Chapter Text
There were two things everyone in the department knew about Pond Naravit Lertratkosum and Phuwin Tangsakyuen.
The first was that they were exceptionally good at their jobs.
The second was that they absolutely could not stand each other.
Phuwin Tangsakyuen was the manager of one of the company's strongest teams, with Fourth, Satang, and Boom working under him.
Pond Naravit Lertratkosum managed the other.
His team consisted of Joong, Aou, Santa, and Dunk.
Both teams were good.
Very good, actually.
Unfortunately, their managers seemed to have interpreted that as a personal challenge.
Which was how the department had ended up with the strange phenomenon known as Pond and Phuwin Co-leading a Project.
Nobody knew who kept assigning them together.
Nobody wanted to know.
They simply knew that whenever a major project came up, there was a disturbingly high chance that one of the senior executives would say:
“Mr. Tangsakyuen and Mr. Lertratkosum will be leading this one together.”
And every single time, both managers would turn toward each other with identical expressions of displeasure.
“I'll handle the client meetings,” Phuwin would say.
Pond would immediately respond, “No.”
Phuwin would slowly look at him.
“No?”
“I'll handle them.”
“Why?”
“Because you're terrible at them.”
Fourth would quietly close his eyes.
Satang would pretend to check his notes.
Boom would suddenly become very interested in his coffee.
Across the table, Joong would lean toward Aou.
“Twenty minutes.”
“For what?”
“Before they start arguing.”
Aou would shake his head.
“Five.”
He was usually right.
“Mr. Lert,” Phuwin would say with an infuriatingly polite smile, “if you have a problem with my client handling, perhaps you should bring an actual reason instead of your personal dislike of me.”
Pond's smile would be equally pleasant.
“Mr. Tang, if I disliked you personally, we'd have a much bigger problem.”
The room would go silent.
Dunk would slowly lower his pen.
Santa would stare at the ceiling.
Nobody knew what that meant.
And nobody wanted to ask.
The strangest part was that despite apparently despising each other, Pond and Phuwin somehow ended up working together constantly.
They co-led presentations.
Reviewed each other's proposals.
Sat beside each other during negotiations.
Covered for each other's teams when one manager was unavailable.
And argued through practically every single one of those activities.
It was almost impressive.
Almost.
One afternoon, the two teams were gathered around a conference table when Pond reached across and took a document from Phuwin's side.
Phuwin immediately looked up.
“Mr. Lert.”
Pond paused.
“Yes, Mr. Tang?”
“That is my document.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you touching it?”
“I need it.”
“Ask.”
“I just did.”
“You didn't.”
Pond looked at him.
“I need the document.”
Phuwin stared.
“That wasn't asking.”
“Can I have the document?”
“No.”
Pond's eyebrow rose.
“Then why did you make me ask?”
“Because I wanted to hear you ask.”
Fourth looked down at the table.
They are going to kill each other.
He was sure of it.
Pond leaned back.
“Fine.”
Phuwin smiled.
“Thank you.”
“I'm still taking it.”
He reached over again.
Phuwin pulled the document away.
“Don't.”
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
“Mr. Tang.”
“Mr. Lert.”
“Give.”
“No.”
“Fine.”
Pond reached for it.
Phuwin moved it farther away.
Joong whispered, “Should we stop them?”
Aou shook his head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I value my life.”
The argument continued for another three minutes.
Then, somehow, they moved on to discussing the actual project as though nothing had happened.
That was another thing their teams had never understood.
How could two people who clearly disliked each other work together so well?
They anticipated each other's decisions.
Finished each other's arguments.
Knew exactly where the other would disagree.
Even when they fought, the project somehow ended up better because of it.
Their coworkers had eventually decided that perhaps that was what made them such good managers.
They were rivals.
Competitors.
Two men who refused to let the other get the upper hand.
And, apparently, they needed to be reminded of that every five minutes.
There was, however, one thing everyone in both teams had learned very quickly.
There were levels to Phuwin's irritation.
“Pond” was normal.
“Mr. Lert” meant he was annoyed.
But if Phuwin ever stopped using his professional voice and said—
“Naravit.”
Everyone knew.
Shit was about to go down.
The first time it happened, Fourth had actually stopped typing.
Phuwin had been reviewing a proposal when Pond made one particularly careless comment.
Phuwin slowly put his pen down.
“Naravit.”
The room went dead silent.
Pond looked up.
Even he seemed to understand that something had changed.
“What?”
“You changed the numbers.”
“I adjusted them.”
“You changed them without telling me.”
“They needed changing.”
“You don't get to change figures I've already sent to the client.”
“I was going to tell you.”
“When?”
“Before the meeting.”
“The meeting is in twenty minutes.”
Pond stared at him.
Phuwin stared back.
Fourth leaned toward Satang.
“Should we leave?”
Satang whispered:
“Too late.”
Boom quietly closed his laptop.
Joong did the same.
Nobody moved.
And then Pond sighed.
“Fine.”
Phuwin blinked.
“Fine?”
“I'll change them back.”
The room collectively exhaled.
Phuwin picked up his pen again.
“Thank you.”
Pond nodded.
“Anything else, Mr. Tang?”
“No.”
“Good.”
The crisis was over.
At least for now.
The teams slowly returned to work
...
The meeting had been going well.
At least, it had been going well until Pond and Phuwin started arguing.
Again.
The problem with Pond and Phuwin was not that they argued.
People argued at work.
The problem was the way they argued.
“That's a terrible idea, Mr. Tang.”
Phuwin slowly looked up from his papers.
“Would you like to repeat that, Mr. Lert?”
“I said it's a terrible idea.”
“You're very brave today.”
“I'm always brave.”
“You're always annoying.”
“And you're always—”
Pond stopped.
Phuwin raised an eyebrow.
“Always what?”
“Impossible.”
“Good recovery.”
“Thank you.”
“I wasn't complimenting you.”
“I know.”
They stared at each other.
The room went quiet.
Fourth slowly lowered his pen.
Satang leaned toward him.
“Can you feel that?”
“Feel what?”
“The temperature dropping.”
Fourth looked around.
Then back at Pond and Phuwin.
“Oh.”
Across the table, Joong sighed.
“Here we go.”
Aou glanced at him.
“What?”
“The tension.”
Satang nodded.
“I swear you could cut it with a knife.”
Dunk looked between the two managers.
Boom, who had been quietly working on his laptop, finally looked up.
“Do you ever get the feeling they're either going to kill each other or k—”
“Don't,” Fourth said immediately.
Boom closed his mouth.
Joong snorted.
“Or what?”
Boom shrugged.
“You know.”
“I don't.”
“The other thing.”
Aou's eyes widened.
“Oh.”
Joong stared at him.
“What?”
Aou lowered his voice.
“The sexual tension.”
There was a beat of silence.
“Maybe if they got it out of their system, they'd finally stop trying to kill each other.”
Joong looked at Pond.
Then Phuwin.
Then back at Aou.
“They hate each other.”
“Exactly.”
“That makes no sense.”
“I didn't say it made sense.”
Satang tried not to laugh.
“Honestly, look at them.”
Pond had moved around the table and was now standing beside Phuwin's chair.
“Give me the document.”
“You have your own copy.”
“Yours has the updated numbers.”
“Then ask nicely.”
Pond stared at him.
“Please.”
“No.”
Pond's jaw tightened.
Phuwin smiled.
The entire room went silent again.
Fourth slowly turned toward Satang.
“Okay.”
“What?”
“That's ridiculous.”
Satang nodded.
“They're doing it again.”
Joong frowned.
“Doing what?”
“That thing where they look like they're about to either start a fight or—”
“Please don't say kiss,” Joong interrupted.
Satang grinned.
“I wasn't going to.”
“You absolutely were.”
“Maybe.”
Joong shook his head.
“Those two?”
“Obviously not.”
“They'd rather bite each other's heads off.”
“Exactly.”
Pond finally snatched the document from Phuwin's hands.
“Thank you.”
“You're welcome, Mr. Lert.”
“You're insufferable.”
“And yet you keep talking to me.”
“Because I have to.”
“Sure.”
They turned back toward the presentation as if nothing had happened.
The room remained silent for another few seconds.
Fourth slowly exhaled.
“Are we sure they're not aware of this?”
Satang shook his head.
“No chance.”
“They're too busy hating each other.”
“Exactly.”
Aou nodded solemnly.
“Honestly, I almost feel bad for them.”
Joong looked at him.
“Why?”
“Imagine having that much sexual tension and being too stupid to notice.”
Joong stared at him.
Then looked at Pond and Phuwin.
“That's actually tragic.”
Neither manager heard them.
They were already arguing over the next slide.
Again.
Nobody in the room knew how two people could create that much tension simply by disagreeing over a presentation.
But apparently, Pond and Phuwin had made it an art form.
...
Phuwin was halfway through answering an email when someone knocked on the open door of his office.
He looked up.
A security guard stood there, holding an enormous bouquet of flowers.
“Mr. Tangsakyuen?”
Phuwin blinked.
“Yes?”
“These were delivered for you.”
Phuwin stared at the bouquet.
It was beautiful.
A ridiculous amount of flowers, actually. Soft colors, carefully arranged, with a small cream-colored envelope tucked between them.
He accepted it with a confused, “Thank you.”
The guard left.
Phuwin looked down at the flowers again.
Then at the envelope.
There was no name on the front.
Just a small heart drawn in black ink.
His lips immediately curved.
He knew exactly who it was from.
He pulled out the card.
Happy birthday, my heart.
I know you'll probably spend most of today pretending it's just another day, so I'm going to remind you that you're allowed to be spoiled sometimes.
I hope you know how proud I am of you. Of everything you've built, everything you've accomplished, and especially of the person you are when nobody is watching.
I'll make sure the rest of your birthday is worth remembering.
Happy birthday, love.
— Only Yours
Phuwin read it twice.
Then a third time.
His smile only grew.
He carefully folded the card and slipped it back into the envelope before setting it beside his laptop.
He was still smiling when someone knocked again.
This time, he didn't look up.
“Come in.”
Fourth walked in first.
Satang followed behind him.
Both stopped.
Fourth stared at the flowers.
Then at Phuwin.
Then back at the flowers.
“Boss.”
“Hm?”
“Why are there enough flowers in here to start a garden?”
Phuwin glanced at the bouquet.
“My birthday.”
“We know it's your birthday,” Satang said. “We were planning to wish you happy birthday without horticultural assistance.”
Phuwin laughed.
Fourth walked closer, eyeing the card.
“Who's it from?”
Phuwin's smile became suspiciously soft.
“Someone.”
Satang immediately narrowed his eyes.
“Oh, no.”
“What?”
“That smile.”
“What smile?”
“That is not your work smile.”
Fourth leaned closer.
“Wait.”
His eyes moved between Phuwin and the bouquet.
“You have a secret admirer?”
Phuwin laughed again.
“No.”
“Then who sent them?”
Phuwin hesitated for half a second.
“My fiancé.”
Silence.
Fourth blinked.
Satang blinked.
Phuwin looked between them.
“What?”
“You have a fiancé?”
“Yes.”
“You're engaged?”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
Phuwin casually lifted his left hand.
The ring had been sitting there the entire time.
“I don't know. A while.”
Fourth stared at the ring.
Then at Phuwin.
Then at the ring again.
“We thought those were just your rings.”
Phuwin looked down at his hand smiling.
“I do have several rings.”
“Exactly!”
Satang looked personally betrayed.
“You've been wearing an engagement ring to work this entire time?”
“Apparently.”
“And nobody knew?”
“Nobody asked.”
Phuwin shrugged.
Fourth put a hand over his chest.
“This explains so much.”
Phuwin raised an eyebrow.
“What exactly does it explain?”
“Nothing.”
“Fourth.”
“Nothing, Boss.”
Satang nodded rapidly.
“Absolutely nothing.”
Phuwin looked suspicious but let it go.
“So,” Fourth said, recovering, “are you doing anything tonight?”
“I haven't decided yet.”
“Oh.”
Satang immediately waved his hands.
“We wanted to ask if we could take you out. Birthday dinner, maybe.”
“Sure, let's have dinner, my treat.”
“You sure?”
Phuwin nodded.
Then his expression softened again.
“I just need to ask him.”
Fourth and Satang exchanged a look.
Him.
Of course.
The mysterious fiancé.
“Go ahead,” Fourth said. “We'll wait.”
Phuwin picked up his phone.
He opened their messages.
His thumbs moved across the screen.
> Fourth and Satang want to have dinner together tonight. Is that okay?
The reply came almost immediately.
> Of course. It's your birthday. Invite them over.
Phuwin smiled.
He typed again.
> Okay. Will you cook?
The response appeared a few seconds later.
> Of course, my heart. What kind of birthday would it be if I didn't cook for you?
Phuwin stared at the message.
His entire expression softened.
Fourth noticed.
So did Satang.
They exchanged another look.
“Oh,” Satang whispered.
Fourth nodded slowly.
“Oh.”
Phuwin looked up.
“Okay. You can both come over tonight.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Your fiancé is okay with it?”
“He said yes.”
Fourth smiled.
“Then it's settled.”
Phuwin nodded.
“He's cooking.”
There was another pause.
Satang smiled.
“That is… disgustingly sweet.”
Phuwin laughed.
“He likes cooking.”
He added with a shy smile.
"For me."
Fourth looked at him carefully.
His boss—the man they had all assumed was single, married to his work, and possibly destined to spend the rest of his life arguing with Pond—was sitting there smiling at a text from his fiancé like the happiest person alive.
Fourth suddenly remembered every single conversation they'd had about Pond.
Every joke.
Every time they'd said the two managers had ridiculous chemistry.
Every time they'd joked that they were either going to kill each other or—
Oh.
Oh, no.
Satang seemed to reach the exact same conclusion.
They both looked at each other.
“We owe someone an apology,” Fourth whispered.
Phuwin frowned.
“For what?”
“Nothing,” they said together.
Because apparently, their boss was happily engaged to his sweetheart.
And they had spent months discussing the sexual tension between him and Pond.
They were never speaking of this again.
Probably.
Maybe.
“See you tonight, Boss,” Fourth said quickly.
“See you.”
They turned toward the door.
Satang stopped.
He glanced back at Phuwin, who was still smiling down at his phone.
“Happy birthday, Boss.”
Phuwin smiled.
“Thank you.”
The door closed.
Fourth immediately turned to Satang.
“We're terrible people.”
Satang sighed.
“We really are.”
“We shipped him with Pond.”
“I know.”
“We thought they had sexual tension.”
“I know.”
“They're just coworkers.”
“And Phuwin has a fiancé.”
“A fiancé he clearly adores.”
Satang groaned.
“We are never making eye contact with him again.”
From inside the office, Phuwin's voice carried through the door.
“What are you two whispering about outside?”
They froze.
Fourth slowly closed his eyes.
“Happy birthday, Boss.”
...
That evening, Fourth and Satang arrived at Phuwin's house with a cake between them.
Fourth rang the doorbell.
A few seconds later, the door opened.
Phuwin stood there in a comfortable shirt and trousers, his hair slightly messier than it usually was at work.
“You made it.”
“Of course,” Satang said, holding up the cake. “We brought dessert.”
Phuwin smiled and stepped aside.
“Come in.”
They entered, looking around curiously.
Neither of them had ever been to their boss's home before.
The place was warm and surprisingly cozy. Books filled one of the shelves, framed photographs sat on the side tables, and there were little touches everywhere that made it obvious someone actually lived there.
Satang looked around.
“So this is where you live.”
“Yes.”
“It's nice.”
“Thank you.”
Phuwin took the cake from them and carefully placed it on the dining table.
“Sit.”
Phuwin walked over to the sofa.
They sat together.
Fourth looked around again.
“So... where is your fiancé?”
Phuwin smiled.
“Making dinner.”
Satang raised an eyebrow.
“Seriously?”
“Mhm.”
“He actually cooks?”
Phuwin looked amused.
“I told you he loves cooking.”
Fourth smiled.
“That's nice.”
“It is.”
There was something about the way Phuwin said it that made both of them exchange a look.
Their boss was definitely soft when it came to his fiancé.
Satang leaned back.
“So, when are we finally meeting him?”
Phuwin glanced toward the kitchen.
“Darling?”
He looked back at them.
"You both want something to drink?"
"Water is fine,” Fourth said.
“Yeah, same,” Satang added.
There was a brief pause.
Then a familiar voice answered from somewhere inside.
“Yes?”
“Water, please?”
“Coming.”
Fourth froze.
Satang froze.
They looked at each other.
That voice.
They knew that voice.
Very well.
Footsteps approached.
A moment later, Pond appeared from the kitchen.
He was wearing a simple apron over a comfortable T-shirt, sleeves pushed up his arms, his hair slightly tousled.
He looked...
Relaxed.
Comfortable.
Completely at home.
Nothing like the perfectly put-together Mr. Lert they saw every day at the office.
Pond was carrying three glasses of water.
He walked over without the slightest hint of awkwardness.
He handed one to Fourth.
“For you.”
Fourth accepted it automatically.
“Thanks.”
Pond handed the next one to Satang.
“And yours.”
“Thanks.”
Then he gave the last glass to Phuwin.
“Here.”
Phuwin smiled.
“Thank you, darling.”
Pond gave him a small smile.
Phuwin's eyes suddenly caught something on his face.
“Wait.”
Pond stopped.
“What?”
“You have flour on your cheek.”
Pond frowned.
“Where?”
Phuwin pointed at his own cheek.
“Here.”
Pond wiped at the wrong side.
“Did I get it?”
“No.”
He wiped the other side.
“Here?”
“Still there.”
Pond sighed.
“Where is it?”
Phuwin laughed softly and reached up.
“Hold still.”
His thumb gently brushed the little streak of flour from Pond's cheek.
Pond stayed perfectly still, watching him with a small, amused smile.
“There.”
“Got it?”
“Mhm.”
Phuwin looked at his thumb, then at Pond.
“You've been cooking for five minutes and you're already covered in flour.”
“I've been cooking longer than five minutes.”
“Exactly my point.”
Pond rolled his eyes.
“I'm going back before your birthday dinner gets ruined.”
“You better not ruin it.”
“I won't.”
He turned toward the kitchen.
“Thank you, darling.”
Pond glanced back at him.
“Happy birthday, love.”
Then he disappeared into the kitchen.
And that was when Fourth's brain finally caught up.
Pond.
In Phuwin's house.
Wearing an apron.
Making dinner.
Being called darling.
Their boss's fiancé.
Their coworker.
The man they had spent months watching argue with Phuwin over everything from presentation slides to documents.
Fourth slowly turned his head toward Satang.
Satang was already staring at him.
Neither said a word.
Phuwin looked between them.
He seemed to notice their expressions.
A tiny smile appeared on his face.
He knew.
He absolutely knew.
And instead of rescuing them, he decided to enjoy it.
He took a sip of water.
Fourth stared at him.
Then at Pond.
Then back at Phuwin.
Satang looked equally horrified.
Pond, completely oblivious to the crisis he had caused, had already returned to the kitchen.
Finally, Phuwin set his glass down.
“You two look like you've seen a ghost.”
Fourth opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Satang tried next.
“Boss...”
“Hm?”
“Is—”
He pointed vaguely toward the kitchen.
Phuwin's smile widened.
“Oh.”
He looked toward the kitchen.
Then back at them.
Right.
They still didn't know.
Phuwin leaned back comfortably against the sofa.
“This is Pond.”
A pause.
“My fiancé.”
Fourth's soul left his body.
Satang's followed immediately after.
Neither of them moved.
Neither of them breathed.
Phuwin simply smiled.
“Surprise.”
From the kitchen came Pond's voice.
“Phu, where did you put the—”
He appeared again.
He looked at the two completely stunned men on the sofa.
Then at Phuwin.
“What happened?”
Phuwin glanced at Fourth and Satang.
“Nothing.”
Pond looked unconvinced.
“Are you sure?”
Phuwin nodded, trying not to laugh.
“Very.”
Fourth finally found his voice.
“You're...”
He pointed at Pond.
Then at Phuwin.
Then back at Pond.
Pond stared at him.
“Yes?”
Fourth looked at Satang.
“We are idiots.”
Satang nodded immediately.
“Complete idiots.”
Pond frowned.
Phuwin finally laughed.
“Come on. Dinner's almost ready.”
Neither of them moved.
They were still trying to process the fact that the two men they had spent months convinced were incapable of standing in the same room without fighting...
were apparently going home to each other every night.
...
By the time dinner was ready, Fourth and Satang had mostly recovered.
Mostly.
Pond brought the last dish to the table and set it down carefully.
“Okay. That's everything.”
Phuwin looked at the table.
There was enough food for at least twice as many people.
“You made this much?”
Pond glanced at him.
“It's your birthday.”
“You didn't have to make so much.”
“I know.”
“Then why did you?”
“Because you like all of these.”
Phuwin smiled.
Fourth and Satang exchanged a look.
Again.
Pond pulled out a chair for Phuwin without even thinking about it.
Phuwin sat.
Pond took the seat beside him.
Fourth stared.
Satang stared.
Neither commented.
“Come on,” Phuwin said. “Eat before it gets cold.”
They started serving themselves.
Fourth took a bite.
His eyes widened.
“This is really good.”
Pond looked up.
“Thanks.”
“You made all of this?”
“Most of it.”
Phuwin immediately added, “He makes really good food.”
Pond glanced at him.
“You say that every time.”
“Because it's true.”
“You don't have to advertise me.”
“Why not?”
“It's embarrassing.”
Phuwin smiled.
Fourth nearly choked.
Embarrassing?
Pond Naravit Lertratkosum?
The same man who could dismantle someone's entire presentation with three sentences and a polite smile?
Embarrassed because his fiancé complimented his cooking?
Satang looked at Fourth.
Fourth looked back.
They both silently agreed.
They had entered a parallel universe.
“So,” Satang said carefully, “you've been cooking for Phuwin for a long time?”
Pond nodded.
“Since university, actually.”
Phuwin looked at him fondly.
“He couldn't cook much when we first started dating.”
Pond immediately protested.
“I could cook.”
“You could make eggs.”
“I could make other things.”
“You used to burn instant noodles.”
“That happened once.”
“Twice.”
Pond looked offended.
“That second time doesn't count.”
Fourth slowly put down his fork.
“I'm sorry.”
Both men looked at him.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
He picked his fork back up.
“Please continue.”
Phuwin laughed.
“He's gotten much better.”
“I know how to cook.”
“I said you're good.”
“You also told them I couldn't cook.”
“I was telling them about your character development.”
Pond shook his head.
Satang couldn't stop smiling.
This was insane.
At work, these two couldn't ask each other for a document without turning it into a five-minute argument.
Here, they were bickering over burnt noodles.
And somehow it was... cute.
“So you really have been together since university?” Fourth asked.
Phuwin nodded.
“Mm.”
“That long?”
“Yeah.”
Pond reached for a dish and placed some on Phuwin's plate.
“Eat this.”
Phuwin looked down.
“I was going to.”
“You were staring at it.”
“I was deciding.”
“You've been deciding for thirty seconds.”
Fourth stared at them.
“Do you two always do this?”
Pond looked confused.
“Do what?”
“Nothing,” Fourth said quickly.
Phuwin smiled.
“He's always like this.”
“Like what?”
“Taking care of me.”
Pond looked at him.
“You make it sound dramatic.”
“It is dramatic.”
“It's really not.”
“You packed my lunch this morning.”
“Because you forgot.”
“You remembered I didn't like the sandwich from yesterday.”
“Because you complained about it for twenty minutes.”
“And you bought the bread I like.”
“Because you wouldn't stop talking about it.”
Phuwin smiled proudly.
“See?”
Satang looked at Fourth.
Fourth looked back.
Their boss was bragging.
Not subtly.
Not accidentally.
He was bragging about his fiancé.
And he looked ridiculously happy doing it.
“So what does Pond usually do when you're not working?” Satang asked.
Phuwin immediately answered.
“Too many things.”
Pond groaned.
“Don't start.”
“He cooks.”
“You already told them that.”
“He's good at fixing things.”
“Phu.”
“He remembers everything.”
“Phuwin.”
“He's also—”
“Eat your dinner.”
Phuwin laughed.
Fourth and Satang stared at their plates, trying very hard not to smile.
Their boss was hopeless.
Completely, utterly, hopelessly in love.
And somehow that was the strangest thing they'd learned about him all evening.
Because Phuwin Tangsakyuen—the terrifying Mr. Tang who could reduce a meeting room to silence with one look—was sitting at his own dinner table happily telling his coworkers how wonderful his fiancé was.
And his fiancé was Pond.
Pond.
The same Pond who spent every working day arguing with him.
Fourth took another bite of food.
He was beginning to suspect they had never understood either of them at all
And suddenly, Fourth remembered something.
Not one particular conversation.
A pattern.
How Pond always seemed to know when Phuwin had skipped lunch.
How Phuwin somehow knew when Pond was about to lose patience in a meeting and would interrupt before things escalated.
At the time, Fourth had thought it was simply because they worked together so often.
Now he wasn't so sure.
Satang seemed to be thinking along the same lines.
“I just remembered something,” he said.
Fourth looked at him.
“That presentation last month.”
“The client one?”
“Yeah.”
Pond glanced up.
“What about it?”
Satang ignored him.
He was looking at Fourth.
“Pond was supposed to present the financial section.”
Fourth's eyes widened.
“But Phuwin took over.”
“Exactly.”
They both remembered.
Phuwin had stepped in halfway through without hesitation.
At the time, everyone had assumed he was trying to prove Pond wrong.
But afterward, when the meeting ended, Phuwin had quietly told Pond:
“You were getting a migraine.”
And Pond had simply nodded.
No argument.
No explanation.
He'd just handed Phuwin his water bottle.
Fourth stared at the table.
“Oh my God.”
Satang nodded slowly.
“We thought they were competing.”
“They were taking care of each other.”
Across the table, Pond frowned.
“Are you two talking about us?”
“No,” Fourth said immediately.
Pond narrowed his eyes.
Phuwin looked amused.
Then another memory hit Satang.
“Wait.”
Fourth looked at him.
“The conference trip.”
Pond groaned.
“Why do you remember that?”
“Because you two were impossible.”
Phuwin laughed.
Satang pointed at him.
“You spent the entire morning complaining that Pond had taken the window seat.”
“I wanted the window seat.”
“And then you spent the entire flight asleep on his shoulder.”
Phuwin paused.
Fourth's mouth fell open.
Pond shrugged.
“He was tired.”
“That was the explanation?”
“Yes.”
Satang stared at him.
“You two were already together then?”
Pond looked at Phuwin.
“Obviously.”
Phuwin nodded.
“Very much.”
Fourth covered his face.
They had all been there.
Then there was the coffee.
The snacks.
The way Pond always knew when Phuwin was tired.
The way they somehow anticipated each other's arguments.
The way they always ended up sitting beside each other during meetings despite constantly complaining about it.
The way Pond would glance at Phuwin whenever something funny happened and Phuwin would look toward Pond whenever he needed an answer.
All those little moments.
Fourth looked at Phuwin.
Then at Pond.
Then at Satang.
“We're idiots.”
Satang nodded solemnly.
“We've already established that.”
Pond looked up from his plate.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Phuwin narrowed his eyes.
“You've said 'nothing' approximately twenty times tonight.”
Fourth cleared his throat.
“We're just... processing.”
“Processing what?”
Satang looked at him.
“Your relationship.”
Phuwin laughed.
“Why?”
Satang stared at him.
“Because we thought you hated each other.”
Pond looked at Phuwin.
Phuwin looked at Pond.
There was a brief silence.
Then they both started laughing.
“You thought we hated each other?”
“Yes!”
Pond shook his head.
“That explains a lot.”
Phuwin wiped at the corner of his eye, still laughing.
“You two are ridiculous.”
Fourth pointed at them.
“You literally argue every single day.”
“That's because he's annoying.”
Pond nodded.
“And he's stubborn.”
Phuwin smiled.
“And you love me.”
Pond's expression softened immediately.
“Unfortunately.”
Phuwin kicked him lightly under the table.
Pond laughed.
Fourth and Satang just stared.
Yep.
They were definitely in a parallel universe.
...
After dinner, Pond quickly started clearing the table.
Fourth, Satang, and Phuwin immediately tried to help.
They were immediately scolded.
Fourth and Satang were guests.
And Phuwin was the birthday boy.
According to Pond, that meant none of them were allowed to do anything.
“Sit down.”
“But—”
“Sit.”
Fourth and Satang exchanged a look before obediently sitting back down.
Phuwin sighed.
“You're being ridiculous.”
“It's your birthday.”
“I'm capable of carrying a plate.”
“I know.”
“Then why—”
“Because it's your birthday.”
Phuwin rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.
Pond disappeared into the kitchen again.
A moment later, he returned carrying another cake.
He placed it carefully beside the one Fourth and Satang had brought.
Phuwin looked at it and immediately smiled.
“My favorite."
Pond glanced at him.
“I know.”
Fourth and Satang exchanged a small smile.
Of course he knew.
Pond lit the candles while Fourth and Satang started singing.
Phuwin immediately covered his face.
“No. I’m too old for this.”
“Too bad,” Satang said.
“Make a wish, Boss,” Fourth added.
Pond joined in.
Unfortunately, Pond could not sing.
Not even a little.
He was confidently off-key, occasionally missing the rhythm entirely and somehow still looking completely pleased with himself.
Phuwin peeked at him through his fingers.
“You're ruining my birthday.”
Pond kept singing.
“I’m adding character.”
“You're adding noise.”
Fourth bit his lip to stop himself from laughing.
Satang gave up entirely.
By the time they reached the end of the song, Phuwin was laughing too hard to complain.
“Okay. Finally.”
He leaned forward and blew out the candles.
Everyone clapped.
Pond handed him the knife.
“You cut it.”
Phuwin took it.
“Obviously. It's my birthday.”
He carefully cut the cake and began serving everyone a slice.
Fourth got one.
Then Satang.
Then Pond.
Phuwin looked down at his own slice.
There was a small chocolate decoration sitting on top.
His favorite part.
Without even thinking about it, he picked it up and placed it on Pond's plate.
Pond looked down.
Then at him.
“You gave me that?”
“You like it.”
Pond smiled.
“I do.”
For a moment, Pond just looked at him.
Then he leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to Phuwin's cheek.
Phuwin blinked.
Fourth and Satang went completely still.
Pond sat back as if nothing had happened.
Phuwin's cheeks slowly turned pink.
He looked down at his cake, trying very hard not to smile.
Pond noticed immediately.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You're smiling.”
Phuwin glanced at him.
“You kissed me.”
Pond shrugged, looking far too pleased with himself.
“It's your birthday.”
Phuwin's smile softened.
“And that's my favorite part.”
Pond raised an eyebrow.
“The cake?”
Phuwin shook his head.
He looked at Pond shyly.
“No.”
Fourth's fork stopped halfway to his mouth.
Satang stared at them.
Pond's smile widened.
“Good.”
“Happy birthday, my heart.”
“Thank you, darling.”
Phuwin looked down again, still smiling.
Fourth slowly looked at Satang.
Satang slowly looked back.
Neither of them said anything.
There were some things they simply weren't prepared to witness from their boss.
This was apparently one of them.