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Perspective Chôoe-Tǎem
“What's up, General Bâe, Khráp.”
“What's up, Âi'Unemployed-person?”
During the short break of my third year, I was still working a part-time job as a document typing youth in a law office. The duties weren't limited to just typing assigned tasks, but also included photocopying, making coffee, answering phones. To put it simply, it was all kinds of miscellaneous work. But why did I have to let him call me that?
Plus, he...Âi'Ker.
“Wow, how can you (mueng) talk to the company owner's nephew like that, wá?”
“Why wouldn't I (kuu) be able to say it?”
Yes, I was working at Uncle Phért's company, who was Ker's real uncle. As for my friend? He just came to work to annoy the company owner for fun, as if they lived in separate houses.
I was just an excuse.
“I'll just fire you (mueng) later,” Âi'Ker said jokingly. But suddenly...
“If you don't stop causing disturbances, I'll have someone throw you outside.”
Âi'Ker's smart, handsome uncle spoke up from behind, making Âi'Ker startle violently. But after just a moment, he grinned wide like a sunflower, then turned to meet his gaze.
“Uncle wouldn't do that to his beloved nephew, Rǒoe?”
“My beloved nephew isn't you.”
“Uncle is saying Phîi Hâat is the beloved nephew? Ouch, unbelievable.”
Âi'Ker gave a smile to his uncle, his eyes sparkling knowingly as he mentioned his Phîi, whom I still had to admit was extremely handsome. But he was also very quiet; however you looked at it, he didn't seem like he could be the beloved nephew as much as a good-natured person like Âi'Ker. And that made Uncle Phért heave a deep sigh, turning to me instead.
“If he's annoying, just kick him out.”
“Oh wow, Uncle is heartless, wá.”
“Then make a cup of coffee for me,” Uncle Phért continued talking to me in a pleasant-sounding voice, before...shooting a fierce, sharp look at Âi'Ker.
“If you've come and aren't doing anything, just go home. You're in the way.”
Finished speaking, he spun around and went into his office, making me blink rapidly. I glanced at my friend a little, and found he was still grinning widely.
“Are you (mueng) okay?” I asked uncertainly. Âi'Ker laughed, patting my shoulder twice.
“How could I (kuu) not be okay? My (kuu) uncle has been harsh-mouthed with me (kuu) since forever. I'm (kuu) used to it.”
“Really used to it, huh.”
Âi'Ker met my eyes, and believe me, the serious look in his eyes right now was something no one at the university had ever seen.
“Can't afford not to be used to it, wá.”
Then he changed back into the same handsome Phîi Ker.
“It's almost noon. Let's go find something to eat. My (kuu) treat.”
“I have to make coffee for Uncle first.” I turned to look at the clock which said it was nearly noon. My work wasn't so strict that I had to wait for exactly noon. Everyone here knew I worked part-time; I could just leave with him. But to be indifferent to my boss's order was not right. So I walked to the kitchen, but before starting to make the coffee...
“Come on, I'll (kuu) do it.”
“Hey, don't pretend to spill the sugar, okay? The one who'll get scolded is me.” I quickly stopped Âi'Ker, as he turned to give me a dazzling look. The Nôngs at the faculty would probably scream for him, but it definitely wasn't me who narrowed my eyes warily and then watched my close friend skillfully and deftly prepare the coffee. Of course, I kept an eye on every second.
If he secretly put laxatives in to prank his uncle, I would be screwed.
“Hahaha, Tǎem, why are you looking at me (kuu) like I (kuu) hate my (kuu) uncle so much? I (kuu) looooove him, love him.” Âi'Ker said laughingly, doing everything together. Then he handed me the coffee cup, making me look back and forth between the cup and my friend's face. But after a moment, I took it and held it.
“Want to take it to him yourself?”
“Then my (kuu) uncle would say...do you think this is a playground where you can run in and out whenever you want?...No way, wá. Can't be bothered arguing with him. Got my (kuu) allowance cut this month, I (kuu) would be in trouble.” He said that. So I lifted the cup, walked to knock on Uncle's office door, then stepped in upon hearing permission.
“Coffee, Khráp, Uncle.”
“Thank you...has he left yet?”
Uncle Phért, who wore glasses while working, glanced at me briefly, then asked about another matter.
“Do you mean Âi'Ker, Khráp?”
“Who else acts like a youth all the time?” I gave a dry smile, but couldn't help defending him.
“He's not usually like this, Khráp. At the faculty, everyone respects him, calls only for Phîi Ker, Phîi Ker.”
“Because he just plays around all day, that's why,” Uncle Phért said in a stern voice, then slowly shook his head. After that, he lifted the coffee to take a sip, and then he paused himself.
“It's noon. Are you going out to eat yet?” But Uncle Phért didn't say anything else, just changed the subject simply, making me hesitate for a moment. I didn't know whether to tell him or not who made that coffee. But when looking at the pair of sharp eyes staring intently at the coffee cup, and him heaving a deep sigh, I thought...Uncle probably knew.
“I was just about to go out, Khráp.”
“Then come have lunch with me later.”
“Khráp?”
“Khun Khǒng-khǎit entrusted Tǎem to me. If I don't take good care of you, I'd feel guilty.” Uncle Phért said that, but I felt doubtful.
“Uncle doesn't have to do what Phîi Khǎi said, Khráp. Anyway, I am just an employee.” The uncle who made a fierce face, plus looked at Âi'Ker and liked to shake his head in exasperation, looked back at me with an affectionate gaze.
“Can't not do that. If only my nephew had even half the determination Tǎem has, it would be good.”
“Âi'Ker has his good points, Khráp. And Phîi Hâat is incredibly capable.” I am not capable at all. I know well that inside, I am terribly weak. The reason I take part-time jobs even during breaks is because I have always done this. Just staying idle, lying at home waiting only for Phîi Khǎi's money is unbearable. Whereas the eldest nephew of Uncle Phért, which is Phîi Hâat, Âi'Ker's own real Phîi, is a capable person...very capable, indeed.
He is only a few years older than me and Âi'Ker, but not only did he graduate in law from the most famous university in the country, he also flew to further his studies in England. I hear that now, apart from interning with Uncle Phért, he is also studying for the bar exam concurrently. I don't know if he intends to take the judge exam or take over this firm, but it's likely the latter.
As for Âi'Ker, even though he isn't as capable as his uncle or Phîi, he has his own good points. Which I know better than anyone, that he is an observant person. Maybe because he got it from watching his uncle and Phîi. He can read people perfectly, knows everything, until sometimes he knows too much, which irritates me. And I am confident that my friend is good at surviving.
“Ker has a friend who is too good for him,” but Uncle Phért still said that.
“But anyway, I must take good care of Tǎem, fitting for how Khun Khǒng-khǎit entrusted you.”
“Why does Uncle have to be considerate of Phîi Khǎi, Khráp?” I couldn't help asking, curious. I had been wondering since he came to see me at home, and even though this office had many other capable lawyers, why did Uncle handle the matter himself.
The question made Uncle Phért look at me, before giving me a smile.
“Because he is a heavy-pocketed client, Ná.”
Smile. Clear. To the point. And unarguable.
“He's just a novelist with a lot of inherited money.” Uncle Phért looked back at me and laughed.
“Then you, Tǎem, should go ask how much the asset value he holds is, and you'll know why I rank him as a premium client. Believe me, any lawyer would accept his case.” I looked at Uncle Phért with wide eyes. He then stood up, acting like he would grab his car keys as he said we would go out to eat. But...
Bang!
“Slow, wá, Tǎem. I'm (kuu) hungry already.”
The office door swung wide open without any prior request. Then the young lawyer's nephew stepped in with his sunflower smile.
“Uncle looks so old with glasses on.”
Snap.
I looked at my boss fearfully when the so-called old person furrowed his brows together, looked at his nephew's face, and took his glasses off. Not because he was called old, but because he was rubbing his temples with his fingers, looking stressed.
“Do you want me to help massage, Uncle?”
"Are you going to eat with Ker, right?” Uncle turned to ask me, instead of answering his nephew's question.
“Uh, Khráp.”
“Good. Then you don't need to come in this afternoon.” I blinked rapidly, thinking I was being fired, if not for Uncle continuing in a calm voice, different from his kind demeanor earlier.
“And take your friend Tǎem away, don't let him come near here again. I'm annoyed.”
“Wow, that's exclusionary, Uncle. I am also an heir here.”
Oh my, that look was like a surgical knife.
I looked on fearfully as the older man looked at his nephew's face with an extremely cold gaze.
“I truly feel sorry for your Phîi.”
I froze right then, because Uncle was saying he was disappointed that he had raised Âi'Ker to become like this, wasn't he? Until I couldn't help but feel angry on my friend's behalf. If it weren't for Âi'Ker still grinning widely, and then he put his arm around my shoulder.
“So this afternoon Uncle is giving Âi'Tǎem time off, right? Come on, let's go play at your (mueng) house instead.” Then he dragged me out of Uncle's office, ignoring the sharp gaze directed at him, making me shiver down my spine instead.
“Your (mueng) uncle is heartless, wá,” I said fearfully.
“Don't think-deeply about it. My (kuu) uncle has always been like this since forever. Haven't you (mueng) heard? 'If you love your ox, tether it; if you love your child, hit him.' My (kuu) uncle loves his nephew, me (kuu), very, very much. So he is especially extremely heartless with me (kuu) too.” Sometimes I don't understand my own friend's thoughts. While he made a thoughtful face before saying jokingly.
“I (kuu) think Uncle Phért should wear glasses all the time, wá.”
“But you (mueng) said he looks old.”
“That's a good thing.” He raised his eyebrows to look at me, before laughing uncontrollably.
“You (mueng) know what my (kuu) type is.”
Hmm. The reason I am confident that my close friend would never think of me as more than a friend is because his first specification is...at least ten years older than him.
"And especially someone harsh-mouthed like Uncle..." Âi'Ker made a meaningful face.
"...I (kuu) want to tame him so he learns his lesson."
If others heard this, they'd probably get a shiver down their spine. But for me, who has known him for a long time, who knows about him no differently than he knows about me, then...
"Um. You (mueng) have been trying to tame him for twenty years, but I heard you (mueng) haven't even seen the hair on his shins yet."
"Hahaha, I (kuu) have seen them, man. When I (kuu) was a youth, I (kuu) took baths with Uncle."
I shook my head a little, not understanding my friend's thoughts at all. But it's better not to understand. When it's time for his story...let him tell it himself.
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