YOURSKY, Chapter 22
All good parties must come to an end. The meal cost, which all the friends had intended to split, was fully paid for by Muenfah. He said it was to make up for ruining the mood earlier when he had a confrontation with In and Panwa.
Theerak lowered his head to avoid the tall guy’s gaze, still embarrassed by the word “nuu” he’d heard. The smaller guy glanced at the staff handing the receipt to Muenfah. He heard a chuckle in Muenfah’s throat before a long finger lightly tapped his arm.
“Can you help me check the bill?”
Theerak nodded awkwardly and took the receipt to review. “There are seventeen of us, four hundred ninety-nine baht each…” He pulled out his phone to calculate the cost again. “…Eight thousand four hundred eightythree, plus seven percent VAT makes it nine thousand seventy-six baht… it’s correct, Phii Fah.”
“Okay…” Muenfah replied before handing him a branded wallet. “Naughty one, can you grab my credit card for me?”
“Sure…”
Theerak agreed without looking up at Muenfah. He took the wallet and opened it. The first thing he saw was a family photo of Muenfah’s. Theerak looked at the picture of Muenfah’s dad and mom, who still looked youthful, and couldn’t help but smile when he saw two little boys sitting on their laps.
The boy smiling so wide his eyes squinted, sitting on Papa’s lap, was Panli. The boy with a calm, neutral expression on Mama’s lap was Muenfah. He remembered that the last time he saw a photo in Muenfah’s wallet, it was a picture of Muenfah as a kid.
Back then, there wasn’t a photo of him… but now Muenfah had added a picture of him, one that Muenfah had taken at the beach, right next to the family photo. At first, Theerak had been puzzled when Muenfah asked him to grab the credit card, even though he could’ve done it himself. But now he understood Muenfah’s intention…
Muenfah probably wanted him to see the new family member’s photo.
Theerak looked up at the tall guy who flashed him the same familiar smile. Holding back a grin was becoming impossible now, so Theerak let himself smile widely. Muenfah smirked, raising an eyebrow before asking “Which card should I grab for you?”
Theerak picked out a gold credit card and handed it to Muenfah. He took it and passed it to the waiting staff. Theerak lightly nudged Muenfah’s arm with his finger. Once the staff walked away, he pointed at his own photo and asked, “I picked that credit card for you… but this photo—you chose it yourself, right?”
“Heh…” Muenfah leaned in, pressing his nose to his cheek for a sniff. “Not shy anymore, huh?” Without waiting for an answer, he sniffed again. “Asking like this… you’re not shy anymore, right?”
“Guys ~… spare my life, please.”
“Hia! You’re sitting over there—you can’t hear Fah sniffing the kid’s cheek as clearly as I can.” Phii Real said, shaking his head.
“You’re bragging that you heard it better?” Phii Hia asked.
“Bragging to your dad, maybe… I’m just saying it’s torture for single people like me.”
Theerak ducked his head to avoid everyone’s gazes, including the wallet owner whose possession he was holding. Muenfah probably wanted his wallet back, which is why he kept pressing his nose to his cheek over and over.
Muenfah kissed his temple and said, “Welcome to the Pisut family.”
“…” Theerak smiled faintly, then lifted his phone to show Muenfah a family photo on the screen before swiping to reveal Muenfah’s picture set as his wallpaper. “Welcome to the Niran too, Phii Fah.”
“Heh…” Muenfah leaned in to hug him, resting his face on his shoulder.
“When did little naughty you set me as your wallpaper?”
“When I realized I’d fallen for the Sky…”
Muenfah chuckled in his throat and pressed his lips to his shoulder. “I’m not going anywhere now…”
Theerak smiled and raised a hand to pat Muenfah’s head. He loved giving him this kind of touch, and it seemed Muenfah enjoyed it too, often resting his face on his shoulder like this.
“You just want Nong Rak, that’s enough, right? So, hand over the credit card, Fah. What’s the limit, buddy?” Phii Hia said, taking the credit card from the staff.
Muenfah pulled away from the hug and snatched the gold credit card back from Phii Hia. He tucked it into the wallet Theerak had just returned to him, then shot Phii Hia an annoyed look before saying “Don’t mess with my money… I earn it for Theerak to use alone.”
“So the red soda that’s been by your side all these years means nothing, huh?”
“What a tear-jerking scene.” Phii Ball said, mixed with laughter.
“If you don’t tone down the flirting, I’ll splash your face with the hot shabu broth.”
As soon as Phii Real finished speaking, the people sitting near the head of the table burst out laughing—except for Muenfah, who sat with a calm, expressionless face. Theerak shifted his gaze from Muenfah’s face to his pants pocket, feeling a vibration from a notification. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and answered the call.
“What’s up, Noh?”
“…”
“I’m heading out… Are you at my place already?”
“Wait a sec, Host…” Phii Hia interjected loudly, as if wanting the person on the other end to hear.
“I already told the restaurant manager. You can go wait inside first.”
“…”
While Muenfah was on the phone with his friend, everyone started gradually leaving the restaurant. Theerak nudged Muenfah to scoot over a bit so he and Joy could get up and step outside. Muenfah nodded and shifted to make space for the two of them to stand.
Muenfah stayed seated, still talking on the phone. The other second-year juniors had already gone out to wait in the parking lot. Inside the restaurant, only the third-year seniors, Panli, Joy, and Type remained, discussing midterms while waiting for Muenfah. Theerak, standing next to the tall guy, lightly rubbed his own stomach, feeling stuffed to the brim.
“Traffic shouldn’t be bad…” Muenfah looked up at him, wrapping his free arm around his waist before saying, “…Can I kiss your tummy?”
T___T that again.
“…”
“I want to kiss Theerak’s tummy… not yours.” Muenfah said, leaning his head against his stomach while talking to the person on the line. Theerak wasn’t surprised that Phii Noh misunderstood, since Muenfah was chatting with him without paying much attention to the call.
Theerak shook his head, rejecting Muenfah’s pleading expression. “No kissing.”
“Noh, can you hang up for a sec?…Theerak won’t let me kiss his tummy.”
“…”
“If I get to kiss it, I’ll head over right away…” Muenfah hung up on Phii Noh and put his phone back in his pocket. He looked up at him and asked, “Is little naughty you upset with me?”
“No…”
“…”
“I just feel full…”
“Heh…” Muenfah chuckled in his throat. He pressed his nose against his stomach and pulled away, then looked up to meet his eyes. “…Theerak, you ate until your tummy’s all bloated.”
Theerak thought of Muenfah as a lover… not a rival.
But in this moment…
Pradipat Pisut, got 1 point.
“Real, is my belly bloated from eating?” Phii Hia slapped his stomach with a few loud pats and turned to ask Phii Real, who was standing beside him. “You look no different from Chuchok right after he finished gorging.” Phii Real replied. Everyone burst into laughter, even Phii Babe, who wasn’t usually quick to laugh, couldn’t resist these two.
“Is the stubborn one going back with Babe?”
Theerak glanced at his older sister, who was talking to Phii Dom. “Phii
Babe is probably going back with Phii Dom.”
“Dom is going to Noh’s birthday party too… Babe probably won’t join since it’ll end really late.”
“I’ll go ask Phii Babe first, okay?”
“Okay…”
Theerak walked over to Phii Babe, who was still talking to Phii Dom. He didn’t dare interrupt since his sister was speaking with a serious tone and expression.
“I know this event has a ton of girls… Didn’t I just hear Hia say Noh brought some pretty girls too?”
“Yes…” Phii Dom answered softly, nodding.
“I trust you… Don’t let me down, Dom.”
“I will only touch the booze… not other women.”
“…”
“And tomorrow, I’ll come back to touch only you.”
“No need for sweet talk… You can drink, I don’t mind. I get that it’s a friend’s birthday. If you know you’re drunk, don’t drive home—just leave the car at Fah’s place.”
“Okay. If I’m drunk, I’ll take a taxi home.”
“Alright…” Phii Babe nodded at him before turning to see Theerak standing behind her. “Oh, have you been waiting long?”
“Not long.”
“I’ll go back with you, then. Dom’s heading to his friend’s birthday party next.”
“That’s exactly what I was about to ask Phii Babe.”
“…”
“So, you’re going back with Babe, right, stubborn one?”
Theerak turned to the tall figure who’d walked up beside him and nodded.
“Yes…”
After settling everything, they left the restaurant. The second-year juniors split up to head back in their own cars. Panli, who’d come on a motorcycle, asked to leave first, with Type hitching a ride to drop off near his condo. Joy’s boyfriend came to pick her up in his car. Now, only Theerak, Muenfah, Phii Babe, and Phii Dom remained. The others had already gone ahead to Muenfah’s place.
“Rak, I’ll wait at the car first, okay? I need to grab something from Dom’s car.”
“Okay…”
Theerak nodded in response while watching his older sister walk to the car with Phii Dom. He secretly glanced at the side profile of the tall figure walking beside him. Theerak pressed his lips together as a flicker of jealousy began to stir within him. Gathering his courage, he spoke up “Phii Fah, about Phii Noh’s birthday party…” Theerak paused before continuing, “…will there be a lot of girls there?”
“Heh… who told you that?” Muenfah replied, reaching out to ruffle his hair.
“I overheard Phii Babe talking to Phii Dom.”
“There were a lot… Noh has tons of female friends. Most of them were pretty girls, like models and stuff.”
Hearing this… he instantly felt deflated.
How could a chubby little puppy compete with gorgeous models…
Muenfah led him by the hand to stop beside the matte-colored Mini Cooper. Theerak looked at the tall guy, who flashed him the same familiar smile. He must have noticed his worry, as he gently stroked his cheek.
“I love only you, Theerak.”
“…”
“Good boy, trust me, okay?”
“I trust you, Phii Fah.”
Theerak genuinely felt what he said. Though jealousy had initially made him overthink, once he chose to trust the other person, none of those feelings could shake the love and trust he had for Muenfah.
“I won’t go near any other girls.”
“…”
“I will even call to check in with Theerak regularly.”
“Okay…” Theerak furrowed his brows in thought before adding, “Even if you don’t get involved with anyone, I think there’ll definitely be people trying to approach you.”
“…”
“I have a way to protect sky ‘territory’ from anyone who tries to flirt with you.”
“What’s little naughty you going to do?”
Theerak held out his hand in front of Muenfah. “Can I borrow your phone, Phii Fah?”
The tall guy pulled his phone out of his pants pocket and handed it over. Theerak took it and opened the front camera to take a selfie. He tried to make the fiercest face he could muster.
“Hmph!” Snap!
Theerak smiled with satisfaction as he looked at his photo, now set as the lock screen on Muenfah’s phone. Anyone who saw it would surely be startled by his fierce expression.
“Phii Fah… I am giving you permission to claim me as your boyfriend for one day.”
“…”
“If someone tries to flirt with you…” Theerak handed the phone back to Muenfah, who took it with a chuckle in his throat, “…show them this picture, okay?”
“Got it…”
“And then you told them… I already have a boyfriend, and he’s super strict…”
“Heh.”
“I’m serious, Phii Fah.”
“Okay. If someone tries to flirt with me… I’ll do what little naughty you told me to.”
“Very good…”
Theerak felt relieved that he’d found a way to shield Muenfah from people trying to flirt with him. He glanced at the tall guy who was smirking while looking at his phone. Spotting his older sister approaching, Theerak quickly spoke up…
“Phii Fah…”
Muenfah looked up from his phone and met his eyes. “Yes?”
“I have to go soon.”
“Okay. Once I get to the restaurant, I’ll call little naughty you.” Muenfah said, pulling out the same wallet. He handed over a silver credit card, followed by an opaque white plastic card. “I almost forgot to give this to you Theerak.”
“…”
“I gave you the car… so I have to give you gas money too.”
Theerak looked at the credit card in his hand, then back up at Muenfah.
“…”
“And this is the keycard to my condo.” he said, pointing at the white card.
“Phii Fah… you don’t need to cover gas for me. I can fill it up myself.”
“I’m not giving you the credit card just for gas. Buy whatever you want, Theerak. If it’s not enough, just tell me—I’ll increase the limit for you.”
“Phii Fah… there you go again. I said no buying expensive stuff for me, but now you’re giving me a credit card to use like this…” Theerak tried to hand the card back, but Muenfah refused to take it and quickly tucked his wallet away. “It’s no different from buying me expensive things.”
“Don’t overthink it… Just think of it as helping me spend his money.”
“But…”
“I have to go now. My friends have probably been waiting for a while.”
“Sky, you’re changing the subject…”
“Heh.”
Theerak knew he couldn’t say no to stubborn Muenfah. So, he had to accept the credit card. Even though Muenfah gave him free rein to use it, Theerak had no intention of doing so.
I won’t use it.
I’ll help Phii Fah save his money.
“Are you leaving now, Phii Fah?”
“Yes…”
Theerak gazed at the owner of that sunshine-like morning smile and thought…
The mission to flirt with Muenfah…
…It’s not a failure after all.
“Did you forget something?”
Muenfah furrowed his brows slightly before saying, “What did I forget?”
The smaller guy pointed at his own forehead as a hint for a kiss. “The little one’s forehead…”
“Heh…” Muenfah chuckled in his throat before leaning down to kiss his forehead. “…Phii Fah forgot to kiss the little one’s forehead, huh?”
Mission to court Muenfah, Day 1:
Theerak, earns 1 point.
#However Many Thousand Skies
“Last night, I slept at the restaurant.”
“Was you drunk?”
“Not drunk, but I had some liquor and didn’t want to drive.”
“Good call, Phii Fah.”
“The naughty one doesn’t have classes today, right?”
“Right…”
“If I finish up at the shop early, I’ll take you out for ice cream.”
“Isn’t you opening the shop today?”
“I’m taking a day off. Last night was a heavy drinking session, and Real’s out of it too.”
“…you don’t have to take me for ice cream. Once you’re done at the restaurant, go rest at the condo instead.”
“I miss you so much…”
It was probably that sentence, paired with the tired tone in Muenfah’s voice from this morning, that made Theerak drive over to bring some of his mom’s fish porridge to him at the shop. Today, his mom made fish porridge for him and Grandpa, so Theerak asked for a portion to share with Muenfah. He told his mom it was for someone special.
The smile on his mom’s face as she handed him the bag of fish porridge…
It made Theerak’s heart swell.
:]
The smaller guy sang “Love Eternity” along to the music playing softly while driving. Theerak didn’t just sing—he also bobbed his head lightly to the rhythm.
“May the love that’s born last forever ~”
His hand turned the steering wheel into the parking lot of Your Sky. A male staff member waved to guide him toward the inner parking area. Theerak was about to reverse into a large empty spot when the sound of a whistle and the man running toward him made him stop and roll down the window.
“Can’t I park here?”
“Rak, it’d be better to park in the owner’s area. It’s much wider there and a lot easier to park.”
Theerak scanned the VIP parking area and felt puzzled. Muenfah had said the shop wasn’t open today, yet there were several sports cars parked there. Normally, Muenfah didn’t open in the afternoon either. Theerak figured he might’ve come to surprise him at the wrong time—Muenfah could be entertaining some important customers.
Before driving out of the house, Theerak called Muenfah to ask what he was up to. As usual, Muenfah replied that he was still sorting things out at the shop and promised to pick him up as soon as possible. Theerak decided to drop by unannounced, figuring he’d arrive just before Muenfah finished everything.
“Sir… are there VIP customers in the shop?”
“Oh, they’re friends of Khun Fah… Last night, the shop hosted Noh’s birthday party.”
So it was the cars of Muenfah’s friends. Theerak had thought everyone had already left.
“…”
“Rak, this way, please. I’ll take you to park in the owner’s area.”
“Okay…” He wasn’t surprised that the staff knew his name and led him to the owner’s parking spot—Muenfah must have instructed all the employees about him.
The male staff member led him to an area with a sign that read “Restricted Zone.” Only two cars were parked there: the first was Muenfah’s black Ford Mustang, and the second was Phii Real’s Benz. Now, his Mini Cooper made it the third. Theerak turned to grab the bag of fish porridge he’d placed beside him before getting out of the car. He raised his hands in a wai to thank the staff member who’d helped guide him in.
“Thank you…”
“No need to thank me, Rak. I’m just doing my job.”
Theerak smiled at the staff member, bowed his head once more, and then walked out of the parking lot toward the shop. Just then, Phii Real stepped out, his eyes widening in surprise.
“Nong Rak… Are you here to see Fah?”
“Yes, Phii Real.”
“Did you tell Fah you were coming?”
Theerak gave a sheepish smile to Phii Real before saying, “No, I didn’t… heh.”
“No wonder Fah’s been in a bad mood nonstop. He probably didn’t know his favorite person was coming.”
“Is Phii Fah inside the restaurant?”
“Yeah, he’s in there scolding his friends.”
“…”
“Last night, they drank heavily. Those who couldn’t make it home crashed at the shop. This morning, Fah told them to get lost, but those jerks kept messing around and drinking more.”
“…”
“Right now, Fah’s about to chew out anyone who won’t leave.”
“Are there a lot of people in there?”
“Not too many, just over ten… The ones you’d know are Hia, Ball, Noh…”
Phii Real furrowed his brows, thinking, then continued, “Do you know
Noh?”
“I have seen Phii No talking to Phii Fah at the university, but I’ve never spoken to him.”
“Oh… The rest are just old friends of mine and Fah’s.”
“…”
“Don’t worry, little one. Go in, and you’ll see Fah standing and smoking in the glass room…” As they talked, Phii Real rubbed his face with one hand. His bloodshot eyes made it clear he was dying to collapse onto a soft bed. “Fah isn’t drunk, but he barely slept—less than an hour—so he’s acting hungover. Once he smokes, he’ll feel better… Don’t get mad at him for smoking, okay?”
“I’m not upset, I understand Phii Fah.”
“So cute…”
Theerak flashed a smile at Phii Real, “…”
“I’ll head out first, okay? I’m going home to nap and then come back to help Fah clean up the shop later.”
“Sure… drive safely, Phii Real.”
“Will do…” Phii Real ruffled his hair before walking off.
Theerak headed through the back of the shop, making a beeline for the glasshouse room because Phii Real had said Muenfah was there. Before he even reached the area, he heard Muenfah’s voice booming from a distance.
“You bastards! If I don’t get to take Theerak for ice cream in time… I’ll come back and punch on each of your faces one by one.”
“…”
“Can’t we keep drinking for another hour, Fah? ~ It’s rare for us to get together like this… don’t you miss us at all?”
Theerak quietly crept closer to the glasshouse room, staying hidden in a spot where Muenfah and his friends probably wouldn’t see him. Muenfah, wearing a short-sleeved white shirt and ripped black jeans, was standing and smoking with an irritated expression. Meanwhile, his friends were drinking at the table, and Theerak shook his head, stifling a laugh when he saw some of them passed out with their faces on their glasses.
…If you can’t handle it, don’t push yourself~
Falling asleep at the table like that will only make Phii Fah angrier…
“Miss you my ass… hurry up and leave already. Next year, don’t even think about holding it at my restaurant again, you bastard No. What a damn mess.”
“Haha, I’ll hire a cleaning company to take care of it.”
“No need to meddle. I can handle it myself.”
“I don’t see Fah changing like you said at all, Hia. He’s still cussing us out like back in high school… but you said he’s ridiculously handsome now, and yeah, I’ll admit, he’s damn good-looking.”
“Handsome as hell, but last night he didn’t touch a single girl.”
Theerak smiled to himself and thought…
Muenfah wouldn’t dare touch any girl.
Because Muenfah’s almost-boyfriend is super fierce.
“See? That’s why I said he’s changed,” Hia said, pausing to hiccup. “He doesn’t want anyone else, just his Nong Rak. You guys haven’t seen him when he’s with Nong Rak.”
“The one he’s taking for ice cream?”
“Yeah, his Theerak,” Hia replied. “Some kid, I don’t know, ridiculously cute.”
“What’s Fah like when he’s with his Theerak?”
Hia raised a hand to stop his friend. “I’m too drunk to handle this, ask Ball instead.”
“What the hell, Hia?”
“Ask again and I’ll puke on your face.”
“Still as rude as ever…”
“Ask Fah yourself. I don’t want to get kicked,” Ball said.
“So, big guy… what version of you comes out when you’re with Theerak?” The questioner downed his drink and turned to Muenfah. “No said you’re head over heels for that kid… is it true?”
Theerak looked at Muenfah, who stood silently without responding. He raised a white cigarette to his lips. Theerak prayed Muenfah wouldn’t say he was smitten. If he did, Theerak would surely explode—and then everyone would know he’d been eavesdropping on the conversation because of the blast.
The sound of exploding would be loud…
…Not just loud, BOOM!
But more like, thump, thump, thump, thump!
…Even though Muenfah didn’t answer his friends’ question, Theerak still wanted to blow himself up because of the smirk that appeared after Muenfah exhaled a puff of white smoke. His friends must know him so well that they could guess the answer just from that smile. Everyone started teasing, making the tall smoker burst into laughter. Muenfah tried to suppress his grin before raising his middle finger at his friends.
“Nong Theerak is amazing!…He got Fah all flustered!”
“I told you he’s changed…”
“I believe it now.”
“When are you guys heading back?” Muenfah asked.
“You’re really kicking us out!”
“I need to hurry and see Theerak…”
Theerak let out a soft laugh when he heard that.
Muenfah’s phrase, clear things at the shop apparently meant kick out the friends…
“Kicking us out because you miss the kid, huh?”
“Yeah…”
Thump, thump, thump, thump… it was back again—his heart pounding because of Muenfah. Theerak pressed his lips together tightly before mustering the courage to walk toward him. He planned to interrupt because he was afraid Muenfah’s friends might ask something even more embarrassing—and Muenfah never beat around the bush. He always answered straight to the point. Theerak didn’t want to explode more than once in a day, so he had to step in to prevent repeated self-detonations.
“How much do you miss him?”
A question from one of the friends made Theerak freeze mid-step.
“Don’t mess with me…”
“Haha… answer first. If it’s a good enough answer, we’ll leave right away.”
“You guys are consistently shitty friends, seriously.”
“Haha… answer first, man, don’t curse yet.”
Muenfah shook his head before bringing the cigarette back to his lips. “…” “No heart at all!”
“Yeah, you miss him but act all tough about it.”
“What the hell do you guys want from me?”
“Haha… we just want to know how much you miss that kid!”
“I miss him so much…”
“That’s all, huh, Fah?” Muenfah’s friend teased loudly. Everyone got the satisfying answer they wanted and started getting up from the table. Those who had passed out were helped up by others.
“I’ll head back then… Back to my wife. Haven’t seen her all night, and I miss her.”
“Yeah, finally time to go, you-jerks…” Muenfah said, exhaling a puff of white smoke. He glanced at his friends and shook his head in exasperation.
“Fah… Give your friends one more heartwarming answer. Do you miss your wife a lot?”
Theerak gripped the plastic bag with the fish porridge tightly, thinking…
Please don’t say something like that, Phii Fah.
“…I miss my wife so much it’s breaking my heart.”
“…”
“You guys hurry up and go… I’m going to see my wife too.”
“Wooooooo… We’ve got the president of the Wife-Obsessed Club right here!”
“Yeah, go back to your wives, you lovesick fools!…I’ll stay and watch the restaurant as the single guy.” Phii Hia said.
…It’s unclear whether it was the loud teasing echoing through the shop or
Muenfah’s words that made Theerak internally explode for the second time.
He didn’t understand why he felt so shy about it—only that those words held immense power when they came from Muenfah.
“Oh… Khun Theerak.”
“…”
Theerak slowly turned toward the voice calling from behind. A female staff member who looked like Mew was smiling at him. He gave her a faint smile before turning back to Muenfah. At that moment, all eyes were on him, but no pair made his heart race like those eyes.
The sharp, striking eyes of Muenfah…
“Is this him… Nong Theerak?”
“Nong Rak ~” Phii Hia called out, preparing to rush toward him, but Muenfah nodded at Phii Ball as a signal to intervene. Phii Ball grabbed Phii Hia’s arm to hold him back.
“This is him… My Theerak.”
“…”
“Wooooooo…”
“Hell yeah… Let’s tease Fah to death today!”
Theerak lowered his gaze to his feet, unable to meet anyone’s eyes. His face felt flushed, and his already pounding heart raced even faster when he saw a pair of black Vans stop in front of him. He looked up at the tall guy giving him that familiar smile.
“Have you been here long?”
“Uh…”
Muenfah raised an eyebrow as if questioning, then stepped back to give him some space. Perhaps because Theerak frowned in confusion at the distance, Muenfah raised his hand to show the cigarette between his fingers. He smiled and nodded in understanding at Muenfah.
“I’m smoking… Theerak, stay back a bit for now.”
“Okay…”
“Theerak, you’re surprising me again, huh?”
“Are you happy to see me?”
“Over the moon.”
“Just saying ‘Okay’ is still cute… What did you eat at home, little one?”
“You jerk No, don’t mess with my Theerak.” Muenfah snapped at his friend before turning back to flash him a smile. “Theerak, wait for me in the glass room first, okay? I’ll follow you in…”
“Okay, Phii Fah.”
Theerak nodded and walked into the glass room. As he turned to close the door, he saw Phii Hia and Phii No waving at him. He waved back to be polite, but Sky, standing nearby smoking, raised his free hand and pointed at him like he was scolding a naughty kid. As usual, Muenfah mouthed words without sound.
Muenfah said…
“You’re gonna get spanked.”
The small guy laughed until his mouth stretched wide at Fah’s possessiveness before heading to sit in his usual chair. Theerak glanced around, and memories of that first day they met came flooding back.
Theerak still remembered…
The forty-five minutes Muenfah had left to give him The time Muenfah handed over entirely to him.
Theerak smiled as he thought…
…No more of Muenfah’s time…No more of Theerak’s time Now, it’s just…
our time.
“Waiting long?”
Theerak looked at the tall figure who’d changed into a short-sleeved black shirt and sat beside him. “Did you change your shirt?”
“Yeah, I had a new one in the car.”
“Was something wrong with the old one?”
“It had too much cigarette smell on it…”
…Even though there was still a faint trace of cigarette scent, Theerak thought it was so subtle he could barely notice it. Muenfah must have spritzed on some cologne too.
“Did you add some cologne?”
“Yeah…” Muenfah nodded, pulling his phone out of his pants pocket. He looked down at it, tapping away, before adding, “…The scent the little one likes.”
“R “Heh…” The tall guy chuckled in his throat before tilting his cheek toward him while tapping on his phone. “So, do you like this scent a lot or just a little?”
“…” Muenfah glanced away from his phone when he stayed silent. Theerak scrunched his nose at him before saying, “I’m not sniffing your cheek…”
“Heh… how long can you resist kissing my cheek, I wonder?”
Theerak broke into a wide smile…
This Fah guy He’s really something Always making him lose every time.
“Phii Fah… actually, today I came to flirt with you,” Theerak said, holding up two fingers. “…It’s day two.”
“Did you flirt with me yesterday too?”
Theerak blinked rapidly. Now he felt a little less confident. He’d been so clingy yesterday—didn’t Muenfah feel anything at all?
“Y-Yes… I flirted yesterday.”
“The one being flirted with didn’t feel a flutter at all…” Muenfah said, giving him a sly look.
Theerak sighed before replying, “That’s because Phii Fah keeps making my heart race, so my flirting efficiency goes down.”
“Heh.”
“But Rak is keeping score. If I get ten points within a week… that means
I’ve successfully won Phii Fah over.”
Muenfah leaned in to kiss his nose before asking, “How many points do you have so far?”
“One… Yesterday, when I begged you to kiss my forehead, I thought I did really well, so I gave myself one point.”
“Heh.”
“Today, I will earn another point… no, two points, because I’ll get one more from Mom’s fish porridge,” Theerak said, picking up the bag of porridge beside him to show Muenfah.
“For your mom’s fish porridge… I will give you two points.”
“…” Theerak grinned widely when he heard that.
“But for little naughty you… we’ll have to see how you do today.”
“Sky…” Theerak said softly, looking at the sly Fah who was back at it again.
Today, Muenfah is definitely going to be hard to flirt with, T___T.
“I will keep your mom’s fish porridge for now. I’ll take it back to eat at the condo. Right now, I can’t eat anything.”
“Why can’t you eat… Are you feeling sick, Phii Fah?” Theerak reached out to place his hand on Muenfah’s forehead to check his temperature. “You’re not warm…”
“I just need to rest my eyes more than anything.”
“…” Muenfah did look genuinely tired.
“Is little naughty you hungry?”
“No… I already ate at home, I like two scents… but I don’t like them equally.”
“Just now, Phii Fah ordered ice cream for Theerak. The staff will probably bring it soon…”
“Thank you so much…”
Muenfah leaned in, pressing his nose against his cheek, and mumbled, “Does you want another point?”
“Of course I do… Right now, I’m thinking of ways to sweet-talk you.”
“Heh… You don’t need to sweet-talk me. I will give it to you anyway.”
“…” Theerak frowned, puzzled. Just a moment ago, the sly Muenfah was still being stingy with points.
“Can I lie on your lap?”
“In this room?” Theerak’s eyes widened as he asked. Muenfah nodded. He scanned the room. If Muenfah really lay on his lap, he’d have to lie on the floor—but there was no way Muenfah would do that. “Where will you lie down?”
“Theerak, stand up first. I’ll tell you…”
…Whether it was curiosity or the desire for another point, Theerak stood up as instructed. Muenfah rose to his full height, then lifted him onto the long wooden table. The tall guy sat back down in his original chair, scooting closer before parting Theerak’s legs with both hands and slipping himself between them.
Muenfah wrapped his arms around his waist and tilted his face onto Theerak’s left thigh. His height must have made this position comfortable for him.
Theerak thought… lying on his lap like this
…wasn’t good for his heart at all.
“I’m going to rest my eyes for a bit.”
At first, Theerak didn’t know where to put his hands. But the soft voice of the big guy lying on his lap made him decide to place one hand on Muenfah’s broad back, while the other gently stroked his head.
Theerak smiled faintly. “One point… don’t forget, Phii Fah.”
“Heh.”
Theerak played with Muenfah’s chocolate-brown hair, thinking… today, he loved Muenfah even more. Yesterday, he thought his heart was already overflowing with love for him, but loving Muenfah seemed to make his heart grow bigger every day. If he kept loving Muenfah like this maybe his heart would end up bigger than his body…
Creak…
The sound made Theerak shift his gaze from Muenfah to the door. A female staff member stood there holding an ice cream cup, looking back and forth between him and Muenfah lying down. Theerak didn’t know how to handle the situation. He raised a finger to his lips, signaling her not to say anything.
She slowly walked over and handed him the ice cream cup. Theerak took it and bowed his head in thanks. He let out a sigh after she left, his eyes drifting to the melting ice cream in the cup. He wanted to eat it since it’d be a waste, but he was afraid the condensation dripping from the cup might fall onto Muenfah.
“Theerak, eat the ice cream… Don’t worry about me.”
Theerak nodded at the person resting his face against him, thinking
Muenfah had fallen asleep. “Yes, Phii Fah.”
Theerak scooped a spoonful of lemon-flavored ice cream into his mouth, wondering if the chocolate flavor had run out. He wasn’t too fond of sour flavors, but out of reluctance to waste it, he forced himself to eat.
“I didn’t know little naughty you were coming. The chocolate ice cream at the shop ran out, so Phii Fah had the staff bring the lemon flavor instead.”
“It’s okay, Phii Fah… Even though I doesn’t like this flavor, I can eat it.”
“You don’t like it because it’s sour, right?” Muenfah said, lifting his head to meet his eyes. He reached one hand to the back of his neck, pulling him closer until their faces were near.
Kiss…
Muenfah kissed him on the lips again.
“…Does it taste sweeter now?”
Theerak thought the lemon ice cream still tasted just as sour, but Muenfah’s kiss was sweeter than yesterday. He pressed his lips together and glanced at the pale green ice cream in the cup. Muenfah chuckled in his throat while staring at him, probably realizing he was shy and not pressing for an answer before resting his face back in the same spot.
“It’s sweet… I mean Phii Fah’s kiss, though.”
“Heh.” Muenfah tightened his hug, probably feeling playful enough to lightly nip at his leg with sharp teeth. “Theerak… earns two points.”
Theerak laughed until his mouth stretched wide before setting the ice cream cup aside. He rubbed Muenfah’s head as usual. Even though he’d gained points from Muenfah, Theerak knew full well he’d lost to the other completely.
…Never won a single time…
…And every time he lost there was nothing but smiles.
After Muenfah rested his eyes for nearly an hour, he had to go check on things at the restaurant. Theerak sat watching him work for quite a while and realized just how capable Muenfah was. Muenfah seemed far more experienced than others his age. He admired how the other had achieved so much at such a young age.
I will take Phii Fah as an example, okay?
Muenfah offered to drive him home as usual, but he told him to finish up at the shop instead. This time, with so much work to do, Muenfah reluctantly let him drive back alone despite it being late. Theerak promised to call as soon as he got home.
Now, Theerak had parked in front of his house. He pulled his phone from his pants pocket and called Muenfah. It seemed the other end was waiting for him, as the call was picked up quickly.
[Theerak, you’re home, right?]
“Yes…”
[Okay.]
“Has you finished work yet?”
[Not yet… Just a bit ago, I ate the fish porridge your mom made.]
“Was it good?”
[Really delicious. Please thank your mom for me.]
“Okay…”
[When I have some free time, I’ll go thank my boyfriend’s mom in person.]
Theerak laughed before saying, “The time to claim boyfriend privileges is over now, you know.”
[Heh.]
“Phii Fah, you get to the condo, call me, okay?”
[Khrapom…]
Khrapom,
So cute.
“…”
[I love you, you know.] But…
Phii Fah loves Theerak
Even cuter,
TBC
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