~Published on November 7th, 2018~

A/N:

Yes. . At least in my country, in my Engineering Faculty. And no, I'm not in Thailand. The name is not SOTUS, but it actualy similar.

And no, we don't have the gear thing.

That's how we know each other from different majors. You should experience the push-up chain to know what real 'innaguration' is.

Owh, and because I am Electrical, they have additional SOTUS in my Major. We spend two days camping. At midnight we have to do a longwalk in the mud with task and shit. And at the end of the longwalk, we have to walk blindfold and then surprisingly being electrocuted with 2 x 1.5 volt baterries while being told to say the Electrical vow shit.

The next year I am being one of the hazers in additional SOTUS in my Major.

*

Moon of Economics... becomes the Campus Moon.

Forth closes his eyes tightly for a while hearing the annoucement.

His boys are just sighing.

Kongpob starts walking in Forth's direction followed by his men. He didn't even wait for the closing. He walks past Forth as he taps on his shoulder a little bit hard.

Kongpob expects the punishment to be executed.

Forth just nods when his boys look back at Kongpob's men.

The Engineering students blink at Beam who is receiving the Runners Up prize along with Prae who is receiving her main prize but just like Kongpob, the second and third year students walk out of the Auditorium.

The first year students are exchanging looks with each other. They know what awaits Beam.

Beam keeps his smile while on the stage.

And when he walks to Forth and his hazers after the night ends, he still keeps his polite smile. "I am sorry, P'Forth."

Forth looks at Beam with an un-readable expression. "See you in the field tomorrow."

Beam nods.

Forth walks away with his boys, not waiting for Beam's friends who are walking in their dirrection.

Phana, Kit, Wayo and Ming are bringing the roses and gifts that Beam has earned.

Beam sighs and looks at them with a smile.

"You got the Popular Moon, it made you the Runners Up, should be OK, right?" Kit asks worriedly.

Beam laughs.

Ming looks at Beam in worry too, but he says nothing.

Posh, Wai and the other freshmen just nod at Beam from afar. They'll see Beam tomorrow in the field.

***

"I am sorry, P'Forth," Beam says it again when he is having breakfast with Forth the next day.

Forth is smiling. "You got the Runners Up. Like I did. You did good."

"Not good enough " Beam says in a low voice. "I am sorry I let you down."

Forth taps on Beam's hair. "It's good, N'Beam. It was great." He smiles dearly.

Beam takes a long deep breath. "Do you think would have better for me to just make a poem?"

Forth laughs. "I think you would not even get the Runners Up with that."

"Owh." Beam looks down to his breakfast. "Sorry..." he says it again.

"It's okay. Maybe the judges didn't choose you because you are technically a third year student. Maybe they just want the real freshman. It's our fault to push this all on you. It's okay, N'Beam, you did great."

Beam looks at Forth. "Will you have trouble from P'Kongpob because of me?"

Forth chuckles. "Let me worry about that."

Beam sighs.

Forth taps and even ruffles Beam's hair, but Beam doesn't make a fuss at all about his terrible hair after. He eats silently.

"You have to eat it all, you are gonna need extra energy for going through this day."

Beam chuckles.

Forth laughs. "Now, that's better. Sulking doesn't suit you. Just keep your spirit on fire when I have to disipline you later. You need some smacks afterall."

Beam looks up to Forth. "Thanks, P'Forth."

Forth smiles.

"Man, you really are the best senior every junior could have," Beam says softly.

Forth pinches on Beam's nose.

Both bursts into laughter and not long after, they get into their own vehicles and drive to Engineering Faculty.

*

Beam gulps. He is ready to face the consequence. He is now standing in front of his Head Hazer in the SOTUS field where his fellow freshmen are sitting behind him on the grass and the hazers are on the stage. And, the fourth year seniors are probably hiding somewhere within the building with their snipers.

"Prae delivered the job flawlessly. She had the most roses in her bucket compared to all the Stars and won the Campus Star tittle," Forth hisses. "And you? You just can't stop joking around."

Beam looks down.

"Try to act carefully, take things a little bit seriously, will you? Think about others' feelings too," Forth continues.

And Beam can't just look back into Forth's eyes.

"It's not about you. It's about the Engineering..."

"Wai, student number 609." Wai suddenly gets up. "May I have the permission to speak, P'Forth?"

No one sees it coming.

Posh failed to anticipate his boyfriend's sudden act.

Even Beam is startled.

Why the fuck did this clever thin pale boy suddenly cut their Head Hazer's speech?! In the middle of his anger nonetheless!

Forth blinks. "Yes, please."

"I am sorry to say this, but I was there last night and I was pretty sure P'Beam received the most roses. He still won the Runners Up. And despite of the roses probably coming from our fellow Engineering student, it is all true and we are what he said.

P'Beam indeed has a talent at telling stories. It was just that he choose to tell his favorite story of all, the story about Engineering pride," Wai says firmly.

Posh makes a WOW with his lip movement. Wai looked too cute in his eyes every time. And when his sharp tongue takes over, he's hot.

Forth blinks.

"P'Beam... he... he just felt too proud being one of us after he left his two years of education in Medical. He was probably just tired of how other Faculty students think of us shallowly. He was just trying to make people understand," Wai continues. "I am sorry, but please count on that fact when you scold him. Don't... don't get angry at P'Beam."

Forth blinks.

Wai gulps. "I'm.... I'm sure he understands his mistake. Or maybe, he hasn't even made any mistake. He is good, just not good enough in the judges' eyes. Don't... I mean... just proceed with the punishment, don't say that he didn't work hard enough. Because he clearly already did his best."

Beam blinks. Wai says what...?

Tul and Lam look at each other.

Max tilts his head.

Park frowns. No... no... Forth os going to soften again if...

"Thank you, N'Wai. I understand. I know N'Beam had done his best," Forth says softly.

Park makes a long disappointed sigh.

Forth is so gone. He is a GONER!

Wai sits back down. He is trembling so hard. Posh hurriedly holds his hand to calm him down.

Wai looks at Posh lovingly.

Beam's heart melted. Okay, those two are too cute for his heart to handle.

"N'Beam."

Forth's cold voice makes Beam look back at him again.

"You know what you have to do, right?"

Beam nods.

"Okay then, start your 100 lap runs and 1000 push-up after that. I expect it to be done by the end of the day," Forth says while looking into Beam's eyes.

In the history of punishments, the worst was when Arthit had to do 54 laps run. He had finished it and collapsed. And he had to be on bed rest for at least three days and Kongpob got the chance to take care of his P'Arthit.

It was a legend. A fucking-LEGEND.

Everyone in Engineering seriously use the gear the way those Head Hazers' used it and know the details of their getting together love story.

Yeah, why didn't Beam tell that too to the entire University last night? They are sure Kongpob would have been 'happy'.

Now... doing 100 lap runs and then 1000 push-ups?

Beam smiles obediently. "Yes, P'Forth." And he gives a proper wai while apologizing, "I am sorry for my failure."

Forth looks at Beam hopelessly. He doesn't want Beam to do the punishment, moreover in a day, he will not surviv...

"SOTUS!" Posh suddenly gets up. "Unity is one of the things that SOTUS stands for."

Forth looks at Posh.

"Sorry, should've..." Posh shakes his head. "... Posh, student number 312. May I have the permission to speak, P'Forth?"

Forth blinks and slowly nods.

"This is not Beam's failure. It is... the entire first year's failure," Posh says. "Please share the punishment with every freshman who wants to help bear it. It's how it works, right? To be unified."

Forth blinks.

Beam blinks.

All eyes on the field are on Posh.

Posh looks at Forth firmly. "Just let us help our friend."

Forth looks at Posh.

"I swear to God if he lets them, it will just prove that Forth is indeed very fluffy against Be..."

Park is yet to finish his rant to Lam when Forth says, "Sure. Find all those who would like to share the punishment. As far as I can see, there is just you," Forth says.

"I knew it!" Park sighs, annoyed.

Lam chuckles. "You hate Beam that much?"

"I hate how our friend is smitten by the so called heartless Casanova," Park rebukes it.

Lam's smile disappears.

"Man, he's so dead. He didn't even have those eyes towards Wayo. He was just sad for losing Phana as his friend more than not winning Wayo's heart. And then he just got really busy... and ended up not playing around since Max and I didn't too anymore and we just ended up hanging out together playing games and all... then the lab work, the road trip, the camping..."

Lam blinks. And, then he looks at Forth worriedly.

"He was probably just worried when that cute kid named Wayo was with Phana who is an asshole, " Park continues. "It was too easy to mistake his concerned feelings with a crush. But hell... Beam sure does not need anyone's care or protection and yet Forth always subtly or worse, unconsciously, protects him."

Lam blinks. Park is right. Forth was protecting Wayo from Phana back then. He was more like disappointed when Wayo didn't listen to him and then hurt when Phana drifted away, throwing away their long friendship just for a boy.

Forth was more like a person that makes sure the job is done flawlessly, a workaholic... than a family man. More like a true friend than a faithful lover. Hell, he fucks any hole that interests him.

Cute kid like Wayo is just one of many. He won't fall for just that.

But Beam?

He's one of a kind.

They can already see how different it is.

Posh turns his attention to his friends. "Come on! Don't let me be the only one to share the punishment with Beam! Where is our unity? What about SOTUS?" he shouts, emitting power. "We all voted for him to be the Moon despite of us knowing how strange he can be! Take responsiblity everyone!!!"

Wai gets up.

"Thanks, babe!" Posh smiles brightly.

"You always side with him," Beam laughs at Wai.

Wai winks at Beam.

Irin and Prae get up too.

"Of course." Someone curses but gets up too.

It just needed a minute to get them all on their feet.

"Okay! 1000 push-ups! Means a push up for each of us, and then I need 100 men to run a lap on the track!" Posh yells.

Wai, Irin and Prae help Posh to get their friends in place and deliver the punishment.

Beam laughs. "Thank you guys, I love you all!"

"No! You just love P'Forth, P'Beam! Stick with it!" Prae glares at him.

Beam laughs harder. "Ay, Prae... Stop scolding me will you? Campus Star should be more like a sweetheart."

Prae shows Beam her middle finger.

And here they are, doing the punishment while laughing and cursing at each other.

Forth looks at how Beam gets smacked here and there but how he keeps laughing. And a thin smile crafts on his lips automatically.

"Fuck," Lam curses onseeing that. "He is smitten indeed."

Park sighs. "Obviously."

Not long after, all the freshmen are back on the field in their order. 100 boys have done 1 lap each, and all of them, more than 1000 actually, did the 1 push-up each.

Forth lets all of them sit back on the field.

Forth walks to Posh. "Posh," he signs Posh to get up.

"Yes, P'Forth." He gets up as told.

"I guess you just made yourself the leader of your year." Forth says as he is smiling at Posh. "Wai will be the council, but the leader position, you should have it."

Posh is dumbfounded. "Huh?"

"Yeah! Posh! Congratulations!"

"Good luck trying to protect and take care of a thousand people, Posh!"

"Posh! You're so hot!" Pause. "Sorry, Wai! Just had to say it!"

Wai sighs. He looks down.

Posh laughs. He smiles at Forth and gives him a proper wai. "Thank you for your generosity, P'Forth."

Forth just nods.

Posh sits back down. He puts up a show by kneeling in front of Wai and pecks on his hair first. "Did I make you proud of me, baby? See...? I'm not all stupid, you know..."

Wai's cheeks turn red instantly. "What the fuck did you just do...? This is out..."

"Aoh... just wanted to make sure you're happy too." Posh winks at Wai and hugs his shoulder, makeing Wai cover his burning cheeks with both palms.

"Owh... so cute, that Posh is sooo like Park against Lam..." Max is fanboying them instantly. But then his happy smile disappears on seeing Park's glare and Lam's confused look towards him. "Sorry, Park... Sorry, sorry..."

*

The SOTUS ends with a laughter even though everyone has mud on their T-shirts and hair and smell like the burning sweat.

They just have the last task which is to get acknowledged by the seniors on the FLAG DAY, tomorrow at Friday night and then will go to the beach on Saturday morning and have the GEAR GIVING ceremony that night.

Posh and Wai walk side by side. Posh suddenly halts his steps beside Forth who is tidying the stuff in the hazing tent.

"... your welcome, by the way," Posh says to Forth.

Forth looks at Posh.

Posh smirks. "You were nearly crying knowing you had to give Beam the punishment, P'Forth."

Forth is stunned.

Wai looks at Posh, he doesn't understand.

"You are like an open book, P'Forth. It's funny how you can't read yourself." Posh smiles. "Good luck explaining it to P'Park though." And closes it with an evil smirk because he sees Park is arriving with Lam.

"Good afternoon, P'Forth." Posh ends with a proper wai and Wai does too as they walk away, leaving Forth with Park and Lam.

Forth looks at Park. "What?"

"FLUFFY FORTH!" Park yells instantly.

"No. I'm not, ask Lam," Forth rebukes. "I am not fluffy, am I, Lam?"

Lam just looks at Forth, not agreeing with him.

Forth gulps. Shit.

"You better not give a 1 plus 1 problem for tomorrow's FLAG DAY. If he gets it easily, then you have to admit that you're fluffy," Lam hisses.

"The FLAG DAY is not for Beam, it is for the entire Engineering freshmen," Forth rebukes again.

Just then Max and Tul join Park and Lam, surrounding him with both hands on their waist.

"Okay, I'll make it harder," Forth agrees. "Let's just call it a day for now."

Park nods.

Max nods.

Tul nods.

"You can go first, boss," Lam hisses.

"Okay then. See you tomorrow." Forth nods and takes his leave.

Tul tilts his head looking at Forth's back that is slowly walking away.

"You were right," Max says. "He has turned fluffy. If he is his usual self, all of us would be kissing the ground just now for questioning his judgment."

"Told you," Park hisses.

"He doesn't realize it though even Posh could notice it. He said that not because of the boyfriend-joke that's going on between Forth and Beam but he looked at Forth's real act. So..." Lam doesn't finish his sentence. "They'll be fine, right?"

No one answers Lam's question.

***

A/N:

You four boys can't even help yourselves... expecting you to act cupid is useless.

Thanks for your help proofreading it, @Darzls . As always.