A small-framed person wearing black skinny jeans completely dried his damp hair before walking to the wardrobe. He picked out a white, long-sleeved, V-neck shirt and brushed aside his chocolate-brown hair that had fallen over his face to avoid the too-long front hair covering his eyebrows.
Standing in front of the large mirror, he adjusted the hem of the shirt, which extended past his hips, neatly. He tilted his head to look at the shirt he was wearing. Usually, he liked to wear long-sleeved V-neck shirts, but none of his shirts had as deep a neckline as this one. And because of its thin, flowing fabric, he hesitated.
But when he put on a rose gold necklace with a crescent moon pendant, he immediately decided that this was the outfit to wear to his own birthday dinner because everything felt perfect already. Simple yet elegant. This is... Glai Jai's style.
Creee~
The buzzing sound from the black phone caught his attention as he was spraying perfume. Glai put down the bottle of his favourite perfume in its place before grabbing the phone to answer without checking the name on the screen.
"Hello, this is Glai Jai."
[Glai, it's Dad.]
"Ah... Dad, I didn't check who was calling," Glai said, holding the phone to his ear while using his shoulder to keep it in place. He used both hands to tidy up his things.
"Did you call for something, Dad?"
[Son...] The voice on the other end sounded soft before letting out a sigh.
"Is there an issue with the evening party?"
[No, son... I wanted to call to apologize for not wishing you a happy birthday in person earlier. There were so many guests that I didn't have time to come see you.]
The small-framed person smiled in relief before saying, "Oh, I thought it was something serious."
[...]
"Last night, at 11:59 PM, you already sent me a message to wish me a happy birthday, didn't you? You didn't forget my birthday at all. Don't overthink it, Dad. Today, you need to smile as much as you can."
[I love you so much, Glai.]
"I love you too, Dad."
[Since I hosted a party at home this evening, you had to have your birthday dinner outside instead. You could have invited your friends to celebrate at our house. I could've asked Mai and Jeab to set up a zone for you. Would you like to change the plan and have it at home instead? It's still not too late.]
"Dad, please don't feel guilty or overthink this. I'm perfectly fine having it outside,"
Glai said, laughing softly at what he was about to say. "I've celebrated my birthday at home every year since I was born until I turned 19. This year, let's say I'm changing the atmosphere a bit."
[Are you sure about that, son?]
"Yes... Have fun at the party, Dad. Don't worry about me."
[Do you want any special gifts this year?]
Glai, who had finished tidying up, held the phone and looked at his reflection in the mirror. Dad had once said he smiled just like Mom. At first, Glai didn't quite believe it, but now, seeing his own smile again...
Glai believed it now.
Dad's angel wasn't far away at all.
"I just want Dad, everyone in the house, and..." The last part was spoken softly before pausing. Glai's thoughts were momentarily stolen by the crescent moon pendant's reflection in the mirror. A gentle smile appeared as a feeling surfaced. A slender hand moved to touch the pendant lightly before speaking, "...and the people I love to behappy."
[How about asking for something for yourself?]
"I already wish for my own happiness every day... For a special occasion like this, I want to wish for others instead."
[Do you have someone special who makes your heart race yet?]
Glai laughed before answering, "That's a secret, Dad."
[Keeping secrets from Dad now, are you, Glai Jai?] Dad said before another voice called for him in the background.
[Okay, okay, I'll be there... Glai, I need to go greet the evening guests now.]
"Yes, Dad... I love you."
[I love you too, Glai.]
After hanging up, Glai put the phone on his desk. As he was walking to grab his wallet, he stopped because of another buzzing sound. Thinking it was Dad again, he looked at the screen but saw a different name.
"Hello, P'Dom."
[Glai... How many people did we reserve the table for?]
"Twelve, P'Dom."
[P'Dom wants to invite Fah too, so I'll have someone to chat with.]
Glai had met and spoken with MuenFah a few times. Every time he met, Glai never felt anything. But this time, he was strangely excited, possibly because he secretly hoped...
In 100%, there might be a 0.1% chance that MuenFah would bring Panlee to the birthday party. Even if that hope was almost impossible.
"S-sure, P'Dom."
"Okay. See you later."
Thump thump thump thump.
Yet, his little heart was already racing.
After hanging up from his brother, Glai left his room and decided to take a taxi to the Korean BBQ restaurant near Siam. Since it was a holiday, the area would be extremely crowded, and Glai didn't want to waste time looking for parking.
The small-framed person looked up at the gray clouds in the sky, signalling an impending rain. He quickly walked to the sidewalk and waved down a taxi that was passing by. When the bright pink car stopped in front of them, he opened the door and got in immediately.
"To Siam, please."
"Sure~"
Glai smiled at the cheerful response from the driver and took out his vibrating phone from his pocket. He saw notifications from the LINE app on the screen.
Messages from a LINE group with May and Pie:
Ppie: "Leaving now!"
MaMay: "I'm on the way. Are you out of the condo yet?"
Next were messages from private chats.
Gun: "Traffic's terrible. I might be a bit late."
Cake: "Glai, Som and I have make-up classes today. We can't make it to your
birthday. Sorry! I'll bring your gift to uni later."
Glai swiped the screen and opened the LINE app to reply to everyone's messages. Suddenly, someone added him via his phone number. Frowning, Glai noticed the profile picture was black, with a blue cloud emoji next to
the name. Then, a recent message from the blue cloud cleared up all doubts.
☁️: "It's Mek."
☁️: "Happy birthday, Glai."
☁️: "Wishing you lots of happiness."
Glai didn't need to guess where Mek got his number. Thot must have wanted revenge for being called to answer questions in class by using this method. The small-framed person shook his head lightly before opening the chat and moving his finger to the "Block" option. But the next messages stopped them.
☁️: "Even if you don't reply, please don't block me."
☁️: "Just let me know you've seen my messages."
☁️: "I really like you, Glai. I'm not mad that you punched me that day. I was really out of line."
But these messages only stopped him for a few minutes. His slender finger pressed "Block" before quickly returning to reply to his friends' messages. Glai didn't think what he did was overly cruel because, throughout Mek's pursuit, he had never shown any respect. Mek's behavior grew worse each day, as if he couldn't control himself. The most recent incident in the restroom was outright harassment.
Glai thought...
If he didn't distance himself from Mek, he would truly be cruel to himself—for letting such risks linger around them. Glai typed furiously, not only replying to friends but also responding to messages from his father's friends' children who had sent birthday wishes. Usually, Glai celebrated his birthday at home, so his father would invite his friends, who would bring his similarly aged children. But he wasn't particularly close and only contactedeach other on special occasions.
One of the messages was from Teen, a student from the Faculty of Engineering at a well-known university.
Teen: Happy birthday, Glai! I wish I could see you today. I really want to meet you.
Teen: Next week, I'm hosting a party at my house. Can you come?
Teen: Teen bought perfume from France as a gift, and also prepared a present for you.
This message is from Ploy, the beautiful daughter of Uncle Phet, Dad's best friend.
PaPloy: Glai Jai~ Happy birthday! Wishing you lots of happiness!
And there were many other messages that Glai had to reply to. He let out a small sigh of relief once he had responded to all of them. Locking his phone, he slipped it into his pocket and looked ahead.
"Traffic's a bit heavy, kiddo..."
"Yes, Uncle."
"In a rush?"
Glai let out a sheepish laugh before answering the man who was looking at him through the rearview mirror.
"Just a little, Uncle."
"Got a date with your boyfriend?"
(Translator notes : the actual word is 'faen' and can be boyfriend or girlfriend, but then I just decided to use boyfriend.)
Glai's eyes widened, and his lips moved as though he wanted to say something. But every thought he had was swallowed back down. He didn't understand why he felt so embarrassed by Uncle's question, especially since he didn't even have a boyfriend.
"Uh... No, Uncle. I'm rushing to a birthday party."
"Oh... So, it's your boyfriend birthday party then?"
Glai raised a hand to rub his ear, which now felt unbearably warm and, no doubt, very red.
"No, Uncle. It's my birthday today."
"Oh, really? Well then, happy birthday, kiddo!"
Glai brought his hands together respectfully.
"Thank you, Uncle."
"But your boyfriend's already waiting at the venue, right?"
Uncle's question reminded Glai of his relatives on his father's side, who always teased him about his love life during Chinese New Year. They wouldn't give him red envelopes unless he answered their questions. Glai never got a single red envelope.
"I don't have a boyfriend waiting, Uncle. I don't even have a boyfriend."
"Huh?"
Glai never knew what to tell his relatives.
When he told the truth—that he didn't have a boyfriend...
"..."
"Really? No boyfriend at all?"
...no one believed him, just like Uncle.
"Really, Uncle."
"With a face like yours? I don't believe it. Are you teasing me?"
Glai chuckled when Uncle shook his head emphatically, clearly unconvinced.
"I'm not teasing, Uncle."
"Unbelievable," Uncle said with a laugh.
Believe me, Uncle...I really don't have a boyfriend. Because I'm still secretly in love with someone.
"Want to listen to some music, kiddo?"
Glai nodded quickly.
"Sure, Uncle."
Uncle reached over to turn on the radio, fiddling with the tuner before stopping at a station Glai used to listen to back in high school.
"Let's go with this one, kiddo—a station for young people. You'll probably like it."
"Okay, Uncle. Thank you."
Leaning his head against the window, Glai watched the motionless cars next to theirs before shifting his gaze to the overcast sky.
"The next song we're playing is sure to resonate with anyone harboring a secret crush."
Glai couldn't help but smile at the DJ's words. Since falling for Panlee, he had listened to countless songs about secret love. He was certain he must've heard the song that was about to play.
"Let's listen to 'Secret Crush' by La-Ong-Fong."
"Huh?" Glai muttered, eyebrows furrowed slightly. He'd never heard this song before. It was hard to believe that a die-hard secret lover like him had missed it. The song's cute melody began, drawing a smile from him. On a day filled with happiness, even a gloomy sky couldn't dampen a joyful heart.
"Morning has come, it's not too late. As I wake up, I sing of you. Holding the notes in my heart, crafted from love, hoping you'll hear, my dear."
This song...
"I don't know where you are now, I don't know who your heart thinks of. Do you know that I'm nervous, because my heart only thinks of you, my dear?"
...is so adorable. :)
Static
"Ah..." Glai let out a disappointed noise when static interrupted the song. The car had moved from its spot, disrupting the signal. The sweet male voice and the charming melody were replaced by noise.
"I'll fix it for you, kiddo."
"Thanks, Uncle."
Uncle fiddled with the controls for several minutes, and though the static eventually disappeared, the song had already ended.
"Another song has come to an end. Up next, a sad tune."
"Looks like the last song's over, kiddo. Too bad—you seemed to like it a lot."
Glai chuckled softly.
"It was my first time hearing that song, Uncle, so I was really focused on it. But it's okay. I know the title now, so I'll find it and listen to it later."
"What's it called?"
"'Secret Crush,' Uncle."
...
Glai arrived at the Korean BBQ restaurant as the first of his group. He followed a staff member to the table he had reserved. Before long, P'Dom, P'Babe, and Teerak arrived. Once seated, the three handed him a large brown paper bag. Glai took it and peeked inside, finding two gift boxes.
"Glai, the one wrapped in yellow paper is from me," said Teerak with a smile. Glai nodded at his friend across the table, then turned to the two seated beside him.
"And the one wrapped in light green paper must be from P'Dom and P'Babe, right?"
P'Dom, sitting closest to Glai, nodded. P'Babe, sitting next to P'Dom, leaned in and said, "I hope you'll like the gift I picked out."
"P'Babe~ Anything chosen with love, I'll like," Teerak interjected before turning to Glai and nodding.
"Right, Glai?"
Glai couldn't help but smile at Teerak's cuteness. He truly brightened the gloomy day.
"Exactly."
"But, Glai, I have to confess... I didn't personally pick out your gift. I sent telepathic vibes to P'Babe, asking her to choose something cute and perfect for you. And when she told me what she got, I thought it was just right."
"Honestly, just having you here makes me happy. Thank you for the gift."
"It's nothing, Glai. Really," Teerak said, forming a tiny circle with his fingers to emphasize how little it was.
Glai laughed. "Thanks for making me smile today, Teerak."
"Always happy to!"
Teerak's signature playful tone was unlike anyone else's. Glai watched him chatter with P'Babe, then turned to P'Dom, who was nudging him.
"Yes, P'Dom?"
"The evening party—everything okay?"
"Yes, P'Dom. Before I left the condo, Dad called. It seems there'll be more guests than this morning."
"I was just worried about too many guests causing problems. Even Mom said she'd send over some helpers."
"Please thank Aunt for me, but everything's ready. No need to worry, P'Dom."
"Alright, I'll let Mom know."
Glai nodded, then glanced at Teerak again, feeling a pair of eyes on him. Sure enough, Teerak was staring at him with a wide-eyed, innocent expression.
"Glai, you're so adorable!" Teerak tilted his head and continued, "No matter the angle, you're cute. And that sweet smile!"
Glai laughed, thinking that Teerak, unaware of his own charm, was the most endearing person in the world.
"I don't think anyone could be as cute as you, Teerak."
"Not only do you look adorable, but you're also so good with words! Gah, I just want to hug you!"
"Oh, Teerak~" P'Babe said, shaking her head. Glai figured she felt the same as he did—Teerak was just too irresistibly charming. But suddenly, the most adorable person in the world furrowed his brows as if he had just remembered something. He shifted his gaze from his sister and turned back to look into his eyes.
"Why did Glai choose to celebrate his birthday at this restaurant? Aren't you afraid it won't feel private, Glai?"
Teerak's question made Glai pause for a moment. He pursed his lips as he noticed the silence of the two people beside him. Glai guessed that P'Dom and P'Babe had only invited Teerak to the event without explaining the reason why they were celebrating his birthday at a Korean barbecue restaurant.
"Um..." P'Dom, who was about to say something, stopped mid-sentence.
"Well, this year, my family is hosting another event for my dad. I didn't want to burden them further. If we held it at home, there'd be a lot of preparation involved..."
Glai smiled at Teerak before continuing, "Plus, I didn't want a big celebration. This year, I wanted the birthday to have a relaxed atmosphere, like a casual gathering over a meal during the holidays."
"Ohhh... Glai, you're always so thoughtful of others. You didn't want a big party because you didn't want to add more work for your family... Hearing that makes me feel so happy for them," Teerak said with a warm smile.
Glai grinned and added, "As I grow older, I start to understand the saying... When we're kids, we dream of having big birthday parties with lots of friends. But as we grow up, we prefer small gatherings with only close friends. A birthday isn't just about having fun and blowing out candles. It's about sitting down to talk, sharing stories from times we haven't met, and laughing over silly things that have happened in our lives."
"Wow, Glai, your perspective on birthdays is amazing. Listening to you, I feel so warm inside," Teerak beamed before saying, "Let's make sure to smile a lot today,okay?"
"Sure," Glai replied, smiling back at him. Everything he told Teerak was true. Glai didn't want P'Jeab or anyone else at home to be overburdened, and he wanted this year's birthday celebration to be a warm, intimate gathering with close ones. But there was another truth Glai couldn't share with Teerak.
Even though Glai would likely understand and not mind that his father scheduled an engagement event on his birthday, others might not understand. Glai didn't want anyone to misunderstand. He didn't want anyone to see his father in a bad light. He didn't want anyone to think his father didn't love his child enough. Though Glai believed Teerak, with his optimistic nature, wouldn't judge his father without truly getting to know him, some things were just too complex to explain. Glai thought it would be better to avoid such complications and let Teerak focus on the simpler, more pleasant aspects instead.
The subtle smiles of P'Dom and P'Babe told Glai that they understood his true intentions. It wasn't that Glai wanted to hide the truth from Teerak. He merely trimmed away the more emotionally loaded parts of the story to minimize any questions that might arise in Teerak's heart.
"Glai-jai~"
Glai turned toward the cheerful voice coming from his right. Its owner approached with May and Gun, all smiling brightly.
"You're here—" Glai said as his three close friends stopped at the head of the table on the right.
"The traffic was awful!"
"Good thing the route I took wasn't as bad as Gun's," May chimed in. Glai patted the empty seat beside him in invitation. Pie handed him a small white paper bag, and the logo on it revealed that his friend had bought him another expensive gift.
"I know you're about to scold me for buying you something pricey..." Pie started before sitting down on the long bench and scooting closer to him. "This is a gift from both May and me. We split the cost, and it's not as expensive as you think."
Glai accepted the gift bag and said, "Next time, you don't have to buy me anything expensive. I feel bad about it."
"What are you worried about? It's just a little thing."
Glai smiled at Pie and invited his other two friends to sit. "May, Gun, take a seat."
"Gun, which side are you sitting on?"
"I'm fine with either. May, you choose first."
"Then I'll sit next to Pie. Someone needs to keep an eye on her when we're out."
"Haha, okay."
Glai watched as his two friends took their seats on the long bench on either side of the table. May sat on his side, while Gun sat across from Pai. The table, designed to seat twelve people, had benches for six people on each side, allowing everyone to easily get up from either end.
Currently, five people were seated on Glai's side, while only Teerak and Gun were on the opposite side. Glai blinked as he noticed the empty spaces across from him. It seemed that Gun and Teerak, never having met before, were maintaining a noticeable distance. To ease the atmosphere, Glai decided to introduce everyone.
"P'Dom already knows all my friends, but P'Babe and Teerak are meeting them for the first time. Let me introduce them so that next time we see each other at the university, we can all greet one another." Glai looked at P'Babe and Teerak, then gestured toward his first friend. "This is Pie."
Pie greeted P'Dom and P'Babe with a polite wai before waving at Teerak. P'Babe gave a friendly smile, while Teerak, with his chubby cheeks, waved back at Pai.
"And this is May," Glai continued, then shifted his gaze to Gun. "And this is Gun."
May and Gun also greeted P'Dom and P'Babe with a wai, followed by warm smiles at Teerak. Glai felt relieved to see everyone getting along well.
"Glai, move the gift bags over here. That way, Pie can sit more comfortably."
Teerak had already started making friends with his group.
"It's okay. I'm sitting just fine," Pie said, waving her hands.
Glai glanced at the gift bags next to him. Though Pie insisted she was fine, he felt the bags were somewhat in the way. So, he handed them over to Teerak, who reached out to take them.
"Can you hold these for a bit, Rak?"
"Of course!"
The paper bags, containing neatly wrapped gift boxes, were placed on the bench across from him. The empty space in front of him felt less lonely now that it was filled, even if only with gifts from his friends. Thinking this, Glai smiled faintly as he watched Gun pull something from his backpack—a long silver box, which he held out toward him.
"This is my gift. Can I add it to the bag?" Gun asked, holding the box near the paper bag's opening. When Glai nodded, Gun carefully placed it inside.
"Thanks a lot, Gun."
"Same gift as always. Hope you still like it."
"Of course I do. I'll want the same next year, too." Gun smiled and gave an OK gesture. "You got it."
"Is P'Fah the only one not here yet?"
"Yeah," P'Dom answered.
"In that case, why don't we start ordering food while we wait for P'Fah?"
"Good idea. Fah can order more when he gets here. Your friends must be hungry," P'Babe said, taking a menu from a staff member.
"Alright then."
Glai glanced at the menu Pie was holding for him. He had chosen this Korean barbecue buffet because it allowed everyone to order freely without feeling constrained. As he leaned in to examine the dishes, P'Dom made a remark that piqued his interest.
"Panlee is here, but Fah still hasn't shown up."
Even though P'Dom's statement seemed improbable, and Glai thought he might have misheard, he instinctively turned to look. At that moment, the person who had long captivated Glai's heart appeared, overturning his theories about the moon only appearing at 5:30 PM.
Because Panlee made him realize that...
The round, luminous moon didn't just appear in the evening. Glai's light-colored eyelids didn't blink even once, for he feared the person before him might vanish. His heart, which had been racing wildly upon seeing his "moon," now slowed to a near halt.
"I forgot to mention I invited Panlee, too. That way, Teerak would have someone to talk to, and besides..." P'Dom leaned in to whisper, "...it's good for you two to get to know each other. Next time you see each other at the university, you can say hi."
When P'Dom's words ended, Glai's mind went blank, and his senses grew silent as though the world had stopped turning. He watched his moon smile and laugh with his close friend, Teerak, without looking away.
Because Glai had always thought it is impossible for Panlee to attend his birthday, the present moment felt like watching his favorite movie, with a beloved character leading the story. Glai saw Panlee and Teerak speaking, but he couldn't hear a word. It was as if the world allowed him only one sense—vision—to be left in awe of Panlee's arrival.
All of Glai's friends had looked up, their gazes curious and intrigued. But none of their reactions or remarks reached his ears.
"Hi, everyone! Hope I'm not too late."
Until Panlee's words...
"Hello, Glai."
"Rak... Can you move over a bit? I'm about to fall off the edge."
"Just a little, because..." Glai looked at the owner of the chubby cheeks, whose worried face glanced at the empty space left beside them. "Because P'Fah is big, and there won't be enough room."
So Rak was saving space for P'Fah all along...
P'Fah must be really important to Rak, for him to reserve a spot for P'Fah instead of giving it to his close friend. Even though there was quite a bit of space left on Rak's side, Glai understood why Rak kept his distance from the gift bag placed between him and Gun. It was probably to avoid making Gun feel uncomfortable by sitting too close. With that understanding, Glai said,
"It's okay, Rak. Just make yourself comfortable. If there's not enough space, we'll add another table..."
"Really, Glai?"
"Yes, because there are still a lot of my friends who'll need a seat anyway. We'll have to add tables regardless."
Sorry for lying, Rak...
I just didn't want you to feel bad. Also, it means Khun Sasin can sit comfortably too.
"Okay... That eases my mind."
Rak nodded and smiled at him, and Glai smiled back. At that moment, he accidentally locked eyes with someone. Glai quickly looked down when he saw Panlee smiling mischievously at him. Glai knew Panlee was playful, always smiling, and seemed to always have a cheerful expression. But even knowing that, his body still reacted uncontrollably. He was completely unprepared. He couldn't handle it at all.
Oh no, Glai's heart...
"Glai..." Pie nudged his arm gently and called him in a soft voice, almost a whisper, prompting Glai to turn to her. "Your ears are bright red." Swallowing hard, Glai wanted to cover both ears with his hands but was afraid it would look suspicious. He tried to think of a way to hide his obvious embarrassment, which lingered on his ears for several minutes. Finally, he shook his head lightly in defeat and turned to his close friend with a pout, as if he were about to cry.
;____;
"Glai..." Gun called softly, lifting a hand to pat his chest. "Take a deep breath—it'll help with the blushing."
Glai followed his friend's advice, taking in a deep breath of air that wasn't all that fresh. The smoke from the grill at the neighboring table filled his nostrils, and he nearly choked.
"Oh no... Poor thing," May said, laughing.
Pie reached over to pat his back gently and asked, "You okay?"
"Pie, can I borrow a bag?" Glai gestured toward the paper bag containing the gifts.
"What for?"
"To cover my head... so no one can see my red ears."
It was probably the first time Glai managed to make his friends laugh without trying. Usually, his jokes were painfully awkward, but his friends always chuckled to encourage him. This time, however, Glai wanted to tell them he wasn't joking. He really wanted to cover his head with the bag.
"Where's Panlee going? Why's he getting up from the table?"
Upon hearing Pie's question, Glai looked for an answer immediately. He saw Panlee standing and laughing while Rak pointed at him angrily. Right now, the chubby- cheeked Rak looked very annoyed.
"Wait... wait, Panlee. If it's not true, you're in big trouble. Rak might make you cry for real," the seemingly fierce Rak walked out of the restaurant quickly. Meanwhile, the accused person was still smiling and laughing as he dropped back into his chair as if nothing had happened.
Glai had no idea what occurred during the time he was flustered by Panlee. He turned to the person beside him, who he assumed was part of the scene, and asked,
"Where's Rak going, P'Dom?"
P'Dom chuckled before answering, "Well, Panlee told Rak that P'Fah had already driven away because of heavy traffic."
"But P'Fah hasn't arrived yet, right, P'Dom?"
"Why don't you ask the one who started the story?" P'Dom gestured toward the opposite side. "What do you say, Panlee? The birthday boy is asking."
Glai pressed his lips together tightly before looking at the person sitting across from P'Dom. If there were a temperature gauge on him right now, he believed it would break from the sudden spike in heat.
Panlee bit his lip lightly as he placed a brown wallet and black phone on the table. He gazed at Glai with a smile, and Glai realized he was blinking excessively—a habit triggered when he felt particularly nervous. He never thought making eye contact with someone could drain so much energy.
Especially with Khun Sasin...
With those playful, slightly flirtatious eyes. How much strength would it take to endure that? Even if he were Thanos, he doubted he could handle it. Glai noticed the gift bag being moved aside as Panlee pushed it slightly to clear the area. Gun took over, pulling the bag closer to himself, seemingly to make room for Panlee to sit across from Glai.
At that moment, the empty space before him was filled not by a paper bag, but by Panlee himself. Glai thought he'd be staring at the gift bag all evening, never expecting someone to sit opposite him. But it was still the same moon...
The same moon that drove away the loneliness within him.
The same moon that completed what was missing.
And it was this Khun Sasin, this very moon, who made his fractured universe whole again.
"The birthday boy wants the truth, or do you want to guess first?"
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Note this moment in your heart, Glai... The first time you spoke with Panlee.
"Um... I think I'd rather know the truth."
"The truth is..." Panlee smiled as he locked eyes with Glai and continued, "No one would ever turn back just because of traffic. Everyone would try to get here as fast as they could... to protect the birthday boy's feelings."
"..."
"So P'Fah will definitely come."
"..."
"No need to worry... okay?"
How impressive...
Glai didn't immediately nod or respond because Panlee's words sank deeply into his heart. It stirred a feeling more profound than just being impressed. Was it the smile he described as "the world will be okay when you see it"?
The gentle tone? Or the heartfelt words that made the phrase "thank you" echo in his mind? Thank you for making every step on the journey to the moon so memorable...If someone were to ask why Panlee's words touched him so easily, Glai could onlyManswer:
Because someone like him...
Someone who had been through so much...
Someone who always told others they were okay...
Someone who tried to be strong to overcome things...
When he heard "don't worry" before he even faced disappointment or heartache, it felt like the world stopped pressing down on him. It was no wonder he felt something beyond mere admiration. But now Glai realized they'd been staring at each other for too long, so he nodded in response. Panlee smiled and nodded slightly, as if to say he understood the unspoken message.
"Glai..."
The one called broke eye contact and turned toward the voice. Pie waved two empty glasses in her hands. Glai guessed one was his.
"Pa-Pie, are you going to get drinks?" His embarrassment hadn't subsided, making his words falter.
"Yeah, what do you want? I'll get it for you."
"I'll go too."
"No need, birthday boy. Just stay comfy here at the table."
It took Glai nearly a minute to decide before saying, "Anything's fine. Pie, you pick for me."
"Okay~"
"Wait a sec..." Glai called as he saw all three friends getting up from the table. "You're all going?"
His three close friends frowned slightly but nodded in confirmation. Glai wasn't surprised by their confused expressions. Normally, he wasn't afraid to be alone and rarely acted needy with his friends. He wasn't scared to be alone now, either. But he was terrified of being left alone with a certain someone. His heart might take a direct hit so intense it wouldn't recover. Glai made a pleading face at his three friends holding the empty glasses.
"Don't be so clingy, Glai," Pie teased. "Or you'll get a scolding!"
Pie spoke while raising her index finger toward him, then nodded to invite May and Gun to join her at the nearby vending machine. Glai exhaled quietly, glancing at his friends, who were smiling and laughing as they chose their sodas in front of the rectangular machine.
The Korean music that had been playing softly in the restaurant for a while was suddenly replaced with a sweet-sounding Thai song. Glai shut his eyes, silently wishing that one of the staff would quickly change the music back. This is a Korean barbecue place. What's going on?
Why are they playing...
"Even if today is late, I wake up singing a song for you. Memorize the notes, don't let them fade, crafted from my heart—please listen, my dearest."
The song "Secret Crush" played on.
"Don't know where you are now. Don't know whose heart you occupy. Do you know that I'm nervous? Because, in my heart, I'm thinking only of you, my dear."
Glai's eyelids fluttered open as he turned to look at the person beside him, hoping P'Dom, P'Babe, and Rak were still sitting at the table. He admitted to himself that his eyes darted to the right as quickly as possible, avoiding the person in front of him. He wasn't avoiding Panlee because he didn't want to see him; he just knew... If they made eye contact again, especially with "Secret Crush" playing in the background, his heart would race uncontrollably.
At this moment, Glai thought the thing that might stop his heart wasn't just meeting Panlee's gaze but also the fact that everyone else had left the table. He pressed his lips together and mustered up the courage to glance at the seat opposite him.
And that's when...
"In reality, I may never know, even if you don't know me at all. But I have quite the crush on you. My heart still waits and watches, hoping you'll turn my way."
...their eyes met again.
This time, it was direct eye contact, without waiting for the other to turn around, just like in the song. Because Panlee was right in front of him. Glai wasn't sure how red his ears were, with no one around to comment, but he figured Khun Moon must have noticed. Panlee smiled slightly.
Don't just sit there, Glai!
Do something!
Smile back at Panlee!
"Just tell me, do you feel a little bit like I do? Do you have a slight crush on me too?"
"Can the birthday person sit alone? ... I'll go get a drink," Panlee said, holding up an empty glass and raising an eyebrow in question. Glai quickly nodded to respond, prompting Panlee to chuckle softly.
"Can you really sit alone?"
"Yes, I can," Glai replied, a bit nervously.
Panlee smiled. "Because earlier, you seemed to be whining to your friends."
"I wasn't whining," Glai countered. "I just... asked them something, that's all."
"Oh..." Panlee's smile carried a look that said, 'I'll pretend to believe you.'
"...Okay, I'll go get my drink now."
"Yes..."
Glai tried not to avert his gaze from Panlee, watching as he stood and walked to the vending machine. Once he saw him reach the spot where everyone else was standing, he slumped forward, burying his face on the table as "Secret Crush" continued playing, making him blush like crazy.
"May my heart be refreshed, as I wait and watch, hoping you'll glance my way just once."
Ugh...
Why isn't this song over yet?
This time, no other noise distracted him.
"Earlier, you seemed to be whining to your friends."
There it was—a distraction.
Glai's tousled hair shifted as he shook his head against the table, mumbling softly,
"It's all Khun Sasin's fault for making me seem so whiny."
"What's wrong? I leave for a little bit, and you're sulking at the table?"
Glai sighed softly, sitting up to face his three friends, who had just returned to their seats.
"I don't even know what to say right now... I feel so flustered, Pie," Glai admitted, his cheeks burning.
"If your ears get any redder, they'll be the same color as a tomato," Gun teased with a laugh.
"It's over for you, Glai," Pie said, shaking her head as if she were hopeless. "Panlee definitely saw your red ears just now."
"Just tell him it's because of the heat... make something up," Gun suggested.
"No way," Glai replied, shaking his head. "He'd just say I'm bad at lying and should learn better."
"Ha! Do you really think Panlee would say that to you? From what I've seen, he'd just tease you for being shy," Pie added, as if she'd noticed Panlee's teasing gaze earlier. The gaze that seemed to say, 'I'll pretend to believe you.'
"He probably did just pretend to believe me," Glai muttered, lowering his eyes to the glass Pie handed him.
"I got you mixed fruit juice."
"Thanks, Pie," Glai said, taking the glass and sipping from the straw. The sweet and sour taste refreshed him as he discreetly glanced at the tall figure who'd flustered him so much. Since the vending machine wasn't far from their table, Glai could see Panlee talking with P'Dom. He was laughing, his usual smile brightening his face. But as their conversation continued, his smile began to fade.
What were they talking about?
Why did Khun Moon's smile disappear?
Glai quickly averted his gaze when P'Babe returned to the table. Smiling, he greeted P'Dom's girlfriend, who sat down beside him.
"I'll sit here for now, Glai. Dom's still chatting with Panlee about something."
"It's fine, P'Babe. You can stay here so you don't have to move again," Glai replied, smiling back. Babe nodded before turning to accept the food trays the staff brought to the table. As one of the staff members leaned over to turn on the grill in front of Glai, he stole another glance at Panlee.
His brows furrowed slightly as he watched P'Dom walk back to the table, carrying two glasses. One of them was probably for Panlee. Glai then saw Khun Moon talking with a staff member, gesturing toward their table, and quickly looked back at the grill.
When Panlee pointed toward the table, he turned to look as well.
But he wouldn't have seen him staring, right?
Right... he wouldn't have.
Stay calm, Glai. Don't get excited, or he'll know...
"Secret Crush"
Glai's eyes widened as he heard the phrase, turning to look at the person beside him. P'Dom, who had swapped seats with P'Babe at some point, was smiling at him. Glai swallowed and returned a weak smile.
"'Secret Crush'—isn't that right, Dom?" Babe said from her original seat.
"Yeah, it's the song I sent you when I first started courting you," Dom replied with a grin.
"Don't give me that look—I'm not embarrassed," Babe teased.
Glai exhaled in relief, realizing P'Dom hadn't caught on to his feelings for Panlee and was just talking about the song with his girlfriend. He shook his head slightly and turned to look at Khun Moon again. This time, he saw Panlee walking out of the restaurant. But he probably wasn't leaving since P'Dom had placed a tea-colored drink in his seat.
"Where's Panlee?"
P'Babe asked the question for him, turning to P'Dom.
"Oh... he said he was going to check on Rak, who's been gone for a while," Dom replied, easing Glai's worry. Satisfied, he focused on the now-hot grill. The heat waves brushed against his skin.
"Glai, your two trays of shrimp are here," Pie said.
"Pie, give them to me—I'll grill and peel the shrimp for Glai today," Gun interjected.
"No need, Gun—I can do it myself," Glai replied.
"You just sit still, birthday boy. Don't argue," Gun scolded with a stern look, taking the shrimp trays and pouring them onto his own grill.
"Then take these sliced pork strips instead. I ordered extra," Pie offered.
"Thanks, Pie."
Glai accepted the pork strips from her and glanced at Panlee again. This time, he watched as he spoke with a staff member, his earlier smile still missing. Glai stood near the table holding a tray of sliced pork and glanced at the grilling stations on both sides. The right-side station belonged to P'Dom and P'Babe, soon to be joined by Teerak and P'Fah. The left side was shared by Gun, May, and Pie.
As for the grill station in front of him, it seemed reserved for...
"The tray of shrimp... it's mine."
Panlee.
:)
Glai turned to the tall figure who had somehow settled on the long chair without him noticing. The man accepted the white tray filled with shrimp from the staff, whom Glai guessed had been directed by Panlee earlier to prepare a special order.
How nice...
Panlee also loves shrimp.
"Whoa, can you really finish all that, Panlee?" P'Babe asked, watching Panlee place large shrimp on the grill.
At that moment, Panlee raised his head to glance at them with his usual calm demeanor, only to lower his gaze to the grill again. Glai began to worry. Normally, Panlee's face always had a smile.
Did I unintentionally upset him?
Was I staring too much?
Glai's heart pounded anxiously. But after a moment, his worries dissipated as he saw Panlee resume his faint smile while tending to the shrimp.
"Looking at it now... I doubt I'll finish it all."
"Should I help? Don't want it to go to waste."
"Why don't you focus on your pork instead?"
"I wasn't trying to take it; I just didn't want leftovers to incur charges."
"There won't be extra charges. Trust me."
Glai, meanwhile, carefully used chopsticks to place the pork slices on the grill, ensuring to stay at the edges so as not to encroach on the shrimp's territory. He stole a glance at Panlee, who meticulously transferred orange-tinted shrimp to his plate.
Glai tried to avert his gaze from Panlee, but it was nearly impossible. Perhaps because he didn't know when he'd get another opportunity to be close to him. He wanted to remember every detail of Panlee as much as he could.
"Glai..." Panlee's voice interrupted his thoughts as he stared at the grill. Holding his breath, Glai froze until Panlee added, "Your pork is burning. Take it off."
So, he wasn't calling his name but telling him, 'It's burning.'
Time to breathe again, Glai.
Nodding quickly, Glai retrieved his cooked pork, placing it on his plate. He pressed his lips together to suppress a smile, though it was proving difficult. At that moment, he wanted to thank Panlee for teaching him that holding back tears wasn't nearly as challenging as holding back a smile. As he placed another slice of pork onto the grill, leaving it near the edge, Panlee unexpectedly picked it up with his chopsticks and moved it closer to the centre.
"Don't leave it at the edge. It won't cook properly," Panlee said, meeting his eyes.
"Ah, um, okay," Glai stammered softly, nodding. Then he inwardly berated himself for replying so informally. He should have responded with "Yes, sir," instead of a meek "Okay." The truth was, being close to Panlee made him nervous.
"Hey, you're finally here?"
Glai looked up at the new arrivals, P'Fah and Teerak. He quickly stood and greeted them, bowing slightly.
"Hello, P'Fah."
"Hello. Sorry we're late."
"It's fine. I'm just happy you're here."
As Teerak offered to accompany P'Fah to get drinks, Glai observed their interaction and smiled to himself. It seemed these two were falling for each other.
"Glai..." Gun called, holding up a plate of fully cooked shrimp. "They're ready, but I'll wait for them to cool a bit before peeling them for you, okay?"
Glai beamed. "Thanks, Gun."
Yet his attention was soon drawn to the sound of peeling shrimp. Panlee was peeling shrimp, steam rising from the hot white-orange meat. Glai noticed the tips of Panlee's fingers turning slightly red from the heat. Why would he peel shrimp while they're still so hot? He must really love shrimp.
"Panlee! Eating that much shrimp?" Teerak exclaimed teasingly.
Panlee simply shook his head, glancing at Teerak's puffed-out cheeks before returning to his task. Glai quietly watched the lively scene at his birthday gathering, filled with laughter and joy. He felt this was true happiness and resolved to give back to everyone with the same warmth.
"Eat as much as you like. If anyone wants more seafood, feel free to order. I've already opted for the seafood package, so it won't cost extra."
"Glai, you're so generous!" Teerak praised.
Glai was about to respond when Panlee pushed a plate of shrimp toward him.
Thump-thump.
"A birthday gift," Panlee said simply.
Thump-thump.
"...?"
Glai's heart raced. He believed a heart wouldn't flutter randomly unless the person in front of it had a significant impact.
Panlee continued, "I asked P'Dom earlier what you liked. He said you loved shrimp. So, I peeled these as your gift—one for each of your twenty years. Happy birthday."
"Thank you so much. And nice to meet you, too."
"Likewise."
As Glai accepted the plate, he felt guilty for not having a better way to express his gratitude. Panlee had made such a thoughtful gesture, yet Glai could only stammer out a simple thanks Looking at the twenty shrimp in front of him, Glai smiled. As he chewed on the sweet shrimp, he observed Panlee wiping his hands clean with a tissue.
He realized something. Panlee's gift and his way of getting to know him had transformed the phrase "a lot" into something immeasurable. Though Glai had resolved not to like Panlee any more than he already did, now...
He liked Panlee far more than a lot.
:)