The music from the piano filled the room.
Everyone who heard it felt their hearts melt. The song was heavy with sadness. Through the notes, they could feel the pain of a deep betrayal.
Jay stood near Toffee. Around them, people closed their eyes to listen. But Jay kept his eyes on Toffee. Suddenly, tears began to fall, wetting his face.
Toffee was lost in the music. His fingers moved faster and faster across the keys.
His heart beat hard against his chest. In that moment, his broken emotions filled the air, and everyone could feel his soul through the song.
The melody was no longer just from the piano; it came from his heart. Slowly, his hands stopped moving. With heavy tears, Toffee opened his eyes. He wondered why he was crying so much. He touched his wet cheeks.
"Did I cry this much?" he whispered. He could not breathe normally.
He looked around and felt confused. Where was he? "This was not the music hall. Is this a prank?"
Toffee wiped his tears and looked at his surroundings.
He was in a place filled with green trees and orange jasmine flowers. The grass was covered in fallen jasmine petals.
Even the piano and his chair were covered in green vines.
He was no longer wearing his uniform. Instead, he wore a loose white shirt and beautiful pants. He looked stunning. Toffee took a few steps forward.
Through the trees, he saw someone. He could only see the person's back.
The stranger wore the same white outfit and was painting near a lotus pond, its like a magical land.
He looked like someone from a fairytale. He was focused on his brush and the canvas.
Suddenly, a voice called out: "Daeng... Daeng..."
The painter began to turn around toward Toffee. But then.....
"Toffee... Toffee! Wake up!"
"Someone get some water!" Sara shouted with worry.
"Here is the water!" someone else added.
Sara opened the bottle and splashed the water onto Toffee's face.
Water dripped from his hair. His eyes wouldn't stop crying, and his tears mixed with the water on his face.
"Jay! Jay!" his friend shouted. He hit Jay's shoulder to wake him up. "Why are you standing there like a dummy?"
"What's going on?" Jay asked, shaking his head.
"Toffee... Toffee!" Sara was panicking.
"Jay, he won't wake up! Look, he won't stop crying," Sara said, her voice trembling.
"Toffee... Toffee!" Sara called again.
Suddenly, Jay moved. "Let me try." Jay sat on the floor. He touched Toffee's face gently and placed his other hand on Toffee's shoulder, he started wiping away the tears and the water, but they wouldn't stop.
"Toffee... Toffee... give me the water," Jay said. "Toffee, it's alright. You are okay."
"P'Sara, I think it's because he was too lost in the music. I didn't know... if I knew, I never would have let him..." Jay said. His face was full of sadness and worry.
P'Sara touched Jay's shoulder to calm him.
"Toffee... we need to get him out of here," Jay started to say.
Then, Toffee slowly opened his eyes. His tears continued to fall silently. Everyone felt scared.
Jay, still sitting on the floor, whispered, "Toffee... are you alright? Are you... Toffee?"
No matter how much they spoke to him, Toffee did not reply. He didn't stop crying. It was as if he was in a deep pain that he couldn't explain.
A few minutes before Toffee fell...
Artit was still on the floor of the backrow of seats, holding his chest. His heart ached, but the pain of seeing Daeng was even worse.
He looked at Toffee, who was still playing the piano. Artit's tears stopped. He sat on the floor, staring into space, lost and look him in pain.
At that moment, the students circled Toffee. Everyone was panicking because he wouldn't wake up. Artit stayed on the floor, shocked." He thought to himself: What if he remembers? What if he knows the truth? "
Suddenly, Artit found his strength. He didn't care about the secrets anymore; his only priority was Toffee.
Forgetting his pain,he ran toward the crowd. As he rushed in, Toffee looked straight at Artit. Toffee cried and opened both of his arms. Artit pulled him into a tight hug.
"It's alright, it's alright. I'm here... I'm here, Toffee," Artit whispered. He touched Toffee's head and hugged him even tighter. Toffee gripped the back of Artit's shirt, crying into his shoulder.
Mmm.... Mmmmm.... Phi.... Toffee couldn't stop, as if he was holding.
The hall went silent. No one took photos. No one spoke. Just seeing,they could all feel the deep connection between the two.
Jay stood nearby, watching them. His heart felt heavy. "Toffee... why him?" Jay thought. "I am standing right here, but you didn't look at me. Is it because he told you he liked you first? Or am I just too late? If I had met you sooner, would you love me instead?" Jay clenched his fists, hiding his pain.
Artit gave P'Sara a quick nod to show they were leaving. He picked Toffee up. Toffee was too weak to stand, so Artit carried him.
Toffee locked his arms around Artit's neck, hiding his face.
As they left, everyone watched with worry.
Sara shouted after them, "Artit! Can you just text me and let me know if he's alright?"
Artit didn't look back. He wasn't worried about the others, and he didn't even bother to answer. His only thought was to get out of there with Toffee. He just held Toffee close and kept moving.
Artit held him and carried him toward the washroom.
They entered the washroom. Artit was still carrying Toffee, but Toffee refused to let go.
"Toffee... let me put you down. I need to clean your face. Your shirt is wet," Artit said gently.
Toffee didn't listen; he just grabbed Artit even tighter.
Artit slowly lifted him up and sat him on the edge of the sink counter.
The large mirror reflected Artit's worried face and Toffee's back. There was no gap between them; they were pressed so close together.
Artit pulled out his handkerchief. "Toffee... please, let me wipe your face," Artit said, his voice trembling with worry.
"Phi..." Toffee's voice was breaking. It was hard to hear him. "Phi... it hurts..."
Artit panicked. He touched Toffee's face gently. "Where? Tell me where it hurts!"
Artit was almost in tears himself. "Where, Toffee? Please don't just cry silently. Talk to me... I'm scared."
Toffee hugged Artit again and tried to speak.
"Phi... I don't know why... I... I can't stop my tears," his voice broke.
Artit pulled back slightly. "Let me see... Look at me, Toffee. Look. I'm right here with you."
Artit wiped away a tear. "It's alright. You will be alright."
Artit used both hands to wipe away the tears and water. He didn't use a handkerchief; he used his bare hands to cup Toffee's cheeks.
He leaned in until his nose touched Toffee's nose. Toffee looked at him and finally let out a small, tired smile. "Phi..."
Toffee let out a deep sigh. He looked at Artit's lips and slowly pressed his own against them.
Artit felt a shock go through his body. As Toffee started to pull his lips away, Artit grabbed Toffee's waist and pulled him more closer.
Artit opened his mouth and kissed Toffee deeply. Toffee began to kiss him back. Their tongues touched as the kiss grew more and more intense.
Artit swallowed Toffee's saliva as they kissed hungrily. They stayed like that, kissing passionately until their lips were swollen and red like a peach.
Slowly, they stopped. Toffee pulled his lips away and looked at Artit with red, watery eyes.
Artit touched Toffee's face, but Toffee's hand moved down. Toffee touched Artit's Adam's apple and then moved his hand down to his chest.
Suddenly, Toffee leaned in and licked Artit's Adam's apple with his tongue.
Artit gasped and looked up at the ceiling. "Toffee... Toffee, wait.... Toffee....
But Toffee did not stop.