Episode 01

    Vrrr, vrrr—the sound of phone notifications ringing repeatedly woke the small figure curled up asleep under the blanket. Small arms moved about, fumbling to locate the source of the disturbance. Once the phone was in hand, a pair of beautiful eyes slowly opened to glance at the notifications appearing on the screen.

    : Good morning.

    : Are you awake yet, little one?

    : If you’re up, come meet me at our usual spot. I’ve got something to show you.

    The small figure who had just awakened quickly sprang up from the bed. He reached for a towel and slung it over his shoulder, then dashed into the bathroom. Normally, Kab Kluen took a long time to shower—almost an hour each time. But after receiving a message from his close older brother saying he was waiting, just five minutes later, Kab Kluen was already out of the bathroom. Not wanting to keep his older brother waiting, Kab Kluen’s little feet carried him swiftly down the stairs and out of the house.

    The usual meeting spot for Kab Kluen and his beloved older brother wasn’t far from home, so he ran there with all his might. But as he neared the meeting place, the small figure slowed down, shifting into a leisurely stroll, as if he weren’t in a rush to see the other person—when in truth, Kab Kluen was desperate to meet him.

    The pine forest was a place both children adored and often played in together. It was filled with tall trees and even had a small stream for fishing. Normally, this place would be bustling with people, as it was a popular destination for weekend tourists. But luckily, today wasn’t a holiday, so the pine forest was quieter than usual. And when Kab Kluen arrived at their secret play spot, the atmosphere was even more tranquil. Along the dirt path surrounded by pines both big and small, from afar his gaze was caught by a boy standing there—wrapped in a thick fur coat, rubbing his hands together in the cold, while white snow fell endlessly around him.

    “Brother Yi!”

    Upon hearing someone call his name from the side, the boy quickly turned to look toward the voice. When he saw who had appeared amidst the white snow, a wide smile spread across his face. He immediately ran toward the other without waiting for him to come closer.

    “Why didn’t you think to wear a scarf in this cold? You’ll catch a cold, you know.”

    He Xing Yi, sixteen years old, spoke to Kab Kluen in a mildly scolding tone as he took off his own scarf and put it on his younger friend out of concern.

    He Xing Yi—or Brother Yi—was Kab Kluen’s only close friend. The two of them had met because Kab Kluen’s father was good friends with He Xing Yan, He Xing Yi’s father. Originally, Kab Kluen’s family lived in Thailand, but when Kab Kluen turned eight, the family moved to China to run a business. As it happened, Kab Kluen’s and He Xing Yi’s homes were right next to each other, allowing them to visit each other any time. Since their fathers were very close, the two boys naturally grew close as well.

    He Xing Yi and Kab Kluen had quite different personalities. One was calm, well-mannered, and composed—someone who had his own inner world and didn’t really want others intruding. The other was clumsy, mischievous, and more vibrant than a morning flower. At first, the adults worried the two boys wouldn’t get along. But over time, they became inseparable. For instance, wherever Kab Kluen went to play, He Xing Yi would always be there to look after him. Or when He Xing Yi withdrew too deeply into his own world, Kab Kluen would pull him out and introduce him to a brighter one—one far more cheerful than the lonely world he knew. In the past, He Xing Yi was a boy who rarely spoke. But ever since he had Kab Kluen as a playmate, he had completely changed. He smiled, laughed, and talked much more. It was as if Kab Kluen’s boundless brightness had rubbed off on He Xing Yi too.

    At present, He Xing Yi was sixteen years old, while Kab Kluen was ten. However, their closeness had not diminished in the slightest.

    Naturally, He Xing Yi’s actions, which contrasted with the tone of his voice, brought a smile to Kab Kluen’s face—a smile he couldn’t hold back because it made him feel so good.

    “What are you smiling at? I just scolded you, and you're smiling like that?”

    He Xing Yi asked while adjusting the scarf for Kab Kluen.

    “You weren’t really scolding me at all. Ah! It’s too tight—I can’t breathe.”

    “Sorry, I was just afraid you wouldn’t be warm enough. All done.”

    He Xing Yi said as he reached out to tousle Kab Kluen’s soft hair affectionately. He bent down to meet the younger boy at eye level, then gave him a sweet smile. That was the first time Kab Kluen felt something strange—his heart thumping unusually hard. He looked at He Xing Yi’s face with eyes slightly widened, as if startled by something. At the same time, his breath seemed to pause for a moment. He Xing Yi, seeing the younger boy staring fixedly at his face without blinking, furrowed his brows tightly in confusion before speaking up to ask.

    “What’s wrong, Kluen? Why are you looking at my face like that?”

    “...”

    Kab Kluen didn’t answer. He just blinked quietly at He Xing Yi.

    “Or is there something on my face? Where is it? Help me get it off.”

    He Xing Yi asked as he leaned his face even closer to Kab Kluen, hoping the younger one would remove whatever foreign object was on his face. But Kab Kluen took a step back and responded in a stammering voice.

    “There’s nothing there at all. Anyway, where’s the thing you said you wanted to show me?”

    “Oh right! I totally forgot. Let’s go take a look.”

    When Kab Kluen heard what the older boy said, he got ready to step forward. But just as he was about to move, he froze—because He Xing Yi had walked around behind him and placed both hands over Kab Kluen’s eyes.

    “What are you doing? Why are you covering my eyes?” Kab Kluen asked in surprise.

    “Don’t be startled—it’s a surprise. I’ll guide you there. It’s just a short walk. Come on, we shouldn’t keep those guys waiting too long.”

    Even though Kab Kluen didn’t understand why He Xing Yi had to cover his eyes, he still stepped forward to walk, with He Xing Yi giving directions and watching over him from behind. After walking for a while, He Xing Yi told Kab Kluen to stop.

    “I’m going to count from one to three, and then you can open your eyes.”

    “Mm,” Kab Kluen nodded in agreement. He Xing Yi then slowly removed his hands and began counting as a signal: one, two, three. When Kab Kluen opened his eyes, it took a moment for his vision to adjust to the light. Once he could see clearly, the first thing he saw was two puppies lying in a hollow log, nursing from their skinny mother.

    “Oh! Puppies! In a forest like this—how could there be puppies here?”

    Kab Kluen asked the older boy curiously, his eyes fixed on the dogs with a gaze full of excitement.

    “They’re strays. Every time we come here to play, I always see the mother dog. I usually give her something to eat from whatever I bring along because I feel sorry for her. About two weeks ago, I looked for her but couldn’t find her, so I thought she either got lost or someone took her in. But today I saw her again—and she was acting strange, like she wanted me to follow her somewhere. So I did, and I found these two puppies curled up together. I guess she disappeared because she was giving birth.”

    While He Xing Yi was telling the story to Kab Kluen, the mother dog walked up to him, wagging her tail rapidly, as if she was happy to see this kind-hearted boy again.

    “Maybe when the mother dog came to see you and acted strangely, she wanted to bring you to see her puppies.”

    “I thought so too. Kluen, do you want to try holding them? The mother dog won’t bite.”

    “Really? Wow, that’s great! In that case—Mother Dog, may I?”

    Kab Kluen spoke with excitement, even turning to politely ask the mother dog for permission, before slowly approaching the two puppies who were trying to make their way toward their mother. When the mother dog saw someone coming to interfere with her pups, she immediately turned back toward them. However, she didn’t bark or show any signs of aggression toward Kab Kluen—not at all. She simply sniffed him for a while, then wagged her tail and walked off to play with He Xing Yi again, as if she knew that Kab Kluen would...

    “These puppies just recently opened their eyes, and they still don’t walk very steadily. The weather’s cold, and snow’s piling up—that’s so sad. They must be freezing.”

    Kab Kluen picked up the two puppies and nestled them in his arms, hoping to warm them up, while speaking to He Xing Yi in a slightly sorrowful tone.

    “That’s right. So I wanted to ask Kluen what we should do with these puppies.”

    Kab Kluen clearly heard what He Xing Yi had asked, but he didn’t reply. He just kept staring at the puppies’ little faces as they pressed their bodies close to the warmth of the human holding them. Then one of the puppies looked up at Kab Kluen with wide, innocent eyes. From not knowing what to do with these puppies, Kab Kluen suddenly found himself wanting to take care of them.

    “Brother Yi, I want to keep them.”

    “Huh?” He Xing Yi made a sound as though he hadn’t quite caught what Kab Kluen had said.

    “I said I’m going to adopt all three of them.”

    Kab Kluen turned to tell Xing Yi with a calm expression, but Xing Yi slowly broke into a happy smile and asked again to confirm.

    “Really? Kluen, you’re really going to take them in?”

    “Yes. I think… if these puppies don’t have a home and have to live out here in the freezing cold, with no food to eat, suffering from hunger—that would be so heartbreaking.”

    “That’s good. I’ll help Kluen take care of them too.”

    “Awesome. In that case, let’s head back. It’s getting colder.”

    He Xing Yi agreed, so they carried the three puppies and headed home. While they were briskly walking, Kab Kluen suddenly came to a halt. When He Xing Yi turned back to look, Kab Kluen spoke up.

    “Brother Yi, you have to help me talk to my dad, okay? If it’s just me, he probably won’t let me. But if you help convince him too, he’ll definitely agree.”

    “Of course. I’ll definitely help you.”

    The two of them looked into each other’s eyes and broke into wide smiles of delight before continuing their walk home. When they arrived, Kab Kluen saw that his father and He Xing Yi’s parents were already sitting together, chatting and having coffee. The boy stared at his father, then turned to face He Xing Yi and took a deep breath, as if bracing himself.

    “Good luck,” He Xing Yi offered encouragement when he saw just how nervous the younger boy was.

    “Thanks. Don’t forget—if it seems like I can’t convince him, you have to jump in and help right away. I’ll try talking to him by myself first.”

    “Sure,” When He Xing Yi agreed, Kab Kluen took another deep breath, then turned and walked toward his father with determination.

    “There you are, you little rascal. Where’ve you been since early this morning?”

    Achira spoke up when he saw his only son walking toward him. He looked at his son with a stern gaze, but Kab Kluen didn’t feel the slightest bit afraid. The boy just gave a sheepish smile and walked to a stop right in front of him.

    “Where’s Brother Yi, Kluen? Didn’t he come in with you?”

    Zhang Ai Yue asked about his own son when he saw that He Xing Yi hadn’t followed Kab Kluen inside, even though normally the two boys were always stuck together like deep-fried dough sticks.

    “Brother Yi’s outside, Uncle Ai.”

    “Sit down. Why are you standing towering over the adults, you rascal?” Achira said.

    “Dad,” Kab Kluen called out loudly to his father, so much so that all three adults turned to look at him in surprise. Achira was about to scold his son, but suddenly paused when Kab Kluen abruptly lowered himself and sat on the floor, kneeling obediently—something he had never done before, not even once.

    “What’s with you? Why are you sitting on the floor? Get up and sit on the chair, you boy.”

    “Kab Kluen probably has something he wants to ask,” He Xing Yan spoke up knowingly.

    Kab Kluen heard what He Xing Yan said and turned to nod, confirming it was true, before turning his face back to his father and making his request without hesitation.

    “Dad, may I keep a dog?” he asked loudly.

    “A dog? What dog?” Achira asked in confusion.

    “This morning, Brother Yi called me out and said he had something to show me. When I got there, I saw two puppies that had just recently opened their eyes. They were curled up in a grassy hollow, and the mother dog was so skinny. Plus, it’s cold outside. I felt sorry for them, so I want to bring them home and take care of them.”

    “When you were six, you cried and begged to keep a dog. Do you remember what I said then?”

    “Of course I do. I’ve remembered it all this time. That’s why I’ve never asked again. But now I’m older. I think I’m ready to take care of one.”

    Kab Kluen’s mother had been someone who loved dogs very much, and Kab Kluen had inherited that trait completely. He had adored dogs since he was a little boy but had never had the chance to keep one. When he was six years old, he had asked Achira, but Achira hadn’t allowed it. He said that Kab Kluen was still too young to take responsibility for another life. Keeping a dog wasn’t something you could just do because you wanted to. You had to be able to give them love and know how to properly care for them. Once you brought them into your life, you had to take care of them until the end of theirs. There were also costs—food, medical care, medicine—and many other reasons why Kab Kluen couldn’t have a dog back then. And for all the time since, he had never asked Achira again, because he truly felt that he wasn’t ready. But today, the reason he asked was because he was confident that he was now mature enough to care for all three dogs.

    “You’re not ready. You’re ten years old—you’re still too young.”

    “Kluen’s not a kid anymore! If you’re worried about expenses, I can use my allowance to pay for medicine and food. I don’t spend much anyway. Or if that’s still not enough, I can go find a job. Kids start working at ten these days.”

    “Money isn’t the issue. If I gave permission, of course I’d pay for everything. The problem is—dogs are living beings, Kab Kluen. You can’t raise them for fun. It’s not as easy as you think. And more importantly—you don’t like goodbyes, do you? But dogs have their own lifespans. They will get sick, suffer, and eventually leave us. When that day comes, are you sure you won’t be heartbroken? Are you sure you won’t cry?”

    Kab Kluen had lost his beloved mother when he was still a child. That’s why he hated goodbyes—in any form.

    "That time hasn’t come yet. I read that dogs can live up to ten years. By then, I probably won’t be afraid of goodbyes anymore. So please, Dad, let me keep them.”

    Kab Kluen made his request in a pleading tone, but Achira shook his head in refusal.

    “No. I won’t allow it, no matter what.”

    “Dad,” Kab Kluen raised his voice, and tears began to well up in his eyes, as if he was about to cry.

    “Don’t raise your voice at me. And don’t ask me again. I won’t allow it.”

    Achira stood firm in his words. Kab Kluen pressed his lips together tightly, staring at his father's face without looking away, then pushed himself up to his feet without saying another word. His trembling hands clenched into fists before he finally spoke to Achira:

    “If Mom were still here, she would have let me keep them. If she were still here, everything would be better.”

    As soon as he finished speaking, Kab Kluen ran upstairs in a flash, with Achira shouting his name angrily after him. Seeing that the situation was not going well, Zhang Ai Yue told He Xing Yan to try calming Achira down, while he himself would go check on Kab Kluen. But just as Ai Yue was about to go up, He Xing Yi stepped in front of him.

    “Mama, please stay down here. I’ll go check on him myself.”

    “He’s upset right now, He Xing Yi. Speak gently to him, okay? And help him understand Uncle’s side too, all right?”

    “Yes,” He Xing Yi nodded and walked up to the second floor to see Kab Kluen.

    “Kluen, are you inside? Please open the door for me.”

    The boy knocked on the door and asked for his younger friend to come open it. But even after waiting for a long time, the door still didn’t open. He Xing Yi called out several more times, but the result remained the same. He figured the boy probably wanted to be alone and decided to come talk to him later. However, just as he told Kab Kluen that he would step away for now, the door he had been knocking on opened.

    When he turned back, He Xing Yi saw that Kab Kluen’s face was streaked with tears, and he was still crying non-stop, his whole face flushed red.

    “Can I come in and talk?” he asked softly.

    When he saw Kab Kluen nod in response, He Xing Yi walked into the room and closed and locked the door behind him.

    “Didn’t you say I should come help ask your dad? Then why did you run off and cry like this?”

    He Xing Yi crouched down in front of Kab Kluen, who was sitting on the bed, and looked up to ask with a faint smile on his face.

    “Dad is like this. Even if you had come to help, he wouldn’t have let me keep them anyway.”

    “I think Uncle must have his reasons for not allowing it. Besides, he’s probably worried about how you’ll feel when you lose the dog someday. You’re such a crybaby, Kluen—so Uncle is really worried about you. Maybe in the future, when you’re older, he’ll let you keep one.”

    “By the time Dad allows me to keep them, the puppies and their mom will probably have starved or frozen to death. They won’t live long enough for the day I’m allowed to take care of them. What should we do about those poor dogs, Brother Yi? Do we have to take them back to where we found them?”

    He Xing Yi shook his head and smiled gently with fondness, seeing that even while Kab Kluen was so upset, he was still worrying about the dogs.

    “If you’re not allowed to keep them, I’ll be the one to take them in myself.”

    “Really?” he asked excitedly.

    “Of course. Once you stop crying, I’ll go ask Dad and Mom for permission again.”

    “You promised, okay?”

    He Xing Yi nodded in agreement and gently reached out to wipe away the younger boy’s tears.

    “Do you want a hug? If you feel like hugging me, you can.”

    “H-Hug? Really?”

    Kab Kluen repeated the question in a stammering voice, startled by what He Xing Yi had just said. Of course, He Xing Yi himself was also surprised at what he had said, speaking without thinking. The boy fumbled awkwardly for a moment before explaining,

    “When I was little and cried a lot, Mama always came to hug me. And every time she did, I’d feel strangely better. So I thought if I hugged Kluen, you might feel better too.”

    Kab Kluen listened and tried to follow what He Xing Yi had said. He remembered that when his mother was still alive, she would often hug him, and it had always made him feel strangely better too. Because of that, Kab Kluen felt that if He Xing Yi hugged him, it would probably make him feel just as good.

    “Then… Brother Yi, can you hug me?”

    He Xing Yi smiled and nodded. “Mm, of course.”

    After he said that, He Xing Yi leaned in and wrapped Kab Kluen in a hug. His palms gently stroked Kab Kluen’s soft hair, while softly saying:

    “Don’t cry anymore. My Kluen looks much better when he smiles.”

    While being hugged, Kab Kluen hardly noticed what He Xing Yi was saying—he was too stunned by the strange way his heart was suddenly racing. He began to ask himself what this rapid heartbeat meant. But no matter how hard he tried, Kab Kluen couldn’t find an answer to his question. All he knew was that He Xing Yi’s embrace made him feel really good. But it wasn’t the same kind of good he felt when hugged by his mom or dad. It was a different kind of feeling—like he had a favorite toy he loved very, very much.

    After Kab Kluen felt better, the two of them went downstairs together to ask for permission from He Xing Yi’s parents. Kab Kluen didn’t go in with He Xing Yi, instead choosing to go play with the puppies while he waited. But he kept craning his neck to look, again and again. He Xing Yi still hadn’t come out. And the more time passed, the more anxious Kab Kluen became—afraid he wouldn’t be allowed to keep the dogs. Just as he was starting to overthink things, he saw He Xing Yi finally walk out of the house. Kab Kluen wasted no time and ran toward him excitedly.

    “How did it go? Did Uncle Yan and Uncle Ai let you keep them?”

    He Xing Yi didn’t respond. Instead, he looked at Kab Kluen’s face with a sad expression, which made Kab Kluen think that the answer was no.

    “Your dad and mom didn’t allow it…” Kab Kluen hadn’t even finished the sentence when He Xing Yi interrupted him with a wide smile.

    “We can keep them. Dad and Mom said yes—they’re letting me take them in, Kluen!”

    “Really, Brother Yi?!”

    He Xing Yi nodded repeatedly in confirmation, and Kab Kluen’s sad face finally broke into a wide smile. The two children jumped into each other’s arms in joy and started leaping around with laughter, prompting the three adults watching from afar to smile fondly at the scene.

    “Normally, those two kids already get along well. But now, it looks like they get along even better than before,” Zhang Ai Yue said, expressing his feelings.

    “Exactly. Look at my little rascal—just a moment ago, he was furious with me, now he’s hopping around like a monkey,” Achira said.

    “Your kid looks over the moon. Do you feel guilty for rejecting him?”

    “I said no because I’m worried about him. When he’s upset, my kid is absolutely pitiful. Luckily, your son Yi went to comfort and talk to him. Otherwise, that little rascal would probably still be crying right now.”

    While Achira was speaking, He Xing Yan and Zhang Ai Yue looked at each other and exchanged an odd little smile. He Xing Yan stared at Achira for a while, deep in thought. And when Achira looked up and caught Xing Yan’s gaze, he didn’t wait for the other man to speak—instead, he quickly jumped in and spoke first.

    “Even as a kid, my son takes care of little Kluen so well. When he grows up, he’ll surely take even better care of him—don’t you think?”

    “So what?” Achira asked, catching the implication.

    “What I’m saying is—if little Kluen were to become my son-in-law, you wouldn’t have to worry about a thing. My son would take excellent care of yours.”

    “What do you mean by that? You want my son to marry yours?”

    “Exactly. That’s right. Not a single word off. Ai Yue and I adore little Kluen—we love him like our own relative. If he were to become my son-in-law, we’d pamper him like he was a delicate egg.”

    “Let that be up to the kids. If the two of them really come to like each other and want to get married, I won’t object. But if they don’t feel that way, I wouldn’t want to force them.”

    Achira was giving Kab Kluen the freedom to choose his own path in life—unaware that in the future, it would be he himself who would go back on the very words he once said.

    “Well, whatever the case, I’ve already reserved little Kluen for us.”