Chapter 10: First Night

After stepping out of Naphat’s office, Janevee flashed a grateful smile at Naphat’s assistant, who had been keeping her updated on the CEO’s schedule. She handed the assistant a voucher worth tens of thousands of baht for a luxury department store under her family’s business.

“Thanks for helping me with Miss Naphat. Here, treat yourself to some shopping,” Janevee said with a friendly smile before heading toward the parking lot.

Once she settled into her sleek sports car, however, her smile faded. The sparkle in her eyes dimmed, replaced by a somber seriousness.

Naphat’s words echoed in her mind:

“We need to set some ground rules while we’re fake dating—what’s allowed and what isn’t. Otherwise, I think some things might be crossing the line.”

.

.

“Crossing the line, huh…”

Janevee repeated those words to herself, a wry smile tugging at her lips. She knew she was crossing a line—maybe even going too far. But with the opportunity to be close to Naphat, she couldn’t help but want to take care of her, to make her feel special. Deep down, however, she wasn’t entirely sure how Naphat felt about her.

Yesterday, in the car, Janevee could sense Naphat’s frustration when the topic of that night came up. Though Naphat hadn’t said anything outright, the silence and growing distance between them had unsettled her. It was what drove her to visit Naphat today, armed with flowers and her favorite food. She had hoped to lighten Naphat’s mood—or at least show her that she cared.

If she were being completely honest, Janevee’s real goal was to apologize. But she didn’t dare call it that, not knowing for certain whether Naphat was truly upset with her yesterday or if it was all in her head.

All Janevee wanted was to do something kind, something that might make Naphat see that she could be a good person too. And while Naphat’s comment about crossing the line had dampened her spirits, Janevee tried to remain optimistic. She allowed herself a small smile of encouragement before picking up her phone to send another message to Naphat.

“Don’t forget to eat. Sashimi doesn’t taste as good if you leave it out too long.”

After hitting send, Janevee sat back and waited for a response. She watched as the message marked as read but no reply came. A quiet, hollow feeling crept into her chest.

What Janevee didn’t know was that, at that very moment, Naphat was eating the sashimi Janevee had brought her. She tried to suppress the small smile that formed on her lips as she read the message.

…

In the early evening,

Janevee left her office with uncharacteristic enthusiasm, heading straight home to prepare for Naphat’s first night staying at her house. Everything had been meticulously arranged—clothes, shoes, and accessories for Naphat were ready. Janevee had even gone so far as to renovate her walk-in closet specifically for her guest, filling it with Naphat’s favorite luxury brands as a surprise.

When she heard the sound of Naphat’s luxury car pulling into the driveway, Janevee immediately went to greet her, unable to hide the wide smile spreading across her face.

“Welcome home, darling,” Janevee teased, her mischievous grin firmly in place.

Naphat raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips slightly before handing her car keys to the valet. She turned back to glare at Janevee with mock annoyance.

“What’s with the ‘darling’? That’s so cringy!” she snapped, her sharp tone only making Janevee chuckle lightly, completely unfazed.

Ignoring her, Naphat strode into the house, dropped onto the sofa with an air of exasperation, and let out a loud sigh, clearly meant to be heard.

“Your house isn’t far from my office, but the traffic was insane—like the entire city was about to collapse. A trip that should’ve taken minutes ended up being half an hour,” she grumbled, grabbing a cushion and hugging it tightly.

Janevee smiled sympathetically before casually offering a solution.

“Why don’t you move into my condo instead? I’ve got one near your office. You could walk to work, and I’ll drive to mine. Easy, right?”

Naphat snapped her head toward Janevee, her wide eyes betraying her surprise. She hadn’t expected such a suggestion, especially after the incident earlier in her office—the one where Janevee had casually nuzzled her neck without a hint of shame.

But seeing Janevee’s sly grin and slightly narrowed eyes, Naphat couldn’t help but smile faintly, even as she forced herself to sound stern.

“If that’s the case, it’d be easier for me to move back to my own condo,” she said coolly.

The comment made Janevee visibly flinch, her confident smile faltering for a split second before she quickly recovered, her voice taking on a firmer tone.

“That’s not an option! Our agreement clearly states you have to stay here with me while we’re fake dating.”

Naphat narrowed her eyes at Janevee, her expression turning skeptical. Her lips pressed together as if she were mulling something over.

“Janevee, let me ask you something—are you secretly into me? Because I’m starting to wonder,” she said, her tone laced with suspicion. “Today, you brought me my favorite Japanese food, flowers I like, and now you’re taking care of me like I’m something special. Don’t you think you’re being a little too attentive, Janevee?”

Janevee paused for a moment. Part of her wanted Naphat to know the truth, but her pride wouldn’t let her admit it so easily. Instead, she kept her expression neutral and replied nonchalantly,

“Like I said, I’m just blocking anyone else who’s trying to hit on you.”

Naphat smirked and raised an eyebrow, her skepticism still evident. “Really, now?...”

Feigning exasperation, Janevee let out a dramatic sigh, as if exhausted by the conversation, and added with a teasing tone,

“Oh, come on, Preme… How could I possibly like you? I mean, what kind of kid goes to a Little Miss Loy Krathong contest and, instead of singing something sweet, belts out a raunchy song like ‘Do Poor People Have Rights?’”

Hearing that, Naphat rolled her eyes so hard they could’ve popped out of her head. “When are you ever going to let this go? Are you planning to keep teasing me about it until my kid gets ordained?” she retorted sarcastically.

Janevee chuckled softly, her laugh carrying a mischievous undertone as she looked at Naphat with playful amusement. Then, as if she couldn’t resist, she teased further.

“Well, your kid is my kid too. So, when our kid gets ordained, I’ll stop. But hey, who’s going to carry the baby—me or you? Or should we take turns, one each?”

This time, Naphat’s eyes narrowed into a fiery glare. She grabbed a throw pillow from the sofa and smacked Janevee on the shoulder. “Who’s having a kid with you? Stop spouting nonsense!” she snapped, her expression half annoyed, half amused.

Janevee laughed even harder, which only made Naphat huff in frustration. But despite herself, a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she thought back to that infamous childhood moment.

She was in kindergarten, entered into a Little Miss Loy Krathong competition. Her big moment was supposed to be singing the traditional song ‘Loi Krathong.’ But stage fright got the better of her, and instead of the sweet, rehearsed melody, little Naphat blurted out a cheeky, borderline inappropriate tune—one with absurdly suggestive lyrics:

.

“Do poor people have rights? Do poor people have rights? Any jobs I can take? No degree, but I’ve got X, though. But I’ve got X.”

The “X,” of course, referred to something everyone in the audience instinctively understood.

.

The atmosphere at the event that day was pure chaos. The host was left speechless, the audience stunned into awkward silence. Thankfully, Naphat’s mother rushed to the stage just in time, scooping up her daughter—who was gearing up to belt out the infamous line, “But I’ve got X”—and carrying her off before things could spiral further. That quick intervention saved Naphat from becoming the star of one of the most embarrassing childhood legends imaginable.

However, as she was being carried off the stage, Naphat’s gaze landed on a sharp-eyed girl in a blue Nang Noppamas dress. The girl walked toward her with purpose, holding out a bright red rose. With a cheerful smile, she gave Naphat a thumbs-up and said in a clear, confident voice, “That was awesome! Just awesome!”

That girl was Janevee.

Every time Naphat recalled that memory, she couldn’t help but let out a long sigh. The more she thought about it, the more she realized how Janevee had been a recurring figure in nearly every important stage of her life. From kindergarten to elementary school, then university, and now even their families were connected. It was almost as if fate kept throwing them together. The only reprieve had been their years in secondary school, when they’d attended different schools. Otherwise, Janevee might have been a constant shadow in her life.

But now that she thought about it… wait…

“Hey, Janevee. Don’t tell me that back then, when you gave me that rose, you had a crush on me? Wow… so I’ve had this magnetic charm since kindergarten, huh?”

Naphat teased, her tone playful and her eyes glinting with mischief as she looked at Janevee.

Janevee, who was sitting beside her, froze for a moment as if considering how to respond. A smirk slowly curved at the corner of her lips, and her sharp eyes locked onto Naphat’s with an intensity that made her heart skip a beat. Then, in a tone so serious it caught Naphat off guard, Janevee replied,

“And what if I did? If I really liked you, what would you do about it?”

The words landed like a warm gust of air, catching Naphat completely off guard. The tables had turned. The one who had started teasing now felt like she had walked straight into a trap. Quickly averting her gaze, Naphat turned her head away, trying to maintain her composure. She lifted her chin slightly, attempting to respond with confidence despite the sudden fluster she felt.

“Liking someone as stunning as me? That’s going to be tough,” Naphat quipped, tilting her head slightly with a playful smirk. “Ever heard Hard to Love by BLACKPINK? That’s me in a nutshell! They practically wrote that song about me!”

With that, she got up, her movements deliberate, as though she intended to end the conversation on her own terms. But as she walked away, the small smile she had tried so hard to keep hidden betrayed her, slipping onto her lips despite herself.

…

After finishing dinner together, Naphat and Janevee moved to the sofa in the living room to discuss the terms and conditions of their fake relationship. The conversation stretched on for quite some time, but eventually, they came to an agreement: they would only act like a couple when in front of Naphat’s parents or others directly involved.

As for sleeping arrangements, Naphat laid down a clear rule: a body pillow would be placed between them to maintain distance and avoid unnecessary closeness. Janevee agreed to the conditions without hesitation—no questions, no counteroffers—which left Naphat a bit suspicious.

Was Janevee’s easy compliance masking something? Or was she secretly plotting something else?

The more she thought about it, the more wary she became. Perhaps Janevee’s insistence on sharing a room had ulterior motives. Naphat resolved to stay on guard to ensure that what happened that night wouldn’t happen again.

Their first night sharing a room didn’t go as smoothly as Naphat had hoped. At home, she usually wore nothing more than a thin camisole to bed, often skipping a bra altogether. But here, with Janevee nearby, she felt self-conscious, going so far as to put on a bra and additional layers, as if donning armor against some unseen threat.

Janevee, on the other hand, seemed completely at ease. She wore dark gray satin pajamas—long-sleeved and tailored—with a relaxed elegance. The soft fabric clung lightly to her frame, highlighting her sharp features, which appeared even more striking in the low light. Janevee’s beauty seemed to shift into something almost androgynous at night, a mix of sweetness and an undeniable charm that left Naphat momentarily surprised.

Lying on her back, staring up at the ceiling with the body pillow firmly between them, Naphat found herself pondering the enigma that was Janevee. How could someone look so dazzlingly beautiful one moment and almost masculine the next? It was unsettlingly captivating.

When Janevee turned off the lights, the room was swallowed by silence, as if time had stopped. The quiet made the sound of Janevee’s breathing seem louder, sharper, and strangely more intimate.

Naphat lay with her back to Janevee, the body pillow between them acting as a barrier, a physical reminder of the boundaries they’d agreed on. But the silence seemed to carry whispers of memories neither of them wanted to confront. No matter how much Naphat tried to push it out of her mind, the vivid recollections of that night returned.

The heated touch, the overwhelming closeness, the whispered words that stirred and ignited feelings she had buried deep—every detail remained imprinted in her heart, refusing to fade, no matter how much she wished it would.

Janevee lay on her back, staring blankly at the ceiling. On the surface, she appeared calm, but inside, her mind was a storm of tangled emotions. This wasn’t the first time the two of them had shared a bed, but the first time had been vastly different. That night, they had crossed the line between fake lovers and something far more intimate—something laced with undeniable heat and raw feelings neither of them could ignore.

The silence in the room grew heavier, pressing down like it might shatter at any moment. Naphat tossed and turned, as if trying to escape something. But it wasn’t the person beside her she was running from—it was her own feelings.

Finally, she made a decision. Reaching out, she moved the body pillow aside, the barrier they’d agreed on falling away in an instant.

“Janevee… are you still awake?”

…

Hojicha Studio Writer

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Lies Between Us by Hojicha Studio