[Completed] The connection!

Chapter 4

Back to present - Kongpob's POV:

The scene that unfolded in front of me, was everything I expected but at the same time, everything I did not expect.

Though I did not expect to see my beloved senior this soon, I certainly did not expect him to be the head hazer. Is this the same dimpled cutie I met, 2 years back? My thoughts were in such a mess, that I did not realise, the senior staring back at me, until Em shook me out of my trance. My eyes widened, when I observed the seniors eyes widening, like mine, as if he recognised me!

Is that even possible? Does he really recognise me? Does he really remember me? After our super awkward 15 mins conversation, 2 years back?!?!? Are my stars working overtime, again? I couldn't believe my luck and decided to throw a nice smile at him, half expecting him to return it. I also made a mental note, to ask him his name and number, as soon as I could and not act like a dull-wit like the last time.

But when I did, he just turned away, as if I did not exist there, at that moment. Was it because he was the head hazer? Or may be it was just my imagination that he recognised me? May be he did not remember me at all. After all, I was a stranger, at the end of the day.

Pushing the lump in my throat down, I tried my best to camouflage into my surrounding. I did not want to stand out, in any manner, after what just happened. But, amid this chaos, I was getting more and more impatient, waiting to hear him say his own name.

"I am Arthit, your head hazer and this is my team - Knot, Prem, Bright and Tootah" he introduced the others as well.

Arthit - meaning the sun! What an apt name! A slow smile spread across my face, when I heard him giving us another orientation, about the SOTUS system, the activities and the importance of the rules and regulations, expected to be followed by us. While explaining the first task, he asked us all to get the signatures of a 1,000 seniors, within a week.

What!?! Are they out of their minds? - was the common response. A part of me wanted me to stay put, but the dominant part of me, wanted to confront them about this task. Just when my internal war was about to get more chaotic, a thought struck me. What if I speak up, not in a provocative way, but just to get Arthit's attention? Will it work? Will he give me the reaction I expect?

With that thought, I put my hand up, stood up on cue, introducing myself, looking only at Arthit...and there it was - the eyes that reflected a ray of emotions, all that I took in, happily.

Back to present - Arthit's POV:

As expected, there were shock mixed murmurs initially. But what was not expected, was a student who stood up, to voice his opinion. What was even more unexpected was, the person who stood up. Is he who I think he is?!?!?

When he put his hand up, to talk, I couldn't move a muscle. Realising that I froze, Knot stepped up and gave him the permission to talk. Even though it was Knot who let him speak, every word from his mouth was directed towards me. He did not even blink, and looked at me straight.

That was when I confirmed, it is the same guy I met 2 years ago. I also realised that he recognises me, as much as I recognised him. Does this even make sense? How could this be true? We hardly spoke for like 15 mins that day. I could remember him, because it was the first time, I spent a day thinking about a guy, and also the day, I reprimanded myself, for crushing on a highschooler. But his looks...wait..what am I even thinking?

Pulling myself back to Earth, I tried to focus on what was happening before me. I turned around, when I noticed him throwing his oh-so-warm smile, with my mouth agape in shock, to find my team staring at me, who were confused at my sudden inability to speak. So, for a few moments, I was subtly pushed aside and the rest of the team took care of the situation. I looked up at the student - Kongpob - student code 0062, and noticed a sly smile on his face - which only confirmed what I would never want him to know.

I found my thoughts wandering again - trying to decipher what Kongpob was thinking, opposing us like that. Will it help if I talk to him separately, will he understand our intentions or will he read between the lines, in a quest for more? - I just couldn't come to a conclusion.

Since it was the first task, we did not want to go all hard, to get it done, but neither had the intension to modify/cancel the task. It had to be done, no matter what. But how we put that message across, was all that mattered now. Putting on my head hazer face back, I stepped up again, after collecting my thoughts.

"Give the task a try first. Then let's see if it is possible or not. Let's not come to a conclusion even before trying" was my answer to the question thrown. I avoided looking at Kongpob, fearing that I might freeze again. But, my point was conveyed. We slowly heard a few "He's right. Let's try"s and a few "May be, it is possible. That is why they have given the task" talks going around.

Since discipline was the value we upheld the most, I called out the juniors, to get their attention, before they turned more noisy. I explained about what is expected out of them, the rules they need to follow and the values they need to worship. The rest of the evening went by smoothly, without much interruption. With that, my pea sized suspicions grew to a mammoth.

Kongpob must have stood up, not with the intension of opposing us, but to get my attention. I realised this, because after the initial talk, he did not talk at all. Let's just take one step at a time, instead of overthinking things, I told myself, preparing to leave the hall, as the activities came to a end. But since I was hyper aware of my surrounding, I noticed Kongpob sprinting towards us as soon as his legs moved. Oh no! Please just don't!! Not here, not now!!! I kept repeating, in my mind.

But all that happened was the exact opposite!

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