A week earlier…
Before Toffee fell into the pond.
Since Toffee was outside, Nut went to Artit to inform him.
In the small mansion, the Master and Artit were talking.
Artit lowered his head, feeling grateful to the Temple Master.
As the Master was about to leave, Nut arrived—but he paused. He didn't want to disturb them.
While waiting, he took out his phone and made a call.
Nut spoke in a serious, angry tone to the person on the phone—Mix.
"When are you coming back? Mix, don't joke… Everything is a mess here. It only became okay after our Master came. Did you know that? You piece of shit…"
A confident voice came from the phone.
"Shit, crazy… Did Phraya also come?"
"Mix, don't play with me."
"Okay, okay, I'll stop. Then how are our kids? Okay… right…" Mix's voice turned worried.
"For now everything is okay. Phraya is here, so he will take care of it, even if it's annoying. The problem is Toffee. Master already said Toffee will get his memories back before he turns twenty…"
"Oh… so we have more than one year, right?"
"Mmm… but…" Nut looked at Artit. "I'm worried about him… Will he be okay?"
"You are the one who needs to be strong now. Look at you… Don't worry. Just like Artit protected Toffee all these years, he will claim his man back. Then we can have our party… yeah…"
"You shit, Mix. Come back before I come there—" Nut stopped himself, lowered his voice, and regained his composure. "You famous doctor, just come back. You think I don't know why you are there. Come back."
Nut cut the call before giving Mix a chance to reply. He pressed his phone tightly.
At the same time, in a large hospital…
Mix—also known as 'Sam' (a name he uses only at work), stood there as people spoke around him in English.
A cute voice called out, "Sam… Sam…"
A tall figure stood there, strong enough to fight, handsome, but with a playful look.
"Nut, you always cut my calls. How can I come back, man? I'm busy…" Mix looked at his phone.
His expression changed."I need to go back quickly."
"Sam… Sam…"
Mix turned back.Hiding his expression.
"Oh my God, who is this cute girl? Rose, did you call me?" His tone changed as he spoke to her. "Are you free tonight, by any chance?"
"I'm sorry, Sam, I have a date."
"Oh, you have a date... Then forget it... why did you call me, doc?" Mix looked at her.
"Really? You forget again.Here—these are documents from the war zone doctors. One of them was injured. The injury is serious, so I need your signature for processing. They will transfer that doctor from there."
"Okay, give it to me…"
Mix looked "Oh my God, this is pretty serious. Rose, I'll be back only after a few weeks, so set our special team for surgery. Let me see the doctor's name… Krit Kittivanich… from my country…"
"Yeah, he is also from Thailand ...."
"Wait… this name… I think I know it… where did I hear it…? I remember…"
"Isn't this Toffee's older brother?"
"What? Sam, are you okay?" Rose looked confused.
"You don't look well, Sam."
"I am okay....You can go Rose."
"Toffee… Should I tell him?
No… not now."
Mix looked conflicted and worried as he signed the papers and prepared to return to his homeland.
Back at the mansion, Nut watched Artit and the Master.
Suddenly, the screams of Mok and Kao were heard.
A minute before…
Mok turned back to where Toffee was standing, but he didn't see him. Both Mok and Kao started searching.
Toffee... Toffee...
"Toffee… why are you standing at the edge?"
"Mok… I don't know…" Toffee turned back and replied in a loud voice.
As he turned to go toward Mok, he suddenly slipped and fell into the lotus pond.
"Mok—!" Toffee called out.
A loud splash of water echoed as Toffee fell, like a beautiful petal… and then everything went quiet.
"Toffee… Toffee!" Mok's voice cracked. With a sharp, panicked look, he ran toward him and jumped into the pond.
Kao, seeing this, panicked. "Mok! Toffee!" he shouted as he ran forward.
Hearing the screams, Artit and Nut rushed in. Their eyes widened, and their steps quickened—they already knew something was wrong.
Kao jumped into the pond. From behind, Artit also jumped in. Nut stayed on the ground, sweating all over.
The Master arrived moments later.
The red thread that had been tightly wrapped around Toffee's wrist lay on the ground—it was already broken.
The Master stared at it. "Don't tell me… Toffee…"
Kao grabbed and pulled Mok out of the water, while Artit held Toffee. Both were unconscious.
"Mok… Mok…" Kao touched him.
Mok mumbled weakly, "Kao…"
Kao pulled him closer, holding him tightly. "I think I lost you…" He gently tucked Mok's wet hair behind his ear and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead.
Mok struggled to open his eyes. But his hands were still holding Kao. The lotus roots had left red marks around his ankles.
Kao looked at Mok in relief, then looked at Artit.
Artit pressed his lips against Toffee's again and again, giving him air.
Water splashed from his mouth as Toffee choked out a long, ragged breath. Artit's entire body shivered as he watched, his hands trembling with fear.
But his eyes remained closed, no matter how many times Artit called him.
Artit was on the edge of breaking.
No matter how much he tried, Toffee was not responding. He was in a deep sleep.
Kao tried to stay calm. His voice was stuck, but even then he said, "Artit, let's go to the hospital…"
Suddenly, Nut spoke, "I'll call the doctor. Don't worry, Kao…"
Artit looked up at Nut. "I can't stand… I can't feel my legs… what am I going to do…?"
"Toffee… I…" Artit tried to calm himself as he closed his eyes.
Tears fell from Artit's eyes.
Kao looked at him, and it broke him too.
Kao forced himself to stay calm. He carried Mok in his arms.
Artit tried to stand again, but his legs felt frozen. He could only hold Toffee tightly.
"Nut… take him… please…"
Nut stepped forward and carried Toffee, while the Master followed behind.
Artit remained near the pond.
The red thread lay in the mud, stained. Water dripped from his hair, mixing with his tears.
He looked at the lotus roots tangled around his legs.
With empty eyes and deep silence—
he cried out and screamed.
Inside the mansion…
Artit stood outside the room where Toffee was lying.
Drip… drop…
Water still fell from his body, but he didn't care.
He didn't have the courage to enter.
He looked at Toffee, still in a deep sleep. Artit slowly smiled.
From behind, the Master touched his shoulder.
"He is okay, right? Then why hasn't he woken up?" Artit looked at the Master.
"Only Toffee can wake himself. Let's have faith in him." The Master spoke gently and then went downstairs.
Artit wondered, "what if you also leave me…"
He clenched his fists. "I hate myself… how many times have I tried to die… If I had died, you would have lived happily…"
Artit stepped closer to Toffee, then he stopped. He turned back, his steps moving toward the place where he used to hide.
A quiet, heavy day passed just like that.
"Mok… good morning, khab…"
Mok, who was sleeping in Kao's arms, suddenly woke up and sat up, shouting, "Toffee!"
"Mok… calm down… you need to calm down. Toffee is okay… he's okay. Take a deep breath…"
Kao held Mok as Mok clung to him tightly.
"It's my fault, Kao… it's my fault... Toffee was outside… Will he be okay? I want to see him…" Kao gently wiped Mok's tears.
Kao patted Mok's shoulder, trying to calm him down.
"It's okay Mok... It's okay..." Kao's voice filled the room.
Just like that, the rain fell, while the storm and winds slowly quieted down.
It was a warm morning—not too loud, yet not completely quiet.
Someone lay on the floor, his eyes fixed on Toffee.
Toffee's tears kept falling without stopping.
Mok wiped them gently. "How many times have you cried like this? You're scaring us… Can't you wake up and cry like this instead? At least we would feel relieved…"
"P'Artit always stands near the door. He stays there for hours, then leaves without a word… Toffee, I don't know what's happening. I don't want to think about anything… just wake up…"
"P'Mix said you're in a deep sleep… He said it could take days, weeks, months, or even years…"
"He's annoying, Toffee… not like you…" Mok sobbed as he spoke, like he did every day beside Toffee.
"Toffee… yesterday, your Mae, Pa—everyone came. Do you know how hard it is to face them? You're making everyone worried… Please wake up… at least scold me…"
Toffee's eyebrows moved slightly.
Slowly, he opened his eyes. The light felt too bright, and his vision was heavy.
Tears filled his eyes.
"Toffee… Toffee… you woke up!"
"Kao… P'Artit…" Mok shouted, "P'Mix! P'Nut!"
He kept calling again and again.
"They're always here—so where are they?"
"Toffee, are you okay? Are you hurt? Do you know you almost killed me… Toffee… why aren't you answering…?"
Toffee struggled to move his hand and touched his throat.
"Wait… I'll be back… There's no water… just a minute, I'll be back…"
Mok ran outside.
Toffee reached out, trying to stop him. With a cracked, weak voice, he whispered, 'Wait...'
While waiting for Mok, Toffee slowly moved his eyes. He was in the same room where he used to stay with Artit.
He took a deep breath and looked out through the window, his mind filled with thoughts.
"It feels like I was asleep for years… Like a movie I watched again and again…"
Toffee touched his chest. "It's like I died many times…"
He took another deep breath and looked far away, lost in thought.
Everyone gathered in the room, asking questions without a pause.
Toffee sat quietly, only smiling, feeling relieved.
He touched his throat and spoke slowly. "P'Artit… I didn't see him… Mok, where is he…?"
"Toffee… he will come. Don't worry. You need to drink more water. Here…"
"It's enough… I had enough…"
"No, Toffee, drink… here…" Mok said, clinging to him.
Toffee stayed silent. Mok hugged him tightly, refusing to let go, as Toffee said, "I'm glad I can see you all again…" while sobbing.
It had been a day since Toffee woke up. He had regained some strength and was slowly trying to walk and do things on his own. His body was slowly recovering.
He wiped his sweat and sat on the edge of the bed when Mok entered.
"Toffee… what are you thinking?"
"I want to go outside, Mok…"
"No." Mok avoided his gaze.
"Mok, I'm okay… I just want to walk outside. It feels hard to breathe in here. It feels stuffy… Can I…?"
"No. I don't want to. What if something happens again? No… you stay here."
"Mok, I'm serious. I want to go outside."
Mix, who had been listening from outside, suddenly walked in.
"Hey, Mok, go outside with him. Why are you treating him like this? Are you really his best friend?" Mix said with a playful smirk, teasing him. "This is why the new generation isn't as good as mine…"
Nowadays, Mix has a new hobby—teasing Mok.
The whole house has been turned upside down because of the two of them.
And Toffee, already struggling, is fed up with all of this.
Mok, who usually had good patience, finally snapped after days of teasing. He clenched his fist and tried to hit him.
Just then, Kao rushed in and stopped him.
"Mok… calm down… you can't…"
"What? Why are you stopping me?" Mok asked.
Mok tried to raise his hand again, but Kao held him back. "I'm sorry, P'Mix… sorry…"
"Kao, do you choose me or him? I need an answer now."
Kao looked between Mok and Mix. "Of course, I choose you…"
Mok's eyes hardened. "I don't need you. Let go of me." He pulled away and walked out.
"Is it my fault again…?" Kao thought, then apologized to Mix again. Mix was smiling.
Kao looked at Mix and wondered—
if he had come here just to mess everything up. How hard it is to calm Mok down… it already takes so much just to talk to him… and he ruined it in seconds. I don't want to think about it…
As Kao looked at Toffee, he said, "Then I'll go, Toffee…"
With sadness, Kao followed Mok before things could become worse.
Inside the room, Mix was there. "Hi, Toffee…" he said as he lay on the floor. Just as he tried to talk to him, Nut entered the room.
Seeing this, Nut grabbed Mix by the shirt.
"Wait, Nut… the only one normal in this house is Toffee. Let me talk to him…"
"Mix, if you just shut your mouth, everything will be fine."
"How can you say that, Nut… wait—"
Nut threw him out.
Then he calmly dusted his hands.
Toffee, already feeling weak, held his head as the noise around him grew too much.
Nut looked at Toffee. "It's really suffocating to stay inside, right?"
Toffee nodded. "Khab…"
"Then let's go for a walk… let's go."