Jay sat by the hospital bed, listening attentively as the doctor reported on Mr. Sakda's condition.
— "The patient's condition is currently improving steadily. At this rate, with one more week of observation, he should be able to be discharged," the doctor said evenly, though his words clearly brought good news.
— "Really? That's great… Thank you so much, doctor." Jay quickly stood up and bowed politely in gratitude.
— "No problem. I'll go check on the other patients now." The doctor gave a slight nod before leaving, leaving the room filled with a lighter, more relaxed atmosphere.
Jay turned to look at Mr. Sakda, his face visibly relieved. "That's wonderful. You'll be discharged next week, Dad."
Mr. Sakda lay on his side, looking at his son with a rare hint of peace in his eyes.
— "Mm. No need to worry about me anymore."
Jay smiled, pulling his phone from his pocket. -"Let me call Ying and tell him the news."
Hearing that, Mr. Sakda squinted teasingly, lips curling into a playful grin.
— "You're really concerned about Ying, aren't you?"
Jay froze for a moment but maintained his calm expression.
— "Well… he was really worried about you too. I'm just letting him know so he won't worry."
— "Hey, Jay…" Mr. Sakda raised an eyebrow.
"Do you like Ying?"
Jay looked up at his father, brows furrowed slightly.
— "Dad… don't say things like that. I only see him as an older brother…"
His voice paused for a beat, as if he needed to think carefully before continuing:
— "Besides… there are still some things between us that haven't been cleared up. If something can't be said out loud, then it can't really be called 'feelings,' can it?"
Mr. Sakda's expression gradually turned more serious.
— "Is it about what happened when you were kids? Jay, I know you hold on to things for a long time, but come on… kids' stuff doesn't need to be taken so seriously."
Jay lowered his head slightly, his voice quieter but colder than usual.
— "If you knew what actually happened back then, you definitely wouldn't say it so lightly."
The room fell silent for a moment. Then Mr. Sakda asked:
— "Was it really that serious? What happened, Jay?"
Jay let out a breath, arms crossed as he leaned back in his chair.
— "Forget it… It's in the past. I don't want to bring it up again."
— "But keeping it buried inside forever won't help, will it?" Mr. Sakda shook his head, speaking with a sigh.
— "You musicians and your complicated emotions."
Jay looked down at his hands, his voice soft but heavy:
— "Not wanting to talk about it… doesn't mean I've forgotten."
The quiet, loaded statement made Mr. Sakda pause. He stared at Jay for a moment, then chuckled, trying to lift the weight in the air.
— "Alright, alright. Don't be so serious. I was just teasing. If you don't want to talk, I won't press."
Jay nodded, his demeanor lightening a little.
— "Okay."
As if suddenly remembering something, he looked at Mr. Sakda with slight guilt.
— "You haven't had breakfast yet, right? I'll go buy you something."
— "You just realized? I'm starving over here," Mr. Sakda feigned a sulky tone, though it was clear he was pleased.
— "Alright, alright… I'll be quick. Please hang in there a little longer, okay?" Jay chuckled softly, then stepped out, leaving behind a room filled with warmth—though still carrying an unspoken weight lingering in the air.
——————————————————
Jay had just stepped out of the hospital when the soft morning sunlight gently fell on his shoulders. Then a familiar voice called out from a distance.
— "Jay… Jay!"
He turned his head instinctively. From the parking area, Yod was running toward him, slightly out of breath.
— "Yod?" Jay blinked in surprise. "Where are you going?"
Yod reached him, panting as he spoke.
— "I was passing by, so I thought I'd drop in and see you for a bit."
— "See me?" Jay frowned slightly. "Is something wrong?"
Yod didn't answer right away. Instead, he held out a steaming container of porridge, carefully packed in an insulated bag.
— "Here. I brought some porridge for Mr. Sakda. You were about to get breakfast, right?"
Jay paused, glancing at the bag, then at Yod, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
— "Uh… but this…"
— "I cooked it myself," Yod said with a sheepish yet sincere smile. "It might not be restaurant-level, but it's clean—I promise."
Jay took the container, still a little hesitant.
— "I'm not worried about hygiene. It's just… I feel bad for troubling you."
— "Troubling me?" Yod laughed, brushing imaginary dust off his sleeve with a playful gesture.
— "I made some for myself anyway, so I just made a little extra. No big deal—don't be so formal."
Jay looked at him for a moment, then smiled gently.
— "Well… thanks a lot, Yod."
— "Mm." Yod nodded, his eyes curving with his smile.
Jay glanced at the porridge bag again, then at the friend standing in front of him.
— "By the way… where are you headed? All dressed up like that."
— "Ah, I'm going to the venue for Faisal and Ying's upcoming party. Faisal asked me to be the main decorator for the event."
— "Oh… I think I heard something about that…" Jay paused, suddenly remembering how much he had bothered Ying the past few days because of his father. Guilt flickered across his face.
— "I guess everyone's been busy lately… It's just that Ying…"
Yod looked at Jay and immediately understood. He waved a hand casually, his tone light but sincere.
— "It's fine. Ying didn't go there because he was worried about Mr. Sakda. No one's blaming you, Jay. Really."
Jay looked at Yod, gratitude softening his gaze. He gave a small nod.
— "So who did you come with? Are you alone?"
— "Faisal brought me. He's waiting outside," Yod said, pointing into the distance.
— "I just dropped by quickly to give you the porridge before heading off."
Jay nodded.
— "Then go, before Faisal gets tired of waiting."
Yod turned to leave, waving goodbye.
— "Take good care of Mr. Sakda, okay? I'll drop by again sometime."
— "Mm. Thanks again, Yod!" Jay called after him.
— "I heard you!" Yod laughed, then ran off, his small figure quickly blending into the sunny road.
Jay stood there, still holding the bag of porridge, his eyes following that retreating figure for a moment before letting out a soft smile. Something in his chest felt a little lighter.
That boy… is truly likable. Gentle, thoughtful… a good match for Faisal.
——————————————————
Evening had fallen, and the streetlights were beginning to reflect off the car windows as Ying pulled up in front of the hospital gate. Jay stepped into the car, a trace of weariness still lingering in his eyes, but his smile was noticeably softer than usual.
The car was quiet for a while, with only soft background music playing.
Ying glanced over at Jay and said gently,
— "That's good to hear. You don't have to worry so much about Mr. Sakda anymore."
His voice soothed Jay even further.
— "Yeah… He smiled a lot more today. That really eased my heart."
Jay leaned back in the seat and stretched, his body tired from a whole day running around the hospital. Seeing that, Ying slowly adjusted the air conditioning and added,
— "If you're tired, you can rest for a bit. I'll take you out for something light tonight."
Jay smiled and shook his head.
— "No need. If I'm going to sleep, I'd rather do it at home."
Ying fell silent for a few seconds, then nodded gently, taking that response to heart.
— "If there's ever anything… just tell me."
— "Okay…" Jay nodded, lowering his head slightly. His voice softened, but it was full of trust.
After a while, Ying spoke again, his tone hesitant, as if weighing his words.
— "Jay…"
— "Hmm? What is it, Ying?" Jay turned to him, curiosity sparkling in his eyes.
— "This weekend… Faisal and I are holding a small beach party to celebrate the launch of our new project. You've heard about it, right?"
— "Yeah, Yod mentioned it. A beach party sounds really nice…" Jay smiled.
— "Faisal wants to invite you to sing at the event. Do you think you'll have time?"
Jay lifted his head, surprised.
— "Sing? Me?"
— "Yeah. But if you're not comfortable with it, that's totally fine."
— "Of course I'll do it!" Jay beamed, answering without a second thought.
— "I'll be there!"
Ying looked a bit taken aback.
— "Really?"
Jay turned toward him with a playful glint.
— "But just so you know—I'm expensive. Can you afford me?"
Ying laughed and reached over to ruffle Jay's hair lightly.
— "No worries. This project can afford to pay you double."
Jay chuckled aloud, a genuine laugh with no trace of the stress he had carried that morning.
— "I'm just teasing. I'd be happy just to sing."
Ying glanced at him, a tender look in his eyes as he watched that smile.
— "I want you to be there. Not just for your voice."
Jay froze slightly at those words, his heartbeat skipping.
— "Ah, I ran into Yod this morning," he said quickly, shifting the topic to hide the flush rising in his cheeks.
— "He said he's still preparing a few things. So the party's not done yet?"
Ying smiled, understanding the dodge.
— "We'll finish everything by tomorrow. We just want it to be perfect. Not just a grand event—but something that moves people."
Jay nodded, eyes brightening.
— "Can I come see it tomorrow? I'd like to see how it looks before it's all finished."
— "Of course. I'll take you there myself," Ying replied, his voice warm, like a quiet promise.
— "Okay. Thank you, Ying."
Jay looked out the window, still holding the small bag he'd brought from the hospital. His face was bathed in the golden streetlights passing by—calm, serene, almost peaceful.
Ying stayed silent behind the wheel, but the corners of his lips lifted slightly.
He knew—moments like these were exactly what he wanted to keep in his life.
EndofChapter27.