Work Text:
[Sara]: I swear to god Chay, if you say one more “but” in response to Mr. Violent Tendencies, I’m going to backhand you through the screen
Chay starts typing. I’m not making excuses, but I have more conte-
[Sara]: Chay, delete that “but” from your incoming text.
Chay deletes the message.
[Jao]: Yeah Chay. You can’t tell us the stories about how he broke your heart, broke into your house, and broke someone’s face and think there is anything that can excuse that
[Apple]: It’s a little hypocritical to judge violence by threatening violence, Sara
[Chay]: Thank you, Apple
[Apple]: Don’t think I’m on your side Chay
In hindsight, it probably wasn’t the best idea to vent about his disaster breakup with his Wik stan friends. In his defense, it was extremely cathartic to spill everything awful about Kim to people who also used to think he hung the moon.
[Jao]: Can we stop talking about garbage humans and instead talk about how our collective boyfriend just announced a new album??
[Apple]: Holy shit, what?? When???
[Sara]: I just got the notification. His official twitter posted the Album cover 4 minutes ago with the words “soon”
[Apple]: Alright, give me a second. I need to go oggle my husband
Well, they still think Wik hung the moon. He never told them his “walking red flag ex”, as Sara likes to put it, was the idol they all cherish.
He also never mentioned the mafia part.
Chay sighs and lowers his phone.
He was raised by Porsche. And while Porsche tried his best to keep Chay sheltered, Chay still picked up good survival skills for interacting with the legally adjacent. Like underground fighting rings.
Or the Mafia.
He’s also not stupid. He’s been living at the compound for awhile now. And despite being exes, he’s seen Kim around more frequently. He’s seen the way Kim can be… tactilely hostile in settings that, while are not overly public, aren’t exactly private either. He doesn’t seem to be particularly concerned with subtlety.
But when Chay scoured the internet for any Wik scandals, nothing showed up. He’s as clean as a whistle.
Which means, despite Kim’s insistence in “not having anything to do with the Theerapanyakul’s”, someone mafia related is probably working overtime to protect his image.
[Apple]: [image.jpg] OH MY GOD HOW IS HE SO ETHEREAL!!!
[Apple]: Chay, your garbage ex could never. You’re better off without him. You deserve nothing less than this.
So… he hasn’t brought the gang in on the connection.
And it really was cathartic throwing every bad thing he had seen Kim do into the chat with no context. And watch his fans spew hatred back about him.
And tell him he was valid for feeling hurt.
But now, things are a bit more complicated because-
“Hey, Angel”
Kim slides next to him on the bench. Chay had been sitting near the koi pond trying to avoid people. He automatically beams in Kim’s direction, before remembering to turn his phone over. Kim is still a nosy bitch.
They’re not back together. They’re not. When Kim sent that video apology, Chay unblocked him to put his foot down. Kim hurt him. Really badly. Chay’s moral compass was already fucked from his childhood, so it wasn’t the violence or the mafia or the casual murders that messed him up, despite what he wrote in the chat. But using him to get to his brother? Playing with his feelings like Chay was nothing more than a chess piece? A naive object whose hunger for love makes him pathetic and gullible? Chay felt dirty, used and worthless. Of course the only reason a hot guy shows interest in him was for exploitation.
So he told Kim that “them” was forever off the table. And to stop trying.
It’s been six months since.
And Kim… Kim respected his wishes.
Chay suspects it’s the first time Kim met a boundary he actually noticed. It’s like Kim has recently had an existential crisis. He started coming to the compound more to spend time with Tankhun. He’s been having brief, civil conversations with Kinn. Something Porsche told him Kinn initially thought meant Kim was trying to get something from him. But then got confused when it kept happening.
He doesn’t know what Kim was like around the compound before he got there. But the bodyguards’ whispering and shock around his current behavior are enough to tell him it’s new.
So one day, when he was in the kitchen and witnessed Kim stand around like a lost puppy after his awkward “nice weather we’re having” conversation with Kinn was cut short by Mafia Head business, Chay asked if Kim wanted a bite of the chocolate cake he was savoring.
And from then on they’d been… friends?
“Stop calling me that” Chay turns his head to hide the way the endearment makes his face do weird things as he shifts over to make more room for Kim. And keep more room between them.
Some of the bodyguards would make comments like “you’re such an angel” when he would do basic courtesy like say “thank you” when they had to drive him to campus, or jump in front of a bullet. Kim decided to take the “angel” part and call him it as a joke. Because they’re friends. Friends make fun of each other in good fun. And Kim always has a smirk on his face when a sentence with the word is used.
But “angel” never comes out like a joke. That world always comes out breathy and reverent. And Chay can’t handle that.
Kim hasn’t been calling him much else though.
“I’m just making an accurate observation. Would you want me to lie?” The tone is sarcastic, but it feels a little too serious.
“What are you even doing here? Didn’t you just announce a new album?”
“So you do still pay attention to me” Kim has put on fake puppy dog eyes. Chay still can’t tell how much is a joke.
“Shut up” Chay lightly shoves him. He needs more space, the sun is clearly making him burn up. And his phone is still buzzing from the Wik chat. “You’re hiding out from Namtan, aren’t you? She’s going to kill you”
2 months ago, he managed to meet Wik’s manager. Turns out, it’s Tay’s older sister, so Chay wasn’t too far off the mark. Namtan might not be officially “in the mafia”, but she definitely has less than legal connections and has no problem threatening journalist’s families. Allegedly.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Tankhun demanded I watch Goblin with him when he heard I hadn’t seen it”
How Kim can sit through one of her cold, targeted, and precise tongue lashings and then continue doing things to get on her shit list, he has no idea. Korn doesn’t freak him out as much as Namtan. She’s terrifying.
She’s weirdly fond of him though. She walked into the compound one day, declared that Kim was easier to manage after Chay “dumped his sorry ass”, took Chay’s personal cell number, and walked out. No bodyguard stopped her.
So they’ve been texting. Mostly about Kim. He necessarily gave Namtan her own ringtone that he jumps at whenever he hears. Chay’s too intimidated to leave her on read.
“Namtan is going to hound me on where you are.”
“I don’t need to be anywhere. She already has people manage all my social media. She doesn’t let me touch it. All I have to do is write music and look pretty.”
“And interact with fans”
“I love my fans. I wouldn’t be here without them. My every waking breath is for the happiness and joy of Wikkans everywhere.” Kim regurgitates an extreme version of the script every idol is required to follow with a patented Wik SmileTM plastered on his face. Now that Chay knows it isn’t real, it doesn’t affect him as much.
“Although, I do appreciate some fans more than others. I’ll be sure to give you a signed pre-release copy” Chay kicks him. Kim chuckles as he lets himself fall over. His smile settles into something more subtle, less dazzling.
This smile messes with Chay’s brain.
A bodyguard walks by and Kim rightens himself. Eyes going cold. Then he adjusts to try to bring some warmth back. His face awkward as it tries to settle into a happy medium. It’s interesting to watch and kind of heartbreaking.
Chay suspects this has something to do with his existential crisis. Through these months of “just friends”, Chay’s gotten a better grasp of Kim without the hearts, idol worship, and romantic fantasy clouding his perception.
Kim previously only existed in personas; his Mafia persona and his Idol persona. He would flip between the two depending on what he thought the situation called for. Even through the duration of their relationship, Kim was in a version of Wik mode. Every reaction and expression was tailored and artificial. But if someone performs a different person every time they are in the presence of others, they can forget what used to be real.
Somewhere between the breakup and when the apology video was sent, Kim seemed to realize he doesn't know who he is. And he’s been trying to figure it out.
So there are times when they hang out and Kim will sort of… glitch. He’ll start to say something, do something, or have a reaction, and then stop. Like he realized it was a canned response. But then freaks out because he doesn’t know how he actually wanted to respond.
So it’s like they’re both getting to know Kim at the same time. And who Chay has met is someone who is petty, sarcastic, nosy, childish, insecure, curious, funny, observant, thoughtful, caring, and quick to violence.
That one hasn’t changed.
It feels like Kim is going through a second kind of puberty. So, even though he is years older than Chay, Kim feels like a fellow 18 year old trying to figure out what he wants to do in life.
He’s still not the pinnacle of healthy boyfriend material. Far from it. Hence why Chay is really trying with this friends line. But Chay likes this new, messy person. Not that it’s really new. If he looks back on their tutoring days, he was always there. Just wrapped in dazzling smiles, disarming demeanors, and charismatic words that served as a slight of hand to hide the intention of his actions.
This new Kim has become one of his closest friends. Which has made falling for him impossible to avoid.
Violent tendencies be damned.
Unread:
[Apple]: And they’re donating a portion of the album sales to charity? How is he so perfect???
[Sara]: the greenest flag ever. I would expect nothing less from my future husband.
[Jao]: wait, did they say what the charity is for? I don’t recognize the name.
Probably some mafia front. Chay wouldn’t put it past Namtan.
[Sara]: I’m still offended that he calls you “angel”
[Chay]: It’s a joke
[Sara]: YOU SHOULD NOT BE HAVING INSIDE JOKES WITH “BROUGHT AND FIRED A GUN IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS BOYFRIEND” EX
Okay, that one was the most contextless story Chay had given them. Chay couldn’t sleep from how hard he was crying that night and dropped it into the chat with no preamble. He didn’t include that Kim fired the gun to save him from his kidnappers. He also didn’t include that Kim fired the gun into multiple people’s heads.
[Apple]: He’s probably saying it to flirt with you, but playing it off as a joke to have an out.
[Sara]: BECAUSE HE’S A SMARMY EVIL BITCH WHO DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO KEEP HIS GRIMY HANDS OFF OF THINGS HE HAS NO BUSINESS TOUCHING
[Chay]: we broke up almost 8 months ago. Why are you still on his case?
[Sara]: You try listening to the horror stories you regaled in this very chat about a rat of a man hurting one of your most precious friends in a manner that would make Alfred Hitchcock shudder and then months later, hear that same friend go “hey, so I’m talking to my ex again”
Which was definitely a mistake on his part. As his friendship with Kim began to blossom, he started to feel bad about tarnishing his image. Even if his friends didn’t know it was Wik’s image to begin with.
But everything he brought up seemed to only make things worse.
[Apple]: I know he’s working with your brother, but that doesn’t mean you had to befriend him.
Yeah, it’s not like he could provide any context that could make it better. And Chay’s vague half truths have led them to an woefully incomplete picture. Intentionally. But while telling the chat that Kim is actually a mafia prince would explain the horrific stories, that would also probably make their opinion worse.
And telling them he’s Wik is off the table. Namtan would probably have them shot.
[Sara]: And your brother shouldn’t even be associating with a lesser cockroach.
[Jao]: You guys are blowing up my phone while I’m trying to pay attention in class. Do you have any respect for my grades?
[Chay]: Absolutely zero. Get in this chat and help me.
[Sara]: Don’t bring Jao into this. He will not help you.
[Jao]: Why are y’all even talking? We’re meeting up in an hour to listen to Wik’s new album anyways. Let me FOCUS
[Chay]: Yeah, why are we talking? Chat adjourned. I will see you all at the cafe in front of Jao’s dorm in 40 minutes.
[Sara]: CHAY GET BACK HERE!
Chay rolled off his bed and walked out of his room. He’d met Apple, Sara, and Jao a few years ago in a Wik discord server. He’d met Sara first, drawn to her outspoken posts and loud personality. They found out they lived 30 minutes from each other, and she invited him to grab smoothies with her and Apple, who Chay also knew from the discord server but didn’t know went to the same school as Sara. The next time they met up in person, Apple had brought Jao with her. He also lived nearby, and was more shy and wouldn’t ever post things on the server. Apple thought having a smaller group of fandom friends would help, so they all worked to make him feel included.
Now they try to meet up every few months and talk about Wik, their other fandoms, or their personal lives.
It’s kind of awkward now that Chay wouldn’t consider himself a die hard Wik stan anymore.
Wik isn’t real. He’s a collection of Namtan, PR professionals, makeup artists, and stylists. It’s like going to Disneyland, but then seeing behind the curtain. Seeing the control room and wires making the animatronics dance. Run by disgruntled employees who don’t believe in the magic anyways.
Kim especially.
The music Kim loves. It’s probably the most authentic thing about him. He even loves performing his music. But everything else is just stuff he puts up with to keep it afloat. Even his fans. Especially his fans.
Chay taps on Chat’s shoulder, who was posted outside his room, “You’re shift’s over, right? Don’t you need to be debriefed? I don’t want you to be late”
He didn’t want his friends to pick up on a security detail. Chat’s his personal guard that Porsche had thought was suitable enough from the younger recruits. He’s only a few years older so he doesn’t stick out on campus. And Chat is really good at playing the casual friend or stranger. Just walking up to him and asking about homework if he needs to inform Chay about a situation instead of some other bodyguards who would stroll up, bow, and then say “Khun Chay” while holding onto their concealed weapon.
But something was apparently going down because Chat was being put on Kinn’s detail tonight. And Chay is happy for Chat; being trusted enough to go on Kinns detail at his age, even temporarily, is a huge sign of trust.
But Chay can’t trust whatever guard they decide to shadow him today, so he’ll have to give them the slip. It’s not like he’s being totally reckless. He still has the tracker in his phone and in his watch, so they can find him if it really gets bad. And he told Pete where he’d be. He knows Pete won’t risk his confidence, so he won’t tell Porsche, but he also won’t risk his safety so there will probably be one of Vegas’s guards there. And Vegas’s guards are much better at casual.
Chay’s not getting kidnapped again. Twice was enough.
But he’s also not risking his friends asking about why he has secret service breathing down his neck.
“I completely lost track of time. I’ll have Chan send Tri up.”
“No rush. I’m all good here” Chay watches as Chat disappears around the corner. Then he walks the other direction. He makes his way down to the garage and gets his bike. Then he heads off the compound.
The trick is to not hide the fact you’ve left. And to do so in clear view of the cameras. Then all he gets is a worried Porsche showing up.
Porsche showing up is not the worst thing that can happen.
As Chay parks his bike, he see’s Sara and Apple already seated with drinks and pastries, play-flirting. Well, Sara is play-flirting. Apple is dead serious, but it’s been years and Sara still hasn’t been able to tell. He makes his way to the table just as Jao flops his backpack down and bangs his head on the table.
“Don’t do school kids. It’s not worth it.”
“Jao, we’re literally all in school” Apple fondly ruffles his hair.
“It’s not too late for you. You can still get out”
“It’s your own damn fault for deciding to do an Architecture degree.” Sara throws his backpack on the floor in annoyance, but pushes his favorite pastry in front of him. He lifts his eyes at the smell.
“We can’t all be pro dancers like you.” He takes a bite without lifting his chin from the table.
Chay sits down in the seat they saved. “And we can’t all be talented artists who like to torture themselves with a million math classes.”
“Thank god you’re finally here. Wik’s sister wives’ meeting can finally commence.” Sara hands him his own pastry and drink.
Apple slams down her physical album on the table, careful of crumbs and stains. Jao squeals and snatches it up as Sara starts pulling out a 4 way headphone connector. “Mine hasn’t come in yet. Let me seeeee!”
They’re not going to be listening to the physical album, they didn’t bring a player. But Sara pulls the Spotify version up on their phone, and they all tune in for the first song.
Chay sometimes feels guilty for the performance he puts on around them. Pretending to be as enamored with the manufactured Wik persona as he used to now that he knows what Kim is really like; jagged edges and all. Even pretending to hear the intro track for the first time is fake. He heard the initial demo track, versions 3-7, and even provided some backing vocals in the chorus.
But Sara, Apple, and Jao have become his best friends over the years, and Wik is what brought them together. While he suspects they’d be understanding if he was a little less enthusiastic, he doesn’t want to lose the main throughline that keeps them together.
And it’s not totally a lie, he still loves Kim’s music.
He loves Kim too.
… maybe.
Chay shakes his head to dislodge his thoughts, and sees a terrible sight.
This. This is the worst thing that could happen.
He tries to distract his friends but Sara has already jumped out of her seat, knocking the chair over. Apple and Jao look at her in alarm, before following her shocked gaze.
And there, striding across the street, is Kim. Signature leather shirt, hair half tied up, and sunglasses hiding his gaze.
Chay knows that gaze is staring straight at him.
“Oh my god oh my god oh my god” Sara has started vibrating. Jao looks like he wants to shrink into himself, but keeps darting glances, and Apple looks like she doesn’t know what to do with her hands.
Kim opens the cafe door and Sara is across the room in a flash.
“Hi, Wik? I’m a huge fan. Could I get a photo with you?”
Kim looks at her, looks at Apple and Jao still at the table looking dazed, and finally looks at Chay. His sunglass gaze takes on a subtle smirk, like he just realized Chay was hanging out with Wik fans, before sliding the glasses into his hair as the Wik mask slides on to replace them.
“Of course, I always love meeting fans. Do your friends want photos too?” he eyes the album on the table, “are you listening to the album?”
Chay wants the floor to swallow him.
Chay tries to hang back as his friends get pictures, get Apple’s album signed, and Sara’s shirt. Kim is in full idol mode and Chay hasn’t seen it up close in awhile.
He hopes he can get through this without his worlds colliding in explosive destruction.
“By the way, your brother has been blowing up my phone wondering where you are. Why’d you run away without telling anyone, Angel?”
Kim still has his Wik patented smile on, but all Chay can hear is the debris falling from the crash.
“Wait…YOU’RE VIOLENT TENDENCIES EX???” Sara has dropped her phone with the new Wik selfies, her voice getting higher and louder with each word. Apple is slower at connecting the dots, but her eyes slowly widen as she whips her gaze between the two of them. Jao hadn’t been paying attention and looks thoroughly confused.
Kim looks confused, then amused, then the Wik persona melts off, melting into that fledgling new in between phase. Not quite Mafia Ice Prince, but still with a hint of dangerous amusement. Like a tiger about to play with a mouse.
Chay gets a notification ping he has saved for Namtan (He makes sure to never wait more than 2 minutes to respond to her).
[Namtan (Wik’s Manager)]: I just had the sudden onset urge to cry. Where is Kim?
Fuck.