Chapter 40. Phoons Day.
"What do you mean?" I asked Jo while we were at the supermarket. Hill and Ter were choosing other produce, while Jo and I watched North and Phoon choose fish.
"It's not subtle at all."
"Oh, is that right?"
"You like to see Phoon nervous."
"He's cute. I like it when he blushes."
"So, how did it go yesterday?"
"Everything is going well. There's nothing to worry about."
"Good," Jo said, her expression still expressionless. He was clearly a little annoyed. I figured it was because he'd woken up so early.
"Why do you have to make such a scary face?"
“I’m sleepy. I was sleeping, and you told Phoon to get out of bed,” he said, turning to me.
"Who had the idea to cook?"
"From Ter."
“Ah, but Hill,” I said, looking at Jo and then at Hill, who was talking to Ter on the other end.
"All it takes is a little sleep."
"He's not human."
"And is Arthit awake?"
"I don't know. Otherwise, he's probably dead."
After the exam, we went straight to Japan. I didn't expect them to come at first, but it seemed North and Ter wanted to go, so the others followed them. Medical students who just finished their exams don't look all that fresh, do they?
“I never thought I’d do so much for someone,” I said, as the person next to me turned around, a little surprised.
"What do you mean?"
"Usually, I only do what I would do for other people. But for Phoon... I never thought I'd do something like this. I took him to Japan, even though I hadn't slept more than eight hours all week. But I still know how to drive, and I'm not complaining at all."
"Yes, it's strange."
I saw Phoon, who seemed to be teasing North. His face and ears were red as he looked at me, but when I looked at him, he avoided my gaze and began gently hitting North a couple of times.
“He was hit again,” I said, glancing at the person sitting next to me.
"North said that Phoon tends to use force when he is embarrassed."
“Yes, it happens to me often too,” I replied.
There were many times when Phoon, when he was embarrassed, would hit me on the arm or chest, but it didn't hurt at all. It was like a slap from a kitten. He would blush and He threatened to strike, but who was afraid of that? Maybe because his pale skin turned red easily. Sometimes, just touching him would make his skin red. Last night, in the middle of the night, I woke up with Phoon still in my arms, his unique scent enveloping me. I told him I liked his scent, but maybe he didn't know how much I liked it, to the point that sometimes I couldn't control myself. I don't know if Phoon noticed the marks on his neck that have increased since this afternoon. If he didn't, that's good; if not, he'll definitely be angry.
"Phi Fah," Phoon called softly. I immediately turned around when I heard his voice. Phoon always calls me that, and since we've been together, I've really enjoyed hearing his voice.
"YES?"
"Shall we make tonkatsu?"
"And the fish?"
"No, I don't know how to cut fish."
"Okay," I replied with a smile. We went to buy tonkatsu ingredients. It didn't take long before we returned to the hotel. Somehow, everyone agreed to use my room to cook, which was fine with me, because I knew the other rooms weren't an option. They didn't like other people invading their personal space. We sat on the couch because they wouldn't let us help. I actually wanted to help, but Phoon wouldn't let me. So I sat with Hill and Jo.
“Is Phoon’s birthday today?” Hill asked as I sat down.
"YES."
"I don't have a gift. If you need anything, let me know."
"It doesn't seem to be a problem."
"Birthdays are always a problem," Jo complained. "I'll ask North about it later."
"Did you give him anything?" Hill turned to ask me, and I nodded. "Any surprises?"
"I'm not good at that," I replied. "I'll just give him something he likes."
"What did you buy?" asked Jo.
"A camera. Phoon didn't say he wanted one, but he looked it up in a lot of places, so I decided to buy it for his birthday."
"What kind of camera is that?" asked Jo.
"I don't know. I just gave the photos to the staff."
"How much does it cost?" asked Hill.
"Two hundred thousand."
"Hmm, no wonder. You're really crazy about him," Jo said, raising an eyebrow at Hill. "We were talking about it and waiting to see you like this because you were teasing us."
"What now, Tonfah?" asked Hill.
"I'm no different from you. If Phoon says the sun rises in the west, believe it," I said, chuckling.
"What's the point of science? Listen to your boy," Jo said, laughing again.
"Good, Fah. You seem like a much more mature person."
"Adult? Wasn't I like this before?"
"You seem like a normal person. At first, they were worried your kindness might hurt you and Phoon, but now that I think about it, I think everything's fine. Are you still in touch with the girl you helped study?" Hill asked. I shook my head in response. In the past, Hill and Jo often complained about my kindness, especially towards the girl I helped study, but now I don't teach anyone anymore.
"Who else can I help? I don't even have time to sleep. If I had time, I'd rather spend it with Phoon."
"I'm so proud of you, Tonfah," Jo said. Before we could continue our conversation, there was a knock on the door. I opened it and found Thit, who had just woken up, still yawning.
"Hey, are you ready for dinner?"
"Yes, come in." I'd already told Thit on LINE that if he woke up, he should come to my room because we were cooking alone that morning. Thit followed him and sat on the couch, still looking sleepy.
"Where's the rice?"
"They haven't finished cooking it yet."
"Did your boyfriend cook?" Thit asked, raising his eyebrows and trying to open his eyes. I nodded without answering.
"Oh, and what did you do?"
"I'm just chatting," Jo replied. "Yes, this morning Fah showed us how he kissed Phoon good morning." Thit looked immediately surprised when he heard that.
"Huh? Really, Tonfah? You?" Before I could answer, Thit repeated:
"Have you finally become a couple-crazy guy too? I've had enough! You're all blind to this."
“Because you don’t have one,” Jo replied.
"And that's a good thing," Hill said. "He has no one, and that's a good thing. I feel sorry for his girlfriend."
"Damn," Thit muttered to himself, sounding annoyed. Before we could continue our conversation, the food was served. Phoon and I ate tonkatsu, as Phoon had requested while we were shopping. Meanwhile, Ter and North cooked another dish for Jo and Hill.
"Oh, what about my food?" Thit asked after seeing that there was no plate for him.
"Oh, I didn't know you were coming, Phi," North replied. "I'll get you more."
“Take that yourself,” Jo ordered.
"Okay," Thit replied before getting up and leaving. It was time for breakfast. Phoon seemed to be watching me as I took my first bite. Honestly, I thought his cooking was pretty good. If he keeps practising, he'll get better.
“How does it taste?” asked Phoon enthusiastically.
"Cute."
"Oh really?"
"Exactly," I replied with a smile. It was truly delicious for his first attempt at cooking. Phoon smiled broadly, and I couldn't help but gently pat his head. Then we continued eating. After everyone was finished, I took over washing the dishes, with the help of North and Ter, as usual. At first, Phi Fah also offered to help, but we didn't let him. We wanted to do it ourselves.
"It's your birthday today, isn't it, Phoon?" North asked suddenly, remembering. "Why don't you look excited?"
"I don't know why I have to do this. It's just my birthday, it's not a big deal."
"Exactly. You're twenty-one, right?"
"Yes, but I still feel like a child."
"So, today we need to go out and take lots of photos to create some great memories, right? This will be Phoon's birthday trip," Ter said. "Do you have any plans?"
"No, I don't have one," I replied, shaking my head. "But can you help me plan something? I don't want to make a bad plan."
"Let's plan first. Let's wash the dishes," North said. I nodded, dried my hands, and took out my phone to think of an idea, but I saw a notification from Daotok and opened it immediately.
SS: Happy birthday, cat.
SS: Send a photo.
It was a watercolour of my face. Daotok, of course, had painted it himself. There was a signature in the lower right corner and the date.
“Look at this!” I exclaimed enthusiastically, showing the painting to North and Ter.
“Wow, that’s so beautiful!” North looked surprised when he saw the photo I showed him.
“How cute. He painted it for you,” Ter said.
"Yes, that's really great." I quickly thanked him and saved the photo. "Whoever has Daotok as a boyfriend must be very lucky."
"Why?" North asked. "He can see ghosts, you know?"
"It's just a small detail. Who cares?" I replied.
"It's no small thing! He sees ghosts!"
"You're too scared, North. And Daotok said he only has mild sensitivity, right?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at North's frightened look. "Isn't that right, Ter?"
"How can someone who works so hard find time for a partner?" Ter looked thoughtful, and that made me think, too. "If Daotok has a partner, I hope he finds a good one. With Phoon and Phi Fah, I'm at peace; only Foam and Daotok are left."
"Yes, how is Foam?" asked North.
"What do you think? He's been tricked by another girl again," Ter replied, making North laugh and simultaneously feel sorry for Foam.
"Poor Foam."
“I’d also like someone to take care of Daotok,” I said, “but he doesn’t seem to need it much.”
"Yes, that's right," North nodded. "I want to pay off my motorcycle debt first," Phi Phung Dai said. North imitated Daotok's voice. Ter and I laughed because the imitation was so similar. Daotok always answered like that when we asked him if he'd thought about finding a partner.
"After I pay off the motorcycle, I'll save for the rent," Ter added jokingly. "I haven't even paid the electricity bill. A partner? What's a partner? The work deadline is tomorrow."
"Life is so hard. I don't like it. Why does it have to be so hard?" North said. I laughed too, but then I remembered we still had to plan today's trip.
"Let's reschedule today's trip."
"Come on, I'll help you find it. I'm the number one tour guide."
We helped each other find travel information for a while, until we forgot the doctors were waiting for us. Once we had a rough idea of the plan, we went into the living room and found the three doctors lying on the couch, all asleep except Phi Arthit, who we thought had gone back to his room. I couldn't help but smile at the sight. I was truly grateful to Phi Fah, who, despite his exhaustion, still took the time to drive me to Japan.
During the entire exam week, he slept very little. Whenever I remembered something, I'd immediately take out my phone to take a picture. Not only me, but North and Ter were also taking pictures. The three of us held back our laughter so as not to wake them.
Really fun!
They were so cute. I saw Phi Fah sitting on the big couch, arms crossed, leaning against the backrest, while Phi Jo was sitting in the same position next to him, asleep. Phi Hill was sitting on the single couch. But before we could take another photo, they opened their eyes and woke up, so we quickly hid our phones.
"What are you doing?" asked Phi Fah.
"No... nothing," I replied nervously. North nudged me lightly, as if to let me know my answer didn't sound convincing, before Phi Jo and Phi Hill stood up.
"Come on. I'll see you again in an hour."
"Okay," Phi Fah replied. Phi Jo dragged North out of the room, then Phi Hill dragged Ter along behind him. "Have fun."
"No, Phi."
"Come here," Phi Fah said, standing up and gently grabbing my wrist, forcing me to follow him into the bedroom. I followed him, confused.
"Close your eyes."
"Close your eyes." I slowly closed my eyes as he asked, not fully understanding, until something heavy hung around my neck. "A little heavy, huh?"
I raised my hand to touch it and immediately realised it was a camera. I opened my eyes, thrilled.
"This camera!"
"Happy birthday, darling. You're twenty-one now. May every day of your life be a wonderful day. Whatever you wish for, I hope it comes true. Phi Fah will always be there to support you. And this is my gift. Thank you for being the best thing in my life."
"...hiks." For some reason, my tears suddenly welled up. I couldn't hold them back. I tried to bite my lip to hold it back, but I couldn't because so many emotions were building inside me. Not just for the awards. Also, for my mother's story yesterday, and others. It's all so beautiful.
Once again, thank you, thank you. I let the tears flow. Phi Fah hugged me gently to calm me down. After a while, I stopped crying. The tears weren't of sadness like in previous years. They were tears of joy, the kind I wanted to feel forever.
"Thank you, thank you very much."
"It's okay." Phi Fah smiled warmly at me and reached out to gently wipe my tears. Our faces were just inches apart. Inevitably, I felt captivated by his gaze. I slowly moved my face closer and gently kissed his lips. Phi Fah looked a little surprised before returning the kiss.
His strong arms wrapped around my waist and lifted me up, so I didn't have to bend over. I used both arms to wrap around his neck. Since Phi Fah was holding me tightly, I had to lean down even further to kiss him. Our lips brushed, and it became such an intimate kiss. Sweet and soft... as always.
Phi Fah sat me down at the table. I was a little surprised and opened my eyes as he kissed me deeper. Soon, his warm tongue slid in and caressed my entire body. My eyes were closed, and his warm breath grazed my ear. One of his hands reached up to my head, pulling me closer, as if he sensed we weren't close enough yet.
It felt like all the strength in my body was slowly being absorbed, making my heart beat faster and faster until I felt like it was about to explode. The hollow feeling in my lower abdomen intensified. I breathed heavily until my chest shook. However, the rhythm of the intense kiss didn't stop, and there was no sign of it slowing down easily. The other party kissed harder and harder until I felt pain. More than ten minutes passed.
"Oh God."
Phi Fah slowly released his kiss, as if still reluctant to part. I slowly opened my eyes and met those beautiful eyes again. I was a little surprised when Phi Fah suddenly pressed his thumb to my lips. Even though it wasn't too hard, I was surprised because I felt a slight pain.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude."
Um, do I have chapped lips?
"Yes, I'm sorry."
The numbness was still there, inside and out, as if the kiss were still there. I tried to calm my heartbeat. "I-is the breakup bad?"
“Just a little,” Phi Fah replied with a smile.
"What the hell! Don't tell me this happened while I was sleeping!" After showering, I quickly dressed and went straight to question the suspect. Or, more precisely, "the culprit?"
"Phi Fah," I called. Phi Fah, who had been playing with his phone, turned to me with a smile plastered on his face, as if he knew nothing. "Phi Fah found more signs."
"What scars?"
"Don't pretend you don't know."
"You can't even see it with your clothes on. It's not a big deal." I huffed in annoyance while pouting. But when Phi Fah stopped smiling, I felt uncomfortable.
"Get changed," she said softly, sitting on the bed. I was silent for a moment.
"But this shirt is nice," I replied, looking at it. It was a black shirt I'd just bought. You couldn't see anything; it was a normal shirt. Phi Fah didn't say anything else before coming closer, tugging on my hair a little, and leaning down to kiss the part of my neck not covered by the shirt. The pain was immediate, making me wince and stiffen.
"I don't think you can wear that anymore," he said with a mischievous smile. I wanted to scream, but I was too embarrassed to say anything, so I was forced to look for another shirt to wear. In the end, I chose the clothes I wore often, complemented by a long-sleeved jacket Phi Fah had bought me when we were still corresponding. It was the first gift Phi Fah had given me.
“I’ve never seen you wear it. I thought you’d forgotten,” Phi Fah said as we walked back to the dorm.
"I use it on special days, like today's birthday," I replied, before Phi Fah went to the bathroom to shower and get dressed. I, who had to wait, took advantage of this moment to thoroughly test out my new camera. This camera is a dream for many photographers. Considering its high price, the quality must be worth it. When I first saw it, I immediately fell in love with both its design and its capabilities.
I tested the camera by taking photos from different angles around the room. Today will definitely be a good day to test it further. I need to get used to its features quickly.
Shortly afterwards, Phi Fah emerged from the bathroom, impeccably dressed. Usually, Phi Fah wore just a shirt or T-shirt, with pants and sneakers. Even in that simple style, he looked fantastic. I'd never seen Phi Fah blow-dry his hair before. Maybe it wasn't his style. But today he was wearing a jacket, and his look was different.
"Are you sneaking around again?" asked the person I was sneaking a photo of. After seeing Phi Fah turn around to pick something up, I immediately pressed the shutter button.
“Just a little. It’s a new camera,” I replied with a big smile.
"What else can I do? I have a boyfriend who's a photographer."
"Yes, nothing can be done."