Est is loved-by his parents, by his family, by a life that taught him how to endure quietly. William is admired by the world-successful, charming, careless in all the ways that never seem to matter. Their marriage is arranged for business, not cruelty. William never hurts Est. He simply never sees him. Est hides his loneliness behind polite smiles and careful silence, protecting his parents from the truth-that their only son is slowly disappearing inside a marriage where he exists alone. When Est finally leaves, he does so without anger, without accusation. And only then does William understand: absence can hurt far more than rejection. This is a story about neglect that doesn't look like abuse, love that arrives too late-and whether healing is still possible once someone walks away. only story is mine

An enemies-to-lovers story that follows William and Est-two boys bound by childhood rivalry, stubborn pride, and an unspoken connection that never quite went away. When Est moved into William's quiet Chiang Mai neighborhood, he didn't just bring noise and confidence-he brought change. To William, Est was loud, flashy, and infuriatingly good at everything. To Est, William was cold, smug, and impossible to impress. Over the years, they clashed like fire and ice, turning every shared moment into a silent war of words, glares, and video game showdowns. But everything changes when William finally follows his older brother to university-only to find himself roommates with the one person he swore he'd never tolerate again. Older now. Sharper. Still rivals... but something feels different. Because sometimes, hate lingers too long.
And sometimes, it starts to feel a little too much like something else.