Kissing P'Arthit (Completed)

The day the bet begins...

Monday morning comes around too quickly. Kongpob is still feeling the effects of too much sun, yet he manages to rise at his usual time and takes a quick jog around campus, before showering and prepping for the day.

Knotting his tie, his fingers are trembling. And when he checks the messages on his phone, his heart thumps at a wicked pace.

Quickly he taps out a reply, making multiple spelling and grammar mistakes that he would normally correct. But when the reply pings into his phone, he manages to calm himself and prepares for what is to come.

His journey to campus is quiet, the only calm moment of the entirety of his day...

"Kong! Over here!" M yells, gripping Kong's arm as soon as he arrives. "Look, Oak's all ready for battle!"

Oak was standing in the centre of their group, applying multiple layers of lip balm.

"See, if I have this on, when I kiss him, it won't really be my lips touching his at all! It'll be this stuff and then it won't be the same as kissing a girl or anything.."

Maprang laughs loudly, "Good luck getting to him first, Oak! Have you seen what's happening around you?"

Kongpob takes a moment to glance around, stopping in his tracks as he notes that almost every first year girl seems to be in the quad area. They are standing in small packs, chattering excitedly, some applying lip gloss, others teasing their hair. He takes a deep breath as he watches them, before he turns back to his own group.

"Come on guys, you can't actually be serious about this?" He asks, trying to inject some disappointment into his voice.

But his friend's just nod, "The betting pool has increased to over 12,000 Baht now Kong! I really can't turn down the chance to have that money." Prae insists.

"And I just want to kiss him..." Maprang agrees dreamily.

"Oh, really Maprang?" Oak asks, coming to stand beside her, "Then you kiss him and give me the money? How about that?"

Maprang turns on him quickly, "No way, you freeloader! If I'm kissing him, then I'll need the cash to spend on pretty outfits for our dates."

May giggles beside her and Kongpob turns to her, "Are you planning on trying, May?"

She gives him a long look, then glances over at M, "Umm.. I don't think so.. well, unless no one else manages to and I ask his permission and he says yes."

Kongpob laughs, "I see. So at least you're asking his permission. How about the rest of you? Are you giving him free choice?"

Guilty faces stare back at him, but Prae is the only one who replies, "I will ask him too. I'm sure he wouldn't mind kissing me over most of these desperate souls, he did.."

"..ask for your number.." the whole group chorus together.

She blushes prettily, "Well, yes."

Suddenly, there's a huge commotion at the entrance to the quad. A line of maroon workshop shirts is approaching, P'Knott and P'Tootah in the middle. There's no sign of P'Arthit, though he must surely be somewhere nearby as he hasn't made it to uni already according to the gossip.

Across the courtyard, everyone settles, chatting stops, rustling stops and there's dead silence.

Until, P'Bright steps forward from behind P'Knott.

"Good Morning freshmen," he begins, "It has come to my attention that there is something important happening on campus today. Something which many of you are part of. I had hoped that someone might have the decency to share this with the seniors and give us the chance to join in too, after all, each of us would be pretty pleased to earn 8000 Baht today for pretty much no effort, although perhaps a missing limb might entail..."

The crowd begin to whisper, many sounding distressed, but then P'Knott steps forward and raises his fist. "Silence!"

A figure appears from behind the sea of red shirts, P'Arthit. Immediately, a gaggle of women rush towards him, screaming loudly, but the hazers surround him once more, an honour guard to protect him from them.

There are many disappointed and dejected sounds before the freshies return to their friends, hands being placed on backs in consolation.

Knott speaks again, "If anyone tries that again, then we will be speaking to the Dean!"

There's a gasp through the courtyard and a few of the women begin to whimper, then some turn as though to leave, but before they can P'Arthit's loud hazer voice rings through the quad.

"I have heard that many of you are here this early for a reason.. and that reason is a bet you first years have concocted." There are more whispers.

Beside Kongpob, Maprang asks, "How did he find out? We kept it so secret.."

"What?" Kong asks, "You wanted 115 people to keep the secret together?"

She gives him a sharp glance.. "Did you do this Kongpob?"

Before he can respond, P'Arthit continues, "I heard that you guys bet on who could be the first to kiss me?"

He pauses as the girls (and several guys) blush red and shuffle their feet, and in some cases hide behind their friends.

"I heard that some of you.." he looks around at them, fearsome hazer once more, "Had planned to jump me, even, in order to be the first."

Again, he stares at them all, eyes burning. "I am sorely disappointed! I recognise that one of the aims of SOTUS is to encourage you to work together, to be a well oiled gear, to have spirit and be creative. But it also teaches you about seniority, respect and order. None of these are being shown here today."

Arthit pauses again and his eyes sweep the crowd, "Now, I have a proposition."

Beside him, Maprang clutches at Kongpob's wrist, her fingernails digging in.

"If you are interested in winning that bet, you must ask my permission to kiss me."

Immediately, a hoard of young women rush towards the hazers and they immediately form ranks around Arthit once more, keeping him safe from their screams.

Knott holds his fist in the air and again, everyone freezes. "A few rules for you, Freshmen."

The groups of freshies back away, forming a haphazard semi-circle in front of P'Knott who pulls a sheet of paper from his pocket.

"Rule one: You must ask Arthit politely if you may kiss him. Two, you cannot touch him or stand closer than an arm's length from him when you ask. Rule three, you must accept his decision immediately - if it is a no, then you must leave at once and there is no second chance. Four, you may only ask Arthit when he is not studying or clearly busy with another activity. And finally, if P'Arthit gives you permission, you must show him your respect."

Around the courtyard there are whispered murmurs as P'Knott finishes speaking. But when Prem steps forward, they die away quickly.

"First years," his voice is low and deep, yet it carries across the courtyard easily, "No-one is to break these rules. If you do, there will be dire consequences for you and your whole year group! Now, we are going to class, so hold yourself together until the break."

Then the hazers march away, P'Arthit at the centre of them.