Chapter Text
CHAPTER 1:
William sat up on the edge of his bed, rubbing the lingering drowsiness from his eyes. He reached for his phone on the nightstand to check the time.
6:14 AM. Still early enough to sneak back under the covers.
He was just about to pull the blanket over his shoulders when his phone suddenly erupted with a barrage of notifications. The band’s group chat was practically screaming, his friends aggressively begging for a reply.
HONG: Is William still alive? He explicitly told us to wake him up at 6.
TUI: Idk. We finished a little late last night, phi, working on our performance for this month.
HONG: Lego, go check his unit. You’re just a floor below him, right?
LEGO: Yes, but let me get up first, P’Hong. I’m lazyyy TT
NUT: Go na, princess, before Hong lets his dragon mode out
HONG: Nut.
NUT: It was a joke, hon
HONG: Nut Thanat.
NUT: 😭😭
LEGO: Serves you right HAHAHAHA
William grinned, a soft chuckle escaping his lips as he scrolled through the banter. "Wow, so they really remembered what I said last night," he muttered to himself, thoroughly amused.
WILLIAM: HELLOOOO
HONG: So, the kid’s alive.
WILLIAM: Chai, phi. I’ll get up now. No need to come up, Lego. I know you just want a free breakfast!
LEGO: Busted 🤪🤪🤪
Tossing the phone aside, William finally swung his legs out of bed to prepare. Today was a milestone — his very first day of school as a second-year Music Major. A surge of excitement hummed beneath his skin at the thought of reuniting with his bandmates and friends across departments. But deeper down, his heart fluttered for an entirely different reason, the absolute love of his life, as he so boldly claimed.
An hour and a half later, William was practically vibrating with a mix of nervous and excited energy. Before heading out, he stopped to inspect his reflection in the full-length mirror beside his bed.
Uniform? Pressed and immaculate. Check.
Favorite bag? Slung over his shoulder. Check.
The watch his band members gave him for his birthday? Securely on his wrist.
Hair? Styled to absolute perfection.
Favorite perfume? Generously sprayed until the air in his room was thick with it.
He stared at his reflection for a long, quiet minute, admiring the final result before clicking his tongue. “Damn. Who is this?”
A brilliant smile flashed across his face, revealing a row of perfect white teeth. “Ohoo—” he whispered, leaning in closer to the glass. “So damn handsome.”
Laughing at his own shamelessness, he scooped up his keys from the nightstand and practically bounced out of his unit. As he walked down the corridor, his fingers flew across his screen to reopen the group chat.
WILLIAM: @Lego Lil bro, you heading out? Let's go to school together! I’m driving mine. 🫡
He waited by the elevator, his foot tapping an impatient, invisible drumbeat against the floor. A few seconds later, a sharp buzz vibrated against his palm.
LEGO: Negative. Can’t go with you.
WILLIAM: Huh??? Why?? I thought you also have your class @8:30, like mine. Don’t tell me you’re ditching me just to sleep in?? 😭
LEGO: P’Tui’s driving. I’m with him. We already left the condo, you dumbass phiii
William raised an eyebrow, his thumbs hovering mid-air. Before he could even type a confused question mark, Lego’s next justification popped up.
LEGO: He’s giving me a ride. He accidentally stayed over at my place last night with his car. Remember how our band practice ended so late? It wasn't safe for him to travel, so I told him to just sleep at my unit. No big deal.
A massive, mischievous grin slowly spread across William’s face. The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, but he was far too busy cackling to actually step inside. His thumbs practically vibrated with pure teasing energy as he rapidly typed his counterattack.
“I love this drama,” he snickered under his breath.
WILLIAM: "Accidentally" 🙈 OH?? Wow, how incredibly chivalrous of you, Nong. Letting him sleep in your unit? I didn’t even know about this, and I’m literally just a floor above you! Are you going to start charging him rent next? Lolololol
WILLIAM: Fine, fine! Enjoy your 'accidental' morning date! Don't take too long, I'd hate for Tui to be late for class because of you! 🫵🤪
Before Lego could respond with a flurry of angry typing, William locked his phone, still snickering to himself. Shoving it into his pocket, he finally stepped into the elevator, fully fueled by the morning gossip and ready to face the day — and hopefully, cross paths with a certain Student Council Disciplinary President.
---
The university campus was loudly buzzing, alive with the vibrant, chaotic energy of the first day. It was a terrifyingly fresh start for the wide-eyed freshmen, another year of academic suffering for the juniors, and a final test of patience for the exhausted seniors.
William pulled up to the parking lot on his motorbike, kicking down the stand. As he lifted his helmet, a welcome, cool morning breeze swept through his hair. Shifting his gaze toward the main entrance, he watched the endless stream of students flowing through the gates.
Right by the side of the walkway, he spotted Tui and Lego. William’s grin returned instantly. Lego was completely glued to his phone, likely coordinates-checking with their other bandmates or his other friends, while Tui hovered comfortably beside him with his hands in his pockets, flashing his signature friendly smile and greeting familiar faces.
William jogged over to bridge the distance. “Good morning, guys!”
“Thought you wouldn’t make it,” Tui replied warmly, gesturing toward the entrance. “Let’s head inside.”
As they walked toward the university gates, William leaned closer to Lego, flashing his most obnoxiously smug grin. He didn't say a word, but the silent, wagging eyebrows were enough to tease his nong about the morning's text exchange mercilessly. Lego let out an annoyed snort and lunged to smack William's arm, but Tui quickly stepped between them to break up the petty bickering.
“Guys, look,” Tui murmured, his tone shifting.
William and Lego paused, their eyes following the direction of Tui’s nod.
The air left William's lungs in a sharp, audible gasp — so loud that a few nearby students actually turned around to look at him.
“Is... is that who I think it is?” William stammered, all his previous bravado dissolving in an instant.
Now, the tables were turned, and Lego was the one wearing a wicked smirk. “Look who we have there, P’Will. Good luck, Loverboy.” He laughed mercilessly at the older boy, watching with absolute satisfaction as William’s face rapidly transformed into a vibrant, deep tomato red.
“Will, relax,” Tui advised, trying and failing to suppress his own amusement. “We just need to walk past them. You look perfect right now, there's no need to be so nervous.”
They resumed their trek toward the gates, though William was now silently reciting the names of every saint he could think of. He desperately tried to keep his head down, but his eyes kept betraying him, executing covert, frantic glances at the figure commanding the gate.
There stood the Student Council Disciplinary President, flanked by his officers. Est looked terrifyingly strict, a sleek clipboard tucked securely under his arm as his intense, unyielding gaze scanned every passing student, searching for the slightest violation of the school code. Beside him stood Phuwin, the Vice President, whose sharp eyes instantly crinkled into a warm smile upon spotting the band members. Completing the trio was Hong, the council secretary, wearing his usual deeply unamused expression.
“Oh, Tui, good morning. I guess you’re not on duty today?” Phuwin greeted cheerfully, acknowledging Tui’s secondary role within the disciplinary council.
Tui offered a respectful nod in return. “Good morning, P'Phu. My duty’s tomorrow alongside P’Dunk and P’Est. So, I get to be lazy for today.”
“P’Hong, where’s P’Nut?” Lego piped up.
“Already inside,” Hong replied smoothly, adjusting his collar. “He has an 8:00 AM class today, so we had to get here much earlier.”
William, however, was entirely deaf to the conversation happening a mere foot away from him. His eyes had locked onto Est again. But the president didn’t spare their group even a passing glance. He remained completely aloof, focused entirely on his paperwork, causing William’s imaginary puppy ears to droop in instant defeat.
Tui caught the sudden, pathetic shift in his friend's posture and decided to intervene.
“Pres. Good morning!” Tui called out brightly.
Est finally shifted his focus, tearing his eyes away from the crowd to look directly at the band members. With the sudden shift in attention, William violently dropped his head, staring at the pavement while praying desperately that Est wouldn't hear the deafening, frantic thumping of his heart.
“Morning,” Est responded, his voice smooth but cool.
“You wouldn’t have even looked at us if I hadn’t called out, P’Est,” Tui teased, injecting a deliberately dramatic whine into his voice.
Lego immediately backed him up. “Right, Phi. I’m truly heartbroken na.”
The president let out a slow, thoroughly unamused sigh. “I know you three always follow the rules. I already checked your uniforms while you were walking up. There is no need to pay you any extra attention.”
You three.
Three.
Damn, I’m included in that? He knows I follow the rules?!
He knows me??
ME?! As in... ME?! William’s brain completely short-circuited. I am writing this down in my family’s historical records!
His frantic internal monologue was violently shattered when Lego’s elbow sharply connected with his ribs.
“What?” William hissed in a frantic, hushed whisper, terrified of making a sound.
“You dumbass, he’s looking right at you!” Lego whispered back urgently.
William’s head snapped up automatically. It was a reflex he regretted the exact millisecond it happened. Est was, in fact, looking at him.
Directly. At. Him.
“W-What? Uhm... Did I– Ah, I... I-I didn't do anything wrong! I swear!” William blurted out, the words tumbling over his tongue in a panicked, uncoordinated rush.
Est raised a singular, elegant eyebrow, his stoic expression twisting into genuine confusion. “Uh, I didn’t say you did.”
“Huh? Uh... I– No– Of course you didn’t,” William stammered wildly, his face burning hotter by the second. “You... you wouldn’t say that to me, right? O-Of course. Why would you say that to me? S-Sorry. I’m so stupid.” He brutally bit his lower lip, screaming internally.
What the hell am I saying? Get it together, William.
Lego couldn’t contain it anymore. He burst into a loud, uncontrollable fit of laughter, clutching his stomach as he thoroughly enjoyed the free entertainment playing out right in front of him. “The heck, P’Will? What are you even saying? This is seriously a peak comedy.”
The tension shattered, replaced by an atmosphere of collective amusement as Phuwin and Tui joined in on the laughter. Even Hong simply shook his head, a rare, amused twitch at the corner of his lips.
“William, just go to your class before you embarrass yourself any further,” Hong instructed, swatting them away playfully.
“Tui, go with him since you're classmates. Lego, head to your own classroom. Stop hanging around them pretending to be a second year. You’re a freshman.”
“Aw. You’re so strict, P’Hong!”
The three music majors quickly turned and began their march toward their respective buildings, leaving the disciplinary council behind at the gates.
Once the boys were safely out of earshot, Phuwin leaned in closer, nudging Est hard with his elbow. “Did you see William? He was practically a human tomato. I thought the poor nong was going to combust right then and there.”
Est tightened his grip on his clipboard, his voice flat. “Maybe he’s feeling hot, Phuwin. Did you happen to forget that it's the middle of the morning?”
“Oh? And did you happen to forget that his face turns that exact color every single time you are within a five-mile radius?” Phuwin countered smoothly, a knowing smirk plastering over his lips. “Morning, lunchtime, or the dead of winter. You name it.”
“I am not participating in this conversation. You are impossible,” Est muttered as he gripped the edge of his clipboard a little harder than strictly necessary.
“You’re avoiding the topic, Phi.”
“No, Phu. You’re just annoying.”
Hong chimed in from the side, shaking his head with a quiet chuckle. “Give it a rest, Phu. You already know how our President flatly denies every single thing that concerns William.” Though his tone was calm, the heavy hint of teasing did not escape Est's burning ears.
Est glared at them both. “Not you too, Hong. I hate you both.”
“Oh, please. You love us!” Phuwin let out a small, unguarded laugh.
Realizing that the teasing won’t stop, Est decided to completely ignore his two officers. He squared his shoulders, adjusted his posture, and forcibly refocused his eyes back on the incoming crowd of students.
The rest of the morning ticked by steadily until the disciplinary council’s morning shift finally came to an end. Relieved, the three officers vacated the gates and walked straight back to the quiet sanctuary of the disciplinary council office.
“Pres, I need to head out to class. It starts in less than thirty minutes,” Hong announced, gathering his personal files from the desk. “My professor is Mr. Espiritu. You know how much of a total terror that old man is.”
Est nodded in grim understanding, remembering his own harrowing encounters with the professor. “Alright. Go ahead.”
“I need to leave too, Phi,” Phuwin added, checking his phone. “Pond just texted me. He’s already waiting at the cafeteria. He wants us to grab a quick bite before he heads to your class later.”
“Sure. I’ll go with you, then,” Est decided, putting his accounting textbook in his bag. “I need to meet Daou and Punch at the cafeteria anyway.”
The three of them locked up the office and walked out into the corridor. After a few minutes of walking, Hong offered a quick wave and split off toward his lecture hall. Est and Phuwin continued on, heading straight for the bustling central cafeteria.
The sprawling hall still had plenty of open tables, given that it was only 10:30 AM — a little too early for the lunch rush to fill the space. Est scanned the wide room, his sharp eyes searching for his friends from the other department. After a brief sweep, he spotted a familiar, chaotic table located at the far edge of the room.
“Phuwin, I’ll head over first,” Est noted.
“Okay, Pres. Say hi to Punch and P’Daou for me.”
“Will do. Tell Pond not to be late for our lecture later.”
Phuwin laughed, a bright smile reaching his pretty eyes. “Oh, I’ll personally scold him if he’s late, just say the word, Phi. See you back at the office later!”
“Yeah, see you.”
Est turned and navigated through the tables toward his friends. Even from a distance, he could see Punch’s shoulders shaking violently from laughter. Daou, on the other hand, was clearly in the middle of spinning an incredibly dramatic tale, using wild, animated hand gestures to paint a picture for an amused Punch.
As Est slid into the empty seat beside him, putting his accounting textbook on the table, Daou immediately paused his performance and smirked.
“Oho, here comes our main character!” Daou declared loudly, laughing directly at him.
Est knit his brows together in immediate suspicion. “What the hell are you talking about, Daou?”
“Stop playing dumb, Mr. President,” Punch scoffed playfully. “P’Daou, tell our gorgeous friend here the exact piece of gossip you just shared with me.”
Daou’s smirk only widened. “It’s nothing major, Est. Just some very reliable inside information regarding you and the little tomato from our department.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Est lied smoothly, keeping his face like stone.
“Oh, please! Come on, Phi, I know you know!” Punch wheedled, leaning forward eagerly. “That little moment at the gate this morning was incredibly cute. I am fully invested in this.”
Annoyed, Est braced his hands on the table and prepared to stand up. He decided he would rather go line up for a drink than sit here and endure his friends’ absolute nonsense.
Punch frowned, reaching out. “Phi, where are you going? I still have a mountain of things to say about Willy!”
“Tell them to Daou. I’m not interested,” Est replied.
Daou raised an eyebrow, his smirk turning dangerous. “Really?”
“Shut up, Daou,” Est muttered.
He abandoned the table and walked straight toward his favorite beverage stall in the cafeteria, ordering his usual iced fruit tea. While waiting for the vendor to prepare it, Est leaned against the side counter, deliberately trying to force his thoughts toward his upcoming accounting classes. He mentally cataloged his backpack, verifying if he had forgotten any textbooks or if there was a lingering assignment he had overlooked.
But before his brain could completely overload from overthinking, a sudden shift in the cafeteria's atmosphere caught his attention.
The general drone of student chatter abruptly gave way to a wave of quiet murmurs. High-pitched giggles began to ripple through the tables, and a strange, radiant energy slowly swam toward his side of the room.
Curious, Est turned his head slightly, his gaze drifting toward the main entrance where the entire cafeteria's focus was currently centered.
Four distinct individuals walked through the doors, each carrying an effortless, undeniable charm. Their sheer confidence seemed to fill the entire room, commanding attention without even trying. Yes, they were loud, but not in an inappropriate way. They carried a bright, magnetic aura that set them apart from everyone else — an aura that was completely impossible to ignore.
They had arrived.
LYKN is here.