"Even the smallest departure can split the heart—
Like a river against rock."
—Nil
Than's hands rested steady on the wheel. On the dashboard, the clock's red digits glowed 5:56 p.m. Outside, streetlamps were beginning to bloom, one after another, casting their light across the road.
He glanced sideways. Meanwhile, Than spoke, his voice calm, "Nil, I've spoken to my homeowner...''
''You can move in anytime you want."
Nil's lashes lowered. For a beat, only the hum of the engine filled the space between them. "...Mn." His voice was soft, almost swallowed by the air. "Thank you for doing this for me, Than."
"I did it as a friend," Than replied, glancing at him briefly. "So don't thank me."
Nil hesitated, his gaze turning to the darkening view beyond the window. "Then... can I move after a few days?"
Than's fingers tapped once against the steering wheel before he spoke, he kept his eyes on the road, his voice calm yet firm,
"Nil... I know you're close to them."
Nil turned his head slightly, watching the fading light outside the window.
"But even the warmest ties can hold you back," Than continued. His tone stayed gentle.
Nil's lashes lowered. "...You think I should leave now?"
"You'll still see them," Than said, glancing at him briefly.
"But it's time you had a place of your own. As your friend—" his voice slowed, deliberate—
"I want you to step out."
The faint reflection of Nil's face in the glass seemed caught between light and shadow. "Maybe you're right," he murmured.
Nil's phone lay face down on his knee, silent as stone. Unbeknownst to him, its screen had lit up again and again — Kao's name flashing in persistent intervals — only to fade each time without being seen.
Than, his eyes fixed on the road, let the quiet stretch for a while before asking, "Nil... can I ask you something?"
Nil, resting his elbow against the window, shifted his gaze lazily toward him. "Mn..."
Than's fingers tightened imperceptibly on the steering wheel.
"Are you... in a relationship with P.Kao?"
Nil's breath caught. His eyes widened a fraction, and he gave a sharp cough, half-swallowed.
Than's brows furrowed in concern. "Hey—are you alright?"
Nil waved it off, forcing a faint curve to his lips — the kind of smile that never reached the eyes.
"...No. No, no..."
"Oh." Than drew the syllable out, as if turning it over in his mind.
Nil arched a brow. "Why would you think that?"
Than glanced at him briefly before returning his gaze to the road.
"Because I've seen the way he looks at you.'' Nil muted.
''He's cold with everyone, but with you... his expression changes. So does his temper."
Nil lowered his gaze, gave the smallest of nods, and said nothing more. His reflection in the glass turned away.
Kao's repeated attempts to reach Nil went unanswered. The phone, set to silent, sat unnoticed on his lap until the glow of the screen caught Than's peripheral vision.
"Someone's calling you?" Than asked casually.
Nil picked it up. The name on the screen froze him — Stranger — and beneath it, the stark tally of eight missed calls. His brows knit briefly before he thumbed the screen and lifted it to his ear.
The line connected almost instantly.
"Stranger—" Nil began, and then choked, his words caught halfway. He glanced at Than, who stared at him
"Is 'Stranger' someone's name?" Than asked, one brow raised.
Nil's lips pressed together in awkward restraint.
"No... it's my uncle. I call him 'Stranger.'"
From the other end came Kao's voice, smooth and unhurried — yet edged. "Uncle!''
"Me uncle?"
"Why is Than with you?"
Than kept his eyes on the road, but the set of his shoulders betrayed he was listening. Nil drew a deep breath, his voice lowering. "I'm sorry, Uncle. My phone was silent, so I—"
"Why is Than with you?" Kao repeated.
Nil swallowed. "The shooting ended early. I'm in the car with my friend Than. He's dropping me at the café... after that, I'm going to shift."
A beat of silence, then Kao said, "Fine. I have a meeting now. Message me your new address." The faintest undercurrent — something sharp, almost possessive — threaded through his tone before the call clicked dead.
"Hello? Hello? Stranger—" Nil tried again, but the line had already gone cold.
"What happened?" Than asked, glancing over.
"Mm. Nothing." Nil's reply was soft, but the way his fingers lingered around the phone betrayed otherwise.
As Than guided the car to a gentle stop outside the café, Nil lingered in the quiet of the room, hands trembling slightly as he folded the last of his clothes. Mary moved beside him, her presence steady, helping him with careful hands, but she said nothing.
Nil's gaze roamed over every corner—"Everything... everything here was meaningful."
"I knew I could not live here forever..." The words trembled
His teeth pressed lightly against his lower lip as he tried to hold back.
"But..."
The words faltered, swallowed by the quiet,
"But I never imagined it would be so soon..."
There was little to take with him—only two small bags, filled with clothes. He turned to Uncle Tham, wrapping himself in the elder's arms.
Nil's eyes glimmered with unshed tears. "This place... will always be yours."
"Whenever you want, just come."
Nil clung to him once more, as if the hug could tether him. Then he turned to Techno, pulling him close as well. "Nil, if you need anything... just remember me."
A small, grateful curve lifted Nil's lips.
"I will... brother."
Nil stepped forward, intending to wrap his arms around Mary—but before he could, she beat him to it, pulling him into a tight hug.
"Will you forget us?" Her voice trembled slightly, as if afraid of the answer.
Nil exhaled slowly, the tension in his shoulders softening.
"Never..."
Mary's grip tightened, almost challenging him.
"Even if I forget?"
Nil chuckled softly, a teasing glint in his eyes.
"Then just come and slap me hard."
Than's laugh rolled through the room, easy and bright.
Mary still held him, her forehead resting lightly against his chest.
"If you cry so much..." Nil murmured, voice playful, "...dark rankles will gather under your beautiful eyes."
Nil's lips curved with mischief.
"Then no one will like you... except Techno," he teased.
"No way," Mary shot back, sticking her chin out, pretending indignation.
"Even I won't," Techno added, voice rough around the edges, but with a softness that betrayed his care.
Mary tilted her head, a hopeful lilt in her voice.
"Tell me... can we come see you?"
Nil pressed his palms gently to her shoulders, steadying both himself and the moment. "Always. I'm not leaving all of you so easily."
A smile lifted his face, tender and firm. "Every Sunday... I'll come here."
"And just come," he added, softer this time,
"...whenever you have time."
Nil carried his belongings, glancing around the café one last time. Each table, each chair, every cup—pieces of his life, his small family—etched into memory. Yet he had to go. Slowly, he stepped toward the new place.
Kao was seated in the meeting room, eyes fixed on the documents before him—but his thoughts were miles away.
"Kao..." came Mr. Charoen's voice.
A second time, "Kao."
A third, sharper, "Kao!"
Kao didn't respond. His mind held only one image—Nil.
"Why is Nil still with Than?"
"He's shifting... why didn't he tell me?"
Across the table, Lave's brows lifted in surprise, others glancing at one another. Shin moved closer, bending toward Kao's ear. "Kao... what are you doing? Everyone's staring at you!"
But Kao didn't so much as blink in acknowledgment. His lips pressed into a thin line, annoyance shadowing his expression. Without another word, he pushed back his chair and strode out of the cabin. Shian, startled, quickly followed.
"Shian, manage everything today. I have to go somewhere," Kao said while slipping on his blazer, voice clipped.
Shian stared. "But... the clients want to talk to you—"
Kao replied without looking back, adjusting his collar.
"Then cancel,"
"At the last moment?" Shian's tone was half protest, half disbelief.
"Kao, where are you going?"
"And how am I supposed to—Kao!"
''Kao—"
The apartment was modest—two bedrooms, a kitchen, three bathrooms, two balconies, and a dining room—but bare of furniture, its emptiness echoing faintly against each step.
When Kao arrived, his gaze immediately caught the scene in the kitchen: Than, sleeves rolled up, standing beside Nil, both moving in quiet coordination as they cleaned.