North pushed open the shop door, his weary expression doing little to mask
his frustration. The smell of coffee hit him like a wave, making his stomach
churn. He had been drowning in the aroma all day, thanks to Johan's
relentless insistence that he brew coffee over and over again until he "got it
right."
"Are you delivering coffee to Chiang Rai?" Easter quipped from behind the
counter, not missing a beat as he practiced his latte art. His cheerful tone
was in stark contrast to North's sour mood.
North scowled and slumped into the chair near the counter. "Don't start with
me," he grumbled, running a hand through his hair.
Than stood nearby, observing Easter's efforts with a patient smile. "You
were gone too long," he said, turning to North with a teasing glint in his
eye. "That's less time worked. Should I dock your pay?"
North gasped, clutching his chest in mock horror. "Oh my God, don't do this
to me!" he pleaded, putting on his most exaggerated puppy-dog face. The
thought of losing his job was terrifying—how else would he pay back
Johan? But skipping work for Johan's coffee boot camp had clearly not
gone unnoticed.
Than chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm just kidding, North. Relax."
"You should make coffee with us," Easter chimed in, his face lit up with
excitement. "It's fun!"
North groaned, his head already spinning at the suggestion. "No, thanks.
I've had enough coffee for a lifetime."
"Suit yourself," Easter said, shrugging as he focused on pouring milk into a
steaming cup.
Out of the blue, Than handed North a small piece of paper. "Oh, I almost
forgot. I talked to my brother, and he said you could work at his bar if
you're interested. Here's his number."
North blinked, caught off guard by the kindness. "Really? Thank you! Why
are you so nice to me?" he asked, taking the paper with genuine gratitude.
Than smiled warmly. "If you decide to go, let me know. I'll drive you
there."
"Oh, you don't have to—"
"I insist," Than cut him off gently. "You don't even know the way yet."
Easter piped up, shaking his head. "Don't look at me—I'm not going. P'Hill
would never let me work at a bar. I'm stuck here."
"And North, will you be okay on your own?" Than asked, concern
flickering across his face. "The bar closes pretty late."
North hesitated, sensing the genuine worry in Than's voice. "I'll be fine," he
said, though his tone lacked conviction. "But if I need help, I'll let you
know."
Than smiled again and ruffled North's hair. "Good. Let me know if anything
changes."
North stiffened, his face flushing. Why did he always do that? I'm not a
dog, he thought, pouting as Easter watched the exchange with a knowing
grin.
Before North could say anything, his phone buzzed with a message. Please
don't be Johan, he thought. I can't handle more coffee orders. To his relief—
and mild confusion—it wasn't Johan. It was Hill, someone he rarely spoke
to.
[HILL]: Don't play like that again.
"What the hell does this mean?" North muttered, showing the message to
Easter.
Ester squinted at the screen before bursting into laughter. "Lol, North,
someone's going to kill him because of you."
"What?" North asked, completely lost.
"Why are you even talking to my boyfriend?" Easter teased, narrowing his
eyes in mock accusation. "Are you trying to steal him?"
North rolled his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous! I have no idea why he texted
me."
Easter smirked and patted North's head. "This dog just loves causing trouble
in other people's relationships."
North groaned. "Stop calling me a dog!"
Their banter continued until Than chimed in with a chuckle. "You two are
sweet," he remarked, watching them with an amused expression.
"Sweet?" Easter repeated, feigning disgust. "If we stayed together too long,
we'd kill each other."
North sighed dramatically. "He's lying. I'm a delight."
The conversation devolved into playful bickering, and by the time their
shift ended, North felt lighter despite the chaotic day. As he and Easter
headed out to the parking lot, Easter climbed onto the back of North's
motorcycle and called his name.
"What now?" North asked, turning to look at him.
"Why does P'Than always rub your head?" Easter asked, his tone half-
teasing, half-curious.
North groaned loudly. "What is with you and this topic?"
"I'm just saying," Easter continued, grinning mischievously.
"Oh, shut up!" North retorted, starting the engine and speeding off toward
their dorm.
Even as Easter continued to tease him, North couldn't shake the strange
feeling in his chest. He wasn't sure if it was annoyance, embarrassment, or
something else entirely. But one thing was certain—his life had become far
more complicated than he ever anticipated.
North sighed as he unlocked the door to the dormitory. The ride home had
been filled with Easter's endless chatter, his voice bouncing between teasing
and pointed curiosity. It was the kind of talk that left North wondering if
Easter was just trying to rile him up or if he genuinely believed the
nonsense he was spewing.
"So," North said, dropping his bag onto the floor and flopping onto the
nearest bed. "What you want to tell me is something to make me angry?"
Easter glanced at him warily. "Why would I want to make you angry?"
"I don't know," North said with an exaggerated shrug.
"..."
"Don't you think it's weird how P'Than always rubs your head? Like,
always. And he even offered to pick you up and drive you to work. You
know what that means."
North rolled his eyes and started unpacking his things. "No. What does it
mean, Ter?"
Easter leaned forward, his grin widening. "It means he likes you."
"Hey!" North snapped, tossing a pillow in Easter's direction. "Don't be
ridiculous. He's just being nice."
Easter caught the pillow mid-air and smirked. "Nice? Oh, right. So nice that
when you went to see P'Johan, he didn't look happy. And when you said
you'd be back later, he looked even less happy. That's not just 'nice,' North."
North turned to face him, crossing his arms. "He's my boss, Ter. If I skip
work, of course he'll be annoyed."
Easter waggled a finger at him. "If it were me, maybe I'd be annoyed, but
not that annoyed. Admit it—you think I'm somewhat right about this."
North sighed, exasperated. "Doesn't it seem like I'm being overconfident to
assume that?"
Easter just shrugged, the smirk never leaving his face.
"But seriously," Easter said, "he says nice things to you all the time. Do you
even notice that?"
"I notice," North admitted, his voice dropping. "But... it's not weird, right?"
Easter stared at him like he was the world's biggest idiot. "You notice, but
you don't want to admit it. Come on, North."
"It's not that," North said, sitting up and rubbing his temples. "I just don't
want to think too far ahead. If I let myself believe he likes me, things will
get awkward. We work together, Ter. I don't want to ruin that."
Easter tilted his head, studying him. "So you didn't choose P'Than, huh?"
North narrowed his eyes. "Why are you asking?"
"Wow," Easter said with mock relief, throwing his hands up. "Thank
goodness it's just the friend zone."
North groaned. "What do you mean by that?"
"I mean," Easter said, grinning mischievously, "my ship hasn't sunk yet.
You can still be with P'Johan."
North glared at him. "Damn it, Ter, I'll shoot a tornado into your ship!"
Easter threw his head back, laughing. "Please don't, Captain. I can't swim!"
"You're so annoying," North muttered, shaking his head. "If you knew what
your P'Johan put me through, you'd stop saying this nonsense."
Easter perked up, leaning closer. "What exactly happened? What did he
do?"
North sighed, giving in to Easter's curiosity. He recounted the entire ordeal
—from bringing Johan his coffee, to staying in his room while Johan
worked, to dozing off, and finally, to the relentless coffee-making marathon
that left him dizzy from the overpowering aroma.
When he finished, Easter sat back with a thoughtful frown.
"I suddenly feel dizzy," Easter said.
North blinked. "Dizzy?"
"Yeah," Easter said, rubbing his temples dramatically. "I think your ship's
sailing too fast today."
North groaned, grabbing another pillow. "Ai SAT!"
And with that, their playful bickering resumed, filling the room with
laughter and exasperated shouts that echoed long into the night.
~~~~
The semester had begun just a few days ago, and since then, North hadn't
exchanged a single word with his creditor. Johan didn't acknowledge him,
and frankly, North didn't see why he should initiate contact.
The only connection between them now was Prang, Johan's secretary, who
had added North to her Line account. She'd informed him that she would be
handling his debt tracking because Johan, in his usual cavalier fashion,
couldn't be bothered. Prang often complained about the workload Johan
offloaded onto her, lamenting that she had no choice but to comply because
her salary and bonuses were at stake.
She's just as stuck as I am, North thought bitterly.
A few days ago, Prang messaged him:
[PRANG]: Johan says you broke something twice. That's 662 baht, right?
Your total is now 199,412.50 baht.
[NORTH]: Wait. Twice? I only remember breaking one thing!
[PRANG]: I don't know. I'm just doing my job. Study hard; I heard the
second semester just started.
[NORTH]: "Yes, Phi."
North vented about Johan's difficult behavior to his three closest friends.
They offered to help but were swiftly shut down. Instead, they teased him
about the new phone in his possession.
At first, they assumed North had found it and refused to return it to its
owner. But when he admitted that Johan had smashed his old phone and
replaced it with a new one, their reactions shifted to mockery.
"Wow, North! You've got yourself a sugar daddy now!" Duen Nao
exclaimed, smirking.
"I hate you. Can I punch him?" North muttered to himself.
"Rich, huh? He just throws away phones and buys new ones," Kyu chimed
in. "Think he'd break mine too?"
"You're wrong. Nothing's going on between us," North snapped.
His friends only laughed, teasing him until his phone vibrated. Than had
messaged him.
[THAN]: It's your first day back at college, right?
[NORTH]: Yes, Phi. How did you know?
[THAN]: I asked Ter. What time do you finish?
[NORTH]: Around four.
[THAN]: "I'll pick you up. Are you studying in the engineering building?"
[NORTH]: "Yes, but your shop opens at 6:30. Don't you need to prepare?"
[THAN]: "We'll grab dinner first. See you then."
After ending the call, Duen Nao was quick to interrogate him.
"Who was that?"
"P'Than. He owns the coffee shop where I work."
"And he's coming to pick you up? Since when do you need rides from
him?"
"He insisted."
Duen Nao leaned in, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Is he
chasing you, North? Seems like your options are multiplying. First P'Johan,
now P'Than. Who'll you choose?"
"Shut up!" North snapped, half-heartedly smacking Duen Nao's head.
In class later that day, Duen Nao interrupted North's focus again, thrusting
his phone in front of him.
"Look at this," he whispered.
North glanced at the screen. It was a post from the university fan page,
Cute Boy & Girl - MU. The admin had shared a picture of Johan with the
caption:
Happy second semester! Meet our medical heartthrob, P'Johan. He looks
straight out of a Korean drama! His style makes a messy uniform look
designer. Admin is swooning!
The comments were even more over-the-top.
I'd faint if Johan looked my way!
I'd buy him if I were rich!
His messy hair is a fashion statement. Love it!
North cringed. "Why does he attract so much attention?"
"Maybe because he's handsome?" Duen Nao teased.
North groaned. "Enough!" He turned back to his notes, trying to refocus.
At 4:00 P.M., North packed his things and stepped outside. Than messaged
him.
[THAN]: I'm almost there. Where are you?
[NORTH]: In front of the building.
But before Than could arrive, Johan's car pulled up. A sleek, expensive
sports car screeched to a halt in front of the parking lot. North's eyes
widened.
"Get in," Johan said, not bothering to greet him.
North hesitated. "Wait—why are you here?"
Johan motioning toward the passenger seat.
Feeling cornered, North climbed in.
North glanced nervously at the man in the driver's seat. "Uh... where are we
going?" he asked hesitantly, trying to mask his unease.
Johan didn't answer immediately. Instead, his sharp gaze flicked to the rear
view mirror as he started the car. "First," he said, voice calm but
commanding, "who's coming to pick you up?"
How did P'Johan know that P'Than was going to pick me up?
North hesitated. "A senior. You probably don't know him," he replied
truthfully.
Just as the words left his mouth, his phone buzzed loudly in his pocket. He
instinctively reached for it, wondering if it was another message from Than.
"Um, yeah, maybe I don't know him," Johan muttered, almost to himself.
Then, with a swift motion, he turned the wheel and accelerated.
The sudden surge of speed caught North off guard. His hands gripped the
edge of his seat as his stomach flipped. Oh my God, he thought, does he
even know where the brake is?
The silence in the car was oppressive, broken only by the hum of the engine
and North's silent prayers.
Every sharp turn and rapid acceleration left him more tense, his knuckles
white from clutching the seat belt. His mind drifted to Hill, whose smooth,
steady driving had always lulled him into a sense of calm. If I fell asleep in
Johan's car, he thought grimly, I'd probably fly straight out the window.
Before North could gather his thoughts, the car screeched to a stop in front
of a modest restaurant. His legs wobbled as he climbed out, struggling to
regain his balance. Johan was already waiting by the entrance, his
expression unreadable.
"Do you want to eat?" Johan asked flatly, as if it were a formality.
North nodded, still shaken. "Um, yeah. Sure."
He'd expected a fancy restaurant—something that matched Johan's
sophisticated demeanor. Instead, the place was unassuming, almost quaint.
North found it oddly comforting, a stark contrast to the whirlwind of the car
ride.
"P'Hill usually takes me to the university's cafeteria," North said, trying to
fill the silence. "But it's nice to come to a place like this for a change."
Johan's gaze sharpened. "You spend a lot of time with Hill?"
North blinked at the question. "Yeah, we hang out often. He likes to stop for
desserts—mostly for Ter, though."
Johan raised an eyebrow. "Not for you?"
North shrugged. "No, but he's considerate."
Johan leaned back in his chair, his tone turning dry. "Then why is the
money on the card running out?"
North froze.
What did he mean by that?
"Let me see your phone," Johan said suddenly, his hand already extended.
"What? Why?" North stammered, clutching the device protectively.
"Phone," Johan repeated, his voice leaving no room for argument.
Reluctantly, North handed it over. To his surprise, Johan unlocked it with
ease. His heart sank as he realized Johan had somehow registered his
fingerprint.
When did he even do that?
"You're going somewhere?" Johan asked, holding up the phone to show him
Than's message about picking him up.
"Oh... just a part-time job," North said awkwardly. Johan's expression
darkened, making North squirm in his seat.
"And this Than—is he the owner of the coffee shop where you work?"
"Yeah," North admitted quietly. "He's helping me get the job."
Johan's questions didn't stop there. "What's the name of the place?"
"It's called Soul Out."
Johan's lips pressed into a thin line. "I see," he murmured before abruptly
standing up. He paid the bill without waiting for change, leaving North
scrambling to follow him.
Back in the car, North's unease grew. "Are we going to the store?" he asked
tentatively.
"To your room," Johan replied curtly. His tone was final.~~~~
North's phone buzzed again. It was Than.
[THAN]: Did you go with Johan? Why didn't you tell me? Did he threaten
you? Where did you go? [THAN]: North, can you come to the store? I'm
worried. [THAN]: I'll wait for you. I've cleared the table. [THAN]: I have
something to tell you. [THAN]: North, reply to my message. I'm worried.
Johan typed back quickly, his frustration boiling over.
[NORTH]: Don't be nosy.
Johan glanced at North, his expression unreadable. North couldn't shake the
feeling that Johan's silence carried more weight than his words ever could.