Content Warning: This work is intended for mature (NC17) audiences. If you are younger, please kindly leave this site.
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Science has proven that the period when people are most likely to remember their dreams is during REM sleep, when brain waves are highly active while sleeping. And Krittitee was currently in that period.
A dreamlike time.
The feeling was like floating among clouds, flying with a hovercar, making him want to reach out and touch it. He could feel his lips curving into a wide smile. Warmth suddenly enveloped him, making him want to stay in this feeling forever. However...
Whoosh
"Hey!"
Suddenly, the body floating level with the clouds plummeted to the ground below, making the young man cry out. He could only look down, but what he saw wasn't lush green land, but a large white mountain range arranged on a bright red surface. And in that second, Graphic knew that wasn't a mountain.
It was the teeth of a giant monster, its mouth open wide, revealing massive fangs. He tried to escape, but his body only fell faster, defying the laws of gravity.
The scene should have made him tremble with fear, but in reality, Graphic felt calmer than he thought. If he couldn't escape, then he didn't need to escape. He'd just let his body keep falling... and falling... And in the second before he fell into the mouth, the young man felt it in that moment.
It wasn't a monster... it was a dragon.
Hmm, a dragon... not bad.
The thought of someone feeling utterly drowsy and sleepy. He closed his eyes as his body plunged into the darkness. However...
"Wake up... "
"Wake up, Graphic."
"You're deafening, you damn dragon," the dreamer grumbled in his throat, still trying to turn his body away, annoyed by whatever sound was disturbing his rest. But it didn't make the person trying to wake him give up, because right now it wasn't just the feeling of having just fallen into a dragon's mouth. Graphic also felt a vibration like an earthquake. But...
"Two minutes."
"If you don't wake up, don't say I didn't warn you."
Warn about what? You stupid, foolish dragon. You sound just like Phîi Pakin. Always threatening. Yeah, he's so big and important, huh.
"Hee, no answer means you agree, right?"
Agree to what? And what's crawling on me...
"Hey!!!" Right then, the person who felt like an insect was crawling into his shirt—no, upon opening his eyes and looking down, he found the insect wasn't crawling into his shirt. The person worse than a dragon had unbuttoned his entire set of pajama buttons. He jolted upright, his drowsiness completely gone. He just jerked upright, sitting up straight, and asked in a (trying to be) curt voice.
"What the hell are you doing, Phîi?" It might have been sharper, more curt, if it weren't for the voice that came out both hoarse and slurred, sounding completely lacking in fierceness, combined with his bleary, squinting eyes that weren't fully awake, and his posture clutching his shirt like an innocent young woman, which made the person looking... laugh.
A low laugh that shook the listener's nerves, making him more alert than fully awake. He could only look at Pakin, who had clearly been awake for a while, wearing jeans and a dark, casual t-shirt that looked more relaxed than other days. His handsome, sharp face looked different from usual... His sharp eyes seemed more charming than ever.
It wasn't that Phîi Pakin was never charming, but this person usually looked at others with cold eyes that seemed scary, intimidating, easily irritated, annoyed by everything in his way, or so furious it was more frightening than heart-fluttering. But now, these sharp eyes were sparkling, dazzling, amused, overflowing with charm. No matter how dangerous they looked, believe that anyone looked at with such eyes would be ready to jump in and play with fire... The gaze of a man looking at someone he desires.
A gaze that made the young man break out in goosebumps. His cheeks were burning hot to a frightening degree. He also felt his limbs were clumsy. Especially when the person in front lifted the corner of his mouth into a smile.
"How to wake a lazy youth? I thought I'd have to use another method." And the tone of voice that came out... it wasn't irritated, wasn't annoyed. It was filled with amusement, fondness... and cunning artifice.
"Y-you don't need to wake me. I'm awake," Graphic stammered, looking at the person in front who just glanced at the clock and then moved to sit on the bed with him.
Of course, the young man, unaccustomed to this strange closeness, barely had time to move away. But the large man didn't mind, besides saying simply.
"Actually, I planned to wake you at nine, but I saw you didn't sleep well last night, and since it's a holiday, I let you sleep a bit more. It's ten now. Wake up and eat. You'll get gastritis and then come complaining again." If, if the tone Phîi Pakin used had been as annoyed as usual, Graphic would have argued vehemently. But because the tone held a slight weariness, a bit of amusement, and was indescribably pleasant to hear, all Krittitee could do was rub his face hard and try to look away because... he was embarrassed.
Not just embarrassed by his own condition, but embarrassed that the other party knew he hadn't slept last night.
The whole thing was because Phîi Pakin said he would give a reward. His brain kept ruminating on the other's words, both excited, worried, and restless, until he thought he really only fell asleep when dawn was nearly breaking. So Graphic was ashamed... very ashamed indeed.
But the person who was always ready to taunt until the youth was furious didn't say anything, besides turning to the bedside table. And that made the young man realize... breakfast had been served right to the bed!
Breakfast consisted of red velvet crepes, wrapped with cream cheese that looked soft and melting on the tongue, drizzled with dark chocolate sauce in parallel lines, accompanied by various fruits coated in a clear, sweet-looking sugar glaze. Beside the plate were both fragrant hot chocolate and orange juice that perfectly complemented the food.
Everything was on a silver tray that was now placed on Phîi Pakin's lap.
"Interested in some breakfast?" To top it off, the large man raised an eyebrow slightly in a teasing manner, making the listener press his lips together.
"You made this yourself?"
"You know, some things you don't need to ask. Just accept it, Graphic," Pakin said amusedly before using a fork to cut a thin piece of crepe and holding it up to his lips. The pair of sharp eyes almost coercively made the young man glance briefly, then decide to open his mouth.
Hey, it's delicious.
The breakfast looked sweet, but wasn't as sweet as expected. The soft, delicate texture of the crepe, the slight tang of the cream cheese, blended with the sweetness of the chocolate on top, followed by the slight tartness of the fruit that was indescribably refreshing. Of course, it was delicious beyond expectation. So much so that the young man, who didn't dislike sweet food (since his close female friend loved sweets with all her heart), inadvertently opened his mouth, ready to receive another bite.
He didn't get it. "Heh heh." The person watching laughed in his throat, making him snap his mouth shut, his face flushing hotly.
"Here." The person watching then pushed a new piece of crepe against his bright-colored lips. The sharp eyes were indescribably cunning. And that made the person being teased tremble all over.
Trembling from the action, the words, and the look.
Everything made Graphic lose the strength to even open his mouth to argue. He could only say in a weak voice.
"I don't want to eat anymore."
"Come on, one more bite." Ignoring him, he used the fork to tap the bright-colored lips again, until the recipient hesitated for a split second because he couldn't bear that gaze, and finally opened his mouth to accept it.
Really delicious.
The thought of the person chewing quickly, looking down at the silver tray on the other's lap.
"Phîi, give it here. I'll eat it myself... "
Whoosh
Before Graphic could even finish speaking, Pakin suddenly snatched in, using his warm tongue to lick the corner of his mouth, making his eyes fly wide open. His body stiffened instantly. He could only look at the close-up face that was licking off the smeared cream cheese. And at the moment their eyes met... Graphic felt like he was going to die.
The gaze looking at him made him tremble as if he had a fever. And he trembled so much it was like he was paralyzed when the tip of the tongue slipped into his mouth... It wasn't intensely hot, burning, fierce and bloody, or savage and wild, but... terrifyingly sweet.
A kiss where the large person came to share the cream cheese, which tasted sweeter than its original flavor. Not to mention teasing the tip of the young man's tongue, which inadvertently responded with naive reciprocity, merging together as one. By the time everything was swallowed down his throat, Pakin still didn't pull away. Besides savoring every last drop on the tip of his tongue, he kissed until the young man let out a strained moan, trembling slightly, gripping his arms tightly as if feeling like he was about to collapse, even though he was half-sitting, half-lying on the bed.
When the large young man finally pulled away, the delinquent youth was gone without a trace, leaving only a good-looking young man who was completely weakened, red all over his face and neck, his eyes watery, both hands holding his arms tightly. And his face grew even hotter when the deep voice whispered, even raising an eyebrow at him.
"A morning kiss like this isn't bad, is it?"
Bad! You're so bad for making me... tremble this much!!!!
Graphic could only roar in his heart, but externally he could do nothing besides take the tray and place it on his lap, lowering his head, not knowing what to do, only knowing that Phîi Pakin was laughing and getting off the bed.
The person who intended to make this youth know who he was playing with, and thought about teasing this brat a little more, but upon seeing the usually argumentative youth speechless, his body trembling as if caught off guard, he knew he should stop playing before his heart gave out and he died. But before leaving the room, leaving Graphic to gather his courage to face him for the rest of the day...
"Phîi Pakin!" The young man called out, making him turn to meet his eyes.
The person who pressed his lips together tightly before asking in a faint, fluttering voice.
"Phîi... how many times have you done this before?" The listener paused for a moment before lifting the corner of his mouth.
"What you should know isn't how many times I've done this, but... " Pakin paused for a moment before uttering the final words.
"Today, I did it for you alone."
He didn't deny that he had done this a few times before, maybe countable on one hand, but not never. But that wasn't something this brat should know. He should only know that today, at this moment, he was paying attention to him alone. That was enough.
Dazed. The action seemed to indicate that the one being indulged had won over the spoiled one in the battle of breakfast.
***
"Want to learn to drive?"
"Yeah, will you teach me?"
After the meal that nearly gave him a heart attack, Nai Krittitee had calmed his mind and heart, suppressing his shyness to face the person sitting watching a movie in the living room. Then he stated the desire he had thought over and over about during his shower.
Since today Phîi Pakin would indulge him, that means... he could ask for anything, right?
Graphic had tried to think of an activity they could do together. At first, he thought of playing games, but from staying at this house, Phîi Pakin had stopped playing games long ago. This person liked gambling on things with higher risk, more danger than button-mashing games. And the person who told himself he would be spoiled, but actually feared the other would get bored, so he looked for something they were both interested in.
Of course, that was vehicles. While it might seem superficially that Graphic could drive every type of vehicle, regardless of whether he was old enough for a license, in reality, Graphic could only ride motorcycles up to super bikes with powerful engines. As for vehicles... he had a chauffeur to drive him around.
"Ever driven before?"
"Once. But just played around with it because I'm more interested in big bikes." The listener nodded twice in response.
Driving isn't difficult, especially an automatic transmission. Just reverse, forward, and park. It's easier than peeling a banana and eating it. But someone who's never driven won't be able to judge distances. Everything requires practice, not just theory. Not even excluding someone with a background in riding super bikes big enough to run people over.
"I'll have someone bring a vehicle for you to try."
"Your car?" The listener's eyes widened. He knew, like everyone else, that the vehicles in the private showroom were Phîi Pakin's beloved children. And that made the person pressing the remote to turn off the TV laugh with a single "Heh," asking in return...
"You want to die or something?"
That made Graphic, who had just composed himself thinking he held the winning card, immediately falter.
"You said today you would indulge me."
Thud
The listener froze instantly. No, it might be said he turned to stone. Meanwhile, his sharp face clearly showed a serious expression, as if weighing heavily between breaking a promise and risking his beloved child's life, which was more serious for him. And this undecided expression made the young man, who had put on a smug face... feel ashamed.
"Almost all of my vehicles have paddle shift gears. Weren't you going to learn automatic?... Sigh, buying a new one would be easier than letting you try those. Which one do you want to try?" And he felt even more ashamed when the person who almost never looked troubled was making a face like he was being forced to eat bitter medicine.
Damn, it's not as funny as I thought. Phîi Pakin really makes it feel like a big deal.
"I was joking. Any automatic vehicle will do for me to try." So, the delinquent youth who was actually a good kid just changed his words, looking at the expression that improved significantly, then felt a bit more relieved, completely unaware that the large man secretly smiled slightly, as if he had already predicted how to make the youth relent. He just had never thought to do it before.
An action that, when actually tried, wasn't as bad as he thought.
Making this brat soften isn't difficult at all. I just never thought to do it before, that's all. And when he talks nicely, he's quite endearing too.
"Hey, you're so damn wicked."
"Where am I wicked?"
"You lied to me."
At this moment, after settling the vehicle matter, the young man was sitting in the cheapest vehicle of the house, whose value was still about twice what an ordinary person would use. Meanwhile, the passenger seat where the homeowner should be sitting was occupied by... . Mr. Panchai.
A necessary instructor summoned half an hour ago, while Pakin stood with his arms crossed outside the vehicle, leaning down to look at the youth arguing vehemently.
"You said you would teach me to drive."
"I haven't said a word. I only asked which vehicle you wanted to try." The listener wanted to make a face, but in reality, he couldn't argue back. He could only look at the person he had fallen for the trick completely, and use the decree that he only had the right to for today.
"But you said you would indulge me!" The stubborn, determined face insisting on getting his way was annoying, but it was equally amusing. The person who usually didn't give in simply sighed, placed a hand on the vehicle roof, and leaned down to meet the driver's eyes.
"You want me to indulge you, right?"
Steering wheel. "Yes," Graphic said loudly, making the listener sigh again, then nod towards it.
"Then if you let me teach you to drive, I would break my promise."
"Huh!?" The listener could only exclaim in confusion, looking at the sharp, witty face that shook its head slightly, making him feel like a fool. And that prompted the person sitting next to him to explain on behalf of his boss.
"You already know this, Khun Graphic. My boss is serious about vehicles. If you make a mistake, he'll have to scold you as a matter of course. He can't be gentle while teaching driving, which means risking lives on the road. Even Sai-fah has scolded you before, right?" The reason made the listener freeze instantly. He looked at the face of the person who wouldn't break his promise, and then... felt guilty.
Can't be too spoiled now.
The expression made Pakin ask one question.
"Understand now, right?"
"Mhm. Let Phîi Chai teach me then." And the delinquent youth, whom teachers and administrators almost gave up on, agreed easily, making the necessary instructor smile, turn to look at his boss, and then see something he had never seen before.
The young boss reached out to touch the dark hair of the young man and ruffled it gently.
"If Ai' Chai says you're a good student, I'll have a reward for you later."
Snap
"Really, Phîi?!" Meanwhile, Graphic turned sharply to look with delight, making the person who usually looked at him with an annoyed gaze... smile.
A smile Chai himself never thought he'd see.
"And this is a deposit."
And he was even more stunned when the boss leaned in to quickly kiss the stubborn youth, then pulled away, while the one being kissed just sat there stiffly, dumbfounded, could only look at the person who patted the vehicle roof lightly.
"Teach him well. Don't let him reverse into anything." Having said that, the speaker stepped back to stand with his arms crossed, waiting to watch the learner driver, making his subordinate want to shake his head vigorously.
Well then, sir. Dropping a bomb like this. It's a miracle Khun Graphic didn't stomp on the accelerator and crash into the wall.
The thought of the person who glanced sideways at the young man still gripping the steering wheel, frozen, and who jolted when he saw his gaze.
"Hey, what are you looking at, Phîi Chai? Watch the road!" Panchai followed the order, while letting out a slight smile because he saw it clearly... the delinquent youth was blushing.
Just when you thought you could handle it, you're completely at Khun Graphic's mercy, sir. Today, I wonder who is indulging whom.
[Are you coming out today?]
"Let me check the time first. After I put the youth to bed, I might go out."
[Youth? Which youth? You're not messing with my friend's youth, are you?]
"If that youth wanted to play, that would be great."
Pakin was standing close to the glass wall overlooking the front yard while talking to his personal mechanic. Then he had to laugh inwardly thinking of the youth Payu mentioned, who was completely different from the youth currently learning to drive.
[You know, Oat is furious with Shin, completely beside himself, since his Nong came to ask me for your address.]
The listener almost laughed at the weary tone of the person on the other end, recalling the time the Thai-Japanese mixed-race young man stormed into his house to take Janjao back. He had heard vague rumors that those two had argued about this.
The storyteller was none other... than Ai' Sai-fah.
"I've told him every time that I don't get involved with people who are taken."
[Well, if you look at Shin with that kind of gaze every time, if I were Oat, I'd be wary of you too. You're better than him in every way. It's natural for him to be afraid.]
Words that made Pakin shake his head slowly, because just thinking of the gaze of the person he wanted... he already knew it was impossible.
That brat is wicked. Wicked in a way that just looking into his eyes, you know how he'll handle the other person. But the wicked brat he wanted, how that person looked at Ai' Oat, everyone could see.
He looked at him in a way that made it clear one shouldn't waste time interfering between that couple. But just teasing for entertainment was fun.
The pending race conversation. "I should say he distrusts me more than he should," Pakin said before steering back to the matter.
"How is it, Khun Graphic? Your first driving lesson?" He realized it when he heard the head housekeeper's voice greeting the youth who was walking in.
"It was fun. At least I didn't crash into the house wall." Pakin turned to look at the speaker, who smiled with satisfaction at his own work, then looked at the face of his close subordinate who added, while meeting his eyes.
"Khun Graphic is skilled, sir. He remembers everything I teach him once. The rest is just about reversing and parking. He should be able to take the driver's license test right away." It was confirmation that today's student did well, deserving of the reward his boss had prepared for him.
"Then I'll call and tell you later." Pakin thus ended the call, before turning to look at the youth who was hesitating, as if wanting to rush over and tell him how well he did today, making him almost laugh out loud.
He heard that just the other day, he was still acting like an annoying fool.
"How was the driving lesson?"
"Very comfortable. Easier than riding a BMW." The one referred to was undoubtedly the super bike he had ordered to be left as scrap metal in Payu's workshop. Of course, the young man had no plans to return it anytime soon.
Whenever it was returned, a series of troubles would follow.
"That's good." So, the listener just shrugged, leaning back against the sofa cushions in a relaxed posture, looking with a gaze that said... and then what?
A posture that made the youth hoping for praise just stammer.
Of course, the person who should praise him still didn't speak, just looked at him silently, prompting the head housekeeper to add.
"Khun Graphic drives well, Khun Pakin. I sneaked a peek earlier, and this is his first time learning!"
"Mhm." The young man responded flatly and crossed his arms, giving the other supporter a chance to continue.
"Yes, Khun Graphic remembers everything he's taught. Whatever he's told not to do, he doesn't do again. Going out on the main road once or twice, he's already skilled."
"That's how it should be. Automatic transmission is easy anyway." Pakin remained silent, looking at his two close associates who turned to look at each other, then looked at him with pleading eyes, while the young man who wanted praise refused to say it directly, his face growing more and more sullen, his eyes looking displeased.
"Why are you looking at me like that? If you don't speak, I won't know what you want." Smart in every matter, but pretending to be stupid in some, he said that. And that made the listener pout.
"Who wants to look at someone like you? What's for lunch, Aunt Kaew? I'm hungry."
"There's Khanom Jeen Nam Ya. It's chicken curry, simmered until the chicken is tender and soft. I've been simmering it since morning." Graphic said in a sulky tone, pulling the head housekeeper's arm to go to the dining room, but not without shooting a sulky, displeased glance back before leaving, making the one who had to indulge him just stand up straight and follow, but with faster steps.
In just a few steps...
Thump
A large hand came down on his head, making the young man turn to look in surprise, letting the cruel-hearted person just press his head down gently.
"Good job."
A short phrase, but like a magic spell that transformed the sullen youth into one with a beaming smile. The displeased look in his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by clear joy, with both hands holding his own hair, stunned for a moment, before becoming aware of the gazes of the other two people in the house looking at him.
"What are you looking at? I'm hungry," Graphic stammered, then quickly followed the homeowner to the dining room, calling out to ask.
"And my reward?" A question the large man answered simply.
"You'll know tonight. Done being mad at me already?"
"I'm not mad!" As soon as he was accused of being mad, Krittitee retorted immediately, then fell silent just as quickly when the sharp eyes turned to look at him.
"Is that so? Not mad is good, so I won't have to coax."
It was the same look he had only ever seen when Phîi Pakin was teasing others... A teasing gaze that made his heart tremble stubbornly, damn it.
"I never said you had to coax me," Graphic mumbled, stopping walking, trying to dismiss the fact that he had just made the other party come to his friend's house to coax him a few days ago, while telling himself in his heart.
This isn't good, Janjao. Phîi Pakin is being nice. But me... my heart is trembling terribly. This isn't good for my heart at all.
The thought that immediately flew out of his head when the deep voice rang out.
"So, are you going to eat this Khanom Jeen Nam Ya or not? Are you walking or crawling?" The kind-hearted person who turned to ask with a provoking question, but stood waiting.
An action that made Graphic reiterate to himself.
Being indulged like this is good, but my heart might not be able to take it.
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