Content Warning: This work is intended for mature (NC17) audiences. If you are younger, please kindly leave this site.
~~~
“Today, I must really thank you, Khun Pitchaya.”
“No, it is my duty.”
For Khun Phatcharaporn’s hotel, though it is a medium-sized hotel in the heart of Bangkok, its luxury is no less than that of larger hotels. As a result, it is often chosen as a venue for various events. Today is no exception, as Pitchaya steps out to welcome the familiar female organizer who has coordinated with the hotel multiple times.
“The guests praised the hotel a lot at the last event.”
“That credit goes to you, Khun Ticha, for organizing it so well that everyone complimented it.”
“Oh my, saying that makes me feel overjoyed.”
Ticha, the organizer, speaks with a charming smile as she looks at the tall and slender man who fits perfectly in his suit. No matter how many times they meet, she cannot help but glance back at him.
Khun Pitchaya is a man who can easily rank among those whom women dream of dating. With an excellent family background, an outstanding career, striking looks, and a refined demeanor as if he has stepped out of a fairy tale, it is no surprise that she is always pleased whenever a client specifically chooses this hotel as an event venue.
And if it were still undecided, she would persuade them to choose this place anyway.
“I’m just stating the truth… If there’s anything else you need, please let me know.”
“Thank you.” The woman offers a sweet smile, watching as the man lowers his gaze to read documents. She quietly inches closer, taking in the sophisticated and subtly sensual scent of his cologne, instantly recognizing his refined taste.
“Oh, is it already noon? I’ve taken up so much of your time, Khun Pitchaya. How about I treat you to lunch as an apology?” she flirts gracefully, smiling at him as he glances at his watch. However, his handsome face, showing visible regret, makes her feel a bit disappointed.
“I truly apologize, but I already have an appointment at twelve-thirty.”
“A client? Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.” But I desperately want to know who it is. I even delayed my schedule until noon for this.
However, the man in front of her does not seem offended. Instead, his sharp eyes soften with a gentle warmth that unexpectedly makes her heart race.
“No, it’s a personal appointment… with someone important.”
Her smile almost falters at that moment, thinking she has just lost her chance. Seeing his face, his gaze, and his smile only makes her feel even more disheartened. Then, he adds with a small chuckle—
“My younger brother. He’s arriving from Germany and should be here by now.”
“Oh, your younger brother.” She exclaims in relief, though the man, unaware of her thoughts, slightly raises an eyebrow.
“What is it?”
“Oh, nothing. I just thought it was someone special, seeing how happy you looked.”
Pete laughs softly and nods in acknowledgment.
“Yes, I’m really happy.”
The beautiful woman feels a sense of relief, unaware that this happiness is merely the kind that comes from seeing a younger brother. The happiness of seeing a romantic partner—now, that is on a whole other level.
"Alvin."
As soon as Phii Pete finishes saying goodbye to the client, he heads straight to the front desk to check whether his younger brother has arrived. However, the sight of a tall fourteen-year-old boy, whose appearance resembles a Westerner more than an Asian, standing there with a large backpack makes him immediately call out in delight.
The voice causes the young boy, wearing headphones, to turn around before his sharp-featured face breaks into a broad smile filled with excitement.
“Phii Pete!!!”
The tall figure, already almost as tall as his older brother, rushes forward and gives him a tight hug. Phii Pete pats his younger brother’s back before pulling away.
“Wow, my little brother has grown this much already?” Pitchaya observes, looking his sibling over. They haven’t seen each other in over a year, despite once being practically inseparable.
“Of course! Alvin isn’t twelve anymore. And I can still speak Thai clearly.”
The boy declares confidently, prompting the one who taught him Thai firsthand to ruffle his messy hair affectionately.
“Fourteen and twelve aren’t that different.”
“My height’s about to catch up with you, though.”
Phii Pete can’t deny the truth in that statement. He looks at his younger brother, who has grown much faster than Asian kids his age—perhaps due to diet, climate, or environment. Despite their ten-year age gap, Alvin appears more like a sixteen or seventeen-year-old than just fourteen. With his tall, sturdy build resembling their father’s, sharp facial features, and strikingly charming eyes, it’s clear that in just a few years, Alvin will be the kind of man many girls admire.
“But you’ll never catch up to my age. Come on, let’s go see my mother. She really wants to see you.”
Phii Pete leads the way toward his mother’s office, but his younger brother suddenly asks about someone else.
“So when do I get to meet your romantic partner?”
Phii Pete halts mid-step, glancing at his brother and seeing the sulky expression on the boy’s face, which makes him smile slightly.
“If I introduce you, are you sure you won’t cause trouble for him?”
“You talk as if I’m a kid.”
“Well, you are younger than me.”
“All you ever say is ‘kid this’ and ‘kid that.’ But kids like me can do the same things adults do.”
Phii Pete abruptly turns around to meet his brother’s gaze, his sharp eyes showing both curiosity and mild surprise. The younger boy, realizing what he just blurted out, immediately shuts his mouth. However, Phii Pete’s slightly expectant look forces the tall boy to mumble,
“Well... almost. But don’t worry, I know how to be responsible.”
Phii Pete just shakes his head. He knows that his younger brother was raised with a Western mindset. Honestly, he shouldn’t even be surprised by these things anymore.
With that, Phii Pete continues walking ahead, completely unaware of the way his younger brother is watching him from behind.
“I want you to acknowledge that I’m a man, not just a kid.”
Knock, knock, knock.
"Phii Pete, can I come in?"
"Oh, come in, Alvin."
After a pleasant dinner, where Khun Phatchara warmly welcomes her former husband's other son, she encourages him to make himself at home and assures him that she, like Khun Su in Germany, considers herself another mother to him. Once dinner is over, the two brothers head to their respective rooms, but as expected, it doesn’t take long for Alvin to show up at Pete’s door.
"Why aren’t you asleep yet? You must be tired from the flight. You should rest early so we can go out tomorrow." Pete lowers his book and waves his younger brother over, prompting Alvin to sit at the edge of the bed.
"I already slept plenty on the plane... Why can’t I sleep in this room?" The abrupt question makes Pete furrow his brow.
"I figured you'd want a comfortable rest. Having your own room is better."
"But we used to sleep together all the time."
"That was before, you precocious brat." Pete smiles at the sight of his brother acting like a stubborn child asking to stay the night, but he remains firm in his refusal. This only makes Alvin's expression darken even more—especially when his gaze lands on the bedside table, where a framed picture of Pete with someone else sits.
"But your romantic partner can sleep here, right?"
Pete freezes.
"Alvin," he says in warning, following his brother’s line of sight to the photo of Ae hugging him around the neck.
…It must be love…
Just then, the phone on the nightstand rings loudly, drawing both of their attention. Alvin watches as his older brother’s face lights up—eyes shimmering with a joy he has never seen before.
"I need to take this call," Pete says, getting up and stepping out onto the balcony. But the moment he speaks the name of the caller, Alvin clenches his fists.
"Yes, Ae..."
"Dammit!" Alvin mutters under his breath, exhaling sharply. He scowls, hoping his brother will notice and try to appease him. But curiosity soon gets the better of him, and he glances around the room. Slowly, he walks over to the wardrobe and opens it. While Pete is still looking away outside, Alvin scans the contents of the closet.
"These aren’t Phii Pete’s clothes."
A neatly stacked pile of casual wear catches his eye—comfortable clothes rather than formal ones. Football shorts, jerseys, a military training shirt... things that Pete never wears at home.
Someone else stays here. A lot.
The realization makes Alvin scan the entire room. It doesn’t look like a space his brother occupies alone.
Different-sized clothes. Sports magazines. Two toothbrushes. Two drinking glasses. And—
Creak.
Alvin stands frozen, staring at what he finds inside the bedside drawer.
"Alvin, what are you looking at?!"
Pete turns just in time to see his brother holding something in his hands. He quickly ends the call and strides back inside, but not before Alvin pulls the items from the drawer.
Condoms and lubricant.
"You have no right to go through my stuff," Pete says, struggling to keep his voice calm. Meanwhile, Alvin grips the items tightly in his fist.
“Phii Pete, you sleep with him here even though your mother is in the next room?”
“Al, this is my personal matter.” Pete tries to stay as calm as possible, even though he is quite angry.
Because Alvin has always known something, Pete tries to keep his composure. However, his younger brother has no intention of doing the same, as his sharp eyes look at him with disappointment.
“Do you know how hard I try to grow taller, to grow up, because I want you to accept me? I keep asking myself why I was born so late, why I have to be your younger brother by ten years, why I was born at a time when I don’t even have a chance to make you look at me!” As Alvin pours out his feelings, Pete lets out a heavy sigh.
Pete knows. He has known for a while how his younger brother feels about him.
At first, Alvin just clung to him. They simply went everywhere together. But then, Alvin started showing resistance toward many of his friends. He always wanted to stay close, acted affectionate, constantly said that he loved him, making Pete start to suspect something, though he said nothing. Until the day he decided to return to Thailand, this younger brother of his begged him not to leave.
Pete had tried to see it as just a younger brother afraid of losing his older brother. However, now, at this moment... his suspicions turn out to be true.
“Al, you’re still young. It’s only because you’ve always been with me that you think you like me.”
“Young? So the reason you don’t love me back is because I’m ten years younger?” Alvin’s voice rises, making Pete’s expression more troubled.
“No, Al, that’s not it. It’s because you’re my real younger brother.”
Pete tries to make his brother see the truth, but it only makes Alvin clench his jaw tightly. He throws what’s in his hand onto the bed, clearly frustrated by what he hears.
“If I could choose, I wouldn’t want to be your younger brother at all!”
With that, Alvin spins around and storms out of the room, leaving Pete to let out a long sigh. He lifts a hand to his temple, feeling a headache coming on.
What is he supposed to do in this situation?
The thought weighs on Pete’s mind as he calls his romantic partner with a weary heart.
Morning arrives, and the first thing Alvin does is search for the household’s elders. In his hand, he grips a picture frame he took from the living room. When he finally finds Pete’s mother sitting down for breakfast, he rushes over and holds the frame up in front of her.
“Khun Patchara, does this guy come here often?” Alvin asks while jabbing his finger at the face of the man standing beside Pete.
Meanwhile, in the chair in front, the woman seated at the center of the picture looks back at him.
This picture looks like a family photo—one that he is not a part of.
“What do you mean ‘this guy,’ Khun Al? You should call him Phii Ae,” Aunt Jeab chimes in from nearby, displeased that the young man refers to her favorite person in such a way. Alvin frowns but does not dare to say anything, knowing how much his older brother respects Aunt Jeab.
At the same time, Patchara lifts her gaze to Alvin and gives a faint smile.
“Yes, Ae comes here often. Al, you probably know that Ae is—”
“Pete’s romantic partner. I know!” Alvin states firmly before dropping into the chair. Since the adults speak so openly about it, that must mean everyone in this household already knows.
The first time Alvin suspected that Pete liked men was when he walked into Pete’s room in Germany and saw him looking at a picture of someone. Moreover, their father often made snide remarks, saying, “Don’t go following some guy around.” That is when he started to notice and understand. Eventually, he found out that Pete has to stay away from Thailand because he is in a relationship with another man.
When he learned the truth, Alvin found himself oddly surprised—he did not feel disgusted that Pete is like this. Instead, he felt pity... pity for Pete, who has red-rimmed eyes almost every night.
At first, he thinks it is because Pete misses home. But then, he realizes that Pete is actually being separated from the one he loves. And he starts to look at Pete in a different way.
Phii Pete... the kind older brother who, despite having an appearance no different from other handsome men, hides much weakness within. He is someone whom Alvin feels he must protect, must take care of, must be a refuge for. Before he realized it, Alvin felt resentment upon learning that his older brother was about to return to his lover in Thailand.
He is born too late, in the wrong place, because from the moment of his birth, it was already determined that he will never be able to reach Phii Pete.
The expression on the young man's face, caught between frustration and pain, makes Khun Patchara smile.
"Al, do you want to try talking to Ae? Normally, on weekends like this, Ae would come to visit Pete. Since you are here though, Ae decided not to come this week. However, I can have someone take you to Ae’s house," the elder offers with understanding.
This causes the hot-tempered young man’s eyes to light up, and he immediately responds.
"I'll go!"
After Khun Patchara calls her son-in-law, Alvin leaves with the driver, prompting Aunt Jeab to shake her head.
"Is that possessiveness over his older brother, Khun Patchara?"
"Yes, Patchara believes it is possessiveness over his older brother. Once he meets Ae, he will understand why Pete loves him," the lady of the house remarks. In truth, she overheard part of the argument the previous night. Initially shocked, she ultimately stepped back, knowing she cannot interfere in matters concerning her ex-husband’s other son.
They already have enough disagreements as it is. She only hopes that Alvin will come to understand and let go of her son.
After an hour-long drive, the luxury car finally stops in front of a brightly colored shophouse. Alvin does not recognize which part of Thailand he is in, but the surroundings, the building itself, and even the downstairs area, which houses a casual eatery alongside an electrical appliance shop, make his brows furrow deeply.
This place is completely unsuitable for Phii Pete.
This is Alvin’s first impression of the place.
The tall young man stands in front of the shop, hesitating for the first time about why he is even here.
"There are open tables inside, sir."
A bright voice from below catches Alvin’s attention. Looking down, he sees…
A chubby little boy with an irresistibly huggable look, beaming at him.
"Uh..."
"Phii Yim told me to say there are open tables inside," the boy says, pointing toward the restaurant, where a young girl is currently taking orders.
"I'm not here to eat."
"Then why are you standing in front of Grandma’s shop?" the child asks curiously, making the listener frown in growing irritation toward this kid.
"I'm here to see someone named Ae."
"Oh! You're here to see Uncle Ae… Grandma! This guy is here to see Uncle Ae!!!" The little one then dashes toward a plump woman standing at the stove, shouting in his clear voice.
She turns to look before offering a warm smile. "Ae already told me, dear. Go on up. Oh, Yaem, take this brother upstairs to the room."
"You can count on Yaem!" the boy says before rushing back to tug at Alvin’s shirt, urging him forward. Alvin shakes him off but still follows the little one into the house—though he continues to silently judge that nothing here is fitting for Phii Pete.
"What kind of person is this Ae?"
"Why do you call Uncle Ae 'that guy named Ae'?" The little boy turns to ask curiously.
"Just answer already!" The person who does not like children snaps, making the boy's face falter slightly.
"Uncle Ae is strict, but he is also kind."
"Which is it? Be clear." The one desperate to know demands in a strong voice, causing the once cheerful boy to lose his smile.
"Uncle Ae is strict, I guess."
"Why 'I guess'?"
"Then why are you being strict with Yaem?!" The boy exclaims in confusion, making the listener even more frustrated.
"Why the hell am I even talking to this chubby kid?!"
"Yaem is not chubby! Grandma says Yaem is just plump!" Little Yaem argues, even though his lips are starting to quiver from being called fat. That makes the listener smirk slightly.
Grab.
"This is not chubby? You're as round as a football." Alvin pinches the little one's belly to show that this is clearly a chubby child, but Yaem argues back.
"Yaem is not fat!"
"Fat!"
"Not fat!!!"
"Fat!" Alvin refuses to back down against the kid who keeps yelling in defiance, even as his big eyes start brimming with tears, his flushed face looking like he might burst into sobs at any moment.
And yet… Alvin wants to win.
"I'm not fat. Yaem is not fat… hic… hic…" Yaem starts to sob, big teardrops falling, but the person who does not like children shows no mercy.
"Fat and a crybaby too."
"Waaaahhh! Waaaaahhh!" The four-year-old bursts into loud wails, making the person who just stepped down from the bedroom hurry over with long strides.
"Yaem!"
"Hic... Uncle Ae!" The moment he sees his uncle, the little boy runs straight into his waist, clinging onto him. Ae lifts the child up to comfort him, and that is the first time Alvin gets a full look at his older brother’s romantic partner.
Just an ordinary man you can find anywhere on the street.
That is what the young man thinks as he looks at the tan-skinned man with a stern face and sharp eyes that seem more intimidating than attractive—especially compared to Alvin's older brother.
Alvin is confident that, in terms of looks, he is superior.
"Stop crying now, Yaem. A man should not cry so easily," Ae pats his nephew’s back gently before turning to greet him.
"Alvin, right? Khun Mother called to let me know."
"Mother?" The young man stiffens because there is only one person that could be referring to… Phii Pete's mother.
"Yes, she said you have something to talk to me about. Sit down," Ae says while seating his nephew on his lap. Alvin, feeling uncomfortable about facing his older brother's romantic partner, reluctantly takes a seat.
"You’ve grown since I last saw your picture. Pete talks about you a lot," Ae starts the conversation first, making Alvin pause for a moment.
"Phii Pete talks about me?" he asks, and Ae nods.
"Yes, it seems like Pete loves you a lot."
"And I love Phii Pete a lot too!"
At that moment, the hot-tempered child speaks in a heavy tone, causing the listener to furrow his brow, though he says nothing.
"I love him... not like a sibling," Alvin decides to speak plainly, waiting to see how the other will react, but only finding calmness in the man's gaze.
"You should tell Phii Pete, not me."
"Then you’re not angry? Not jealous? You’re not afraid I’ll take Phii Pete away from you?"
"No... Because no matter what, you’re Phii Pete’s little brother, the one he loves most."
Thud.
Alvin is stunned, as what he thought would happen is completely different from what he’s experiencing. The man in front of him is telling him that even though he loves Phii Pete, no matter how he feels about him, he won’t be angry or upset because Alvin will always be Phii Pete’s little brother... someone important to him.
"Besides, I trust Phii Pete too much to insult him by thinking he’d give his heart to anyone else."
Once again, Alvin can only remain silent, for in the few minutes he faces this man, he feels... defeated.
The look in this man named Ae’s eyes is so steady that Alvin thinks nothing could ever shake it.
"Then do you think you can take care of Phii Pete? You can see that I’m much poorer than him!" If he thinks Ae will get angry, he’s sorely mistaken, for the straightforwardness of this young man is nothing compared to the cruelty Alvin’s father once showed. So, Ae simply smiles, but it is the most determined smile.
"Yes, I’m poor. I have nothing to offer compared to Phii Pete. But that doesn’t mean I won’t have anything in the future..."
"What do you mean by that?"
Ae raises both hands in front of him.
"I will use these two hands to build everything. I’ll work hard, try my best, show Phii Pete that I can take care of him, and I’ll use these two hands to protect him to the fullest." After that, Ae lowers his hands and looks at Alvin with a serious expression.
"You might not believe me, but I’ll show you. So, I promise I’ll take care of Phii Pete... as well as any man can."
Ae isn’t asking for approval, but he is making a promise to the fourteen-year-old who doesn’t need to hear this. Ae does it though, because he knows this person is important to his lover.
Anyone who is important to Phii Pete is important to him as well.
The words and actions make Alvin realize that... he’s lost.
This man puts Phii Pete first, while he... just wants to possess the person he has fallen in love with.
"Anyway, I still don’t like your face," the young man speaks plainly, to which Ae just smiles.
Finally, the one whose feelings are hurt can only speak in a heavy tone, staring at the man who smiles at him. "I’ll wait and see if you’re all talk!"
"Then just wait and see."
The two pairs of eyes meet steadily, almost as if testing each other, before Alvin looks down and moves away, only to see the moist eyes staring at him, looking angry.
"What are you looking at, you fat kid?"
"Hic... Hic... Waaahhh" The so-called fat kid cries again, making Uncle Ae feel a headache. He understands now that despite Pete's younger brother’s seeming maturity, inside, he is just a fourteen-year-old kid throwing a tantrum with his nephew instead.
At that moment...
"Ae, Alvin."
The person following behind strides into the room, and before the two men can react, the harmless little child is the first to break free from Uncle Ae's embrace and rush into Uncle Pete's arms, clinging tightly while tattling.
"Uncle Pete... sob... Nong Yaem is not fat. Yaem is not fat..."
"Oh dear, what's wrong, Nong Yaem?"
Sob.
"He... sob... said Yaem... said Yaem... hic... is fat..." The little boy immediately points his chubby finger at the culprit, causing Alvin to widen his eyes and look at his older brother, who turns to him with a stern gaze.
"Alvin, did you really call him that?"
"Hey! No, Pete!" The accused hurriedly denies it, but Nong Yaem is just as quick to object.
"Uncle Ae... Uncle Ae heard it too... right? Yaem is not... lying... right?"
"Yes, yes, Yaem is not lying. No crying, okay?" Pete soothes his nephew while glancing at the little rascal who never misses a chance to cause trouble.
The look in Pete’s eyes makes Alvin mumble, "I am sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
The question makes the younger one avert his gaze. "For last night... when I said I didn’t want to be Pete’s younger brother." The confession makes Pete smile as he returns his nephew to his rightful uncle and steps up to face his younger brother.
"I have something to tell you too." Pete takes a deep breath before continuing.
"Last night, when we talked—when I said I couldn't return your feelings—it wasn’t only because you are younger, and it wasn’t only because you are my younger brother. Because no matter who you are, my heart hasn’t belonged to me for many years now." The young executive speaks with sincerity before stepping beside his lover and placing a hand over Ae’s chest.
"My heart... I already gave it to him. So, I’m sorry."
Even though Alvin understands, even though he knows, even though he sees how much they love each other, the young man can only remain silent before turning away.
"I will be going now."
"Alvin!" His older brother calls out in alarm, making the named one pause briefly.
"Today, I will go back and rest. Tomorrow, you, Pete, can take me out instead. And..." The young man falls silent as if bracing himself.
"See you... Ae." With that, his long strides take him out the door, leaving behind the two adults who exchange glances and a small child oblivious to the love triangle he has just witnessed.
"Sigh." In the end, both Ae and Pete let out deep sighs, and Pete is the first to speak.
"I'm sorry that my brother caused trouble."
"Not at all. It wasn’t any trouble. Your brother is like my own... even if he does glare at me and scan me from head to toe." The engineer replies, recalling the unfriendly gaze that reminds him of his lover’s father.
"His personality is like your father’s."
"But he has more good qualities, Ae," the older brother argues on his brother's behalf, causing the listener to glance over.
"Taking his side?"
"Well, he’s my brother." The person who just said he’s not jealous starts showing small signs of it, causing Pete to smile and almost laugh when the young man speaks in a heavy tone.
"You weren’t taken advantage of while sleeping before, were you?"
"As far as I remember..." Pete drags his words out, looking at his lover, who seems a little upset. He’s probably jealous of the fourteen-year-old now, and two years ago, that person was only twelve.
"Come on, Ae, there’s nothing to be jealous about, hm?" he finally says laughing, making the listener roll his eyes.
"If I didn’t love you, I wouldn’t be this jealous," Pete immediately teases.
"Are you telling me you love me?"
"Yeah, I’m telling you I love you." The burly man answers easily, making the listener’s face turn slightly red. But Pete moves closer to his lover and reaches out to cover his eyes. Then...
Peck.
"A reward for understanding my brother," Pete smiles at him before pulling away and opening the eyes of his little nephew.
"Then we’ll head back now. Next week, we’ll visit you at your house, Ae..."
Grab.
But before Pete can step out of the room, his large hand grabs his arm, and Ae quickly whispers in his ear.
"Can’t you stay here tonight and leave tomorrow morning? Anyway, your brother said we’ll deal with it tomorrow."
"Ae, you’re cheating again."
"So, is it agreed?"
"Have I ever been able to refuse you?"
Inthach laughs, quickly kisses his lover’s cheek, then turns to pay attention to his nephew, who is still wiping his face with his hands. If Alvin had seen this scene from start to finish, he would know immediately that he lost even before the fight began.
"No matter how hard Alvin tries, he can’t win against a single sentence from Inthach."
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