~published on November 21, 2018~

A/N:

Thank you for the readers who are reading along with the story. I hope it is worth the wait.

*

Beam walks into the Morning Mama, his favorite breakfast place since his first day of entering Medical faculty, which is located just by the corner of its gate.

"Good morning, Beam..." Miss Grace, the owner, greets Beam. She is a middle-aged woman with cheeks like warm buns.

"Good morning, Miss Grace," Beam smiles.

Not even Phana and Kit ever join Beam here. This place serves simple American and French breakfast. And none of them like it.

"You've been missing for too long, I nearly called the cops!" Miss Grace says teasingly.

Beam laughs. And then he is having his favorite American breakfast and hot chocolate, with water as his drink.

He looks at the empty seat across him. He smiles sadly. No more P'Forth who will share his breakfast or his days with him.

Beam takes a long deep breath. He feels hurt to the tip of his fingers remembering the warm smile that used to greet him every morning.

*

Forth blinks. He looks at the clock on his phone screen for the nth time. He is rarely wearing watch.

It's almost 7 AM but Beam is nowhere to be seen.

He bites his spoon. He has already eaten half of his porridge. He left two chicken feet untouched. Beam usually eats his chicken feet but always refuses to order it himself. One chicken feet portion consists of five feet and Forth already reduced his serving by three just as how he did for the last 20 days he's been having breakfast with Beam.

Is Beam sick?

Did he wake up late?

Forth blinks. He knows Beam live upstairs of the dimsum place. But he doesn't know his room.

Forth blinks again.

He doesn't know Beam that much. It is most him who is the one who does the talking during meals too. Talking about his days... and Beam is always listening.

Man, he is a great listener.

Forth sighs. He looks around for the nth time. Beam is nowhere to be seen.

Five minutes to seven. Forth will be late if he keeps waiting for Beam.

He calls Beam.

Beam doesn't pick up.

He leaves a message to Beam. "N'Beam, are you awake yet? Where are you? I have a morning quiz. I finished the breakfast first, na?"

Read. Not replied.

Forth blinks. Maybe Beam has not saved his number from SOTUS1234?

He adds, "This is Forth by the way."

Not even read.

Forth sighs. He gets up and walks out.

Just before he gets to the door, Forth spots Posh and Wai having breakfast together. He smiles. "How cute," he teases.

Posh looks at Forth un-amused. "Great, you finally see us. Yeay."

Wai who sits beside Posh laughs.

"What do you mean finally?" Forth asks confusedly.

"We always have our breakfast here, P'Forth. In the same spot. And this is the first time you noticed us," Wai explains because Posh is too annoyed to talk again.

"Yeah? You live nearby too?"

"We actually live upstairs," Wai says.

"Owh? Same dorm as Beam?" Forth raises his eyebrows.

"Same dorm, same floor." Wai nods. "At least it was."

"What do you mean was?" Forth is confused.

Posh and Wai are stunned. They look at Forth and then they look at each other.

"He doesn't know," Wai says.

"I know!" Posh is surprised too.

"Why?!" Wai is confused.

"I don't know!" Posh is more confused.

"I already said you are cute. No need to act cuter," Forth says. "What is the thing that I don't know?"

"Beam moved out of the dorm." — Wai.

"Beam rolled out from Engineering." — Posh.

Forth is shocked. "Moved out? Rolled out?"

Both his juniors nod.

"Then where is he now?" Forth asks.

"Back to his old life," Posh says.

Forth blinks. The image of Beam having two girls on his lap in the corner of the bar flashes in his mind. "With girls?"

Now even Wai looks at Forth un-amused. "We..." he points at Posh and himself. "... were concern about his life and education when Posh said he left Engineering, and yet, the old life that concerns you is his Casanova act?"

Forth shakes his head. "Uhm... just... worried that he'll get in trouble again. He is not an Engineering student means he won't wear the blue jacket... and he doesn't have his gear... so how...."

"What do you mean he doesn't have his gear?" Posh asks.

"He gave it to me," Forth says. "He mocked my torn lather and just..."

"Where's yours?" Posh cuts it. He is very close to smacking his senior's head.

"At my place. I kept it safe."

"Aaah." Wai and Posh nod in understanding. "So that's why...."

"Hm? What is it?" Forth asks.

"I can't believe P'Kongpob entrusted us to this super stupid Head Hazer," Posh says to Wai.

"Indeed," Wai nods.

"Hey!" Forth frowns.

Posh and Wai get up. "Whatever, P'Forth. It's seven, we are already late for the morning class."

"Shit!! My morning quiz!!" Forth is facepalming himself and runs out the dimsum place to get to his class.

"Why do we have a stupid King?" Posh asks Wai.

"Because he doesn't have his Queen with him," Wai answers.

"Ah! Makes sense."

*

Forth looks at his phone. The quiz is over and he is still waiting for Beam to reply or at least read his last message.

"Hey, was it that bad?" Lam asks.

Forth turns to him. "Hm?"

"The quiz. It was not that hard, was it?" Lam adds.

"No... it's not the quiz," Forth says.

"Then what is it?" Lam asks.

Park is just looking at both of them. They are now waking to their next class. He is used to Lam paying attention to Forth all the time.

"Beam has moved out of his dorm and rolled out from Engineering Faculty," Forth says.

"He what??!!" Lam's eyes widen. "This is just the third day!!"

"Come to think of it, he is missing since yesterday. The first years had lunch out yesterday," Park says.

Forth sighs. "What is he running away from this time? Numbers?"

Lam presses hard on his temple. "Now we don't have a Moon for the first year."

"From all the things, you think about that?" Park laughs. "Man. He is always joking about all the things. Now even his education... what is he doing..."

The silence stretches along their paused walk.

"It won't be the same without Beam," Park suddenly says. "As annoying as he is, Beam makes the freshmen complete. He brings color," he sighs. "He always pushes my buttons but I'll definitely miss him," he adds.

Lam blinks. He looks at Park with an unreadable expression.

Forth tilts his head. Beam is really gone? Has he ever taken anything seriously?

He nearly thinks further but his eyes catch the sadness in Lam's eyes in front of him.

Lam nearly says something but then he closes his mouth again and continues walking first to the next class, leaving Forth and Park in the hallway.

*

Beam looks at the missed call from Forth. And the unread message from him too.

The notification hits him harder than it should.

1 missed call from P'Forth.

1 unread message from P'Forth.

Beam bites his lips with hurt in his heart.

There will be no P'Forth any more.

It's okay to keep the caller ID that way longer, isn't it?

Just slightly longer...

***

A/N:

I know how Beam thinks, not everyone are willing to confess their feeling, either afraid or having giant ego. I am also like that. I was giving hints and refused to say it dirrectly. If he missed it, then bye. That's how it works for me. That's how I understand. And that's how I write my stories.

😆😆😆

But my husband said I am effortless. Tsk. Giving subtle hints not to look like flirting is hard, you know....

Proofread by @Darzls . Thank you so much you are giving your time doing this 🙏🏻