Chapter 7

“3,500…”

“4,500…”

“5,000 baht.”

Engfa counted the money one final time before neatly stacking the bills together. She smiled to herself. They had done it.

Without saying a word, she slid five hundred baht across the table toward Nesa.

Nesa looked at the money.

Then calmly pushed it back.

She didn’t say a single thing.

She didn’t have to.

Engfa understood.

Friends didn’t charge friends for showing up.

“So…” Sunny leaned forward with a grin. “Are we all just going to ignore the fact that you practically gave the last candy away to the pretty junior?”

Engfa quickly zipped the money into her backpack, trying to hide the smile threatening to escape.

The table erupted into laughter.

“Go easy on her,” Patcha laughed, nudging Sunny with her elbow.

“I would’ve done the same if I had a crush,” Chers added.

“Guys…”

Engfa buried her face in her hands.

“Stop.”

Nesa rested both elbows on the table, tapping her two index fingers together with a teasing smile.

“I don’t know…”

“I definitely felt something.”

“There was a connection.”

“There wasn’t!” Engfa protested.

Sunny folded his arms dramatically.

“I beg your finest pardon.”

“That candy was mine.”

“You were about to sell my candy?”

The group laughed even harder.

Patcha smirked.

“I mean…”

“It’s not like the girl wasn’t gorgeous.”

“Right, Engfa?”

Engfa avoided every pair of eyes around the table.

“She’s a junior.”

“So?”

“So… all the juniors this year are pretty.”

“But she’s the only one you haven’t stopped looking at,” Chers teased.

Realizing there was no winning, Engfa raised both hands in surrender.

“Seriously…”

“Thank you.”

“For helping me.”

The teasing softened immediately.

Sunny smiled.

“That’s what we’re here for.”

Patcha nodded.

“You’ve always got us.”

Nesa wrapped an arm around Engfa’s shoulder.

“Always.”

A comfortable silence settled over the group before Sunny suddenly remembered something.

“So…”

“You guys going to Freshers’ on Saturday?”

Patcha laughed.

“When have I ever missed a party?”

“You know I’m showing out.”

Chers grinned.

“My cousin’s organizing it.”

“I can get everyone free tickets.”

Engfa became unusually quiet.

Nesa noticed immediately.

“If your mom makes more Luk Chup…”

“We can do this again.”

“We’ll help you sell everything.”

“Then we all go have fun.”

Engfa slowly looked up.

Hope flickered across her face.

“Really?”

“Really.”

She smiled.

The kind that made her dimples appear.

“Okay.”

“Chers…”

“Can I get two tickets?”

Chers blinked.

“Two?”

“You bringing someone?”

“My evil twin.”

Engfa laughed.

“Wan.”

Things had been difficult lately.

They attended different schools now.

Life kept pulling them in opposite directions.

But no matter what happened…

Wanchai would always be her best friend.

Nesa immediately stood up and threw an arm around Engfa.

“What’s better than one Waraha?”

The entire table answered together.

“TWO!”

Their laughter echoed across the courtyard.

⸻

Later That Evening

Plaifah stood outside the front gate, tapping a thin tree branch impatiently against her palm.

She hadn’t sold a single pack of Luk Chup that afternoon.

Because one of them had mysteriously disappeared.

If she had to guess…

Wanchai.

It was always Wanchai.

But something didn’t add up.

When had he managed to sneak a whole pack away?

Her answer arrived moments later.

The bus stopped.

Wanchai climbed off first.

Five seconds later, Sunny’s car pulled up.

Engfa jumped out cheerfully, waving goodbye.

Plaifah narrowed her eyes.

“At least someone had a good day.”

She wasn’t truly angry.

She only became the strict older sister when she had to.

Someone had to protect the twins.

Someone had to make sure their mother never found out they’d been selling on school grounds.

Wanchai reached the gate first.

“Stop.”

“We’re waiting for your sister.”

He groaned dramatically.

“For what?”

“I just want to lie down.”

Plaifah slowly raised the branch.

“Don’t make me use this.”

His expression changed instantly.

“…Yes, Phi.”

Neither twin had been hit with a switch since they were little.

But the memory was enough.

Engfa finally arrived.

“Good evening, Phi.”

The smile on her face faded the moment she saw the branch.

“…What’s going on?”

Plaifah crossed her arms.

“Open your bags.”

Engfa froze.

Then quietly sighed.

“No need.”

“I did it.”

Plaifah blinked.

“…You?”

Beside them, Wanchai grabbed his backpack and started walking inside.

“Told you.”

“I wasn’t the guilty one this time.”

There was disappointment in his voice.

Not because he hadn’t done it.

Because no one believed he hadn’t.

Engfa slowly placed a thick stack of folded bills into Plaifah’s hands.

Plaifah stared.

Her jaw nearly hit the floor.

“…How?”

After hearing the entire story, she looked from the money…

…to Engfa…

…and back again.

Engfa smiled sheepishly.

“So…”

“Am I still getting slapped?”

Plaifah noticed Wanchai secretly watching through the window.

She fought back a smile.

“Yep.”

“Turn around.”

⸻

That night, the apartment felt smaller than usual.

Wanchai stayed curled against the wall, unusually quiet.

Normally he’d still be complaining.

Still teasing.

Still making jokes.

Tonight…

Nothing.

Engfa hated moments like these.

She wished they had separate bedrooms.

She wished he had somewhere to disappear when life became too heavy.

Instead…

All they had was each other.

She quietly sat beside him.

“Wan.”

Silence.

“Are you still mad because Phi scolded you?”

“I’m sorry.”

Nothing.

She gently poked his side.

It was something they’d done since they were children.

Usually he’d burst into laughter.

Instead—

He winced.

Engfa froze.

Slowly she lifted the edge of his shirt.

Deep red bruises wrapped around his ribs.

Her heart stopped.

“Wan…”

“…What happened?”

He quickly pulled his shirt down.

“Leave me alone.”

“No.”

Her voice trembled.

“Who did this?”

He looked away.

“I said leave it.”

She reached for his arm.

“You’ve been bullied before…”

“But never like this.”

The thought of him being hurt while she wasn’t there crushed her.

She hated that they no longer attended the same school.

She hated that she couldn’t protect him.

She hated feeling powerless.

Someone had to stay focused.

Someone had to finish school.

Someone had to lift their family out of this life.

Now…

She was more determined than ever.

Wanchai finally spoke.

“…Don’t tell Phi.”

“Please…”

“Don’t tell Mom.”

Engfa closed her eyes.

“I can’t keep this from them.”

He looked at her desperately.

“Please.”

“They already have enough to worry about.”

The words broke her heart.

She slowly nodded.

“…Okay.”

“But promise me.”

“We’ll talk about this.”

He nodded.

“I promise.”

Neither of them was good at talking about feelings.

They were twins.

Too alike.

They carried pain the same way.

Quietly.

Engfa gave him the space he needed.

As she climbed into bed, she reached into her backpack.

Without saying anything…

She slid a Freshers’ Party ticket across his blanket.

It landed against his forehead.

Confused, he picked it up.

Read it.

Then smiled.

The first real smile she’d seen all evening.

“We’re going?”

His eyes sparkled like they did when they were children.

Engfa smiled back.

“Yes.”

“We’re going.”

For years, Wanchai had heard stories about Bangkok University’s legendary Freshers’ Party.

Now…

He’d finally get to see it.

He laughed softly to himself.

“Just like old times.”

Engfa looked at her brother.

For just one moment…

The weight of the world disappeared.

They were simply twins again.

Author’s Note

Lately, life has tested me in ways that have made me want to give up. Writing has become my way of making sense of it all, and I don’t want this to be just another love story.

EngLot’s journey was shaped by hardship, family, resilience, and love—and I think that’s true for most of us. The struggles we face often become the very things that define who we are.

I hope my readers appreciate the honesty and reality woven into this story. I don’t know any other way to express myself or to show how deeply these two have inspired me. After all, diamonds are formed under pressure, and maybe people are too.