As dusk fell, the warm glow of the surrounding lights enveloped Hua Lamphong Railway Station. Passengers hurried across the polished floors, their footsteps echoing against the grand arched ceilings while the aroma of street food vendors wafted through the warm and humid air.

As Sean approached the building, he couldn't help but pause, taking in the sight before him. Jay leaned against the wall, a sleek leather duffel bag slung over his shoulder, engrossed in his phone. There was a sense of ease about him, courtesy of black skinny jeans paired with a low-cut v-neck t-shirt. Sean's gaze lingered on the teasing glimpse of his chest, accentuated by the white fabric. His imagination instantly flew back to the locker room... to the morning in Tay's flat... Sean swallowed hard, wondering how he was going to survive this weekend.

At least, it was a good distraction from the fact they had to take the overnight train. With his nightmares being back, Sean didn't feel comfortable falling asleep in public places. But maybe he could somehow stay awake all the time.

"I hope you don't mind that I got a sleeper for two," Jay said, finishing the booking process on his phone. "Since it's my personal preference and you got dragged into it, tickets are on me."

"Let me guess, first class?" he chuckled, masking his relief at a more private sleeping arrangement.

"To my defence, this was the only option unless you want to share with a bunch of random strangers and deal with my shitty mood when someone wakes me up."

"Oh god, no!" Sean laughed and started walking towards the platform. "Although, it was definitely an interesting experience."

"Right, I nearly died."

Sean rolled his eyes playfully. "You are exaggerating. It was perfect congee."

"It was an abomination," Jay deadpanned.

"Well, in this case, it matched your mood perfectly," he remarked with a cheeky grin. "Are you always this insufferable when someone wakes you up?"

Jay couldn't help but laugh at his comparison. "Apparently, yes. It throws off my sleep schedule, and it's a massive chore to get back to it, so yeah..."

Sean figured the sleep schedule must have helped him deal with insomnia. And he ruined it because of Win. Sean promised never to fall for his friend's tricks again, no matter what.

"It does sound like a hassle to deal with," he said thoughtfully as they crossed the main hall. "What happens when something throws off your schedule?"

"Nothing serious," Jay shrugged. "It's just difficult to fall and stay asleep, which leaves me knackered and sometimes annoyed all the time, but no worries, I'm used to it."

It sounded serious to Sean, and from what he understood, Jay had already only slept a few hours a day. How much worse could things get for him? Sean wanted to know more about him, especially things he should avoid, but he was sure Jay would instantly backtrack and change the topic. Patience and going with the flow seemed like the best idea for now.

"This sounds horrible," he said empathetically.

Jay shook his head with a slight smile. "It's not that bad."

Sean couldn't help but notice that ever since Jay came back from London, his smile lacked this genuineness it had before. He missed it.

"If you say so," Sean replied, unconvinced. "I suggest we grab some dinner to go now. Food on the train can be hit and miss."

They strolled into the bustling area lined with food stalls, filled with the aroma of sizzling meats and fragrant spices. Sean led the way with confident strides, weaving through the crowd effortlessly. He approached a modest-looking stall manned by a cheerful elderly woman. After a quick look around, they settled on two portions of Pad Thai and a couple of bottles of chilled coconut water, followed by a variety of salapao for breakfast.

"I have fresh mini pandan cakes," she stated encouragingly, pointing at the cupcakes-sized treats. "A perfect little sweet snack to go with the rest."

Sean was about to refuse when he noticed how Jay's eyes lit up at the sheer mention of a dessert. "I did not see this coming," he muttered with amusement under his breath. "We will take four."

After a brief debate about payment – Jay insisted on splitting the bill while Sean argued that he should cover it since Jay had purchased the train tickets – they made their way towards the platform.

"Here, these are for you," Sean said casually, handing Jay a paper bag filled with mini cakes. "I'm not really into sweets and desserts," he explained, noticing his quizzical expression.

"Then why did you get it?"

"Who knows?" he chirped playfully, strolling alongside the train.

His expression betrayed a subtle surprise, his eyebrows arching ever so slightly as he processed Sean's unexpected gesture. It was a deviation from his usual interactions with people, leaving him with an unfamiliar, almost foreign feeling. It wasn't bad, but Jay wasn't sure what to do with it. His instinct was to withdraw, yet something stopped him as if he wanted to know why Sean did it.

Upon entering their sleeper, they were pleasantly surprised to find a well-appointed setup. The compartment featured two beds on each side, neatly made with fresh linens and pillows. Underneath the large window was a foldable table perfect for the evening meal. The soft glow of the overhead lamp added a cosy ambience to the space, making it feel spacious and comfortable.

In the past, they would always travel in standard carriages, sleeping in a seated position, as even shared sleepers felt too expensive. Sean looked around with an inaudible sigh. This looked fancier than his bedroom. Part of him started to think that someone like Jay was way out of his league, but he shook it off. There was no need to worry about things like this now.

"I'm starting to appreciate your personal preferences," Sean stated, placing the bag with their dinner on the table. "Do you travel a lot?"

"Not so much anymore, if you don't count climbing trips to Scotland," Jay responded, settling cross-legged on the bed. "But we used to sneak out a lot during breaks at school."

Sean dropped on the second bed, casually reclining on the wall and facing Jay. "What do you mean by sneaking out?"

"We were often spending half-term breaks at the dorm," he said, trying to remember when they started doing it. "I think it was in year 11 when we decided it was boring, booked the flights and spent the whole week in Spain."

Sean gawked at him. "How come no one noticed?"

"You can get away with a lot when you live at the dorm," Jay replied lightly. "When you are fifteen, you can just say you are going home for the break, and school doesn't check it. Although, we almost got caught once."

"Oh?"

"We went to Tokyo before A-Levels," he started with a fond smile. "Everyone convinced parents that spending a long break at the dorm before the exams would be more beneficial as we could study together. Halfway through, Vivi's parents decided to surprise her with a visit and snacks."

"Ouch."

"Yeah, we were lucky they called Jonathan's family, and his older sister picked up the phone. She's pretty cool and sold them the story that the dorm was stuffy, and we moved to their country house in Wales," he explained, still impressed it worked. "It didn't come cheap, though. We spent half a day running around Ikebukuro collecting a massive list of limited merchandise."

His eyebrows furrowed thoughtfully as he tried to remember where he heard that name. "Wait, isn't Ikebukuro mostly about yaoi and BL?"

"Yes, it is."

"That must have been an experience."

"Absolutely," Jay chuckled, his eyes alight with mischief. "Victor and I had the time of our lives watching Jonathan squirm as he realised why his lovely, innocent and very lady-like older sister sent us there."

"Oh god, you are a menace," Sean burst out laughing. "He must have been traumatised... I would definitely be upon discovering what Izzy is into."

Jay grinned and reached into the bag for coconut water. He gestured to Sean, asking if he also wanted one before lightly tossing him a bottle.

"Izzy is like an older brother to you, isn't he?"

Sean nodded, opening his bottle. The water was still pleasantly chilled. "Yeah, at some point, he usurped the title, and apparently, there is no going back," he said, rolling his eyes. "But I owe him a lot... so I guess he can have it."

Jay leaned forward slightly with a curious expression. "Izzy doesn't strike me as someone who would see it like this."

"He isn't..."

"It's you who feels this way," Jay concluded when Sean remained silent for a while. "Why?"

Sean sighed. He wasn't ashamed of his living conditions but never talked about it with anyone for two reasons. He had to keep it a secret from the university, and the truth often made people uncomfortable. Yet, this time, Sean had an impression it would be different. Besides, Jay must have known about it by now, right?

"For starters, our families were pretty close growing up, and I often stayed at his house when my parents were at work. Izzy has claimed we were like brothers for as long as I can remember. I guess he always wanted a younger sibling," Sean chuckled, shaking his head. "He was there for me when my father died, trying to keep my mind off things, but he really came through when my mother passed away a few years later."

Jay fell quiet, allowing Sean to share at his own pace. He observed the subtle shifts in his demeanour. His voice, usually confident and composed, softened with a hint of vulnerability. Sean's body language became more guarded, his shoulders tensing ever so slightly, indicating it was a difficult and sensitive topic.

"She was in the hospital for over a year... I somehow managed to keep up with the bare minimum for her medical bills using my scholarship, but it just kept growing," Sean sighed. "Then, they offered new surgery, the type we could never afford, but it was her best chance... it didn't work," he trailed off, taking a sip of the water.

He could tell how hard it was for Sean to talk about it, but unfortunately, there wasn't much he could do besides offering him a sympathetic smile. They barely knew each other. And for the first time in his life, it bothered him.

"She passed away shortly after... since I was the one to sign all the paperwork, the hospital came after me to cover her bills, including surgery. I sold our flat, but it wasn't nearly enough," Sean explained with another heavy sigh. "Izzy talked it over with his parents, and they organised the loft in the garage into a small studio. I stay there rent-free, while my scholarship for living expenses goes to the hospital to pay off the bills. I know he doesn't see it like this, but I owe him... I'm unsure where I would be now if it weren't for Izzy."

"I can't even imagine how it must have felt, but I'm glad he was there."

Sean was caught off guard by the unusual softness in his voice. As if compelled by an invisible force, he lifted his head to meet Jay's brown eyes. Their usual indifferent expression was replaced by something he couldn't quite name... but it seemed to bridge the gap between them, making Jay feel less distant.

Jay was leaning on the wall with a laptop balanced on his knees, the soft glow casting shadows across his focused expression. The rhythmic hum of the train merged with the clicking of his keyboard as he worked on his assignment. Jay stole an occasional glance at Sean. Even in a dimly lit space, he could see the well-defined lines of his handsome face... the multiple black earrings that made him look so... Suddenly, all his thoughts stopped as he heard a pained groan, followed by the sound of tossing and turning. Jay looked over to see Sean's brows furrowed in distress, his murmured words barely audible, suggesting he had a nightmare.

Without hesitations, Jay set his laptop aside and moved over to Sean's bed to wake him up. "Sean?" Jay called, gently shaking his arm. "Hey, Sean, wake up... it's..."

Startled, Sean jolted awake and sat up abruptly, narrowly missing Jay's head. He looked confused and distressed while a single tear trickled down his cheek.

"Hey, hey," Jay said softly, his tone calm and gentle. "It's okay, Sean... just a nightmare."

Sean rubbed his eyes several times before running his hands down his face. "Sorry about it... did I wake you up?"

Jay plopped back on his bed and gave him a reassuring smile. "No, I was just working on the assignment," he added, gesturing to his laptop.

"I thought Win was doing all the assignments."

"No, this one is mine," Jay explained. "I'm doing a diploma in Criminal Litigation."

"I thought you were already working," Sean said, sinking back into his pillow. He was grateful Jay didn't ask about anything. This whole situation was already embarrassing enough without the need to explain. He can't deal with something that happened years ago.

"This is just a stepping stone," he replied, observing him as if to ensure Sean was fine. "I want to move to the Complex Case Unit in Crown Prosecution, so while I build my case portfolio, I'm also collecting all certifications and diplomas that will get me there faster."

Sean nodded with understanding. "It makes sense, but how do you manage it with everything happening here?"

"That's where insomnia comes in handy," Jay laughed.

Sean smiled as he realised that Jay's low and smooth voice had incredible soothing qualities. He could listen to him forever. "Do you mind me asking why prosecution?"

Jay looked at him with a thoughtful expression, his eyes reflecting the pale moonlight pouring through the window. He figured Sean didn't want to discuss his nightmares, and Jay respected it.

"It's about fairness, really," he began, hoping it would take Sean's mind off things and help him fall asleep. "I've seen too many people caught up in the system, some deserving, some not so much."

Sean thought about their justice system. Fairness was the last thing on its agenda. But it wasn't what caught his attention the most. It was the genuine excitement in Jay's voice and the look on his face that told Sean how important it was to him.

"As a prosecutor, you not only review the evidence and assess the strength of the case but also ensure there was no misconduct during the investigation that violated the suspect's rights or tainted the evidence," he explained, passing Sean a bottle of water. "And I do like a challenge... Case litigation is like assembling the puzzle with missing pieces, yet despite this, you still need to aim to get the whole picture."

"I think I understand what you mean," Sean said after a few sips of water. "Law should be easy and straightforward, but it isn't because of human involvement. Their convictions, motives, and emotions complicate it since you can never be sure. It's easy to hide or lie about, yet you still need to see the whole picture."

"Exactly," Jay agreed. "It's easier when you can speak to both sides and get two perspectives, but sometimes it's impossible. You can assume what happened based on evidence and close the case with conviction, but you will never solve it."

His eyes widened in surprise. He never considered it like this, but Jay was right. "The victim can no longer say what happened, and the suspect has no reason to be honest, especially if it doesn't benefit them."

"Yes, having only one narrative leaves you with only half of the picture. The question is, how do you get the rest?"

Sean thought for a moment before answering without realising that Jay had pulled him so seamlessly into the conversation that he had forgotten entirely about his nightmare and embarrassment as if none of this had ever happened.

As the train rolled into Surat Thani Railway Station in the early morning hours, the platform was bathed in a soft glow, illuminated by the faint light of dawn. The platform buzzed with activity as weary travellers disembarked, their voices mingling with the rhythmic chug of departing trains. The gentle breeze carried a refreshing scent of the sea.

Jay and Sean navigated through the station, their steps falling into an effortless rhythm as they seemed to draw closer with each passing moment.