Sirisuk Family,

Win's mom adjusted the gold bangle on her wrist, making sure it was perfect. She sighed, feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement bubbling inside her as she grabbed her purse. Today was a big day—meeting her best friend after so many years.

“Alright, let’s go,” she murmured to herself, stepping out of the house.

                                                                                              ***

Sabai Corner, Later,

Outside the café, she stepped out of the cab, smoothing her dress and looking around. Her heart was pounding as she saw a familiar figure not too far away—a woman wearing the same gold bangle as hers.

“Ratana…” she called out, her voice soft, a smile tugging at her lips as she started walking toward her.

Ratana turned and her eyes lit up. “Ah, Namfon!” she smiled brightly.

The two women locked eyes, and for a moment, it felt like no time had passed at all. They quickly walked toward each other, the air thick with emotion as they were about to reconnect after so many years.

And then...

Splat...

A pigeon pooped directly on Ratana's shoulder.

Both of them froze. They stared up at the sky, watching the pigeon fly away as if nothing happened. Then, they turned to look at each other. Ratana blinked, her face a mix of shock and disbelief.

"Woah... so, I received a blessing from heaven, huh?" Ratana said, looking at the white mess on her shoulder.

Namfon looked at her, then down at the poop, her face blank.

One second.

Two seconds.

And then...

Namfon burst out laughing. It started small, like a soft giggle, then grew into a full belly laugh. Her whole body shook with it, and tears started to form in her eyes.

“A blessing from heaven? Really?” Namfon said between laughs.

She wiped her eyes, still giggling. "This is the universe's way of saying 'welcome back to Thailand!'"

Ratana was still trying to wipe off the poop. “Well, at least now I know I’m really back in Thailand…” she said, chuckling.

They laughed for a full minute, the kind of laughter that felt so familiar, like no time had passed at all. It was as if they were the same two girls who used to laugh like this every day.

Finally, Namfon caught her breath. “Okay, okay,” she said. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

“Yeah,” Ratana said, wrinkling her nose. “I can’t bear the smell.”

                                                                                          ***

Teacher’s Office, After Lunchtime,

I was sitting at my desk, checking my students' homework. It was just me and Tan in the teacher’s office, both of us buried in the piles of papers—because, well, that’s what teachers do. Teach and check homework.

But still, something was stuck in my head, something I couldn’t shake off. 

Coming out of the closet. 

I mean, I never thought this would be harder than studying for those brutal exams or even cracking job interviews. Yet, here I was, stuck, feeling like this was the most impossible thing ever.

I glanced over at Tan. Looked like he was done pretending to work and had moved on to scrolling through his social media feed, slouched back in his chair like he had all the time in the world.

Should I ask him? How does it feel—coming out? I mean, Tan’s gay too, and he seems fine with it. Maybe he could give me some answers... or at least tell me I wasn’t going insane.

Tan didn’t even look up but somehow sensed my inner struggle. “Just ask already,” he said, scrolling through his feed. “Whatever it is—just don’t bore holes into me with your staring.”

I blinked. Caught. Damn, this guy always knows.

"So, what happened after you came out to your parents?" I asked, directly.

Tan glanced at me first, then let out a heavy sigh, like I’d just asked him to solve the world’s toughest math problem. He put his phone down on the desk, leaned back in his chair, and stared at the ceiling. There was a brief pause, as if he were struggling to keep his emotions in check.

"Umm... they were shocked. Panicked. And then... cut off the ties."

"What!?" I blurted out. 

My voice came out louder than I expected. I was genuinely shocked. I didn’t think my question would carry that kind of weight, but... looking at him, he didn’t seem all that bothered. Is he really not bothered?

"But why?" I asked again.

He gave me one of those casual shrugs. "Maybe they thought I’d be a bad influence on my younger brothers or something."

"What!" I repeated, louder this time. 

What kind of nonsense was that? Still, I understood one thing—it wasn’t just about Tan being gay. His family simply didn’t accept him for who he was. And yet, looking at Tan, you’d never guess it. He’d already gone back to scrolling through his phone, chuckling at whatever meme he found funny. Like… like he was trying to hide his pain behind that smile.

“You look… very calm,” I said, unwittingly.

Tan glanced at me, a brief pause lingering as he smirked. “Then what do you want me to do? Be sad? Depressed? Lock myself in my room and cry all day?”

I stared at him, blinking. “No, but—”

"Look, Win," he interrupted, putting his phone down again, "I am who I am. And life is too short to waste on people who can’t accept me for me. Why should I let them take up space in my life? I want to live every day like it’s my last. Sadness? Depression? Nah, I won’t give them a chance to control me."

His words hit me hard, like a wave crashing over me. He had a point. But still... I knew Tan’s family. They weren’t just a red flag—they were a whole red carpet rolled out with flashing warning signs.

 And my family? 

My family is like a green garden—supportive, loving, and always encouraging me. Even now, I’m eating their food, living under their roof, and they’ve never asked me for a single baht.

Cutting ties with them? No chance. Absolutely no chance.

The thought of coming out and potentially messing everything up? 

Ugh...

"Should I just stay in the closet forever?" I groaned and slammed my head down on the desk.

"No... you better tell them," Tan said, giving me a pointed look before going back to scrolling through his phone like the carefree guy he was.

                                                                                                  ***

After school...

School was over, and now I was sitting in my car, waiting for Pim. Alone with my thoughts, I slammed my poor head on the steering wheel this time. 

"Ugh… I don’t want to tell them," I mumbled. 

The fear from Tan’s story was still fresh, gnawing at my mind. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked him. Maybe ignorance is bliss.

Then Pim yanked the car door open and plopped down inside. She looked... angry? No, irritated—maybe both. Perfect. Just what I needed on top of my already chaotic thoughts.

I started the car, glancing at her as she folded her arms with a huff. "So, how was the day?" I asked.

"Bad. Very bad. Worsttttt," she growled, glaring straight ahead.

Whoa. 

Okay. 

She was spitting out those words like punches, each one packed with extra fury. It was like she was angry at the air itself.

"Alright, alright," I said, trying to keep my tone light. "What happened?"

Pim huffed, crossing her arms. "That new student. I hate him already!"

"New student? At this time of year?" I asked, glancing at her briefly.

"Yeah, and he’s the most annoying, little brat I’ve ever met," she said, her voice dripping with frustration.

"Little brat?" I chuckled, unable to hold back. "Pim, you’re talking like a grandma."

She glared at me. "So, what did he do?"

She threw her hands up in the air, exasperated. "He came in acting like he owns the place. Already talking back to me. Me! Can you believe it?"

I blinked, fighting to keep a straight face. "Yeah, I cannot. Sounds like he’s going to keep you busy."

Her glare intensified, like she was ready to turn me into a pile of ashes right there. but then she went silent, crossing her arms and staring out the window. I chuckled quietly, amused by her dramatic outburst. But my amusement didn’t last long—there it was again. That same nagging thought: coming out to my parents.

I stopped at the red light. 

Sigh...

And then I saw him again. Thanathorn Wachirayan—not right in front of me, but on the huge billboard across the street. There he was, holding a juice bottle, smiling like some model with perfect white teeth, and those ridiculous words beside him: "Refresh with Than."

Oohhh... goosebumps. 

I couldn't help it. 

Those words were so cheesy, but my eyes just couldn't look away. That guy—he was too perfect to be real. I mean, did he get plastic surgery or something? There's no way someone could look like that perfect. I mean, look at that guy beside my car, on the scooter—he’s handsome too, but way too many moles on his face.

The light turned green, and I drove off, but my mind was stuck. Deep down, something clicked inside me. I decided...

Yeah, today. I was gonna tell my parents. I’d tell them I’m gay. No matter what happens, I had to do it.