After overcoming many hardships and spending seven years understanding each other's hearts, today was the day Pharan and Khem had chosen for their wedding, following the traditional ceremonies.
The wedding was held at a modest-sized Thai house, newly constructed with the hard work of Khem over the years, located not far from the temple of Abbot Pinto.
After the traditional asking for the bride's hand, Lady Aranya, Chan's mother, represented Khem's side in place of Abbot Pinto, who is now the abbot of the temple. They agreed on the wedding dowry.
Three days before the wedding, in accordance with Isan tradition, it is called "Mue Hom" or "Mue Suk Dip." monks were invited to chant at Khem's home. Both families' elders along with the local villagers came to make merit by offering food and listening to the sermons. Among the monks was Abbot Pinto, Khem's father, who also came to give blessings.
Throughout the sermon, Khem looked at his father with joy, and the abbot looked back at Khem and Pharan with kindness. Khem planned to take his future husband to pay respects to his father at the temple after the wedding.
The day before the wedding, known as "Mue Tao" or preparation day, was when many from both sides gathered to prepare the food and decorate the venue. A feast was arranged, and food was cooked to feed guests as per tradition.
On the wedding day, the procession with the dowry started about a kilometer away from Khem's house. It included Khachen, Jett, Jett's family-who have been close with Pharan's for decades-the former village chief acting as the senior relative, and all the villagers who had come in tour buses since three days prior to join in the celebration.
Pharan's father, however, was not invited. Since his grandfather's death, he had remarried and moved on with a new family long ago, so Pharan only informed him of the wedding but did not invite him.
The dowry procession began with the former village chief, who acted as the chief negotiator, carrying the dowry tray. Following him was the groom, dressed in a light blue shirt with rolled-up sleeves, well-fitted black slacks, and sunglasses to shield from the sun. Khachen, his close friend, was there to hold an umbrella over him, with Jett on the other side offering a bottle of water and smelling salts, worried that Master Pharan, who rarely sees the sunlight, might faint along the way.
Next, a pure, unmarried woman from the village carried the spirit, betel nut, and liquor in procession, followed by nearly a hundred villagers who had dressed up since early morning to join the parade, accompanied by traditional music played in a joyful rhythm.
Upon arriving at Khem's house, after being welcomed by Khem's relatives like Chan's mother, Chan, and Phraemai, along with classmates and fellow volunteers, the next step before entering the house was for the junior relatives of Khem to wash the feet of the groom and the senior relatives according to tradition.
Pharan took off his shoes, placing his bare feet on a stone pedestal covered with banana leaves.
The ones performing the foot-washing duty were the five-year-old twin boys, both wearing short-sleeved white shirts, blue sarongs, and gold silk waistbands, looking adorable and tidy.
After washing the feet, they distributed white envelopes containing several thousand baht notes. Sua and Singh, in unison, bowed to thank their father, then both raised their hands and said,
"Daddy, kiss-kiss!" Pharan removed his sunglasses, tucked them into his shirt collar, knelt down, and hugged both boys, kissing each on the cheek with a composed expression. The children then returned the kisses, one on each side. Jett, capturing this adorable father-son moment, felt like screaming with joy.
Once the feet of the former villager chief and the groom were washed, they were invited into the house. Sua and Singh were carried away by Khachen to eat sweets elsewhere. The first gate of silver and gold was manned by Jett, who had suddenly switched sides, and Chan, who was dragged by Jett to stand by his side.
Luckily, today Pharan was in a better mood than usual, so Jett received ten thousand baht to eat sweets without getting slapped by the 'holy hand'.
Before passing through all the gates, a total of one hundred thousand baht was spent.
In the central ceremony area, Khem, dressed in a light blue shirt and well-fitted white trousers, sat waiting with Chan's mother and friends. It wasn't long before the senior brought the groom to sit beside him.
Here, everyone sat on the floor together, as no one could sit higher than the groom.
The next step was the presentation of the engagement price or dowry, which included nine million baht in cash, nine gold bars, and nine rai of prime real estate in Ubon Ratchathani, totaling over ten million baht in value.
Although it might seem like an excessive amount for Khem, ultimately, all of this was not for any one person.
Chan's mother, representing Khem's senior family members, received the dowry with ceremony. After the dowry was presented, the couple exchanged rings, which were simple silver bands adorned with small diamonds, engraved inside with each other's real names.
Following the dowry presentation and ring exchange, the ceremony continued with the "Sood Khwan" or soul-calling ritual, where a Brahmin expert from a nearby village officiated.
"Shri, Shri, the day, month, and year have passed. Now the children have grown, aunts, uncles, and parents, both old and young, have gathered in great numbers to celebrate this union, according to the time set by tradition.
Live righteously after marriage, lead your family across the river of life with a heart like the four qualities of water:"
"..."
"One, the water is pure and clean, as clear as it can be.
Two, it can adapt, can take in both small and large matters.
Three, it's truly cool, quenching thirst and hunger.
Four, it unites easily, even when cut, it can be joined again."
"..."
"These four qualities are most excellent. May your hearts be like water, so you may thrive. U, A, Mu, Ma, Mul Ma, Maha, Mul Mang, Swaha, Amen."
After these words, Pharan and Khem, who had been listening attentively with hands clasped in prayer, bowed to receive the blessing and softly said
"Amen." Then fed each other halves of a boiled egg given by the Brahmin,
an act which almost made Khem eat his own egg out of embarrassment from his soon-to-be husband's gaze.
After the egg feeding, the elders came forward to tie sacred threads on the couple's wrists and give their blessings. This included Uncle Chang, the former village chief, with his son Pong and his boyfriend, followed by Prima with her husband and their three-year-old child.
Years ago, Prima had fallen in love and planned to marry, but the wedding was postponed several times due to various issues. Feeling something was wrong, she consulted Pharan and learned that she had previously sworn to remain single until he married. This led to a big ceremony to undo the vow, after which she was finally able to marry her boyfriend without any further obstacles.
As for Pong, despite his strong affection for Khem and the rejection he faced, he retreated to heal for nearly half a year. However, due to his inherently optimistic nature, he was able to move on after a while.
Until he met someone who made his heart beat again last year, the other person was a nurse stationed at the boxing venue on the day Pong had a match.
That day, Pong was defeated in the competition and was quite injured, so he received first aid from this handsome young nurse. Even though the nurse's hand was heavy enough to bring tears, Pong endured it. After a long period of courtship, they finally became a couple. Now they have been dating for nearly a year.
Despite their different paths in life, Uncle Chang, the former village chief, Pong, and Prima still frequently visited Pharan and Khem, and the hosts always welcomed them warmly.
After the elders at the ceremony tied bracelets for Pharan and Khem, it was Khachen's turn. This groomsman didn't know how much money he had put in the envelope, and Khem didn't dare to look inside.
Then came Jett, Chan, and their university friends, who crawled forward to tie the bracelets with a mix of boldness and fear due to the awe-inspiring presence of Khem's groom.
"Khem, I'm so glad to have met such a wonderful person like you. Thank you for always joining me for shabu-shabu. Here's to a happy life after marriage." Said Phraemai with teary eyes. Khem smiled sweetly in response to her blessings.
"Thank you, Phraemai." She smiled broadly in return, then inhaled deeply and moved slowly towards the head monk.
"Um...uh, congratulations, master, may you be very happy, and stay in good health...Sadhu." Phraemai, stuttering a bit, tied the sacred thread with trembling hands, not daring to look at the groom even for a moment, only bowing in respect before quickly crawling away, then rushing over to slap Jett who was laughing so loudly it shook the house.
After the wrist-tying ceremony, Sua and Singh ran to their parents with garlands of sweets Khachen had mischievously hung around their necks, making them look messy. At that moment, Jett asked to take a family photo.
Khem and Pharan arranged for the children to sit properly before smiling at the camera; Sua and Singh sat still, showing off their corn teeth for Uncle Jett's photo, because they'd grow up to be stars.
The villagers, seeing the master settled, were moved to tears, feeling both happy and relieved that in this life, someone like Pharan would be taken care of and cherished into old age.
Because this man, who has always given and sacrificed for others, truly deserves all the good things in return, a hundred or even a thousandfold, and that was happening today.
The wedding celebration eventually came to an end, and everyone dispersed to their accommodations, leaving the newlyweds to have their time together in the bridal chamber. The twin boys were taken care of by Chan's mother, allowing the parents to relax without worry, as staying with Khachen would likely have kept them all awake all night.
Khem showered after Pharan, taking longer than usual to prepare himself.
It might be embarrassing to admit, but by the time this day arrived, the 29-year-old Khem had thoroughly studied how things should go, even though he had never actually experienced it...
Khem stared fixedly at the bathroom door, swallowed nervously, his cold hands clasping together lightly to calm his mind, because when it came down to it, Khem felt unsure, nervous, and excited to the point where he felt dizzy. He didn't dare step out of the bathroom...
But it seemed the impatient one couldn't wait any longer. Suddenly, the door slid open, startling Khem who was standing behind it.
Pharan, wearing only white pajama pants, was looking at Khem with an unreadable gaze, which nonetheless made Khem's heart race and his body
feel as if it were engulfed by flames.
As Pharan approached, his cool scent wafting over, his slender hand gently touched Khem's pale cheek before he asked in a soft, deep voice,
"What's wrong?" At this, Khem's body began to tremble. Unable to look away from Pharan's dark eyes, Khem replied with a shaky voice,
"I..." That was all he could manage before swallowing, unable to continue, wanting to pinch himself hard to regain composure and stop being so excited.
Why, after all the physical closeness they had shared over the years-holding hands, hugging, kissing-did this moment make him feel so nervous?
Pharan tilted his head slightly, his dark eyes seeming to seek an answer on their own. Once he felt sure, he asked,
"Are you afraid of me?"
Khem's jaw dropped, he quickly shook his head and stammered out,
"I isn't afraid of you, Pharan, just just excited."
"..."
"And, I'm a bit worried..." Khem said in the last sentence, his voice almost a whisper, his small face looking down, avoiding Pharan's gaze out of embarrassment.
Khem knew that Pharan had been patiently waiting for this moment.
The dark eyes softened once more, understanding Khem's feelings well,gently pulling his wrist to step away from the cold floor of the bathroom,pulling the slender body close to his bare chest, and loosely embracing him.
"No need to worry. If you're not ready, I won't force you."
Khem bit his lower lip upon hearing that the other would wait patiently again, and a feeling of unwillingness stirred in his heart.
Khem quickly wrapped his arms around the taller figure, his small face seeking warmth, shaking his head.
"No, I am ready." Seeing Khem's reaction, Pharan gently stroked the back of the startled kitten.
"Take your time with this, there's no rush."
"But..." As Khem grew more anxious, his round chin was lifted to meet Pharan's gaze. Upon seeing the calm eyes, Khem felt as if cooled by a gentle stream, calming his heart.
"Think carefully if you really want to do this."
"..."
"Or if you just want to please me."
Khem felt his throat dry up as he met Pharan's gaze at this moment, for it seemed as if the deepest, unspoken feelings were being touched by an invisible hand. The handsome face, the aura of nobility, and the sharp, captivating eyes that were hard to grasp, all stirred the desire of those enchanted by Pharan's charm.
Khem could not deny his own heart, how much he wanted to possess this man alone.
His small tongue flicked out to lick his lips absentmindedly before quietly telling the one waiting for an answer,
"I want to do it."
The dark eyes glistened for a moment before Khem's slender wrists were clasped around Pharan's neck, and he was lifted up. Instinctively, Khem's legs wrapped around Pharan's waist.
No words were spoken, but the intense desire in Pharan's gaze was like a fire that threatened to burn Khem to ashes.
Khem was gently placed to sit on the bed, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst from his chest, unable to predict Pharan's next move.
Pharan reached into the bedside drawer, pulling out protection and lubricant, placing them nearby before stepping back to remove his pants in front of Khem, who watched without blinking.
Khem felt like all the air was sucked out of him when he first saw his lover's arousal, the dim light from the lamp making everything clear. The size of it caused his throat to dry, and he swallowed nervously.
"Want to touch it?" The deep voice asked amidst the silence. Khem sensed it wasn't really a question but an invitation, and with trembling hands, he reached out to touch it gently.
His wide eyes grew even larger as it expanded in his hand. Khem tried gripping it firmer, moving his hand up and down slowly, as he had learned from adult content.
"Hmm." The grunt of satisfaction made Khem wonder what more he could do. He looked up into those sharp, desire-filled eyes and asked softly,
"Phii Pharan, can I use my mouth?"
Pharan paused, seemingly taken aback, before his long fingers gently slid into Khem's soft hair, nodding in approval.
"Go ahead."
At this moment, curiosity outweighed any shyness for Khem. He stared at the large, now fully erect member in his hand, with veins prominently
displayed, marveling at how different it looked from his own.
The more he looked, the more he was drawn in, until he moved his face closer, his small pink tongue flicking out to lick the tip, which was slightly parted and leaking. The tense atmosphere was palpable, Pharan was clearly holding himself back to remain still.
Khem tasted the faint sweetness of the milk that seeped out again, then opened his mouth wider to envelop the vibrant flesh, pressing his head down to go as deep as possible, as if measuring its length, and found that it was longer than his small mouth could reach.
"Ah..."
The deep groan made Khem feel encouraged, so he started to mimic the rhythm of a video he had seen before by bobbing his head up and down. He was slightly surprised to find that Pharan's member could still expand further.
Pharan was both aroused and surprised at himself, despite having not been preoccupied with such things for a long time. In the past, he could remain indifferent and maintain his composure no matter what he encountered, but with Khem, he easily lost his patience.
"Uh!" Khem flinched when a strong hand held his head. Pharan, who had been standing still, began to move his hips, thrusting into the soft warmth of the small mouth.
Khem gripped the muscular thighs, closing his eyes to accept the thrusts which weren't too forceful. He used his mouth to hold onto the other person's member, not letting go, and occasionally flicked his tongue at the tip while lifting his other hand to massage the two testicles.
The increasing speed of the thrusts signaled the approach of climax. At that moment, Pharan intended to pull out to release outside, but Khem didn't cooperate, instead holding it and gently jerking it while keeping half of it in his mouth.
His clear eyes looked up at Pharan, whose hands were still pressing down, urging him on. Pharan felt an indescribable itch and thrill, so he ended his restraint and released a large amount of semen into Khem's mouth.
"Ugh." Khem wanted to taste Pharan, so he swallowed every drop. Even though the taste was not as sweet or aromatic as one might expect from his appearance, Khem enjoyed it.
Phii is very tasty.
"Where did the person in front of the bathroom go?"
Khem blushed upon hearing the teasing, before his lips were gently wiped clean by a slender finger.
"Come to bed properly." Pharan said. Khem nodded and crawled onto the pillow, waiting for the older man to follow.
Khem swallowed as a large shadow loomed over him, the dark eyes pinning him in place. The strong hands touched the edge of Khem's pajama pants, slowly pulling them off from his feet, followed by the round-neck Tshirt he was wearing.
The pale, bare body reflected the light, and Khem's face flushed red under the gaze he couldn't fathom. He had to cover his mouth with his hand when Pharan's rough touch grazed his sensitive parts.
"Ph-Pharan, uh." Khem bit the back of his hand to stifle his moans, swallowing for the hundredth time as his sensitive area was gently stroked and the tip was teased with Pharan's thumb, alternating between rubbing and pressing. Seeing Khem trying to hold back seemed to urge Pharan to speed up his movements, almost as if retaliating for earlier.
Khem bit his lower lip hard, rubbing his legs against the bed in agony as if thousands of butterflies were fluttering in his stomach. The sensation shot up from his toes until he couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Slow down, Pharan, I will~~, Ah!" Finally, he released his milky essence covering Pharan's warm hand as he lay there, panting heavily.
Khem barely had time to catch his breath before he was moaning again, as Pharan's hand smeared his semen across his smooth belly, the wet touch moving up to knead his chest, massaging and teasing his pink nipples with his fingertips.
"Uh--ah"
Unable to resist, Pharan bent down to suck and lick them, not caring that he was lowering himself below his younger partner, treating him with the same respect as one would a wife.
"Pharan, ah!" Khem was startled and wanted to protest because this was a new experience for him, but his protests turned into moans of pleasure as Pharan alternated between gentle bites and licking to distract him.
Feeling Khem's increasing desire, Pharan stopped teasing, sat up, and tore open a condom packet with his mouth, sliding it onto his firm, aching length, then squeezed some lubricant onto his middle finger.
"Ph-Pharan." Pharan nodded, leaning in to kiss his temple and rosy cheeks softly.
"If it hurts, tell me." Khem's heart raced, slowly spreading his legs apart, too shy and excited to watch what Pharan would do next.
The finger, now cool with gel, touched the soft entrance below his balls, rubbing in circles three times before slowly entering.
Another thing Khem learned today was that Pharan's fingers were very long and well-defined, and when they entered him, the sensation was so intense it was almost unbearable.
As the long, slender fingers began to move in and out rhythmically, an intense sensation spread through his entire body, making him rub his feet back and forth on the bedsheet, feeling so good he thought he might wet himself.
"Ah! Phii Phim!"
"What do you want?" Khem's tears flowed down his cheeks, his body trembling before he voiced his desire.
"Uh, another finger, please add another finger."
The older man listened to the request and immediately complied, inserting his second finger as well, starting to move in and out.
Occasionally, he would intentionally crook his fingers to rub against the soft inner walls, causing Khem to clamp his legs around Pharan's waist in response to the overwhelming sensation.
"Ah! It...it feels good!"
The embarrassing, wet sounds didn't last long as, just as he seemed about to climax again, the two fingers were withdrawn, replaced by something much larger.
"Don't tense up." Pharan said calmly after lifting Khem's hips to rest on his thighs, then guiding his member to press into the now stretched passage.
"Phii, Phim, it's big, oh!" Halfway in, the sensation was too much to bear, so Pharan thrust the rest of the way in one go, while bending down to give Khem a comforting kiss.
Pharan at this moment felt so good he was almost dizzy.
"Ugh." Khem was both shocked and choked up, unable to scream, but the sweet taste of Pharan's kiss helped his body to relax.
Khem took in the overwhelming sensation, letting his body slowly adjust.
Once he felt the younger man relax, Pharan began to move his hips in and out.
"Ah, uh!"
"Does it still hurt?" He asked with concern, even as he relentlessly thrust into the soft warmth, almost like a man possessed.
"It doesn't-- Ah! Phii Phim, it feels good!" Khem squealed, his eyes rolling back when the large tip hit a sensitive spot inside him repeatedly, his small hands moving to clutch at his own chest to vent the intense pleasure.
The sight of Khem now completely destroyed Pharan's intention to be gentle with this small body.
His dark eyes watched Khem's smooth stomach bulge with each thrust of his own member, curiosity driving him to press down on it with one hand, while his body continued its relentless assault.
Thrust! Thrust!
"Uhh, ah, Pharan, it's too much!"
"Then push back harder." Although nearly overwhelmed by the sensation, Khem endured and followed the instruction, pushing back with increased force, which felt like adding fuel to the fire.
Khem was startled when he was suddenly flipped onto his stomach, then moaned as the large presence withdrew only to thrust back in deeply. He saw Pharan adjust a pillow under his head for comfort.
Without hesitation, Khem buried his face in the pillow, his lips tightly pressed together as one of Pharan's hands moved to massage his chest and tease his nipples to relax him, while the other rhythmically stroked his length.
"Ah." Khem clenched his teeth, tears of pleasure streaming down his face, before Pharan took his hand from the pillow and placed it on himself, encouraging him to take over.
Pharan used both hands to knead Khem's buttocks thoroughly, his low moans making Khem's skin prickle in anticipation of what was to come.
His thumbs parted the tender flesh, but the entrance still fluttered with anticipation, and Pharan watched with a mix of desire and lust as his length was swallowed by the tight passage.
This was a longing and an indulgence in carnal pleasure that had been suppressed for many years.
But now, that flame had been ignited and would not be easily quenched.
The firm hips began to move again, and with this new angle, his thrusts became deeper and more forceful.
"Ah, Ph-Pharan, uhh, oh!"
Thrust! Thrust! Thrust!
"Do you like it?" The deep voice inquired.
"Uh, I like it, I like it, ah, right there!" Khem cried out as his prostate was repeatedly hit, the intense pleasure coursing from his toes to his core, obliterating his initial shyness and consciousness.
Even though Khem's arms and legs were shaking so much he could barely support himself, he still moved his hips to meet every thrust without giving up, clenching tightly around the large, long member inside him.
Pharan felt an intense pleasure that nearly drove him mad. His strong hands gripped Khem's spread hips, thrusting with all his might, hitting Khem's sensitive spot repeatedly, not allowing him a moment to catch his breath.
Khem's throat was choked with moans, unable to scream, as he heard the loud sound of flesh slapping against flesh, his toes curling from the overwhelming pleasure, so blissful he cried out.
Instead of feeling pity, Pharan sped up his rhythm to intensify the pleasure for Khem.
"Ah, please, Phii Phim, slow down, I am going to come!"
"Then come." Khem couldn't stop himself, his slender hand quickly jerking himself off while grinding the tip, all while being relentlessly pounded.
Khem felt like he was floating in mid-air, his mind blank, tears and drool flowing, the pleasure inside him reaching its peak until he climaxed, spilling into his hand.
"Aaahhh"
The overwhelming sensation made him clench even harder around Pharan's member. The tight grip from Khem's sudden tensing made Pharan lose control, thrusting three more times before releasing a large amount of cloudy semen into the condom.
"Ah..."
Khem lay there panting, completely exhausted. Pharan stayed inside for a moment before slowly pulling out and removing the condom.
He didn't expect to release that much.
He thought to himself before walking over to throw it in the trash and then came back to sit on the edge of the bed, brushing back Khem's sweat-dampened hair from his face and asked,
"Can you take a shower?"
Khem shook his head vigorously. Pharan, who was not accustomed to dealing with someone so out of shape, bent down to give a gentle kiss on the forehead before standing up from the bed. Not forgetting to pick up the pants lying on the floor, he took them with him to the bathroom.
After they had cleaned up and put on sleepwear, Pharan brought out a small bucket of water and a clean cloth to gently clean Khem, from his face down to the sensitive area that had been thoroughly used, now slightly red and swollen.
Khem watched Pharan's tender actions with a warm heart, his gentle brown eyes full of love and adoration.
Once cleaned, Pharan helped him into his clothes, then pulled a warm blanket over both of them.
Khem snuggled closer into the warmth at the slight tug from his husband.
Pharan kissed his forehead and smooth cheek, asking softly,
"Does it hurt?" Khem bit his lip, his face turning red, then shook his head.
"Not as much as I thought it would." He murmured, snuggling into the warm chest before adding, "I like it."
"You're going to make it wake up." Pharan said, causing Khem to startle, eliciting a soft chuckle from Pharan.
Pharan's thick hand slipped into Khem's pants from behind, making him tense immediately as the long fingers touched that tender spot, causing a small jolt from the sudden discomfort.
Khem felt the cool sensation of some ointment, not knowing when it had been prepared, distinguishable by its scent from the lubricant. His face reddened with embarrassment at his own thoughts.
"No more for now."
"..."
"We'll do it again once the swelling goes down." Pharan assured him.
Khem nodded, then rose to give a gentle kiss and smiled sweetly.
"Thank you, Phii Pharan." Pharan's dark eyes softened in a way no one had ever seen before, then he bent down to return the kiss softly, whispering words he had never said before.
Having waited for this day.
"I love you."
Khem stared into those beautiful eyes, stunned. He hadn't expected to hear those words even once.
Countless memories from the first encounter flashed through his mind once more. Throughout their time together, Pharan's actions always spoke louder than words, so Khem never expected to hear such words.
His small mouth pouted slightly before he moved to embrace his husband tightly, crying with joy.
Pharan gave a slight smile, his strong arms pulling the smaller body closer, stroking his head gently.
"Sniff, I love you Phii Phim too...loves you the most in the world."
Until the end of time, from this moment on, nothing will ever separate usagain...