Inside the car, silence lingered for a while. Yod sat in the passenger seat, occasionally glancing at Faisal as if he wanted to say something, but kept hesitating. Faisal seemed to notice. Without taking his eyes off the road, he suddenly spoke:
—"You have something you want to ask me, don't you?"
His voice was calm, steady, eyes fixed ahead.
—"Mm…"
Yod nodded slightly, unable to hide his curiosity.
—"The woman earlier was Kanya. She's an old childhood friend of ours… well, 'friend' might be a stretch. The relationship was never very good, especially with Jay."
Faisal spoke slowly, like recounting an old story, his tone even and touched with a bit of distance.
—"Maybe part of the reason Jay doesn't want to stay and work in Thailand… is because of Kanya."
—"Was it really that bad between them?"
Yod frowned slightly, a bit surprised.
—"You saw Chirawan's reaction back there, didn't you…?"
Faisal chuckled, half-joking, half-serious.
—"Oh…"
Yod nodded again, falling silent for a few seconds before asking:
—"And… the person Jay mentioned—someone important in France. Who is it?"
His voice was soft but serious, his eyes turned toward Faisal, filled with quiet anticipation.
Faisal glanced at Yod, the corner of his lips curling into a faint smile.
—"You really want to know?"
—"If you don't want to say, it's fine."
Yod replied calmly, leaning back and stretching slightly, his posture relaxed as if it didn't bother him too much.
—"It's not that I can't tell you…"
Faisal hesitated for a moment, then his tone softened, more earnest:
—"Yod, you know I don't see you as just a friend, right?"
Yod looked over at him, his eyes calm but deep:
—"Mm… we haven't known each other long, but it feels like we get each other. It's… comfortable."
His voice was slow, more like a quiet understanding than a direct reply.
—"So, what do you think this feeling between us is?"
Faisal asked again, as if trying to reach something deeper inside him.
Yod thought for a moment, then answered, his voice as light as the breeze:
—"It's the kind of feeling that felt easy and familiar right from the start. The hard part isn't starting—it's whether we can keep that ease as time goes on."
He turned his head to look out the window, the streetlights passing over his face one by one.
—"If both people are understanding enough, sensitive enough to know what the other needs… willing to step back when needed, to yield a little when angry… then maybe what comes later will stay as gentle as it is now."
Faisal replied, his voice low and warm, as if trying to hold onto something fragile.
Yod smiled softly, turning to look at Faisal, his eyes glimmering:
—"Then… let's try. Let's see just how well we really understand each other."
Faisal didn't respond—just smiled quietly. The hum of the engine filled the car, and the atmosphere grew light, warm, and gentle… as if the entire road ahead was wrapped in the soft glow of a new beginning.
————————————————————
In the car, the atmosphere was noticeably different from usual. Instead of Ying behind the wheel as always, it was Jay who was driving today.
—"Are you sure you can drive, Jay?"
Ying turned to him, a hint of concern in his eyes as he glanced at the person beside him.
—"Of course! Don't worry, Ying. I've got this. My driving's solid."
Jay beamed confidently, his hands effortlessly steering the wheel.
—"Then how come I've never seen you drive before?"
Ying raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.
—"Well… first, I don't know the roads around here that well. Second… Dad never really trusted me behind the wheel."
Jay laughed, a subtle undertone in his voice that made Ying even more puzzled.
—"Why didn't he trust you?"
Ying asked, curiosity growing on his face.
—"Because…"
Jay trailed off, and suddenly stepped on the gas. The car shot forward, the roar of the engine echoing like a challenge thrown into the bustling streets.
They sped past the cars ahead, the air seemingly splitting with the rush. Jay tilted the wheel with practiced precision, weaving through tight gaps in the traffic with ease.
His hair fluttered gently in the air-conditioned breeze, eyes gleaming with excitement—completely immersed in the thrill of speed.
In stark contrast, Ying had gone pale beside him. He gripped the seat handle tightly, voice almost cracking:
—"OH MY GOD—JAY! SLOW DOWN! PLEASE!!"
Ying practically screamed, eyes wide like he was about to leap out of his seat.
Only then did Jay ease off the gas, the car gradually slowing to a more reasonable pace. He glanced sideways, flashing a bright—and dangerously playful—smile:
—"See? That's why. I love speed. Once I'm driving… it's like brakes don't exist."
He said it casually, as if he hadn't just given someone a near heart attack moments ago.
—"A few more seconds of that and I'd be joining the 'Never Let Jay Drive Again' club…"
Ying exhaled hard, still catching his breath, his voice laced with mock scolding.
—"Ying…"
Jay pouted and turned to him with a mock sulky face.
—"I'm just kidding. But really, I didn't expect you to be into something so… intense."
Ying chuckled, his gaze softening as he looked at the younger man.
—"Oh, there's a lot more you don't know yet."
Jay tapped his temple playfully, eyes glinting with mischief like a child with a secret.
—"Then I guess I'll have to take my time discovering it all."
Ying smiled warmly, his gaze full of fondness.
—"I'm ready to let you explore."
Jay replied softly, the smile still bright on his lips, though his eyes were focused on the road ahead—steady, calm, and unusually mature.
———————————————————
At night, in Jay's room.
The soft sound of water running from the bathroom echoed faintly. Out on the balcony, Ying stood still, his face serious, eyes darkened under the night sky. He held his phone, dialed a familiar number, and raised it to his ear.
—"Hello…? It's late, why are you calling?"
Kanya's voice came through, tired and slightly irritated.
—"I told you not to bother Jay anymore, didn't I?"
Ying's tone was calm but firm, with unmistakable authority.
—"And I haven't bothered him. I just showed up. Is even that not allowed now?"
Kanya's voice tightened with restrained anger.
—"Then what was today? Are you doing this on purpose?"
Ying frowned, unable to keep the edge out of his voice.
—"Ying, don't be ridiculous. I promised I wouldn't disturb Jay, but I never said I'd disappear from his world. And today wasn't intentional."
Kanya snapped back, frustration rising.
—"Intentional or not, I'm warning you: don't hurt him again. Not even once."
Ying's voice softened, but each word was weighted and precise.
—"So that's all I am to you? A source of trouble? Jay's not a child anymore. Stop smothering him out of guilt. Do you really think he'll forgive you if you keep treating him this way?"
Kanya raised her voice, then, without waiting for a reply, ended the call.
—"Kanya…"
Ying whispered, but all he got was the hollow tone of a disconnected line. He let out a slow breath, trying to steady the quiet turmoil in his chest.
The bathroom door opened. Jay stepped out, his hair still damp.
—"Who were you talking to just now, Ying?"
Jay asked innocently, eyes wide with curiosity.
—"Ah… just a bit of work. It's done now."
Ying smiled faintly, as if there hadn't been a tense conversation just moments ago.
—"I see?"
Jay nodded, not pressing the matter. Ying watched him for a moment, then spoke softly:
—"Jay, come here."
—"Hm? What is it?"
Jay looked puzzled, but before he could react, Ying had already walked over and was gently drying his hair with a towel.
—"It's not good to leave your hair wet at night."
Ying said gently, his voice unusually tender.
—"Ah… I don't usually shower this late. But earlier, I got caught up in songwriting and went straight to the studio after getting home. I totally forgot until you arrived."
Jay rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
—"Sit down. I'll dry it for you properly."
Ying gestured, and Jay obediently sat in the chair like a little brother being fussed over.
The soft hum of the hair dryer filled the room.
—"Was the song you wrote for this weekend's party?"
Ying asked as he dried Jay's hair.
—"It was at first, but now I've got another one. I think I'll save this one for later."
Jay replied with a relaxed smile.
—"Make sure to take care of yourself."
Ying said, his tone like that of an older brother.
—"Got it, got it. You sound just like my dad, you know."
Jay laughed teasingly. Ying gave him a light flick on the forehead.
The atmosphere calmed again, with only the faint hum of the dryer in the background. After a while, Ying hesitated before speaking:
—"Jay…"
—"About today—I'm not bothered. I'm not the same Jay I used to be. I'm not that easily hurt anymore. People don't need to be so toxic or overprotective around me."
Jay interrupted first, his gaze steady and firm.
—"Are you sure? If anything ever bothers you, don't hesitate to tell me."
Ying still looked concerned, but Jay nodded confidently.
—"I'm fine. Really."
Ying sighed in relief, his expression softening.
—"Jay's really grown up. So mature, so sharp… even able to tell who someone else has feelings for."
He teased lightly.
—"Whoa, are you channeling Faisal today? Throwing shade now?"
Jay laughed.
—"Am I wrong?"
—"Anyone with eyes can see it. You didn't notice the way Faisal looks at Yod? Gentle, a little hesitant… he treats him differently from everyone else."
Jay crossed his arms, sounding very certain.
—"I didn't pick up on that… You observe things that closely?"
—"Not really. I'm an artist, remember? We're just sensitive to feelings."
—"I wouldn't know much about that… I just know that when you care about someone, you want to give them the best of yourself."
—"Exactly. So, who's in Ying's heart? Are you treating them well?"
Jay asked playfully.
—"Of course. Every day, I want to do something nice for them."
Ying replied without hesitation.
—"That's so sweet. Now I really want to know who it is."
—"Aren't artists supposed to be good at picking up on feelings? You haven't figured it out yet?"
Ying leaned in slightly, gazing at Jay with a subtle intensity.
Jay paused, then laughed as if trying to dodge the question, unwilling to guess out loud. Ying only smiled, gently ruffling his hair.
—"Sleep. It's late."
He walked over to the sofa and lay down, closing his eyes.
Jay stood there for a moment, dazed…
—"Hey… Ying…?"
EndofChapter29.