||ᴄʀɪᴍsᴏɴ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛs|| ᴘᴏɴᴅᴘʜᴜᴡɪɴ ғғ

13

Pond and Phuwin got into the car, and as Pond started driving, Phuwin’s eyes lit up, taking in the luxury interior. He ran his hand over the smooth leather seats, whispering, “Wow…so you’ve got the latest model, huh? Guess I should expect nothing less from a mafia.”

Pond smirked, replying, “I’m not just a mafia, I have a company to run too. I’m a part-time CEO.”

Phuwin burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. “Part-time CEO—never thought I’d hear that! You sound like you’re working at a fast-food joint or something!”

Pond just rolled his eyes, but a small grin tugged at his lips as they drove through the city. After a while, Phuwin turned to him, still bubbling with excitement. “So, are we just driving around, or are you actually taking me somewhere?”

Pond shrugged, glancing sideways at him. “I don’t know. You’re the one who wanted to go out. You tell me.”

Phuwin pondered for a moment, looking out the window. Then his eyes sparkled with an idea. “Oh! Let’s go see a movie! That’ll kill a couple of hours!”

Pond thought about it and gave a nod. “Fine. A movie it is.”

He drove them to a nearby mall, and as they parked, Pond noticed Phuwin was still a little too recognizable in the hoodie. Without saying a word, he reached over, pulling the hood up and letting it cover Phuwin’s face more securely. Phuwin looked at him, wide-eyed and confused, mumbling, “What’s this for?”

Pond adjusted the hood, his fingers brushing some hair over Phuwin’s eyes. “Just making sure nobody sees your face. Now, come on.”

They headed into the theater and picked out a rom-com. Loaded with popcorn and drinks, they settled into their seats. Phuwin happily munched away, laughing a little too loud during every funny scene. He leaned over to Pond’s shoulder, shaking with laughter. Pond sat stiffly, heart racing, not daring to move a muscle as Phuwin rested against him.

Then, as the movie shifted to a heart-wrenching scene, Phuwin’s laughter faded, and his eyes teared up. He sniffled, dabbing his tears with the sleeves of his hoodie. “So…so sad…” he murmured.

Pond glanced over, hiding a soft smile. “Hey, you’re getting my hoodie all dirty, you know?”

Phuwin shot him a playful glare. “You’re such a cold-hearted guy,” he muttered, pouting before returning to the scene with tears glistening in his eyes.

Pond chuckled to himself, barely hiding his smile as Phuwin continued sniffing into the hoodie. Then, Phuwin spoke up. “I wish we could watch this scene again…”

Pond frowned slightly. “Why? It’s sad, isn’t it?”

Phuwin nodded, staring at the screen with soft, tear-filled eyes. “Yeah…but even if it’s sad, it’s…beautiful. I just want to see it again.”

Something in Pond stirred at Phuwin’s words. Without a second thought, he got up and went to the projectionist, whispering a request. A few moments later, the scene replayed, and Phuwin’s eyes lit up with excitement, though he quickly grew emotional again, sniffling into his sleeves. Pond sat back down, watching him with a small smile.

“Don’t cry; you’re the one who wanted it on repeat,” Pond teased softly.

“I know,” Phuwin sniffled. “It’s just so sad…”

Phuwin leaned on Pond’s shoulder again, and Pond swallowed, feeling his heart race as he masked his emotions. The scene replayed five or six times, each time ending with Phuwin shedding fresh tears. Finally, Pond had enough. He stood up, gently dragging Phuwin out of the theater.

Phuwin looked up at him with red, watery eyes, cheeks streaked with tear marks. “Why’d you pull me out?” he asked, sniffing.

Pond looked away, his expression softening as he struggled not to show how cute he found him. “If you keep crying, you’ll end up with a cold. Let’s go.”

They made their way back outside, and as they walked toward the car, Phuwin’s eyes landed on a street food stall nearby. He tugged on Pond’s sleeve, his face lighting up. “Can we get some street food? Please?”

Pond sighed, exasperated but unable to resist. “Fine. Just this once.”

They ordered skewers, dumplings, and spicy grilled meat, eating under the glow of the streetlights. The evening breeze rustled their hair as they shared food and laughter, enjoying the warmth and spice of the food against the cool air.

As they ate, Phuwin broke a piece of chicken and held it up to Pond’s mouth, grinning. “Here, try some.”

Pond hesitated, then opened his mouth, letting Phuwin feed him. He chewed, trying to ignore the unexpected warmth blooming in his chest. They continued eating, lost in the moment, neither realizing how much time had passed until the night had settled fully around them.

As Pond and Phuwin finished their last bites of street food, Pond glanced at his watch and blinked in surprise. “It’s almost nine. I totally lost track of time,” he said, sighing. “I was supposed to drop you off by evening.”

Phuwin looked around at the lively night market, a content smile on his face. “Hmm…but it’s nice, isn’t it? Getting to enjoy this without worrying. Usually, I’d have to sneak out to experience a night like this.”

Pond gave him a serious look, his voice calm but firm. “Listen, you should respect your dad’s curfew if he’s set one. He wouldn’t do it without a reason. You don’t need to play with his orders or risk hurting him. Be safe, okay?”

Phuwin blinked, a little taken aback by Pond’s sincere tone. Something warm tugged in his chest, but he hid it with a teasing smirk. “Fine, mafia boss. But keep in mind, you kidnapped me from my own home, my own room. So, how can I believe that staying in will keep me safe?”

Pond looked at him, his gaze unwavering. “Don’t underestimate us. We have our ways of finding people. But not everyone is like us. The world’s not always this forgiving. Just…be careful.”

Phuwin felt a strange flutter in his chest again but quickly brushed it off, nodding. “Fine, fine, I’ll be careful,” he muttered, a faint smile on his lips. “But I’ll keep that in mind, Mafia Boss.”

They got into the car, and Pond began driving back toward Phuwin’s home. As they approached his street, Pond pulled over a little distance away and glanced at Phuwin. “Alright, here we are. Go on, and be safe. Don’t give us any more trouble.”

Phuwin chuckled, opening the door but giving Pond a playful look over his shoulder. “I’ll be safe, but I can’t promise no trouble,” he replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he got out.

Pond rolled his eyes but watched him closely. “Go straight inside,” he called out, waiting as Phuwin walked toward his house.

Phuwin turned back once, catching Pond’s car still parked there, and flashed a soft smile before heading inside. Pond waited until he saw the door close behind Phuwin before he finally drove off, a small, reluctant smile tugging at his own lips as he disappeared into the night.