Early the next morning, Rahul woke up from his sleep and went to the bathroom to wash up. He changed into a fresh set of sharp streetwear provided by Santiya, and then applied a touch of wax to tidy his hairstyle in the mirror.
Only then did he pick up his phone, intending to send a message to Wannida asking if she was ready for their "date."
As soon as he opened Line, Rahul saw a message sent by Divya. She said she was still inspecting the textile factories in the Outer Provinces and would take at least a week to return to Bangkok, then asked Rahul where he was now. The words were filled with deep, genuine concern.
Rahul replied immediately, telling her that he had safely arrived in Pattaya to see the sea and asked her not to worry. After the message was sent, it didn't show as 'Read', presumably because Divya was busy in meetings. Rahul then exited their chat window.
Just then, a notification popped up from Wannida.
Clicking it open, he saw a cute, adorable little bunny emoji holding a carrot.
Rahul smiled and immediately replied: "Is this little bunny supposed to be you?"
Wannida instantly replied: "Yes! I am the little bunny. For today's vlog shoot, the little bunny will work hard!"
Looking at the somewhat childish, innocent messages sent by Wannida, Rahul felt as if he had been transported back to his own carefree college days in Mumbai.
"I'm coming up to get you."
After sending the message, Rahul pocketed his phone, grabbed his DJI camera, and left the room.
Arriving at Wannida's executive suite, Rahul knocked gently on the door. Her sweet, melodious voice immediately came from inside:
"Coming!"
The door opened, and a visibly shy Wannida instantly appeared in Rahul's line of sight.
Today, Wannida still wore her signature pale pink twin braids, and her face carried only the lightest touch of natural makeup. She was born with flawless features, so heavy makeup would only detract from her inherent beauty.
Her outfit was also wonderfully simple: a white, vintage-style floral print dress paired with small black leather loafers. Her white knee-high socks barely went past her ankles, making her slender calves appear even straighter.
Rahul just glanced at her, and one word immediately popped into his mind: Pure.
Rahul casually aimed the camera in his hand at her. Seeing the red recording light, Wannida immediately covered her face with her hands, peeking through her fingers.
"Ah! Are we starting already?" she squeaked. "I haven't even prepared my lines yet!"
Rahul laughed, lowering the camera slightly. "It's fine. I want this to be as natural as possible. If we stick rigidly to the script your manager wrote, it'll look like a stiff corporate commercial. It'll look like we're just completing a task, and the fans will hate it."
Wannida tilted her head, thought for a moment, and finally showed a sweet, genuine smile.
"You're right. You're absolutely right! To tell you the truth, I still haven't gotten used to being surrounded by so many cameras and scripts."
Saying this, Wannida bravely waved her small hand at Rahul's lens. "Sawasdee kha~ Hello everyone!"
"Alright, let's go downstairs," Rahul said, extending his hand to her in a very gentlemanly manner.
Wannida hesitated. "Aren't we waiting for Sister Pa? My manager said she needed to supervise the shoot."
"No need to wait," Rahul smirked. "It's not like I'm going to kidnap you."
"Hahaha, Rahul, you are so funny."
Saying this, Wannida generously placed her soft hand in his.
Just as the two stepped into the elevator, Sister Pa, the manager, suddenly walked out of the room next door, holding a thick clipboard.
"Wait! I need to go with you today to maintain control of the narrative—"
Before Sister Pa could finish her sentence, Rahul immediately pressed the 'Close Doors' button. The heavy steel doors slid shut right in her face.
Once the elevator reached the lobby, the moment the doors opened, Rahul grabbed Wannida's hand and pulled her out. They sprinted past the reception desk and all the way out of the hotel lobby.
This was the very first time Wannida had acted alone, free from her manager's strict, suffocating control, since being selected as an idol by SGE Entertainment. This outrageous, rebellious behavior didn't frighten Wannida; instead, it made her feel exceptionally thrilled! Even her heartbeat involuntarily sped up.
Rahul held Wannida's hand tightly as they left the hotel grounds and ran wildly down the sidewalk of Beach Road. After they had gotten a safe distance away from the hotel area, Rahul pulled her into a quiet, shaded side alley before finally stopping.
Wannida was panting heavily, her small face flushed like a ripe red apple—looking especially cute. While catching her breath, she suddenly let out a peal of bright, silvery laughter.
"Hahaha! Rahul, that was so exciting! It's been so long since I've been allowed to just run!"
"Sister Pa always tells me to 'watch my image' and 'be ready for the paparazzi at any time.' But there aren't that many cameras following me! I'm not some international Bollywood superstar; I just debuted!"
She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. "Rahul, where are you taking me? How do you want to shoot? I'll cooperate."
Rahul, still lightly holding her hand, walked her through the alley. "Don't worry about my camera. Today is mainly about relaxing. No destination, no script. We'll shoot wherever we go, showing your most authentic self. Consider it a vacation."
Hearing this, Wannida immediately jumped up and down with joy. "That's fantastic! I haven't had a single day off in months!"
As they walked, Rahul spotted a local scooter rental shop. He spent 150 Baht to rent a bright red Honda scooter. He personally strapped a pink helmet onto Wannida's head.
"Let's go. We're going to find a better view of the sea."
Wannida cheered excitedly. She sat sideways on the back seat of the scooter and wrapped one arm tightly around Rahul's waist. Rahul handed her the DJI camera to film their point of view, started the engine, and drove onto a scenic coastal road, moving far away from the clustered, noisy tourists of central Pattaya.
To their side was the clear, boundless ocean, and above them was a deep, spotless blue sky. The beautiful scenery, where the sea and sky merged, made them feel as if they were driving inside a brilliant blue snow globe.
The tall coconut trees lining the road continuously blurred past, and the gentle coastal breeze lightly lifted Wannida's twin braids and the hem of her skirt. Everything seemed so peaceful and idyllic.
At this moment, the hand Wannida had resting on Rahul's waist suddenly let go. She raised both arms—one holding the camera—high into the air.
"Wow! FREEDOM~!" she shouted over the engine noise.
Rahul immediately released the throttle, reached back, grabbed her right hand, and placed it firmly back around his waist. "Hold on tight, Bunny."
Only then did he turn off the main road and park near a secluded, stunning stretch of beach.
When Wannida saw the untouched, pristine sand, she immediately took off her loafers and socks, stepping onto the soft beach with her bare feet.
Rahul held the camera in one hand and her hand in the other as they walked toward the water.
Suddenly, Wannida pulled her hand free and started running freely down the shoreline. The sea breeze caught her white floral dress, and her pink braids bounced in the air, truly resembling adorable bunny ears.
Calling her a bunny was incredibly fitting, Rahul thought, a soft smile on his face.
Wannida ran, letting out peals of silver laughter, occasionally turning back to wave at the lens.
"Rahul! Hurry up and catch me!"
"Rahul, the ocean here is so beautiful!"
The breathtaking seascape, combined with the youthful, vibrant energy of the girl, caused Rahul to lower the camera and stare in a daze for a moment. Right now, it felt as if the entire chaotic world had faded away, leaving only the two of them and the rhythmic sound of waves hitting the rocks.
Wannida finally got tired of running and plopped down onto a smooth piece of driftwood embedded in the sand. Although her hair was slightly messy, her face was covered in a deeply satisfied, radiant smile.
Rahul walked over, carrying her shoes. He squatted down in front of her, slowly lifted her delicate foot, and gently brushed the wet sand off with his hand before slipping her socks and loafers back on.
This simple, intimate action caused Wannida's entire body to stiffen. At the same time, her heart began pounding wildly against her ribs, like a startled deer.
Rahul is so... so considerate! Why is my heart beating so fast?!
"Tired?" Rahul asked, looking up at her with a gentle smile. "Come on, I'll take you to eat. Yesterday I saw a highly-rated Indian restaurant near Jomtien Beach. I'll take you to try some real spicy food."
Wannida nodded unconsciously, completely lost in his eyes, and sweetly replied: "Okay."