The party ended, and everyone gradually left. Ying was assigned to take Jay home. In the car, the atmosphere between them was light yet filled with warmth.
-"According to the plan, you're leaving tomorrow, right?" Ying asked while driving.
-"Yeah. I need to pack my stuff today," Jay lazily replied, his tone carrying a hint of weariness.
-"Do you need any help?" Ying smiled, glancing at him.
-"No need. I don't have much stuff, just a bit of organizing and I'm done." Jay leaned back, closing his eyes in a relaxed manner.
-"Alright. If you need anything, just let me know."
After that, Jay fell silent. He hesitated for a few seconds before slowly speaking up.
-"Actually, there is something."
-"What is it?" Ying asked curiously, a bit intrigued.
Jay chuckled softly, his expression showing slight embarrassment, but he decided to say it anyway.
-"After I leave, can you visit my dad often? I'm not at ease leaving him alone here."
Ying was a little surprised but quickly chuckled, his voice warm.
-"Yeah, I'll visit him often. Don't worry."
Hearing Ying's reassuring response, Jay let out a small sigh of relief. But there was still one more thing he wanted to say. He hesitated, then hesitantly spoke up.
-"Oh, and…"
-"Hmm?" Ying remained calm and patient, waiting for him to continue.
-"Are you free tonight?" Jay suddenly asked, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
-"I don't have anything planned. Why?"
Jay grinned, looking somewhat proud.
-"When I first came back, I wrote a song. I sang it in my room back then. You heard it, didn't you?"
-"Yeah…"
-"Maybe you're my lucky charm. That song became a huge success, and you were one of the first people to hear it."
Ying raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. Jay continued…
"So tonight…" Jay dragged out his words, looking at Ying expectantly.
Ying chuckled, already guessing what he was about to say.
-"I'll be on the balcony listening."
-"Remember that!" Jay eagerly reminded him.
-"Mhm. I've always wanted to hear you sing."
-"This song is even better than the last one!" Jay confidently declared.
-"I'll be waiting to hear it."
Their laughter and conversation filled the car, making the ride home feel much shorter than it actually was…
————————————————
That night, Jay carefully carried his guitar out to the balcony. As he sat down, his eyes instinctively drifted toward the room across from him. Right at that moment, the balcony door of Ying's room also opened.
Their gazes met in the quiet night. Neither of them said a word—they simply looked at each other and exchanged soft smiles. Perhaps no words were needed, because this moment spoke for itself.
Jay adjusted his posture slightly, his fingers gently gliding over the guitar strings. A warm melody filled the air, blending with his clear and soothing voice. The sound flowed like a gentle stream, weaving through the night breeze, caressing the silence with its tenderness.
Ying leaned against the railing, his eyes fixed on Jay. From time to time, the corners of his lips curled up ever so slightly, and within his gaze was a quiet gentleness—so soft it felt as if it could dissolve into the night itself. Jay remained unaware that every movement, every expression of his was being silently captured by Ying's eyes.
The night breeze carried the music away, letting it drift into the distance. Everything else seemed to fade into stillness, leaving only the two of them in this vast, serene space.
At that moment, time seemed to stand still—so gentle, so peaceful…
Only the moon bore witness to it all.
—————————————————
In Jay's bedroom, he lay on his bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. His wide-open eyes stared at the ceiling in the quiet darkness.
Unconsciously, Jay placed a hand over his chest, feeling the rapid beats of his heart. Frowning slightly, he mumbled to himself,
-"Beating this fast? It's… It's probably just because I was nervous playing for Ying, right?"
He pressed his lips together, quickly pulling the blanket over his head as if trying to push away the unfamiliar thoughts lingering in his mind.
-"Don't overthink. Just sleep early—you have to leave for France tomorrow."
But even with his eyes closed, the image of Ying quietly listening from the balcony, his gentle gaze, his warm smile—all of it replayed so vividly in Jay's mind that his heart clenched tight.
Taking a deep breath, he turned to the other side, determined to clear his thoughts.
—
Meanwhile, in Ying's room, the bedside lamp was still on. The silence was only broken by the faint sounds coming from his phone. Sitting against the headboard, Ying's eyes remained fixed on the screen.
On it was a video—a secret recording of Jay singing and playing the guitar earlier.
He replayed it. Then again… and again.
Watching Jay lose himself in the music, his eyes shining under the moonlight, every little movement, every small expression, made something inside Ying soften.
A quiet smile curled at his lips, his affection spilling into his gaze.
-"So cute… My little one." He chuckled softly, his deep voice laced with warmth as if speaking to himself.
For the first time, Ying realized that someone had made him develop a new habit—one he didn't mind repeating over and over. Watching Jay.
And perhaps, this habit would stay with him for a long time.
—
Suddenly, his phone vibrated, interrupting the moment.
Ying frowned slightly as he glanced at the screen. The second he saw the caller ID, his expression turned serious.
Without hesitation, he answered,
-"Yes? What's the matter, Uncle Sakda?"
———————————————
Chirawan sat in her office, holding her phone, a hint of regret flashing in her eyes. As soon as the call connected, she quickly spoke up:
-"Jay, I'm sorry… I can't make it to see you off. Please don't be mad at me, okay?"
On the other end, Jay's voice came through, as gentle as always:
-"It's okay, sis. Everyone already threw me a farewell party, so there's no need for a send-off."
Chirawan pressed her lips together, nodding slightly even though she knew Jay couldn't see her.
-"Alright… Let me know when you arrive in France."
-"I will. I'll call you as soon as I get there."
The call ended. Chirawan stared at the darkened phone screen for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh and setting it down.
Leaning back in her chair, she gazed out the window. A faint sense of emptiness crept into her heart—but before it could settle, work quickly pulled her back in.
Taking a deep breath, she straightened up and got back to work.
At the airport, Jay pulled his suitcase out of the car while Ying retrieved the rest of the luggage from the trunk. Jay had just ended a call and slipped his phone into his pocket.
-"Are you ready, Ying?" Jay tilted his head and looked at him.
-"Yeah… Let's head inside." Ying picked up Jay's suitcase and walked ahead.
-"Alright…" Jay quickly followed behind.
As they passed through the waiting area, Ying suddenly asked, "Who was that on the phone?"
-"Chirawan. She called to apologize for not being able to see me off." Jay replied casually, then turned to look at Ying with a hint of guilt. "Actually, Ying, you didn't have to bring me here. I could've just taken a taxi… I've troubled you too much."
Ying stopped in his tracks and looked Jay straight in the eyes, his voice firm and unwavering. "It's okay. I wanted to spend more time with you anyway."
Jay froze for a moment, blinking in confusion. -"Huh?"
Realizing his words might have been too honest, Ying quickly cleared his throat and corrected himself. "I mean… I just wanted to be with my little brother a bit longer."
Jay chuckled lightly, not thinking too much about it, but for some reason, his heart started beating a little faster. To shake off the unfamiliar feeling, he pouted and sighed.
-"My dad is really a workaholic. He was on a business trip when I came back, and now that I'm leaving, he's too busy to send me off. He even asked you to take me here instead." Jay's voice carried a hint of complaint, his lips subconsciously jutting out slightly, making him look both adorable and amusing.
Ying smiled and gently ruffled Jay's hair. -"He's probably just too busy, that's all."
Jay sighed but didn't say anything more. He simply walked alongside Ying into the terminal.
The airport was bustling with people coming and going. Announcements echoed through the vast space as passengers hurried to their check-in counters.
Ying stopped in front of the security checkpoint and looked at Jay with a gentle gaze. "We're here. You should go in now." His voice was lower than usual, laced with reluctance.
Jay remained silent for a few seconds before nodding slightly. "Alright, I'm going then." There was a flicker of hesitation in his eyes.
-"Mm. Let me know when you arrive in France." Ying smiled faintly, masking the emotions surging within him.
-"I will…" Jay responded, curving his lips into a small smile—one that didn't quite reach his eyes.
-"Bye-bye." Ying waved at him.
-"Bye, Ying…"
Ying turned around and walked away. His steps were slow, as if moving any faster would cause his emotions to spill over. He was afraid that if he lingered even a second longer, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from holding Jay back.
Jay stood rooted in place, watching Ying's tall figure grow smaller with each step. His emotions were a mess. When he first came back to Thailand, he had been counting down the days to return to France. But now that he was actually leaving, an inexplicable sense of reluctance welled up inside him.
He didn't want to leave.
And he didn't want to leave Ying.
The feeling was so overwhelming that, before he knew it, his feet moved on their own.
Jay suddenly sprinted forward, his heart pounding wildly.
-"Ying…!"
Hearing his name, Ying's body stiffened. He turned around in surprise, only to be met with a small figure crashing into him.
Jay wrapped his arms tightly around Ying, burying his face in his chest.
-"Jay…?" Ying stood frozen, his heartbeat erratic and unsteady.
At that moment, he wished time would stop, just so he could hold Jay like this a little longer.
But all too soon, Jay pulled away. He looked up, his eyes shining like stars, and smiled softly. His voice was as gentle as the night breeze.
-"Alright… I'm really going now. Take care of yourself, Ying. Don't overwork yourself, and don't put too much pressure on yourself, okay?"
Ying gazed at him for a long time before chuckling and nodding.
-"Mm. I'll listen to you. I'll take better care of myself. So don't worry about me too much."
Jay smiled warmly, his eyes full of fondness. -"I'm going now…" he whispered before turning around and running into the terminal.
Ying remained where he was, watching that small figure disappear into the crowd. He stood there for a long time, until Jay was no longer in sight. Only then did he whisper softly:
-"Take care… my little one."
It was a sentence he should have said directly to Jay, but when faced with him, Ying never had the courage.
A young CEO who could stand firm against the fiercest storms in the business world, solving problems with unwavering confidence—yet, when it came to the person he held dearest, he was nothing more than a helpless fool, unable to speak his heart.
And just like that, Jay was gone.
As for Ying, he remained standing in the middle of the busy airport, carrying an emptiness in his heart that nothing could ever fill.
EndofChapter18.