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After a busy week at corporate, love found herself coming back to her comfort place, her hometown. Like time has stopped in one place, it has remained untouched. From the church near her house to the birds singing on the trees surrounding the neighborhood.
Everything felt familiar, comforting, and slow.
Even if the same old people weren’t there anymore--their light and their memories stayed within the stalls they left for their families to continue and the trees that still stood strong beside their houses. It reminded her of everything she started with.
This is where she started.
She opened her car window as the breeze touched her face. She closed her eyes momentarily as the car strolled around the neighborhood.
“Miss Pat, we have done 2 rounds around the neighborhood as you’ve said… Would you like to keep going?”
Love—called “Pat” by everyone related to her business, including her driver—shook her head as she opened her eyes. “We can go now,” she replied shortly.
As the car was about to start running—like the wind was trying to tell her something, a scent hit her nose.
“Wait–” she said abruptly. The car halted as instructed.
Fresh bread.
It smells like fresh bread.
It suddenly made her stomach churn. She remembered she hadn't eaten breakfast yet. “Wait for me, I'll just go somewhere quick.” She unbuckled her seatbelt and went down the car.
The bakery was just at the corner, an open one. It doesn’t have any chairs to sit on nor a table to entertain anyone. Just a simple and small bakery where breads and pastries are on display to catch your eyes to take home.
Love was puzzled as there was no one at the store front. “Is this open…?” she asked no one.
As the breeze moved the trees and made her hair a mess, a small curtain at the back opened. The scent of warm bread spilled to her sinuses as she saw someone holding out a tray of golden, sugar-dusted buns.
Their eyes met and suddenly, love didn’t know if it was the bread who smelled sweet or was it the tall and pretty woman in front of her. Was there ever someone as pretty as her living here?
“Oh, give me a second.” The woman said as love snapped out of her thoughts. She suddenly felt a little self-conscious. She hadn’t expected to find a woman so beautiful in this small neighborhood.
Love cleared her throat and pointed towards the bread the woman just carried. The woman, getting the hint, “Would you like to try this?” She asked. Love nodded, “yes, two please. Put them in a separate bag, if possible.” The taller girl nodded and smiled as she started packing two, fresh from the tray.
Oh damn. Love, thought. That smile is a killer.
“This bread is perfect for breakfast, so I always had to make it warm. The aunties and the kids love it.” The woman said as she handed out the bread, the warm and calming presence engulfing love. She’s like a human version of this place, love thought.
She suddenly didn’t really know how to react normally, she is not like this at all. So she just smiled a little in return. “How much is it?” she asked.
“8 baht each, so 16 baht.” the tall girl said as she put her hands on the apron’s pockets.
Love handed out the cash as she said thanks. The girl shook her head, “No, thank you. You’re my first customer today. I hope you enjoy the bread.” Her voice, smooth and kind.
Love went back to her car feeling this fluttery feeling in her chest. She blinked, trying to process everything. From the way the woman’s long hair was tied behind her back, the brown apron above her plain white shirt and pants, and a smile that reached her eyes. You can say love was shocked—or in awe of that woman’s beauty.
“Miss Pat, are you okay?” The old man asked in the driver seat. Love nodded her head as she handed out the other bread she bought. “I bought you one too.” Love smiled sheepishly. “You shouldn’t have bothered…thank you, Miss Pat.” The old man gratefully accepts. Love is rather reserved and strict but her employees deeply respect her for her good heart.
2 weeks have already passed since then, countless papers to sign and countless meetings to lead and attend to. She found herself back in the neighborhood again. The only place that reminded her to slow down. To rest. To prioritize herself.
Though she hates staying for far too long. She’s afraid of the urge to not go back to her usual life—to those business meetings, to those papers she has to sign. She’s responsible for many people’s livelihood. She knew that. She has crawled to save her father’s company from going bankrupt. She was an only child and she carries that responsibility now as the only heir of the company. This place was her guilty pleasure. Watching the people and remembering her childhood when she doesn’t have to worry about the pressure of leading hundreds of people.
Strictly 2 rounds around the neighborhood and a short stay in front of her family’s old house.
It was enough to make her breathe again.
They were on their way back but because it was during Sunday, the streets were quite packed. The mass just ended and there was a little traffic jam. Love looked at the side of the road as she sighed.
She saw the bakery she went to last two weeks ago and saw her.
Suddenly, she could hear her heart from her chest.
Right. She remembered the smile, the comforting aura surrounding that person.
The girl was busy changing the bread trays while talking with someone—laughing and comfortable. A man, leaning towards the glass shelves. His attention was all on her. This suddenly made love think of a thousand scenarios on what their relationship might be.
“Her boyfriend? But she doesn’t look as interested.”
“Is he courting her?”
“That may be it…”
“ A crush .”
Yes. A crush. Love knows that feeling so well. If she were him she would’ve gotten a crush on her too…
Love tilted her head. That sounds… wrong.
The car rolled and love was left questioning her own thoughts.
And maybe feelings.
She hasn’t come back for a month. It was a hectic month—packed with deadlines and meetings. To say she was busy would be an understatement.
But somehow, whenever she remembers this place. A certain someone starts popping out of her thoughts too. So she came back today for that sole reason.
Love has specifically asked her driver to stop in front of the bakery and to buy the bread instead of her. She didn’t want to go down. She simply wanted to observe. For now.
She watched her driver as he bought bread and the girl she wanted to see popped out. She wasn’t wearing her apron as usual and her long hair was down. Love felt her heart do a little flip.
Love blinked multiple times—trying to figure out whatever this fluttering feeling she has been feeling ever since she met the girl for the first time almost 2 months ago.
She continued watching. The taller girl laughed a little when she handed the bread to the old man as she briefly looked towards the car. Love swore her heart dropped and she quickly looked away and hid—like a child who was caught sneaking glances at her crush.
“What am I doing…” she thought. This doesn’t stop her heart from beating so fast. She was genuinely embarrassed.
She heard her driver opening the car door and she slowly slid back to her seat. “Go now, go now.” she said hurriedly. She could feel the heat from her face.
A week has passed, she had asked her driver what he told the girl that made her laugh, and he just shrugged. That was sus.
But love had to let that go because she was too embarrassed remembering what she did
hiding behind her already tinted car windows because she was afraid of getting caught staring?
Love shook her head in disbelief.
Yet, here she was sitting in the same spot on her car, contemplating whether she’ll go down or not. She looked at the girl. Students were flocking her stall. She was wearing glasses today and love swore, every time she sees her, she gets even prettier.
“You should go. She’s a nice lady.” Her driver said. Love felt heat from her ears. He could tell? She thought she wasn’t being obvious. Love sighed and unbuckled her seatbelt. The moment the students waved their goodbyes, love took this chance to go.
Love went closer and noticed the little name tag on her apron with the name “Milk” written on it. “I see you’ve got a name tag now”
The taller girl looked surprised to see a face she hadn't seen in a while but clearly remembered.
She smiled in love’s remark, “It’s for those who were too hesitant to ask for my name” as she leaned a little with her arms on her back—only the glass shelves setting them apart. She tilted her head, “Were you looking for it before?” her smile grew a little more.
Love stopped. Suddenly avoiding eye contact. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
It was as if the taller girl was saying it was for you.
Love might be feeling a little delusional with that but great, the target was reached. It made things so much easier for her.
She was trying so hard not to do anything embarrassing. Milk, who was now standing up straight and still smiling, she asked: “so, what would you like? Sugar buns?”
She remembered? Love’s heart did a little flip again.
Love smiled and nodded.
“Okay, I'll get fresh ones from the back. Wait for me.”
As love waited, the scent of warm sugar buns flooded her nose.
Everything felt like a hug—the wind carrying a soft breeze against her skin, the sun that wasn’t too shiny, standing in a place she loves, and Milk, carrying a tray full of warm fluffy bread.
It was a moment that seemed so perfect for love.
Her hometown was a little far from where she works. And right now, she has never DREADED her work as much as she does right now. Everything was so stressful, she wasn’t able to go back for almost a month. She made a little promise to herself to make it at least a weekly thing to go back there and find some peace ( See the pretty baker). But she wasn’t even getting enough sleep and was starting to show cracks of fatigue out of overworking.
Love had just finished a meeting. It was already 5pm. Love called her driver to come pick her up to go to a company branch to do some on-site checks.
As love was about to go, her assistant went up to her—concern written all over her face. “You should get some rest, Miss Pattranite. I can reschedule things for today.”
Love smiled, but her body was slowly betraying her. She stood strong. “It’s okay. I’ll just finish this and go home.” Her driver arrived at the scene, hearing everything.
Love looked at him tiredly, he hurriedly grabbed the things from her hands. She went first and he subtly eyed the assistant as if saying she should do it.
…
Love woke up still in the car, she looked outside the window and saw a familiar landscape. This isn’t the site… she was supposed to go.
She saw the tall girl squatting while wiping the glass shelves from outside. Just on her slippers and overalls.
She sighed—trying to stay cool.
Love looked at her driver. “Why are we here?” She asked. Her voice, lacing with frustration.
“Your work has been rescheduled, Miss Pat. It’s out of the concern of your employees.”
She didn’t want to look weak. She didn’t want to burden anyone. And yet, here she was.
She looked out the window again, her gaze trailing towards the woman.
…
Milk, who was busy wiping the glass, was startled when someone suddenly tapped her shoulder.
She looked behind and saw a familiar figure she’s been waiting for—more than she wanted to admit.
She looked so… tired. But the same sunshine-like feeling she exudes never went away. “Hi...” milk managed to let out. She stood up to properly meet her eye and smiled a little. She was feeling more concerned than happy.
“Are you still open?”
No. It was supposedly her closing time. But Milk didn’t want to say that.
She nodded her head. “Would you like some sugar buns?”
Love smiled, truthfully, for the first time in weeks. “Yes, please.”
Milk smiled. “Come in,” She said softly.
Love was hesitant at first, scared of entering this new profound thing she’s feeling. “Are you sure you’re letting a stranger go inside?”
Milk laughed a little. “Well, technically, you’re not a stranger… You're a loyal customer. You came back 3 times.” Milk reasoned.
Love smiled, satisfied with her answer. She nodded, finally stepping inside the tiny bakery for the first time.
Love didn’t know what she was expecting to see but it was clearly not this. Warm lights surrounding the place. Stone walls. Ovens at the side. Trays of dough stacked together. It felt just like how she met milk for the first time. Homey. Comforting. Gentle.
It smelled like sugar and flour and something gentler than the world outside.
“Sit down. I’ll make you something,” Milk pulled out a chair from the side. She was glad she made extra dough for today, she didn’t want the girl to wait too long.
She started working.
Love was watching her intently from the side.
Milk moved like the breeze outside—gentle, unrushed, knowing exactly what to do without saying much. The dough, the oven, the silence between them—the quiet felt comfortable.
It was so different from her fast-paced life. So different from the people she has ever met on a daily basis. She didn’t have to worry about fake smiles or cold expectations.
It was warm here. Not just from the oven.
“I never asked,” Milk said suddenly, glancing back. “Your name?”
Love blinked as she tries to suppress a smile.
“Love,” she said, quietly.
Milk smiled, turning back to the dough. “Fitting.”
The silence that followed wasn’t awkward. It was... full.
…
The sun had long dipped, now replaced by the gentle light of the moon and the soft glow of streetlamps lining the quiet road. The world had slowed to a hush, and the scent of baked sugar still lingered in the air.
Milk walked Love back to her car. They didn’t say anything. Not yet. Just this quiet tension around them that is enough to hear their hearts beating softly.
A quiet silence that both of them wanted to go a little longer.
“Thank you,” Love said, turning to face her. The words were small, but her voice carried the weight of something real. She meant it with her heart.
Milk looked at her, smiling. The smile that reaches her eyes. The smile Love was starting to feel really fond of.
“You can always come back here,” she said softly.
“I’ll always make sure the bread is warm for you.”
Love didn’t answer right away. She just stood there, heart full of something she didn’t yet have a name for.
Then she nodded, gently.
And when she got in the car and looked back one more time, Milk was still there—waving, standing beneath the soft glow of the bakery’s light, like a lighthouse in the quiet dark.
The world around her seemed to hush.
From returning to her hometown to chase the memories of what she thought she’d lost—to finding warmth waiting quietly in someone who felt more like home than memory ever could.