Chapter Text
BOSS'S POV
I sigh for the nth time.
"Why is it always one thing after another." I mumble, running a hand down my face.
For the first time in weeks of practice and preparation for the Storm Chaser Concert, I am able to check my phone—scrolling through updates, feedback, heartfelt greetings and messages. All had been nothing but fulfilling, really.
Until it's not.
Until I see the banters. People partnering me with someone else. Their unending discourse about fixed ships. Hell, even the worst words thrown at one person who shouldn't have gotten involved in any way.
I feel my stomach twist. "He shouldn't see this…"
I try to compose a message.
Are you ok?
Please don't overthink it
Just ignore it all
No words are sent. No words seem to be right.
Noeul and I had already talked about this. We support each other more than anyone, and he was even the happiest when I received these projects. "Look at you being a hot actor! Am I supposed to book a schedule now to hangout?" I recall him being a menace, teasing me.
Still, I toss the phone to my side and roll on my back, staring up the ceiling of my room with messy thoughts. The silence is eating me up until I hear chunchun's paws scratching the door, wanting to be let in. I move on instinct, staggering to stand and reaching for the door. Chunchun is already at my feet, nudging like he's always happy to see me. I sit on the floor, scratching behind his long ears. I remember fans saying that chunchun looks like Noeul, and wendy looks like me. I smile a little to the idea.
"Chunchun," I cup his cheeks. "Why do you resemble him? Hmm? You just made me miss him even more." I protest to my dog like it's the only thing I can do right now.
"I want to call your papa so bad… but he's still on flight. What should I do?"
Chunchun whines like he also feels tragic.
I sigh again.
I'm tired…
"Noeun," I whisper
NOEUL'S POV
I usually hate new places. Hate adjusting to the weather. Hate the jetlags and goddamn time differences. But lately, I found myself traveling back-and-forth to Japan. I'm sure people notice it by now.
'Look! Noeul is partying in Japan!'
'Didn't he just went there?'
'You're at the airport again?'
'Do you plan to live there now?'
Honestly, what they say are not all guesses. I can imagine it. If I ever plan to just say "fuck it," pack my things, and leave everything behind? I'd choose this place. It's both quiet and loud in a way that don't feel too much. But the thing is, not matter how much I like it, I'd rather for things to not push me at this path.
After all, my stubborn heart is still back home.
"Ah… it's hot again. We're definitely in Bangkok now." I huffed, annoyed as to why humid air surrounds me when it's already midnight.
Est sighs, but clearly not present. He seem distracted after his call with P'Chen—which by the way, he received the moment we got off the plane. I'm guessing some ridiculous shit is happening again judging by the look of him.
Really. So much for "loving" this country.
"What's the narrative this time?" I finally asked.
Est kept his mouth shut, pretending to be busy organizing my luggage for the third time. But I know my game and I mastered to win it. Every. Single. Time.
So I stare dead at him, eyes following and never leaving his for, let's say, an uncomfortable amount of time. It's my weapon to getting what I want, even P'Mim can't win it.
Soon, he gave in. "Just… don't look at X. And TikTok." Est stopped walking and points at the phone I'm holding to make a point. "—and your DMs too just to be safe."
I whistle, low and knowing. "That bad? Damn, what are they blabbing about now?"
"Nothing." Est pushes, trying to brush it off. "The usual nonsense, I guess."
I narrow my eyes. "Which usual? I get hate a lot, you know? Gotta be specific."
"Why do you sound so proud?"
I laugh, placing an arm around his shoulder. "It means I'm famous, bro." I say, all smug.
He freed himself from me, taking a small step away. Est looks around, searching, maybe for cameras or wandering eyes. I try not to laugh. I'm starting to think that he's developing a trauma right before my eyes.
"So dramatic. You don't have to do all that you know."
Est looks at me dead and—"I am not about to have another dating speculations with you." He says, obviously taunting me. The nerve of this guy.
"Get use to it, bro. One day the streets will say that we're living together and sharing a closet if they ever catch us wearing an identical shirt on a different day." I say flat.
One thing about my new assistant is that he never backs down in any argument. I really believe that P'Chen chose Est because he can match how I run my mouth. Expectedly, he always gives a comeback to everything I say.
"That's different though 'cause when your fans assumed that before, they were not wrong. It was indeed P'Boss's hoodie you wore that day, unapologetically showing it off to everyone's faces. "
I study Est without blinking. I'm scandalized.
"Bastard, you already did your research about me?" I point at his face. "Who's the hell is your intel, hm?"
A pause. A shrug. And then—"P'Chen."
I roll my eyes. What did I expect? Of course, it's gonna be the mastermind of all.
…
I settled my bags at the back of my car after Est and I parted ways.
Finally. I check my phone. "What the—"
215 new X mentions.
18 missed calls.
99+ unread messages.
My heart drops a little. Not by the overwhelming amount of it. No. It's because among these hundreds of notifications I got, not a single one came from Boss. A heavy realization settles in my chest. There's something going on. Stupid and wrong.
My hand moves on instinct, finding the contact number, and hitting call. I got an answer after three rings.
"Noeul, luk~" a voice greets me soft.
It's Boss's mom on the other line.
"Khun mae~" I say sweetly. "I'm missing mae and mae's braised ribs… can Noeul come over?" I express, letting the words spill out half-truth and half-excuse.
"Son~ no need to ask. Just come over whenever you like!" Her laugh is bright, a contrast to the subtle anxiety tightening inside me. "I'm glad you're visiting, we're missing you too! I'll prepare a feast for you, okay?"
"You're the best, Mae~" I beam, leaning to the motherly affection she always give.
Then, the background noise shifts. I hear the distinct rustling of fabric, the heavy, slightly sluggish drag of footsteps approaching the phone. And then, a voice cuts through the line—
"Mom, can I get a hug?"
It's raw, quiet, and completely drained of his usual vibrant energy. My heart twists. He sounds so small, so fragile.
"Oh, who are you talking to?" Boss asks, his voice muffled as he presumably buries his face into his mother's shoulder, entirely oblivious that I'm on the other end of the line.
"Mae, don't tell Boss yet," I say fast, lowering my voice and already starting the engine. "I'm hanging up now, Mae. Be there in an hour!" I cut the call.
For a moment, I just stare to nothing, the echo of his muffled words still lingering in my mind. Just by his voice. Just by that woeful request for a hug. I know it.
He's being sad and stupid again. And I hate that I'm right.
BOSS'S POV
Everything happened so fast. At one moment, my mom was just chilling in the living room, talking with someone with that soft voice that she only uses when talking with her kids. But as soon as she hung up the phone, she's moving all over the kitchen, doing five different kinds of dishes at the same time.
My mom is no joke, really. I stood by the kitchen island, a blanket still draped over my shoulder, and holding tiger in my arms. How is she doing all this cooking and still looking completely at ease?
"Son, do me a favor and get the best-tasting wine for dinner." She said, not even looking up while stirring something in the pot.
"Mom..." I started, a bit wary. "I know I was feeling down all day and not leaving my room, but you don't have to prepare my last supper…" I rubbed the back of my neck looking at the amount of food that are carefully set on the table.
The wooden spoon stops. Mom paused, blinking at me like she was wondering how she bore me for nine months. "Don't be silly and fetch me that wine," she scolded gently. "Also, tell your little sister to get ready for dinner."
"Seriously, mom, who's coming?" I asked, a bit spent. The last thing I want to do right now was to entertain guests and smile for company.
Mom hesitated for a second. "Just— I have someone coming, okay?"
"Who is it? Your friends? Do I need to dress up?" I pressed, pulling the blanket tighter around me, suddenly very aware that I probably look like shit right now.
"Up to you. My son always looks handsome." And she's back from being a loving mother again.
Defeated, I dragged my feet upstairs, delivered the message to my sister, and went to choose a good wine before I see myself retreating back into the dark of my room again.
Anything to keep my mind distracted.
NOEUL'S POV
The way to Boss's house went longer than I expected. I went back home first to drop off some of my bags, leaving only the stuff I bought in Japan with Boss's family in mind. I know Khun Mae and Khun Por won't easily accept gifts, so I chose something simple I hope they could comfortably use for some occasions. Meanwhile, I also have multiple popmarts for Nong Lukkeaw which I'm sure she'll love. I'm already planning how I'd give it to her secretly so that her brother wouldn't have the chance to say a word about me spoiling her.
Before heading back out, I took a few minutes to quickly freshen up, changing into comfortable trousers paired with a soft yellow sweater. On my way over, I picked up few things I can give—basket of fresh fruits, wine, and some extras. After driving for half-an-hour, I pulled into their driveway and parked.
With many stuff I'm holding, I still managed to ring the doorbell. After a few seconds of waiting, the door opens.
And there he is.
He greets me with a messy mop of ash blonde hair and an obvious exhausted eyes. He's shocked, and I watched how his face instantly lights up the second he sees me.
So unbelievable. So mine.
"Noeul!" he breathes.
BOSS'S POV
I should've known.
The hints had been there—mom's soft voice when she was in the call (with Noeul), the dishes she prepared which I should've noticed were all exclusively Noeul's favorite, her happy humming filling the kitchen like she's so excited for dinner—no wonder.
He's actually here. Standing in front of me, looking like the sun in the middle of the night, holding an absurd amount of gifts. The warmth in my chest was instant.
He's unbelievable.
So, so mine.
"Stop staring, Chaikamon. Can you help me with this?" Noeul complains, his tone sharp but affectionate, completely uncaring of the fact that my brain is still trying to process his sudden visit.
Still, I take most things from his hands. My eyes never leaving him like I'm afraid he's not real and was just formed by the sheer amount of yearning I had missing him for the last two days.
I wanna say I missed him. I wanna say the last 48-hours feels like torture. But the words get stuck in my throat 'cause I can't do that. Not when I knew the rumors and issue has possibly reached him already and he might also be hurting as much as I am right now.
So instead, "What are you doing here?" is all I say to him after two days without talking. It sounded pathetic even to my own ears, but Noeul didn't tease me for it. He didn't press for answers, didn't demand explanations, and he certainly didn't blame me—never that.
Instead, he just offered a casual shrug, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips. "Your mom made ribs," he says, leaning closer to my face. "Move over."
With a gentle nudge, Noeul pushed past me, already knowing his way around the house as if it were his own. I turned, watching him stride effortlessly past the living room and pad toward the kitchen like a man with very clear priorities.
"Khun mae, Noeul's here~" he chirped, his voice instantly adopting that sweet tone of a loving son.
My mom is already at him the second she realizes her favorite guest had arrived. She's making a fuss over him, clearly pleased by the way Noeul dramatically compliments the rich aroma filling the house. It wasn't long before my father and Lukkeaw joined them. I stand at the edge of the room, watching from behind as they exchange a share amount of "I miss you's" and little life updates. Noeul is right in the center of it all. And he—
God, he's smiling big and beautiful.
And just like that, after feeling like I'd been drowning for days, I breathe easy again.