From Something To Everything (Bounprem)

12. Salapao

Boun parked his car on the roadside before walking to the convenience store.

Boun was on his way to Benz's place to watch the football match.

Benz had called him asking him to pick up some snacks and drinks for everyone on his way there.

Taking a trolley Boun walked to the snacks section. He picked out a variety of snacks as there will be a group of people watching the match with him. Then he picked some chilled beer from the bar fridge, almost emptying it.

Benz had especially requested him to get a few non-alcoholic drinks as well.

Boun walked to the cold drink section.

As he walked by the bar fridges, his eyes fell on the peach-flavored drink. The drink reminded him of the boy he met at the hospital. Unknowingly his lips curled into a smile.

Boun bought a few dozen of the drink as well.

After paying, Boun carried all the things to his car with difficulty.

As Boun was nearing his destination, he called Benz and asked him to come down to the parking lot to help him bring the things upstairs.

Boun got out of the car and saw Tae waiting for him.

Opening the boot, he took out the bags of snacks and drinks and passed half of them to Tae.

From his conversation with Tae, he understood that others were already there. He was the last person to reach there.

Boun was not actually a big fan of such gatherings. He preferred being around strangers who knew nothing about him than people who actually knew him.

Boun had decided to come because Benz and Tae told him that Prem would be joining them to watch the match. He had already promised to help them with Prem. He couldn't back out now. Boun too wanted to get to know Prem who had left such a good impression on his friends. Boun thought, maybe he could make a good friend out of Prem as well.

Prem was also the spokesperson of his brand, the one he will be collaborating with in the upcoming release. He had to get along and develop an understanding of the latter.

Tae punched in the passcode opening the door to the apartment.

Boun followed Tae in carrying the bags.

It was very noisy inside. People were talking and laughing loudly.

Boun saw a few familiar faces. The normal bunch that always hangs out together was there.

Setting the bags on the table Boun stretched himself. He saw Tae talking to Benz who was in the kitchen.

Boun walked over to the group of people.

Suddenly Boun stopped on the track seeing someone he thought would never see again, among the group of people. He stood there frozen on spot.

It was him; the boy Boun had met at the hospital the other day. The one who has been running laps inside his head in the past few days. His bright yellow t-shirt complimented his fair complexion. His cat-like eyes became smaller as he laughed. His silky-smooth raven-black hair covered his forehead making him look much cuter than the last time Boun saw him

"Ai Boun, why are you just standing there?" Tae asked.

Boun was staring at Prem unblinkingly.

His face, and his skin looked smooth and flawless. His bulging cheeks were so soft and squishy. So squishy that it reminded him of...

"Salapao..." Boun whispered looking at the young boy laughing at some joke one of his friends cracked.

"Boun? " Tae called out.

Getting no reaction from Boun, Tae followed his line of sight and spotted Prem.

"That's Prem, the one we talked about the other day. " Tae said to Boun before proceeding to call Prem over.

" Prem come here. " Tae waved his hand gestured Prem.

Prem looked over before getting up and walking over to the duo.

"Prem, this is Boun. Benz told you about him, right?" Tae introduced Boun to Prem

"Swadee Khrab Phi" Prem waied the elderly who was giving him a weird look making him extremely nervous for some reason.

"Swadee... " Boun waied back mechanically.

"You guys haven't met before? " Talay, one of his friends, asked putting his hands around Prem's shoulder.

"Idiot, be careful with his hand. " Tae scolded Talay pointing at Prem's splint-covered hand.

Boun too noticed Prem's hand.

'Didn't they say it was a minor surgery? Why is he still wearing a splint?' Boun thought.

Talay made a face at Tae.

Talay was a mutual friend of Boun and Benz. He too worked at N&P. Hence, he got to know Prem as well. He was the extrovert of the group and was good at easing tension.

"We thought you were going to ditch us," Talay said to Boun.

"I wanted to come here earlier. But there was a crowd at the convenience store. It took a bit longer than expected." Boun explained his late arrival.

"Can you guys give me a hand here? " Benz called out from the kitchen.

Prem excused himself as he joined Tae and Talay to help Benz bring things out.

Prem's face lit up when he opened the polythene bag Boun had bought in earlier.

"Wow, my favorite drink and yellow lays. "

Prem excitedly grabbed a bag of lays and the peach-flavored drink before main his way back to his seat.

Boun watched him with an amused expression.

The game had started, and everyone was focused on the game except Boun. His whole attention was on the boy who was munching on his third pack of yellow lays as he enjoyed the match.

Tae and Benz noticed Boun staring intently at Prem.

"Keep it down, Tiger. He will melt if you keep staring at him like that. " Tae said half-jokingly to Boun.

Boun exhaled deeply before taking a sip of the beer.

"Take it, easy dude. He is not your cup of tea. " Tae said patting Boun's shoulder.

"You are right. He is not my cup of tea. He looks like a full-course meal to me. " Boun licked his lips as he spoke.

Tae chuckled at Boun's eager expression.

"Boun, Prem is not that kind of person. Don't try to do anything funny. " Benz warned.

Boun shot a glance at Benz before turning his attention to Prem with a smirk.

Benz shook his head feeling bad for his young friend. He was having second thoughts about letting Boun meet Prem.

Benz was really grateful to Prem. It was because of him that Benz got to meet Tae. He had played a pivotal role in changing Benz's relationship with Tae from client and proprietor to friend to lover. He had always been supportive of their relationship even when their other close friends didn't.

Benz didn't want Boun to hurt Prem. He regretted calling Prem over as he watched Boun looking at Prem as if a lion looks at its prey.

But it was too late to have regrets. They have already met. The rest is in fate's hands. He could only hope that things won't start to go west for these two good friends of his.