After their weekend gateaway, Ae and Pete hasn't seen each other the whole week and maybe not for a few days more.
Pete's schedule was jampacked. No matter how hard Noh tried to adjust it, it just wouldn't work. The two days rest cost this much. It aggravated the anxious Pete so much because all that he could do was message and call his P'Ae. It was scaring the hell out of him, especially with the words he last heard from him. He vividly remembered it, he knew there was something that came up but he didn't want to pry. No, he didn't have the courage to pry.
"Please always remember our promise. Please never let go of me. Whatever happens, whoever comes between us, please always choose me."
"What does P'Ae mean about it?"
Pete was resting in their van on their way to the next casting meeting for the day. He ruffled his hair and groaned aloud that caught Noh's attention as he drove.
"Argggggggh!"
"Why are you so uneasy, Pete?
It's getting into my nerves!"
Noh scolded the guy. Pete whimpered and looked at Noh with that confused, uneasy expression.
"Noh, what if P'Ae gets tired of me and leave me? We haven't seen each other for more than a week and I'm scared."
Noh could feel the fear that's radiating from Pete. He was worried too but he chose to believe Ae's words.
"Don't be stupid, Pete! You know Ae is better than that. I bet he misses you so much but with your current schedule it would be really hard to meet him. He will understand."
"Until when, Noh?"
"He loves you, and you have to believe it. He never fails on messaging you and answering your calls. He calls you too everytime. Please be more confident with your relationship with him. And focus on our next meeting. This is really a big project. An award-winning director will handle it."
"I know... I just can't help but be worried."
Pete looked at the outside scenery, trying to relieve himself of the anxiety that is building up inside him.
---
Ae was having lunch with Pond and Top in the company pantry. He was eating quietly when Pond asked a question.
"Ae, when are you going to formally introduce your boyfriend to us? Don't tell us he didn't really answer you back!"
Ae glared at Pond, making Top chuckled.
"Could you keep it low, Pond! I told you that we can't make our relationship public. But since you are my best friend, I'm letting you know. My angel is so busy this week, we actually haven't met. I actually miss him so much."
Ae angry expression changed to a sad one. Top put his hand on Ae's shoulder to comfort him.
"You said to us you're ready for this, Ae. Are you wavering now?"
"No, P'Top! Not at all. I just miss him and I'm a bit worried if he is getting enough rest. His schedule is really crazy. So Pond, can you wait a bit and I will introduce him to both of you soon."
"If you say so, Ae! It's hard to have a famous handsome boyfriend."
Pond concluded. Top and Ae just smiled at him.
---
Pete and Noh arrived at Marquis Productions for a casting meeting for Pete's new movie. This was also the first time the director that people has been talking about will be spearheading a film project in Thailand. People has been saying great things about her, her achievements in the international film industry. Both of them were so excited, Pete forgot his anxieties as his attention was diverted to the meeting at hand.
Pete and Noh entered the meeting room and greeted everyone inside. The other actors and actresses smiled at the beautiful guy that graced the room. The producer stood up to greet both of them and showed them their seats.
"We will just be waiting for the director so we can start the meeting. She advised that she is almost in the building."
The producer, Mr. Marquis, announced. After a few minutes, the door opened and a pretty long-haired woman came in, smiling to everyone. Mr. Marquis stood up to welcome the woman.
"Welcome, Ms. Anusorn."
"Oh, Benjamin. Please call me Jade."
Jade greeted everyone after kissing Mr. Marquis on the cheek.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Jade Anusorn. But I will appreciate it if you call me P'Jade than my last name. I will be the director of this movie. I believe that everyone here will be working with me for the next few months."
Jade surveyed the room and looked at Pete.
"You must be Pete. Benjamin is right, you are very beautiful. No wonder he insisted that you be casted. I need an amazing beauty for the role and you perfectly fit the criteria."
Pete smiled shyly.
"Thank you, P'Jade."
"And very well-mannered. I like you. Alright, I'm all excited to work with everyone. I'm a straightforward person and I encourage exchange of ideas. So please, don't hesitate to let those creative inputs be on the table. If it can improve the production then I'm all for it."
Pete looked attentively at the pretty woman who will be his director. She seemed nice but there was an uneasy feeling creeping in him that he just can't put his fingers on. Unable to find an explanation for it, he regarded it as nervousness and focused on what she was saying.
"So that will be all today, I know everyone is tired. We will meet tomorrow for the script review meeting. I'm glad to meet everyone."
Jade concluded the meeting. Mr. Marquis stood up to escort Jade out of the room. Everyone started leaving, when Noh thought of something and excused himself.
"Pete, I need to use the restroom. Wait for me here."
"Okay, Noh."
Noh left for the restroom, once inside, he locked the door. He dialled a familiar number that usually answers on the first ring.
"Hi, Noh. Is everything okay?"
Noh was not able to contain his chuckle. Ae was always this worried when he calls. Such a worry-wart.
"Hi, Ae. Our casting meeting ended earlier than expected. Would you be free to have dinner with us?"
"Of course, Noh. I would love that. Where?"
"Let's meet in Le Normandie in an hour. And Ae, this is a surprise to Pete. He has been a worry-wart like you for the whole week. So please don't let him know."
"Ohhhhh, sure. Thanks, Noh! See you."
Noh went back to Pete who is quietly waiting for him while fiddling on his phone.
"Pete, I'm hungry. Let's have dinner before we go home."
"Okay, Noh. I'm hungry too. Where are we eating?"
"Le Normandie. I feel like going French today. Let's go."
---
Noh and Pete arrived in Le Normandie in less than an hour an secured a table. The waiter approached them but Noh mentioned they were still waiting for someone so he just ordered coffee for him and watermelon shake for Pete.
"Hey, Noh. Who are we waiting for?"
"Just wait for awhile, Pete."
The door of the restaurant opened and Noh instinctively looked at the newcomers to see that it were Jade and Mr. Marquis. The two newcomers saw them and said hi.
"Noh and Pete, you should have told us that you are coming here. We could have come together."
"That's fine, P'Jade. We are waiting for a friend too."
"Ohhhh, I see. Then we will not bother both of you then."
As Jade left to go to their reserved table. Another newcomer came rushing to Pete and Noh's table.
"I hope I'm not late, my adorable angel."
"P'Ae!"
Pete squealed in his surprised. Ae smiled as he saw the surprised look on his angel's face. But before he could sit beside him, another set of voice called his name and took his attention.
"Ae..."
Ae slowly followed the voice and it was his turn to be suprise.
"Jade..."
Jade immediately approached Ae and hugged him, much to Ae and everyone surprise. Noh knitted his eyebrows while all the color on Pete's face were drained. Ae gently held Jade's shoulders to break away from the hug.
"Ae, I've been looking for you since I came back in Thailand but no one will tell me where you are. I guess fate has blessed me that I saw you today. I wanted to talk to you."
Ae composed himself and with a poker expression, faced Jade.
"There's nothing to talk about, Jade. Everything about us ended when you left."
Ae spoke in a low voice but every word was serious, cutting deep.
"Ae, give me a chance please. I will explain everything. I will tell..."
Ae cut Jade.
"Jade, please. There are a lot of people here. Don't embarrass me again."
Ae turned around to look at Noh and Pete. His heart felt being squeezed seeing the worry and pain on Pete's eyes while being as white as a ghost.
"Noh, let's leave. Let's have dinner at home. I'll cook for both of you."
Noh understanding that there is something huge happening, nod quietly and left a five hundred bill on the table.
Jade tried to reach Ae's arm, but the guy dismissed it silently and politely as he could. Instead, Ae approached Pete and assisted him to stand up. He held his hand and waist as they leave the restaurant, not concerning about what others will think. His priority was to get his new family out of the restaurant as fast as he could.
Jade was quiet as he saw them leave, until Mr. Marquis asked.
"Do you know him, Jade?"
"Yes, Benjamin. He is the main reason I came back to Thailand."
---
As the three them approached the parking lot, it was Ae who spoke first.
"Noh, sorry to have ruined the dinner. Can Pete ride with me? And I'll explain everything at my house. But let me make it up by preparing dinner for both of you."
"Okay, Ae. I'll follow your car then. Please be careful in driving."
"Thanks, Noh. Let's go, my angel."
Ae opened the car and Pete sat without saying a word. The shock, fear and worry was eating him from the inside. Ae locked his and Pete's seatbelt and started the car. Ae took Pete's hand, as he drove. The warmth seem to have woken Pete up from his stupor and look at his P'Ae, eyes were already glistening.
"P'Ae, so she is Jade, your ex-girlfriend?"
Ae squeezed Pete's hand before he answered.
"Yes, my adorable angel. Why was she there? Have you met her?"
"She is the director of my new project, P'Ae."
Ae sighed with the information.
"My adorable angel, have you told Noh about Jade yet?"
"Not entirely, P'Ae."
"I guess I have to come clean to Noh. Especially if you will be working with her this close. But my adorable angel, why do you look so worried?"
Pete looked at his lap and sighed.
"I'm worried, P'Ae. What if you choose to be with her again? Or what if she does something to take you away from me?"
Ae squeezed Pete's hand tighter to try to reassure this insecure angel beside him.
"Pete, remember what I said to you the night I confessed to you? The night that I asked you to give me a chance."
"Yes, P'Ae. You told me that I don't have to compete with anyone because it will always be me."
Ae smiled, feeling relieved.
"I'm glad that you remember. And it will remain true for the rest of my life, my adorable angel. In my life, it will only be you. So please, throw those worries away. I will never leave you. I promised you already. And you know that..."
"My P'Ae keeps his promises."
Pete squeezed his P'Ae's hand back and smiled. He is still worried but then he remembered his promise to himself when he admitted that he is inlove with his P'Ae,
"You promised, Pete, that you will fight your inner demons. No matter how hard, you will never run away from him."
---
Can opened the gate and saw Ae and Pete's van. As they approached the house, Can curiously asked.
"I thought the three of you will have dinner. I did not prepare anything."
"Something came up. I'll cook dinner. Could you accompany Pete for a while, Can? Noh, could you help me in the kitchen?"
Ae answered Can as he smiled to Pete.
"But P'Ae, I want to stay with you."
"Pete, I need to talk to Noh. Don't worry, all I will tell him is all that you already know. Please, my adorable angel?"
Pete reluctantly nodded. Can sensing something urgent came up, approached Pete and guided him to the living room. While Noh and Ae went to the kitchen.
"Pete, what happened? Why is P'Ae so serious?"
"Ahhhm, Can. We saw P'Jade."
Can gasped and started the barrage of questions.
"How? Where? Did you see her? What did she say to P'Ae? What did P'Ae say? How did he react? Why are you calling her P'Jade?"
Pete shook his head and can't helped but smile at Can's reaction, despite of the seriousness of the situation.
"One at a time, Can. P'Ae saw her in Le Normandie. P'Jade will be my new director for my upcoming movie. She said she has been looking for P'Ae and wanted to explain but P'Ae did not give her a chance and asked us to leave."
"What the hell! You will be working with the bitch!"
"Can, watch your mouth. She is still your senior."
"No, Pete. The moment she hurt my P'Ae, I completely forgotten that she is older than me."
Pete sighed. Can was angrier and more worried than he currently is. The P'Ae that he must have seen after the painful proposal must have been really hard to see.
Meanwhile in the kitchen, Ae was busy cooking and narrating his past relationship with Jade to Noh, who was quietly listening.
"Noh, that's basically everything."
"Do you still love her, Ae?"
"I don't anymore. You know who I love now and that will remain true for the rest of my life. But I decided to tell you everything because I have a bad feeling about her."
Noh was confused.
"What do you mean, Ae?"
"Jade came back for me. But I have no plans of going back with her. But since she will be working closely with Pete and I know I can't ask you to decline the project. I need you to look after Pete especially when she finds out about us. I hope she doesn't until the project is finished but she is really crafty. I don't want her hurting Pete in anyway."
Noh's protectiveness over Pete took over and he perfectly understood what Ae meant.
"Thanks for being honest, Ae. I understand and you know I won't let anyone hurt my Pete."
"Thanks, Noh. I'll prepare the table. Please call Can and Pete."
As they start dinner, Can keep ranting about Jade. While Ae and Pete tried their best to calm him.
"That woman better not start doing things to Pete and P'Ae or else."
"Calm down, Can. She doesn't know about me and Pete yet."
"Not yet, P'Ae. But that vixen, I know how she is when she wants someone or something."
The three of them just let the exasperated Can finish which was the whole dinner. After dinner, Pete asked Noh a question.
"Noh, can I stay with P'Ae tonight?"
Noh saw the blush on Pete's face and the surprised look on Ae's face.
"I took Pete a lot of courage to ask me this. He needed Ae. He has been handling his anxieties for today better than I expected."
"Okay, Pete. I'll pick you up by 1pm tomorrow. I'll re-schedule your interviews in the morning to a different date."
"Thanks, Noh."
Ae recovered from his surprise and invited Noh to stay but Noh declined, saying he need to prepare Pete's stuff for tomorrow and bade his goodbye.
Noh perfectly understood that the couple needed this time alone. They had just been a week old but something like this already happened. He wanted to believe that they will be able to work this out, together.
---
I hope you like this update.
I have been berrating myself. Asking myself do I really have to do it this way. But I ended up writing it. (¬_¬)
So how was their meeting for you?
Thank you for reading this. 🙇🙇🙇