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Perspective - Ae (Inthach)
I've known for a long time that I'm someone who doesn't show much expression on my face. Even now, as I'm still frowning just the same, I'll be honest... I'm stressed as hell.
Why, you ask?
Because right now... I'm standing in front of Ai'Pete's house.
I'm just a dog barking at an airplane, for sure.
I nearly let out a sigh as I tilted my head back to look at the large two-story house in front of me. I don't really know what kind of style this shape is called. European, maybe? Mediterranean, perhaps? Victorian? Or some style like that—I don't know. All I know is that it looks like the kind of house you'd see in those prime-time soap operas, or on the covers of high-society magazines.
To sum it up... I'm just a temple dog, really.
Up until now, I've never cared whether my friends were rich or poor, whether they lived in huge houses, didn't have to do their own chores, or lounged around at home. It never mattered to me. As long as they saw me as a friend, I was their friend too. However, this time, it feels a bit different.
For the first time, I'm worried about Ai'Pete's status.
I don't know why. Maybe it's because he's my romantic partner, and now I feel like there's this damn pit in my chest, draining my spirit and telling me that I might not be able to make him happy. That doesn't even make sense, Ae. Just because you don't have money doesn't mean you can't take care of Ai'Pete.
I keep reminding myself, even though my expression hasn't changed at all. Unlike the person next to me, who glances over and seems unsure whether I like his house.
Sometimes your face is too easy to read, Ai'Pete.
"Your house is nice. It suits a Khun-chai like you," I say, and he smiles.
However, there's something off about his sharp eyes, as if they're clouded with sadness. "It's the house my grandmother built for my parents.... When they divorced, the elders agreed it would go to my mom."
Thud.
I freeze. The ridiculous thought of comparing myself to him disappears immediately. All I can do is look at Ai'Pete. Of course—on the outside, people might think he has everything. But I forgot something. From the very first day we met, in my eyes, Ai'Pete has been someone fragile, someone who needs protection.
He's not simply a Khun-chai. He's not perfect. To me... he's that clumsy Ai'Pete, the feather-head who almost got hit by a car.
I should stop worrying about this ridiculous status nonsense. I'm with him, not with his money.
"So, where's your mom? I should go pay my respects to her first," I change the subject, watching him as he turns to lock the car, then smiles at me.
"There was a little issue at the hotel, so she stopped by there. She should be back around the afternoon," he replies.
I nod before asking what's been on my mind.
"And are you sure I'm okay to be here?"
"Of course, Ae! Of course you can be here. My mom wants you to be here," he says, his voice rising with excitement, nodding so hard his head might fall off, confirming that I'm welcome at his mom's birthday party.
"But I don't have a gift."
I'm being blunt. What's the proper etiquette when you're invited to an elder's birthday party? I'm definitely not capable of buying a gift, and there's no way I'm doing what that bloody fucking cur Pond suggested either.
"Just do this, hey you. Bring a garland of jasmine and offer yourself as her son-in-law."
I ended up chasing him around the room, trying to kick him. But, honestly, my heart was leaning in that direction too. After all, I already have Ai'Pete. If I could, I'd want to tell his parents outright that we're together. But would that be appropriate?
"Just having you here is the best gift already."
Thud.
Then, Ai'Pete's voice interrupts my thoughts, making me freeze for a moment. I turn to look at him, catching him smiling wide before realizing what he has just said. His voice wavers as he tries to cover it up.
"B-but my mom really wants you to come! Just having you here will make her so happy."
I'm not usually the teasing type, but ever since we've been together, I've discovered traits about myself I never knew existed, and teasing him like this is one of them.
"Is it your mom who's happy I'm here, or you?"
I don't have to describe the look on Ai'Pete's face. Let's just say he doesn't dare meet my eyes, his expression confessing everything—how thrilled he is that I agreed to come to his house. I step closer to him, feeling like Ai'Pete has flipped some strange switch inside me.
I want to see him make that face again—no, even more than that.
"Well?" I press him a little more, gripping his wrist.
Ai'Khun-chai blushes even harder, opens his mouth to answer, then falls silent again. I tug on his hand lightly.
"Well, you?"
Before he can answer, I can't help but let my lips curl into a smile. Ai'Pete almost let slip the answer I am expecting, and then he pouts in mild protest.
"I... You're teasing me, right, Ae?"
I don't know why, but even though his face looks the same, I'm starting to understand that this look... seems like he's sulking.
"You're just cute."
I don't plan to tease him anymore, but I can't help but speak directly, and the result is just as I expect. He turns his face away, mumbling that he isn't cute at all. I can affirm, though, that my romantic partner is indeed cute.
"I'm not cute, you know, Ae. You know that a guy over a hundred and seventy centimeters probably can't be called cute."
"Then what would you call me?" I ask back, making him shake his head vigorously.
"I'm not talking about you, okay?" I know he isn't poking fun at my height, but I am curious how he will respond.
"Then what should I be called?"
This time he goes silent, glancing at me until I nearly burst out laughing.
Sure, I ask that. What could a short, dark, and deep person like me possibly be described as? By now, Pete must be racking his brain trying to figure out how to answer without hurting my feelings. I almost say to just forget it if it weren't for...
"Cool."
"Huh?" I don't hear it clearly.
"Cool, okay? Someone like you has to be called cool." This time he speaks louder, but he completely avoids my gaze.
However, his flushed cheeks clearly indicate that he means it. I can't help but smile and say casually, "If a short guy under a hundred and seventy centimeters like me can be called cool, what's wrong with a guy over a hundred and seventy centimeters like you being called cute?"
I speak what I think, but I just realize that speaking directly makes me shy as well when I think about how I manage to say that.
How did I become such a cheesy guy?
But all of my thoughts vanish the moment Pete takes a deep breath, then turns to ask me, "So, if I agree to be cute in your eyes, will you agree to be cool...just in mine?"
Whip.
Before I can even process what he's saying, Pete strides into the house, leaving me standing there motionless. Then…I raise my hand to cover my face. Damn it. I used to think I didn't show much on my face, but why can't I stop myself from smiling right now? Heh. You want me to be cool in your eyes alone, huh? Well then, you better keep your word. Just let me be the only one who gets to see your cuteness.
"What do you think is the prettiest flower, Ae?"
I think I'm starting to like Pete's house, especially now that he's leading me to the backyard after we had lunch cooked by Aunt Jeab. I probably haven't mentioned that whenever I visit my grandpa's house, I help him tend to the garden. So, seeing a small garden like this actually piques my interest.
There's a small wooden gazebo in the center of the garden, draped in lush green vines of Inthanin that climb all over the roof and hang down, with white and purple flowers providing some lovely shade from the blazing sun. A little farther ahead, I see a Cassia bakeriana, a pink and white flower-laden tree considered to be auspicious. Around the house, there are well-manicured bushes of multicolored roses.
Right now, Pete is standing in front of the white rose bushes, holding pruning shears and looking at me, as if asking for my opinion.
"I think they're beautiful right where they are. Why cut them?" My grandpa only ever trims flowers when he's offering them to the Buddha, and I'm pretty sure Pete isn't about to make an afternoon offering.
"Ah, they're for my mom."
"Hmm?" I make a sound in my throat, a bit surprised, which makes Pete quickly explain.
"I'll put the roses in a vase for my mom's birthday."
Now I'm really interested. I already know Pete loves his mom, especially after seeing how he didn't report anything to the police out of fear his father's relatives would find out and cause trouble for her. However, seeing his expression when he talks about her like this makes me even more certain of how much he loves her.
When he notices me watching, he continues with a sad smile.
"When I was a kid, every year on our mom's birthday, a huge bouquet of roses would get delivered to our house. When I asked, mom told me dad had sent them. I was always curious why dad didn't give them to her in person, but you know how kids are. I was just happy to think dad loved my mom that much.
Until one day I found out it was all just part of my own fairy tale… Every single bouquet dad sent her was actually ordered by his secretary."
Damn it. I hate when he makes that face. The one where it looks like he's on the verge of tears but can't cry, and instead, forces a smile my way.
"Dad probably didn't remember anymore… Maybe he hadn't for years. So, when my mom's birthday came around the first year no roses were delivered, I didn't want her to be upset. I tried cutting some roses from the garden and left them by her bedside. I wanted her to be happy, but instead, I almost got scolded…" At this point, Pete lets out a small, forced laugh.
"I was nine years old then. No adult would leave pruning shears around, right? So, I just tried to snap the rose stems off with my bare hands, like a kid would. I got my hands all cut up on the thorns, blood everywhere. Then mom saw and scolded me until I cried. Right at that moment though, I managed to break off my first rose. The petals were all bruised and falling off, but I handed it to her through the tears. I told her, 'From now on, I will be the one to give you roses.'"
He stops there, falling silent as his eyes start to shine, as if lost in the memories of his childhood. I glance down at his hands, picturing him as a small nine-year-old boy.
A tiny kid with pale skin, his hands—soft and uncalloused—covered in cuts from the thorns, bleeding everywhere. Still though holding out a broken rose stem to his mother through his tears.
"F-from now on, Pete... Pete will give you roses… h-hicc… so you can be... happy…"
Maybe it's cheesy of me, imagining what he said back then, but I'm pretty sure that's what came out of his mouth when he gave that rose to his mom. And I bet Aunt Patcharaporn cried too.
Grab.
I reach out to take his free hand in mine, then say quietly,
"Then from now on, if you cry, I'll be the one to wipe your tears."
I don't even know what I just said. I only feel that if I'd been there with him back then, I would've hugged him tight, treated his wounds, and told him it was okay. I'll stay by your side through all of this.
Today, I learned more about his childhood, all the hardships he went through. No one can deny that having your parents split up is a terrible thing for any child. The more I think about it, the stronger my urge to protect him becomes—something I've never felt for anyone before.
"You just asked me which rose you should pick, right?" I change the subject because Pete's eyes are starting to get red.
Funny enough, I—a guy who hates it when people cry, because I never know how to comfort them—am now the one who says I'll wipe his tears.
"Yes, which one do you think looks the nicest?" he asks, shifting the conversation.
He adjusts the pruning shears, ready to cut.
"It's for your mom. You should choose."
"Well, yeah... but I want you to pick it," he insists, which makes me laugh.
"It's your gift, Pete."
"It's just... I want you to choose too," he says, sticking to his point.
I frown slightly before realizing something. "A gift from both of us, huh?"
"Um... yeah," he finally nods, admitting it after a moment's hesitation, and his face turns red again.
Whether it's from the sun or embarrassment, I don't know. Either way, I take the pruning shears from his hands and say simply, "Alright, you pick, and I'll cut. Hurry up; it's hot out here. You'll pass out from heatstroke."
My quick decision makes him surrender. He looks back at the rosebush and points to a lovely rose that hasn't fully bloomed yet, its creamy white petals still closed. I agree with his choice.
This one will probably stay fresh in his mother's room for a whole week before its petals fall.
Snip.
"Alright." I extend the rose to him, looking at Ai'Pete, who receives it and holds it. I am surprised to see him smile widely.
"What are you smiling about?"
"I'm... happy," he replies. I almost ask what he is happy about, but at that moment, I hear the sound of a car pulling in, causing Ai'Pete's eyes to widen.
"Mom is here. I'll be right back. Put this in Mom's room first."
I nod in agreement, watching Ai'Pete turn and run into the house. I follow him inside while turning left and right, considering where I should place the scissors for cutting the branch. The owner of the house steps in.
"Oh, Ae, is that you, my dear?" I turn to greet the elder with a respectful gesture, and she smiles back.
"I apologize, dear. I invited you over but wasn't here to welcome you. Have you eaten lunch yet?"
"We finished eating already, Khun Patcharaporn. Have you eaten anything yet? I can prepare something for you." Aunt Jeab, who steps out, answers on my behalf.
"I've eaten already, thank you. By the way, where is Pete?" As Ai'Pete's mother inquires about her son, her gaze lands on the item in my hand, making her smile.
"Perhaps he's in his room."
"Does Ai'Pete do this every year?" It might be rude to ask, but I want to know more about him, and the elder nods.
"Yes, since he was nine. The first time I saw him, my heart nearly dropped to my ankles. His small hands were full of cuts. He must have hurt himself so badly..."
"But in the end, Khun Patcharaporn hugged the little prince tightly and cried together with both mother and son."
"Oh, Jeab, some things don't need to be said. I am shy with the child too," she replies.
However, I think Aunt Patcharaporn isn't shy at all. The look on Ai'Pete's mother's face reveals how happy she is as she remembers someone who is probably now contemplating how to angle the rose in the vase just right.
"I am really happy that Ai'Pete can do this for you, Aunt." Suddenly, I speak up.
I think Aunt Patcharaporn already knows, but I want to let her know how much Ai'Pete loves his mother, and that makes the other party smile.
"I know, dear. Pete has been a good boy for a long time. He wants to make Aunt happy... So, what is wrong with me agreeing to everything for Pete's happiness?"
A silence fills the air.
I am not sure whether Ai'Pete's mother knows, but the look in her eyes as she gazes at me and the smile she sends my way gives me the feeling that... she knows. Her words further confirm my thoughts when Aunt Patcharaporn says with a slight smile, "I am happy that Ae agreed to come today because when Pete is happy, I am happy too."
It is clear that she knows.
I don't know how to respond, and I don't know if it is a good moment when Ai'Pete comes down. He greets his mother before turning to smile at me in confusion, while I hesitate to make eye contact with anyone, unsure if my feelings are showing too much on my face.
"Let me go rest for a bit... Take it easy, okay, Ae?" His mother walks back into the house, but I am left unsure of how to smile at the adults. I don't know how much Aunt knows because if she finds out that Ai'Pete and I haven't just held hands, but have also shared a bed, it might shock her.
"Ae, what's wrong?" This time, he turns to ask me, and I almost ask him if his mother knows, but the sound of the doorbell interrupts. It makes him look toward the gate in confusion.
"Who is that?" The question receives an answer a few minutes later when a long-haired woman steps out of a luxury car, cradling a gift in her arms, smiling at Ai'Pete in a way that shows how delighted she is.
"Pete!"
"Delee." The smile that Ai'Pete sends to this woman makes me feel inexplicably annoyed.
Who is this woman?
Perspective - Pete (Pitchaya)
I feel like today's plans have gone slightly off track, but I am okay with it.
Originally, I intended for this year's birthday celebration for my mother to include her, Aunt Jeab, me, and Ae, but now there is an unexpected guest... Delee.
I say I am okay because Delee is actually my childhood friend, not to mention that her family is friends with my family.
Delee is my age. She is the granddaughter of my grandmother's friend and is someone whom everyone praises as a perfect lady. Any guy who wins her over will be the luckiest. For me, however, she is a friend—a lovely friend, a caring friend, one who always checks on me, and a friend who hasn't forgotten my mother's birthday.
"Happy birthday, Aunt!"
"Delee, how many times do I have to tell you that you don't need to bring gifts? Just your kindness is enough."
Right now, we are at a riverside restaurant, which is my mother's and my favorite place. Ae sits beside me while Delee sits next to my mother, who is next to Aunt Jeab. At this moment, my friend is handing a large gift to my mother, making her remark reminiscent of two years ago.
"No way! Last year, Delee didn't come, so this year you must deliver it personally."
"Ugh, no matter how much you resist, you are still going to give it, aren't you?"
"Yes, I chose this one specially with my mother! It's a shame she couldn't come because of her business."
I let out a small laugh. Delee is polite, but she can be quite stubborn, especially when she believes in something.
"Please thank your mother for me, too." My friend turns to me, giving me a sweet smile as if she is happy that my mother accepted her gift. I glance over at Ae, worried that he might feel uncomfortable being with someone he barely knows.
However, I suddenly freeze when I see Ae staring at Delee intently. Even though his expression doesn't show much feeling, his eyes remain still, just as before. I have never seen him look at a girl like this, observing her in such a way that it makes my heart ache a little.
How could I forget that Delee is beautiful? I might not look at this friend of mine that way, but it's true that any guy would have to like a girl like her.
She is pretty, lovely, sweet, feminine, caring, and she gets along well with adults.
If Ae weren't dating me, a girl like her would definitely be his type. No, originally, Ae didn't even like men. So what's wrong with him suddenly being interested in Delee?
"Is Ae a friend of Pete's at university?"
"Yes, but we are in different faculties." Ae's polite response feels unfamiliar to me, making me feel a bit strange.
"That's great! I'd love to study at the same university as Pete, too, but my dad insists I attend this university only. It would be nice if we could all be at the same university, right, Pete?"
"Mm." I simply nod, feeling increasingly uneasy about whether Ae likes my friend.
"Have you known Pete for a long time?"
"Yes, since we were kids. How about you, Ae?"
"I met him at the university."
Ah, am I really feeling jealous of Ae and my friend?
I quietly sigh as a large grilled shrimp is served at our table. The restaurant we are at today isn't a fancy place in a tall skyscraper; it's just a cozy riverside restaurant. I take it upon myself to peel the shrimp. I might not be skilled at peeling raw shrimp, but I can handle cooked ones... even if the meat turns out a little mushy.
I put a shrimp on my mother's plate before returning to focus on mine again, which makes Aunt Jeab laugh.
"Would you like me to peel it for you, Khun-nu?"
"No, it's fine. I can do it." However, I probably don't need to peel any for Aunt Jeab. She can peel a whole shrimp, while I can barely manage half of one.
"Wow, is that true? Does Ae play football? So, Pete plays with you, right?" Suddenly, I don't want to answer my friend, so I instead drop the second shrimp onto her plate, prompting Delee to turn and smile at me.
"Thank you, Pete! I'm so happy."
"Mm." I make a noise in my throat, which makes Delee smile faintly as she uses her fork to poke the shrimp.
"Pete still remembers that I'm not good at peeling shrimp."
Um, I haven't forgotten. It's just that I'm not thinking about the fact that Delee can't peel seafood. I simply don't want Ae to talk to my friend, that's all.
I end up offering a dry smile and say, "Shall I peel another for you?"
"Go ahead…"
Then, at that moment, a perfectly cooked shrimp, with its orange and white meat intact, without any scratches or mushy bits, is placed on my plate. I turn to see who sent it and spot Ae, whose face looks a bit fierce for some reason.
"Eat it. Don't just peel for... others." I feel he hesitates slightly when he mentions "others."
Ah, still, Ae peels shrimp for me.
I realize that I'm smiling broadly as I nod vigorously, popping the shrimp into my mouth. The feelings in my heart lighten a bit, though not entirely. However, as I try to please the three women at the table, I also notice a guy sitting next to me who keeps serving me food.
Even though Ae is still interested in the girls, I have to remind myself that Ae is mine. He is my romantic partner. It shouldn't be a problem if he just looks at beautiful girls, right?
Even so, I can't help but feel... strangely annoyed.
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