Drake wasn't early at all. In fact, Bright was sure the man came walking in those doors the very moment the clock struck six.
'How punctual,' Bright thought, raising a hand to be noticed.
"Vachirawit," Drake greeted, throwing a pack of cigarettes on the table and setting a small briefcase on the floor as he sat in a plush chair perpendicular to Bright's own, "I'm guessing there's no smoking in here."
"Sadly, no," Bright replied with a small grin.
"Do you smoke?"
"I used to. Haven't had one in quite a while," Bright explained.
"Probably for the best," Drake answered, turning keen eyes to the environment around them before they settled back on Bright, "Do you mind if I ask a personal question?"
"I don't mind if you ask, but an answer is not a certainty."
"Fair enough. How is your relationship with your father?" Drake asked.
Bright steeled himself.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Well, I'm assuming that a son who ruins the chance of his father getting millions of dollars is not on very good terms with him."
"..." Bright hesitated in replying before he sighed and leaned further back in the chair, "I already told you. He was using you to his advantage."
"And I'm glad you did tell me. Thanks to that, I found someone else to merge with," Drake spoke, reaching for the briefcase at his side and working on the latches.
"You sure these people don't have the same intentions my father did?" Bright asked warningly.
"Due to that incident, I practically ripped these guys apart to make sure there were no loopholes. I'm not a push-over," Drake replied, opening the case and turning it toward Bright. Bright stared down at the papers that littered the insides, the very top one being a colorful brochure of sorts.
"Why are you showing me this?"
"Go ahead and look through this stuff if you want. These papers tell you everything you'd need to know if you worked there."
"... again, why are you showing me this?" Bright prompted, not understanding the meaning behind it.
"Just in case you want a job there," Drake proposed, catching Bright off-guard, "Now, compared to where you are now, it's nothing. You'd be back as an underling, making much less money than you do now. But it is a solid company that you can build on."
Bright tentatively reached for the brochure with his eyebrows scrunched together tightly.
"... heh. Why would you just offer this to me out of the blue?" Bright asked accusingly.
"Because I don't meet many people like you in the business world. By merging with this company, I have the chance to rebuild my own. I'm starting out fresh. You are the kind of people I would like to employ, because I'm out for more than profit."
Bright stared at the glossy paper in his hand, flipping it in-between his fingers absentmindedly.
Then he threw it back in the briefcase and turned his body toward Drake, leaning forward so his elbows rested loosely on his knees.
"Since you feel the need to get personal with me, may I do the same?" Bright inquired, stern. He could tell the sudden change in subject surprised Drake, even though the man's expression hardly changed.
"... what would you like to know?"
"Are you happily married?" Bright asked simply.
Drake blinked.
"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...
"I did, and I tracked him down to apologize," Drake spoke, looking reminiscent as he stared at no particular point on the wall, "He slammed the door in my face. After that, I let him be."
It hurt.
Just imagining how Win felt at that moment, hurt.
However, Bright couldn't find the will to hate this man. After all, if things hadn't turned out the way that they did, Bright would have never met the raven. He would have never stopped for directions that night. He probably would still be bending to his father's will.
And, looking at Drake now, Bright deemed the words sincere.
"... he's okay now," Bright muttered, just loud enough for Drake to hear. Immediately understanding, a small smile rose on Drake's lips.
"I knew he would be," Drake sighed. He was not going to go into detail about things like how Vachirawit Bright knew Win in the first place. It was a touchy subject, and there was no reason to continue it.
"Thank you for telling me that," Bright said honestly. Drake shook his head modestly before turning his attention back to the briefcase on the table in front of them.
"Now, would you like to discuss this more?"
Bright stared at the papers.
"... yeah, I would."
---
Up in the hotel room, Win was staying true to his word and packing his things.
When he got to the dress, he gave a short laugh. It had been cleaned and completely stain-free due to the miracle detergent these rich people used. Some of the maids had insisted it would be a tragedy to throw it away.
Win clutched at the fabric, not knowing what to do. He was pretty sure he'd never be needing a dress again. Maybe keep it for pranks? Give it to one of the maids? Earn had most certainly gushed over it when she was helping him with the makeover.
A shrill ring cut off his thoughts. Win laid the dress down and made his way over to the phone.
"Hello?" Win answered easily, leaning over the table as he pressed the phone to his ear. Bright's threats to not answer the phone had not deterred the raven in the least.
"Win?"
Surprised to hear his name coming from Bright's phone, Win tried to figure out why that voice sounded familiar. His name had been said in a rushed, yet unsure manner... definitely male... but Win couldn't quite place it.
"Yeah... who's this?" Win asked defensively. A shaky, relieved sigh sounded through the phone before it was quickly cut off.
"This is Dim," was the immediate answer. Win's thought process went from 'Aha!' to 'What the hell is Dim calling me for?' before said man could continue in a rush, "Win, you gotta come to Sanno hospital right now. You're still with that rich guy, right? Green's hurt and they won't see him because we don't have the money and he gave me this number-"
"What do you mean Green's hurt?" Win stopped the tirade insistently.
"I- I... he's bleeding and I think his leg is broken and- they won't see him!" Dim choked at the end. Win thought he could very well be crying.
"How- ... Sanno hospital, right? Emergency room? I'll be there in a second," Win said quickly, tossing the phone on its stand and jetting out of the room. He didn't even bother to put shoes on and vied to take the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator.
Green didn't have the money for hospital bills. None of the people in that neighborhood did. No matter what the injury, they would try to tough it out and heal themselves. They had no choice.
That's why Green at the emergency room sent warning alarms off in Win's mind.
He wouldn't be there for a little flesh wound.
A broken leg? Bleeding? How much?
Win wished he would have asked more, to quell his hammering heart, but he knew getting there as fast as possible was the best possible option.
It still didn't rest his mind, however.
How did Green get such a serious injury, anyway? Was there some accident? Did-
Win felt his blood boil viciously at the final thought that crossed his mind, but didn't explore it any further, because he dashed out into the lobby.
He halted, looking around. It didn't take him long to spot the thick head of brunette hair and scurried over.
"Bright!" Win called in attention before he was even at the man's side.
Both Bright and Drake looked up, their eyes widening at his arrival.
Bright was immediately concerned by the panicked look and stood up.
"We have to go to Sanno hospital. Right now!" Win demanded.
"Win, what's wrong?" Bright asked quickly, looking him over. Hospital? Win wasn't hurt, was he?
"Green's hurt! And the stupid hospital won't take him without payment!" Win replied, nearly bouncing on his feet. He wanted to go.
"I'll have to call for the limo to come to the front," Bright said, placing a hand on Win's shoulder and turning him around to start walking to the front desk, "Calm down."
"My ride is right out front," Drake spoke up, leaning forward to snap the briefcase shut. Bright and Win both paused and looked over their shoulders.
Win looked contrite.
"Please," Drake spoke, gesturing toward the front door.
Bright merely glanced at Win for confirmation.
Win hesitated for a brief second, stubbornly looking away, before deftly walking toward the front doors. Green was what mattered here.
Within a minute, they were all seated in the back of Drake's limo, heading for the hospital. Win and Bright sat on one side, with Win's eyes trained on the glass window next to him, and Drake sat on the other, looking rather deep in thought.
"Calm down," Bright muttered again, seeing how fidgety Win was.
He really wasn't expecting the raven to turn to him a yell.
"I can't calm down!" Win screeched, ruby eyes flashing, "If your father had anything to do with this, I swear I'll kill him!"
Bright tensed.
"... my father?" Bright asked, a flash of anger ripping through him when Win turned back to the glass in avoidance, "What do you mean by that?"
Silence.
"Win!" Bright tried again, but the raven refused to look at him.
"I wouldn't say things like that in public," Drake suggested.
"Fuck you!" Win yelled, snapping his head to glare at the man across from them.
A tense silence fell.