เพียงเสี้ยวสัมผัส | Just A Fraction of Touch (Eng Trans.)

05: The Reason We Have 'N' and 'L'

Here I am,

Next to you.

Next to each other.

***

"Ty thought it's not the car Lion drives. It's actually New's car!"

The bright voice of the newbie father 'Tiger' chattered when he met his best friend after not talking to each other for almost a year. At first, when the red car arrived, he was surprised because it was unfamiliar. But when the other got out of the car, he exclaimed and invited his two friends into the house for dinner right away.

That was how he was.

Always a nice guy.

"How is it, being a father, Ty?"

"Tired, yes. Luk* Sing is so naughty. I apologize to Ly for the trouble as well."

*Luk is used by a parent when talking to their children

"Yeah..." the person entrusted with the boy nodded. He looked at the dishes and smiled, "Not a single rude word came out. Are you scared it will get stuck to your child?"

Right, ever since he stepped into Tiger's house, the person initiating the chat never said any bad words since he didn't want his son to hear it no matter what, and it would be better to go along naturally. It was also embarrassing to appear rude in front of his young wife in the kitchen.

"That's good too. In fact, growing up, New doesn't really speak rudely," he said with a smile, "it's like, what should I say? Since we have to socialize, I got used to using pom* and khun**."

*Pom (ผม) is the normal word for "I / Me" used by men, which can safely be used at pretty much anytime talking to anybody.

**Khun (คุณ) is a polite and very common word meaning 'You', which is appropriate for most everyday situations you will come across. It's the same word used for addressing someone formally.

"Is that so? Ty is the same. Er, this is Ty's only wife, New. Her name is Lomrak," Tiger paused when a slim figure walked in and put a dish of prawn tom yum, "whoa, it smells good, Lomrak Ty's angel."

Plonk!

"Ouch!" a plastic ladle knocked the middle of the husband's head. "Yeah... so fierce with Ty."

"Acting childish, don't you see that your friends are here?" a clear voice yelled, turning the dejected Tiger into a wife-fearing tiger.

The scene in front of them left the two guests speechless, and it was New who let out a thin smile. He had seen each of his friends going down the path of love and became happy, which made him feel relieved.

And...

If that was the case... his 'someone' and that woman would be happy too, right?

Clank

The sound of an aluminum spoon falling onto a plate called New's attention to the other man. Lion's face was also decorated with a flawless smile, no frustration nor irritation.

"Sorry... I'm a bit tired."

Too good at pretending.

That was Niran's thought as he watched the person next to him.