Jewelry Store
"Do I really have to wear all of this?"
Star stared at the delicate diamond-studded star necklace, matching bracelet, earrings, and ring now sitting on his own body, completely baffled. Can you even scrub a toilet in diamonds? Today his terrifying creditor was acting stranger than ever. Normally, Rock would be in his face, barking orders, grabbing his collar and shaking him like he was making a damn milkshake. Rock was extremely nearsighted but hated fixing it, so he preferred to yell up close.
But today..
He'd put in contacts before leaving the house and since then he hadn't come close at all. Just kept side-eyeing Star from a distance ever since they left Didi's shop.
"Just wear it. All of it!"
They say the eyes are the window to the soul, and being born with terrible eyesight is something most people wish they could avoid.
But for someone who prefers blurry images over clarity… that's much harder to understand.
…Because the clearer the picture, the more it hurt.
Clear images of his parents walking in opposite directions inside the same house while pretending to be madly in love whenever a camera was pointed at them. Nothing in that house ever felt like "family."
He never once saw love in any form, through any lens. He never understood If you hate each other that much, why have a kid? Why pretend to love him so much in front of everyone? As the years passed, the feeling that his parents' "love" wasn't real grew sharper, until rebellion became instinct. So strong he no longer recognized what he'd turned into in other people's eyes.
The only thing he ever genuinely wanted to see clearly was the luxury car model he received on his first and only birthday that his parents claimed they chose together. His father talked about its special features:
"If you use a car made with good materials, even with your eyesight, I'll worry less about your safety."
His mother talked about its beauty and color:
"Red is the color of your birth day, Rock. This car will make you stand out just like us and keep you safe when you face any problems."
And so the only thing he ever wanted in perfect focus was something good, beautiful, expensive something everyone wanted.
A car that everyone admired, envied, desired…while the person who owned it was wanted by absolutely no one. This world really does love its contradictions. Until one day, someone wandered into his life because of an accident. A clueless, innocent kid walked straight into the road, and Rock had to swerve hard to avoid him.
Even through his blurred vision, from the voice, the timid mannerisms, and the hazy outline of that face up close it was obvious this was the kind of person life always cast as a victim. And he'd probably stay a victim forever… if fate hadn't forced him to toughen up. The little guy kept his head down and did every task Rock ordered.
A convenient advantage for someone who knew exactly where the kid's weak spots were. The car that exploded was replaced covered by that insanely expensive foreign insurance plan. Rock didn't pay a single damn baht for the damage. What Star never knew was that he worked for free.
Back then, Rock had been furious, obsessed with payback, wanting Star to suffer and repay every bit so he shoved that monstrous debt contract at him. But now…
he kept thinking of the kid when he did something good, something thoughtful. And now… he was irritated by how innocent Star was. So painfully sincere that it made him want to shield him from everything.
He didn't want Star being taken advantage of. But he also didn't dare confess the truth about the debt because he wanted Star to stay, to keep looking after him like this.
Always.
People really are selfish like that. Everyone has their own brand of pathetic just different forms at different moments. Star might actually have it easier: he doesn't have to think too hard, just plays the obedient little underling, doing whatever his "boss" orders.
But the real pathetic one is the man who answers to no one, listens to no one, does whatever he wants yet has no idea where he's headed.
Like driving endlessly down the wrong road his entire life, lost in the rain, in a car that never runs out of fuel and never stops just keeps going. Until one day, by pure accident, he drives straight into the sun. A blazing light he hasn't seen in what feels like centuries. Unfamiliar.
Blinding at first.
But the longer he stays in that light, the more he sees and the more the world starts to look strangely beautiful. Sometimes, he even catches himself thinking that if he could keep that light for himself if he could have his own personal star maybe life wouldn't be as unbearably dull as it used to be.
__
"Ooh~ You're wearing glasses today. Got something important to go to?"
Just another ordinary morning between debtor and creditor inside the luxurious condo.
Star, dressed in a fresh white tee, new sweatpants, and that fluffy white hair shining like a firefly, chirped at his boss with his usual brightness. Normally they'd be yelling at each other by now, but today… everything felt strangely quiet. And the one acting most out of character wasn't the debtor.
It was the tall heir to a luxury car import company, Hawaiian red shirt, sleek black trousers, amber-tinted glasses, hair neatly slicked back sitting rigidly on his favorite long sofa while scrolling through his phone. His whole look screamed about to go out, which made Star curious. The "new" Star was cute, lively, moving around freely without that hair-covering cap thanks to Didi's strict instructions and the friend even sent over adorable white cartoon-print clothes and a new apron that made him look like a kid working in a maid café. Maybe that was why Rock was wearing glasses inside the house.
"…No. Why, am I not allowed to wear glasses now?"
His sharp voice snapped back, expression sour, though he didn't grab Star's shirt or bark at him the way he used to ever since taking Star to meet his friends at the mall.
The big hand lowered his phone, eyes following the small figure tucking white hair behind an ear, vacuum in one hand and a tiny cleaning cloth in the other.
"What do you want to eat? Once I finish cleaning here, I'll cook for you."
Star relaxed a little, relieved that he wasn't being manhandled or shouted at today. Rock had been wearing his glasses more often lately. Keeping a bit more distance. Not yelling as much because every time he did, Star would rush over to steady him, terrified that he'd kick something and hurt himself again. And that that made Rock's chest twist and flutter in ways he couldn't stand.
"Stir-fried morning glory… and something good for the eyes," Rock muttered while searching up eye-health foods on his phone.
"Eh? Morning glory? Eye health?" Star scratched his head, wondering if his creditor had hit his head somewhere.
"Yeah! What's with that stupid face? Got a problem?"
"I'm going to hang the laundry on the balcony. It might rain… should I use the dryer instead?"
"You're taking a jab at me, aren't you? Saying if I eat vegetables it'll make the rain fall, Star?"
"No! It's just weird, that's all. You don't even like wearing glasses but you're wearing them.
Plus you keep staring at me while I walk around Do you want something? Need me to do something? Don't look at me from the corner of your eye like that, it's creepy."
"So what? I can't look at you now? Who do you think I am your boyfriend?
A boss can watch his worker. Nothing wrong with that!"
"You're exaggerating, Mr. Rock. My boyfriend's not like that. He likes staring at cars more than me he's not free enough to sit around watching me."
"Heh. Idiot. Thinking about him that much, huh? That useless jerk."
"…What?"
"Forget it. Just go cook!"
"Morning glory, right?"
"YES! Get moving, you little menace!"
Sometimes even the brightest light can be a cheeky, clueless pain in the ass.
(Toy)
Where the hell did he go?
This cheap rental room just a bedroom and a narrow hallway, furnished with old, worn-out crap said everything about its owner.
Pure countryside vibes.
How did a city-born, city-raised office worker like me end up here?
Well… simple.
This place used to have someone naïve. Quiet. Obedient. Someone who'd do anything he was told..even when it came to money.
The most recent example?
Handing over the hundreds of thousands he'd saved for years, just so Toy could put a down payment on a brand-new Benz. But it's been almost a month. He hasn't come back to this room once. Normally, that kid never got upset about anything. No matter what Toy did, Star always helped, always listened, always acted happy to do whatever was asked.
Of course he did.
He was just some small-town nobody with barely any education, juggling pathetic part-time jobs, earning hourly wages. A kid like that would practically vibrate with joy if a good-looking guy with a decent background flirted with him.
Star was plain.
Bland.
Nothing special.
At least he was pale if he didn't have light skin, he'd look even worse. But pale or not, a guy with no fashion sense, no makeup skills, no style at all… had nothing worth showing off. He was good for one thing only keeping around for emergencies. The other night, Toy's hookup accidentally picked up Star's call.
Maybe the kid overthought it and ran off somewhere. He always tolerated everything before, so what's the big deal about Toy sleeping around? It's not like Toy ever took the relationship seriously.
But now Toy's out of money. Completely broke. Credit cards maxed out. No one left to borrow from.
And the due date for the car payment is almost here. Recently he'd been too busy showing off the new Benz to drop by Star's place. Star stopped calling, too just called a few times at first, then nothing. Smart enough to know Toy hated being nagged.
But when the money crisis hit, Toy tried calling him again no response.
Maybe that crappy phone finally died. And somehow, before Toy realized it, the payment deadline arrived. He'd been having too much fun flaunting the red-plate Benz. The thrill of owning his dream car made him forget everything else everyone else. Now with no cash left, Toy came back to dig for food in Star's room…only to find no one there.
No one to ask for money.
No one to bail him out.
Nothing to do but sit here like an idiot in this tiny, suffocating rental room of the kid he called his lover.
(Star)
that small, pale guy from the countryside who came to the capital to work had no sense of fashion, grooming, or anything aesthetic. Everything about him was so plain Toy couldn't believe he'd even pretended to call him cute back then. It all started from a drunken bet with friends Toy bragged he could make that kid fall for him in exchange for a new car mod. And somehow ended up with a boyfriend he never planned to keep.Toy thought about ending it once the bet was done but since he had money problems, he tried borrowing from Star first.
Surprisingly…
that countryside kid actually had real savings. He blushed at everything, kept his head down, too shy to even show his expression.
None of that mattered. Only the money did. And the weird part? Star always managed to get whatever Toy wanted food, stuff, random things…because he worked multiple jobs.
Good.
Let him be hardworking. The thought of breaking up stopped mattering once Toy realized how useful he was. naive.. naive, obedient, hardworking always believed everything . He worked thankless jobs, three or four a day, without complaining.
And somehow, the tiny scraps of money from each job combined into enough to support an office worker's lifestyle. He really was an impressive kid, in a pathetic sort of way. Was Toy grateful for everything he'd done this past year? Honestly…
no.
Not really.
Toy just enjoyed receiving whatever the kid willingly gave. If he wanted to give, why shouldn't Toy take it all? So where the hell is that walking wallet now?
Beep—
While Toy was lying there, overthinking how to get in touch with his boyfriend, a call from one of his buddies cut in.
"Toy, get your ass out here. We've got something good to show you."
"What good stuff?"
"There's a booth at the Motor High Expo in that huge luxury mall downtown. You're gonna lose your mind."
"For real? Which zone? Send it."
"Here."
The picture of the show car made his eyes shine instantly. All that stress about the upcoming car payment tens of thousands evaporated. He shot up from the bed and rushed out without a second thought.
His brand-new Benz rolled smoothly into the high-end downtown mall. Long legs stepped out of the sleek grey car clean cut, dressed to perfection from head to toe. People naturally turned to look at the tall, handsome man walking with absolute confidence.
"Yo, Toy! Over here!"
"Holy shit, the whole floor? Damn… they've packed this many luxury cars in here? That's insane."
High-end cars from countless brands and top exporters filled the massive hall beautiful, futuristic machines from all over the world. The crowd buzzed with excitement, dazzled by their design and even more by their prices. Some of them cost as much as buying a full-sized house in the center of the city.
"Yeah, it's huge. A ton of companies teamed up for this. Crazy, right?"
The two office guys wandered around with sparkling eyes.
"That Aston over there is sexy as hell."
"I'm telling you, this side's even better. The cars and the models apparently guys can be this sexy now?" his friend said.
"Huh? Where?"
Toy turned in the direction his friend pointed and saw someone who looked… familiar. Standing out effortlessly beside the most expensive car in the entire event.
"...That's…"
The two clean-cut office guys strolled through rows of luxury imports, each brand flexing its power by showcasing the most extravagant, most expensive, most breathtaking machines they could bring from every corner of the world.
Some companies used female models. Others used men sharp, sleek, and striking. But the one who outshined everyone in the entire hall… was a small-framed man with white hair and big eyes, shimmering fantasy-style makeup, a sheer cropped top tied with a ribbon at the neck, and soft white angel wings. Glossy lips sexy with a hint of sweetness paired with a bright, polite smile as he welcomed visitors to the priciest car in the whole event.
"…Damn. That's hot as hell. That's a guy?"
One of them stared, unable to look away.
"Wait he's walking with Rock the whole time. Don't tell me he's his kid?"
"Who the hell is Rock?"
"That bumpkin who got filthy rich off some inheritance from his grandparents. He's from Chiang Rai but insists on competing in the luxury-car import scene with Bangkok elites. Look at him dark skin, always wearing some ugly red shirt, half-shaved head, tattoos all over. Rude as fuck. People in the industry say he's way too tacky for the luxury market."
"But that kid… I swear I've seen him somewhere."
Sharp eyes locked onto the glowing small figure standing beside the tall, commanding owner of the luxury car brand. He drifted closer to the Rock Coco booth judging from the cars on display and the company registration info, Rock Coco had to be one of the top three richest importers in the entire country.
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