SOTUS - English Version (Re-written translation)

CHAPTER 1

"Do you hear my voice? I can barely hear you!" he shouted like a prison warden. Only, these weren't prisoners.  This was the new group of freshman students in the SSU Faculty of Engineering.  In front of the freshmen stood the third-years, wearing their uniform of red shirts and stern looks upon their faces.

His voice boomed around the auditorium but the first years didn't react, instead they all sat with their heads hanging low, staring at the floor. These juniors are so timid, he thought to himself. Have they all suddenly lost their hearing?

"Didn't you hear what I asked? I asked how many students are in your first-year class!" he yelled.

He was met with silence. P'Arthit didn't mind the silence. It meant that the students were suitably afraid of him.

The university has been open for two days already, thought Arthit. There's no way they'll be able to remember how many freshman there are in the Faculty of Engineering. Their department had the highest number of students in the university. This was the perfect way to catch out someone and make an example of them.

"No one can answer me. That must mean that you don't care about your own friends!" Arthit concluded. He paced slowly back and forth in front of the shaking group of first-years. 

He noticed that a few of the students were silently sobbing to themselves. My training is clearly going to be effective he thought. He didn't enjoy seeing the students being upset, but it was the duty of the hazers to be firm with the new starters. Instinctively he wanted to console the tearful students, but he had to keep a stern look upon his face.

He noticed a young, beautiful girl was crying harder than the rest. The boy who was sat next to her kindly handed her a handkerchief to wipe away her tears. The girl thanked him with a small smile.

"You! Get up!" The head hazer shouted, pointing at the boy who owned the handkerchief.

The junior stood up confidently and stared defiantly into Arthit's eyes. The boy had a sweet, masculine face and an aura that radiated kindness. Arthit was shocked to see that this junior was taller than him.

"Tell me your name and code." Arthit demanded.

"My name is Kongpob Sutthiluck. Code 0062." The boy replied, calmly.

"How many students are in the Engineering faculty?"

"I don't know. I never counted."

Arthit smiled slyly at the boys response.

Kongpob's face was calm, but his hand twitched with irritation. I'd love to punch his face, the junior boy thought to himself.  He felt the eyes of hundreds of freshmen staring at him. He knew he couldn't retaliate to the hazer without facing punishment.

P'Arthit saw the conflict on the first-year's face.  "Even if you don't know, you will answer me when I ask you a question. Do you understand?" Arthit said firmly.

"Understood."

Arthit reached into his pockets and pulled out a thin rope with a metal gear charm dangling from it. He held it up to Kongpob's face.

"You see this gear?" he asked.

"I see it." Kongpob replied.

"This gear represents the pride of all engineers." Said Arthit, turning to address all of the freshman students. "Not just one particular person. And if any of you can't prove to me that you should earn one, feel free to get out of here. And I won't consider you my junior students anymore." 

Arthit's words rang in the ears of the first-years like a threat.  It became clear to the juniors that earning their gear was not going to be easy.

"Now Kongpob... What if I don't give you this gear badge? What will you do?" Questioned the head hazer, dangling the gear tauntingly in front of his junior's eyes.

The head hazer knew that he had won. Either the junior would say he didn't know, or he would rebel and Arthit could make an example of him. Either way, he had bested the young boy. Arthit waited moments for an answer, but Kongpob was silent.

The third-year turned his back on the students and walked back towards his fellow hazers.

"I will just take it." Kongpob said, meekly.

"What do you mean?" asked P'Arthit, turning suddenly and studying the junior's face.

Kongpob considered his answer carefully. I wish I knew what I meant he thought to himself.

"Well..." Kongpob began. "If you do not give me the gear, I will take it from you."

His words echoed around the silent auditorium. The first-years stared at him in admiration.

Arthit didn't know what to say. His body shook with anger. He reached out and grabbed Kongpob's collar. "How are you going to do that? You think you can get the gear from me?!" he asked furiously.

Kongpob smiled at the hazer's reaction. "Easy. I'll just make you my wife. They say, what belongs to your lover is also yours. So if I make you my wife, your gear badge is mine."

Arthit was filled with rage as the room erupted with the sound of first-years chattering. "Silence!" he shouted and the hall fell silent once more. He took a deep breath and composed himself.

"You're brave, Kongpob. Let's see if you can really do what you say. But for now the gears are mine, and I have the right to order you to do anything." He turned and walked back to the front of the auditorium.

"Kongpob. Code 0062. 200 jump squats. Start now!" he commanded. 

The young boy put his arms behind his head and started to squat.  The fellow first years could do nothing but watch in sympathy.

Arthit kept a close watch on the first-year. Keep your heart out of it, he told himself. I'm not sure what to make of this kid. But I know who will be the wife.