Chapter 5

As the evening drew to a close, Pat's mother informed them that she would be coming to pick Pat up in the morning. It meant that Pat would be staying the night at Boss's house, and Plan had already taken his leave.

With bedtime approaching, Pat and Boss decided to take a shower before settling in for the night. When Pat unexpectedly suggested they shower together, Boss was momentarily taken aback. He looked at Pat's small, fragile frame and couldn't help but chuckle at the innocence of the request.

With a shrug and a smile, Boss agreed, thinking nothing more of it. They undressed and stepped into the shower, the warm water cascading over them. Boss couldn't help but admire Pat's youthful energy and carefree nature. Thoughts briefly flitted through his mind, but he shook them off, focusing on the simple act of washing up.

After their refreshing shower, they went to bed. As they settled in, Boss leaned over and planted a gentle kiss on Pat's cheek, a gesture of affection that he thought would be comforting. However, Pat, his innocent eyes wide with curiosity, looked at Boss questioningly.

Boss quickly explained, "It's just a good night kiss, Pat, to wish you sweet dreams."

Pat, with a heart full of innocence and affection, reciprocated by planting a small, innocent kiss on Boss's cheek. "Good night, Boss," he said with a smile.

But then, in a moment of childlike sincerity, Pat remembered something important. "Oops, I forgot to kiss Plan good night!" he exclaimed.

Boss, trying to suppress a sudden feeling of jealousy, made a hasty excuse. "Well, you see, Pat, I think it's better if I'm the only one you kiss good night. It's our special thing, just between us."

Pat, not thinking too deeply about it, readily agreed. He snuggled closer to Boss, and they both fell asleep, wrapped in the warmth of their unique and deepening bond.

As they lay together, Boss couldn't help but smile to himself. These small, innocent moments with Pat were what made their relationship so precious. He realized that his feelings for Pat were evolving into something more profound, something that went beyond the boundaries of friendship. And as they drifted off to sleep, they did so knowing that their connection was something truly special, a bond that would continue to grow and deepen in the days and nights to come.

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(Time Skips from here )

"What's the matter, Boss? You look tired" a young man came to greet his friend, who was leaning back in the chair behind the internet store's main computer with an annoyed expression.

The person questioned was Boss, a 28-year-old young man, who inherited an internet store from his cousin Oat, who went to live with his boyfriend abroad.

As for the person who asked, it was none other than Plan, his friend from high school. They had been together for a long time and also graduated from the same educational institution. Plan even had his own company.

"Nothing" Boss replied quietly as he watched the children playing in his store.

"Are you thinking about Pat?" Plan asked, smiling.

Boss froze when he heard the name of a boy he hadn't seen in 4 years, since he went to study abroad at the age of 14. He was the boy he had been in love with since Pat was 6 and he was 16. It seemed like a deprivation of youth, but Boss always kept his feelings.

Pat was very close to him when he was in Thailand, so much so that he almost always brought his own mother to Boss's store. Pat was like a cute little doll to him. The day he found out that Pat had to go abroad to study, he seemed heartbroken about being distanced from his little one.

Pat also cried and didn't want to go, but it was Boss who had to convince the boy instead of Pat's parents. Even Pim, who was his cousin, couldn't convince him. In the end, Pat agreed to continue his studies and behave well. Boss still remembered well the moment he dropped Pat off at the airport. The boy hugged his arm tightly and didn't let go, both eyes were red from crying. Boss wanted to cry too, but he had to be strong in front of Pat.

"Boss... Boss!" Plan's voice called him again. This made Boss jump a little.

"What's wrong? You're making noise in my store," Boss said to his friend, without much seriousness.

"I asked you something and you didn't answer. You're sitting like you can't hear me" replied Plan.

"What did you ask?" Boss asked again, because he wasn't sure if Plan had said anything else while he was thinking about the boy.

"Are you deaf? I asked if you were thinking about Pat" asked Plan again, Boss sighed.

"Not really, Plan. I just don't understand why in the last two years, Pat doesn't want to call me by video, he just wants to talk on the phone and sometimes by text, I want so much to see his face, to see some photos, but he refuses to send them to me. I even asked P'Oat and P'Pim, but no matter how much I asked, they didn't help me in any way" Boss growled in frustration, because Oat moved to a country abroad with Pim, taking Pat with him to continue his studies there.

"Come on, Boss, there must be a reason. Ah, I saw that Pat is coming back" said Plan, so Boss immediately looked at him.

"How did you know?" Boss asked.

"I also talked to Pat a little. He sent me a message saying he'll be back next week and also insisted that you pick him up at the airport, he's afraid you'll forget" Plan said, and Boss nodded.

"I won't forget. I want to see Pat until I die, I don't know if he's still as cute as before" said Boss with a slight smile on his lips.

"Well... he must still be cute" Plan said softly.

"My nong Pat is the cutest... Ah, forget it. For you, your child is probably the cutest"

Boss joked a little with his friend, Plan just shrugged at him.

"Well, does your child know that Pat is going to study at a university in Thailand again?" Boss asked Plan back.

"Shogun knows, I already told him, but don't call him my son in front of him. He'll start arguing again saying he's not a child anymore." Plan complained without taking it seriously, Boss mocked his friend.

"I'm just kidding. You've been flirting with him since high school, why don't you stop flirting and move on?" joked Boss with his friend.

"I like it, you know?" Plan said making Boss laugh.

"How tacky" Boss said to his friend. But in his heart, he felt deep envy. Even though Plan still flirts with the same guy since high school, their relationship is almost like dating. Furthermore, they also go out frequently.

"So, you're not going to work?" Boss asked, as Plan's company designs government offices, hotels and condominiums.

"I left that to my subordinates, I came to play a little" said Plan.

"What the hell? You're the president of the company and you still come here to play like a kid" Boss said to his friend.

"Boss, I want to sit down and remember the old times. Turn on a computer for me" Plan said again, so Boss had to turn on a store computer so his friend could play.

Trim... Trim...Trim...

The sound of a call rang out, causing Boss, who had just come out of the bathroom, to rush to answer it because he knew well who was calling.

("Hi, Pat") Boss answered Pat's call.

("Have you closed the store yet?") Pat's deep voice sounded, and the tone had changed. In fact, his voice started to change since he went abroad.

("I just closed it, took a shower too. So what are you doing?") Boss asked.

He and Pat talked almost every day. On some occasions, they talked very late at night, when Pat had to take exams. But after the exams were over, they went back to talking as usual.

("I'm getting ready to pack. P'Oat gave P'Boss a lot of stuff.") Pat replied in a cheerful voice.

Boss smiled a little as he turned to look at a photo of Pat that had been sent at the beginning of his first year abroad, but after that, he never sent another photo. So Boss framed it and placed it at the head of the bed.

("I want to see your face") Boss said this every time when he talked to Pat, but Pat wasn't weak and never told him to.

("We'll see each other soon. You have to pick me up at the airport, I already told my mom that P'Boss and P'Plan are going to pick me up, so she doesn't have to get tired") Pat replied in a cheerful tone .

("Um, so you want me to get tired?") Boss joked and Pat laughed back.

The two talked some more, then Pat asked him to hang up the phone first because he wanted Boss to rest. When Boss ran the store in Oat's place, he changed the hours. From being open 24 hours, Boss now opens from 7 am until midnight.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The day before Pat's return trip.

Today, Plan spent the night at Boss's store because tomorrow they have to pick up Pat from the airport together at 8 am, Boss had to close the store for a day to be able to pick up Pat.

"Boss, go to sleep. You have to wake up early tomorrow to pick up Pat" Plan said to Boss, as he stood in front of the closet choosing a set of clothes.

"Let me pick out my outfit first. We're going out really early tomorrow, so I want to get ready for Pat to be surprised" said Boss with a smile as he imagined his little Pat running to hug him and sobbing his eyes out at the sight of him.

"Hey, I think someone else will be surprised" Plan said to himself.

"What did you say?" Boss couldn't hear clearly, so he turned to ask his friend.

"Nothing, I'll help you choose which clothes you should wear. Nong Pat will be stunned" Plan replied.

Boss kept smiling and continued choosing his clothes. After finishing his choice, he went to bed. He and Plan often slept in the same bed. Although they both liked men, they never thought much about each other as they have been good friends for many years.

"Pat's probably on the plane right now," Boss said, laying down next to his friend.

"Hmm" Plan replied in his throat.

"Do you think Pat will be more handsome? I think he must be much more handsome. His skin must be whiter than before" Boss said with a smile on his face as he pictured an 18 year old Pat in his mind.

"Don't guess. You'll see him tomorrow, sleep" said Plan, so Boss didn't ask any more questions. He was very excited to meet Pat after 4 years of not seeing him, because during that time, Pat never went back to Thailand. Pat studied so much that even Boss himself was worried, as he was afraid that his Nong wouldn't be able to rest well.

"Plan, let me ask you another question" Boss said remembering.

"What?" Plan, who was still not asleep responded.

"Why would Pat go back to study at a university in Thailand? In fact, studying abroad would be better" Boss said as he thought.

"You didn't ask him, did you?" he asked back.

"I asked him, but Pat refused to tell me. He said I'll know one day. It's a secret, right? Or did something happen to Pat?" Boss imagined several reasons.

"Well, you'll find out someday, go to sleep now. I'll be driving tomorrow, and you'll just sit your ass comfortably in the seat" Plan shouted again. This time, Boss didn't bother his friend anymore, but continued thinking. After a while, he fell asleep.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"What is wrong with you?" Plan asked Boss, who was squirming in the driver's seat, as the two went to pick Pat up from the airport. Before leaving the house, Pat's mother called Boss and asked if he would pick Pat up, to which Boss promised to pick him up and take him home, so Pat's mother was happy. In fact, Boss had doubts about why Pat's parents didn't come to pick up their son, even though they were happy that he was back from abroad, but he thought again that it might be because a trusted friend was coming to pick him up.

"I'm just excited... hey, do I look good?" Boss asked Plan, who let out a deep sigh.

"Boss, you've been asking me since you finished getting dressed, left the house, got in the car if I still think you're beautiful" mocked the friend.

"Hey, I'm excited" Boss said again.

Plan shook his head at his friend's excitement, he drove for a while until they reached the airport, and parked the car in the parking lot. So they went inside and waited for Pat inside, more specifically at the door on the side where Pat would exit.

"There's still almost an hour to go. Sit down and wait. Or do you want something to eat? I'll buy it for you" he asked.

"I want coffee" Boss said, before sitting down in his chair.

Plan then to just buy one coffee. Boss rubbed his hands when he felt them cold and sweaty from the excitement of seeing Pat again. Plan soon returned with coffee, Boss drank it and periodically looked at his watch. He felt like time was passing very slowly.

"Calm down, you're acting like you're going to a job interview" Plan joked. Boss kicked his friend's leg back, not too hard. Until time passed, the time finally came when Pat would come.

"Let's wait at the exit, in case Pat doesn't see us" Boss invited Plan, who was willing to get up and walk with him. Then the passengers gradually left. Boss looked up and started looking for a cute boy.

"Hehe" a laugh sounded from Plan's throat.

This made Boss turn to look at his friend confused by the laughter, but Boss didn't care much and went back to looking for Pat. Boss saw a tall figure like a model come out smiling. Boss's mind at that moment thought this guy looked great, but he had to look back to look for Pat. Even so, his gaze fell on that tall and burly young man, it seemed like the young man was walking towards him. Boss frowned slightly when he saw the tall young man's bright eyes, which are like...

Suddenly..

"Hey!" Boss shouted in shock as the tall young man suddenly dropped his luggage cart and rushed over to hold Boss up, until Boss was floating in the air.

"I'm back" a familiar voice sounded. This caused Boss, who had grabbed his neck, to look at the young man holding him in shock. The other party was now looking at him with dazzling eyes full of longing. Boss remembered who he was.

"Pa...Pa...Pat?" Boss asked in a daze. The other smiled widely.

"Yes, it's me. I came back to see P'Boss" Pat said with a smile. This made Boss very surprised.

"Put me down first, Pat" Boss said seeing the other people's looks, then Pat put Boss down and smiled.

Boss backed up a bit, then he took a look at Pat's face. In fact, Pat's face structure didn't change much, but he had a chin like an adult, a robust and strong handsome face, and the skin that he thought would turn white turned into a tan, not to mention how tall and strong he was. He was no longer the tender boy he once was, but Boss couldn't deny that Pat had become handsome and looked very good. Boss noticed many people's eyes looking at him in awe.

"Hey, are you surprised?" Plan shook his friend's shoulder playfully. Pat was still standing looking at Boss smiling.

"I missed P'Boss so much" Pat hugged Boss who jumped a little. Now he felt dazed and confused. Plan went to get Pat's suitcase so he could be closer to them. This made Boss one hundred percent sure that this person really was Pat.

"Boss didn't miss me?" Pat asked softly because he knew that if he did that, Boss would definitely calm down quickly.

"I missed you, I just... I'm a little surprised" Boss replied immediately.

"What have you been doing? Why are you so loud?" Boss immediately asked Pat, he was starting to become more aware.

"I didn't do anything, it just happened. Even though I did some exercises" replied Pat. Boss glanced slightly at his friend, but Plan just stood there smiling.

"Would you like to continue talking in the car? Or can we walk around and talk?" Plan suggested, so Pat walked over to push the luggage cart, but Plan caught him first.

"I'll push it myself. Talk to Boss, there must be a lot to talk about" Plan jokes, smiling before pushing Pat's suitcase into the parking lot. Pat turned to look at Boss and took his hand as they walked together. Boss was still stunned. The little hand he remembered from a long time ago, at that moment became a big hand.

"You're suprised?" Pat asked as he followed Plan, with Boss walking alongside. Boss nodded sternly. It seemed like he was speechless.

"My body started changing two years after I moved there. The doctor said it was normal for a boy my age at that time. Plus, my family's genetics are tall and big. Even Pim himself is tall, so I grew up quickly" said Pat with a smile.

“Don’t tell me you haven’t wanted to video call me for two years because of this?” Boss asked in disbelief.

"Yes, I thought a lot back then that I wasn't as little and cute as I used to be. I didn't know if P'Boss would hate me or not" Pat said calmly at the end.

"Are you crazy? Why would I hate you? Pat is still my lovely Pat, as always" Boss replied immediately, making Pat smile slightly.

"Thank you. Well, I also wanted to surprise P'Boss and I wanted him to remember me, but it seems like he didn't. At first, you just gave me one look and ignored me." Pat joked, making Boss blush.

"Who knew you'd get so big?" Boss said softly as Pat chuckled softly in his throat. Boss felt that Pat was really a man. Going abroad to learn and live made Pat seem much more mature.

"I'll take you home. Mom called me this morning too. She was afraid I wouldn't come get you" Boss said. His heart was pounding now. He didn't know if he was excited to be reunited with Pat or surprised by his physical changes.

"Yes" Pat replied and when he got to the car, he put the bag inside. Boss sat in the front with Plan while Pat sat in the back seat.

"You can sleep first. Sitting for a long time on the plane must be tiring. And you're probably tired from the jet lag[1] too"

Boss turned to talk to Pat in the backseat. Pat moved to the front seat to rest his chin on the back of Boss's seat, before reaching out and taking Boss's hand, making his heart pound.

"I don't want to sleep. I want to talk to P'Boss" Pat said in a pleading tone like he did before. Plan smiled a little, but didn't make fun of anything.

"We have plenty of time to talk, Pat... Well, you're back in Thailand now" Boss said and Pat smiled.

"That's right, we're going to spend a lot of time together," Pat said, before leaning on Boss's back, still holding his hands. Boss turned to look at Pat with concern.

"Pat, lie down and sleep well," Boss repeated, but Pat shook his head.

"I want to hold Boss's hand and sleep too" said Pat. Boss turned to look at his friend a little.

"Do it, sit in the backseat with Pat so he can sleep comfortably" Plan suggested as he pulled over to the side of the road.

"But..." Boss wanted to be considerate of his friend.

"Come on, I don't care. I really like Pat" Plan said again, to which Boss nodded before getting out of the car and sitting in the backseat. As soon as Boss sat down, Pat immediately lay down and rested his head on Boss's lap, leaving him a little surprised.

"Won't sleeping like this make you tired?" Boss asked, because Pat's body was long, so Pat had to shrink a little.

"Is P'Boss tired?" Pat asked.

"I'm not tired, sleep" Boss said as Plan continued driving. Pat grabbed Boss's hand, who agreed to let him take it, because in Boss's heart he wanted to be close to Pat too. Not long after, Pat immediately fell asleep. Boss uses his other hand to gently spread out the strands of Pat's hair as he sits looking at the face of the young man he lost.

"Two years and your body has changed that much?" Boss spoke loud enough for Plan to hear and looked at his friend in the rearview mirror.

"Why not? Remember when he was in fourth grade, in two months, he grew 10 centimeters" said Plan.

"Why isn't my height growing?" Boss complained to himself, and Plan laughed.

"You're just like your mother, she's short too... But seriously, you're no small feat, Boss. Your height is normal, but Pat and I are taller than you" Plan said again. Boss looked at Pat.

"Everything is gone... My beautiful boy has now turned into a giant boy" Boss said again, and Plan let out a soft laugh.

"Did your feelings change seeing Pat turn into a giant boy?" Plan continued, but Boss was a bit still.

"They haven't changed, but I also know it's not possible," Boss said in a measured tone. Plan was silent and didn't say anything else until they arrived at Pat's parents' house. Boss and Plan used to come over often when Pat was still in Thailand.

"Pat, wake up, you're home now" Boss shook Pat's arm and yelled to wake him up. Pat sat silently but rested his head on Boss's shoulder.

"I'm so sleepy, P'Boss," Pat said calmly.

"Go sleep at home. Mom and Dad are waiting for us in front of the house" Boss said when Plan parked the car at Pat's house and saw the parents waiting for their son. Pat moved to sit up straight and looked out of the car with a smile when he saw his parents waiting for him. The three got out of the car. Pat went to hug his parents, while Boss went to help Plan take his bags out of the car. The greeting voices of Pat's parents were heard.

"Boss, you don't need to carry the bags. I'll let someone else carry them inside the house" Pat's father said cautiously. Boss and Plan then raised their hands to honor Pat's parents.

"Thank you very much, Boss and Plan, for dropping your Nong off at our house. Please don't come back yet, let's eat together first" Pat's mother immediately invited them in. Pat turned to Boss and gave him a pleading look that belied his large, tall frame.

"Yeah" Boss was nice to Pat anyway, Pat smiled before walking over to take Boss's hand and enter the house with Plan close behind. Boss and Plan sit and eat with Pat's parents.

"That's right, the day after tomorrow, our relatives will organize a party to welcome Pat. Boss and Plan are invited" Pat's mother invited them again.

"Why are you having a party? I just got back to Thailand" asked Pat, Boss and Plan sat and listened in silence.

"Come on, your relatives missed you, if they want to do it, let them do it... So, Boss and Plan are coming?" Pat's mother turned to invite them again.

"Yes" Plan and Boss replied in unison.

"Were you surprised when you found Pat and found out he's gotten this big?" Pat's father asked with a smile.

"I was shocked. I didn't even recognize him at first" Boss said, and everyone laughed softly.

"But I remember P'Boss very well. I never forgot him" said Pat in a serious tone.

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[1] JetLag- Change in biological rhythm after changing time zones on long plane trips.