Mew was having some drinks at the bar inside the hotel. He's still contemplating the decision he made yesterday. Staying inside his penthouse only makes everything worse for him, so he decided to go down, and socialize with a few people.
He's kind of tipsy since he had downed a couple of alcoholic bottles already. He poured another shot of drink into his glass before he drank it again.
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Not far from where Mew is sitting, Up and Kao can only look at his back. They've been there for as long as Up can remember.
"Are you sure that he's the one you saw when you were here last month?" Up asked Kao, whose eyes are still on Mew.
"I'm more than sure, Up. He's the one I saw that Gulf's looking at."
"Why don't you just confront him? I mean, like talk to him." Up said, as he also eyed Mew.
"I have to be certain about my suspicions. And I need your help for that."
"You know, I don't understand why you still have to do this. Gulf broke up with you.."
"He did. But he did not specify any reasons. Maybe, if I can knock some sense into that guy, we'll be able to fix what we have."
Up just rolled his eyes and sighed. God. He didn't know how stupid Kao could get.
"Up, I need your help now," Kao said, as he held Up's hand, and turned to look at Mew again.
Up clucked his tongue as he hesitantly stood up from where they were sitting. He took a few steps forward before looking back at Kao.
"I'm nervous." Up mouthed to Kao.
Kao just nodded, urging Up to go. Up tightly closed his eyes, and walked in Mew's direction. Once he was there, he tapped Mew's shoulder and sat beside him.
"H-hi." Up greeted Mew who seems to be very drunk already.
With hazy eyes, Mew managed to turn to him and smiled. "Oh hi. It's you, snowball!" Mew said, as his voice slurred with every word he said.
"Y-ye-yeah. It's me." Up said, as he was trying to start a conversation with this stranger.
"What are you doing here?" Mew asked Up, as he reached for the bottle of brandy, and poured some into his glass.
Up bit his lower lip and looked in Kao's direction who was watching them. "I'm here to accompany you. I saw you are having drinks by yourself."
Drunk Mew tilted his head to the side and smiled. "Great. Let me pour you a glass of this..."
"Mom, Dad, forgive me for doing this," Up said to himself, as he flashed an awkward smile to Mew.
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>Bangkok, Thailand<
Gulf was done packing most of his things. He's going to move out of the house, as he can't live in there anymore. He asked Earth's help to find a condo for him, as he can't go back to their house, as he and his P'Toptap are not on good terms.
This will be the last night that he's going to sleep here. Tomorrow, he'll move out of the house and just come back to get his stuff. Before he and Kao separated ways, Kao said he can do whatever he wants with the property, as he was giving him all the rights to the house.
Gulf felt guilty, just at the thought of selling the house. He thought he was just going to have someone rent it. He already posted an ad for the house rental. Hopefully, someone will contact him and rent the house.
He was about to go to bed when his phone rang. He checked the screen of his phone to see who was calling, but he only saw a number. Gulf was having second thoughts about whether he'll answer the call or not. In the end, he decided to take the call.
<Phone line>
"How can you do this to me?" was the very first statement Gulf heard from the other line.
If Gulf had not been with the person on the other line for a long time, he wouldn't have known who the caller was. But that voice, he can't be wrong.
"Kao..." was the only thing gulf could say.
"Gulf, tell me what have I done for you to do this to me? Am I not enough?" Kao said on the other line. He's obviously crying.
"I-I d-don't understand..." Gulf doesn't know what's happening, but he felt so hurt by hearing Kao cry. He was not able to notice that his tears started streaming down his cheeks.
"Wait for me tomorrow at our house." Just that, and Kao disconnected the line.
Gulf is confused. What does Kao want? He doesn't understand why he has to call him now about their breakup.
His thoughts were again disturbed. Gulf closed his eyes and lay down on his bed, as tears continuously fall from his eyes.
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<Earlier (Phuket)>
"Damn. This guy is so heavy." Was Up's complaint, as he and Kao carry the drunk Mew.
Kao had no reaction. He just looked straight ahead, while they were on the elevator.
Up managed to talk to Mew earlier and gain his trust. Since Mew is already intoxicated, he overshared his sentiments with Up, who's continuously updating Kao on what they're talking about through chat.
Once Mew is already very drunk, they managed to convince him that they will bring him to his room, which Mew said is in the penthouse.
When Kao heard it, his suspicion grew even bigger. It makes sense, why Gulf's elevator was descending that day when he saw him. Gulf might've gone into this guy's room.
Once they arrived at the penthouse, Up and Kao threw Mew to his bed, where he just rolled over and slept. The two then didn't waste any time and started searching for some things inside Mew's room. They searched for anything that might be evidence of Kao's suspicion about Mew and Gulf having an affair when his eyes caught a glimpse of something on Mew's bedside table.
Kao went to it and picked up the thing. He closely examined it, and clenched it inside his hand, when he confirmed that it was Gulf's. Kao was not able to hold himself and punched Mew who was sleeping on his bed. Mew was too drunk to fight back, so Kao took the opportunity to beat the crap out of him.
When Up saw it, he immediately stopped Kao and hugged him.
"Hey! Calm down. What happened?" Kao was not able to answer and cried on Up's shoulders instead.
"I was right all along, Up. They're having an affair." Up doesn't know how to respond. He just hugged Kao.
After some time, Up patted Kao's back. "Let's get out of here. Get a hold of yourself. You'll get through this."
Kao just nodded, as he and Up went out of the penthouse.
<End of flashback>
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Mew woke up with a very bad headache and body pain. He felt like he was beaten up last night. He sat on his bed and went to his bathroom. When he saw his reflection, that's the time that he saw he has bruises and some cuts on his face.
He touched the side of his lips and hissed when he felt a burning sensation. Damn. What did he do last night for him to end up like this? He decided to take a bath and fix himself to have his wound treated.
When he went out of the bathroom, he headed to his bedside table but was shocked when he saw that Gulf's ring was not there anymore.
He searched under the bedside table, and under his bed, but to no avail. He sighed with the thought that he might've misplaced it. He reached for his phone instead and called housekeeping to have his room cleaned.
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>Bangkok, Thailand<
Upon their arrival in Bangkok, Kao did not waste any time and directly went into his and Gulf's house. When they reached the place, Gulf was still sleeping. He and Up decided to wait in the living room and wait for Gulf to wake up.
Gulf was shocked to see Up and Kao sitting on the couch when he went down after waking up.
Kao looked back at him and smiled bitterly. "Did you sleep well?"
Gulf doesn't know, but Kao sounded like he was being sarcastic.
"I'll step out for a while. I'll let the two of you talk." Up said and headed out of the living room.
Once up was out, Kao went to Gulf and closed their distance. Kao stopped when they were only a few inches away from each other.
Gulf is uneasy. This is the first time that he felt so scared and intimidated by Kao. Just then, Kao grabbed one of his hands and placed something on it.
When Gulf opened his hand, his mouth was left open out of shock, and tears began to fall from his eyes. He then looked at Kao and held him by his arm.
"Kao... I can explain..."
"No need, Gulf. I've heard and seen enough of your lies." Kao said as he's trying to hold his tears.
Gulf cried even more and placed his ring down on the coffee table. Kao handed him his ring. It was their couple ring, and Gulf must've left it at Mew's place since it was not with him when he went back to Bangkok.
Gulf held Kao's hands. "I'm sorry... I- I don't know how to tell you..."
Kao harshly swished his head and looked at Gulf. "You don't know how to tell me? Gulf you just need to be honest with me. I didn't ask for anything over the last few years from you, did I?"
No. Kao did not ask anything from him. In fact, he respected him and showered him with so much love.
Gulf saw how Kao's chest rise and fell. Then, he broke down in front of him.
"Gulf, you know how much I love you, right?" Kao asked Gulf in the gentlest voice possible.
"Why did you do this to me? I would've let you go and accepted my fate if only you said anything. But no. You made me a fool. You cheated on me. Do you know how stupid I've felt?"
"Kao, I'm sorry..."
"I've known ever since that you didn't really love me, Gulf. But I stayed with you because I was hoping that I'll be able to fill the void in your heart. I was wrong. I will never replace him in your heart, am I right?"
Gulf was shocked to hear Kao. Does he know...
"Even after what he did to you, you still came back to him. He caused your trauma and accident. But what? Even after you forgot him, you still came back to him?"
"How did you know..."
Kao smiled bitterly, as tears continue to fall from his eyes. "How did I know? I just know Gulf. I just know. You think I was that fool not to know?"
"I've known everything long before that trip to Phuket. Do you think I didn't know that you're still longing for him? That trip to Phuket was a test for you, Gulf."
Gulf was stunned at what he heard. A test? Test for what?
"I already know that Mew is the owner of the hotel. I had already planned that once I'll receive the invitation for the conference, I'll bring you over."
Gulf was shocked. So Kao had planned this all along?
"I thought that he'll help you regain your memories once you see him. That you'll go back to being yourself again. But I was wrong. Because after all these years, you're still willing to risk everything for him."
"This is hard for me, Gulf. But I can't do this anymore. Even if I know that I'll regret this, I'm completely letting you go. It hurts me even more seeing you with me, but your heart is with him."
"Kao..."
Kao just hugged Gulf so tight. "Don't blame yourself for what happened. I'm sorry for what I said to you earlier. Always remember that I love you so much. I'll always love you."
When Kao broke from their hug, He wiped Gulf's tears and kissed his forehead. He held Gulf's hands so tight. Kao then handed Gulf an envelope and a box. Gulf was confused, but he opened it. He saw a plane ticket. Inside the small box, he saw rings, which he suppose are couple rings. "I'm about to give that to you after we come back here from Phuket and ask you for marriage. But I guess, our story ends here." Kao smiled as the tears still fall from his eyes. "Be happy with him. I'm letting you go now."
After Kao said those words, he turned his back on Gulf and went out of the house. Gulf can just only look at Kao's back. When he was already out of his sight, he felt his knees weaken, as he held the rings and the ticket close to his chest.
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When Kao went out, he immediately went inside Up's car and hugged him. Up was surprised, but did not ask anymore. He just hugged back Kao and soothed his back.
"Cry it out. I'll always be here for you no matter what." Up thought to himself as he shed tears too.
A/N: Kao best boy! Damn. I feel like I need a man like Kao. How can he be so pure? What do you think of this chapter? Leave your comments below. Thank you again for supporting Play of Fate, and see you in the next chapter, lovies!