For this outing, DMD chose a location near Bangkok for the convenience of the artists' busy schedules. Everyone traveled by large coach bus, partly to save time and partly to create opportunities for bonding among the members. Yet, the bus seemed to split into two distinct zones: the back was filled with laughter and nonstop singing, especially lively thanks to the full attendance of James' boyband; while the front of the bus was quiet, a haven for those who wanted to rest.

Strangely, James had settled down and slept soundly in the third row, next to Faris. Having stayed up late the previous night, all he wanted now was a good nap. Initially, James intended to sit at the back of the bus to join in the lively atmosphere, but for some reason, he always felt very comfortable sitting next to Faris and just wanted to sleep. He dozed off unknowingly, his head gently leaning on Faris' shoulder. Faris sat up straight, wearing sunglasses and looking calm. Anyone who passed by would not dare to disturb this scene.

Suddenly, the bus came to a sharp stop, and Faris quickly reached out to steady James' forehead to prevent him from falling forward. Waking up, James realized he had been sleeping on Faris' shoulder the entire time.

"Sorry, Phi! I fell asleep..." - He murmured, trying to turn away and lean against the window instead.

Faris didn't say anything, just pulled him back to his shoulder, his fingers tapping lightly on his cheek. Sleepy and unable to refuse this "soft pillow" to lean against the hard, cold window. The little one wriggled to find a comfortable spot on that shoulder and then continued to sleep.

The group's destination was Koh Samet, a picturesque island in southeastern Thailand. With a slightly pristine beauty, but it also has full facilities from bars and clubs to 5-star resorts. The only way to reach the island was by boat, a 45-minute ride. Knowing that James was seasick, Faris had prepared a bottle of herbal medicine for him to feel better. However, he still kept an eye on James, worried that he wouldn't get used to the sea waves.

After the ride, Koh Samet gradually appeared before them, the white sand stretched out, the crystal-clear waters, all creating a stunning scenery.

The sea breeze started to get stronger as the boat approached the pier. When everyone was preparing to leave the boat, larger waves suddenly hit, causing the boat to sway. Walking behind Faris, James lost his balance and stumbled against the boat's railing, nearly falling. Faris quickly grabbed his hand and pulled James towards him, wrapping one arm securely around James. Startled, James instinctively threw his arms around Faris' neck. They stood like that for a while, until the boat stabilized again.

"Are you okay?" - Faris asked, his voice full of concern, carefully checking to see if James had hurt his hand. James gave a slight nod, signaling he was fine but visibly tired from the trip. Faris, however, kept his hand on James' back, ensuring no further incidents occurred.

The "hero saves the beauty" moment just now could not escape the sharp eyes of the "detective" AR Team. A hastily taken photo captured the scene of Faris holding James. However, due to the backlight, no one's face was clear, only the posture and gestures could be seen.

The AR Phi(s) had long been paying attention to Faris, especially the way he cared for James. They noticed something unusual about him—from his investment in the boyband to his subtle yet natural gestures of care, especially the concern he showed earlier. These things made Phi(s) curious and determined to follow this 'secret couple' closely. It's also very interesting~

As usual, DMD staff promptly updated social media with behind-the-scenes photos and videos from the trip. Among the uploads of a series of photos, P'Ker accidentally included the backlit photo of Faris and James. Although she discovered and deleted it immediately after a few minutes, P'Ker couldn't help but worry - "Hope that his JSYs don't recognize their 'baby' just from his silhouette."

But P'Ker underestimated them. The photo spread quickly, and nearly every JSY was 90% certain it was James. However, knowing P'Ker had deleted it right away, fans refrained from overreacting to avoid causing unnecessary attention. The biggest question still remained: Who was the person holding James? No one in DMD has a similar body shape. Could it be a new staff?

.

At the resort, the check-in procedure was complete. Except for the BOD, each having a room, everyone else was paired up. Thankfully, James was rooming with his close friend Noeul this time, rather than a certain someone as before. 

Outside, the midday sun shone brightly as the gentle sea breeze carried the salty scent of the ocean. The resort exuded vibrant energy.

Lunch at the resort's restaurant was lively. Faris, James, the boyband, and the Phi(s) shared a long table, enjoying the buffet together. Throughout the meal, Faris remained attentive to James, skillfully selecting dishes he liked while avoiding those he didn't or couldn't eat. Of course, the Phis didn't miss the opportunity to "monitor" the two main characters. Every move Faris made was undoubtedly noted by their sharp eyes.

[Chat group:

P'Pookey: Or are we overthinking this?
P'Ker: Just keep watching! I know there's something...
P'Ging: I'm so curious!!]

Faris, holding a plate of seafood Pad Thai, walked towards the table. Before sitting down, he heard James ask:

"Wow, this Pad Thai looks so tempting, P'Faris, can I try some?" - It seemed like he had recovered from his seasickness earlier.

Faris saw him looking up, squinting his eyes because the sunlight was directly in James' face, looking silly, but cute. However, Faris still didn't forget to move aside to block that ray of sunlight before answering.

"Sure, but this portion has bean sprouts and celery, let me ask them to make a new one for you!" - With that, he walked over to the window to pull down a curtain, then headed to the kitchen counter to request a new dish.

[...Chat group:

P'Ging: @@!!!! Omgg 
P'Ker: I knew it, right? Do you have the same thoughts as me, the two of you? 
P'Pookey: My boyfriend has never done that!! 
P'Ker: love love you ...]

Although enjoying the meal, the Phi(s) did not forget their familiar task: constantly taking photos and videos to update today's journey on Instagram.

The mysterious photo posted earlier in the morning made James' fans eagerly await the next stories. Although they didn't know exactly what they were waiting for, curiosity drove them to keep "hunting" for more information. In the posted stories, James appeared quite a lot, sometimes alone, sometimes with other DMD members. However, fans paid special attention to the stories of other members, trying to find signs of Faris in every frame.

And of course, there were many gaps and suspicions here, when examined very carefully.

Fans noticed that there was someone who often walked beside James - a tall, broad-shouldered man in a grey-black shirt with an elegant demeanor. Not only did he walk beside him, but he also seemed to take care of James very attentively. 

For instance, in a distant photo from P'Park's story, the man was holding a cup of water and handing it to James. In the video from P'Ging, he stood beside and waited for James who was putting on his shoes for a quite while. From little Nat's story, when James accidentally got food sauce on his hand, that man quickly used a tissue to wipe it for him - just a small corner of his hand and a part of his shirt appeared, but it was enough for fans to recognize.

The company's outing, but the mae(s) at home were no less excited. It had been a long time since they had felt that their 'baby' had someone to take care of him like that. Some speculated that Faris was a new partner for James, but it didn't make sense given the timing. Additionally, fans found images from a distance showing Faris happily chatting with P'Aof and the boyband members. His appearance was no different from the photo that P'Ker posted this morning. 

So, who was he? What was his relationship with James?

However, for most fans, Faris' identity mattered less than the way he cared for James. Many fans didn't hesitate to "ship" them immediately because of the care he showed – along with Faris' appearance – which was really perfect.

.

While everyone was buzzing about the photo and the mysterious man, an account with the impressive name "my CEO's daisy" suddenly appeared on the X platform. With over 3,000 followers, this account made many people more curious because its owner was previously a JSY. What was even more surprising was that she had hidden all previous posts, changed the account name, and just shared a new post, revealing a story titled: The Shadow of White. 

It seemed the author intended to post the story chapter by chapter, starting with an evocative prologue:

[Chapter 1:

Could anyone have imagined that a brave, decisive, and bold alpha black wolf would grow fond of a lonely snow fox in the middle of a cold winter, just by catching a glimpse of the little fox? However, the black wolf did not dare to approach, fearing the differences between them, worried that his appearance would scare the little fox, and afraid he might never see him again if he rushed forward. So, that wolf could only silently watch over and protect him from the lurking dangers.

Would the black wolf choose to step closer to him? - To be continued...]

The notable thing here is the illustration accompanying the first chapter, an image that makes viewers unable to look away. The silhouette of a man, hidden in the soft light, is intently looking at a necklace in his hand. Although his face is obscured by the darkness, the necklace reveals that it is a flower – resembling a daisy.

The post quickly caught attention, with many comments expressing curiosity about the two characters mentioned, wondering how they might be connected to Daisy. The story has sparked the readers' curiosity, especially those following James and the events of the day. Many have come up with interesting theories, linking the real-life world and the "black wolf" character, everything seems like it can't be just a coincidence...

Fortunately, Mali has never publicly shared her personal information or workplace on this account, so all people can find is a "seemingly" absurd but promising story. She has skillfully built a world from her imagination and always hopes that this small story will have a fulfilling ending.

"Let's put our faith in this story! I do too."

_

After lunch, Faris and James took a walk towards the beach on a trail behind the resort. However, along the way, James couldn't help but feel like someone was watching him. After looking back a few times, he softly asked him:

"Do you feel like someone is following us?"

Faris smiled - "They're just curious, do you want to tease them?"

"Tease...?" - Before James could finish asking, Faris pulled him into a secluded corner between the path, a small corner created by three high cliffs. The narrow corner only allowed for the two of them to stand close together.

The sudden action made the followers, who had been secretly following from a distance, rush over. When they looked inside, they could only see Faris's back. At his shoulder, there was James's face, quite surprised, with Faris's hands gently holding his face, gradually seeing James close his eyes. Faris leaned his head closer, no different from the action of a couple secretly expressing their affection.

The Phi(s) couldn't hold back anymore and immediately took out their phones to capture the moment. Suddenly, they heard a voice from the two of them. Faris, still facing inward, said:

"If you take pictures, be sure to get James's good angle; he doesn't like looking bad, Mae!"

"...."
"...."
"...."

The atmosphere was silent for a few seconds before Faris stepped out. He crossed his arms, and leaned against the cliff, unable to hide his playful tone:

"Did you all think your movements were unnoticed?"

"Mr. Faris, you misunderstood. We were going to take pictures of the seaside..." - P'Ker couldn't hide her embarrassment, gently pushing P'Ging as if to say - "It's exposed, stop pretending, it's useless"

P'Pookey didn't want to let the team continue looking awkward and quickly pulled the group away:

"Alright, we're leaving now, we won't disturb you two anymore! Have fun!"

The Phi(s) group hurriedly retreated, but their giggling still echoed down the path. Faris smiled and shook his head as he watched them leave, but he forgot to look at the little one still leaning against the cliff, also quite embarrassed, his ears and nose turned red, which could be clearly seen under his fair skin.

'That man was so bold just now, in broad daylight and in front of my close Phi(s), he kissed me!!!! But... maybe it wasn't really a kiss, was it?'

In his mind, James kept replaying that scene. When he didn't understand the situation or Faris's plan to tease the Phis, he felt himself surrounded by three cliffs and an immovable 'flesh wall' in front of him. Faris smiled mysteriously, his eyes locked on James like an invitation:

"Will you cooperate with me?" - Faris's two big hands gently wrapped around the little boy's face, however, his fingers were placed on James's lips, separating them. Faris kissed directly...his finger.

But this feeling, James couldn't describe it; it left him confused. This definitely wasn't acting, there were no cameras, no director, and he didn't have a script to deal with this situation - 'Is he teasing the Phi(s) or teasing me?'

"Let's keep walking, they've gone now!" - Faris called out to him as he noticed James was standing there, dazed, looking incredibly cute. He moved closer - "Or... do you want it to be real this time?"

"I... I suddenly have a stomachache, Phi... I'll go back to the room first. See you at the diving session later!" - James didn't look at him, pushing him away to run off, his ears red enough to be seen from a distance. 

Faris watched him go and sighed -  "Haaha... I wonder how you'll be when it's real."

_

The coral reef snorkeling session took place in the afternoon on the same day. The weather was sunny, with few clouds, and the sea was calm like a huge mirror reflecting the clear blue sky above. The activity, called Snorkeling, is a type of diving that uses minimal equipment, allowing participants to view the coral reefs from a close distance and explore shallow waters ranging from 1 to 10 meters deep. Faris turned to ask James:

"Have you snorkeled before?" - He was double-checking the diving equipment for both of them.

"I haven't..." - Pouting slightly, because after listening to the instructor's instructions, his head was still buzzing and he didn't feel very confident.

"Try to get used to breathing with the mask first, and then just stick close to me."

"Ohhh..." - James nodded obediently. 

But the one who heard that wasn't just him, the Phi(s) would also follow the two closely...

The group participating in the snorkeling activity was not too large. They were taken to a sea area quite far from the resort, where the clear water revealed the coral reefs hidden just below. When everyone was ready, they took turns going into the water. Faris always stayed close to James, while the Phi(s) were always following the two too.

Under the cool water, Faris patiently guided him to get accustomed to the environment: breathing slowly, getting used to water pressure, wearing a diving mask, using a snorkel, and finally, and finally learn how to kick his fins. Thanks to his detailed guidance, James quickly grasped everything. The kid's eyes lit up when he realized he could control every movement. Faris taught so he could understand very quickly.

When everything was ready, the two began their exploration journey, the first step was to conquer a depth of 1-3 meters. James was excited to see the vibrant coral reefs, never imagining that beneath the ocean's surface lay such a beautiful and captivating visual display.

Seeing that he was getting used to it, Faris gestured to continue diving deeper. James hesitated for a moment, but when Faris patted his shoulder, implying that James should hold on if he was scared, the little one nodded.

And so, they continued to dive deeper. James could go as far as 8 meters, and everything opened up in front of him like a painting. No! It was a thousand times more beautiful than a painting! The multi-colored coral reefs stacked together in countless shapes, combined with the rays of sunlight that crept into the ocean, surrounded by schools of colorful fish swimming in front of his eyes. For the first time, he truly experienced the wonder of the rich ecosystem beneath the vast and enchanting ocean.

When the snorkeling session ended, the group was taken back to the boat to rest and enjoy snacks. James sat leaning against the side of the boat, his face still gleaming with excitement. Faris sat beside and handed him a bottle of water, a slight smile curling on his lips when he saw the happy expression on James' face.

"So, was your first time snorkeling worth it?" - He leaned in as if wanting to hear more from him.

"Totally worth it! Even more than I expected!" - He drank water and nodded vigorously, waving his hand as if trying to express all his excitement - "I finally saw Nemo!!! And the big coral reef at the deepest part too! This is the first time I've seen something this beautiful..."

Faris just sat quietly and listened to him. Today, James was very satisfied with this new experience. Seeing him happy like that, he was also very satisfied... By the way, the Phi(s) sitting beside them, checking the photos they had taken, were also equally satisfied, the pictures of James clinging to Faris under the ocean, exuding indescribable beauty.

"Ayyyy the beauty of the ocean can't compare to the beauty in our hands!" - P'Ker swiped through her phone and glanced meaningfully at the two.

And of course, that photo ended up as one of the 40 stories on P'Ker's Instagram.

_

Late in the afternoon by the beach, as the sun began its descent, the group hosted an outdoor barbecue party with a free stage for performances. The lapping of waves mingled with cheerful laughter, creating a truly relaxing atmosphere.

As night fell, the atmosphere became even more vibrant. Cheers and applause erupted as everyone urged Faris to step up to the stage. A rare opportunity to witness The Mister show off his singing skills – how could they let it pass? Faris smiled, his eyes showing a bit of helplessness, but he indulged everyone by performing a short piece with a guitar in hand. Once again, the ladies were struck by his charming, carefree look.

The group was almost immediately drawn in from the first few moments. His relaxed posture as he sat down and strummed the opening chords made the atmosphere settle in a magical way.

In truth, Faris only knew one song—a very popular one called "Destiny"—a song so famous that he had memorized and tried to practice with the guitar. He had stumbled upon it by chance and somehow, the melody and lyrics had stuck with him. He only knew two short verses, but they were enough to move anyone sitting there:

"Paradise cannot separate us.
Reincarnation cannot separate us.
Because we were destined to meet.

No one could change my mind.
It's as if my heart was born for you.
Waiting to meet you, and love you forever..."

Faris didn't sing elaborately, but let the words flow gently, like a heartfelt monologue.

Faris's voice was not particularly exceptional, but it had a warm-low, poetic quality that was perfectly suited to the cool atmosphere around. Everyone listened intently, their eyes fixed on him. The casual way he strummed his guitar, the gentle way he delivered the lyrics, and the way he glanced at James when the lyrics "Waiting to meet you and loving you forever" played, all that made James' view in front of him narrow down to just his figure on the stage.

"If I say I am not moved... I'm lying to myself..."

But the little one quickly looked away,  as if afraid someone would notice what was happening in his heart.

_