By Your Side ✧⁠*⁠。

Episode 5

Several weeks passed, and the results from Chulalongkorn University were finally out. Santa was at Uncle Tee's small cozy bookstore, The air was filled with the faint scent of aged books, and the faint hum of an old ceiling fan added to the tranquil atmosphere. Santa sat cross-legged on a chair, engrossed in a comic book, while Fourth occupied a chair next to him, flipping through a graphic novel. Uncle Tee stood behind the counter, occasionally glancing at the two boys with a warm smile. His son, Sky, and Sky's boyfriend, Nani, were chatting quietly at a table nearby.

Out of the blue, a notification pinged on both Santa’s and Fourth’s phones. They exchanged curious looks before simultaneously unlocking their screens. Santa's eyes darted to his email inbox, where a bold subject line from Chulalongkorn University stared back at him. His heartbeat quickened as he tapped on it. He scanned the text quickly, the words "Congratulations!" leaping out at him.

"I got in!" Santa exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief and joy.

Nani, startled by his outburst, turned toward him and asked, "Got in what?"

Santa stood up abruptly, nearly dropping his phone in excitement. "I got into Chulalongkorn University!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the small bookstore.

Fourth, who had been reading his own email, suddenly jumped to his feet as well. "I got in too!" he shouted, matching Santa’s enthusiasm.

Sky and Nani beamed at the boys, and Uncle Tee chuckled warmly. "Congratulations, you two," Sky said, clapping his hands lightly.

Santa and Fourth, unable to contain their joy, hugged each other tightly, jumping up and down as they chanted, "We got in! Woohoo! Let’s go! We did it!"

Suddenly, as if propelled by a shared thought, the two bolted toward the door.

"Oi! Where are you two going?" Uncle Tee called after them, laughing at their abrupt departure.

Sky and Nani exchanged amused glances. "They’re probably running home to tell their families," Sky said with a grin.

Nani nodded. "I don’t blame them. This is a big moment."

Uncle Tee smiled, his eyes twinkling with pride. "I’m so proud of them."

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Santa sprinted all the way home, bursting through the front door. "Ma! Pa!" he yelled breathlessly.

His parents, Min and Ploy, looked up in surprise. Min frowned slightly, concerned by Santa’s urgency. "Santa? What’s wrong?" he asked.

Santa, still catching his breath, managed to blurt out, "I got in!"

Ploy’s eyebrows knit together in confusion as she walked closer to Santa. "Got in? What do you mean?" she asked.

A huge grin spread across Santa’s face. "I got into Chulalongkorn University!" he exclaimed.

The room erupted with joy as Ploy and Min pulled him into a tight embrace. "Congratulations, our son!" they said in unison, their voices filled with pride and emotion.

"Thank you, Ma. Thank you, Pa," Santa said, pulling back from the hug. He noticed his mother wiping away tears of happiness while Min patted him affectionately on the shoulder.

Ploy turned to Min with a determined look. "I’m going to tell Arthit and Ariya! They need to know!" she said, Min nodded in agreement, and Ploy hurried out the door, still beaming with pride.

Santa climbed the stairs to his room, his mind buzzing with excitement. Once inside, he grabbed his phone from his pocket and texted Perth: "Phi Perth! I got in!"