The classroom was too loud.
Not loud in a normal way—loud in the way where everything blends together until it feels like pressure in your head.
Fans spinning.Chairs dragging.Someone laughing too hard at something that wasn't that funny.
And in the middle of it—
Phuwin was staring at his phone like it had just insulted him.
"Why do you look like you're about to commit a crime?" Krit asked, leaning over his shoulder without permission.
Mali didn't even look up from her notebook. "If it's another dramatic text, I'm not involved."
Phuwin didn't answer.
That was the first sign something was wrong.
Because Phuwin always answered.Even when no one asked.
"…Okay, wait," Krit said, squinting. "Why are you quiet? That's illegal."
Still nothing.
Mali finally looked up.
Phuwin's screen reflected in his eyes.Unread message. Then read. Then unread again. Then read again.
His thumb hovered… then dropped.
"…Did he text you?" Mali asked.
Silence.
Krit's expression shifted instantly. "Oh."
That kind of oh.
The kind that means this is not going to be funny.
Phuwin let out a small laugh. It sounded wrong. "It's nothing."
"Liar," Krit said immediately.
"Shut up."
"Read it."
"No."
"Read it."
"Why are you like this?" Phuwin snapped, clutching his phone to his chest like Krit might actually steal it.
Krit raised his hands. "Because you're being suspicious. And I'm curious. And also bored."
Mali rolled her eyes. "Give him space."
"Thank you," Phuwin muttered.
"—but if you don't tell us in the next ten seconds, I'm also going to get curious," she added.
Phuwin stared at both of them.
"…You guys are actually terrible people."
"Ten," Krit said.
"Are you serious—"
"Nine."
"Oh my—"
"Eight."
"Fine!" Phuwin hissed, unlocking his phone so aggressively it looked personal. "Just—don't say anything stupid."
Krit leaned in immediately.
Mali pretended not to—but she definitely was.
Phuwin scrolled up slightly.
Then stopped.
Then—
He handed the phone over.
Big mistake.
Krit read it first.
And for once…he didn't react immediately.
Mali noticed that.
"…What?" she asked.
Krit slowly passed the phone to her.
She read:
"I think we should stop.It doesn't feel the same anymore.I'm sorry."
That was it.
No long explanation.No drama.
Just… that.
Mali blinked.
"…That's it?"
Phuwin laughed again. Too loud this time. "Right? Like—what does that even mean? 'Doesn't feel the same anymore'? What does that even mean?"
No one answered.
"Like—same as what?" he continued, words speeding up. "Yesterday? Last week? When did it stop feeling the same? Did I miss something? Was there like—an announcement?"
Krit opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again. "…Do you want me to beat him up?"
Phuwin snorted. "You can't even beat your alarm in the morning."
"Okay, wow. I'm offering violence and you're insulting me?"
Mali nudged Krit slightly. Not now.
Phuwin took his phone back.
Stared at the message again.
Read it like maybe it would change this time.
It didn't.
"…Are you going to reply?" Mali asked gently.
Phuwin shrugged. "I don't know. What do people even say to this?"
Krit said, "Send 'k.'"
Mali smacked his arm. "Don't listen to him."
"No, seriously," Krit insisted. "Say 'k.' Be mysterious."
"That's not mysterious, that's embarrassing."
"It's iconic."
Phuwin huffed out a laugh. "You're both useless."
But he didn't type anything.
Not yet.
The bell rang.
No one moved.
Around them, the classroom shifted—students grabbing bags, chairs screeching, voices rising.
But their little space stayed… stuck.
"…Let's go," Mali said softly.
Phuwin stood up quickly. Too quickly.
"Yeah. Yeah, okay. I'm fine."
He wasn't.
They all knew.
Outside, the air hit warmer. Louder. Real.
Krit slung an arm over Phuwin's shoulder. "Okay, listen. New plan. We're getting food."
"I'm not hungry."
"That's not a choice."
Mali nodded. "We're going."
Phuwin groaned. "You guys are so annoying."
"Correct," Krit said proudly.
They walked.
For a while, it almost felt normal.
Almost.
Until—
"Do you think he meant it?" Phuwin asked suddenly.
No jokes this time.
No sarcasm.
Just… quiet.
Mali glanced at Krit.
Krit didn't look at her.
"…I don't know," she said honestly.
Phuwin nodded slowly.
"Because I thought…" he started, then stopped.
Tried again.
"I thought it was going well."
Krit's arm tightened slightly around his shoulder.
"You're allowed to think that," he said.
Phuwin let out a breath. It shook.
"I don't get it," he whispered. "Nothing even happened."
And that was the worst part.
No big fight.No clear ending.
Just… gone.
They reached the roadside.
Cars passed. People moved. Life continued like nothing had changed.
Phuwin stared ahead.
"…Should I ask why?"
Mali hesitated. "Do you want the answer?"
"…I don't know."
Krit said quietly, "Then don't ask yet."
Phuwin nodded.
Another silence.
Then—
"…I hate him," Phuwin muttered.
Krit nodded immediately. "Same."
Mali sighed. "You don't even know him like that."
"I don't need to. He hurt my friend."
Phuwin let out a small laugh.
There it was.
That tiny, broken laugh.
"…I really liked him," he admitted.
And this time—
No one joked.
A drop of rain hit the ground.
Then another.
Then more.
"Are you serious?" Mali groaned, looking up.
Krit grinned. "This is so dramatic. I love it."
Phuwin just stood there.
Rain slowly soaking into his uniform.
Phone still in his hand.
Message still open.
Unread reply.
"…Let's run," Mali said.
Krit grabbed Phuwin's wrist. "Come on."
They ran.
Through the rain.Through the noise.Through everything that didn't stop just because his world did.
Phuwin laughed again.
But this time—
It almost sounded like crying.
End of Chapter 1