My Moon, Chapter 19.2 pg 3
My Moon, Chapter 19.2 pg 3
“If you don’t believe me… try standing on the fourth floor of the building across from Building 11. You’ll see Klai sneaking glances at you almost every day.”
“…”
“He likes to sit on the fourth floor of Building 11 because it overlooks the parking lot where you park your bike, and he sees you smoking there all the time.”
“If I hadn’t seen Klai looking at my photos in the exhibition room before… I’d think you were joking.”
“So you’ve seen Klai before… Did you know back then that he’s my cousin?”
“I knew… because Phii Fah pointed him out when Klai walked past the faculty building.”
Phii Dom nodded lightly before saying, “This kind of thing… I wouldn’t dare joke about. It’s about feelings.”
“…”
“Klai doesn’t know I know this.”
“…The reason I had Theerak invite you to Klai’s birthday wasn’t to make you aware of this. Panli, I just wanted Klai to be happy for once. Even though things at home are hectic with his Dad’s engagement ceremony to his fiancée… Klai says he’s fine, but I don’t believe he really feels that way.”
A heavy feeling settled in his chest, one he rarely experienced, and he nodded slightly to show he understood Phii Dom’s reasons.
“I thought if you came to Klai’s birthday… my cousin would be happy.”
“…”
“…And there’s another important reason I decided to tell you this, even though I know I probably shouldn’t. After today, I think you and Klai will at least know each other. If you run into each other at uni, you can say hi. I don’t know if your relationship with Klai will grow into friendship… but if one day Klai finds the courage to confess his feelings to you…”
“…”
“You, knowing this peggio, will be able to handle whatever feelings come up, and Klai won’t lose you… in any capacity.”
“…”
“I’m not hoping for Klai to get what he wants. I’m not expecting you to love him like a lover. I just want Klai to have a good friendship, like others do. I know what kind of person you are… that’s why I want Klai to know you. Because so far, my cousin has only met bad people—friends he’s had and people he’s secretly liked.”
“…”
“I know I’m being selfish by saying this without caring how it might make you feel bad or uncomfortable… but since I’m not some amazing big brother, this is probably the only way to keep Klai from losing a good person like you.”
“…”
“I’m sorry, Li.”
Panli admitted he was confused and didn’t know how to feel first. A warm breath slowly escaped his nose as he saw Phii Dom’s worried expression before saying, “You don’t need to apologize to me… this doesn’t make me feel bad or anything.”
“…”
“But the reason I’m quiet is because…” He raised his hand to rub the back of his neck while searching for an answer, but in the end, he couldn’t lift the heavy feeling weighing him down, and it suppressed every sentence he tried to say. “…I just can’t put it into words.”
“…”
“But it’s not that I’m rejecting Klai’s feelings… I can’t speak because he thinks Klai’s feelings for me are so damn pure.”
“…”
“I’ve never met someone who secretly loves from afar, watching without expecting anything in return, like him.”
“Guess it’s just my little brother who’d choose to love secretly like that.”
He pursed his lips, thinking, before saying, “Hey, can you take my glass back to the table for me, Phii Dom?”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m gonna order some shrimp for Klai… and check on chubby-cheeks too. He’s been gone for a while.”
“…”
“Okay… but about the gift, you can always get him something later.”
“True, he should’ve brought a gift for the birthday boy… at the very least, he should do something for Klai today.”
“…Ordering shrimp means he’ll have to peel them.”
“Just peeling shrimp… that’s no big deal.”
Phii Dom let out a laugh, nodded, and walked back to the table with his glass. Panli headed over to the female staff member standing by to assist customers. She looked up at him and gave a friendly smile.
“Anything else you’d like?”
“I’m at that table over there…” He said, pointing to the table. The birthday boy, who was secretly watching him, quickly looked away the moment he saw Panli and the staff glancing his way. He gave a small smile before continuing, “…I’d like twenty shrimp, all in one tray.”
“Oh, alright.”
“If that table wasn’t charged for seafood, please adjust it to seafood pricing for the whole table.”
Panli watched the waitress hurry back into the restaurant, then peered outside to look for Fat Cheeks. Stepping out, he saw his best friend standing rigid, staring at Phii Fah. Even though what he’d heard was almost too absurd to laugh at, Fat Cheeks still managed to crack him up.
Right now, he’s no different from Panli—a dog.
But a fat little pup cursed to turn to stone.
“What’re you laughing at, you shameless dog?!”
“Laughing at you, that’s what…”
Panli said, chuckling. Fat Cheeks glared at him, and since he didn’t want to start a fight, he walked back into the restaurant, leaving Theerak and Phii Fah standing outside.
Back inside, Panli saw the staff starting to serve food at their table. He stopped by the table, eyeing a large tray of shrimp in the waitress’s hands.
“That tray of shrimp… it’s mine.”
After he spoke, the waitress nodded in acknowledgment. He plopped down on the long bench, sliding back to his original spot, and took the white tray with twenty shrimp, just as he’d requested, from her. He set the tray in front of him and immediately started grilling the shrimp.
“Wow, you gonna eat all that, Panli?” Phii Babe asked.
What pulled his attention from the grill wasn’t Phii Babe’s question, but the person sitting across from him. He stared at Klai, wondering if he’d eat all twenty shrimp Panli planned to peel for him, or if it might be too much for him. He was about to get his answer… until he noticed something on Klai’s neck.
A necklace with a crescent moon pendant…
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