Chapter 14

Mali's sucking slowed, her tiny hands relaxing against Jes's sleeve. Her eyelids fluttered before finally closing, her breathing settling into the soft, steady rhythm of sleep.

Jes held perfectly still, almost afraid to move.

"She's out," Ngern whispered, slowly pulling the bottle away. He capped it, eyes warm as he looked down at her. "That was faster than usual."

Jes exhaled, carefully shifting her weight. "She must've been exhausted."

"Yeah." Ngern reached out, his hands brushing Jes's lightly as he scooped Mali into his arms. Jes let go instinctively, stepping back as Ngern cradled her against his chest.

Jes watched, silent, as Ngern walked into his bedroom and gently laid Mali down in her cot. He took his time, making sure she was comfortable, smoothing a hand over her tiny back before tucking her blanket in snugly.

There was something different about seeing Ngern like this.

Jes wasn't sure what it was—just that it felt... strange. Almost too intimate to be standing here, watching Ngern settle his niece in for the night.

But he didn't look away.

Not even when Ngern lingered a second longer, adjusting Mali's blanket one last time before finally switching on the baby monitor. A soft blue glow illuminated the cot as the monitor activated, casting gentle shadows across the room.

Jes leaned against the doorway as Ngern straightened up, stretching his arms before catching Jes's gaze.

"Didn't expect babysitting to be part of your photography lessons, huh?" Ngern said, keeping his voice low.

Jes huffed out a quiet laugh. "Not really."

Ngern smirked but didn't tease. Instead, he just flicked off the bedside lamp, leaving only the dim glow of the monitor behind, before stepping back into the living room.

Jes followed, hands in his pockets, uncertain why he was still here.

"Tea?" Ngern asked as he walked toward the kitchen.

Jes hesitated. He could say no. He could leave now, call it a night.

But...

"Yeah," Jes said, to his own surprise. "Sure."

Ngern's smile softened, just a little, as he reached for the mugs.

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Ngern moved around the kitchen with an ease that Jes wouldn't have expected from a celebrity—someone whose life seemed so far removed from something as simple as making tea in a quiet apartment.

Jes leaned against the counter, watching as Ngern filled the kettle and set it to boil.

"You take sugar?" Ngern asked, opening a cabinet.

Jes shook his head. "No. Just plain is fine."

Ngern nodded, setting two mugs down. He glanced toward the baby monitor sitting on the counter, the soft blue light still glowing. Mali hadn't made a sound.

Jes followed his gaze. "You do this often?"

Ngern looked at him, a little surprised by the question.

"Looking after her?" Jes clarified.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Ngern's lips. "When my sister needs me to. I don't mind. She's a good kid."

Jes nodded, watching as Ngern reached for the tea leaves.

"You're good with her," Jes admitted before he could stop himself.

Ngern's hands stilled for a fraction of a second before he chuckled. "That a compliment?"

Jes huffed. "Don't let it get to your head."

Ngern smirked but didn't push. He scooped tea leaves into the mugs, his movements quiet, methodical. Jes was starting to realize that—beneath all the teasing, the confidence, the public image—Ngern had this other side. A calmer side. One that knew how to be still, how to care for something without expecting anything in return.

The kettle whistled, breaking the silence.

Ngern poured the hot water over the tea leaves, letting the steam rise between them before sliding one of the mugs toward Jes.

Jes took it, fingers curling around the warmth.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

The apartment was quiet—just the occasional soft sound from the baby monitor, the faint hum of the city beyond the windows.

Jes took a sip of tea, letting the warmth settle in his chest.

He wasn't sure why he was still here.

Only that—somehow—he didn't mind.

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Jes rested his mug on the coffee table as Ngern shifted beside him, a notebook in hand again.

"So," Ngern started, flipping to a page filled with hastily scribbled notes and some doodles in the margins. "Last time, you explained the difference between aperture and shutter speed, but I still don't get how they work together. Like, how do you know when to adjust which one?"

Jes smirked a little. "That's why you practice."

Ngern huffed, resting his chin on his hand. "I knew you'd say that."

Jes chuckled but reached for Ngern's camera anyway. He switched it on and turned it so they could both see the settings. Without thinking, he scooted a little closer.

"Here," Jes murmured, adjusting the dials. "If you're shooting something with movement—like Mali squirming around—you'd want a faster shutter speed so she doesn't blur. But that also means less light coming in, so you might need to widen the aperture to balance it out."

Ngern nodded, brows furrowed in concentration. "And what if I want a soft, blurry background?"

Jes adjusted the settings again. "Lower f-stop. Like this."

Ngern leaned in a little more, eyes flicking between Jes's hands and the camera screen.

Jes didn't even notice how close they were now—how their shoulders brushed, how Ngern's warmth was right there—until he turned his head slightly and found Ngern watching him.

Jes cleared his throat, breaking the moment. "Why are you so serious about this, anyway?"

Ngern blinked, then gave a small, almost sheepish smile. "I told you—I like learning new things."

Jes arched a brow. "Yeah, but people usually don't take notes like a university student unless it's something really important."

Ngern hesitated. Then, after a moment, he sighed, setting the notebook down.

"It is important," Ngern admitted, voice softer. "Mali's first birthday is in October. I want to take her photos myself."

Jes tilted his head slightly. "You could hire a professional."

"I could." Ngern leaned back, rubbing the back of his neck. "But I don't want to. I want to be the one taking those pictures. I want to capture those moments for her myself."

Jes didn't say anything at first.

He hadn't expected that.

Ngern could have anything done professionally—he had the money, the resources—but instead, he was sitting here, learning the basics from scratch, taking notes, practicing with actual effort.

It was...

Jes wasn't sure what it was.

But something about it made his chest feel strange.

"Then you better not mess up," Jes muttered, looking back at the camera. "I'm not giving free lessons for you to take bad photos."

Ngern grinned, nudging Jes's shoulder lightly. "That means you'll keep teaching me, right?"

Jes rolled his eyes but didn't say no.