"Wan, Third, hold on a second. I need to talk to you two," P'Pai, the director, walked over to us just as the actors gave their wai to the crew, saying their goodbyes and preparing to head their separate ways.

 

Third and I exchanged a quick glance before following P'Pai to a quieter spot for a private conversation. I couldn't help but wonder what he wanted to talk about. The serious look on his face gave me a slight chill down my spine.

 

"May I ask what it is?" The usually quiet man was the first to ask as we stopped at a corner of the parking lot.

 

"It's about you two," P'Pai sighed, looking back and forth between us with an exasperated expression.

 

"Honestly, I don't want to meddle in your personal lives, and I don't know if there's something going on between you two or not."

 

"What?!" I gasped, my eyes widening as my face grew hot and my heart started racing.

 

Something going on?' What does he mean by that? Don't tell me P'Pai thinks there's something romantic between us? That's ridiculous! How could he even think that? And why am I getting so flustered? It's not like there's anything between us! I didn't dare look at Third's face, but deep down, I was curious about his reaction.

 

"I've never addressed this directly with you two, but I think it's time," P'Pai said, pulling out a cigarette from his pack. However, when his eyes caught sight of a no-smoking sign nearby, he let out a frustrated sigh and shoved the cigarette back into the pack.

 

"I know you two don't get along very well. I don't know why, but since you'll be working together for a while, I don't want the atmosphere on set to be tense. I also want you two to clear the air."

 

"..." I blinked a few times, stunned for about three seconds, before my face flushed again-not from embarrassment, but from sheer awkwardness.

 

Oh, so I was just overthinking earlier. I mean, who'd seriously think there's 'something' between Third and me? The odds of that are like one in a million. Haha.

 

"So, I want you two to take a day to hang out together. Just the two of you. It doesn't have to be a full day; half a day is fine. Go anywhere you want, but no one else is allowed to join. And send me a picture as proof."

 

".." Both of us were left speechless at the unexpected order.

 

"P'Pai, there's really no issue between Wan and me," Third said seriously.

 

"Yeah, exactly! We might've had... well.. a minor disagreement before, but we've already cleared it up. There's no problem at all," I quickly added. P'Pai raised an eyebrow, looking between us as if he wasn't entirely convinced.

 

"Good, then. Go hang out together and get to know each other better."

 

"..."

So no matter how much we explain, he's not going to listen, huh?

 

I forced a weak smile and glanced at Third. His handsome face remained calm, but his dark eyes betrayed a hint of unease.

 

"Just do it for my peace of mind," P'Pai said, patting both of our shoulders firmly before walking away, leaving Third and me standing there in silence, staring at each other.

 

"Well, I guess we have no choice," Third finally broke the silence, his brows still slightly furrowed.

 

"I don't mind," I sighed. I was a pretty laid-back person, and aside from filming the series, I didn't have much else on my schedule. I had no trouble finding a free day. But for the ever-busy leading man beside me, that was a luxury he rarely had.

 

"Do you even have time for this?"

 

"I'll check with my manager. I can probably clear a day," he said, letting out a long breath. When his sharp eyes met mine again, I felt a strange flutter in my chest.

 

"Let me know when you're free, and I'll talk to my manager."

 

"No need. You pick the day. Just let me know," I replied quickly, not understanding why I was suddenly so nervous around him.

 

"Alright, I'll message you. Add me on LINE," he said in a flat tone before walking away, leaving me standing there, slightly dazed. Once I snapped out of it, I followed Third out of the parking lot and back to P'Cher.

 

Ding!

As I was walking, a notification popped up on my phone, showing that someone had added me on LINE. He must have added me to the LINE series group we were both in.

 

I accepted the request and sent a sticker to greet him. He replied with a funny pit bull sticker, making me laugh out loud as I watched his broad back walking ahead of me.

Well, I guess this could be a good opportunity to bond. Maybe I'll gain a good friend out of this.

 

As expected, P'Pai's order caused quite a stir, especially for Third. Clearing his schedule was no easy task since he had work almost every day. On the other hand, I had a more flexible schedule, so it wasn't much of an issue.

 

Eventually, we settled on a free day, Friday. I even told him that half a day would suffice, but Third insisted that if he was going to take a break, he might as well take the whole day off and use it to relax.

 

Where do you want to go?

He sent me a message.

 

His texting style was as curt as his speech, but I knew he wasn't annoyed. That's just how he was, straightforward and to the point, unlike the cool, slightly flirtatious bad-boy image his agency tried to portray.

 

Can I choose?

I quickly typed back. I already had a place in mind, not too far from Bangkok.

 

Sure.

I'll let you know this evening. I'm in class right now.

 

I typed quickly and put my phone away, sensing the sharp gaze of the professor at the front of the room.

 

"Wan, who are you texting? Your girlfriend?" Jay, my nosy best friend, whispered, leaning over immediately.

 

"Nah, your mom. I'm too busy working my ass off to keep up with a girlfriend." I whispered back, hunching my shoulders slightly as the professor glanced our way again.

 

"I don't know. You were smiling while typing, so I thought you were texting some girl."

I froze for a moment before replying, "... It's work."

 

"Alright, alright," Jay muttered while I frowned and highlighted my notes. Was I really smiling while texting earlier? I didn't even realise. 

 

That evening, after finishing all my tasks, I messaged Third about the place I had in mind, Ayutthaya, my hometown. I hadn't been back in almost four months, and my mom had been complaining about missing me every day. Since I had a day off, I wanted to visit my parents and show Third around a bit as a local guide before heading back to Bangkok.

 

It was almost midnight when Third replied, probably just finishing work. I was still awake, working on a research paper, so we managed to finalise our plans. We agreed to meet at 8 AM on Friday, and he'd pick me up at my condo. Since I couldn't drive a car, only a motorbike, he had no choice but to be the chauffeur for this trip.

 

If I remember correctly, he drove a BMW. Renji, the son of a famous mall owner, drove a Porsche. Everyone around me seemed to be rich, so I got to ride in luxury cars often. This is what they call having good friends!

 

"P'Wan, don't forget my cotton candy," View reminded me for the tenth time before heading to school. When I told her I had plans in Ayutthaya and would visit our parents, she kept pestering me to bring back her favourite cotton candy, saying the ones in Bangkok weren't as good as the ones from home.

 

"Yeah, yeah."

 

"And the noodles from home, too."

 

"Got it," I replied, watching her leave the room. Once she was gone, I showered and got ready. Around 8 AM, I went down to wait in the condo's common area. At exactly 8 AM, I saw a black BMW pull up in front of the building. I grabbed my backpack and walked over, opening the passenger door without hesitation.

 

"Thanks for picking me up."

 

"Mm," he mumbled in response.

 

Today, Third showed up bare-faced, no makeup, no styled hair. He had a few small pimples, which were normal for a human being, but even then, he still looked incredibly good. He looked younger and more approachable than usual in his casual outfit of a loose T-shirt and jeans.

 

"Have you eaten? I brought sandwiches," I said, holding up a bag of snacks I'd bought from the convenience store downstairs.

 

"No, thanks. You eat. I'll grab coffee at a gas station," he said, his eyes lingering on me. I paused, about to unwrap my sandwich. Was my bare face that bad? Or maybe he was worried I'd spill crumbs on his fancy car seats?

 

"Never mind, I'll wait. We can grab something at the gas station. Just drive for about ten minutes."

 

"It's fine. If you're hungry, eat. Make yourself comfortable," he said, turning his gaze back to the road and stepping on the gas.

 

The atmosphere in the car was rather quiet. I sat there eating a sandwich, occasionally glancing around awkwardly. First, we weren't that close, and we even disliked each other before. Second, this wasn't my car, which made me even more tense. Third, neither of us was particularly talkative. If this were a variety show, they'd probably insert the sound of crows flying by right about now.

 

"Why do you want to go to Ayutthaya?" Out of nowhere, the usually quiet one broke the silence. I swallowed the last bite of my sandwich and replied casually, "I want to go home. I'm from Ayutthaya. It'll probably be close to lunchtime by the time we get there, so I thought I'd take you to try my family's boat noodles first. Then we can go sightseeing afterwards."

 

"So, basically, you're taking me to meet your parents?" he asked, glancing at me with a mix of emotions in his eyes, though amusement was the most apparent. My face heated up instantly. I hated how his summary sounded so misleading.

 

"I'm taking a customer to my family's place, that's all! You're famous, right? We'll take a picture of you eating at our shop and hang it on the wall. It'll attract more customers," I quickly clarified before he could get the wrong idea.

 

"Oh, I see..."

What's with the 'Oh, I see'? I wasn't making excuses! It's the truth!

 

"But it's delicious, I guarantee it. My family's been selling boat noodles for fifty years, since my grandma's time," I said proudly, puffing out my chest. Everyone who'd ever tried our noodles loved them. It was an authentic old recipe, not something we just came up with yesterday. We used high-quality ingredients, and the taste was so good it deserved a Michelin star. But even without one, we already had plenty of customers.

 

Third smiled faintly but said nothing, and the atmosphere returned to its usual calm. Soft international music played in the background as the car sped along the road out of Bangkok.

 

We stopped at a gas station to use the restroom, grab some coffee, and send a quick update to P'Pai before getting back on the highway. After two hours, we arrived at our destination a little past eleven, just in time for lunch.

 

"We're almost there," I said, sitting up straighter with excitement as we neared the destination. When the car turned into a familiar alley, and I saw the old three-story shophouse, a smile of relief spread across my face. I was finally home.

 

"Dad, Mom!" As soon as I got out of the car, I rushed over to my parents, who were busy cooking noodles in front of the shop, sweat dripping from their brows.

 

"Oh, you're here already?" Mom looked up, greeted me with a wide smile, while Dad chuckled softly.

 

"Finally. Your mom's been saying she misses you every day," Dad said.

 

"Sorry, I've been busy with work," I replied with a sheepish grin, hugging them loosely from behind as I used to as a kid. Then I remembered we had company, so I cleared my throat and straightened up, trying to act more mature for a 21-year-old. I turned to introduce Third, who was waiting by the car.

 

"This is Third. He's a friend... uh, a fellow actor. He's the lead in the series I'm in," I explained.

 

"Hello," the tall figure greeted politely with a small smile and a respectful wai.

 

"Hello there! You're really handsome, aren't you?" Mom, who'd always been a fan of good-looking people, beamed with delight. I bet she'd be looking up Third's past work tonight, and Dad would probably text me about it later.

"Go ahead and find a seat, you two. Write down what you want to eat," Dad called out, gesturing for us to sit at a table before turning back to prepare noodles for other customers.

 

It was close to noon, and the shop was starting to get busy. Third, not wanting to draw attention, chose a seat at the very back, facing away from the entrance. I went to grab some ice for our glasses. Our shop was semi-self-service; otherwise, the waitstaff couldn't keep up during peak hours.

 

After glancing at the menu on the wall for a moment, Third picked up a pen and paper to write down his order and then handed it to me to add mine.

 

"You don't eat spicy food?" I asked, noticing he'd written 'no chilli."

 

"Nope."

 

"Is it because you can't handle it, or you just don't like it?" I pressed, not out of nosiness but because I wanted him to try the original flavour of our noodles. They were best when fully seasoned

 

"When I eat spicy food, my nose runs, so I avoid it," he replied.

 

Probably because he was an actor and had to maintain his image. Sitting there with a runny nose while eating in public wouldn't look great.

 

"Alright, then. Try the broth from my bowl. If you like it, I'll have Mom pack some for you to take home. Deal?" I suggested while jotting down my own order.

 

"...Sure," Third agreed after a brief pause. I couldn't help but smile to myself. Turns out, he wasn't as hard to approach as I thought. I took the order slip to my parents, but since they were busy, I decided to handle it myself. In no time, I was carrying a tray of noodles back to our table.

 

"I missed this flavour so much," I murmured softly after taking a sip of the broth. The familiar taste warmed both my stomach and my heart. Back when I lived here, I barely ate noodles. Seeing them every day made me lose my appetite. But after moving to Bangkok, I started missing my parents' cooking. No noodles anywhere else could compare to the ones from home. So now, every time I come back, I crave them almost every meal.

 

"Here, give it a try," I said, sliding my bowl over to Third. He frowned. "Why are there no vegetables?"

 

"Oh, I don't eat vegetables," I admitted with an awkward smile. Vegetables just didn't taste good to me. My parents had scolded me about it since I was a kid, but I always ignored them. Eventually, they gave up. And since I made this bowl myself, of course, I didn't add any veggies.

 

"You're like a child," Third remarked.

 

"Twenty-one is still young, right?" I teased back. Even though we didn't dislike each other anymore, we still enjoyed poking fun at each other occasionally for entertainment.

 

"Next time, if you don't eat your vegetables, give them to me."

 

My heart skipped a beat at his words. Does that mean he plans to eat with me again in the future...?

 

"Alright, alright, just try it already," I said, quickly changing the subject to hide my flustered reaction. I watched anxiously as he used a spoon to taste the broth from my bowl.

 

"Is it good?"

 

"Yeah, it's pretty good," he admitted, his sharp eyes showing a mix of surprise and approval.

 

"Told you so," I said proudly, puffing out my chest. This was Ayutthaya's finest. As the host, I had to treat my guest well. I even snuck over to whisper to Mom to pack two servings of noodles for Third to take home-one for him and one for View, who'd been complaining about missing Mom's cooking.

 

When I returned to the table, Third had already finished his bowl. That was fast. Was he eating or inhaling it?

 

"If you're still hungry, you can have another bowl," I offered.

 

"No, I'm good," he said, finishing his glass of water and wiping his mouth with a tissue. I started eating my own noodles, savouring each bite slowly because I wanted to spend more time here. The shop was as lively and noisy as ever, which might annoy some people, but I'd grown up with this atmosphere. I missed it so much. Bangkok was nice, but if I had a choice, I'd rather stay home. For now, though, that wasn't possible. Maybe in twenty years, I'd come back and settle down here.

 

"Shall we go?" I asked after finishing my meal. The shop staff brought over the packed noodles we ordered for take-home.

 

"Aren't you going to spend more time with your parents?"

 

"No time for that. It's going to get even busier soon. I'll come back next month with my sister," I said with a smile. Today was just a quick visit to see my parents and ease my homesickness. If I stayed too long, we'd get back to Bangkok too late, and have work tomorrow. We said our goodbyes to my parents. Third tried to pay for the meal, but my parents wouldn't hear of it.

 

"No need for that. Parents should treat their kids' friends to a meal," Dad said.

 

"Hey, can you take a picture with my parents? It'll help attract customers," I asked, not forgetting my main goal. Third didn't protest (of course, he'd just eaten for free, so he had to help out a little). He posed for a cheerful photo with my parents, which made me, as their son, very satisfied.

 

"Don't forget to pay me for this," he said as we got back in the car.

 

"Huh?"

 

"You're treating me to the next meal," the lead actor said flatly as he started the car. I pouted, thinking to myself how stingy rich people could be.

 

"Where to next?"

 

"To a temple. You can't come to Ayutthaya without visiting a temple," I said, taking the liberty of grabbing Third's phone to set the GPS for Phanan Choeng Temple. He didn't object and drove toward the destination.

 

Phanan Choeng Temple was a famous ancient temple in Ayutthaya, one of the most popular tourist spots for both locals and foreigners. It was especially well-visited by Chinese tourists due to the revered Luang Por To, also known as Luang Por Sam Por Kong, who'd been worshipped by locals since the Ayutthaya period. The temple's riverside location also offered a serene atmosphere, attracting a steady stream of visitors. Even though today wasn't a holiday, the temple parking lot was still packed with cars. 

 

I took Third to pay respects to the Buddha and bought a few snacks at the market in front of the temple. We took turns snapping photos to send to P' Pai, like we were on a school field trip and had to report back to the teacher.

 

Should I post this on my story? I thought to myself as we walked back to the car.

 

"Third, have you posted on your story yet?"

 

"Why?"

 

"If you post, then I won't," I said. I didn't want people to know we were here together. He was shipped with Nine, after all. It could stir up drama if anyone found out he was out with just me.

 

"Not yet. You post and tag me," he replied.

 

"No way. Forget it, I won't post at all," I cut him off for safety's sake. But Third furrowed his brows.

 

"You don't want people to know you're hanging out with me?"

 

"Something like that. It's not about you, but I'm worried your fans might not like it," I said with a dry laugh.

 

Some fans of the 'shipped couple' (though only a small group) were very protective and didn't like seeing their favourite stars getting close to anyone else. Even though I thought it was a bit silly, I was still new to this industry. I had to be cautious. Just in the set alone, whenever Third posted a story with other actors without Nine in the clip, it caused drama (View had spilt the tea to me). So, I didn't want to risk drawing attention. Third didn't say anything, but his perfectly shaped brows remained furrowed. He seemed a bit annoyed. But about what?

 

"Do you want to go anywhere?" I asked, testing the waters to see if he would choose a place. I planned to take him to the walking street market in the evening for dinner before heading back to Bangkok.

 

There were still about two hours left before the market opened, so we had time to visit another spot. Third chose a cafe styled like an English garden. The beautiful atmosphere and scenic views awakened the photographer in me. While glancing around for a model, my eyes landed on Third, who was crouching and playing with a puppy in the garden. His small smile was warm and gentle, something I rarely saw. It was clear he loved animals (even though his face didn't exactly scream 'animal lover'). Instinctively, I pulled out my phone and snapped a photo. I smiled in satisfaction when I saw how perfect the pose, lighting, and overall mood of the picture turned out.

 

"Third," I called, nudging him as he continued playing with the puppy. I showed him the photo. "Want it? I'll send it to you."

 

"Sure," he said, looking a bit surprised. He glanced at the photo, then looked up at me and said in a flat tone,

 

"You're good at taking pictures."

 

"Of course! I used to be a photographer," I said with a wink. I preferred taking pictures of others, but since becoming an actor, I've been the one being photographed. It didn't feel natural to me, and I wasn't used to it even now.

 

I ordered an iced latte with less sweetness, and he got a blended iced green tea. Earlier in the car, Third had said he'd let me pay for the next meal, but he beat me to it when it came time to pay.

 

"Didn't you say you'll let me pay?"

 

"Next time," he said.

 

I had a feeling he was saving it for when we hit the walking street market, planning to splurge my money all at once. We sat sipping our drinks, chatting lightly, and enjoying the simple, serene atmosphere. Third opened up a bit about himself, and I learned that his family was quite well-off (you could tell from the car he drove). His dad was a medical professor, and his mom worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He once considered studying abroad but ended up entering the entertainment industry instead. His background was like something out of a celebrity storybook, as if he were destined to be famous. Once we finished our drinks, I suggested, "Let's head to the market and grab dinner before heading back to Bangkok."

 

Our last stop of the day was the walking street market near Chaiwatthanaram Temple, which only opened on Fridays through Sundays from PM onward.  This market was unique for its traditional Thai atmosphere, from the shop decorations and music to the materials used for food packaging. Many vendors wore traditional Thai outfits, and some visitors did, too. 

 

Since it was crowded, Third and I decided to wear masks to hide our faces as we browsed the wide variety of food. Even though we were public figures, it didn't mean we wanted to be the centre of attention all the time. In our personal time, we just wanted to live a normal life.

 

"Can I pay through mobile banking?"

 

"Sure, dear," the elderly vendor replied. I opened my mobile banking app to scan the QR code, but Third beat me to it, handing over cash instead.

 

"I'll pay," he said.

 

"Again? When will I get to pay?" I frowned at the taller guy. He'd paid at every stall since we started walking through the market. Didn't he say I'd treat him? What's the deal here?

 

"Next time," he replied.

 

Since he was wearing a mask, I couldn't see his expression. But for some reason, my heart raced, and I couldn't understand why I felt happy about it. After buying food, we found a spot away from the crowd to sit, eat, and listen to music while enjoying the fresh evening air. The sun was setting on the horizon.

 

"Try this," Third said, pushing a small container of Kanom Tuay, a Thai coconut custard dessert he'd bought, toward me. I didn't refuse his kindness; I used a toothpick to pick up a piece and pop it into my mouth. 

 

As I chewed, I studied his handsome face. Spending the day together made me feel like I got to know Third a little better. For instance, he really loved sweets. He bought so many desserts along the way. He loved dogs. From the moment we entered the temple and saw a wagging tail, he immediately went to play with it. The same thing happened at the cafe. And it seemed like dogs liked him, too.

 

He wasn't as aloof or cold as I thought. He just had a naturally serious face and wasn't great at small talk. He was straightforward and honest, sometimes blunt to the point of being harsh. But deep down, he wasn't a bad person. I'd say he was a good friend.

 

There was just one thing I couldn't figure out-why he was so cold toward Nine. I noticed that on set, unless necessary, he wouldn't talk to Nine, go near him, or even look at him. But since they were in the same agency and shipped together, they had to work together often. So, the staff and even P'Pai probably didn't notice his reluctance. But as a fan of Nine, I picked up on it.

 

"Hey, can I ask you something?" My curiosity reached its limit, so I decided to test the waters with the person sitting across from me.

 

"What?"

 

"Are you not close with Nine?"

 

"No," the tall figure replied curtly. His sharp eyes, which had been relaxed, suddenly turned cold, making my heart sink.

 

"Do you have a beef with him?" I asked softly, knowing it was a bit intrusive since it was personal. I quickly added, "I mean, you don't have to answer if it's uncomfortable. I was just curious."

 

Great. No matter how I phrased it, I still sounded nosy. My conversation partner went silent, and I wanted to slap myself. The day had been going so well. It felt like Third and I were opening up to each other more. But I had to ruin the mood with my nosiness.

 

"I don't want to deal with him because of old issues. But even if they're old, I'll never forgive him," he finally said.

 

His words made me freeze mid-bite. I could sense a faint pain in his deep voice. Since I'd known him, I'd never heard him sound like this. What had happened?

 

I swallowed hard and decided not to pry further. Not just because I didn't want to make Third revisit old wounds, but maybe because, deep down, I didn't want to hear about them. Nine was someone I admired, someone I'd supported for a long time. I didn't want my view of him to change…

 

"Oh, I almost forgot to ask. Why did you become an actor?" I quickly changed the subject, using a casual tone to lighten the mood.

 

"Have you ever seen Forrest Gump?"

 

"Once, I think. But I don't remember much," I said, trying to recall. If I wasn't mistaken, that movie won an Oscar.

 

"When I was in eleventh grade, I watched that movie and was impressed by everything about it, especially the lead actor," he said, setting his spoon down. The hardness in his eyes had faded. It seemed my attempt to change the subject worked.

 

"Tom Hanks. I thought he was amazing, making someone like me, who isn't a native speaker, feel every emotion of the character. And suddenly, I thought I wanted to be an actor. I wanted people to be impressed by my acting, too."

 

"Before this, I never cared about acting at all. But after watching that movie, it was like someone lit fireworks in my heart. So, I asked my parents to let me take acting classes. I started auditioning everywhere. It took over a year before I landed my first role in a series as an extra. After that, opportunities just kept coming," he explained.

 

"Wow..." Hearing his story, I began to understand why he was so upset when I showed up late on the first day of the workshop. He was probably like hundreds, maybe thousands, of other actors who had to struggle and fight so hard just to get a chance. Meanwhile, I got my opportunity without knowing anything, stumbling around cluelessly. To him, it must've seemed like I only wanted to join this industry for fame.

 

"I never wanted to be a celebrity. I just wanted to be an actor. You get what I mean, right? But, well, you don't really get to choose," he concluded with a soft chuckle, taking a sip from his watermelon smoothie.

 

"You seem to have a dream. That's enviable," I murmured, almost as if I were talking to myself.

 

I've always envied people who had dreams and chased after them with determination. I never had a dream. I lived day by day, not knowing what I wanted to be. I never thought about what I wanted to do after graduatión. All I thought was that I needed a job to support myself. That left me feeling so lost.

 

"This might make you mad, but honestly... I only auditioned for this because my friend pushed me to. I just wanted to give it a try," I admitted, poking at the leftover Kanom Tan in its container with a toothpick, letting out a deep sigh.

 

"I liked Nine's acting, so I thought working with an artist I admired would be nice. That's it. I never dreamed of being an actor. And even now, I feel empty. Sometimes I wonder, what am I even doing? I thought maybe if I tried acting, I'd like it. Maybe I'd find a dream. It's been nice, but it's still not it."

"...

 

"I don't know what lies ahead. It's like I can't see anything at all." I poured out my feelings completely. It was something I'd never told anyone before. But for some reason, I found myself saying it all in front of Third, someone with such a strong passion for acting and the complete opposite of me. Would he be angry after hearing this? Maybe he'd think I'm pathetic...

 

"That's not a big deal," he said. His words surprised me. I looked up to see him giving me a faint smile.

 

"People can search for their dreams throughout their entire lives. Someday, you might find yours."

 

"And even if you don't, it's okay. Not having a dream isn't the end of the world. Just living a happy life is already worth being born for, isn't it?"

 

"You're right," I said, smiling. A warm feeling washed over me as I heard those words. All this time, I'd been looking at others, clinging to the idea that I should be like them. But when someone told me it was okay not to be like anyone else, I felt like I could see the path ahead more clearly. Even though it was still without a destination, I realised I had plenty of time to keep walking along it. And someday, if I'm lucky...I might find something I truly love.

 

"But for now, just focus on acting. Like you said, you're going to prove yourself to me," he said calmly while stirring his watermelon smoothie. His gaze made it clear that if I didn't take this seriously, we'd have another problem.

 

"Got it," I replied, rolling my eyes. But when our eyes met, we both burst out laughing. And in that moment, when Third gave me a wide smile, my heart started racing uncontrollably. I had to lower my gaze to avoid his eyes.

 

"Are you done eating? Let's head back," I said quickly, standing up and taking the empty food container to the trash. He stood up and followed me, and we left the market, heading back to the car to return to Bangkok.

 

The two-hour drive back felt like two years. We sat in silence, with soft music playing in the background. I felt restless and uneasy being alone with Third. This wasn't the first time I felt this way, but it was the first time it was so intense that it felt abnormal.

 

"Drop me off at the BTS station up ahead."

 

"It's fine, I'll take you home-"

 

"No, no, no. I mean... I have to go somewhere else for a bit. Just drop me off there," I quickly said as we entered Bangkok. Third pulled over where I asked, and I thanked him before hurrying up to the station.

 

I lied. I didn't have any errands. I was just too confused and flustered to stay alone with him any longer. I needed some time to clear my head, so I went home on my own. Besides... Third's house was nearby, but mine was much farther. If he took me home, it'd cut into his rest time.

 

I stood in a corner, lifting my mask up to avoid drawing attention while scrolling through my phone. Then, my eyes widened when I saw Third's Instagram post pop up on my feed. I'd just followed him this morning, and now he'd uploaded a photo I'd taken of him playing with the dogs at the cafe. The caption read: Take a break, in this moment.

 

Underneath my mask, my cheeks lifted into an uncontrollable smile. I didn't know how or why, but it just happened...