Content Warning: This work is intended for mature (NC17) audiences. If you are younger, please kindly leave this site.
~~~
“So that means the bad situation has turned good, right?”
“I don’t know how long it will stay good.”
“It doesn’t seem difficult at all. Graphic just behaves well, isn’t defiant, doesn’t argue, becomes a good youth for Pakin... I guarantee he can handle it.”
Krittitee would also like to be optimistic like his close friend. However, what he had experienced over the past several months told him not to be trusting. A good situation that happened at noon might turn bad by evening. Therefore, what the young man recited to himself was that he had to be more calm, must not cause trouble, but to not argue at all... was difficult.
Someone like that Graphic couldn’t keep his mouth shut very well.
“Who can handle someone like that? I almost died.”
“Almost died from taking care of him in bed?” Janjao asked.
Thud
The young man’s face heated up a little as Janjao tilted her head left and right, even moving closer, until he had to turn his face away. He couldn’t help wondering if he had made the right or wrong decision to tell his close friend everything... Yes, it included the story of being scolded, being punished, and ending up in bed.
As they said, he had no one to vent to. He only had Janjao and Win, whom he could tell.
“Janjao, do you realize you’re a young woman?”
“Oh dear, whether male or female, we are equal, Khun-chai Graphic. Although this one was born female, I am a female who enjoys the intimate affairs of virile men. Therefore, whether it’s matters on the table, on the bed, on the balcony, or on the rooftop, this one openly expresses curiosity at all times, ja.” The fujoshi said proudly, but the listener frankly said... he was embarrassed for her.
“Can you not talk like that? It gives me goosebumps.”
“My, Graphic, last night I was reading historical novels, right? But... ”
“Didn’t you say you have a meeting at noon?” But before the fujoshi could ask something more embarrassing, the handsome youth interjected just in time, making the listener pause and then make a deflated face no different from a balloon losing air.
“I want to hear more.”
“Then you’re not going to the meeting?”
“I have to go to the meeting. How can I skip it? Sighhhhh. I really didn’t want to be a class committee member. Alright, I’ll go then. Don’t skip class this afternoon. See you in the classroom.” With that, the pretty girl could only drag her feet away, looking extremely reluctant. Well, of course, with exciting stories waiting right in front of her, how could she not listen more?
Now Graphic was even cuter; teasing him a little made him look shy. He was really tempting to grab and...
The thought made the person unable to stop laughing. No, she didn’t think dishonorably about wanting to grab her friend and push him down. But she then thought further, if another man saw her friend’s face, would he be able to resist not throwing him down on the bed?
Graphic was adorable to death. Anyone who argues, come fight me!
While the close friend had left, the one left alone by the football field secretly sighed.
How embarrassed was I when I told Janjao these stories!
Graphic thought while raising his hand to rub his face vigorously, trying to adjust the scorchingly hot expression, unrelated to the blazing sunlight, back to normal. The normal for this young man was... a still face, as if indifferent to everyone.
“Hey, Graphic!”
“Where, where?! It’s true! He’s handsome today too.”
“Right? What a complete package of a man. You know he’s from a famous family, right?”
“I know! Handsome, rich, and totally bad.”
The appearance that attracted attention from both younger students, classmates, and final-year seniors, who were whispering not far away, to the point where the one being gossiped about could hear it and had to turn his face towards the football field, not making eye contact with anyone. Not because he was totally bad as they said, but because he didn’t know what expression to make when becoming the target of stares.
Finally, with no protective shield like Janjao, the totally bad (?) young man grabbed his bag and walked away to the side of the field, intending to find a quiet place before the afternoon period, which was none other than... the nursery greenhouse behind.
And it went as expected.
“Hey, that shit-lizard, it’s so funny. What a crazy dog.”
“Right? You guys, it’s so dim-witted.”
His close friends from another class were still sitting together in that area, to the point that just stepping closer, he could hear their loud, boisterous laughter.
“What are you guys talking about? Your voices are so loud they’re leaking outside.”
“Hey, that Graphic, that handsome guy is here, everyone!” Âi Gok, the little one who was snatching the phone from another friend’s hand, called out immediately, making them, who were sitting sprawled reading comics, turn to look and greet him.
“Don’t act like I’ve been gone for long.”
“Oh ho, you still dare to say that, you Graphic? I haven’t seen your face in days. Thought your Mâe ordered you to stop hanging out with us.” The big friend next to him said cheekily, while making space for the newcomer. The young man threw his bag into the center of the circle before sitting down, feeling much more at ease.
Whoever says this group of friends is no good, whatever. I feel comfortable here.
“Mâe? What does my Mâe have to do with it?” Graphic was confused, of course; his Mâe had never cared for him. His little friend laughed loudly.
“He means Janjao, man. Your head-Mia. Last time she helped us not get called by the student council. Damn, for someone so small, she’s terrifying. She acted like she was going to hit us over the head with her bag.”
“Âi Gok was the first to hide behind someone. I don’t want to snitch.” They laughed loudly, making the listener frown slightly.
“Don’t let Janjao hear you call her that.”
“Ooh, I’m not brave enough. I’m afraid of getting hit on the head with a chemistry textbook.”
While the young lady was absent, each of them teased cheekily, which Graphic knew they didn’t mean seriously; it was more for fun. The young man intended to take out his phone to play a game to kill time, if not for...
“Want a feed?”
Thud
The listener froze upon seeing what his friend offered him... a cigarette.
If it were before, he would have taken it and smoked without a second thought. But now, Graphic could only look at it motionlessly while his friend nudged his arm as if asking if he wanted it or not. Finally,
“No, I’m being a good youth these days.”
Graphic refused, pushing the arm back. He thought of another person who smoked but forbade him from smoking. Furthermore, his other close friend would probably be very angry that despite being forbidden repeatedly, he still got involved with these things. That made them laugh uproariously, saying jokingly,
“Afraid of Mâe again, huh?”
“Don’t call Janjao that.”
“Hey, guys, this handsome guy is totally whipped. He looks so tough, but he chooses to believe a tiny young woman.” That big friend of his said loudly, and that made the one trying to stay calm frown sharply.
“What did you say?!”
The young man turned to glare fiercely. It wasn’t because he was teased and lost face for being afraid of a tiny young woman, but he disliked the tone used to refer to Janjao. He even made a move to rush over and confront him, making the other party also turn to stare back, equally defiant.
“Hey, come on, you’re overreacting... come on, Graphic, look at my dog, it’s much better for your mood.” The little friend who always mediated quickly stepped in with his shoulder to stop the fight, making the big-built friend grumble under his breath, but he went back to paying attention to the comic in his hand, indicating that he didn’t really want trouble despite his big talk. Meanwhile, Graphic stared motionlessly for a moment before pulling his gaze towards Gok.
“What dog?” Graphic asked just to let his sulky mood fade, but the other person proudly presented it, immediately handing over his phone.
“This is Moo, my dog!”
Graphic looked down before exclaiming,
“Handsome, man!”
For the image on the screen showed a Siberian Husky puppy, its gray fur looking soft and fluffy, huggable, not to mention its wolf-like northern face with those bright blue eyes. The one in a bad mood could only say one thing... this dog is damned-animal handsome.
“His name is Moomoo. I just got him.”
“With a face that handsome, you named him Moomoo? Are you kidding me?” As soon as he objected, his good friend immediately snatched the phone back.
“Ouch, don’t just look at the face. Siberians are dim-wit dogs. Look, look, it’s so tingtong!” He shoved the device into his hands again, revealing it was a video clip. Graphic didn’t hesitate to press play. The still image was handsome, but the moving image... this puppy was even handsomer by a factor. But...
Moo, ice cream, ice cream... here, look left.
Graphic heard his friend’s voice coming from the phone, which he could guess was the one holding it.
An brightly-colored ice cream bar waved in front of the puppy... the one with perked ears, shiny eyes, wagging tail, running patter-patter to his feet, looking at the ice cream with eager eyes, while Gok moved his hand to the left, and it looked left.
'Here, turn right.' To the right.
It really turned right, just as the ice cream bar waved to the right, it looked right, tongue hanging out, drooling. When he waved left, it panted heavily, drooling even more.
“Here, spin.” To spin.
“Hahaha! Oi, you dim-wit dog!”
That was it, Graphic laughed loudly, the hand holding the phone shaking immediately. The handsome one on the screen really ran spinning around itself, like a cat chasing its tail, but this one was chasing the ice cream in a circle around itself, until panting heavily, while the teaser didn’t stop, running away with the object in hand, it chased after, and then panted heavily, looking with pleading, droopy eyes as if to say... you’re not really going to let me have a bite, are you?
That’s it, the heartless dog owner finally placed the almost half-melted ice cream at its feet.
“Right? So dim-witted. At first I intended to name him Wolverine, like damned-animal handsome. After seeing him run chasing his own tail once, I almost didn’t have time to change the name. Wolveron, Wolverine, whatever, forget it. The name Moomoo is it.”
“Hey, let me watch it again.” Graphic said with a laugh, opening the clip to watch another round. The dog owner himself was probably quite proud, as he kept playing clips of his dog for him to see, enjoying it so much he almost missed the afternoon period, if not for his close friend calling to follow up, even though the image of the puppy chasing the ice cream was still imprinted on his mind.
I want one like this.
The thought made Graphic grimace immediately.
You’re daydreaming, that Graphic. Someone like Pakin would never allow it.
Pakin looked at his mobile phone for the third time, finding that it was almost four o’clock. But the defiant youth, whom he had strictly ordered to call and report when leaving school, was still silent as a cloud, until his eyebrows began to knit together. The eyes that should have been looking at the documents left over since yesterday turned back to look at the screen again.
Did he already break the rule on the first day?
Whoosh
The thought made the young man unlock the screen, entering the application specifically set for tracking the troublemaker, and found that it was still within the school area. He almost called the driver he had sent to pick him up to ask if he hadn’t come out yet, right? Not that he was missing, or that he had thrown the device in the classroom.
It wasn’t that he was paranoid, he just wanted to be as thorough as possible... this was the first day the youth had left the house since the incident.
“Graphic hasn’t finished school yet, Khrap.”
But the one who had just hung up from a call with an American investor’s secretary turned and said calmly, making him look up to meet his eyes.
“The other party requested to postpone the appointment today, Khrap. They asked for tomorrow at noon instead.” Panchai reported to his employer, but that wasn’t what Pakin wanted to know. He wanted to know something else.
“He hasn’t finished school?”
“Khrap. Today Graphic finishes at four-thirty, Khrap. The last subject is social studies.”
“Why so late?” The one who knew almost nothing about the other youth’s affairs asked in a puzzled tone, since when he was in high school, he never finished after four o’clock.
The one who knew the young man’s schedule well continued, “Graphic is in the science track, Khrap. His schedule is tighter than other tracks. Mostly he finishes around four, almost five. Only on days when others have military training, Graphic will only have classes until noon, which is tomorrow.” Panchai reported what he knew, as it was his duty to know everything about his employer, not just Pakin and Graphic, but also including the work schedule of the other young model.
Then he added, “I will send Graphic’s class schedule to your phone, Khrap.”
If it were any other time, this man would have said it wasn’t necessary. But this time, “Hmm, send it.” After saying that, he lowered his head to sign the last document, then stood up.
“Where are you going, Khrap?” The one who worked from dawn to dusk as a punishment for letting Graphic get caught quickly asked. The listener paused for a moment before shrugging, grabbing his suit jacket to drape casually over his shoulder.
“Call the driver and tell him not to wait. I’ll go myself... I’ll come back again at eight.”
That alone made the close aide stand stunned, could only watch his employer disappear from the room. How could he not understand... telling the driver to go back, the employer would pick up Graphic himself.
Even though Pakin said this was for safety, it was concern... more than ever before.
***
It can’t be! It can’t be! It can’t be!!!
This was what was in Krittitee’s mind. As soon as the school bell rang, he grabbed his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and then exerted himself to run down from the fifth floor, not caring about anyone’s looks, not caring about the teacher’s voice yelling not to run in the hallway. Because when his close friend whispered, inviting him to go get something to eat before going home together, his phone vibrated, and it displayed just a short message.
Waiting in front of the school...
"Wahhh!"
“Sorry, I’m in a hurry!” That made his two legs propel himself down to the lower floor even faster. But it wasn’t fast enough, so he had to grab the railing firmly, slide down the edge of the stairs, and jump over the curved corner, making a senior who was blocking the way shriek. But the young man didn’t care, just raised one hand in a gesture of apology. As soon as both feet landed on the ground floor... he sprinted.
Pakin really came to pick me up? I’m definitely not dreaming.
The same man whom he had to threaten with his Phô’s name to get him to pick him up and take him to the hospital, the one who acted annoyed every time he had to pick him up, but this time came by himself. How could the young man’s heart not leap with joy? Even though he was panting heavily, his lips spread into a wide smile, his two eyes scanning for the luxury vehicle, which wasn’t hard at all.
Not only was the vehicle not hard to find, but the large man leaning against the vehicle, with a cigarette held in his hand, was the one who stood out more than anyone.
The one who turned to make eye contact, then threw the cigarette to the ground, crushing it with the tip of his shoe, then walked over to him.
“How did you get here?!”
Of course Graphic had to ask, while looking at the sharp, handsome face that remained calm. But...
“Give me the bag.” The one who pulled the bag strap off his shoulder, making him take it off. He watched the person take it, then turn back to the luxury vehicle.
Thud
Graphic hadn’t expected Pakin to be gentle with his bag anyway, as it was thrown onto the back seat as expected, before the vehicle owner stepped over to the driver’s side, making him quickly step over to the passenger side, turning to look with a puzzled expression that clearly held disbelief.
“You came to pick me up?!”
“Do you see me as someone else?”
“No, but you came to pick... picked me up yourself.” Graphic didn’t know what else to say. He was just excited, making the driver smile at the corner of his mouth.
“Did you run here in a hurry?”
“Yeah, I came down from the fifth floor. If it wasn’t for the teacher, I couldn’t use the elevator, so I ran down.” The speaker said while wiping sweat from his forehead. Then, something inspired Pakin to ask,
“Was school fun?”
“Huh? No, I don’t like studying. I’m sleepy and bored, especially the last period. I was about to fall asleep. The teacher rambled about something, I couldn’t understand. Anyway, near exams, Janjao picks out the test topics for me to read anyway, so I didn’t listen.” The young man said that, in a way that Pakin “tried” not to pay attention to the name of the young woman dragged into the conversation.
“But why did you come to pick me up?” Graphic circled back to the original topic, making the listener just shrug.
“Work finished early. Plus, I happened to be passing by this area.”
Even though he wanted to know what work, the young man didn’t dare ask more, just smiled widely, unable to hide how happy he was. Then he reached out, intending to turn on the music.
“Can I turn it on?”
“Hmm.”
This time the vehicle owner nodded indulgently, letting the sound from the high-quality audio system resonate throughout the vehicle. Even though there wasn’t much more conversation, just the other agreeing to pick him up, and keeping the promise to go home to have dinner together, made the one who had never experienced this feeling the happiest.
My Phô hardly ever picked me up from school.
The thought of the person who placed his phone on his lap. As soon as they reached the front of the large mansion, Graphic grabbed his bag from the back seat, opened the door, and ran quickly into the house, making Pakin shake his head, preparing to drive the vehicle to park in the garage behind, which everyone liked to call his personal showroom. However...
Briiiiiiiig!
The phone rang first. Just pulling it up to look “Forget something?” The name of the troublesome youth calling in made Pakin frown, wondering what nonsense he was calling about when he had just run into the house a moment ago. Then the young man had to freeze in astonishment because...
[I’m calling to tell you... I’ve arrived home now, Pakin.]
After saying that, he hung up immediately, making the listener just hold the phone motionless. Then Pakin...
Laughed... quite loudly.
Is he acting like a good youth or being an annoying fucker?
“Whatever. As long as he’s willing to behave well, it’s somewhat worth the trouble of driving to pick him up.”
Who said he happened to be passing by because of work... he had to fight through almost forty minutes of traffic to get there.
Having a meal together might be normal for other families, but he couldn’t remember the last time the whole family ate together for Krittitee. So, after changing into home clothes and walking into the dining room to find the young model on the phone and the homeowner slouching at the head of the table, his handsome, roguish face, as his friends said, was twitching.
He wanted to smile, but was afraid someone would think he was crazy.
“Graphic is here. Sit down, please. Don’t wait to eat, or it’ll get cold.” Meanwhile, the head housekeeper stepped in, smiling faintly, pushing his shoulder lightly to make the one standing frozen in the doorframe walk to his usual seat.
“Everyone is together today. This old woman is so happy.” Aunt Kaew whispered softly, making the person who was holding back a smile finally break into a wide smile.
Today is the first day eating together with both Pakin and Win.
“Please send the details to my email. I’ll look at it first, and then we can talk next time... Goodbye.” Win said as a final sentence before lowering his hand. Then, the excessively handsome face turned to make eye contact, also raising a small smile.
“How was today, Graphic?”
“Same as usual, Win. Exams are coming up. The teachers just keep cramming content in; it doesn’t go into my head at all. Oh! Win, Win, have you ever had a dog?” Graphic slumped into his seat, saying in a bored tone before his eyes sparkled immediately when mentioning the subject he was currently interested in. What was it about?... Gok’s dog, of course.
“I had one when I was very young. Why?”
“What breed?” The young man asked further.
“I’m not sure. I was very young then... Kin, do you remember?” The listener thought quietly for a moment before shaking his head, then turned to ask his older cousin who was picking up his fork and spoon. That one also shook his head slowly.
“The owner doesn’t even remember. How would I remember?”
“Hmph, exactly. I don’t remember. Why?” The younger one just laughed, turning to the one who started the conversation, who was speaking so enthusiastically.
“My friend just got a dog. He showed me pictures. It’s a three-month-old Siberian, Win. But this big, so huggable. And so handsome, with bright blue eyes! Grayish-silver fur! Just from the picture, you could tell it’s so fluffy! And its personality is dim-witted too!!” The young man himself told the story with passion, making the listener raise an eyebrow slightly.
“Dim-witted? How?”
“It runs chasing an ice cream, Win!” After that, the story of Moomoo was told over the dining table. Meanwhile, the storyteller himself was visibly excited. The face that was often gloomy when alone was adorned with a wide smile. There was only one thing... his hands weren’t moving.
“It’s cute, right, Win?”
“It is quite cute.”
The two worldly cousins chatted back and forth happily, with the homeowner listening quietly.
Until, “If you want one, why not ask for it?”
Thud
Not only the listener froze, but even the head of the table visibly stiffened, then shot a fierce look at the one who suggested it.
A look that said... don’t cause trouble, will you? But since when did Win care?
“This house has never had any pets. Having a dog wouldn’t hurt.”
Of course, the young man’s gaze turned to look. The eyes that shone with excitement, after a moment, changed to uncertainty, before finally turning to resignation.
“I don’t want one.” Graphic’s words drew the gazes of both adults to look at him.
“I’m just a resident here. My own Phô didn’t allow me to have one. How could I ask to have one here?” Even though he wanted it with all his heart, Graphic could only say that much.
The handsome, roguish face gradually lost its smile because he had thought about it: even in his own home, his Phô didn’t want to invite trouble, so how could he throw trouble onto the head of the people in this house? Because in the end, that Graphic was just a resident.
The demeanor made the homeowner look motionless, then utter a single word.
“It’s good that you realize that.” Of course, the young model immediately frowned, displeased with what his older cousin said, even though everyone in the house knew where Graphic slept now and had... treated this youth like an outsider? What was the relationship with the homeowner? And he was even more displeased that the youth also... knew his place.
“For something this small, I can realize it, you know. I won’t ask... But can I ask to go play with it instead?” The young man turned with hope, making Pakin raise an eyebrow slightly, as if asking for details.
The one who wanted to play with the dog quickly continued, “Tomorrow I only have classes until noon. Can I go to my friend’s house?”
“Which friend?”
“A friend from school, Pakin.”
“Janjao?”
“No! Hey, I don’t only have one friend!” As soon as his close friend’s name was mentioned, Graphic complained a little, because it seemed whenever he said “friend,” everyone thought of only that one young woman. Then he hurriedly elaborated,
“A friend from another class, but we’ve been close since middle school. Before, I used to go drink at his house often. His Phô is nice, but his Mâe is strict. When his Mâe isn’t home, he can call friends to come drink. His Phô doesn’t forbid it. I learned to drink alcohol from his house. Sometimes I asked to sleep over too. It’s a bit loud, but better than being at my own house.” Graphic didn’t realize what he was saying. He only knew that when someone listened, he wanted to talk.
Meanwhile, the adult of the house clearly caught the tone... the loneliness of this youth.
It wasn’t just Pakin or Win; even the housekeeper or workers heard it clearly. No, they had seen him eating alone, the picture too... the young man sitting alone in the large dining room, with no one ever listening to how his daily life was, never knowing who he had as company. So, when someone talked to him, when someone asked, the youth told it so easily.
“So, can I go?” Then the hopeful eyes turned to look at the homeowner. Of course, this was the one who had to approve.
“Are you a child or what?” He almost complained what does that have to do with anything, but the large person said something else that made the one asking open his mouth slightly, if not for the large hand poking a sweet and sour prawn right to his lips.
“I don’t mind you talking, but eat at the same time. Here, open your mouth.”
As Pakin ordered, the one receiving the order inadvertently opened his mouth to receive the large prawn, chewing chomp-chomp, intending to swallow quickly and continue asking. But...
Wait a minute, just now...
Thud... Damn.
The young man felt like he heard a sizzling sound coming from both cheeks. His wide eyes opened even wider, looking at the person who turned back to continue eating as if nothing had happened. When he turned to look at Win...
You say something better than looking at me like that!
He immediately lowered his head to look at his plate of rice, because it wasn’t just him and Pakin, but it meant the whole house had seen it too. Meanwhile, the completely bowed-head posture of the argumentative youth elicited affectionate smiles from everyone, and even more affection when Pakin said “You can go, but I’m giving you until no later than five in the evening. There will be a vehicle to pick you up and drop you off, and you must follow my rules. Agreed?”
Snap
Suddenly, Pakin himself froze when the embarrassed youth looked up immediately. The face that was usually sullen or arguing fiercely was slowly lifting into a smile... bit by bit, and turned into a wide smile showing almost all his teeth.
“I can go?! I promise! Before leaving school, I’ll call you. When I arrive at his house, I’ll call you. I’ll even take a picture as proof. I can really go?!”
“Do you see me as someone who doesn’t keep my word?”
“Thank you, Pakin!!!” The youth who had been stuck at home for so long said happily. But before he could say anything more, the homeowner, who had finished his dinner quickly, stood up, making him look wonderingly.
“I have to go back to the company later. I don’t know what time I’ll be back tonight. You can go to sleep first.” The youth’s smile had already faded, at the moment when Phawit uttered a single sentence.
“If you’re so busy, why come back to eat at home?”
Thud
The cousin’s gaze looked knowing, making the listener of the question pause for a moment, not answering. But before walking out of the dining room, Pakin didn’t forget to press his hand down for a rough pat on the head.
“Don’t listen to Win too much.” The young man said only that, in a way that Win laughed in his throat, leaning on the dining table, tilting his head down a little with a meaningful expression, looking at the high school student’s face, which was visibly stunned, and then invitingly said... in a way that the person about to leave the room could hear.
“Want to sleep in my room tonight? If you want to know anything about Kin, I’ll tell you.”
And the one who had just been told not to listen to Win too much answered without hesitation.
“I’ll go!”
Of course, opportunities to hear stories about this house, the people here, and the one who went back to work were rare. Not seizing it would be foolish.
Meanwhile, Pakin could only roll his eyes, telling himself... I’ll have to finish up and come back quickly.
The dinner during which Graphic didn’t realize that the mere few minutes of eating time had made him smile more than in his own house all week. The family feeling he had never experienced, but now was slowly absorbing.
The dream of the little boy Krittitee was gradually becoming real in this house.
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