Adulting was never easy. Zee always repeats that to himself now that he’s doing it. He missed how his mother would always prepare breakfast right after he takes a shower, and even woke up with neatly ironed clothes hung on his door. Can he go back to those days? Because right now, he just woke up and there are 45 minutes left until his classes would start. He was still on his clothes from yesterday. He immediately took a shower and almost slipped on the floor but luckily, he went back to his sense and was able to support himself.

After about 15 minutes, he was ready to leave his apartment but still with an empty stomach. He’s planning to stop by at the nearest café just to fill up. It was another 15-minute drive to the school but if he’ll try to speed up his driving, not too much, it will be around 10 minutes. His calculations are somehow accurate, that’s why he trusts it. He grabs his car keys then head on his way.

There are around 3 minutes left and still, four other people are lining up for their order. He was kind of fidgeting already and God knows how many times did he look at his watch. Surprisingly the customers before him were obviously in a hurry also because they ordered the so-called ‘classic’ of the café which consists of a medium-sized coffee and a beagle, that’s what he’s going to order anyways.

“I’ll take the classic,” Zee said while getting his money from his pocket then smiled nervously because he knows that he’s gonna be late. He did not include this waiting thing on his calculations so that’s why this is happening.

“Here’s your order sir.”

He immediately grabbed his order and handed the other the exact payment. He almost tripped on the way to his car and it left a coffee stain on his shirt. It wasn’t that obvious unless you’ll look intently on his shirt.

“What a lucky day!” Zee sarcastically exclaimed to himself. This day didn’t even start like how he had imagined yesterday and now the coffee stain is adding up his stress. He might scold one of his students for some unknown reasons…he’s not going to do that honestly, it’s against the ethics.

Finally, he thought that it was going to take around a day to arrive but he’s at his destination already and parked his car smoothly like he usually did. He then still has to walk to his first-class which is located on the second floor of the Language Building. Zee is an English teacher because he thinks he’s good at that field. He’s walking faster than his normal pace then finally arrived on his class bringing his beagle and the coffee. He can sense the giggles from his class but he just glanced at them with a serious face then everything was settled. Now everyone thinks he’s some aged strict teacher.

The whole morning classes went fine, he was having a hard time wiping the stain on his shirt while doing his lessons. Now he’s sitting in the cafeteria, alone while eating his ordered lunch. He just wants this week to end and get something to drink with his friend and party the whole night. That indeed sounds like a good idea though he should tell his friend about that. He was about to get his phone from his pocket when a random guy sat in front of him with his lunch tray. He just thinks that guy wasn’t just any random guy because he was wearing some decent clothes.

“May I sit here?”

“Sure, you may, I mean you’re already sitting there and it’s really rude for me to kick you out,” Zee explained while smiling at the other who was now busy eating.

“You’re new here are you?”

Zee tried to look at his surroundings just to make sure this person in front of him is indeed talking to him. “Uh…yes”

“Oh, that’s good, I’m new here also.” He stopped munching his food then lends his hand for a handshake. “Gulf Kanawut Tripipatanapong”

“Zee Pruk Panich” Zee gladly accepts the other’s handshake.

“Don’t be awkward with me, we graduated the same year.”

“How did you know?” It was lowkey creeping Zee out.

“Wild guess?” Gulf continues eating then looked at him once again. “Just joking, we’ve been in the same competition when we were in high school.”

Zee almost spilled out the iced tea he was drinking but that would be very disrespectful of him showing that kind of actions to the person he just met. They met before but Zee didn’t notice that.

“Sorry to sound rude, but what contest was that?” Zee gulps.

“It was a science contest, I’m a hundred percent sure you weren’t able to notice me because you were busy fidgeting at that time.” Gulf jokes while looking at the other who was in deep thoughts already trying to recall all the contests that he had joined trying to find Gulf’s face.

“There’s no point in recalling all those memories, that was like how many years ago.”

Surprisingly, both of them talked a lot about random things but more of topics smart people would usually talk about. Gulf mostly shared about the time he first met Zee but the other would just laugh at how unobservant he was and regretted not knowing this funny person back then.

He only got two classes for the whole afternoon so he mostly spent his time watching Money Heist with earphones plugged-in in high volume in his office. He’s been sitting for like an hour already and his is getting numb. He tried to stand up from his swivel chair but Gulf just surprisingly sat on his table and he almost fell from his seat after what Gulf just did.

“You know, I think you’re the type of person who gets surprised easily.” Gulf laughs.

“Who would not be surprised with anyone who just pops out of nowhere.”

Gulf reflected on what had Zee said. “Anyways, can you accompany me? I just wanna go somewhere in the school.”

It wasn’t bad accompanying someone so Zee agreed and it was just somewhere in the school, like what Gulf said.

They were walking but Zee doesn’t know where. He’s just following Gulf who was talking about lots of facts about the school which Zee knew some of it from yesterday’s tour but he still listens to what the latter was saying.

“We’re here” Gulf didn’t mention that they’re visiting ‘The Pride’ room. “I’m actually going to look at something, nothing more, nothing less.”

They both entered the room with Zee trailing on Gulf. It seems like the other was quite familiar with this huge room because he was able to find the switches instantly. Zee was mesmerized again with the shining, shimmering, splendid awards. He was busily observing them for the second time until he didn’t know where Gulf was. He tried searching around the room then right away saw the latter who was looking straight at a portrait. He went near to him and looked closely at the framed portrait also. As he looks intently at the photo, he felt goosebumps at the moment because the more he’s staring at it the more it looks like the person beside him. He tried reading the name of the student.

‘Gulf Kanawut Tripipatanapong’

“What the actual ?” Zee was truthfully shocked right now and Gulf is still in the same position from before well not until Zee just cursed loudly and it echoed throughout the room.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you studied here?!”

“I thought you already know.” Gulf casually says. “That’s why I didn’t mention it…and you didn’t ask.”
Zee was still absorbing what just Gulf said. “So, you’re one of this rich, rude, spoiled kid?” Does that sound rude? Because that’s how he would associate his students. Exact words; rich, rude, spoiled kids.

“Hmm…no” Gulf answers. “I did not want to study here in the first place.”

The other was quite satisfied knowing that Gulf wasn’t those type of rich brats. He did sense that through his actions since the time they met earlier.

“Why?”

“I don’t like to be part of those rich rude spoiled brats, just like what you said.” Gulf looks at Zee with a smug face.
Gulf lived with his aunt since he was eight. His parents which he doesn't even know where they are right now. He thought at first that his aunt was one of those cruel people that would make their nephews and nieces a slave, just how movies work, but his aunt was different. She let him study at prestigious schools and make sure to live a very nice life with his son who was also kind-hearted. During high school, he planned to study in a public high school for the reason that he feels like a burden to their family already but then he still ended up with this rich people’s school to study.

“So…if you studied here, do you at least know him?” Zee pointed towards the direction of the portrait that he has been looking at since they entered the room, Saint’s photo.

“Oh Saint?”

“Yep” They walked closer towards the photo.

“He’s a good example of a rich, rude, spoiled kid but a genius. Nobody even tried to get close to him.”
Gulf was truly right. Saint is really a good example of that but at least he tried getting close to him.

“Where is he right now?” Zee sort of still asked even if he knows the answer.

“Nobody knows,” The other thinks Gulf was joking that’s why Zee looks at him with a questioning look. “I’m serious, nobody knows where he went after the rest of freshmen year. He suddenly disappeared without anyone knowing, not even the teachers.”
Zee was stunned on what Gulf said and now he’s surely confused. What the Dean told him about Saint yesterday, was that confidential or a…lie? He was in deep thoughts again and tried connecting the dots like how mystery movies would usually do. He could entitle this as the ‘Disappearance of a Pride’. The Pride there could somehow mean the prideful attitude Saint has.

“So, he’s like gone…gone?”

“Maybe?” Gulf shrugged his shoulders “Why ask, are you somehow attached to him?”
Should Zee tell him about the truth? I think this was not the time, then when?

“No, not at all” He lied and already regretted it. “I just observed that he got fewer awards than the others.”
There was a short pause and somewhat turned awkward.

“I think…we should head out already, it’s getting late.”

“Yeah, we should.”

It was another day for Zee that he’s been looking for Saint and luckily, he met Gulf to somehow put up some details to find the answer he had been looking for years. He’s just going to leave first the unsolved mystery of the lost pride.