Content Warning: This work is intended for mature (NC17) audiences. If you are younger, please kindly leave this site.
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Private hospitals were inherently quieter than public ones, and a hospital with exorbitant fees further filtered its clientele. Yet, despite the sparse crowd, the young man seated on the plush leather cushion still felt irritated by the gazes directed at him.
Pakin might relish being the center of attention around which others revolved, but not this kind of scrutiny, as if he were awaiting the body of a deceased relative.
His impeccable black suit, from head to toe, was entirely out of place in this setting.
Truthfully, Pakin had no intention of coming, but he relented due to pity for the efforts of that damned nuisance youth in the treatment room.
“Heh,” Pakin uttered a sound in his throat. How could he not detect the deception? That stubborn youth would never utter such words of his own accord.
Please, I beg you… It comforts me… Each phrase spoken—who had forced him to say them?
These thoughts prompted Pakin to sacrifice his valuable time to see the irritating youth’s face. It was, admittedly, amusing to observe Graph, the son of a prominent politician, appearing as though he could neither swallow nor spit out his words. He likely did not realize that his expression while pleading resembled someone forced to swallow bitter medicine.
Pakin knew Graph had not spoken voluntarily and resolved to continue feigning ignorance.
What one should not know, Pakin would pretend not to know, as he always had.
“This is utterly annoying, Good Lord,” Pakin muttered under his breath. Although the situation had been amusing at the time, it paled in comparison to the time he wasted waiting for the youth undergoing treatment. Before Graph entered the treatment room…
“Phîi, please come inside with me,” Graph requested.
“Cease your daydreaming,” Pakin replied to the young man, causing his pale face to blanch further. Graph appeared ready to argue but managed to restrain himself.
The sight of someone eager to protest yet unable to do so was rather amusing.
“Why must I wait for him, bloody fucking hell?” The tall figure exhaled a long, deep sigh. As he reached into his suit pocket for a cigarette pack, the no-smoking sign on the wall prompted the already irritated young man to roll his eyes. He stood and turned toward another direction.
Pakin may have smoked heavily in his youth, but in recent years, he had reduced his habit to nearly nothing. Yet, whenever he dealt with this youth, he needed cigarettes to alleviate his stress.
Every encounter with Graph sparked adversity.
These thoughts occupied the young man as he walked to the designated smoking area. Before he could light up, however…
“Have you arrived, Khrap?” His trusted subordinate appeared in view. Panchai acknowledged the question, reaching into his own suit pocket to retrieve a lighter.
Click.
Panchai lit the flame and offered it to his superior.
This action drew the wide-eyed attention of several young female nurses, captivated by the sight of two handsome men in suits lighting a cigarette together. Unbeknownst to them, as Panchai leaned forward, he whispered softly.
“They are indeed following you, Khrap.”
“Heh, as I suspected,” Pakin responded with a faint smirk to the whispered report, standing upright and asking simply, “Which group?”
“It remains unclear, Khrap. My superior is so influential that I genuinely cannot tell whom we may have unintentionally crossed,” Panchai replied.
Snap.
“Do not provoke me, Âi Chai,” Pakin growled low in his throat as his subordinate retorted. Given Panchai’s calm demeanor, no one would suspect he was subtly referencing an incident from nights prior.
“Stop siding with that youth.”
“I am not siding with him, Khrap. I merely pity Khun Graph. After all, he is only eighteen,” the fierce-faced man said politely, prompting Pakin to cast a sharp glance before his lips curved into a wicked smile.
“Then shall I relinquish him to you?”
Thud.
Panchai fell silent, staring at his young boss in disbelief. He realized Pakin was not jesting in the slightest. This man had no intention of acknowledging the young man’s efforts over the years.
Panchai had worked with Pakin for nearly four years but had known him longer. He understood that this man spoke and acted with conviction, never retracting a decision once made. From Pakin’s gaze and tone, it was evident that no matter how much effort Khun Graph exerted, Pakin would continue to ignore it.
This realization stirred considerable pity for the youth.
“Khun Pakin should know that Khun Graph…”
“Phîi Pakin!”
Before the fierce-faced subordinate could say more, the subject of their discussion called out from the far end of the corridor. The slender figure, fresh from treatment, hurriedly approached, eyes wide with extreme apprehension.
“How did you end up here? You said you would wait for me!” Graph exclaimed, his voice thick, though both observers clearly sensed his fear.
“Are you a five-year-old unable to stray from his guardian?” Pakin remarked wearily, prompting the young man to retort.
“I thought you…”
“You thought what?” Pakin fixed his gaze on the youth attempting to argue, who promptly fell silent. This caused Krittithee to turn his face aside, appearing uneasy about speaking.
Yet, under the weight of Pakin’s stare, a trembling voice emerged. “I thought you would abandon me as you did yesterday.”
Both listeners fell silent, observing the boastful youth, who typically acted tough, now speaking with dejection. His eyes were fixed on the floor, shoulders hunched as if recalling yesterday’s harsh events, deepening Panchai’s pity. But as for Pakin…
“I intended to, but you emerged just in time.”
“You cannot do that! You promised to take me to the hospital!” Pakin’s cold tone made Graph look up instantly, his voice rising in displeasure. He feared that had he been a moment later, the man he wished to accompany him might have left him behind again.
Pakin merely glanced at him, then turned to his trusted subordinate.
“Escort this youth home.”
“I am not a youth anymore, Phîi! I am eighteen!” Despite Graph’s protest, Pakin regarded him silently, then turned away, preparing to extinguish his cigarette. But…
Grab.
Gasp.
“Cough, cough, cough!” The youth accused of being childish swiftly seized Pakin’s hand and leaned in to inhale a lungful of smoke, intending to prove he was no longer a youth, at least capable of smoking. Yet, the cigarette’s potency, unlike those he had tried with friends, caused him to choke loudly. The cigarette’s owner smirked mockingly.
“Boastful fool!”
The brief remark nearly choked Graph, who could only cough until his face reddened, eyes brimming with tears yet gleaming with indignation.
Pakin simply crushed the cigarette butt.
“I shall make this clear: even if you smoke until you perish from lung cancer, you will remain a mere annoying youth in my eyes.”
After Pakin’s words, no response came from Graph, who stood still, covering his mouth and nose, eyes widening in disbelief.
Are you saying that even if I die, you would not care? Why are you so heartless? Why? I only wish for you to notice me.
Graph’s frozen stance prompted Pakin to instruct his subordinate, “Escort him home. I am already late.” He did not even glance at the youth, still coughing and sputtering. Panchai could only comply, casting a deeply concerned look at Graph.
Having spoken, Pakin turned and departed without waiting for the young man to recover. Graph clenched his fists, yearning to lash out in frustration. His close friend’s words flashed in his mind.
When he takes you home, do not forget to kiss him in thanks.
A thank-you kiss was unthinkable; they could not even converse civilly for five minutes!
Crash!
This thought drove Graph to kick a trash can with a loud crash, seeking to vent his anger.
“Indeed, I am just a youth, bloody fucking shit-lizard!” In the end, Graph could only curse himself, roughly raking his hands through his hair to release his frustration. Panchai, observing, sighed and offered comfort.
“Khun Pakin merely wished to prevent you from smoking, Khun Graph. That cigarette was not… ordinary.”
“Heh, Phîi Pakin? He only sought a reason to berate me,” Graph retorted.
“Trust me, Khun Pakin does care for you, Khrap.”
“Do not defend him! Phîi Pakin care for me? I would sooner believe a dog could birth a buffalo!” Graph countered, utterly disbelieving. Panchai, persisting in his kind tone, continued.
“Yet, at the very least, Khun Pakin agreed to come when you pleaded, Khrap.”
Thud.
Once more, Graph stood motionless, gazing into Panchai’s eyes, finding a faint smile that inexplicably calmed him. He reflected on the evening’s events.
Phîi Pakin had come at my request.
"Graph, behave well, and he will cherish you greatly."
“Very well!”
“I shall return shortly, Phîi Chai.” Having made a decision, the freshly treated young man sprinted at full speed, not toward the parking lot but to the parking payment booth, certain that the man who brought him would not wait. As expected, the luxury car bearing a trident emblem soon approached.
Screech!
Graph leapt to block the car’s path, arms outstretched, causing the driver to brake just in time.
A brief silence ensued. The car window lowered, revealing the driver’s furious expression.
“Do you seek death, you damned troublemaker?” Pakin shouted without restraint. Graph, unwilling to linger for further reprimands, acted swiftly.
Grab.
Smack.
Graph lunged, seizing the larger man’s collar and pulling with all his might. Yet, he did not intend to punch or kick Phîi Pakin to relieve stress. Instead, he drew him close to press his nose briefly against his cheek, then spoke rapidly.
“Thank you for taking me to the hospital, Khrap. Do not forget to retrieve me tomorrow!”
Having spoken, the bold youth released Pakin and fled back into the hospital like a startled deer, leaving the authoritative man frozen, as if encountering the most bizarre event of his life.
What had that youth just said?
Pakin turned, seeing only Graph’s fleeting back vanishing into the hospital, without the usual persistence. His large hand touched his cheek, and he muttered, “Has he lost his mind from a motorcycle accident?”
He spoke thus, driving off before the car behind honked. Yet, if anyone thought Pakin would smile fondly or soften, they were mistaken. He glanced into the rearview mirror, noting a car trailing closely, his eyes gleaming sharply.
If they targeted him, so be it. But if they pursued that youth, a multitude of troubles would follow.
***
“Graph, how was yesterday? Tell me!”
“It was… as usual.”
“Then it went splendidly!”
Upon hearing Graph’s response, Janjao exclaimed with excitement, clasping her hands and clapping them vigorously in satisfaction, recalling recent days.
Initially, the young woman feared her friend had been killed by his Phîi and discarded in a drain. Yet, Graph arrived at school dazed. When pressed, she learned he had followed her advice: Graph had kissed Phîi Pakin on the cheek!
This thought nearly prompted a squeal of ecstatic delight, but Graph’s unusual silence restrained her. Remarkably, that evening, Pakin came to retrieve Graph, surprising him as no defiance or complaints were needed—Pakin came of his own accord.
This led the ponytailed young woman to imagine, in her romanticized yaoi style, that Phîi Pakin must have succumbed to Graph’s charm.
Thus, the next day, she inquired again, receiving the reply…
“He picked me up and brought me home effortlessly, without a single rebuke.”
“I believe he must be considering something about you. Otherwise, he would not alter his attitude toward you,” Janjao said, elated for her friend. She noted that since the cheek kiss outside the hospital, Phîi Pakin not only escorted Graph for treatment but refrained from scolding or reprimanding, merely stating calmly…
“Do not be defiant today. I have business to think about.”
These words led Janjao to conclude that Pakin was surely contemplating her friend.
“I do not know, truly. It feels odd,” Graph replied, shaking his head, devoid of the joy Janjao hoped for. Though Phîi Pakin had changed his demeanor, he was excessively… silent.
Back then, when Pakin mentioned having matters to think about, was it truly about him?
Initially, Graph was pleased, swayed by Janjao. Yet, as days neared a week, he felt… Bloody fucking hell, it is not right.
“Odd? How so?” Janjao asked, perplexed, her mind steeped in boy-love narratives.
He changed after I kissed his cheek. That means it is progressing well. I acted endearing, so his heart must be racing.
Yet, Krittithee furrowed his brow, unable to answer her question.
“I cannot say. It simply feels strange, as if… it is not Phîi Pakin.”
“Are you overthinking, Graph?” Janjao tried to reassure him. The youth, sensing the oddity, shook his head and pursed his lips.
“My only concern now is that my excuses are exhausted. Today is my final treatment appointment, and I am grounded for three more weeks. I have no excuse to see him,” Graph said. Janjao recalled that Pakin had promised Graph’s father to escort him to the hospital until recovery. Now, with the wound healed and the final appointment scheduled…
“Perhaps you could find a reason to visit the racetrack again?”
“I am grounded,” Graph replied, pursing his lips further. “Heh, bloody fucking Phô.”
Whap.
“Speak properly. Do not insult parents,” Janjao scolded, striking his arm. The reprimanded youth turned away, uninterested in a lengthy sermon.
Janjao, the slender figure, shifted the topic.
“Did you not say Phîi Pakin promised to teach you to ride a motorcycle?”
“A superbike, not a motorcycle,” Graph corrected swiftly, prompting Janjao, who disapproved of any metal-clad vehicles, to wrinkle her nose but refrain from arguing.
“Regardless, he made the promise, did he not?” Krittithee fell silent, thinking… Bloody fucking hell, it will be difficult again.
Before I achieve my goal, will Phîi Pakin berate me to tears again?
***
“I shall wait here.”
Utterly bizarre.
Graph could not suppress his profound astonishment. The large man in casual attire—trousers and a dark shirt—merely nodded toward the treatment room, then sank onto the sofa, retrieving his mobile phone, signaling he would wait there.
It should have been a positive sign, as Janjao suggested. Yet, the youth, previously scolded to the point of being told to die, could not shake the feeling that it was not.
Abnormally courteous.
Graph pondered this as he entered the treatment room, his mind grappling with what madness had occurred. Could a mere thank-you kiss on the cheek transform someone so irritated they seemed ready to abandon him on the road into someone who spoke courteously, retrieved him properly, and delivered him home properly?
These thoughts lingered as Graph exited the room, gazing at the tall, commanding figure. Even seated, leaning back on the sofa, casually using his phone with one hand, Pakin exuded an odd authority. His handsomeness drew the wide-eyed stares of young women. Yet, Graph noticed one thing: Phîi Pakin was tense.
Truly? Does someone like him experience stress?
Graph questioned himself but genuinely sensed that, despite being with him, Pakin was preoccupied. Whenever free, he pulled out his phone, as if contacting someone, but the atmosphere felt too oppressive for romantic matters. This led Graph to diverge from Janjao’s view: Phîi Pakin’s restraint from scolding was not due to his charm but because he had more pressing concerns than Graph’s presence.
“Who are you speaking with?” Graph asked. The man scrolling his phone glanced briefly, then pocketed it.
“If you are finished, let's go back,” Pakin replied, evading the question, causing Graph to frown sharply.
“Were you speaking with Phîi Chai?” Work matters likely involved him.
“Perhaps,” Pakin shrugged, his response ambiguous. He led the way to the parking lot, leaving Graph increasingly perplexed.
“Do you, of all people, have work troubles?” Graph mocked. Pakin glanced sideways but, instead of rebuking him to mind his own affairs, replied simply.
“Perhaps.”
What in bloody fucking hell?
This thought made Graph grimace, as Pakin’s responses seemed perfunctory. Yet, he clenched his fist, suppressing his irritation, and followed to the luxury car. He nearly spoke again, but Pakin preempted him.
“Remain silent. I have matters to consider.”
Consider all week, bloody fucking hell. May your head burst from thinking.
Graph pursed his lips, crossed his arms, and stared out the window as the sports car departed the hospital.
“Ugh!”
Snap.
A soft curse prompted Graph to turn swiftly. He nearly retorted, but noticed Pakin’s gaze was not on him but on the rearview mirror.
Graph turned to look, seeing only the multitude of cars on the rush-hour road. He faced the driver again.
“Fasten your seatbelt!”
“Hey!”
Graph, yet to secure his seatbelt, exclaimed in alarm as the luxury car suddenly accelerated, nearly causing him to collide with the dashboard. He hurriedly grabbed the seatbelt, fearing the reckless man beside him, who abruptly stomped the accelerator. Swerving left and right, Pakin seemed fearless of consequences.
“What are you doing, Phîi?” Graph protested. The driver, focused on navigating the congested traffic with daring maneuvers, offered no response.
Soon, the luxury car entered the grand mansion, leaving Graph, the homeowner’s son, gripping the seatbelt tightly.
“You have arrived. Get out.”
“After you nearly crashed me into a pickup truck, is that all you say?” Graph complained softly, his heart racing from the earlier driving. Pakin merely turned to look, then…
Pakin’s large hand reached forward, causing Graph’s eyes to widen, his heart pounding as he mistakenly thought Phîi Pakin might reciprocate his earlier action. But…
Click.
“There, I have opened the door. Exit, Khun-chai Krittithee.”
Graph, frozen, stood agape, staring in disbelief at the man urging him out. He retorted instantly.
“Is this why you nearly veered off the road? You are so irritated with me that you wish to eject me swiftly?” Graph said, deeply hurt, his gaze filled with anger and displeasure, though inwardly he felt sorrow.
“Indeed, get out quickly so that I can be done with you,” Pakin replied without offering hope, speaking flatly. Graph gritted his teeth, recalling Janjao’s words.
You cannot escape me, Phîi. Do not forget your promise to teach me something.
“You cannot escape me, Phîi. You promised to teach me,” Graph declared stubbornly, bracing for harsh words. Yet, an astonishing response followed.
“I am not so old as to forget my own words. Meet me at the track this Saturday.”
“You mean…”
“A man like me honors his word. Now exit,” Pakin said. Graph, hurt moments before, broke into a joyful smile. He had expected weeks of persistence, yet things proved surprisingly simple.
Thus, the satisfied youth stepped out of the car.
“Then I shall meet you at the track on Saturday, Phîi,” Graph said. Pakin nodded curtly, appearing thoroughly irritated, yet did not refuse, filling Graph with immense relief. As he approached the house…
“Graph!”
Snap.
Hearing his name, Graph turned instantly, seeing Pakin hesitate briefly before waving dismissively.
“It is nothing.” Though puzzled, Graph was content with the promise of meeting Saturday. He shrugged, closed the door, and entered the house. Pakin watched until certain the damned troublemaker was safely inside, then shook his head.
“He is grounded regardless. He will not seek trouble.”
Pakin spoke, recalling that Graph was under supervision wherever he went. Thus, targeting him would not be easy. Moreover, after a month, those pursuers would likely dismiss any connection between them.
The more defiant Graph acted, the more those following assumed closeness. Thus, Pakin aimed to complete this escort duty swiftly.
Pakin remained unaware that, deep down, he cared considerably for the damned troublemaker youth. Why else would he concern himself with his safety?
A sentiment Pakin himself refused to acknowledge.
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