( in the afternoon, still in Siri's mother's hospital) :;
( Inside the hospital):;
As they left Mrs Som's office, Siri's mind began to wander. She spaced out, her feet moving automatically as she followed the others towards the elevator. The fluorescent lights overhead seemed to hum in sync with her racing thoughts.
The ride was awkward, filled with an uncomfortable silence. The tension was palpable, and Siri's sadness seemed to suffocate her. She remained quiet, lost in her thoughts, When the elevator doors opened.
They made their way to Wit's ward. As they entered, Wit's face lit up with a radiant smile, illuminating the sterile hospital room. "Look who's here!" Wit exclaimed, his eyes shining with excitement, as he struggled to sit up straighter in bed.
Wit's mom appeared, her eyes scanning the group before settling on each face. "Hello," she said stiffly, her voice devoid of warmth, as she hovered in the doorway. The Elite and The Tops members returned the greeting, their responses equally formal and awkward.
The tension in the room was palpable, the atmosphere strained. Siri's eyes drifted to Wit, her expression unreadable. Chan and the others exchanged uneasy glances, their faces reflecting their discomfort.
Wit, oblivious to the tension, continued to chat enthusiastically, his words spilling out in a warm, effusive torrent. "I'm so glad you're all here. It's been ages since we've all caught up."
As Wit spoke, his mom began to busily pack up his belongings, her movements efficient and detached. The Elite and The Tops watched, their faces expressionless, as Wit's mom worked to prepare him for discharge.
One of The Tops members, desperate to break the silence, asked Wit about his legs. Wit's face lit up with a smile as he began to explain. "The doctor said I'll be alright after a few months. I just need to rest and do some physical therapy to regain strength in my legs."
The group began to hand over their gifts – flowers and fruit baskets – but the interactions were stilted. Wit thanked them, and they replied with forced politeness.
Wit's mom returned, her expression hurried. She continued to carry some of Wit's luggage out, leaving them alone with Wit. "I'll be right back," she said, before exiting the room.
The room suddenly became awkwardly quiet, but Wit broke the silence. "So, how's everyone doing?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with genuine interest.
Siri sighed, her voice barely above a whisper. "We're all doing alright, I guess."
Chan nodded in agreement. "Yeah, just trying to be happy ."
Wit's face lit up with excitement. "That's great! I'm glad to hear that. I've been worried about you guys."
The conversation continued, with Wit asking questions and the others responding with monosyllabic answers. The Elite and The Tops members remained distant, their faces expressionless.
Wit's mom returned, accompanied by a male nurse. "I see you're all having a great time," she said, her voice dripping with insincerity.
The nurse smiled politely. "Sawatdee, Nong Siri. Sabai dii mai?" (Good afternoon, Nong Siri. How are you?) he asked, his voice warm and respectful as he also formally greeted the rest.
Siri's expression softened slightly as she returned the greeting. "Sabai dii, khrap," (I'm fine, thank you) she replied, her voice barely above a whisper, as the rest also nodded to his greeting.
The nurse nodded sympathetically before turning his attention to Wit. "Okay, Wit, let's get you comfortable and ready to go home."
The group's conversation died down, and they exchanged awkward glances. Wit's mom produced a wheelchair from the corner of the room and attempted to help Wit into it. However, she struggled, and Siri intervened, offering to help.
Despite Wit's reassurances, his mom was hesitant to leave him in their care but accepted cause of the presence of the nurse . She gave them a suspicious glance before departing to collect the remaining luggage.
As soon as she left, the group's true feelings surfaced. They worked together to settle Wit into the wheelchair, their actions efficient but unenthusiastic along with the nurse .
As Siri began to push the wheelchair, the nurse intervened. "Nong Siri, you don't have to stress yourself. I can push the wheelchair by myself."
Siri politely declined. "Mai bpen rai, khrap. I can handle it." (It's okay, thank you. I can handle it.)
The nurse nodded and quickly stepped aside, allowing Siri to continue pushing the wheelchair. "Khob kun khrap," (Excuse me) he said, before quickly departing.
While Siri is pushing the wheelchair, they made their way out of the ward. Wit chatted incessantly, expressing his happiness at seeing them and reminiscing about their time as classmates.
The Elite and The Tops exchanged annoyed glances. They were clearly irritated about Wit's continues yapping...