Daily Interactions

Define

Strangers : a person whom one does not know or with whom one is not familiar

The university campus was not that big to the extent that they wouldn't have crossed path especially when they are in the same faculty. However it is no different from two people crossing each other in a junction or at the traffic light. People are often engrossed with their own friends, their phones, their own world that they don't really look at whose path they crossed because these people are just strangers, no one important. For these two who are so very different in nature and running with different cliques, this also holds true.

The younger walked past the large crowd which is strangely muted, the atmosphere tinged heavy with tension. As he reached to the edge of the crowd, he looked in and saw the new year of freshmen, all seated quietly while five hazers walked down the rows, making sure everyone is dressed properly and behaving themselves. One hazer stood out of the rest, smileless face, stern eyes flicking through the lines as purposeful steps were taken forward. Suddenly someone started shouting hysterically from his pocket and he ducked back into the crowd scrambling for his phone, cursing that he forgot to change the ringtone set by his best friend as a joke as that pair of eyes scanned through the crowd for him.

Acquaintances : slight knowledge of or friendship with someone

That was the first year that the university decided to hold a music festival over a three day period. Students of all ages across all faculties were encouraged to pitch in to help in one way or another. Some joined in for their 5 minutes of fame, some to experience the heyday of youth with friends to make memories and some joined for a better padded job resume in future.

It was during this when the older first noticed the younger, the younger being in the category of the first and second type of people who joined. It doesn't matter that Krist was a drummer, a position which is generally overshadowed by the vocalist, the guitarist, and hell even the bassist. It was a position to support the rest of the band with the bassist, to just carry a rhythm. But not this drummer, somehow he drew everyone's eyes with the wide almost childlike smile of happiness as he rehearsed. Singto's friend noticed him pausing at the door and staring at the rehearsal where Krist had paused and now sat there drinking a bottle of cold water.

"They are pretty good, aren't they? That's N'Plue on vocals, ,P'Kim and P'Mun on guitar and bass and finally N'Krist on the drums"

Singto nodded as he followed his friend to the school office.

"Krist"

Friends : a person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically one exclusive of sexual or family relations

At the first casting to the subsequent ones, he was comforted by the fact that the younger was playing against him. Regardless of the fact that they are just acquaintances before, the fact that they wore the same uniform, it brought a sense of calm to both of them that they are in this together amongst the sea of strangers. When they both got the call that they were casted, both of them stared at each other in disbelief before giving each other huge hugs, wide smiles mirroring on each other's face, happy that this opportunity had came to them and that they can continue work in this new environment not totally alone in a sea of sharks.

Brothers (P'/Nong or Senior/Junior): one related to another by common ties or interests

It is almost expected for people who spend such enormous amount of time together, even more than with own family and more than with any other colleagues to bond as they did. The older always looked out for the younger, worrying that the childlike innocence of the younger will disappear in this tough industry and the younger worried about the older, knowing how introverted the older is and that it is draining him daily. Both became each other's battery charger, giving each other that much needed support as well as the shoulder to rest on when they need to take that crucial break from the world.

When things fell apart for them in different ways, one from a long term relationship and the other in making a change in university choice after wasting those few years, the one thing that had propelled them continuously forward was the other, no judgement, no guilt trips but just a listening ear and the assurance that however the decisions play out, the other is there to walk the journey together.

"Brothers-P'/Nong" Flirtationship : a relationship between two friends, where both people engage in flirtatious behavior without the promise of becoming anything more

Somehow somewhere along the line, things changed. Perhaps it's that now they are both single, another season filmed and done, multiple rounds of fanmeeting and reading seeing the fans reactions to them on social media and real life, they had both suddenly fell into this strange territory.

Suggestive, cheeky, sassy banter and innocent not so innocent touches between them grew exponentially. The younger always very quick at returning them, the older have his moments where he manage to stun the younger to silence with those intense eyes, all these delivered with everyone watching with bated breaths, wondering if this is just a fanservice for the fans or is it something more. As time passed, the younger grew more and more aware of the older, his face turning red far too fast betraying his emotions while the older changed for the opposite, grew smoother and less flustered, letting nothing slip out, no one could tell with him on what's on his mind.

Behind closed doors, both also didn't address the elephant in the room, scared to tipple the scales either way, the thought to move backward or forward and the implications it have and the potential regrets and doubts crippled both of them to be stagnant.

Friends : a person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically one exclusive of sexual or family relations

As their popularity skyrocketed further, their schedules were booked back to back and time to meet grew lesser and lesser. Initially there were calls that spanned hours as they fill the other in on what had happened during the day, consulting the other on issues, messages throughout the day where they will share random articles and meeting on spare time for movies or game sessions. These dwindled down more and more as time passed as they start hanging out with different people, the calls shortening to minutes to none as the messages disappearing and time offs are spent with other friends and family.

It wasn't that one didn't care for the other and vice versa but that step not taken earlier, the doubts that crippled them had multiplied with a good dosage of insecurity, that was probably what made one to finally decide to open his heart to others.

Acquaintances : slight knowledge of or friendship with someone

The news caught his eyes as he scanned through the latest headlines. He clicked on it, reading the article of the upcoming marriage. Something inside just throbbed ever so slightly before he closed the news article, and continue scrolling down the news web portal.

Strangers : a person whom one does not know or with whom one is not familiar

One, now a successful director who had finally returned to Bangkok after several years of directing and producing several very well received movies in New York rushed out of the door post the radio interview and to the waiting van to the next interview location. Another just arrived for his own interview on his newly released music album which had hit the top of the charts. Both rushed past each other, too preoccupied with their own thoughts and the phone in their hands, both now just strangers in a crowd.

A/N: This term came up recently Flirtationship and we also agreed it described SK so very well...

In case you are wondering, this was the ringtone: