Crossing Fates

Chapter 2: Chemistry & Conflict

The Campus Arcade

The next morning, Dunk Saetang was in for a wild ride. Literally. His energetic and unpredictable friend Joong Kittipong had dragged him to the campus arcade after class, much to Dunk's surprise. It was clear that Joong had no intention of slowing down anytime soon.

As they entered the neon-lit space, the cacophony of laughter, game sounds, and flashing lights surrounded them. Joong's eyes immediately lit up with excitement, like a kid in a candy store.

"Let's dominate the leaderboard!" Joong declared with boundless enthusiasm, rushing straight toward the nearest racing game.

Dunk chuckled, shaking his head. "Or, you know, we could just enjoy ourselves without the pressure."

But Joong was already inserting coins into the machine, his competitive spirit in full force. Dunk followed his friend to the racing machine, watching as Joong selected a bright red car and gripped the steering wheel like his life depended on it.

A Chaotic Game

Several rounds of racing later, it became painfully clear that Joong was horrendous at driving. His in-game car swerved wildly, crashing into walls, missing checkpoints, and generally causing havoc on the virtual track. Despite his best efforts, Joong ended up in last place every time.

"This is not a reflection of my actual driving skills!" Joong protested, throwing his hands up in frustration as his on-screen car once again crashed into a barrier.

"Right. It's definitely the controller's fault," Dunk replied, barely suppressing his laughter.

Joong shot him a glare, but his expression quickly softened as he too started laughing at the absurdity of the situation. "Okay, okay, just one more time! I swear I'll get it this time."

Dunk leaned back against the seat, grinning. "I'm sure you will."

Determined to redeem himself, Joong reached for the controller again. But in his haste, he accidentally knocked over a stack of prize tickets that had been sitting on the side of the machine. The tickets fluttered into the air, scattering across the floor like confetti.

"Look, it's raining tickets!" Dunk laughed, reaching out to catch a few as they drifted past.

Joong, not one to miss an opportunity for drama, threw himself to the ground in a grand gesture, gathering the tickets as if they were priceless treasures. "This is my moment!" he shouted, his exaggerated antics drawing the attention of several nearby students.

Dunk watched in disbelief as Joong continued his dramatic display, shaking his head. "You're unbelievable."

Just as Dunk was about to help Joong with the scattered tickets, something—or rather someone—caught his eye. Across the arcade, entering with a couple of friends, was Phuwin Chaisuk.

Phuwin's Arrival

Dunk's heart skipped a beat when he spotted Phuwin. Ever since Pond had introduced him to the new transfer student, Dunk had been curious about Phuwin's quiet but captivating presence. Seeing him here, in such a casual setting, made Dunk feel oddly out of place.

He nudged Joong, who was still on the floor gathering tickets. "Look! It's Phuwin!"

Joong glanced up, distracted from his ticket-collecting mission. "Who? The guy who tripped into the artistic abyss?"

"Yes, him! Come on, help me talk to him!" Dunk urged, his eyes flicking nervously between Joong and Phuwin, who was now casually browsing the claw machines with his friends.

Joong, however, was in no rush. He dramatically tossed a handful of tickets into the air and hopped to his feet. "Dunk, Dunk, Dunk... talking to people isn't nearly as fun as winning prizes. Look!" He darted toward the nearest claw machine, his eyes gleaming with determination. "I'm going to win something!"

Dunk watched in disbelief as Joong abandoned him to chase after a stuffed animal in the claw machine. He couldn't help but laugh at his friend's single-mindedness, even though it meant facing Phuwin alone.

A Moment of Clarity

As Joong became engrossed in his claw machine mission, Dunk found himself standing awkwardly by the arcade entrance, watching Phuwin from a distance. He could feel his pulse quicken as he debated whether to approach him. Normally, Dunk wasn't the type to get flustered over social situations, but something about Phuwin made him second-guess himself.

Maybe it was the way Phuwin seemed so effortlessly calm and collected, or maybe it was the fact that Pond was already so drawn to him. Whatever it was, Dunk couldn't shake the feeling that talking to Phuwin could change things, though he wasn't entirely sure how.

Taking a deep breath, Dunk decided to go for it. He made his way across the arcade, weaving between groups of students and brightly lit machines. As he neared Phuwin, he noticed that the other student's attention was focused on the claw machine Joong had abandoned.

"Hey," Dunk said casually as he approached, trying to sound as natural as possible.

Phuwin looked up, his dark eyes meeting Dunk's with mild surprise. "Oh, hey. Dunk, right?"

Dunk nodded, relieved that Phuwin remembered his name. "Yeah. I didn't expect to see you here."

Phuwin smiled faintly, glancing back at the claw machine. "My friends wanted to check this place out. I'm just tagging along."

Dunk chuckled, gesturing toward Joong, who was still obsessively trying to win a prize from the machine. "Looks like you and Joong have something in common. He's been at that thing for ten minutes."

Phuwin's smile widened slightly as he watched Joong's antics. "Yeah, it's harder than it looks."

There was a brief pause, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Dunk found himself relaxing a little, realizing that Phuwin wasn't nearly as intimidating as he had imagined. In fact, Phuwin's quiet demeanor was almost soothing compared to the chaos of the arcade.

"So, how are you liking it here?" Dunk asked, leaning against the side of the machine.

Phuwin shrugged. "It's nice. Still getting used to everything, though."

Dunk nodded in understanding. "Yeah, it can be a lot. But you'll get the hang of it. Pond and I can show you around if you want."

Phuwin looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, that sounds good."

Dunk smiled, feeling a small sense of accomplishment. He had managed to talk to Phuwin without making things awkward. Now if only Joong would stop causing a scene with the claw machine...

Joong's Victory

Just as Dunk was about to say something else, Joong let out a triumphant shout. "Yes! I did it! I won!"

Dunk and Phuwin both turned to see Joong holding up a stuffed bear with a victorious grin on his face. He ran over to them, holding the bear out as if it were a golden trophy.

"Look at this! My prize!" Joong declared, his voice full of pride.

Phuwin chuckled, clearly amused by Joong's exuberance. "Congratulations."

Joong beamed, completely unaware of the conversation he had interrupted. "I told you I could win something. Now, let's celebrate! Drinks are on me."

Dunk rolled his eyes but couldn't help laughing. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"

Joong just grinned, unbothered by the comment. "Ridiculous and successful."

As the three of them stood there, surrounded by the flashing lights and noise of the arcade, Dunk couldn't help but feel that maybe Joong's chaotic approach to life wasn't so bad after all. Sometimes, it was exactly what was needed—chaos, laughter, and a little bit of luck.