TAE POV
Why the heck do I have to act like a nanny?
I leaned back at the marbled wall of the hotel lobby while waiting for Tee to fetch Copter in their room. The others said they will rest for a while. I wanna rest too, but P'Janean will not let the other two go out if they're not with me. And if I won't go with them, I'm sure Tee will annoy me for the rest of this tour.
"Alright let's go." Tee walked beside me with a blank expression. I looked around him.
"Where's Cop?" I asked.
"He said, he'll go with his mom later." he replied monotonously.
"Then, let's not go! Let's just rest!" I heaved a sigh of relief and started walking back inside when Tee held onto my arm and shook his head.
"No. You're going with me, P." He said with a serious expression.
"What the heck for? I don't want to shop today, I'm too tired."
"We have to go! Do you really want us to get teased? We brought almost the same stack of clothes. We need to go shopping!"
I pondered for a while. The fans will notice it even if we don't wear the same clothes on the same day. They'll probably think we're ua8ng each others' clothes. Besides, this is my first time in Korea. Might as well explore this part of the country.
"Alright. But let's shop fast. Fans are starting to crowd." I motioned my chin towards a group of girls at the corner of our hotel, obviously taking pictures or videos.
He lead the way. He really knows this district well. We went from shop to shop, sometimes stopping to take selfies with fans. About 3 times, we both picked the same jacket or sweater from the same rack at the same time.
Man, we have the same taste in fashion?
My feet started to hurt after the 5th shop, so I told him I'll wait outside and buy some street food. It's really nice here. The streets are full of tourists, youth, music, and sometimes, even mascots. In front of the shop where I'm waiting, there is a chicken skewers stand, its smell is really tempting me. So I gathered my shopping loot, as well as a few of Tee's paperbags and ordered two. While waiting for it to grill, I looked back at the shop. There were at least 3 other men like me, carrying plastics and paper bags, either smoking or playing with their phone. I thought they were alone, until I saw a girl exit from the shop and approach one of the guys.
A couple.
I suddenly went red when I realized what was going on. These guys are waiting for their girlfriends to finish shopping. Not just in this shop, but there are other scenarios like this on the other shops as well.
Me? I'm waiting for that idiot Tee to finish his shopping.
I'm not his boyfriend!
Speaking of that idiot, he came out of the store with his new merchandise. He looked at his watch.
"P', it's almost 5:00pm. Let's head back?"
"Sure. Here, chicken skewers." I handed him one stick. I felt really embarrassed now after giving it to him. What if people who saw thought we're a couple too?
"Wow! Thanks P! I was getting really hungry. Can you hold this for me?" and he handed me his new stuff before I can even protest.
We walked around. He kept on going from one building to another.
"P, P! Can you take a picture of me with this mascot?" he asked when a particularly large cat mascot appeared behind him.
"P, P! This building looks really good, take a picture of me, make sure the name of the building is seen." he said when we passed by a theater.
"P, P! That's Myeongdong Cathedral. Can you squat down so you can take the whole church in the picture?"
[A/N]: Don't mind me, I just miss Korea and its chicken skewers with garlic sauce.
THIS KID! He converted me into his chaperone! I'm holding all of our bags, while he's just holding that stick I gave him. I can't even take a bite on mine!
"Sawadee ka, Nong Tae, Nong Tee." An older female Korean fan approached us with her Thai greeting. "Let me have a picture with you please!"
She looked really nice, that we have to give in. She went between us, posed with finger hearts while her friend took the picture.
"Thank you!" she smiled sweetly. "You look really nice together! Fighting!"
I felt my mouth twitch.
I'd rather go out with you, noona!
[A/N]: noona: older sister in Korean.
"P'Tae, let's eat a proper snack first. We still have about 30 minutes. There's an old snack shop just a street away from our hotel. You like spicy food right?"
And without waiting for my reply, he dragged me again.
I was extremely exhausted when we arrived at that snack shop.
It was a small place, with only 6 or 7 tables, 2 of which are occupied. They sell Korean rice cakes, odeng, noodles, kimbap and other Korean finger foods. I placed our new stuff under the table and was surprised that we bought a lot.
"What do you recommend?" I asked him. I can't read Korean, but this guy is such a Korean fan and I'm amazed he can read it and he can even converse a little with the old lady owner.
"I just ordered light stuff. We have free dinner at the hotel." he said.
His order arrived. 2 plates of ddeokboki (Korean spicy rice cakes), and one big bowl of broth with fishcake skewers (omuk).
"If you watch Korean dramas, they eat this a lot." he happily said. "Eat this first - he took a rice cake with his chopsticks - and fed it to me.
I took it with my mouth. It was sooo spicy, but also really yummy.
"Then you cool it down with this broth." he ladled some into my bowl and gave it to me. I gulped it, but it was equally hot that I coughed.
He laughed, his eyes almost disappearing into a curved line. This kid really likes to laugh. Bas makes a lot of funny faces, but Tee is the joker of the group.
"Just shut up and eat." I threatened him.
When I looked around after a few minutes, this small place is now swarmed with fan girls!
We're not that popular like Godt and Bas, but we managed to attract this crowd.
"P'Tae. Smile." he hissed to me.
I smiled, but I managed to hiss back, "I know that." then got a napkin to wipe his mouth a little forcefully.
The fan girls in this country aren't really loud, they didn't scream with this kind of fan service, however, it was a little scary. You can see that their eyes are sparkling evilly, their mouths curved in a scary silent laugh, the rest of their faces hidden behind their smartphones which were filming us.
Sweat ran down my spine.
"P'Janean's calling." he told me. So we stood up after we finished our snack. Tee went to the counter to pay, he said it was his treat, while I gather all of our things on both hands.
"A fan paid for our snacks." he smiled. He got the stuff on my left hand and we went out of the store. We didn't forget to smile and wave at the fans.
"See you tomorrow, Tae, Tee!" fans shouted.
I gave them the finger heart and they squealed.
Back at the hotel, Tee went to my room also so we can separate the things we bought. We got a good haul. Sometimes, we turn on our charms to the shop owners, all of whom are women, so they gave us discounts and other freebies. There were a few fans also who gave us fan gifts along the way.
"You look like newlyweds sorting out wedding gifts." Kimmon said.
"P'Kim, you haven't given me our wedding money yet." he opened up his palm like begging for alms.
I hit the back of his head with the new coat I bought. Since we shopped together, there's no chance that we bought the same items. "Wedding money your ass. Hurry up and collect your things." I scolded him.
"P'Tae, hitting your wife is a serious crime." Kimmon said.
"I don't mind, P'Kim. I'd get more money from his violence when we divorce."
"Ai'Tee!" I hit him again while both of them sniggered.
Honestly, I'm not a fan of this boy's love thing. I'm a healthy young man who likes older women. But this is kind of a stepping stone in the Thai showbiz industry. Thais are open about gays and there are lots of BL lakorns on TV. It gives male celebrities a good start to stardom.
I'm also an introvert. I cringe at the thought of conversing with people I barely knew. I'm quite surprised I can keep up with all these celebrity thing going on around me. I was just a silent university boy minding my own lunch when these two people showed up in front of me and handed me business cards. A pretty older woman and a younger looking male. If the woman didn't talk I wouldn't know she's gay. Her legs are much more beautiful than my mother's or my sister's. And yet, there's no hiding that husky voice.
Those two people became my managers.
I'm not against gays. There are plenty of gays in Thailand that sometimes you won't notice who's the real woman. But I'm as straight as an arrow and the thought of kissing another man is still an alien thing to me.
But like any other university student, I have my needs. My family aren't poor, but we're not that rich either. I have a younger sister who's still studying, and I wanted to somewhat help my family, while at the same time, be able to buy my own stuff. So I gotta eat my pride and do this BL acting.
Tee finished sorting out his own things and left the room.
"Isn't he a bit weird?" I asked Kimmon the moment Tee closed the door. Godt was out, talking to his managers.
"Yeah. I can't stand him at first, but he's really nice. Just a little bit extra from time to time."
Whenever they say 'extra', I always thought of that trending IG video where one kid from a group of friends sing with facial expressions to the extremes.
I sniggered. Yeah, Tee can be a bit extra.
To be continued..
[A/N]: I might update again tomorrow.
Thanks for reading and please comment and vote. I want to know what you guys think..