My Moon, Chapter 3 pg 1
My Moon, Chapter 3 pg 1
Chapter 3:
‘Auntie Tiam’s Curry Rice Shop’
The small figure stood looking at the shop’s sign on the wall while queuing to order food. He shifted his gaze from the sign when he heard the friendly voice of Auntie Tiam, the shop’s owner, asking him a question. Klai smiled at Auntie Tiam, who was holding a plate of rice. Even though she knew his favorite dish, she always waited for his answer.
Auntie Tiam probably thought he might change his order someday.
But Klai never did.
He’d been eating the same dish for a month.
“Same as usual, right, dear?”
“Yes, Auntie,” Klai replied.
“Wait just a sec, okay?”
“Sure.”
While waiting for Auntie Tiam to scoop his favorite dish onto the plate, Klai glanced around to see which other shops were open in the morning. Only Auntie Tiam’s shop and a drink stall were operating. Most food stalls opened around noon, when students from nearly every faculty had their break. From midday onward, there’d be more food options, and the cafeteria would be packed with people.
But no matter how many other stalls there were, whether it was six in the morning or noon, Klai always chose to eat at Auntie Tiam’s. Once he found something he liked, he rarely changed his mind.
Unless Auntie Tiam closed her shop.
Then he’d have to let it go…
“Here you go, fried chicken with a perfectly cooked sunny-side-up egg on rice,” Auntie Tiam announced.
“Thank you, Auntie,” Klai said, handing her the exact amount for the meal. He took the plate, which held neatly sliced fried chicken and a sunny-side-up egg atop steaming white rice.
“The chicken dipping sauce is by the spoons, dear.”
“Got it, Auntie.”
Klai set his plate down near the jar of dipping sauce. As he was scooping some sauce, he heard footsteps stop behind him. Turning around, he saw it was his close friend.
“What’s you eating? Want me to order for you?” Klai asked.
“What’re you having?” Kant, who was the same height, leaned over to peek at his plate, then shook his head slightly. “Nah, not what you’re having. I don’t like dry rice dishes.”
Klai chuckled softly before pointing at a large pot in Auntie Tiam’s shop. “They’ve got clear soup today.”
“Then I’ll have clear soup instead.”
“Okay, I’ll order it for you.”
“No need. You go find a seat, I’ll order it myself.”
Klai nods. He walks to a table near Aunt Tim’s shop. After placing his plate and bag down, he goes to buy water. He buys two bottles of plain water, one for Kant as well.
“How much for the drinks?”
“No worries, I’ll cover it.”
“No way, tell me how much.”
“Two baht,” Klai says in a teasing tone. Kant glares at him and lightly pushes his head. “It’s just a small thing, don’t overthink it.”
“How can I not overthink? I still haven’t paid back the money I borrowed from you last month.”
“Since when did my friend Kant become such an overthinker?”
Kant chuckles softly, looking down at his plate before saying, “Once I get my paycheck, I’ll pay you back right away.”
“Kant…” Klai sighs lightly. He reaches to pull Kant’s plate away. Kant, whose breakfast is being taken, looks up and quickly pulls the plate back. “I’m not trying to steal your food, but I’m calling out someone who’s avoiding eye contact… feeling guilty, huh?”
“It’s been days past the date I promised to pay you back, so I feel bad.”
“We’ve been friends for so long, Kant should know I don’t mind this kind of thing.”
“That’s exactly why I feel bad—because I know what kind of person you are.”
“The money you borrowed from me… what did you use it for?” Klai already knows what his best friend used the money for, as Kant told him the reason from the start.
Kant frowns slightly while looking at him. “I used it to pay for my mom’s medicine, like I told you.”
“Then you don’t need to feel guilty or worry about me.”
“…”
“And stop working yourself to death just to pay me back quickly. If you get sick too, who’s going to take care of your mom?”
“…”
“Twenty thousand isn’t a small amount… for me or anyone else.”
“…”
“And because it’s not a small amount of money, I know you needs more time to pay me back,” Klai said, giving his close friend another smile before continuing, “You once told me… that you’d be my friend forever.”
“Yeah, and I’m still saying that now,” Kant replied.
“Even if I didn’t have a single baht to my name right now… I’d still think that promise is worth more than all the money in the world.”
“…”
“Thank you so much, Klai… you’re always there for me,” Kant said.
“If I didn’t have you, I’d be in a mess too,” Klai replied.
Klai thought both of them knew that friends aren’t just important when you need help—they’re important in every moment of your life.
A true friend isn’t someone who can help with everything or be with you all the time.
A true friend is someone who’s always ready to give chances and forgive.
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