You're My Umbrella

Look into the eyes

It's semester break, all students were either staying at their dorm or going back to their family's home. Turbo usually stayed in his dorm but since Fourwheels being so noisy about why Turbo wanted to stay and making it into a big deal, Turbo followed him and went back home. They even invited Kaownah to their home while waiting for his siblings to come to Thailand. 

At first, Kaownah was planning on going back to Australia but his sister said there's no need because they have things to attend in Thailand, so Kaownah just had to wait at their house. But, what's the point of having a lover if you are not going to stay with him, so he accepted Turbo's invitation and stayed at his house for a few days until his siblings arrived.

It was the second day of semester break means it was the second day of Kaownah staying at Turbo's yet he hasn't met Turbo's father because coincidentally, he was on a business trip somewhere in Hat Yai, which is far from Bangkok.

Turbo was lying on his bed playing a game on his phone while Kaownah was sitting at the study desk, staring at Turbo, lovingly. Noticed that he was being looked at, Turbo lifted his head from the phone and looked straight back at Kaownah.

"Why?" He asked.

"What do you mean why?" Kaownah asked back.

"Well, you are staring," Turbo press the home button and turned off his phone. He sat upon his bed giving his full attention to Kaownah. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"

Kaownah cleared his throat and sat straight up. He suddenly felt embarrassed being stared at by Turbo. He was trying to say something as his face started to turn pink.

"I-- I was just..."

Knock. Knock.

They both turned to the door. Kaownah thought it was Fourwheels and he silently thanked him in his head for saving him in that embarrassing moment he created for himself.

"Come in.." Turbo said, also thinking it was Fourwheels. Weird, he thought as Fourwheels never once knocked on the door before entering, or perhaps because there's Kaownah in here so his little brother decided to be so well-mannered.

"Excuse my intrusion~," said a voice after opening the door. It was a boy who looks like he is half-Chinese and half-Thai. He was confused after seeing Kaownah - who to him is a stranger - in the room. His eyes behind the thick glasses shifted from Kaownah to Turbo alternately.

"Aow Boom... how did you come here? Did you come with Na' Padd?" Turbo asked monotonously as usual, though he sounds a little excited at the mention of his auntie's name.

"Oh! Yes," He beamed showing his teeth that were secured by braces. "I heard from Fourwheels that you are home. It's been a while since you come home so I thought of paying you a visit... but I don't know you have a guest..." He continued and trailed at the end of his sentence.

"Oh, this is Kaownah. My roommate at the university." Turbo replied. "This is Boom, my cousin." He introduced the two awkward boys in the room. Boom extended his hand out first since he always appeared more friendly than Kaownah.

"Boom khrab." He said and Kaownah accepted his handshake. "Kaownah khrab." It was very short and awkward but fortunately, the situation was cut even shorter when Fourwheels walked into the room as if it was his.

"My dear brothers..." He halted as he looked at Boom and Kaownah standing in the middle of the room. "...and my not so dear nong... Na' Padd has already prepared the dinner so please, come down to eat unless you want to starve." He turned around and left the room after finished talking.

"He is so loud!" Boom whined as he also followed Fourwheels to go down. Kaownah looked at Turbo who was also looking at him.

"Don't be nervous. I'm here." Turbo said and held Kaownah's hand. Kaownah nodded, trying not to be nervous. But who won't be nervous when you are about to meet your lover's family? Turbo let go of Kaownah's hand and lead the way to the dining table.

They can even hear the loud chatter and laughter from the corridor. The sound getting louder and louder as they were getting nearer and nearer. At first, Turbo thought there would be only his cousin and his twin aunties, but to his surprised, his father was there too and more surprisingly, his mom was sitting at the dining table, laughing with his aunties while Fourwheels cling right next to her.

"Mae!" He half-shouted as everyone turned to look at him before their attention turned to Kaownah who was equally surprised to see that there are more people than he expected to. While Turbo fell into his mother's longing embrace, Kaownah stood there awkwardly until Turbo's father motioned to him sit next to him.

'Will I be alright?' He asked himself as he made his way to the chair. Turbo and Kaownah were separated from one end to another end. It somehow felt like they are being separated from earth to another planet. Turbo and Fourwheels exchanged their looks before turning to Kaownah.

"We meet sooner than I expected too." Turbo's father said to Kaownah. It was nothing alarming or threatening. Just a gentle statement with a little hint of excitement. But Turbo, Fourwheels and Kaownah were shocked. The statement sounds like he was anticipating meeting Kaownah, does that mean he already knew all along? or if not, then how much that he knew about them?

Their restlessness can be sensed by everyone at the table and mostly by their father since they were throwing glances back and forth towards him.

"There's no need to be nervous. I know you doubt me." Their father spoke and mostly for Turbo. Turbo put down his utensils and cleared his throat.

"I don't know how much do you know about us, but I don't have any intention of hiding it anyway. Since everyone is here today and it will probably be hard for us to gather like this again, so I will only say this once..." Turbo started and everyone turned to him giving their full attention. Turbo looked at Kaownah and their eyes met. Their gaze locked with each other.

"Kaownah and I, we are in a relationship."