I Found You

chapter 11

It is the sixth time in two minutes that Lily has established she does not want more porridge. and Sarawat is clearly not the father who glares and gets his words followed. as a result, he is always the one who gives in.

"did she eat?" Tine asks as Sarawat comes out of the room, visibly tired.

"would i look like this if she had?" Sarawat sighs and Tine cannot help but chuckle at how cute this whole situation but mostly Sarawat looks.

"I'm sorry she asked you to leave us alone" Sarawat apologizes for the second time, "she's just shy."

"i know Wat" Tine assures him, "I mean she hates having people around her. that's the most relatable thing to me ever."

they laugh. Sarawat peers inside and then at Tine, his expressions changing into something more hopeful.

"would you like to try?" he asks, rather timidly, offering Tine the bowl of unfinished porridge. Tine's eyebrows hike up in surprise, his gaze bouncing between the bowl and Sarawat and then halt in Lily's direction.

"are- are you sure?"

Sarawat nods encouragingly. it's little but will do it for now.

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"hey Lily" Tine says, his lips spread wide in an awkward and stiff smile. waving in tiny, he sits on the sofa beside the bed, glancing at her from the corner of his eyes, his heart sinking by the sight of Lily's scowl. may be it's the porridge in his hand, he convinces himself. he inhales sharply and puts the bowl aside.

"come here" he whispers, flicking his finger, "i have a plan."

now Lily is a smart kid but a kid in the end. curiosity gets the best of her and she leans ahead, sticking her ear against Tine's mouth. Tine pretends to look around as if in a conspiracy before whispering in her ears, "this is what we will do. you will finish this porridge and tell your father that you need to walk a bit. then I will take you to eat ice cream. sounds good?"

Lily's eyes grow big, more when she smiles prettily. just like her father. she got her daddy's warm smile on her face, the same cheeky dents and the same innocence in eyes, Tine concludes. it's not always there on her lips but when it is, oh it's the loveliest sight to behold.

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"how did she warm up to you?" Sarawat asks baffled after tucking a sleeping Lily in the car and coming out to say goodbye to Tine.

"just an icecream" Tine shrugs, laughing, "it's crazy how kids need so simple things to decide who they want to love."

Sarawat stares at Tine quietly and nods after a thick pause. "i am sorry i am not as sorted as my daughter."

Tine frowns. he does not know what to say so he just smiles and whispers a small good night to Sarawat.

"good night Tine" Sarawat says, wrapping the other with his jacket he offered earlier. something hurls inside Tine so bad he wants to cry. or may be he just wants to sit in the car and go spend some time with Sarawat and his father and Lily because every time Tine leaves Sarawat and comes back, his apartment feels cold and offensively big. but Sarawat would have asked him to come along, if he wanted to. they both know it.

"good night Wat" he mumbles and the other walks away. Tine would have liked to hug him at least. his gaze stays fixed to his shoes because he doesn't really want to see that car going away from him. yet, it leaves. Tine's eyes stay at his shoes and something warm and liquid drip on them.

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"something is going on between you two" Mr. Teepakorn lands his verdict as he lurks lazily on the couch. it is late night and he does not want to go back to his empty house yet.