Alter

Take 15!

It was Christmas Eve in Khon Kaen, and while the city buzzed with the festive energy of holiday lights and carols, War sat in a quiet corner of a coffee shop, his fingers flying across his laptop keys. The world outside was celebrating, but War?

He was lost in work, tapping out words that felt more like a distraction than productivity. He barely noticed the laughter and holiday cheer around him. He had been invited by Mrs. Wang to join their family dinner, but here he was, avoiding the warmth of the gathering, his excuse being work.

Truthfully, he'd chickened out at the last minute.

The memory of the Wangs' inauguration party loomed in his mind, particularly that awkward moment in the bathroom with Vee. He had felt a rush of hope when they joked and bantered, only to feel it deflate when he realized how quickly they had both retreated back into their shells.

What if he doesn't want to see me again? War had thought after their brief encounter, convincing himself it was better to avoid the possibility of more heartbreak. So, instead of embracing the chance to see Vee, he found himself glued to his laptop, battling the words on the page.

War was supposed to have flown back to Bangkok right after the Wangs' inauguration party, but something had held him back. Maybe it was the thought of going home to an empty apartment, or perhaps the quiet temptation of a Christmas he wasn't ready to fully face. In the end, he stayed. Not that it made much difference. Whether he went to the Wangs' dinner or sat here alone, it was all the same—he was spending Christmas on his own.

His phone buzzed on the table, vibrating loudly against the wood. For a brief second, his heart raced. Vee? But his hope dropped when he glanced at the screen. It was Priya, his ex-girlfriend. War sighed, feeling a mix of nostalgia and resignation as he answered.

"Hey, Priya," he said, trying to sound upbeat.

"War! Merry Christmas!" Her voice was full of warmth, and despite everything, it made him smile.

"Merry Christmas. You're spending it with Sarah and my cousin, right?"

War barely registered Sarah's giggle before rolling his eyes. Women and their cryptic laughter. He had no idea what joke she was in on, but he didn't particularly care.

His mind drifted as he thought about Priya, once the love of his life. She was the first woman he had truly loved, and after her, everyone else had just been... well, a distraction. A fleeting distraction. That is, until this body of his started developing an inconvenient crush on a certain moody, low-key rich director, Vee Vivis Wang.

Vee Vivis Wang. War sighed at the thought. The name alone made him feel ridiculous. Like a tongue twister gone wrong.

"Hello? War? Earth to War?" Priya's voice pulled him from his spiral, her tone carrying a teasing edge.

War sighed in mock annoyance. "I already told you, Priya, I'm in Khon Kaen. Attending some family friend's party or whatever."

"Oh, right," Priya replied, sounding far too curious. "Which coffee shop are you working in, by the way?"

War, now barely paying attention, absentmindedly typed on his laptop as he answered, "Cradle Café."

"Got it," Priya said sweetly before hanging up abruptly.

Weird, War thought, shrugging it off and returning to his work. The manuscript for his new novel wasn't going to write itself, and the deadline was lurking just past New Year's Day. He needed to focus.

But not five minutes later, his phone rang again. Without bothering to check the caller ID, he answered, fully expecting it to be Priya.

"What now? Are you planning to date me again or what? Does my cousin know about this new annoying hobby of yours, Priya, baby?" War teased, a smirk on his face as he prepared for some banter.