C4

At the cafeteria :

" Order whatever u like, G . It's on me ." Joss winked at Gawin .

" No, it's fine . I don't wanna burden u ."

" Hey, it's not a burden . Just take it, na . It's my treat ."

" OK, thanks, man . Let me treat u the next time ."

" Keep it ." Joss smiles .

They both order their food and drinks . After getting it , they search for a place to sit . Finally, Joss found an empty seat at the corner of the cafeteria.

" Hey G, let's sit there ." Joss points at the empty seat .

" OK ."

They both settle down on the seat, putting the eatable on the table , letting out a breath . Gawin takes a sip from his drink . Joss also unwraps the burger that he ordered.

" Wanna take a bite ?" Joss offered .

" Nah , I'll pass . U eat it ."

" Burgers here are on another level, and it's me who bought it, so u will be blessed for a lifetime if u take a bite from my burger ." Joss winked and smiled .

" Do u always talk this way ?" Gawin frowns with a smile .

" Well, it depends on with whom I'm talking too . Here, take a bite ." Joss puts the burger near Gawin's mouth . Just when Gawin was taking a bite from it .

' Is this the reason why u didn't want to get back together with me ?' Anna appears out of nowhere . Joss sighs .

' What are u doing here ?' Joss asks in an annoyed tone .

' What ? This is a public place for everyone in the college, not a private place to be lovey dovey .' Anna said sarcastically .

' As u are well aware that this is a public place , just be on your way . Don't create a scene . It's embarrassing .' Joss said in a low tone .

' Ha ! Why would I want to do that ? It's u two that is creating a scene . Feeding each other . Don't u feel embarrassed? With me, u don't even seat near me in the public and what's this, huh?'

' It's not used talking to a deaf person, is it ?' Joss said, looking at Gawin . Gawin raised his eyebrows in confusion .

' What did u say , Joss ?' Anna heated up .

' I thought u couldn't hear . Let's go, G .' Joss gets up, giving a side eye to Anna and walks away with Gawin .Anna stomps her feet , the tip of her heels making even more noise, earning even more attention from others .

' Ai Joss ! Just wait and see what I do .' Anna smirk .

Joss and Gawin walk out from the cafeteria. " Damn ! I was enjoying my burger, and she had to come and ruin it ." Joss bites his burger and closes his eyes in ecstasy. " Mhmm.."

" Is it that good ?" Gawin asks with a smile .

" Um . Don't u think so ?" Joss asks, licking his own lips .

" It is ."

" Right ? I told u ." Joss continues enjoying his burger while walking slowly together with Gawin .

" Wanna sit down first ? And u can enjoy your burger peacefully ." Gawin said, pointing to the empty seat under the tree .

" Sure . Hope no one comes and disturbs me here ."

" Haha , no one will . We are far from the cafeteria ."

" Oh , you are right ." Joss looks back .

They both sit down . Gawin placed his drink on the table and pulled out his book, and started going through it.

" U not drinking it, G ?"

" Why ? U want it ?" Gawin looks up at Joss .

" Can I have a sip ?" Joss asks, still chewing his burger .

" But we don't have a spare straw, and I have already sip from this one ."

" Nah , I don't mind or do u mind ?"

" Go on then I don't mind at all ." Gawin hands him the drink . Joss sips from it . " Wahh...I'm full now . The world looks more beautiful ." Joss said loudly . Gawin shakes his head slowly with a smile . Joss also smiles back .

" Thanks ."

" Never mind . U bought it anyway ."

" Yeah, but for u, so it's yours ."

" Theoretically ."

" What are u studying ?" Joss grabs the book from Gawin and looks through it . " Today's lecture ?"

" Yeah ."

" Why ? Is there anything u didn't understand ?"

" No, it's just that I won't have time to go through it today at home, so I'm doing it now ."

" Why ? Do you have plans ?" Joss gives the book back .

" Yeah ." Gawin takes the book back .

" With whom ? Friends ?" Joss asks curiously .

" No ." Gawin answers .

" Oh ! Am I stepping over the line ? Sorry about that ." Joss apologies as he thought he'd cross the line .

" No, it's not like that . It's just that I'm going to my parents' workplace ."

" And where is that ?"

" By the beach ."

" Huh ? The beach ? "

" Um . My parents own a bar ."

" Really ? That's so cool ! If u don't mind, can I tag along ? Please G ." Joss pleaded .

" But it will take around 1 hour to get there from here ." Gawin raised his eyebrows . " Are u sure ?"

" Hundred per cent, sure ." Joss grin .

" Are u that excited ?"

" Um , this way, I'll get to know your parents and also get to know u more ." Joss said excitedly.

" Want to know more or want to drink more ?"

" Well , I also want to have a drink, but I also want to know more of u ."

" Are u that interested in knowing me ?"

" Well, yes , I want to be your friend, and for that, I need to know u ."

" U can still be my friend even if u only know my name ."

" But I don't want to . I want u to be my friend . I'll let you know me too, so you should also give me the chance to know you ."

" OK ok whatever you want Mr.Joss ." Gawin shrugs . " Should we go then , Mr. Want to know me better ?" Gawin tease .

" Haha , funny . Let's go ."

They both hit the road by Joss's car . Joss turned on the music and played Taylor Swift's song,'We are never getting back together' . Joss sings out loud with a smile .

" U like Taylor Swift ?"

" Yeah, her songs are kinda cool . Don't u think so ?"

" Yeah, but I rarely listen cause I'm kinda old school ."

" I'll listen to it some other day, but today, let's listen to mine ."

" OK. "

They both vibe to the song . Paper rings start playing after . Joss points his finger to Gawin and sings along the song . Gawin just laughs, enjoying the little concert of Joss .

They reach the place after 1 and half hour because of traffic . Joss gets out of the car, all excited. " Oh yeah ! The beach ! Woohoo!" Joss exclaimed.

" Joss, let's go . Come this way ."

They both walk to Gawin's parents' bar . Gawin walked inside first .

" Mom ! Dad ! I'm here ."

" Oh ! Son, u are here ." Gawin's dad walks out and pulls in Gawin for a hug . His dad taps him on his back and broke the hug . " Your mom is inside ."

" OK . Joss, come inside ." Gawin calls out for Joss, who is standing outside looking around .

" U brought a friend ?"

" Yeah ." Joss walks inside and greets Gawin's dad . ' Swaddee kub . Joss kub .'

' Swaddee, son . Friend of Gawin, right?'

' Yes kub .'

" Teerak, who is it ?" Gawin's mom walks out . " Oh ! My baby G is here ." She quickly walks towards Gawin and pulls him into a hug . " Ma was missing son a lot today ."Gawin hugs her back tight and lift her up and spin .

" Hahahaha ." She laughed out loud . " Your dad used to do this a lot back then, but now he stops doing it ." Gawin's mom complains .

" Don't worry, mom . I'll spin u until u become dizzy ." Gawin smile .

" Oh ! U have a friend ?"

Gawin's mom shifts her attention from her son to Joss, who is standing there beside Gawin's dad with a wide smile . ' Swaddee kub . Phom Joss kub .'

' Swaddee ja .' She smiles and asks Joss, ' Hiw mai luk ?' ( Are u hungry, son ?)

' Kub .' Joss smiles back .

' Tae kin laewni, Maichaiyo ?' ( But u eat already . Didn't u?) Gawin said, turning back to Joss.

' Aw ! Phom ku khap lot ma , ka lei hiw .' ( Aw ! Well, I drove, so I'm hungry ) Joss replies, rubbing his stomach .

' Uh , uh . Yut lei song khonni . Joss , ro pep ng na luk . Ma tham ahan thi luk kin na .' ( Uh Uh. Stop already u two . Joss, wait for a while, son . Ma will cook food for u to eat ) She smiles .

' Kub Ma . Khob khun kub .' ( Thank u kub ) Joss smiles and wai to her .

" Lor ka lor and very well mannered . If I had a daughter, then I would have let u marry her ."

" Thank u kub Ma ." Joss smiles .

" Oh, u speak English also . Good , then I'll speak to u in English na luk . Well, Ma is more comfortable with it now ."

" Kub ."

" Why do we feel like air around u guys ?" Gawin's dad speaks up .

" Right ? " Gawin also agrees . " Hey J ! Are u trying to steal my spot, huh ?"

" Haha , no way, G ."

" No worries. There's always room for another son ." Gawin's mom smiles . Gawin just side eye to Joss and frown .

" Is Barbecue fine, son ?" Gawin's mom asks Joss .

" More than fine, kub ." Joss smiles back .

" OK . Ur dad and me will take care of it . U guys chill , ok ."

" Kub . Thank u, kub ."

" No problem, dear ."

While Gawin's parents prepare their food , they look after the bar . After some time, they got their food, and after eating, both of them walked to the seashore with a drink on their hands .

" It's been a long time since I last came to the sea ." Joss breaths in deeply before breathing out a sigh of relief .

" U said it like u haven't been here for more than a decade ." Gawin said and sipped from his drink .

" Almost ." Joss answered, looking forward and also sips from his drink.

" Huh ?"

" It's been almost ten years since I last came to the beach ." Joss turns his face to the side facing Gawin .

" And why is that ?" Gawin asks, curious, keeping eye contact with Joss .

Joss broke the eye contact and turned his head back, looking straight at the sea . He takes a sip from his drink before talking .

" The last time I came was with my parents ." Joss looks down before continuing, " but we got into an accident on the way . After that time , this is the first time I'm coming here ." Joss takes a sip again .

" Did anyone get hurt ? And what about u ? Did u get hurt anywhere ?" Gawin asks with a worried face .

" Dad and me , we are both fine . But my mom , she got hurt really bad and went into a coma . She's been in a vegetative state since then until now ." A tear rolls down Joss's cheeks while he talks .

" Don't worry, na . Everything will be fine ." Gawin taps on Joss shoulder . " A hug ?" Gawin asks .

" Haha , are u consoling me or what ?" Joss smiles, wiping his tears .

" Well, I don't know what to do to make u feel better, so I thought maybe a hug will do cause it always works for me ." Gawin said, looking at Joss, who is hearing him looking at him also .

" Is that so ? I guess I'll try it out then ." Joss extends his arms . Gawin smiles and hugs him . " Everything will work out at the end . Don't overthink, ok ?" Gawin rub on Joss back . Joss hugs him back and bury his face slightly at the crook of Gawin's neck .

" Do u know ?" Joss still not breaking the hug asks Gawin .

" Hm , what ?"

" U feel like dawn..."

《 see u on next chp >< 》