Kon Hin thought that even though everything might just be a dream he created on his own, it didn't matter. Therefore, waking up in the embrace of his Chao-nai, who often got up first, made his heart race. The happiness spread from head to toe, enough to make his sharp eyes go misty with clear tears.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I just... just... still feel sleepy."
"Heh, is that so?"
Khun Tul woke up first but didn’t get up to exercise or work like usual. The other person just gave an amused smile, not continuing the conversation, even though his eyes had brightened. Only his large hand reached to tousle Kon Hin's messy hair, which only made it more disordered, and he seemed pleased to mess with it.
"What do you want to do today?"
"Anything you want, Khun Tul."
"Hey, it's your birthday."
"But you're my master, Khun Tul."
Kon Hin said that no matter what day it was, he was ready to follow his Chao-nai's orders, which made the listener pause for a moment before shaking his head, followed by a laugh that the close companion couldn’t understand the meaning of.
But one thing Kon Hin could feel... the other person was in a good mood.
"Then, as your master, I'll remind you of something," Tul said with a laugh, the corner of his mouth twitching into an attractive smile. The hand that had been playing with Kon Hin's hair continued to stroke it.
Then he said something that made Kon Hin's face turn bright red.
"Right now, you're my romantic partner. Have you forgotten?"
"Khun Tul?!"
Kon Hin gaped, looking at the other person uncertainly, and that made his Chao-nai laugh again. Tul's eyes, usually shadowed by the darkness of his resentment, were brighter than ever.
The tall figure then moved to lie on top of his companion’s body, closing any space between them. His large hand continued to stroke and tousle the dark hair that had tangled around Kon Hin’s face.
"What do you say?"
"I..." Of course, Kon Hin couldn’t speak. The more he looked into those sparkling eyes and saw the smile brighter than before, everything stuck in his throat. He couldn’t bring himself to either accept or deny.
But Khun Tul was Khun Tul, who wouldn’t wait for an answer.
"Then let’s start with a good morning kiss."
Kisss!
Once he finished speaking, warm lips pressed gently against soft, supple ones—lightly, sweetly—causing the heart of the one being kissed to tremble. Then, the pressure increased, the warm tongue licking along the bottom lip, sucking softly enough to make Kon Hin shiver. The large palm continued to caress and mess with Hin's dark hair, much like a lover teasing on a leisurely morning.
Tul didn’t stop there. He didn’t even pull his lips away for Kon Hin to protest about not having brushed his teeth yet, because the warm mouth stayed firmly pressed. The tip of the tongue slipped in, tracing along the teeth possessively, tilting his face to the perfect angle before it collided with Kon Hin’s tongue.
The kiss never broke. The sound of it grew louder and louder, merging with the sound of liquid blending into one.
It was both sweet and intoxicating, shaking both of their hearts.
The kiss was as if they were truly lovers.
Kon Hin’s body gradually softened, his intention to protest transforming into acceptance.
Hin's heart raced, his chest vibrating with excitement. His hands unintentionally reached up to caress the dark hair as well, slipping his fingers into the scalp. He either grabbed or tousled it, hoping to ease the intensity of the emotions, but it only made them spike higher.
Their legs intertwined like two snakes coiling together. Their breaths became rapid and intense, but neither one showed any sign of pulling away from the kiss.
The only time they pulled apart was when they adjusted the angle of the kiss to make it more intimate. But it lasted only a fraction of a second, as though neither wanted to stop.
It was unclear how long the kiss lasted. No one knew how many minutes had passed as the lips parted, but when they did, the two pairs of eyes shone with desire, neither trying to hide it. The disheveled hair wasn’t the point—it only made the scene in front of them more captivating.
Pat.
Suddenly, the mixed-heritage young man, breathing heavily, pressed his forehead against Kon Hin, letting the hot breath collide with the tip of his nose, just as Kon Hin also gasped for air. Then, Tul spoke in a hoarse voice.
“Ai Hin... I want to...” The one who never needed to ask for anything, yet got everything he wanted, whispered, making the listener’s eyes water.
At that moment, they weren’t just master and subordinate, were they? They were lovers... lovers who cared about each other’s feelings.
Khun Tul was doing exactly what he said... They were lovers.
“Alright.”
This made Kon Hin slide his hand around the other’s neck, responding with a sound almost like a sob mixed with desire, then pressing a kiss to the corner of Tul’s mouth—something he normally wouldn’t dare do. It was enough to make Tul growl softly, and then... a new kiss began.
They might have been intimate many times to know each other's preferences, but this was the first time Tul had asked for confirmation like this.
“Does it hurt?” The long fingers teased the tight entrance, swollen and full.
“No... no, it’s fine...”
“Can it go deeper?”
“Yes... deeper... deeper is fine.”
“If you can’t handle it, just tell me.”
"Yes, Khun Tul."
It was Hin who spread his legs wide, pulled his cheeks together to make way for the hot rod to enter all the way, and moved in the same rhythm, amidst the hot breaths that collided sweetly and violently.
Sex that was more than sex, because it was sex that a person like Tul Metthanun... cared about.
At this moment, Hin felt that he was truly loved, not just a toy on the bed as he always was.
Even though Tul said that it was Khun Pathapee's birthday and he would let Khun Pathapee decide what he wanted to do, Hin didn't have anything special he wanted to do. The only thing he wanted was to be with his Chao-nai. So when he told Tul to decide where to go out, it turned out that they would relax comfortably in the room instead of going out to meet people.
Hin didn't know how couples normally spent their time together, but the two of them, the necessary couples... did it wherever they wanted.
He might have had sex with Khun Tul for the first time years ago, had sex countless times, but this was the first time they did so much in one day. After waking up, taking a shower, after eating breakfast, even when sitting comfortably reading a book, it always ended on the sofa in the room.
No torture, no pain It was like the mere touch of their bodies sent electric currents through their bodies. The kiss began and led to a tingling sensation that he was ready to accept willingly.
“Like being in heat.”
Khun Tul seemed to think the same way, as he spoke with a chuckle. Despite everything they had already done, he still wanted more, still desired more, until Kon Hin himself didn't understand what they were.
Why couldn’t they control their desires? Why did they still want to remain in each other's embrace, never feeling like it was enough?
"Shall we go swimming?"
In the end, his Chao-nai suggested they do something else, then added with a hint of exasperation.
"Otherwise, I might really become a horny dog."
If doing this wasn’t called being desperate, what else could it be called?
"Alright."
Of course, Kon Hin quickly agreed, now afraid of his own desires.
Did he really want Khun Tul this much?
Though the late afternoon sun was still scorching, the hotel’s swimming pool was busier than expected. Especially with foreign tourists lounging on poolside chairs, while teenagers dove into the water.
The atmosphere was more chaotic than the peaceful scene Kon Hin had imagined.
However, Tul didn’t seem upset, as Kon Hin had thought. On the contrary, his sharp eyes gleamed with a playful glint, something not often seen before.
"If Khun Tul feels it's too chaotic, shall we go somewhere else?" Kon Hin asked, glancing uncertainly around.
"This is fine. The more people there are, the less attention anyone pays."
As his Chao-nai said, no one paid attention to two men arriving together. Everyone was absorbed in their families, partners, and children. The only exceptions were the occasional glances from women when Tul pulled off his t-shirt and tossed it carelessly onto a chair.
But when Kon Hin moved to do the same—
"I think it’s better if you keep your shirt on."
"Sorry?"
Kon Hin frowned, looking up to meet Tul's gaze. His heart jolted at the sight of the attractive smile directed at him.
Then his Chao-nai tugged at the neckline of his shirt, pulling it wider to reveal his collarbone, which bore a red mark. Tul's sharp eyes gleamed even more noticeably.
"Unless you want to tell everyone what just happened earlier."
With that, Tul turned and walked away to rinse off beside the pool, leaving his assistant frozen in place. Kon Hin sat still, mouth shut, wide eyes fixed on Tul's broad back. Then, almost mechanically, he pulled at his shirt collar and glanced down at the spot his Chao-nai had left his mark.
At that moment, if anyone were to look over at the tanned, sharp-featured man sitting by the pool, they’d see that the blazing sun was no match for the heat on his flushed cheeks. Yet before Kon Hin could decide what to do, Tul returned, his body dripping wet, water pooling at his feet.
"If you take your shirt off, it’s good too. That way, others will know you’re mine."
Splash!
The listener's face burned so intensely it could have fried an egg. Before Kon Hin could gather his wits, the tall figure leapt into the water with a grace akin to a merman. The handsome face, adorned with a broad smile and playful eyes that were fixed solely on him, left Kon Hin’s body stiff as a board and his heart pounding so hard it seemed ready to stop at any second.
The words had hit him hard enough, but they paled in comparison to the smile that left him flushed with heat.
Is this how romantic partners tease each other?
Not a servant, not merely a close aide, not just a driver, and not just a vent for emotions, but a partner... someone who receives love.
Whoosh.
What else could Kon Hin do but raise both hands to cover his face, rubbing it firmly?
My heart can’t take this anymore, Khun Tul, he thought, because it’s shouting loudly... that I love you... more and more every day.
Meanwhile, Tul felt equally uninterested in understanding his own emotions. Nor did he care to look any deeper. He only wanted to do what his heart desired. And at this moment, the young man simply wanted to tease his close companion, watching the expression shift from stunned silence to blissful happiness. That was enough to make the deep-thinker stop thinking so deeply.
He didn’t know whether it was the confession of love from Hin the night before or something else, but when that Ai Kon Hin had looked like he was about to cry while saying they were partners, Tul found him unexpectedly adorable—more so than he ever had before.
A man almost as big as he was, only slightly shorter, yet more endearing than anyone else in his eyes.
Tul had never looked at anyone and thought they were beautiful, cute, or worth cherishing. His view had always been binary—useless or useful. Yet this close companion of his was an exception.
After swimming two laps back and forth across the pool to release his boundless energy, the young man stood by the pool, panting deeply. He lifted his gaze to his close companion, who still had one hand covering his face. Even so, the portion of his face peeking out spoke volumes—thousands, if not tens of thousands, of words.
Tul had seen this behavior countless times from Wadi. He was confident it was embarrassment.
It was a reaction he seldom saw from Kon Hin, who usually carried himself with such reserve that Tul found himself wanting to witness it more.
The mixed-heritage young man considered calling out, but...
Suddenly, Kon Hin flinched and pulled his phone out of his pocket. Tul’s thick eyebrows furrowed further when he noticed the wide smile spreading across Kon Hin’s face as he eagerly answered the call. His initially pleasant mood began to dwindle and soon gave way to irritation when a certain name drifted to his ears.
“Ai Rob.”
That fucking Rob again!
The thought caused Tul to glare at the other man with growing intensity, but Kon Hin didn’t notice. He was too engrossed in the conversation with his close friend. Although Tul couldn’t hear the voice on the other end, he could easily guess that Rob had called to wish him a happy birthday, given the heartfelt tone of Kon Hin’s gratitude.
Once again, Tul found himself annoyed by that particular tone of voice. So, he called out.
“Hin!”
Not Ai Hin, just plain Hin. It was enough to make the person called flinch violently, nearly dropping his phone. His trembling eyes turned to meet Tul's.
“Come here.”
Tul slapped his hand against the wet tiles by the poolside, the sound echoing through the air. Kon Hin hesitated briefly before moving closer, kneeling in front of him while speaking to the person on the line.
“Hold on a moment.”
Then, in a soft voice, he asked Tul, “Do you need something, Khun Tul?”
Tul wanted to retort, Do I need a reason to call you? but instead, he merely offered a cold smile and beckoned with a finger. Kon Hin complied without resistance, his face flushed and his expression tinged with surprise.
And then suddenly...
Grab!
Splash!
It wasn’t just Kon Hin’s body that Tul yanked into the pool. His phone also sank swiftly into the water. Tul, however, paid no attention to the onlookers turning their heads toward the commotion. Without a second thought, he plunged underwater, opening his eyes to see Kon Hin flailing desperately to surface. But...
“Mm!”
Tul didn’t hesitate for even a second. Instead of letting the panicked man rise to the surface, he pulled him back down. Yet it wasn’t to hold him under. Quite the contrary. With swift precision, Tul pressed his sharp features against Kon Hin’s lips, transferring air into the mouth of the wide-eyed man whose shock was palpable.
Two pairs of eyes locked onto each other in silence. Time seemed to stand still, the phone’s location in the depths of the pool forgotten. All that remained was the shared gaze piercing through the watery curtain, binding them together.
Until…
Shrrr!
“Hah! Cough! Cough, cough!!”
Kon Hin was the first to break, surging up to the surface for air. This time, Tul didn’t hold him back but followed him up, watching the man cling to the pool’s edge, coughing violently, his face flushed from the effort. Tul’s gaze betrayed a sense of satisfaction.
The surrounding onlookers had already lost interest, likely dismissing the scene as harmless roughhousing between friends. But Tul’s sharp eyes remained fixed on the man before him—eyes glistening with water, cheeks deeply red. Even as Kon Hin convulsed with coughs, his stunned expression stayed rooted on Tul. The mixed-heritage man leaned in close, speaking directly into his ear.
“You are my lover. You’re to stay with me, spend time with me—not talk to other men. Understood?”
The listener didn’t respond immediately. His cheeks, already flushed, deepened further, making it unclear whether it was from the coughing or something else.
“…Yes.”
It took a long moment before Kon Hin hesitantly reached out with one hand to grasp Tul’s muscular arm. His voice, barely audible, confirmed his submission, eliciting a pleased glint in Tul’s eyes and a faint smirk of triumph on his lips.
Then, Tul dove back into the pool, retrieving the waterlogged, lifeless phone. He raised it above the surface, showing it to its owner.
“When we get back, I’ll buy you a new one.”
That was all Tul said before tossing the phone onto the poolside tiles. His sharp gaze gleamed with satisfaction as he grabbed Kon Hin’s arm, pulling him to swim toward the other end of the pool.
"Today, I gave you my time. You must give me yours."
The speaker finished his words, releasing his grip and swimming ahead without glancing back at the person trailing after him. Tul was aware of his own unreasonable, willful behavior today—childishly obstinate, to put it plainly. Yet as long as Kon Hin kept swimming after him, instead of going to check on the ruined phone, Tul felt an immense satisfaction.
He needed to remain the most important person in Kon Hin’s life.
~~~
As the sky shifted colors, the sound of a hair dryer echoed loudly in the luxurious room.
Tul, emerging from another bathroom, leaned casually against the door-frame, observing his companion. Kon Hin was futilely attempting to dry the lifeless phone, his expression one of despair—a stark contrast to Tul’s slight smirk of satisfaction.
Good. Let it stay broken.
"Do you want to talk to Ai Rob that badly?"
"Khun Tul."
The man engrossed in drying the phone turned to look at him, startled. He quickly switched off the dryer and asked again.
"What did you say, Khun Tul? I didn’t catch that."
"I asked if you’re that desperate to talk to Ai Rob."
A few hours ago, Tul had been irritated by his friend’s call, but he had washed away those feelings in the water. His mood had since returned to its usual calm. Now, he simply kept his face neutral and spoke in an even tone, his sharp gaze fixed on Kon Hin’s wide-eyed reaction.
"It’s not that. I’m just disappointed about the phone."
It was the response Tul had anticipated, and hearing it only brightened his mood further.
"I already told you I’d get you a new one. Don’t you trust me?"
"No, that’s not it." Kon Hin shook his head, his cheeks reddening noticeably, likely recalling the events at the pool. He then added in his defense, "I’ve only used this phone for two years. It’s still practically new."
For most people, two years might mean switching phones multiple times, but for someone like Kon Hin, there was no replacing it unless it was completely broken. Tul found this endearing and thought it might as well serve as a birthday gift. He felt no guilt whatsoever for having destroyed the old phone—well, not just destroyed, but drowned.
As Kon Hin continued to stare mournfully at the ruined phone, Tul snatched the hair dryer, unplugged it, and put it back in its place. Then, grabbing Kon Hin by the shoulder, he steered him back to the living room. He casually changed the subject as they walked.
"I’m hungry."
"Then shall we eat out? I’ll quickly look for a restaurant..." Kon Hin fell silent mid-sentence, realizing he no longer had a phone to search for places. His expression reflected his dilemma, while Tul, amused, led the way to the living room, dropped onto the couch, and picked up a menu from the table.
"No need. We’ll just call and order."
Kon Hin hesitated, visibly uncertain, before asking again despite already guessing the answer.
"Why are you making that face?"
"Well... I just think you might be bored, Khun Tul, since we’ve been ordering in for both breakfast and lunch."
"And are you bored?" The mixed-heritage man shot back, prompting the other to shake his head immediately.
"No, never." Kon Hin’s earnestness brought a smile to his Chao-nai’s face.
"Then why aren’t you bored?" Tul pressed further, watching the hesitation on Kon Hin’s face as he debated whether to answer. The intensity of Tul’s gaze finally compelled him to reply softly.
"Because staying in means I get to spend time with you."
So, Kon Hin was saying it wasn’t the delicious hotel food that kept him from getting bored but Tul’s presence.
Tul smiled broadly, pulling the hotel phone onto his lap and extending the receiver toward the birthday boy. His voice was warm as he said, "Then go ahead and place the order."
Kon Hin looked at him for a brief moment before taking the phone. With one hand, he unfolded the menu provided by the hotel.
"And what would you like to eat, Khun Tul?"
"Just order whatever you want me to eat. You always decide for me anyway."
Nowadays, Tul ate the same dishes as Kon Hin at the cafeteria, and the latter alternated between glancing at the menu and at Tul's face several times before dialing room service. He ordered what he thought Tul would like, just as always, perfectly understanding Tul's preferences. In the end, the chosen dishes were precisely what Tul had been craving the most out of dozens of options on the menu.
While Kon Hin placed the order, Tul fixated on his face, which Tul always found irresistibly endearing. He noticed how Kon Hin avoided his gaze repeatedly, prompting Tul to reach out, playing with Hin's hair and cheeks without concern for Kon Hin’s startled reactions or sharp intakes of breath. He tousled and caressed as if he had the right to do anything he pleased.
And in truth, he did—because he could do anything he wanted with his own romantic partner.
"Yes, that’s all," Kon Hin said as he hung up, finally meeting Tul’s gaze.
"Do you know why I want to eat in the room?" Tul asked.
He didn’t wait for Kon Hin to search for an answer and immediately continued, "It’s not because I don’t want to be around crowds. It’s the same reason I broke your phone."
The mixed-heritage man silently admitted to himself that Kon Hin’s words of affection affected him more than he had anticipated. Though Tul had initially designated Kon Hin as a trusted confidant and protector, his feelings now had grown far beyond that. A simple declaration of love had not only elicited an intense emotional response but stirred feelings that perhaps shouldn’t have existed.
Their eyes met, and Tul spoke in a warm voice, "Because I want to be with you, just the two of us."
No family burdens shadowed them. No masks were necessary. He didn’t have to play along with anyone. It was just them, in a world no one else could intrude upon.
If the past two days had felt like a dream to Kon Hin, they were equally a time when Tul could let his true self fully emerge.
"Khun Tul..."
The birthday celebrant called out in a hoarse, trembling voice. That was all it took for Tul to put the phone back in its place and gently pull the tousled head to rest against his shoulder. He felt a brief resistance, a moment of hesitation, before Kon Hin's body relaxed and leaned into him.
Then, the man who had sworn his life to vengeance, to reclaiming everything for himself, declared with unwavering resolve, "Engrave this into your mind. No matter what happens after today, no matter where you go, you are mine and mine alone!"
The mixed-heritage man felt Tul’s hands grip the back of his shirt, tightening with fierce intensity.
"I am yours, Khun Tul. Now and always."
Those words prompted Tul to softly stroke Kon Hin's hair, his gaze drifting to the nighttime sea outside the window. He let this feeling soak into his heart.
It wasn’t just that Kon Hin didn’t want to leave him—he, himself, couldn't live without Kon Hin either.
At that moment, Tul found himself questioning, Is this what they call happiness?
Simple yet profound, a small happiness, having Kon Hin resting against his shoulder like this. In this moment, just the two of them existed—untouched by anyone or anything that could destroy it.
If this was happiness, then Tul had just discovered it for the first time in his wretched, miserable life.
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