In the entire second class on Monday Keb felt weird. Although he was dedicating the first half of his twenties to the studies of human emotions and thoughts, he couldn’t identify what was going on inside of him. He just felt weird. He couldn’t remember to have ever felt this kind of feeling before. He wasn’t sad or heartbroken, but he wasn’t happy either. He didn’t even know if he was okay. In the last week, he had felt empty inside as if his heart had missed something. Keb had understood soon that he had been feeling this way because of Moon. And now, he understood that he felt like this because of Moon again. He didn’t feel as empty inside as he had felt last week. It was different now. But he couldn’t say what the difference was. Keb couldn’t concentrate on what the professor explained to the class. The scene of One and Moon talking to each other was replayed dozen times in his head. He wondered what they had talked about and how they knew each other. Only three weeks ago, One had said he wouldn’t care about the new student. He hadn’t been interested in getting to know more about him, had thought talking about him was only ‘nosy gossip.’ And now, he was the one who seemed to be the closest to him although Khem had been the one, who had spent Moon’s entire first day with him and had welcomed him in this school, and Keb had been the one, who had met him first, who had given him enough hope and courage to step into this new life.

“I will join you guys later,” Ford told Keb when they left the room of their previous class together. “I got something to do.” Ford didn’t even wait for an answer or a reaction from Keb. He just left Keb without giving him one last look.

“Okay,” Keb mumbled even though his friend was gone already and he was all alone. Keb walked down the hallway slowly while he was lost in his thoughts again. He thought about Moon, thought about everything he had experienced with him already. Moon had been so scared to be back here in Thailand. At least that was what he had told Keb at the airport. Moon was scared of being touched, hated it so much that he felt like dying every time someone got too close to him. At least that was what Keb thought after he had touched Moon and Meow had wanted to hug him. Moon was scared of loud noises. At least that was what Keb had noticed when Meow had called his name a little too loud. Keb started to wonder what Moon’s life had been like in Europe. If he had been scared of all these things for long. If there was a reason for all these fears. If there was a way Keb could help him to overcome his fears.

Keb was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t even notice how his legs brought him to his destination. When he came back to reality, he was already outside of the building. He was standing near the building of the cafeteria when his feet stopped walking. It was like the weird feeling inside of him faded away the second his eyes laid on the three people sitting at a table nearby. One, Moon, and Khem were sitting together. They laughed together, showed each other their beautiful smiles. The people he wanted to spend his future with were laughing together. In these few moments, Keb’s world seemed to stop and only these three were left. He didn’t know how One and Moon were related to each other or how they had met. But maybe he didn’t need to know it. Keb only realized know how happy he was. He studied what made him happy, what he had chosen for himself in the city he had loved since he had been young. Although his family wasn’t perfect and his parents showed him their love in a different, more complicated way, he was loved. Keb was loved by his parents and all of the friends he had. For the first time in so long, Keb realized how much he loved his life. How much he loved living.

“Do you think Moon can make them happy again?” Ford’s voice appeared behind Keb and he felt a hand on his shoulder. “It’s been a while since I saw One and Khem that happy.” Ford was right. One and Khem seemed different now, they seemed happier next to Moon. Especially One looked so different with Moon by his side. One was usually quiet and preferred to stay in the background. He had always laughed a lot, he had, but it had always seemed like he could never be truly happy. It had seemed like a part of him had been missing in every second of his life, like he hadn’t been complete for so long. But now, with Moon and Khem by his side, his smile looked different. He looked different. One smiled happily when he listened to what Moon and Khem had to tell. It was the most beautiful smile Ford and Keb had ever seen on him, the truest smile they had ever seen. One had found what he had missed for years over years. There wasn’t a part of him that was empty anymore. One was complete. One was happy.

When the second period ended for Ford’s and Keb’s class, Ford didn’t want to waste any second. He left the class together with his friend but parted ways with him shortly after they had stepped out of the room. “I will join you guys later. I got something to do,” he informed Keb before he walked through the hallway in the opposite direction of Keb at a fast pace. If what Khem had told Ford wasn’t wrong, Khem’s parents were still with the professor who had scolded Khem in front of his parents a week ago. Khem had told Ford, the professor wanted to discuss further consequences with his parents. Ford knew Khem wouldn’t be there because he couldn’t take seeing his parents’ disappointment this long. Ford knew Khem would be spending this break with other friends, maybe with Keb and One, and would be laughing, and smiling, and having a great time. Khem didn’t like to worry about things. He didn’t like to stress out and overthink something that would make him sad in the end. It was Khem’s way to stay this happy, to live his life the way he did. Instead of worrying about the future, he wanted to live in the present. A present in which there was only a little space for sadness. Ford had always adored how Khem could live like that. How he could stay away from so much which would make him struggle. Ford wanted to live like that. He wanted to be free from all his worries. But he didn’t live like that. He couldn’t live like that. And he was willing to do a lot for Khem to live that way. He was willing to do a lot to protect Khem from all burdens and hardships.

Ford arrived at the door of the professor’s room only a few minutes later. Ford knew Khem had not fought back last week because he didn’t want to harm his parents. He didn’t want them to be even more ashamed of their child who talked too much and was too cheerful to live in this world. Khem had a lot to lose. If the professor failed him, Khem might have to leave the university. If he hurt his parents too much, they might regret having him even more than they already did. Khem had a lot to lose. But Ford had absolutely nothing to lose. And even if he had, he would risk it all for Khem. With this last thought, Ford knocked on the door loudly and didn’t hesitate one second to open the door. He didn’t even wait for a response from inside the room. He just opened the door, stepped into the room, ignored the eyes lying on him, and closed the door behind him. “May I help you?” the professor asked Ford confused about his sudden appearance.

“Are you Khem’s parents?” Ford asked the two adults who were each sitting on a chair opposite of the professor whose question Ford had ignored. They slowly nodded, were as confused as the professor was.

“Great,” Ford reacted and stepped into the room closer to the adults.

“Who are you?” the professor asked another question which Ford answered this time.

“I’m a friend of Khem. Ford, a third-year psychology student.”

“If you want anything, could you please come back later? This is important,” the professor asked nicely. Ford had heard of this man already. He was extremely nice to strangers, but once you had made one mistake, he would hate you for his lifetime. Ford knew he was going to be hated a lot after this.

“What I have to say is even more important,” Ford replied.