Chapter2 Konprod the Hazer

Hazing meeting

It was an activity that made many people grimace. Some people enjoyed playful hazing, while others saw it as pointless. Meanwhile, a large number of people viewed it as just an activity of the seniors who have nothing to do, just calling for hazing after classes, saying this and that, and then ordering punishments according to the tradition. The first-years, who liked it, were okay with the situation. As for those who didn't like it, they took sides. Some did it because they didn't want to get yelled at, and some did it out of annoyance.

But there were those who opposed it, and that got everyone in trouble.

"I thought we already discussed this."

Thunk!

"Or do you not remember why we haze?" The deep voice of the senior hazer made the third-years, who were standing with their hands folded behind their backs, lower their heads to listen to the instructions of the older student. Pluem swept his eyes over everyone, especially the head hazer responsible for this hazing meeting.

Konprod stood in front of his senior, standing before the other hazers by a step.

"If you're in charge, you should know what's appropriate and what's not. Just because a freshman didn't greet you, you punished them all. I don't think that's right."

"But I've already talked to him about manners once. I didn't force him to greet all of us. I just told him he should greet when he meets the seniors he respects."

"And have you behaved respectable enough for him to do that?"

"..."

"If you don't, why would the freshmen listen to you, Konprod?" The owner of the name slightly licked his lips. The pressure flowed in because he was responsible for the hazing meeting. At first, he didn't want to be a hazer, but he was nominated and chosen so that he couldn't resist.

Worse, he had to be the head hazer leading the team. He completely forgot that he had to train with the fourth-year hazers.

What was worse is that Pluem was the head hazer last year.

Konprod had to report the meeting results to him every day in front of his seniors and his own friends who were listening. Keeping a straight face might not be that difficult, but controlling his heart from trembling was harder. So whenever Pluem said something, Konprod just bowed his head and listened.

His hand was shaking, trying to release the tension until sweat dripped.

"Some of you don't even greet us. The younger ones see it and don't do it either."

"..."

"And I don't like the punishment today. It's unreasonable. Did you hear that?"

"I heard it." He couldn't help but accept it. Today, he punished a first-year who didn't greet one of the hazer team members to set an example that in the future, if we didn't respect our elders or seniors, there might be problems later. So, he ordered the first-year to do a hundred push-ups. However, it was a group punishment.

So, there were a lot of complaints. He heard about it from others because the first-years didn't dare to complain to him directly.

Everyone feared the head hazer, even if he looked the friendliest among all the hazers.

"I will think more about it."

"As you should. I hope to hear more praises than complaints in the next meeting."

"Yes."

"But that doesn't mean I'll let it slide this time." Pluem stared at the head hazer, who looked up and frowned at him. "You should also take responsibility for what happened. If I don't do anything, this kind of thing will happen again."

"Ah...?"

"So, third-year hazers, line up." That command made the third years look at each other in unison. But they couldn't defy their senior, so they lined up as told. They moved to stand beside Konprod, leaving equal distance for punishment space. "Third-years, do a hundred push-ups!"

Konprod gritted his teeth, angry that his team had to suffer the consequences of his actions. And Pluem wasn't backing down. He stared at the third-year students, daring them to defy him. If they could punish first-years for no reason, they should receive punishment for no reason as well. To train the freshmen, they had to set a good example.

Konprod took a deep breath before assuming his role as the head hazer.

"Third-years, do a hundred push-ups!"

"A hundred push-ups!" As soon as the command ended, they dropped to the ground to do as told. The count from one to a hundred echoed loudly, even though there were only a few of them compared to the hundreds of punished freshmen. The voice of the hazers was still louder. Every action and every sound was under the watchful eyes of the fourth-years, especially the one who gave the order...

Konprod would remember this!

"You may leave."

"Thank you." They thanked sarcastically and waited for the fourth-years to leave before Konprod hurriedly grabbed his bag. Looking at his watch, he realized it was already past eight. He had dozens of messages from his manager, mostly asking if he was still at the hazing meeting. The restaurant was so busy they could barely keep up.

This made Konprod quickly slung his bag over his shoulder and prepared to leave the building if it weren't for his friends stopping him.

"Prod, where are you going?"

"Shit, aren't you going to rest first? My arms are killing me." Pee and Tum asked. Both were sitting on the floor, exhausted from the punishment earlier. While others were lying down or packing up their things, no one was in as much of a hurry as Konprod.

"You guys rest. I have to hurry to work."

"You're going to work in this state? Where are you getting the energy?" Pee raised an eyebrow. He knew his friend worked a lot, but today's meeting was grueling. Plus, they had just been punished. His arms must be so sore he could hardly lift anything. "Take it easy, you're rich enough."

"Rich, my ass. You're talking nonsense."

"Hey!"

"I'm off, see you guys. Bye," he waved goodbye to his two friends before rushing to catch the bus in front of the university. At this time, the university's minibus had stopped operating, so Konprod had to run to the front of the university himself. He passed by the fourth-years who were standing under the building sign. Some noticed him, some didn't, but the fourth-year head hazer watched him.

This made him the topic of their conversation.

"Isn't that Prod? Where's he running off to?" Suea asked, pointing toward the departing figure. "He's running like his life depends on it. Isn't he tired from doing a hundred push-ups?"

"Maybe he's in a hurry to get somewhere," Jes replied, equally puzzled at Konprod's haste. "Could be something urgent."

"He didn't say anything when we were punishing him."

"He was probably afraid the punishment would get worse."

"..."

"Actually, I think we went a bit too far. Do you dislike the kid or what, Pluem?" Jes turned to ask his close friend standing next to him, engrossed in his phone. The dimly lit screen made it impossible to see what he was doing. Not that Jes cared. He was more concerned about the punishment they had given the third-years.

If they had a proper conversation, they might understand each other better. At least it would be better than kicking them when they were down.

"No, I was just doing my job."

"But he's new. Can't we be a bit nicer to him?"

"If we're too nice, he'll be spoilt."

"..."

"Besides, he should take responsibility for his actions. He deserves it."

Konprod got off the bus at lightning speed, heading straight to the back of the restaurant to change his clothes as usual. He put on his apron, placed his bag on the shelf, clocked in, and greeted the manager of the large restaurant where he worked part-time. The manager tapped their wristwatch, indicating to Konprod how late he was today.

He would have been on time for work if it weren't for the punishment.

"Don't let this happen again. You know how busy we are on Wednesdays."

"I'm sorry, manager. I won't be late again."

"Get to work, now!" The slender figure nodded before heading off to take a customer's order. A practiced smile hid the fatigue in his heart. He couldn't afford to show his exhaustion or complain to the customers.

Otherwise, he'd be fired on the spot.

"The usual, remember?"

"Of course, Mr. Vichai. I always remember." He responded to the regular customer, jotting down the usual order. "Please wait a moment. I'll rush the chef to prepare your meal."

"Make it quick, I'm starving."

"Of course." He joked, as was the usual banter. After handing off the order, he moved on to clean another table. This place was a lounge, much like Nguang Bar, but much larger with various seating zones. This meant Konprod had to work even harder. Especially lately, a few employees quit, leaving Konprod with even more work.

How did he end up here?

He happened upon a sign advertising part-time work with a higher wage than most. He didn't hesitate to apply. After passing the interview, he started working and quickly realized the saying 'hard work doesn't pay off' was true.

Unfortunately, he didn't have many options.

"Prod, go check table four."

"Prod, can you go check table twelve?"

"Prod, table seven is calling."

"Clean the VIP table. The reserved customers are coming."

"Got it." He responded, wiping the sweat off his face. Despite the air conditioning, he had to constantly move, never getting a chance to rest or enjoy the cool air. The downside of being a favorite among the staff and customers was that he was always in demand.

But the tips made it worthwhile, and Konprod was happy to accept them.

"See you next time."

"Sure." He waved to the regular couple who were so sweet together it made the world envious. He managed a small smile, marveling at how well they suited each other. He once asked the woman how they fell in love. She told him she had a crush on the man for seven years before confessing her feelings.

And they started dating, just like that.

And looked at Konprod.

Seven years had passed, but he was still in the same place.

Ding!

"Prod, attend to the customer."

"Right away." He nodded as he heard the bell at the door and the manager's order, causing Konprod to quickly regain his composure and hurry over to the tall, familiar figure looking for an empty table. At first, he thought it might be someone from the faculty because he felt like he had seen them before.

But as soon as he walked over...

"Where would you like to sit... Pluem!?"

"You." The said person furrowed his brows, staring at the face of the junior he had just punished earlier that evening. Unlike Konprod, who was wide-eyed and surprised to see him here, he had never ever seen him before. He had worked for several months and had encountered people from the same university less than ten times, let alone fourth-year engineering students.

They would go to Nguang Bar near the university if they were to drink or eat.

Konprod swallowed, no matter where he was. Standing in front of Pluem always bothered him. His hands were cold and trembling, his eyes were downcast, not daring to see how the other guy would react, and his heart beat wildly.

All he could do was breathe slowly, letting time pass.

"Are you so scared of me that you can't even look at me?"

"Eh!?"

"I'm not going to punish you here." He flinched a little, not thinking the senior would talk to him, so he accidentally looked up and met those eyes. Then he quickly turned away, not seeing Pluem looking down at the apron he was wearing.

'He hurried out of the university because he had a part-time job, didn't he?'

He thought, without asking back.

"Where's the bar?"

"Are you going to drink here by yourself?"

"What!?"

"Nothing." Konprod shook his head, forcing himself to look up and talk. It was working hours. He needed to focus on his job, not showing his vulnerability in front of anyone. But when he heard the word 'bar,' he immediately thought of yesterday when the other man had been drunk and unconscious.

He snuck a glance and didn't see anyone with him. Was he planning to drink alone and become a burden to the lounge?

"You didn't come with your friends?"

"Aren't you a waiter? Can you intrude on a customer like that?"

"Ah..."

"If you don't take me there, I'll have another waiter do it." Without waiting for Konprod's response, Pluem walked over to another employee. After a few words, the staff led him to the club zone. It was a relaxation area, separated from the restaurant, to avoid disturbing customers who didn't like loud noises.

Konprod pursed his lips tightly, watching Pluem's retreating back until he was out of sight.

He felt a slight sting. The meaning behind Pluem's words was Konprod being a nosy parker.

That's right. He was just a staff member. How could he interfere?

He wasn't Pluem's boyfriend...

Not at all.

Classical music filled the restaurant, which was starting to thin out. In contrast, the club zone was lively, with nearly ten people dancing. It wasn't really a dance club, though there was a small dance floor. Most people were just sitting, sipping wine or various types of alcohol quietly. Especially at this time, the bar was crowded.

But Konprod could only see one person.

The six-foot-tall figure was swaying as he scrolled through his phone as if waiting for a message from someone.

Konprod watched him from the window by the table he was cleaning. Even though he could only see half of Pluem's face, he could sense his loneliness. Even when someone came to talk to him, Pluem only shook his head and continued drinking alone. It was hard not to worry.

Even when Pluem was with friends, it was still concerning. What would Pluem do if he drank too much and passed out alone?

"Should I go check on him?" He mumbled to himself, his lips tight with worry about intruding. He feared that Pluem might get annoyed.

They had never been close...

"Konprod, what are you looking at?"

"Eh?!"

"Are you interested in him or something? I've seen you watching him since he came in." Konprod was startled when the lounge manager came over and asked. They glanced through the window at the figure slumped over the bar and then turned to look at Konprod, who shook his head in denial.

"He's just a senior I know. I heard his girlfriend just broke up with him."

"Then what's your business with him? Are you trying to hit on him or something?"

"Well, he's here all by himself... I was worried he might cause trouble. He's the reason I was late today." Konprod lied, not admitting his concern, fearing he might get caught and scolded. The manager didn't like people who mixed personal matters with work. He was sure to get a pay cut if he admitted his feelings for the guy. "But forget about him. Someone will probably come to pick him up."

"But he's already passed out."

"..."

"Take him to rest in the staff room."

"But isn't it against the rules to let outsiders in there?" Konprod raised an eyebrow.

"So, you're just going to let him disturb other customers? Many people are flocking to the bar." The manager said, frowning. Although it was against the rules to let outsiders in, it was allowed in emergencies or necessary situations as long as nothing was damaged or messed up.

Of course, this made Konprod purse his lips. He didn't want the manager to get blamed for breaking the rules. But then again, there had been similar cases before. Back then, the owner, Miss Pie, didn't say anything and even told the employees to take the person inside. With that thought, Konprod stopped what he was doing and went to the soundly sleeping man.

The steady rhythm of his breathing made Konprod reach out and gently shake his arm.

"Pluem, Pluem, let's go sleep inside. I'll call Suea for you."

"Uh... go away. I'm gonna sleep."

"Then sleep inside. You're bothering people here." Konprod sighed at the stubborn man, trying to drag the drunk along. The problem was that he was much smaller than Pluem. Putting the other's arm around his neck felt like he was carrying a log. He let out a loud grunt as he had to support the other man to the back of the shop.

Luckily, a staff member there saw and came to help.

"Thanks, Nueng."

"It's fine. I'll get back to work now."

"Okay," he nodded to Nueng before turning back to look at the drunken man. He wondered what to do next because he couldn't let Pluem stay here all night. The bar wouldn't open until the afternoon, and Pluem would probably die of starvation by then. Konprod would have to call one of his friends to pick him up.

Konprod dialed a fourth-year's number, one of Pluem's friends he knew.

[Hello, who is this?]

"Jes, it's Konprod, third-year hazer. Pee's friend," he introduced himself clearly, even though there was only one person with that name in their year and faculty. "Are you free, Jes? I need a favor."

[Yes, what do you need, Prod?]

"Could you pick up Pluem?"

[Huh?]

"He got drunk and fell asleep at Royal Pie," he explained. The person on the other end of the line grunted in surprise that his friend would go so far just to drink. Prod wanted to be a good person and drop Pluem off, but the problem was that their dorms were in the opposite direction, and Konprod didn't have a car.

How could he travel back and forth across town...

[Why did he go so far to drink? I thought he would go to Nguang Bar again.]

"I don't know either," he smiled wryly, glancing at the time. It was already past eleven o'clock, and the lounge would close in less than an hour. "Can you hurry up and come get Pluem, Jes? The restaurant is about to close, and I don't know where to take him."

[Oh... okay. I'll drive there as fast as I can. Please take care of Pluem in the meantime.]

"Okay," Konprod sighed in relief and hung up. He exhaled deeply, looking at the unconscious man. He heard him mumbling his ex-girlfriend's name and saw the pain on his face. It made Prod wanted to tell him what he had heard yesterday.

'I wasn't satisfied one bit.'

'I was hardly happy when I was with him.'

'Pluem was so annoyingly jealous.'

"Soi... Soi"

"Pluem," Prod called out softly, looking at the other's hand that was trying to grasp something. Even though he was drunk like this, he must be dreaming about Soi. This made the admirer play along, pulling Pluem's hand and placing it beside him. He then got up to get a cloth to wipe Pluem down, the coolness of the water dispelling the drunkenness.

Even so, while Prod watched him intently, Pluem was still deep in a dream.

This was the first time he had seen Pluem up close.

Yet it felt so incredibly distant.

"Soi... Soi, don't leave me."

"..."

"I love you so much." Konprod's hand, which was wiping Pluem down, froze when those words slipped out. The tall figure frowned, his eyes narrowed as if resisting the dream. Prod wiped the cloth on Pluem's handsome face, hoping to soothe the nightmare. He wanted the man to sleep peacefully, never wished for Pluem to worry or feel sad.

Because that meant Konprod was also hurt emotionally.

It was like handing the other a knife to stab him.

"I want you to come back." Suddenly, Pluem's eyes opened, but the image in front of him was of his ex-lover. Konprod paused, looking at the person holding his hand. He was yanked only once and fell onto the muscular body. At that moment, the little guy's eyes widened. The pain of hearing Pluem confess his love to his ex seemed to disappear, replaced by a heart beating wildly. "Come back, Soi. Come back to me."

"Pluem, I'm not..."

"Let's get back together." Pluem's voice pleaded above everything else, stopping Konprod in his tracks. He closed his eyes, looking at the sofa where Pluem was lying. He let himself get embraced, playing the role of the ex-girlfriend even though he wasn't. Pluem hugged him tightly, burying his face in Konprod's chest as if crying.

It made Prod slowly reach out to hug him back, gently stroking his back to comfort the heartbroken man.

While thinking...

"Will there ever be a day you ask me to love you like this..."