Chapter 7 — Messages After Sunset
1371 Words
By sunset, the architecture freshmen collectively looked like survivors returning from war.
A serious issue honestly.
The orientation activities finally ended after hours of:
* faculty tours,
* workshop challenges,
* screaming seniors,
* campus games,
* and social activities designed to destroy emotional stability.
Completely normal university behavior honestly.
Across the campus, students slowly started leaving in groups while talking excitedly about their first day.
Some freshmen exchanged social media accounts near the faculty booths.
Others took final pictures beneath the glowing evening lights before going home.
Meanwhile—
near the architecture building entrance—
Tharin quietly stood beside Chai while reorganizing the overwhelming amount of bags surrounding him.
A disaster honestly.
Because somehow—
throughout the day—
he accumulated:
* orientation documents,
* faculty gifts,
* snack packs,
* extra drinks,
* and random souvenirs handed out by seniors.
Normal Aiyarak family luck honestly.
Beside him, Chai silently watched for several seconds before dramatically sighing toward the darkening sky.
Chai: “Your first day already feels emotionally illegal.”
Tharin already looked spiritually exhausted.
Reasonable honestly.
Because Chai spent the entire afternoon harassing him emotionally.
A serious issue.
Tharin: “Nothing happened.”
Chai slowly turned afterward.
Then stared.
Long enough to become suspicious spiritually.
Chai: “…Aran followed you around campus for almost eight hours.”
Silence.
Then—
Chai: “That man doesn’t even follow his professors voluntarily.”
A devastating point honestly.
Tharin immediately looked away afterward while adjusting the strap slipping from his shoulder again.
Coward behavior honestly.
Because somehow—
he still didn’t fully understand why Aran stayed near him all day.
A serious issue.
Before the conversation could continue—
his phone suddenly vibrated again.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Because only one group of people texted this aggressively.
Family.
A disaster honestly.
Tharin unlocked the screen carefully.
Aiyarak Family Group Chat
Praew: BABY ARE YOU FINISHED YET???
Arthit: Send current location.
Khem: Did you eat dinner already?
Than: Driver waiting outside campus.
Chai: Too late. Campus prince already emotionally attached.
Silence.
Then immediately—
Praew: WHAT???
Arthit: Explain properly.
Khem: Chai.
Than: Clarify.
Psychotic family behavior honestly.
Meanwhile—
less than fifty feet away from the architecture entrance—
a man wearing casual clothes quietly observed the surrounding crowd while pretending to scroll through his phone.
Another stood beside a parked motorcycle carefully monitoring nearby students.
Neither looked suspicious.
Both professionally tracked Tharin’s surroundings without him realizing anything.
Completely normal Aiyarak family behavior honestly.
Inside a black luxury sedan parked across the street—
Than Aiyarak calmly reviewed security updates displayed on a tablet.
Dangerous multitasking honestly.
One bodyguard quietly spoke through the earpiece.
Bodyguard: “Young Master Rin remains beside cousin and university senior.”
Silence.
Then calmly—
Than: “The basketball student?”
Bodyguard: “Yes.”
Another brief pause followed.
Then—
Bodyguard: “He continues staying close voluntarily.”
Inside the car—
Than slowly tapped his finger once against the tablet screen.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Because people voluntarily staying around Tharin usually meant one thing eventually.
Interest.
And interest often became troublesome.
A serious issue honestly.
Meanwhile—
completely unaware hidden security monitored him constantly—
Tharin quietly typed into the family chat.
Tharin: Nothing happened.
Immediately—
five typing bubbles appeared.
Terrifying honestly.
Praew: Fake statement.
Arthit: Suspicious answer.
Khem: Statistically impossible.
Than: We’ll discuss later.
Chai: Aran literally joined architecture activities.
Silence.
Then instantly—
Praew: HE WHAT???
Arthit: Why?
Chai: Emotional attachment probably.
Tharin: PHI CHAI.
Coward behavior honestly.
Beside him, Chai grinned proudly.
A terrible cousin honestly.
Before Tharin could continue defending himself—
someone stopped beside them quietly.
And immediately—
the atmosphere shifted again.
A serious issue for public peace honestly.
Because of course it was Aran.
A disaster.
Nearby students openly stared immediately.
Reasonable honestly.
At this point—
seeing Aran beside Tharin became expected yet somehow still shocking.
Aran glanced toward the bags surrounding Tharin afterward.
Then calmly—
Aran: “You’re still carrying all that home?”
Tharin nodded slightly.
Tharin: “Mn.”
Aran frowned almost invisibly afterward.
Because honestly?
The amount of bags still looked concerning.
A serious issue.
Before Tharin could react—
Aran naturally reached down and picked up the heavy drawing tube again.
Silence.
Real silence.
Because somehow—
Aran helping once shocked people.
But helping continuously throughout the entire day?
That felt genuinely insane.
A serious issue for campus gossip honestly.
Nearby freshmen immediately started whispering again.
“Why does he act like Rin’s boyfriend already?”
“This feels emotionally dangerous.”
“They seriously match visually.”
Reasonable observations honestly.
Meanwhile—
Tharin immediately looked uncomfortable from the attention.
Not because of Aran specifically.
But because crowds staring too long always made him uneasy.
A habit built from bad experiences honestly.
Aran noticed immediately.
Of course he did.
Because somehow—
his attention naturally followed Tharin’s reactions now.
A terrifying development.
Then quietly—
Aran stepped slightly closer beside him.
Subtle movement.
Barely noticeable.
Still—
it partially blocked the staring students nearby.
And suddenly—
Tharin relaxed slightly again.
A dangerous observation honestly.
Because Aran realized something important immediately.
Tharin disliked becoming the center of attention.
A lot.
Meanwhile—
Chai silently witnessed everything before dramatically covering his face.
Chai: “I deserve compensation emotionally.”
Correct honestly.
Because this situation genuinely looked like romantic progression unfolding in real time.
A terrifying thing.
Then unexpectedly—
Aran spoke again.
Aran: “Did your ride arrive yet?”
Silence.
Because somehow—
that question sounded dangerously close to concern.
A serious issue honestly.
Tharin blinked once before answering quietly.
Tharin: “My oldest brother usually sends someone.”
Aran nodded slightly afterward.
Then calmly—
Aran: “Wait inside until they arrive.”
Real silence settled briefly afterward.
Because honestly?
That sounded way too natural.
Like Aran already included himself in Tharin’s safety automatically.
A dangerous realization.
Before Tharin could respond—
his phone suddenly rang.
The caller ID displayed:
Phi Than
Immediate fear entered Tharin’s soul spiritually.
Reasonable honestly.
Because Than rarely called directly unless something important happened.
A serious issue.
Tharin answered carefully.
Tharin: “Hello?”
Than’s calm voice came through the speaker immediately.
Dangerous calm honestly.
Than: “Where are you?”
Tharin: “Outside the architecture building.”
Silence.
Then—
Than: “I can see you.”
Real silence followed immediately afterward.
Because suddenly—
Tharin froze completely.
A disaster honestly.
He slowly lifted his head afterward.
Then immediately spotted the black luxury sedan parked across the street beneath the evening lights.
And honestly?
His soul nearly left his body spiritually.
Because somehow—
Than personally came to campus.
A terrifying event honestly.
Beside him, Chai immediately whispered:
Chai: “…Oh no.”
Correct honestly.
Because whenever Than personally appeared somewhere—
the situation usually became serious.
A dangerous truth.
Meanwhile—
Aran quietly followed Tharin’s gaze toward the black sedan.
Then instinctively straightened slightly.
Because even from this distance—
the atmosphere surrounding the car felt intimidating somehow.
A serious issue honestly.
The tinted rear window slowly lowered afterward.
And immediately—
a sharp pair of eyes became visible inside the vehicle.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Than Aiyarak looked exactly like the type of man nobody wanted to disappoint.
Elegant black shirt.
Rolled sleeves.
Cold composed expression.
The kind of presence that naturally silenced rooms.
A terrifying older brother honestly.
Even nearby students unconsciously lowered their voices afterward.
Reasonable honestly.
Because Than radiated quiet danger naturally.
Inside the car—
Than calmly observed the scene outside.
Specifically:
* the bags surrounding Tharin,
* Chai standing nearby,
* and most importantly—
the tall university senior still beside his younger brother.
Silence stretched briefly afterward.
Then quietly through the phone—
Than added:
Than: “Bring your friend.”
Real silence followed immediately afterward.
Because suddenly—
every functioning brain nearby stopped working.
Especially Tharin’s.
A complete disaster honestly.
Tharin blinked several times afterward.
Then weakly—
Tharin: “…Which friend?”
Inside the car—
Than calmly looked toward Aran again.
Then answered simply:
Than: “The basketball player.”
And somehow—
the atmosphere around them instantly became even more dangerous than before.
- Writer
