Chay can't sleep. Again. So he roams the halls of the mansion, quietly making his way to the cafeteria where he makes his coffee milk and cup noodles.

His revived forgotten phone has about 25 missed calls from Kim, Porsche, and an unknown number, and about 30-something messages. One message stood out. It's from that unknown number.

Ash's.

It's the usual message, really. Just stating that the number is his and to call or message him back as soon as possible.

Whether Chay likes it or not, Chay's mind wanders to Kim's warning.

'Don't get too close to him from now on, hm?'

Is there a valid reason behind this warning or is it just because he CAN give that warning?

What? Is he jealous? Is Phi Ash one of those people who he shouldn't get close to because it will cause problems for the family?

No, that can't be. If Phi Ash could cause problems, Macau would warned him already and Porsche would probably have given him a strict warning.

That leaves only one thing.

Chay groans. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Chay is a noob on relationship. He regrets not having any relationship(s) while he was in London. Maybe that will help him now.

He wants to defy Kim on this but he also knows that warning is a serious one.

'But Phi Ash was a good person and so nice to him in London. He helped him and more there.'

Chay hesitates before typing, 'Hi, Phi.'

It's just that. Nothing wrong with that, right?

Right.

And this is an ungodly hour to send a message so he doesn't have to worry about a reply.

But no more than half a minute later, his phone dings with a reply.

'Hi, Chay. Can't sleep?'

The reply freezes him. Now, what can he answer with?

'About to sleep now'.

Will that do?

The phone dings again.

'Oh, ok. Btw, why your reply is so late? I was worried.'

'Well, you worried then, I'm worried now. If the devil catches me sending you messages this late hour instead of sleeping, I will probably be dead', Chay thinks.

'Oh, the battery is dead, Phi. I charged and left it in my room.'

The phone dings, yet again. 'Oh, that makes sense. Good night then, Chay. Sweet dream.'

He types, 'You too, Phi', hurriedly.

There are no more replies after that and Chay exhales a relief breath. There are so many things in his head right now. He doesn't need one more.

After that talk with Porsche, Chay's mind whirlwind in different directions. Sometimes at the same time.

For what does his Hia apologize for?

For dragging him to this blackened-by-blood world by accepting the job as a bodyguard and then accepting his role as the head of the minor family?

For making Kim seek him out because he was sagging Kim's brother and then broke his heart as a casualty of that?

And for this ... He doesn't know what 'this is' exactly. He and Kim's ... What? Relationship? It's a relationship alright, Chay admits that. He just doesn't know if it's a romance or a tragedy.

He can't really blame his brother, but he will be lying if he says that his Hia, no matter how much Chay loves him, is blameless in this.

Fate is bound to happen.

Is it too much to say that Kim and He are fated?

They can go away from each other halfway around the world, but it only takes a second to bring them back to their last stand.

He sits near the fish pond again, busy himself with his thoughts after a bite of the hot noodle.

There's a click-clack sound that makes him turn his head sideways. Kim is standing there, leaning his body on one of the pillars near where Chay sits. He lit a cigarette and inhaled a deep smoke.

"What are you doing at this damn hours, Chay?" he asks

"Eating noodles," Chay states the obvious, his hand waving on the noodles. "You want some?"

Kim only stares at him for a while before moving and sits beside Chay. "Feed me," he says.

Chay grumbles but scoops one chopstick of noodle and gives it to Kim who ducks his head closer and eats. "Too spicy," he says.

"This is the right way to make noodles," Chay states. "So adjust your palette."

Kim smiles before saying, "Okay."

Chay offers him another scoop of noodles and one scoop of chopped sausages and he eats it obediently.

After the noodle is gone, they sit there quietly, enjoying the night before dawn. The smell of burned tobacco goes well with the smell of the earth. There is a faint smell of something else, something that does not belong to this quiet night. Chay wishes it rains right now. Maybe then that other smell can go away.

He looks at Kim and his clothes. It takes no no-brainer to conclude he was working before this. Chay realizes that the faint smell is blood. Kim doesn't look like he's hurt, so it must be someone else's.

It should be bothering him, but truthfully it's not. As long as Kim is not hurt, Chay surprisingly is ok with it. Kim may not be a good guy by usual standards, but the other party is a bad guy too.

"Work?" he asks, as nonchalantly as he could.

"Hm," Kim hums his answers.

"Tough work?"

Kim smiles. "Are we going to talk about my work starting now?"

Chay shrugs. "If you want to." Forever is a long time. He can't always keep a blind eye. Might as well get to know each other better.

Kim inhales his smoke again, exhaling the output in circles. It takes a while before he makes a decision. "It's not hard, it only took under one hour to finish."

"Then why was it bothering you?"

Kim remembers the look of the children, and the state they were in. A few of them didn't even cry. It looked like they had given up altogether. Too long in captivity and seeing what they shouldn't see can do that.

"It was child trafficking."

Oh.

Chay doesn't need a long answer to that. He feels his eyes burn. "I hope you gave them what they deserved."

Kim's corner lips tug, his smile, this time, is a sad one. "Not yet."

Chay wants to know what that means, but he knows not to prey for an explanation.

Kim's hand is on his cheek, stroking the soft skin. "Thank you for asking," he says. "I know understanding what I do is not an easy task for you."

Chay nods.

He hesitates for a while before he moves forward and presses his lips on Kim's. Kim's eyes grow bigger for it surprises him. "Good night, Phi," he says before leaving.

It was an innocent kiss. Barely lasted a minute. But it takes Kim hours to forget. He gets up from the bench when the dawn breaks the sky to a beautiful orange. 

***
Kim is in Chay's room at 9 in the morning, squatting beside the still-sleepy Chay.

"I have to go back to Pattaya for a few days," he says, while his hand is combing Chay's unruly hair.

"Mhhh," Chay mumbles his replies.

"I'll call you when I get there, ok?"

"Ok."

Kim presses his lips on Chay's forehead, cheek, and lips before he goes.

Chay sleeps for another hour or so. When he wakes up, he feels he is in a daze. His mind can't up keep with the things that happened today. It only 10 hours in, but so many things and changes happen.

They are in the state of being able to give kisses right now. It's not a passionate kiss like his Hia or Vegas gives their partners when no one is looking.

But still ...

It makes his ache ache a little for all the thumping.

Chay decides to take a bath, maybe then his head will not be in such a messy state. But it doesn't help. When he fetches his phone, the mess goes from bad to worse.

Because two people messaged him while he was asleep.

Kim and Ash.

One told him that he was about to board the private jet and one told him he was about to go to work but not too busy to take him to lunch if he was available today.

Chay only replies to one. 'Be safe', he says and archives the other one before he leaves the room to eat lunch.
***

A whole week passes. Now Chay is in Tankhun's room while the older is in a heated discussion with someone who introduced to Chay as the owner of a famous boutique specializing in Men's suits.

There are rows of suits that Chay must try. His body is already aches and it's not even close to over.

"These are cool, but these ones are sophisticated. Dark blue goes well with Chay, but classic black is also good. Hm... What do you think, Chay?"

Chay really has no idea about fashion. All his clothes are given to him by Porsche or Tankhun. So he replies with, "I'll follow your lead, Phi "

Tankhun gives him a bright smile. "Good answer! As I expected from my favorite baby." He returns to the owner, "I'll take all these," he points to the suits.

Chay gaps his mouth. "Phi, I think that's too much!" Chay doesn't even need a calculator to know how much money they will cost. "I just need one or two, right?"

Tankhun dismisses him nonchalantly. "We can't have too many suits, Porchay. You are an esteemed member of high society now. You must dress as such for an occasion like this. Besides, Kim can afford these easily, don't worry."

'An occasion like this' is a charity party for the unfortunate by the governor. Chay doesn't even think he is right to be invited but his name is on the list.

Who is he to be invited? He doesn't even know these people and can't even donate a hefty amount of money. He is just a brother of Porsche Pachara Kittisawasd.

'And a significant other of Kimhant Theerapanaykun, don't forget'.

Oh, that.

Yep, the same one who will pay for all of these, apparently. They are not even official yet. He sulks.

"Phi Kim will be paying for these? Not Hia?"

Tankhun's smile is a scandalous one. "No, little one. You have a new sugar daddy now. A richer one."

Porchay's brain is not loading.

"Now, we need the right accessories also," Tankhun goes on again, leaving the dumbstruck Porchay alone with his thought.

***

Porchay spends more than two hours to get ready. He doesn't even know the routine so he just follows whatever instruction Tankhun gives.

At the end of those exhausting routines is a proud smile of Porsche while looking at him. "You look handsome, Chay," he praises. "I'm waiting for the bill to roll in to know how much it cost to make you look this handsome. But it's worthed.."

Chay guesses no one told his Hia he won't be the one who pays these or that the bill is paid already. Chay won't be the one to break the news. So he just smiles.

"Remember to just smile and be polite," Kinn tells. "You'll be fine."

"You can stick with me and Kinn for the night," Porsche offers.

"Won't be too much? We have to greet and do small talks, you know," says Kinn while fixing Porsche's bow tie affectionately.

"Ah, right," Porsche grimaces. "Will P'Khun do?"

Kinn is now making an unsure face. "If he's in his best behavior. Go with Macau, then, Chay. He's your age and will be able to introduce you to people your age also."

"That asshole won't come then?" Chay knows perfectly well who the ashole his hia is talking about without having Kinn glance at him.

"Still no word from him." Kinn's answer is making Porsche snorts. "So much for ..." Whatever it is his brother is about to say it is cut short by the look of Kinn's face.

Go with Macau is an option. But Macau is a social butterfly who attracts many flowers, boys and girls alike. Some extend the flirting to Chay, but Macau cuts it with a short, "Taken."

So he is pushed and pulled in every direction until the push makes a girl let out a banshee shriek.

"Oh, my dress! It's ruin," the girl seems she is about to cry. "Why did you knock this drink from me?" she asks Chay accusingly.

Chay is unable to respond to anything but a sorry.

But the girl keeps making a bigger fuss, even the words from Macau that they will compensate her for the ruined dress seem to fall on deaf ears. Chay is afraid they will attract a bigger attention.

Until a hand grabs his shoulder in an asuring squeeze. "Miss Saelim, I'm sorry for your inconvenience, but I assure you he didn't do it on purpose. It's just an accident." Ash is appearing out of nowhere. Chay isn't even aware he is attending.

"But my dress ..."

"I'll make sure the shop gives you a new one with other compensations," he smiles, but it's a business one, Chay thinks. There is a false warmth in there.

"I ...," the girl wants to talk more but Ash quickly interrupts. "You are not going to doubt me and my family, are you Miss Saelim? If I say you will be compensated, you will. Now, we don't have anything to fuss about, right?" The tone is still friendly, but it leaves no room for further discussion. The girl agrees and leaves.

"Mh," Chay tries to make a small talk. Ash only looks at him, there is a small smile on his face. "I guess I should tell my Hia to ask for that girl's details then?"

A real smile breaks on that handsome face. "No need, Chay. I got it covered."

"But, it's my mistake."

"Mh, right. But I still will cover it."

Chay hesitates. This doesn't seem right. But what can he do? He doesn't even know the girl. "Thanks," he finally says. He looks for Cau, but someone has dragged Cau to the other side of the room. The look when Cau is looking at him is a worried one.

"You haven't answered any of my texts or calls."

"Ah, that one." Chay is unsure how to reply.

"Did someone forbid you?"

Chay still chooses to stay silent. So Ash is making his own conclusion. He nods his head several time.

"What is your relationship with Kimhan anyway?"

Before he answers, a hand snakes to his waist in a possesive manner that it startles him.

Kim pulls him closer to his body, gives Ash a smile that's far from friendly before answering the question on behalf of Chay, "I'm his boyfriend, Sutivanichsak."

Ash glances the display of possesiveness and gives Kim his own unfriendly smile. "Oh, is that right, Theerapanyakun? I didn't know you can make any kind of commitment."

Kim raises one of his brow. "I didn't know that it's your business. Now, excuse us," he says before pulling Chay away.

They walk fast, out of the ballroom and into one of the dark corners.

"I can explain ...," Chay begins, but it falls short because Kim grabs his face and pushes Chay's body to the wall with his own.

His mouth found Chay's.