The Script Between Us

Chapter 02: Between Takes and Heartbreaks

—————

Afternoon scenes brought more chaos. A light fell mid-shot. A prop chair wobbled dangerously. And Namping accidentally dropped his notes in front of the cameras.

"Bravo!" Inthira called. "All natural clumsiness! We'll market it as method acting."

Yok leaned over, whispering, "Your face is priceless right now. I swear, Keng looks amused too."

Namping narrowed his eyes at her. "Stop—he's not amused!"

Save snorted. "Yes, he is."

Keng, of course, gave no indication of beung amused or otherwise, keeping his icy, composed demeanor. Except... his gaze lingered on Namping for a fraction longer than necessary.

—————

By sunset, the chaos was winding down. Namping felt drained but strangely alive. Keng approached him, casual but concerned.

"You heading home?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"You look tired."

"I'm fine," Namping said, forcing a smile.

"You say that every day."

"I'm... practicing optimism?" Namping tried, only barely hiding the blush.

Keng just nodded. "Noted."

Inthira appeared with a dramatic flourish. "He totally likes you."

"Stop analyzing him!" Namping whispered.

"Then stop living like one of your own characters," she shot back.

—————

Tee didn't answer Namping's calls that night. Or the next day. He had meetings, he said. But Namping couldn't help the hollow feeling growing in his chest.

Yok noticed. "P'Namping, you okay? You look... sad. And coffee doesn't usually do that to you."

"I'm fine," he said, lying weakly.

"Mm-hmm," Yok said, unconvinced. "You're fine like a soggy sock is dry. Come on, spill."

Namping bit his lip. "It's nothing."

"Uh-huh. 'Nothing' is when you're crying into ramen at 2 a.m. Don't think I won't know."

He glared at her. "I am not crying into ramen."

"You sure?" Yok teased. "Because I can always bring tissues next time."

—————

Later that week, Namping decided to surprise Tee at the restaurant Tee promised to try. A small gesture. a chocolate pastry he'd carefully bought—nothing dramatic.

The restaurant was cozy, warmly lit, the kind of place that smelled like rosemary and promises. Namping spotted Tee near the back... and froze.

Tee wasn't alone.

He leaned close to another man, fingers brushing softly, head tilting in a way Namping recognized all too well. The other man laughed quietly, Tee's hand rested on his. Intimate, gentle, unmistakably romantic.

Namping's chest tightened. He didn't move, didn't breathe. Just... watched.

Yok, who had coincidentally been walking past the restaurant and noticed the glow from inside, grabbed Namping's sleeve. "P'Namping... oh no... don't."

He didn't respond, just stepped back into the rain. Pastries soggy, phone buzzing with another ignored message from Tee:

TEE: Dinner running late. Don't wait up ❤️

Rain poured as he walked away. His hands shook. His chest hurt. He didn't want to go home. Not to the apartment filled with memories and silence.

He scrolled through his comtacts. Thumb hovering.

Keng (Mr. Ice Cube)

He pressed call.

"Hello?"

"K-Keng.."

"P'Namping? What's wrong?"

Tears blurred his vision. "Can I... come over? I can't..."

"Where are you?" Keng asked.

"Near Charn's Bistro...please, I just... I can't be alone.."

"I'm on my way," Keng said firmly. "Stay where you are."

Somehow, just hearing his voice made the rain a little warmer. The storm outside, the heartbreak inside, and yet... Keng's calm, steady presence felt like a lifeline.

Namping leaned against a lamppost, clutching the phone, and for the first time that night, the world didn't feel entirely broken.