Lately,
Phat had started to feel like something was changing.
Not just Kan—
but herself.
They still talked every night.Short messages.The same questions.
But the feelings—
were no longer the same.
"What did you do today?"
"Went to try on dresses with my friend."
Phat replied, sitting in front of the mirror in the fitting room.
The light-colored dress fit her body perfectly—simple, yet different from how she usually looked.
"What kind of dress?"
Kan's message popped up.
She looked at the screen, then smiled slightly.
"Just a normal one."
"Take a picture."
Her friend beside her said.
"So we can decide which one looks best."
Phat nodded, then raised her phone and took a picture of herself in the mirror.
The result made her pause for a moment.
It felt strange.
Not like the version of herself she was used to.
"Send it. I'll help you choose."
Her friend said.
Phat opened the chat, typed something briefly, then hit send.
Less than a second later—
she froze.
The name at the top of the chat was—
Kan.
"…Wait."
Her heart skipped hard.
"Wrong chat…"
She quickly opened it.
The photo had already been sent.
Her fingers trembled slightly as she tried to delete it—
but before she could—
"You?"
A message popped up immediately.
Phat froze.
Like everything had stopped at once.
"Sorry, sent it by mistake."
She typed quickly, without thinking.
A few seconds of silence—
then—
"It's not a mistake."
That message made her go still.
"You look good."
Her heart started racing instantly.
"I didn't mean to send it to you."
She replied, trying to sound normal.
"But I've already seen it."
Phat pressed her lips together.
"It's just a dress."
"Yeah.""But you're the one wearing it."
That sentence—
short,
but clear.
She couldn't respond.
Her fingers hovered over the screen.
"Phat."
Another message appeared.
"You shouldn't wear something like that for others to see so easily."
She frowned.
"I'm just trying it on."
"I know.""But I don't like it."
Her heart jolted harder than before.
"Don't like what?"
she typed.
The other side went quiet for a moment.
Then—
"That other people get to see you like that."
Phat froze.
That sentence—
wasn't a joke.
Wasn't casual.
It was a feeling.
Too clear.
"What's wrong with you?"
she typed.
"I don't know.""But I don't want anyone else to see you like that."
Her heart pounded so loudly she could feel it.
"That has nothing to do with you."
she replied, even as her fingers trembled.
"It does."
The answer came instantly.
Firm.
"Because it's you."
Everything fell silent.
Phat stared at the screen, not knowing what to say.
Because deep down—
she felt the same way.
She just wasn't ready to admit it yet.
"I'm going to change."
she typed, like she needed an escape.
"Okay.""Then send me another one."
She froze.
"Why should I send it to you?"
"I want to see."
Her heart raced again.
"You're acting weird."
"I know."
Silence.
"But I don't want to be the same anymore."
That sentence—
soft,
but heavy enough to shake everything inside her.
Phat slowly lowered her phone, then looked at herself in the mirror again.
The same image—
but not the same feeling.
And this time,
she wasn't sure anymore
if what was happening between them
could still be called "the same."