Five Minutes In Summer

7. Bbq Dinner

"Here," said Beam, handing him a packet of wet cat food. 

The man who asked for help sat on the sand and took off the Hawaiian shirt he was wearing, then carefully lowered the kitten in his arms. 

The black and white kitten meowed loudly when the man handed him food and greedily licked the food. 

Beam was fascinated, by the cat and by the man. He watched how the man stroked the poor kitten and whispered softly as if to persuade the kitten to eat more. 

After observing for a while, Beam's phone suddenly rang. 

"BEAM! Where are you?" Phana exclaimed on the phone. "You made us anxious looking for you!" 

Beam was shocked and quickly stood up.  The man looked up and looked at Beam carefully. 

"Ah, I was walking around and lost track of time," said Beam. "I'm sorry, Pha. I'll be right back." 

"Just go straight to the hotel. The opening of the festival is over and there are just a few drunk men partying on the beach. Don't go there. I don't want them doing anything to you." 

"Yeah, yeah, I know." 

Beam ended the conversation while pouting. He turned his head and his eyes met the eyes of the man who saved the cat. 

"I-I have to go, err... Phi?" 

The man wrapped the cat, which seemed to be full, in his shirt. He only wore a black sleeveless t-shirt, showing off his muscular arms and a tribal motif tattoo around his right arm. 

Beam swallowed hard and thought that the scene in front of him looked ... sexy? 

"You want to go?" asked the man. He looked at his watch. "Ah, apparently I've been holding you for five minutes." 

Beam was surprised to see how the man knew about the five minutes. 

"Yes. My friends are waiting," answered Bem quickly. He got up and walked away from that place and returned to the hotel. 

After a few steps, Beam turned his head and saw the man also walking in the opposite direction to him. His back looked tough. 

Phana and Kit had just come down from the room when Beam was standing in front of the elevator, daydreaming. 

"Beam, where have you been?" Kit asked while taking Beam's hand. 

"I was walking east and lost track of time. I even forgot the opening ceremony of the festival," said Beam, scratching the back of his neck.

"You missed that exciting event," said Phana in an annoyed tone. "And Wayo keeps asking about you!" 

Beam grinned. "Pha, don't tell me you're jealous of me?" 

Phana hit Beam's shoulder lightly. "Of course not, idiot. He's worried about you and I don't like seeing him worried." 

Kit took Beam's arm and walked ahead of Phana. "They're shy, but I think, with a little effort, Phana will soon win Wayo's heart completely. The child is really smitten with our daddy giraffe," said Kit. 

Beam laughed and was about to tease his friend when suddenly a voice called Kit so loudly that it echoed throughout the lobby. 

"Nong Kit, what are you doing?" 

Beam was very surprised when suddenly a man pulled his and Kit's hands so that they separated and the man came in between him and Kit. 

Kit's face was bright red and he tried to take cover from Phana, but his best friend got closer to Beam. 

"Oii Kitty, you've only been separated from me for a while and are already attached to someone else?" said the man sulkily. 

Beam nudged Phana's arm in confusion.  "Pha, who is he?" 

Phana laughed. "One of Wayo's older cousins. His name is Ming. He is in the same class as us, the electrical engineering faculty at Kanigar University. He is the same age as Wayo but he entered school earlier," answered Phana explaining. 

"Why is he acting like that to Kit?" 

"You should have seen him earlier. He was holding a woman who was approaching him, but when Wayo, Kit and I came, he froze, then let go of the woman's hand and approached Kit. He has been attached to our Kitty since."

"Oh, is he in love with Kit?" Beam asked in surprise. He looked back and saw the man named Ming trying to talk to Kit who was always trying to stay away from him. 

The man was handsome, with a badboy appearance, an earring in his right ear, a tattoo of three stars in different sizes on his neck and a charming crooked smile. 

Kit brushed off the hand of the man named Ming who was trying to embrace him and ran towards Beam. 

Ming laughed and when he was about to approach Kit, Wayo shouted at him from behind. "Mingkwan! Don't bother Phi Kit!" 

Ming turned his head and laughed.  Wayo approached him and patted his chest lightly. "Don't be nosy!" 

"He's very cute, a fierce little cat, but very beautiful and adorable," said Ming, raising his voice, making Kit blush up to his ears. 

Wayo snorted and walked quickly towards Phana. "Phi, do you guys want to go to dinner?" Wayo asked. 

Phana looked at him with a happy look.  "Yes. Do you have any recommendations for restaurants with delicious food, a pleasant atmosphere, but reasonable prices?" 

"How about you join us?" Wayo said.  "Phi Ai invited us to her house for a bbq. She had prepared everything and we all knew that if she prepared something, small in size, it would mean the portions would be too much even for twenty people." 

Phana turned to Beam and Kit. "How?" 

Beam immediately nodded, while Kit glanced at Ming who was staring at him without blinking. 

"As long as you promise not to leave me," Kit muttered. 

Phana, Beam, and Kit finally left with Wayo and Ming, walking to Phi Ai's house which is not far from the beach. 

The three friends admired the house of the woman who owned the hotel which used a minimalist and open concept, with all the walls covered with thick bulletproof glass, a large garden around the house, and a swimming pool with slides and long chairs. 

Park and Lam were already there, preparing to burn.

"Oii, you guys took so long," said Park. 

The five people who had just arrived immediately helped with the bbq preparations. Phana, Beam, and Kit were amazed to see the large amount and types of food prepared. 

"Oh, is this a party?" Beam asked. 

"No, Beam, this is just an ordinary dinner prepared by the generous Phi Ai for us," Park answered cheerfully. 

"But, this is enough to feed us all for three nights in a row," said Phana confused. "Why so many?" 

"Phi Ai is like that. She is an almost perfect woman, but she also has flaws," said Lam calmly.  "She can't count." 

Everyone was stunned to hear Lam's words, then laughed after realizing what he meant. 

"You make a tough joke, Lam," said someone who suddenly came. 

Everyone turned and Beam gasped.

The man looked at Beam with brilliant eyes. He smirked.  "Hi, my five minute man!"

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