Forever Young

Sawat-dee-khrap, everyone! It’s me, Khaan. My dad, a banker, and my mom, a dedicated housewife, shower me with love just like any other parents. Maybe it’s their overwhelming affection that keeps me feeling like a 15-year-old at the age of 23. I mean, I’ve never really outgrown my love for shorts; they make me feel forever young. Little did I know that these shorts would lead me into a whirlwind of unexpected trouble. Curious to know how? Let’s dive in.

I call Bangkok my home and have already bid farewell to my school days. Now, I’m knee-deep in a Business Management course at Bangkok City College, surrounded by a bunch of friends. They’ve given me the nickname ‘Khrts,’ which might sound peculiar, but it’s a reminder of my trusty shorts, so I’ve embraced it wholeheartedly. My parents, however, constantly urge me to act my age and be more mature. But stubborn as I am, I rarely pay them any heed.

And then, one fateful day at 10:12 a.m., I found myself sitting with my friends when Tar, in a seemingly innocent moment, asked me to fetch him a Sprite. Initially, I refused, but before long, he unleashed a barrage of sentimental persuasion that would make even Wang Yibo buckle under the pressure.

So there I was, begrudgingly on my way to fetch Tar a Sprite. But just as fate would have it, I collided with a bespectacled guy, and boy, did he hit me with a force! We both tumbled to the ground – his hands clutching a handful of papers, mine firmly gripping the Sprite bottle. The papers went flying, and our lips... well, our lips found themselves in an unexpected rendezvous. I thought that was the end of this accidental encounter, but in my life, problems seldom come without a twist.

Out of nowhere, a Sprite bottle decided to join the party, landing squarely on my head, pushing our lips together once again – only this time, they were moist, and the situation, well, it had taken a hilarious turn.

Now, you might be wondering why I dubbed him ‘Moist Lips.’ Well, let me tell you, despite living in bustling Bangkok, I had no idea that a guy’s lips could be as soft as butter.

Every student around was capturing this comical spectacle. Our lips were like two helicopters in a mid-air collision, unable to break free.

In that rather compromising lip-lock, he gazed at me, and I stared back, reluctant to pull away until I removed his glasses. That’s when Tar, always quick with his words, chimed in, ‘Oops, Khrts! I’ve always seen you with girls, but I never thought you’d boldly lock lips with a guy in the college courtyard.’

The bespectacled guy, finally getting to his feet with a push, started cursing me, ‘How dare you kiss me in front of everyone? I’ll go straight to the principal and file a case against you!’

I chuckled, ‘Oh, so the issue is that I kissed you in public, sweetheart. Well then, how about we continue this in the bathroom? I doubt anyone would disturb us there.’

The guy with glasses replied, clearly irritated, ‘Youuuu...’ trailing off into a frustrated cry.

I quickly added, ‘Sorry, Mr. Guy with Glasses, I was just joking. It was an accident, okay? Besides, we’ve been lying here together for nearly 7 minutes. I’d say you were enjoying it too.’

But my cheeky remark seemed to fuel his determination to leave. He hastily gathered his scattered documents and made his exit.

Shouting after him, I couldn’t resist one final jest, ‘Hey, Guy with Glasses, at least tell me your name!’ He turned his face away with an angry scowl.

Tar’s inquiry carried a playful tone as he asked, “Are you attempting to court him?”

In front of our amused friends, I decided to respond with a touch of theatrics. With a flourish, I playfully delivered a light-hearted slap to Tar’s cheek, causing laughter to ripple through the group. But just as I was about to make my graceful exit, I pivoted with an unexpected move and planted a friendly kiss on Tar’s cheek. Grinning, I couldn’t resist teasing, “Thanks to your mischievous Sprite, I had the chance to taste this unexpected strawberry.”

Tar remained stunned, his gaze fixed on me, until I made my exit with a flourish.

Upon arriving home, I was greeted by the sight of an unfamiliar woman seated on our sofa, engaged in lively conversation with my mother. Aunt seemed a bit taken aback by my choice of attire - my favorite pair of shorts. However, I, unapologetically shameless, confidently stood before her. My curiosity got the best of me, and I couldn’t resist the urge to discover the identity of this mysterious guest I had never seen before. My mother kindly introduced me, explaining that she was our new neighbor who had moved in with her nephew just the previous night. She expressed her wish to introduce me to her nephew and called out his name, “Qing.”

To my astonishment, the bespectacled young man from earlier responded to the call. Aunt introduced him warmly, saying, “This is my nephew, Qing. He attends the same college as you do. He’s like a brother to you.”

I couldn’t help but flash a playful grin. “Brother? Oh no, definitely not. But perhaps we could become the closest of friends,” I quipped, swiftly amending my choice of words.

As I warmly embraced Qing, a wave of playfulness washed over me. “I mean best friend,” I clarified with a wink.

As our whispers danced in the intimate silence, I allowed a surge of tenderness to lace my words. My fingers, in a gentle, yearning caress, traced the contours of his plush form, and I drew him nearer, our connection growing deeper with each passing heartbeat.

“In the quiet of this moment,” I breathed, my voice a velvet seduction, “I find myself compelled to reveal a secret I’ve kept: your lips possess a silken richness, akin to the finest butter, an allure as refreshing as the juiciest of melons, and a captivating sweetness...″

My mother’s voice broke through the spell, saying, “What are you doing, Khaan? Leave him be. He’s so polite, not mischievous like you. Don’t lead him astray.”

But I was entranced by his presence—the warmth of his body, the intoxicating scent that surrounded him. I was losing myself to it. He gently pushed me aside and asked his aunt to leave. They departed, leaving me to face my mother’s disapproving gaze.

She asked, “Why do you always trouble others?”

I replied with unabashed audacity, “Because I love it...”

As I sat in my room, my thoughts drifted. I’d kissed many girls and shared intimate moments with numerous partners, but the feeling I got when I was close to him was unlike anything I’d experienced before. My room, adorned with countless photos of Wang Yibo and an assortment of shorts, felt like a sanctuary of my own making.

Around 2:00 pm, I found him on the balcony, tending to his flowers. He looked like a Greek God, and I couldn’t help but exclaim, “Uffffff...”

I observed him from my balcony, his figure seemingly sculpted to perfection, akin to a cake adorned with a generous dollop of whipped cream. His posterior was reminiscent of a ripe peach, and beneath his thin white vest, his nipples stood erect, a blush of pink visible through the fabric. My pulse quickened, and before I knew it, my hand had stealthily ventured beneath my shorts, resulting in an undeniable surge of excitement.

After indulging in my fantasies for a moment, I couldn’t resist playfully calling out to him, “GWEG.”

He responded with an incredulous, “What on earth are you calling me?”

A wicked grin crept onto my face as I replied, “Youuu.”

He retorted, “I do have a name, you know.”

Leaning closer, I teased, “Then why don’t you grace me with the sound of your own lips?”

He cast me a knowing glance and remarked, “I can discern what you’re attempting.”

I chuckled sensuously, “Very well, let’s not make it too challenging.”

With a quizzical expression, he inquired, “Challenging in what way?”

And so, right there on my balcony, I commenced the tantalizing task of shedding my clothing, nonchalantly discarding each piece with a playful flourish. His curiosity got the better of him as he asked, “What on earth are you doing?”

I maintained my composure, feigning innocence, “You, my dear, are detrimental to the environment, exacerbating the effects of global warming on me. I’m feeling rather hot now.”

He shook his head, unimpressed, “A clever ploy to impress anyone but me.”

I raised an eyebrow challengingly, “Let’s put that theory to the test.”

Undeterred, I continued my mission to disrobe. Just as I was about to remove my underwear, a sudden interruption occurred when my aunt made an unexpected appearance. Swiftly, I grabbed a potted plant to shield my modesty.

My aunt quizzed me, “Khan, what on earth are you doing?”

I stammered, “Ah, umm, Aunt... I’m, uh, taking a sun shower.”

She raised a skeptical eyebrow, “At this hour?”

I nodded with feigned determination, “Yes.”

With her eventual departure, amusement etched on her face, he couldn’t contain his laughter at the situation.

As soon as my aunt left, I boldly discarded my underwear and flung it onto his face, my challenge clear, “Smell it and tell me, how is it? Are you satisfied with my size?”

Feeling utterly embarrassed, he hastily retreated. Yet, it didn’t take long for me to realize that his feelings mirrored my own.

With a myriad of thoughts swirling in my mind, I refused to let these worries weigh on my heart. I always followed the dictates of my heart, which consistently whispered, “Make that guy with the eyeglasses yours.”

Time passed, and our friendship deepened. It was evident to my parents that our bond transcended mere friendship. They attempted to have a conversation with me, but upon hearing my perspective, they found it difficult to deny my feelings. In their role as supportive parents, they chose to support me.

In the hallowed halls of academia, we were the subject of whispered rumors, the stars of a clandestine tale of love. Yet, life had a way of revealing the bitter truths we often overlooked. Not every love story unfolds precisely as we imagine. In my story, there was a villain, an unexpected antagonist, and it was none other than my shorts. Intrigued? Well, let me unravel the tale for you.

Three months into our journey of togetherness, where we strolled hand in hand, the time had come for me to make my feelings official. The decision weighed heavy on my heart, but I couldn’t bear to delay it any longer.

In a moment that would etch itself into the annals of our story, I decided to lay my heart bare before him. It was a grand gesture, meant to solidify our love in the eyes of the world. With a rose clutched delicately in my trembling hand, I stood before our entire class, the anticipation palpable in the air.

As his words pierced the very core of my being, it felt as though the earth had shifted beneath me. My heart raced, the weight of his accusations crushing me.

“Qing,” he began, his voice heavy with an unfamiliar tone, “you’ve been my dearest friend, but your obsession with me has grown unsettling. Look at yourself; you remain an unchanging, spoiled child, tethered to your shorts as if they were your very essence. I aimed to liberate myself from your suffocating presence, much like shedding a confining garment from my life.”

With a heavy heart, he cast the rose I had offered him onto my face, the petals of love wilting into a painful memory.

For three agonizing weeks, I shunned the college, consumed by the fear of being the subject of laughter and scorn. It was my father’s sage counsel that propelled me to gather my shattered dignity and confront my demons. With newfound resolve, I wiped away my tears and donned a pair of full-length trousers. The transformation was so drastic that even my mother nearly fainted at the sight of her transformed son.

When I ventured back to college, a sea of astonished gazes met me. It wasn’t a matter of sudden handsomeness, but rather an unaccustomed sight that held them captive. My presence was transformed.

Qing attempted to approach me, his eyes brimming with remorse, but I maintained an aloof facade. Yet, he refused to be deterred, taking my hand and guiding me forcefully towards the common room where our fellow comrades awaited.

In the charged atmosphere of our confrontation, the air was thick with unspoken desire.

“I win,” Qing declared, his voice laced with a hint of triumph.

I, caught in a whirlwind of emotions, retorted, “Release me, or what might happen next...”

With a playful glint in his eyes, Qing teased, “What’s your plan then?”

A surge of passion coursed through me, and I boldly proclaimed, “I’ll sweep you off your feet...”

A tense silence followed, as our gazes locked in a heated standoff.

But in that suspended moment, I intervened, my voice laced with curiosity, “Wait a minute, what exactly have you won?”

Qing finally revealed the truth that had been hidden beneath the surface of our complex relationship.

“You spoke to your parents about us,” he confessed, a wistful smile playing on his lips.

Stunned, I asked, “Yes, but how did you find out?”

Qing disclosed the secret pact that had been forged in my absence. “Your mother approached me after your conversation. She proposed a challenge: if I could persuade you to don full-length pants, she would consent to our relationship.”

Upon learning the depth of my mother’s involvement, I was left in stunned disbelief. My voice trembled as I spoke, “Oh, I see. So she feigned fainting to see me in full pants, all in a bid to secure her approval for our relationship.”

Qing nodded, his gaze filled with understanding and affection.

Unable to contain my emotions, I exclaimed, “How could you both go to such lengths? Your relentless tug-of-war nearly tore my beloved shorts from me.”

In response to my question, Qing’s eyes sparkled with mischief as he inquired, “Are you still clad in those shorts?”

I replied with certainty, “Yes, where else would they be?”

With a playful grin, Qing whispered, “Within me.”

He retained his grip on my hand and leaned in, capturing my lips in a passionate kiss. Despite his advances, I couldn’t fully surrender to the moment. As he knelt down, a lingering thought crossed my mind, “Is he about to take things to another level?”

I mustered the words, “No, please, not now... Qing, I’m just not in the mood... Qing...”

But Qing persisted, removing my pants, my heart beating wildly as I tried to resist. Bound by the intensity of my emotions for him, I allowed him to take control. To my astonishment, he retrieved my cherished shorts from his bag, gently sliding them onto my legs.

His voice, filled with warmth and love, reached my ears, “I still adore your shorts.”

With our emotions reconciled, we embraced each other tightly, our love stronger than ever. Qing took my hand and led me outside, where he made a bold declaration of love in front of our entire class.

In that electrifying moment, I wholeheartedly embraced his gesture, and our lips converged in a passionate kiss, a tableau of love and desire unfolding before the eyes of our captivated audience. An overwhelming sense of euphoria enveloped me, and in that exquisite instant, the exact source of my joy remained elusive. It could have been the ecstasy of reuniting with my beloved, or perhaps the sheer elation that I no longer had to bid adieu to my treasured shorts. Amid this whirlwind of emotions, the relentless, troubling thoughts that had haunted me earlier seemed to vanish into the night.

Now, unburdened by needless worries, we embarked on our night of enchantment, savoring the deep, unbreakable connection that had reunited us.

To all you romantics out there, if you hold someone dear, don’t let change deter you. Instead, elevate your emotions and savor the moments, just as Qing and I are doing tonight. I ask that you shower us with your blessings, so that I may journey through a lifetime, a hundred years, with my cherished shorts – and of course, with the man who dons those distinctive eyeglasses.

i