MYMOON, Chapter 17:
“Is there another problem with your personal work, puppy?” Klai asked.
“Yes,” Panli replied.
“Would it be too intrusive if I wanted to confirm whether the personal work you keep mentioning is the business you run with your friends and seniors?”
“…”
“I remember you mentioned having friends and seniors as business partners. But if you’re not comfortable sharing, that’s okay, Panli. You might want to keep it private.”
“It’s not intrusive,” Panli said. “I can tell you about it. I hadn’t shared yet because I planned to take you to the store and tell you it’s mine. But since you asked first, I’ll tell you now.”
“…”
“KhunKlai, do you know the clothing brand Once in a Blue Moon?”
“Don’t tell me…”
“Yes, it’s the clothing brand I run with my partners.”
“Panli… this brand is pretty famous to me! Last year, I saw their store open in Siam, and my high school friends were buying from it and posting all over Instagram.”
“…”
Even though I don’t use Instagram much and only check it once in a while, I still saw how popular this store is all the time.”
‘…’
Most men’s clothing tends to be dark, street-style, while women’s clothing is often cute and pastel-colored.
“I really love the sound of your voice when he’s excited,” Panli said.
“I was genuinely excited, Panli. Who would’ve thought I’d become close to the owner of a famous clothing brand I’ve been eyeing for a while? I wanted to buy something like everyone else, but… I didn’t have anyone to go with and never got the chance.”
“You are the Klaijai, someone near hearts you know… Why wouldn’t you have a close friend who owns Once in a Blue Moon?”
“You’re right… I forgot I’m the Klaijai.”
Yesterday’s conversation floated back into his mind after learning that his close friend, Moon, was one of the partners of a clothing brand hugely popular among teens. Panli shared how he and his partners started the business, overcoming obstacles to build their brand’s reputation—a far-from-easy journey. The brand first gained traction on Instagram, with friends helping to promote it. From there, it grew more well-known. Moon said the hardest part was making their brand unique and distinct.
Klai wasn’t surprised that so many people, including his high school friends, loved this brand. Panli and his partners knew exactly how to target their main consumers and executed brilliant marketing strategies. Now, they even had their own store at Siam Square.
Klai was genuinely proud of his puppy
I can’t believe our close friend is practically the boyfriend of the owner of Once in a Blue Moon, the store we’ve been ordering from online for almost a year,” said the petite friend carrying a large brown paper bag containing a box of custom-made leather shoes. She turned to look at the cheerful voice’s owner.
Klai shook his head lightly, smiling faintly at his friend’s words.
Truthfully, Klai hadn’t planned to visit Once in a Blue Moon, which had just released a new clothing collection a few days ago. He came to Siam Square after class because the regular leather shoe shop he’d ordered from called him to pick up his custom shoes, and he also wanted to buy some shorts for a beach trip tomorrow. So, he drove over.
But during class, Moon sent him a LINE message with a drawing of a white rabbit wearing black sunglasses, sitting cross-legged on a crescent moon, followed by a message:
“Phii Pi told me to try designing a print for the new t-shirt collection.
I’ve been out of ideas lately, but one word keeps popping into my head.
“…”
“That word is ‘troublemaker.’”
“…”
“So I drew this cheeky, mischievous rabbit.”
When Klaijai replied to the message saying that this rabbit was probably naughtier than him, Pie, who was sitting beside him, leaned over to look at the picture in the chat. Pie started asking about the drawing of this rabbit, so Klaijai had to tell his close friend about Panli’s shop. This led to Pie insisting on coming to Siam with him because he wanted to buy a t-shirt from the new collection.
Come on, Klaijai, let’s go into the shop,” Pie urged.
“Okay,” Klaijai responded, watching as Pie pushed open the large glass door decorated with colorful stickers in the shop’s signature style. His almond-shaped eyes glanced up at the blue English letters spelling out the shop’s name on the white building. Then, Moon’s voice echoed in his mind once again.
‘KhunKlai, wait to buy the shirt at the shop with me, okay? Don’t go by yourself.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because Phii Pi loves to roast me. He’ll definitely tell you something bad about me. And if the other one is there too, I might get completely trashed.’
‘Alright, I’ll wait to go with Panli.’
Klaijai let out a soft sigh, knowing full well he was breaking his promise to Moon. But he hadn’t planned to come in the first place. Everything happened so suddenly, and today Panli had an exam in the evening. Klaijai didn’t dare call to invite him, worried it might make him rush and lose focus. So, he decided to come with Pie first.
He’d call Moon tonight to confess.
Hopefully, he wouldn’t be upset.
The smaller man followed his friend into the shop. Klaijai scanned the surroundings. The clothes on the first floor were mostly t-shirts, for both men and women.
“He doesn’t seem like the naughty guy you described at all,” a deep voice said from behind.
Klaijai flinched slightly before turning to the source of the low voice. He guessed the tall, broad man smiling at him was “Phii Pi,” the important business partner Moon didn’t want him to meet. “…”
“I’m Pichop,” the man introduced himself.
“Hello, Phii Pi,” Klaijai greeted.
Though Phii Pi’s earlier comment had sparked some curiosity, Klaijai chose to raise his hands in a polite wai before seeking answers. Phii Pi nodded slightly, eyeing him from head to toe. “You’re much cuter in person than in the picture.”
“In a picture?” Klaijai asked, puzzled.
“Yeah, I saw you in the photo you sent me yesterday,” Phii Pi said.
“…”
“Yesterday, Dee sent me the designs for the new collection via LINE. There was this cheeky rabbit design. I thought it was cute, so I asked where the inspiration came from,” Phii Pi explained, pulling out his phone from his pocket. He tapped on it briefly before showing something to Klai. “And you sent me a photo of Klai.”
The smaller man stepped closer to Phii Pi, his lips pursing slightly when he saw a photo of himself sitting in a Japanese restaurant in the chat between Phii Pi and Panli. Klai only just realized Moon had secretly taken and kept a photo of him. And when he scrolled down to read the message that followed…
‘Inspired by this one… my little troublemaker.’
It made Klai so shy he couldn’t meet Phii Phii s eyes.
All his doubts were cleared up by the photo and message Moon sent to Phii Pi. No wonder Phii Pi had charged toward him like he was targeting prey, completely confident he wouldn’t miss. That was because Panli had sent the photo beforehand. But Klai didn’t know how much Moon had told his senior about him.
Maybe Panli just mentioned his name, Klai, like when he introduced him to high school friends.
But judging by the LINE message… Klai would bet a bit more.
Phii Pi probably knew he was the ‘little troublemaker.’
Klai looked up to meet Phii Phii s eyes as he slipped the phone back into his pocket. He gave a sheepish smile, then tried to think of a way to shift the conversation to feel less embarrassed.
“So, when is you releasing this collection?”
“You mean the troublemaking rabbit collection?”
“Yeah.”
“Probably won’t be released.”
The smaller man furrowed his brow slightly and asked, “Why not?”
“Because he said he was possessive. he didn’t want anyone else to own the naughty rabbit. If he saw the rabbit design on someone else, he’d probably get mad and not let it go. So, I’ll hurry up and design a new one instead.”
Sometimes Klai miscalculated… because some questions didn’t make him feel less shy at all. Instead, they made him even more embarrassed, causing him to lift a hand to rub his warm ears, as he often did.
Why is this puppy so possessive…?
But if they were measuring possessiveness, Klai might just give him a run for his money.
Klai was sure that the little puppy couldn’t outdo him.
🙂
“Phii … if I buy shirts from this store, does that mean some of the money goes to Panli’s pocket too?”
Klai’s eyes widened as he saw the person asking the question, Pie, walk up with a massive stack of dozens of T-shirts and stop beside him. It hadn’t been long since Pie disappeared into the men’s T-shirt section, only to return with a huge haul.
“Yes, since he is a partner in this store, some of the money definitely goes to him,” Phii Pi replied.
“Perfect, then I’ll take all of these. Phii, could you take them to the counter for me?” Pie said, shoving the pile of T-shirts, still on their hangers, into Phii Pi’s arms. The store owner took them with a bewildered expression before lugging the enormous stack to the counter.
Klai looked at his close friend, who was grinning ear to ear, and said, “Pie, why are you buying so many? Are you actually going to wear them all?”
“Of course, I’ll wear a different color every day,” Pie replied.
Klai shook his head with a small smile. He figured Pie was buying so many shirts because he loved the new collection, and also because he wanted to support his close friend’s store. “Thanks on behalf of Panli,
Pie.”
“No problem, I’m happy to support…” Pie said with a cheeky grin, then leaned in close to Klai’s ear and whispered, “Because if he has lots of money, he can treat his future boyfriend well, right?”
“Pie, you…” Klai scolded.
The scolded friend didn’t look remorseful at all. Pie burst out laughing, pulled out a gray banknote, and lightly tapped it against the hanging clothes, saying, “Good luck, Phii Pi! May your business prosper and expand to tons of new branches!”
Pie’s actions reminded Klai of his grandmother when she opened her dessert shop in the morning. If a customer made the first purchase of the day, she’d quickly take their money and tap it on the dessert trays to attract more customers and bring in lots of profit for the day.
Even though he knew it was just a superstition,
These beliefs gave people hope
And the strength to keep moving forward.
“Klai… I’m going to check out the clothes on the second floor, okay?”
“Oh, sure, I’ll wait here on this floor.”
“Got it!”
Klai watched his close friend disappear up the stairs. He placed his paper shopping bag on the sofa in the middle of the store and started browsing for his own shirts. As he picked up a yellow T-shirt with a crescent moon design, his phone vibrated in his pocket. His slender hand reached in, pulled out the phone, and glanced at the name on the screen before answering the call.
‘Dad’
“Hello, Dad.”
[You’re coming back for dinner tonight, right, son?]
Klai smiled amusedly at his father’s worried tone. His dad must’ve been afraid he’d bail on their plans, calling to confirm again even though Klai had reassured him multiple times that morning.
“Of course, Dad. I wouldn’t break a promise with you.”
[You haven’t been home in weeks, you know. Dad and everyone miss you so much.]
Klai smiled faintly, using his shoulder to hold the phone while his hand reached for a different colored shirt to inspect. “I miss everyone too, but school’s been tough, and I’ve got a lot of work. I haven’t had much time to come home.”
[I understand, son.]
“But we talk on the phone all the time, right? That should help with the missing each other a bit.”
[It’s not the same as talking face-to-face, though. Jeab’s been whining about wanting to hug her Klaijai so badly.]
The small-framed Klai smiled, deciding between a yellow and a light purple t-shirt. Even though he hadn’t been home much lately, he called his dad and Phii Jeab almost every night before bed. Sometimes, if he was on the phone with Moon, he’d have to hang up quickly, and Panli was always eager to step aside so he could talk to his family first, often saying:
“KhunKlai, talk to your family first. I’ll play a game and wait—no rush.”
“I’ll finish shopping soon and head back so everyone can hug me, okay?”
[Good, I’ll try to wrap up work quickly too. Not much left.]
“Okay.”
[See you, son.]
“See you, Dad.”
Klai hung up and returned the light purple shirt to its place. He’d chosen the color he liked. As for the various patterns on the shirts, he didn’t need much time to decide—it was obvious there was only one he loved: the dark yellow crescent moon.
Bzzzt~
The phone’s vibration halted his steps toward the counter, where Phii Pi was folding clothes into brown paper bags. Klai pulled the phone from his pocket, expecting it to be his dad, but the name on the screen made him purse his lips nervously.
‘My Moon’
“What’s up, puppy?”
[Your puppy’s done with exams! You’re probably out of class by now, right? What’re you doing, KhunKlai?]
The smaller man shuffled to the counter and handed a yellow t-shirt to
Phii Pi. “Puppy…”
[Why do you sound so down? Did someone tease KhunKlai again?]
“No, no…” Klaijai nodded firmly as Phii Pi mouthed silently, “Did he call?” before continuing the conversation on the phone. “Puppy, Klaijai has something to confess.”
[…]
“Klaijai sneaked to the puppy’s shop first.”
[KhunKlai… I was so nervous, I thought you were going to confess something else. My mind went way beyond this!]
Klaijai laughed and began to explain, “I didn’t mean to come here. I was planning to come with Panli, but the shoe shop called me to pick up my custom order, and Pie wanted to buy a t-shirt from the new collection, so I brought Pie along first.”
[…]
“But do you know the main reason I didn’t call the puppy to come along?”
[I know… because you were worried I wouldn’t focus on my exam.]
“Exactly. So, does the puppy understand Klaijai now?”
[The puppy always understands KhunKlai.]
Klaijai smiled before adding, “I met Phii Pi too.”
[Can I talk to Phii Pi for a bit?]
“One sec,” Klaijai said, handing his phone to Phii Pi. “Phii Pi, Panli wants to talk to you.”
The taller man took the phone with a grin and spoke in a cheerful tone, “What’s up, little bro?”
“…”
“I haven’t told him any stories about you yet.”
“…”
“Yeah, I swear… and why’d you have to bring up that ‘neutered’ joke?”
“…”
“No way, I can’t be neutered. My family still needs an heir!”
“…”
“I didn’t say anything bad, not at all… I only talked about good stuff, like how you sent me his picture and said the naughty rabbit design was inspired by him. That’s it,” Phii Pi said.
“…”
“I swear I didn’t say anything… like how you’re fierce as a dog during our monthly meetings, or how you chewed me out, ignoring our age gap, because I got drunk and didn’t show up to watch the shop. Oh, and… how you beat up our old business partner until he ended up in the hospital for secretly cheating us. I didn’t tell KhunKlai any of that,” Phii Pi said, laughing. “Wait, what? Did I just accidentally spill something bad about you?”
“…”
“Oops, my bad, bro. Sorry, my dear little brother.”
Klai smiled, amused, thinking that everyone around Moon seemed to be waiting for the day they could get back at him. By teasing him like this, Phii Pi laughed heartily before handing the phone back. Klai took it and put it to his ear again.
“Puppy…”
[This… puppy is listening.]
The hesitant, slightly worried tone in Panli’s voice made Klai struggle to hold back a smile before saying, “Puppy… don’t worry, I won’t think you’re a bad person. I can tell what kind of person you are.”
[I told you, if you go first, I’ll just get attacked. Everyone around me is a villain.]
“You’re no saint either. Bet you’ve attacked plenty of people yourself.”
[So, is you coming back yet?]
Klai shook his head, chuckling softly. The sly puppy quickly changed the subject to hide his own villainous side.
Panli was probably afraid he’d find out just how bad he could be.
“I’ll stop by to buy some shorts for the beach tomorrow, then head back.”
[Oh… and then you have to go have dinner with family, right?]
“Mhm.”
Panli knew this because last night, when Klai’s dad called in the middle of their conversation, Panli hung up first to let him talk. After agreeing to have dinner at home and ending the call with his dad, Klai told Moon about it and even opened up about his family.
When Panli learned that Klai’s dad and Ms. Lin had just gotten engaged, he asked with concern, a question that made Klai pause for a moment.
“Is KhunKlai okay now?”
Klai understood the meaning behind that question perfectly. He felt the overwhelming care Moon sent from afar. Smiling, he answered confidently…
“I’ve been okay for a long time… and now I’m even more okay because I have a close friend like Panli by my side.”
[KhunKlai, don’t buy shorts that are too short, okay? The sun is hot, so it’s better to wear long pants.]
“Okay~”
[How many shirts did KhunKlai and your friend buy?]
“I only liked one, but Pie bought a bunch.”
[KhunKlai and your friend can take as many as you want, no need to pay. I’ll take care of it.]
“No way, Panli. Pie and I came here specifically to support your store.”
[It’s fine, KhunKlai, don’t feel shy about it.]
“…”
[Because the store has a quota for partners to give new collection shirts to their partners every month.]
“…”
[Since the store opened, I’ve never used this quota even once. Only the other partners have.]
“…”
[So today, I want to use this quota for my close friend.]
Klai wasn’t sure if the quota allowing partners of Once in a Blue Moon to give new collection shirts to their partners every month was real, or if Panli was just saying it to make him stop feeling hesitant. But whatever the reason, Klai’s face was burning with shyness.
Honestly… being just a close friend for life would be fine. If the privileges of a close friend were this close to those of a partner, it wouldn’t matter what they were called. But none of it would mean anything without the same moon by Klai’s side.
The truth is…
No privilege matters as much as “having Panli in my life.”
“I think this time Pie and I might use up all the quota Panli has saved up.”
[Go for it. I’ve been waiting for someone to use this quota for a long time.]
“I’m here now,” Klai said.
Klai held back a smile as he heard a soft chuckle from the other end of the line.
[You little troublemaker.]
And as always, it wasn’t just the one being teased who felt shy—the one doing the teasing was just as flustered.
“Puppy, you’re done with your exam. Where are you now? Why’s it so quiet?”
[I’m in the car, about to drive home.]
“Oh… drive safely, okay, puppy? LINE me when you get home.”
[Got it!]
“Okay~~”
[Don’t forget what I told you, KhunKlai.]
The smaller guy furrowed his brow slightly, recalling their conversation. “About using up the quota, right, Panli?”
[No, that’s not it,] the voice on the other end said, slightly firmer.
“…”
[Don’t buy super short shorts… the sun at the beach is really strong,] the voice continued, even more serious.
“Oh… that thing.”
[Yes, that’s what I don’t want you to forget.]
“Okay~ I’ll pick some shorts with a decent length.”
[Good.]
“Drive safe, puppy.”
[You too, KhunKlai.]
Klai hung up with Moon and slipped the phone into his pocket. When he looked up at the tall guy in front of him, he pretended to scan the shop to hide his embarrassment. Phii Pi’s smile and gaze were just like when his two close friends teased him—exactly the same.
“The street-style clothes upstairs are nice. I’ll take five more.”
“Mm…” Klai glanced at Pie, who was carrying a pile of clothes down from the second floor. Pie walked to the counter and plopped the stack in front of Phii Pi. Klai looked at his friend before meeting the tall guy’s eyes. “Uh… Phii Pi, Panli told me to use the quota for…”
“Oh, the boyfriend quota, right? Got it, I’ll handle it. I’m happy for my little bro that you don’t have to let this quota go to waste.”
“What quota, Klai?”
Klai turned to his curious friend and said, “It’s… a quota for…”
Ugh, it’s so hard to say.
He was so embarrassed he couldn’t get the words out.
“…”
Phii Pi must’ve noticed his stuttering and stepped in to explain. “It’s a quota for the partners’ boyfriends. Basically, you can pick whatever you want, as many as you want, and you don’t have to pay.”
“Ohhh~” Pie let out a long, drawn-out sound and started teasing him with his eyes.
“You don’t have to pay either. Panli said you can use the quota.”
“How’s that possible? I’m not the partner’s boyfriend. Klaijai, you use the quota yourself. I can pay for my own,” Pie protested.
“But my quota still has plenty left. Want to use mine, little one?” Phii Pi chimed in.
At that moment, Klaijai quickly turned to look at Phii Pi, who was speaking while folding Klaijai’s yellow t-shirt into a brown paper bag. Klaijai then glanced back at his close friend, who was frowning and pulling out his credit card to hand to Phii Pi.
“There’s still plenty of credit left on my card. No need to use the quota,” Pie insisted.
Phii Pi smirked, handing the brown paper bag with neatly folded clothes to both Klaijai and Pie. “Klaijai, you can use Panli’s quota… and you use mine.” “…”
“I said I’m not using it! I’m not anything to you,” Pie retorted.
“Oh, you are now. I’m claiming you,” Phii Pi teased.
Klaijai took the brown paper bag from Phii Pi, stifling a laugh as Pie’s eyes widened and his mouth opened, ready to snap back. But he seemed too stunned to speak. Klaijai wasn’t surprised that Pie was flustered by being flirted with so openly. He’d never been interested in romance and likely had little experience with it. Right now, he was in shock and completely unprepared for Phii Pi’s advances.
Klaijai thought… Phii Pi and Pie were a perfect match.
“KhunKlai, you are here…”
The smaller man smiled, opening his arms to welcome Phii Jeab, who rushed in for a hug. Klaijai tightened the embrace, conveying the longing he’d built up over time. Phii Jeab pulled back from the hug and playfully kissed his cheek with a loud smack. Klaijai burst into laughter because Phii Jeab rarely did this unless she really missed him.
“The master of the house hasn’t come back yet?” Phii Jeab asked.
“I just called Dad. He’s driving back from work now,” Klaijai replied.
“Oh…”
Klaijai looked at Phii Jeab and said, “I missed you so much, Phii Jeab.”
“Don’t even start. You say you miss me, but you hardly come back to let me hug you,” she teased.
Klaijai grinned. “Come on… I’ve been swamped with studies. Uni assignments are insane. I’m dying to come home.”
“It’s not because you’re secretly smitten with someone, is it?” she prodded.
“N-no, not at all!”
“Hmm… sounds suspicious,” she said with a knowing look.
Klaijai… he could handle anything, couldn’t he?
Except for lying… he has never been good at it.
He always gets caught.
But because this relationship is quite important to him, and because we haven’t yet reached the end of our journey together, a clear label for our status holds Klai back from sharing it just yet.
Klai wants his family to know about it when he’s reached his destination. If he truly makes it to the moon, everyone will surely be happy for him. And if he has to stop somewhere along the way, they’ll be there to cheer him on.
Klai believes it will be like that…
The one who decided to keep this relationship a secret walked over to the marble counter and picked up a cookie from a small plate, taking a bite.
“Butter cookies, my favorite.”
“Yes, butter cookies are you favorite. So, who’s you favorite person?” Phii Jeab asked, standing in front of him, staring as if trying to catch a lying kid. Klai quickly stuffed the cookie in his mouth, chewing vigorously, and shook his head in denial.
“Not yet.”
“No one yet?”
“Can’t say yet.”
The listener laughed softly, shaking her head, then reached for more cookies from the tray to add to the plate. She handed him the plate with several cookies. “I will wait… wait for the day you bring them favorite person to eat my butter cookies.”
“Sure, I will bring him soon,” he replied, flashing a sweet smile.
“Is that one really cute?”
Klai gave a small smile before saying, “Sometimes he’s cute, sometimes he’s cool… but it’s not just sometimes that that one makes me smile, makes me smile every time we’re together.”
“Now that’s someone worth sharing cookies with.”
The sweet-faced woman chuckled, then said, “But, uh…”
“But what?”
“Well… they don’t eat much,” Klai said, catching himself. He almost slipped and said Moon’s name.
“You’ve gotten so good at keeping secrets… not even the name slipped out.”
“I’ll tell you later, okay? His name is beautiful, both his real name and nickname. Phii Jeab will definitely love it.”
“With you this smitten, how could I not love your special person a lot too?”
Klai held back a smile as he glanced at the glass jar filled with butter cookies. Phii Jeab must have prepared them for him to take back to his condo.
“The cookies from last time are probably gone by now, so I prepared a new batch for you,” Phii Jeab said.
“Thank you, Phii Jeab,” Klai replied before walking over to look at the food neatly arranged on plates. “Your cooking always looks delicious, as ever.”
“Always such a sweet talker,” she said.
The complimented woman gave a faint smile before glancing toward the kitchen entrance. Klai noticed three new maids standing awkwardly there. He figured they might feel uneasy around him since he wasn’t as close to them as he was with Phii Jeab.
“Phii, you can come in,” Klai said.
“Th-thank you, KhunKlai,” one of them replied.
“Have you finished setting the dining table?” Phii Jeab asked.
“Yes, Head Housekeeper,” they answered.
“Then help bring the food out to the table. The master will probably arrive soon.”
“But Ms. Lin got home first,” one of the maids said.
“Really? Didn’t she say she had errands today and would be back late?” Phii Jeab leaned to look outside, then waved her hand lightly, signaling the three maids to take the plates out. “Hurry up and get everything ready.”
“Yes, yes,” the maids replied.
Klai shifted his gaze from the three maids carrying the food out of the kitchen and turned to ask Phii Jeab, who was putting the cookie jar into a white cloth bag.
“Didn’t Ms. Lin go to work with Dad today?” he asked.
“No, I heard she took her parents, who came from upcountry, to run some errands around Sukhumvit,” Phii Jeab said, then met his eyes. “But it seemed like an urgent matter. She rushed out this morning. Originally, she was supposed to go to work with the master.”
“Oh…” Klai nodded lightly before continuing, “While I was away, was everything okay?”
“By ‘everything,’ do you mean whether Ms. Lin took good care of the master?” Phii Jeab asked.
Klai gave a smile to the person who understood him best in the world and nodded again. “Yes.”
“For Jeab… Ms. Lin does a decent job as a wife. She wakes up before her husband to prepare his clothes, helps me make breakfast for the master. From what I see, she tries her best to do everything a woman can for her husband.”
“That’s enough to put my mind at ease,” Klai said. “At least while I’m happy, Dad isn’t suffering.”
Phii Jeab gave him a warm smile and reached out to gently hold his cheek. “KhunKlai… even if the master or anyone else is suffering, you still need to keep being happy, okay? Everyone can handle and overcome their own heartache. But right now, while you’re happy, hold onto it, my dear.”
“…”
“Think about yourself a lot, love yourself deeply.”
Klai placed his hand over Phii Jeab’s, which was gently stroking his cheek, and said, “Yes, I’ll love myself a lot, okay?”
“I love you so much.”
He never imagined that coming home this time would transform his overwhelming longing into a profound sense of fulfillment that nothing could replace. Klai leaned down to hug the person in front of him, whispering softly, “I love you too, Phii Jeab.”
“Uh, sorry to interrupt.”
Klai pulled away from the hug with Phii Jeab and turned toward the small voice. Ms. Lin stood at the doorway, looking slightly worried. He raised his hands to greet her with a wai and said, “Hello, Ms. Lin.”
“Hello, KhunKlai… I’m sorry for disturbing you and Phii Jeab.”
“It’s okay.”
“Well… I was wondering if I could bring my parents to join us for dinner?”
“…”
“They’re in Bangkok for business for just two days and are leaving tonight. I’d love for them to meet your Dad and you too.”
Klai nodded with a smile. “Of course, I have no problem with that.”
“…”
“Ms. Lin, you can have them wait at the dining table. Dad will be here soon, and I’ll head out shortly.”
Ms. Lin let out a relieved smile and said, “Thank you, KhunKlai.”
Klai didn’t say anything more. He just returned a smile—a genuine one from the heart—hoping his sincerity would ease Ms. Lin’s worries.
Even if the divide between us is thick and obvious, that doesn’t mean we can’t work together to make it thinner.
“I’ll have the staff add more plates, okay, Ms. Lin?” said Phii Jeab.
“Yes, thank you, Phii Jeab.”
“Want more braised eggs, dear?”
“That’s enough, Dad,” Klaijai said, shaking his head to decline.
His father, instead of adding more braised egg to Klaijai’s plate, scooped it onto his own. Throughout the family dinner, his father hadn’t stopped smiling and had even kissed Klaijai’s head multiple times. Ms.
Lin’s parents teased that he must still be a little boy in his father’s eyes.
“Will you be staying over tonight?” Ms. Lin’s mother asked.
“Uh…”
“he won’t be staying, dear,” his father answered. “Tomorrow morning, he’s going to the beach with Dom and the others.”
“Oh…”
“I’ll come back to stay next weekend, though,” Klaijai added.
“Okay, son. I’ll have fresh milk and cookies ready for you,” his father said warmly.
“Thank you, Dad.”
“Poj, you’re such a sweet dad,” Ms. Lin’s mother remarked. “Ever thought about giving Klaijai a little sibling?”
“I already told you, Mom, that we decided not to have more kids,” Ms. Lin replied.
“Oh, I was just teasing. Poj just seems a bit lonely,” her mother said.
“Honestly, I’m not lonely,” Poj said. “I just like doting on my kid.”
His father’s response lightened the slightly heavy atmosphere that had begun to creep into the dining room. Klaijai didn’t feel annoyed or upset; he’d long prepared himself for questions like this.
This question didn’t come from Ms. Lin’s mother alone.
But someday, it would come from someone else.
If he hadn’t braced himself from the start, Klaijai would likely feel hurt every time the topic came up.
He never pressured or forbade his father and Ms. Lin from having children together. But on the day of their engagement, they came to him and said they’d decided not to have kids. To them, the family they had was already complete.
Back then, Klaijai felt both grateful and apologetic.
Grateful that they valued his feelings so much.
And sorry that his feelings had become a limitation for them.
“Oh, by the way, I got the wedding date from the monk,” his father announced.
“Which month, Dad?” Klaijai asked.
“January next year.”
Klai looked up from his plate to glance at his father, quietly letting out a soft sigh before setting his spoon down. He could tell right away that his father wasn’t pleased with his father-in-law’s response. His father had one ironclad rule since his mother passed away: the family would not hold any joyous celebrations in January.
January was the month his mother died.
In January, their family would hold a merit-making ceremony on the anniversary of her passing.
His father wanted January to be solely for commemorating his mother’s death.
Klai was certain his father would never agree to hold a wedding in January, and he hoped Miss Lin would understand how everyone in the household felt. When the engagement was scheduled on his birthday, Klai didn’t think much of it, as he could manage his own feelings, seeing it as just a birthday. But this time, it involved the feelings of many others. If his father and Ms. Lin couldn’t come to an understanding on this, Klai thought he’d need to say something after this meal.
“Dad, I already told you we don’t want January… Could you ask the monk again?” Ms. Lin said.
“But this month is auspicious…”
“I believe there are plenty of other auspicious months,” she replied.
Klai glanced at the person sitting beside him.
Ms. Lin, sitting next to him, spoke to her father with a serious expression and tone. When Klai wasn’t home, Phii Jeab had told him that the chair to his right would be left empty, and Ms. Lin would sit on his left instead. Both chairs flanked his father’s seat at the head of the table.
But today, Ms. Lin chose to sit next to Klai, farther from his father. Since joining them for dinner, she had been trying to engage him in conversation, sometimes even serving food onto his plate. Though she seemed a bit hesitant, Klai could see her effort.
It wasn’t just Klai trying to adjust.
Ms. Lin was trying hard too.
“We’re a family now… It’s not just about auspicious dates or anything like that. It’s about the feelings of everyone in the family,” she said.
“…”
“And I think that besides my feelings and Poj’s… Khun Klai’s feelings matter too, and so do Miss Jeab’s. We all need to move forward together… I hope Mom and Dad can understand my perspective on this.”
“Fine, I’ll find a new auspicious date then,” her father replied, his expression and tone showing slight displeasure. But he had to relent, as Ms. Lin showed no sign of backing down. When her father responded like that, Ms. Lin gave a faint smile and turned to look at Klai. He nodded to her in gratitude.
Thank you for honoring his mother.
And thank you for still valuing everyone’s feelings.
Klai’s slender hands glided over the piano, which hadn’t been played in quite a while. He sat down on the soft chair and lifted the wooden cover over the white keys. His ten delicate fingers began playing a melody he often performed in January, and a soft voice emerged from his thin lips.
“Walking hand in hand through joy and sorrow, laughing and crying together for so long… I’ll never forget those days in my heart. The days we smiled, the days we fought, those days and nights will always remain beautiful, never changing.”
“They still feel like yesterday, deep in my memories, but the only difference now is…”
Klai gave a faint smile before singing the next verse.
It was a verse that once made him cry heavily.
But not anymore… Klai no longer cried.
“I don’t have you by my side anymore, like the days we crossed through everything together. It was the best time of my life, even if it was just a short moment that happened to me… because of you.”
Because now, in Klai’s heart, only happy memories and longing remained.
I miss you so much, Mom.
And I’ll miss you forever…
The small figure smiled and stood up from the chair, then turned toward the living room door, sensing someone had been watching him since he started playing the piano.
“Ms. Lin…”
“I’m sorry for secretly watching you play the piano, KhunKlai. Poj was asking for you, but I saw you playing and didn’t want to interrupt,” Ms. Lin said.
“It’s okay,” Klai replied.
“The song you played was really beautiful,” she said.
“Thank you. I usually play this song in January… for my mom to hear.”
“…”
“I just went up to pay respects to my mom. The fresh flower garland on her urn, that’s from you, right?” Klai knew it was from Ms. Lin because Phii Jeab had told him she replaced the garland with fresh flowers every day. Still, he wanted to hear her response.
“Uh… yes, it’s me. I go to pay respects to your mom every day.”
“…”
“To ask her to protect and bless our family with happiness.”
Ms. Lin’s answer stirred something in Klai. He began to understand why his father chose to spend his remaining years with this woman. He couldn’t fully know what kind of person Ms. Lin was right away, but from what he felt today…
Ms. Lin isn’t bad.
She’s not a bad person.
“Thank you, Ms. Lin… for everything.”
“I should be thanking you too, KhunKlai, for never shutting me out. You’ve always made me feel like you’ve opened your heart to accept me as family… It makes me want to do my best to take care of our family.”
“…”
“The guilt I feel toward you still lingers in my heart even now. I think I should’ve pushed back against my parents and not held the engagement on your birthday. But back then, I didn’t.”
“…”
“From now on, I won’t make mistakes with our family again.”
“…”
“I know we didn’t start off on the best terms, and it seems like every time I try to approach you, the timing’s off. But I’m trying, KhunKlai.”
“I see that,” Klai replied with a smile.
“…Even though we still have a lot to adjust to and much to learn about each other, I want us to start walking together.”
“Please let me start anew with the Borirat family.”
What Ms. Lin was doing wasn’t asking permission to join the family—she was already a full member of the Borirat household since getting engaged to his father. What she was doing was showing respect.
Klai saw no reason to reject someone who… respected his father, respected his mother, respected him, and respected everyone in the household.
“Of course, Ms. Lin.”
Ms. Lin smiled widely, a rare sight, before saying, “I’ve prepared another dozen cookies for you. This batch, Phii Jeab taught me how to make. Try them, okay?”
“Thank you.”
Ms. Lin spoke with a mix of excitement and joy. Perhaps being accepted wasn’t the most important thing, but there’s no denying that the moment someone feels accepted… it must feel incredibly good.
“Drive safely, son.”
“Yes, Dad.”
“When you get to the condo, call Poj to let him know, okay,
KhunKlai?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Klaijai replied.
He leaned forward slightly so his father, standing outside the car, could easily kiss his forehead. Once his father pulled back, Klaijai waved goodbye to both of them. He pressed the button to roll up the car window and drove out of the house.
Not long after, the car slowed down as a red traffic light appeared ahead. Klaijai pulled his phone from his pocket while the car was stopped in traffic. He turned on the car’s interior light, opened the LINE app, and called someone special.
Video Calling…
Within less than a minute, the person Klaijai was missing appeared on his phone screen.
[Naughty boy, are you home yet?]
“Not yet. Traffic’s insane~” Klaijai said, tilting the phone screen toward the windshield to show Moon the sea of cars stuck on the road.
[So when will you get to the condo?]
“Probably around eight or nine.”
[Have you packed your bags yet, KhunKlai?]
“Nope, but I’ll do it quick when I get back.”
[Pack your bags and go straight to bed, okay?]
“Mm-hmm… So, what’s you up to?”
The person being asked, dressed in an oversized white t-shirt and trendy gray sweatpants, flashed a bright smile. Perhaps because his hair wasn’t styled back but left in its natural, wavy blonde state, Klaijai couldn’t help but think he perfectly suited the nickname “puppy.”
From what he could see, Panli was sitting in his personal lounge, where he often played games or watched soccer while waiting for Klaijai to finish talking with his dad. Whenever Klaijai called Panli afterward, he’d always find him in this room.
[I’m playing a game, waiting for my naughty boy to call.]
“Has the puppy been waiting long?” Klaijai teased.
[Well… a while, yeah.]
“Sorry for making you wait so long.”
[No need to apologize, KhunKlai. As long as I know you’re happily spending time with your family, no matter how long it takes, I’ll wait.]
“There’s probably no one in the world as adorable as this puppy.” Klaijai nearly lost it when Panli scrunched his nose at him.
Really, he was this close to losing it.
The one praised as the cutest puppy in the world gave a small smile, moved the phone slightly away from himself, and set it down beside him. Klai could only see him from a side angle now. The taller man leaned back against the large sofa, grabbed a game controller, and started pressing buttons. Panli looked straight ahead. Due to the limited camera angle, Klai couldn’t see what he was looking at, but he figured Panli was probably focused on the TV screen.
And as he started playing the game, he spoke in a soft voice… Yet Klai heard every word clearly.
[You’re the only one… I’d only give in to you.]
“Puppy…”
He…
“Puppy, can you keep me company until I get to the condo?”
[Coax the puppy first.]
“How do I coax you?”
[Do it in a way the puppy can’t possibly refuse.]
Klai furrowed his brow, thinking, before deciding to say, “Sasin… can you stay with me until I get to the condo?”
[…]
When Moon heard his words, he immediately turned to look at the phone screen. Klai gave him a sheepish smile and started explaining, thinking Moon was probably curious about how he knew his real name.
“When we were organizing the photography exhibition for the Digital Media Faculty, Phii Dom asked me to help arrange the order of the participating students. Then Phii Dom asked where you were in the list… so I found out that your full name is Sasin.”
[Sasin… meaning the moon.]
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
Yes… Sasin, meaning “Moon to me.”
And yes, again… Moon, his moon, always made Klai’s heart race.
“Uh, oh… yeah, Sasin means the moon.”
[KhunKlai, you know the meaning of my real name too?]
“Of course~ I learned it before…” Phew… hopefully that answer works.
Moon put down the game controller, no longer caring about anything but the phone screen. Panli looked at him and let out a soft laugh.
[No one’s ever called me Sasin before.]
“…”
[KhunKlai, you are the first.]
“…”
[Panli, Puppy, Sasin… or whatever you want to call me from now on, I’m okay with it all.]
“…”
[But honestly, I’m kind of excited about my name Sasin now.
When you say it, it sounds so much nicer.]
Klai laughed and wrinkled his nose at the other. “It’s cheeky.”
[Watch your heart, okay? Tomorrow morning, Puppy’s gonna come for a big hug.]
Klai looked at the tall figure sitting with a wide grin, then placed the phone on the holder attached to the left side of the car’s console, as the traffic light had turned green.
“Panli, I’m gonna drive now, okay?”
[Okay, I’ll play a game while I wait.]
“Alright.”
It was understood they’d stay on the call until Klai reached his condo. He reached to turn off the car’s interior light before pressing the accelerator to move forward. Driving carefully, he kept his eyes fixed on the road, unaware of what Panli was doing. But the sound of a guitar made him glance at the phone screen for a split second before returning his focus to the road.
Where Panli got a guitar to play, he had no idea.
[KhunKlai…]
“Yes?” he responded, still watching the road.
[Since you’re not playing music in the car, I’ll sing for you instead, okay?]
“Sure, go for it. I’d love to hear you sing.”
The guitar began playing a familiar melody. A gentle smile spread across Klai’s face as he turned the steering wheel into a shortcut alley. His smile widened when Moon sang the first verse.
Klai thought Panli’s voice was perfect for this song.
[Watching the clock, past midnight, I want to resist, but I have to swallow hard seeing you… in my mind.]
“…”
[It’s getting unsafe, you make my heart race just by passing by. It drives me crazy standing there.]
“…”
[Please, don’t do this. I’m not okay every time you smile and look into my eyes. Don’t make my heart numb. Can you stop being cute for a day? If this keeps up… I won’t be able to handle it.]
And somehow, Moon’s voice sounded even more beautiful today.
“…”
[Do you know, right now, this feeling won’t go away every time you’re close to Klai… I can’t hold back.]
“…”
[Because it’s getting unsafe, you make my heart race every time you smile at me. It makes me daydream, lost in thoughts. If this keeps up… I won’t be able to handle it… for sure.]
As Panli finished the song, Klai arrived at his condo. Taking the shortcut got him there faster than expected. He parked in the underground lot, picked up his phone from its holder, and raised it to eye level. The bright parking lot lights illuminated the car’s interior, so even without the interior light, the other person could see him. The puppy, who’d been patiently waiting, flashed a bright smile and said:
[Keeping you company and singing for you… KhunKlai, you have to give this puppy a reward, okay?]
“What does the puppy want?”
[A head pat.]
The puppy demanded his reward from afar by leaning his head closer to the camera. All Klaijai could see now was Panli’s golden blonde hair. Whether it was the other’s overwhelming cuteness or the flood of feelings in his heart, Klaijai couldn’t say, but…
…he decided to lightly press his lips to the phone screen before quickly pulling back, worried the puppy might look up and see his face pressed against the screen instead of a hand.
That was what you’d call a “puppy head kiss.”
“All done! I have patted the puppy’s head as a reward.”
[Okay!]
Sorry, Panli… Klaijai can never hold back.
“I’m heading up to my room now. Panli, go to bed soon, okay?”
[Yup.]
This time, their eye contact let Klaijai guess the next words from the other.
“…”
[Klaijai…]
“…”
[Good night.]
“Sasin…”
[…]
“Good night to you too.”
Yes… we locked eyes before parting, as always.
But tonight, our smiles were wider than ever.
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