A Little Love, A Little Longing

In the large office, Mr. Sakda was deeply engrossed in handling the pile of documents before him. The overwhelming workload gave him a slight headache, and his hand instinctively reached up to massage his temple in an attempt to ease the discomfort.

At that moment, his secretary entered, holding a stack of documents.

- "Mr. Sakda, here are the documents that need your signature… Are you alright?" The secretary's voice carried a hint of concern upon noticing his expression.

-"I'm fine, just a little dizzy. I've probably been working too much lately." Mr. Sakda let out a quiet sigh but quickly regained his serious demeanor, continuing to review the documents.

-"Let me get you a glass of water. You should take more time to rest, sir, or your health will suffer." The secretary spoke while pouring water, then gently placed the glass in front of him.

-"I know, but this work isn't something I can entrust to anyone else. Without an heir, I have no choice but to keep going until I reach retirement." His voice lowered slightly, and a fleeting trace of contemplation passed through his eyes.

-"I understand, but even so, please don't overwork yourself." The secretary gently reminded him, unable to hide the concern in their gaze.

————————————————

In the morning at Phuket Airport, Jay accompanied Ryan to see him off.

- "I'm leaving now…" Ryan said.

- "Alright, call me when you arrive."

-"Mm, and let me know when you come to France. I'll pick you up, okay?" Ryan reminded him like an older brother.

- "Okay, got it. Travel safe."

- "Mm, bye-bye." Ryan waved before stepping inside.

- "Au revoir." [Goodbye]

Jay watched until Ryan's figure completely disappeared before silently turning to leave.

Outside the airport, Ying was already waiting. He leaned casually against the car, looking relaxed. Seeing Jay come out, he adjusted his posture and called out:

- "He's gone?"

- "Yeah."

- "Are you heading straight back to Bangkok? Come with me."

Jay instinctively wanted to refuse, but Ryan's words kept echoing in his mind…

"Oh… then if you're not mad anymore, just forgive him."

"But from what I see, Ying really cares about you."

Jay suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes slightly unfocused. Noticing his dazed expression, Ying grew concerned and stepped closer, gently shaking his shoulder.

- "Jay, are you okay?"

- "Ah… It's nothing. Then… I'll trouble you, Ying." Jay snapped back to reality, looking at Ying and smiling.

- "I don't mind. It'll be nice to have some company on the way." Ying replied casually, his expression relaxed.

-"Alright."

Jay got into the car, feeling a little conflicted.

For the first time in so long, he didn't try to avoid Ying. Instead, he chose to stay by his side.

Perhaps… he was finally starting to listen to his true feelings?

———————————————

At a small corner of a coffee shop, Chirawan was deeply focused on sketching her design. Meanwhile, Isra went to get her a drink…

- "Miss Chirawan, here's your drink. Take a break for a bit." Isra placed the glass on the table, his tone gentle.

Chirawan paused, momentarily shedding the serious demeanor she had while drawing. She stirred her drink with a spoon and let out a sigh…

-"Haizz… If it weren't for Faisal, I wouldn't be suffering like this. I was working in real estate, minding my own business, and now suddenly I'm dragged into the arts, forced to design fashion pieces… Ugh, this is insane!"

Seeing her exasperated expression, Isra chuckled softly and offered some comforting words…

- "Maybe it's because Mr. Faisal trusts you a lot."

Hearing that, Chirawan let out a helpless laugh.

- "I don't know whether to feel honored or miserable. There's no one else they know in the fashion design field except me."

Though she complained, Chirawan still poured all her effort into her sketches. Isra watched her closely, his eyes occasionally lighting up as if he was learning something new.

Just then, Kanya unexpectedly walked past their table, immediately catching Chirawan's eye.

With her personality, Chirawan never hesitated to show her true feelings toward people she disliked, and Kanya was someone who had the "honor" of being on that list.

The moment she saw Kanya, Chirawan's calm expression instantly turned sour. She put down her pencil, her sharp gaze locking onto Kanya.

Kanya, however, was unfazed, returning the stare with an equally intense look before turning away and leaving. Though the exchange lasted only a moment, the tension in the air was thick. Even Isra, who was merely sitting there, felt uneasy. He couldn't help but wonder—if Kanya had stayed a little longer, what would have happened?

Watching Kanya leave, Chirawan didn't bother to look after her. She simply scoffed, her voice laced with irritation…

-"Well, there goes my inspiration!"

————————————————

Jay sat in the passenger seat, gazing out the window as the scenery passed by. The atmosphere in the car was much more comfortable than before—perhaps because, after that heartfelt conversation, they had come to understand each other better. Or maybe… it was because Jay was slowly learning to adapt.

- "When are you going back to France?" Ying broke the silence.

- "Probably next week." Jay turned to look at him, his tone natural. "I've been away for too long… I kind of miss the stage."

- "If you miss it that much, you could perform here too. Like the other night at Faisal's café."

Jay chuckled, shaking his head lightly. "It's fine for casual performances, but starting my career here permanently isn't really an option."

-"Why not?" Ying glanced at him, his tone a mix of curiosity and slight regret.

- "I've thought about it before, but I started my career in France, so I should continue there. Besides, not many people in Thailand know the name Felix."

Ying nodded thoughtfully. After a brief pause, he asked:

- "Why did you choose the name Felix? Does it have a special meaning?"

Jay was slightly surprised by the question. It made sense—many people called him Felix, but no one had ever really asked about its meaning. A small smile appeared on his lips, his eyes lighting up as he spoke about the special name.

- "Ryan gave it to me." His voice carried a hint of excitement. "He said it means happiness and luck. He wanted me to always be happy while chasing my dreams and to have good fortune on the path I choose."

Ying let out a soft sigh. "That's pretty deep."

Jay smiled, then slowly continued. "Besides, when I'm in Thailand, I just want to be myself—just Jay. But when I'm elsewhere, I'll be Felix."

Hearing that, Ying smirked slightly, his tone playful:

- "So basically, when you're in Thailand, you don't need to wear a mask when going out?"

Jay laughed. "Exactly!"

The atmosphere remained light and comfortable, but for some reason, Ying couldn't stop himself from asking another question. A question he probably shouldn't ask—but one he couldn't hold back.

- "And… you don't want to be far from Ryan, do you?"

Jay froze for a brief moment. His gaze lingered on Ying's calm face, but he didn't look away.

-"What do you think?" Jay asked back, his tone steady but carrying a hint of complexity.

Ying fell silent for a moment. He could already guess the answer, yet he still wanted to hear Jay say it himself. Even so, a fleeting look of disappointment passed through his eyes.

- "Even though we haven't spent much time together since you returned," Ying said quietly, "I've noticed that you're never truly at ease with anyone… except Ryan."

Jay didn't respond immediately. Ying's words weren't wrong. After a moment, he slowly nodded, as if realizing it himself.

- "Maybe it's because I've been away for so long and haven't had time to adjust to everyone. But I don't dislike anyone."

- "No." Ying shook his head. "I'm not saying you don't like others. What I mean is… you're only truly comfortable when you're with Ryan, aren't you?"

Jay took a deep breath and let it out slowly. This time, he answered without hesitation.

- "Yes."

Ying looked at Jay, his gaze deeper than before. Then, he asked, almost cautiously:

- "Do you like Ryan?"

Jay didn't avoid the question. He looked straight into Ying's eyes, his voice calm but carrying a trace of helplessness:

-"Yes. I've liked him for a long time… But I want to stay by his side as a younger brother."

- "Are you afraid he'd reject you?" Ying asked, even though his own emotions were in turmoil.

- "I don't know." Jay let out a small, bitter laugh. "I'm not good at love."

-"Not good at love, yet you write beautiful love songs," Ying remarked with a soft chuckle, teasing him slightly.

Jay laughed as well. "You've listened to my songs?"

- "Yeah." Ying nodded. "I've listened to all the songs under the name Felix. They're really good."

Jay's eyes widened in surprise. A mix of joy, pride, and gratitude filled his heart.

- "Thank you," he said, then smiled faintly. "But you know… whenever I write love songs, I only take inspiration from movies or the couples around me. I've never written one based on my own experiences."

Ying kept his eyes on the road ahead as he murmured, "Then in the future, the love song that Jay writes based on his own story… will surely be beautiful and filled with happiness."

Jay glanced at Ying, then slowly replied, "I hope so."

And so, they continued their journey back to Bangkok, their conversation flowing naturally. The space inside the car wasn't heavy or suffocating—rather, it felt unexpectedly light and peaceful.

The journey was quite long, and night had already fallen. Jay sat in the passenger seat, his head resting lightly against the car window. His steady breathing and tired posture showed that he had unknowingly drifted into sleep.

Ying glanced over briefly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Seeing Jay like this, he looked much smaller and more delicate compared to his powerful presence on stage.

Noticing the cool air in the car, Ying subtly turned down the AC. But just in case Jay was still cold, he carefully took off his blazer and gently draped it over him. His movements were slow and cautious, as if afraid of disturbing Jay's sleep. Then, he continued driving in silence, letting Jay rest peacefully until they reached home.

—

The car came to a stop in front of Jay's house. But Jay was still fast asleep, his long eyelashes trembling slightly with each breath.

Ying didn't wake him up right away. Instead, he sat quietly for a moment, watching him.

Jay's sleeping face looked so peaceful. There was no sharpness in his features, no air of indifference, nor the polite smiles he often wore. He was just… Jay. Perhaps this was the most genuine version of him.

Ying unconsciously reached out, gently smoothing a few stray strands of hair from Jay's forehead. The action was instinctive, yet incredibly tender.

After a moment, he softly called out:

- "Jay… We're home."

Jay stirred slightly, his voice still tinged with drowsiness. "We're here already?"

-"Yeah." Ying nodded. "If you're tired, go inside and get some rest."

Jay rubbed his eyes and sat up straight. That was when he noticed the blazer draped over him. He quickly took it off and handed it back to Ying.

- "Thanks. Oh… Here's your jacket."

Ying took it back, offering a light smile. "Mm. Go on inside."

Jay opened the car door and stepped out. He took a few steps toward the house but then suddenly stopped.

Turning around, he looked at Ying, who was still sitting in the car.

- "Ying…"

Ying glanced up. "Hm?"

Jay smiled softly, his eyes shimmering under the glow of the porch lights. "Good night."

Ying froze for a second. Then, the corners of his lips lifted into a gentle smile.

-"Mm. Good night, Jay."

Jay nodded before turning around and heading inside. Ying remained in the car, watching his figure until the door closed behind him.

Silence returned to the night. But within Ying… something had quietly begun to stir.

———————————————-

In the middle of the night, Jay tossed and turned several times but still couldn't fall asleep. The gnawing hunger in his stomach forced him to get out of bed and quietly head to the kitchen in search of something to eat.

As soon as he stepped in, he froze. A soft yellow light spilled from the dining table, where Mr. Sakda sat in deep thought, a glass of water in one hand and an open bottle of pills in front of him.

Jay frowned and quickly walked over.

- "Dad, why aren't you asleep yet? What are those pills? Are you sick?"

Mr. Sakda looked up, a hint of amusement in his eyes at his son's concern.

- "You're asking so many questions at once—how am I supposed to answer?"

- "Well… I'm just worried! Are you sick? Do you need to see a doctor?"

- "It's just supplements. I'm not sick." Mr. Sakda shook his head with a chuckle. "I'm getting older, so I need to take care of my health now and then."

Hearing that, Jay frowned even more. He immediately protested:

- "Who says you're old? My dad is still young and strong!"

Mr. Sakda burst into laughter, shaking his head in defeat. "You really have a silver tongue. But why are you still awake? After such a long drive, aren't you tired?"

Jay shrugged as he walked toward the kitchen counter.

-"Of course, I'm tired. But I'm too hungry to sleep, so I came down to find something to eat."

-"I'll have someone cook for you."

-"No need, Dad. Instant noodles will do. It's late—I don't want to bother anyone."

Mr. Sakda glanced at his son and gave a small nod. "Alright. But eat and then go to bed soon, okay?"

Jay smiled. "Got it! Good night, Dad."

- "Mm. Good night, son."

As Mr. Sakda left the kitchen, Jay hurriedly grabbed a pack of instant noodles and started cooking. Though he was a bit clumsy, he eventually managed to make himself a steaming bowl of noodles.

—

At Ying's Place

As soon as he got home, Ying had to take a call from a business partner, which kept him occupied until now.

After finally finishing his shower, he stepped out, towel in hand, drying his damp hair. But then, his gaze unconsciously landed on the blazer draped over the chair—the very one he had placed over Jay earlier that night.

Ying stood still for a moment, recalling the image of the boy sleeping in his car. He remembered how Jay had turned back to smile at him and wish him good night.

For some reason, a soft smile tugged at Ying's lips.

Like a man falling in love…

End of Chapter 13