Tuesday. September 7

Hope woke up before 5:00. He quickly cleaned himself up and tiptoed out into the hallway and slipped into the next room. Lion was awake as well and greeted him with a happy smile as he sat on the bed.

"Good morning, Hia," the boy sat down next to him, put his arm around his lover and pressed his forehead against his forehead. They sat in silence for a couple minutes, clasping their hands together and closing their eyes. Jake gently ran his fingers over the pads of his kitten's fingers, his heart purring at the gentle touches. They didn't need words to tell him how they felt; the touch of skin to skin, the breath, the warmth of the two of them together brought an unearthly peace.

Hope then gently placed Jake's head on the pillow and rested his head on his healthy shoulder, whispering, "Just a cuddle today."

"Why? Are you in pain?" - Jake also asked softly, stroking his treasure's back and kissing his forehead.

"No, I'm fine. It's just that I'm going to be checked out soon, and it's not good for you to exert yourself so much. What if the stitches break open? It'll lengthen the healing process, and I have big plans for you," Hope smiled, lifting his head and peering into the dark pools.

"Okay, you've talked me into it. Why don't we just chat then? We've got obvious problems with this, we need to fix it. I want to know everything about you, starting with your birth," Lion informed cheerfully.

"Come on, the desire is mutual. I want to know about your childhood. You were probably the most serious little kid in the neighborhood," the kitten giggled.

"Ohhhh, no! I wasn't like that at all! My parents put up with all sorts of stuff from me."

For three hours they lay snuggled together and told stories from their childhood. A couple of times Jake gingerly touched on the period when he and Chom had been friends, glancing at Hope's reaction, but he reacted calmly and even asked clarifying questions. Lion's first love was a thing of the past, and from what he'd heard of the guy, he had a pretty good impression of him. Kitten was glad that his lover had such a man in his life.

At one point Hope looked at the clock, which showed fifteen minutes to nine, which meant it wouldn't be long before they'd be getting their rounds of doctors and dressings, so he asked a question he really wanted to hear the answer to:

"Hia, what are your plans for the future? At least for the very near future?"

"Plans? Hmmmm... Well, they look like the following for now: to love you, train my students in physical training, and love you again... to win all the qualifying games with the team and make it to the playoffs, and love you hard again and again during the breaks... to sell my apartment and buy a house closer to yours, where I will love you daily... show you all the most interesting sights in Bangkok, and love you in all the different places... on weekends I'll start working at a fitness club so I can spoil my kitty, but this part of the plan will only be realized if you work in a restaurant, under other circumstances - I'll be trained by your guardian and become your bodyguard. Aren't I forgetting something? I forgot! I'll love and care for you so much that you won't be able to live without me and the tender passion I'll cover you with," Jake curled his fingers, then gently lifted the boy's face to his chin and made eye contact.

"Wow. So much love in the plans! Should I stock up on strength and lube?" - Hope chuckled, and then stood up, leaning gingerly on his embossed chest, and said in an already serious tone: "Great plan, honey. There's just one thing wrong... I can't go on without you. Lion is on the same level as air in my life."

"I won't let you suffocate," with those words, Jake pulled the kitten by the neck and took him into a long and very passionate kiss.

Their tongues intertwined again and again, thoughts leaving the boy's head, he was immersed in a world that was just for the two of them. With every movement of wet lips, with every breath and squeezed sweet moan, their personal universe was filled with colors and enveloped the lovers with the sensual aroma of apple mint.

(From the author: Apple mint - Mentha Pomo Petite. This mint has a strong, pleasant aroma with notes of apple and menthol. It has rounded velvety leaves. The flowers are pinkish-cream, gathered in small inflorescences).

The moment of unity of souls, bodies and smells was interrupted by Dr. Williams entering the room:

"I see you have a good morning! Please get back to your rooms.

Hope slowly got to his feet, slowly coming back to reality, held his gaze on his favorite face for a second and whispered: "See you later, Hia," and left the room.

***

After he was checked out, every day of the boy's life was scheduled to the minute. Starting from Wednesday, Hope went to school. He had to make an effort, first of all, to pass the missed tests and homework, which he had been working on almost all day yesterday, and secondly, to avoid Pruit and Jean's numerous questions about his relationship with the coach, packed in a thick layer of innuendo and jokes, all his free time in the school walls.

Not only that, but it turned out that in his absence, Phichit had arbitrarily introduced new procedures for assigning students to the "In need for help" list, so that those who learned faster and had higher grade point averages than the others were given priority. Hope had had to restore justice by putting things back on track, which had caused the Queen to yell at him, but he was immune to it.

To give her something to do, he decided to have Phichit organize a school event to celebrate the end of the rainy season.

Loy Krathong was just around the corner, in a month's time, and the celebration was held at their school every time at the highest level: the students dressed up in traditional costumes, made beautiful krathongs from biodegradable material, participated in contests, played traditional Thai games, and performed at the school concert. Hope was sure that this girl was up to the task, and when he voiced his thought to the School Board, he saw her eyes light up brightly, which meant that he had managed to subdue the local Medusa Gorgon for a while, channeling her excessive ambition in the right direction.

Jake's checking out was scheduled for Monday, and Hope could only visit him from six to eight in the evening, and that was only because Grandpa had made arrangements with the hospital authorities through Dr. Williams. Those two hours a day were insanely short; they didn't have time to talk, as everything was reduced to body talk - words replaced by kissing, touching, and all kinds of caresses.

Hope had tried to resist on his first visit, worried about his lover's health:

"Just lie down. You're going to be in pain, Hia."

"It won't. It worked yesterday, and I didn't feel any pain."

"Really? That's weird... and I've seen your face contorted a few times from that thing you said wasn't there," the guy held his defenses as best he could.

"Okay, I'll admit it hurt a little, but I'm totally good today. Honestly! This is where it's totally bad, though. We demand comfort," the man placed Hope's right hand on his hard cock, which was peeking out of his down pants and nodded in agreement with the last speaker. Defense was broken, their bodies merged back into one, and the chamber was once again filled with their suppressed moans.

As the time drew to a close, Hope felt as if a light, opaque veil of sadness had fallen over him. Jake noticed his kitten's change of mood and offered to text him until the boy fell asleep in his crib. This plan made the separation from Lion bearable. They lived by it until Friday was over: the boy would ride in Troy's car and write about his day, do his homework and share his ideas with Lion about tactics for the upcoming Friday night game, go to bed and tell his lover how he felt about him.

For the duration of Jake's absence, the former gym teacher, Khun Kanokwan, had returned to school. He was coughing a little, but he looked cheerful; he looked like he missed his job. Under his watch, Hope's team had easily defeated the Nai Horn Boys' Boarding School team. The captain, even with one fully capable arm, was able to set up the game with timely accurate tips and actions and keep the momentum going on offense.

Just like Jake said, the win over XY made opponents fear XW. The opponents were on defense, and the captain and his teammates played their games with ease, creating gaps in the defense and getting to the basket.

Friday. 18:30. Jake's hospital room

Overjoyed, Hope opened the door to Lion's room abruptly, wanting to tell him how easily they had won the game, but he didn't see him on the bed.

Walking inside, he was grabbed from behind by strong arms around his waist and pressed against a warm body.

"Congratulations on your victory, Captain," a native, blood-thrilling voice whispered in his ear.

"Thank you, Hia! We were... on a roll... ah... I was rushing to you... head over heels... and you... it turns out you already know everything," Hope tried to speak, but his brain was already shutting down, his entire being at the moment focused on the touch of his lover's lips on the back of his neck.

"I'm a member of the chat... teams... have you forgotten?" - The whisper and warm breath against his neck sent waves of goosebumps through the boy.

"Ah, Hia... I want you insanely again... even more than yesterday... It'll never end, will it?"

"You mean sex? Someday, many years from now, maybe... we'll be doing it less often... do you want to pause yet?"

"No... physical contact with you is more than just sex to me... well... I guess... I'm scared."

"And what are you scared of, kitten? Share it with me," Jake turned him around, his dark pools peering intently into the boy's eyes.

"I realized yesterday that I was infinitely happy...and suddenly...scared. Stupid, I guess. I've lost a lot of things in my life, you know?"

"The dark times are behind you, honey. Come on, let's think and dream only of good things, and by doing so, we're sure to attract a lot of happiness. You said yourself that we should let those black birds go. And if something happens like the last time, I'll be there for you," Lion's strong embrace and his words relaxed Hope's mind, and he chased away the winged bird that had arisen in him, and without fear or doubt obeyed and surrendered to the embrace of passion and all-consuming love.

That evening Hope left Jake's room an hour later than he should have, and Troy, waiting for him in the car, sighed a little, but did not say a word against his son's behavior.

Despite Grandpa's entreaties to take a well-deserved sick day, Hope decided he would try to pay off his debt as soon as possible, so all weekend he went to waiter duty on time, trying not to put too much strain on his injured palm. On Saturday and Sunday, Hope was on duty next to his beloved from 9:00 am and left for work closer to 2:00 pm. He canceled a meeting with rainbow coworkers as he was unable to leave his Lion just yet. 

***

Monday. September 13.

Nothing had changed in Hope's morning routine, except for the lack of tedious self-defense and weapons training, since Troy had spared his son's wound and given it time to heal.

Hope wanted to get through the day quickly so he could go to Jake's house in the evening, help him pack and walk him home.

But Lion surprised him again when he walked into the gym before practice started, dazzling everyone and everything with his snow-white smile.

He cheerfully greeted the boys and congratulated them on winning the last game, then walked over to the captain and shook his hand. Hope hadn't seen him for twenty-four hours, and the only thing he wanted to do was to throw himself at his lover and embrace him, but Lion had given him just one touch and a second of meaningful, tender glance - it was too little.

The workout was interminably long, and it seemed to Hope that it would never end, even though the injury hadn't affected Jake's coaching, and he was working up a sweat.

Finally showered and dressed, Hope hopped out of the locker room and knocked on the coach's door.

"Come in!" - He heard his favorite voice and as he entered the room, he quickly closed the door.

Jake immediately jumped up from his desk and quickly walked over to the smiling kitten.

"I'd jump on you for joy, but... the wound," Hope whispered as he hugged his lover.

"Sweetheart, I...missed you," Jake spoke, covering the boy's face with kisses.

"Grandpa's waiting for me. Let us give you a ride home, and I'll...try...to...ask him to let me go out," Hope was mentally ready to promise Troy anything to stay with his soulmate tonight.

"Okay. Wait for me for about ten minutes, I'll finish my business and come over."

Hope kissed Lion on the lips and hurried over to Grandpa to try and talk him into it.

"Hello, son! I take it we're not going to the hospital, Noah has already reported that his patient left the room early," Troy was the first to speak as Hope climbed into the car.

"Grandpa, don't start it yet. Shall we wait for Hia and give him a ride home?"

"Okay. Sunny's cooking a surprise dinner tonight, he said it's going to be soooo good, I'm excited! We'll drop Jake off and be home in no time."

"Mmm... interesting, but I wish I could attend," Hope abruptly decided to change tactics from begging to stating the fact, but his knees began to shake.

"Is that so? And what's your business, if it's no secret?" - Troy leaned in closer and drew his eyebrows together, which added to the guy's nervousness, and he began to speak, stuttering and the sound of his voice descending to a half-whisper by the end of the sentence:

"I... I'd like to stay at... Hia's, if I can."

"Ha, I see," Troy recoiled and leaned back against the back of the seat, and after a second he continued with a smile: "You're all grown up now, son, but still. If you want, by all means stay at his place, but not more than twice a week. I don't allow you to live together yet. When you go to university, we'll close the story with the Club, and then everything will be possible. Well, almost everything."

Hope, seeing his guardian's good mood, plucked up courage and asked:

"How about...four? Four times? Please, Grandpa."

"Ha ha ha, what was the saying of the people of the Celestial Empire? After getting Lun, to covet Sichuan! How insatiable you are, it turns out, when it comes to your coaching!" - laughed Troy.

(From the author: the English version of the Chinese proverb "Having gotten Lun, desire Sichuan" (de long wang shu) is "give a finger, he'll bite off at the elbow.")

"Does that mean 'No'?" - clarified Hope, to which the gray-haired man first replied with a sly squint, and only then uttered:

"Shall we stop at three?"

"Yes, yes, thank you, Grandpa! But I can see him on the other days, right?" - Hope got all teary eyed until he heard the next words:

"If it's at our house, please, I don't mind."

Hope crossed his arms and thought for a moment:

"At our house, Hia and I will be under constant surveillance, and yes... no soundproofing in my room, which means..."

"Maybe..." - the guy started, but at that moment Jake ran up to the car and said hello to Troy through the open window.

"Hey. Sit down, we're just here talking about you," Grandpa winked at him with a smile.

"And what's the discussion about?" - Lion asked, settling into the back seat.

"I've allowed my son three sleepovers a week at your house, the rest of the days you can see each other under my roof. But Hope apparently isn't happy with that arrangement, ha, I wonder why, and Jake? Why don't you tell me?" - Troy cheerfully laid out the gist of their conversation, paralleling the driveway.

"Thanks, Khun Troy. I think that's a great option," Jake replied, for which he was honored with a murderous look from the kitten who had turned around.

"Ha ha ha, apparently you and I don't understand something! My smart little guy sees something he's not comfortable with. Why don't you tell me, son?" - Troy laughed.

"It's all right. I'm fine with it," muttered Hope, staring out the window.

"You can see that!" - chuckled Grandpa once more, and then turned seriously to the passenger in the back seat, glancing at him through the rearview mirror. - 'Jake, be careful you don't get caught together with people you know. И! I'll be picking up Hope in the mornings, that's out of the question."

"Okay, Khun," came the immediate reply.

"Call me Hia, Jake. We're close enough now, don't you think?" - those words pleased not only Lion, but his kitten as well, a smile immediately spreading across his face.

"Yes, Hia. Thank you."

***

At Jake's apartment

"Kitten, I'm going to take a quick shower. If you need to do your homework, sit at my desk," was the first thing Jake said as they entered the small but fairly spacious apartment, which consisted of two rooms: a living room-kitchen and a bedroom.

While Hope was alone he had time to walk around and look around the lion's chambers, everywhere was clean and tidy but empty, no photos, paintings or anything from his past, his eyes only caught on the guitar standing in the bedroom:

"Hia plays? I don't remember him telling me about it."

After circling the property, the kitten sat down on the swivel chair and listened - it was clear from the sound of the water that Jake wasn't done yet, so he pulled out his study notebooks and began his homework.

He couldn't concentrate, because he was in a state of anticipation, his head was constantly filled with sexual fantasies, and he blushed, smiled, and tried to get into the essence of the assignment again. Suddenly, in his bright head came a brilliant idea, which did not want to leave the place of the soloist in this chorus of thoughts:

"What if we try Panit's method? I wonder if Jake would bite? He'll do whatever I ask him to do?"

The devil took the lead again, and by the time Jake emerged from the bathroom wearing only a towel wrapped around his waist, the plan was complete.

"Honey, you've been giving us a hard time again today. I want a nice meal and...if I may, a massage?" - Hope spoke softly in a languid voice, running a finger over her bare breasts while biting her lip and making eye contact.

"Are you hungry? There's almost nothing at home, I didn't have time to buy anything, but I'll figure something out," his Lion replied slowly, scrutinizing the guy's face, and then kissing him on the forehead and heading for the fridge.

"Yay, a start has been made! The plan is actually working!" - cheered the demon inside the kid as he sat down, climbing up with his legs on the couch, leaning back against the soft backrest and resting his head on his palms, and watched his lover prepare dinner.

In five minutes Jake called Hope to the table and set a deep plate before him, and looking at its contents, the guy, sticking out his lower lip, as he often did in his family, said sadly:

"Cucumber and avocado salad? That's it?"

"That's all that was available, honey. A light snack before the main course. Chew quickly!" - Lion replied, smiling slyly.

"Good! It's a surprise, isn't it? Something meaty? Or seafood? Did you order from the restaurant?" - Hope was glad that his plan was so easily realized, but mentally kicked himself - "What's gotten into me anyway? This is the first and last time!"

"Crunch, don't talk. You'll like it," the words were said in his favorite oddly-vibrating tone, but Hope decided not to focus on that.

"Salad's done, thanks, Hia! Ready for the main course!" - Hope reported back, finishing, and was immediately grabbed by strong arms that carried him to the bed.

"What... you...? Hia!" - tried to exasperate Hope, wanting to continue his game.

"You asked for a massage, kitten. It's coming right now!" - The fire in Lion's eyes and his actions told the boy that his plan had apparently failed. And when the towel flew to the floor, and warm hands quickly pulled off his clothes, there was no doubt about it.

Spreading the legs of the already completely naked guy, Jake crept up to his ear like a predator, touching only his aroused shaft to his crotch, and, covering his blue eyes with the palm of his hand, whispered:

"You want games? I don't mind at all, tiger cub. Close your eyes and don't open them until I let you."

"I don't...," Hope wanted to excuse himself, but immediately swallowed his words when he heard a quiet tapping sound next to his ear along with his lover's heavy breathing, which he identified as the contact of a hard object against Lion's teeth.

Then the sound moved to the area of his chest, and his nipple was burned cold for a second, making him gooseflesh, while his lower abdomen felt hot and tingly.

"What... is... Hia?" - Hope slowly muttered.

"Don't open your eyes... kitten. Failure to obey the rules of the game... will be severely punished," his lover whispered in a languid voice, and then the second nipple plunged into both cold and heat at the same time. These sensations could not be conveyed in words, the whole body of the guy began to tremble in anticipation of the next frosty touch.

Lion pulled away for a second, and while Hope concentrated on the sensation of coolness on his wet chest, his lips were suddenly covered with a passionate cold kiss. There was another object in the dance of intertwining tongues, it was an ice cube that moved frequently from mouth to mouth, giving incredible sensations of freshness and contrasting temperatures. At this time, nothing else was touching the guy's body, and in an effort to touch his lover, he lifted his hips and raised his arms, but his actions were immediately restrained:

"Don't move. That's... another... rule."

Not being able to see Lion's next actions sharpened all senses. The brain was greedily picking up signals from every part of his skin. Three of the five senses were 200% focused on the messages they were receiving from outside and languished in anticipation. It was like the emotions of a thriller hero walking through an empty, dark house and expecting danger around every corner. Only in this case, instead of fear, there was a hellish desire to experience the previously unknown sensations once again.

Suddenly the ice cube leaned against his jugular and began to slide slowly downward in bizarre zigzags: around his nipples, over his abs, straining them to the limit, and then around his erect and already jerking cock to the inside of his thighs. It was so sensitive that Hope couldn't hold back a moan:

"Aaaaaahhhh...ahhh."

"Come on, honey, I want to hear it again. The rules don't forbid you from moaning, screaming and begging," Lion said in an insanely sexy timbre with a huff and began licking the wet paths left by the ice-cold woman with his tongue, while continuing to drive the cold on his thighs and groin.

The arousal was unbearable, and to soothe his aching cock a little, the guy tried to lift and bring his legs together, but they were immediately put back in place.

"Aaaaaahhh... Hia... please... touch it... can't... anymore... bear it..." - he moaned as his lover's lips and tongue tormented his chest and stomach, and the ice cube never stopped moving across his thighs and buttocks.

"So... fast...? I'm just getting started," Lion said with a smile, and only Hope wanted to answer as a wet, scalding object was swiped across his cock from the bottom to the frenulum and then the head, making his body shake violently, but not from the cold, but from a special form of ecstasy.

But this was not the limit, for immediately after this action, his quivering shaft was covered by the hot mouth of his lover. The contrast of temperatures was so sharp that the sensations caused by it ran through the guy's body with electric shocks, and his moan broke into a scream.

Suddenly for a couple seconds abruptly everything disappeared:

"You're incredibly handsome, kitten... when you want me so badly... want me."

"Ah... Hia..." - Hope couldn't find the words.

In the meantime, strong hands pressed his legs spread and bent at the knees against the bed, and a wet, cold tongue gently traveled along his cleft. A second of freedom from the torment and... a small ice cube was pushed into his channel, followed by a wet battering ram that grew hotter and hotter with each inward thrust. Hope didn't hold back the moans that erupted as if on a mountaintop, loud and clear at first, and then hushed, echoing as if echoing the primal emotion. It was unbearably pleasant, the goosebumps wouldn't leave his body, his heart pounding as if it was about to take off and leave his body.

"Hia... please... I beg..." - Hope cried out after a few minutes. He wanted to touch himself, to him, and cum over and over again as the overexcited part of his body was long since ready to erupt. This torture was unbearable.

And then his cock was inside again....

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," it was impossible to hold back the scream as Lion covered his erection with his mouth again, but this time not hot, but ice cold to the point of goosebumps. The little ice flake rolled around the head again and again, sometimes touching the hole, setting the muscles of his abdomen and buttocks in rhythmic motion. When it melted, the head was once again hot, touching my lover's throat. The excitement was so great that several deep sucks led to a vivid orgasm, accompanied by a scream and arching of the whole body.

The boy's eyes were closed but he didn't see the darkness, mottled multicolored spots filled the space around him, he tried to take short gulps to fill his lungs while his lover took in his love juice.

"That's not all, sweetie... You can open your eyes now," Lion whispered very close, and the words were followed by action. His slippery, already lubricated head traveled between his buttocks and nestled into his throbbing hole.

"Aaaah...Hia...yeeaaaah," Hope cried out, opening his eyes and seeing the wild, burning gaze of his tormentor.

In a few movements Lion drove the huge shaft in full length, while greedily tormenting the guy's lips. Hope had already learned to relax at such moments, and the immobilized, tired after orgasm body helped him in this, and he again and again took his beloved into himself, whose sharp movements and loud moans told him about his long-standing desire to possess his kitten.

Two hours later they lay in each other's arms, unable to move. Lion cummed twice before collapsing onto his boyfriend's left shoulder. The heat of their sweaty bodies touching, the hot, not yet stabilized, breathing, the frequent beating of their two hearts a short distance apart were accompanied by silence. The couple enjoyed this moment of complete openness to each other.

Lion was the first to speak, with a note of frustration in his voice:

"Kitten, tell me, what kind of ideas visited your bright head? You had it written all over your face that you were only playing around."

"Yeah? Well... I just wanted to try something... P'Panit does that a lot," the situation had an air of sincerity to it.

"What kind of things?"

"Makes it so that Grandpa can't refuse him anything..."

"Ha, kitten, you surprise me. You don't need to resort to begging moses, sweet seductive movements and artificial notes in your voice. Just tell me what you want and I'll do it. I'm simple and you're impossibly open. Be yourself and I'll lay the whole world at your feet."

"Yeah...I've already realized that.... Although... you know, basically I got even more than what I asked for. Maybe it's still worth it to put on a mask once in a while! I'll think about it," Hope chuckled.

In response, he was pinched lightly on one of his rosy cheeks:

"Come on in the shower, devil, I'll help you wash up and I'll go to the store for groceries."

"Can I come with you?" - The boy immediately asked.

"If you want to badly enough, why not. I don't think anyone will see us at this hour."

Tuesday

Hope woke up before the alarm clock and the first thing he saw in front of him was the peaceful, handsome face of the sleeping Lion. Running his gaze down the nakedly embossed body, the boy carefully removed his right foot from it:

"It's a good thing Lion agreed to my offer to sleep without clothes. I want to see my man whole every morning."

Smiling at his cock resting like its owner, Hope ran a finger over the head and then lightly touched down the entire length. Unlike Jake, the part of his body that was attracted to the kitten cheered up and responded to the touch with a slight nod, and he took it as a sign of consent to further action. Trying not to disturb the sleeper, the guy carefully reached down and hovered over the waking cock:

"Hey, sweetie. Wanna play?" 

Hope ran his tongue over the veins, gently touched the frenulum, and slowly plunged the head into his mouth. Jake's piston was clearly enjoying it, but the man only turned his head to the other side. Then the guy, trying not to touch his lover's erection, plunged most of it inside himself, and then lifting his gaze to the sleeping man's face, he closed his lips together.

"Mmmmmmmmmmmm," Lion moaned, trying to open his eyes, and when their gazes met, he whispered: "What are you...doing, kitten?"

In response, Hope swallowed the entire shaft whole, and Lion put his hands on his head, letting out a blissful growl.

The boy sucked frantically on the hard scepter, almost taking it out and swallowing it again under the root, and watched the reaction of the desirable body, the muscles on which came into motion: the cubes on his stomach tensed and relaxed, his thighs danced in time with the movements of the kitten's head.

Twenty minutes later, Lion was growling and erupting, and Hope was sucking and swallowing everything his love gave him.

"Aaah... baby... What was that... was that? Three in one... Sanuk, Sabai, Suai... it's all about me now... about me," Jake whispered, panting and looking at his lover with a happy smile on his lips.

(From the author: Thais live in the moment, the here and now. Their lives are governed by three rules: Sanuk - mental joy, Sabai - physical well-being, Suai - beauty all around.)

"Good morning, Hia," Hope lay down on his man and kissed him gently on the lips. - I wanted to celebrate our first...waking up together...I'll consider it a first."

"I love you so much, kitten!"

"And I love you harder - all the way to the Sun and back and so many, many times," Hope whispered back, resting his head gently on Jake's left shoulder and feeling his heart pounding frantically. Lion was silent.

***

As a conspiracy, Hope left the apartment first, and Lion had to leave the house a half hour later.

Troy, as promised, met his happy son at Jake's condominium and gave him a ride to school, telling him on the way how he and Panit had had a wonderful evening eating meatloaf with vegetables and cheese, and how they missed having the stomach of a third family member at this feast.

"Sleeping at home tonight! I miss you," Troy coined in a tone that tolerated no objections, and Hope had to agree, but with additions:

"Then I'll invite Hia to visit us! Have a good day, Grandpa!"

Troy didn't have time to say anything as the guy closed the door immediately after his words and left the parking lot with a quick step.

It was thirty minutes until school started. Walking up the steps of the school porch, Hope met Witt and his classmate Vaan, who was also one of the strongest students in the class.

The girl, upon seeing Hope, immediately took notice, waving at him:

"Hey, President! I have a question, can we talk?"

"Hey, guys. Sure."

"Yesterday, when I was getting off work late at night, I saw P'Jake and a guy who looked a lot like you walk into the supermarket. Was that you? Are you possibly related?" - The tone of her voice, her eyes and her body language showed no intent to hurt, just simple curiosity. Hope thought for a moment, trying to think of an answer, but suddenly Witt stepped in:

"Vaan, it certainly wasn't him. The president and I were up almost into the night last night preparing the paper for the conference."

It wasn't exactly a lie, for Hope and Witt had indeed been working together on a business planning project, but it had been a long time coming. Hope just nodded, and the girl quietly apologized and excused herself.

"What made you decide to lie all of a sudden?" - The president immediately inquired of the M6-4 class headman.

"I just know you guys are hiding your relationship. Thought I'd help," Witt smiled as he leaned against the railing and put his foot on his leg.

"And how did you know about the relationship?" - Hope stood beside him, trying to figure out if his cronies had blabbed.

"Saw you near the teacher's house...on the security video," the man replied, adjusting his glasses and spreading the edges of his lips even more.

"And from this point on, please elaborate," Hope was getting more and more interested. He wasn't worried or panicked, since he'd known Witt for years, since middle school, and the fact that he could rely on him for everything. Even though they didn't call each other friends, their relationship was just that: sincere and trusting.

"I was at a really busy place yesterday. There are so many computers and all sorts of technology there, you should see it! Ahem... so, on one of the screens, I noticed you coming into the entryway... Did you know your guardian was watching you?" - The emotions on the speaker's face changed abruptly - concern and apprehension replaced joy and excitement.

"I don't understand anything. Let's be more specific. What is this place?"

"It's the possession of... P'Calleo. When I asked, he said he was watching you at your guardian's request, and also... that it was a secret," Witt whispered and chuckled again.

"So Grandpa... I see, thanks for telling me. What were you doing there? How did you and P'Calleo get close?" - Hope had already made a note in his head - "Talk to Troy about the stakeout" and decided, while there was still a little time before school started, to find out more about this computer-crazed couple.

"Well, let's just say he's on his wavelength, and I don't mind riding it too..." the guy with the glasses started cheerfully, but immediately supplemented his answer. - I'm talking about technology and programming right now."

"I see, so you could say you're on the same wavelength. Interesting," the president smiled, mentally picturing this pair of geniuses next to each other and nodding approvingly at the cute picture.

"Well, not exactly on the same wave, his wave is more... solid, I guess, but the cycles and frequency of our waves seem to coincide, I think. I haven't quite figured it out yet," Witt fumbled for words and looked confused.

"And I don't get it either, but I see you two have found common ground, that's great. I think Calleo's not a bad person, the only problem is he doesn't talk much, sometimes you can't tell what's on his mind," Hope reasoned.

"Really? He's different with me... We usually talk a lot about all sorts of topics. Today, for example, he invited me to go to the Asian Institute of Technology after class, he said he studied there and he's going to show me cool stuff," the guy was talking and a blush was increasingly showing on his cheeks.

"So you're going on a date then? I wonder if Grandpa is aware that his right hand man has found such a cute protégé?" - thought the President, smiling, and then, putting his hand on Witt's shoulder, said cheerfully:

"I am very glad, Witt, that you have found a kindred spirit and a caring elder in one person."

"Thank you. Hope...is this going to be our secret? My friends and parents don't know..." - Witt asked quietly and embarrassed, his gray eyes begging for this secret too.

"Don't know about your passionate pursuit of knowledge of modern technology in programming?" - chuckled the president, but seeing Witt's pleading face, he immediately gathered himself, "Of course, that's just between you and me. I wish you the best of luck in your studies. I'm sure it will go much...more...fun and interesting in such wonderful company."

Witt nodded with a smile, and together they went up to the floor where their classrooms were located.

Before physical education class, Hope sent Jake a text:

<Hope: "Hia, we're going to my place today. Grandpa insisted."

<Jake: "Great. While you're at the meeting, I'll run to the store and get some goodies. What do your family like?"

<Hope: "Grandpa likes coffee, preferably beans, excelsa is preferred, and P'Panit would be happy with anything sweet, I think.">

<Jake: "I'll be there by seven. Hopefully I'll find everything and have time to change and tidy up.">

< Hope: "Hia, you're not worried, are you?"

<Jake: "If only a little. My legs are shaking and my heart rate is off the charts, but it's all from joy, kitten. You know what I think about all the time?"

<Hope: "Probably the same thing I'm thinking about."

<Jake: "Ahahahaha! I'm not sure. You have so many different thoughts in your head, you often surprise me. And I'm simple - I only think about what to do to get even closer to you.">

Hope's heart was dancing in the dance of love, and he went to lunch filled with happiness, unable to restrain a smile. But when he and his friends arrived in the dining room, his mood changed dramatically.

"P'Hope..." - A flustered Mali ran up to him, her brow tense, her eyes widened, and Hope, focusing sharply, leaned toward her and asked:

"Hello, Nong'Mali. What's up?"

"My grandfather just called me and said he couldn't pick me up today, and... that I'll have to... stay with you for a while," the girl started to sound excited, but then blushed slightly and began fixing her hair and rubbing the hem of her skirt.

"Okay. I'll call Troy now and we'll decide how to proceed," the guy smiled at her, Mali responded in the same way and looked away.

"You guys can keep an eye on her. I'll just be a minute," the headman said to his friends and walked out into the hallway, dialing Grandpa's number on the way.

📞 "Granpa, Mali..." - Hope started, but Grandpa was already aware of what was happening:

📞 "Son, Dr. Sunan is sick. His heart has decided to go a little haywire, but everything is under my careful control. Mali will stay with us for a week or two. I don't know where she'll sleep, though. And no, you're not moving in with Jake because of this. We'll work it out."

📞 "Okay. Then Mali will stay with me until 5pm. Will you pick us up?"

📞 "Sure. Don't tell her about Sunan's illness, let her worry less."

📞 "I wasn't planning to. Grandpa, Hia... is coming to visit today... by 7... and...".

📞 "You think I'm sharpening my knives already? Ahahaha."

📞 "No, of course not. He sounds a little worried to me. Be kinder to him, please."

📞 "How could I be kinder? Oh, and Sunny will be there to stand up for your king of beasts in case of trouble, he always does."

📞 "That's right. I can't imagine our lives without P anymore."

📞 "I thank the gods every day for sending us him. But... it's between us."

📞 "Ha, Grandpa, the elder with his inhuman insight sure knows it! That's it! I'm gotta go. See you later!"

Hope had arranged for Mali to wait for him in the library and do her homework in the meantime, and he would pick her up after the School Board meeting.

***

During gym class, Hope tried not to look at Lion, but he still hovered a few times, stopping to glance at him, and each time one of his best friends appeared between him and the object of his adoration, moving his eyebrows meaningfully. Once again, Pruit appeared out of nowhere right in front of the headman's face, speaking softly in his jovial manner:

"Buddy, you happen to be the king of this school and a magnet for dozens of pairs of eyes that, believe me, are watching you every second. And if you keep looking so tenderly at one single person all the time, rotten thoughts might creep into their jealous minds! Understand?"

"Out of those dozens, I know exactly two pairs of eyes that are constantly on duty. All right, I get it. Thank you," the friend was absolutely right, you had to keep your cool.

After finishing classes, helping the 'in need people' and the headmen's meeting, Hope came to the library for Mali.

"P'Hope, is Grandpa going to be okay?" - The girl asked quietly, peering into his eyes.

"Yes, of course he is! Troy said not to worry and I believe him, he won't say anything he's not 100 percent sure of. So don't worry," Hope said with a smile as he helped Mali put her notebooks into her backpack.

"P, you're so cool!" - exclaimed the little girl, bouncing as they walked down the hallway.

"What, what makes you think that? It isn't like that at all. Be careful you don't fall. Better give me your hand," the boy was surprised by her words, but immediately, worried, clasped their palms together as there was a staircase ahead. The girl fell silent and stopped jumping.

"Nong'Mali, why are you silent?"

"Ah... Why... why...? It's just that I hear you being discussed all the time. And today in the library, the three older girls were talking about you. Mostly everyone raves about your beauty, strength, and intelligence," Mali said slowly as she walked down the stairs, then stopped and looked the older one in the eye. - And to me... you are the brightest, the best of all the gods, there is nothing wrong with you, and..."

Hope felt uneasy at her words:

"Oh, you if you would know, little girl, what I'm like... Damn, I wasn't imagining it, was I? No, no, no, no. What if I did? I'll have to check with P'Panit."

"Troy's waiting for us. Shall we go?" - Hope released the little fingers from his palm, just in case, and, patting the younger girl on the shoulder, headed briskly forward, wishing his speculation about this girl's feelings wasn't true.

***

Panit was shining like a bright star, the house was sparkling clean, and the table was already filled with appetizing-looking dishes that filled the space around them with tantalizing, pleasant aromas. The couple decided not to delay dinner, but to have the main course, duck breast in a soy-honey sauce, ready for Jake's arrival.

Mali was in the center of attention of the men who adored her, and she liked it very much: the girl was relaxed and spilled jokes and interesting stories from her school life

Ding

The doorbell rang, and Hope jumped up to meet his lover.

Jake looked stunning in his beige suit and white shirt with the top buttons undone, and he had to swallow a little drool.

"Hello, kitten," he said softly, and flowers like small replicas of a hot star came in first, followed by Lion with two large bags. 

"Hello, P! Oooooooh, this is a beauty!!!" - Panit came out to greet the guest and immediately rushed over to the sunflowers.

"These are for you, Nong'Panit. Thank you for your concern and understanding," Jake said with a smile, holding out a pot with the Sun's offspring nodding cheerfully in approval of his words.

"Oh! That's for me! That's for me! Did you go to Lopburi for this miracle? - Panit was bouncing with joy, but as he took the flowers in his hands, he stopped and touched their petals gently with his fingers. - Snowy, look at this cuteness!"

"And what are you making such a fuss about, honey? Just usual flowers, you've got a whole yard of them. Hi, Jake!" - hummed Troy, who walked over and then said hello to his son-in-law.

"Good afternoon, Hia. Lopburi's a long way away, Nong, I know places closer. My parents are in the business of selling flowers, I can take you to their plantations sometime," the guest informed in a friendly manner.

(From the Author: One of the attractions of Lopburi province is the fields of yellow sunflowers. Khao Chin Lae Sunflower Field is the largest sunflower field in the province. The best time for colorful photos is from November to February).

"Yes! Absolutely! I really want to!" - Panit exclaimed with undisguised joy, and his golden eyes shone brighter than before as he looked at Bigfoot.

"All right, all right! We'll visit Jake's parents, you're my flower soul," Troy agreed, unable to refuse his soulmate.

"Yay!... What's in the bags, P?" - Sunny asked curiously.

"There's coffee for Hia and a huge amount of Korean sweets," Jake smiled.

"Great! Everyone to the table then! The duck is ready," the cordial neat host led everyone into the kitchen.

Mali, who was sitting at the table, immediately stood up and greeted the guest by folding her palms, but her face did not express joy, unlike everyone else present.

"Hello, little one. I remember you, you're from our school, aren't you?" - Lion said affably.

"Yes, but I'm not a baby. I'm an adult now, and my name is Mali," the girl immediately informed in a serious tone, and immediately received a friendly reply from the teacher:

"Okay, I'll remember, Nong'Mali."

Panit motioned for the girl to move to the head of the table, offering Jake her seat next to Hope, to which Mali's little nose frowned.

After everyone had eaten, the younger members of the family cleaned up the food and plates, prepared the hot drinks and put out the sweets Jake had brought.

Hope was happy to see the people dear to his heart at the same table where everything was still going on in a fun, homey way, only Mali had become very quiet and only participated in the conversation when she was asked a question.

"Nong, Mali, look what funny and sweet kitties Hia has brought us! Which one do you want to eat? There are vanilla, cocoa, matcha and taro flavors. Look, he's dancing for you," Hope laughed as he held out a plate of cat-shaped pudding to the girl and shook it slightly to cheer her up.

"I don't want any! I don't like them!" - Mali shouted, and ran out from behind the table.

A ringing silence formed. Hope glanced over to Panit, and the older man nodded in her direction.

"I'll be back in a while," the boy informed her and, taking two mugs of tea, went out into the courtyard after the girl who had run away.

Mali was sitting on the porch steps with her head resting against her knees, sobbing quietly. Taking a seat beside her, Hope held out a mug and spoke:

"I see, Nong, something is tormenting you. Can you share it with me?"

"Uh... *whine whine whine*... P... I saw you looking at him... whine whine... is that the one?" - The little girl raised her head, and Hope's heart clenched, looking at her tear-stained pale face and dark, tear-filled eyes. Sighing, he pulled himself together and said:

"If you're talking about love, then yes, this is it. I love Hia..."

"No. That can't be! He is old, and he is your teacher! You better love me, because I LOVE YOU!" - A high girlish cry interrupted Hope's words.

"Honey...can we talk? Without yelling, like adults. Can you listen to me calmly?" - Hope stroked the flushed girl's shoulder and spoke to her in as serious, yet soft a voice as a brother would speak.

"Uh-huh," the little girl nodded after a while, wiping her tears with the sleeve of her blouse.

"Good. I fell in love with him long enough ago when I didn't know who he was or how old he was. This feeling sometimes doesn't choose, we don't know who our chosen one will be, whether he will be younger or older, and what kind of profession this person will have... My good one, thank you for having warm feelings for me, but is it love? Perhaps it's more like gratitude or sisterly affection? In 5-7 years, you'll be a grown up, beautiful girl, and I'm sure that's when you'll know the very love that will bind you to your soulmate forever."

"P... And you think that's that connection between you two?" - Mali asked, sighing and placing her small fingers on his hand.

"Yes. I'm sure. I can't...breathe without him. Your nose, on the other hand, has been quietly performing its functions without me for almost two weeks. I know how much fun you had you're your grandpa, Troy told me," Hope smiled, touching a finger to the girl's damp nose.

"That's true," the little girl agreed, then added quietly. - But I've been checking with your friends to see how you're doing... Okay, I'll think about what you said. Will you be able to spend time with me sometimes? Or has he already taken it as my seat at the table?"

"Ahahaha, Nong'Mali, of course I, as your elder and hopefully friend, will be there for you whenever you need me. Let's go pour some new tea since this one is getting cold and eat some sweets," Hope stroked the little girl's dark hair and held out her hand.

The girl sniffled and, smiling, placed her small fingers in the strong palm.

The men met them with a tense silence, but when the couple, smiling, sat down at the table again, exhaled all at once began to talk, and immediately laughed at this cacophony. The atmosphere lightened, and dinner ended on a positive note.

Hope walked Jake to the gate, but he didn't dare kiss his lover, for the neighbors had to tidy up their yard at such a late hour. They took a break from picking up fallen leaves from the lawn and waved to Hope.

"Well then, kitten, it's time to say goodbye. Will I see you at practice tomorrow? Or will you stop by during your lunch break?" - Lion almost whispered and smiled playfully.

"If you're inviting me, of course I'll come," Hope replied and bit his lower lip, trying to control the urge to lead the man back inside without taking his carnivorous gaze off his lips that curved in a sly smile.

"Then, Captain, I expect to see you tomorrow for a debriefing on the last game. You'll learn the power of Sina," the "coach" spoke louder and more earnestly, as if reprimanding him, and, waving his hand, walked down the sidewalk along the road.

"You're a tease, Hia! I can't wait to have this conversation," Hope was in a jovial mood, and his little devil went for a walk, thinking of something to do for tomorrow's meeting.

On his way back to the house, Hope met Troy, who had gone out for a smoke, and suddenly remembered what he wanted to talk to him about. Sitting down in a nearby chair, he squinted at Grandpa and said:

"So, you're watching us. Don't trust us or is it for protection?"

"What, what makes you think that?" - The man made a surprised face and shook his head.

"Calleo is watching us on the security cameras," Hope didn't beat around the bush, and Grandpa's eyes widened even more:

"How? My right hand man couldn't have blabbed that to you... And where would he have? It's not like you haven't seen each other since the trip..."

"I have a reliable source," Hope didn't want to reveal all the cards right away, glancing in the direction of his interlocutor with a smile. Troy leaned back in his chair and froze, pondering, and the boy didn't bother to interrupt him. After a couple minutes, the gray-haired man finally emotionally gave out:

"No! Everything doesn't fit! Come on, where did you get your information from? I'm so curious I'm going to explode!"

"Ohohohohoh, grandpa. You don't even know what's going on under your very nose," Hope said and laughed.

"Come on! Have mercy on my senile heart! Otherwise I'll be keeping Dr. Sunan company in the next bed tonight," Grandpa made begging eyes and arched his eyebrows.

"All right, so be it, I'll tell you, but you'll owe me one wish!" - Hope felt his superiority now and wanted to use this situation to his advantage. Troy bought it:

"Okay. One wish! I agree! Say it, come on!"

"My high school buddy told me. He and Calleo are actively immersed in the world of modern technology right now," Hope chuckled.

"No waaaay. Ha, what a computer geek. And he's as quiet as a fish. I didn't realize where he'd been going lately. Hahaha! I thought he only had zeros and ones in front of his eyes. Is this guy the little one with the glasses?" - Troy reacted to this news as if he'd been told that a purple elephant had been found in the jungles of Thailand.

"His name is Witt, Grandpa!" - Hope exclaimed indignantly, unintentionally giving away his comrade's name.

"Keep it quiet for now, please. They're still working out the waves and frequencies over there... You might scare off your deputy, and Witt seems to like him a lot," the boy asked immediately, worried that Grandpa would scare off Calleo's mood with his teasing.

"What, ha ha. You think I can resist saying something to this serious genius? Oh, okay... I promise I'll try really hard. But! If... for example... I catch them... then I can do whatever my jolly soul desires! Right?" - Troy looked like a small child, with an impending mischief in his eyes.

"Oh, Grandpa, it's written all over your face. There's nothing stopping you now, is there?" - The kid asked.

"Nah! Calleo has teased me a couple times about my universal love for my Sunshine, now it's my turn!" - Rubbed his palms together the sly gray-haired fox.

"So you've already got lovey-dovey with all that entails, and they're still in the period of glances and shy touches. Postpone your hunt, please," Hope tried to minimize the consequences of his mistake.

"What are you getting so excited about? Calleo is like an older son to me, I'm certainly not going to hurt him. You want me to take an oath?" - chuckled Troy.

"Don't. I believe you, Grandpa. Okay, I'm going to go get ready for bed. Have Mali take my room and I'll sleep downstairs on the couch."

"Okay, it's a deal. Good night, son!"

"I'm sorry, Witt! I think I set you up a little...or maybe not a little. Oh!" - With these thoughts, Hope headed to his room to grab everything he needed for a sleepover in the living room.