Unexpected Love *⁠.⁠✧

Episode 12

The day had finally arrived. Santa could feel a mix of excitement and dread swirling in his stomach as he stood outside the lecture hall, waiting for the test results to be posted. The crowd buzzed with nervous energy, students whispering and glancing at their phones, refreshing social media feeds for any hint of the outcomes.

Perth leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed, but Santa could see the tension in his eyes. "You ready for this, Ta?" he asked, trying to sound nonchalant, though the edge in his voice betrayed him.

"Not really," Santa admitted, glancing at the bulletin board. "What if I didn’t do as well as I thought?"

"Come on, you’re smart. You’ll be fine, I'm the one that should worry about my result" Perth replied, trying to sound reassuring. But inside, he couldn’t shake the feeling of what was at stake. If he passed with flying colors, he’d finally have the freedom to make Santa do anything he wanted.

As they stood there, a group of students rushed past, laughter spilling into the air. Santa's gaze flickered to his friends gathered nearby—Yatch, Satang, Boom, and Sea—all of them watching the board intently, each person wrapped up in their own mix of hope and anxiety.

Just then, the announcement came over the speaker, causing the crowd to hush instantly. "Attention, students! The results are now posted!"

The tension was palpable as Santa and Perth pushed forward, eyes locked on the bulletin board. The mix of anticipation and dread made Santa’s heart race. As he stepped closer, he felt Perth’s presence beside him, a reminder of the stakes at play.

"Here we go," Perth muttered, glancing sideways at Santa.

Santa held his breath as they scanned the list for their names, each second stretching into an eternity. The moment felt monumental, the weight of their futures hanging in the balance.

As they finally found their results, Santa’s heart raced—his mind racing with thoughts of what this would mean for both him and Perth.

The atmosphere was charged with excitement as Santa and Perth approached the announcement board. Santa’s heart raced as he scanned the names, searching for his own. When he finally spotted it, disbelief washed over him.

"Holy—" he gasped, eyes widening. "I got the highest score!"

His voice carried a mix of joy and disbelief, and he turned to Perth, barely containing his excitement. "What about you, phi?"

Perth’s smirk was unmistakable. "I passed. That means I can do whatever I want to you."

Before Santa could respond, a loud scream pierced the air. "Santa! I passed! Aaaaah, I can’t believe this!" Aou rushed forward, enveloping Santa in a tight hug.

"What is going on?" Boom exclaimed, staring wide-eyed at the scene.

Santa chuckled awkwardly as he hugged Aou back. "I’m glad you passed too, Phi Aou!"

Just then, Jimmy joined in, jumping up and down. "I passed as well! I can’t believe it!" His excitement was contagious.

"Yeah, me too! Thanks, Santa!" Winny chimed in, giving Santa a playful nudge.

The cheers from their friends echoed around them, and the energy in the air was electric. Sammy, Sea, and the others giggled, sharing amused glances.

"Looks like Santa's not a stupid freshman after all now that you guys passed because of him!" said Yatch teased, laughter bubbling up around them.

Perth crossed his arms, watching with an amused expression. "Looks like you’re popular, Ta."

Santa blushed, feeling the weight of all the eyes on him. "This is… a lot."