The Wedding Breaker (SAMYU AU FF)

But this is fun-er!

 After a 30 minutes' drive out of the city and another 30 of mountainous journey, of which Sam tried his best to ignore every question Yang Yu Teng had, he pulled a brake as he entered the small parking space by the road, in front of a wooden signage which reads Yongan Trail.

"Why are we here? Where is this?" Yang Yu Teng asked for the nth time, watching Sam clicked open the compartment in between their seats and hurled out a black-colored box with 'PIAGET' gold lettering on it.

From the box, Sam took out a leather strap black dial watch and tossed the box towards the back seat before pulling Yang Yu Teng's hand to put the watch on.

"And what is this?" Yang Yu Teng asked again.

"This, my husband, is a watch. It is used to, you know, read the time," Sam flashed a smirk, watching Yang Yu Teng's tight expression. "This watch is expensive, it has a tracking device in it," Sam lied with a serious face before he went out his car and walked towards the railing by the trail entrance.

"What for?" Yang Yu Teng followed behind him.

Of course the man would believe him. Sam wanted to roll down the paved road and laugh out loud but then it would mean his amusement would be cut short.

Looking over the steep terrain of tea plantation and thick forest that lied beneath them, Sam inhaled a deep healing breath and answered, "This place is the Thousand Island Lake. You see?" Sam pointed at the naturally formed small islands surrounded by the Feitsui Reservoir and Beishi River visible from where they stood and then continued, "People around here believes that there is a virgin mermaid living deep inside that lake and she is very lonely. Sometimes, when she is too boring, she would kidnap a man to accompany her down there."

Yang Yu Teng gave Sam a dirty look, "I thought mermaid lives in the sea? And how do those people know she's a virgin? Nonsense."

Keeping his face still, Sam walked down the trail, taking Yang Yu Teng hand in his. "Maybe you will get to meet her? If you're lucky of course. I also heard that she particularly loves man like you."

"Wha..What do you mean man like me? And how is that supposed to be lucky?"

"Don't worry, you have that watch on you. If you ever go missing, I'll just fish you up. And just to be safe, don't let go of my hand."

Yang Yu Teng raised his hand that Sam was holding to take a second look at the watch, gulping while imagining his live in the lake. Or was it supposed to be death? He shook his head.

"I don't believe you," Yang Yu Teng responded, his hand gripping tighter at the other man's while his legs obediently followed Sam's steps.

There were quite a few other people there; some old and young couples sitting at the benches, and others were in groups, most probably of family or friends, all enjoying the pleasant afternoon up in the mountain. After walking for a while, Sam led Yang Yu Teng towards the nearby tourist spot where a rest stop was built to allow for better viewing of the area. The place unlike the previous one, was quiet full since there were a few stalls selling various kinds of snacks. Sam halted his steps as he felt a tug on his hand. He turned to see Yang Yu Teng facing a tofu ice cream vendor, already gesturing an order of two at the auntie.

Sam glanced at his wrist to see that it was already nearing two and they had yet to have their lunch. When Yang Yu Teng's palm was held up towards his face, Sam released Yang Yu Teng's hand to take out his wallet and paid for the ice creams. After buying most of the snacks available there, they stood by the railing facing a clearer view of the islands and plantation while Yang Yu Teng was munching on the third fried crab sticks that tasted exceptionally tasty after half a day without proper food.

"Yu Teng.." Sam called after he struggled to finish his share of the healthy-tasting ice cream.

"Hm?"

"Do you like teaching?"

"Ouh," Yang Yu Teng's was suddenly reminded of something. He slid closer to Sam's side and wrapped his hand around Sam's arm which was holding a bunch of snacks-filled plastics, "I'm not supposed to let your hand go."

"Hm?"

"You know, the mermaid."

"Oh," Sam replied with a light, quick laugh and inched closer to press their shoulders together.

"Teaching is great. I get to talk a lot and they are forced to listen to me whether they like it or not," Yang Yu Teng smiled as the sunlit lake glimmered in his eyes, thinking about his playful students he had the pleasure of teaching.

"Have you always wanted to be a teacher?"

"I have never really met a person whom ambition is to be one. Even my students, not one of them aspire to be a teacher. Like them, I used to want to be more. I don't know; a doctor, a pilot or something,"

"You can still be one if you want to."

"Me?" Yang Yu Teng burst into an honest laugh, glancing to the side to meet Sam's eyes. "It's fine now. I like my job. I have only been working there for a few months but the students are already treating me like their friend."

"Hm? Where did you work at before this?"

"Oh. I tutored, here and there. When I got back from Thailand, I--," Yang Yu Teng blinked and bit the inside of his cheek. He expected a change of expression on the handsome face but instead Sam just raised his brow, asking, "You..?"

"It's nothing interesting," Yang Yu Teng inhaled a deep breath to calm the uneasiness that rose in his chest.