"Will these two ever stop fighting?"

"Lom, Blue, sorry about the noise."

Atjima apologized to her cousin and her wife after chasing Atitaya all the way from the entrance, trying to get an answer the other girl kept avoiding. As soon as she spotted Lom and Blue sitting in the living room watching TV, Atitaya took the chance to slip away.

"Lom, talk to your cousin. I'm going to the room."

"I'll come after I'm done here."

Atjima dropped onto the couch beside Lom as Blue quietly made space, giving them some privacy. Lom had probably already guessed something was wrong—Atjima had left in a good mood earlier. Whatever happened, it must've been serious enough for her to come back like this.

"Fai, did Kaprao make you eat wasps or something? Why do you look so sulky?"

"I'm irritated. I asked her nicely, but she wouldn't answer. Acting all mysterious..."

"You're interested in her, aren't you? If you keep fighting every day, when are you going to confess?"

"I think it's too late. Kaprao must already have someone. Today, her friend said she has a crush."

"Ah, so that's why my little pest came back heartbroken."

"It's not funny, Lom. I was trying to improve, to follow your advice—and the others'. But if it's already too late, then what's the point of changing for her?"

Atjima was still fuming, unable to let it go.
Jam. She needed to know just how important that person was to Atitaya. If merely mentioning it made her react like that, then it had to be serious.

"I'm not saying you should change yourself to the point of losing who you are. But if you improve and things still don't work out, you still gain something. You become better... and maybe someone else will see that."

"I don't care about anyone else. It doesn't matter how many people like me—it's annoying."

"But do you care about Kaprao?"

"If I didn't, would I be this angry?"

"So the day has finally come. The house's little pest actually likes someone. I have to tell Din and Nam—they need to know."

"Go ahead. But help me think... if Kaprao already has someone—"

"Are you going to give up?"

Atjima shook her head firmly. There was no way she would give up, and no way she would let Atitaya end up with Jam. She had never been the heroine of any story—she'd always been the villain, ever since she was little. And that wasn't going to change now.

"Someone like me doesn't give up. I'll find my way into her heart... until whatever she feels for that person disappears!"

⋆。𖦹 ̊。⋆

Thoughts and memories...

Atitaya finally had a moment to herself after parting ways with Atjima. She quickly took a shower, changed into her pajamas, and lay down to rest at Watit's house, where they would be staying in Bangkok for a few days.

As her body relaxed, her thoughts drifted back to something that had almost been exposed earlier—when Not casually mentioned it in front of Atjima, leading to endless questioning. It was about someone who had once meant everything to her.

Atitaya reached for her wallet and looked at the photos she always kept close. One was of her with her father. The other, hidden behind it, was of her at seven years old... standing beside Jam, who was eight at the time.

It was probably the only photo they had taken together back then—before they had the chance to take another one recently on the suspension bridge. She still kept that newer photo on her phone, just as she said she would delete it... but never actually did.

Seven-year-old Kaprao had truly adored Jam.

Back then, Jam had been her whole world—especially after she lost her father. Akanee had given her a second chance at life, guiding her forward... but Jam, being close to her age, had been just as important in a different way.

Even if Jam teased her, picked fights, and said harsh things that sometimes made her cry... those memories never faded. Jam had been part of her growth, part of the person she became.

Those sharp words had forced her to grow stronger—until one day, she could stand on her own without needing to rely on anyone else.

"Jam is you, you silly girl!"

Atitaya smiled faintly at the memory, realizing that Atjima could be just as foolish as she was—despite always being the one who called others that.

Some secrets... the ones she feared being discovered the most... were still safely hidden.

"Because the 22-year-old Kaprao doesn't like that grumpy Atjima anymore!"

⋆。𖦹 ̊。⋆

"What number is that?"

Atitaya hesitated when her phone lit up with an unknown number, and she let it ring for a few seconds before answering, thinking it might be something related to work since she had been away for several days.

"Hello."

[Atitaya?]

"Hello..."

Atitaya replied more softly when she recognized Phanee's voice, which already carried a sharp edge of anger, and she immediately understood that nothing good would come from this call, especially after Atjima had cut off contact and turned off her phone, leaving Phanee with no other choice but to reach her instead.

[With things this messy, there's no need to be polite to me.]

"Phanee..."

[Where is my niece, and what did you do to make Fai misunderstand something, because you need to tell her to call me right now.]

"If Atjima comes back, I'll tell her to call you."

[I should have never let Fai get involved with you, because we have never had any problems since we were little, and you are the cause of everything.]

[Atitaya.]

"Sorry..."

[You are an uneducated girl, and when I get back, I will make sure you understand exactly who you are dealing with.]

"..."

[So now you stay silent, because someone like you who wants to climb higher in life would try anything, and when you failed with Akanee, you decided to try again with my niece, but you will never succeed because I will do everything I can to throw you out.]

"Are you done, Phanee?"

Atjima's calm voice suddenly cut in as she walked into the room and saw Atitaya standing there with the phone in her hand and a tense expression on her face, and when she heard Phanee's name, she stepped closer and turned on the speaker so she could hear everything clearly.

[Fai!]

"Yes, Fai is here, and you wanted to talk to me, didn't you?"

[Did Atitaya tell you anything, because you should not believe her, since there is no one in this world who loves you as much as I do.]

"I know you love me, and I love you too, Phanee."

[Then choose between me and Atitaya, and if you really love me, you need to stop getting involved with her.]

"Phanee..."

[I hate that girl.]

"..."

Atitaya tightened her grip on the phone as she listened, because she had always known how much Phanee hated her, but hearing it said out loud like this still made her chest feel heavy.

[I have done everything for you, Fai, because you asked me to take care of things and find a way to drive her out of our home, so why are you upset with me now for doing exactly what you asked me to do, when Atitaya is more dangerous than she looks, and I only want you to stay away from her before you fall, so I hope you understand.]

The call ended, and the silence that followed felt suffocating.

Atjima stood there for a moment as she tried to find the right words, because she knew she had to explain before Atitaya misunderstood everything, but nothing came out the way she wanted.

"About what Phanee said, I can explain."

"No need, because I already knew."

"Wait, Atitaya."

"I have known for fifteen years how much you hated me."

Atjima froze when she heard that, because ever since they met again, she had already noticed that Atitaya had changed completely, and there was no trace left of the little girl who used to cry in front of her, but hearing her voice tremble now made something inside her chest tighten painfully.

"Now I hate you too."

"..."

⋆。𖦹 ̊。⋆

"I don't even know why Phanee said those things, because I never asked her to hurt Atitaya, and now she has completely misunderstood everything while I haven't even had the chance to explain."

"I think Phanee realized that Kaprao was with you, Fai, and maybe from the echo of your voice she figured out that the speakerphone was on, so she deliberately said those things to create a misunderstanding."

"But why would Phanee do that?"

"Because she wants to keep you away from anyone she doesn't like."

Atjima let out a quiet sigh as she accepted Lom's explanation, because Phanee had always loved and protected her like something precious, always trying to choose what she believed was best for her, but feelings were never something that could be forced, and no matter how suitable someone seemed, if it wasn't genuine, then the past fifteen years had already proven that clearly enough.

"Lom, can't you help Fai and Kaprao?"

"I'm trying to come up with something, Blue, but I still don't know how to make the two of them understand each other, and Kaprao hasn't left her room since this afternoon."

"Fai, you should try talking to her again, because the longer you wait, the harder it will be to fix this."

"I think it's better to give her some time, because if I try to talk to her now, I might only make things worse."

"If Rose were here, it would be great, because she would definitely know how to help you better than I do, and honestly, I don't really know how to deal with something like this."

"Speaking of Rose... I think I just got an idea, Blue, and I might know a way to make the two of them understand each other."

What kind of plan could make Counselor Lom smile like that, filled with hope that her younger cousin and the person she liked would be able to reconcile?

⋆。𖦹 ̊。⋆

"Atitaya."

"What is it?"

"I want to talk."

"I'm very busy, I don't have time."

Atitaya tried to brush past Atjima, who had finally managed to catch her alone after two days of being avoided, because the day before she had completely shut herself in, telling Blue that she had a headache and needed rest, while already planning to return to Surat Thani early just to avoid the long and uncomfortable journey together.

People who truly hated each other wouldn't act like this... and yet, even though Atjima's actions didn't match those harsh words, Phanee had said everything clearly, and Atjima hadn't defended herself or explained anything when Atitaya needed it the most.

So it must be true... Fai hates me.

"You haven't spoken to me for two days."

"I'm speaking now."

"You're avoiding me."

"I'm standing right here in front of you."

"Can we talk properly, because I don't want things to stay like this when everything was starting to get better, and do you really like it when we have problems like this?"

Atjima hated this suffocating tension that turned even ordinary days dark and heavy.

Even when Lom suggested that they take a few days to visit Din and Rose in Chiang Rai before heading back south, she couldn't enjoy the peaceful beauty of the farm at all, because all she could think about was how to fix things with Atitaya.

"Fine... I have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

"When I go back to Surat Thani, I'm going to ask Akanee for permission to work in Bangkok, because a friend told me there's an opening, and I don't want to cause any more trouble there."

"No. I don't allow it."

"I already told you, I'm not asking for permission, I'm just informing you."

"Atitaya, listen to me... I don't hate you."

The sudden touch made Atitaya's heart waver despite herself, because she had intended to leave right after saying what she needed to say, but instead she found herself stopping, waiting to hear the rest.

"Then how do you feel about me?"

"..."

"Well, I..."

"It doesn't matter. I don't want to know anymore."

"..."

Atjima fell silent, her courage slipping away at the worst moment, and even surrounded by the soft colors of blooming flowers in Chiang Rai, she couldn't bring herself to say what she truly felt.

"Fai, you're really terrible at this. I can't call you my mentor anymore."

"Rose? Since when have you been here?"

"I heard everything from the beginning, but I stayed quiet."

"You can criticize me all you want, Rose, because I really am terrible at this, I admit it."

"Then try expressing your feelings the same way you act when you're being rude, because I've seen you being mean to Kaprao so many times, but the moment things become serious, you freeze, and that's your karma, because even if you speak now, she might not believe you and think you're just deceiving her."

"What if I say it and Atitaya tells me she hates me?"

"If you don't say anything, nothing will change, and if I were you, I would say it anyway, because instead of hating it, she might actually give it a chance and reconsider."

"Rose..."

"There's no point in complaining, because you're the only one who can fix this!"

⋆。𖦹 ̊。⋆

"Where are you taking me, Rose?"

Atitaya asked when she saw Rose—the owner's wife—invite her for a walk through the flower garden, leading her farther and farther away from the house, and it was her first time in Chiang Rai, so she couldn't help but be captivated by the beauty of the place, even more than what Rose had once described back when they first met in Hua Hin.

"I built a new greenhouse last month, so I want to show it to you."

"It's really beautiful here."

"Do beautiful flowers help improve your mood?"

"Looking at them makes me feel calmer."

"It may soothe you, but it's only temporary, because solving things at the root is always better."

Atitaya paused slightly, not fully understanding what Rose meant.

"You can walk around inside the greenhouse first, and I'll go talk to the workers for a bit before I come back."

"Alright, Rose."

She nodded and stepped inside, immediately drawn in by the vibrant colors and delicate shapes of the flowers surrounding her, but as she walked deeper inside, she suddenly stopped when she realized she wasn't alone.

"Atjima!"

"I've been waiting for you."

"I don't have anything to talk to you about."

"If you keep running away like this, then when are we ever going to understand each other?"

Atitaya turned and walked straight toward the exit, but when she reached the door, she hesitated, her hand stopping mid-motion.

"What's wrong?"

"The door is locked... from the outside."

"That must be Rose."

"Did you plan this with her?"

"Don't look at me like that."

"You don't exactly have a good reputation."

"I know... at least, from your perspective."

Realizing there was no way out, Atitaya slowly stepped back into the greenhouse, and Atjima didn't waste the chance this time, because she had already promised Rose she wouldn't let this opportunity slip away again.

There was no longer a little Kaprao chasing after Fai... now it was Atjima who followed her instead.

"I admit that I told Phanee I hated you, but I was never the one who asked her to drive you away, not fifteen years ago and not now, because I never did that."

"Why bring this up again?"

"Because I need to explain that it was all a misunderstanding from when we were children, and I only thought that I hated you."

"A misunderstanding?"

"The truth is... I never hated you."

"..."

The words that used to provoke her now made her heart pound uncontrollably, as if something inside her was reacting all at once, like an unexpected allergy she couldn't fight.

"I'm sorry for everything, because even if we can't change the past, I still want you to know that I've always felt guilty, and I've wanted to apologize for a long time but never had the courage until now, so... I'm sorry."

"Forget it, it's all in the past, and I don't care about it anymore."

"Then accept this."

"What is it?"

"A sign of my apology."

Atitaya stood there, unsure whether to laugh or run away, because Atjima was speaking nonstop like someone finally releasing words she had kept locked away for years, and trapped inside the greenhouse, she had no choice but to listen.

"Rose said women like flowers, so I brought you one, and she said I could pick anything here."

"That's not a flower... it's a sprig of basil."

"I thought it suited you better, but Rose is probably going to scold me for taking it."

"That's... unusual."

"What is?"

"I've never been given a sprig of basil before."

She had received beautiful flowers before, but somehow, the small basil branch in Atjima's hand made her smile, and despite everything between them, it even made her laugh a little, while hearing that Atjima never truly hated her slowly eased the tightness in her chest.

"Will you accept it?"

"For the effort... I'll accept it."

"Then do you forgive me?"

"Yes... and I'm sorry too, for saying that I hated you."

Relief spread across Atjima's face the moment she heard that, because the fear of being hated had been weighing on her for days, and if Atitaya truly hated her, then she wouldn't even have the chance to try for her heart.

"Do you have your phone? Call Rose to open the door, because I didn't bring mine."

"I haven't said everything yet."

"What else is there? You apologized, and so did I, so what's left?"

"About Jam."

"That's enough, Atjima."

"Maybe I realized it late... but I'm still going to fight for it."

"What's wrong with you today? You're acting strange, like you're not yourself."

Atitaya looked at her in confusion, because the person standing in front of her now—nervous, hesitant—was nothing like the confident Atjima she knew.

"I'm going to tell you how I really feel."

"Then say it."

"I like you."

"..."

"I like you very much, Kaprao."

And yet... Kaprao hated Jam.

⋆。𖦹 ̊。⋆