Work Text:
(Chao Pho - godfather in Thai)
MJ woke to the sound of his phone ringing.
MJ groaned, wincing as his body crackled as he squirmed on a desk underneath him.
Oh right, he’d fallen asleep working on paperwork.
The phone stopped ringing, then rang again.
MJ groaned. There was only one person that would call until he picked up.
MJ flailed sluggishly towards his phone, scattering papers and picked up the call. “Hello?" He croaked.
"Hel-looooooo,” Uncle Gawao replied cheerily. "We got a biiiiiggg order of flowers.”
MJ sighed and curled up back into the leather chair. "You say that for every order that needs two people to finish by the deadline. You got Kaning and Gorya, so you don't need me.”
"But-”
"I’m going back to sleep, it's too early."
“Well excuse me-!" MJ hung up the phone and closed his eyes, letting his phone fall into his lap.
As expected, the phone rang again.
MJ waited a few rings with mumbled curses before picking up again with a groan.
“2 pm is not early!" Uncle Gawao squawked in an offended tone.
MJ made a belligerent noise, indicating strongly of-
“DON'T HANG UP," Uncle Gawao screeched.
MJ winced and pulled the phone away from ear. “What?" MJ asked grumpily.
“We’ve been hired to set up the flower arrangement for that billionaire Pakorn’s memorial service."
MJ sat up in his chair immediately, clutching his chest as a pang of agonizing sorrow shot through his heart. Chao Pho…
Unconsciously, MJ let out a soft smile in remembrance, then frowned.
Wait. What? When did he do that? The funeral happened already…?
“It's extra big order so- eh? You still there?”
"...Yeah-” MJ’s voice cracked. He cleared his throat. " Yeah, I'll come help, I guess?
"Yay! See you later!” Uncle Gawao hung up cheerily.
MJ groaned and tossed his phone on his messy desk, wiping the tears leaking from the corner of his eyes. While Chao Pho was sick, Chao Pho had expected not to recover, and he and Run had stayed with Chao Pho during his last days. Chao Pho had no regrets, and urged him and Run to be happy for him for his next adventure.
MJ leaned forward and pressed a button, rubbing his eyes awake.
Jie- no, Secretary Maki entered the office. She was Chao Pho’s secretary for many years, and also Run's biological sister, who preferred to be out of the spotlight. “Yes?” She asked.
“I'm going out,” MJ replied.
She raised an eyebrow. “As…”
“Civilian,” MJ answered. “Uncle Gawao’s flower shop was commissioned to do the flowers for Chao Pho’s funeral - which, didn't it happen two days ago?”
Maki frowned, a wrinkle appearing on her forehead. “There's a public memorial service. Which is not run by us, unfortunately.”
MJ frowned. “Why's that?”
“Politics. And the public doesn't know about us.”
“Ugh.”
“Language.”
MJ sighed. “That is quite…vexing.”
“Indeed,” Maki agreed.
---
Chao Pho never married, so he had quietly adopted Run for him to take over the business after his death; Chao Pho had explained this when MJ was younger. MJ couldn't run Chao Pho’s TN Group, and the Jarustiwa entertainment and mafia empire at the same time, thus Chao Pho needed an heir.
Maki came into the picture later, as Maki and Run had been separated, and didn't meet until Maki had rose up the ranks in Chao Pho's company.
At the moment, Run was in charge of running the Jarustiwa empire until MJ could take over. Run was way older, and apparently looked like Chao Pho when he was younger.
But Run was short - not that it was a detriment for the mafia. Run could be fucking scary to make even experienced mafia heads pee their pants.
(MJ had witnessed this multiple times when tagging along with Run to mafia dealings)
Meanwhile, MJ was helping running parts of TN Group to learn how to navigate the business world and other things.
Anyway, because of Chao Pho’s passing, he and Run will switch roles. Run will be the CEO of TN Group, and MJ would take his rightful place as the head of the Jarustiwa empire - in both the mafia and entertainment industry.
Paperwork for the switch was annoying, dealing with board members were also annoying too - even though they knew the switch.
They knew that the announcement of the switch would be as explosive as Chao Pho’s passing. Good luck with the others trying to climb to the top that Chao Pho held - they'll never get there in Run’s lifetime.
---
MJ never went to school - Chao Pho had home schooled him rigorously to the point that he had four university degrees, even at 18 - business, media production, communications, and psychology - to help navigate his future as the resurrected and rightful head of the Jarustiwa empire.
For social interaction, Chao Pho sent him to different ‘assignments’ - low-paying part-time jobs - to learn how to interact with other people his age. Chao Pho would send him to a different province for each job to additionally scout around for new businesses for Chao Pho to collaborate with.
Traveling to different providences fucked up his speech to gibberish sometimes, having to deal with the different dialects of the regions. MJ usually defaulted to formal speech to avoid saying said gibberish.
Uncle Gawao’s flower shop was his favorite ‘assignment,’ that Chao Pho let MJ keep. The fact that it was nearby helped.
Something about Uncle Gawao and his shop stood out in comparison to the other places. Uncle Gawao accepted his quirky civilian status, taking it in with amused rambling joy.
(Quirky as in his civilian persona was…slightly eccentric, not as Uncle Gawao knowing of his rich status.)
He didn't work at the flower shop as much now, but for big orders, he did to help.
When MJ entered the store, it was a lot of…white. Chrysanthemums, roses and lilies of all shades of white that were nearly bright as the sunny day outside.
“Uncle Gawao?” MJ called. A girl’s head popped out from the flowers.
“Hi, Kanittha Na Bangpleang,” MJ dipped his head.
“Oi,” Kaning pouted. Gorya stepped out from somewhere else in the shop, revealing that she was holding an unfinished garland.
MJ chuckled. “Kaning,” MJ corrected himself. “Gorya.” He nodded at Gorya. “MJ is looking for Uncle Gawao.”
“Uncle Gawao is calling the farm for more flowers. He said you should organize the flowers into bundles, but don't set them up yet because we'll do it at the venue. There's a list on the counter.” Kaning said.
“Ok,” MJ carefully navigated towards the counter. “When is the memorial service?”
“In three days,” Gorya replied. “Uncle Gawao got help transporting everything tomorrow to help set everything up.”
---
“You sure you want to wear all white?”
Uncle Gawao frowned at MJ. “You're going to stand out during the memorial service with almost everyone wearing black.”
MJ nodded, a soft smile playing on his lips as he laid out a bundle of flowers and proceeded to create a bouquet. “MJ will blend into the white background of the room like this,” MJ replied. “Besides, MJ looks too hot in black.”
Uncle Gawao scoffed. “You look too pretty in all white, that's what. But you do you.” Uncle Gawao dismissed. “Don't come crying to me if Pakorn’s ghost comes haunting after you, attracted to your whiteness .”
“MJ would like that.”
Uncle Gawao rolled his eyes.
---
It was nice to sink into the floaty mindset of creating garlands, bouquets and wreaths. He was extra meticulous in making sure it looked extra nice enough that it would pass any mean auntie’s eagle eye.
He frowned and blink uncomprehendingly when a shadow blocked the light streaming onto the garland he was weaving. MJ looked up to see the source of the shadow.
A guy with glasses with a black jacket over his arm blockes the view before crouching to sit slightly across Kaning, who had a slightly suspicious look on her face.
“For this kind of flower arrangement, people can tell that you're distracted,” the guy explained.
MJ squinted, and recognized the guy from his politicking lessons. Kavin Taemiyaklin Kittiyangkul. Kittiyangkul, an old family akin to royal advisors in Siamese history, and now reputed as government officials and running major exporting businesses, MJ’s mind supplied.
Currently a high school senior at Kocher High School, and in the friend group called ‘F4’ with Thyme Akira Paramaanantra, Ren Renrawin Aira, and Jo Worakorn Nitiroj. A playboy-
“Do we still have to think about business on a day like this?”
Gorya’s question brough MJ out of his mind.
“You do, especially on a day like this,” Kavin replied, nodding his head to the mostly set-up room, flowers in his hands. “A funeral may be a ceremony in remembrance for the deceased,” Kavin shifted to look at the picture of Chao Pho on the casket as he absently places a flower into the arrangement Gorya and Kaning were working on.
“But with Pakorn’s passing, change is coming,” Kavin said. “The game of how this country is run is going to change, especially real estate people like Thyme.”
MJ smiled to himself. People aren't going to expect the type of change that he and Run are going to pull.
“Understand, Gorya?” MJ frowned at Kavin acknowledging Gorya. Why was she being addressed? It was clear from Kavin’s body language, however restrained, that Kavin was attracted to Kaning.
Kavin stood up, and stepped down the stairs. “You have to learn to see the bigger picture.” The glasses-eyed male turned around backwards on the stairs. “It might be unfamiliar at first, but you need to be able to understand it. Oi-!”
MJ had shifted a bit, which made Kavin startle a bit before composing himself. “Oh, sorry I didn't see you there, miss.”
MJ smiled while Gorya coughed and Kaning hid a smile behind her hand.
“It's fine, Khun,” MJ replied, pitching his voice higher like a girl’s before turning back to resume finishing the garland he was weaving, hiding his smirk behind his long hair. The girls snickered quietly behind their hands.
---
“Whew,” Uncle Gawao absently wiped his forehead, scanning the room. “Flower arrangements finished early. Thanks for the extra help, MJ.”
“Hey.”
“MJ was happy to help.”
“Oh, and thank you Kaning and Gorya, too,” Uncle Gawao added.
---
MJ watched as the people attending gave their respect, his mind flickering through the information drilled into him regarding connections, professions, and other personal information.
He certainly did get weird and disdainful looks, being one of the only few wearing all white. White meant family usually, except exceptions like Kavin’s father. He was current Field Marshal and was wearing all white due to his military uniform.
Though, it might be the fact that he practically towered over Gorya and Kaning as he stood next to them, and not him wearing white.
MJ tilted his head slightly at Ren when his gaze shifted from Gorya after he and his family paid their respects.
Ren Renrawin Aira, tallest F4 member in the F4 group. The Aira family runs the top health center, and basically the health industry. Quiet, mysterious, family doesn't enjoy the spotlight and pledges donations, supplies and develop programs to help remote locations in Thailand.
Ren absently nodded back, a furrow appearing on his brow. MJ knew Ren from a drawing class that they attended together, years back. Not that Ren remembered, probably, from his confused expression. Or, Ren did, and was wondering why MJ was here.
The Nitiroj family went up to pay their respects next. Nitiroj family, one of the reputable nouveau riche, Chao Pho had said. Rose rapidly in the restaurant and farming industry through the Global Thai program in 2002. They usually keep to themselves and don't bother expanding, focusing on their piece of the pie of Thailand's economy. Most of the time, they mediate communications between their farming and restaurant contacts and support local businesses.
“Hey,” Gorya nudged MJ. “I think Jo is staring at you.”
“Hm?” MJ looked up, and his eyes locked onto the aforementioned F4 member.
...Oh.
Cameras did not do Jo justice of what he looked like in-person.
Sharp eyebrows and cheekbones framed Jo’s sun-kissed, tanned face, hair carefully slicked back and apart, with strands falling over his right eye.
Jo’s clothing was somehow different, despite the fact that he was wearing the standard black slacks/jacket/tie and white dress shirt worn by nearly all of the men in the room.
What drew MJ in, though, was the piercing black holes that were Jo’s eyes. Jo’s soulful gaze was as intense and had a magnetic quality that MJ couldn't tear his eyes from; a certain gravitas that would make girls swoon.
So pretty, was the only thought that ran through MJ’s stunned mind.
Jo’s unblinking stare seemed to last for eons, until someone shorter (probably Jo’s younger brother, Popor, MJ’s mind supplied), tugged Jo away with his family. Jo reluctantly followed, his stare never straying from MJ’s.
MJ blinked, realizing that apparently Jo had stopped entirely to stare at him. Something fluttered in his chest at the thought. He broke eye contact, absently scratching the back of his neck and turning to look at the girls.
“Huh,” Gorya grunted.
“Hm?” MJ hummed in question.
“Jo looks smitten with you,” Kaning muttered grudgingly.
“Sayth wat?” MJ winced as his gibberish dialect came into play, with the girls teasingly nudging him briefly, held-back grins on their faces.
“Shut up," MJ grumbled.
---
A silence swept through the room as Run and Maki entered the room, wearing pure white that shone and seemed to reflect off the glass.
Run was a bit of a black sheep among the high-class society, as in their perspective, he’d aggressively taken over the Jarustiwa empire after MJ’s parents’ deaths, ruthlessly crushing the competition before and after the takeover. Run gate-crashing events, regardless he received an invitation or not - would ruffle feathers, but hosts could only fume in silence. If a ‘nouveau riche’ like Run could easily topple a family empire, what could Run do as well if they offended him?
The color black suited the ruthless persona that Run carefully constructed for the public, not white. The fact that the ruthless Run showed up with Maki, Chao Pho’s secretary, who was calm and not all nervous around Run?
MJ internally chuckled at the revelation and contradiction.
What probably made the room go silent was the massive bouquet in their arms. Red and white roses, sunflowers, lilies, chrysanthemums, carnations of all colors, irises-
Well, if people made the connection, the flowers alluded to Run and Maki’s familial relationship with Chao Pho.
Rumors about Run and Maki being Chao Pho’s secret son and daughter - Run for his physical appearance, and Maki for being specially picked as Chao Pho’s secretary - have constantly popped up in trash magazines over the years.
Run’s eyes scanned the crowd before his eyes landed on MJ. He tilted his head slightly, and MJ moved, their footsteps tapping against the marble floor in the silence. Approaching the steps, MJ unhooked the necklace he was wearing and pulled it out from under his shirt and gathered the chain in his hands. Run softly chuckled as the bullet flowers attached to the chain clinked against each other.
“I remember Pho grounded you for doing that," Run murmured, but his soft voice echoed in the silent room. He carefully set down the flowers in front of Chao Pho’s coffin.
“Only because Chao Pho got annoyed at P’Arm freaking out like a chicken with its head cut off,” MJ replied, wrapping the bullet flowers necklace over the bouquet’s ribbon.
Murmurs rippled across the room. Some probably recognized Chao Pho’s bodyguard’s name, Arm. The one that was currently trailing after Maki now, not at all fazed at the 'Ruthless Run' next to Maki.
“Pa lived life to the fullest," Maki wistfully, taking some incense sticks and handing a few to MJ and Run.
MJ nodded. "Chao Pho did,” his voice slightly wavered in remembrance. He swiped his teary eyes briefly, and Run nodded in agreement and sniffled a bit while Maki brushed tears from her eyes.
They nodded at the monks who approached, going through the rites again. Shocked murmurs arose despite protocol, as they were basically revealing themselves as Chao Pho’s family, when public perception was that Chao Pho was forever single and didn’t have any heirs.
---
MJ watched calmly as the press was in an uproar over Run’s reveal as the Pakorn heir.
Run’s press conference was a month after the funeral, after Run, Maki and MJ took sadistic joy in slapping down companies trying to take on the seemingly empty power vacuum, and shutting down attempts of companies fumbling a 180 to latch onto their successes, post Chao Pho’s funeral. They giggled at the press being confused at the rise of stocks of Chao Pho’s companies.
“Now, another announcement that may or may not shock you," Run continued blandly. MJ smirked as the press immediately quietened.
Even short in stature, Run had presence.
“I will be resigning from the Jarustiwa companies and holdings to take over my late father Pakorn’s companies and holdings. In truth, I am a placeholder for the next leader of the Jarustiwa holdings. In my place, my godbrother-”
Run gestured at MJ, who stepped next to Run next to the podium.
“-will take over the Jarustiwa empire. Would you like to introduce yourself?"
MJ stepped up to the podium and adjusted the microphone. "I myself may not have been in the public eye, but my family name has been,” MJ carefully said, not wanting to slip and reveal his name quite yet.
“Who are you?" One brash and impatient journalist called out.
MJ blinked his eyes slowly. “My name? Ah.”
He tilted his head slightly with a smirk. “Does the name Methas Jarustiwa ring a bell?"
There a stunned silence before the room exploded, and MJ had to suppress the urge to cackle. Run was.
---
MJ squawked when he was yanked into the side hallway. His reflexes didn't fail him and his assailant was soon pinned on the ground, his gun against the other's forehead.
MJ blinked and was met with the close-up sight of Jo Nitiroj, dark eyes blown wide and tanned cheeks flushed.
Shia, what a sight. Hot, cute, and submissive.
“Marry me?" The stocky male underneath MJ asked breathily.
“Shouldn't you introduce yourself first?" MJ asked, raising an eyebrow.
Jo’s eyes furrowed in clueless confusion, making MJ chuckle in amusement.
MJ tucked his gun away and booped Jo’s nose, making Jo go cross-eyed. "You're lucky you're cute. My name is MJ, puppy."
Jo flushed, then whined and squirmed before freezing, probably realizing the situation he was in.
MJ chuckled. “Just like a puppy." He frisked Jo’s pockets and found his phone, holding it up against the light.
"It's-"
“Awwww, your password is ‘auam?’” MJ smirked as the phone unlocked. "Are you going to introduce yourself to me yet?” He pulled up Jo's contact list.
“I-I'm your wife," Jo blurted out, then squeaked and covered his face.
MJ laughed, tucking Jo’s phone back into his pocket. “Take me on some dates first, then we may talk about marriage." MJ gracefully got off Jo and walked away, leaving Jo sprawled on the ground.
As MJ turned the corner, he heard a mortified, muffled scream.
He smirked. Wait until Jo finds out that he labeled himself ‘husband’ in Jo’s contacts.
Oh, and changed the phone password to ‘puppy.’
Flashback -
“Why would Chao Pho say that MJ should ally with them the most?”
“The Nitiroj family?” Chao Pho questioned. “Well, for one, you’re staring at that photo like you’re going to eat it.”
MJ blinked and squeaked, batting the picture of the Nitiroj heir away from him. “It’s not-!”
“I see a marriage alliance in the future,” Run drawled.
“Run-!” MJ screamed in mortification, throwing a crumpled piece of paper at the glasses-eyed male, who dodged and sent a smug look at MJ.
Chao Pho laughed heartily. “No teasing MJ too much, ah." MJ pouted scowled at Run, who stuck his tongue out.
" Anyway, the reason for it is that food is everything . Great food makes full stomachs, which makes people happy and satisfied both physically and mentally, which closes deals quickly and reduces the chance of backstabbing. How did you think I stayed on top for decades?” Chao Pho smiled.
“Food is also the reason we have company gyms,” Maki grumbled. “Otherwise, people get fat and lazy.”
“Eh,” Chao Pho waved Maki’s remark off. “Still, happy workers make for happy profits.”
Maki grumbled.
"And a happy Maki," Run added.
Maki threw a middle finger at Run, scowling. "Shut up, asshole."