Orbit

🎵

Namtan paces across her bedroom, arms crossed, brows furrowed in deep thought. Every few seconds, she glances at her phone on the bed. Half-expecting, half-hoping for a message from Film.

Nothing.

With a groan, she flops onto the mattress, staring at the ceiling.

This is stupid. This is so, so stupid.

But she misses her.

More than she wants to admit.

The way Film’s fingers brushed against hers during the fire drill, the quiet thrill of holding her hand in secret—it replays in her mind like a song stuck on loop. She wants to feel that warmth again, that silent, unspoken connection.

Before she can sink further into her thoughts, Milk enters the room, tossing her bag onto the floor.

“I need your steam account to buy a game” she plops down on Namtan’s gaming chair and logs in using Namtan’s laptop, knowing the username and password by heart.

“Uhh, excuse me? What happened to Hi? or Hello?” Namtan playfully asks but lets Milk do whatever she wants. They’re practically sisters.

“This soldier has a mission to do, the discount promo ends in 30 minutes.” Milk chatters, sparing Namtan a quick glance.

“Anyway, why do you look like you’re debating solving world peace?” Milk continues, unimpressed.

Namtan props herself up on her elbows. “Hypothetically,” she starts, “what would you do if you missed someone too much?”

Milk raises an eyebrow. “You mean Film?”

Namtan immediately scoffs, but it comes out weaker than she’d like. “Like people in general?”

Milk gives her a knowing look. “Right. So, you’re just… casually suffering because you miss “people in general” so much?”

Namtan groans, grabbing a pillow and smacking her face with it. “Forget I asked.”

Milk laughs, typing away on the keyboard. “Okay, okay. Here’s what I’d do.”

“I’d stop overthinking and just go see them.” Milk leans in to the monitor dramatically, the laptop’s illuminated screen reflecting in her eyes. She smiles sheepishly, clicking the checkout button.

Namtan peeks out from behind the pillow. “Just like that?”

Milk shrugs. “Yeah. If you miss someone, you don’t sit around sulking, you do something about it.”

Namtan mulls that over, chewing on her lip.

Moments later, she’s grabbing Milk’s scooter keys.

“Where are you going?” Milk calls after her.

Namtan doesn’t look back. “Convenience store run.”

Milk snorts. “Oh yeah? Is this convenience store around Film’s neighborhood too?”

Namtan shuts the door behind her, ignoring the teasing—but the small, knowing smile on her lips says it all.

What was she even planning to do? Casually pass by and hope for a chance encounter? Maybe make up some ridiculous excuse like, Oh wow, I didn’t realize I was in your neighborhood, what a small world!

She exhales sharply, running a hand through her hair. She could just turn around, go home, and save herself the embarrassment. Film would never even know she was here.

But then she remembers the fire drill. The way their hands found each other in the chaos, fingers lacing together, hidden but undeniably real. The way Film’s thumb purposely brushed her thumb softly over her skin.

I want to hold her hand again

Namtan tightens her grip on the scooter. Screw it.

Before she can overthink it any further, she twists the throttle and speeds off down the road, heart hammering in anticipation.

If she was already being reckless by coming here, she might as well see it through.

Meanwhile Film steps out of her dorm house, tying up the trash bag with practiced ease. Dusk was approaching, the air is cool, tinged with the faint scent of rain that never quite fell. She hums absentmindedly as she walks toward the bin by the gate, about to toss the bag when…

Wait a second.

Her movements slow as she notices an unfamiliar thing parked a few meters away. A very eye-catching mustard yellow scooter.

She narrows her eyes, scanning the dimly lit street as sunset is just around the corner.

And then she sees it.

A figure, very poorly hidden behind a lamp post.

Film stares.

The lamp post does not completely cover the whole figure. Whoever it is, they’re clearly failing at whatever stealth mission they think they’re on. Although, she somewhat recognizes that posture. The person is covering their face with hair as if using it as a beard.

A slow, knowing smile creeps onto her lips.

“Phi’Namtan?”

A pause. Silence.

“...Nope. Don’t know her.” the figure says.

Film bites back a laugh as Namtan stays rigid behind the post, as if refusing to acknowledge her own existence will somehow work.

With an amused shake of her head, Film crosses her arms. “So, you just happened to be hiding behind a post… on my street?”

Namtan peeks out, sheepish but still trying to play it cool. “What a small world, huh?”

Film huffs a laugh, stepping closer. “What are you doing here?”

Namtan finally gives up on her failed hiding attempt, stepping out with an easy grin. “I was uhh…trying to look for a drink...” She scratches her cheek, looking almost shy. Film looks at her expectantly, urging her to continue.

“A drink…that is not…AVAILABLE… at the convenience store near me” Namtan says out loud, emphasis on the word available (as an excuse). She says it as if she were a toddler learning how to read his first words.

“By the way, you hungry?”

Film shakes her head, smile still etched on her lips. “You’re impossible.”

But then, she tosses the trash bag into the bin, dusts off her hands, and gives Namtan a small smile. “Lucky for you… I am hungry.”

Namtan’s eyes light up.

“So, what kind of DRINK were you looking for?” Film teases.

The fluorescent glow of the convenience store washes over them as they step inside, the cool air conditioning a welcome contrast to the warm night outside. Rows of neatly arranged snacks and colorful drinks fill the shelves, the soft hum of a K-pop song playing in the background.

Film walks ahead, her steps light and confident. She doesn’t need to check where everything is, she already knows. Instead, she sneaks a glance over her shoulder, watching as Namtan trails behind her, feigning interest in random snack labels.

“Alright,” Film says, stopping near the refrigerated drinks. She gestures toward the variety of colorful bottles inside. “Which one was it?”

Namtan blinks. “Huh?”

“The drink you said you were craving so much that you had to take a scooter ride all the way here,” Film teases, crossing her arms. “Go on, pick.”

Namtan hesitates, eyes darting between the endless options. Of course, she hadn’t actually planned this far—she just needed an excuse to see Film. Now, under Film’s expectant gaze, she suddenly feels like a student caught in a pop quiz she didn’t study for.

She squints at the drinks, hoping for divine intervention. There are fruit teas, milk sodas, vitamin waters… nothing is sparking an epiphany.

Film raises an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you forgot what you came all this way for?”

Namtan scoffs, trying to play it cool. “Obviously not.”

Then, without looking, she reaches into the fridge and grabs the first drink she touches. She pulls it out with a confident grip only to freeze when she sees what she picked.

Film leans in to check…

“What the--,” she wheezes, barely containing her laughter.

In Namtan’s hand is a tiny pink kids’ yogurt drink, complete with a cartoon cat mascot and strawberry sparkle written in bright, bubbly letters.

Film doubles over, laughing. “Out of all the drinks, you chose that?”

Namtan stares at the bottle in betrayal. “Listen. This was, this was a tactical error.”

Film wipes a tear from the corner of her eye, still grinning. “So this was the life-changing drink you rode all the way here for?”

Namtan groans but ultimately just sighs, shaking her head. “You know what? Fine.” She unscrews the cap and takes an exaggerated sip, maintaining eye contact with Film.

Film snickers. “How is it?”

Namtan smacks her lips thoughtfully. “Tastes like childhood regrets.”

Film bursts into laughter again, shaking her head as she grabs a drink of her own.

“Well, at least now I know you weren’t actually here for the drink.” and then smirks.

Namtan pauses mid-sip, her grip on the tiny bottle tightening.

Busted. 

- 🐥See you on the next chapter 🐼-