[T/N] I apologize for grammar mistakes and incoherencies
Special 2: Chonlathee part.
Sweat beads dripped down on my face, only a little more and it would reach my chin. If I didn't wipe it away with my long fingers and let it fall off. I looked up and saw the person standing in front of me, the owner of blue eyes like the midnight sky, eyebrows and corners of the mouth adorned with big jewelry. His sharp face looked fierce.
“If you're tired, go rest. You've been standing since morning... We have enough money. No need to stand anymore.” Phii Ton stretched his waist arrogantly. This was the third time Phii Ton ordered me to rest. I could tell that if I didn't rest, we would definitely argue.
“Actually, I'm not that tired.” He placed the donation box for the camp on the wooden table, looking at the tall person walking by, who was also sniffing a bit of nicotine smell that lingered in the air. “Do you smoke?”
“Hmm, occasionally.”
“Then why don't you sleep?”
“The work isn't finished. We had a late meeting last night.” Phii Ton explained with raised hands, stroking Ton's neck. I looked into his eyes that slightly lowered in response, and then exhaled.
“I told you to rest, so why don't you take a break too? The camp starts tomorrow, it won't be good for you to be sick now.” I knew he was the camp leader, and Phii Ton's workload was relatively heavier than others. But what's certain is that the image of a sincere person that I always saw turned into someone more dedicated when working, overall it was impressive.
I have to admit, I've fallen for Phii Ton again...
“Then can I lean on your shoulder?”
“You're too cheeky now.”
“If being cheeky means someone follows my heart, then I want to be cheeky more often.” My arm was pulled down to sit on the long wooden chair while my face and legs turned outward, using the back of the chair as a support, and in the next second, my head was placed on his lap as a replacement for a pillow, while the strong guy sat behind me.
Ready to sleep, eyes closed with a smile. Plus, he pushed my head closer without hesitating in front of the people passing by.
“You're acting like T.C.”
“T.C is imitating me.”
“Do I have to go to sleep?”
“Half an hour and then I'll wake you up.”
“Yes.” I responded smoothly, then slipped my hand into his soft hair, gently stroking. “Thank you.”
“About?”
“Come help with work, but don't complain.” I raised my hand to push the glasses that were about to slide down as I lowered my head, bringing them back to their original position. I frowned when I heard the complaining. In my feelings, there didn't seem to be anything worth complaining about.
“I'm not tired. Phii you look even more tired than me.”
“I don't have much time right now. Don't take it personally.”
“Are you worried?”
“Hmm.” Lately, Phii Ton hasn't been coming back to the room often. Sometimes, he would enter when it was still dark in the morning. The conversations between us could almost be counted as words.
“But I'm free, so I came here to help you with work. I'll hold the box and paint the sign. I can see that you've been running around working, so I thought I should ask if you're annoyed.”
“No, but the work is tiring.”
“How come?”
“I'm just looking out for you. Because I care.”
“Why would you care? You know very well that my heart belongs to you.”
“I know, but I can't help but worry about you.” Phii Ton's voice diminished at the end of the sentence, and the frown on his forehead began to relax. It didn't take long to hear a steady breathing, indicating that he was sound asleep.
I raised my wristwatch to check the time. I'll let the big Phii Ton sleep for another half hour... I don't really mind that Phii Ton doesn't have time, but let's wait until the camp is over. I will control all of Phii Ton's time.
This year, I'm eighteen, almost nineteen, in a few months ahead, and I must admit that riding on a big bus is something new and quite exciting. The journey to the camp on the first day was chaotic even before the sun rose. Last night, Phii Ton didn't return to the dormitory, and I was helping the older students with work in the engineering building as well.
To summarize, neither of us slept, but the excitement from the first time riding a bus in my life kept me awake. Phii Ton's head rested on my shoulder. I was surprised to see more people joining the camp than I expected. Phii
Nhai said it was because... I don't know if it's true, but one thing's for sure, Phii Nhai and Phii Aai are extremely strict. Last night, the two of them also didn't sleep, but they still took turns driving the car together, giving the reason that they wanted to have a car available in case of emergencies. Sometimes, Phii Nhai seemed to be overly cautious.
“Nong Chon.” The calling voice became louder. I turned around from looking outside the bus and realized that it was a senior female student from some faculty, someone who seemed to be in charge of a club or something on campus...
“Yes?”
“Can I take a photo of you? I want to upload it to the page.”
“Um... Is this pose okay? I have to ask because someone tall with a big belly is standing next to me.”
“Sure, take a photo with Phii Ton.”
“He's sleeping.”
“And did Phii Ton refund the money?”
“Um... the refund has been done.” I couldn't help but burst into laughter. I felt embarrassed when I remembered the day I answered the competition questions. Phii Ton didn't really mind, so I didn't think much of it either.
“Then let's take the photo. Smile sweetly.”
I smiled and tilted my face at the angle that I thought looked best, but before the shutter could go off, the big hand of the person lying down reached out and placed it on my face.
“You don't have to smile sweetly. I'm lying in the water, how can we take a photo?”
“Just now, it couldn't see your face properly.”
“You have to be able to see my face. How can we upload it to the page? They need to know who the owner is.” Phii Ton lifted his hand and touched his face. His posture was still a bit stiff.
“Ew, Phii Ton. Everyone knows this much. That Nong Chon is your boyfriend, and who would dare to mess with someone so fierce like you?”
“Not at all... Possessive.”
“And if we agree, can I take a photo then?” The older sister leaned against the car seat to steady herself in the moving while there was a slight disappointment on her face when Phii Ton still refused to let her take a photo.
“Just a little. I'm slightly intoxicated.”
“Even if you're slightly intoxicated, let's take a photo. Phii Ton, you're so handsome it's killing me... Also, the car is tilting and spinning.”
“Did you come to find the camp? Or did you come to take photos of Chon?”
“Later, let's talk straight. What kind of person is so hard to find?”
“Well...” Phii Ton stopped and agreed. Before pulling me close to him, he brushed his cheek against mine, “Oh, take the photo.”
“The smell of love.”
“Definitely.” Accepting with a joyful face, I smiled widely and offered my best.
“It's all done. Thank you.”
“Caption should say TonhonChonlathee. This is the selling point.” Phii Ton grabbed the shirt of a senior model girl before she walked away, spewing embarrassing captions. So he was immediately pushed back.
“I'm bored of you Phii Ton.”
“Why?”
“You are infatuated with your wife.”
“Because he's the cutest babe.” After saying that, he didn't care about anyone's reaction at all. Phii Ton pulled me in and gave me a kiss on the head, then hugged me tightly.
“Tonhon. There are a lot of people here.”
“Just hug me.”
“Hey, can I ask you something? Where can I hide?”
“Hide behind me.”
“I'm confused. What does that mean?”
“I'll hide you.” I was still confused by Phii Ton's words. When I furrowed my brow, he laughed and said, “Don't think too much. Just know that I'm good at playing hide-and-seek. Good at hiding and good at finding.”
In conclusion, after the end of the sentence... I was still thinking a lot. The relaxation about Phii Ton's hide-and-seek playing occurred when I truly observed him and realized that he wasn't just good at playing hide-and-seek. He was called sharp-eyed, quick-witted, and with long legs, which made him stand out from others.
For example, when I was about to go help the group of senior girls holding signs, my arm was pulled and dragged into a corner of the resting wall. Instantly, I recognized that it was Phii Ton. The tall guy took off his shirt to show off his muscles almost all the time because he had to climb up to the rooftop of the school building. His skin had become slightly darker, but the tattoo of an anchor on his chest still had a charming appeal. I saw many girls in the camp secretly looking at Phii Ton, and I thought we should talk about this matter to know more.
“I like being secretly dragged by you.”
“It is called being secretly dragged to have a chat.”
“No, you mean to actually hide me from others. The word 'secretly' in your secretly dragging me is to bring me into a hidden corner away from others.” I spoke calmly. Phii Ton did this not only at the camp but also at university. “Got caught, didn't you?” I accepted it with a slightly blushed face. There was a cool sweat that couldn't be felt through physical contact, but the cologne scent in the afternoon still made me confused as before.
“Are you free? That's why you dragged me away from the eyes of others.
Normally, I only see you on the rooftop, like a monkey.”
“Not free, but you've shown yourself a lot today. I need to drag you to a closeted place a little more.”
“Not as impressive as you standing there flexing your muscles. Not even close to being cool.”
“Wow, why so irritated?”
“Damn it!” I raised my voice in frustration, admitting that I was irritated because Phii Ton was being too nosy, but I didn't know why I denied it. “It's not fair, you hide me when someone is looking, but I can't do anything when you are being watched.”
“Okay then, I'll go put on a shirt right now. My boyfriend doesn't like it when other people look at me, I understand.”
“Don't smile like that, please.”
“I can't help but smile, I'm secretly happy that finally you feel a little concerned about me.”
I remained silent, staring at him with a stern expression, trying to look tough. “I'm not concerned, we don't talk much, I admit it, but I still look at you all the time.”
“I don't know. After camp ends, I will hold onto you for three days and nights.”
“It's still many days until camp ends.” Phii Ton counted the remaining days on his fingers before bowing down. He whispered softly in my ear, “I can't take it anymore. Because I can't resist the urge to hug you.”
“There are too many people...”
“How about we play hide and seek? Hide so that others can't find us... let's run away and hide together, just the two of us.” His rough fingertips touched my cheek, as if holding construction equipment had made Phii Ton's hands a bit rougher.
“If I refuse you would drag me away.”
“I'm just inviting you to go out and play, that's all.”
“That's fine. I know I've never been upset with you.” Phii Ton smiled more brightly, his soft and flexible touch from the edge of his lips made me smile along.
I became more sensitive to the touch of this tall person. Whenever I remembered that we were playing hide and seek from the gazes of people around us.
“Give a charge up, so I can go to work. If I am delaying this I might get scolded by Naai again.”
“Phii Ton.”
“Hmm?”
“I am going to charge you up.” I lifted my foot high and started with a kiss on the tip of his chin. Then, using my arms, I locked Phii Ton's neck and gave him a long, passionate kiss. For a brief moment, time stopped.
“See you tonight. Beb.”
I was almost disappointed waiting for time to pass quickly, as I could no longer endure it. Even though I tried to work on the assigned task of painting the scene continuously, my eyes wandered upwards towards the newly built roof.
It didn't differ much from the previous one. The bottom was easily constructed into rectangular walls, with a walkway in between, and a roof to protect from sun and rain.
Phii Ton stood tall on the upper beam. He held a relatively small hammer in his hand, with a cigarette tucked behind his right ear. After getting permission, he would smoke no more than three cigarettes a day.
Next to Phii Ton was Phii Naai. His posture suggested a regular student, as he was often seen sweeping away his discarded items, even though the afternoon sun would make many of the men's clothes on the roof wet, causing only laughter and constant disagreements.
The scorching sun had almost passed, leaving only the fading light and a breeze that provided some relief from the heat. Everyone stopped working.
I stood up when I noticed that I had left a partially painted set in one corner. I walked briskly towards the person holding a water bottle in their hand. I stopped in front of the stairs, waiting for the big guy to descend each time, but it seemed like Phii Ton wouldn't come down easily today.
“Come on up.” He invited me to go up the roof.
“Wait! Let me go down first.” Phi Nhaai raised his hand to stop me from climbing up. He had a wide-brimmed hat that covered his face, making him look disheveled. It was unimaginable that Phii Nhai would take off his shirt, revealing well-developed muscles. Not too thick, not too thin, unlike Phii Aai, who had a large physique like Phii Ton.
Coming to camp with Phii Ton was a bit difficult, but satisfying. I saw Phii Nhai's legs, Phii Aai's muscles... I was amazed.
“Hurry up or should I give you a boost?”
“Hey! Look hubbie, this Ton is bullying me. I was already scolded by Dad, and my beloved friend is still being mean to me.”
“What did your dad scold you about?” Phii Aai moved his mouth and caused a long silence, maybe because of the hot weather, his fair skin turned red all over.
“Dad said I should focus on studying so I wouldn't have to do manual labor. I wouldn't have to endure the sun and wind. I believed him. I was determined to study, and look at me now. I am carrying bricks and enduring the sun all day long. Oops. Here comes the wind.”
I made a sarcastic gesture while speaking. Before spinning around once with my foot on the ground. “Do you want some medicine?”
“Thank you, handsome. But why are you Chon not sweating at all? Look at me, I'm so crude. Ready to burst.”
“Don't act like a girl, Nhai. It doesn't suit you.” Phii Ton shouted from above, his mouth curling into a smile that reflected Phii Nhai's unsettled demeanor. When Phii Ton approached, arms reaching towards my face, he suddenly changed his approach and grabbed my waist firmly, showering kisses from the tips of his fingers to my arm. And he even had the audacity to keep staring into Phii Nhai's eyes.
“You don't have to be pretty or a woman to make your husband fall in love, right Aai?”
At first, I thought Phii Aai would remain silent, or at least bow his head in submission, but today was peculiar because besides not bowing down, he even held Phii Nhai's wrist tightly and planted kisses all the way up his arm.
And he still dared to gaze into Phii Nhai's eyes.
It's extremely hot, playing in this situation sent chills down my spine. “Put on your shirt now. If you don't, don't blame me for not warning you.”
“Uhm... where's the shirt? Your shirt, where is it?... Come out, please.
ChenNhai might get killed.”
“It's right here, come and put it on.”
“Ooh, here it is.” Phii Nhai walked over to Phii Aai, smiling dryly before putting on the shirt.
I couldn't help but stare at Phii Nhai's body... Phii Aai seemed to have noticed and glared at me.
“Chon, hurry up. We have Pringles.”
It's better to be up there with my boyfriend. He may look fierce, but deep down, he has a kind heart. People like us judge the appearance, not the true intentions.
“Phii Ton, you are the best.”
“Really?”
“Snacks.” I reached out and grabbed the big hand that was offered to help me climb up. It wasn't that difficult to walk along the wooden beams and go upstairs.
Phii Ton started by sitting cross-legged, and when he saw me doing the same, he sat down next to me, eating the already opened dessert. The conversation between us was only accompanied by the sound of the wind and the faint voices of people in the distance. It was quiet, comfortable, and I felt safe sitting next to the person I love.
“Are you tired?” I broke the silence with a question, realizing that his waist had been grabbed and pulled closer.
“I'm tired, but it's enjoyable. Last year, I went to a camp, but this year I became a dad, so it's a bit tiring.”
“You've been smiling all the time.”
“Smile like you.”
“Do I smile?”
“You're not even aware. You smile all the time, smiling up to your eyes.”
“Maybe I'm smiling because I see you.” I accept without any argument.
Normally, I'm not someone who smiles easily.
“Is it fun?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Let's come together next year.”
“If you come, I will come too.”
Phii Ton took out his phone from his dark gray pants pocket. I realized that I would be photographed, so I raised my hand and posed with a mini heart sign. After that, we took several photos, and for the sake of fairness, I also raised my phone to take pictures of Phii Ton. We exchanged photos with various poses until the sky began to turn dark and the air became misty. The weather started to get colder as the twinkling stars increased. We stopped sitting on the rooftop and went down to have a meal and take a bath.
The bed beside me remained empty, just like the past few days. I slept next to Phii Ton, although most of the time he would come to sleep after I fell asleep. But today was different because I would go outside with Phii Ton and we would probably come back to sleep together late at night.
My pinkish bathrobe was picked up from the seat on the floor. I put it on, lifting the hood over my head to protect against the morning dew that settled.
Before turning around to leave the room where Phii Ton stood.
Tonight, Phii Ton wore only a thin white cotton shirt and black three-piece trousers, paired with flip-flops because the majority of the area was sandy.
“Isn't it cold?”
“Just a little cold, can I have your hand...”
I reached out my hand in response to the request, a smile forming at the corner of my mouth. As my long fingers slipped into the gaps between the fingers, Phii Ton's other hand held a large paper bag that caught my attention and prevented me from asking. “What's in the bag?”
“Something to set the mood.”
“A surprise for me?”
“Something like that.” Phii Ton responded mysteriously, and I held back my curiosity enough to not ask any further, content to let the taller person lead the way. Because there were many people residing there, the atmosphere was not too intimidating. Plus, there were also easily accessible lights illuminating the surroundings.
Phii Ton took me to a corner quite far from where we usually stay. There was only a faint light shining here. We relied on the light of the moon to see each other's faces more clearly.
“Have you ever played hide-and-seek?”
“Don't tell anyone. That bag contains the game.”
“I know.” I looked down at Phii Ton's tall figure sitting on the ground. There was a rustling sound from him picking up something, before a white lamp folded into a circular shape appeared.
“Did you prepare it in Bangkok?”
“Hmm, I planned to come and find a quiet place to float together.”
“Playing hide-and-seek secretly.”
“...”
“You like playing hide-and-seek, and you like surprises too.”
“I just want to do everything to the best of my abilities. Everything I do is my way of saying thank you.” Phii Ton stood up, towering over me, and handed me one side of the paper lamp. Soon, the fire was lit. Suddenly, the surroundings became bright.
“Thank you for giving love, thank you for being patient, and thank you for taking care of each other.”
The flickering orange flames reflected the waves in the speaker's eyes, confirming the weightiness, sincerity, and seriousness, making the heart in the chest tremble with unfamiliar feelings swirling around. The heart beats frequently, but is still not accustomed.
The feeling is called love.
“I also... thank you for accepting my love, thank you for taking care of each other. You are the good person I promised.”
“I love you, Chon.”
“I love you too, like you love me.”
Standing face to face, looking deep into each other's warm eyes, conveying all the feelings, until the lamp in their hands began to move, wanting to be free from being held.
“We have to let go of the lamp... but promise that we won't let go of each other's hands.”
“Okay, I promise.”
I released my hand at the same time as Phii Ton let go of him. The lamp slowly floated up, moving upwards slowly.
Time seemed to stop, fearing that the light would disappear...
Fragile, like the edge of a cliff descending...
So sweet, following the subtle rhythm of our breath...
Epilogue.
The scent of hair conditioner and floating soap mingled with the fragrance of flowers surrounding the small backyard garden. It was late at night, and the dew had settled, making it unsuitable to go out for a walk.
But Chonlathee had no intention of going anywhere. He had just arrived here with the homeowner half an hour ago. This was the starting point of their relationship.
The starting point of a relationship between a water nymph and a boatman. He walked up to embrace the person in the cream-colored shirt and black pants. Phii Ton's figure hadn't changed much, but there were some things that were different... the jewelry on his white earlobe and the corners of his mouth that had been removed. He looked every bit the suitable heir of a large international freight company.
After finishing school, Phii Ton's life had turned upside down.
He was busy with work and hardly had any time, but he liked to sneak in and cuddle in bed with him almost every night.
As for the time they had together now, it was because he had just finished school. Phii Ton's father had allowed him to take a one-month vacation as a gift.
Graduating with honors... they should have given him a three-month break.
Even if it was deserved.
“What are you doing?”
“Looking at some old photos. Do you remember? When we released the lantern at the campground and kissed. Nhai suddenly appeared because he wanted to release a lantern too, so we took a photo.” Phii Ton traced his finger on one of the pictures and smiled, until his eyes turned distant when he recalled the past.
The photo they took that day was probably the first couple photo taken with someone else. His face was still flushed because he was caught kissing Phii Ton. As for the older person in the photo, they hid their annoyance behind narrowed eyes.
“Try to be more calm, from within the photo.”
“Hmm... I've grown up. I'm ten years older, working for ten years.”
“You're still as handsome as ever. And how are the two seniors? I saw you guys went to see the Northern Lights together recently.”
“They're doing well. Nhai is going to live with Aai in Canada permanently.”
“Haven't they been living together for a long time?”
“Yes, but when they came back from seeing the Northern Lights, things weren't the same anymore.”
“...?”
“They're going to get married. Aai is serious about it. He used to say he would marry Nhai. And now he's really going to do it.”
“And what does Phii Nhai say? Said yes?”
“No, he cried that he didn't want to marry. He cried that he didn't want to wear a wedding dress because he has no breasts. He stressed me out, until Aai had to agree to a small reception. Only thing remaining is organizing a small bachelorette party for them to announce to relatives and friends that they would be together as husband and wife.” Phii Ton chuckled a little and his eyes still focused on the old pictures.
“What about me? If I ask... would you wear a wedding dress?”
“I don't know. I've never dressed as a woman before.”
Chonlathee used a light-colored towel to wipe his hair and walked to sit on the wide bed. Apart from the external appearance, Phii Ton's behavior would change a lot. His words and manners also became much more polite. Some couples may become coarser when they are intimate, but the relationship between him and Phii Ton was the opposite. The longer the days, the more he adjusted himself to satisfy the other party.
There was no rush. The changes were gradual, little by little, until they finally merged together.
“Another thing is that you've never asked me to get married. You can't ask about the wedding dress.”
“That's true... but I just want to make sure, okay?”
“How about in another two years? I want to further my studies.”
“I feel a little left behind, but I can wait.” Phii Ton raised his face and looked at him instead of the picture. In the album, their lips were locked tightly.
Before speaking, he sighed.
“The past... Chon was my past.”
“Huh!?”
“Now, Chon is my present...”
“And Chon will be my future too.”
As Phii Ton conveyed everything, the resistance that existed when both of his wrists were held disappeared. He let himself sink into the soft bed. The grayness of the thick blanket enveloped his whole body, and in a few minutes, it would fall onto the side of the bed.
“Have you ever heard that longing for the past is suffering, and longing for the future is also suffering? You should make the present the best.”
“Make... the present the best, or make tonight the best.”
“You're good. I'll follow you in a moment.”
“We need to develop ourselves. In the end, is it the present or tonight?”
“Tonight, of course. Heh... we both know.”
“Yes. You are really skillful.”
“Hmm... evaluate and give me a score tomorrow.”
Chonlathee moved up and approached the bed, reaching out to turn off the lights, enveloping the room in darkness.
Many things have changed over the years, countless and immeasurable. The future will surely fluctuate like the waves of the sea, but if the sailors understand the nature of the sea well enough, no ship will sink no matter which direction it sails.
And what about Tonhon, who is currently pondering and searching for him?
Can we say that he knows the good sea?
Hmm... Let's evaluate based on the condition of the room tomorrow.
But one thing is for sure, Tonhon is competent and capable enough to last the entire night, for sure :).
THE END.
[A/N]: Natakorn enjoys writing novels, you could say he's passionate.
Natakorn wants everyone to love Natakorn and his children.
Natakorn thanks you for providing this space to introduce himself.
Natakorn loves everyone.
Once again, Natakorn says he loves everyone very much.
A lot a lot a lot :).
[T/N]: I love this novel, little drama, just enough to keep it interesting…
Now I am interested in Peun (Ayaret parents love story)
See ya.