Chapter Text
Emma had been awake for thirty-one hours. She considered this a perfectly reasonable amount of time. Her body disagreed. Her eyes burned. Her shoulders hurt. Her backpack felt like it weighed approximately the same as a small elephant. And yet she was smiling. Because she had finally made it. Thailand. Not for a vacation. Not exactly. But close enough.
Emma stood outside the gates of Din's house with one hand wrapped around the strap of her camera bag and the other gripping the handle of a suitcase that had survived three airports, one questionable taxi driver, and what she was fairly certain had been an attempted robbery at baggage claim. She stared at the house. Then at her phone. Then back at the house. A message from Taew sat at the top of her screen.
Taew: You're here?
Emma: Yes.
Taew: Don't move.
Emma: Where else would I go?
Taew: You'd be surprised.
Emma laughed. That was Taew. They had known each other for almost two years. Technically, they had never met. Not in person. They'd met through a photography forum after Taew commented on one of Emma's photographs. A terrible photograph, according to Emma. A beautiful photograph, according to Taew. They'd started talking every day, then every night.
Eventually, they knew each other's favorite songs, worst habits, embarrassing stories, fears, dreams, and the exact amount of time it took the other person to reply when they were pretending not to be upset. Emma had never expected an online friendship to become this important. But it had. And now:
"Emma!"
She looked up. Taew was running toward her. Emma's entire face lit up.
"Taew!"
They collided in the middle of the driveway. Emma laughed as Taew wrapped both arms around her.
"You actually came."
"You invited me."
"I didn't think you'd actually come."
"That's insulting."
"I mean it as a compliment."
Emma pulled away. She looked at Taew. Then looked down at herself. Then back at Taew.
"...You look exactly like your pictures."
Taew raised an eyebrow.
"So do you."
"Good."
Emma smiled.
"I was worried you'd be ugly."
Taew stared at her. Emma grinned.
"I'm kidding."
"You're terrible."
"You love me."
Taew sighed.
"Unfortunately."
Emma laughed.
"Where's Din?"
"Inside."
"And Rose?"
"Inside."
Emma's eyes widened.
"So they're real too."
Taew rolled her eyes.
"Yes."
"Good. I was beginning to think you invented them."
"I told you about them constantly."
"You talk about people constantly."
"That's because I have a life."
"I have a life."
Taew glanced at Emma's suitcase.
"Does your life fit inside that?"
Emma looked down.
"...Most of it."
Taew's expression softened for half a second. But Emma was already smiling again.
"Come on."
Taew grabbed the suitcase. Emma immediately protested.
"I can carry that."
"I know."
"Then why are you carrying it?"
"Because I want to."
Emma stared at her then smiled.
"You're nicer in person."
"I regret inviting you."
"You can't."
"Why?"
"You've already hugged me."
Taew laughed.
"You're impossible."
"I've been told."
They walked toward the house. Emma's heart beat faster with every step. She'd seen pictures of Din's home. She'd heard stories. But being there was different. It felt warm. Lived in. There were flowers near the entrance, shoes scattered by the door, voices coming from inside, and the unmistakable smell of food. Emma's stomach growled. Loudly. Taew stopped. Emma froze.
"...That wasn't me."
"It absolutely was."
"The house did it."
"Of course."
They stepped inside. The first person Emma saw was Rose. She stood near the dining table holding a glass of water. She looked at Emma. Then at Taew. Then back at Emma. Taew smiled.
"Rose."
Rose smiled politely.
"This is Emma."
Emma immediately held out her hand.
"Hi."
Rose shook it.
"Hi."
Emma looked at her for a moment then nodded seriously.
"You're very pretty."
Rose blinked.
"Oh."
Taew laughed.
"She does that."
"What?"
"Compliments people like she's reviewing photographs."
Emma frowned.
"I am a photographer."
Rose laughed softly.
"I don't mind."
"Good."
Emma smiled and then Din appeared. She walked into the room carrying a bowl. She stopped when she saw Emma.
"You're the photographer."
Emma looked at Taew.
"She makes me sound like a criminal."
Din laughed.
"I didn't mean it that way."
"Good."
Emma smiled.
"I'm Emma."
"I know."
"That's slightly concerning."
Din laughed.
"Taew has talked about you for months."
Emma looked at Taew.
"Really?"
Taew immediately looked away.
"Maybe."
Emma smiled.
"I didn't know you liked me that much."
"Don't get excited."
"Too late."
Rose laughed. Din shook her head.
"This is going to be a long weekend."
Emma smiled.
"Hopefully."
Then another voice came from the hallway.
"Din?"
Emma turned and forgot how to breathe. The woman walking toward them wore a simple white blouse with dark trousers, her hair pulled back neatly. She looked composed. Elegant. Quiet. Nothing about her suggested she was trying to draw attention. Which somehow made Emma stare harder. Taew noticed. Of course she noticed.
"Emma."
"Hm?"
"You're staring."
Emma didn't look away.
"I know."
Taew covered her mouth to hide her laughter. The woman stopped near Din.
"Who's this?"
Din turned.
"Nam."
She gestured toward Emma.
"This is Taew's friend."
Nam looked at Emma.
"Hi."
Emma smiled.
"Hi."
A beat passed. Emma tilted her head.
"You manage a hotel, right?"
Nam nodded.
"Yes."
"That's impressive."
"Thank you."
"Are you single?"
Silence. Rose's eyes widened. Din slowly looked at Taew. Taew looked delighted. Nam blinked.
"...I'm sorry?"
Emma smiled innocently.
"I asked if you're single."
Taew burst out laughing. Rose covered her mouth. Din turned away. Nam looked genuinely confused.
"Why?"
Emma shrugged.
"Because you're beautiful."
Nam stared at her. Then she said.
"Thank you."
And walked away. Emma watched her leave.
"...Wow."
Taew leaned closer.
"You're going to need more than that."
Emma looked at her.
"More than what?"
"Flirting."
"I was flirting."
"You were interrogating her."
"It worked."
"It absolutely did not."
Emma frowned.
"She said thank you."
"That's because she's polite."
Emma looked toward the hallway where Nam had disappeared.
"...I like her."
Taew laughed.
"You met her thirty seconds ago."
"Sometimes you know."
"You don't know anything."
"I know she's beautiful."
Rose smiled.
"She's very kind too."
Emma looked at Rose.
"That's even better."
Din sighed.
"I can already see where this is going."
Taew nodded solemnly.
"She's going to make Nam's life difficult."
Emma placed a hand over her heart.
"I would never."
Taew raised an eyebrow. Emma grinned.
"...Intentionally."
Everyone laughed. Emma smiled with them. For the first time in months, she felt like she was somewhere she could breathe. She didn't think about the motel. She didn't think about the rent she'd been unable to pay. She didn't think about the balance in her bank account. She didn't think about the last phone call with her mother, when she'd promised everything was fine. She didn't think about how carefully she'd calculated the cost of this trip. Instead she looked toward the hallway.
Nam was standing there. Watching them. Their eyes met. Nam immediately looked away. Emma smiled. Oh, this was going to be fun. That evening, everyone gathered around the dinner table. Emma tried everything. Literally everything.
"This is spicy."
Taew laughed.
"That's not even spicy."
Emma took another bite. Her eyes watered.
"I hate you."
"You'll survive."
Emma drank water. Rose pushed a bowl toward her.
"Try this."
Emma took a bite. Her expression softened.
"Oh."
Rose smiled.
"Better?"
"Much."
Nam sat across the table. Quiet. Listening. Every once in a while, Emma caught her looking at her. And every time she did; Emma smiled. Nam looked away. Emma decided this was progress. After dinner, everyone moved outside. The night air was warm. Music played softly. Emma sat beside Taew, scrolling through photographs on her camera.
"You're really good."
Emma looked up. Nam. She hadn't heard her approach. Emma smiled.
"Thank you."
Nam looked at the camera.
"How long have you been doing photography?"
"Since I was a teenager."
"Professionally?"
"Freelance."
Nam nodded.
"That's difficult."
"It is."
"Why freelance?"
Emma shrugged.
"I like choosing my own work."
Nam smiled faintly.
"I understand."
For a moment, Emma forgot her usual teasing. There was something different about Nam. Something quiet. Something that made Emma want to know her.
"So..."
Nam looked at her. Emma smiled.
"Are you single?"
Nam stared. Then laughed. Actually laughed. It was soft. Beautiful. Emma's heart skipped.
"You're persistent."
"I prefer charming."
"You're something."
"Is that good?"
Nam looked at her for a moment. Then smiled.
"Ask me later."
She walked away. Emma stared after her. Taew dropped into the seat beside her.
"You've got a problem."
Emma smiled.
"I know."
"What are you going to do?"
Emma looked toward Nam.
"Stay longer."
Taew frowned.
"You were only supposed to stay the weekend."
"I know."
"So?"
Emma lifted her camera.
"I'm booking a job."
Taew stared.
"Here?"
Emma smiled.
"Why not?"
Because for the first time since she'd arrived in Thailand; Emma wanted a reason not to leave. And maybe, just maybe, that reason had dark hair, a quiet smile, and absolutely no idea how badly Emma intended to flirt with her. Neither of them knew yet that the job Emma was about to book would place her directly inside Nam's world.
Neither knew that Lada would soon notice the way Nam looked at her. Neither knew that Emma's smile was hiding more than either woman could imagine. For now Emma was simply happy. And sometimes happiness arrived quietly. Sometimes it looked like a stranger sitting across a dinner table.
Sometimes it sounded like laughter beneath warm evening air. And sometimes it was a woman named Nam who had smiled at you just once. Emma would remember that smile for a very long time.