Until We Meet Again - Red Thread

Chapter 3: Promise

Two weeks later, the classes for the first term began. Parm began to develop a headache from all the lectures. Fortunately, he had two friends in which he can share the pain. The clubs' activities have yet to start, as usual, letting the new students adjust to the new atmosphere. He also heard, after a month of the term starting, the seniors will make an announcement.

He closes his thick microeconomics book and puts it in a drawer. He glances at the clock for the time, where it displays 4 o’clock. He opens his laptop and brings up the swimming club f*******: page, where he has become a regular fan. The boy stares at the picture of the club's president, taken secretly by a member of the club. A big smile blooms on his face as his hand moves to touch the screen, his heart beating fast every time he sees Dean. Despite knowing Dean's status, he’s not brave enough to add him as a friend, someone he definitely does not know personally. Parm doesn't know how to explain these feelings-- he is so very happy to see him, but at the same time, so very afraid. In the end, all he can do is stalk him secretly through social media.

"Strange! Why do I feel so sad every time I look at him?" Parm mumbled, examining the man's face. Dean rarely posts anything. Most of his pictures are ones he was tagged in by his friends. In all of the pictures, it seemed as if Dean was looking off into space with an empty stare. Everyone who tagged him always asked the same thing, "Looking for something?"

Parm saved the pictures, downloading them to his laptop. He quickly closed the lid, his heart seemingly about to burst from his chest as a blush rushes across his cheeks.

Stop acting like a little girl who’s fallen in love for the first time , he thinks. If ManNow and Team could see me now, they would definitely tease me .

"Enough...enough ... Ai Parm, let's go to sleep." Parm admonishes as he slaps his cheeks and closes his eyes. Not long after, he falls asleep like the 'sleeping beauty' (* the actual word is 'nidarom' meaning sleeping beauty in a Thai tale)

...

"Hey, Phi Korn" Intouch said while dipping his legs in the pool.

"What?" Korn frowned.

"If we are reincarnated, do you think we will meet again?"

Korn closed his eyes, then flicked his boyfriend's forehead, "You read too many novels."

"Oooiii" Intouch rubbed his forehead, "Just answer me."

Korn looked at him adoringly and answered softly "We’ll definitely meet again."

"Really?" He asked with a surprised look.

"Really!" Korn answered while holding In’s small hands "I will look for you until we can be reunited once again."

Intouch grasped on to Korn's hands in response, the edge of his eyes filling with warmth.

"Even if I live in another part of the world?”

"I'll take an airplane."

"You rich ass!"

Korn just wriggled his eyebrows.

"I’ll be looking for you, too."

The two young men hug and touch their foreheads together.

"Promise that we will be looking for each other until we meet again?"

"Umhh ... Promise."

...

Bang! Prak!

"Shia!" Parm cursed as the loud bang of a door being slammed resonated through the wall, causing him to fall from his bed, again.

"Should I buy a bigger bed, so I won't fall every time?" He questioned, annoyed.

He glances at the clock. "s**t! It's 8 o’clock!" His first class starts at 9 in the morning, so Parm hurriedly gets up and runs to the bathroom.

He removes his clothes, throws them in the hamper, and is ready to take a quick shower, but stops when he feels something strange on his cheeks. He rubs at his face, hurriedly looking in the mirror

Warm tears flow a continuous track down his cheeks.

"Oi, what is this?" He wipes his tears, "Bad dreams again? Really embarrassing!"

Why does he feel so sad?

***

Parm parks his car quickly, getting out as fast as he can to run to class. Not only did he wake up late, he was almost caught up in a traffic jam. Fortunately, he got to school right on time. He had called ManNow earlier to buy him breakfast and then wait for him in the classroom with Team.

"Oh, I almost died!" Parm exclaims as he stumbles to his class. He could have cried from happiness when he saw the teacher had not shown up yet. This lecturer is a killer. Five minutes late and the door will be locked, allowing not one more person to enter the classroom.

"Calm down, I have brought you a sandwich and milk." ManNow says as she hands the food and drink to him. He smiles at her before starting in on his late breakfast.

"Last night, did you guys see the new webpage on the University's website?" ManNow asks with bright eyes.

"Huh? No!" Team answers while Parm shakes his head, his mouth full of food.

"Oh, wait!" ManNow takes out her tablet and opens the University's website. She motioned her friends closer, handing it to them.

The website’s purpose is for anybody within the University to post and share about all kinds of subjects pertaining to the different faculties, classes, and events. It is mostly separated by grade, except for the main page where important announcements are shared by the faculty. For the students, it is often used to post questions about their exams and homework. So, why was ManNow so worked up over a webpage? It is entirely dedicated to scouting out all of the handsome and beautiful new students.

"Cute and handsome boys who start as freshman this year," ManNow reads off the page. Most of the pictures seem to be taken secretly, with very few having the consent of the person photographed.

"Hey!!" Team screams, seeing a picture of him riding a motorcycle with the caption:

Nong Team, 1st year, dark skin, from the Faculty of Economics

Parm and ManNow laugh at their friend’s pseudo-outrage.

"Forget it. Ai Parm, look at this!" Beside the photo of Team, there is one of Parm leaning on a low fence, smiling wide.

"Hey! This is when we were talking yesterday." Parm said, looking confused.

"Ha, Nong Parm, Economics Faculty, 1st year, bright face, very cute." Team reads the caption. Parm laughs out loud and shamelessly poses like a celebrity.

"Here, there's more .... Nong Team and Nong Parm, this year's couple." ManNow reads, bursting into laughter.

"We’re not!" They scream at the same time. Parm rubs his arms, goosebumps forming after imagining himself being with Team. There is no way!!

...

At 4:30 in the afternoon, the lectures have ended. Team stretches his body, feeling refreshed. They haven't yet adjusted to the new schedules, so it was as if he was resurrected after being dead for quite some time.

"Have your club activities started yet?" Team asks while putting his school supplies away.

Parm shake his head "No! They start next week for me."

"So you and ManNow can be my supporters at the swimming club. Today, there will be a screening and after that, let's go eat shabu together."

Parm stops copying the class notes from the whiteboard, his heart starting to pound.

"Let's go watch, Ai Parm. I want to see all the handsome boys." ManNow grabs her friend's arm and pulls.

"Can I refuse?" Parm answers, laughing. But both Team and ManNow will not accept any type of refusal.

"You can't!!!" Both of them answer, also laughing. One playfully hits the other, and soon the laughter became screams as they continue to exchange blows.

At 5 in the afternoon, the University's indoor pool is packed with people. Parm and ManNow are searching for seats in the stands, looking around with excitement.

"Wow, there are so many people interested! This is just an elimination round, right?" Parm asks doubtfully. Team said that this screening was just for selecting members from the first year. The ones who were proficient and capable will be joining a team to enter competitions, meaning they will become representatives of the University.

"The swimming club also has a national team. They’ve already won so many competitions." ManNow explains.

"Hmmmm ... We'd better pray for him."

At this time, ten boys in swimsuits come forward and stand together at the pool's side. There, Win, with his striking, attention-catching golden hair, is explaining something.

"Eeiiii...Team is the best!" ManNow praises, pulling out her phone to take pictures.

Parm can’t stand it. "So childish!" He laughs and mocks her, causing her to hit him until he begs her to stop.

"Ooiii.. this boy is so cool!" ManNow hits him again.

Then, their attention is drawn to a tall body that isn’t wearing a swimsuit. Dean, wearing the University's Jersey, is bringing documents to Win. The two men talk for a time, before signaling to the first years to do their warm ups and get ready for the elimination round. Dean starts to warm up alongside them, as well. He doesn't seem to care at all about the screams and the people whispering around him. It’s as if he doesn’t even notice. He must be used to being stared at and talked about during competitions.

"Wait, the competition is as planned, right? First round, choose the five best, and then let them compete again?" Win asks. They start to walk around together, checking out their possible future club members.

"Yes, the top 2 will be the main members, who will keep practicing to prepare for the swimming competition at the end of the year. While the other 3 will stand as substitutes." Dean points to the red mark.

"This year, there are so many good swimmers. Much better than last year, at least. It's about time to think about replacing the fourth year members, they will be graduating soon." Win keeps talking, but the person who is supposed to be listening seems to be ignoring him.

Dean, a hundred and eighty-six c.m. tall young man, is looking towards the stands. Skin tanned from the sun adds to his charm, especially with his strong, muscular body, and handsome, bright, sharp, and sweet face. The stands were overflown with supporters who knew very little about him, except for his bloodline: mixed-blooded from the middle east. He has a younger brother, second year at the Architecture Faculty, and a little sister, first year at the Literature Faculty.

His eyes scan the entirety of the room, as if searching for something, or some one . His eyes sweep over every person, examining them briefly.

"Ooi, you are spacing out again, as usual." Win says, waving the documents in front of Dean’s face. "Have you found what you’re looking for, yet?"

Dean just brushes his friend’s inquiry off and sighs "Let's start the screening."

After receiving the President's order, Win brings the whistle to his mouth while holding a timer.

"Ready ... go!!!" The whistle blows and the boys dive into the water.

Parm jumps from the loud sound of the whistle, his breathing heavy. His vision burs and he feels as though he could black out at any moment. When Dean stands up and turns, Parm is shocked and quickly hides his face, extremely embarrassed; so much so that he felt like drowning himself.

"Look, Team's already leading!" ManNow shakes his arm, causing Parm to turn and look, concentrating on the competition again.

Team is in the lead until the second round. Parm and ManNow scream loudly to cheer on their friend, the many cheers from around the room creating a lively atmosphere. As they had expected, Team is chosen as one of the main members for the team and will get to participate in the upcoming competition.

"You’re so cool!" Parm compliments Team after he’s reunited with them, back in everyday attire. They meet by the side of the pool while the audience gradually leaves. Many of the club's members continue to swim, sometimes with the loud voice of a senior training the juniors.

"It will be like this till the end of the semester, because soon there will be a regional competition." Team shrugs and rubs his belly. "I'm starving, let's go eat shabu. Hurry up!"

ManNow doesn’t move. She’s stuck in place looking around, searching for a handsome senior.

"Where is P’Dean?"

"Talking with P’Win at that table, discussing our club schedule. What's up, ManNow? Where did the shy girl from the first day go?"

ManNow laughs "You're so transparent, Parm."

"It's not like that!!" Parm, who is drinking from a water bottle, coughs and chokes, spilling most of it on his shirt. "Why me?" He asks, flustered, and turns to take the towel off Team's shoulder.

"At the screening, his eyes kept staring without blinking."

Parm smiles while covering his face with the towel. He bows his head, further trying to cover his red cheeks. Internally, He blames the blush on his coughing and the hot summer weather, though he knows it isn’t true.

"Ohhoo!" Team teases, squatting down in front of him. His stomach's grumbling ruins the moment immediately. "I’m starving! I want Shabu, shabu ..."

The loud noises from the juniors startle two seniors passing by the poolside, causing them to stop and stare.

"Oh, Team haven't you gone home yet?" Win asks, approaching the juniors. "Nong, you're so cute! What's your name?" He asks Parm, very interested.

Dean freezes. His eyes stare at the boy Win is trying to flirt with. His smile and laugh warm up his heart. Longing fills the hole inside his chest until it feels like he could burst, like his heart is about to explode.

"What's wrong?" Win demands, surprised that the cold and fierce President is now standing still, frozen with teary eyes like they will overflow at any time.

Dean shakes his head, blinking, and wipes his hot eyes. "Nothing, just got something in my eyes."

"Promise ... that we will search for each other, until we meet again."