MYMOON, Chapter 12:
“Do you usually eat breakfast?”
The person who was about to put a spoonful of rice in his mouth pauses and answers, “I eat breakfast some days.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I usually have morning classes. When I wake up, I rush to get ready and leave for uni. By the time I get there, I head straight to class,” Klai explained quickly under the stern gaze of the person in front of him. “I leave the condo with enough time, Panli, but morning traffic is crazy. The earliest I can manage is 7:30, and classes start at 9. Some days, I have to be at uni by 8:30 for the professor to check our uniforms before class, so I don’t have time to grab breakfast.”
“They check your uniform too?”
“Yeah… the professor checks if our uniform is neat. For guys, they also check if our hair is too long. Aviation studies are strict like that.”
Moon furrowed his brows, seemingly deep in thought. “…”
“But it’s really just one day that makes me skip breakfast— Wednesdays, when I have the in-flight service class. The professor for that is super strict about time and appearance. Everything has to be perfect…” Worried that Panli might think he was careless or not trying to fix the issue, Klai added, “But I’ve tried keeping bread and milk in the condo fridge before. At first, I’d bring them to eat in the morning, but lately, I’ve forgotten to restock. Sometimes I rush out and forget to grab the bread and milk too…”
“So lately, you been thinking it’s better to finish classes and then eat a proper meal afterward, right?”
Wow… Panli really gets it. “Uh, yeah… exactly, that’s what I’ve been thinking.”
“I understand everything about you, including how rushed your schedule is. From what I’ve heard, your major is pretty strict, totally different from mine.”
“…”
“But from now on, KhunKlai, try to eat breakfast whenever you have time. On those Wednesday mornings that aren’t too hectic, don’t forget to grab some bread to keep in your bag. That way, if you have a moment before class, you’ll have something to tide you over.”
“…”
“I think telling someone to suddenly change and do this or that isn’t easy, no matter how much we care about them. We have to understand and respect their choices and lifestyle because we don’t know what they’re dealing with every day…” Moon paused, then smiled at him. “…Like, for example, this coming Wednesday, you might plan to bring bread and milk to eat at uni. But then the night before, you get swamped with work and forget to buy groceries. Then in the morning, you have to rush to class…”
“…”
“See? Situations can change all the time. So I’m not going to tell you that you have to eat breakfast every day. I’ll just say… if you’re not too busy, try to bring something small to snack on.”
Klai fell silent. Many people had expressed concern about him skipping breakfast, always urging him to eat every morning. He tried to comply because he didn’t want them to worry, but no one had ever conveyed their concern with such depth and understanding as Panli. Moon’s words didn’t make him feel uneasy or pressured; instead, they were explained with empathy.
Sometimes, when we make mistakes…
We might not need comforting words like “It’s okay.”
But maybe all we need is “understanding.”
Klai smiled before saying, “Thank you, Panli, for understanding me… When I promise my family and friends that I’ll try to eat breakfast every day, but I can’t always do it, I feel guilty all the time. Because I know it makes them worry about me again.”
“No need to feel guilty,” Panli said with a smile, gently tapping the tip of Klai’s nose with a fingertip. “KhunKlai said you’d try, and you’ve already done your best, haven’t you? I worry about you too, but I choose to understand that things like this aren’t easy. For some things that are too hard, you might not be able to try alone… So from now on, let’s try together, okay?”
“Mhm… I’ll try.”
Klai didn’t know exactly what they’d be trying together but just knowing that the other person wanted to “try” with him warmed his heart immensely. “Mhm, with you, Panli.”
“Yup… but first things first, KhunKlai has to try to finish that plate of shrimp fried rice.”
“But Panli keeps talking to me… Normally, I eat super-fast.”
“Sorry,” Moon said, laughing.
Because Moon kept asking about him, as if wanting to know him better, Klai kept answering, which meant his fried rice barely got touched.
Now it felt like Moon knew everything about him one-sidedly. Klai decided he couldn’t let the other win so easily. He should learn about Panli too, but he’d try to ask questions that didn’t invade Moon’s privacy too much.
“So… do you usually eat breakfast every day?”
“I eat every day.”
“Doesn’t you ever have morning classes?”
“I do, but I usually wake up early anyway…” Panli must have seen something in his eyes because he raised a finger as if to stop him. “…But KhunKlai, don’t start blaming yourself because I can eat breakfast even with morning classes like you. Like I said, we’re different. My major allows more flexibility with timing, and the professors don’t check uniforms either. Our circumstances are different…”
“…”
“So we just do our best in our own way.”
It was like Moon could read his mind completely. “Mhm, I won’t blame myself.”
“Good job.”
“How many days does Panli have morning classes?”
“Just one. I only have morning classes on Thursdays. The rest are from noon to afternoon.”
“Oh…”
“Do you want my class schedule? I can send it via LINE.”
Klai’s eyes widened, and he quickly waved his hands in refusal. “N-no need, Panli. I was just asking casually.”
“Oh… Do you have anything else to ask? I can answer anything.”
Honestly, I want to ask a ton, but I know I shouldn’t. “Uh… let me think for a bit.”
“Sure,” Panli said with a chuckle.
Since Klai was determined to make bolder moves on Moon, he thought he should ask something to gather info and make an impression. “What kind of person does you like? Uh, no, I mean, what kind of person impresses you?”
“…”
Seeing the other try to suppress a smile, Klai instantly knew he’d said something awkward again. “Uh… they’re kinda the same question, I guess.”
“Like what kind… Does you mean as a friend or as a lover?”
Klai had tried to skirt around it, but Moon took the shortcut straight to his heart. “B-both, I guess.”
Don’t be too specific, Klaijai…
“For friends, I like sincere people who aren’t selfish. Just those two things are enough.”
“…”
“But for someone I’d want to develop a deeper relationship with…” The playful glint in their eyes, which he’d seen often, turned steady and serious. “I’ve never specified what type I like. I don’t have a particular type.”
“…”
“I just know that like is like. If I like someone, I won’t set any conditions for them. I’ll like them for who they are. Honestly, when I really like someone, I want them to be themselves as much as possible.”
“…”
“If they’re worried I won’t like them, I’d want to say… I like you for being you.”
“…”
“I like you even on days when you say you’re not talented, not strong, or can’t smile all the time…” Moon smiled as Klai’s heart warmed to the point of bursting. “On those days, whether you’re the strongest or the weakest, I don’t care. Because all I care about is… I’m grateful.”
“…”
“If one day you really like someone…” Moon continued, “just be yourself. I believe your true self will make them like you easily… and love you effortlessly.”
How many people get advice from their crush to use that advice to make their crush fall for them? Probably just Klaijai, right?
Klai thinks he’s lucky to have gotten advice directly from Panli. He’s grateful to himself for daring to ask Panli like that, because Panli’s response has significantly shortened what would’ve been a long journey for Klai.
“I’ll follow Panli’s advice.”
Moon flashes him a smile before saying, “Trust me, KhunKlai… this advice will work one hundred percent, guaranteed.”
Does Moon realize… that if this advice works one hundred percent,
Moon will have to be “Panli, my person” forever.
🙂
Ring, ring
The bell hanging on the door jingles loudly when someone enters the shop. Klai’s gaze shifts from Moon to the new customer who just walked in. The tall figure in a navy sports outfit gives him a friendly smile, and Klai returns a smile to the familiar customer he’s met before.
“Klai~”
Moon whips around at the sound of someone calling Klai’s name. Upon seeing it’s his friend, he lets out a dramatic sigh.
“Damn Boss.”
“My mom named me ‘Boss,’ Panli’s friend… just ‘Boss,’ no ‘damn’ in front of it.”
Boss walks over and stops at their table, pulling an empty chair to sit at the head. Moon glares at his friend with an annoyed expression, but Boss just grins widely, looking back and forth between Klai and Panli.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“I’m here to play badminton with some girls…” Boss says, shooting a sly glance at Panli. But Moon shakes his head slightly and picks up his glass of water to take a sip instead. “…Wanna come play badminton with me?”
“Nah.”
“Not inviting you to play with the girls… but to hang out with Tew.”
“Tew’s back from China already?”
“Yeah, just got back yesterday. Today, we’re dragging him out, and tonight we’re planning to party.”
“You jerks didn’t even invite me!”
“Would you even go if we did?”
Moon, mid-conversation with his friend, glances at Klai before answering, “I’m done with partying.”
“Ugh… you little pup!” Smack!
“0_0”
Klai’s eyes widened when Boss got slapped on the mouth by Moon’s heavy hand. The one on the receiving end laughed, lightly rubbing his lips. Klai figured Panli and his friend must often play rough like this, as Boss seemed completely unfazed, not even slightly startled.
“Who’s the little pup, you jerk?”
“You are.”
Panli raised his hand, ready to smack his friend’s mouth again. But Boss quickly covered his mouth with one hand and pointed at Klai with the other. Klai wasn’t sure what Boss meant, but whatever he was implying made Moon hold back.
“What’s that supposed to mean? What does KhunKlai have to do with this?”
The one about to get hit lowered his hand and said, “Earlier, I passed by this place once already. I saw you letting Klai pet your head like you’re a little pup.”
“…”
“You usually don’t let anyone mess with your head.”
“…”
Moon pushed his tongue against his cheek while staring at his friend, who was sitting there with a sheepish grin. Panli, silent and frowning, seemed to be searching for a comeback. But in the end, he gave in with a quiet sigh and muttered a curse under his breath.
“This time, you win, you jerk Boss.”
“Haha!” Boss laughed heartily, slapping his knee loudly before turning to Klai and saying, “Klai… try calling Panli a little pup.”
“You damn Boss! You’re asking for it, huh?”
Klai shook his head vigorously in refusal. No way he’d say it. Panli probably didn’t like being called “little pup” much. Even his friend got slapped for saying it. Sure, Moon was kind to him, but he doubted he’d let it slide.
“I’m not saying it.”
“Klai, side with me. Li won’t do anything to you.”
The one being persuaded looked at Boss. He pursed his lips, thinking hard. Part of him was curious about how Moon would react, but another part was afraid of making him angry. Klai shifted his gaze from Boss to meet Moon’s eyes.
Moon’s calm expression made Klai nervous, but the fierce look in his eyes felt like a challenge. In that moment, Klai decided to scrunch his nose at Panli and say something.
“Don’t you dare growl at Klai, little pup.”
The tall figure, addressed by a nickname he didn’t particularly like, burst out laughing before saying, “KhunKlai, you are gonna get tickled for listening to Boss.”
“Haha… like a scared puppy, huh? You won’t dare do anything to Klai.”
Whack!
“Ouch!”
“But dares to mess with someone like you, huh?”
Boss, who got a hard smack on the head from the fierce Moon, rubbed his head pitifully before sending a pleading look his way.
“Klai, I am hurt. Rub my head for me.” Whack!
Before Klai could decide what to do, Moon slammed his hand down on his friend’s head again, hard. Klai saw Boss’s head practically wobble. He swallowed hard, praying Boss’s brain wasn’t so rattled he’d need a hospital, but seeing Boss still chuckling, he figured Boss was probably fine.
“You’re spreading like a rash, you jerk.”
“Enough, I’m done teasing. You’ve smacked my head so hard my brain’s about to clump together, you bastard…” Boss said, turning to give Klai a thumbs-up before continuing, “But Klai did great. You helped me beat this guy for once.”
“Keep it up, and you’ll get another one…”
“Haha!” The guy laughing suddenly stopped, as if remembering something. “Hey… go see Tew. It’s been a while.”
“Right now?”
“Yeah, we’re heading back soon anyway. Gotta prep for the party.”
“Then who’s gonna stay with KhunKlai?”
Boss shifted his gaze from Panli to Klai. “Oh, yeah, true.”
“Panli, go see your friend. I’ll finish eating and then wait by Football
Field Number One.”
Panli went quiet, as if deep in thought, before turning to ask his friend, “What time are you guys heading back?”
“Panli…” Klai knew Panli was worried, probably afraid he’d be lonely sitting by himself. So he reassured him to put his mind at ease. “I’m fine on my own, totally cool. Panli, go see your friend.”
Honestly, if Klai asked to tag along, Panli would probably let him.
But he didn’t want to do that…
Klai wanted Panli to invite him willingly instead.
“KhunKlai, you want to keep eating first, right?”
Klai glanced at his shrimp fried rice, which was barely touched, before deciding to say something to ease the other’s concern. “Mmm, I feel bad that there’s still so much fried rice left. Let me eat a bit more, okay?”
“Okay…” Moon nodded, pulling something out of their pants pocket. They handed him a brown wallet and said, “Then KhunKlai, hold onto my wallet. After you’re done eating, come meet me at the badminton court.”
“No need, Panli. I can pay for it myself.”
“KhunKlai, don’t be stubborn.”
“I’m not being stubborn… I just want to treat you for once,” Klai said softly, looking at the other before taking the brown wallet. Moon reached out, gently ruffling his hair, then stood up to their full height.
“That’s my job,” Moon said, grabbing a black shoulder bag before continuing, “See you at the badminton court, KhunKlai.”
“Okay.”
“Catch you later, Klai.”
“Yes, Boss.”
“Such sweet talk, you’re making me melt.”
“Go already, you cheeky Boss!”
Klai watched the two tall figures leave the restaurant, then lowered his eyes to the brown wallet in his hand. When he opened it, the first thing he saw was a family photo of Moon’s. Now Klai could tell who Panli took after—looking so much like their father. Phii Fah, on the other hand, resembled their mother more.
Klai chuckled softly at a young Panli, whose skin was strikingly fair, sitting on their father’s lap with a wide, squinting smile. Moon must have been bright and cheerful since childhood. Shifting his gaze to the other side, he saw another boy with a calm expression sitting on their mother’s lap. Klai shook his head lightly, amused at how the two siblings were so different in both personality and appearance. Looking at Panli’s parents, who still appeared youthful, he thought…
Thank you for everything that brought Mom and Dad together.
Because if they hadn’t fallen in love,
Klai wouldn’t have this moon to love today.
Thank you.
After finishing his meal, the small figure left the restaurant and headed straight for the badminton court. Before leaving, Klai asked a staff member for directions to the badminton court. She suggested cutting through Football Field No. 2, as it would shorten the distance significantly. Klai followed her advice.
The shortcut got him to the badminton court as quickly as promised, but it had a slight drawback—it led him to the back, where there was no entrance. Klai looked up at the large badminton court, resembling his high school gym, and scanned the area hopefully for an entrance.
But Klai had to accept that he’d need to walk around from the back to find the front entrance. Not wasting time, the small figure quickened his pace. As he walked, he held up the dark brown wallet and a notebook, smiling faintly because these two items reminded him of someone.
As he looks up from the important item in his hand, Klai notices several cars parked in front of the field and a few large trees nearby. He figures that if he walks to the end of the building and turns right, he’ll reach the entrance.
But just as he’s about to turn right at the corner of the building, two tall men emerge from that direction. Klai doesn’t know why he instinctively slows his steps. When he sees its Panli and Boss, he watches them stop near a large tree not far from the badminton court. Boss hands Moon a white cigarette. Klai was about to approach Moon, who probably hasn’t noticed him standing at the corner, since both men headed straight for the tree upon coming out.
However, a question from Boss makes Klai freeze in his tracks.
Instead of walking over, he ducks behind a large tree nearby to conceal himself, ensuring he won’t be caught eavesdropping on Moon’s conversation with his friend.
I’m sorry, Sasin.
I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.
I just wanted to know…
“Why do you use ‘ka’ and ‘kha’ with Klai?”
The person being asked, who’s exhaling white smoke from his mouth and nose, pauses for a moment before replying, “Do you think he’s cute?”
“Cute as hell.”
“Exactly… that’s why.”
“…”
“The truth is, I don’t just use ‘ka’ and ‘kha’ with KhunKlai. Any polite ending that feels cute and suits him, I use it all.”
“…”
“I do use ‘khrap’ too, it’s not like I never do. But lately, I’ve been using ‘ka’ and ‘kha’ with him a lot because I feel like it makes me seem gentler, kinder even. It’s not because I think he looks feminine or anything like that.”
“…”
“But I pay attention to his reactions too. I don’t just use these words without observing him. KhunKlai doesn’t seem uncomfortable or bothered. When we talk, he seems at ease, not awkward or scared of me. That’s enough for me. Whatever anyone else thinks from now on, I’ll just say… screw it, I don’t care.”
“Chill, man… I was just curious because you don’t usually talk so politely with others. Even with the girls you’ve dated, you rarely used ‘khrap.’”
“…”
“Even if I didn’t always speak politely with everyone I’ve talked to, it’s not like I treated them poorly. I always respect everyone and give my all in every relationship. But speaking politely…”
“…”
“KhunKlai made me think of this saying: Treat others the way you want to be treated. If you want someone to speak kindly to you forever, you have to speak kindly to the person too.”
“…”
“The reason I have is simple. That’s it.”
“Does he speak kindly to everyone~?”
A red light flickered at the end of the cigarette as Moon inhaled nicotine into his lungs again. “That’s his right, isn’t it? He can speak kindly to everyone if he wants. I can’t stop him.”
“…”
“Answered everything. Are you satisfied now, you bastard?”
“One more question!”
“Go on…”
“Have you ever seen something and felt like it was the cutest thing in the world?”
“I have.”
“What made you feel that way?”
Klaijai didn’t expect it at all. Not at all hoping it would be, “Klaijai,” this person.
“When I saw the Winnie the Pooh doll that my mom bought me in second grade.”
“Haha, cute as hell!”
“Yeah… back then, I thought it was the cutest thing in the world.”
“And now?”
“Still feel the same.”
The small person secretly listening to the conversation gave a faint smile, thinking, “Good thing I didn’t hope,” because hoping to be the cutest person in Moon’s world was probably too far out of reach.
But it’s not like Klaijai never had a chance to be the cutest in Moon’s world.
One day, Klaijai might just become Number One for Moon.
“Is Klai as cute as that Pooh bear?” Thump, thump, thump, thump.
The boss’s question made his heart race, his body temperature spiking even before hearing the answer. Klai thought that even if Moon said, “No,” the pounding lump in his chest wouldn’t slow down. He looked at the tall figure pursing his lips as if suppressing a smile. Moon shook his head slightly, exhaling white smoke into the air.
“No.”
“…”
“Not as much as Winnie the Pooh… because KhunKlai is insanely cute, even more than that.”
Boom!!!!
The clear and heartfelt response from Moon made Klai’s heart swell so quickly it finally burst. The small guy leaned back against a large tree and let his weakened body slump to the ground. Klai crouched, lifting his notebook and wallet to cover his burning face. He tried to hold back a smile but couldn’t manage it at all.
Klaijai, you’re such a fool!
Blushing again, huh? Stop it right now.
Get a grip!
T____T
But I can’t believe…
Klaijai beat Winnie the Pooh.
“Hasn’t Klai shown up yet?”
“I was just about to message him…”
The small guy, at the peak of his embarrassment, hurriedly pulled out his phone to mute it. Last night, he’d left the ringer on, afraid his dad might call in the morning and he’d sleep too deeply to hear the vibration alert. But it seemed the universe hadn’t teased him in a while and was itching to mess with him. His finger didn’t make it in time to mute the notification.
LINE~
Panli must have heard his notification sound for sure, because even he could clearly hear both of them talking. They weren’t that far apart, just hidden from each other by the large tree concealing his body and blocking their view.
- Panli: Klaijai, have you finished eating?
Klai was about to open the LINE app to reply to the message. But then the other person sent another one.
LINE~
LINE~
LINE~
Ugh… Klai.
Why didn’t you mute it earlier?
The small guy felt so flustered he didn’t know what to do. He gathered himself, muted the notifications, and opened the LINE app to reply to Moon’s message.
- Panli: Where’s you KhunKlai?
- Panli: sent a sticker
- Panli: sent a sticker
Klai looked at the sticker of a rabbit tilting its head with a confused expression, a “?” symbol above the fluffy creature’s head. His slender fingers were about to type a reply. However, as he sat hunched over his glass screen, he felt a shadow loom over him. Klai swallowed hard, his throat sticky, and glanced at the black sneakers of someone who had stopped beside him.
Klai decided to tear his eyes away from the phone screen and looked up. It was at this moment that he met the familiar pair of eyes. Moon furrowed his brows slightly before reaching out with his free hand to hold Klai’s head. His other hand held a black phone.
“KhunKlai… why are you sitting here all slumped?” he said, waving his phone in front of Klai’s face. “I was worried, so I messaged you. But just now, I heard your LINE notification every time I sent a message, so I followed the sound.”
“…”
“And then I found this sneaky guy sitting here…”
“I mean…” What to do? Come up with an excuse quick, Klaijai! At this point, whether Moon believed his excuse didn’t matter, but he couldn’t let Panli know he’d been rudely eavesdropping on their conversation with a friend. “…this sneaky guy was about to faint.”
Wait…
Why did he just refer to himself with the pronoun he used?
Who taught him to do that, Klaijai?
That’s awful.
“Really?” Moon’s eyes widened in shock before leaning closer to him. He tucked his phone into his pants pocket, then used both hands to gently hold Klai’s face, saying, “Your face is all red. Was it really hot when you were walking here?”
“Y-Yeah… so I came to rest here.”
The concerned figure knelt in front of him before turning to shout for a friend. “Boss!”
“What’s up~” Boss responded cheerfully while walking toward them, then showed a shocked expression. “Klai… what’s wrong? Why’s your face so red? Are you sick? I’m freaking out—what do we do, Li?”
“Khun Klai’s about to faint. Go get a fan ready. I’ll bring him into the field.”
“Got it, got it!” Boss, agreeing, hurriedly ran off.
At this moment, Klai felt deeply guilty toward Moon, who looked extremely worried. Klai could only silently apologize in his heart over and over, promising never to do this again. But beyond the apologies, Klai also wanted to say… Thank you, Moon.
Who’s always worried…
And always being everything for this Klaijai
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