'Ahh!'
Mok got up with a slight ache, knowing the pain from yesterday's fall would be worse today.
He unwrapped the bandage on his hand, applied fresh medicine, and wrapped it again, remaining in the bathroom for a while, lost in his thoughts.
Dip! Drop!
After washing his face and changing his clothes, Mok had no idea how much time had passed. He only knew one thing—Kao still hadn't come home.
The silent kitchen was proof enough.
If Kao were here, he would have started cooking long ago. He would usually come over to cuddle with Mok, ask questions, cry, or get upset when Mok scolded him. But today, none of that happened.
Kao had stayed out all night without even calling him.
Resting his hand on the dining table, Mok let out an exhausted sigh as he stared toward the kitchen for a long time.
Kao's voice, his laughter, the clatter of utensils... He was always irritating Mok with all that noise, but the aroma of his cooking could make anyone hungry. Now, the house was eerily quiet, and Mok missed even those little annoyances.
Mok turned to look at Noi, who was staring outside through the large glass window in the living room.
The little pup was unusually quiet.
Normally, he would have turned the whole house upside down. Kao and Noi were always up to something together, with Kao readily joining in and Noi showing off his mischief.
Now, everything felt foreign to Mok.
He went into the room, picked up Noi's kindergarten bag along with his own, and walked out.
"Noi, shall we go?"
"Woof!"
Lowering his head, Mok called out again.
"Come on, let's go."
Noi ran over to his side.
"Don't run, Noi! You'll fall!"
"Woof!"
...
Standing outside with their bags, Mok didn't feel like calling anyone.
It was as if the stars had faded and the moon had lost its light, giving way to the rising sun.
A cool morning breeze swept through the air as daylight spread across the flowers, making them bloom.
A new day. For some, it might be a special one.
"Ha... It's cold."
"Noi, the taxi is here. Come on."
Noi didn't know whether Mok was hurt or in pain, but he obeyed him without hesitation.
"Aren't you cold?"
"Woof!"
'I should have taken the coat.'
The taxi driver asked several times where they needed to go, but Mok was slow to answer. Not wanting to hold him up any longer, he shared the location through his phone.
Noi lay in Mok's lap.
Mok gently stroked his fluffy fur.
Leaning his head against the seat, he stared out of the window for a long time. The passing scenery brought him no joy.
How strange it was. Everyone lived in their own world, each facing different circumstances. Yet the stars, the rain, the wind, and the passing days remained unchanged.
Screech!
The taxi stopped in front of a large gate. Telling the driver that this was far enough, Mok paid through a phone app.
Clank!
After closing the taxi door, Mok reminded Noi not to run. He then stood before the gate, taking in the sweet fragrance of flowers drifting through the air. Somehow, it brought him a sense of peace.
Creak!
He opened the small gate to the left of the main entrance, and they stepped inside. Flowers and small trees lined both sides of the path, and even the air felt fresh and new.
"Noi, leave that cat alone."
At the sound of his name, Noi spun around and ran into the living hall, heading straight toward the woman sitting there with a cup of tea. He was familiar with every smell and sound in the house.
"Woof!"
"Little Noi, how are you here...?"
Before she could finish, she set her cup on the table and looked at the figure behind him. Seeing Mok, she was genuinely shocked.
"Mok, dear, what are you doing here? Don't you have class?"
Her eyes fell on the bandage around his hand. It seemed to hold the answer to a question she hadn't yet asked.
"Mok... dear..."
"Mae..."
A single word, but it carried so much meaning. When a son called out to his mother like that, it held everything he had buried deep inside—all the pain and feelings he couldn't put into words, meant only for his parents. After all, home was more than just a roof over one's head; it was a place of comfort. No matter how big or small it was, that feeling never changed.
"Mae," he whispered.
As the word left his lips, the bags slid from his shoulders and fell to the floor.
"Mok..."
"Mae..."
"Yes... What's wrong, dear? Don't scare Mae."
Mok's voice and Noi's barking alerted everyone else in the house. His father came out of the kitchen, where he had been preparing food. Upstairs, his two sisters were squabbling, pulling at each other's hair without letting go.
"Mok, what are you doing here?" one of them shouted from the upper floor.
"Why are you calling him Mok? Did you hold him in your lap when he was named?" the elder sister asked, smacking the younger one on the head.
Rubbing her head, the younger yelled back, accusing her of hitting her.
While chaos continued upstairs, both their parents focused on Mok's hand.
"Mok, what happened to you?"
Taking off his apron, his father hurried over. Upstairs, the two sisters finally noticed the bandage as well.
"What happened to you?!" they screamed together.
"Mae..." His voice faltered.
"Yes, dear, I'm listening. Tell me, what is it?"
"Mae," he choked out again, trembling.
Mae moved closer and gently stroked his face. Perhaps she couldn't bear to hear his trembling voice, because the moment she touched his cheek, she pulled him into a hug. Mok buried his face in her neck, soon soaking it with warm tears.
"Mae..."
His mother held him close, calling his name again and again as she tried to comfort him.
"Mae..."
"H-He... h-he... d-doesn't l-like..."
"H-He doesn't answer my calls..."
"Mae, he h-hates me..."
"It's okay, dear. It's okay."
Those were the only words his mother could offer. His quivering voice, unsteady stance, and tears were too much for anyone there to bear.
His father gently rubbed his back too. "Let it go, son. Whatever it is, just think of it as a bad dream," he said.
But Mok couldn't stop crying. Kao was never a bad dream. Every moment they had spent together was among the most precious in Mok's life, and he believed he could never forget any of them.
"It's okay..."
"M-Mae..."
"Woof!"
Soon, the house echoed with a mix of voices and barks.
...
Mok's sudden change over the past few days frightened his family, and watching him struggle to sleep night after night broke their hearts.
After that, his father personally drove him to college. Among all his children, Mok was the one who kept everything to himself. Even when he needed something, he would never say it aloud, which only made his father worry more.
They kept Noi at home. Since Mok's house and Toffee's were only a short distance apart, with a small connecting gate between them, Noi could run back and forth to play. He only settled down when Mok returned.
A week after Kao's disappearance...
Mok picked Noi up from home, dropped him off at kindergarten, and then headed to college.
Nothing special happened.
His days followed the same routine: studying for exams and concentrating on his painting while ignoring everything else. But how could he ever forget Kao?
He didn't. He simply locked those feelings away in his heart.
The stares and rumours continued, but Mok paid them no attention.
...
Another Week Later — Paradox Bar
(The number you have dialed is not in service. Please check the number and try again later.)
(The number you have dialed is not in service. Please check the number and try again later.)
Gulp! Win downed a glass of whiskey and let out a weary sigh. He looked at Oat before tossing the phone aside.
"Is it still saying the same thing?"
"Mmh..."
Oat grunted, poured himself another glass of whiskey, and emptied it in one go. Unable to believe what had happened, he paced back and forth, repeatedly trying to call Kao.
At their usual spot in Paradox Bar, Kao's seat was the only one left empty among the four of them. May had left a short while earlier, angry with the situation.
Artit, meanwhile, didn't know what to do. Win and Kevin had come to keep them company, but Kevin had gone downstairs because the manager was on leave. That left the others on the balcony, still trying to reach Kao.
"Mok isn't talking to us... Is that why Toffee is treating me like this?"
"Artit, that's enough drinking. Get up!" Win tried to pull him to his feet, but Artit dialled a number instead.
A voice answered.
"Hia, why are you calling at this hour? Didn't I tell you I have to study?"
"Toffee..."
"Mhm..."
"Why are you upset with me?"
"Hia, did you drink?"
Toffee continued questioning him, leaving poor Win caught right in the middle of it all.
"I didn't drink..."
"Toffee... Don't hang up..."
Staring at the blank phone, Artit muttered, "Win, Toffee hates me. He's going to leave me and throw me out on the streets..."
Artit got up.
"I... I..."
Thud!
Then he fell back onto the couch.
"Don't… Don't you dare, jerk."
He was already asleep.
"Damn..."
Win planned to leave him there, but Oat had also passed out after drinking so much. Now, he had to carry both of them.
"Damn it… Artit! Oat! You two, seriously!"
...
After a long wait, their first-semester exams finally came to an end. Sleepless nights and stress had taken their toll on students throughout the college, making it difficult for many to eat.
Sitting together on their usual bench, Mok and his gang discussed what to do next. Phayu shared his ideas, Lamon rejected every single one, and Toffee couldn't make sense of any of it, leaving his sharp ears and brain practically overheating. Mok remained silent as usual.
"So, shall we go to a bar? Whoever is against it, raise your hand!" Phayu asked.
Nobody raised a hand. That was when Toffee voiced his concern.
"We can't go to Paradox! Hia and P'Oat won't let us drink there!"
"Oh! That's why... Haha... I've already found another place. Shall we go there instead?" Phayu suggested, pulling his phone out of his pocket.
Everyone stared at him. The little spark of suspicion among them quickly grew into a blazing flame.
Sensing their growing suspicion, Phayu grabbed his bag and searched for an escape route.
"Guys... I can explain..."
"Grab him!" Lamon shouted.
"No... It's just a Google thing!" Phayu yelled as he took off running, with Mok, Toffee, and Lamon chasing after him.
...
A gentle breeze brushed past them as they stared wide-eyed at the old, isolated bar.
"Phayu... Do people actually come here?"
Toffee's sudden question made Phayu swallow hard.
"Of course! Who else would? Zombies?"
Muttering under his breath, Phayu stepped inside, and the others followed hesitantly.
'Everything would be fine, wouldn't it?'
None of them voiced the question aloud, but each silently wondered the same thing.