CHAPTER 40 : :)

Ever since that night, Phun pretty much went back to starting from zero once again. The same was for me too. It was a tough time for the both of us. He had to focus on practicing with his band while I was concentrating on setting up the event. I continued to tell him jokes so I could get him to smile a little. Sigh, I might as well have bought those humor comics for him daily. (However those are published weekly, so I couldn’t exactly have done that.) Phun seemed depressed the first few days, but then he was eventually able to break into a small smile here and there the following days, especially when he heard my stupid puns. (For example, why did the seal laugh at this joke? Because it’s the…sealiest thing he has ever heard. Isn’t that hilarious? Don’t answer me, just laugh. I’m forcing you to laugh.) It was clear that Phun was starting to cheer up a bit, probably due to the fact he still had plenty of work to do and he didn’t want anyone to worry about him. (His friends have started to notice that something was wrong so they came to me and asked. But it wasn’t my place to say anything so I told them that I didn’t know either.) It was to the point where I began to wonder whether Phun’s smiles were genuine or if he was just faking them. His eyes used to be full of confidence but now they look jaded and weaken, unlike before.

It’s the day before the Live Contest and I have a full plate. There are problems with several of the amplifiers we need to use so I had to call the repairman to take a look at them. (I don’t know how to fix the electrical stuff myself.) And because we’re hosting the event in the gymnasium this year, we need to move all the equipment and other necessary items there. It’s a huge hassle since we are doing this by ourselves because we don’t have any funds left to hire anyone else.

While I’m carrying a bass amplifier from the F Building and heading to the gymnasium, a voice calls out my name.

“Noh…why are you doing all of this yourself?! Here, let me help!” Earn happens to be passing by. Thank the heavens! I grin widely and pass the amplifier to him without any hesitation. I ask if he can wait here for a bit, then I run back to grab two microphone stands and carry them instead of the amplifier.

“Jeez, there are a lot of stuff to carry. Don’t you have anyone to help you?” Earn asks me as we make our way from the F Building to the gymnasium with the sun shining brightly on us. I use my arm to wipe away the sweat from my forehead before I give him an answer.

“There are, but the younger ones are stuck in class right now. Only the juniors are available to help out.”

“Are there a lot left? Miss Pannee is giving us a study hall period to use the library this afternoon. I can stay and help ya out.” Oh! Is this a voice from the heavens?! I quickly turn to him and flash him a big grin.

“Great, there are a ton of stuff left if you can help me out.”

Earn ended up helping me out in the afternoon for real. The two of us walked back and forth between the two buildings for probably about over ten times. Just as we were on our ninth and a half trip, my phone started ringing and interrupted us.

“Hail to our host! Wishing you lots of silvers. Wishing you lots of golds. Hail to our host!”

It’s that bastard Om.

“What do you want?” I speak into the phone that I’m holding between my cheek and my shoulder. I’m too preoccupied with carrying a boxful of tambourines, saxophones, and some wireless microphones that the club needs to provide for the bands.

“The drums need some tuning so I need the drum keys stat!” This ass is always bossing me around! I furrow my brows and reply. “Next run, we already left the clubroom.”

“No, man! We’re doing the first round of soundcheck right now!” Well, can’t you be a bit patient?! I’m starting to get annoyed (due to the heat) but I’m not in the mood to argue with him so I turn to Earn instead. “Earn, you can go ahead. I’ll be right back. Yeah, yeah. I’ll get the drum key but you need to wait a bit. I’m hanging up now.” I tell the second half to Om before I stuff my cellphone back into my shorts pocket and return to the clubroom in the F Building right away.

“Should I wait, Noh?!” Earn shouts at me but I quickly shake my head. “You go on ahead, I’ll catch up.

I carry the box (which isn’t too heavy) back to the clubroom and unlock the door so I can get the drum keys and other tools that we might possibly need (because I know that those guys will ask for them eventually). Then I lock up the room just like how it was before, except there’s something different this time around now that Phun is passing nearby.

“Eh? What’s all that stuff, Noh?”

“These are called musical instrument.” This answer warrants a smack in the head by him. (I totally brought this upon myself.)

“Smartass. So why are you carrying them around?”

“We’re setting things up for you guys’ event tomorrow.” I shift the blame to him since they’re the ones participating in the contest tomorrow and not me. Heh, I’m being silly now. Am I not the one hosting this event?

“You’re blaming me? So do you need help? Are there a lot of things to carry?” You’re a bit late there.

“Almost done, it’s okay.” His expression is a little dark, like someone who is feeling guilty. Seeing that, I break into a gigantic smile and nudge him with my elbow. “Don’t worry about it! Aren’t you supposed to be in class?”

He gives me a small smile in return. This makes my heart feels elated because right now, the most important thing to me is to see Phun smiling. “I do, but I came to get something for Miss Supang. You sure you can carry that?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I tell him once more and I see that Phun is smiling a little wider this time around.

“Won’t have to wait until tomorrow. I’ll drop by later today. You’ll be at the gym, right?”

“Yeah.” I nod at the the tall and slender guy. He leaves with a wave to get whatever it is for the teacher. I’m glad to see that Phun seems to be doing better. His eyes look brighter and livelier. It’s a relief.

***

We’re finally done with moving the rest of the necessary equipment and other things. I wish I could just lie down on the middle of the gymnasium. (I actually had done that already but then p’Nont yelled at me and said it isn’t appropriate so he pulled me up to sit properly.) So all I can do is sneak off to lie down on the bleachers while listening to Om, Art and my other friends working on the soundcheck and swatting at a nearby fly. (Hey, I already took a shower.) Not long after, someone sits down next to me.

“Are you tired, Noh?” It’s Earn’s voice.

“Of course I’m tired. Aren’t you? Thanks a lot, by the way.” I raise my hands to thank him while still lying down with my eyes closed so I can’t tell what kind of an expression he has on his face. However, I can hear his soft chuckles.

“It’s not a problem. I’d do anything for you, heh heh.” Eh?!

I open my eyes and furrow my brows. I’m looking at him but he isn’t looking at me. What he said is still bugging me.

“Wha..?” Just as I am about to ask him a question, Earn cuts me off.

“I don’t even have a chance, do I?”

What is he talking about?

“A chance? For what?” My question may sound naive but I’m that type of a person even though I can kind of guess what this friend of mine secretly feels.

“Aw, come on. You’re just pretending to be oblivious.” He catches on to me. He’s pretty smart. When you learn about certain a thing but then there’s nothing you can do about it, I feel like pretending not to know is a better solution. It’s my turn to let out some chuckles.

“And? Do you prefer me acting like I do know?” I tease him as I get up and sit properly to speak to him. I look forward and we watch as the stage where the Live Contest event in which Earn will be participating tomorrow is being built slowly by the music club members.

Earn lets out a long sigh before he reaches over to gently pat my shoulder.

“Am I putting you in a difficult position…? Sorry.”

“Hey! Not at all! Don’t worry about it!” I quickly wave my hands around and deny it. Earn lets out a small smile before he continues to speak.

“I…I just don’t know how to explain it. I don’t think I’m gay but…you’re really adorable. Hey, don’t give me that death stare. I mean…you’re a smartass and its feels nice…being around you. And your face reminds me of those Chinese smiling masks. See, you have short hair and a glossy wide forehead with tiny eyes. I…like that.” Huh?! Goddamn you, Earn! Are you trying to confess your feelings or secretly insulting me? I’m not sure which it is so I intend to shoot back with some insults. But then I notice how serious Earn looks so I decide switch to my serious mode too.

I awkwardly scratch my buzz-cut head a couple of times because no one has ever been so straightforward like this to me before. “Well…you’re…a good friend of mine. And I’m happy that you like me but…I don’t think of you in that way. If I made you feel terrible, then I’m sorry. I…really do see you as just a friend.” I decide to let him know considering there is no reason to keep leading him on. Earn is a good friend to me, but I have never thought of him in any other way. I’m certain about this. Even if Phun isn’t in the picture, I still wouldn’t think of Earn in that way.

Earn gives me a small nod to show that he understands and then he gives me a smile. “Thanks for letting me know. And thanks for never giving me any hope too.” This asshole! Was that a compliment or an insult?!

“Did you just insult me?!” I smack him in the head and he laughs gleefully.

“No! This is a good thing. Now I won’t get a bighead. Anyway, you can always let me know if there’s anything I can help with. I’ll still be the same old guy.” He ends with a smile which makes me break into a smile in return. I reach over and pat his shoulder like he has done to mine.

“Thanks.”

But before we can shift our topic to something else, Om’s booming voice can be heard from the speakers. He’s using a microphone to do a soundcheck. “Oh, Phun! Come on in! Noh is sitting over there flirting with Earn. You better deal with him.” This fucking assholeeeeeeee!

Earn cracks up right away. “I’m gonna get going then. Fighting. I’ll see ya tomorrow.” I wave goodbye at him. I notice that Phun pats Earn on the shoulder as they walk pass one another, then he heads toward me.

“So you two were flirting right in the middle of the gym, huh?” He says sarcastically. His grinning face tells me that he doesn’t take any of this seriously so I kick him in the shin for running his mouth off.

“Why are you here? Everyone already finished setting things up. Just go home.” He clearly has thick skin since he is snickering at me. Then, he sits down next to me, seemingly unaffected by everything.

“I’m staying here so I can take the club president home. What are you gonna do about it?”

“2 am.” I threaten him.

“Then I’ll leave and sneak in a nap first. I’ll drive back here to pick you up later.” This jerk is finally revealing his true self! Didn’t you just say that you were gonna wait?! I hit him in the head lightly (I think?) once more. “Well, aren’t you super caring?”

“What else can I do? I gotta be on that stage tomorrow so I better look my best. People will be taking a ton of photos. I need to look good.” He tells me while making obnoxiously handsome look with his face. I hunch over and pretend to throw up, but I’m secretly overjoyed that Phun is finally back to being cheerful again. He’s softly whistling some melodies that I can’t recognize.

There’s nothing better than seeing Phun back to his old self.

“Boss, sir? Can you please take a time out from sharing overly sweet moments with that guy and come check this amplifier? It’s burnt out again.” It’s still that bastard Om’s voice coming from the speakers.What an unpleasant asshat. I figure that I should walk over and grab the microphone away from him before he can infect it with his uncontrollable-need-to-spout-shit disease.

Phun laughs merrily at the abrasive words. Not only that, he reaches over and pulls me in by the shoulder just to show Om. (And Om makes gross vomiting noises into the microphone.) Yo! Why do you always go along with the jokes?! I struggle to break free from Phun and then I stand on top of the bleachers with my finger pointing at his face. “You must think you’re hilarious! I’ll be right back. So you’re gonna stay and wait, right?”

I suppose I don’t look very menacing considering how Phun lets out some more chuckles. “Heh heh heh. Yeah.”

“I’ll get you next time.” I warn him before I walk over to the staging area so I can start my attack on the amplifier which insists on breaking down every five minutes.

The sky is completely dark now and the taxi which carries Phun and me is parking right outside my house. My watch tells me that it’s past 8 pm. So in spite of the time not being as late as I threatened him with, it’s still pretty late. (And this is after asking to take the entire afternoon off to work on this.)

I grab my school bag and make sure that I don’t leave anything behind before I wave goodbye to him. “Bye, man! As for tomorrow, fighting.”

“Do I get any special treatments?” He pleads with me playfully and I chuckle at him.

“I’m very fair and impartial, sorry.” I stick my nose up at him and he laughs in return. “Fine, fine. Heh heh.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” I quickly cut our conversation short since I feel bad for the cab driver who might be getting annoyed for having to wait such a long time. However, Phun grabs my arm before I can make my exit from the taxi.

“Hm?” I turn to look at him and let out a curious tone.

“Noh…” The person who is sitting next to me calls out my name. I raise my brows and stare at him and he slowly breaks into a smile before he continues to speak. “Pay close attention tomorrow…there is something I wanna let you know.”

The cab door closes and it drives off, leaving me here standing still.

I don’t know what Phun is planning to do tomorrow.

But his eyes were filled with strength, just like how they were before.

They helped me realize…that the old Phun has finally come back to me.

: )