“You two know each other?” Ford asked surprised after listening to their short conversation.

“We met at the airport the other day,” Moon explained and turned his head to look at Ford. “When I arrived in Bangkok, I stayed at the airport a little longer and Keb started talking to me.” While Moon wasn’t looking at Keb anymore, Keb still couldn’t bring himself to look away. He stared at his face, those beautiful lips, a little longer and watched their movements carefully during Moon’s explanation.

“Keb talked to you first? He usually doesn’t like talking to strangers,” Ford asked even more surprised after this explanation. Finally, Keb took his eyes off Moon and turned around to look back at Ford again.

“It was the day One forgot to tell me he had to work late. I was at the airport already, and one thing led to another, and we talked a little,” Keb defended himself not wanting his friends to think of him differently after this. Ford was right, Keb didn’t like to talk to people he didn’t know. He hated starting conversations with strangers. However, everything was different with Moon.

“I still can’t understand how you always stay calm. Even after you drove all the way to the airport to eat with One and he wasn’t free. I would have lost it and wouldn’t have talked to him for at least a day,” Khem now shared his thought with the people around him, turned to Moon right after, and told him that he had never seen Keb getting angry even once.

“But I know who will be angry soon,” Ford spoke to Khem now and showed him the time on his phone screen. “Doesn’t one of your professors want to meet you and your parents today? To discuss your behavior in his class?”

“I still don’t get why he needs my parents to be here today,” Khem complained before he thanked Ford for reminding him, said goodbye to his friends, and apologized to Moon for not finishing the tour of their university. Khem talked super fast, didn’t give his friends any time to react, and left in a matter of seconds. He was late, very late.

“Why does the professor want to meet him?” Moon asked a bit confused while he watched Khem running away and disappearing into a building soon after. He looked at the people he had just met again, couldn’t quite understand the situation. “Does he skip class too often?”

“Khem is the only one of us with perfect attendance,” Ford answered Moon’s question and added an explanation. “But as you might have noticed, he likes to talk a lot and tends to be a little louder. One of his professors hates him for that and wants him to change.” Moon nodded. He knew too well what it was like if people were desperate to change the person you were. If they were desperate to change that one thing about you that you were so sure of.

“Do you think he will be alright?” Moon now asked quieter and more careful. The people in front of him were Khem’s closest friends. They were the closest to him in this entire university. From all of Khem’s friends Moon had met today, Khem liked those two guys the most. And Moon knew if Khem was hurt, they would be, too.

“Khem is strong.” Keb was the one answering Moon’s question. He got Moon’s attention. Moon looked at Keb again, looked at his comforting smile. “He won’t let anyone change him.”

“Don’t worry about him,” Ford added. “It’s not the first time professors want to meet with him because of that.” The two calmed down Moon again. He realized he seriously didn’t have to worry about Khem. There were too many people, who loved him for who he was, around him for Khem to let those mean actions bring him down.

“I’m going to make sure he isn’t alone after this,” Ford continued to speak and grabbed his bag. “I will text you, Keb. Don’t wait for me in class.” Keb just nodded and smiled at his friend. Ford turned to Moon again to say goodbye to him, too. “It was nice to meet you. I hope you can get used to life here fast. If you need any help, feel free to ask me.” And suddenly, Moon and Keb were alone. Before silence could spread between them, Keb gave Moon all of his attention and continued the conversation with him.

“Do you want me to show you the rest of university?”

“You don’t have to spend your break with me,” Moon answered. He didn’t want to use another person he wasn’t close with like that again. He already felt guilty for using Khem’s time like that. He didn’t want to do that to two people in just one day.

“No, it’s okay, don’t worry. It’s my pleasure to show you around.” Keb smiled at Moon. Because he had already imagined those words wouldn’t be enough for Moon to understand that Keb wanted to stay with Moon, he grabbed his backpack and got up from the seat he sat on. He put an arm around Moon’s shoulder and looked ahead. “What did Khem show you already? Is there anything you want to see?” Moon stayed quiet, couldn’t answer his questions although he wanted to. His whole body was stiff, nothing was working anymore. The touch of the stranger made him lose his mind, made it hard for him to stay calm. Moon tried to breathe but nothing was working anymore. His hands and jaw started trembling and blood rushed into his cheeks. He didn’t want to be touched, he didn’t like to be touched. But no one ever cared about his fears.