CHAPTER:- 1

( THE COLLEGE ———— NOW SEMESTER ———— MORNING )

.........

Lucas Wattanachai burst through the doors of his college, weaving through the noisy crowd. Laughter, teasing, and the warm buzz of student life surrounded him. Couples strolled hand-in-hand, straight, gay, and lesbian, sharing quick kisses before class.

Lucas's heart raced, not just from sprinting, but from anticipation. He scanned the cafeteria until he found the person he wanted most.

King, his boyfriend, sitting at their usual table. Lucas's face lit up, then dimmed when he noticed someone else beside him, talking cheerfully with his boyfriend.

"Who is that?" he muttered.

Lucas's heart raced, not just from sprinting more. Lucas swallowed, forcing his voice steady and fake smile as he approached, "Hey."

"Oh, you arrived?" King's bright smile felt... brighter than usual.

Lucas sat, palms slightly damp, eyes drifting to the unfamiliar boy beside King, and asked, trying to sound casual, "Who's this?"

"This is Jay," King said cheerfully. "He moved near my house a month ago."

A month, and this was the first Lucas was hearing about him. He blinked, asking, "Oh, this is my first time hearing... why... didn't you tell me?"

The king shrugged lightly, the gesture careless. "Didn't feel important."

A silence, a hurtful silence. lucas's chest tightened in a way he couldn't explain. Jay offered a friendly smile.

"Hi, I'm Jay. I just joined the college."

"I'm Lucas Wattanachai, everyone calls me Luca," he replied, forcing a polite smile.

Before Jay could answer, King suddenly stood up. "Oh! I was just about to give Jay a tour. Let's go."

Lucas started to rise, instinctively wanting to join, but King's hand pressed gently, firmly, onto his shoulder. "No, Lucas. You should go to class. We'll catch up later."

"It's fine." The words were soft but final.

Lucas watched them walk away together, King laughing, Jay listening with interest, while Nan sat alone at the table that suddenly felt too big, too empty, and too cold.

...****************...

...( CLASSROOM ————— LATER )...

As the professor took his class, Lucas couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. Sam and Wann kept glancing at Lucas, whispering urgently.

"Luca... what's wrong?" Sam asked.

Lucas shook his head, staring blankly at his notebook. "Nothing. I'm fine."

"Is it King again?" Sam pressed gently.

Lucas's breath stuttered. "Maybe."

Wann expression changed to one of irritation at the mention of King's name. He whispered to Sam, "For some reason, that bastard gets on my nerves."

"Same here," Sam replied with a knowing nod.

Lucas, catching the exchange, couldn't help but smile faintly. "Oh, come on, you two. King isn't that bad."

"Not that bad? That guy walks around like he owns the place," Wann whispered. "And don't forget how he always tries to one-up us," Sam added.

Lucas forced a laugh. "You guys are being dramatic. He's really sweet once you get to know him."

Neither of his friends bought it. They didn't push him further, but the way they exchanged glances told Lucas everything — that they were worried, and it made the ache in his chest worse.

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