Finding My Place ⚙️ Knot (a SOTUS fanfic)

vol.3: j e r k

"There's a wolf at your door.
There's a hound at your heels.
There's a snake in your bed.
Tell me, how does it feel,
when you let the wolves in?"
- Wolf At Your Door - Chloe x Halle

⚙️

M nudged me and motioned toward one of the tables that had just emptied up a little bit in front of us. I nodded and we took a seat there so we could hear what was happening between Kong and the juniors.

Kong paused in front of their table, waiting patiently as Arthit made his way over to him. Several other students had stopped what they were doing, as well, staring at them to see what was going to happen.

Arthit put his hands on his hips and, despite being shorter than Kong, he was no less imposing. "Why do you have three notebooks?"

"These two belong to my friends," he answered simply.

"Your friends? Why aren't they doing it theirselves?"

"You told us to collect signatures," he explained. "but you didn't set the rules on how to do it."

"Aish, he's bold," I muttered, chewing nervously on my thumbnail.

M nodded, his eyes glued to the pair. "He's playing with fire."

"Definitely. That guy... he terrifies me."

"Me too."

Arthit asked him, "And you, have you gotten my signature?"

"Not yet," he replied confidently.

"Give me your notebook," Arthit ordered, taking it from him before he could offer it.

I frowned, feeling dread settling in the back of my mind. There's no way he's going to just offer it freely...

Arthit sat down, flipping through the book. "It looks like you've got a lot already. Then, could you do something for me?"

"Oh no..." I muttered, clenching the strap of my bag tightly.

"What is it?"

"Could you do it?" Arthit wondered.

Kong seemed to hesitate for a second as if sensing that this was a trap. "Sure."

"Well, do you see that table at the back?" He pointed toward the back of the open lunch area, thankfully opposite of where we were sitting.

"Yes."

"Could you stand on that table and shout three times... that you like men?"

My heart seized with anxiety at the request. I wasn't sure how progressive Thailand was, but I had the understanding that most Asian countries hadn't yet opened up to accept homosexuals. What he's asking could really hurt him! How badly I wanted to stand up, to say that it was my fault, that I asked him to get signatures for me, but I couldn't do it. I was too afraid, my legs shaking. If I were standing up, I was sure they would give out on me.

Kong was silent for several seconds before hesitantly nodding and turning toward the back, only to be stopped by the junior.

"Wait, there's more."

"This isn't a damn infomercial," I muttered, earning a half-smile from M before his expression changed to worry as he looked back at them. I could tell he wanted to come forward, too, but fear had him rooted to the spot just as it did me.

"After that, get down and ask about..." He turned toward the junior sitting to his right. "How many?"

"Ten."