Several weeks later
The events of that night became a vivid memory that lingered in my mind, but after that night, I never went to a bar again and never had that kind of relationship with anyone else.
We didn’t exchange line contacts as he had suggested, so there was no way to keep in touch after that night. After multiple rounds together, he left my room close to dawn without staying over. As soon as it was over, he left.
And since that day, I hoped that we would never meet again, whether anywhere on campus or in this world.
"You guys, don't be late tonight. If no one is sitting by 9 pm, they'll take the reserved seats," Kaning, one of my friends in the group, said.
"Yeah, I know."
I'm currently studying in the Faculty of Business Administration, third year. I have three friends in the same group: Cake, Kaning, and Tongta.
I'm closer to Cake than the others because I usually tell her things first, and our personalities seem to match the most.
Kaning is the kind who enjoys partying. Even though she has a steady boyfriend, she likes chatting with other guys just for fun. Tongta, on the other hand, is quiet and well-mannered but has a sharp tongue when she chooses to speak.
“Cake, come pick me up too,” Tongta said with a small smile.
We always feel a bit uneasy taking Tongta to bars because she seems more suited for temple visits than nightlife.
"Sure thing, gorgeous. I'll pick up Toey first and then you," because in our group, only Cake and Kaning have cars, so we always rely on them for rides.
"There might be some guys joining us," Kaning told us with a mischievous smile.
"Who is it this time? What number fling is this?" Cake asked, fully aware that this was typical of Kaning.
Even though she has a boyfriend, they study at different universities and are far apart, so she plays the field, secretly chatting with different people for fun.
To be honest, I don't really like this habit of hers because I hate being betrayed by a lover like this. But I've gotten used to her behavior.
"An engineering guy. We'll meet him tonight."
"Okay, just don't bring someone else's husband and cause a scene like last time."
We all laughed after Cake finished speaking, because there was once a time when Kaning brought someone else's husband to drink with us, and his wife found out. It turned into chaos as we had to help Kaning hide to prevent her from getting slapped in the bar.
"Well, I've checked thoroughly, this one is definitely single."
@Famous Entertainment Venue
This venue is a well-known spot here. No matter the day, it's always packed, and you have to reserve a table from 5 PM or even a day in advance if it's a holiday.
People choose this place for its signature drink, a recipe you won't find anywhere else.
"A large pitcher, please. And six glasses," Kaning ordered from the handsome waiter and gave him a sweet smile.
"Why six?" Tongta asked, voicing all of our curiosity.
"Someone else will be joining us."
It was almost 9 PM, and we had already finished one pitcher of drinks, but Kaning's guys were still nowhere to be seen. Maybe my friend got stood up.
"It's almost 9 PM, and they're still not here?" Cake asked.
"They're on their way. He's probably busy with a project," Kaning replied, indicating she had done her research.
"Fourth-year, huh? You’ve got guts inviting him. Anyone who messes with a fourth-year is like a troublemaker," Cake commented, glancing at her friend who was smiling broadly.
It seems like she's really into it today. I'm curious to see what he looks like and why she's so excited.
"P'Q!" She waved at someone behind me, prompting me to turn around. It must be her new secret crush.
"!!"
The moment I turned, I locked eyes with the guy walking toward us. He looked back at me without any sign of surprise and even smirked slightly. That expression...
No way, am I drunk already?
"What's wrong, Toey?" Cake turned and asked when I lightly slapped my face.
"N-nothing," I replied, taking a small sip to cover it up.
My heart was pounding hard right now. It's not that I have feelings for him, but the coincidence is just too much, making me feel oddly excited.
"Hey guys, this is P'Q and P'..." Kaning introduced the guy to us.
'Q' is the guy I had a relationship with that night. I just learned his name today because we didn't even bother to ask each other's names that night.
"Mac," the other guy introduced himself.
"I'm Kaning, this is Cake, Tongta, and Toeyhom." I gave a small smile and nodded without making eye contact, taking the glass Cake had just poured and continued drinking.
Alright, just get drunk so it can be over and done with. No need to think too much.
Besides, he probably wouldn’t bring up that night. He’d be worried Kaning would find out—or worse, that I’d tell my friends.
"What's up with you? You're drinking too much," Cake turned to ask me suspiciously but poured another glass.
"Nothing, I just want to get drunk and sleep," I said as an excuse, which sounded kind of funny.
"Has it really been half a year since your breakup, and you're still not over it, Toey?" That was Tonka!
"Last time, you went out alone because your ex sent you a wedding invitation, right? Haha," Kaning immediately chimed in.
"Well, it happens, doesn't it? We were together for five years," I told them while playing with my phone indifferently.
My mood was getting better anyway.
"..." Suddenly, that guy, P'Q smiled when I accidentally glanced at him.
What is he smiling about?
"You should find someone new."
"Is P' Mac single? You can hit on Kaning's friend," Kaning said to him, who was sitting there smiling and listening to us.
"I'm not single, but Q is," P' Mac said, gesturing towards P'Q.
"P'Q is not available, I, Kaning, have already claimed him," Kaning quickly said, while P'Q just sat there quietly, smiling.
He talked more last time. Today, he's just sitting there quietly, smiling.
After drinking for a while, I excused myself to go to the bathroom. I didn't know why I felt strangely uneasy, even though I hoped not to run into him, but ended up meeting him as my friend's secret fling.
After calming myself down in the bathroom for a bit, I walked out. The vibe outside was just right now. Everyone was probably drunk, and I wasn't much different.
Suddenly
"Ah!" Suddenly, my arm was pulled into a corner of the wall leading to the bathroom by a man's hand. I was about to scream but stopped when I saw his face. "P... P'Q?"
"Hey," he greeted casually.
“What do you want?” I asked, pulling my arm free and stepping back, afraid someone—especially Kaning—might see us.
"Are you still drunk?" he asked, crossing his arms and looking at me.
"A little."
"I think I left something at your place. Did you find it?"
"Yes," I replied shortly, because I had actually kept it, but I didn't know how to return it to him.
"Alright, I'll come get it later," he said with a sly smile and walked away, leaving me standing there confused.
I'll come get it later...
Why does that phrase make me feel so uneasy, or am I just overthinking it?
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P'Q!! It was a one-night thing, got it? Don't break the rules!!