The Pen That Changed My Life - Chapter 60 – The Night Everything Changed

19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdQ557KirMg

Autumn arrived quietly.

The air became cooler.

The leaves outside the classrooms slowly changed color.

Another season had passed.

Without realizing it...

Narin and I had almost been together for a year.

That evening, Narin invited me to his uncle's house for dinner.

"It'll just be family," he said.

"You should come."

As always...

I couldn't find a reason to refuse.

Dinner was warm and cheerful.

His aunt filled everyone's plates.

His uncle told old family stories.

The younger children laughed at everything.

Korn sat across from me.

From time to time, our eyes met.

He would smile politely.

And I would smile back.

Nothing more.

After dinner, the younger children wanted ice cream.

Narin's uncle took everyone to a nearby shop.

Only three of us remained at the house.

Narin.

Korn.

And me.

"I'll be back in a minute," Narin said.

"I forgot my jacket upstairs."

He disappeared toward the second floor.

Korn and I stayed in the living room.

Neither of us spoke.

The silence wasn't awkward.

It was simply... quiet.

A moment later, I heard footsteps behind me.

I turned around.

It was Narin.

Without saying a word...

He smiled.

Then gently took my hand.

"Come outside for a minute."

I followed him to the small garden behind the house.

The evening sky was filled with stars.

No one else was there.

"I almost forgot," Narin said.

"Forgot what?"

He reached into his pocket.

Inside was the same fountain pen I had given him on his birthday.

"I've carried it every day."

"You really kept your promise."

"I told you I would."

I smiled.

"I'm glad."

For a few moments...

We simply stood together.

The night was peaceful.

Narin looked into my eyes.

"I love you, Phawin."

"I love you too."

He stepped a little closer.

Then...

He kissed me.

Softly.

Gently.

Just like the first time.

Neither of us knew...

That someone had seen everything.

Standing just inside the open back door...

Korn had come downstairs looking for Narin.

Instead...

He stopped where he was.

He watched the two people standing beneath the night sky.

The quiet confession.

The gentle kiss.

The way they smiled at each other afterward.

For a long moment...

He couldn't move.

His heart felt impossibly heavy.

Not because he blamed them.

They had done nothing wrong.

The only thing that hurt...

Was realizing there was no place left for his own feelings.

Before either of us noticed him...

Korn quietly stepped back into the house.

He closed his eyes.

Took a slow breath.

And whispered to himself,

"You have to let him go."

But even as he said the words...

His heart refused to believe them.

That night...

For the first time...

Korn understood that loving someone sometimes meant carrying a pain that no one else could see.

And although Phawin never noticed...

The course of all three of their lives had quietly begun to change.

— End of Book One —19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAUEbavGxh

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