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“Pharm, Pharm, Pharm, Pharm.” In’s rapid-fire repetition of Pharm's name was accompanied by an equally increasing pitch of his voice as he tried to get his friend's attention.
“What – Phi – I’m trying to finish this –” Pharm's sentence and his piping on the cake in front of him were disrupted by In’s hands gripping his forearm and shaking it. Hopefully P’Sin wasn’t expecting to pick up his order first thing.
Before Pharm could protest, In was moving and turning him away from his workstation in the kitchen and towards the front of the shop with a whispered, “It's him. Here’s here.”
“Who?” Pharm asked as In peered over his shoulder. There were a handful of tables occupied by the cafe’s regulars and a few new faces that had stopped in after seeing some of Manaow’s posts about Pharm’s desserts on social media, but Pharm couldn’t see anyone that would cause In to react that way. Until a guy stood up from looking at the dessert display and it clicked into place. “Oh. Ohhh.”
“Yes. Oh. I don’t think I can talk to him, I don’t think I will remember words, and I swear if you tease me –” In pressed his forehead against Pharm’s shoulder and willed the butterflies in his stomach to take five. “I don't care if you own the place. I don’t care that you're dating my nephew, I will lock you in the supply closet and swallow the key. And then I'll tell Dean you dropped out of university and ran away to join the fire circus.”
Pharm tried, and failed, to bite back a laugh, which prompted the object of his and In’s gaze to look in their direction.
“Hello?” the guy said.
“We’ll be right with you,” Pharm answered, dipping his head toward the customer before pivoting back to face In. He wrapped his hand loosely around his friend’s shoulders and shook lightly.
“You have been talking about him for weeks now, waiting for him to come back into the cafe, and I have never not known what to say to a cute boy. You don’t even have to try. You practically had P’Pruk proposing to you after you said hello, and he would have Manaow’s babies if he could. And so I will say the same thing to you that you said to me when I first saw P’Dean.”
He turned In towards the counter and gave him a push. “Go and talk to him.”
“Can I help you?” In asked, placing his hands on the counter and tilting his head slightly. He smiled.
“I -” The guy blinked and looked for a moment like he’d forgotten how to use words. “I’ll just take a coffee, please.”
In’s smile turned playfully down at the ends and there was a frizzle of something like satisfaction when he saw a flash of worry? guilt? cross the guy’s face.
“Are you sure you don’t want anything else?”
“Not today,” the guy said. As he looked down to tap his phone to pay, In caught him looking at the name badge on In’s apron. “Thank you, Intouch,” he said as In handed him the coffee.
“You’re welcome. I hope to see you again,” In said, holding back a wink.
“I’m Korn,” the guy said, his ears going pink as he turned and left.
*****
“Pharm, Pharm, Pharm.” In excitedly repeated Pharm's name as he rushed back into the kitchen, his fingers smoothing his bangs down onto his forehead.
Pharm set a tray of newly-steamed khanom tuay on the counter and pushed it away from the edge as In skidded to a stop.
“P’Korn is here again. How do I look?”
Pharm looked over In’s shoulder and saw Korn walking towards the order counter. He didn’t miss the quick sweep Korn made through his hair, and he smiled before looking back at his friend.
“Perfect. Go take care of your customer.”
“P’Korn, you’re back,” In said, placing both hands on the counter and leaning in slightly. “I get to see you two times in a week! I hope you’ll ask for more than just a coffee today.”
Korn smiled and looked at the dessert display and then up at the menu and then back to In. “I’d like that. Only I’m not sure...”
“If you don’t know what you want, I’m happy to help.” In’s smile got sweeter, more confident. “I just need to know a little more about you. Did you see something you’re interested in?”
There was a giggled snort from one of the tables and In shot a look over to see his one of their regulars watching them. “Ronnaphorn Wongate,” he said sternly, and Del’s eyes dropped back to the table and she began eating the food in front of her. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s okay,” Korn said, flashing a smile that almost showed his teeth.
“Ooh a smile. Now I need to know more. So tell me, what do you like?”
Korn’s gaze didn’t move to the dessert display, it didn’t go towards the menu, it stayed locked on In. “I think I like something bold, but sweeter than it seems.”
“How about heat? Are you looking for something with a little spice?” In winked, making Korn laugh and blush at the same time.
“Is that what you like?” Korn asked, leaning in slightly.
“I do.” In smiled and then tilted his head to one side, bringing his thumb and forefinger to his chin in contemplation. “I think I have just the thing. But it’s not available until later, so in the meantime I recommend some coconut custard.”
“I’d like that.” Korn took out his phone and paid for his order, and then he handed it over to In. “And let me know when the other thing is available, too.”
*****
“Pharm. Pharm.” In’s sing-song pronunciation of Pharm’s name arrived in the kitchen a moment before he did.
Pharm looked up from the star-shaped luk chup that he was holding. Dean was leaning against the counter behind him, watching him, and they both turned to look at In.
“What are you doing here?” In asked, untying his apron.
“Watching him work,” Dean answered. “Enjoying the view. And the dessert.” He held out his hand and Pharm placed the star into his palm.
“Are you allowed back here?” In asked.
"Ask the owner." Dean looked over at Pharm, his smile sweeter and stickier than any dessert Pharm could create, and Pharm's answering smile was just as sweet. "But I'm pretty sure he loves me more than he likes you."
Working for family had its benefits, sure, but when your boss is also the true love of your absolutely smitten nephew... well. "Never forget who is the boss, okay?" In said, his hands going to his hips. It was an action he regretted almost immediately, given Dean’s smirk. “Yes, your mother and I were raised by the same person, so watch what you say or I’ll tell your grandmother.”
Dean popped the luk chup into his mouth and smiled, looking more like the six-year-old In remembered than the 21-year-old he was, “Yes, P’In.”
“Pharm, P’Korn just texted and asked if we could go have a meal. Can I leave early?”
Pharm looked at In – who, despite being Pharm’s senior but almost seven years, was not above sticking out his bottom lip and giving him wide, pleading eyes – and sighed. “P’Dean, can I put you to work? I promise the pay is generous and I’ll even give you a bonus.”
“I’m leaving!” In said, barely slipping past before Dean had grabbed Pharm’s hand and pulled him into his arms.
Outside, Korn was waiting.
“Let’s go,” In said, slipping his hand into Korn’s.
******
“Pharm.” In’s quiet, almost-dreamy pronunciation of Pharm's name was accompanied by him leaning against the counter as he bumped his shoulder against Pharm’s.
Pharm looked to his side and took in In’s flushed cheeks and ears, the starry look in his eyes and the way his limbs looked like they were somehow both coiled springs of energy and floating in water – and he stopped slicing the khanom chan.
“Hmm?” he asked, and had barely gotten the sound out before In was bouncing into the center of the kitchen, his hands clasped at his chest, and then to his mouth, and then back to his chest. “Guess who just finally decided to kiss me?”
Pharm looked out into the cafe – there were a few tables occupied, but it was a slow morning, but one familiar face had not yet arrived.
“I thought you two had done that already?” he said, looking back at his friend, who looked like he was going to levitate at any moment.
“Oh, I’ve kissed him.” In’s smile shifted into a proud smugness. “He always seemed too shy to kiss me first, and if I waited for him I’d probably still be waiting. So I told him I was going to do it first..” In puckered his lips and kissed the air.
“Did P’Dean tell you to do that?”
In’s tsch made a couple of people turn in their direction and Pharm swatted at him.
“Please,” In said, squaring his shoulders. “I’m the one who told him. And it worked, didn’t it?”
Pharm sucked at his bottom lip, thinking back to that first kiss – Dean’s arm around his waist, holding him close as he said “I’m going to kiss you now” and when Pharm nodded, he did. “It worked.”
“You’re welcome, by the way.” In interrupted Pharm’s memory and brought them back to the present. “And so while we’ve kissed, and we’ve kissed, I’ve been the bold one.”
“And you wanted to be the sweet one,” Pharm finished.
“Right.” In reached up and touched his lips, and thought about what had only just happened. “And so he was just walking me to work and I stopped to say goodbye and he leaned down and kissed me against the door, no warning, no nothing and I’m not sure my body isn’t still outside, forever in that moment.”
Pharm pinched his arm and In yelped and slapped his hand away before hugging Pharm.
“I’m happy for you,” Pharm said and handed him two plates of khanom chan. “Go deliver these to the table by the window. They’ve been waiting.”
Pharm heard the cafe door open and a familiar face walked in.
“P’In,” Pharm said, calling from the kitchen. “Your boyfriend is here.”