Love Upon A Time.

 Events of Wonder

The rain continued to fall relentlessly, even as dusk approached. It effectively drove away the heat, and the scent of earth and grass, brought by the rain, made the early summer season exceptionally relaxing. However, the atmosphere during dinner at Phraya Pichaipakdee's house was as cold as winter. Usually, there wasn't much conversation during meals, but today, the silence was suffocating. The elders' eyes were all focused on the two young men who were the source of this strange atmosphere. Phop knew that everyone at the table was glancing at him occasionally. The person sitting next to him didn't utter a word, not even glancing at him for a second, just as he didn't look at the other either.

 

"Uncle, Aunt, may I be excused?"

 

Barely twelve minutes past the meal, the soft, deep voice of the person sitting next to him spoke up. Klao bowed his head to ask his parents' permission and then left the table with his servant, his face expressionless, leaving the half-eaten food behind. Phop watched him go. Since their argument earlier that evening, Klao hadn't looked at him at all. It was clear that Klao was still angry. Phop, usually not a hot-tempered person, found it hard to let go of his anger towards Klao this time. The tension between them was palpable to everyone around.

 

Not wanting to further ruin the dinner atmosphere, Phop mentioned that Muun Han had come to visit and had handed the gift to his father. Then he asked to be excused and returned to his room, leaving his plate unfinished. He shut the wooden door and locked it, letting out a deep sigh. It'd been a long time since Phop had argued with anyone because he was usually calm and rational. But when it came to Klao, his self-control seemed to diminish. Worried that Klao might revert to his old ways and get hurt, he spoke without thinking, not listening to the other side. Now, Klao was angry with him, even though they d just started getting along again. Why is it that when it comes to you, I always feel so anxious?'

 

His sharp eyes, usually full of wisdom, now showed concern. Since childhood, and even after Klao returned from Phichit, Phop had watched over and cared for him like a brother. But after Klao disappeared and then reappeared, Phop sensed a change. It wasn't just Klao who'd changed; he'd changed too. Before, he never felt the urge to tease or play pranks on Klao as he did with his friends. But now, he couldn't help but want to see Klao's face light up with annoyance when teased. He wanted to know everything Klao did, wanted him in his sight, even though he shouldn't be so concerned about a grown man. Yet, Phop couldn't take his eyes off Klao.

 

Initially, he watched Klao out of suspicion, but now it wasn't just that. Klao no longer sought closeness as they did in childhood. It was Phop who always wanted to be near him. How strange...

 

The sound of rain hitting the leaves came from outside the window. Phop leaned back against the bed, picking up a book to distract himself, but he couldn't focus on the words. After a while, he gave up, closed the book, and stepped out onto the veranda. The rain had stopped. Servants were mopping the floor to clear the remaining water. Phop ordered one of them to bring him some tea and sat down on a bench. The young Muun looked up at the clear sky, feeling the twinkling stars mocking his heavy heart.

 

As the night wore on, it got very late. The servants went to rest, leaving only the cicadas as their companions. Phop sat, lost in thought, until he heard a door open and saw Chuay coming out of Klao's room.

 

"Chuay, where are you rushing off to?" Phop called out. The young servant bowed his head, looking worried.

 

"I'm going to get water and a cloth to wipe Mr Klao down. He got caught in the rain earlier and now has a fever."

 

Phop put down his tea and headed to Klao's room at once. Inside, he found Klao lying on the bed, sweating and frowning in his sleep.

 

"It's my fault for not taking better care of Mr Klao. I'm truly sorry," Chuay stammered, looking fearful. Phop sighed. It wasn't entirely the servant's fault. Chuay had to follow his master's order. Klao wanted to go out, and getting caught in the rain could naturally lead to a fever.

 

"Go get them, then prepare some medicine. I'll take care of your master. If his condition doesn't improve by morning, we'll call Jom."

 

"Yes, sir." Chuay quickly followed the orders. Once he brought the water and cloth, Phop began wiping Klao's body.

 

Since childhood, Klao had never been very healthy. Even a little rain could make him feverish. Though he'd grown stronger, the fluctuating weather-hot one moment, rainy the next-could easily make him sick. Phop's brows furrowed as he wiped Klao's body. The fever wasn't going down; it was getting worse. Klao was restless, sweating profusely. Even when Phop tried to wake him to drink medicine, Klao seemed barely conscious. This time, the illness was serious.

 

"At dawn, go fetch Jom. For now, you can rest. I'll take care of your master," he told Chuay, who was sitting worriedly by the bed. The servant hesitated but finally left after Phop insisted. Phop continued wiping Klao's body, hoping for the fever to subside. Klao mumbled occasionally in his sleep, sometimes delirious from the fever. When Phop pulled the cloth away, Klao's hot hand grabbed his arm.

 

"Don't... go.." The hoarse voice came from Klao's lips. Phop paused, looking at his pale face.

 

"What did you say?"

 

"Home..."

"..."

 

"I want... to go home."

 

Though the voice was faint, Phop felt a deep sorrow in Klao's words. Phop held Klao's hand, his sharp eyes softening as he looked at the pale face. Klao was only twenty but had faced so much pain. He should've had a bright future, but was condemned for something he didn't do. It was sad that these memories haunted him even in his dreams. The harsh reality was that no matter how much Klao wanted to go home, there was no home to return to...

 

"Don't you know that this is your home too? I'll be your home. Put more trust in me, alright?" he whispered, knowing Klao couldn't hear him. But Phop was determined never to abandon Klao. No matter how much time passed, Phop would keep this promise.

 

Klao's fever subsided slightly by dawn. Phop sent Chuay to fetch Jom, who arrived before sunrise. After examining Klao and determining it was just a common cold, Jom prescribed medicine for the servants to prepare and promised to check on Klao again the next day. Today was Phop's day off, so he didn't have to go to work. He instructed Chuay to tell the kitchen to prepare hot porridge for when Klao woke up.

 

"Are you awake?" Phop asked as Klao opened his eyes. Klao's eyes were unfocused for a moment before he looked at Phop, seeming to regain his senses.

 

"P'.. Phop..."

 

"How are you feeling?" Phop asked, but Klao didn't answer. His eyes held so many emotions that Phop couldn't decipher them.

 

Phop sighed and said, "If you're still tired and have a headache, go back to sleep. I'll wake you up for lunch and medicine."

 

"Alright.." A hoarse voice responded, and soon enough, he fell asleep again from the fever. Phop wiped Klao's body once more until Chuay brought in a bowl of rice porridge. He then woke Klao up to have breakfast. The slender hand holding the spoon trembled slightly as he scooped the rice into his mouth. Seeing the patient so weak, Phop decided to take the spoon and feed him. At first, Klao seemed hesitant, but eventually his lips parted, and he accepted the feeding without protest. Normally, he was very stubborn, but when sick, he was surprisingly compliant.

 

After eating only half the bowl, Klao turned his head away. Phop urged him to take a few more bites before finally setting the bowl down and taking the medicine cup from Chuay. As soon as he did, the slender figure pouted.

 

"Drink the medicine."

 

"...It's bitter," the raspy voice argued for the first time that day. Klao had always been difficult with medicine, causing headaches for his caretakers.

 

"Herbal medicine is naturally bitter. If you don't drink it, how will you get better?"

 

"It'll get better on its own," Klao turned his head away, making Phop take a deep breath.

 

"If it doesn't get better and gets worse, what will you do? You're grown up and still afraid of bitter medicine?"

 

'...it 's just... very bitter," Klao spoke haltingly. Phop then ordered Chuay to get some rock sugar from the kitchen.

 

"Drink the medicine, and then have this sugar; the bitterness will go away," he coaxed with several more sentences until Klao finally accepted the medicine cup and drank it.

 

"Cough!" Klao coughed harshly.

 

Phop knew well that the herbal fever medicine was extremely bitter, but there was no other choice but to coax the other to drink it all. When Klao finished the medicine, he held the rock sugar in front of the younger's mouth. When Klao opened his mouth and ate it, he smiled slightly. Rock sugar after drinking a medicine; this felt just like when Klao was little.

 

"See, the bitterness is gone, isn't it?"

".."

 

"Drink the medicine and then sleep," Phop said. When Klao lay down, he pulled the blanket up to cover himself.

 

"Why are you looking at me?" he asked, seeing Klao staring wide-eyed. Klao just shook his head and continued to stare at him for a while before the fever slowly made his eyelids droop.

 

"Muun, you should go rest. I'll take care of Mr Klao from here. You haven't slept all night," Chuay said respectfully. Phop glanced at the person who'd just fallen asleep again, instructing Chuay to take good care of Klao before going to his room to rest. Hopefully, this will make the mischievous one calm down a bit.

 

════[changbins_delulu_wife]════

 

The birds chirping outside the window woke me again after a long sleep. I propped my weary body up on the bed. My head still ached a bit, but it was much better than last night. The discomfort, hoarseness, and sore throat still lingered. It seemed I caught a cold, likely from sitting in the rain while travelling back home yesterday.

 

I squinted out the window. The sky was still bright, but I wasn't sure what time it was. The room was empty, devoid of Chuay and the other person who'd been tending to me. Though I was in and out of consciousness, I remembered that P'Phop had been caring for me all night.

 

A warm feeling arose in my chest as I thought of the sharp-featured Mr Officer, who'd turned into a makeshift nurse. Besides remembering that P'Phop had been tending to me, I also had a dream. Unlike previous dreams, I remembered almost all of it when I woke up. It was a very weird dream. It seemed like it was me in the dream, but not quite. It felt more like I was seeing through someone else's eyes. I remembered being with a younger version of P'Phop. He was always by my side, playing with me, teaching me to read and write, and protecting me when other kids bullied me. While he treated me well like an older brother, I sensed a difference in our gazes.

 

P'Phop looked at me with affection, like I were his younger brother, without any romantic feelings. But I felt that my gaze towards him was deeper. In the dream, I didn't see P'Phop as just a brother. It seemed like he liked him. I could almost feel my heart race when he smiled at me, and I felt like I was floating when he said he wasn't interested in any girls. I had to force a smile when he said he loved me like a real brother. And when we had to part, my eyes felt hot, and it seemed like tears would flow. But in a dream, shouldn't it be less vivid? Everything was too realistic. Even though I'd never experienced those events, it felt like the dream was my own experience.

 

I weakly stepped out of bed. The fever had sapped almost half my strength, but I didn't want to stay cooped up in the room. I walked to the door, pushed it open, and stepped out. I hadn't taken more than three steps when a deep voice called out.

 

"Coming outside like this, you'll catch a fever again."

 

P'Phop, who'd just come out of his room, frowned and walked towards me. Still shaken by the dream, I stood awkwardly as he stopped in front of me.

 

"No, I'm... better now."

 

"Is that so?" A sun-tanned hand reached to feel my forehead and neck. I looked down at the floor, slightly annoyed with myself for not being able to distinguish between dream and reality, causing my heart to race when he touched me.

 

"The fever has gone down, but don't stay out in the sun or wind too much. If you want a change of scenery, stay in the shade."

 

"Yes," I replied curtly without meeting his eyes. Our conversation ended there. I thought P'Phop would walk away, but he remained standing. Silence began to take over. I realised we'd just argued the evening before, so the atmosphere between us was still quite awkward. Honestly, I was still a bit mad at him for not listening to my reasons, but thinking about how he stayed up all night taking care of me, my anger subsided and was replaced by gratitude.

 

"P'Phop."

 

"What is it?"

 

"Thank you for taking. " Care of me last night," I initiated the conversation and raised my hands in a respectful wai. Anger aside, he did take care of me, and I should thank him.

 

"It's nothing." The deep voice responded flatly, followed by a silence that seemed louder than before. I felt really awkward, still a bit mad at him, grateful, and also unsettled by the lingering feelings from the dream. Being near P'Phop made me uncomfortable.

 

"In that case, I'll take my leave.” I intended to walk away, but a strong hand grabbed my wrist.

 

"Klao."

 

"Yes?"

 

"I'm... sorry."

 

"For not listening to you yesterday."

 

P'Phop's apology was unexpected. He tightened his grip on my wrist as if afraid I'd pull away while he spoke.

 

"I heard you almost had another run-in with Cherd, so I was overly worried. Without knowing the full story, I scolded you when I should've listened first. I'm truly sorry. Can you forgive me?"

 

"...Actually, I didn't have the right to be that mad at you. I was wrong for not telling the truth from the start. I'm sorry too," I apologised as well. It was partly my fault. Once I calmed down, reason took over, and I never felt embarrassed to apologise when I was truly wrong.

 

"Also... yesterday, I just intended to visit an old friend, not to cause trouble or get drunk. didn't mean to break my promise to you." I added.

 

"I understand now. I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at me anymore." P'Phop's eyes were filled with worry as if afraid I was still angry. His dejected look, which I'd never seen before, almost made me smile. For such a manly guy with big muscles and sharp features, why did he look so Cute when he apologised softly?

 

“I'm not mad anymore. But since you understand me now, you won't mind if I visit my friends there occasionally, will you?" I took the opportunity to ask this beforehand. P’Phop hesitated for a moment before nodding and reminding me, If you want to visit your friends, you can. But take care of yourself, don't get drunk, and don't get into trouble again."

 

"Yes, I promise."

 

Unless trouble finds me first.

 

"Go sit in the pavilion and wait. It's almost evening. Force yourself to eat some porridge so you can take your medicine. Chuay is brewing it for you."

 

"Yes," I agreed and walked to the pavilion on the veranda, where I could sit and watch P'Phop give orders to the servants to warm up the porridge for me. Suddenly, a warm feeling filled my chest. The scene before me almost overlapped with the one in my dream. P'Phop truly took good care of Klao from childhood to adulthood. No matter how much time passed, his concern for Klao had never changed. But did he ever know that Klao didn't feel the same way? I'm certain Klao fell in love with P'Phop. And now, I understand why Klao felt that way…

 

This illness knocked me out for almost a week. I could only sit and study, read, and write, staying quiet at home. Once I fully recovered, I ventured outside again. I tried to visit all the places Klao used to frequent, asking shop owners and regular customers about him. Everyone confirmed that Klao usually kept to himself, drinking quietly and lost in his own thoughts. I visited Pim and asked her to keep an eye on Cherd, and she agreed. From the information I had, I could guess that Klao was probably trying to find evidence to clear his family's name. But why was he so fixated on Cherd? Why did he behave so recklessly? Why did he distance himself from P'Phop and everyone else? I still couldn't find the answers to these questions.

More importantly, over a month had passed, and there was no sign of the real Klao returning. There were no clues to follow. Where could I possibly find him...?

 

"There's a lot of food today, Aunty Muan," I remarked as I walked into the kitchen in the late morning. Although Phraya Pichaipakdee was wealthy, he wasn't extravagant. Each meal usually consisted of two or three dishes. But today, I noticed the kitchen staff bustling around. There were already three or four dishes prepared, not counting those still cooking and the ingredients being prepped.

 

"Khun Ying ordered us to prepare food to welcome guests. We have guests joining us for lunch today," Aunty Muan replied, then turned to shout at other servants to hurry up. I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

 

"Who's coming?"

 

"Ok-ya from the Bureau of the Royal Household and his Khun Ying, along with Little Mistress Wanna," she answered.

 

"Wanna.." The name sounded familiar. A moment later, I remembered she was the woman I helped the first time I sneaked out. So, she's Phraya's daughter. But why are they coming here?

 

"With Little Mistress Wanna coming, it seems our Muun might finally get betrothed," one of the servants remarked, followed by giggles from the others. Seeing the kitchen was busy, I decided not to get in the way and walked back towards the front of the house. Could they be here to discuss an engagement? It's possible. According to the customs of this era, P'Phop is of an age when it's appropriate to get married. It wouldn't be surprising if he were being matched with someone.

 

I went back to my room to read until I was called to join the guests near noon. Standing next to 'Phop, I observed the three guests greeting Uncle and Aunt with interest. Phraya from the Bureau of the Royal Household was a middle-aged man with a kind face, much like his wife. Their daughter, Wanna, wore a soft-colored Sabai. Though without makeup, her face was clean and pleasant, filled with the grace of a proper lady. I had a hunch from our first meeting, and seeing her shy demeanour as she greeted P'Phop today confirmed it.

 

"Why are you looking at me like that?" P'Phop murmured to me as we followed the elders to the pavilion.

 

"Nothing," I deflected, though I was secretly watching his reaction like a hawk. A smart man like him must've realised he had an admirer, but I wanted to see how he'd react. 

 

Once everyone was seated, the conversation began. Listening to the elders talk was quite boring for someone like me, who didn't enjoy family gatherings, especially when they discussed politics, which I didn't understand. So, I observed Wanna and P’Phop sitting next to me.

 

Mr Officer spoke to the lady politely, but it was just politeness. Even though Wanna was so lovely, I didn't see any enthusiasm or interest in building a relationship. Strange guy.

 

"I heard that a few days ago at the market, Klao and Phop helped Wanna," someone mentioned, making me startle and quickly look away from P'Phop and Wanna.

 

"Actually, it was Klao who helped Wanna, not me,"P' Phop replied, glancing at me. I forced a smile at the elders, hoping they'd stop focusing on me.

 

"At first, Mr Klao helped me, Father. If it weren't for him, I'd have been in trouble. Thank you again," Wanna said, raising her hands in a wai. I quickly returned the gesture.

 

"Thank you, Klao, for helping my daughter," said Phraya, Wanna's father.

 

"It's nothing," I replied politely, smiling at him, and he smiled back warmly.

 

"I heard that Phraya plans to recommend Klao for a government position at the end of the year. As a token of gratitude, I'll support you," he added.

 

"Thank you," I said, giving him a wai, though I hoped I wouldn't have to stay here long enough to take up a job. I desperately wanted to go home.

 

"And what about you, Phop? How have you been? I haven't seen much of you lately." Wanna's father turned his attention to P'Phop, who smiled and replied respectfully.

 

"I've been quite busy at the moment, with fights breaking out daily and opium dealers to catch," P'Phop said.

 

"It seems so. I've heard that opium is rampant in the city. Even the guards are secretly using it, and many have been arrested," Phraya noted.

 

"Opium is easier to buy and sell than food nowadays. Even in the market, there are secret opium trades. The patrol is gathering evidence to find the main culprit, but so far, we've only caught small-time dealers," P'Phop explained

 

"So... do you have any suspects?" I asked hesitantly, drawing everyone's attention.

 

"There are, but we haven't found enough evidence to convict anyone," P'Phop replied, his sharp eyes showing a mix of surprise and suspicion.

 

"Are you interested in these matters?" he asked.

 

"I just heard people talking about it in the market and got curious," I said, forcing a smile and swallowing nervously. I realized l asked at the wrong time. Next time, I needed to be more subtle. I wouldn't care about this opium business if it weren't for Klao investigating it. The information Klao had wasn't much more than what the police knew, indicating that the main culprit was very meticulous, making it hard for anyone to catch them.

 

When the sun was overhead, it was time for lunch. I ate while observing P'Phop and Wanna, who sat beside each other. I thought people in the past had a subtle way of matchmaking. Even though no one mentioned engagement or marriage, seating Wanna next to P'Phop and encouraging their conversation made it clear that the elders wanted them to end up together. In my eyes, Wanna and P'Phop seemed like a perfect match. Both were children of Phrayas, one good-looking and well-off

with a promising career and the other an elegant young lady. If they liked each other, it'd be great for the elders to hold a grand celebration. But the problem was that Mr Officer didn't seem interested.

 

"Wanna, pour some tea for Phop," her mother instructed.

 

"Yes, Mother," Wanna replied, gracefully pouring tea into P'Phop's cup. He smiled slightly and thanked her before turning back to his food, leaving me puzzled. If it were any other man, he'd have looked at Wanna with admiration and thanked her sweetly. But Mr Officer seemed indifferent. I wondered if he just didn't like Wanna, or if he didn't like anyone at all... Or maybe the rumours about his impotence were true?

 

"We've stayed long enough. We should be going now," Phraya said after lunch. Phraya Pichaipakdee insisted that his son escort the guests to the riverside pavilion, and P'Phop invited me to join them. It'd be rude to refuse, so I ended up walking with him to see the guests off.

 

"Safe travels, Uncle, Aunt, and Wanna," P'Phop said with a smile, making Wanna blush. I watched them until their boat was a good distance away before speaking up.

 

"You have quite the charm. One smile, and she melts."

 

"Are you talking about me?" P'Phop asked.

 

"Who else could I be talking about? There's only one person here who just smiled at a lady," I replied cheekily, meeting his gaze. His thick eyebrows raised slightly, but he didn't respond, so I continued with my curiosity.

 

"I think Wanna likes you, and you two seem well-matched."

 

"I only see Wanna as a younger sister," he replied, cutting off any further discussion. I blinked in surprise.

 

"But she's very beautiful. A true lady, desired by many-*

 

"Including you?"

 

"What?"

 

"You said Wanna is desired by many. Does that mean you desire her too?"

 

"No, not at all!" I hastily shook my head. "I was just speaking from a general perspective, not about myself."

 

"Is that so?"

 

The corner of my conversation partner's mouth lifted slightly before he continued, 

 

"Then why don't you desire her?"

 

"Well... I don't like her in a romantic way."

 

"The same reason as me. I like her as a sister, not in a romantic sense," he replied evenly.

 

Yeah, I get that you can't control your feelings. If you don't like someone, you just don't. But what confuses me is that he doesn't seem to like anyone at all. I thought I was the only one who felt that way.

 

"Can I ask you something?"

 

"Go ahead."

 

"Have you ever liked anyone in a romantic way?" I asked. My conversation partner didn't answer. His eyes were so complex that I couldn't tell what he was thinking. But seeing him stay silent for so long amused me.

 

"Do you know that people are gossiping about you?"

 

"What are they saying?" His voice grew more intense than before, indicating he might've heard some of those rumours. That made me grin secretly.

 

"Well... they say the reason the eldest son of Phraya Pichaipakdee hasn't married yet is that..."

 

"..."

"Either he's impotent or incapable of-"

 

"I've heard those rumours before," he interrupted with a serious expression. I put on an innocent face. "Is that so? I just heard them recently. At first, I thought they were talking nonsense."

 

"..'

"But now, I'm starting to doubt..." I clasped my hands behind my back, leaned closer to him, and dragged out the word teasingly. His eyes seemed to shoot lasers, making me almost burst out laughing. Damn, that must've hurt his ego.

 

"Do you believe those ridiculous rumours?" He stepped closer to me, his previously annoyed eyes now gleaming strangely. I swallowed hard, feeling an unusual flutter in my chest. "N-no, I don't-"

 

"If you're not sure, why don't you test it? Then you'll know if I'm as they say."

 

..."I forgot all my words for a moment, standing there silently, listening to my heart pounding. Usually, P'Phop smiled faintly and spoke in a way that put people at ease. I'd never seen him with such a mischievous smile and gleaming eyes before. Now, he looked like a Casanova. Damn, who spread that rumour? It's so not true!'

 

"So, how would you like me to prove it?"

 

"N-no need. I... I don't believe those ridiculous rumours anyway," I stammered, trying to back away from him. P'Phop didn't follow, but his eyes made me feel like a chick in his hand, a small prey about to be devoured by a big predator.

 

"... I need to go back to the house. I left a book unfinished."

 

"Go ahead." He smiled slightly, his sharp eyes still following me as I hurried back to the house. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my flushed face, thinking to myself. I thought he was quiet and well-behaved. It turns out he's actually a tiger. That smile and those eyes are something else. But I didn't realise it and, stupidly, jumped right into the trap, ending up like this.

 

'Nakun, why did you have to get into trouble like this?!'