Nani was trending again. Which, by itself, wasn't unusual. Nani trended when he attended fashion week. He trended when he wore something expensive. He trended when somebody managed to identify the watch on his wrist and posted the price underneath a photograph of him. He had once trended because he had cut his hair, and then somehow trended again three months later because people thought he needed to cut it. There were entire accounts dedicated to documenting his clothes.

Other accounts were dedicated to hating them. There were people who thought he was beautiful, people who thought he knew he was beautiful a little too much, and people who seemed personally offended by the fact that he had been born with money.

Nani didn't particularly care about any of them. People thinking he was vain did not bother him because he was vain. People thinking he was spoiled did not bother him because he was spoiled. People calling him difficult was slightly annoying, but mostly because difficult was subjective. Sky thought he was delightful. That was really the only opinion that mattered. Unfortunately, that morning was different.

Nani sat at the kitchen counter wearing one of Sky's shirts and a pair of shorts, his hair was still slightly messy from sleep. His coffee had been sitting beside him long enough to go cold because he had been scrolling through the same collection of tweets for nearly twenty minutes. The problem had started the night before.

Nani had attended an awards dinner with Sky. Their children had come for part of the evening because the organisers had arranged a family section backstage, and sometime during the event somebody had filmed Nani speaking to a designer. Smyle had wandered into the background. That was it. His son had looked tired, he was dragging his stuffed rabbit behind him while rubbing one eye. Sky had appeared a few seconds later, noticed him, bent down and picked him up.

Smyle had put his head on his father's shoulder and Sky had carried him away. The entire clip lasted less than fifteen seconds. Apparently, it had been enough evidence for strangers to reconstruct Nani's entire relationship with his children. One person had written a thread. An actual long thread. Nani had counted eleven tweets before giving up.

According to this person, Sky was clearly the primary parent because he had noticed Smyle was tired before Nani did. Another person had compiled clips of Sky carrying the twins. Someone else had found photographs of Nani attending events alone. There were comments about how often he travelled. Comments about how often he worked. Comments about his clothes. His jewellery. His company. His marriage.

Somebody had written that Nani seemed like the type of father who preferred dressing his children nicely over actually spending time with them. Nani stared at that one for several seconds. Then he looked down at the watch around his wrist. It was a very nice watch. Sky had bought it for him for absolutely no reason several months ago. That was beside the point. He kept scrolling.

Nani frowned at the comments and he scrolled again.

sorry but some people shouldn't become parents just because they're rich enough to have kids.

His frown deepened. Then another.

you can tell Smyle prefers Sky.

That one irritated him. Not because it was true. Smyle preferred whoever had snacks. Neona preferred whoever agreed with her. Their children's loyalty was extremely conditional. Nani continued scrolling anyway.

That one made him laugh. Of all the accusations on his screen, that was probably the stupidest. If anyone was responsible for the person Nani had become, it was Sky. Nani had not entered adulthood expecting people to open doors for him, remember every coffee order he'd ever had, warm his side of the bed when it was cold, replace things before they broke or buy him jewellery simply because he'd looked at it for longer than three seconds. Sky had taught him all of that.

Sky had created his own problem and remained alarmingly pleased with the result. Nani put his phone down, then he picked it up again. He shouldn't have. Sky hated when he did this. Not because Sky thought Nani couldn't handle criticism. Mostly because Sky had an extremely unhealthy relationship with people hurting his husband's feelings.

The last time Nani had casually mentioned somebody being rude to him at an event, Sky had spent the rest of dinner asking increasingly specific questions about who the person was, what they did for a living and where exactly they had been sitting. Nani had stopped answering. He hadn't wanted to find out what Sky planned to do with that information. Another tweet appeared.

The fact that Nani cares more about looking good than raising his own children is actually sad.

Nani stared at it. His mouth tightened. He placed his phone flat against the counter.

“Smyle.”

Nothing. Nani waited. “Smyle.”

Still nothing. His eyes narrowed. He knew his son was awake. There had been suspicious noises coming from somewhere in the house for the last half hour.

“Smyle.”

Little footsteps finally slapped against the floor. His son appeared around the corner a few seconds later wearing pyjamas, one sock and a very guilty expression. Nani looked at him. Smyle looked back. There was chocolate around his mouth. It wasn't even nine in the morning. Nani slowly lowered his eyes toward the stain on Smyle's shirt, then raised them again. Smyle smiled. Nani decided he did not currently possess the emotional capacity required to investigate.

“Where's your father?”

Smyle pointed down the hallway. “Dada play with Nina.”

Of course he was.

“Go call Dada and Neona.”

Smyle continued standing there. Nani looked at him. “Please, Smyle.”

That worked. Smyle spun around and ran away. “DADAAAA!”

Nani rubbed his forehead. “DADA! PAPA SAY COME!”

There was a crash. Nani's hand stopped against his forehead. A second later Neona screamed happily. Nani closed his eyes. Whatever Sky was doing, it was irresponsible. He could tell already. Smyle came running back first, his stuffed rabbit now under one arm. Sky appeared behind him. Nani stared. Sky walked into the kitchen carrying their daughter on his shoulders. Neona had one hand tangled in Sky's hair and was wearing pink fairy wings, one shoe and one of Nani's necklaces. Not one of the little necklaces.

One of the necklaces. Nani sat up straighter. “Sky.”

Sky stopped. Neona smiled at Nani. “Pa!”

Nani pointed. “Why is she wearing that?”

Neona immediately put both hands over the necklace. “Pretty.”

“I know it's pretty.”

It was also worth more than some cars. Sky lifted Neona down from his shoulders and settled her against his hip. “She found it.”

Nani stared at him. “In my jewellery room?”

Sky smiled. “She has excellent taste.”

“That isn't the point.”

“Just like her Pa.”

Nani looked at his daughter. Neona touched the necklace proudly. “Pretty like Pa.”

Nani's expression softened despite his earlier mood. “Well.”

Sky's smile widened. “Take the necklace off, Neona.”

Neona gasped. “No!”

Nani looked at her. She hugged Sky's neck and he kissed the side of her head.

“Maybe she can wear it for a little while.”

Nani looked at his husband in disbelief. “Of course you'd say that.”

Neona nodded enthusiastically. “Little while.”

“You don't even know what that means.”

“Little while.”

Nani looked between them. Sky was trying not to smile. Neona was using Sky as a human shield. Smyle was standing beside the counter licking chocolate from his thumb. Nani's eyes dropped to him and Smyle froze. Nani slowly pointed.

“And why is Smyle eating chocolate spread?”

Smyle looked at Sky and Sky looked back at Smyle. Nani looked at both of them. “Smyle?”

Smyle wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Dada give choco.”

Nani turned toward Sky. Sky pressed his lips together. “I gave him one spoon.”

“One spoon.”

“He went back.”

“You gave a five-year-old access to the jar.”

“I didn't give him access.”

Smyle quietly began moving away.

“Come back here, Smyle.”

Smyle stopped and Sky laughed. Nani looked around his kitchen. His son had chocolate on his face and his daughter was wearing one and a half million baht around her neck. His husband had lost control of both of them before breakfast. And somewhere online, thousands of people were concerned that Nani's children were suffering. He almost laughed. Then his phone buzzed against the counter. Nani's eyes dropped to it. It was another notification. He didn't touch it. Sky noticed and his expression changed immediately.

“What happened?”

“Nothing.”

“Nani.”

Nani leaned back against the chair. “It's Twitter.”

Sky put Neona down. That was how Nani knew he was serious. Neona immediately climbed onto the chair beside Nani instead, while pressing herself against his arm. Nani unlocked his phone and pushed it across the counter and Sky picked it up. He read the first tweet, then the second. His face went blank. Nani knew that expression. It usually meant Sky was becoming angry while pretending he wasn't becoming angry. Nani reached across the counter.

“Don't.”

Sky moved the phone away from his hand. “I haven't done anything.”

“Your face is doing something.”

“I'm reading.”

“You're plotting.”

Sky ignored him. Neona leaned across Nani's arm. “Dada mad?”

“No,” Nani said.

“Yes,” Sky said.

Nani looked at him. Sky kept scrolling. Smyle had apparently decided it was safe again and climbed onto the chair beside Nani's other side. “Dada mad Twitter?”

Nani glanced at him. “Dada is always mad at Twitter.”

Sky finally put the phone down. “This is ridiculous.”

“I know.”

“Why are they talking about our children?”

“I don't know.”

“Why does anybody care who carried Smyle?”

“I don't know.”

Sky picked the phone up again. Nani took it from him this time. “No.”

Sky looked at him. “No what?”

“No threatening this time.”

“I wasn't going to threaten anyone.”

Nani stared at him. Sky stared back.

“I'm serious.”

“So am I.”

“Fine.” Sky said with a sigh.

“Good.”

“I'll handle it normally.”

“That somehow sounds worse.”

Sky leaned over the counter and kissed his forehead. “Trust me, my love.”

“I don't.”

“That hurts.”

“You'll survive, Wongravee.”

Sky kissed him again anyway and Nani let him. Neona climbed higher against Nani's side. “Pa.”

“Yes?”

“Dada kiss me too.”

Sky obediently leaned over and kissed her cheek and Smyle lifted his face. “Me too.”

Sky kissed him too. Then, because Sky was annoying, he kissed Nani again and that’s when Nani pushed his face away.

“Enough.”

Sky laughed and the children laughed because Sky laughed, despite neither of them knowing why. Nani picked up his coffee, but it was cold. Sky noticed and asked. “It's cold?”

Nani put it down. “Yes.”

Sky reached for the cup and Nani stopped him. “I can make another coffee myself.”

“I know.”

“You don't need to do everything.”

“I know.”

Sky took the cup anyway. Nani watched him walk toward the coffee machine. This was exactly the problem. Sky had been doing things like this for years. Nani could make his own coffee. He was perfectly capable. He simply hadn't made one in an embarrassingly long time because Sky always seemed to appear before he needed to. Nani looked down at his watch. Then at the twins pressed against him. Then back at his phone.

He shouldn't care. He knew that, he knew his children. He knew his family. He knew what happened inside this house when there wasn't a camera pointed at them. Still. The thought had already lodged itself somewhere irritating. Sky returned with a fresh cup and placed it in front of him. Nani wrapped his fingers around it.

“Thank you.”

Nani took a sip. It was perfect.

“Actually,” Nani said, “I wanted you to look at something for me later.”

Sky leaned against the counter. “What?”

“The investment portfolio Krit sent yesterday.”

“The property one?”

Nani nodded. “I think the projected return is really good.”

“Send it to me.”

“I already did.”

“Of course you did.”

Nani took another sip. Then, because he could make anything sound casual if he tried hard enough, he added, “Also, do you think I should be spending more time with the children?” Sky stopped what he was doing and Nani continued drinking his coffee. Neona was playing with the edge of his sleeve. Smyle had placed his rabbit on Nani's lap. Sky looked at him for several seconds.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“You're staring at me, Sky.”

“I'm thinking.”

“Don't.”

Sky pulled out the chair opposite him and sat. “Nani.”

Nani immediately knew he had made a mistake. “What?”

“Look at me.”

“I am looking at you.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Is that why you've been reading those tweets?”

“I was bored.”

“You've been reading them since you woke up.”

“I was very bored.”

“Nani.”

Nani looked away. Neona had begun twisting the expensive necklace around her fingers. He gently untangled it before she could break something.

“I don't know,” he said eventually.

“I just wondered.”

“About?”

“If I'm around enough.”

Sky frowned. “You live with them.”

“You know what I mean.”

“I really don't.”

Nani looked irritated now. “Sky.”

“No. Explain it to me.”

Nani rolled his eyes. “I work. I travel. You pick them up more often than I do because my meetings run late. When they wake up at night, they sometimes call you first.”

“They sometimes call you first.”

“That's not the point.”

“What is the point?”

Nani was quiet and Sky looked at him for another moment. Then he leaned forward.

“The point is that strangers watched fifteen seconds of our life and now you're questioning five years with your children.”

“I am not questioning anything.”

“You just asked me if you need to spend more time with our children.”

“It was a question.”

“Because somebody online said you're a bad father.”

“I didn't say that.”

“You didn't have to.”

Nani hated being known this well. There were very few people who could look at him and immediately find the thing underneath whatever he was saying. Sky was unfortunately one of them. Phuwin was the other. Nani picked up his coffee again. Sky reached across the counter and touched his wrist.

“Baby.”

Nani looked at him.

“You are there.”

Nani didn't say anything.

“You're there when Smyle wakes up crying. You're there when Neona refuses to sleep because she suddenly remembers something she wanted to tell you hours ago. You know which cup Smyle wants in the morning because according to our son the blue one tastes better.”

“It does not.”

“I know.”

“It's the exact same cup.”

“I know.”

“Just blue.”

Sky smiled. “And yet you still wash it when it's dirty because you know he'll ask for it.”

Nani looked down at Smyle. Smyle was now making his stuffed rabbit walk across Nani's leg. Sky continued, “You know Neona won't eat strawberries if they're sliced too thin.” Nani's mouth twitched. Then Sky squeezed his wrist.

“They love you.”

“You don't need to perform being their father for anybody.”

Before Nani could answer, Neona climbed onto his lap.

“Pa.”

“Yes?”

“Dress-up.”

Nani blinked. “Now?”

She nodded.

“Me and Pa dress-up.”

Smyle immediately looked up. “Me too.”

Neona frowned. “No. Diva.”

Smyle stared at her. Nani looked between them. Then he leaned back in his chair.

“Well, she's right.”

“Only divas can play dress-up.”

Neona raised both hands. “ME DIVA!”

Nani nodded approvingly. “Yes, you are.”

Smyle immediately stood on his chair. “ME DIVA TOO!”

Nani looked at him and Smyle put both hands on his hips. “Me diva.”

Sky turned away because he was laughing.

“Hmm.” Nani said in approval.

“You're a diva.”

Smyle cheered and Neona grabbed Nani's hand. “Come, Pa!”

Nani allowed himself to be dragged off the chair and Sky watched him go. Nani stopped after two steps and turned around. “You're taking that necklace off first, Neona.”

“No!” Neona protested.

“Yes.”

“Dada say little while!”

Nani slowly turned toward Sky and Sky immediately looked away.

“Sky.”

“I didn't hear anything.”

Nani narrowed his eyes and Smyle pulled on his hand. “Come, Pa.”

Nani sighed. “Fine. Five minutes.”

Neona screamed happily. Nani followed the children upstairs and Neona talked the entire way. Smyle dragged his rabbit behind him. Within twenty minutes Nani was sitting on the floor of his dressing room while both children. Neona had three necklaces layered around her neck and one of Nani's silk scarves tied around her waist. Smyle was wearing sunglasses large enough to cover half his face. Neona stood in front of the mirror.

“Pa. Look.”

Nani looked up from where he was fixing Smyle's shirt. “Beautiful.”

Neona beamed. “Like Pa.”

“Exactly.”

Smyle pushed his sunglasses down his nose. “Me pretty?”

Nani looked at him. “Very pretty boy.”

Smyle smiled and pushed the glasses back up. Nani sat back and watched the kids. His phone had been left downstairs, he hadn't even noticed. Sky appeared in the doorway several minutes later. He didn't say anything at first. Nani looked up and noticed him. Sky was leaning against the frame, watching them.

“What?”

Sky smiled. “Nothing.”

Nani narrowed his eyes. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“That.”

Sky's smile became adoringly soft. Nani knew exactly what he was doing. “Don't.”

“I love you, baby.”

Nani looked away. “You’re being annoying, Sky.”

“I know.”

Neona turned around. “Dada, look!”

Sky immediately gasped. “Wow. A real life princess.”

Neona put one hand on her hip and Nani nodded approvingly. “See? A diva.”

Smyle threw his arms out. “ME!”

Sky looked at his son. “Very handsome diva.”

Smyle squealed and Nani laughed before he could stop himself. Sky looked at him again.

“You're still staring.” Nani said as he watched the kids walk down an imaginary runway.

“I like looking at you.”

“You've been looking at me for years, Bii.”

“It hasn't gotten boring at all.”

Nani rolled his eyes, but he was smiling, and perhaps that was the thing strangers never understood. They saw Nani leaving restaurants. They saw Nani at events. They didn't see this. They didn't see Smyle crawling into his lap because he was tired. They didn't see Neona demanding Nani sit still while she put a plastic crown on his head. They didn't see Sky standing in the doorway looking at him like Nani was somehow the most precious thing. They didn't know anything. Nani knew that. He had always known that.

His phone buzzed downstairs. Then it buzzed again and again. Eventually Sky went downstairs to get drinks for the children and returned holding Nani's phone.

“You have messages.”

Nani reached for it. “From?”

Sky looked at the screen, then his mouth twitched. “Your brother.”

Nani held out his hand and Sky gave him the phone. There were four messages from Phuwin.

Nani stared at the screen. Neona was attempting to put another bracelet around his wrist. Smyle had climbed halfway onto Sky. Nani typed with one thumb.

The message was read almost immediately. Three dots appeared.

Nani stared at the reply. Then he slowly looked up at Sky. Sky saw his expression. “What?”

Nani looked back down at his phone. He knew his brother. He had known Phuwin literally his entire life, he had never, ever made Nani feel reassured. Nani typed quickly.

The typing bubble appeared again. Then disappeared. Then it appeared again.

Nani closed his eyes and Sky leaned over his shoulder. “What's he doing?”

“I don't know yet.”

“Should I be worried?”

“Yes.”

Sky laughed but Nani didn't. Because Nani knew Phuwin. And Phuwin was too overprotective of Nani.