Cherm Chey

English translation by Changbins_Delulu_Wife

Prologue: The Crowd Bar

 

"Fuck you, Eung!"

 

"Well, fuck you too!" A solid punch landed on the corner of the mouth of the man who'd just shouted, "Fuck you, Eung!" 

 

Akara, the owner of the nickname Eung, stomped on the other again before dragging the bastard out of the bar. The bar they co-owned together.

 

Cheating. Akara caught him again. How many times had it been now?

 

"Get the hell out of my bar!"

 

"Is it just your bar?" The other guy retaliated with a punch to the same spot. The booming music couldn't drown out the sound of their fight. Akara felt dazed, shaking his head to push away the pain from his split lip.

 

Adrenaline surged through him, fueled by his rage. His rationality was hanging by a thread. Either he or that guy must die today!

 

"How could you bring him to sleep in my place, you bastard!"

 

"This is exactly why I can't bring myself to fuck you, Eung!"

 

"What about it? Say it! Say it!" Akara grabbed the collar of the man in front of him, his eyes burning red with rage. His damp hair clung to his perfectly shaped forehead, soaked with sweat.

 

He didn't even care who was holding up their phone to record him or who was watching.

 

"You're not cute."

"..." Akara stayed silent, letting his gaze trail over the tattoos on his own arm. The deep-cut black tank top revealed intricate designs from his shoulder to his fingertips. His muscular build radiated strength, emphasising the 'not cute' comment, further accentuated by a small silver piercing on the left side of his nose.

 

"I want a small, cute boyfriend, not someone built like a goddamn troll like you."

 

"That's no excuse for cheatin' on me, Bomb! And another thing... three years ago, you didn't talk to me like this. You said you loved me for who I am. You just don't love me anymore, and that's why your filthy mouth is blurtin' out this crap!"

 

The words hit him so hard he felt weak. Akara let go of the other man's collar and shoved him backwards.

 

"You can break up with me, but let me ask you this: what about the bar we built together from the ground up? What are you gonna do 'bout it?"

 

"I'm pulling out my shares. You can run it on your own."

 

"Damn it!" That was the last straw for the night. Akara didn't think of himself as someone fragile enough to sit and cry over being cheated on.

 

He grabbed a beer bottle and smashed it against the wooden table, shattering it into jagged pieces. He was about to point the sharp end at both his ex and the lover who'd shared his bed. He didn't actually plan to stab them. He just planned to scare them enough to never set foot in his bar again. But it seemed his 'ex, Bomb, was faster. He grabbed a chair and swung it at Akara with all his strength.

 

The world went dark... and so ended their bar, The Crowd Bar.

 

"Eung, how long are you going to sleep? I've got work to do."

 

"Ugh."

 

"Eung, if you don't wake up and talk to me, I'll make you my hubby for real."

 

"Gettin' dumped by my hubby is shitty enough. If I have to get stuck with you too, I might as well kill myself."

 

Truthfully, Akara had been awake since he heard the bedroom door open. The third floor of the bar had been set up as a bedroom, and the door was never locked. It was pretty open for friends. Especially for Narisa, who was now strutting in high heels.

Without takin' them off, for fuck's sake!

 

"I brought you some rice soup. Heard you got beaten up by your hubby so bad that the staff had to carry you upstairs. Look at your handsome face-it's all messed up now."

 

"Mind your own business."

 

"Who?"

 

"You, obviously. Who else would I be talkin' to when it's just the two of us?" Akara sat up. The cool air from the AC didn't bother his skin. He pulled off the same black tank top he'd worn the night before over his head. His muscular build caught the other's gaze. Not because of lust, of course. It was probably because of the massive bruise on his lean, fat-free stomach.

 

"Should we report this to the police?"

 

"Forget it. I hit him, too. We're both at fault."

 

"So where's Bomb now?" Narisa sat down next to the bed, her finger poking at the bruise, making her bestie wince and hiss in pain.

 

"He's with his new wifey. Took all his stuff and left. He's pullin' out his shares from the bar as well… Honestly, Nok, I'm stressed about the bar. I don't know what to do next."

 

"Why don't you close the bar for now? Take a break, go on a trip, maybe even go abroad."

 

"Don't wanna."

 

"You have to."

 

"The hell?"

 

"Because I already booked your tickets and accommodations ever since I found out you finally cut ties with your shitty ex... Go to Taiwan. They say the temples there are sacred. Pray for a job, and you'll get one. Pray for a hubby, and you'll get one."

 

"Are you for real?" He had to give her a sceptical look until his friend nodded enthusiastically. He knew Narisa wouldn't go with him. She had to take care of her own boyfriend.

 

"For real. I got my boyfriend after praying there. Don't overthink it. Consider it the good-luck-you-didn't-fucking-died gift from me. Breaking up was a good thing. Being with Bomb was like living in hell anyway. Now... Now, after you pray, you'll get a new hubby. Pray for someone handsome, hot, and better endowed than Bomb. But make sure you're thorough. Get your money's worth for the plane ticket I paid for."

 

"Fine, fine. I'll pray like this: Heavenly Lord, please give me a new hubby. Tall, skilled in bed, big dick, with decent-sized balls, a face like the most wanted bachelor, educated, wealthy, a family man, gets along with my friends, doesn't cum too quickly, and is hardworking."

 

"Perfect, Eung! I welcome your new boyfriend in advance. Blessings to you!"

 

Before he knew it, he was in Taiwan. Like a dumbass. Like someone with no plan. Like someone clueless. Like someone with nowhere to go. Like someone with no purpose. Like someone lonely.

 

Akara only knew that he'd checked into his accommodation around 10 PM the night before. Exhausted from the journey and stressed from sleepless nights, the change of scenery knocked him out, and he woke up feeling refreshed at seven in the morning.

 

He showered and dressed up, pulling out outfits from the two suitcases he'd packed. He started his first day as a Taipei boy in faded three-quarter jeans he'd bought for fifty baht at a market. He paired it with a loose black Gucci T-shirt worth thirteen thousand baht, a market-bought cap, and Nike sandals he'd snagged on sale. He didn't carry a bag; the jeans had deep enough pockets for his passport and a small zip pouch with his daily allowance of a few thousand New Taiwan dollars. The rest was safely locked in the hotel safe.

 

Akara was generally frugal and cautious, but his life was in chaos now. With no plan, he stood dumbly in front of a soy milk stall, buying a cup to replace breakfast. It was delicious, even though he struggled to communicate with the vendor. He wasn't great at English, and the map he'd grabbed from the hotel was entirely in Chinese, which he couldn't read.

 

What do I do now? Should I search for reviews on what to do in Taiwan besides prayin' for a hubby?

 

Akara stopped in his tracks to search for travel reviews on his phone. He sipped his soy milk again, the straw still in his mouth. He wanted a cigarette but hadn't bought any yet, so he just bit the straw absentmindedly. His sharp eyes scanned through the names of places that seemed like landmarks for this trip.

 

Most of them were temples, restaurants, zoos, and shopping districts for teenagers.

Same as back home. Honestly, the shrines in Thailand could grant wishes for partners and jobs, too. But I'm in Taiwan now. I'll save the Erawan Shrine for when I'm back in Thailand.

 

After skimming through the reviews, he decided to follow the crowd wherever they were going. His height of 180 centimetres gave him an advantage in navigating. But just as he was about to cross the street, he turned back because he heard a familiar language.

 

"Yes, Mom. In-in has arrived in Taipei. Yes, on my way to the temple."

 

A Thai person! A Thai! In flesh and blood! And he's goin' to the temple, too. I'll follow him. I'll follow this tall guy.

 

"In-in is here alone. Okay, I'll bring back a daughter-in-law for you. Someone beautiful and cute, okay? Got it. Love you, Mom. That's it for now. I'm crossing the street."

 

Wow, wow, wow. Hia In-in. A cutie patootie with a cute name. Let N'Eung follow you, pretty please.

 

The clean white sneakers came to a halt as they reached the other side of the street. The tall man Akara was following looked down at his phone, probably ending the call with his mom. Akara quickly memorised his features, taking in the side profile.

 

Goddamn! I want him as my hubby. I'll offer myself for free.

 

Hia In-in's face was Disney-level handsome, but his body was straight out of a Marvel movie. It was rare to find a guy taller and burlier than him, even if it was just slightly. But this guy was fair-skinned, like he ate mercury for breakfast. His thick, angled eyebrows slanted upward; his long, dark lashes made his eyes look sharp. His lips were naturally pink and full. The most striking feature was his straight, high-bridged nose. His cheeks were as smooth as a baby's ass. 

 

From his conversation with his mother, it wasn't hard to guess he was a rich kid. But his outfit didn't scream rich young master. Hia In-in wore high-waisted vintage pants, a pale blue short-sleeved shirt buttoned all the way up to his neck, has a bowl cut, and...Umm, an orange... monk's bag? Is that a monk's bag? It's totally a monk's bag. Who the hell carries a monk's bag? What a weirdo.

 

Akara followed as Hia In-in started walking again. Hia In-in put away his phone and walked briskly like someone who knew the way. Soon, Akara found himself on the subway. A single tap of the smart card was all it took, and he didn't have to worry about where the person he was following would get off. He just needed to keep his eyes on the guy and not lose sight of him.

 

He said that... but after tapping out at Longshan Temple station, the man he'd been following from a distance disappeared without a trace.

 

"Where did he go?"

 

He stood there, feeling lost and lonely again, though not overly worried. When he couldn't spot the orange monk's bag, Akara started looking for signs in English to figure out where to go next. But then, a tap on his shoulder from behind made him turn around. A precise English accent hit him like a wave. This was a translation attempt-Akara's style.

 

"ABCDEFG.. following me... HIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"

 

"I know you're Thai. I'm beggin' you, just speak Thai." He clasped his hands together in a wai above his head after realising that the person tapping him was the same guy he'd been trailing since Taipei station. The other guy was probably asking why he was following him. Akara caught bits and pieces about follow' or something like that.

 

Effective English learning techniques: the teacher said to focus on catching the verbs.  To be honest, what even is a 'verb'? I still have no idea to this day.

 

"Oh..."

 

"What did you just ask me? I didn't catch it."

 

"I asked why you were following me. Do we know each other?"

"No, no, we don't."

 

"Hmm... I thought so. Someone like you, I'd remember after seeing just once." The deep voice spoke calmly, and his sharp yet gentle eyes scanned over Akara's tattooed arms. At first, he thought the other guy might be some kind of mafia. But after seeing the wai and hearing the explanation that he was Thai, he figured there must be another reason for the following. He'd noticed him since Taipei station, but became certain on the train. He kept peeking over at him... like some kind of creep.

 

"Sorry, Hia. I overheard you on the phone at Taipei station, sayin' you were goin' to the temple, so I followed you," Akara confessed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I'm here alone, no plans or anythin'. I'm really sorry."

 

"It's fine. The temple's that way. Come on, we can go together. I'm also here alone."

 

"Yes! Your name's In-in, right?"

 

"Stop! Only my mom gets to call me that."

 

"Oh, like a cute nickname they use at home? I have one too. My dad calls me 'Big Boss,' but my name's Eung. I'm probably younger than you. I'm twenty-four this year."

 

"Intha."

 

"That's your name?" Akara tilted his head as he asked, walking along with a wide smile. Lucky me, I've got a travel buddy now.

 

"Yes, Intha. You can just call me In."

 

"Got it, Hia. Hia In it is."