*This chapter hasn't been proofread.

Normally at around eight o'clock on a Saturday morning, I would be sleeping soundly, huddled up under my blanket on my bed. But since this Saturday is different, I'm sitting here yawning amidst a crowd of people, surrounded with the hustle and bustle of people preparing to travel.

So, where am I? Let me give you a hint. Suvarnabhumi? Too fancy! Mo Chit? Hmm, not quite. Or Khao Din? Oh no, what would I be doing at Khao Din?

[*Dusit Zoo or popularly known as Khao Din was a zoo in Bangkok. It was the oldest zoo in Thailand.
T/N: Actually, I think it a cute date idea. Don't forget to take a picture of Phum and the sign 'Never approach or feed'.]

Right now, Phum and I are sitting drowsily, hugging our backpacks at Hua Lamphong railway station. That's right! During New Year's, Phum invited me to go on a trip. Today was an auspicious time, we finally packed our bags and set off.

At first, we couldn't agree on where to go. We knew we were going to the beach, but our definitions were not the same. Phum's idea of the sea includes the Maldives, Hawaii, the Gulf of Naples, Bora Bora, and the Seychelles Islands—some of these, I had just heard of for the first time in my life. For me, the sea means Jomtien, Bang Saen, Si Racha, and Sattahip.
I never thought that just choosing a place to visit could almost make lovers want to punch each other. But since the long New Year's holiday had already passed, it wouldn't be possible to go abroad, which automatically ruled out Phum's choices. Going to Krabi or Phuket probably would take too much time to be worthwhile. Then, out of nowhere, I had this crazy idea of wanting to take the train. And which sea can we take the train to? It's not difficult to guess, right?

With only two days, Saturday and Sunday, where else could we go but Hua Hin? It's a classic destination, easy to get to, and relaxing. I guarantee it won't be like going to Ko Samet, where you never finish your trip. ^^

And the reason I had to bring Phum to sit here, looking cool and attracting attention at Hua Lamphong, is because we're traveling by Thai Airways. Just kidding! I wanted to take the train for a chill trip. I didn't want to drive and get tired. If anything, Phum would make me drive. So, we agreed to take the train.

[T/N: In conclusion, Peem wanted to take the train because he didn't want to drive.]

"Shorty, are you hungry?"

"No," I yawned, "Are you hungry? Do you want me to go get you something to eat?"

"No need, just sit here and wait."

Then he walked over to the 7-Eleven on the other side. I squinted after Phum with a smile. Thinking about it, it was funny. Khun Chai must have to take the train. He must be very anxious. But Phum didn't object or complain to me at all about wanting to travel by the State Railway of Thailand. Oh my!

"Whoa, did you buy out the whole 7-Eleven, Phum?" Phum placed a huge 7-Eleven bag next to me, which was a lot. Are we going to the beach or hiking in the forest?

"In case you get hungry on the train."

"Oh, come on. There are vendors selling food on the train. There's plenty to eat, from sticky rice with grilled chicken to everything under the sun*."

[*original term สากกะเบือยันเรือรบ means all kinds of things (literally "pestles to warships"). Peem said it as สากกระเบือยันเรือจักรีนฤเบศร pestles to Chakri Naruebet ship - the flagship of the Royal Thai Navy, and Thailand's first and only aircraft carrier.]

"Well, how would I know? I've never taken the train before. And by the way, it's 'warship', not Chakri Naruebet. If you want to talk, get it right."

"So, what's the Chakri for?"

"War"

" Exactly, so where did I go wrong? Hahaha."

"Do you think just because I love you, I won't dare to kick you, Peem? Eat this so your mouth will be too busy to talk." He shoved a whole steamed bun into my mouth. Ouch, it's hot!

I sat eating the steamed bun and cheese sausage that Phum bought for me, teasing him and joking about how everyone was staring at him. Today, Phum wasn't even dressed up, just in a casual style—white tank top under a short-sleeved navy-blue shirt, short pants, and flip-flops. But... he looked so handsome, like he was from another planet. People were looking at him as if they wanted to knock him out and drag him home.

I was dressed similarly, but in a gray V-neck T-shirt. Sitting next to him, I felt completely overshadowed. I'm so jealous! I wish the girls would look at me like they look at him.

[T/n: We wish we could, but Phum is gonna gauge our eyes out.]

The sound of the train whistle and the sight of white smoke billowing in the distance acted like a bell, signaling Phum and me to stop bickering. We quickly packed up our food bags and slung our backpacks over our shoulders. I saw the station agent waving a flag in the distance, and people were carrying their belongings, getting ready.

As soon as the train came to a stop, people hurried to get on, but it wasn't as crowded as the BTS or subways I encountered every day.

"Khun, let me help you with that," I said, seeing an elderly man who looked to be in his seventies struggling with several items. So, I offered to help.

"Thank you, young man." he smiled at me and walked up first. I carried the box and followed behind, with Phum followed closely behind. Once we found a seat, I returned the items to the elderly man, who thanked me profusely.

As for us, we had to keep looking for seats because the front carriages were all full. We walked almost to the last carriage before we finally found seats. The train started moving just as we sat down, facing each other with our backpacks beside us.

"What are you smiling at, Phum?" This guy must be crazy, sitting there smiling at me.

"Nothing."

"Tell me."

"Just happy"

"Happy about what?"

"Having a kind boyfriend."

Oh, because I helped that elderly man carries his stuff. Oh well, anyone would do the same. So, I stared back at him and smiled too.

"What are you smiling at, Peem?" Phum asked me with a smile as well.

"Nothing." I copied his words.

"Tell me, Peem." He copied my words too.

"It's just funny seeing you like this. Khun Chai usually drives only Benz and Ferrari, but today have to rely on the train. Your ass will be numb."

"Well, you brought me into this mess."

"It's too late to change your mind now. Haha." But inside, I thought, 'Whether it's changing your mind about traveling or about me, it's actually not too late.'

The train has left Bangkok should reach Hua Hin by the afternoon. I watch the scenery swiftly pass by, matching the speed of the train. I can smell the fresh scent of trees as we pass through villages, fields, and forests. I never thought that I would have the chance to take a train trip with my faen.

I smiled at Phum, who was busy fiddling with the camera and didn't even look up to pay attention to me. Since I didn't bring my camera, I just sat there enjoying the scenery because Phum said he would handle the photography. Why bring two cameras when there are only two of us?

"Peem, smile!" Phum said, lifting the camera to take a picture of me. He told me to smile, but I did the opposite, pursing my lips and wrinkling my nose. In the end, I couldn't help but smile. After taking the photo, he looked at it and then pouted. How rude!

"Let me see. Do I look handsome? Wow, look just like Nadech," I said, moving to sit next to Phum to see the picture of myself. Hmm, Phum's photography skills are not bad at all.

Nadech Kugimiya - Thai actor and model.

[T/n: 😂 So if Peem had a choice, he would want to look like this?]

"Who's Nadech, your secret lover?"

This guy, getting jealous even of a celebrity. But I guess he didn't know who Nadech was. I had to pull out my phone and show him a picture of Nadech on Google so he'd believe that Nadech is a famous actor.

"Pull your head back in, Phum," I said. The dumbass had stuck his head out the window to take pictures, even though the train was passing through a narrow pass. He might lose his head without realizing it.

"But the air is so nice and cool."

Yeah, and if the bridge railing cuts your head off, would that be nicer? He listened to me and sat back properly. After a while, he fell asleep.

When the train stopped at Phetchaburi station, vendors came on board to sell food, as they had been doing all along the way. I bought some quail eggs and boiled peanuts to eat. But if I had known I would have to peel the eggs and shell the peanuts for Phum, I wouldn't have bought them at all.

" Peem, the peanuts are stuck in my throat. Give me some water." Don't you see I'm reading a comic here?

"Are your hands broken? The water is right next to you, drink it yourself."

"I walked all the way to 7-Eleven to buy it. Is it that hard for you to just hand it to me?"

This sense of indebtedness seems never-ending. He's been saying this since Ratchaburi, and now we're almost in Prachuap. He's probably said it a thousand times by now.

Annoyed, I put down my comic and went to play the role of a favored royal concubine, sitting next to him and handing him the water with a straw. He smiled cheekily.

[T/N: I thought you've been upgraded to the first wife?]

A spoiled child will eventually forget and stop being stubborn if adults ignore them for a while, but not Phum. He's not just any spoiled person; he's the type that if he wants something, he has to get it. Do I have a boyfriend or a son?

"Sit here," he said. After I gave him the water, I was about to return to my seat, but Phum grabbed my arm. He tossed his bag to sit next to mine, and we sat together. The cool breeze and a full stomach made me sleepy. I didn't even notice when the comic slipped from my hand.

"Are you sleepy, Peem?"

"Yeah" I nodded, my eyes barely open. Phum gently pushed my head to rest on his shoulder.

"If you're sleepy, just sleep. I'll wake you when we're close."

"Ok." I fell asleep, leaning on Phum's shoulder. The last thing I felt before drifting off was something touching my cheek.
...
..
.
"Finally, we're here!!!!!"

I took a deep breath of fresh air before shouting out loud and waving goodbye to the train as it moved away. The sound of the train's chugging and honking gradually faded. Phum quickly grabbed my hand to stop me from making a scene because people were staring. Why be embarrassed? We only met once. No one is bothered by my waving (except maybe Phum, haha).

Instead of heading straight to our accommodation upon arriving in Hua Hin, we spent time taking pictures of the station and its surroundings. I know it's beautiful, but I'm tired. Riding the train, I could enjoy the breeze and admire the view, which was pleasing to the eyes and refreshing to the heart, but it was still exhausting. Yet Phum was fully in his artistic mood for photography. Even as an art student, I'm not as artistic as he is.

By the time Phum was satisfied with his photos, I almost fell asleep on the bench for the second time. We walked a bit to catch a songthaew (shared taxi) to the resort we booked. This trip was supposed to be chill. Even though the resort offers a pick-up service, we preferred to take the songthaew.

The weather was hot, and I started feeling tired but Phum didn't complain. The vehicle was full of foreigners, most of them around our ages. Phum speaks English as fluently as a native speaker. I didn't understand them but they were probably asking for directions. When they saw Phum could speak English, they chatted with him. Phum responded kindly, showcasing the typical Thai hospitality and communication skills, while I could only send them a friendly smile.

After getting off the songthaew, we walked a little further. Wow, the atmosphere here is amazing. When we checked in, the female staff looked at Phum like she was devouring Phum with her eyes. She even called her friends to come look and squeal together as if he was a movie star.

I just stood there laughing because Phum was already pouting. The staff led us to our reserved room, which was a pretty private bungalow with lots of trees, quiet and peaceful. Most importantly, it was right by the sea, which I loved, if possible, I'd rate it a million stars.

As soon as I opened the bedroom, I threw my bag on the floor and threw myself onto the soft bed. Ahhh, so comfortable. In front of me were the sea and the sky, two things that always make me feel at ease just by looking at them. Outside the glass wall was a private swimming pool.

Phum walked over to open the balcony door to let in the sea breeze. The smell of the sea and the sound of the waves made me feel so refreshed and comfortable that I wanted to lie down like this for the rest of my life. I closed my eyes, spreads my arms, and crossed my legs back and forth. Not long after, someone walked up and lie down next to me.

At that moment, my heart pounded with a strange rhythm. I just remembered something. Traveling to another place and spending the night with my boyfriend, does something usually happen during that time? Something important that I forgot to think about.

I automatically tensed up when Phum's arms reached out and hugged me. It wasn't a comfortable hug; my heart was pounding so hard that the other party could definitely hear it. My brain was quickly processing what was about to happen, what Phum was going to do, and how I should react. I was both scared and excited. Even though I bluffed all the time, I had zero real experience.

Before I lost my mind, the sound of Phum's laughter brought me back, and I slowly opened my eyes.

"Are you afraid?"

"Oh, no, no, no, I'm not afraid." But I hid my face and didn't dare look at Phum.

"Oh, it hurts!" I screamed when he suddenly bit my cheek. Phum hugged me with all his strength, and I struggled to break free. We wrestled playfully for a few minutes before we ended up kissing passionately.
...
..
.
I groggily woke up and squinted around the room to adjust my eyes. I saw Phum sleeping next to me, his head nestled on my shoulder. Why does he like to sleep on his stomach? Heh, he looks like a kid. Look at his pinkish lips, slightly parted. It's funny.

Feeling mischievous, I stroked his hair. He looks so harmless when he's asleep, but why is he so demanding when he's awake? I played with his cheeks and hair for a while until Phum started to stir. I quickly pulled my hand back and pretended to get up to go to the bathroom.

"Are you awake?"

Yeah, I've been awake for a while, just watching your face. >o<

"Go wash your face. Let's go for a walk."

"Okay."

"Are you hungry?"

"A little. So where are we going?"

"Let's go for a walk and find something to eat at a restaurant by the beach."

...

"What the heck?" As soon as we walked out of the resort, not even two steps, Phum put something on my head.

"Wear it or you'll get skin cancer."

I took it off to look at it; it was a medium-sized straw hat. The sun wasn't that strong, but I wore it anyway so as not to waste his kindness. ^^

Phum led me along the beach, and we finally found a restaurant. There were rows of deck chairs under the pine trees, but let's eat first. I don't want to lie down and enjoy the view just yet. I'm hungry!

Phum and I ordered some dishes. Because someone is allergic to seafood, even though we came all the way to Hua Hin, I still had to eat pork and chicken without any chili, as usual. But I didn't complain, lest the atmosphere be ruined.

After we finished eating, the sky started to change from bright blue to a soft orange, pretty damn romantic!

Phum and I took off our flip-flops and carried them. He held my hand with his other hand as we walked along the beach, letting the waves splash our ankles. When our skin touched the cool seawater and fine sand, it felt good in a different way.

But Phum splashed water at me. I couldn't splash back because he had a camera worth half a hundred thousand baht hanging around his neck. Who would dare? If I splashed water on it, I wouldn't be able to pay for it. So, I just chased him and kicked his butt. Haha!

We stopped and looked out at the vast sea. We saw fishing boats coming ashore, mountains, the sun setting down, and the endless sea. There was also a guy who loved photography, taking pictures of me when I wasn't paying attention. Don't think I didn't notice. When I screamed in surprise at a jellyfish carcass, he probably took a picture of that too.

Even though the sea here isn't as clear and emerald green as the Andaman coast, Hua Hin's charm lies in its tranquility and the simple way of life of its people. It's fitting that this was one of the top tourist destinations in Thailand and worthy of being the first beach Phum and I visited together.

"Do you know how to ride a horse, Phum?" I saw a horse handler inviting tourists to ride it from afar. I wanted to try.

"Yes."

I shouldn't have asked him. Is there anything Phum can't do? Oh, right, ordering noodles. Hehe.

"Do you want to ride?

"I've always wanted to try, but I'm afraid of falling."

"I'm here, so what are you afraid of? Want to ride? I'll teach you."

"Hey, I'm just asking..."

But Phum didn't listen. He walked in to talk to the horse owner.

"How many horse?"

"One is enough. We will ride together."

"Hey, no, we won't ride together," I immediately refused, my face feeling hot. Even if it was late in the evening, I didn't want to be the center of attention if I rode the same horse as Phum. I was secretly sad that I had to worry about this - if I were a woman, would it be this difficult?

[T/n: ☹️]

The horse owner smiled knowingly. Even though it was evening, it didn't seem right for two guys to ride one horse together. Phum gave me a stern look to shut me up.

"Is there a time limit?"

"Usually fifteen minutes or half an hour, but if you want to ride longer, you can pay extra."

After agreeing on the price, Phum took the reins from the handler, while he walked over to his friend who was leading another horse. Aren't you afraid we'll steal the horse?

[T/N: He trusts you, Peem. In fact, Phum should be scared the horse might steal you away.]

"Come stand closer. It won't bite."

Yeah, I know it won't bite, but I'm afraid it'll kick. Phum pulled me closer to the horse named Banana Leaf. The owner said its name was Banana Leaf (What kind of horse is named Banana Leaf? I almost couldn't hold back my laughter when he told me. Haha). And why are you holding my waist? It tickles!

"Hold the reins, step on the stirrup, use your right hand to pull the saddle, swing your leg over the horse's back. Do it slowly."

Whoa, rapping like Thaitanium. Hey, man, it's my first time, can you slow down a bit?

[*Thaitanium (ไทยเทเนี่ยม) is a Thai-American hip hop music group, among the first of Thai rap artists.]

By the time I could get on the horse, both the person teaching and the person being taught was exhausting. It was like teaching a donkey to ride a horse. If the horse could talk, it would probably curse me, saying, "If it's this hard for you, just don't ride me, you idiot."

[T/N: Everyone disses Peem, even a horse 😂]

"Look straight ahead, keep your head straight, arch your back. Straight ahead, not tilting your head up, Peem."

Well, I was told to keep my head straight, so I tilted it all the way back. The horse started walking, and Phum led it along.

I teased him, saying he was my servant and I was a prince on a white horse. He retorted that I should stop being Snow White's friend before thinking of being a prince. Damn, I'm not a dwarf!

[T/n: Peem, you can be Snow White.]

The horse was pretty tame. Don't run nà, Banana Leaf! But now it seemed like the horse was walking faster.

"Phum, will it run?"

I looked down at the person walking the horse with worry. Phum didn't answer, but he stopped the horse. I thought he was going to let me down, but instead, he got on behind me. It nearly killed me to get on the horse, but Phum made it look so easy. Phum slipped his hands to hold the reins, so it felt like he was hugging me all over. It would've been embarrassing if I was not too busy thinking about falling from the horse and breaking my neck.

"It hurts."

After riding for a while, I started to feel sore. I never thought riding a horse would hurt like this. Also, I didn't want Phum to hug me any longer. If he just hugged me, I wouldn't mind, but he kept nuzzling his mouth and nose around my neck. Oh, come on, have some shame, we're at the beach!

[T/n: Oh, no, don't mind us.]

"Does it hurt? Want to get down?"

I quickly agreed. In the end, I got down and walked the horse. Trying to look cool like a cowboy, huh? How's that working out for me?

[T/n: Looks like a cowherd.]

Phum led the horse back to the owner, holding my hand with his other hand. He said he was leading a buffalo and a horse. I quickly shook off his hand and smacked the head of the guy who was laughing his head off.

[T/n: 🤣🤣🤣]

The beach was starting to quiet down as people began to thin out. Phum and I sat quietly watching the sunset together, looking at the last orange rays before the sun waved goodbye and disappeared into the water. The sea is probably the only place where we can see the horizon, where the sky meets the land.

The sky and the sea are two very different things, but they complement each other to sustain the world and its living beings. The sky and the sea will be together until the last day of this planet.

No matter how many months or years pass, or until the day this world ends, the sky and the sea will always be together like this forever.

End of Chapter 22 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>