Ping could no longer hear Keng's voice.
Only the distant wail of an ambulance siren echoed faintly through the phone, crackling between moments of terrifying silence.
His heart slammed violently against his ribs.
"Hia?" Ping whispered shakily.
No response.
"Hia...?"
Still nothing.
The phone trembled uncontrollably in his hand as panic swallowed him whole.
"Rain..." he called weakly, voice cracking apart.
"Rain... P'Keng..."
Rain, who had been watching him from across the room, immediately rushed over.
"What happened?" he asked quickly, kneeling in front of him.
Ping's lips parted, but the words refused to come out properly. His throat felt tight, suffocated by fear.
"I think..." he choked out between sobs.
"I think he had an accident."
Rain froze instantly.
"What?"
Ping shook his head violently, tears spilling faster down his cheeks.
"We were talking," he cried.
"He said he was coming to see me and then... then I heard a loud crash..."
His breathing became uneven.
"And after that..."
His voice broke completely.
"He stopped talking."
Rain's stomach dropped.
"There was only a siren," Ping whispered helplessly.
The phone slipped slightly in his trembling grip.
"It's my fault," he sobbed suddenly.
"It's all because of me."
Rain immediately grabbed his shoulders.
"No," he said firmly.
"Don't say that."
"But he said he was coming to me-"
"That doesn't make this your fault," Rain interrupted softly.
Ping buried his face in his hands, crying harder.
Rain pulled him into a tight hug without hesitation.
"We'll find him," he promised quietly.
"Okay? We'll go to him."
Ping nodded weakly against his shoulder, though his entire body was shaking.
Then suddenly- His phone rang again.
Ping almost dropped it.
He looked down at the screen.
Mom.
He answered immediately.
"Mom..." he whispered brokenly.
"Ping," his mother said carefully, concern obvious in her voice.
"Did you see the news?"
Ping frowned weakly through his tears.
"What news?"
"There was a car accident reported a few minutes ago," she explained gently.
"And the person they briefly showed..." She hesitated.
"He looks like Keng."
Ping stopped breathing.
The world around him blurred instantly.
"Ping?" his mother called worriedly. "Are you there?"
Ping's knees nearly gave out.
"It's my fault, Mom," he cried helplessly.
"It's all my fault."
"No, baby," she said immediately. "Listen to me carefully."
Ping squeezed his eyes shut.
"This is not your fault," she repeated softly but firmly.
"Right now, blaming yourself won't help him."
Ping tried to steady his breathing.
"You need to go to him," she continued gently.
"Stay beside him."
Her voice softened even more.
"That's what people who love each other do."
Something inside Ping finally snapped into focus. He wiped his tears roughly with the back of his sleeve and stood up too quickly.
Rain immediately grabbed his arm to steady him.
"Ping-"
"I need to go," Ping whispered.
Without wasting another second, he grabbed his bag with trembling hands and rushed toward the door.
"Ping, wait!" Rain called, quickly following after him.
They barely made it outside the dorm before Rain's phone suddenly rang.
Rain answered immediately.
"Hello?"
"Rain," Jinn's urgent voice came through the speaker.
"Keng had an accident."
Rain looked at Ping instantly.
"We know," he replied quickly.
"We're already on the way."
"Good," Jinn said.
"Take Ping to the hospital. Keng would want him there."
Rain tightened his grip on the phone.
"Which hospital?"
After getting the address, Rain ended the call and looked at Ping beside him.
Ping looked pale.
Too pale.
His hands were still trembling uncontrollably.
"Hold on a little longer," Rain said softly.
Ping nodded weakly.
Then together, they rushed toward the hospital-both silently praying they weren't already too late.
-
The moment they entered the hospital, the smell of antiseptic hit them hard. Bright white lights. Rushing footsteps. Voices echoing down long hallways. Everything felt cold.
Ping's heart pounded painfully as he approached the reception desk.
"Keng," he breathed out desperately.
"Keng Thanawat-where is he?"
The nurse typed quickly before looking up.
"He's currently in surgery."
Ping froze.
The words shattered something inside him instantly.
Surgery.
His legs weakened.
Rain caught his arm quickly before he could collapse.
Not long after, hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor.
"Ping!"
Tao, Bank, and Jinn rushed toward them, all looking exhausted and pale.
Ping turned toward them with tear-filled eyes.
Jinn immediately stepped forward and pulled him into a tight hug.
"He'll be okay," Jinn whispered softly.
Ping nodded weakly, though he looked completely broken.
Rain stood nearby silently, watching the way Ping clung tightly to Jinn's shirt.
And for some reason... Something twisted painfully inside his chest.
Jealousy.
The realization startled him.
This wasn't the time for feelings like that.
Not now.
Not when Ping was falling apart.
Rain quickly looked away, trying to ignore the uncomfortable ache forming inside him.
Hours passed slowly.
Painfully.
Every second dragged like torture.
No one spoke much anymore.
Tao sat with his head lowered, unusually quiet.
Bank kept checking the operating room doors every few minutes.
Rain stayed beside Ping the entire time.
And Ping... Ping couldn't stop shaking.
His eyes remained fixed on the operating room doors as if looking away would somehow make things worse.
Please wake up.
Please don't leave me again.
Please.
Finally- The operating room doors opened.
Everyone stood immediately.
A doctor stepped out, removing his gloves tiredly.
"Who among you is family?"he asked.
Ping rushed forward instinctively- then stopped.
The question hit him painfully.
'Family.'
His fingers curled tightly at his sides.
He swallowed hard before finally speaking.
"I..." His voice trembled.
"I'm the one he loves,his boyfriend to be precise."
The doctor blinked slightly.
"And they're his friends," Ping added quietly.
For a brief moment, the doctor simply studied his face.
Then he nodded slowly.
"He's alive."
Ping's breath caught instantly.
Beside him, Rain exhaled shakily in relief.
Tao nearly collapsed back into his chair.
"But..." the doctor continued carefully,
"he hasn't woken up yet."
The hope in Ping's chest wavered again.
"We managed to stabilize him," the doctor explained.
"However, we still need to monitor him closely."
Ping stared at him desperately.
"When will he wake up?" he whispered.
The doctor hesitated.
"We can't say for sure."
The words hit harder than expected.
Ping's knees gave out immediately.
Rain caught him just in time, holding onto him tightly.
Ping buried his face against Rain's shoulder, trembling violently.
"He has to wake up," he whispered brokenly.
"He promised me..."
Rain closed his eyes briefly.
The doctor's expression softened slightly as he looked at Ping.
"You can help him," he said gently.
Ping slowly looked up.
"Talk to him every day," the doctor continued.
"Stay by his side. Let him feel he isn't alone."
A small pause followed.
"Sometimes," the doctor said quietly, "love gives people a reason to come back."
Ping's eyes filled with tears again.
But this time... Mixed with the fear and hope.
And Ping held onto it with everything he had.