Only Friends: Dream On.

One year later.

 

The airport was still bustling and chaotic as always. Thai passengers who had just disembarked from the plane smiled broadly with relief at returning to their homeland. Some rushed to hug their families or loved ones who were waiting for them, their eyes filled with longing. While many others had to continue on alone with their suitcases in hand and the burdens of life to manage on their own.

 

"Damn it," Jack cursed as he looked down at his suitcase. The young man, wearing a plaid shirt and jeans, looked handsome and comfortably mature. He sighed when he found that the wheel had come off, making it impossible to push further. His weary face reflected the exhaustion from the long journey. He hadn't prepared himself for the headaches that arose the moment he set foot in Suvarnabhumi Airport.

 

"Are you okay, Jack? Do you need help?"

 

"It's alright. You guys go back and rest," he told his friends who had come to ask. 

 

"See you at the play rehearsal." The theatre group that travelled with him waved goodbye and gradually dispersed, leaving Jack alone with his hands full of luggage. It seemed he would have to carry the twenty-kilogram suitcase by hand until he could find a ride home.

 

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

 

The voice came with a dark shadow looming before him. Jack looked up… his breath hitched for a moment when he saw that the person standing before him was Dean in his Arab airline steward's uniform. At first, he thought he was hallucinating until he saw the bright smile that confirmed it was him.

 

"Long time no see, lonely boy."

 

Jack couldn't hide his joy.

"Dean."

 

"I was wondering if I'd see you. I saw your story. You were filming a play in Amsterdam, weren't you?"

 

"Yeah, yeah," Jack replied shyly and awkwardly. "Are you about to fly?

 

Just arrived?"

 

"Just arrived. From Berlin, one night layover." The former Prince of Fine Arts

smiled. "You haven't changed at all. You're more rugged, but still alright."

 

"You're still the same. Younger too, huh?"

 

"Exaggerating," the young steward rolled his eyes before asking, "And are you still dating that doctor girlfriend?"

 

"We broke up a while ago. We weren't really getting along." He doesn't really understand.

 

"Theatrical performances... he sees them as not enough to live on."

 

"That's true."

 

"That's true, but my heart's already in love, isn't it?" Jack laughed before asking back cautiously, "So... do you have a girlfriend?"

 

"Right now? No. Flying here and there is tiring enough already. I don't want any more headaches."

 

Silence fell between them again. It wasn't an awkward silence, but a silence that seemed to convey something without words. They looked at each other for a moment before realizing it was time to go home. They walked side by side to the taxi stand in front of the airport. Although Jack had parked his car in the airport parking lot, he stayed to wait with Dean until his car arrived. While they were standing waiting for a taxi, Jack asked,

 

"Are you free tomorrow? Have you planned what you're going to do?"

 

"I have a date with Tua," Dean said. "We're going on a trip. I've bailed on him several times already."

"Oh."

 

Dean's taxi pulled up just then. The young director waved goodbye to his ex and was about to turn around and walk away, but as Dean turned his back, Jack felt like something was pulling him back, making him change his mind. The young man returned with a tattered suitcase just as the driver closed the trunk and Dean was about to get in. Jack's heart pounded almost to the point of bursting. He held his breath. For a second, he spoke,

 

"Can you cancel your ticket again and go on a trip with me?" Dean's eyes showed surprise before his handsome lips slowly curved into a warm smile. He didn't say anything, just nodded slightly in delight. 

 

"Oh, you want to?"

 

Tua asked the person on the other end of the line. At first, he almost had a meltdown when Dean called to cancel the date, but when he found out it was because of Jack, he said nothing. [Sorry, man, but I think I'll have some time before I get back. I'm flying late. See you later. Around evening would be fine.]

 

"Okay, say hi to Jack for me. We'll talk later. I'm working now." The young stylist hung up. He quietly crept out of the bathroom on the advertising set, which he had used as a hiding place to make the phone call. The atmosphere on set was getting tense because the director was furious due to several things not going his way.

 

"The extras' appendix burst," one of the casting staff members gossiped with the crew in the dressing room. "We have to pause filming now because we can't shoot the next scene. I'm screwed! What am I going to do?"

 

"Can't we postpone filming to another day? That way we can find an actor," one of the stylists suggested.

 

"No way, man. We only have this location for today. We have to finish filming before returning the location at midnight. But the problem is, where am I going to find a guy who speaks fluent English, is 180cm tall, handsome, with a great physique and six-pack abs? I'm not some god who can just conjure up anything!"

 

Tua, who was ironing, stopped abruptly. The qualities mentioned automatically reminded him of someone. Normally, Tu didn't talk much, being the youngest member of the group, but now he couldn't resist. Finally, he blurted out in the dressing room, "I know someone, P!"

Everyone turned to look at Tu.

 

"Really, Tua? A model or an actor? Is he available for urgent work?" Tua smiled proudly.

 

"Absolutely!"

 

As soon as Tua showed a picture of the person he was talking about, everyone's eyes lit up. The casting director asked Tua to contact the person in the picture and tell them to come to the set within half an hour. Tua happily obliged, and soon after, Arnold arrived at the commercial shoot on his trusty motorcycle, wearing the bright pink uniform of the Pink Pony Club.

 

"Seriously, Tua? I haven't even finished preparing the drinks for Pink yet!"

 

"Seriously! Are you going to be a bar worker for the rest of your life? This is your chance! Go audition for the casting director. If you're good enough, we can shoot the night scene tonight and get paid on-site."

 

Tua ran to take the helmet from the other person, not forgetting to help adjust his clothes and hair to look as handsome as possible.

 

 EPILOGUE

 

The premiere of Jack's new stage play was a grand affair, befitting a production that garnered significant media and audience attention. Many celebrities from both inside and outside the theatre world attended to offer their congratulations. Among them were Arnold, a rising star actor, and Rome, a popular and up-and-coming DJ. Their appearances created a buzz among fans surrounding the photo backdrop, and the cheers intensified when they posed for pictures together, as they already knew each other.

 

"Mr Rome, this way!"

"Mr Arnold, could you give me a little look at this camera?"

 

Jack stood at the theatre entrance, greeting everyone with a wide, proud smile. Not far away, a poster featuring the lead actors was displayed.

 

"Hey, Jack! Congratulations!" Tua was the first friend to rush over and hug him.

Greeting the director, he was dressed handsomely and tastefully, living up to his stylish reputation. Arnold, in a suit, followed in and stood beside him before presenting him with a bouquet of flowers in his hand to show congratulations.

 

"Congratulations, Jack. Tua chose the flowers himself."

 

"I'm glad to see you guys are still together."

 

Arnold and Tua made eye contact. The tall man took advantage of the moment to slip away from people's view. Give the other person a quick kiss on the cheek. The famous young DJ Rome also walked in, arm in arm with Raffy, to join them. too

 

"Congratulations, Jack. I almost got here late. Rome was dawdling around." - Raffy

He said this with a sigh, and in return, he got a light pinch on the cheek as punishment. Rome also sent a bouquet of flowers to congratulate his older brother. The young DJ patted his shoulder. The person in front of you is there to give encouragement.

 

"Congratulations, man. The people who made the sound effects for this are complaining about you like crazy. Everyone in the industry probably knows by now."

 

Jack burst into laughter because that was true, and he didn't intend to make excuses, but...Somehow

 

"Thank you all so much. Don't rush off to leave after the play is over."

 

"Let's go eat."

 

Of course, with the full Romeo & Romeo team together, it wouldn't be complete without their talented former producer. Timmy was the last to arrive, and he quickly gave him a hug. A young, energetic director.

 

"We all took time off work to come here," Timmy said, before asking...

 

"Dean's ready, right?"

Jack grinned widely before confidently telling his friend.

 

"Dean is always ready, you know that, right?"

 

And when the spotlight shone on her face.

He was ready to perform.

"My name is Dean. Everyone says that art students like us only have two brain cells."

One is for thinking about food, the other is for thinking about..."

 

EXIT.*