Kindergarten AU (ZeeNuNew FF)

Chapter 9

The morning sun casts a scorching glow on the school's red-brick facade. Inside, the hallways echo with the distant murmur of students settling into their classrooms. The air is charged with the anticipation of another day of learning.

As the clock ticks toward the official start of the school day, the door to Room 18 swings open with a creak, and the students fill in, their backpacks slung over shoulders and the chatter of conversation filling the air. Ms. Leana, a vibrant and dedicated teacher, stands at the front of the room with a welcoming smile.

"Good morning, everyone!" she calls out, her voice cutting through the hum of conversation. The students quickly find their seats, exchanging greetings and shuffling notebooks into position. The room buzzes with energy.

Ms. Leana claps her hands twice to signal the start of the lesson. The room hushes, and all eyes turn toward the front.

"Happy Monday, class! I hope you had a restful weekend," she begins, her enthusiasm contagious. "As you know, tomorrow we have St. Valentine's Day. It's a very special day when we show extra appreciation and love to the people we care about. Now, who can tell me how we can do that?"

One of the students, Tong, raises his hand.

"We let them pass the door first!" he says eagerly.

Ms. Leana smiles warmly. "Yes, little gestures are definitely a beautiful way to show love, Tong. What else?

"By sharing Tao Kae Noi with them," suggests another student, Win. He's almost always seen with his favorite snack and asking for some is like pulling teeth.

"That's right, Win, sharing is caring and the more love we share, the more we receive in return, yes? Very good. What else?"

Chawarin, who's been silent so far, finally raises his hand.

"We can give cards and flowers." He knows that, because last year Pruk gave him a Valentine card he made in his own classroom and a little bouquet of pink roses. He even made sure to remove all thorns beforehand, so that Chawarin wouldn't hurt himself. Rin didn't have anything for him, and was very upset about that, but this year he is determined to give Pruk the best Valentine card ever.

"Yes, exactly, giving cards and flowers is a wonderful way to express your feelings. And that brings me to our assignment today." Ms. Leana begins to write today's topic on the board. "I want you to create a Valentine card for the person you care about. It can be your friend, relative or someone you admire or like. You don't have to give that card to them personally. The goal is to express your feelings and appreciation for that person in some way. Remember, this assignment is not just about the final product, but also about the process of expressing your feelings through creativity. Have fun, and let your imagination run wild!"

The kids start to whisper furiously among themselves about the assignment. Some outwardly say to whom they're dedicating their cards; some, just like Chawarin, are too shy and stay silent. But he knows that his card will be for Pruk. He's almost one hundred percent that tomorrow he will receive another gift from his soulmate, so he must beat him this time and be first.

He quickly gets to work, folding one sheet of pink paper in half. He has lots of supplies on his desk, so he knows his card will turn out to be fa-bu-lo-us (that's his new favorite word).

He spends most of his day at school on this card, making it absolutely perfect. He doesn't say a word to Pruk when they meet on the lunch break, because it's supposed to be a surprise, but he's very giddy and wriggles in his seat. Pruk, of course, is very perceptive about his little soulmate, and has his suspicions, but he doesn't say a word, just stares fondly as Chawarin wolfs down his lunch, his own for now forgotten.