A Star for My Heart Chapter - 4The Other side of Bangkok, Midnight,
In a luxurious apartment on the other side of Bangkok, Anurak Wachirayan—Than's father, in his 40s, sat at his desk, focused on the glow of his laptop screen, lost in his work.
Suddenly, a knock echoed from the door. Anurak paused and looked up, his sharp eyes taking in the clock on the wall. It was already 2 AM.
"Darling, are you free?" Ratana, peeked her head inside.
"Can you not sleep?" he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied his wife.
Ratana stepped inside, closing the door softly behind her. She leaned against the desk where he worked, her eyes fixed on him.
"I couldn't," she confessed, her voice a bit tired. "Too many things on my mind."
Anurak raised an eyebrow as he closed his laptop with a soft click. He looked at his wife with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Didn't you meet your friend today? I thought you'd be happy. But looking at you..." He scanned her face carefully, his voice dropping slightly. "Did she do something?"
"Of course not," she said.
"Then what's bothering you?" Anurak asked, his brows knitting in confusion.
Ratana let out a soft sigh, her gaze distant. "Do you remember how I used to tell you that Namfoon and I wanted to be more than just best friends?"
Anurak nodded, recalling the countless times she had brought it up. "Yes, I remember. You both wanted to become in-laws, right?"
She nodded slowly, her expression tinged with bittersweet emotion. "Yes. We always imagined our children marrying each other and binding our families together. It was a dream we clung to for years."
"So what's stopping you now?" Anurak asked, tilting his head thoughtfully. "Doesn't Namfoon have children?"
"She does," Ratana replied with another sigh. "She has a son who's the same age as our Than, and a daughter... but she's only nine years old."
Anurak leaned back in his chair, the pieces clicking into place. "Ah, I see. You both realized it couldn't happen because you each had a son."
Ratana nodded, her shoulders slumping slightly. "Exactly. It felt like such a perfect dream, but it just wasn't meant to be."
Anurak walked over to her and gently wrapped his arms around her, his voice soft and reassuring. "It's okay, Ratana. Not every dream can come true, and that's alright."
Ratana leaned into his embrace, but the tension in her voice lingered. "But this one was important to me," she murmured.
Anurak pulled back slightly, his gaze softening as he looked into her eyes. "Why? I mean, I understand it was a dream you shared, but dreams don't always align with reality. Why does this one mean so much to you?"
Ratana sighed deeply, her mind drifting back to a moment from her past.
***
A Flashback when Ratana and Namfoon were high school students...
It was high school, and Ratana stood at the back of the school building, her heart pounding with dread. A group of girls surrounded her, their sneering faces blocking any path of escape.
"Hand it over," one of them demanded, snatching at her purse.
"No," Ratana said quietly, clutching the bag tighter. "I won't."
The leader of the group scoffed before slapping her hard across the face. Ratana staggered, her resolve crumbling.
"If you want to live peacefully, you better cooperate," another girl sneered, yanking at her hair and pulling her down to the ground.
Ratana whimpered, her body trembling as fear took hold. This wasn't the first time—it had become a routine, a daily torment she had no strength to resist.
The bullies emptied her purse, grabbing her money and tossing the bag back at her with a smug laugh. "You better keep your mouth shut, or you know what we can do," one of them warned, her tone dripping with menace.
Ratana sat frozen on the ground, tears threatening to spill. She had no hope left, no one to protect her.
And then, out of nowhere, a sharp kick landed on the leg of the girl who had been pulling Ratana's hair.
"Back off!" a strong, commanding voice rang out.
Ratana looked up, and there she was—Namfoon, standing tall like a hero from a movie. Her uniform was slightly untucked, her school bag slung over one shoulder, and her eyes burned with fury.
"Who do you think you are?" one of the bullies snapped, though her voice wavered.
Namfoon didn't bother replying. Without hesitation, she swung her school bag, the force of it knocking the girl to the ground. The bully gasped, clutching her side in shock.
"Give me the money. Now," Namfoon commanded, her voice sharp and unyielding as her intense gaze bore into the group.
"And what if we don't?" one of them challenged, her bravado faltering under Namfoon's glare.
Namfoon stepped forward, raising her fist as if ready to strike but stopped just short of the girl's face. Her voice dropped to a low, menacing tone. "If you don't want your face to be ruined, you'd better listen to me."
The girl froze for a moment, then hastily threw the money onto the ground. Without another word, the group scattered, running away in fear.
Namfoon bent down, picked up the money, and turned to Ratana, who was still sitting on the ground, trembling. "Can't you be a little stronger?" Namfoon muttered, handing her the money. Without waiting for a reply, she turned and started walking away.
Ratana stared at her in shock, clutching the money. For a moment, she hesitated, but then she scrambled to her feet, calling out, "Hold on… wait!"
Namfoon stopped, glancing back with a hint of annoyance. "What?" she asked, her tone curt.
Ratana jogged up to her, a bit out of breath. She reached out, lightly grabbing Namfoon's hand to stop her. "Do you… do you have friends?"
Namfoon looked at her, her expression softening slightly. She seemed to consider the question for a moment before shrugging. "Umm… maybe not. Just classmates."
Ratana smiled shyly. "Then let's be friends. I don't have friends either."
Namfoon blinked, her eyes scanning Ratana as if assessing her sincerity.
"You don't want to, do you?" Ratana asked.
Namfoon's lips quirked into a small smile, the first hint of warmth breaking through her tough exterior. "Sure," she said, her voice lighter this time. "Let's be friends then."
Ratana beamed, her heart swelling with relief and joy.
End of Flashback.
***
Back to Present,
Anurak sighed, running a hand through his hair as he processed what Ratana had shared.
"And since then," Ratana continued, her voice softer now, "Namfoon has always protected me. She stood up for me when no one else did. And when one day she told me she'd love for us to become in-laws—"
Anurak cut her off gently, his tone filled with understanding. "You thought that by making it happen, you could repay her."
Ratana nodded, her eyes glistening with unspoken emotions. "Yes. It felt like the perfect way to repay her and streghthen our bond. But now… it seems I've lost even that chance."
Anurak sighed deeply and moved closer, sitting beside her. He wrapped his arms around her in a comforting embrace. "It's okay," he murmured, his voice steady and reassuring. "You'll definitely find another way to repay her."
"I hope so," Ratana whispered, her voice barely audible.
***
Next Day,
Wachirayan Family, Kitchen,
Ratana stood in the kitchen, stirring a pot of stew while munching on a piece of cucumber. As she took another bite, her phone suddenly buzzed on the counter, pulling her out of her thoughts. She wiped her hands on a towel and glanced at the screen. A smile tugged at her lips when she saw the name.
It was Namfoon.
She picked up the phone, her voice playful. "Already missing me, huh?"
There was a brief silence before Namfoon's voice came through the speaker, laced with a hint of amusement. "Who says?"
"Oh, really?" Ratana teased. "Then why did you call?"
Namfoon's voice grew serious after a pause. "Let's meet."
"Again?" Ratana raised an eyebrow, surprised.
"Yeah," Namfoon replied quickly. "Should I come over to your palace? It's urgent."
Ratana's brow furrowed in confusion. Urgent? They had just met the day before. What could possibly be so urgent?
"Sure," she said slowly, still pondering the reason. "I'll text you the address."
"Okay," Namfoon responded, her tone soft but insistent, before the call was abruptly cut off.
Ratana stared at the screen for a moment, the confusion lingering. She set the phone down on the counter, her mind racing. Why would Namfoon want to meet again so soon? The wheels of her thoughts turned as she wiped her hands on her apron.
Ratana didn't know it yet, but this meeting would be the start of something that would change everything—that finally she would strengthen their friendship and repay Namfoon.
Little did she know, that the answer would knock on her door soon.