WhyRU สายฟ้าซน : Chapter 9 [Part 1]

Author  : Candy Onn

Translator : Haruhi

Proofread : Wendy

♫ 

“You’re frowning all the way.”

“Yeah.” I respond monotonously to the person who is sitting on the sofa, strumming the guitar.

“Why is that?”

“Well, it’s because of that damn Jia, who is teasing me about getting together with you.”

“(Chuckle)”

“Why the hell are you laughing?” I swear while getting myself seated next to him.

“Because you tend to wriggle this way, that’s why he always teases you.”

“How do you know that I wriggle? So maybe if I sit still, they can’t tease me right?”

“A person like you, there’s no way you can sit still, isn’t that so, Zon?” Said Saifah with his eyebrows raised irritatingly.

“You don’t know me that well, right?”

“Nope, but one can tell only by looking at your behaviour.”

“Is my behaviour that easy to see through?”

Ai’Saifah doesn’t respond. He just nods and lowers his head whilst continuing to strum the guitar. 

Listening to the melodic acoustic tones that Saifah plays, I realise it’s a song from one of my favourite bands. The lyrics are about secretly loving someone but being unable to tell that person.

I change my position, sitting cross-legged so I can look at his face as he continues to play.

Damn it, it’s so fucking charming when a guy plays a good solo. If it was me, I think there might be no difference at all.

“So pro!” As soon as Saifah finishes, I immediately applause loudly for him. “I want to play like this too.”

“You can.”

“I’m not sure if I could ever get this good.”

“Have a bit  of confidence, Zon. Even I believe that you can do it.”

“Even when you just know me, Saifah? Where did you get your faith in me from?”

“Well, I didn’t get it from anywhere. I just think you can do it.”

“…”

“Why are you making such a face?”

“Nothing, I’m just- Whatever, it’s better for you to continue teaching me.” I became speechless when Saifah asked me this, because in the past I never encountered someone who would say that I could do it. 

Not even once.

Even my parents are still telling me to give up on writing my novel, but Saifah…

“Why don’t we start with the easy chord first?”

“Sure.”

Him, believing in me that I can totally work this out, is damn enough to make my heart swell up in an unexplainable way.

Saifah teaches me a few simple chords. At first, I did complain here and there but as soon as I begin to grasp it, and I can finally strum a few chords which sound almost like music, it begins to feel enjoyable as well.

Even when my fingers are actually hurting quite a bit.

“Is it enough?” Saifah asks when I stop playing and hold my fingers, caressing them. 

The fingers I used to press on the chord strings turned completely red. Now I understand and can tell why people who play guitar would have calluses on their fingers, because they have to press on the strings so freaking hard.

“Yes, I think it’s enough. My fingers fucking hurt. Is there any way of not getting them hurt?”

“There’s one way.”

“What is it?” I ask Saifah excitedly.

“Well, you need to play a lot until the fingers are used to holding the strings and become rough.”

“Seriously?!”

“Of course, because if your fingers don’t have calluses on them, they will feel hurt.”

“Are yours also rough?”

“Yup.” Saifah nods, answering me.

“I meant your face na.” I couldn’t hold myself back and annoy him but Saifah narrows his eyes at me as if he’s looking for a fault which causes me to bring my hands up, surrendering.

“Then, does it turn rough and ugly?”

“Do you mean the face or fingers?”

“Fingers of course. I was only teasing you just now.”

“They didn’t turn ugly or anything. They just turn hard, stiff” Saifah replies, but I just couldn’t imagine the look of it until I reach out for his fingers.

“You’re right. They don’t look ugly, but when I touch them, they really are rough.”

“Told you, but in the beginning, before they begin to peel off, they will become uglier than this.”

“…” If hold a girl’s hand when my fingers are rough, it surely won’t feel soft anymore.

“Why are you pulling this face?”

“Nothing.”

“You worry that when you hold a girl’s hand, it won’t feel soft huh?”

“How do you know so much?”

“Well, your face is telling me that. However, if you are so worried about your fingers turning rough, then you just can’t play that excellent na. They will feel hurt like before as well. See, the guys with kind of callused fingers, they play very well.”

“Yes. I can imagine it.” I sigh while caressing the fingertips that belong to the person in front of me. 

He enjoys it until the moment I gaze up, looking at the guy who is staring back at me with a questioning look, as if to ask me that what I am doing right now is not extremely strange.

“Sorry.”

I awkwardly let go of Saifah’s hand. My other hand is brought up to scratch my own cheeks as I begin to feel shy. How can I not feel shy when there are two guys sitting here with one of them caressing the other’s fingers.

“After this, do you want to look for something to eat?” Ai’Saifah asks as though he didn’t really pay attention to my previous discomfort, which is good actually.

“I want to”.

“There will be a market today, near my house.”

“If that’s the case, let’s learn a few more chords and then we’ll leave.”

“…” I didn’t answer.

I puff and pout like telling the person before me, can it be enough for today? I don’t want to continue to learn a few new chords. Just these already made my fingers hurt badly.

“You can’t anymore?”

“Hmm.”

“Just one other chord na.”

“I don’t want to wait anymore na Saifah. My fingers hurt. Can’t you see these fingers of mine already turned red.” I complain while getting on my feet. “Let’s go. Pack your things and let’s go to the market together, that’s much better.”

“You-” Saifah shakes his head in disbelief, but still gives up to fulfil my wish in the end.

I once said before that Saifah is a considerate person, but now I know another good point of ai’Saifah. A point that a person like me really likes. Because even when Saifah really loves to make an annoying expression, he is also a person which gets along well with others. 

And it seems like he has a weak point when someone is begging him.

And so it turns out, he couldn’t help but to follow my way.

 

♫ 

Two weeks later

It has been more than two weeks since I started learning to play guitar with ai’Saifah. I begin to memorize a few chords but not all of them, even though right now the chord strings I press onto are no longer out of tune because I now press onto them tightly.

However, my fingers are hurting just like when I started out, though I can endure it longer than before, but not as long as Saifah, who can play much longer.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m not, my fingers hurt.” I whine and lean against the couch I sit on.

“I’m used to seeing you complaining like this.”

“Well, it’s you who likes to lie to me, saying it will get better by time, yet my fingers turn out to be like this.” I bring my fingers up for Saifah to see where they turned red and peeled all over. 

Some of them are even slightly bruised as well. I don’t know if there’s any cases of playing guitar until pus comes out of the wounds or not. But I don’t want it to be that way na, because this already hurt so badly.

“Where? Let me see.”

“Go on take a look at all of them clearly.” I move and let my body face Saifah even when my head is still leaning against the couch. 

I give the hand which I use to press the chord string to the person in front of me without a thought of what he was planning to do.

“Ow! It hurts!”

Saifah presses onto my fingers directly and even when he presses onto it gently, it still hurts.

“If that’s so, should we take a break next week?”

“Let’s wait for this Saturday first, just in case it recovers.”

“Then, let’s apply this first and see if it might help a bit.” I see Saifah taking out a small medicine box which is similar to a Vaseline or wax cream.

“Are you sure it will help?”

“I’m not sure. But let’s apply it first just in case it does help.” The bigger guy says only that before he starts to apply the medicine on my fingers. 

“Does it hurt?”

“Nope.”

“Is it sting?”

“Not at all.”

“If it stings anywhere, do tell me.”

“Sure.” I nod at him. In my mind right now, only the good feeling of having someone taking care of me is there, even though that person is Saifah.

I can’t believe that a person like Saifah will treat a friend as gentle as this. I can imagine that if he has a girlfriend, he would take care of his girlfriend very well. I’m a person who prefers to take care and rely on myself all the time. 

Therefore, to meet someone who looks after me like this, I couldn’t help but feel good. 

♫ 

WhyRU สายฟ้าซน : Chapter 8 [Part 2]

Author : Candy Onn

Translator : Haruhi

Proofread : Wendy

 ♫ 

For the first time these past months, I arrive at the classroom before my other friends in the gang. 

Moreover when I arrived, there was still no one around, not until one of my friends from the gang stepped into the room and greeted me in an annoying way.

“Wow! Why my young master entered this Section way ahead of schedule, krub?” The piercing voice of Tanthai is heard even before he reached the table. “Usually, you always arrive after the professor, am I right?”

“So what? I’m a diligent person.”

“Huh~ So diligent, I see.” He says while taking the seat on the row in front of me. 

Ai’Zen sits next to me while ai’Tee and ai’Junior, who arrived much later, enter the classroom with an unbelievable expression on their face. Why must they act so surprised about me coming so early to this Section, like it’s such a miraculous thing to happen. 

It’s true that I don’t really admire this subject. Usually, if I’m not skipping this class, I would enter late all the time. But today there’s a reason why I came this early. They might also be suspicious because of my hurting hip.

“Hey, last night, why were you not answering my Line messages?” Nathee asks while getting himself a seat next to Zen.

“Really? I didn’t notice it. Why did you message me anyway?”

“It’s nothing. I just wanted to ask you about the group assignment but ai’Zen already responded in your place.”

“That’s good then. Actually, I was busy last night.”

“Busy? Doing what.”

“Last night I missed my van and ended up spending the night at Saifah’s room.” After I’m done explaining, they also nod in understanding.

“That’s good then. Being close to one another is good indeed. If you encounter any problems, at least Saifah’s there who can help you, because he’s really not a terrible person.” Tanthai decided to speak up.

“True. Because at first, we were worried that you guys would punch each other to death.” Junior is the next one to speak up.

“We’re not. I’m not the person with the terrible behaviour.”

“Really?”

“Yup.”

“Mehhh~ Isn’t it you who would make fun of him first?”

“Well, he loves to say some things that annoys me so much.”

“Enough na.” Zen interrupts, “Anyway, you are already nice to each other so there’s no need to find a reason to start again, isn’t that right?”

“Yes, I know.” Junior gives up in the end, before his sight drops directly to something on my wrist. “Hoie, what a pretty bracelet. I’ve never seen you wear it before though.”

“Oh, this? I bought it just this Saturday.”

“It’s really pretty na woie. Putting it together with a guitar pick like this looks good as well. Not many can make this. And it must be effective for strumming, right?”

“It can strum well. I bought this damn guitar pick for a thousand.” I reply to them, trying to show off until Junior scowls at me.

Mehhh, let me show off for a bit. It’s a once in a lifetime shopping purchase. I don’t always spend like this.

“I just didn’t know that our P’Zon would invest so much for only a 1-day concert.”

 “It’s not that I wanted to invest a lot. It’s just that ai’Saifah advised me to buy it just in case I want to play guitar in the future.” After I explain it to them, each of them begin to show their suspicion.

“I’m not getting it, how come he was there?”

“At that time krub, I had to spend the night with him because I missed my van, remember?”

“But last Saturday you were going out on date together, and he also advised you about the guitar pick. How come na P’Zon? And as for last night where you both slept together, I don’t think it’s normal.”

“What the hell do you mean by date?! I met him by chance. And as for last night, I already told you guys that I missed my van and ended up spending the night in his dorm.”

“The mouth says that ‘I’m scared of getting into the novel’ but in the end, it says ‘I love you’ as well.”

“Love your ass!”

“Your reaction is like a shy person na ja~”

Damn it, I really hate ai’Junior’s voice which sounds so annoying. In the end, I decide to stop bickering with these damn people and shake my head instead.

“But honestly na, making it into a bracelet like this is also a good idea. If Zon kept only the pick, it would be lost in less than three days.” It’s ai’Zen who speaks, changing the topic.

“It’s Saifah actually who suggested to turn it into a bracelet.” 

The topic which Zen attempted to change just now went back to its original path. I forgot that these guys were waiting to tease me, “but he just suggested it na woie, because this bracelet, it’s me who hired someone else to do the job.”

“Is it true kub P’Zon?”

“Of course.”

“A face like yours would voluntarily waste money to hire someone else, of course.”

“Damn you ai’Thee. This is how much I could actually invest.”

“It’s not about that P’Zon. I didn’t question your wisdom of investing on something, but I’m afraid it’s about something else. I’m referring to the feeling you have for someone who bought something for you or made something for you.”

“What Mr. Thee said is kind of logical krub.” Junior touches his chin, acting as if he’s analysing.

“I secretly feel this is kind of reasonable as well.” It’s no different for Tanthai who is narrowing his eyes towards me.

“Shut up all of you.” I snap while raising my middle finger, showing it to them. 

After that, I turn around, glancing at the professor who just arrived and decide to change the topic so that they can divert their attention to the professor in front of us instead.

“You all better stop laughing and focus on studying. The professor is here already.”

The three of them turn silent and went to pick up the sheet from the professor. I can still hear a faint laughter sound from them, but at least they are not fucking teasing me anymore.

“For the students who didn’t collect their sheet yet, you can get up and take one in front of the class na ka.”

The professor announced it for those who didn’t have the sheet yet and when it’s near the end of the lesson, it’s me who still doesn’t have the lesson sheet. However, my hip is still hurt. So I turn to ai’Zen who sits next to me.

“Zen, please take a sheet for me as well. My hips still hurts.”

“Do you hear what I just heard, B1 roger?” Junior begins first.

“I heard something about ass being hurt, B2 roger.”

“As for B3, I think there are several reasons for an achy hip, but only a few… maybe P’Zon would like to comment krub?”

And damn, these guys then turn to me in unison with a weird grin on their faces that I, when I just calmed down, began to feel funny again at their reaction. 

I don’t know how on earth they could brew something like this. If ai’Saifah and I really end up being together, wouldn’t they see it as the world’s biggest success?

“Did I really fall out of bed?”

“Hooooooiii.”

“So wicked.”

“Damn it, what is the truth, my friend?”

“I ask you for real na Zon, did you really do it that harsh that you fell from the bed?”

“Not harsh at all.” I respond with a bold tone, and they are sitting still, paying attention to listen to what I will say next. “Because regarding bed manners, ai’Saifah is always gentle to me.”

“!!??”

“Are you guys satisfied yet?”

“Yes, we are satisfied (laugh).”

Damn, this way I can also feel satisfied.

I shake my head at my friends before I look up, listening to the professor. I get their intention to tease me because they know how worried I am about the matter of getting myself into the novel. 

In the end, when I begin to feel frustrated I end up brewing something so bold just to break the feeling.

But what can I do?

In the past, there was an incident which made me think that I probably slipped into the novel storyline for real. Even when right now the thought has reduced a bit (though not all of it) but it’s not as serious as before. 

It might be due to ai’Saifah who acts normal and doesn’t seem to approach me in a weird way, which would make me feel anxious. And the most important part is, he’s not a jerk and he even made me a bracelet.

“Do you like the bracelet that much Zon?” It’s Zen who’s asking out of the blue even when at first his eyes are fixed on the professor. However, when I turn to look at him, Zen slowly turns to face me.

“I see that Zon keeps on looking and touching it, I guess you really like it.”

“I like it na. It’s pretty.” I respond according to what I really feel. 

Maybe it’s because previously, I didn’t really like to wear bracelets. Sometimes I also don’t like to wear watches. So, when I put on a bracelet like this, it makes me feels a little bit strange. 

♫

Comment are loved ^^

WhyRU สายฟ้าซน : Chapter 8 [Part 1]

Author : Candy Onn

Translator : Haruhi

Proofread: Wendy 

♫ 

But of course, what everyone thought about is correct.

My wish has never come true. Not even close to becoming true anyway.

I don’t know whether it is because fate is playing a joke on me or just me never having luck since I was born. Because no matter what I wish for, it always ends up resulting in the opposite of what I wished for.

“Damn this rain, really knows how to work right? Immediately stopping when I’m no longer waiting for a taxi, it’s as though it didn’t rain before.” I complain softly as I step inside the room after I’m done hanging out my uniform at the balcony.

Right now, I already changed into a new set consisting of a tank top, paired with shorts that belong to Saifah. It might seem baggy but it somehow fits me well when I wear it.

“But even if you managed to stop one, we don’t know whether the driver would agree to take you in or not.”

“You are right though.”

Just now, when both of us waited for two hours, damn, no one agreed to take me. I sway my head in frustration before I approach the end of the bed, glancing at the room’s owner who is lying on his bed, playing games.

“What?” Saifah gazes up while asking, taking his sight off his phone to look at me.

“Where should I sleep?”

“Wherever you want. The floor? Wait, I will get you some covers.”

“I don’t want to wait. I want to sleep on the bed.” After I say my words, I rush to crawl up on the bed because I’m afraid that the room’s owner will really make me sleep on the floor.

“So, why did you ask?”

“It is simple manners.” I shrug my shoulders irritatingly towards him before I shift to sit next to him.

I can see the game Saifah played, but somehow my eyes are more attracted to the thing placed on the bedside table… my guitar pick bracelet.

“What are you planning to do?” Asked Saifah as he reaches out for my guitar pick bracelet faster than me.

“My bracelet!”

“What, yours?” Saifah makes a puzzled expression. “I will keep this because the owner doesn’t want it.”

“What do you mean by not wanting it? It’s mine.” I claim while reaching out for the bracelet but at the same time Saifah draws his arm back, snatching the bracelet away from my grasp, not allowing me to have it.

"Saifah, I just want what is mine na woie."

"Are you sure this is yours?"

"I'm sure."

"I'm pretty sure that before this there was someone who left it here like he didn't want it."

"That's true, but at that time I..."

"I what? I don't want it, isn't that so?"

"Not that." I answered the person before me, lifelessly. 

"I want it back." I reach out for my bracelet once again, but he avoids me so well that I begin to feel annoyed and so damn irritated. 

"Saifah!"

"What Zon?"

Act annoying once again

"You will give it to me nicely or I will get it with force."

“Boasting much.”

“Come on, give me.”

This time I reach out for the bracelet once again and in that moment, I don’t really think much about what could possibly happen. What I know is that I must get my bracelet back.

The next moment I realised that Saifah already brought the bracelet higher until it is out of my reach. And I suddenly recall the time when we kissed… again.

However, it occurred for just a few heartbeats because the moment I witness the smirk on the corner of Saifah’s lips, I can’t help but to feel weird.

“You say…” Saifah leans closer, whispering into my ear. “This is like in the novel, right?”

My eyes widened when Saifah said these words. Right now, I’m not sure whether he really understood the matter which I’m worried about, but why on damn earth did he suddenly bring it up, I don’t know.

“What do you mean same as in the novel? It’s not the same. There is no way it would be the same. That’s it, I’m getting my bracelet back!” Crying out loud, I changed the topic while snatching the bracelet which Saifah held previously.

“What’s the deal you have with the novel exactly? Why do you look so strangely worried about it? I could see it already since the time it rained.” The person before me asks me with a suspicious look on his face.

“What worry? You’re mental, talk nonsense all the time.”

“Who exactly is the mental one here, if not the one who’s thinking nonsense such as slipping into a novel, isn’t that so na?”

“…” I swallow the lump in my throat when Saifah randomly speaks about this. He narrows his eyes, as though he’s searching for the truth.

“Don’t tell me it’s true.”

“It would be crazy if it’s true. It’s not true, not even a bit.” I pretend to be relaxed and gaze down as I put on the guitar pick instead. 

This action of mine is actually opposed to what’s happening inside my heart, it nearly sprang out of my chest. I don’t really fancy the idea of letting someone else know about this because just amongst my friends who know it, I already act a little bit too nervous.

If ai’Saifah knows about it too, won’t I immediately end up at the hospital?

Others might see me as nonsensical, but to those not having been in my shoes, they wouldn’t damn understand it. Because since that moment where I made an oath, there were a lot of incidents which lead me to that kind of thinking, for real.

“Well, let’s just forget about that, but this one.” Saifah said while grabbing my wrist with the guitar pick bracelet, bringing them in both our view. “I will make it clear here na Zon, that if I ever see you abandon this bracelet again.”

“…”

“I will keep it and won’t return it to you.”

“Yes, I know.” I mutter while pulling my hand from his hold.

My mouth is mumbling, yet my heart is cursing at him as well.

“Turn off the light na Saifah, I will go to sleep.”

“Is this my room or yours?”

“Yours.” I respond, tugging the duvet over my figure. “You know where the switch is at, so it’s you who’s supposed to switch it off. I want to sleep.”

“…”

“Good night.”

 I wish good night to the room’s owner when the lights are out. And maybe it’s because of the fatigue I had due to the long exposure of rain and the damn long waiting for a ride which nearly took up to two hours, but it made me fall asleep the fastest within this past month.

In my dream, I could feel someone embracing me with warmth. That person seems to cherish me until I feel like floating upon a cloud. The gentleness that occurs feels so soft and gentle even when the person’s lips touch my forehead before it goes down to my lips.

However, somewhere inside me, I find that the kiss feels way too familiar, I couldn’t explain it in words.

The kiss somehow resembles the kiss of someone but I couldn’t figure out who that someone is.

♫ 

The morning rays interrupt my feeling, as today the rays illuminated so brightly I nearly want to bury myself beneath the duvet again. Honestly, my room is usually not this bright. Right now, it feels like I’m not sleeping in my own room. Am I not?

Gradually I open my eyes. 

There’s a blurry view which appears so close in front of me that I have to adjust my eyes. However, as soon as I could see the person in front of me clearly, I immediately realise that my face and Saifah’s are way too close. 

Plus, we’re sleeping in each other’s embrace as well.

“Hoie!!!”

“Hoie!!!”

(Fall down)

“Oii! Shit!!! Why are you kicking me off the bed?!” The room’s owner is not only surprised that our face are this close to each other, but he also kicks me away that I fall off the bed and end up on the floor right away.

“Well, it’s because you bring your face close to mine.”

“It’s you who brought your face to mine first. Damn it, it hurts na woie, being kicked!” I complain while rubbing my hip. 

And ai’Saifah’s bed is not that low as well. He kicked me in a way that I couldn’t see it coming in time and it really made my hips ache.

“Sorry. It’s my fault. I didn’t mean it.”

“Err it’s fine.” I get back on my feet and grab my hip.

“Does it hurt so much?” Saifah asks with a guilty expression, but in his guiltiness, there’s also a trace of amusement hidden there.

“Maybe it is so funny instead”

“I’m sorry.”

“I really hate your apology, damn you!” I throw the pillow to the room’s owner before I walk away to get the towel. “If that’s so, I will take a shower first na.”

This time I take a shower that lasts a bit longer than before. The reason why I take a shower this long is because ai’Saifah teased me last night about me bathing so quickly. 

In the end, I stand under the warm shower for quite a bit until I think it’s long enough and step out of the shower.

“I toasted some bread for you to eat.”

Before the room’s owner entered the bathroom to shower, he tells me about the bread which is set on the Japanese table.

“Thank you so much. And may I know where the iron is?”

“In the wardrobe. You can just take it.”

“Okay.” I nod and walk to get the clothes I dried outside, getting them ironed. In between my lips is the bread Saifah toasted for me. 

As soon as I’m done ironing my clothes, I immediately put them on and write something on a post-it, letting him know. In my mind, I’m considering that it’s better to thank him first, but my other half is thinking of saving it. 

In the end, I decide to go with the post-it, sticking it somewhere in sight and then walk out of the room.

To Saifah.

I will go to class first na. Let’s meet each other in the evening.

And this is my Line id ZONZONZON.

Add na, in case there’s anything for us to talk about. 

From Zon.

♫ 

Comments are appreciated ^^

WhyRU สายฟ้าซน : Chapter 7 [Part 2]

Author : CandyOnn

Translator : Haruhi

Proofread : Wendy

♫ 

(Sound of rain)

The heavy falling rain was producing a whistling windy sound, it made both me and Saifah rush whilst running together. Even though Saifah's building is actually nearby, both of us still ended up being soaked.

"What the hell? It's so sudden. It’s raining so hard that all is soaked." I grumble to myself when the room's owner opens the door, letting me step inside.

"Exactly. It is like a scene in a drama or in a novel."

"What damn novel do you mean? It's not the same." I reply anxiously to the guy in front of me right away. In my head, I recall the vow I did with ai'Zol.

"This is a totally natural occurrence. It can rain anywhere. It's just a normal rain shower, that's it. How can it be the same as in a novel? Can you not exaggerate, Saifah?"

There's no way it would be like that. This is reality.  How can it be compared to a novel?!

"Why do you take it seriously?" Saifah walks toward me with a towel. His eyes which are focused on me are filled with confusion.

Well, how can you understand this?! It's not you who made an oath with ai'Zol, it's me.

"I'm only joking."

"Joking is not allowed."

"Why?"

"It doesn't matter why, and what about my bracelet? I want it so that I can hurry back." I gesture with one hand out, asking for my customised guitar pick bracelet from the owner of the room.

"Why do you need to hurry back? It's still heavily raining outside."

"It's still manageable. You do have an umbrella for me to borrow right?"

"I do. But it is still raining heavily, and you are still soaked."

"It's fine."

"But, if you are this soaked, do you think the driver would let you sit in his van?"

"..."

"..."

"That's right. Go shower and change into dry clothes first. This soaked, you look like a puppy who fell into the water." Said Saifah whilst he tries to give the towel in his hand, but I'm not close enough to receive it.

"I don't want it. I want to go back!"

"..."

Saifah doesn't say anything, he just shows a plain expression as his reply instead. Seeing him like this stuns me with fear. I never experienced such a mood of him before, and never thought it would turn out so scary that I would feel anxious.

"W-Well, I don't have any spare clothes. My boxer is also wet. Will you let me wear yours though?"

"I do have spare clothes. As for the boxer, I have a new one in the closet. And can you not talk too much, Zon? You are shaking due to the cold... go take a shower already."

"..." I've not yet answered the guy before me. I keep quiet and portray an unpleased face until Saifah places the towel on my head and gives me a gentle nudge.

"Go!"

"Yessss. I will go" But is it necessary to make such a stern voice though?!

I agree to take a shower like Saifah told me to. Right after I'm done with my shower, I walk out and notice a new set of clothes on the bed.

"Well, wait just a moment. I'm going to take a shower as well."

"Sure."

I nod as an answer to the room's owner while I'm heading for the new set, putting them on. Although it is quite big, it still fits. It doesn't feel too baggy on me.

After that, since I have nothing to do, I decide to explore his room until I see a guitar placed on the floor. I pick it up as I make my way over to sit, giving it a few strums. It is not that I strum them perfectly. It’s just a random strum since the chord still gives a rhythm sound.

(Door opens)

It’s the sound of the bathroom's door that opened, where Saifah steps out with a small towel on his head, drying his hair.

"You showered for way too long.I thought you already fell down and hit your head on the floor in the bathroom. Luckily, I didn't call Poh Teck Tung yet."

[T/N: Poh Teck Tung is a foundation service to collect dead bodies]

"Well I'm not taking a bath like someone else... and I'm not sure whether he's used soap or not?"

"I used it!" I respond to the person who's smiling annoyingly. In the end, I stop paying attention to him and get back to strumming the guitar. The next moment I realised that Saifah was already sitting by my side on the bed.

"What?"

"The guitar pick bracelet you asked me to make."

"Hoie, this is so pretty" I look at the guitar pick bracelet in Saifah's hand which he held out towards me before I take it and lay it over on my own wrist. "Thank you na."

"Eumm." Saifah hums, "Why don't you try to play."

I do as he instructed and I find it is much easier to play this way. It is much easier to strum compared to using only fingers, but when I try to hit the chord, some of the jarring sounds could still be heard.

 "So how is it? Is it okay?" The room's owner asks me when I try to play the guitar for a moment.

"Okay na. It is much better than using my fingers to strum but damn, I couldn't remember the chord well."

"Take it slowly. When you practice, you will remember it after a while."

"My memory is damn terrible."

"Look at you already knowing this."

"You have such a loose-tongue right."

I gaze up at him and act as though I'm about to smack him until Saifah slips out a cackle. At first, I'm trying to focus back on playing the guitar but then something runs across my mind.

"Hey, what time is it now?"

"About half-past eight maybe, why?"

"The van for me to go back home!" I put everything down right away, whether it's the guitar or the guitar pick bracelet, I just don't have time to think properly right now.

"Saifah!"

"What?"

"I borrow your slippers and your umbrella first na, the damn rain hasn't stopped yet."

"Yes, you can."

"Can I ask for a plastic bag too? I want to put my wet clothes and my shoes in there."

“Sure, wait a minute. I’m going to find one and give it to you.”

The room’s owner then rushed to go find the item I asked for as soon as I send him a gaze, asking him to hurry. I spend less than five minutes, stuffing all my things into the plastic bag before I rushed to the van station.

But damn, as you can see, fate always loves to play jokes with me!

“What now?” Saifah who is holding the umbrella asks me, when the last van already departed and there was a notice sign, saying that the departure time has been set ahead of schedule because of the rain.

As for the bus, even though they exist, I’m not sure whether it’s in this lifetime, but they do pass around here anyway. We have been waiting for nearly four hours and yet not one passed by.

“You probably need a taxi.”

“Maybe, I will ask one to stop.”

I nod and breathe out heavily, exhausted. The cost of taking a taxi to return to my home is not cheap na krub. Plus, even though you have to wave to stop any of them, you also need luck for the taxi to agree taking you to your destination. 

My house is not that near though. If I knew it would be like this, I would have already asked my mom to let me stay in the dorm, it’s much better.

♫ 

22:35

It has been two hours since I tried to stop a taxi at this place. It’s not that the taxi doesn’t stop. They do, but just to claim that the taxi is almost out of gas and if the ride could be done or not, saying it is way too far.

“What’s wrong with all these rides that they refuse to go?! It’s damn nearly two hours already that we waited here.  Taxi nowadays, what are their issues exactly? It’s just rain, light traffic because others also don’t want to go. If it wasn’t for my van already having left, I wouldn’t even think of riding a damn taxi. The price is so damn expensive!” I complain for a moment, expressing my dissatisfaction.

“Why don’t you try to call Grab once again?”

“I won’t. If they don’t come, then so be it!” I already accepted the fact that the taxi won’t go, but when I called the Grab, not a damn person received my calls which made me even more annoyed.

It may be because this road has that taxi port nearby. Plus, there’s news about the taxi and Grab drivers not being on good terms because they hit each other for quite a number of times. In the end, the Grab side solved the problem by not picking up any more customers around this road instead.

“Come on Zon. Calm down a bit. There might be one coming around soon.”

“Emm.” I nod to the taller guy who waits while holding the umbrella, protecting both of us. “Honestly, you should just return to your room na Saifah. You already accompanied me for a long time. I don’t want to trouble you.”

“It’s fine. My building is just around the corner.”

“Thank you so much. If there is no ride that wants to take me, I guess I will be sleeping at my friend’s dorm instead. But damn, it’s already late, will there be anyone who would pick up my call though?”

I recall some of my friends staying in the dormitory, but I’m not very close to any of them except ai’Tor who is from a different faculty.

“Do you think ai’Tor already went to sleep?”

“Ai’Tor’s building is at the opposite of the university na Zon.”

“Yes, I still remember it. I used to sleep at his place before.”

“I understand that you used to sleep there, but what I don’t understand is why you insist of going there when my building is just over here?”

“…” I keep myself quiet, not answering the person who is staring at me questionably.

Damn, don’t make such face, I can’t escape it!

“I thought we already became friends.”

There… showing drama in front of me.

“I-I…”

“But, I understand.” Saifah’s tone withered more than previous. “I once claimed the girl you talked with and this probably made you not want to be friends with me that much.”

“That’s not it. I just don’t want to trouble you.”

 “It’s fine, I totally get it.”

“You don’t get it.”

“I do get it.”

“But your face is telling me that you don’t get any of this.”

Saifah becomes quiet and turns his head away, throwing his sight elsewhere until a soft sigh escapes me.

“Saifah.”

“What?”

“Look at me.”

“…”

“Now.” I order the much bigger built person to look at me.

At first, he’s damn hesitating but in the end, he still turns to look at me like how I asked him.

“If the next taxi refuses to take me, then I will be sleeping at your room for tonight… is that okay?”

“…”

“I ask if that’s okay?”

“Hmm, okay.” After Saifah gives his words, he immediately avoids my eyes once again.

However, just now I noticed it na, that he is secretly smiling which makes me doubt whether the drama he showed previously is actually a lie or not. But maybe that’s not the case because why would a person like Saifah feels pleased and happy at the news of me staying the night in his place.

“But you must go buy a toothbrush first na.”

“Yes, I know.” Saifah said whilst looking at the road again. “There’s a taxi there, why don’t you try to call it?”

I nod and wave for the taxi which gradually approached the both of us. In my heart, I could only pray that it will take me away, take me away… please do take me away.

♫ 

Comments are appreciated as always ^^