In the hospital room, the soft white light cast a gentle glow over Jay's sleeping face. He had dozed off on the chair beside the hospital bed, his hand still loosely holding the corner of Mr. Sakda's blanket, as if letting go would mean losing something precious.
The door creaked open quietly. Ying stepped inside, holding a paper bag with some light snacks for Jay. But the moment he saw the scene before him, he froze.
Mr. Sakda slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was still clouded from the long coma, but it was clear enough to meet Ying's startled, worried eyes. As Ying was about to speak, Mr. Sakda raised a hand slightly—gesturing for silence. Ying nodded, understanding, then quietly walked over to the bedside, his eyes resting on Jay, who was still sound asleep.
A moment later, Jay stirred, raising his head. His hair was slightly tousled, and his eyes still hazy with sleep suddenly widened when he saw the person on the bed was awake.
— "Dad! You're awake?" Jay shot up, leaning closer, his voice trembling. "Are you okay? Are you feeling unwell anywhere? I'll call the doctor right away!"
— "Alright… alright, Jay." Mr. Sakda's voice was hoarse, but still steady. "Calm down. I'm fine."
Jay looked at him, eyes brimming with tears, lips pressed tightly as though he couldn't hold it in anymore.
— "Dad… do you know how worried I was…" Jay's voice cracked, and the tears finally fell. He didn't sob, but the drops rolled down quietly.
— "There, there, don't cry. You're all grown up and still crying like a kid," Mr. Sakda tried to joke, lightening the mood. "If you don't stop, Ying will laugh at you."
Jay, embarrassed, wiped his tears with the back of his hand, chuckling through his sniffles.
— "I was really worried about you…"
— "I'll go get the doctor," Ying said, then stepped out, leaving father and son in that emotional moment.
A short while later, the doctor arrived to check on Mr. Sakda. Meanwhile, Jay and Ying waited outside in the hallway, the atmosphere heavy.
— "Jay, don't worry too much. He's awake now—he'll be fine," Ying said softly, eyes never leaving Jay's tense face.
— "Yes… Thank you, Ying. Really, thank you for everything." Jay forced a smile, trying to hide his exhaustion.
— "Jay, don't be so formal. I did it because I wanted to… and because of you," Ying said gently, placing a hand on Jay's shoulder. Jay looked up at him, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, he only nodded in silence.
The doctor came out, removing his mask.
— "The patient is out of critical condition and recovering well. However, he'll need to be monitored for a few more days, and he must avoid overexertion."
— "Yes. Thank you, doctor," Jay said, bowing.
After the doctor left, Jay pulled Ying back into the room. Mr. Sakda was lying on his side, head resting gently on the pillow, his eyes clearer than before.
— "Do you feel better now, sir?" Ying asked.
— "Yes, much better. You're the one who brought me to the hospital, right? Thank you, son." Mr. Sakda smiled kindly.
— "It was the least I could do," Ying replied, lowering his head slightly in modesty.
— "Are you hungry, Dad? I'll go get something for you to eat," Jay said as he sat by the bed, eyes gleaming with hope.
— "Hmm…" Mr. Sakda nodded, his smile still present.
— "Let me go," Ying offered.
— "No, let me. You stay with Dad for a bit, okay?" Jay smiled at Ying before leaving the room. As he walked out, he kept glancing back, as if afraid his father might collapse again.
Once the door closed, silence settled over the room. Mr. Sakda let out a quiet sigh.
— "Jay must've been very worried while I was unconscious, huh?"
— "Yes… he didn't eat or drink anything. I had to coax him into eating just a little." Ying answered softly, his eyes still fixed on the door.
— "That's just how Jay is. He seems so caring, but ends up making others worry about him instead," Mr. Sakda chuckled, his eyes carrying traces of old memories.
— "It's because he loves you deeply," Ying said, his voice lowering. "Probably more than he lets on."
— "I know. That's why I never forced him to follow the family business. I let him pursue music—live the life he wanted."
— "But that means you had to bear all the burdens alone…"
— "Yes. The hardship was inevitable. But I didn't want Jay to live with guilt, thinking he abandoned his family for his passion. So, I never told him about the weight I've been carrying."
Ying stayed silent. Those words tightened something in his chest. Some kinds of love didn't need to be spoken—they just had to be felt.
— "Ying…" Mr. Sakda called gently. "Please don't tell Jay about this. I don't want him to worry."
Ying looked up at him and nodded firmly.
— "I understand."
——————————————————
Outside the hospital, Jay held a warm bag of food he had just picked up from the nearby convenience store. He walked quickly toward the main building, the gentle breeze ruffling his hair slightly. Just then, a familiar voice called out from behind.
— "Little Jay!" Chirawan's bright voice rang out.
Jay turned around, surprised, then broke into a wide smile.
— "Oh… Sister Chirawan? You guys came too?" He blinked, a little taken aback to see Faisal, Isra… and someone unfamiliar with them.
— "We came to visit Uncle Sakda and check in on you while we're at it," Faisal said with his usual calm and collected demeanor.
Jay nodded, lifting the bag of food to show them proudly.
— "Dad's awake now. I just ran out to get him some porridge and juice."
— "That's wonderful," Isra said, visibly relieved. "Shall we head in together then? Perfect timing."
Jay nodded again, but his eyes paused on the stranger beside Faisal — a young man with warm eyes and a smile as gentle as spring breeze, holding a neat bouquet of white roses in his hand.
— "Ah… And you are…?" Jay tilted his head slightly, his tone friendly but clearly curious.
— "Oh right, let me introduce him," Faisal chimed in quickly. "This is Yod, a friend of mine. He's the florist I told you about before."
— "Oh! So you're the florist from the legendary story," Jay chuckled, eyes lighting up with genuine interest. "Nice to meet you, Yod."
Yod nodded politely, his gaze steady on Jay.
— "Nice to meet you too, Jay. I've heard a lot about you. It's good to finally meet in person."
His voice was deep and soft, with a calm charm to it.
— "I hope it's all good things?" Jay raised an eyebrow, half-joking, half-serious.
— "Hmm…" Yod tilted his head playfully, pretending to think. "There were a few not-so-good things. Like… how you're too adorable, it makes others feel a little pressured."
Jay burst into laughter, instantly sensing that this guy wasn't the shy or reserved type — on the contrary, he knew exactly how to tease at the right moment.
— "Oh wow, that sounded like a compliment wrapped in a tiny little stab," Jay teased back.
— "Okay, okay, you two, save the flirting for later — not in the hospital, please," Chirawan shook her head with a laugh, patting Jay on the shoulder. "Let's go inside before the food gets cold."
— "Yessss~" Jay drew out the word like a child caught red-handed, then took the lead and opened the door for everyone.
—
The group made their way through the hospital corridor. Though the air was thick with the scent of antiseptic, there was warmth in their soft laughter and easy chatter. And even though they had only just met, something about Jay and Yod's interaction felt oddly natural — as if… they already knew each other through the scattered stories shared by others.
——————————————————
In the parking lot behind the hospital, the late afternoon air had turned a little cooler. The sun was leaning westward, casting faint golden streaks across the hoods of parked cars. Footsteps echoed steadily on the tiled pavement, mingling with the scent of exhaust fumes and the subtle fragrance of flowers from potted plants along the walkway.
Ying and Faisal walked side by side. Both looked rather worn after several tense days in the hospital, yet their faces remained calm — as if already accustomed to a life that could change at any moment.
— "Did you get everything sorted for the party?" Ying was the first to speak, his deep voice steady but tinged with concern.
Faisal slid his hands into his pockets, eyes drifting toward his car, lips curling into a faint smile:
— "Yeah, it's more or less under control. Don't worry — there's still time. It's not until next week."
Ying exhaled, a quiet sigh of relief. His expression softened, shoulders seeming to relax just a bit.
— "Good… Thanks. I really don't have the energy to think about all that right now."
Faisal glanced sideways at his friend — the one who always bore too much without ever complaining. After a brief pause, he spoke again, his tone more tentative this time.
— "Actually… I've been meaning to run an idea by you."
Ying glanced over, still walking.
— "What is it?"
— "I was thinking… maybe we could ask Jay to be the opening performer at the party," Faisal said, though his eyes were filled with hesitation. "But… you've seen how things are. I don't know if it's the right time to ask him."
Ying paused for a moment before replying. He rested his hand on his hip, eyes lifting toward the sky now tinged in soft amber.
— "Uncle Sakda's only just stabilized… Jay's probably still worried sick."
Faisal nodded, nudging a small pebble with his foot:
— "Yeah, that's why I'm asking you. I don't want to add to his stress. But if we want something special for the opening… Jay really is the best choice."
Ying stared into the distance, thoughtful.
— "Let's wait and see. If Uncle keeps improving… I'll bring it up myself. If Jay knows the event means something to me, he probably won't say no."
— "Alright… I'll leave it to you then." Faisal let out a breath, patting Ying's shoulder. "But for now, you should go home and rest. You've been running on fumes for days."
Ying shrugged, eyes lingering on the hospital building with visible reluctance.
— "But leaving Jay here alone…"
— "He's not alone. Chirawan's with him, and Isra hasn't left either. He's in good hands — you don't need to worry." Faisal reassured him, then squinted at Ying's pale face, frowning. "Have you seen yourself? You're as pale as a ghost and still trying to act tough."
Ying let out a soft laugh but shook his head.
— "Alright then, I'll head back for now. Call me if anything comes up."
Faisal gave him a firm nod.
— "Count on it. If you collapse, it'll be more trouble than Uncle Sakda."
Without further protest, Faisal opened the car door and gently nudged Ying inside. Ying glanced back at the hospital one last time, still looking uneasy. But then he gave Faisal a small nod before closing the door.
The car slowly pulled out of the lot, leaving behind long shadows stretching across the painted white lines.
EndofChapter24.