such a beauty and a mess

Past/Present

"Yes. I am," Drake answered, smiling a bit as he continued, "You're at a ripe age, am I right? Your father trying to get you to wed?"

"Yes, against my will," Bright answered with a frown, before completely changing the subject again, "Drake, do you have any regrets?"

Drake raised a brow.

"Regrets?" Drake asked, unsure of where this was going.

"Yeah. Anything you wish you could take back."

"We all have regrets, Vachirawit."

"Bright, please."

"... Bright," Drake repeated agreeably.

"Do you regret marrying your wife? It was an arranged marriage, was it not?" Bright asked with searching eyes.

"It was," Drake confirmed, looking slightly confused, "Are you afraid you'll regret marrying-"

"This isn't about me. It's about you. I'm trying to figure you out. Do you, or do you not, regret marrying your wife?"

There was a pause, before Drake straightened.

"I love my wife, Bright. I do not regret it," Drake spoke without a trace of dishonesty.

Bright took a deep breath.

"Then do you regret Win?"

Bright couldn't quite read the unblinking eyes in front of him, but the man had gone very still. Those around them may have misinterpreted the moment as a staring contest, though the idea of such a thing with the two men involved was almost comical.

Finally, the other man shifted in a way that almost made Bright think he was uncomfortable before continuing the conversation.

"... I'm trying to understand how you even know about that," Drake responded carefully. Bright shook his head.

"Doesn't matter how I know. But what does matter is that knowing makes me weary of you because as far as I know, you left him to chase money and fame," Bright said bluntly, looking torn as he continued, "I'm sick of seeing that already. My brother was chased away because that's all my father cared about, and he's very near losing me now. If I do take this offer, I don't want to see something similar happen again."

Drake regarded him attentively, as if he needed time to collect his words before saying them.

"... people make mistakes. People come to a point in their lives where they have to figure out who they are and what they want. I'm sure you understand that all too well," Drake said with a pointed look that Bright could immediately identify with, "I didn't have the conscience you do at you're age, Bright. I didn't know what I wanted. I do love my wife very much, so I do not regret what happened with Win. ... but if I could go back and change how things happened, I would."

Bright stared at the carpet with a frown marring his features. Drake knew the brunette wasn't sure what to believe.

"The fact a percentage of my earnings goes to charity. You know about that, right?" Drake continued. Bright looked up in surprise.

"Yeah?"

"The charity I give to helps homeless teens across the world. Teens with nowhere to go. I knew Win's family situation, and I knew he felt ashamed to return. That boy was far too stubborn for his own good. After he ran off, it was the only thing I could think of as consolidation."

Instead of easing Bright, a sharp feeling of anger shot through him.

"But you could have found him! You had all the money in the world!" Bright exclaimed. He knew that Drake probably didn't know of Win's life as a prostitute, but damn it, Bright did! Maybe if something could have been done back then, he wouldn't have had to...