Everywhere With You

Archive description

Chapter 14: The Road to the Blue Window

♥ 0

"Sometimes, the places we call sanctuaries aren't just four walls and a cup of coffee, but the memories we leave stored within them, waiting for someone to return and find us."

The afternoon Bangkok sun filtered through the vehicle's window while Boom stared absentmindedly outside. After days of intense promotion for the release of his new song, exhaustion was beginning to take its toll.

He held his phone with both hands and opened social media. As had been happening all day, notifications about Everywhere With You kept multiplying.

Among the thousands of supportive messages, his eyes paused on comments from fans: "This song has Smart's name written all over it..."
"The lyrics convey so much comfort; I'm sure it was written for him."
"Please tell me that somewhere in the world, Smart is listening to this and coming back..."

Boom sighed softly and locked the screen.

He leaned back in his seat and looked up at the bright city sky.
Hundreds of miles away, on the other side of the map, Smart was still abroad filming his series.
Boom couldn't help but wonder about him: how was Smart doing filming his series?
Was he eating well? Had news of the song reached his ears?
Would he listen to it?
"Do you want me to drop you off at home?"
his manager asked from the front seat.
Boom thought about it for a second and shook his head.
"No, just drop me off near the main street. I need to clear my head a bit. I'll go get some coffee and cookies."

Meanwhile, outside Boom's agency, Smart rushed out of a taxi.
He carried his jacket folded over his arm, a small carry-on bag, and the accumulated tiredness of a multi-hour flight after leaving abroad in a hurry.

He entered the building and scanned the room.
He stood there taking in the whole place for a few seconds, observing the usual bustle of the agency, but saw no sign of Boom.
Having no certainty of his schedule, he pulled out his phone.
He needed to find him right away, but without ruining the surprise or causing a commotion.

Smart dialed Boom's manager directly.
In the car, the manager looked at her phone screen, her eyes widening in surprise as Smart's name popped up on the call.
However, she reacted quickly and held her breath to compose herself before answering.
"Hello?" she answered, trying to keep her tone casual.
"Hello," Smart said on the other end, getting straight to the point in a low voice. "If you're with Boom, please don't say it's me."
The manager glanced at Boom through the rearview mirror and caught on immediately.
"Oh, right..." she said, playing along perfectly so Boom wouldn't suspect a thing. "I'm actually in the car with him right now.
I'm dropping him off near the main street because he wants to clear his head at a café with some cookies, and I'm heading straight to the agency after that so we can sort out that issue." The moment Smart heard the words coffee and cookies, a spark of certainty surged through his chest. He didn't need street names or directions.
He knew exactly where he was going.
"Got it. Thank you so much for the information," Smart replied, a smile in his voice, and hung up. He turned around immediately and walked briskly toward the café.
The gentle chime of the little bell above the door resonated in the room as Boom stepped into the Blue Window Café.
The aroma of freshly ground coffee beans and the warm wooden tones welcomed him like a familiar embrace. Anong, the café owner, looked up from behind the counter.
Her wrinkled face lit up with motherly warmth upon recognizing him.
"Good afternoon, Boom," Anong greeted sweetly. "I haven't seen you around here in a few days." "Hello, P'Anong," Boom replied with a polite bow. "I've been a bit busy promoting the new single." "I know. I've listened to the song," Anong said, pouring a cup of warm water onto the counter. "It's beautiful, son. Full of life."

Boom smiled at her with genuine gratitude.
He ordered his sugar-free latte alongside a plate of butter cookies and walked toward the back table—the very table by the window where he and Smart used to spend hours talking. He sat down across from the empty chair.
Resting his chin on his hand, he gazed out the window.
Memories flooded back unbidden: rainy afternoons, soft laughter, and the way Smart used to quietly push the plate of cookies toward him without saying a word.

Boom picked up a cookie and took a small sip of his coffee.
The café was peaceful, but in his heart, questions kept beating strongly.
How are things going over there for you, Smart? Did you listen to the song?
At that exact moment, the door of the Blue Window Café opened once more.
The sweet chime of the little bell rang out again.
A ray of afternoon light swept through the entrance, bringing in a gentle street breeze.
Boom absentmindedly raised his eyes from his cup... and froze completely.
There, standing under the doorframe, carry-on bag at his side, hair slightly tousled from travel, and breath held back, was Smart.
Boom felt time stand still.
The coffee cup remained suspended halfway to his lips. For a second, he thought exhaustion was playing tricks on him—that his mind was constructing an illusion triggered by nostalgia. But it wasn't a phantom.
Smart was right there, looking straight into his eyes.
Behind the counter, Anong watched the scene unfold.
A subtle, knowing smile formed on her lips as she recalled the words she had spoken to Boom long ago: "Next time, arrive 5 minutes earlier". This time, timing hadn't failed.
Smart stepped forward. Setting his bag aside, he walked slowly toward the back table, never breaking eye contact with Boom for a single second.
When he reached the table, he stopped. Boom remained paralyzed in his seat, looking at Smart with wide eyes, unable to utter a single word.

Smart broke the silence with a soft, serene voice, brimming with emotion he no longer tried to hide: "I heard the song."
Boom blinked, an immediate lump forming in his throat.
"Smart...?" he whispered, his voice trembling. "What are you doing here? You... you should be abroad... filming..."
Smart looked at the empty chair across the table—the same one that had been waiting for him for months.
He smiled gently and rested his hands on the chair back.
"I heard every word, Boom," Smart said, his eyes bright. "And you said I didn't have to figure it all out alone. That if I fell, you'd catch me... So I couldn't stay away for one more second."
Boom felt tears fill his eyes—not of sadness, but of an overwhelming wave of relief.
The distance, the silences, and the doubts of recent months seemed to dissolve into the air of the Blue Window Café, eclipsed by the warmth of the rhythm that had finally brought them back together.
End of Chapter Fourteen