Kieran rose from the bed and stretched his limbs, feeling the tension ebb away from his body. Without a word to Hardin, who had just asked him a question, Kieran strode out of the room and made his way to Pharm's quarters. He rapped on the door with a series of sharp knocks, each one echoing through the hallway.
After a few moments, the door creaked open and Pharm appeared on the other side. Kieran greeted him with a casual "Good morning," his voice devoid of any urgency or concern.
Pharm's voice was rough and his hair was tousled as if he had just weathered a storm. "Sawatdee Nong," he croaked out. "What brings you here at this early hour? Did you have to put a pillow between you and P'Hardin to stop yourself from giving in to your desires?" He smirked mischievously. "You're too young to be flirting with that guy. I mean, your best friend."
Kieran rolled his eyes, unfazed by Pharm's teasing. "You're as crazy as always, Pharm. Where did you disappear to last night?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Do you want to know?" Pharm asked, a mischievous glint in his eye. "We went out because we didn't want to interrupt you and P'Hardin. Were you two busy making love all night?" he teased Kieran.
Kieran rolled his eyes, unamused by Pharm's playful banter. "As if. We were just sleeping."
Pharm laughed. "Sure, sure. Anyway, we went to the bar last night. You know, do we even have any rules in this house? A curfew? Designated cooks or cleaners? I bet you can do it all," he said, pinching Kieran's cheeks. "You're the ultimate housewife, Mrs. Kieran Suttiprapha Chen." He grinned, clearly enjoying teasing his friend.
Kieran playfully slapped Pharm on the shoulder and teased him, "Hey, P'Pharm, why are you always so mean?"
Just then, they heard a knock on the door and Hardin's voice calling out Kieran's name. Pharm quickly opened the door to reveal a smiling Hardin, who announced that Kieran's breakfast was ready and that he would love it.
Kieran grinned at the mention of food and followed. Pharm suppressed a laugh and pretended to cough, giving Kieran a knowing look.
"Where's Ayne?" Hardin asked.
"I think he's still sleeping. You know how he likes to sleep," Kieran replied.
Pharm turned to Hardin with a mischievous smile. "So, we're not invited to the breakfast ?"
Hardin smirked in response. "Nope, that's for my wife only," he said, his eyes twinkling.
Pharm playfully pouted. "Aw, come on, Pee. You're not going to leave us hungry, are you?"
Hardin let out a hearty laugh. "Don't worry, I've got you covered. Here's some money, go buy yourselves whatever you want. I don't have time to cook for you guys. But make sure to bring back some congee for Ayne too."
Wife? Kieran knew that Hardin was referring to him. He was feeling his cheeks flush and he was thrilled.
"Thank you, P'Hardin," Kieran said.
"Let's share the table for breakfast now," he suggested.
"What's making you so happy?" he asked curiously.
Kieran hesitated for a moment, not wanting to reveal his true feelings. "Oh, nothing really," he replied with a shrug. In truth, he was thrilled to be spending time with Hardin, the person he secretly loved. But Kieran knew better than to confess his feelings and risk ruining their friendship.
Hardin took Kieran down the stairs and went straight to the kitchen. The food prepared by Hardin was placed on the table. Kieran chose the chicken pad krao pao, fried rice with chicken meat, and fried egg as a topping. Kieran was hungry when he smelled the food.
He brewed hot milk for him which made Kieran's heart fluttered.
"Thank you, Pee," he said accompanied by a smile.
"It's my pleasure to take care of you."
"I pinky swear," Hardin added.
Was Hardin taking care of Kieran simply because his brother, Arthit, had ordered Hardin to do so? Regardless of the reason, Hardin seemed to genuinely care for Kieran's well-being. He ruffled Kieran's hair affectionately before settling down beside him with a smile.
"Dig in, Kieran. I don't want you to go hungry just looking at me, or you'll lose your appetite later," joked Hardin, taking a bite of his food. "But don't make a mess while you eat. You're not a kid anymore," he added teasingly.
Kieran chuckled in amusement, his attention returning to the delicious meal in front of him. As he savored each bite, he couldn't help but ask, "Did you cook this, Pee?"
Hardin shook his head with a grin. "No, my girlfriend just delivered it a little while ago. She's an excellent cook, isn't she?" he replied, gesturing towards the food on the table.
Kieran felt as though a knife had pierced his heart, and he stared at the food with a coldness that could rival an icicle. Suddenly, he lost his appetite and faced Hardin once again, trying to force a smile despite feeling shocked and hurt. As he watched, Hardin's palm landed on his mouth, and he used his fingers to clean the corner of his mouth.
"That was just a joke earlier," he said, trying to play it off as if it didn't bother him. "I cooked all of these." Hardin smiled.
“HEP?” Pharm shouted. "What was that? Lovey-dovey?” Pharm was looking directly at them as he placed his paper bag on the table.
Hardin rolled his eyes and smirked, "Shiaaa. Just finish your breakfast, Nong." He then turned to Kieran and said, "You're riding with me to the university later."
Pharm was confused and alarmed at the mention of the university. "What do you mean? Are you saying that classes have already started? But I haven't even enrolled yet!" he exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock.
Hardin cursed under his breath, "Enrollment and orientation day is such a hassle. Only an idiot with a dysfunctional brain would ask for it." He shook his head in annoyance.