Content Warning: This work is intended for mature (NC17) audiences. If you are younger, please kindly leave this site.
~~~
Even though roads in Bangkok had speed limits, and the traffic congestion itself enforced speed, that was not the case for the man who owned the world’s most powerful and fastest supercar. No matter how many cars were on the road, this man could still steer it, swerve left, overtake on the right, then stomp on the accelerator, sending the beautiful Venom GT soaring, challenging police authority and attracting the gazes of ordinary people.
Vrooom
The beautiful car continued to accelerate steadily, the engine roaring loudly. However, inside the car, it was devoid of conversation, no different from a cemetery.
The driver only looked at the road. The passenger only stared at the edge of the window.
This unusually quiet demeanor made Pakin glance over and then ask.
“Does the wound hurt?”
Usually, this youth was very talkative, even if most of the time he opened his mouth to argue.
“Does Phîi even care?” which made the stubborn youth retort sarcastically. Instead of making Pakin feel guilty, the young man felt relieved that it wasn’t serious.
If he could argue, it meant he wasn’t near death.
“No. Just afraid of causing adversity for myself.”
Graph fell silent immediately upon hearing such heartless words. His lips pressed together tightly, suppressing his simmering anger, and he shouted inwardly.
Being a good kid didn’t help me at all, Janjao! It’s just worse and worse!
The bully blamed his friend, even though he knew Janjao wasn’t at fault. The one at fault was he himself, who lacked concentration. But he was so irritated by the terrible words that he wanted to find someone to blame.
This thought made the person who was hurt both physically and emotionally turn towards the car window even more. He wasn’t excited or happy at all about having the chance to ride in this ultimate car.
No matter what, it hurt so much he wanted to cry. “Ouch!” And that movement itself caused him to let out a cry when he shifted and pressed on his own wound. He tried to stretch his leg out and found it tight around the wound, as if it were about to split open and blood would gush out.
The driver’s demeanor was simple but coldly-aloof.
“I had the field medic look at you. He said it’s just abrasions. If possible, go get checked at the hospital after this.”
Graph knew, you know, that this wasn’t said out of concern. It was just fear of causing adversity for himself. But his damned heart, not knowing any better, inadvertently felt happy with this little bit of concern. No, it was just a scrap of concern this man had thrown his way. And that made him retort.
“If Phîi is so afraid I’ll die, why doesn’t Phîi take me to the hospital himself?” Krittithee disliked hospitals, but if Phîi Pakin took him, he might be willing to go.
And this answer came back.
“I’m not your Phô, you know.”
A single sentence, but it was the worst conversation ender. The listener was left speechless, could only tell himself in his heart.
If Phîi were my Phô, I wouldn’t be following you around begging to be scolded like this.
The silence that returned to the cabin again pleased Pakin somewhat. Because at first he thought he’d have to deal with a youth moody from pain, giving him a headache the whole way. But today, Graph was silent, giving him peace and quiet, until he began to feel that him being injured had its advantages.
At least injured like this, he probably wouldn’t show his face again anytime soon. Now, he would just go apologize to his Phô himself and it’s over.
The young man thought only that, until the beautiful car turned into the large mansion estate full of workers and stopped still at the marble staircase in front of the building. Where Pakin was about to encounter a problem.
The older person got out of the car first, then had to frown sharply when the person he brought refused to even open the door himself. He had to grit his teeth, but still walked around to open the door for him, telling himself that just dumping this youth at his home would end his duty. But…
“Get out.”
“No!” The stubborn youth began to show his defiance.
Now, not only was Graph refusing to get out of the car, he also crossed his arms and turned his face away, making the onlooker seriously annoyed.
“Get out.”
“No. I don’t want to go home yet.”
Since being good didn’t work, then Krittithee chose to be stubborn, getting back at him for the scolding instead.
Yeah, I’m an adversary. Then I’ll make Phîi suffer to the utmost.
The resentful person told himself, also turning to look the other way because he knew Phîi Pakin wouldn’t scold him now, since both were under his Phô’s domain. If he spoke badly to this only son, Phîi Pakin himself would have no excuse either.
“Graph, get out.” Just as Graph thought, because Pakin could only say in a stern tone. The listener still sat still.
“No! My wound hurts. I want to go to the hospital. And Phîi is the one who hurt me. Phîi has to take me to get checked.”
Since you want to take responsibility this much, I will make you take responsibility to the utmost.
There.
The young man knew full well that this method would make Phîi Pakin hate him even more. But if it made them stay together a little longer, or made Phîi Pakin talk to him a bit, then Âi Graph chose to act like a stubborn youth and get scolded.
“Graphic.”
“Don’t make me lose my patience.”
“Then Phîi lose patience quickly. I want to know what Phîi will do too.” The young man said, looking confident he had the upper hand, until it made the onlooker… smile viciously.
“Not getting out, are you?”
“Phîi should know.” Graph replied. The person who had asked, then confirmed if he wanted it like this, laughed.
A laugh that made Krittithee turn to look at his face, and then…
Grab
“Hey! Ouch! My wound hurts, Phîi Pakin… Hey, let go! Let go, Âi Phîi Pakin! Ouch! I said it hurts!!!” Right at that moment, Graph cried out because the person he thought probably wouldn’t dare do anything was the one who ducked his head in, grabbed his injured arm, and pulled hard, causing a sharp pain. But before he could recover, the other party exerted force to pull, making the upper half of the young man’s body drape over a broad shoulder. Then…
“Ouch! It hurts! My head!”
Pakin exerted force to pull, making the person sitting in the low-slung car rise up into an embrace in a head-first position towards the ground, his hips resting on the broad shoulder of the tall frame, his legs could only kick in the air above. It was the sack-of-rice carry position immediately.
A demeanor Graph wasn’t prepared for, combined with the pain of the wounds that made him not dare to resist with all his might. Finally, he ended up hanging in an embarrassing state.
“Let me go!!!”
“Heh.” Not only did he not let go, that mocking laugh made the stubborn youth even more resentful. He tried to kick his legs, and the back was nothing else but…
Whoosh
The back was the beautiful supercar that made Pakin quickly turn so that the sneaker kicked the air, not his darling. That action made the young man look furious.
Slap!
Gasp!
“Why… why did Phîi spank my butt!?!”
It ended up on the badly-behaved youth with a full-force slap on his backside, making Graph startle and cry out.
“Heh. Want to be stubborn, don’t you?” The older person said mockingly, while lifting Graph a bit more to secure him under his knees, preventing this youth from falling, even though he really wanted to just throw him in front of the house.
“Let me go! Let me go!!! Do you hear me? I said let go!”
The older person knew Graph was embarrassed. The more the workers in the house crowded out to look in surprise and saw the laughable state of Khun-chai Graph, the more Pakin wanted to punish this youth a bit more.
“I can let go.”
“Whoa!!!” His way of letting go was to let the head plunge towards the ground, making Graph cry out and quickly squeeze his eyes shut in fear.
Grab
But the person letting go grabbed the ankle in time, making Graph slowly open his eyes to look, trying to collect himself even though he knew he mustn’t struggle, otherwise the heartless person might let him head-butt the ground to death.
“Âi Phîi Pakin, you damned nuisance!” He could only shout curses, but both hands gripped the other’s shirt back tightly.
The curses didn’t make Pakin angry at all. He was actually in a better mood from teasing this youth. But before he could slap the buttocks another time or two to make him so embarrassed he wouldn’t dare show his face again, the person he intended to meet appeared in the doorway.
“What is this, Pakin? And that… is that Graph?”
“Phô!”
Graph’s Phô was a middle-aged politician, dignified in demeanor, with a tycoon’s build, and sharp eyes that looked seriously fierce. And those eyes were clearly showing a question as he looked at the state of his old friend’s son carrying his own son over his shoulder in a not-so-presentable condition.
A question to which Pakin immediately smiled and answered.
“Nong had a bike accident, Khrap. So I brought Nong back. And Graph is hurt and can’t walk by himself. I must apologize for having to carry Nong like this, but I’m sure Khun Lung understands. Graph is too big now to be carried on my back properly.”
“A bike accident?… Graph!!! I’ve told you how many times, don’t play with that tin-can bike! How many times have I told you, you never listen!” Graph’s Phô said in a strong voice, making Pakin’s eyebrow almost twitch. The other party also seemed to backtrack immediately.
“Khun Lung isn’t blaming Pakin. Ours is a business. But this one is like a youth playing shop…”
“I’m not playing shop!”
Graph shouted back, making the older person speak up to interject.
“May I take Graph inside first, Khrap?”
“Come in, come in. Having a son like this is truly embarrassing, that Pakin has to go to this extent.” The Phô said, making the son grit his teeth tightly, and clench his jaw until it hurt, when a deep voice whispered softly enough for only the two of them to hear.
“How many months of confinement would you like, Khun-chai Krittithee? Heh.”
A mocking tone that Graph knew would mean punishment. But hearing it like this, he felt resentful.
Can’t I do anything to Phîi Pakin at all?
Krittithee's family had been in political circles since his grandfather’s generation. Therefore, both power and wealth were abundant to the extent that he himself didn’t want to know where all this money came from. Graph only knew he would never inherit the family’s aspirations, because he had sensed one thing since childhood.
The wearing of masks towards each other.
The people around his Phô were all hypocrites, flatterers. And now Phîi Pakin was one of them.
“Khun Lung must apologize that my junior has caused Pakin adversity again.”
“It’s alright, Khrap. Graph is like a Nong to me.”
Hypocrite!
The young man cursed inwardly as he sat curled up on a sofa, watching the two older persons wearing masks towards each other. Because he also knew that Phîi Pakin’s family was a major supporter base for his Phô, and knew that Phîi Pakin’s family also needed power in political circles to conduct business.
It was benefit for benefit.
The more he thought, the more Graph hated the smiling face, the pair of sharp eyes that showed sincerity, and the polite tone of Phîi Pakin. This was not the Phîi Pakin I knew.
The Phîi Pakin he first saw ten years ago was still etched in his memory.
The person who treated him as an equal. No, the person who dared to scold him first. The person who told him how annoying he was. But still agreed to visit the annoying youth whose health was not strong and had to be in the hospital often. Graph knew that was Phîi Pakin’s Phô’s order, and he didn’t try to hide his boredom at all. But those visits gave hope to his childhood life that lacked friends.
Waiting for someone, anyone, to come visit him.
He had long given up on his own Phô and Mâe. No matter how much he demanded, threw tantrums, acted stubbornly and rampantly, his Phô and Mâe had endless work to handle. While Phîi Pakin still came to see him with a stern face.
“A complete waste of time. Get well soon. I’m too lazy to visit you.”
The person who said that with his mouth, but agreed to sit by the bedside, and made an annoyed face every time he asked for something.
Phîi Pakin was the only one I wanted.
The person who was now telling his Phô what happened at the circuit.
“Graph couldn’t control the bike, Khrap. So he skidded off the road. But he was skilled enough to decide to abandon the bike, so he only got some minor bruises. Anyway, I must apologize to Khun Lung for letting Nong get hurt. It’s my own fault for allowing Graph to test the bike, even though I knew Nong couldn’t handle it.”
Just call me dim-wit outright, why don’t you, Phîi.
Graph clenched his fists tightly as he was being looked down upon, even if it came from a smiling face.
“Then Phô will have to confiscate the bike.”
“Hey! No, Phô! You promised you’d let me ride it. Don’t forget, you forgot my birthday and went to…”
“Graph!”
When his Phô said he would confiscate it, the person sitting quietly immediately retorted angrily, staring at his Phô’s face as if to say he wouldn’t accept it, and was about to blurt out something he knew.
It had been my birthday, but my Phô went to see his Mia… that was the guilt that made him agree to buy this bike to indulge me.
His Phô raised him with money. Graph knew this well. He was hurt until he stopped being hurt, and learned how to use it to negotiate with his own Phô.
The person who called his name in a very strong voice, but turned to Pakin and spoke with a weary demeanor.
“Jae Graph is stubborn. Khun Lung probably can’t forbid him from riding. Anyway, can I leave it to Pakin?”
Thud
The listener froze immediately, his eyes showing a flicker of annoyance, while Graph also got an idea at that moment.
“If Phô is so worried…” the young man then remarked, calling the attention of the two older persons who turned to look at him, until he had to say in a superior tone.
“…why doesn’t Phô have Phîi Pakin teach me to ride the superbike?”
“Phîi hasn’t had much free time lately,” Pakin retorted, his annoyance clearly visible. But the young man still managed to think of a counter.
“Wait until Phîi is free then. If Phîi doesn’t teach me, I won’t learn from anyone else. And if the bike crashes, it’ll be Phîi’s fault.”
Grind
Graph saw it—the hands clenched tightly and the twitching eyebrow. But Pakin wouldn’t outright refuse him as long as his Phô was sitting here. Krittithee had to turn to pressure his Phô further.
“Phô probably doesn’t want Mâe to know…” The young man said only that and then fell silent.
Then I waited for the result.
“Pakin…” The person who turned to his friend’s son with concern.
“Understood, Khrap. I promise I will teach Graph myself.” The moment the middle-aged man turned to meet his eyes, Pakin knew he had to helplessly accept this adversary, until he had to grit his teeth and agree. But if he gave in too easily, it wouldn’t be Nai Pakin. Because the tall figure immediately said in return.
“But I forgot to tell Khun Lung about Graph sneaking into my event and causing adversity.”
Gasp!
This time the young man was truly startled, because his Phô had forbidden him from entering that event, and now Âi Phîi Pakin was telling on him!
“I think Khun Lung should punish Graph a bit. Otherwise, he’ll probably do it again.”
“Is that true, Graphic?” His Phô turned to look at him with displeasure, making the person about to open his mouth to argue shut his mouth in admission, until the Phô spoke angrily.
“How many times have I told you not to leave the house after 10 PM! How dare you disobey me! Graphic! I’m confining you to the house for a whole month! Don’t even think about going anywhere!” His Phô was furious, and Graph himself didn’t think of adding fuel to the fire now, so he had to clench his fists tightly. Because confinement meant he would have a car to take him to and from school for the whole month, and Phîi Pakin wouldn’t have to see his face for the entire month.
By then, he’d probably have forgotten any promises he made!
While Pakin just glanced at the milk-scented-mouthed youth who thought he could play with him, then turned to smile at the older person, while asking to be excused.
“Anyway, I’ll head back first, Khrap. About teaching Graph, let’s wait until after the confinement is over… Oh, I had the field medic check Graph’s wounds. Anyway, I think it’s better to go get checked at the hospital again…”
“Then Phîi take me.”
Thud
Since we’re playing like this, the selfish person wouldn’t give in either, saying in a strong voice. Without waiting for any older person to intervene, the stubborn youth showed his defiance.
“If Phîi Pakin doesn’t take me, I won’t go. I hate hospitals! So just let the wound rot then!”
Graph knew this was the behavior of a spoiled youth. But if he didn’t do this, don’t expect anyone to indulge him.
Better be scolded as a stubborn youth than be a well mannered youth and get nothing at all!!!!
***
“Oho. Graph, are you saying you’re using your Phô’s name to negotiate with Phîi?”
“Mhm.”
“Aren’t you afraid he’ll be furious?”
“He almost strangled me right there.”
Inside the homeroom of Mathayom 5/2, Janjao was sweeping the floor as part of her daily duty. Not far away, a young man with bandages covering half his body, to the shock of his friends, was sitting with his legs dangling on one of the desks. Their conversation couldn’t avoid the events of yesterday.
A story that made Janjao’s face look horrified.
Just imagining my friend threatening his Phô was scary enough. Now my friend uses his Phô to threaten Phîi again. Are you sure this method will work?
The slender figure thought while looking at the person who was rubbing the wound on his own elbow, then sighed deeply.
It happened, it really happened. She was one who didn’t agree with her friend turning to superbikes at all. They were big, had powerful engines, and were fast too, making her fear Graph would crash somewhere. He was already impulsive. And what she didn’t want to happen—
Krittithee's condition now wasn’t attractive like the more wounded, the more manly. But the black and blue bruises showing through the school uniform looked scary instead. His arm was bandaged from elbow to wrist, while his leg was also bandaged from the knee up under his school trousers. He still limped when walking… It wasn’t worth it at all.
“But it’s worth it because Phîi Pakin promised Phô he would take me to treat the wounds until they heal.”
However, the young man didn’t think like his friend. Because if being injured could provide an excuse to stay close, this was trivial. Just as the young woman walked closer and…
Press
“Aaaak! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!”
“Serves you right! Worth it, huh, Graph? Very worth it, right? With wounds like this, where is it worth it? Love yourself a little, will you?!” The slender figure said after pressing down on the wound with her full palm, making the person sitting on the desk almost fall backwards, crying out in pain, while the clear voice spoke disapprovingly.
“Hurt like this in exchange for just him picking you up to go to the hospital? And then there’s scarring. Do you know wounds this size can leave scars?”
“It’s nothing. I’m a young man. Just a minor wound…”
“It’s not beautiful, Graph. Imagine the future. If you strip naked and have scars all over your body, do you think Phîi will pounce on you?” Janjao crossed her arms, her voice nasal, as the young woman’s thoughts ran wild.
NC scene, my hunk full of scars. Oho… scars on a fair body… Ouch, just thinking about it isn’t pleasing!
“Let’s get to that stage first,” the listener just mumbled softly, while the white cheeks of the boastful youth turned red because he inadvertently… pictured it.
Ouch, Âi Graph. Get him to stop scolding you first before thinking that far, okay?
“It has to happen! And you have to tell me too!” This time, the speaker’s eyes sparkled, becoming curious instantly, making the listener avert his face and look at his watch instead.
“I think I should wait in front of the school.”
“I’m coming too! Wait a sec, let me put the broom away. Graph, help with that chair too.” The listener quickly called out, not wanting to miss seeing the face of the man her friend liked, also pointing to order the injured person to help lift the chair he had used to prop his leg up. Graph agreed to do it.
Soon, the two walked slowly (because someone was injured) out to the front of the school to find… a small commotion.
At this time, students from both lower and upper secondary were crowding around the school gate to look at something. Some took out their phones to take pictures, some craned their necks looking curious, while conversations floated to the ears of the two young people.
“Bloody fucking shit-lizard! That car is so damn cool!”
“Whose Phô’s car is that? It’s so damn beautiful. First time seeing a real sports car is today.”
“I really want to see who’s driving. If it’s a young woman, Good Lord, I’d scream!”
“Ouch, driving this, even if the driver has a shit-lizard face, he’s cool. So cool.” The conversation made Graph make a face. He could guess what was causing the excitement among his fellow students. He grabbed Janjao’s arm and led her, intending to head towards the target of attention.
Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4.
The damn cool supercar from the house of the raging bull, with an ultra-cool and cutting-edge shape. The car was black metallic, reflecting the evening sunlight in a sparkling shimmer, as if it were placed in a luxury car showroom, not parked still next to the school fence like this.
“What’s going on… and who allowed parking here?” Right then, a teacher who saw the students gathering endlessly came out to look, also walking hurriedly towards that car to say parking here was forbidden. The other party opened the door and stepped out.
The image of a handsome man, even though not formally dressed, wearing a casual shirt with dark jeans, topped with branded sunglasses, drew everyone’s gazes to look in admiration.
The car is cool, the driver is even cooler.
“Parking is not allowed here, Khun.”
“I’m here to pick someone up.”
“Then move and park somewhere else.” The elderly teacher still didn’t yield, and that made Pakin take off his sunglasses, revealing a pair of sharp eyes that looked quite irritated. But the young man still spoke politely.
“It’s just that the person I’m here to pick up is incompetent, Khrap. So I had to park and wait in front of the school.”
“What do you mean?” the listener asked, puzzled, thinking first if there was any student with mental deficiencies, making Pakin smile coldly and continue.
“It means one of your students is both dim-witted and thoughtless, to the point that one wonders who taught him. Not content with causing adversity for himself, he causes adversity for others, until I have to park and wait here. I didn’t want to break your rules, but the reason I have to do this is because of the dim-witted actions of your student, Khrap.” The listener couldn’t even keep up with who Pakin was talking about.
And began to suspect if the other party was cursing at the teacher too.
“Isn’t that right, Graph?” Then the young man glanced the other way, until he met the young man who was standing there clenching his fists.
“Krittithee, is this your guardian?” The teacher then asked in a strong voice, making the young man grit his teeth and look at the person who was venting his irritation by cursing his teacher.
No, Graph didn’t care who Phîi Pakin cursed. But being called both dim-witted and foolish in front of dozens of students was what was most hurtful.
“Khrap,” Graph gritted out through his teeth.
All the listener could do was accept the answer. “Then tell your Phîi that parking here is not allowed. Today I’ll make an exception, seeing that you’re injured from a bike accident. But if you want to park here, arrange a time properly, park and then leave immediately. Understand?” The teacher spoke rapidly like a machine gun, to which the person responded.
“Get in the car. Wasted enough time coming here.” While Pakin also said in a strong voice, the listener wanted to retort. But because the eyes of everyone in the school were staring, he walked to get in the car with a displeased demeanor.
Slam
“Slow!” And the car owner said immediately after closing the door.
“I’m slow. And does Phîi have the right to scold me in front of the whole school?”
“If you don’t want to be scolded, don’t try to negotiate so dim-wittedly like this again later.” Pakin said curtly, not hiding his displeasure at having to come pick him up. The hood ornament statue took a deep breath, turned to retort with a somewhat superior demeanor.
Even though he knew he couldn’t win.
“Phîi can scold me as you please. Anyway, Phîi has the duty to take me to treat my wounds until they heal!”
The demeanor made Pakin turn to meet his eyes, smiling coldly.
“This time, I’m doing as your Phô asked. Just don’t expect there to be a next time.”
Having said that, Pakin turned to shift gears to drive the beautiful car away from the school entrance, with the gaze of the person next to him glancing over, then turning back to look out the window.
Phîi can say whatever. I’ll always do everything to make sure there is a next time.
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