CopyrightParvati
A jet's roar sliced Phitsanulok's dawn. Charlie Phanomthong looked up, a familiar longing in his eyes. By an old bus stop, he pictured his award-winning **sakura** painting, now in Bangkok-a symbol of his dream to visit **Japan**.
"Charlie, going somewhere early?" Aunt Namfon asked. He smiled. "Bangkok Art Centre, Auntie! My art was selected!" She smiled back. "You're always so capable, son."
Charlie, an orphan raised by his aunt, lived simply. He helped sell pancakes, learning humility. He excelled, earning scholarships to Naresuan University, a fourth-year Japanese major. His artistic passion persisted; his detailed, melancholic art held unique charm.
Meanwhile, in Bangkok, Yuran Iketani arrived. He'd just graduated top in dentistry from Nagasaki, yet his father, head of Tokyo's largest dental hospital, offered no praise. Yuran, from a family of dentists, was expected to inherit the business.
But Yuran dreamed of being a painter. He'd rebelled, getting expelled, and was sent to his aunt in Hawaii, finding freedom and surfing. His carefree life ended when his father had a stroke. His mother pleaded for him to return to **Japan** and study dentistry. For her, he complied, choosing coastal Nagasaki.
In dental school, his art skills enhanced his work. He graduated top, but his father remained unproud. At a hospital event, Yuran introduced his boyfriend, Yukio, to spite his father. The act nearly broke the family, but his mother's calm led his father to accept his sexuality.
His relationship with Yukio was rocky. They met in college. After three years, Yuran caught Yukio cheating. He took him back, but feelings changed. He stayed for comfort. When Yukio cheated again, Yuran felt nothing. He ended it. Yukio still clung to Yuran's good profile.
After graduation, Yuran's father announced his return to work, but Yuran dreaded it. He argued for a three-month break to find his life's meaning, leading him to **Thailand**.