Love Director [ENG]

Chapter 26: Aphros moves forward

As the sun peeked over the mountain's edge, its morning rays spread across the land, waking all life to a bright new day. Similarly, a small figure lazily stirred on a thick, soft bed. His pale eyelids fluttered open only to close again as he shifted to find a comfortable position to nestle in warmth, escaping the chilly January air of Khao Yai.

But the warmth came with a hard wall of muscle, causing Paint to frown. His hand searched for his beloved bolster but found only warm skin, triggering his senses to return. His steadily beating heart began to race. The hand that searched became a grip on the fabric he touched. He knew what that hard wall was. The real question was how he would muster the courage to look up.

There was only one person Paint would be lying on like that—Aphros. The man who had driven him to Khao Yai National Park and stayed the night with him.

Yesterday, after being shocked by Aphros' words, Paint had stopped crying and felt like his mind had gone on vacation to Hawaii. It stopped working, unable to comprehend anything anyone said to him. His body just followed the guidance of the larger man.

Aphros had taken him to the car and driven away from the resort. Instead of heading back to Bangkok, they had gone to a luxurious hotel with branches all over the country. Aphros had checked them in, gotten the keycard, and taken him to the hotel's restaurant for dinner.

All the while, Paint felt like a doll being led wherever Aphros wanted. Whatever Aphros ordered for him, he ate. His skin felt perpetually sunburned from the heat radiating within him, and he kept his eyes downcast, looking at his hands, unable to meet Aphros' sharp gaze. Usually, he enjoyed talking with Aphros, but that time he remained silent.

Luckily, Aphros didn't elaborate on the meaning of his earlier statement. He didn't provide any further details, just ate and occasionally looked at Paint, who barely tasted his food. The next thing he knew, they were walking into their room, which had only one bed.

The same bed he was lying in, eyes tightly shut. What had he said back then?

"No other rooms available?" he had asked.

Aphros had replied casually: "I'm out of money because I lent it to a certain someone to buy something and haven't been paid back yet. Plus, I had to refuel the car. Did you bring any money? If so, I can ask for another room."

Paint, who had only brought himself and some clothes, along with a crumpled room reservation, had stayed silent, following Aphros' suggestion to take a shower before nervously lying at the bed's edge. He had thought he wouldn't be able to sleep, but the stress of the entire afternoon had exhausted him, making him fall asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

That was the last thing he remembered. He had slept at the edge of the bed, so how had he ended up on Aphros' chest?

If this had been a few weeks earlier, Paint would have confidently woken up with a smile, thanking Aphros for his help and comforting presence. But waking up with his mind back from its Hawaiian vacation and processing Aphros' words, he couldn't bear to look up.

"Stop whining... and start liking me." Aphros had said.

Did it mean what he thought it meant?

Just thinking about it made his heart race and his cheeks burn, fearing that the heat would transfer to Aphros' chest. Something he had always brushed off as a familial bond could no longer be ignored.

Plerng always said that Aphros was the ultimate man in every way.

Aphros was the most handsome.

Aphros was the coolest.

Aphros was the kindest.

Aphros was the most manly.

Aphros was the most charming man.