Chak wrapped his arms around me and gently placed my hand on my stomach.
I leaned back against his chest, looked into his eyes, and smiled.
"If you're just going to keep staring at me instead of kissing me, then I'll kiss you first... and I won't let you go."
"I love you more than you could ever imagine," I whispered.
"Just look where our love has taken us. From Bangkok... to Surat Thani... to Koh Samui... and now... all the way to Slovenia."
Chak smiled warmly, pulled me even closer into his embrace, and pressed a soft kiss against my neck.
His lips naturally found mine.
He kissed me gently, and I immediately felt tiny butterflies flutter through my chest as I breathed in the warmth of his breath.
The sun slowly disappeared behind the rooftops of Ljubljana, painting the sky in shades of orange, pink, and purple. A cool evening breeze brushed against my skin, making me shiver ever so slightly.
Chak noticed immediately.
"Are you cold?" he asked quietly.
"A little," I admitted.
Without saying another word, he slipped off his coat and carefully draped it over my shoulders, covering my own jacket.
"What about you?" I asked with concern. "Won't you be cold?"
He chuckled softly.
"Don't worry about me, artist."
Then he leaned down and kissed my cheek.
Just as I smiled, we heard the unmistakable click... click... click...
A camera shutter.
Taeng,I thought instantly.
Both of us turned around.
Sure enough, Taeng was already standing a few meters away with his camera raised, wearing the biggest grin imaginable.
"Oh, don't stop!" he called dramatically. "You two look amazing!"
I let out a quiet laugh while Chak shook his head.
"You've been taking pictures this whole time, haven't you?" Chak asked.
Taeng proudly lifted the camera.
"Of course! Do you know how perfect that sunset is? And then you two started acting like the stars of a romance movie. I couldn't waste a moment like that."
"I knew it..." I muttered, hiding my slightly embarrassed smile.
Taeng walked closer and pointed toward the castle wall overlooking the city.
"Okay! Stand over there. Niran, lean against Chak a little more. Chak, put your arm around his waist."
Chak obediently wrapped his arm around me again.
"Like this?" he asked.
"Perfect!" Taeng replied. "Now, Niran, look at Chak instead of the camera."
I turned my head and met Chak's eyes.
The smile on his face instantly made me forget that Taeng was even holding a camera.
"There we go," Taeng whispered as he snapped several more photos.
"Now one where you're both laughing."
"What if we're not laughing?" Chak teased.
"I'll make you laugh."
Taeng suddenly cleared his throat dramatically.
"Attention! Did you know our serious CEO once panicked because Niran stole a bite of his dessert?"
I burst into laughter before Chak could even defend himself.
"Taeng!" Chak groaned, trying not to laugh himself.
"It happened!" Taeng insisted.
Even Suraphom, Malai, Chai, Torn, Kit and Anamarija, who had been quietly admiring the sunset nearby, turned toward them after hearing the laughter.
"There it is!" Taeng exclaimed happily while taking another series of photos. "Those are the smiles I wanted."
He lowered the camera, quickly checked the pictures on the screen, and nodded with satisfaction.
"These," he said with a proud smile, "are going to be some of my favorite memories from Slovenia."
Taeng lowered his camera for a moment and looked at everyone with an excited grin.
"Wait! Before the sun sets completely, we need one more picture."
He looked around at all of us.
"A group photo."
Everyone immediately agreed.
"That's a great idea," Anamarija said, smiling as she looked at the glowing sky above Ljubljana.
The last rays of sunlight painted the castle walls in warm golden colors, while the city below slowly lit up with thousands of tiny lights.
"This spot is perfect," Taeng said, pointing toward the viewpoint overlooking the entire city.
We all walked over together.
"Okay..." Taeng began, already arranging everyone. "Malai and Suraphom in the middle."
Suraphom chuckled.
"Why us?"
"Because you're the parents of this group," Taeng replied confidently.
Everyone laughed.
Malai simply smiled and linked her arm with Suraphom's.
"Chak, stand next to Niran," Taeng continued. "No arguments."
"As if I'd stand anywhere else," Chak replied, slipping his hand into mine.
Heat instantly spread across my cheeks.
"Torn, Chai, and Kit over here. Anamarija, you stand beside Niran."
She happily nodded and stepped next to me.
"There," Taeng said after taking a few steps back. "Perfect."
He looked through the viewfinder.
"No, no... everyone a little closer."
We shuffled together until our shoulders touched.
"Closer."
Chak wrapped an arm around my waist.
Suraphom rested a hand on Malai's shoulder.
Anamarija gently linked her arm with mine.
"There we go," Taeng said with satisfaction.
Just then, a young couple walking past noticed us.
"Would you like me to take the picture so everyone can be in it?" the man asked with a friendly smile.
Taeng's eyes lit up.
"Really? That would be amazing! Thank you so much."
He carefully handed over his camera and quickly ran over to join us.
"Hurry!" Chai laughed. "You've got five seconds!"
"I know, I know!"
Taeng squeezed in between Torn and Kit, throwing an arm around both of them.
The stranger lifted the camera.
"Ready?"
Everyone nodded.
"Three..."
The evening breeze gently swept across the castle courtyard.
"Two..."
I felt Chak's fingers intertwine with mine.
"One..."
"Say Ljubljana!" Anamarija laughed.
"LJUBLJANA!"
Click.
The camera captured all of us together.
Not just as friends.
Not just as family.
But as people whose lives had become intertwined in ways none of us could have imagined.
The stranger smiled as he looked at the screen.
"I think this one turned out beautifully."
Taeng eagerly took the camera back and checked the photo.
For a few seconds, he didn't say anything.
Then a soft smile spread across his face.
"This," he said quietly, "isn't just a picture."
He looked up at all of us.
"It's a memory we'll never be able to recreate... and that's exactly what makes it priceless."
For a brief moment, everyone fell silent, simply admiring the sunset over Ljubljana and the beautiful city stretching out beneath the castle hill, grateful to have shared that moment together.
Taeng was still smiling at the group photo when Kit gently nudged his shoulder.
"You've been behind the camera the entire afternoon," Kit said. "Maybe it's someone else's turn now."
Taeng looked at him in surprise.
"What do you mean?"
Before Kit could answer, Chak reached over and took the camera from Taeng.
"I think Kit has a point."
He turned toward me and placed the camera in my hands.
"Artist," he said with a smile, "show us what you see."
I looked down at the camera and laughed softly.
"Are you sure?"
"I trust you," Chak replied.
I smiled.
"Alright."
I adjusted the camera strap around my neck and instinctively looked through the viewfinder.
The evening light was beautiful.
The castle walls glowed softly, while the lights of Ljubljana sparkled below us.
I took a few candid photos of everyone talking and laughing together.
Click.
Malai and Suraphom quietly admiring the view.
Click.
Chai pretending to lean dramatically over the castle wall before Torn pulled him back, both of them laughing.
Click.
Anamarija standing beside Chak, pointing toward different parts of the city as she continued telling everyone little stories about Ljubljana.
Then I noticed Kit.
He had quietly walked over to Taeng.
Neither of them seemed to realize I was watching.
Kit reached for Taeng's hand.
Taeng looked at him, his smile instantly softening.
"You've taken hundreds of pictures today," Kit said quietly.
"And?"
"I think it's time someone captured you instead."
Taeng let out a small laugh.
"I don't mind being behind the camera."
"I know," Kit replied. "But I like seeing you in front of it."
Taeng's cheeks turned a faint shade of pink.
Kit stepped a little closer.
Without saying another word, he gently cupped Taeng's cheek.
Taeng leaned into the touch, smiling.
I lifted the camera.
The scene felt natural.
Real.
Beautiful.
Kit leaned forward and pressed a slow, gentle kiss against Taeng's lips.
The sunset behind them painted the sky with warm shades of gold and orange.
Click.
I captured the exact moment their lips met.
Neither of them noticed.
They stayed there for another second before pulling away, foreheads resting lightly together.
"I love you," Kit whispered.
Taeng smiled so brightly that it almost outshone the sunset.
"I love you too."
Click.
Another photo.
This one captured nothing but the happiness in their eyes.
When they finally turned around, Taeng noticed me lowering the camera.
"Niran."
I grinned innocently.
"What?"
"Were you taking pictures of us?"
I looked down at the camera for a moment before smiling.
"Maybe."
Taeng covered his face with one hand, laughing in embarrassment.
"So this is how it feels."
Kit chuckled beside him.
"You've photographed everyone else all day."
Taeng sighed dramatically.
"I guess I deserved that."
I walked over and held out the camera.
"Want to see?"
The two of them leaned closer to look at the screen.
As soon as the first photo appeared, Taeng fell silent.
The golden sunset, the ancient castle walls, and the quiet kiss looked almost cinematic.
Kit smiled.
"They're beautiful."
Taeng looked at me with a warm smile.
"Artist..."
"You really do see the world differently."
I smiled back.
"I learned from the best photographer I know."