Only You

First meeting - July 2023, GMMTV Building

The conference room was quiet, filled with the soft rustle of script pages and the occasional murmured conversation. The walls were lined with posters of past GMMTV hits, quietly waiting for a new story to begin.

Est was already there, seated near the middle of the long table. His fingers drummed lightly against the edge of his script, eyes scanning the first few lines. He looked calm, but his thoughts were far away - mostly on this new pairing.

He had heard of William before. He'd seen him a few times around the building - and of course, he'd watched him perform. He was captivating on stage. Est had no doubt he'd be a great actor too; William had the kind of presence that made you believe he could master anything he tried.

Still, Est couldn't shake a few worries.

First, William's age. He was younger, and something about him seemed so fresh, so untouched by the weight of this industry. Est felt oddly protective - like he had to be careful around him. Especially when it came to skinship.

Second, William's talent. Est had seen clips of him training, performing, improvising. The guy was sharp. What if Est couldn't keep up?

And third - he was beautiful. Unfairly so. That kind of delicate, almost ethereal beauty that made Est nervous just imagining their scenes together. He was too good-looking for his own good.

Lost in thought, Est didn't notice the door opening until the creak broke through the room's hush - and a soft, breathless voice followed.

"Sorry I'm late," William said in Thai, bowing politely. "Traffic."

Est looked up.

And there he was.

Tall. A little flushed from rushing - his cheeks pink, as if embarrassed. His dark hair was slightly tousled. He looked nervous - and beautiful. There was something in the way he clutched the script to his chest that made Est's lips twitch into the faintest smile.

"William! We were waiting for you," the director said warmly. "Grab a seat next to Est."

William nodded quickly and moved to the chair beside him. Their arms brushed as he sat down. Est pretended not to notice, but his pulse quickened, loud in his ears.

"Hi," William whispered once they were settled. His voice was low, a little shaky.

"Hi," Est replied, turning slightly to meet his gaze. His smile was soft - maybe too soft.
"Nice to meet you, Nong William."

"Yeah, finally, right? Thank you for accepting this role, P'Est. I'm really grateful for the opportunity," William replied quickly, bowing his head slightly.

Est bowed back, but he could feel his cheeks warm. Their eyes locked - just for a second - but it was enough. Something electric passed between them.

He felt it.

And he saw it in William's eyes - he had felt it too.

They didn't speak again for a while, but the silence between them wasn't empty. It was curious. Charged. Full of something neither of them could name yet.

This was the first script reading. A pilot session, just to feel the characters, explore dynamics, and suggest changes if needed. Only the two of them were present, along with the directing team and a few executives.

And when Thame and Po - their characters - finally exchanged their first lines, something shifted in the room.

Everyone felt it, but no one said a word.

It was like the whole room held its breath.

Forty minutes later...

The reading was a success. Everyone was smiling, clearly pleased with the chemistry between William and Est - and the way they slipped into their roles so naturally.

The director shared a few encouraging words with the team about working hard to bring this story to life, then dismissed the room with a satisfied nod.

Chairs scraped softly as people stood, gathering scripts and water bottles. Voices filled the space again. One by one, everyone began to leave.

Est lingered.

He wasn't sure what to say to William. He didn't know when they'd see each other again, but he knew they'd have to become friends - quickly. They needed that for the project. He wanted to sound warm, grounded, reassuring - but his mind was suddenly blank.

Before he could think of something to say, William turned to him.

"P'Est... what's your Instagram?"

Est blinked, caught off guard. That was the last thing he expected.

He gave it to him, and a moment later felt the faint buzz of a new notification in his pocket.

"I guess we'll be seeing each other around soon, right?" William said, tilting his head, a hopeful little smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah, probably," Est replied. Then, without thinking - "You don't drive yet, do you, Nong?"

Where had that come from? Was he about to offer him a ride? Did he even know where he lived? Est could feel the heat blooming on his cheeks again. Damn it.

"No, not yet. I'm working on my license," William answered, a little sheepish. "For now, the company car picks me up. Or I just take an Uber. Why?"

Est hesitated. Then quietly asked, "Do you... want a ride home?"

William blinked, surprised - then smiled. "Sure. I mean, if it's not too much trouble."

Those eyes - big, curious, disarming - were distracting. But Est focused.

"Of course not. Do you have anything else to do here?"

"Nope. We can go if you're ready."

William stood, gathering his things. Est nodded and followed his movements, then turned to say goodbye to the few remaining crew in the room. As they walked toward the doors, Est could feel William's presence just behind him - warm and quiet.

His skin tingled.

As they stepped into the elevator, silence settled between them - not uncomfortable, but loaded with thoughts neither of them dared to voice. Est kept his eyes on the floor numbers, trying not to glance sideways. William, standing just a little too close, rocked gently on his heels. The soft hum of the elevator filled the space, but Est could swear he heard his own heartbeat louder than anything. When the doors opened on the side exit, they walked side by side into the quiet parking lot. The night air was cool, but Est still felt warm - and he had the strangest feeling that something about his life had just... shifted.