Love of Silom

Chapter 2 - Krit.

 

"Krit, you came down just in time. Rose is here to see you."

 

A tall, handsome young man walked down the stairs to the first floor. He was wearing a T-shirt and sports shorts, with a white towel draped around his neck to wipe off sweat. Despite his simple attire, his sunny and radiant demeanour made him stand out. Seeing the girl sitting in the living room with his parents, Krit smiled slightly.

 

"You didn't call ahead to say you were coming. Where have you been this time?"

 

"I just visited an old client in Nakhon Pathom. His son wants to buy a house in a Bangkok project, so I brought some pomelos for Uncle and Auntie. Wow, even when you're just going for a run, you still look so handsome, Lieutenant Krit?" Rose teased.

 

"Handsome? I've always dressed like this," Krit replied with a laugh, brushing the sweat-dampened hair from his forehead. His well-defined features, fair skin, and slightly upturned eyes clearly showed his Chinese heritage.

 

"So you're saying you were born this handsome, huh? Quite the self-praiser."

Krit sat down on a chair in the living room, while Rose sat across from him. Krit's parents sat side by side on the sofa.

 

Krit's dad, Phithak, was the police chief set to retire next year, while his mom, Pimjit, several years younger than his dad, was an accomplished piano teacher and the principal of a music school.

 

"Rose, stay for dinner," Police Major General Phithak invited.

 

"Sorry, Uncle, I have a client meeting tonight. The client only has time in the evening, so I won't be able to join you and Auntie for dinner today."

 

"You're working so hard. When do you even have time to rest?" Pimjit asked with concern.

 

"I enjoy working, and I want to put in the effort while I still have the passion. But I'll make sure to take care of myself too."

 

"Work should be taken seriously. You can't be halfhearted about it," Police Major General Phithak said in a steady tone.

 

Krit glanced subtly at his dad's face. His dad was usually a man of few words and serious demeanour. However, whenever he saw Rose, he always had more smiles and words to share.

 

Rose wasn't exactly Krit's childhood friend, but they had known each other since high school, attended the same university, and naturally kept in touch even after they started their careers. Krit's parents also adored Rose. Krit's mom, Pimjit, had a gentle personality, and her demeanour and speech exuded elegance. She deeply respected and cared for her husband. 

 

Police Major General Phithak, on the other hand, was a serious and diligent man. Though he loved his family deeply, he wasn't good at expressing his emotions. He rarely showed affection through physical touch or words. Instead, he demonstrated his love by working hard to provide his family with a stable, comfortable life.

 

From a young age, Krit had rarely experienced the word "lack." His life was always filled with "abundance." Everything in his life was smooth, and every path carefully arranged for him was enviable. Whether it was education or hobbies, his family provided unconditionally, whether it was necessities or luxuries. If Krit wanted something, his dad would always nod in approval.

 

‘Well done, keep it up.'

 

This was what his dad often said when Krit accomplished something challenging. Krit understood that his dad's strictness and high expectations were expressions of his love.

 

However, there was one thing Krit had always longed for but rarely received, something as simple as a hug from his dad. Krit could hardly remember the last time his dad had hugged him, perhaps when he was around ten years old. As he grew older, such moments rarely happened. Even when he graduated from the Faculty of Law and successfully became a police officer, making his parents proud, his dad only patted him on the shoulder. He looked at him with pride in his eyes. Despite this, Krit still felt a sense of fulfilment in his achievements because he had lived up to his family's expectations.

 

"Uncle, Auntie, would you like to try the pomelos?" Rose asked. "I’ll peel and segment them. I guarantee they're sweet and delicious. Otherwise, I wouldn't have brought them for you."

 

"Sure, I'll help," Pimjit said with a smile.

The two got up and walked to the kitchen together. Rose overheard Police Major General Phithak and Krit discussing a recent high-profile case, chuckled, and turned to Pimjit.

 

"The two handsome men are still talking about work even after they're off duty."

"That's just how they are. I'm used to it."

 

"Uncle must really love his job. He still seems so passionate about it. I thought most civil servants close to retirement would take it easy, just waiting for their retirement to come."

 

"Most people are like that, but not him," Pimjit said, shaking her head with a helpless smile.

 

After peeling and arranging the pomelos on a plate, the two prepared to return to the living room. As they passed the restroom, Rose noticed a family photo hanging on the wall. In the photo, Police Major General Phithak was dressed in a neat police uniform, standing shoulder to shoulder with Krit, who was also in uniform, while Pimjit stood beside them.

 

"Every time I see this photo, I can't help but take a second look. Uncle must be so proud that Krit followed in his footsteps," Rose said.

 

"He's fulfilled all our expectations. It was really hard for us to have Krit; we almost gave up. When he was born and turned out to be a boy, his dad was overjoyed. And Krit has never let us down. He's always been hardworking and ambitious, excelling in both character and academics since he was a child."

 

Krit heard his mom and Rose's cheerful laughter as they chatted. When the two returned to the living room, Krit smiled and asked Rose, "What were you and Mom talking about just now? I heard you mention me. Were you gossiping about me?"

 

"No, I wasn't gossiping. I just said you look especially handsome in your uniform, and even more so when you take photos with Uncle."

 

"You say that because you don't know how hard it is to iron these uniforms."

"Do you iron your own clothes?" Rose asked, somewhat surprised.

 

"I have the housekeeper do it. But when it comes to dad's uniform, mom always irons it herself," Krit replied frankly.

 

"Really, Auntie?" Rose turned to Pimjit for confirmation.

 

"It's true. That's the only set of clothes I iron personally, because your uncle specifically asked me to. Rose nodded before speaking in a tone of admiration.

 

"Such a meaningful uniform should naturally be taken care of by someone important. That's so romantic."

 

"Rose, have you ever thought about trying to iron clothes yourself?" Police Major General Phithak asked.

 

"Uh... I don't like ironing." The atmosphere froze for a moment, and Krit quickly tried to lighten the mood.

 

"Dad, she doesn't know how to iron. I remember back in university, during a faculty event, a friend asked Rose to help iron the clothes for the parade. In the end, the back of the shirt had a burn mark in the shape of an iron, and the friend had no choice but to wear it like that."

 

"Krit, how could you expose me like that!" Rose laughed. "I haven't improved much since then. Work keeps me even busier than school did, so I just send my clothes to the dry cleaner now."

 

"Hmm... Young women today work just as hard as men, so household chores naturally take a backseat," Police Major General Phithak said. "But married life requires a clear division of responsibilities. It's a sad house where the hen crows louder than the cock. Otherwise, the couple will lose their way and won't know how to move forward. You'll understand when you start a family how important mutual respect is."

 

"Okay, I'll remember that," Rose replied with a forced smile. 

 

"Oh, I almost forgot," Rose said, pulling a pink envelope from her bag. "Nina is getting married next month. She asked me to give you this invitation. Let's go together. The wedding theme is the bride's lucky birthday colour, blue."

 

Krit took the envelope and opened the invitation inside. Seeing this, his mom teased, "You're always receiving other people's wedding invitations. When will you send out your own?"

 

"Mom..."

 

Krit sighed helplessly. He knew that his mom had always envisioned Rose as his bride, despite his telling his parents multiple times that they were just friends. But it wasn't surprising that they didn't believe him—after all, Rose was the only woman he had ever brought home.

 

"If you meet the right person, don't drag it out. You're already twenty-seven. I want to hold a grandchild, and your dad isn't getting any younger."

 

Rose listened without commenting. After chatting for a while longer, she said her goodbyes and left. Krit walked her to the door, where her car was parked outside.

Once they were out of earshot of the family, Krit said,

 

"How about we just pick a wedding date?" Rose giggled.

 

"I've actually thought about it. Your parents look like they can't wait to send out our wedding invitations tomorrow."

 

"You don't know this, but Dad went to look at a house the other day, just a street over. The owner is planning to sell because they're moving abroad. Mom secretly told me that Dad even asked about it, thinking I might be interested. The house isn't big, but it's perfect for a newlywed couple."

 

"How much is it?"

"If I remember correctly, it's twenty-eight million baht."

 

"Wow, are you paying in cash or taking out a loan? If it's a loan, you have to apply at my bank. I'll get you the best interest rate." Rose quickly pointed at herself. "If you go to another bank, that's betrayal, and I'll cut ties with you!" Rose joked.

 

"How much do you think a police lieutenant makes?" Krit laughed. "A loan is probably out of the question. Dad will probably buy it himself, maybe to leave it for his future grandchild."

 

"Grandchild?"

"Mmm. Want to see what kind of daughter-in-law my dad envisions? Just take out your compact mirror and take a look."

 

"Oh wow, I actually wouldn't mind becoming the police chief's daughter-in-law, but let's wait until you stop staring at men's butts first. Besides, I'm not really in... well, this kind of state right now." Rose's voice trailed off.

 

"What state?" Rose bit her lip and let out a soft sigh. "For someone like me, an asexual, finding someone willing to marry is really difficult. Maybe even impossible."

 

"Why be so pessimistic? I'm sure there's someone out there for you."

"Who? Name one person."

 

"Uh..."

 

"See?" Rose playfully nudged Krit's shoulder and then laughed. "See you at Nina's wedding. Don't forget to wear something blue."

 

After Rose left, Krit picked up his car keys and his ever-present gym bag, tossing it into the car. He drove out onto the street, heading towards his usual gym.

 

Krit loved working out and often spent hours at the gym. He would start with running on the treadmill, followed by weightlifting and other strength training. If he had time, he would end his workout with a sauna session.

 

Today was no different. After finishing his workout, he grabbed a towel and walked into the sauna. There were already a few people inside, so Krit chose a spot in the corner and sat down. He rarely initiated conversations, preferring to sit quietly until he felt like leaving.

 

"Doesn't feel hot enough. Let's turn it up a notch." A man across from him stood up as he spoke. Krit didn't even glance at his face, only noticing his well-proportioned physique. His gaze unintentionally lingered on the curves of the man's back and waist, and he swallowed hard. The man's smooth skin glistened with sweat, and the sauna's heat seemed to grow more intense. Krit leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes.

 

════[changbins_delulu_wife]════

 

Later, when Krit returned home, he found his parents sitting in the living room watching TV.

 

"Still watching TV?" He asked casually. "I thought you guys had already gone upstairs to rest."

 

"I'm following this drama," his mom replied. "It's about the conflict between traditional beliefs and science. It's quite interesting, so I got your dad to watch it with me."

The TV screen switched to a news report on Pride Month events across several provinces, featuring LGBTQ+ individuals marching in colourful parades.

 

"These people have no shame. Disgusting," Police Major General Phithak muttered.

"They just want recognition," Krit's mom responded.

 

"Isn't it disgraceful for men to marry other men? Parading around like this, don't they ever think about their parents?"

 

"Maybe their parents have no choice but to accept it. What else can they do?"

 

"I just can't understand how anyone could accept something like this. And to think they even promote it like it's a good thing—it's corrupting society." Police Major General Phithak shook his head, his voice filled with disgust and contempt.

 

"I'd rather my child be dead than have to suffer the humiliation of knowing he turned into one of these freaks!"

 

Krit turned away and walked upstairs. Once inside his room, he shut the door. The polite smile he had worn in front of his parents disappeared instantly. He placed his bag in the corner of the room and went to take a shower. After changing into fresh clothes, he sat down on his bed, debating whether to listen to music or watch something on his computer. But his mind kept replaying the gym scenes, distracting him.

 

Krit shifted to lean back against the stacked pillows at the head of the bed. He recalled the sight of men sweating as they worked out, the beads of sweat rolling down their muscles, the distinctly masculine scent of hormones in the air, and the sauna's sweltering heat. It all sent a wave of heat surging through him... Krit tensed up. He picked up his phone and opened a dating app, scrolling slowly through the profiles. 

 

The screen was filled with men boldly displaying their bodies. But then, he heard his parents' footsteps passing by his door. They were still discussing the TV show. Panic shot through him, and he quickly turned off the screen, flipping his phone face down onto the bed. This reaction had become second nature whenever his dad was nearby.

 

Only after his parents' voices faded and he heard their bedroom door close did he finally exhale in relief. But a memory from the past suddenly resurfaced. It was one evening during his middle school years. Police Major General Phithak had come to pick him up from his all-boys school. As their car drove past the school's soccer field, they saw a group of high schoolers gathered around, excitedly cheering for the players. Their expressions and actions revealed an undeniable admiration for the same sex.

 

'Disgusting!' Police Major General Phithak spoke in a tone of hatred and disgust, then turned to glare at Krit. Don't you dare end up like them, you hear me? If you ever turn out like that, I'll kill you. Understand?

 

Krit's heart pounded wildly. He nodded frantically, staring straight ahead, too afraid to turn his head or make eye contact with his dad. Even after all these years, Krit still vividly remembered the tone and expression his dad had used that day.

 

Krit let out a heavy sigh and closed the photo of the young man he had been looking at in the app before tossing his phone to a corner of the bed. The fire of desire that had burned in his eyes earlier had faded, replaced by emptiness. He let himself fall back onto the bed, lying on his back, eyes shutting as frustration and unease continued to weigh on his heart.