Toffee's eyes stayed on that person for a long time. Artit's cold hands slowly moved through Toffee's hair. Toffee turned and stared at Artit.
"Go…" In fact, Artit didn't want Toffee to go, but he still let him.
With teary eyes, Toffee placed his hand on Artit's chest.
"I'll come back soon. Wait for me, Hia."
A faint smile appeared as Toffee moved toward the person.
Each step felt heavy, like something weighed him down. His mind was clouded. "Toffee, you are strong… just do it…"
The person lifted his face, filled with joy. He quickly wiped his sweaty hands behind his back before Toffee came closer.
"Swadee khab, P'Jay."
"Swadee, Toffee…"
"Don't be formal, Toffee." Jay's eyes were almost teary as Toffee approached him.
Jay couldn't look away. Time seemed to freeze.
Something stirred inside his heart, filling a space that had always felt empty.
Jay glanced toward where Artit was standing, then back at Toffee.
"I saw the post." Jay hesitated. "Congrats…"
A shadow crossed his face as he lowered his head.
"Am I… late? Why him…" His voice got stuck.
Toffee remained still.
"P'Jay, you're not late. It's just… I found the right person, and I love him. I don't know how to explain it well… but one thing I know… even if I hadn't met him, I think I would still wait for him… until he came."
Toffee thought, "because meeting him and loving him isn't just a coincidence."
"I think I'll regret it if I don't say this. I like you… I like you, Toffee. When I heard you were sick, when I waited every day, from the first time I saw you, I liked you. I…"
"Thank you for liking me." Toffee's face softened with gentle happiness.
"Thank you, Toffee…" Jay forced a smile.
"Can I hug you, Toffee? I don't know why I feel like this."
Before he could finish, Toffee hugged him.
Jay gently held those trembling hands and tried to control his tears.
After a moment, Jay pulled back.
"I think you should go, Toffee… I think someone doesn't like that I'm here…"
At the same time, Toffee hugged Jay.
"What the, why are they hugging?"
"It's okay, it's just a hug. Not a big deal… I'm not jealous, I'm not…"
Artit clenched his fists tighter.
"Even if I'm not jealous… I don't like him touching my Toffee… damn it…"
Though Artit denied it, his jealousy was at its peak.
Toffee turned and glanced at Artit.
"You're right, someone doesn't like this.
I'm leaving."
Jay nodded.
"Take care! I'm still your friend, right?"
Toffee didn't answer. He only smiled and left.
As Toffee moved farther…
Jay watched him.
"I can never get close to you…"
"But why do I feel happy? I'm... happy for him…"
"I was happy when he smiled at me and I'm happy he found someone he truly loves."
"Is this some kind of hangover…? I pity myself but still thank you, Toffee. You made me understand something. What it feels like to truly like someone… a feeling I once thought wasn't worth it."
With one last glance, Jay slowly left. His steps felt lighter, even though he was hurt.
"Can I drink during the day? It's going to be a hard day. Don't cry, Jay… keep your image…"
He tried to stay calm… but—
Toffee stepped toward Artit, but Artit ran into him instead.
Artit touched Toffee's nose.
"What's wrong?"
Toffee gripped Artit's shirt.
"Hia… I…"
Both of them looked back, seeing Jay walking away.
"I hope he'll be happy. I hope he finds someone who truly loves him…"
Toffee's eyes became teary. Artit pulled him close.
"This is why I was against meeting Jay."
"Will he get his memories… like us?" Toffee asked, waiting.
"No…"
"That's good… let them live freely."
They both cast one last look behind them. Even though Thanat had been obsessive and loved Daeng deeply, he was someone Daeng could never forget.
Toffee calmed himself and tried to lighten the mood. He led Artit forward to explore again. Artit knew Toffee was trying to change the moment, but he simply followed him.
"Ahh… Hia, open…"
Artit opened his mouth.
"Toffee… I… don't…" His voice broke.
"What's wrong, hia?" Toffee paused, worried.
"Well…" Artit went quiet. He thought, "I don't like sweets but forget it, he's happy."
"It's delicious."
Toffee let out a sigh.
"I'm relieved, you really know how to make me feel anxious."
"Don't sulk, Toffee… give me a little smile."
"No…"
Toffee moved ahead without turning back, while Artit teased him, brushing his shoulder lightly.
The sulking and teasing stopped at every sweet stall, but started again after Toffee finished eating.
"How many did we buy…? This is Mok and Lamon's favorite, this is for Mae, this is for Pa."
"Toffee, I'm upset."
Toffee faced him.
"Your boyfriend is here, and you didn't get me anything?"
Artit's hands were full of bags.
Toffee slowly stepped closer and gently tilted Artit's head, glancing around.
"Hia, you don't like sweets, right?"
"How did you know?"
"Hia, you think I wouldn't know? I know when someone is pretending… and I already have a clear list about you. Do you think I waste my time?"
Toffee said proudly.
Artit leaned closer and whispered in his ear,
"Well, I don't like sweets. But I think I like the person who likes them."
Their eyes met again. Toffee's hand slowly moved from Artit's shirt to his chest.
He raised his hand toward Artit's Adam's apple—
"Artit! Toffee!"
They were called from behind.
Startled, they quickly stepped apart in the middle of the festival and regained their composure.
Artit fixed his hair while Toffee avoided his gaze and turned toward the voices.
It was May and Bua. From afar, they waved and ran toward them.
Toffee froze. His breathing became uneven.
Seeing this, Artit quietly held Toffee's hand, as if hugging him through that touch, comforting him, telling him he was there.
"Toffee… it's okay… take a breath… it's not them…"
"Mae…" Toffee called softly.
"It's not… Toffee, come back to reality…"
"Hia… I can't… let me go…"
"Toffee, what did you promise me…?"
Back then...
The day Artit told everything—about getting his memories back, his parents' death, and how he found Toffee.
Toffee was completely drained after hearing everything.
"Toffee, do you remember May?"
"May… P'May… she was…"
"Yes… she looked like Waen… Daeng's mother… and…"
"Bua… she was… Phi… she…"
Toffee tried to hold himself together, but he broke down.
"Mae… Mae…"
"Toffee…" Artit called again and again, holding his face.
"Toffee, listen to me… you're okay…"
"Mae… Mae…"
"You are not Daeng. Didn't you say you want to live as yourself? And they are not your mothers."
"Calm down…"
Slowly, Toffee calmed.
"The temple master said they won't get memories... so let's leave it."
Toffee nodded repeatedly.
"I'm not Daeng… I'm not…"
"I know, I know."
After a pause, Toffee whispered,
"Phi… then P'Jay… is he? He looks like Thanat."
Artit didn't answer.
The silence answered everything.
Toffee burst into tears again, his tears soaking Artit's shoulder.
"Toffee… let's just hope they never remember, it's already hard enough."
Artit gently wiped his tears and kissed his forehead.
"It's okay. We'll get through this. I'm with you, so promise me, you are Toffee… and they are just May, Bua, and Jay… let them live their lives…"
Toffee lowered his head.
"I promise… I promise, I won't…" Toffee steadied himself again.
"We're not forgetting our past. We're just setting it aside. We don't have to go back to it every time, because it has shaped us… it's part of who we are."
"You're alive and so am I, that's what matters."
Artit held Toffee tightly until his tears eased.
Back to the present…
"You promised me… you won't run… you'll face it… I'm here… so why are you trying to run?"
"It's okay…"
Toffee gradually steadied himself. He kept his distance from May and Bua, then raised his head.
He saw them together, smiling, happy with each other.
Artit quietly stood behind him, supporting him.
Toffee thought, "thank you… they are really happy. Daeng, are you seeing this?"
A soft breeze grazed Toffee's face, and he smiled.
May and Bua came closer.
May was already drunk, her speech slurred and her steps uneven.
"You're okay, right? You scared all of us, Toffee. Finally, after all these years, he got you…" May teased, looking at Artit.
"Toffee, do you know Artit has been lovesick every day? You don't know how much we suffered because of him."
Toffee heard that and laughed, glancing at Artit.
"It's been a while, Toffee…" Bua said softly.
"It's been…"
"You guys look tired," Toffee said.
"I danced all day and still have the energy to date my baby… right, Bua?" May clung to her.
"May, be quiet. Everyone is staring." Bua murmured, but May didn't care.
"Toffee, P'Artit, we're heading out… she had a little too much to drink, so we're going."
"See you, Toffee. I'll come to your department. Let's hang out tomorrow."
"Okay, khab…"
Toffee waved as they left.
As the crowd grew, they disappeared from sight.
As May and Bua headed away…
"Bua, something hurts…"
"Where?" Bua asked, worried.
"I don't know…"
"You drank too much, let's go…"
Bua touched her chest.
"Why do I feel… this happy?"
She looked over her shoulder but couldn't see Toffee or Artit.
"Maybe it's because Toffee was sick, now he's okay. I'm just relieved to see him."
They walked away...
Like broken pieces coming together again.
Fate brought them back—from unrequited love to something fulfilled.
Later that same day, elsewhere in the festival…
Someone was sitting on the ledge in front of the Engineering faculty.
From behind, another one pressed a cold water bottle against her cheek.
"What did you do?!"
"You said you were thirsty, so I just tried to help you."
"Ruby! Don't look at me like that—I didn't do anything wrong."
With a whining expression, Ruby glared at her friend.
"What's your problem? Tell me."
"I lost my chance to confess again."
"How many years has it been? Why can't you just say you like him? Look at my hands…"
Ruby stared at her friend's rough hands.
"They're like this because I keep rewriting plans for you again and again. It's hard."
"Honestly, what do you even see in Jay? He's a complete jerk—"
Ruby shot her a sharp look.
"Oh! I didn't say anything."
"Stop acting like a baby. I'll write another plan…"
Ruby looked at her like a puppy.
"Really?"
"Maybe. But if that jerk—"
Ruby glared again.
"I mean Jay! If he breaks your heart, I will—"
Another sharp glare.
"Okay, okay, I quit. We'll try again… but if he really doesn't like you… what will you do?"
"I'll be really sad... heartbroken."
"Okay, okay, let's make another plan.
We'll try again. Why are you giving me that look again?"
"I don't have the energy today…"
"Really!"
Her friend let out a breath. They both gazed into the distance, already thinking about another confession, even though they were exhausted…
Who knows what their next plan will be—or if it will succeed.