First impression: highly unpleasant.
"Uh… they've never met before. This is their first time, so it might seem a bit… awkward, maybe, Father."
"I'm not against little Teng, Luktan. But you need to let his father handle things and sort out his own problems without making you run around taking responsibility for something that isn't yours."
"What do you mean, Father…?" Luktan's mouth opened in shock, silently hoping his father wouldn't say the words aloud.
"You need to separate your own matters from others'. Leave little Teng to his father."
"But Father…"
"As for you, if you don't want me to forbid you from being a teacher, you need to find a way to transfer to a school in Bangkok as soon as possible. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"
"…."
The decree from the jewelry shop owner left his only child speechless again.
When Father calls for a private talk like this… it means it has to be done.
What should I do?
"I'm staying with the teacher!" The small voice shouted immediately upon realizing that being taken away from someone so kind was not an option.
"Right now I have urgent business, so I really can't take little Teng along. Once I'm done, I'll come straight to pick him up," Luktan said, crouching down to gently pat the boy's head and offer a small smile.
"The teacher's lying… as soon as that guy came, the teacher wanted Teng to go with him. Why even bother showing up!" The little finger jabbed at the tall man without looking directly.
"Little Teng, don't talk to Father like that."
"What's Father doing? He doesn't understand at all. Grandpa and Grandma raised Teng."
"Teng, if you care for the teacher, please listen for a moment."
"If I listen to the teacher… then the teacher will be my bride, right?" The soft, teasing voice of the kindergartener always lifted Tan's mood.
"Oh~" Luktan placed a hand over the chest, grinning broadly and mimicking the little one playfully.
"Wishful thinking," came a low, envious voice after a long silence.
Even when it was about a personal matter like the lottery, there was no holding back the sarcasm even if the kid in question was the son of the speaker.
I don't even want to imagine what would happen if these two stayed together… I'm worried. (Luktan)
Getting little Teng to agree to go with the man known as his father was no easy task. The boy kept insisting he didn't want to go, wanting to stay, wanting to leave with Teacher Luktan.
Luktan had to hold him, comfort him, and explain again and again that in the adult world, there were many things you couldn't always get your own way. Still, Tan hoped…
Little Teng was just too young to really understand. How could Tan console a face puckered like a little monkey's butt?
Luktan's parents couldn't bear to watch the boy, seeing the love he clearly inspired even though he wasn't their grandchild. They slipped out of the store, leaving the two teachers to say their goodbyes while Tod's sharp gaze followed them, calculating every move.
Little Teng seemed furious with his own father, keeping his distance, leaving only Peeradol able to touch or speak to the child.
"Little Teng, we'll see each other again on the first day of school… Here, your grandparents gave you this."
The petite homeroom teacher crouched down, looking at the boy who was pouting, clearly still sulking. But Luktan loved him fiercely, refusing to leave, memorizing every detail of the kind face so familiar.
Luktan's fingers lifted a tiny gold necklace from the red pouch a delicate chain with a little teddy bear charm placing it gently on the boy's white neck. Their bond was so strong, it was hard to believe Tan had ever loved anyone this much before.
"Teacher, are you… getting engaged to me?"
The pouting child looked at the gold around his neck and asked.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! My parents gave it. Tal's so broke, little Teng, where would I even get the money to buy this?"
"I hate how mysterious you are, Teacher. If you're rich, just say it! Show everyone, so no one dares look down on you. See me, even if it's Grandma's money, I still call myself rich because I know she'll give it."
"Right… a manly dad… Being with him, maybe sometimes Teng could love someone other than Teacher."
"Teng only wants love from Teacher. No one else… Teng doesn't want anyone else!"
Once they got in the car, the tension in the air was so thick that Peeradol had to start talking, trying to create some space for father and son to reconnect.
"Yo, Tod, what's the plan? You came here to talk to Teacher Tan, right?"
"Where's your condo?"
"What?"
"I'm staying here until this is sorted with Teacher."
"And earlier, you didn't say a word. Just stared."
"How could I talk? Look at his parents' faces. They're staring like I'm robbing gold. You expect me to just drag their kid into a conversation?"
"Huh… serves you right," came a small voice from the back, watching cartoons on a phone.
Tod glanced in the rearview mirror at the small figure, a wicked smirk appearing so different from when with the homeroom teacher.
"Serves who right, little mushroom-head?" Tod's deep voice rumbled. The boy wasn't scared at all, crossing legs defiantly.
"Hey~ Tod, calm down! That's your kid, man! Why am I stuck in this tense situation? Can I get out of here?" Peeradol yelled, feeling like he was going insane dealing with Kindergarten Tod and Adult Tod at the same time.
The black Benz pulled into Peeradol's condo. All three settled in here Tod refused to leave, and Teng didn't want to go home either. He wouldn't stay with the "bad dad," clinging to Peeradol instead, refusing to ever be alone with father and son.
--
"Look, Tod, I can't stay with you for days. I have to check the bar back home. You can stay if you want, but I have to leave. As for little Teng… will he go back with Uncle? But maybe no one will be there heard Mom's out somewhere."
"Out somewhere or at the casino?" Tod said casually, knowing well his kid's mother loved gambling.
"Tod!" Peeradol scolded, trying to stop his friend from speaking recklessly in front of the boy.
"Can little Teng stay with you two here? Tod's just being a pain, he won't hurt him," Peeradol tried to coax the pouting boy, who wouldn't even look at his own father.
"I don't want to stay with him…" The boy glanced at the familiar face in front.
"But if you stay, you'll see Teacher Luktan again, because your father will definitely bring the teacher here."
"Pei!"
"Then stay, Teng."
"Good, my dear."
-Total chaos, for sure