The dancing lights of the fountain in front of Dome makes his mouth wide open. It's his first time wandering like a tourist because for the past years he's been busy studying hard enough to enter his dream university. School, library and their house were his daily places to go. And now, his hard work finally bloomed. He's now in Thailand to reach his next goal—to graduate with flying colours. He graduated with great praise on his previous school and now passed the entrance examination in Thai University.
The splash of water to Dome's arm made him jolt. He came back from reminiscing. He looked at the children laughing and shouting while watching the dancing lights show. He spent more time watching it then decided to look for more fun. He has a one week vacation until the first day of school.
"Phi?" A voice behind him sounded soft and lost. He turned around and saw a little girl with her pleading eyes. She tugged his shirt's hem that made him bent closer to her.
"Hi. Amh, what's going on?" He asked. The girl looked cute on her all pink dress, shoes and large bunny ears headband.
The little girl pointed at something behind him. Looking over, he saw an ice cream stall. "Can I have one cone, Phi?"
Hesitant crossed over Dome's face. He looked around first because he thought it may be some kind of pranks but the girl tugged his shirt again. A growling sound from her stomach proved that she really wanted an ice cream. He sighed and patted the girl's head. 'It's not a crime to feed a hungry stomach, right?' He gestured to her to come with him and look for the flavor she wanted.
"What flavour do you like, Nong?" Both of them are scanning the flavours.
"Phi, I want this dark chocolate. Na? Na? Na?"
He chuckles when the girl clapped her hands with excitement written all over her face. 'What a cute little girl.' He thought.
After buying, he guided her to one of the benches nearby. She eats happily and looks like she is not worrying even if she sat beside the stranger, which is him.
He watched her, made a sound of distress after. He didn't know who the girl was. She didn't look like a street kid based on her kind of clothes. "Nong, what's your name? And are you here alone?"
The girl stopped licking her ice cream and immediately shook her head. With her eyes wide open she looked around as if someone might see them. "Phi, thank you for this ice cream but I need to go," she said with a low tone.
She hurriedly stands up and makes her way to somewhere, leaving Dome dumbfounded. But to his surprise, the girl went back and clasped her hands tightly. "Phi, if ever you encounter someone who's looking for me—I mean looking for a little girl wearing a pink dress and pink headband, can you please not tell him? He's some kind of strict and jerk, that's why. Thank you!" She's about to run when she bumped into someone. She bounced back, stroking her forehead after a while.
Dome gasped when he saw a tanned man in front of them. The man scooped the girl that started to wriggle for her release, but not a chance that the man will do it. Because he was like Hulk to him. Dome snapped after realization hit him, the girl was being held by someone. He was alarmed. Not knowing either to snatch the girl or just ignore them. 'What if this was a modus and they blackmail me to pay money in return?'
He almost choked when he heard a stern voice from the man. "Who's the jerk again, little bun?"
The girl smiles like she's been caught from something. She bit her lips and made a peace sign towards the man. "I think you misheard me, P'. I said, a man who's strict yet charming."
The man flicked her forehead and glared. 'Oh. Maybe not. They knew each other.' Dome bit his lower lips tightly to suppress his laugh. He finds the interaction of them cute. But he failed and made a small chuckle. He cleared his throat when the man's attention turned to him, glaring and taking Dome's breath away.
"Why are you with him, little bun? I told you not to go with and talk to strangers!" Dome was startled by the sudden accusation.
The girl looked at Dome with pleading eyes again. He took that as a cue to give his best smile at the man and explained.
"She just wanted ice cream and I bought her one. She's kinda craving for it. And no, you don't have to thank me for that. I—"
"The hell I will thank you. I don't know you and another thing–you just gave food to her. If something happens to her after, I will find you and cut your balls right away!" The man snapped at him.
The smile on Dome's face fades away and unconsciously cups his crotch. He needs his balls for his future. His eyebrows knitted. "These balls and the thing connected to them has a big purpose, you know?" He rolled his eyes. He made sure to sound sarcastic. He didn't know why but the man is already getting on his nerves.
"Yeah, yeah. As if your lollipop is big as big as its purpose," he said. The tan man clicked his tongue and intently scanned Harris's crotch behind his hands and pants.
"Hey! Don't look at them, you freak! And it's not a lollipop size. If you see this, you'll be surprised." He groaned. This was his first time having a public argument with a total stranger.
The tan man arched his eyebrows. "There'll be no chance I want to look at your lollipop size. Don—"
"Please stop, P's! I don't want to hear anymore of it."
The bickering between them suddenly stopped because of the little girl who's now pouting. They didn't realize that there's a little girl hearing those words. His face flushed after realizing it.
The man abruptly softened his aura. He kissed the little girl's cheeks. "We're going home now, little bun. Next time, don't accept food from strangers. They might put drugs on it." He said, directly looking at Harris.
Dome's face turned into crimson red and his blood was boiling, hearing those words from the man who's now walking away from him. "You'll beg to see and touch this lollipop one day, dickhead! You'll moan and beg me to insert this to your ass hole!" He shouted, making the man stop.
"Sorry to burst out your own bubbles but I'm not gay. Thanks for the offer though," he answered with a smug face.
Dome heard some laughs around him. He flushed again and prayed to disappear after his disgusting words. He didn't know why he suddenly thought of inserting his prick on him. 'He's also a man, Dome! You're not gay either.'
***
A loud bang can be heard inside and out the room when Dome slammed the door shut. He can't believe that his first day in Bangkok will be a little bit of a disaster. He came here with much determination that everything will pass smoothly around him but of course, it's life he's talking about so not everything will be fine. He managed to pull out all his clothes despite having a headache. He then threw his naked body on the bed and grunt loudly. He rubbed his forehead while drifting to sleep.
The sound of his phone woke him up. He cursed when the loud sound didn't stop for about five minutes. He took his phone, it is his Mom calling. With a horrified face, he answered the call.
"Son, we tried our best to keep her fine but—" The voice on the other line was cut off immediately when Dome yelled out of despair. His Mae may not have said someone's name but he knew for sure that it's all about his grandma.
"Then..." He paused for seconds. He gathered his voice first. "What happened to her, Mae?" On his mind, he's hoping that his grandma just suffered from a mild-stroke only, not what he's hearing in his mother's voice—sadness and pain.
"I'm—I am so sorry, son. But your grandma just passed away earlier. We can't tell you because we know you will go back here immediately. You will miss your only chance to study at your dream university that's why. Please understand us, son." The sobs can be heard on the other line.
Minutes passed between them. Dome can't find his voice after hearing the news. His grandma is the first one who cheers him up, asks for his situation and cares for him. He grew up beside her, she taught him to be a strong and independent person. And suddenly—suddenly she's gone, without him by her side. Tears streaming down on his cheeks, pain and sadness are visible on his eyes.
"I will be home tomorrow, Mae." His final decision made his mother gasp.
"Son! We can handle ourselves here. We'll send your regards to your grandma's funeral."
"Mae, I want to be there with grandma until the last day of her burial. I can still study here when I get a chance again."
"No. Your grandma will understand you, Dome. You have to be strong there and focus on your study. Listen to me, son." His mother's voice pleaded.
He cried for many minutes until he agreed to his mother. After talking to her, he let himself focus on something to keep distracted. Keeping distracted means cooking or experimenting with something to eat.