My Moon, Chapter 3 pg 5
My Moon, Chapter 3 pg 5
“Then why did you choose this club?”
“Because last year, I was in the art club. I love art and was pretty good at it. This year, I wanted to try something different. I wanted to see if I could do well in something I don’t like and don’t think I’m good at, just like I do with things I enjoy.” Klai pauses, then lets out a soft laugh. “But the results just confirm that next year, I should go back to the art club.”
Phii Shin laughs and steps a bit closer to him before saying, “It seems like you don’t have any good memories in this club. So, before you return to the art club next year, can I help create some good memories for you first?”
Klai wanted his world to be more than just an orange-brown basketball and a cooler. So, he nodded in agreement without hesitation. He didn’t know what made Phii Shin remember his name or why Phii Shin approached him first. But with only a few months left before Phii Shin graduates from high school, there was too little time for Klai to overthink.
Maybe Phii Shin felt guilty for not remembering his name.
Or now that he remembered it, he wanted to get to know him.
Or perhaps Kant had introduced him to Phii Shin.
Whatever the reason… right now, his heart was swelling.
“Have you ever shot a basketball?”
“I have, but it never goes in.”
Phii Shin, holding the basketball, laughs before walking to stand behind him. Klai purses his lips as he feels the taller guy move closer. Phii Shin passes the ball to him from behind, and Klai, with sweaty hands, catches it with both hands.
“Bend your knees a bit more, Klai. Don’t tense up.”
“Y-Yes.”
“This time, look at the hoop, aim carefully, and shoot the ball.”
Klai follows the team captain’s instructions. But just as he’s about to shoot, the large hands of the guy behind him move to gently guide both of his hands.
…
“Keep the ball aligned with your aim.”
“Y-Yes, Phii Shin.”
“I’ll help…” Phii Shin says, then adds force to push the ball in Klai’s hands up into the air.
“…”
Thud, thud, thud.
The sound of thud, thud, thud wasn’t his heartbeat this time, as it usually was. It was the sound of the same basketball failing to go through the hoop to score. But Klai didn’t feel the least bit disappointed about missing the shot.
Instead, he felt an indescribable joy…
“It’s your first time trying, so it’s like this. I’ll teach you again next week, okay?” Phii Shin said.
Klai turned to face the person behind him. “Thank you, Phii Shin.”
“I should be thanking you, Klai, for letting me create good memories with you,” Phii Shin replied.
After that day when they talked, Klai continued to chat with Phii Shin regularly. They grew close so quickly that even Kant was surprised. Normally, they only saw each other during club activities, but lately, before final exams, Phii Shin had been joining him for lunch during breaks.
“I’ll head out now, Klai. The chemistry professor always wants us in class fifteen minutes early,” Phii Shin said.
“Okay, don’t run, Phii Shin. You just ate—you’ll get a stomachache,” Klai warned.
“Got it,” Phii Shin replied with a nod before walking away.
“Klai… help me indulge in a little wishful thinking here, okay?” Kant started the conversation as soon as Phii Shin left, staring at him with a serious expression. “Does Phii Shin like you?”
“N-no way,” Klai stammered.
“Then why would Phii Shin leave his group of a dozen friends to come eat lunch with you? And the weird thing is, I didn’t even introduce you to him. He went out of his way to get to know you himself. When you’re sitting by the court during club time, Phii Shin always hangs out with you. Some of his friends even tease that he’s gotten too close to you,” Kant said, lightly tapping the table before continuing. “I’m telling you, Phii Shin definitely likes you.”
“But Kant, you’ve heard that Phii Shin likes girls, right?” Klai countered.
“Yeah, Phii Shin’s friends said he dated a girl from another school for a while and then broke up. That was back when he was in grade 11. You hadn’t even joined the basketball club yet—you were still drawing in the art club,” Kant explained.
“Back then, I didn’t even realize…” Klai trailed off.
“Exactly. Back then, you didn’t even know you liked guys until you met Phii Shin at the basketball club. See, Klai? Everything can change. Maybe Phii Shin’s just figuring out his own feelings, like you did,” Kant said.
“Some of Phii Shin’s actions and words do seem like that, but I don’t want to get my hopes up. Just being able to talk and see him every day is already great. I don’t dare hope for more than that,” Klai admitted.
“If you’re not brave enough to hope, then you’ve got to let the other person hope instead,” Kant said with a sly smile.
“What do you mean by that, smiling like that?” Klai asked.
“It means… if Phii Shin really likes you, he’s probably hoping for more than just a senior-junior relationship with you,” Kant explained.
“…”
“One day, he’s definitely going to confess his love to you.”
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