Invisible Moon
Chapter 6
The Fish Paper
"It seem like the fish could reach the moon,
when the reflection of the moon casted on the water surface."
#WINisWIND
After I finished feeding the fish, I just went back for a nap at my dormitory for a couple of hours. Then, I woke up and got ready to join the freshman welcome ceremony at 10 a.m.
There were a lot of activities today, they were set up into many checkpoints, each one had a different style. All freshmen were arranged into small groups and went to join the checkpoint one by one until they completed all of them. Some checkpoint seniors just arranged a free talk, some checkpoint just got to know each other, some checkpoint had a fun game. Seemed like aim of the activities was just let seniors and freshmen became closer.
"This is Lady Maria Vongz, the founder of our business faculty."
The senior introduced the lady statue in front of the building. For now, this activity checkpoint was the easiest one — building tour.
"Hey, we've joined the activity for two days, haven't seen P'In yet."
One of the freshmen said while following the senior for sightseeing the faculty building.
"Right, not only we haven't seen, but the seniors also haven't seen."
"That's true, anyway, there's a Unistar event today, will you go?"
"Of course! How can I miss it, I'm going to see P'In"
Today evening, P'In would go to work as a Unistar member. I thought. By the way, did P'In come here for the activity?
Oh, I just saw P'In.
He was at the canteen table behind the corner of the pillar. P'In was doing something like folding and rolling paper, but he was too far, so I couldn't see it clearly.
However, I didn't have much time to observe him, I must continue attending the activity. Some checkpoints would divide us into a few teams to compete, such as competing to remember friends' names — unfortunately for my team because no one could remember my name. Also, in the flag race[1] running, my teammate forgot to pass me a flag.
I was trying my best, but..., anyway, being invisible was useful somehow — I could sneak out for rest without being noticed.
After finishing the last checkpoint, it was free time. The senior brought us lunch boxes and drinks.
"Hi! Oh, what's your name? I forgot. What do you wanna eat? There are basil minced pork with rice and garlic chicken with rice."
P'Noey greeted me.
"My name is Win. I'd go for basil pork rice." I said, smiling.
Though P'Noey couldn't remember my name, at least she recognized me. It was a little successful of my effort today.
During the friend's name competition, I was always a forgotten person. So it became a funny gag that made many seniors could recognise me, as they all couldn't remember my name, I was regarded as 'A freshy whose name was forgotten'.
"Alright, N'Win, I'll try to remember." P'Noey smiled at me while handing the lunch box.
Then, I took a seat, I was eating with friends who were in the same activity group. Although I was a fading person, everyone already knew me - even still forgot my name.
"Hello, freshy! Do you still remember the signature collection book? Today the 3rd year seniors are all here. It's a good chance to collect our signature. Please come after finishing your meal, we are waiting."
P'Tong said by using a megaphone. Some freshmen straightaway went to the seniors.
But for me, who hadn't done eating yet, only could observe. When a freshman asked the senior for a signature, some seniors signed easily, some only signed partial and told freshmen to get the rest on another day. Some seniors asked questions about today's activity such as the name of the business faculty founder. Some seniors let freshmen do strange things like dancing or shouting a love confession or even helped seniors get a pretty girl's phone number.
"Do you know? Last year, there was a freshman that all seniors must give him an award because he could collect the most — 300 signatures."
I heard friends in the group talking.
"Oh! was that the whole faculty?" A friend exclaimed.
"Counting the seniors from the second to fourth year, there were a total of 301 people at that time. He was almost complete, extremely amazing."
"Wait, he missed one senior's signature?"
"Guess whose"
"Don't tell me..."
"P'In?"
"That's right! The only missing signature was P'In. Honestly, no one ever got his signature."
"Oh my god. Even his postcard signature from a fan meeting, the resale price was around thousands baht."
"Yeah, his signature is rare. Only found in fan meetings, and his queue is the longest."
"The point is, it's hard to meet P'In, then his signature became rare."
"Yes! Even photos are rare too."
I was listening while taking the empty lunch boxes to the trash bin. With my own fading characteristic, when my friends finished eating, they all went to join senior signature activities. Leaving me alone — without a word, but I was already used to it.
The popular third-year seniors who were surrounded by many freshmen, mostly were P'Cheers, the leaders of activity. So they put the freshmen into a group and told them to sing and dance, sorts of things, to get the signatures.
"Grilled chicken was burned~...it will be skewered~..."
"Mudmee grated coconut, cooking in the kitchen~..."
Many folk songs were sung with applause, along with the loud cheering voice of the watching audiences. At first, other seniors gave the signatures easily, but after seeing this, they all increased the difficulty in exchange for signatures.
The problem is, the fading like me, the more noisy and outstanding people arounded, the less my existence becomes.
"Senior...please sign for me..."
I tried to go for the senior, who had few people surrounding, but that senior was still watching others, and didn't pay attention to me.
"Senior..." I said louder but completely erased by the atmosphere.
"Grilled chicken was burned~..."
I even joined the 'Grilled Chicken' dance, but when everyone was in the queue for signatures, the seniors forgot me.
"Hi! the new group, are you ready for Mudmee dance?"
"You haven't signed for me yet." I waved my book, but they still didn't notice.
"Answer me, what is the symbol colour of our faculty? I'll sign for the one who can answer."
"Chartreuse colour!"
I was the first one who answered, but they still didn't hear me.
As expected, my fading characteristic was like a curse.
I sighed, I couldn't do anything except sat and rested.
I was fatigued from attempting. Others might feel tired as well but at least they still got the signatures. While I also tried but got nothing.
I finally realized, just a simple thing like getting the signature, I still couldn't do it. The dream of becoming the Moon, I must only die and be born again. That way might make my dream come true.
I could only sit and get used to my miserable life while using my signature book as a fan — cooler myself from hot weather.
"Can I borrow?"
The familiar voice made me turn around.
I widened my eyes as I saw P'In was sitting at the opposite side of the table. His hand was reaching out toward me with an emotionless expression.
What did he say?
"Borrow? borrow what?" I blinked.
When I saw his eyes glaring at the black book — my temporary fan, then I realised that he meant this signature collection book.
"Oh," I quickly handed to him
"Will you sign it for me?"
If I could get his signature...wow...the Unistar signature! I must be grateful.
Nevertheless...
"Paper ran out." P'In said while opening my book
"Huh?" I was confused and immediately gasped when P'In ripped off a page of the book.
Nooo! I cried in my head. No no, my signature collection book! Only getting a signature was quite hard, now one page already gone.
What did he do?!
P'In face was still calm, he tore the paper into small strips, then weaved neatly until the paper became a thumb-size carp fish. After finishing folding, he put it in a plastic bag, which already had many paper carp fishes, approximately more than hundreds. Mostly made from recycling paper.
"Are you folding carp fish?[2]" I asked.
P'In didn't answer, only looking at the paper in his hand. His finger was folding the paper delicately, tore it into strips and gently curled and weaved carefully. Although he was male, his fingers were slender.
"Why do you fold the carp fish?" I still asked.
He was still concentrating on the paper fish in his hand, not even turned to me. As everyone said that P'In was a strange Moon, I agreed with that wholeheartedly.
"Freshy, wanna get my signature? Just lineup here. I'll sign easily only for today. Next time there'll need an exchange."
I heard P'Noey called all freshmen. As I looked back, there were a lot of first-year students waiting for her signature.
Just went on the queue, nothing else, should be fine for a fading person like me. Hoping no one would jump in my queue.
So I turned to take back my signature book from P'In. Seemingly, he had just gone.
I was stunned. Only distract from him for a short while, now there was no sign of P'In at all. Undoubtedly, he was indeed Invisible Moon, even made the invisible person like me amazed.
"Where is my signature book?!" I exclaimed. I initially thought P'In might take it, but it was still on the table.
"What a relief!" I picked up and checked how many pages that P'In tore off.
However, just turning the first page, I was shocked, almost dropped the book.
On that page, there was a beautiful handwriting
Intrakorn Dechapraphas
Faculty of Business Administration, XU, 3rd year.
"This is..." my eyes widen, astonishingly.
P'In's signature!
Extraordinarily rare — as none of the business faculty students ever got!
The signature that — could be sold for many thousands baht!
There was also a small written note below.
'Thanks for paper.'
☽------------☽
Footnote
[1] Flag Race is the folk running sport game for Thai people. Divide the players into 2 teams and 2 sides, each side will set up the post and each team needs to run into the competitor side while holding a fabric flag. Whenever back to the post, they must pass the flag to the next player on the team. Any player who can bring the flag to touch the opponent's player first will become the winner.
[2] Folded/Weaved carp fish is Thai wisdom art. Originally made from the natural palm leaves, cut the leaves into long and thin strips, dried in the sun, then weaved into a carp-shaped fish. The carp is a symbol of abundance for Thai people.
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