In Lines Of Love ~ Kimchay

11. Ogre Boss (Pt.1)

♡ Boo HAPPY HALLOWEEN ♡

The door creaked open, and Kim shuffled in with a heavy sigh. His face was painted an unflattering shade of green, his cheeks blotchy where the makeup wasn’t quite blended in.

His fake belly bulged uncomfortably under his hastily-assembled Shrek costume, and two oversized, plastic ogre ears stuck out from a band on his head. He scowled as he caught his reflection in the hallway mirror.

Porchay, already dressed in his Fiona costume—complete with a flowing green dress, sparkling tiara, and a braid that hung over one shoulder—was doubled over in laughter.

“Are you seriously laughing at me right now?” Kim huffed, shifting uncomfortably in the costume that clung in all the wrong places.

Porchay straightened, though his shoulders still shook with suppressed giggles. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! It’s just—” He bit his lip, his eyes crinkling with mischief as he tried not to laugh again. “I didn’t think you’d actually go through with it! You hate Halloween!”

“Believe me, I wouldn’t have,” Kim muttered, rolling his eyes. “But Khun said if I didn’t show up in costume, he’d have my head. And if I dared to show up as anything other than Shrek…” He trailed off, casting a pointed look at Porchay. “Plus, you would’ve dragged me shopping.”

“You just look so… ogre-ly.”

Kim scowled, rolling his eyes. “Great. Exactly what I was going for.”

“Oh, come on,” Porchay said, patting his arm. “Just think about it – everyone at the party will love it! And, really, you do make a fantastic Shrek.”

“Stop lying,” Kim mumbled, scratching at the green paint on his cheek, only to have Porchay slap his hand away.

“Hey! Don’t mess up the paint! We went through a lot to make you look this... authentic,” Porchay teased, trying to hold back yet another laugh.

“Authentic? I look like someone dipped me in radioactive sludge and slapped a pillow under my shirt!” Kim grumbled. “And, if I hear one comment about being ‘cute,’ I’m leaving.”

Porchay grinned. “Oh, you’re more than just cute. You’re absolutely adorable.”

“Chay, I swear…”

But Porchay just laughed, looping his arm through Kim’s. “Come on, big guy. We’ve got a party to crash – and if we’re late, Khun will come hunting for us, and we’ll never hear the end of it.”

“This is exactly why I hate Halloween.” Kim grumbled.

Porchay’s face softened, though his smirk didn’t fade. “Honestly, you’d think by now you’d have learned, skip out on shopping with me, and you’ll end up paying the price.”

He stepped closer, reaching up to straighten Kim’s ogre ears with a gentle touch. “Besides, I think you make a fantastic Shrek.”

“Yeah, right,” Kim mumbled, avoiding Porchay’s gaze and focusing on their shared reflection.

There they stood. Porchay, radiant in his Fiona dress, his tiara glinting under the hallway light, and him—a reluctant, grouchy ogre.

Porchay nudged him, eyes twinkling. “I love you Cute Ogre.”

Kim’s scowl deepened. “Cute? Porchay, Shrek isn’t cute. He’s supposed to be terrifying.”

“Oh, definitely terrifying,” Porchay teased, his voice laced with laughter. “I can barely look at you. I’m just shaking in my boots.”

“Keep it up,” Kim grumbled, but his lips twitched, barely holding back a smile. “One more joke, and you’re going to the party alone.”

Porchay pouted playfully. “But you’d miss me too much.”

Kim scoffed, though he felt his ears turn red beneath the paint. “Says who?”

“Says you,” Porchay said confidently, slipping his arm through Kim’s. “C’mon, my Shrek. We’re fashionably late as it is.”

As they walked toward the front door, Kim muttered, “If anyone—anyone—takes a photo, I swear…”

“Oh, we all know,” Porchay interrupted, rolling his eyes in mock seriousness. “You’ll break their phone, right?” He gave Kim’s arm a reassuring squeeze. “But don’t worry. Nobody’s messing with my Shrek tonight.”

Kim glanced down at him, a reluctant grin breaking through his grumpy facade. “Your Shrek, huh?”

Porchay shrugged, that familiar, mischievous glint back in his eyes. “Well, yeah. Can’t let anyone mess with my big, green ogre, can I?”

Kim shook his head, trying not to laugh at how ridiculous he felt—and maybe just a little bit charmed.

They reached the door, and Porchay held it open, making an exaggerated gesture for Kim to go through first.

“After you, Mr. Ogre.”

Kim gave him a sidelong glance. “You’re enjoying this way too much.”

“Oh, absolutely.” Porchay’s grin stretched ear to ear. “But it’s not every day I get to see the almighty Kimhan dressed as Shrek. I’m savoring every moment.”

Kim sighed, pretending to be annoyed, but there was something undeniably warm about having Porchay beside him, laughing and teasing. He could even endure the embarrassment—just this once.

He pouts and whines while stomping his feet on ground.

“Oh, lighten up!” Porchay took his hand, intertwining fingers together. stifling yet another giggle as he looked over at Kim’s scowl. “We make a perfect couple tonight! Fiona and Shrek!”

“Yeah, except you look like a Disney princess, and I look like… well, a green blob.”

Porchay’s smile softened a bit as he squeezed Kim’s arm. “Hey, I’m just glad you’re here with me. Costumes aside, it wouldn’t be the same without you.”

Kim’s scowl faded slightly as he glanced at Porchay. “You really think that?”

“Of course. Besides, who else would put up with me in a tiara?”

Kim chuckled despite himself, finally breaking his stoic expression. “You do look ridiculous, by the way.”

“Oh, I look ridiculous?” Porchay shot back. “You’re the one in a green bodysuit with a fake belly and ogre ears. And for the record, you could have been Prince Charming if you’d just gone shopping with me.”

Kim groaned, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, that’s me, Prince Charming,” he muttered sarcastically, but Porchay’s laugh made him smile.

As they walked down the Penthouse to Khun’s Halloween party in the main compound, Porchay kept glancing up at him, his laughter softening into something fonder, gentler.

Kim couldn’t help but feel a bit ridiculous, but he supposed, in the end, he’d suffer through a hundred Shrek costumes if it meant seeing Porchay this happy.