You(r) Tuber Vol 1.

14 Chop-khun Feels Something

 

"Irasshaimase!"

 

The synchronised voices of the staff at a renowned Japanese restaurant in Sukhumvit rang out to welcome customers as they stepped inside. Intouch gave the host a small smile before informing them that his younger sister had already reserved the private room.

 

This restaurant was one of Intouch's family's go-to spots for gatherings. When the young staff member led him to the designated room, Intouch thanked him and slid the shoji door open. Inside, the private room was decorated in an authentic Japanese style, with four cushions placed on tatami mats. Three of the seats were already occupied by his parents and younger sister.

 

"P'In, hurry up and sit down. The food's just been served. Dad ordered your favourite kani miso for you," Ingfah said, patting the cushion next to her as a signal for her brother to sit. She glanced at their father, who suddenly put on a serious face. Just moments ago, he'd been asking about Intouch, but now that he was here, he'd gone silent.

 

"Hello," Intouch greeted his parents, giving them a wai as he sat across from them.

 

"Are you hungry, In? Have you eaten anything yet?" Ladda asked her son with a warm smile.

 

"Just a little, Mom." Intouch sat down on the cushion next to his sister, directly across from his father.

 

"If you're hungry, eat a lot. Your dad ordered plenty for you," Ladda said.

 

"Okay." 

 

Ladda spoke kindly to her son, compensating for her husband's silence. She'd never felt at ease seeing the strained relationship between father and son over the years. But given her husband's past actions, she couldn't blame Intouch for his feelings. If her husband wanted to reconcile, he needed to show it. Without that effort, there was little she could do to help. Noticing her husband's continued silence, Ladda discreetly nudged his arm, signalling him to say something.

 

"How have you been?" Patcharapol finally asked his son.

 

"I've been well," Intouch replied.

 

"How's work going these days?"

 

"It's going fine," Intouch answered in a neutral tone, though the distance in his demeanour was evident. It was nothing like the warmth he showed when speaking with his mother or sister.

 

"Alright, let's eat before the food gets cold," Patcharapol said, though he had many questions he wanted to ask his son. Instead, he picked up a piece of tempura shrimp with his chopsticks and placed it on Intouch's plate.

 

"Thank you," Intouch said.

 

This brief exchange between father and son was rare, and the atmosphere felt awkward to Ladda and Ingfah. Despite the curt conversation and the silence that followed, Ingfah felt that their relationship had slightly improved compared to before. It seemed like Intouch was starting to open up to his father.

 

"Mom, I ran into P'Khun the other day." Ingfah changed the subject to lighten the mood. If she left it to her father and brother, the meal would be unbearably dull.

 

"Which Khun?" Ladda asked, sliding a plate of sushi to her son and a plate of sashimi to her daughter.

 

"P'Chop-khun, Mom. The one who runs the YouTube channel with P'In. He's so cute in person!" Ingfah exclaimed, her face lighting up with admiration.

 

"Where did you meet him?"

 

"At P'In's place."

 

Ladda raised an eyebrow, momentarily stunned. She knew her son valued his privacy and kept a distance from most people. She wondered why he'd let someone he hadn't known for long into his space.

 

"Are you two close?"

 

"We're starting to get closer," Intouch replied, keeping his explanation brief as usual. But his more talkative sister chimed in. "Starting to get closer, or do you want to get closer to P'Khun? I think it's more like.." Ingfah's teasing was cut short when her brother unexpectedly placed a piece of sushi in her mouth. "P'In!" she protested, her words muffled as she glared at him.

 

Ladda smiled and shook her head slightly at the playful sibling interaction. Despite the tension between father and son, at least her children were close to each other.

 

"When you have time, bring Khun over to the house. I want to meet him," Ladda said sincerely. It was both an invitation and a subtle probe. She wanted to know if her son had any feelings for this young man. It'd been a long time since she'd seen Intouch show interest in anyone.

 

"We're not that close yet, Mom."

 

Ladda nodded, accepting his response. Perhaps she was overthinking it, and they were just colleagues. But her doubts resurfaced when she heard her son's next words. "If we get closer in the future, I'll bring him to meet you," Intouch said before resuming his meal calmly. 

 

Meanwhile, the rest of the table exchanged glances. Ingfah gave her parents a mischievous grin and quirked her eyebrows, her expression clearly hinting at something. When the conversation lapsed into silence again, Ingfah steered it toward other topics, as she always did during family meals. L Everyone chatted normally, except for the father and son, who barely spoke to each other.

 

After finishing the meal, Intouch excused himself, saying he had more work to do. Once their son was gone, Patcharapol immediately turned to his wife to address the question that had been nagging at him. It seemed he was the only one unaware of this situation.

 

"Who is Chop-khun?"

 

"Ask your son yourself. I'm not telling you. Why don't you try talking to him for once?"

 

Seeing his wife refusing to cooperate, Patcharapol then turned to his daughter. "Ing, tell me who Chop-khun is."

 

"Nope. You should ask P'In yourself, Dad. You always ask me about him. From now on, I'm not telling you anything about P'In. You have his LINE, don't you? Message him yourself."

 

Patcharapol sat in silence, pretending not to care anymore. But when they got home, he couldn't hold back his curiosity. Intouch had never mentioned anyone to him before. Finally, he decided to send his son a LINE message, asking who this person was. The reply he received was a YouTube link.

————-

 

"This dog looks so clueless and silly."

 

"Babe, is that a compliment or an insult to my dog?"

 

The pen in Chop-khun's hand paused mid-sketch when he heard Teerak's voice. His brown eyes shifted from the drawing tablet to his younger brother, who was lying face down on his bed. Teerak's delicate face was lit with a playful smile as he teased Kati. One hand propped up his chin while the other dangled a ball, taunting Kati to chase it but never really throwing it. The little dog snorted in frustration, clearly annoyed.

 

"Rak, play nicely. Don't pick on him too much, or he'll get aggressive," Chop-khun warned. It was the first time his younger brother had met Kati, but Teerak had been having too much fun provoking the puppy all morning.

 

"Alright, alright. No need to sound so stern," Teerak said, finally tossing the ball for the white puppy to fetch. Chop-khun couldn't help but laugh when Kati grabbed the ball and ran off to chew it on his own bed, refusing to bring it back to Teerak.

 

"If you keep teasing him, he won't want to play with you anymore."

 

"This greedy dog would do anything for treats. Just bribe him, and he'll chase after you endlessly. By the way, are you almost done with your work? It's been ages."

 

"Almost. If you're tired, go to bed first."

 

"No way. I'll wait and sleep with you," Teerak said, sitting up. Kati, now clutching the ball with his front paws, tilted his head and eyed Teerak warily, as if afraid he'd take the toy away. Teerak laughed at the puppy's reaction before walking over to his brother's desk. "How much more do you have left?" he asked, glancing at the nearly finished drawing on the screen.

 

"Not much. Just need some adjustments, and it's done."

 

"Alright, I'll go shower first."

 

''Kay," Chop-khun nodded, focusing back on his work. He'd brought his materials to the family home today.

 

Teerak had just returned from Chiang Mai, and before they could catch up properly, he had to rush upstairs to finish a client's project. It was the final book cover design he'd left to complete, so he worked quickly to free up time for other things. Once he made the requested adjustments and sent the file, he felt a wave of triumph wash over him. It was as if hundreds of fireworks were going off in celebration right in front of him.

 

"Finally done!" he exclaimed, raising both hands above his head and stretching with a yawn. Spotting Kati lying on his back, showing off his pinkish-white belly, Chop-khun got up from his chair and grabbed his phone to snap a picture of the tiny dog. Come to think of it, his phone was filled with pictures of Kati. There were hardly any of himself anymore.

 

After taking the photo, he tossed his phone lightly onto the bed, stripped off his clothes, and headed to the bathroom, humming one of his favourite songs that he'd been listening to a lot lately.

 

"Look at me, just for a moment."

 

Chop-khun found himself singing the same line over and over, unconsciously, as he showered and applied his favourite lotion in front of the mirror. It didn't take long before he was lying on his soft bed in pyjamas bought to match his younger brother's a couple of years ago. He guessed that Teerak would be wearing the same pyjamas, and he was right. When his honey-skinned brother walked back into the room, he was dressed in the exact same set, down to the matching design. The only difference was the print on their shirts.

 

Teerak wore an oversized white T-shirt with Tom from Tom and Jerry, while Chop-khun's shirt featured Jerry. Both wore soft, light brown plaid pyjama pants. What made Chop-khun smile even more was the sight of Teerak holding his beloved, worn-out teddy bear. It was a gift from Chop-khun for his eighth birthday. It was like seeing a layered image of Teerak as a little kid, always knocking on his door late at night, asking to cuddle and sleep beside him. Even if Teerak had now grown taller than him, those memories still felt vivid.

 

"Hey, we're totally in sync! Let's take a selfie together," Teerak exclaimed, quickly hopping onto the bed. He pulled his phone out of his shirt pocket, opened Instagram, and started scrolling through filters in Stories, adjusting the angle for the perfect shot.

 

"Move over here, babe. The lighting's better," Teerak directed. Chop-khun shifted as instructed, resting his chin on his younger brother's shoulder and playfully sticking out his tongue with wide, exaggerated eyes at the camera.

 

Click!

 

"Alright, this one's good. I'm posting it," Teerak teased, pretending to hit the post button, which made Chop-khun immediately protest.

 

"Hey, wait! No, no, let's redo it. I was just messing around," Chop-khun said, glaring at his brother. He sat cross-legged, ready for another round of photos. While Chop-khun could think of only a few poses, Teerak kept switching angles and poses, even suggesting ideas to him.

 

After taking enough pictures to satisfy them both, the two brothers ended up lying on their backs, staring at the ceiling. Animal-shaped face masks from Teerak's collection were plastered on their faces.

 

"Do you always work this much?" Teerak asked, barely moving his lips to avoid creating wrinkles.

 

"Yeah, a lot. But it won't be this hectic moving forward. What about you? Got any plans for your future, babe?"

 

Chop-khun felt slightly uncomfortable with the mask, since he usually used only one or two skincare products and called it a day. But Teerak had insisted and even scolded him for not taking better care of his skin.

 

"I’ll just stay home and study for now. If I pass the exams, I'll ask Mom and Dad if I can move out."

 

"Sounds good. Once you pass, we can look for a condo."

 

"By the way, when are you getting your tattoo?"

 

"The day after tomorrow."

 

"What did Mom and Dad say?"

 

"They didn't say much. Just told me to send them pictures."

 

"When I asked to get a tattoo, Dad wouldn't stop complaining."

 

"Well, you were only sixteen back then. If you wanted one now, they wouldn't mind."

 

"Nah, I don't want one anymore."

 

"See? You get bored easily. It's a good thing you didn't get one back then."

 

The two brothers rambled about all sorts of things, eventually reminiscing about funny childhood memories. Their laughter echoed through the room until the atmosphere shifted when Chop-khun brought up a new topic.

 

"Rak, can I ask you something?"

 

"What is it?" Teerak replied, adjusting the panda-shaped face mask on his face. He knew that whenever his brother switched to a more serious tone, it meant the conversation was about something important.

 

"When someone flirts with you, how do they do it?"

 

"Whoa, what's that supposed to mean?" Teerak sat up, narrowing his eyes at his brother, who had a monkey-shaped mask on his face. Even though Chop-khun met his gaze, his shifty eyes betrayed his nervousness.

 

"What?" Chop-khun asked, staring at his brother.

 

"What do you mean, 'what'? Are you saying someone's hitting on you?" Teerak's curiosity was piqued, and he spoke with full enthusiasm, completely forgetting about the mask on his face.

 

"Nope," Chop-khun denied.

 

"If not, then why ask? Are you keeping secrets from me now?"

 

"I'm not. I don't even know if they're flirting or not."

 

"So, there is something! Otherwise, you wouldn't be wondering. Why don't you just ask them directly if they're flirting?"

 

"How could I? They're naturally kind. If they're not flirting, I'd just embarrass myself. They mightn't mean anything by it."

 

"Who is it?"

 

"Never mind. I'm probably overthinking it," Chop-khun said, peeling off his mask and handing it to his brother.

 

"Throw this away for me," he added before pretending to close his eyes and lie still.

 

"Wait, don't change the subject. Do you have feelings for them?"

 

"No," Chop-khun opened his eyes and replied immediately, his tone firm. But his next words came out softer, almost uncertain. "Well, I don't know."

 

Teerak paused, observing his brother's demeanour before speaking again.

 

"If you didn't feel anything, you wouldn't be this curious."

 

"Let's sleep. I'm tired," Chop-khun said, pretending to close his eyes again. After a while, he could sense that Teerak hadn't moved.

 

"You're scared of meeting someone like P'Te again, aren't you? If you meet someone good, don't let the bad experiences with that jerk hold you back. Start fresh. If this person makes you feel good, then go for it. Why wait for them to make the first move? Like Dad always told us, when a good opportunity comes your way, grab it before someone else does."

 

".." Chop-khun couldn't help but chuckle internally at his brother quoting their dad. If their dad heard this, he'd probably facepalm.

 

"Are you even listening to me?" Teerak poked his brother's side, knowing he was ticklish.

 

"I heard you, I heard you!" Chop-khun laughed, his face turning red as his brother tickled him relentlessly. The commotion woke Kati, who barked excitedly, thinking they were playing a game. "Alright, enough!" Chop-khun managed to sit up, grabbing a pillow and playfully hitting his brother. His clothes were wrinkled, and his hair was a mess.

 

"Go take off your mask and come to bed. You've left it on too long, haven't you?"

 

Realising he'd exceeded the recommended time for the mask, Teerak quickly jumped off the bed to remove it and apply his extensive skincare routine. Meanwhile, Chop-khun played with Kati until Teerak returned to the bed.

 

"After we visit Grandpa and Grandma tomorrow, I'm going to your place, babe. I want to check it out," Teerak said.

 

"Alright, but don't we have to have lunch with the relatives too? Mom and Dad said they're planning a family trip to Khao Yai."

 

"We can leave after lunch. I don't want to deal with Auntie Mei. Just thinking about it annoys me. Let's sneak out, okay?" Teerak suggested.

 

"We can just sit with Li and Ton. I want to see the kids, too. It's been so long, and they're probably walking by now."

 

"Fine. If Auntie Mei starts talking too much, P'Li will handle her."

 

Teerak thought of their close cousin. Their aunt often criticised Meili for being with someone she deemed unsuitable. But after Meili had kids with Ton, their aunt doted on the kids excessively, even meddling in their upbringing, which led to a big argument with Meili.

 

"Let's sleep. We have to wake up early tomorrow," Chop-khun said, noticing it was almost AM.

 

"You turn off the lights," Teerak said.

 

"No, you do it."

 

"I'm too lazy to get up."

 

"No."

 

"Rock-paper-scissors, then."

 

Rock-paper-scissors had always been their go-to solution since they were kids whenever they couldn't agree.

 

"Tch."

 

Chop-khun chuckled softly when he heard Teerak click his tongue in annoyance after losing. Reluctantly, Teerak got up to turn off the lights.

 

"Goodnight, Rak."

 

"Goodnight."

 

Even after the lights were out, Chop-khun's brown eyes stared at the ceiling in the darkness. His brother's words about starting fresh echoed in his mind, along with thoughts of the person who'd been making him restless. As Chop-khun mulled over everything, unable to find an answer, sleep eventually claimed him. And then, the day of the tattoo arrived.

 

Chop-khun stood outside his house, waiting, as Intouch had called to say he was almost there. The plan was for them to go together since Intouch mentioned the tattoo shop owned by one of his seniors wasn't far from Chop-khun's house. However, the shop was in a small alley with limited parking, so carpooling made sense. Plus, it was on Intouch's way anyway. It wasn't long before a sleek black Porsche pulled up in front of the gate.

 

"Hey, In. Was the traffic bad?" Chop-khun greeted the man as he climbed into Intouch's car for the first time. It was spotless, almost as if it'd just rolled out of the showroom.

 

"Hey, not too bad today. Did you wait long?" Intouch asked, glancing at him with a small smile.

 

"Not at all. I just came out."

 

"Have you eaten yet?" Intouch asked as he started driving toward their destination.

 

"Yep, I'm full, well-rested, and mentally prepared."

 

Intouch nodded and turned down the air conditioning slightly when he noticed Chop-khun rubbing his arms.

 

After about fifteen minutes, they arrived at the tattoo shop, a medium-sized three-story building. The interior was decorated in a clean white tone, giving it a bright and welcoming atmosphere. The two headed straight to the counter, where a receptionist greeted them.

 

"Hello, sirs, do you have an appointment with a specific artist?" the receptionist asked.

 

"Yes, with Joe at eleven," Chop-khun replied. He'd done his research on the shop and knew that each artist specialised in different styles. The one whose work he admired most was Joe, known for his flowing, intricate linework. It was only later that he found out Joe was the senior Intouch that was being talked about.

 

"This way, please. The artist is waiting upstairs," the receptionist said, leading them up to the second floor.

 

In the private room, they were greeted by a playful-looking man with a full sleeve of old-school tattoos on his left arm.

 

"Hey," Intouch greeted his senior, setting up the equipment to save time. Joe raised an eyebrow at his junior, whom he hadn't seen in almost a year. "Man, you disappeared."

 

"Been busy with work lately," Intouch replied.

 

"You're always busy. Don't you ever think about getting more tattoos?"

 

"I've thought about it a little, but I'm not sure yet. This is Khun, the one getting the tattoo," Intouch introduced Chop-khun to his senior before turning to speak to Khun in a softer tone. "This is P'Joe, my senior."

 

"Hello," Joe said, smiling as he met his new client for the first time.

 

"Hello," Chop-khun replied, raising his hands in a polite wai to the older man.

 

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they began the process as previously discussed.

 

"Let's measure the size first to see what you want. Go ahead and take off your shirt where the tattoo will be," Joe instructed

 

Chop-khun unbuttoned a few buttons of his white shirt, pulling it down over his left shoulder to expose the area above his chest, near his shoulder, where the tattoo would go. Joe began measuring the space on his skin.

 

"Do you want it the same size as the design you sent?" the tattoo artist asked.

 

"Yes, I don't want it too big. What do you think, P'Joe?"

 

"I think it'd look better if it were slightly bigger. Want to try it out first?"

 

"Sure."

 

"We're about to test the size now. The artist suggests making it a bit larger. Let's see how it looks," Chop-khun explained to the camera while waiting.

 

Once the design was printed, Joe used carbon paper to transfer it onto Chop-khun's skin, allowing him to check it in the mirror.

 

"How's this? It's slightly bigger than the original, with the petals spreading out and ending just near your shoulder," Joe explained. Chop-khun moved around, examining himself in the large mirror from different angles. Seeing that the size wasn't too overwhelming and looked aesthetically pleasing, he agreed.

 

"This works. I like it."

 

With the client's approval, Joe began cleaning the area and transferring the design onto Chop-khun's skin as part of the standard procedure. Once the design was in place, Chop-khun checked it in the mirror again.

 

"The design is transferred now. It looks good. Next, we'll start the tattooing process," Chop-khun said to the camera before hearing Joe call him to lie down on the tattoo bed. Time to face the needle.

 

Intouch set up a tripod with one camera to focus on the tattooing process while holding another camera to capture the shop's atmosphere and Chop-khun lying on the bed.

 

"Are you nervous?" Intouch, who'd been quiet for a while, asked.

 

"Not at all. I'm ready," Chop-khun replied, though his pale face betrayed his words. He looked even more uneasy when the sound of the tattoo machine filled the room.

 

"We're starting now. Try to relax," Joe said as the needle approached Chop-khun's skin. 

 

"Ready?"

 

"Ready," Chop-khun replied firmly, his voice steady, though his expression gave away his nerves. His response brought a smile to those listening.

 

"If it hurts too much, let me know immediately," the experienced tattoo artist reminded him.

 

"Got it."

 

It won't hurt. It won't hurt. I can handle this. Chop-khun repeated the mantra in his head to calm himself. He clenched his fists tightly and shut his eyes as the needle touched his skin for the first time.

 

Whoever said it wouldn't hurt much? It stung. It stung a lot. It felt like being bitten by a hundred ants at once!

 

"Does it hurt a lot?" Intouch asked.

 

"It hurts, but I can handle it. Some spots sting more than others," Chop-khun admitted, biting his lip and grimacing as the needle worked on particularly sensitive areas. Intouch pulled up a chair on the other side of the tattoo bed, holding the camera in one hand while extending his other hand toward Chop-khun. 

 

"Hold my hand."

 

Chop-khun hesitated for a moment before loosely grasping Intouch's larger hand. It didn't lessen the pain, but it made him feel more at ease.

 

Joe, who'd paused his work momentarily, noticed the interaction with pure shock. Is that really my junior? The usually reserved Intouch now has such a gentle smile? Joe had seen clients hold hands with their companions before, but he never expected to see this from Intouch, whose smile was rare. I know he's a good guy, but this is beyond what I expected. Unless...Or is it what I thought?

 

Joe smirked slightly before resuming his work. It'd been odd from the start when Intouch called ahead and asked him to go easy on this particular client.

 

"Are you okay?" Intouch asked when Chop-khun's grip tightened during the more painful parts of the tattoo.

 

"I'm okay," Chop-khun nodded, though his face was still contorted in discomfort. As time passed, Chop-khun began to grow accustomed to the pain, his skin feeling numb. He realised he'd been holding Intouch's hand for so long that he could feel the dampness of their shared sweat.

 

"Thanks, In. I'm starting to feel numb now. It doesn't hurt as much anymore. I've been squeezing your hand so hard. Does it hurt?"

 

"Not at all."

 

Chop-khun started to pull his hand away, but Intouch gently held onto his wrist.

 

"Are you sure you're okay now?"

 

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm used to it now."

 

Intouch nodded, ignoring the knowing glance and smirk from his senior.

 

"I'll go capture some footage around the shop," Intouch said.

 

"Alright."

 

Though the tattoo wasn't large, the dandelion and its delicate, flowing petals that Chop-khun had designed were intricate enough to take nearly three hours to complete.

 

"Leave the film on for seven days before removing it," Joe instructed after applying a waterproof film over the tattoo.

 

"Got it," Chop-khun replied.

 

"Here's the aftercare guide. If you have any questions, feel free to call the shop anytime," Joe said, handing Chop-khun a sheet of paper with detailed instructions.

 

"Thank you."

 

"So, what do you think? Do you like it?"

 

"I love it. Thank you so much, P'Joe, for letting me film here today."

 

"No problem. Just make sure that In includes plenty of shots of my handsome face," Joe joked, making Chop-khun laugh. He then left Intouch to chat with his senior while he waited. Before long, the two said their goodbyes and returned to the car.

 

"Are you in a hurry to go anywhere?" Intouch asked as Chop-khun adjusted his seatbelt, making sure it didn't press against his fresh tattoo.

 

"Not really. Why?"

 

"There's a great restaurant nearby with a nice atmosphere. Want to grab something to eat?"

 

"Sure, I'm starting to get hungry. It feels like I used up a lot of energy just lying there."

 

"Does it still hurt?" Intouch asked as he backed the car out of the parking lot.

 

"Not really, just a bit of a sting."

 

"Try to avoid activities that make you sweat for now. The film will stay on better that way. After seven days, just follow P'Joe's aftercare instructions, and you'll be fine."

 

"Understood, Mr Intouch," Chop-khun replied in a mock-serious tone, teasing him.

 

After chatting about tattoo aftercare for a bit, the black Porsche pulled into a restaurant's parking lot. Inside, the space was spacious, with an outdoor area decorated with lush greenery and colourful flowers. Small waterfalls were scattered throughout, with clear water where vibrant fish swam gracefully.

 

The evening breeze made the atmosphere even more pleasant. They both agreed to sit in a private corner outside, near a waterfall shaded by a large tree.

 

After ordering soft-crab omelettes, which Intouch recommended, along with a few other dishes and two coconut drinks, Chop-khun took out his phone to snap photos of the restaurant's ambience for his story.

 

"Want me to take a picture for you? The lighting's perfect right now," Intouch offered.

 

"Sure! I haven't posted a picture of myself in ages," Chop-khun said, handing his phone to Intouch. He then posed by sitting up straight with a wide smile, his brown hair gently swaying in the breeze.

 

"Try resting your chin on your hand and looking at the camera," Intouch suggested, noticing that Chop-khun's posture was a bit too stiff.

 

"Do I look like I'm posing for an ID photo? My friends always complain about that," Chop-khun laughed softly, just as Intouch snapped a perfectly timed shot.

 

"Just relax. You're already cute without trying."

 

Chop-khun rubbed his nose with the back of his hand, feeling flustered by the sudden compliment. He grabbed his coconut drink, sipping it to hide his reaction, before following Intouch's advice for more photos.

 

"Do you like these?" Intouch handed the phone back to Chop-khun to review the pictures.

 

"They're great. I love them. This is more than enough. Want me to take some of you?"

 

"No, thanks. I don't usually post pictures of myself," Intouch replied.

 

Chop-khun nodded, sipping his coconut drink again while scrolling through the natural, candid shots Intouch had taken. Some were even taken when he wasn't paying attention. He liked so many of them that he couldn't decide which to post. Even with just a phone, a professional like Intouch could capture such stunning shots.

 

"The food's here," Intouch said, prompting Chop-khun to put his phone away. The soft crab omelette, which looked incredibly appetising, was placed in front of them, followed by a shrimp-and-mixed-vegetable sour soup, a glass-noodle salad with minced pork, and turmeric chicken soup.

 

"Thank you," Chop-khun said to the waiter before grabbing a bottle of ketchup and squeezing it onto his omelette in the shape of a smiley face.

 

"Looks delicious," Chop-khun remarked, looking up at the person across from him.

 

"Make one for me too," Intouch replied.

 

"Huh?" Chop-khun tilted his head in confusion until he saw Intouch nodding toward his plate. 

 

"Oh, sure."

 

Chop-khun took Intouch's plate and carefully squeezed the red ketchup into a smiley face, just like his own.

 

"Oh, almost forgot," he added, squeezing two dots beside the smile. "Yours need dimples too."

 

He handed the plate back to Intouch, who smiled, revealing real dimples as he reached for the plate.

 

"Thank you."

 

After decorating both plates, Chop-khun snapped a couple of photos of his own dish, finding it too cute not to capture. The two began eating, chatting about the weather, random topics, and even current events. 

 

Their conversation flowed more smoothly than expected, with their opinions surprisingly often aligning. There weren't many people Chop-khun felt comfortable exchanging thoughts with without fear of being judged, but Intouch was one of the few who made him feel at ease. Their conversation shifted naturally until it landed on their university days.

 

"You went to the same university as me, right?"

 

"Yeah. How did you know?" Chop-khun asked, surprised, as he didn't recall ever mentioning it.

 

"I saw a picture of you in a student uniform with your friends during the home tour episode."

 

"Oh," Chop-khun said, recalling the wooden shelf on his wall where he kept several framed photos. One of them was a picture of him and Pluem from their university days, still sitting in the same spot.

 

"But we never ran into each other, did we?" Chop-khun said, taking a sip of water. He remembered from Intouch's resume that he had a bachelor's degree in business administration, but he hadn't paid much attention to their shared university, since they'd never met.

 

"What was your major, Khun?"

 

"Fine Arts. Our faculties were right next to each other," Chop-khun replied, prompting a small smile from Intouch.

 

"Then we might've crossed paths. I used to see Fine Arts students around our building a lot," Intouch said.

 

"That's possible. I used to eat at the business faculty's cafeteria all the time. Auntie Chuen's noodle shop was the best. We went there a lot," Chop-khun said, scooping a bite of sweet rice dumplings in coconut milk into his mouth. 

 

He always ended his meals with dessert, and today was no exception. The plan to lose weight was postponed once again because Chop-khun felt like he deserved a little sugar after getting a tattoo. A little sugar meant two bowls of sweet rice dumplings in coconut milk. 

 

"We probably should've met back then," Intouch said.

 

"Yeah. If we'd known each other in university, I wonder how things would've turned out."

 

"Me too," Intouch replied, watching Chop-khun happily chew his dessert.

 

I wonder how our story might've unfolded if we'd met back then.

 

Time passed, and the sky turned a soft orange. Chop-khun felt refreshed after spending a day out of the house. Normally, he'd be holed up in his studio, painting until his hair was a mess and his eyes were dark from lack of sleep. But now, a faint smile graced his lips.

 

"Thanks for inviting me out today, In."

 

"Do you like it here?"

 

"I do. Everything's great, the food, the atmosphere. Let me treat this meal as a thank-you," Chop-khun replied, feeling grateful and wanting to show his appreciation for Intouch's kindness. Intouch didn't say anything, simply called for the bill and handed his credit card to the server.

 

"This one's on me. You can treat me next time," Intouch said.

 

Chop-khun pouted slightly, annoyed that Intouch had beaten him to it, but there was nothing he could do now except agree with the cheeky smile on the other's face.

 

"Fine. You pick the place."

 

The black car pulled up in front of Chop-khun's house as night fell.

 

"Thanks, In. See you at the next shoot. I'll send you the remaining footage as soon as I finish editing it."

 

"Alright."

 

"I'll head in now," Chop-khun said, preparing to leave, but Intouch's voice stopped him.

 

"Khun."

 

"Yes?" Chop-khun turned to meet Intouch's dark eyes, which were fixed on him. "Can I have your Instagram?"

 

"Oh, sure. What's your IG? I'll follow you, and you can follow me back."

 

Chop-khun typed in the username Intouch provided and followed him. Moments later, Intouch followed back.

 

Now they were connected both in real life and on social media. They'd get to see more of each other's lives beyond work, but Chop-khun didn't feel uncomfortable or awkward about sharing his personal account.

 

"Is someone home?" Intouch asked, noticing the lights on inside the house.

 

"Yeah, my brother's staying over for a couple of days, the one I call babe but not my boyfriend," Chop-khun joked, recalling the time Intouch had misunderstood.

 

"Good. I'm glad you don't have a boyfriend," Intouch murmured softly, but in the quiet car, Chop-khun heard it clearly. The speaker smiled as the teaser blushed, at a loss for words.

 

"I'll go now," Chop-khun said, opening the car door. He was about to step out when something held him back. He'd forgotten to unbuckle his seatbelt! Before he could fumble with it, Intouch leaned over and unfastened it for him.

 

"Thanks. See you," Chop-khun said, meeting Intouch's playful gaze before stepping out of the car.

 

"See you."

 

"What were you doing, sitting in the car for so long? Flirting, were you?" Teerak's voice rang out as soon as Chop-khun stepped inside.

 

"Flirting? No way. And you better not have been teasing Kati while I was gone." Chop-khun changed the subject, scooping up the small dog and cuddling him. "Were you being picked on, Kati?"

 

"Picked on? This dog's a pro at winning people over. He was so clingy when you weren't here that I couldn't even tease him."

 

"You've fallen for him, haven't you? Kati's just too cute," Chop-khun said, setting Kati down. 

 

After washing his hands, he grabbed some dog treats and held them loosely in his hand for Kati to guess which hand held the treat. The little dog sniffed both hands before tapping the left one with his paw.

 

"Good boy! Whose dog is this? Kati must be a genius!" Chop-khun praised, while Teerak shook his head at his brother's endless compliments for his dog.

 

"Let me try. Let's see if he's really a genius or just greedy," Teerak challenged, placing a treat under one opaque cup and leaving another cup empty. He shuffled them around before letting Kati choose. The tiny dog tapped one cup with his paw, and when Teerak lifted it, the treat was indeed there.

 

"See? Kati's amazing!" Chop-khun said, clapping for his dog before stroking his fluffy head. "Good job, Kati. But that's enough treats for today. You need to watch your weight."

 

After playing with Kati for a while and showing Teerak his tattoo, Chop-khun went to his workspace to record a video about his tattoo experience and aftercare tips as advised by the artist. He also reviewed the shop and shared his positive impressions of their service. 

 

Once he finished recording, he headed upstairs to shower, leaving Teerak and Kati watching a movie downstairs. After his shower, he stood in front of the mirror, admiring his tattoo again. He didn't regret his decision at all. In fact, he felt incredibly happy. The tattoo was so beautiful that he couldn't wait for the day he could remove the protective film. 

 

After admiring it for a while, Chop-khun put on his navy satin pyjamas. Remembering that he'd just exchanged Instagram with Intouch, he sat on his bed and opened the app. Scrolling through Intouch's profile, he saw hundreds of photos, mostly of travel destinations, both domestic and international. 

 

The next most common photos were of Fancy, from her kitten days to the present. Pictures of Intouch himself were rare but scattered throughout. Chop-khun clicked on one photo of Intouch lying on a bed with a calm expression, Fancy sprawled across his chest. The caption read, 'My daughter.' He couldn't help but smile, but his face turned to panic when his finger accidentally double-tapped, liking the photo.

 

Oh no. He quickly tapped the heart again to unlike it. Did he see that? Unable to undo what had already happened, Chop-khun returned to his feed and saw that Intouch had just posted a new photo a minute ago. It was a picture of the crab omelette with a ketchup smile and dimples, captioned, 'Tastier than ever!

 

Chop-khun smiled and felt his heart race as he stared at the photo for a moment before deciding to post one of his own. Meanwhile, Intouch stared at his phone, unable to suppress his grin when he saw the notification that Chop-khun had liked his photo. His smile grew even wider when he saw that Chop-khun had posted a picture of his own soft crab omelette with the caption, 'Smiling more than ever.' But Intouch's wide smile vanished instantly when he heard his sister yelling from the living room, her voice echoing through the house as if she'd seen a ghost.

 

"Mom! P'In is possessed! Get out of my brother right now! Get out!"