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~~~
“There's the water park, Uncle Pete!”
“Yay!”
Every weekend, it is normal for the young engineer to go out with his beloved romantic partner. However, today is different—there are two additional adorable little lives in the car.
One is a girl who turned seven a few months ago, and the other is a boy nearing four, who cheers excitedly.
The reason all four of them are currently heading to a water park in Bangkok stems from last month when the children complained that Uncle Pete rarely stayed over at their house, and Uncle Ae also seldom came home.
They have no time to play together!
Nong Yim sulked first, and as soon as she did, her younger sibling followed suit. This led Ae's older sibling to immediately call his younger brother to scold him and declare—
"Come and make it up to my kids, Ai'Ae!"
Thus Uncle Ae, who dotes on his nieces and nephews, called his niece in response. At first, she refused to talk to him. However, when her father told her that Uncle Ae would comply with her every wish, Nong Yim finally agreed to speak with him. This marked the beginning of a promise that the capable uncle could not refuse.
"Uncle Ae must take Yim and Yaem out. Uncle Pete has to come too."
Once the children cornered him, Ae had no choice but to call Pete, who was more than happy to go on a trip with them. So, that is how they all ended up heading to an amusement park combined with a water park.
As for who chose the location… of course, it was Nong Yim.
"Are the kids hungry? I have sandwiches," says the person sitting in the front passenger seat as he pulls a bright blue Tupperware box from a small basket at his feet.
He hands it to Nong Yaem, who is strapped in, reaching out eagerly to grab some food. Nong Yim also leans forward to take a look.
"Did Khun Yaa Jeab make them, or did you, Uncle Pete?"
"Yes, Khun Yaa Jeab woke up early to make them for you and Nong Yaem," Pete replies.
The little girl is asking about Auntie Jeab, the skilled cook she met when Uncle Ae took her to Pete’s house. Pete smiles widely, picturing Auntie Jeab bustling about in the morning, preparing food as soon as she heard he would be taking Ae’s nephew and niece on a trip.
That woman absolutely adores Nong Yim and Nong Yaem.
"There are three or four different fillings. Have some to tide you over—it’ll be a while before we arrive," Pete says, handing a sandwich to the girl before reaching for another to give to the boy, who grins widely and clasps his hands together in a respectful wai, like a well-mannered child.
"Thank you, Uncle Pete! I saw sausages just now!" The young boy, still getting the hang of speaking, points out the long strips of food he spotted next to the sandwiches, making Ae frown as he glances through the rear-view mirror. His nephew clearly has his eyes on the red, elongated snack.
"Do you want one? But how will you hold it, Nong Yaem?"
"I can hold it! I'm strong!" the boy declares, clearly eager to eat.
Seeing this, Pete takes a napkin to wrap around one end and hands it to the delighted child.
His actual uncle cannot help but comment— "Seems like the only thing that gets Nong Yaem talking these days is food. He's getting rounder too."
Then the beloved niece objects, rendering her uncle speechless. "Nong Yaem talks a lot! It’s just that Uncle Ae doesn’t come home often, so you don’t get to hear him!"
"I apologize."
In the end, Ae can only mumble apologetically, prompting his niece to laugh as she reaches over the headrest to offer the sausage in her hand to the driver’s mouth.
"I am not angry, Uncle. Eat it, Uncle Ae, so you will have the strength to drive Yaem and me around all day." The little girl speaks, but why does her uncle feel as though she is reminding him of his promise to spend the entire day with them? He cannot help but feel that she has grown up again.
No wonder Phii Oh has remarked— "Kids these days grow up so fast. One moment they are seven, and before you know it, they are seventeen, dating, and giving their father headaches."
"Yes, yes, Uncle Ae will take these little monkeys out all day."
"Oh, so Uncle Ae is calling Dad and Mom monkeys? Then you must be one too, Uncle Ae, since you are Dad’s younger brother."
There it is—Yim manages to catch him off guard.
"Sigh… Just yesterday, everything was 'Uncle Ae this, Uncle Ae that'." Ae exhales heavily, already missing the time when Yim was just learning to speak. But still, this is nice in its own way.
"Phii Yim, Phii Yim, why are you feeding Uncle Ae?" Suddenly, the younger nephew, happily munching on food in both hands, questions his sister.
The one being fed glances at the rear-view mirror, meeting the curious, innocent gaze of the little boy tilting his head in confusion.
"Because Uncle Ae is driving, so I am feeding him."
"No, no, no! Phii Yim should not be feeding him. Uncle Pete should be the one feeding Uncle Ae—Uncle Pete is Uncle Ae’s romantic partner!"
Hmph.
Both adults nearly turn to look at the boy, while the girl exclaims, "Oh!" and then leans back against her seat knowingly, adding in a clear voice—
"That is true! Uncle Ae and Uncle Pete are romantic partners. Uncle Pete has to be the one to feed Uncle Ae, just like how Mom feeds Dad when he drives. So, I am not involved."
"Yaem is not involved either!"
The two children nod at each other in perfect understanding, leaving both uncles at a loss for words—because, well, the kids are absolutely right. Ae finally turns to the man beside him.
"Feed me."
"You always manage on your own." Pete shakes his head slightly. It is not like Ae has never eaten in the car before, and he usually prefers doing things himself for the sake of speed and convenience. Normally, he holds his food, eats quickly, and finishes in no time. But now, he is asking to be fed. And that makes Pete smile even wider.
"But this is not 'normally.' Do you want to disappoint the kids?"
"The kids are not expecting anything." Pete chuckles at how Ae is subtly coercing him into it. But then—
"But I am expecting it! I want Uncle Ae and Uncle Pete to be all lovey-dovey!"
Perhaps because she is the favorite niece, the little girl boldly interjects, speaking brightly while watching with curiosity. Pete has no choice but to feed the sandwich to the driver, unable to resist teasing—
"You sure are clingy when you are around the kids, Ae."
The one being teased raises an eyebrow slightly.
"You always cling to me—let me cling to you for once… Can I?"
The playful glint in the driver’s eyes makes the tease blush slightly. Maybe it is because the kids are here, but the usually stern-faced man seems even more playful than usual.
And what else can Pete do but reply— "Go ahead, no one will complain."
"Hmm, hmm, that's fine too."
Eh? Why does Pete feel like it’s not just the two kids here, but also a grown-up trying to act like a child?
~~~
"What’s wrong, Phu?"
"Don't bother me."
Thud!
"Ow! Phii Khaen, why did you hit me? That hurt!"
Meanwhile, on the other side of Bangkok, Kirakorn, who planned to lounge around in the home theater at his romantic partner’s house, halts mid-step. He glances into the living room, where the sounds of a game blast loudly. Inside, he spots the player sitting with a sulky expression, gripping the joystick tightly, aggressively pressing buttons to vent his frustration.
When he asks what’s wrong, little Phu—who used to be a chubby child constantly calling for his father—responds in a tone so unpleasant that Kirakorn instinctively knocks him on the head.
Don’t think that just because you're the heir to a famous family, Khaen won’t dare. Even your uncle has fallen victim to Phii Khaen before.
So, the eight-year-old boy throws whatever he’s holding aside and turns to glare at him, clearly ready for a fight. His handsome face—already exceptionally good-looking for a child—twists into an expression so sour that it almost cancels out his charm.
Now eight years old, Phupha has grown from a chubby-cheeked boy into a thin child. His sharp eyes, thick arched brows, straight nose, and firm lips already hint that he’ll grow up just as handsome as his father and uncle. But his personality—that’s the real problem.
His childish tantrums might be endearing in small doses, but being spoiled by everyone around him has turned him into a demanding child that few can control. The only exception? Phii Khaen.
Everyone in the house obeys Phupha’s every command—except for Khaen. When Phupha tries to order Khaen around, not only does he get scolded, but sometimes, he gets a smack on the head too.
"I'm disciplining you. Who taught you to speak to adults like that, huh, you little brat?" Khaen folds his arms and looks at the boy, who clutches his head with tears welling in his eyes. Phupha pouts and turns away.
"Because adults don’t keep their promises."
"Oh?" Khaen hums immediately, narrowing his eyes at the unusually intense anger on the boy’s face. He crouches down beside him and asks, "Did your ‘wonderful father’ break a promise or something?"
Bingo. Nailed it.
Kirakorn almost snaps his fingers at his own brilliance, but when he sees this little boy—who idolizes his father above all else—sitting with his head down, looking both disappointed and pitiful, he softens. He wraps an arm around Phupha’s shoulders and speaks gently.
"So, what did Phii Tul do this time?"
"It’s not Dad… it’s his job," Phupha murmurs before explaining.
"Dad promised that if I got good grades this term, he would take me to Tokyo Disneyland. My scores came out over a week ago, but he still hasn’t come back from Europe. Forget taking me there—he hasn’t even returned yet! Then, next week, I have to go visit Mom in France."
Ah, so he’s sulking about his dad.
"Why Tokyo Disneyland? Siam Park here is just fine."
"No! I want Disneyland! Dad promised!" And there it is—Phupha’s spoiled streak flaring up again, making Khaen frown and immediately raise a fist.
"Is this kid being stubborn or what?"
Grab.
"I'm not being stubborn!" The moment Phii Khaen raises his fist, the boy shields his head with both hands, fearing pain, and argues again. But instead of knocking on his head, Khaen...
Grab.
"If your father isn’t around, is your Uncle Tinn not around either?" Khaen pulls the boy close and rubs his head, making the frightened child open one eye.
"Uncle Tinn is busy. He doesn’t have time."
"But I do."
"Hmm?" The boy lets out a sound, tilting his head up to look at the person he knows is his uncle's romantic partner (whom Khun Yaa doesn’t want to see much of) with confusion—was he really going to take him to Japan? Just then, someone walks past the room, looking for the restless guest.
"Ai'Tinn! Ai'Tinn!" Khaen calls out, making the person turn and step inside.
"I thought you were raiding the kitchen for snacks... What’s wrong with Phu? Still sulking over his father?"
"I'm not sulking! Father broke his promise!" The boy argues fiercely, insisting that this isn't sulking but a demand for fairness.
The listener merely shakes his head. This kid has been throwing a fit at the whole house for a week now. What could they do? Not even he knows how to calm Phu down.
"Ai'Tinn, we’re changing plans today." The young trainer exclaims.
Making the listener repeat the words, "Changing plans?", looking at the person who gets up energetically while tugging the stubborn child along.
"Today, we’re going to Suan Siam." As soon as Khaen finishes speaking, he drags the boy out of the room without giving him time to react.
Once Phu realizes what’s happening, a wailing protest follows. "I'm not going to Suan Siam! I want to go to Disneyland!"
"Come on, whether it’s Suan Siam or Disneyland, they’re both amusement parks. Plus, Suan Siam has the Bangkok Sea! Let’s go! Ai'Tinn, hurry up! Start the car and take this high-scoring kid out to celebrate!" Khaen grins widely, though the driver can't help but feel that Khaen wants to go himself and is just using the kid as an excuse.
~~~
"Uncle Ae! Nong Yim wants to play that! That one, that one!"
As soon as the two adults lead the children into Suan Siam, a seven-year-old girl—who should be more inclined to sit gracefully on a carousel or something gentle—tugs at her uncle’s pant leg and points toward a bright red ride that even many adults shy away from. Pete looks down in surprise.
"Aren't you scared, Nong Yim?"
"Nope! I'm not scared! I want to play! I’m strong!" The short-haired girl, almost looking like a boy, cheerfully declares while trying to pull Uncle Ae toward the ride.
Meanwhile, Pete walks hand in hand with Nong Yaem and bends down to ask.
"What about you, Nong Yaem? What do you want to play?"
"I’ll play whatever Phii Yim plays." The little boy answers without realizing the fate his older sister is leading him to. But before they even reach the targeted ride, Nong Yim suddenly stops and points toward a house painted in black and red... red like dripping blood.
"Uncle Ae! Let’s go to the haunted house!" Yim shouts.
“Ghost! No, I am not going in!” Yaem protests.
The cry catches both adults off guard because who would expect a little girl to ask to enter a haunted house herself? Meanwhile, Yaem’s reaction is more typical of what children usually do, as he clings tightly to Uncle Pete’s leg, shaking his head vigorously, looking ready to burst into tears at the mere mention of a ghost.
“It’s not scary at all, Yaem. Look, everything inside is fake. Dad said so. Dad said that if a ghost pops out, you can punch it in the face too,” Yim grins brightly, living up to her name, repeating what her father whispered to her last night, and making Ae want to hold his temples.
That damn Phii Oh—just how tough is he planning to raise his kid?
“No! What if the ghost takes you away, Phii Yim? Mom said if you're stubborn, the ghost will take you.”
“But I’m not stubborn at all, right, Uncle Ae?” The little girl tilts her head up, fully intent on convincing her uncle, and Ae can only sigh in response.
“Alright, let’s go in, but promise me you won’t stay far from me, okay?”
“Uncle Ae, are you scared?”
Thud.
The little girl looks up, confused as to why she isn’t allowed to stray far from her uncle, making Pete burst out laughing at the thought of his own romantic partner being scared of a haunted house.
Ae, scared? Hmm, that’s an interesting thought. A big guy, yet afraid of ghosts.
Grab.
“What are you laughing at?” Suddenly, a strong arm wraps around his neck, pulling him in close, making Pete laugh even harder, unable to stop himself.
“I’m picturing you running away from ghosts.”
“Uncle Ae is going to run away from ghosts? That’s no good. Dad said you can punch a ghost in the face,” the little girl insists again, making Ae, who has now been painted as afraid of ghosts, let out a deep sigh before ruffling his romantic partner’s hair playfully.
“You stay here with Yaem, then. I’ll take Yim to go punch some ghosts first,” the young man says while leading his niece, who excitedly skips ahead into the haunted house.
Meanwhile, the four-year-old boy pouts, big teardrops welling up in his eyes as he tugs hard on Uncle Pete’s pants.
“Uncle Pete… Phii Yim and Uncle Ae… h-hic… will they be taken away? I don't want that… huu…”
Grab.
“There, there. No one is getting taken away, okay? They’ll be out in no time, alright? No more crying, buddy.” Pete picks the little boy up, wanting to wipe his face but, considering the kid is quite heavy, can only offer comforting words before leaning in to place a reassuring kiss on the chubby, tear-streaked cheek.
“Squeal! That’s so cute!”
“Who are you talking about? The kid or the dad?”
“Both! Ugh, I want a baby daddy like that too!”
At the same time, Pete turns around upon hearing voices, spotting two or three teenage girls sneaking glances in his direction. The moment they make eye contact, they quickly turn away, pretending they weren’t looking, yet they don’t leave either, making Pete chuckle.
“Are you my kid now?” Pete asks Yaem jokingly.
“No, I am Dad Oh and Mom Nut’s kid,” the little boy corrects him, making Pete laugh as he tightens his hold just a little.
Years ago, he might have worried about the idea of having children, but now, after everything they’ve been through together, Pete has long since let go of the thought that he can’t give Ae a child.
Just having each other as they are now is the greatest happiness. Besides… They still have these two little ones.
“Two kids are enough. If you could really have a child, wouldn't I lose my Mia to them?”
“But I love Uncle Pete the most!” the little boy says, drawing Pete’s attention back to the child hugging his neck tightly before whispering.
“More than Uncle Ae too?”
“Shh! Uncle Pete, you can't tell Uncle Ae. Dad says Uncle Ae would feel left out.”
Pete laughs at that and can’t resist planting a strong kiss on the adorable boy’s cheek. When Ae, who is holding his niece’s hand, comes out, he looks confused.
“What are you two laughing about?”
“Nothing, Ae... Did you have fun, Nong Yim?”
“Boring. There weren’t any ghosts at all—just sounds and wind. We were out in a flash. It wasn’t scary at all,” the little girl shakes her head, looking disappointed.
Meanwhile, screams from adults entering the haunted house echo in the background. Pete glances at his partner, who shakes his head slightly before placing a hand on his niece’s head.
“Let’s go to the water park. I don't want to be more stunned by my own niece and nephew.” Ae says, leading his niece forward. But the girl tugs at his sleeve.
“What about that one, Uncle Ae?”
“Did you reach the height requirement?”
“Oh no. Today I want to hurry home and drink milk then. If I meet the height requirement, you have to bring me back to play again, okay Uncle Ae?” Yim says regretfully before turning to the person carrying her younger brother.
“Uncle Pete too! Uncle Pete and Uncle Ae have to take me again!”
“Of course. I promise.” Pete assures her.
“Me too! What about me?” The little boy raises his hand high, making sure he’s not forgotten.
Pete extends his pinky finger to hook with the boy’s chubby one as a promise.
Before heading to the water park section, Pete glances at the women standing frozen in shock, nodding slightly as a farewell before walking side by side with Ae. Just as he does, he hears the wind carrying a voice.
“That’s not a father and son. That’s a full-on family—father, mother, and child!”
Pete finds it amusing, making Ae turn to look at him.
“What are you laughing at?”
“Nothing. I am just thinking that today, I don’t mind being the mom.” Pete says, making his partner pause slightly, glance at the nephew in his arms, and then smile.
“I think you'd make a good mom.”
“Oh, Ae, did you forget our gender?” Pete replies with a straight face.
“I only remember that you're my Mia.”
Ah, what is a Mia supposed to say in response to that?
~~~
“It's hot. I want to go home.” Phu whines.
“Yeah, it's hot. I think we should head back.” Tinn echos.
Meanwhile, Kirakorn watches in pure amusement as the two males—one young and one grown—mirror each other perfectly.
Little Phu crosses his arms, pouting. Uncle Tinn crosses his arms, looking annoyed.
Well, no need to guess who Phupha will take after in the future.
"How can you say that? We're already here. Phu, let's go play in the water."
"No! There's a swimming pool at home. There's no reason to play here. It's hot, and I don't like it."
The spoiled child starts acting up, making Khaen furrow his brows sharply and crack his knuckles. He gave up his precious time lounging in an air-conditioned room to bring Phu here, and yet the boy is being stubborn.
Tinn sighs deeply, already knowing what will happen next.
"You’re so fickle. If you keep playing games in your room all the time, your eyesight will get worse. You should come outside and play sometimes. I even sacrificed my valuable time to bring you here. Show some gratitude." Khaen lectures.
"When did I ask Phii Khaen to bring me?" Phu retorts.
"Oh, you little brat!"
The child and the childish adult start arguing, while Tinn, who also wants to go home, places a hand on his romantic partner’s shoulder and grabs his nephew’s shoulder. Then he leads them toward the water park because if Phupha plays in the heat, he’ll only get more irritable.
Once inside the water park and changed into swimsuits, Phupha’s sour mood improves a little. He points excitedly at the colorful slides, inviting Khaen to play with him.
Well, Phupha is still a child. His emotions aren’t stable, so it’s not unusual.
Besides, Tinn knows why everyone spoils his nephew so much… because Phu doesn’t have a mother.
Seeing her only once a year isn’t enough for a boy who craves love. No matter how much his older brother tries or how many people help take care of him, Tinn knows it’s not the same. So he, too, indulges Phu to the point of spoiling him. Khaen often says, "You’re raising your nephew to be just like you. One coldly-aloof Khun-chai in this world is enough—don’t turn the kid into another you."
Tinn sometimes wonders—what’s so bad about being like him? Is he supposed to act silly and carefree like his romantic partner?
~~~
Splash!
"Hey! Khaen, what the hell are you doing?!"
Tinn, who is sitting and watching over their belongings, jolts as cold water pours over his head. He looks up to see a man in knee-length swim trunks holding a small cup—his weapon of choice.
"We’re already here, and you’re just sitting around sulking? Come on, Tinn, let's play in the water!"
"I’ll stay right here. You go play."
"What? No way!"
"Ugh, just let me sit quietly here." Tinn shakes his head, refusing outright, making Khaen widen his eyes.
"No way, I won’t let you sit here looking handsome and luring girls! Get up!"
"Are you jealous?"
"No. I just don’t want those girls to be disappointed when they find out you already have a Mia."
That’s Khaen-ta-lup, saying it so boldly.
While the two argue, the young boy watching them silently walks up to the lounge chair, grabs his Uncle Tinn’s wallet, pulls out two banknotes, glances around for a snack stall, and heads straight there—without telling anyone.
When he reaches the stall, where two or three people are waiting in line, Phupha frowns sharply.
He doesn’t want to wait. It’s hot. He wants a drink now.
With that thought, he walks past the line to where a soaking-wet little girl is about to receive a large cup of Coke and a chocolate ice cream cone.
Grab.
"Here, no need for change." Phu takes the cup himself, places the purple banknote at the counter, and then walks away, leaving both the people in line and the shop owner stunned. All eyes follow the boy as he spins around to head back to his uncle.
However…
"How can you do that? We were here first!" The little girl runs after him, grabbing his shoulder and yelling angrily, making Phu turn to meet her gaze.
"Just order a new one. The shop owner didn’t say anything." He sips another big gulp of the drink, his attitude infuriating enough that the girl clenches her fists tightly.
"Didn’t your school teach you not to cut in line?"
"They did. So what?" The spoiled boy responds and makes to walk back the way he came, while the smaller girl’s eyes gleam with fury.
"You bad-mannered brat!!!"
SMACK!
SPLASH!
"Oooo!!!" The girl shouts, grabbing the boy’s shoulder and throwing a punch straight into his eye.
His hands let go of the cup, dropping it to the ground, and Phu himself cries out as he experiences the worst pain he has ever felt in his life.
His father and mother have never hit him.
"There! Remember this—you’re not supposed to cut in line!" The girl lifts her chin, announcing loudly as she watches the bigger boy start to pout before…
"Be quiet! You were the one misbehaving. Bad kids must be punished." She finishes.
"Nong Yim! What happened?"
The voices of the two arguing children make the adults, who had only looked away for a moment, turn back in alarm and rush over, calling out in concern.
Nong Yim turns to her Uncle Pete and answers with a sharp voice.
"Uncle Pete, he took my drink! I didn’t let him! Dad says if someone misbehaves, I can punch them!" The little girl reports in a chirpy yet firm tone, while Pete widens his eyes and looks at the crying boy holding his eye, scanning around for his parents just as…
"What happened, Phu?" A voice calls out as someone rushes over, making Pete's eyes widen even more.
"Uncle Tinn… Hic… It hurts… I hurt, Uncle Tinn… Hic… Hic… I… can’t see… Waaahhh!"
The wailing echoes as the boy, nose running and tears streaming, throws himself into the arms of his beloved uncle. Tinn furrows his brows deeply, looking up as if to confront someone, if not for…
"Pete!?!"
"Oh? Pete? What are you doing here? And what happened?" Khaen also appears, asking in confusion, making Tinn reply in a tense voice.
"That kid punched Nong Phu."
"My name is Nong Yim! Not ‘that kid!’ And I punched him because he was bad! He cut in line! He took my drink! Uncle Ae said he was thirsty, so I was getting it for him!" The little girl insists without backing down, standing her ground that she was not in the wrong.
And the name that slips out makes Tinn frown.
"Ae?"
"Yes, Ae, Uncle of Nong Yim!" This time, the adults lift their heads to look at each other, while Pete gives a sheepish smile.
"This is Nong Yim, Ae’s niece. And that..." Pete points at the wailing child, prompting Khaen to speak up.
"This is Phu, Ai’Tinn’s nephew."
"Uh... What a coincidence." Pete laughs dryly because, while the other side is at fault, this side threw a full punch. Meanwhile, Ae arrives carrying another nephew, frowning deeply upon seeing familiar faces as he listens to his romantic partner explain what happened.
Of course, both children insist they are not in the wrong.
Now, Nong Phu is left only with sobs, clutching his eye tightly. Nong Yim, who had initially held her head high with confidence, starts shrinking under Ae’s stern gaze.
"I'm not wrong, Uncle Ae."
"But you shouldn’t use violence, Nong Yim. Why didn’t you talk it out?"
"I did talk." The little girl argues in a small voice, making Ae, who kneels to meet her gaze, sigh.
"He was wrong to cut in line, but do you know where you went wrong?"
"I punched him in the face." The little niece lowers her head, aware of her own mistake. The young uncle nods and continues.
"Since you know it was wrong, what should you do?" Even though the little girl does not want to do as he says, she glances at Phu, whose nose is red from crying, and then speaks softly.
"Sorry. Sorry for hurting you. Let’s make up." The little girl says in a low voice, but the boy turns his face away.
"Uncle Tinn, punish her!"
Thud!
"Ouch! Phii Khaen!"
"You still have the nerve to whine to your uncle? Who taught you to cut in line, huh? A punch was well deserved! Spoiling you all the time! Shut up, Ai’Tinn. Your nephew did wrong, so he must apologize too. Ae’s niece even has the courage to say sorry. Are you even a boy if you can’t apologize, Phu?"
Perhaps it is lucky that Khaen is here. The single-lidded-eyed young man knocks his romantic partner’s nephew on the head and scolds him, making both uncle and nephew fall silent.
"Now, apologize to Nong Yim." Khaen pulls Phu’s shoulder, forcing him to face the little girl, making the boy grit his teeth.
"Sorry."
"That’s all it takes!" Khaen says in satisfaction before ruffling the boy’s hair as if to tell him he did well.
"By the way, what are you doing here?"
"I brought my niece and nephew out. I can’t believe I’d run into you here." Ae responds, making Khaen laugh loudly at the coincidence.
"You and your niece are just alike—both feisty."
"Always resorting to force," Tinn interjects as he strokes his nephew’s head.
"And you always resort to money." Khaen retorts at his romantic partner, making Tinn glare and lead his nephew away, pretending to sulk because Khaen is paying more attention to his friend.
Khaen, unfazed, simply pats Ae’s shoulder and says,
"Well, I’m off. Bye-bye, Nong Yim! That punch was awesome!" With that, Khaen walks off after the uncle and nephew, leaving the other family to sigh deeply.
"Good thing we know each other, or we would have been done for."
"Yeah, raising his nephew with money, just like Khaen said... Nong Yim, don’t follow that example." Ae warns his niece, who nods obediently.
"Father says we can’t buy everything with money, Uncle Ae."
"Very good… Now go back to playing in the water."
"No, Nong Yim is going to queue up and buy a new drink first!" The little girl announces and starts running back to the same stall, making Pete quickly warn her.
"If someone cuts in line, don’t punch them in the face again, Nong Yim."
"Understood!" The girl salutes and dashes off, leaving the two uncles sighing heavily.
"Tiring but fun, right, Ae?"
"It’d be better if Phii Oh hadn’t raised his kid to be this bold." Ae shakes his head while looking down at the nephew in his arms and asks,
"With such a fierce older sister, will you be bold like her or well-behaved, Yaem?"
Only the future holds the answer to that question. But one thing is certain—taking care of a nephew for just one day…
Is far more exhausting than expected. Still, this must be what it feels like to be a parent.
NEXT Special Chapter 10 - The Younger Brother's Inner Feelings
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