Me After You ✔

018

"Lichen is really an astonishing organism." Nai exclaimed to Arthit.

Arthit was cleaning his desk. As the final exams were slightly more than a week away, he began to clear his books from his desk.

"Don't you agree? Lichen can only be produced from algae or cyanobacteria living among the filaments of a fungus in a mutually symbiotic relationship – the algae produces food for the fungus by photosynthesis whilst the fungus gathers moisture and nutrients from the environment. If you separate the fungus and the algae, both would be unable to survive independently, and would eventually die."

Jamie, who had originally been packing her bag, turned back on hearing Nai's words, "Ai Nai, you have such plentiful and abundant feelings, it's really a pity that you didn't enter into a relationship when we're still young and schooling. Well, you still have a couple of days left – do you want to hop onto the train before it's too late?"

Nai kicked Jamie's chair in protest, "There would be better girls waiting in University."

"Not necessarily." Jamie's eyes subtly shifted in another direction.

Nai noted the change in Jamie's gaze, and laughed, "Oi! You have already set your sights on someone, haven't you?"

Jamie didn't bother hiding her admiration, and admitted freely, "When the final examinations are finally over, I'm going to pursue Phana."

"Ah! Then you should try to enter Bangkok's universities as well!" As graduation neared, the impending separation began to loom over the students, and everyone began to fervently wish that there would be no lack of familiar faces in their new environments.

"Sure! I don't want to stay in this district anymore, I hate the people here." Jamie replied. Regardless of whether it was the deceased Namtarn, her, or Arthit – the memories and images of the bullying they suffered, and the coldness and indifference of their classmates, remained vivid in her mind.

Jamie: "When I'm in University, I'm going to learn how to dress myself properly and how to put on make up. I'm going to try to participate in more extracurricular activities and get to know a wider circle of friends."

Naii too, had great hopes for University, and turned to look at Arthit, "Oon, when we're in University, you'd be the undisputed faculty moon."

Arthit raised his eyes lazily to look at Nai, "Because I would be the only soul in the faculty of Mathematics or the faculty of Physics?"

Jamie burst out laughing, and stuck her tongue at Arthit playfully, "You're such a dork!"

Arthit subtly pouted.

Nai couldn't contain his laughter either, "I take back my words – you're not going to be the faculty moon, you'd be the Campus moon! Campus Moon! — Oon, if you select an Engineering school, you'd have a ton of suitors. Have you ever thought about your ideal type?"

Arthit carefully placed the Oxford Advanced Learner's English Thai Dictionary in his school bag, and zipped it up. In a soft voice, he replied, "If I commit murder, they commit arson."

Jamie: "......"

Nai: "......"

Arthit continued slowly, "But I won't murder anybody, and I don't want them to commit arson either." I really don't want him too.

Jamie pushed Arthit's hand gently, "Your jokes are always soooo cold. Basically, your ideal type is someone who would love you to the point where they would willingly die for you, isn't it? But there's nobody like that in the present day and age!"

Nai chimed in as well, "Yeah, tell us seriously – what's your ideal type?"

"Someone who treats me as a...... little child. Wherever I go, they would......follow. If I'm not within their line of sight, they would feel anxious and uneasy; and if they're not within my line of sight, I too......would feel anxious and uneasy."