My Moon, Chapter 6 pg 9
My Moon, Chapter 6 pg 9
Few people called him that. Klai felt a warmth in his heart whenever his mother used to say it—she was the first to call him “KhunKlai.” But after she passed, it felt like the name died with her. Even when Phii Jeab or Uncle Hmai used it, it never carried the same warmth.
Yet, Panli brought “KhunKlai” back to life. Hearing it from him warmed Klai’s heart. He touched his chest, watching Panli talk to his friend.
His heart didn’t race.
It was calm…
And smiling with joy.
“You look familiar,” the friend said.
“KhunKlai lives in your condo… you’ve probably seen him around,” Panli replied.
“True…” The friend grinned at Klai. “I’m Ne. If we cross paths, feel free to say hi.”
“Goddamn chatterbox,” Panli grumbled, waving him off. “Go wherever you’re going… stop clinging to my car.”
“Always annoyed with your friends, huh?” Ne teased, laughing.
“You know you’re annoying me and still don’t bother to change, huh?”
The cheeky guy laughed with amusement, then held out one hand to Panli. “Gimme five hundred… if I get it, I’ll disappear as far as your eyes can see.”
“What the hell? You live in a million-baht condo but you’re mooching off your friend?”
“When my wife punishes me by taking my wallet… she left me with just a hundred. I’m heading to 7-Eleven, and I don’t think a hundred’s gonna cut it.”
“And if you hadn’t run into me?”
“Then I’d make it work somehow.”
“You idiot!”
“Come on… think of it as helping a friend stay alive.”
“That’s what being a whipped husband gets you,” Panli said while pulling out his wallet, shaking his head slightly as he took out a purple banknote. “Learn to be a bold househusband, you jerk.”
“Sure… you’ll get it when you have a wife.”
“Get what?” Panli, who was about to hand over the purple banknote, quickly pulled his hand back, waiting for an answer.
“You’ll get that… you have to strictly follow your wife’s rules. Otherwise, you’ll end up like me.”
Panli burst out laughing, then handed the purple banknote to his friend. “Good answer… I was gonna make you pay me back, but now you don’t have to, cause I like your answer.”
“You’ve got potential, man.”
“Potential for what?”
“Potential to be scared of your wife.”
“No way.”
“We’ll see about that.”
“Go on, you jerk… go get some food.”
“Bye.”
Klai smiled as he watched Moon let out a quiet sigh. The guy quickly rolled up the window as his friend walked away. Panli turned to look at him with a small smile.
“Sorry about that, Klai… my friend’s always chaotic like this.”
“It’s fine, I get it.”
“But you don’t have to worry, Klai. He doesn’t usually mooch off people. His family’s got money, but this time, his girlfriend must’ve really laid into him.”
Klai gave the other a smile and nodded. “I’m not worried. If I see your friend again, I’ll say hi to him.”
“No need to talk to him, Klai… he’s the dreamy type, you won’t get anywhere talking to him.”
Klai laughs when he sees Panli frowning while speaking. Right now, he seems like a stubborn child, but Klai can guess why Panli doesn’t want him talking to his friend. Panli is probably worried his friend might say something bad about him.
But from what Klai can tell… that friend seems friendly enough.
It’s not like what Panli thinks…
At this moment, Klai gathers his courage and looks at Panli’s face. They lock eyes for several minutes, until his rapidly beating heart signals a retreat. Klai flashes a smile at Moon, grateful that today he made him smile the widest in his life.
“Thanks for dropping me off.”
“You’re welcome.”
The smaller figure opens the door and carries gift bags down from Moon’s sports car. He stands there, smiling at the person inside the car. Since the car windows are tinted completely dark, Klai can’t see Moon.
He doesn’t know if Panli will turn to look at him.
But Klai will stay right here.
He’ll keep sending smiles to Moon forever…
Yet, the dark window slowly rolls down, and the car’s interior lights, previously turned off, light up again. Klai sees Moon smiling back at him. He lets one hand leave the steering wheel, as both of Klai’s hands are full with gift bags. All he can do is nod in acknowledgment.
“Klai…”
“…”
“If you see me at the university… feel free to come say hi.”
“…”
“But if I see you first… I’ll come say hi to you.”
Once again, Klai breaks into a wide smile. He nods happily before saying, “Yeah… I’ll come say hi to you, Panli.”
“You got it.”
“…”
Our conversation comes to an end. Yet, the car window remains open, allowing Klai to capture Moon’s smile a little longer.
Klai gazes at Moon until the very last second, before his smile is hidden by the dark window. And he still stands there, watching until Panli’s car drives away from the condo.
The small figure, laden with bags, looked up at the crescent moon in the dark sky. Even though the original Moon was gone, he had left a smile with him.
Klai would remember…
On this birthday,
The moon orbited around him for hours.
:)
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