YOURSKY, Chapter 14
The small person sleeping on the bed started to stir slightly. Theerak felt so exhausted he couldn’t open his eyes, yet he still used one hand to grope for his favorite bolster pillow while keeping his eyes closed. If he weren’t so attached to that bolster, he probably wouldn’t have woken up. Normally, the bolster was always on his right side, but now the space beside him felt empty. He figured he must’ve accidentally moved the long pillow he loved hugging to the other side.
The owner of those pale, tightly shut eyelids rolled over to the other side and reached out to grab the bolster out of habit. Theerak thought the bolster wouldn’t be too far from him, but a strange, unfamiliar sensation made him frown in confusion. What he held in his hand felt like a shrunken version of his bolster, but it wasn’t as soft as his favorite one—and it seemed to be getting harder too. Theerak struggled to lift his heavy eyelids to look at the odd object in front of him.
Snap!!
When he opened his eyes, he saw his hand resting right in the middle of someone’s torso, someone sitting beside him. In the next second, his hand was grabbed and placed somewhere else instead. Theerak blinked rapidly, thinking he must be dreaming, before starting to process the images in his head again. His last memory was…
He’d been sitting on this sofa waiting for Muenfah…
And when he looked up at the tall figure leaning against the headboard, he realized he wasn’t dreaming—because if it were a dream, he wouldn’t feel his heartbeat acting so strangely. He stared at Muenfah, who was now quietly playing with his phone, then shifted his gaze to find his own hand. Muenfah had placed it on his stomach.
“This is mine… no playing with it, you naughty thing.”
Muenfah spoke without taking his eyes off the phone screen, using only one hand to tap on it. His other hand tightly gripped Theerak’s hand. Theerak pulled his hand away from being held, even though he knew this action might make the other person—who had been unintentionally groped by him—feel bad. But Theerak had to step back to collect himself first.
I know… I know I have to take responsibility for my actions…
But… sob sob sob T___T
Why did I grab him there?! I have my own!!
The smaller figure turned his back to Muenfah. Theerak scanned the room with his eyes, trying to recall how he ended up sleeping in Muenfah’s room. The only person who could give him an answer was likely the owner of this gray room. He took a deep breath and raised his hand to rub his face to regain his composure, but he quickly pulled it back to his side when he remembered that the hand he’d used to rub his face had touched something earlier.
So embarrassing!!!
Theerak slowly sat up without looking at Muenfah. He figured the other wouldn’t mind too much since his groggy state probably made it clear to Muenfah that it wasn’t intentional.
… I didn’t mean to grab it…
I have my own precious thing… I don’t want to touch someone else’s.
But because Theerak was thinking about Muenfah’s feelings, he wanted to apologize. He felt so embarrassed and bad for grabbing him—surely the one who got grabbed felt the same way. When he put himself in the other’s shoes…
Muenfah must have felt something when he got grabbed… probably didn’t feel good about it.
If Muenfah grabbed me instead… I’d probably feel just as bad.
But let’s not think about that! T___T
“Uh, Phii Fah…”
“Yes?”
“Well… um, just now…”
“You little troublemaker, you don’t have to take responsibility for me. I understand.”
T___T He’s talking like I assaulted him or something. “Uh, understand what?”
Theerak turned to look at Muenfah. The latter was still playing on his phone before glancing up to meet his gaze. Muenfah didn’t show the slightest hint of embarrassment—probably because Theerak was embarrassed enough for both of them.
“I understand that you didn’t mean it, you little troublemaker.”
“Yes… I really didn’t mean it, Phii Fah. I was so sleepy and everything felt blurry.”
“Yes, I believe you.”
“I’m not a pervert either, Phii Fah!”
“Heh heh.”
“Why are you laughing, Phii Fah… don’t you believe me?”
Theerak felt his face heat up, almost exploding, because Muenfah didn’t respond. He just smirked and went back to playing on his phone.
“Ugh!!! I’m not a pervert at all!”
“…”
“But still, I have to apologize… I’m sorry, Phii Fah, for… well, that.”
“I haven’t even said you’re a pervert yet, you little troublemaker.”
“But Phii Fah, you’re laughing… it’s like you don’t believe me.”
Muenfah placed the phone down beside him and looked into his eyes. “I believe that the stubborn one isn’t a pervert.”
“…”
“Because if you; the stubborn one really was like that… you wouldn’t be blushing.”
T___T, The burning heat gathering on both cheeks made Muenfah truly believe him.
“I-I think I have to go back now… by this time, Phii Babe is probably standing in front of the house waiting to pinch my cheeks.”
Theerak lowered his eyes to check the pockets of his pants. Judging by sight alone, he didn’t feel the presence of his phone, so he began scanning the gray bed to look for it.
“Are you looking for this?”
Theerak looked up at the person asking. Muenfah twisted his body to grab Theerak’s phone, which had been placed on the shelf by the headboard, and handed it back. “Yes.”
The smaller guy immediately bowed his head to check for missed calls as soon as he got his phone back. Theerak figured his older sister must have called a hundred times, but the screen was empty. Maybe Phii Babe understood that a job like this takes time, so she let him come back late without calling to check in.
Theerak thought about asking Muenfah how he ended up sleeping in this room after calling to report to his sister, because he must have fallen asleep for quite a while. Judging by the clock on his phone screen—
Fifteen more minutes… 8:30 PM.
You’d fallen asleep for so long, such chubby little pup!
“When I carried the stubborn one in to sleep, it fell onto the bed. I was afraid the stubborn one would roll over it, so I put it on the shelf.”
The listener looked up, wide-eyed with shock, before bursting into laughter and pointing at Muenfah to call him out. “Phii Fah, you can’t trick me like that!” After saying this, he wrinkled his nose at the taller guy one more time.
Muenfah carrying him? He’s way too heavy for that.
He wanted to tease him into embarrassment~
This wouldn’t shake his heart…
“Heh heh.”
“There… you let out a laugh. Phii Fah, you’re such a bragger!”
Muenfah chuckled in his throat before patting the empty space beside him, as if inviting him over. “Then come lie here for a bit, stubborn one. I’ll try carrying you again. If I can’t do it this time, then I really is a bragger.”
“…” Muenfah was seriously challenging him. So, would he dare take the challenge? “I’m going home now.”
Your tummy, Fah, laughing like that, made the gray room feel bright and lively. Theerak didn’t dare risk taking Muenfah’s challenge because if he actually managed to carry him This time, Muenfah might have to carry him straight to the temple.
From disbelief to reluctant acceptance—once Theerak realized he’d been carried into Muenfah’s room to sleep, his already flushed face heated up even more. If he stayed close for even one more second, his heart would surely give out. So, he decided to get up and prepare to leave the room.
“I will walk you out, right?”
“Alright.”
“Then wait outside for me, okay? Let me get ready first.”
“Okay.”
“…”
“Stubborn little one…”
Theerak paused mid-step as he walked toward the door of Muenfah’s bedroom. Just a few more steps and he’d be out, but the deep, low voice calling him made him turn back around.
“Yes, Phii Fah?”
“Your phone…”
Muenfah, sitting cross-legged on the bed, picked up Theerak’s phone— which he’d likely forgotten a moment ago—and waved it lightly. Theerak sighed at his own forgetfulness before lowering his head and walking back to the gray bed again.
He didn’t climb onto the bed to retrieve his phone. Instead, he stood at the foot of it and reached out. Just as he was about to grab it, Muenfah—the playful one—pulled his hand back, causing Theerak to lose his balance and fall onto him.
… I don’t know if it was the earth’s gravity or his own weight that landed us in such an awkward position. What should’ve caught him was the gray bed, not the body of the taller guy.
Theerak blinked rapidly, staring into those sharp eyes with a trembling heart. He swallowed hard and pressed his lips together as he felt the warm breath brushing against the tip of his nose. Maybe because we were too close, neither of us dared to move. Theerak was afraid that a careless shift might cause his nose to brush against some part of Muenfah’s face.
So he stayed still, just to be sure…
But that was only his body.
His heart wouldn’t stop racing…
And right then, the black phone buzzed with a notification, slipping into the tiny space between us. Muenfah’s breath was cut off, no longer grazing the tip of Theerak’s nose.
“You’ve got a call, stubborn little one…”
Theerak snapped back to his senses the moment he saw who was calling. He quickly pushed himself up, grabbed the phone, and answered, “I’m heading back now, Phii Babe.”
[Fah called me and said you fell asleep… I’m not calling to nag or anything. Just letting you know the key’s hidden in the mailbox. Unlock it yourself when you get here, in case traffic makes you late.]
“Okay.”
[So, you’re leaving now, right?]
“Y-Yes.”
[Mhm, okay.]
After hanging up, Theerak sat quietly on the bed, waiting for the other to start a conversation. Getting up and leaving the room without saying anything would feel a bit rude, but what happened moments ago left him too shy to meet Muenfah’s eyes.
“Babe called to check on you, huh?”
“Y-Yes.” Theerak replied, avoiding looking at the other.
“Then I will step into the bathroom first. Naughty one, wait for me just a moment, okay?”
“Okay.”
Theerak quickly left the room after Muenfah disappeared into the bathroom. He plopped down onto the same sofa, placed his hand over his left chest, and let out a heavy sigh.
Don’t beat any harder than this, heart…
My body can’t take it anymore T___T
Knock, knock.
But the sound of knocking at the door interrupted Theerak’s conversation with his heart. He wanted to wait for Muenfah to answer it himself, but the sound of a woman’s voice calling from behind the door made Theerak decide to get up and greet the visitor instead.
Dad always said not to keep a woman waiting too long.
“Fah… Is Fah there?”
The voice calling out prompted Theerak to hurry to the large door and open it quickly. A middle-aged woman holding a wicker basket and a hanger with a shirt stood in front of the door, raising her eyebrows in curiosity. She stepped back slightly, glanced at the number on the door, and gave him a dry smile.
“This really is Fah’s room. I thought I’d come to the wrong one…”
“Oh, Phii Fah’s in the bathroom right now. I’ll go call him for you.”
“No need, no need! If it’s not too much trouble, could I leave the clothes with you for Fah? I finished washing and ironing them ahead of schedule, so I stopped by to drop them off.”
“Sure…” Theerak took a few shirts from the woman.
“The bill for this month’s laundry is written down and tucked into the basket. Just tell Fah to transfer it to the usual account.”
“Got it, got it.”
“…”
Creak!
A sound like a door closing came from behind, making Theerak guess that the room’s owner had finished his business. He turned his gaze from the woman in front of him to confirm.
It really is Muenfah.
“Phii Fah… she brought your clothes.”
“Did you take them for me?”
“…” Theerak… Muenfah’s never called me like this before. Why’s he suddenly using my full name? “Uh, yes.”
Muenfah, who had walked up to the door, quickly grabbed the shirts and the wicker basket from him, then turned to the woman standing there.
“Should I transfer it to the usual account, or would you prefer cash, Phii
Saa?”
“Whatever’s convenient for you, Fah.”
“Then I’ll give you cash instead.” Both of Muenfah’s hands were full with the clothes and basket. He nodded toward his pants pocket and said, “Theerak, grab my wallet for me, please.”
“Uh, yes.”
“Grab carefully, okay… not like that time.”
Theerak, who was earnestly searching for a wallet, froze at that suggestive remark. “Phii Fah!!!”
“Heh heh.”
By now, Muenfah’s branded wallet was in his hands. The owner had told him to take out a thousand baht for the lady. Theerak sneakily caught a glimpse of a childhood photo of Muenfah and couldn’t help but let out a laugh.
Tiny Muenfah…
Standing so stiff like he’s posing for an ID card.
He was so small as a kid… how did he get so big now?
“I didn’t bring any cash with me, Khun Fah. I don’t have any change to give you.” the lady said.
“Just keep it… add it to next month’s.” Muenfah replied.
“Thank you so much!”
“You’re welcome.”
“Then I’ll excuse myself now…”
Theerak shifted his gaze from the childhood photo of Muenfah. He bowed his head and flashed a smile at the lady before turning back to the tall figure who was walking off to put away some clothes. Theerak closed the door and quickly strode after Muenfah.
“Phii Fah, Phii Fah! You were so small as a kid… how did you get so big now?”
“Mama saw that I was small as a kid, so she made me drink lots of milk and eat only healthy stuff.”
“So when did you start getting so big, Phii Fah?”
The curious little guy, intrigued by Muenfah’s drastic change in size, tilted his head up to ask while the taller one was busy putting clothes in the wardrobe. The fact that the tall figure didn’t answer right away gave Theerak time to glance around the room again.
Before I knew it, I’m back in Muenfah’s room again…
“I don’t really remember… probably around twelve when my height shot up really fast.” Muenfah answered.
“Oh…” Theerak watched as Muenfah arranged his shirts by color, from dark to light. “Why do you have to sort your shirts like this, Phii Fah?”
“So when I grab one, I don’t have to waste time looking for it… and it looks neat too.”
“You’re so organized, Phii Fah!”
“Done now.”
“What about the clothes in the basket, Phii Fah? Aren’t you going to put them away?”
“I’ll take you home first, little troublemaker. I can come back and deal with them later.”
“Is there a lot?”
“Yeah, I have to sort them too.”
“Oh…”
Muenfah gave a small smile before reaching out to ruffle his hair.
“Anything else you want to know?”
“Nope… I’m not curious anymore.”
“Then I will take you home now, little troublemaker.”
“Okay!”
We left the condo around 9 PM, and since traffic was light, Theerak made it home in less than two hours. He was about to reach for his seatbelt to get out of the car—like every other time when he could never beat Muenfah to it. The other guy was always faster, like right now, when Muenfah unbuckled Theerak’s seatbelt for him.
“Thanks, Phii Fah…”
“You’re welcome.”
“Then I’m heading off now, okay?”
“Sure…”
“…” Theerak, who was about to open the car door to step out, suddenly remembered something and turned back to the person beside him. “Did you forget something, Phii Fah…?”
If we’re really close now Muenfah would know what he forgot…
“Good night, stubborn one.”
Theerak smiled faintly before saying, “Good night to you too, Sky.” We’re really close now, aren’t we?
#However Many Thousand Skies M.FAH: Done with class yet?
Theerak: Still checking attendance.
Theerak: Is Sky hungry already?
M.FAH: I’m craving crispy pork basil with fried egg.
Theerak: Wait a sec, Phii Fah. Once attendance is done, Rak will head out right away.
M.FAH: Okay,
Theerak put his phone down on the lecture table and turned his attention back to a small white piece of paper, once again. He wrote something on it and rolled it up to resemble a cigarette. For the past three days, he’d been giving Muenfah two cigarettes a day, but since Theerak hadn’t kept track of how many he had, they ran out without him noticing.
This morning, Muenfah sent him a picture of breakfast as usual. Normally, he’d get a cigarette as a reward. But they were all gone now. Still, Theerak wanted to reward good boy Muenfah, so he found something to replace the cigarettes.
Honestly, he could just buy a new pack for Muenfah But really… he didn’t want him to smoke that much.
Theerak told Muenfah straight up that the cigarettes he had were gone and comforted the guy who’d made the effort to wake up for breakfast. He said he’d prepared a special kind of cigarette for Muenfah today, so Muenfah decided to come have lunch with him.
“What are you doing, chubby-cheeks?”
“Making cigarettes for Phii Fah, duh.”
“Making cigarettes for my bro?”
“Mhm… the cigarettes Phii Fah left with me are all gone, but today our good boy Muenfah ate breakfast, so even though the cigarettes are out, we’ve got to reward him.”
“Oh, wow… how much do you care about him?” Type said.
“I don’t even do this much for my own boyfriend, you chubby-cheeked fool…”
“You’re such a useless girlfriend, Joy.”
“Mind your own business, Type.”
“So you’re really giving Phii Fah these paper cigarettes?…It’s like you’re tricking a kid.”
“I’m not tricking him, Li… I believe Phii Fah will be impressed when he sees them.”
“Alright, alright. I won’t interrupt your wild imagination.”
“Li… Phii Fah’s joining us for lunch today.”
“The cafeteria’s gonna explode for sure if Phii Fah eats there during lunch break…” Joy said.
“For real, Phii Fah never eats at the uni, dude.”
“He’s eaten here before… I saw him eating with Phii Dom that one time.” Panli chimed in.
The small guy carefully rolling paper didn’t pay much attention to his friends’ conversation. Theerak tucked the special cigarettes he’d made into his shirt pocket before getting up to check his name off at the professor’s desk.
Once all the students had checked in and submitted their work, the professor dismissed them. Theerak and Panli walked out of the classroom with the rest of their classmates. Meanwhile, Joy and Type split off to eat outside with their partners from different faculties, heading in another direction.
“Hey… why are Phii Fah and the others here?”
“Maybe they’re waiting to meet a professor…”
“Then why not go to the faculty office? Coming up to the tenth floor, they’ll only run into juniors. The professors are all gone by now.”
“How should I know? Let’s go wait by the elevator—maybe we can ride down with them.”
The small guy trailing behind a group of female friends glanced toward the elevator. Theerak accidentally let a smile slip when he spotted Muenfah standing there, chatting with two other seniors.
“Are you that happy? Just seeing my brother makes you smile?”
“Huh? Was I smiling, Li?” he asked, pressing his lips together to hide it.
“Yeah, you were…”
Muenfah, standing with his arms crossed while talking to Phii Tim, glanced over at him. The moment their eyes met, Muenfah flashed that same familiar smile. Though Theerak had let a smile slip unconsciously when he saw Muenfah, the morning-sun-like smile directed at him now made it clear the other hadn’t done so by accident.
“Have you been waiting long, Phii Fah?”
“Not long.”
“Not long, my ass, Fah… my legs are stiff from standing here.” one of them grumbled.
“Then why’d you tag along, huh?”
“Because all our other friends ditched us to eat with their partners.”
“Yeah, Dom took Babe out to eat. So me and Ball had no choice but to follow you.”
“Yep. Me and Tim don’t have partners like the rest of them. And you…”
“I’m here to eat with my stubborn little one…” Muenfah replied with a calm expression and steady tone. “You guys should go eat with your own close buddies.”
“Speaking like this… Li, still come eat with us?”
“Of course, we’re all going together anyway… we’re all close, right, Phii Fah?” Theerak spoke up when he noticed Muenfah starting to get annoyed from all the questions. He probably felt awkward too, with several secondyear juniors waiting for the elevator staring at him nonstop.
“I’m only close with my naughty one.” Muenfah replied.
“How does your real little brother, Panli, feel about that?” Tim asked, holding his hand near Panli’s mouth as if interviewing a celebrity.
“I’m used to it… On this planet, Phii Fah doesn’t care about anyone except his naughty one.” Panli said.
“Enough, tease him too much and you’ll all get a kick… The elevator’s almost here.” Ball chimed in.
Theerak turned to smile at the tall figure standing there with a blank expression. Muenfah smiled back and raised an eyebrow at him. If it weren’t for the sudden commotion from their classmates on the other side, Theerak might’ve lost his composure from Muenfah’s playful demeanor. He frowned, watching the group of girls chattering quietly among themselves. They were far enough away that he couldn’t tell what caused their excited squeals.
“The elevator’s here, hurry up, you guys…”
“Come on, chubby-cheeks!”
Phii Ball, Phii Tim, and Panli rushed into the elevator as soon as the doors opened, followed by several other classmates squeezing into the rectangular box. Theerak waited until everyone else had gone in before turning to the tall figure who clearly didn’t want to join this round.
“Hey, Fah… get in quick!”
“Yeah, there’s exactly two spots left, come on, chubby-cheeks!” Panli waved him into the elevator. The eyes of everyone inside were pressuring the two of them.
“Naughty one… should we wait for the next round?”
“…” Theerak knew Muenfah didn’t like chaos, which meant he probably disliked crowded, people-filled places like this. But Theerak believed that if he was there with him, Muenfah would feel at ease. “Sky trusts Sea, right?
Let’s go together.”
Theerak grabbed the tall figure’s hand and pulled him into the elevator. He let Muenfah stand in the corner next to Phii Ball so he wouldn’t have to squeeze with strangers, while Theerak stood beside him, facing Panli at the elevator door.
Once the doors closed completely and everyone settled into a calm silence,
Theerak felt a large hand lightly nudge his arm. “Yes, Phii Fah…”
“Turn to face me for a sec.”
Theerak hid a smile, turned to Muenfah, and looked up at him. As he gazed at the other, gratitude welled up in his heart… Theerak was thankful that Muenfah trusted him. “Is Fah afraid of tight spaces?”
“No… I just wanted to see your face up close.”
The listener tried to stifle a laugh. Theerak stood on his tiptoes to lift himself a bit higher, bringing his face closer to the other. “Can you see clearly now, Fah?”
“Clear enough to see those red cheeks of yours.”
Theerak gave a small smile and nodded at the taller figure before glancing around. Even though they were speaking in voices so soft they were almost whispers, it seemed everyone in the elevator could hear every word of their conversation, as they all lowered their heads with shy smiles.
It’s like everyone’s embarrassed about something… Normally, he chats playfully with Muenfah like this.
Don’t people usually talk to their close friends this way? O_O
“Damn it! The elevator’s stopping at every freaking floor. Who’s messing with the buttons?”
“Yeah, with so many people, it’s supposed to get to the ground floor faster.”
Two annoyed seniors complaining made the juniors in the elevator burst into laughter. Phii Ball shook his head slightly before telling Panli to press the door-close button.
“Hey, Li, you’re closer—help out a bit. The people nearby don’t even bother moving.”
“Yeah, Phii Fah’s even closer—why don’t you press it?”
“My hands are busy.”
“I see you just standing there—what are your hands doing?”
“Supporting the little troublemaker.”
The one who didn’t realize he was being supported glanced down at his lower body—and it was true. Both of Muenfah’s hands were holding his waist. Theerak figured it was because the touch was so light that he hadn’t noticed.
“Fine… I give up.”
“Yeah, Li gives up too. I’ll press it myself—it’s just closing the door, no big deal…”
And perhaps because they were standing like this, it reminded Theerak of that moment a few days ago when they were on the bed together. When their faces were less than a hand’s width apart, Theerak shook his head to chase away that memory before his heart could start screaming too loudly.
If I let it scream… everyone in this elevator will hear it for sure.
T___T
“Where’s that special formula cigarette?”
But Muenfah’s question effectively distracted him from that day’s events. Theerak looked up at the taller figure again before pulling a white paper roll from his shirt pocket and showing it to Muenfah.
“Here it is…”
“Meow~… Little troublemaker, are you tricking me?”
Meow… that ‘meow’ sound means disappointment, but it’s the cutest way of showing it in the world. Muenfah spoke in that adorable tone, pouting in his signature style. Theerak never imagined that someone as big and coolheaded with others as Muenfah could be this cute. His mission to keep his heart from screaming failed miserably—right now, that red lump of flesh was roaring so loudly it echoed through his entire nervous system.
And it might get loud enough for others to hear…
“What the hell are you laughing at?”
The smaller figure, who had been bowing his head to put the paper roll away, immediately looked up upon hearing those words. Theerak couldn’t believe that the adorable Khun Muenfah could turn into the stubborn Khun Muenfah so quickly. He asked the question and stared at Phii Ball with the same calm, expressionless face he always wore.
“Hey, Fah… acting all cute like a kitten. A guy like you doing this—who could hold back their laughter?…There goes my intimidating friend.”
“Laugh too much, and you’ll get a foot shoved in your mouth.”
Muenfah’s threat didn’t just affect Phii Ball—because the giggles that had been ringing out a moment ago started to quiet down, showing that his words had an impact on everyone.
Since Theerak didn’t want Muenfah to come off as harsh in others’ eyes, he used his free hand to grab the taller guy’s face—who was glaring at Phii Ball—and turn it toward him. Theerak squeezed both of Muenfah’s cheeks with one hand, then raised his free index finger to his own lips.
“No, no… don’t talk like that, Sky.”
“But that jerk Ball was teasing me…”
“I will handle Phii Ball myself… but Sky, no more rude words in the elevator, okay?”
Muenfah didn’t respond to him. The guy kept his usual blank expression.
“…”
“Gonna be stubborn, huh, Sky?” he asked, frowning at the defiant one.
“…”
Muenfah didn’t say anything, but he wrinkled his nose once before flashing that same old smile at him. It was at that moment that Theerak let go of Muenfah’s face and gave up…
Muenfah wrinkled his nose the way he always did, T___T.
But why was Muenfah even cuter than him?
So darn cute, T___T.
He’d let him be the stubborn one for a full day…
Theerak blinked rapidly, staring at the stubborn guy who was still smiling at him. “…”
“Muenfah won’t be stubborn… not with Theerak anymore.”
Theerak only just realized that an unfamiliar pronoun could make his heart race even faster. When Muenfah said that sentence, it felt like his heart was about to burst out and land right in front of him. But everything returned to normal again because of Phii Ball’s voice.
“Woo-hoo”
“Woo-hoo what, Ball?” Tim asked.
“Just happy we finally reached the first floor… the sweet moments in the elevator it is like it was crawling with ants. I’m seriously scared they’ll bite my balls.”
“Would ants even find your balls, Phii Ball? They’re so tiny…” Panli said before walking out of the elevator, laughing. All the juniors cracked up until Phii Ball’s face turned red with embarrassment.
“You little punk… as savage as your damn brother.”
…Even though everyone was joking around so much, the tall guy walking beside him still wore the same calm, neutral expression. Theerak was now convinced that, besides him, no one else could make Sky smile.
#However Many Thousand Skies
“Here… my special cigarette.” Theerak said as he handed the rolled cigarette to the person sitting beside him. Muenfah took it and immediately tucked it into his shirt pocket. “Not curious at all, Phii Fah?”
The guy, who was busy eating his crispy pork basil with fried egg, didn’t reply and just shook his head slightly.
“…”
“It’s really special, you know. Be a little curious”
“What’s in it?”
“Phii Fah, why don’t you take it out and have a look…”
Panli, who was eating his meal, looked up at his older brother and close friend sitting so close their shoulders almost touched. Phii Fah put down his spoon and pulled out the paper cigarette that the chubby-cheeked guy had painstakingly made, examining it. Panli let out a small smile when he saw his best friend get so excited that he unconsciously rested his face against Phii Fah’s arm.
It’s that cute…
Phii Fah would be crazy not to love him.
“What the heck are they playing at?” Ball, dying of curiosity, whispered to Panli.
“They’re flirting—why do you have to butt in, Phii?”
“Hey, Li, there you go again… I’m your senior, you know!”
“Well, you’re nosy, Phii…”
“Fine, I don’t need to know.”
Panli chuckled softly before glancing at someone eating alone. “I’ll be right back…”
“Where are you going?”
“To eat with a friend…”
“Wait—which friend?”
“That one…” Panli pointed at a guy from the aviation faculty sitting not too far away, then grabbed his plate to get up.
“Where’s dog-face Li off to now?”
“To eat with Klai… Klai’s sitting alone.”
“Oh… tell Klai I miss him tons, okay?”
“Mhm.”
Theerak nodded at his best friend as he left the table. He’d never known Panli was close enough with Klai to eat together. Theerak watched Panli sit across from Klai for a moment before turning his attention back to his stubborn Muenfah as usual.
“Have you found what’s special about it yet, Phii Fah?”
“…” Muenfah unrolled the paper cigarette and smiled when he saw the message written inside.
Theerak grinned before reading it aloud, “Thank you, my talented Fah…
Thank you for waking up to eat breakfast every day.”
“Yeah…” Muenfah smiled and reached out to gently pat his head. “Thank you too… Thanks for always cheering me on.”
“Yesss.”
Ball leaned toward Tim and whispered, “Hey, Tim, I didn’t put sugar in my noodles… so why’s it so sweet around here?”
“Forget your noodles—my eyes are about to get diabetes from this.” Tim whispered back, watching his best friend and the junior exchange smiles. Tim wasn’t jealous or annoyed—he just wished the two would spare a thought for single folks like them…
#However Many Thousand Skies
After lunch, Theerak had to return to his photography class. Today, the professor was collecting a major assignment where students had to capture photos from sunrise to sunset.
That piece of work—the one tied to his memories with Muenfah.
“Here’s yours, Nong Rak… it’s done.”
“Thanks… How much is it, Auntie?” Theerak walked over to pick up the freshly printed A4-sized photo from the shop owner.
“Just one sheet, thirty baht.”
“Here you go… Thank you so much!”
“You’re welcome.”
“Hey, chubby-cheeks, wait for me! Mine’s not done yet.”
“Mmm… I’m waiting.”
“Joy’s taking forever… Let’s go, chubby-cheeks, don’t wait for her.”
“How could you, Type? Friends wait for each other.”
Type laughed before turning to Panli, who was standing there playing with his phone. “You done yet?”
“Yeah… Hurry up, you guys.”
“Why’d you finish so fast?”
“I came to do it right after eating.”
“Dog-faced Li snuck here alone, didn’t he…”
“No…”
“Then who’d you come with?”
“Someone close…”
“Close how?”
“Mind your own business.” Panli said, then sat down on a wooden chair.
“‘Close’ means Phii Dom’s cousin… You wouldn’t know him, Type.”
“I really love you, chubby-cheeks… Other friends always throw rude crap at me, but you’re the only one who says cute things that warm my heart every time… Come let me kiss your head.”
“No way… I haven’t washed my hair. You’ll faint.”
“Haha, chubby-cheeks is freaking adorable.”
The complimented one gave a shy smile before walking over to sit at a long wooden table since more people were starting to fill the shop. He’d finished his task and figured he should make space for others to work comfortably.
“Chubby-cheeks, come sit next to me… Why’d you go sit so far away?”
“Too lazy to move now.”
“Just admit you’re scared I’ll pinch your cheeks…”
Theerak smiled and nodded in acknowledgment before looking at the photo in his hand. The last image of a sunset reminded him of someone. The reason he chose to sit farther from Panli wasn’t because he feared getting his cheeks pinched, as his friend assumed, but because he wanted to quietly seek encouragement from that someone.
He pulled his black phone out of his pants pocket. Theerak tapped his fingers on the screen before sending a message to the close friend he’d parted ways with at noon.
Theerak: Phii Fah… M.FAH: Yes?
Theerak: Have you gone to class yet, Phii Fah? M.FAH: The professor hasn’t arrived yet.
Theerak: Then can I ask you something, Phii Fah? M.FAH: Sure.
Theerak: I’m about to submit my photo project.
Theerak smiled… a wide smile as he typed this question.
Theerak: Would the sky like to be the sea for me for a day?
M.FAH: send a voice
Theerak pressed play to listen to the voice message the other sent…
‘Heh heh, Phii Fah is cheering you on… whoosh~ whoosh~ Okay, you talented one?’
And Theerak grinned even wider when Khun Thong Fah agreed to be the sea for him for a day.
Theerak: Thank you, Phii Fah! M.FAH: You’re welcome.
For the first time, Theerak felt his heart overflowing with encouragement. For the first time, he smiled while his heart raced. He played Muenfah’s message again, and it was at that moment he realized that Muenfah was a close friend who had a profound influence on his heart.
Muenfah wasn’t just the sky.
To him right now… Muenfah could be both the sky and the sea.
“Good work.”
“Thank you, Professor.”
Theerak bowed his head to the professor who praised him while handing over his project. He turned and walked out of the long line, heading straight toward Panli, who was waiting at the back of the room. Meanwhile, Type and Joy, whose student IDs were among the first in line, had already submitted their work and left earlier.
“How are you getting back, chubby-cheeks?”
“With Phii Babe… but she just messaged me on LINE, saying to wait at the bingsu shop downstairs first because she has a quiz, and the professor might let them out a bit late.”
“Oh… then I’ll go keep you company.”
“No, it’s fine! You need to hurry and buy those football boots…”
“Screw it. If I don’t make it in time, I’ll just wear my old pair.”
“But this morning you said you’re playing football tomorrow… and your old pair isn’t in good shape anymore. Just go—I’ll be fine.”
“If I’m not worried about you, then who am I supposed to worry about…”
Theerak followed Panli out of the classroom. During the lecture, he’d noticed his friend browsing football boots the whole time, saying he’d rush to buy a new pair of cleats after class because he had a match with the seniors tomorrow.
Apparently, it’s some important annual football competition or something…
“Is it a serious football match, Li?”
“You could say it’s serious… but also not really. How do I explain it?”
“Is it that complicated?”
“I think someone’s waiting to explain it to you…” Theerak followed Panli’s gaze, which was fixed on someone nearby.
“Phii Fah…”
“…” Muenfah smiled at him before walking over. “You’ve submitted your work, right?”
“Yes… What’s you doing on this floor?”
Came to keep the stubborn one company.”
“Great, then I’ll head off first, Phii Fah… I’m going to buy some soccer cleats. Tomorrow I won’t have any to wear for the match.”
“Sure.”
“See ya, chubby-cheeks.”
“Uh, yeah…” Theerak replied to his friend before turning back to the taller guy. “You came to keep me company?”
“Yes, Dom said Babe’s call would end soon, and you would probably be waiting under the building alone, so I came to keep you company.”
“Oh… And is Phii Dom waiting for Phii Babe in front of the classroom?”
“Yes, Dom said his girlfriend needs extra encouragement today because the exam’s tough, so he’s sitting outside the exam room to cheer her on.”
“That couple’s as cute as ever…”
“Where should we wait for Babe?”
“Since you went out of your way to be my ocean today… I will treat you to some bingsu as a thank you.”
“Alright.”
Theerak took Muenfah to the bingsu shop under the faculty building. He ordered a big, fully loaded bingsu bowl for Muenfah, but the guy only took a few bites before giving up, leaving Theerak to tackle the mango bingsu all by himself.
“Ugh… If you don’t like sweets, you should’ve told me. Now my tummy’s about to burst.”
“Heh, sorry about that.”
I’ll forgive you.”
“Stubborn one…”
“Yes?” Theerak, who was scooping shaved ice into his mouth, looked up at the taller guy sitting across from him. Muenfah called out to him with a tone and expression so unusually calm.
“Tomorrow, Panli doesn’t have class, and you don’t either, right?”
“…Yeah, I don’t think so.” he replied, frowning as he thought it over, then added, “Nope, no classes. No make-up classes either.”
“Tomorrow, I have a soccer match with some high school friends. Actually, some university friends are playing too.”
“Okay…”
“Would it be okay if I asked you to come cheer for me?”
“…”
“Sitting and cheering from the sidelines.”
“…Panli’s playing too, right?”
“Yes, I play soccer with old friends every year. It’s not a big deal, just a casual game, but my friends take it so seriously—like they’re competing in the World Cup—so everyone prepares really well.”
“Oh… so it’s like a battle for pride, right?” Theerak asked, laughing.
“Yeah, something like that… Winning doesn’t get you anything, but losing means you have to treat the other team to drinks.”
“That’s pretty cool, though. It’s like a yearly reunion for school friends to get together.”
Yeah. Most of them are at different universities, but they all show up every year because of the soccer match.”
“…”
“And every year, my friends like bringing someone close to them to cheer from the sidelines.”
Theerak grinned when he realized why Muenfah had asked him with that calm expression and steady tone—he was probably worried about a rejection. “I’m someone close to you.”
“…”
“I’ll definitely cheer for my sky ~”
Muenfah gave a small smile before saying, “Thank you, my sea.”
“With pleasure. I’ll be there on the sidelines giving you all my energy… Actually, I used to play soccer in high school, but I fell and rolled across the field after getting tackled by the other team. I was so embarrassed that I haven’t really liked playing since.”
“Heh.”
“So, the uni friends you mentioned—are Phii Dom and them included?”
“Yeah, Dom and Ball are part of it. They know my friends too, so we’ve been playing together since freshman year. Panli’s the only junior who made it into the group—his skills are so good that my friends snatched him up for the team.”
“I can’t believe Panli’s that good at soccer.”
“So, tomorrow, are you coming with Babe, stubborn little one?”
“If Phii Babe’s going, I’ll go with her.”
“Okay.”
“I…” Theerak turned toward the familiar voice calling him. He smiled when he saw Phii Babe and Phii Dom walking over.
“Babe… tomorrow, can you bring me to cheer at the soccer match? Do you mind?”
Babe blinked a few times before nodding. “Uh, sure, sure.”
“How many years has it been since someone came to cheer for you, huh, Fah?” Dom teased.
“A first year is coming to cheer.”
Theerak smiled at Muenfah, who turned to look at him. “I’ll cheer for Phii Fah with everything I’ve got.”
#However Many Thousand Skies
“What are you doing, Rak?…Not going down to grab some snacks?”
“I’ll go eat after I’m done.”
“Moogrob is waiting to hang out with you too, you know.”
Babe stood at the open bedroom door, watching her little brother working on something at his desk before stepping closer to take a look.
“I’m making a cheer sign for Phii Fah…”
“Oh, wow… you’re putting in this much effort?”
“I heard you and Phii Dom talking on the car about how Phii Fah’s the only one who’s never had anyone cheer for him in two years.”
“Yeah… but that’s because Fah never invites anyone. Usually, the people sitting by the field are either girlfriends… or someone important.”
Theerak shifted his gaze from the editing program in front of him and looked up at his older sister. “I-I’m a close friend too, right?”
“Right… a close friend important enough for Fah to invite you to meet his old school buddies.”
“…”
“Fah’s letting you come cheer him on like this… so give him lots of encouragement, okay?”
“Of course, Phii Babe!”
“When you’re done, come downstairs for some snacks.”
“Okay!”
Theerak nodded and turned back to finish making the cheer sign for Muenfah. He smiled to himself as he looked at the encouraging words on the computer screen:
‘Fah, shoo ~ shoo ~’
Encouragement as vast as the sea Theerak will pour it all out for Fah.
TBC
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