Love Upon a Time: Special Edition.

Chapter 12 - Forever.

(This content is a What If Nakun is not related to the main storyline in any way.)

 

When P’Plop awoke in the early morning, he found himself in a very strange environment.

 

Creed!

A piercing scream echoed in his ears, seemingly coming from above his head. Perhaps it was what awakened him from his slumber. The young nobleman struggled to sit up from the mattress. He found it difficult, and his vision blurred to a worrying degree. As he glanced around, his heart began to pound uncontrollably. Where am I?

 

Panic crept into his mind. His head felt heavy and ached as he vaguely surveyed the room. He remembered yesterday...He drank alcohol alone in the bedroom of Klao, his lover who had gone far away without a chance to say goodbye. He frequently vented his heartbreak and suffering by intoxicating himself with alcohol in a way that could alleviate his pain. But now, he found himself in a stark white room. 

 

Looking around, he saw strange and unfamiliar furnishings and appliances that he had never seen before. Even the bed he was sleeping on wasn't a four-poster bed or the familiar wooden one. Instead, it was a large, simple, and plain bed. The headboard had compartments for neatly arranged belongings. Phop's breath hitched when his eyes met the window. The room wasn't a typical Thai-style two-door hinged wooden window, but a glass partition with thick curtains drawn on both sides, revealing what looked like a garden. Looking further out, he saw another building with a facade resembling a Western house, rather than a traditional Thai house or hut. This is certainly not his home. Where is he...?

 

The young nobleman's head ached, and suddenly a flood of images rushed into his mind. They were memories that weren't his own, from the moment he could remember until now. Currently, the overwhelming amount of information flooding in all at once made Phop feel like his head was going to explode. He didn't know how long it took for the pain to gradually subside.

 

Upon regaining consciousness, Phop began to understand. This place was his family's home in Bangkok, now called the Bangkok Metropolis. It's as if he's travelled through time to the future, almost four hundred years from now.

 

His name is Tinnapop, a fourth-year law student. This young man is his own reincarnation, and he remembers everything from his previous life. For some reason, but unfortunately, no matter how hard Phop tried to remember, there was no information about him other than his last memory: getting drunk and falling asleep, only to wake up in this body. What Phop knew was that in this lifetime, he was still searching for Klao, hoping to meet the man he loved once again....

 

Creed!

The strange sound that had woken Phop up came back, emanating from the rectangular device on the headrest. Information flashed into his mind. His brain told him it was a cell phone, and Tinnapop, with his short-sightedness, reached out, grabbed his glasses, and put them on before picking up the palm-sized communication device.

 

The screen displayed the caller's name as "Jom".

His body and brain had memorised how to use it. He already knew everything about life in this era. However, it was still the first time for Khunphop. Acting on it, I felt a little nervous when I answered the call and put the cell phone to my ear.

 

[Phop, did you just wake up?]

 

The familiar deep voice, tinged with a hint of urgency, filled him with joy. It seemed he was about to encounter people he knew from his past life as well. For example, his parents, who are still Tinnapop’s parents, as well as his close friend Ai Jom, who has been reincarnated as Thi, his younger cousin.

 

"Yes," Phop replied.

 

He heard a sigh from the other end of the line. 

 

"Ai Jom..." he said in a strained voice. 

 

"[You don't have classes today, right? Can you help me with something? I forgot to bring the translation worksheets that I need. Send this document to me. I have a quiz in this class, so I can't sneak back home. Can you bring it to me at the faculty?]

 

It took a moment for the still-confused brain to process the words of this former friend, now a relative. Once it was clear, the image responded.

 

"Okay, what time?" he asked in a calm voice.

 

[My first class ends at 12:30. You can come around 1 PM. Call me when you arrive. The notes are in the blue folder on my desk in my bedroom. Bring the whole folder. Thanks a lot. I'll treat you to a meal. See you soon.]

 

Beep!

The other party spoke rapidly and then hung up. Phop took a deep breath, trying to understand this strange situation calmly. He was in a similar situation to Klao, wasn't he? Only Phop was luckier, having inhabited the reincarnation's body in the future, unlike his lover.

 

Having travelled through time both body and soul, and lacking any memories, he initially behaved strangely, almost like someone mentally unstable in the eyes of others. He didn't know why this bizarre event had occurred, nor how long he would be here. Nevertheless, Phop intended to make the most of this opportunity, trying to find his loved one by any means possible. If possible, he wanted to see Klao one more time before having to return to his place.

 

Phop got out of bed, grabbed a towel, went into the bathroom, washed up, got dressed, and went down to have breakfast in the dining room as usual. It was quite strange to feel both familiar and unfamiliar with his surroundings, as if Tinnapop’s consciousness was asleep, temporarily allowing him to live in its place. Fortunately, Phop was still able to perform his daily routines as skillfully as before. He only felt nervous about the unfamiliar surroundings, a feeling he cleverly concealed. His mother, the housekeepers, and even Thi's parents, who were his uncle and aunt by marriage, didn't notice anything unusual about him.

 

"Phop, where are you going, son? You don't have school today, do you?"

 

"Thi asked me to take these things to the university," Phop said, holding Thi's document file, bowing respectfully and smiling at Khunying Prayong. His mother called out to him with a gentle expression, "I'll be back soon, Mom."

 

"Okay," his mother smiled sweetly, then raised her eyebrows in surprise when he walked over and hugged her as she sat reading a book on the sofa in the living room.

 

"Hmm, what are you trying to sweet-talk me about, Tinnapop?"

 

"...I just want to hug you, Mom," Phop said, resting his head on his mother's shoulder.

How wonderful... that I, Chadin, was also born as your child, Mother.

 

"I'm leaving now."

 

"Okay, okay, drive safely, son," his mother blessed him. Phop bowed to his mother again and left the house, heading straight to the garage. For someone who had only ever known how to ride horses, this was a completely new feeling driving a vehicle almost four hundred years in the future. The information in his brain made Phop realise firsthand how much more comfortable life is in the modern world, with its many technological conveniences, compared to his time, and how much hardship he had endured when he went back to the beginning.

 

No wonder Klao had once dreamt of going home. This is the home he's so familiar with, isn't it? He must be trying every possible way to get back here.

Certainly, in the end, Klao accepted his love and intended to spend his life with him. he was willing to sacrifice his happiness and the opportunity to see his family, friends, and acquaintances, something he had done all his life forever. He made such immense sacrifices for him, who at that time knew nothing of what was happening...

 

But fate did not allow that. They were forced to part, and it was unknown how long it would be before they met again. Phop's heart ached as he longed for his loved one, knowing that the chances of them meeting again were almost zero, given the world's population of over eight billion. Yet, he would still choose to trust in fate. If those around him from his past life had reunited like this, if fate had once brought him and Klao together and bound their hearts to love, if that feeling was strong enough, perhaps fate would take pity on them...

 

Many thoughts swirled in his mind until he drove to his cousin's university. Phop relied on asking his cousin and students for directions to find his way to the university. Upon arriving at the Faculty of Humanities, I called Thi.

 

"I'm already in front of your faculty building," Phop said into his cell phone, trying to ignore the stares of the many male and female students looking at him. 

 

(Wow, you're so punctual. Wait a sec, I'm on my way.)

 

The sharp eyes behind square-rimmed glasses swept around the room filled with students, wondering how lucky he would be to have the chance to meet Klao here.

Yet he didn't dare to hope. How could that be possible...?

 

"Phop!"

 

Thi’'s voice called his name from behind, so the young nobleman turned to look. Suddenly, his gaze was drawn to a man walking behind his cousin.

 

Time seemed to stop, and even his heart felt like it had stopped beating for a split second before it started pounding violently again, echoing loudly in his ears.

 

"Thanks a lot. You saved my life, you know? The professor won't accept the file; he wants a handwritten version. Damn it! There are twenty pages! Who the hell can write that all in time?" 

 

(The sound of Thi's hand slapping) He slapped the arm of the person who stood stunned and oblivious to their surroundings. Phop's gaze never left the handsome face of the young man in a student uniform who was looking back at him. A face Phop remembered well, a face that was the same even in his sleep. Or, when he's awake, he longs for him, knowing he's within reach. His hair...is right here.

Phop's throat tightened, a burning sensation spreading through his eyes. He couldn't take his eyes off the person who was smiling at him.

 

"Are you Thi's older brother? Hello, my name is Nakun. I'm a friend from the same department as him."

 

"Um... excuse me?" Natthaporn called out to his friend's older brother, who had suddenly gone silent and looked puzzled.

 

"...Yes, hello," Phop said with a slight tremor in his voice, trying to suppress the overwhelming joy and sadness that flooded him. He was certain this man was Klao. His appearance and the feeling he sensed were exactly the same, except for one thing: his eyes had changed. Although he appeared friendly, it was the kind of gaze you'd use to look at a stranger you'd met for the first time. It was immediately clear that this person, Klao, didn't know him at all.

 

"Your brother looks so good; why don't you become a decent person like him, Thi?"

 

"What's so bad about it? Im quite handsome."

 

"You're only handsome on the outside, that's all. That's why Pun doesn't like you."

 

"Don't talk nonsense! he likes me! He's just shy, that's all."

 

The conversation between the two close friends continued under the watchful eyes of Phop, who never left his lover's body. Perhaps...when Klao went back in time to find him, it might have been...older now, the things they've faced together, the future remains unknown to them, and he... is nothing more than the older brother of a friend they've just met for the first time. But even so, even though he doesn't know him, Phop still feels incredibly happy...

 

"Phop, you haven't eaten yet, have you?" Thi turned to ask his older cousin, but when he saw the other standing there, lost in thought, staring only at his friend, the tall man frowned. "Phop! Hey! Can you hear me?"

 

"...Hmm," Phop forced himself to avert his gaze from his lover and meet the eyes of his interlocutor.

 

Thi revealed a mischievous smile. "What's wrong? You're staring at my friend so hard you're going to see right through him. Are you smitten with that guy?"

 

"That damn guy!" Nakun scolded the speaker, glancing respectfully at his friend's older brother, whom he had just met for the first time. He knew the other man wasn't his real brother, but a cousin, because Thi was an only child. Even so, it seemed the family's DNA was quite strong, because… Whether it was his friend or P'Phop, they were both good-looking, especially P'Phop, who was quite handsome with sharp, authentic Thai features like a leading man from the old days. The glasses he wore didn't detract from his good looks at all. Even as a man, I couldn't stop staring.

 

However, P'Phop's expression gave off a sad vibe, like someone stuck in the past, or maybe he'd just broken up with his girlfriend? And then Thi said that. Therefore, I was worried that an awkward situation would arise, even though I felt like what he said- that P'Phop kept staring at him non-stop.

 

"No, it's just... I just thought I'd never seen your face before," Phop lied, giving Nakun a small smile in return, then averted his gaze. He didn't know why he felt a strange flutter in his chest when their eyes met, and a deep sense of familiarity.

 

"Wow! I thought you'd given up your virginity. But it's good that you didn't fall for this guy. Go find someone better."

 

"So what's wrong with me? I bit the bullet and told my friends... This goose! Have you forgotten who Pun is, whose junior?"

 

"Wow, your little brother is amazing! He was born able to take seven steps!" Thi quickly changed his demeanour, feigning complete insincerity, and burst into laughter, dodging a slap.

 

My friend, who was about to smack me on the head, turned to his older cousin again. "Come on, let's go eat. I'll treat you, but only at the cafeteria."

 

"He went to the trouble of driving all the way here to bring it to you, and you're so stingy!"

 

"That's called knowing how to use money wisely," Thi admitted shamelessly, puffing out his chest, causing the listener to shake their head in resignation.

 

"Okay, I'm going now. See you in class."

 

"Hey! Come have lunch with us!"

 

"It's alright," Nakun refused, not wanting to bother them. He thought P'Phop might be uncomfortable, so he was going to eat somewhere else. However, before he could excuse himself, the deep voice of his friend's older brother called his name, "Nong Kun, come eat with us." The speaker's voice held a strong emotion that Nat sensed, even though he couldn't quite pinpoint it. When his senior invited him, Kun could not refuse and, feeling an indescribable sense of joy, immediately nodded. "Okay..."

"But I'm not going to support you."

 

"Oh, I know, I know," Kun rolled his eyes at his best friend playfully before walking towards the cafeteria near the faculty together, under the watchful eyes of Phop, who followed behind, watching his cousin talk non-stop with his lover the entire way.

Or is this a dream? He kept asking himself, without taking his eyes off the back of his younger brother's friend. Being in this body, meeting the person he was searching for was so easy, yet even if it's just a dream, I want to capture as much happiness as possible, even knowing that I might suffer even more when I return to reality.

 

"Phop, what do you want to eat?" Thi asked when the three of them arrived at the shops in the university's central cafeteria. Phop's eyes followed Nakun’s figure as he walked towards the steak restaurant, his own footsteps answering the question. In the end, all three of them ordered steak.

 

"Uncle, I'll have the pork and chicken steak, and lots of salad," Nakun said, pulling his phone out of his Pants pocket to scan and pay for the food. He bravely reached out and gently touched his lover's hand. The other man paused, clearly surprised, when he heard him say, "Let me treat you."

 

"Huh? Why--"

 

"Well... I wanted to thank you for taking care of Thi," Phop tried to find a somewhat plausible reason, even though in reality he just wanted to take care of Nakun the way he always had. That's all I've ever done. Thi, who had been used as an excuse, was left speechless, looking incredibly touched. "Wow, Phop, I just realised how much you love me."

 

"That's right, you're so lucky to have such a good older brother. I wish I had a brother too," Nakun laughed brightly, bringing to mind the image of him laughing in his arms. They teased each other, and Phop suppressed the bittersweet feeling in his heart and said softly, "I'm your caretaker."

 

"It's alright," Nakun tried to deflect, but when he met those eyes that held a deep sadness, he suddenly couldn't speak and had to let his friend's older brother leave.

 

He silently observed the person who seemed to have no memory of the past as they ate together, of the sorrow and grief they had endured. The pain seemed to lessen when I saw the smile and bright eyes of my loved one again. You, enjoying your teenage life, complaining about school, arguing and joking with friends, you were able to find such happiness without him...

 

It should be sad for someone to be forgotten, yet Phop was overwhelmingly happy. There was no need to remember him; all that mattered was that you were not in pain. That's enough. He doesn't want to see you wallow in misery for the rest of your life, like everyone else.

 

"This meal is tastier than usual. It must be because Phop treated us. Thank you, P'Phop," Nakun said, bowing and smiling at the handsome host. Phop smiled slightly in return, gazing at his interlocutor's beautiful smile, imprinting the image deep in his heart amid Thi's teasing.

 

"Phop is taking care of you, so help repay his kindness by making your friend's wishes come true. Praise me a lot in front of Pun."

 

"No matter how much I praise you as being excellent, if you can't gain Pun's trust, it's all for nothing. If you act as trustworthy as P'Phop does, then maybe you can try to win him over."

 

"It's been a while," Nakun said, smiling at his friend's older brother again while thinking to himself.

 

"I don't want to see him look so sad. What's wrong with me...?"

 

"Why would I want to be like him? Pun likes guys like me, trust me. He's almost giving in."

 

"Okay, okay, whatever you want," Nakun laughed, grabbing the empty plate and getting up to put it away. The two young men followed, and then Thi glanced at the time on the screen. He spoke into the cell phone.

 

"It's almost two o'clock. I have to go to class soon. Phop, where did you park?"

 

"On the football field side"

 

"Wow, that's far. I wanted to walk you, but I'd definitely be late for class. You walk back yourself," Thi patted his shoulder, and Phop didn't care about anything else except...He has to be separated from you again.

 

A smile, like a blooming flower, graced his beautiful face. He clasped his hands in a respectful gesture and politely said goodbye, "See you again, brother."

 

"...Yes," Phop said, swallowing hard. Although his heart ached at the parting, he at least knew that Nakun was Thi's friend and there for him. He's still just a stranger to me, that's true, but there's still a chance. He can ask Thi for his contact information later. Now that they've met, he can move on. He will relentlessly try to get to know you, doing his best to make you notice him; even if you ultimately don't love him, he will still want to watch over you, caring for you from afar with unchanging feelings. Phop watched his lover's back in his student uniform until he was out of sight, before walking back to his car and heading home to resume his life with Tinnapop.

 

Phop stopped by to visit his younger cousin, whose house was within the same compound, and asked bluntly, "Do you have your friend's Instagram or Facebook?"

 

"Huh... I was wondering what you were staring at. You like that guy, don't you?" Thi, who was half-sitting, half-reclining on the sofa in the living room, looked up from his mobile phone. I looked at him knowingly. I nodded, then asked with a hint of concern, "Your friend doesn't have a boyfriend anymore, does he?"

 

"No, completely single. I mean, as far as I know," Thi said, sharing a link to Nakun's Instagram profile. Phop's heart skipped a beat as he followed him. He heard his younger cousin ask, "So, what happened? Love at first sight?"

 

"Yeah, you don't believe me?"

 

"Believe me, I liked Pun from the first time I met him too. It's strange, isn't it? Even though we didn't know each other at all, it feels like I've liked him for a very long time, as I've finally met the person who asked me about him."

 

"I've been searching my whole life," Thi said with a smile. Then he continued to elaborate on how lovely the person he was pursuing was for quite a while, with Phop listening intently. It's not surprising to feel that way, since Pun is the reincarnation of Kaew. Even if the brain can't remember, the feelings remain unchanged, and Phop believes that one day… His cousin will find love once again.

 

"Yeah, but he doesn't really use social media much either, so he might reply a bit slowly. Try your best," Thi said. Phop nodded in acknowledgement, thanked his younger brother, and walked back to his house before going up to his room to shower, change clothes, and get ready for bed.

 

The clock struck 10:30 PM as Phop walked out of the bathroom and sat back down on the bed. He opened Instagram and scrolled through Nakun's photos, which were filled with pictures of their daily lives. The day included photos from a photoshoot, all of which featured someone he didn't know, and whom Phop wanted to get to know from now on, forever.

 

"Hello Nakun, this is P'Phop. It's nice to meet you again."

 

He sent a text message to say hello, not expecting a reply. Phop walked over and turned off the lights in the bedroom, leaving only the bedside lamp on, as he lay down. While he was lying down, his cell phone vibrated softly, notifying him that someone had followed his Instagram account, followed by a message notification that made Phop unable to stop smiling.

 

"It's nice to meet you, P' (older sibling/friend). Thank you for treating me today. I'll treat you to a meal sometime in return. Don't refuse!"

 

No matter how long this dream lasts, perhaps if he falls asleep tonight, he might awaken again in the era of Nakun, as it should be. It happened, but Phop knew very well that Tinnaphop... that he would never let this opportunity slip away.

 

Knock knock

 

"My lord, it is morning."

 

The familiar voice of Kong, the personal servant, sounded outside the room. Phop opened his eyes again and found himself alone in Klao's bedroom at his house.

Slumped over the table, presumably asleep from intoxication, the dream had ended, and reality had returned.

 

"I'm awake. Come in," Phop said, standing up, while Kong pushed the door open and began tidying up the room as usual.

 

"My lord, today..." He hesitated for a moment before deciding to speak, "You look... much brighter, my lord." Phop didn't reply, only giving his trusted servant a faint smile before walking to sit on the bed, gazing out at the ylang-ylang trees outside the window that emitted their fragrant scent.

 

A faint glimmer of life lingered in her eyes, brighter than ever before. Even though Khunphop no longer has a loved one by his side in the present, even though he can never return to this place, the dream of the past night… It made Phop feel the opportunity and hope that fate offered. He believed that everything that happened was real in the distant future. He would hold onto hope, believing with all his heart that he and Klao would meet again.

One day