Author's POV
As Jai slipped out of the social hall, Thorn noticed immediately. His fingers paused over the strings, a brief flicker of thoughts crossing his mind. Had he been avoiding him? Or was he unsure of how to face him again?
He couldn't get their first encounter at Patpong Night Market out of his head—the way the past had seemed to rush back in an instant. Jai had changed so much. Quieter. More guarded. Yet beneath it all, he still saw the same boy who had been by his side for seventeen years.
That night at the Patpong market, he had wanted so badly to approach him. Because there's so many things he wanted to say, so many questions he wanted to ask—but all he managed was to say his name.
"Jai."
Before he could say anything more, someone had called his attention, and when he turned back, he was totally gone. The missed opportunity sank into him like a stone in his chest—a bitter regret that they had lost the chance to reconnect once again.
When they met again at the Music Club, he had deliberately handed over his guitar, searching for any excuse to be near him. A small bridge, a fleeting reason, just to gauge if he would remember him.
Four years had passed since he left for Bangkok to study as a surgeon student. He had been only seventeen then, Thorn never imagined they would meet again like this. And yet, in his heart, he was quietly happy. Because despite everything, fate had brought them together again.
Meanwhile, Jai's mind was a storm. She didn't know how to face Thorn head-on—the same boy who had once been his protector, the one who left when he needed him most. His absence had cut deep, coinciding with the most chaotic moments of his own life.
On stage, Thorn finished the song, but his mind refused to settle. Logic whispered one thing, yet his heart insisted another. Without a word, he left the stage abruptly, leaving Yujin, Art, and Way confused in his wake.
"Aww! Everyone, let's all enjoy the rest of the night!" the MC's voice rang out, but Thorn barely heard it.
He rushed into the hallway, hoping to catch up to Jai. His eyes darted left and right, but there was no sign of him. A deep, frustrated sigh escaped his lips as hope slowly slipped from his grasp.
But fate had its own plans.
As he turned the corner, he suddenly collided with someone. Instinctively, his hand shot out, gripping the other's back to steady them—and in an instant, they were face to face, closer than either of them expected.
"I'm sorry!" he murmured softly.
Slowly, he lifted his gaze—and froze.
"Jai!"
Jai was equally stunned, unable to speak at first, paralyzed by the nerves. For a brief moment, neither of them moved. Even their breathing felt too loud in the quiet space between them. Then Jai quickly recovered, giving him a slight push and standing properly. He avoided his gaze, brushing his sleeve as if fixing something that wasn't even there.
"I'm sorry, P'," he said, bowing slightly.
Thorn smiled gently.
"It's okay," he replied calmly.
Jai nodded, then quickly turned, intending to leave—but Thorn didn't let him go.
"Jai… khap," he called again, softer this time, almost as if he was afraid Jai might disappear if he didn't.
Jai stopped.
His heart pounded against his chest, loud and unsteady. For a second, he hesitated—then slowly turned back, forcing himself to meet Thorn's gaze.
"Do you still remember me?" Thorn asked, his voice quiet but direct, eyes fixed on him like he was searching for something.
Silence stretched between them.
Jai swallowed. He could feel it—the weight of Thorn's question, the patience in his eyes… and something else he couldn't quite name.
"…Khap… P'Thorn," he finally whispered.
The moment the words left his lips, Thorn's expression softened—like something heavy had finally been lifted off his chest. And for some reason, Jai couldn't look away.
In Thorn's mind, everything seemed to quiet down. The noise of the hallway, the passing students—none of it mattered anymore. All he could focus on was the person standing in front of him. He hadn't been forgotten. Not after four years. Not after the distance, the silence… the pain. Jai still remembered him.
A small, fragile spark of hope flickered in his chest—hesitant, almost afraid to exist. But it was there, steady and real. Maybe, just maybe, what they once had wasn't completely gone. Maybe it was still there, hidden somewhere beneath the years they lost—waiting to be found again. And this time, Thorn wasn't sure if he had the strength to let it slip away.
———
The university corner was quiet, almost painfully so. Only the soft rustle of leaves and the occasional whisper of wind disturbed the stillness. They both stood there, gazing into the distance, yet their thoughts were worlds apart.
"How are you?" Thorn asked, his voice calm but sincere, cutting through the silence.
"I'm fine," Jai replied, his tone clipped, measured.
Thorn offered a small, tentative smile.
"That's good… I thought you'd forgotten me."
Jai turned to look at him, his eyes serious, unreadable.
"Why would I ever forget you?"
Thorn paused for a moment, a flicker of surprise crossing his features. Then he grinned, trying to ease the weight of the moment.
"I was just thinking out loud," he said softly.
Jai went silent again. Thorn could feel it—the distance between them, heavy and unbridgeable with a simple smile. There were words Jai wasn't ready to speak, feelings he kept locked away, but the silence was telling enough.
"Jai," Thorn called gently.
"Khap?"
"Are you mad at me?" Thorn asked, carefully, almost afraid of the answer.
Jai's expression darkened, his brows knitting together. He didn't answer immediately. Inside, questions roiled, demanding release—why did Thorn leave without a word? Why had he gone so easily, as if erasing their years together was nothing? But Jai swallowed the anger, the confusion, the hurt, forcing his lips into a small, controlled smile.
"No, P'Thorn." he finally said.
"Really?" Thorn pressed, his gaze soft but insistent.
"Yes," Jai confirmed again, but there was a tension in him that betrayed his words.
Thorn noticed it instantly. He knew there were things Jai couldn't say yet, and he chose not to push. For now, he settled for what little honesty was offered.
"I didn't know you wanted to be a doctor," Thorn said suddenly, trying to shift the conversation, to steer them toward safer ground.
"Uhmm..." Jai replied briefly, his tone guarded.
"You used to want to be a designer, like your mom before." Thorn continued.
Jai's fingers tightened around themselves, betraying a subtle tremor he tried to hide. The memories of his past ambitions and expectations clashed with the reality of his choices now, making him pause, momentarily lost in thought.
"So… how are Uncle and Auntie?" Thorn asked carefully, mindful of the fragile atmosphere.
The question hung between them like a weighty pause. Jai's silence deepened, his gaze dropping. It was clear he was searching for the right words—or perhaps the courage—to speak the truth.
Meanwhile, Krit's anxiety was mounting. Alongside Van and Kim, he paced the university grounds relentlessly, searching for Jai. They had circled the social hall and the campus several times, but Jai was nowhere in sight.
"Maybe he went home already?" Van suggested, panting slightly.
"No way. He doesn't leave without telling me." Krit said, his worry evident.
He knew Jai well enough to understand that his friend's silence was a sign of inner turmoil, not resignation. Krit refused to give up.
"Krit, we've been walking around this campus! Are we going to keep circling here forever?" Van groaned, exhausted.
"He's here. I know he is. We just have to find him," Krit insisted, determination in his every word.
Kim interjected, sighing.
"Have you messaged him yet?"
"Yeah, but—" Krit stopped mid-sentence when Van's eyes widened.
"What do you mean 'he hasn't replied'? He's right there in your hands!" Van exclaimed, pointing at the phone Jai had been clutching tightly.
Krit's eyes went wide as he realized it. He stared at the device in his hand, dumbfounded.
"You're so handsome, but also so stupid!" Van jabbed, exasperated.
"Hey! I didn't mean for it to happen! How was I supposed to know if his phone ended up with me?" Krit defended himself, flustered.
"Excuses! Did it just fly into your hand magically or something?" Van teased, smirking.
"Really Van? You're just following us around doing nothing but rambling!" Krit shot back.
Van's brow furrowed. "I am looking! You're just too blind to notice!"
Kim finally stepped in, raising her voice.
"Do you think we'll be able to find Jai if you two keeps fighting?"
The two fell silent, momentarily chastised.
"It's because of Krit…" Van muttered quietly.
"Me?!" Krit blurted, defensive, but a small laugh escaped him despite the tension.
Kim, standing nearby with arms crossed, threatened jokingly.
"Keep it up, and I'll punch both of you!"
Van and Krit exchanged amused glances, tension breaking for a fleeting moment.
"Relax, Kim! We know you love us," Van teased, nudging Krit gently.
"You're disgusting!" Kim shot back, pretending to gag.
Krit exhaled slowly, gripping Jai's phone tighter. Beneath all the teasing and bickering, one truth was crystal clear—they couldn't rest until Jai was safe. And then, finally, he saw them. Two familiar figures standing at the edge of the campus.
"Jai!" Krit shouted, moving quickly toward him, ignoring the others for the moment.
"Are you okay?" His voice was heavy with concern, his steps urgent.
"I'm… tired, Krit. Let's go home now!" Jai murmured, his eyes trying to stay calm but betraying the effort it took.
"Okay. Let's go," Krit said, forcing a reassuring smile, though the worry in his chest refused to ease.
From the corner of his eyes, Thorn watched silently. He wasn't sure what to make of this other boy, but a strange feeling prickled inside him—an unfamiliar tension, a flicker of curiosity mixed with unease that he couldn't quite place.
"I can take you home, Jai." Thorn said suddenly, his tone carefully controlled, hiding the flicker of hope and longing beneath it.
All four of them turned, eyes wide in surprise. Krit's body tensed instantly, a surge of protectiveness shooting through him. He didn't say a word—his jaw tightened, fists clenching slightly at his sides—but every instinct screamed that he needed to step in, to shield, even if no one had asked him to.
"No need to ask," Jai said quietly, almost warningly.
"I have a car. I can drive you," Thorn offered again, insisting politely.
"No need," Krit cut in, his tone hardening, protective. His gaze locked on Thorn.
Thorn looked back, frowning but serious.
"Why? Who are you?" Thorn asked, his tone calm but firm.
"Don't you recognize me, Thorn?" Krit said, his tone serious.
Thorn froze, a flicker of realization crossing his face as memories of Krit came rushing back.
"Krit?" he whispered.
The question hung in the air. Silence followed, tense and weighty. Van and Kim exchanged knowing looks, sensing a complicated history, a story lingering just beneath the surface.
"Come on, Jai. I don't like the way the wind blows here," Krit said, his voice firm.
Memories of the past hit hard. The three of them had once been inseparable friends, but one mistake had shattered everything. Since that day, Krit had carried a grudge against Thorn—a quiet, simmering anger that hadn't faded even now.
"Uh, should we just go with them?" Van suggested awkwardly, trying to break the heaviness.
Thorn's eyes flicked to him, slightly caught off guard. But before he could answer, Kim playfully smacked Van on the head.
"Oii! Shit!" Van yelped.
Krit gently took Jai's arm, and the four of them finally began walking away. Jai didn't look back. No glance. Nothing. Thorn remained where he stood, watching them disappear, a quiet ache stirring in his chest. He knew he couldn't stop them. Perhaps he never had the right to. And yet, he couldn't shake the thoughts of Jai, especially Krit who had been his enemy since then.
———
The next morning, Krit and Jai arrived early, their steps measured, quiet, almost ritualistic. They parted ways silently, each heading straight to their respective classrooms. As Jai settled into his seat, Van and Kim noticed him immediately. Their eyes met, an unspoken signal passing between them, who would ask first.
"You go," Van whispered, nudging Kim.
Kim hesitated, frowning slightly.
"No, you!" Kim insisted, exasperated.
Finally, Van rose with a deep breath, approaching Jai cautiously.
"Jai," she began, hesitating. Her voice was gentle, but curiosity laced every syllable. "What's going on with you and P'Thorn?"
"Hey, Van!" Kim jumped in, alarmed but curious too.
Jai swallowed hard. His throat felt suddenly tight, uncooperative.
"Me and P'Thorn?" he stammered, his voice barely steady.
"Uh-huh," Kim urged, leaning in slightly.
Jai tried again, but the words got caught in his chest. Memories he had buried, feelings he had tried to lock away—they all threatened to spill out. His fingers tightened around his pen, knuckles whitening.
"N-nothing… there's nothing," he finally managed, forcing a calmness he didn't feel.
"But what about last night?" Van interjected. "He offered to drive you home, didn't he?"
"Huh? I-I don't know!" Jai replied quickly, panic threading through his voice.
He avoided their gaze, breath uneven, heart hammering.
"Alright, that's enough!" Kim said sharply, elbowing Van gently. "Don't push him to say anymore."
Van fell silent. Kim watched him closely, noticing the flicker of hesitation, the subtle unease, the truths Jai wasn't ready to voice. He understood that pushing him now would only make him pull away even further.
"Let's just study," Kim suggested softly.
Jai nodded, lowering his head and gripping his pen. Every time Thorn's name surfaced in his thoughts, the memories he tried so hard to bury tugged him back, threatening to break the fragile control he had over his emotions.
Meanwhile, Thorn stood quietly with his friends—Way, Yujin, and Art—leaning slightly into the void, lost in thought. His gaze was distant, unfocused, drawn toward the memory of Jai, the way he had been treated, the people he had been with. Thorn's hands hung loosely at his sides as he watched from afar, silently absorbing the laughter and chatter of his friends, yet feeling completely detached.
"So, what's the plan for your birthday, Way?" Art asked abruptly, cutting through Thorn's thoughts.
"Hmm… what else? Go to a bar," Way replied, shrugging, his interest clearly half-hearted.
"And your baby boy is coming too?" Art teased, earning a subtle frown from Way.
"Not necessary," Way said flatly.
"Aww, really now?" Art added, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Way smirked faintly, his mind clearly elsewhere, eyes glinting with that familiar, careless charm—the kind that made him the biggest player among them. He had a baby boy, but the way he treated him made it feel more like he had a servant than a child. Meanwhile, Art continued to poke fun, oblivious to Way's distant, teasing aura.
"Aww! Hey, Way! Got someone else you're bringing along?" Art shouted playfully, grinning.
"Secret!" Way replied, flashing a sly smile.
"Look at your friend, Yujin. Such a player!" Art teased, nudging their friend.
Yujin shook his head, smiling wryly.
"Nothing to say?" Art pressed further.
"What do you want me to say? Should I scold Way again? Then nothing happens, let Thorn deal's with him." Yujin muttered, eyes flicking toward Way with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.
Art glanced at Thorn and noticed him staring into the distance, lost in thought, almost invisible amid the chatter and noise around them.
"Thorn!" Art called, but there was no response.
"Thorn!"
"Hey, Thorn!"
The third shout finally snapped him out of his daze. He turned slowly, blinking, as if waking from a trance.
"Huh?" he muttered, his voice uncertain.
The three stared at him, confusion plain on their faces.
"Are you deaf? We've been calling you!" Art exclaimed, exasperated.
Thorn's eyes flickered, a mix of hurt and confusion surfacing.
"Am I… bad person?" he asked suddenly, voice soft but heavy with tangled emotion.
"Whoa!" Art raised an eyebrow. "Where did that come from?"
"Do you think I'm okay?" Thorn pressed, the uncertainty in his tone making Yujin frown deeply.
"Why would you even ask that?" he said, her voice gentle but probing, searching for the reason behind his words.
"I don't know," Thorn sighed, shoulders slumping. "I'm confused. About who I am, What's wrong with me. Am I… bad? Did I do something wrong for him to treat me that way?"
Way turned serious, studying him intently.
"What made you even ask that about yourself?"
"Maybe someone told you you're ugly or worthless, so now you're questioning your entire being," Art chimed in teasingly.
Way couldn't resist and smacked Art on the head.
"Just be quiet for five minutes!" Way scolded.
Art scratched his head, pouting.
"You guys still remember that story I told about my childhood?" Thorn asked, his voice barely above a murmur.
"Mm, Why?" Yujin nodded.
"We met again."
"Really? Then what happened?" Way asked, leaning forward.
"When we met in Patpong, I thought he didn't recognize me. He just stared,"
Thorn recounted, his lips curving slightly into a faint smile.
"But when I talked to him that night at the social event… I felt something calm me when he said my name."
"Ahh, so that's why you're acting weird today," Art joked, earning another smack from Way.
"Hey!" Art groaned.
"Quiet, I said!" Way snapped, exasperated.
"What happened after that?" Yujin asked gently, sensing Thorn's mood shift.
The smile vanished from Thorn's lips.
"He… he changed. He's not the same as before."
"Probably," Way replied thoughtfully. "It's been years since you last saw each other."
"Yeah," Yujin added. "Maybe something happened while you were gone that make him changed."
"But he said he was fine and nothing bad happened," Thorn said, trying to convince himself as much as anyone else.
"Maybe he's lying," Way suggested, "Or maybe he's hiding something from you."
Thorn's chest tightened. He remembered Jai's eyes—sad, heavy, unexplainable.
"If you really want to know the truth, why not just talk to him properly?" Yujin offered.
"That's just it," Thorn admitted. "I want to talk to him, but he's… hesitant around me. He cannot even look at my eyes straightly."
The four fell silent, the weight of unspoken emotions lingering in the air. After a few moments, Yujin tapped Thorn on the back.
"If he's really that important to you, talk to him. Explain yourself, and listen to his side also. But if he's not ready, don't force him to talk. Give him some time."
Thorn lowered his head, a heavy sigh escaping him. Maybe just showing up wasn't enough. Just saying his name wasn't enough. If anything had broken between them, it needed to be fixed—not for himself, but for someone he once considered more important than anything.
———
After class, they all headed to the canteen together. Jai went quietly, saying little during the walk. Krit wasn't with them today—he had a modeling gig. One by one, they settled at their chosen table. Van and Kim talked easily while Jai busied himself arranging his tray, eyes mostly downcast.
Then, the canteen doors opened. Thorn stepped in with Way, Yujin, and Art laughing and talking, moving with that effortless energy that drew the eye. Jai's eyes widened immediately. His chest tightened. The air around him seemed to constrict, heartbeat echoing in his ears. They were walking toward him.
His mind raced. He didn't know what to do.
"I… I'll just go first," he muttered suddenly, voice tight.
Without waiting for any response, he stood abruptly and hurried away from the table. Thorn's gaze caught him as he moved, and for a moment everything seemed to freeze.
"Let's go—" Art began, but Thorn didn't answer, his eyes fixed on Jai's retreating back until it disappeared around the corner.
Thorn took a hesitant step forward, wanting to follow. But he stopped, recalling Yujin's advice: don't force him. He let out a slow breath, lowering his gaze. He wasn't ready to face the possible rejection, the inevitable avoidance. Chasing him now could hurt more than staying behind.
"Thorn?" Way's voice nudged him back to reality.
"Hmm?" Thorn replied, forcing himself to return to the present.
"Let's eat!" Way urged.
Thorn nodded, sitting back with his friends, silence settling over him. Inside, his mind was still with Jai—running through the memory of that brief encounter, that fleeting connection, the distance that seemed to stretch endlessly between them.
Outside the canteen, Jai stopped by the wall, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply. The inhaler in his hand offered some relief, but he knew it wouldn't last forever. His legs ached, his chest felt tight, and the weight of emotions he couldn't yet confront pressed down on him.
Inside, Thorn wondered how long he could wait—and how long Jai could keep running.