Autumn is a second spring

8. Home

"Going somewhere, Khun Boun?" Boun felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist and he froze. He quickly turned around.

"What happened Khun Boun? Surprised to see me here?" 

Boun stared unblinkingly at the person before him.

"Hello?" He could see the person waving his hand in front of his face. "Why is there no reaction? Oh dear lord! Did I break him?"

A pinch on his waist brought him back to reality "Pao" The lone word escaped his lips.

"Finally, your system is working. I thought you had a short circuit or something." Prem said jokingly.

"Y- You are back..." Boun said, more like he was talking to himself.

"Of course." Prem smiled widely "Au! Look at you! You look like a zombie! How many nights did you stay up."

Boun didn't answer that. He pulled Prem into a hug and started crying as he kept mumbling "I am sorry, Pao!... I am really sorry!... I- I should have come over to London... I had promised you that I would come....I-"

"Hush Hush" Prem said cupping Boun's face. "Easy there! Easy!"

Boun's condition had improved a lot but every time his emotions are deeply involved, he will break down like this. Compared to the breakdowns that he used to have years ago, this one was far too controllable.

With the extra training he got from raising Bew, Prem could easily pacify Boun even if the latter had a breakdown.

"I heard what happened in the warehouse and I know that you were caught up with work. I know and I understand." Prem said in a soft voice.

This made Boun feel even more guiltier "I swear that something like this will never happen again! I will never break my promise to you! I will surely make it up to you!"

 "Of course, you have to make it up to me" Prem said as if it was the most natural thing to say. "That goes without saying. I only said I understand, not that I am okay with it."

"Thank you, Babe." Boun smiled, wiping his tears away.

He leaned in to kiss Prem on his lips but the latter pushed his face away.

"Not until you make it up to me, Khun" Prem said sassily. "Now, go take a bath. I have already prepared. You stink!"

Boun smelled himself. He had been living in the office these days and hadn't gotten a proper bath in days. Even though they were inside the air-conditioned office, the stench was apparent after not having baths for days.

"Khrab" He saluted like a soldier and marched to the bathroom.

The bathtub was already filled with warm water. The essential oil was already added to it. Fragrant candles were lit beside it and his favourite wine was also there. 

Boun couldn't hide his smile. No one can pamper him more than his Pao. He was dead tired and his Pao had made a relaxing bath for him.

"It would have been better if you joined me" He muttered but he knew that he shouldn't be pushing his luck.

He stripped himself and turned the relaxing music on as he entered the tub. Closing his eyes, he enjoyed soaking in water.

After a whole fifteen minutes. He got out of the tub, wiping himself off the water droplets.

As he walked out of the bathroom, his outfit for the day was already prepared and set on the bed for him to wear. He slipped into the fresh clothes and went downstairs.

Hearing the footsteps approaching him, Prem looked up. "Have your food. We have to go pick Bew up from the daycare." He gestured at the food on the table.

Boun looked at the food and felt warm. In the few years, he had never had to 'ask' his Pao to do anything for him. His Pao would do it even before he mentioned it.

Just like the food. He had only a simple dry sandwich and a coffee in the morning. That had been his food for the past few days and was actually starving. 

His Pao had managed to guess it and made him food. The aroma of the food triggered his appetite and he dug in.

Prem sat opposite Boun with a bunch of files. All from his fitness centre. He was planning to start his third branch somewhere in Chonburi, where his maternal grandparents are and was planning to conduct the interview for the employees and new recruits the next week.

Boun was still smiling while he ate. He loved this domestic feeling and he didn't plan to let it go.

Initially, he had thoughts about getting an international jewellery designer to design a ring for him to propose to Prem. But after hearing that Ohm had actually given their family's ancestral ring to be resized to Fluke size, he felt that he would do the same.

He had been coaxing his grandmother into giving him one of her precious rings that she got from her parents. But the old lady won't budge, much to his disappointment.

"Hia, eat fast! P' Koi is on leave today. We can't let Bew wait for us." Prem rushed Boun when he noticed the older spanning off.

"Okay! Okay. I will eat fast." Boun quickened his pace.

"The kid had been complaining that neither of us was giving him any attention. I am planning to take the kid out for the evening. I have already talked to James and P' Ton. Both of them said that your schedule is free. Do you want to join us?" Prem asked.

"Of course, I want to join you!" Boun felt a little salty when Prem's 'us' didn't include him.

He loved how much attention and care Prem gave to Bew. If he had been in Prem's place and Bew was Prem's adopted child, he might not have accepted and loved the kid the way his Pao did.

His Pao is simply too awesome.

"Did you take up the offer for the toothpaste commercial?" Prem suddenly asked out of nowhere.

"No" Boun answered a bit unsure. He, as a model and an actor often took on commercials but he didn't remember signing one for any toothpaste.

"Then why have you put all your teeth on display?" Prem asked with a straight face.

Boun understood that he thought too much. His Pao was just being sarcastic.

"Tomorrow night, I won't be coming back home " Prem announced.

"Why? Where are you going?"

"For our night out. I need some alone time too." Prem said flashing a fake smile before going off to the study with his files.

Boun absolutely hated these nightouts. They had turned into a custom over the years.

Prem and his best friends, Fluke, Earth and Sammy, would have a gathering in one of their homes once in a few months. They would spend the night having fun by themselves and no one else is allowed.

At least none of their husbands were allowed anywhere near them.

Boun and his cousins did try to crash the party but ended up being the ones to sleep on the couch for weeks as punishment. Now, the term 'night out' brought back the memories.