Chapter 42 Good Brothers

Santichai sat alone on a bus stop bench with his grocery bags next to him, watching the cars flash on the busy, noisy street. He saw many people walking past him. He heard people talking loudly, but he couldn't understand a word they said. Sometimes, he does wonder if he speaks the same language as everyone else. He knew he had to finish crying and give his eyes a break before returning to KK's house. Decha was right about one thing, if the tears did leave track, then his face would be covered with tear tracks or if the tears would cause blindness, as the elders thought, he would have been blind by now.

Santichai took two breaths, then took another deep breath and exhaled slowly. He wiped his tears and looked across the street. He saw many high school students giggling on the street. He thought to himself that he was once a boy with the same interests as those high school students. He wondered if any of those students had to pretend to smile and walk slowly behind the person he loved, while the person he loved was holding someone else's hand.

The bus stopped and he got on the bus. This afternoon was light and not many people sat, so he occupied the entire seat for himself. He put the grocery bags on the seat next to the aisle and sat by the window. As the wind swept across his face, familiar memories brought him back to his first day at college.

(Memory)

Many students dressed in black and white lined up at the bus stop. The students greeted each other with a smile. Many students are from the same high school, others are from different schools or cities. Students shoved each other, planning to take the front seats as soon as the bus stopped in front of them.

Asnee said, "Chai, come on, unless we're going to get to stand." He grabbed his bag and hurried to the bus. "Chai, hurry up."

Santichai grabbed his bag and hurriedly followed Asnee, only to be blocked in front of him by several students, he stumbled onto the person behind him. The person behind him quickly supported Santichai to prevent him from falling to the ground.

Santichai quickly came to his senses, turned around and apologized to the person behind him, "I'm sorry, thank you."

Decha said, "Are you hurt?"

Santichai said, "No and thank you." He quickly got on the bus.

When Santichai got into the bus, it was already full of students. He walked to the place where Asnee was sitting and stood beside Asnee holding the seat headrest.

"Hey, Frank, come back here," a student waved from the back seat.

Decha walked up to Santichai and said, "Excuse me."

Santichai turned his body towards Asnee and Decha walked past. Decha turned to look at Santichai, he said, "Nong, there is a seat in the back, you can take a seat."

Asnee looked at Decha madly, "He is fine standing."

Decha looked at Asnee then back at Santichai, "Are you okay standing?"

Santichai knows that Asnee is very protective and jealous of him, and if he talks too much, there will be an argument in this crowded bus. Also, the students sitting in the back row of the bus appear to be Decha's friends. If Asnee is really going to fight Decha, Asnee will lose. It was the first day of college, he didn't want any hostility and misunderstanding.

Santichai didn't look at Decha, but looked at Asnee and nodded, "Mmm...I'm fine."

Decha smiled and said, "Just checking..." He looked at Asnee, then at Santichai, and walked slowly to the back of the bus.

As more and more students got on the bus, Asnee took Santichai's hand and said, "Chai, sit down." He got up and asked Santichai to sit down. He grabbed the headrest of the seat.

Santichai said, "I'll hold your bag for you."

Asnee reached into his bag and grabbed a bottle of milk. He handed the bottle of milk to Santichai, "Come on, drink it, everyone says this milk has good vitamins." He handed the bag to Santichai.

Santichai took the milk bottle and Asnee's bag and said, "Thank you, did you make new friends today?"

Asnee looked at the female student sitting next to Santichai and felt a little embarrassed by Santichai's question. Asnee laughed, "If I made new friends, you'd know." He gave Santichai a nice smile. "Our classes are the same."

After the bus stopped, Santichai and Asnee got out and started walking towards their condo. Their condo is on the fifth floor. The condominium belonged to Asnee's parents. They decided to stay there because it was close to the university. As they turned the corner, Asnee's phone rang.

Asnee picked up, "Ma, what is it?"

Mrs. Siriporn chuckled and said, "Ma arrived with your car and your belongings."

Asnee smiled and said, "Thank you."

Mrs. Siriporn said, "Come on, I've made dinner, don't take Chai out to dinner."

Asnee looked at Santichai and said, "My mother said, don't go out to eat anymore."

When they arrived at the condo, Mrs. Siriporn was sitting on the sofa flipping through a magazine. Mrs. Siriporn smiled brightly when she saw Santichai, and Asnee walked into the condo. She hurriedly put down the magazine and stepped forward to greet the two of them.

Mrs. Siriporn smiled and asked, "How was your first day at university?"

Asnee said, "Ma, that was a few days ago."

Mrs. Siriporn said, "That doesn't count, that's just welcoming juniors and freshmen. Today is the first day you two really experience college life." She smiled and shook her head. "Hungry? I've already cooked."

Asnee smiled and said, "Umm...after I showered. I was sweating." He dropped his bag on the sofa and walked towards the master bedroom.

Mrs. Siriporn turned to Santichai and asked, "Chai...Chai...are you on the volleyball team?"

Santichai said, "No, I joined the book club."

Mrs. Siriporn smiled at Santichai and said, "It's really nice. I know I say that all the time, but just ask me if you need anything," she quipped. "In return, you have to keep a close eye on Asnee. You have to make sure he spends all his time in his study and not fooling around with girls."

Santichai smiled guiltily, "Mmm."

Mrs. Siriporn said, "Don't rent anywhere else. Stay here with Asnee." She sighed happily. "Asnee has always had a bad temper, but since he became friends with you, his bad temper has greatly improved." She put the plate on the table. "Thanks to you."

Asnee walked into the kitchen after taking a shower, sat next to Santichai and began to eat. He looked at Mrs. Siriporn, then at Santichai, and asked with a smile, "Ma, how long are you going to stay?"

Mrs. Siriporn sneered, "I just came to cook for you, and you are kicking me out before I finished my plate of food?"

Asnee said, "Don't get me wrong, ma. I'm just asking so I know how long Chai is going to be in the same bed as me."

Mrs. Siriporn said, "I won't be staying too long. I'll just wait here for your dad, and when he's done with the business meeting, we'll go home."

Asnee smiled at Santichai, then at Mrs. Siriporn, "Oh..."

Mrs. Siriporn smiled and said, "Chai, remember what I told you. You have to keep your eyes on him."

Asnee said, "Ma...don't make my friend your spy."

Santichai watched as Asnee and Mrs. Siriporn laughed and chatted around the table with a warm heart. He's always wanted to sit at the table at night with people he loves and cares about and laugh at their daytime troubles, like dinner tonight. He wondered if Mrs. Siriporn would accept his relationship with Asnee.

Asnee grabbed a chicken leg and put it on the plate of Santichai, "Here, eat more, you are too thin, I don't want people to think that I am bullying you."

Santichai said, "I don't want to gain weight."

Asnee smiled viciously and said, "Even if you are on top of me, I can hold you with one hand." Santichai knew what Asnee meant, he blushed and looked down at his plate of food, not Asnee. Asnee rubbed Santichai's hair quickly. "Just kidding, eat quickly."

Mrs. Siriporn smiled as she watched the two young men fooling around each other. "I'm glad you two are good brothers," she signed.