"A man may cross nations in a night—
but never shorten the distance of longing."
—Kao Neptune
"Why do you look so dull?" Lamai, the makeup artist, asked, tilting her head.
'Ugh,' eyes fixed on the mirror, "Nothing. Just tired,"
"You didn't sleep well last night. You should take a short nap," Lamai teased, brushing foundation over his neck.
Nil's gaze flicked toward her, cheeks coloring. "You..."
Lamai smiled knowingly. "Kao Sir has been taking good care of you lately."
A knock interrupted them. Lamai opened the door. "Kim sir asked me to call Nil..."
"Coming," Nil replied from inside, voice muffled.
Moments later, Lamai and Nil left the green room together, heading toward the set.
Meanwhile, Mary and Techno were swamped with orders. After a while, Mary collapsed into a chair, exhaling sharply. "I can't... do this anymore!"
Techno's voice cut through the clatter, sharp and commanding. "Mary!"
She rushed over. "You served the wrong order again. Three times this week!"
"He asked for nine inches. You gave him twelve," Techno snapped.
"I... I did," Mary started, glancing at the customer. "But why didn't you say it wasn't your order?"
The customer smirked, teasing. "I thought maybe it was a promotion—order one, get double."
Mary's face flushed with anger. She grabbed a glass, intent on striking him. "You jerk! Let me show you what a real promotion looks like!"
Techno's hand shot out, restraining her.
The customer waved a hand in annoyance. "What kind of behavior is this?"
"All your fault, yet you're blaming me!" Mary spat, teeth clenched.
"I'll kill you," she hissed, struggling against Techno's grip.
"What do you think you're doing?" Techno's voice dropped, deadly calm. He pushed her into a quiet corner, away from the chaos. "You can't talk to a customer like that."
"Go to the back room. Don't show me your face again," he ordered.
Mary's lips trembled. Tears pricked her eyes. A quiet sob escaped before she turned and ran to the room, shoulders shaking.
It was already 12:30 PM. Nil sat in his chair on set, beside Than. Kim, Kob, and the rest of the crew were reviewing the footage.
"Sixty percent of the shoot is done already," Kim said, nodding.
"Good work, both of you," Kob added.
"Some scenes need reshooting in a different location next week," Kim continued. "So we have to finish the remaining shots as soon as possible."
"No time to slack off," Kim said sharply. "The release date is already announced for January. Stay focused."
After the meeting, Than returned to his flat. Nil made his way to his green room and dialed Kao's number.
"Just finished," Nil said, collapsing into the chair, fingers drumming nervously against the armrest.
"Where are you?"
"In the office," Kao replied, reclining, one hand resting over his forehead.
"Rest a little. You seem exhausted," Nil urged.
"No time. Flight at 3:00 AM," Kao answered, voice taut.
'Hmn,' Nil exhaled softly, running a hand through his hair.
"Stranger... I'll call later—Techno's on the line," Nil added, swiping his phone.
"Mn..." Kao nodded.
Nil received, "Techno... how are things?"
"Is Mary with you?" Techno's tone snapped.
Nil's brow creased. "No! She is not with me."
"What happened? Is she alright?"
Techno's tone hardened. "She's not here. After finishing my work, I came into her room—she wasn't there. First, I thought she would come later, but it's already 1:34 AM. Her phone's here too."
"I'm coming!" Nil rushed outside, hailed a cab, and sped toward the café. Inside, the air buzzed with tension. Uncle Tham was on the phone, his brow furrowed, voice clipped. Techno paced from one end of the room to the other.
Seeing Nil, Techno spun around and rushed over. "She's never done anything like this! Completely irresponsible!"
"Techno, calm down," Nil said, raising a hand, eyes scanning the café. "First, we need to find her."
Uncle Tham lowered the phone, staring at Techno sharply. "Nil's right. Find her first." Then, shifting his gaze to Nil, he added, "She has no relatives here. I even called her aunt in Betong—no answer."
Nil rubbed his temple, exhaling through clenched teeth. "I tried her friends too... they haven't responded in two days. We need to go to the police."
Techno nodded, tense. "Mn..."
The three of them moved toward the door when Nil's phone buzzed. Than's name flashed. He swiped it away, frowning. A moment later, the call came again.
"Ugh... Why is Than calling now?" Nil muttered.
Techno leaned closer. "Answer him. It could be important."
Nil's fingers trembled as he accepted the call, voice pale. "Than... I'm busy—"
"Mary is at my place," Than interrupted. "She came looking for you."
Relief hit Nil in a rush, and he exhaled sharply. "Hnh... Really? Than, Thank you. Don't move—I'll be there in a few minutes." He cut the call and turned to the others. "Uncle, Techno... Mary's at Than's apartment."
Uncle Tham let out a long breath. "Thank God."
Techno's shoulders sagged. "Uncle, you should rest. You've been running around too much."
Nil nodded in agreement. "He's right. Go take a break. She's safe now.
They hurried to Than's apartment. Once inside, Mary spotted him and ran forward.
"You came...!" she cried.
Nil caught her in a firm embrace. "You should've called me before coming."
"I'm sorry," Mary said, pulling back slightly, eyes downcast. "But it's Techno's fault—he shouted at me in front of everyone."
Nil's jaw tightened. "He won't do that again, understand?"
Techno lingered nearby, messy-haired and sweating, avoiding their gaze. Mary glanced at him. "I should've..."
Before she could finish, Techno stepped forward and wrapped her in a quick hug. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you in front of everyone."
Mary froze. Techno apologizing was a rarity. "Han..."
Mary had intended to stay with Nil for the night, so Techno left quietly. Nil and Mary returned to their apartment. After a shower, they settled at the dinner table where Than had already ordered: steaming rice, Massaman curry, papaya salad, fried eggs, and stir-fried vegetables.
Nil picked at his food, expression pale, eyes lowered.
"What's wrong?" Mary asked softly. "You seem upset."
Nil paused, voice tight. "Stranger is leaving for a business tour. I'm already missing him, and I didn't even get to see him before he left."
"Has he gone already?"
Nil glanced at the clock. "It's 3:14 a.m. His flight was at 3:00."
"I wish I had a time machine," he muttered. "I'd just go to the day he returns."
Mary laughed lightly. "Time travel isn't an option. But the days will pass. You'll see him again soon."
Nil sighed and told her about Lava. Mary chewed thoughtfully, then said, "It's normal. Look at Kao—handsome, rich... anyone would notice him. Don't let it distract you. Focus on Kao and your work."
Nil nodded, tone firm. "But don't do this again. I was worried when Techno called and said you weren't around."
"Just let Uncle Tham know where you're going," he added.
Mary stirred her rice with her spoon, eyes curious. "And Techno... was he stressed too?"
Nil frowned. "Yes. He's grumpy, short-tempered, but he cares about you a lot."
Mary's lips curved faintly. "Mn..."
Nil rose and gently guided her toward her room. "Good night."
Nil lay in his bed, tossing from side to side, unable to settle. His voice was barely a whisper. "Stranger..."
At last, he gave up, unlocked his phone, and stared at Kao's photo. His lips pressed tight before breaking into a murmur, "Ugh... why did you have to leave me alone?"
The glow of the screen caught the shimmer in his eyes. "I miss you. Don't make me say it again." A breath escaped him, soft and aching. "Come back soon."
Far above the clouds, Kao's private cabin lay at the very front of the plane, a world apart from the rest. Wide leather seats stretched into a bed, cool lights spilling across the quiet space. A sleek console held water and a tablet; the screen flickered faintly to life and then dimmed again.
Kao reclined, one arm sliding beneath his pillow, his breath long and low. "Wait for me," the voice hoarse with weariness. Hmph
"I'll return soon... Nil."
"..."