You(r) Tuber Vol 1.

17 Chop-khun Can't Stop Being Shocked

 

Pluem wiped away his tears, his feet carrying him farther and farther from the front of the restaurant. He didn't want his friends, who were starting to leave, to see him like this-abandoned. Once again, Tewit didn't seem to care about him at all.

 

As soon as Pluem walked away, Tewit drove off immediately, leaving him to stand there and try to hail a taxi on his own. But no taxis stopped for him. His phone was dead, so calling a Grab wasn't an option. And there was no way Tewit would come back to pick him up.

 

While he stood there waiting for a taxi, which only passed by occasionally, a smoky-grey BMW Z4 pulled up in front of him. When the dark-tinted window rolled down, Pluem saw who the driver was.

 

Kim.

 

"Get in. I'll take you home," Kim said, his handsome face tilting up to look at Pluem, who stood on the sidewalk. His calm tone and unreadable expression made it hard to gauge his mood.

 

Kim had witnessed everything that happened in front of the restaurant. He'd been smoking in the designated corner for customers, a spot secluded enough that no one noticed him. He didn't want to eavesdrop, but I just happened to be there.

 

"No need. I can get home on my own," Pluem declined.

 

Since seeing Kim in the karaoke room earlier, they hadn't exchanged a single word. Pluem didn't greet him, and Kim didn't greet him either. They merely glanced at each other in passing, like strangers. They moved around each other as if they didn't exist. It wasn't because they'd never been close before, but Pluem figured Kim was just another person who didn't like him anymore. And if anyone had a reason to hate him, it was Kim.

 

Pluem had known since their university days that Kim had a crush on Chop-khun. But Chop-khun, being Chop-khun, never noticed, even though many of their friends had figured it out. Since Kim never confessed, no one said anything. After graduation, when Chop-khun met Tewit and started dating him, Kim disappeared from the former's life entirely. If I get in the car with him, it's going to be so awkward.

 

"This area's deserted. Are you planning to wait here until you get mugged?" Kim asked.

 

Pluem glanced around and realised for the first time how empty the area was. There wasn't a soul in sight, and the streetlights were spaced so far apart that some spots were completely dark. A small wave of fear crept over him, but he still didn't move.

 

"I'm counting to three. If you want to stand here alone, be my guest. One... two... th.." Kim's deep voice counted slowly, and Pluem knew he wasn't bluffing. Kim would absolutely leave him there.

 

"Fine, I'll go," Pluem relented, walking over to open the car door and get in. He didn't have much of a choice.

 

"Where do you live?" Kim asked in his usual flat tone.

 

"Sathorn," Pluem replied. He had to go back to Tewit's condo, even if he wasn't ready to face him. But he had no choice since his work stuff was there.

 

"Pin the location," Kim said, handing his phone to Pluem, who sat sulking in the passenger seat. The car fell into silence, with neither of them speaking. The only sound was the occasional voice from the GPS. It wasn't until they stopped at a red light that Kim broke the silence.

 

"You're an idiot."

 

"What?" Pluem snapped, his tone irritated, though he had a feeling he knew what Kim was referring to.

 

"You chose someone like that asshole over a good friend like Khun. You know Khun loves you. You should've thought this through more carefully."

 

"Mind your own business."

 

As expected, Kim got all worked up whenever it came to Chop-khun, even though he usually didn't meddle in other people's affairs.

 

"You idiot."

 

"You're no smarter than me. You waited for Khun for years, and the moment you found out he was single, you showed up right away. Even though you know he never realised you liked him," Pluem retorted.

 

"At least I waited in my own lane. I didn't steal my friend's boyfriend. And I didn't come back hoping to date him. I just wanted to see how he was doing after being betrayed by a dear friend like you. But Khun seems fine, unlike you right now," Kim said, his sharp gaze cutting into Pluem with his final words.

 

"If you picked me up just to insult me, then stop the car. I can get home on my own," Pluem said, crossing his arms and turning to look out the window, though he couldn't see anything clearly as his tears were welling up. Everything Kim said is true.

 

The silence between them was heavy, broken only by the GPS's directions until the car finally stopped in front of Tewit's condo.

 

"Thanks," Pluem said as he unbuckled his seatbelt, avoiding Kim's gaze. He didn't want Kim to see that he'd been crying. But as he stepped out of the car, Kim called his name.

 

"Pluem."

 

"..."  Pluem froze but didn't turn around.

 

"No decent person would leave their partner like that. If he really loved you, he wouldn't do this. Use your brain when you decide who to love. I hope you figure it out," Kim said, his tone not taunting but genuinely trying to knock some sense into him. At the very least, they'd once been good friends. That's what Kim thought as he decided to speak up. Someone like Te doesn't deserve anyone's love.

 

"You should know better than anyone, Kim. If letting go were that easy, you'd have done it a long time ago," Pluem replied in a steady voice before stepping out of the car.

 

I know I made the wrong choice. I know Te is downright terrible. But I love him. I love him so much I don't know how to let go. If only I'd been stronger back then, none of this would've happened.

 

[Two years ago]

 

Knock... knock... knock...

 

"Khun, are you there?" Pluem asked, startled to see Tewit, Chop-khun's boyfriend, standing behind the door instead. He lowered his head, trying to hide the bruise on his face, but it was too late.

 

"Hey, Pluem, what happened to your face? Come in," Tewit said, pulling Pluem into the room. He was shocked to see Pluem's pale face swollen and bruised, with a cut at the corner of his mouth. The traces of heavy crying were still evident.

 

"Where's Khun?" Pluem asked as he sat on the couch in the living room, glancing around but not seeing any sign of his friend

 

"He's out meeting a client. He should be back soon." Tewit grabbed a first aid kit before sitting beside Pluem.

 

"Let me clean that up for you."

 

"No, no, I can do it myself," Pluem said, waving his hands. It didn't feel right for Tewit to be the one tending to his wounds.

 

"Don't overthink it. You can't do it properly on your own. If Khun finds out I let you handle it yourself, he'll scold me for sure," Tewit said. 

 

Seeing Plum's hesitation, he added, "We're friends. Don't worry about it."

 

Hearing Tewit's reassurance, Pluem reluctantly sat still, letting him tend to his injuries. He felt embarrassed that Tewit had to see him like this. His lips pressed tightly together, his hands clenched into fists, and his eyes shut tightly from the sting of the antiseptic. Tewit chuckled softly at the sight and spoke gently.

 

"If it hurts, just say so. Don't hold it in." Pluem knew Tewit was talking about the physical pain, but he couldn't hold back his tears for a different reason. It seemed Tewit noticed.

 

"Who did this?" Tewit asked gently.

 

"My boyfriend," Pluem admitted.

 

Normally, he wouldn't have said anything since they weren't that close, but in his vulnerable state, he ended up pouring everything out to Tewit.

 

After finishing his story, he cried for a while longer before finally calming down. Pluem tried to suppress his sobs and turned to Tewit, who'd been silently listening the entire time.

 

"Te, please don't tell Khun about this."

 

"Why not?" Tewit frowned, handing him a tissue.

 

"He wouldn't stand for it if he knew my boyfriend did this again. I don't want him to get involved. Please."

 

Pluem had made up his mind to ask Tewit for this favour. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. 

 

The last time, when Chop-khun found out, he was furious and couldn't bear to see Pluem get hurt. He told Pluem to break up with his boyfriend, but Pluem refused, thinking it was just a one-time mistake. When Chop-khun saw how stubborn he was, he called Pluem's boyfriend directly.

 

“If you ever hurt Pluem again, even a little, I'll call the police. Remember that."

 

That's what Chop-khun had said. After hanging up, he'd repeatedly told Pluem to let him know if it happened again. Chop-khun wouldn't let it slide and would take action immediately. Chop-khun had even skipped work to stay with him until he recovered.

 

Pluem smiled faintly, remembering everything Chop-khun had done for him. If he'd listened to his friend back then, none of this would've happened again.

 

"I'm feeling better now. Thanks for helping me with my injuries. I should go before Khun gets back."

 

"Are you going back to your boyfriend?" Tewit asked, glancing at Pluem, whose face looked slightly better.

 

"No. We broke up," Pluem replied. And from that day on, whenever they met, Tewit started talking to Pluem more and often teasing him. Whenever Chop-khun invited Pluem out, Tewit would always join them. They grew closer quickly. The newfound closeness sparked feelings in Pluem's heart. One day, when they were drunk, they almost kissed while Chop-khun was in the bathroom. That was when Pluem decided to distance himself. He knew he was falling for his best friend's boyfriend. 

 

Pluem stopped meeting both of them together, only agreeing to see Chop-khun alone. But one day, Tewit added him on LINE and asked why he'd disappeared. Pluem didn't reply, but Tewit kept sending messages every day, checking in on him. Eventually, Pluem softened and started replying.

 

Short messages turned into longer conversations. Rare replies turned into daily chats. The more they talked, the more Pluem felt drawn to Tewit. The care and attention he'd never received from his previous lover, he found in Tewit. And slowly, Pluem's feelings deepened. What started as a simple desire to just talk turned into something much more.

 

They began secretly meeting behind Chop-khun's back. During the times when Chop-khun was swamped with work, their meetings became more frequent, escalating into something far beyond what they'd had initially intended. Sweet words and the thrill of a forbidden relationship drew them closer together, their bond becoming increasingly obvious. 

 

Even Chop-khun noticed, "You two seem to be getting closer," Chop-khun remarked casually over dinner at their usual restaurant.

 

Plum's hand froze mid-air as he reached for food, his heart sinking at the comment. Both he and Tewit, who'd been hiding their secret, immediately thought the worst. Tewit glanced at Chop-khun briefly, his expression calm and composed. Does he know?

 

"I'm happy to see that," Chop-khun added with a wide smile, and Tewit felt a wave of relief. Pluem, on the other hand, was consumed by guilt.

 

After dinner, Tewit drove Chop-khun to his family's house to visit his parents, while Pluem went straight to Tewit's condo to wait for him.

 

"Te, let's break up," Pluem said the moment Tewit walked through the door.

 

"Why are you saying this?" Tewit asked, surprised, as he walked over to embrace Pluem, who was sitting on the couch with his face buried in his hands, crying.

 

"I can't do this anymore, Te. I don't know how I can face Khun," Pluem said, his voice trembling. He loved Tewit, but the guilt of betraying Chop-khun was eating him alive. His conscience was at war with his emotions, and he felt like a terrible person for what he'd done behind his friend's back.

 

"Don't feel guilty, Pluem. This isn't your fault. Even if you weren't in the picture, I would've broken up with Khun anyway. We're just not compatible. I've told you this many times."

 

"Then how much longer are we going to keep this up? When will you make things clear?" Pluem asked, looking up at Tewit with tear-filled eyes.

 

"Just give me a little more time. I'll definitely break up with Khun. You've seen how we barely see each other these days. I love you, Pluem. I'll choose you, no matter what. Don't overthink it, okay?"

 

Pluem nodded at Tewit's words, unable to resist his feelings. In the end, he gave in to his heart. He chose Tewit.

 

And this pattern repeated several times until Tewit finally decided to break up with Chop-khun. It happened on the day Pluem gave him an ultimatum to choose between them. After that, they officially became a couple, just as they'd hoped.

 

Initially, they planned to keep their relationship quiet and reveal it later, but things didn't go as planned. Chop-khun found out before they could say anything. 

 

The memories of the past faded as Pluem stood in front of Tewit's room, unsure of what to do next. The confusion about whether to end things or keep going paralysed him. He couldn't decide until he finally opened the door and saw Tewit sitting in the living room, waiting for him.

 

"Let's break up, Pluem," were the first words he heard. Tewit wasn't holding onto him anymore. It was Pluem who refused to let go. He cried, begged, and pleaded for another chance. But the answer he got was: "I'm sorry, Pluem. I've realised who I truly love."

________

It felt like being on a rocking boat in the middle of a vast ocean. That was the first sensation Chop-khun felt. When he fully opened his eyes, he realised he wasn't on a boat but in his own bedroom. My head is killing me.

 

The next wave of sensations hit: nausea, a bitter taste in his mouth, and an ache that spread throughout his body. Hungover and exhausted, he tried to piece together the events of the previous night. He remembered dancing a lot, which probably explained the soreness. Bits and pieces of the night started coming back to him, though some parts were still fuzzy. Snippets of conversations began to play in his mind.

 

"I'll come pick you up."

 

"You're coming to get me?"

 

"Yes, I'll come. Don't go anywhere."

 

Ah, right. In called me. So, was he the one who brought me home? Chop-khun frowned, trying to recall what had happened. Normally, when he got drunk, he'd just pass out. It's probably nothing. But it feels like there's something...

 

Thinking about it made his headache worse, so he decided to call his best friend to confirm what had happened. He searched for his phone, eventually finding it under his pillow. Ignoring the flood of notifications, he searched for Praewa's name and called her. A glance at the clock on the screen showed it was already past noon.

 

[You're awake? Praewa's sunny voice greeted him before he could say anything.]

 

"Yeah. My head's killing me, and I'm sore all over."

 

[Well, I told you to take it easy last night, but you didn't listen. You even dragged me to dance more. You said, 'Dance until we drop, then head to the massage parlour later.' Have you booked a massage yet?]

 

"Did I really say that?" Chop-khun asked, his voice hoarse. He cleared his throat and reached for the glass of water on his bedside table, taking a sip to soothe his dry throat.

 

[Yep. So, what do you remember? Tell me.]

 

"I remember dancing a lot. Then, In called and said he'd come pick me up. I told him I'd wait, and he actually came. Oh, and I remember you talking to him, but I don't remember what you talked about," Chop-khun recounted, trying to piece things together. 

 

As he spoke, he vaguely recalled seeing Intouch smiling in the karaoke room and saying something he couldn't quite remember. He said he wasn't upset about me being drunk or something like that. I can't really remember this part.

 

[That's all you remember? You don't know what else you did?] Praewa's light laughter followed, and just imagining Chop-khun's reaction to what she was about to say made her laugh even more.

 

"What do you mean? What did I do? Tell me!" Chop-khun's anxiety spiked as he bit his lower lip. His pale face grew even paler as Praewa began recounting everything.

 

I showed off his dimples to my friends?!

 

The first shock shot through Chop-khun!

 

[Oh, and forgot to mention. While he was waiting for me to grab your bag, you kept poking his cheeks, saying how cute he was, how kind he was, and then you shouted to everyone that you were some kind of hero who saved the world or something.]

 

The second shock came right through Chop-khun!

 

"I'm never drinking again," Chop-khun muttered, feeling like his soul had left his body. He was utterly mortified. He'd never been this drunk before. He had no courage to face Intouch now.

 

[Just think of it this way: he got to see another side of you. He didn't seem upset or angry. In fact, he took really good care of you. I wanted to scream. He's so kind and checks all the boxes!!]

 

Praewa tried to console Chop-khun while gushing about the senior she'd always admired. Her words were interrupted by Phee's playful voice in the background, saying, 'You're going to get it!

 

At least I wasn't in my right mind. He probably won't hold it against me. Chop-khun tried to reassure himself, feeling slightly better. But before he could fully relax, Praewa dropped another bomb.

 

[I bet he smiled when he saw your IG story. He wouldn't be mad.]

 

"What story?"

 

He did what now?!

 

[Wait, you haven't seen it? Go check. You've created a new legend. P'Phee, come look at Khun's story before he deletes it!]

 

Praewa's laughter made Chop-khun panic. Hearing her invite Phee to look at his story only made him more anxious. Curiosity got the better of him, and he quickly ended the call to check his Instagram.

 

When he watched the story, he mentally screamed the F-word. He couldn't believe his eyes, so he replayed the clip again. The video showed him lying on his side, his head resting on a pillow, his eyes half-closed as if he were about to fall asleep.

 

"In, where did you go? I haven't hugged you yet. You said you wouldn't be mad at me."

 

His voice in the clip was groggy and sounded so disappointed. It was as if he desperately wanted to hug Intouch.

 

Why did I have to post that on my story?!

 

Chop-khun was wide awake, his hands clenched into fists, his heart racing like crazy. His pale face buried itself into his pillow as he screamed into it. He wanted to pull his hair out, but stopped when he realised Intouch mightn't have seen it yet. He hastily sat up, scrolling through the list of viewers with a pounding heart.

 

Yes, yes, yes.

He probably didn't see it.

He absolutely didn't

 

But reality hit him hard when he saw Intouch's Instagram name among the fifty-something viewers. To make matters worse, the flood of notifications he'd ignored earlier were messages from friends and Teerak teasing him about the story. And the final blow that knocked him out completely was Intouch's reply to the story.

 

'If you're still up for that hug when you're sober, just let me know. :)'

 

Chop-khun felt like his soul had truly left his body. The warnings about alcohol his father used to give him as a kid echoed in his mind. Hungover and sprawled on his bed, Chop-khun blinked at the ceiling, his head pounding again. He wasn't sure if it was the lingering effects of the alcohol or the embarrassment from his actions. 

 

Feeling sticky and gross, he realised Teerak must've changed his clothes and wiped him down a bit, but the discomfort lingered. Forcing himself up, he headed to the shower to freshen up.

 

This was the worst hangover Chop-khun had ever experienced. Even after showering, his head throbbed, and he felt nauseous. His stomach growled with hunger, but he had no appetite. He collapsed back onto his bed, silently cursing himself for drinking way past his limit.

 

Knock... knock... knock...

 

The sound of knocking echoed softly before the lean figure of his younger brother appeared, accompanied by a fluffy dog.

 

"Rak, can you lift Kati up here for me?"

 

Seeing Kati jump up and cling to the bed, staring at him with wide, innocent eyes, Chop-khun felt an urge to cuddle the soft belly. But his current state didn't allow for much movement. Even slight shifts made him dizzy. He decided to make an exception and let Kati on the bed. Once Teerak placed the little dog on the bed, Kati immediately hopped onto Chop-khun's chest, nuzzling his chin affectionately and wagging his tail with excitement.

 

"You missed me, didn't you, Kati? I missed you, too, but I don't have the energy to play right now," Chop-khun said, grabbing another pillow to prop himself up so he could see Kati better. He gently stroked the dog lying on his chest.

 

"You're completely out of it," Teerak smirked, sitting down beside his brother.

 

"Thanks for changing my clothes and wiping me down," Chop-khun said, observing Kati's belly as the dog lay on his back, enjoying a belly rub. His fingers ran over the pink belly and sensed the dog had slimmed down. "No problem. P'In also helped me."

 

"Huh? In changed my clothes?!" Chop-khun's face flushed instantly as he turned to look at his brother.

 

"Last night, P'In brought you home while I was watching a series downstairs. We carried you up together. You threw up, so I couldn't handle changing your clothes alone. P'In offered to help, but he only changed your shirt. I handled the pants and wiped you down myself."

 

Well, that's a relief. But still, what a burden you've become, Chop-khun!

 

"Sorry, I was really wasted last night."

 

"Treat me to an omakase meal, and I'll keep my mouth shut. I won't tell Mom and Dad," Teerak said with a sly grin, raising his eyebrows triumphantly.

 

"What if I don't treat you?"

 

"Then... I can't say what will happen."

 

"Fine. Don't you ever let your guard down." Chop-khun pouted.

 

"You promised! I'll start picking the restaurant," Teerak said with a wide smile before adding, "Get some rest. I'll be downstairs reading. Call me if you need anything. Kati, come here."

 

"No, it's fine. Let Kati stay here."

 

"Okay. Oh, by the way, I ordered porridge for you. Want me to heat it up and bring it up here?"

 

"No need, thanks. I'll come down and eat it myself. Uh, by the way, did anything else happen last night?" Chop-khun asked hesitantly. Part of him didn't want to know, but another part felt he should find out so he could properly apologise to Intouch.

 

"Nothing else happened."

 

What a relief.

 

Chop-khun let Kati lounge on his chest since he didn't have the energy to do much else. As he lay there, he tried to gather the courage to call the person whose name had been echoing in his mind ever since he woke up. If he didn't apologise to Intouch, he wouldn't be able to sleep. But wait. I think I remember something.

 

"I'm gonna throw up."

 

Chop-khun remembered saying those words while sitting in Intouch's car. After that, everything went black.

Shit.

 

What a shituation!

 

[Hello, In. Can you talk? Are you free right now?]

 

"I can talk. I'm not busy. Have you been awake long?"

 

Intouch stepped out of a Cartier shop, glancing at his mom and younger sister, who were busy picking out jewellery. He'd been dragged along for a shopping trip with them today.

 

[For a little while now.]

 

"I didn't message you because I was worried you might still be sleeping. Have you eaten yet?"

 

[Not yet. I don't really have an appetite.]

 

"Is there anything you feel like eating? I can bring it over."

 

[No, no, no. That's okay. I have a headache and was thinking of taking another nap. Thank you so much for last night, by the way.]

 

"It's no problem. I was happy to help."

 

[And another thing... um, I want to apologise.]

 

"Apologise? For what?" Intouch raised an eyebrow.

 

[For everything... I'm sorry for being a bother. I'm sorry if I said or did anything inappropriate. I was wrong.]

 

Chop-khun's imagination ran wild, convinced he must've thrown up in Intouch's car.

 

"There's no need to apologise. I volunteered to pick you up. It's no big deal. Don't think much about it."

 

[Did I mess up your car?] Too embarrassed to ask directly if he'd thrown up in the car, Chop-khun asked indirectly, anxiously awaiting the answer.

 

"No, everything's fine."

 

Intouch left it at that, not mentioning how, when Chop-khun had said he was going to throw up, the car had conveniently stopped at a red light. Without a bag in the car, Intouch had grabbed his backpack from the back seat, emptied it out, and handed it to Chop-khun just in time. Chop-khun had spent most of the ride with his face buried in the bag.

 

[If there's anything I need to take responsibility for, just let me know. Don't hesitate.] Chop-khun thought Intouch might be too kind to tell him the truth.

 

"There's nothing about the car you need to worry about. But there might be something else."

 

I knew it! What now? Hearing Intouch's tone turn more serious, Chop-khun lightly smacked his forehead with his free hand before I nervously asked, ["What is it?"]

 

“You read my message but didn't reply.”

 

"..." Chop-khun's brain worked overtime, and when he realised what Intouch was referring to, his face turned bright red.

 

“So, what's the answer? Do you still want that hug?”

 

Intouch's teasing tone and soft laughter left Chop-khun speechless for nearly ten seconds.

 

["If I said I did, what would you do, In?"]

 

Chop-khun hung up instantly after saying that. He loves making me flustered, so he deserves a taste of his own medicine. Smirking at his phone, Chop-khun lay back down, hugging Kati and closing his eyes.

 

If you ask me if I actually dare to hug In… Ha.

 

The answer is no.

Who would dare....