YOURSKY, Chapter 2
Babe, meaning Loved One (Theerak)
The name comes from “Babe.” a term often used by Westerners to refer to a loved one. Dad intended that if he had a first child, he’d name her Babe. It stemmed from a romantic Western movie he watched with Mom, where the male lead called the female lead “Babe” once they became a couple. The origin of the name was rooted in the youthful dreams of their father.
And when the first child arrived, a second followed…
Mom and Dad tried to find a name for the second child that carried a meaning as close as possible to the first, even if they didn’t rhyme. As long as the siblings’ names shared a similar sentiment, that was enough.
Thus, this name was proposed…
Theerak, meaning “The Beloved One.”
That was the true meaning Grandpa intended. However, others could interpret “Theerak” in various ways. But in the end, it was enough that the owner of the name was the beloved of everyone.
A petite woman with shoulder-length brown hair sat gazing at her younger brother, who was fast asleep on the living room sofa since last night. The one whose name shared a meaning with hers had been swarmed with love, just as Grandpa had hoped, and was still knocked out from the alcoholic “love” forced on him by that lecherous senior.
Her slender hand roughly brushed her own bangs aside as her eyes scanned her brother’s body to check him over once more. Though she’d already confirmed last night that he hadn’t been violated by the senior, she couldn’t help but worry and double-check.
Aside from their polar-opposite personalities, their looks were vastly different too—except for their similarly small, slim builds. Her brother, though, was nearly twenty centimeters taller than her.
Her features mostly took after Mom, especially inheriting Mom’s big, round eyes. People often said she looked adorably cute, which clashed hilariously with her personality.
Theerak, on the other hand, was a mix of both the Dad and the Mom, but the result was so striking that even she felt a twinge of jealousy. That delicate face was full of tiny, perfect details.
If she had to pick what made him explosively cute, Babe would say it was those almond-shaped eyes, brimming with mischief—though right now, they were hidden beneath egg-yolk-colored eyelids. She could still vividly recall his gaze. Or maybe it was his thin, bright red lips. Or perhaps that sharp, stubborn nose Mom had passed down to both of them. Or it could be those chubby, chubby-cheeks—where he got those from, she had no idea, but they were plentiful.
But when it came down to it, she couldn’t really choose. All she could do was look at them collectively and secretly feel annoyed at her little brother.
Anything related to Theerak—people always ended up falling for him, didn’t they?
When her brother’s phone, resting beside him, buzzed with a notification, her inner admiration for him came to an abrupt halt. Her wide, round eyes glanced down at the vibrating phone, and she let out a soft sigh before deciding to answer it for him.
[Hey, Rak, how you holding up?… Took you long enough to pick up.]
“It’s me, Li. Rak’s still asleep.”
[Oh, whoa… For real, Phii Babe? Is he okay?]
“No idea. When he wakes up, I don’t know if he’ll be hungover or not…
He’s not much of a drinker.”
[Now I feel bad hearing that. Sorry, Phii Babe.]
“The one who should apologize is that jerk Oh, not you… But we owe Fah big time. If it weren’t for him, who knows what would’ve happened to Rak by now.”
[This morning, I saw Uncle come to Phii Fah’s house. I bet Oh went and filed a complaint or something…]
Babe let out another quiet sigh upon hearing that. She knew a bit about how Muenfah’s uncle was a high-ranking police officer who looked after the safety of Muenfah’s bar. If he came to the house, it had to be something serious. After all, Oh’s dad was also a big-shot cop, which explained why that senior acted so arrogantly and pulled all those stunts.
Sure, her own dad was a cop too, but he was just a non-commissioned officer—subordinate to both Muenfah’s uncle and Oh’s dad. Though he wasn’t directly under their command since he was stationed in a different area, he still had to show respect based on rank and seniority. But Babe knew her dad well—ranks and titles meant nothing to him. If his kids were being messed with, he’d kick anyone’s face in, no matter how big they were, without a second thought.
So, she decided to keep this to herself for now…
“He has caused Fah so much trouble. I’ll call him later to apologize myself, and once Rak wakes up, I’ll make him go apologize in person too.”
[Don’t stress about it, Phii Babe. Phii Fah doesn’t care—it’s no big deal to him. But last night, when my friend called and told me Phii Fah punched Phii Oh right in the middle of the bar, I couldn’t believe it.] “When Dom called this morning to tell me, I didn’t believe it either. Normally, Fah’s so calm and quiet. I mean, I know he can get hot-headed easily, but he keeps it under control. I’ve never seen him curse at anyone or anything. Dom said he doesn’t even gossip about people.”
[That’s true. Phii Fah doesn’t bother with anyone, Phii Babe… Unless it’s family or friends, he doesn’t care at all. Maybe he’s fallen for Rak’s chubby-cheeks or something, haha!]
“If Fah hears you say that, will you survive, Li?”
[Oh come on, don’t tell him! I’m just teasing my own brother… Oh, I got carried away chatting. I called to remind Rak that he’s got a *Typography project due this afternoon with Professor Ji.]
The moment she heard the name of that notoriously strict professor, Babe felt a shiver run down her spine. She’d been through it herself and hoped her little brother and his friends would survive that core course too.
“Then I guess I’ll have to wake him up…”
[Honestly, I’d rather let him rest, but this assignment has to be presented to the professor in person… and it just happens to be Professor
Ji’s class. You know how strict she is, right?]
“Hmm, I know all too well. Guess we’ll have to wake him up… I’ll have
Rak call Lai back later.”
[Okay, okay.]
Babe hung up the call with her younger brother’s close friend before reaching out to gently nudge the arm of the sleeping figure while calling his name. However, after doing this for a while, the person who seemed to be sleeping like the dead didn’t even open his eyes, not even a slight flutter.
“Rak… still not awake?”
The shoulder-length brown-haired woman shifted her gaze from the person in front of her to the hoarse voice of someone who had just entered the house. Grandpa, with his head full of snowy white hair, stepped toward his favorite grandson with a smile. Babe guessed he’d been out strolling in the garden before intentionally coming to see Theerak. Normally, around this time before noon, her younger brother would be chatting with Grandpa in the backyard garden almost every day.
The elderly man, roughly in his eighties, whose body had weakened with age, slowly lowered himself to sit on the floor in front of his grandson. Seeing this, Babe quickly jumped off the sofa to sit beside Grandpa.
“Grandpa, help me wake Rak up. He needs to submit his assignment.”
The listener smiled warmly and nodded. “Hmm… I’ll wake him up for you.”
“…”
“Rak, my boy… time to wake up, son. Grandpa has no one to eat snacks with.” As he spoke, he gently touched the rosy cheek—red like a tomato— with his rough hand. The wrinkled face of the old man furrowed slightly, wondering if his grandson might be unwell. The usually smooth, fair cheeks he was accustomed to seeing were now as red as a tomato. Out of concern, he asked his granddaughter instead, “Is Rak sick? His cheeks are so red.”
Babe swallowed hard, her eyes darting left and right as she pondered how to explain this to Grandpa. Last night, when her brother came home, Grandpa was already asleep and had no idea that Theerak was heavily drunk.
She believed Grandpa wouldn’t mind if a young man drank some alcohol, but drinking to the point of losing all sense like this? Telling him would only make him worry for no reason.
“…Uh…”
“Mmm…”
As if the heavens didn’t want her to sin by lying to Grandpa, her dear little brother finally stirred awake. The small figure lying on the sofa let out a groggy groan from his throat, occasionally mumbling fragmented sentences that sounded like, “my head is about to split open.” But because Theerak’s voice was too slurred and faint, it was impossible to catch the full meaning of his words. Babe guessed he was still hungover, judging by his abnormal behavior.
Theerak pried his eyes open with great difficulty, feeling as though his brain had gained an extra two kilograms. He wanted to lift his head, but it kept sinking back into the pillow, and his entire body ached terribly. Theerak didn’t know what to call these symptoms, but he was certain they were caused by alcohol.
He decided to call it… a pre-disaster condition, for now.
“You awake, son?”
Theerak rubbed his eyes with his hand before focusing on the source of the voice sitting in front of him. As his vision gradually adjusted and everything became clear, he saw the warm smile spread across Grandpa’s face, contrasted by the calm yet slightly displeased expression on his older sister’s face.
If he wanted to feel at ease and be comforted without being bombarded with headache-inducing questions, Theerak thought whining to Grandpa would be the best option. But if he wanted to jog his memory and face the harsh truth about last night—which he suspected was an utter disaster—he’d have to trade that for getting chewed out by Phii Babe.
Chewed out hard.
Three days and three nights, nonstop.
“Grandpa…”
And yes… his body wasn’t ready yet, so going to Grandpa first was the better move.
“Is you feeling unwell, dear?”
“Well, I…”
“Rak… Li called back about something—urgently.”
Theerak shifted his gaze from Grandpa to his sister, who shot up suddenly. Phii Babe stepped back to stand behind Grandpa, who was still seated, and mouthed something to him, signaling to keep the drinking a secret for now.
“I just have a headache, Grandpa. It’s not a big deal.”
“How about some hot Ovaltine? You like drinking Ovaltine around this time, don’t you? I’ll go make some for you…”
Theerak lay on his side, sending a smile to Grandpa. Even though he knew right now he couldn’t stomach anything—everything he swallowed threatened to come rushing back up due to the constant nausea—he still nodded at the offer. He figured it was a hangover, like the ones Panli used to get.
But even so, he agreed. If he refused, Grandpa would go out of his way to dig up all his favorite dishes until he said yes. Food was a big deal to Grandpa when it came to him.
“Then I’ll be right back… Babe, want some too? I’ll make extra.”
“No thanks, Grandpa.”
The moment Grandpa left, his smaller-framed big sister plopped down at the foot of the bed and reached out to help prop him up into a sitting position. “Ow… Phii Babe, the room’s spinning…” Theerak groaned, pointing at their mom’s porcelain display cabinet. “Is Mom’s favorite cup gonna fall and break? The cabinet’s wobbling like crazy.”
“It’s your brain doing that, Rak. The cabinet’s not moving… You really only had one drink? I’m pretty sure it wasn’t just one.”
“As far as I can remember, just one…” Theerak replied before grabbing a nearby pillow to hug. Right now, he couldn’t find any sense of balance—his body was swaying as much as the cabinet in front of him seemed to be.
While sitting there trying to steady himself and his wrecked body, Theerak attempted to recall last night’s events. The images in his head flickered in and out, all jumbled up. He closed his eyes to think it over carefully.
First image… Phii Oh… sitting there with that smile.
Then… an image… no, not an image… a feeling of fear. And he was crying. An image of Type getting up to come over…
Theerak was about to lift his heavy eyelids, which felt as weighed down as his head, when another image overlapped in his mind just before he opened his eyes. But when he closed them again, that image was gone.
It felt like he could only remember a sensation…
A hug?
Probably a hug… because it was warm.
One pale, slender hand rose to rub their face wearily. She never knew that dredging up hangover memories could drain so much energy.
“I don’t even know how to scold you… Thinking about it just pisses me off.”
“Ouch ~ Don’t be mean to your little bro…”
Just hearing Phii Babe’s reprimand stung his heart, and then she sent a small but ridiculously heavy palm to shove his already messed-up head.
Her big, round eyes watched the fluffy head bounce to one side from her push, only for it to bounce back and plop onto her shoulder in a clingy, pleading manner.
“No acting cute with me. I’m not Grandpa.”
“Sorry, I’m sorry, Phii Babe… I won’t let something like this happen again.
I’ll be more careful, won’t trust people so easily, just like you told me.”
“Well, if Fah hadn’t stepped in… would you even be sitting here apologizing to me? Thinking about it makes me mad… Mom still doesn’t know what happened. I told her you accidentally drank too much and got so wasted that Fah had to bring you home. If I’d said you got drugged… Dad would’ve sped over to kill that Oh for sure.”
Wait a sec…
Dad speeding over to kill Phii Oh? Oh, absolutely.
“Who brought me home, Phii Babe?”
But the name of the person who dropped him off… he didn’t quite catch it clearly.
“Fah… Muenfah, duh.”
“…”
Oh… so it was Muenfah—everyone’s Muenfah—who brought a drunken mess like him home.
But honestly… T___T, no way, not Phii Fah, please. Everyone knows he’s scary as hell.
Theerak sat quietly, staring at Mom’s display cabinet, which was swaying less now, before asking, “Who brought me home again?”
“Are you so drunk you’ve lost it? I said Fah brought you back!”
Theerak nodded absently, sitting cross-legged and burying his face in the pillow he was clutching. He closed his eyes to try recalling something again, but suddenly, he felt that the sensation of hugging the pillow seemed oddly familiar… like it had happened recently… maybe even last night.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t dig up those fresh memories. The warm feeling, like an embrace, lingered in his senses even now.
“Fah carried you on his back all the way to the sofa… and he even stayed to help me wipe you down for a bit before leaving.”
It was then that Theerak felt embarrassed around another guy for the first time, his face heating up. He couldn’t explain this strange shyness—it was something he’d never felt before, not even with his cute ex-girlfriend from freshman year.
If he had to compare this feeling to a situation, Theerak thought it was like someone who’d been out in the rain all day, then ran into a freezing airconditioned room without showering or changing, only to spike a fever that kept climbing. His internal temperature shot up like a rocket, uncontrollable even by a doctor. That’s exactly what it felt like.
“Phii Babe you could’ve wiped me down alone, right? You did it yourself, didn’t you?” He asked teasingly for confirmation, though he was a million percent sure his fierce big sister wouldn’t let anyone else take on that job.
“Yeah… I wiped you down.”
Sighhh… Relief
Theerak flashed a relieved smile as he rested his round head on his older sister’s small shoulder. No one could touch him—not as long as Phii Babe was still alive.
“But I only wiped your face and then went upstairs to find you some clothes to change into… Fah helped with the rest.”
“Huh…”
His heavy head shot up instantly, forgetting his own condition. Theerak ignored the spinning room and his sister swaying like a display cabinet. He stared deep into her eyes, pressing for the truth…
Even though he knew his sister didn’t like lying.
And she wasn’t one to joke around either.
“Why are you making that goofy face?”
“I always makes this face when I don’t understand or believe something…”
Phii Babe dubbed this funny expression the “goofy face” because it was odd and always made her laugh whenever she saw it. She wasn’t sure what emotion it conveyed, but he often pulled this face when he thought she was teasing him to catch him off guard. Plus, the word “goofy” fit someone clueless and oblivious like Theerak perfectly. Naming this quirky, signature expression “goofy face” was spot-on.
And the “goofy face” he loved to make involved slightly raising one eyebrow—just a tiny bit—widening his almond-shaped eyes like someone suspicious yet confused, his nostrils flaring a little, and finally, his thin lips parted so wide a fly could build a nest inside.
“So what don’t you understand? I’ve already explained everything clearly.”
“I understand everything, but I just can’t believe Phii Babe would let… let…”
“Let what?”
Suddenly, the sentence he was about to blurt out turned into a lump stuck in his throat, refusing to come out. But because his sister was far too sharp, she guessed what that lump in his throat was. Phii Babe decided to finish it for him.
“Let Fah change my clothes for me, huh?”
…No, wait—the lump in his throat was actually the phrase wipe you down.
“Change my clothes too?”
“Well, yeah! Rak… you might be smaller than most boys, but to me, you’re still big, okay? I couldn’t manage it myself. Plus, I didn’t want to see your little worm anyway—even if I’ve seen it since you were a kid.”
T___T After hearing that, Theerak could only let tears stream down his face—but just in his mind, of course.
“So Phii Babe you let someone else see… see that part of me?”
“What’s the big deal? Fah has a little brother too, doesn’t he? And that little brother is your best friend. Besides, I know Fah wouldn’t waste his time teasing about something so trivial.”
“Wait, wait—what’s this ‘something trivial’ nonsense, Phii Babe? You’re getting cheeky now!”
“I know you’re shy. You’re this wild kid who gets super embarrassed sometimes. But this time, I was really out of options, so I had to let someone else wipe you down… Let’s just say I’m sorry for letting Fah see your little worm.”
“Oh my gosh… Phii Babe, stop talking! I don’t want to hear this anymore…”
Deep down, Theerak wanted to know more details—far more than this. He wanted his older sister to recount every step, from taking off his clothes to putting new ones on him. But he also knew he wouldn’t be able to handle the embarrassment of hearing it all. If he listened while imagining every step in vivid detail, his entire being would probably explode into smithereens, leaving nothing intact…
“…I believe Fah wouldn’t do this for just anyone. I don’t know if it’s because he considers me, his best friend’s partner, that he agreed to help…
Knowing this, go apologize to him, and thank him for helping too.”
“…”
“The reason I’m telling you to apologize is that Fah must have gotten into trouble because of you.”
Theerak blinked rapidly, staring at his sister with confusion. Besides being blackout drunk, what else had he done? “What did I do again, Phii Babe?”
“Fah punched that jerk Oh, and Li said this morning his Uncle came to the house. Dom once mentioned that Fah’s uncle is a deputy police commander in the metropolitan area and helps look after his nephew’s shop… If he came in person like that, I think that Oh probably filed a complaint. His dad’s a cop too, from what I’ve heard, though I don’t know his rank. I’m not sure if Fah got scolded or not.”
Theerak’s almond-shaped eyes dropped with guilt. They weren’t even close, yet Fah had gotten into trouble because of him.
“Do you think Fah punching Oh last night will affect the reputation of his restaurant?”
It was the first time his sister had asked for his opinion. Normally, Phii Babe would think things through on her own, rarely consulting her goofy little brother like him. The last time she’d asked for his input, Theerak remembered it was when Phii Babe was in 10th grade, and it was about something much simpler, like, “Do you think I act too tough for a girl?”
…Not a question that required analyzing various external factors like this one. Theerak thought this question was too hard for someone like him, who didn’t overthink and always saw the bright side of things.
The embarrassment that showed no signs of fading was now diluted by worry, allowing Theerak to regain some clarity to reflect. Even so, he still couldn’t predict the outcome.
“I don’t know… Is Phii Fah’s restaurant really famous, Phii Babe?”
“It’s fairly well-known… If you’re out in that area and have to pick a place, the first one everyone chooses would probably be Your Sky.”
“Wow… And it could lose its reputation just because of me in one incident?”
Babe burst out laughing at her brother’s words before saying, “Alright, alright, either way, go apologize to Fah. Have Li take you to him.”
“…”
“Oh… and call Li back too.”
“Mmm…”
“I’ll go call Dom first. He’s coming to pick me up for lunch… Wanna come along?”
“Heh, nah, I’ll pass.”
“Okay… You can use the car, though. The keys are in the room. I won’t need it since Dom’s picking me up.”
Theerak nodded, watching his sister disappear upstairs. It was as if Grandpa knew their serious talk was over, because he then walked in holding a ceramic mug with steam rising from it. The white mug, decorated with an image of Charlie Brown hugging Snoopy, was handed to him.
Grandpa’s memory was still sharp, unlike most elderly people. He could remember everything Theerak liked, no matter how small the detail—like his favorite cup that always paired with his favorite drink.
The brown teacup with hot Ovaltine.
“Drink your Ovaltine first, Rak. It’ll make you feel better.”
“Yes, Grandpa…” A slender hand took the beloved cup. Theerak lowered his eyes to the dark brown liquid inside. Normally, he’d flash a big grin and gulp down his favorite drink in less than five minutes. But right now, all he could manage was a faint, awkward smile for Grandpa before lifting the cup to sip the warm, sweet drink that usually warmed his heart.
“Does it taste the same, dear?”
“Yes, Grandpa…” The flavor was as delicious as ever—everything was the same, except for him.
As the Ovaltine slid past his throat and into his stomach, it was like something in his gut was staging a violent rebellion against his body. From what he could recall, he hadn’t eaten anything to line his stomach before leaving the house yesterday. The last meal he’d had was a ham and cheese sandwich at the university, and that was at 3 PM the day before.
…He wasn’t sure how much of that sandwich was still lingering in there, but something rising up into his mouth forced him to swallow it back down, even though he desperately wanted to let it burst out.
“Grandpa… I’ll step out to call a friend about some work stuff, okay?”
“Go ahead. Don’t worry about me—I’ll go rest in my room for a bit.”
“Okay. Walk carefully, Grandpa.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Theerak shot up and dashed up the stairs, still holding the Ovaltine cup. His free hand hurriedly pushed open the large white wooden door. The room’s owner rushed inside, darting to the private bathroom. He set the ceramic cup on the sink counter before letting the churning contents of his stomach spew into the toilet.
It burned his throat and stung his nose, but there was nothing he could do except let his body punish itself. There wasn’t a scrap of food left in him— just liquid pouring out.
Flush ~
Theerak reached over to flush the toilet, clearing away the mess his body had expelled, then stumbled out to sit at his desk, drained of energy. His slender hand dug into his pants pocket—when he’d stuffed his phone in there, he couldn’t even remember—and pulled it out to call his close friend.
[What’s up ~ You finally awake, huh?]
“Mhm… cough cough.” His throat was still raw from heaving so hard, and not having rinsed it with water made him cough from the irritation.
[Wow, you sound rough. You holding up okay, buddy?]
“Rough for real…”
[Today’s the deadline for the project with Professor Ji, dude… Did you forget?]
Theerak let out a heavy sigh and closed his eyes to calm himself. He really had forgotten. If he hadn’t gotten smashed last night, he wouldn’t have blanked out this completely.
“Yeah… I totally forgot.”
[Even if you say you forgot, I’m not as worried about you as the others. You’ve probably already finished the work. But if it were Type or Joy saying they forgot? That’d be a disaster—they’d actually forget, like, no project to submit at all…]
“Mhm, the work’s ready. But my body… it’s not ready at all.”
[Ready or not, you’ve gotta be, Rak. Professor Ji’s waiting to hand out
Fs to anyone who doesn’t submit.]
“What time’s the section again?”
Normally, Theerak had an excellent memory for these things—so much so that his friends nicknamed him the group’s walking class schedule. He could accurately recall which days they had classes, make-up sessions, or even offschedule assignment deadlines.
But now… that white liquid had wiped the timetable in his head clean.
[Afternoon, 3 PM]
“There’s still time… so let’s meet at the university then.”
[Okay, okay… uh, but do you want me to pick you up?]
“No need. Today, Phii Babe went with Phii Dom, so she left the car for me to use.”
“Okay ~”
After hanging up with his friend, Theerak dragged his wrecked body to the bathroom. The small figure slowly stripped off his clothes in front of the mirror. As his thin white T-shirt slipped over his neck, the face of Muenfah— whom he’d seen when the guy came to find Panli in class—flashed into his mind.
The churning in his stomach, already bad enough, doubled in intensity. His slender hand rose to rub his flat tummy, soothing it, before tossing the shirt into the wicker basket on the floor.
What parts did Phii Fah see…?
Did he… see the fat on my belly too?
Theerak shook his head vigorously, making his chubby-cheeks wobble. He raised both slender hands and slapped his face hard to snap himself out of it and ditch the spiraling thoughts.
But…
Even after cold water… hot water… he couldn’t wash away this embarrassment.
#However Many Thousand Skies
The pearl-white sedan—a popular model from last year—moved slowly as the person behind the wheel scanned for a parking spot. Today, Theerak didn’t have to take the van to the university since he drove himself.
Truth be told, this car belonged to Phii Babe. Theerak didn’t have his own car because he didn’t want to burden his parents. Three cars at home were enough: Dad’s, which he used out of town; Mom’s; and Phii Babe’s. But his sister was kind enough to lend hers often. On days when their schedules didn’t align and Phii Babe had Phii Dom to pick her up and drop her off, the car was his for the day—like today.
Once he found a parking spot, Theerak hurriedly grabbed the critically important A5-sized art paper and got out of the car. He rushed to the elevator, the digital clock on his phone screen urging him to find the fastest way to the presentation room.
I’m going to be late, late, late…
Theerak shifted his target from the two elevators in front of him to the escalator instead. The small figure half-walked, half-ran toward it. Even though the escalator moved at a pace that wasn’t too fast or too slow, his anxious heart pushed him to rudely say something to the person standing ahead of him.
“Excuse me… could you let me through, please?”
“Sure, sure.”
The moment the pretty woman stepped aside, Theerak leapt over the steps without a care, focused solely on reaching the presentation room in time.
Whether others understood his frantic behavior…
If you’ve ever stood blinking rapidly in front of a classroom because the professor locked the door and wouldn’t let you in just for being three minutes late… well, it’s only this particular professor who does that.
“Rak!”
The owner of the name suddenly halted his steps. The presentation room was just a few steps away, but that soft, familiar voice forced Theerak to stop and glance toward its source.
“Oh, Mew.”
Who would’ve thought that on a rushed day like this, he’d bump into his ex-girlfriend from his first year, someone he hadn’t seen in ages since their breakup?
“Here for class?”
“I’m here to present a project… What about you, Mew? Just arriving for class or just finished?”
“I just got here for class…”
The petite girl stared at her ex-boyfriend without breaking eye contact. To her, Theerak was still as adorable as ever, from the first time they met until now. She couldn’t help but smile faintly as she noticed his jet-black hair falling over his forehead, almost poking his eyebrows. It was slightly damp with sweat. And the person in front of her looked even more charming with those round glasses that suited him perfectly. Theerak still liked wearing oversized student uniform shirts, leaving the top two buttons undone as always, paired with those black skinny jeans.
Still as cute and charming as ever…
“Um, Mew, I’ve got to go… I’m in a hurry.” “Oh, sure, go ahead. Good luck with everything!”
And then…
“Thanks.”
And he still didn’t feel anything deep for her, just like before, unchanged…
The large door was pushed open by second-year Digital Media students who now looked as exhausted as one another. Three hours of presenting in that room felt like time dragged on endlessly, as if the clock hands refused to move, even though time was passing normally.
“Damn it, someone tell me we were just presenting a project, not running a marathon… Why is my heart still racing like this?”
“Type, you idiot, you just got scolded by the professor, not ran a marathon.”
Theerak gave a small smile as he listened to his two friends bicker. Though he hadn’t been criticized or scolded by the professor like Type, he barely survived the presentation, feeling queasy the entire time he was on that small stage.
“Who could be as good as our eternal Rak? Not only did he escape the scolding, but he got praised so much he was practically grinning ear to ear.” Panli teased.
“There were two options, Li… Either I smiled at the professor, or I let myself puke right there. And if it was the latter, no matter how good my work was, I’m pretty sure the professor would’ve handed me an F.”
“Yeah, true, haha!”
While Panli laughed, Joy and Type simultaneously recalled something they’d been curious about since the previous night. They exchanged a knowing glance, as if they were the same person. Joy slowed her pace slightly behind Theerak and Panli, then pulled Type to walk beside her.
“Type, you ask him.”
“No way… If you’re so nosy, ask him yourself.”
“No… I want to know, but you’re the one asking… you’re the one who heard it, you bastard Type.”
“No…”
“What’s going on with you two?”
“…”
The hellish twins with different parents, Type and Joy, both shut their mouths, not daring to speak under the piercing gaze of Panli.
“What’s the secret? If you don’t talk, I’m not treating you to shabu next week.”
And for someone like Type, who can’t resist free stuff, what was he waiting for?
“Well, Joy wanted to know if Phii Fah really kissed your head.”
“0___0”
Theerak’s eyes widened in shock. Dropping him off at home, giving him a piggyback ride, wiping him down, changing his clothes—that was already a lot, but it peaked at… smelling his head?
“What did you say, Type?” Panli asked again.
“Joy, you say something too.”
“Well, when Type called Rak… actually, we were just worried and wanted to know if Rak had gotten home yet, but Phii Fah answered instead… and
Type heard Rak say…”
“What did he say, Joy? Just give me the meat of it, no fluff.” Panli urged.
“He heard… ‘Kiss my head a little.’”
“Kill me now… Just let me die.” Theerak muttered, even though he knew this wasn’t something an optimist like him should say. Thinking of escaping his problems by dying wasn’t him at all.
But with what he’d just learned, Theerak thought disappearing from the world might be the best option. Right now, he just wanted to be a dumb speck of dust floating in the air.
It wouldn’t have been this embarrassing. If his friends hadn’t found out so much, and if the person he’d clung to while drunk wasn’t his best friend’s older brother.
And if that person wasn’t Muenfah, the handsome guy everyone adored…
It really wouldn’t have been embarrassing at all…
“So, did he really kiss you?” Panli turned to the small figure standing silently beside him.
“I didn’t smell him…”
“Oh… your voice is high—any higher and it’d be Doi Inthanon.”
“How about this… what did you know about last night?” Panli pressed.
“Li… my stomach’s all messed up. Take me to the doctor.”
“Don’t change the subject… Did you cling to my brother last night?”
“Ughhh… I don’t know…” Cornered and out of excuses, Theerak let out a whiny cry, hoping the other would take pity and stop pressing him. No matter how much they interrogated him, he had no answers because he genuinely didn’t know what happened last night. T___T
“And my brother didn’t tell me anything either…”
“Did he really kiss his head?” Joy chimed in, asking Panli, who was starting to furrow his brows in thought.
“How would I know…”
“Just guessing… what do you think?” Type is as nosy as Joy.
“Ouch… I’m still standing right here, have some pity on me. I don’t even know where to hide my face anymore ~”
“Phii Fah kissing your head—what’s so embarrassing about that, youchubby-cheeks? A kiss from Phii Fah is super rare,” Joy said.
“Your brother… is he good with words or what, Li?”
“What do you mean, Rak?”
“I mean, is he going to take the story of me flirting with him and tease me about it with friends? Like that time in freshman year when I got drunk at the freshman party and got teased by seniors until I swore it off…”
“Not just tease? Kissing you is already impossible… no way. If you said my brother smacked your head while you were begging for a kiss, that’d be more believable.”
“Really… so I can rest easy then, right?”
“Well, yeah… I’m pretty sure of that, but for extra certainty, go ask him yourself.”
“Hey! No way!”
“What are you scared of, chubby-cheeks?” Joy said.
…It’s not fear… but he’s just nervous, nervous that it might actually be true. If some sensation resembling a hug didn’t linger in his feelings, Theerak wouldn’t hesitate and would choose to believe there’s no way Muenfah would kiss him.
But it’s precisely because that sensation still lingers in his feelings… that he’s not so sure anymore.
#However Many Thousand Skies
“Walk faster, chubby-cheeks, you can’t drag your feet like someone about to die.”
Theerak took slow steps while glancing at Joy, who told him to speed up. Who would want to face Phii Fah, Joy’s handsome guy, anyway? The reason he’s walking so slowly is because he doesn’t want to see the other person at all.
But thanks to the nosiness of both his friends, plus a thousand reasons to want to know for sure, Theerak got dragged to the parking lot—the meeting spot to hand over Muenfah’s condo keycard, which he forgot at home. His brother had asked him to bring it to the university, and because of Muenfah’s forgetfulness, Theerak had to drag himself here to face him when his heart wasn’t ready to accept any truth at all.
“Phii Fah…”
The delicate face, now sadder than usual, looked up ahead after walking with his head down the whole way.
It was at that moment Theerak saw a tall, broad-shouldered figure leaning into a sports car, seemingly searching for something.
But he didn’t get to see the back for long before the tall figure slowly stepped back from the car and closed the driver’s side door, which he had left open earlier.
“Where’s the keycard?”
Just hearing that deep, low voice made Theerak feel a flush of heat all over his body. Joy tried to yank him closer to where the two Pisut siblings were standing, so Theerak avoided confrontation by turning his face away instead.
“Here, the keycard.”
“Hmm…”
He stood silently listening to the conversation, secretly praying that Panli would forget about it and quickly say goodbye to his older brother. Theerak knew this was a good opportunity to apologize and thank Muenfah as Phii Babe had suggested, but he wasn’t truly ready. He couldn’t face it…
“Phii Fah… last night, did that Rak ask you to kiss his head or something?”
T___T, ugh… Panli, can’t you just forget it? We’re friends, aren’t we? Can’t you spare me just this once? How straightforward can you be?! Save that blunt, axe-like honesty for something else!
He could only complain about his friend in his mind, not daring to say a word. Theerak tried to stay as quiet as possible to become invisible in this place, but because the person being questioned left too long a pause, silence intervened. The conversation between the two siblings came to a halt.
The silence, where even the sound of the wind could be heard, was pressuring Theerak to reveal himself. He turned to look at Panli and the tall figure. It was the first time Theerak had seen Muenfah clearly and fully.
Muenfah, who was admired by so many, was this handsome… anyone who didn’t like him should know better.
Theerak wasn’t used to complimenting other men, so his words felt a bit awkward. The last person he had praised as being very handsome was Panli, until now, when he thought there was someone just as handsome as Panli.
It was the older brother of the Pisut family…
… Though they were good-looking in different ways, both were undeniably very handsome.
But all his thoughts stopped when those sharp eyes locked onto him.
Muenfah scanned him from head to toe, and Theerak, the owner of the body being stared at, couldn’t resist at all.
Theerak swallowed hard, the sound audible, before raising one hand to fasten the second button from the top to cover himself more fully. Even as a man, he had to love and protect himself. He wasn’t about to let just anyone think inappropriate thoughts about him.
He wanted the other person to feel as uncomfortable as he did under that gaze. Even though keeping his composure was difficult right now, he wanted to get back at him. So, Theerak retaliated by staring at the tall figure from head to toe.
It seemed Muenfah was either very open or perhaps just someone who got hot easily. The top three buttons of his oversized short-sleeved student uniform shirt were undone, revealing a black English tattoo in cursive on his chest. However, since only parts of the words peeked out from the fabric, Theerak couldn’t tell what the English sentence on the other’s body meant.
He had to admit that the other person was indeed very good-looking. With just a few pieces of clothing on his tall frame, he still looked this appealing. Muenfah’s handsomeness was no ordinary thing.
How many people could look this good just by wearing an oversized shortsleeved student uniform shirt over faded jeans, paired with white branded sneakers and an expensive silver watch with an emerald green face? That’s it, really—just four items—but he looked good enough to score a hundred.
And that didn’t even include his devilishly handsome face. If he had to say it, all Theerak felt was envy rising in his heart. Even so, he couldn’t help but repeat to himself that Muenfah was truly flawless. Those sharp, captivating eyes when they met his, the perfectly sculpted nose that seemed handcrafted, the naturally full lips, and the chocolate-brown hair left unstyled and natural, with an undercut on the sides adding to his coolness.
He was the kind of handsome that could steal the hearts of women everywhere…
As Theerak’s eyes scanned the tall figure from head to toe, he couldn’t help but sigh, feeling a pang of envy that he wasn’t even half as handsome as the other person. Not to mention those enviable muscular arms. Theerak couldn’t see Muenfah’s muscles in detail, but judging from the bulging veins on his arms and the back of his hands, it was clear that Muenfah must enjoy working out and likely had an enviable physique. His height alone was already something to be jealous of.
“So, what do you say, Phii Fah?”
The question from his friend snapped him back to reality.
Enough, Panli… if you still want to be my friend, that is.
“What did he say?”
Muenfah’s counter-question made Theerak’s stomach churn even more. If the other person said anything else, he might just end up vomiting right in Joy’s face.
“He said he doesn’t know…”
“…”
Muenfah’s silent, non-responsive reaction made Panli fairly certain that the matter in question wasn’t true. His older brother didn’t like answering questions much, nor did he enjoy explaining himself. Muenfah often said that if someone had already misunderstood something, no amount of explanation would change their mind. People who chose to believe falsehoods from the start would stick to their beliefs regardless. As long as you knew the truth about yourself, there was no need to over-explain—eventually, everyone would forget about it on their own.
But if his older brother had actually done something, Panli was equally certain that Phii Fah would admit it immediately, as he always did.
Panli turned to look at his small friend standing behind him, displaying a worried expression, before saying, “I told you, Rak, there’s no way it’s true.
This is just Type and Joy making up stories again. This time, you can stop feeling embarrassed and worried. My brother didn’t sniff your head or anything.”
The listener gave a faint smile and nodded in relief. But the weight that had just been lifted from his chest didn’t stay gone for even a fraction of a second before crashing back down, heavier than before. Theerak caught sight of the tall figure letting out a faint smile, which made him feel uneasy. When Muenfah noticed Theerak staring, the faint smile on his face vanished instantly.
Panli, who was busy turning around to encourage his close friend, didn’t see his brother’s smile. But Theerak was certain that Joy and Type had noticed it.
“Well, I’ll head out then…”
“Okay…” Panli responded to his brother.
Theerak watched the tall, pale-skinned figure open the car door, preparing to leave. However, Muenfah turned back to them once more.
“Wash your hair… it’s starting to smell.”
And with that, Muenfah—everyone’s Muenfah—got into his car, driving off in his luxurious black Benz sports car, speeding out of the parking lot. He left the four second-year students standing there, dumbfounded in the middle of the university grounds. Even Panli widened his eyes and came over to shake Theerak.
“Did my brother really kiss your head…?”
“N-No, it’s not true. Does your brother like messing with people or something? Maybe he saw me standing there with a dumb look on my face and wanted to tease me…”
Joy smacked Type’s shoulder with a loud slap before saying with satisfaction, “I knew it!”
“I think we’re all getting a bit blurry… Should we take a break?” Theerak suggested.
“Not blurry, one hundred percent sure because I heard it with both ears.
Your voice was so whiny, and if Phii Fah didn’t give in, I’d be shocked.”
“Yeah, and Phii Fah’s smile just now too.” Joy added, backing up Type.
“But my brother…” Panli wanted to insist that his brother was tough as nails and would never do something like that. Even with Phii Fah’s ex, whom he dated for so long, his brother rarely indulged her. But the words his brother said earlier kept swirling in his head, and Panli no longer dared to confirm anything.
“…I don’t know about my brother anymore… Damn it, I don’t know what’s going on. My head hurts, I can’t figure it out!”
“No way. I say it’s not true.”
“Rak… you look like you’ve lost your mind right now.” Joy said.
“If my brother really kissed him, that’d be way too weird… Phii Fah doesn’t like guys, and… and, and there’s no way it could happen, right?” But if his brother did start liking guys, Panli wouldn’t judge him. It’s just that right now, it was hard to believe.
“I think so too, Li… Phii Fah is definitely messing with us.” Theerak said, forcing a smile for his friend.
“Yeah!!…Hey, Rak, you have security cameras at your house, right? Check them now!”
“…”
Wow… How tough did Panli think he was, expecting him to watch it all play out on video?
Theerak shook his head until his cheeks jiggled. He didn’t even understand why he was so afraid of just checking the security footage to confirm the truth.
“You’ve got to toughen up, Rak. Go back and check it. Otherwise, I’ll die of a heart attack from Phii Fah’s vague words… Even if I ask him again, he won’t tell the truth. Rak… you have to go see if you really got your head kissed or not.”
“Ugh… If it really happened, I wouldn’t mind, but please don’t make me check…”
At this point, he didn’t want anything more. Please, enough already. His body was so hot it felt like he’d explode right there in the parking lot. T___T
“Then how about you come with me to confront Phii Fah at the bar again?
I want to know for sure. Let’s go now, or I definitely won’t sleep tonight.”
“Li… I’m begging you…”
“Come on, Joy, Type, you coming?”
Panli, listen for once, you hothead. If he got pushed one more time, he might actually explode for real.
“We’ll go too.”
“Ugh… Fine, I’ll go check the security footage then… I don’t want to face
Phii Fah right now… because I don’t know what I did to him last night.”
He’d go back and check the footage to get it over with. Better to be embarrassed alone than to face Muenfah and be humiliated in person.
Theerak… don’t ever touch alcohol again, got it!! Burn it into that round head of yours! T___T
*[1] Typography is a subject that teaches the arrangement and design of letters for communication, or the design of typefaces and the arrangement of fonts to suit empty spaces and various elements beautifully in communication design work.
TBC
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