Thame stood waiting by the air hockey table. Not long after, Jun arrived, dropping a coin into the slot to start the game. They both walked to opposite sides of the table, ready to play.

"If you want to talk about the MV, couldn't we just do it at home?" Jun grumbled as he hit the puck. "But whatever. I need to blow off some steam anyway."

"I'm not here to talk about the MV. I'm here to ask why you're doing it," Thame replied.

"You complain when I don't work, and now you complain when I do. Make up your mind."

"You said you wouldn't take this on before. Why the sudden change? 

"Why do you think?" Jun shot back, glaring at Thame.

Thame paused, looked directly at Jun, and said what was on his mind. "I think you like Phi Po."

Jun froze. The puck Thame had just hit slid into Jun's goal, giving Thame the first point. Jun locked eyes with him, his face unreadable.

"What makes you think that?" Jun finally asked.

"Am I right or not?" Thame pressed, refusing to let the topic drop.

Jun didn't answer right away. He grabbed the puck that had dropped back into the slot and started another round.

"Whether I do or not has nothing to do with you," Jun muttered.

 "It has everything to do with me," Thame shot back immediately.

"How could it possibly have anything to do with you?" Jun countered. "Don't tell me you like him." Jun narrowed his eyes. "Because if what I've seen is what you call 'liking' him, I'd like to know: what kind of person treats someone they like like that? Using him without appreciating what he's capable of? Have you ever once thought about letting him direct, knowing that's what he wants to do? Not to mention you've been avoiding him almost constantly."

"And what if I've been avoiding him because I do like him?" Thame blurted.

"...What?"

"What if everything you've been criticizing me for is because I just don't want to disrupt his work? Because I know how much this project means to him? What if I've been keeping my distance to figure out the right way to approach him-like Pepper with Phi Kaem?"

"Seriously? That's your excuse?" Jun scoffed, hitting the puck straight into Thame's goal.

"Tell me, what's bothering you more: my explanation or the fact that we both might like the same person?"

"Oh, so we're just putting it all out there now?" Jun asked, his tone sharp. 

"Yes," Thame replied firmly, sliding the puck back to Jun.

"Fine." Jun hit the puck harder this time, his frustration evident. "Then explain yourself. If you like him, why do you treat him the way you do? Why do you make everything about your life, your work, without actually supporting what he wants to do?"

"I'm trying," Thame said quietly.

"Then try harder," Jun snapped. "Support him properly. Let him do what he wants to do. Stop being so half-hearted about it. Do you really think anyone would believe you like him with the way you've been acting?" He slammed the puck into Thame's goal, taking the lead.

"You seem really mad at me," Thame noted. 

"Oh, trust me, this is nothing."

"Then tell me everything."

Jun glared at him. "And don't think I don't know about those free movie tickets you're planning to give him. What's your plan? Trick him into writing a review?"

"I wasn't going to trick him," Thame said firmly. "I was going to take him to an actual movie."

"Oh yeah? When?"

 "When I have time."

"When you have time?" Jun scoffed. "Don't make promises you can't keep. Stop giving people false hope."

"Jun," Thame said softly, hitting the puck into Jun's goal and tying the score. "Are you ready to admit you like him? Because your anger seems a little too personal."

Jun didn't answer. He stayed silent, focusing on the game.

Thame took a deep breath, picked up the puck, but didn't strike it. Instead, he spoke calmly. "Jun, I'm not here to fight with you or win anything. I came because I want to deal with this issue honestly. If you like him, then like him. I'm not saying this because I'm going to step aside-I won't. But I want us to agree that this shouldn't ruin our friendship. I'm going to keep liking him, and you can too. In the end, it's not about us. It's about who he chooses. So, there's no point in us turning this into a competition."

Jun set down his paddle and stared at Thame. "So you really like him?"

"Of course," Thame answered simply.

 "And you want me to stop being upset?" 

"Yes."

"I'll stop being upset when you treat him better," Jun said evenly. "Let me tell you something. I'm not angry because I like him." He sighed heavily, the weight of it clear in his tone. "I'm angry because of how you're treating him. If you like him, then stop being such a terrible option for him. I don't want to see my friend be a bad boyfriend to anyone."

Thame stared at Jun, sensing the lie. Jun did like Po. But something had made him decide to say otherwise-something Thame couldn't quite put into words until Jun said the next thing.

"Because he likes you, Thame."

Thame froze, his breath catching. He had known he liked Po, but he'd never been sure if Po felt the same. Was Po just kind-hearted, or was there something more? And now, hearing it from Jun, it all clicked.

Jun put down the paddle, conceding the game. The score was 3-2, with Thame in the lead.

"He likes you so much, it's annoying," Jun muttered. 

......

......
Thame rushed to the suit shop as fast as he could. Po was just locking up when Thame arrived, out of breath and still wearing his hoodie. Po turned around, startled.

"What are you doing here?" Po asked, puzzled.

"Phi Po..." Thame met Po's eyes, his heart pounding. Instead of saying outright that he knew Po liked him, he stammered, "Phi Pepper said he and Phi Kaem keep a five-meter distance so no one finds out.

" Po blinked, clearly confused. "Uh... okay?"

"I've been trying to do that with you," Thame admitted, his voice quieter now.

Po looked at him, his voice trembling. "Why do we need that kind of distance?"

"Phi Po..." Thame said again, stepping closer. "I want to keep that distance with you. I really do. But..." He moved even closer, his eyes locking with Po's. "I can't do it. Every time I try to keep five meters, it feels too far. Because with you..." Thame's voice dropped to a whisper. "Even five centimeters feels unbearable."