the event (2)
Timeline: 2024 November 22nd, Friday, 8 P.M. Location: The Playroom, Bangkok. Mood: Nervous, anxious, uncertain - and then FREAKING OUT!!! Attire: See this post - His uniform at The Playroom With: @poorlboy, Nong Ambhom, @ippotis, @dr-hanwool
The Playroom was usually busy, but never this kind of busy. All of the escorts - front and backroom workers like - had been required to attend tonight, having all been sent a threatening text from their manager a while ago, reminding them about the special event being put on tonight. Chai and the other escorts were left in the dark as to what the event was, having only been told that the clients tonight were a mixture of regulars and new attendants, and their behaviour had to be perfect. Khun Debt Collector was also here, scanning over each of the escorts to nod in approval when they were ready to go. Chai wondered if it was purely paranoia or coincidence that he felt the man's eyes linger on Ambhom and then his own form, before he nodded away and moved on to the next. Chai was terrified of the man, and what he could do, thinking back to what happened to P'Dew when the escort had complained about their treatment. The man was expected to work tonight, in the backroom, even though he was still battered and bruised from his beating. P'Dew barely spoke a word now, when he was at work - just as fearful of it happening again.
The escorts didn't see their bookings tonight, but the manager directed their clients where they needed to go once the club had opened. Not even the first minute had passed before P'War was requested to go into the booths with one of the backroom regulars. Because everything was set up on the tables, Chai couldn't do what he and War usually did when they were booked, which was check-up on each other when delivering the drinks. Chai and Ambhom watched worriedly as the manager pointed at War to go.
"Not him," Ambhom whispered to Chai. "He's always trying to get us to go back with him."
Chai nodded. "If I can get a chance to check on him, I will," Chai assured the younger man, though he wasn't sure if or when that would be. All the escorts were now filtering out into the main area, with the manager directing them to go into certain booths, with drinks and glasses already prepared on the tables. "But it'll be alright Nong. P'War knows not to go to the backroom. Remember how he smacked that client who tried to do that to him last time?"
That cracked a small smile on Ambhom's face. "Oh yeah! P'War was so cool! Just in the middle of the sentence as well, he had enough!"
Ambhom and Chai laughed lightly, expelling some of the nervous energy that lingered between them.
"Just remember Nong, as long as you don't say yes, they can't actually do anything to you," Chai advised Ambhom as he and the young one wiped down the counter. "Not all clients are aggressive, some will ask and then back away when you remind them. And we'll watch over you when we can, okay? There's nothing to worry abou- shit!!"
Chai - who had been wiping the counter - noticed that the door had opened and that one of his regulars, Matsuda-san had stepped in. He was a Japanese man who had been living in Thailand for a few months now, somewhat insistent for Chai to join him in the backroom, but not as pushy as some of the other clients. The problem was the person who walked in behind him, causing Chai to curse and to drop onto the floor behind the counter where he could hide before the other could see him.
It was P'Dan!
What was P'Dan doing here!? This wasn't a place that Chai would have expected him to come to. It wasn't on any of his schedules either, Chai would have seen it as his assistant!
Oh this was bad, bad!
"Phi, what's wrong?" Ambhom said.
"A-Are they gone?" Chai asked, glancing up at the other.
"They're being taken into the front now," Ambhom told him. "Are you okay? I've never seen that man bring anyone with him before, have you?"
Chai shook his head. There was no way he was bringing up that yes, he did in fact know the guest that had come with his regular. That it was his boss, his friend, someone he was getting closer with.
Maybe the Japanese man decided on a different escort tonight. Maybe Chai could avoid being seen, if he stayed working at the counter instead of out there in the front...
"Where's Sugar?" Chai's stomach dropped as the manager walked up to Ambhom, peering into the bar. "Matsuda-san and a new guest are already seated in a private booth and waiting!"
Ambhom was frozen, the younger boy trying to give the manager an excuse but Chai knew it would get them both into trouble. He remember P'Dew, his broken nose and his bruised face, looking so defeated and hopeless and knew that he couldn't risk that happening to either one of them. So before Ambhom could say anything, Chai slowly got up from behind the counter. "I'm here Khun, sorry," Chai said. "J-just dropped something."
"Hurry up! And make sure you entertain Matsuda-san well! He's paid extra so that his guest can enjoy you too." The manager snapped at him. In front of the guests, the manager was completely polite. When it was just him and the escorts, it was a different story.
"Phi..." Ambhom whispered to Chai.
"I'll be okay." Chai whispered back to the younger one, not wanting him to worry, even though he himself was freaking out. He was hoping that maybe he had seen it wrong and that it wasn't P'Dan who just walked in The Playroom.
The Playroom doors opened again, and this time War's regular - the Doctor - walked in. The man's expression was its usual stoic self, hands in the pockets of his large trenchcoat as he was greeted warmly by the manager. As usual, the doctor barely glanced in anyone's direction. All the escorts knew that he wanted War.
"Please take a seat, Rain is seeing someone at the moment but you're next Khun." The manager said to the doctor before turning to Chai and realising he was still there. "Sugar? Are you still here? Your clients are waiting."
"Y-yes, Khun." Chai said, sparing Ambhom a final glance before heading off.
Under the watchful eyes of Khun Manager and the increased security, Chai made his way down to the private booth, already feeling his fingers shaking from anxiety. He passed by War, wanting to catch his friend's eye to see if he was okay, but Warun was looking over towards the bar to where the Doctor was. The Doctor was a bit creepy, but for some reason Chai felt it would be better if Warun was with him instead of the current client, who was known to be a bit aggressive towards the boys. Chai hoped that Warun would be okay - he wouldn't be able to check on him anymore, since he'd be entertaining now too.
Matsuda-san was seated in the booth, a large smile on his face as he spoke with his guest. His guest... yeah... that was definitely P'Dan. There was no denying it. Chai wanted to turn around and run right out, and honestly might have done so if it weren't for the fact that he knew what the consequences were. Khun Debt Collector was here tonight too, watching the worker's every move.
"Oh, he's here!" Matsuda-san exclaimed when Chai appraoched their table. "Isn't he just adorable, Dan-san? My favourite one!"
Chai glanced over to Dan for a moment, before he felt himself go red in the face out of pure embarrassment. He couldn't hold any kind of eye contact with his boss, turning back to either look at Matsuda or at the floor, coming across as shy when really he was just ashamed. "Good evening," Chai said softly.
"No need to be shy around me! We've done this many times by now," Matsuda-san laughed merrily. "What are you waiting for Sugar? Come sit in my lap and pour us some drinks!"
Matsuda-san reached over and gripped Chai's arm hard, pulling him into the booth and almost knocking him clean off of his feet. Why was Matsuda-san being so forward tonight? Was it because he had a guest? Actually, almost all the clients were being aggressive, some of them rushing in as if it was a race to get into a booth to see their escorts. It was weird and it made Chai uneasy.
Chai was going to ignore the comment about sitting in Matsuda's lap and instead sit beside him, but the man forcefully dragged him up there anyway, hands firmly placed on Chai's hips. In this position, he was facing P'Dan head on - there was no avoiding him now. Chai felt like he was going to burst into tears, his hands trembling as he reached out to pour both of the men a drink, some of the expensive liqueur spilling onto the table.
"Be careful there Sugar, I'm paying a lot for alcohol tonight," Matsuda-san teased, pinching Chai's side and making the escort jump up with a yelp. "And for you. I want to show my friend here a good time!"