South; Beside the Sky. 

Chapter 41. Your cat.

 

I noticed someone walking cheerfully in front of me. Phoon was wearing the white sweater I'd bought him, black pants, and sneakers. He might not have realised it, but he usually wore black almost every day. Seeing Phoon in white seemed a little strange, but it suited him anyway. He, who had just received a new camera, seemed very excited. Since it was Phoon, I didn't buy him anything else besides the camera. It was the one thing he loved so much that he was obsessed with it. No matter how many cameras or lenses he had, it seemed like they would never be enough.

 

At that moment, I was simply captivated by Typhoon's smile. His big, round eyes shone, blending with the morning air. I'd heard that when someone is in the company of something they love, they tend to appear captivating. I only truly understood this when I saw Typhoon with the camera in his hand. I never thought anyone could love photography so much. From the moment he picked up the lens, checked the photos, to the moment he edited them, everything seemed wonderful.

 

We're at Osaka Castle, the first place the Nongs wanted to visit. It's spring, and fortunately, the cherry trees are in bloom. Everything was beautiful, from the pink cherry trees blooming along the road to Phoon's big smile as she held her camera.

 

A light breeze blew, and the owner of the sweet face turned around. The camera in his hand stopped right in front of me. The photographer stood still for a moment before pressing the shutter button. After finishing the shot, Phoon lowered the camera and looked at the screen.

 

“How did it go?” I asked.

 

“See for yourself,” Phoon replied, quickly approaching me and handing me the camera to show me the picture he had just taken.

 

It was a photo of me standing in the middle of the street, with cherry trees on either side and a few people walking in the distance. However, the photo was focused entirely on me. This photographer is truly renowned for his stunning photos.

 

"What do you think, Phoon?"

 

"Phi looks just like a model."

 

"Anyone who comes here is sure to look good in photos."

 

"Absolutely not." Phoon shook his head slightly. "It also depends on the model. Since Phi Fah is tall, a full-length shot like this is perfect."

"Mmm." I raised my eyebrows slightly. I'm not the type to often congratulate myself, because I'm not very confident. "Okay, if you say so."

 

"Hmm, Phi rarely praises himself, huh?" he joked.

 

"You're just like me," I replied. He gave me a broad smile.

 

"Let's take another picture."

 

"What do you want me to do?" I asked because whenever Phoon took a picture of me, I usually didn't know how to pose. I actually don't like being photographed, so I was always confused about what pose to strike.

 

"Hmm, nothing special, he's walking normally."

 

“Okay,” I replied before continuing walking.

 

"Rotate your body a little, but don't look at the camera."

 

"So where should I look?"

 

"Look... look north. Just like that."

 

I didn't reply, just turned my head to the side to look at the cherry blossoms. The wind blew in the same direction, blowing my hair. After a while, when I thought it was over, I turned to Phoon, but the wind blew again, messing up my hair. I pushed it back so it wouldn't cover my face, then I heard Phoon press the shutter button three more times.

 

"Wow, she's beautiful," the photographer enthused, then quickly showed her the photo. "Phi Fah, you really are a model, really."

 

"No, I'm not a model." I smiled.

 

"Phoon." I turned with Phoon when I heard the call. Ter and Hill walked toward us. Now we were all walking together. This week was an exception because I don't usually like to hang out with other people. I usually travel alone, only letting them know when I'm leaving and returning so we can meet up on the way back to Thailand.

 

"What? Did you find a good angle?" Phoon asked Ter. These two people were truly compatible when it came to photography. They both loved photography, though I noticed Ter didn't take many photos.

 

"That place isn't bad. Did you take a picture with the cherry blossoms?"

 

"Hmm, look at this," Phoon said, showing the photo. The person who saw it looked a little surprised. "What do you think?"

 

"It's beautiful," Ter replied. "Look at this." Then he showed Phoon his camera.

 

"Hey, you secretly took a picture of me, huh?"

 

"Isn't it beautiful, Phi Fah?" Ter showed me the photo. It was a close-up of Phi Fah and me, taken while we were walking together, and I smiled at him just as he took the picture. "This is the behind-the-scenes."

 

"It's beautiful," I replied. "Can you send me a picture?"

 

"Sure," Ter smiled. "I like this photo. I don't know why, but I can't explain it; it looks so natural. Do you agree? I like how Phi Fah and Phoon smile at each other when you photograph them, even though they're not looking at the camera at all."

 

If you smile so much when photographing other people, I don't want you to take any more photos of other people. I've taken a lot of landscape photos, especially of cherry blossoms in full bloom. Shooting from a high angle to include the sky made the results even more beautiful. As I was walking, I noticed the moat surrounding the castle. It looked open and evocative, so I stopped to take a few photos.

 

"Phoon, you can't photograph everything. We haven't reached the castle yet," Ter said.

 

“Oh, we’ve been here for almost twenty minutes,” I replied.

 

“Yeah, we probably won’t have much time to wander around inside,” he replied.

 

"Okay." I pursed my lips, slightly annoyed, before turning around when I heard someone approaching. "How did it go?" I asked North, who had just arrived. He'd taken pictures with Phi Fah, so he wasn't too far away.

 

"It's beautiful. These cherry trees are in full bloom. We're so lucky."

“Didn’t you take a picture?” Ter asked.

 

"I'm not good at taking pictures. I'd rather take pictures of you guys."

 

“I thought so. Look, I even took a picture of you two with Phi Jo,” Ter showed the photo on his camera to North, who raised her eyebrows in confusion.

 

"When did you take that photo?"

 

"I'm pretty private, I could be a paparazzi," Ter said proudly. In fact, he even took a picture of Phi Fah and me, and it came out pretty good.

 

“Forget about being a veterinarian,” North commented.

 

"Enough, I've stopped. Next time you feel sick, don't come to me," Ter replied.

 

"Damn it, Ter," North growled. I glanced at the three doctors walking and talking behind us. The scene looked like something out of a movie. I couldn't help but raise my camera around my neck and snap a picture. They must have noticed. But apparently they're used to being photographed secretly. Phi Fah looked at me with a slightly raised eyebrow. I frowned before lowering the camera.

 

"Pretend you didn't see," I said, annoyed. How do you know when someone is secretly taking a picture of you?

 

"Oh, okay," Phi Fah replied with a laugh, then told Phi Jo and Phi Hill to pretend they didn't know. The two looked a little confused, but went with the flow and continued talking as before.

 

"How did you manage to take such a sneaky photo, Ter?" I asked after snapping the three doctors. I looked back at the photos I'd just taken. All three were truly captivating. Seeing them together made them stand out even more. No wonder we weren't the only ones who noticed.

 

"You have to do it when Phi Fah or Phi Jo are with you. They're not paying attention to anything else then," Ter replied, making me a little uncomfortable. "But if you do it suddenly, you won't be able to do it without them noticing."

 

"It's true. I've never managed to take a picture of Phi Jo without him noticing. He always knows. I don't understand why he's so perceptive."

 

"Maybe because they're often secretly photographed," I said. "I've seen a lot of their photos on the university website. If you look closely, Phi Fah and Phi Hill always pretend not to notice, but Phi Jo is always smiling for the camera."

 

Mentioning the university website reminded me of something. I wasn't very active on social media. I only used it to communicate with friends. But after I started attending Phi Fah, I realised he was quite famous at the university, having come in second in a student beauty pageant.

 

People have commented a lot about him, but I usually don't bother reading them. I mean, those secretly taken photos weren't great. The angles were terrible and blurry!

I don't mind them taking pictures, but if I knew who did, I'd want to teach them how to take pictures properly.

 

"Why does your face look like a cat's?" asked North.

 

"Huh? Cat face?"

 

"When you're angry, you always make a cat face," Ter explained, answering North's question. I looked at them both, confused. "You frown and make an annoyed face."

 

"Me?" I pointed to myself.

 

"Yes, you. I'm talking to you."

 

“It’s impossible!” I shook my head quickly and looked at them with narrowed eyes.

 

"More and more like a cat."

 

"Enough," I said, trying to stop them, because I didn't want to hear any more comparisons to cats. Ahead of us was a bridge that probably led to the castle. The castle was huge, and the journey to get there was quite arduous.

When we arrived at the bridge, I couldn't help but stop and take more photos.

 

“You’re so excited,” North commented.

 

"Of course! This is a new camera. It's incredible! This camera costs $200,000. Who would have thought Phi Fah would buy it as a birthday present? It's the most expensive and beautiful gift I've ever received. Look at this..."

 

"Enough, please," North held up a hand to stop me. "Get some rest. Hearing you talk about cameras all the time is giving me a headache."

 

"Well, I'm just excited."

 

"Yes, yes, it's my fault. Don't worry anymore. Take the picture!"

 

"North, be fashionable for me."

 

"IT?"

 

“Yes, you, Phi Fah, said anyone can be a model,” I said, repeating what Phi Fah had said before.

 

"What did Phi Fah say? Do you think the photos would have turned out as well without him?" North commented, a little annoyed, but he agreed to pose near the bridge anyway. "How should I pose?"

 

"Be natural," I suggested. North smiled at the camera, and after finding the perfect angle, I snapped the photo. I hadn't noticed that the other three doctors had arrived and were standing behind us. North got a little nervous when he saw Phi Jo watching us.

 

In fact, Ter often gets nervous around Phi Hill, too. Are we shy, or do the doctors make us feel this way? It's more the latter. Because if it weren't for Phi Fah, I wouldn't be nervous.

 

"Did you take a lot of photos?" Phi Fah asked me. I nodded, then approached him and showed him the photos from my camera. It had become a habit to show my photos to Phi Fah first.

 

"I like this one, with the bridge," I said, pointing to a photo of a bridge over a ditch we'd just crossed. I flipped to the next image, which showed the three doctors walking and talking. Phi Fah raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?"

 

"No, we just rarely take pictures together."

 

"Let's see," Phi Jo approached, and I showed him the camera. "Hill, have you seen it?"

 

"What?" asked Phi Hill, turning around.

"Our photo."

"That's right, we never dated, huh?" Phi Hill commented to Phi Jo after seeing her photo.

 

"Yes, our photos are usually taken secretly. This photo was also taken secretly because we didn't notice," Phi Fah joked, making me frown.

 

“Phi Arthit is usually with everyone,” I said.

"Why didn't he come with you?"

 

"He prefers not to be in crowds, especially when travelling. He prefers to travel alone," Phi Fah explained.

 

"Ah," I nodded, understanding. Phi Arthit valued his freedom. We stopped for a moment to take photos on the bridge. I decided to sneak a picture of Ter and Phi Hill, as a reward for Ter's frequent photo-ops.

 

"We have to hurry, right? Looks like there are still plenty of seats available," Phi Fah said, smiling at me. I nodded in response. The hand he was holding mine made me a little nervous, but also warm. It reminded me of the last time we'd walked hand-in-hand like this. Being around so many people made me a little uncomfortable, especially with Ter and North. I still remember how they teased me about the kiss. I used my free hand to raise the camera and snap a photo of our intertwined hands, then slowly moved it to frame the person next to me. Seeing that Phi Fah wasn't facing the camera, an idea came to me. I switched to video mode.

 

"Phi Fah," I called. He turned slowly, just as a light breeze blew.

 

"What is it?"

 

"I'm recording a video."

 

"What video?"

 

"Memories of my birthday in Osaka with Phi Fah."

 

"Ah," a beautiful smile appeared on his face. I'm sure that moment, if slowed down, would have been fantastic. "Are you going to mount it?"

 

"YES."

Phi Fah raised the hand he was holding and kissed the back of it, looking at the camera. The closeness left me speechless, as if my heart had stopped for a moment. When I realised it, my heart was pounding.

 

"Don't delete this part."

 

"Okay," I replied softly. He seemed satisfied before lowering his hand. I paused the recording. If I had included the part where Phi Fah kissed my hand in the video...

It must be so sweet. I won't cut that part in the editing process, because it's part of our memory. Before climbing to Osaka Castle, we enjoyed the view from the top for a bit before descending to go somewhere else.

 

"Takoyaki?" Ter saw the takoyaki shop and was immediately intrigued. Naturally, he was the first to rush there, followed closely by Phi Hill.

 

“What is he doing?” North asked me.

 

“He’s eating. He probably heard something passing by,” I replied, laughing.

 

"But it looks delicious. It's authentic Japanese food."

 

"It's original," I hadn't finished speaking when North followed Ter. "Don't you want to buy it?"

 

“I'm not hungry,” I replied to Phi Fah.

 

"You should try it. Eat more. Didn't your mother tell you to eat more? You're too skinny," Phi Fah's words finally prompted me to enter the takoyaki shop. Even though I've been eating more lately, my mother still says I'm too skinny.

 

After buying it, I took a bite, blew on it to cool it, and then tasted it. It was delicious, but it made my mouth sting a little. I remained silent, not answering, looking at him with an annoyed expression. My mouth hurt from how it had hurt this morning. I wanted to appear angry, but in the end, I decided not to make a big deal out of it.

 

"Phi Fah, try it. It's really good."

 

"The ponds are one."

 

I skewered another takoyaki, blew on it to cool it, and then gave it to Phi Fah. After finishing the takoyaki, we got ready to go somewhere else.

"Hey, hey," Ter said, showing me a photo on his camera. It was a picture of me feeding takoyaki to Phi Fah.

 

"More stolen photos?"

 

"Beautiful, isn't it? Phi Fah is charming even when he opens his mouth to eat takoyaki."

 

"Phi Hill might be jealous."

 

"Phi Hill won't care."

 

"Really?" I asked incredulously. If Phi Hill was angry, I didn't want Ter to be disappointed. We continued our walk toward the shopping area. While I was buying an ice cream, I saw Phi Jo buying a beer; I've never seen Phi Fah drink alcohol. "Do you usually drink, Phi Fah?"

 

"Beer?"

 

"Yes, or liquor."

 

"Not often. I don't like it very much."

 

“Ah,” I nodded, not finding it all that surprising.

 

"And you?"

 

"I... no, never."

 

"You said you drank a lot, right?"

 

"Oh, yes, I was, when I was more rebellious," I replied, remembering the days when I was a troubled kid, running away from home, arguing with Fan, and going out drinking with friends. "But now I don't drink anymore."

 

"Okay, but if you ever want a drink, let me know."

 

"Do you want to drink with me?"

 

"No, I'll take care of you."

 

"When I drink, I know how to take care of myself."

 

"But I'll worry anyway," Phi Fah replied nonchalantly, but it seemed special. I couldn't help but smile. We'd originally planned to visit the aquarium, but after hearing it was more beautiful at night with the lights on, we decided to stroll during the day, do some shopping, and visit the temple. In the afternoon, we went to the harbour, where the aquarium and the Ferris wheel were located. The first thing that caught my eye was the Ferris wheel. According to the information I'd received, the Ferris wheel was open late into the night. We decided to visit the aquarium first.

 

“W... what’s wrong?” I asked when I saw Phi Fah looking at me.

 

"Nothing, you just seem very excited."

 

"Yes, I'm really excited."

 

"All right."

 

We entered hand in hand. In front of the aquarium, as we'd already read, there was a light show. The square was filled with blue lights, giving the impression of being underwater or in the polar ice cap. The air was cold, and the wind was blowing strongly. Before I could look further, the main attraction appeared: a penguin walking along the path with a guard. Naturally, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take a photo.

 

"The name sounds familiar, but I've forgotten what kind of penguin it is."

 

"Emperor," Phi Fah replied. I nodded slightly before returning my attention to the little boy in front of me, not forgetting to record the video. I had a lot of footage to edit today for my birthday video in Osaka.

 

When I entered, I saw the same decorations as the outside, light blue and dark blue. The ceiling was filled with bright blue lights, as if we were actually underwater. Even though it was dark, I could still clearly see the people around me.

 

As Phi Fah looked around, I took the opportunity to capture the atmosphere and the people mesmerised by the surrounding beauty. Through the camera lens, no matter the light, everything looks wonderful.

 

"Phoon, can I borrow your camera?"

 

"Okay. Do you want to take a picture?"

 

"Yes, he's too handsome to miss," he replied. Hearing this, I handed him my camera. Since I didn't have another, I just walked around, looking around. But when I saw Phi Fah holding mine and snapping photos, I stopped. I'd often noticed how attractive he was when he held a camera, and I wanted to take a picture of him to keep. But wait...

 

"Phi Fah, did you take my picture?"

 

"YES."

 

"Didn't you say you'd take my picture?"

 

"What should I say? I just said the view was beautiful and I wanted to take a photo to keep."

 

"Ahah... okay, take the picture."

 

I was shocked when I realised what he meant. When he said the view was beautiful, and he wanted to take a picture, he had to be talking about me, right? Knowing this, I started covering myself, trying to hide the embarrassment he had caused me.

 

"Do you want your camera back?"

 

"No, that's fine."

 

"You really don't like being photographed, Phoon?"

 

"Hmmm."

 

"Then I'll take a picture of you. You're so attractive. It would be a shame if I didn't."

 

Phi Fah's words left me speechless before he handed me the camera back. I took it and immediately opened the gallery to look at the photos. There were some shots I hadn't paid attention to because I kept looking around, and others where I turned away to complain to the camera.

 

"Do not delete."

 

I pouted, annoyed. Phi Fah's photo was really beautiful. I don't mean because I was in it, but because of the angle and other details. Overall, the result was really good. We walked through the underwater tunnel. I don't know when we separated from the others. Was it from the entrance?

 

"Phi Fah, have you seen the others?"

 

"We separated at the entrance."

 

"Ah, I didn't notice."

 

"When you look at penguins."

 

"Oh, what should we do now?"

 

"We'll be able to contact them once we get out. Now it'll be hard to find them."

 

"All right."

 

We continued walking through the underwater tunnel until we reached the Japanese forest area, a replica of its ecosystem. I took lots of photos of cute animals. Then we moved on to the marine animal area, with several aquariums. I don't know how long I stayed there, but before I knew it, I'd seen it all. Phi Fah waited patiently while I took photos until I was satisfied.

 

"Did you have fun?" Phi Fah asked me as we left the aquarium. It was already dark outside, almost eight o'clock in the evening.

 

"Yes, the decor is very nice."

 

"Shall we go on the Ferris wheel?"

 

"Yes!" I replied excitedly. I was waiting to ride the Ferris wheel. We didn't have to wait long in line, and soon we were inside the cabin. I sat down, and Phi Fah sat across from me. In the dim light, the view was incredible. I looked out, enjoying the panorama as we slowly ascended. The lights of Osaka Bay twinkled below us. The bridge was visible in the distance. The Ferris wheel was so tall it felt like you could see the entire city.

 

"Thank you for bringing me here."

"You said 'thank you' again."

 

"Thank you so much. I had so much fun today. I never thought I'd be able to travel with you and everyone else. I took so many memorable photos and videos," I said, looking into his eyes. The dim light from below made me not afraid of the dark. With Phi Fah by my side, there was nothing to fear. I held his hand, looking up at him with my heart pounding. All I felt was love and gratitude for that person.

 

"Phi Fah, have you ever thought...?"

 

"What is it?"

 

"What does it feel like to have a partner?"

 

“Never,” she replied softly with a warm smile.

 

"Why?"

 

"Before, when I was alone, I was fine. No one interested me."

 

"Really? With so many people who love you."

 

"But I don't like them."

 

"It's strange that you like it."

 

"There are many people better than me."

 

"But there's only one Phoon. Many people are better than me. Why don't you like them?"

 

"Because it's always Phi Fah."

 

"You're the one I like. If you'd shown me the real you, maybe I would have loved you easily, maybe years ago."

 

"The real me..." I repeated, nodding. I'd asked Phi Fah about this when we first started dating. I'd never shown my true self before.

 

"Who would dare do such a thing?"

 

"Why?"

 

"If I show you that I like you and you reject me, that would be really bad."

 

"But I didn't refuse it."

 

"Yes, but because of the letter, I dared. At the time, I was afraid you wouldn't agree that I was the person in the letter." I was honest with him.

 

"Okay. Okay. You've helped me get to know you better through those letters."

 

“What if I had turned down that opportunity then? On the bridge?” I asked, referring to when Phi Fah had asked me out.

 

"I said we'll come back to wherever you feel most comfortable, for as long as you want."

 

"How long? A year?"

 

"Obviously."

 

"Two years?"

 

"YES."

 

"Five years?"

 

"Ten years?"

 

"YES."

 

"Wow, Phi Fah, are you exaggerating?"

 

"Maybe. But at the time, I thought it had to be this person, no matter what. As long as we can talk like this for as long as possible, I'll wait until you finish your studies, I'll get my medical degree, but I'll always write to you."

 

"Wow." Seeing those serious eyes left me speechless, because it made me realise Phi Fah wasn't lying at all. "Phi Fah, you make my heart skip a beat. You always had the right to disagree with the situation back then. So why didn't you demand anything?" I said softly, feeling as if something had caught in my throat.

 

"Since I feel good, why should I expect anything?"

 

I pursed my lips, feeling my heart swell. I let the silence fall over us for a moment, not knowing what to say to break it, before I remembered I'd forgotten to record a video. I'd taken a video of the night view of Osaka from 100 meters up, with its colourful lights that had mesmerised me for a long time.

 

"Do you like the view from here?"

 

"Yes, I like it. I want to go back."

 

We will visit this place again when we return to visit our Mother.

 

"Yes, Phi Fah said that," I emphasised. The man smiled slightly.

 

"Nong. I will always take you wherever I go," said the person sitting across from me.

 

"Actually, I'd also like to take you on trips often, even though I might not have much time."

 

"All right."

 

"I'm sorry, I don't have much time for you, even though I promised to take care of you." What Phi Fah said must mean he's been busy with studying and exams lately. Being a doctor is hard enough, so it's no surprise he doesn't have much time for me. In fact, he seemed a little worried that I didn't have much free time. I quickly shook my head.

 

"It's okay. My boyfriend is a future doctor," I said with a wide smile, which prompted the boy to cup my cheeks and playfully pinch them.

 

"Besides, you don't have to take so much care of me anymore."

 

"It is true?"

 

"Sure. Just study hard, but you still do a lot for me." I thought Phi Fah took care of me too well. No matter where I went or what I did, I didn't have to do anything alone. Even during gruelling exams, he still made an effort to see me. "From now on, I'll take care of you. I feel like I haven't done much for Phi Fah."

 

"Just be a good boy."

 

"Now I'm a good boy, I'm not bad anymore."

 

"So, who brought me coffee while I was studying? It was late, and I told you to wait in your room, but you didn't listen. You came alone in your car."

 

"Really? Who was that?" I joked, remembering when Phi Fah was studying. At first, he told me to wait in class because he wanted to study until morning and didn't want to be disturbed. But eventually I persisted, brought him coffee, and kept him company.

 

I remember it was nighttime, and I was still driving to see him. Obviously, he'd scolded me a lot. From then on, he wouldn't leave me alone in the room because he didn't trust me, afraid I'd leave again. Sometimes I feel like I'm stuck with Phi Fah.

 

"You're like a cat, aren't you? So stubborn."

 

"I'm not stubborn."

 

"I'm not a cat, and I'm not stubborn either."

 

"Miao..."

 

"YES?"

 

You said you're not a cat, so why did you respond when I called you that?

 

"Oh," I frowned slightly. They'd called me that so-so so often that I was used to it.

 

"Well, I may be a cat, but I'm not stubborn."

 

"You're stubborn too."

 

"Am I really that stubborn?"

 

"Oh?"

 

"Phi Fah always says I'm stubborn. Am I really stubborn?"

 

"No, not in everything, just in this."

 

"I understand."

 

"Do you feel hurt?"

 

"No, I'm just asking. If I'm stubborn and things aren't going well, I can change."

 

"Don't worry, if it's you, everything's fine."

 

"Okay." I smiled broadly. He wasn't hurt; that's what he meant.

 

“No matter how stubborn you are, you will always be Phi Fah’s cat,” she said, gently stroking my head.

 

"This cat is very loyal, even more so than a dog."

 

"It is true?"

 

"Sure, if I were a cat and cats had nine lives, I'd give them all to Phi Fah."

 

"Really? All those lives?"

 

"Yes, everything. I'll give it all to you." I laughed a little.

 

"Okay, Phi Fah will gladly accept it."

 

"Ahahaha." I really enjoy chatting like this. Even if it seems like "Ahahaha." I really enjoy chatting like this. Even if it seems simple, it's a lovely moment for me.

Before we knew it, it was time to get off the Ferris wheel. Phi Fah called the others to come meet us.

 

"Where are we going now?" asked Phi Fah.

 

"I'm celebrating my birthday. I browsed the shops," I replied. As we walked along Osaka Bay, seeing our shadows cast on the street in front of us reminded me of something. I quickly took out my phone to snap a photo.

I posted a photo of our shadows walking together on Instagram.

With the caption:"You have my nine lives."