Midnight Bloom

Jay cheerfully stepped into the house, but the moment he saw Ying there, he froze in surprise. Ying was descending the stairs, calmly adjusting his cuff as always.

Jay blinked before quickly walking over.

- "Huh? Ying? What are you doing here?"

Ying paused as Jay approached and offered him a gentle smile.

- "My dad asked me to bring some documents over for your father. Looks like they're working on something together."

- "Ah… I see." Jay nodded in understanding, then casually glanced over Ying before asking, "You're not at work today?"

- "I got off early today." Ying replied in his usual calm tone. Noticing Jay's relaxed appearance, he added, "What about you? Did you have fun with Chirawan?"

Hearing that, Jay blinked in surprise and looked at Ying in confusion.

- "Wait… How did you know that?"

Ying chuckled lightly, his expression composed.

- "Faisal just called me. He mentioned the farewell party they're planning for you."

At that, Jay let out a small laugh, looking somewhat helpless.

-"I already refused, but those two insisted that I join."

Seeing Jay's resigned smile, Ying couldn't help but laugh as well. He shook his head slightly.

-"That's just how Chirawan and Faisal are. They're warmhearted and care about you a lot."

Ying's deep voice carried a barely noticeable hint of tenderness. Jay's eyes curved into a bright smile as he nodded.

-"Yeah, I know." He suddenly sighed, lowering his voice. "To be honest, I'd like to stay a little longer… but I still have a lot of work in France. Being away from the stage for too long isn't good either. People might start making all sorts of speculations."

Ying gazed at Jay, his eyes flickering with something unreadable. After a brief silence, he nodded, his voice deep and steady.

- "I understand. When you love what you do, you have to give it your all."

Jay smiled. Though a part of him felt reluctant to leave, he didn't want to show it too openly.

- "I should get going." Ying said, still looking at Jay with a deep, unreadable expression.

- "Yeah… But you have to come that day, okay?" Jay blinked, tilting his head slightly, his voice carrying a hint of anticipation.

Seeing this side of Jay, Ying smiled softly.

-"Mm. I'll definitely be there."

- "Okay! Bye, Ying!" Jay waved.

Ying turned and walked toward the door, his tall, composed figure as steady as ever. Jay stood there, silently watching him leave. Only when the door closed did he slowly turn around and head upstairs.

After returning to his room, Jay took off his jacket and casually tossed it onto a chair before heading straight to the bathroom. The warm water cascaded down, washing away the fatigue of the day.

When he stepped out, he had a towel wrapped around his head, his damp hair still dripping with water. His skin, fresh from the shower, looked even smoother, and under the soft yellow glow of his bedroom lights, he exuded an effortless charm—one he wasn't even aware of.

As he gently dried his hair while walking toward the bed—

'Riiing… Riiing…'

His phone vibrated nonstop on the bed, flashing a familiar name on the screen—"Ryan."

Jay's eyes lit up the moment he saw the name. Without hesitation, he jumped onto the bed, sprawled out comfortably, and answered the video call. As soon as the call connected, Ryan's familiar face appeared on the screen.

-"Hellooo… What's up? Haven't heard from you in days!" Jay dragged out his words in a playful complaint, though his excitement was obvious.

Ryan chuckled, looking a bit helpless.

-"Been busy with back-to-back shows. How about you? When are you flying back?"

Jay pouted but replied casually.

- "Getting ready now. I'll be flying at the end of this week."

Ryan nodded.

- "I'll come pick you up when you land."

-"Okay, deal!" Jay beamed, but then suddenly remembered something. "Oh! I'm planning to write a new song before heading back to France."

Hearing that, Ryan seemed interested.

- "Sounds good. Got any ideas yet?"

Jay hesitated for a moment before laughing sheepishly.

- "Not yet! Been too busy! Everyone's been showering me with attention since they know I'm leaving. They even planned a farewell party for me!"

Jay's voice carried a mix of excitement and pride, like a child showing off how loved they were.

Ryan raised an eyebrow, the corner of his lips curving into a teasing smirk.

- "Oh? Being adored that much, huh?"

Jay laughed out loud, his eyes crinkling into crescents.

-"Of course! I'm the kind of person that people just can't resist loving!"

Ryan shook his head, smiling in defeat.

-"Alright, alright, you win."

Jay shrugged smugly as if basking in his own greatness.

-"Anyway, I gotta go. Talk later." Ryan glanced at the time before speaking.

- "Okay, bye, Ryan."

With that, Jay ended the call, tossing his phone aside before sitting up. He continued drying his hair a little more, then stood up and walked toward the corner of the room—where his guitar rested against the wall.

Lifting it gently, he carried it back to the sofa, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He placed the guitar on his lap, his fingers gliding over the strings, producing soft, melodious notes.

A moment of thought. A spark of inspiration.

And then—Jay smiled.

- "Let's start composing."

His fingers began moving skillfully along the strings, filling the quiet room with a slow, heartfelt melody. He closed his eyes, letting the rhythm flow through him, feeling every note, every emotion lingering in his heart.

Then, his voice joined in, soft and natural, blending seamlessly with the music.

There was no doubt about it—Jay, or rather, Felix, was born to be on stage.

He belonged to music, to melodies, to the dazzling world of spotlights and applause.

And at this very moment, in the silence of his room, a new song was beginning to take shape.

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At night, the dim yellow streetlights cast a warm glow over the quiet street. A gentle breeze rustled the potted plants in front of the flower shop, adding a touch of movement to the otherwise still surroundings.

Inside the small shop, a young man was busy tidying up, preparing to close after a long day. The soft fragrance of flowers filled the air, blending with the warm lighting, making the place feel incredibly peaceful.

As he bent down to arrange a few fresh bouquets, the sound of the door chime rang softly.

'Ding ding…'

He looked up, slightly surprised to see a customer stepping in despite the shop being about to close.

Faisal.

The tall man entered with a calm demeanor, his gaze sweeping across the floral displays before settling on the young florist.

- "Is it closing time already?" Faisal's deep voice carried a hint of casual inquiry, as if he was merely looking for an excuse to linger.

- "Oh… it's you?" The young man recognized him immediately, his lips curling into a friendly smile. "Sorry, but the shop is closing now. Besides, flowers should be bought in the morning, you know."

Faisal chuckled softly, his gaze briefly landing on the bouquets in the florist's hands.

- "I know. I actually just want to place an order in advance."

Saying that, he stepped closer, his fingers lightly grazing the petals of a flower as if deep in thought. The florist watched him with curiosity, his eyes sparkling.

- "Who's the lucky recipient? Need any recommendations?" His tone was cheerful, tinged with a bit of interest.

Faisal looked at him for a moment before replying slowly.

-"It's for my younger brother. He's leaving the country soon."

The florist nodded, tilting his head slightly as if analyzing the situation.

-"What's he like?"

Faisal fell silent for a few seconds, trying to gather his thoughts. Images of Jay filled his mind—his energetic younger brother who loved singing, always lively and full of laughter, yet deeply emotional when performing on stage.

-"Hmm… He's a singer. Very artistic, dreamy, passionate…"

Hearing that, the florist widened his eyes, looking a bit surprised.

-"Oh? Then he must be quite famous, right?"

Faisal shrugged.

- "You could say that." He smiled lightly.

That smile made the florist pause for a brief second. He realized that Faisal wasn't someone who smiled often, but when he did, it was unexpectedly captivating.

Snapping out of his daze, the young florist quickly regained his composure, letting out a small cough to cover his momentary distraction.

- "Alright, let me recommend some suitable flowers. When do you need them?"

Faisal shook his head.

- "No need for recommendations. I trust you. Just pick whatever you think suits best. I'll come to collect them tomorrow."

His simple statement took the florist by surprise. He blinked at Faisal before breaking into a bright smile.

-"Alright! Thank you for trusting me. I promise you won't be disappointed." His voice was filled with confidence, his eyes shining with determination.

Faisal nodded slightly and turned to leave. But after taking only two steps, he stopped and glanced back at the young man.

- "Something wrong?" The florist looked up at him curiously.

Faisal stood still for a moment before curling his lips into a faint smirk.

- "We've met several times, but I still don't know your name."

The young florist blinked, then laughed.

-"Oh… I'm Yod." He scratched his head sheepishly, slightly embarrassed by his own absentmindedness. Then, looking at Faisal with curiosity, he added, "And you?"

Understanding his silent question, Faisal answered in a low voice.

-"I'm Faisal."

Yod nodded, his smile growing even brighter.

-"Got it! Thanks again for your trust." He gave a polite nod of appreciation.

Faisal observed him for a few seconds before turning back toward the door.

- "Alright. I'll be going now."

- "Okay! Have a good night… Faisal."

It was a simple farewell, yet it made Faisal's steps falter for a brief moment. He didn't turn back, but as he heard Yod call his name so naturally, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

He wasn't sure what this feeling was.

As for Yod, after Faisal walked out of the shop, he remained standing there, gazing after his retreating figure, an absentminded smile playing on his lips.

End of Chapter 16.