betterinbooks

[betterinbooks]

oh the dynamic between nueng and palm is so good. nueng is such a brat, and clearly used to getting his way, but is also like trying to be vulnerable and find some kind of friendship even though he doesn't seem to understand how to go about it. ("are you ordering me as a friend or as my boss?")

and palm is more mysterious. he's clearly developing some kind of interest in nueng but his intentions and presence still feel more opaque than he's explicitly making them out to be in the show. he also clearly has a far better sense of the shape of both his and nueng's cages, gilded and otherwise. and it feels like he's actually a very confident and direct person who is going along with the passivity and obedience for the job, and i am very excited for when it all comes out.

#really want to learn more about palm #and see what he is like when being his true self #never let me go #never let me go the series #palmnueng

[betterinbooks]

the way this one frame summarizes the main question and subsequent answer of nuengdiao and palm’s relationship.

nueng "orders" palm to not refer to him as "young master," in other words, to speak to him informally. palms responds with a question, from what position nueng makes this order, that of a boss or a friend.

while neung does take on the role of boss around palm, he do so not in the benefit of himself but rather that of palm. he uses his status not to reiterate the power disparity between them, but to lessen it so that both may be equals, more in line with that of friends.

we first see this when neung tells palm to eat breakfast with him rather than isolated in another room. when palm politely refuses, nueng reminds him of his promise to him, that he would do what he told him to. while neung does take on the role of the "boss" in this situation, he does so in order to get palm to eat with him rather than hidden away in the workers’ quarters. palm further mentions that aunt nid will makes him an omelette, a rather simple and ordinary dish, (and more so when looked at alongside the egg dish that she makes for nueng), one more "suited" to those of palm’s standing. in addition to the sense of normality of sitting at the dining table with the other household members, by "ordering" palm to eat with him, neung also offers him the opportunity to try new dishes that he wouldn’t be able to otherwise.

then we see nueng lie to his mother in order to obtain permission for palm to use their pool. while not an order in and of itself, nueng still uses his position, in this situation as the son of the owner of said pool, in order to aid palm in obtaining permission to use it. this is notable for a number of reasons. firstly, this marks a shift in nueng and palm’s relationship from that of the prior episode. while before nueng threatened to tell palm’s father that he had used the family’s pool, an apparent demonstration of nueng’s power and a harsh reminder of palm’s "inferior" position, he now lies to his own mother in order for palm to get to do what he wanted and had subsequently formed a rift between them, one that nueng bridges here.

when palm asks to return to his room, nueng stops him. while his "wait" is loud and demanding, what follow is the opposite. nueg asks palm why he doesn’t swim a bit longer. he knows that swimming is something that palm enjoys and he wants him to bask in that enjoyment for as long as possible. "wait" is an order, but one that is minimized by the question that follow it. neung doesn’t tell palm to stay, rather he asks him to. this, unlike his initial question of whether palm would be his friend, is not a mere illusion of autonomy. palm has the option to say no, but he doesn’t, not when both he and nueng know that he wants to stay. this demonstrates the growing understanding between the two in the progression of the relationship between them.

another time we see nueng ask palm whether he does or doesn’t want to do something is when he again offers him food. but unlike at the beginning of the episode, nueng doesn’t order palm to eat, rather he asks him if he wants to. this is also a step forward from the pool where he asked if palm would swim a bit longer. nueng phrases the question in a way that bears in mind palm’s own wants and desires, rather than one that, whether intentionally or not, predisposes him to answer one way or another. but in the same sense as before, nueng wants to ensure that palm eats when he does, and eats the same food that he does. that way, they are equals.

but perhaps the best demonstration of nueng’s desire for him and palm to be equals is his order for palm to go home with him, both today and everyday after that. nueng himself states that this is an order and thus one that must be followed. notable is that nueng makes this order not palm but to his father. at the beginning of the episode when palm’s father states that he shouldn’t eat with nuengdiao, nueng himself stays silent and allows palm’s father to take him from the dining table and rush him to the bus stop. this time, nueng refuses to allow palm’s father to keep his son in line, so to speak. instead, he orders that palm go home with him, going as far as to disregard the words of someone who while a subordinate to him nueng tends to follow in the lead of. palm needing to take the bus when he and nueng were going to and from the same areas was perhaps the greatest show of inequality between them, one that nueng rids them of by the end of the episode.

yes, nueng does still order palm around, but if this episode tells us anything, the position he uses to make these "orders" are those of a friend rather than those of a boss. that is the answer to palm’s question, and the reason is that all of nueng’s orders are in an effort for him and palm to be true equals in their relationship. for them to be friends rather than boss and employee.

#so much development in one episode! #really enjoying the pacing so far #thanks for the meta op #never let me go #never let me go the series #palmnueng

[betterinbooks]

so how do we think the love confession/first kiss will go??

i think nuengdiao will have to make the first move given palm’s hesitancy to breach the rules maintaining their master/servant dynamic and nuengdiao’s already demonstrated propensity to flirt with palm. 

ok peak delulu hours but i’m imagining a scenario where nuengdiao asks palm to kiss him and palm is like “are you ordering me to?” and nuengdiao says “no, i’m asking you”

like please give me consent but also the angst of their life circumstances and class difference lurking in the background even in moments where the two of them are at their most intimate and vulnerable with each other

#sorry im hyperfixating #never let me go #never let me go the series #palmnueng #pondphuwin #thai bl

[betterinbooks]

“Do you want me to make it for you?” “It’s okay. I have someone to do that for me.” NEVER LET ME GO (2022)

#the gays are flirting! #never let me go #never let me go the series #palmnueng #pondphuwin #pond naravit #phuwin tangsakyuen

[betterinbooks]

What Nuengdiao wants, Nuengdiao gets. NEVER LET ME GO (2022)

#manipulative babygirl nuengdiao my beloved #never let me go #never let me go the series #palmnueng #pondphuwin #pond naravit #phuwin tangsakyuen

[betterinbooks]

nueng caring about palm in #ep.2 Never Let Me Go (2022)

#love how much effort nueng is putting into being palm’s friend #but every time he tries something comes up to remind them of their status difference #and why they can never *really* be friends #never let me go #never let me go the series #palmnueng #pondphuwin #pond naravit #phuwin tangsakyuen

[betterinbooks]

You look happy when you play the piano.

Pond Naravit as PALM & Phuwin Tangsakyuen as NUENGDIAO NEVER LET ME GO THE SERIES (2022) dir. Jojo Tichakorn Phukhaotong

#it’s the way nueng tries to insult and intimidate palm #but palm just responds with a startling amount of earnestness #and nueng doesn’t know how to react #never let me go #never let me go the series #palmnueng #pondphuwin #pond naravit #phuwin tangsakyuen

[betterinbooks]

"This is my first time seeing him playing piano."

Never Let Me Go (2022-2023) dir. Jojo Tichakorn Phukhaotong Episode 2

#nueng: *plays piano* #all boys in a five foot radius: *fall in love* #never let me go #never let me go the series #palmnueng #pondphuwin #pond naravit #phuwin tangsakyuen

[betterinbooks]

Don't you want to eat with me!

Bonus:

#first date! #lmao this whole scene was so sweet #palmnueng #never let me go #never let me go the series #pondphuwin #pond naravit #phuwin tangsakyuen

[betterinbooks]

NEVER LET ME GO episode 2 

#never let me go #never let me go the series #palmnueng #pondphuwin #pond naravit #phuwin tangsakyuen

[betterinbooks]

Only two episodes in and Never Let Me Go is giving me everything I came for:

Nueng being all alone at an empty table and no matter what he does, he is isolated from everyone with only material possessions to keep him company. Even Palm is forced to serve Nueng food which hurts Nueng more than Palm calling him Young Master.

Palm being stuck between duty and friendship as his father, standing in the entryway, swiftly cuts off Palm's dreams for the future.

Palm wanting to help Nueng, not because of duty, but because he doesn't want to see Nueng hurt or unhappy, yet Nueng's threatening glare keeps Palm tied to their master servant dynamic, and Palm must obey this silent command.

The small glance Nueng gives to Palm as Palm volunteers to take on someone else's punishment while Nueng gets dismissed without consequences.

Nueng belittling Palm by telling Palm he is only good at physical activities and his hands are dirty

Yet those are excuses for Nueng to get closer to Palm and to switch their dynamic, so Nueng can offer something to Palm and be of use to him.

Nueng manipulating his mother to give Palm a small joy

Because Nueng simply wants to watch Palm be happy

While Palm is mesmerized watching Nueng when he is happy.

Nueng is already possessive of Palm's happiness and smiles at him while he glares at others.

And when put in danger, both forgot the lines that divide them.

*starts singing Rihanna's "This Is What You Came For" while watching Palm be the first to move out of their embrace because he already realizes the lines he is crossing while Nueng stayed in the embrace longer*

Neither Nueng nor Chopper wanting the expectations that have been placed on them by their families

And how those expectations are destroying their ability to trust and love others.

This is EVERYTHING I wanted!

#never let me go #never let me go the series #palmnueng #pondphuwin #pond naravit #phuwin tangsakyuen

[betterinbooks]

Phuwin Tangsakyuen in NEVER LET ME GO (2022) | EP.2

#the way he looks at palm!! #I need to lie down #pondphuwin #palmnueng #never let me go #phuwin tangsakyuen #never let me go the series

[betterinbooks]

Alexa plays jealousy jealousy by Olivia Rodrigo

#palmnueng #never let me go #never let me go the series #pondphuwin #pond naravit #phuwin tangsakyuen

[betterinbooks]

poor palm was living simply - going to school, fishing, hanging out with friends - and one day his dad swooped in, told him it's his responsivbility to take care of someone else's child (who he himself spent time raising instead of being with his own son), probably for the rest of his life, and took him to a new place where he knows no one. he has to do well academically in subjects he's never studied before and constantly look out for this rude heir who pulls him in one direction while his dad pulls in the other. he has to "know his place" and his father's debt is forced on him every day, he trembles in the presence of his own dad who he's probably never had the chance to be close to (and who doesn't even seem to care about their bond, all that matters is the kiattrakulmethee family). and now his boss, who otherwise treats him kindly, is another adult that puts the pressure of protecting her only child not only physically but emotionally as well, when he himself is a child in desperate need of care

#protect him :( #never let me go the series #never let me go #palmnueng

[betterinbooks]

#this scene!!! #never let me go #never let me go the series #pondphuwin #palmnueng #pond naravit #phuwin tangsakyuen

[betterinbooks]

#homosexual behavior #never let me go #phuwin tangsakuyen #pond naravit #palmnueng #never let me go the series

[betterinbooks]

the reason neo’s so big is so he can hold both his boyfriend and his girlfriend at the same time

#the height difference has me in tears #look how perfectly they fit together! #3wbf #3 will be free