Proofreader: SMV2454

The matter between Toey and Q, or rather, the fact that Toey loves Q, became the talk of the gang the next morning. Deep down, I secretly hoped that Matt was just drunk and talking nonsense, and that when he woke up, it would all just be a joke. But his demeanor when questioned made it clear to us that what he said last night was true. As for Toey, the hot topic of the news, Phum took him home last night because he had to perform his Chinese ancestral rites. Tan, Mick, and Pun, who had fallen asleep earlier, were shocked and screamed when they found out that Toey liked Q.

"Which Q? and T...Toey Jarinporn? What the hell happened to my friend again?" Pan was freaking out, saying that he was dreaming and asked us to get him out of the dream. Damn, this isn't Leonardo in Inception, sneaking into people's dreams.

As for Matt, he loves his friends too much. Toey probably asked him to keep it a top secret. Even though Fang was about to bite his head off, Matt still didn't say a word, just shook his head. So Beer used some psychological intimidation, saying, "Are you going to tell us nicely, or should I go ask Toey myself?" That was all it took for Matt to spill everything.

"Do you guys really not know that Toey loves Q?" He kept repeating this sentence for almost two hours.

"Yeah!!!!"

"If I knew, would I be grilling you like this, Matt? And if you keep stalling, I'll break your neck!" It's unclear whether Fang was anxious because he was worried about Toey or frustrated that Matt wouldn't talk.

"Toey has loved P'Q for a long time," Matt said, looking from one person to another. We all looked at each other. The phrase "Toey loves Q," no matter how many times we heard it, was like saying it snowed in Phuket. How could it be possible? It was unbelievable, incredibly unbelievable, impossible. But even if it didn't snow in Phuket, Toey would still love Q.

"Fuck, someone wake me up. If you told me Toey stole Q's wife, I'd believe that more," Mick started to complain, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"Honestly, I'm really confused right now. If anyone is hiding something, tell me quickly. Damn, I'm about to have a heart attack," Pan quickly added his opinion, looking at Chan, Mick, and Beer, and got kicked out for it.

"But Toey already has a girlfriend, several of them actually," I shared my thoughts.

"A girlfriend and someone you love don't have to be the same person, P'Peem," Matt said.

Can a girlfriend and someone you love be different people? I started to get confused. I turned to look at Phum, and he frowned before saying something that made everyone in the room want to do a backflip in his face.

"You are my boyfriend. And I love you, Shorty."

"Ughhhhhhhhhh." 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

Smack!!!

Let me ask you just once, you quick-mouthed idiot. Do you ever think about who might get embarrassed when you say things like that?

"Oh, so the girls who are Toey's girlfriends would be heartbroken, dating someone who doesn't love them."

"It depends on what they want from the relationship. If they want love, they'll get hurt. But if they want something else, it's a win-win. I think you guys understand this well, haha."

"Yeah, like you guys. You can date without love, you're not picky." I pointed around the room, starting with Tan, Fang, Phum, and the king of it all, Chan. Four big hands simultaneously smacked my head. Ouch, that hurt!

"Watch your mouth, you."

"And Q doesn't know at all, Peem? You're always with him," Beer asked with a serious face. The atmosphere now felt like the six-party talks or an Asian summit.

"How would he know? Even we didn't know. I see him arguing with Toey every day."

"So, what do we do next?" Pan suddenly asked, but he kept his head down. I started to smell something fishy.

"What do you mean, Pan?"

"Let's help Toey. We'll be Cupid, the god of love."

^_____________^ Pan looked up and smiled so wide his mouth almost reached his ears.

"Oh my, haha, Cupid (gaam-má-têp), you? If you don't have erectile dysfunction (gaam-dtaai-dâan), then you've got a sexually transmitted disease (gaam-má-rôhk), Pan. Haha."

[* Chan is making a pun with the word "gaam"]

"Chan, do you think love is a joke? You're ice man, you can't love anyone." Haha, since we've been friends, this is the first time Pan has spoken the truth.

"And you can love, Pan?" Chan asked back, trying to hold back his laughter.

"About to be," Pan said seriously, but it still looked funny. "I'm studying it. If I find a partner, I'll be a love expert." It sounded like a story in Sad People's Pavilion*.

[*A monthly magazine where people share their sad story, heartbreak, and hope to get encouragements from people who would write letters to them.]

"Take your friend away, Mick."

"But I think Pan is right. Toey is our little brother, and Q is our friend. Our friend and brother can get together. If the ship sinks in our group, where will the typhoon go? Right, Pan?"

???????????????? That's our face right now. Uh, where did you get that expression, Mick?

[*Mick said a variation of the Thai idiom "เรือล่มในหนอง ทองจะไปไหน", literally means "If a boat sinks in a pond, where will the gold go?". It means that when people within the same family or close-knit group marry, the wealth and assets remain within the family and do not go elsewhere.
T/N: Ok, keep the typhoon, no, I mean the gold for yourself.]

"Yeah, Mick, you said it right. I'll appoint you as an advisor." And the two crazy guys laughed, eyes glazed. We could only hold our heads.

Will these Cupids shoot arrows of love or poisoned darts? Stay tuned for the next episode.

[T/N: I strongly believe they use guns.]

...

..

.

Even though today is Saturday, I'm not relaxing at home because Q and I are drawing sketching at the National Archives in Honour of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

[*The National Archives in Honour of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej is a significant institution in Thailand. It serves as a repository for historical documents and records, particularly those related to the reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). It also has exhibition spaces where visitors can view displays related to the King's life, work, and contributions to Thailand.]

Wanting to play Cupid as Pan suggested, I invited Toey along. Despite the annoyance and irritation from the constant bickering of the code brothers, it's the first time I felt good about being annoyed by them. They made me drive while they sat in the back, arguing. By the time we reach Khlong Ha, I might have to call an ambulance to wait at the Archives.

"Wow, it's incredibly beautiful, Hia. It's so quiet too."

When I saw the picture, I thought it was beautiful, but seeing it in person, it's indescribable. It's like a heavenly palace, so peaceful and almost deserted. Maybe it's because this place belongs to His Majesty that I feel so good.

"Yeah, I know it's beautiful, but could you help me carry some stuff?"

Toey made a face but agreed to help his senior carry the drawing board. Q and I were like pack mules, with rolls of paper in our hands, drawing equipment, and cameras hanging around our necks.

"Q, go ask the staff if we can sit and draw around here."

Toey and I waited for Q, and I couldn't help but look at Toey. Beneath his handsome face, clear eyes, and cheerful smile, I wondered what feelings he was hiding.

"What's up, Hia Peem? I see that you're looking at me a lot. Don't tell me you're in love with me. Don't, don't, I pity Hia Phum. Besides, Toey is handsome and can choose whoever I want. Haha."

[T/n: 😑 I wish I had his confidence.]

I smiled. He was probably surprised that I didn't scold him back or slap him on the head. I don't want to hurt you more, Toey.

"Toey, if you need any help, just let me know." He looked confused.

"You're acting strange today. Then help me kill your best friend." Toey laughed cheerfully, sipping his Pepsi.

"Haha, Q?"

"Yeah."

"If I kill him, he'll die."

"Yes."

"If Q dies, you won't have your beloved Phi Code."

Toey turned to stare at me. His eyebrows furrowed so much that they almost touched each other. I didn't want to interfere, just wanted to hear it from him, just wanted to be a good brother for him to vent to. Toey tried to say something, but Q walked out before he could.

"Hey, what's wrong, you little rascal? You look pale."

"Maybe he's allergic to Pepsi. So, what did the staff say?"

"We can choose any spot. Oh, and they said we should check out the exhibition too. We can do that before we leave."

Q and I sat drawing near each other because this was the only shady spot. The other side was too sunny. We had to come all the way here to draw because not many people choose to do Thai modern architecture from the reign of King Rama IX (we're hoping to get extra points for uniqueness). But honestly, we also wanted to visit this place. Our friends told us it was marvelous, and they weren't wrong.

As for Toey, he was wandering around with his camera, taking pictures of the white frangipani flowers on the green grass for almost half an hour. I don't know what kind of artistic vision he had, but he was crouching, bending, and even lying down to take photos. Just now, he went to the bathroom and came back with the tour guide's phone number. Haha, he's really unbelievable!

"Q."

"Yeah?"

"Q."

"Mmm?"

  "Q."

"If you call me one more time without saying anything, I'm going to kick your face." Q tucked the pencil behind his ear and turned to look at me, as if he might actually get up and kick me any second.

"Do you love Ing?" Ing is Q's current girlfriend.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, I haven't seen you date anyone for a long time since you broke up with P'Jane. So why are you dating Ing?"

"...I don't know. But Ing is cute. Maybe I'll fall in love with her eventually."

Easy to think, easy to say, but it might not be that easy to do.

"Have you, um, done it yet?"

"Damn, Peem. Just because I'm a bad guy doesn't mean I only think about that stuff, you jerk!"

"Oh, that's good. Pity the girl. Her parents raised her well, don't ruin her."

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you saying weird things? What did Phum feed you?"

Love, I thought. If I said that out loud, Q would probably get up and stomp on my face out of sheer annoyance.

[T/N: 🤮 Let me stomp on his face just once.]

"Suppose, just suppose, that a guy liked you. Would you be disgusted?"

"Who?"

"Uh, just hypothetically, you know. Hypothetically." Damn, I almost slipped up. Q is too smart.

"That's nonsense, Peem."

By the time we finished drawing, it was already past 3 PM. Actually, we didn't finish; we just sketched. I took photos to continue drawing at home. Now, the three of us are visiting the Royal Exhibition. The outside was beautiful, but the inside is even more marvelous. We took photos from almost every angle.

Seeing His Majesty's royal duties made me feel indescribable. I don't know how to explain it. It warmed my heart and made me proud to be Thai, to be a child of a great and kind father. Next time, I'll bring Pan along. His patriotic spirit will probably grow even stronger.

"Toey is tired. Can we take a break?"

You don't need to ask, Toey, since you're already sitting down.

"Weakling. Didn't you say you're a dancer? Just walking a bit and you're tired."

"Toey isn't as tough as P'Q."

"Toey is pretty cute (narak), don't you think, Q?"

Both Q and Toey stared at me intensely. What? Did I say something wrong?

"Enough to kidnap (nalak) and kill. You must be really into him, Peem. Are you tired of the godly handsome Phum? I told you, a prince like him is boring. You need someone flawlessly handsome like me. Haha, eternally handsome, forever handsome, immortal handsome. Handsome like Nirandon. Haha."

[* Nai Q is trying to list all the synonyms of the word นิรันดร (Nirandon) -immortal, his real name.
T/N: This asshole must be Narcissus reincarnate.]

"Flawlessly handsome or without any praise?" Q laughed before jumping to put Toey in a headlock. Toey struggled because he couldn't match Q's strength. Haha, gotcha. I quickly grabbed my camera to take pictures of them.

"Hey, guys, take it easy. This isn't your house. Show some respect." They were playing too rough. Q didn't seem to care if Toey got hurt. "Come on, let's take a picture." They stopped messing around and looked for a spot to take a photo.

"Here, it's bright. Okay, Phi Code and Nong Code, put your arms around each other. Yeah, like that." They looked at each other. Q's arm was draped over Toey's shoulder. Toey was tall, but much shorter than Q. So, I'm not the only short one, huh? Hehe.

"Q, move closer to him." He moved as instructed. "A bit closer." They were almost on top of each other now, but I wasn't satisfied yet. Haha, it's rare to get to tease them. Now, Toey's shoulder was practically on Q's chest. "Just a bit more."

"Damn, Peem. Do you want me to f*ck him in front of you?"

"Sure, go ahead."

!!!!!!!

Toey, don't come on too strong.

...

..

.

Right now, I'm walking around Future Park Rangsit (mall). I'm not with those two because they went back together. So, who am I with? It's the person who picked me up from the Archives, who got teased for being my personal driver. He complained about being hungry and wanting to eat Colonel's chicken, so we stopped here. Do you know who I'm with yet?

"I'll have the combo set, please." Um, are you listening to me? You're just staring at the person standing behind me.

"For here or to go?"

"For here."

"Wings." Suddenly, the person behind me said shortly, but it seemed like the lady in the green shirt was more interested in him than in me. You go sit and wait. Humph!

"We're out of wings. It'll be a 5-minute wait. Can I get you thighs and breasts instead?" She suggested sweetly with a beautiful smile, but...

"No, I want wings."

"Uh..." Both the lady and I were dumbfounded. The people in line behind us were also looking.

"Peem, I want wings."

[T/N: 🤣🤣🤣]

Am I with a 20-year-old engineering student or a primary school kid? Oh, I forgot, Phum isn't even 20 yet. Born in '91, such a handful.

"They're out of wings. Aren't you hungry? If you want to eat, you'll have to wait. We can get thighs; they're delicious too." I turned to negotiate with him.

"No!!" He crossed his arms and looked away. Oh my, do you think that's cute? Here comes the spoiled brat syndrome again.

"Then let's go somewhere else, like Central."

"No, I want wings, and I want to eat here."

Now the lady in the green shirt was speechless, and the people in line behind us went to order at another counter. Finally, with the power of money, the branch manager had to call another KFC on a different floor to get wings delivered.

"You really want them, huh? Eat them all, don't leave a single bone. Mmph, mmph." Damn, Phum shoved a whole drumstick into my mouth.

"Shut up, you're annoying."

He smiled happily, satisfied that everything went his way. Next time, drag him to eat underwater. If we eat nicely, it wouldn't be me and Phum. We kicked each other under the table, fought over the same glass of water, and he liked to put bones on my plate. I'm not a dog, you know.

"Phum, sauce."

"What?"

"Sauce on your cheek."

"Clean it for me." I looked around. Even though we were at a table in the back, I was still afraid people would see. Phum stood out so much.

When it was clear, I reached over to wipe it for him.

There was giggling from the next table. I heard someone say, "Those two are cute."

[T/N: That's must be me.]

End of Chapter 26 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Translator's Note: Everyone, we have a fantastic new addition to our team. SMV2454 , welcome, we're thrilled to have you with us! She will be joining us as a proofreader. I hope that with the help of azzianna and SMV2454 , the new chapters will come faster and smoother. Haha 😆 The only one slowing down the work is me.