Chapter 15

Nani Hirunkit

My phone vibrates again.

I glance down.

Unknown Number.

"Nani, please.."

I freeze.

My grip on the phone tightens, my pulse hammering in my ears. The cold air nips at my skin, but it's nothing compared to the sharp sting in my chest.

Why is he doing this?

Why now?

I stare at the message, my thumb hovering over the screen. I can already hear his voice in my head—tired, desperate, the way it gets when he wants something from me but doesn't know how to ask for it. I hate that I recognize it so well.

I hate that a part of me still wants to hear it for real.

My breathing is shallow, uneven.

Sky doesn't get to do this.

He doesn't get to victimise himself, walk over me, and then suddenly decide I matter again. He doesn't get to tear me apart and act like he's the one suffering.

He made his choice.

He called it a mistake.

And I'm done being a mistake.

I swallow, my throat dry, my hands trembling slightly as I tighten my grip on the phone.

I want to scream at him, ask him what the hell he wants from me now. But I know that if I give him even the smallest crack, he'll slip back in. I know myself.

I know I'll let him.

And I can't.

Not again.

I exhale slowly, forcing my shoulders to relax. My thumb presses down, firm and unshaken.

Block number.

The message disappears.

I stare at the screen for a long moment before tucking my phone back into my pocket. Leaning back against the swing, I tilt my head up, staring at the endless sky above. The stars blur slightly, my vision prickling, but I refuse to let the tears fall.

I let out a slow, shaky breath.

For the first time in a long time, I feel like I'm the one in control.

And I won't let Sky take that away from me again.

-----------------

The screen lights up with an incoming video call. Dew & Win.

I stare at it for a second before sighing and answering.

The moment their faces appear on the screen, Win lets out a dramatic gasp. "Finally! The elusive Nani decides to grace us with his presence!"

Dew snorts, shoving Win's face out of the way. "Ignore him. He's been whining about you all day."

"I have not!" Win yells, swatting at him.

I chuckle, settling into my bed. "Missed you too, Win."

Win crosses his arms, pouting. "Whatever. Anyway, how are you? You look... less miserable."

"Wow. Thanks," I deadpan.

Dew rolls his eyes. "What he means is, you look better than before. We were worried."

I hesitate before nodding. "I'm okay. Or... getting there, at least."

Win hums, squinting at me. "Hmm. I don't buy it, but I'll allow it."

I shake my head with a small smile. Even through a screen, they still feel like home.

We talk for a while—random things, dumb jokes, the usual gossip about people we barely know. It's easy, familiar, and for a moment, it almost feels like nothing's changed.

Until Win perks up suddenly. "Oh! Did we tell you about May?"

I frown. "Who?"

Dew and Win exchange a look.

"This girl who asked Sky for his LINE," Dew says, tone careful. "And he gave it."

I don't react at first. The words don't really sink in right away. "Okay?"

"It happened like... a week after you left," Win adds, voice too casual. Too careful.

I feel something twist in my stomach, but I keep my face blank. "Good for him."

Dew raises an eyebrow. "You sure about that?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

They don't say anything.

I exhale, forcing a laugh. "What, you thought I'd be upset? That I'd still be hung up on him?"

More silence.

I roll my eyes. "You guys are acting like Sky and I broke up or something. We were never together, remember?"

Win clicks his tongue. "Doesn't mean it didn't hurt."

I clench my jaw. "It's fine. I told you, I'm over it."

Dew leans forward slightly. "Then why did you just say that like you're trying to convince yourself?"

I open my mouth to respond, but nothing comes out.

I hate that they know me so well.

Dew sighs, rubbing his forehead. "Look, we're not trying to piss you off. We just—"

"I know," I cut in. "But seriously, I don't care who Sky talks to. He can do whatever he wants. He made that clear."

Win frowns, but Dew nudges him before he can say anything else.

"Alright, alright. No more Sky talk," Dew says, lifting his hands in surrender. "Let's talk about something else. What have you been up to?"

I exhale slowly, grateful for the shift. We fall into easy conversation again, laughing about stupid things, teasing each other like we always do.

But even as I joke with them, I feel it—this dull ache in my chest that won't go away.

And no matter how much I try to ignore it, I can't shake the thought:

Sky talking to someone else shouldn't bother me. But it does.

-----------------

Dew Jirawat

I end the call with a sigh, setting my phone down beside me on the couch. My mind is a mess, tangled with too many thoughts, too many feelings I don't know how to place. Nani looked okay, but I know him too well. The slight hesitation in his voice, the way his smile didn't quite reach his eyes—it was all too familiar. He's trying to act strong. Trying to convince us that he's fine.

And Sky... Sky is just—god, I don't even know what to think about him anymore.

I lean back against the couch, exhaling sharply. Win shifts beside me, stretching his arms lazily before turning to look at me, his head tilted slightly. He doesn't say anything at first, just watches me. Then, with an exaggerated sigh, he flops against me, resting his chin on my shoulder.

"You're thinking too much again," he murmurs, his voice soft but teasing.

"I always think too much," I grumble, but I don't push him away. If anything, I lean into him more, letting his warmth seep into me. "It's just... I don't know. Nani leaving, Sky being weird, and now this May girl?" I shake my head. "A week after Nani left? Seriously? What the hell is Sky even thinking?"

Win hums, dragging slow, lazy fingers along my arm. "You know Sky. He's an idiot."

"The biggest idiot," I mutter, rubbing a hand down my face.

Win grins, shifting until he's half on top of me, his weight pressing me deeper into the couch. "But right now, you should stop thinking about all that." His voice dips lower, teasing. "I mean, unless you'd rather spend the rest of the night talking about Nani while cuddling with me."

I pinch his side, making him yelp and squirm. "Shut up."

He laughs, but instead of moving away, he wraps his arms around me tighter, resting his head against my chest now. His voice is muffled against my shirt when he says, "Says the person who worries like his actual son left him."

I roll my eyes, but there's no real annoyance behind it. "I can't help it," I admit, my voice quieter this time. "Nani's always been the one who sticks around, you know? He's responsible, dependable... He's never just left before."

Win is quiet for a moment, then he lifts his head slightly, his fingers tracing gentle circles against my skin. "He'll be okay," he says softly. "And we'll be here when he's ready to come back."

I want to believe that.

I let out another breath, forcing myself to relax against Win's warmth. "We can worry about that later," I mumble, and immediately, Win lifts his head with a smirk.

"Wow," he says, grinning like he just won something. "Now you say that?"

I groan. "I take it back."

"Nope," he declares, fully climbing onto me now, his arms tightening around my waist. "You can't. You just admitted I was right."

I sigh dramatically, letting my head fall back against the couch. "Fine, you win."

Win gasps, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Wait, did you just say I win?"

I shoot him a look, unimpressed. "Don't make me regret this."

He giggles, shifting so he's properly straddling me now, his face dangerously close to mine. "You love me too much to regret anything."

I roll my eyes, but I don't argue. Instead, I cup his face, rubbing my thumb against his cheek before pulling him down for a quick kiss. He hums against my lips, melting against me, and for a moment, everything else fades.

When we finally pull away, Win rests his forehead against mine, his voice softer now. "Hey," he murmurs. "Stop worrying, at least for tonight, okay?"

I exhale slowly, closing my eyes for a brief second. Then I nod. "Okay."

Win grins. "Good. Now, let's go to bed before you start overthinking again."

He moves to get up, but I tighten my grip around his waist, pulling him back down. "Five more minutes," I mumble against his shoulder.

Win chuckles, but he doesn't move away. "Fine. Five minutes."

And just like that, I let myself sink into his warmth, letting it drown out the rest of my thoughts. Just for tonight.