Chapter 5

Jes wasn't sure how he ended up in this situation—standing in the middle of a quiet park, adjusting the settings on the camera Ngern had tracked down for him.

The actor, to his credit, wasn't being a complete nightmare about it. Yet.

"Alright," Jes muttered, peering through the viewfinder. "Just stand there. Don't do anything dramatic."

Ngern raised a brow. "Dramatic? Me?"

Jes lowered the camera just enough to glare at him. "Yes. You."

Ngern smiled but obeyed, standing under the shade of a large tree with soft sunlight filtering through the leaves. For once, he wasn't playing a role—wasn't styled to perfection, wasn't posing for the approval of fans or flashing cameras. He was just... standing there. Casual. At ease.

Jes lifted the camera again, his fingers instinctively adjusting the focus. He snapped a few shots, shifting angles slightly. Ngern, to his surprise, didn't fidget or ask to see the photos. He just waited.

Jes studied the screen. The images were...

Good.

More than good, actually.

The way the light softened the edges of Ngern's face, the way his expression carried something unguarded—Jes hated to admit it, but it was a solid shot.

He lowered the camera. "Alright. That's it."

"That's it?" Ngern leaned closer, trying to peek at the screen. "Lemme see."

Jes hesitated before flipping the camera around. Ngern studied the image, something unreadable flickering in his gaze.

"Huh," he murmured.

Jes crossed his arms. "What?"

Ngern looked up, his expression softer than before. "I think that's the first time someone's taken a picture of me where I actually look like me."

Jes stilled. He hadn't expected that.

Ngern flashed a grin before the moment could stretch too long. "Guess that means we're even, huh?"

Jes exhaled, shaking his head. "Yeah. Even."

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That feeling proved right.

A few days passed, and Jes went back to his usual routine—editing photos, doing small projects, and avoiding unnecessary social interactions. His encounter with Ngern had been a strange detour, but he figured that was it. They had settled their score, and their worlds would go back to being separate.

Then, his phone buzzed.

Ngern: Hey, photographer. Busy?

Jes stared at the message. Photographer? This guy was unbelievable.

Jes: Why?

Ngern: I need help with something. And don't worry, it's not acting-related.

Jes hesitated. Against his better judgment, curiosity won.

Jes: What is it?

Ngern: Meet me at the market near the old bookstore. 5 PM.

Jes sighed. He could ignore it. He could pretend he never saw the message.

But when 4:50 rolled around, he found himself grabbing his camera and heading out the door.

The market was lively, a mix of food stalls, secondhand shops, and street musicians filling the air with energy. Jes spotted Ngern easily—despite the actor's attempt at looking low-key with a cap and sunglasses, he still had a presence that made heads turn.

Jes walked up to him, arms crossed. "Alright, what's this about?"

Ngern grinned. "Good, you came." He gestured toward a nearby stall overflowing with trinkets and old postcards. "I need your expert eye."

Jes frowned. "For what?"

Ngern picked up an old film camera from the stall's display. "You know cameras. I don't. I want to get one for myself."

Jes blinked. "Why?"

Ngern shrugged, turning the camera over in his hands. "Your photos got me thinking. I spend so much time being photographed, but I've never really taken pictures myself. Maybe it's time I try."

Jes hadn't expected that. He had assumed Ngern dragged him here for some ridiculous favor. Instead, the actor was actually... interested.

Jes exhaled, shaking his head. "Fine. Let me see that."

He took the camera, inspecting it carefully, explaining what to look for. Ngern listened, surprisingly attentive.

And just like that, Jes realized—Ngern had found yet another way to keep crossing paths with him.

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Jes didn't know why he was still standing there, explaining shutter speeds and aperture settings to an actor who probably had a dozen other things to do. But there was something about the way Ngern listened—actually listened—that made it hard to walk away.

"Alright," Jes said, handing the camera back. "This one's in decent shape, but you'll need to get it cleaned up. The lens might have some dust inside."

Ngern nodded, running his fingers over the metal body like he was already picturing himself using it. "Cool. I'll take it." He glanced at Jes. "You'll help me test it out, right?"

Jes narrowed his eyes. "I thought you wanted to learn."

"I do," Ngern said easily, "but I need a mentor, don't I?"

Jes groaned. "Unbelievable."

Ngern only grinned, pulling out his wallet to pay for the camera.

Jes told himself that this wasn't his problem. That Ngern was just a passing acquaintance, someone he had to deal with for one stupid incident.

But when Ngern turned to him afterward and said, "Come on, let's go take some pictures," Jes found himself following.

They ended up by the riverside, the golden glow of the setting sun casting long shadows on the pavement. Ngern fumbled with the camera, adjusting dials at random, while Jes sighed in exasperation.

"Here," Jes muttered, stepping closer. "You're overexposing the shot."

He reached for the camera, their fingers brushing for the briefest second. Ngern stilled, then tilted his head with a smirk.

Jes ignored it, focusing on fixing the settings.

Ngern lifted the camera again, aiming at Jes.

Jes immediately frowned. "Don't."

Ngern laughed. "Why not? I need a test subject."

Jes stepped back, holding up a hand. "Pick something else. A tree. The sky. Literally anything but me."

Ngern pouted but obediently turned the camera toward the water. Jes exhaled, watching as Ngern snapped a few shots, his expression oddly serious for once.

"You're actually taking this seriously," Jes murmured, more to himself than anything.

Ngern lowered the camera, glancing at him. "Why wouldn't I?"

Jes didn't have an answer to that.