CHAPTER 27: HOW DARE AM I

This week has been an incredible week for all of us. The soccer event turned out great so everyone was in a joyous mood. Even Mr. Fiem, who usually stands at the gate looking menacing, hasn’t been hanging out there this week. I haven’t seen him there at all, I guess that he’s been enjoying this proud accomplishment. I feel like it’s better this way. I actually prefer it (since I won’t have to tuck in my shirt). ^___^

Even so, God is never on my side. Everyone will completely elated this weekend, except for me. This weekend will be pure hell. -_-”

Actually, I’m beginning to forget what it’s like to be happy and enjoy life. Because ever since I was given the title of President of the Music Club from p’Oak (against my will), I still haven’t found peace to this very day. Whenever everybody seemed to be happy, this pitiful president still had to run around like a headless chicken trying to get things done.

What do I mean? I’m talking about the Live Contest event that is happening in a few weeks. Our club hosts this event every year. We use this opportunity to find the best band in order to further our school’s great reputations. It’s an open event, those that aren’t in the music club can join. Just because you’re a member of the music club doesn’t mean you’re the best there is. (Take a look at Om, he’s fucking dumb as hell.) (Aw, I’m only kidding. He’s good at something…probably?)

Even Earn signed up (and he’s in the cheer team). This guy is actually a pretty good singer. I tried wooing him into joining our club so many times. He helped out sometimes and turned me down sometimes. It depends on whether he has the time to spare. This time around, Earn and his club members from the cheer team will be competing in this event as a band. I bet he’ll have lots of fun.

Phun’s name is on the list too, as a member of another band. (When did he start a band anyway?) If I remember correctly, he plays the guitar. He’s quite good at many musical instruments, actually. (He had a solo piano recital at the Christmas even about 3-4 years ago, I think.) He almost joined the music club too, but that guy is way too smart and capable. The Brother made him join the student council instead, otherwise we would’ve been in the same club. (Or maybe the basketball team? Now that think about it, he might’ve joined the sudoku club too. Or the mathletes? Basically, he’s good at a ton of things. I suppose he’s better off working in the student council.)

Aside from those guys, there are about a million and 800 thousand other people lining up to drop off their applications. I can’t help but feel like they’re just trying to create more work for me to do. Thanks a lot. (Seriously, you guys don’t need be so enthusiastic about this.) Next week will be the preliminary round where we decide on which band will take the stage during the Live Contest. I bet I’ll be working until 3 in the morning for sure. (Haven’t you heard of global warming? It’s not a good thing.) (Actually, I just don’t have the cash to help school pay the electricity bills.)

“What’s the matter, Noh? You’re being real quiet.” Before I’ve actually driven myself into pure insanity, Phun’s voice snaps me out of my (stressful) trance. I flinch before I take a look out of the window. The landscape is now filled with rice paddy as far as the eyes can see. We’ve arrived in Ratchaburi as we make our way to Hua Hin.

“Quit being so loud…I’m trying to hear the ocean.” I give him a lame excuse. I can hear him chuckling while he is muttering something about being a weirdo.

Heh heh, you all must be surprised as how I ended up here with him. Well, we skipped school today! I’m hitting pause on my duties as the president of the music club for just a moment. (I’m awfully popular as of late, everyone kept telling me that they needed to talk to me.) I’m sitting in Phun’s black car since we somehow agreed to go a trip to Hua Hin with the girls last week.

Truth be told, I think this is actually a good idea. I get to use this opportunity to escape from those idiots with neverending problems. (“P’, is it okay if the application is wrinkled?” “Can we fold the application?” “I’d like to change our band’s name.” “Should we play Thai songs or English songs?” “We don’t have enough members, can we borrow from another band?” “Can my girlfriend come see me play?” “My cat won’t eat the tuna, what should I do?” You know what? Fuck you.) So now, I’m sitting in the back seat behind the driver. Naturally, Aim is sitting in the front passenger seat next to Phun while Yuri and I are sitting in the back seat.

“Noh. Eat this, eat this.” Yuri thrusts a red Doritos bag my way. She had prepared a bunch of snacks since last night. Of course, I’d never turn down food. I enjoy the snacks as I ask if Phun wants any. “Yo, want some?”

“Bastard, you’re asking as if you bought that yourself.” Jeez, he’s scolding me instead? I was being nice, why are you being such an ass about it?!

Yuri giggles at our childish argument before she reaches over to give the bag to Phun herself. “You should have some, it’s a huge bag. It’s not like I’ll be able to finish this whole thing on my own anyway.” I glance at his stupidly handsome face. He’s acting courteous at first for a while before finally taking some for himself. Sometimes I do want to kick his ass when he gets so obnoxious about things.

“Would you like some, Aim?” Phun turns to ask his girlfriend after realizing that he’s been letting her sitting there in silence for a long while. I take a peek at the girl who has a slight annoyance look in her expression before she turns to look out the window.

“I’m on a diet…” I’m not entirely sure if that’s a reply or just a statement that she wants to share. Whatever, I’m just going to get back to enjoying my snacks.

“We can be a couple of fatties together. Right, Noh?” Yuri says with a wide grin, revealing her adorable canine teeth. I can’t help but smile in return. “Yup! There’s no need to be afraid of drowning in the ocean when we have our own swim rings.” I continue with the joke. Yuri bursts into laughter.

“Our kids can’t have a chubby tummy like us though. We need to make sure they’re healthy.”

Cough, cough, cough, cough. I’m choking on the snacks! I have no idea how to go from there. There’s nothing else I can do other than dealing with the painful aftermath where pieces of Doritos flew out of my nose. Yuri is laughing wildly, “Noh, I was only kidding! Why are you that startled?! Hahaha! Here! Have some water!” She laughs as she hands me a glass of water after she poured some from a bottle. Girls and their jokes these days. Do you find it fun giving someone a panic attack?

I accept the glass of water as I glance at Phun who is sneaking a look through the mirror. What the hell is so funny, you bastard?

***

Phun continues to drive while Aim, Yuri and I keep chatting along the way. We make several stops at gas stations and leave with some snacks every single time. (Yuri says it’s cheaper to stock up now than to get them at the hotel, can you believe her?) At times, Yuri and I try on funny looking sunglasses and play together very loudly. Meanwhile, Phun and Aim seem to be more on the quiet side. No matter how many times I take a look their way, Phun is always the one walking behind Aim.

We finally arrive at the resort late in the afternoon. Yay! I glance at my watch and it tells me that it is currently past 3 pm. Phun and Aim are checking us in.

“This resort is so cute, isn’t it?” Yuri tells me as she gleefully throws herself onto one of the modern style sofas in the lobby. She bounces up and down a bit, I suppose she’s having a lot of fun. “This sofa is made out of squirrel fur!”

“Seriously?!” You wouldn’t believe how quickly I stood up from my seat. You guys need to understand something here. Yuri is an animal lover, especially the small critters. She adores them so much to the point where I think she might work for Greenpeace after she graduated. That means that the idea of putting any of these tiny animals through harm is a forbidden topic around her. (One time, she stopped me from playing a Chip and Dale game because she felt bad for them since they were being hit by apples.)

“Not really.” She finishes her sentence by throwing a pillow at my face. (I definitely asked for it.) The two is us break into giggles as we joke around with one another. This lasts for a long while before Aim and Phun get back with keys in their hands.

“What were you guys going?” Aim asks with a smile as she notices that Yuri and I are still being a little too loud. Yuri takes this opportunity to tell on me. “Noh is such a bully! I can’t take it anymore! Are all the guys at your school a bunch of bullies like this, Phun?!” Hey! Don’t lump the guys at my school like that!

Phun smiles as me glances my way. It seems he finds something to be funny. “Just him, Yuri.” This bastard is not helping me out at all. I squint at him before I go back to messing around with Yuri. “You’re a bully too. I wonder if all the girls at your school are like this. Are they, Aim?” Yuri hits me in the arm a bunch of times after I asked that question. (Ow, that hurts.)

Aim is chuckling at our weirdness. “It’s nice how close the two of you are. So you won’t have a problem sleeping in the same room then?” She hands one of the keys to me. However, I am taken back by this. I keep switching between staring at the key and Phun’s face, full of hesitations.

Phun himself has a troubled expression on his face too. “Aim, I thought we talked about this?”

“No, you did all the talking and assumed that I agreed with you.” Oh, crap. What happened between these two? Yuri and I keep quiet and look at one another while feeling very confused. Phun and Aim continues their argument.

“Well, then! If I had known that we’d be spending the night in separate rooms, I wouldn’t have bothered coming on this trip with you!” Aim raises her voice pretty loudly which causes the staff in the lobby to start staring at us. Phun shakes his head with some annoyance before he pulls Aim somewhere else (that is less crowded).

“Be right back, Noh. Yuri.” He turns around to tell us. We stand in our spot feeling completely bewildered.

Yuri throws herself back onto the sofa once again. “I guess Aim wants to share the room with Phun.” I make my way back to join her while I’m thinking about how I don’t really get how women operate these days and age.

“That’s not really appropriate.” This is what I think.

“Why? They’ve already done it. It’s not that strange for them to sleep in the same room, Noh.” Yuri continues to stick up for her friend to the point where she has forgotten about other things if that were to happen. “What about us then?” I hope that my question will trigger something inside her head.

Yuri goes quiet so I decide to say something. “It’s not a good idea for a guy and girl to sleep in the same hotel room like that. Us guys don’t have anything to lose, but you two do. What if someone that knows your parents saw that? Then what? I don’t have the money to go ask for your hand in marriage, ya know.” I figure that ending with a joke would lighten up the mood. I’m gently patting her hair as she sits in silence. I really don’t want her to get stressed out by what I had just told her. However, I am taken back by what she is asking me.

“Do you find me disgusting?”

“Why are you saying that?”

Her round eyes are starting to get red to the point where I’m starting to get worried.” Because you…have never touched me.” Hey, don’t start crying now! A girl’s tear is a severe weakness of mine. I wish I didn’t feel this way.

“Hey, that’s not a bad thing. I’m only trying to be respectful.”

“You find me gross.”

“Do not.”

“Do too.”

“Do not.”

“Noh…” She pouts like a little kid when she realizes that she wouldn’t win. I can’t help but chuckle at the way she’s acting. “You’re old enough, so please try to understand where I’m coming from.” I tell her as I gently pat her head. (I’m not smacking her head like I would with Om.)

“But I get jealous when my friends…talk about that stuff. I mean…it feels like they’re so in love with one another.”

“…………………” I have no idea how to reply to her after hearing what she had to say. I suppose it’s because I know for certain that I cannot give Yuri what she really wants. Her eyes are red now. I can only clasp her small hands to cheer her up.

Yuri sits there quietly before she continues. “I know that you’ve never loved me, Noh. No matter how hard I tried. You have never loved me.” A tear lands on the back of my hand and I’m at a loss. By the time I snapped myself out of a trance, Yuri is crying hysterically. I have no idea what to do now. I’m not good at calming a girl down. All I can do is tighten my grip on her hand.

“What’s wrong, Yu?!” Aim’s booming voice is coming from behind me. I look up with a pleading expression on my face as I am desperately in need of help. Both Phun and Aim seem to be stunned by what is happening. After a while, Yuri gets up from her seat. “Aim, I could use some rest. I’m gonna head to the room.” She tells us before she grabs her luggage and other bags, leading the way. Aim runs after her to unlock the door.

Phun stares at me with a perplexed expression as if he wants to ask me something. However, he doesn’t ask anything. It’s probably because I’m shaking my head in disbelief so he takes me to our room as well.

We waddle our way through the hallway which is decorated in a very chic and modern way. I had just noticed that this must be a pretty fancy resort. It would’ve been pretty expensive if we were to pay for these from our own pockets. The staff told us that our room is called Studio Piers and I was confused as to why. I understood the reason for its name once Phun unlocked the door. There is a private pool through the back of the room. (It’s a pool which connects between rooms.) My eyes twinkle once I see what lies beyond the balcony. I bet that the girls must be squealing out of excitement too.

I quickly throw the luggages onto the bed and inspect the room. It is beautifully decorated. There’s an LCD TV inside the wall, a king-sized bed, and even a half spa for a bathroom. This is quite luxurious!

I fail to notice that Phun is slowly putting his things away since I’m so amazed by the room that we get to stay in. “So are you not gonna put your things away?” He shouts my way.

“What for? I’ll just take whatever I need when the time comes. We’re only staying here for a couple of days anyway.” We’re just very different people. Phun laughs at my carefree way of life as he continues to put his clothes on hangers and puts them in the closet. I can hear the girls squealing from the next room.

“I guess the girls are in a better mood now.” Phun tells me with a smile. I can’t help but smile in return. Soon enough, we change our clothes so that we can invite the girls to play on the beach since the sun isn’t too strong now.

While I was putting on the flip-flops, I suddenly get curious and decide to ask Phun a question.

“Hey…” I begin. He switches his attention from messing with the drawstrings to look at me. “What?”

“Why aren’t you sharing the room with Aim?” I just want to know what’s on his mind.

He doesn’t even hesitate before giving me an answer. “It’s not right. And I’ve done enough awful things as it is.” He tells me while handing me towels for the both of us. I feel better hearing his answer.

I pat Phun on the shoulder with a wide grin on my face. “Personally, you’re not a bad guy anymore, you know.” Because I figured if Phun had said that it was because he wanted to sleep with me, then I would’ve punched him in the face and hitch a ride back to Bangkok.

***

We leave our room and head next door to invite the girls down to the beach. It seems like they’ve been waiting for us already. I admit, I gulped when I saw them in their bikinis. This is what they mean when they say the teenage years are the best years of your lives, I guess?

It seems Phun knows exactly what I’m thinking since he stomps on my foot. That fucking hurts! What, I can’t even look at your girlfriend?!

“Let’s take these thingies with us!” Yuri excitedly tells us as she grabs a beach ball and a huge floatie in the shape of a dolphin. I quickly rush over to help her carry them. I’m not sure if I’m just imagining this, but it feels like she’s not even looking at me.

The four of us walk, rather quicker than normal, to the beach in front of the resort. The spot where we are is not very crowded. Most of the people here are foreign tourists. (Heh heh, exactly my style.) On the other hand, lame locals like us rush into the ocean when it came into the view. Well, three of us did. It is taking a while to convince Aim to join us.

“Come on, Aim! This trip was your idea!” Yuri shouts from afar, half of her body are already under the water. Phun and I are already here waiting for her as well.

“No way…I don’t know how to swim.” She shyly tells us and we can’t help but burst out in a huge laughter. Which pre-school did you go to, Aim? How is it that you don’t know how to swim?! I can hear Phun laughing along with us while I’m still doubled over.

“What the heck?! It’s not even deep! And we’re not even swimming in it or anything! Are you just gonna sit there and watch us?!” Yuri continues to convince her friend to join us. I watch as Aim nods her head along from the shore.

Yuri shakes her body like a child throwing a tantrum before she grabs Phun’s arm. “Phun, please talk to her? Please? Please? Come on? Please? Please?~”

“How exactly…?” Phun chuckles at the way Yuri is acting since she’s holding on to his arm very tightly as she continues pleading with him. “Just do whatever you can. Pleaseeeee?”

Heh heh, how are you supposed to say no in this situation? (I’m a prime example of this.) Even someone like Phun can’t even handle all this and surrenders to Yuri. He gives in and walks back to the beach to where Aim is.

We watch as those two are discussion something. It seems like they’re making an agreement of some sort. (We’re playing in the ocean, not buying stocks. You don’t need to do all that.) Finally, Phun flashes a smile and a nod before he carries Aim in his arms and runs over back to us.

“We’re here! The princess is here!” He should before he throws his girlfriend into the water. Yuri and I are laughing our butts off as Aim resurfaces and starts yelling.

“Phun! This is not what we agreed on!” She protests as she hits Phun’s chest. Phun is laughing so hard, his eyes are nearly closed. “Well, you didn’t tell me how you wanted to get into the water.”

All of us were soaking wet since none of us wanted to be cold by ourselves. I remember that Aim pushed Phun under the water as a punishment, except he refused to go down alone. He used this thin arm, yet full of strength, to pull me under with him. (I was choking!) Thus, this was where the multiple attempted murders at the sea began.

We played loudly in the ocean for a long while before we headed back to the beach and played with the ball that we brought with us. It was so exhausting to play as an it and having to chase after the ball. It was even more exhausting since everyone else refused to be it. They were having a lot of fun tossing the ball around and making sure that I couldn’t get it.

Even though it seemed like we were having a great time together, I noticed that Yuri barely said anything to me. She wasn’t even looking at me. Any time our eyes happened to meet, she was always the first to look away. I’m not entirely sure if we’re having a misunderstanding about something so I tried to act as normal as I possibly could.

“Are you cold?” I figured that I should try striking up a conversation with her (even though I’m not sure what it is we’re fighting about). I wade through the water and head her way. She’s riding on that giant dolphin thing since we were done playing on the beach. The wind is blowing quite a bit, I can’t help but get worried.

“Um…no.” She barely gives me an answer. I find this very strange since Yuri is normally a chatterbox. It’s very hard to stop her from talking. But now? I practically need to beg for her to say anything. So what’s really going on with her?

“Something wrong? You’ve been really quiet.”

“Ouch!”

Before Yuri and I could have our conversation, Aim lets out a painful yelp. I turn around to see what happened to the couple on the beach. I can see that Aim now is sitting on the ground.

Phun inspects his girlfriend’s ankle before giving me a signal with his hands to let me know that she twisted it. I nod as a reply and watch as Phun carries Aim on his back before heading back to the resort.

Yuri stares at Aim, who is on Phun’s back, for a long while before she turns her attention back by kicking the water with her feet. The more I see her nonchalant expression, the more annoyed I begin to get.

“Yuri, we’re on a vacation together. You shouldn’t get upset like you’re a little kid like this.” I must sound very cold by the way I’m scolding her because she quickly turns around and stares at my face with a sour look. “I’m not a little kid!” She screams at me.

I have never seen her eyes glow in such a way before. To be honest, I’ve never seen Yuri this upset either. But today, she is very upset as if she’s incredibly mad at me about something.

I furrow my brows as I watch her climb off the giant dolphin. I’m starting to get curious as she stands there in the water with her eyes filled with anger. But at the same time, they look like they’re trying to challenge me.

“Are you really straight, Noh?” Her lips move and those words come out of them. She grabs my hand and places it on her breast.

(a/n: more? OK but I'm so sorry for those who can't read the chapters 5 to 20. I will find some ways to fix it though.)