The aroma of rice filled the old double-room restaurant.
Pictures hanging on the walls carried memories of the people who had visited the shop over the years.
Chattering... laughter... playful voices... blended together.
The hurried footsteps of customers pushed through the crowded room.
Outside, it wasn't any quieter either.
Some couples walked hand in hand with smiles on their faces, while others gathered with friends to hang out.
Mok sat silently, listening to every sound around him.
He rubbed his eyes lightly.
"I forgot to wear my glasses. Should I go back to the car and get them?"
"No... It'll be difficult. There are too many people outside. I'll have to walk past all of them," Mok muttered in his head, releasing a quiet breath as his thoughts became heavier.
At the same time...
Kao had already gone to place their order.
His steps felt easy as he stopped near the counter.
"Auntie..." His eyes scanned the menu hanging on the wall.
"Do you have garlic chicken rice?"
"Yes."
A rough aged voice answered him. The smell of garlic and onions lingered around her, and small scars covered her hands.
"How many?"
"Two, Auntie."
"Let me check."
She headed inside for a moment before returning.
"You're lucky. Only two servings are left today."
"What else?"
Before replying, Kao glanced toward Mok.
Seeing him sitting there silently with his head lowered, Kao suddenly felt the urge to return to him.
"I'll come back in a second."
The auntie gave a small nod before turning to another customer who had just arrived.
Kao immediately made his way toward Mok.
Meanwhile, Mok remained lost in thought.
He sat facing the wall, with his back turned toward the rest of the restaurant.
His mind replayed how stubbornly he had behaved earlier at K9. The more he thought about it, the less he liked the way he had acted.
Kao called out in a low voice.
"Mok..."
He stopped behind Mok's chair.
As Mok raised his head, his forehead lightly rested against Kao's stomach.
Their eyes met briefly.
Mok's gaze unconsciously drifted toward Kao's lips, causing Kao's attention to linger on Mok as well.
Kao asked gently. "What's wrong?"
Mok stayed silent. Instead, he leaned against Kao's stomach without saying a word.
Kao's hand instinctively lifted toward Mok's hair.
Then—
From behind them, the auntie suddenly shouted,
"Kid! What drink do you want?"
Startled, Kao quickly pulled his hand back and looked toward her. However, with Mok still clinging to him, answering properly became difficult.
"Plain water is fine."
The auntie pointed toward the water station, letting them know they could refill their glasses freely.
Kao gave a polite hum in response.
One of his hands stayed against the chair as Mok remained slumped against him.
The truth was, Mok felt exhausted.
All he wanted was sleep.
Even leaning on Kao was never something he had intended to do.
"Mok... Mok..."
"Mmh..." He answered faintly.
"Let me bring the food."
"Khap..."
"But you have to let go of me first."
Mok immediately straightened up and cleared his throat awkwardly.
"What an unlucky day. Everything I do keeps turning out like this. Now it looks like I'm taking advantage of him."
Kao headed over to collect their food.
As she handed him the plates, the auntie chuckled warmly.
"I gave you extra servings. Share it with your boyfriend."
Her face brightened with amusement.
Kao didn't bother correcting her.
"Khap..."
Kao carried the two plates of garlic chicken rice over himself.
Since the restaurant was always crowded during this hour, he had already told the auntie earlier that he would pick up the food himself once it was ready.
"Here, Mok."
He set the plate down before going to grab water.
"Wait... Let me do it..."
Mok called out weakly, but Kao didn't catch it.
A moment later, Kao returned to his seat and pushed a glass of water toward Mok.
"Drink before you eat."
Mok followed his words and took a spoonful of rice into his mouth.
The aroma reached him before he could even chew.
The garlic blended perfectly with the chicken, making the flavor richer than he had expected.
As someone who loved meat, Mok continued eating without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Kao only ate a single spoonful. His focus stayed on Mok rather than his own plate.
Noticing it, Mok frowned lightly.
"Don't stare at me. Focus on your food."
Kao rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"I am eating..."
Mok shifted his attention toward Kao's plate and noticed he had barely touched it.
"If you don't eat properly, I'll throw it away." Mok's expression dimmed slightly.
"He's acting cold again. I'd better finish everything," Kao thought.
He eventually finished his meal, though Mok had already emptied his plate several minutes earlier.
Seeing the way Kao ate, he wondered whether Kao disliked the food or if something else was on his mind.
Before he could think further, Kao suddenly began speaking like a chef.
"The rice is cooked perfectly. The garlic flavor isn't too strong, and the chicken is really tender."
Mok stared at him in silence, while Kao seemed like someone who wanted praise for talking like that.
"I heard you loud and clear." Mok gave a thumbs up while Kao let out a sweet smile.
"But I'm curious about something." Mok's face completely changed in a blink.
With a sharp, almost intimidating look, Mok's attention drifted to Kao's shirt, which was slightly unbuttoned.
"Are you giving people a free view, or do you enjoy letting others see your chest?"
Kao froze.
Around them, a few customers started whispering among themselves while avoiding direct eye contact, their faces slightly red.
The buttons on Kao's shirt had come undone, and the faint mark left from Mok resting against his chest earlier had already disappeared.
Mok clearly remembered fixing his shirt at K9, but he had no idea he was the one who caused it by sleeping on Kao.
Without wasting another second, Kao quickly fastened every button properly.
"What a show-off..."
"Did you say something, Mok?"
"No."
Still irritated, Mok rose from his seat and headed outside. Before leaving, he gave the auntie a small respectful bow.
"Mok, wait—"
Kao hurried after him.
"Thank you, Auntie."
The auntie sent Kao off with a warm smile as well.
Mok walked ahead with a slight pout on his face, his steps heavier than before.
Noticing it, Kao gently stopped him.
His fingertips lightly tapped Mok's arm.
"You look tired... Stay at my condo tonight."
Just as the words left his mouth, a motorcycle suddenly roared past the street.
The sharp noise pierced through the area, making several people glare at the biker in annoyance, while a little kid nearby accidentally dropped his ice cream onto the ground.
A loud cry instantly rang out.
"What did you say?"
Kao moved closer and leaned near Mok's ear.
The warmth of his breath brushed against Mok's skin, causing his ears to redden.
"Aren't you exhausted? Your college dorm is far from here, and my condo is nearby. Stay there tonight."
Mok's heart began racing wildly.
Of course Kao didn't want to leave him alone.
Mok thought over the offer carefully.
"It's okay, I—"
His words suddenly stopped after he properly looked at Kao.
Kao looked even more worn out than him.
Still, Mok couldn't help suspecting that Kao had some hidden motive behind this.
"Does he think I don't understand what he's trying to do?" Mok wondered.
A faint grin tugged at Mok's lips before he quickly hid it.
"Such an old trick. Couldn't he come up with a newer one?"
Even so, Mok quietly hummed in agreement.
Kao's expression brightened as he opened the car door for him.
The truth was, Kao didn't have any hidden plan at all. He genuinely wanted Mok to get proper rest.
Kao then got into Mok's car and drove toward his condo.
Golden lights filled the roads as evening settled completely over the city.
The streets remained crowded.
Cold wind brushed through the air again.
Kao drove into the underground parking area while Mok secretly stared at the veins on Kao's arms.
He tried his best to peek without getting caught.
The car parked smoothly before the lights switched off.
"Mok, let's go."
The two moved side by side.
"Careful. There are bumps here."
Noticing Mok's wandering gaze, Kao's warm hand held Mok's and guided him forward.
The sound of the elevator doors opening echoed.
Even after stepping inside, Kao still hadn't let go of Mok's hand, while Mok secretly tried figuring out which floor Kao lived on.
Awkward.
Ever since leaving the restaurant, Mok had barely said a word.
At the same time, Kao had stopped his nonstop chatting because he worried Mok might find it annoying.
This silence is unbearable.
Mok shifted his attention toward Kao. "Why isn't he saying anything?"
In return, Kao only gave him a faint smile, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere.
Ding!
The elevator doors slid open.
Their footsteps echoed through the hallway.
Kao tapped his keycard against the lock and pushed the door open before letting Mok enter first.
Click!
As soon as the door opened, Kao's familiar scent filled the space.
Only then did Mok notice that Kao was still holding his hand.
Kao bent down to grab a pair of slippers, and
Mok quietly let go.
"Wear these."
"It's alright. I don't need them."
Holding the slippers, Kao lowered himself slightly near Mok's feet.
"Wear them. The floor is cold."
Kao was sweating.
Gazing down, Kao was sitting on his knees with the slippers.
"Why is he so easy? Someone will take advantage of him if he keeps acting like this."
"I..." Mok trailed off, silently putting them on.
"Forget it. If I say this, the idiot will get hurt."
Kao rubbed the back of his neck, his steps becoming clumsy.
He had invited Mok over without actually planning anything afterward.
"Kao..."
"Mmh...?"
Mok moved a little closer.
"I want..."