My Moon, Chapter 12 pg 3
My Moon, Chapter 12 pg 3
“Klai, I am hurt. Rub my head for me.”
Whack!
Before Klai could decide what to do, Moon slammed his hand down on his friend’s head again, hard. Klai saw Boss’s head practically wobble. He swallowed hard, praying Boss’s brain wasn’t so rattled he’d need a hospital, but seeing Boss still chuckling, he figured Boss was probably fine.
“You’re spreading like a rash, you jerk.”
“Enough, I’m done teasing. You’ve smacked my head so hard my brain’s about to clump together, you bastard…” Boss said, turning to give Klai a thumbs-up before continuing, “But Klai did great. You helped me beat this guy for once.”
“Keep it up, and you’ll get another one…”
“Haha!” The guy laughing suddenly stopped, as if remembering something. “Hey… go see Tew. It’s been a while.”
“Right now?”
“Yeah, we’re heading back soon anyway. Gotta prep for the party.”
“Then who’s gonna stay with KhunKlai?”
Boss shifted his gaze from Panli to Klai. “Oh, yeah, true.”
“Panli, go see your friend. I’ll finish eating and then wait by Football Field Number One.”
Panli went quiet, as if deep in thought, before turning to ask his friend, “What time are you guys heading back?”
“Panli…” Klai knew Panli was worried, probably afraid he’d be lonely sitting by himself. So he reassured him to put his mind at ease. “I’m fine on my own, totally cool. Panli, go see your friend.”
Honestly, if Klai asked to tag along, Panli would probably let him.
But he didn’t want to do that…
Klai wanted Panli to invite him willingly instead.
“KhunKlai, you want to keep eating first, right?”
Klai glanced at his shrimp fried rice, which was barely touched, before deciding to say something to ease the other’s concern. “Mmm, I feel bad that there’s still so much fried rice left. Let me eat a bit more, okay?”
“Okay…” Moon nodded, pulling something out of their pants pocket. They handed him a brown wallet and said, “Then KhunKlai, hold onto my wallet. After you’re done eating, come meet me at the badminton court.”
“No need, Panli. I can pay for it myself.”
“KhunKlai, don’t be stubborn.”
“I’m not being stubborn… I just want to treat you for once,” Klai said softly, looking at the other before taking the brown wallet. Moon reached out, gently ruffling his hair, then stood up to their full height.
“That’s my job,” Moon said, grabbing a black shoulder bag before continuing, “See you at the badminton court, KhunKlai.”
“Okay.”
“Catch you later, Klai.”
“Yes, Boss.”
“Such sweet talk, you’re making me melt.”
“Go already, you cheeky Boss!”
Klai watched the two tall figures leave the restaurant, then lowered his eyes to the brown wallet in his hand. When he opened it, the first thing he saw was a family photo of Moon’s. Now Klai could tell who Panli took after—looking so much like their father. Phii Fah, on the other hand, resembled their mother more.
Klai chuckled softly at a young Panli, whose skin was strikingly fair, sitting on their father’s lap with a wide, squinting smile. Moon must have been bright and cheerful since childhood. Shifting his gaze to the other side, he saw another boy with a calm expression sitting on their mother’s lap. Klai shook his head lightly, amused at how the two siblings were so different in both personality and appearance. Looking at Panli’s parents, who still appeared youthful, he thought…
Thank you for everything that brought Mom and Dad together.
Because if they hadn’t fallen in love,
Klai wouldn’t have this moon to love today.
Thank you.
After finishing his meal, the small figure left the restaurant and headed straight for the badminton court. Before leaving, Klai asked a staff member for directions to the badminton court. She suggested cutting through Football Field No. 2, as it would shorten the distance significantly. Klai followed her advice.
The shortcut got him to the badminton court as quickly as promised, but it had a slight drawback—it led him to the back, where there was no entrance. Klai looked up at the large badminton court, resembling his high school gym, and scanned the area hopefully for an entrance.
But Klai had to accept that he’d need to walk around from the back to find the front entrance. Not wasting time, the small figure quickened his pace. As he walked, he held up the dark brown wallet and a notebook, smiling faintly because these two items reminded him of someone.
As he looks up from the important item in his hand, Klai notices several cars parked in front of the field and a few large trees nearby. He figures that if he walks to the end of the building and turns right, he’ll reach the entrance.
But just as he’s about to turn right at the corner of the building, two tall men emerge from that direction. Klai doesn’t know why he instinctively slows his steps. When he sees its Panli and Boss, he watches them stop near a large tree not far from the badminton court. Boss hands Moon a white cigarette. Klai was about to approach Moon, who probably hasn’t noticed him standing at the corner, since both men headed straight for the tree upon coming out.
However, a question from Boss makes Klai freeze in his tracks. Instead of walking over, he ducks behind a large tree nearby to conceal himself, ensuring he won’t be caught eavesdropping on Moon’s conversation with his friend.
I’m sorry, Sasin.
I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.
I just wanted to know…
“Why do you use ‘ka’ and ‘kha’ with Klai?”
The person being asked, who’s exhaling white smoke from his mouth and nose, pauses for a moment before replying, “Do you think he’s cute?”
“Cute as hell.”
“Exactly… that’s why.”
“…”
“The truth is, I don’t just use ‘ka’ and ‘kha’ with KhunKlai. Any polite ending that feels cute and suits him, I use it all.”
“…”
“I do use ‘khrap’ too, it’s not like I never do. But lately, I’ve been using ‘ka’ and ‘kha’ with him a lot because I feel like it makes me seem gentler, kinder even. It’s not because I think he looks feminine or anything like that.”
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