Tul was in a good mood. To speak plainly, he was in an extremely good mood.
Now, the person he despised with all his heart was dead.
The one who was an eyesore—his younger brother—had been sent out of the country.
Furthermore, the work he was involved in within the company was progressing smoothly to the point that no one could overlook the man named Tul Metthanun. He was not only the eldest son of Trai Metthanun but also a man full of capability.
Moreover...
His sharp eyes darted to look at the person walking behind him before the corner of his mouth lifted.
He had long known that Kon Hin looked at him with reverent admiration, and that had changed over the years. It was not that the respect had lessened, but that other feelings had been added—more than just those of a superior and a subordinate, more than those of childhood friends. The moment he declared that no one else would have him, those eyes had etched themselves deeply into his heart.
The profound openness in that gaze brought Tul immense satisfaction.
Hin was his and would always be his.
That was what the boy Tul told the fully grown man Tul, that it would never change.
Tul thought this as he glanced at the person walking behind him and found that Kon Hin avoided his gaze, his cheeks flushed pink, causing Tul's smile to broaden even further.
These days, everything was going so smoothly that Tul was in the best mood he had ever been in his entire life.
"I think so. Don’t you?"
"Ughhh, is it even possible? P’Tul and P’Hin, really?"
"Of course! Close people don’t think innocently, you know."
The mixed-heritage young man was about to open the door to the student council committee room but froze in his tracks when the sound of a conversation leaked through. Hearing his own name and that of the person walking behind him made him turn to meet Kon Hin's eyes.
Kon Hin's eyes widened in panic, a stark contrast to his Chao-nai's composure.
"Shhh," Tul raised a hand to his lips to signal silence, watching the agitated manner of the person who seemed ready to barge in to correct the misunderstanding—which, in truth, wasn’t entirely wrong.
"You know, now that you mention it, it’s kind of true. Think about it—has P’Tul ever had a romantic partner?" someone in the room continued.
"Never! Loads of people have tried to flirt with P’Tul, practically throwing themselves at him, but he rejects them all."
"Hey, maybe it’s because no one’s good enough for P’Tul. Think about it—if some random girl snatched P’Tul away, wouldn’t half the university be heartbroken? Especially if she wasn’t as beautiful as P’Tul is handsome. I, for one, wouldn’t stand for it."
Voices in the room chimed in agreement, seemingly enjoying speculating about the love life of the student president.
"Why are you all so nosy about P’Tul’s love life?"
"We’re just curious! So, are P’Tul and P’Hin something or not? I’ve been wondering for ages."
"Then just ask."
"Are you kidding? No way! I don’t want P’Tul to think, 'What nonsense is this kid coming up with?'"
"Geez, you want to meddle but are too scared of how P’Tul will see you. In that case, I say 'Don't bother.'"
"I’m curious, alright? Aren’t you guys wondering too?" one voice exclaimed in an exaggerated, sulky tone.
"Yeah, I’m curious. But if P’Tul is really dating P’Hin, this is totally a cross-class love story."
"But it’s kind of dreamy, isn’t it?"
"So, do you want P’Tul to date P’Hin or not?"
"Well, think about it—if P’Tul ends up with some random girl, wouldn’t it be better for him to just date P’Hin instead? Sure, P’Hin might not be as handsome as P’Tul, but the more you look at him, the more charming he is. Plus, he’s got a great personality. They grew up together, know each other well—it’s perfect for P’Tul. Easy to trust, right?"
"You idiot! What, do you think you’re P’Tul’s mom or something?"
"If I were P’Tul’s mom, I’d be so gorgeous you’d all be left speechless!"
Amid the student committee’s heated debate, Tul chuckled quietly to himself, observing the alternating pale and flushed face of his close subordinate, who had just been assigned the role of his supposed romantic partner. Kon Hin appeared distressed—understandably so. After all, how could someone who had been by his side for so long not know what Kon Hin was thinking?
Hin was afraid that Tul’s reputation would suffer, afraid that strange rumors would spread across the university.
Though, honestly... Tul couldn’t care less.
Grab.
"Khun Tul!"
Tul slipped an arm around Kon Hin’s shoulders, who grew even more flustered, while using his other hand to push the door open wide. His cheerful voice greeted the room.
"What are you chatting about, ladies?"
Naturally, the entire room turned to look at him in unison, faces paling instantly.
"Ah, making faces like that—does it mean you were gossiping about us?" Tul offered a warm smile to everyone in the room, but every pair of eyes focused on the large hand resting on Kon Hin’s shoulder. Then, a bold young lady among them took a deep breath and raised her hand above her head.
"I have a question, P’Tul."
"Sure," Tul replied, tightening his hold on Kon Hin’s shoulder.
"Are you and P’Hin dating?"
The room fell completely silent, all eyes fixed on Tul with expectant gazes. Meanwhile, Kon Hin seemed like his soul had left his body, standing stiffly, unable to move while his superior’s arm rested on his shoulder. In stark contrast, Tul remained relaxed, his brown-gold eyes appearing to thoroughly enjoy the situation.
Then Tul raised an eyebrow and, with a playful tone, asked, "How exactly do you define the term 'dating'?"
"Being romantic partners, of course," the questioner replied with a huff.
"Then how would you define 'romantic partner'?"
"Oh, P'Tul, answer properly! We're dying to know!"
"Well, I want to know too. If someone can define the word 'romantic partner,' only then can I answer whether Hin and I are dating or not." Tul's playful rebuttal left his audience exchanging glances, silently strategizing how best to corner him.
Alright then.
One by one, they nodded to each other in agreement.
"Like having meals together or watching movies together."
"Oh, picking each other up, taking care of each other, and..."
"Sleeping together!"
One chimed in after another, trying to elaborate as vividly as possible while eagerly watching Tul's reaction. He appeared to consider it thoughtfully.
"So, what do you say? P’Hin, don’t just stay silent!" Every eye turned toward Kon Hin instead.
"Uh, well, I think..." Hin, as if just finding his voice, stammered, attempting to deny it. But—
"Then Hin and I must be dating."
"What?!?"
Before Kon Hin could finish speaking, Tul cut him off abruptly, leaving the entire room in stunned silence. Even Kon Hin himself stammered in shock, wide-eyed at Tul’s interjection.
The instigator continued speaking in a playful tone, raising his fingers one by one as he listed, "I eat breakfast with Hin every morning. We have lunch together, then we see each other again at home. As for watching movies, I think we've done that at the house too. About driving, we take turns every day. Hin also changes my bed sheets daily—does that count? And as for sleeping together, well, we do..."
"Absolutely not!"
This time, Kon Hin interjected, his voice loud and firm. His face flushed a deep red as he looked around the room and found his juniors frozen in shock. Quickly, he stammered out a clarification, his voice trembling.
"Khun Tul only eats at the workers' kitchen, so we end up eating together most mornings and evenings. Lunch? We already eat together! Even Ai Rob eats with us! About the movies, I was just cleaning the boss's room while he was watching, that's all! As for driving, well, I’m the chauffeur, so of course, I have to pick him up and drop him off! And about sleeping together—that was when we were kids! Just little kids! I was raised to be Khun Tul’s playmate!"
Kon Hin, red-faced and flustered, spoke so rapidly that it seemed he was testing his lung capacity. He denied every point, but the listeners remained skeptical, their expressions halfway between belief and disbelief—until—
"Hahaha!"
The man at the center of the discussion burst into laughter, his voice echoing loudly. Tul lowered his hand from Kon Hin’s shoulder, laughing heartily as he teased, "See? That’s what you get for gossiping about Phii."
At that, groans of exasperation filled the room.
"Oh, P'Tul! You nearly had us believing it!"
"Exactly! I almost believed it, you know? Joking like this could give someone a heart attack."
"Yeah, for a moment, I thought you two were... involved. But once P'Hin explained, I remembered—you're just a boss and his subordinate. It’s not strange to see you always together."
"Ugh, P'Tul! That’s it, I’m mad at you now!"
Tul laughed heartily, his sharp eyes sparkling with amusement at having fooled everyone. The truth, however, was that everything he said had been completely honest. It wasn’t his fault that no one believed him. Turning to meet Kon Hin's gaze, Tul raised an eyebrow and teased,
"Want to sleep together again tonight, Hin?"
"Come on, P'Tul, stop teasing! We won’t fall for it twice!"
Others in the room chimed in agreement, but there was one person who understood the true meaning behind Tul's words. Kon Hin lowered his head, his cheeks growing progressively redder.
"See? When I tell the truth, no one believes me," Tul remarked amidst the teasing jeers, before locking eyes with Kon Hin and playfully winking at him.
That single gesture was enough to make Kon Hin drop his gaze entirely, trying desperately to avoid Tul’s eyes. Though Kon Hin couldn’t dream of being romantically involved with his Chao-nai, even the smallest hint of affection felt like a divine blessing poured upon his heart.
The sight of Kon Hin struggling to suppress a smile only lifted Tul’s spirits further.
"Let’s stop by the mall later," Tul said nonchalantly.
"Yes, Khun Tul," Kon Hin replied softly.
Today, Kon Hin was acting as the driver for his Chao-nai, who had been engrossed in reading budget documents since they left the university. As they approached home, a calm, deep voice gave an instruction:
"Call Auntie Klin and let her know we won't be home for dinner tonight."
"Yes, sir."
Without lifting his gaze from the papers, Tul issued the order. Kon Hin promptly called his mother to inform her that his Chao-nai would not be dining at home. After the call, he scanned the parking lot for a space. Luckily, just as a car was leaving, the large Japanese vehicle smoothly took its place.
Though the car was parked, Kon Hin didn’t turn off the engine. Instead, he glanced over at his Chao-nai, who was now flipping through the final page of the document, jotting down a few lines, and finally placing it into a file.
"All done."
That was Kon Hin’s cue to kill the engine and step out of the vehicle. He stood waiting outside, watching as Tul left and came to stand beside him.
"Khun Tul, would you like me to wait here?"
"I don’t have any appointments today."
Kon Hin raised an eyebrow in surprise. He had assumed that coming to the mall instead of heading home must have been due to an engagement of some kind, especially given the skipped dinner. His puzzled expression made the mixed-heritage young man smile faintly.
"Well, it’s not exactly an appointment."
"Yes?"
The more he heard, the more confused Kon Hin became. Tul, however, offered no further explanation, simply walking past him into the building, prompting Kon Hin to hastily follow despite his chest still full of unanswered questions. For a fleeting moment, Pathapee envisioned the delicate image of a sweet young woman in his mind.
Could it be Khun Wadi?
His heart ached, but duty was duty. His legs quickly moved to catch up, his eyes fixed only on the broad back of the man ahead, standing tall and firm.
"Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese—pick one."
"Excuse me?"
Kon Hin thought to himself that today he truly didn’t understand his Chao-nai’s thoughts.
From the playful teasing earlier in the afternoon with the juniors to now asking a puzzling question while surrounded by a variety of international restaurants, Kon Hin glanced around at the options and started to understand why Khun Tul wanted him to choose.
"Well?"
"Why, sir?"
This was not an answer but a question in return. If Kon Hin wasn’t mistaken, his Chao-nai was leaving it up to him to decide which cuisine they would dine on. Why was it his decision to make though?
"Heh, have you forgotten what Auntie Klin said?" Tul asked, arms crossed and smiling lightly.
"What did she say, sir?" Kon Hin furrowed his brows deeply in confusion.
The confused expression on Kon Hin’s face made Tul laugh in amusement, his handsome features softening as he relaxed and became more playful. His charm caught the attention of many women around, who couldn’t help but steal glances at the attractive mixed-heritage man. But the one Tul was interested in was the man beside him, who still looked confused.
With a smile, Tul answered.
"You eat what you want, and I’ll eat it too."
The smile on his handsome face made Kon Hin’s heart race uncontrollably.
Kon Hin may have frequently bought lunch for his Chao-nai without asking what he wanted, thinking it was because his Chao-nai was easygoing and didn’t care about what he ate, just that he was fed. But now, he realized that it wasn’t just anything—it had to be something he bought for him.
Thinking like this was not good... not good at all.
The one whose heart was racing in a frightening way tried to stop himself from thinking like that, his lips pressed tightly together.
"Come on, choose," Tul urged, making Kon Hin quickly blurt out.
"Korean, sir."
"Hmm? Alright," the mixed-heritage man murmured in surprise, but in the next moment, he turned toward the Korean restaurant, one found in almost every major shopping mall. If Kon Hin were asked why he chose Korean food, it might be because it was a type of cuisine he hadn’t eaten with his Chao-nai before.
It wasn’t that Kon Hin liked it, but rather, he wanted to see if his Chao-nai would enjoy it.
Once inside the restaurant, Tul delegated the task of ordering food to Kon Hin, who randomly pointed at items on the menu while occasionally glancing at his Chao-nai, who showed no reaction to what was being ordered. Tul seemed more preoccupied with his phone than anything else.
"That's all, thank you," the server said.
"Thank you," Kon Hin replied as he returned the menu. Just then, Tul looked up from his phone.
"So, what are you doing this holiday?"
Kon Hin turned to look and saw that Tul had already put his phone away.
"Probably the same as usual."
"Gardening, washing cars, and changing light bulbs, huh?" Tul furrowed his brow, his expression turning serious, which made Kon Hin sit up straighter.
"Yes, sir."
"Has my father called you for a talk yet?" The intensity in Tul's eyes was unnerving.
"What about?" Kon Hin asked, still confused, making Tul pause for a moment.
"Not yet, huh? Good. This holiday, you’re going to help me at the company."
"What?!"
This time, Kon Hin’s voice was louder, which made Tul show a look of annoyance.
"Why are you so surprised? After you graduate, you’ll have to work with me there. This is the last holiday before the second semester starts, so if you don’t go now, when will you have time for an internship?"
Kon Hin was at a loss for words. He had never discussed his future plans with his Chao-nai, but it seemed like Tul had already decided for him.
During his third year, Kon Hin had done an internship through a recommendation from a professor, and Tul hadn’t objected. This time though, there would be no choices, and Kon Hin had no problem with that. As long as he was with Tul, he would follow him anywhere, even if it meant walking through fire and water. But...
"What about Khun Trai...?"
Tul seemed less pleased when Kon Hin mentioned his other boss.
"What do you care? Just focus on what I tell you. Don't look at me like that. You know father doesn’t mind. A person like that never even says anything."
The fact that the eldest son could do whatever he wanted sometimes felt like... indifference.
"And my father can’t object to the people I choose." Tul smirked briefly, but Kon Hin’s heart hurt.
Khun Trai had never stopped Tul from doing anything, but that was like when Khun Than had hurt Tul and Khun Trai simply sat there silently. Sometimes, doing nothing caused deeper wounds than anything that could be healed between father and son.
Tul waved his hand as if knowing what Kon Hin was thinking, then gave a firm order.
"I told you already. After this, be prepared."
Kon Hin felt pressured. He might be among the top students in his department, but he couldn’t compete with his Chao-nai. No matter what, he would always be compared to others, and he didn’t want anyone to think he was with Tul because of connections. He had to try harder to stay by his side.
Tul had always said that Kon Hin would be there to watch his back, and he had to live up to that.
"Yes, sir."
The intense look of determination to serve made Tul smile, but it was a smile of satisfaction that made Kon Hin avert his gaze. If his efforts brought that smile back to Tul, he would try even harder.
The thought of someone who flinched slightly when Tul moved his leg so that their ankles brushed against each other.
"Very good."
The gentle touch nearly made Kon Hin lose composure, even though he was sitting. As he looked into those golden-brown eyes, his breath caught, and his heart trembled with fear.
"Khun Tul," Kon Hin called out anxiously as their ankles rubbed against each other, but he didn’t dare move his foot away.
"What?" Tul raised an eyebrow and used the tip of his shoe to push up the hem of Kon Hin's pants, grazing his skin underneath. The contact made Kon Hin flush with heat. He tried to beg with his eyes, but the more he begged, the more Tul’s shoe rubbed against that spot.
"Excuse me," Kon Hin stammered.
"Ah, yes!"
Fortunately, the server arrived with the food and broke the moment. Kon Hin gasped in surprise, startled, and quickly averted his gaze when the server looked at him oddly. Tul chuckled, moved his foot back, and placed it properly while watching Kon Hin desperately try to hide his flushed face.
"What's wrong? You look like you've been pranked by someone."
Kon Hin swore he had never been disrespectful to his Chao-nai, but this time he found himself opening his mouth slightly, inadvertently glaring with wide eyes in surprise. Instead of getting angry, Tul laughed with amusement and used his chopsticks to serve him some food.
"Eat quickly, we have to go somewhere else after this."
At this point, Kon Hin thought he had already been shocked enough, but the "somewhere else" Tul mentioned left him even more stunned. After finishing dinner, Tul led the way up the escalator to the top floor, heading straight to the movie ticket counter. He handed his phone to the staff and received two tickets in return.
"Let's go, the movie's about to start."
"Huh?"
Kon Hin thought he had repeated that word too many times today, but unless he was himself, he would never have understood just how shocked he was.
Tul was inviting him to watch a movie?
"Khun Tul, I don’t understand," Kon Hin's eyes were filled with confusion, enough to make him grab Tul's strong arm, looking into those golden-brown eyes as if hoping for an explanation.
Tul smiled and turned back to meet his gaze.
"Today I just realized I've never watched a movie with you."
"I still don't understand."
The mixed-heritage young man gazed into Kon Hin's confused eyes before speaking with a light laugh.
"Isn't it complete now, just missing the movie part?"
"Complete what?" Kon Hin asked, more urgently this time, which made Tul smirk.
"The definition of being in a relationship."
Of course, Kon Hin froze, while Tul laughed in a good-natured way. Then, the tall figure turned and walked ahead toward the cinema, and Kon Hin quickly followed, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it was going to leap out of his chest.
Was Khun Tul just teasing him, or was he saying they were in a relationship?
At that moment, Kon Hin couldn’t bring himself to search for an answer.
What is Khun Tul thinking? What is he planning?
Even after being together for nearly twenty years, Kon Hin couldn’t understand the thoughts of the person sitting next to him in the theater at all. Even though Tul sat there with his arms crossed, appearing bored with the movie on the screen, his warm shoulder leaned in so that their upper arms pressed together. His head gently rested on the side where Kon Hin sat, while his long legs angled toward the empty seat on the other side.
This warmth was almost frightening.
But the warmth wasn’t as overwhelming as the confusion, because the words Kon Hin had heard before entering the cinema echoed loudly in his mind.
The definition of being in a relationship.
Kon Hin thought that Khun Tul probably saw it as a joke. After all, Khun Tul had been preoccupied with family issues for a long time. Going out to eat and watch a movie was just part of relieving stress. Plus, it seemed like the younger generation’s playful comments had sparked his interest in teasing Kon Hin.
"What are you thinking?" the person next to him asked, noticing the troubled look on his face.
"Nothing," Kon Hin quickly denied, stiffening when the person beside him sighed heavily, obviously bored with the action scenes on the screen. Since Tul was lying back, his head was lower than the upright figure next to him. His sharp face tilted upward to meet Kon Hin's eyes. Despite the dim lighting, with only the glow from the movie screen, Kon Hin still thought those brown-gold eyes were the most beautiful and captivating. The person reached out to touch his cheek and asked in a calm tone:
"Surprised that I’m doing something like this?"
"Yes," Kon Hin answered. He didn’t understand the actions of the day at all.
"You’ve been with me a long time."
"Yes."
Since the time when Khun Tul was a young, innocent boy.
"And I dragged you down to hell with me."
Kon Hin was speechless, and Tul continued, ignoring the silence that had settled between them.
"My life has always felt like hell, until just a few days ago. It might be the first time I’ve felt like I’m standing on solid ground again. I know that what I’m doing now will eventually pull me down to meet that old woman who went to the pit before me, but right now, I feel freer than I’ve ever felt."
Kon Hin listened intently, gazing into Tul's eyes.
"There’s still much I have to do. I haven’t gotten everything that should belong to me... but this is a rest."
A brief flash of exhaustion crossed Tul's sharp face, although it quickly faded away.
"And you should rest too. Rest before I work you so hard that you won’t have a chance to rest again."
That’s true. No matter how skilled Khun Tul is, he’s not a machine. This is just a break after enduring long periods of torment. Kon Hin tried to relax. After all, Khun Tul now was far better than the version of him whose eyes only reflected anger and pain.
"But I might have chosen the wrong way to rest," Tul shrugged and glanced at the blockbuster movie playing on the screen—one that made billions, yet left this man yawning widely without any regard for manners.
If he were with others, he might pretend to be interested. But with someone close like Kon Hin, the young man shook his head.
"Call me when it’s over."
With that, his head sank onto Kon Hin’s shoulder, eyes closing without a care for the ticket in his hand. This caused Kon Hin to stiffen, and a soft voice followed:
"Don’t stiffen up. I’ll hurt my head if I try to sleep like this."
Kon Hin’s stiff shoulder relaxed immediately, though he still stared at the man beside him with wide eyes. It wasn’t that Khun Tul hadn’t leaned on him before; the other man often snuggled close when they slept together. This wasn’t in private though—it was in public. Even though the seats were in the back, if someone turned around, they would see two grown men sitting closely together.
"Other people will see us, you know," Kon Hin said.
"I already told you, I’m resting."
"I understand, but wouldn’t it be better to rest at home?"
"Let the movie finish first." Tul opened one eye, glancing at the concerned expression on Kon Hin’s face, before letting out a soft chuckle.
"I told you, I’m resting. You should rest too. Act like we’re on a date."
"A date!? Me?" Kon Hin's voice was louder than before, which made Tul smirk.
"Who else is here except for you and me?"
The response was complete silence, which caused Tul to laugh again. His previously fierce gaze softened.
"It’s nice to go out with you like this for once."
"I don’t think so," Kon Hin replied, though Tul paid no attention. He closed his eyes once more, relaxed his stiff shoulders, and curled up against Kon Hin's warm body as he always did when he fell asleep.
Yes, he was in a good mood. He was resting, relaxing. Then all of this was because someone close was by his side.
The person who reached out to wrap his hand around his head uncertainly, then stroked his hair just like they did every time they slept together.
"If you go to hell, I’ll go with you, too," Kon Hin whispered into Tul’s ear with a firm tone, which caused a slow but warm smile to appear on the ruthless man's face, the kind that came from the heart.
Tul might not trust anyone, but not Kon Hin. Not the one he dragged into hell with him when they were both barely old enough to consent. The one he knew he could trust. Tul leaned his head against Kon Hin’s strong shoulder—something no one at the university would ever have guessed: that someone like Kon Hin had been beneath him countless times.
Right now, he was resting, and he believed that it too deserved a reward. And Tul didn’t deceive himself into thinking that being his date was the reward. It made the one beside him... waver.
As long as that wavering was directed toward him, the mixed-heritage boy would allow it to happen, willingly.
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