By Your Side ✧⁠*⁠。

Episode 7

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the thin curtains of Santa's room, softly illuminating his face. He stirred from his sleep, groaning slightly as he blinked away the remnants of his dream. Reaching for his phone on the nightstand, he squinted at the screen, noticing it was already 9:30 a.m. Santa let out a small sigh, sat up, and rubbed his eyes. Setting the phone back down, he swung his legs off the bed and stretched before making his way to the bathroom.

In the shower, the warm water cascaded over him, washing away any lingering drowsiness. As he stood there, his thoughts drifted to the previous day. Perth had helped him so much, taking time to help him find everything he needed for university. Santa couldn’t help but smile, thinking about how much Perth had always been there for him. He chuckled softly to himself, feeling a warmth in his chest.

After finishing his shower, Santa wrapped a towel securely around his waist and stepped out. He walked to his closet, rifling through his clothes before settling on a simple but comfortable outfit: a light grey T-shirt and dark jeans. Once dressed, he grabbed a comb to tame his slightly damp hair. As he was finishing up, his phone buzzed on the nightstand. He glanced at the screen and saw Fourth’s name flashing. Smiling, Santa quickly answered.

"Fourth? What’s up?" Santa asked, his tone cheerful.

"Hey, Ta! Want to hang out today?" Fourth’s voice was lively on the other end. "I was thinking we could go to Aunty May's food stall for her noodles. We haven’t told her the big news about getting into Chulalongkorn University yet. Then, maybe we could stop by Uncle Tee's bookstore?"

Santa grinned. "That sounds great! When?"

"Now," Fourth replied without hesitation. "I’ll meet you at the park."

"Got it, see you there," Santa said before hanging up.

Sliding his phone into his pocket, he made his way downstairs. The aroma of breakfast greeted him as he saw his parents, Ploy and Min, already seated at the dining table. "Good morning, Ma, Pa," he greeted.

"Good morning, Ta," they replied in unison, smiling warmly.

Santa sat down and grabbed a sandwich his mother had prepared. As he ate, he looked up at his mom. "Ma, is it okay if I go out with Fourth today?"

Ploy smiled knowingly. "Of course, you can go. Just be back before dinner."

Santa grinned. "Thanks, Ma."

Once breakfast was done, Santa stepped outside, the warm morning air brushing against his face. As he was about to head to the park, he heard a familiar voice call out to him. "Ta!"

Turning, he saw Perth walking toward him. Santa smiled. "Phi Perth, you’re up early."

Perth chuckled. "Where are you off to?"

"Oh, Fourth asked me to hang out. We’re going to Aunty May's food stall and then to Uncle Tee’s bookstore," Santa explained.

Perth’s eyes lit up. "Can I come? It’s been ages since I’ve been there."

Santa hesitated only briefly before nodding. "Sure, phi."

"Great! Wait here, I’ll grab my phone," Perth said before heading back to his house.

While waiting, Santa pulled out his phone to text Fourth. 

"Fourth...Phi Perth is coming with me. Is that okay?"

Almost immediately, Fourth replied: 
"Really? Phi Perth is here? Of course, he can come! It’s been a while since I’ve seen him."

Santa smiled at the message and slipped his phone back into his pocket just as Perth returned. "Ready?" Perth asked.