University Main Building Monday, 8:04 AM

The hallway was chaos.

Not normal chaos Monday university chaos:

backpacks hitting innocent strangers,

caffeine addicted zombies moving like traffic,

someone arguing with a vending machine,

and a professor speed walking like he was chasing his youth.

Phuwin slipped through all of it with practiced ease, earbuds in, shoulders relaxed.

He wasn’t the “quiet background guy” he walked like he had plans and enemies.

He glanced at his watch.

“Four minutes late,” he muttered. “Perfect. That’s basically early.”

He turned the corner at full speed

BANG. SPLASH. IMPACT OF THE YEAR.

Something no, someone huge collided with him.

Cold iced coffee rained down his shirt like God pressed “refresh.”

Phuwin hissed through his teeth and stared at the dripping mess.

Then at the expensive cup rolling on the floor like it lost its will to live.

A lazy voice floated down from above:

“…Well. That was dramatic.”

Phuwin slowly lifted his head.

Pond stood there like a villain introduced in 4K:

messy perfect hair, earrings, designer jacket, tall enough to block a solar eclipse, and that stupidly confident half-smirk.

He looked at Phuwin’s soaked shirt, clicked his tongue, and said:

“If you wanted to touch me, you could’ve just asked. No need to bathe in my coffee.”

Phuwin blinked once.

Then he blinked again.

Then he said, calm as ever:

“You walked into me, skyscraper.”

Pond’s smirk faltered not gone, just… adjusting.

Like he wasn’t used to being talked to like a normal human.

“Oh? So you talk back.”

“When people ruin my morning, yes,” Phuwin replied, flicking coffee off his sleeve. “Congratulations, you’ve unlocked that feature.”

A couple of students slowed down to watch.

Drama was their cardio.

Pond stepped closer, shadow falling over him.

“Relax. It was an accident.”

“So apologize,” Phuwin shot back.

“…What?”

“Try it. It won’t kill you,” Phuwin deadpanned. “Unless your ego is allergic.”

A beat of silence.

Then someone shouted from behind them,

“BROOO, WHO FOUGHT A COFFEE CUP?!”

Joong skidded to a stop beside Pond, out of breath.

Aou followed, holding a bag of chips at 8 a.m.

Joong pointed at Phuwin.

“Did you make Pond spill his drink? His morning drink? The sacred one?”

Phuwin answered without hesitation:

“No. He tested gravity and lost.”

Aou choked on a chip.

Pond dragged a hand through his hair, amused despite himself.

“You’re feisty for someone drenched in iced Americano.”

Phuwin shrugged. “You’re confident for someone who can’t look where he’s going.”

Joong mouthed “OH DAMN.”

Pond leaned in, lowering his voice like he was talking to someone he found… interesting.

“Do you always act like this?”

“Only when people act like idiots,” Phuwin said, meeting his gaze without flinching.

Pond paused.

Then he laughed genuinely, not his usual smug version.

It was annoyingly attractive.

“Fine,” Pond said. “You want something? Refund? New shirt? A written apology? My autograph?”

“I want you to move,” Phuwin replied, stepping around him. “I’m late.”

Pond blinked as Phuwin brushed past, unbothered, sharp, confident.

He watched him walk away, jaw tightening briefly.

Aou whispered, “Bro… he just walked off on you.”

Joong added, “He didn’t even blush. That’s a new species.”

Pond scratched his jaw, smirking slowly.

“…I’m definitely not done with him.”

Meanwhile, at the other end of the hallway

Dunk nearly crashed into Phuwin, grabbing his arm.

“BRO!? Why are you soaked? Did someone baptize you?”

Phuwin sighed. “Long story. Short version: giant idiot, no brain, lots of attitude.”

“Pond?” Boom guessed instantly.

Phuwin paused. “…Yes.”

JJ gasped. “Please tell me you punched him.”

“I verbally punched him,” Phuwin said proudly.

Winny slung an arm around his shoulder.

“Our boy! Making enemies on Monday morning! We love the energy.”

Phuwin just stared down the hallway where Pond had been.

“…Ugh,” he muttered under his breath. “Why did he have to be hot?”

Dunk immediately dragged him toward the nearest men's restroom. Boom, Winny, and JJ followed, the seriousness of a stained shirt outweighing their need to be on time for anything.

“Off. Now,” Dunk commanded once they were inside, peeling off his own clean, oversized hoodie.

“I’m not taking off my shirt in a public bathroom, Dunk,” Phuwin protested, shivering slightly as the cold, sticky residue of the iced coffee clung to his skin.

“You’re either going to classes smelling like a melted frappuccino, or you’re wearing my hoodie until you can get back to your dorm,” Dunk countered, holding out the familiar grey fabric. “Pick one.”

Phuwin grumbled but quickly swapped the drenched, ruined shirt for Dunk’s hoodie.

The fabric was soft and smelled like clean laundry, a stark contrast to the sugar and shame he'd been wearing moments before.

“That’s better,” Winny said, adjusting the hood over Phuwin's head playfully. “Now you look like a mysterious, slightly damp vigilante.”

They left the restroom and headed to their 8:30 lecture together.

Despite the drama, Phuwin focused on the class, trying to banish the image of Pond’s smug, laughing face from his mind.

He needed his concentration for his studies, not for the university’s resident rich brat.

The class finally finished at 10:30 AM. Phuwin and his friends were really hungry.

“Cafeteria, now!” JJ shouted. “I need food after that boring class.”

They quickly grabbed a table in the busy cafeteria.

Phuwin was trying to eat his noodles when the room suddenly felt colder.

He looked up, and there were Pond, Joong, and Aou.

Pond looked perfect, as always, and was holding a nice-looking, cold fruit smoothie with a strawberry on top.

Pond put the smoothie right in front of Phuwin. “Phuwin, I’m sorry about the coffee. To show I really mean it, please take this.”

Phuwin looked at the drink, then at Pond’s face. He knew Pond wasn't truly sorry.

This felt like a trick.

“I don’t want your ‘sorry’ drink, Pond,” Phuwin said, pushing the glass away

😈 😇 innocent FACE 😇 😈

Pond frowned a little, looking innocent. “Come on, Phuwin. Don't be difficult. It’s fresh and tastes great. I made sure they washed out all the coffee germs.” He leaned closer. “Just drink it. It’s Monday. Let’s start over.”

Dunk and Winny looked worried. Boom looked ready to jump up.

“Just drink it, Phuwin,” Winny whispered. “Get it done with.”

Phuwin was annoyed by the attention.

😒 side eyeing pond 😒

He gave Pond a look, picked up the glass, and took a big gulp.

The sweet fruit flavor was there for one second.

Then, a terrible, sour, bitter taste flooded his mouth. It was so bad it made him feel sick right away.

Phuwin coughed.

He looked straight at Pond, who was trying hard not to burst out laughing. Joong couldn’t hold it in and let out a huge, loud laugh.

Aou was hunched over, shaking and hiding his giggles behind his arm.

They had tricked him. They had put something bitter inside the ‘apology’ drink.

Phuwin’s face turned bright red. He wasn't just angry about the taste; he was furious that they had done this right in front of everyone.

They thought he was their clown.

Phuwin slammed the glass down, spilling the liquid. He jumped up so fast his chair screeched across the floor.

Pond stopped laughing and looked up, a triumphant smirk on his face. “Told you it was—”

Phuwin didn't wait. He grabbed the glass and threw the rest of the bitter smoothie in a fast, wide sweep

SPLASH!

The cold, colorful drink hit Pond right across the chest and neck, soaking his very expensive jacket.

The whole cafeteria suddenly became silent.

The noise of lunch trays, talking just stopped. You could only hear the slow drip of the smoothie from Pond’s jacket.

Pond stood frozen, his eyes wide, the smug look wiped clean. A purple streak of fruit ran down his jaw.

Phuwin stood there, breathing hard. He wasn't soft or smiling anymore he was cold and extremely angry.

“You wanted to mess with me?” Phuwin said, his voice quiet but shaking. “Well done, rich brat. You just started a fight.”

....

For a long second, nobody moved.

Nobody breathed.

Pond slowly exhaled, jaw tight, the smoothie dripping from his chin to the floor.

Joong’s mouth hung open.

Aou froze with a spoon halfway to his lips.

Dunk grabbed Phuwin’s arm. “Bro. BRO. Let’s leave. Now.”

But Phuwin didn’t budge. His eyes stayed locked on Pond not scared, not embarrassed, just furious in a way nobody expected from him.

Pond wiped a bit of purple liquid off his jaw with two fingers, looked at it

😏😏😏😏

…and smirked.

Not his usual smug smirk.

A dangerous one.

The “you just became the most interesting person in my life” kind.

“Well,” Pond said quietly, “that escalated fast.”

Phuwin’s voice was cold. “Should’ve thought of that before poisoning me with your clown drink.”

Joong snapped out of it first.

“HOLY bro, he just he just reverse Uno’d you!”

Aou whispered, horrified but impressed, “Pond… your jacket costs more than my bike.”

Pond didn’t even look at them.

His eyes stayed glued to Phuwin, like the rest of the cafeteria didn’t exist.

“Phuwin,” Pond said, stepping forward once.

Dunk instantly pulled Phuwin back once.

“Ah ah,” Dunk warned. “Stay on your side, smoothie demon.”

Boom stood between them like a brick wall.

Winny looked ready to faint.

Pond ignored them all. “You threw a drink at me.”

🙄😒

“You deserved it,” Phuwin shot back.

Pond tilted his head, studying him, expression unreadable.

“…No one has ever done that to me.”

Phuwin scoffed. “That explains your personality.”

Aou made a strangled sound. “Guys, I think my soul just left my body.”

Joong whispered, “Is this flirting or war?”

“Both,” Aou answered immediately.

The whole cafeteria was still watching, waiting for Pond to explode, yell, threaten — anything.

But instead, Pond laughed.

Soft at first.

Then louder, shaking his head, wiping his chest with a napkin.

“You’re crazy,” Pond said. “Completely insane.”

“And you’re an idiot,” Phuwin fired back, ready for round two.

Pond stepped closer again but this time Boom shoved him back with one hand.

Boom’s voice was firm. “Back off, Pond.”

Pond looked annoyed for exactly half a second…

Then his eyes returned to Phuwin, sharp and focused.

“This isn’t over.”

Phuwin narrowed his eyes. “Good. I’m not done either.”

Pond’s smirk grew. “Oh, I know.”

He turned around, letting Joong and Aou drag him away to change his jacket, smoothie dripping behind him like a trail.

Before leaving, Pond glanced over his shoulder one last time.

And held Phuwin’s gaze.

Not angry.

Not embarrassed.

Interested.

Very interested.

Phuwin’s heart kicked once hard before he turned away quickly.

Dunk whispered, “Why did he look at you like that?”

Winny swallowed. “Like he found his new hobby.”

Boom sighed. “God help us.”

Phuwin sat down again, pretending to eat.

But his hands were still shaking.

Not from fear.

From adrenaline.

From anger.

From the fact that Pond’s stare still burned on the back of his neck.

JJ leaned forward and whispered, “So… you and Pond are enemies now?”

Phuwin stabbed his noodles. “No.”

He looked toward the cafeteria doors where Pond disappeared.

“…He wants a fight? He’ll get one.”