~published on November 12th, 2018~

A/N:

Sorry it took time to update. I don't like short chapters. Just had to make it at least 2000-3000 words so it won't end in the blink of an eye and make it > 100 chapters of shorties.

Short chapters put me in a bad day.

*

Beam and his four friends can see how the three girls in their friends' group are trying to swallow their tears again in front of that one second-year girl.

The three of them even glare at her with their ridiculous teary eyes.

And then the second year girl sighs. "Damn, girls, I thought you are smarter than this. Think again, will you...! Remember your first task?"

None of the freshmen answer her.

"Why did we ask you all to get your seniors' signatures, to get you bullied? Seriously? I thought only smart people went to Engineering," the senior girl adds.

Everyone is silent in confusion.

"What? Cat got your tongue?!" The senior girl folds both arms over her chest. "You said a lot back then. Now you look like shi..."

"... to know our senior." One of the freshman girls finally says.

"Why?" The senior asks again.

"To..." three of them look at each other.

"Seriously, don't test my patience, I don't have forever." The senior girl hisses.

"... to get guidance, protection... seeking help when needed...?" One of the freshman girls tries to answer.

The senior girl smirks. "There there..."

Silence.

"Seriously, you girls are stup..."

"P'Nam! Help us na!!" A freshman girl comes from a little far behind those three. She even gets up and rushs to get closer to the second year girl and is kneeling in front of her.

That Nam girl smiles. "Owh, you know me?"

She nods. "P'Nam, second year Architecture, help us na!" She asks again.

Nam looks at the previous three girls. "You sure are stupid, aren't you?!" She looks at them in disbelief.

Actually, they are not stupid, they are just too shocked to even believe that Nam would actually still want to help them after what they did to her.

"... what?" Nam raises her eyebrows.

"P'Nam, thank you so much na!!" Three of them make a proper wai and then get up to go to Posh to decide.

Posh has already heard everything and he doesn't see any other way and it is worth trying. The clock is ticking.

"Guuuyyysss!! Let's ask our seniors to help us na!!! Get anyone you know and ask them!!!" Posh yells the order.

Silence again as they are confused.

"Seriously guys!! Don't act stupid now!!" Wai yells too.

The freshmen start to get up and hunt for the seniors. There are only ten more minutes before 5'o clock. The classes usually end at 4, except the lab works which can even reach to 8 PM... so...

There are seniors at the food court having a smoke and evening snacks, some of them are watching what's happening at the SOTUS gathering, some are playing games at the dungeon, and even at the Lab and Workshops.

There are boys and girls from second to fourth year who are giving their hands. The freshmen politely introduced themselves and mention the senior by name while asking help. Some of them are on their knees because they can't remember their senior names.

And that's how they get at least 500 seniors to help them.

And then Prae once again leads the push-up chain of the 700 freshmen boy to be held for 10 seconds with the help of the seniors.

She actually has to hold her happy tears while yelling the order, "First years!!! Push!!! UUUUPPP!!!! CHAAAIINNN!!! Count Start!!!"

"... 1...!"

Tul's eyes become teary with his happiness.

"... 2..."

Max needs to scoff to not break into happy tears too.

"... 3..."

Lam smiles proudly with a tear is already there at the corner of his eyes.

"... 4..."

Park blinks.

"... 5..."

Forth looks at the juniors with un-readable expression.

"... 6..."

Prae looks at her hazer.

"... 7..."

The freshman girls can see how Kongpob comes out from one of the corners of the field to get closer.

"... 8..."

Forth maintains his eyes on the freshmen when Max and Park take a stance and stand between Forth and the incoming group of their fourth-year seniors.

"... 9..."

Lam and Tul join Park and Max while Forth remains unmoved.

"... 10...!"

The freshmen drop their shaking hands and fall to the ground with a laughter. Even the seniors who help them laugh too.

And then they see how Kongpob and his men are already standing beside Forth's men. All of them with hands in their pockets.

And so do Forth's men, all of them have their hands in their pockets.

Beam taps on Posh's shoulder. "Go to P'Forth and report."

Posh nods. He gets up and runs to Forth. He doesn't bother about the silent cold war going on between the third years and fourth years.

Ming is standing along with the second year hazing team. Staying silent as the remaining hazing team.

Posh looks up to Forth who is sitting on the edge of the stage. "P'Forth, I am here to report to you."

Forth looks at Posh coldly. "What will you report to me?"

"We completed the task of doing the push-up chain," Posh says.

"How did you complete it?" Forth asks.

"We helped the girls to do their part first in holding the push-ups chain for 5 seconds," Posh explains. "And then we did the boys' part. We... tried to do it by ourself, it didn't work. We tried to do it with the girls' help, it didn't work ... not for long enough and the girl got tired. And..."

Forth blinks.

"We asked help from the seniors. We greeted them by name and we introduced ourselves. Some of their names we forgot and so we had to ask their names again. That's how we finally were able to do the 10 seconds push-ups chain."

Forth blinks.

"Do we deserve the FLAG, P'Forth?"

Forth sighs. He gets up from the stage. He looks at the entire field where the freshmen have their seniors' back up. He knows them.

And then Forth walks to the FLAG.

If he approves the freshmen, he'll give the flag to Posh. If not, he will fold it.

Kongpob watches as Forth takes the FLAG and then walks to meet Posh again only to stop by the edge of the stage.

"N'Posh."

"Yes, P'Forth...?"

"You completed the task by taking up the SOTUS to its true meaning, symbolically and literally. Getting your seniors' help shows that you earned their blessing... as in Seniority.

You followed the Order which was given.

You kept the Tradition alive by doing the push-ups chain which is one of our signature traditions.

I don't even need to tell you about how you 'United' your men.

And your Spirit itself made your seniors welcome you and help you."

Forth jumps off of the stage to the ground, just a foot in front of Posh.

Forth smiles at Posh and hands him the FLAG. "Welcome to the Engineering faculty, freshmen."

Posh returns Forth's smile. He receives the FLAG. "Thank you, P'Forth."

Forth nods. "Announce," he says softly.

Posh nods. He wai at Forth and then turns himself to face his men. He can't even say anything. He just fluttered the FLAG by making a big wave movement with its pole.

"We diiiddd iiit!!!!"

"Kyaaa!!!"

"We are truly Engineerrriinngg students!!!"

Forth turns his attention to Kongpob.

Kongpob smiles at Forth and shows a thumb up while nodding.

Forth returns his senior's smile.

***

Beam chuckles while having an early breakfast with Forth the next day. They are going to go to the beach for the GEAR GIVING ceremony.

"So cool, P'Forth."

Forth laughs. "Seriously, I was having a heart attack every time you guys failed! Damn! Must you only get smart at the last moment?! Why not earlier?"

Beam laughs.

"Are you bringing your car to the Faculty?" Forth asks.

"No. I don't want to leave my baby in the Faculty parking lot over night. She'll be cold." Beam shakes his head.

"How are you planning to get to the Faculty then?" — Forth.

"Walk. It is just five minutes walk." — Beam.

"Just hop in my car." — Forth.

"You have a car?" Beam is surprised.

Forth nods.

"Then why do you always take your bike?" — Beam.

"Faster and easier." — Forth.

"Hm." Beam nods.

"Want to go with me to the beach?" Forth asks.

Beam grins. "You are feeding our shippers, P'Forth na~.... It will take forever until they stop shipping us..."

Forth laughs. "So what, N'Beam...? Are you scared you won't get lucky anymore?"

Beam winced. "You made me too busy, P'Forth. Or too tired. I have no time nor energy to play around. There goes my plan to have a back up army after getting laid as I please."

Forth laughs. "You have all the time you need starting from Monday."

Beam winks at Forth. "And also the whole first years who will torture any girl who approaches me because I am supposed to love only you."

Forth chuckles. "They sure will, N'Beam."

Beam drinks his water.

"So? Hop in my car? I can use your company. ParkLam and MaxTul are taking Lam's car and they decided to make my car carry all the baggage."

Beam nods. "Sure."

*

"Kyaaa!!!"

"It's okay to stop by the road and have some sexy time!!"

"We approve!!"

The reaction they get on knowing Beam is going to go in Forth's car instead on the bus is gold.

Park rolls his eyes. He has given up on Forth.

Lam sighs.

Max does not care too much. He actually started to ship them too, in funny way.

Tul is focused on the job.

And, Ming is no longer worried about Beam.

*

Beam smiles at Forth while he puts the gear bracelet on Beam's right wrist during the GEAR GIVING ceremony.

"There, there, N'Beam, you finally have a heart," Forth says softly.

Beam looks at the gear emblem and the tanned thumb that is caresses it.

"You are one hell of a Engineering student, N'Beam."

Beam looks up to meet Forth's eyes.

Forth smiles at Beam tenderly while looking at him dearly. "It's okay to trust your heart to someone, you know. Instead of being by yourself... having someone to take care of your heart can make you happier."

Beam blinks.

"You are not just a Casanova. You have a warm and kind heart. Someone is out there for you. Open up," Forth adds.

Beam nods.

"Welcome to Engineering, N'Beam."

Beam blinks. He smiles. "Thank you, P'Forth."

***

The ceremony is a blast. Every single part of it is. The blood bath, the oath, the gear giving itself, Forth's closing speech, Kongpob's closing speech, Kongpob and Forth leading the Engineering chant....

Beam stands far in the back, looking at Forth who is surrounded by his men and seniors.

Forth laughs.

The weight of being the Head Hazer is lifted. He did his job.

Beam knows Forth for two years, but not this close. And so the other Engineering students. They are better than people think they are.

Forth had talked about letting his gear being taken care of by someone. But Forth still has his gear. Even after a year since Wayo happened, has he not moved on?

Is his love for Wayo that deep?

Beam blinks.

He never felt a deep feeling towards anyone.

The closest feeling of love he has to anyone other than his mother is just Phana and Kit. Beam loves them like his own brothers who he doesn't have.

What a luck to be Wayo. He is loved by two great men.

Phana and Forth.

Beam blinks.

He catches on Ming who is laughing with his friends.

Kit is loved too, by a great man.

Beam sighs. Nice people are loved.

And then he smiles sadly. He is not a part of the nice people category.

He is the biggest asshole.

Beam closes his eyes.

Love is not for him.

"Beaaamm!!! Come here!! Let's jump around the fire!!!" Posh calls him.

Beam turns to Posh and Wai.

Wai nods happily. "Jump, P'Beam! Come on!!"

Beam smiles. He runs to Posh and Wai and joins them to jump around the bonfire.

Just let it go, Beam, he says to himself and lets the joy of his friends entertain him even though he has this heavy feeling lingering in his chest.

***

A/N:

What is that, Beam... what are you feeling?

Proofread by @Darzls . Thank you so much.