The morning sun filtered through the grimy windows of the law faculty building, casting long shadows across the empty hallways. It was barely seven AM, but Korn was already at his usual spot in the corner of the library's third floor, textbooks spread around him like a fortress of knowledge. He had two hours before his first class, two precious hours of silence before the chaos of university life began.
He didn't notice the figure watching him from behind the economics section.
Prem adjusted his position slightly, careful not to let his expensive leather shoes squeak against the floor. Three months. That's how long he'd been coming to this library, not for the dusty law books or the uncomfortable wooden chairs, but for this exact view. The way morning light caught the serious concentration on Korn's face. The unconscious habit of biting his lower lip when he encountered a difficult passage. The precise way he arranged his highlighters in rainbow order.
Prem knew Korn's schedule better than his own. Monday, Wednesday, Friday - library at 7 AM sharp. Tuesday, Thursday - campus coffee shop at 7:30, always ordering the same iced americano with an extra shot. Korn studied alone except for group sessions with his tight-knit circle of friends every Sunday evening in the law faculty lounge.
And somewhere in that carefully structured routine was Mark.
The engineering student who got to sit close enough to touch Korn's hand during their secret study sessions. Who received those rare, genuine smiles that made Korn's eyes crinkle at the corners. Who had somehow claimed the most interesting person on campus without even seeming to appreciate what he had.
Prem's phone buzzed. A text from Bank, his best friend and eternal source of gossip.
"Bro, where are you? We're supposed to meet Prof. Siriporn about the business conference in 20 mins"
Prem glanced at Korn one more time. The law student was completely absorbed in his constitutional law textbook, one finger tracing lines as he read. So focused. So dedicated. So utterly unaware that his secret boyfriend had been seen at three different parties this semester getting increasingly comfortable with a pretty engineering major named Mint.
"On my way," Prem typed back, but he didn't move immediately. Instead, he watched as Korn reached for his phone, his expression brightening in that particular way that meant Mark was texting him.
Prem felt something cold settle in his chest as he watched Korn's face fall. The brightness dimmed, replaced by confusion, then disappointment. Even from this distance, Prem could see the slight slump in Korn's shoulders as he stared at his phone screen.
What had Mark said this time? Another cancellation? Another excuse?
Korn set his phone face-down on the table and returned to his book, but the focused energy was gone. Now he was just staring at the pages, unseeing.
Prem made his decision. He pulled out his own phone and opened the university's student portal, navigating to the business faculty's event calendar. With a few quick taps, he created a new entry: "Inter-Faculty Mixer - Tonight 8 PM - Venue: The Spot." He set it to send automatic notifications to all students across faculties.
If Mark was going to disappoint Korn tonight, then maybe it was time for someone else to step in.
Prem gathered his things quietly and headed for the exit. He had a meeting with Professor Siriporn to attend, and later, a party to crash.
Across campus in the engineering building, Mark was having his own morning crisis. His best friend Jay leaned against the lockers with arms crossed, watching Mark pace back and forth like a caged animal.
"You can't keep doing this," Jay said. "It's been three months, Mark. Three months of sneaking around with both of them."
Mark ran his hands through his hair, a gesture that would have been attractive if not for the obvious stress behind it. "You don't understand. It's complicated."
"What's complicated? You're dating Korn. You're also apparently dating Mint. Basic math says you're an asshole."
"I'm not dating Mint!" Mark snapped, then immediately lowered his voice as other students passed by. "We're just... it's not what you think."
Jay raised an eyebrow. "So when I saw you two making out at Ping's party last weekend, that was what? Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation?"
Mark's face flushed. "That was a mistake. I was drunk, and she was there, and..."
"And Korn wasn't."
The accusation hung in the air between them. Mark wanted to deny it, but they both knew Jay was right. Every time Korn couldn't make it to a party, every time their secret relationship felt too heavy, too real, too much like something Mark couldn't take back, he found himself gravitating toward Mint. Sweet, uncomplicated Mint who didn't ask questions about why they couldn't be seen together on campus. Who didn't have serious conversations about the future or relationships or what they meant to each other.
"Korn deserves better than this," Jay continued. "And honestly? So does Mint. You need to figure out what you want before you destroy both of them."
Mark's phone buzzed. A text from Korn asking about their date tonight, the one they'd planned last week to finally go somewhere off-campus, somewhere they could be seen together without worrying about classmates or gossip.
His finger hovered over the keyboard. He thought about Korn's earnest face during their conversation last week, how he'd talked about wanting to be more open about their relationship. How tired he was of hiding. How much he cared about Mark.
Then he thought about the business faculty mixer notification that had just popped up on his screen. Mint would probably be there. And if Korn was expecting him to show up for their date...
"Can't make it tonight. Something came up with the project. Rain check?"
He sent the message before he could change his mind, then immediately felt sick.
Jay was watching him with disappointment. "You just chose her again, didn't you?"
Mark didn't answer. He didn't need to.
Back in the library, Korn stared at Mark's message for a full minute before setting his phone aside. The third cancellation this month. Always the same excuse – engineering project, group work, family obligation. Always at the last minute, always when Korn had already rearranged his schedule, turned down his friends' invitations, built his day around the anticipation of a few stolen hours together.
"Rough morning?"
Korn looked up to find Ping sliding into the chair across from him, his arms full of coffee cups and pastries from the campus café. His best friend since freshman orientation, Ping had an uncanny ability to appear whenever he needed him most.
"Is it that obvious?" Korn asked, accepting the iced americano he offered him.
"You have your 'Mark cancelled again' face on," he said bluntly. "Plus, you're doing that thing where you arrange your pens in perfect lines when you're upset."
As if summoned by his name, Gun appeared beside their table, quietly setting down his own books. Their third musketeer was the opposite of Ping in every way – where Ping was loud and dramatic, Gun was soft-spoken and observant. Where Ping demanded attention, Gun preferred to fade into the background. But they balanced each other perfectly, and together they formed Korn's inner circle.
"He didn't steal my highlighter," Korn muttered. "He just... cancelled our date tonight."
"Again?" Ping's voice rose loud enough to earn shushing sounds from nearby students. He lowered it to a whisper that somehow sounded even more outraged. "Korn, this is getting ridiculous. When was the last time you two actually went on a proper date?"
Korn tried to remember. Two weeks ago? Three? Time blurred together when every plan fell through.
"Maybe he's just stressed about his classes," Gun offered diplomatically. "Engineering is pretty demanding."
"So is law," Ping shot back. "But Korn still makes time for the people he cares about. If Mark wanted to see him, he'd find a way."
They were treading into dangerous territory now. The territory where Korn had to face questions he'd been avoiding for weeks. Questions about whether Mark was as invested in their relationship as Korn was. Whether the secrecy was really about protecting themselves from gossip, or if Mark was ashamed of what they had together.
"Look," Ping continued, "I know you like him, but you deserve someone who's excited to be with you. Someone who shows up when they say they will. Someone who doesn't make you feel like a backup plan."
Korn's chest tightened. "It's not like that."
"Isn't it?" Gun asked gently. "When was the last time he initiated a date? Or even just texted you first?"
The questions hit too close to home. Korn gathered his books abruptly, needing to escape before his friends could see how much their words affected him.
"I have to get to class," he said.
"Korn, wait—" Ping started, but he was already walking away.
He made it halfway down the hall before his phone buzzed again. For a moment, his heart jumped, thinking it might be Mark with an apology, maybe changing his mind about tonight. Instead, it was a university notification about some inter-faculty mixer.
He was about to delete it when he noticed the venue. The Spot. The same club where Mark's engineering friends liked to hang out on weekends. The same club Mark had mentioned wanting to try but never seemed to have time for when it came to actual plans with Korn.
Maybe Ping was right. Maybe it was time to stop waiting around for someone who didn't seem to want to be found.
In Professor Siriporn's office overlooking the campus courtyard, Prem's meeting ended twenty minutes early. She'd been impressed with his proposal for the inter-faculty business conference, impressed enough to give him carte blanche for organizing the networking events and choosing the venues.
"You have excellent instincts for bringing people together, Mr. Sirichoke," she'd said. "I trust your judgment completely."
If only she knew what he was really planning to bring together tonight.
Prem spent the rest of the morning in his usual routine – attending lectures, participating in student government meetings, maintaining the perfect facade of the model student everyone expected him to be. But his mind was elsewhere, calculating possibilities, considering variables.
By now, Korn would have received the mixer notification. Would he attend? The Korn that Prem had been observing for months was dutiful, social enough with his close friends but hesitant about large gatherings. Under normal circumstances, he'd probably skip it.
But these weren't normal circumstances. Mark had cancelled their date, and if Prem's assessment of their relationship was correct, Korn was getting tired of being disappointed.
During lunch, Prem positioned himself at a table with a clear view of the law faculty building entrance. At exactly 12:30, Korn emerged with his two friends, the loud one and the quiet one. Prem had learned their names months ago – Ping and Gun – along with everything else about Korn's social circle.
He watched them walk toward the campus food court, noting the way Korn's shoulders were still tense, the way he kept checking his phone. The same disappointed posture Prem had observed earlier in the library after Mark's cancellation text. Whatever was bothering Korn this morning was clearly still weighing on him.
Once they disappeared from view, Prem allowed himself a small smile. Everything was falling into place.
His phone rang. Bank's name flashed on the screen.
"Where do you want to go tonight?" Bank asked without preamble. "There's that new rooftop bar, or we could hit up the usual spots..."
"Actually," Prem said, "I heard about a mixer at The Spot. Might be interesting."
"A mixer? Since when do you care about university social events?" Bank paused, and Prem could practically hear the grin in his voice. "Wait, let me guess. Is a certain law student going to be there?"
Prem's jaw tightened. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Right. So this has nothing to do with that guy you've been stalking around campus for months? What's his name again... Korn?"
"I haven't been stalking anyone."
"Bro, you know his class schedule better than your own. You've been to the law library more times this semester than some actual law students. Just ask him out already."
"It's not that simple."
"Sure it isn't." Bank laughed. "Fine, but when you finally work up the courage to actually talk to him instead of just creeping from behind bookshelves, I want details. And if this mixer is boring, we're leaving early."
"Deal."
Prem hung up, irritated by Bank's teasing but also oddly relieved. His friends thought this was just a harmless crush, some shy romantic pursuit that Prem was too nervous to act on. They had no idea how deeply he'd studied Korn, how carefully he'd planned, how long he'd been waiting for the perfect moment.
If only they knew that tonight wasn't about working up courage. Tonight was about capitalizing on an opportunity that Prem had orchestrated himself.
Soon, Korn would realize that he deserved so much better than someone who took him for granted. And when that moment came, Prem would be ready to offer himself as the alternative.
The only question was whether Korn would be desperate enough to take it.