Chapter 02 Let Go

Santichai was dragged to a cafe closest to the school. The cafe is run by one of the teacher's parents, so students often sit in the cafe and do their homework. The atmosphere of the cafe is no different from the school cafeteria, crowded with students and loud.

From the school to the cafe, Santichai followed Asnee without saying a word. He didn't see Asnee's face either, but he knew Asnee must be mad at him. He could tell by the strength of Asnee's grip on his right wrist. He felt his right fingers start to get cold, probably because Asnee's grip prevented his blood from even flowing freely to his fingers, even so he didn't open his mouth.

When they arrived at the cafe, the small cafe was full of young students. They were sitting at a table by the window. Santichai just looked down at the table, didn't speak, and didn't look at Asnee. He clasped his hands tightly together, nervousness taking over his body. He felt his palms start to sweat and burn.

After Santichai counted one thousand in his head, his breathing slowly slowed down and his heart calmed down. Only then did he gather up his courage and look at Asnee, who was sitting across from him, and glared angrily at him. He hesitated, then said, "Asnee…do you have something to say to me?"

Asnee looked at Santichai angrily and said, "Do you have something to say to me?"

Santichai looked down at the table again and said nervously, "I'm sorry."

Asnee frantically said, "You should be." He reached into his backpack, took out a small gift box, and pushed it to Santichai. "Happy birthday." He put a hundred bill on the table. He grabbed his bag and stormed out of the café.

Santichai grabbed the gift and the one hundred bill and rushed behind Asnee, but by the time he reached the busy street, Asnee was gone. Knowing he would see Asnee again on Monday, he stuffed the bill into his coat pocket and went home.

(End Memory)

Those memories were still lingering in Santichai's mind, and suddenly they poured into Santichai's mind like downpour rain on a rainy day. He was sitting at the dining table with his small tin box. He went through all fifteen photos of him and Asnee. Then, he cut out his portrait from each photo. Afterwards, he put all the fifteen pictures back in the tin box and put the tin box on the kitchen table. He put the cut-out portrait in his right pocket. The doorbell rang, and Santichai went to open the door. There were three workers from the moving company. They put ten boxes on three dolly carts.

Santichai said, "When you get to the apartment building, you can leave the boxes at the door. I talked to the owner, and she agreed. If she asks you, please tell her I'll be there after I stop at my previous workplace to get some documents."

One of the men said, "Okay."

Santichai watched the three men, wheeled his ten boxes of belongings out of the apartment he shared with Asnee.

Santichai walked to the door, but missed this apartment very much, this apartment was his home for seven years. He sighed and turned to look at the living room. He walked over and looked around the living room. He glanced at the sofa and chuckled softly, which was Asnee's favorite place. Every afternoon, when Asnee came home, he would leave his bag on the floor and his tired body on the sofa. He went into their bedroom and stared at the bedroom. He can still see him lying side by side with Asnee.

(memory)

Santichai, "Asnee, don't hold me too tight, I'm not comfortable."

Asnee, "Don't move or I'll hold you tight." He kissed Santichai's forehead. "Only by holding you like this can I fall asleep."

(memory end)

The memories of everyday life disappeared from his mind, and Santichai looked at the empty black bed and said, "Goodbye, Asnee." Santichai closed the bedroom. He reached into his coat and put the spare key next to the tin box on the kitchen table. He walked to the door and closed the apartment door. Santichai walked downstairs to the parking lot, plugged in the key to his moped, and left the building.

Santichai drove to his old workplace at the sewing company for a farewell party. After the party, Santichai drove to his new home, and just as he was about to cross a small bridge, the phone in his trouser pocket vibrated. He stopped the moped and pulled out his phone. This is a text message from Asnee. He clicked on the message, which was a picture of a ring. Asnee wrote "Did you like it?". After hesitating for a while, Santichai wrote "I like it". Then his phone rang, and it was Asnee.

Santichai picks up the phone, "Asnee..." He hears loud music in the background.

Asnee asked happily, "Do you really like it?"

Santichai said, "Mmm... I like it."

Asnee said, "Chai, it's all settled, I'll be back in two days. Do you want me to get you anything?"

Santichai replied in a timid voice, "No, I don't need anything."

Asnee shouted, "What? I can't hear you; the music is too loud."

Santichai said, "I don't need anything."

Asnee said, "Chai, I can't hear you. I'll get you something, okay."

Santichai, "Mmm..." Santichai can hear Somsak and Ruangsak calling out from behind for Asnee to rejoin the party.

Asnee said, "I have to go back to the party now. See you in two days. Since you're working, I'll have Frank pick me up."

Knowing that Asnee will be ending their call, Santichai quickly said, "Asnee, can you say you love me? I want to hear it once more."

Asnee scoffed softly, "I promised you that when I get home, I'll say it a hundred times or as many times as you want, well, I have to go."

Santichai said, "Mmm..." He knew this is the last time he will talk to Asnee. "Asnee...I love..." Then the phone died. He listened to the busy tone for a long time until his ears started to itch. He finally hit the end button for the old Nokia 6680 version. He held the Nokia phone for a long time. It was the first gift Asnee gave him on his seventeenth birthday. Asnee repeatedly offered to buy him an iPhone, but he refused. He sighed. "It's time to let go." He leaned against the railing and dropped his phone into the lake. He wiped his tears, jumped back on his moped, and drove away.