[T/N] I apologize for grammar mistakes and incoherencies
Chapter 6: Good Enough
Since arriving at this island, this morning, or rather, almost noon, was when Tongrak felt the most refreshed. It might be because he had a full, undisturbed sleep, maybe because he had finally released the pent-up desire from several days ago, or perhaps because of...the tray of food delivered last night.
Tongrak toweled off his hair as he walked out of the bathroom, his beautiful eyes glancing at the empty food tray he had devoured last night, recalling how it got there.
Honestly, he had no idea.
Yesterday, after Mahasamut had left for about an hour, the staff knocked on his door with a set of deliciously aromatic Thai food, which made someone who had barely eaten anything except for coffee and a few bites of uni, and had been exercising heavily, almost drool. But he managed to restrain himself with a straightforward message from the delivery person.
“Here's the food you ordered, sir.”
“I didn't order anything.”
“Oh, but Phii Mut said you did, sir. He even went to rush to the kitchen to skip the queue.”
Realizing who had placed the order knowing he was hungry, one part of him wanted to curse for the unnecessary interference, but another part felt an unexplainable warmth. When weighing the options, Tongrak let hunger win, and he took the food and ate it all.
This might be another reason he slept so soundly.
Not because of the kindness of that sexually skilled, annoying man.
Not at all.
Tongrak might not have realized he was smiling, his beautiful eyes turned to look at the sky and noticed how nice the weather was, making him not want to stay cooped up in the room.
He didn't want to know at all where that human alarm clock had gone off.
Not at all.
It didn't take Tongrak long to find Mahasamut; he was quite noticeable, not necessarily loud, but he was at the same table where Tongrak often liked to sit and work, enjoying the breeze. However, what made Tongrak's eyebrows furrowed in confusion was...the girls surrounding him.
Three Asian women, from their appearance, didn't seem to be Thai.
He wasn't sure what they were talking about, but because some crazy people were loud, he could hear bits of English coming through...as for the girls, whether they understood or not, he didn't know, just that they were screaming and giggling, making anyone who watched feel a bit annoyed.
How could anyone like someone that dark?
Tongrak rolled his eyes. He didn't care if that thought fit him because he didn't like him at all...it was just that the guy was big, strong, and had a lot of energy, that's all...
He stopped.
The handsome young man decided not to approach...even if they had slept together. But that didn't mean they were in a relationship. He just bought, and Mahasamut just sold. If anyone else bought next, it wasn't his business to stop it.
It wasn't his concern at all.
“Ha ha.”
Tongrak was about to walk away...if it weren't for the loud laughter reaching where he stood, irritating him slightly, and then a question popped into his head.
After buying, how could he let his dog go flirt with someone else?
He just didn't like sharing things with others.
That thought brought a wicked smile to the corner of his mouth, and then the writer pulled out his phone, opened the banking app without haste, roughly calculated in his mind how much the beach and the room the day before should cost...since Mahasamut said he was expensive, he would add a bit more than the usual good rate.
He didn't often buy such services, he wasn't that type, but his close friend did, frequently.
Who was that? ...It was Connor before he got married.
Tongrak transferred the money and waited until the man with the loud laugh picked up his phone to check the notification.
He waited until the dark, handsome face looked puzzled, then looked up to meet his gaze.
The writer waved...and smiled.
He knew he was handsome. He knew he was the popular type, and he also knew that his smile made the girls in that group blush.
So, Tongrak walked right into the middle of the circle.
“Hi, guys!” The young man greeted them friendly, flashing a charming smile at the group of girls.
These women might have wanted to meet a dark-skinned, sharp-featured guy different from the men in their country, but Tongrak didn't think he was any less than Mahasamut, not one bit. He knew the girls were returning friendly smiles, but their eyes were still glancing at the man from the South, as if waiting to see what he would do next.
Then he spoke English in a soft voice,
“I have something to tell you...”
And pointed with his thumb at the large dog he had leashed.
“He belongs to me...”
“...”
He had already paid for it. So it was his now.
Tongrak flashed another handsome smile, ignoring the surprised looks from the girls, and nudged Mahasamut to follow him.
That felt satisfying!
The writer strutted with the pride of a victor.
But who he was winning against...was another matter.
Meanwhile, Mahasamut stood still for a moment. The moment he saw the money transferred into his account, he was confused. The amount wasn't small, and he couldn't remember buying a lottery ticket or placing a bet recently, so the only thing he could think of was...the job he just did.
He had been hit with money before, had been looked down upon, which the young man usually shrugged off, but this was the first time someone had thrown money at him in a way that pleased him so much.
And that made the big man wave goodbye to the group of girls and follow Tongrak without much ado.
Until they walked away from there.
“Ha ha.” Mahasamut burst out laughing loudly.
“Have you gone mad seeing money or what?”
Mahasamut laughed even harder, looking at the now irritated face of the man who had just flashed a handsome smile, which made him laugh even more. By the time he finally stopped, Khun Tongrak was already starting to get annoyed.
“Ha ha...I can't go mad, sir.”
“You're acting like it.” The speaker crossed his arms, squinting.
This time, the young man made a sly look and leaned in to whisper,
“I couldn't, because...my boss wouldn't want to sleep with a madwoman.”
“...”
He liked how Khun Tongrak avoided eye contact, liked how he seemed flustered and unsure what to do, liked that he had just realized he had shown possessiveness. He liked being kept on a leash.
“You know...knowing is good.”
The beautiful man mumbled quietly, so he had to change the subject, even though he wanted to tease the group of girls to death.
So, you liked me so much you didn't want to let go of something good, huh?
“And I'm hungry now. I'm tired of the resort food, there's no Grab here, and I can't ride a motorcycle.” The writer finished in one breath, then turned his face away.
Saying it like that means...
“I know a good restaurant, I'll take you there.”
The cat wants to be taken out to eat, huh?
With that, the person with the grumpy face smiled with satisfaction, eyes sparkling, the corners of his mouth curling up, clearly in a good mood, which made Mahasamut feel happy.
Good that he kept his mouth shut in time.
If he had teased, he was sure the writer would have turned around and scolded him to no end, moreover...
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For dinner last night...and which motorcycle is it? Let's go quickly, I'm hungry!”
Mahasamut had to stifle another smile when the beautiful man mumbled in embarrassment, almost not managing a proper thank you. Yet, the way he spoke quickly, walked away, and then turned back with a haughty look but with red cheeks...
Ah, so damn cute.
“Oh, the dinner last night...I ordered it, but you paid because you ate.” But he had to clarify this first; when it came to being stingy, Mahasamut was number one.
“I knew that, my food. I pay for it myself, why say it?” Tongrak replied with a lack of understanding, because that was just how the world worked. He eats, he pays, what's wrong with that?
The way Tongrak didn't care about Mahasamut's stinginess made the big man smile widely, enjoying the bewildered look on his face.
Sigh, so cute, I want to take him right here.
Luckily, Tongrak couldn't read minds. Otherwise, they would have missed this meal like all the other times.
What, angry? Scold me? Why? I want to be taken too. Otherwise, why would I pay for it?
Brrr...
Vroom...
Amidst the scorching sun at almost noon, an old but not too old motorcycle skillfully pulled up to the small parking lot by the pier. As the sea breeze carried the scent of the ocean to the tip of the nose, it wasn't the smell of fish but a refreshing scent.
But...
Slap!
“Why did you hit me?”
As the rider turned off the engine, locked the key, suddenly a pale hand slapped the broad shoulder, leaving the confident rider, who thought he hadn't done anything to annoy the beautiful man, bewildered. His sharp eyes glanced at the person behind, finding that Khun Tongrak...had a red face.
“Are you hot, sir?”
It was true they had ridden through the midday sun, but the cool wind blowing against the face didn't make it feel that hot.
Or was it just him that wasn't feeling the heat?
The tall figure furrowed his brows. He couldn't understand why the person who was now glaring and slapped his shoulder again.
What did I do wrong this time?
Or was it wrong to make Tongrak ride on the back of a motorcycle?
Mahasamut could imagine that the person behind him probably never had to ride on the back of anyone's motorcycle before; in the city, he'd probably drive around in a fancy car. From the way he awkwardly climbed on, to the way he tried to balance himself, or stood as far as he could when going downhill to avoid touching, then quickly bounced away with a shy demeanor once they were on flat ground again.
Khun Tongrak didn't know that he was being watched in the rearview mirror the whole way.
At first, he was in a good mood.
He asked where they were going, chatted about how there were so many trees here, and occasionally asked what that was.
Just like a little curious kid.
The larger man admitted he found the cheerful demeanor endearing, but after about halfway through the ride, the person behind him grew quiet. He thought maybe he was bored, so he continued riding in silence, letting him enjoy the unusual scenery that one couldn't find in the city.
And then...why slap me?
Mahasamut still couldn't find an answer to this situation.
“And you're not getting off.” But as he stepped off the bike, the beautiful man was still sitting there, unmoved.
He wouldn't mind if he wanted to keep riding pillion, he could even take him around the whole island, but the direct sunlight hitting him made him worry about the man whose cheeks were flushed red, which was quite adorable.
Before being adorable, he'd faint from the heat first.
“...”
“What's wrong?”
The handsome man, whom Mahasamut liked to call the beautiful man in his mind, clenched his lips, turned his face away, then those sweet lips that he knew were delicious opened and closed again, his eyes showing a mixture of irritation and displeasure.
“Ha, what did you say?” The tall man leaned in, trying to hear.
“...It hurts.”
“What hurts?”
What could possibly hurt?
Being the loud type, he asked back even louder, and then...
Angry again.
The beautiful face turned back abruptly with a mix of annoyance and embarrassment, the pretty hand raised again, seemingly to strike him, but this time the big man was prepared, so before the fist could land, his large hand caught the white wrist, preventing any self-harm.
Hitting me ends up hurting your hand, you know that right?
“Why are you mad at me?” Because he was worried the city guy might faint from the sun, Mahasamut chose to soften his tone instead of his usual teasing, bending down to meet his eyes, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, telling himself to smile as if comforting a three-year-old.
And that made the person soften a bit.
The one who was looking down, trying to pull his hand free with a gentle twist, as if just to let him know he was resisting, then his lips moved to speak very softly.
“It hurts.”
“What hurts?”
The listener quickly looked down at the white calf to check if it had touched the exhaust pipe or if a rock had hit it.
He was about to squat down to examine Khun Tongrak's leg to see where it hurt, but he was stopped by the pale hand that initially tried to pull away but then gently tugged at him, forcing eye contact.
Now, the beautiful man had a bright red face, his lips red from biting and nibbling them slowly, making a sound of...whining.
“My butt hurts.”
His sparkling eyes, both embarrassed and shy, the brief gesture that reluctantly admitted, and the cute lips that continued to mumble.
“It's because of you.”
The image from last night flashed through his mind.
“Why didn't you tell me that sitting like this would hurt? And the road was bumpy too.”
Oh, so the mistake wasn't because of the full-force contact from last night, but because he didn't warn beforehand that sitting on the back of a motorcycle would hurt his butt.
Damn it.
Peck!
“Why are you kissing me? You like seeing me in pain, huh? You are crazy, you pervert, you...”
Peck!
Mahasamut pressed his lips against the slender lips again, which made the person complaining stop abruptly. His honey-colored eyes shone with annoyance mixed with confusion, so he had to explain,
“I felt itchy from your left cheek.”
“?”
But it was in a southern dialect that caught the other off guard, leaving him even more confused.
The adorable look of bewilderment on the beautiful man's face was so cute that Mahasamut wanted to kiss him again, but because sweat was starting to trickle down his face, he changed the subject.
“Come, let me help. Sorry, I didn't know you were hurt.”
The larger man took Tongrak's hand and placed it on his shoulder. While the other hand wrapped around his waist, helping Tongrak to easily swing his leg off the motorcycle. The one with the sore butt from sitting awkwardly for too long, who also encountered the island's uneven road...accepted the help willingly.
“Aren't you afraid the locals will see you hugging a man?” It seemed Khun Tongrak was more puzzled about this matter.
Well, just beyond the parking lot is a row of fishing village houses.
“And aren't you afraid of people seeing you hugging a man?” He asked back.
Tongrak just shrugged.
“No. I'm already clear about that. Wait. I'm asking you, and this is your neighborhood.”
Khun Tongrak was about to say, wasn't he...that in the end, it would be him who would become the village gossip, and the young man also shrugged.
“I don't care what others think.”
The other party seemed still unsure, so he poked further.
“Look, are you interested in my affairs now?”
“Who's interested!”
With that, the big man who had finally set foot on the ground let go of his shoulder, stepped briskly to get under the shade, but the reddening of his ears made the man following him smile. Then, the one leading turned back again.
“And what did you say just now?”
It seemed like Khun Tongrak was always curious every time he whispered, and Mahasamut leaned in to whisper in his ear.
“I said...I'll go easy on you tonight.”
“...”
After saying it, he stepped back to watch the reaction, which was as expected.
His face turned red, his eyes sparkled, and his lips pressed together.
People must compliment this man often for being sexy.
Mahasamut had slept with many men, but none he would describe as this sexy...the man who was proud and straightforward.
“No need.”
Not that he shouldn't do it, but rather...
“I can handle it.”
I like it rough, it's good.
With that, the southern man burst into loud laughter, watching the beautiful man who spoke and then quickly walked away without even knowing where the restaurant was, leaving the locals to watch with a mixture of amusement and affection. One wouldn't believe this was the same person he had looked up information about.
Now, what did the young man actually say earlier?
Well...who told you to be so cute...
Cute enough to make him want to scratch his chin.
While Khun Tongrak was still busy arguing with the man who had caused him butt pain, let's shift back to Bangkok. In the lobby of a luxurious condo, a young woman with short hair and a cute face was fidgeting restlessly on the sofa, almost biting her nails, her sweet round eyes fixed on the phone screen that had remained silent since yesterday.
Why can't I reach Phii Rak?!
Khaimuk, who was both the secretary and assistant to Tongrak, screams internally.
She had been trying to contact her boss, who was also like an older brother to her, since yesterday, but no matter how many times she called, it seemed like the signal was bad. When she called at night, there was no answer, and even now, the calls didn't go through. She didn't know if he had turned on airplane mode or what, but every time Phii Rak went off to work, this was the norm!
If he doesn't contact you first, don't expect to find him easily.
The matter of the publishing house wanting to schedule his writings wasn't that urgent; Phii Rak could just reject them if he didn't feel like it. The request for him to appear at the book fair event wasn't a big deal either because if he was in a good mood, he would agree. Or the series team announcing the date for the blessing ceremony of the new series adapted from his novel, that too depended on his mood whether he wanted to attend or not.
“I'm too lazy.”
When he's in a good mood, he's great, but when he's in an artistic meltdown, he might cancel everything.
But none of these were the reasons she was trying so hard to contact Phii Rak.
“Oh, why isn't he picking up!”
Apart from his known writing career, most people didn't know that her respected older brother owns several properties, mainly various condos, some of which he inherited from his mother and then put up for rent. Sometimes, for friends, he would rent out luxurious rooms at low prices...like the condo where Phii Connor currently resides, which Phii Rak rented out at a price that made foreigners grin from ear to ear.
It's almost like renting out properties was his hobby.
And as for you, as I mentioned, you're not just an assistant...personally handling the schedule and liaising with publishers, drama teams, series crews, or managing copyright documents, but you also have to take care of these rental rooms.
And this person, who has never contacted for years, why do they have to contact when the beloved senior isn't here!
Khaimuk looked down at the call history again.
...Wow...
The rising star actress of the year.
A versatile actress.
A charming beauty that men fall for.
The beautiful woman who climbed up because she was close to the writer.
And what else can one say about this woman?
Khaimuk sighed deeply, called her beloved senior again only to find that the other party had turned off their phone.
“Oh, come on, it's your job anyway, Khaimuk...I know Phii relies on me for these things.” The young woman encouraged herself, knowing that if the beloved senior were here, she'd be under intense scrutiny.
So, why was she standing here? Because the important tenant, who is none other than the actress of the year, had called the day before saying her room had a problem. After half a year with no issues, suddenly there was one, and she was told to hurry over and fix it urgently. Yes, it was Khaimuk's job, paid for by the beloved senior.
But...
Yes, there's always a 'but'.
Huff, the beloved senior knows that Khaimuk doesn't get along with this woman!
Well, no good comes from procrastinating; she had to go up anyway.
The thought of someone who looked at the luxurious elevator with hesitation because the boss wasn't available.
…
Cute, huh.
On the elevated concrete walkway above sea level, many houses stood prominently over the water, each supported by large concrete pillars or wooden posts, making every house extend out into the sea. The meandering walkway was built to connect each house, with boats of various sizes lined up at the private docks, including fishing boats, long-tail boats, and tourist boats, interspersed with fish cages where fish of all sizes swam, truly befitting the fishing village.
And along one of these concrete walkways, Tongrak was leaning over a fish cage, watching a fierce-looking large fish come up for air before diving back down, causing his lips to curve into an attractive smile.
Then the beautiful eyes glanced away.
“Have you disappeared for days? Come back home, man. I need a drinking buddy.”
“Grandpa, take it easy, have some rest. Drinking every day will kill you quickly.”
“Watch your mouth, Mut.”
The large man, conversing with an old man who seemed to be no less than seventy, spoke in a familiar southern dialect loudly and rapidly, which Tongrak couldn't understand, and it had been like this the whole way since they started walking.
Mahasamut said the restaurant wasn't far from here.
It probably wasn't far...if it weren't for this man seeming to know everyone.
It wasn't just Mahasamut greeting people; it was almost everyone greeting him. Even children not yet a year old raised their hands to be picked up by him, causing Tongrak to stop and start several times, but oddly enough, he wasn't irritated. He didn't mind or want to snap back saying he was starving.
Maybe because time here seemed to move slower than usual.
Maybe because he knew these people meant no harm.
He was just at ease with this homely feeling, so he turned to smile in response instead of greeting verbally, which earned him some responses like 'the handsome guy' or 'Mut's guest,' and many other phrases he could or couldn't understand. By the time they reached the house of this old man, who wouldn't let Mahasamut go easily, he found himself standing there watching the fish in the fish farm.
Tongrak squatted on the path to watch the fish...when the tall man returned with a smile.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Finished talking?” Tongrak looked up.
“All done. Sorry for taking so long.”
“Not continuing the chat?” Tongrak nodded towards the old man who was still waving with a broad grin.
“It's okay. I'll visit him another time. He's alone now; his family has moved away. Whenever I'm free, I come to chat with him. But if we take any longer, you'd starve.”
Tongrak wanted to say he could wait, but then thought, why would he wait, so he just shrugged in agreement.
Thump!!
But as he was about to get up, a large hand reached out in front of him, forcing him to look up.
“I'll help, you're hurt.” The deep voice teased at the end, making Tongrak glare.
He was about to refuse the hand. But maybe it was the sharp, earnest eyes that made him extend his hand to be taken, allowing himself to be pulled up to stand straight once again, at the same moment...
“Phii Mut! My dearest brother!”
Again, Mahasamut was greeted, and Tongrak almost turned back to look at the fish...if it weren't for a familiar face.
The young man shouted loudly, smiling brightly from afar, causing Tongrak to squint because he felt like he had seen this overly friendly, talkative guy just a few days ago, the one who almost ran to jump and hug Mahasamut...but the kid turned to see him first, shouting even louder.
“Isn't this the handsomest senior? Do you remember me?”
Tongrak furrowed his brows, scrutinizing the face of the cheerful young man who beamed at him, and then...
“Hey!” The writer pointed at him.
“The island's best!”
This is the kid who was advertising the goods!
Talkative, annoying, exactly this type.
“Yes, yes...I'm the one who told you about the island's best, huh? Looks like I recommended well, you two are holding hands quite firmly.” Palm looked down at his hand still within the large one, making Tongrak quickly try to pull away, but Mahasamut held it tight.
Palm didn't care, standing proudly with his chest out, even clapping loudly.
“Saw that you acted like you weren't interested, so how was it? Pretty good for the price, right?”
Would it be wrong if he felt like pushing this kid off the bridge?
Tongrak stiffened, thinking while glancing at the sharp face that seemed to catch on, because the eyes started to twinkle, making him want to poke them out.
Don't you dare understand, really, don't.
The young man prayed in his heart, not wanting to lose face for falling for the advertisement, but his prayer didn't come true.
“I think I'm pretty good, what do you think?” Mahasamut finished speaking and raised an eyebrow.
He hated this guy just as much as he hated this kid!
Thought the man whose cheeks were red up to his ears.
Chapter 7: The Pitiable Man Who Doesn't Need Pity
Inside a rustic seaside restaurant, at the far end, two young men had secured a table right by the clearest seawater. The gentle breeze carried the fresh scent of salt, causing their hair to flutter slightly, but while one was looking out towards the sea, the other was looking too...at the red cheeks of the man who lost face.
“Heh heh.”
“What are you laughing at? Is something funny?”
“You two...are just sitting here together...I might as well be the fish in the sea.”
Tongrak bit his lower lip until it hurt, looking at the mischievous man who was annoying him, then turned his gaze back to the sea...even though he was embarrassed.
In truth, he should be angry, feeling like he had been tricked by a pair of con artists, one setting the bait and the other pulling the hook. Moreover, the more he thought about it, the more he felt cheated since even the kid, Palm, got money from Mahasamut. Yes, he should be angry, but the reality was he knew no one forced him to spend the money, and what he got...
The young man glanced at the man opposite who raised an eyebrow in return.
It was quite good. No, actually, it was worth more than he paid.
It wasn't an exaggeration...it was genuinely the island's best product.
Thinking that way, it was hard not to lose face!
He had insisted he wasn't interested, wouldn't buy, didn't want it, and look how that turned out.
Tongrak looked further out to sea, the more he thought about it.
He didn't want to meet the eyes of this annoying guy.
“If you want to know...”
“I don't want to know.”
But when the deep, slightly laughing voice spoke up, he retorted immediately, lifting his chin with his hand, staring at the fishing boat on the opposite shore.
“But I want to tell you.”
“I don't want to hear.”
“Just a bit.”
“No.”
He listened to the loud laughter from the man across from him, wanting to retort back fiercely, what was so funny,, and Mahasamut was exactly the kind of crazy he described.
“I said that to make you feel more at ease.”
Where did he hear that?
So Tongrak stayed silent, indicating that he wasn't listening, didn't know, and didn't need to talk, even though he wasn't focusing on what he was supposed to be looking at, only his ears caught even the sound of the wind chimes hanging outside.
Then the deep voice, now softer, continued,
“I paid Palm to advertise and sell packages to guests staying at the resort.”
“There you go, see. I'm going to tell the manager that you and your buddy are making money off the guests...”
“But I only had him sell the diving program.”
Gulp!
At that moment, Tongrak, who had turned to retort, closed his mouth abruptly, looking at the sharp eyes that seemed to find humor in this, and why wouldn't he notice the shoulders shaking, the body rocking, the corners of the mouth twitching?
“But, but...”
“Uh, I never let him sell me...I'm not selling myself at all.”
“But I heard...”
“That was him talking on his own, saying he's proud of me.”
“...”
Tongrak was left speechless, staring at the man who spoke without any embarrassment, who would dare say they are so excellent that others are proud of them in their stead? But Mahasamut was that guy, and he continued to explain in a relaxed manner,
“Do you think a small diving like Phii’s program would be part of the main packages sold by the hotel? It's not something you can just arrange easily, you know. What hotel management would listen to someone like me at first? So initially, I hired local kids or asked friends who work at the resorts to spread the word by mouth...I did that for years, some even chased me away. Until recently, when people started valuing local professions more...several resorts agreed to help out the locals. Not just my diving program, even the place you're staying is part of that.”
Even though Mahasamut told the story casually, why did the listener feel there was more to it?
Judging by his appearance, Mahasamut seemed to be in his early twenties, and he was saying he's been doing this for years...
“And you didn't even tell me that you're the leader in community job opportunities.”
That was the moment when the restaurant brought out the first dish, and the woman added to what the large man had said,
“See, sir, this Mut, he's really the cornerstone of this community...At first, no one would listen to him, remember, that crazy kid who single-handedly said we should promote people in the community...we should help each other, oh, everyone laughed at him, but look at him now, he speaks English well...even the high-ups at the resort talk to him, this restaurant was saved by him too.” The woman who seemed to be the owner of the restaurant said with evident pride.
As for Tongrak, he wasn't particularly interested...he just listened because someone was telling the story.
“I just helped a bit, auntie.”
“Oh, you damn kid, can't you just take a compliment?”
“Ha ha.” The large man laughed again, still teasing the restaurant owner in a familiar manner, brushing off any praise the aunt was trying to give, until the middle-aged woman left in mock anger, calling him a 'damn kid' as she left.
“Why does everyone like to call me 'damn kid' or 'kid'?” The large man said jokingly.
Throughout the time Tongrak watched the man opposite him without looking away, all he could sense from the loud laughter was sincerity, goodwill, and perhaps...respect. Even though this guy could be annoying, he genuinely felt the sincerity that he rarely encountered from others.
His sharp face looked so cheerful that one couldn't help but...stare.
When those sharp eyes turned back to meet him, a smile adorned his lips, revealing such sincerity that it made his heart...flutter.
“Looking at me like that, have you fallen for my charm?”
Gulp!
Now, when he opened his mouth to speak again, that was the moment when the finely shaped eyebrows furrowed, lips pressed together, and his honey-colored eyes showed a hint of disdain.
“You think you're charming?”
“Well, I'm the island's finest after all.”
Sizzle...
At that moment, Mahasamut brought the conversation back to the same topic, causing Tongrak's cheeks to flush hotly. He tried to argue but couldn't, because he had already tasted the 'finest' in question. Tongrak, who had learned over the days that he was no match for this annoying guy, chose instead to turn his face away.
“So, what you heard from Palm, he said it himself, but now I want to know.”
The big man leaned in closer.
“What did he say about me?”
“...”
Sharp teeth bite down harder on his lower lip, his eyes fixed on the fishing boat without wavering, his hands clenched tightly, telling himself not to make eye contact, not to engage in a conversation where he knew he would ultimately lose, even though he wasn't one to lose easily, but somehow he ended up losing to this guy.
He couldn't say that he was sold as being so good that even the girls...got hooked, and the guys...were enamored, because he would have to admit that it was consumer deception, and then he'd be challenged to prove where the deception was, and he wouldn't be able to argue, because based on last night's events, it wasn't an exaggeration at all. So...better keep quiet.
“Hmph.”
He really hated this guy's laughter.
Bang!
Gulp!
That's when Tongrak paused, as the man in front of him reached out with his thumb to gently touch his lips.
“Don't bite, doesn't it hurt?”
The thumb gently circled his lips until Tongrak released the lip from his teeth, leaving only the thumb still resting there, his honey-colored eyes meeting the sharp gaze.
“It's my business.”
“Yes, it's your business, but when you bite...I want to kiss, Khun Tongrak.”
“...”
Their eyes met; one pair was openly expressive, the other inadvertently wavered, causing Tongrak to look away first.
It must be the seaside atmosphere that was messing with his nerves, making him waver. No way.
Tongrak told himself, accidentally looking back at the same fishing boat, but this time he focused and something caught his eye.
“That boat has the same name as you.”
He admitted he was intentionally changing the subject, also turning his face away, because it wouldn't be good to want to take the other here, right now, and the name of the fishing boat written on the side, Mahasamut, was a good topic to shift the conversation.
That statement made Mahasamut glance briefly in that direction before turning back.
“That's my father's boat.” The large man answered while reaching to serve the aromatic Tom Yum soup into a bowl for Tongrak.
“Huh.” But what he heard was more interesting.
Tongrak looked at that boat again.
“Your boat, you call it a fishing boat, right?”
“Uh, it's for fishing, but that's my father's boat, not mine.”
“It's the same thing.”
“Not the same in that my father cut me off a long time ago.”
Tongrak looked bewildered...at first, he thought this guy was joking, expecting him to say it was just named the same, but from the serious look in his eyes, he realized this wasn't another of his jokes.
The person who offered the bowl of Tom Yum in front of him, then continued,
“I've never gotten along with my father. When he kicked me out...I left and never went back.”
“Are you joking with me?”
“No, you can ask anyone around here, everyone knows.”
Tongrak looked at him incredulously.
“I was fifteen, maybe.”
“Ha, fifteen, and how did you survive?” Tongrak, who had always lived with silver spoons, couldn't imagine how a fifteen-year-old, probably just starting high school, could live on his own.
Yes, he himself lived alone in another sense, but he never lacked money.
While Mahasamut continued his story with a casual demeanor, as if it wasn't about him,
“I stayed with my aunt, and did every job I could find. You probably wouldn't believe it, but I've done every job on this island. Anything that paid, I took it.” usually Mahasamut had a teasing air about him, but this was one of the few times Tongrak saw him serious, as if he was thinking back to those times, and he couldn't help but ask,
“Why didn't you go back home?”
“My father is a man of his word, that might be the only thing we have in common.”
“...”
With that, he shrugged and laughed at the end, contrasting with the listener who didn't understand why he felt bad, even though it was someone else's story. Maybe because people don't want to hear about others' hardships, or maybe because Tongrak didn't know how to react.
He wouldn't pretend to understand what he truly didn't.
His usually haughty, beautiful face now showed a serious expression, causing the person looking at him to take Tongrak's hand.
“Do I look pitiful?”
It was a question Tongrak couldn't answer, just like he didn't pull his hand away.
He stared at the sharp face in front of him, which smiled.
“If you think I'm pitiful...then I am pitiful, but if you think I'm not...then I'm not pitiful, and besides...what I want to tell you is...I've never pitied myself.” Mahasamut intertwined his fingers with the soft hand that had never done hard work, with an attractive smile, and held it, feeling the warmth he liked.
“And do you think I'm pitiable?”
“...No.”
Tongrak might not have answered right away, but he had an answer that popped into his mind.
Mahasamut didn't look pitiable at all.
No matter how many years ago this man might have been just an angry boy who ran away from home, too hot-headed to return, and stubbornly determined to make it on his own, the man now handing him a spoon, offering a smile, was far from pitiable. Instead, Tongrak sensed the strength in this man.
The man who knew everyone in the community.
The man loved by everyone in the community.
The man who was the pride of the community.
What about this man was pitiable?
Unlike him, who didn't have anything like what Mahasamut had.
The man in front of him smiled and let go, which was oddly still leaving a warmth where he had touched.
“And what about you, why did you become a writer?”
Because I wanted to escape...
Tongrak knew that Mahasamut was steering the conversation, but this question brought up an answer he wasn't fond of at all, making him reach for the Tom Yum soup, taking a sip to let the flavors of aromatic, sweet, salty, sour, and spicy tell him just how delicious this seafood soup was, buying himself time to think of an answer.
“It's fun.”
“Just that?”
“Uh...at first, it was just fun.”
“And now?”
Tongrak didn't understand why he was willing to share his story with someone he had known for just a few days, but he couldn't stop himself. Perhaps he...just wanted to say it.
Or maybe it was because of the look in those eyes staring at him.
“Sometimes I want to quit everything...When I first started writing, I just wanted to share stories I liked with people who liked them too, but as more people read, as more people knew me...there were some who kept asking...why does the protagonist do that, why isn't it logical, why did you write it this way, why, why, why...It's like asking why there are dragons in a fantasy novel...because it's fantasy, so there are dragons, some things can only happen in novels, that's why they are novels.”
Tongrak sighed, because this was just one small piece, not including the many more opinions on social media he didn't want to check.
“And are you happy with what you're doing?”
Once again, Tongrak paused to find an answer to this question, and that made the corners of his mouth turn up into a smile.
“If I wasn't, there wouldn't be a writer named Tongrak.”
Thud!
Tongrak liked the touch of the large hand that reached out to squeeze his hand once before letting go, even though it wasn't sexual in any way, but Tongrak found himself enjoying the warmth that lingered on his hand.
“Life is just like that.”
Mahasamut gave him a sincere smile and said it was just like that.
Strangely, Tongrak felt like he could write the love scene he had been struggling with tonight.
“Where did it go?”
After dinner, Khun Tongrak couldn't resist going to peek at the fish he had seen earlier while waiting for Mahasamut to go say goodbye to the old man at the same house, but no matter how he looked, the strange-looking fish didn't swim up again.
Until Mahasamut came over to join him.
“What are you looking at?”
“The fish I saw earlier, it was really big.” He gestured to show the size.
But the big man burst out laughing, making him frown.
“You saw it.”
“Where?”
“In the Tom Yum pot, you ate it.”
“...”
At that, the honey-colored eyes widened like goose eggs, looking at the big man to confirm again, and Mahasamut nodded firmly, trying not to laugh.
“You even said it was delicious.”
And there was another reminder.
After saying that, Mahasamut led the way to the car, leaving Tongrak to look at the fish farm with apologetic eyes.
From a love scene he was supposed to write, it might turn into a murder scene instead.
…
...Phii Rak, you are cruel...
...Phii Rak, you don't answer my calls...
...Phii Rak, please call me back...
...Phii Rak, you are teasing me...
...But the one crueler is Phii Vi...
Tongrak had just walked out of the bathroom, drying his hair, and picked up his phone to check the unread messages. He wasn't particularly surprised to see many messages because he had set his notifications off since arriving on this island, much like every time he went into his writing cave. However, what caught his attention was the whining messages from his secretary, who also happened to be his junior from his school days.
The one who sent him stickers, calling him cruel every day.
Instead of calling back, the writer just shrugged nonchalantly and chose to call someone else.
Vi...
[Hey, how many chapters have you written?]
“Are you my editor or what?”
[I'm asking on behalf of your editor. By now, he must be crying, since Khun Tongrak hasn't sent the manuscript yet.]
Despite the annoying sound coming from the other end of the line, Tongrak just chuckled, continuing to dry his hair.
“And you're stressed enough to tease a kid.”
[...]
This time, the other end fell silent, allowing Tongrak to smile broadly.
“What news now?”
[...She used gossip to climb up to the director and she got the lead role.]
As soon as he heard that, Tongrak couldn't help but laugh, imagining his close friend must be so annoyed she could kill someone.
Vi, or Vivi Waraphapa, the rising star actress with famous drama works and never-ending event schedules, is also known for her bad temper and self-centered nature, which has driven those around her to exasperation. No matter what she does, she's always under scrutiny and easily becomes gossip fodder. And she's the same person who has been Tongrak's close friend since high school.
They were so close that they often faced similar issues and understood each other deeply.
While he was a writer, she was an actress, and her rise to fame was largely due to the works written by Tongrak. There was a time when there were rumors that she had a relationship with the writer to get the role, but as soon as they saw the news, they arranged to meet at a bar, raised their glasses, and took a selfie to spread the word conclusively.
If they wanted to think that way, let them.
While Connor saw it as a joke, causing him to be sarcastic for a week.
He's gay, did you hear that, he's gay!
Tongrak never hid his sexual orientation...if one frequented bars, pubs, or famous clubs, one would often see him with a guy,, which if looked into a bit, everyone would know, yet the news still came out to tease Vi, and instead of being annoyed, she found it funny and even fueled the rumors to make it look like they were really in a relationship.
She always liked to play this kind of reverse psychology...which is why the media had fun with the stories.
This time it was probably the same, but the victim of her mood was his close assistant instead.
“Phii Frost, right?”
[Yeah]
“It's funny, I heard he's dating a young guy now.”
[Oh, he's so in love...now he brings the kid to work on set, and every time there's a break, they disappear together.]
Vi told the story with laughter, making him steer the conversation back on track.
“What did you do to Khaimuk?”
[Nothing. Didn't tease her.]
“Then why did you do something to make her spam me with stickers like this?”
Tongrak rolled his eyes upon hearing his friend's laughter.
He had guessed before she even admitted it.
[I'm tired, I'm too lazy to get up, so I just told her to pour me some water, and then I was hungry but too lazy to order food myself, so I told her to make some, and I didn't sleep because I was shooting all night. So I told her to clean up a bit. Just a few baskets of laundry, a few dishes, did the kid go and complain to you?]
“It's probably not just a few baskets of laundry and a few dishes.”
He could imagine that the room must have been left messy for weeks, and he called his junior over just to tease him to relieve stress.
[You know me well, just as expected from my friend.]
They were similar in nature, except this method didn't work with people from around here.
[So you called just to scold me?]
“Nope. You do whatever you want.”
[Your kid probably cried already.]
Tongrak laughed, imagining Khaimuk with puffed cheeks, looking at him with a pout, calling him Phii Rak, saying that Phii Rak didn't help Muk, that Muk was his junior, and he found it amusing, understanding why his friend liked to tease her.
“Just don't make her quit.”
[Exactly, I forgot you can't do anything by yourself. If there's no secretary, your schedule would be a mess...How many have you gone through at that place now?]
Suddenly, his close friend changed the subject, making Tongrak simply say...
“I'm sleepy now. That's all.”
Then he hung up without waiting for the other to object, because it would be embarrassing to tell his friend that...it was just one person.
Since arriving here, he had only been with one person, and there was no sign of a second one.
Why go for quantity if you've got quality, right?
“And why would I need to defend myself?”
Indeed, why would he need to defend himself?
Tongrak lowered his head, letting the towel fall and cover his flushed cheeks.
Mahasamut walked along the concrete path leading down to the sea, past the restaurant where he had taken Tongrak for lunch. After turning twice more, the young man stepped onto the wooden planks that led into a wooden house, unlocked the door, and stepped into the rundown house.
Last year, Mahasamut still had a small room for storing equipment, living on the second floor as his sleeping quarters. However, several months ago, he had just agreed to a business partnership with a Japanese friend.
Although he called him a friend, this friend was almost twice his age. They met because this friend came diving in the area every year, staying for months at a time, and through their conversations, they became friends despite the age gap. Until the previous year, when the friend mentioned wanting to open a diving shop and asked if he was interested in joining.
Of course, he didn't have the money, and he told him so directly.
He didn't know if it was because of his straightforwardness or if it just pleased the other party, but they agreed to work together, with the friend saying not to worry about the money, he would invest. Mahasamut would provide the labor. He didn't even take a day to decide before agreeing.
He had learned throughout his life that opportunities don't come often, so he didn't know what the future held, but he would grab anything that came his way.
Mahasamut was a greedy person, and he knew it well.
Now he had moved to live in the village area because the boats and the dock were here, but even if he called it a house, it wasn't much different from his previous sleeping quarters.
There was hardly any furniture inside the house; the bed was just a mattress in one corner, and on the other side, there was a wardrobe with only a few pieces of regular clothing, and a cabinet with just a few items.
Mahasamut placed his motorcycle key on the shelf and went to take a shower. In no time, the big young man came out wearing only lose sleep pants, roughly drying his damp hair with his hand, then flopped back onto the mattress, grabbing his phone to look at it.
As expected, no messages from the beautiful man as usual.
But the young man already knew this. He just opened the application to send a message to his close friend.
...Hey, Khom...
He admitted he was intrigued by the look in Khun Tongrak's eyes when they talked about work.
His intuition told him there might be more to it.
...Do you know if Khun Tongrak has any work issues?...
After sending it, he tossed his phone aside, not expecting an immediate reply, but as he was about to lie down to sleep:
Ding!
The large hand picked up the phone again to check.
...I'm not sure either, but Connor said there's nothing to worry about regarding work...
It was intriguing enough to make the tall figure sit up.
...Anyway...
He didn't have to wait long for a response.
...Connor said that Phii Rak can handle work matters...
...But it's his feelings that are more concerning...
...I don't understand either...
...I asked, but he won't answer...
...Connor said to find the answer yourself...
Mahasamut typed a thank you message to his friend in Canada before lying down again, thinking about the beautiful face that had captivated him.
It wasn't just about looks; the whole package that was Khun Tongrak made him curious.
Curious to know how he'd look if he was hugged, how he'd react if teased, if he would blush at sweet words, if he'd listen intently if he shared stories about himself, how to make him look confused again, and why...he would cry.
The image of that tear-stained face was still vivid in his mind.
Most people would be shocked if someone they knew disappeared while diving, but they wouldn't be so out of their mind crying like that, making him want to know why he cried, and moreover, that tear-stained face...
He'd have to find the answer himself.
In the end, Mahasamut told himself that, even as he still saw the smug face of the man whose cheeks had reddened behind his closed eyelids, which made the corner of the large man's mouth curl up uncontrollably.
Tonight, it seemed like he would sleep well.