POV: Sun
The world doesn't revolve around me.
That's a common misconception.
The truth is much worse.
The world actively chases me.
---
The second I leave Moon's street, my playlist starts blasting through the speakers and my mood immediately improves.
Not that it was bad.
I just spent thirty minutes driving around Bangkok with my gorgeous girlfriend.
Life could be worse.
A lot worse.
I catch my reflection in the rearview mirror.
My hair is perfect.
My jawline is sharp.
My mood immaculate.
Ofcourse.
Yeah.
Still got it.
---
Twenty minutes later, I'm pulling up outside one of Siam Square's trendiest cafés.
Brew Vistas
The kind where every drink costs enough to sponsor a small country.
The kind where people take fifty pictures before drinking their coffee.
My kind of place.
Jay is already inside.
Of course he is.
The guy treats punctuality like an Olympic sport.
I slide into the booth across from him.
"Miss me?"
Jay doesn't even look up.
"Not particularly."
Rude.
"You're lucky I'm beautiful."
"That's literally your only defense in every argument."
"And it works every time."
Finally, he looks up.
Unfortunately, he's laughing.
"What's funny?"
Jay turns his phone around.
Youngstagram fills the screen.
A video starts playing.
My face appears.
Then Tee's.
Then—
"Oh."
The cafeteria fight.
Right.
The clip has already hit twenty thousand views.
Comments are flying by faster than I can read them.
#TeamSun
#TeamTee
#CafeteriaWar
#CulturalFestVictims
Okay.
That last one is seriously funny.
"You posted this?"
Jay gasps dramatically.
"Me? Never."
"Liar."
"Fine. Lila did."
"Of course she did."
I watch myself shove Tee's tray.
Watch him shove me back.
Watch the fight explode.
Honestly?
The camera angle is absolutely fantastic.
I look incredible.
Even while fighting.
Talent.
"You know," Jay says, taking a sip of his drink, "normal people get embarrassed when videos of them fighting go viral."
"That sounds exhausting."
"Normal people also don't start fights in school cafeterias."
"That sounds exhausting too."
Jay shakes his head.
"I don't know how Moon tolerates you."
"Because I'm lovable."
"Debatable."
A waiter arrives with my usual order.
Iced caramel latte.
Extra whipped cream.
Exactly as it should be.
I take one sip.
Perfection.
Jay scrolls again.
"Anyway, something else is trending."
"More videos of me?"
"No."
I frown.
"That's disappointing."
He turns the screen toward me again.
This time it's a novel cover.
Dark background.
Red lettering.
A ruined classroom.
Zombies.
Very cheerful
Class Z: Can You Survive?
By a dude called Seohu.
I blink.
"That title sounds stressful."
"It's everywhere."
Jay scrolls through dozens of posts.
Apparently half of Eliya is reading it.
Lila.
Finn.
Random seniors.
Even some teachers.
Traitors.
"What's it even about?"
"Zombies."
"Groundbreaking."
"And romance."
"Worse. Like bro is named Seohu. Seohu in Hanja would mean auspicious omen or something like Lord of writing lol. Honestly there are too many meaning to it."
Jay laughs.
"You're such a hater."
"I just don't understand why anyone would read about zombies when my life already exists."
Jay stares at me.
Then nods.
"You know what?"
"What?"
"That's actually the most Suwannasuk thing you've ever said."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment bro."
I take another sip of my latte.
My eyes drift toward the windows.
The city outside glows gold and neon.
Beautiful.
Busy.
Full of people who aren't me.
Tragic for them.
"You know who'd definitely read this?" Jay asks.
I don't even need to think.
"Tee."
Jay immediately bursts out laughing.
The sound is so loud people look over.
"What?"
"Dude."
"What?"
"You answered way too fast."
"No I didn't."
"You absolutely did."
I point at him accusingly.
"He's exactly the type."
"The type?"
"The quiet, mysterious guy who sits alone reading depressing things."
Jay is practically crying now.
"I'm serious."
"You think about him way too much."
There it is.
The accusation again.
I set my drink down.
Slowly.
Dramatically.
Like a lawyer preparing his closing statement.
"Jay."
"Oh no."
"I need you to listen carefully."
"I'm scared."
"As you should be."
I lean forward.
"He is my nemesis."
"Sure."
"Not my crush."
"Didn't say crush."
"You implied it."
"I really didn't."
"You implied it spiritually."
Jay laughs so hard he nearly drops his phone.
Traitor.
An absolute traitor.
"I already have a girlfriend."
"Yes."
"Moon."
"Still yes."
"I like Moon."
"I know."
"So why would I think about Tee?"
Jay smirks.
"You tell me."
I throw a napkin at his face.
Conversation is over.
---
A few minutes later we're talking about the Cultural Fest.
Which unfortunately means talking about Tee again.
Not my fault.
Principal Chai made him unavoidable.
Ewwww.
"I'm telling you," I say, "this project is gonna be easy."
Jay looks unconvinced.
"You and Tee couldn't survive lunch together."
"Minor detail."
"You literally fought."
"Creative disagreement."
Jay snorts.
"You shoved food at him."
"Leadership strategy."
"That's not leadership."
"It could be."
The more I think about it, the more annoyed I get.
Tee acts like he doesn't care.
About anything.
Anyone.
Like he's above all of us.
Above me.
And somehow that makes me want to prove him wrong.
"I'll crack him eventually."
Jay sighs.
"There you go again."
"What?"
"Talking about Tee."
"I'M TALKING ABOUT THE PROJECT."
"Sure."
I hate him.
Not Tee.
Jay.
No i hate Tee too. And my fault the cracking statement honestly sounds so wrong.
The conversation eventually shifts toward tonight's plans.
Which is much more important.
"Lila's party starts at nine."
"I'm aware."
"Finn finished the photo booth."
"Naturally."
"Dj from Sukhumvit."
"Excellent."
"Everyone's coming."
"As they should."
Lila's parties are legendary.
Mostly because her parents are never home.
And because she's somehow convinced the entire student body that every gathering is a cultural event.
"Moon coming?"
I smile automatically.
"Obviously."
Jay notices immediately.
"Disgusting."
"What?"
"The smile."
"It's called love happiness. Something you can never have."
"It's called being whipped."
Before I can defend myself, his phone buzzes.
Then mine.
Then several phones around us.
Simultaneously.
Youngstagram notification.
Jay glances down.
Then freezes.
"Oh."
That gets my attention.
"What?"
His expression shifts.
Not worried.
Not surprised.
Amused.
He turns the screen toward me.
The account name is familiar.
Very familiar.
@shinewillshine
Of course.
Shine
Professional menace.
Part-time disaster.
Apparently she posted a new story.
The screen is black.
No selfie.
No filter.
No music.
Just white text.
"Some people build perfect lives on lies."
Silence.
Jay slowly lowers his phone.
"Well."
I stare at the story.
Then laugh.
Because honestly?
What else am I supposed to do?
"Typical Shine."
"Think she's talking about someone?"
"She's always talking about someone."
"Fair."
I grab my jacket and stand.
The conversation moves on.
The city keeps moving.
The night keeps coming.
And Lila's party is waiting.
Still.
As I leave the café, I find myself opening the story one more time.
Just once.
Just to look.
"Some people build perfect lives on lies."
For some reason, the words stick.
Not enough to bother me.
Not enough to matter.
Just enough to follow me into the Bangkok night.
And straight toward whatever chaos was waiting at Lila's party.
___