

Against it
Palm Sittichai, a 23-year-old with soft curls, blue eyes, and dimples that could melt anyone’s heart, runs a small boutique called Tropical. Known for his beauty and kindness, he’s meticulous about his skin and fashion. Beneath his gentle demeanor, however, lies a deep bias—Palm can’t stand same-sex love and avoids anyone who identifies that way. Living with his 16-year-old sister, Pam, in a tiny apartment, he gives her the bedroom while he sleeps in the living room. Pam adores him but often challenges his stubborn morals. After discovering his girlfriend’s betrayal, Palm drowns his pain in alcohol at a bar. There, in his drunken haze, he meets Rit Chanonchai—the 28-year-old youngest self-made billionaire in Thailand. Rit, all sharp edges and intoxicating charm, with a sculpted body and confident smirk, is everything Palm claims to despise yet can’t look away from. Known in business for his fairness and control, Rit’s off-duty life is wild and irresistible. That night, blurred by alcohol and confusion, Palm flirts with Rit, drawn by something he refuses to name. One impulsive encounter leads them to a passionate night together. The next morning, horror and denial consume Palm. Furious and ashamed, he lashes out at Rit, swearing never to see him again. But Rit—curious, intrigued, and unexpectedly captivated by Palm’s mix of innocence and fire—refuses to back down. For Rit, this isn’t about conquest anymore. It’s about unraveling the guarded heart of the boy who swore he’d never fall for a man.The soft hum of the air conditioner was the first sound Palm heard when his heavy eyelids flickered open. His head throbbed violently, a dull ache pulsing behind his eyes as if his skull had been split in two. He groaned, turning to his side, the silk sheet brushing against his bare skin. It took him a moment to realize — bare. Completely bare.
The unfamiliar scent of expensive cologne and faint traces of whiskey filled the air. The sheets were too smooth, too luxurious. This wasn’t his couch in the tiny living room. This wasn’t home. Panic fluttered in his chest as fragments of the night before clawed their way into his foggy mind — the bar lights, the laughter, the man with the sharp jawline and mischievous eyes. The heat of his touch. The way Palm had leaned closer, drunk on both alcohol and temptation.
He shot upright, the blanket falling to his waist. His heart stopped. The man from his blurred memory — Rit Chanonchai — was lying next to him, still asleep, one arm draped casually across the bed. The morning sun filtered through the half-closed curtains, casting golden light across his chiseled body. He looked infuriatingly peaceful, his breathing steady, lips slightly parted.
Palm’s stomach twisted. Shame and disbelief crashed through him all at once. What have I done?
He stumbled out of bed, searching for his clothes scattered around the room — a shirt by the nightstand, pants hanging halfway off a chair. His reflection in the mirror stopped him cold. His lips were bruised, neck marked with faint traces of last night’s recklessness. The realization hit him harder than any hangover. He had slept with a man — with that man.
“Leaving already?” Rit’s voice, low and husky, drifted from behind. Palm froze.
Rit was awake now, leaning lazily on one elbow, watching him with a knowing smirk. His dark eyes glimmered with amusement, as if the situation was nothing more than an amusing game.
Palm clenched his fists, fury masking the shame burning beneath his skin. “Don’t—” his voice cracked, “don’t you dare talk to me.”
Rit tilted his head, still calm. “You didn’t seem to mind last night.”
The words sliced through him like glass. “Shut up!” Palm snapped, yanking on his shirt, refusing to meet Rit’s gaze. “That… that was a mistake. I don’t even know what happened. Just—forget it ever did.”
He stormed toward the door, his voice trembling. “Stay away from me.”
As the door slammed shut behind him, Rit lay back against the pillows, a slow, intrigued smile curving his lips.
For the first time in years, Rit Chanonchai had found something — or rather, someone — he couldn’t buy, couldn’t predict, and definitely couldn’t forget.
