Chapter Text
Soft, heavenly tones filled Kao’s ears, washing over him like a warm current on a freezing cold day, saving him from frostbite. The comfortable chords belonging to a song he'd heard countless times thrummed beneath the angelic voice that never failed to stave off his exhaustion.
He was lying in bed after a tiring day filled with university classes and band practice. The first thing he did upon arriving home was settle down in his safe space and stick his headphones on to combat the overstimulation he was experiencing.
Kao had to present projects for two different classes that day, which he then followed up with a four-hour practice session. It didn’t help that his band consisted of two couples, reminding him daily how alone he was in the romance department.
Sound seemed determined to make him lose his lunch by constantly pinching Win’s cheeks and calling him shy when he ducked away. Win would deny the accusation, which sent them into a whole playful argument that Kao was an unwilling witness to.
And Jun couldn’t go more than two minutes without blowing kisses in Dylan’s general direction. Dylan looked as pleased about it as Kao did. Which was to say, not at all pleased.
One might think that after spending hours playing music, he’d want to give his ears a break from the noise. And that was true, regarding most things. He was sick of hearing himself sing, for one. He’d had enough of listening to his voice echoing around the practice room for one day, he didn't even want to hear himself speak for the rest of the night.
And he didn't particularly want to hear anyone else's voice, either. He just wanted to hunker down in the safety of his bedroom, lit only by his dim bedside lamp, where nothing would disturb him.
But there was one exception. Just one voice that he always longed to have cushioning his ears, even if he was bogged down with overstimulation and wished to shut the rest of the world out.
He yearned to cling onto that voice with his fumbling fingers, and stuff it into his brain until it could never escape. Kao would never have to be alone in his head, as long as those soft tones were bouncing around in his skull, soothing him every second.
That voice belonged to his favorite singer, Peem. Or, as his YouTube channel declared him, Sweet Dreems.
The username may be written off as silly to some, but Kao thought it fit him perfectly. Peem’s voice certainly did give him sweet dreams. And his penchant for coming up with cute puns, such as adding the two ‘e’s from his name into the word Dreams, was endearing.
Kao had been following Peem’s musical journey as early as middle school, when he happened to come across a video of a boy his age singing and playing the guitar. He could instantly tell that Peem had star quality and would make something of himself one day.
He didn't know it back then, but stumbling upon that video would change the trajectory of his life.
Peem started off making cover videos of himself singing other artists’ songs. Over time, he started to write his own music, and he’d amassed quite a dedicated fanbase.
Reminiscing on Peem’s cover days made him emotional every time. Because this person whom he looked up to so much had made it in the world. He'd carved out a space for himself in the competitive music industry. Kao was proud of him, despite not knowing him personally. Such is the love and dedication of a fanboy.
Peem’s videos were what pushed him into developing his singing skills, during a pivotal time in his life when he felt like he lacked talent. Everyone around him was pressuring him to figure out how he fit into the world while he was struggling to find even one thing he liked to do.
His parents expected so much from him, always pushing him to achieve more and more. They wanted him to have his whole life planned out when he didn’t even know the first thing about how the real world worked.
At the same time, they didn’t seem all that interested in helping him foster any special skills. He was left largely alone for most of his childhood, as soon as he was old enough to look after himself.
Luckily, he was never entirely alone. Ohm was always there. Ohm had latched onto him during grade school and hadn’t let go of him ever since.
He never hesitated to invite Kao over, offering him a place to spend the night that didn’t feel so cold and empty. It helped that Ohm was a triplet, so his home was always bustling with life. It was never a dull moment when Chao and Han were around. Kao was over so often that he was practically an honorary quadruplet.
Ohm happened to be the oldest of the trio (by five minutes, but he never let them forget it), which meant he had his own room. That left Chao and Han to wreak havoc in their shared bedroom. It also meant that Ohm’s room was a safe space for Kao, somewhere he could be himself without the weight of other people's expectations dragging him down.
But still, no amount of hiding away at his best friend’s house would eliminate the need for him to figure out what his life’s purpose was. And that was where Peem came in, a beacon of sunlight breaking over the clouds in the distance and illuminating Kao with nothing more than his voice and a dream.
During a time of strife and uncertainty, Peem was his muse. His rise to fame represented hope, the belief that a small-town boy like him could do something great with his life. All he needed was dedication and faith in himself.
Kao wasn’t a natural-born singer, like Peem was. But Peem’s videos encouraged him to improve himself, to develop his skills by learning proper techniques and practicing until his voice went hoarse at times.
That was nearly ten years ago now, and he still listened to Peem’s voice every day. He’d never given up on his dream, nor his attachment to Peem as his biggest inspiration and role model.
He wasn’t a parasocial fan, or anything. He didn’t have delusions that he and Peem were the best of friends. Peem would never talk to someone like him, anyways.
He simply yearned for the euphoric peace that only Peem’s voice could bring him.
The door to his room swung open, prompting him to jump up from his relaxed position and yank his headphones off. He preferred to use headphones because they were the best way to ensure he heard every small inflection in Peem’s beautiful voice.
“You know, there’s something called knocking.”
Ohm snorted, closing the door behind him and making his way further into Kao’s room. Kao should’ve known that he wouldn’t be receiving any privacy unless he locked his door. Ohm was far too nosy for his own good, and since they shared the apartment, he felt he had free rein of the whole place.
“You’re watching Peem videos again, aren’t you? I swear, you’ve heard his voice more than you’ve heard mine.”
That was a stretch, because Ohm had been attached to his hip practically since birth. He had to be the clingiest person ever, always insisting on dragging Kao out of his room to hang out with him. He knew that if Kao was left to his own devices, he’d spend every second of his free time holed away in his room rewatching Peem's videos.
He may have a bit of an addiction. But it wasn’t hurting anyone, so it was fine.
Although, Ohm would argue that it was hurting Kao’s social life, and Ohm’s by extension. But only because he didn’t want to attend parties alone, and Kao was largely uninterested in pointless social gatherings. Which meant neither of them got out much.
Even when Ohm did manage to drag him out of his room, he’d keep one AirPod tucked away in his ear so he could still listen to the soothing tones of Peem’s voice. That was the only way he coped with being away from his comfortable, quiet bedroom.
“If you had a voice as pretty as his, I’d listen to you more often.”
Ohm plopped down on the large beanbag he had set up in the corner of the room, just a few feet away from Kao’s bed.
“I get it, you’re in love with him. Will you listen to me now?”
Kao leveled him with an unimpressed look, but tucked his phone away all the same. He didn’t bother arguing with the ridiculous sentiment, Ohm never let him live his celebrity crush down. He'd been playfully teased for his dependence on Peem for years, he was used to it.
“There. Happy?”
“Very happy. Now, you know that kid in our class…”
It turned out, Ohm's visit served a purpose. He usually didn’t need a reason to walk in like he owned the place and plop down on that beanbag chair (which was actually Ohm’s, he bought it with the express purpose of ensuring he had somewhere to lounge in Kao’s bedroom).
Ohm was invited to a party and, as usual, was hoping he could drag Kao along.
Ohm was quite popular on campus. He’d always had some special ability to make friends with anyone and everyone, from all walks of life. No matter who they were or what their interests were, Ohm managed to find common ground and charm his way into their hearts.
In fact, Ohm was even friends with Tine, the boyfriend of the lead singer of Ctrl+S. Which happened to be the number one rival of Kao’s band, Backaof.
If he remembered correctly, Ohm had said that he didn’t care about some “geeky music kid drama” and preferred that everyone would get along in a life filled with sunshine and rainbows.
Kao didn’t mind it. He was a competitive person, yes, but he had good sportsmanship. And he’d never stop Ohm from being friends with anyone when he was such a social butterfly. That would be like clipping his wings.
In any case, Kao was still his best friend. And nothing was going to change that, even if Ohm struck up a friendship with every band that was competing against his. He knew that at the end of the day, he was the one Ohm would be cheering for from the audience.
He was in the middle of turning down the invite to spend the weekend lying in bed with his headphones on when his phone chimed with a notification. He thought it was probably one of his bandmates being annoying by flirting in the group chat again, but he checked it anyways, to get him out of this conversation that he’d already had countless times.
He really didn’t see where the fun was in being surrounded by intoxicated people. And he was already overwhelmed from the rough week he'd had, so there was no hope of convincing him this time.
Surprisingly, the notification wasn't from the band’s group chat. Instead, it was from an account that had never messaged him before.
Peem’s account.
Kao had made a bit of a name for himself in the fandom. He was one of Peem’s first dedicated fans who commented on all of his music covers when he was just starting out. And later, he made music video analysis threads and lyric breakdowns for Peem's original music. So, he was easily recognized by other fans.
He promoted Peem like crazy. Seldom a day passed that he didn't post about Peem's music, and he’d earned a following from his consistency. Nothing too crazy, just a few hundred thousand followers, but enough for him to consider himself the biggest Peem fan in existence.
However, he never would’ve thought Peem himself would notice him. If he had the proper foresight, he surely would’ve chosen a less embarrassing username than Winnie the Pooh.
He was much younger when he created his YouTube and social media accounts, so he just named them after one of his childhood icons. He lacked the foresight necessary to predict that one day, they might be seen by more than just himself. And now, he was too well-known in the fandom to randomly change his username. He didn’t have any ideas for a new name, anyways.
But he was wishing that he’d scoured the internet for some better options beforehand. Because Peem had seen his username and that was so humiliating that he almost forgot to freak out over the key fact that Peem messaged him.
Sure, Peem had liked his tweets a few times when they'd gone viral amongst the fandom, and he'd even liked some comments Kao made on his posts. Kao rode those highs for days. He was one of those proud fans who would set a screenshot of the notification of Peem's like as the header of his account, until he inevitably changed it back to Peem's gorgeous face sometime later.
On those occasions, he was in the practice room smiling hard and singing with such glee that his bandmates thought he was possessed. Because his favorite singer acknowledged his existence, for just a moment, and that was enough to put a spring in his step.
But receiving a message was a lot more intense, not to mention daunting. Not only did Peem see something Kao typed and support it with his golden like button, a celebrity's secret weapon, but he'd actually gone the extra mile to take notice of his account and message him.
He let out a very uncharacteristic squeal, flinging his phone across his bed and pulling his blanket up to cover his face. He couldn’t believe what he’d just seen. There was no way the official Peem account had sent him a message. What could Peem possibly have to say to a mere fan account like him?
He didn’t even have time to read the notification past the account name before he’d taken refuge beneath his blanket, squealing and kicking his feet like he was in a cliché romance drama. He was too caught up in his fanboy antics to feel embarrassed over his erratic behavior.
Peem had messaged him. His Peem, the one he’d been following for ages, back before he even realized his passion for music. The very same passion that was fostered by Peem himself.
Peem knew he existed as more than just words on a screen. He acknowledged that there was an actual person behind the account, someone Peem could even chat with, if he so wished.
“What are you doing?” Ohm sounded confused and a bit concerned, which was understandable. Kao wasn’t one to make such embarrassing noises and act like a schoolgirl with a crush. But he could hardly help it, his cheeks were already heating up at the mere implication that Peem was aware of his existence.
Kao could only squeak as he used his blanket-covered hands to gesture towards the general direction he'd thrown his phone. Ohm must've gotten the gist, because after some shuffling, he was letting out a dramatic gasp. “Peem messaged you? And you didn’t read it immediately?”
Kao pulled the blanket down just enough to expose his eyes, then shook his head slowly. He knew his face was red beyond belief, and if he tried to speak, he’d surely scream. There was no way he’d be able to read the message. At least, not without properly preparing himself first.
But he didn’t think he’d ever be prepared. Forget reading the message, he’d burst into flames as soon as he set his sights on Peem’s profile picture. It was a homey image of him smiling while playing the guitar, with those lovely dimples pressing into his cheeks. Kao wouldn't survive seeing that photo in his inbox.
He’d have to wait days, weeks, maybe even months before he could muster up the courage to-
“Woah! He says he’s in love with you for being his biggest fan!”
“WHAT?” Kao burst forth from his blanket fortress, abandoning it like a caterpillar shedding its cocoon. Born anew, he snatched his phone from Ohm’s hand. Of course, his nosy best friend would read the message before he was able to. But he couldn’t even be angry about that, because he was too busy staring at the screen.
There, in plain sight, sat a few messages from Peem. Apparently, he was the type of texter who’d send multiple messages rather than one big block of text. That fit right in with Peem's eager nature.
Of course, Peem wasn’t actually declaring his love, as Ohm had teased. That would be crazy. Not that Kao would mind being the object of Peem’s affection…
He had to set those delusional thoughts aside to focus on the task at hand. He took a deep breath so his hands would stop shaking the phone too much to read the words.
Hi there! I’m Peem. But you probably knew that already, right? Haha! I wanted to thank you for being such a dedicated fan and sticking with me all this time. I remember seeing your comments back when I had barely any followers!
He couldn’t believe that Peem even knew his name. His username, at least. And he somehow knew that Kao had been following him for years, putting his blood, sweat and tears into his fan account.
Why was it so embarrassing to have the object of your dedication acknowledge your efforts to support them?
I have more to say, but I’d like to say it in person. If it’s possible, would you like to meet at the Wednesday Club? It’s a bar in town.
Kao knew the club well. In fact, that was the very place Ohm had successfully dragged him to a few times, when he was feeling in a slightly more social mood than usual. But how could Peem possibly know about it? He didn’t even live in the same city as Kao, as far as he knew.
There was a third message, like Peem had thought better of how the last one ended and rushed to explain himself.
I’m not being creepy, you mentioned the city you live in before! You should be careful, stranger danger. But don’t worry, I’m legit! Here’s a picture to prove it!
Now that Kao thought about it, he did mention his city on his account, but only once. He'd posted about a tour Peem was going on a few months ago, complaining that he wasn't coming anywhere near his city, so he wouldn't be able to go.
But how did Peem see that post? It wasn't one of his viral ones. Did Peem stalk his account or something?
Surely not, Peem had much better things to do with his time.
Below this message was a selfie from Peem. He wore that soft smile that was synonymous with his image, and he held up a piece of paper with “Hi, Winnie The Pooh!,” written on it in yellow marker. He'd even drawn a small picture of the actual Winnie the Pooh in the bottom right corner, complete with his honey pot on his lap.
He looked so cute, even cuter than usual. His hair was slightly wavy, framing his forehead perfectly. His eyes were sparkling like tiny suns, and they were made no less bright and lively from being a 2D image. His rounded, rosy cheeks were perfectly dimpled, and his cute little smile was showing just a hint of his teeth.
Even being transposed into pixels on a screen couldn’t devalue his natural beauty.
Being such a dedicated fan, Kao knew for a fact that this image hadn't been posted anywhere before.
Not that Peem had to go that extra mile to get Kao to believe it was really him. He was already drowning in euphoria from receiving a personal message from Peem. Even if there were any red flags indicating it was a scam, Kao would be too seeped in delusion to care.
Ohm was looking at the screen over his shoulder. “He kind of texts like a loser.”
Kao rounded on him with a glare. Peem's texting habits were adorable, he could already tell as much just from the few messages he'd seen. “Don’t call him a loser!”
His love-struck smile slid into place the second he turned back to the screen. He roamed his eyes over the words and analyzed every bit of the image, as if there was a secret message that only Peem's most loyal fan would be able to decipher.
Which was him, of course.
Was it really possible that his idol wanted to meet him?
“Well, are you going to respond?”
“Don’t rush me!” Kao attempted to sound firm, but he just came across as whiny. There was no use trying to keep his cool where Peem was involved, anyway. He'd gladly make a fool out of himself in front of a crowd of hundreds of people, if Peem told him to.
He spent a few more minutes gazing adoringly at the photo, this little slice of heaven that was gifted especially to him. Peem had given him such a lovely present on top of providing him with boundless inspiration, there was no way he’d be able to make up for everything Peem had done for him in this lifetime.
Alas, he eventually had to stop his lovesick musings and steel himself to come up with a response that didn’t make him sound like an idiot.
With Ohm’s assistance, he managed to type something that was a decent balance of “excited fan” and “totally normal person who wasn’t jumping out of his skin.”
Hey! It’s such a pleasant surprise to hear from you. I’ve been following your work for a while, I’m glad you noticed. I’d love to meet you there, I’m actually a regular.
He was surprised when his message was seen almost as quickly as it was sent. The little “read” written underneath it was enough for him to drop his phone and hide under his blanket again.
“Oh, come on, you were doing so well.” Ohm sighed, once again picking up the phone.
“I’ll read the message to you.” Ohm softened his tone, speaking in an exaggerated sing-song voice. “That’s perfect! What day would work best for you? Also, I’m madly in love with you. Please marry me!”
Kao groaned, blindly swinging his leg out, hoping to kick Ohm. He was proven successful when his leg connected with Ohm’s stomach, pulling a winded gasp out of him. “Stop that, don’t play with a fanboy’s feelings! It’s dangerous, you know.”
Ohm laughed, not at all bothered by the kick or the threat. “You couldn’t hurt a fly, even if you wanted to. You’re too busy daydreaming about Peem.”
Kao huffed, but decided to change tactics by grabbing his pillow and hurling it at Ohm’s head. Unfortunately, Ohm swiftly dodged it.
“God forbid a boy has a role model.”
“More like a crush. Now, hurry up and respond before he thinks you're ghosting him.”
After a few much-needed squealing seasons under his blanket, he managed to set up a meeting with Peem for the end of the week.
It was surreal. Kao had run out of words to describe how unbelievable this situation was.
That didn’t mean he’d stopped trying, though. He’d been running his mouth to his bandmates every day since, gushing over how he would get to meet his idol.
“Too bad he’ll run away screaming when he realizes you’re his stalker.” Jun snorted from where he had his arm flung over Dylan’s shoulder, who was pretending to be agitated by the touch. He wasn’t fooling anyone, the redness tinting his ears was clear as day.
They were taking a break from practicing their set list, which just meant Kao was granted the golden opportunity to ramble about how excited he was to see Peem in person.
His bandmates quickly tired of hearing about it, but he considered it payback for always being clingy and annoying with their partners in his presence. If he had to endure watching two couples being so sweet that he got cavities, they could handle hearing about his fanboy daydreams.
“I don’t stalk him, I’m just his biggest fan! There’s a very important difference.”
“Oh yeah, what’s the difference? Is it that you don’t know his address yet?” Win piped up next, not even sparing a glance in Kao's direction. He was too busy changing the strings of Sound’s guitar, like a proper whipped boyfriend. Whenever Jun asked Win to change his strings, all he got was flipped off.
It seemed nobody had his back about his fanboy escapades. Some bandmates they were.
“Don’t listen to them, Kao. I think the meeting will go great.”
Sound’s voice was like an olive branch, offered to a desperate man who would take anything he could get. A light at the end of the tunnel, a helping hand outstretched to a dying man. He turned towards Sound, looking at him like he was the answer to all of his prayers.
“You really think so?”
Sound’s mouth twisted into something vaguely sinister, his shoulders shaking from barely held back laughs. “Of course. I think you’ll at least get to speak two sentences before he runs away.”
Kao groaned, hanging his head in a mopey fashion. His friends had no hope in his ability to charm Peem into believing he wasn’t a little too obsessed with him.
But then, a single pat on the back brought him out of his gloom. “Don’t look like a sad dog. We’re just joking, you know? It will go great.”
Kao eyed Sound with suspicion, waiting for him to start laughing again. But that moment never came, as Sound maintained his smile and even offered a few more pity pats, as if Kao really was a sad dog.
A glance around the room confirmed all of them were in consensus with Sound, offering slight nods to show their agreement.
Even Dylan took a break from glaring at Jun to look at Kao. “Obviously, these idiots are all rooting for you… and I am, too.”
He was used to their banter and wasn’t usually sensitive enough to take their words to heart. But one thing he loved about them was their ability to sense when he was actually down in the dumps and turn down the teasing in favor of showing their support.
With his bandmates and Ohm on his side, he could scrounge up the courage to not make a fool out of himself in front of his idol. It was just one meeting. He would walk in and stay calm, have a normal conversation with Peem, then walk back out. He wouldn’t do anything weird, he wouldn’t embarrass himself and most importantly, he wouldn’t make himself look like an obsessed, stalker fan.
This would be their first and only meeting, so he had to make it count. That way, Peem would have a good experience with a person who’d been supporting him for so long. And Kao would have a fond memory to cherish for the rest of his life. Something to think about when he was having a bad day, or when he was lacking motivation. Something to keep his creativity flowing when he was close to giving up.
He could do this.
He couldn’t do this.
He’d just walked into the Wednesday Club, and it was stuffed full of people. It was a Friday night, so it was only natural. He briefly wished he could've met Peem on a slower day, where his attention wouldn't be tugged every which way to ensure he didn't get stepped on or tripped over.
When he was on the small stages he'd performed on, the audience was mostly in front of him. He grew used to performing like that, with all eyes on him, but only from one side. When he was surrounded on all sides like this, it made him feel like a caged dog.
He was dressed to the nines, clothes carefully picked out and hair styled to perfection. He’d even ironed his clothes, which he never did. It was safe to say he was beyond excited to meet his biggest inspiration in person.
Ohm came along for moral support. Except, he immediately ran off to grab himself a drink, leaving Kao alone, so there was no support to be seen.
His bandmates had offered to come, too. Or rather, Sound suggested they attend as Win groaned about not wanting to watch Kao acting like a crazed fan, because he’d be filled with secondhand embarrassment.
He had a point. Ohm had been the only one to witness Kao in his full-on fanboy mode. And that was just with a few messages from Peem, who knew what he would do when he actually saw him in person.
Sound and Jun were too nosy for their own good. They would definitely drag their partners along if given the chance, only to watch as Kao attempted to stutter his way through a sentence.
He determined he was better off with only Ohm (and the other strangers dispersed around the club) as his audience.
His worries drained out of him as soon as he saw Peem.
He was sitting on a small stage, in front of a microphone stand. His trusty guitar was slung around his neck, and he appeared to be strumming a few cords in preparation. The microphone wasn’t on, and yet, his voice reached Kao above the hustle and bustle of the other patrons.
In fact, Peem was all he could hear, and all he could see. The rest of the world fell away around him, leaving only him and his idol.
Kao noticed the smallest detail of Peem's appearance, even down to the way he tucked his necklaces into his shirt. That was a charming habit of his, though Kao didn’t know what the purpose was. But anything Peem did would make him unbearably attractive, he didn’t even have to try. His presence automatically lit up any room he walked into.
There was a bracelet adorning Peem's wrist, a simple yellow string with a guitar charm hanging off it.
Yellow and green were Peem's favorite colors, and they fit him perfectly. Not only did he look stunning whenever he wore yellow or green (although, he looked angelic no matter what his wardrobe was), but the meanings behind the colors seemed to be written with Peem in mind.
Yellow symbolized happiness, optimism and boundless energy. Peem was a bright sunny day, his endless rays of sunshine washing over Kao every time he heard his voice. Peem was an optimist, always finding the bright side of situations. He started all of his YouTube videos with his catchphrase, “My name is Peem, and I'll help you have a sweet dream.”
Green represented nature, growth and safety. Peem was a breath of fresh air, a presence anyone could feel comfortable around. He also had a hobby of growing flowers in his back garden. And just like those flowers, he'd organically grown from a small-town boy singing covers in his bedroom to a successful singer. His music provided his fans with a safe space, someone to turn to when they needed cheering up.
Of course, Kao knew all of these things because he was Peem's biggest fan.
If Kao focused hard enough, he could also hear the gentle tones of Peem's guitar, carried towards him despite all the interference. Peem was all soft sweaters and relaxing notes, the perfect picture of safety and serenity.
He was even more beautiful in person. The delicate slope of his neck was home to an artful trail of moles, which Kao could only make out from this distance because he already knew their exact locations. His eyes were trained to follow that line of beauty marks, all the way to the one sitting peacefully on the tip of his nose.
He was an angel amongst men, a twinkling star cast down to Earth to provide melancholic mortals with something to believe in. And he did his job well, for who felt lost in the world flocked to him like birds, ready to listen to every word that fell from his honey-sweet lips.
He couldn’t possibly face Peem. He probably had some very specific idea of what his biggest fan would look like, and Kao certainly didn’t fit the mold.
Seeing as he went by Winnie online and people assumed most fan accounts were run by women, he was frequently mistaken as a girl. He never corrected anyone who referred to him as such, because he wanted to keep as much anonymity as possible.
Ohm and his bandmates were the only ones who knew he was the one behind the account. And that was only because he spent so much time with them that it was impossible to hide how much he was checking his phone. And he trusted them to not expose his secret fan account to anyone else.
But he wasn’t some pretty girl who could woo Peem with her soft voice, or even a gorgeous man with a sunshine smile who would look right at home hanging off Peem’s arm.
He was just… Kao, this awkward being with lanky arms he didn’t know what to do with and a mouth that couldn't form words anymore.
He was sweating like crazy, so he had to keep wiping his forehead with paper towels he found at the bar. He didn’t dare to approach Peem, he knew he would do something to make himself look silly. Which left him standing aimlessly in the crowd, enduring shoves here and there from tipsy strangers.
Peem looked around the room every few minutes, scanning all the people milling about. He was clearly searching for someone. He was looking for Kao, but of course, Peem's gaze kept moving right over him, never actually stopping on his target. He didn't stand out in a crowd, and Peem would never assume someone like him would be his biggest fan.
But Peem’s lips pouted out slightly each time his search warranted no results, a tiny wrinkle forming between his eyebrows. And Kao felt so bad for putting that expression on that perfect, godly face. But it couldn’t be helped, he was too much of a coward to do anything about it.
Peem’s microphone was switched on, and his enchanting voice reverberated through every bone in Kao’s body, shaking him up like crazy.
“Hello, everyone! I’m Peem, but you might know me as Sweet Dreems. I’ll be performing here for the night.”
He smiled politely at the claps and excited cheers that erupted from his introduction, even doing a cute little half-bow from his sitting position. He waited until the noise died down to continue.
“Actually, I’m supposed to be meeting someone tonight. I wonder if they’re already here?” He scanned his gaze over the dimly lit bar again, squinting as if that would enhance his vision. When he came up empty, he offered a chuckle, seamlessly playing it off in a way that didn’t make him look ridiculous.
Kao didn’t know how he did it. If he was the one up on that stage, searching the crowd like that, he’d feel beyond silly.
“Maybe they’re shy. That’s alright, I’ll sing a song first.”
Peem’s fingers were already strumming the guitar strings in practiced motions the second he finished speaking. He didn’t look down to watch himself play, instead electing to smile at the audience, his sparkly eyes still shifting around the room.
His voice was even more angelic in person. It filled Kao's senses with a euphoria he’d never before experienced, those gentle words wrapping his brain in a warm caress, a delicate promise. A promise of what, Kao wasn’t sure. But he wanted to find out.
Peem’s hair was curled slightly in that signature style he seemed to love, the gossamer strands resting elegantly against the sides of his forehead. His perfect lips felt sinful to look at, but Kao’s gaze couldn’t help but wander to them, watching as they formed the words of his heavenly song.
He was a singing angel, a siren tempting Kao forward with his voice. And Kao was helpless to his tantalizing call. His body was moving forward without his permission, as he remained transfixed on the comforting, joyful figure of Peem doing what he loved most in the world: performing. He was completely entranced. Starstruck.
He was used to Peem being completely unattainable. But now, he was only a few feet away, singing with that sweet voice.
That very same voice that Kao had listened to every day for years of his life. The voice that appeared in his dreams more times than he could count.
At that moment, Peem’s eyes finally landed on him. His irises were striking, reflecting the lights of the club. Kao could make out the second that Peem registered his presence coming closer, singling him out from the crowd as his pretty lips curled up a bit more in the corners, like he’d just received a precious gift. Like he’d spent tireless days and nights begging for a fresh, new toy, and it was walking towards him in the form of Kao.
It was too much. He couldn’t handle the stifling heat, the suffocating weight of having such an important person’s gaze on him. His cheeks were heating up like never before, making him feel like he was being boiled alive as a part of some higher power’s birthday dinner. A silly little human sitting helplessly in a pot on some alien’s stove.
He turned around so quickly that he was sure he would’ve gotten whiplash if adrenaline wasn’t running hot in his veins, sending his blood rushing to every part of his body as his heart thundered in his chest.
He stomped over to the bar, mentally cursing Ohm for leaving him alone. He was almost certain he could still feel that significant gaze trained on him, so he had to act quickly to lose Peem’s attention before he exploded. He was a bomb waiting to go off, and Peem's gorgeous eyes were the trigger he needed to be blown to bits.
The song ended as Kao was recuperating, leaning his head against the bartop, and Peem took that opportunity to speak once again. “Don’t be shy, okay? I’m really nice.”
Kao almost squealed from his sheer cuteness. But he was in public, so he contained himself.
Why did it almost feel like Peem knew everything about him? Like he could tell that Kao was the elusive Winnie the Pooh, but was too anxious to make himself known?
That wasn’t possible. Peem was just innocently imploring his fan to rise above the crowd and meet him as promised.
He couldn’t expose himself as Peem’s number one fan. But at the same time, he would feel guilty if he left his idol waiting for someone who would never show up.
A rather pitiful idea came to mind, but he was so desperate that he clung to it as his last hope for at least receiving something out of this blunder.
He gripped onto Ohm’s sleeve, tugging insistently and almost making him choke on his drink. Ohm attempted to complain, but Kao cut him off before he could get two words out.
“You have to meet Peem in my place.”
Ohm’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he set his glass down. “What are you talking about? Why would I do that?”
Kao scrubbed his hands down his face, attempting to catch his breath and calm the panic that was sweeping through his body long enough to get his words out.
“I can’t do it, Ohm. What would he do if he knew I was his biggest fan?
Ohm offered a bewildered shrug. “He’d probably have a conversation with you to express his gratitude?”
Kao didn’t think it would be that easy. Peem was an angel who would probably hide his disappointment when he realized who his biggest fan really was, but Kao knew it would be there. Underneath that beautiful smile and soft voice, Peem would be let down.
“Will you just help me, Ohm? I never ask you for favors, and you owe me like a hundred.”
Luckily, Ohm could tell that he was seriously troubled, so he went along without much of a fight. “Alright, I will. But we’re talking more about this later.”
“I’ll do anything you want later, just go up there right now and pretend to be me.”
Ohm took one last look at his pitiful pleading expression before letting out a resigned sigh and downing the rest of his drink.
Ohm made his way to the stage without hesitation, and Kao wished he had as much confidence in himself.
Peem had turned the microphone off as he prepared for the next song.
Which meant Kao had to find a seat very close to the stage to eavesdrop. Being so close, he had to work extra hard to look nonchalant, like he wasn’t internally freaking out over having his idol so close.
Ohm approached the stage, causing Peem to abruptly halt his playful strumming and look up from his guitar. Kao's heart ached in his chest at the way Peem perked up like an excited puppy, his smile wide and beautiful. If only Kao had been a bit braver, that smile would’ve been directed towards him.
“Are you Winnie the Pooh?”
Kao cringed at the sound of his embarrassing username falling from those pretty lips, and a subtle glance proved that Ohm was sporting a sheepish smile. “Yeah, that’s me. It’s a really old username. Nostalgic, you know?”
“I wasn’t judging. I think it’s cute.”
Was Peem… flirting with Ohm?
No, he couldn't be. He was just exceptionally nice to everyone he came across. The type of person whom people fell for after the first meeting, because he was simply too sweet and pretty to be real.
Interestingly, Peem didn't mention that he was expecting a girl. Kao should've known he was an unassuming angel who wouldn't judge someone by their gender.
Peem put his guitar down and stepped off the stage, leading Ohm over to a table that luckily wasn’t too far from where Kao was sitting.
They started chatting, but unfortunately, the club experienced a sudden surge of patrons at that moment, which made it harder to strain his ears to listen. Not to mention, another singer had taken over during Peem’s break, filling the room with even more noise.
He could only catch bits and pieces of the conversation.
“Do you have a favorite song of mine?”
Crap. He’d recruited Ohm so abruptly, he didn’t have any time to coach him on Peem content so he didn’t end up looking like a fake fan. He didn’t want Ohm to smear his name.
“The one where you sing, of course!” Ohm gave a casual laugh, playing off his ignorance. “I can’t possibly choose just one.”
He was much better at playing cool than Kao was. Then again, Ohm wasn’t talking to his idol, just a person his best friend happened to be obsessed with.
Ohm was also more personable than him. He held a certain charm that Kao had never been able to learn. He could only hope it was enough to fool Peem, who was the master of charm himself.
It seemed like Peem bought it, because he launched into an explanation for his invite.
“I wanted to tell you in person that your support helped me when I wasn't sure where my career was heading.”
Their discussion was drowned out by the murmur of the crowd again, but Kao felt like he needed to hear this. He got up from his seat and meandered closer to their table. He tried to look like he was standing around pointlessly rather than eavesdropping.
“Whenever I post a new video or release new music, I know I'll see you posting about it. I saw your lyric analysis of every song, by the way. They’re really good, it was almost like you read my mind when I was writing them.”
Kao didn't even know how to begin unpacking his feelings. He always wondered how accurate his analysis was, and to hear straight from Peem's mouth that his interpretations were correct was the highest form of praise. Not only that, but Peem had apparently been keeping up with his account. At least, enough to see every lyric breakdown and give them his stamp of approval.
It almost sounded like Peem was the fanboy here, and Ohm- or well, Winnie the Pooh - was the person with ten million followers. Did Peem even know how much weight his words held? How much power his music had over others?
Kao kind of wished he was being told this to his face. His poor fanboy heart may have stopped, but it would've been worth it to receive such high compliments from Peem. Still, hearing it indirectly was more than enough for him to live off the high for the rest of his life.
He hoped Peem only saw the serious lyric breakdowns and not the ones where he was messing around and said things like, “This song is actually about me, because he's my boyfriend.” He would die of embarrassment if Peem saw any of the more delusional posts he made.
Ohm was smiling, way more casually than Kao would be if he had Peem practically gushing to him about how accurate his analysis was.
“It’s my pleasure. I’ll keep supporting you until my fingers fall off from typing so much.”
Peem laughed. It was a soft, pretty sound. The light, tinkling laughter of a garden fairy on their break from spreading pollen to attract bees to the lush flowers. Kao had to clutch at his chest so that his heart didn’t beat right out of it. He wanted to hear that glorious sound every day for the rest of his life.
“Let’s protect the safety of your fingers. If it gets too tiring, you don’t have to post so much. I wouldn’t want my biggest fan to get hurt.”
Peem turned to the side, shifting through a bag that Kao hadn’t noticed before. “I wanted to give you something as a token of my appreciation.” He pulled out a bundle of fabric, which he straightened out with a sheepish laugh. “It’s a bit wrinkled, but it’s one of a kind.”
Peem handed the object over to Ohm, who took it with a grateful smile. “It’s perfect, thank you. Now I’ll have to post about you until my hands fall off.”
That got Peem laughing again, as he pointed towards something that Kao couldn’t see. “I signed it. A consolation prize to look at when you lose your fingers.”
Peem seemed really happy to be talking to Ohm. They got along well.
Kao didn’t know why that made his chest feel a little hollow. He supposed he wished he was sitting there in Ohm’s place, which was supposed to belong to him anyway.
“Do you have anything else to do tonight? I was hoping I could play some more songs for you.”
Ohm’s eyes roamed over to Kao, unsure of how to respond. Kao tried to signal for him to stop looking because he was about to risk his cover, but it was too late. Peem was already gazing in his direction with a warm smile that threatened to burrow its way into Kao’s chest and set him on fire from the inside out.
“Is that your friend? He can stay too, of course!
That was how Kao ended up sharing a table with Ohm as Peem basically serenaded them for the rest of the night.
He was singing all of Kao’s favorite songs, almost as if he’d crafted the setlist out of Kao’s wildest imagination. It was perfect. Peem was perfect. His voice was able to calm Kao even more effectively in person. Kao couldn’t stop smiling as he lost himself in the music.
There was just one thing that was baffling him. He swore Peem's gaze kept wandering over to him instead of Ohm. It made him shudder every time, and he sheepishly broke eye contact to stare down at the table until he felt safe enough to glance at Peem again.
He risked getting caught staring, because he couldn't miss the sight that was so graciously gifted to him. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so he'd greedily soak up the chance to bask in Peem's otherworldly presence.
When Peem's set came to an end, he said his goodbyes to the audience, and Kao thought that was the last he'd see of him. Imagine his surprise when instead of disappearing into some staff room or leaving through a side exit, Peem approached their table. He was sure that his blood completely froze along with his heart, which stopped beating, turning him into a glorified statue.
Even worse, Peem was smiling at him, not at Ohm. “Are you a fan, too?”
Kao looked up at him like a deer in headlights, and his throat struggled around nothing, speech failing him. His idol was looking directly at him with his irises twinkling like the brightest stars, and he’d stolen the breath right out of Kao’s lungs.
Ohm jumped in to save him. “Kao had a bit too much to drink, excuse his lack of literacy. He’s heard your music, since we live together.”
Peem nodded in understanding, turning to Ohm. “It was nice meeting you. Let's talk again some other time.”
With one last smile aimed towards Kao, he was gone.
He walked off like it was nothing. Like he hadn’t reached into Kao’s chest and grabbed onto his still-beating heart, squeezing it between his fingers. At that point, the clenching of Peem’s fingers may have been the only thing that was keeping his heart beating.
Ohm snapped his fingers in front of his face. “Hello? Are you back from fanboy planet?”
Kao didn’t bother glaring or complaining, as he might on some other day. Instead, as soon as he snapped out of his trance, he bombarded Ohm with questions.
“Did he smell nice? What did he smell like? Was he even prettier up close? Were his hands soft?”
“Woah, one question at a time.” Ohm rudely cut off his interrogation. “Actually, never mind, I can’t answer any of those weird questions. But, he did say he’s going to start playing here more often. Apparently, he moved into town.”
The gasp Kao inhaled was so intense that he was sure he could’ve swallowed the entire world with it. It was like the opposite of the huff and puff from the Big Bad Wolf that blew down the houses of the Three Little Pigs. If that was the case, then Kao was the Big Bad Fanboy who would inhale the planet with his Peem-induced gasping and wheezing.
His idol was now living in the same town as him. He would regularly play at a club that was very close to Kao’s campus. Theoretically, this meant Kao would be able to watch him sing as often as he wanted.
It was too much, his head was spinning.
It didn’t make the most sense, though. Peem had a healthy fan base and could sell out concert stadiums, so why was he switching to performing at a club?
Sure, there was an entry fee of 500 baht, but that didn’t seem like enough for his services. Not to mention, a large cut of that would go to the owners of the club. Whatever payment Peem received would surely be lackluster in comparison to his usual paychecks.
Why exactly did Peem leave behind larger stages for this place?
Something hit him in the face, forcing him out of his frozen state. It was the shirt Peem had given to Ohm.
He didn’t even gripe at Ohm for throwing it at him. Instead, he unfurled it with clumsy, eager fingers.
Printed on the front was an artwork of Samruay, the mascot of Peem’s YouTube channel. A cute, charming sloth that ate gold coins and napped all day. Samruay had existed ever since Peem first started writing his own music, years ago. Kao had several Samruay plushies and keychains along with his rather extensive collection of Peem merch.
This particular image of Samruay winking while waving with a gold coin in his hand was one he’d never seen before. Peem must’ve commissioned an artist to draw this specific artwork, just for him. Not to mention, Peem's signature was written in the corner in loopy handwriting.
Kao shoved the fabric against his face, giggling like a maniac. Peem had given him a gift, showing his appreciation for how hard Kao worked to promote his music. He would treasure it as his most valuable possession.
He was already thinking about where he could hang it up in his room. Because such a precious present wasn’t meant to be worn like any old clothing. Kao would iron it once to get rid of the wrinkles, then never touch it again, so it would remain pristine.
Peem really was an angel. And he was cast down from heaven to bestow his brilliance onto Kao, and to lend his creativity to anyone who needed it. Kao happened to be the one who’d needed it the most, even turning it into inspiration for his own music.
Ohm had been trying to capture his attention, but Kao was too busy being lost in his own world, a place where only he and Peem existed. He retained just enough of his wits to hear Ohm grumble that he wasn’t going to sit here talking to himself all night, and that Kao could feel free to call him whenever he was able to hold a normal conversation again.
Kao didn’t know how long he stayed there by himself, alternating between sipping on a glass of water and admiring his new shirt in between lovesick sighs. The voice of the singer that had replaced Peem was flowing into his ears, but he didn’t hear a second of it. He only heard Peem’s voice.
So many song lyrics were filling his head, playing in his brain all at the same time, until it was a mess that only Kao could understand.
The lyrics were all Peem’s, of course.
It wasn’t until the second singer was also taking a break that Kao realized he’d spent far too long alone with his own thoughts. And so, he decided it was time to go home.
But as soon as he was outside, he was greeted with an unexpected sight.
Peem was standing in the parking lot, with his arms crossed over his chest. He was looking down at a car which presumably belonged to him, with his eyebrows pinched in confusion and a slight pout on his lips.
Kao quickly shoved the Samruay shirt into his pocket, lamenting how it would only become more wrinkled from being balled up. He couldn’t risk Peem realizing he was the real Winnie the Pooh.
He debated turning around and walking off in another direction, but his car was too close to Peem’s for him to slip away unnoticed.
Peem spotted him before he could think of an escape plan. He waved at Kao with a wide smile, showing off his darling dimples. “Hey! You’re Kao, right?”
He was shocked that Peem bothered to remember his name when he hadn’t so much as spoken one word earlier.
He cleared his throat, willing the heat in his cheeks to subside as he gave a subdued nod. “Yeah, that’s me.” He gestured towards Peem’s car. “Is there something wrong?”
The pout Peem gave in response would’ve caused him to pass out if he wasn’t trying so hard to keep his cool. He filed away the mental image to revisit later, when he could fanboy to his heart's content, rolling around in bed and squealing into his pillow.
“I don’t know, it won’t start. I have no idea about cars.”
Who knew even a celebrity could have car trouble?
Kao wasn’t the most well-versed in automobiles either, but he knew a thing or two. He came to stand beside Peem, despite his fight or flight response telling him to high-tail it out of there.
It wouldn’t feel right to leave Peem there, stranded. Who knew what could happen to him? Kao had to make sure he got home safely.
But once he was at Peem’s side, his body froze. It was easier to keep his cool from a distance. Being so close had panic flooding his veins, his thoughts racing a mile a minute. He didn't want to embarrass himself in front of Peem.
All at once, three of his earlier questions to Ohm were answered. Peem did smell nice, like honey and vanilla and everything good in this world. His scent was the perfect sweetness, befitting an angel such as himself.
And he was even prettier up close, somehow. Peem's beauty always struck him down to his core, whether through pixels on a screen or on the cover of a magazine. Now, he was so close that he could make out microscopic details the camera never got to see, down to the placement of each eyebrow hair.
His idol was right next to him, but he was choking on his words before they could even come out. How could he help Peem when he couldn’t even keep himself calm?
Peem noticed his sudden panic, and switched from being worried about the car to being concerned about him.
Peem pulled an unopened water bottle out of his bag, twisting the cap open and handing it to Kao. Once Kao dumbly took the bottle, Peem started to rub his closest shoulder while giving him that sweet, understanding look of his.
“You look stressed, take your time. I’m not going anywhere, clearly.”
Peem joked with that delightful smile, trying to lighten the mood. It was as if he could tell that Kao’s entire world was crashing down around him and he needed someone to comfort him, even if that person was the very same man who’d pulled the rug out from under him by merely existing.
“It’s okay. Drink this, it might help.” His voice was just as sweet and melodic as his music, and Kao couldn’t possibly disobey his command.
And so, he took a sip of the water, just to appease Peem. But it actually did soothe his dry throat, enough for him to let out a deep sigh once he was finished drinking.
Peem's hand gave his shoulder a little squeeze, prompting him to look into those celestial eyes that held every secret to the universe.
“Hey, what kind of park is the most fun?”
Kao blinked in confusion, mindlessly screwing the cap back on the bottle. The question was so sudden that his muddled brain couldn't make sense of it. Especially when Peem was looking at him expectantly, with those big boba eyes of his.
“Ahh, can't think of it? I'll tell you… an amusement park!”
Peem’s lips quirked into a little grin, clearly proud of himself for his silly joke.
“Cute.”
That was the singular word running through his mind, although he hadn't meant to say it out loud. He didn't even realize he'd spoken until Peem's lips parted in surprise.
If he didn't know any better, he'd say Peem's cheeks had colored a bit.
Peem’s hand left his shoulder, and he found himself missing the touch. Peem’s smile had turned shy, though he was trying to laugh it off. “I only meant to make you smile, but I'll take that compliment.”
Kao turned his attention back to the car. He couldn't spend a single second longer watching that tempting flush spread across Peem's face. He had to hurry and help Peem with his car so he could run home and scream into his pillow.
“What happened?”
Peem smiled sheepishly, letting out a slightly nervous laugh. “Well, before I went in, I gave my keys to someone who said they were a parking valet. After my set, I spoke with the owner for a while. When I came back out here, it was abandoned like this with the keys just sitting inside.” He spared another glance at the car. “I did think it was strange for a club to have a valet service.”
He was so cute and naive, always believing the best in everyone. He really was just like Kao had imagined him.
“You have to be careful around here. People may not be as trustworthy as where you’re from.” Kao gestured towards the car. “Pop the hood, I’ll take a look.”
Peem maintained his smile, blinking cluelessly. “Sure!”
Peem had no idea what he was asking for. He really didn’t know the first thing about cars, not even such basic information. Kao bit back a smile and narrowly avoided letting out a little laugh.
“Push the button under the dashboard on the driver’s side.”
“Right, I knew that.” Peem rushed to follow Kao’s instruction, and the issue became immediately clear as soon as Kao had the hood propped open.
“Someone unplugged the battery.”
Kao reconnected the two cables to their proper places, then told Peem to turn the car on. It started like usual, so his very short-lived job was complete. He closed the hood so Peem could be on his way.
But instead of keeping the car switched on so he could leave, Peem turned it back off and joined Kao at the hood again.
“Oh, that was such a quick fix! I thought I would have to call a mechanic!” He gave a few impressed claps, congratulating Kao on a job well done, when he hadn’t really done much of anything. Anyone would be able to reconnect the cables. Anyone except for Peem, apparently. “Thank you so much!”
Having those shiny eyes on him as Peem expressed his gratitude was stealing his breath again. He had to clear his throat and brush his fingers through his hair in a gesture of false nonchalance to regain a semblance of composure.
“Don’t thank me yet. Why do you think someone would tamper with your car without stealing anything?”
Peem tilted his head to the side, puckering his lips in thought, as if that single action wasn’t enough to drive Kao up the wall. Peem’s eyes lit up and he nodded, excited to have come to a conclusion. “Ah, I got it! They wanted to play a prank on the new guy!”
As cute as his naivety was, it was also worrying. Kao found himself wishing he could keep Peem tucked to his side, just to make sure nobody took advantage of his kindness and unassuming nature. His natural instinct to see the best in everyone was dangerous, and he needed a bit of a reality check.
“I don’t think that’s it. They were probably planning to distract you so they could rob you. You should get out of here.”
All at once, Peem’s smile fell, and Kao almost regretted being honest. He’d heard stories about people luring victims into a vulnerable position, bent over their car to fix something, just so they could be grabbed from behind and robbed.
And Peem was a well-known figure, so he was the perfect target. His pockets would surely be lined with cash, or at the very least, a card they could quickly withdraw the funds from.
They just didn’t account for the fact that Peem didn’t even know how to pop the hood of his car. Thus, he wouldn’t be tinkering around, leaving him distracted enough to be caught off guard.
“Rob me, really?” Peem looked around, as if he’d catch sight of some criminal wearing an all-black outfit to lay the blame on, before his gaze landed on Kao again. “But, I don’t think they’d attack me while you’re here, right?”
Peem seemed to love touching, for he placed his hand upon Kao's arm while blinking sweetly at him. Was he fluttering his eyelashes like that on purpose?
It kind of seemed like Peem didn’t want to leave, for some bizarre reason.
The touch to his arm gave him the answer to his last question. Peem’s hands were soft, softer than any cloud, and they held Kao's entire livelihood in them.
Peem had no idea how much of an effect he had on Kao's life.
“As long as you’re here, I’m safe.”
He didn’t know why Peem was so sure he was safe in Kao’s presence. But he did know that flames were licking across his cheeks, he could only hope it was too dark outside for Peem to notice.
“Yeah, I won’t let anything happen to you.”
He felt ridiculous as soon as the words left his mouth, like some average man playing the hero. The type who would get way in over his head and end up causing more trouble rather than fixing anything. He was no brave protagonist, he was just some guy.
But Peem just kept fluttering his eyelashes at him, showing no signs of being weirded out, so maybe he didn’t sound as stupid as he thought.
“My savior, how can I repay you?”
Having such a pretty boy referring to him as his savior wasn’t exactly helping temper the heat in his face or slow the pounding of his heart in his ears.
“That's not necessary. I'm glad to help.”
Peem shook his head, and his hand squeezed around Kao’s arm. Just enough to be noticeable. Just enough to send Kao’s heart straight to the stratosphere, never to return to Earth.
“You know my music, right?”
“Yeah, a little.” He tried to play it cool, but his voice broke on the last word. He hoped that didn’t expose him as a liar. Although he didn't know why he was trying to act tough when Peem had already seen him being all nervous and tongue-tied.
Peem's smile only widened, his eyes lighting up in tandem, and now he was giving that cute, excited puppy look to Kao. It was too much for his fragile heart.
“Do you want to hear some of my unreleased songs? I don’t know how else to make it up to you.”
That sounded like a dream come true. To be able to listen to Peem's beautiful music before anyone else was surely a fate befitting only the most heavenly prophets.
He wanted to jump up and down, or nibble on his bottom lip while twirling his hair around his finger, or fall to his knees to beg for a chance to spend more time with Peem that didn't involve a foiled robbery attempt. But he did neither of those things.
“I don't want to trouble you.” That was what he said instead, fighting against his fanboy instinct to beg to hear exclusive snippets of Peem's glorious voice.
“It's no trouble to me at all! I insist. After all, I could've died if you hadn't saved me.”
“You're exaggerating.”
“I'm not! I could've been robbed at knife point! I'm too pretty to be stabbed, you know?”
He was definitely right about that. It would be a waste if such a pretty face, not to mention a gorgeous soul, was harmed in any way. He was glad Peem was aware of his own beauty.
In the end, he couldn't resist those begging eyes. He’d lost the moment Peem used his deadly puppy-dog eyes and pout combo.
“I’d love to hear your music.”
Peem cheered, and for some reason decided to take a step closer to Kao, with that eager puppy expression still on his face.
“How about right now? I could take you back to my house.”
Kao felt like things were going from zero to a hundred way too quickly. He had only just been able to have one conversation with Peem, and now he was being invited into his private space?
“Don't say that to just anyone, Peem. You're being too trusting again.”
Peem blinked at him a few times, before bursting out laughing, as if Kao had said the most hilarious joke. “You’re right, I'll be more careful.” His body language was a direct contrast to his words, because they were spoken between giggles.
Kao didn’t mind it, because he found Peem’s laugh so pretty. But it was bizarre to laugh in such a situation.
“Why are you laughing?”
Peem waited until his laughter had tapered out to look at him with those soft, sweet eyes.
“I’m just happy you scolded me. You must not be scared to talk to me anymore.”
Now that he mentioned it, Kao was finding it a little easier to speak to him. It must have something to do with Peem's personable nature and inherent charm. It was impossible to stay stiff and anxious around him, even as someone who had admired him for so long.
That was just how bright and uplifting his presence was.
But why did Peem notice that? He was too perceptive for Kao's good. It was only a matter of time before Peem dissected him under a microscope and realized he was the real Winnie the Pooh.
“So, should we meet another day?”
Peem handed his phone to Kao, but he only stared down at it in confusion.
“Give me your number so we can coordinate.”
“You’re giving your number to a stranger?”
“You’re not a stranger, you’re my savior!”
Kao didn’t know what to say to that, so he simply took the offered phone and typed his number into an empty contact slot. He set the name as “Kao from Wednesday Club,” just in case Peem knew other Kaos. He didn’t think he was memorable enough for Peem to recognize him by his name alone.
But when Peem retrieved his phone, he gave an amused huff, fiddling with something before showing it to Kao. He’d changed the contact name to “My Savior! ♡”
Kao had to resist the urge to call him cute again. After all, what else was he meant to say when Peem was looking at him with those big eyes and that sweet smile, proud of himself for the silly nickname he’d come up with? Not to mention, the little heart added at the end was so characteristic of him. He probably punctuated every name in his contact list the same way.
They agreed to discuss the details of their meeting later, then bid their goodbyes. Peem was really dramatic about it, bowing at an absurd angle and thanking Kao again for his service. Kao had to pull him up by the shoulders and tell him to stop exaggerating.
“It's a date!”
Peem was already climbing into his car before Kao even registered his words.
What exactly did he mean by date? He just meant it in general, right? Not as in an actual date, but just the casual way that friends say that before meeting.
Wait, did he just think of Peem as his friend?
So much was going on in his brain, but Peem was waving to him as he drove away, and he found himself waving back.
Why had he agreed to meet Peem again? He'd barely managed to make it out of this first meeting unscathed. He was supposed to be acting like he wasn't Peem's biggest fan, yet here he was, staring at the spot Peem’s car had taken a turn that rendered him out of sight.
Oh, that's right. He simply couldn't resist the cute begging expression Peem put on to get his way. And Kao had fallen right into his trap, as his willing victim. He was too invested in Peem’s smile to deny him anything.
Peem could ask him to do anything at all, and he'd do everything in his power to make it happen. If Peem wanted to see him again, who was he to deny the will of an angel?
He was so down bad.