Tree nuts were strewn across the street as if a landmine had been struck. The smell wafted through the air, leaving a stinky smell. I didn’t want to step on the nut, so there was a limit to walking around. First and foremost, Tay, who had no preference between likes and dislikes, turned his head, frowning, as if he too despised silly nuts that grew on trees for no reason.
The third year of high school was short. It was already autumn in the blink of an eye. Moreover, it was hard to believe that the GAT exam was less than two weeks away.
I looked up at the sky. In the cool autumn breeze, large puffy clouds flew gently.
The D-day of the GAT was getting closer and closer, but it still didn’t feel real to me. Perhaps it was because I had passed the first round of early admission and even had an interview. I felt restless and floating.
I placed my hands in front of me and shifted my gaze to the side, fiddling with the long sleeves of the spring and autumn clothes I had already worn. Tay had the same expression as usual, but he appeared tired. Tay began studying seriously in December of last year, so catching up will be difficult for him after only a year.
But I didn’t say anything to Tay. In early October, on the day the first successful applicants were announced, on the way home, Tay told me.
‘Let’s study separately for the time being until the college entrance exam.’
So I haven’t been to his house ever since. In fact, I told him that he didn’t have to take me home, but it was Tay who said he wanted to because we hadn’t seen each other in a long time, and I didn’t want to refuse, so I was just passing the time.
To be honest, I was both sad and disappointed. It wasn’t that it was interfering with my studies, and I always knew who was the first to joke around and bump into each other when we were together, but he acted like that and said he wanted to be apart.
Nonetheless, I didn’t bother. We’ll be fine once the exam is finished. I was simply attempting to calm my heart. It was the same for me, but there will never be a more important time than now for Tay Tawan.
I had to wait for the GAT and entrance exams to be over as soon as possible.
~
I suddenly remember this time last year. It was a time when Tay was debating whether or not to attend the career class, and I used to walk down the quiet, subtly sensitive third-grade hallways. The third graders were pouring all their passion into their studies at the time. Just like us now.
Looking around the classroom, it was clear that the majority of the students were eager to begin studying for the GAT and PAT. The same was true for Tay. He didn’t leave his seat at all. The band-aid remained on the first knuckle of the middle finger. When he attempted to heal a wound from holding a pencil, he was scratched again, and his hand was bandaged for nearly a year.
I should do something for Tay, who was studying for the entrance exam. I gave it some thought. I pressed my lower lip together and was alone with my thoughts. Time flies, and if I closed my eyes and then opened them, the GAT exam will be a week away, and then it will be right before the day before.
I took out my phone and looked up a gift for the entrance exam on the Internet. The majority of them were either chocolate or glutinous rice cakes. Snacks began to arrive at our house as well. It was not like my older brother, who was openly good at studying and didn’t care whether it was a Thai university or a university abroad. But no one dare to touch him when he prepared for the entrance exam. He was like a human needle at the time. Even our parents avoided him because he was so sharp and sensitive.
