Two Different Worlds
The first rays of sunlight slipped through the floor-to-ceiling windows of a luxurious penthouse overlooking the Chao Phraya River. Bangkok was already awake. Long-tail boats glided across the water while traffic slowly filled the roads below, the city stretching endlessly beneath a pale golden sky.
The silence inside the apartment was broken only by the soft ticking of a wall clock.
At exactly six o'clock, Thanawat Rattanakul (Than)opened his eyes.
He never needed an alarm.
Years of discipline had turned waking early into second nature.
Without checking his phone, he sat up, neatly folded his blanket, and walked to the balcony. A cool morning breeze brushed against his face as he watched the city come alive. It was a ritual he had followed every morning for as long as he could remember.
Five minutes.
No more.
No less.
By six-ten, he was already dressed in black workout clothes, running on the treadmill in the apartment's private gym.
His father believed that successful people built habits.
His mother believed perfection was expected.
Than had grown up believing both.
By seven o'clock, he had showered, ironed his university uniform one final time, packed his lecture notes, and reviewed his schedule for the day.
Business Management.
Corporate Economics.
Student Council meeting.
Library research.
Nothing was left to chance.
As he reached for his watch, a knock echoed through the apartment.
"Come in."
The housekeeper entered carrying breakfast.
"Good morning, Mr. Thanawat."
"Good morning, Aunt Mali."
She smiled warmly. Unlike everyone else in the household, she had known him since he was a child.
"You barely slept again."
"I slept enough."
"You always say that."
He offered a faint smile.
"I'm fine."
She sighed, placing a plate of toast, eggs, and fruit on the dining table.
"I hope university won't keep you too busy."
"It always does."
Before she could reply, another voice interrupted.
Deep,Calm,Authoritative.
"Busy people make time."
Than immediately straightened.
His father had entered the dining room.
Mr. Rattanakul was one of Thailand's most respected business executives. Newspapers praised his leadership. Television hosts admired his confidence.
At home, however, admiration was replaced by expectation.
"I've reviewed your grades," his father said as he poured himself a cup of coffee.
"They're satisfactory."
Satisfactory?!.
Than had ranked first in his department.
Yet somehow...
"Satisfactory" was all he received.
"I'll do better."
His father nodded once.
"I expect you to."
No congratulations,No smile.
Only another standard to meet.
Than lowered his eyes to his breakfast, eating quietly.
He had long stopped expecting praise.
Across Bangkok, nearly an hour later...
A loud ringtone exploded inside a tiny apartment.
It rang once.
Twice.
Three times.
Nothing.
On the fourth ring, a pillow flew across the room.
It landed directly on the phone.
Silence.
Five seconds later...
Another alarm.
Then another.
A groan escaped from beneath a blanket.
"Who invents mornings?"
A messy head of black hair finally emerged.
Narin Chaiyasit blinked at the ceiling before squinting toward the clock.
His eyes widened.
"No..."
He grabbed his phone.
"No, no, no, no!"
He leaped out of bed so quickly that he tripped over yesterday's jeans, stumbled into a chair, and barely caught himself before crashing into the wardrobe.
The bedroom door burst open.
His roommate, Krit, leaned against the frame with folded arms.
"You said that if I woke you before eight, you'd throw a shoe at me."
"I did?"
"You did."
"So why didn't you wake me?"
"You threatened me."
Narin stared blankly.
"...Fair point."
Krit laughed.
"You have twenty minutes before your shift at the café."
Narin froze.
"The café..."
He slowly looked toward the clock again.
"...I'm dead."
