TOUCH THE VIBES

Jay stood by the roadside, holding a half-eaten piece of bread in his hand, complaining endlessly about being left alone by Mr. Sakda. The feeling of loneliness wasn't exactly unfamiliar, but when he returned to Thailand, Jay had thought that this time would be different.

Just then, a woman nearby was struggling with her bags and accidentally dropped a few apples onto the ground. Seeing this, Jay quickly ran over to help.

-"Here you go, ma'am." – Jay bent down to pick up the scattered apples and gently handed them back.

The woman looked up, about to thank him, but the moment she saw Jay, she froze for a second. Her eyes lit up with surprise and joy.

-"Jay… Is that you?"

-"Huh? You are… Auntie Preeda?" – Jay widened his eyes in surprise.

-"Oh my, you've grown so much! And you've become even more handsome!" – Auntie Preeda chuckled warmly, her gaze filled with affection. "I heard from Ying that you came back, but I haven't had a chance to see you yet. Running into you like this must be fate!"

Hearing that, Jay couldn't help but feel emotional. In the past, Auntie Preeda was like a second mother to him. Since he lost his mother at an early age, Jay was mostly raised by Mr. Sakda, with the help of their neighbors. Among them, Auntie Preeda's family was the closest.

-"Yeah… It's been a long time, Auntie." – Jay smiled, feeling a bit shy from the compliment. Then he glanced at the bags she was carrying. – "Are you on your way home? Let me give you a hand."

-"That would be great! Thank you, Jay." – Auntie Preeda smiled kindly. – "By the way, I heard your father is away on a business trip?"

-"Yes, he already left. He probably won't be back until the weekend."

-"Then come over for dinner tonight! It must be lonely staying home by yourself."

-"Oh… That's not necessary, Auntie." – Jay hesitated a little.

-"Why not? I see you just like I see Ying! You used to cling to him all the time when you were little, and now that you're grown, you're keeping your distance?"

Jay laughed at Auntie Preeda's teasing. It was true—when he was younger, he was always sticking to Ying, to the point where Mr. Sakda often made fun of him for it.

-"Alright then, it's settled! Come over tonight, no excuses!" – Auntie Preeda declared firmly.

Jay blinked a few times before finally giving in.

-"Well… I guess I'll trouble you then, Auntie."

-"Nonsense! My house is always open to you."

And so, the two walked together, chatting along the way. The warmth between them remained unchanged, just like in the past. From afar, one might have easily mistaken them for a real mother and son.

——————————————

Evening at Mr. Runrot's House. The kitchen was livelier than usual that evening, mostly thanks to Jay's presence.

At the dining table, Jay sat with Mr. Runrot and Auntie Preeda, the atmosphere warm and familiar. Sensing that he might still feel a little reserved, the older couple kept the conversation going to help him feel more comfortable.

-"Make yourself at home, dear. No need to be shy." – Auntie Preeda spoke gently, her voice full of warmth.

-"Yes, I understand. Thank you, Auntie." – Jay smiled, still a little bashful but undeniably touched.

-"Your father told me that you're a singer now. Must be quite famous, huh?" – Mr. Runrot teased, his tone lighthearted.

-"Not at all, sir. I'm just an independent singer. I only perform at small shows and music events." – Jay answered modestly.

Even so, there was a noticeable change in him. He was no longer the naive boy from the past—there was now a certain maturity and composure in his demeanor, though he still carried the same warmth as before.

-"That's already impressive! You must have traveled to many places for your performances, right?" – Mr. Runrot said, his tone filled with praise. Then, with a chuckle, he added,

-"Unlike that Ying—he's either at home or at the company all day. I'm getting tired of seeing him!"

Jay laughed at Mr. Runrot's exaggerated complaint. Just then, the food was served—an array of delicious dishes, their enticing aroma making Jay's eyes light up with excitement.

-"I wasn't sure if your taste had changed, but these were your favorites when you were little." – Auntie Preeda said kindly, her eyes full of affection.

Jay was taken aback. He hadn't expected that, aside from his father and Ryan, someone else would remember his preferences so clearly.

-"You still remember? Thank you so much, Auntie! I love it!" – Jay was both surprised and deeply moved.

-"Of course I do." – Auntie Preeda chuckled, nostalgia evident in her gaze. – "Back then, Ying would always beg me to cook these dishes so you'd come over to eat and play with him. Eventually, it became a habit. After you left, I rarely made them anymore… I wonder if they still taste the way you remember."

Hearing this, Jay quickly picked up his chopsticks and took a bite. The moment the familiar flavors hit his tongue, it felt as if he had been transported back to his childhood. This taste, this aroma—it was a piece of his past, one he hadn't experienced in ten long years.

-"It's still just as delicious! Thank you, Auntie!" Jay said happily.

-"Then eat lots! You look a little thin, you need to build your strength." – Auntie Preeda patted Jay's hand fondly.

As the dinner continued in a warm and cheerful atmosphere, the front door suddenly opened, followed by a calm, steady voice.

-"Mom, do we have guests tonight? Why did you ask me to buy so much fruit?"

-"Yes! Come in and see who's here." – Auntie Preeda called out happily.

Ying stepped inside, carrying a bag of fruit, but the moment his eyes landed on Jay, he paused slightly. A flicker of surprise flashed in his gaze, but he quickly regained his usual composure.

-"It's you? Jay?" – His voice was unreadable.

-"Hello, Ying." – Jay smiled, subtly observing Ying's reaction.

Mr. Runrot spoke up to clarify,

-"Your mother invited Jay over for dinner, but she forgot to buy dessert, so she asked you to pick some up. Any problem with that?"

Jay quickly chimed in,

-"Sorry for the trouble, Ying…"

-"No… it's fine. I was passing by anyway." – Ying replied swiftly, his gaze still lingering on Jay.

-"Go freshen up before dinner." – Auntie Preeda reminded him.

Ying gave a small nod and went upstairs without another word. A while later, he returned, and the warm dinner resumed in a peaceful atmosphere.

But even in that peace, there was something unspoken—something subtle yet undeniably present, weaving itself between Jay and Ying…

———————————————

After the meal, Jay, as a matter of politeness, offered to help clean up.

-"Thank you so much for having me over, Auntie and Uncle, and you too, Ying. Let me help with the cleaning…"

-"No need to thank us, you're like family!" – Mr. Runrot laughed heartily. – "Besides, Mr. Sakda is away on a business trip. It's lonely eating alone. From now on, you're always welcome to come over and eat!"

Auntie Preeda added,

-"Oh, Jay, don't be so formal, just leave it. We have help to clean up."

-"Yes…" – Jay nodded, not wanting to insist further.

At that moment, Jay's phone vibrated with a message. He opened it, seeming to have something urgent to attend to, and quickly stood up to say goodbye.

Ying also stood up and accompanied Jay to the gate.

-"Thank you, Ying." – Jay said politely.

-"Um…" – Ying responded briefly.

After a brief pause, Ying spoke again,

-"Jay, about the party Chirawan is organizing… I'll take you there."

-"Huh?" – Jay was surprised, looking at Ying in confusion.

Ying didn't say anything more, just silently recalling the earlier conversation with Chirawan…

Flashback…

Ying was working when a knock on the door interrupted him. He furrowed his brow, slightly annoyed by the disturbance, but stood up and went to open the door.

As soon as the door cracked open, a cheerful voice rang out:

-"Hehe…"

Without looking, Ying knew exactly who it was. Chirawan appeared, her face lit up with excitement. Upon seeing Ying, she grinned.

-"What's up?" – Ying asked, his voice as indifferent as ever.

Instead of responding immediately, Chirawan pushed past Ying and entered his office, comfortably sitting on the sofa and pouring herself some tea, acting as if she were at home.

Ying closed the door and gave her an exasperated look before sitting across from her.

-"Alright, what do you need?"

Chirawan set the teacup down, her eyes sparkling with anticipation:

-"I want to invite you to a party."

-"You know I'm busy. I don't have time…"

-"I know, but this party is to celebrate Jay's return to Thailand. I want the people close to him to be there."

-"But…"

Knowing Ying would likely refuse, Chirawan quickly cut in, her expression turning pleading:

-"It's okay if you don't go, but what about Jay? His house is right across from yours. That night, you have to take him there. He's new to the country and might get lost or worse, kidnapped!"

Ying frowned:

-"You watch too many movies. Jay's old enough to know how to get around, he won't get lost or kidnapped."

-"Oh… I don't know! But you have to go!" – Chirawan insisted. – "You're close to Jay, and if you don't attend his own party, what will that look like?"

Ying fell silent. Part of him didn't know how to argue, another part… maybe Chirawan was right. Or maybe, he himself wanted to go?

Seeing Ying still quiet, Chirawan pushed further:

-"Jay really wants you there. He's just too shy to say it! Promise you'll come…"

-"I…"

"Please… please… please…"

-"Fine, fine, I'll come!" – Ying sighed in resignation.

-"Promise! And don't forget to take Jay with you. If you don't, I'll be mad!"

Ying helplessly nodded. Chirawan immediately beamed, clearly satisfied with her success.

End of Flashback…

Back in the present, standing in front of Ying, Jay was still somewhat puzzled by the invitation to the party.

-"But… is it too much trouble for you?" – Jay hesitated, feeling a bit awkward.

-"You're going anyway. It'll be more convenient if we go together. Besides, since you just returned, you're not familiar with the area. It's not safe to go alone."

Jay paused for a moment, but seeing the logic in Ying's words, he smiled gently, trying to relax:

-"Well… thank you."

-"Mmm."

-"I'll head home now. Bye bye!"

-"Bye bye."

Jay turned and walked away, and Ying stood still, silently watching him until he entered his house. Afterward, Ying also turned and went back inside.

It wasn't a long conversation, nor was it anything special, but something felt different. A small gap had been closed, and a little bit of the awkwardness had melted away. Perhaps… their relationship still had a chance of mending?

End of Chapter 5.