Phassakorn University is a prestigious institution, a place where thousands of students have walked the halls to become some of the nation's most successful figures.
While it offers a wide range of studies, the university is most renowned for its elite Engineering and Business faculties.
Spanning across hundreds of lush acres, Phassakorn is famous for its breathtaking beauty and iconic landmarks scattered throughout the campus. It is the kind of place that even celebrities choose for their education.
From its legendary food stalls to its high-energy student activities, every corner of the faculty is steeped in reputation. Perhaps most famous of all is the university's vibrant social culture; the students are expressive, creative, and well-known for the warm, friendly bonds shared between freshmen and seniors.
The inauguration ceremony was about to begin, but Mok and Toffee were still hopelessly stuck in traffic.
"Tof... is our luck really this bad?" Mok sighed, tapping his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel. "We're definitely going to be late on our very first day."
"Oh, stay positive, Mok! It'll be over soon," Toffee said, trying to cheer him up.
"Mmm... let's see," Mok muttered.
Toffee went quiet for a moment, his expression turning serious.
"Mok, I'm actually a little worried. We both got accepted into our favorite majors, but... will everything really be okay?"
"Why are you so worried all of a sudden?"
"I don't know... Will we make new friends? Will we be happy there ?" Toffee's voice trailed off. "I'm just scared that all our expectations will turn into nothing."
Suddenly, Mok reached over and gave Toffee's forehead a gentle flick. "Don't be like that. Be positive—isn't what you just told me? You'll be fine."
Toffee rubbed his head and looked at his friend. "Mok... are you okay?"
"Why are you asking? Of course I am."
"Mok, I've been your friend for years," Toffee said softly, his eyes searching Mok's.
"I know you. Even though you're smiling, I can still feel it. Is it because of Pin?"
"Is it because Pin already left for Canada?"
Mok let out a heavy sigh. "Yeah, she's gone. But that chapter is over, Tof. I'm not sad anymore. After being in that relationship for a while, I could tell she didn't truly like me—she just wanted to use me. I was angry at first when I realized the truth, but not anymore. She just wanted a different kind of happiness. Maybe she was not the one.That's it."
"Good job, Mok," Toffee said softly. "It's good that you found out. She didn't deserve you anyway. Someone—the right person—will come along eventually, even if you aren't looking. Time will prove ione
Mok glanced at him with a small, skeptical smirk. "You still believe in that, Tof?"
"Mmm! I'm sure of it. We all find the right person when the time is right."
Mok chuckled, the tension leaving his face. "Okay, okay. I won't drag the mood down anymore, Tof."
The two of them looked at each other and shared a bright, innocent smile.
"Oh! Mok, start the car!" Toffee cheered, pointing at the road. "The traffic is moving! It's gone!"
Oh! Okay, okay....
At the main auditorium of Phassakorn University, the freshman inauguration ceremony was already prepared to begin.
Mok's car pulled into the crowded parking lot just in time. Toffee hopped out while Mok expertly maneuvered into a spot. Standing together outside the car, the two of them finally stood at the threshold of their new life.
They stared intensely at the grand university entrance, their hearts filled with a mix of excitement and worry for the future.
"Can we go, Toffee?" Mok asked, adjusting his glasses.
"Okay, let's go. Wait! Mok... my phone won't turn on!" Toffee panicked, pressing the power button repeatedly. "It's stuck. I need to call Mae!"
Mok sighed and took the device, trying to diagnose the problem. "Why isn't it turning on? Look, we can fix this later, Toffee. We're already late!"
"Mmm, okay. Let's look later. Let's go, Mok! Hurry!"
They dashed toward the auditorium. As they reached the entrance, they scrambled through the heavy doors. In his rush, Mok unexpectedly collided with a stranger. The man was wearing a senior's workshop jacket. Knowing he had bumped into a senior, Mok immediately bowed his head in a polite apology without even looking at the man's face. Toffee followed suit, bowing quickly and offering his own apology before the two of them hurried inside.
Behind them, the stranger stood still. A tall, fair, and strikingly handsome figure, he watched Mok's retreating back. A small, "sunshine-like" smile played on his lips.
"Cute..." he murmured to himself.
"Kaopun!"
A loud, cold voice cut through the air outside the auditorium. "Why are you standing there like a dummy? Come back here. I need to get back to the workshop."
Kaopun winced and hurried toward the figure, feeling a bit flustered. All around him, the crowd began to whisper in excitement.
"Oh! Look, it's P'Kao! He's so handsome..."
"I only came here to catch a glimpse of him!"
Kaopun tried to maintain a cool exterior, but as soon as he reached his friend, his face crumpled into a scowl.
"Artit, you jerk! How can you call me that in public? I told you to call me 'Kao,' not 'Kaopun'!"
Artit, known simply as the "God of Mechanical Engineering," stood at the top of the faculty's social chain. He was the face of the college, ranked first not only in grades but in looks as well. While Kaopun smiled awkwardly to keep the crowd from noticing their bickering, Artit remained stoic. He was famous for his cold, serious, and completely non-romantic attitude—the polar opposite of the bright, caring Kaopun. The two were childhood friends who had grown up side-by-side.
"Kao, did you find your lost gear?" Artit asked, his voice flat.
"No, I didn't," Kaopun replied, his mind drifting back to the boy he had just run into. "But I found something else. A cute little bunny."
Artit stared at him. "What? Are you crazy? Let's go."
"Wait, what about the ceremony?" Kaopun protested.
"We aren't the ones being inaugurated; the freshmen are," Artit countered coldly. "Why do we need to be there, Kao?"
"Can't we at least stay to see the freshers?"
"No. Are you coming with me or not?" Artit turned on his heel without waiting for an answer.
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Kaopun shouted. Even as he jogged to catch up, he couldn't help but look back at the auditorium doors, hoping for one last glimpse of the boy who had bumped into him. By the time he looked back at Artit, he was already a mile away.
"You're a real piece of work, Artit! Wait for me! Stop ditching your own friend! Artit!"
Inside the grand hall, the atmosphere was buzzing. "Mok, look! It's so cute," Toffee whispered, pointing at the festive decorations.
Suddenly, a loud announcement echoed through the speakers:
"All freshmen, please take your seats. We are officially beginning the inauguration for this year's entrance. Welcome to Phassakorn University!"
As the principal and student representatives began their long speeches, the room settled into a dull hum. Suddenly, Mok jumped up with a hiss of pain. Something sharp had stabbed into his right hand the moment he leaned back.
"Ouch! That hurts..." Mok growled, clutching his palm.
"Mok! Are you alright?" Toffee whispered urgently, leaning over.
"I'm okay, but what is this?" Mok reached onto the chair and pulled out a small, metallic object. It was a gear pin.
"Oh! I saw that on the university's page," Toffee said, his eyes widening. "That's a Gear. It belongs to the Faculty of Engineering."
Mok stared at the pin, his irritation flaring into a sudden range of anger. "Whoever owns this must be incredibly careless. What a trashy personality... I already hate them."
"Oh, come on, Mok," Toffee urged, trying to calm him down. "It's not like they purposely left it there to hurt you. Just forget it."
"But Tof, isn't a Gear supposed to be important to them?" Mok asked, his brow furrowed.
"That's right. Well, we can drop it off at the forum hall later. We have to go there to fill out our applications anyway. We can just hand it to a senior; they'll know what to do."
"Fine," Mok sighed, pocketing the sharp metal piece.
"Let's do that. Honestly, this ceremony is getting boring, and I'm starting to get hungry."
Toffee giggled. "Where did all that breakfast go so fast?"
"Toffee ! Don't tease me!"
"Alright, alright, I'll stop. Let's go find something to eat first, then we can handle the applications. Let's get out of here."