You(r) Tuber Vol 1.

6 Chop-khun's Satisfied

 

[Why does Mom have to scold me? She said I wasn't speaking nicely.]

 

"You know Mom doesn't want any issues with the relatives. She doesn't want to make Grandpa and Grandma uncomfortable, babe."

 

[But I can't stand Auntie Mei. She's always meddling in other people's business, acting like a Karen. It's so annoying.]

 

"Auntie's always been like that. Just let it go. I don't care about what she says," Chop-khun said with a small smile, shaking his head lightly as he listened to the grumbling voice of Teerak through the AirPods in his ears.

 

Meanwhile, his hands were busy preparing breakfast for Kati, who was sitting on the floor, wide-eyed and waiting eagerly.

 

[Babe, you're always like this. That's why Auntie Mei loves to stick her nose into your business all the time.]

 

Chop-khun chuckled softly at the words his mischievous younger brother used to describe their aunt.

 

Teerak was Chop-khun's brother, now twenty years old and a sophomore at a university in Chiang Mai. They hadn't seen each other in over a year but kept in touch regularly through LINE. 

 

Being the youngest in the family, Teerak had been spoiled by their parents since birth. Chop-khun, who'd also been pampered as a child, saw that treatment multiply tenfold when Teerak came into the world. Not just their parents, but Chop-khun himself doted on his brother, having helped raise him since he was little. And he knew that his brother loved him just as much in return.

 

The issue at hand was that their mother had shared Chop-khun's home tour clip in the family group chat last night. While many relatives praised the house, their aunt had typed: 'Why build such a small house? What if you have kids and a wife in the future? How will you all fit?'

 

She wrote that even though she knew full well that Chop-khun liked men. After that message, no one responded, not even Chop-khun. It was probably because his aunt always made comments like this.

 

For instance, when Chop-khun chose to study art, their aunt was the one who said, 'That career will never work out. Our family has always been in business. What can you even do with an art degree?' 

 

And when it came to his preference for men, she was even more disapproving, claiming it brought shame to the family. No matter how many times the mother tried to reprimand her about her words, she never changed. That's why Chop-Khun preferred to avoid her altogether.

 

While he chose to ignore the message, Tearak was the one who replied.

 

“This house is for P'Khun. No need to be so concerned. Maybe focus on your own matters, Auntie."

 

That response led their mother to call and reprimand Teerak, which prompted him to call and whine to Chop-Ikhun first thing in the morning.

 

"It's not like I haven't said anything before. I've talked until I'm exhausted. Auntie won't change her ways. I don't want to waste my time on someone like that. You shouldn't either. It's just bad for your mental health," Chop-khun said as he placed the food bowl on the floor and crouched to watch Kati eat. 

 

He spoke truthfully, admitting that he used to feel hurt and overthink things, but as he got older, he decided to only care about the opinions of people who genuinely cared for him.

 

[Why does Auntie have to pick on you so much? I really don't like it.]

 

Chop-khun could imagine the pout on the other end of the line.

 

"Let it go. I'm fine. Thanks for standing up for me. So, when are you coming to Bangkok? You haven't even seen my new house yet."

 

[I don't know. During the break, I'm going to a volunteer camp with my friends. I'll probably come back after that.]

 

"Alright. Take care of yourself, babe. Come home when you can. Dad and Mom miss you a lot. I've seen your IG Stories-you're always out drinking. I might just report you to them one day."

 

[I'm just sipping, okay? I go to listen to music and relax. Studying is so stressful. By the way, are you okay these days, babe?]

 

"I'm fine, really. Just busy with work every day," Chop-khun replied, knowing exactly what his brother was referring to. Only Teerak knew his ex-boyfriend had cheated on him.

Ever since Tewit posted a clip with his new partner, their mother had called to ask what had happened. Not wanting to worry the family, Chop-khun had brushed it off, saying they'd broken up a long time ago.

 

[Good. Getting away from people like that is a blessing. Your next boyfriend will be a hundred times better than that jerk. Want me to find someone for you? With how cute you are, I'm sure there'll be plenty lining up, babe:]

 

"Stop it."

 

[Why not?]

 

"I just want to be alone for now. And you, don't trust people too easily over there. Don't drink anything someone else gives you, okay? And don't forget to use protection..."

 

Chop-khun knew his brother loved to have fun. Teerak never hid anything from him because they were so close, and while he appreciated the trust, he couldn't help but worry as an older brother.

 

[Alright, alright. Here comes the lecture again. I've memorised it by now. I gotta go, class is starting.]

 

"Okay. Study hard and take care of yourself." Chop-khun shook his head as the call ended abruptly, as usual.

 

[Got it, Dad number two. Oh, by the way, the house tour clip was amazing. I'll share it on my Instagram later. Bye.]

 

Beep.

After his cheeky brother hung up, Chop-khun went to wash his hands before grabbing a pre-packaged tuna rice ball from the fridge. Hearing his brother's compliment about the clip made him think back to the comments he'd read last night.

 

‘The house is beautiful. Great ideas and amazing artwork.'

 

'Such a lovely home. I dream of having a house like this. Your clip made my dream come true.'

 

‘The mood and tone are perfect in every clip. Where have I been? Why am I just discovering this channel?’

 

‘The channel owner has such a cute name. Please show your face more often in the videos!'

 

'Great camera angles. I found this through a photography page.'

 

‘You can see the attention to detail in every step of the design. The homeowner is so lovely. Keep up the great work!'

 

‘The cameraman is really talented. The video perfectly captures the designer's concept.’

 

The home tour clip had been uploaded to his channel three days ago and had received a much better response than he'd expected. Chop-khun ate with a smile so wide it made his cheeks hurt.

 

Another thing that made him incredibly happy was how well the home tour clip turned out. It was proof of how Skilled Intouch was, capturing every detail perfectly.

 

Chop-khun had been impressed from the moment Intouch sent him the edited clip for review. It matched his concept in every way: the camera angles, lighting, framing, editing, and colour tones all aligned perfectly. The video made the house feel warm and conveyed exactly what he'd envisioned. 

 

His role had been to select the footage, add text and sound effects, and handle the upload and promotion across various platforms. As for subscribers, while the numbers didn't skyrocket overnight, they were steadily increasing. 

 

His channel now had over three thousand subscribers. I wonder if In has seen the feedback yet. Since last week, after wrapping up the remaining shoots, they hadn't met again, opting to work from home to save Intouch the hassle of commuting, as there was no need for Intouch to be on-site. 

 

Over the past three days, they'd been discussing content updates online, and today was their final meeting to wrap things up. 

 

Chop-khun grabbed his favourite strawberry milk and took a sip. Just two rice balls wouldn't be enough. He still had a lot to do today. 

 

Glancing at the wall clock, he saw he had two hours before the meeting. He decided to head to his art studio with Kati to finish a backdrop illustration for a client.

 

"The accommodation is a large tent, like the one I showed you last time," Chop-khun explained. "I booked two tents-one for you and one for me."

 

Initially, he'd debated whether to book one or two tents. He didn't mind sharing a room with Intouch, but since they'd only known each other for less than two weeks, he worried it might make Intouch uncomfortable, given his seemingly private nature.

 

"Okay," Intouch replied.

 

"Alright, then. At night, the place offers activities for guests, such as a campfire barbecue and live music. I want this video to be for people who are tired from work and have limited time, but want a camping vibe without it being too rugged. It's more of a relaxing getaway."

 

"Got it." Intouch nodded, jotting down the key concepts on his iPad. Most of the time, Chop-khun was the one explaining the project details, which meant he couldn't look anywhere else but at Intouch. The man was an excellent listener, always maintaining eye contact and nodding attentively.

 

Sitting face-to-face with someone he wasn't close to wasn't something Chop-khun did often. While he appeared composed on the outside, he couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

 

"Would it be convenient for you if we drove together?" Chop-khun asked.

 

"Sure. You'll be driving, right?"

 

"Yes. I want it to have a short road trip vibe, so I want you to capture some footage along the way."

 

After discussing the project for a while, they finalised all the details. The two-day, one-night trip was scheduled for next Friday at Suan Phueng in Ratchaburi province. In the meantime, they'd work separately from home to prepare their tasks.

 

"Will you be home this evening?" Intouch inquired after they wrapped up the discussion.

 

"I'll be home all day. Why? Do you need something?" Chop-khun raised an eyebrow curiously.

 

"I'll stop by to grab the camera from your office, but I might be a bit late since I have a shoot today, Intouch said.

 

"You can come by anytime. I'll be holed up in my art room all day anyway."

 

"Sorry for the trouble."

 

"It's no trouble at all. See you this evening," Chop-khun said brightly before ending the work call.

 

The sound of heavy rain drowned out the music playing through the Marshall speaker, pulling Chop-khun's attention away from the canvas he'd been focused on for hours. His brown eyes glanced at the rain pouring down outside the large glass window as he stretched his stiff body. It was already late in the day. 

 

He'd used the remote to open the front gate a while ago, waiting for Intouch to arrive, but there was still no sign of him. Thinking about the current traffic in the city, it was likely gridlocked. With rain this heavy, there were probably flooded streets everywhere, and the sky was growing darker by the minute.

Where could In be by now?

 

Ding-dong...

The doorbell rang, as if on cue, signalling that the person he'd been thinking about had arrived. 

 

The homeowner and his little dog quickly made their way to the front door.

 

"Oh no, why are you so soaked, In?" Chop-khun asked in surprise as he opened the door.

 

Today, the tall man stood at the door looking completely different from usual. His sharp features were covered in raindrops; his white shirt clung to his body; his black slacks were drenched, water dripping onto the ground. Judging by his hair, which still showed traces of having been neatly styled, it was clear he'd attended some kind of event earlier.

 

"There was a bit of an emergency. Could you grab the camera for me? I'm completely soaked," Intouch said apologetically.

 

"Come inside first. The rain's blowing in,"

 

The rain outside was still pouring down like a storm, with flashes of lightning and the occasional rumble of thunder. Even though it wasn't completely dark yet, the atmosphere was gloomy and intimidating.

 

"It's okay. I'm wet; just wait here," Intouch declined, knowing that Chop-khun liked to keep things clean. The house's cleanliness and tidiness were evident, and he didn't want to mess it up.

 

"No way. I can clean the house, but if you get sick, it'll be a problem," Chop-khun insisted. 

 

Even though Intouch was standing under the extended roof, the wind was still blowing rain onto him. Without waiting for further protest, Chop-khun broke etiquette and gently pulled the hesitant man inside as the rain intensified.

 

"Wait here for a moment. You're freezing."

 

Untouch stood still, obediently, even after Chop-khun let go of his hand. The warmth from the brief touch lingered on his cold wrist. His sharp eyes followed Chop-khun as he hurried inside, then glanced down at the tiny dog sitting on the floor, staring up at him.

 

"Hey there," Intouch greeted.

 

The small dog tilted his head at the unfamiliar voice. The two stared at each other for a moment before the homeowner returned, breaking the silence.

 

"Here," Chop-khun said, handing over a large towel. "Go ahead and use this. It's brand new. I haven't used it yet."

 

"Thanks," Intouch said, raising an eyebrow in surprise before taking the towel. He'd expected Chop-khun to bring the camera, but instead, he received a towel that smelled faintly of fabric softener.

 

"Are you in a hurry to go somewhere else, In?"

 

No, probably head straight home," Intouch replied, dabbing his face lightly with the towel as he heard Chop-khun ask another question, looking concerned.

 

"How are you going to drive home soaking wet like this? Why don't you change into some dry clothes first?"

 

Chop-khun's natural tendency to care for others, as the eldest sibling, led him to ask out of genuine concern. Seeing Intouch's hesitant expression, he guessed Intouch didn't want to be a burden. "The rain's still pouring, and the traffic is terrible. It'll take hours to get home. You'll just end up getting sick. Come inside and wait. It's no trouble at all."

 

Intouch had planned to grab his camera and leave quickly, not wanting to inconvenience the homeowner. But after considering Chop-khun's words, he realised they made sense. The traffic conditions and flooding would indeed make the journey long and difficult. Moreover, the sincerity of Chop-khun's offer led him to agree.

 

"Alright, sorry for the trouble."

 

"I'm stuck at a friend's house because of the rain. Are you home yet?"

 

"How are you going to get back? I'll come pick you up." Chop-khun descended the stairs, hearing Intouch's voice faintly as he spoke on the phone downstairs. In his hands were clothes he'd spent some time finding. They were something he thought Intouch could wear. On top of the pile was a small hairdryer.

 

"Don't be stubborn. I'll get you. Just wait at the clinic."

 

After descending to the first floor, the first thing Chop-khun saw was Intouch's bare back. He was on his phone, standing in front of the bathroom door with only a towel wrapped around his waist. He has such a fine body. How many hours in the gym does it take to get a back like that? I want one, but I'm not that determined.

 

"Alright. See you." Intouch ended the call after he saw Chop-khun approaching.

 

"Try these on. I think they should fit," Chop-khun said, handing over the items.

 

Oh, In has a tattoo. Chop-khun caught a glimpse of an English tattoo on Intouch's side. He didn't stare for long, worried it might be

rude, so he couldn't make out what it said. But the tattoo seemed to suit Intouch perfectly. 

 

Chop-khun had always admired beautiful tattoos. He'd been researching them and knew that getting a tattoo on the side was quite painful. He also wanted one there, but hadn't mustered the courage yet. For now, he was considering a small, minimalistic design, though he hadn't found the right moment to get it done.

 

"Thanks. I'll wash these and return them later," Intouch said, taking the clothes before hurrying into the bathroom.

 

Chop-khun guessed that Intouch probably needed to pick up the person he'd been talking to on the phone. Judging by his tone and urgency, that person must be someone important. Could that person be the hero who saved the world in their past life?

 

Chop-khun let his thoughts wander as he grabbed the camera and a large umbrella to prepare for Intouch.

 

While playing fetch with Kati in the living room, Intouch walked out from the bathroom wearing grey sweatpants that were slightly short on him. On Chop-khun, they fit perfectly, but on Intouch, they looked a bit too short.

 

The oversized white T-shirt, however, seemed to fit Intouch just right, highlighting the stark difference in their builds and heights.

 

"I need to hurry and pick up my baby. Thanks so much for today," Intouch spoke in a calm voice, though his urgency was evident.

 

"Alright," So it really is his partner. It's no surprise he already has a lover, though. "Take my umbrella with you so you don't get soaked again. Here's your camera. I've put it in a waterproof bag for you." Chop-khun handed over the umbrella and camera bag.

 

"See you next Friday. Sorry for the trouble," Intouch said with a faint smile.

 

"No problem at all. See you then," Chop-khun replied with a smile, nodding as he watched the tall figure hurry out of the house, umbrella in hand, carrying his belongings through the pouring rain. That person is so lucky to have a boyfriend who cares this much.

 

After locking up the house, Chop-khun headed straight to the kitchen. At that moment, nothing was more important than the fact that he was starving. He had been so engrossed in painting that he had forgotten to eat. By now, the two rice balls in his stomach had probably been digested several times over.

 

Who knows what time I will!! get to bed tonight? And I still have work to finish before the trip next week.