The King of Thailand, Rama XIII, had finally decided to take a proper vacation. A grand cruise ship, gliding through calm waters, felt like the perfect escape. Of course, he didn’t travel alone. His most trusted guardians—Kaolan Wongsawat, the stoic prodigy, and Saw Paing Yoroizuka, the loud powerhouse from Myanmar—stood at his side.

From the moment they boarded, the cruise became chaos. Rama, dressed in casual clothes instead of royal attire, darted around the ship like an excited child.

“Your Majesty, please walk slower,” Kaolan muttered, hands in his pockets, his sharp eyes scanning the deck.

Saw Paing, on the other hand, shouted at every little thing that amazed him. “KAOLAN, LOOK! THEY HAVE AN ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT BUFFET!” His voice echoed across the ship, making tourists turn and stare.

Rama only laughed and sprinted off toward another part of the cruise. “Catch me if you can!”

Kaolan sighed, already feeling the headache coming.

Later, while walking along the upper deck to track the King down, Kaolan passed a girl leaning against the railing. A bright green parrot rested on her shoulder, pecking playfully at her hair. She had messy, sea-breeze-tangled hair, and a soft smile as she whispered something to her bird.

Kaolan walked past her, eyes forward. He didn’t have time for distractions. But just as he passed, he felt… something.

The girl had turned her head, looking at him curiously. For a moment, their eyes almost met. She quickly looked away, her cheeks faintly pink, but not before Kaolan caught the shy curve of her lips forming a smile.

Kaolan stopped in his tracks, brows narrowing. His instincts—so sharp from years in the ring—told him this was more than a simple glance. Slowly, he turned his head.

And there she was, still standing there, pretending to admire the horizon. The parrot tilted its head too, as if mocking him.

The girl sensed his gaze and—flustered—turned her back fully this time.

Kaolan stood silently for a beat longer, unreadable as ever, before finally turning away and walking on. But deep inside, for the first time in a long while, something unfamiliar stirred in his chest.

The cruise café was buzzing with chatter, the smell of coffee and pastries filling the air. Rama had insisted they stop to “experience normal people food.”

At one table, Kaolan sat across from Rama and Saw Paing. Kaolan’s posture was rigid as always, arms folded while his eyes scanned the room. Rama was happily sipping a sweet drink with extra whipped cream, while Saw Paing was already arguing with the barista about the size of his cup.

“THIS CUP IS TINY! BACK HOME, WE DRINK FROM BOWLS!” Saw Paing roared, making nearby guests flinch.

Kaolan pinched the bridge of his nose.

And then—he noticed you.

You were at the far end of the café, tucked into a corner table with your parrot perched on the chair beside you. A cup of tea steamed in front of you, untouched as you doodled absently in a notebook.

Kaolan’s gaze lingered longer than he meant it to. You must’ve felt it, because your eyes slowly lifted. When they met his, you froze for a second before giving the smallest smile—shy, but warm.

Kaolan’s chest tightened. He quickly looked away, pretending to adjust his napkin.