MYMOON, Chapter 20:

Panli: Should be at Khun Klai’s condo in about 30 minutes, ka.

   glaijai: Puppy, don’t ride too fast.

Panli: ok, ka

The phone was placed on the desk after reading the puppy’s reply. The owner of a gentle smile stood up from the chair to grab the cactus plants from the balcony, bringing them inside after they’d soaked up enough sunlight during the day. The two tiny plants were placed back on the desk in their usual spot.

Klai looked at the cactus pot decorated with a crescent moon, a wide smile spreading across his face. But the phone’s vibration pulled his attention away from his beloved plants. His slender hand grabbed the phone, and seeing the caller’s name on the glass screen, he answered without hesitation.

“What’s up, Pie?”

[Klai… just calling to say we booked the presentation practice room.]

Klai let out a relieved sigh, as he’d been worried all the library workrooms would be fully booked. “Hearing that makes me feel so much better.”

[Same here, I was stressing out… We booked it for 3 p.m.]

“Perfect… Should I let New and the others know in the group chat?”

[No need, Klai. Mai will handle it.]

“Alright then.”

[That’s all I had… Too lazy to type, so I called instead.]

Klai laughed softly before saying, “I must’ve gone to lead an aerobics dance for the grandpas and grandmas in the village today. That’s why I’m so tired and too lazy to type like this.”

[Yup~… super tired, but it was fun.]

“Okay… then Pie, go rest.”

[Alright… see you tomorrow!]

“Sure.”

Klai hung up with his close friend. But instead of placing his phone on the desk like usual, he didn’t. After ending the call with Pie, something occurred to him, and Klai decided he should ask for some advice from his three close friends.

“Even though Pie, Mai, and Kant don’t have much experience with love… they probably have some good advice, right?” he murmured softly to himself, thinking hard. “…It’s better to brainstorm together than to figure it out alone.”

With that decision, Klai swiped his phone screen to open the LINE app and created a group chat named “Mission: (Help Klai) Win Moon’s Heart.” He invited Kant, Mai, and Pie to join. Klai glanced at the group name again, shaking his head, ready to change it because he was afraid his friends would tease him. But a flurry of incoming messages made him realize…

It was too late.

KantHimself: I love the group name.

KantHimself: No need to guess what this group’s for. 

No need to change the group name now… Ppie: Was about to go to bed.

Ppie: Now I’m wide awake, lol. 

MaMay: What’s this~ MaMay: Didn’t you tell us this morning that you two already confessed your feelings?

MaMay: So what’s left to “win” about, Klaijai?

MaMay: Hasn’t Panli already given you his whole heart? 

Klai started to wonder if he’d made the right choice. It felt like he’d created this group just to let his friends tease him until he died of embarrassment. But after thinking it over again, he realized he hadn’t been wrong to make the group—just that he’d picked the wrong name. Mai was right: he’d already won Moon’s heart. Shaking his head, Klai thought to himself… What was I thinking when I came up with this name?

glaijai: Let me change the group name real quick. 

KantHimself: Hey! No need to change it.

KantHimself: I love it.

KantHimself: Who else likes it, +1. 

Ppie: +3, for sure.

MaMay: +1

KantHimself: Even though the result is unanimous, isn’t

KhunKlai, who belongs to someone special, gonna give a plus too?

Klai gave a shy smile before tapping on the keyboard. glaijai: +1000

Ppie: Whoa, a thousand pluses? MaMay: LOL

glaijai: It’s for Panli…

KantHimself: I’m stepping out for a sec to recover from the secondhand embarrassment.

Ppie: Same, lol @KantHimself

MaMay: Don’t worry, I’ll keep Klai company.

KantHimself: Now that you two understand each other, go all in, yeah?

Klai smiled softly as he looked at the messages on the glass screen. This morning, he called his three close friends to tell them about confessing his love to Panli. Klai thought that back when he was secretly watching Moon from afar, these three friends were always there to support him. Now that he’s finally by his moon’s side, they deserved to know too.

glaijai: So… glaijai: Where do I even start?

Ppie: Ready to give advice.

Ppie: …Even though I here have never had a boyfriend.

MaMay: Oh, Pie, LOL

KantHimself: Don’t single out Pie, I’m in the same boat.

glaijai: At least Mai has had some experience. MaMay: My last boyfriend was back in grade 11. KantHimself: LOL, we’re doomed, Kla glaijai: …Not doomed at all. glaijai: For stuff like this, you don’t need someone with tons of

experience.

glaijai: Because I just want a little bit of advice.

KantHimself: Advice about what?

Ppie: So exciting!

MaMay: Shit!

MaMay: Scared my Wi-Fi friend’s gonna crash. glaijai: Mai, really?! KantHimself: LOL, he’s shy.

glaijai: It’s not as wild as you all are thinking!

glaijai: sent a sticker

Klai sent a sticker of a sulky rabbit crossing its arms to his three close friends. They all spammed back with laughing cartoon stickers. He couldn’t believe how cheeky his friends were being.

Ppie: Stop teasing Klai already.

Ppie: Just tell us what’s up, Klai. We’re ready.

Ppie: (Even though I’ve never had experience, I promise I’ll

Google it for you.)

Pie’s latest message gave Klai a headache, but he couldn’t help chuckling fondly at this inexperienced friend who was ready to help wholeheartedly. glaijai: So, Panli is coming over to my condo. glaijai: I wanted to ask everyone for advice on what to do besides

chatting, watching movies, or listening to music.

glaijai: Are there any other fun activities?

glaijai: I’m worried Panli might get bored since my place doesn’t

have much, and I don’t have any games. glaijai: Li likes playing games.

KantHimself: If I tell the truth, you’ll think I’m dragging it into something naughty again.

MaMay: LOL, just saying that already sounds naughty, Kant.

Ppie: Seriously, though.

Ppie: For me, just having the person I like around makes it impossible to be bored.

Ppie: You don’t need extra activities.

Ppie: Because I probably wouldn’t like anything more than him.

KantHimself: Is this really someone with no dating experience?

MaMay: LOL

MaMay: lolol

Ppie: For real, @KantHimself

Ppie: Mom says to keep that purity and cuddle it to sleep.

Klai smiled and laughed at the messages his close friends were exchanging. Maybe he didn’t really need advice, but Klai just wanted his loved ones to be part of every moment—whether he was happy, worried, or now, when everyone was joking around more than giving advice. It gave him the answer he needed.

As Pie said… being with someone you like or love isn’t boring at all. Klai thought that even if they were surrounded by silence without any conversation, the two of them wouldn’t feel awkward. Because in that silence, they were communicating through their eyes.

Eyes that said…

When you came into my life,

The same old world wasn’t so bad anymore.

The same old world wasn’t boring anymore.

The same old world became our world instead.

Klai looked away from the glass screen to check the clock on the white wall. He figured Moon would arrive soon, so he typed a message thanking his three close friends for their great advice. They all sent back messages wishing him well.

Ppie: Hope you have a great time with Moon, Klai.

MaMay: +1, same as Pie!

And then another message popped up.

Kant sent him a private message, outside the group chat.

KantHimself: Be super happy, man.

KantHimself: It’s finally time for you to be truly happy for once.

KantHimself: Sounds dramatic, I know.

KantHimself: But I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long.

KantHimself: The moment I get to see you this happy.

Klai gave a faint smile as he read Kant’s messages. His nose stung as he typed a reply to his friend. glaijai: Thanks for always being you, you know.

glaijai: For always being the Kant who’s sincere with Klaijai.

KantHimself: sent a sticker

After receiving a sticker of a brown bear with hearts floating around it, Klai sent the same sticker back to his close friend, then typed a message to thank his other two friends in the group chat. He looked down at his loose, white sleep shirt. Since he hadn’t gone anywhere today, Klai was just wearing a large white T-shirt that had been washed so much it was looser than when he first bought it, paired with cream-colored shorts he’d recently purchased.

Klai thought he should change his shirt. He stood up from the chair, intending to head to the bathroom to change. But before he could reach it, a knock sounded at the door.

He walked to the large door instead, his slender hand gripping the doorknob while he glanced down at his worn-out sleep shirt. Klai shook his head and used his other hand to tug the loose collar up slightly to cover his chest.

When the white door creaked open, Klai saw a tall, impeccably dressed figure standing outside, smiling faintly. Panli was wearing a white button-up shirt tucked into black jeans, his favorite sneakers, and the same watch he always wore.

“Hey there…”

“Didn’t you say you’d be here in thirty minutes, puppy?”

“…”

“Why so early?”

“Well, someone said they missed me too… so I hurried over.”

The large door was opened wider. Klai pursed his lips, embarrassed, as those eyes lingered on his loose shirt, then drifted down to his shorts before meeting his gaze again. When Klai looked down, he only then noticed the matte black full-face helmet Panli was holding.

Looking up at the helmet’s owner again, Klai saw him still staring, but this time the puppy’s smile was more mischievous than ever. Klai knew he had to do something—otherwise, that smile and gaze would burn him until he melted into the floor.

“Puppy… come inside.”

The invited guest burst out laughing before nodding. “Alright… here I come.”

As the tall figure, carrying a faint, pleasant scent, walked past him into the room, Klai, the room’s owner, quickly closed the door. He then poked his finger at the left side of his chest, scolding something trembling inside.

Stop beating so hard… and you should be used to Puppy’s smiles and looks by now, heart.

And his heart replied…

“How can I get used to it?! Puppy keeps coming up with new smiles and looks all the time!”

A breath escaped through his mouth and nose, because Klai knew his heart was telling the truth. His slender hand let go of the doorknob, and he turned to look at the tall figure who had taken off his sneakers, placing them neatly next to Klai’s shoes, and walked to the middle of the room. He turned, flashing a smile, and said,

“Where can Li put this helmet?”

“Oh, uh… you can put it anywhere…” Klai looked at the helmet in Moon’s hands. He seemed very protective of it. Though Klai didn’t know much about these things, he figured it must be expensive. “Panli’s helmet must cost a lot, right?”

Klai stepped closer to the taller man, stopping in front of him. One slender hand reached out to touch the round helmet, curious about its texture. But the low chuckle from the tall man holding it made Klai look up, and the bright smile in front of him made Klai smile back.

“For you… I already ordered one for you.”

“Huh, for me?”

“Yup… when you ride on the back of my bike, you’ll need to wear a helmet too.”

Klai pressed his lips together to hold back a smile. He didn’t really want a helmet, but he was just happy that Panli always thought of him.

“How much is mine? … I’ll pay for it myself.”

The taller man leaned his face closer to Klai, wrinkling his nose playfully. “Not telling… because I’m paying for it.”

Klai, flustered by the words and actions, quickly looked down at the floor, muttering softly as if only for himself to hear, “…Getting way too cute, you little pup.”

“So, can I put the helmet on the desk?”

Klai looked up at the man waiting for an answer. He reached out with both hands to take the large helmet from its owner, hugged it, and said with a smile, “Sure… but I’ll put it there for you.”

The “pup” grinned widely and nodded. “Thanks!”

The smaller man walked to the desk to place the helmet, glancing at

Moon, who was scanning the room. Then, he walked over and stopped in front of him.

“What do you think of my room?”

“It’s really cute…” Panli gave a shy smile, then added, “…I mean the owner of the room.”

Moon’s reply made Klai break into a wide smile. “The pup’s dodging the question again.”

“Anything that belongs to you… it’s all great,” Panli said with a smile, before his gaze shifted to something else.

When Klai followed his line of sight, he saw that Panli was looking at two cactus plants sitting side by side on the desk. The taller man sat down on the chair and reached for the cactus he’d once given as a gift, examining it closely.

“It’s grown a lot, huh?”

“Yeah… it’s grown a ton because I’ve taken good care of it.”

Panli turned to meet his eyes and said, “Thanks again for taking such good care of it.”

Klai nodded slightly with a shy smile. “You hang out for a bit, okay?

I’m gonna go change my shirt.”

After finishing his sentence, Klai turned to head toward the bedroom door. But just as he was about to step away, a strong arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him with enough force to make him lose balance and fall onto a sturdy lap. Before Klai could turn to see the owner of the lap behind him, another arm encircled his waist. It all happened so quickly that he couldn’t react in time. Now, his hands felt clumsy, unsure where to rest, so he crossed his arms. At that moment, Klai ignored his little heart pounding so hard it might burst out of his chest, because he needed to collect himself first.

Take care of yourself, heart.

Let Klai compose himself first.

It’s every man for himself right now…

Klai swallowed hard, the sound audible, as Panli rested his chin on his shoulder. He sat stiff as a statue in a museum. Even though the two of them had grown more open with their feelings since confessing their love, it had only been through phone calls and text messages. They had never been alone together like this.

Now that they finally had time alone, it wasn’t surprising that the other wanted to express feelings through physical gestures. Klai didn’t feel uncomfortable or startled by Panli’s actions. He understood that building a relationship wasn’t just about talking—sometimes, they needed to show their feelings in other ways…

To let the other person feel…

Some emotions that words alone couldn’t convey.

“I missed you so much…” Panli whispered softly, his sharp nose nuzzling into Klai’s shoulder. “…Puppy really, really missed KhunKlai.”

The warmth from the embrace.

An embrace that clearly told the other person…

“Klai missed Puppy too.”

Not just through texts or words.

The slender hands, which earlier didn’t know where to rest, now gently stroked the thick arm. Moon tightened the embrace, and Klai turned to look at the person who refused to move his nose from his shoulder.

“My shirt’s so gross…”

Moon chuckled softly, lifting his nose and resting his chin on Klai’s shoulder instead. “Your shirt smells really, really good.”

“My shirt’s actually super gross… it’s not nice at all.”

“Then that means the nice smell isn’t from the shirt…” Dom smiled, tilting his face slightly to meet Klai’s eyes before continuing, “…but from the person wearing it, right?”

Klai pressed his lips together to hold back a smile, then looked away, too shy to hold the gaze. His new focus was the long sofa in the middle of the room. The smaller guy let out a big sigh before saying,

“Phew~… Can I take a quick break from being shy, Puppy?”

The Puppy, delighted by the request, laughed and said, “No need to change your shirt… you look cute in this gross shirt.”

While he thought this shirt was too old to wear in front of others, Moon thought it looked good. That didn’t make him feel any less shy— in fact, Moon made the feeling multiply tenfold.

“The puppy is so mean… not letting me catch a break at all.”

The puppy laughed softly before saying, “Then let’s talk about the cactus instead.”

“…”

“How do you take care of it to make it grow so fast, ka?”

Panli probably realized he was being too harsh and switched topics. “I let it get morning sunlight every day… water it once a week.”

“…”

“Give it some fertilizer sometimes… but not too often.”

“…”

“Cacti might seem easy to care for… and a lot of people think they’re tough and hard to kill.”

“…”

“But the truth is… no matter what plant it is, you have to give it attention.”

“…”

“If we care for it enough… it’ll try its best to grow and make us happy.”

“That’s why my cactus never grew much… I didn’t care for it enough. Phii Fah couldn’t stand to see it like that, so he took it to care for instead.”

Klai laughed before saying, “If you get another one, you’ll have to take really good care of it, okay?”

“I probably won’t get another one, ka. Taking care of plants is way too hard.”

“…”

“Caring of you is so much easier.”

Sigh… he couldn’t stay sweet for even ten minutes. Panli went right back to being the mean guy who made him blush until his face burned. “Puppy, seriously.”

Panli laughed before saying, “Klaijai…”

“Yes?” he replied, turning to look at the person pressing their nose against his shoulder again.

“Don’t wear this ratty shirt with those shorts outside, okay, ka?”

Klai held back a smile before asking, already guessing the answer,

“Why not, puppy?”

The puppy rested his forehead on Klai’s shoulder instead, then said in a soft voice, “…Because the puppy’s jealous, ka.”

“So possessive of me, huh, Puppy?”

“The most in the world.”

Klai broke into a wide smile before nodding in agreement, because Puppy’s answer was worth trusting. “Okay… I absolutely won’t wear it outside.”

Puppy turned to look at him, grinning widely, clearly satisfied with the response. “…”

But even if I wore it outside, no one would care… it’s such a wornout shirt.”

“If you wore this ratty shirt out and really no one noticed… I would let you like me a little less.”

“Whoa… Puppy, you’re that confident, huh?”

“Puppy’s more than a hundred percent confident.”

“…”

“Because there’s already one of my friends who keeps sneaking glances at you every morning.”

“Your friend?”

“Yup, a called to snitch on him a few days ago…”

“…”

“That guy’s got a bad habit of sneaking looks at KhunKlai… but to be honest, when Li was talking to Nay, I…”

“…”

“What a jerk.”

Klai burst out laughing before saying, “Panli… you don’t have to be that possessive of me.”

“…”

“Because besides this you … I have never looked at anyone else.”

The listener smiled faintly, then nuzzled his nose against Klai’s shoulder repeatedly. “I know…”

Right now, Moon was so adorable it was breaking his heart. Klai hadn’t expected him to be this clingy.

But I don’t trust other people…”

“…”

Panli loosened his embrace, gently guiding Klai to stand up fully. Still a bit dazed, Klai was turned to face him, and then a strong arm pulled him back to straddle Panli’s sturdy lap once more.

Klai glanced down at his current position and wanted to get up quickly—it felt far too suggestive. But Panli’s soft, gentle voice calling his name made him look up. Slowly, Klai placed both his hands on the other’s chest.

Moon wrapped both arms around his waist as usual, then tightened the embrace even more. Panli gazed at him with a serious expression. They locked eyes for several minutes without either saying a word, until the one holding him spoke up in the next moment…

“KhunKlai…”

“Can you promise me… that from now on, if anyone tries to hurt you…”

“…”

“Whether physically or emotionally…”

“…”

“You’ll tell me…”

“…”

“And if possible… can you tell me before something bad happens to you?”

“…”

Even if you just feel like someone’s thinking ill of you… that’s enough to tell me.”

“…”

“Because I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”

“…”

“Do you remember what I promised you? ‘I’ll protect you.’”

Klai nodded slightly, “…”

“I still feel that way, always…” One large hand gently moved to cradle his cheek, then he continued, “…and today, there’s something else I want to tell you.”

“…”

“I’m always here for you, no matter what.”

Klai pressed his lips tightly together and nodded again. He deeply understood the meaning of the English words Li spoke. Klai quickly lowered his eyes to his own hands resting on the taller man’s chest, because suddenly, he felt a stinging sensation in his nose. He didn’t want Panli to see the tears welling up in his eyes. So, he wrapped both arms around the other, hugging him tightly, and rested his chin on the broad shoulder. Klai tried to swallow the lump of emotions in his throat along with the tears threatening to spill. But when the large hand moved to gently stroke his head…

The tears he’d been holding back… Came pouring out in floods.

“Panli… I’m not crying,” Klai said while still hugging the other, secretly wiping the tears streaming down both cheeks with one hand.

If you want to cry, you can cry…”

“…” More tears flowed when Moon said that.

“When you are with me… you can do anything,” he continued.

“…”

“But honestly, there’s one thing you can’t do…”

Klai furrowed his brow before pulling away from the hug. He wiped away the last traces of tears, then met the other’s gaze. “What’s that one thing, Sasin?”

The one questioned gave a faint smile, brushing aside the long bangs that were getting in Klai’s eyes before saying, “Calling me Sasin like that… is you being all cute and clingy, huh?”

Klai shook his head in denial. “I just want to know so I won’t do it… I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“That one thing is… you can’t like me any less.”

The gentle Sasit’s answer made Klai grin so wide his eyes squinted, before he wrinkled his nose at him. “That… I’d never do.”

“So cheeky,” Panli said, biting his own lip.

Klai pressed his lips together to hold back a smile. As he locked eyes with the other, he felt the urge to say something. He gazed deeply into those bright eyes, shining like moonlight every night.

“Thank you, thank you for being Panli, for being Sasin, for being Moon, for being Puppy…” He paused, feeling a sting in his nose again, then laughed to cover the emotions he’d held in his heart for so long. At this moment, Panli shouldn’t see his tears—they should see each other’s smiles instead. Once he was sure no more tears would well up, Klai continued, “Thank you for being everything to this Klaijai.”

 

 

Panli smiled—a smile Klai had never seen before, one that conveyed the word “gladly.” This smile surely meant, “Gladly, I’ll be everything for you.” He took one hand to hold Klai’s while the other still supported his back. Klai glanced down at his own hand, which the other was gently stroking, before meeting Moon’s eyes.

“If I can be more than everything… I will be that for you.”

Klai thought that if anyone else said this, it might sound a bit exaggerated. But when Panli said it, the words felt entirely genuine.

“Being this much is already more than enough.”

Panli gave a faint smile, then brought Klai’s hand he was holding to rest against his chest. He locked eyes with him and said, “KhunKlai…”

“Yes?”

“Can I kiss your hand?”

At the request, Klai shook his head with a faint smile. “No… Puppy’s not allowed to kiss my hand.”

“Why, ka?”

“Because when the puppy kissed my shoulder… the puppy didn’t ask first.”

“…”

“So the puppy has to be punished like this.”

The clingy puppy let out a sneaky sigh before giving him a pitiful look. “The puppy was wrong… I just missed KhunKlai too much, ka.”

Klai hid a smile and shook his head. “I’m not going soft…”

“Not even a little, ka?” Panli said, still holding his hand tightly. He moved his face closer, pressing his cheek against Klai’s chest. “Not even a tiny bit, ka?”

The one being relentlessly charmed broke into a smile, using his free hand to gently stroke Panli’s golden-blonde hair. Klai didn’t know if Panli could hear the loud thumping of his heart. In the past, he would’ve done everything to keep him from hearing it, but now, Klai wanted Moon to hear every beat.

Klai wanted Panli to know that…

The heart that beats fast,

The heart that beats slow,

The heart that’s beating… belongs to Panli.

“If you sing me a song… I might just go soft.”

Panli pulled his face away from Klai’s chest, smiling as their eyes met. “What song does KhunKlai want to hear, ka?”

“You pick, Panli… I’ll listen to anything.”

Moon furrowed his brow, as if thinking hard, before saying, “Then I’ll sing this one, ka.”

“…”

Moon, who was about to sing, transformed back into the clingy puppy. He let go of Klai’s hand and wrapped his arms around his waist like before, resting his chin on Klai’s shoulder. Klai knew he was shy, so he encouraged him with a hug in return, one slender hand gently stroking Panli’s head. With newfound confidence, the puppy began to sing…

“Do you know how great it feels? Do you know how happy it makes me? Do you know how much my old life has changed? Do you know what I was like before I met you? Do you know how incredible it is to have met you…?”

“…”

“You… it’s all because of you that my life’s moments are worth remembering since I met you.”

“…”

“The world that once felt dull, a world filled with nothing but empty, gloomy skies and sad days… I never thought a day like this would come…”

“…”

“You… it’s all because of you that my life has been worth remembering since the moment I met you.”

“…”

“Thank you, heavens, for letting us meet. Thank you to whoever’s up there for bringing you to me. Thank you for every moment, every reason that led to me meeting you today. You… my dearest beloved.”

“…”

Even though the clingy puppy had finished singing, the two of them continued to share a warm embrace, with no sign of either of them pulling away.

Klai didn’t know if it was because he listened so intently without letting other thoughts intrude, or because Panli sang this song with a new, more beautiful melody that made the lyrics feel more profound and touching than ever before.

“I sang for you… will you sing for me now?”

Klai burst out laughing at the clingy puppy’s question, which made him pull away from the embrace first. He nodded in response, “Since Panli sang so beautifully, Klai will let you kiss my hand once.”

“Okay…” The puppy replied with a shy smile.

At that moment, his hand was gently grasped by a larger one. The puppy smiled, locking eyes with him before pressing a kiss to the back of his hand with a soft smack. Klai couldn’t help but smile, letting himself grin widely.

“Just one time, puppy… don’t cheat.”

“Aw… can’t I kiss it one more time?”

Klai playfully shot a stern look at the sneaky guy before pulling his hand back. “No way… if I indulge you too much, you’ll get spoiled.”

“Honestly, I need someone like this…” The one whose name means

“moon” said with a smirk before continuing, “…to keep me in check.” “…”

Klai gave a faint smile and shook his head. Truthfully, he wasn’t trying to tame Moon completely. Rather, Klai was protecting his own heart. If he let the puppy kiss his hand as much as he wanted without setting a limit, his heart would probably work itself into overdrive.

“What time does you finish class tomorrow?”

“Actually, I’m done by 1 p.m., but tomorrow I have a group presentation rehearsal at 3 p.m.”

“Oh… that group project I helped with, right?”

“Mhm…” He nodded eagerly before asking, “Why’s you asking about my class schedule?”

“I was thinking of inviting you to have dinner tonight.”

“Oh…”

“Tomorrow, after you finishes practicing the presentation, shall we go eat together?”

Klai nodded slightly, then said, “Okay~”

“Then, after I finish class, can I go sit and wait while you practice the presentation?”

“Sure… If you are done with class, just LINE me, and I’ll let you know which room I’m practicing in.”

“Sounds good…” Moon smiled at him, then glanced at the watch on their wrist. “…It’s getting late, so I’ll head home first. KhunKlai, you’ve been working all day, so get some rest.”

“Okay.”

Klai nodded in response and stood up from the sturdy lap. After that,

Moon rose to full height, grabbed a helmet, and said,

“Tomorrow, KhunKlai, don’t bring your car… I’ll ride my motorbike to pick you up in the morning, and in the evening, I’ll drop you off at your condo.”

“What time does you have class tomorrow?”

“I have class at noon… It ends at 2 p.m.”

“Then you don’t need to pick me up in the morning, since I have class at 9 a.m.”

“But…”

“Trust me, puppy… So you don’t have to wake up early.”

Though not entirely convinced, they nodded. “Okay… But how will you get there?”

“I’ll take a taxi.”

“Okay… That makes me feel a bit better.”

Klai smiled at the taller figure, then said, “Let me walk you downstairs.”

“No need… It’s late. Just walk me to the door.”

“But…”

“Trust your puppy… So no one sees your worn-out shirt.”

The smaller figure smiled faintly and nodded, then walked Moon to the room’s door. When the large door opened, they turned and smiled at him.

“Klaijai…”

“…”

“Good night.”

“Good night to you too, Sasin.”

Whether it was back then… when Klai still hadn’t reached the moon,

Or now… when Klai has already reached the moon,

Moon always gives him the words, “Good night,” 🙂

 

vMYMOON CHAPTERS HOME

   MYMOON, Chapter 19: Part 2

Panli: Phii Pi, you free to chat?

P.: Free right now~

Panli: Is the shirt with the crescent moon embroidered on the collar still in stock?

P.: You mean the one from our shop, right?

Panli: Serious question or are you messing with me?

P.: LOLOL, just messing with you.

P.: It sold out just now. The last one was bought by a girl from your uni.

Part 2

P.: She asked which collection you liked the most, so I told her this one.

Panli: K.

P.: Why?

P.: Wanna grab another one for yourself?

Panli: Nah, wanted it as a birthday gift.

P.: Ohhh.

Panli locked the phone and slipped it into his back pocket as soon as he realized one of the partners of Once in a Blue Moon was no longer useful. Initially, he planned to pick up the shirt with the crescent moon embroidered on the collar for Klaijai. From the one time he met him, he thought it’d suit him perfectly. But since it was sold out, he decided to go to the party empty-handed. After the party, though, he’d hurry to find a gift for him.

Panli strode into the Korean BBQ restaurant, following the location Fat Cheeks sent, knowing every step was steady. But no one could tell that inside, his heart was trembling, beating faster as he realized he was getting closer to Klai, someone special.

And yes… his heart could beat even faster.

When he saw the table with Fat Cheeks, Phii Dom, Phii Babe, someone he didn’t know, and KhunKlai sitting there, it’d been so long since Panli’s heart raced like this, he’d forgotten how to handle such intense fluttering. Right now, the only thing he could do was let it go wild.

Panli didn’t understand himself… why was he this excited to see him?

When he noticed the birthday boy about to turn toward him because Phii Dom said something, Panli, still unable to control his excitement, pretended to look elsewhere. He was scared his heart would pound even harder. So, he fixed his gaze on Fat Cheeks’ goofy head until he reached the table where everyone was seated.

“You’re dressed all sharp today, dog-face Li… but you still can’t beat

Eternal Love here… this guy’s way hotter.”

He said it with such a smug look that Panli couldn’t help but grin before replying, “I really wanna pinch that mouth of yours for making that face.”

The guy who manages to annoy him every day flashed a smile and scooted over to let him sit next to him. As someone still not ready to meet the birthday boy’s gaze, he plopped down quietly. But because chubby-cheeks left him barely any space, he had to speak up.

“Rak… can you scoot over a bit more? I’m about to fall off the edge here.”

“Just a tiny bit, okay? Because…” Chubby-cheeks looked worried, glancing at the space Panli thought was plenty, “because Phii Fah’s big, and there might not be enough room.”

Chubby-cheeks’ reasoning…

It made Panli realize… you, my dog-faced friend, are totally out of the game.

“No worries, Rak, sit comfortably. If there’s not enough space, we’ll just add another table…”

Panli looked up at the owner of the voice sitting across from him. He didn’t need to imagine anymore whether his voice would be soft or loud, because in that moment, Klai showed his voice was far too adorable to have ever imagined.

His voice wasn’t small or big—it was a gentle, velvety tone that, even without seeing the speaker’s eyes, let you feel just how kind the person behind it was.

That day, seeing him from that distance, Panli thought he must be well-liked by many. With his sweet face, gentle smile, and friendly demeanor that seemed to get along with everything in the world, he never imagined that seeing Klai up close like this… would make him feel so fond of him.

And that’s probably because…

Of those almond-shaped eyes that might shrink when he smiles wide.

That stubborn little nose tip that many might want to pinch.

Those pink lips that might turn red after eating spicy food.

And it’s probably all of this… that made him unconsciously smile while looking at him.

“All good, Klai?”

“Yep, all good. There are still a bunch of my friends coming, so we’ll probably need to add a table anyway.”

“Cool… no need to worry then.”

And in the next second, Klai shifted his gaze from Theerak and locked eyes with Panli. He didn’t know if they held that gaze for just a split second or a whole minute before Klai looked away, because in that moment, it felt like time had frozen.

That feeling of time just… stopping?

It’s real, man.

Even if someone tried to hold the clock’s hands still, his heart would keep racing like this. Panli glanced at the birthday boy, who was turning to talk to the person next to him—probably his close friend.

If he hadn’t noticed Klai’s ears turning as red as ripe tomatoes, Panli might’ve thought he was avoiding eye contact because he didn’t want to get to know a stranger like him. But those bright red ears and the faint flush creeping up his cheeks told him Klai was just shy. He felt a bit relieved and shifted his gaze from Klai to his close friend sitting beside him, a sudden idea popping into his head.

“Worried for real, huh? You’re waiting for nothing, Fat Cheeks. Phii

Fah isn’t coming.”

“He’s really not coming?” Phii Dom, sitting across from him, asked. Meanwhile, Phii Babe narrowed her eyes at him, as if she was onto his game.

Panli held back a grin before saying, “For real, Phii Dom. Phii Fah said traffic’s insane… he turned the car around already.”

“If you’re lying again, I’m not sharing any grilled meat with you. I mean it—no threats here.”

“For real! Don’t believe me? Go call him yourself.”

“Ugh, Li, you shameless liar. How far are you gonna take this?”

He shook his head, barely hiding his smile. Fat Cheeks is sharp—he didn’t buy the story for a second and probably knew Panli was lying on purpose. His irritation was likely because he was scared the words might actually be true.

“He’s daring you to call and check. Just go call him and get the truth, then come back and deal with Li,” Phii Babe said.

With solid advice from his big sister, Theerak waved his hand, signaling for Panli to move. He got up from the long bench to let his grumpy best friend step out to call Phii Fah.

“Poor kid, waiting for nothing.”

“Wait… hold on, Panli. If this isn’t true, someone’s gonna be crying because of that.”

He burst out laughing when Fat Cheeks pointed at him, threateningly. Then Panli plopped back down on the long bench, glancing at the paper bag placed a bit further away. But someone asking Phii Dom something caught his attention, making him look across the table.

“Where’d your love go, Phii Dom?”

“Ask Panli… he told Theerak that Fah turned the car around because of bad traffic.”

“But the truth is Phii Fah hasn’t even shown up yet, right, Phii Dom?”

“Why don’t you ask the guy who started this, Klai…” Phii Dom nodded toward him before continuing, “What’s up, birthday boy’s asking.”

The birthday boy shifted his gaze from Phii Dom to Panli. His cheeks, now even redder than before, confirmed that Klai was indeed very shy.

And shy people usually aren’t great at starting conversations…

Knowing he’d have to take the lead, Panli pulled his wallet and phone out of his back pocket to make himself more comfortable. He bit his lip slightly, placing both items on the table while thinking of something to say to ease Klai’s nerves. He didn’t mean to make him anxious too.

But he couldn’t help smiling as he looked at the shy guy, who started blinking rapidly, clearly nervous. Not wanting to seem like a liar in Klai’s eyes, Panli quickly slid the gift bag toward his close friend sitting next to him so he could scoot over to sit directly across from him. Their eyes met again, and that’s when he started the conversation with him…

“The birthday boy wants to know the truth… or would you rather guess first?”

“Uh… I think knowing the truth is better.”

“The truth is…” He gave a small smile as he looked into Klai’s eyes, then continued, “No one would turn their car around just because of traffic. Everyone will try to get here as fast as they can… to make sure the birthday boy feels special.”

“…”

“So, Phii Fah will definitely show up.”

“…”

“No need to worry… okay?”

Since Klai didn’t say anything, Panli wasn’t sure if his words eased his worries. So, he gave him a smile. They locked eyes for a few minutes before Klai gave a slight nod, as if to say, “Okay.” He smiled at Klai’s shy, adorable gesture and nodded back.

What he once thought…

That maybe he’d fall for him the moment their eyes met. It might actually be true.

“Dom, I’m gonna go check the ice cream in the freezer first, okay?”

“Okay,” she replied.

“What drink do you want?”

Phii Dom turned to Panli as soon as his girlfriend walked away from the drink station. Now it was just the two of them standing there. He handed him a glass with ice before saying,

“Eating grilled meat like this, you gotta have a beer, right?”

“You jerk, where’s the beer?” Phii Dom said, laughing.

“Coke, then.”

“Okay…” He poured soda into my glass, then asked, “Is Klai sitting alone at the table?”

I glanced at the table and saw Klai chatting with a friend, then replied,

“He’s with a friend now.”

“Oh…”

“Phii Dom, does Klai have any special likes? I’m thinking of getting him a gift.”

“Back in the day… Klai used to love shrimp a lot.”

“And now?…”

Phii Dom went quiet, then shifted his gaze from the glass of water to meet Panli’s eyes. “Klai likes you.”

The serious look in his eyes and the weight in his voice told Panli… what he said was true. Now it was his turn to fall silent, replacing Phii Dom’s stillness. The memory of Klai smiling and giving a thumbs-up to his photo, Lost in the Moon’s Shadow, flooded his mind. He swallowed hard, trying to say something to Phii Dom, who was staring at him, but the rush of mixed emotions left him speechless.

“Klai has had a crush on you for a long time…”

“…”

“If you don’t believe me… try standing on the fourth floor of the building across from Building 11. You’ll see Klai sneaking glances at you almost every day.”

“…”

“He likes to sit on the fourth floor of Building 11 because it overlooks the parking lot where you park your bike, and he sees you smoking there all the time.”

“If I hadn’t seen Klai looking at my photos in the exhibition room before… I’d think you were joking.”

“So you’ve seen Klai before… Did you know back then that he’s my cousin?”

“I knew… because Phii Fah pointed him out when Klai walked past the faculty building.”

Phii Dom nodded lightly before saying, “This kind of thing… I wouldn’t dare joke about. It’s about feelings.”

“…”

“Klai doesn’t know I know this.”

“…The reason I had Theerak invite you to Klai’s birthday wasn’t to make you aware of this. Panli, I just wanted Klai to be happy for once. Even though things at home are hectic with his Dad’s engagement ceremony to his fiancée… Klai says he’s fine, but I don’t believe he really feels that way.”

A heavy feeling settled in his chest, one he rarely experienced, and he nodded slightly to show he understood Phii Dom’s reasons.

“I thought if you came to Klai’s birthday… my cousin would be happy.”

“…”

“…And there’s another important reason I decided to tell you this, even though I know I probably shouldn’t. After today, I think you and Klai will at least know each other. If you run into each other at uni, you can say hi. I don’t know if your relationship with Klai will grow into friendship… but if one day Klai finds the courage to confess his feelings to you…”

“…”

“You, knowing this peggio, will be able to handle whatever feelings come up, and Klai won’t lose you… in any capacity.”

“…”

“I’m not hoping for Klai to get what he wants. I’m not expecting you to love him like a lover. I just want Klai to have a good friendship, like others do. I know what kind of person you are… that’s why I want Klai to know you. Because so far, my cousin has only met bad people— friends he’s had and people he’s secretly liked.”

“…”

“I know I’m being selfish by saying this without caring how it might make you feel bad or uncomfortable… but since I’m not some amazing big brother, this is probably the only way to keep Klai from losing a good person like you.”

“…”

“I’m sorry, Li.”

Panli admitted he was confused and didn’t know how to feel first. A warm breath slowly escaped his nose as he saw Phii Dom’s worried expression before saying, “You don’t need to apologize to me… this doesn’t make me feel bad or anything.”

“…”

“But the reason I’m quiet is because…” He raised his hand to rub the back of his neck while searching for an answer, but in the end, he couldn’t lift the heavy feeling weighing him down, and it suppressed every sentence he tried to say. “…I just can’t put it into words.”

“…”

“But it’s not that I’m rejecting Klai’s feelings… I can’t speak because he thinks Klai’s feelings for me are so damn pure.”

“…”

“I’ve never met someone who secretly loves from afar, watching without expecting anything in return, like him.”

“Guess it’s just my little brother who’d choose to love secretly like that.”

He pursed his lips, thinking, before saying, “Hey, can you take my glass back to the table for me, Phii Dom?”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m gonna order some shrimp for Klai… and check on chubbycheeks too. He’s been gone for a while.”

“…”

“Okay… but about the gift, you can always get him something later.”

“True, he should’ve brought a gift for the birthday boy… at the very least, he should do something for Klai today.”

“…Ordering shrimp means he’ll have to peel them.”

“Just peeling shrimp… that’s no big deal.”

Phii Dom let out a laugh, nodded, and walked back to the table with his glass. Panli headed over to the female staff member standing by to assist customers. She looked up at him and gave a friendly smile.

“Anything else you’d like?”

“I’m at that table over there…” He said, pointing to the table. The birthday boy, who was secretly watching him, quickly looked away the moment he saw Panli and the staff glancing his way. He gave a small smile before continuing, “…I’d like twenty shrimp, all in one tray.”

“Oh, alright.”

“If that table wasn’t charged for seafood, please adjust it to seafood pricing for the whole table.”

Panli watched the waitress hurry back into the restaurant, then peered outside to look for Fat Cheeks. Stepping out, he saw his best friend standing rigid, staring at Phii Fah. Even though what he’d heard was almost too absurd to laugh at, Fat Cheeks still managed to crack him up.

Right now, he’s no different from Panli—a dog. But a fat little pup cursed to turn to stone.

“What’re you laughing at, you shameless dog?!”

“Laughing at you, that’s what…”

Panli said, chuckling. Fat Cheeks glared at him, and since he didn’t want to start a fight, he walked back into the restaurant, leaving Theerak and Phii Fah standing outside.

Back inside, Panli saw the staff starting to serve food at their table. He stopped by the table, eyeing a large tray of shrimp in the waitress’s hands.

“That tray of shrimp… it’s mine.”

After he spoke, the waitress nodded in acknowledgment. He plopped down on the long bench, sliding back to his original spot, and took the white tray with twenty shrimp, just as he’d requested, from her. He set the tray in front of him and immediately started grilling the shrimp.

“Wow, you gonna eat all that, Panli?” Phii Babe asked.

What pulled his attention from the grill wasn’t Phii Babe’s question, but the person sitting across from him. He stared at Klai, wondering if he’d eat all twenty shrimp Panli planned to peel for him, or if it might be too much for him. He was about to get his answer… until he noticed something on Klai’s neck.

A necklace with a crescent moon pendant…

His eyes lowered after seeing it, and a question popped into his head:

Did Klai already love the moon, or did he start loving it because of him? Either way, it made his heart race again, and he couldn’t help but think…

If Klai loves the moon because of him…

That thought made him smile faintly as he grilled the plump shrimp. Without taking his eyes off the grill, he replied, “From the looks of it… probably not gonna finish it all.”

“Wanna share with me? It’d be a shame to waste it.”

“Don’t mess with the kid’s food. Come steal our pork instead.”

“I’m not trying to steal from him. It’s just a lot, and I’m worried it’ll go to waste and get us fined.”

“No fine, trust me,” Phii Babe said.

While he grilled large shrimp and listened to Phii Dom and Phii Babe bicker, the person sitting across from him started placing red meat on the grill. But Klai only set the meat at the edge, as if too timid to challenge Panli’s shrimp army.  The truth is…

It was Klai’s army all along.

Because soon, Panli would be giving it all to him. 

He picked up an orange shrimp and placed it on his plate to let it cool before peeling it. As he kept his eyes fixed on the grill, he felt like the person across from him was staring at him the whole time. The nearly burnt pork slices confirmed he wasn’t imagining it—Klai was really looking at him. 

“Klai…” Panli said, not taking his eyes off the grill, before picking up a darker pork slice and placing it on Klai’s plate. “Your pork’s about to burn… better take it off the grill.”

He looked up at the person he’d just called out to. Klai nodded, then glanced at the cooked pork on his plate, his thin lips pressed tightly as if holding back some emotion.

Panli had heard that “Yawning is contagious—when you see someone yawn, you yawn too.” But he’d never heard that “holding back a smile is contagious” until he experienced it himself. Seeing Klai try to suppress his smile, he couldn’t help but do the same.

When only one shrimp was left on the grill, Panli noticed the owner of the name “Klai,” which he wanted to say again, place another pork slice on the grill. He still kept it at the same spot, far from the large shrimp lying still. So, he used his chopsticks to move Klai’s pork to the center of the grill before looking up to meet his eyes.

“Don’t keep it at the edge… it won’t cook properly.”

“Uh, okay,” he replied with a slight nod.

Panli locked eyes with Klai for a brief moment before he lowered his gaze to his plate. He picked up the last cooked shrimp and placed it on his plate to peel for him.

“Hey, you guys made it?”

Phii Dom’s loud greeting drew Panli’s attention to the last guest arriving at the birthday party, and soon a conversation between Klai and Phii Fah began.

“Hello, Phii Fah.”

“Hey… sorry I’m late.”

“It’s okay. Klai is just really grateful you came.”

“Go grab a drink first, Fah… I didn’t get one for you, wasn’t sure what you’d like.”

“Yeah, I’ll get it myself.”

Panli saw the chubby-cheeked guy, who’d just sat down next to him, stand up again and say, “I’ll go with Phii Fah to get a drink… I need to refill my lychee soda too.”

He shifted his gaze from the two of them and started peeling the shrimp on his plate. When his fingertips touched the orange shell, he realized the large shrimp hadn’t cooled down much. He thought about waiting a bit longer, but then he glanced at the pile of shrimp on the plate of Klai’s close friend sitting nearby. Guessing that friend was probably peeling shrimp for Klai too, he decided he shouldn’t wait any longer.

“Klai… they’re all cooked, but I’ll wait for them to cool a bit before peeling them for you, okay?”

“Thanks, Kant.”

Panli stole a glance at Klai’s close friend, who was showing off a plate of shrimp to him, then hurried to peel the shrimp on his own plate faster. In all his life, he’d never peeled shrimp for anyone to eat. His shrimppeeling skills might not match Klai’s friend’s, but even so… he’d do his best.

“Li! You’re eating that many shrimp?”

The loud interruption from Chubby Cheeks made Panli lose focus as he was diligently peeling. He widened his eyes, looking shocked, and plopped down next to him.

“Don’t exaggerate, Chubby Cheeks… it’s just a few.”

“Don’t be so greedy, Li. Have some respect for Klai. He’s kind enough to treat us, so peel some for the birthday boy… and share with his friends too.”

Panli turned to Chubby Cheeks, who was eagerly ruining his good image, and said, “You mean share with you, right?”

“Exactly…”

Seeing his close friend laugh heartily, he could only shake his head and mutter, “Seriously, Fat Cheeks.”

“Eat up, guys. If anyone wants more seafood, go for it. We already picked the seafood package, so it won’t cost extra,” Klai said.

“Klai is so generous!”

Yes… Klai is kind and thoughtful.

Panli realized he probably planned for everyone at the party, which is why he chose the seafood package. But if Klai hadn’t picked this package from the start, he was ready to cover the bill himself, as he’d told the staff, and sort it out with the birthday boy later.

But now, he didn’t have to worry about that. Panli’s only focus was giving the birthday boy twenty shrimp. He handed a plate of neatly peeled, large shrimp to the guy in front of him, who was chatting with Chubby Cheeks.

“Here… your birthday gift.”

He had no idea…

No idea that the person who already had a crush on him…  

“…”

“Earlier, Panli asked Phii Dom what you like so he could get you a belated gift. He said you love shrimp, so I figured I’d peel these as your birthday gift for now… You’re turning twenty today, right?”   Would his heart race a little?  

“Uh, yeah.”

“There are twenty shrimp on the plate, one for each year. Happy birthday, and nice to meet you.”

But his heart, feeling something…

Panli didn’t know if it started the first time they met or when their eyes locked.

“Thank you so much, and I’m happy to meet you too.”

“You’re welcome.”

It’s beating so hard…

They only locked eyes for a split second when Klai took the plate of shrimp. Panli watched him break into a smile as he looked at the shrimp he peeled for him, before he picked up a big one with his chopsticks and chewed happily.  

It’s crazy to think that the thoughts he had hours ago changed just from meeting Klai’s gaze. Panli tried to push away the truth Phii Dom told him, wanting to hold onto his feelings alone. And it’s even crazier that, even with just his feelings left, he still chose to feel this way…  

He’s not ready for the 101st heartbreak.

And if it’s possible…

Can you stop all the pain at this one?  

5:30 p.m.

The numbers glowed on Panli’s phone screen. He didn’t mean to find himself standing here at this time every day. But every time he walked to the parking lot in front of the tall building after class, it just happened to be 5:30 p.m.  

Yesterday, after Klai’s birthday party ended, everyone went their separate ways. Panli stopped by the mall to look for a gift, thinking the twenty shrimp he gave weren’t impressive enough. But after wandering around, he couldn’t find anything that felt right for Klai. It wasn’t until he was heading out to the parking lot that he spotted a small plant shop.

He thought this was perfect for him.

Panli felt something calming to look at.

Even though he knew it wasn’t expensive, and his gift might not compare to the others Klai received, when it comes to sentimental value, he believed nothing in this world was worth less than another. Everything has its own value.

Panli decided to buy a cactus. He looked up the meaning of plants on his phone before choosing, and the meaning of the cactus reminded him of something Phii Dom said:

“All this time, my little brother has only met bad people—friends he’s been close to, and even people he’s secretly liked.”

While he was driving home, Panli happened to see Klai waiting for a ride. He offered to drive him to his condo, which gave him the chance to give him the gift. The look in Klai’s eyes, the tone of his voice, and the tears welling up around his eyes made him wonder what Klai must have been through. He remembered asking him something then…

“Klai… are you okay?”

“It’s just… I love this gift so much. When I’m really touched by something, I can’t help but cry.”

Klai’s response made Panli realize how much he already felt for him.

“So adorable.”

“I am sorry… for startling Panli.”

No need to apologize… it’s just a small thing.

And because he knew that… 

“Then should you like this gift a little less?”

“No way… I’ll keep loving this gift a lot, just like this.”

“If loving it so much makes you cry… maybe tone it down a bit. I won’t mind, really.”

He didn’t want to be someone who made Klai cry…

Panli also remembered… they talked quite a bit while stuck in traffic. He saw Klai’s gentle smile, the kind that always felt soothing every time he saw it. He couldn’t believe anyone could hurt Klai’s heart, and he didn’t want to think about how many trials the world had thrown at him for him to become this strong.

And he quietly admired Klai in his heart…

He’s just this small person… but so incredibly strong.

When Panli drove to Klai’s condo, he had already gotten out of the car but didn’t walk inside. He just stood there, smiling at him. In that moment, he didn’t want to let Klai go. He didn’t know when they’d see each other again, and he thought someone like Klai, who loved secretly without expecting anything, would probably just keep watching from afar like always. There was no way he’d come closer to him.

Back then, Panli wasn’t sure if the flood of feelings in his heart could be summed up as “liking” him. But he chose to roll down the window and say something to the small figure standing there, smiling at him.

“Klai…”

“…”

Even though he wasn’t certain…

“If you see me at uni… feel free to come say hi.”

“…”

But Panli still wanted to make a promise…

“And if I sees you first… I’ll come say hi to you myself.”

“Mhm… I’ll come say hi to Panli then.”

“Alright, sounds good.”

And Klai’s smile in that final moment made him determined to bring himself to this parking lot right now. Last night, Panli thought long and hard about his feelings. Now, he’s certain that all those feelings can be summed up in one word: “like.” And Klai made him realize…

Panli knew sometimes, matters of the heart are incredibly simple. Sometimes, true feelings are just… Like, or… don’t like.

No need to search for reasons why he liked someone.

Right, or… not right.

That’s all there was to it.

And yes… he liked Klai.

But when Panli looked up at the fourth floor of Building Eleven, he didn’t see any sign of that someone he’d been secretly watching. Peering through the clear glass barrier, he saw only empty tables and chairs. So, he waited until six o’clock.

But he didn’t see Klai at all. They didn’t meet…

Panli decided to drive home, but while stuck in traffic, his growing anxiety prompted him to pull out his phone and call someone.

[“What’s up?”] 

“Phii Dom… did you tell Klai that I’d seen him before?”

[“I didn’t say anything… why?”] 

“Today, Klai didn’t show up on the fourth floor… not like you said.”

[…] 

Now, he was jumping to all sorts of conclusions, scared that Klai might have changed his mind… “What if Klai stops liking me?”  […] 

“Yesterday, I ran into Klai waiting for a ride… so I offered to drop him off at his condo.”

[…] 

“I might’ve accidentally done something wrong…”

“…or maybe when I ran into a friend at Klai’s condo, I spoke too crudely, and he doesn’t want to like me anymore.”

[Hold on, tiger… calm down.] 

He nodded, even though he knew Phii Dom couldn’t see him. “…”

[Just a bit ago, I called Klai. He’s at the arts building practicing the khim because he’s performing for the seniors at the open house.] 

A breath of relief escaped through Panli’s nose and mouth. “I almost turned my bike toward Boss’s bar.”

[What the… just because Klai didn’t show up to sneak a glance, you’re ready to go drown in booze?] 

“…”

[What’s going on, Li?] 

“…”

[Do you just want to confirm with your own eyes that Klai’s really sneaking looks, or…] 

“Phii Dom, are you free? Panli wants to talk face-to-face.”

[…] 

“And there’s a bunch of other stuff I want to ask.”

[Free. Can you come to my condo?] 

“Yeah, I’ll head over.”

It didn’t take long for him to reach Phii Dom’s condo. The owner of the spacious room greeted Panli with a cigarette and a can of beer. He invited him to chill on the balcony. He brought the cigarette to his lips, inhaling nicotine into his lungs. As he exhaled the white smoke, he realized he was relaxed enough. It was time to say something.

The senior, who’d just hung up with his girlfriend, grabbed his beer can, took a swig, and looked at Panli with a calm but heavy gaze. Panli could tell Phii Dom was starting to worry about something.

“Who’s going first?”

“I’ll start…” Panli paused, reflecting on every feeling from the first day he saw Klai until now. “Like I told you before… I’d seen Klai already.”

“…”

“When I saw him standing there looking at my photos, I really, really wanted to go up and get to know him… I don’t know what made me feel that way.”

“…”

“But just as I was about to approach him… Mom called right then. I had to step outside to talk to her. When I came back to the exhibition room… Klai was gone.”

“…”

“…After that day, I kept trying to see him again. I waited for him outside the exhibition room, looked for him while smoking in the parking lot, but I never saw him… and I couldn’t stop feeling this way either.”

“…”

“This urge to get to know Klai… I just can’t shake it.”

“You know I’m Klai’s cousin… so why didn’t you come to me?”

“…”

“Because if you’d told me you wanted to get to know Klai, you wouldn’t have had to try so hard.”

I could guess what Phii Dom was thinking. He didn’t mean exactly what he said, and he was waiting for my response. I didn’t have some cool, novel-hero-like answer. All I had was an answer born from my true feelings.

An honesty I wanted Phii Dom to feel…

“To be straight with you… back then, I was afraid you’d be suspicious of me.”

“…”

“Afraid you’d think I was trying to hit on your little brother.”

“…”

“Because at the time, I thought I just wanted to get to know him, nothing more.”

“Ah… I get it.”

“…Until chubby-cheeks called to invite me to Klai’s birthday party, saying he’s your little brother and goes to the same uni. That’s when I realized it was Klai.”

“…”

“And it really was that guy for me.”

“Your guy, huh?”

“Not exactly mine yet…” I furrowed my brow, retracting my words to put the senior at ease.

“And then what?”

“I really don’t want to tell you this part, but if I don’t, you probably won’t believe my feelings are real…” Panli brought the white cigarette to his lips again, letting his feelings flow freely like the light smoke before saying, “My heart was racing from the moment I walked into the restaurant… and knowing I’d see Klai again, it just kept beating harder and harder.”

“…”

“And when I locked eyes with Klai…” Panli looked at the senior, who was smirking while staring at the beer can in his hand. “You probably have an idea of how I felt in that moment.”

Phii Dom nodded lightly before saying, “It’s probably like when I first met Babe at that concert.”

“…”

“My heart was pounding like a drum.”

Panli gave a faint smile and said, “Yeah… felt exactly like that.”

“And then what happened?”

“And then… I found out Klai had a crush on me because you told me.”

“At that moment, I didn’t know how to feel first. I was happy knowing we were both secretly watching each other, but I couldn’t fully be happy. You told me Klai’s dad was getting engaged to his stepmom at home, and it was his birthday that day… And then I learned he’s only met bad people in his life. When I thought about his smile, about the time Klai went to see my photo…”

“…”

“I felt so choked up…”

“…”

“Because I thought… he’s been through so much, but he still manages to smile. And he keeps giving that smile to others too.”

“…”

“How strong must he be…”

“When I was driving to see you… I thought, if I didn’t feel this way about Klai right now, but I knew he had a crush on me… what would I do?”

“…”

“Believe it or not… I didn’t have to think long.”

“…”

“Because even if I didn’t like him… after the day I learned the truth,

I’d be a good friend to Klai. I’d stay by his side.”

“I didn’t make a mistake telling you the truth, did I?”

“…”

Phii Dom looked deep into my eyes before saying, “But I want you to ask yourself again, just to be sure… because Klai is a guy, like you, and you’ve never dated a guy before. Maybe you’re just…”

Knowing what he was worried about, I decided to cut in before he finished his sentence. “Phii Dom, don’t forget… I wanted to get to know

Klai before I even knew about this.”

“…”

“My heart was racing when I met him, even before you told me the truth.”

“…”

“So, the fact that he secretly liked me first didn’t make me feel swayed.”

“…”

“I don’t usually feel this way about anyone… so I’m certain I really like him. It’s not just a fleeting feeling.”

“And the fact that Klai is a guy like me…”

“…”

Panli fell silent, then said with a firm tone, “As long as he’s the person

I like… I don’t care what he is.”

“…”

“I know everything seems to be moving fast… and you still don’t fully trust me.”

“…”

“But I’m begging you…”

“What are you begging for?”

“Let me take care of Klai.” Panli stared deeply into his sharp eyes, then continued, “I want to take care of Klai.”

The listener didn’t respond. Phii Dom reached for his cigarette pack, tapped out a white paper stick, lit it, and took a drag before looking up to meet his eyes again.

 

 

Thanks for being honest with me and Klai.”

“…”

“I used to think you were pretty different from Fah.”

“…”

“But today, I realized… the two Pisut siblings aren’t that different after all.”

“…”

“Both of you are so genuine.”

Panli gave a faint smile before saying, “I’ve told you everything… now it’s your turn.”

“I don’t know where to start, because there’s so much I want to tell you…” Phii Dom paused for a moment, then continued, “So, I’ll start with the beginning of everything. All the stories are interconnected. Once I’m done… I think you won’t have any more questions, because what I tell you will probably answer all your doubts.”

“…”

“One day… Kant, Klai’s close friend, came to wait for me at the faculty. He told me that when Klai went drinking with friends at a bar, he was harassed by some engineering kid in the bathroom. That engineering kid, Merk, had been persistently bothering Klai for a while, but Klai didn’t like him and rejected him.”

“…”

“Kant said someone stepped in to help Klai that day… so he wasn’t hurt by that guy.”

“…”

When I got the details from Kant—that his name was Merk, a second-year civil engineering student at our uni—I asked my engineering friends where he stayed. After that, I tracked him down and beat the crap out of him.”

“…”

“So he never dared to mess with Klai again.”

Panli pushed his tongue against his cheek, trying to keep his emotions in check, but he couldn’t help it and cursed, “That damn bastard!”

Phii Dom took a drag from his white cigarette before continuing,

“This kind of situation… does it ring any bells?”

“…”

“Can you remember if you ever helped someone being harassed in a bathroom?”

Panli lowered his eyes to the beer can, its surface dotted with condensation, and thought back to what Phii Dom asked. He remembered helping someone who was being harassed in a bathroom, and the images and sounds etched deep in his memory slowly flooded back into his mind.

Merk, you have no right to force me.

Those words, and the trembling voice of someone trying to stay steady while hiding from that massive jerk in the bathroom, were what made Panli decide to step in.

He closed his eyes, praying that the person he helped wasn’t Klai, begging that the events of that day didn’t really happen. But he couldn’t escape reality, and he’d have to face many more truths from here on out.

Panli opened his eyes and looked up at Phii Dom.

Klai, right, Phii Dom? …” A lump rose in his throat as he tried to say the next sentence. He forced down the heavy ball of emotions before continuing, “The person I helped in the bathroom that day… it was Klai, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah… the person you helped was Klai.”

Panli had never been punched full force in the face before—usually, he was the one throwing punches—but when he learned this truth, he finally understood what it feels like to take a hard hit to the face.

His mind went blank.

And his whole body started to feel numb.

“Klai wasn’t hurt by him, right, Phii Dom? …” Panli remembered Phii Dom already mentioned this, but he just wanted to double-check, to be absolutely sure that after he left the bathroom, leaving Klai alone, he was safe. “After I walked out of the bathroom… did that guy do anything else to Klai?”

Phii Dom shook his head before saying, “No… Klai wasn’t hurt by him.”

“…”

“And you don’t have to feel guilty either… because you didn’t know it was Klai in the bathroom, and it’s been a long time since then.”

“…”

“But the reason I’m bringing up that day is because it was the starting point of everything.”

“…”

“I’ll keep telling you…” Dom waited until Panli nodded, signaling he was ready to listen, before continuing, “Even though that jerk Merk

 

 

didn’t dare mess with Klai anymore, I was still worried about him. I was afraid Merk might harass Klai again.”

“…”

“So I secretly went to check on Klai at the faculty building… I saw him sitting at a table on the fourth floor almost every day. At first, I thought he was just finding a quiet spot to read, but when I looked closely, I noticed he was only staring down below.”

“…”

“…And one day, when Klai didn’t come to class because he was sick, I sat in that spot myself… That’s when I realized it was the perfect vantage point to see clearly.”

“…”

“But I didn’t immediately assume Klai had a crush on you… So I went to grill Kant, thinking Klai probably told him everything.”

“Is Klai really close with Kant?”

“Yeah… those two have been best friends since high school. They’ve been through a lot together. Kant’s always been there for Klai.”

“…”

Panli thought if he could choose…

He’d want to be by Klai’s side through every moment too.

“And Kant really did know about it… He spilled everything, recounting every detail of what happened that day all over again…”

Panli stayed silent while listening to Dom’s story. He spoke with a serious tone and intense eyes. He bit down on his lower lip until it stung when he learned that Merk had told Klai’s friend group about Panli singing at Boss’s bar, using it as a bargaining chip to meet Klai. And Klai’s friend, who had a crush on him, agreed to the deal… trading their friendship for just a few hours with him.

Everything Dom told Panli made his heart ache, because as someone who values friendship, he knew how awful it feels when someone doesn’t appreciate the meaning of the word “friend.”

“And in the end, Kant said… it was because of that day that Klai started secretly liking you, and he still does to this day.”

“…”

“But Kant asked me to keep all this a secret. If Klai found out he told me these things, he’d feel uneasy.”

“…”

“Kant said only three close friends know about this… Klai never told anyone else. The only reason they found out was because they caught him sneaking glances at you on the fourth floor. That’s when he finally confessed.”

“…”

Panli understood why Klai didn’t tell Dom himself. He was probably worried it would affect him somehow. He’s always thinking about other people’s feelings.

“…”

“And after I found out, I never thought about telling anyone… not even you.”

“…”

“But the day before Klai’s birthday, Kant came to wait for me at the faculty again. He told me something he’d just learned not long ago. He couldn’t help but worry about Klai, afraid he’d feel bad being alone, so he secretly told me.”

“What happened to Klai this time?”

Dom sighed before recounting Klai’s past. He told Panli about a senior who tricked Klai into confessing his feelings just to win a bet with friends, and about Thot, one of the people involved in Klai being harassed by Merk. Merk had spread the story of Klai’s confession and rejection to everyone in their department, turning it into a cruel joke. Just knowing Thot was friends with Merk already made him want to smack him with his favorite pair of shoes, but hearing what he did to Klai made his blood boil even more.

“Does one person really have to deal with such awful people and terrible things like this?”

“Now do you understand why I decided to tell you all this… and why

I want someone like you in Klai’s life?”

“…”

“If you say you want to take care of Klai… Panli wants you to know who’s hurt him before… and who’s still messing with him.”

“From now on… if anyone messes with Klai again—”

“…”

“I’ll crush them under my foot.”

“Back then, I wanted to beat the crap out of those two jerks, Shin and

Thot… but Klai wouldn’t point them out.”

“Kant, right? Kant probably knows them.”

“I already went to Kant… but he asked me to let it go. He didn’t want to make things harder for Klai. And Kant himself already felt guilty enough for secretly telling me so much.”

“…”

Dom raised the cigarette, nearly half-burned, to his lips again before saying, “But when I thought it over carefully… I decided to let them go.”

“…”

“You’re probably wondering why I’d let them off, considering what they did to our people…” Dom spoke as if reading Panli mind, slowly exhaling white smoke before continuing, “Truth is, we didn’t let them hurt our people. Because I believe if they came back to harm our people again… there’s no way we’d let it slide.”

“…”

“But by ‘let go,’ I mean… let them just be the shitty people who once passed through someone’s life.”

“…”

“There’s no way to go back in time to protect those who were hurt in the past… no way at all.”

“…”

Phii Dom smiled and looked at me with understanding. “I used to be like you… hot-headed, fearless, ready to throw punches without much talk.”

“…”

“If you ask if I’m still like that, I’d say I am, but a lot less now.

Because when I’m with Babe, seeing her smile, hearing her say, ‘Don’t go picking fights, Dom, because if something happens to you, I won’t take care of you—I’ll go to the hospital and hit you again,’… I realized I shouldn’t try to go back and protect her from the past.”

“…”

“But I’ll use the time from now on to protect her… to make up for the feelings she lost with the time I have.”

Panli deeply understood what Dom was saying, and he said, “There may be many people who made him cry… but I’ll be the only one who brings back his smile.”

Dom nodded, giving me a smile. “Exactly…”

“…”

“We just accept that… the past, whether good or bad, is already over, perfectly complete.”

“…”

“We don’t need to go back and make up for anything anymore.”

“…”

“Save your time for the person you love instead.”

“Even if I save time for him… if someone messes with him again, I can still spare some time to throw hands.”

Dom laughed before saying, “Well, that’s obvious, isn’t it?”

Panli let out a relieved sigh. He wasn’t sure what exactly eased his mind so much—maybe it was this moment, reminding him that… Klai had already gotten through that ordeal.

“Klai…” Dom spoke without looking at him, his sharp eyes fixed on a light brown ceramic plate. He set his white cigarette down on it before looking up at Panli again. “…He doesn’t like you for your looks, like others do. I don’t know why other people are into you.”

“…”

“But for Klai…” Dom shifted his gaze from him to the green beer can. Panli could sense he was trying to unload something heavy from his heart. “…You’re probably like a light in his life.”

“…”

“You’re probably like a source of strength…” Dom smiled, still staring at the beer can. “You’re everything to Klai, and you don’t even realize it.”

Panli nodded lightly, his eyes dropping to the table between them. Dom’s words squeezed his heart, making it feel tight and heavy. At the same time, a flood of emotions started welling up inside him. Everything was building up rapidly within a matter of seconds, and it felt like he might not be able to handle it unless he let out the overwhelming feelings bottled up in his chest.

But believe him… He could handle it.

Panli would hold onto every emotion. And he’d embrace them all.

He knew it wasn’t the time to stay silent and let quietness interrupt their conversation, but he couldn’t deny that silence helped him reflect on things clearly. Panli let it envelop them for a moment.

“Phii Dom…”

“You know how to take care of Klai now, right?”

Panli nodded before saying, “Yeah…”

“…”

“Even though I already know Klai has a crush on me… I won’t take advantage of his feelings to easily step into his world.”

“…”

“How Klai started… that’s how I’ll start.”

“…”

“I won’t skip steps in our relationship… I’ll take it slow, step by step.”  “Slowly… we’ll fill each other’s hearts until our feelings are equal.”

“…”

“Klai won’t like me more than I like him.”

“…”

“Phii Dom, besides asking to take care of Klai… can I ask for one more thing?”

Phii Dom nodded, even though Panli hadn’t yet said what he was requesting.

“Don’t tell Klai that I know about this yet… Don’t tell him I know everything he’s been through.”

“Give me some time to do something for him first… Panli wants him to know that…” He paused, as a heavy feeling squeezed his heart again,

“it’s not just Klai watching me… I’m watching him too.”

“…”

“…It’s not just Klai trying to reach me, I’m trying too.”

“…”

“I don’t want our story to be just… I know Klai likes me, and since I like him too, I go straight in, confess, and rush to be his boyfriend because I know it’ll work out.”

“…”

“I don’t want it to be just that… I want it to be more than that.”

“…”

“…I want every time we look back… to see how precious every moment we’ve shared is.”

‘…’

“And when that time comes… when Klai realizes how I feel about him.”

“…”

“I’ll tell him all these things myself.”

“…”

“Give me time to prove myself to Klai… and to prove myself to everyone, Phii Dom.”

“At first, I thought you’d go straight to Klai, tell him you know, and confess that you like him too.”

“…”

“I didn’t expect you to think of doing something this thoughtful.”

“Because it’s Klai… that’s why I’m thinking so much about this.”

“Thanks again, man… for being so sincere and caring so much about Klai’s feelings.”

“I should be thanking you too… for letting me take care of Klai.”

“…”

“Thank you for trusting me this much.”

“Because it’s you… that’s why I trust you.”

Panli and Phii Dom’s conversation, with ‘KhunKlai’ at its heart, ended with smiles and a trust that no worldly treasure could ever buy.

After he got home, he started thinking about how to approach this kind person in a way that would make him feel the least uncomfortable and most at ease around him. Panli lay there, pondering hard for a while, before getting up to shower and stepping out to smoke on the balcony. He was stumped. It had been so long since he was the one to make the first move. But then he looked up at the crescent moon shining brightly in the dull sky, and a song came to mind: The Land of Love.

That’s when Panli knew what to do… He would be gentle.

He would be caring.

He would be honest.

And he would try his hardest to be all these things as much as possible. For KhunKlai, and him alone.

The next day, Panli planned to sneak a glance at Klai from the fourth floor of the building across from Building 11. The mirrored film on its windows made it impossible to see inside, so he couldn’t watch him from the parking lot—Klai might notice and stop coming to sneak looks at him. But while he was helping his friends carry stuff for a group project, he unexpectedly ran into the kind person, head down, hurrying out of the building. He seemed really anxious. Panli noticed a stain on his shirt and guessed he was dealing with some trouble.

And of course, he wasn’t going to let Klai face it alone anymore. So

Panli pretended to block his path, and they started talking. He found out Klai’s shirt was stained with coffee from an “accident,” but he didn’t quite believe it was accidental.

In that rushed moment, Panli pushed aside all his doubts and focused on helping KhunKlai solve the problem quickly. He lent him his shirt and let him change in his favorite car. After that, they parted ways on the seventh floor before Klai headed to present his work on the eighth.

That evening, Panli parked his car somewhere else instead of the usual lot. Today, he wasn’t going to the parking lot—he’d watch KhunKlai from the building across instead. That way, Klai would think he’d gone home, and he wouldn’t have to wait for him too long.

5:30 PM

Panli stood on the fourth floor of the opposite building. The table on the fourth floor of Building 11 was still empty—no sign of that certain someone who used to watch him. He counted down silently in his head, alone, until the person he’d been waiting for walked in with two close friends.

This was the moment Panli broke into a wide smile. Klai’s appearance made his heart race wildly, even though he already knew KhunKlai would show up today…

Even knowing that… his heart still raced.

“Thank you for coming…”

Panli pulled his phone out of his back pocket to call someone. The call was answered after just a few rings.

[“You didn’t swing by your senior’s shop today… because Klai was definitely sneaking a look at you.”] 

He let out a soft laugh before saying, “KhunKlai really showed up.”  [“That’s awesome!”] 

“Totally!”

[“You little punk!”] 

Panli laughed, then said in a serious tone, “Phii Dom, please believe me… in the future, your little brother will be the most precious thing in my life.”

[“Yeah… I believe you.”] 

And yes, right now, at this moment, Klaijai Borirat, was the most precious thing in his heart. Panli smiled as he looked at all his friends still intently listening to his story. He burst out laughing because he’d never seen them pay this much attention to anything before.

“That’s it… the story of me and KhunKlai is done.”

Panli said, pulling them back from the past. Tew shook his head slightly, as if he couldn’t believe what he’d told them, before he started to say something.

“Like… where do I even start?”

“I’m speechless too… it’s overwhelming… it’s like…” Toh said, rubbing his face, before continuing, “Damn it… I’m about to cry.”

“For real… it’s beyond anything I expected. I didn’t think the story would be this complex. I just thought you guys met somewhere, ran into each other again by chance, and started flirting.”

“This story is like… damn it! If anyone tries to be a third wheel with this couple, I’ll cut their dick off and feed it to the ducks.”

“Bold move!”

“You talking about the third wheel, Boss?”

“Nah… I’m talking about you, being all bold thinking you’d cut your own dick off… because you were the one flirting with KhunKlai at first.”

“Asshole… that was ages ago, wasn’t it?”

“…”

“Cut him some slack, Boss… people can change.”

“Idiot.”

Panli laughed and shook his head while listening to them banter, then grabbed someone’s cigarette pack from the table and tapped out a white stick.

“I’m stepping out for a smoke.”

Panli said as he stood up to his full height and walked out to the front of the restaurant. he pulled out his phone to check if that little troublemaker had finished work and texted me. But there were no messages on the screen. Panli was starting to miss him like crazy, but he didn’t want to disturb his time.

What helped ease the longing was replaying the clip of KhunKlai secretly sniffing his hair. Panli broke into a wide grin before tearing his eyes away from the phone screen and glancing back into the restaurant as a song started playing.

This song…

On days when there’s no one, when my heart can’t see the destination,

In a life that’s fading, shrouded in darkness, You’re like a faint light, soothing my suffering heart,

From now on, I’ll be the one who lives for you.

When love has no blueprint, I just love you,

No matter how bad things get, I’ll still love you,

I’ll take care of you until the day your sky is bright,

As long as Merk’s storm hasn’t passed, let me be the one by your side.

I still stand by my promise to stay, even if you can’t see anyone else, No hidden agendas, I just want you to know you can always trust me. I dedicate it to Klaijai alone.

A notification pinged, and a message from the person he was missing popped up on the screen. Panli quickly swiped to open the chat. glaijai: Puppy. glaijai: I’m done with work.

glaijai: What time is Puppy coming home?

After reading the messages, Panli tapped on the keyboard to reply. P. Panli: I miss you so much.

glaijai: Puppy, you didn’t answer the question at all. P. Panli: I’m gonna hang out here a bit longer.

1. Panli: But if you allow me to head back to your condo…
2. Panli: I’m heading back right now, ka.

The message shows as read, but the other person hasn’t replied yet.

Then I broke into a wide smile because of the message the little rascal just sent. glaijai: I miss the puppy too, krab.

1. Panli: “I miss the puppy too” means “permission granted,” right, ka?

glaijai: sent a sticker

A sticker of a fluffy white rabbit nodding enthusiastically made Panli burst out laughing. That little rascal really knows how to make him fall for him. Panli sent back a sticker of a puppy with the English word “OK” and then tossed his cigarette to the ground before hurrying inside to say goodbye to his friends in the shop.

After they heard the whole story, he figured his friends would understand him, and they’d let him go back to the little rascal, or “my love.”

 

MYMOON CHAPTERS HOME

   MYMOON, Chapter 19: part 1

     glaijai: Don’t drink too much, puppy.

1. Panli: Understood.

   glaijai: I’ll message you once I’m done with work.

1. Panli: Okay, take a break for your eyes, alright? Don’t overdo it.

glaijai: sent a sticker

Panli looked at the sticker of a fluffy white bunny with bright, clear eyes and the word “Okay” in English above its long ears. Then Panli sent a sticker of a brown puppy with little hearts floating around it to the other side.

The beach trip made Klai so much braver, it even surprised Panli. Panli never expected him to confess his love to Panli first, despite having secretly loved Panli for so long. Honestly, Panli had planned to confess to him first, to ask to take their relationship beyond close friends and share some things Panli had learned about. Panli was just waiting for the right time and opportunity. But Klai beat Panli to it, confessing his love first, which changed Panli’s plans. Still, no matter who confessed first, the outcome was the same.

Because in the end, it let Panli send that puppy sticker with little hearts floating around it to him. Panli didn’t have to keep canceling the sticker Panli had chosen with Panli’s true feelings at the moment, hesitant to send it because the timing didn’t feel right. Panli’s glad Panli could finally send that puppy sticker with the little hearts to Klai without holding back.

A heart that means “my heart” or “I love you.” A heart Panli has defined with only those two meanings.

Nothing else… and nothing more.

And because last night, both of them confessed the feelings they’d kept hidden in their hearts, after returning from the beach in the early evening, the things they usually talked about every day changed. But they changed in a way that’s clearer for both of them… that they’re now dating, and their feelings are so clear they can express them in words to give to each other, no longer keeping them locked in their hearts.

“I miss my puppy so much.”

Yes… last night, Klai turned his feelings into that sentence.

“Miss you too. Wanna go see my little rascal right now.”

And of course… last night, Panli poured all Panli’s feelings into words for him too.

Panli grabbed a white shirt from the wardrobe, putting it on in a hurry because Panli was already an hour late for the meetup. Tonight, Panli had to attend a farewell party for Tew, who’s returning to China. The reason Panli was late was the accumulated exhaustion from yesterday, which kept Panli glued to the bed all day. By now, all Panli’s friends were probably already gathered at the bar.

Once dressed, Panli grabbed Panli’s expensive new helmet and a paper bag containing a gift for Panli’s close friend to take back to China. Panli had heard Tew complain a few days ago about wanting a pair of shoes from this brand, so Panli decided to buy them for him.

As soon as Panli came downstairs, Panli saw the nanny who’d raised Panli since Panli was a kid standing at the hallway table, arranging a vase of flowers.

“Nanny, I will be back late tonight… don’t wait up for me.”

“Where’s my little one off to tonight?”

“Going to a farewell party for a friend heading back to China,” Panli said.

“Alright…” Nanny nodded lightly, eyeing Panli as Panli stopped in front of her. Then, she raised an eyebrow as if something just clicked. “Young Master… tomorrow’s Wednesday. Should I prepare milk and bread as usual?”

“Yes, but this time, I want plain milk. As for the bread, any kind is fine, but make it sweet, really sweet.”

“Got it. I’ll have it ready for you.”

“Thanks, Nanny.”

“Have you been feeling hungry during classes lately, Young Master? Is that why you bring milk and bread to uni?” she asked.

Panli gave a small smile before answering, “Panli’s not eating them himself. Panli brings them for someone cute who has early morning

classes and barely has time for breakfast.”

Nanny’s eyes widened. “Does Young Master have a faen now?”

Her question made me grin widely. “Let him promote me to boyfriend first, then I’ll bring him to meet you.”

Seeing Nanny about to ask more, Panli quickly waved goodbye and hurried off. If Panli stayed a second longer, Panli wouldn’t make it to Tew’s farewell party tonight—Nanny would grill Panli for hours.

As Panli straddled Panli’s red Ducati, which Panli bought ages ago but rarely rode, Panli thought about the plain milk and sweet bread he asked Nanny to prepare. Tomorrow, he would need to wake up earlier than usual and leave the house two hours before Klaijai’s class. Otherwise, he’d figure out that the person leaving milk and bread in his locker isn’t Phii Dom.

It’s Panli.

It’s always been Panli.

Never Phii Dom, as Klaijai assumes.

After that day they returned from the football match, Panli learned that on Wednesdays, Klaijai often skips breakfast. The idea of bringing him something to eat before class popped into Panli’s head. But knowing how considerate Klaijai is, if Panli—someone he knows has afternoon classes—offered to bring him milk and bread every Wednesday morning, he’d refuse without a second thought. He wouldn’t want to trouble Panli. In the end, he’d stress about preparing breakfast again and feel guilty on days he forgets to eat.

If that happened, Panli wouldn’t be helping him stay healthy as he hoped. Instead, Panli would just burden him with more worries. So, he decided to call the important person who brought them into each other’s orbit.

Panli consulted Phii Dom about what to do. He suggested secretly leaving the items in the locker at the mock-up room, since he’d heard Klaijai has classes there every Wednesday. Phii Dom even went as far as finding out the locker number Klaijai usually uses. At first, he offered to deliver the milk and bread himself since he has morning classes. But Panli said something to him.

“As I told you before… I want to take care of Klai.”

“…”

“This thought… it’s never changed at all.”

“…”

“Even though I didn’t let you take the stuff to KhunKlai… I has something else I would like your help with.”

“Go ahead and say it…”

“I think KhunKlai must be wondering who’s been putting these things in his locker… and since you called to ask about the locker number, he probably thinks it’s you, right?”

“…”

“If he asks you about this… please tell him it was you for now.”

“…”

“If he finds out I’m the one giving him these things, he’ll probably feel awkward and reject me, just like I said.”

“…”

“If things between me and KhunKlai go further… far enough that we both understand why we need to take care of each other, and with what kind of feelings, I will confess this to him myself.”

“Alright…”

“You understand me, right?”

“I’ve always understood you, Li.”

“Sometimes I might make you feel uncomfortable for having to keep all these things from KhunKlai. I’m sorry about that.”

“If the reason for keeping these things a secret wasn’t because you wanted to do something for my little brother, to take care of him, I’d probably feel uneasy… but because I know exactly why you’re doing it, I’m happy to help.”

“Thank you, Phii Dom.”

“I’m the one who should be saying that.”

“…”

“…Thank you so much for coming into Klai’s life as something good.”

“Actually… I think I the one who should be saying that sentence, but not to you, Phii Dom. I should save the words, “Thank you for coming into my life as something good,” for Klaijai.

When Panli thinks about his feelings for that good person, a smile appears under his helmet. Panli pulls down the tinted visor and rides his motorcycle out of the house to join the farewell party for that jerk Tew.

“If you’re going to be this late… you might as well just take me to the airport tomorrow, you idiot!”

“Not my wife, don’t nag,” Panli said, tossing a paper bag with a shoebox inside to his sulky best friend. “Here.”

“What? You’re seriously giving this to me?”

“I’m shoving it into your hands, you think I’m joking, you jerk?”

Panli said before plopping down across from Tew, placing the helmet he had brought along—afraid it’d get stolen—beside him. Boss, the group’s resident bartender, mixed a strong drink and offered it to Panli. Panli shook his head, declining, and asked for just a Coke. The guy who always mixes their drinks raised an eyebrow, clearly shocked. It’s not surprising Panli’s close friend would be stunned since Panli never turns down a drink like this.

“Just a Coke for Panli… I’m skipping alcohol today.”

“What, am I hearing things?”

Tew grinned ear to ear as he admired the shoes he’d been dreaming of, then looked up at Panli and smirked. “Bet your future wife laid down the law, huh?”

“He didn’t order me… I just don’t want him to worry.”

“That’s how it is, huh… Well, stick to Coke then,” Boss said, handing Panli a glass of Coke.

“And you still rode your bike here?”

“Yup.”

“What made you start riding a motorcycle again?”

“Probably sick of traffic, right? A bike’s way more maneuverable, yeah?” another friend chimed in.

“Close, but not quite,” Panli said, setting down the Coke he had just chugged. Panli started explaining why he had gone back to riding a motorcycle to the group. “Every Wednesday, KhunKlai has so many classes he barely has time for breakfast. Panli wants to make sure he has something to eat before class… so Panli brings him food.”

“…”

“But morning traffic is a nightmare. I was worried I wouldn’t make it before Khun Klai’s classes started, so I switched to the bike.”

“Panli… doesn’t he have afternoon classes on Wednesdays, though?” Boss asked, looking puzzled.

“Yup.”

“So you’re waking up early just to bring KhunKlai food?”

“Yup, but I usually wakes up early anyway… now I just wakes up a couple of hours earlier on Wednesdays.”

“Panli… you planning to keep this up forever?” Tew asked, his face serious.

Panli nodded the moment the question left Panli’s best friend’s mouth. Panli wasn’t answering thoughtlessly. Panli had thought this through carefully and decided long ago. “Yeah… I will do it for KhunKlai forever.”

“Okay, I want you as my husband… I’m ready to be your wife right now.”

Tew replied with a face just as serious as when he’d asked the question. It wasn’t just Panli who burst out laughing—the whole group cracked up, shaking their heads.

“Pity poor Panli, man. If he had a wife like you, he’d be totally screwed.”

Panli knows Tew didn’t mean what he said. Tew was just joking to make their friends laugh before he heads back to China. But what Panli is about to say isn’t just for laughs—Panli means every word. “Screwed how, Toh? Watch your mouth, asshole. I’m such a great friend. If I were a wife, I’d be an amazing one.”

“If Klaijai isn’t my wife… I’m not marrying anyone, period.”

“Whoa!”

All thirty of Panli’s close friends, who Panli never thought could get along because they’re all so different, let out a collective teasing cheer.

When it comes to stuff like this… you guys sure are in sync, you bastards.

“You haven’t even confessed your love to him yet… Fat chance he’ll be your wife, Lie.”

“I already confessed.”

Boss’s eyes went wide before he slammed his fist into Tew’s arm.

“You lied to me!”

“I didn’t lie, damn it!”

“You said Lie hadn’t confessed yet! You twisting the truth, you asshole?”

Panli shook his head and said, “I’m starting to wonder if you guys came to send Tew off or to dig into my business.”

“Others might be here for Tew, but I came cause Tew said you’d spill the full story about you and that cute guy,” Toh said.

“Toh!! You jerk! How could you say that? If Li beats my face in, you’re taking the blame!”

“Tew’s been using Lie’s drama to lure people to this party, huh?”

Hearing Toh say that and seeing Tew’s flustered reaction, all Panli could say was, “What a bunch of shitty friends.”

“Haha!”

“You told me you hadn’t confessed yet! So why’d you do it? The vibe swept you away, like I said, right?”

“I’m not the type to get swept up in the moment like you, Tew.”

“Li’s saying he’s not the same kind of guy as you, Tew.”

“No need to rub it in, asshole.”

“Shut up, all of you… Li, you ready to tell us everything or what?”

Several pairs of eyes turned to Panli after Mak, one of the quieter guys in their group, spoke up. It wasn’t surprising that Panli’s love story this time piqued his friends’ interest. They knew Panli hadn’t been serious about anyone in a while, and the fact that this person was a guy made them even more curious about how this romance came to be.

And how Klaijai made Panli fall in love.

Without caring that Klaijai is a guy, just like Panli.

Panli nodded in acknowledgment before saying, “You guys are so invested in this… ready or not, I guess I have to be ready.”

“Haha!”

“Then start with the confession story… let’s wrap it up neatly.”

“Nice, nice!”

“The confession story… honestly, it’s pretty much like what Tew already told you guys.”

“…”

“The reason I said I couldn’t confess back then… was because I felt it wasn’t the right time.”

“…”

“We weren’t alone there—just the two of us. There were a bunch of seniors with us.”

“…”

“But if you ask whether I could’ve confessed with so many people around? Honestly, yeah, I could’ve. But I had more to say to Klaijai than just ‘I like you’ or ‘I love you.’”

“…”

“There were a lot of things I needed time to talk to Klaijai about… So I thought, if I was going to confess for real, I had to pick the right time and place.”

“…”

“Not just any moment or any place.”

“…”

“But the reason I ended up confessing to KhunKlai was because…” Panli paused, holding back a smile. The image of Klaijai’s face and the sound of his voice, so charming it could melt anyone, flashed in Panli’s mind, making him grin. “…Klaijai confessed to me first.”

“Damn, that’s so cute!” Toe exclaimed, covering his face with both hands like a shy schoolgirl too embarrassed to meet a guy’s gaze.

“Too much, Toh, you idiot! KhunKlai confessed to Li, not you!”

“Haha!”

“Can you guys not interrupt? I’m trying to listen to Li here…” Mak shot a glare at the two of them before turning back to Panli. “Go on, keep talking.”

Panli nodded before saying, “Honestly, I was planning to confess his love to KhunKlai soon… I had it all prepared, but Panli didn’t expect this trip to make KhunKlai so bold that he confessed to Panli first.”

“…”

“Everything went off Panli’s plan… but the outcome was just as Panli had hoped.”

“…”

Panli gave a small smile before saying, “…that we both feel the same way.”

“…”

“Even though we’re not officially together yet… because Klaijai asked for some time to get to know each other better, no matter how long it takes…” Panli let out an unrestrained smile before continuing, “I’m confident that KhunKlai won’t leave me, and he’ll definitely upgrade me to boyfriend status.”

“Now I get how Toh felt… freaking embarrassed.”

“See, jerk? And you said I was being too much?”

“And the stuff you said you wanted to talk to him about. Have you already told him everything?”

“Not yet… I am planning to talk to Klaijai about these things next week. I was going to do it this week, but I saw how busy KhunKlai is with studying and organizing the open house. I is just as busy himself, so I wants to wait until this period passes… then talk to KhunKlai when it’s just the two of them.”

“And if you get some alone time with him this week… would you bring up these things?”

“I would have to see… I’m not stalling or anything, but Klaijai’s really serious about his studies and work. I just want him to focus on his responsibilities first… I don’t want anything to distract him.”

“You’re not usually a patient guy. You’re impulsive, think fast, act fast… so this must be really important for you to wait for the right moment, to be truly ready before you talk about it.”

“Important… because this is purely about feelings.”

“And are you going to share this important stuff with us?”

“I will… the first thing is already settled, and this is the second thing

I’ll tell you guys about. So you’ll understand why I fell so hard for Klaijai.”

“…”

Right now, everyone’s quiet, staring at Panli with wide eyes. If Panli were an Olympic athlete, he’d probably feel the pressure. But Panli is just Panli, just Li, and the moon to someone special. So Panli doesn’t feel any pressure sharing his story with everyone… about how they got to this point.

The two of them had to rely on… Coincidence, and time.

Memories and feelings

Woven together, they form a relationship

And from here, every emotion is threaded into “love.”

“The story of me and KhunKlai sounds impossible, but I am grateful every day that everything led me to meet Klaijai…”

Panli fell silent, a faint smile on his face as he looked at his friends, who were listening attentively. Then, Panli gathered his thoughts, reflecting on the past. Panli carefully pieced together the stories and events, ready to share them through his perspective and memories…

“Li, have you gone to see your photo at the exhibition yet? I heard

Phii Ball say tons of girls went to check out ‘Lost in the Moon’s

Shadow.’”

“Not yet, man… I have been too busy.”

“No idea when the third-years are taking the photos down. You better hurry.”

“Yeah…”

“I’m outta here, got a date with a girl.”

Panli smirked and nodded at his classmate, someone he’d worked with a few times. “Drive safe, dude.”

“Got it.”

Panli stood up from the chair after his friend left the classroom. Panli’s black phone, buzzing with messages from several campus beauties, made him sigh. Panli slipped it into his back pocket. Boss, Panli’s close friend from another faculty, had gotten drunk and shared Panli’s LINE ID in a drinking circle with a bunch of girls. That’s why so many were messaging Panli, making him want to delete his LINE account altogether.

Today, Panli came to class alone since his close friends were all conveniently “sick.” Panli could believe Chubby Cheeks was actually ill, but Joy and Type were probably “sick” with political fever. Still, Panli wasn’t mad even if they were lying. Panli had skipped class plenty of times and had them take notes for him. This time, Panli was just returning the favor.

Panli grabbed his silver pen and tucked it into his shirt pocket, then rolled up the paper with the assignment details he’d jotted down. Once everything was packed, Panli strode out of the classroom.

Panli’s original plan after class was to head to Nay’s condo since there was a live football match tonight. Nay said a bunch of friends were watching at his place. Watching alone at home wouldn’t be fun, and dragging Panli’s nanny—who loves evening soaps—to watch football would just be torture for her.

But something Panli’s not-so-close classmate said changed his plans. Instead of heading out, Panli stepped out of the elevator and made a beeline for the exhibition hall. Ever since Panli submitted his photo for the joint photography exhibition between the Faculty of Communication Arts and Digital Media, Panli hadn’t once gone to see his own work.

“Phii Ball said tons of girls went to check out ‘Lost in the Moon’s

Shadow.’”

The swarm of girls wasn’t why Panli decided to check out his photo. Only one woman made Panli choose to see his work—someone Panli hadn’t even planned to visit because Panli wanted to avoid the girls who’d ask him to explain the photo’s meaning, only to follow up by asking for Panli’s LINE ID to “learn photography.” Panli could predict how those interactions would go and was fed up with them. That’s why he had avoided seeing his own work altogether.

The woman who made him want to come see the photo “Lost in the Moon’s Shadow” and take a picture to send to her is “Mama,” the one who gave him my real name, “Sasin,” which means “moon.” She’s the one who inspired him to drive to the sea to capture a photo that fit the concept, with his essence in it. She’s also the one who helped him name this photo “Lost in the Moon’s Shadow.”

Mama told me that “Lost in the Moon’s Shadow” means, “Sometimes, the moon’s reflection might make it seem like there’s another moon on Earth, but in truth, there’s only one moon. And no matter how many people mistakenly think the reflection is another moon, nothing can change the fact that there’s only one.”

It’s kind of like…

Sometimes, something or someone might make us lose sight of who we are along the way.

But in the end, nothing and no one can change our true self.

At this late hour, Panli figured no one would come to see the photos in the exhibition anymore, as the university staff would soon come to lock the doors. And Panli was right—while he walked inside, Panli didn’t see or hear anyone.

But then, a guy who Panli guessed was an aviation business student, judging by his distinctive navy suit, made Panli pause his steps. Panli stopped a fair distance away from him. Even from that distance, Panli could clearly see the side of his face. The guy was smiling gently as he looked at “Lost in the Moon’s Shadow.” This small-framed guy gave Panli’s photo a thumb-up, as if to say, “Great job,” the way Panli’s dad used to praise him when he was a kid for swallowing bitter medicine without fussing.

Panli furrowed his brow, lost in thought as he secretly watched the guy, before realizing he was Phii Dom’s cousin, in the same year as Panli. Phii Fah had pointed him out to Panli a few weeks ago. Panli isn’t sure if it was because the guy gave a thumbs-up to “Lost in the Moon’s Shadow” or because he’s a relative of Panli’s close senior that made Panli want to go introduce himself. Whatever the reason, it made Panli start walking again.

Buzz—

But a vibrating notification stopped Panli in his tracks. When Panli pulled out his phone, he saw it was an important call he couldn’t ignore. Panli glanced at the name “Mom” on the glass screen, then back at the sweet-faced guy who wouldn’t take his eyes off Panli’s photo. Panli decided to step outside to take the call. He walked out to the area near the bathroom before answering Mama’s call.

“Yes, Mama?”

[“Sweetie, when are you going to take a picture for me to see?”]

“I was just about to take one for you, but you called first.”

[“Oh, did I interrupt you?”]

“…”

[“I’m sorry, sweetie.”]

“It’s okay, Mama.”

[“Once you’re done, send it to me, okay? I’ve already seen the full photo files, but I still want to see how it looks displayed at the exhibition.”]

“Alright, Ma, I’ll send you the photos once I’m done shooting.”

[Okay, son. I miss you.]

“I miss you too, Ma.”

As soon as Panli hung up with Mom, he hurried back to the exhibition room, hoping that the guy was still there, admiring Panli’s photos. But the wide room, now filled only with lifeless photographs, made Panli slow his steps and let out a soft sigh.

It’s rare to meet someone Panli really wants to get to know.

Not exactly regret… But honestly?

Yeah, Panli does regret not getting to talk to him.

Panli quickly snapped some photos and sent them to his Mom before leaving the room, hoping he’d get the chance to meet the guy someday…

A white cigarette touched Panli’s lips as he thought back to that day he first saw the guy. Even though days had passed and Panli hadn’t seen him again, Panli couldn’t shake the urge to get to know him.

After that day, Panli secretly lingered at the exhibition room several times, thinking the guy might come back to look at his photos again. But Panli forgot that kind of thing only happens in novels. In reality… the guy never returned to see his work.

Panli thought about asking Phii Dom what his younger brother’s name was, and Panli even wanted to be upfront and say, Panli really wants to get to know him. But those thoughts were folded away and locked tight in a drawer because Panli figured Phii Dom might get suspicious of him.

Phii Dom’s younger brother isn’t just a little cute.

Even though Phii Dom knows Panli isn’t the playboy people make him out to be, trust Panli—nine times out of ten, Phii Dom would still be wary.

If Panli said, “I just want to get to know him, not hit on him,” a ton of questions would probably pop into Phii Dom’s head. And if he added, “Don’t worry, I won’t break your brother’s heart,” it’d make things even worse. That’d sound like Panli was seriously pursuing Phii Dom’s brother.

When in reality, Panli just wants to get to know him, that’s all. Getting to know him isn’t easy, and dealing with these feelings is insanely

tough…

This urge to know him is driving Panli crazy.

Panli often stands smoking at the parking lot in front of Building 11, always keeping an eye out for the guy, hoping he might pass by. But

Panli has never seen him walk through here…

Until…

[Yo, Li, you coming to Klai’s birthday?]

“…”

[Klai is Phii Dom’s younger brother.]

Wait… is that him?

“…”

The name’s ‘Klai,’ huh?

[What’s with that dog face, Li?]

Panli doesn’t really know the birthday guy.

No big deal, you can get to know him at the party. Klai goes to the same uni as us, you know.

It’s really that guy.

“…”

[Panli didn’t just randomly invite you, you know. Phii Dom told me to call and invite you too.]

“…”

[Phii Fah’s going to Klai’s birthday party too…]

“Alright… then I’ll go.”

[Okay, cool… I’ll send you the restaurant’s location via LINE. It’s a Korean BBQ place near Siam.]

“Got it.”

After hanging up with Panli’s close friend who called to invite him to that guy’s birthday party—aka “KhunKlai”—Panli immediately stubbed out the cigarette, barely half-smoked, into the soil of a dwarf bonsai pot. Panli hurried upstairs to shower and get ready.

As Panli pulled on his clothes, he reflected on his feelings. Panli was excited to meet Klai. He was thrilled at the thought of getting to know him. Panli imagined what Klai’s voice might sound like—soft or loud? Would Klai smile at him? And what kind of gift should he get him?

Panli hadn’t felt like this in a long time.

But Panli clearly remembers that those feelings back then… they don’t even compare to what he is feeling now.

And that’s why he is starting to feel scared… scared that he might accidentally fall in love with Klai someday. It’s not because Klai is a guy that he is afraid of falling for him. Panli doesn’t care about the gender of the person he falls for. But when he falls in love with someone, he can never hold back. Panli goes all in, pouring everything he has into it. And when it all comes crashing down, when he realizes it’s over—whether because of misunderstandings or whatever reason—

Panli is left like a dog hit by a car…

It hurts like hell… and he can barely pick himself back up.

Buzz~

The former dog-hit-by-a-car version of Panli glanced at the phone screen before quickly grabbing it to answer.

“Hey, Dad.”

[Panli, could you help design the pattern for the hotel staff’s uniforms?]

“Sure, I can do that.”

[I’ll send you a brief later about the kind of design we’re looking for.]

“Okay, send it to your email, Pa.”

[Alright, alright.]

Panli paused for a moment before deciding to speak up. “Pa…”

[What’s up? I noticed you got all quiet, like you’re deep in thought. I’m guessing there’s something you want to talk about, right?]

“Ma really knows Phii Fah best.”

[But I know you best, don’t I?]

“Yeah…” Panli said with a laugh, then spoke more seriously. “Pa, how many times does a dog have to get hit by a car to die?”

[What kind of question is that, Panli?]

“If you really know Panli, you’d understand this question.”

[Sigh… being a parent is tough, isn’t it?]

Panli chuckled softly, waiting for Pa’s response.

[I got an answer…]

“…”

[If it’s a real dog, I’d say one hard hit from a car would be enough to kill it.]

“…”

[But if you’re comparing someone to a loyal, devoted dog who gives all their love to one person… I think unless that dog is hurt by its owner’s own hands, nothing else could truly harm it.]

“…”

[What do you think, Pan?]

Pa’s answer made something well up in Panli’s throat. Panli’s past experiences with love… Panli was always the one getting dumped. The problem was usually that the other person didn’t trust Panli, even though Panli tried to show his sincerity in every way, adjusted himself, and did everything he could to make those relationships work. But in the end, Panli was left with nothing but heartbreak… not even his own sense of self remained.

So Panli hasn’t taken love seriously for a while now…

“Pa…”

[“Yes, Panli?”]

“I haven’t really talked to him seriously yet. Just saw him come to look at my photo… but I feel a strong connection with him.”

[…]

“…So much that sometimes Panli is scared he might fall in love again.”

[“Listen to me, Pan…”]

“…”

[“Pan, you’ve been heartbroken like a dog a hundred times with the wrong people… and you might get heartbroken for the hundredand-first time with another wrong one. You’ll never know how many more hundreds of heartbreaks it’ll take to find the right person for you.”]

“…”

[“I want you to understand… no matter which love it is, we can’t escape heartbreak.”]

“You’re right… because even if Panli lets himself fall for him, he might not like me back, since we’re both guys.”

[…]

“Was you shocked that I might be falling for a guy?”

[“Not shocked at all… because I have always understood that love can happen in any way.”]

“…”

[“Love whoever you want, Pan. Just make sure you love wisely.”]

“…”

[“All clear, all problems sorted, right, Pan?”]

Panli gave a small smile before saying, “Yes, thank you, Pa.”

[“From now on… if you really start to like him, I suggest you go for it, Phan.”]

“Yes, Pa.”

After hanging up with Pa, Panli realized… if we stop holding onto fear and try to face it to understand where it comes from, in the end, it’s just a word— “fear.” It has no power over the heart.

Now, Panli isn’t afraid of falling in love or anything else. Panli just thinks… he might talk to Klai for an hour and realize he doesn’t feel anything more than friendship. Or maybe he will fall for Klai the moment their eyes meet.

But whatever happens…

Panli is ready for heartbreak number 101.

Panli is ready to get hurt for the 102nd time.

And Panli is ready to get hurt however many times it takes… to meet the right person.

 

MYMOON CHAPTERS HOME

   MYMOON, Chapter 18: Part 2

“Don’t go yet… take the guitar with you!”

“Whoops, forgot!”

“Not slick, Phii Hia,” Klaijai teased.

“Haha!”

Panli shoved his acoustic guitar into the hands of his brother’s close friend, shaking his head as he tried to casually stroll to the beach emptyhanded. He was the one who told him to bring the guitar so they could sing and chill together. Panli went through the trouble of bringing it, but if Phii Hia expects him to carry it for him too… then forget singing. he’ll just leave the damn thing in the trunk.

Panli could’ve carried the guitar for Phii Hia, since aside from the hand holding his black shoulder bag, his other hand was free. But when Panli glanced at the smaller person standing beside him, flashing a smile, he realized he couldn’t help anyone else carry stuff to the beach. Panli had to hold Klaijai’s hand.

“Does Panli have anything for me to carry?” he asked.

“Nothing left, KhunKlai. Just hold my hand, that’s enough,” Panli replied.

Yes… this puppy meant exactly what he said.

Panli reached out to grab Khun Klai’s soft hand, lacing their fingers together, and led him around the beach house toward the shore. The others followed behind, carrying their things. Panli’s almond-shaped eyes stole a glance at the person walking quietly beside him.

Panli thinks he’s still shy about the kiss they shared in the car, which is why this little troublemaker has been quieter for a bit. But since Panli knows how to wake up the chatty naughty rabbit, he smirked before saying, “KhunKlai… what cute thing did Pie do to Phii P? Last night, Phii Pi called me asking for Pie’s number, but I said I didn’t have it. Even if I did, I wouldn’t give it to him. Phii Pi is a total playboy.”

Panli’s words made the sweet-faced boy look up at him. KhunKlai gave a small smile before saying, “Pie was just acting normal, you know.”

“Phii Pi said Pie has to take responsibility for him because Pie used up his ‘boyfriend quota.’ But I told him not to use that as an excuse.”

“Pie probably doesn’t have to take responsibility for anything,” he said, laughing. Does this troublemaker know that a smile like that makes him a hundred times cuter?

“…”

“Because Pie didn’t take any shirts home. Pie left a huge bag of clothes in our car and asked me to return them to Phii Pi.”

“…”

Panli will confess, he didn’t care about Phii Pi and Pie’s situation at all. No way was Phii Pi going to pursue anything with Pie—Panli didn’t want him breaking Khun Klai’s friend’s heart later. So, Panli nipped it in the bud. The only reason Panli brought it up was because he thought it’d make their conversation flow smoothly.

“I forgot to tell you about this. That day was such a headache, you know. Phii Pi said if Pie didn’t take the shirts, he’d lock the door and not let us leave the shop. So, Pie took them and left them in our car.”

“Phii Pi told me about it and said he scolded Phii Pi for daring to scare the troublemaker and his friend.”

Truth is, Panli chewed out Phii Pi a ton, using the kind of rough language they usually throw around, because his playboy antics led to that impulsive move. But when retelling the story to Klaijai, Panli had to tweak the words to suit someone like him.

“I wasn’t scared. Phii Pi isn’t scary at all. But I didn’t know how to act when those two were arguing…” He paused to laugh before continuing, “Those two were like a couple who’ve been together forever, arguing every day like it’s normal.”

Klaijai’s story didn’t affect Panli’s thought process at all because his gentle, sweet smile hit Panli hard. Panli was so caught up staring at it that he didn’t think about how to respond. So, Panli reluctantly said something, even though he knew it might not connect to what Klaijai just shared.

“The shirts Pie picked… no need to return them, KhunKlai. I’ll handle it.”

The smaller figure furrowed his brows slightly, tilted his head to look at Panli, and gave a small nod before flashing that familiar sweet smile. “Okay~”

Is this what they call being attacked?

“Yes.”

And when you’re hit with an attack this strong, this is all Panli can say.

Completely thrown off like a dog.

Now, Panli, the one who started the conversation, ended up causing their talk to stall because he didn’t know what to say next. The person beside him seemed content to walk side by side in silence. So, Panli just tightened his grip on Klaijai’s slender hand, his eyes unavoidably glancing at those short shorts of the little rascal.

Panli has tried to make peace with it, but he still can’t.

Panli admits he’s insanely possessive. When he first saw Klaijai in those short shorts, Panli was fuming. It’s not that Panli’s annoyed Klaijai wore them, but seeing him dressed like this… Panli’s heart is all over the place.

Panli wants him to know…

Klaijai in that Once in a Blue Moon shirt, Klaijai in those shorts the same color as Panli’s,

Panli is insanely heated, Klai.

The main reason Panli is so heated he could burn those shorts is that he keeps thinking others must be staring at Klaijai’s slender legs. And they might feel the way Panli is feeling right now. How many times does Panli have to say Klai is insanely charming? But Klaijai probably doesn’t realize just how captivating he is.

Charming enough that Tew messages Panli every day asking…

“Is KhunKlai super cute today?”

And because Panli is so possessive of this incredibly charming person, he replies with the same message every time:

“Wanna die before graduation, you bastard?” Never… Panli has never been like this before.

It’s really just Klaijai… only Klaijai.

But what’s the point of being possessive? In the end, Panli has to prioritize Klaijai’s feelings. This morning, when Phii Fah and Panli were waiting for Theerak in front of his house, Phii Fah confessed he tried to stop his chubby-cheeked friend from wearing a hat because he looked too cute in it. Phii Fah didn’t want anyone else to see his cute person. Panli understood Phii Fah’s feelings perfectly. But because Panli was afraid his close friend would feel stifled by being controlled, he gently warned Phii Fah to tone down his possessiveness. Yet, looking at Phii Fah was like seeing Panli’s own reflection in a mirror. They’re both equally possessive. If Panli thinks Theerak would feel uncomfortable with what Phii Fah does, then Klai must feel uncomfortable with what Panli does too.

Because what Phii Fah does to Theerak… Panli does to KhunKlai.

The case study couple, Phii Fah and Theerak, taught Panli that… we enter someone’s life to support them in being their happiest self, not to define or erode their identity until it’s hollowed out. Panli is willing to be just a fragment in Klaijai’s life, so Klaijai can have his whole life to himself.

But… as a human, Panli has to admit again that he can’t instantly dial down his jealousy. The entire car ride, Panli kept thinking about burning every pair of shorts in Klaijai’s wardrobe. But because Panli is Khun Klaijai’s puppy, Panli figured he shouldn’t defy his owner.

If Klaijai gets tired of this possessive puppy,

Panli might get abandoned…

Panli stopped at the beach in front of a single-story cream-colored vacation home, which his uncle gave him as his own. The resort has fifteen houses in total, but only ten are available for tourists. The other five are reserved: one for Panli’s uncle, two for his sons, and one each for Panli and Phii Fah.

Panli looked at the row of houses, thinking the only change was the new wall his uncle built between the houses and the beach. Everything else was the same.

“Are we sitting here? Should I spread the mat?”

“Wait, Dom. Shouldn’t we check with Fah first? What if there’s a guest staying in this house?”

Phii Dom, mid-motion of shaking out a large mat, froze. The other seniors, who’d been unloading stuff, quickly picked their things back up after hearing Phii Babe’s words.

“No need to ask Phii Fah, Phii Babe. This house is mine. No guests are staying here.”

“Oh… then go ahead and spread the mat, Dom.”

“Okay!”

“Panli, I’ll go help Phii Dom and Phii Babe with the mat.”

The smaller guy said this while slipping his hand out of Panli’s and walking over to assist the two seniors. Panli set his backpack down on the sand, intending to help too. But his other hand was suddenly grabbed by someone. Turning around, Panli saw it was Phii Hia.

“What’s up, Phii Hia? Why’re you holding my hand?”

The guy tightened his grip, as if afraid Panli would pull away, flashing a sheepish smile before saying in a pleading tone, “Come play in the water with me, please.”

“Why does it have to be me?”

“I’ve invited so many people… and not one of them would go play in the water with me.”

“…”

“I know you’re too kind to turn me down.”

“You don’t know me well enough, Phii Hia.”

Panli said, pulling his hand free from Phii Hia’s grip before walking over to KhunKlai. The small figure sitting on a brightly colored mat turned to give Panli a smile, but the shouting voice of the person following behind made Panli realize…

“Little Klai… could you go play in the water with me, please?” Damn, Phii Hia knows Panli better than he thought.

“Uh…”

“Phii Hia…” Panli stopped in front of KhunKlai, who was now looking up at him, then turned to glance at Phii Hia, who had come to stand beside him. Phii Hia put on an innocent face, blinking at Panli as if he had no idea what was going on, even though he was clearly using KhunKlai as a tool to pressure Panli into playing in the water. A breath escaped through Panli’s nose and mouth before he said, “Fine, I’ll go play in the water. Phii Hia, lead the way.”

“Okay~”

The senior Panli secretly wanted to dunk in the sea responded with a cheerful voice, half-running, half-jumping into the water. Panli shifted his gaze from Phii Hia back to the small figure sitting there, giving him a sweet smile.

“Wanna go play in the water together, KhunKlai?”

The one asked shook his head lightly, declining, before saying, “I’d rather sit and rest for now.”

“Okay, I’ll be back, alright? Gotta go play in the water with Phii Hia first.”

“Mhm, have fun in the water, Panli.”

“Yup.”

After replying to Klai, Panli walked to the sea, wading in until the water reached his knees, then stood still. Phii Hia, who was almost in the middle of the sea, kept waving for Panli to come over, but Panli refused to go to him. Panli’s phone and cigarette pack were in his pocket, and if he went any deeper, both would definitely get ruined. When Phii Hia saw Panli wasn’t coming, he decided to wade back to him instead.

“What the hell, Panli… playing in knee-deep water? What are you, a damn kid?”

“Shut up. Be grateful I’m even here playing with you.”

“Why’s my life so pathetic… I wanna play in the water, and no one wants to join me.”

I let out a sigh as I saw him whining and sulking, then splashed water at him. “What’s the point of complaining? Look, I’m here playing with you now. Even if I’m not exactly thrilled about it.”

“It was almost sweet, Panli… you jerk. That last sentence nearly brought tears to my eyes.”

I grinned mischievously and used both hands to splash seawater at him relentlessly. Phii Hia, who had been complaining with a sad, heartbroken expression, started to smile and laugh, raising his arms to shield his face. He acted as if he were a delicate young girl being teased by a boy.

When I paused splashing water at him because he raised his hand to stop me, I glanced toward the sandy beach and saw Phii Fah and Theerak heading toward the group hanging out in front of my beach house. I guessed the reason they were just showing up was that Phii Fah had probably gone to order lunch for us.

Buzz—

The vibration of my phone in my pocket pulled my attention away from everything. Before my senior could splash water back at me, I raised my hand to stop him, pulled out the phone, and checked the name on the screen before answering.

“Tew.”

“What?”

[Man, when a friend calls, you could at least be polite. Imagine if it was KhunKlai calling.]

“You free or what, asshole? Calling to mess with me?”

[Haha, I’m just calling to say… you better show up to my send-off party before I head back to China.]

“Goddamn nag, I won’t forget, you jerk.”

[I’m not worried you’ll forget. I’m worried you’re so hung up on someone you won’t even show.]

Tew’s words made me smirk. “Hung up on Klaijai, huh?”

[You want me to answer, or you gonna answer yourself?]

“Yeah, I’m hung up on Klaijai.”

[Hell yeah, go all in, bro. Stir your own drink and chug it. My friend’s got balls.]

I chuckled and said, “That’s all you called for, right?”

[Yeah, but don’t you wanna chat with your buddy a bit more?]

“…”

[Ever think to ask me, like, even once, if I’ve eaten today? What about some care, huh? Got any for your friend, you ass?]

“All the care I’ve got, I gave to Klaijai already. Sorry, none left for you.”

[You like him that much, you little punk?]

“Watch your mouth, asshole. Only I get to call Klaijai that.”

I heard a loud slap from the other end of the line, and I knew Tew had actually slapped his own mouth.

[Slapped it, you jerk… So, you at the beach already?]

“Yeah.”

[Is KhunKlai extra cute today?]

“You still want to see me at your send-off party?”

[Haha, just asking if your little troublemaker is cute. Gotta cut off your friend for that?]

“I’m possessive.”

While Panli was engrossed in the phone call, he glanced at Phii Hia, who was splashing water on himself. Seeing that he’d learned to play on his own, he waved goodbye and waded back to shore. Even though Phii Hia looked confused and a bit disappointed, Panli trusted he’d get over it and keep playing solo.

[That night you told us you liked him a lot, but if you like him even more now… just confess your love already!]

That day, after dropping Klaijai off post-soccer, Panli went drinking with Tew and the guys. They kept grilling him about Klaijai nonstop, so he just told them, “I like Klaijai a lot.” That satisfied them enough to stop prying. Panli didn’t share more, but he knew those nosy bastards wouldn’t let him off easy. They were just waiting for him to be ready to spill everything himself.

“…”

[You’re at the beach together now, perfect vibe, man. Confess already. Trust me.]

“Can’t confess yet.”

[Why not? You scared he doesn’t like you? From what we saw that day, KhunKlai seemed into you.]

“That’s not what I’m scared of.”

[Then why?]

“I’ve got my reasons.”

[Hold up… there’s more to this than just you liking Klaijai, isn’t there?]

“Why you so nosy?”

[I knew it! There’s gotta be some backstory. You don’t just fall for someone that easily.]

“You know me too well, asshole.”

[Panli! You’re definitely telling us this story at the send-off party.]

“That’s it, you jerk.”

[Oh, and say hi to your future wife for me.]

Panli’ll admit, his feet froze at Tew’s “future wife” comment. He hung up, stuffed the phone in his pocket, and walked toward the small figure rummaging through their backpack.

“Done playing in the water, Panli?”

“Yup.”

Panli plopped down in front of Klaijai. At this moment, it was just the two of them sitting on the mat. He glanced at Phii Fah and Theerak, who had just arrived at their spot, and Phii Hia, who had just run back from the sea, teasing chubby-cheeks. Panli turned his gaze away from everyone and back to his Klaijai.

“Did Panli put on sunscreen?”

“I didn’t put any on. I don’t like wearing sunscreen.”

“Even if you don’t like it, you have to put it on, Panli.”

“Can I not put it on?”

Ever since Panli met Klaijai, he has learned a lot. For instance, he never used to negotiate with anyone. If he didn’t like or didn’t want to do something, he absolutely wouldn’t do it. But with him… if negotiating didn’t work, the result was that he’d give in to him.

Panli’d give in so easily, in a way that he didn’t even understand himself.

That’s when he realized… life is about more than just likes and dislikes.

It probably means… Panli’s life hasn’t met someone who can make him feel something so effortlessly.

Doing things Panli doesn’t like sometimes… it’s not too hard.

And it’s not so bad to try everything with Klaijai.

“No way, we can’t go easy on Panli with this.”

Panli laughed and nodded lightly, signaling that he’d agree to put on the sunscreen Klaijai pulled out from his backpack. “Fine, this puppy will put on sunscreen.”

“Good… because it’s good for you, puppy.”

“Can you put it on for this puppy?” Klaijai, who was about to hand Panli the sunscreen to apply himself, paused and looked at Panli with confused eyes before giving a small smile and nodding.

Panli sat still, letting Klaijai apply the sunscreen. Klaijai’s slender fingers dabbed a dot of white cream on Panli’s forehead, then on both cheeks, the tip of his nose, and his chin. Klaijai’s almond-shaped eyes avoided Panli’s the whole time, focusing instead on the areas where he was spreading the sunscreen.

It’s good that Klaijai didn’t look at Panli… because otherwise, Klaijai would’ve noticed Panli was secretly staring at his lips. That moment when the car swerved hard, and the force made their lips brush against each other.

Panli meant to do it…

Yes…

Panli meant to kiss Klaijai.

Someone like Panli, who drives fast, who regularly steals Phii Fah’s sports car to race with friends, who has a relative that owns a racetrack, who’s been drifting cars since high school… there’s no way Panli couldn’t handle a little swaying. Panli confesses, he even added to the swaying thrust himself.

That’s why they ended up kissing.

Panli thinks if his Dad and Phii Fah found out about this, they’d nag him until his ears went numb. Because Panli has been acting badly, taking advantage of Klaijai by reaping some benefits from him while they’ve been building their relationship. Whether it’s patting Klaijai’s head, holding his hand, hugging his waist, and the latest—kissing his lips. All these actions go beyond what close friends do. Panli has to admit, he’s not a saint like Phii Fah. Panli doesn’t have as much patience as his older brother. Phii Fah has been secretly in love with that chubbycheeked guy for years, but he’s still nowhere close to getting anywhere. Meanwhile, Panli has already taken the lead.

But there’s one thing Panli is sure he shares with Phii Fah:

Panli loves for real…

“Panli…”

“…”

The voice of the person in front of Panli snapped him back to reality. Judging by Klaijai’s expression and his slightly flushed cheeks, Panli guessed Klaijai knew Panli was secretly staring at his lips. And suddenly, some of that jerk Tew’s words popped into Panli’s head. Panli couldn’t believe he was letting Tew’s words make him think this far. Panli’s heart started pounding, and it beat even harder when he saw Klaijai give a shy little smile.

Because of that word…

“Future wife.”

In short, just “wife,” right?

And Panli’s heart raced even more when Klaijai let out a smile, like he couldn’t hold it back anymore. Even though Panli knew locking eyes with Klaijai right now would make him lose control, Panli chose to keep looking into his eyes. Because Panli doesn’t know how long it’s been since someone made his heart race like this.

Right now…

Panli’s heart is going absolutely insane.

“We’re done putting on sunscreen.”

“Oh… okay.”

Panli hoped their gazes would linger as long as the sandy shore. But it was like the wind wanted to tease him, blowing someone over to interrupt them.

Panli tore his eyes away from Klaijai and slowly turned to look at the person who’d just plopped down beside them. Phii Hia looked back and forth between Panli and Klaijai before flashing a smile at both of them. With that childish, friendless expression on his face, Panli couldn’t help but get annoyed and asked in an irritated tone:

“What’s up with you, Phii Hia?”

“Fah took Theerak to take pictures over there…” He pouted dramatically when he said “over there” before continuing, “So I’m lonely… I don’t have anyone to hang out with.” Don’t you just want to be alone with Klaijai, huh?

Yeah… Panli just wants to be with his future wife.

Phii Hia doesn’t know a damn thing.

“Then Phii Hia can hang out with both of us,” Klai said.

“Aww… little Klai is so kind.”

Panli looked at the small figure giving a friendly smile to the senior, then let out a sigh at Klaijai’s unshakeable kindness that no one could ever change.

Just seeing Phii Hia feeling lonely, Klai was willing to share their time together so the other could join in. Even though Panli knew how much Klaijai wanted to spend time just with him, this was who Klaijai was— someone no one could change. Not Panli, whom Klaijai “likes,” nor anyone else.

No one could turn this good person into anything else…

And because Klaijai is so steadfast like this, it’s no surprise that someone might “fall in love” with Klai and be unable to change that feeling either.

“Hey, Panli… sing us a song.”

Panli nodded lightly, taking the acoustic guitar Phii Hia had grabbed from somewhere and placing it on his lap before asking, “What song do you want to hear?”

“You pick.”

Panli couldn’t decide what to sing since his head was full of favorite songs, mostly international rock tunes. But at that moment, Panli saw something in those eyes… eyes that even the stars couldn’t compare to.

Not because the eyes in front of Panli sparkled or shone brighter than the stars.

But because Klai’s eyes, his smile, and Klai himself… were something more than the stars. Klaijai was worth more than all of that.

Panli let out a smile before starting to strum the guitar to the melody of a song Klaijai had unknowingly helped him choose.

“Panli, this one! I freaking love this song.”

Yes, this was the song Panli would sing for Klai, Birat, and only him…

Panli gave a small smile while locking eyes with the small figure sitting there, waiting to hear him sing, before starting the first verse with full intention.

“I don’t know how many flowers you had to grow among to have a smile this beautiful, making it impossible for me to love anyone else. The moment you met me, it… it made…”

“…”

“My loneliness fades away, because I found something worthy. I’m grateful and promise to cherish it…”

“…”

“I don’t need anyone else. The stars in the sky would weep, and nothing would be beautiful anymore, as long as this world has someone like you and I’m the lucky one. When I read the meaning of every poetic word, no verse remains beautiful, as long as this world still has your name. Please, let me be the last one. Can I? You are my life and my breath.”

“…”

“Your body is covered with countless grains of sea sand. When I look into your eyes, I find a shimmering rainbow mist and discover the most beautiful song when you speak.”

Seeing Klaijai’s cheeks flush bright red as he listened to the song Panli was singing made Panli realize Klaijai was genuinely shy. Wanting to ease his embarrassment, Panli stopped singing the next verse and extended his hand toward Phii Hia, as if passing the mic for him to take over. Phii Hia, who had been swaying to the music while Panli sang, didn’t hesitate and immediately joined in.

“Ooh… so thrilled it’s not a coincidence or a dream.”

Klaijai burst out laughing when he saw his senior straining to sing. Even though Phii Hia’s singing wasn’t exactly pleasant, he didn’t completely ruin the vibe. However, someone approaching them didn’t seem too pleased with Phii Hia’s voice.

Panli stopped playing the guitar when Phii Real stood right behind Phii Hia. Phii Real leaned down and shoved his close friend’s head so hard that Phii Hia’s face nearly planted into the brightly colored picnic blanket.

“Real, why the hell did you push my head?”

“Cause it’s annoying! Your voice sounds like a buffalo giving birth, and you still dare to sing?”

“Li told me to help sing!”

“If you know you’re terrible, learn to say no. Don’t force it and make everyone’s ears bleed.”

Phii Real’s words made Klaijai laugh out loud. Panli can’t remember if he’s said it before, but Klaijai is insanely cute when he smiles and laughs. It’s like the whole dull world suddenly lights up in an instant. And because of Klaijai’s smile, Panli finds it hard to believe someone like him has gone through so much alone.

Because in that smile, there’s no flaw… no trace of sadness.

Nothing that hints at past pain.

“Li…”

A woman’s voice snapped Panli out of his thoughts. Panli turned toward the sound and saw the resort manager and staff, carrying a ton of food trays, waiting for his response.

“You can set them down here. We’re all eating right here anyway.” “Right, right!” Phii Hia chimed in.

“Got it… Kids, place them here.”

The staff began setting the trays on the blanket. Klaijai didn’t sit idle; he quickly got up to help arrange the plates. The other seniors joined in, so Panli set the guitar outside the blanket and scooted over to help everyone.

The food was placed in the center of the blanket. Everyone spread out, sitting in a circle around the trays. Panli reached out and grabbed the slender hand of the little troublemaker just as Klaijai was about to move away from him.

“Little rascal, where are you going to sit?”

“I’ll sit next to you, but I want to scoot a bit farther so you don’t feel cramped.”

Honestly, Panli would rather have Klaijai sit on his lap. “It’s not cramped at all. KhunKlai, sit closer to me. I’ll peel shrimp for you.”

The small guy gave a shy smile before scooting closer. As usual, Klaijai tilted his head to look at Panli and said, “Trying to lure me with shrimp, huh?”

“Did it work?”

“Seems like it did.” Klaijai said this while glancing at their knees, which had moved closer together, with his knee—cross-legged—slightly resting on Panli’s leg.

“Scoot a bit more, Panli. I forgot we need to leave space for Phii Fah and Theerak. They’re walking back now.”

Panli looked at Klaijai, who was nodding toward Phii Fah and Theerak heading their way. “Sure, KhunKlai can scoot closer if you want.”

“No, no, this should be enough for everyone to sit.”

“Shrimp!”

Someone’s shout made Panli turn away from Klaijai. Seeing Phii

Hia’s gleaming eyes fixed on the big grilled shrimp on a large plate, Panli didn’t need to guess who yelled. Just Phii Hia’s expression and tone told Panli he probably wanted to devour the whole plate. Since there were only two plates of grilled shrimp, Panli reached out and slid one plate in front of them.

If the others don’t get enough, they can just order more.

But for now, Panli wants his little rascal to eat his fill.

“Here, let’s start eating. Fah and Theerak are here,” Phii Dom said.

Everyone began digging into the food. Panli glanced at Phii Fah and chubby-cheeks, who plopped down next to Klaijai, then started peeling a big shrimp for his little rascal. Klaijai must’ve felt shy because he leaned in close to Panli’s ear and whispered, “Panli, you don’t have to peel the shrimp for me. I can do it myself.”

“It’s the duty of someone close to you. KhunKlai, you can’t stop me.”

Panli doesn’t know how cheeky his words sounded, but Klaijai wrinkled his nose and lightly pinched Panli’s cheek. Klaijai’s growing boldness made Panli’s heart work overtime. Panli let out a laugh before lowering his head to keep peeling shrimp for him.

In short, Panli retreated to regroup.

Klaijai’s advances were so strong Panli couldn’t keep up.

The first shrimp was placed on Klaijai’s plate. Klaijai glanced at it for a split second, thanked Panli, and started eating. Panli finally understood the saying, “Just seeing him happy makes me happy.” Even if Panli got nothing in return, just doing something for Klaijai was enough.

This alone already makes Panli so damn happy…

And Panli started peeling the shrimp faster so his little troublemaker could keep enjoying his favorite food without a break. But while Panli was focused on peeling, he felt like someone was staring at the plate of shrimp, and Phii Hia’s words confirmed Panli wasn’t imagining it.

“Pass me some shrimp, Li…”

“All the shrimp on this plate already have an owner.”

“What the hell? Almost thirty of them?”

Panli let out a soft sigh because Phii Hia was exaggerating. Klaijai had already eaten a ton of the shrimp Panli peeled, so how could there still be thirty left on the plate? But since Panli was too lazy to argue, he just responded in a flat tone, “Mhm…”

“Who’s the owner? Come settle this with me.”

When Panli heard that, he turned to look at the small guy beside him. Klaijai looked back at Panli with a worried expression. Both Panli’s hands were dirty, so he couldn’t reach out to pat Klaijai’s head to ease his concern. All Panli could do was speak.

“Don’t overthink it, okay? Phii Hia always teases like this.”

“I’m not worried about what Phii Hia said. But I was thinking, should we share some of the shrimp with him?”

“Stop whining, I’ll order more for you…”

Before Panli could respond, Phii Fah spoke up first. Panli figured the way Phii Fah was getting ready to stand was a clear enough answer to let Klaijai know he didn’t need to share the shrimp with Phii Hia.

“No need, Fah… I’ll share with him,” Phii Real said, stopping Phii Fah before giving some shrimp from his own plate to his friend instead.

“…”

“First crab, now shrimp. Are you a glutton or what? Eating everything in sight!”

“If you’re gonna complain this much after sharing, just keep it to yourself, Real.”

“Haha!”

Everyone burst out laughing at Phii Hia and Phii Real, including Panli’s Klaijai, who covered his mouth and laughed until his eyes crinkled. Panli wasn’t smiling because of the two seniors bickering. Panli’s smile was because of Klaijai.

Panli secretly glanced at the pile of shrimp on Klaijai’s plate. Panli had peeled quite a stash for Klaijai by now. Klaijai was happily eating the shrimp and laughing while listening to the seniors talk. Then someone pulled Klaijai into the conversation.

“Klai… is it good?”

“Delicious… want some of mine, Rak? I can’t finish it all alone.”

“Klai, you eat it… I’ll wait for some from Phii Fah.”

“Okay.”

Panli sat quietly peeling shrimp, secretly listening to the conversation between the two. Klai and Theerak made Panli feel like the world revolves around the word “cute.” Panli couldn’t believe that in the life of a rough guy like him and a tough one like Phii Fah, they’d get to experience this kind of cuteness.

“Panli… peel some shrimp for Klai too. He loves shrimp.”

Panli turned to look at his close friend, who was craning his neck to look at him, and said, “The shrimp on his plate… I peeled them all.”

“Oh… I thought you peeled them yourself.”

“Panli peeled them for me…” Good job, you little rascal.

Bragging back to that chubby-cheeked guy that Panli’s got someone peeling shrimp for him too.

Seeing that Klai’s plate had quite a few shrimps already and he probably couldn’t eat any more, Panli stopped peeling and slid the plate with the remaining grilled shrimp to share with others. Klaijai pulled a pack of tissues from his pocket and handed it to Panli.

Who said Panli’s the only one doing things for Klaijai? They take care of each other, and Panli absolutely loves this feeling. After wiping his hands clean, Panli started eating. Klai kept putting food from his side onto Panli’s plate, constantly asking if Panli wanted anything else.

Honestly…

The feeling Klaijai gives Panli… Nothing can replace it.

And no one can replace Klai.

Cough cough

Phii Babe’s choking sound drew Panli’s attention, making him look up from his plate. Phii Babe was choking on food, her face all red. Phii

Dom quickly handed her water and rubbed her back continuously. Once Panli saw Phii Babe was doing better, he turned to the person beside him. Klai instantly made Panli worry because his pale cheeks were now bright red.

“Is you okay?”

The small figure looked down at his plate, shaking his head in denial.

“N-no, I’m fine.”

“But your face is red…” Panli frowned while staring at him. “Your ears are red too.”

“I think we gotta try it…”

“Try what, Hia?”

It seemed the one to clear up Panli’s confusion wasn’t Klai but Phii Hia, who had gone into the sea, scooped up some water to drink, and then returned to sit in his spot. If Phii Hia was making such a big show, Panli would guess something must have happened earlier. Probably because Panli was too focused on his food to notice, he missed the important moment that got everyone flustered.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“I went to taste the seawater, duh. Wanted to see if the someone around here could make it sweet.”

“Haha, it’s not like you couldn’t do it.”

“So, how was it… sweet?”

“Sweet… but now it feels like my stomach’s gonna explode.”

“Haha!”

“Seawater or crab meat, which is sweeter?”

“How would I know? I didn’t eat the crab. Ask the guy who did…”

“What’s up, Fah? Is the crab meat sweet?”

“Super sweet.”

Now Panli kinda gets why so many people are losing it. Phii Fah must’ve gone full throttle flirting with Chubby Cheeks, making everyone else blush on his behalf. But Panli is still curious about what Phii Fah did just now. In the end, Panli had to rely on Klaijai to clear up his confusion. Panli leaned in close to the little troublemaker and whispered, “What was Phii Fah looking for earlier?”

The one being asked pursed his lips, then answered without meeting

Panli’s eyes, “Phii Fah was after the crab meat from Theerak’s mouth.” Phii Fah is ruthless.

I am sorry for ever saying Phii Fah wasn’t getting anywhere.

Turns out, Phii Fah has been quietly making moves all along…

The small figure with cheeks and ears burning red made Panli chuckle softly. Panli used to wish Klaijai would be bolder with him, hoping Klaijai would flirt so hard he couldn’t handle it. But seeing Klaijai blush for Chubby Cheeks, Panli realized right then… Klaijai has been flirting with Panli way beyond just cute little lines. No way.

Klaijai’s boldest move? Probably when he pinched Panli’s cheeks.

But then, as if the little troublemaker sensed Panli was underestimating him—like when Panli said Phii Fah wasn’t getting anywhere and Panli was ahead—Klaijai picked up a shrimp from the plate with a fork and held it to Panli’s lips. The sight was adorable: Klaijai’s face flushed crimson, yet he was trying so hard to flirt even while being insanely shy.

“If Panli’s job as a close friend is to peel shrimp for me, then my job as a close friend is to feed shrimp to Panli.”

Klaijai nailed it…

And Panli totally lost it.

Panli’s face burned as he took the shrimp in his mouth. Panli chewed while looking at the small figure who wouldn’t take his eyes off him. Klaijai held Panli’s gaze for several long minutes before saying, “The shrimp’s just as sweet as the crab meat, right?”

Panli burst out laughing at Klaijai’s words, then nodded. “Even though I didn’t try the crab meat, I pretty sure it’s not as sweet as this shrimp.”

Klaijai gave a shy smile before avoiding Panli’s gaze, focusing on his plate. But soon, Klaijai used his fork to pick up a shrimp and fed it to Panli. How could Panli refuse when someone this cute was feeding him?

Panli couldn’t believe this trip had made Klaijai so bold. Panli glanced at Phii Dom, who was watching them. Phii Dom raised an eyebrow once before turning back to his girlfriend sitting beside him.

“Want more shrimp, Panli?”

“I’ll have more.”

This time, Panli wasn’t going to eat the shrimp so easily. When Klaijai’s slender hand held a big shrimp to Panli’s lips, Panli moved his hand to hold Klaijai’s. The smaller guy’s face flushed even redder than before. As Panli slowly took the shrimp with his mouth, locking eyes with Klaijai, Klaijai lowered his gaze and gently pulled his hand away from Panli’s.

Panli smirked while watching Klaijai stare at the shrimp on his plate, thinking…

Does Klaijai know yet… that it’s not just him who’s fallen for the moon?

This moon has fallen for Klaijai too.

After they finished eating, Phii Hia invited everyone to play monkeyin-the-middle in the sea, saying it was too ordinary to play on the beach. Some went to change clothes before heading to the water, while others, like Panli and Klaijai, were already in water-ready outfits and didn’t need to change. They held hands and walked down to the sea.

As they strolled along, Panli stole glances at Klaijai’s profile. Klaijai smiled faintly, watching the waves crash toward him, then looked up at Panli. The moment a gentle smile appeared on Klaijai’s sweet face, Panli loosened his grip on Klaijai’s hand and instead draped his arm around Klaijai’s neck.

Klaijai looked up at Panli again and said, “I really love this trip.”

“I love it too.”

What Panli said about loving it wasn’t true.

And all the times Panli kept saying, “I like Klaijai,” over and over…

That wasn’t true either.

Because the truth is, Panli’s feelings have long surpassed “like.”

What Panli feels for Klaijai now…

Is closer to “love.”

“I never thought playing monkey-in-the-middle in the sea would be this exhausting,” he said.

“It takes more effort to balance than usual, so it’s more tiring than playing on the beach.”

After playing until we were worn out, everyone split up to rest on the beach. Panli invited him to sit and rest a bit farther from the beach house, so it was just the two of them sitting there.

Klai turned to look at Moon, who was sitting beside him. He had both arms propped behind him, gazing out at the sea. The sight made Klai realize that everyone has one thing that brings them comfort every time they look at it. For some, it might be the sky; for others, a field of flowers. But for Klai… it could only be the moon.

“Do you want some coconut water?”

Klai nodded before saying, “I do, but does Panli have to go far to get it?”

“Not too far.”

“Then that’s fine.”

“But I have a condition.”

“…”

“The coconut water comes in exchange for a photo of us together.” “Deal,” he said with a laugh.

Panli pulled his phone out of his pocket and raised it to take a picture of the two of them. His large hand gently tilted Klai’s head to rest on his broad shoulder. Klai flashed a wide smile when Li counted from one to three as a signal before snapping the photo.

“Is it okay?”

Klai looked at the picture of them on the black phone and nodded eagerly. “It’s great!”

“Can I post this on Instagram?”

“Sure.”

“And can I have your Instagram too? I want to tag you, KhunKlai.”

The smaller guy took the other’s phone and typed in his Instagram handle before saying, “But I don’t really use Instagram much, Panli.”

“That’s okay,” he said, pointing at the screen. “I just want to follow you. Go ahead and follow, KhunKlai.”

“Okay~ I’ll follow the mysterious Panli too,” Klai said as he handed the phone back to its owner. He then pulled out his own phone, opened Instagram, and followed Moon back. Klai’s eyes widened slightly when he saw Panli’s follower count.

Tens of thousands of followers.

Now look at Klaijai’s…

He only hit two hundred followers a few days ago.

“I’ll go get the coconut water for you first.”

“…”

“Can I ask you to check the photo again? It’s in the album.”

“Alright, I’ll check it for you.”

“Thanks.”

Moon replied before standing up and handing his phone to Klai. Klai took it and watched the tall figure walk away. He opened the album, thinking the photos he’d seen earlier looked fine. But Panli probably wanted to double-check before sharing them publicly, given his sizable following.

The small figure frowned slightly when he entered the photo album and noticed a video clip next to the latest picture they’d taken together.

Klai would’ve ignored the video entirely if the thumbnail didn’t show his own face, smiling while sitting in a car.

His heart started racing as he considered playing the video. He swallowed hard, glancing toward where Panli had disappeared. Seeing no sign of the phone’s owner returning soon, Klai decided to press play.

As the still image came to life, he realized Panli had recorded a clip from one of their video calls. As the video played on, Klai grew anxious, realizing what mistake he’d made. He skipped to the end, and the sound of their conversation from that day made his face burn.

“Keeping you company, singing for you… you have to give the puppy a reward, right?”

“What does the puppy want?”

“A head pat.”

His little heart nearly stopped when he saw his own face move closer to the phone screen. Klai quickly turned off the screen and started banging his head against the black phone repeatedly. Panli knows…

Knows that he secretly sniffed his hair. And Panli probably wanted him to know that… The puppy knows. The puppy saw.

“What’s you doing?”

Klai swallowed hard, trying to gather his composure. Without turning to face the voice’s owner, he knew Moon had plopped down beside him. He chose to stare far into the distance, not responding to the other. A coconut, already cut open with an orange straw, was held out in front of him.

“Coconut water?”

“Uh, mmh, thanks.”

Klai replied, taking the coconut, still avoiding looking at the person beside him. Right now, he was so embarrassed he wanted to run into the sea and let the waves carry him far away.

“Just a thank you, huh?”

“…”

“Doesn’t you have a reward for the puppy?”

“…”

“Like, maybe…”

“Okay, okay…”

Knowing what the other was about to say, Klai quickly cut in, reaching out to pat Panli’s head without turning to look at him. He then pulled his hand back to his side as if nothing happened. “There, patted the puppy’s head.”

“Just a head pat for the puppy?”

“…”

“No, I mean…”

I can’t… I really can’t take it anymore. Klai set the coconut down on the sand, gripped Panli’s phone tightly, and turned to face the person beside him. Moon smirked and nodded toward the phone. Klai pursed his lips, sighed, and admitted he’d completely lost to the other. He let his head fall onto the broad shoulder and said, “Ugh… Panli, delete the clip, please.”

The one being pleaded with chuckled softly before saying, “Not deleting it. I don’t know when you will be kind enough to give a reward like this again.”

“…”

“I want to keep it to watch.”

“Sasin, delete it, please.”

“No matter how much you beg, Li’s not deleting it,” Panli said, snatching his phone back. “Gimme that back before KhunKlai deletes the clip.”

“I shouldn’t have asked Panli to delete it. I should’ve just done it myself.”

“Too late for that.”

Klai shook his head, still resting on the broad shoulder. Moon laughed with delight, then gently patted his head as he often did. Then he played the clip again.

“Panli! Turn it off!”

“Okay, okay… I turned it off,” Moon said, laughing.

“Deleting it would be nice too.”

“No way.”

The smaller figure looked up at Moon. Klai figured there were only a few reasons why he’d intentionally let him know the clip was recorded. One of those reasons probably included the word “like.” And that “like” must be strong enough to make him see something in the other’s eyes.

Right now, as we locked eyes for several minutes amidst the sound of waves crashing against the shore and the thundering beat of our hearts, every overwhelming feeling created a resounding echo in my mind… maybe so loud that Panli could hear it. “I like you, Panli.” What the heck!

What did you just blurt out, Klaijai?

He should’ve thought it through more carefully before saying that. Klaijai pressed his lips together, shaking his head lightly, trying to come up with an excuse. The calm, stoic expression on the other’s face made Klaijai start to worry. But in the next moment, a bright smile spread across Panli’s face.

“I like you too.”

“…”

“I like you in a way that I want you to promote me to more than just someone close.”

“…”

“But I also want things to move slowly, at a pace that makes you comfortable.”

“…”

“I want us to be each other’s comfort.”

“…”

Klaijai always comforted himself that he wasn’t an unlucky person who only met bad people in life. Deep down, though, he felt he was the unlucky one, and everything that happened seemed to confirm it. But he was an unlucky person who was breaking free from all the pain… and was about to become a lucky one.

Even if he didn’t want to admit he was lucky, Klaijai couldn’t deny it. After all, not many people confess their feelings to their crush and get the same feelings returned. He used to imagine that if one day he found out Panli felt the same, he’d be overjoyed and rush to ask him to be his boyfriend.

But now, Klaijai wasn’t sure if “joy” was the right word for this feeling. The word “joy” didn’t seem big enough for the emotions swelling inside him. It was a mix of fulfillment, happiness, and a warm sense of comfort.

The plans he’d made about what their relationship status should be didn’t seem to matter anymore after hearing, “I want us to be each other’s comfort.” Klaijai realized you shouldn’t dictate what you should do at a certain moment. Instead, you should let time show you what needs to be done.

And right now, time was telling him… Klaijai, don’t worry anymore. Everything is behind you now, and you’ve reached the moon.

Klaijai broke into a wide grin, eyes crinkling, before resting his head on the broad shoulder. His nose tingled as Moon gently rubbed his shoulder.

“Panli…”

“Yes?”

“If we need a bit more time to get to know each other before moving up from being just close…”

“…”

“Will you be okay?”

For Klai… knowing that their hearts were aligned was only the first step. Even though Klai knew the two of them could move through the stages of their relationship faster, because the other person meant so much to him, Klai wanted everything to progress slowly, just as Panli had said…

Not just to make himself feel at ease…

But to ensure that every step they took together was as steady as possible.

“Even if it takes years for us to learn about each other, I am okay with that.”

“…”

“But I have one request…”

Klai looked up at the person who had his arm around his shoulder.

“…”

“KhunKlai, don’t abandon this puppy.”

“I promise I won’t abandon the puppy.”

“Thank you.”

Klai smiled at Moon as they locked eyes.

“Now I’m starting to regret that we’re not staying overnight on this trip…”

“You don’t have to feel regret, puppy. We’ll come back and travel together again.”

Panli smiled before saying, “Okay.”

The smile of the person Klai considered the moon in his heart, the clingy little puppy, made him smile too. Klai shifted his gaze from Panli and looked out at the sea, thinking to himself:

No need to keep wondering when he’d reach the moon.

Because now, Klaijai had already reached the moon.

    Klaijai is just too amazing:)

 

MYMOON CHAPTERS HOME

   MYMOON, Chapter 18: Part 1

The smaller man, wearing a yellow t-shirt with a crescent moon design he got for free using a boyfriend’s shop quota—Once in a Blue Moon—stood waiting for his older brother to pick him up in front of the condo. Last night, Phii Dom had called to say everyone was meeting at Theerak’s house before heading out. Initially, Klaijai planned to drive himself, but Phii Dom said he’d swing by to pick him up so they wouldn’t need multiple cars.

Klai looked down at the cream-colored shorts that ended about an inch above his knees, a small smile on his face. Normally, he wore shorts when lounging at home but rarely out and about. Most days, he had to wear a suit, so slipping into comfortable clothes was what Klai craved most during his days off. Since buying these shorts, they had become his favorite—the soft fabric made him feel so at ease.

Vroom~

The sound of a revving engine snapped Klai’s attention upward. He saw a black van with heavily tinted windows speed into the condo’s parking lot. As it screeched to a stop in front of him, the tires squealed against the pavement.

Skreech~

In that moment, a memory of his mother’s words from when he was a child echoed in his mind: “KhunKlai, hold my hand tightly, okay? There are so many people around here. Someone might kidnap you and throw you into a black van with dark tinted windows.” Though he knew it was just his mother’s tactic to keep him from running off, he couldn’t deny that this van was starting to make him believe her words.

Slide-

Klai took a single step back as the van’s door slid open quickly. Someone rushed out with frantic energy—a tall man, his face drenched in sweat, lunged forward and grabbed Klai’s shoulders tightly. Klai clutched his dark brown backpack to his chest, swallowing hard and shaking his head in refusal.

Klai didn’t have it… tens of millions of baht or whatever.

“Hey, kid…”

“Y-Yes…?”

  Smack!

Klai’s eyes widened as Phii Dom slapped the back of the head of the man gripping his shoulders. But the sweaty-faced man, now with even more beads of perspiration, still didn’t let go.

“You idiot! You’re scaring my little bro. If you need the bathroom, just ask nicely, alright?”

“Kid… where’s the bathroom? My fortress is about to collapse!”

“Uh, go straight and turn left. There’s a bathroom for visitors there.” “Thank you so much, kid!”

With his answer secured, the tall man, clearly under attack by his own body, finally released Klai and bolted into the condo. Mr… what?

Klai watched the man until he disappeared from sight.

“My friend had to go bad… and traffic was insane. He was holding it in for ages before we got to your condo,” Phii Dom explained.

Klai, listening intently, nodded repeatedly. “He must’ve been holding it for a long time. His face looked like he was in agony.”

“Yeah, and he was acting all frantic too.”

Klai remembered that the person who just walked up to stand beside Phii Dom and chimed in with a cheerful tone was Phii Hia. The other good-looking guy shaking his head with an exasperated expression was Phii Real. He had met both of them for the first time when he went to watch Panli play football.

“You guys are a fucking mess. One minute you need to shit, the next you’re dizzy. What the hell is wrong with you? If we get to Theerak’s house late, Fah will chew us out again,” Phii Real said.

“How could I not be dizzy? Phii Fah driver drives like a maniac, overtaking when he shouldn’t,” Phii Hia replied.

Phii Dom chuckled and slung an arm around Klai’s shoulder. “You two wait for the other guy to finish his business. I’ll take my little brother to wait in the car.”

“Alright, alright,” they said.

“Let’s go wait in the car,” Phii Dom said.

“Okay, Phii Dom,” Klai replied.

He followed his older brother to the car, but when he scanned the people inside, Klai swallowed hard. He had never seen any of these faces before. He had prepared himself for the fact that most of the people on this trip would be seniors, and while their gazes didn’t exactly scream unwelcoming, they looked surprised. Some furrowed their brows, seemingly deep in thought. Klai felt an indescribable nervousness.

“No need to wonder—this is my little brother,” Phii Dom announced.

Unsure of what to do, one thought popped into Klai’s head: when meeting seniors, you should wai. He quickly raised his hands to wai everyone in the car. “Hello,” he said.

“Hi!” one replied.

“Hey, sit down!” another said.

The small figure smiled as the senior guys and girls relaxed their curiosity and greeted him warmly. Since Phii Dom pointed to the front row seat, Klai sat down there, scooting close to the window so his brother could sit beside him.

“That shirt you’re wearing… it’s from Panli’s store, right?” Phii Dom asked.

Klai looked down at the shirt he was wearing, then looked up and gave his brother a sheepish smile. “Yes, I bought it yesterday.”

“…”

“But I washed it already, Phii Dom. I was worried it wouldn’t dry in time,” Klai added.

Phii Dom laughed and gently ruffled his hair. “The brand owner would probably be thrilled to see it.”

“I didn’t tell Panli I’d wear this shirt to the beach… I wanted to surprise him,” Klai said.

His brother smiled before saying, “When we decided to invest in opening the store in Siam with the partners, those two siblings argued a lot during that time.”

“By ‘those two,’ you mean Phii Fah and Panli, right?” Klai asked.

“Yeah, but it wasn’t serious fighting. It’s just that Fah, being the older brother, was overly worried about his little sibling and still saw him as a kid.”

“…”

“As for Panli, he didn’t really listen to Fah much. Back then, we were so frustrated. Sometimes during class, Fah would call and argue with

Panli.”

“…”

“In the end, Fah couldn’t stop him. Panli secretly took hundreds of thousands from his savings to invest with his partners. On the opening day of the store, Fah was there. I still remember him coming back and saying to us, ‘My little brother’s really grown up.’”

Klai smiled and said, “Actually, Phii Fah’s words carry a deep meaning.”

“…”

“It’s like he was saying… Panli’s pretty impressive too.”

“Both siblings in that family are so stubborn. They rarely say anything heartfelt to each other.”

“But their actions show how much they love each other.”

“Exactly… like you and me.”

The younger one smiled at his older brother before glancing at Phii Real, who got into the car with an annoyed expression. Real chose to sit in the front row next to Phii Dom, while Phii Hia and Phii Ko sat in the second row. As the sliding door closed, a voice from the back piped up.

“Let’s go, Uncle. Ko’s done taking a dump.”

“Yes, sir,” the driver replied.

“You jerk! Can’t you just say ‘let’s go’ without embarrassing me?”

It wasn’t just Klai who chuckled at the exchange between the two seniors—everyone in the car burst into laughter. He turned to smile at his brother, thinking…

This trip’s gonna be a blast.

“My friends can be a bit chaotic, Klai.”

Klai laughed and said, “Don’t call it chaotic—lively’s more like it.”

“Oh, and did Panli mention that the resort in Rayong we’re heading to belongs to his uncle?”

Klai nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, when we talked on the phone before bed, Panli mentioned it. I just don’t remember which day.”

“Oh…”

At that moment, both his brother’s tone and expression made Klai realize that he noticed the shift in their relationship. It was probably the phrase “we talked on the phone before bed” that revealed how close they’d become. If two people aren’t particularly close or don’t mean a lot to each other emotionally, no one would give up their personal time to spend it all on a phone call—especially before bed. Klai believed most people would want that time to themselves after a long day. But when there’s someone who makes you want to spend that moment with them…

I want him to be the last person to tuck me in at night…

…That person must have quite an influence on my heart.

Right now, Klaijai wasn’t sure what Phii Dom was thinking. He hadn’t intended to hide the rapid progression of their relationship, but he hadn’t fully shared it either. This was because Klaijai still carried many worries in his heart. He wanted things to go further, and once the outcome was clear, he promised himself he would share every detail and feeling with everyone.

His older brother gave a knowing smile, glancing at Klaijai’s light yellow shirt before saying, “By now… you and Panli must be pretty close, right?”

“Yes…” Klaijai thought the phrase not lying, but not telling everything still applied to this situation. “We’re much closer now.”

“Honestly, even without hearing it from you, just looking at you two, I can tell how close you and Panli are.”

“…”

“I’m happy for you, Klaijai, that you’re close with Panli. Besides me and your close friends, now you have Panli by your side too.”

“Actually, I have to thank you Phii Dom for introducing me to Panli. If you hadn’t invited him to my birthday party, we wouldn’t have become this close.”

Phii Dom smiled and asked, “This ‘close’… it’s more than just close friends, isn’t it?”

That was exactly what Klaijai meant to convey. He raised his hand, gesturing to indicate, “A little more than that.”

His brother chuckled softly, reached out to ruffle his hair, then pulled back to talk to Phii Real, who was asking about a shortcut to Theerak’s house. The smaller man slid open the curtain by the window, gazing at the sky, which seemed to have more stars than usual.

Klaijai wasn’t sure if it was because Panli had been joining him for lunch some days lately or something else that made his brother start wondering about their relationship. But what Phii Dom said confirmed that the “close” status wasn’t just clear to the two of them.

He used to worry about how to let others know about their evolving relationship, as it changed every day. He couldn’t even predict what tomorrow might bring.

Tomorrow…

They might become more than “close.”

Or they might stay just “close.”

No one could know… not even the two of them.

Since he couldn’t foresee the future, it sparked worry in his heart. But one thing was certain: he wanted to do his best to preserve everyone’s feelings—Phii Dom’s, Panli’s, his friends’, and everyone around him, including his own.

But now Klai realized something else… Predicting the future wasn’t what truly made him anxious. It was worrying about how others would perceive him that caused the unease.

He feared being questioned about things when he hadn’t yet found perfect answers.

He feared taking too long to find those answers, allowing others to make assumptions before he could reveal the truth.

His older brother’s words made Klai understand that the future and others’ thoughts are things beyond his ability to know or predict. Realizing that even with superpowers he couldn’t control these two things, he decided to let everything return to its rightful place.

Let the future belong to its own time.

Let thoughts belong to their true owners.

Let the future unfold without him worrying about it.

Let others’ thoughts be theirs without him getting involved.

Whatever the future holds, let it be—it’s tomorrow’s concern.

Whatever others think, let it be—it’s their thoughts, not his.

But if someone were to say that sharing his relationship with another person is important, and asked his opinion on it, Klai would probably

say…

A relationship between two people is like planting a tree. You don’t need to tell anyone you’re planting it or explain the complex steps involved. Others aren’t interested when you’re sowing the seed, adding fertilizer, or watering it daily. They’re just cheering for it to grow, not helping it grow faster.

Letting the tree grow steadily with only your care is best. No need for others to have expectations or watch how it develops, whether it will bloom beautifully or not. Let them see the tree when it’s grown strong and stable. By then, you barely need to explain anything—they’ll understand it all on their own.

With this realization, Klai understood that no matter how much or how little their relationship changes, it’s ultimately just about the two of them. Only they truly know it, and only their feelings matter. Today, Klai unlocked another layer of the feelings in his heart… From now on, Moon better be ready.

Because a slightly braver Klaijai is about to step up his game…

Slide~

As the van pulled up next to a white van, the senior sitting by the door—Phii Dom—quickly slid it open, as if he couldn’t stand being in the vehicle any longer. He turned and nodded at Klai, signaling him to get out. Klai stood up and followed Phii Dom out of the van, glancing at Phii Real and Phii Hia, who were still arguing nonstop. On the way to Theerak’s house, the two had bickered the entire time, forcing the driver to stop so they could settle their debate about the route. Even now, as they got out and walked toward Phii Fah, they kept at it.

“Klai… let’s switch to Fah’s car, alright?”

Klai, standing with his backpack hugged to his chest, shifted his gaze from the arguing seniors and nodded at his brother. “Sure, Phii Dom.”

“I’ll go find Babe in the house first. Want to come with me, Klai?” Phii Dom asked.

Klai scanned the area for someone before answering his brother. Spotting Moon smoking under a large tree, he turned back and gave Phii Dom a smile.

“You go find Phii Babe, Phii Dom. I’ll take my bag to Phii Fah’s car first,” Klai said.

“Your backpack isn’t that big… you could just bring it with you,” Phii Dom replied.

“Uh…” Klai glanced between Moon and Phii Dom. Seeing this, Phii Dom nodded with a small smile.

“Oh… alright, go put your bag away,” Phii Dom said.

Klai smiled and said, “Okay.”

The small figure held back a grin, clutching his backpack tightly to his chest as he walked toward the tall figure smoking under the tree. When Moon saw him approaching, he quickly tossed the cigarette to the ground, crushed it with his foot to put it out, and walked to wait by the back of the white van.

Klai smiled to himself as he looked at Panli, who was dressed exceptionally well today. His hair was styled neatly as usual, and he wore an oversized white shirt with cream three-quarter pants and brown leather woven shoes. Others might think Moon’s outfit was ordinary, nothing special compared to his usual style.

But to Klai… when someone is your special person, even if they look ordinary to others, they’re still the most extraordinary in your eyes.

His steps stopped in front of the tall figure. Klai met Moon’s gaze, and as usual, the latter reached out to gently ruffle his hair before speaking in a soft tone.

“I thought KhunKlai would drive here himself. I was just about to call you,” Panli said.

“I was going to drive, but last night Phii Dom called and said it’s better to come together so we don’t have too many cars,” Klai explained. “Oh…” Panli nodded in understanding, then scanned Klai from head to toe. He raised a finger in mock reprimand, putting on a stern face that Klai rarely saw. “Your shorts are a bit too short, you know.” As expected… Puppy would definitely say something like this.

And of course… Klai knew exactly how to handle it.

“Even if the shorts don’t pass…” he said, loosening his grip on the brown backpack and holding it by his side instead, letting the other see the shirt he was wearing before continuing, “…this shirt passes, right?”

In that moment, the sunlight couldn’t compete with the bright smile on the face in front of him. The unfamiliar stern expression was replaced by the playful glint in Panli’s eyes that Klai knew so well. Panli probably wanted to scold him for wearing short shorts, having warned him about the strong sun at the beach. But in the end, Klai had worn them anyway.

Yet, seeing him proudly wearing a shirt from Once in a Blue Moon, Panli couldn’t bring himself to stay stern. He pointed at Klai with a suppressed smile.

“Nice save,” Panli said.

“I know your warning me because you’re worried, but don’t scold me, okay? I really love these shorts and want to wear them to the beach.”

“If it was just worry, I wouldn’t scold. But it’s because I’m possessive too… not just worried.”

“…”

The words “worry” and “possessive” might seem similar, but they’re completely different in meaning. Knowing full well what “possessive” meant, Klai was so embarrassed he couldn’t speak.

And because he just stood there silently, the taller person grabbed him by both hands, spun him around, and stared without breaking eye contact. Then, in a soft voice, as if speaking only to himself, he said,

“It’s hard to accept, but I’ll try to come to terms with it because

KhunKlai loves these shorts.”

“…”

If Panli hadn’t just admitted to being “possessive,” Klai might not have understood that sentence. But because the word “possessive” clarified the meaning, Klai realized that for someone so possessive, accepting something like this must be far from easy—truly difficult.

Klai was turned back to face the possessive person again. He gave a faint smile, meeting Moon’s eyes. He thought Panli hadn’t yet realized that this possessiveness had already surpassed the boundaries of “close friends.” But even if he hadn’t noticed, it was okay. At least now, Moon was openly admitting his feelings and saying them directly to him, not just muttering to himself like before.

It was a good sign.

All the little hints Klai had been dropping every day were starting to make Panli feel something beyond just “liking.”

“You are done inspecting. Do I pass?”

“No choice but to pass. You’re already wearing them, and you keep saying how much you love those shorts.”

Klai burst out laughing and said, “You’re checking my outfit like a teacher.”

“And between a teacher and me, who’s stricter?”

The smaller guy furrowed his brow, thinking. “Honestly… probably Panli.”

Panli grinned. “Of course. A teacher’s just doing their job. But doing it with feelings… that’s bound to be different.”

Sometimes Panli was so straightforward that Klai couldn’t keep up. Though he’d gotten much better at handling it, he had to admit he still wasn’t skilled enough to match Panli’s words. Those words were like bullets piercing his heart, leaving him frozen as if his soul had been snatched from his body.

“…”

“KhunKlai, want to bring your bag into the car or keep it in the trunk?”

And the one who revived his life was the same person who once ended it.

“I was going to put it in the trunk, but I changed my mind. Let’s bring it up with us instead,” Klaijai said.

“Okay,” Moon replied.

Klaijai’s face flushed under that gaze—the flirty, charming look Panli was giving him. To avoid those eyes that always made him flustered, Klaijai looked elsewhere. He noticed Phii Babe, Phii Dom, and other seniors climbing into the car. Once Phii Fah followed Theerak as the last to board, Klaijai turned back to Moon.

“Panli, let’s get in the car.”

“Yup.”

He led Panli to the wide-open car door, giving a polite wai and a smile to Phii Fah, who was seated in the front row with Theerak, before stepping inside. Scanning the car, Klaijai saw several familiar faces, making the atmosphere in Phii Fah’s car far less awkward than the ride with Phii Hia.

“Klaijai, want to sit with me?” Phii Babe, seated by the window in the second row, asked with a concerned expression, likely thinking he wasn’t close to many people on this trip.

Klaijai glanced at his brother, seated next to his girlfriend. Phii Dom smiled and lightly patted the seat, inviting him to join them.

If Klaijai sat with Phii Babe and Phii Dom, he wouldn’t be able to sit with Panli, as there was only one seat left in the second row. Though they hadn’t explicitly agreed to sit together, Klaijai felt they were on the same page about it. He looked at the empty long bench in the back row and responded to his brother’s girlfriend.

“It’s okay, Babe. I’ll sit in the back,” he said with a smile to both of them.

As he walked toward the empty back bench, he heard someone ask in a worried tone, “Want to sit with us, Klaijai?”

Turning to the voice, Klaijai gave a faint smile. “It’s okay, love. The back’s empty.”

Settling onto the back bench, he smiled at the taller figure following him. But that faint smile faded when Panli chose to sit in the second row next to Phii Dom.

Klaijai blinked rapidly, realizing he’d assumed too much about their mutual understanding. Maybe Panli preferred sitting with the seniors. He lowered his eyes to his brown backpack, pulling out his earphones to keep loneliness at bay while sitting alone in the back.

“It’ll be lonely, Klaijai…” Theerak said, his voice and expression even more concerned.

Klaijai wanted to tell Theerak that it might indeed be lonely, as he said, but not too lonely with music as company. He was about to respond to ease Theerak’s worries when someone from the second row interrupted.

“Not lonely at all…”

With that, Moon stood and moved to the back bench to sit with him. Klaijai glanced at the side profile of the person beside him, and when their eyes met, Panli’s smile made Klaijai look down at the earphones in his hands again.

Klai only realized he’d become an overthinker when he fell this deeply in love with the moon. Just moments ago, he admitted to letting his heart slip to the floor without bothering to pick it up… The truth was, he didn’t have the strength to bend down and retrieve it.

When you make someone the moon in your heart, the moon isn’t just the moon anymore.

It becomes your entire world.

“Does KhunKlai really think this puppy would let you sit in the back alone?” Panli asked.

The one questioned looked up at the person beside him. “I… just thought Panli might want to sit and chat with the seniors for fun on the way.”

“If KhunKlai had chosen to sit with Phii Dom, I’d have sat where you could see me the whole time. But if you chose to sit somewhere else, I’d try to find a seat as close to you as possible.”

“…”

“Like right now, I’m sitting next to KhunKlai… I don’t want to sit with anyone else, just with you.”

Klai gave a small smile, meeting Moon’s eyes. His heart, which had fallen to the floor, was now placed back in his chest, on the left side, where it belonged. But it wasn’t Klai who picked it up—Panli was the one who bent down to retrieve it for him. Klai nodded repeatedly in understanding before asking, “So earlier, the puppy was just teasing me to make my heart skip, right?”

Panli burst out laughing before saying, “I’m not that much of a teaser, KhunKlai.”

“…”

“Earlier, Phii Dom whispered to me, asking for a cigarette because he didn’t bring any and was afraid Phii Babe would scold him. So I sat next to him and shared one.”

“Oh…” Klai nodded.

“I was only there for a moment, and you got this sulky. If I’d stayed longer… how much sulkier would you have been?”

He wasn’t sure if he’d have been sulkier, but Klai knew that when his heart sank to the floor, he felt an indescribable emptiness. It was like being left to drift alone in the vast universe. Not seeing his moon in that universe made him feel a hollow pang he’d never experienced before.

The smaller man tilted his head, resting it on the broad shoulder beside him, and wrapped both arms around the thick arm of the person next to him. Klai decided to hold on like this to chase away those feelings.

“Maybe I’d be just as sulky.”

“…”

“Or maybe a little more.”

Moon moved his free hand to gently rub Klai’s arm. Then, Klai felt something rest on his head—not the tip of a nose, but likely the cheek of the person beside him, pressed against his hair. Though Moon spoke softly while everyone else in the car was talking and laughing loudly as the vehicle moved, Klai clearly heard words that carried a tone contrasting with the lively mood inside the car.

“No need to go overboard… this much sulking is already too much,” Panli said.

“As long as I have Puppy by my side… I’m not sulking anymore,” Klai replied.

“You little rascal.”

A sweet smile lit up Klai’s face as he heard Moon’s soft chuckle. Klai silently thanked himself for having the courage to hold onto Panli’s arm, as this touch brought his smile back.

The truth is,

The person who could take everything away from him And the person who could give everything back to him Was none other than Sasin.

“Did KhunKlai bring earphones?” Panli asked. “Mhm, I like listening to music on long car rides.”

“Can I listen too?” Panli asked.

“Sure, but there’s a condition…” Klai looked up at the other, still not letting go of his arm. “For every trip from now on… Klai and Panli have to sit together the whole time.”

“Deal,” Panli agreed.

Once the agreement was made, Klai began untangling the messy earphone cords, his arms still wrapped around Panli’s sturdy arm. After unraveling the knots, he handed one earbud to Panli. Klai put the other in his ear, then pulled his phone out of his pocket to plug in the earphones and prepare to play music. He glanced at the person beside him, who was looking at the phone screen.

“What song does you want to listen to?” Klai asked.

“Hmm, I want to hear the songs you liked listening to over the past two weeks…”

Klai furrowed his brows slightly before saying, “The songs I liked two weeks ago?”

“Yes,” Panli confirmed.

Though he was curious about the reason, Klai wasn’t one to pry too much. So, he chose to play the songs he enjoyed two weeks ago, as Panli requested.

“I was listening to this song a lot back then,” Klai said.

“What’s the song called?” Panli asked.

Klai looked away from the phone screen after typing the song’s name, then lifted his gaze to Moon, who leaned in closer until their faces were… “Come Closer…”

Panli gave a sly smile and shot him a flirty look before saying playfully, “Are you talking about us or the song?”

“Both.”

“…”

As they locked eyes, mere inches apart, the melody of the song Come Closer started playing.

Come closer. I don’t want you to come closer. I’m not ready to step into this space yet, but it’s probably fine to mess it up. If it’s too clear, it might not feel as deep. Just this much, it’s not too much.

Klai thought listening to this song alone was embarrassing enough, but with Panli listening together, he was even more flustered.

Let me get closer to you little by little, seeping into your heart until I find your love.

“…”

Don’t know what I’m thinking just yet. Let me dream and wander a bit longer. Just a little more, this is already good enough. Even if it’s fleeting, maybe just a small dream, I’ll keep waiting. If I push too hard, I’m afraid you’ll pull away, your heart drifting far from mine, never to return.

“…”

Take it slow, keep some distance, maybe step back a bit. But no matter what, my heart won’t change. I love you because I want to love you, and I don’t want to love in vain. No matter what, my heart won’t waver.

The song looped back to the chorus, but their eyes never left each other. Klai swallowed hard, loosening his embrace from the other’s strong arm to create some distance.

Let me get closer to you little by little, seeping into your heart until I find your love.

But as the car suddenly swerved right, as if turning back to the other side of the road, the force threw Moon toward him. Klai instinctively placed a hand on his sturdy chest to brace against the momentum. But Panli’s face came so close that… their lips brushed lightly.

The smaller guy’s eyes widened in shock before he gently touched his lips. It couldn’t fully be called a kiss since it happened so quickly, and their lips didn’t press together like in the romantic movies he’d seen.

Still, Klai felt he’d given his “first kiss” to Panli. Moon bit his lower lip lightly, giving him a playful, mischievous look before saying softly, “Sorry, I wasn’t careful just now.”

“N-No… it’s fine. I understand…”

Klai replied, placing both hands on his lap and looking down at his phone. The moment had thrown him off so much that he didn’t even hear the song playing anymore. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and pursed his lips tightly.

Don’t know what I’m thinking just yet. Let me dream and wander a bit longer. Just a little more, this is already good enough. Even if it’s fleeting, maybe just a small dream, I’ll keep waiting. If I push too hard, I’m afraid you’ll pull away, your heart drifting far from mine, never to return.

The final verse of the song made him so embarrassed he could hardly stand it. One slender hand reached up to touch his burning ear. Truth be told, Klaijai felt hot all over. He desperately wanted to run into the sea to cool off, but the car, slowing down due to heavy traffic, forced him to accept that…

They’d have to stay this close for a few more hours.

“I think we got a bit too close just now,” Moon said, smirking beside him.

Moon tapped his own lips with his index finger, then pointed at Klaijai’s, as if emphasizing, “When the car turned… our lips brushed against each other.”

“…”

Klaijai was so flustered he turned his face away. But a gentle nudge on his arm made him look back. “W-What’s that, Panli?”

“The song’s over… but can I listen to ‘Come Closer’ again?” Panli asked.

Klaijai nodded and replayed Come Closer As the melody of the song that drove him crazy with embarrassment started again, he pretended to look away, hoping it would ease his shyness. But it didn’t help at all.

He admitted he was disappointed he couldn’t recall the feeling of their “first kiss.” But upon reflection, there was something even more memorable than that moment: the smile on Moon’s face.

Even if it was just a subtle smirk, it reassured Klaijai that Panli wasn’t rejecting him. Klaijai didn’t know how Panli felt right now, but he knew one thing…

If they got even closer like this again, Panli might end up liking Klaijai far more than the song Come Closer—by a long shot.

 

MYMOON CHAPTERS HOME

   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.

 

MYMOON CHAPTERS HOME

   MYMOON, Chapter 16:

Thriller…

Horror…

Oh no, Klaijai…

Animation…

But at least there’s one cartoon movie to give a bit of hope.

The types of films displayed on the automatic ticket machine made the small person swallow hard again. The genres Klai tried hardest to avoid were Thriller and Horror, because he was terrified of ghosts and didn’t enjoy watching anything that made him so tense he forgot to breathe. If he were watching alone, Klai would definitely choose the only animated cartoon available right now.

However, the person beside him, carrying his bright yellow cloth bag, was staring intently at the movie titles on the ticket machine without looking away. A staff member stood nearby, offering recommendations.

“This ghost movie looks interesting. Can you handle ghost movies?”

Ugh… Panli dismissed the cartoon option without a second thought. Klai shifted his gaze from the ticket machine, flashed a smile at the other, and replied, “Uh, sure… I’m super good at watching ghost movies.”

Moon chuckled softly. “If you’re that good with ghost movies, should we pick the scariest one then?”

“No way, let’s go with one that’s just moderately scary. Otherwise,

Panli might not be able to handle it.”

Klaijai… when you say something, think about yourself in the theater too.

If you end up blowing your cover… at least you’ll be a little less embarrassed.

“You can definitely handle it, right?”

“Mm, definitely. You don’t need to worry about me at all.”

Panli gave a small smile before turning to select seats on the glass screen. “Then let’s go with this one… Annabelle.”

“…”

“And let’s get the Honeymoon seats.”

Whoa… picking that movie, huh?

Just seeing the teaser had Klai’s legs shaking already.

Klai thought another challenge of being close to Moon was having to adapt to watching all kinds of movies. He wasn’t forcing himself for Moon’s sake, but rather thought… when you let someone become a part of your life, you should try doing things beyond what you usually like. If you really can’t handle it, then you can tell the other person so you can find a middle ground that works for both of you.

The reason Klai said he was great at watching ghost movies was because he was afraid they wouldn’t get to watch a movie

together today.

But trust me… once they’re actually in the theater,

Moon will definitely catch on that he’s terrified of ghosts.

Sigh… Klaijai, oh Klaijai, you keep blurting things out without thinking.

The tall figure handed some cash to the staff member standing by, then paid for their tickets by having the staff swipe his card at the ticket machine. Panli took the two tickets from the staff and nodded at Klai.

“Let’s go get some popcorn, KhunKlai.”

“Mhm.”

They hadn’t even entered the theater yet, but just seeing the abbreviated English title of the movie on the tickets made Klai’s limbs go weak. He followed the tall figure, who was holding his hand, as they walked to the popcorn and drink counter.

The two of them stood in line behind a teenage couple who were hugging each other’s waists. Klai stayed quiet, thinking that people who weren’t afraid of ghosts probably couldn’t understand how he felt right now. It was like when he wanted to conquer his fear by deciding to ride a roller coaster, even though he hated thrilling things. But the closer he got to the ride, the more he realized… It was going to be terrifying.

Klai definitely couldn’t handle it.

T________T

But when he glanced at their clasped hands, he looked up at the side profile of Moon again. Knowing that Moon would be by his side and wouldn’t let him face his fears alone gave Klai a surge of courage.

“What flavor popcorn does you like?”

“I like salty.”

“Then I will get all salty, okay?”

“You can mix it, Panli, in case you like other flavors.”

“I don’t usually eat popcorn,” Panli said, smiling at him. “If I had to choose, I’d pick the flavor you like.”

“I think this flavor’s the best… nothing beats salty popcorn.”

“Really?” Panli raised an eyebrow, smirking. “I can’t even beat salty popcorn?”

Klai burst out laughing before saying, “You don’t have to compete with popcorn. I already let you win a long time ago.”

“Puppy’s little rascal.”

Moon said, releasing their clasped hands and wrapping an arm around Klai’s shoulders instead, pulling him closer. Klai was so embarrassed by what he’d just said that he could only look down, smiling shyly in Moon’s embrace.

“Hey, Li!”

The sound of someone calling out made Klai look up. He saw a tall, good-looking guy holding hands with a cute guy who was about his height. Klai guessed they were probably friends of Moon.

“What’s up, CB couple? Here to watch a movie?”

“Yeah, B kept begging to see Annabelle, so I brought him,” the tall guy replied.

“I’m gonna pull your ears off, who’s the one who wanted to come watch this?”

Panli grinned before saying, “I was just about to go see this movie too.

Which theater are you at?”

“I just came out of the theater, already watched it.”

“Spill some scary details, how intense is it?”

“It’s pretty good, man, I’d give it a solid ten. Go for it, lots of jump scares. Bee screamed like crazy a few times.”

“Cee, you’re walking home alone for that.”

“Haha, why are you embarrassed? You know I’m scared of ghosts.”

“Because you keep telling our friends about it.”

“I tell them because I think you’re cute.”

“Can you two tone down the sweetness? It’s gross,” Panli said.

“Haha.”

“So, who’d you come to watch the movie with…” Bee said, glancing at him with a friendly smile, and Klai smiled back.

“I came to watch the movie with KhunKlai.”

“Oh, with KhunKlai, huh?”

“KhunKlai, these two are my high school friends…” Moon said, pointing at the two friends smiling at him, then continued, “This is Cee, we were in the football club together. And this is Bee, we were in the same class.”

“Nice to meet you,” Klai said.

“Nice to meet you too, KhunKlai,” Bee replied.

“KhunKlai, really?”

“Nah… it’s just Klai, but I added the ‘Khun’ in front of his name.”

“Since when did Panli start speaking so politely?”

“Why you teasing so much, Bee?”

Maybe it was the looks and smiles from the couple Cee and Bee, or maybe it was Moon introducing his high school friends to him, but Klai felt a flush of shyness, raising his hand to rub his ear, which felt warm.

“You’re carrying a cute bag these days, huh?”

“Shut up, don’t mention it.”

Klai looked at Moon’s smiling face as he talked to his friends, then glanced down at the bright yellow fabric bag that Moon had offered to carry for him.

When getting off the car, Moon offered to carry Klai’s cloth bag for him. However, Klai declined, thinking it clashed with his cool vibe. Dressed in a loose, short-sleeved student shirt layered with a light denim jacket, ripped black jeans, and his favorite burnt-brown leather watch, he felt the bag didn’t fit his look.

Klai imagined Moon carrying his yellow cloth bag and thought it would completely ruin Panli’s coolness. Another key reason for refusing was that he didn’t want to trouble him, and the bag wasn’t heavy anyway. Still, Panli looked a bit sulky and walked quietly while holding his hand, which was unusual. Softening, Klai gave in and let Panli carry the bag for him.

When handing over the yellow cloth bag to Panli, the sparkle in his eyes was brighter than the bag’s color.

“Carrying a cute bag and acting shy about it,” someone said, laughing.

“I’m not shy about carrying a cute bag. I’m worried the bag’s owner will get shy for me and take it back. If he doesn’t let me carry his bag again, I’ll convince Bee to ditch you and go travel far away alone.”

“Damn, don’t do that. I’m begging you, cause Bee would totally go for it.”

“Yeah, just have Panli suggest a travel spot, and I’m ready to run off.”

While Panli chatted with their friend, Klai smiled softly, glancing down at his shoes, feeling shy knowing how much Panli wanted to carry his bag. Klai didn’t understand why he felt embarrassed over something so small, but it was probably because Moon cared about every little thing related to him.

Klai felt warmth in his heart and was constantly grateful for Moon.

But when he looked up, he noticed it was their turn to buy popcorn. He gently rubbed Moon’s back, and Panli turned his attention from their friends to him.

“What’s up?”

“It’s my turn, Panli.”

“Oh…” Panli glanced securely at the counter staff waiting for their order before turning back to their friend. “I’ll go now, catch you later.”

“Alright, enjoy the movie!”

“Yeah.”

Klai waved goodbye to Bee, who smiled and waved back. The two of them then stepped up to the counter. Panli asked for his opinion before deciding to order popcorn and a drink, noting that he’d probably be the only one eating.

“We’ll take this set, please.”

“Sure.”

“Three hundred fifty baht,” the cashier said.

“Panli, wait, I’ll pay for it myself,” Klaijai insisted.

“Here you go…” Moon, who had somehow already pulled out his wallet, handed some money to the cashier. He turned to Klaijai with a sly smile. “Klaijai, you’re not quick enough.”

“Actually, I would’ve been quick, but my wallet’s in the cloth bag, and you wouldn’t give it back…” Klaijai retorted.

Panli laughed before saying, “We’re close enough now… we could just share one wallet.” Thud!

It wasn’t something hard hitting the floor, but Moon’s words struck Klaijai’s heart so forcefully that he was overwhelmed with embarrassment, his mind going blank. The smaller man pursed his lips, glancing at the cashier working behind the counter to mask his flustered state.

“Going quiet like that…” Panli teased.

Klaijai shook his head, eyes fixed on the female cashier scooping popcorn into a bucket. “No, I’m not embarrassed at all.”

A soft chuckle from Moon, who seemed to see through everything, made Klaijai break into a smile despite still watching the cashier place a soft drink cup in front of them.

“…”

Finally, unable to hold back his embarrassment any longer, Klaijai turned to wrinkle his nose at the other man before saying, “You little puppy…”

The one called a puppy burst into cheerful laughter. “Puppy hasn’t even done anything yet!”

Klaijai seemed to forget that it wasn’t the “puppy” making him flustered.

It was Panli who was making Klaijai blush…

His heart…

Couldn’t take it anymore…

Hic…

Klaijai let his heart silently wail in the movie theater for a while. His friend Moon’s warnings were no exaggeration—this horror movie was terrifying. Barely into the story, there were already several jump-scare moments that nearly sent him into shock. The booming sound effects alone were frightening enough, but Klaijai also flinched at the audience’s screams, which erupted even before the ghost appeared on screen.

The movie wasn’t even halfway through, yet Klaijai kept asking himself why he was there. Why was he forcing himself to endure this? And when the fear became too much to bear, when he couldn’t bring himself to look at the massive screen—knowing that a creepy doll ghost would soon appear—Klaijai turned to the person beside him, holding his hand.

And then Klaijai found his answer: the reason he endured the doll ghost’s jump scares…

“Pretty damn scary,” Panli whispered softly while watching the movie, showing no signs of fear or shock. Sometimes, he squeezed his hand a bit harder because he flinched a little too much.

When the terrifying sound effects roared again, Klai hugged the popcorn bucket, which was already more than half empty. Earlier, when Klai jumped in fright, the popcorn spilled all over the floor.

At that moment… Klai was super embarrassed.

He secretly noticed Panli holding back laughter.

But Panli comforted him by grabbing some popcorn from the bucket and feeding it to him.

“You okay, KhunKlai?”

“I’m fine, I’m still good,” he said, though truthfully… he was barely hanging on. But leaving the theater now would make his first movie experience hilariously memorable. Klai needed to tough it out to impress Moon.

At that moment, a strong hand let go of his, and a sturdy arm wrapped around his shoulders. Panli pulled him closer, his large hand gently rubbing his shoulder to comfort him. Klai shut his eyes tightly, certain the creepy doll was about to appear. And then, Panli rested his chin lightly on his head.

“I almost believed KhunKlai was good at watching horror movies.”

“…”

“If I’d known you were this scared… I wouldn’t have picked this movie.”

“It’s fine, Panli,” he replied, eyes still closed.

Moon chuckled softly before saying, “You sure you’re okay? Wanna leave the theater?”

“I’m still good.”

But as soon as he finished speaking, a deafening sound effect and the screams of others in the theater made Klai jump so hard his little heart felt like it was yanked out and tossed around by the creepy doll. He let out a whimper, causing Moon to burst into unrestrained laughter.

“KhunKlai, you’re done, aren’t you?”

Klai looked up at Panli, who was smirking, and swallowed hard. “Uh,

Panli… I will admit it. I’m really scared of ghosts.”

“Yep, I believe you now.”

“But I want to watch movies with Panli, and I want to get used to watching all kinds of movies. Like, if Panli likes horror movies in the future, I want to be able to watch them with you. But now I know…”

“Let’s get out of here, okay? You don’t have to keep enduring this.”

“But I still…”

“If you can’t finish watching, it’s fine. I care more about Khun Klai’s feelings than the movie,” Moon said, gently stroking his cheek with one hand. “This movie must be even scarier than that. Even I, who’s not afraid of ghosts, think it’s creepy. How can KhunKlai, who’s terrified of ghosts, handle it?”

“…”

“And you’ll have to go back to your condo alone. Even if you close your eyes the whole time, you’ll still remember the sounds haunting you.”

“But I want to keep trying…” Klai didn’t want his fear to ruin their first movie date. So, he decided to face the horror of the haunted doll a bit longer.

“Then I’ll help you,” Moon said.

Klai wasn’t sure how Panli would help him overcome his fear, but he trusted he’d get through it. Slowly, Klai opened his eyes to the big screen, covering them during some moments. When a daytime scene brought some light into the theater, he let out a relieved sigh, though the movie’s atmosphere remained eerie.

Klai hugged the popcorn bucket tightly with both arms. The sound effects started to build suspense, and in the next moment, a large hand moved to shield his eyes from the terrifying scene. Klai looked up at

Moon, who didn’t take his eyes off the screen. Sensing he was being watched, Moon whispered softly, “I bet something’s about to jump out and scare us.”

“…”

“Once this part’s over, I’ll move my hand, okay?”

A sweet smile appeared amidst the creepy atmosphere. Klai nodded, though he knew Moon, focused on the movie, couldn’t see his response. And true to his word, the overly dedicated ghost appeared, startling the audience into screams. Even Klai jumped at the loud sound effects, causing a bit of popcorn to spill from the bucket.

But it was a bearable kind of fear.

“The ghost is gone. You can look now,” Moon said.

Because Moon was always there to protect him.

“Thanks, puppy,” Klai said.

“You’re welcome,” Moon replied.

Panli glanced away from the big screen for a moment, flashing a bright smile. At that moment, Klai was certain that Moon’s smile could chase away all the fear in his heart.

Only you, Sasin Pisut, could do that.

“Wow, you ate so much popcorn,” Moon teased.

The smaller figure, clutching the nearly empty popcorn bucket, sighed softly. “Don’t tease me, puppy.”

“Sorry, puppy won’t tease KhunKlai anymore.”

Moon didn’t tease with words, but the chuckle in his throat still made Klai feel embarrassed. Klai wanted to dump the remaining salty popcorn from the bucket, put the empty bucket over his head, and walk through the mall. He wasn’t shy about others—just shy around Panli.

Passing a trash can, he quickly tossed the entire popcorn bucket. Klai wasn’t going to hold onto it and let Panli tease him anymore.

“Are you still scared, KhunKlai?”

“Not anymore.” By the time the movie ended, Klai had recited several prayers. Not to ward off the ghost doll, but to pray he’d survive until the movie was over.

“If you get scared tonight, call me, okay? I’ll come sleep over.”

The ghost doll wasn’t the only thing that made his heart race suddenly—Moon had the same effect. Right now, his little heart was pounding hard.

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

Klai stayed quiet to hide his shyness. He rubbed his ear as he stepped onto the escalator. Panli stepped down to the next step below him. They were heading to find a good restaurant for dinner before going home, as Moon had complained about being starving when they left the theater.

“Being all quiet like this…” The person on the lower step looked up at him, smirking before saying, “You’re definitely planning to clean your room when you get back, right?”

“Silly puppy… Klai’s just thinking about what to eat.”

No matter how much Klai liked Panli, he wouldn’t let himself give in completely. But his heart? It had already surrendered fully.

The taller guy laughed, pulling his phone from his back pocket. He tapped on the glass screen and said, “Whatever you want to eat, go for it.

Today, this puppy’s carrying the wallet for you.”

“What do you like to eat?” Klai asked, reaching to gently ruffle his soft hair. “Japanese, Chinese, Thai, or Italian…”

“I’m good with anything.”

“No special favorite, Panli?”

The tall guy, whose hair was being played with, shook his head slightly while texting someone. “Nope, I can eat anything.”

“Such an easy-to-please puppy.”

“If I were hard to please, this puppy would be afraid you might abandon me.”

Klai burst out laughing. Suddenly, he felt the urge to tease this clingy puppy. He wrapped one arm around the thick neck and the other around the head, pulling the taller guy to lean down and rest his head against Klai’s chest. Since they were on different steps, Klai could do this. He gently pressed his cheek against the golden-blonde hair. Klai admitted he wanted to tease this puppy so much he could make him cry.

Panli’s words and teasing were getting cuter every day.

Klaijai had tried his absolute best to endure it.

Good thing they’d already leveled up to being close confidants.

Otherwise… Klaijai wouldn’t have been able to playfully “attack” this puppy like this.

While Klaijai was squeezing the “puppy” with playful enthusiasm, he heard a soft chuckle in Panli’s throat. Panli was still tapping away at his phone before saying in a teasing tone, “It’s so green and feisty.”

“Yep, feisty,” Klaijai replied, pulling back from the hug since the escalator they were on was nearing the walkway.

Moon slipped his phone into his back pocket as usual, then reached out to grab Klaijai’s hand as they stepped off the escalator. Panli led him by the hand for a short while before letting go and switching to draping an arm around his shoulder instead.

“Can this puppy get a turn to ‘attack’ you, hmm?” Panli asked with a grin.

“Nope, only I get to ‘attack’ the puppy,” Klaijai shot back.

Panli let out a soft laugh before nodding. “Fine, I’ll let you win. But you’ve got to go easy on the puppy, okay? Don’t want the puppy getting bruised.”

Klaijai wrinkled his nose at the widely smiling Panli. “So feisty.”

Moon reached over to pinch his nose, as he often did, before asking,

“What should we eat?”

“How about Japanese food, Panli?”

“Sure thing.”

“Fuji!” Klaijai said, pointing at the Japanese restaurant ahead.

“Alright!”

Once inside the restaurant, the two of them took ages ordering because they kept asking each other what they wanted to eat and what kind of food they liked. He and Panli picked out dishes together, and now they were sitting, chatting aimlessly while waiting for the food to arrive.

“Honestly, I’m still a pretty useless confidant,” Panli said. “I don’t know much about what you like or dislikes.”

“…”

“Like the fact that KhunKlai is scared of ghosts… If we hadn’t come to watch that movie together today, I wouldn’t have known.”

“It’s not just you who’s a useless confidant, Panli. I’m the same,” Klaijai admitted.

“Then let’s take our time learning about each other, okay, KhunKlai?”

Klaijai nodded firmly. “Yeah. And if we make little mistakes along the way, let’s forgive each other, alright, Panli?”

“Right…” Panli replied with a smile, then continued, “When it comes to food, I’ve figured out what you like and dislikes. But for general stuff, like…”

“…”

“What does you especially like? I still don’t know.”

Klai furrowed his brow, thinking about what he liked most. If it was his absolute favorite… “I really like the moon.”

Maybe it was the hidden meaning in his words or the way Panli grinned widely while idly rubbing the face of his watch, but something made Klai feel so shy he had to lower his eyes to stare at the empty plate in front of him.

“…”

To cover his embarrassment, Klai looked up to meet the other’s gaze.

“And what does you especially like?”

Moon gave a small smile before dropping his head onto the dining table. One of his large hands reached out to gently hold Klai’s, his warm breath brushing over the back of his hand. Then, in a soft, almost pleading tone, he said, “My senior just messaged me saying there’s another issue with personal work. KhunKlai, I’m getting such a headache.”

Why did Moon suddenly change the topic like that?

Klai tended to switch topics when he was…

Wait… was Moon feeling shy?

“Panli… look up at me first.”

“Ugh… KhunKlai.”

Yup, that’s it.

Moon was definitely shy.

What did Klai say to make him this shy?

Reflecting on their conversation, Klai hadn’t expected much from the response. But now, he was starting to hope a little. If the answer wasn’t about someone close, like him, Moon probably could’ve answered without reacting like this.

“Puppy, answer my question first.”

“KhunKlai, have mercy on this puppy. It’s a tough question.”

Klai chuckled softly before saying, “Nothing’s too hard. Panli, my clever guy, can definitely answer.”

Panli kept his face on the table, acting just like he did the first time they ate together. He gently rubbed the back of Klai’s hand with his thumb, then spoke in a quiet voice.

“Right now, I like you especially,” Moon said.

At that moment, Klai’s heart swelled so much it felt like it might burst.

Though he wasn’t entirely sure what “like” meant in Panli’s terms, just knowing that Moon “liked you especially” sent his heart soaring to the moon.

Even if, in the end, Moon only liked him as a close friend and their feelings didn’t grow beyond that, Klai wouldn’t feel regret. Because he believed the feelings they shared right now… Were already the best.

This was enough for Klai.

 

 

Knowing how hard it is to shake off shyness, Klai, an expert in being shy, wanted to help Moon, who was just learning to be shy.

“So, does you like the sea or the mountains more?”

He changed the topic to give Panli a moment to breathe. Just knowing that his daily teasing made Panli “like” him was enough. Klai didn’t need any more answers beyond that…

For now, he’d let time help their relationship grow naturally.

Klai didn’t know how far time would take them.

But for now, he only knew that… both of them felt comfortable and happy being together in this moment.

Panli looked up, meeting his eyes, still holding his hand. “I like both,” Panli said.

“If you really had to choose, what would you pick?”

“I can’t choose. I have fond memories of both.”

Klai smiled. He’d never met someone who refused to pick one and gave an answer that forced him to let them have both.

“I like the sea,” Klai said.

“Then I’ll take you to a place with mountains sometime. You’ll see that mountains are just as great as the sea.”

Keep going, Klai. Time to step up and make Panli feel more than just “like.” “Nothing could be as great as my Panli,” Klai said.

“You little rascal,” Panli said with a wide smile, gently pinching his nose.

Panli always made him feel the meaning of “thank you.” Thank you for making him unafraid of the long road ahead.

Because he knew Panli was walking by his side.

Thank you for making him unworried about the winding path.

Because he knows Panli is there to guide the way, Thank you for giving him hope to reach the moon, Klai. 

Because he knows Panli helps shorten the distance,

Thank you, my Moon:)

After finishing dinner, he and Panli stopped by a bookstore to stroll around for a bit. They talked and shared so much about their likes that they learned almost everything about each other in just a few hours. Klai had never talked this much with anyone before.

Panli was the first.

And probably the only one Klai wanted to talk to this much.

Even though they’d already discussed so much about their personal preferences, they continued the conversation after getting in the car. The traffic jam on the road was no longer boring because, even after being stuck for an hour, they kept talking endlessly.

“Panli, you probably like singing more than playing music, right?”

“Actually, I like them equally,” Panli said. “But lately, my seniors have been asking me to sing at the bar instead of the regular singer.”

“Like that day when you sang that sappy song?”

The person asked smiled faintly and nodded. “Yeah, that’s right.”

“You sang so beautifully that day, you know.”

“I can sing beautifully today too,” Panli said. “Want to hear,

KhunKlai?”

Klai smiled and said, “Of course, puppy.”

“Then let me pick a song first,” Panli said, pulling out his phone to scroll. “This one’s good. I like it.”

The moment Moon looked up and met his eyes, a melody with piano accompaniment started playing. Klai had heard this song before. Back then, he thought he’d never have the chance to experience something like the song described, because someone who could make his life feel like that… had never come along.

“This man has only empty hands to reach for the stars for you, to go find them, as long as you’re by my side.” Until Panli came into his life.

The hope that was like a flickering candle began to shine brighter…

“Can you give me your hand? I’ll take you across water and sand, to a faraway place we’ve never seen. You don’t need to worry or fear anything. Trust me, even if I have nothing to prove it, I… just need…” “No matter how high the sky may be, hold my hand as tightly as you can. As long as Theerak keeps walking without stopping, we’ll walk together. Even if the storms come crashing in, even if we face a steep cliff… no matter what unexpected challenges we encounter, don’t let go of my hand.”

“…”

Klaijai smiled at his dear Moon, who was singing to him with such earnestness. He reached out to pat the other’s head encouragingly, and Moon grinned widely, still singing.

“Alright, let me pick a song first,” Panli said, pulling out his phone and tapping on it. “This one’s good. I like it.”

The next moment, as Moon looked up and met his eyes, a melody with piano accompaniment began to play. Klaijai had heard this song before. Back then, he thought he’d never have the chance to experience something like the song described, because someone who could make his life feel like this song… had never come along.

“This man has nothing but empty hands to reach for the stars for you.

I’ll go find them, as long as you’re by my side.” Until Panli entered his life.

The faint hope, like a flickering candle, began to shine brighter…

“Can you give me your hand? I’ll take you across the waters and sands, to a faraway place we’ve never seen. You don’t need to worry or fear anything. Trust that you’re with me. There may be nothing to prove it, but I… just ask…”

“…”

“No matter how high the sky is, hold my hand as tightly as you can. As long as Theerak keeps walking without stopping, we’ll keep walking together. Even if waves crash or we face steep cliffs… even if something unexpected happens, hold my hand and don’t let go.”

“…”

Klai smiled at Moon, who was earnestly singing to him, and reached out to pat his head encouragingly. Moon grinned widely, still singing.

Klai wasn’t sure if Panli chose this song to convey meaning through the lyrics or simply liked its melody. But whatever the reason, it made Klai feel warm and smile with all his heart.

“Even if something unexpected happens, hold my hand and don’t let go.”

As Panli finished the final verse, the smaller man pulled his hand from the soft hair and clapped. Moon flashed a bright smile before saying in a playful, pleading tone, “Can you reward this puppy with another head pat?”

The one being teased laughed softly, then rewarded the “puppy” by gently patting his head. “The puppy sings so beautifully.”

“Does you like this song?”

“I love it… I really love it.”

Panli gave a small smile and nodded lightly, seemingly satisfied with the answer. “I’ll sing it for you often, okay?”

“Mhm,” Klai replied, making an OK gesture. Moon laughed and grabbed his hand to hold it.

In that moment, as Panli held his hand, Klai thought of the song’s line…

 

 

Even if something unexpected happens, hold my hand and don’t let go.”

And because of Moon’s smile and the firm grip of his large hand, Klai recalled another line…

“As long as Theerak keeps walking without stopping, we’ll keep walking together.”

Let’s keep walking together forever, Moon.

A pearl-white Benz sports car pulled into the condo’s parking lot. Once the car stopped, Klai unbuckled his seatbelt to get out. Panli handed him a yellow cloth bag that was resting on the armrest. Klai took it with a smile and said, “Thanks, puppy.”

“LINE me when you get to your room, okay? So I won’t worry.”

“Okay.”

“Klaijai…”

“…”

“Good night,” Panli said.

Even though Klai had heard Panli’s “good night” countless times, he never built immunity to it. He still felt shy every time.

“Good night to you too,” Klai replied.

“You’re welcome,” Panli said.

The smaller figure got out of the car, and as always, Moon turned on the car’s interior light, rolled down the window, and waved goodbye. Klai flashed a sweet smile at Moon one last time before the window slid shut. He watched as Moon’s car drove away from the condo.

And, as always…

Even after Moon was gone,

He left behind a lingering smile for Klai.

 

vMYMOON CHAPTERS HOME

   MYMOON, Chapter 15:

“Mai, for the cargo course assignment, we just need to combine the files from New, Thot, and Orn, right?”

“Yup, once those three send their files, we’ll merge them into one and email it to the professor.”

“The deadline’s tonight at 11 PM, right?” Pie said.

“I know, I know.”

“You know… but do they know?”

“I told them in the group chat yesterday.”

“Oh…”

“If Mai finishes combining the files, you can send them to me to double-check before submitting to the professor. I’ll help make sure everything’s in order.”

“Sounds good… Heading straight back to the condo after class, Klai?” Pie’s question made the guy, who had just slung his cloth bag over his shoulder, freeze. He pursed his lips and shook his head to decline. Before he could say anything, his two friends, who were also packing up to head home, started teasing him with their eyes again.

“Well, well ~ got a date with Panli, huh?”

“Uh, yeah,” Klai stammered.

“O_O” Mai’s eyes widened before she lightly nudged Pie’s arm with her elbow. “Pie, I asked without expecting anything, just teasing, but turns out they actually have a date!”

“You’ve leveled up a lot, Klaijai, ~”

“Stop it, quit teasing me already.”

“…So, where are you two going?”

Keep teasing me, Pie…

If you stop teasing, you’ll ask this question instead.

“Um…” Klai paused, feeling so shy he was beside himself. It was that smile and the voice of Miss Sasinee that kept popping into his head. “…We are gonna go watch a movie.”

“Whoa~”

“Haha!”

“Mai… making that kind of sound is way too much!”

Mai laughed before saying, “Sorry, sorry!”

“I’m already dying of embarrassment here.”

“I believe you is really embarrassed, because your face and ears are red again.”

The small guy raised one hand to rub his burning cheek before walking out of the classroom, with his two teasing friends following close behind. But a notification sound from the LINE app made Klai stop in his tracks. A gentle smile appeared on his sweet face. He guessed it had to be Moon messaging him.

However, the message on the screen made Klai furrow his brows tightly before turning to look at the two friends behind him. Mai and Pie, who were reading a message on the same phone, shook their heads and sighed in unison.

Newz: That research you told us to find more info for, I tried looking, but I couldn’t find anything.

Thot: Same here. There’s barely any info on this airline. We’ll just submit what we have.

A: I found some extra stuff for ours. I’ve sent the file to Klai’s email already.

“You guys… I’m freaking out right now.”

“If Newz and Thot are saying this, it’s like they’re dumping the extra work on us.”

“It’s like they’re deliberately shoving the work onto us, knowing Klai won’t let the project turn out incomplete… Back when we were in the same group, they always did this, and the ones who ended up finishing the work were me and Klai.”

Klai had promised himself he wouldn’t let others take advantage of him anymore. He thought it over carefully once more before typing a message to send in the group LINE.

glaijai: How about we all work together to finish it? The professor

set today as the final review deadline before the actual presentation next week.

Newz: I already left campus.

Thot: Same, I’m already out.

A: Do I need to come back too? I have dinner plans with my mom today. glaijai: For A’s part, give me five minutes to check.

glaijai: As for Newz and Thot, glaijai: I’m giving you one more chance to decide.

glaijai: Are you really not coming back, even though your parts of

the work aren’t finished?

The small person nodded to both friends, signaling them to find a table to sit at first, as this was likely to be a long discussion. They walked to a long table some distance from the classroom. Mai pulled a notebook from her cloth bag to check on Orn’s work.

Klai stared at his message, which had been read but received no reply. He was certain New and Thot were overthinking it. They probably assumed he’d do the work himself like before, but this time, Klai wasn’t going to let New and Thot off the hook. He’d already told them to add information to the report since Sunday.

Klai gave them three full days…

But Klai thought… even if they had a week or a month, New and Thot would still choose to act this way.

Because neither of them ever improved.

The small person finished checking the part of the report Orn was responsible for and nodded to the friends, indicating that the additional information Orn found was usable. Klai took a deep breath before typing another message in LINE.

glaijai: Orn’s part of the work is okay now.

A: Alright, so we’re not going back to revise it, right? glaijai: Okay.

glaijai: So, what about you two?

glaijai: The latest we can submit is tonight at 11 p.m., because the

professor said there’d be no time to review after that.

glaijai: So the work has to be done today.

“New and Thot definitely won’t come back to help,” Pie said.

“This time, I’m not so sure. I have never talked to them like this before.”

Klai looked up at his two friends, who wore worried expressions. He didn’t know if New and Thot would agree to return and help with the university work, but Klai would try his hardest to protect himself. Even if others thought he was being stubborn, that he should just let go of such a small matter and do the work himself to get it done quickly…

Klai wanted to do that too. He didn’t want to sit here stressing over these two. Doing New and Thot’s share wasn’t hard—just adding more information. But if he chose to do that again… it would mean breaking the promise he made to himself.

To… Klaijai,

This person with a stronger heart than yesterday,

We promised to protect Klaijai as best we could.

We won’t let Klaijai feel suppressed or forced to tolerate people who keep taking advantage.

…and we won’t let rain fall in Klaijai’s heart again… From… myself.

Because this promise to himself cannot be torn apart, this time Klai tried to stay strong and protect himself to the fullest. Klai thought… we shouldn’t break a promise to ourselves, as it would diminish the confidence we have in ourselves.

If we can do it this time…

Even if we face something even tougher next time,

We’ll believe in ourselves that we can do it too.

And we’ll actually do it, just as we believe.

The replies from New and Thot made Klai exhale in relief. Pie and Mai high-fived with a loud clap, as if they’d just completed an important mission together.

Newz: I’ll head back now.

Thot: Same here, give me five minutes.

glaijai: No need to go to the library anymore. Mai brought her

laptop. Let’s work together at Building eleven, eighth floor.

Newz: Was just about to say I didn’t bring my laptop. glaijai: We don’t expect you or Thot to bring anything. glaijai: Just show up, that’s enough.

Thot: See, I’m hurrying over now.

Klai locked his phone screen with a sigh of relief, glancing at his two friends reading the group chat messages. But the relief didn’t last long before worry crept back in. When Klai checked his wristwatch, the hands pointed exactly to 3:00 p.m.

Three o’clock…

He had a date with Panli…

Perhaps because his worried expression was obvious, his two friends spoke up.

“Oh! Totally forgot he has a movie date with Panli.” “Right… Go ahead, Klai. We’ll handle things here.”

Klai didn’t like how New and Thot took advantage of him, prioritizing their own convenience without caring about others, especially since this was their group project. They didn’t even seem to care. So, Klai refused to act like them. “It’s fine. I’ll just ask Panli to wait a bit.”

Yes… Klai would ask Moon to wait for him a little.

Klai didn’t want to miss this chance to watch Moonlight with Panli.

He hoped… Panli would understand.

The small guy swiped the screen to open the LINE app again. Klai selected the chat with his close friend and typed a message to send.

glaijai: Panli!

Not long after… the message was read.

11. Panli: Hey, I’ve reached Building 11. Heading up to pick you up on the 8th floor.

And, as expected, the ever-reliable guy replied…

Klai pursed his lips tightly. Though he hadn’t canceled their plans, just asked the other to wait, he still felt incredibly guilty for making Panli wait so long.

The growing sense of guilt made his slender fingers freeze. His mind couldn’t come up with a proper way to ask for forgiveness, and Klai must’ve left Moon waiting for a reply too long, because the other sent another message.

1. Panli: Did you know that if a message is read for over 2 minutes without a reply…
2. Panli: The person waiting for a response knows instantly they’re at risk.

Klai sat silently, reading Moon’s messages.

1. Panli: At risk of being left to watch the movie alone.

Ugh… Klaijai could never abandon a puppy like that.

Because Moon’s message seemed so sad, Klai hurriedly typed a reply. glaijai: I’m not leaving Panli to watch the movie alone! glaijai: There’s just a small issue with my group project. glaijai: Can I have 20 minutes, Panli?

And Klai knew… the plea he was typing next wasn’t something he should use right now. But for some reason, he decided to send it anyway. glaijai: Puppy, I am sorry for making you wait.

Moon read the message but didn’t reply. Klai almost unsent the message he’d just sent, but the other responded just in time.

1. Panli: I’m out of the elevator. Where is you on the 8th floor? glaijai: Panli, wait by the elevator. I’ll come out to get you.
2. Panli: Okay

His eyes lingered on the other person’s last message, but his brain urged his body to stand up from the chair. Klai slipped his phone into his pants pocket before telling his two friends, “Mai, Pie, I’m going to step out to meet Panli first, okay?”

“Okay, okay.”

With his friends nodding in agreement, the small guy walked out from the spacious hall with long tables where students worked, heading to meet Moon at the elevator.

Klai spotted the tall figure from a distance, head down, tapping on his phone. He quickened his pace, and the moment he approached, Moon looked up from the screen and met his gaze.

At first glance… those puppy eyes looked so sad.

But in the next second, Panli’s smile…

…his eyes curved like crescent moons turned downward.

Is this what they call… a “smile those lights up the whole face”?

“KhunKlai…”

“I am here to pick up the puppy.”

“Even if you didn’t come to get me… I’d probably just stand here waiting.”

There he goes again… Panli being all clingy.

Klai didn’t know how to respond. He tried consulting his brain for help, but he couldn’t come up with any good words to match the other’s sweet talk. So, he turned to his “heart” for advice.

His little heart told Klai to stand on his tiptoes slightly, reach up to pat the tall guy’s head, and say something as a reward for the good guy.

“Jeez… I could never abandon my puppy.”

Yes… this sentence was no longer just echoing in his heart.

“Thank you for not abandoning me.”

Because Klai chose to trust his heart.

And chose to say it out loud…

He pulled his hand back from the soft hair and flashed a smile at the tall guy before saying, “Panli, wait for me a bit, okay? I’ll hurry and finish my work as fast as I can.”

“Yes, kha.”

With the other responding with a smile, Klai nodded, gesturing for

Moon to follow him to the spacious hall where his friends were waiting. He glanced at the tall guy walking beside him, as Moon lightly nudged his arm with a finger.

“Yes?”

“When we go to the movie, should I drive my car or yours?” Panli said, gently ruffling his hair before continuing, “If we take your car, after the movie, I’ll drive you back to your condo and then take a taxi back to campus to get my car. But if we take my car, I’ll drop you off at campus so you can drive your car back to your condo.”

“Why don’t we just each drive our own cars, puppy?” Klai hadn’t forgotten that he didn’t drive today, but he just wanted to know the other’s reasoning.

The one questioned furrowed his brow slightly before saying, “Well…

puppy wants to go with you, KhunKlai.”

Moon’s reason made Klai break into a smile. Sometimes, someone’s complicated and seemingly troublesome actions might make you wonder… why make something simple so difficult?

But it never occurred to him that… sometimes the reason for doing something difficult is just a simple one. Someone chooses to make a simple matter a bit harder, even if it means extra effort.

For one simple reason.

That is, “Well… puppy wants to go with KhunKlai.”

“I forgot to tell Panli… I didn’t drive today.”

“Huh? I thought you drove. How did you get to campus this morning?”

“Actually, I was going to drive, but when I saw the massive traffic jam in front of my condo, I decided to take a motorcycle taxi instead.

Otherwise, I wouldn’t have made it to class on time.”

“Oh…” Moon, listening attentively, nodded while still ruffling his hair, then added, “When you take a motorcycle taxi to campus, make sure to wear a helmet, okay? Be careful, too, since they always drive so fast.”

“Mm.”

“But… don’t hug the driver’s waist, okay? Just hold on lightly.”

The other’s words drew a laugh from Klai. Tilting his head to look at the person who still hadn’t removed his heavy hand from his head, he asked, “Why can’t I hug the driver’s waist?”

“Because…” Moon paused, then pulled Klai’s head to rest against his chest, his large hand sliding from his head to wrap around his shoulders instead. “…this close friend doesn’t like you getting too close to anyone else.”

“…”

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

This close friend… why is he so possessive?

So possessive it’s making… my heart race.

The tall guy muttered softly, as if he only wanted himself to hear.

“Don’t get close to anyone, don’t hug anyone, don’t smile at anyone, okay?”

But Klai heard every word and every request from Moon clearly.

“…”

“I’m just protective.”

Klai let out a soft laugh when he heard the sulky puppy’s muttered complaint, tinged with dissatisfaction. Part of him wanted to ask why Panli was so possessive of his close friend, but Klai guessed Panli wasn’t ready to explain. If he were confident enough about it, Moon would’ve said it outright… not mumbled so quietly.

If you’re not confident yet, that’s okay.

Everything takes time, Klai understands.

Let’s walk together slowly, Moon:)

The two of them reached the long table where Mai and Pie were waiting. The looks from his two close friends made Klai feel a flush of heat in his ears and cheeks again. He knew their eyes were fixed on Moon’s arm around his shoulder. Mai and Pie exchanged small and big smiles, nudging each other’s arms with their elbows. Since his friends were acting so suspiciously, Klai hurried to say something to cover it up before Moon got curious.

“Panli, you might’ve seen my friends a few times already, but we’ve never properly introduced you…” He said, turning to the tall guy who was listening attentively, then began the introductions. “This is Mai. And this is Pie.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too, Panli.”

“Nice to meet you too, Khun… oops! Panli.”

Klai shot a sharp glare at Mai, who was giggling mischievously. He knew she was deliberately teasing him. Today, Klai learned… the people you trust can be the cruelest. The small guy, blushing so much his face and ears were red, slowly turned to look at Moon, who was holding back a smile.

Klai gave a dry smile before saying, “Panli, sit and wait for a bit. Once everyone’s here, we’ll hurry to finish the work within the twenty minutes I asked for.”

“No need to rush. We still have some time.”

Moon said before letting him go. The large hand lifted from his shoulder. Klai plopped down onto a chair alongside him, and then the other asked…

“Is there a problem with the group project, KhunKlai?”

“Uh…” How should he start? If he bluntly said his friends weren’t doing their work, would Panli think he’s too negative? Klai had to think carefully and respond as neutrally as possible. “Well, we asked three other friends to find more information for the report. One of them completed what we asked, but the other two said they tried looking but couldn’t find anything more.”

“…”

“So we decided to stay and finish it together first, since today is the last day the professor set for reviewing before the actual presentation.”

“KhunKlai, you only asked them to find more information, right? Not to revise parts of the report?”

“Right, right. We just asked for more information because there really wasn’t enough.”

“I asked because I thought… finding more information should be easier than revising. When I heard they couldn’t find anything, I felt…

I’d better not say. It might seem like I’m interfering too much with Khun

Klai’s project and group mates.”

“It’s not interfering, Panli. It’s more like exchanging opinions,” Mai said.

“Yeah, feel free to speak,” Pie added.

Moon turned to him before asking, “Would you allow me to share my opinion?”

Klai nodded, agreeing with Mai’s point. Everyone has different perspectives, and as long as they respect and honor each other, sharing opinions isn’t overstepping.

“You don’t need to ask for permission. I don’t see it as interfering at all. I agree with Mai.”

“I think they’re not taking responsibility for their own parts at all. I’m not belittling anyone’s efforts—some people might genuinely do their best and still come up short.”

“…”

“But in this case, from what I’ve heard… I don’t see any sign of them trying their hardest. There should be something different from before, even just a little, to show some effort. Saying ‘I tried but couldn’t find anything’ doesn’t sound convincing. I believe… no matter what it is, if you truly try, there will always be some result. Whether it’s a lot or a little, there has to be something.”

Klai thought Panli was right. When you put in genuine effort, you always get some kind of result. But the work from Thot and New, with no additional information and no changes whatsoever, made it crystal clear… they hadn’t tried at all.

“…”

“And while other group members have completed their responsibilities, having to do extra work that isn’t theirs isn’t really fair. I get that group work means helping each other—that’s a given. But true ‘helping each other’ in group work means when there’s a problem, everyone is ready to solve it together. If someone can’t do their part, they discuss it. That’s what group collaboration is… not like this.”

“Plus ten points for Panli’s words!”

“Speaking straight, no sugarcoating, Panli. Those guys always take advantage of us,” Mai said.

Panli shook his head slightly, then turned to look at him before saying, “KhunKlai… how about helping with the work this time? I want to know how hard it is to gather the information for the parts your friends are responsible for. Maybe the aviation kids have to work harder than a graphic design kid like me. That way, I’ll know if what I’m thinking is right or wrong.”

“Great idea, Panli. The work will get done faster,” Pie said.

“Pie, seriously…” Klai said, chuckling softly. He knew Pie was dying to leave. He turned and nodded slightly to the person beside him. “If it’s not too much trouble, this aviation kid would love for the talented graphic design kid to help with the work.”

“…”

Klai gave a small smile while locking eyes with Moon. His heart started racing as a certain sentence popped into his head, and it beat even faster when he decided to say it out loud… “If we finish the work quickly… we can go watch the movie together sooner, right?”

Klai didn’t know… normally, between the one teasing and the one being teased,

who feels more embarrassed?

But right now, Klai only knew that… Klaijai was embarrassingly flustered.

>////<

Moon, who got teased, gave a subtle smile. Since Klai was so embarrassed, he turned to look at the two friends sitting across from them. But their smiles and gazes didn’t help him feel any less shy, so Klai lowered his eyes to the long table instead.

Klai thought the proverb “A cramped space is livable, but a cramped heart is not” didn’t apply to him.

Because for it to fit him, the proverb would have to change to…

A cramped space is livable, but a heart cramped with embarrassment… is almost unlivable.

“We need to find additional information for two sections of the report, right? And we’re only using Mai’s laptop?”

Klai looked up at Moon, who was asking his close friend, “…”

“Yeah… those guys said they didn’t bring their laptops. Klai said it’s fine as long as they show up.”

Klai saw Panli shake his head and let out a soft sigh before turning to him.

“KhunKlai… I think if we work with just one laptop, the work will take forever to finish.”

“Normally, I keep my laptop in the car, but I didn’t drive today…” Klai thought the same as Panli, but he didn’t know who to borrow a laptop from right now.

“I’ll go grab my MacBook from the car. That way, we can finish the work faster.”

“Want me to come with you, Panli?”

“No need. I’ll go by myself. KhunKlai, you stay here. No need to tire yourself out.”

Klai nodded hesitantly before saying, “Panli… thank you.”

“It’s nothing… no need to thank me,” Moon replied, standing up. His large hand gently patted Klai’s head before pulling away. Klai watched the tall figure walk away, disappearing from the hall.

“Alright… if anyone says Panli isn’t great, I; Mai will go to their house and slap them silly,” Mai declared.

Pie burst out laughing before adding, “Seriously… he’s amazing, helping his future boyfriend with everything.”

“Pie! What are you saying?!”

Pie’s words made Klai so embarrassed that he accidentally scolded his friend loudly. Klai muttered under his breath, grumbling at his two friends who wouldn’t stop teasing him. He admitted… he wanted to move up to future boyfriend status, but he hadn’t forgotten that, for now, he was at most just a “close friend.”

But for now, let Klai bask in the embarrassment of the term future boyfriend.

Because that phrase… felt incredibly cute to Klaijai.

 

 

“Getting shy and scolding us~”

“Haha!”

“You guys are getting really good at teasing, huh? Just wait until it’s my turn. I’ll tease you until you’re so embarrassed you’ll hide in the bathroom multiple times a day!”

His two friends giggled loudly, but their smiles vanished when they saw New and Thot walk into the hall. The two stopped at the table where they were sitting, looking visibly annoyed.

“I’ll start first, Thot. I wanna head back soon,” New said.

“What? Didn’t you tell me to start first?” Thot retorted.

“No need to argue. Our friend is grabbing a laptop for us, so we’ll all work together,” Klai said, looking at both of them with exasperation before continuing, “It’s not just New and Thot who want to leave early.

Everyone else does too, so please focus on the work.”

“Got it…” New muttered, plopping down next to Mai. She pulled Mai’s laptop toward herself and started working immediately. Pie, sitting beside Mai, shook her head with a look of disdain.

“So I have to wait for your friend first?” Thot asked.

“Yup, just like we had to sit and wait for you,” Klai replied.

The listener opened his mouth as if to retort but instead chose to sit on an empty chair one seat away from Klai. Not long after, Moon appeared with Mak, carrying the latest model laptop.

New shifted her gaze from the laptop screen and stared at Panli without blinking. Klai couldn’t believe how possessive she’d become. Ever since she fell for Moon, Klai had to admit she was insanely possessive. He cleared his throat intentionally before speaking.

“Let’s focus on the work so we can finish quickly.”

His warning seemed to work, as New quickly shifted her gaze from Panli and got back to work. But less than a minute later, the girl who seemed focused said something unexpected.

“Thot, wanna go first? I forgot I can reschedule my plans today. I’m not in a rush anymore. Aren’t you in a hurry? Go work on Mai’s computer. Her machine’s fast.”

Is New trying to get close to Moon?

I; Klaijai sees right through you…

For the first time in years, Klai felt irritated. He was racking his brain for a way to keep Panli away from someone trying every trick in the book to get close to Moon.

Klai thought New was out of the loop.

Well, let Klai update you… Right now, Klaijai is already close friends with Panli.

No one’s getting between us.

But… first, Klai needs to figure out how to deal with someone trying to wedge themselves between us.

The small guy glanced at Moon, who had plopped down in the middle between him and Thot. Klai was thinking hard about what to do to keep Thot from switching to Mai’s computer. Judging by Thot’s desperate-togo-home expression, Klai was sure Thot would move to Mai’s machine. But then Panli, who had opened his MacBook with a calm face, turned to the guy beside him and asked,

“What’d you say?”

“Thot.”

“Thot?”

“Yeah.”

“Then you’re working with me. No need to go to Mai’s computer.”

“…”

“I don’t sugarcoat my words. You’re not gonna hold it against me, right?”

“Nah, I’m cool.”

“Good.”

It was as if Moon could read his mind. He’d managed to distance himself from New without Klai having to do anything. The conversation between Panli and Thot didn’t sound all that friendly, so Klai could only hope Thot would work smoothly with Moon.

Don’t try to be stubborn with Moon, Thot.

Otherwise… Thot; you might end up bloodied.

Klaijai wouldn’t stop it… because he probably couldn’t.

“Where’s the work you said you couldn’t do?”

“Give me your MacBook. I’ll do it myself.”

“I asked which part you couldn’t do. I’m not here to take orders from you.”

Thot glanced at Panli for a moment before saying, “Check my email first. I need to open the report to show you.”

“Tell me your email.”

Thot gave his email to Panli, then pointed at the MacBook screen.

“This section. I couldn’t find any more information.”

“Alright, that’s it? Why act all high and mighty?”

Klai swallowed hard, watching Moon in serious mode. He’d never seen Panli so intense and stern before. When Panli turned to look at him, Klai instinctively pursed his lips and held his breath, afraid of getting scolded like Thot. But the other’s furrowed brows quickly relaxed, and his calm, steady gaze softened back to its usual warmth.

“KhunKlai… for the content in English, do we need to translate it into

Thai? Or can we include it in English?”

Klai leaned in to look at the screen. The section Thot claimed he couldn’t find more information for? Panli, the graphic design kid, had found it effortlessly and even asked questions Thot never would have thought of. “We need to translate it into Thai before adding it to the report.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll help with the translation.”

“No need. I’ll read through and summarize the key points instead. Some parts aren’t that important, so we can save time by not translating every paragraph.”

Panli’s work style was just like his…

Fast, but never missing the essential points.

Klai watched the guy skillfully scrolling the mouse and working with ease. Panli glanced at Thot before saying in a calm tone, “I’ll help with this part… Once it’s done, you can add it to the report yourself.”

“Mhm.”

“Mhm? What’s that, the new generation’s way of saying thanks?”

Panli asked the other guy while his eyes stayed glued to the MacBook screen, his hands typing out the translated Thai content. Klai could barely hold back his laughter at Panli’s cheeky question. He wasn’t mocking Thot at all, but he had to turn away and stifle his laugh because he never expected Moon to throw such a savage jab.

“If you don’t want to help, then don’t. But don’t talk to me like that.”

“You think I’m thrilled to help you? I don’t want to help you at all.

This isn’t my problem, you jerk.”

“…”

“But the reason I’m sitting here translating work for you… is because I want to go watch a movie with KhunKlai sooner.”

“…”

“If you’re not helping to get the work done faster, at least keep your mouth shut. Don’t say anything to piss me off even more.”

From what he heard… Panli was telling Thot to stay quiet. Just one person, but everyone could feel some kind of aura radiating from Moon’s displeased tone. Right now, no one dared to say a word. The friends sitting across from them just kept their heads down, focusing on work.

“…”

“I’m telling you, if this were my group project, your name wouldn’t even touch the cover page. I’d have kicked you out ages ago… You’re damn lucky you’ve got KhunKlai.”

“Do I need to bow down to Klai or what?”

“KhunKlai isn’t a god. What’s the point of bowing?” Panli said, shaking his head.

Now Klai was starting to wonder if this was really the first time Panli and Thot had met. The two acted like old rivals with a long-standing grudge, throwing jabs at each other like it was second nature for people who’d clashed verbally before.

Panli slid his MacBook in front of Thot and said, “Take the content I translated and put it into the report.”

“Done already?”

“Yeah!”

The small person flinched slightly when Moon snapped at the other. Klai quickly flashed a smile when Panli turned to look at him. The latter let out a cheerful laugh before reaching over to gently ruffle his hair, as he often did.

“…”

“Keeping that smile to cheer me on, huh?”

Klai scrunched his nose before grinning even wider. “Mm… is my cheering reaching Panli?”

Like he said… Klaijai has gotten a lot better.

Today, he managed to tease Panli several times.

“When the one cheering is none other than Klaijai, how could it not reach me?”

Exactly…

He’s the Klaijai.

Why couldn’t he make Moon fall for him?

“New, how far along are you with the work?”

“I’m formatting the pages.”

“Want me to help with that?”

Klai offered to help because New was taking forever to finish. Even with Mai and Pie assisting, she worked so slowly it felt like she was deliberately making everyone wait. Thot had finished his part long ago but was still stuck waiting for his close friend, as New insisted they leave together. Klai glanced at his wristwatch anxiously—the movie had started over ten minutes ago.

He turned to the person beside him, who was playing a game on his phone. Panli showed no expression, but his silence suggested he wasn’t too pleased.

“No need, I can do it myself,” New replied.

“It’s just formatting. Why’s it taking so long, New?” Thot snapped.

“I’m not doing sloppy work like you, Thot,” New shot back.

Klai let out a heavy sigh. He couldn’t just grab the laptop and do it himself—that would be rude. Earlier, Mai had gotten so frustrated that she snatched the laptop from New, leading to an argument. They’d had a spat, and Mai had to step out to cool off.

“Is something wrong, KhunKlai?”

Klai looked up at Moon and said in a dejected tone, “Panli… the movie’s already started.”

“Aw, you’re that sad about it?” Panli said with a chuckle. “If this one’s already started, we’ll just watch another one, right?”

The reason Klai was sad was because he feared they wouldn’t get to watch a movie together today. His face lit up with a wide smile when he realized there was still a chance.

“This time, I’ll pay for the tickets myself.”

“No need to worry about that, KhunKlai,” Panli said. “As long as you say you still want to watch a movie with me… no matter how many new tickets I have to buy, I will get them.”

The sincere look in Moon’s eyes as he spoke made Klai want to say something equally heartfelt. He hesitated for a moment before finally deciding to speak.

“Even if you didn’t buy the tickets every time, I’d still want to watch a movie with you.”

Moon flashed a bright smile and gently pinched Klai’s nose, as if teasing him.

“All done!” New announced.

“Finally! Took you long enough,” Mai, who had just returned from her walk, said with a sigh.

“Everything’s finished, so let’s go, KhunKlai,” Panli said.

Klai nodded, standing up to follow Moon. He grabbed his yellow cloth bag, slung it over his shoulder, and waved goodbye to his friends.

“I saw you walking with that Merk from Civil Engineering. You’re friends with him, right?”

Panli’s question grabbed Klai’s attention effectively. He shifted his gaze from his friends and turned to Moon, who was staring at Thot sitting nearby.

“What’s that?”

“Tell him… to tone it down if he can. His shitty attitude has a lot of people waiting to knock him down.”

“…”

Thot’s initially puzzled expression turned to one of worry. He didn’t respond, only avoiding Panli’s gaze.

“Let’s go, KhunKlai,” Moon said, picking up his MacBook and tucking it under his arm before grabbing Klai’s hand with his other hand.

“Uh, okay.”

Klai followed the tall guy, who led him by the hand toward the elevator area. He stayed quiet, glancing at Moon’s profile as the latter looked up at the arrow above the elevator door, still holding his hand.

At that moment, Klai began to understand why Panli was acting unfriendly toward Thot. Panli had seen Thot with Merk before and likely knew they were friends. Klai was well aware of what Merk was like. It wasn’t surprising that Panli would say something like that, as Merk had probably upset quite a few people.

Since getting to know Panli, Klai noticed he had a fair number of friends. Klai guessed Merk had likely pissed off several of Moon’s friends, enough to get himself marked. But with Moon… Merk probably didn’t accidentally act poorly toward him.

Klai didn’t want to think that Panli’s dislike for Merk stemmed from that day’s incident. But recalling the conversation they had that night, it confirmed that Panli and Merk had indeed met for the first time.

And it was a first meeting that left no positive impression at all. Though he didn’t want to admit that Panli had an issue with Merk because he’d helped Klai, he had to acknowledge it was likely because of that day’s events.

When Moon mentioned Merk to Thot, Klai felt a jolt in his heart. Not because he thought Moon knew the person he’d helped was him—Klai was certain he didn’t know, as he’d kept it a closely guarded secret. Even Phii Dom didn’t know. Only his close friend knew, and Klai had asked them to keep it a secret too. So, there was no way this could’ve reached Panli. The reason his heart jolted was because the memory of that day came rushing back, replaying in his mind.

Ding!

The elevator’s chime snapped Klai out of the flood of thoughts swirling in his head. He followed the tall guy, who led him by the hand into the elevator. Klai looked down at his leather shoes, thinking of a question he’d wanted an answer to for a long time.

“Did Panli remember that day?”

The reason Klai kept the word “thank you” locked in his heart, never saying it to Moon despite having many chances, was because he wasn’t sure if Panli remembered that day. If he spoke up and Panli didn’t recall, Klai might have to recount the whole story. Talking about that day didn’t make him feel bad, but he was afraid Panli, having forgotten, might feel uneasy.

It felt unsettling, no matter how hard he tried to recall, he still couldn’t remember…

…Klai was afraid it would be like that.

And what should someone like him, who remembered it vividly, do next?

So, Klai decided to keep it all to himself, unsure when he’d get the chance to send a “thank you” to the moon. But at this moment, after careful thought, he looked up at the person holding his hand tightly.

“Panli… do you know Merk too?”

The tall figure shifted his gaze from the numbers above the elevator door and turned to look at him before saying, “I had a bit of a problem with that Merk guy.”

Panli’s answer wasn’t clear enough to confirm the truth lingering in his heart. Klai instinctively pursed his lips, meeting Moon’s eyes, before mustering the courage to ask again.

 

 

Can I ask what kind of problem you had with Merk…?”

Moon went quiet for a moment before saying, “I once saw him making a scene outside the bathroom, yelling for someone inside to come out.”

“…”

“But I think the person inside probably wanted to get away from him more than anything, so I stepped in to shoo him away from the bathroom.”

“…”

“That’s how I got to know him, from that incident.”

“Oh, I see…” Klai nodded, signaling he understood, before lowering his eyes to the large hand gripping his own even tighter. A sentence flashed in his mind, making his nose sting.

“I still remember.”

“Moon, you still remember that day.”

“Is you okay?”

The small guy quickly took a deep breath, shook his head, and flashed a wide smile at Moon, who was looking at him with a worried expression.

“I’m fine. No need for the puppy to worry.”

And the kind puppy’s smile that came in return…

…made Klaijai want to say, “Thank you.”

“Seatbelt fastened, right?”

Uh, mm…” Klai responded, glancing at the person behind the steering wheel. On the way to the parking lot, Klai had been trying to muster the courage to say something, but he still… didn’t have enough courage. Until now, when he averted his gaze from Moon and let out a quiet sigh.

“Sighing like that, is something bothering you? You can vent to me, you know,” Panli’s words made him look up at the other again. Klai wondered how many people would be ready to listen to his story. Panli used the word “vent,” which showed that…

Moon didn’t care whether the story was good or bad.

He was always ready to listen… as long as it made the other person feel better.

In this moment, as their eyes met in the silence, perhaps because Klai saw his own reflection in Moon’s gaze, he felt a surge of courage. And that bright smile, his biggest source of encouragement, prompted Klai to say something…

“Thank you, Panli.”

“Thank you for what? I haven’t even helped you with anything yet,” Panli said, chuckling.

“Thank you for saving me that day.”

The bright smile slowly faded. Panli furrowed his brow slightly, as if puzzled by what he said. Klai didn’t know what would happen next, but he wanted to convey his feeling of “thank you” to Moon.

“…”

“The person Merk forced out of the bathroom that day…”

“…”

Was me.”

“…”

Once he said it, Klai felt an indescribable sense of relief. But the flood of emotions welling up left him unsure of how to continue. He swallowed hard before saying, “Right now… I don’t know where to start.”

At first, Panli looked quite shocked by his words. But in the next moment, he set aside all his own feelings simply because he noticed Klai’s nervousness. A large hand reached over to hold his.

Klai lowered his eyes to their tightly clasped hands. His eyes burned, and he felt a stinging sensation at the tip of his nose. He swallowed the lump of emotions in his throat before looking up to meet Moon’s gaze again. Klai gave the other a smile.

“Take your time telling it… Puppy can wait.”

The small person gave a faint smile at those warm words before beginning to organize his thoughts to share the story. “Back then, I was still in the same friend group as Thot and the others. Merk was a friend from a different faculty than Thot… which is how Merk ended up meeting me. Merk liked me and had been pursuing me for a while, but I didn’t like him, so I rejected him. I kept trying to avoid Merk the whole time.”

“…”

“But that day when we went to unwind with friends after exams, I didn’t know New and Thot would invite Merk along… so I ended up running into him.”

“…”

It was the same as always… Merk kept pestering me, and I kept avoiding him. I was about to head back to my condo but stopped by the bathroom first. I was talking on the phone with a friend in one of the stalls. Merk, who came into the bathroom later, must have heard my voice and recognized it… He tried to force me to come out and talk, but I was scared, so I didn’t go…”

“…”

Tears welled up in Klai’s eyes as he recalled that moment. “Until… you came to help me.”

“…”

“I knew it was you because Merk called out his name. And when you were walking out of the bathroom, I peeked through the door to check.

That’s when I confirmed it was really you.”

Klai looked down at his hands, which were held by another’s. He pressed his trembling lips together to hold back his emotions. He knew the tears he could barely contain weren’t from fear when thinking back to that day. Most of those tears came from gratitude.

Gratitude for Moon, who came into his life like a guiding light…

“I’m sorry I never told you about this…” Klai continued, still looking down. “I was afraid you wouldn’t remember that day… and I never thought I’d end up becoming close friends with you.”

“…”

“But when I got your response in the elevator, I became certain you remembered that day. That’s why I wanted to thank you, Panli.”

“…”

 

 

“I’ve wanted to thank you all along,” Klai said, finally looking up at Moon. His vision of Panli’s face was blurred by the veil of tears. He tried to keep his voice steady—letting tears spill in front of him already felt bad enough. “Now I’m brave enough to thank you, but it’s so late, and I don’t know how you’ll feel about me choosing not to tell you this even though we’ve known each other for a while…”

“…”

“Panli… can you forgive me?”

The scene before him remained blurry through the thick wall of tears. But Moon’s words came through clearly, every syllable distinct. “I can always forgive KhunKlai, and I understand why you chose to keep this to yourself.”

“…”

“Everything you decides to do… I believe you always consider others’ feelings first. So this time, I think you carefully chose the right moment to speak up. It’s not too late, KhunKlai. You were just waiting for the right time, and now is that time.”

“…”

The dam of tears broke when Moon’s large hand gently touched his cheek. The first clear image Klai saw was Moon’s smile. Klai pursed his lips tightly, raising one hand to wipe the tears streaming from the corners of his eyes. But Panli shook his head slightly, as if to stop him, before using his thumb to wipe the tear stains instead.

“I’m sorry, KhunKlai… for that day when I walked out and left you alone in the bathroom.”

Klai smiled through his tears and said, “Panli, you don’t need to apologize. You didn’t know…”

Moon gave a faint smile; his eyes filled with a mix of emotions. Klai couldn’t guess what Panli was feeling at that moment. Panli’s thumb gently brushed his cheek before he spoke.

“Before we met, before I was by your side, when you were like this… what has you been through?”

The question brought a flood of tears, though Klai wasn’t sobbing. He simply let every emotion pour out as tears. Trying to smile widely, he said, “I’ve been through a lot, but everything has made me the strong

Klaijai I am now.”

At that moment, the same moon truly began orbiting around him. Panli wrapped one arm around him, pulling him close, before both strong arms enveloped him. In the next second, Moon tightened the embrace.

Klai’s thin lips pressed together as he rested in Panli’s arms. He nestled his face against the broad shoulder, closing his eyes and letting the clear liquid flow freely before deciding to hug Moon back.

“This hug isn’t just comfort from a close friend… it’s a hug to make up for all the time that’s passed, KhunKlai.”

“…”

“I’m really late, I know… but I’m here now, KhunKlai.”

“…”

“From now on… we’ll stand side by side and get through the bad days together, okay, KhunKlai?”

The small guy nodded firmly while still hugging Moon. Klai quickly raised a hand to wipe his tear stains as they pulled apart. The handsome face, usually adorned with a playful smile, now held only sincere eyes and a faint smile radiating warmth.

Panli’s smile at this moment…

…was like the soft yellow glow of the moon.

It was a warmth born from the “moon,”

Not the sun…

And it was at this moment that Klai decided he should use all the overflowing courage he had in one go. He gazed deeply into Moon’s eyes before resolving to step out of the “close friend” status. No matter how much he feared repeating the past, he wanted to fight for love once again.

“Panli… if we’re going to face the bad days together, being just close friends won’t be enough.”

“…”

“Can you be my ‘special someone’?”

“…”

“Someone more important than a best friend, someone who’s ready to go through everything together, someone who stands by your side in every moment.”

It wasn’t just courage that made Klai dare to say this. It was because he saw something in Moon’s eyes. Though he couldn’t quite explain what it was, Klai felt it was a “special” feeling. So, he decided to speak up. He was confident that Moon understood the meaning of “special someone.”

If he agreed, it would mean their relationship would take a step forward, and their feelings for each other would go beyond just being best friends.

But Klai was also half-prepared for the possibility.

Because maybe Panli only wanted to stay best friends.

Klai locked eyes with those long, slender eyes. The other remained silent, showing no expression. His heart trembled as he awaited the response, and the bright smile that appeared made his little heart beat faster and harder than ever.

“If you are willing to be my special someone too.”

“…”

“Then I will be your special someone.”

“…”

Klai broke into a wide, joyful smile. He nodded eagerly before saying, “It’s a deal.”

Who would’ve thought… even Klaijai could hardly believe it himself.

…That one day, he’d get this close to the moon.

But Klai forgot… he’s Klaijai, after all.

…How could he not reach the moon?

 

 

MYMOON CHAPTERS HOME

   MYMOON, Chapter 14:

Every Wednesday, Klai has early morning classes. He has to wake up extra early to get ready. But this Wednesday morning, the traffic was worse than usual. When Klai came down from his room to drive to class, he saw a long line of cars stuck on the road. So, he decided to put his car keys back in his bag and walked to catch a motorcycle taxi near the condo to get to the university as quickly as possible.

In just twenty minutes, the motorcycle taxi driver dropped Klai off at the university’s front gate. The small guy got off, took off the helmet to return it to the driver, handed over some cash, and hurriedly walked into the lecture building.

LINE –

The sound of a LINE notification rang out, paired with a sweet smile spreading across his face. As he pulled his phone out of his favorite yellow cloth bag, Klai playfully guessed that, at this early hour, there was only one person who’d message him.

And that person was…

P. Panli: At uni yet? glaijai: Just got here ~ glaijai: sent a sticker

The small guy sent a sticker of a beaming rabbit to his “best friend” while stepping onto the escalator. Today, Moon messaged him early in the morning as usual, even though they’d stayed up late chatting the night before. But he’d once said that no matter how late he stayed up, Panli would always wake up at seven in the morning every day. Since that day when he went to cheer for Moon at his soccer match, their relationship had progressed by leaps and bounds.

That night when Moon drove him back to the condo, he suddenly asked to be “friends.” Klai agreed, but he was afraid of being stuck in the “friend zone,” unable to ever move beyond it. So, that same night, he asked to skip a step and become “close friends” instead, and Moon agreed as well.

For Klai, the term “close friend” still held the potential to grow into something more than just a friend.

But if they were just friends… he might be trapped in the friend zone forever.

After becoming close friends, they talked a lot more, exchanging opinions on all sorts of things. Klai felt like they got to know each other better through texts and sometimes through voice.

Yes… late at night, when Moon was too sleepy to type, he’d call to talk instead of texting.

Over the past two days, Klai had been talking to Moon so much it felt like a dream. Even though they hadn’t met up at all—both of them were so busy, and he had to practice the khim, so he couldn’t sneak a peek at Moon on the fourth floor—the constant chats from evening to late at night made the longing that used to hit Klaijai so hard fade away.

Now, it couldn’t touch him anymore. 

Because Klaijai had Moon protecting him. 

🙂 

1. Panli: Last night, KhunKlai, you said you like going to the movies alone, right?

The small person furrowed their brows slightly, recalling our conversation from last night, before nodding a little and typing a reply.

glaijai: Yup, I often go to the movies alone, but I’ve been busy

lately, so I haven’t gone in a while.

  P. Panli: Ohh. 

1. Panli: Going to the movies alone… doesn’t it feel lonely? glaijai: Not lonely at all.  glaijai: But last night, Panli said you don’t like going to the

theater, right? 

1. Panli: Yup, Li doesn’t really like watching movies at the theater. I prefer watching at home. glaijai: Homebody, ~ 
2. Panli: Also attached to friends.
3. Panli: But only close friends, okay? That’s the only kind I’m getting attached to.

Klai suppressed a smile as he walked toward the classroom. Even though he knew Moon had many close friends, since one of those close friends included “Klaijai,” he allowed himself to think that Moon was also attached to him. glaijai: I believe you is really attached to your close friends, that’s

for sure.

Dropping little hints day by day…

Eventually, he’ll catch on, right?

1. Panli: I’ve been chatting with you all day and night like this.
2. Panli: If you don’t believe it, I would be pretty upset. glaijai: So good at being dramatic.
3. Panli: If I’m this good at being dramatic, you have to be just as good at cheering me up, okay?

glaijai: I’m usually not great at cheering people up, but from now

on, I’ll try to get really good at it.

1. Panli: Honestly… no need to practice. Just give me those sparkly eyes, and I’m already over it.

The small person smiled softly while reading the other’s messages. Klai stopped in front of the classroom, where none of his classmates had arrived yet. He was always the first to show up. Klai tapped on the keyboard to send a reply.

glaijai: Just sparkly eyes, huh, Panli?

Then he raised the phone to

his lips, recording a voice message. “I don’t have to say… ‘there, there,’ to Panli, Panli of mine, do I?” glaijai: sent a voice

His voice message was opened almost instantly, and the reply that came back made Klai chuckle softly because it showed…

Moon was probably already a little swayed.

P. Panli: You little rascal.

Klai believed… if he got better at this,

It wouldn’t be long before Klaijai could shake Moon’s heart even more.

As much as he wanted to keep chatting with Moon, Klai had to hold back because he needed to prepare for class. So, he typed a message to say goodbye.

glaijai: Panli, I need to go get ready now. glaijai: The professor for this class is super strict, so I have to

check my uniform before they come to inspect. P. Panli: Okay, you little rascal.

1. Panli: Same as always, right?

Klaijai smiled to himself before sending a message to confirm, making it clear that “we’re on the same page.” glaijai: Focus on studying as usual, right? P. Panli: Right. glaijai: sent a sticker

Klai sent a sticker of a wide-eyed rabbit with the word “OK” on its long ears to Moon. Not long after, the other replied with another message.

1. Panli: If you still have some time, don’t forget to grab something to eat before class, okay? glaijai: Sounds good!
2. Panli: Little troublemaker, you got this! glaijai: sent a sticker

After sending a sticker of a fluffy white rabbit nodding slightly to Moon, Klai locked his phone and walked to the locker outside the classroom. For the in-flight service course, all items had to be stored in the locker—especially communication devices like iPads, tablets, and, most crucially, phones. Phones were strictly prohibited in the classroom unless the instructor permitted them for specific reasons, like presentations or researching lesson content.

Though this course had a ton of rules and the instructor was super strict, Klai loved it. It felt like working on an actual flight. The classroom, or what the aviation faculty called the “Mock-up” room, was designed to replicate an airplane cabin. Everything was so realistic, it was as if he were serving passengers on a real plane.

Since the course involved a lot of hands-on practice, not using a phone for the two-hour duration wasn’t boring. Still, Klai noticed some classmates sneaking their phones in. When caught, they’d lose attitude points. Seeing such examples, someone like him—who valued every point like it was a diamond—didn’t dare break the rules.

Even though Moon once said…

“With me, you gotta break every rule.”

When it comes to class rules… Klaijai would rather make an exception, Moon.

The small guy stopped in front of a large locker with about twenty or so compartments. Each small, square metal door had a number label. The instructor let everyone in the class choose a regular locker for their belongings. Klai picked locker number ten since it was at eye level, so he wouldn’t have to bend down to store his stuff.

His slender hand reached to open the metal door to put his cloth bag and phone inside. But two items already in there made Klai frown in curiosity. He picked up a bottle of milk and a cream-filled bun.

Though other section mates shared the locker with him, Klai was certain these weren’t theirs. The condensation droplets on the chocolate milk bottle confirmed it…

This chocolate milk

Had probably come out of a fridge not long ago.

It definitely wasn’t left in the locker overnight.

Klai thought back to the person who always reminded him to eat breakfast with concern, and one of those who showed their care made his face flush with warmth. Just moments ago, Moon had told him to grab something to eat before class. But Klai didn’t want to get his hopes up, thinking it was impossible since Moon had classes in the afternoon today.

How could Moon come to the university this early?

Even if he could…

There’s no way Moon would know he uses locker number ten.

At that moment, a memory from two days ago flashed in his mind. Klai quickly grabbed his phone and called the prime suspect. It didn’t take long for the other end to pick up.

[What’s up, Klaijai?]

“I figured it out. Two days ago, why did you call to ask about my locker?”

[…]

“Did you secretly put milk and bread in my locker?”

A soft chuckle came from the other end upon hearing his question.

[Don’t forget to drink the milk and eat the bread before class, okay, Klai?]

The small guy shook his head lightly, a smile tugging at his lips. “Jeez… Phii Dom, you didn’t have to go this far. It’s such a hassle for you.”

[Your big bro doesn’t want to get another call from Panli scolding me.]

“Huh? … What did Panli say to you, Phii Dom?”

[After coming back from the soccer match that day, late at night, Panli called and told me to take good care of you. He said you often skip breakfast, which is why you’re so tiny and delicate like this.]

“…”

[He also said… every Wednesday morning, you’re in such a rush that you barely have time to grab anything to eat before class.]

“…”

[So I… decided to do this.]

“Next Wednesday, you don’t have to put food in Klai’s locker, okay,

Phii Dom? I feel bad.”

[It’s no trouble. I have morning classes anyway, so it’s not a hassle at all, Klai.]

[No need to feel bad.]

“I don’t know how to repay you, Phii Dom.”

[All you need to do to repay those who care about you is… drink all the milk, eat the bread deliciously, and go to class happily. That’s more than enough to make the people who care for and look after you happy.]

“Thank you so, so much, Phii Dom. Klai will drink all the milk and eat the bread deliciously!”

[So much.]

“Phii Dom, don’t forget to eat breakfast too, okay?”

[Alright… I’ll head off now, Klai, since class is starting.]

“Okay, ~”

[Oh… Klai…]

The small person about to hang up paused when the other end called out, as if suddenly remembering something.

“Yes, Phii Dom?”

[Did I message you the day before yesterday about the beach trip this Saturday?]

“I got the message.”

[Don’t forget, Klai, clear your schedule properly, okay?]

“I have already cleared the schedule.”

Klai had to clear his schedule, of course… because when he asked Phii Dom who was going, Phii Dom mentioned ‘Panli’ too. At first, Klai thought he’d be sitting alone by the beach, feeling lonely.

Even though Theerak was going, he’d probably stick with Phii Fah the whole time. And Phii Dom would be with Phii Babe. Klai barely knew anyone on this trip. But when he found out Moon was joining the beach trip, all his worries vanished instantly, replaced by excitement and counting down the days to hang out with Moon.

But now, Klai was starting to feel a little worried. Panli had never mentioned anything about it, even though they talked about so many things in a day. He was afraid Panli might bail on the trip and not join. If Moon did that… Klai would end up sitting alone by the beach, sipping coconut water to drown his sorrows.

Just imagining himself sitting lonely by the seaside… That alone was enough to make him feel so sorry for himself.

So, Klaijai refused to imagine it.

Instead, he chose to believe that Moon would definitely go to the beach with him.

The small person quickly stuffed his yellow cloth bag and phone into the locker before walking to sit on a chair outside the classroom for a mock-up session. He ate the breakfast his older brother had prepared for him. A sweet smile spread across his face as he unwrapped the creamfilled bread, silently thanking his kind brother and the ever-attentive Moon.

Klaijai would finish the entire bottle of milk And eat the bread with relish.

🙂

“Pie, Mai, want some blended fruit juice?”

“Nah, I’m good.”

“I don’t want any either. Klai, go get your stuff. Don’t worry about us.”

“Okay.”

The small person nodded hesitantly before standing up and leaving the dining table. After the first class ended, they rushed straight to the cafeteria. It wasn’t because Klai was starving like he usually was every Wednesday—today, he’d already had milk and cream-filled bread to tide him over. The rush was because his two friends were famished, and they had to hurry to eat. Another reason for the haste was that they only had forty minutes left before the last class of the day.

They couldn’t dawdle.

They had to eat quickly and get to class.

Normally, Pie liked to eat yogurt and bananas before class, but he said he forgot to stock his fridge last night. As for Mai, who usually brought breakfast from home, she had to come to class on an empty stomach because the housekeeper took leave. Both of them were ravenous, unlike Klai, who wasn’t particularly hungry but still needed to eat lunch.

Klai walked out of the cafeteria and stopped in front of a blended fruit juice stall. He could order without even glancing at the menu board because he already knew what he wanted. Smiling at the stall’s auntie, he said,

“One blended coconut water, please.”

“Want fresh milk in it, dear?”

“To go, please, Auntie.”

“Got it, dear. Just a sec.”

“Okay.”

Klai nodded and stood waiting in front of the shop. He liked coming out to buy blended fruit juice here because it tasted better than the one at the cafeteria. Klai figured most people chose the cafeteria’s juice shop to avoid walking out in the heat, since the cafeteria was air-conditioned. But Auntie’s shop was outside, where you had to face the hot weather.

But Klai thought…

When it comes to taste,

A bit of heat is worth it for something truly refreshing.

While waiting for his blended coconut juice, his slender hand reached into his pocket to pull out his phone, ready to message his close friend who should’ve reached the university by now.

Panli only has one afternoon class today.

So jealous…

His slender fingers tapped the keyboard to send a message asking, “Have you reached uni yet?” But before he could send it, his chat partner sent a message first. Klai paused, deleted everything on his screen, and stared at the other’s message.

1. Panli: What drink did you just order?

At that moment, Klai couldn’t help but smile and looked up, scanning around for Moon. And sure enough… Moon walked up and stopped beside him. One slender hand reached up to rub his own ear, which felt warm. Moon gave a small smirk and raised an eyebrow as if asking something.

When Panli makes that face… He looks even more playful than usual.

And yeah… Klaijai got even more flustered.

“I ordered a blended coconut juice.”

“Okay, I’ll try your favorite…” Panli said, ordering his go-to drink.

“Auntie, one more blended coconut juice, please. Same as Khun

Klai’s… Actually, Auntie, you can blend them in the same jug.” “…”

“Because the first coconut juice… is for my close friend.”

“Alright, dear.”

Klai held back a smile before saying, “Coconut juice isn’t my favorite, you know. I just wanted to try it.”

Moon chuckled before reaching out to lightly ruffle his hair. “Such a tease~”

“…”

“I know it’s your favorite… because if you didn’t actually like it, you wouldn’t pay it any attention.”

“…”

“This time, you can’t fool me. I’ve got you all figured out.”

Klai let out a soft laugh. He really had been caught. So much for trying to tease Panli a bit. Without Boss giving him pointers, Klai probably wouldn’t stand a chance at successfully teasing Moon.

“Ugh… I was gonna mess with you a little.”

“Save it for next time. I’ll let you win then.”

Klai scrunched his nose at Moon, feeling utterly mischievous, before something occurred to him. “Panli…”

“Yes, KhunKlai?”

“Thank you…” Thank you, truly, from the bottom of my heart.

“Thank you for telling Phii Dom to take good care of me.”

The taller guy, who looked slightly surprised at first, broke into a bright smile before saying, “This morning, Phii Dom brought some food for you, right?”

“Mhm. Phii Dom put chocolate milk and cream-filled bread in my locker.”

“Guess Phii Dom couldn’t stand listening to me nag anymore.”

The listener smiled amusedly before saying, “Honestly, I feel really bad for Phii Dom.”

“No need to feel bad for Phii Dom. That guy loves going the extra mile… plus, he has morning classes anyway.”

“Right, Phii Dom has morning classes too.”

“See? No need to feel bad at all.”

“Phii Dom said the same thing… He told me to just drink all the milk and eat the bread deliciously, and that’s enough.”

“And has you done that?”

“I did… so I’m not that hungry today.”

“…”

“No need to rush to eat because I’m starving anymore.”

“Totally worth nagging Phii Dom, then.”

The small guy gave a faint smile before turning to look at the counter in front of the shop, where an auntie had just placed two glasses of blended coconut water, ready and waiting.

“All set… shall we pay together?”

“Sure.”

“Hey, Panli… let me treat this time.”

The person who answered the auntie quickly pulled out their wallet. Klai reached for his own wallet too, but before he could get any money out, Moon had already paid. The tall guy tucked his wallet into his back pocket and picked up both blended coconut drinks.

“KhunKlai, take this one. It looks like it has more.”

“I’m fine with either.”

“Hmm…” Moon glanced at the blended coconut drinks for a moment before handing one over. “…This one, then. It’s got more.”

Klai took the drink and said, “Thanks… but next time, Panli, you’ve got to let me treat.”

Moon didn’t respond, just looked at him with a sly smile before pulling a black phone from his pocket and typing something.

LINE notification, ~

Klai frowned as the LINE app pinged. When he checked his phone, he saw a message from the other guy. Looking up at Moon with curiosity, the latter said in a playful tone…

“…Go on, check it.”

Following the suggestion, Klai opened the chat and saw that Moon had sent a screenshot. When he enlarged the image, he realized…

It was a movie ticket.

Moon had booked an afternoon showing.

And it was after Klai’s classes ended…

Of course… Moon knew his schedule.

Because they’d just talked about it yesterday.

Klai hadn’t even checked what movie was booked—he was too embarrassed. Instead of looking at the screen, he lowered his eyes to the ground.

Moon was inviting him to a movie…

…This was… absolutely wild.

Klai’s heart was about to burst with joy, Moon.

“If you want to treat me back… how about you cover the popcorn?”

The chance to get closer to Moon was right in front of him—how could Klaijai not seize it? “Of course… I’ll buy a big bucket of popcorn for Panli!”

Moon chuckled softly before asking, “Next class… which building is your class in?”

“Building eleven.”

“Which floor?”

“Eighth floor.”

“Then at three this afternoon, I will come pick you up at Building eleven, eighth floor.”

“Okay!”

“But for now, let me walk you back to your table first.”

Klai waved both hands to refuse. “It’s fine, I can walk back myself.

Panli, hurry to your class!”

The tall figure glanced at his wristwatch before saying, “I got plenty of time left.”

“O-okay.”

🙂

 

The two of them walked out of the blended fruit juice shop. Along the way, Klai didn’t say a word to Panli because he was genuinely shy. The other person walked beside him quietly until they stopped in front of the dining table. Klai’s face burned even hotter when he saw Kant sitting with Pie and Mai. Kant often joined them for lunch.

Everyone’s eyes widened in surprise before they smirked and teased him with their gazes. Klai, so embarrassed he didn’t know what to do, turned to look at the tall figure still standing beside him.

“H-here’s my table.”

“Got it…” Moon nodded, then reached out to gently pat his head, as he often did. “…See you later, okay?”

“Mhm,” Klai replied, waving goodbye to the tall figure walking away.

The moment he sat down on the long bench, the three rascals started teasing him loudly, making Klai even more embarrassed. Kant’s gaze and smile made Klai want to explode.

“What’s this?!”

“A date, huh?”

“Making plans is one thing, but walking him back? That’s next level!”

“It’s normal…” Klai said, trying to deflect his embarrassment, before adding, “…We’re close friends. Walking each other back is normal.”

The moment the three heard his words, they burst into laughter, probably because they’d never seen him this flustered before.

In the end, Klaijai couldn’t help but laugh too, raising both hands to rub his burning ears. His friends, pointing and teasing even more, made

Klai shake his head slightly, admitting to himself that…

“Fine, I admit it… I’m really embarrassed.”

“Haha!”

“Ugh, ~, your face and ears are all red, Klai.”

His friends still don’t know he’s going to the movies with Panli.

If they found out… Klai would be way more embarrassed.

 

MYMOON CHAPTERS HOME

   MYMOON, Chapter 13:

The small person with a flushed face looked down, avoiding eye contact. Panli reached out to gently lift their delicate chin, urging them to look up so he could check on them. Klaijai said that while walking to the badminton court, the weather was quite hot, and they felt faint, almost collapsing, so they rested under this tree. But Panli didn’t know how long they had been sitting in the shade, as he had only stepped out to smoke with the boss not long ago. Panli was worried about them not arriving at the court yet, even though some time had passed. So, he decided to message Klaijai.

However, every time he sent a message, someone’s LINE notification kept ringing. To make sure, he sent several more messages, and each time the notification sounded, he followed the sound to find its source.

Because Panli didn’t let it slide, he found the sneaky Klaijai, who had been resting here after nearly fainting. He looked at their bright red face, frustrated with himself for letting them walk alone in the hot sun. Even though the sun wasn’t too intense, Klaijai didn’t seem to handle hot weather very well.

The small person blinked rapidly while looking at me, their chocolatecolored hair sticking to their forehead with sweat. “KhunKlai, let’s head to the court.”

“Mhm,” they responded, standing up to their full height with my support. “I… I’m feeling better now, Panli.”

“KhunKlai, hop on my back.”

“N-no, it’s fine, Panli. I can walk now.” Their small hands waved in refusal, their thin lips parting as if to say something. But because I accidentally gave them a stern look, they pursed their lips tightly. “…I-I can really walk on my own, okay?”

I didn’t mean to be harsh, but it slipped out. “Don’t be stubborn,

KhunKlai. I’m really worried about you.”

The small, initially stubborn person nodded in agreement. I turned my back to them, and they obediently leaned onto me. Since Klaijai wasn’t very heavy, I stood up easily and carried them to the badminton court where my friends were waiting.

“Panli… am I heavy?” The small person, loosely holding onto my neck, tilted their head to ask before continuing, “I’m sorry.”

“KhunKlai, you need to eat more,” I said with a chuckle to ease their mind.

“If I eat more, it’ll be even harder for you, Panli.”

I laughed at their cute words. A faint, baby powder-like scent wafted past my nose as they tightened their arms around me, as if afraid of falling. I guessed Klaijai loved using perfume because every time we met, they always wore a different scent.

And Klaijai had great taste.

Every scent they chose suited me perfectly.

“Over here, Li!”

“Yeah…” I nodded, walking toward the long bench where the boss had somehow set up a fan. I gently set the small person down. Klaijai loosened their arms as both feet touched the ground. I turned to check on them again. “KhunKlai, rest here for a bit, okay?”

“Mhm.”

Klaijai sat down obediently. This time, he really couldn’t hold out, because normally he wouldn’t give in so easily. He’s the type to push himself, like when he refused to call me even though he was about to faint. Klaijai rarely follows my instructions on the first try; he always has some counterargument. And I, wanting to help him, have to constantly persuade him to agree.

But that doesn’t mean he’s stubborn. He’s just overly considerate, hesitant to accept help from others because he’s afraid of troubling them. Klaijai always tries to do everything himself to the very limit first.

Standing there, he reached out one hand to brush back his sweatdampened bangs. His smooth, pale forehead was covered in tiny beads of sweat. So, he used the back of his other hand to gently wipe the sweat away for him. The small guy sat still, gazing toward the exit door. His slender hands, holding his wallet and notebook, rested on his lap. Then Klaijai looked up, meeting my eyes. His faintly flushed cheeks and clear, innocent almond-shaped eyes made me unconsciously bite my lip lightly.

Damn, it’s intense…

And in that moment, when Panli was utterly charmed by the person in front of me, he had to find a way to restrain himself from pinching his cheeks too hard, like he often does with close friends. Instead, he gently “squeezed his nose” and spoke softly to Klaijai…

“Feeling better yet, KhunKlai?”

“Mhm, I’m feeling much better.”

Even though Klaijai said that, Panli couldn’t help but worry. He lightly touched his soft cheek with the back of my hand. The scorching heat on his smooth skin made me glance at the fan, where the boss stood guard as if afraid it’d disappear. He nodded, seemingly reading his mind, and turned the fan up a notch.

“Are you really feeling better, KhunKlai? Don’t push yourself, okay?” “Mhm, I’m really better,” the small guy said, flashing me a smile.

It was a gentle smile, always ready to comfort others. Perhaps it was Klaijai’s smile that made him move closer to him. Panli pulled his fluffy head to rest against his stomach, one hand gently stroking his soft hair while the other rubbed his thin back.

“Sorry for letting you walk here alone.”

The small guy reached one hand to pat my back, whispering softly,

“Don’t overthink it, Panli of mine.”

Panli couldn’t help but smile at the phrase “Panli of mine.” he’d never felt so delighted to belong to someone before, but being his made me feel more than just “delighted.”

“Want some water, KhunKlai?” The small guy, with his face still pressed against Panli stomach, shook his head slightly. He let out a quiet sigh, thinking… just Klaijai nearly fainting had me this worried. If he got seriously ill…

You’d lose it, you idiot…

“…”

“You little troublemaker… have some water, okay?” Panli didn’t like seeing Klaijai so down like this. Others might see him as calm and proper, but he see the mischief hidden inside him. Sometimes, those innocent eyes turn playful and cheeky, making him want to spank him till his hand leaves a mark. But he can only think it… and choose to do what’s more realistic instead, like, “Have some water, okay? I’ll go get it for you.”

“Panli… I don’t want water.”

Panli used both hands to gently hold his face, tilting it up so their eyes met. The small guy’s eyes were back to their usual bright, clear sparkle. Panli heart wanted to lean down and playfully nip at his little nose, maybe sneak a couple of bites at his faintly red cheeks, but all he could do was flash a smile at Klaijai and coax the sneaky guy as I always do…

“Better drink some water, okay? Trust me.”

The small guy furrowed his brows slightly, as if thinking it over. He scanned the surroundings before asking, “Is you going far to get the water?”

Those twinkling, innocent eyes and Klaijai’s sweet words.

They completely melt his heart.

“Not far. Just over there,” Panli said, pointing to the blue cooler at the other end of the field. Klaijai followed my finger with his gaze and gave a small nod.

“Come back quick, Panli. Besides Boss, I don’t know anyone else here,” the small guy said, nodding toward the field before continuing,

“…and Boss is already playing badminton.”

He’s like this… how could I leave him for long?

Honestly, Panli want Klaijai to change his name.

Change it from “Klaijai” to “KlaiPanli.”

So they could be near together forever.

“Okay, I will be right back.”

Klaijai raised his hand in an “OK” gesture before saying, “Okay.”

Panli reached out to ruffle Klai’s messy hair before walking to grab water from the ice cooler. Dozens of water bottles were chilling in the ice. He felt bold enough to grab one without asking because his friends and Panli’s had reserved the whole field. There was no one else here— just his high school buddies and their girls. Normally, they’d be all up in his business, but right now, they were too busy enjoying badminton and flirting with the faculty beauties they’d invited to play.

But that’s fine…

No need to deal with them.

So annoying…

“Phii Li…”

A soft, hesitant voice called out, pulling his attention from the cooler. When he turned toward the sound, he saw a pretty girl standing there, smiling at me. He furrowed his brows, trying to recall if we’d met before.

“It’s really Phii Li… Earlier, I only saw your back, so I wasn’t sure.”

Panli remembered now. This girl was the star of the business faculty at his university. They’d met a few months ago at an old friend’s birthday party.

“Yeah.”

“Have you been here long, Phii Li?… I had no idea you’d be here too.”

“I didn’t plan to come, just stopped by to see a friend.”

“Where’s you sitting?”

Panli glanced away from my junior and looked at the long bench where Klaijai had been waiting for a while. But the sight made him want to chuck a water bottle at his annoying friend’s head.

“That bastard Tew,” I muttered, clicking his tongue in frustration as I saw his close friend from high school, who’d just returned from China, sitting on the ground in front of Klaijai, grinning like an idiot. “You flirt with anyone, you jerk.”

Without hesitation, Panli grabbed a cold water bottle and scooped a handful of ice with his other hand before turning to his junior, who was waiting for an answer.

“Close the ice cooler for me, okay?”

“Uh, sure, Phii Li.”

“Just wait, you bastard Tew. You’ve been in China so long, you must be craving a kick from me.”

The closer Panli got to Klaijai’s bench, the more he noticed Tew’s sparkling eyes as he looked at Klaijai. What made me want to knock him flat was that he managed to get a smile out of Klaijai.

“You bastard Tew!”  Thud!

“Ow! My head!”

“Yeah! I meant to hit your head with that ice!”

“Uh, Panli…”

The remaining ice in Panli hand was thrown at the target again. Tew raised both arms to shield himself before clasping his hands and raising them above his head. He probably realized he was genuinely pissed. Even though they usually roughhouse as guys do, this time he must’ve sensed the intensity was higher than usual—and it’d only get worse if he kept pushing me.

“Alright, I give up! I give up!”

“You ugly jerk.”

Panli tries to be a good person in Klaijai’s eyes. He doesn’t want to curse or act like a brute in front of someone so kind. But his annoying friends always provoke him into letting this side of him out.

He looked at the small person blinking rapidly, tempted to scold them for smiling at Tew. But instead, he just opened the water bottle and handed it to Klaijai. They took it, drank, and—probably sensing his annoyance—glanced at him while sipping. After finishing, they handed the bottle back with a wide, pleading smile, as if trying to make him less mad.

“Panli, want to drink together? It’ll be refreshing~”

“No thanks.”

Panli replied while scanning the small person from head to toe again. He was wearing an oversized short-sleeved T-shirt tucked into lightcolored skinny jeans, paired with white Adidas sneakers. It made him deeply worried because even in such a simple, casual outfit, Klaijai was this charming. If one day they decided to dress up more, he’d probably struggle to fend off everyone buzzing around them. And if you ask why he got so mad when he saw that jerk Tew talking to them…

It’s because… Klaijai

Is totally Tew’s type.

Hot-headed as Panli, he is not very rational when he feels possessive over something. Like now, when he stepped in front of the small person to block Tew’s view of his good person. he knows he being foolish, especially since he has no claim over him. he should stick to his original plan and not rush the relationship. But because he so possessive, he couldn’t help but place one hand over their thin lips. Klaijai, looking up at his, widened their eyes slightly, seemingly startled that he covered his mouth.

“Can you not smile at Tew?” Even though his actions clearly screamed “don’t,” I knew I didn’t have that much right over them. So all his could do was

Beg Klaijai.

The kind-hearted person nodded hesitantly. Selfish and possessive as he is, Panli let them go, slowly withdrawing his hand. he admits he deliberately let his palm lightly brush against Klai’s soft lips.

Those pink slips…

Panli desperately wanted to touch them…

Panli froze when someone tugged at the hem of his shirt. He sighed heavily before turning around. Tew sat on the ground, smirking smugly. Reluctantly, Panli sat opposite him, then slid back to settle between Klaijai’s slender legs.

Looking up, Panli saw Klaijai press their lips tightly before offering a faint smile. Klaijai probably wasn’t used to this closeness, but Panli believed they’d adjust soon. He leaned back against the edge of the long bench where Klaijai sat, rubbing the white sneakers on either side of him.

Rubbing to make them feel safe.

Rubbing in hopes… that Klaijai would touch him back.

But if Klaijai wasn’t ready… that was fine.

Panli would step back… give them time.

Then approach again…

“Haven’t seen you in a while, and you’ve gotten way tougher, huh?” Tew said.

“Tough my ass, I’m the same as always,” Panli shot back.

“My head… doesn’t feel the same. It’s swollen like a damn lime, you bastard.”

“Over the top, you bastard,” Panli said, laughing.

“Wanna try getting hit in the head with an ice cube?”

Panli chuckled, watching Tew rub his head sheepishly. “You come back and don’t even tell your friend, you idiot.”

“Honestly, I came back all heartbroken… got dumped by a Chinese girl. Didn’t have the energy to message my friends.”

“Pathetic, getting dumped just means you chug some booze. Why make a big deal out of it?”

“Ugh… a handsome guy like you probably never got dumped like me.”

“How would you know?”

“I just know.”

“Those damn bosses keep reporting my business all the time, don’t they?”

“Boiled peanuts.”

“Nosy bastards.”

“Wanna party tonight?” Tew asked, his eyes flickering past Panli to Klaijai.

“Who’re you asking, you bastard?! Be straight with me.”

“Uh, asking you, duh… ugh, you’re overthinking!”

“Overthinking, huh? Wanna eat my foot that bad?”

“Haha… so, you’re really not going?”

“Yeah, I’m done with parties.”

“Gimme a reason.”

“Not giving one.”

“Ugh, I hate secretive people.”

Panli laughed, but then Klaijai’s slender hands rested on his shoulders, and they leaned down, calling softly, “Panli…”

It felt natural. Panli reached up to hold the hand on his shoulder and asked, “Yeah… what’s up?”

“Can Panli be my chin rest for a bit?” Klaijai said, gently patting his head.

Panli turned to the small figure blinking cutely and said, “Sure thing.”

Panli didn’t know what prompted Klaijai to rest their chin on his head, but the brush of their hair deepened their bond. As he turned to keep chatting with Tew, Klaijai’s slender chin settled gently on his head, their hands dropping to rest on his chest.

Tew glanced between Panli and Klaijai, sighing and shaking his head.

Panli knew Tew was jealous and regretful, but powerless. To flaunt Klaijai’s affection, Panli grabbed Klaijai’s slender arms and wrapped them around his neck. Tew rubbed his temple and changed the topic.

Give it up, buddy… This one’s mine.

“So, how’s school going for you?” Tew asked.

“It’s fine… professors are piling on assignments,” Panli replied.

“Haha, same as me, then.”

While talking, Panli caught Boss gesturing from a distance out of the corner of his eye. He ignored it, focusing on Tew. Boss was likely egging Klaijai on. Sneaking another glance, Panli saw Boss push his bangs up, revealing his forehead. Boss probably wanted Klaijai to do the same to Panli. After showering in the locker room, Panli hadn’t styled his hair to show his forehead like he did for soccer, letting it dry naturally.

If Klaijai followed Boss’s cue, it wouldn’t faze Panli—he often styled his hair that way anyway. But Boss would likely relish seeing Panli in full “puppy mode.”

Panli was testing if Klaijai would do it.

Puppy or not… we’ll see.

Then, one of Klaijai’s slender hands moved to Panli’s forehead. A small palm slid under his hair, sweeping it back to expose his forehead.

The other hand pinched both of Panli’s cheeks, unable to resist.

Tew’s eyes widened, probably expecting Panli to snap at Klaijai. But Panli wouldn’t. He knew Tew was ready to tease Klaijai. Instead, Panli kept talking with Tew as Klaijai’s hands, satisfied with pinching, let go, leaving only the hand holding his hair back.

Go for it, Klaijai… Give it all you’ve got.

Tew burst out laughing, giving a thumbs-up to Klaijai giggling behind

Panli. “Well done! You’ve got Li completely tamed.”

Klaijai’s soft laughter showed their joy. When they finally released Panli’s hair, Klaijai kindly smoothed and neatened his bangs back into place.

It’s like you patted my head and fixed it, Klaijai…

Panli turned to Klaijai, who’d been beaming with mischievous eyes but suddenly went quiet, lips closed, as if worried Panli was upset. Their eyes locked in a quiet moment that settled in Panli’s heart.

His friends probably saw him as Klaijai’s puppy, and soon they’d tease him as “puppy” whenever they met. Panli didn’t love the nickname.

But then Klaijai wrinkled their nose, flashed a sweet smile, and softly said, “Puppy.”

And with that, Panli didn’t mind it so much.

Panli fought to hide a grin. Klaijai had a knack for calming him down. He wasn’t wrong to label them “mischievous”—they were far more playful than he’d ever guessed. Gazing at Klaijai, still wearing that sweet smile, Panli thought,

Scold them, Li… Say,

“Don’t call me puppy again!”

If he didn’t nip it in the bud, his carefully built tough-guy image would shatter. But seeing Klaijai beaming so brightly…

Forget it. Let the image crash.

What was the use of being tough? Chuck it, Li. It’s pointless anyway.

That’s all it took. He’d do it for Klaijai.

“Mischievous,” Panli mumbled, turning back to chat with that jerk

Tew. He wasn’t accustomed to being someone’s person, or this tender “puppy” who melted for them. He couldn’t fathom he’d turned into this, yielding so much it felt unreal. As his hand glided up to softly rub the slender arm around his neck, he had to face it…

You can resist… but you’re completely smitten with them.

Boss: sent a photo 

Tillll: LOLOLOL, you puppy  Lotto: For real? 

F: Who’s the one straddling Li? 

Tillll: Straddling where? Don’t be crude. I was sitting right there.

Klai wasn’t straddling anyone. It was Li who squeezed in between Klai’s legs. Don’t make it sound like Klai’s some wild person, you jerk. 

F: Damn, I didn’t know. The side angle in the photo makes it look like they’re straddling Li. 

Lotto: I zoomed in on the pic, and they’re pretty cute, not gonna lie. 

1. Panli: @Lotto, Easy there. Zoom in lightly, you bastard.

Boss: LOLOLOLOLOL 

1. Panli: @Boss, You too, you jerk Boss. Tone down your sleazy vibes.

Panli shook his head in frustration while tapping on the keyboard. After parting ways with his friends and getting in the car to head home, those devilish friends immediately started messing with him. They sent a photo to their close friends’ LINE group—taken when Klaijai playfully ruffled his hair, exposing his forehead. This group only has Panli’s high school friends, none from university.

And there are almost 30 people in the damn group.

Tonight, most of them are partying together.

That photo of me is definitely going to be the source of their entertainment.

1. Panli: If anyone saves that photo to their phone, you bastard, I’ll come to your house and beat you up.
2. Panli: And if you don’t stop sending this photo to mock me, Boss, I’ll burn your house down.

F: Delete it, quick!

Boss: If you don’t come to the party, I’m not deleting the photo. P. Panli: You scum.

Tillll: Go beg Klai first, you puppy. P. Panli: …No need to beg.

1. Panli: Just telling him is enough.

Lotto: You were almost cool when you said, “No need to beg,” but then you turned into a puppy again with, “Just telling him is enough,” lololol.

Done… I’m completely done for.

My tough-guy system is totally malfunctioning.

F: Come on, man. No girls at this party, just friends. Come catch up on life.

1. Panli: Fine, I’ll go, but I’m leaving early.

Tillll: Cool, see you there!

Panli locked the screen and let out a tired sigh. Tonight, they’re definitely going to tease him nonstop. he slipped the black phone back into his pocket and turned to look at the person beside him, who was flipping through a notebook. Panli wanted to pull the small person over and playfully scold them for going along with Boss’s antics, but all he could do was… gently pat their fluffy head.

When Klai turned and smiled at him…

All he could manage was, “Is your seatbelt fastened properly?”

That’s all he’s got…

Yeah, I’m totally the pathetic puppy you said I am, Boss.

“Mhm, all set.”

“Don’t stay up late tonight, KhunKlai…” Panli said it because he was genuinely worried about him, but he also admits he used it to segue into something else he wanted to say. “I was planning to sleep early tonight, but my friends are insisting I go…”

“Going to a party, huh?”

“Yup.”

“Don’t drink too much, Panli…” the small guy said with a concerned tone and expression. “If you can’t drive back, take a taxi, okay?” “Okay,” Panli replied. Phew, got that out of the way.

Panli let go of his fluffy head, moved my hand to shift gears, and drove out of the parking lot. On the way, they chatted casually. Klaijai has gotten so much better at talking. He glanced at the guy beside him, who was now nonstop sharing cute stories. When Klaijai is this lively, mischievous self… It makes him want to… …protect him forever.

Keep him as his little troublemaker forever.

Since traffic wasn’t bad today, he got Klaijai to his condo faster than expected. The small guy left his wallet with him on the car’s console, unbuckled his seatbelt, and got ready to get out. He turned to flash me a smile and waved goodbye.

It was at this moment he thought…

Man, you gotta be a bit clearer now.

“Klaijai…” Panli called out, stopping him as he was getting out. His almond-shaped eyes looked at me with curiosity. “I know we’ve known each other for a while now… and you have already let me be your friend.”

“…”

“But I want things to be clear for both of us…” Every step, every stage of our relationship… I want it to be as clear as possible. Of course, I hope it deepens over time, but it has to be clear too. “KhunKlai…will you be my friend?”

The little troublemaker gave a shy smile, then nodded firmly. “I agree.”

Damn…

So freaking cute.

Mom’s Winnie the Pooh could never compete with Klaijai…

“Have sweet dreams tonight, okay?”

“Mhm, sweet dreams to you too, Panli.”

The small guy opened the door to get out, but then he closed it again and turned to meet his eyes. At that moment… his heart trembled. It wanted to say something to him, but he could only bury those words deep inside and give him a reassuring smile, so he’d feel safe enough to say what he intended.

“Um, I… I know Panli is kinda impatient…” Klaijai looked down, avoiding my gaze, before continuing, “Honestly, it won’t be long before we’re even closer, I’m sure.”

“…”

In the next second, Klaijai looked up and met his eyes again. “We could just skip straight to being best friends, you know.”

Panli burst out laughing before replying, “Sure… so we’re best friends now, then.”

“Mhm… I’ll head off now.”

“Okay… sweet dreams, round two, Klaijai.”

Klaijai nodded before saying, “Sweet dreams, round two, to you too.”

Panli watched the small guy get out of the car, his eyes following him until he disappeared into the condo. Then he picked up his phone and typed a message to send him on LINE.

1. Panli: Sweet dreams, round three, sneaky guy.

Panli: sent a sticker glaijai: sent a sticker

The sticker of a rabbit sleeping soundly on a bed with the English phrase “Good night” brought a wide smile to my face. The little hearts floating around the rabbit…

They made him lose…

Lose to Klaijai in every way…

 

MYMOON CHAPTERS HOME