Everywhere With You

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Chapter 4: The Table by the Window

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"Some places never change with time. They simply learn how to wait."

Six months had passed.
Boom walked slowly down a quiet street in Bangkok.
He wasn't in a hurry—he never was whenever he came to this place.
At the end of the sidewalk stood an old blue sign, its white letters still exactly as he remembered: Blue Window Café.
He stopped in front of the door and simply looked at it. ¿How many times had he walked through that entrance without a second thought? How many times had that door opened to welcome two smiles instead of one?
Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open.
The little bell chimed with the same gentle sound it always had.
The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee wrapped around him instantly.
Soft jazz floated through the air, bookshelves were still filled with novels, and plants occupied every familiar corner.

Nothing seemed to have changed.
"I knew you'd come back someday."
Boom looked up. Behind the counter stood Anon

Her smile hadn't changed at all—warm and gentle, as if the café itself had borrowed its kindness from her.

"Hi, Anong."
She stepped out from behind the counter and walked toward him.
"It's been a long time."
Boom smiled shyly. "Yeah... longer than I expected."
Anong studied him for a moment before smiling softly.
"Some people come back because they miss the coffee... and others because they miss the memories."
Boom didn't answer; he only offered a faint smile.
His eyes wandered around the café until they rested on a large, leafy plant beside the window. "It's grown a lot."
"Of course. I take care of it every day," Anong replied.
Boom tilted his head slightly. "I don't remember it being here."
Anong let out a soft laugh. "Because it wasn't. You two brought it."
Boom looked at her in surprise, and almost instantly, the memory came rushing back.

Years ago...
"Happy birthday!" Boom had walked through the door carrying a flowerpot wrapped in a huge blue ribbon.
Smart followed right behind him, holding a bag of potting soil. "It was all his idea. I was just the assistant."
"Liar!" Boom laughed. "You were the one who insisted on buying the biggest plant in the whole store." Anong placed a hand over her heart. "You really didn't have to do this..."
"Of course we did!" they both answered at the exact same time.

The three of them fell silent for a second before bursting into laughter.
Anong shook her head with a smile. "You always answer at the same time."
Boom and Smart looked at each other. Neither said a word; they simply smiled.
Boom slowly returned to the present.
The plant was still there—taller, stronger, as if it had kept growing while so many other things had stopped.
"It's beautiful," he whispered.
"I never let it go without water," Anong said gently. "After all, it was a gift from both of you."
Boom lowered his eyes.
There was something strange about returning to a place where everything looked identical.
It made it impossible to pretend that you were still the same, too.
Anong reached for a mug. "The usual?"
"You still remember?"
"There are some things that aren't so easy to forget."
A few minutes later, she placed a latte in front of him—no sugar, accompanied by the same butter cookies that had always come with it.
Boom wrapped his hands around the warm mug, letting the heat comfort him.
He walked toward the table by the window—the same one as always.
His fingers brushed against the back of the chair before he sat down.
The chair across from him remained empty.
For just a moment, he thought he heard a familiar laugh, as if a memory had decided to sit there before he did.

Anong watched him quietly from behind the counter, a quiet smile forming on her face.
"I thought the two of you would come back together today..." The words escaped her before she could stop them.
Boom froze. He didn't look up; he didn't say a word. The heavy silence was enough for Anong to realize her mistake.
"I'm sorry..." she said softly. "I shouldn't have said that."
Boom took a slow breath and forced a small smile—the kind people wear only to keep others from worrying. "It's okay."
But they both knew it wasn't.
Neither of them mentioned it again. Boom finished his coffee slowly, stood up, and left the money on the counter. "Thank you for the coffee."
"Thank you for coming back," Anong replied.
Boom walked toward the door. His hand was already resting on the handle when he heard Anong call his name once more.
"Boom..."
He turned around. She smiled at him with the same warmth she had always welcomed him with. "Don't wait another six months before coming back."
Boom smiled softly. "I'll try."
Anong hesitated for a brief moment, as if a thought was slipping out despite her best efforts. "And... next time... try to arrive five minutes earlier."
Boom frowned slightly. "Five minutes earlier?"
Anong caught herself, looking away for a moment before offering an awkward smile. "Forget it. Just the ramblings of an old woman who spends too much time watching the clock."
Boom looked at her for a few long seconds. He wanted to ask—he truly did. But there were some questions whose answers were far more frightening than silence.
So he simply nodded, opened the door, and walked out of Blue Window Café.
The little bell chimed one last time.
As he walked away down the street, one sentence refused to leave his mind: "Next time... try to arrive five minutes earlier."
He had no idea what those words meant, but somehow, he couldn't shake the haunting feeling that he had arrived five minutes too late for something he would never know.

End of Chapter Four. 💙