The next morning, Wanfahmai was getting ready to check out of the hotel room to head to her destination. She was lugging her belongings out of her room and was making quite a din causing her neighbouring guest to step out of the room,

“Do you need any help, khun Wanfahamai?”

“What?!”

“I see that you’re struggling…”

“You didn’t go home last night?!”

“As the executive director, I am at your service… Are you going anywhere?”

That night, Arthit stayed in the hotel room next to hers, waiting for his chance to see her.

“No, I don’t need any help…”

“But you, struggling and making a din will cause the other guests on this floor to be upset… So, let me help you… And I don’t wish to receive any complaints…” To which Arthit took over the task at hand and walked towards the elevator. Wanfahmai did not say a word and simply followed him from behind, confused at what he’s doing but at the same time, agreeing that what he had just said was right. Ultimately, she did not want to be a public nuisance. When they finally reached the lift lobby,

“Khun Wanfahmai, lead the way…”

“Huh?!”

“Yeah… I don’t know where you are heading to… So, could you please tell me?”

“I can manage…”

“Hmmm that won’t do… I am here to assist you in every way possible including chauffeuring service.”

“But I don’t need any!”

“Take this as a compensation for the complaint that you were about to lodge yesterday…”

“Are you not going to give me back my luggage?”

“It’s not that I’m not giving it back to you… I’m being a good host…” before walking towards the entrance to get one of the valet parking staff to get his car, ignoring the frustrations of Wanfahmai who started to walk slowly towards the entrance, begrudgingly. When his car had arrived, Wanfahmai got to the entrance and Arthit had already loaded up her luggage to the trunk of his car.

“Get in…”

Wanfahmai was reluctant and Arthit who noticed her facial expression,

“Do you need me to force you to get into the car like yesterday?”

Wanfahmai immediately shook her head in response.

“Then… If you’re not getting in, I’m going to drive away with your luggage…”

Wanfahmai pouted, making Arthit walked towards her side of the car and opened the door for her,

“I didn’t know you wanted to be treated like a princess… You should have told me earlier… I will be glad to do so… Just for you…”

Wanfahmai who finally had enough of his games, decided to seek her petty revenge.

“Fine… This is how you want to do it right?! Okay… Sure…” before she walked towards the car to open the back door of the passenger seat to which Arthit asked, “What are you doing?”

“You, said this is the full hotel service that you are offering me, right? So why should a very important person, like you claim I am, sit in the front passenger seat?” as she got in the car and shut the door.

Instead of angering Arthit, it was making Arthit smile as he gladly took to the driver’s seat.

Now this is the Ice I know…

“So, where is your destination, khun Wanfahmai?”

Wanfahmai mentioned the location once and looked outside the window, with her arms folded and legs crossed. The location that Wanfahmai mentioned was familiar to Arthit. He knew he had been to the place before and he drove on without a word said. When they have finally reached the place, they both stepped out of the car and much to her surprise the scenery had changed. The lake where her mother’s ashes were scattered were no longer surrounded with lush greeneries. The lake was still visible but it was partially barren and it seemed like there were some on-going constructions or upgrading development happening on the other side of the lake that she was not able to see. Arthit was just as surprised to witness the change. Arthit saw that Wanfahmai was visibly upset, prompting him to apologise which caused Wanfahmai to look at him in a strange way, which made him conscious of her stare,

“What is it, Wanfahmai?”

“What were you apologising for?”

“I don’t know… I just thought that I should…”

“It’s not your fault that this happened… I mean so many years has passed. It would be unlikely for this place to not undergo any changes…” stated Wanfahmai as a matter of fact.

“But I know of something that hasn’t changed though…”

“Really? What is it?”

“My feelings for you…”

The sudden confession from Arthit caused an awkward tension between them, but Wanfahmai tried to brush it off as she said,

“I think the full hotel service ends here, khun Arthit kha…”

“Do you want me to leave you and your luggage here?! This is where you’re staying?”

“Khun Arthit… Do you see any housing here?”

“No. That’s why I’m asking you.”

“Of course, not! I’m going back to my place…”

“Your place? Where is that?”

“Why should I tell you?”

“Khun Wanfahmai, the full hotel service only ends when you have reached home safely…”

“Is this your way of finding out where I live? I thought by bringing you here, I could have actually shake you off my back!”

But Arthit feigned ignorance and maintain his act, “Like I said… You are a very important guest… So, I will need to see that you are safely home…” Wanfahmai let out a sigh as she rolled her eyes at him before she got into the back seat of his car.

“So, where is your place of stay, khun Wanfahmai?” asked Arthit with a gleeful smile on his face. She took a piece of paper out from her pocket and passed it on to him to which he gladly accepted and drove away. They finally reached the location where she would be staying. It was an apartment that was located just outside the affluent area of Bangkok city. Wanfahmai was no longer resisting his help as it would not have made any difference if she kept refusing, since she already tried but Arthit was adamant; that she even allowed him to her all the way up to her unit.

“This is where you’ll be living?”

“Yeah…”

“Why?”

“Because my workplace is nearby…”

“Your workplace? So, you’ll be here for long?”

“I intend to… But then…”

“But what?”

“It’s only my first day here and I’m already feeling annoyed… I am seriously considering my options… I might just go back to living overseas…”

To which Arthit immediately apologise yet again, “No don’t, I’m sorry… Please stay…”

In fact, whether Arthit apologised or not, it would not have affected her decision since Wanfahmai has decided to stay put in her own home country to serve the people living there.

“Okay then… Thank you once again, khun Arthit kha…”

“Won’t you be needing help?”

“Help in what?”

“Cleaning? Since you just moved in…”

“Don’t tell me you own this building too?! That you are even offering cleaning services now?”

“No this isn’t mine…”

“Then? Why don’t you stop playing this game?”

“I have stopped…”

“Huh?”

“I have stopped playing the role of the executive director of Anada Holdings…”

“If you have stopped then please leave…”

“But it’s the start of me playing my role as a friend… Who have not been seeing his friend for a long time…” stated Arthit in a manner that was bittersweet.

Wanfahmai knew what she had done to him. She knew how her leaving without a word had made him feel. But it was made worse while looking at his face uttering those word