When it came to festivals for couples, nothing beat 'Valentine's Day.' Even though people often said love could be expressed every day without waiting for a special occasion, as Valentine's Day approached, it was undeniable that couples eagerly anticipated surprises or gifts from their loved ones. It could be a fancy rooftop dinner with a beautiful bouquet and a heartfelt gift, followed by posting sweet photos on Instagram to share the love with the world.

 

That was the norm for most couples. However, if your partner happened to be a superstar, things were a little different. Take my case, for example, my boyfriend was, at the time, the hottest rising actor in the industry.

 

First off, we should forget about celebrating on February 14th itself. We never got to celebrate Valentine's Day on the actual day. In the entertainment industry, the peak of one's career doesn't last forever, as new faces emerge every day. So, every opportunity had to be seized, and work always came first. On February 14th this year, Third had a live event with a cosmetics brand he represented.

 

"I'm sorry," my boyfriend said to me with a slightly guilty expression. This was our first Valentine's Day together, but we had to celebrate a day early. On the actual day, he'd likely return home late at night.

 

"Why are you apologising? I'm fine with it," laughed. I wasn't upset at all. He was working, not slacking off. Work should come first, and that's perfectly fine.

 

"Really?"

 

"Really. We can celebrate another day."

 

"Then I'll make it up to you, big time," Third promised.

 

I wasn't entirely sure what he meant by 'big time,' but judging by the glint in his eyes and his sly smile, I had a feeling my back might ache in advance...Next was the matter of location. In Third's case, being a public figure who valued his privacy, we couldn't just casually dine at a regular restaurant without attracting attention or being photographed. While he wasn't trying to hide me, I wasn't ready to go public, and Third disliked having his privacy invaded. So, he booked a private room at a riverside restaurant along the Chao Phraya River for 9 PM. We agreed to meet there since he had an evening event beforehand. I had to use a ride-hailing app to get there, but I'd ride back with him afterwards.

 

That was how we were different from regular couples. But I didn't mind. It didn't matter which day we celebrated because, in the end, we loved each other.

 

Once the date, time, and location were settled, the next challenge was the surprise, which was the hardest part. Just finding a New Year's gift for a school gift exchange gave me a headache, let alone finding a Valentine's gift for my boyfriend. And my boyfriend already had everything. His life lacked nothing, making this task even harder. I wanted to find something that matched his taste and that he could actually use. But it wasn't easy at all.

 

"Sigh..." I let out a long breath as I stretched out on the sofa in the living room after returning from the office. I often went back and forth between my place and Third's to check on my mischievous little sister. Since Third was coming home late tonight, I decided to sleep in my own room.

 

Scrolling through Google for Valentine's gift ideas until my eyes hurt, I still couldn't come up with anything good. So, I switched to X to take a break. I saw a tag about Third's event today and clicked on it. Seeing his handsome face in the photos and clips taken by fans, a smile automatically spread across my face. My boyfriend is really handsome. Lucky me.

 

"P'Wan, what are you doing?"

 

"Whoa!" I jumped when I heard a soft voice right next to my ear.

 

"View! Don't sneak up on me like that. You scared me," I glared at the culprit, my little sister, who was laughing gleefully at my near heart attack.

 

"Shouldn't I be the one scared? I came out and saw you smiling to yourself with dreamy eyes. I thought you were possessed," my sister, now a university freshman, plopped down on the sofa armrest, peeking at my phone screen before pouting in mock annoyance.

 

"So, you were just looking at pictures of your boyfriend. Wow, who was it that told me P'Third wasn't good enough and that I should stop liking him? And now? Who's dating him? Even when he's at work, you're here smiling sweetly at his pictures. How does it feel to taste your own words?"

 

"It's pretty good," I replied with a straight face, though I was secretly embarrassed. When I first met Third, I didn't like him and said many negative things about him to View… She didn't even believe me when I told her I was dating Third. She thought I was joking. So, I brought Third to my place to officially introduce him. View was stunned for a moment before screaming her head off. Since that day, she'd been teasing me about it every chance she got. People can change their feelings, okay? Ever heard of 'Enemies to Lovers'?

 

"Hey, View, what would you buy your boyfriend for Valentine's if it were you? I shifted to a serious tone. At this point, I really had no idea what to get. My previous relationships were with girls, so buying gifts for them was probably different from buying for a guy.

 

"Oh, you're looking for a gift?"

 

"Yeah. What should I get?"

 

"It depends on what the person likes. But if it were me, I'd buy something they use regularly or can wear all the time. And they'd better wear it every day, or I'd be mad!"

 

"Really..." I murmured. If it's something to wear, it'd be clothes or accessories, right? But Third already had a closet full of clothes and tons of accessories.

"What if he already has a lot of those?"

 

"Don't overthink it. It doesn't matter how much he has. What matters is where the gift comes from. If it's from someone special, it'll always mean more than anything else," View explained, shedding light on my dilemma. In the end, I followed her advice and bought a pair of branded earrings (on a zero-percent installment plan with my credit card). Since he was a public figure, I chose something a bit pricey so he could wear it on various occasions. I even sneaked a peek at his jewellery collection in his walk-in closet to make sure he didn't already have this pair. I just hope Third will like my gift.

 

Then came the morning of February 13th. I woke up, showered, and got ready for work with a brighter-than- usual mood.

 

"Work hard today, okay?"

[Sure. See you tonight.]

 

"Alright," I smiled as I hung up the call.

 

Third said he had a surprise for me, but he wouldn't reveal what it was. I could only wait and see tonight. I couldn't believe that at 22 years old, I was still so excited about Valentine's Day that I could barely sleep last night. Does love really make people feel younger, both physically and spiritually?

 

Time seemed to crawlby today. Or maybe it was just because I was eagerly waiting for the end of the workday. As soon as I clocked out, I booked a ride to a nearby flower shop where I'd ordered a bouquet of white roses for Third. The bouquet wasn't huge, but I'd chosen the best roses the shop had to offer. After picking up the flowers, I hailed a taxi to the restaurant. Along the way, I hugged the bouquet tightly, unable to stop smiling.

 

"Going to see your partner, young man? You're grinning from ear to ear," the taxi driver teased.

 

"Yes," I laughed shyly. Is my happiness that obvious? Haha.

 

"I have a reservation under Tharit, 9 PM."

 

"Right this way, sir."

 

When I arrived at the restaurant and gave the name, a sharply dressed waiter gestured for me to follow him to the private dining room. I was half an hour early.

After settling in, I texted my boyfriend.

 

I'm here.

Be there soon.

 

Since he said that, I haven't ordered food yet. Instead, I ordered a drink to sip while enjoying the nighttime view of the Chao Phraya River. The lights along the riverbank sparkled, reflecting on the dark water. The gentle flow of the river, visible through the glass, combined with the classical music playing in the restaurant, eased my mind. It felt like a temporary escape from the city's chaos.

 

"Wan."

 

The deep, familiar voice called my name just as the clock struck 9 PM. When I turned to look, my jaw dropped. Third was standing there in a semi-formal suit, looking incredibly handsome, holding a bouquet of white roses.

 

"Happy Valentine's Day," he said with a charming smile, handing me the bouquet.

 

"Thanks," I laughed softly, feeling both shy and amused at how in sync we were. Even the flowers we chose were the same type and colour.

 

"I have something for you, too. White roses, just like yours."

 

"Thank you," Third said, trying to suppress a smile as he accepted my bouquet. Then we ordered food right away because it was already 9 PM. Sweet talk could wait; we were both starving. Luckily, the food was served quickly, so we ate while chatting. We talked about how our day went, what we encountered, and whether there were any problems at work.

 

When I was younger, I thought having a boyfriend meant talking about sweet, romantic things all the time. But in reality, having a boyfriend was all about having someone to share everything in life with. It was about talking about everyday things and taking care of each other. Even though Third was always busy with work, he still found time to talk to me often through texts or video calls. If he had a day off, we'd go out together, usually somewhere around Bangkok. He never made me feel lonely. I was so happy to be with him. View often said that Third was mine because I was lucky. And honestly, she was right. A guy who's both handsome and caring like this is mine. Feel free to be jealous!

 

"Wan."

 

After we finished eating and moved on to dessert, Third spoke up, pulling a small box from his bag and handing it to me.

 

"I picked this out for you. I hope you like it," he said with a hopeful look, but my eyes widened the moment I saw the brand name on the red leather box.

 

"This is... really expensive!"

 

"Not really," Third replied calmly. Well, compared to his income, it probably isn't that expensive, I thought to myself as I opened the box. Inside was a simple silver bracelet engraved with the brand's logo. If I remembered correctly, this piece was worth over two hundred thousand baht!

 

"Do you like it?"

 

"I do, but I'm scared to wear it," I laughed nervously. I'm clumsy, you see. I'm always bumping into things or tripping, and I have a knack for losing stuff.

 

"Afraid you'll lose it?" Third asked with a knowing chuckle, then said something that made him sound like the ultimate sugar daddy. "Don't worry. If you lose it, I'll buy you a new one."

 

Oh my god, my boyfriend is out here throwing money like it's confetti!

 

"No, I won't lose this one. I'll take good care of it. Thank you so much," I said with a smile, putting the bracelet on immediately to show him. With a gift this expensive, I'd probably take better care of it than my own life. It shouldn't get lost, right?

 

"I have something for you, too," I said, pulling out a box containing earrings I bought for him. They might not cost as much as the bracelet, but the thought behind them was just as meaningful.

 

"What do you think? Do you like them? I checked, and I don't think you have this pair yet," I said.

 

"You're right, I don't. Thank you," he said with a smile, his eyes fixed on the simple black earrings with the brand's logo. Whenever I gave Third something, he always used it, even if it was just a pen for signing autographs for fans. I guessed that from now on, fans would probably see these earrings often. That thought made my heart swell. Third really cared about me.

 

"Wan, I'm sorry we had to celebrate early," he said softly, his smooth hand soft from regular moisturising, reaching out to hold mine.

 

"Why are you apologising? I already said it's fine," I replied, squeezing his hand and smiling widely. "I'm really happy today."

 

"Me too," he said with a smile that lit up his entire face, both his lips and his eyes. Then he said something that made me press my lips together in embarrassment.

 

"I wish my fans knew how adorable my boyfriend is."

 

"That's soo cheesy," I muttered, trying to hide my embarrassment. But my red ears probably gave me away, and Third laughed before pulling out his phone. We took turns taking pictures of each other, ending with a selfie of us together with a bouquet of flowers.

 

"Which one should I post? I want to put it on my public Instagram," he said.

 

"How about this one? The angle is perfect," I suggested.

 

"I want to post our photo," Third said, looking at me with puppy-dog eyes. He wanted to go public with our relationship, but I wasn't ready to face the public backlash just yet. I was still scarred from the past and needed more time to prepare myself.

 

"Next year," I said, looking up at him. By then, I thought I'd be strong enough. His sharp eyes showed a flicker of surprise as if he hadn't expected me to say that. Then, he broke into a wide smile, happiness shining in his dark eyes, making my heart swell even more.

 

"I love you," he whispered before leaning down to kiss me. My eyes widened, and I quickly used the bouquet to shield us from the staff waiting outside the room. Third,

however, took full advantage of the moment, kissing me deeply until I was out of breath and had to squeeze his shoulder for him to let go. He finally released me, grinning smugly.

 

"Let's go back to the room and continue celebrating," he whispered in a low voice, sending a wave of heat through my entire body.

 

"Alright, let's go," I agreed without hesitation. Third called the staff to settle the bill, then walked me out of the restaurant with his arm around my waist, heading back to our private space. That night, we celebrated until the early hours of the morning. When midnight struck, it officially became Valentine's Day, and we celebrated the day of love until almost dawn.

 

"Good morning, P'Wan!"

 

On the late morning of February 14th, I walked into the office yawning, holding a strong Americano (a latte wouldn't cut it today. I was greeted by Renji, who was waiting in the lounge to get his makeup done for an event that afternoon.

 

"...Hey," I replied.

 

"You look really tired," he said, tilting his head in concern.

 

"Yeah, a little," I admitted, stifling another yawn. Of course, I was tired. We didn't go to bed until almost dawn, but Third somehow managed to get up and head to work full of energy after just two hours of sleep. Was he even human?

 

"Oh, right. Happy Valentine's Day!" Renji smiled, his eyes sparkling like a big puppy wagging its tail. Before I could respond, the maid called out, "Mr Wan, there's a messenger here with flowers for you."

 

"Huh?" I raised an eyebrow and walked to the door, with Renji following behind.

I figured someone had sent flowers to someone in the office, but since no one else was around, the maid didn't want to accept them. I decided to sign for them instead. But as soon as I signed and took the large bouquet of red roses into my arms, I saw the card attached and felt my face and ears heat up like a boiling kettle. The flowers were for me.

 

"Although I'm Third, you're the first in my heart. Whoa!" Renji exclaimed, his mouth agape as he read the card. I wanted to bury my face in the bouquet. He'd already given me flowers the day before, and now he was giving me more today. I was both embarrassed and amused. I never thought my boyfriend could be this romantic and cheesy.

 

"Wow, he's really something," Renji muttered.

 

"What did you say?"

 

"Nothing," he replied with a nervous laugh.

 

I walked back into the office, carrying the bouquet up to my desk on the second floor, my heart full of joy. Everyone who saw it teased me endlessly. Everyone here knew I was dating Third because we didn't keep it a secret from trusted colleagues. The bouquet kept me smiling all day. I now understand why people got so excited about Valentine's Day.

 

This year, my boyfriend made it incredibly special. I couldn't wait to see what he'd do for next year's Valentine's Day!