Crossing Fates

Chapter 20: Confrontations and Secrets

The stillness of the night was broken by the hum of the air conditioner and the occasional creak of the building settling into its foundation. Phuwin sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his phone, lost in thought. Win's cryptic words from their conversation in the library replayed in his mind. What had happened between Earth and Win in the past, and why was Earth's return triggering so much turmoil?

Phuwin's thumb hovered over Win's contact, contemplating whether to call. Before he could decide, a sudden knock at the door startled him.

He glanced at the clock—well past midnight. It wasn't an hour anyone should be visiting. He stood up cautiously and walked to the door. Turning the handle, he found himself face-to-face with Pond, whose expression was unusually serious.

"Pond? What are you doing here?" Phuwin whispered, stepping aside to let him in.

Pond entered quietly, closing the door behind him. He shoved his hands into his jacket pockets, avoiding Phuwin's eyes. "I couldn't sleep," he admitted, his voice low. "I've been thinking about everything—Win, Earth, all the weird stuff happening."

Phuwin nodded in understanding. "Yeah, it's been bothering me too. I don't know what to make of it."

Pond finally met his gaze, determination evident in his eyes. "We need to do something. We can't just sit around and wait for things to get worse."

Phuwin crossed his arms, leaning against his desk. "What are you suggesting?"

"We need to talk to Earth," Pond replied, his voice firm. "Directly. Win's not telling us everything, and I think Earth knows more than he's letting on."

Phuwin hesitated, recalling Win's warning. "Win said to be careful. Apparently, they have some bad blood from the past."

Pond shrugged. "Maybe so, but I'm done with all the secrecy. We need answers, and Earth might be the only one who can give them to us."

After a moment of thought, Phuwin nodded. "Okay, but we need to be cautious about how we approach him."

The following day, Phuwin and Pond agreed to meet Earth behind the dormitory courtyard. Surrounded by overgrown shrubs and towering trees, it offered the privacy they needed. Earth was seated on one of the benches, reading a book when they arrived.

He didn't look up as they approached, but Phuwin could sense the tension radiating from him. Pond, never one for subtlety, sat down across from Earth, folding his arms.

"We need to talk," Pond said bluntly.

Earth slowly lowered his book, his dark eyes meeting Pond's with a wary calmness. "About what?"

"You know what," Phuwin interjected, standing beside Pond. "The pranks, the missing items, all the strange occurrences on campus. You're involved, aren't you?"

Earth raised an eyebrow, his expression unwavering. "And why would I be involved in that?"

Pond leaned in, his voice dropping. "We know you have history with Win. We don't know what happened between you two, but ever since you showed up, things have gotten strange. And Win's been acting weird too."

A flicker of annoyance crossed Earth's eyes, but his calm demeanor remained. He exhaled softly, closing his book. "You're right. Win and I do have history. But I'm not behind what's happening."

Phuwin narrowed his eyes. "Then what is it? What's the connection?"

For the first time, Earth's mask slipped, and frustration was evident in his expression. "Win hasn't told you everything, has he?"

Phuwin and Pond exchanged glances. "No, he hasn't," Pond admitted.

Earth sighed, his gaze distant. "Win and I were part of something bigger. Back at our old school, we got involved with things we shouldn't have. We paid a price. I left, thinking I could escape it, but apparently, I was wrong."