u/Far_Cat355

Kamin rolled his eyes as he watched the two brothers sitting across from him, arguing over breakfast. He was about to finish eating, but the two in front of him wouldn’t stop bickering.

“Eat your food, Jade. Why are you stealing mine?”

“I paid.” Jade took a meatball from Jay’s plate and ate it, raising an eyebrow with satisfaction.

“Damn it. Brother Min, did you arrive as the new inspector here?” Jay muttered, complaining about his brother, then turned to Kamin, who was watching the cars pass by outside.

“Yes.”

“Are you going to handle this case?”

“Yes.”

“Do you think this is a murder?” 

Kamin looked across the table and sighed. “You’re still a suspect, you know.”

“A friend of mine died. I need to know what happened.” Jay’s seriousness didn’t soften Kamin at all.

“The inspector won’t say anything. The case is under investigation.” Jade finished his last spoonful of rice and looked at Kamin.

“Can I go to the hospital with you? I promise not to cause trouble.”

“Ask your brother. I’ll wait in the car. Follow me when you’re done.” Kamin left a purple bill on the table and walked out, leaving the brothers staring at each other, each with a different expression.

“Is he always this serious?”

“I don’t know. I just started working with him. Hey, pay the bill.” Jade called the restaurant owner, picked up the money Kamin had left, paid with his own money, and pocketed the change.

“Can I go to the hospital with you?”

“What for? You won’t be able to get in anyway.”

“I just want to know.”

“Jay, I’m asking you seriously, do you really not know, or are you just hiding something about the problems among your friends?” Jay looked at his brother, whose face was more serious than usual.

“Of course, there are problems, but do you think it would lead to murder?”

 “Let me ask you, who had the most problems with Fai, in your opinion?” Jay thought for a while as his brother paid the restaurant owner.

“Ugh, I don’t know if the others had issues, but Tar and Fai had a fight in our second year.

“Why?”

“During the welcome ceremony. We, the second-years, were the leaders of the activities. After the ceremony, we went to Tar’s house to celebrate. There were almost twenty of us.” Jay ran a hand through his gray hair and continued. “In the second or third round, those who could went home, and those who were drunk stayed. When Time and I were about to leave, we heard a scream and ran upstairs. I saw Tar on top of Fai.”

“What did you do?”

“We stopped him. I remember Time, and I held him back. Then he apologized to Fai. At first, it seemed like they would stop being friends, but Champ asked for it.”

“Champ, Fai’s boyfriend?”

“Yes, after the incident, when Champ helped Fai, they became a couple.”

Jade listened silently, taking in all the information. When they got to the car, they saw Kamin on the phone.

“Yes, I’m on my way.”

“Who was it?” Jade asked when Kamin hung up

“The forensics department. They said the analysis of the liquids in the glasses and bottles from the scene is ready.”

“And what did they say?” Kamin looked at the guy in the back seat and drove without saying anything else. Jade understood and didn’t press further. “Where do I drop your brother off?”

“At home. I’ll give you directions.”

“Brother Min.”

“What?”

“If you need more questions, you can call me.”

“Why should the inspector call you, Jay? Does he have your number?”

 “It should be in my file. Are you really a cop?”

“Which way do I turn, Jade?”

“Right.” Kamin followed the directions and picked up the phone vibrating in the cup holder

“Hello.”

[Inspector Kamin, I heard you’re investigating the death of the student at the university. Just a group of kids drinking. I don’t think it needs this much time to investigate.]

“It hasn’t even been forty-eight hours. Do you call that a long time?”

 [One of those kids’ parents is someone important. You should close the case soon.]

“I have my investigation methods. Thanks for the advice, but I can handle it.” Jade watched Kamin at the wheel. Although his face remained impassive, his tone showed he was holding back frustration.

[I think it’s nothing more than an accident. You should spend your time on something else.]

“Is that all, Commander? I’m working.”

“Inspector, hang up. We’re almost there.” Jade raised his voice and pointed to the neighborhood

“That’s all, Commander.” Kamin hung up and carelessly tossed the phone aside.

“So annoyed? He must have said something you didn’t like.” 

“Yeah.”

In the parking lot were two motorcycles and two luxury cars, probably belonging to the two brothers in the car.

“I’m leaving, Brother Min. Thanks for bringing me.” Jay leaned toward the front seat and smiled at Kamin until his brother pushed him away in annoyance.

“Get out already.”

After dropping Jay off, they headed to the hospital, where Puifai’s body was. They needed to collect the autopsy results to determine the cause of death and then return to the forensics department to review the evidence from the scene. All of this would tell them whether it was an accident or murder. 

“Jay told me the victim and a guy named Tar had issues before.” Jade broke the silence in the car

“What kind of issues?”

“Harassment and attempted assault.” Kamin looked at his partner. Such a serious incident—he didn’t believe they could remain friends. Jade recounted everything he’d heard from his brother so they could analyze it.

“How could they stay in the same group after something like that?”

“Jay said it was because Champ asked for it.”

“If it happened once, it could happen again.”

“Let’s wait for the autopsy results.” 

They arrived at the hospital’s forensics department at nine in the morning. Upon entering, they saw the forensic doctor signing a report next to a body covered with a white sheet.

“Ah, you’re here. One moment, please.” The young man in a lab coat removed his cap, gloves, and mask, then picked up a folder and approached Kamin and Jade. “It’s not common to perform autopsies like this. Normally, we only deal with natural deaths. The last time was a gruesome murder at the beach.”

Jade nodded, understanding. That case had been shocking for the police and forensic doctors, but since it was a special unit case, the body wasn’t there for long.

“Have you already done the autopsy?”

“Yes. I’ll explain it part by part. If you have questions, let me know. But first, let me introduce myself. I’m Yotphon. You can call me Phut. I’m the forensic doctor here.”

“I’m Kamin, and this is Captain Jade.”

“Nice to meet you. It’s not appropriate to talk here. Let’s go to my office.” Phut led them to his office, cluttered with disorganized documents. “Sorry for the mess. I don’t usually have visitors. Would you like coffee or water?”

“No, thanks. Can you tell us the cause of death? We have other matters to attend to.”

“Sure. Let’s start.” Phut swept the documents off the desk and opened a brown folder. “I hope you haven’t registered the case as an accident.”

Kamin and Jade exchanged glances, then looked at the forensic doctor, who adjusted his glasses.

“Because this is a murder.”

“No need for the drama, Doctor. The criminal might escape while you’re talking.” Jade complained, puffing his cheeks in frustration.

“I don’t want you to stress. The cause of death is more concerning.” 

“Tell us, Phut.”

“The cause of Puifai’s death was heart failure.”

“And?” Jade pressed him.

“If it were normal, it would be an accident. But look at this.” The doctor pointed to a document with hard-to-read values, but one medication name was clear.

“I analyzed the victim’s blood and found three medications. They’re normally used in medicine, but in proper doses and under supervision. In this case, whoever injected them wasn’t careful.”

“Injected?”

“Yes. Let me explain.” Phut showed a photo of the thigh with a red mark and a needle puncture. “These three medications are used in criminal executions.” 

“Sodium Thiopental.”

“Pancuronium Bromide.”

“Potassium Chloride.”

Kamin read the names and listened as Phut continued.

Sodium Thiopental is a medication used to induce anesthesia. Pancuronium Bromide is a muscle relaxant that stops respiratory function. Potassium Chloride causes hyperkalemia, and if used in excessive amounts, it can lead to cardiac arrhythmias and, eventually, heart failure and death.” “Were they all injected together?”

“According to the results, they weren’t injected at the same time. If it were a murder, the perpetrator might have wanted the victim to appear asleep to avoid suspicion.”

“Is it related to alcohol?”

“No, no alcohol levels above the limit were found in the victim’s blood.” 

“Time of death?”

“Between 12:45 and 1:00 a.m.” 

This matched Jay’s testimony, who said he passed out around 1:00 a.m. “There are no other external injuries, just the needle mark in the photo.”

“And internally?”

“I’ll perform the autopsy tomorrow.”

“Inform me of the results.”

“Of course.”

Kamin left with the report, visibly tense. He needed to return to the station and check if the substances found in the glasses and bottles from the scene contained any of these three medications.

“I’ll drive.” Jade stepped in his way.

“I can drive.”

“Drive or read? I don’t want to end up in the hospital because the inspector reads documents while driving.”

“Fine.” Kamin handed over the keys and kept reading the report.

As they left the forensics department, an emergency gurney rushed past. Kamin was pulled into a strong chest and hugged around the waist. 

“Sorry, sorry!” The nurse apologized as he pushed the gurney with the patient on it.

“I understand you’re stressed about the case, but be careful.”

“Let me go.”

“Not even a thank you.”

“Thank you.”

“More sweetly.”

“If you don’t let me go, you’ll walk back to the station, Jade.”

“Sorry, but I have the keys.” Kamin broke free with irritation. Jade just laughed and let go, taking his hand instead. “Let’s go, so you don’t crash into anyone else.”

Kamin let himself be guided as he continued to read the report intently. He had to figure out who and why this murder was committed. He hoped it wouldn’t get more complicated. 

The tall man with the buzz cut, which made his face look more attractive, entered the interrogation room. Tonkla’s calm demeanor made Jade’s eyebrows rise slightly. Kamin, who was observing from the observation room, also noticed the same thing. 

Tonkla seemed too calm despite being in the middle of a police interrogation and the recent death of a friend in the group. However, the guy in front of them didn’t seem sad or nervous at all. 

“Sit down.” 

“Yes.” 

“Do you want some water or prefer coffee?” 

“No, thank you. Ask whatever you want, brother Jade.” 

“Okay.” Jade crossed his arms and looked at the guy in front of him with a relaxed attitude. “Tell me what happened while you were drinking together.” 

“After the welcome ceremony, we went to that room. We all helped set up the room, unpacked the food, and then sat down to drink as usual. Time and Jay arrived later. Then we drank, played, and fell asleep. When we woke up, we found Fai dead.” 

“Where were those two?” 

“I don’t know.” 

“What did you drink?” 

“Liquor and beer, as usual.” 

“Did you prepare the drinks for everyone?” 

“Yes.” Every question Jade asked, Tonkla answered immediately without hesitation. There were two reasons for this: one, the person was honest and could answer without issues; two, he was dishonest and had prepared everything in advance. 

“How much did everyone drink to fall asleep at the same time?” 

“We decided to drink until we were exhausted to celebrate the end of the welcome ceremony. No one worried about going home, so we drank without restrictions.” 

“According to what your friends said, you played ‘Truth or Dare,’ right?” 

“Yes.” 

“Then let’s play.” Jade leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and looking at the guy in front of him with an empty gaze. “I ask you, besides you, did anyone else handle the drinks?” 

“What if I don’t answer?” 

“Then I dare you to stay in this room with me for an hour.” Being with a cop who could ask questions at any moment for more than twenty minutes was already exhausting. If there were something to hide, it wouldn’t be good. 

“No, no one else touched the drinks. I prepared the liquor and poured the beer all night.” 

“I see. Then, let me ask you, when you found out Fai had died, were you the one who called the ambulance?” 

“Yes, it was me because Jay told me to call.” 

“Okay, you can go rest.” 

Jade leaned back in his chair as the tall guy left the room. He looked at the clean white ceiling, closed his eyes slowly, and then laughed. 

“What are these kids up to?” Kamin looked at Jade, who was laughing alone in the room, and sighed. The events the kids recounted matched, but some details didn’t add up. The difficulty of this case was that there were no security cameras in the room, and the only exterior camera that should have captured the entrance was pointing at the sky. 

This had been the case for over a month, probably because the students who used the room secretly didn’t want to be caught. 

“Earlier, when we interrogated Tar, did the captain also ask him if he was the one who called the ambulance?” 

“Yes, Inspector.” Jade probably asked random questions to ensure his brother’s testimony was correct, but it was clear that at the Time, no one was conscious enough to know what the others were doing due to panic and worry. The testimony about Jay and Tonkla calling the ambulance matched, but Kamin still didn’t rule out any suspicions. 

Kamin walked to the interrogation room and approached Jade, who was still leaning back with his eyes closed. 

“Get out of here, Jade. I’ll interrogate the other two.” 

With no response, Kamin approached Jade’s chair and looked at him with irritation. “Captain, is it nap time?” 

Jade’s black eyes opened and met Kamin's gaze without looking away. His serious face and playful smile left Kamin speechless. 

“There are two people left, one is the boyfriend and the other is the best friend. Who seems more suspicious?” 

“Aren’t they all suspects? I won’t make random guesses.” 

“You’re no fun.” Jade stood up and stretched. It was already seven in the morning. The kids’ parents and guardians were waiting outside. They couldn’t waste any more time. Without clear evidence, they couldn’t hold anyone. 

“This is a waste of time.” 

“Quick, interrogate the last two people, Inspector. I’m hungry.” 

“If you’re hungry, go get something to eat. I don’t have you chained up.” 

Kamin was too tired to argue, so he ordered Lieutenant Prai to bring Champ in for questioning. 

“Breakfast is important. If you skip it, your brain won’t function well, and you won’t be able to solve the case.” Kamin didn’t respond but sat across from Jade, resting his chin on his hand and looking at him with an exasperated expression. 

“Do you always work like this?” 

“Like what?” 

“Like it’s all a game. This is a murder case, Captain.” 

“Do I seem like I’m playing?” Jade leaned toward Kamin, his eyes filled with seriousness and intensity. There was no trace of the earlier joke in his voice or behavior. 

“The more you push, the more the kids will resist and hide. Do you really think every answer you’ve gotten so far is true? If this case were an accident, fine. But if it’s murder, it means one of the seven planned it from the start. Do you really think the killer will confess, Inspector?” 

The two stared at each other in silence until there was a knock on the door, and Lieutenant Prai entered with a tall, disheveled young man with black hair. 

“I’ll go make some coffee.” Jade smiled at Kamin and stood up, but before leaving, he stopped in front of Champ and smiled at him. “Make yourself at home.” 

“Thank you.” 

“Sit down.” Kamin stopped worrying about the police station captain and focused on interrogating the other two people. “Champ, right?” 

“Yes.” 

“Tell me about your relationship with Puifai.” 

“I’m her boyfriend.” 

“Did you have any problems or arguments?” 

“Sometimes.” 

“Can you tell me about them?” 

“Puifai is jealous, so we sometimes had issues because of that.” 

“Did you sit next to Puifai last night? Did you see anything strange or notice her acting differently?” 

“No, nothing.” 

“Did Puifai drink a lot?” 

“Not much.” 

“If she didn’t drink much, she shouldn’t have died, right?” 

“Lately, Puifai was stressed about her final year of studies and job hunting, so she had trouble sleeping. She took medication, but I don’t know what kind. 

“I see.” Kamin nodded and continued. “Tell me what happened last night after the welcome ceremony.” 

Champ recounted the events of the previous night from start to finish. The details matched what the others had said, but he omitted the part about going out to talk with Cherreen. 

“That’s the whole story.” 

“What’s the relationship between Puifai and Cherreen?” 

“They’re close friends.” 

“Since when?” 

“Since high school, I think. Puifai told me they became friends in high school and promised to attend university together.” 

“So they’re quite close.” Kamin leaned back in his chair, more relaxed. “Your girlfriend died. Are you very sad?” 

“Of course. We made plans for the future together, work, and moving in. I can’t believe Puifai is dead.” People express grief in different ways, but the indifference he showed seemed a bit cold for someone who claimed to have a future together. 

In the waiting room, only Cherreen remained, sitting on the couch, nervously rubbing her hands. Her large, slanted eyes looked around cautiously. When she made sure the room had security cameras, she stood up and walked toward the trash can. With her hand in her skirt pocket, she seemed to be pulling something out, but a greeting startled her, and she quickly pretended nothing was happening. 

“I see you’ve been waiting a while. Would you like a sandwich?” 

“Thank you.” She returned to the couch and took the sandwich Jade offered her. 

“What were you doing just now?” 

“Just throwing away a tissue.” 

“I’m sorry about your friend.” Cherreen didn’t respond, only nodded slightly. Her red eyes, a sign she had been crying a lot, made Jade offer her a tissue to wipe her tears. “I understand you’ve been friends for a long time.” 

“Yes, we’ve been friends since high school.” 

“Had Fai ever had any similar problems before?” 

“No, normally when we went out drinking, Fai drank without issues. But lately, Fai has been stressed about exams and future work, so she’s had insomnia. I’ve seen her buy sleeping pills. I’m not sure if that had any effect.” Jade listened attentively, his face unreadable. 

“When the incident happened, you must have been very scared.”

 “Yes, I was so scared I didn’t know what to do.” 

“Then Jay asked Tonkla to call the hospital, right?” 

“Tonkla, right? Yes, Tonkla was the one who called.” Jade nodded, holding two cups of coffee, and stood up with a smile. 

“Don’t worry. Relax. I’ll leave before the inspector complains about the late coffee.” Jade spoke with a bored look, then excused himself and left the room. Once the door closed, his smile slowly faded. During Champ’s interrogation, Jade was also present, so he knew all the answers and the cadence of the responses. This indicated that the two guys had already talked beforehand and possibly agreed on a narrative. If one wasn’t lying and forcing the other to follow a story, then both were collaborating to hide the truth. 

After Champ left, Cherreen was taken to the interrogation room. Her account of the events matched every detail, but, like Champ, she omitted the part where she went out to talk with him. 

“Do you normally smoke?”

 “No.” 

“Really? I must be confused, because earlier, Time said he saw you smoking outside with Champ.” Kamin kept his expression impassive as Cherreen grew nervous. 

“I just went out for some fresh air. It was cold inside, and I ran into Champ outside. I thought it wasn’t important, so I forgot about it.” 

“Let me ask you a couple more questions. Everyone’s parents are already waiting. Had Fai ever had any conflicts with anyone before?” 

“No, Fai wasn’t the type to look for trouble.” 

“And in the group? Did the eight of you ever have any conflicts?” 

“No, we never argued.” 

“Okay, that will be all for today. We’ll be in touch if there are more questions.” “Yes.” Cherreen was taken to the waiting room with the others. The silent atmosphere didn’t surprise Kamin. It was a mix of distrust and wariness, so no one spoke first. 

“That’s all for today. After we receive the forensic autopsy results, we’ll inform you. If there are still doubts, we may need to invite you to testify again... individually.” Jade entered the room and handed Kamin a cup of coffee. 

“Your parents are waiting outside. Go home safely.” No one said anything; everyone stood up and hurried out, except Jay, who approached his brother with a tense face. 

“Let’s grab something to eat, and then I’ll take you home.” 

“When will we get the autopsy results?” 

“Soon.” 

“Have you already informed Fai’s parents?” 

“Yes.” Jade looked at his brother without smiling. “Tell me the truth, what are you hiding?” 

“Nothing.” 

“Then why did you hesitate during the interrogation?” 

“When did I hesitate?” 

“When I asked you why you didn’t tell me first.” Jay remained silent, looking at Kamin, who was drinking coffee and listening to the conversation. 

“I was afraid the inspector would distrust Tar and Bell. Even though they have bad tempers, they wouldn’t hurt anyone.” 

“How can you be so sure? You’re not even the same as you were an hour ago; how can you trust the others, Jay?” 

“I’m their friend.” 

“How well do you think you know your friends?” Jade stopped paying attention to his brother and turned to Kamin. “Let’s grab something to eat.” 

“I don’t have time.” 

“I’m going to eat and then to the hospital. Join me if you want.” 

“Come on, Inspector Kamin, you’ve been working all night.” Kamin looked at the brothers alternately. Aside from their physical resemblance, their personalities were like those from different worlds. 

“I’ll drive.” Kamin sighed tiredly. 

“It was just an invitation to eat, not to sleep together.” 

“With that mouth, I thought you ate croquettes.” The brothers watched Kamin’s back as he walked away until he was out of sight. 

“He’s cute, Jade.” 

“Cute? Do you need glasses, Jay? With that mouth, how can he be cute?” 

“Yes, he is. From the first day I saw him, I thought he was cute. Today, even though the situation is bad, I still think he’s cute.” 

“The first day?” 

“I saw him at the Drink Me club. His eyes are beautiful.” Jade narrowed his eyes and looked at his brother before making a face. 

“Sure, sure. How did you see his eyes in such a dark club?” 

“In the bathroom.” 

“Wait and see. When he yells at you, you’ll forget how cute he is.” 

“So, you also think Inspector Kamin is cute?” Jay looked at his brother as they walked to the parking lot. When they arrived, they saw Kamin talking on the phone. When he saw them, Kamin rolled his eyes. 

“Is that your cute guy?” 

“Yes.” 

The brothers stopped arguing about how cute the new inspector was as soon as they got in the car, fearing that if they talked too much, Kamin would leave them on the road. And by the look on Kamin’s face, it seemed like he would!

At the police station in the early hours of the morning, aside from the officers on duty, there weren’t many citizens present. In the waiting room, five fourth-year students were sitting separately in different corners, their faces tense, as two of them were being interrogated.

Jay and Mai were the first to be called in to give their statements. If they were called one by one, they feared the next ones on the list would argue about who was to blame, which would complicate the case

Time was waiting in a separate room, as instructed by the police, while they prepared some documents. Jay was sitting in a room with a one-way mirror on one side, connected to the observation room. It didn’t take long before Kamin entered, relaxed, sat across from Jay, and offered him a bottle of water.

“Drink some water, don’t get nervous.”

“Thank you.”

“Are you still feeling dizzy?” “No, not anymore.”

Kamin didn’t adopt an intimidating attitude, as that would only make the person being interrogated more nervous and cause them to forget or distort the facts.

“What about my brother?” “

He’s waiting outside.” Jay nodded, understanding.

“Shall we start? It seems you’re already familiar with police work.”

“Something like that.”

“Before the gathering, what were you doing at the university?”

“It was the last day of orientation for the new students.”

“Around what time?”

“Around four in the afternoon.”

“Normally, that room is locked, right? How did you get the key?”

“That room is a faculty storage room. It’s often used for secret gatherings. We just bribed the guard and got the key. Champ was the one who got the key.” Kamin nodded, understanding.

“What time did you start drinking?”

“If I remember correctly, around eight in the evening.”

“You and your seven friends have been close since when?”

“Since our first year.”

“That’s quite a long time. Have you ever had fights?”

“Like any group of friends, we’ve had some, but never anything serious enough to hurt each other.”

“Can you tell me what happened last night while you were drinking?” Kamin’s soft voice made Jay relax and focus more. Jay began to respect the person in front of him, even though he didn’t know him well yet.

“We started drinking and talking about the future and other topics. Then we played a game.”

“What game?”

“We played ‘Truth or Dare.’”

“I know that game.” Kamin didn’t rush the interrogation or push too hard. He tried to ask direct questions while keeping the conversation casual to avoid creating too tense an atmosphere.

“And then what happened?”

“We played until midnight and started getting drunk because we were made to drink straight liquor several times as punishment.”

“Do you remember what time you passed out?”

“Around one, I think. I don’t remember well because I was very drunk.”

“Your brother said you called him, right?”

“Yes, I called Jade to tell him I wouldn’t be coming home, but I don’t remember what happened after that.”

“You said you were the last to fall asleep. Are you sure?”

“Yes, even though I was drunk, I remember seeing everyone on the floor before calling my brother.”

“Okay. What Time did you wake up?”

“I’m not sure, but when I woke up, I felt very dizzy, so I washed my face and woke everyone up. It must have been around four.”

“Describe your dizziness to me.”

“The usual hangover: dizziness, a bit of nausea, headache. Everything was blurry in my memories.” Kamin nodded, a doubt in his mind.

“Who was the first to notice that Puifai had died?”

“I asked Time to wake Puifai, and he started shouting that she was dead. Bell and Cherreen confirmed it, so I called an ambulance.”

“Your brother is a police officer. Why didn’t you call him first if someone had died?”

“I intended to call, but...”

“But?”

“But we called the ambulance first, waited for it to arrive, and when the doctor confirmed Puifai was dead, then I called Jade.”

“Why didn’t you call your brother first?”

“I was afraid it might have been our mistake, and it would turn into a big problem.” Kamin glanced briefly at the mirror before looking back at Jay.

“Who did you ask to call the ambulance? I don’t think I heard that clearly.”

“I asked Tonkla to call.”

“Okay, that’s all for today. If I have more questions, we’ll talk again.”

“Do you think it wasn’t an accident?” Jay asked worriedly.

“What do you think?”

“I don’t know.” Kamin placed his hands on the table and leaned forward, looking Jay in the eyes as if he were a helpless puppy.

“Everyone has things on their mind that they don’t tell anyone, not even their friends.” Kamin’s expression changed after speaking, and he left the room to go to the connected room.

In the adjacent room with the one-way mirror, Jade was standing, watching his brother through the glass with a serious expression.

“Did you write everything down, Lieutenant Ken?”

“Yes, Inspector.”

“He didn’t tell everything.” Kamin looked at the one who had sighed.

“Someone stopped him from calling.” Jade, with his arms crossed, didn’t take his eyes off his brother.

“How do you know it wasn’t him who decided not to call?”

“I know my brother well.”

“I warned you not to mix personal feelings with the case, or I’ll remove you.”

“What personal feelings? Familial or... ours?” Jade smiled, but received a forced smile in return.

“I never said I don’t like you, but I don’t let my feelings interfere with the case. Don’t worry.”

“You have a lot to say, Kamin.” “You too, Jade.”

Lieutenant Ken, sitting and taking notes of the interrogation, watched his superiors excitedly. He rarely saw someone argue with the Captain so evenly, and it was even rarer to see the Captain being reprimanded.

“Should I call the next one?” Lieutenant Prai, who had just entered and saw her superiors in a heated argument, felt nervous and spoke softly.

“Please, Lieutenant Prai.” Kamin looked away from Jade to look toward the door.

“Yes, Inspector.”

“I won’t bother you anymore. Let’s work together amicably,” said Jade, raising his hands in surrender.

“I hope you can do that for at least ten minutes.”

“What do you think caused those symptoms? I don’t think they were just drunk and hungover; they wouldn’t have all passed out at the same Time. Jay has quite a high alcohol tolerance.” Kamin thought for a moment before answering.

“Midazolam.”

“Why do you think it was that drug?”

“It’s just a guess. But first, we need to interrogate everyone and send the liquor glasses to forensics for analysis.”

“After the interrogations, we’ll collect the autopsy results from the hospital and the information from the forensic department.”

“Understood.” Kamin looked at the red-haired young man who had just entered the interrogation room. He seemed nervous, looking around and clenching his hands.

“Go ahead.”

“Do you want to see my skills?” Jade smiled at Kamin before leaning on the edge of the mirror.

“Yes, with all your talk, I want to see if you have more than just words. Go ahead.”

Jade shrugged and entered the interrogation room.

When the door opened, Time jumped. Jade approached and patted him on the shoulder, offering him a bottle of water with a relaxed attitude.

“Jade! I didn’t do anything, I swear!”

“Calm down, Time. Stay calm. The more useful your statement is, the better it will be for you.” Jade knew how nervous Time could get, as he had seen it many times since Jay entered university.

“What about Jay?” “He’s in another room giving his statement. You drank last night, right? What did you do before?”

“Before, we had a medal ceremony for the new students. Puifai was fine at that time.”

“During the drinking, did anyone do anything strange or act unusually?”

“No... but...” Time hesitated before continuing. “I don’t know if it’s strange, but at one point we ran out of ice, so I went to buy more at the store outside the university. When I came back, I saw Champ talking to Cherreen outside. It looked like they were arguing, but when they saw me, they said they were smoking.”

“Champ, Puifai’s boyfriend?”

“Yes.”

“You were the first to touch Puifai. Why did you think she was dead?”

“Because her body was so cold! And when I put my hand under her nose, I didn’t feel her breathing. But I didn’t do anything!”

“Just because of that, you thought she was dead? Didn’t you try to check her pulse or listen to her heart?”

“Who would have the calm to do that? My friend was cold and not breathing! If I didn’t pee myself from fear, that’s already a lot.”

“What were you doing around midnight?”

“I didn’t check the clock or touch my phone. Who knows? I was probably drunk and playing. It was my turn to answer questions.”

“Questions? What game were you playing?”

“Truth or Dare.” Jade began asking the same questions Kamin had asked Jay earlier. Their answers matched in everything until Jade reached a question that still intrigued him.

“Why didn’t you call the police or me when you found out Puifai was dead?”

“It was Tar and Bell; they stopped Jay.”

“Tar and Bell?”

“Yes, they were probably afraid of being accused, too.” Panic and confusion are common reactions, but if someone tries to run when their friend has died, that’s suspicious.

“One last question. Who prepared the drinks last night?”

“Tonkla.” Jade nodded and asked Lieutenant Prai to take Time to the waiting room with Jay, who had already finished his statement. Neither knew what their friend was doing or what he had said.

Kamin entered the room to talk to Jade about Time’s statement. Although the details matched, the arguments between Champ and Cherreen, and between Tar and Belle, remained suspicious. Tonkla, who prepared the drinks, was also a key piece, as he could have put something in the glasses without anyone noticing.

“Who’s next?”

“I think Tar and Bell. They seem the most worried. Whether out of fear, anxiety, or nervousness, we might get something from them.”

“Okay.”

฀~~~~฀

In the waiting room, the five students were sitting separately, growing more worried as time passed.

“Why is this taking so long? When can I go home?” Tar got up from the couch and started pacing back and forth under the others’ gaze.

“I’m not waiting anymore. I’m calling my mom,” said Bell, also standing up. But before she could reach the door, it opened.

“Bell and Tar, please come in to give your statements.”

“Wait, what about Jay and Time?”

“They’ve already finished giving their statements.”

“Why them first? What did they say?”

“I’m just here to take you to the interrogation room. Please follow me.” Bell and Tar looked at each other before following Lieutenant Prai.

This time, Jade and Kamin decided to interrogate both together. The impulsive and nervous attitude of these two might make them reveal things they were trying to hide.

“Hello, both of you.

“He... hello,” said Tar, a bit nervous, while Bell seemed more annoyed.

“Hello.”

“Shall we start?” “If we give our statements, can we go home?”

“Yes, we can only hold you for forty-eight hours.”

“Can we call our parents?”

“We’ve already notified them. They’re on their way.” Both relaxed a little, and Kamin took the opportunity to continue the interrogation.

“How long have you been friends?”

“Since our first year,” Bell answered, and Tar nodded to confirm.

“Have you ever had fights?”

“No.”

“No.”

“Then, can you tell me what happened from when you started drinking until you realized Puifai had died?” Both looked at each other, as if deciding who would speak first. Finally, Tar began.

They took turns recounting what had happened without interruptions, complementing each other, until...

“Bell was the one who touched Puifai and said she was dead.”

“Why are you saying that?! I wasn’t the only one who touched her!” Bell shouted.

“You didn’t touch her? Only Time touched her?”

“You also shouted when the doctor said Puifai was dead!” Bell stood up and yelled at Tar.

“Who knows?! Maybe you did something to Puifai! You almost did it before!”

“Damn it, Bell!”

Seeing that both were about to fight, Kamin stepped between them, while Jade held Tar back.

“If you use violence, you’ll face real charges,” said Kamin, separating them.

“One more question, Tar. Did you call the ambulance?”

“No.”

“Then who did?”

“I don’t know!” Tar glared at Bell angrily before trying to break free, but he couldn’t overcome Jade’s strength.

“Go calm down.” Jade took Tar to the waiting room, leaving Belle and Kamin alone.

“Bell, what did you mean?”

“Someone like him, I’m not surprised he gets nervous talking to the police.”

“Why?”

“Because he uses drugs! He had drugs that night. Who knows? Maybe he drugged Puifai. Or ask his friend Cherine, who cried so much. I don’t know if she was really sad or pretending.” Belle finished speaking and left the interrogation room, pushing past Kamin.

It seems the group of friends that many envied is no longer what outsiders see

Jay woke up disoriented. He shook his head slightly to clear the confusion. Looking at his friends sleeping on the floor surrounded by liquor and beer bottles, he remembered how drunk they had been. He got up and went to the bathroom to try to shake off the dizziness.

He had completely forgotten what had happened before he fell asleep. No matter how hard he tried to remember, he couldn't. He splashed water on his face to clear his head and then went out to wake his friends one by one.

"Time, wake up." After waking, Time, who was lying with one leg over Bell, Jay went to find his phone to check the Time. He remembered his phone was about to die. When he pressed the button, the screen was black, so he went to wake Bell and took her pink-cased phone to check the Time. It was four. He didn't know if everyone could make it home in that state.

"I'm freaking drunk," said Time, getting up along with Bell, who was complaining and stretching.

"My back hurts. What's wrong with me?"

"Maybe you're turning into a ghost."

"Come on, someone who's in hell can't insult me," Belle retorted irritably before waking Cherreen, who was next to her.

"Time, help wake the others."

"Yeah, yeah." Time got up, shaking his fiery red hair, and went to wake the others, until he reached Puifai, who was lying next to a cooler.

When he touched her skin, he immediately pulled his hand back because it was abnormally cold, colder than it should be in an air-conditioned room.

"Puifai, why are you so cold? Are you okay?"

The others slowly woke up, stretching to ease the discomfort of sleeping on the tiled floor, paying no attention to Time's shouts.

"Puifai, can you hear me?"

"Why are you shouting, Time?"

"Guys, Puifai isn't waking up, and her body is freezing." Time looked at Puifai again before putting his hand under her nose. He immediately jerked back.

"Guys! Puifai isn't breathing!"

"What are you saying, idiot? Wake her up so we can go home."

"You don't believe me, come see!"

Bell sighed irritably and walked over to Puifai, who was lying on the floor with a pale face. She stopped when she saw how different her friend looked, who had been full of life before and now seemed lifeless. Bell put her hand under Puifai's nose as Time had done, and when she didn't feel her breath, she screamed and jerked back.

"She's dead! Puifai is dead!"

"This isn't funny anymore," said Cherreen, her expression serious as she saw her friends' reactions.

"It's not a joke! What do we do, Jay? This is insane!" Bell started panicking and pacing back and forth. The situation was tense, and everyone looked at Puifai's motionless body.

"Call an ambulance," said Jay, looking at Puifai.

"Tonkla, call an ambulance!" Tonkla, still in shock, took his phone, but Cherreen stopped him.

"I'll call. Go check on Champ," she said as she dialed the number.

Champ was in shock, pale, and with tears in his eyes.

"Champ, calm down."

"What are we going to do? Are we going to jail?" said Tar, standing up.

"Jail? We were drinking!"

"Was it your fault, Tar? Did you give her alcohol that was too strong?"

"This is crazy! Is she going to die from alcohol?"

"Who knows?! She was never that strong!" The voices of shouting and arguing filled the room

"Time, give me your phone. I'm going to call Jade."

"Wait, are you calling the police?" Tar said immediately.

"I'm calling Jade. He can come along with the ambulance."

"Are you crazy?! What if they blame us? Are we going to jail?" Bell shouted as she tried to leave, but Jay grabbed her arm.

"Are you just going to leave Puifai like this?" The room fell silent; only Cherreen's sobs could be heard.

"Puifai, please wake up. Wake up, please. Don't do this to us." At this moment, the small hope that it was all a joke was fading. Everyone was trapped in their own thoughts, confused, scared, uncomfortable, stressed, worried, and distrustful.

The ambulance's siren outside the building made everyone look at each other. Jay ran to open the door to call the ambulance and encountered a paramedic running toward them with a medical equipment bag.

"Where's the injured?" he asked in a grave, hurried voice. Although he was wearing a mask, the seriousness of the doctor could be guessed, as Cherreen had reported that her friend had hypothermia and had stopped breathing after drinking alcohol with the group.

The doctor approached the motionless person, placed the stethoscope on the left side of the chest, frowned, and then moved it below the chest. He examined various parts of the body as the seven friends watched anxiously. After a thorough check, he removed the stethoscope and looked at the young people watching him.

"The victim... has passed away." The last hope vanished. Everyone showed their sadness and disappointment in different ways: crying, being silent, or being in shock.

"Hello, can I speak to Captain Jade, please?"

(What do you want to report?)

"This is Jay, Lieutenant Prai."

Since he had been to the station many times, he recognized the officers' voices and names.

(Oh, Jay, wait a moment, I'll transfer the call to the Captain.)

Jay waited on the line and soon heard a familiar voice.

(Where have you been drinking that you haven't come home?)

"Bro... I want to report something."

(What do you want to report? Are you drunk and lost the car, or was there a fight?)

Jay sighed before looking at the situation in front of him.

(What's wrong?)

"Puifai... she's dead, bro. We were drinking last night and got really drunk. When dawn came, she wasn't breathing anymore. We've already called the ambulance."

(How many are there?)

"Eight people."

(Are you sure everyone was so drunk they fell asleep?)

"I'm sure, because I remember I was the last one to fall asleep."

(I'm on my way. Don't touch anything, and everyone stays in that room. No one leaves.) The noise on the other end of the line made Jay know his brother was doing something.

(Is the doctor still there?)

"Yes."

(I want to talk to him.) Jay brought the phone to the emergency doctor who had arrived.

"Hello, I'm the emergency doctor from xxx Hospital."

(Hello, I'm a police officer. Can I get details about the deceased's body? Are you sure she's really dead?)

"Yes, you can send your forensic doctor to confirm, or I can take her to the hospital's autopsy department."

(Not yet, I need to inspect the scene first. I'll be there in fifteen minutes.)

"Okay."

After the conversation, the young doctor handed the phone back to Jay. When he hung up, the atmosphere immediately became tense. Everyone was shocked and confused by what had happened, and began thinking about the first thing they needed to do: run away from the problem.

"Where are you going, Tar?"

"I'm going home."

"How can you leave? The police haven't arrived yet."

"You stay, I'm leaving." Jay grabbed his friend's arm and pushed him against the wall in frustration.

"What's wrong with you, Tar? Puifai was your friend, too. She was drinking with us last night. Shouldn't we stay until the police arrive? What are you so afraid of?"

Everyone fell silent. It wasn't like they had never drunk together until they passed out before, but something this serious had never happened.

"Doctor, do you know the cause of my friend's death?"

"Right now, we can't say the cause of death because we haven't investigated anything. But, given the situation, there could be several causes, like hypothermia or acute heart failure. Did the deceased have any pre-existing conditions?" Everyone looked at Champ, who was holding Puifai's hand without saying anything.

"No... I don't know."

"How can you not know, Champ? You were the closest to her."

"I told you I don't know!"

"Puifai had anemia... and I don't know more."

"It's your fault for inviting her to drink," Belle shouted in the middle of the group of friends.

"And yours too. You knew she was sick and still let her drink."

"That's not fair, Bell. No one stopped her, and everyone agreed. You can't just blame Cherreen." Tonkla stood up and stepped between Bell and Cherreen when he saw Bell about to confront Cherreen.

"Regardless of whether she died from a pre-existing condition or something else, at least we shouldn't be held responsible, right? We're not involved. At worst, we could be charged with negligence resulting in another person's death. That's it, I think."

The arguments continued endlessly. The group of friends, whom many envied, were now insulting and blaming each other. The sound of a car outside made everyone quiet down and gather nervously. The first person to enter was Jade, followed by the new inspector and two more police officers. The forensic doctor and two members of the evidence collection team entered the scene and began work.

"Jade," said Jay as he approached his older brother, before glancing at the person next to him. He remembered this person; it was someone he had seen at the pub the night before.

"I can't be in charge of this case because you're my brother. Inspector Kamin will take the case."

"The inspector?"

"Hello, I'm Kamin. Please stay in the area until we've collected all the evidence. Everyone may have to go to the station to give statements before we have the autopsy results to determine the cause of death."

"But... but we have a wedding tomorrow, and there's also the matter of our parents."

"I'll handle that. Now, everyone, stay calm. Officer, please take care of the forensic part."

"Okay." Jade looked at his brother once more before heading to the forensic officers from the police department to make sure the body lying there was truly lifeless.

"The deceased is named Pawarisa, twenty-two years old. She has passed away, likely from acute heart failure." Jade nodded and then allowed the hospital doctor to take Puifai's body to the autopsy room to determine the cause of death, and he would follow later.

"The seven of you must go to the station to give statements first. Once we have the autopsy results and confirm it was a natural death, we'll let you go."

"What?" Cherreen, who had just stopped crying, paused.

"Why do you have to detain us when it was an accident? We didn't do anything to Puifai," said Tar firmly.

"It's standard procedure. We need your cooperation."

"What if I refuse?" Kamin raised an eyebrow, looking at the young man in front of him.

"Why are you so nervous if you say you didn't do anything? What are you afraid of?" Kamin's question made the young man stop immediately

"Tar, enough. Why are you picking a fight with the officer?" Jay intervened before looking at Kamin.

"Sorry about my friend, he's upset about losing our friend."

"No problem. Everyone, follow the officers to the car." Kamin ordered two officers to take the seven young people in two cars to the station, and he would follow

Upon arrival, there was only one entrance and exit. The air conditioner was set to eighteen degrees. Around the room were some small pieces of welding equipment. In the center, there were liquor bottles, beer cans, snack bags, and plastic food containers scattered around. It looked like a typical social gathering.

"I want to work on this case too."

"Your brother is still a suspect, so you can't."

"I have the right to work on this case because you need my help." Kamin looked at Jade, who was next to him. The latter looked at him more seriously than ever, with his arms crossed.

"Give me a reason why I should need your help."

"One, I'm the officer in charge of this police station. Two, I'm good at my job." Kamin rolled his eyes, not hiding his irritation.

And finally, Jay called me saying he and his friends were drinking until they fell asleep. Before that, he called to say he wouldn't be coming home, but he fell asleep before finishing. I heard footsteps and the sound of a beer can being kicked before the line cut off."

"Are you saying someone wasn't asleep?"

"Yes, someone woke up after everyone fell asleep."

"So, could it have happened at that time?"

"Will you let me help now?"

"Fine. But if I see you cross the line in this case, whether for your brother or any other reason, I'll remove you from the case immediately."

"Understood.

"There are two things we need to do from now on. First, separate the seven young people and interrogate them one by one."

"And second, get the autopsy results to determine the cause of Puifai's death, right?"

"Yes."

"I know your thoughts so well; it seems we'll work together without issues."

"Knowing me so well, you'll probably become very annoying." Kamin forced a smile before turning to give orders to his evidence collection team, ignoring Jade behind him. Jade stopped smiling and looked at the liquor glasses scattered on the floor. All the glasses were empty, which was unusual. Not a single drop of alcohol was left in any of the eight glasses.

DARE YOU TO DEATH CHAPTER 3:

The atmosphere at the university was filled with smiles and laughter. It was a transitional period between childhood and adulthood, a time of learning and new experiences to be had alone. In the classroom, the first-year engineering students were packing their books into their bags and planning to eat something delicious after class. But when a group of people in navy jackets entered the room and stood in front of the class instead of the professor, everything came to a halt.

"Today is a special occasion, guys. We, seniors, will welcome you to the activity. Stand up and follow this classmate," one of the seniors said, pointing at his classmate. The seniors' serious attitude made the new students, who had only been at the university for a week, hesitate to obey.

When they arrived at the Faculty of Engineering auditorium, everyone sat down in an orderly manner. Once they had verified that all mechanical engineering students were present, the second-year seniors closed the doors and surrounded the first-year students.

"Guys! Do you know why we called you here today?" The loud, firm voice plunged the atmosphere into silence. Not a sigh was heard.

"When I ask you, you answer!'

"We don't know, sir!"

"You don't know anything! Do you want the emblem or not? Ow!"

Hearing the seniors' shout, the new students, who had been looking at the ground

Immediately raised their head.

"Why are you yelling like that, idiots? Doesn't your throat hurt?"

"It's to make it more intimidating so that the kids will respect us.

"The kids are here to study, not to be the target of your bad mood," said a young man with smoky hair, his angular face matching his navy jacket, as he leaned on the stage with his arms crossed.

"Head up, guys."

"Look who thinks he's handsome! Jay, always stealing the show, said a boy as tall as Jay, with flaming red hair combed back, showing his well-shaped forehead. His angular face and almond-shaped eyes made him look even more intimidating as he stood next to Jay in the same posture.

"Why do you meddle, Jay? There's room for Tar to run," said a girl with black hair and a pink streak, long to the middle of her back. Her honey-colored skin and model-like height caught the eye of every student. She pointed to a sturdy boy walking behind her, with long black hair tied carelessly with a pencil around his neck. All the seniors were used to his appearance.

"I'm not a rabbit, Bell. I mean a buffalo."

"You fight like dogs!" cried the girl with golden blond hair and a sharp face, raising her coffee cup to drink. But when Bell nudged her shoulder, the coffee spilled into her mouth.

"Bell!"

"I couldn't help myself, beautiful Jean. You're the one who talks nonsense." Cherreen looked at her friend warningly.

"Everything's dirty now," said the tall, thin boy with a military haircut, offering a handkerchief before walking away coolly.

"That idiot is still a handsome guy. You're so cool, Tonkla. I wish I could kick you instead of slapping you. I wish I looked that cool," said Time, tossing a piece of paper to Tonkla, who caught it easily.

"That's enough now."

All the newbies are confused. We're fourth-year students. Today, the second year brought you here because we have something important to announce.

"Champ, bring it to me," said a girl with shiny black hair and a gentle smile. Anyone who saw her would fall under the smile. Her small stature made her look even more delicate next to the tall boy, about 6'2" tall, with the sharp face and the scar across his eyebrow.

Champ handed the girl a silver metallic necklace with a gear-shaped pendant, and they stood close to her.

"Today, we, the eighth fourth-year students, present you with this gear. This gear is a symbol of our faculty, representing what we are. It's not that important in itself, just a piece of metal, but what really matters is the tradition it represents. It's something passed down from seniors to newcomers, showing that within this faculty, you have friends, seniors, and juniors who support you. I hope that one day, when you are in our shoes, you will pass it on with the same feeling. Puifai spoke with a smile, glancing around."

The ceiling lights dim to let the alum's candlelight shine through. The faculty song played softly, in harmony with the bright flames of the candles as they were passed to the newcomers, who then marched to receive the gears from the eight alumni.

It was the last day of orientation for the new students. The first-year students displayed joy, excitement, and pride in the activities they had participated safe approach to the activities, avoiding shouting and dangerous old traditions, made the first-year students appreciate the tradition even more.

After almost an hour, it was all over. The lights came back on, and the old new students mingled freely.

"Senior Min, what are the names of the alumni here today?" Asked a first-year student.

"Oh, you want to know them?" Min shouted to the fourth-year students who were discussing tonight's party.

"Are you deaf or something? Okay, I'll introduce them myself."

Mind cleared his throat theatrically, introducing the alumni one by one. "You see the senior carrying a water bottle under his arm with red hair looking as cool as a big rooster at the end of the alley? That's Time. The handsome guy with gray hair next to him is Jay. The one with the buzz cut who likes gangster but has the heart of a kitten is Tonkla. The beautiful girl who starred in the ceremony is Puifai. And her close friend with blonde hair is Cherreen, the girl with pink highlights, super sexy, but with a mouth that looks like someone with ten dogs, is Bell. The one carrying a water bottle to Puifai, with a serious look on his face, is her boyfriend Champ. And finally, the one with glasses and long hair down to his neck is Tar. That's the complete Mechanical Engineering Avengers team."

"Are all the seniors friends?" A freshman asked.

"Yes, they've been friends since freshman year," The ground replied, looking at the seniors in awe.

"I should go home," Jay said, checking his watch.

"No way, you have to stay and drink with us. Captain Jade isn't going to kill you.

"Where are we going to drink? If it's around here, I'm going to go crazy with the mosquitoes." Bell said, tying her hair into a high ponytail.

"In the storage room, I already asked the guard for the keys," Champ said, showing his key ring.

"Perfect, so that we can turn on the air conditioning."

"I already left the drinks and snacks there. We'll go there after we're done," Champ said before walking off to use the bathroom.

Creative orientation ended at eight o' clock in the evening. The sophomores made sure to send the first-year students home one by one and cleaned up the place.

Around nine-thirty, everything was clean.

"Jay, I've already locked the auditorium," said a freshman.

"Okay. Let's go home. Leave the keys with me; I'll return them to the caretaker," said Jay

"Thank you. Are the seniors leaving, too?"

"In a moment. Go home," Jay said to the sophomore, who split up to go home.

When he turned around, he found Time looking at him.

"What do you want?"

"Let's go drink, Jay."

"And the others?"

"They're in the storeroom. I waited for you because I was afraid you'd run away," said Time.

"I don't want Captain Jade to find me," said Jay

"He's been working a lot. There's a new inspector at the station."

"A new inspector? Who?"

"Does your face look like a police officer's?"

"Yours doesn't, but your father's does," said Jay, turning the keys near Time. He knows a lot because his father was also a police officer at the station.

"I don't know; I haven't asked him yet."

The two arrive at the storage room beneath the classroom building. This is where the electronic equipment used for classes is stored, most of it made of metal, so there is air conditioning. If you need to work urgently at night or have a small party, you can borrow the guard's keys and must return them in the morning. When they opened the door, the cold air from the conditioning, set too low, set Jay's face, making him frown. His six friends were sitting in a circle on the floor with a variety of snacks and alcohol in the center, courtesy of Tonkla, whose father owned a large food store.

"Sit down, Jay," Bell said, pulling Jay's hand to pull him next to her and offering him a glass of strong, golden liquor.

"Fuck, we're already in fourth grade! Daddy's money's gone," said Mai, who had just sat down, taking a large gulp of alcohol.

"This year, there aren't many classes, but the work is horrible. Grades depend entirely on performance, said Puifai, while eating a snack. "Just thinking about it stresses me out."

"What are we going to do after graduation?" asked Cherreen, pouring more alcohol for Puifai.

"Are we even going to graduate?" interrupted Bell, tossing a triangle-shaped snack to Tar, who was sitting across from her.

"Seriously, does anyone have plans for the future yet? Beside you two," Mai said, pointing at Puifai and Champ, who were sitting together. One is the son of a car dealership owner, and the other is ridiculously rich.

"Are you guys going to get married after graduation?"

"Get married so soon? We just graduated from college," Puifai said, blushing and looking at her partner. "Let's wait until we're ready, okay?"

"Yes," Champ smiled, hugging Puifai, while their friends watched and joked.

"What about you, Jay? When are you going to propose to me?" Time asked, leaning over Jay, but was pulled back by Bell.

"Sorry, but Jay is mine and so is Captain Jade," Bell said.

"Really, Bell?

"Yes, a problem?

Champ, you're going to inherit your father's business, right?" Jay asked, passing his glass to Tonkla, who was next to him.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"What about you, Tar?

"I'm going to do an internship. If I like it, I'll stay. If not, I'll look for another company in Bangkok." Tar said, drinking carelessly.

"Tonkla, are you gonna get Jay drunk so he doesn't go home?" Cherreen asked, seeing Tonkla pour a large amount of neat liquor into his glass.

"Let's stop talking about the future. It's too stressful. I have a game," Time said, getting everyone's attention.

"What game?"

"The game..." he paused dramatically, "of the bottle!"

"Whoa, I thought you'd have an original idea," Bell sighed resignedly.

"How do we play?"

"Let's play 'Truth or Dare'," Cherreen suggested timidly, but everyone agreed, except Time.

"How does it work?"

"You can ask anyone a question. The person has to choose between telling the truth and accepting a dare."

"So, Time, tell me the truth?"

"The other day, when we were doing group work, were you really sick or did you go out to eat with a girl from the dental school? Truth or dare?" Cherreen asked, smiling, while Tonkla and Bell stared at him.

"Well, I..."

"Answer correctly," pressed Bell, which made Time hesitate until he finally took a large gulp of liquor.

"Dare! I choose Dare.

"I dare you to write his real name," said Time, reluctantly, but finally agreeing, and he stood up to write the name as everyone laughed.

"Wow, you got me. Now it's my turn to ask a question. Jay, is it true that you don't get along with Captain Jade?"

"Why are you asking me all of a sudden?"

"Answer right now, or I dare you to dance on the gatepost," said Time seriously, hoping for revenge.

"Well, with that answer, there's nothing I can do," said Time, laughing with others, because Jay had dashed his red-haired friends' hopes.

"Jay, it's your turn to ask the question."

"I'm going to ask Champ a question. Where did you go last week when I called you and heard an announcement like it was at the hospital?"

Champ paused with his glass of liquor in his hand, looking at Jay.

"I went to the doctor."

"Which doctor?"

"No more questions."

"The soda's finished. I'll get another can." Cherreen said, getting up from the circle and fetching more soda from the table in the back.

The game continued until midnight. The question grew more and more daring, and some chose to answer the truth, while others accepted outlandish dares that caused laughter all night long. Everyone was drunk and started talking nonsense. Jay, who had originally planned to be home at midnight, had to abandon his plan due to his drunken state. Driving in that condition was not only illegal but also dangerous.

Eventually, everyone collapsed on the ground, some hugging each other, others using their friends as pillows, looking for a corner to sleep.

Jay, on the verge of losing consciousness, decided to call his brother to let him know he wouldn't be coming home that night.

"What's up?"

"Brother, I'm not coming home."

"Speak clearly. Where are you?"

"At the college, I'm not coming back.

And the call ended, Jay collapsed on the ground, unconscious like the others, unaware that what happened next would be something they weren't likely to forget.

Sorry everyone. Hopefully, I can do more chapters soon, having to clean my house for some surprise inspection of my house. Please be patient, and good things are on the horizon