Chapter 4: Sunset Reunion

 Summary:

Fern joyfully reunites with her best friend, Don, while Rain and Sky share playful banter. Rain’s curiosity about Fern’s emotional songs leads to deeper questions.

Notes:

This is a work of Fiction. I do not own the characters. Any similarities to real persons and events are unintentional. Enjoy!

The golden hour bathed the university campus in a soft, honeyed glow. Fern, Rain, and Sky—three distinct personalities—ascended the steps toward the grand auditorium. Their footsteps echoed against the stone, anticipation humming in the air.

Fern, the spirited cheerleader with a heart as buoyant as her pom-poms, led the way. Her excitement was palpable, and her friends couldn't help but catch the contagious buzz. As they reached the top step, a familiar voice sliced through the tranquility like a well-practiced aria.

"N'Fern!"

Fern spun around, eyes wide, and there he was: Don, the lanky architecture student with an easy smile. His presence was like the first notes of a favorite song—the kind that makes your heart skip a beat. Fern flung herself into his arms, her joy erupting in a cascade of syllables.

"P'DON! P'DON! P'DOOOOOOONNNNN!"

Don caught her effortlessly, laughter dancing in his eyes. Team and Win, Fern's loyal companions, exchanged amused glances. Team, ever the playful one, piped up.

"Hey, not fair! We're here too, you know. But you only noticed P'Don."

Fern rolled her eyes, still grinning. "He's my best friend, Team. What brings you here, P'Don?"

Don explained that he'd received an invitation to a senior architecture seminar—a rare opportunity—and had sought Fern's guidance on navigating the labyrinthine campus. Team and Win, always the supportive duo, had volunteered to chauffeur him here.

"Architecture seminar?" Fern furrowed her brow, her mind already sketching out blueprints of curiosity.

Meanwhile, Rain checked his phone. His eyes widened. "I forgot! P'Payu's been calling me!"

Sky, the quiet observer, chuckled. "Better call him back before he turns this place upside down."

Rain stepped away to return the call, and Sky extended a hand to Don. "I'm Sky," he said, his voice as serene as a cloudless sky. "Welcome to our little corner of chaos."

"Rain, can you take P'Don with you? He's attending the seminar too."

Rain nodded, his protective instincts kicking in. "Sure thing, Fern. P'Don, follow me. We'll navigate this maze of academia together."

Don, ever the easygoing soul, fell into step beside Rain. "Thanks, man. I appreciate it."

As they walked away, Fern turned to Sky, her expression half-amused, half-serious. "Sky, my dear, you have a mission. Inform P'Payu that Rain is now P'Don's unofficial guide. And—"

"—and?" Sky leaned in, intrigued.

"—and that I want P'Don to live long enough to collect Social Security with us," Fern declared, her eyes sparkling.

Win, the resident skeptic, raised an eyebrow. "Why the warning, Fern? Is Rain secretly a ninja?"

Fern chuckled. "Not a ninja, P'Win. But Rain and Sky? They're like the guardians of our little universe. Their boyfriends? Well, let's just say they've perfected the art of 'protect and serve.'"

Win's curiosity piqued. "Protect and serve? Sounds like a cop drama."

Fern leaned in, lowering her voice. "More like a supernatural thriller. You see, anyone who dared to harm Rain or Sky—whether physically or emotionally—vanished into thin air. Poof! Gone. Like they'd stepped into an alternate dimension where consequences catch up with you."

Sky grinned. "Fern's being dramatic, of course."

"But it's true!" Fern insisted. "Remember that guy who tried to ruin Rain's reputation earlier this year? She mysteriously transferred to another university overnight. And the one who pushed Sky into the fountain? Last I heard, he's now a professional mime."

Win burst out laughing. "A mime? Seriously?"

"Seriously," Fern confirmed. "So, when I say P'Don needs to live until we're old and gray, I mean it. Rain and Sky's boyfriends are like the universe's bouncers—no entry without proper credentials."

Sky winked at Fern. "And what about your credentials, Miss Fern? Are you part of this cosmic protection squad?"

Fern twirled a strand of hair. "Nah, I'm more like the official cheerleader. My job is to keep spirits high and pom-poms fluffed."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Rain's steps faltered as he walked alongside Don, the sun casting long shadows on the pavement. The question had been gnawing at him, and now, with the golden hour painting everything in warm hues, he couldn't hold it back any longer.

"Uhm, Phi," Rain began, using the respectful Thai term for an older brother, "are you Fern's ex or something?"

Don's laughter bubbled up. "No, not an ex. Fern is my best friend. We've been through thick and thin together—more like siblings than anything else."

Rain nodded, glancing sideways at Don. "But do you know why her songs are always so sad? It's like she's weaving heartache into every lyric."

Don's smile softened. "Ah, Fern's songs—the melodies of her soul. You should ask the songwriter herself. She'll tell you when she's ready. There's a depth to her emotions that she guards fiercely."

Rain considered this. "I guess it's better that way. Some things are meant to be revealed in their own time."

And then, as if scripted by the universe's most whimsical playwright, Rain spotted Payu waiting near the seminar hall. Payu—the golden boy of architecture, with charisma that could sway even the most stubborn blueprints. Rain's heart did a clumsy pirouette.

"Rain! Over here!"

Rain practically floated toward Payu, gravity momentarily forgotten. Don, trailing behind, watched with wide eyes. "This year's Architecture golden boy is your boyfriend?"

Payu extended a hand to Don, his smile as dazzling as a sunbeam. "You must be N'Fern's friend. I've heard about you."

Don wai'd respectfully—a gesture of acknowledgment. "It's an honor to meet you, Khun Venice."

Payu laughed, shaking Don's hand. "Stop with the 'Khun.' P'Payu is fine. Let's head inside—the seminar is about to start."