Chapter Text
Est was one of the best photographers in Thailand, but he had never received a job offer from Europe. Until recently, he had been invited to a fashion show. Not just any fashion show, a Milan fashion show. Since he didn’t have pressing work, he decided to take a chance.
He bought a business-class flight ticket to Rome, booked hotels, and spent days researching the best photo spots; hidden alleys, ancient ruins, cafés with perfect lighting. His plan was simple: spend a week exploring Rome and other cities and then head to Milan for the fashion show.
Est set his alarm for 7 a.m. Living alone, he usually woke up to the sound of it. He rolled out of bed, He grabbed his suitcase and started folding his clothes, making sure to pack all his essentials, toothbrush, face wash, passport and other personal items.
After checking several times that he hadn’t forgotten anything, Est finally collapsed on his bed, exhausted. Excitement buzzed in his chest. Finally, he was finally going to his dream country. Sleep came quickly, carrying him into dreams of sunlit streets and yellowish buildings.
---
The next morning, the alarm rang, and Est quickly got ready. A 14-hour flight with a transit in Dubai awaited him, and he was grateful for business class, otherwise he’d have been praying for his back
“Ladies and gentlemen, our flight from Dubai to Leonardo da Vinci International Airport will be landing shortly,” the flight attendant announced.
Est lifted his head and pressed it to the window. The Torre Eurosky building rose in the distance, glowing in the golden light of sunset. The historic buildings of Rome shimmered like something out of a painting. He blinked, almost in disbelief. Yesterday he had been in Bangkok, and now he was here, in the heart of an ancient city, watching the sun setting low over centuries of history.
His chest tightened with happiness, and he couldn’t resist pulling out his camera.
*Click. Click.*
Each photo captured the soft warmth of the sunlight falling on rooftops, streets, and stone statues worn smooth by centuries.
Soon, the flight landed, and he was officially in Rome. Carrying his backpack and suitcase, he flagged a cab and gave the hotel address. Outside the window, the city passed like a living postcard; gelato shops, street performers, scooters weaving through traffic, and even the air that he breathing felt different.
Once there, he pulled out his camera again. Everything fell perfectly into his lens, ancient buildings stretching as far as the eye could see.
Rome, the origin of gods and goddesses, or as some might say, the City of God.
On the way to the hotel, he photographed the yellowed buildings, noticing signs written in Italian using English words. He couldn’t pronounce the words, but that didn’t matter. Every corner was a new frame, a new story. Slowly, he made his way to the hotel, still captivated by the city through his lens. When he handed the money to the cab driver, the driver said, “Grazie,” which made him smile.
Once inside his room, exhaustion pinned him to the spot. Est dragged his luggage in, get a pair of pajamas, and went straight to the shower. Finally, he climbed into bed, letting his body sink into the mattress, waiting for morning to arrive.
----
He woke up early in the morning, probably from the jetlag. It was barely 6 a.m., and the sun had just risen. Looking out the window, he was a little surprised to see the city already alive with locals. Italians really did wake up early.
After washing up, he slipped into casual clothes. The air was chilly, no wonder he had felt cold yesterday. Checking his weather app, he saw it was 9°C. He layered a cream jacket over his outfit, paired it with white pants, and slung his camera around his neck.
Grabbing his bag, he left the hotel and headed out to find breakfast, ready to start his first day exploring Rome.
There were no buses yet, so he decided to walk. As he wandered, he searched for restaurants online, reading reviews along the way. After a while, he found one that seemed promising and headed straight there. His breakfast was simple: orange juice and a sandwich. He ate while scrolling through potential photo spots on his phone.
The restaurant smelled strongly of espresso, tempting him to order a cup. When it arrived, it came in a cute little cup with a small packet of sugar. Est inhaled the rich coffee before taking a sip. His eyebrows immediately knitted together at the sharp bitterness. Without a second thought, he dumped the entire packet of sugar into the cup and stirred.
“Much better” he said to himself, nodding in satisfaction.
Then he headed to the Colosseum by bus. The moment he hopped on, people were speaking Italian loudly around him. Italians are really nosy, he thought to himself. He froze, unsure where to scan his ticket, but the elderly lady beside him helped him with a warm smile. “Grazie,” he said, and she smiled back.
Taking the window seat, he snapped a few photos along the way.
When the Colosseum finally came into view, towering before him, he didn’t mind the walk from the bus stop. He wandered along the streets, camera in hand, capturing every frame.
And then, the man in the yellow jacket caught his eye instantly. Glasses resting neatly on his nose, he carried himself with an effortless kind of charm, too radiant and too magnetic to be ignored.
When Est lifted his camera and focused the lens, the stranger appeared impossibly sharp, as though the world itself had decided to blur for him.
*Click Click*
On the camera screen, the man looked unreal. Diamonds and gold might as well have been dust beneath his shoes, insignificant compared to the quiet magnificence he carried so naturally.
The usually loud, crowded Colosseum seemed to conspire in his favor, keeping the yellow jacket wearing stranger unnoticed within the carefully framed background.
Est adjusted the angle for what was supposed to be the final shot. That was when the man turned. Brown eyes met his through the lens, warm and glimmering, and Est felt something in his chest tighten.
The stranger’s thin, curved lips held a dangerous softness, the kind that could make someone forget how to breathe, the kind that curled Est’s toes without permission.
He didn’t notice the footsteps drawing closer, didn’t realize his heart was seconds away from being crushed.
“Hey,” a voice said, close now. “Don’t you think it’s rude to take a picture of someone without permission?”
“I… I’m sorry,” Est stammered.
The man smiled, and in the distance, a violin began to play.
Est froze, unsure what to do. He stepped closer, leaning in, lips parted to say something.
“Can I?” the stranger’s hand came into view.
“Can I see the photos?” he said, eyes locked on Est’s. The violins grew louder, and Est felt himself drowning in those chocolate-brown eyes.
He handed over his camera. The stranger smiled as he scrolled through the shots.
“You must be a photographer,” he said, eyes still on the screen.
“I am,” Est replied, looking up into his gaze again.
“Oh… why are you here, then? Let me guess,” the stranger smirked. “Milan Fashion Week, right?”
Est nodded. “Are you here for that too?” he asked.
The stranger nodded. “I’m a model. By the way… where are you from?”
“Thailand…” Est’s eyes widened at his own answer. Don’t think he’s cute, he reminded himself.
“Oh I’m Thai-American! I thought you were Korean though your accent is slightly thai...” he laughed.
It wasn't that funny, but Est laughed along with him. Their laughter filled the air instantly.
“How should I call you… Khun?” he asked in Thai, his accent tinged with English, which made Est smile again.
“Est. I’m Est,” he said, offering his hand.
The stranger shook it warmly. “I’m William. My Thai isn’t very good though. I moved to America since I was a kid.”
“It’s okay,” Est replied. “Your Thai is very narak.”
They chatted for a while, sharing Instagram and phone numbers. Then William said he had something to do and left. Est watched until his back disappeared from sight, then wandered around the Colosseum some more, capturing photos before heading back to the hotel.
Est removed his jacket and let himself sink into the mattress after the brutal walk under the sun. He was glad the weather hadn’t been too hot—otherwise, he’d be soaked in sweat. He flipped through the photos he had taken, admiring a few shots, and then his eyes gave out. Sleep claimed him again.
Est woke up feeling hungry. He rubbed his stomach as if he could quiet the growling. Sliding his jacket on, he tucked his camera into his bag and slipped the hotel keycard into his pocket. Just as he closed the door, a yellow shadow caught the corner of his eye.
Is it William?
“Khun,” the other person called, confirming it. “Are you staying here?”
“Yes. Didn’t know we were neighbors,” Est said with a laugh. William smiled.
“Where are you going?”
“To have lunch. I’m starving,” Est admitted, and his stomach growled again. William laughed at the sound.
“Well, me too. Shall we go together? I know a good spot.”
Est nodded, suppressing the ridiculous butterflies in his stomach. They chatted along the way to the restaurant, the conversation light and easy, filled with laughter.
William took him to an Italian restaurant. The place was lovely, not too fancy, just warm and inviting, with neatly arranged tables and chairs. They sat near the window, sunlight spilling softly across the table. The waiter handed Est a menu.
And Est froze.
It was written entirely in Italian, English letters, but none of the words made sense. He stared at it helplessly before looking up at William, who was already watching him with an amused curl at the corner of his lips.
William laughed, like Est was a child struggling to spell apple. Gently, he took the menu from Est’s hands and began ordering in Italian.
Wait- he could speak Italian?
The waiter left after taking the order, and Est finally asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
“Can you speak Italian?”
William smiled and shook his head. “Only the basics phrases. I come here a lot... My dad has relatives here.”
“I see.”
A brief silence settled between them, awkward but not uncomfortable. William seemed to notice.
“How old are you?” he asked. “Aren’t Thai people supposed to call older people phi?”
“24” Est replied. “And I already knew you were younger.”
“I’m 20” William said. “P’Est.”
The way the word slipped from William’s mouth sounded different, more softer. Est heard violins again and had no idea what was wrong with him.
He barely remembered how he reacted. His thoughts were drowning in brown eyes, butterflies swarming everywhere, until one of them seemed to land right on William’s shoulder and bring him back to reality.
The waiter returned with their food and place two glasses of wine on the table. Est was about to refuse. He didn’t like drinking during the day. But then he met William’s eyes, open and genuine, and somehow… he couldn’t say no.
They talked while eating, easy and comfortable. Est learned that William hated tomatoes. William showed him how to drink wine properly; swirling the glass, smelling it first, then taking a sip.
Est also learned that William was a light drinker. One glass in, and his whole face flushed red.
After lunch, William asked where Est wanted to go next.
“Anywhere with a good view,” Est replied.
They headed toward the bus stop. William walked ahead, and Est followed. Luckily, the bus arrived just as they reached it. William glanced back and suddenly took Est’s hand.
Est’s world tilted. From the brush of fingertips to the warmth of William’s hand fully in his, it took every bit of self-control he had. When their fingers intertwined, Est heard violins again and this time mixed with the frantic drums of his heart.
His body followed William’s pace automatically, and somehow they made it onto the bus.
William didn’t let go right away. Both of them were breathing a little too fast. After a moment, William released his hand.
“Sorry, P’Est. I was in a hurry, so…”
All Est could do was nod.
----
They sat together on the bus, Est by the window and William beside him. Est couldn’t bring himself to look at William, afraid that if he did, William might notice the butterflies fluttering wildly in his stomach.
Est didn’t understand himself either. The last time he had felt this way was back in high school. And now, here he was head over heels for a man he had met just hours ago.
He wanted to slap himself. William had splashed color onto his heart, onto what had once been a blank canvas, and Est wasn’t sure how to deal with it.
He was drowning in his thoughts when he felt weight against his shoulder. William had leaned onto him. He’d been a little tipsy earlier, so it wasn’t surprising that he’d fallen asleep. Est waved his hand gently in front of William’s face to make sure he was really out.
When there was no response, Est carefully brushed his fingers through William’s hair, slow and gentle, soothing without thinking.
William’s hair was soft. Est smiled before he could stop himself and soon, he drifted off too.
William shook him awake when it was time to get off the bus. The sun was already low in the sky, painting everything gold. Perfect light for photos. Est smiled, not noticing the sleepy, slightly grumpy puppy beside him.
“P’Est, I’m sorry,” William said, pouting. “I slept through our stop.”
Est giggled. “It’s okay. Everywhere is pretty anyway.”
He pulled out his phone and opened the GPS. “The Tiber River is about five minutes away.”
William’s eyes lit up instantly. “Really? I heard it’s really beautiful.”
Est laughed softly as they walked side by side. Their hands brushed accidentally, and suddenly the butterflies and violins were back. The whole world felt yellow. After a short walk, they reached the bridge.
It was crowded but not overwhelmingly so.
“You said you’re a model, right?” Est teased.
“Show me your skills, Nong William.”
He pulled his camera out, and William smirked before striking a pose. Est loved how William always fit perfectly into the frame, no matter the angle, no matter the light. No wonder he was a model.
After Est finished taking photos, William took the camera and turned it on him.
“I noticed something,” William said. “You only take photos of other people. There are barely any photos of you.”
Est had never liked being in front of the camera. He preferred staying behind the lens. But… he wanted William to see him the way he saw others.
It took a bit of struggling to pose, but with William’s instructions, Est managed.
They walked around the bridge afterward, talking about everything and nothing under a sky that slowly shifted from yellow to orange.
As they watched the sunset, Est felt a quiet ache settle in his chest. There was a high chance he wouldn’t see William again tomorrow. He wanted to ask, wanted to ask if William could come along with him, wherever he went but the words stayed stuck.
William noticed the change immediately.
“Phi, what’s wrong?” he asked, worry lacing his voice.
“I just feel a little sad because the day’s over,” Est said, forcing a smile. He didn’t want William to worry.
“There’s tomorrow, isn’t there?”
Est looked at him, confused. “What do you mean?”
William smiled. “I’m done with all my work in Rome. I’m officially free until the show.”
Est stared at him.
“I was planning to travel to different cities,” William continued, “but I’d be alone. I was thinking of just bed-rotting and waiting for the show. But if I have Phi… I won’t be alone, right?”
Est nodded. “Of course not.”
The sun finally disappeared, and Est called a cab.
They returned to the hotel together. Once inside his room, Est went straight to the shower. He wasn’t sure if it was still jet lag or just exhaustion, but all he wanted was sleep.
He showered quickly and collapsed onto the bed, falling asleep almost instantly; completely unaware of the missed call from someone who had been waiting to have dinner with him.