NORTHHOWMUCHISYOURLOVE, Chapter 15 part 1
Chapter 15: Kept Me Warm
“Yes. I probably won’t go to your company for a while.”
“…”
“Hmm, give my regards.”
“…”
I hung up the phone and walked back into the room.
Asleep already…
I looked at the other person who had likely drifted off to sleep while I was outside discussing business with the company. The TV was still on; he falls asleep so easily. Just a few minutes ago, he looked quite suspicious of me.
I approached the sofa where he was sleeping and lifted him into my arms. Ever since I first brought him back from the bar, I’ve been amazed at how small he is, as if a gentle breeze could blow him away!
Carefully, I laid him down on the bed. The red marks on his neck and shoulder from earlier were visible because the shirt was too big for him. His lips, slightly swollen and stained with blood, just as Arthit had pointed out. I must have been too harsh.
It must have hurt a lot, but I couldn’t stop myself either.
He’s not that fragile, but I was just too intense…
Once I kissed him, I wanted to kiss him again, and once I kissed him again, I didn’t want to stop.
Just seeing him, I wanted to pull him into my arms and mark him all over.
I sat down on the bed, gazing at him as he lay there obliviously. At first, I never thought it would turn out like this, it started with that first kiss. I admit I was very angry and tried my best to control myself.
That’s why I told him to go back…
But he chose to come to me.
I gently traced my finger over his soft lips, circling around his still red cheeks, unable to resist leaning in for a light kiss before pulling back. The faint sweet scent and the steady sound of his breathing…the kiss on the couch earlier, I had to endure a lot to not do more.
Does he realize at all that he’s not safe around me?
If we’re alone, just the two of us…
:Damn it
This is definitely not good…
I intended not to do anything, not until he was willing.
How long can I hold out?
There’s an incoming call from: Fah’
“Fah.”
“Fuck. I’ve never been this glad that you called.” I quickly answered the call and immediately walked out of the bedroom.
(Why, man?) “Shit…”
“Glad it’s you calling.”
“If it were that Tit, shit would’ve hit the fan for sure.”
(Joe. What’s up with you, calm down first.)
“If you had called just a little later…” I said while raising my hand to my face, trying to regain my composure, before slumping down onto the sofa.
(You seem restless.)
“Yeah.”
(Oh, did you take the little one to bed, how did it go?)
“How did it go? I’m about to go crazy here.”
(You fought with yourself, right?)
“Yeah. Do you think I’m someone who can stop at just a kiss? I need to be really strong-willed, how many times do I need to pray, and that kid, damn…”
(That’s why I called to bring you back to your senses, right?)
“Yeah. If you had been a minute later, even if the kid was crying, I wouldn’t know if I could stop myself.”
(That’s heavy, my friend.)
“Heavier than you think.”
(Really that bad, huh? The kid is cute, right?)
“Yeah, and he let me kiss him. If he had seriously refused from the start, I wouldn’t have minded.”
(The kid allowed just a kiss, huh. That should be enough, right?)
“Enough my ass, I kissed her until her lips were chapped, and I still felt it wasn’t enough, damn it! What’s wrong with me?” I cursed, feeling utterly frustrated with myself.
(Joe, I told you to cool down first)
“Fah, I’ve tried.”
(You’re scary, I want to take the kid away from you.)
“Try it then.”
(You’re scary, pity the kid. I saw this morning, the kid was blushing like crazy because of you.)
“So I don’t want to stop even more.”
(The kid looks really strong usually, but when with you, seems fragile all over. Be gentle for once.)
“Even Hill told me.”
(Did you do it?)
“Did it.”
(You did with him already?)
“Yeah.”
(The kid is so cute and adorable, why not be more gentle?)
“Can you not be so annoying, Fah?”
(I compliment and you get possessive.)
(When did you become so possessive?)
“Am I?”
(Oh, I’ve never seen you like this with your past people. At first, when Arthit told me, I almost didn’t believe it. Didn’t think you’d be this much.)
“I really don’t know about this one.”
(Have you calmed down yet?)
“Not yet.”
(I meant your heart.)
“Oh. What did you think I meant?”
(Well, but for someone like you, that’s pretty good. You’re quite patient, the kid has survived this long. Keep your composure, don’t do anything more than kissing.) (Joe, I’m serious. If you’re serious about this. You shouldn’t treat the kid like you did with the others.)
“Yeah.”
(Really.)
“What.”
(Just like Arthit said that you don’t argue. Normally, you’d argue until the cows come home about stuff like this.)
“What do you want me to say?”
(But I think it’s good that it’s him.)
“How so?”
(I heard Hill say that the kid is easy-going, doesn’t get angry at people often. Not an overthinker, and very strong, otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to handle someone like you.)
“…”
“Not because it’s good that it’s the kid, but because it’s the kid, that’s what makes it good.”
(Umm, okay, so what’s the plan for tonight, will the kid survive your company?)
“Don’t know, man.”
(Sleep on the sofa, let the kid sleep in the room.)
“Is this my room or what?”
(Then you go to sleep outside.)
“Bastard.”
(We’re just talking about your stuff here.)
“Do you have something else?”
(Have you seen my cheat sheet? The one I brought to study with Hill today, I can’t find it, and I need it tomorrow.) “I saw it.”
(Where?)
“Tit took it.”
(When did he take it?)
“While packing.”
(He took it, and you saw but didn’t say anything.)
“It’s not finished yet.”
(Hmm, good, took it without even asking.)
“I asked, but he wouldn’t give it.”
(Learn to do it yourself.)
“Is it worth my time, Fah?”
(Sigh, tell him to bring it back to me tomorrow, don’t forget, if he forgets, he’s in for it.)
“Tell him yourself.”
“I’m too lazy to talk to him.”
“Pointless again.”
(Tell him not to forget, please.)
“Yeah.”
(I have another thing to talk about with you, let’s talk now or I might forget again.)
“Go ahead.”
(You seem stressed out lately, these past one or two months. Not that you’re overly stressed, but you seem to get irritated easily, mood swings, Hill said. Are you working hard?)
“Yes. Just like Hill said.”
(Do you have to work that hard? You’re missing classes more than last semester.) “I have to. They said they’d hand everything over before I graduate, in just a couple of years.”
(Is it stressful?)
“I don’t know, man. It’s not that much pressure. Just tired.”
(If you have so much family business, why study to be a doctor? I’ve asked you several times. Why not study something easier?)
“Like what?”
(Management or something, so you can help with the work too.)
“I already manage things well.”
(Then why become a doctor? Don’t tell me it’s because your mom said you should apply and if you get in, you have to study.)
“Just so she can go around telling people that her only son is studying to be a doctor, and he can handle the family business too, and in a few years, he’ll take over. That’s enough to make her face shine, who knows how much.)
(Umm, I understand, just like Hill, or is Hill even worse off?)
“Hill might be worse off, he was basically forced into it.”
(So, none of you actually want to be doctors, huh? Sigh. Have you regained some composure now?)
“Yeah. You got me talking about work and studies.”
(Good, and when you met the kid, did it make you feel any better? Less stressed?)
“Not really, but it’s not like it’s bad either.”
(How so?)
“Don’t know, man.”
(Like seeing a rest stop when you’re tired, huh?)
“Right.” (Umm, the good thing is if you’re still being a playboy, you won’t ever find someone to come back to when you’re tired or discouraged, like having a home to return to.)
“It’s something like that.”
(I’m hanging up now, don’t forget to call Tit to return my cheat sheet.)
“OK”
And then I hung up, still agreeing it was good that Fah called. It helped remind me of many things. Not just me, those two are the same.
I called Arthit as Fah had just told me to.
(Why call so late?) the moment the other side picked up. I heard chaos from the other end of the line; more notably, the sound of cars.
“Are you at the stadium again?”
(Yes, I’m betting tonight, but the stakes are too low, the other side isn’t very daring.)
“How much?”
(Three hundred thousand.)
“Why so little?”
(That’s what I thought. When you’re not around, the odds drop like this.)
“But you still went.”
(I don’t go often. Just tonight, I was bored, interested?)
“No.”
(Are you sleeping with the kid?)
“Not sleeping, just finished talking with Fah. Bring him his sheet back tomorrow.”
(Yeah, got it. Is that why you called?)
“Yes, Fah asked me to.” (Hmm, just the girls complaining they miss you, saying why hasn’t Johan shown his face for so long. You haven’t come for months, have you? Even when you do, it’s not often.)
“I’ve been working.”
(I already told them you’ve got a lot of work, hardly any sleep.)
“Yeah, sometimes I feel like quitting and just living idly, wasting time like you.”
(You won’t do that.)
“I am keeping an eye on the kid first.”
(Oh, the inspiration that changed Johan the asshole into Johan the workaholic, like now, huh?)
“You’re good at being annoying.”
(How’s it going, sleeping with the kid, gone mad yet?)
“You’re asking just like Fah, yeah, I’m about to go crazy.”
(Feel sorry for you, if you can’t bear it, you don’t have to.)
“It’s because you’re like this that I’m glad it was Fah who called first.”
(Heh, I’m heading out to the field now.)
“OK. Good luck, stay safe.”
(Hope you win.)
“Have you ever lost to anyone besides me?”
(Two matches, one win each, and you’re still talking.)
“Yeah, I’m hanging up.”
(Yeah, sweet dreams.)
…
This feels so uncomfortable…
I slowly opened my eyes, the first sensation was warmth. The image in front of me wasn’t very clear due to the dimness of the room. I guessed it wasn’t morning yet, but I could barely move. Ugh…
When I tried to move, I felt someone’s arm tighten around me, pulling me into a firmer embrace.
Phii Johan…
Is he hugging me?
I could feel the cold air from the AC, the thick blanket providing more warmth, but the warmth from the other person’s embrace was even more comforting. I tried to move because of the soreness, but I couldn’t move much, as the person behind me had their arms wrapped around me.
He couldn’t have been hugging me all night, could he?
Just the thought of being hugged all night made my heart beat faster again. I wasn’t imagining that each kiss was getting longer, but the intensity hadn’t decreased much, what decreased was Phii Johan’s patience. Several times his large hand moved up to touch me but stopped just before.
As for the kissing…I thought it was way too much, so I secretly wondered if he wasn’t tired of it, but the moment I accidentally asked…
My lips hurt…
My lips probably hadn’t cracked again, right?
Sometimes I’m secretly scared. Last time I had cracked lips and he didn’t stop.
What kind of person am I, really? T^T
I reached out to grab my phone, which was lying nearby. I opened the screen to find it was past five in the morning. With someone holding me like this, how could I sleep? The image from yesterday on the sofa was still lingering in my mind. Plus, there was the warm breath of the person behind me caressing my neck and ear, indicating how close we were…
Oh, how can I even try to sleep now? I shouldn’t have woken up, T^T
Can’t sleep… Not being able to sleep, I just lay there quietly thinking about random things, couldn’t move, definitely couldn’t wake Phii Joe. Checking my phone, I found that fifty thousand baht had been transferred into my account. Must be what I borrowed from him yesterday…Why is money so easy to get? That’s fifty thousand, T^T
And about the debt…
Why do I have to keep track of it? Who can even count it all? Just thinking about it drives me crazy!
Incoming call from: Phii Hill
I groggily woke up to the sound of my phone ringing. Initially, I thought I wouldn’t be able to sleep, but the drowsiness along with the warm, cozy atmosphere made me sleepily drift off without realizing it.
Phii Hill called…
Is this the first time Phii Hill has called me since we met?
“Hello.” I answered quickly.
(Is Joe there?)
“Oh, yes, he’s here.” I said, glancing back at the person still holding me. Behind me, Johan was asleep, sound asleep, and I quickly turned back, realizing we were too close.
(Can I speak with him?)
“Uh, Joe is asleep. Should I wake him?”
(Wake him up, please.)
“Phii Joe.” I called, “Phii Hill wants to talk to you.”
“…” As I called him, it seemed like Johan woke up, but it looked more like he didn’t want to deal with it.
“Phii Joe…” I called out again while shaking the other’s arm. Phii Johan loosened his embrace as if annoyed, then turned me around, and now he was straddling me as I lay on my back, leaning down to kiss me softly. “Ugh…” I accidentally let out a sound when the person in front of me pressed his lips down harder and repeatedly. It wasn’t as aggressive as before, but my heart was beating so hard I could feel it. I closed my eyes tightly as I felt like I was running out of breath, and tried to push him away.
Again…
It’s happening again…
Are you trying to give me a heart attack or what!
(North) Phii Hill’s voice came from the phone, making Phii Johan reluctantly pull away from the kiss, somewhat displeased. Seeing him just woken up made me wonder how someone could look this good right after waking up.
(Are you still there?) Phii Hill called again, bringing me back to my senses.
“Yes, uh, sorry, it’s just…”
(You can put it on speaker, I’ll talk.)
“Yes.” I pressed the speaker button as instructed by Phii Hill.
(Joe)
“What.”
(You’re up early.)
“Yeah.”
(Attached to the kid, huh.)
:!!!
Did Phii Hill just say Phii Johan is attached to me? I glanced at Phii Johan who looked a bit grumpy from being woken up, then had to look away as I felt too embarrassed. I wasn’t sure what exactly was making me feel this embarrassed, but every time our eyes met, my embarrassment grew.
What does it mean by ‘attached to me’? Is it about the kissing just now…
Oh my. What should I be embarrassed about first?
“…” (Why isn’t the call going through?)
“I’m annoyed with you.”
(Come to class with me.)
“No.”
(Joe)
“Why?”
(Come to class.)
“No.”
(Planning to cuddle with the kid all day?)
“Yeah.”
!!!
(Hurry up and come.)
“…”
(This time, I’m not doing your assignments for you.)
“Okay, fine.”
(Can you contact Tit?)
“Why? Can’t you contact him yourself?”
(Hmm, he turned off his phone just like you. Since morning, Fah’s been complaining there’s no lab sheet.)
“Really? We just saw each other briefly.”
(Is he dead or something?)
“Probably, he was racing last night.”
(Hmm, I’ll tell the professor. Which form do I need to sign?)
“He could be sick, maybe he’s in the hospital.”
(What should I say?)
“Car accident, critical condition.”
(Alright. Hurry up, bring the kid too.)
“Why?”
(So he can come stay with Ter, or do you want the kid to be alone?)
“Where am I going?”
(The café under the building.)
“OK.”
(OK.)
Then Phii Hill hung up. I was surprised because he said Phii Arthit was critically injured and in the hospital. Can they just decide things like this? Actually, Phii Arthit might just be sleeping in late, this is too much of a prank!
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