Chapter 5 — The Silence Between Two Loves

Tham Tri Ngam started coming to the district... more often. The first time was a week later. The second time, three days later. It's almost like another day. Sometimes he brings toys. Sometimes I bring picture books. Sometimes I don't bring anything— Just sitting in the shop drinking coffee, watching Niem Niem run back and forth. He even… started helping me look after the shop. One afternoon, I received a large order— A company in the district ordered fifty afternoon tea sets, needed within two hours. I can't do it alone. The two assistants asked to leave at the right time. Tham Tri Ngam sat in the corner, looking at his laptop. Raise your head and look at me:

“Need help?”

“What do you know?”

“You taught me.”

I hesitated for three seconds. Then drag him to the front counter.

“Ice cream for these cupcakes.”

I gave him a piping bag.

“Do you know?”

He looked at the bag of ice cream, then looked at me. His expression looked like he'd just had a grenade shoved into his hand.

“What shape does it form?”

"It depends. It looks nice."

He took a deep breath. Get started. The first one— A lump of… unknown shape. Like a volcano erupting. Just like a crushed octopus. I couldn't help it— Laughed out loud. This is the first time— I smiled in front of Tham Tri Ngam. Not the reserved, ingratiating kind of smile. Laugh honestly. Laugh because it feels funny. Laugh without restraint. Tham Tri Ngam looked at me. Daze. His hand was still holding the ice cream bag in mid-air, the ice cream was still melting.

“You… laughed.”

He said.

“Because you did it so bad.”

I wiped away tears from laughter.

“Tham Tri Ngam, you can't even make ice cream, what else can you do?”

He's not angry. Just look at me. His eyes became very strange— Very focused. It was like he was looking at something… he searched for a long time before finding it.

“Give me another one.”

He said. I pushed another cupcake over. He's much more serious. The wrist rotated steadily, each circle of cream gradually appeared— A rose… it was acceptable.

“This is fine.”

“I learn everything quickly.”

“Yes, Mr. Tham is the best.”

He paused again. I have never spoken to him in such a tone. No fear. Not pleasing. It's comfortable, equal... with a bit of teasing. He bowed his head and continued to scoop ice cream. But I saw— His ears… turned red. Tham Tri Ngam— I pretended not to see. Turn around and continue packing orders. That afternoon, the two of us piped frosting for fifty cupcakes. He made about twenty. From the initial “volcanic eruption”, to the “so-so” level later on— Progress… is really very fast. After finishing the last cake, he leaned against the work table, looked at the whole table of cakes, and suddenly said:

“Before, when I was at the Tham family... I never smiled.”

I paused a bit.

“You've never looked directly at me either.”

He was silent.

“Tong Van... I treated you very badly before.”

“So why don't you go?”

“Because of the old man.”

I threw the piping bag into the trash.

“Your wish... I don't want to violate it.”

“Just for that?”

“What if it doesn't?”

I raised my head to look at him.

“Because you're handsome? Because you have money?”

"Tham Tri Ngam, I lived in your house for three years. The total number of sentences you said to me... is less than a thousand sentences."

“Why do you think I would stay there?”

His jaw clenched. The pharynx moved slightly.

“…Sorry.”

Those two words fit blurted out— The oven behind him “dinged”. The cake is done. I didn't reply. I have been waiting for these three words "sorry" for three years. But now I hear it— In my heart... there are no more waves. Not because I no longer care. I don't need it anymore. Niem Niem woke up from her nap, rubbed her eyes and walked out. Seeing Tham Tri Ngam— She was no longer as scared as the first time. Just stand in front of him, tilt your head for a moment. Then he reached out his small hand— Poke him on the knee.

“Are you really my father?”

Tham Tri Ngam bowed her head and looked at her child. In his eyes— There was something I had never seen before. he said. Voice a bit hoarse. Niem Niem thought for a moment. Then he reached into his pocket, took out a piece of candy— Strawberry milk candy I gave him this morning— Put it in his palm. She said.

“I told you, if you want to treat others well... you have to start with giving candy.”

Tham Tri Ngam looked at the wrinkled candy in his hand. Fingers tightened slightly.

“Thank you Niem Niem.”

He said. Niem Niem grinned, revealing teeth as tiny as grains of rice. Then turned around and ran away. Tham Tri Ngam held the candy in her hand for a long time... not letting go. The incident happened on a very ordinary afternoon. I'm baking cakes in the shop. Tham Tri Ngam sat in the corner, painting with Niem Niem. This scene— In the last month has become familiar. A man worth tens of billions— Sitting in a small bakery in the district— Holding a crayon, doodling with a two-year-old child. But also very bad drawing. His phone suddenly rang.