Plan B to U

Epilogue

 

"Feels familiar,  like I've been through something this howlworthy before."

 

"Boooo~"

 

"Don't tease me, guys."

 

"I'm not teasing. I'm roasting you."

 

I was burning with embarrassment. Not knowing what else to do, I gave my best friend a firm smack on the arm.

 

Em launched into full dramatic mode, roasting me from the doorway all the way into the room. What could I do? I'd gone soft and given Krich another chance, then agreed to date him at lightning speed.

 

Friends were genuinely baffled. How had an intern farewell party turned into a mutual confession day? Once we'd been together for a while, the sweetness only grew. Eating, I'd think of him. Sitting at work, I'd think of him. Even closing my eyes to sleep, I'd see him in my dreams. Overwhelmingly in love, Krich invited me to move in with him. As if I'd say no. I started packing the night before. The only ones who suffered were my friends, who had to help with the move even though I'd only just moved before.

 

A little embarrassed that I'd gone out crying and come back beaming. So I let them roast me all they wanted.

 

"Can you blame me? I'm in love with him."

 

"All that booze, all those tears and in the end we're just the dogs left behind while you run back to each other."

 

"I really did guess right."

 

They came in waves.

 

I placed my parents' urns into the old food delivery box, now repurposed as a moving box for this new move. This time Krich had also hired a moving company to help. They worked professionally and efficiently. Only the small odds and ends were left for me, Nikm, and Em to carry. The car moved out from the condo and made its way to Krich's house, with close friends along for the send-off. 

 

They helped manage the stuff from the car while Krich came jogging out in flip-flops to help carry things enthusiastically. Once everything was sorted, Nikm and Em waved goodbye; we had plans to meet for dinner in a few days anyway.

 

This was the first time I'd stepped into this big house with a different feeling. Before, I'd been like a visitor. Today I was being welcomed as someone who belonged here.

 

"Want to rest first?"

 

"I'm fine. I'll sort some things first."

 

"I'll help."

 

"Awww... my piggy boo boo"

 

"What was that?" Sometimes you have to play along.

 

"I'm tired of you, old man."

 

"Don't call me old man. Can you call me darling instead?"

 

"Hmm..."

 

This one I'll pass on too.

 

A lot of things hadn't been put away yet; the movers had only piled everything in the central hallway. So I'd need to find homes for it all first.

 

I placed the photo frame and my parents' urns in a corner Krich had thoughtfully prepared. Then we lifted the heavier things together: the adjustable desk, the ergonomic chair, shelves that didn't quite match his house's style, and even a beat-up sofa I couldn't bring myself to throw away, claiming it was a trace of life lived.

 

From morning to evening, it drained quite a lot of time and energy. But the tall figure seemed completely unfazed. In fact, the moment he stepped up right behind me, a sly grin spread across his face.

 

"Want to go test out the bed in my room?" he whispered in my ear. Wow, he's really driven, isn't he?

 

"Hold your horses. There's somewhere I need to go first."

 

"Cruel."

 

"What on earth is going on in your head?"

 

"Well, you look pretty sexy when you're in bed."

 

I whipped around to face him, slapping a hand over his mouth. Not stopping there, I threw in a little bribe. "If you come with me to this one place, I'll let you have your way with me when we get back."

 

His sharp eyes blinked at me, and then he nodded in agreement, his face practically beaming with pure bliss.

 

The destination wasn't far, just the other side of the estate. We didn't drive,  just strolled, taking in the evening air. It didn't take long to arrive. Just to bring snacks and say hello to the neighbour who'd been kind to me back when I was still a food delivery rider.

 

"Auntie, I brought some snacks for you."

 

Auntie Pranom came out of the house with a bright smile. She invited us in, but we declined and just stood by the fence chatting as usual.

 

"Haven't seen you in so long. I missed you!" 

 

She looked genuinely excited to see me again after such a gap.

 

"I missed you too."

 

"You've stopped delivering food?"

 

"Not anymore. I'm planning to work a proper job after I graduate." I turned and gestured to the person beside me. "At this guy's company, actually."

 

"That's wonderful, dear. But where did you move to? Come visit your auntie sometime."

 

"Not too near, not too far."

 

"This one's house."

 

"Huh?" When she looked confused, I helped clarify.

 

"I'm his boyfriend, Auntie."

 

Auntie froze... as if her head had just exploded. It took a while for her to come back and process it. She then fired questions in rapid succession, wondering how we could be together given that we'd just had a falling out over the house. Not knowing how to explain, I summarised it in one sentence: we were enemies for a while, and then we just ended up loving each other.

 

Since the heart can't be controlled, she blessed us, wishing us a life together filled with happiness every day. We said warm goodbyes. Then Krich and I veered across to the house diagonally opposite. A short while after ringing the bell, the new owner came out.

 

"Khun Nile."

 

"Hello, Khun Net,  I brought you some snacks." I handed over the bag.

 

"Thank you so much. Would you like to come in?"

 

"No worries. I just stopped by to say hello, neighbour to neighbour. I've actually moved to the other side of the estate now."

 

"That's wonderful."

 

"By the way, have you run into any issues around the house lately?"

 

If she says ghosts, I'm going to lose it.

 

"Not at all. It's such a lovely house. But..." 

 

Please don't say ghost...

 

I caught Krich's eye. Both of us were flickering with anxiety. If anything supernatural had happened, we'd be sitting down for another long talk.

 

"I found several kittens on the property, so I decided to take them all in. Not my life is completely ruled by them. I'm a full-time cat slave."

 

Relief. Cats are considerably better than ghosts.

 

"They're sweet. I used to buy food for them too. I'm really glad the little ones have someone to look after them."

 

We chatted a little more before excusing ourselves. Khun Net walked away, leaving only me and Krich still standing by the fence. I looked up at the house that had been the starting point of so many memories during my twenty-second year. The dream home that I had built a life with, until that shared time blossomed into a deep, lasting attachment.

 

I found excitement here.

I cried so hard here.

I found love here too.

It was everything to me.

 

So I wanted to look at it to give thanks. To look as long as I could before that familiar low voice spoke.

 

"Shall we go? Back to our home."

 

Krich took my hand and led me out of my reverie back to a reality just as beautiful.

 

"Okay. Let's go home."

 

We walked hand in hand along the way. The destination was still a distance off, so we filled the time listening to Offline Youth's new album together. Krich wore one earbud, and I wore the other.

 

When the song hit a certain verse, the two of us turned to meet each other's gaze, silently declaring our love over and over again.

 

I don't need the words you're waiting to say; just a single look and it already said everything about the depth of that love.

 

"Hot?"

 

"Very hot, my love."

 

I whined for sympathy. The tall figure heard and shifted the handheld fan a little closer toward me.

 

"Ugh, that disgusting fan pointing at your face that close and you're still complaining. Look at MY face."

 

Em, the world's greatest buzzkill, killed the moment and then pointed to his own sweat-drenched face with foundation streaming everywhere.

 

Graduation was a genuine day of chaos packed with people, scorching heat, and heavy academic robes that made you thoroughly uncomfortable. But even so, my spirits were full. Everyone from the office had come out in force to cheer us on. Except P'Dral and P'San, who were on a provincial tour. They'd sent gifts in advance of premium VIP concert tickets. 

 

The most excited person today was definitely Nikm, who'd reportedly already been hunting down limited-edition secondhand merch. All of us had jobs now. Nikm and I were still at Rabbit Hole. Em had moved to an advertising production company whose logo was a fish swimming upstream. Life was smooth,  rough only when the work piled up.

 

"Congratulations, you lot."

 

"P'Mee! Thank you for coming."

 

We were gathered at the faculty courtyard taking photos. Midsquabble, the one we'd been waiting for, appeared,  wearing the black velvet jacket, the very one we'd given as a gift.

 

"Of course I had to come. How is everyone  tired?" 

 

"Not tired. P'Krich takes good care of me." I pressed my cheek into the tall figure's chest, leaving a foundation stain on his black shirt. But he probably wouldn't mind. It was already smeared everywhere anyway. Heh~

 

"And little Nile is adorable."

 

"Gaaaag~"

 

"Someone please take this couple far away from me."

 

They should be used to it by now. Whenever the chance arose, Krich and I never missed an opportunity to be affectionate.

 

"I brought gifts for you all too."

 

"Wow!" Em was more excited than anyone. He eagerly reached out for the colourful paper bags. His was blue, mine was pink, Nikm's was green. "Can we open them?"

 

"Of course. Go ahead."

 

"This is so exciting~"

 

I opened mine too,  and found that the gift was a vinyl record with a cover designed to suit its recipient uncannily.

 

"I made a playlist of songs you each liked listening to while working, no overlaps between you." 

 

Such attention to detail.  Everything about this was perfect. Except...The cover.

 

My cover was a piece of historical documentation, a photo of my face and Krich's, both wearing the mesh hairnets from the yakiniku restaurant. Nikm's was his first-ever artwork design, but it had been somewhat terrible in quality, which was why it had been sent back for seventeen rounds of revisions. Em's had no image at all, pure white, ruthlessly minimal, with just two words printed dead centre: Just brother.'

 

"You good, man? Still holding up?"

 

I spoke up after noticing my best friend's lip start to quiver, tears welling in his eyes.

 

"I'm fine."

 

"What are we rating it this time?"

 

"A solid two out of ten."

 

Yep, that's him for you. Claim he doesn't feel a thing, yet his tears are crying a whole river.

 

 THE END