Chem Chey: English Translation.
A damp sensation on his cheek. Yes, he was being sucked on-sucked, nibbled, and licked...
"What the hell! The fuck is this?!"
"Well, I tried waking you up, but you wouldn't budge."
"So you decided to suck on my face?!"
"It's called a kiss on the cheek!"
"Ew, your skanky spit is all over my face..." Akara grumbled as he sat up in bed, touching his saliva-dampened cheek. His face was puffy from just waking up, and his sleepy eyes barely opened, but he could still make out Intha sitting on the floor. The so-called 'skanky' part probably wasn't true, considering Intha had already showered and changed clothes.
"I've already showered and brushed my teeth. You're the one drooling in your sleep. I tried waking you up so many times, but you wouldn't move. I wasn't sure if you were sleeping or dead."
"It's already half past nine. Go shower. Don't you have an appointment to review the designs?"
Ignoring him, Akara lifted the front of his shirt to scratch his stomach and lay back down. It was only half past nine, after all. "Just five more minutes."
"No."
"Why are you like this?"
"It's already late, Eung-eung." Intha climbed back onto the bed after recovering from being kicked off earlier. He grabbed the blanket and rolled Akara up in it like a giant maki roll. He intended to carry Akara in a fabulous, romantic way and toss him into the bathroom. But Akara was too heavy, and the plan instantly shifted from a romantic Korean drama scene to something more like a murder mystery.
Instead, Intha grabbed Akara's ankles, which were sticking out of the blanket, and dragged him off the bed. Thud… Akara's tailbone hit the floor, and he grabbed a pillow, yelling in protest.
"That hurt!"
"Well, I was trying to get you to shower..." But I can't princess-carry you, so I have to drag you instead. Intha thought to himself, too afraid to say it out loud for Akara to hear. He flipped his bangs back into place, sweat forming on his temples from the effort of dragging Akara off the bed.
"How could you treat the Princess of the Industry like this?!"
"Uh..."
Princess... of the Industry? What industry? Whatever. The princess is adorable when he whines.
"Fine, you're so gonna regret this!"
"Even your threats sound endearing."
"Don't mock me! Move! I'm in a bad mood and need to shower. Get outta my way!" Akara huffed, standing up to his full height and grabbing a towel. He bumped Intha's shoulder as he stormed off. Intha puffed out his cheeks in mock annoyance and followed him, prompting Akara to stop at the bathroom door and turn around. "Why are you followin' me? I was just yappin'-I'm not actually mad..."
"I know you're not mad."
"..."
"I just wanted to tell you that today's lucky colour is black. But since you never do laundry, there aren't any black shirts left in your closet."
"And...?"
"So, just wear one of mine." Intha gestured toward the outfit he'd prepared. It was obviously a plan to match outfits. The black T-shirt with the word 'FUCKING' and an alien face printed on it was identical to the one Intha was wearing. The faded jeans were also a similar shade. Intha, ever the fashionista, had tucked his shirt into his high-waisted jeans and rolled up the sleeves slightly for added flair.
"If you wanted us to match, you could've just said so, Hia. Who in their right mind even buys two of the same shirt?"
"Heh... got busted again."
"And aren't you supposed to dress nicely when meetin' friends? From what I've heard, they all seem pretty well-off. If we're discussin' the bar design, I'm not comin' back to change outfits. It'll probably take a while, and I don't wanna risk runnin' out of time."
"This outfit's fine. The place we're going isn't fancy or anything. It's just a casual hangout. Nhai just wants to eat his favourite."
"Don't forget to bring the bubble tea for your buddy," Akara reminded him, recalling that Intha had gone out of his way to buy bubble tea for his bestie. If he didn't deliver it, it might end up in Akara's stomach by tomorrow.
"Almost forgot! Thanks for reminding me. You're the best. Here, let me kiss you as a reward."
"Nooo! Go get your stuff ready!" Akara pushed Intha back with his tattooed arm, stopping him mid-lean. The thought of another slobbery kiss was too much to bear.
Being a princess with bad breath isn't ideal. Better brush my teeth first.
"You're so mean."
"It's called bein' modest," Akara retorted, slamming the bathroom door shut in Inha's face. He quickly stripped off his clothes, stretched to relieve his stiffness, and decided to do a quick five-minute weight training session. What a bright and sunny way to start the day.
Throughout their discussion about the bar's design at a nearby café, Akara noticed that Intha seemed like a completely different person compared to when they were alone. The usually jovial and impish Intha was now quiet, sweet, and well-mannered-just like when they first met in Taiwan. It was probably the persona Intha used around people he wasn't close to. But once he got comfortable. What the hell? He's playin' footsie with me under the table. Hehe. Two can play that game.
"Let me ask you somethin'. Which one do you like better, this design or this one?" Akara showed Intha two bar designs. Although the designer had created more options, Intha had narrowed it down to these two retro-style designs. One focused on leather, while the other emphasised woodwork.
"I like the leather one, but it doesn't really match the building."
"Exactly what I was thinkin'. So, we'll go with this one. Do you wanna make any changes?"
"Hmm." Intha was about to respond when the designer sitting across from them excused himself to use the restroom. Both Akara and Intha nodded in acknowledgement. Once they were alone, the former focused on the designs, while Intha immediately found a way to bother him.
"Your shirt's all untucked. Tuck it in like this," Intha said, poking Akara to get his attention. He demonstrated by tucking his own shirt into his jeans. They were dressed almost identically, same shirt, similar jeans, same shoes, but gave off entirely different vibes. One looked like a nerd heading to a tutoring session with a canvas bag, while the other resembled a streetwise delinquent with piercings and tattoos.
"No way. Tuckin' it in feels uncomfortable."
"You're just not doing it right. Here, let me help." The fake good boy dragged Akara's chair closer with his foot. Without waiting for permission, he grabbed the hem of Akara's shirt and started tucking it into his jeans. His hand 'accidentally' brushed against something sensitive.
Akara immediately caught Intha's hand, narrowing his sharp eyes in warning. Intha laughed nervously and withdrew his hand at once. I'm just playing around for a bit, and it looks like he's about to punch me.
"Bad boy."
"I was just trying to help you dress."
"I can do it myself," Akara replied firmly. He eventually tucked his shirt in, mimicking Intha's style, but this time without any assistance. He then returned his attention to the bar designs until the designer returned, and they resumed their discussion of the adjustments. Akara handled everything professionally, but when it came to contracts and deposits, he immediately passed the responsibility to Intha. Intha couldn't help but think that their relationship was the epitome of "the homemaker and the breadwinner."
By the afternoon, Intha and Akara had relocated from the café to a nearby shopping mall. The mall was close to a prestigious university that Intha proudly mentioned he'd graduated from. Akara was impressed, letting out a 'wow' in the car, knowing how difficult it was to get into such a renowned school. His admiration quickly turned into outrage when Intha 'accidentally' grabbed the wrong place, Akara's crotch instead of the gear shift. What a nasty boyyyy. If I grab him back and squeeze, let's see how he likes it!
"We're here," Intha announced cheerfully, unaffected by Akara's scolding. After parking the car, he stepped out and retrieved some items from the back seat. "The others should already be here."
"Which restaurant are we headin' to?"
"Just follow me, and you'll find out," Intha replied, locking the car after Akara got out. He walked ahead, typing on his phone to let his friends know they'd arrived. Then, he grabbed Akara's wrist, checking for oncoming traffic before crossing the street to the mall entrance.
"Are we seriously holdin' hands while walkin'?"
"Does it bother you?"
"..." Akara didn't answer. It didn't bother him-it was actually… Cute.
"I can let go if you're embarrassed."
"Well, I'm not that embarrassed."
Though he felt a pang of disappointment when Intha let go, Akara didn't reach out to hold his hand again. Instead, he slid his hands into his pockets, scanning the surroundings as he followed Intha.
"Hia, are we almost there?"
"There it is."
"KFC?"
"Yeah. My friend is addicted to spicy wings. Every time he comes back to Thailand, he has to eat here. He says the ones abroad don't taste right... So, this is our go-to spot. Cool, right?"
"Not bad. They've got both savoury and sweet options, and there's no time limit."
"But it's crowded."
"Still better than a bar," Akara said as they entered the famous fried chicken chain. They didn't need to look around for long. As soon as Intha stepped inside, someone stood up and called out, still holding a spicy wing in hand.
"Buddy In's here!"
"Take a seat. We saved you a spot." Intha raised his eyebrows at his friend while glancing at the two empty chairs left. They were on opposite sides. One was next to Naay, and the other... next to Thon.
"I'm gonna sit there. I love rough guys."
"Eung!" Akara hissed through gritted teeth as he darted to sit next to Thon-hon with lightning speed. He almost lunged to pull Akara away, but the sweet smile from Chonlatee stopped him in his tracks. He forced a polite smile in return, suppressing his urge to cause a scene and standing still to calm himself. You're so dead! You're absolutely dead today!
"Sit down already. Or are you planning to walk laps around the table first?" Jao-naay teased, tugging his friend's arm to make him sit beside him. As he got a good look at Intha, his brows furrowed. "What happened to your face? Did you mess with some gangster's girl and get beaten up?"
At Jao-naay's comment, everyone at the table turned their attention to the bruise on Intha's face. Feeling the stares, Intha waved them off, signalling for everyone to sit back down.
"Got beaten up by my wifey."
"Are you for real, Hia?!"
Nhai: "Didn't you say you didn't have a wifey?"
Thon-hon: "Being a henpecked hubby again?"
Lyares: "Did you wish for all living beings to be free from hatred while getting beaten up?"
Jao-naay: "Can't take his words seriously."
Akara wanted to give the guy sitting next to his hubby a thumbs-up. He nodded at Jao-naay in agreement, noticing the slight smirk on his face before he turned to ask Intha, "Is that Eung-eung?"
"Yeah, that's Eung... Eung, this is P'Naay," Intha said, realising he should introduce his friends to Akara. He pointed to each one, starting with the closest. Akara, ever polite, greeted them with a wai and flashed a princess-like smile at everyone.
"And where's P'Lit?" Intha asked, noticing Jao-naay's partner wasn't there.
"Working, but he'll pick me up later," Jao-naay replied. Nodding in understanding, Intha continued the introductions. "The hot guy over there is Lyares, the group's
young millionaire. And the one gnawing on spicy wings is Chen-Nhai... they're a couple. Nhai isn't a millionaire, but judging by how much he eats, he's on his way to weighing a million-kilo."
"Asshole!" Nhai shot back, wiping his hands on his pants before extending one to Akara for a handshake. Akara shook it politely, then turned his attention to the sweet and well-mannered guy sitting next to Chen-Nhai. He looked familiar, like someone famous. His name was Chon... Chonlatee.
"This is Chon, Chonlatee. He's Thon's boyfriend. They're madly in love... like, really madly in love," Intha emphasised, kicking Akara under the table to snap him out of his daze. It was infuriating how Akara seemed to like Thon-hon more than him, staring at Chonlatee without looking away. Are you sizing up the competition...? Damn it.
Kick.
Kick again.
Another kick.
And a stomp.
Still... no reaction!
'Scuse me, P'Chon. I feel like I've seen you before. Are you a YouTuber or do you run a travel page or somethin'? The one with the unicorn plushie?" Akara inquired, pulling his legs back as Thon-hon, sitting between him and Chonlatee, shifted his leg and unintentionally bumped him. Thon-hon turned and nodded apologetically. His tough demeanour seemed irritated, but Akara paid him no mind, focusing instead on the smaller guy who nodded in response.
"I do have a channel, but I rarely post. It depends on whether P'Thon has time to take me travelling," Chonlatee explained.
"I've watched it before! I love that unicorn plushie. And you're so cute in real life, sis," Akara said, leaning closer to Chonlatee, though it seemed more like he was leaning toward Thon-hon. Intha, unable to take it anymore, kicked hard again, glaring at Akara, who still didn't pay him any attention. Thud!
"Ouch!" Except it was Thon-hon who yelped, his long legs scraped his chair loudly as he moved it out of kicking range. His stern face, adorned with just one piece of jewellery-a brow piercing- turned to Intha. He bent slightly to rub his shin. "Enough, In. Stop kicking and stomping. My shoes are expensive."
Nhai: "Why are you kicking Thon, man?"
Thon-hon: "Damn right, why are you kicking me?"
Intha: "I was aiming for Eung."
Eung: "Why are you tryin' to kick me?"
Intha turned his head away, his serene demeanour slightly cracking...
"Because I'm jealous."
The entire table fell silent. Chen-Nhai's spicy wing dropped onto the table with a thud. The chaotic conversation came to a halt before Jao-naay burst into laughter, standing up from his chair. His sharp mind pieced everything together faster than anyone else, and he decided to do something to lighten the mood.
"Come on, Eung, switch seats with me. Sorry, my good sir. I didn't know you two were... You know. If I'd known..." Jao-naay trailed off, standing up and forcing Akara to take his seat.
Nhai: "Great, now we're a fully gay gang. From now on, anyone with a girlfriend is out."
Iyares: "I knew it. Nhai, want more spicy wings?"
Chonlatee: "P'In, calm down. Don't fight. Love your neighbour as you love yourself."
Thon-hon: "So, you two are boyfriends?"
Nhai: "Yep, everyone else already knew. You're the last to figure it out."
Thon-hon: "Eung's gay..? Never would've guessed."
Jao-naay: "You didn't even know Chonlatee was gay. Don't expect to figure out anyone else."
Thon-hon: "True. I didn't even think you'd have a hubby."
Jao-naay: "You had absolutely no idea he courted me through you."
Akara watched the group's banter, then nudged Intha, who was sitting quietly beside him.
"Hia..."
"Pass me the tuna salad," Intha deflected, changing the subject.
"It has veggies. You don't eat veggies, do you?" Akara asked sweetly, sensing Inha's irritation. I didn't even do anythin' wrong!
Justice for N' Eung, please~
The result? "No, it's not veggies. It's tuna," Intha snapped at Akara, something he rarely did, before snatching the tuna corn salad and eating it to calm his frustration.
"Whatever you say. Can I have a bite, pretty please?"
".."
"I'll give you twenty rounds."
"..."
"Make it thirty."
"..."
"Are you seriously angry?"
"Don't bother me. If you want it so bad, take it all," Intha said, placing the salad in front of Akara. He then grabbed a spicy wing from Nhai, placing one piece on Akara's plate and eating the other himself. Akara figured maybe he isn't that mad. Maybe? But... but... but the temple boy didn't talk to him at all after they left the group. He just dragged Akara to buy groceries, then back to the car, and seemed ready to head home.
Not used to this side of Intha, Akara decided to walk around to the driver's side and knock on the window rather than get in the car. Intha rolled down the window, brushing his bangs back to reveal his perfectly shaped forehead.
"Are you really not gonna talk to me?"
"..."
"Fine, I'll walk home then."
"Fine, I'll talk... Why do you like Thon?"
"When did I ever say I liked P'Thon?"
"Since Taiwan."
"I don't even remember," Akara said, leaning slightly against the window. He couldn't recall ever saying he liked P' Thon... but maybe he had. After all, tough guys were his type. "But I don't like him now. I swear."
"Whatever. Get in the car. Let's go home."
"Wait... Look at me first." Akara wasn't getting in the car as the other instructed. He called for Intha to meet his gaze, offering a soft smile that seemed to melt Intha's tough exterior.
"What?"
"What's today's date?"
"Write it down. Today, this month, this year, I'm askin' you to be my boyfriend."
"..."
"Be my boyfriend. I don't like anyone else because... right now, I like you a whole lot," Akara confessed. As soon as he finished, Intha pulled him into a kiss, likely as an answer. When their lips parted, Intha spoke again.
"Get in the car. Let's go home. I'm going to wreck you, Eung."
"Like Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus?"
"No. I'm going to fuck you until you're begging for your life!" Intha put on a tough, intimidating face before breaking into a wicked smirk: )...:)...:)