The alarm had been ringing for what felt like forever, but the boy on the bed didn't move.

Wrapped from head to toe, Toffee stayed hidden under a mountain of blankets.

Suddenly, firm footsteps came closer. A hand reached out and pulled the covers away with a snap.

"Toffee, dear... wake up.

Wake up, dear."

The room smelled warm and cozy. A figure stood there with a smile — someone who was sweet, but also a little spicy.

"Toffee... you'll be late..." his mother called out to wake him up.

Toffee only groaned and rolled over. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying one last time to stay asleep.

"You'll be late for your first day at University, luk..."

"Mae... five more minutes," Toffee mumbled into his pillow. "I only slept for a few hours, krub."

"And whose fault is that? Who told you to stay up drinking with your father all night?" his mother teased. She leaned over to pat his messy hair. "My son is all grown up, but he still can't get out of bed on his own."

"I wonder who is going to marry you... my luk, get up," she teased. "Or do I need to sing a song?"

"Oh, Mae! I'm awake! Please don't sing," Toffee groaned, finally opening his eyes.

His mother pretended to be sad. "My son... my dear son doesn't like my singing," she sighed dramatically.

"Fine! Even if you beg, I won't sing for you now." She huffed and looked away with a playful pout.

" Ohh.... Mae...."he sat up and rolled his eyes playfully, wrapping the blanket around his shoulders like a cape.

"Mae, you can go now... I'll get ready, I promise."

"You need to hurry," she said. "Mok has been waiting downstairs for a long time."

"What?! Mok is already here?" Toffee's eyes went wide. He jumped out of bed so fast he almost tripped. "Mae! Tell Mok I'll be down in a second!"

His mother laughed, heading toward the door. "Take your time, luk. I've already made breakfast for both of you."

Toffee rushed into the bathroom. As he grabbed his toothbrush, it slipped from his wet hand and fell into the sink.

He let out a long sigh. "What kind of day is this going to be? I'm really going to be late!"

Crazy ( In english ).

After a super fast shower, he put on his clean, white university shirt. He stepped in front of the mirror and flashed a bright smile—the kind that makes everyone feel happy.

His soft hair fell over his kind eyes. He had a healthy build and a natural charm that made people like him instantly. He was the type of boy who would help anyone without thinking twice.

But when it came to noticing things, he was a little bit slow. You could even say he was a tiny, tiny bit dumb — maybe just a little more — dumb.

Toffee grabbed his phone and ran downstairs, where his best friend was waiting.

"Mok! Good morning!" Toffee beamed.

Mok sat on the couch, fixing his expensive glasses.

Mok was tall,an introvert and handsome, always wearing a pair of glasses as if he wanted to hide something. He was a genius, same department as Toffee and also his childhood friend .

But even though everyone called him a genius, in real life... only God knows the truth about him.

(DEEP SIGN.....)

While he was quiet and shy with others, he had a playful side that only Toffee ever saw.

Mok was Toffee's protector, always one step ahead. His only "bad" habit? He loved to tease Toffee just to see his sweet reaction.

"Oh, look who finally showed up," Mok sighed, crossing his arms.

"You're late. It's our first day, Toffee! I can't imagine what your future boyfriend will do. He'll have a hard time with your sleeping habits....."

"Oh! Mok! Did you come early just to tease me?" Toffee laughed.

"But look who's talking! You're just the same, Mok. You're always teasing me!" Toffee huffed.

Toffee held up his hands like claws, acting like a grumpy stray cat, and gave a tiny hiss.

Suddenly, Toffee jumped forward and gave Mok a giant hug, squeezing him until Mok could hardly breathe.

A variety of foods filled the table. Mae had prepared everything, making sure to cook the favorite dishes of both her sons.

Toffee! Mok! Stop fighting and come eat,Toffee's mother called out.

"Mae..." Toffee started, sticking his tongue out at Mok. "Mae called me, or I was going to—"

"What? What would you do, Luk Toffee?" Mok challenged with a smirk.

"Mok! Don't call me that! Mae! Mok is teasing me again!" Toffee whined to his mother.

"Toffee! Mok! Stop fighting and come eat," Mae called out from the dining area. "You guys are going to be late. Come quickly!"

They started eating breakfast....

Mok was a very fast eater, but Toffee was as slow as a sloth. Mok stuffed everything into his mouth so quickly that he almost choked to death."

"Eat slowly, Mok... there's plenty of food," Mae said with a smile.

"Drink some water", mae said.

"Krub, Mae," Mok replied politely.

Toffee narrowed his eyes. "Are you trying to be the perfect son now? Do you want to be her favorite? Only in your dreams!"

Mok didn't even look up. "Toffee, where is your sweetness today? You're not living up to your name."

"Mae! See? Mok is being mean!"

Toffee pointed his finger at Mok while complaining.

Mae laughed. "Actually, Mok, if you want to live here, you are welcome."

Toffee's jaw dropped. He made a sad face. "Mae! Does Mae not want me anymore?"

"Oh, my baby," Mae said, pinching his cheek. "Why are you acting sad?"

Mok rolled his eyes. "Toffee, stop being so clingy. Everyone knows you're her favorite."

"Fine! Then take this!" Toffee grabbed a glass of milk and pushed it toward Mok's face. "Eat and shut up, Mok!"

"Wait—stop! Toffee!" Mok laughed as they both dodged the splashing milk.

"Listen to me, you two," Mae said, getting serious. "Your bags will be waiting in the dorms. Call us once you get settled."

She looked at her son with worry. "Toffee, be careful. If someone asks for help, make sure they are being honest. Don't get into trouble just because you're too kind."

"Mok, please take care of him for me."

"Don't worry, Aunty. I've got him," Mok said with a nod.

"Mae! I get it!" Toffee laughed. "I'm going to miss you so much!" He gave her one last big hug.

"Okay, Toffee! That's enough!" Mok groaned. He grabbed Toffee by the back of his shirt and dragged him toward the car.

"Take care! Call me if you need anything!" Mae waved from the porch.

"Bye, Mae!" Mok shouted.

"Bye, Mae!

Toffee echoed as they left for their new life.

Phassakorn University was a famous school. Thousands of students had studied there to become successful.

While it had many subjects, it was best known for its Engineering and Business schools.

The campus was huge and beautiful, with green trees and famous landmarks. It was so nice that even celebrities chose to study there.

From the delicious food stalls to the fun student clubs, every corner was special. The students were also known for being very friendly to one another.

The opening ceremony was about to start, but Mok and Toffee were stuck in bad traffic.

"Tof... is our luck really this bad?" Mok sighed. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "We're going to be late on our very first day."

"Oh, stay positive, Mok! It'll be over soon," Toffee said, trying to make him feel better.

Toffee went quiet for a moment. "Mok, I'm actually a little worried. We both got into our favorite subjects, but... will everything be okay? Will we make friends? Will we be happy?"

Suddenly, Mok reached over and gave Toffee's forehead a gentle flick. "Don't be like that. Be positive—isn't that what you just told me? You'll be fine."

Toffee rubbed his head. "Mok... are you okay? You don't look well ! Is it because Pin left for Canada?"

The moment Toffee mentioned Pin, Mok's expression shifted to one of worry, a look of sadness crossing his face that he tried his best to hide.

Mok let out a heavy sigh. "Yeah, she's gone. But that part of my life is over. I realized she didn't truly like me—she just wanted to use me. I was angry at first, but not anymore. She just wasn't the right one for me."

"Good job, Mok," Toffee said softly. "She didn't deserve you. The right person will show up when the time is right."

Mok smiled. "Okay, okay. I won't be sad anymore."

He let out a deep sigh while looking at the road ahead; even though his eyes were fixed on the path, his mind had already slipped away.

"Oh! Mok, start the car!" Toffee cheered. "The traffic is moving!"

"Oh... I forgot," Mok said in a panic as he heard other vehicles honking.

"Start the car, Mok!" Toffee said.

"I'm doing it!" Mok replied.

They finally arrived at the campus, the heavy weight of the future making both Mok and Toffee feel anxious.

Mok's car pulled into the crowded parking lot just in time. The two of them stood at the entrance of their new life.

As both of them got out of the car and prepared to head onto campus, Toffee pulled his phone from his pocket to call his Mae.

"Wait! Mok... my phone won't turn on!" Toffee panicked. "It's stuck. I need to call Mae !"

"Look, we can fix this later, Toffee. We're already late!"

They ran toward the large hall. As they rushed through the heavy doors, Mok accidentally bumped into a stranger.

CLANG ...

It was a loud sound, and they both felt a sharp pain.

The man was wearing a senior's engineering jacket,he looked at Mok.

While Mok immediately bowed his head.

"I'm so sorry!" he said quickly without looking at the man's face. Toffee bowed too, and they both hurried inside.

Behind them, the stranger stood still. He was tall, fair, and very handsome. He watched Mok run away with a small smile.

"Cute..." he whispered.

"Kaopun!"

A loud, cold voice called out.With just one call, the whole crowd looked at Kao.

"Why are you standing there like a dummy? Come back here."

Kaopun hurried toward his friend. All around them, other students began to whisper.

"Look, it's P'Kao! He's so handsome!"

"Look! It's P'Kao! He is so handsome!" a girl whispered loudly.

"I only came here today to see him..." her friend said, blushing.

Suddenly, another girl gasped. "Wait! Look! It's P'Artit! He is here too!"

The crowd started to buzz. "Oh my god, both of them are here? P'Artit is so cool... he looks like a prince, but he is so cold!"

"I can't believe our luck! Seeing both of them together on the first day... this year is going to be great!"

The students followed them with their eyes. Some girls pulled out their phones to take secret photos. They were all excited to see the most famous seniors in the Engineering faculty.

Kaopun turned to his friend with a scowl. "Artit, you jerk! Don't call me 'Kaopun' in public! Just call me 'Kao'!"

Artit was known as the "God of Engineering." He was the top student in grades and looks, but he was very cold and serious. He was the total opposite of the friendly Kao. ( In this campus nicknames will be used like king, crown prince, god,....).

"Kao, did you find your lost gear pin?" Artit asked.

"No," Kaopun replied, thinking of the boy he just bumped into. "But I found something else. A cute little bunny."

Kao's face turned into a wide smile, as if he wanted to go back and find the cute boy he had just bumped into.

Artit stared at him like he was looking at a crazy person. "What? Are you out of your mind? Let's go."

"Wait, what about the ceremony?" Kaopun asked.

"We aren't the new students. They are, while pointing to fresher's " Artit said sharply. "Why do we need to be here, Kao? It's a waste of time."

"Can't we stay just to see the new faces?" Kaopun pleaded.

"No. Are you coming or not?" Artit didn't even wait for an answer. He turned around and walked away.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Kaopun shouted. He tried to look back at the doors one last time, hoping to see the cute boy again. But when he looked back, Artit was already far away.

"You are so mean, Artit! Wait for me! Stop leaving your friend behind! Artit!"

Inside the hall, the room was full of people.

Mok and Toffee found seats at the back and sat down to listen to the introduction.

Suddenly, Mok jumped up with a hiss of pain.

Something sharp had poked his hand.

"Ouch! That hurts..." Mok growled. He reached onto the chair and pulled out a small, metal object. It was a gear pin.

"Oh! That's a Gear!" Toffee whispered. "It probably belongs to the Engineering seniors."

Mok stared at the pin, feeling very annoyed. "Whoever lost this must be so careless. I already hate them."

"Don't be like that," Toffee said. "It wasn't on purpose. We can give it back at the forum hall later when we fill out our papers."

"Fine," Mok sighed, putting the metal pin in his pocket. "Let's do that. This ceremony is boring, and I'm hungry."

Toffee giggled. "Where did breakfast go so fast?"

"Toffee! Don't tease me!

"Alright, alright, I'll stop. Let's go find something to eat first, then we can handle the applications. Let's get out of here."

They both headed straight to canteen.

"Toffee! Look at that braised pork! It is shining and calling my name. It is basically screaming 'Eat me, Toffee!'"

Toffee's eyes were wide as he stared at the food stall in the middle of the busy university canteen.

The smell of garlic and spices was moving all around his head.

"Toffee, stop! We cannot eat here," Mok said, grabbing Toffee's hand just as he was about to join the line.

"We have to eat light today because I forgot to tell you something. My mother is already at our dorm, and she cooked a mountain of food for us. If we show up full, she will definitely give us that disappointed look for the next three days."

Toffee froze in his tracks, and his face fell faster than a dropped scoop of coconut ice cream.

"Mok... are you serious? Why are you telling me this now after I already prepared my stomach for that pork? You are just messing with me, aren't you?"

"I swear, I just remembered! Do not look at me like that!" Mok laughed when he saw the betrayal in Toffee's eyes.

Without warning, Mok turned and ran toward the exit. "The last person to reach the dorm pays for the taxi tomorrow!"

"Mok! You jerk! Get back here!" Toffee yelled, his face turning into a giant pout. He scrambled after him, moving through groups of students who were busy drinking their Thai iced teas.

Mok looked back and grinned like a crazy person. "Hurry up, slowpoke! Or I am telling Mae that you said her cooking is just okay!"

"I never said that! You are a total cheater, Mok!" Toffee screamed, his anger melting into a giggle as he tried to catch up.

Mok suddenly stopped and waited for Toffee to get close. Then, he reached out and pinched Toffee's chubby cheek with a loud squish.

"Stay right there! I am going to kill you!" Toffee shouted, his face turning as red as spicy salad.

They ran out of the canteen like two blurs in their white university uniforms, making the ladies at the fruit stalls laugh at them.

Finally, they reached their new dorm. Panting very hard, Mok and Toffee collapsed against the wall of the dorm hallway.

"Are we actually insane?" Toffee wheezed while clutching his side. "Mok, stop teasing me for five seconds so I can actually breathe some oxygen."

"We really ran all the way from the canteen to here," Mok gasped while wiping sweat from his forehead. "I cannot believe it. My legs feel like overcooked noodles."

"I have not exercised this much since middle school," Toffee muttered, then he looked at Mok with suspicion. "Wait, why are you looking so serious? It is scary."

Mok turned to him with a look of pure horror.

"Toffee... we forgot something. We forgot something very, very important."

Toffee's eyes went wide. "What is it? Did Mae forget the crispy pork?!"

Flick! Mok's finger snapped against Toffee's forehead.

"Is food the only thing you think about? Why is your brain made of 90% rice? We forgot the car, you dummy! It is still parked back at the university!"

Toffee froze. "The car? Oh... the car. Do we have to run back? I will actually die."

"Are you crazy , Toffee."

"It is fine, we will just take a taxi back for it tomorrow.

Look at us, our shirts are soaked with sweat and we look like we just fell into the river. And look... the elevator is broken too. This is a cursed day." They groaned together and slowly walked up the stairs.

The moment they swung the door to their dorm room open, a smell of jasmine and motherly energy hit them. Mok's mother was waiting inside with a big smile.

"SURPRISE!

Oh, my dear Toffee! My precious boy!"

"Mae! Your son is here , you know," Mok teased, but Mae was already squeezing Toffee's cheeks.

"I have not seen my Toffee in a whole month! Look how thin you have gotten! Are you eating enough? Is Mok stealing all your snacks?"

"Mae, we are exhausted," Mok complained, though he was still smiling. "The hug is enough for now because Toffee is about to faint from hunger."

"Right, right! I prepared a big feast for your first night here. I made everything Toffee loves, like green curry and spicy stir-fry!"

"Thanks, Mae," Toffee beamed, sending a smug look at Mok.

Mok cleared his throat loudly. "Ahem. And what about me? Is there anything for your favorite son who actually carried all the heavy bags?"

Mae glanced at him for a second. "No."

Mok slumped his shoulders. "See? Once again, I lose to the Golden Child. You are the favorite, and I am just the delivery driver."

"Mok, stop being a drama queen," Toffee giggled.

As Mae gathered her things to leave the dorm, Mok pouted. "Are you really going without giving me a hug after I ran miles for this family?"

"Oh, come here, you monkey," Mae laughed, pulling them both into a group hug.

"Be good, study hard, and do not spend all your money on bubble tea! Call me if you need anything. One last hug for Toffee... okay, bye babies!"

"Bye, Mae! Drive safe!" they shouted as she disappeared down the hall.

Toffee turned to the table with his eyes sparkling. "Okay, Mok. The car is gone and the lift is broken, but the food is here. Life is good."

"And you are crazy ," Mok sighed, but he was already picking up a spoon.