Tin is back in Thailand to resume being the Medthanan heir. He is finally ready to deal with all of his past misdeeds, including the mess with Pete Pichaya and his boyfriend, Ae. He now has the skills to fight his brother, Tul, for the family compan...
Once food was involved, Can was oblivious to everything but his stomach. He had phoned his sister, Ley, and told her to leave the back door open. He had a date tonight. He never specified what type of date. She never asked.
Can's one track mind for food had served him well, except once. When he lost his tuition payment for his final semester of school. He still beat himself up over that too. To this day, he never understood why his ma gave him the money to make the payment each semester rather than transferring it directly.
Was it his fault that those bbq pork skewers looked so good? Was it his fault he ate 20 of them before remembering he had to pay his tuition fees? By then, whoever found his money was long gone.
The whole football team cried. Can was the number one scorer. They did a collection and managed to raise enough money to pay his fees but Ley tattled. She told ma he lost the money and Ma wouldn't let him keep the funds.
Can really hated his sister sometimes. She could be a really snotty bitch. So he wasn't as smart as she was, he had his talents too. He didn't need to know the square root of pies. He only needed to know body mass indexes!
He had a dream. He was already saving up for it. He was going to work as a personal trainer and then, one day, open up his own gym. Well, that was if he didn't get the coach position at the local high school. He really wanted to coach kids.
You see, until you saw him on the field or in the shower, Can didn't look like anything. He was on the small side: small eyes, small chin, smallish mouth, slim body. It was on the field, running, you saw how swiftly he could move, how decisive he was. In the shower, your eyes were drawn to his well defined muscles and smooth skin.
In essence, Can Kirakorn was a bundle of contradictions. Tin Medthanan was caught in a Monkey tree. There was only one way out.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Tin stood by his car, refusing to move. Can danced on his heels. "Come on, we'll walk. Your car," he gave the car a wistful look, "Will be completely safe in front of the Grand Dame."
Tin finally sighed. "Where are you taking me, Can?"
"To dinner. Hurry up, Tin." It was the use of his name that did it. The smile was brief, gone as fast as it came. Can didn't even see it. "I'm hungry!"
"Do you always sound like you're a little boy?" Tin couldn't hide his amusement. He now followed behind Can, always one step behind. It was driving Can mad, having to turn his head when he spoke.
Finally, Can had enough. He stopped and reached for Tin's hand and tugged him to meet his pace. "I guess so. You're not the first to mention it."
Tin let him hold his hand. He wondered as they walked if Can realized he held it. It felt nice to have someone hold his hand, wanted, if that was possible.
Can finally stopped at an outdoor stall and looked at Tin with a huge grin. "We're here. Sit anywhere, I'll be right back."
Tin sighed. They could be eating in the Restaurant at the Top of the World and he choose this place? He took out a handkerchief and placed it over the orange plastic stool and sat down, crossing his legs.
Can returned with two tin mugs of water. "I hope water is okay. It's either that or pop and sugar at this time of day makes you fat."
He couldn't help it. A puff of laughter escaped. Did Can just call him fat??? "Water is fine." Can nodded and the puzzled look disappeared.
"Auntie will be right here. I ordered for you, too. I hope you don't mind." Tin shook his head. He wasn't a fussy eater. He knew better. Manners were deathly important in the Medthanan social circle.
Can sighed. "I thought you'd talk my ear off the way No does or Pete. Why are you so quiet?"
Tin thought carefully about his answer. For once, he had found an amusing companion. Was it worth being being himself? Would this man understand his loneliness? He decided to take a chance. "You are more interesting than I am."
Water sprayed out over the table. "Don't say things like that as I'm drinking." Can jumped up to grab paper napkins. "I'm so sorry!" He started to wipe up the mess he made, not noticing it had also splattered his suit.
Tin couldn't help but laugh. The sight of this smaller man, dressed in his cheap, black work suit, frantically wiping down a rickety plastic table with paper napkins was hilarious. He looked just like a hyperactive monkey at the zoo.
His laughter attracted Can's attention. It was then he noticed all the water spots on the front of his jacket. "Oh my god, Tin! I am deeply sorry." He grabbed fresh napkins and began to carefully pat the suit jacket. "I didn't mean too. Really, I didn't."
Again, there was that odd stirring in his nether regions. Tin softly stilled Can's hand where it was on his chest. "Please, don't." The words were oddly gentle. "You will ruin the jacket. It's fine. Let's just sit down and eat, when it comes."
Can's face was flushed, not only from embarrassment but from something he didn't recognize. Tin's hand on his wrist felt hot. Did he have a fever? He looked fine... maybe it was he that was sick. His tummy went funny, every time they touched. "But... I feel bad!"
There it was. Can's hand was still tightly, yet softly, held against Tin's chest and he felt it move with the silent laughter. He jerked back and fell to the molded plastic chair, pouting. "What's so damn funny?"
"I will offend you with the truth, Can. Please, just be yourself and eat with me?" Tin smiled bitterly. Once again, it was turning out that his money would be in the way. He sighed.
Can looked at him and saw his face tighten, the eyes go cold and all signs of banter gone. What changed? He didn't understand at all. He didn't understand anything! Confused, he looked directly in Tin's shuttered eyes, "I haven't left yet, have I?"
Just then, the food arrived. Can's eyes lit up at the sight of it. Tin gasped as the table filled up completely. It took three people to deliver it all. "Can, you better not pull a runner." Auntie said, puffing, as she put down his favorite, roast pork skewers.
"Of course not, Auntie." Can replied, offended. He tapped Tin's leg under the plastic table, mouthing, pay her.
Tin nodded, and looked at the woman. Big and cheerful, he gave her a slight bow, not knowing what to do at an outdoor food establishment, "Auntie, how much?"
"45,000 bhat." She replied shortly. It was less, but he looked rich. He could pay off that little weasel's tab.
Tin didn't blink. He took out five 10,000 notes and handed them to her. "Thank you." She was already dismissed from his mind by the time he sat down. Can had already begun to eat. There was both a bowl of noodles and plain rice in front of him.
"Family style." Can muttered, his mouth full. "Don't worry about what's left. I'll eat it." His lips greasy, he grinned. "They say I'm a bottomless pit." Food was disappearing rapidly and Tin had yet to lift his chopsticks. "What are you waiting for?" Can shook his head, disappointed. This was the best food stall in Bangkok. Cheap and large portions, but excellent food.
"Trust me, Auntie knows how to cook. Just try it. Please?" Tin smiled. He really couldn't resist that whine. "I'll pay for the cleaning of your suit. I feel bad."
Tin laughed aloud. "Can, it's a Desmond Merrion Supreme Bespoke suit, custom made for me. I doubt you can afford to. Don't worry about it." He lifted the bowl of noodles and tried it. Can was right, the auntie did know how to cook.
