"Use this blanket…" Nut grabbed the blanket and gave it to Toffee before they went outside.
"Thank you, khab..."
As they both went outside…
"Toffee, are you okay? You are sweating too much…"
"I am okay. It feels like I was in the dark for too long, and now I can see the light…" Toffee looked far away as he spoke.
Toffee took a deep breath as he smelled the flowers and felt the soft breeze.
"I still can't believe it. Just before I fell into that pond, I thought how small my world was. But now it feels like it's bigger." He sighed and looked at Nut.
"That's right. Our world is big, and it holds too many secrets… but that makes it more meaningful."
Nut gave Toffee a small, reassuring smile.
"P'Nut, you know that, right? About P'Artit and me."
Just as Toffee asked, Nut nodded. "Toffee, I know it's hard to believe, but it's the truth.
And you need to hold on before it goes. It will hurt, but that's what helps you keep going…"
Nut's eyes were teary, but he smiled.
Toffee listened as he touched his chest. "It didn't feel like a memory—it felt real."
Nut asked, "Are you going to leave Artit…?"
Toffee heard the words from Nut, but he didn't answer. He paused, then slowly walked to the pond. He looked around—the garden, the lotus pond, the scent… everything felt more familiar to him now.
Toffee's mind skimmed through the memories he saw. He looked at the ground—it was still wet. He clutched his chest and smiled to himself.
He turned and asked, "P'Nut, did Artit build this?"
"Khab, he did. Is there any problem?"
"No… it's just…" Toffee wondered, "It's identical. Even though it's not the same place, I can still feel Daeng." His eyes looked around as he searched.
Toffee turned as Nut stopped behind him.
With a firm voice, Nut said, "Just walk straight. You will reach where Artit is… I hope you two can talk and decide…"
"Toffee, whatever you choose, he will accept it…"
As Nut spoke, Toffee said, "Thank you, P'Nut…" Then he walked ahead, just as Nut said.
Toffee's steps were heavy. He clutched the blanket that covered him.
He wondered, "Do you still love him? Is it because I look like him?" He paused. "When did you say you love me? Is it me… or him…?"
All his thoughts broke him. He fell to the ground and sobbed.
Toffee stood up again. "It's alright… you can do it, Toffee… you can…"
He walked forward, still sobbing, and entered the hall where Artit had painted Daeng…
He entered the hall. Every canvas had half-finished paintings; some were torn apart.
The smell of old paint filled the room. Some canvases were dumped around, while others were piled to one side, as if someone kept painting even when it wasn't good.
Toffee slowly walked toward one painting. As he touched it with his fingers, he closed his eyes, and tears fell.
He wondered, "It's Daeng… even if we are the same, why can't I accept that we are one? Why does it feel like I was loved by mistake? Is it just me…? You fool, Toffee… I am real…"
He felt like a clone. He sobbed, and only his heavy breathing and panting could be heard.
There was only a staircase. He took the stairs as they led to a room. It was locked, but Toffee could feel that Artit was inside.
Inside the room, Artit was embroidering white cloth. His face was pale, and his fingers were full of wounds from the needle… but he kept going without stopping.
The room was filled with piles of white cloth, stained with his blood.
He had been doing this since Toffee fell asleep.
Artit's mind was restless… "I need to do it better… Toffee will like it… Why is it not getting better…?"
But suddenly, Artit paused. He looked at the door…
Tears fell from his eyes.
He heard someone calling him…
It was the voice Artit had been desperately waiting for…
Toffee slowly knocked on the door. "P'Artit, can you open…? P'Artit…"
Toffee tried to control himself, even though his voice was shaking.
Artit walked to the door, leaving everything behind. He smiled as he reached for the lock to open it… his fingers trembled... but then he paused. He pulled his hand back. Tears fell as he held his voice.
"Toffee, go back. I don't like anyone to be here…"
"P'Artit..."
Artit fell to the floor. "Go back… can't you hear what I said?"
For the first time, Artit raised his voice at Toffee.
There was no response from the other side. Thinking Toffee had left, Artit slowly got up and opened the door…
But Toffee had collapsed on the floor, covering his mouth and crying.
Seeing his tears, Artit dropped to the floor. "Toffee, don't cry… Toffee…"
Toffee avoided him and rejected his touch.
"Toffee… don't cry…"
Toffee lifted his face. His eyes were red.
"Are you tired of seeing my face… or do you expect me to act like Daeng? P'Artit… who am I? Who did you really love…?"
Toffee asked as he tightened his grip on Artit's shirt.
Artit went silent…
"You remember…" Artit knelt on the floor, pleading again and again, repeating the same words.
Seeing this, Toffee stayed quiet and moved closer into Artit's arms, embracing him.
Toffee started crying. Their heavy breathing broke the silence as they pulled closer, holding each other for comfort.
As Toffee slowly let go, he touched Artit's face and wiped his tears. "When did you regain the memories…? Tell me…"
Tears fell quickly, but Artit stayed silent for a moment.
"...When I was ten…"
Toffee broke down. "Sorry… I'm sorry…"
"You are stronger than I thought, P'Artit…"
Toffee gazed at him, their noses touching. Artit was still struggling to breathe.
"You did it… it's okay. Everything has already happened. Treat it like a memory that is hard to forget… something we learned together…"
Toffee gently touched Artit's lips as they forgot the saltiness of their tears in that moment…
They were both inside the room, sitting on the floor. Artit leaned against the bed, while Toffee rested against him. Artit held him in his arms like a baby, and they gazed at each other…
The room was a mess. The bed was untouched—it looked like Artit had been sleeping on the bare floor. His hair was messy, and his clothes were wrinkled.
Their hands were still holding each other…
Tears fell from Artit's eyes, and Toffee slowly wiped them away.
"It's not hurting…" Artit touched his chest as he spoke, but he still sobbed and held Toffee closer.
Toffee quietly comforted him.
They didn't speak about their regrets. They just held each other, as if their hearts were speaking instead…
As night fell, Artit and Toffee fell asleep like that, refusing to let go. Their tears dried on their own, and their breathing was warm against each other…
Nut and Mix were peeking from behind the door. They slowly walked closer…
"Mix, don't make a sound…" Nut almost hit him.
They covered Artit and Toffee with blankets. Nut touched their feet.
"Mix… it's cold. What if they get sick? And Artit will have neck pain tomorrow. Should we lay them on the bed…?"
"Nut, are you a fool…?" Mix grabbed him as Artit and Toffee slept…
Before they left, they looked at both of them. Mix touched Nut's shoulder.
"We slept like that too… do you remember…?"
"How can I forget…? It feels like yesterday…"
Nut looked out the corridor window. "We are happy now. We left behind the ones who didn't want us… but now we have a family, and our brothers get their happy ending…"
"Nut, aren't you going ahead? It's not easy to be in love…"
"Says the playboy…" Nut hit Mix on the forehead.
"You—! Nut, you bastard…"
"Shhh…" Nut whispered.
Nut quickly closed the door where they were sleeping. The moment he did, he pushed Mix to the floor and ran.
Mix ran after him.
"Nut! I'll kill you—"
"Auntie Ja! Rak, help me…!" Nut screamed as he ran.
It grew darker. Everything slowly fell asleep. The silence became heavy.
Someone was standing there, watching Artit and Toffee.
The figure had no expression. There was no shadow.
It slowly reached out, trying to touch Toffee's face… but stopped, only gazing at him.
Its throat was wounded.
The white thread on its fingers was forcefully broken. Its white clothes were soaked in red, almost turning black…
Toffee slowly moved as he opened his eyes. He looked at Artit and kissed him softly.
Toffee held him tighter and touched Artit's Adam's apple.
And he kissed him again.
The figure pulled back, trying to leave…
"P'Thanat… are you going without even telling me?" Toffee looked at him and asked.
Thanat turned. He looked at Toffee in disbelief.
Thanat slowly walked closer and knelt on the floor. He didn't speak. Toffee looked at him, a single tear falling as he held himself back.
"You didn't even say goodbye… really, P'Thanat…"
"I have something to tell you…"
"Daeng… I mean… he said he forgives you. I saw him… He gave me something I had forgotten. Even without saying goodbye, he just left… but before he went, he said he forgives you. He forgives everyone…"
Toffee clutched his chest, trying to control himself.
Thanat, still expressionless, looked at Toffee and smiled… as if he was saying farewell.
It felt like someone had come for him… like he had already accepted everything.
But still… Thanat could not forgive himself.
He knelt once more… and then vanished.
The room's windows were still closed.
Toffee looked at Artit… he touched his face and lay beside him.
As if by instinct, Artit held him tighter…
Phraya, who was waiting to take Thanat back to hell, heard everything. He wondered, "Wow… that ghost. I only let him see that kid because he begged… still, it feels good to be human at least once… forget it, what's so good about it…?"
In a moment, Phraya's mood changed.
Thanat had already said his goodbye. Phraya looked at him and said, "If you didn't kill Artit's parents, you would have at least gotten a lighter punishment. Why make things difficult…?"
Thanat tried to speak, but only a faint, broken sound came out.
"Oh… I get it. About your lover… the one you loved—he doesn't exist in this world anymore. Just like that kid said, he gave everything to him and disappeared. Well, I don't know… ask above, not me. You know where I'm from… I don't want to explain it…"
"Well, Daeng chose his ending… just like he chose in the past…"
"Time's up. Let's go… I'm already sleepy…"
Thanat looked back one last time and smiled.
Then both of them vanished without a trace… like a feather in the wind.