My lovely driver

3. Candies

Assistant Prem:
Mr Ritprasert, as usual, I bought your sister a present. It was delivered this morning.

Ohm had read the message and remembered instantly: once again he had forgotten his own little sister's birthday. Luckily, Prem was great at these things and had foreseen his failure, keeping him from disappointing the girl.

He was heading home, as usual, with Fluke driving the car calmly. By this time, the city was starting to gear up for nightlife as the day's workers went to rest. But as he looked out the window at the landscape, Ohm had a better idea for that night.

"Hey Fluke!"

"Yes, Mr Ohm?", the driver asked.

"Oi, oi! I've already asked you to leave the formalities aside and just call me Ohm, ok?", the CEO said, looking at the reflection in the car's rear view mirror.

"I'm sorry, Mr.… I mean, Ohm! Please say what you meant, I'm paying attention!", Fluke replied feeling a little intimidated when using the intimate treatment with his boss.

Since the funeral, the dynamics between them had improved a lot and now Fluke felt more at ease in the man's presence, but he couldn't completely relax as he always remembered how they belonged to totally different worlds.

"It's my sister's birthday today and I forgot to buy her something. Do you have any suggestions?"

Fluke seemed to consider the question and decided to ask another:

"Does she have any kind of dietary restrictions or can she eat everything?"

"Oh, she can eat anything! In fact, she has a sweet tooth!", Ohm commented.

"That's great! I have the perfect idea then!", Fluke said signaling the car and taking another entrance.

Not long after, they parked in front of a charming Café. From the late hour and the sign on the door, it was visible that the place was closed to the public, but Fluke seemed to ignore this and just knocked on the glass door until he was picked up.

Ohm, then, was startled by the following scene: from inside the establishment came another man very similar to Fluke in height, but totally different in his ways of acting. As soon as they saw each other, the two embraced, exchanging pleasantries, completely oblivious to the fact that it made the CEO simmer with jealousy.

"Ohm, come on!", Fluke called him with a wide, bright smile.

The Café was decorated as if it were a "Barbie's House" with an excess of pink and details that simulated the doll's kitchen, from the benches and tables to the service counter, walls and shop windows. Everything looked lovely and well-toned, but since Ohm didn't like the intimacy the local employee showed Fluke, it made the CEO hate every inch of the shop.

"Ohm! Hey, Ohm! Let's sit here!", the driver said, getting his attention.

Only then did the CEO realize that the other guy had disappeared. Unfortunately, he was soon back with a menu in hand. Making a very exaggerated bow, the young man leaned towards Ohm and offered him the menu.

"Oh, Mr Ritprasert! It is an honor to welcome you to my humble Cafe! Just order and I will do my best to serve you!"

Ohm thought the phrase was completely weird, but it looked like Fluke was about to burst out laughing, which he actually did. When he managed to calm down, he just said:

"Coo, he's a CEO, not a prince! He doesn't need all that!" and turning to the man in question, Fluke explained "Ohm, please ignore Cooheart! He's my childhood friend and the most exaggerated person on the planet, but unfortunately he's like a brother to me."

"What do you mean by 'unfortunately' you ungrateful…", Coo and Fluke began to argue excitedly, but in a way that made it clear that there was nothing between them but a simple friendship, reassuring Ohm's heart as he hastened to reassure them.

"Your Cafe is very elegant, Cooheart! Fluke suggested I come here to buy a birthday present for my sister, can you help me please?", Ohm asked extremely politely and completed the question with a serene smile that accompanied a dimple.

Both boys were a little stunned by the effect it had on the man, giving him even greater beauty than when he was simply serious. However, soon Cooheart regained consciousness and warned that he would bring them to taste something he thought Ohm might like.

While the owner of the place was busy preparing the samples, Fluke revealed a bit of his past.

"I met Coo when we ended up at the orphanage. He found out and came out gay very early and that prevented him from being adopted by couples who had been interested in him. The same happened to me and we ended up bonding because we had this in common. Over time, we became friends and we haven't strayed until today. But he's very talented and a divine baker! I'm sure your sister will like anything he makes, Ohm!", Fluke spoke.

Ohm felt the compulsion to hold the delicate hand resting on the table, but when he was about to do so, Cooheart had returned with a tray containing different kinds of candy. They were all delicately decorated and the fillings varied in flavors, from the mildest to the most pungent.

Ohm hated sweets, but from that moment on he was sure he was hooked on the sugary flavor of the desserts he was trying alongside Fluke. He then chose some varieties and asked Cooheart to put them in a gift wrap. Before paying, his phone rang and he excused himself to answer it outside.

Inside the Café, the two friends were talking about the CEO:

"That boss of yours looks too hot to be as rude as you said, Fluke! Unless when you said it you meant something else and I didn't realize it!"

"You pervert! I will…", but Fluke couldn't finish his threat because Ohm had returned. He quickly paid the bill and they said goodbye to Cooheart.

********

"I'm sorry I called you, sir. But there were new clues about your parents' case and the car's GPS indicated that it had gone off the route for the evening, so I decided to take the risk.", Prem spoke into the phone.

"No problem, Prem. What did you find out?"

"The car was really sabotaged, the brake wires were cut and this caused the accident. Now the Police Chief has said that they will investigate the possible culprits. As soon as they have more information, they will let us know.", the assistant reported, and soon after hung off.

If the person had access to the car his parents used, Ohm thought, that meant they could also get to him in the same way. It was imperative to find the culprits as soon as possible. He needed to do justice for his parents and protect his sister.

However, also aware that this sort of thing takes time, he decided to just enjoy the rest of the evening. The CEO went back inside Cooheart's Cafe and paid the bill for the box of candy. The owner insisted on giving a generous discount saying it was an incentive to remain a good boss for his friend. Ohm didn't need that kind of encouragement, but it was always good to reassure himself of that.

The ride home was smooth and before saying goodbye, the CEO warned the driver:

"Be careful on the way back and tomorrow before using the car do a thorough check up, ok?"

"Yes sir!" Fluke replied despite not quite understanding the man's concern.

After that, the night couldn't have been more pleasant. Ohm's sister, Pine, had loved the sweets she had received from him.

"This is the best gift ever, Mii!!", the girl said, hugging her brother.

"But you haven't even tried it yet, Pine!" Ohm snapped, but hugged her sister warmly.

"It's the first time in years that you've given me a gift that wasn't bought by your assistant, brother! It's the best of all!", the girl said unashamedly, causing her brother to blush at the accusation.

It was enough that they had lost their parents, Ohm was more certain than ever that he wouldn't let Pine miss anything else. That was a promise or a threat depending on who his enemies were.