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Yay!!! Today is an auspicious day. We are finally heading to Krabi! I'm so excited that I can hardly sleep. I ended up not sleeping at all because after packing my bags and getting everything ready, it was almost midnight, then Tan called to say that we would be leaving at 3 AM instead of 5 AM because Fang suddenly wanted to leave earlier. Tan, trying to please his wife, agreed, which led to Phum scolding both his brother and brother-in-law. Phum hadn't slept yet, and neither had I. Fuck you Fang!

So, we only managed to nap for an hour or two before leaving the condo at 3 AM. Now it's almost afternoon, and we haven't made much progress. We keep stopping at gas stations, stopping at a roadside vendor buying salted eggs and sticky rice, and taking photos at scenic spots. I wonder if we'll ever reach Krabi at this rate.

Maybe because for this trip we still stick to the original group motto, which is "chill"—short and simple but meaningful. Therefore, we decided to drive ourselves. We have three cars: Beer's, Tan's, and Phum's. The passengers in Beer's car are Chan, Mick, and Matt.

In Tan's car, besides his handsome doll-like wife Fang, there's also Pan with his flip-flops (เกิบ*). I bet Fang has already dug up the secrets of his "grape" by now, haha.

(Author's note: "เกิบ" is a noun meaning "flip-flops". However, sometimes "เกิบ" can function as a verb to express actions such as throwing, hitting the mouth, or even hitting ("โปเต้น" a coined term) someone with a flip-flop. It depends on the situation and the mood of the wearer at that moment. "เกิบ" is a Thai word commonly used in the Northeastern region. // Everyday a New Thai Word with Sea Heart, boooo :P)

In Phum's car, I'm at the front passenger seat along with the annoying couple Q and Toey, who have been arguing at the back seats since we left Bangkok until we are about to enter Prachuap -_- . Their constant bickering means we don't need to play any music to keep the car lively.

I looked back at the two green guys arguing in the back. The green wasn't at the corner of their mouths or their eye sockets*, but their shirts. Do you remember that Q has this habit of making everyone wear matching shirts? This time, he chose the ROTC** theme, which was quite a hassle. Luckily, I found my old shirt. I haven't worn it for a long time, I can't believe I found it. Most importantly, it still fits.

[*In English we say "black eye" but in Thai they say "green eye"
**Reserve Officer Training Corps is the Thai military training program for high school students.
T/n: You stop growing for a long time 😂]

[They wore something like this]

Despite some objections, we all had to wear the shirts (Q has a way of convincing everyone, even Fang). Every time we pass a checkpoint, I'm afraid they'll think we're soldiers being called to duty at the southern border. We look like a bunch of young recruits with our green shirts, shorts, and flip-flops. But no matter what, Peem still looks handsome. Whoa whoa Hahaha!!! And let me make a note. Phum was wearing a military shirt and he was sooo handsome.

"Hey, Hia Phum! Hia Beer is about to overtake us. Speed up! Why is Hia Beer driving so fast?"

"Of course he's driving fast. Beer is a racing champion, didn't you know?" Phum asked.

"Hia Phum, you're a champion too. Hurry up, or Hia Beer will win. Ahh, they've overtaken us! Oiii!!!! Matt is definitely going to laugh at me."

Hey, Toey, we're not in Family Car Rally (a TV show). But honestly, our car is always at the back because of you. Sometimes he asks to stop to look at this and sometimes he wants to buy that. Once, when Q was driving (we switched drivers every 100 kilometers. We didn't drive fast, just 100-120 km/h), Toey wanted to buy a kite from a roadside vendor. Q stopped, but then he pranked Toey by driving off without him, haha. Toey got so mad he sat in the middle of the road. Luckily, no cars were coming. Otherwise, hehe.

"Toey, what are you doing with him? Can you sit quietly for two minutes?" And here we go again.

"I just want our car to be in the lead. Look, we overtook Hia Tan, but now they've overtaken us again."

"If you didn't ask me to stop so often, we'd be in Malaysia by now." Phum smiled at Toey through the mirror.

Toey ignored him and continued rummaging through the snack bag, "Hey, egg tarts! Hia Peem, Hia Phum, do you want some?"

"No, I don't like sweets. But have you started eating eggs, Toey? Didn't you say you were vegetarian*?" Phum asked.

[*For The Nine Emperor Gods Festival (เทศกาลกินเจ), a nine-day Taoist celebration beginning on the eve of the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar.]

"The vegetarian period is over, Hia Phum. Mom said I was good and honest this year, so I'll earn lots of merit."

"Spit! Honest? I saw him buy shark fin, claiming it's made from flour. If you're going to eat like that, you might as well eat a whole cow. He can't cut off his desires."

Haha. Eating a whole cow. Is he a hungry ghost or something, Q?

"P'Q, I just wanted to eat it. During my vegetarian period, it reduced animal killing. Do you want some white chocolate? Let me feed you." Very smart my bro. Toey asked, showing his many moods in one sentence.

"You're going to throw up. Why are you eating so much? Stop eating so much, Toey."

"Q, indulge him a bit. Don't just scold him." I said, wanting to tease them more than actually caring about Toey. What a good brother I am! Haha.

"Yeah, Hia Peem. P'Q always scolds me like I don't have feelings. I get hurt too. P'Q, can you open this jelly for me?" Toey said while still rummaging for snacks. You're not serious about what you said, are you, Toey?

"Hehe. Doesn't he give you a headache, Q?"

"A lot, Phum. I'm serious . Sometimes I want to knock him out with anesthesia. He's so hyper. Some nights he gets up and dances, doing somersaults at 3 or 4 AM. Damn, I was so scared I thought he was possessed." Even though Q was complaining, he was using his mouth to peel off the jelly while Toey, biting his lip, leaned in closely, eagerly watching.

"No matter who tries to come between us
Remember that they will never succeed
There will be no space left for anyone else
As long as our hearts are tied together"

As soon as my ringtone went off, Phum turned to look at me. Before I could answer the call, I had to hand the phone to Phum to check the screen and see who was calling. If it was an unknown number, I wouldn't be allowed to answer; Phum would take the call himself. He was suffering from Othello Syndrome. ToT

This time, the caller was the person leading our convoy, the dentist. Once Phum saw who it was, he went back to focusing on driving.

"Hey, what's up?.. Hmm... Okay, got it." Chain called to say we should take a break (again).

"What's up?"

"They said they're waiting at the next gas station."
Another stop -_- I want to get to Krabi quickly. I want to play in the water. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME???

"Good, I'm tired. It's your turn to take over, Q."

"Yeah, Phum, you should fill up the tank now. I don't want to stop again. Let's drive straight through."

When we reached the agreed-upon gas station, we saw Beer and Chain stretching, but Mick was nowhere to be seen. He was probably asleep in the car. As we parked to refuel, Q hugged Toey and walked over to join the others at Amazon Cafe. I waited with Phum, stretching my neck and arms to relieve the stiffness next to the gas pump. After a while, Phum rolled down the window.

"Peem, don't stand there, or you'll catch fire."

I raised an eyebrow, confused. Phum pointed to a sign near my head. I slowly read it.

" Wut Too Wai Fai (Flammable Material)" Damn it! I ran over and smacked Phum on the head. He just clutched his stomach, laughing. That jerk! If I'm flammable material, you're the fuel.

[T/n: Everyone get the joke?]

Damn it!

At this moment, we were sitting and relaxing, sipping fragrant coffee in a cozy, natural atmosphere. It reminded me of Aunt Pui's cafe. For me, no coffee tastes as good as the one from Garden Café. I'm promoting it wholeheartedly. Enough, Peem, stop laughing. Stop.

"Peem, do I look like Nadech?" After resting, we went to buy snacks at 7-Eleven. Pan was holding a bottle of orange juice with Nadech, my twin (how bold) , as the presenter. He puffed his cheeks as if he had something in his mouth. "What do you think, Peem? Do I look like Nadech?"

"You look like him, but you're not Nadech. You look more like Na Dead. Also, Pan, do you like orange juice? I thought you only drank "grape" juice. Hehe."

"Peemmmm, you, you Short-Tee!!!!"

Uh haha, just call me Shorty. Damn, why did you have to emphasize every syllable? Pan stormed out of 7-Eleven, fuming. I laughed with satisfaction. When we get to the hotel, I'll call Tan and Fang to report.

"Peem, buy me some milk." Phum ordered me. This guy, is my face like a waiter at a restaurant or something? He's ordering me around.

"Just milk? Do you want any snacks?" Oh no, shame on me. Haha.

Phum shook his head before dragging Chan to look at car magazines. I grabbed some bear-brand milk for Khun Chai Phum, Pepsi, green tea, and a bunch of snacks.

At the checkout, I saw His Royal Highness about to pay, so I handed him my stuff too. By "handed" I mean I gave him the items but not the money, haha. His Royal Highness Beer knocked me on the head in retaliation.

"We're not even dating, and I have to pay for you."

"Come on, man. A friend's partner is like your own partner. Take good care of them so that your friend can be happy." Beer shook his head. If you ask if I was embarrassed, I can answer "no", because I'm shameless, haha.

[T/n: I admire your reason ✨👍✨ Brilliant!]

While Beer and I were waiting for the cashier to calculate the bill, Fang stood at the counter next to us. He raised his eyebrows at me because another cashier girl was smiling shyly and giving him sweet looks.

Oh, you're so handsome that girls look and like you. Wait until my friend comes, and you'll be in trouble. Before I could finish, Tan stood behind Fang. Should I call it standing behind or standing close? Fang was probably surprised that someone was standing close to him, so he turned around. Tan's nose almost brushed Fang's white cheek.

"Darling, please pay for me."

"....................." Tan said, and there was immediate silence. Both the beautiful cashier and the two or three people waiting in line behind me were stunned. After Tan finished placing his items, he turned and gave a corner smile to Beer and me before walking out.

So I leaned in to see what Tan had left for him to pay for that made everyone so shocked. Ohhhh OoO Durex, folks! I saw Fang close his eyes and take a deep breath as if trying to control his emotions. He gave the girl a wry smile before turning to glare at us to stop laughing. Beer and I just looked at each other before bursting into laughter.

Hahaha, it's not just one box, it's half a dozen. Every scent, every type.

I quickly ran outside to tell Chan and the others. They laughed a lot. After a while, Fang came out, followed by Beer carrying the stuff. I nudged Chan, signaling that we had to tease him.

"Fang ka, why do you look so stressed? What's wrong?"

Fang turned to look at Tan, who was smiling while leaning against the car and playing with his iPad, before speaking through gritted teeth,

"I'm a widow. My husband is about to die."

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

And our caravan continued its journey. As we were about to enter Chumphon, Q switched to driving so Phum could rest. The little rascal is already asleep.

"Peem, do you want to sit in the back with Phum? I'll wake Toey up."

"No, let him sleep. I'll sit with you."

"Really? I thought you two couldn't be apart for more than two meters. Haha. You know, Chan calls you Phum's personal oxygen tank. Without you, he'd die, can't breathe. Hahaha."

"Hahaha" Phum laughed before leaning back to sleep next to Toey.

"Gossip about me behind my back, huh?" What nonsense oxygen tank. Just wait, Chan, one day I'll move the track so you'll be in a train wreck."

[* In case you forget, "รถไฟชนกัน", which translates literally to "train collision", is used in Thai to describe a situation where two people, usually in a love triangle or dating multiple people, come face-to-face in an awkward or confrontational encounter. It's often used to refer to a dramatic or messy romantic situation.]

We drove for a while, and both Phum and Toey were sleeping with their heads tucked together. Q and I talked about random stuff, sang loudly, but the two in the back didn't wake up. When we reached a curve, Q and I stopped singing and looked at each other.

In my line of sight, I saw Tan's car parked about two hundred meters ahead. As we got closer, Q slowed down and rolled down the window. I thought the car had broken down, a flat tire, or the radiator exploded, but as we got closer, no, Fang and Pan were peeing on the kilometer marker. Haha. Then Beer and Chan's car arrived, with Matt driving. They rolled down the window and shouted,

"Hey, are you guys taking a break to let the worms play in the water? Haha."

"Need help holding the pupa, Khaofang ka?"

Hahahahahaha.

They teased and whistled, having fun. Chan got the middle finger from Fang as a gift. After they had their fill of teasing, they drove off ahead. They were really naughty.

"Haha, they found a great place to pee, right at the curve." Q muttered before honking loudly, startling Fang. Did he pee his pants?

"Fuckkk, what's your problem with my wife? Let him pee in peace." Tan popped his head out to scold us.

"Hahahaha." Q and I high-fived, laughing until our stomachs hurt, waking Phum and Toey, who then went back to sleep. We drove off ahead of Tan's car.

"Tan really loves Fang, don't you think, Peem?"

"Well, he's his boyfriend, how could he not love him?"

"Yeah, just like you. Since you started dating Phum, you haven't paid much attention to me, you know?"

Oh no...

"Q, don't mess with me, please."

"I'm serious." Q's serious tone made me freeze and I couldn't help but look at him. He glanced at me for a moment before continuing.

"We used to be stuck on the hips. Even Nueng teased that we were like a married couple. You used to sleep over at my house, help me with my work. Sometimes I stayed over at your place for months. You liked to steal my instant noodles, and we'd go out to buy Red Bull together late at night. Since you started dating Phum, do you remember the last time we did that... How long has it been?"

I swallowed hard, feeling both confused and shocked. I didn't know I had made my friend feel neglected. I really didn't know. Even though I love Phum, I never reduced the importance of my friends. They are a part of my life. So why did I make another part of my life feel neglected? I really didn't know.

"Q... I'm sorry... I haven't changed. You...when did you start feeling this way?" I didn't mean to, but I couldn't stop my voice from shaking.

"Forget it."

"Q, I care about you. I..." Wait a minute, the last time? The last time we rushed to finish work together was just before the exams, right? When I stayed with you for three days and nights, and Phum had to bring us food and drinks. I looked at Q, who seemed to be holding back laughter, his ears turning red. You... you... you son of a bitch! "Fuck you Q. You tricked me!"

"Hahaha, you're so easy to fool, you little dwarf."

"You bastard, you scared me. You jerk." I was ready to kill him for making my heart sink, but I remembered I didn't want to die in a car crash. I won't hurt you, but when we stop, you're dead.

"Don't, don't. I'm driving, you know. Haha, your face was so dumbfounded. Does Nong Peem care about Phi Q so much? Aren't you afraid Khun Nu Phum will get jealous?"

I looked at Phum, who was still sleeping, being a pillow for Toey. If Phum were to get jealous of me and you, it would be better if he got jealous of my underwear.

"Damn it, Q, you know that I... and you still tricked me."

"Haha, it's because you're like this." Q reached out and pushed my head. "We don't talk about these things much, but I'm happy to see you and Phum happy. We, Tan, Chan, Pan―even though he's crazy, we care about you. I know Phum is good to you, loves you, but don't forget that we love you just as much." He reached out and ruffled my hair, giving me a light push. I can't explain it, but it was the most heartwarming feeling. "When you first started dating, I thought you'd be so obsessed with Khun Phumin that you'd forget about us."

"Are you jealous? Hmm?" I grabbed his arm and leaned in close. Q looked a bit more handsome.

"What? Jealous of what? Nonsense." Haha, he's so stubborn. Q made a nonchalant face, focusing on the road ahead.

"Don't get so obsessed with Toey that you forget about me."

For someone as stubborn as Q to occasionally express his feelings made me want to smile widely. For me, friends and lovers are both important, they're parts of my life. I don't know if others have problems with friends and faens not getting along, having a faen and abandoning friends, or being so attached to friends that they forget their faen. But for me, I'm not a great person, just lucky that my friends and faen are friends with each other. Most importantly, I'm lucky to have good friends and a good faen who understand.

I smiled at Q, smiled at the person sleeping in the back, before turning back to look at the road ahead. The journey still has a long way to go.

Our lives are like a journey. Everyone has hopes, dreams, goals, and strives to reach the finish line they dream of. We all think that standing at the finish line is the greatest success.

The destination may be beautiful, but for me, the stories, fun, happiness, and friendships along the way are more memorable. The more we have companions to walk with us, the more valuable the memories of life will be than any success.
...
..
.

Woohoo! We've arrived, finally! After more than ten hours of traveling, it's really worth it to see the beautiful sea and clear sky. So refreshing!

We arrived at Q's hotel in Ao Nang. It's so beautiful, with a serene atmosphere. The hotel is a blend of Thai and Balinese styles. Initially, we planned to stay at another resort in Railay, but we couldn't as Q said we had to take a boat there. We were tired today and really couldn't do it. So, we switched to another hotel in the Yodsawatin chain in Ao Nang, which is also very beautiful. Well, it's a five-star hotel, so it has to be perfect.

When we arrived at the hotel lobby, several beautiful ladies in traditional Thai attire welcomed us. They were so beautiful. Chan was spreading his charm, making the receptionists blush. Fang had to drag him away.

With our outfits today, let me remind you: military student t-shirts, shorts, and flip-flops. If we weren't friends with the hotel owner's son, the security guards would probably have thrown us into the sea (they didn't know it was the hotel owner's son who suggested we dress like this).

I felt like the staff were excited and staring at us as we sat in the lobby, waiting for someone Q told us to wait for. They probably knew Q was The Demon's Heir*, haha.
[*ทายาทอสูร a Thai series]

Fang and Tan went to explore the surroundings and decorations. Let them be; he studies architecture. Toey and Matt were chatting about tomorrow's plans. Phum was leaning on my shoulder, listening to music. Chan was on the phone. Pan and Beer were playing games.

Mick was asleep. He had been sleeping since Bangkok. It was funny when Matt pranked him. When we arrived at the hotel, Mick was groggy, and Matt told him, "P'Mick, we're at Siam Park (located in Bangkok)." Mick, half-asleep, said, "Oh, I thought we were going to Krabi. Let's change and go on the slides."

Hahaha.

We waited for about ten minutes before a woman, who seemed to be a manager, and two men in traditional Thai uniforms, probably hotel staff, walked briskly towards us. Q greeted them with a wai, and we followed suit.

"Hello, Khun Q. Have you been here long? I was with the executive group and couldn't come to welcome you earlier. I'm sorry." the woman apologized profusely.

"It's okay, P'Fon. We just arrived. Guys, this is P'Fon, my dad's right-hand woman. P'Fon, these are my friends."

We greeted P'Fon again. She seemed very efficient and probably close to Q.

"Hello. I thought you were Japanese or Korean stars. Anyway,I apologize again." she smiled at us.

"It's okay. I'll probably need your help with many things. My dad doesn't know I'm here."

"Oh, Khun Q. If the chairman didn't know, who would have ordered me to prepare the rooms? Do you and your friends want to rest now? You must be tired. You don't need me to show you around, do you? After all, you're with the owner's son." P'Fon smiled and spoke in a friendly manner, typical of someone in the service industry.

"Don't tease me. I'll flirt with Nong Fah." Q joked. Good thing Toey wasn't here, or else... hehe.

"If you become my brother-in-law, I'll give Fah to you for free. Look, the female staff are staring at you. They probably don't know you're the chairman's son. Did you drive here?" P'Fon asked, smiling at us.

"Yes, very tired."

"Right? It's almost a thousand kilometers from Bangkok. How about a relaxing massage at the spa? We have therapeutic massages and herbal body wraps."

"Therapeutic massages? Let's go, Pan. I found your cure."

"Tan, why do I need therapy? Where's the spa, P'Fon?"

P'Fon laughed before calling someone to take Pan to the spa. He really went, even dragging Chan, Mick, and Toey along. Q tried to call them back, but it was too late. He was talking to P'Fon but his eyes were following Toey's back, haha.

"I'll have someone take your bags to your rooms. If you need anything, you can call me 24/7. Do you want to eat something first?"

"Thank you, but we'll handle it ourselves. P'Fon, where's my dad? I called him, and he said he's in Phuket. Don't lie to me."

"The chairman is in Phuket but will go to Mae Hong Son today. I have to go too. Don't worry, no one will call you to help with work." P'Fon smiled.

"Haha, she knows you well, Q."

After talking to P'Fon, we went to our rooms. Q and Toey shared a room, Tan and Fang shared another, and Phum and I shared one. The rest shared a room, but we'd probably end up playing cards in Chan's room.

Woohoo! My room has an amazing view. It even has a dung beetle (maeng gut jee) (don't laugh, Peem, don't laugh). Haha, a jacuzzi (jaa gut chee). After exploring the bedroom and bathroom, I stood on the balcony, enjoying the sea breeze. I could see the clear sea and green mountains against the white clouds.

There's no place as beautiful as Thailand, our home.

I took a deep breath of the fresh sea air. When I went back inside, Phum was gone. Where did he go? Maybe he went to reclaim the PSP from his brother. Earlier, I saw Fang snatching it from him in the elevator."

I thought about taking a shower but decided to rest first. I jumped onto the soft bed,  lying face down on the soft silk cover, and I drifted off to sleep in no time.

I opened my eyes again, and the sky had changed colors. The soft orange light was shining into the room. I blinked away the drowsiness and noticed that Phum was sleeping next to me. It felt like déjà vu, just like when we went to Hua Hin. His handsome, familiar face was lying on its side, just a breath away from mine. It's an image that always makes me smile.

I lay there, looking at his sleeping face without getting bored. Even though the sky was getting dark, I couldn't look away. I kept watching the rhythm of his breathing while sleeping.

He breathes like a little puppy, hehe.

I used my fingertip to gently brush his long eyelashes that lay in neat rows. His dark eyebrows, sharp nose, and small thin lips—all these features combined to make the definition of the word "perfect". So perfect.

And for whatever reason, I found myself moving closer to Phum, slowly until our noses touched. I tilted my head and pressed my lips against his pink lips. I just kept my lips there, but it made me feel excited. My heart was pounding so hard that I wondered if the sleeping person could hear it. But what I knew for sure was that I was secretly kissing my boyfriend, smiling and blushing.

"Phum, when will I stop being shy around you?"
>////////////////////////<

End of Chapter 59 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

T/n: why am I >//////< too????