Chapter 17

Win Metawin

Dew is still fuming.

I thought giving him some time would help, but nope. We're sitting on the grass outside the campus building, waiting for our next class, and he's been ranting non-stop for the past ten minutes.

"And then she just had the audacity to stand there, smiling like she's so important—ugh, I hate her, I hate her so much," Dew grumbles, aggressively biting into his sandwich like it personally offended him. Cream gets on the corner of his lip, but he doesn't seem to care. "She's so fake, Win. She acts like she's nice, but you just know she's scheming."

I hum in agreement, mostly to keep him going because it's hilarious watching him get this worked up. "Mhm. Terrible."

Dew glares at me. "Why do you sound like you don't care?"

"I do care," I say, watching as he takes another dramatic bite. "I just like watching you lose your mind."

He groans, leaning back on his hands. "God, I just—how could Sky be so stupid? Giving her his LINE? Talking to her? She probably thinks she has a chance now."

"Maybe he just wants to talk."

Dew scoffs. "Yeah, well, that's the problem. He shouldn't want to talk." He aggressively chews, the sandwich getting smaller with each furious bite. "You know who we should be talking to? Nani."

There it is.

I hide my smirk. "Oh?"

Dew doesn't seem to notice he just exposed himself. "I mean, come on. He's been gone for a week now. It's weird. Everything's weird without him."

"You miss him," I say.

Dew rolls his eyes. "Obviously. We all do."

I tilt my head. "No, but you really miss him."

He narrows his eyes. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"You're acting like your actual son left home," I tease. "Like, genuinely, if I didn't know better, I'd think you raised him since birth."

Dew scoffs, looking away. "Shut up."

I grin. "Do you want me to print out his picture so you can stare at it longingly?"

He kicks my leg. "You're the worst."

"And you're dramatic."

Dew crosses his arms, pouting. "I just think things were better when he was around."

That, I can't argue with. I glance at my phone, thinking about Nani. He still replies to our messages sometimes, but it's never the same. He feels distant, even when he says he's fine.

"Yeah," I say, softer this time. "Me too."

Dew exhales heavily, rubbing his face. "Ugh, whatever. I'm over it. What's for lunch?"

I laugh, shaking my head. "You just ate."

"That was a snack," he says, as if I should've known that.

I roll my eyes, standing up. "Come on, let's get food before you start another twenty-minute rant about May."

Dew gasps. "I would never."

"Dew."

"...Okay, I would, but it would be justified."

I grab his hand, pulling him up before he can start. He grumbles but doesn't let go, and we head off toward the cafeteria, his complaints fading into the background.

-----------------

Boom Tharatorn

The cafeteria is loud, yet somehow our table is much louder.

Perth and Joong are debating whether the action movie they watched last night was a cinematic masterpiece or just two hours of mindless explosions, and Santa—well, Santa has other priorities.

"There's this new movie coming out this weekend," he says, turning to Perth with stars in his eyes. "Can we go watch it?"

Perth doesn't even hesitate. "Of course, Ta." Then, to make it worse, he pinches Santa's cheek like he's the cutest thing in the world.

Santa giggles, and leans into him like a spoiled cat.

Aou makes a disgusted noise, physically recoiling. "Ugh. You two make me sick."

I turn to him, unimpressed. "You're not much better, Aou. Stop judging."

Dunk smirks. "Yeah, remember how you called Boom 'your little cloud' the other day?"

Aou sputters. "That was private!"

Joong, who had been minding his own business, immediately perks up. "Wait, what?"

Dunk grins, the chaos demon that he is. "He called Boom his little cloud because Boom was wearing a fluffy white sweater."

The table loses it.

"I did not—" Aou tries to defend himself, but it's too late.

Santa fake wipes a tear. "Man, they grow up so fast."

I just sit back, smirking as Aou buries his face in his hands. "Aou, Aou, Aou," I tsk. "You have no right to judge other couples when you're out here saying things like that."

Dew, who had been stewing in his seat this entire time, suddenly slams his hands on the table, successfully breaking the moment. "I don't care about that—what I care about is May."

Win sighs. "Oh my god, again?"

Dew whips around to him. "Yes, again, Win, because she keeps hanging around Sky's ass."

Perth hums. "And?"

Dew stares at him like he just asked why water is wet. "And? And?! She's literally only talking to him because Nani's gone! She was waiting for an opening, and now she's slithering her way in, and Sky is just letting her."

Dunk nods along, instigating. "He's got a point."

Aou shrugs. "Maybe he's just being polite?"

Dew throws his arms up. "Too polite!"

Win, clearly done, shoves a fruit bowl he got from the cafeteria in front of Dew. "Here. Eat this. Calm down."

Dew glares at him but still takes a bite, muttering to himself about how it should've been Sky who left instead of Nani.

Perth laughs, shaking his head. "You're acting like Sky cheated on you."

Dew glares harder. "Excuse me?!"

Joong chuckles. "Dew, you're not actually Nani's dad, you know."

Dew crosses his arms. "I'm his emotional father."

Win pats his thigh. "You'll live, my love."

"No, I won't," Dew grumbles, mouth full of mango.

Santa sighs dramatically. "You guys think Sky actually likes May, though?"

The whole table suddenly looked at each other.

"Absolutely not," Joong says.

"Yeah, no way," Perth agrees.

"Sky isn't that dumb," Dunk adds. "I mean, he's dumb, but not that dumb."

Dew scoffs. "I don't know. If he keeps letting her stick around, maybe he is that dumb."

Win groans. "Can we not make Sky our lunchtime discussion? Let's talk about something else."

I smirk. "Like what? Your secret wedding plans?"

Dew, instead of freaking out, immediately turns serious. "Actually, Win, when are we getting married?"

Win, in the middle of eating another spoonful of fruit, chokes so hard he nearly dies.

We all lose it as Dew helpfully pats his back.

"Calm down, my love," Dew teases, smirking. "I was just asking."

Win wipes his mouth, glaring at him. "Dew, I swear to god—"

"You didn't say no, though."

Win looks at him, then at all of us watching intently, then sighs dramatically. "I need a new boyfriend."

Dew grins. "Too late, my dear husband."

Win shoves him, and the chaos starts all over again.