setting his things down and heading to clear the documents off the low table as Fighter instructed.

This table was everything, wasn’t it? A place for tutoring, eating, watching movies. Usually, it was just him sitting here alone, but over the past couple of weeks, it hadn’t been just him anymore.

Phii Fai had started joining him.

And honestly, it was nice.

Really nice. Sure, Tutor had close friends like Zon, Hwahwa, or faculty buddies like Saifah and Day, but that didn’t mean they hung out all the time. With his work schedule, it was hard to find time to go anywhere with them. They’d only occasionally meet up to eat or chat. Even if they checked in on LINE, it wasn’t the same as sitting face-to-face, eating, and talking like he did with Phii Fai now.

Did he feel anything back when Phii Fai wasn’t around? Was he ever lonely?

   Honestly, he couldn’t fully answer that. He’d been so focused on work that he hadn’t thought much about it.

   But now, tutoring someone from his code line like Phii Fai made him realize things were better now.

   So much better, to the point that he’s scared of how he’d feel if one day it was gone…

       WHYARU : Fighter-Tutor CHAPTERS HOME

   WHYARU, Chapter 10:

“See you tomorrow, Tor. Come early, okay? I’ll have the flyers and uniform ready for you,” Sis Fai said.

“Yes, Sis Fai.” Tutor gave her a wai, then turned and walked away. As he passed someone, he didn’t even think to acknowledge them. He just kept walking as if he didn’t see them, until Fighter, who’d been waiting, ran after him. Only then did Tutor glance back briefly before turning away again.

“Wow, not even a hello?” Fighter grumbled, glancing at the smaller figure. Seeing no response other than a blank expression, he let out a soft sigh. “Fine, don’t call out to me. But at least thank the guy who helped you hit your sales target, right?”

“I didn’t ask for it.”

“But I kept you from getting fired, Tor.”

“But I almost got fired because of you too,” Tutor raised his voice. He nearly lost his job because Fighter called the main office, causing a big fuss that Sis Fai had to step in to handle. Luckily, Sis Fai didn’t fire him—just gave him a lecture and assigned him to hand out flyers tomorrow as punishment.

“My fault, huh?”

“Yeah, exactly.”

“It’s just handing out flyers.”

“Just handing out flyers isn’t the issue. I have to wear a mascot costume too. Who knows what kind of outfit Sis Fai prepared?” He was worried because the photos in the staff room showed employees in mascot costumes that were anything but ordinary—some were downright suggestive and not at all suitable for a guy like him.

“I was just trying to help,” Fighter’s voice softened noticeably, his expression showing a hint of guilt, even if just a little.

“There are tons of ways to help, Phii Fai. I don’t get why you always try to solve problems with money.”

“Because money solves everything. Like today—if I hadn’t helped buy stuff, you think you’d have sold anything?”

“Of course I would’ve.”

“Sold what? I saw you trying to sell to three or four customers, and you didn’t close a single deal. Even if you did, it’d probably be just one or two pieces, not the big batch I got for you.”

“Even if that’s true, it’s still better. At least it would’ve been from my own effort… not because of someone else.”

“…”

“Not because of you.” After saying that, Tutor’s face showed clear exasperation. He felt bad about Fighter’s words again. It was Fighter’s fault—he was the one who took pride in selling everything out for him.

“Alright, alright,” Fighter’s tone softened further. “I get it— you don’t like people doing stuff like this for you.”

“…”

“I won’t do it again.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I promise. But can I ask you something? This stubborn pride of yours—try toning it down a bit. If it’s too high, you might end up with nothing to eat.”

“Maybe you should tone it down too.”

“Tone what down?”

“Your overconfidence. Dial it back a bit, or you’ll end up with no one to hang out with. Ouch!” Tutor got pushed on the head by his senior, nearly stumbling forward. Not only that, but Fighter followed it up with a smug, annoying grin. All Tutor could do was shoot him a glare of frustration and walk ahead of him.

“By the way, when you’re handing out flyers tomorrow, what mascot costume did Sis Fai tell you to wear?”

“Dunno yet.”

“Then I’ll come watch.”

“You free?”

“Free enough to see you in that mascot costume.” The teasing smile wasn’t as annoying as the look on that guy’s face, which made Tutor want to claw at him. What kind of person is this, always wanting to mess with others endlessly?

And yeah, he probably wanted to mess with Tutor a lot too.

Sorry, Sis Fai, but the one doing the messing around here is me, not you…

The next day

   “Thanks for the ride, man,” Fighter said to Dew, unbuckling his seatbelt.

“No problem. But what’re you doing around here?”

“Errands.”

“What kind of errands require parking the car somewhere else?”

“It’s hard to find parking around here.”

“You sure?” Dew squinted suspiciously at his friend.

“Yeah.”

“Why do I feel like these ‘errands’ are you keeping an eye on someone who might be your nong code?”

“Not keeping an eye on anyone.”

“But you’re here every day.”

“I’m just trying to get my tutor to come back and teach me English.”

“Hope that’s true, cause I’m more worried it’s something else.”

“Enough. It’s definitely not what you’re thinking,” Fighter said, shaking his head at his friend with a resigned look. He got out of the car, not dwelling on his friend’s words. Fighter didn’t want to focus on what he was doing right now. All he knew was he wanted the kid to come back and tutor him in English. That’s it.

That’s all he was thinking about, honestly.

“Phii Fai.” A voice called out. Fighter, who was leaning against the wall playing on his phone, looked up at the person who had just walked out of the shop.

The sight made Fighter break into a smile, almost laughing, but the person in the costume was already glaring at him with obvious displeasure.

“Suits you perfectly,” Tutor in the cat mascot costume looked oddly fitting, in a way that was hard to describe. The bulky mascot head in his hands was so awkward that Fighter couldn’t resist pulling out his phone to snap a picture.    “Doesn’t suit me at all. It’s ridiculous.”

“It suits you, come on. Let’s take a photo.”

“Who wants to take a photo?”

“Me, that’s who. Come on, quick!” Fighter said, walking over to sling an arm around the still-grumpy Tutor. “Come on, smile a bit. It’s for the picture!”

But, as expected, Tutor didn’t smile. He glanced at the camera occasionally, but his face stayed stubbornly sulky—irritatingly adorable.

“Not gonna smile?”

“Not funny, Phii Fai. I’m about to start work.”

“Just one smile for the photo.”

“Nope.”

“Harsh, dude.”

“…”

“Alright, alright, I’ll stop bugging you,” Fighter relented, letting Tutor get back to work. He walked off to sit in a corner nearby. Normally, Fighter didn’t hang around watching Tutor work. Since Tutor worked inside the shop, he didn’t bother him much. The one time he did, when some products got knocked over and scattered across the floor, he didn’t dare meddle again. Usually, he’d only tease Tutor when he was wiping windows or after work in the evening.

But today was different. Tutor was right there in front of him, diligently handing out flyers and promoting the shop’s deals with full effort.

Seeing this, Fighter couldn’t help but wonder how exhausting it must be for someone struggling and working so hard to support their studies. Just watching made him feel tired—how much worse must it be for Tutor, who had to do it all himself?

In the end, a thought struck him.

   But he wasn’t sure if it was too late…

   …

Under the pitch-black sky with fewer people around, Tutor leaned against the wall, thinking back to a few hours earlier.

He’d just finished handing out flyers, and man, it was exhausting—so exhausting… but also kind of fun. Maybe because Tutor had never done anything like this before. He never knew what it was like to stand under the sun and wind, handing out flyers. But after trying it, he understood a bit of what flyer distributors went through—why they were so eager to hand them all out. Because once they were done, they could rest, go home. But if they didn’t finish, they’d have to keep going until every last one was gone.

“How’s it going? Tired?” The familiar voice made Tutor open his eyes to see Fighter sitting down beside him. He glanced at the younger one, who was practically slumping onto the floor.

“Exhausted, but it was kinda fun.”

“Must be hot as hell in there,” Fighter said, eyeing the cat costume Tutor still hadn’t taken off. The cat head lying beside him never failed to make Fighter chuckle.

“Super hot, but I can handle it. Why all the questions? Wanna try it on? I can take it off for you.”

“Nah, I don’t think it suits me. Looks good on you, though, little kitty.” That sly grin told Tutor one thing: Fighter was definitely enjoying seeing him like this.

“Having a blast, aren’t you, seeing me like this?”

“A little.”

“Your face doesn’t look like ‘a little.’”

“Maybe.” Fighter’s annoying smirk made Tutor let out a weary sigh. He could pick up on the older guy’s teasing tendencies, but he didn’t expect it to be this intense.

“So, when are you changing out of that?”

“In a bit.”

“It’s getting late, man. Hurry up and change so we can grab a taxi together.”

“You didn’t bring your car?”

“If I did, would you ride with me?”

“…”

“Nah, I parked it at your dorm instead.”

“…”

“Stop looking at me like that. Get up already so we can go.” Fighter’s scolding tone made Tutor too tired to argue. He got up, went back into the shop, washed his face, and then joined Fighter in the taxi.

“To the alley across from the university, XX, the one with the

7-Eleven,” Fighter said. When the driver nodded, he slid into the car.

Tutor followed, leaning back against the seat, feeling at ease. The cool air from the AC was so relaxing he could’ve fallen asleep right then. Whether it was their familiarity or sheer exhaustion, Tutor eventually leaned his head against Fighter’s shoulder, completely drained.

“Hmm?”

“Let me lean for a bit.”

“Gonna charge you for it.”

“Come on, Phii Fai. It’s just a little lean.”

“Just a little? You leaned your whole head on me like that.”

“…”

“Do you think I’m heavy, Tor?”

“Not heavy…” Tutor said, pursing his lips slightly before adjusting his head to rest more comfortably on his senior’s shoulder.

“Tor,” a soft call of his name came close to his ear. Tutor hummed in acknowledgment but didn’t say anything. “Will you come back to tutor me?”

“No.”

“Then what will it take for you to come back?”

“I already told you what you need to say.”

“…”

“If you can’t say it, I’m not coming back.” Tutor spoke to Fighter with his eyes still closed. He was certain Phii Fai would never plead with him properly, and it would just end the same way as always.

“Nong Tor.”

“…”

“I want you to come back and tutor me in English like before. I promise I’ll study seriously and won’t play on my phone while you’re teaching me anymore.”

Tutor frowned. He was quite surprised that Fighter would say something like this. Slowly, he shifted from resting his head on Fighter’s shoulder to turning his face toward him, placing his chin on the shoulder instead.

“Mm-hmm, and then what?”

“Come back, please…”

“…”

“Please.”

Thump, thump.

Besides the sudden, unexplainable pounding of his heart, the look in Fighter’s eyes was something Tutor had never experienced before. Maybe it was because the other’s face was so close, making his cheeks flush unusually.

“So, what’s it gonna be?”

“Mm.”

“Mm, what?”

“I’ll come back.”

“Back where?”

“Phii Fai, can you stop teasing me already?”

“Hey, who’s supposed to know what you’re going back to do?”

“Going back to tutor you, obviously…”

“Took you long enough to agree.”

“It was never hard for me. You’re the one making it difficult.” Tutor pouted slightly and turned his face away from the annoying smirk of the taller guy. His heart, which had been pounding earlier, was slowly calming down.

Tutor couldn’t figure out why his heart raced like that.

Maybe because Phii Fai never spoke nicely to him.

Or maybe because… whatever, it didn’t matter.

“Why’re you smiling so much?”

“Nothing.”

“So thrilled I agreed to this, huh?”

“Kinda.”

“Man, get your head off my shoulder already.”

“Not moving.”

“Being stubborn, huh?”

“Not stubborn.”

“Just annoying.” Fighter said, shifting the shoulder someone was leaning on.

“You already know how I am.”

“…”

“Good that you know.”

“But I want to know more.”

“Huh?” Tutor wasn’t sure what Fighter said, as he mumbled it like he was talking to himself more than to him. “Did you just say something?”

“I said if you’re gonna sleep, sleep. I’ll wake you when we get there. Traffic’s like this, so it’ll probably take a while.”

“Mmm…” Maybe it was the big hand of the taller guy gently ruffling his hair, but the urge to argue faded almost instantly.

He didn’t know if Phii Fai would actually study seriously like he promised once they got back.

“If you just promise to study seriously and stop playing on your phone, that’s enough.”

        WHYARU : Fighter-Tutor CHAPTERS HOME

   WHYARU, Chapter 09:

It was raining again.

Tutor gazed at the rain with a wistful look. The dark sky mixed with the chill made the slim figure hunch his shoulders against the cold. Still, Tutor stretched out a hand to catch the raindrops falling from the roof. The rain in front of him reminded him of a soft bed and a thick blanket. If he could curl up in them right now, it’d be pretty nice.

“Here…” A deep voice sounded beside him. Fighter sat down next to Tutor and handed him something. “The rice at 7-Eleven was sold out, so I got some bread instead. You can eat this, right?”

“For me?”

“You’re sitting here alone, who else would I give it to? Day?”

“Jerk.”

“Who’re you calling that?”

“You’re sitting here alone, so I must be talking about Day, right?” Tutor pouted at the taller guy, who couldn’t resist playfully pushing Tutor’s head in annoyance. “Ouch!”

“Overreacting much?”

“Not overreacting, you really pushed me hard!” The smaller one kept complaining.

“Yeah, yeah, hard, whatever. Just take the bread already.”

“Got it,” Tutor reached out to take the bread handed to him.

“Thanks.”

“Mm,” Fighter grunted in acknowledgment, then looked out at the rain ahead. Earlier, he’d invited the guy beside him to grab some food, but with the rain pouring like this, they ended up stuck here eating bread instead.

“Looks like the rain’s gonna keep pouring for a while.”

“Yeah.”

“I just wanna go back and sleep,” Tutor mumbled, taking a bite of the bread.

“Wanna make a run for it through the rain?”

“No way. I’m scared of lightning.” Fighter didn’t quite catch what the smaller guy said, maybe because of the pounding rain or because Tutor had scooted closer to him, throwing him off focus.

“Cold?”

“Mm.”

“Want to borrow my jacket?” Fighter asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“I am, but if someone begs nicely, I’d be happy to lend it.”

“…”

“Come on, beg.”

“Nope.”

“Phii Fai, I really want your jacket.”

“Didn’t sound like you meant it.”    “Phii Fai, can you give it to me?”

“Shut up.”

“Are you embarrassed?”

“Funny. Why would someone like me be embarrassed?”

“If you’re not embarrassed, then look at me.” The older guy tilted his head, giving a teasing glance at the smaller one, making Tutor unable to resist looking up and meeting Fighter’s eyes again.

He didn’t know what kind of look Fighter was giving him, nor could he recall how many minutes had passed. The next thing he knew, the guy beside him turned his gaze away to the rain, munching on the bread in his hand instead. No more words were exchanged between them. The reddened ears of the slimmer figure caught his eye, and he couldn’t help but smirk unconsciously. The heavy rain pouring down somehow carried a faint warmth, especially around the shoulder where he was leaning.

It was a warmth he couldn’t quite explain.

He didn’t understand why he felt this way either.

 

   12:14 AM

   Normally, at this hour, the roads would be nearly empty, but because it had poured heavily less than an hour ago, many cars were still out. Luckily, Fighter knew a shortcut and managed to escape the hellish traffic.

“Yo, Tor. We’re at your dorm.”

“…”

“Wake up already. Why’re you so sleepy?”

“…”

“Tor.” Not only did the driver raise his voice, but he also reached out to shake the smaller guy awake.

“Mmm.” The groggy, reluctant sound from the passenger made him feel a bit guilty for waking him.

But come on. Was he supposed to let him sleep in the car?

“Tutor, wake up.”

Thud!

Something that had been in his hand fell to the floor, startling the previously groggy Tutor awake. Fighter looked at the newly awakened guy with confusion as Tutor fumbled, searching for the phone that had fallen beside the seat. Finally, the taller one reached over to turn on the light.

“Can you grab it?”

“Almost.” He said “almost,” but in truth, he couldn’t find it at all. Tutor seemed too out of it to pick up the phone right next to him.

“Got it yet?”

“Still haven’t found it? I was this close,” Tutor said. The person sitting with him let out a soft sigh. Fighter unbuckled his seatbelt, reached over, and grabbed Tutor’s shoulders to keep him still.

“Stay put. I’ll find it,” Fighter said, immediately twisting his body to grab the phone from the gap by the driver’s seat. At first, he didn’t even realize how close his face was to Tutor’s while fumbling for the phone. It wasn’t until he looked up and locked eyes with the younger guy, who was rolling his eyes in annoyance, that he noticed.

In that moment, something—maybe the cheeky look on his junior’s face or his own irritation—spurred Fighter to lean even closer to the younger guy.

“Phii Fai…” A low, muttering voice hinted at Tutor’s displeasure, but he couldn’t do much about it. The older guy didn’t seem to care and moved even closer.

In the end, Tutor could only turn his face away toward the window, leaving the car owner to keep searching for the phone.

“!?” It was at that exact moment when Fighter’s sharp nose brushed past Tutor’s cheek. Tutor whipped back around, glaring with wide, displeased eyes at Fighter’s actions. But the culprit didn’t seem to care one bit, just flashing a smug grin as he pulled the phone out from the gap by the driver’s seat.

No conversation.

No music.

The rain outside had stopped long ago.

All that was left, growing clearer by the second, was the sound of their warm breaths.

“Tor,” Fighter finally broke the awkward silence. “If you wanna come back and tutor me… I’m willing to pay you more per hour.”

It’s not that Tutor didn’t understand. He always knew that people with money solved problems with money. But with Fighter, he wished the guy would learn to ask for things properly sometimes.

   Not everything could be bought with cash.

   “So, what’s it gonna be?”

“Nope,” the younger one rejected flatly, snatching his phone back. “I’ve already got a job.”

With that, Tutor smacked the phone against Fighter’s forehead in irritation.

“Hey, Tor…”

“You talk too much. Move already,” Tutor didn’t wait for a response, shoving Fighter’s shoulder out of the way before unbuckling his seatbelt and hopping out of the car.

“What’s his deal?” Fighter muttered, rubbing his forehead in confusion. He watched the younger guy walk away, not quite understanding, but a faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as a thought crossed his mind.

“You’re really damn stubborn.”

But that’s fine. If you wanna play it like this, let’s see who ends up being Zero.

Over the past few days, Tutor had been learning the ropes at the new shop quite well. The senior staff taught him various tasks. At first, his main duties were cleaning, stocking shelves, and even handling the cash register for customers. But the primary task that became the routine for a newbie like him was cleaning the shop’s front windows.

“Wanna eat?” And every time he came out to clean the windows, there was always someone who showed up to annoy him.

“Phii Fai,” Tutor said, eyeing the person leaning against the wall not far away, smirking mischievously while offering him a snack. Tutor, busy with his work, couldn’t help but retort, “Are you free today or what?”

Honestly, he’d noticed Phii Fai had been free for a while now—not just today. But he couldn’t figure out why the guy kept coming to bother him every day. Just last week, Phii Fai caused trouble that got Tutor scolded by Sis Fai.

“Sorry, Sis Fai. I’ll make sure to finish arranging the products by today.”

“I’ll cover the compensation myself, Sis.”

“Compensation? No need. Just help finish arranging the products, and most importantly, don’t mess around and knock things over again.”

Tutor wasn’t the one messing around. It was Phii Fai who caused him to stumble into the products in the first place.

“Stop glaring at me.”

“You were teasing me.”

“I wasn’t teasing.”

“You were!”

“Enough, stop arguing. Hurry up and finish so you can move on to other tasks.”

Back then, Tutor still remembered the teasing grin on Phii Fai’s face. Even though she didn’t say it outright, he could tell the assistant manager thought there was something going on between him and Phii Fai. And it wasn’t just Sis Fai—other staff seemed to think the same.

“He’s back to see the kid again, huh? So cute!”

“The kid’s not giving in at all. I feel bad for the senior.”

“But this is good, right? We get to keep witnessing these moments.”

“Squeee! So adorable. I just wanna ship them already.”

“Haven’t you already started shipping them?”

“Shh, don’t say it so loud. The kid might hear.”

Truth be told, Tutor knew from the first comment that some staff, including Sis Fai, were pairing him with Phii Fai. He just pretended not to notice. As for Phii Fai, he acted oblivious, playing dumb from the first day Tutor started working here and still doing so now.

“So, what’s the deal, Phii Fai? Coming to bother me so

often—got too much free time or what?”

“I’m free, you know. Nothing to do.”

“If you’re that free, shouldn’t you take Hwa out somewhere nice, Phii? Do something good for her instead of bothering me while I’m working. Plus, I feel bad for Sis Fai—I’m scared she’ll scold me.”

“Sis Fai doesn’t scold. She’s super nice.” Of course, you’re all buddy-buddy with her.

“As for Hwa, I probably don’t have time to take her anywhere.”

“Why is that?”

“Because she thinks you’re tutoring me in English again.”

“Phii Fai? Why’d you say that? Why do you keep lying?”

“I didn’t lie. I just figured you’d end up tutoring me again anyway.”

“Give me a reason why I would.”

“Because I can’t find another tutor.”

“And you told Hwa that reason too, huh? How did she believe you?” Because Hwahwa should know Tutor well enough to know he wouldn’t come back without an apology from someone who insulted him. And someone like Phii Fai, who kept messing with him, was either doing it to annoy him or because he wanted to mess with Zon—probably the latter, given his personality.    “I didn’t tell her much. Just said you were coming back.” “That’s it?”

“Yup. That’s it.”

“Weird,” Tutor muttered, sounding skeptical. But it was true— Fighter had only told Hwahwa that much, and she didn’t pry too hard about Tutor tutoring him again. Maybe it was because they hadn’t been talking or texting as much as before, creating a gap that made their relationship drift apart.

But there was more to it. Just a few days ago, Dew had told him that Hwahwa and Day had been getting especially close lately, going to movies and eating out together often.

“Don’t you think it’s kinda weird that your girl is getting so close with Day?”

   “Do I need to feel something about it? Hwa and I aren’t even together.”

   “What about someone else? Would you feel something then?”

   “Someone else? Who?”

   “Who else? Your junior, Nong Tor, the one you’ve been hanging around a lot lately.”

   “Pfft, funny. I don’t feel anything for him or anyone else.” That’s how Fighter answered Dew, though he wasn’t entirely sure of his own response. But one thing he was certain of was that he wanted to mess with his junior, to get Tutor to come back and tutor him in English again—not because he begged, but because Tutor chose to do it on his own.

   “Why’re you looking at me like that?” Fighter asked the younger guy, who was squinting at him suspiciously.

“Trying to make up with me, huh?”

“Who’s making up?”

“You are. You’re begging me, right?” Tutor leaned his face closer to Fighter’s. “Begging me to tutor you again.”

“I’m not begging, idiot. I already said I want you to come back and tutor.”

“Totally begging.”

“Nope.”

“If you’re begging, try asking nicely. I might consider it.”

“No way.”

“Just say… ‘Nong Tor, I want you to come back and tutor me in English.’”

“Funny.”

“Say, ‘I promise to study hard and not play on my phone during lessons anymore.’”

“…”

“Come on, Nong Tor, please come back and tutor me,” Tutor teased with a pout, while Fighter stayed unmoved, ignoring him and showing no sign of giving in to the request.

The smaller guy shook his head in exasperation. He looked at the stubborn jerk who clearly would never know how to ask for anything in this lifetime. Out of pure annoyance, Tutor grabbed a spray bottle and spritzed Fighter. “Oops, sorry, I’m cleaning the glass. Could the customer please not block the storefront?”

“Tor!!”

“Really sorry, sir. Please step aside. If you’re not buying anything, don’t loiter in front of the shop like this.” Tutor spoke with a teasing eyebrow raise. “Otherwise, people might say you’re not only blocking the way but bullying the staff too.”

“I didn’t do anything to you!”

“Oh, really?” As soon as he said it, Tutor put on a sulky face, looking like someone who’d just been picked on. His expression and demeanor were enough to make passersby glance at them suspiciously.

“You little—” Fighter knew Tutor wasn’t as cute or sweet as his appearance suggested. The guy had a tough side he’d seen before, and a mischievous streak that left someone like him at a loss, like right now.

Before walking away from the shop, Fighter reached out, pushed Tutor’s head, and raised a teasing eyebrow back at him. The guy who got pushed shot him a slight glare but couldn’t do anything since Fighter was already walking off.

He wasn’t sure if he was imagining it, but it felt like they were waging a little war, both waiting for the other to give in. And, well, it was kind of fun.

“Ugh, so annoying. The head office is pushing sales targets again. Can’t skip it either, or Sis Fai will chew us out,” a uniformed employee, dressed like Tutor, grumbled just as Tutor was passing by.

“Tell me about it. I haven’t sold much myself. I’m worried if we don’t hit the target, we won’t get the year-end bonus either.”

“But honestly, that new kid, Tutor, is pretty good-looking. If we let him handle sales, I bet he could pull it off.”

“Are you crazy? He’s been here less than a month. Would Sis Fai be okay with that? It feels like we’re dumping the responsibility on him.”

“It’ll be fine, trust me. At this point, we all need to pitch in. I’ll talk to him myself. He seems like the sympathetic type. If we tell him it’s about hitting targets or part of his probation period, I bet he’ll help us.”

“Here’s hoping,” the two employees exchanged a few more words before heading back into the shop. Meanwhile, Fighter, who had initially planned to go home, changed course, swapped out his wet clothes, and returned to the shop.

The first thing Fighter saw was Tutor standing there, trying to sell to a group of customers. The kid’s face looked stressed, and it was obvious he wasn’t the type to enjoy pressuring people into buying.

When a sale didn’t go through, his expression showed a hint of frustration, but he still pushed on, trying to sell to another group.

Seeing this, Fighter couldn’t help but feel a strange pang. This whole situation—Tutor having to sell and hit targets—stemmed from the day he’d insulted him.

He didn’t know how to help. Offering direct assistance would likely be rejected by Tutor, that stubborn guy. So, there was only one thing he could do.

“Sorry, kid. I’m not interested right now. Maybe next time,” a customer said.

“No worries, thank you so much anyway!” Tutor flashed a wide smile at the third customer to reject him since the senior staff told him he needed to meet the shop’s sales targets. Honestly, Tutor had never had to sell or hit quotas like this before, but since it was part of the job, he was determined to give it his all.

“Hey, kid,” a voice called from behind.

“Yes?”

“I’m interested in this brand. Could you recommend something for me?”

“This brand, right?”

“Yeah. Can you give me some suggestions?”

“Of course! Please, come this way,” Tutor said. Amid the despair, a glimmer of hope appeared. And this wasn’t a small purchase—it was a big one, so big that Tutor couldn’t help but ask, “You’re taking all of this?”

“Yup, the whole lot. I’m buying these as gifts for some friends. Just ring it up for me, alright?”

“Alright.” Tutor led the two customers to the counter to ring them up. The total came to nearly 20,000 baht. He couldn’t help but feel a bit proud that a newbie like him had managed this.

“The total is 18,451 baht.”

“Okay, hold on a sec,” one of the customers said, pulling out money to count. But their expression turned odd while counting, making Tutor feel a bit uneasy. “Phii, we’re short on cash. Should we just use the card and settle with Fai later?”    Fai?

“Yeah, use the card for now. We’ll deal with him later,” the other customer said, handing over a credit card.

“The Fai you’re talking about isn’t Fighter, the fourth-year engineering student, right?”

“Uh…”

“If he’s Phii Fai’s friend and he told you to do this, I’m sorry, but I won’t sell to you.” It wasn’t about pride or anything, but it was exhausting how someone like Fai kept trying to solve problems by throwing money around. The pride Tutor felt from making his first big sale was crushed under Fai’s actions.

“Wait a second, hold on,” the female customer said. “Let me call Fai so we can sort this out properly.” She dialed someone, but even if she got him here, Tutor had no intention of selling to them.

He was angry, plain and simple.

   Angry that Fighter had these ridiculous ideas again.

   Angry that Fai kept belittling him over and over.

   And angry that he didn’t know how to make Fighter understand that money wasn’t always the answer to everything. At the very least, his feelings couldn’t be bought with cash.

   The pride he felt, trampled like this, only reinforced that Fighter never learned. He never understood that hurting someone by looking down on them wasn’t just about words.

   Actions could make you feel just as bad.

           WHYARU : Fighter-Tutor CHAPTERS HOME

   WHYARU, Chapter 08:

It had been over a week, probably, since Hwahwa called him to ask why he canceled the tutoring session. Fighter didn’t have an answer for her question. When they talked, someone was already prepared to refuse outright. Tutor had no intention of resuming the English tutoring, and Hwahwa didn’t know what else she could do to convince him. If Tutor said no, it was simply no.

Honestly, Fighter wasn’t too bothered. If Tutor didn’t want to teach him, he didn’t care.

But part of what Hwahwa said—about apologizing to Tutor and how bad Tutor’s situation was—made him pause and think.

Fighter’s mind drifted back to that day when Tutor, soaked to the bone, climbed into his car. It was probably the first day Tutor went job hunting. The image of his drenched figure and exhausted eyes still lingered in Fighter’s mind. Even though he sometimes tried to brush it off, every time he heard Tutor’s name or saw him pass by, that image came rushing back.

“Hey, Fai… isn’t that Tor, your junior?” Dew asked, nodding toward a slim figure in a perfectly neat student uniform who had just pushed open the door to the coffee shop across from where they were standing.

“Yeah,” Fighter replied to his close friend, his eyes following the person who had just entered the shop. In Tutor’s hand was a folder that Fighter recognized as job application documents.

“What’s he doing around here? Dressed all proper like he’s applying for a job.”

“Probably applying for a job, yeah.”

“Why’s he applying? For experience or something?”

“Nah, his family’s got some issues. Seems like he has to pay for his studies himself.”

“Oh, really?” Dew nodded in understanding. “So that’s why he was taking on tutoring gigs before—to cover his school fees, huh?”

“Mm.”

“And the tutor Hwahwa found for you last time… that was Tor, right?”

“Yeah, but he’s not teaching anymore.”

“Huh? Why’s that? Poor kid.”

“…”

“It’s not like I’m out here job hunting because you wouldn’t let the kid tutor, right?” Fighter didn’t respond. The questioner didn’t dare press further, as the look Fighter shot at Tutor made Dew hesitant to ask anything reckless.

“Whatever, let’s just go. Dew just messaged, they’re waiting.”

Fighter didn’t say anything. He just nodded and followed his close friend. But he couldn’t help glancing back at the shop one more time. The sight was of a small figure walking out with a frustrated expression. Tutor’s body language was clear enough to guess.

“Yo, Fai.”

Tutor probably didn’t get the job.

Annoying, but whatever. Whether someone got a job or not had nothing to do with him.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming.” He tore his eyes away from the figure and walked toward Dew.

The usual hangout spot he and his high school friends used to gather at had a nice vibe. The view from the second floor, where you could watch people pass by, was another thing Fighter liked. They didn’t meet up here often, but when they did, they’d spend hours talking about random stuff, like now, when more than three hours had already passed.

“You look kinda stressed, Fai.”

“Do I? I feel normal,” Fighter said, taking another sip from the glass in front of him. He shrugged lightly, as if to tell his friends he wasn’t stressed at all.

“Bullshit.”

“I’m not.”

“Your face says otherwise. We’ve been eating here for three hours, and we can practically count the sentences you’ve said.”    “True.” The other friends nodded in agreement with Dew.

“Is there something we don’t know about? Keeping quiet like this, we might have to pry your mouth open.”

“What could there be? I’m fine,” Fighter said in a flat tone, not feeling anything was off about himself.

“Or maybe you’re fighting with Hwahwa?” When no answer came, they guessed again.

“Not fighting.”

“Yeah, right. How could you fight when you’re not even dating? Not sure if you even care enough to argue with her,” someone chimed in, as if they knew he wouldn’t bother with someone he wasn’t serious about.

“Exactly. I bet it’s just lack of sleep messing with him.”

“Or maybe he’s overthinking about a certain someone,” Dew cut in, raising an eyebrow teasingly. Fighter shook his head, knowing full well that Dew and the others wouldn’t drop it. The “certain someone” Dew just dropped like a bomb was definitely going to stir things up.

“Who’s this ‘someone’? Why don’t we know?” The teasing voices of his friends made Fai let out a frustrated sigh.

“Your junior, huh? This evening, I saw you staring after him with those pitiful puppy eyes. I can tell you feel sorry for him.”

“Sorry about what?”

“He’s out there looking for a job, right? Probably has family issues, so he’s working to pay for school, yeah, Fai?” Dew turned to Fighter with a sly grin, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah.”

“Whoa, sounds like the kid’s got some problems.”

“If you feel that sorry for him, why don’t you just take him in, you idiot? What’s so hard about throwing money at it? Man, my friend’s not just rich—he’s dumb as hell too,” one of Fighter’s high school friends said in a mocking tone, prompting Fighter to fling a soda cap at his face.

“But your junior’s a guy, dude,” Dew said loudly, making the group’s eyes light up. They hadn’t expected Fighter to take an interest in another guy.

“Enough, you guys. Stop looking so curious. I’m still the same. I don’t like guys that way, and besides, me and that kid don’t even get along.”

“If you don’t get along, then make it work. What’s so hard? And the guy thing isn’t even an issue. I just wanna know if the kid’s cute or not.”

“…”

“No answer? Fine, I’ll ask Dew.” Day turned to Dew, who was sitting across from Fighter. “So, what’s the deal, Dew? Is this junior guy cute? Is he small?”

“Not small, just a bit shorter than Fai, I think. Cute? For me… yeah, I’d say he’s cute. Kinda endearing, maybe cause he’s got that cheeky look. And his build—pretty slim, kinda striking. Overall, he’s definitely decent.”

“Then what’re you waiting for? Take him in, problem solved. You’ve got money, just support him.”

“Support what? He’s so damn stubborn. Just thinking about it gives me a headache. Even when Hwa got him to tutor me, he was so annoying I told him to quit.”

“Was he annoying, or were you just running your mouth? With a personality like Tor’s, I doubt he’s the annoying one,” Dew said, his tone skeptical.

“You don’t know him well enough.”

“But I know you plenty.”

“…”

“…”

“Fine! I was the one running my mouth, alright? I went and insulted him about money,” Fighter admitted. His friends erupted into applause, as if rubbing it in. “Told you so!”

“I’m starting to piece things together,” one of his high school friends chimed in again. “That sulky face you’re making right now? It’s cause you had a plan to take the kid in before, but he wouldn’t fall in line. He didn’t obey, super stubborn. So you ran your mouth, insulted him, looked down on him. It didn’t seem like a big deal back then, but now that you’ve seen him struggling today, you’re worried. And now you’re thinking about taking him in again.”

“You guys are such a mess,” Fighter grumbled, shaking his head wearily at his friends.

He wasn’t worried about Tutor at all, but he was quiet today because he was wrestling with his own thoughts. His mind kept replaying the harsh words he’d used to belittle Tutor, mixed with the image of the younger guy walking around looking for a job that evening.

But at this hour, he’s probably found something by now, right?

   “Hey, isn’t that Tor?” Dew’s voice snapped him back to reality.

“Damn, he’s kinda cute.”

“Nice build, too.”

“I’d say he’s more handsome than cute.” Their voices were annoying, but Fighter couldn’t help glancing at the other guy.    “Looks like he’s still out there looking for a job.”

“His face looks so stressed. Bet he didn’t get anything.”

“Well, part-time jobs are hard to come by. With this economy, shops around the university probably prefer full-timers, right, Fai?”

“Probably,” Fighter replied indifferently, causing his friends by the window to exchange looks before returning to their seats, eyeing him suspiciously.

“It’s 10 p.m., and he’s still out looking for work. Poor guy.”

“Yeah. If it were me, I’d have gone down to help him find a job the moment I saw him earlier.”

“And if I’d talked shit to him like that, I wouldn’t have the face to sit here drinking like it’s nothing.” Fighter shot his friends an annoyed look. He knew they were picky, but he didn’t expect them to be this harsh.

“So, what do we do? He’s kinda pitiful.”

“All alone, working to put himself through school. Could anyone’s life be sadder than that?”

“…” The more they talked, the harder it was for Fighter to ignore their words. And the more he thought about it, the more irritated he got.

Really damn irritated. In the end, Fighter stood up, pulled out four thousand-baht bills, and handed them to the friend in front of him.

“What’s this?”

“I’m heading home.”

“You sure you’re going home?”

“Yeah.”

“Right, sure we believe you.” Their teasing tone didn’t faze Fighter much. After handing over the money, he walked out of the bar immediately.

Tutor sat on the sidewalk near the shop where he had applied for a job less than an hour ago. He glanced at the “Closed” sign the staff had just hung up, his eyes filled with dejection. He had spent the entire day walking around looking for work until his legs ached. He couldn’t understand why part-time jobs were so hard to come by—maybe because this area was close to the university, and most applicants were students like him. In the end, all he could do was leave his application behind.

“Haa…” Another long sigh escaped Tor’s lips. He wasn’t sure how many times he’d sighed today. He was exhausted— honestly, he was always like this whenever he found himself in this kind of situation.

Tutor slowly closed his eyes. He leaned forward, resting his head on his knees, completely drained.

Tired…

   So tired.

   He wanted to escape, but he didn’t know how to break free.

   “Ah!” The boy hugging his knees flinched slightly when something touched him. Tutor slowly lifted his head and saw a bottle of water being offered to him.

“Phii Fai.”

“Mm.”

“…” Tutor fell silent, looking at the water in Fighter’s hand before meeting his senior’s eyes again.

He didn’t know why he suddenly felt this way—a lump in his throat, a heaviness that made him want to cry even more than the exhaustion he felt moments ago. Maybe it was because he was tired, discouraged, and thought no one would reach out to help him. But seeing that single bottle of water from someone he didn’t even get along with—it was enough to make his heart swell with an indescribable gratitude.

Maybe Phii Fai was just passing by. Maybe he just happened to see him sitting here and decided to approach. But somehow, Tutor couldn’t help but feel glad.

Glad and grateful that Phii Fai showed up at this moment…    This moment when he was almost too tired to go on.

“Stop making that face,” Fighter said, looking away. He didn’t like the expression Tutor was giving him right now. The usually strong and composed Tutor, who never showed his vulnerable side, looked like he was about to cry right in front of him. “Hurry up and take the water already.”

“Mm…” Tutor reached out to take the water from the person in front of him. “Thanks, Phii.”

Tutor murmured his thanks softly, opening the bottle and drinking with a sense of thirst. Meanwhile, Fighter watched him for a moment before sitting down beside him.

There was no conversation between them—just the light from the streetlamp and a silence loud enough to hear the sound of Tutor swallowing the water.

Fighter glanced at the person beside him. He hesitated for a long time, debating whether to say something, but in the end, he decided to speak.

“What are you doing around here?” Fighter asked, even though he already knew what the smaller boy was up to. He didn’t quite understand why he even bothered asking.

“Oh, I’m here looking for a job.”

“Any luck?”

“Not yet.”

“…”

“But I’ll probably find something soon.” Silence fell between them again, but this time it was painfully awkward. Fighter didn’t know if Tutor was still mad about the insulting things he’d said before. Maybe the kid had let it go, or maybe he didn’t care about those words anymore. But for some reason, Fighter couldn’t stop thinking about it.

“Tor.”

“Yeah?”

“If finding a job is that tough, you can just come back and tutor me.” Tutor froze for a moment, turning to look at the speaker with a hint of surprise.

“Are you trying to make up with me or something?”

“Make up? Nah.”

“Sounds like you’re begging me to tutor you again.”

“Funny. I’m not begging. I’m just giving you an option.”

“Oh, really?”

““Yeah. Come back if you want. If not, whatever.”

Typical.

“Then I’m not coming back.” Tutor shrugged nonchalantly, meeting Fighter’s eyes and raising an eyebrow teasingly. Stubborn as hell.

“Do what you want.”

“Yep, it’s always up to me.”

“Hmph.” Fighter let out an irritated huff.

“By the way, what are you doing around here?”

“Just some errands. Saw you sitting here, so I came over. Shooting a music video or what?”

“Idiot.”

Bang!

Before Fighter could say anything else, the shop door behind him suddenly swung open, and an employee was pushed out. The taller guy stood up and reached out to pull the younger one up with him. Tutor looked at the hand grabbing him, feeling confused, but that feeling quickly faded as the employee’s voice cut through.

“I told you already, didn’t I? Stealing breaks company rules.

“Why the hell did you do it again?”

“I didn’t mean to do it, Phii, but…”

“Enough, Sa. Stop making excuses. I’m tired of warning you, you know? Just take care of yourself from now on.”

“I’m really sorry, Sis Fai. I didn’t want to do it, but I had no choice, really.”

“Whether you had a choice or not, I don’t know. What I do know is you did something wrong, and you’re out. I’ll let the store manager know.”

“I’m sorry, Sis Fai,” the person accused of stealing from the company apologized, his face pleading for sympathy once more. But all Sis Fai could do was shake her head lightly. In the end, the accused sighed, filled with regret, before walking away from the storefront.

Fighter and Tutor glanced at each other briefly before turning to look at the employee who had just fired the worker.

“Hey you…”

“Yes?”

“Are you the one who applied for a job with me earlier?”

“Yeah,” Tutor gave a faint smile. “Sorry for sitting in front of your shop like this.”

“No worries. So, have you found a job yet?”

“Not yet,” Tutor said, shaking his head so vigorously that the employee smiled fondly.

“Wanna come in for another interview?”

“Really?” Tutor’s voice brimmed with uncontainable excitement.

“Of course, come on in.”

“Thank you!” Tutor replied, flashing a wide, joyful grin. It was enough to make Fighter let out a chuckle, which prompted Tutor to turn and pout at him, slightly annoyed. “Laughing at me, huh?”

“What do you think?”

“Whatever, laugh all you want. I don’t wanna talk to you anymore. I’m going for the interview.” With that, the younger one followed the employee into the shop. But then, as if remembering something, he turned back to look at Fighter again. “Oh, Phii Fai.”

“?”

“Get home safe, okay? And thanks for the water.”

“Oh, uh, no problem,” Fighter replied, his voice stumbling in a way that even he found odd.

“Hey, kid, I’ve set up the table. Come in for the interview!” the employee called.

“Coming!” Tutor responded, then turned back to Fighter one last time.

“Go for the interview,” Fighter urged the slimmer figure toward the shop. Tutor nodded in understanding and walked in to interview with Phii Fai, a staff member who seemed to be the assistant manager of the place. The shop was a well-known drugstore, mostly selling cosmetics. Naturally, Tutor knew nothing about this stuff, but Phii Fai was kind enough to let him learn gradually. She’d let him know later about the sales targets.

“Thank you, Phii Fai.”

“No problem! See you tomorrow,” Fai said, patting Tutor’s shoulder a couple of times before heading back into the shop.

Tutor smiled, genuinely happy. He’d thought today would end with him jobless, but luckily, fate wasn’t that cruel to him.

“What’s got you so happy?” a familiar voice called out nearby. Tutor turned to see Fighter leaning against the wall, chuckling at him with amusement.

“Why hasn’t you gone home yet? I thought you’d left already.”

“I had some free time, so I wanted to see if you’d pass the interview.”

“Of course I passed.”

“Well, you’re something,” Fighter said. “By the way…”

“…”

“Have you eaten yet?”

Not yet,” Tutor shook his head, his expression a bit glum.

“Hungry?”

“Starving.”

“So… wanna go?”

“Huh?”

“Wanna grab some food together?”

 

       WHYARU : Fighter-Tutor CHAPTERS HOME

   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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