You(r) Tuber Vol 2.

27 Chop-khun Had Enough

 

The live stream, which had been going smoothly, promptly turned chaotic when a group of people began posting strange comments. Chop-khun, still trying to make sense of it all, scrolled through the flood of comments until he finally understood what was happening. A group of people now believed that he'd stolen Tewit from Pluem.

 

The number of viewers was climbing rapidly, nearing a thousand, with some leaving hateful comments while others demanded the truth. Still at a loss, Chop-khun quickly decided to explain before things spiralled further out of control.

 

"I don't know why this has turned into such a mess, but it's not true," Chop-khun said in a calm voice, trying to explain rationally. "I've never stolen anyone's partner, and I've never even thought about doing something like that."

 

'Who'd admit to stealing someone's bf?'

'Stop pretending.'

'If you stole him, just say you did.'

'You know what you did.'

'Just look at his face-you can tell he's no angel.'

‘Is it true or not?'

'What about that cameraman?'

'So what's the truth? I'm confused.'

‘Liar.'

 

Even after his explanation, some people refused to believe him and continued to post accusatory comments. At that moment, Chop-khun noticed Teerak waving at him and silently mouthing, 'Just tell the truth, babe.'

 

Chop-khun glanced at the comments still popping up on the screen, his thoughts a tangled mess. Part of him wanted to reveal the whole truth, but another part hesitated. He wasn't sure how revealing the truth would affect Pluem’s life. He knew full well that Pluem didn't have anyone else, just his mother and grandmother. He was the sole provider for his family, unlike Tewit, who wouldn't be as affected since he had work, money, and plenty of people supporting him. Even if they weren't friends anymore, and even though he couldn't forgive him, it didn't mean Chop-khun wanted to ruin anyone's life.

 

"I don't know where you all got your information, but it's not true. Let me make it clear, I've never had an affair with anyone," he said again, this time with a firmer tone. "Also... I already have a boyfriend. I don't want to involve anyone unrelated to my relationship. I hope everyone understands."

 

Chop-khun chose to protect himself without involving anyone else. Not only could he not bring himself to do it, but he also didn't wish to prolong the drama or have any further involvement with those people. Sharing personal details with so many strangers wasn't easy for him. He hadn't even told his parents about this situation. This was probably the best solution.

 

'Sue them, P'Khun!'

'How can they just accuse someone without proof?'

‘Everyone, please crawl back into your holes!'

'He said he's got a boyfriend. Who else could it be?'

'If that liar's fans are upset, just scream it out. Scream it out loud!'

'His fans are overreacting. Be careful not to embarrass yourselves.'

'If you haven't been following P'Khun from the start, don't make assumptions.'

'Liar.'

 

Although Chop-khun tried to change the subject, the viewers in the live stream continued to argue in the comments. That was until Intouch posted a single message.

 

‘I can confirm that my boyfriend has never done anything like that. If anyone continues to accuse Chop-khun of something untrue, we'll have to take legal action.'

 

That message gradually caused the negative comments to disappear. Chop-khun thanked those who understood him before ending the live stream, still befuddled about where this all started.

 

"You should've just told them who really stole from whom. Everyone's acting like they know everything," Teerak said, clearly aggravated. Chop-khun turned to look at him, sitting on the bed with a scowl. "It's such a shame. I should've clapped back at them earlier. What gives them the right to accuse someone without knowing the truth?"

 

Before Chop-khun could respond, his phone buzzed on the table. Intouch's name flashed on the screen. He told his brother they'd talk later and that he'd explain everything. When Teerak nodded, Chop-khun answered the call, immediately hearing a concerned voice on the other end.

 

[Are you okay?]

 

"I'm fine. I'm not overthinking it," Chop-khun replied as he walked out to the second-floor balcony to catch the breeze. "It's not true anyway."

 

[Are you sure?]

 

"I'm sure," he said softly, gazing out at the dark sea. The sound of the waves helped ease his restless mind.

 

"Thank you for speaking up earlier."

 

[It's nothing. But let me ask, why didn't you tell everyone the truth?]

 

Hearing the question, Chop-khun began explaining everything without holding back, his thoughts, his feelings. Intouch listened quietly. He understood and respected his boyfriend's decision, though he couldn't deny that this kindness might come back to hurt Chop-khun.

 

[This could escalate further than you think. It's best to prepare evidence to protect yourself, just in case.]

 

"I've been thinking about that too," Chop-khun admitted after a brief pause, his voice uncertain. "Do you think I'm stupid? This should've been an easy decision, but I still handled it this way."

 

[You're not stupid. Don't think like that. Whether you speak up or stay silent, I understand. You should choose the path that makes you feel most at peace.]

 

"I just hope this doesn't go any further. If it does, I won't hold back next time. You'll see."

 

Though Chop-khun spoke in a lighthearted tone, sounding cheerful, Intouch sensed his lingering unease.

 

[Honestly, you have nothing to fear because you're not in the wrong. But if anything happens, I'll be right here by your side. I'll help with everything.]

 

Chop-khun smiled, the slight worry in his heart fading almost entirely. He glanced at his younger brother, who was peeking over curiously, and whispered into the phone. "Thank you. Whose boyfriend is this? You're so sweet."

 

Teerak, who'd been fretting moments ago, rolled his eyes when he saw his brother grinning ear to ear. But on second thought, it was better this way. If Chop-khun wasn't too worried, then the person who should be most unsettled was the one who'd done wrong. 

 

Teerak returned to his phone, silently vowing that if anyone insulted his brother again, he wouldn't stay quiet like he did today. Everyone hoped the matter would end there. Sadly, just a day after the live stream, Chop-khun began receiving hate across almost every social media platform. The worst of it was the trending hashtag #HomewreckerYTB on X, which became a hot topic. 

 

Chop-khun, busy working on his illustrations in his studio, was unaware of the drama until Khim informed him. When Chop-khun read the posts himself, he was utterly baffled. The issue had blown up far more than he'd anticipated. Things had gotten much bigger than he'd ever imagined!

 

‘The dog named Kati used to appear on P'Te's channel. If nothing is going on, how did it end up on someone else's channel? It's obviously the same dog.'

 

'Who asked for proof? Here you go. Just a few days ago, they met up with the dog and all.//Attached photo of Chop-khun talking to Tewit in front of an elevator.

 

'Saw this at a dog grooming shop last month. Thought they were friends or relatives. Turns out, it's an affair://Attached Polaroid of Chop-khun and Tewit together. 

 

‘With evidence this clear, are you still going to deny it? LOL.'

 

‘So it's cheating, huh? Last week, he met someone else. This week, he says he has a boyfriend. Amazing.'

 

'Check this out.//Attached clip of Tewit mentioning Chop-khun in a live stream: 'We know each other well. He's always been sweet to me.'

 

'Who are these people? I don't know any of them. Do I need to care about this?'

 

‘Fake acting is obvious.'

 

'His boyfriend threatened to sue us. Are your eyes open yet? LOL'

 

‘How will he explain this?’

 

‘I told you to wait and see. Fans, don't defend him too much. He's not your parent.'

 

'Announced the breakup with Pluem just days ago, then went live, inviting his fans to watch that channel. What do you think...?'

 

‘How dumb do you have to be to support him still?'

 

'At first, I almost believed he was innocent.'

 

‘The worst part is they were close friends. Pluem still has pictures with that guy named Khun on his Instagram. '

 

‘Why blame only Chop-khun? Te is at fault too. Don't have double standards.'

 

'How could you steal your friend's boyfriend? That's so messed up.'

 

‘Pluem is the most pitiful in this. The cheater moves on shamelessly.’

 

‘Why are people so obsessed with others' business? What do we gain from this?'

 

‘At first, I almost believed Khun, but the evidence is too clear now.'

 

'If you've never been cheated on, you wouldn't understand how much it hurts. The one who got their heart broken is shattered, while those jerks are happy together. Karma will catch up to them’

 

‘Do we really need to mix his personal life with his work? Learn to separate things. Have some sense!’

 

‘I'm tired of people claiming to be insiders, saying they've known this and that for a while. If you knew and didn't speak up, then don't speak now.'

 

'Just focus on his work.'

 

'He already said it's not true. Aren't you afraid of being sued for this level of hate? Don't get too carried away.'

 

'Don't follow people like this. Just cancel him.'

 

‘I can't believe it. I've been following this channel for a long time. He seemed so sweet and had such a good attitude.'

 

'You can't judge a book by its cover.'

 

‘Go check out Pluem's stories. They're so sad. If they ended things on good terms, would it be like this?' //Attached photo of Pluem sharing the song 'Shouldn't Have Loved You.'

 

'Disappointing. Are you really in the wrong?'

 

‘Who said not to kick someone when they're down? I'm not just kicking; I'm stomping. It's satisfying. Why didn't you think before stealing your friend's boyfriend?'

 

‘I won't believe anything until I know the truth. Right now, it's just people making assumptions. How can you be sure everything you've heard is true?’

 

‘There are so many people in the world, and you had to steal your friend's boyfriend.'

 

Aside from the comments that spiralled into unbelievable accusations, there were also exaggerated fabrications. On top of that, the harsh insults weren't directed solely at him; they'd extended to Teerak as well.

 

'The younger brother is overprotective. Does he even know what kind of person his brother really is?'

 

'Siblings are always alike.'

 

'Coming out to defend his brother like he's fierce or something. Pathetic.’

 

‘Instead of defending him online, maybe he should knock some sense into his brother.’

 

‘Big talk. If your brother didn't steal someone's boyfriend, would people be insulting him?'

 

The more Chop-khun scrolled through the comments, the deeper his frown grew. He'd anticipated that some people mightn't believe him, but he hadn't expected things to escalate to this level. After all, he wasn't a famous person. 

 

But as he read further, he found the answer to why this had gained so much attention. It was because Tewit had landed the lead role in his first series with a major production company, and several episodes had already aired. The series had received a fairly positive response, and Tewit's fanbase had grown significantly.

 

This was fresh information about his ex that Chop-khun had just learned: Tewit had achieved his dream of becoming an actor. As a result, Chop-khun received an unexpected call from someone at the production company. 

 

They were aware of the truth behind the situation and asked him not to reveal Tewit's wrongdoing. They only wanted him to deny the accusations, fearing it'd affect the series and the other actors. Chop-khun hadn't decided what to do yet, so they gave him time to think and requested an answer by the end of the day.

 

The issue didn't end there. A client who sponsored his channel also reached out, stating that if he were guilty, all their products would be pulled from his channel. However, if the accusations weren't true, they wanted him to address the matter directly to protect the brand's image.

 

Within an hour, the situation had spiralled so far out of control that even his family and close friends became aware of it. Many people sent him screenshots of comments and offered to help confirm the truth. His parents called to ask why he hadn't told them about such a big problem. After he explained everything, they didn't say much, just gave him advice and told him to handle it the way he thought best. They trusted his judgment. 

 

However, before hanging up, his dad reminded him not to be kind in the wrong place at the wrong time. That particular comment struck a chord with him. But amidst the negativity, knowing that there were still people willing to stand by him made him feel a little better. 

 

What touched him just as much was the small group of fans who still believed in him and were waiting to hear the truth. Many sent him messages of encouragement and even tried to defend him. Still, this kind of headache-inducing situation shouldn't have happened in the first place. No one should have to endure insults or trouble because of him. That was what made him feel the worst.

 

"Sigh."

 

The heavy sigh from beside him made Intouch stop reading the frustrating comments on his phone. He turned to see Chop-khun leaning back on the sofa, staring silently at the ceiling. Intouch reached out, his large hand gently holding Chop-khun's smaller one, his thumb softly stroking the back of it.

 

Chop-khun turned to meet the gaze of the owner of that warm hand before sliding down to rest his head on Intouch's lap, pressing the large hand against his cheek.

 

"What are you thinking about?" Intouch asked.

 

"I'm wondering if things wouldn't have gotten this messy if I'd told the whole story that day."

 

"Judging by the comments, even if you'd spoken up from the start, not everyone would've believed you. There would've been other problems to deal with anyway. You made the best decision you could at the time. Don't overthink it."

 

"..." Chop-khun nodded.

 

"You shouldn't have to take responsibility for this in the first place," Intouch said, tapping his finger on Chop-khun's nose before continuing. "And as for what the production company asked of you, it's not right. They shouldn't expect you to explain things to others when their own person is at fault. I don't think that's fair."

 

"That's what I thought."

 

They discussed the matter for a while before Chop-khun turned onto his side, burying his face against Intouch's firm stomach. The scent of Intouch's body oddly calmed him. "I need about ten minutes to rest and think, okay?"

 

"Alright." Intouch let Chop-khun have his quiet time, his hand instinctively stroking the soft brown hair while his other hand typed a message to their lawyer, asking them to screenshot any defamatory comments that could harm Chop-khun, just in case they needed them.

 

Chop-khun closed his eyes, trying to figure out how to handle the situation. Intouch was right; no matter what choice he made, there would be problems to solve. And he shouldn't have to deal with this in the first place. Why should he be the one to take responsibility when he wasn't at fault? Why should he be the only one suffering when he was the one who'd been cheated on? At the very least, shouldn't the person who caused all this take some responsibility?

 

Chop-khun needed to do something to protect himself, the people he loved, and the fans who still believed in him.

 

After thinking it through, Chop-khun shared his plan with Intouch. Once they discussed it and agreed, he opened X and carefully typed out a message, asking Intouch to review it. Once they both felt it was appropriate, the message was posted immediately.

 

I've already said that the accusations against me are not true. Even if I have to say it a hundred or a thousand times, I'll stand by it. I've never stolen anyone's boyfriend and never will because I have enough self-respect. I have evidence to back up everything I've claimed. From now on, if anyone continues to speak about my loved ones or me in a harmful way, or if it affects us emotionally, I'll take legal action. As for the questions and the truth, I believe Te and Pluem are the best people to provide answers. Thank you.'

 

He didn't expect those two to reveal the whole truth because it seemed unlikely. But if they still had any sense of decency, they should at least come forward and say he wasn't at fault. That would bring everything to an end, and he could finally live in peace. But if no one spoke up or if they lied, he'd have to reveal the truth himself.

 

After posting the message, Chop-khun quickly returned to his studio, even though he wasn't in the mood to draw. He tried to leave the chaos behind because the work in front of him had to be finished on time. There was no room for mistakes.

 

Clink!

Chop-khun glanced at the insulated cup placed on the table beside him as he prepared his materials. He turned to see who'd brought it.

 

"Your iced chocolate," Intouch said.

 

"Thanks. I was just craving this," Chop-khun said, grabbing his favourite drink and taking a big sip. "So refreshing. Is it because of the drink or the person who brought it?"

 

Intouch smiled and shrugged. "It's because of me, of course."

 

Chop-khun scrunched his nose at him before glancing at the clock on the wall.

 

"It's already three in the afternoon. Are you hungry? If you are, go ahead and eat. I need to finish this and coat the painting."

 

"I'm not hungry yet. Let's eat together later."

 

"Alright. I'll hurry."

 

"Take your time. I'll edit some clips while I wait." Intouch watched as Chop-khun began mixing colours, then turned his gaze to the nearly finished painting on the canvas. It was a sunset over the ocean, so realistic it looked like a photograph. The foam of the waves hitting the shore, the fluffy clouds, and the sunlight reflecting on the water were all captured in stunning detail. 

 

"You're really talented. This painting is beautiful."

 

'Thanks," Chop-khun said, flashing a wide smile. "Now I feel motivated to keep working."

 

"But I'm not motivated yet."

 

Chop-khun looked at Intouch, who was staring at him silently without saying anything else. He raised an eyebrow in confusion until Intouch leaned in, offering his cheek. Chop-khun chuckled softly, moving closer to the taller man and standing on tiptoes to plant a big kiss on his left cheek.

 

"Motivated now?"

 

Intouch shook his head. "Not yet."

 

Chop-khun smiled gently but leaned in again, this time kissing his right cheek. He finished with a kiss on Intouch's lips, worried that the other might playfully sulk. But as he pulled away, Intouch wrapped his arms around him and returned the kiss. It wasn't a deep or lingering kiss, but it was enough to make his heart skip a beat.

 

"I just realised how delicious chocolate can be," Intouch said with a grin.

 

"Do you want the whole drink?" Chop-khun pointed at the cup, narrowing his eyes at him in mock annoyance.

 

"No, I prefer the way it was just now." Seeing Chop-khun's face flush red only made Intouch want to tease more, but knowing his boyfriend had work to do, he held back. "I'll come back for more encouragement later."

 

Chop-khun smiled softly, his gaze meeting the ever-gentle eyes before him.

 

"It's you who's my encouragement, In. If you weren't here today, I don't know what I'd do. Thank you."

 

Intouch pulled him into a warm embrace, his hand gently stroking the head resting on his shoulder. "Your happiness is my happiness. Your pain is my pain, too."

 

With those words, they held each other tighter than ever. The two quietly returned to their respective tasks until Chop-khun's phone chimed with a LINE notification. Seeing that it was from Praewa, he immediately opened the message.

 

Praewa Khun: Pluem just posted on X. Have you seen it yet?

 

Khunkhu: Not yet. I'll check it now.

 

Chop-khun opened X and quickly found Pluem’s post, which had been up for less than five minutes.

 

‘I want to confirm that none of the accusations is true. Khun has always been a good friend to me and genuinely cared for me. I'm sorry for speaking up so late and causing misunderstandings. I apologise for the trouble this has caused, especially to Chop-khun. I'm sorry for everything.'

 

‘I want to confirm that none of the accusations is true. Khun has always been a good friend to me and has genuinely cared for me. I’m sorry for speaking up so late and causing misunderstandings. I apologise for the trouble this has caused, especially to Chop-khun. I’m sorry for everything.’

 

A whirlwind of emotions swirled in Chop-khun’s chest as he finished reading. He didn’t know how he was supposed to feel. Saying he was relieved wouldn’t be entirely accurate, but at least he felt a little lighter.

 

He glanced at his own post and saw that it had already been reposted more than ten thousand times. The quotes and comments beneath it were a mix of encouragement and demands that he clarify the photographs and other details. But he didn’t care anymore. Answering those questions wasn’t his responsibility.

 

“Have you seen what this person posted?”

 

Intouch walked over and held out his phone. Chop-khun leaned closer to read the post, which had already been reposted nearly five thousand times.

 

'Everyone from school knows who stole from whom. But one thing's for sure, it wasn't Khun.'

 

After this comment surfaced, curiosity about the truth grew even more. Many people started digging for information and discussing posts from Chop-khun's close circle on Instagram. While no one explicitly stated who'd wronged whom, they all agreed the accusations weren't true, leading more people to side with Chop-khun. The more people talked, the more the truth spread. 

 

As the story gained traction, those who knew the real events began posting their own responses. 

 

‘I didn't want to share this, but here it goes. Last year, I interned at P'Te's channel. Back then, P'Te was still dating P'Khun. Look at the timeline yourself to figure out who stole from whom. P'Khun is such a kind and lovely person. I hate seeing him misunderstood like this. Oh, and one more thing, P'Khun helped create all the content for P'Te's channel and supported everything behind the scenes, but never got any credit.'

 

'Fans who've followed the channel from the beginning know that P'Te and P'Khun were together. P'Khun was always the one taking photos for him. Even though they never publicly said they were dating, they were inseparable. I can confirm P'Khun is genuinely a good person. For anyone doubting me, here's a clip I secretly recorded but never posted anywhere.' //Attached clip of Tewit caressing Chop-khun's cheek.

 

‘I stopped following him as soon as he announced he was dating Pluem. Finally, the truth comes out.'

 

'If you're spreading lies, be ready to face lawsuits. I'll be cheering for that.'

 

'You're all great at digging, but none of it's true.’

 

'So Pluem was the one who stole Tewit? What a plot twist!'

 

‘Good thing I didn't pick a side earlier. I'm sticking with the winner.'

 

‘Has anyone summarised the whole story yet?'

 

‘Are you sure Pluem was really the victim?'

 

‘Khun should only accept apologies in cash. I really want P'Khun to sue all of them. So many people were talking trash, and some comments were outright defamatory'

 

'If you slandered him, come out and apologise. Don't play dumb.'

 

‘When they were cussing at him, there were tens of thousands of reposts. Now that he's proven innocent, where is everyone?'

 

Before the day was over, the narrative had flipped completely. An anonymous X account created a thread summarising the entire story from start to finish, complete with accurate dates and details. They even included photos of Chop-khun and Tewit together. Chop-khun had no idea who this person was or where they got their information, but the post made the truth undeniably clear.

 

Not long after, Tewit's production company issued a public apology, and Tewit himself made his first post addressing the situation.

 

‘I accept full responsibility for all my past actions. I take sole blame for everything that happened. Please stop mentioning others; they shouldn't have to endure insults because of me. I want to apologise to everyone involved in this matter. I'm sorry for disappointing those who've loved and supported me. I'm asking for another chance and promise that this will never happen again. I'll become a better man from this mistake. I'm sorry'