The sun crept between the closed curtains, signaling the day had come to anew start. War opened his eyes and looked at his surroundings. The sound of the waves welcomed his morning and he realized he wasn't in his apartment.
'Right, I'm in Krabi'
He stretched while glancing at the bedside clock. It was still 8 in the morning, he remembered the second day itinerary started at 10, so he got some time to freshen up and get breakfast. With a yawn, War turned to his left and almost jumped out of the bed when he came face to face with Yin. The man was still asleep and War was grateful the little surprised noise he let out didn't wake him up
War also forgot that he's sharing a bed with Yin. His mind came back to their conversation last night and remembered that their relationship had gotten upgraded from enemies to friends. For some reason that made a prominent flush appear on War's dimpled cheek.
It was probably the relaxed atmosphere of early morning plus War's mind still fogged up with sleepiness that he ended up staring at Yin's face. War knew Yin is handsome but it's a whole another meaning of handsome seeing him up close like this. He understood why people often call him the god of computer engineering back when they were in college, he truly lived up to his reputation.
War soaked in every little detail on Yin's face and then his eyes dropped to his chestnut lips. War heard rumors, don't ask why he even got the information but, he heard rumors. That Yin's a very good kisser. He's the type that can shut you up and make you forget when he's got you in his arms. War didn't know if the rumors was true or just started from wild imagination turned to rumors by people who want a taste of those lips, but his sleepy mind ended up wondering about it too.
Realizing he's been staring (and thinking of kissing Yin but he blamed it on his half asleep mind), he told himself, he should stop before Yin woke up and found him staring. War sat up and trying to rub the sleepiness out of his eyes before finally going to the bathroom to freshen up. When he was totally awake after washing his face, he came back to a very sleepy Yin, sitting up with his eyes still closed. The sight was so amusing that War sneakily tip toed to the bedside table, took his phone and snapped a picture. The giggle War let out made Yin finally opening his eyes.
"What's so funny?", Yin said, voice still heavy with sleep.
"Nothing", War tried to control his laugh, "Go wash your face, I wanna get breakfast"
"And why couldn't you go by yourself?", Yin asked, while rubbing his face.
War who was scrolling through his phone to check the schedule looked up with a 'duh' look, "It's a 'boyfriend' duty Anan, or are you the type to let your lovers wander around by themselves huh?"
Yin raised his eyebrows after what War said. At the start of their pretend relationship, War only use the words 'boyfriend' exclusively when people asked about it, which Yin could count with his fingers, but nowadays, War had gotten pretty loose and even using it when it's just the two of them.
"Okay," Yin got up, a smirk never left when he passed by War and whispered into his ears.
"As you wish kitten"
-............-
"Oh! here they come, hia Yin, come sit!", Nino who was sitting with War's parents for breakfast patted the seat next to him.
"You love my boyfriend more than you love me!", War sat down beside Yin's empty seat while the taller took two plates and made his way to the buffet.
"Hia Yin is cooler than you", Nino pushed his glasses up, turning to War.
War pinched his little brother's cheek and making him whine, "You little brat"
"Anyways", War said after he was satisfied bullying his little brother, "Where's P'Ming?"
"She's checking the venue for today's event, you know how she is", his mom's said while shaking her head.
True though, Ming is a perfectionist just like War, and today's event is the opening of her wedding week so War understood his sister just wanted everything to be perfect. Ming had chosen to hold a simple tea party in the vast garden that the resort has. By the second and third day, only the family of bride and groom and some close acquaintance are present but they weren't familiar with each other so Ming thought this is gonna be a good opportunity to mingle and get to know each other. War wondered since when did the tradition of weddings that last for days started in his family, because he is not a fan of the idea. Just one day wedding ceremony already sounds exhausting in War's mind.
"Here", Yin's voice pulled War out of his trace, "And here's your coffee"
"T-thanks", War eyed the plate of on toast breakfast that Yin just got for him and kinda impressed how he remembered his preference, even the cup of coffee on the side was to his liking.
"How do you even know his preference, hia?", Nino said, eyeing War's plate.
"Well," Yin smiled, glancing at War and saw a small blush had decorated the smaller man's cheek. "Boyfriend's duty, right baby?"
Yin stopped the sneaky elbow attack that he knew War would do after the pet name and whispered, "Your parents are here you know, don't make them start suspecting us"
"Fine" War said, through gritted teeth but War Wanarat refused to lose.
A sneaky peck on Yin's cheek was made and surprised not only Yin but also the whole table.
"Thanks", War said and then put on a perfect show of being bashful for kissing his boyfriend in front of the parents, "Oh, sorry mae, phor"
"Ah ah, eat your breakfast son, we don't have all the time in the world", War's mom said, though she was practically scolding his son, her smile told him that she wasn't mad at all.
War looked at Yin who had froze and wiped an invisible dirt on the corner of his lip, "Eat your breakfast babe", War said with a victory smile that practically said, 'I won this time Anan'
Yin who had been stunned from the surprised kiss then smirked and started his breakfast while his mind already running in excitement.
'So this is how you play Wanarat. Sure, two can play in this game kitten'
-.............-
You would've thought that a tea party would take some simple preparation given the simple event but of course it wasn't the case when it comes to Ming. War knew his sister had always been a perfectionist, so of course a simple tea party would turned into a a hectic one. After breakfast, War got dragged by her to help with the decoration, 'aren't you an architect?' was what she said, so here he was sorting flowers and arranging them.
Well, there goes Yin's plan to tease War after that kiss. He meant to 'help' and followed War but Ming asked Yin to help Nino taking some footage for her wedding vlog with the drone and Yin couldn't refuse her.
"Oh, that looks beautiful, of course the famous architect, War Wanarat", Ming came up from behind War, inspecting the arc that War just decorated with flowers.
"Why can't you just hire a professionals for these things Phi. I design buildings y'know, these type of things aren't my usual line of works", War protested, feeling like he had been used by his sister.
"Aww, you've done great though, look at these beautiful arcs! Why should I hire more people if I have a genius architect nong!", Ming said happily.
"Cheapskate", War pouted, but with no malice. War would happily decorate venues for his sister if she asked, she's one of War's precious family member after all.
They worked together to make the garden look even more beautiful and giving it a touch of Ming and her soon-to-be-husband personality for another half hour until the whole garden looked stunning.
"Okay that's all there to it, now", Ming said, then she checked her wrist watch, "We have 15 minutes before the guests arrive"
"Beside our family and your fiance's, who else are here phi?", War asked, straightening up and scanning the garden they just decorated. Making sure that nothing was out of place.
"Ah, one of my fiance's business partner and phor also invited one of the investor. You've never met them but, you've heard about The Siriphanit right? our family's pretty close with them."
War raised his eyebrows hearing the familiar family name. He was sure he heard them somewhere but couldn't really remember. His thought was cut when Ming pulled him close so she could whisper something and by the gesture he knew his sister got some tea on this family.
"Apparently their oldest son was supposed to get married last month but they suddenly canceled it. The fiance, well ex-fiance now, is invited to my wedding by default and her attendance wasn't canceled", She whispered.
"So, you're saying, he still came down here with his ex-fiance?", War made a face, just hearing how absurd that idea coming to a wedding with your ex.
"Yes, apparently she insisted", Ming said while shaking her head.
'Yikes, I smell another case of obsessed ex', War shuddered thinking about it, reminding him about his own situation with Mai.
While he felt pity for the man, he wanted to make sure he didn't get involved with another case of obsessed ex, nor wanting to be the center of it like his problem with Mai, so he was about to ask her sister to point which guest that she meant in order to avoid them but their conversation suddenly got interrupted.
"Excuse me, are you War Wanarat?"
The Ratsameerat siblings who had been hunched over together to gossip turned to the voice and found a lady standing there. She seemed proper and War assumed she was one of the guests.
War looked at his sister before answering, "Yes, that's me"
The lady then extended her hand for a handshake and War took it.
"I'm Mel, Melissa Wongnate"
"Nice to meet you, Miss Wongnate", War said so slowly out of confusion because he never met this girl before, nor he remembered ever having a client with that last name.
"Don't worry, we've never met before, you're not forgetting anyone", She said while chuckling, seemingly knowing what War was thinking.
"Sorry to sprung this on you Khun Wanarat, but I just wanted to meet the person who's the reason why my fiance broke our engagement", the polite tone of her changed slightly and oh boy, War just met the person he was trying to avoid.
He really didn't like where this is going.
"I'm sorry but, do I know your fiance?", War had a hunch because he could count how many people he dated in the past just with one hand.
"I did a background check on you, you know, are you sure you don't remember your last ex?"
War felt shiver down his spine hearing the sentence. Just, how creepy you are to do a background check on a stranger? Plus, War's hunch was right, the fiance that she was talking about must be that phi, his senior. That also explained why he felt familiar with the last name Siriphanit.
"We've broken up years ago, I haven't contacted him all those years. So, I don't get why you're blaming me for your canceled engagement", War said while shaking his head, couldn't believe he got caught up in another love quarrels.
"That's not what my fiance said when he decided to break our engagement off"
War was at lost of words. She was clearly stubborn and wanted an outlet to let out her frustration and she thought War was the perfect emotional garbage dump.
"My fiance said he couldn't forget you. At first I accepted it and just wanted to see how 'beautiful' his ex is and", she eyed War and scoffed, "Found out a 'he' instead of a 'she'"
It angered War how distasteful her way of speaking was. What's so wrong if it's War he dated before? because he's a man? War feels proud of who he is and who he choose to love. There's nothing wrong with it. Who is she to judge him when she's behaving like this to a stranger she never met? War should give this lady a piece of his mind.
"I don't like the way you speak lady, my nong IS beautiful. Your pea sized brain just couldn't comprehend that", before War could utter any words his sister beat him to it.
War whipped his head to see his sister already red with anger while slowly stepping in front of War. His petty side wanted to see his phi take this lady out but his reasonable side thought it wasn't a good idea for the bride to fight before the wedding.
"P'Ming, calm down"
"I'm sorry if I'm being rude. I'm just surprised and kinda disappointed that my fiance choose you over me", Mel stubbornly said, which riled Ming even more.
"You lil bi-"
"That's enough", a familiar man walked towards them, "Mel, I thought we have a deal. I agreed to tell you about War and still bring you here because you promised not to bother him"
"But phi!"
"Also, stop calling me your fiance when I'm no longer associated with that title"
War who witnessed the fight between the two while holding his sister back felt a headache coming in. He never planned to have an accidental reunion with his ex, Ritz in his sister's wedding. How could War forgot his first and last real boyfriend. He was a fourth year medical student in the same university when War was just a second year when they met. They volunteered together in a charity event the campus held and clicked right away. War, who just came into term about his sexuality ended up really falling for him and when Ritz asked if they could try dating, he accepted right away. They dated for a whole two years and War couldn't help but falling even deeper. Of course things didn't end the way he wanted it. The first person he ever loved ended up leaving him for a reason that he knew all along. By the time Ritz graduated, he also had to move away for residency, that's when he broke up with War.
"I'm sorry, I don't think we can go on after all"
Deep down War had always knew that there was no way he'd have a chance in true love but he was blind and a fool. Ritz had cared and treated him like he was the best thing that happened to him but reality said otherwise. War had been hurt and his trust was shattered pretty badly but as he was sure he had healed and moved on, his scars was still there. The reunion with Ritz and this whole messy situation felt like a harsh reminder that he has an ugly scars that would probably never gone away. As his mind slowly being overwhelmed with everything, War let his guard down and didn't realized Mel had stepped forward to pull him.
"I dated phi for three years and engaged for almost a year but he never treated me like he treats you! This is all your fault! Why do you have to ruin everything?! Why does it have to be you?! You shouldn't have existed! Why?!"
War's confused mind couldn't process what was happening as he was being violently shaken by Mel. He heard Ming screamed and cursed and he felt like he was being pulled from different directions at the same time. He was so overwhelmed and in the verge of collapsing when he heard Yin's voice. It was so faint but his mind desperately reaching out to him in the midst of fogs and chaos.
"War, can you hear me? C'mon, come back and answer me Wanarat"
When War finally came back to it, he was sitting down on the grass with Yin holding him. He saw his sister and Ritz hovering over him while the lady who was screaming and shaking him crying on the far side of the garden.
"Hey", Yin said in a such gentle voice. The voice that guided War out of the haze earlier.
"Anan? What happened?", War said, straightening up with Yin's help.
"You were in a shock and won't respond to any of us", Ritz said, crouching down beside Yin. "Here, drink something sweet. You should be feeling exhausted", he said, handing War a cup of warm sweet tea.
He was exhausted. Everything was happening to fast that it exhausted War, the sudden tiredness came and he let himself fall into Yin's embrace. Ming who was messaging one of his hand looked so worried and he felt the guilt coming.
"Phi, I'm sorry, even though it's your wedding, I-"
"Nong", Ming cut him off, her hand came up to caress War's hair, "None of this is your fault. Beside, it's just a tea party, not the actual wedding yet. I'd be mad for real if you don't take care of yourself. Now, stop crying"
War didn't realized he'd been crying the whole time. He must've been so out of it to feel anything at all.
"Yin, take him back to your room", Ming instructed.
"Yes phi. C'mon War", Yin tried to pulled War up but his legs gave out.
"I don't think he can walk right now. Here, let me help carry him back to his room. Please lead the way", Ritz said, glad for his profession as a doctor came in handy to assist War.
He was determined to help War, so imagine how confused and surprised he was when the stranger that currently holding War up refused to let him help.
"It's fine doc, I can take care of him. You should do something about her first", Yin said, his eyes looking at the crying girl in the corner.
Ritz, who had been wondering about Yin and his relationship with War could do nothing when Yin hauled War up and carried him back to the resort. He didn't need to wait too long for an answer though, because what Ming said after that made everything clear.
"Don't worry doc, War will be fine. His boyfriend will take care of him"
-..............-
Yes, I cast Ritz as War's ex just because ;3
Does it feel rushed and moving too fast?
Let me know your thought.