"You arrived on this shit?"

Porchay is insulted. Especially when Kim is eyeing his motorcycle with a look of contempt as if the bike itself has thrown insults at him.

"Hey! I love this bike!"

Now, Kim is pinching the bridge of his nose. "You love the bike?" Porchay doesn't like his tone. It's condescending to him. But what can he expect from a rich mogul like him? A Theerapanyakul hasn't been broke poor since the Sukhothai Kingdom era.

"Yes. I bought it with my own money."

Kim releases a deep breath. "How about I buy you a car?"

"Don't wanna. Haven't you experienced Bangkok's traffic?"

Kim shakes his head and when Chay's face is questioning his answer, he says, "I take a chopper if the traffic is dense."

God. Porchay hates rich people. He is so much at the bottom that he just doesn't get them. How Porsche seamlessly fits into that lifestyle is still a mystery to him.

"At least let me buy you a new one. Something better." Something that doesn't break down when riding at 70 km/hour, he thinks sarcastically. It seems his mate has another idea. Kim doesn't get Porchay's allergy to money. Anyone will jump with joy and hurry up to the nearest luxury stores when he or she finds out he or she is mated with a Theerapanyakul, let alone Kimhan Theerapanyakul.

Even Porsche didn't show this much reluctance when Kinn showered him with luxuries.

Tempting, but Porchay doesn't want to be a part of his bike, so he shakes his head. It's not about pride. He likes money like any human, but he loves sentimental things. If he didn't he probably would've moved out of his house. The house is too big for one person but in that house, there are memories of his parents and the old Porsche that he doesn't want to let go of yet.

"Ter," Kim says, his voice is strangely deep, gentle, and quiet. It fascinates Chay. "You're a Theerapanyakul now. No Theerapanyakul will be caught dead in this ... thing," he points to the bike.

"But I'm not a Theerapanyakul. Yet," he adds when he sees the change in Kim's eyes. It becomes dangerous in an instant. "Haven't seen your ring on my finger." He's just being cheeky, wanting to poke fun.

Kim squints. "Don't dare me, Kitt. You know that I can wed you in an hour from now and it will be completely legal and law-binding ironed so much that you can't wiggle your way out to have it annulled or divorce me."

Yeah. Porchay forgets they can do that. So he sheepishly says, "Sorry. I'm just kidding. Look, in terms of logistics and transportation, I want what's comfortable for me."

"And I want what's safe for you!" Kim's voice raises a bit. He begins to dislike Porchay's stubbornness.

"This is safe," Porchay asserts. "Nobody hasn't caught me while riding it!"

"Nobody hasn't caught you yet because Kinn put the best men he got on you," Kim debunks. It's true. Kinn puts the better bodyguards the house has to guard and stalk Porchay, only second best to his own and Porsche. As Kinn and Porsche move as one item, rarely apart from each other, it's not hard to guess the quality of guards that he sent to Chay's side.

Kim wants it too, to be able to not be apart from Chay unless he has to. But seeing Chay's personality, he can kiss that want goodbye.

"Then, it's no problem. Plus we got your men now and I assume you too will put the best for me."

Kim stays quiet for a while, actually liking Chay's assumption. Of course, he will put his best men for Chay. He can get the lesser quality ones as he rarely needs them anyway. But the thought of Chay riding this ridiculous thing still doesn't sit right for him. "It will be ridiculous to see that the guard in a 250 cc bike is guarding someone who rides this."

He is still arguing and it makes Chay wants to strangle him. He chuckles. "Then get your men a matic bike too."

Kim looks at him with unamused eyes. But he stays quiet, probably because knowing Chay is irritated. Chay doesn't pout. No. He stares hard, unamused, and looks like he wants to skin him alive by the looks of it. Kim strangely finds it arousing.

He hates sweetness anyway.

"Then how are we going to get to the restaurant for dinner, Teerak?" he asks, making Chay blush so hard, that Chay thinks he has a fever. How the fuck he just casually said that with a casual expression? Like they have been doing this relationship for years instead of minutes.

"Just go for take-outs for now, eat it at home," Chay replies.

"Our home?" Chay knows he's teasing because of that smile he has. Our home equals wherever it is Kim stays. He knows that much.

"My home!" Chay shouts. Kim laughs. Kim wonders why it's so easy for Chay to make him laugh. No one has ever done that before. If anyone ever says this to him, he probably will be annoyed instead of laughing.

He is rarely deprived of what he wants. He doesn't even need to struggle for it. But with Chay, even for the simplest thing, he has to argue teeth and nails for it.

Chay is about to sit on his bike and start the engine when Kim stops him and takes away the key. Chay is too slow to stop him. No, it's that dominant alpha who is too fast.

He sighs. As they are so different like night and day, he will have a hard life ahead of him, won't he?

Kim throws it to a guy who stands not far from where they're arguing. The guy catches it swiftly. "We'll take my car and let Big take the bike."

Porchay is about to wai and shakes Big's hand but Kim is already steering him to where a black Maybach parks. He opens the passenger's door for Porchay and waits until he safely sitting before closing it.

And they say chivalry is dead. Note the sarcasm as Chay is not too fond of the princess treatment. He's an independent 20 years old and he likes to stay that way for as long as he can. Tough luck that he has a rich dominant alpha who tends to throw money at him as a mate.

Chay makes a mental note to ask Kim to scrap him from any news outlet there is in this world once they get serious about this mating thing. He hates attention or being recognized by the public. As Kim is a private person too, he thinks it wouldn't be that hard to ask for it. Kim doesn't look like a typical alpha who likes to parade his mate, unlike Kinn.

"You're driving?" Chay asks, Kim hums a reply. He waits for anyone to enter the car too, but it seems they are going to be alone. In a closed tiny space like this, Kim's smell is intoxicating. It seems he puts it in a full blast since in the private room. Chay needs a conversation to keep his head in the right place but, rather than talking, he decides to scold him instead. "Slow down on the pheromone, will you?"

Kim gives him a quizzical look before realizing it. "Oh, sorry," he says. He really doesn't realize it and hurry up to tone it down. The smell then becomes subtle. Not completely gone, but it's bearable for Chay.

He envies that ability as omegas don't have it and regular alphas have trouble managing it. He doesn't have the trouble which entails because he doesn't have the regular smell of an omega, but he learned it's the largest reason for omega's rape cases. Omegas' smell when they are in heat is essentially a sex drug. It triggers horniness for alphas and betas if not managed properly. It can even force a rut in the name of breeding and multiplying.

"What do you want to eat, Kitt?"

Porchay shrugs. "Anything with rice. I'm not picky."

Kim laughs. "Good to know."

There's a ding on Porchay's phone. A message from Rain.

SOS. He's here and he said he's staying.

"Oh, fuck that guy!"

Porchay is pissed. Kim is not happy hearing it.
***

Rain has been watching Phayu for a while now. He thinks he is in an alternative universe where Phayu seems to be at home in his home.

He watched as the guy picked up grocery bags from his men and then proceeded to put them in the fridge and the kitchen cabinets. He watched as the guy picked up some of it, put them on the kitchen island, washed some of them, and prepared them neatly before beginning to cook them. Judging by the smell of it, he did one hell of a good job.

"Baby, where do you want to eat?" he looks at Rain with a full smile on his handsome face Rain can't decide whether he wants to punch it or kiss it. Probably punched it as he now has the urge to swing the flower vase on the table at Phayu.

But Phayu doesn't seem to be bothered by the sour mood Rain has. He still talks even when Rain decides to not reply. "Ok. By the television it is," he says, still with the same joy.

Rain begins to find it creepy.

He cooks Khao Soi and Pad Kra Pao Moo, knowing very well Rain loves those.

'Are they playing house now?', Rain sourly thinks as Phayu places a plate full of rice in front of him.

"Let's eat," the guy says, smiling.

"Will you go home after this?"

The question takes back Phayu. "No," he says curtly, managing to add a smile to it.

"Why not?"

"You're alone here. I don't like that."

"I can manage. Look, I'll text Chay and ask him to accompany me," Rain whips out his phone.

"You can text him all you want, I'm still staying." The smile is gone now. Even the eyes are giving Rain a harder look. But Rain proceeds to text Chay stubbornly. Phayu gives him an upside-down smile while nodding.

He places the food on Rain's plate before eating. "Eat, Baby. I don't want you to get sick," he urges gently. When Rain doesn't pick up his spoon, he adds, "Please," with a little bit of command in it, forcing Rain to obey. He knows Rain hates it but what option does he have?

Rain eats as slowly as he can until the door is open with a bang and Porchay comes in with Kim close behind him with plastic bags in one hand. Phayu gives Kim a look, but Kim gives him a sign to let it go.

Kim looks uncharacteristically happy. So it's not that hard to guess. "I feel sorry for you. You will have your hands full for eternity," Phayu says as sour as he meant it to be. Porchay gives him a stink eye and clearly knows the man is talking about him.

"It's alright," Kim replies, "It's fun and gives me a purpose in life."

Phayu snorts. "Other than collecting money and power?"

Kim only smiles. "Ter, get the plates, please," he says to Chay. Phayu has goosebumps at the gentleness in Kim's voice. He doesn't even know Kim can produce such a voice. He is used to the monotone one or the hard and cold one. Kim rarely displays anything genuinely gentle or warm unless it benefits him. He rarely slips the masks he wears for the world.

Porchay pulls Rain and they head to the kitchen, leaving Kim and Phayu behind.

"It's confirmed then," Phayu says. Kim nods. "How did he take it?"

Kim tilts his head a bit. "Strangely well. He even asked for my dick size," he openly smiles now, fond of the memory.

Phayu hikes his brows. "What the fuck?"

Kim nods while bursting a little laugh. "Hm. I guess he is quirky that way."

"That's not quirky. That's straight down weird," Phayu debates.

Kim shrugs. "I like it. I think it's an endearing quality."

"I think you should check your brain, Brother!"

Kim smiles. "Cut me some slack. I have been looking for him for years and he's so beautiful, my heart hurts every time I see him."

Phayu smiles as he watches his best friend slashed boss is too drunk in love. But he needs to burst that bubble and ask important questions. "He refused to be fully mated too?"

Kim nods, his smile is gone his body language is back to business as usual and his voice turns to a secretive whisper. "As we already predicted. We need to plan another step for them to speed up the time. Personally, I don't think I can survive three months, let alone a year."

"Neither do I," Phayu says.