Chapter Text
How or when it began is anyone's guess. There was never a clear timestamp as to when the playful touches turned intimate or when the friendly facetime calls became a night routine neither could sleep without. It happened slowly and then all at once, and for Namping this completely terrified him.
Namping thinks back to the beginning of it all. His crush on Keng was instant, from the first night they met— at the 2022 DMD lineup. Namping blames his big, light-brown eyes, they pierced a deep part of his soul. The thought that those very eyes would cause him the biggest inner turmoil of his life never crossed Nampings mind.
His first time meeting ‘Gen Three’ was at the night of the line up and he was ecstatic, albeit just a tad nervous knowing that everyone had already met at one point or another, as he was one of the last to join. This was a new beginning for him and making connections with the newly announced third generation was a priority.
After meeting with the CEO and being led into the green room, Namping noticed Keng instantly. Keng sat alone. Seemingly lost in thought, fidgeting and likewise, nervous.
Namping has never been one to hesitate a social interaction. Namping loves people— they fascinate him. Everybody has a different story to tell and he loves to hear it.
Introverts are Nampings favorite types of people to meet. Oddly, he could not muster up the courage to approach Keng straight away. So he beelines towards his second favorite type of person; talkative and animated.
“Hello!” Namping introduces himself. “Hello, I’m Kong!”
He would just have to circle back to Keng later.
Sometime has passed and Namping has already met everyone else, exchanging socials and Line ID’s without incident. In fact, he even managed to meet his match in speaking nonsense. It was hard to believe Kong chose engineering as his major, because this kid would absolutely do well in Communications.
All that was left was Keng. His features were sharp, his eyes were large. Was he foreign? Did he even speak Thai? Namping wondered, stealing glances at him.
“That's P’Keng, he’s new too. He’s nice. Go!” Kong says in a loud whisper nudging him, almost right out shoving him, towards Keng’s direction. He walks towards Keng slowly. Keng abruptly looks up from his phone and their eyes meet. Namping lets out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.
“What is your name?” Namping gives his biggest and friendliest smile, as he takes the empty seat next to Keng.
“I’m Keng, Harit Buayoi.” He says with a slight stutter. Sitting up straight, caught off guard thinking the new boy with the bright smile hadn't noticed him sitting quietly.
“I’m Namping, Napatsakorn Pingmuang.” He reached out a hand. Keng's grasp was firm, his palm was warm, and just a little sweaty.
”Napatsakorn.” Keng repeats in a low whisper almost inaudible.
“How old are you?” Namping asks, figuring Keng was just talking to himself.
“23.”
“I’m 21.” Namping raises his hands in a wai position. “Where are you from?”
“Phayao.”
“I’m from Mae Hong Son.” They were both from the north, Namping noted. ”Are you staying here in the city?”
“I have a room at the company dorms.” Keng's answers were short but not curt. He was soft spoken and polite. Namping kept finding himself at a loss for what to say next. He was shy, which was one hundred percent not him, when he wanted to make friends.
“What are you studying?”
“Education.”
“Oooh.” Namping reacts and Keng lets out the smallest laugh. “What about you?”
“Communication Arts.”
“Oooh.” Keng imitates him. Namping laughs. “That’s fitting for this job.”
The conversation was cut off as a staff member nearby yelled “Gen 3, Standby!” They make silent eye contact and share a nervous smile before standing up and heading out.
The night was over as soon as it began. Everything was a blur. The bright lights, the screaming fans. Though his time on stage was short, Namping felt the adrenaline. He wondered how Keng was feeling. He wondered all night about him. Even when Kong was talking his ears off, his eyes constantly drifted towards Keng's direction.
It was late and everyone had gone their separate ways. Some of the boys group off to find something to eat. Others, like him, still had classes to study for and had no choice but to return home right away.
He’s standing alone under a warm street light waiting for his Grab driver, when a familiar voice comes from behind him. “Namping?” Namping isn’t startled, as he notices someone approaching from his peripherals, but his heart beats rapidly anyways.
“Oh, P'Keng, I thought you left already?”
“I’m waiting for my Grab too. I’ll wait with you.” Keng says. Namping racks his head thinking of a topic desperately wanting to keep the conversation going. He doesn’t ponder for long when Keng speaks again.
“I didn’t get your line.” He says while handing his phone over to Namping. “I’ve already followed you on instagram.” He says shyly, like he was embarrassed.
Namping takes Keng’s phone carefully from his hand. He had done this all night with his seniors and colleagues in the company, yet Namping’s ears felt like they were on fire as he typed in his ID.
”Done.” Namping returns Keng's phone, and pulls out his, to instantly accept Keng’s request.
“Tonight was exciting wasn’t it?”
“Mmm, it was.” Keng pauses. “A little overwhelming though.”
”Exactly. We have a long journey ahead of us. I’m excited, P’Keng.”
The corner of Keng’s lips turn upward. “Me too-”
“There’s my driver.” Namping begrudgingly cuts Keng off. “Message me on the green app?”
“Of course.”
Namping hadn’t felt like this after meeting someone in a long time. It didn’t take long for the gears in his head to start turning and realize what he had was a crush. A crush on someone he just met, someone he may have to work closely with.
Namping is smart and logical, he thinks with his head and seldom his heart. Therefore putting his feelings on the backburner was easy. His focus from that night onward was solely on training and honing his skills and from what he learned through word of mouth— everyone had a little crush on the handsome, shy, quiet, northern boy.
“It will fade,” He thinks.