WHYARU, Chapter 03:
“Okay, that’s it for today. Class dismissed,” the professor announced. Some students started filing out of the room, while a few groups, including Tutor’s, were still packing up.
“Professor Su’s class is way too hard, man. I haven’t understood a single thing since the start,” Day grumbled in frustration.
“Chill, when midterms get closer, just ask Saifah to tutor you. He’s good at this subject, right?” Tutor raised an eyebrow at the guy yawning nearby.
“Very funny, Tor. Me, teach someone like Day? You’re good at passing the buck, huh? You’re the only one who can actually help us,” Saifah shot back. Tutor chuckled.
“Oh yeah, Tor, I was gonna ask about the faculty dinner last night. How’d it go? Was it cool?” Day asked, curious, unlike Tutor, who wasn’t too keen on his friend knowing about what happened at the event.
“…”
“Yo, why so quiet? Something happen?”
“Nah, nothing. The dinner was fine.” But what wasn’t fine for him… was probably that incident.
The incident that made him think he should forget about it, let it go, but in the end, Tutor couldn’t shake the image from his mind. It was vivid, even the sensation when their lips touched.
Even now, he could still feel that touch.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Huh?”
“Why are you wiping your mouth?”
“Oh… uh, nothing.” Tutor hadn’t even realized he was wiping his mouth while thinking about what Fighter did to him last night.
“By the way, are you working at Phii Kae’s shop today?”
“Yeah,” Tutor nodded while stuffing things into his bag. “Oh, I forgot to mention, tomorrow is Hwa’s birthday party. He invited Saifah and Day too. Wanna come with?”
“Can I?” Day said with a delighted expression. “Actually, I already prepared a gift for him, but I didn’t think he’d invite me.”
“Of course, let’s go together. But is Saifah going? You free?”
“Nah, I’m too lazy.”
“Lazy’ is fine,” Day said. “What about a gift? You could buy something today and we’ll bring it for you.”
“Nope,” Saifah replied, still being Saifah. The one who immediately looked exasperated was, of course, Day.
“You’re always like this, Saifah.”
“I’m not close with him.”
Even if you’re not close, you should at least get him something small.”
“What’s with you, Day? Waste of my money.”
“Damn it, Saifah.”
“Enough.” If he didn’t stop them now, who knows if they’d ever stop arguing today. “It’s fine if you don’t have anything. Hwa’s not that serious about it anyway.”
Tutor finished speaking, and Saifah just shrugged like some Zon. Day could only shake his head in frustration before turning back to Tutor.
“So, what did you get for Hwa, Tutor?”
“Didn’t buy anything.”
“What?”
“But I was thinking of borrowing the oven at Phii Kae’s shop to bake a cake for Hwa. Not sure if he’ll let me.”
“He’ll let you. He adores you.”
“I still don’t know if I’ll get it or not,” because no matter how much Phii Kae cares for Tutor, that shop doesn’t belong to Phii Kae alone. There are other partners involved. If he really can’t get it from Phii Kae, he’ll probably have to find something else to buy for Hwahwa instead.
“Did you guys watch the football match last night?” A loud voice rang out as a group of people walked into the room. The scene they saw was a group of fourth-year students entering.
“Damn it. The fourth-years are using our room next. Let’s go. I don’t want to run into the seniors. They’ll probably make me do stuff again,” Saifah said, quickly grabbing his bag and slinging it over his shoulder before heading out. Day followed suit, leaving only him behind, still packing his things.
In the end, he hurriedly stuffed everything into his bag and rushed out after Saifah and Day. Of course, in his haste, Tutor forgot something in the classroom, only realizing it while walking down the stairs.
“What are you looking for, Tor?” Day asked when he noticed Tutor rummaging through his bag.
“I think I left my phone in the classroom. You and Saifah can head back first.”
“No worries, we’ll wait for you downstairs.” Tutor nodded and quickly ran back up the stairs to the classroom he’d just left. But because someone was leaning against the wall in front of the room, his running slowed down.
In that man’s hand was his phone. Tutor wouldn’t have cared at all… if that man wasn’t Phii Fai.
“Phii Fai, is that my phone?”
“What do you think?”
Phii Fai…”
“Just asking. Is it yours or not?”
“Yes.”
“If it’s yours, then what…?” Annoying.
Not only did Fighter have a smug, irritating expression, but he also raised an eyebrow as if picking a fight. How someone like this ended up being his senior in the same academic line was beyond him.
The world is unfair.
“So… if it’s yours, then what?”
“Give it back,” Tutor said, reaching for his phone. But the guy in front of him wouldn’t let go, and even when he pulled harder, Fighter still showed no sign of relenting.
“Phii Fai.”
“You keep calling me.”
“Let go of my phone.”
“…”
Oh, it was the moment when the older guy moved his face closer than usual, the image of their lips touching flashed in his mind. The closer Fighter got, the more tense he felt. The hot breath brushing against his ear only made him more uneasy.
In the end, Tutor could only stand still. He was afraid that if he moved any further, the sharp nose of a certain someone would graze his cheek.
“Tutor.”
“What?”
“Chicken.” Laughter echoed from his throat. Fighter couldn’t help but chuckle at the reaction of the guy in front of him. But whatever, he had come to stand here waiting to take back Tutor’s phone because he wanted to warn him. It wasn’t a big deal, but he didn’t want anyone to know that he had accidentally kissed the guy in front of him once.
“If I find out you told anyone about what happened that night…”
“…”
“You’re dead.”
Tutor tilted his neck to avoid Fighter, feeling the lips and the tip of the nose brushing against his ear. Another puff of hot breath came as Fighter let out a soft laugh. He was amused by the irritated expression and demeanor of the guy in front of him.
And it was at that moment that Tutor turned to face Fighter directly. Their faces were only inches apart, but the younger one still mustered the courage to hold his gaze unflinchingly.
“You keep saying that. I think it’s not normal anymore, is it?”
“What’s not normal about it?” “…” Tutor stayed silent.
“What, you think I like you or something, Tor?”
“…” Tutor didn’t answer, but his expression seemed to challenge, as if it was Fighter who definitely liked him.
“You are funny.” Fighter said while playfully pushing Tutor’s head with one hand. The other hand, which had been holding onto the phone, finally let go, returning it to its owner before he walked into the classroom.
Tutor looked at the back of the guy who had just walked into the room with a resigned expression. He knew it was impossible for someone like Fighter to like him. But earlier, when Tutor challenged Fighter, it was purely out of annoyance and a desire to mess with him. He couldn’t remember how many times he’d been teased like this by his code-line senior. Every time he tried to avoid meeting him, something always brought them face-toface.
Tutor let out a weary sigh. Thinking about Hwahwa’s birthday party happening tomorrow, he could only pray that a certain someone would be too busy to attend.
“Hey, seniors!” Tutor pushed open the door to the cake shop where he worked, raising his hand to greet the staff behind the counter.
“Hey, Tor, go change first,” Phii Kae smiled in greeting, nodding toward the back of the shop for him to change into his uniform.
Previously, Phii Kae had told Tutor that he was so good at digging up shop items that he got featured on the website multiple times. At first, he wasn’t used to customers sneaking photos of him in the shop, but lately, that had died down.
“Eat properly, little one, follow your big sister’s example,” said a mother sitting next to her youngest son, scolding him to eat the cake in front of him nicely. Of course, his older sister was right there, showing him how it’s done. The father, sitting across from them, smiled with a look of affection.
Tutor watched the scene with a bittersweet feeling. It wasn’t bad, just a pang of nostalgia for the times when he could sit and eat with his family like this.
Truthfully, he missed his parents and older sister back in the provinces. But part of him wanted to keep working and saving money, just in case they needed help in an emergency.
He missed them… a lot.
But what could he do? Right now, the most important thing for his family was… money.
“Tor, can you clear table three and take out the trash in the back?”
Got it!” Tutor tore his gaze from the scene, turning to smile and acknowledge the request from one of the staff.
Sure, the work was heavy, but it wasn’t something he could refuse or choose.
Whatever. Being content with what he had now was enough.
10:00 p.m.
“Tor, I’m leaving you to close up the shop,” Phii Kae said, handing him the keys as he prepared to leave.
“Got it. Oh, and any equipment or ingredients I used today, you can deduct from my salary, Phii Kae.”
“Hey, no need for that, Tor. Use whatever you want. You’re already carrying a heavy load as it is. I’m heading out, so lock up, alright?”
“Yes, thank you so much, Phii Kae!” Tutor smiled at the shop owner, watching him until he was out of sight before heading back to the kitchen.
Back when his family wasn’t struggling financially, Tutor was the go-to guy for making birthday cakes for everyone. Honestly, if anyone wanted a cake, he was the one who made it.
It’s not that he loved doing it. He never even thought about getting into something like this. But his older sister, who went through a phase of obsessing over cakes, practically forced him into it. That’s how it all started.
Of course, at first, Tutor flat-out refused. He had zero interest in it. But with his sister being, well, the older sister, she halfdragged, half-coaxed him into a baking school, and that was that…
Thinking about this, Tutor felt grateful to Phii Tong every time for teaching him how to bake cakes. Partly because it could be used for a future career, and that’s why Phii Kae chose him to work here. Initially, when the pastry chef’s assistant quit, the chef was left without help. Though he no longer had to assist the chef now, he was still thankful for having this skill.
“Alright, where should I start?” Tutor muttered to himself before walking over to grab the cake-making equipment and setting it on the kitchen counter.
The small joy of doing something familiar from the past was always fun. Tutor only hoped the recipient would feel as happy as the giver.
6:30 p.m.
“Why’s it taking so long?” Day complained nonstop, even though he’d only rung Hwahwa’s doorbell twice. “Aren’t Hwa’s parents home?”
“Nah, Hwa said they’re at a seminar out of town.”
“Who else did she invite? Is Phii Fai coming?”
“Last I heard, he’s not coming. Probably just Hwa’s faculty friends.”
“Oh,” Day nodded in understanding before reaching to press the doorbell again. But soon after, someone walked out of the house. Day looked stunned for a moment before leaning in to whisper in his ear, “Didn’t you say…”
“I didn’t know either.”
Day’s frustrated expression mirrored Tutor’s exhausted sigh. They understood it couldn’t be helped that Fighter showed up to the event, even though they’d hoped he wouldn’t come.
“Hey, Phii Fai,” Day raised his hand in a wai and smiled at the person who opened the door. Unlike Tutor, who only looked up to meet the taller guy’s eyes with a displeased glare. Fighter smirked slightly, raising an eyebrow provocatively in response.
“Jerk,” Tutor muttered irritably, brushing past the guy’s shoulder and walking into the house in a foul mood. Day stood there, confused, but quickly ran after Tutor.
“You shouldn’t have bumped into his shoulder like that, Tor.”
“He was in my way.”
“If he’s in the way, just ask him to move nicely.”
“Too lazy.”
Man, if you get beat up, I’m not helping,” Day grumbled the whole way. Tutor half-listened, thinking it wasn’t important.
“Phii-Fai wouldn’t dare do something like that.” He’s too scared to even date someone properly—such a coward.
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