I Love You, Mr. Engineer

"Come on, Max, the night still on and you can still drink 5 or 6 more bottles without getting drunk," said Leon, one of several new students at the Metronomia technical university who was gathered at the Ocean Blue bar, releasing stress and fatigue after the second day of ESO (Engineering Student Orientation) which is tiring.

Max heads up and spends his share of money. "I can't. I've promised Jane to bring the book she left in my room. She needs it tomorrow morning," Max said as he stood up. "Don't get too drunk, or you'll have to run around the field 30 times because you're late. The absences will stary from 6 in the morning."

"This damn ESO really makes me tired, even though it's only the second day and there are still 23 days to come," complained Pringka--one of nine girls accepted into the engineering faculty this year. Everybody on the table agree with her.

Max waved goodbye to his friends and walked out of the bar casually.

"Hey Leon, who's that Jane he mentioned earlier?" Avren asked, pointing to the door. Max is out of sight.

"His girlfriend," Leon replied as he filled his glass. "They've been together since sophomore senior high school. Jane has been chasing Max since they was in junior high school."

"Wow, I thought a guy like Max wouldn't be so loyal," said Pringka in awe.

"What kind of guy is he anyway?" asked Leon with a laugh. He and Max have been friends since the fifth grade of elementary school and he know Max's personality very well.

"Yeah, you know, every joint in Max's body screams he's a bad boy. After all, he's too handsome and hot just for a girl to devour."

"You're right, Pring, it's a waste. He should be enjoyed by a lot of girls," supported Leva, another engineering girl. "I'm willing, if he wants to sleep with me even if only for one night."

"Geez, you girls are crazy," laughed Caeron, echoed by several others.

"Dream, girls, dream," Leon laughed. "Let's order another drink. I need a good booze tonight, for keep me awake to follow ESO tomorrow!"

***

Max drives his motorbike to 6th dorm, where Jane lives. He stopped his motorbike in front of a mini market near 6th dormitory. His cigarettes were gone and he also wanted to buy some snacks for Jane.

Max left the mini market after paying for what he bought. He put a plastic bag filled with snacks on the table outside the mini market, took a cigarette from the box and lit it.

He had never smoked in front of Jane because he knew Jane didn't like the smell of cigarette smoke. He would finish one stick before meeting Jane.

He leaned against the wall next to the convenience store and made smoke bubbles with his cigarette. Max had just smoked half a cigarette when a man ran up to him and immediately grabbed Max, slipping his smaller body behind Max and clinging tightly to Max's broad back.

Max surprised and tried to turn around, but the man was holding his waist tightly. "Don't turn around, please, don't turn around before they leave."

Max almost snatched the man's hand from his waist when several other men came from the same direction as the man hiding behind him.

Max recognized one of them. Pete--an economics student, his high school friend from different class.

"Hey Max, did you see a guy running over here?" asked Pete when he saw Max.

"Hm? A tall man with white shirt and black pant?" Max asked, smoking a cigarette.

Pete nodded. "Where is he going?"

Max could feel the man behind him pressing his head against Max's back. Max pointed south, towards 4th dorm.

"Over there. He ran quickly over there."

"Bastard," cursed one of the men behind Pete. "He ran so fast."

"Let's go," Pete said to his friends. "Thanks, Max."

Max waved and stubbed out the cigarette by throwing it and stomping it on the ground. He waited until Pete and his party were out of sight, then turned and looked at the hiding man, who was now leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, catching his breath.

"What are you doing?" Max asked sharply. "Who are you?"

The man opened his eyes and looked at Max with a smile. The street lamp on the side of the convenience store wasn't very bright, but seeing the man in front of him, Max was stunned.

He felt unsure. The man was very handsome, but--Max was a little confused about it--he was also...beautiful?

Max had never seen the man in front of him, but seeing the white shirt, green tie, black trousers, shiny black leather shoes, and clean cut hair, Max was sure he was a medical student. The green tie is the medical school tie.

"Hi, thanks for saving me from those barbarians. My name is Kevien. You...

Engineeering?"

The man who claimed to be Kevien tilted his head and looked Max up and down, up again. "Definitely engineering."

He smiled widely and Max stunned. The smile, why look so cute and sweet?

"How do you know?" Max said with furrowed brows.

Kevin laughed amusedly. "Look at you. Leather jackets, jeans, boots, wow! And that cool ESO t-shirt, only engineering has. Huh, if only my faculty allowed such a look. You are hot, man!"

Max smirked. Kevin looks fun and funny. "Max."

"Hi Max, nice to meet you."

"Why are they looking for you? They're economics students, right? I know one of them."

Kevien chuckled. "Just a misunderstanding. I drove a girl from the bar back to her dorm. Her boyfriend got mad and accused me of having an affair with that girl."

Max looked at Kevin. "You didn't do it?"

"Of course not. That girl came up to me at the bar and clung to me like a leech. I only drove her home because she was too drunk to go home alone. If I had known she had a boyfriend, I wouldn't have bothered to make my back hurt from carrying her to the second floor. Damn! I wonder why the dorms here don't have elevators, in modern times."

Max laughed at Kevien's words and his face looked irritated. He looks cute with a pointed nose frowning and his cherry red lips pursed. Adobrale. Huh, Max was taken aback by his own thoughts. Why am I praising other men like that.

"Well, Kevien, I have to go. Be careful, they might still be looking for you," Max said quickly. He took a plastic bag containing the snacks he bought.

Kevien looked at the plastic bag. "Is those in your bag a nori, I mean, seaweed roll?" Kevien pointed to the plastic bag.

"Hm? Yes," Max replied. He looked at Kevien, then took two rolls of nori from the plastic bag. "You want it? There's nothing more inside, in that mini market. This were the last nori they had."

Kevien's eyes lit up and Max was amazed to see those almond shaped eyes shining.

"I'll pay for it," said Kevien. He reached into the back of his pants, but then a look of disappointment crossed his face.

He shook his head. "Ah, I forgot, I left my wallet in the car. Never mind, don't worry."

Max clicked his tongue and held out his hand. He took Kevien's hand and placed the two rolls of nori in Kevien's hand.

"Take it. It's not expensive, so don't think about paying. Well, I'm going."

"Hei, Max, its Ken," Kevien said quickly.

Max stopped walking and looked back. "Hmm?"

"Just call me Ken."

Max smiled and nodded.

Ken looked at the two nori rolls in his hands, smiling as he walked away from the mini market. His car was parked near 2nd dorm.

***

"Where's my nori roll?" Jane asked, looking into the plastic bag.

"Ah, I ran out of it at the mini market earlier," Max replied casually. He took Jane's hand. "Where's my welcome kiss?"

Jane snorted and gave Max a quick kiss on the cheek. "You smoke? I told you I don't like the smell and you can't smoke until you see me!" Jane snapped, gently shoving Max's shoulder.

"Come on, Jane, I've only smoked one cigarette today and I've eaten candy before I came here," Max argued, tugging on Jane's shoulder.

However, the girl refused and got up from the sofa, walking to the small kitchen in the corner of her room. "It's late, Max, I've been so tired all day on an introductory tour of classes by seniors. Go home."

Max sighed and stood up from the sofa. Jane approached him with a sweet smile. "Thanks for the books and snacks. Drive carefully."

"You have class tomorrow morning?"

"Yes. Eight in the morning and two in the afternoon."

"We can have lunch together then."

Jane shook her head. "I can't, Max. I promised to have lunch with my friends at the mall."

"Okay. Have fun and let me know."

Max kissed Jane's forehead and left the room. He was a little disappointed by Jane's perfunctory welcome, but realized his mistake, smoking a cigarette before going to Jane's.

Max had just come out of the 4th dorm parking area when he heard a commotion around the corner between the 4th dorm and the basketball court.

Max stopped the motorbike on the sidelines and narrowed his eyes, taking a closer look at what was happening. Apparently a fight. Some guys are ganging up on a tall guy who-- hey, that's Ken!

Unknowingly, Max's feet moved, running towards the field.

"WHAT THE HELL! HEI!"

***

"I'm not defending him because he's a friend of mine," Max snapped sharply. "I don't even know who he was and what he did. I defended him because what you were doing was unfair and cowardly. How many of you? Twelve and you guys ganged up on one? Tsk tsk tsk, shameless!"

"He's flirting with my friend's girlfriend, Max," Pete hissed as he glared at Ken with a piercing glare.

Max laughed amusedly. "Are you sure that's how it happened? Do you have any evidence? What if your friend's girlfriend thrusts herself into him?"

"There's no way my girlfriend is like that," one of the several men behind Pete snapped. He had bruises on his face and his nose was bleeding.

"Yeah? How are you sure? Pete said you looked for your girlfriend to her dorm, but ahe wasn't there and you found your girlfriend drinking with Ken at the bar. What kind of girl goes to the bar secretly to drink with other guys?" Max asked, snorting sarcastically. "If it's true that Ken flirted with your girlfriend, why didn't you confront him right away where when you found them and instead cowardly attack him later?"

Pete turned and looked at his friend. "Call your girlfriend and ask her where she went after you took her back to the dorm this afternoon?"

"But Pete--"

"Ask and turn on the speaker!" Pete hissed.

Pete's friend took his phone. "Babe?"

"Yeah, Baby, what's wrong? Why call so late at night?" said a girl who answered his phone call.

"Hey Babe, are you asleep? I thought I saw you at the bar a while ago."

"Don't make it up. I have a headache and haven't left my room at all since school this afternoon when you dropped me home. I have a lot of work to do and I nevee go to a bar without you or my friends. You must be wrong--"

Pete took the phone from his friend and turned it off. He looked at Max.

"I'm sorry for this misunderstanding, Max, and especially Ken. I will pay whatever compensation you ask for as well as medical expenses for your injuries."

Max chuckled and turned to Ken. "Are you going to sue them?" Max asked.

Pete and his friends waited tensely, as Ken put his hands on his waist and looked at them one by one. Ken shook his head.

"No. They seem to be in a worse state than ours. However, I will remember you and what you did tonight," Ken hissed coldly.

Max tapped Ken's shoulder lightly. "Go on, Pete, and take care of your men. I'm not beating you all up, considering we were from the same high school and we've always had a good relationship. However, you should know, I hate unbalanced fights and unprovoked attacks."

"Yeah, Max, I know. I'm sorry," Pete said with an uncomfortable look on his face.

He turned to his friends and motioned for them to back off. Max and Ken stood side by side watching the attackers leave, some of them limping and supporting each other.

Ken immediately collapsed onto the cement floor of the basketball court and lay limply. Max followed suit.

"Hey Max thanks for helping me. I don't know what would have happened if you weren't there," Ken said as he turned to Max who was lying beside him.

Max chuckled. "Looking at the way you fight, you're pretty good and even on your own, I think you can handle them pretty well," Max replied as he turned to Ken. "You're good at martial arts. It was taekwondo, was it?"

"Hm. That's not as great as you did. What was that? I never saw the moves you made. You beat them with one punch and they fell like dry twigs."

"I studied several martial art, mainly silat, since childhood. It is a martial art from Indonesia which is considered deadly because its movements are fast and strong. One of my aunts married an Indonesian man and he is a coach for national silat athletes."

"Wow. That's so cool. Its so ... you."

Max laughed and got up from his reclining position, sitting cross-legged facing Ken. He reached out and rubbed the corner of Ken's bruised lips.

"This needs to be treated immediately. These bruises will ruin your handsome face, Ken."

Ken looked at Max, stunned. Max touched his cheek and the side of his forehead. "Where do you live?"

"Hmm?" mumbled Ken. "I live in the 9th dorm."

"Hey, that's close to me. I live in the 7th dorm," Max said. He stood up and brushed his pants off the dust, then held out his hand to Ken. "Let's go home. I'll escort you in the back of your car to your dorm."

Ken reached out and stood with Max holding his hand tightly. Ken looks at Max's hand and is surprised to see some of Max's fingers are scratched and bleeding. "Oh, your hand bleeding."

Max looked at his hands and laughed. "It's nothing. Tomorrow or the day after it will heal by itself."

"How could that be," said Ken. He let go of Max's hand. "You have a supply of medicine in your room?" Ken asked.

Max shook his head. Ken chuckles. "As I thought! Then you should come to my room first. I'll treat your wound first."

"But this--"

"Let's go," Ken cut in and pushed Max off the basketball court. Max didn't say anything else and complied with Ken, following him to the 9th dorm and parking his motorbike in the resident's parking lot next to Ken's car.

"Your motorbike is so beautiful. I've always wanted to ride a motorbike like this," said Ken after getting out of his car. He stroked Max's motorbike beside his car, a Ducati.

"You've never ridden a motorcycle?" Max asked.

"No. My mother forbade any kind of motorcycle for me to ride."

"Huh? Why? I prefer to ride a motorbike than a motorbike. It's faster and more practical."

"My father was paralyzed after his motorbike collided with a truck."

Max suddenly stopped walking, causing Ken to look back in confusion. "Why stop? My room is on the second floor."

"I'm sorry," Max said with a confused face. "I didn't know your father--"

Ken was stunned for a moment, then laughed. "Hey, it's nothing. It was a long time ago. My father is also fine now, although he had to be in a wheelchair until now."

Max followed Ken's light steps to his room, wondering how he could tell the tragic incident that had happened to his father in such a light tone. Is he heartless?

"Come on in and sit on the couch while I get the medicine box in the bathroom."

Ken opened the door to his room and let Max in. Max takes off his shoes in the short corridor before entering the main room.

The size and basic shape of the odd-numbered dorm rooms are all the same. One bedroom with glass doors opening onto a small balcony, one bathroom, a small kitchen that joins the dining room with a small table and a pair of dining chairs and a spacious living room.

What distinguishes each room is the arrangement of the rooms and the type of furniture that fills them, because the rooms are all rented out empty.

Odd number dorm rooms are bigger than even number dorm rooms and the rent is also more expensive. Looking at the way Ken arranges his room and the furniture he uses is definitely not low quality at a cheap price, Ken is definitely not an ordinary student.

Ken's room is dominated by white and very pale light blue. The furniture used is also the same color, except for the sofa chairs and the carpet underneath which is navy. He chose an elegant modern minimalist style.

Ken went into the bathroom and came out again with a large white box in his hand. He sat down next to Max and took his hand.

"You need to treat wounds like this immediately so they don't become infected," Ken said as he cleaned Max's hands with a warm, damp towel.

Max grimaced at the sight of his hands being cleaned, then his gaze fell on Ken who was looking down.

Max thought how thick and long Ken's eyelashes were, which quivered as he blinked. And this scent. Sweet and creamy vanilla.

Max's free hand touched Ken's brown hair, thick and silky. "Your hair is smooth and smells good," Max muttered subconsciously.

Ken was stunned and looked up, looking at Max who was also looking at him. After a while, Ken looked down again and finished his work of treating Max's hand.

"Done," Ken said as he let go of Max's hand. "You should keep a medicine box in your room, Max. I heard engineering kids get hurt easily."

Max chuckled. "Now I have a friend who is a medical student and I don't need a medicine box. I can come to you if I get hurt."

Ken patted Max lightly on the shoulder. "Okay, you can come to me anytime you're hurt and feeling sick. I'll treat you until you're healed. It's free!"

Max laughed and took another clean towel in the bowl of warm water. He grabbed Ken's chin with his hand and held it with his index finger.

"You should be treated too. This bruise will hurt tomorrow."

"I have the cure. Medical students shouldn't fight or at least if they fight they shouldn't leave scars."

Max applies the ointment that Ken gave him, on the bruises on Ken's face. He stared intently at Ken's face, who closed his eyes as he applied the ointment.

"Done," Max said. He glanced at the clock on the wall. "It's past midnight. I have to go home. I have to come to campus at six in the morning for ESO," Max said hastily. "Thanks for the medicine, Ken."

"Thanks to you too. I'll treat you to lunch the day after tomorrow, if you don't mind. I don't have class today."

"Sure, Ken. I'm leaving now."

Max came out of Ken's room and walked quickly to the parking lot. He stood motionless next to his motorbike, staring at his hand which was being treated by Ken.

In his room, Ken stood leaning against the door, clutching his hair.

Strange, why is his heart beating so hard?

***

"What happened? Who were you fighting with?" asked Pran in a sharp tone. "Was that from last night?"

Pran and Leon looked at Max who was sitting in front of them. Their best friend had a bluish-purple bruise near the chin, a laceration to the forehead and several lacerations to the fist.

"Why don't you take us, Max?" Leon asked annoyed. "You said you went straight to Jane's last night."

"Of course!" Max replied casually. "I went over to Jane's for a bit, then saw someone getting ganged up on the basketball court near the 4th dorm, on the way home."

"Who's the opponent? How are they doing? Aah, you're pissing me off. You should have called me. I need a little vent to release some stress." Leon said enthusiastically.

Pran snorted and hit Pran's shoulder hard. "Don't encourage him to feel great, you idiot!"

Max laughed and finished his lunch quickly. "Economics kids. Pete." Max said as he pushed his empty plate to the side of the table. "They misunderstanding to the people they attack."

"Pete? Huh! Always pretending to be a hero and bullying weaker people," Leon snorted. "I'm surprised he didn't change after we made him crawl in sophomore high school."

Max chuckled. "Come on, he's changed for the better after that. It's his unchanging style, pretend tobe cool and cold. That's just habit. But, he's fine actually."

"He fought you alone?" asked Pran with knitted brows. "How many people did he bring?"

"About twelve, I think."

Leon was flabbergasted. "They ganged up on one person? I want to know what that person did and how he was before you came to his aid," Leon said sadly. "Did you take that person to the hospital?"

"Well, actually, the guy they beat up turned out to be pretty good at martial arts, though I'm sure he'll lose to twelve in the end. However, at that time he also put Pete and his friends into trouble because of his fight."

"Ah, Pete finally found a match here too," Pran muttered. "Good for him."

Three fourth-grade seniors walked over to the table where Max and his friends were sitting.

"Maxine Juan Amarin?" asked one of the three seniors, Arthon--the fourth-year class president.

"Yes, Phi, can I help you?" asked Max politely. He and his two friends stood up. (Note : Phi in Thailand has same meaning with call for brother or sister).

"Come to the ESO committee room after today's activities are over. We have something to tell you," said Arthon in a firm tone.

Waddi, another senior, pointed to Pran and Leon. "You too."

The four seniors left.

Max, Pran, and Leon sat back down. "What's wrong with them telling us to go to the committee room?" asked Leon with a frown. He nudged Pran's arm. "Do we have a fault severe enough for a fourth year senior to handle?"

"What do you think? Reduce the count of running time around the field? Or ... not offer seniors when we smoke on the sidelines?" asked Pran sarcastically. "They're just finding fault with us, as usual."

"Hey, but they're fourth year seniors. They're barely even on the pitch," Max said, scratching the back of his neck. "Oh, sh*t! Was it because of my fight with the economics kids last night? How did they know? It was almost midnight and far from campus."

"And we weren't even involved at all," Leon growled, punching the table.

"Hey, calm down," Pran said as he patted Leon's shoulder. "This might not be as bad as we think."

"Yeah, let's--"

"Max!"

Max's words were cut off by the call of a man running towards the table where Max, Leon, and Pran were sitting.

"Hey, Neeo, what's wrong?" asked Leon angrily. "Why you yelled?"

The man, Neeo, one of their classmates was standing by the table trying to catch his breath. "You know the ... hhh ... girl named Jane? Biology?" Neeo asked. "She's ... hhh ... over there ... hhh ... disturbed by the Geography kids. They said your name and sent some people looking for you."

Max, Leon, and Pran immediately stood up. Max pressed Neeo's shoulder. "Where are they?"

"Basketball court," Neeo replied, wincing at the pressure on his shoulder.

"Thank, Neeo, I'll pay for your lunch later," Max said, then before Neeo could answer, he and his two friends were already running fast in the direction Neeo pointed.

Max and his two friends ran to the engineering school basketball court. At the farthest end of the field, a group of men were seen cornering three frightened looking girls.

Jane sees Max coming. "Max!" shouted Jane loudly.

Some of the men turned their heads and put on a wary attitude. Three men form a fort to lock up the three girls, Jane and two of her friends.

Max stood in front of the men. They wear white uniforms with black trousers, usually open to reveal broad chests or shirts under their shirts. Some of them still wear brown ties that hang loosely or loop around the back of their necks.

Max counted silently. There were eleven people, including three who stood fortifying Jane and her friends. Leon and Pran stood on either side of Max, wary.

"What's this? Who's looking for me?" Max asked sharply.

One of the several men in front of him stepped forward and stood in front of Max with his hands on his hips. He was a few centimeters shorter than Max, but wider and stockier.

"So, your name is Max, hm? Freshman of Engineering ?" he asked disdainfully.

"Who asked," Max snorted.

The man pointed at Max's chest with his index finger. "My name is Ben, geography, third year. You have to keep that in mind, in case you have to greet me again when we cross paths, intentionally or not. I don't like juniors who are rude and don't like greeting their seniors."

"I'll keep that in mind. Now tell me, why are you bothering those girls and calling me?"

"That's your girlfriend, right?" asked Ben, pointing to Jane.

Max nodded. "Yes, why?"

"Incidentally, I was looking for the person who beat up my brother last night, when I saw that pretty girl pass by, and by chance again--" Ben emphasized his words. "--that girl is your girlfriend and of course, she told me where to find the person I'm looking for. You!"

"Your brother?"

"Economics. I heard you defended a guy who had an affair with his girlfriend and instead beat him up when he tried to confront him."

Max smirked. "Sorry, Phi, I don't know and can't remember which one your brother was when last night I was playing with losers trying to harm one innocent man. In the end, their leader admitted that it was a misunderstanding."

"You're such a jerk!"

"Is your younger brother a stupid boy who was lied to by his own girlfriend and tried to incite his friends to attack innocent people for not wanting to look stupid? Ah, I knew him." Max chukled sinically.

"Don't joke with me!" Ben snapped as he pushed Max away. "My brother had a jawbone shift after you beat him."

"Wow, I didn't expect your brother's jaw to be so weak," Max said with a laugh. "Just like his brain, maybe?"

Ben growls and throws a fist, but Max holds the grumpy man's fist with his hand.

"Phi, aren't you ashamed, holding on to that girl just to beat me up? Look around you, lots of people watching. What will your juniors say, seeing you beat me up just because of a girl? Moreover, she is my girl?"

"I'm going to beat you up because of my brother you hurt, not that girl," Ben hissed as he grabbed Max's jacket collar.

Max smirked. "Do they know?"

Ben shoved Max until he was two steps back and turned to his men. "Let them go!"

Jane and her two friends ran to the other side of the field after the three men holding them stepped aside.

Ben slams a fist into Max's face and hits him in the chin. Max grinned, then started moving to retaliate.

Pran and Leon didn't do anything at all, just watched with their arms folded in front of their chests. Two men moved towards them and threw a punch that made them stagger.

Pran and Leon looked at each other, then moved. All the spectators on the sidelines of the basketball court cheered, cheering for the unequal battle between three engineering students and eleven geography students.

***