Ping had always eaten alone.
It wasn't that he minded;it had just become the rhythm of his days. The cafeteria buzzed around him. Voices overlapping, trays scraping, laughter spilling into every corner– but he always managed to find a quiet spot.
One tray,one seat,one person: himself.
Unknowingly to ping today was going to be different.
He barely noticed keng's approach at first. Then suddenly,the chair across from him scraped against the floor.
"Mind if I sit?", keng asked, casual and calm, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.
Ping froze. The cafeteria noise seemed to soften around them, though the chatter continued elsewhere. He looked up, heart racing, and found keng's eyes holding his,steady, unflinching, certain.
Without thinking, ping nodded.
Keng slid into the chair.
Almost immediately, murmurs floated around him.
"Isn't that keng?"
"Why is he sitting with ping?"
"Is he..... seeking attention?"
Ping's chest tightened. Heat spread across his cheeks. He gripped his spoon harder, imagining that the whispers were aimed right at him. He wanted to shrink into his seat,to disappear.
Then, from the corner of his vision,he noticed keng's friends glance over. One smirked faintly, others waved at ping,but none said a word. They didn't tease,they didn't interfere. Their subtle observation – silent but present – somehow made ping feel.... Safer.
The quiet between him and keng was comfortable, almost strange.
Keng nudged a small portion of his food toward him. A simple gesture,but it made ping's chest warm In a way he hadn't expected.
Ping focused on his food,but in his flustered state, he didn't notice the corner of sauce sticking to the side of his mouth. He took a bite, chewing quickly, and then he froze as he realized it.
Keng's eyes softened as he leaned forward.
"Here", he said gently, taking a napkin and brushing the sauce from ping's lips,"you should eat more carefully".
Ping's face burned crimson. He opened his mouth to protest, but no words came out.
"I...I will wash the napkin you should give it to me" he said instead.
Keng's hand lingered just a second longer as he gave ping a reassuring pat on the head,
"It's okay",he said.
The simple gesture, casual yet full of care,made ping's heart flutter wildly.
Then, a girl approached – the most popular and beautiful girl in school – her steps were light, her smile confident, and she carried a neatly wrapped gift.
"Hey,keng", she said, holding out the package.
"I got this for you".
Ping's hand froze in his spoon. His stomach tightened. His mind raced – not because of seeing an unfamiliar face but because she disrupted his time with keng acting all slimy towards him.
"I don't talk while eating, please leave",keng said not even looking up at the girl.
The girl's eyes flicked to ping for a brief moment, forced a smile on her face and stepped aside. she didn't linger; she only demanded attention.
Yet, for ping, the moment made the cafeteria feel simultaneously bigger and smaller.
He hadn't seen keng react that way before.
Keng returned his gaze to ping, calm and reassuring. No words were needed. His eyes looking toward ping as if saying; you're the only one I'll talk to while eating.
After lunch ended, keng stood and stretched casually,
"See you tomorrow", he said, sliding his tray toward the side.
Ping lingered a moment, unsure whether to follow or stay frozen in place .
His cheeks still tingled from the earlier pat on his head,and the memory of keng brushing the sauce from his lips made his heart flutter uncontrollably.
"Um ... thanks Phi", he finally whispered, almost too quickly to be heard.
Keng glanced down at him, a small teasing smile tussing at the corner of his lips.
"Don't mumble ", he said softly, leaning down just enough to wink before turning away.
Ping's shoulder stiffened, his face heating again,but this time it wasn't embarrassment,it was a warm, dizzy sort of happiness he didn't know how to contain.
He allowed himself a tiny, shy smile, realizing he might be looking forward to lunch breaks more than he'd admit.
The cafeteria buzzed around him, but In that moment, all he noticed was keng's figure walking ahead, calm and steady, leaving a little bubble of warmth behind that ping wanted to stay in forever.