"Hello, what's up?"
[Where are you?]
"Just parked. Do you want anything from 7-Eleven?"
[No, hurry up and come.]
"What's going on? Are you sulking?" I used my side to push the door shut and fumbled to lock it with the remote. My hands were full with a picture frame, model sketches, and textbooks.
[No.]
"Okay, fine. I'm getting in the elevator. Do you want me to stay on the line until I reach the room, or should I hang up?"
Qin didn't answer immediately. He seemed busy with something. After a while, he said I could hang up and ended the call. I smiled to myself... He's so clingy. T_T
I hummed the song Qin played for me last night. He said this kind of music is called funk, and if you don't sing and dance along, you won't really get the vibe. I stretched as I stepped out of the elevator, my back aching from a whole day of drawing.
I don't even want to think about my second year. How much harder is it going to be?
"I'm back~"
I locked the door behind me and heard Qin's footsteps approaching. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as I turned to see him wearing a loose white T-shirt with a saggy neckline, his front hair lazily tied up, staring at me intensely—while holding a fluffy little creature in his arms.
"Say hi to Uncle."
"You!"
"Don't be loud, or you'll scare it."
Damn it.
He's such a little devil... He bought a corgi without telling me?!
"What? This is the thing I wanted for this month."
"Youuuu... I'm going to cry."
"Is it cute?"
"..."
I had planned to scold him a little because raising a dog in our apartment isn't easy—it's not that spacious. We'd have to take it out to play every day. Plus, corgis are super sensitive to heat. I'm not worried about the electricity bill, I'll keep the air conditioner on all day if I have to, but what if it gets sick?
But all those thoughts disappeared when the ridiculously cute dog placed its tiny paw on my arm.
"Isn't it cute?"
I lost.
How am I supposed to fight against this?
"It's cute."
"Good job. See? Uncle is nice,"
Qin cooed, talking to the puppy in his arms. He carried it to the couch, cuddling and petting it with a soft smile. I put down my heavy bags and plopped onto the seat beside him.
"What made you buy it, huh?"
"Yesterday, I took my friend to a corgi farm. It's a Taiwanese-owned farm, so they guarantee the dogs won't have spinal or disc problems. That way, as it grows and gains weight, it won't suffer."
"How much? Confess."
"Seven."
"Seven thousand?"
"Seventy thousand."
I lightly smacked his arm, but he just shrugged... Is he insane? This dopey- faced dog cost almost a hundred thousand baht?! Oh my God, how am I supposed to touch it without feeling guilty? I'm so jealous—it's snuggling up to Qin like crazy.
"I picked this one because it doesn't bark."
"Huh?"
"When I stood there watching, it didn't bark and just made this funny face. So, I chose it... Just like me, right?"
"Qin, I'm melting. Why do you have to be so soft and love animals? I'm hopelessly in love with you."
"Really kha, Uncle?"
I knew he wasn't the one talking—he was speaking on behalf of the fluffy white-and-light-brown corgi. And the way he kept using
"kha"—yup, no doubt he chose a female one. The more I looked at it, the cuter it seemed. It barely made any noise, just a soft whimper when Qin moved around. And when I stared at it for too long, it waddled over to play with the hem of my pants.
"What are you doing?"
I bent down to pick up the puppy, which Qin had placed on the floor while he set up a cozy bed and filled a water bowl. The little thing sniffed me curiously, stuck out its tongue playfully, and nestled against my chest.
It really is adorable. T_T
"Qin, what's its name...? It's so clingy."
"I haven't thought of one yet."
"It's chewing on my shirt button!"
"Let it be. It's still a baby."
His sweet voice floated over as he squatted down in front of me while I played with the puppy on the couch. Qin gently stroked its head, and his smile grew wider as it licked his hand.
I couldn't help but smile too, Qin doesn't usually smile much, but having this puppy around seemed to make him so happy. And when he's happy, he's even more adorable. If I'd known it would be like this, I would've bought one for you ages ago.
"What should we name you? Why are you so fluffy? Hmmm?" I pressed my nose against the tiny head in my hand. Now that I was used to it, I was already thinking of fattening it up into a huggable ball.
"How about 'Fluffy'?"
"Wait, you're seriously going with that?"
"Well, you've been mumbling 'fluffy' over and over again."
"Someone's eavesdropping."
"Fluffy."
"Bark~"
"Hey, it responded!" I laughed softly. This dog really knows what's up. I was beyond happy when the puppy barked at its own name. Qin smiled so wide that his eyes nearly disappeared.
"Is your name Fluffy?"
"..."
"You're the cutest!" He petted his little puppy before scooping it into his arms, talking to it in a soft, playful voice. From what I caught, he was planning to ask Uncle Duang to take it to buy a collar tomorrow. Damn it. I gave the dog its name, and I'm still just the uncle?
"If Duang is the uncle, then what are you?"
"Obviously Papa," Qin said proudly, acting like a little kid when it came to the puppy.
"But I'm your boyfriend."
"You're still the uncle."
"I want to be Pa too."
"Then you have to be the one to take Fluffy for vaccines and walks when I'm busy."
"That's it? That's all Papa has to do?"
"And love her a lot," he said, planting several kisses on the puppy's head until it whined softly in annoyance. Eventually, Qin let it down to explorethe room. I reached over to stroke his long hair before leaning in for a long, gentle kiss that didn't go too far.
"You're already Papa now, huh?"
"Well, just the same size as you," he teased.
"You're too cute, seriously. Cuter than the puppy. What even are you?"
"Move your face away. I need to watch our baby."
"You're so obsessed with her now. Am I not important anymore?"
"Don't be dramatic. Help me put together Fluffy's toys," Qin said with a laugh, nudging my foot softly. My exhaustion faded when I saw him crouching down and chatting with Fluffy as if she could understand every word.
Life feels so good. :)
_____________
"Hey, little one. Where are you from?"
"I told you already, Taiwan."
"You should speak Chinese to her, then. No wonder she doesn't listen to me... Fluffy! Go fetch!"
Jet threw a toy bone not too far away, but the fluffy corgi just tilted her head in confusion, twitching her ears as if she didn't understand the command.
"Come on, go fetch!"
"Damn, even the dog is biased." Duang shook his head, laughing softly. Honestly, he agreed. This dog was ridiculously biased. Fluffy barely listened to anyone except Qin. Even during her vaccine appointment, when she normally wouldn't bark at anything except birds on the balcony, she suddenly started howling at the vet. But the moment Qin picked her up, she went quiet.Mother and child, I get it.
Just don't let Qin hear you call him 'mom.' He insists he's the dad, while I'm the uncle... or the dad too, depending on his mood.
"Jet, be gentle. This dog is worth a hundred thousand."
"Seriously?!"
"Yeah. Didn't you hear Duang say it?"
"Ugh, I just want to squish her," Jet grumbled as he playfully squeezed Fluffy's chubby belly. She had grown so much since that first day Duang posted a video of her lying belly-up on Instagram. It was like she was on growth hormones.
"What do you feed her? She's getting huge."
"Ask Qin. He orders all sorts of stuff for her."
"Just like her mom—I mean, dad. Always eating, huh?"
"Watch it, Jet."
"Okay, okay. She's just like her dad. Fluffy's Papa."
Qin watched Fluffy bounce around excitedly as she explored outside for the first time. 'Outside' was just the garden near Duang's faculty, but it was safe—no cats or other dogs around to bother her. She still looked so small to him, and if another dog bullied her, he'd definitely be pissed. Everyone's protective of their babies, right?
__________
We talked about classes, the weather, Fluffy, and the upcoming Loy Krathong festival next week. At first, Duang and I thought about making ice krathongs to float, but if too many people did that, it could lower the water temperature and harm the fish and plants. So, we decided to floatthem in a basin in our room and let them melt to water the plants around our dorm instead.
"Hey, Qin, do you remember Duang's face when he asked you out?"
"Of course."
"He rehearsed with us so much I was sick of it. And he still had the guts to use that cheesy 'Hey, my friend likes you. My name's Buddy line'."
"No joke, I begged him to pick a better one," Jet added.
"I thought it was funny," Qin said, smiling softly.
"See? If it's meant to be, it's meant to be."
"Can't help it. Qin loves me," Duang declared proudly, but yelped when Fluffy bit his finger a little too hard.
"Honestly, I think Qin loves Fluffy more than you now," Jet teased, earning a pout from Duang.
"Not true!"
"You're so needy, Duang."
"Don't tease him too much," Qin said, still focused on watching Fluffy.
"Yeah, or he'll start whining again about how you love the dog more than him."
"Even with dogs, he's like that. Qin, be careful. You can't trust people like him."
"But I'm already dating him, aren't I!" The person holding a puppy in his arms argued fiercely.
"So, how is it, Qin? Has he changed since you started dating?"
"No... but he whines a lot more,"
Duang pouted, feeling sulky from being gossiped about right in front of him.
"Oh, you little crybaby."
"And do you spoil him, Qin?"
"Of course, he's my boyfriend."
Duang beamed at the answer. If he could pull Qin in for a kiss right now, he would. Before he could compliment Qin for being cute, Jett, who had been scrolling through his phone, suddenly exclaimed with wide eyes.
"Someone secretly took a picture of us!!"
"Let me see... 'Freshmen Qin and Duang took their puppy for a walk in the park, playfully teasing each other.'" Pae read aloud from a post on the university's 'Hot Guys' page. The photo showed Duang and Qin from a distance, with glimpses of Jett here and there, though their faces weren't clear. What kind of camera did they even use?
Such flattering words.
"I'd like to object to the word 'playfully teasing,' okay?"
"This picture of you is so cute, Qin. Save it and AirDrop it to me."
"Is this really the time to be admiring your boyfriend, Duang? Continue reading, Pae."
"Okay, it says someone whispered that Qin's corgi costs nearly a hundred thousand baht, is female, and her name is Fluffy."
"Holy shit, they know everything!"
Jett burst out laughing. Who even are these people? Even he and his friend just found out the dog's price today. Who's eavesdropping on their conversations?!
"They ended the post by saying, 'Mom and Dad took their daughter out for a walk—such a warm little family.'"
"..."
"Qin is clenching his fist."
"They mean you're the dad, and I can be the mom," the tall one tried to comfort the clearly displeased Qin, but things only got worse when the comments flooded with people gushing over how cute Fluffy's mom was.
And just like that...
"Are you really going to comment?"
"Yes. I'm mad."
"Oh my god, I can't with you," Duang tried not to laugh along with his friends, fearing that Qin would get upset. But honestly, how could he be this cute? All this fuss over being called 'Mommy'—he just couldn't let it slide.
Absolutely not.
Charat P. – she doesn't have mama. She has two Papa."
And of course, that comment only made the teasing worse.
This adorable little fool, seriously. T_T
___________
Duang gently stroked the soft cheek of the person resting his head on his arm. Qin was fast asleep, breathing steadily. The room was cool and quiet, lit only by the bedside lamp. Soft jazz music played in the background, like every other night when Qin would drift off after a song or two.
He pressed a kiss on Qin's closed eyelids, carefully slid his arm away, and adjusted the blanket and pillow to make him more comfortable.Duang couldn't sleep.
Just like last year, when he couldn't sleep either.
'I can't do it. I'm too scared.'
'Duang, take a risk or lose the chance. It might turn out better than you think.'
Jett's voice from that time echoed in his head. He still felt as nervous now as he did back then—when he first gathered the courage to talk to Qin. It felt like Qin was so far away. Not only far, but like he was perched on a high tower. Duang used to think they were just like that song by Stamp:
'But the ice won't melt, it won't turn into love. I'm not warm enough, and you still only see me as an acquaintance... until my heart has no strength left. The Ice Princess, she's so cold.'
But once he got to know Qin for real...
Qin was never cold to him. Not even once.
"Duang..."
"Oh, why are you awake?"
"Why aren't you asleep yet?" Qin mumbled, eyes barely open, but still trying to stay awake. Tomorrow, they didn't have any classes because finals were coming up—just some projects to submit on time and a few in-person exams that weren't take-home.
Time flew by so quickly.
It had already been a year since they first crossed paths.
"I can't sleep."
"Is something wrong? Want to talk about it? Want a hug?"Duang loved how attentive Qin always was. He nodded and snuggled into Qin's embrace. Qin pressed his nose into Duang's soft hair, breathing him in.
"So, what's on your mind?"
"Did you know? Last year, around this time, I couldn't sleep either."
Qin stayed quiet, gently running his fingers through Duang's hair, always wanting to hear everything Duang had to say.
"I kept thinking... the next day, I'd see you, talk to you, try to be part of your world. Everything felt so difficult. I felt so small. If you had rejected me that day, I don't know if I'd have spent every night after drowning my sorrows in beer."
"Who told you to like me that much?"
"Right? Just one look at you, and my heart was gone."
"Hmph," Qin chuckled softly, pulling Duang closer like he did when he couldn't resist their puppy, Fluffy, which currently sleeping soundly on the mattress.
"I remember everything about you—every little thing. It's crazy. On your registration day, you wore Vans. During the freshman welcome, you wore the same pair. It's lucky you were a first-year, or else I'd have had a hard time finding out your name."
"Then why did you confess in person? You could've just texted me, you already had my LINE."
"Well, of course, I did. I've been typing and deleting on your chat screen since the first day I got it. But I know I have no right to text you first. Besides, I'd rather talk to you face to face. I'm sincere, you know. When I look into your eyes, you'll know it too."
"I already know... that's why I agreed to talk to you.""See? And look at today, it's like I'm dreaming."
"Love-struck people."
"I admit it, I really love you."
"I love you too."
"Qin."
"Hmm?"
"Be honest, did you have a lot of people hitting on you back then?" Duang pursed his lips. He kind of already knew the answer. There were probably a lot—both guys and girls—because Qin was so unisex. If you stared for too long, you might just fall for him without realizing it. He wasn't exaggerating.
"There were some, but I didn't really pay attention."
"Is that so?"
"At first, I thought relationships weren't that important. I didn't want to be responsible for anyone's feelings. Even though I knew this world is cruel, where no one takes responsibility for anyone else's emotions, I also knew that if I ever loved someone, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from holding onto their heart."
Duang likes listening to Qin talk. He likes hearing his perspectives. He likes the way Qin saw the world. Maybe that's what he fell in love with... the things he would never have known were so beautiful if he hadn't discovered them.
"When I met you, I thought I'd give it a try. I didn't know if there was more to it than just seeing the possibility. But when I saw you, I thought it had to be you. The longer I stayed with you, the more I knew it could only be you. Otherwise, it wouldn't work. Not everyone understands me. Not everyone says they can wait and actually wait like you do."
"Your relatives told me you're the type who only does things when you're ready."
"Yeah, that's true."
"Like studying jazz—you thought about it for years."
"I just didn't want to mess it up. If I'm going to do something, I'll do it for real. I won't give up. I'll do my best, and I have to be sure I can stick with what I choose forever. I don't like hearing the words 'burnout' or 'losing passion' anymore."
"..."
"People should stop doing things based solely on passion. Once you've chosen something, that's it. If you can't do it well, just quit and choose something else. Be brave enough to give yourself another chance. If you fall, get back up. Don't use passion as an excuse. But for me, I know once I've chosen, it's final—just like choosing you. I don't look at anyone else."
"I really like it when you talk like this."
"Really?"
"Yeah. You're not like anyone else."
"If I'm special, it's because you love me."
Duang smiled widely, pulling away from Qin's arms, sharing the same pillow, and giving him a soft kiss as a thank-you for saying such sweet things before bed.
"Go to sleep now. It's three in the morning, Duang."
"Okay. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
That night, Duang dreamt that he shrank down to the size of a child, just like Qin when he was in elementary school—the way he'd seen in the pictures when they had dinner at Qin's house. We played together on the beach, building sandcastles and watching the waves wash them away with smiles that said, even if everything crumbles, we can rebuild it together. As long as we have each other, that's enough.
__________
"Fluffy, this is a krathong. Do you like it?"
"Bark~~"
"You do, huh? It's cold too. Here, Papa says you can touch it."
I watched Duang chatting with Fluffy about the ice krathong we were about to float in the tub. Fluffy hopped around like a rabbit. I smiled to myself, picked up my phone to snap a picture, and posted it on my barely-used Instagram before putting it away.
Duang looked up at me as I brought some treats for Fluffy. Once we finished floating the krathong in the room, we planned to go find something to eat and later drop Fluffy off at a female friend's place. Tonight, both Duang and I, along with our other friends, had to go to a bar to celebrate a senior's birthday.
"Fluffy, listen to Papa sing a song. Remember it and sing it with your friends, okay?"
"..."
"Full moon in the twelfth month, dogs play drums, monkeys play cymbals~"
"Duang, please." I scolded him when he started getting carried away. He just laughed before we began floating the krathong, doing the ritual half-seriously. Meanwhile, Fluffy looked thoroughly confused, wondering what these humans were up to."Done. Sathu."
I've been observing Fluffy for a while. Normally, dogs are very attached to their owners, but since Fluffy has two, it seems he genuinely favors Duang. I tend to buy him lots of treats but rarely let him eat them—I'm afraid he'll gain too much weight, and then I'd have to put him on a diet. He's so tiny but already chubbier than the other dogs his age. Duang, on the other hand, doesn't buy much because I always scold him, but he's the type who sneaks Fluffy treats all the time.
"Come on, follow Papa. Let's go, little one. Right this way."
Duang called Fluffy over to put on his leash. He stood there debating whether to carry him or walk him, and in the end, he called out to me as I stood by the balcony watching our ice krathong slowly melt.
"Qin, I'm going to carry our baby. I don't want to walk him—I'm afraid someone might step on him."
"Okay."
"Hey there, want to go out?"
"Bark!"
"See? Your kid is totally programmed. Just say 'go out,' and his ears perk right up."
He grumbled while scooping Fluffy into his arms. I turned off the air conditioning, switched off the lights, did a quick check around the room, and locked the door before following him to the car.
"The traffic is so bad," I complained. Maybe it's because people from outside are coming to float krathongs at the university. There are events, food, and photo spots. Duang nodded repeatedly, turning the steering wheel to find a parking spot while Fluffy clung to the car door, watching the view outside. It seemed extra cheerful, probably because it got to go out.
Suddenly, I thought about renting a house with a yard for Fluffy to run around in."Hey."
"What?"
"Let's rent a house."
"You're going too far."
"Seriously. My room is a mess and packed with stuff. Yours too. Plus, there's all of Fluffy's things. I want Fluffy to have space to run around."
"Then it has to be a one-story house. I read somewhere that corgis shouldn't go up and down stairs."
"I'll ask Pa and Ma. They probably know some places. We can move during the semester break."
"You're totally giving in for our kid, huh? Fluffy, Papa is going to move to a new house for you."
I guess it was Duang's excited tone that made Fluffy so happy—it even jumped onto Duang's lap. I chuckled softly, watching the father-and-child duo chat away about gardening and home decorating.
Seeing him enjoy himself makes me happy too.
"Don't be naughty, okay? I'll carry you myself."
Honestly, after that page posted a picture of us with Fluffy, people started asking to take photos with it. But Duang knew I didn't like strangers touching my dog if they weren't close to us. So, he'd always smile politely and say, "Fluffy is shy with strangers. I'll hold her. You can stand next to us."
Since then, he took on the role of posing for pictures with Fluffy and other people."Oh my god, it's Duang and Qin!"
"Ahh, Duang's smile is so cute. Seeing him holding a puppy is melting my heart. He's totally dad material."
"Calm down, he's here with his boyfriend."
"Qin doesn't even seem human anymore—he's like a dream."
Duang smiled faintly at a few people calling out to him, some were friends, others seniors. The photo requests didn't stop. Some people were polite enough to sneak a shot from afar. By the time we reached our friends,
Fluffy had been around so many people that its ears drooped... Poor thing.
"You're here!"
"Ahhh, the baby~~" Duang handed Fluffy over to Preaw while I offered a small smile as a greeting. Jettana immediately hugged me tightly. He always acted like he was small despite being three or four centimeters taller than both Duang and me.
"That jerk Pae isn't coming. He ran off with his girlfriend. Qin, can you hug me to comfort me?"
"It's okay," I patted his shoulder lightly. Duang glared at our friend without stopping. He always told me Jettana was trouble... and honestly, I could see that. He was pretty sly.
"Find a partner quickly, so Duang will stop being jealous."
"Oh, please. Duang would be jealous of anyone near Qin. If Fluffy were a male, Duang would be heartbroken."
"Seriously?"
"Yes! No one loves Qin more than me."
"Can you stop hugging my boyfriend for a minute?"
"I'll answer that right now, Duang—no!"
"Qin, come over here. Fluffy's going wild—I can't handle it anymore." My friend called me over, rescuing me from the ongoing war between Duang and Jettana. And yeah, Fluffy really was hyper. It was nipping at everyone's fingers. Even though its teeth weren't that sharp, I knew it hurt. I leaned in closer to the puppy cradled in my friend's arms.
"Don't bite people, okay?"
"Ahhh, Duang, your boyfriend... T_T"
"What now?"
"Qin just called Fluffy 'sweetie' and spoke so gently. My heart can't take it."
"Hey, you."
"Here I come, the ridiculously jealous one."
"Don't be cute in front of other people."
"What did I do?"
"That! You're doing it again!"
Jettana clutched his head in mock despair, thinking to himself how last year, these two were strangers. Now they were dating and even raising a dog together. Damn, he was so happy for them.
As for him?
Hah—he didn't care about finding a partner.
The only thing he was asking the water goddess for tonight was to win the lottery jackpot so he could just buy happiness instead.
Awesome!