Beyond The Fine Line

Chapter XXI - Moonlit Pathways

As dusk fell, the warm glow of the surrounding lights enveloped Hua Lamphong Railway Station. Passengers hurried across the polished floors, their footsteps echoing against the grand arched ceilings while the aroma of street food vendors wafted through the warm and humid air.

As Sean approached the building, he couldn't help but pause, taking in the sight before him. Jay leaned against the wall, a sleek leather duffel bag slung over his shoulder, engrossed in his phone. There was a sense of ease about him, courtesy of black skinny jeans paired with a low-cut v-neck t-shirt. Sean's gaze lingered on the teasing glimpse of his chest, accentuated by the white fabric. His imagination instantly flew back to the locker room... to the morning in Tay's flat... Sean swallowed hard, wondering how he was going to survive this weekend.

At least, it was a good distraction from the fact they had to take the overnight train. With his nightmares being back, Sean didn't feel comfortable falling asleep in public places. But maybe he could somehow stay awake all the time.

"I hope you don't mind that I got a sleeper for two," Jay said, finishing the booking process on his phone. "Since it's my personal preference and you got dragged into it, tickets are on me."

"Let me guess, first class?" he chuckled, masking his relief at a more private sleeping arrangement.

"To my defence, this was the only option unless you want to share with a bunch of random strangers and deal with my shitty mood when someone wakes me up."

"Oh god, no!" Sean laughed and started walking towards the platform. "Although, it was definitely an interesting experience."

"Right, I nearly died."

Sean rolled his eyes playfully. "You are exaggerating. It was perfect congee."

"It was an abomination," Jay deadpanned.

"Well, in this case, it matched your mood perfectly," he remarked with a cheeky grin. "Are you always this insufferable when someone wakes you up?"

Jay couldn't help but laugh at his comparison. "Apparently, yes. It throws off my sleep schedule, and it's a massive chore to get back to it, so yeah..."

Sean figured the sleep schedule must have helped him deal with insomnia. And he ruined it because of Win. Sean promised never to fall for his friend's tricks again, no matter what.

"It does sound like a hassle to deal with," he said thoughtfully as they crossed the main hall. "What happens when something throws off your schedule?"

"Nothing serious," Jay shrugged. "It's just difficult to fall and stay asleep, which leaves me knackered and sometimes annoyed all the time, but no worries, I'm used to it."

It sounded serious to Sean, and from what he understood, Jay had already only slept a few hours a day. How much worse could things get for him? Sean wanted to know more about him, especially things he should avoid, but he was sure Jay would instantly backtrack and change the topic. Patience and going with the flow seemed like the best idea for now.

"This sounds horrible," he said empathetically.

Jay shook his head with a slight smile. "It's not that bad."

Sean couldn't help but notice that ever since Jay came back from London, his smile lacked this genuineness it had before. He missed it.

"If you say so," Sean replied, unconvinced. "I suggest we grab some dinner to go now. Food on the train can be hit and miss."

They strolled into the bustling area lined with food stalls, filled with the aroma of sizzling meats and fragrant spices. Sean led the way with confident strides, weaving through the crowd effortlessly. He approached a modest-looking stall manned by a cheerful elderly woman. After a quick look around, they settled on two portions of Pad Thai and a couple of bottles of chilled coconut water, followed by a variety of salapao for breakfast.