MYMOON, Chapter 4:
Kant, who was staring at his close friend, shifted his gaze away and looked toward the drink stall in the distance to make sure the senior he had just nicknamed “the ultimate jerk” last week had left the cafeteria.
The painful love story of his close friend had happened quite a while ago. He knew that his friend had truly moved on from the other person by now, but because that first love had hurt Klai so much, it remained a deeply embedded memory in his heart. Just moments ago, when Klai saw Phii Shin walk into the cafeteria, he was reminded of the past once again.
Kant looked at his friend’s sweet face, thinking that the owner of that gentle smile shouldn’t have to feel sad anymore. It hadn’t been easy for those eyes to regain their sparkle as they had now. Yet, he wanted Klai to know a certain truth.
It was a truth that would let Klai know he wasn’t the one who ruined that relationship, that he hadn’t been deluded as he thought. It was all because one person had deliberately given his friend false hope.
The smile of the person in front of him brought Phii Shin’s words back to his mind. The expression and tone of Phii Shin showed deep remorse, but that didn’t make Kant feel any pity or want to forgive him.
“I realized it when I saw Klai crying in the library… I thought I should’ve stopped this back during the freshman orientation, but because I wanted to win, it ended up going this far.”
“Let me ask you, why did you let yourself hurt Klai’s heart just to win some argument with your friends?”
“…”
“Give me an honest answer, because if you keep lying, you’re not even human anymore.”
“At that time, I didn’t know why I went along with it… I just thought I
had to make Klai confess his love to me, so my friends would know that what I thought was true, that I wasn’t just deluding myself like they said.”
“So, you’re just a complete jerk, huh?”
“If you’re going to curse me, I won’t get mad, because this has haunted me and made me feel guilty all the time.”
“I don’t even want to waste my breath cursing you, but let me tell you this… even if you feel guilty until the day you die, it won’t make up for what you did.”
“…”
“And why did you have to cut ties with Klai so harshly? Your words were so cruel to someone secretly in love. I think you know how hard it is to stop loving someone… but you still told Klai to stop loving you, right after he confessed his feelings to you. Let me ask you one more time, seriously… when you saw him crying, did you really feel guilty?”
“Because I really did feel guilty… that’s why I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to stop everything. I didn’t want to give Klai any more false hope, so I thought telling him to stop loving me would make him move on from me… so he wouldn’t be hurt by someone like me anymore.”
“Your way of thinking is completely messed up. There are hundreds, thousands of ways to reject someone, but you chose the one that hurt him the most. Did you think that someone who’s secretly in love would stop loving you if they were hurt enough?”
“…”
“The more it hurts, the deeper it’s etched in their heart.”
“…”
“But it’s Klai’s luck that he managed to move on from you.
“I want to see Klai… but I don’t know how to start talking. I don’t know how to face him.”
“It’s not strange that you don’t know how to start, because you did that to Klai. And it’s not surprising that you don’t dare face him, because you let Klai think everything fell apart because of him alone, when you were the one who intentionally gave him hope, making him believe you genuinely liked him.”
“…”
“I couldn’t believe all this happened just because of the word ‘win’.”
“…”
“I knows I has no right to ask you to do anything… but please, go apologize to Klai and tell him the truth.
“…”
“Let Klai know that, in reality, the reason the relationship fell apart wasn’t just him, but you too… so the guilt stuck in his heart can finally fade.”
“…”
“Do you know that Klai once told me he’d never fall in love again? Because he was afraid his secret feelings would make someone uncomfortable, like he thought he did to you. Right now, I really want to punch you in the face, because your shitty mindset single-handedly made a good person like Klai afraid to love anyone.”
“I’m sorry…”
“Don’t say that to me. You should go apologize to Klai.”
“…”
“But it’s good that now Klai has fallen in love with someone again.
Even if it’s a secret crush like before… at least that person has made
Klai believe in love again.”
“Klai has someone he likes now?”
“You don’t get to ask.”
“…”
“And I’m is seriously begging you… if you still have even a shred of human conscience left, go apologize to Klai in person just once.”
“I… already apologized to Klai.”
“When?”
“The day Klai confessed his feelings to me… I said sorry.”
“And did you tell him you were sorry for giving him false hope, for tricking him into confessing?”
“No… just saying sorry, that’s all.”
“Wow, unbelievable… I’ve never met someone this despicable before.”
“…”
“When you did something awful, you were bold enough to act without fear of being wrong. But when it comes to apologizing, you’re too cowardly to do it unless it’s in a situation where you don’t look guilty.”
“…”
“You’re the worst, man.”
Kant let out a sigh as his conversation with Phii Shin faded from his ears. That was the last insult he hurled at Phii Shin. The reason he encountered Phii Shin, which led to discovering the harsh truth, was that last week, a senior from Kant’s faculty invited him to a birthday party. He went to celebrate at the senior’s house, but upon arriving, he saw Phii Shin sitting and drinking there. Kant learned that Phii Shin was his senior’s friend from another faculty. Phii Shin seemed slightly surprised and avoided eye contact the entire time.
This time, Phii Shin couldn’t dodge him anymore. But since Kant didn’t want to make things awkward, he pretended to ignore him at first. After a while of drinking, when several seniors left to use the bathroom or smoke, Kant and Phii Shin were left alone at the table. Memories of the past flooded back, and with something weighing on his heart, Kant decided to ask why Phii Shin had been avoiding him and Klai up until now.
That question prompted Phii Shin to confess the whole truth. What Kant learned that day made him feel a sharp pain on behalf of his close friend. He never imagined that Phii Shin, who Klai always saw as a good person, could actually be this cruel.
Kant decided to tell his close friend the truth from the moment he learned it. But every time he saw Klai’s smile—someone who never thought ill of anyone—he couldn’t bring himself to speak. Telling the truth was incredibly difficult because Kant couldn’t predict how his friend would react.
Kant was afraid that…
If he told the truth… that sweet smile and those bright eyes might disappear again.
So he kept it to himself. Kant knew he was wrong—Klai had the right to know the truth. But he wanted to wait until after his friend’s birthday.
He didn’t want Klai to carry bad feelings into his special day. Tomorrow, Klai should be able to smile widely and be as happy as possible, without any negative emotions tainting the moment.
Kant knew that he was likely the only one who would tell Klai the truth.
Because if they waited for that despicable senior to confess on his own… Klai would probably never know the truth in this lifetime.
“Frowning like that… what’s you overthinking about?”
The person being addressed quickly relaxed their furrowed brows and said, “No, it’s not that… I just think you’re right. No one can forget their past, and the past teaches us a lot.”
Kant knew he was starting to act suspicious when those almondshaped eyes narrowed at him, as if catching him in a lie. He had never lied or hidden anything from his close friend, so keeping something from Klai was difficult.
“I don’t think it’s about what I said… What’s you overthinking about? You can tell me.”
“There’s really nothing, I just…” Just what? He was terrible at lying. “I just think… we should clear our plates and head to class. Otherwise, we’ll definitely be late.”
The sweet-faced boy frowned, putting on a stern expression, then raised his wristwatch to show. “We still have twenty minutes. I think that’s enough time to talk about whatever’s bothering Kant.”
“I… I’m still worried about not having the money to pay you back.” “Kant…” The tightly knitted brows slowly relaxed. Klai looked at him with a serious gaze before saying, “Just tell me… what happened to make you look this upset?”
Kant let out a heavy sigh. Whenever he was troubled, Klai never let it slide. His friend always had to know, and every time, Klai helped ease his worries and find solutions.
How could he hurt someone as good as this?
“Klai… after your birthday party tomorrow, I’ll tell you the truth about something.”
“The truth… the truth about what, Kant?”
Kant took a deep breath before saying, “Can I ask you to wait until after your birthday?”
“Then can I ask why you need to wait until after my birthday?”
“Because you’re a friend I love so much… I don’t want bad feelings lingering in your heart until the day that should be your happiest.”
“The truth you’re talking about… it’s directly related to me, isn’t it?”
Kant let out another heavy sigh and lowered his head to avoid his close friend’s gaze. “Yeah.”
“Kant…” The gentle voice made Kant look up to meet the eyes of the person in front of him. A soft, sweet smile slowly appeared before Klai continued, “Sometimes, learning the truth can hurt. But if we look at it with understanding, we’ll see that the truth doesn’t hurt us as much as we think. And I believe the truth will reveal itself on the day we’re strong enough.”
“…”
“Right now, I think I’m strong enough to some extent… So please,
Kant, tell me. Don’t let this keep weighing on you.”
“Klai… I swear I didn’t mean to hide anything from you. The whole time I’ve kept this to myself, I’ve never felt at ease because I thought you deserved to know.”
“I understand, Kant… Don’t overthink it.”
“…”
“Just tell me the truth now.”
“…”
“Don’t worry about me… I’ll be fine.”
Klai spoke with a smile to his close friend, his heart trembling slightly when he saw the worried look in Kant’s eyes. He could guess that the truth his friend was holding back was likely related to Phii Shin as well, judging by the displeased expression Kant showed when he saw Phii Shin. In his life, Klai had only one unresolved matter that lingered in his heart, a question that remained unanswered to this day.
It was about someone who had spread the story of his confession to
Phii Shin to friends in their department…
At this point, Klai didn’t want to know who that person was, but he felt it was time to face the truth. The only thing he could do was prepare himself for whatever was coming his way.
Even if the truth hit like a massive wave crashing onto the shore,
Klai would not fall again…
“I don’t know where to start…”
“Take your time, I can wait.”
Kant nodded and began organizing his thoughts before revealing the truth. “Last week, I went to a senior’s birthday party in our faculty… and I ran into Phii Shin. He’s a friend from another faculty of my senior.
It was completely by chance.”
“…”
“Phii Shin kept avoiding my gaze the whole time… Honestly, I didn’t want to ask anything, but in the end, I couldn’t help myself. I asked him why he was avoiding both you and me. I could understand why he’d avoid you… but why me too? He should know I’m someone who can separate things. I wouldn’t ask him about the time you confessed your love and got rejected.”
“…”
“Phii Shin should’ve just talked to me like normal… He shouldn’t act like we’re complete strangers.”
“…”
“Then Phii Shin explained why he was avoiding both of us… Actually, it was more like he was confessing his guilt.”
“…”
Kant met the steady gaze of his close friend’s almond-shaped eyes. The resolve in those eyes didn’t waver in the slightest, which told him that his friend was well-prepared. “Phii Shin could tell that you liked him… ever since you were in the basketball club together.”
“But he didn’t pay it any mind, since it’s normal for people to have crushes. But later on, when you started looking at him more often, trying to give him water multiple times… he went from not remembering your name to starting to remember it.”
“…”
“Phii Shin then told his friends about it… He told them that you liked him.”
“…”
“But Phii Shin’s friend didn’t believe it.”
“…”
“Because if you really liked Phii Shin,” Kant paused to take a breath, lowering his head and avoiding eye contact. Klai reached out to hold his friend’s hand, and only then did Kant continue, “If you really liked Phii Shin… you would’ve confessed your feelings to him by now.”
Klai let out a sigh, already guessing where this story was headed. He wasn’t surprised that his close friend struggled to open up, because the truth was too heavy to bear.
“I’m okay… you can keep going, Kant.”
“Phii Shin told his friend… he’d make you confess your love to him before graduating high school, no matter what.”
“…”
“But on the day of the high school graduation celebration, you still hadn’t confessed to him.”
“…”
“Phii Shin’s friend said that, sure, Phii Shin was popular in school… but he couldn’t assume every junior had a crush on him. He needed to face reality… because it seemed like Phii Shin was starting to show signs of narcissism.”
“…”
“Because of what his friend said… it made Phii Shin want to win.”
“…”
“To win against his friend… and prove that what he believed was true.”
“After graduation, Phii Shin kept in touch with you, hoping that by talking regularly, you’d eventually confess your feelings. But it’s like luck was on the side of the bad guy,” Kant sighed again before continuing, “Because we ended up choosing the same university as Phii Shin. He said he thought it would make getting you to confess so much easier.”
“…”
“Phii Shin told his old friend who had doubted him… that he’d make you confess your love to him no matter what.”
Klai pursed his lips, thinking back to all the times Phii Shin had been kind to him. “So that’s how it was.”
Kant nodded before continuing, “Phii Shin did everything… just to make you think he liked you. He kept giving you hope all along.”
“…”
“Until the day you confessed your love to him… Phii Shin said…”
“…”
“Phii Shin felt like he’d won. He’d beaten his friend.”
Klai once thought that the word “win” came at the cost of many things, but he never imagined it would come at the expense of someone’s feelings and tears. If winning meant causing someone immense pain, Klai would rather be…
a loser forever.
“But Phii Shin said that seeing your tears made him realize he shouldn’t have done it. He should’ve stopped back during freshman orientation.”
“…”
“Phii Shin made a good person like you sad, even though you never did anything to him.”
“…”
“Phii Shin didn’t tell his friends that you confessed your love to him… because the word ‘win’ lost all meaning the day he saw you cry.”
“There’s one thing I want to know…” Klai believed that no matter how much someone messed up or how unforgivable they seemed, they should still experience true love at least once—a pure love, without expecting anything in return, just the act of loving. “Is it true that Phii
Shin secretly liked that junior girl?”
“I asked him… Phii Shin really did have a crush on a junior girl studying Japanese arts. She once bandaged his wound during a sports event. They only talked a few times, but he’s been secretly in love with her ever since.”
Klai nodded. “At least Phii Shin knows what real love is.”
“Phii Shin said that after you confessed to him, he gathered the courage to confess to that junior… but the result was no different from yours. He got rejected too.”
“…”
“That made Phii Shin feel even guiltier because he finally understood how much you hurt.”
“…”
“The main reason he’s been avoiding both of us is… well, because he acted so despicably. He didn’t have the guts to face us.”
“He’s learned his lesson, then.”
“And there’s one more thing… this one really pissed me off.”
Klai took a deep breath and nodded, signaling to his close friend that he was ready to hear it. “Go ahead, Kant… let’s get it all out today.”
“The person who spread the story about you confessing to Phii Shin around your department was…”
“…”
“That jerk, Thot.”
“Thot?”
“Yeah… that friend you stopped hanging out with.”
“…This is…” Klai shook his head before continuing, “It’s unexpected… and more complicated than I thought.”
“…”
“Deep down, I had a feeling it might’ve been Phii Shin… but because I didn’t want to feel worse, I ignored it. I didn’t seek the truth… but I never imagined it was Thot who spread it.”
“You weren’t entirely wrong, though. Phii Shin said there was a day he went drinking with friends from his department, and it just so happened one of them knew Thot. So, he joined the drinking group.”
“…”
“When Phii Shin got drunk, he let slip about you confessing your feelings to him. When Thot heard it, he went and told people in the department.”
“Phii Shin said that once he sobered up, he went around asking his friends who had spread the story. He found out it was Thot and told him to stop, but it was too late. The story had already spread everywhere.”
Klai let out a long breath and shook his head. “Phii Shin is the kind of person who does things and can’t take responsibility for his actions… And Thot…” Klai sighed in exasperation. “Thot is the kind of person who acts like others don’t have feelings. He doesn’t care if what he does causes someone pain or sadness.”
“You didn’t even know Thot personally back then, right?”
“Yeah… I had only seen his face in class. I just knew he was in the same department.”
“It’s messed up that he spread your story… and still had the nerve to join your group like nothing happened. Thick-skinned as hell.”
Klai now believed that “the truth” would reveal itself when he was strong enough. Because if he had learned this truth back then, he was sure he wouldn’t have been able to handle it.
“Is there anything else you haven’t told me?”
“That’s it… I’ve told you everything.”
“Good. It’s finally over… everything that was weighing on your heart.”
Klai didn’t deny that he felt something. Even though he was stronger now, the truth he had just learned was so powerful that it shook the defenses within his heart.
Klai thought… the scariest thing in the world must be the human heart.
The world doesn’t give us pain.
We create pain for each other.
Hearing the truth this morning… it was no different from being forced to drink bitter coffee. Even though he didn’t like it, he had to finish it quickly.
Because Klai didn’t want that bitter taste to seep deep into his heart…
But it was as if his entire body was in turmoil. Klai knew he hadn’t eaten too much, and no one had physically hurt him, yet he felt a sharp, aching pain throughout.
Klai lowered his head and closed his eyes to compose himself and reflect on everything. He thought he was still fortunate to learn the truth on a day when his heart was strong enough.
So, Klai didn’t collapse like he did back then…
The guilt that had been buried deep in his heart surged up, lodging in his throat. All this time, he had believed that the good relationship they had fell apart because of him alone. Klai had no intention of retroactively hating Phii Shin, as he didn’t want to get involved with him again. It was best for them to stay in separate orbits. If Klai kept holding onto anger toward Phii Shin, it would mean constantly thinking about him, over and over. Letting go was the only way for Klai to move forward. He let out a breath as the burning sensation in his eyes slowly faded, along with the heavy knot of emotions that had been weighing down his heart.
And now…
In this moment… Every lingering feeling that had been stuck in his heart… had been erased by the truth.
…
“Which building are you studying in?”
“I’m in Building Eleven.”
“What? I’m in a different building than you,” Kant said, frowning as he looked at his class schedule on his phone. “How did I mess up checking the timetable last night?”
“Which building are you in, Kant?”
“Building Five.”
Klai laughed before stopping in his tracks. “Building Five is way back there… Hurry up and run back! You’re gonna be late!”
“Klai…” Kant looked into his eyes, reaching out to gently ruffle his hair before saying, “You’re really okay, right?”
“Really. I admit, when I first heard it, I felt awful… I never thought Phii Shin would do something like that to me…” Klai let out a quiet sigh before giving his close friend a smile. “I won’t let myself feel bad about Phii Shin anymore. If I let myself feel that way again, it’s no different from sinking back into him.”
“…”
“Why would I go back to drowning in Phii Shin?”
“…”
“Phii Shin has probably learned his lesson… As for me, I’ll keep moving forward with my life.”
“You’re really good at moving on, you know.”
“Well, only with some things.”
“And only with some people, right?” Kant said with a cheeky grin. “…With that round, glowing moon… I’ve never seen you able to look away from it.”
“Kant!” Klai scolded Kant immediately upon hearing the phrase “round moon,” pointing a warning finger at him.
“Getting shy and snapping at me.”
“I’m not shy at all.”
“But your ears are red.”
Klai sighed, raising both hands to cover his ears before breaking into a smile. “Enough… stop teasing me, or we’ll be late for class.”
“Fine, let’s go… but I hope you meet your round moon today.”
“Kant, seriously.”
Klai shook his head slightly, watching his close friend run off, laughing. He had once told Kant about how Panli saved him from being harassed by Merk. At first, Kant didn’t know he had a crush on Panli, until he caught Klai secretly staring at Panli from the faculty building’s window almost every day. That’s when Kant realized… he had fallen for the moon.
The small-framed boy walked, clutching a stack of papers with the content for today’s presentation. Klai quickened his pace after glancing at his wristwatch. He’d been arguing with Kant for so long that he was now running late for class.
Upon entering the academic building, Klai saw the elevator doors wide open and hurriedly dashed inside. He was the only one in the rectangular box, about to press the button to close the doors. But then he heard someone shouting, and Klai quickly moved his hand to press the button to keep the doors open.
“Let me join you.”
Klai nodded to a male student who flashed him a smile before leaning out of the elevator and shouting loudly again.
“Hurry up, dude… or I’m not waiting for you!”
As soon as the male student finished speaking, Klai saw a group of rugged-looking male students rush into the elevator. Caught off guard, he was pushed back until he was squeezed into the corner.
And it had to be the inner corner, of all places.
He could barely breathe.
“Ae, why’re you just standing there? Press the close button, dumbass.”
“Sorry, forgot.”
The spot where Klai had been standing was now taken by the guy called Ae. Klai glanced at the person crowding him on his left. He pursed his lips nervously as a tough-looking guy stared at him, but then he decided to offer a smile. The moment the guy saw his smile, he grinned widely.
“You’re cute.”
Klai had never been complimented so close-up before. He didn’t know how to respond and could only lower his head to stare at his shoes. Yet, he still felt the guy next to him continuing to stare.
“Let me in too!”
“Ae, open the elevator!”
He looked up, trying to spot the elevator doors. But all he could see were the broad backs of several tall people crammed into the rectangular box. Klai let out a quiet sigh. He thought this elevator couldn’t possibly fit anyone else.
It’s already packed like a can of sardines…
“Let me in too!”
“No way, it’s full!”
“Then why the hell are you holding the door open?”
“We’re just messing around, Khun Panli.”
The small person standing in the corner of the elevator felt his heart race when he heard the laughter of someone who’d just stepped in. It was a man’s laugh… someone Klai thought must be pretty playful.
“Ae, our friend’s in—close the door!”
“Got it!”
“We were just joking a bit, why so serious?”
“I was just teasing, man, don’t overthink it.”
“Teasing, huh? You still threw in ‘hell’ like it’s nothing.”
“So what are engineering kids doing in this building?”
“Taking English with Teacher Mary.”
“Study hard, kids!”
“I swear, I hate how that guy talks. Always making engineering kids like me feel all flustered.”
Even though Klai knew the name “Panli” wasn’t exactly common— how many people in the university could have that name? —he wanted to see with his own eyes to confirm that the last person who got on the elevator was… really you, “Sasin.”
The small person stood on his tiptoes, stretching his neck as far as he could, but he still couldn’t spot his moon. Klai remembered Panli’s voice… even though he’d only heard it once. That voice often echoed in his mind.
Especially when he felt uneasy…
“Are the people inside… okay?”
It would reverberate in his heart, over and over, until he felt better.
Klai didn’t dare to assume that the person riding the elevator with him was Panli until the tall figure in front of him shifted slightly, creating a small gap. Through that tiny space, Klai caught sight of that playful smile again. Panli laughed and glanced at someone Klai assumed was a friend from another faculty.
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
Here we go again…
Panli’s smile.
Teasing his little heart once more.
Klai had seen Panli’s playful smile many times before, but none had ever felt as intense as this one. Usually, he’d steal glances from afar.
But whether near or far, the smile of his “Moon” always teased his heart.
“Damn it! I forgot to lock my car!” the big guy standing in front of him blurted out, suddenly panicking. With limited space in the elevator, all he could do was point at the door-open button. “Hey, open the door for me!”
“How am I supposed to open it now, Boy? Just get out on the fourth floor, we’re almost there.”
“So careless.”
“Don’t curse me! I’m stressed enough already, you jerk!”
Klai glanced up at the numbers above the elevator door. The number four replaced the three, triggering a chime before the doors slid open.
Ding!
The big guy who forgot to lock his car pushed through the crowd and rushed out anxiously. It was at this moment that Klai caught a glimpse of that playful smile from the side of Panli’s face. The scene felt like a replay of that day, except now there was no large door blocking Panli’s smile.
But in the next second, Klai nearly stopped breathing when the tall figure turned toward the elevator doors and stepped back toward him. Panli had to move backward as other students waiting on the fourth floor entered the elevator. The smaller boy held his breath, as his “Moon” kept stepping back closer and closer.
Until…
The tip of his favorite yellow sneakers was pressed right against… the heel of Panli’s familiar black sneakers.
His thin lips pressed into a tight line, and the thick stack of papers he held was clutched even closer to his chest. Klai was terrified of accidentally bumping into his “Moon.” Because if that broad-shouldered figure turned to look at him…
If their eyes actually met…
Perhaps it wasn’t the heat from the sun that melted him. It must be this moon that’s making him completely undone…
“Why are you dressed so handsomely today?”
“Today, kids from different sections are coming to prep for a joint event at my faculty… so I had to dress up a bit.”
“But isn’t our Li always handsome every day?”
The tall guy standing with his back to him chuckled softly before saying, “My friend Oat’s got a way with words. There’ll be a reward for that.”
“Pfft, Oat’s just flattering Li to get free drinks, isn’t he?”
Klai’s eyes followed the person in front of him. He wanted to know if Panli really looked better than usual today. His almond-shaped eyes scanned the golden-blonde hair that seemed darker than before. He only just noticed that Panli had a piercing—a small silver hoop on his left ear.
It wasn’t surprising that someone like him, watching from afar, would only now notice small details like the ear piercing. Nor was it surprising that the scent of the other’s cologne made him realize how it felt to be close to the same moon Klai had been gazing at all this time.
How wonderful it felt…
The smaller guy nodded firmly, a smile breaking out when he noticed something different from every other day. Normally, Panli wore an oversized short-sleeved student uniform with black jeans, but today he was in a long-sleeved student shirt, sleeves rolled up slightly above the wrists, paired with faded jeans. Klai’s eyes fell on the familiar burntbrown leather watch he’d often seen Panli wear.
The first day they met… Panli was wearing that same watch.
But one thing Klai had never seen before was the shiny silver ring Panli wore on his right index finger. The smaller guy let out a quiet sigh, thinking that if this moon of his wore a ring on his left ring finger,
Klaijai would have to brace himself…
Once again, Klai held his breath after briefly allowing himself to breathe freely, because the tall guy started to move. Panli slipped his phone into his back pocket and adjusted his shirt to cover it neatly. But no matter how Panli moved or what he did… he never once turned to look behind him.
“I’m not flattering Li for free drinks, man!”
“Then what do you want, Oat?” a good-looking guy chimed in.
“Can I get Praew’s number? You know, the star of your year. Didn’t you say you knew her?”
“Oh man, Praew’s super cute. She probably has a boyfriend already, right?”
“She doesn’t.”
“Then can I get Praew’s number?”
“No way.”
“Jealous, Panli?”
Why would I be jealous? She’s not anything to me…” Klai glanced at the tall guy answering his friend standing in the other corner of the elevator. “But I don’t have the right to give her number to anyone. I’ll go ask Praew first. If she allows it, I’ll send you the number.”
“Thank you so much, man. I’ve had a crush on her since freshman year.”
“Hope it works out soon.”
“You’re such a saint~”
“Yeah, so saintly that girls fall for me left and right.”
“Fall for what? All you get is dumped.”
“Why’s that?”
“No idea… They always think I’m talking to someone else, even when I’m just playing games at home or watching football at your place.”
“They’re just misunderstanding. Why not try to win them back?”
“Nah… If it’s real love, there should be trust. They wouldn’t break up so easily like that.”
“You sound upset.”
“Not upset… It’s been two or three months already.”
“Find someone new, man. Don’t overthink it.”
“Not looking… I’m done with love,” the tall guy said with a weary tone before continuing, “Hanging out with friends is way better. Much more fun.”
“True, chilling with us is a lot more fun.”
Oh, forgot… Nerd wants a drinking rematch with you. He says he wants a chance to redeem himself since last time he was drunk as a dog before finishing the third bottle.”
“Bring it on~”
Such a Panli, honestly.
Klai shook his head slightly, smiling at the other’s playful words, before looking up at the numbers above the elevator doors. He leaned slightly to the left to peer at the control panel buttons. Panli was standing upright, not leaning against the right wall, which left a small gap that unintentionally allowed Klai to see the panel. Meanwhile, the guy named Fatty, who was blocking the area, shifted just in time.
That’s when Klai realized… he forgot to press his floor.
He had class on the eighth floor.
But they were already past the ninth floor. The red light on the button for the fourteenth floor indicated that this elevator was headed to the top of the building. Klai figured the reason this elevator was moving slower than usual was because it stopped to open its doors at every floor. The small-framed boy shook his head lightly, thinking he’d have to wait for everyone to get off before he could take it back down to the eighth floor.
He was definitely going to be late for class today.
But if it meant getting to listen to Panli’s voice for another two or three minutes, Klai would be willing to be late for class just this once…
“Tonight, then?”
“Sure, I’m free tonight.”
“Phii Sky’s place?”
Why the hell would we go to Phii Sky’s? If he sees me chugging booze, he won’t be able to resist coming over to scold me again.”
“Haha, the only thing above Panli is Phii Sky, huh?”
“Above Phii Sky is the paycheck my mom sends me. Getting scolded isn’t a big deal—I’m used to it. But getting my allowance cut because I didn’t listen to Phii Sky? That’s where I draw the line.”
Hearing that, Klai let go of one hand from the thick stack of papers he was clutching and covered his mouth to stifle a laugh. He thought Panli was genuinely scared of Phii Sky, but in reality, Panli was more afraid of losing his allowance.
Have you ever been scared of anything, Sasin? 🙂
“So, which place then?”
“Phii Boss’s place.”
“The one where you went to sing?”
“Yep.”
“Cool, don’t be late, Li.”
“Got it!”
“Li, don’t ‘got it’ me—you’ll make me swoon.”
“If you’re not swooning, that’s the real problem.”
Klai held back a smile, thinking…
Yeah… if you’re not swooning, that’s the real problem.
Because even when you’re already swooning… it’s still a mess.
“No wonder the girls in my department are so into you. What kind of guy talks this charmingly, damn it?”
“You’re exaggerating… totally overblowing it,” Panli said, laughing.
While Klai was engrossed in listening to Panli’s conversation with his friend, the guy standing to his left started shifting closer, crowding him. Klai turned to look at the guy who had once flashed him a smile. Even now…
He’s still flashing that smile, huh?
Klai returned a smile. How could he possibly frown when the guy had been smiling at him for so long? The man standing beside him placed a hand over his chest and spoke in a soft voice, almost like a whisper.
“Such a sweet smile… You’re making my heart melt.”
The smaller boy looked down at his shoes again, letting out a breath.
This guy reminded Klai of something his close friend, Kant, once said.
Kant had told him that he often got “flirted with” without realizing it.
Friends from Kant’s department would tease him whenever they visited.
At first, Klai didn’t quite understand what Kant meant by “being flirted with.” But now, he figured it must be something like this. He thought that even if it wasn’t someone you had a crush on, being complimented so directly with words like these… Anyone would feel shy.
“Hey, keep it down, you guys!”
Klai flinched slightly when the person beside him shouted. He turned to look at the guy who had been grinning widely earlier. Now, that tough-looking face no longer held a broad smile but was replaced with a serious expression.
“There are other people in the elevator, you know… Have some respect for the cute one.”
Oh… I’ve been here the whole time. No need to worry about me.
“Where’s this ‘cute one’ of yours? All I see is us. The people who got on at the fourth floor already left, didn’t they?”
“Right here… Next to me.”
“…”
“But he’s small… You guys by the door probably can’t see him.”
Klai wanted to hide his face behind his stack of papers as everyone in the elevator tried to spot him. Some who saw him sent smiles his way, while others gave a slight smirk. All Klai could do was smile back at everyone.
“Oh, it’s him! The one who got in the elevator first, the one who held the door for us.”
Yeah… and then you all pushed me into this corner.
Do you know I can barely breathe?
“Where’s the cute one?”
It was at that moment that Klai was captivated by the voice of his “Moon.” He watched the tall figure trying to turn around to look behind him. But with Panli standing so close to him, combined with the crowd in the tiny space, turning around to face him was no easy task.
As that playful face was about to turn toward him, Klai instinctively raised his thick stack of papers to cover his mouth and nose. His little heart pounded so fiercely he could hardly keep up with its rhythm. He stared at the side of Panli’s face.
Until… Ding! “We’re here, guys… get out of the elevator quick, I’m suffocating in here!”
The notification sound rang out, and several people inside the elevator shouted for those near the door to hurry out. Panli, who was about to turn and look at him, was grabbed by the neck by a friend and dragged out of the elevator. The person who had called him cute flashed another smile, waved goodbye, and ran off after his friends.
“Tonight at Boss’s place, don’t you dare bail on us, Li!”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Klai watched the tall figure, still with a friend’s arm around his neck, pulling his phone out of his back pocket. Just a few minutes ago, his moon was within arm’s reach, but in the next moment, he was far away again.
And as Klai saw that same moon drifting further and further away,
“May coincidence bring us close again… Sasin.” Klai sent a silent message to his moon.
The smaller guy let out a sweet smile as the elevator doors closed completely. Klai thought that Panli always seemed to appear when he was going through tough times, like today when he learned a painful truth.
Even though that truth only hurt for a moment,
And even though Klai had overcome those bad feelings,
Having that same moon come to soothe him
Made his once-weak heart stronger than ever.
Today, Klai realized that… Phii Shin hadn’t cut him out of his orbit. It was the round world that still showed him some kindness, pulling him into its own orbit
And flinging Panli into his.
🙂
…
“Our group will conclude our presentation here. Thank you.”
Klaijai, the group leader and presenter, raised his hands in a respectful wai before turning to look at his two friends, who were smiling at him. He stepped back to stand beside Mai, waiting to answer the professor’s questions after the presentation.
“What do you think gives this company a competitive edge over others in the same industry?”
Klai glanced at Mai and Pai, who were staring at him. He nodded to his friends before turning back to meet the professor’s eyes. “Besides having a complete transportation cycle, including both air and ground transport, the strength and competitive advantage of this company lie in its systematic operations, fast and flawless delivery, and maintaining excellent standards in this area. This has earned the company trust from its clients for decades. Additionally, its cutting-edge transportation technology is another key factor.”
The professor nodded and wrote something on a white sheet of paper. The silent response indicated satisfaction with his answer. While the professor was busy writing, the half-Thai guy who nicknamed himself “Britney Spears of Thailand” reached out from behind to nudge him. Mai, standing in the middle, let out a soft laugh upon seeing Pie give a thumbs-up and a wink.
That gesture was his signature move…
Pie once said it meant, “Pie’s friend is the best ever~”
Klai pressed his lips together to suppress a smile as Pie’s voice echoed in his head, saying, “Pie’s friend is the best ever~.” He thought Pie was incredibly cute when cheering friends on, and his bright voice never failed to make Klai laugh.
Fifty percent of the smiles and laughter he experienced every day came from… “Britney Spears of Thailand,” this guy.
Even though Pie had only recently joined his and Mai’s group after they split from New, Orn, and Thot, they quickly clicked. Klai thought it was probably because Pie showed sincerity through his actions in many ways. But the thing Klai admired most about Pie was… Pie never spoke ill of anyone.
He only talked about himself. In a single day, Pie would share more than ten funny stories with him and talk about hobbies he enjoyed. Recently, Pie told him how he led an aerobics dance session for the elderly in his village in the evenings because the regular instructor stopped coming. Not wanting the village’s fun evening vibe to disappear, Pie decided to learn basic aerobics moves to teach everyone instead.
Klai thought people with such a positive attitude and character were rare. Before they got to know each other, he’d heard others say Pie was too intense, which made classmates in their major avoid him. Klai often saw Pie studying alone, but every time he did, Pie’s ocean-blue eyes always sparkled, never dull. Klai would secretly smile whenever he saw Pie confidently raise his hand when the professor allowed questions in class. It was probably because Pie stood firm in staying true to himself, even if it meant being alone forever. That’s exactly why… Klai decided to smile at Pie that day.
Klai thought many people were misunderstanding Pie.
Pie wasn’t intense, as others judged him to be.
Pie was simply confident in himself… and everything he did with that confidence was always good.
“Any questions from other students?” The professor set the pen down on the paper and turned to ask the classmates seated at the back.
Klai didn’t even need to guess that a guy from a certain group at the back would raise his hand to question the information their group presented. And just as he expected, Thot raised his hand with a smirk.
“I have a question, professor.”
“Thot, again… Why’s he always picking on us?” Mai muttered, clearly annoyed.
Pie let out a quiet sigh before whispering, “What’s Thot’s deal with our group? He has a question every class, even though we put in so much effort and our info is always solid… What’s there to doubt?”
“Ten minutes left for Klai’s group,” the professor announced.
“Yes, Professor…” Thot stared at him on the stage before continuing, “I understand the company’s headquarters is in Germany, and I heard earlier that over the past three years, the company opened new offices abroad… but the presenter didn’t mention where.”
Klai locked eyes with Thot, who was smirking at the back of the room. Thot seemed to enjoy asking questions unrelated to the core of their presentation, clearly aiming to expose flaws in Klai’s group in the professor’s eyes.
Having worked with Klai multiple times, Thot should know that when it comes to research and preparation, Klai never made mistakes.
The small figure shook his head slightly. His two close friends standing beside him reached out to pat his arm. Klai quickly turned to them, flashing a smile. Mai and Pie misunderstood, likely thinking he shook his head because he couldn’t answer Thot’s question. But Klai shook his head because he knew… Thot couldn’t hurt him anymore.
“The company opened three new offices to coordinate with the headquarters,” Klai said calmly. “They’re in Australia, Malaysia, and Vietnam.” He continued, “And for Khun Thot’s additional knowledge, the company plans to open another office in Austria next year.”
“…”
The professor nodded after hearing his response. “Okay… any more questions?”
“…”
“Quiet like this… guess there aren’t any.”
“…”
“But since the previous groups scored quite low on their presentations, and I’m not sure if the groups after this one will score low too,” the professor, known as the toughest grader in the department, looked at him and said, “Let’s start answering questions for extra points, beginning with this group.”
As the professor’s words ended, Klai heard a mix of cheers and groans from his classmates.
The professor often had the group that just presented ask questions for the groups that had already gone. Correct answers earned extra points, a method some liked and others didn’t.
“Who from this group will ask a question… Phasinee, want to ask one?” the professor asked, looking at Mai standing beside him.
Mai turned to Klai. “Should I ask a question, Klai?”
“Sure, Mai. No pressure—ask something simple, maybe about the info we just presented.”
“Okay…” Mai nodded, her delicate brows furrowing as if deep in thought. She glanced at him again. “I’m worried my question might be too hard for the others.”
“Five minutes left, Phasinee…”
“Yes, Professor!”
“Or should we have Klai ask the question?”
“Sure, Professor,” Mai replied before leaning toward Klai’s ear to whisper, “Klai, I’m really sorry… I’m just not confident.”
Klai nodded and gave his friend a smile. “It’s okay, Mai. Don’t worry about it.”
“Then, Klai, pick the group you want to answer the question. Time’s running out, so no need to compete like last class.”
“…”
“If a group can’t answer, they won’t get the extra points. I’ve already been generous enough…” The professor said, glancing at the students in the back of the room. “And those secretly playing on their phones, don’t think I didn’t notice. This will be a penalty for those who don’t respect the rules in my class. I believe if everyone paid attention to the group’s presentation, you’d be able to answer the question easily, since it’s based on the content just presented.”
“Yes, Professor.”
After receiving responses from the class, the professor turned to him.
“Go ahead, Klai. Ask the question and choose the group to answer.”
“Yes, Professor…” Klai nodded before continuing, “From our group’s presentation, you’d know that this company is a full-service logistics provider, handling both air and ground transportation. Therefore, its main revenue and profits come from transporting goods.”
“…”
“My question is… besides air and ground transportation, what else can generate additional revenue and increase profits for the company?”
“Okay… not too difficult a question. It was mentioned during the presentation. Go ahead and pick a representative from the presenting group.”
“Yes…” The reason Klai chose this question was because he already had someone in mind to answer it. While presenting, he noticed that person looking down at their phone, not paying any attention. “I’d like to choose Khun Thot from Group B.”
Thot’s eyes widened slightly, and he stared at Klai without breaking eye contact. Klai gave him a faint smile. He wasn’t trying to win or get revenge. He was helping Thot…
Helping him realize that… From now on, they should go their separate ways.
Because Klai would no longer let things slide.
He would protect himself to the fullest.
“Can you answer, Khun Thot?” the professor asked, turning to him before adding, “Group members, help your friend answer the question. Don’t leave him to figure it out alone.”
“Uh…”
Klai locked eyes with the person struggling to respond, likely because the classroom wasn’t overly large. Even though Thot was sitting at the back, Klai could see the uncertainty in his eyes. Thot started glancing at New and Orn, who were sitting beside him, but both friends looked just as flustered.
“Even though this question is worth just one point, it could make a difference in your grades… Try to come up with an answer, don’t just keep staring at each other like that,” the professor shook her head before continuing. “If your friend hadn’t mentioned this before finishing the presentation, I wouldn’t mind, but they just talked about it. Were you all at the back playing on your phones?”
“…”
“Didn’t I tell you before? During my class, I ask for your attention for two hours. After that, you can play on your phones for as long as you want, and I have no right to interfere.”
The students in the class began lowering their heads to avoid the professor’s gaze. Once she got started, the notoriously strict professor of the department could go on a rant that would put anyone to shame.
“How many times have I said that this subject isn’t hard to understand, but it has a lot of details? If you don’t pay attention in class or listen carefully, you won’t be able to answer questions or do well on exams like this. Most of the content relies on memorization. I’m not giving you problems to solve for numerical answers, which you might still manage to figure out. This is pure content. And if you keep giving vague answers on exams like you did in last week’s quiz, I won’t give you any points.”
“Don’t think that just because your group finished presenting, you can do whatever you want. The topics your friends present are important too—it’s all knowledge. But if you think you don’t need to listen because you already know everything, at the very least, you should show some respect to me and the friends who are presenting. Let me say this one last time: don’t take out your phones to play during my class.”
“Yes.”
“So, can you answer, Thot?” the professor asked again.
“Uh… the additional revenue the company gets comes from, uh… expanding its business into Asia.”
The professor turned back, sighed, and jotted something down on a white sheet of paper before looking up at him. “Did your friend answer correctly?”
“No, sir.”
“Alright, I’ll give a bit more time. Any group able to answer?”
“Me, sir!”
“Go ahead and answer.”
“Renting out warehouse space to other companies to use as distribution centers.”
“Is that correct?” the professor asked him again.
Klai nodded and said, “Yes, sir.”
“Group C gets one extra point.”
“Thank you, ma’am!”
The female friend thanked the professor and gave him a friendly smile. Klai smiled back before turning to the person beside him who had nudged his arm. Pie had now taken Mai’s place.
Pie grinned widely and whispered softly, “You were amazing, Klai…
You showed Thot who’s who.”
“Not quite like that, Pie. I just wanted Thot to realize… life’s too short to hold grudges against someone for long. Thot should let go and move on. If you don’t like someone, just leave them alone.”
“The scores for this presentation will be entered into the system, so you can check them yourselves later.”
“Yes, sir.”
Klai and his two friends stepped down from the stage and returned to their seats. He listened attentively to another group presenting, thinking to himself…
You did great today, Klaijai.
And after giving himself some encouragement, he didn’t forget to…
“Klaijai. what’s you thinking about? You’ve been smiling to yourself the whole time.”
Thank someone who’s been his source of strength.
“I was thinking… tonight I’ll go look at the moon from my balcony again.”
Thank the same moon that makes him fall in love again every night.
After all the groups finished presenting and the professor dismissed the class, Mai and Pie, who had been curious for a while, couldn’t hold back anymore and asked him about Thot. They didn’t understand why Thot always seemed to dislike him in particular and acted rudely whenever they crossed paths, like giving him side-eye.
Klai didn’t quite understand either.
He had never done anything to Thot.
Although Mai and Pie had heard bits about him confessing his feelings to Phii Shin and getting rejected from classmates in their major during freshman year, they didn’t know the full story. And neither of them had ever pried into his personal matters.
This time, Klai decided to tell them the whole story in detail. No matter what kind of relationship it is, if we choose to walk together, laying the path for the future by sharing past experiences will help us understand and support the relationship moving forward.
“Wow, how can Thot be like that?”
“If you ask why Thot is like this, you also have to ask why Phii Shin did what he did,” Pie said, shaking his head.
“I saw Phii Shin at the freshman orientation booth… I never thought he’d be capable of something like this.”
“The truth is, Phii Shin isn’t entirely a bad person… deep down, I believe he has some goodness. This time, he just made a bad decision.”
“When I was a freshman and not yet close with Klai, I heard some friends in our department talking about this. At first, I thought Klai told those two friends who were always with him, and they passed it on to others… but I never imagined it would turn out like this.”
“Let me confess something…” Mai paused before continuing, “When I wasn’t close with Klai yet, I thought the same as Pie. But after getting to know him, I learned that Klai has a really close friend like Kant, and Klai once said Kant knows almost everything about him. So I secretly wondered if Kant was the one who spread it. I don’t know how Kant could’ve let the department know, but I thought it was possible.”
Mai clasped her hands and raised them above her head, saying, “Kant… I was wrong. I’m sorry. Honestly, I was just curious… I didn’t mean to badmouth you. Please forgive me~”
“Mai… you’re not apologizing to Kant, you’re apologizing to the air,” Pie said, laughing.
Klai laughed too before saying, “Kant won’t be mad at you, Mai. He’d probably understand.”
“From talking to Kant several times… I think he’s pretty easygoing.”
“Yeah… but only about some things.”
“Ugh, Klai… don’t make me worry!”
“I’m just kidding. Kant doesn’t overthink things.”
The small figure laughed, then grabbed his bag and stood up to head home. His almond-shaped eyes scanned the classroom, now empty except for the three of them, before glancing at his wristwatch.
5:30 PM.
At this time…
The moon has appeared.
“Time for the moon to replace the sun, huh?” Pie said, standing up.
Klai smiled at his friend’s teasing, nodding slightly. “Mm… 5:30, the moon takes over from the sun.”
“Is there a theory that says the moon appears in the evening?”
The small figure let out a smile and shook his head lightly. Klai knew Mai was asking to prompt him to say a certain phrase—a confession of love that echoed in his heart but was never sent to that someone. “The theory of someone who fell in love with the moon.”
“I’m blushing for Panli already,” Mai said, laughing.
“Stop teasing me~”
Klai spoke and walked out of the classroom, with his two friends following behind. He chose the escalator to head down to the fourth floor, as he did every day, before striding over to stop in front of a large, clear glass window.
His almond-shaped eyes gazed down at the parking lot below, a beautiful smile spreading across his sweet face when he saw someone standing next to a large tree.
“So, the Moon has really shown up,” Pie, who had placed a hand on his shoulder, said. When Klai turned to look, Pie gave him a smile. “Are you going to stay and watch him first?”
Even though Mai knew that Panli had once saved Klai from being harassed by Merk, it was Pie who first figured out that Klai had a crush on Panli. Perhaps because Pie was more observant than Mai. Every time Klai asked to break off to secretly watch Panli on the fourth floor, Pie would always ask with curiosity.
Until one evening, Pie invited Mai to join her in secretly watching Klai on the fourth floor. That’s when Mai told Pie about how Panli had helped him. Pie initially thought Klai’s crush stemmed from that incident. But not long after, Klai confessed the truth to his friends because he didn’t want to hide it anymore. Both of them admitted they had suspected he liked Panli, having noticed him frequently lingering on the fourth floor to watch him. From then on, Mai and Pie would almost always accompany him to this floor.
“Mhm,” Klai nodded in acknowledgment.
“Then we’ll head back first, okay?”
“Okay. Get home safely, you two.”
Mai nodded and reached out to ruffle his hair. “You get home safely too, you little moonstruck lover.”
Klai let out a soft laugh. He waved goodbye to his two friends as they descended the escalator, then placed his backpack on the central table and sank into his usual chair.
The reason Klai chose to watch Panli from the fourth floor was that it was just the right distance—not too close to make the person being watched uncomfortable, and with a very low chance of being caught from up in the building.
But Klai thought… no matter which floor he was on, his Moon would never notice him.
Because Panli never looked up at the building.
Every Monday through Thursday, the golden-blonde-haired man would stand in the parking lot in the evening, smoking a cigarette. After finishing, his Moon would linger by the big tree, playing on his phone for a while. Nearby, a fully customized, pearl-white Benz sports car was parked not far from him.
Some days, a guy would approach Panli to chat, likely a friend, Klai assumed. Other times, a cute-looking girl would come up to greet him.
Everyone who approached Panli… received that Moon’s smile in return. As for someone like Klai, watching from afar, he didn’t dare go up and ask for that smile to take home.
He could only steal the playful smiles Panli gave to others, turning them into memories for himself instead.
Klai thought… perhaps the name “Klaijai” didn’t just mean “hearts near each other.” Maybe it also meant “the one who always gets the chance to let his heart fall in love.”
The smaller guy couldn’t help but smile when he saw Panli laughing while talking on the phone with someone. He didn’t know who was making him so cheerful, but Klai knew one thing… This moon… taught him about love in many forms.
A love free from possession.
A love that prioritizes seeing the other person’s smile every day… over clinging to any specific status.
“Guess you’re going to nail your presentation today, huh, Sasin… in such a great mood,” Klai murmured softly, as if only for himself to hear, before letting out a sweet smile. “I nailed my presentation too, didn’t I?”
A love that gave him the courage to love… even knowing it could never be reciprocated.
“It’s all because of you, Sasin.”
Talking to Panli through the glass was no different from talking to the moon from his balcony. There was no response, yet he felt happy just watching
And sending messages to it every day.
“Klai…”
The smaller guy flinched slightly at the sound of his name. He turned to the source of the deep voice, his eyes widening in surprise.
“Phii Dom.”
“I called you so many times, but you didn’t pick up. I got worried and came looking for you… Good thing I came up the escalator and saw you sitting by the window.”
Phii Dom spoke as he walked toward him. But Klai, afraid he’d be caught staring at someone, quickly grabbed his backpack and stood up to meet the other person.
Klai stopped in front of the taller guy and gave him a smile. He pulled his phone out of his backpack to check, and the screen showed more than ten missed calls.
“Sorry, Phii Dom. I put my phone in my backpack and silenced it, so I didn’t know you were calling.”
“As long as you’re okay, I’m fine,” Phii Dom sighed, then reached out to gently ruffle his hair. “Earlier… Kant caught me at the faculty office.
He told me everything. Those guys…”
“…”
“Which ones are Shin and Thot? Can you take me to them, Klai? I’ll deal with them myself, make sure they never mess with you again, just like I did with that jerk Merk.”
Klai knew Kant cared about him deeply, which was why he told Phii
Dom about this. That day when Merk harassed him in the bathroom,
Kant had secretly told Phii Dom about it too, wanting him to look out for Klai as well. But when Phii Dom found out, he was so furious that he went to Merk’s condo and punched him. After that, Merk never dared to bother him again.
“No need, Phii Dom. I don’t have anything to do with those two anymore,” Klai said.
“I can believe that guy named Shin won’t bother you anymore, but that guy named Thot, wasn’t he in the same group as you before? So, does that mean you still has to deal with him?”
“Yes, but I can handle it…” Klai gave his older brother a smile to ease his worries before continuing, “If I can’t handle it, I’ll let you know right away.”
Phii Dom let out a soft sigh. “Are you sure you can deal with someone like that?”
Klai nodded with a serious expression he didn’t often show. Phii Dom burst out laughing. “I am sure!”
“If it gets too much, you have to tell me right away, got it?”
“Yes.”
“So, is you heading back yet… or what are you doing sitting here alone?”
“Uh…” He forgot to come up with an excuse. He pursed his lips tightly before saying, “I was planning to wait for Kant to finish class at this building and invite him to get bingsu together… but I forgot Kant has a late class today.”
“Oh… but you’re heading back now, right?”
“Y-Yes.” Truthfully, Klai didn’t want to leave yet. He wanted to keep watching Panli play on his phone for a bit longer and see him get into that cool pearl-white car.
“Come on… then let’s head back together. You didn’t drive today, right?”
Klai didn’t want to hide this from Phii Dom, but since the person he had a crush on was the younger brother of his close friend, and Panli seemed quite close to Phii Dom, Klai didn’t want his secret feelings to make Phii Dom worry.
Even though his older brother knew and was okay with him liking guys, Klai thought it probably wasn’t easy for him. If Phii Dom found out how much he liked Panli, Klai believed his kind older brother would want him to find happiness in love.
But at the same time, he’d also understand that…
Love can’t be forced.
If Phii Dom knew about this crush, it would likely put him in an awkward position. Klai had thought it over many times and ultimately decided not to tell Phii Dom. He also asked his three close friends to keep it a secret.
Sorry, Phii Dom, for keeping this from you.
But I don’t want to make things difficult for you.
“Yes, I took a taxi to class.”
“Are you going back home today? Tomorrow’s your uncle’s engagement to Ms. Lin, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then let me drop you off at home.”
“It’s okay, Phii Dom. I can get back on my own.”
“I’m your older brother, Klai… It’s my job to take care of my little brother.”
Klai smiled at Phii Dom before saying, “Thank you, Phii Dom.”
“No need to thank me. It’s nothing…” Phii Dom replied, then raised an eyebrow as if recalling something. “Oh, Klai, you haven’t sent me the restaurant’s location yet.”
“You’re right… I totally forgot, Phii Dom.”
“But you’ve booked the table, right?”
“Yes, I’ve booked it, Phii Dom.”
“Okay, okay… I’m planning to buy a gift for you tomorrow morning,” Phii Dom said, reaching out to hold his hand and leading him toward the escalator. “Babe’s been stressing out about the gift.”
The small figure stepped onto the same escalator step as his older brother, saying cheerfully, “You don’t have to get me a birthday gift, Phii Dom. Just having Phii Babe, you, and your partner at my birthday is more than enough to make me happy.”
“No way… we have to find the best birthday gift for you, no matter what.”
Klai laughed, looking at the tall figure beside him. “Thank you so much, Phii Dom.”
“Tomorrow… I hope it’s a day where you’re incredibly happy,” Phii Dom said, letting go of his hand and gently pulling his head to rest on his shoulder. “May the strongest person smile a lot.”
Phii Dom’s words were laced with concern, still worried that Klai might be upset about their father’s engagement to Ms. Lin being held on his birthday. To reassure him, Klai repeated, “I’m really okay, Phii
Dom. No need to worry about me.”
“Tomorrow at the engagement, Babe and I will be there in the morning.”
“Yes, I’ll be waiting to welcome important guests like you and Phii
Babe at the house.”
Phii Dom laughed and gently ruffled his hair. “Alright.”
What Klai told Phii Dom was true. He didn’t want birthday gifts—just having everyone at the event was enough. But he hadn’t shared the whole truth with his brother.
There was one more truth Klai kept hidden.
That truth was…
On this birthday…
Klai wanted the moon to orbit around him, even for just a minute.
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