Like The Water That Sustains Me

Pardon?

Jay chuckles when he gets into the lobby. He checks his phone and sees there's a message from Khun Tan. He hurriedly unlocks his phone and reads the message.

'Come here,' is what the short text message says.

Jay didn't bother to use the elevator and opted for the emergency stairs. It's been exactly 4 minutes since the message was sent. And he wouldn't dare find out what would happen to him if he crosses the 5-minute mark.

He composes himself first before opening the door and plasters his smile when he talks with Khun Tan. His older boss was reading documents like always. But when you've been with a person for half of your life, you know certain things. You see things that others can't. Like how the older man is clearly upset.

He doesn't look any different than usual. His still face always covering everything up, but there's a method to seeing it. His feelings.

His lips are pursed tightly, his left eyebrows are twitching a little, and his ears are a little flushed, and that only happens when he's upset.

Because of the older man's status, or threateningly handsome face, and the domineering aura that drives people away. So when you face him, all these factors welding together, can't make you look at him in the eyes. And so people never notice these minor changes in his expressions when he's annoyed or upset.

But not Jay.

He has a good 15 years of experience.

He knows what to look for, where to look, and how to look. Or else he would've been fired already. Either for being incompetent in attending to his boss's needs, or for staring too long and being obviously in love with him.

"Khun Tan, you asked for me?" Jay says lowly as to not disturb his boss from his work.

The half-Brit boss looks up and puts down the paper he was reading. He looks at Jay sternly. He takes his glasses off and sets them down on the table. Then leans back on the chair and folds his arms.

Jay's heart is now beating overtime. The boss is upset and is just looking at him while contemplating what to say.

He's not used to this. Ever since he arrived in Thailand, his boss has been acting weird.

Jay stands still and keeps the smile plastered, and he tucks his hands behind his back, while subtly wiping the sweat on his pants.

"When was the last time you went to the beach?" Khun Tan asks.

Khun Tan finally breaks the silence, and that was the last thing that Jay expected the older man to ask.

"Pardon? I think I'm hearing things. Did you say the beach?" Jay asks distractedly.

Khun Tan smiles on the corner of his mouth and licks his lips. And Jay can't help but follow that small movement of the other's tongue.

"Yes. I'm asking you when was the last time you went to a beach?" C asks again.

Jay answers nonplussed, "I honestly can't remember. Probably that one time we had a client meeting at a resort in East London,"

Khun Tan nods and says, "Good. Just checking. Please book a ticket to Krabi, and confirm the reservations in Railay Beach," then gets back to his papers.

"Very well," Jay nods and breathes out.

He didn't notice he was already holding his breath. Maybe he just read wrong. Maybe his boss wasn't actually upset.

"And you're not off the hook yet, Jay. I told you not to talk to that Jirayu anymore but you disobeyed me just a week after I told you not to" Khun Tan says without looking up.

Jay bites his lips, but politely answers, "I went up to tell Khun Chaai about the conference tomorrow,"

"But you could've told him over the phone." the other supplies.

Jay can't think of any excuse for that. But he was worried about them. Ever since Khun Tan instructed him not to talk to Gui, he can't help himself and made it a point to check on them every day.

Fortunately, his boss doesn't seem to have anything planned for the two yet, but he's just making sure.

"I'm sorry, Khun Tan. It won't happen again," Jay answers. But he has his fingers crossed behind his back.

"Good. Book the ticket for this weekend, and pack light," Khun Tan instructs. Jay nods again and excuses himself out of the room.

But before he can get out, the older man stops him and tells him to sit down on the chair by the wooden table and tells him to do his business there. The older man is now in a better mood. He looks less tense, no lips pursing, no eye twitching, and his ears don't look flustered anymore.

Jay did what he was told to do in confusion. He books the tickets, confirms the reservations in Railay Beach and brings out his laptop to check his boss's schedule. There's no Railay Beach on his itinerary, so he puts that in, and cleared out any schedule for that day.

"Khun Tan, you have a 1-PM meeting with Khun Banarasee in XXX hotel. Should I postpone it?" Jay informs.

Khun Tan suddenly looks flustered all over again. But this time not just his ears, but it runs all the way to his neck, and even on his chest, which isn't covered by his button shirt.

"No. Set all our appointments to an earlier date. We'll finish everything before going to Krabi," the older man says.

He was able to finish that sentence smoothly, but Jay can see that the older man seemed a little fidgety. Flustered even.

But he doesn't comment on it and starts contacting all their secretaries and informed them of the change of date.

Is Khun Tan nervous? About what?

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Ohhhh what's daddy C being nervous about? And is he really upset tho? Hehhee I love them sooo much.

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Until then,

Ciao!