Chapter 4

[Kong's OPV]

Back to the day when the University's Moon and Star contest results were announced.

Behind the stage, the area was deserted. Candidates and award recipients were out front to take photos with friends and fans who came to support them. But that apparently didn't include the newly crowned second-place Moon.

Kong Kidakorn walked off the stage with a look of utter dejection, holding a silly bouquet that seemed ready to wilt at any moment and a sash that read '1st Runner-Up University's Moon,' which was both lame and outdated.

He sat down, staring at the envelope containing the ten thousand baht cash prize he had just received.

"At least it's better than nothing..."

The man consoled himself. At the very least, the money would allow him to live without struggling that much for a couple of months. A sense of relief began to replace his disappointment, and it would have stayed with him longer if he hadn't overheard the last thing he should have heard at that moment.

"Hey, Kong, aren't you going out to take pictures outside? I saw a bunch of your fans waiting to give you gifts," said a third-year senior as she approached the backstage.

"I'll be heading out soon," He replied.

She nodded with a smile and walked past. Kong then got up to gather his things and prepare to head outside as well.

But he had forgotten to return the wireless microphone!

As soon as he realized it, he turned back towards the temporary sound control room, which was set up in opaque tents. Before he could part the canvas used as the makeshift door, a conversation from inside reached his ears.

"Dude... I think Kong should have won the first place. I saw the scores, and he was tied with Pat."

Hearing his name mentioned, Kong paused, his hand frozen mid-reach for the tent flap. His brown eyes peered through a gap where the canvas was loosely tied together with colorful ropes. Two senior girls, the owners of the voices, stood with their backs to him, unaware of his presence.

"Yeah, I heard the judges talking. They chose Pat because his family has donated a lot of money to the university. Plus, Pat's mom is an alumna who has made a significant name for the university. Pat's social status is also high. Have you forgotten how famous Pat was three years ago? If he becomes the university's Moon, he'll bring more fame to it than Kong ever could."

Hearing this, Kidakorn felt numbness spread from his head to his toes.

"Are you saying that Kong didn't get the title partly because he is poorer?"

That sentence pierced through the young man's heart, causing him to clench his fists tightly.

In truth, Kidakorn had never wanted to be the university's poster boy. He saw it as a pointless activity for those craving attention. However, studying architecture was expensive due to the constant study projects until graduation. Therefore, a prize worth fifty thousand made sense for Kidakorn to swallow his pride.

If he won, at least he could reduce his grueling part-time work schedule. He wouldn't need to down two cans of Red Bull daily and drag himself to class in the morning as he often did.

No matter how much he despised it, survival was more important.

So, Kidakorn forced himself to do whatever cringe things the contest required. If he had to pose and show off his abs hundreds of times, he'd do it (even though he wanted to strangle those seniors who ordered him around). Throughout the contest, he constantly chanted 'fifty thousand baht' to himself.

In the end, the result hit him hard. Kong Kidakorn Kanpirom was just an ordinary nineteen-year-old who wasn't a rich kid like Pat Nuntapob Watcharabadin, a guy who made him sick every time he saw him.

"Damn it, so the result has nothing to do with all that I had to grit my teeth and endure!"

The young man held his heartache to himself before setting down the wireless microphone next to the tent and walking out into the open air, his mood dark and stormy. He didn't even stop to greet the fans calling out for a photo with him. He heard their complaints and curses, and although he knew he was wrong, he ignored them. Even if he'd agreed to take pictures, his image wouldn't have changed much from what it was.

Kidakorn remained the same charming, private person who looked as mysterious and dangerous as ever.

[End of Kong's OPV]

These past few days, my mind has been restless in a way I couldn't explain, and my three friends had started to notice, too, that I'd been acting strange. I didn't know why I kept thinking about Kong all the time when I should've forgotten about him by now. The kiss in the restroom was just a spiteful act, nothing more profound. It made me feel as sick as when I kissed anyone else. But why was it that every time I woke up, I was still agitated by the memory of his cologne and the low moans in his throat?

[Where are you?]

"Just wait a sec, Le. I'm on my way out." I replied on the phone while driving away from my faculty, heading towards the Faculty of Arts. Despite the university being located in the bustling city of Bangkok, which was packed, the vast campus made the Faculty of Arts feel worlds apart. Even though the Engineering and Architecture buildings were practically adjacent, it was still hard for students to meet up.

[Let's meet in the same building. No need to go to my faculty's cafeteria. It's crowded. The girls will get excited.]

The voice on the other end replied cheerfully.

Le was a friend from a different faculty. We met in line for our university interviews, dressed in our high school uniforms. Since then, we kept in touch. He studied Western Literature in the Faculty of Arts and mentioned that his professor assigned him a report on English literature. I happened to have books he wanted, so Le asked to borrow them. That's why I had to drive across the campus to deliver the books to him.

"Okay, got it," I replied before hanging up. It was nice to visit other faculties once in a while for a change.

When I arrived at the Faculty of Arts parking lot, I grabbed three thick books from my car before heading straight to a young man with a mushroom haircut who was waving at me.

"Hey, you jerk, stop acting too cool around my faculty, will you? Just you being here, we're already withering away. The girls can't take their eyes off you," Le teased, slinging an arm around my neck with a cheerful voice as he noticed me wearing a pair of fancy sunglasses.

"Aw... shut up. I just forgot to take them off. Here, take these. They're heavy," I handed him the books before taking off my sunglasses and pushing them up to rest on my head. Driving in the midday sun without them would be crazy.

But speaking of which, the Arts girls here were pretty cute. Yet they all sat there, heads down, not a single one daring to meet my eyes.

Were they shy or what?

"Pra-duh glasses! This collection is gorgeous," Le's eyes sparkled when he saw the glasses perched on my head.

"It's Prada! Want to try them on?" I offered, as I wasn't too possessive over things (that weren't important) with friends. If Le asked for them, I'd probably give them to him.

"No, thanks, they'd look like a knockoff on my face anyway. They look better on you."

Hearing that, I just shook my head slightly at his self-deprecation. Le had a good face, delicate and refined, just like Sunsun. The only difference was that he was a bit more hyperactive in personality and not as much of a playboy as our rabbit friend.

"Isn't that Kong over there?"

Suddenly, one of Le's friends spoke up while we were all engrossed in a lively conversation about cars. People started whispering when they saw the tall figure walking past, seemingly nonchalant to the surroundings. Moreover, Kong probably didn't even notice me, even though deep down, I wished he'd turn and look this way for a moment.

"After he's done with the university's Star, he's going for my faculty's next. Things are so easy for hot people, huh." Le said. While I was gazing at Kong straddling a black Honda CBR, my heart started to beat in an odd rhythm. His tan skin, incredibly handsome face, not to mention a great physique in a black leather jacket, were undeniably sexy.

The girls who were sneakily glancing and smiling at me suddenly turned their attention to Kong and completely ignored me.

"You know him?" I asked Le.

"Of course I do. He's bad news. Right after breaking up with Pang, he's been seen with a different girl every time. Now, it seems like it's our faculty's turn. I wonder if Ning will be his next conquest," Le said with a shrug while I stole glances at Kong's sharp profile. But my gaze lingered on his orange lips that had pressed heat on mine days ago. When he put on his helmet and revved up his CBR to leave, I turned back to the chatter of the person beside me.

"That Kong, he doesn't just go for university girls, man. He's also seen with girls from outside, even high schoolers and working women. Thank goodness he doesn't go for the 'mom' type. I heard he plays guitar at some bar late into the night. A real nightlife person, probably quite the player," Le continued.

I listened intently.

"But I've got to admit, I admire the guy. He may be a bit arrogant, but he seems determined and goal-oriented. He's on top of his work and studies, which is probably why women like him," Le added.

"So you're another one of his girls. That's why you know so much about him," I teased, smiling.

Le turned to me with a glare. "Shut up. I know because I've worked on group projects with him in an elective class. Kong seems like a natural leader, but easy-going, able to talk and tease with friends normally."

After that, we didn't talk about Kong anymore because a shy girl in a neat student uniform and glasses came and gave me some chocolate, her cheeks flushed amidst the cheering of her friends sitting in the building.