The soft afternoon sunlight bathed the beautiful shores of Phuket. The waves gently lapped against the white sand, and the salty sea breeze tousled the hair of those busy preparing for the opening party of Ying and Faisal's new project.
Faisal, Chirawan, Isra, and even Yod were present. Under Faisal's main direction, every detail of the event was gradually taking shape. Despite not being from an artistic background, Yod was specially asked by Faisal to assist with stage design ideas. Thanks to his sharp observational skills and logical spatial thinking, Yod quickly offered suggestions that had the entire construction team nodding in agreement.
Chirawan stood on the sand, arms crossed, eyes focused seriously on the stage being set up. Her wide-brimmed hat couldn't hide the tension on her face. As the costume designer, she knew that every single detail had to be perfect—especially when working with someone like Faisal, a true artist who never compromised, no matter the scale of the event.
From a distance, Faisal walked over with a cool bottle of water in hand, his usual calm smile on his lips.
— "Hey… Have some water. Why are you spacing out?" he said, handing her the bottle.
— "Just reviewing the design samples. I want to make sure they match the stage setup," she replied, her tone still deeply focused.
— "I think they're great. Your designs always have their own soul. Nothing needs fixing," Faisal said, his eyes full of trust.
Chirawan was silent for a moment before suddenly remembering something.
— "Faisal… where's Ying? Weren't you two planning this event together?"
— "He's tied up with some company stuff. Said he'll head back early tonight to visit Mr. Sakda—Jay asked him to." Faisal replied, slipping his hand into his pocket, his gaze drifting out toward the sea.
— "Hmm… Missing Jay, huh." Chirawan sighed, her eyes also quietly following the waves as if lost in a distant thought.
— "Then call him," Faisal said, urging gently.
— "Not sure if he's busy. I'd hate to disturb him." She smiled faintly.
Faisal looked out at the stage under construction—the bare metal frames already outlining the vibe of the upcoming party. His voice was calm and low.
— "It'd be perfect if Jay could be here. His style suits the beach atmosphere so well."
Chirawan's eyes lit up at that, a clear smile forming on her lips.
— "Then let's invite him over. We've still got a week before the event."
— "We'll see…" Faisal half-joked, his voice trailing with a hint of mystery.
Just then, a voice called out from the distance:
— "Faisal…!"
It was Yod, waving cheerfully under the sun. He wore a simple white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His hair was slightly tousled by the wind, giving him a youthful and energetic look. He walked toward them with a bright smile, holding a stack of documents—clearly just returning from the event site.
Faisal smiled, his eyes lighting up, but before walking away, he glanced back at Chirawan with a teasing tone:
— "Alright… I've got stuff to do. You just stay here and keep daydreaming."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and jogged off toward Yod.
Chirawan watched him go, pressing her lips together before letting out a soft laugh:
— "Choosing beauty over friendship, huh."
At that moment, Isra walked over from the stage area, carrying some sample fabrics, her steps slow and graceful. Her voice was soft and gentle:
— "Miss Chirawan… do you think the person Mr. Faisal said he wanted to get to know… could be Yod?"
— "It's obvious, isn't it? Faisal's never worked with anyone more than twice. But this one—he invited personally…" Chirawan crossed her arms again, eyes still on the two figures chatting in the distance. "Love really does change people."
Isra set the fabric bag down on a nearby wooden bench, dabbing sweat from her forehead with a small handkerchief. She spoke just loud enough for the two of them to hear:
— "But… that Yod really is adorable."
Still gazing into the distance, Chirawan suddenly murmured in a calm, steady tone:
— "Not as adorable as you."
Isra's head shot up, eyes wide.
— "Huh? Miss Chirawan… did you just say…?"
Chirawan blinked, seeming to realize what she'd just let slip. With perfect composure, she corrected herself, face unreadable:
— "I said… Yod's not as adorable as Jay."
Isra paused for a moment, then simply nodded without pressing further. She smiled faintly, took a step back, and stood beside Chirawan, both of them looking out to sea.
The waves continued to wash gently against the shore, and the sea breeze softly swept through tousled strands of hair, carrying away the lingering, unspoken thoughts… the ones that remained unsaid, yet ever so present.
——————————————————
Ying stood still under the dim streetlight, arms holding a bag of fresh fruit he had just bought. He pressed the doorbell. Once. Twice. Still, no one answered.
— "That's strange… Uncle Sakda didn't say he'd be out of town…"
Ying frowned and tried pushing the gate.
It… opened.
— "Huh… It's not locked?"
A sense of unease crept into his chest. Still, he stepped inside.
The house was eerily silent. No sound from the TV. No footsteps.
Only the chirping of insects outside and the sound of his own breathing.
— "Uncle Sakda, are you home?" Ying called out, walking toward the living room.
Just as he crossed the threshold—
The bag of fruit fell from his arms to the floor.
His heart clenched.
There—on the cold tiled floor—lay Mr. Sakda. Motionless. His eyes half-closed.
His face devoid of life.
Ying froze. He couldn't speak. Not a single word.
————————————————
**In France.**
On stage in an empty auditorium, Jay was focused, practicing with his electric guitar.
— "Ok. *Tout va bien.*"
[Everything's good.]
— "Done practicing?" Ryan's voice came as he approached.
— "Yeah. Just waiting for tonight now." Jay smiled lightly, setting his guitar down.
He took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress something within him.
— "You alright? Need a break?" Ryan asked, concerned.
— "I'm fine… just… feeling a bit uneasy. Probably overthinking." Jay let out a faint smile, but his eyes betrayed a quiet worry.
— "Thinking about *him*, huh?" Ryan teased, trying to lighten the mood.
— "Alright, that's enough. Don't start." Jay chuckled, but the laughter sounded hollow—like a cold breeze in the middle of summer.
They were just about to step down from the stage when Aline, Jay's assistant, rushed in.
— "Jay! You have a call. This person's been calling nonstop." She handed him the phone.
Jay took it. The name on the screen—so familiar.
— "Anh Ying."
He picked up:
— "Hi… Ying? Is something wrong…"
The voice on the other end was broken, choked.
And then, Jay heard it. Every word. Every syllable—like blades piercing through his heart.
— "What…? What did you say…?"
Jay's hands trembled. The phone slipped and fell to the floor.
His body froze.
— "Jay? What happened?" Ryan rushed toward him in alarm.
Jay slowly turned, eyes reddening. His voice trembled:
— "Ryan… …"
He couldn't finish.
His whole being collapsed.
His heart shattered into a hundred pieces…
——————————————————
At the hospital, in front of the emergency room.
Ying sat in the waiting area, his face tense, eyes fixed on the tightly shut door. His hands were clenched, palms cold with worry. Just then, his mother—Mrs. Preeda—and Faisal hurried in.
— "Ying, how is he? What's going on?" Mrs. Preeda asked, her voice filled with concern.
— "He's still in the emergency room, Mom. The doctors haven't said anything yet." Ying replied, his voice low and heavy.
— "Let's hope he's alright… Your father was so worried when he heard. Even though he's on a business trip, he told me to come right away."
Faisal stepped closer.
— "Have you told Jay?"
— "Yeah. He'll probably fly back right away, but he won't get here until tomorrow." Ying replied, still staring at the door.
— "That kid must be devastated," Mrs. Preeda sighed softly.
— "Yeah. We've got that event and investor meeting tomorrow, but I don't think I can make it. You'll have to handle it on your own." Ying looked at Faisal, his eyes full of trust.
— "No problem. I got this," Faisal nodded firmly.
Just then, the emergency room door swung open, and a doctor stepped out.
— "Who's the family of Mr. Sakda?"
— "I am!" Ying immediately jumped to his feet and rushed over.
The doctor looked at him and quickly explained:
— "The patient suffered a stroke caused by a blocked blood vessel in the brain. Luckily, it was discovered early and he was brought in in time. However, his condition is still critical. We need to perform surgery immediately to prevent further brain damage. Please sign the consent form."
Ying nodded quickly, saying nothing, and followed the doctor without hesitation.
Mrs. Preeda sat down, her face pale with shock.
— "I just hope he pulls through…"
— "He should be okay, ma'am. Good thing Ying found him in time," Faisal said gently, trying to comfort her.
—————————————————
The next afternoon – at Thailand's airport.
A flight had just landed. Amid the crowd, a small-framed young man pushed his way through hurriedly. Jay wore a mask and a cap, his eyes puffy from lack of sleep. He rushed straight toward the waiting car.
————————————————
That evening – at the hospital.
Ying was still sitting outside the hospital room. He looked tired, but his eyes were still filled with worry. Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the hallway. Jay came running, and the moment he saw Ying, he rushed toward him.
— " Ying!"
— "Jay…" Ying quickly stood up to catch him.
— "My dad… How is he? Is… is he going to be okay?" Jay's voice trembled, his eyes red and brimming with tears.
— "Jay, calm down… Listen to me first." Ying placed both hands on Jay's shoulders to steady him.
— "Please… just tell me…" Jay pleaded, grabbing onto Ying's arm.
Ying spoke gently:
— "The doctor said he's out of danger now. He's been moved to the ICU. The hospital responded in time, so there was no severe damage to the brain. Things are stable for now."
As soon as Jay heard that, his strength gave out. He collapsed onto the floor, tears streaming down his face.
— "Thank God… Thank God…" he sobbed, gasping for breath.
Ying immediately knelt down and pulled him into his arms, gently rubbing his back like comforting a child.
— "It's okay. I'm here. You're not alone."
— "Thank you… Thank you so much…" Jay clutched Ying's sleeve, his tears continuing to fall…
EndofChapter22.