CHAPTER 14
---
Book exhaled softly, the tension in his shoulders easing just a little as he looked at Phuwin.
"You don't have to figure it out right now," He said more gently this time. "Just... Take your time, okay?"
He reached out and lightly ruffled Phuwin's hair, the gesture familiar and comforting.
"And for now- rest."
Phuwin didn't respond right away, still holding onto the blanket, still lost in his thoughts.
But the air in the room felt a little less heavy than before.
Book stood up slowly.
"I'll be downstairs if you need anything," He added before heading toward the door.
And this time, he left the room quietly, giving Phuwin space to breathe.
Phuwin slowly exhaled.
One arm came up to his forehead, covering his eyes.
The room was quiet again.
But his mind wasn't.
Why did I do that?
Why him?
Why at that moment?
His thoughts kept circling, refusing to settle.
Pond's face flashed in his memory.
The way he looked at him.
The way he held him earlier.
The way everything had gone completely silent before the kiss.
Phuwin exhaled shakily.
"...What is wrong with me?" He whispered to himself.
He pressed his arm a little tighter against his forehead, as if trying to block everything out.
But the questions only got louder in his head.
And none of them had answers yet.
---
The next morning, Phuwin didn't go to the university.
He stayed in bed.
Still.
Quiet.
Just scrolling through his phone.
The screen kept lighting up with new posts, new clips, new comments.
The video of the kiss had spread everywhere.
And with it-
The comments.
"So he's actually gay?? ??"
"I knew something was off about him"
"Phuwin ruined his image for a psycho lmao"
"He used to look perfect now he's just... That"
"Bro really chose pond?? of all people??"
"He's not normal anymore"
"They both weird tbh"
"This is disgusting"
Phuwin stared at the screen for a long moment.
His fingers didn't move.
He scrolled again.
More comments.
More noise.
More people talking like they knew him.
His grip on the phone tightened slightly.
Then loosened.
Then tightened again.
He slowly lowered it onto his chest, staring at the ceiling instead.
The room felt heavier than before.
And the words from the screen didn't stop echoing in his head.
Phuwin stared at the ceiling for a while, the phone still resting on his chest.
The room was quiet.
But not peaceful.
Then-
His phone lit up.
A message notification.
From his father.
Phuwin hesitated for a second before opening it.
The message was short.
But sharp.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
Another one came immediately after.
"Do you understand what you've done? The video is everywhere."
Then another.
"You're embarrassing this family."
Phuwin's grip on the phone tightened slightly.
The screen kept glowing in his hands.
More messages followed.
Faster.
Angrier.
"Stop acting like a child."
"Stay away from that Pond guy immediately."
"Do you even know what people are saying about you now?"
Phuwin didn't reply.
He just stared at the messages.
Blank.
Quiet.
The phone slowly slipped a little in his hand as his arm relaxed against the bed again.
And for a moment-
He didn't move at all.
---
The next day, Phuwin came back to the university.
He doesn't want to miss classes.
Even if everything felt heavier than usual, even if his mind was still loud, he still showed up.
But the moment he stepped onto campus, he felt it.
The shift.
The stares.
Whispers started almost immediately as he walked through the hallway.
Low voices at first.
Then louder.
"There he is..."
"...That's him."
"...The guy from the video."
"...So he's actually gay?"
"...I thought he was perfect."
"...Guess not."
"...Perfect people are fake anyway."
"...He really chose Pond?"
"...Kinda ruined his image."
"...Not surprised honestly."
"...He looked better before this."
Phones turned slightly as he passed.
Some pretending not to look.
Some not even trying to hide it.
Phuwin kept walking.
Step after step.
Eyes forward.
But inside-
His chest started to tighten.
Slowly at first.
Then sharper.
The air felt heavier with every whisper that followed him.
Every word pressing in closer.
Gay.
Perfect.
Ruined.
Fake.
His fingers curled slightly around the strap of his bag.
He didn't stop walking.
But his breathing wasn't as steady anymore.
The hallway felt longer than it should've been.
And for the first time that day-
He wasn't sure if just showing up was enough to make it through.
The hallway noise followed him everywhere he went.
Every step felt heavier than the last.
Whispers kept slipping through the crowd.
Louder now.
Sharper.
"Isn't his dad a politician?"
"...Yeah, that makes it worse."
"Imagine being that guy's son and doing that."
"So embarrassing."
"Like, openly gay too..."
"That's disgusting honestly."
"No wonder he's acting weird now."
"He's not even 'perfect Phuwin' anymore."
"Yeah, he ruined it himself."
"Perfect image gone just like that."
Phuwin's grip on his bag tightened.
His chest started to feel tight again.
Like the air was getting harder to take in.
He kept walking anyway.
Head slightly lowered now.
Not stopping.
Not looking around.
But the words didn't stop.
They followed him down the hall like shadows.
"His dad is literally a politician..."
"...This is so embarrassing for their family."
"Bet they're regretting him now."
"Yeah, he's not what people thought he was."
"Total disappointment."
Phuwin's breathing grew uneven for a moment.
Just for a second.
Then he forced it back under control.
Step.
After step.
But inside-
Everything felt louder than the hallway itself.
Suddenly, Gemini appeared in front of him, stepping into his path like he had been looking for him.
"Phuwin," He called, a little softer than usual. "You okay?"
Phuwin paused.
For a second, he just stood there.
Then he gave a small, practiced smile.
"...I'm fine."
Gemini didn't look convinced.
Without asking again, he gently grabbed Phuwin's arm and pulled him away from the hallway.
"Come with me."
Phuwin didn't resist.
They ended up in a quieter corner of the campus- away from the noise, away from the whispers.
The air felt lighter there, but not by much.
Gemini exhaled, leaning back slightly.
"...Pond's suspended," He said finally. "Weeks. Maybe more."
A pause.
"...Because of the Derek incident. The university's not letting it slide."
Phuwin's chest tightened.
Just hearing it made something inside him sink.
"...He might not come back for a while," Gemini added, watching him carefully.
Phuwin didn't respond right away.
His eyes lowered slightly.
Silent.
Still.
Gemini didn't mention the kiss.
Not even once.
And Phuwin didn't ask.
But the silence between them felt heavier than any words that weren't said.
---
Force peeked into Pond's room.
The door was slightly open.
Inside, Pond was lying flat on his back on the bed, arms spread out, staring at the ceiling like he'd been there for hours without moving.
Force exhaled quietly and stepped in.
He closed the door behind him and walked over, sitting down on the edge of the bed near Pond's feet.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Force finally broke the silence.
"...Why did you kiss him?"
Pond didn't move.
His eyes stayed fixed on the ceiling.
"I don't even know," He said quietly.
A pause.
"...I just did."
Force frowned slightly. "That's not an answer."
Pond exhaled through his nose, still not looking at him.
"...Maybe it is."
Another pause.
His voice came lower this time.
"...Maybe it's love. Or something like it."
Force went still.
Pond continued, slower now, like he was thinking out loud for the first time.
"...Or maybe that's also the reason why I don't like the idea of him being far from me."
A beat.
"I want him close."
He swallowed once.
"...Only mine."
Force blinked.
That got his attention.
Pond's voice stayed flat, but there was something different under it now.
Confusion.
Honesty.
"...I don't even know why I think like that."
He finally turned his head slightly, still lying down.
"...Is this what love looks like?"
A pause.
"...Is this how it feels when you love someone?"
Force's expression shifted- caught off guard.
Pond continued, quieter.
"...Is that how you feel about Book?"
Force stiffened slightly.
Just a small reaction- but noticeable.
Because Pond never talk like this.
Not ever.
Not about anything like this.
And for a moment, Force didn't have an easy answer.
Then-
He exhaled slowly, watching him for a moment longer.
"...Then what do you like about Phuwin?" He asked quietly.
That question made Pond go still.
For a second, he just stared at the ceiling again- like the answer was somewhere up there.
Then his expression shifted.
Slightly dazed.
Soft around the edges.
"...Phuwin?" He repeated, almost like testing the name on his tongue.
A small smile formed without him noticing.
"...He's kind," Pond said slowly.
"...Soft. Pretty."
He paused, then corrected himself a little, like he couldn't settle on the right word.
"...Handsome. Or... Beautiful."
Force stayed quiet.
Just listening.
Pond continued, voice quieter now, more certain.
"...He's... Gentle with people."
A pause.
"...Even when they don't deserve it."
His eyes stayed unfocused, but his voice kept going.
"...And everyone thinks I'm a monster."
A faint breath out.
"...But he doesn't."
That made Force's expression shift slightly.
Pond turned his head a little more toward him.
"...He never looks at me like that."
A pause.
"...Not the guy who fights. Or the guy who doesn't care."
His voice softened further.
"...He looks at me like I'm just... Me."
A beat.
"...And when I cried," Pond added quietly, almost like it slipped out before he could stop it, "...He held me."
Force went still.
That part hit differently.
Because Pond never cry.
Not even in front of him.
Not ever.
"...You cried?" Force asked, surprised despite himself.
Pond didn't answer that directly.
He just kept going, like he was already somewhere else in his mind.
"...The problem is," He said, voice lower now, "he's too much for himself."
A pause.
"...He always wants to be perfect."
His eyes narrowed slightly- not angry, just focused.
"...He lets people use him like it's normal. Like it's okay."
A breath.
"...That's not him."
He finally looked more present now.
More grounded.
"...I'm not like that," Pond said quietly.
"...And I don't want him to be either."
He let out a quiet breath, eyes still fixed somewhere above him, like he was trying to organize thoughts he had never said out loud before.
"...We're different," He said slowly.
A pause.
"...Different lifestyles."
He swallowed once.
"I'm a troublemaker. I fight. I get angry fast. People already see me like that."
His voice softened a little.
"...But Phuwin is the opposite."
A faint, almost absent smile returned.
"...Kind. Sweet."
He searched for the word, then added quietly:
"...Like a cherry. Like if you take a bite, it looks perfect from the outside... But it's soft too."
Force stayed silent, watching him closely.
Pond exhaled again.
"...And everyone likes him."
A pause.
"...Everyone calls him perfect."
His eyes narrowed slightly, not in anger, but something more unsettled.
"...Everyone's Phuwin."
That made his jaw tighten for a moment.
Then he spoke again, slower.
"...I don't like that."
He turned his head slightly toward Force now.
"...I don't want everyone to say he's theirs."
A beat.
"...I don't want him to be 'perfect Phuwin' that everyone uses. The one who does homework for them. The one they take advantage of."
His voice dropped lower.
"...That's not him."
A pause.
Then, more honestly than before:
"...I don't want that version of him."
His gaze softened again, almost conflicted.
"...I want him."
A breath.
"...Just him."
He stared at the ceiling again.
"...Not the perfect one everyone sees."
His voice went quieter.
"...Not the one people can use."
Then, finally:
"...I want the real Phuwin."
Silence.
Then-
Force exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck as he listened.
"...If you're really that in love," He said quietly, "I won't stop you."
A pause.
"But you need to understand something."
His gaze sharpened a little.
"Phuwin's father is a politician. This isn't just about feelings. There are consequences. Pressure. People watching."
Pond rolled his eyes slightly, still lying on the bed.
"...Aren't you dating Phuwin's brother too?" He muttered.
That made Force go quiet for a second.
Pond continued, voice calmer but firm.
"...We're all kind of in the same situation here."
A faint exhale.
"...It's probably already 'forbidden' enough just by existing in this mess."
Force's chest tightened at that- subtle, but real.
Because Pond wasn't wrong.
It wasn't simple for any of them.
Pond turned his head slightly, eyes still soft but grounded now.
"...I don't care about all of that," He added quietly.
"...I just care about him."
He exhaled, still staring at the ceiling.
"...Guess God forbids two brothers to fall in love," He muttered under his breath, "with two brothers who have a politician father."
His tone was low, almost half-joking- but there was something tired underneath it.
Force let out a breath through his nose.
"...Stop talking like that," He said, leaning back slightly. "You're making it sound like some tragic drama."
Then his eyes narrowed a little, a teasing edge slipping in.
"...Especially since you're the same guy who cried in front of Phuwin."
Silence.
Pond went still.
Slowly, his ears turned red.
"...Get out," Pond said immediately, voice rising.
He sat up slightly now, glaring at Force.
"Get out of my room."
Force blinked, clearly amused.
"What? I'm comforting you."
"That is NOT comforting," Pond snapped, pointing vaguely at the door. "That's insulting."
Force stood up, still clearly holding back a laugh.
"Alright, alright," He said, raising his hands in surrender. "Captain emotional."
Pond's glare only sharpened.
"...Out."
Force sighed, shaking his head as he walked toward the door.
"Fine. But don't overthink it too much, okay?"
And just before leaving, he added one last thing, quieter but still teasing:
"...Also, you really did cry in front of him."
Pond immediately grabbed a pillow.
"GET OUT."
Force stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him with a soft click.
For a moment, he just stood there in the hallway, hands slipping into his pockets as he let out a slow breath.
He shook his head slightly, almost amused- but also a little thoughtful.
"...Yeah," He muttered to himself under his breath, glancing back at the closed door.
"...He's really gone and fallen hard."
He exhaled again, more quietly this time.
"And it's Phuwin too..."
A pause.
"...Of all people."
He looked down the hallway for a second, then started walking.
His steps were slow, unhurried.
"...This is gonna get complicated," He added under his breath, almost like a warning to himself.
He slipped his hands deeper into his pockets and continued down the hall, leaving Pond's door behind him in silence.
---
The next day, Phuwin walked through the university hallway again.
Same place.
Same faces.
Different kind of noise waiting for him.
Whispers started the moment he appeared.
Low at first- then spreading fast.
"Isn't that Phuwin?"
"...Yeah, that's him."
"Bro, he's still coming to class?"
"I thought he'd hide after the video."
"Wait- he works at a café too, right?"
"...Yeah, I saw that online."
"Isn't he rich though?"
"Then why is he working there?"
"Maybe it's fake."
"Or his family isn't actually that rich?"
"His dad's a politician, right?"
"So why is he working part-time?"
"...Doesn't seem very 'perfect' anymore."
Phuwin's steps slowed slightly.
Then his fingers tightened around his phone.
He frowned and opened it.
A new post.
A photo.
It was him.
At the café.
Behind the counter.
Working.
The caption underneath already had thousands of comments.
"Wait... Phuwin works at a cafe??"
"Didn't expect 'perfect student' to be a part-timer lmao"
"So his family isn't rich rich?"
"Or his dad just doesn't care?"
"Politician father btw ?? embarrassing"
"Why is he acting like he's normal now"
"Bro fell off after that kiss ngl"
Phuwin stared at the screen for a moment.
Longer than he meant to.
His jaw tightened slightly.
A small frown formed as he scrolled without really thinking anymore.
More comments.
More assumptions.
More people deciding things about him again.
He lowered the phone slowly.
And kept walking through the hallway anyway, even as the whispers followed him like they had the day before.
---
Phuwin had just reached the middle of the hallway when a group stepped in front of him.
The same people.
The ones who used to smile at him before exams. The ones who always asked for "help" with homework.
But now their faces were different.
Sharper.
Meaner.
"Wow," One of them scoffed. "Look who's still walking around like nothing happened."
Another laughed under their breath.
"So it's true, huh? You're really like that."
Phuwin paused.
His grip on his bag tightened.
"Didn't expect that from 'perfect Phuwin'," One of them continued, voice loud enough for others to hear.
"Guess perfect was fake after all."
They stepped closer.
"Honestly," Another added, "it's kind of disgusting."
A fake smile.
"Didn't know we were sitting next to someone like that all this time."
Phuwin didn't answer.
His eyes stayed steady, but something in his chest tightened again.
Then one of them suddenly shoved a stack of papers toward him.
Not gently.
Not asking.
"Since you're so good at homework," They said mockingly, "do ours too."
The papers slipped against his arm, some falling slightly before he caught them.
A few nearby students stopped walking.
Watching.
Whispering.
"Isn't that the guy from the video?"
"Yeah..."
"Why are they bullying him like that?"
"Didn't he work at a café too?"
"Crazy how fast people changed on him..."
But no one stepped in.
Phuwin stood there, holding the papers now resting unevenly in his hands.
The group laughed again, softer this time, like they were enjoying the reaction more than anything.
And the crowd's whispers only grew louder around him.
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