dad : mile
papo : apo
(i changed it again)
DEW
things have been going smoothly in dew's life lately. his art career, his transition to be the next in line for his family hotel chain, his small but curated friend circle, his webtoon (that he did under a pseudonym and no one knows that it's him, except for nanon of course) being renewed for season 2, and last but definitely not least, his relationship with nanon. after the after party event a few months ago, they started talking intensely. dew would start his morning by replying to the chat that nanon sent him the night before (now he knew how much of a night owl nanon is) then end his day by telling nanon his day or vice versa via chat or sometimes video call. most of the time the call would end with dew (softly) telling nanon to not sleep late.
not only that they would be chatting everyday, they were going out together, a lot, on a "not a date" trip, according to dew whenever his papo asked. they would go on a lego shopping trip together, and sometimes building it together. and if they're hungry afterwards, they would eat together. japanese food was the most often type of food that they ate together. dew was so happy, too happy, when he found out that nanon loves japanese food. because at least there was one thing that they had in common and an excuse for dew to always talk to nanon about something.
like what they're doing now, they were both having a lunch in a japanese restaurant at the mall in the middle of their errands of finding the things that they needed for the upcoming business function dinner that both of their parents held. "do you think it's gonna be just like the annual event where they would announce the company's achievements and plans for next year?", dew asked nanon who was sitting in front of him. nanon started talking while his mouth was still full and dew stopped him to ask him to swallow first, "yeah, but i think it'll be a bit bigger and has more press, because of the announcement of pluem's f&b chain cooperating with your family's hotel chain. i heard it's a big deal, so of course they'd like to have as much media coverage as possible,"
yeah, right, the cooperation. that reminded dew of him having not told nanon about their arrangement yet. apart from prim kept asking him about whether dew had told nanon or not, he also felt guilty that he hid something so important to nanon. but his fear and anxiety of what nanon's reaction and answer gonna be, was bigger. he's afraid that if he told nanon about the arrangement, nanon's going to think different of him and kept a distance from him which wasn't something that he wanted to happen because he liked how things were between him and nanon, thank you very much.
"hey? dew?", nanon's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "oh yeah, i just remember my dad talking about it in the board meeting last month. he did say he wants to make it big because according to him, our families are currently dominating the tourism scene in thailand. so the more coverage, the better," dew started explaining immediately and he saw nanon's confusion being shown on his face. "wait, is there anything wrong?", dew asked him. nanon just shrugged, "no, not really. you just went silent like deep in thoughts for a couple minutes there. is there anything wrong?". dew shook his head and gave nanon a reassuring smile, "yeah, just have a lot in my head now. it's nothing you need to worry about,"
"yeah, i heard from my papa, you're in the process of learning for one day when you're taking over. i know it can be a lot. i saw pluem did it, it was the first time i saw him being overwhelmed in my whole life. but he managed to do it. i know you will as well,"
dew thanked nanon for his encouragement. he knew nanon might think it wasn't that much, and truly he wasn't really fretting about it. but dew liked hearing words of encouragement from the person he cared about, arguably the most.
"enough business talk, i might throw up if i hear it again. do you still need anything?", dew asked, well more like hoped that nanon would say yes because he didn't want this day to end that quick.
nanon thought to himself as he was fidgeting his rings. that was one of nanon's habits that dew noticed whenever they're together, was that basically he liked to play with his fingers. in a sense that nanon's fingers couldn't stay still. he would play with anything of his reach. coins, pens, rings, you name it, as long as it's in nanon's reach, he would play with it. and dew was actually impressed whenever nanon did it.
"actually, i might need cufflinks. do you know where i can get it?"
"you're in luck, mr. vihokratana, because i know just the place in this mall to buy some,"
"lead the way, then, mr. romsaithong,"
***
dew and nanon walked in a haberdasher outlet in the mall. it's the outlet that dew's family were a regular at. whenever it was signaled that one of the romsaithongs would make a visit, they would clear out the store so that the romsaithongs could shop peacefully, and it was what happening for dew and nanon.
"welcome. what can we help you with today? would you like to look at our newly arrived collection? we got some suits and shirts you might like," the shop assistant greeted both of them politely.
"actually, it's my friend here that needs something," dew patted nanon's shoulder as a signal whether he wanted to say what he needed to the shop assistant. "yes, i would like to look for cufflinks? dew said that you have some," nanon looked surprised yet relieved when dew signaled him to do so. but dew didn't really want to think about it. right now, he only needed to accompany nanon running errands.
"you can take a look at some of our collection in the display in the far right corner, while we prepare for your refreshments,", the shop assistant excused herself and nanon started to look at some cufflinks that were displayed in front of him. dew started opening his mouth by asking nanon, "do you know what kind of cufflinks you're looking for?". "still not sure, do you think i should look for something with more classic look or with these unique shapes?", nanon gave another question as the answer. dew put his hand under his chin, "if you asked me, i would look for something that's more me, so that i won't mistaken it with my papo or dad, but that's just me," nanon nodded, as if he was taking dew's answer in.
the shop assistant came back with two glasses of what seemed to be iced lemon tea on a tray. "i always asked for iced lemon tea whenever i visit. i hope it's okay with you," dew told nanon. "it's fine, sometimes i'd asked for apple juice as well whenever i shop," they both chuckled afterwards.
"here you go, sir. so, have you made a decision on what kind?" the shop assistant asked nanon directly. nanon looked inside the display and pointed on one pair. "may i take a look at that one?", the shop assistant brought out the cufflinks that shaped like saturn in dark blue. nanon along with dew, looked closely at the cufflinks in front of them. "is this lapis lazuli? the gemstone," nanon asked the shop assistant, and dew was surprised and in awe that nanon was informed in gemstones. he didn't think that he could admire nanon even more, yet he did. "that's right, sir. we also have another one in onyx, if you'd like to take a look?", the shop assistant offered. "i think, i'll just take this one. i'm going to wear a midnight blue suit, so this one would fit perfectly,", nanon put out his black card.
"it's under nanon vihoㅡ", the shop assistant looked surprised when she heard the first part of nanon's last name. but before nanon could said anything more, dew cut him.
"bill it under my name," dew said in a dominating way that the shop assistant obeyed right away and excused herself to pack nanon's cufflinks. "i'll pay you back, right away," nanon pulled out his phone from his pocket, which dew assumed was to access mobile banking app. "there's no need. just think of it as a very late album release gift. it's very on theme with your album anyway," dew accepted the paper bag from the shop assistant. he drank a little bit of the iced lemon tea so was nanon. "thank you for shopping with us, mr. romsaithong, mr. vihokratana,"
"hey, thanks for the cufflinks. how can i repay it, since you don't want the obvious way," nanon said when they were already in dew's car.
dew smiled at nanon and said, "just wear it to the business dinner, and let me pick you up,"
"consider it done,"
***
just as dew asked and nanon complied to, they were going together to the romsaithongs biggest and first hotel in thailand, which is the venue of the business dinner tonight. the drive there was full of chats, banters, and a little of flirtatious joke here and there that they shared with each other. once they were arrived at the hotel, dew opened nanon's door and asked him.
"ready?", dew held out his hand to nanon.
"let's go," nanon took his hand and they were walking hand in hand, arms clung to each other, in front of all the cameras of the press that was stationed there by their parents' respective pr team. dew knew that their skin contact was going to cause him problem in the near future, but he didn't care, he wanted to live in this moment for a bit. and nanon also didn't mind, because not only that he didn't let go, he clung even tighter to dew and positioned himself closer to him while they're both saying hello to the press.
they sat in the table that was reserved for them and a few others. pluem, the man of the event was there with his plus one, who dew didn't really know exactly who but according to nanon her name was minnie, frank and gemini, nanon's cousin, who seemed to be there by themselves, then obviously him and nanon, also last but not least, prim and her fiance, phuwin, who was there to support his older cousin.
while nanon was catching up with his brothers who he hasn't met for almost a year, dew noticed some things about the other inhabitants of the table let's say. the first thing he noticed was the seating arrangement. prim was sitting to his left, and phuwin was on prim's other side, while gemini was sitting next to phuwin, which phuwin was very adamant with this arrangement because he hadn't let gemini talked to prim even for a bit. then, dew noticed how phuwin was already not wearing his suit, because his suit was spread out on prim's lap. the last but definitely not least, he saw an engagement ring on prim's ring finger, then dew smiled. because dew remembered, the last time he saw prim in person was a couple month ago when she told him she needed to go to the us to "talk things out with phuwin".
"so you did talk things out with him huh?", dew nudging prim's arm softly. prim just laughed softly and nodded. "was it the fact that you hung out with yorch after your fashion show that made him change?", dew was half joking when he said that but was surprised when prim said yes. "well, that, and the fact that i was with gemini a lot around the same time. i think he couldn't differentiate which people was talking to me romantically and which was just being friendly. but honestly, i'm not complaining. those 2 weeks in dc was some of the happiest time in my life," prim explained while looking at her ring.
"glad that you've cleared things up with him," prim was about to answer dew but the twins next to prim was quarrelling quite loudly that made nanon's side of the table had to stop chatting. "can you guys please stop?" prim asked in a stern tone to both phuwin and gemini. phuwin said a small "sorry, love", then went back to arguing with gemini but this time with much lower volume.
"how about you and nanon? i'm guessing you've told him since you guys are closer right now?", prim's question caught dew off guard but he was gladly saved by the mc of the event.
the mc opened the event then asked his dad to give an opening speech about the history of how the romsaithong hotel chain became one of the biggest in thailand (which dew had heard million of times ), with uncle tay following right after, talking about how vihokratana, inc. started from just a small travel agency in chiang mai because of the love that his great grandparents had for travelling and thailand into what currently was the top leading company in tourism and f&b sector in thailand. they both hoped that their cooperation that they're starting at the moment with vihokratana f&b services being the sole f&b provider in all romsaithong hotel chains in thailand would create a better climate for the hospitality industry in thailand. after that, pluem was asked to come to the stage to give some speeches and took photos for media coverage, which met thunderous applause (mainly by nanon).
since they've reached the main event of the evening, all of the waiters had came out with beverages, both alcoholic and not (both dew and nanon agreed to get some champagne for the night, because they wanted to loosen up), also with the appetizers. but his and nanon's parents walked on stage again, like they had something more to add up.
"good evening, everyone. we apologize for interrupting your dining experience. we do have something a little bit more lighthearted to share with you all," his papo was the one to speak first. dew looked at nanon who looked very confused. dew was also confused but he had suspicions. "yes, so as my good friend apo said earlier, we'd like to announce something regarding another chapter to our business partnership," new added after his papo.
"oh no," dew thought to himself, "this is it,"
"we'd like to ask our sons, dew and nanon to step forward into the stage, please," his dad announced with the microphone.
"do you know what they're doing right now?", nanon asked as they both walked to the stage.
i'm so sorry, nanon.
"let's just see for ourselves," dew said to nanon, being half unsure himself.
they walked together on stage and then they were positioned next to each other. dew took a glance at nanon. he smiled to the audience in front of him, with his hands rested on the base of his stomach. showing a perfect stance to the public. but what the public didn't realize was the fact that he was fidgeting with the cufflink which was the gift from dew. dew smiled for a bit, noticing that detail.
"as my lovely husband said earlier, it is true that we'd like to strengthen our cooperation that we'd hope will still going for generations by uniting our families through marriage," as tay said that, dew stole a glance at nanon and his smile was instantly dropped, and dew felt like the worst person to ever walk on this earth. he'd probably feel even worse when nanon finds out that he knew of the arrangement ahead of the announcement.
"yes, we'd like to share the happy news of the engagement of our children, dew and nanon, to you all. may their relationship be evermore," mile started clapping his hands and it was followed by round of applause from the whole room and flashing lights from the cameras. they stood there freezing for what felt like an eternity. once the applause and the euphoria rush in the room ended, nanon walked out of the venue and dew followed him right away.
it felt like nanon was brought away by the wind because dew already lost him. instead he found the people that he wanted to direct his anger to. his parents. he asked to talk to them in a less crowded place, and now they were in a hidden back corridor near the dinner venue.
"so, is any of you going to tell me what the hell just happened there?", dew said quietly, trying to contain his anger.
"dew," his papo was the one who opened his mouth first. "your dad and i, also with uncle tay and new really thought that there is no use in delaying a good news, that's all. and tonight's event was the perfect opportunity to share the news," he added, but that answer only added dew's frustration even more.
dew was running his fingers through his perfectly styled hair. "with that shortly decided move, wasn't any of you, including uncle tay and uncle new, because i feel like nanon was also clueless in this, you know, thinking of telling any of us? engagement is still a matter of our future, in case you forgot,"
"but, dew, you already knew about the arranged marriage and the bethrotal, there's no needㅡ", his dad explanation was cut early. "but i didn't know you were going to announce it to the whole world tonight! i wasn't even a part of your matchmaking plan! at least not in the formulation part of it. this is already so frustrating for me who somehow found out that his parents were planning their son's future without his consent. imagine how it is for nanon who probably just found out about it less than 20 minutes ago!" dew snapped at his parents. and it probably shocked his parents to the core because for as long as the three of them remember, dew was always more of a "being silent to cool off" type of person and never once he bursted out like this.
apo walked slowly toward dew, trying to calm his only son, then grabbed his hand, "dew, we're really sorry," his husband, mile added, "we're sorry for making you feel that way," dew didn't say anything and just left his parents there. he reminded himself of what he intentionally was going to do, finding nanon before dew lost him.
dew's long and quick steps just out of the hidden corridor were stopped when he realized he stepped on something. he took a look at what it was, it was nanon's cufflink. meaning he was there when dew argued with his parents. did he listen to anything they said? what a stupid question, of course he did. but how long was he there? how much did he listen to?
dew didn't know the answer to all that, but he knew that he was screwed.
TO BE CONTINUED
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