Chapter 8: Failed Attempt

Evening settled softly over City as the employees gradually streamed out of the event company building after a long day of work.

Pat walked alongside Tee and several other staff members, one hand tucked into his pocket while the others chatted indistinctly around him about project deadlines, food, and weekend plans.

Pat looked slightly less burdened.

Not fully healed,

but lighter.

“P’Mok almost murdered us with that government project today,” one staff member groaned dramatically.

“It’s Pat’s fault for suddenly becoming hardworking again,” another joked.

Pat scoffed lightly.

“Ungrateful people.”

The group laughed softly as they continued toward the parking area outside the company building.

Then suddenly,

“Khun Pat!”

A deep familiar voice called out warmly.

Everyone halted almost at once and turned toward the direction of the voice.

Leaning casually against a sleek black car parked near the curb stood Yut.

One hand rested lazily inside his pocket while the other waved toward them with an easy smile.

Dressed in a fitted emerald shirt with the sleeves rolled neatly to his forearms and black tailored pants, Yut looked handsome beneath the evening lights. His calm confidence alone was enough to draw attention instantly.

Several staff members immediately began whispering among themselves.

“Whoa…”

“He’s handsome.“

“That aura though…”

“Is he an actor or something?”

Pat, meanwhile, looked absolutely horrified.

His eyes widened slightly before narrowing dangerously as disbelief, embarrassment, and irritation hit him all at once.

Slowly, very slowly, he turned his head toward Tee.

Tee instantly avoided eye contact.

“The contact card,” Tee replied quickly under his breath like someone confessing a crime.

Pat stared at him in betrayal.

“You what?”

Before Pat could properly explode, Yut had already pushed himself away from the car and started walking toward the group with calm confidence.

The closer he got, the more some of the female staff members visibly straightened themselves unconsciously.

Even a few male staff members looked impressed by his presence.

Yut stopped directly in front of Pat.

Pat immediately looked away with an irritated roll of his eyes, pretending not to acknowledge him even though he could already feel several pairs of curious eyes burning into the side of his face.

Yut smiled faintly at the reaction.

“I see you’re doing better compared to last night,” he said warmly.

Pat folded his arms.

“Unfortunately, yes.”

Tee almost choked trying not to laugh.

Yut only seemed more amused before politely turning toward the others.

“Sawasdee khap,” he greeted respectfully with a slight bow of his head.

The team greeted him back almost immediately, some trying too hard to sound composed.

“Sawasdee khap.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Hello.”

Meanwhile, Tee subtly stepped closer toward Yut and lowered his voice enough for only him to hear.

“Khun… you’re really serious about this, huh?” Tee muttered with a teasing smile. “I can see how interested you are in my friend.”

Beside them, Pat looked at both of them with visible disgust.

Yut glanced toward Pat again before answering calmly,

“I go all out for what I want.”

And the warm smile he gave afterward,

was directed entirely at Pat

The atmosphere around the parking lot grew strangely tense after Yut’s bold declaration.

Pat immediately looked away, clearly unwilling to entertain whatever game Yut was trying to play.

Unfortunately for him,

Yut didn’t seem discouraged at all.

“So…” Yut slipped one hand into his pocket casually. “Would you like to have dinner with me?”

“No.”

Pat answered so quickly that several staff members almost burst out laughing.

Tee pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Pat, at least pretend to think about it first,” he muttered.

already thought about it,” Pat replied flatly. “The answer is still no.”

Yut chuckled softly under his breath, surprisingly calm despite the rejection.

Before the awkwardness could fully settle, Tee suddenly clapped his hands once.

“Actually!” he interrupted loudly. “We’re heading for a team dinner nearby.”

Pat slowly turned toward him in disbelief.

Tee avoided eye contact again.

Smoothly, Tee continued,

“If you want, you can join us instead.”

Several teammates instantly caught on and nodded enthusiastically.

“Yes, join us”

“The more the merrier!”

“It’s just casual dinner!”

Yut’s eyes briefly shifted toward Pat before he smiled warmly.

“I’d love to.”

Pat looked seconds away from resigning from the company.

—

The restaurant was lively and warm, filled with the comforting aroma of grilled meat, spices, and sizzling dishes fresh from the kitchen.

Their long table quickly became crowded with plates of Pad Thai, Tom Yum soup, grilled prawns, fried sea bass, Moo Ping skewers, and endless bottles of beer and iced drinks.

The entire team chatted noisily while laughter echoed around the restaurant.

Yet somehow,

despite sitting among everyone else, Yut’s attention remained almost entirely on Pat.

“Careful, it’s hot,” Yut murmured while moving a freshly grilled dish closer to Pat instead of himself.

Pat frowned lightly.

A few minutes later, Yut quietly peeled shrimp onto Pat’s plate without asking.

Then refilled his drink.

Then moved dishes closer whenever Pat reached for them.

“Eat properly,” Yut said softly when Pat ignored half the food on his plate. “You barely touched anything.”

Pat stared at him strangely for a moment.

Not annoyed this time.

Just… caught off guard.

Across the table, Tee watched silently while sipping his beer.

And slowly, Pat began to remember something he hadn’t thought about in a very long time.

Himself.

Back then.

The younger version of Pat who used to chase after Wayu endlessly.

The way he memorized what Way liked to eat.

How he used to peel shrimp for him first.

How he would wait outside Way’s office just to take him home together.

How hopelessly devoted he had been before Way finally agreed to date him.

Now someone was looking at him that same way.

With patience.

Attention.

Care.

And for some reason,

it made Pat’s chest feel strangely warm… and uncomfortable at the same time.

By the end of dinner, Yut had somehow quietly paid the entire bill before anyone else noticed.

“What?” Yut shrugged casually when the team protested. “Think of it as my first successful attempt at impressing Pat.”

“Failed attempt,” Pat corrected immediately.

But his tone lacked its usual sharpness.

That alone made Tee smirk knowingly.