Chapter 11: How long Had he Known
Nirin looked up from decorating one of her cupcakes, watching her cousins enter her little café down the road from their university.
Nirin wasn't a perfect businesswoman and neither did she plan on expanding her business beyond her humble café at the moment, but she had learnt from her uncle's at a very young age that the success of a business depends all on the placement. Which is why she had chosen a university area for her café, because she knew that kids loved to spend time here.
After all, she too had been a teenager once.
Now, she gave a wide smile to Pond and Love, Uncle Off and Gun's kids as Love all but jumped into her arms from over the counter.
"Careful, Love!" Pond warned his sister, shaking his head when she winced and limped half-way through.
"Oh dear…" Nirin took Love into her arms. "What happened?"
"Nothing serious," Pond told her before Love could start whining. "Just a sprained ankle."
Oh…honey!" Nirin kissed the top of her head. "Come have a seat. I know just the thing to make you feel all better."
"Of course," Pond rolled his eyes, slinging his backpack over his shoulders as he helped Love to a seat nearby before turning to P'Nirin. "Let me give you a hand, Phi. Isn't P'Bew here today?"
"Bew just went out to get lunch." Nirin told Pond with a smile. "Come on then. Help me make a sandwich. Love? Will you help me put icing on the cupcakes? They're all cold enough to handle now."
"Sure!" Love nodded enthusiastically. "I'd love to help!"
The last time Love tried to help P'Nirin, she had almost burnt her hands when she had touched cupcakes fresh out of the oven. It hadn't deterred her from helping P'Nirin again, but she did get weary of warm cakes now that she's learnt her lesson.
So Nirin made sure that the cupcakes were actually cold enough that the icing would stick to them, before handing the tray over to Love, who was sitting right up front. She then supplied her with some colored frosting and sprinkles, even a tiny bit of glitter, so that Love could have fun with it.
"What kind of patterns do you want?" Love asked before getting down to business.
"Anything is fine." She told her. "Just make them look pretty."
"On it!" Love gave P'Nirin a mock salute before grabbing one of the cupcakes.
"And what about the sandwich, P'Nirin?" Pond smiled at her. "How pretty do I make it look?"
"Oh, stop it!" Nirin laughed, handing him a loaf of fresh baked bread. "Everything you need in on the display cabinet. Make it as you like."
"You sure you're comfortable with me being behind the grill?" He tilted his head to the side, raising his eyebrows. "Not afraid that I'd burn the kitchen down?"
"Go ahead, give it a try." Nirin stepped closer to her cousin with her hands on her hips, but a playful smile on her face. "I'll just get Uncle Off to buy me a bigger restaurant in return for the damages."
Pond was about to respond to his cousins playful provocations, when the bell above the front door rang to signal the entry of a new customer. But when the two of them turned to face the door…Pond felt his entire body freeze in place as his eyes widened in surprise.
"Sawadee kha." Nirin turned to smile at the customer. "What can I get for you today?"
"Sawadee Khap…I'll just look around and get back to you in a bit…if that's okay?"
"Of course," Nirin reached over the counter to hand him one of the leaflets. "Here's the menu. Order anything you like."
"Sure." The boy smiled politely, nodding his head. "Khob khun khab."
Nirin turned around and almost bumped into Pond, who had been standing there like a statue without blinking an eye lash.
"Pond?" Nirin waved her hands in front of his face. "Aiii…Pond! What are you doing?" She whisper-scolded him, slapping at his shoulders to snap him out of whatever trance he was in.
"H-huh?" Pond looked lost as he looked down at her for answers, almost like he hadn't heard a single thing in the last few minutes. "A-alia na?"
"Welcome back to earth." Nirin shook her head at Pond. "Now go take that guy's order. He seems to be in the same university as you. Do you know him or something?"
"Mai na, khab Phi!" Pond instantly gave Nirin an awkward smile while scratching the back of his head.
He vaguely heard a snort from Love…but he wasn't too sure. I must have been a mistake.
"So polite all of a sudden." Nirin raised her eyebrows at him. "Go take his order. I'll make the sandwich for you and Love."
Unable to say no and weary of getting caught, Pond unwillingly made his way over to the table towards the back where the 'customer' had taken his seat.
"Are you ready to order yet…khun?" He asked the boy as politely as he could, while trying his best not to stutter in front of him.
Damnit! Why did he always make him so nervous!
"You're sure, na?" The boy raised his eyebrows in amusement. "That you don't know me?"
Fuck! "You h-heard that?"
"Of course," Phuwin folded his arms across his chest. "You were loud enough for everyone to hear."
Another near silent snigger and this time Pond was sure that his sister could and was…listening to him make a fool out of himself in front of the boy he liked.
"S-sorry…" he said quickly, and quietly. "I didn't think you would recognize me. there were at lot of people at the event that day."
"So you do remember." Phuwin smirked, making Pond even more nervous. "That's alright…if you don't want anybody knowing."
Huh? Now he was confused. What did Phuwin mean by that?
Phuwin handed him the menu and showed him the items he wanted to get. Pond noted them down quickly before heading back to P'Nirin so she could make the order.
He waited for the orders to get ready, helping P'Nirin out any way he could while also keeping his eyes on Phuwin in the process.
Love, however…had other plans.
"Phi, kha!" She turned to look back at Phuwin from her chair. "Would you like a cupcake? They're freshly made. I just finished decorating them."
"Love, do-"
"Dai." Phuwin smiled at her, cutting off Pond's warning. "I'd love to."
"Yayy!" Love clapped her hands together in excitement. "Which one do you want? Choose any."
"Sure." Phuwin got up from his seat to move next to Love. "Can I sit here?"
"Sure, sure." She nodded her head while exchanging a look with P'Nirin, who just shook her head at the kids. "Please. Choose one."
"Ooh!" Phuwin looked at the cupcakes impressed. "They all look good. How should I choose?"
"Here," Love pointed at the one she had piped with sky blue frosting and added tiny red stars and edible pearls to. "I made this representing the sea. P'Pond loves the sea."
"I see." Phuwin looked at Pond's form going still for a second before nodding. "So these are starfish and pearls?"
"Chai kha!" Love nodded, smiling.
"That's beautiful. I'll take this." Phuwin turned to look at Nirin. "Phi, can you please add this to my bill?"
"It's alright, Nong." Nirin told him. "It's on the house."
"Khob khun khab, Phi." He bowed his head slightly as Nirin handed Phuwin's order to Pond and practically threw him to the sharks.
Pond usually didn't shy away from serving customers. He was always lively and willing to help. The fact that he was getting nervous over this one boy gave Nirin a perfect idea of what was going on. After all, her Uncle Off used to be the same way with his Babii Gun.
However, while Uncle Off had shied away from skinship and affection in the beginning, later on he had changed only for Uncle Gun when he thought he might lose him one day. At least that's what her mother had told her. Because ever since Nirin had been able to remember, her uncle's Off and Gun had always been inseparable.
For Pond, she still couldn't tell if he was reluctant or just shy.
Pond went over and handed Phuwin his stuffed bread and latte to go. Phuwin took them from him, giving him a once over as he took out his phone to pay for his order.
Once he was done, he turned to Pond once again. "Are you sure…that the hotel was the first time we met?"
"W-what do you mean?" Pond asked him, suddenly feeling extremely nervous.
He didn't understand what was going on, but why did he get the feeling that he was in trouble? Did Phuwin see him sneaking around his Faculty building at school? Or at the fields during his soccer practice?
But instead of answering his question, Phuwin merely smirked at him…and showed him his phone.
Pond could've fainted.
He would've fainted if Phuwin wasn't right in front of him.
Because on Phuwin's lock screen…was a picture of him that Pond recognized almost instantly…because it was a picture he had drawn himself, and had lost a long time ago when it had fallen out of his notebook.
Shiaaa!
This means…Phuwin…
How long had he known?