WHYARU, Special Chapter 3: END

The compact room on the third floor of the house was Tutor’s personal space. Though it was the smallest of all the bedrooms, its size didn’t make it any less appealing. Perhaps it was the minimalist design that made the room feel cozier than expected.

A five-foot mattress with plain white bedding, no bed frame, sat in the center, perfectly matching the beige wooden wardrobe and the nearby Japanese-style table. A white rug at the foot of the bed contrasted nicely with a sleek black fan, and in one corner, a large potted plant stood—Tutor had mentioned it was a house-friendly plant. Everything fit together, even the single framed picture on the wall.

What made the room even more inviting was the wooden balcony on the left, with a screened door to keep out mosquitoes. The natural breeze still flowed in, gently swaying the white curtains.

“Fat Cup, don’t bother him,” Tutor’s voice scolded.

“…”

“Did you hear me, Fat Cup? Get off his back, you naughty thing!” The familiar voice wasn’t far from Fighter’s ear. The man lying face-down shifted slightly, feeling soft fur brushing against him. “Get down now, or Phii Fai will spank you!”

Who’s spanking who?

   Fighter, who’d been asleep for over half the day, squinted at the backlit figure on the left side of the bed. At first, he couldn’t make out who it was, but upon closer inspection, he realized it was Tutor.

The younger man wore an oversized white t-shirt and boxer shorts that, whenever he propped up his knees, made Fighter’s heart skip a beat.

Meow.

What stood out most was the new gray furry friend in front of him, just as clingy as the person holding it.

The sight before him was too captivating for Fighter, lying in bed, to resist grabbing his camera from the bag and snapping a shot of Tutor. It was both beautiful and subtly erotic. Tutor was playing with a cat, and it took him a moment to notice he was being secretly photographed. He turned, knitting his brows with a slightly puzzled look, but Fighter still took a couple more shots before setting the camera down on the bed.

“Whose cat is that?” Fighter asked groggily, shifting to press himself against Tutor’s back. He rested his chin on the pale shoulder peeking out from the loose, stretched-out T-shirt that hung off Tutor’s frame. “Mmm, Phii Fai.”

A soft, muffled moan escaped as Fighter lightly pressed his lips to the smooth shoulder. He slowly trailed cool kisses along the slope of Tutor’s shoulder and up to his ear. Tutor tilted away as if to dodge, but his stern glance didn’t quite match the gesture.

“Stop it, Phii Fai.”

“Alright, stopped,” the taller man said, planting one last kiss before ceasing. He settled for resting his chin on Tutor’s shoulder instead. “So, whose cat is it?”

“The neighbor’s.”

“Oh.”

“Its name is Fat Cup.”

“Tasty name,” Fighter replied, eyeing the cheeky cat staring back at him. “How’d it end up in your room all of a sudden?”

“It usually jumps back and forth between its house and this one. I saw it when I woke up, so I picked it up to play with.”

“You like cats?”

“Not exactly, but it’s pretty cute.”

“Not as cute as you, though,” Fighter said with a sly grin, directed at the boy playing with the cat. Tutor shook his head, sometimes used to Fighter’s cheesy lines, but other times still caught off guard.

“Wanna hold it, Phii Fai?”

“Nah.”

“Why? Scared?”

“Not scared. I’m just not good with animals like this.”

“Allergic to pet fur?”

“Nope.”

“Then why not hold it?”

“…”

“Little Fat Cup wants to take a picture with Phii Fai,” Tutor said, puffing out his cheeks. “Right, Fat Cup? You want a photo with Phii Fai, don’t you?”

“No thanks.”

“Come on, hold him! I really want a picture of you with Fluffy Cup,” Tutor turned fully toward him, passing the cheeky cat with wide, pleading eyes. “Please, Phii.”

“Alright, fine, I’ll hold him,” Fighter took the cat from Tutor awkwardly. It wasn’t that he disliked pets; he just wasn’t fond of these creatures, probably because he didn’t like the hassle. He’d never paid much attention to or gotten close to anything like this.

“Perfect,” Tutor said, grabbing the camera to snap a photo of him. At first, Fighter looked stiff, but as time went on, Fluffy Cup’s cuteness and clinginess won him over easily. “Told you he’s adorable.”

“Yeah, he’s cute,” Fighter admitted, lying back down. Tutor lay beside him, with Fluffy Cup nestled between them.

“Why’re you staring?” Tutor asked, noticing Fighter gazing at him while petting the chubby cat.

“Your parents know about us, huh?”

I think so.”

“…”

“Phii Tong probably told them.”

“That’s nice,” Fighter said with a smile tinged with envy. His mind drifted to his own father, who no longer forced him to do things with someone named Fang or anyone else, but still never mentioned Tutor. He wished his dad could see who Tutor really was, how truly lovable he was.

“Why the face?”

“Nothing.”

“Phii Fai.”

“I just wish my dad was more like your parents.”

“Didn’t you say it takes time?”

“Yeah, it takes time,” Fighter leaned in, pressing a long, warm kiss to Tutor’s lips, as if sealing their feelings for each other.

“Don’t overthink it, Phii Fai.”

“Nah, I still believe, Tor, that in the end, my dad will understand. Understand us for who we really are.”

Bzzz, bzzz

Fighter’s phone, lying nearby, vibrated. He reached for it and saw it was his dad calling.

Fighter planted a kiss on Tutor’s forehead before answering the call.

“Yes, Dad.”

(Where’s you?)

“Chiang Khan.”

(What are you doing there?)

“I’m at Tor’s place.”

(…)

“…” Seeing Fighter go quiet, the smaller figure sitting across from him looked uneasy. But Tutor managed a faint smile, reaching out to gently squeeze Fighter’s hand, as if reassuring him that he was still there. No matter what happened, he wasn’t going anywhere—he’d stay right here, holding his hand.

(The vibe’s nice, isn’t it? I went there once before I married your mom.)

“Yeah, the atmosphere’s great. The people here are nice too. Tor’s parents are so sweet—they’re open to everything their son loves.”

(Fai… it’s not that I’m not open. I’m trying in my own way. I want to open my heart to Tor, to get to know him the way you described.)    “Dad…”

(You’re my only son, Fai. I’ve thought about it over and over—your words, and what Tor asked me that day, whether what I’m doing is really for your happiness. Even now, I keep wondering if it’s truly the right thing. Because what’s happened hasn’t made me happy, Fai. We pass by each other, say hello, but it’s like we’ve never truly opened up to one another. I keep thinking about where we went wrong. Was it because I was too focused on work? Because I didn’t know you well enough? Or because I never understood what makes you happy?)

“…”

(I’ve missed out on so much of your happiness, Fai. When you were in fourth grade and ran to show me your good grades, I set them aside and never even looked at them. After that, you never showed me your grades again. You stopped telling me about school. When you got into fights, I sent the driver to be your guardian instead. The gap between us grew too wide, and I, who thought I knew you, realized I never truly knew you at all.)

“…”

(I don’t know if I’m asking too much, but can we get to know each other again, son? Can I get to know the real you, the you who loves Tor, the you who wants me to love the person you love? I’ll try to open my heart to you and Tor… Can you open yours to let me learn about both of you?)

“…”

(Can you give me a chance, son?)

Tutor had no idea what Fighter was discussing with his dad, but the sudden flood of tears streaming down his senior’s face, like a dam breaking, left him at a loss. He squeezed Fighter’s hand tightly, letting him know he was still right there.

“Sob… Hic…”

Hearing Fighter’s sobs, Tutor couldn’t help but feel the weight of it after he put down the phone. He got up and hugged Fighter tightly, as if to comfort him, murmuring, “I’m here, Tor’s here,” over and over again.

When the crying finally quieted, Fighter wiped his tears and managed a smile.

“Tor.”

“Yes?”

“Dad called me.”

“Mm.”

“He said he wants to get to know you.”

“…”

“He wants to know the you that I love and care for. He said he’s ready to open his heart. Not fully yet, but he’ll try.”

“…”

“And I believe it’ll get better—better than it is now, for sure.” “Mm,” Tutor nodded, pressing his lips tightly together. He was trying to hold back a mix of relief and gratitude, not wanting Fighter to see.

It wasn’t that Tutor hadn’t felt hopeful before. All along, he’d believed it could work out, that things could get better. If Phii

Fai said holding on tighter would make it better, Tutor trusted it would. But…

There was always something nagging at him. He’d tried to bury it deep, to focus only on Fighter, but that feeling never left. Now, hearing Phii Fai say his dad was willing to try opening his heart—even just a little—it was like a gift that unlocked Tutor’s emotions, easing his mind. The small, dark shadow that had clung to his heart was almost entirely swept away.

This was so good. Really, truly good.

“I’m so glad I met you, Tor,” Fighter said.

“Mm. I’m glad I met you too, Phii,” Tutor replied. Fighter looked at him, one hand gently cupping his smooth cheek, thinking back on everything they’d been through.

“You’re the best thing in my life, Tor.”

“You filled the empty parts of me until they overflowed. You taught me what real love is. I love you so much, Tor. Phii really loves Tor so much.”

Neither knew where this love would lead, whether it would end in separation or if they’d walk on together. But even if it came to that, they’d never regret loving each other.

   “Tor loves you too, Phii. Loves you… the most.”

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