บท 8: Chapter 7: Mixed Signals
"P'Pond, why don't you go ahead and reserve us seats?" Fourth said suddenly, as soon as the two of them stepped into the venue. "I need to go to the bathroom. I'll just be a minute."
"Why didn't you go to the bathroom before leaving the house, Fourth?" Pond asked him in frustration. "You know the first round of the workshops have already started! We're late!"
"It's fine! I'll be there shortly." Fourth said as he went behind Pond and pushed at his shoulders to propel him forward. "Just go. I won't be long."
"Fine. But don't complain that you weren't here on time because of me!" He warned Fourth before walking towards the reception desk to ask for directions to the main hall where the event was taking place.
As he walked down an almost deserted hallway, which was normal considering the fact that the event had already started, a boy of around Fourth's age hurried out of a door right at the end of the hallway and passed by him, almost not noticing him.
But Pond stopped for an instant to turn to look at the boy's retreating form. His similarities to Phuwin were uncanny. And that meant that he could be only one other person…Gemini Noravit, the youngest brother and the youngest child in the Nimtawat family.
He smiled to himself, shaking his head as he continued his way to the door, but just as soon as he opened it…he came face to face with the very reason he had decided to show up here in the first place…The middle child of the Nimtawat family, Phuwin.
Pond froze with his hands on the doorknob, his eyes meeting big brown ones in a face that he was accustomed to all too well. He knew every single detail down to the moles on his ears…the slight incline of his eyes and the way his soft cheeks were vanishing day by day as he got fitter, the baby fat vanishing to be replaced by strong muscles.
Phuwin's eyes were slightly wide, his gaze unwavering as he stared right back at Pond.
Pond felt his heartbeat in his ears, wondered if the other person could hear them as well with how loud it was. But then Phuwin blinked, breaking the spell that had been cast between them as he moved back quickly.
"Khaw-thoot, khab." Phuwin bowed slightly. "Were you coming inside?"
"Umm…" Pond tried to come up with something…anything, that would buy him some more time. "I'm waiting for my brother. He went to the washroom…but hasn't returned yet."
"Your brother?" Phuwin raised his eyebrows, taking in Pond's appearance from head to toe, making him feel oddly self-conscious. He had dressed in a casual grey shirt with blue jeans. Now he wondered if he should've worn a jacket on top. However, Thailand was hot almost all year round, so a jacket didn't seem like a sensible decision to him. But now that he saw Phuwin and several of the guests wearing them…he felt underdressed.
"Chai, khab." He nodded nervously. "He's a participant."
"Ooh! I see." Phuwin gave a small smile. "I'm going to the washroom right now. Do you want to come check?"
"S-sure." Pond took the opportunity with both hands.
"Follow me." Phuwin walked ahead, leading the way to the washrooms at this floor.
Pond walked a couple steps behind him, following in his footsteps. He had never imagined that the boy he had liked for so long would one day have a conversation with him. He had been so busy admiring him from afar that he had never had the courage to approach him. But today, by some miracle…he was right here, walking only a couple steps behind him.
If he reached out with his hands, he would be able to touch his wide shoulders…wrap an arm around that thin waist…
Pond didn't realize it at first, but he seemed to have reached out with his hand without his conscious thought…which was why, when a cart of supplies suddenly came their way down another hallway, he was able to reach out and grab onto Phuwin just in time and move him out of the way as the staff shouted, "Watch out!"
His hands wrapped around Phuwin's waist tightly as he pulled the smaller body flush against his and moved back just in time as the trolley hit the wall where Phuwin had been standing.
Phuwin's face was pressed to his chest and he could feel his heart hammer against his ribcage as a few plates fell to the floor and shattered, scattering shards everywhere.
Pond moved Phuwin behind his body, shielding him further and Phuwin finally opened his eyes to look up at him, his eye wide in shock as he registered what had happened.
A moment of silence passed as their eyes met once again. Pond felt his gaze shifting to his soft, pink lips. Why did his mouth suddenly feel so dry?
But they didn't get to enjoy the moment this time either. Because the staff came rushing to their side, asking them if they were alright over and over again.
Pond let his hand slide away from Phuwin's waist slowly, inch by slow inch. The entire time, he held onto the eye-contact, never once breaking it…not until Phuwin's hand came to his chest and he pushed him away lightly.
He blinked, looking around at the worried faces. He hadn't just imagined it all…had he? For that fleeting moment…there had been a searing connection between the two of them…something that he had never felt before in his entire life…
And he was sure Phuwin had felt it too. He had responded to his touch…the way he had looked up into his eyes…it couldn't have been all in his head…
And yet, Phuwin now stood away from him, distant and cold. Like he was giving him mixed signals.
"Please clear it up carefully." Phuwin was telling the staff. "Make sure my father doesn't get to know about it just yet."
"Yes, sir." The staff hurried to clear the cart and the floor. Within minutes, the entire area was spotless as if nothing had happened at all.
"Thank you." He nodded. "You can all leave. Deliver the requirements to the main hall. The MC is waiting."
"Yes, sir!"
The staff moved away at lightning speed, once again leaving the two of them alone in the hallway.
Finally, Phuwin turned to look at him.
"Are you alright?" He asked Pond, this scrutinizing gaze all over his body once again. "Did you get hurt anywhere?"
"No." Pond managed to force a smile, to act normal…like his heart wasn't threatening to burst out of his chest. "I'm fine. I didn't get hurt at all."
"That's good to hear." Phuwin sighed in relief. "Thank you, for saving me just now."
"I'm glad you're unharmed." Pond nodded, feeling shy all of a sudden.
He hadn't expected to save Phuwin, let alone have him in his arms like that…even though it wasn't technically in a romantic way. But how could he tell his stupid heart that?
"Hia!" Another voice cut through the silence of the hallways at that moment and they both turned to look at the boys who approached them.
"Oh? Gem? Where have you been?" Phuwin turned to greet his Nong. "Dad sent me to search for you."
Pond noticed Fourth standing behind Gem's larger form first, almost like he was trying to hide himself behind the taller boy. His lips tilted up at the sight as he shook his head slightly, not saying anything as he watched the drama unfold.
"I went to inform the staff, Hia." Gemini answered casually, but the fact that he separated his hand from the other boy's, didn't go unnoticed by Phuwin. "And this is the new participant for the second round of the workshop. He lost his way and ended up near the kitchen. So I was escorting him back."
Phuwin gave an amused smile as well, although he faked impassiveness as soon as Gemini turned to look at him. "I see. You should take him inside then."
"Right…come on, Nong Fourth." Pond finally decided to speak up, beckoning Fourth to his side. "Let's get inside before the next round starts."
"Oh?" Phuwin turned to Pond with raised eyebrows. "He's your Nong?"
"Chai." Pond gave him a sheepish smile. "The one I had been searching for."
"Alright. Let's all go back now."
The four of them headed back to the hall together, Fourth giving Gem a wink before he went to stand at the end of the stage while Gemini climbed the stairs and went back to hosting the show, which Hia Dunk had been taking care of in his absence. The MC was handling the show just fine, but Gemini knew that his Dad was incredibly meticulous about all of their functions, so one of them had to be present at all events.
He took the mic from his Hia with a thankful half-wai before returning to his job for the evening.
"And today, we have another contestant joining us for the second round of the Workshop… Fourth Nattawat Jirawatthanakul!" The MC announced as Fourth walked onto the stage. "Please welcome him with a big round of applause and let's get the next round started!"
As the audience applauded the newcomer, who shyly bowed in a wai before taking up his place in the new station, everyone seemed to be unaware of the atmosphere at the very first row of the audience table, which suddenly seemed to have gotten extremely tense.
"Tay!" New caught his husbands hand as he made an attempt to get up from the table. "Don't make a scene."
"Did you not hear what they said?" Tay's voice was low but harsh, anger coursing through his veins at the mention of that one name that he hadn't heard for over twenty five years. "Jirawatthanakul! He's a bloody Jirawatthanakul!"
"They may not even be related," New tried to reason with his husband. "There's still a possibility…"
But even New doubted that. Thai people didn't have surnames until the mid 1900's. Surnames were later on customized to families and every family bore a unique surname that was made especially for them and their relatives to show unity. So two different families sharing the same surname was almost impossible. If there was someone with the same surname, the chances of them being family members were highly likely.
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Anna_Kendra_2246
Anna_Kendra_2246 So, this is completely Wikipedia knowledge. I’m really sorry if this part is wrong. Please forgive any inconveniences. Remember that this is for entertainment purposes only and not for the purpose of any educational value or false information. Also, if anyone here is Thai, please let me know if this information is false or not, so I can change it immediately.
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