Scripted For Us

Prompt: Forbidden Romance X Possessive Lover

Cast:

Nonkul Chanon as Napha

Bright Rapheephong as Anurak

Napha was a talented temple artisan, commissioned to restore an old temple in Khao Noi, a small village nestled in the hills of northern Thailand, which surrounded by dense forest. For this project, he had to bring his whole team to stay at the village monastery for about three months. And during their stay there, the village elder only warned them one thing.

Do not carelessly go near the colossal banyan tree that stands at the heart of the village.

The tree was said to be a sacred marker of the village's spiritual energy. Villagers left offerings of marigold garlands, incense, and rice beneath it daily. Although he was not sure for what reason they did that, as a temple artisan who often came into contact with sacred elements or spiritual beings, Napha took the advice as a precaution for his safety while working on the project.

However, one day while walking around the village, he couldn't help but be captivated by the sight of a tree standing near the riverside. There was something drawing him in, calling him to approach. Its gnarled roots twisted like ancient veins, creating hollows where the wind whispered like distant voices.

There, he encountered Anurak, a mysterious young man who lived near the banyan tree.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Napha's hand hung mid-air near the tree bark and he quickly spun around to find a man leaning against one of the aerial roots, half-obscured by shadows. He had an air of calm detachment, his dark eyes fixed on Napha with unnerving intensity. The man's hair was tied loosely at the nape of his neck, and his tan skin was speckled with flecks of soil as if he had been digging in the earth moments ago.

"Do what?" Napha asked, wary but intrigued.

"The spirits here are... temperamental," the man replied. He stepped closer, his voice carrying an edge of authority. "And you're not from this village. You don't know the rules."

Napha unconsciously stepped back. A flicker of confusion crossed his face as he tilted his head. "Are you talking about touching this tree or my presence in this village? I'm here to work at the monastery. I don't have any intention to meddle with spirits here."

The man's lips quirked into a wry smile, and his gaze somehow turned mellow. "Even so, they don't care for outsiders."

That day, they bickered back and forth until Anurak finally told Napha to leave, insisting he avoid the banyan tree at all costs, especially after dusk. However, his cryptic warnings only heightened Napha's curiosity. Over time, as Napha continued to encounter Anurak and spend more time with him, their bond grew increasingly intimate.

However, he soon realized people in the village avoided Anurak. They didn't stare towards his direction or talk to him. They just left him alone all by himself. When Napha asked Anurak why the villagers treated him like this, again, Anurak gave him a bitter smile.

"There's a reason why that young man is always near the banyan tree. He... he's not like us. He's bound to that tree—his life tied to its roots, his soul entwined with its branches. You'd do well to stay away from him, Khun Napha."

Those were the words of the village elder, spoken one night when she suddenly appeared at his working area during the full moon. She shared them while gazing at the moon with a distant expression.

By then, Napha was completely enamored with Anurak. To him, Anurak seemed like an ordinary person, someone he felt at ease around. Napha forgot all the work safety regulations he had always adhered to, dismissing the warnings as unimportant.