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“Don't tell me this is the gift-basket-guy.”
Sǐndhu didn't know what kind of face to make, when the first sentence he heard from Plêrng's Nông's mouth was this one.
It was no wonder at all how this nickname came about.
There really was a period where he sent apology gift baskets every single day, after all.
"Well, it probably is me, Khrap." The large-built man could only offer a dry smile, because his romantic partner beside him was just laughing heartily. The fact that he didn't correct him on his behalf meant that he was indeed the only one who had sent them. Thinking back on it now, he couldn't help but find it funny that he had actually done that.
It's funny now. But back then, he was very stressed about what to send that would be good, and each day's basket had to be different, too.
“Thank you, Khrap. I got a whole basket of bird's nest soup.” Phán said.
At the same time, Sǐndhu couldn't help but observe the beautiful-faced young woman in front of him. It wasn't that he was interested in a flirtatious way. What else could he do? His first impression of Nông Praiphan, or this Nông Phán person, was that she was... exactly like Nông Plêrng.
It wasn't about physical appearance, but rather the aura they projected.
While Plêrng was a little-one who was only a hundred and sixty-five centimeters tall, with fair, smooth skin, an attractive face that was accentuated by his auburn hair and confident style of dress, his sister was ten centimeters taller. Her long limbs were like a model's, as her Phîi had told him. Her beautiful face looked sharper and more intense than cute. She had her long hair tied up in a simple high ponytail and wore simple clothes like jeans and a dark-colored t-shirt.
At a glance, the two really didn't look like siblings. But if you looked closely... Their confidence was exactly the same.
Sǐndhu could perceive that both siblings had high self-confidence, both in their physical appearance and their personalities. Their eyes shone with a stubborn, willful glint, yet were open and sincere. The more he looked, the more they seemed like fraternal twins. He couldn't help but think that if Phîi Phai, the eldest brother, were here, how many times would this willfulness be multiplied?
"Phîi Sǐndhu, if you're staring this hard, don't tell me you've fallen for Plêrng's sister."
The large-built man immediately shook his head.
No matter how similar they were, he still found Nông Plêrng the most adorable.
This head-shaking made another beautiful girl pretend to widen her eyes.
"Shaking your head like that, are you saying Phán isn't beautiful to your liking? I'm hurt."
"Not at all, Khrap," Sǐndhu hurriedly denied, not wanting his romantic partner's Nông to misunderstand him as being rude. Nông Phán was a very beautiful person, it was just that he shouldn't have eyes for anyone else. But his refusal caused...
"Oho, is Phîi Sǐndhu about to cheat on Plêrng right in front of him?"
The Phîi immediately added, then made a face as if he was about to cry, walking over to lean on his sister's shoulder.
"Are you stealing my romantic partner, you Phán?"
"There, there, bear with it, Phîi Plêrng. It's just that he likes people like Phán. Not short and stunted like Phîi Plêrng."
The man in the middle was at a loss. He knew he was being teased by the two siblings. The one acting like he was crying especially had sparkling eyes. Not wanting to hurt the feelings of either the older or younger sibling, the man reached out to hold Plêrng's arm and said in a serious tone.
"Nông Phán is a beautiful person, Khrap. But no matter what, I still think my romantic partner is the most adorable."
Thud
"Hey, hey, Phîi Plêrng, don't get shy, Wá. You're breaking character."
Sǐndhu couldn't help but smile, because the moment he finished speaking, the teasing youth (who mostly liked to provoke) raised his hands to cover his face and leaned even more towards his sister, until Phán herself widened her eyes, making a disbelieving face at seeing her own Phîi shyly curling up like that.
Of course, if you've only ever encountered the type who stares at guys' butts with gleaming eyes...
"Shy, my foot. I'm not shy. My face just itches."
"Itchy face or itchy what? Tell me. Don't tell me the reason Phîi Plêrng acted like he didn't want to come out to eat was because you were scratching each other?"
Sǐndhu would like to confirm once again that this pair of siblings were as alike as two peas in a pod, judging from their blunt words that hit the mark so directly that he himself couldn't even smile... They had almost really done something, hadn't they?
"How can a youth like you talk about itching so freely?"
"Phîi Plêrng taught me." Phán.
The large-built man didn't know whether to laugh or not, as Plêrng's face instantly fell. He turned to look at him and gave a sheepish smile. Then he bared his teeth at his own sister.
"Why are you exposing me, Wá? Gang up on that person, why don't you?"
"Does Phîi Plêrng really want Phán to gang up on you?"
So, does that mean when you're with this pair of siblings, you have to think deeper than the words' literal meaning? Nông Plêrng fell silent, pressing his lips together. His eyes gleamed, a reaction he probably wasn't even aware of, as he stared intently at his Nông's face. Sǐndhu probably wasn't mistaken, was he, in thinking that the young woman was also visibly taken aback?
"I'm joking, Ná. No need to make such a fierce face. I won't steal him, Ná."
Then that pair of eyes turned to look at him, scrutinizing him more than during their first eye contact.
"Really interesting."
"What is it, Khrap?"
"Nothing, Khâ. Phán was just thinking she's happy to finally meet the owner of the gift baskets. Anyway, I'm sorry for disturbing your personal time with Phîi Plêrng. Since we're here, let's get to know each other."
Even though the young woman, who was three years his junior, spoke politely with a beautiful smile, Sǐndhu himself... no, Phán herself also wanted to know who was the reason Phîi Plêrng hardly ever came home during the recent period. He stiffened a little.
He reminded himself once again that he was facing his romantic partner's family.
"Getting to know each other is fine, but don't get too interested." Nông Plêrng's words were more teasing than serious, but they made his sister smile cunningly.
"The more Phîi Plêrng says that, the more interested Phán becomes. I really want to know what's so good about the person who made Phîi Plêrng call him his romantic partner, Ná." Once again, this pair of siblings spoke bluntly and to the point, until Sǐndhu, who wasn't confident he had any good points, pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and shifted slightly. The one watching smiled in amusement.
"That's it."
"Don't be afraid of Phán, Khrap, Phîi Sǐndhu. If you can handle Phîi Plêrng, then Phán is just a rabbit."
"A giant rabbit, you mean."
"Jealous, huh? You only have this much height."
Sǐndhu inadvertently smiled immediately when the younger sibling raised her hand to pat her Phîi's head. The Phîi just puffed out his cheeks, his eyes sparkling, and raised his head confidently.
"Why be jealous? Being this size is adorable to death... right, Khrap, Phîi Sǐndhu?"
This time, Sǐndhu answered with confidence...
"Khrap, I also like Nông Plêrng just this size."
Even a man who believed himself to be a gentleman inadvertently recalled the image from last night, where he had easily picked the other person up and carried him. And it was satisfying; to use Nông Plêrng's words, it was spectacular. Sǐndhu didn't want… Nông Plêrng to change anything at all. Neither his enthusiastic personality in bed, his blunt way of speaking, nor his expressiveness.
It made him utterly fond of him, really.
Someone once said that people with different personalities often attract each other. Sǐndhu was thinking it was true.
Nông Plêrng was nothing like him, but he attracted him more than anyone else.
"Enough, Khâ, enough. No need to stare at each other so intensely like fighting fish. Phán is here too, you know. If today someone runs off to open a hotel room and leaves Phán all alone, then Phán will deal with you one by one. Understand, Phîi Plêrng?" The young woman turned to stare at her Phîi's face and asked in a stern voice.
Nông Plêrng just shrugged, then turned to give him a playful smile. "Interested in going to a hotel with me), Phîi Sǐndhu?"
Sometimes Sǐndhu thought he should learn how to handle his romantic partner's jokes.
"Then, should we change to having dinner at a hotel instead, Khrap? Then Nông Phán can come along."
Thud
That was it. The one and only young woman laughed loudly, slapping the shoulder of her Phîi, who was making wide, flustered eyes.
"Ooh, you really can handle Phîi Plêrng."
Sǐndhu wasn't sure if he had answered wrongly, but if it satisfied the two siblings, he was willing to do it.
Praiphan was a woman who grew up raised by the hands of men. Four men. That was her Phô, Phîi Phai, Phîi Plêrng, and Uncle Aphros. The only woman in the house was her Mâe. But because she liked to follow her Phîis around to play, she absorbed masculinity into herself more than being fond of beauty and dressing up like general women. This included some habits that women shouldn't have... if you want something, just bloody fucking take it.
The habit was the same throughout the whole house, and no one stopped anyone. So, she was extremely shocked to see her middle brother walk in with a glasses-wearing man who looked serious and earnest. He wasn't the type that Phîi Plêrng usually liked to flirt with for fun.
At first, Phán thought he might be hiding his true nature. His exterior looked serious, stable, and warm. Inside, he might not be different from them, who dated for fun without thinking much. But after talking to him for just a few words, Phán became even more certain that it wasn't the case. This man looked at her brother with a steady gaze.
He wasn't here to play around. He was here seriously, to the point that she began to feel uncertain.
It wasn't uncertainty about Phîi Sǐndhu. Let her tell you, it was uncertainty about Phîi Plêrng himself!
Phán didn't want to expose her brother, but the first time this person lost his virginity, Phîi Plêrng told her about it first. Moreover, whenever he wanted someone, he would talk about it without concealment, being so open that sometimes she wanted to say, "Your Nông is a female, you know?" But Phîi Plêrng wouldn't care anyway. And he was also easily bored. Once he got someone, he wouldn't look back a second time. He would eagerly seek out a new person who suited his fancy more, until Phán couldn't help but think that this time, there must be something in the bamboo clump.
Phîi Plêrng, agreeing to have a romantic partner? There must be something to it.
The young woman had been observing closely since they walked into the restaurant, and then she found the most shocking thing in her life.
It can't be! It can't be! It can't be!
Phîi Plêrng didn't notice the well-built guy we just walked past!
Phán might be more interested in women, but that didn't mean she didn't look at men at all.
The table in front of the restaurant had a large-built, sharp-featured man sitting there. Normally, someone like Phîi Plêrng would have sent a sweet, flirtatious glance his way. If he was lucky, he'd come over to talk. If not, it would just be eye candy. But this time, forget about sending a glance; Phîi Plêrng didn't even notice, just kept looking up and talking with the serious Phîi Sǐndhu the whole time.
This made the sister, who knew his nature (?) well, blink repeatedly.
Or is it the real thing, Wá?
The young woman lowered her gaze to look at the butt of the person walking ahead of her.
Could it be a habit? Knowing Phîi Plêrng's habits, one really couldn't help but think that the 'real thing' referred more to what was in his pants.
Or both.
Becoming aware, the youngest sister in the house still didn't stop staring, and that made the person walking ahead...
"Nông Phán, please, Khrap."
Praiphan quickly tore her gaze away and gave a smile, looking at the large-built man who gestured for her to go sit with Phîi Plêrng on the booth side, instead of going to sit there himself. It might seem like a small thing, but the young woman understood that he was taking care not to make her feel left out. She could only go and sit down without saying anything. The only thing was...
"Not sitting on that side?"
Phîi Plêrng, bloody fucking, chased her away.
"I just want to lean against the booth, Khâ. Phîi Plêrng, you go to that side," Phán said jokingly, until her brother, who was extremely adorable, pouted.
This matter had to be admitted: Phîi Plêrng was born to be adorable.
Even if he was a bit of a rhino, a bit promiscuous (saying that is calling the kettle black, isn't it?), Phán truly believed that anyone who got close to Phîi Plêrng would think the same: that this man was utterly adorable, utterly pinchable. Oh, and also desirable.
Praiphan glanced at the neck visible above his shirt collar, and it was clear.
So, they've already done it, huh? So, does it mean he's really hooked, or has he fallen for him, Wá?
The beautiful girl grew even more suspicious, but she had to pull her focus back to receive the menu from Phîi Sǐndhu, who had taken it from the staff.
"Order anything you'd like to eat, Khrap."
"Thank you, Khâ."
Phán gave him a smile, ordered food as usual, but her eyes were fixed on both of them without rest. And her eyes widened even more when Phîi Sǐndhu took the straw out of its paper wrapper, put it in the drink for Phîi Plêrng, leaving the end of the paper neatly tucked, and did the same for her.
A god-tier level of attentiveness! And Phîi Plêrng himself seemed accustomed to it already.
Not to gossip or anything, but even Phîi Phai never took the straw out for them. Forget doing it attentively; he was the type to rip it out in one go and not even do it, plus he'd say, "You have hands, take it out yourself, Wá."
"Phîi heard that Nông Phán is in her first year, Khrap?"
"Yes, Khâ. I'm studying International Business. I intend to take over Dad's company soon," Phán said lightly.
"Would Phîi Phai allow that, I wonder?"
"That's something to see in the long run, Phîi Plêrng." The middle Phîi wasn't interested in the family business anyway, so that eliminated one competitor.
"So, how did Phîi Sǐndhu and Phîi Plêrng meet, Khâ?" She circled back to the question she had from the beginning, which made the large-built man freeze. His smile faded slightly, and he could only narrow his eyes slightly. When he turned to look at her Phîi, this guy was sucking on his drink with a neutral face, putting on an innocent, pure expression.
"Oh, no need to answer, Khrap. Phán can probably guess."
Phîi Plêrng definitely pinned him down. The thought was identical to what Phîi Phént and them thought, without any prior arrangement.
But another question arose: after pinning him down, why did they become romantic partners?
"Must have been spectacular."
A sweet smile. "Did Nông Phán say something, Khrap?" Phîi Sǐndhu asked curiously. Phán just...
"Oh, Phán heard this place is really spectacular, Khâ. Phán has wanted to come eat for a while. Thank you for coming along. Plus, I got to meet my Phîi who had disappeared, to boot." The young woman glanced sideways at the person who refused to come home, but this guy showed no remorse whatsoever. He even bit his straw, looking airy-headed.
"So, what's the deal with the Phîi Phai matter?"
"That matter isn't confirmed yet. Phîi Phai hasn't responded to anything. You should go ask him yourself, Phîi Plêrng." Phán saw that her Phîi was taking off his sneaker and stretching his foot towards Phîi Sǐndhu. That person started, looked over at her Phîi with a startled expression, so she could guess that this side was stretching his foot to flirt with him playfully.
Judging by the angle of the leg, it was probably just rubbing against his shin, not his crotch.
The young woman could have stopped it, but she wanted to watch the situation a bit more. She wanted to know what this man would do.
"No, Khrap, Nông Plêrng." Phîi Sǐndhu said bluntly, which surprised her.
She thought he would be the type to be more considerate of feelings. But then she fell silent because Phîi Sǐndhu reached out, pulled the straw that Plêrng was biting on, and put it back in the glass properly, saying in a reprimanding tone that was rather fond.
"Don't be mischievous, Khrap. The water will splash everywhere."
I don't know, Phán got the feeling that Phîi Sǐndhu was stopping both the foot matter and the straw-biting matter at the same time. And using the back of his hand to gently stroke his cheek made Phîi Plêrng pull his leg back just like that, turning his face away elsewhere with reddened cheeks.
"Fine, don't splash. We can go splash together later."
Is Phîi Plêrng interpreting this with horniness himself, or is Phîi Sǐndhu sending that kind of signal, Wá!
Phán wanted to know even more.
"So, what about the Uncle Aphros matter?" Coincidentally, Phîi Plêrng turned back to ask, changing the subject, while also raising his hand to brush aside the hair in front of his face, annoyed that it had grown long enough to poke his eyes. However, the matter Phán mentioned made that person freeze.
"Uncle said he's going to get a divorce."
A quiet voice. The middle Phîi was closest to their uncle. Hearing this, he fell silent, then said… "I already thought so."
"Phîi Plêrng, you should call and talk to Uncle Aphros."
"You know that when Uncle makes important decisions, he doesn't like to talk to anyone. If we call during this period, he might not even answer." Phîi Plêrng said knowingly. Phán herself nodded in agreement, looking at her Phîi's paling complexion. She knew he was worried about their uncle, but as they said, what could they do to help?
"Whatever. Let's talk about this matter later. Ah, the food is here." Phîi Plêrng changed the subject immediately.
"I'm sorry, Khâ, Phîi Sǐndhu. It seems like we were just talking between the two of us." Phán also turned to apologize to the other man, but he just gave her a smile. And would you believe it, this man didn't even pick up his phone to kill time because he was left out. He just sat reading the menu placed on the table and was ready to turn and join the conversation if invited.
Phîi Sǐndhu was showing that he wasn't bored even though he was pushed to the outskirts!
Right then, a large plate of food arrived to be served, and Phán herself narrowed her eyes even more, watching Phîi Plêrng not even glancing!
The server could definitely be described as utterly gorgeous, and he was standing right at her brother's side of the table. But Phîi Plêrng didn't even turn to look for a single second, even though normally this gay guy would be shaking like a leaf all the time, which made her laugh. However, those big, round eyes were still looking straight at the large-built man who was handing him a napkin.
Is this for real? Don't tell me this time Phîi Plêrng has really been tamed. Phán was thinking that maybe tomorrow the world might end.
"Phîi Plêrng, come here. Come here, come here."
"What is it with you, huh, you Phán?"
Plêrng could only be surprised because his Nông invited him to the restroom. He agreed to walk with her as company, leaving Phîi Sǐndhu in the gift shop. But the moment they were out of sight of the large-built man, she dragged and pulled him to hide behind a pillar corner, then turned to stare at his face with curiosity.
"Is this one the real thing, Phîi?"
"What real thing?" Plêrng started, then hurriedly shook his head.
"It's just like every other time."
"How can it be like every other time, Wá? This time, Phîi Plêrng really likes Phîi Sǐndhu, right?"
The person who had been thoroughly stirred up and influenced by his friends, upon hearing his Nông say this to his face again, frowned sharply.
"Why do you ask that?"
"Phîi, you really have no idea, do you?"
Flash
Plêrng was almost about to retort to his Nông, but his peripheral vision caught something entering his line of sight and walking past. So, he nudged his Nông, who was staring intently, nodded towards that direction, and said with a bright smile.
"That one is spectacular, Wá."
Phán turned to look following his gaze, then turned back to stare at his face again.
"Phán saw him since in the restaurant, Phîi Plêrng. He was sitting right in front of you. You, Phîi Plêrng, that's who. You didn't look at anyone at all except for Phîi Sǐndhu alone." The person who was confident that he didn't love, didn't like, only dated for sex, had a twitching mouth. Shake your head; is it not true? But his Nông nodded, confirming that that sharp-featured young man had truly escaped his notice.
"You're crazy."
"Stop it."
"..."
"I'm not crazy. I'm shocked here, wondering what exactly is so good about Phîi Sǐndhu that makes a person like you give in, Phîi." Phán probed.
"You!!! He's a bloody fucking dream beast. So fierce!" Phîi Plêrng declared.
When talking about something that wasn't love, the person who had never loved anyone could speak without shame immediately. He even continued describing by raising his hands to gesture the size, telling his Nông that it was truly awesome.
"See that stern face? He takes me, you know? When in bed, I am just prey being hunted. Spectacular, what's most spectacular? So good it's indescribable. Very enduring too." Plêrng made a blissful face to accompany his words, but his Nông still kept narrowing her eyes at him. Then she circled back to ask again, finally, and it was a question he really didn't want to answer.
"And is it good enough to make you, Phîi Plêrng, stop at him?"
Plêrng fell silent, raising his hand to sweep back his hair uncomfortably.
"I don't know, Phîi Plêrng. You're a person who never stops for anyone. Phán is really curious this time whether it will be the real thing or if you just found something novel and are interested. Phán quite likes Phîi Sǐndhu. He's different from our family, in a good way. He seems like a good person, really. You, Phîi Plêrng, think carefully about whether this is just playing around or for real."
"Because the person who will be the most hurt is you, Phîi."
"Why would I be hurt, Wá?"
If Sǐndhu was the one who got dumped, why would he, Plêrng, be hurt?
While Phán just shrugged.
"If you're willing to bring him to eat with Phán, it means he is an important person. I don't know if you like him as a romantic partner or not, but you, Phîi Plêrng, are the one who has already given him importance. If you say no, no, maybe you like him as a friend or a Phîi. Then you, Phîi Plêrng, should know well how much you care about people important to you. If you hurt him, you, Phîi, are the one who will be the most broken."
"I... don't know, Wá."
Perhaps because this was his Nông, this was family, these weren't friends he had to save face with, Plêrng himself let the words slip out that he himself was uncertain. He was beginning to not know what this feeling was. Even though he was confident it wasn't love, when being pointed out so much, he did waver a little too.
"Have you stopped being promiscuous yet?"
Going back and forth. The Nông's question made Plêrng sneak a glance at the crotch of the man walking past.
"Think about that yourself. Sigh. At home there are problems, coming here I have to help think again. Let's just hurry and buy things and go home."
Plêrng didn't say anything to his Nông, who pulled him back towards the shop, saying they hadn't gone to the restroom yet. He still had this matter filling his head. And his big, round eyes could only look towards the large-built man who was conspicuous.
The person who smiled at him immediately and stepped forward.
"Nông Plêrng, wear this for now, Khrap. I saw you brushing your hair aside many times."
Plêrng froze, looking at the large hand that moved to gently tuck his hair behind his ear. Then he felt something clipping his hair in place. The deep voice spoke as gently as the large hand that handled him with the utmost gentleness and care. And when Phîi Sǐndhu moved away, he no longer had to be annoyed by the long hair poking his eye.
"I don't know if I'll like it or not. I don't know how to choose. But this is better, right?"
Plêrng raised his mobile phone and turned on the front camera, then found that the thing on his hair was...
A black hair clip.
It was just a small, black hair clip, nothing flashy at all. But it made Plêrng just press his lips together, look up at the large-built man who was observing him. Even though he hadn't said a single word about being annoyed, or said he wanted a haircut, the other party had gone and bought it for him. And he pictured the large-built, glasses-wearing man with a serious face standing in front of a hair accessory shelf.
Something swelled in his chest once again.
"Why does Phîi Sǐndhu take care of Plêrng so much?" He let the question slip out.
Phîi Sǐndhu raised a gentle smile, reached out a finger to lightly hook his hair, and said in a serious tone.
"Because Nông Plêrng is my romantic partner, Khrap."
Oh. The position he got because of a matter of responsibility, right?
Plêrng tried to calm his heart down. But...
"And because I like Nông Plêrng, Khrap... like him so much I can't stand it."
Thud
But it was this sentence that made his body almost freeze still. He could only look up into his eyes and find that the large-built man was smiling at him. His hand touched the hair clip lightly, then continued speaking.
"Because I like you, I want to take care of you."
It was a simple matter that someone who had never loved anyone couldn't understand.
In the end, Plêrng could only turn to look at his Nông's face, who raised her hands to shoulder level, as if to say, "I'm not involved. It's your matter, think for yourself. I've said all I know." And that made the little-one have a question in his heart: if he was going to dump Phîi Sǐndhu anyway, should he stop right here? Because anyway, he had gotten this 'log section' many times already, before the other party became an important person he didn't dare hurt, as his Nông had said. But...
Snap
"Thank you, Khrap, Phîi Sǐndhu. Plêrng will wear it every day. C'mon, let's go look at clothes with me." The person who said he would break up grabbed the large hand of Phîi Sǐndhu and held it tightly, then pulled him to another corner of the shop, not allowing him to see the trembling in his eyes. Even though his heart tried to comfort itself, saying...
He's still not bored at all. It's just... still not bored yet.
But the voice that spoke had softened to a heartbreaking degree.
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