Love Upon A Time.

Sense of Longing.

I still remember the first feeling when I realised I'd travelled back in time. I was so dumbfounded that I almost fainted. From that moment on, I constantly tried to figure out a way to return home. However, when it actually happened, the first feeling after knowing I'd returned to the present era wasn't joy. My body went numb, my heart sank, and there wasn't even a trace of happiness.

 

"...No... no way..." I scanned my surroundings, my legs stumbling aimlessly. I kept mumbling the same words over and over like a fool. My body trembled as I tried to look around for a way back, but how could I go back when I didn't even know how I got here in the first place? My hands and feet felt cold, almost numb. I wasn't sure if it was because of the chilly wind blowing through me or the extreme shock. The surroundings were silent, with only the faint sound of music from the house across the street reaching my ears. As time passed, it seemed to emphasise the reality of not being dreaming. My eyes started to burn, and my legs gave out, making me collapse to the ground.

 

The sound of the wind rustling the leaves sounded like a mournful cry. I repeatedly closed my eyes, hoping this was just a dream or maybe I'd just dreamed of going to a festival. When I opened my eyes again, I'd find myself lying on my bed with P'Phop beside me. But no matter how many times I tried, nothing happened. I didn't wake up, and I didn't go back there. I was still in the backyard as before.

 

My mind was in disarray, unable to think of anything. I sat dazed under the mango tree, unwilling to accept the truth. I didn't know how long it took before I could think of something. Slowly, I lifted my heavy body and walked back to the house. I yanked the door open and stepped into the house where I'd lived since I was born. Everything was as I remembered: synthetic furniture, a television, a computer, and an air conditioner. Once, it was a sight longed for, but now it felt unfamiliar, unlike the wooden furniture at Phraya Pichaipakdee's house. The traditional shirt and trousers I was wearing were completely out of place in this two-story concrete house, surrounded by technology and comfort. I felt like an outsider. I didn't belong here...

 

I glanced at the living room wall, my heart sinking when I saw the clock hands pointing to 9:45 p.m. I rushed to grab my phone from the table and checked it. The calendar displayed the same date and time I remembered before I travelled back in time. If I wasn't mistaken, I left the house around 9 p.m. I'd only sat in the garden for a moment before falling asleep from drunkenness. During that time, there must've been a lunar eclipse that caused me to time-travel. Does that mean I returned here again when the lunar eclipse ended? Seven months of living in the past took only a few minutes in the present.

 

At this point, my body trembled uncontrollably. I collapsed to the ground, biting my lip. Even though I tried to hold back my sobs, the dam of tears broke, flooding uncontrollably. What the hell is this? Why did I come back here? What will happen there? Is P'Phop safe? I heard gunshots. He didn't get hurt protecting me, did he? How shocked would he be that I disappeared? How can I go back to him? Will I ever see him again? I have no idea.

 

The silence in the living room was shattered by my crying. I cried until my head hurt, not hearing the car engine stop in front of the house or the door opening. I only realised it when my parents came in, shaking me in a panic.

 

"Kun! What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

 

"Are you hurt? Where does it hurt? And why are you dressed like this?"

 

My parents bombarded me with questions, but I couldn't respond coherently enough. Tears streamed down my face as I looked at my parents' faces, whom I hadn't seen in so long. The joy of seeing them again, mixed with the pain, was almost unbearable.

 

"l.. I want to go back... P'Phop..."

 

Saying his name made my heart ache. I was worried sick about him. I wanted to see with my own eyes that he was safe. We were supposed to be happy together, weren't we? In just a few days, we were going to get married. In just a few days, I'll live with him. We'd be together forever. He promised to stay with me.

So why did it turn out like this...?

 

"Go back to where? What's wrong, Kun? Tell me." My mother's voice sounded like she was about to break, seeing me cry so hard.

 

"What's wrong? Tell me."

 

".. I..." I shook my head, tears falling to the ground. I couldn't form words. Even if I did, no one would understand. If I said I travelled back in time, my parents would take me to a psychiatrist. If I told anyone, they'd think I was crazy.

 

My sobs didn't stop. My parents hugged me, trying to comfort me. I just hugged them tightly, crying like a baby. But no matter how much I cried, it wouldn't change the truth. In this situation, maybe going crazy would be the best thing. I wouldn't have to feel the pain of separation anymore.

 

I don't know how I got through the night. I just know I cried until I was exhausted. When I opened my eyes again, I was still sitting in the living room, wearing the same clothes. My parents weren't nearby, but I heard their voices faintly from outside. I slowly stood up, looking around the room with a sense of emptiness. My mind was still heavy and confused. But as I started to regain my senses, tears welled up in my eyes again.

 

This is my home, the modern world full of technology. It's always been my place. But I no longer felt familiar with it. I wanted to go back to the old world, and I had to find a way to return. No matter what, I had to go back to P'Phop. I'd done it once before; it had to be possible again.

 

Previously, Luang Ta had warned me that I'd face misfortune. This must be what he was talking about. Yes, Luang Ta must be able to help me. I believe he's also been reincarnated. He must remember his past life as I do. Maybe he can guide me back to P'Phop.

 

"My dear, Kun's awake. How are you feeling?" My mother, who'd just walked into the house, called out to my father and rushed to me, standing still in the middle of the room. I looked at my mother, speechless for a moment.

 

"...Mom."

 

"Yes? What's wrong? Please, tell me."

 

"..Mom... can you take me to see Luang Ta?" I forced out a hoarse voice, not even knowing what expression I had. But my mother's eyes looked even more worried.

 

"Why do you suddenly want to see Luang Ta? What's wrong? You can tell me anything. Your father and I are so worried about you."

 

"Please, take me to see Luang Ta," I managed to say, feeling a lump in my throat. My mom seemed to agree, I think. My mind wasn't clear, and I wasn't really listening.

 

I dragged myself to take a shower and change clothes, doing everything like a lifeless robot. My parents asked why I was dressed like that and where the ring on my finger came from, but I didn't answer. I didn't know if they'd believe me. Honestly, I didn't want to take off my clothes. It felt like the only thing reminding me that what happened wasn't just a dream. It really happened. I lived there. I met P'Phop...

 

But eventually, I had to change back into my regular clothes, leaving only the ring on my finger. During the car ride to the temple, I absentmindedly rubbed the ring, not saying a word. I looked calm on the outside, but inside, I was a mess, thinking only about P'Phop. I really wanted to go back to him. Now, all my hope was in Luang Ta. I knew he could help me.

 

"Mom, Dad... can you wait here?"

 

When we arrived at the temple, I asked my parents to wait at the pavilion. They exchanged worried glances, evidently concerned about what I was thinking.

 

"Why is that, son?"

 

"I just have something to ask Luang Ta. I'm fine, really." I tried to smile, but I knew it was a lifeless smile.

 

"Alright then, we'll wait here."

 

My father finally spoke. Given my emotional state, they didn't dare say or do anything to make me feel worse.

 

I dragged myself into the merit hall. On Sunday mornings, the temple was bustling with people making merit. I scanned the area until I saw Luang Ta. He wasn't sitting where the monks usually received offerings. He was sitting almost at the far corner of the room, looking at me. I could only assume that Luang Ta knew I'd come here.

 

"Hello, Luang Ta." I walked straight towards him, kneeling down and raising my hands in a respectful wai. I looked up at him. It felt like only a day had passed here, but in reality, I hadn't seen Luang Ta for over half a year.

 

"You're here to see Luang Ta again, aren't you, Kun?" he greeted me. His eyes, clouded with age, looked at me with kindness and compassion. The look in his eyes was exactly the same as the old monk I'd met before, making me even more certain that they were the same person.

 

I'd met everyone I knew in this life in my previous life. We were bound together by the karma we'd shared. Thi was P'Jom, Pun was Kaew, and Pun's friends were Chuay. The old monk was my Luang Ta. Even Luang Preecha-piban had been reborn as my father in this life. There was only one person I hadn't met in this life, the one I wanted to see the most.

 

"Luang Ta," I finally managed to speak after a long pause. I had so many questions and things I wanted to talk to him about, but right now, there was only one important matter.

 

"Luang Ta, you know... don't you?" I asked, my voice dry. The flicker in Luang Ta's dim eyes was a clear answer without him needing to say anything.

 

"I want to go back there. Can you help me?" My voice was barely louder than a whisper, filled with hope. He had to help me. Soon, I'd see P'Phop again.

 

"Nakun."

 

"I want to go back to him." I moved closer to him, clutching the edge of his robe like a child. 

 

"Please, Luang Ta, tell me what I need to do. Please..."

 

"Nakun, listen to me carefully," he said, his wrinkled hand gently touching mine. I bit my lip, a small part of me filled with hope. But when I looked into his eyes, my heart sank.

 

"Meeting or parting is destiny. I can't change anything."

 

"…."

 

"Originally, your time with that place had ended. But you have to go back because of the bond you created. Once that bond is resolved, you must return to where you belong."

 

"But I have to go back. I must go back. Please help me," pleaded, tears threatening to fall. Luang Ta squeezed my hand and shook his head.

 

"If I could help, I would. But I don't know how to make you go back there. It's up to fate."

 

"I know it's hard, but you have to accept the truth and live in the present."

 

"But he's not here," my voice trembled, my breath hitching. "How can I go on living? Before I came back here, he might've been shot. I don't know how he is. If I'm not there, how heartbroken will he be? Why... Why do I have to be separated from him again? It's not fair."

 

Luang Ta's heavy hand stroked my head as I shook, trying to hold back my sobs and tears.

 

"It's because of the karma you created. Everything has its time. You'll meet him again when the time is right. In the future, you might meet him again."

 

Those words were like a soothing balm to my soul, but only temporarily. It felt like a false hope that might never come true. While I'd met others in this life, P'Phop was the only one I hadn't seen. Do I really have no choice but to wait?

 

"Your life must go on, Nakun. You still have your family, friends, and studies to take care of. If the person you want to meet knew you were living in such sorrow, he wouldn't be happy."

 

"Trust me. If you're truly destined to be together, you'll meet again someday." Luang Ta patted my shoulder gently.

 

It took me a while to regain my composure. I bowed to Luang Ta, apologising for causing him distress. He didn't scold me; instead, he comforted me and reminded me to keep praying and making merit.

 

I walked out of the hall to find my parents, my mind set with determination. I believed there had to be a way to go back. I'd travelled back almost four hundred years during a lunar eclipse. Maybe if another lunar eclipse occurred, I could return. Or perhaps there was another way. I'd find it. Even if the chance was as faint as when I tried to find my way home, I wouldn't give up. I'd see P'Phop again. Because if I didn't go back, P'Phop would be alone for the rest of his life. He was a man of his word. He said he'd only have me, and I knew he'd keep his promise. I couldn't let him live in solitude.

 

The car ride home was silent. I stared out the window, lost in my thoughts. I didn't even realise when we arrived home. As I stepped out of the car, my mother approached me.

 

"Are you okay, Kun?"

 

"..."

 

"I don't know what you've been through, but if there's anything troubling you, you can always talk to us."

 

She held my hand, brushing my messy hair aside. For a moment, I felt like a child again, the one who fell from a mango tree and broke his leg, crying in pain.

 

"Thank you." I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced a smile. I knew my condition worried my parents, but the recent events were too fresh for me to move on.

 

I went up to my room, sat on the floor, and hugged my knees. My eyes were fixed on the ring finger of my left hand. The gold ring with intricate designs that had caught my eye when we first went to the market together had become the engagement ring P'Phop gave me. He'd promised to replace it with a more expensive one on our wedding day. It was hard to accept that the promise would never come true. Those moments were gone forever.

Or was everything predestined to be this way? In my past life as Klao, I loved him, but I died before him. Now, as Nakun, I had no chance to meet him again. Fate played a cruel joke, separating us once more.

 

I clenched my fist, my eyes still red and swollen. As soon as I thought of P'Phop, a tear fell, followed by a stream. I buried my face in my knees, clutching my shirt over my chest. There was no sword piercing my chest, but the pain I felt now was no different from being stabbed back then.

 

The holidays passed quickly. I had to return to Bangkok for my studies. In front of my parents, I tried to act normal to ease their worries, but my heart was deeply wounded. Back in my dorm, I locked myself in my room, texting my friends that I was sick, then turning off my phone. I was consumed by sorrow and obsessed with finding a way to return to P'Phop. I searched the internet for information, checking when the next lunar eclipse would occur. It turned out that the next full lunar eclipse would be in four years. Knowing this, my once hopeful heart sank.

 

Four years was too long. If I had to wait that long, how much time would've passed in the past? And there was no guarantee that another lunar eclipse would allow me to travel back. Even if it did, I didn't know when I'd arrive. But it was the last straw I clung to for hope. Someone who had never believed in fortune-telling or superstitions, I wondered whether I should seek advice from a monk or a fortune-teller who could help me find a way back to that era.

 

Knock, knock.

One evening, a knock on the door interrupted my thoughts as I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling and rubbing the gold ring on my finger. I slowly turned to look at the door, gathering my thoughts for a moment before realising I should get up and see who it was. I dragged myself off the bed, walked to the door, and looked through the peephole. I saw the dorm manager standing outside, so I opened the door.

 

"Is there something wrong?" My voice sounded hoarse and lifeless.

 

"Someone asked me to check on you. he said you haven't been to university for several days. Are you okay? Are you sick, dear?" she asked with concern. I must've looked terrible.

 

"I'm fine, just... resting. Who asked you to check on me?" I asked.

 

"He said he's a friend from your faculty named Thi. But I couldn't let him in because he's not a resident, so I came to check on you myself."

 

I froze at her words. How many days had it been? Two or three since I turned off my phone, skipped classes, and stayed in my room except to buy food downstairs. I hadn't called my parents since returning to Bangkok. Now, Thi had even come looking for me. I'd been so focused on my own issues that I hadn't realised I was worrying those around me.

 

"Will you go down to see your friend? He's waiting downstairs."

 

"...Yes, ma'am." I nodded, grabbed my room key card and closed the door, following the dorm manager downstairs.

 

It was almost six in the evening, not yet the time when most students would return to their dorms. There was an open area under the dorm building, with benches lined up, which was sparsely populated. Only a few students were sitting in groups, having their dinner. I walked out of the building and scanned the area, spotting my close friend in a student uniform waiting on one of the benches.

 

"Hey, Kun!"

 

As soon as he saw me, he briskly stood up and walked straight towards me. Though only a few days had passed here, I hadn't seen my friend's face in half a year. I stood still, looking at the owner of the golden hair, who started rambling on.

 

"How have you been? You disappeared so completely that I thought you might've died in your room. Do you know I called you a hundred times in the past three days? Why did you turn off your phone?"

 

"And why do you look so pale? Are you still not feeling better?"

 

"..."

 

"Kun? Nakun, hey!"

 

"P'Jom..." I unconsciously uttered that name as I looked at my friend's face. They say that when people meet, it means they've shared karma. P'Jom had become Thi, standing right in front of me. And what about P'Phop? Why had I never met him...?

 

"What did you call me?" Thi looked puzzled.

 

"...'

 

"You... Kun!"

 

".."

 

"Hey! Did you hear what I said?"

 

He reached out and slapped my shoulder heavily. I took a deep breath, trying to hide my weakness, and replied in a steady voice.

 

"Sorry, I have a fever, so... I'm a bit out of it."

 

"Yeah, you really seem out of it." Thi squinted, examining my pale face.

 

"Are you okay? Do you need to see a doctor? I can take you."

 

"No, I'm fine." I forced a weak smile. Thi still seemed unconvinced, his eyes suggesting he thought I might collapse at any moment. So, I changed the subject by starting a conversation.

 

"Did you come to check if I'm still alive?"

 

"Yeah, and I brought you some notes. The professor said you've missed two Poetry classes already, and you can't miss any more."

 

The slightly taller friend said as he pulled me to sit on the bench, then handed me a thick stack of notes. He explained the homework the professor had assigned. While I looked at him, my mind was filled with confusion and guilt.

 

In the past few days, I'd been utterly lost, drowning in sorrow, forgetting that there were people around me who cared. I forgot that I still had responsibilities. I could try to find a way back to P'Phop while still fulfilling my duties. If I kept wallowing in grief, I wouldn't be able to move forward. I needed to pull myself together and regain my strength as quickly as possible.

 

"Are you sure you're okay?" Thi asked again after explaining the assignments to me, his usual playful demeanour completely absent.

 

"Do I look that bad?" I asked wearily.

 

"Yeah, I've known you for three years and never seen you like this. If I didn't know you didn't have a girlfriend, I'd think you were heartbroken. You look so sad."

 

I forced a smile at his words. Not exactly, but close enough. Heartbreak hurts a lot, but having to part from someone you love while still loving them hurts even more.

 

"Thi."

 

"What?"

 

"Suppose there's someone you want to see, but they're very far away, and you have no way to reach them. But you really want to see them again. What would you do?"

 

"Huh?" He raised an eyebrow, looking at me perplexedly. "What kind of question is that?"

 

"Just answer." I turned my face away, sighing deeply. I only wanted to vent to someone, even if I couldn't tell them everything. Speaking out loud probably lightened the burden in my chest a bit.

 

"Well, first, I'd try to find a way to reach them, try everything. But if it's really impossible, then...I guess I'd have to accept it."

 

"..."

 

"Why are you asking?"

 

"Just curious."

 

"Really?"

 

His tone sounded sceptical, but he didn't press further as he could sense that I had something I wasn't ready to share.

 

"So, you're choosing to give up?"

 

"Not exactly. I don't know, but if I've tried everything and still can't get what I want, there's nothing to blame but fate. If it's not meant to be, then we have to accept it, move on, and live our lives."

 

"Meeting and parting are normal parts of life. Like you and me, we mightn't see each other again someday. But if the time we've spent together is great, then there will be good memories to miss when I think of you. Even if we part, those good memories can heal the heart."

 

"You don't believe in fate, do you? But I do. From my perspective, no matter how much you want to see someone, if it's not the right time, you won't see them. But if it's time, you'll meet again, even if you don't want to, even if you try to avoid it."

 

"Are you hoping to see someone?"

 

"Yes..."

 

"..."

 

"I hope one day I'll see him again," I murmured. Thi looked puzzled.

 

"Hey, Kun, I think you're acting weird. Are you sure you're okay?"

 

"Thi, can you... Go buy me some water?" The burning sensation in my eyes made me quickly divert the conversation. Thi still looked suspicious, but I got up and walked to the nearby drink stall as I asked, leaving me alone at the table.

 

I took a deep breath, blinking rapidly to chase away the tears welling up. Thi’s words helped clear my confused mind, reminding me that I couldn't stay sad forever. I had to live my life and accept reality. It was fate that brought us together from the start. But if everything had to end like this, at least the time we spent together was a precious memory. P'Phop and I love each other. That's an unchanging truth. Until the day we meet again, or in the worst case, if we never meet again, I'll still remember every moment we spent together. No matter how much time passes, I'll never forget.

 

Each day passed slowly, from months to a year.

 

The professor's lecture at the front of the room was accompanied by the sound of ballpoint pens scribbling on paper and stylus pens tapping on tablet screens. I looked up at the projector screen at the front of the room, trying to keep up with the professor's lecture. After a while, the professor gave us a ten-minute restroom break.

 

"Kun, are you going to the restroom?"

 

"No, you go ahead."

 

"Okay, watch my stuff for me," Thi said as he got up and walked out of the room with the other students. I put down my ballpoint pen,  massaging my temples, and looked out the window to rest my eyes. From my seat, I could see a large ylang-ylang tree blooming across the street from the classroom building. The sight reminded me of the old days at Phraya Pichaipadee's house. There was also a large lang-ylang tree planted near my bedroom window. Thinking of this, I lowered my eyes and sighed deeply.

 

It'd been over a year since the lunar eclipse since I travelled back to the present. It had been a year that hadn't passed easily, especially in the beginning. I could hardly sleep, couldn't concentrate on my studies, and was so distracted that I almost had several accidents. My mental state was so unstable that those around me were worried. So, I decided to consult a psychiatrist while also trying to find a way back to P'Phop.

 

When people are lost, they do things that don't seem like themselves. Like me, who never believed in fate, I went to see every famous fortune teller I could find. I visited every revered monk to ask about ways to return to the past. I knew this wasn't like me at all, but I didn't care. The important thing wasn't my image in others' eyes but trying to protect myself from the pain, finding ways to alleviate that agony. But what got in return were expensive consultation fees and offers to buy sacred objects to pray for. No matter how much I yearned to go back to P'Phop, I had enough sense to distinguish between truth and deception. So, l didn't fall for those scams. But some gave me sincere advice, and they all said the same thing: it was a matter of karma and fate. I couldn't force fate.

 

I stopped asking others and started waiting for phenomena instead. In the past year, there had been two partial lunar eclipses. I went home and prayed during the phenomenon, praying to go back, but nothing happened. I wasn't sure if it was because they were different types of lunar eclipses or if I simply couldn't go back anymore.

 

Almost a year had passed, and I finally had to admit that there was nothing I could do but wait for fate to bring us back together. And who knew if that day would ever come? The longer the time went on, the more scared I felt. I was afraid that one day I'd forget these feelings, afraid that I'd forget everything about him. Fortunately, I still had some belongings from the past with me. They were almost the only things that reminded me that everything had really happened. 

 

I had to take off the gold ring and keep it in my dorm so it wouldn't draw attention, avoiding repeated questions about where I got it. But every day, I'd take it out, look at it, and reminisce about the old times. It took me a long time to fully accept this. Time helps heal the pain, but it can never make it completely fade away. It's like getting used to a wound that hurts so much, but doesn't mean it stops hurting.

 

Even though I lived my daily life normally in front of others, going to classes every day and modelling on weekends, returning to being the Nakun everyone knew, the truth was, I still thought about P’Phop all the time. We parted ways without a chance to say goodbye for the second time. Is he suffering like I am now?

 

"Hey, Kun!" Thi's voice startled me a bit. When I turned to look, I saw him holding out a cold soda can to me.

"Want one?"

 

"Are you treating?"

 

"Yeah, I want to treat my friend like the rich that I am."

 

He raised his eyebrows playfully and smiled, showing his fangs, before lifting his own soda can to drink. I chuckled at his words and reached out to take the can he offered, deciding not to refuse my friend's kindness.

 

Over a year had passed, and now we were fourth-year students about to take our first semester finals. Both Thi and I had changed quite a bit in our personalities. While I'd become more reserved, Thi had matured a lot. His once glaring blonde hair was now dyed black. But what hadn't changed was that he still persistently courted Pun every morning and evening, and Pun still hadn't given in. Seeing this made me think of P'Jom and Kaew. Back then, Kaew had spent many years chasing P'Jom. Could this be called karma?

 

I opened the soda can and took a sip. The fizzy, sweet taste flowed down my throat, making me feel a bit better. At the front of the room, the professor started lecturing again, so I put the soda can down and focused on the lesson.

 

Three hours of intense studying passed. When the professor allowed us to leave, my classmates quickly packed up and followed the professor out. Thi, three other friends from our department and I headed to the department's booth in the faculty courtyard to finish our group project.

 

"P'Kuuun!"

 

The cheerful voice of my junior, Pun, called out as we were analysing an article. I looked up from the article sheet and saw Pun walking towards our booth with a friend.

 

"Pun, did you miss me so much that you had to come find me at the booth? Wow, I'm so happy." Thi, sitting next to me, spoke with a mischievous grin, making Pun roll his eyes.

 

"Is your name Kun? I think I just called P'Kun."

 

"Don't use Kun as an excuse. Just admit you missed me."

 

"You're delusional."

 

My junior rolled his eyes dramatically and continued bantering with Thi. I looked at Pun's friend standing there with a dry smile. I didn't know Ball, Pun's friend, very well, but if it was almost four hundred years ago, I knew him well.

 

Ball, like everyone else around me, was someone I'd met before. Yes, this was Chuay, my close servant in the 2021 version, who was no longer a servant but a popular third-year student. He still seemed like a good-hearted young man, and in this life, he didn't have to work hard and had equal educational opportunities. Seeing this made me, as his former master, very happy. 

 

"What's up, Pun? Do you need my help with anything?" I turned my attention from my former close servant to my Junior.

 

"I wanted to ask if you have any lecture notes for the Chinese culture class that Ball could borrow. He's taking Chinese as a minor like you, so we thought you might have some notes."

 

"I do. They should still be in my dorm. I'll look for them later," I said, smiling slightly at the other junior.

 

"Thank you, P'Kun," Ball said, giving me a wai and a sincere smile.

 

"No problem, it's not a big deal. Do you have another class to go to?"

 

"Yes, but we saw you at the booth first, so we stopped by. We'll go to class now. If we're late, the professor will scold us."

 

"Which professor dares to scold my Pun? I'll go clear them up."

 

Thi pretended to roll up his sleeves, acting tough. Pun looked exasperated.

 

"Just clear your own work first, P'Thi. We're going now."

 

"Okay," Thi said goodbye in a sweet voice, looking dreamily after Pun as he walked away. lightly pushed Thi’s head, reminding him to focus on the academic article in front of us.

 

It took almost an hour to finish the group work. I packed up the papers and stationery into my backpack. I was thinking of inviting Thi to grab something to eat when he turned to me.

 

"Kun, are you going home today?"

 

"No, I haven't finished translating my assignment yet. Plus, I still have research to do," I sighed heavily. I'd cleared one task today, but there was still a mountain of work left. Back in high school, someone told me that university life would be easy. I really want to tell them that lying to others isn't good, you know?

 

"Then do you want to stay over at my place this weekend?" Thi asked.

 

"My parents are going to Japan for a week. No one's home. It's so lonely. Come stay with me."

 

"What made you invite me?" I asked, laughing, but I already knew why.

 

Since returning from the past, I knew I wasn't as cheerful as before. Thi was worried about me. He often insisted on staying at my dorm, claiming he was lonely, or sometimes he tried to invite me to stay at his place. But I'd never gone. He was probably afraid I'd get depressed if I stayed alone. But he never said it outright, and I never told Thi that I was grateful for his concern.

 

"I actually invited Pun first, but he didn't give in. I had no choice but to invite you."

 

"How kind," I snorted, pushing his head in mock annoyance. Thi dodged and asked again.

 

"So, are you coming or not?"

 

"Yeah, I'll go," I agreed without much thought. Being alone made me overthink. At least at his place, I'd have a friend to talk to, and I wouldn't waste my dorm's utilities.

 

"Then let's grab something to eat first. I'll drop you off at your dorm to pack, and then we'll head to my place. Deal?"

 

"Great service. I'll help you win Pun over, then. Maybe he'll give in sooner."

 

"That's the spirit. I know feeding you isn't a waste."

 

He patted my head, and I pushed his head back. Thi laughed and put his arm around my shoulder as we walked to the central cafeteria together.

 

After eating, he drove me to my dorm so I could pack my personal belongings. I stuffed a few clothes and my laptop into my backpack. My eyes landed on the ring box on the table. I picked it up, debating whether to wear it. But in the end, I decided to leave it where it was. I wasn't very careful, so I was afraid of losing it. This was my only keepsake from P'Phop. If it got lost, I'd be devastated.

 

"Why are you bringing so much stuff? Are you moving?" Thi teased when I placed my backpack in the back seat of his silver Audi.

 

"I brought my laptop."

 

"You can use mine."

 

"My work is on this one. I don't want to transfer files back and forth."

 

"Suit yourself. Buckle up." He reminded me, and then the car started moving toward his house in the Ram Inthra area.

 

We'd known each other for almost four years, and I'd never had the chance to visit Thi’s house. I'd only stayed at his condo, but he recently sold it to book a room at a luxury riverside condo under construction. So, he temporarily moved back in with his parents.

 

"The white-walled house up ahead is mine." He said as the car turned onto a street. I looked to the left and gaped at the long wall.

 

"Is your house really this big?" I exclaimed in awe. When the car turned into the driveway, I got goosebumps, not from the air conditioning

 

"Yeah, how about calling me Young Master Thi?" He raised an eyebrow playfully, but honestly, calling him "Young Master" wasn't an exaggeration. This wasn't a house; it was a mansion. It had a swimming pool, a lawn, a garage, and lush green trees around the house, with a pavilion in the garden. It was just like the houses of rich people in dramas.

 

"It's freaking huge. How many people live here?"

 

"It's big because there are several houses within the same fence. My house is just in the front here. The back is my uncle's house, but no one is there now. They went to a seminar in Chiang Mai, and my cousin moved to a condo," he said casually while reversing the car into the garage.

 

Once we got out of the car, he helped me bring my stuff into the house and then took me on a tour around the place. I have to say, my legs were almost dragging by the end of it. The place was almost as big as the mango orchard behind my house. It had everything you could think of. Even the lawn was as spacious as a public park. In a past life, P'Jom was the son of a nobleman. In this life, Thi was born into wealth again. They say you can compete in rowing, but you can't compete with fate and fortune. That seems to be true.

 

"She's really friendly," I said while sitting on a bench next to the lawn. Besides the family members, Thi's house also had a female Siberian Husky named Olive. When she stood, she was as tall as my shoulder when I sat, and now she was rubbing her head against my palm.

 

"Too friendly, if you ask me. She plays with anyone who comes by. If a thief broke in, she'd probably play with them, too."

 

Thi shook his head in resignation. I laughed, holding a ball to tease Olive, who was weaving between my legs.

 

"Dude, play with her for a bit. I'm going to charge my phone."

 

I sat there playing with Olive, throwing the ball for her to fetch. She seemed to be having so much fun that she kept bringing the ball back, insisting I throw it again. I threw the ball once more, but this time, it bounced a bit too far, ending up on the road in front of the garage entrance. Olive darted off in that direction. Suddenly, I heard the sound of a car engine. I turned to look and saw a white Mercedes driving towards the garage.

 

"Olive!" I shouted, my face turning pale. I jumped up from the bench and ran after the husky. Olive was too focused on grabbing the ball to notice the car coming her way. Instinctively, I ran to intercept her, trying to pull her aside.

 

Honk!

The car horn blared loudly, jolting my senses. I closed my eyes tightly, crouching down to hug Olive. The Mercedes came to a stop just about a meter in front of me. My heart sank to my feet as I realised I'd just narrowly escaped death once again. I've died once and nearly died twice. Does the Grim Reaper love me this much?

 

"Are you okay!?" a voice called out as my heart was still pounding. The owner of the white Mercedes stepped out and stood in front of me, who was still dressed in a student uniform, hugging Olive.

 

"Y... yes, I'm fine..." The rest of my sentence got stuck in my throat as I looked up.

 

A sharp-featured young man's face came into view. My body went cold when our eyes met. We stared at each other, and in that moment, it felt like the world stopped turning. I forgot how to breathe, and my heart skipped a beat before racing so fast it felt like it might burst out of my chest.

 

"You..."

 

He seemed slightly taken aback when he saw my face, but quickly regained his composure and spoke first. His sharp eyes behind silver-framed glasses stared at me intently, just as I couldn't take my eyes off him. Even though he wore glasses, had a different hairstyle, and dressed differently from what I remembered, this was a face I knew well. A face I thought about all the time.

He was P’Phop...