Melted: A MaxTul AU story

One: Coming Home

Max Nattapol shifted the packages in his hands as he walked into the large airy lobby of Shilapath Corporation. He counted them all again, making sure he had remembered the presents for his friends on team 2 in Development. He hadn't been back in Thailand in six months, and the company had moved into a new building three months ago. As he looked around at the interesting space, he couldn't decide if he was just as excited to see them in their new location as he was about seeing them.

As he walked over to the reception desk, he noticed a guy on a really tall ladder attempting to change a bulb in the ceiling. He thought it odd because it was clear that a) the ladder wasn't tall enough really for him to do it and b) it seemed the kind of thing they would do at night when no one was around. However, he didn't think much more about it since he was worried about the time.

The woman behind the counter looked up and smiled. How could she not? The man in front of her was not only really handsome, tall, broad shouldered, tanned, and fit, but he had the brightest smile she had seen in ages. The kind of smile that lit up his eyes making her wonder what it would be like to be the cause of that smile.

"How can I help you, sir?"

"I'm here to see Pongpat Tappitak in Team 2 of Development. My name is Max Nattapol. I have an appointment. Do you need to see any id?"

"I will in a minute. I need to check the visitor's list"

Max set down his bags to reach into his back pocket for his wallet. He took out his license and put it on the counter while the woman checked her list. Finding what she must have been looking for, she looked up at him and smiled taking his license, looking at his face to compare to the picture on the card.

While this was going on, Max kept looking around the lobby. It was bright and airy, but despite this, he was not getting a sense of warmth in the place. The woman at the reception was friendly, but there was a feeling of stress in the air. Maybe this is the reason why he noticed the family walking through the lobby; their mood was a contrast to the general mood in lobby. The man and woman clearly doted on each other and the little girl who was tugging at them to go faster. The mother laughed and allowed her to run ahead, and Max was thinking that they looked like a nice family right when he noticed the man on the ladder wobble a bit. However, what was more alarming is that it looked like a piece of the light fixture was going to fall . . . right on the little girl!

The woman with his license must have been surprised when the handsome man in front of her ran away from the counter. Her eyes followed him as he dashed toward a little girl, reaching her just in time to pull her under him and get hit on the head with a piece of metal from the the ceiling.

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Right after Max had entered the building, Tul Pakorn entered. He wore sunglasses that probably cost more than most people's outfits and a suit that probably cost more than all the clothes in his assistant's closet. He didn't care himself, but his father insisted on appearance, and why not? He was the oldest son of the Pakorns, the family that owned Shilapath Corporation. He also had to be very careful about his appearance because even though he was the oldest son, he wasn't the supported heir. His father had not married his mother but had been forced to marry another woman. Thus, his younger brother was the heir. He worked in the company now (though this was fairly recent), leading Team 2 in Development. His father hoped he would work himself up, but Tul didn't care that much.

What he did care about right now was the glorious looking man that had walked in ahead of him. He admired everything about how that man moved without even having seen his face. He carried loads of bags—presents perhaps—with a level of concern that made it clear the bags were for someone important. Yet his walk wasn't nervous, more buoyant and purposeful. Tul also couldn't help notice how good his ass looked in those khakis he was wearing either. He smiled a bit to himself at the thought but erased that smile before anyone saw it.