Beneath the Shadows

The Unlikely Encounter

Beam Baramee had always been a force to be reckoned with. The so-called Casanova of the medical faculty, Beam had a reputation that preceded him wherever he went. His charm was unmatched, his looks devastating, and his confidence practically oozed from every word he spoke. But it wasn’t just the women who fell for him. Beam had a way with people, a magnetism that drew them in, no matter the gender or background. He had friends, enemies, admirers, and detractors, but no one could ever say they didn’t know who he was.

Beam wasn’t just popular because of his looks. He had been raised by a mother who, though strong and independent, had made sure her son knew how to stand on his own two feet. His mother, a single lawyer, had worked tirelessly to support them both after his father had left when Beam was only thirteen. His father, a man who couldn’t handle the pressures of family life, had found solace in another woman, leaving Beam and his mother to pick up the pieces. Beam had never fully reconciled with that, but it had shaped who he was—a self-reliant young man, able to get by in any situation. It was a skill that had served him well at university, where he had quickly made a name for himself.

Living in the ninth building dormitory, Beam had found comfort in the chaos. It was a place where people came and went, where friendships were formed and discarded like cheap trinkets. But amid all the temporary connections, Beam had two constants in his life: Phana Kongthanin and Kit. Phana, his best friend since high school, was an intelligent and slightly reserved student from the engineering faculty. He was dating Mingkwan Dechapanya, a second-year engineering student who was known for his dedication and quiet nature. Kit, on the other hand, was dating a girl from the economics faculty, someone who had a sharp mind and an even sharper sense of humor. Though their friendships were unique, they formed a solid, unshakable bond. Yet, no matter how close they were, Beam’s personal life always seemed to take center stage.

One evening, as Beam sat in the common room of the dorm, scrolling through his phone as usual, Phana walked in with an expression that was almost... tense. Phana was always serious, but this was different. There was something about the way he held himself that made Beam pause.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Beam remarked with a grin, tapping the screen of his phone. He didn’t expect a response, but Phana took a seat beside him, sighing deeply.

“I met someone today,” Phana said quietly.

Beam raised an eyebrow, genuinely intrigued. Phana wasn’t one to share his feelings easily, and he certainly wasn’t the type to talk about meeting people unless it was important. “Do I need to know about this person? Because last time you mentioned a guy, it was just Mingkwan getting you dinner.”

Phana’s lips twitched, but it wasn’t a smile. It was something closer to a grimace. “No, Beam. This isn’t about Mingkwan. This guy…” He hesitated for a moment. “His name is Forth. He’s... the king of the engineering faculty. The head hazer. The guy who runs the entire show.”

Beam’s grin faltered, replaced with genuine curiosity. He had heard whispers about Forth Jaturapoom before. Forth wasn’t just a regular student; he was the embodiment of power and influence within the engineering faculty. He was known for being ruthless, for keeping his peers in line with a combination of authority and fear. People respected him, or feared him, depending on who you asked. Beam had never interacted with him, but the idea of meeting the infamous Forth was intriguing.

“What did he want with you?” Beam asked, leaning back in his chair.

“He doesn’t want anything,” Phana replied. “But there’s something... off about him. We had a conversation, and I can’t shake the feeling that he’s different from what I expected. He doesn’t care about the power he holds over people. It’s like... he just wants to be left alone, but at the same time, he enjoys the control.”

Beam didn’t fully understand what Phana meant, but his interest was piqued. “Well, you know I’m always up for meeting someone new. If he’s as interesting as you say, maybe I’ll pay him a visit myself.”

Phana shot him a wary look. “You know, Beam, not everyone is like the people you’re used to. Forth doesn’t fit the usual mold.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not planning on falling for him or anything,” Beam laughed, though the thought of the enigmatic Forth lingered in his mind.

Later that week, Beam found himself walking through the campus when he saw Forth for the first time. He had heard that Forth’s presence could be felt from a distance, and he was right. Standing near the entrance to the engineering building, Forth seemed to draw all eyes to him. His posture was commanding, his features sharp, and his gaze intense. He looked every bit the king that Phana had described—powerful, unapproachable, and enigmatic.

For a brief moment, their eyes met across the crowded courtyard. Beam held his gaze longer than he intended, surprised at how piercing and cold Forth’s stare was. But then, as if realizing that his curiosity was starting to show, Beam broke eye contact and continued on his way.

But fate had other plans.

It was a few nights later, during a party thrown by some of the upper-year students, that Beam would find himself face to face with Forth again. The music was loud, the air thick with the smell of alcohol and cigarette smoke, but Beam didn’t care. He was on a mission: find someone interesting, have a little fun, and maybe get a chance to brag about it later. It was the usual routine.

As he made his way through the crowded room, his eyes landed on Forth, who was standing by the bar, looking like he didn’t belong. While the other students were either laughing or shouting across the room, Forth was quietly sipping his drink, observing everything with a detached expression. For a split second, Beam’s curiosity got the better of him. He walked over and leaned against the bar beside Forth.

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” Beam said, his tone casual but with a hint of challenge.

Forth looked over at him, his face unreadable. “I don’t expect to see you anywhere, but here we are.”

There was a brief silence between them. For a moment, neither said anything, and the world around them seemed to fade into the background. Beam could feel the tension building between them, a strange energy that neither could ignore.

“Care to join me?” Beam asked with a smirk, motioning to the empty space next to him.

Forth hesitated before nodding, taking a step closer. Neither of them said much after that, but the air around them was thick with an unspoken understanding.

And just like that, their worlds collided—two arrogant young men, each with their own form of power, each with their own baggage, and yet both inexplicably drawn to one another.

What started as a casual conversation led to something else. Neither of them had planned for it, but one thing led to another, and by the end of the night, Beam found himself in a stranger’s bed. And not just any stranger—Forth.

In the haze of alcohol and desire, the lines between who they were and who they could be began to blur. Neither of them had any expectations for what had just happened, but they couldn’t deny the strange pull they felt for each other.

As they lay there in the aftermath, both of them too proud to acknowledge the vulnerability they had just shared, they knew that this night—this reckless moment—had changed something between them. But neither would admit it, not yet.

In the weeks that followed, Beam and Forth didn’t talk about that night. They didn’t need to. It wasn’t something either of them was ready to confront. But as time passed, something shifted. They crossed paths again, and the tension between them was palpable. They weren’t just two guys who had shared a meaningless fling. They were two people who had opened doors to something neither of them could ignore.

But neither of them was ready for what was coming next. And neither of them had any idea how much their worlds were about to change.

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Tbc