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The air in Hong Kong felt different.
It was sharp and cold when Tiger breathed in. The sun hung high above the skyline, reflecting off glass towers and steel, the chill seeping beneath his skin. Maybe it was just the absence of something warm.
Someone warm.
He exhaled slowly, knuckles pressing into the concrete floor as he held his plank, sweat dripping from his jaw.
He dropped, pushed up, then dropped again. His arms burned, muscles shaking violently, but he forced himself through every repetition, jaw clenched tight.
For a moment, Tiger thought of his brother, Singha. He was—even if Tiger didn’t want to admit it—strong. Truly strong. Much stronger than Tiger could ever be.
Tiger wanted that, because his life wasn’t simple. It never had been.
And he told himself—every night, every moment—if he wanted to keep his Duennao in it, someone as bright and soft and kind as Nao in a world like his, then he would have to become someone who could protect him from everything.
—
Tiger had been in Hong Kong for a little over a month now. He and Nao would talk every few days on the phone, whenever their schedules aligned.
A quiet evening, Tiger sat on the edge of his bed, a towel slung across his neck, phone in his hands, staring at Nao’s contact for a long moment before he pressed call.
The ring barely lasted two seconds.
‘Suer!’
His chest tightened instantly. ‘Mm,’ he hummed, trying—and failing pathetically—to keep his voice steady. ‘You’re still awake?’
‘Of course,’ Nao answered, grinning. ‘Nuea is out with a friend tonight, and mae went to sleep early. It’s not even that late. Are you done for the day?’
‘Yeah,’ Tiger replied. ‘I just showered.’
He leaned back, stretching across the mattress, one arm tucked behind his head as he listened.
Nao filled the silence. Tiger adored it. He could hear him talk for hours and hours and never be tired of it.
‘Everyone misses you a lot, you jerk,’ Nao huffed, voice soft yet bright. ‘Mick and Field complained there’s no one to tease nowadays.’ He let out a laugh.
Tiger let out a quiet huff of amusement. ‘I’ve barely been gone a month.’
‘It feels so much longer than that though,’ Nao sighed. ‘And…’
He hesitated, pausing for a moment, as if trying to find the right words.
Tiger’s heart skipped. ‘What?’
‘I’ve missed you—no, I miss you. I really miss you, man.’
Everything in Tiger’s body went still.
For a second, he forgot how to breathe. He was glad Nao was not sitting in front of him, or he would’ve heard how loud his heart was beating against his chest.
‘…Yeah?’ he managed, his voice lower now.
‘Yeah,’ Nao said, softer this time. ‘It’s so quiet without you. I miss our evening trips to the market and to the bridge overlooking the river.’
Tiger pressed his arm over his eyes, hiding from absolutely no one.
God.
‘You’ll be okay,’ he muttered, because it was safer than saying what he really wanted to say. ‘You have everyone there. Unlike me. I’m alone here.’
‘But I don’t have you,’ Nao replied, almost absentmindedly.
Tiger sat up so fast the bed creaked.
‘Nao—’
‘Oh! Suer, did you see what I sent you?’ Nao suddenly interrupted, his tone lifting. ‘The picture? Of the shoes?’
Tiger blinked, thrown off.
‘Yeah.’
A lie. He hadn’t checked yet, but he knew exactly what he was talking about.
‘I couldn’t believe you bought them,’ Nao continued, half-laughing. ‘They were so expensive. You didn’t have to—’
‘I wanted to.’
The words came out firm, immediate.
There was a small pause on the other end.
‘Thanks though,’ Nao replied, raking a hand through his hair. ‘With these and all the clothes you’ve given me, I feel like I’m exploiting you.’
Tiger chuckled. ‘Well, I wanted to give you all of those things, so no exploiting was done.’
Nao laughed.
Tiger swallowed, looking away, before at the phone again.
‘Try them on?’
‘Tomorrow. I was saving them.’
‘For what?’
‘Something special.’
Tiger smiled despite himself.
‘You’re weird.’
‘Shut up,’ Nao laughed.
—
One Week Earlier
A few days ago, in a gap of time he had between training sessions, Tiger found himself in a luxury boutique, the kind of place he had never thought he’d step into.
It was in Times Square shopping mall, and the place was huge.
Glittering glass cases covered the walls, illuminated with soft lighting, accessories displayed like treasures across every wall.
Tiger felt extremely out of place in such a glamorous store, but he kept his focus on a pair of shoes—designer sneakers—and a watch that he had seen in the counter by the centre of the store.
He stared at the watch, running his fingers over the glass. It was simple, elegant and silver, studded with glittering gemstones along the edge.
It was perfect.
Something Nao would wear without even realising how good he looked.
‘This one,’ Tiger said. ‘Those pair of shoes as well, please.’
The assistant smiled politely. ‘Of course, sir. I’ll have them packaged for you at the register.’
Tiger didn’t hesitate as he paid.
It was worth it.
—
Present Day
Some nights, they FaceTimed.
Those were the worst, and the best, because Tiger could see him.
Nao, sitting cross-legged on his bed, hair messy, wearing one of his many oversized shirts, complaining about assignments, laughing about something Nuea said.
He would lean closer to the camera without thinking, eyes bright and warm.
But not close enough.
‘Suer?’
‘Hm?’
‘Why were you staring?’
Tiger froze.
‘Wasn’t.’
‘You were,’ Nao teased. ‘It was creepy.’
‘Hang up then, jackass.’
‘No,’ Nao said back, sticking out his tongue.
A beat.
Tiger looked away, his jaw tightening.
‘You were annoying,’ he muttered.
‘You called me first.’
‘Yeah, well.’
He had no comeback.
Nao just smiled.
And that smile, it ruined him.
—
One night, after a long day of training, Tiger collapsed onto his bed without even turning the lights on.
His body ached. His mind was louder than ever.
His phone buzzed.
Nao.
Tiger answered immediately.
‘You look dead,’ Nao said.
‘I feel dead.’
Nao laughed. ‘Did you eat?’
‘Yeah.’
Another lie.
Nao talked anyway.
About everything, about nothing.
About how Nuea stole his snacks again. About how Mick almost failed a test. About how Field kept pretending he didn’t care but obviously did.
‘Come back soon, okay?’
Tiger’s chest tightened painfully.
‘I can’t. Not yet..’
‘I know,’ Nao said quickly. ‘I just—’
He trailed off.
‘I miss you a lot, man.’
Tiger closed his eyes. He wanted to say it. He wanted to say it so badly it physically hurt his chest to keep his mouth shut.
I miss you too. I miss you so much more than you could ever believe. I love you.
But he didn’t, because wanting Nao in his life meant being careful, and it meant becoming stronger and being able to properly protect him.
‘I’ll call you tomorrow,’ Tiger said instead.
Nao smiled softly.
‘Deal. Goodnight.’
—
When the call ended, the room went quiet.
Too quiet.
Tiger stared at the blank screen for exactly three seconds before flailing down, head hitting his pillow.
‘—What was that?!’
He flipped over onto his stomach, burying his face into the pillow, kicking his legs like a complete idiot.
‘“I miss you a lot, man”—what did that even mean?’
His face burned. Groaning, he rolled onto his back, dragging his hands down his face.
‘Get it together, Suer,’ he demanded. ‘Stay focused.’
I miss you a lot, man.
Tiger groaned loudly, grabbing his pillow and pressing it over his burning face.
‘…I’m screwed.’
Completely, hopelessly, in love.
—
The next morning, Tiger woke before sunrise. His muscles still ached, but he didn’t complain.
Every day, ge got up, trained harder, pushed further, because every drop of sweat, every bruise, every second of exhaustion all had a purpose.
One day, he could stand in front of Nao again and be stronger, untouchable to anyone who dared to come near him or his family.
He could finally be someone who could protect him from anything this world threw their way.
Tiger tightened his fists.
‘Just wait for me,’ he murmured under his breath.
No matter how dangerous his life became, no matter how far apart they were, he had already decided.
He was keeping Nao in it.
Forever.