As time passed after few hours Anan pongchai came rusing in , breathless a small notebook in his hands . His cheeks were flushed from the bangkok heat , and stand of hair clung to his forehead and he bumped into Nate again .Nate couldn't help the soft chuckle. You really need to look on path nong ,'Nate teased .
After teasing few minutes Nate said then let's go for our date .
Anan froze. "D-date?" he echoed, his voice barely a whisper.
Nate leaned back, smirking. "That's what I called it this morning, didn't I?"
Anan's face turned a brilliant shade of red. "I-I thought you were joking!"
> "Hmm…" Nate hummed, pretending to think. "Was I?"
Anan looked so flustered that Nate had to look away to hide his grin. Then let's go.
The café buzzed softly with chatter and the aroma of roasted coffee beans. Nate sat across from Anan near the window, where sunlight spilled across the small wooden table. Anan stirred his iced tea nervously, eyes darting anywhere but at Nate.
> "Relax, Nong," Nate said with a teasing smile. "It's just lunch."
> "I-I know," Anan replied, cheeks pink.
Nate leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. "You're cute when you're nervous."
Anan froze, nearly dropping his spoon. "W-what?"
Nate chuckled, watching him squirm. "See? Exactly that."
Anan hid behind his glass, heart fluttering uncontrollably.
When the food arrived—two plates of khao pad and shared iced desserts—the conversation slowly loosened. Between small bites and stolen glances, laughter started to fill the spaces where silence once lived. For Nate, it wasn't just about the food anymore; it was watching how Anan smiled shyly every time their eyes met, how he fiddled with his straw, how he blushed over the simplest compliments.
And when Nate finally said, "You're easy to read, Nong," Anan's eyes widened again.
> "T-that's not true," he whispered.
> "It is," Nate grinned. "I can see everything right here."
He pointed at Anan's eyes before leaning back, his smirk softening.
> "Let's go," he said finally, voice calm but warm. "We'll be late for the study hall."
The afternoon sun streamed through the tall windows of the study hall, casting warm stripes across the wooden floor. Nate Chaiyaporn sat at the same table he had claimed for himself and Anan, flipping through pages of marketing case studies while occasionally glancing at his study partner.
Anan Phongchai was absorbed in his notes, his pen moving rapidly across the page, brows furrowed in concentration. His oversized uniform sleeves were rolled up neatly, and his hair fell slightly into his amber eyes. Nate couldn't help but notice the way Anan leaned forward when focused, the slight bite of his lower lip, and the way his small hands grasped the pen so tightly.
"Hey, Nong," Nate said casually, leaning back in his chair. "You really don't need to write down every single word. I mean, you're trying so hard your hand might fall off."
Anan froze, looking up with wide, startled eyes. "…I-I just want to remember everything," he stammered. His cheeks flamed a deep red, and he tucked a stray lock of hair behind his ear nervously.
Nate smirked, leaning slightly closer across the table. "Careful, or I'll start thinking you're trying to impress me."
Anan blinked, caught completely off guard. "…I-I'm not!" he protested, but the nervous edge in his voice betrayed him.
"You sure?" Nate teased, letting his smirk linger. "Because from where I'm sitting, you're writing faster, looking at me more, and your cheeks are definitely redder than usual."
Anan's face burned even hotter. He looked down at his notes, trying to hide his embarrassment. "…I… it's not like that," he mumbled.
Nate leaned back, arms crossed, feigning nonchalance. But inside, he felt a thrill at how flustered Anan was. It was playful, innocent, and intoxicating all at once. "Uh-huh," he said softly, letting the single word hang in the air.
They continued working on the project, but the tension had shifted. Every brush of fingers reaching for the same reference sheet, every time Nate handed Anan a pen, carried an electric charge. Nate noticed the subtle ways Anan's body reacted—quick glances, flushed cheeks, nervous fidgeting—and it made him want to tease him even more.
"So," Nate said after a few minutes, leaning forward, "we have the introduction down, the case studies outlined… what's left?" He let his gaze sweep over Anan deliberately.
Anan swallowed, fidgeting with his pen. "…I… I guess… the conclusion?"
"Right," Nate said with a grin. "But you know, Nong, conclusions are tricky. You have to make them strong, impactful… and personal." He let the word "personal" linger in the air, watching Anan's reaction.
Anan's amber eyes widened. "…Personal?" he echoed, voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes," Nate said, leaning slightly closer. "Make it memorable. Just like…" He trailed off, letting his words hang ambiguously, a teasing glint in his eyes.
Anan's face turned an even deeper shade of red. "…Just like… what?" he asked nervously, almost panicking internally.
Nate smirked faintly, letting his words tease the unspoken tension. "…Just like you'll want it to be remembered, Nong."
Anan's heart thumped violently. He tried to refocus on his notes, but his thoughts were entirely scattered. The playful teasing, the closeness, Nate's dark, calm gaze—it all left him dizzy.
Minutes later, they took a short break, and Nate leaned back in his chair, letting out a soft sigh. "You know, you're a lot of fun to tease."
Anan's cheeks flared. "…F-Fun to tease?"
"Yeah," Nate said, letting his smirk grow. "Every time I see you flustered, I just… enjoy it."
Anan felt heat rush through him. "…I… I don't mean to… be flustered," he stammered.
"You don't have to try," Nate replied, his tone softer now, letting the teasing edge fade slightly. "It's… cute."
Anan froze. "…Cute?"
Nate nodded once, letting his dark eyes meet Anan's. "Yeah. Cute. And… I like it."
Anan's chest tightened, a mixture of nervousness and excitement swirling inside him. He wanted to say something, but his words refused to form. Instead, he simply nodded, letting his gaze drop to his notebook, heart pounding.
The rest of the study session passed in a haze of flustered glances, subtle touches, and quiet laughter. Nate continued his playful teasing, leaning just slightly closer when pointing out something in Anan's notes, letting his hand brush against Anan's accidentally—or maybe not so accidentally. Every small gesture left Anan's mind racing and body tingling.
When the bell signaled the end of the session, Nate stood and stretched casually. "Good work today, Nong. You've improved a lot."
Anan smiled shyly, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear. "…Thanks. I… I really appreciate your help."
Nate's smirk softened into a small, approving smile. "Of course. And… don't worry, I'll keep teasing you. Just for fun."
Anan's face burned, but there was a small, happy smile on his lips. "…I… I'll survive, I guess."
As they walked out together, side by side across the campus courtyard, Nate felt a protective warmth rise in his chest. First-year, innocent, clumsy… and completely captivating. He wanted to see him smile, hear him laugh, and feel the tension between them grow in a playful, yet intimate way.
Meanwhile, Anan's heart raced uncontrollably. The teasing, the touches, the words that lingered in the air—they were intoxicating, making him realize that he didn't just admire Nate. He wanted more. He wanted to be closer, to feel the warmth of Nate's presence at all times, and to explore whatever this growing tension between them could become.
The afternoon sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the campus. But inside both of them, a spark had been lit—an unspoken, playful, and slightly dangerous spark that promised something much more than just a study partnership.
Nate glanced at Anan, letting a faint, teasing smirk linger. "…Watch out, Nong. I might just make you blush even more tomorrow."
Anan's cheeks flamed hotter, but he couldn't help the small laugh that escaped him. "…I'll… I'll survive," he whispered, though the flutter in his chest said otherwise.
And as they went their separate ways, both knew—this was just the beginning. The teasing, the tension, and the playful intimacy between them were only growing stronger.
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