A Promise Of Romance (MewGulf AU)

🌞Chapter 46🌻

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The next morning, after he'd seen Bright off at the airport, Gulf went to the Hotel Claridge.

When he thought about what had happened last night, his feelings were muddled. Bright's confession had stimulated old memories that Gulf had sealed away in a corner of his mind. Back then, whenever he had to dress up as a girl, he always had to kiss someone. It was only a light touch of the lips, nothing malicious, but he has still hated it. And despite how affectionate the kiss was, he hadn't welcomed kissing Bright last night.

The only exceptions were those kisses he shared with Mew.

When he got to the hotel, Mew was already waiting in the lobby.

"I wasn't sure you would come today," the man said with an uncharacteristically vulnerable smile.

"Why not?" Gulf smiled.

"Because your friend from Thailand left today. I thought you might have wanted to leave with him." Mew replied.

"Don't be silly. I've got you." Gulf gave him a kiss on the lips.

Mew's body stiffened for a moment, then he gently pushed Gulf away.

Gulf hadn't expected that reaction. Up till now, it had usually Mew who initiated the kisses. He was sure there was a deeper reason for that. He couldn't help feeling bitter. Did his performance not please Mew?

"Are we doing A today or B?" he asked collecting himself.

The A routine had the most immediate appeal, since it simply meant spending the day at the hotel after they ate. The B involved going out and performing after their meal. B had the advanatage of putting them in the spotlight in front of crowds of people.

"Neither one," Mew stated. "We're going back to my apartment. Mild will be there too, so I'm not likely to lose control".

Gulf nodded, startled. It would have been awkward being alone together anyway. If Mild was going to be there, that would be a good distraction.

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Mild came out to meet them as they arrived at the apartment. "Hey there, Gulf. The heroine has arrived."

"H-hello." Gulf was struck by how jealous he felt that Mild had kept dropping by Mew's apartment whenever the man wanted, while Gulf had been gone.

"Come in, come in," Mild invited as if it really was his home.

Their dinner had been set out on the dining table.

"First, to the success of our plan." Mild was in extremely high spirits. "Gulf, lisyen to me. In a week there's going to be a huge wedding party at the house in Dorsett. Originally, we were going to have the party at a hotel in London, but if word got out there might be trouble, so we changed our minds."

Gulf nodded. He knew the engagement party bad originally been scheduled for May, so their plans had been moved up by a month.

"And when is the wedding?" he inquired.

"Now, don't panic," Mild warned, "but in the middle of the party, you're going to go out and change into your wedding dress. And then the engagement party will transform into the wedding ceremony. And then the day after the party, you leave for your honeymoon."

Gulf gulped unconsciously. Things were happening faster than he'd expected.

"And then it's over," Mild concluded. "You can go back to your old life and Mew will leave England until the excitement dies down."

"What should I do until the engagem---I mean, until the wedding party?" Gulf asked.

"We want you to stay here in the apartment until the party. It wouldn't be very much fun if you were to get kidnapped." Mew said without emotion

"Kidnapped?" Gulf echoed.

"We're sending out invitations to the party tomorrow," Mew explained further. "We don't know what someone might try and do if they don't like the idea."

Gulf nodded reluctantly. In 10-days he would be free from this farce. He felt more conflicted than overjoyed though. Why was that?

Because it meant leaving Mew forever.

TBC