We Meet Again✧⁠*⁠。

Episode 19

~the next day~

Santa woke up the next morning, the weight of yesterday still lingering in his mind. He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the drowsiness, and got out of bed. As he stepped into the living room, he found Prem sitting at the dining table, sipping on a cup of coffee

"Morning, Ta," Prem greeted him warmly, his usual playful tone replaced with genuine concern. "How are you holding up?"

Santa forced a weak smile as he sat across from Prem, resting his arms on the table. "Morning, Phi Prem... I don’t know. I guess I’m okay."

Prem tilted his head, clearly not convinced. " Phi Boun told me about everything that happened last night—Aun, Perth, the fight... You’ve been through a lot. You sure you're okay?"

Santa sighed deeply, his fingers nervously tracing the edge of the table. "I wish I could say yes, but honestly... no. I’m not okay, Phi."

Prem set down his cup, his eyes softening. "Talk to me, Ta. What’s going on in that head of yours?"

"It’s just... everything," Santa confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. " Phi Perth, the kiss, Aun, the fight. It’s all swirling around in my head, and I don’t know what to feel anymore. I thought I had control, but now… now I’m just lost."

Prem leaned back, taking in Santa’s words. "Relationships, especially ones like this, can be overwhelming. You don’t have to have all the answers right away, Ta. It’s okay to be confused. But maybe it’ll help to take a step back."

Santa looked up, his brow furrowed. "What do you mean, phi?" Asked Santa who curious with Prem's statement

Prem gave a gentle smile. "Sometimes, when things get too tangled, the best thing to do is look at where it all started. Think back to when you first met Perth, how things evolved between you two. Maybe looking at it from the beginning will give you some clarity."

Santa blinked, his mind flashing back to the past. "When we first met…"

"Yeah," Prem encouraged him, "Go back to the beginning. Before all this drama, before things got complicated. Maybe the answers you’re looking for are there."

Santa closed his eyes for a moment, the memories starting to flood in.

Santa’s thoughts took him back to that day at Studio Wabi Sabi, when he first met Perth
Santa sat quietly in the waiting room at Studio Wabi Sabi, flipping through his script. He had just wrapped filming his episode for 7 Project and was feeling a bit out of place. Even though he hadn’t acted alongside Perth, he knew who he was — the rising star everyone seemed to talk about.

As Santa was lost in his thoughts, he heard a familiar voice. "Hey, you’re Santa, right?" Perth approached with that easygoing smile.

Santa looked up, surprised. "Uh, yeah. That’s me. You’re....Phi Perth?

"Yeah, I’ve seen your work. You’re pretty good,"Perth said, leaning casually against the doorframe.

Santa smiled, a bit shy. "Thanks phi, but I’m still new to all this."

Perth chuckled and sat next to him. "We all start somewhere. When I first started, I had no idea what I was doing either."

Santa relaxed a little, appreciating Perth’s friendly tone. "Really? But you make it look so easy."

"It’s not always easy. But if you love what you’re doing, it gets better," Perth replied, giving him an encouraging pat on the back.

Their friendship grew over time as they bumped into each other at events and rehearsals.
One day, after a long day of promoting the series, Perth found Santa sitting alone in the studio’s lounge, looking deep in thought.

"Hey, Ta, why so serious?" Perth asked, calling him by the nickname he had given him.

Santa shrugged. "Just... thinking about the future, I guess. Everyone’s moving forward so fast."

Perth sat down beside him. "It’ll come, Ta. You’re talented. You’ve just gotta be patient."

Santa smiled, grateful for Perth’s support. "Thanks, Phi Perth. I’m glad we became friends."

Perth grinned. "Me too. And hey, no matter what happens, we’ve got each other’s backs, alright?"

Santa smiled at Perth "Alright"

Their bond became stronger, even when Perth eventually left Studio Wabi Sabi to join GMMTV. Santa still remembered the day Perth told him.

"So, you’re really leaving, phi?" Santa asked, trying to hide the sadness in his voice.

Perth nodded. "Yeah, I’ve got an offer at GMMTV. It’s a great opportunity."

Santa looked down, unsure what to say. "I’ll miss having you around."

Perth reached out and ruffled Santa’s hair, a gesture that always made Santa laugh. "Hey, we’ll still see each other. We’re in the same industry, after all."

Santa tried to force a smile. "Right… it’s just, things won’t be the same."

Perth’s expression softened. "I’ll always be there for you, Ta. Even if we’re in different places, you know you can count on me."

As time passed, Santa focused on his work, but he couldn’t deny the growing space between them. Perth became busier with his new projects, and though they kept in touch, their paths didn’t cross as often. The distance only made Santa realize how important Perth was to him — not just as a friend, but something more. But by the time Santa figured it out, Perth seemed so far away.

Santa,reflecting on the memories, "From the first time I met you on the set... we weren't even in the same episode, but somehow, we got close. I never thought much of it back then, just happy to have someone to laugh with, someone to talk to."

He pauses, staring at the floor, remembering the day Perth left Studio Wabi Sabi.

Santa,sighing, "When you left for GMMTV, it hurt more than I realized. And then... when we met again, I pushed everything aside. But... why? Why was I so scared?" Santa continue his thoughts

Santa clenches his fists, then lets out a breath, a soft smile appearing. "I get it now. I was scared because... I didn’t know what my feelings were. But now... I know." Said Santa to himself with a slow voice

He stands up, looking determined.

"I got it... I know what my feeling is." Said Santa while looking at prem