Proofreader: SMV2454

On Saturday morning, I woke up with a slight hangover. Alcohol might be one reason for my condition, but the real culprit is Phum!!!

Last night, I didn't get back to my room until almost 3 AM. Instead of sleeping, I had to deal with that guy. I don't know where he got his energy from, but he left me feeling dizzy. And look at him now, sleeping soundly without a care in the world. Should I spray him with insecticide?

After cursing Phum to my heart's content, I dragged myself to the shower. Once I was done showering, drying my hair, and getting dressed, I went to smack his head to vent my anger before quickly running away. Haha, I'm a bit scared he might retaliate because even though we're dating, Phum wouldn't spare me for hitting him while he was asleep.

Phum never goes easy on me. If I prank him, he retaliates twice as hard. I remember once throwing a shirt at his face, and he walked over and smacked my head so hard I almost fell over. T_T

After satisfying my urge to mess with him while he slept, I went to find something simple to eat and thought I'd make something for Phum too (if he would eat my cooking). But when I opened the fridge, which was as big as a container, damnI found only three bottles of water and a pack of rotten red grapes. I slammed the fridge door shut in frustration. Looks like I'll have to go out and stock up on groceries today. So, for now, we will have to settle for some bland cereal na Phum.

"Peemmm!!!!" I had just taken three bites of cereal when I heard him calling me loudly from the bedroom. I don't know if he has some kind of mental disorder. He always calls for me after waking up, even though we sleep next to each other.

"Shorty, where are you?" Phum walked out with a grumpy face and messy hair, carrying Little Tiger. When he saw me, he gave me a fierce look. "Why didn't you answer when I called?"

"I was eating."

He walked over and sat next to me, then leaned over to look into my bowl, "What's that?"

"Cereal. Want some? I'll make it for you."

He shook his head and rest his head on my shoulder.
"Peem."

"Hmm?"

"Do you want to have lunch at my house?"

What? Lunch at your house? It might be a simple invitation, but it made me choke on my bland milk. It's not that we haven't talked about me meeting his parents before. It's not that Phum hasn't invited me to his house before. It's not that I don't want to meet his family. But I'm... not ready yet.

"Are you sure, Phum? I think..." Maybe give me another month or two to prepare.

"It's just lunch. You'll meet my mom. I've been to your house. Don't you want to visit mine?"

Don't try to plead with me. I'll give in.

"It's not that, but I...I'm not ready yet." Sigh, I'm just afraid I won't know how to act. Phum has invited me many times, but I've always found excuses to avoid it. But today, it seems like the time has come.

"You always said you're not ready. Can you tell me in what way you're not ready?"

I fell silent, thinking about the answer. It was a question that I often asked myself as well. I was 'not ready' because of my fear. Fear that I'm not suitable or worthy. My status plays a part, my sexuality also plays a part. I felt insecure, unsure, and deeply angry about why I was afraid of things I can't control nor change like this.

"You haven't done anything wrong. Why should you be afraid?" Phum gently rocked me back and forth. "Please, Peem, let's go. I want my family to know that you exist. Don't overthink it. I'll be there with you, and so will Little Tiger."

Phum smiled and kissed me with his old stuffed doll, which is a bear but named Tiger, before pulling me into a hug. I nodded against his chest.

That's right. I haven't done anything wrong. It's not my fault I was born not as rich. It's not my fault that I like men. Why should I be afraid? I should go meet the important people in the life of the person I love.
Even if I can't tell them who I am to Phum.
...
..
.

Around 1 PM, we arrived at Phum's house. I won't go into detail about what Phum's house looks like, but you could have a house like this if you're extremely wealthy. It's grand and luxurious, much more than I expected (lucky me, haha). I knew he was rich, but... this is not a mansion, this is a palace.

From the tall wrought iron fence to the house itself, the distance is so great you could make a 4x100 meter running track. The beautiful Roman-style fountain in the courtyard seems to be there just to waste gas driving around it. Wow!

"Are you nervous, Peem?" Phum parked the car in a garage that had many luxury cars lined up and turned to hold my hand, which was starting to feel cold and trembling.

"At first I was, a little bit. But when I saw your house, I just panicked. Well, I'm not poor. But are you sure you don't want to date someone as rich as you?"

"If I had to hang out only with people of similar status in this country, I probably have less than ten people to choose from."

"Okay."

"Don't think too much. It's good for me to be rich, then I can take care of you."

I let out a breath, trying to boost my morale. Phum smiled at me while stroking my cheek with the back of his hand before leaning in to kiss me, which startled me, then I remembered that the car windows were tinted darker than the abyss, so no one could see us.

I told myself to keep a cool head. It's been agreed that this visit isn't to announce our relationship. Even though the situation may be difficult to control because the behaviors when being with friends are different from being with a partner. The eyes that we use to look at each other, or accidental touches on each other's bodies out of habit - I was afraid that those actions would come out. If we get caught, I don't think Phum's parents will still welcome me.
But I'm here to get to know them... after all, I've been living with their son for a year now. I should come to pay my respects to the people who gave birth to and raised Phum, in accordance with tradition, right? I hope we can make today go well. Let's do this!

"Let's go." Phum lightly touched my back. "My mom is nice, don't be scared." He smiled at me, and I smiled back. As long as Phum is by my side, I'm not afraid of anything... but that's not true. I'm still scared 😭.

"Yeah, but your house is over the top, Phum."

"Hehe, it would be nice if we could get half of it for our own home."

He always comes up with these lame jokes. I shook my head in resignation before pushing his head back. At least his silly jokes helped me relax a bit.

"That's not good. I don't want to live in the same fence as my partner's parents. I'm afraid I'll get kicked out of the house."

As I got out of the car, my heart raced even more. Am I going to die in my faen's house?

"Nong Phum"

"Hello, P' Nim." Phum greeted.

A woman came out to welcome us. She looked friendly and cheerful, but why did Phum call her "Phi Nim"? So, I should call her that too. I raised my hands in a respectful wai and smiled at her. She quickly returned the gesture.

"Peem, this is P'Nim. She is the person who raised me and my brothers and takes care of everyone in this house."

"Hello."

"Hello, Nong Peem."

"P' Nim, this is Peem, my..." Phum turned to look at me, and I nodded, smiling to encourage him.

"My friend."

We had discussed how we should present ourselves when with his family because we couldn't do everything we wanted. That's the reality, the many societal rules. I could ignore them, but I have to care because Phum's important people are here. But when I heard the word 'friend' really coming out of Phum's mouth, even though it's not true, it's a lot more heartbreaking than I had imagined. I could only pray that there will be a day when Phum and I can tell the world that we love each other.

"Hello." I greeted again.

"Hello, you're very handsome." she said. Phi, you have good taste. Oh, feeling a bit shy.

"Haha, if that's handsome, then what about Phum?"

Normally, Phum isn't vain. He doesn't even care about his looks. But if it's something to put me down, he doesn't hesitate to jump in. Calm down, Peem. You have to maintain a good image. Smile, Peem, smile. Don't let the shit out.

"Oh, Nong Phum must be the most handsome, but it's not nice to put down your friend like that. Let's go inside. Your mom has been waiting for you in the living room since morning."

"Okay, haha."

You jackass. How long are you going to laugh at me, Phum? I took the opportunity while P' Nim led us inside to kick Phum's leg. Haha.

"Ouch, shit, that hurts!"

"What's wrong, Nong Phum?"

"Peem kicked me, P' Nim."

P' Nim shook her head, ignoring him. Haha, so satisfying. Phum glared at me. Even though it's his territory, I can still be cheeky.

"I'm going to tell Mae." he said, wrapping his arm around my neck.

"Go ahead. And why are you hugging me?"

"Hehe, Shorty, are you in a good mood now? You're cute. I know Mae will like you."

What mood are you in? He said before leaving me and running to hug someone. What? Making me blush and then ignoring me. Damn you.

"Ah, my son is here." the beautiful woman said, putting down a thick magazine and opening her arms to hug her son. Phum went to hug her and they took turns kissing each other on both cheeks.

Don't tell me this is his mom. Oh my lord! Seriously, if she said she was Phum's sister, I'd believe it. Why is she still so young and beautiful?

The mother and son showed their affection while I stood there awkwardly. The person who brought me here seemed to have forgotten that there was someone else standing here, not knowing what to do, until his mom turned and saw me.

"Oh, who did Phum bring with him? I didn't see you dear (หนู), sorry. Please, have a seat."

Did she just call me "dear" (หนู)? Haha, how cute.

[หนู/nŏo/ is both "I" and "you", used by young children, and by women to whom they feel close and is significantly older/younger. This word means "mouse" or "rat", and sounds cute. I translate หนู to "dear"]

"Uh, Mae, this is Peem, my..." Phum introduced me, making me almost stop breathing. Why the pause, you buffalo? Do you want me to die of a heart attack?

"Hello, Khun Aunt. I'm Phum's friend." I introduced myself, sitting on another sofa and giving the most respectful wai of my life. If I could bow down to her feet, I would have done it. Hehe.

[T/n: Yeah, if she agrees to give you and Phum half of this house, you must be willing to bow from the gate.]

"May Buddha bless you, dear. But why call me Khun Aunt? Call me Khun Mae."

"Yes, Khun Mae." Then the mother and son smiled brightly.

"Phum's friend? That's great. Mae thought Phum doesn't have other friends besides Beer, Mick and Tan. Thank you for being friends with Phum." She says with a sweet smile. Her words sound depressing and strange, like she's misunderstood that Phum has no friends.

"Uh, yes. In fact, Phum has many friends. I, uhm....We study in different faculties."

This time, Khun Mae smiled even wider than before.
Why are the mother and sons so different? The mother seems so refined and gentle, then look at each of her sons, they look like they came from the Nazi era.

"Oh, different faculties. What do you study?"

"I study Fine Arts."

Khun Mae smiled and nodded in understanding.

"He's a friend of Tan, Mae. Then he got to know Phum."

Why don't you tell her how we met? She'll be so impressed.

[T/n: 🤣🤣🤣. But we're trying to get half of the house, Peem. I don't think it's a good idea.]

"Oh, Nong Tan. He hasn't been here for a long time. But I just met his parents. They complained a lot about their son. Haha. What's your name again, dear?"

Hearing her call me "dear" (หนู mouse) tickles my ears. I'd rather be called Mew (cat) by Beard (Peem's dad) -_- I'm so tense.

"I'm Peem, Mae."

"Peem, your face is so cute and your body is small. Are you really the same age as Phum? Haha"

I almost fell over at her words. Phum laughed again.

"Yes, we're the same age." I'm nine months older than him, actually 😭. I gave Phum a dark look, but he just shrugged and raised his eyebrows teasingly.

"Why do you look so tense, Peem? Relax. Phum and Fang don't bring friends home often, unlike P'Oat. He brings a dozen friends at a time. Come closer to me."

I was so confused. I looked to Phum, who was holding onto his mother's arm, for help, and he nodded.

I walked over to her. Khun Mae touched my head and face like she was picking vegetables at the market. Um, I'm a person, Mae.

[T/n: 🤣🤣🤣 Is there anyone have experience meeting mother-in-law? Please give Peem some advice.]

"You have beautiful eyes. I wish I had a small son like you. You must be a kind person."

"How do you know?" Phum quickly moved closer.

"I can tell by his eyes, Phum. Peem's eyes are clear and innocent."

"He's also a bit dumb. Ouch, why did you hit me, Mae?"

"Why did you say that about your friend? Hmm."

"Mae, I'm your son." He crossed his arms and pouted.

Uh, should I comfort him? But I didn't need to. Mae hugged Phum and comforted him. Phum's face rested on her shoulder, but his hand reached out to pat my head. He smiled widely at me and mouthed the words:
"Love you, Shorty."

You, you... Love you too you idiot.

Phum's mom is a very beautiful woman. It seems like Fang inherited her facial structure and features. She always smiles, and her bright eyes show kindness, which made me feel much more relaxed. From what I observed, she seems to love her youngest son very much, treating Phum like he's still in third grade.

When the handsome guy gets the chance, he acts spoiled. When Phum is with his mom, he's not much different from when he's with me—sometimes affectionate, sometimes spoiled. Like now, his mom invited him to some friend's launch event, but Phum stubbornly refused to go.

"Phum doesn't like it. Why do I have to go?"

"Because I want to show off my son. P'Oat can't come, and P'Fang said he's busy with school work. Please come with me na, Nong Phum."

"Fang is lying. I know it. Can Mae not force Phum. Phum doesn't want to go."

"Hehe, Peem, look at this. My son is so stubborn. Aren't you embarrassed in front of your friend?" Even though she said that, she still patted her son's head with a loving smile.

What Fang said about Phum being a mama's boy, spoiled by his mom, isn't far from the truth. Well, he is her son after all. I smiled at the scene in front of me. I realized that the most important woman in Phum's life is truly a wonderful person.

Phum's mom chatted with me, asking about my studies, about Phum, and about our life in general. She also shared various stories with me, mostly about her son. I learned something new that I want to share with everyone: don't be jealous of Phum's family for having such good-looking sons. It's because they have a mix of about seven or eight different ethnicities in their blood.

Phum's dad is part Italian, English, and Spanish, while his mom has Chinese and white Indian ancestry. No wonder her eyes are sharp and a bit Indian. If their children weren't handsome, I don't know what to say. As for me, being Thai with a bit of Chinese, this is the best I can do. Why didn't my parents mix me up to look like Phum?

After chatting for a while, Khun Mae excused herself to go out to meet a friend for a spa day, because she had made an appointment before Phum said he'd be going home. She didn't want to miss the appointment so she had to go. She invited me to join, but I declined. She then told me to stay and have dinner with them. A chef from a hotel has come to prepare the food. ^^

Ok, now I understand why Phum couldn't order wonton noodles.

After she left, Phum took me up to his room. I wonder how many housekeepers they have to clean this place if it's this big.

As we walked up, Phum pointed out various rooms—there was a reception room, a meeting room, and a swimming pool in the middle of the house, with another pool outside. Wow. The decorations and furniture, if sold, are enough for me to live comfortably for a long time. Hehe.

[T/n: The first time you came to Phum's condo, you also thought of robbing some furniture. They will be yours sooner or later. You don't have to rob.]

Phum's bedroom probably takes up almost the entire floor. Hmm, it's cleaner than I expected. Someone must be cleaning it for him. It's very different from our condo like heaven and earth, which is a complete mess. Haha.

"Hey, what are you doing? Let go, someone might see." I said as I was looking around his room when suddenly, arms wrapped around me from behind.

"No one will see. I locked the door." Phum said.

Since when are you so cautious, or is it just for this? +_+

"I'm glad mom likes you." he whispered in my ear, followed by a light kiss on my cheek.

"Heh, because she doesn't know I'm not just her son's friend."

"Don't worry about that. I'm just happy you get along with her."

"Yeah, she's really nice. I like her too."

"Good good, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law getting along."

"Shit, let go of me." Aaaahhhh, what the hell is he talking about? I won't let him hug me anymore.

"Hehe, kiss me first."

"Don't, Phum. It's hot, let go." He didn't listen, turning me around and kissing me passionately for a long time.

"Mmm, Ph... Phum, that's enough." I said as he bit my lip lightly before finally letting go. I felt like I had given too much, but I didn't mind. Haha.

"Phum, is this P'Oat?" I asked, picking up a framed photo from the headboard. Phum sat down next to me. In the photo was a young man smiling widely, with his arms around two younger brothers I knew well. The background was the Eiffel Tower.

I didn't know how to describe Phi Oat's face. It was like a mix of Fang and Phum. He's incredibly handsome. Above the sky, there's the universal; above Phum and Fang, there's Phi Oat. Haha. If I have kids, I'll mix many different ethnicities. Just you wait and see.

[T/n: Wow, Peem seriously thinks about having kids 😂 Ok, we're waiting.]

"Yeah, it was taken when Oat just graduated. He graduated with honors, so dad rewarded him with a trip anywhere he wanted. It was Oat's reward, but Fang got to choose the destination." Phum said, pouting. Hehe. Cute. "Fang loves France and goes there often but never gets bored."

Even with his siblings, Fang shows his authority. He doesn't spare anyone. What chance do friends like us have? And even more so with his partner. Poor Tan.

"Your dad seems like a kind person, right?" I put the photo down and turned to look at Phum. His eyes are closed. I slowly laid down next to Phum. He turned around and snuggled into my chest.

"I don't know, probably he is. We're not very close so I can't answer whether he's kind or not. Por seems to give us freedom in life. Study what we want to study. Do whatever we like. If this is kindness, he's probably kind, but I feel like it's an uncomfortable freedom. We can do whatever we want, but we have to live up to the perfection that he expects. In fact, our cage might just be wider than everyone else's because in the end, we have to come back and do what he sets out for us."

"Take care of the family business?" I asked, kissing his cheek and hugging him tigher. His voice sounded sad.

"Yes."

We let silence take over the space. I didn't know what Phum was thinking but I hoped that his heart would not be too lonely.

"Peem."

"Hmm?"

"Don't leave me alone in this cage."

"Umm, I'm not going anywhere. "I'll always be by your side like this every day. I promise, Phum."
^_^

End of Chapter 53 >>>>>>>>>>