"How was your Freshers' party, kiddo?" Kongpob asked, swirling the ice in his glass as he looked over at his only son lounging on the sofa.
Aau hesitated, fingers absently grazing the faint swelling on his lip. "It was...," he searched for the word, "...eventful."
"Eventful?" Arthit's sharp voice came from the doorway. He strode in, his gaze locking on Aau's bruised face. "Eventful enough to come home looking like you got mugged?"
Kongpob straightened. "You fought? Tell me their names. I'll take care of it."
Aau quickly shook his head. "No, Dad. I didn't fight."
But he refused me... and punched me anyway. The thought stung, unspoken.
Arthit glared at Kongpob, his tone firm. " Kongpob — don't you dare to drag him into your world. No lessons. No payback. He's not getting tainted by your business. Understood?"
Kongpob smirked faintly, raising his hands in mock surrender. Arthit's word was final.
"Paa, I'm starving. Can we just... eat?" Aau cut in, forcing a grin. Arthit gave him one last searching glance before heading to the kitchen.
As soon as the older man left, Aau's cheerful mask slipped. His voice lowered. "The supplies hit the port at midnight."
Kongpob's eyes sharpened immediately, the warmth gone. "Good. Stay alert. And keep this away from your Paa."
Aau nodded. Kongpob rested a hand briefly on his son's shoulder. "And kiddo... next time you come home with bruises, I'll make sure whoever's behind it doesn't live to try again."
Aau nodded once more, though his thoughts whispered a darker promise as his father left. You won't have to. I won't let anyone touch him. He'll live with me. Die with me. No one will lay a hand on him as long as I'm breathing. Then he himself got confused with his feelings.
He remembers what happened with him
University life was supposed to be simple — at least on the first day.
"Wow... I've dreamed about this," Aau grinned as he stepped onto campus.
"Same here," a boy beside him said. "I'm Mork."
"And I'm Pun!" another voice joined in as Pun jogged over. "We're friends. Want to stick together?"
"Absolutely," Aau said, his smile bright as always. Unlike his fathers — Kongpob, whose charm was quiet and calculating, and Arthit, who preferred his solitude — Aau was pure sunlight. Outgoing, reckless, a magnet for trouble. It soothed Arthit... most of the time.
But destiny had its own twisted humor.
Late to SOTUS orientation because of a call, Aau sprinted down the hall — and collided, hard, with a broad chest cloaked in a red jacket.
The world tilted. Aau blinked up — and froze. Sharp cheekbones, cool dark eyes, a beauty so severe it stole his breath.
"Wow... you're... beautiful," he blurted, oblivious to the four figures standing nearby, watching.
The hazers went rigid. Their leader, Boom, stiffened, anger flashing.
"What did you just say?" Boom's voice could frost glass.
Aau's grin only widened. "I said you're beautiful. Just stating facts."
Boom lunged, but two hazers restrained him. "You're lucky we're here, kid. Get to the ground before he decides to kill you," one muttered coldly.
On the SOTUS field, Aau plopped down next to Mork and Pun, grin firmly in place.
"Where were you?" Pun asked.
"Met a deity," Aau replied dreamily.
"Aw, I want to meet one too..." Pun whined, looking at Mork.
"Later," Mork muttered, patting Pun's head.
"Aau, will you share your deity with me until I get mine?" Pun teased.
"Anything but the deity," Aau deadpanned.
Before Pun could argue, a sharp shot cracked through the air. Silence fell as four red-jacketed figures took the stage.
Sin, the first to speak, introduced himself as one of the hazers. Then he stepped aside.
"I'm Boom. Your Head Hazer this year."
The murmurs stilled instantly. Boom's presence was commanding, his explanation of SOTUS cold and precise, enough to tighten every freshman's spine.
Every freshman — except one.
Aau sat there, grinning, his gaze never wavering from Boom. Deliberately teasing. Daring.
Sin noticed the silent exchange and, before Boom could react, gripped his arm. "Later. Focus."
Boom's gaze lingered a second longer before he dismissed the students. "Collect your goody bags. Diary for seniors's signatures is inside. Let's see if you can earn them."
Aau's grin only faltered when Boom disappeared backstage.
The freshers' party throbbed with neon lights and heavy bass.
Aau sat back, scanning for one person. His pulse kicked when Boom finally walked in — simple white T-shirt, green jacket, casual but magnetic.
When Boom approached the bar, Aau followed, leaning casually beside him.
"Hey, Mr. Beauty," Aau said lightly. "Shouldn't do drugs this young."
Boom's eyes flicked to him, icy and amused. "You again." He chuckled once. "What are you now, my father? Advising me on my vices?" His tone dropped, cutting. "You're a freshman. I'm your Head Hazer. Don't cross your limits."
Aau's smirk sharpened. "What if I want to know more about my Head Hazer?"
Boom leaned closer, his stare like a blade grazing skin. "You'll know me — starting tomorrow."
Aau sighed, unbothered. "I'm not patient. When I want something, I don't wait. And you? I don't want to work for it. So why not just surrender and let me take care of you, Mr. Head Hazer?"
Boom's lips curved into a dangerous smile — before his fist connected with Aau's jaw.
"Don't you dare try to dominate me," Boom said, his voice low and lethal. "I can take care of myself. I don't need you."
From across the room, Boom's gang watched tensely as Henry moved in, hand brushing Boom's waist.
Boom's glare was instantaneous. "Henry. Don't. Touch. Me."
"I was just—"
"Don't." Boom's tone could cut steel. His eyes flicked, for a fraction of a second, back to Aau before he walked to his brother, his jaw tight.
Across the sea, in a different skyline, Earth stood before his father, Bright, in the family office, tension thick between them.
"Dad, you let him study in Thailand. But when it comes to business, you never let me go."
Bright's jaw tightened, eyes fixed on the cityscape beyond the window. "We already have operations there. That's enough. And if you're talking about your brother—"
The office door burst open.
"Pappi!" Rome, Bright's husband, bounded in, eyes sparkling. "P'Forth wants to see me! Let's go to Thailand. I miss my baby too!"
He spotted Earth and grinned. "Hi, baby. Talking business with your dad?"
"Who's P'Forth, Paa?" Earth asked.
Rome's smile softened. "Your uncle. It's been ages since I saw him."
Bright handed Rome a whiskey, his voice turning cold. "Your Uncle Forth — the man who nearly got me killed. Twice. The one who kept me away from your Paa for five years. Who tried to steal our business. And there's a dozen more like him in Thailand. That's why I don't want you there."
Rome rolled his eyes, sipping his drink.
Earth's lips curled into a slow grin. "These relatives of Paa sounds... interesting. Dad, wouldn't it be fun if we visited?"
Bright gave him a long, warning look.
Earth only smirked wider. Thailand, huh? Finally I am coming there my love... Just wait...after years.... now just few days....