ด้วยรักตลอดไป (With Love, Forever)

Jeff

The bell rang, signaling the end of classes for the day, but I didn't head straight to the staff room like usual. Instead, I made my way to the front of the school, where the children were filtering out one by one, eager to reunite with their parents and guardians.

Among them, Xinxin stood near the gate, her backpack hanging slightly off one shoulder. She wasn't talking to anyone, just staring down at the ground, kicking at a loose pebble.

The moment she looked up and saw me, her small face scrunched in confusion.

"Mr. Jyff?"

I smiled and waved. "Hello, little one."

She blinked up at me, tilting her head slightly, her usual spark missing. "Why are you here?"

I crouched down to her level. "Your dad had something important to do, so he asked me to pick you up today. You're coming home with me for a bit, alright?"

Her eyebrows furrowed. "To your house?"

"Yep. My mom's working, but she'll be back later. You'll be safe with me."

Xinxin stared at me for a long moment, processing this information, before nodding slowly.

"Okay."

Not the usual excitement I was used to from her, but at least she didn't protest. I reached for her backpack strap and fixed it on her shoulder properly, then held my hand out for her to take.

To my surprise, she slipped her tiny fingers into mine without hesitation.

I gave her hand a gentle squeeze as we started walking. "Did you eat well today?"

She shrugged. "A little."

"That doesn't sound like enough for a growing kid. How about we get some snacks on the way home?"

That got a small reaction—her fingers wiggled slightly in mine, almost like she wanted to be excited but wasn't sure if she should be. "Snacks?"

"Mhm. Whatever you want."

She thought about it for a moment. "Pineapple buns?"

I chuckled. "Good choice. Alright, pineapple buns it is."

We stopped by a bakery near my apartment, and I let her pick out the biggest, fluffiest pineapple bun they had. When the cashier handed it over in a small paper bag, Xinxin held it carefully with both hands, like it was something precious.

By the time we reached my apartment, she was already nibbling at the edges, crumbs dusting her lips. I let her in first, closing the door behind us.

"You can put your bag down anywhere," I told her. "Make yourself at home."

She placed her backpack neatly by the couch, then climbed onto it, her small legs swinging.

I sat down beside her, watching as she picked at the bun, breaking off little pieces instead of taking big bites.

"You're really okay being here with me?" I asked gently.

She looked up, her eyes searching mine for a moment before nodding. "You're nice."

I smiled. "Well, I'm glad to hear that."

She hesitated, then added in a quiet voice, "And Daddy likes you too."

My chest tightened slightly at that.

"He does," I said, voice soft. "And so do I."