Chem Chey: English Translation.
A BMW X6 was parked beside a bright red FORD RANGER, its black front scoop adding an extra edge of toughness. Intha squinted against the afternoon sun, his gaze landing on a sticker at the back of the car that read, 'This car is pink, alongside a Kitty-framed sign dangling from the awning in the spacious parking lot. It read, 'Mr. Eung's Parking Spot.' So, this is Eung's car. The car's fierce vibe matches its owner...
And why the hell isn't he replying to my messages? I even told him I'd be coming to the shop today.
Shaking his head at the lack of response since morning, Intha thought about how, after finishing lunch with his family, he'd rushed straight here. He was slightly worried that his Eung-eung might be sick or unwell. He pressed the accelerator as much as he could to get to this unfamiliar place ASAP.
Akara's house, being a bar, wasn't hard to find. However, the usually lively area felt calm during the day. Intha didn't pay much attention to the surroundings. He reached for the food box he'd ordered to bring along, securely belted on the passenger seat to avoid any spills. Then, he rummaged for a Wat Tha Mai sticker. Initially, he only intended to bring food, but seeing the "This car is pink" sticker annoyed him.
A BMW disciple of Wat Tha Mai is better. This car is the senior disciple; Akara's car is the junior... It's a good 'deal.'
After concluding his self-made deal, he turned off the engine. One long leg stepped out first, and soon Intha was outside the car, scanning his surroundings. A large 'Closed for Renovation, Indefinitely' sign, handwritten in simple script, was posted at the front. Intha had noticed it even before turning into the parking lot. The sign for 'The Crowd Bar,' as shown in the photos Akara had once shared, was gone. But with his good memory, he could tell where Akara's house was. It was across from the parking lot. The door was shut tight... Uh... not exactly.
He tried pushing it gently and found that the swing door at the front wasn't locked. Intha pushed it open and walked in uninvited. The place looked very different from the photos. At night, it seemed lively, but during the day, many chairs and tables were stacked in the shade outside the house, likely set up for the outdoor area. Walking further, he found the indoor zone, set up inside a classic three-story brick house. The ground floor was surrounded by glass, with the door wide open. There was a stage with sound equipment and musical instruments.
There was also a bar and kitchen area, with a few high tables and chairs scattered around. There weren't many tables inside, suggesting the shop focused more on the outdoor zone. Intha glanced at the beverage fridge before noticing three or four beer cans left behind the counter next to it. Some cans still had water droplets clinging to them, suggesting Akara had opened them recently. He's home... definitely home!
Thinking that the owner's private room was likely upstairs, he didn't hesitate to move again. Intha made his way up the narrow stairs and found that Akara's shop was quite spacious. The second floor even had a cool pool table. So, the owner must be on the third floor, the top floor... and as expected, he found a door with a Kitty-framed sign that read: 'Mr. Eung's Room. Do Not Enter Without Permission.'
Alright, the cultured temple boy... stood still and knocked on the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Nok...? C'mon in," a muffled voice, likely just waking up, responded. Who's Nok? Short for Nokia?
"I'm not gettin' up. I'm sleepin' here. Who is it? Just come in!" When Intha remained silent, Akara, the room's owner, started to complain.
"He's probably going to punch me..." Intha muttered to himself before turning the doorknob. "It's me."
"Hia..? Oh, it's you. Right, you said you'd come on Sunday. Sorry, I thought it was one of the staff." Akara peeked out from under the blanket at the end of the bed, his eyes barely open, his hair sticking up in all directions. His tattooed arm searched for his phone, patting the soft bed. When he couldn't find it, he looked at Intha, his mind processing the past few days before he remembered his appointment with the temple boy.
"It's Sunday, isn't it? What time is it, Hia? I don't know where my phone is."
"Half past one." Intha scanned the room for a place to put his things. Akara's bedroom was ordinary, not messy, quite clean. It had a bed, a wardrobe, a bathroom, a desk, and a few shelves. But the bed, with its many pillows and soft comforter, looked very inviting. Intha wanted to lie down, but Akara's large frame took up so much space that there was nowhere to lie down...Except... on top of each other.
"It's only half past one... I usually wake up at three," Akara grumbled, rubbing his eyes. The cool air conditioning made him reluctant to leave the blanket."Sorry for waking you. What about the contract for partnership?"
"Try to chillax. I just got back last night... give me some time."
"So, no contract yet?"
"Why do you sound so aggressive?"
"Yes, I'm aggressive... no contract means you have to pay with your body!" With that, Intha threw himself onto Akara, still wrapped in the blanket. Intha thought the other would struggle or push him off, but no. Akara buried his face into the bed and stayed still. "Eung.. are you going back to sleep?"
"No, I'm absorbin' the merit from the body of someone who just went to a Kathin ceremony."
"Yeah, I brought merit for you... I was there for several days. Lots of merit, I guess... but the temple was far away, and there was no signal, so I couldn't contact you. But what I said, I meant it sincerely."
"How sincere doesn't matter. I just wanna know why the Kathin ceremony is so important."
"It's important because my mom was the host. Do you know that the Kathin ceremony is a special merit-making event that can be held only once a year, within a one-month period, according to Buddhist rules? The merit is immense..."
"I smell food... I'm hungry." Akara suddenly sat up, unable to endure Intha's Buddhist preaching. The large man, lying on his back, rolled to the side. The blanket slipped off, revealing that Akara wasn't wearing a shirt, and the marks from their recent intimacy were visible. "Hia, did you bring me somethin' to eat?"
"I did... but you're not wearing a shirt, your house door wasn't locked, and your room wasn't locked... are you trying to seduce me?"
"If I were, Nok would already be my hubby."
"Who's... Nok?" Intha frowned in confusion, then slowly lay down on Akara's lap. The younger man scratched his belly near Intha's ear, showing off his toned abs.
"Just a friend... I'm hungry."
"Are you really hungry?"
"Of course, I can smell the food clearly. What did you bring? My sixth sense tells me it's my breakfast."
"Red pork noodles. I had lunch with my family before coming here, so I brought some for you."
"Obviously... you're dressed so well." Akara glanced at the well-dressed Intha lying on his lap. What the hell is this guy doin", lyin' on my lap...? But it's okay. I let it slide cause today, the temple boy looks remarkably handsome.
Intha's hair was styled to reveal his sharp facial features, his high-bridged nose catching the eye. His plump lips looked kissable. He wore a white undershirt under a pastel-pink suit, with matching pants... the white shirt tucked neatly into his pants, giving off a rich-kid vibe. It matched perfectly with his clean white leather shoes.
"Hia..."
"Let me lie here for three minutes, it's so comfy."
"Why didn't you take off your shoes before comin' into my room?"
"You even wore them onto my bed. Get off my bed right now!!!"
...Thud!
"Eung! Did you just push me off the bed?!"
"Welp, you didn't take off your shoes." When Intha raised his voice, Akara curled up on the wide bed, hugging his legs, looking at Intha's mock-angry face as he got up. Akara acted a bit scared... "Why are you raisin' your voice? Why are you glarin'... what are you gonna do to me? I'm scared~"
"I'm going to fuck you!" Intha replied in a vicious tone, his eyebrows furrowed so tightly they almost touched. He didn't realise what he'd just said. When he did, he froze, then tried to cover it up with a blank expression. "I was joking."
"... I can't accept this. No, no... don't come closer. I'm scared, please... have mercy on me."
Akara's actions on the bed were a mix of resistance and invitation. He pulled the blanket over himself, wriggling, but his eyes were full of mischief aimed at the temple boy. One could guess that Hia has lost his cool. His sinful side has emerged, and oh… It's hilarious... LMAO
Intha sighed before changing the subject with a blank expression. "Where can I take off my shoes?"
"You're so good at changin' the subject… outside the room, there's a shoe rack."
"Okay."
"Can I open the noodles and eat them now?"
"Yeah.. There's a drinks stall in front of the house. I'm a bit thirsty... I want something sweet. Do you want anything?"
"Lemon tea, please. The uncle takes a while to make it, just so you know."
"Got it. I'll be back."
"Hia."
"What..."
"Earlier, you meant to say 'hug,' not 'fuck', right?"
There was no response to the teasing. Intha opened the door and closed it softly. Shortly after, Akara's LINE notification went off. He searched for his phone on the bed and found a message from Intha, who was standing outside the door, sending it.
‘Yeah, I said fuck. I didn't misspeak.'
"Sinner!" Akara shouted out of the room, only to freeze when Intha yelled back.
"I'm your hubby!"
By the time Akara got up, showered, and changed, Intha still hadn't come back upstairs. Akara wasn't too surprised, since the drinks stall Intha mentioned was run by an old man who took his sweet time making drinks you'd order in this lifetime and get in the next...
Akara roughly towel-dried his damp hair, turned off the air conditioner, and dragged out an old fan to cool the room. He opened the curtains and slid the windows to let in the warm afternoon air. Then, he grabbed the bag of red pork noodles and sat on the floor near the balcony to eat.
He started eating while gazing at the parking lot view in front of him. He noticed the luxurious BMW parked next to his car, undoubtedly Intha's. At the moment, the temple boy was sitting at the drinks stall, looking like he was about to fall asleep, his hand propping up his chin, eyes closed. So, Akara got up, grabbed his phone, and sent a message while watching Intha, who opened his eyes and pulled out his phone to check.
The Crowd Bar: Look up at me, babe.
Intha's expressionless face tilted upward, meeting Akara's gaze. He waved his chopsticks in greeting, but Intha turned back to grab two drinks without acknowledging him.
What the hell...?
"Hia!!!" Akara yelled from the third floor.
How dare he ignore me?
"What?!"
"Hurry up and come back up. We're goin' out."
Intha didn't respond. The tall man in pastel clothes simply shoved his wallet into his pocket and walked back into the house. Akara watched him until he disappeared from view, then resumed eating his noodles... finishing them in a record time. He was done before Intha even opened the door to come back into the room.
"Where are we going?"
"The mall... I'll show you the contract first. I have an old one. If you wanna make any changes, we can discuss it." Akara moved to sit at his desk and opened his computer, glancing at Intha, who dragged a chair to sit behind him and placed a drink nearby.
Intha rested his arms on the back of Akara's chair, their faces just inches apart.
"What are you doing at the mall?"
"Stockin' up on food. While the bar's closed, I plan to stay in and watch movies. You can take the contract home to review if you want."
"I'll look at it here. I'm not in a rush and don't have any other plans."
"Alright. Want a cigarette?" Akara turned his head to ask, unfazed by the closeness. The proximity allowed him to catch a faint whiff of Intha's cologne. Akara opened a drawer, pulled out a pack of cigarettes, and tossed them onto the desk before turning back to search for the contract file.
"No, I don't feel like it."
"Hia..." Smoke curled from Akara's lips as he spun his chair to face Intha. He stared intently, making Intha feel a bit uneasy, his heart pounding audibly. Intha scooted his chair closer. "What?"
"Can I ask what our status is?"
"Whatever status you want me to be in, that's what it is."
"Welp... I'm not ready to start over with anyone. Can you wait?" Akara found the file he was looking for and hit print. While waiting for the document, he kept his gaze on Intha, looking deeply into his gentle eyes.
"I'm not in a hurry. We can just see each other for now."
"You won't scam me, right?"
"Well.. let's see."
"Then let's call it 'situationship' stage."
"Okay." Whatever Akara said, Intha agreed.
"Nah, nah. Let's call it something like a Thai 7-Eleven status instead."
"What are you talking about?" Intha ruffled Akara's still-damp hair, smiling at his confused expression.
"You know, like the slogan, 'Whenever you're hungry, just drop by.'
"To fuck you, you mean?"
"Yeah, damn it. You're so blunt."
"I get hungry often, you know."
"Fine, fine. I'm open 24/7." Akara laughed at his own joke, pulled the printed A4 paper from the printer, and handed it to Intha. The sharply dressed man skimmed through it before placing it on his lap.
"There's something I want to ask. You're renting this house, right?"
"Yup..."
"I want this house. Is the owner selling it?"
"..." Akara froze, glancing sideways. He'd been renting this house for years to run his bar. He'd once thought about buying it, but that plan fell apart when his money was swindled.
"N' Eung... so, is the owner selling it?"
"They are. They've been yearnin' to sell it for ages. The adjacent lot is for sale too, 'cause they're movin' abroad permanently. I started the purchase process months ago when I planned to expand the bar... but now I'm broke. I'll have to talk to the owner again about returnin' the adjacent lot and just rentin' this house and the parkin' lot like before."
"Go ahead with the expansion. I've got more money now."
"My brother wants the condo I bought. I was planning to sell it anyway. I originally intended to use it as a marital home, but now it just feels wrong to live there."
"If you buy the house... where will I live?"
"Here, of course. I don't know how to run a bar... You handle it, and I'll just throw money at problems." Intha joked, making Akara take a deep drag of his cigarette. "I'll talk to the owner. But if the house is under your name, we'll have to redo the contract."
"I've got a friend who's a lawyer. I'll hire him to draft it."
"You really do like solvin' problems with money." Akara started to smile as Intha shrugged. He tried to relax. Whatever happens, happens. It can't be worse than it already is.
"Want to go to Chatuchak Market? Come with me, and then we'll hit the mall for your stuff."
"You're gonna go in that outfit?"
"I'll stop by my place to change first." Intha looked down at his clothes and realised they weren't suitable for strolling around Chatuchak Market.
"Where's your place? Is it far?" The temple boy asked.
"Nonthaburi," Akara answered easily.
"Then just wear my clothes. My place is closer to Chatuchak. We should be able to share clothes."
Judging by their sizes, Akara figured they could. He frowned at the pastel pink suit before heading to his wardrobe. "Today's lucky colour is pink, I remember... I should have a pink shirt. Black pants will do. Black isn't unlucky today."
Intha nodded, watching Akara's back as he wore a black crewneck T-shirt and cream-colored shorts. He liked Akara; he had been drawn to his beaming smile and straightforward way of speaking since their first conversation. The more he got to know Akara, the more he liked him. He didn't know why. He just... liked him. He was charming.
"Any colour is fine. My underwear is already the lucky colour."
"You mean pink?"
"Yeah," Intha confirmed the auspiciousness by stripping off his old clothes, leaving only his underwear. He smiled as Akara handed him the new clothes. Akara's sharp eyes lingered on the front of Intha's underwear before meeting his gaze. Akara gave him a thumbs-up, clicking his tongue playfully.
"You're really somethin', Hia. Wait downstairs. No need to lock the room." With that, Akara turned away, forcing his focus away from the eight inches in the auspicious-coloured underwear. He gathered a few more essentials and left the room without looking back at Intha. Pure sin... so this is what it feels like.