"I'm not marrying her?" Mew said as he loosened his tie and sank down into the black leather sofa. A smile starting on his lips; relief seeping in through every pore of his body.
"Yes. But you are marrying her brother." Mew's mother said gesturing towards Cheer, who was perched up on a stool, opposite from him.
(A/N: I loved her in WhyRU the series. So I'm gonna cast her a Gulf's sis here.)
The relief that had seeped into his body scurried away like ants in an instant.
"What? Why?"
"Well you can't marry me now, can you?" Cheer said as she patted her swollen belly.
“But why her brother?"
"What is the problem in marrying him? Is it because he is a him not a her?" His mother continued. "And aren't you gay, so then what is the problem!?"
"What?" Mew said exasperated.
"Well there were rumors going around that you are gay and liked tying up young boys and -”
"You believe rumors going around about your own son??"
"What am I supposed to do when my son isn't very forthcoming?"
Mew took in a deep breath, trying to calm down, because Mew Suppasit didn't get angry, he was always calm and content, he never let his emotions get a hold of him.
"Okay...So what if I am gay, but that doesn't mean I am going to marry him!"
"Well if you are gay, then what is the problem in marrying him?" Mew's mother said with an exasperated sigh.
"There shouldn't be any problem." Cheer said finally. "In fact he is really happy, which he is covering up with anger. You should be happy! You are even keeping up the promise" She shut up when she saw the look on Mew's face.
If looks could kill, then you would have found tiny little pieces of Cheer scattered all around the world.
"Promise?" Mew's mother asked, curious.
"Nothing." Mew said turning towards his mother. "We can marry then get divorced when the companies merge."
"If we could do that, I would have married you long ago. But you know how my father is. He wants this marriage to last, to turn ‘friendship into a relationship'.“ Cheer said, using her fingers to quote the last part.
“But why him?" Mew muttered to himself, his head held between his hands.
But Mew's mother heard that. She sat down beside him and stroked his back. "What other option do we have Mew, he is the only sibling she has. And we already told her parents that you both are ready to marry."
"What?"
Cheer sighed. "We lied to them saying that it was love at first sight for you both, and you want to marry him and not me. No Mew, I am not going to marry you and get divorced. I already am 8 months pregnant and want to live happily with my P'Toey." she added when Mew opened his mouth to protest.
"Does your father know about you and Toey?"
"Yes. And that's why he wanted me and you to marry as soon as possible. So that our families wouldn't have to face shame or something like that. Hence I had to come up with that excuse. Which, actually is true." She winked at Mew.
Mew sighed, giving up. He couldn't do anything now, and marrying Gulf didn't sound like a bad idea, he thought. And his mind went back to the last time he had seen Gulf. He was 14 and Gulf was 8, a small smile played at his lips at the memory.
"So?" Mew's mother asked, nervous.
"Okay." Mew said as his shoulders slumped down.
"Good." His mother said excitedly and clapped her hands. "Because there is only an hour left till your marriage." and she got up.
"Wait! WHAT? Wasn't it decided to be two weeks from now?"
"That's the day when I and P'Toey get married." Cheer said a dreamy smile on her face.
"We have to hide the fact that you and Gulf are getting married, as it might come in between his career. So it's just going to be a private affair at the court. So, go get dressed in your best suit young man." Mew's mother said and she left with Cheer.
Mew sighed and slumped back into the sofa. He had forgotten Gulf was a soccer player whose popularity was rapidly climbing up, and any wrong move would mean the end of his career.
And then it hit him that he was marrying a soccer player, 'The Baby Faced Assassin' as everyone calls him, and he groaned inwardly dialing his secretary to cancel the remaining meetings of the day.
Mew sat patiently waiting for Gulf in the registry office. Well he appeared patient on the outside which was in contrast to the restlessness inside him; it took a lot of self control to stop him from pacing back and forth.
He read the same line for the fifth time again and finally gave up. He folded the newspaper back neatly and placed it back on the table.
The realization that Gulf was now an celebrity took some time to sink in. Until recently, like an hour or two ago, he thought of Gulf as the 7-year-old bratty kid who threw around tantrums just because he could; and now he was going to see a new Gulf, a Gulf who was completely different from the one from his childhood.
He sighed and checked his watch again, Gulf was an hour late. Mew hated tardiness. He expected everything to be on time, nor too late nor too early; and now this new relationship of his already had a tardy start, and it took a lot of effort to stop him from leaving and coming back dragging Gulf behind him to get over this fast.
He was distracted from his aimless staring at the newspaper in front of him by the sound of the door opening.
He turned around to find a rather slender man enter, wearing a pink and white suit, his hair were bleached, a cat-like smile on his lips.
And Mew took an instant dislike to him. He didn't understand why people found the need to bleach or dye their hair. He preferred the natural black or brown rather than those chemicals.
The man introduced himself as Kaownah, Gulf's manager.
“Gulf is coming up, he got caught by his sister on the way.” he said with a sly smile.
Mew internally prayed, sending silent prayers, praying that Gulf should have a normal hair color and not some ungodly color like purple, red, green or something along those lines.
His breath got caught, when a mass of red hair walked in, dressed in a black tuxedo, with black Italian shoes. He would have appreciated his sense of dressing if he wasn't so distracted by his hair. (A/N: I came up with this hair color when I saw a pic of Gulf wearing a red wig from The Shopee event)
Mew's mother got up from where she sat beside him exclaiming excitedly, "He's here! he's here!"
Mew was woken up from his daze by his mother's excited squeals to notice Cheer entering behind Gulf, scolding him.
"How could you be late for your own wedding? Have you no sense!?" she winked and grinned at Mew when their eyes met.
"I'm sorry." Gulf muttered and sat down beside Mew on the chair his mother had just vacated.
The official pushed the papers towards the couple sitting in front of him. "Please sign here." he said.
Mew signed them first and then gave the papers to Gulf, without even looking at him.
He had had one look, and all he saw was the red hair and the ear piercings, and he had enough.
(A/N: Thank you Miyu_devine for this awesome edit. This is how I pictured Gulf in this story.)
Piercings he could get used to it, but that unnatural color, he knew he couldn't get used to that.
"I need a pen." Gulf said nonchalantly as he shrugged his shoulders.
Mew groaned inwardly, and cursed himself for groaning, and then again cursed himself for cursing himself.
Mew Suppasit never groaned nor did he curse nor did he make any such other disapproving noises like he had been making since the past two hours.
How can someone not carry a pen with them? And he gave Gulf his pen to sign.
Gulf took it without a word, signed wherever necessary and pushed the papers towards the official.
"Mr Mew and Mr Gulf, you are now officially married. Have a wonderful married life-" The magistrate shut up when he met two pairs of deathly glares.
"So a little reminder to you both. We are having a family dinner at our place tomorrow to celebrate your marriage, so don't be late!" Cheer chirped cheerfully, oblivious to the tense atmosphere surrounding Mew and Gulf.
Cheer and Mew's mother left after everything else was settled, arm in arm, discussing the upcoming wedding.
Mew and Gulf waited outside at the curb for the car, trying to resurface from the awkward silence that was engulfing them.
Mew cleared his throat, turned around to Gulf, his hand stretched out. "I'm Mew Suppasit."
Gulf looked at him in disbelief, but anyways shook Mew's hand.
"I'm Gulf Kanawut."
Mew mentally slapped his brain, after years of going to all those meetings and introducing himself, his brain had been permanently programmed to introduce himself so formally.
Obviously he knows who I am. For God's sake he married me.
"Uh how are you doing?" Mew asked, cursing himself for such a lame conversation.
“Good. You?"
"Fine." Mew said and turned away, stopping himself from embarrassing himself anymore.
When the car arrived, he practically jumped into it, trying to run away from the awkward silence that had engulfed them again.
Other than the hair and those piercings, Mew was surprised that Gulf hadn't changed much. Those large brown puppy eyes remained the same, in fact they looked as if they got even bigger.
One look at him and all the past memories started replaying in his head; and a small sigh escaped him and he leaned back in to his chair, hoping everything goes alright from here on.
Gulf saw Mew relax beside him, and he felt himself relax too.
One second he was scoring a goal in the field and the next he was hurrying to his wedding which he had not even imagined in his wildest dreams.
Yeah he was a playboy, a flirt, but he never saw himself as somebody who would get married so early in his life. To begin with he was only 22 and was marrying someone who was 28, (but he looked like a 40 year old teacher to Gulf from the way he carried himself around), not just anybody but a man, his Phii~ to be precise.
He didn't remember much, but he remembered playing with him, looking up to him, and now he was married to him.
He couldn't even make the head or tail of his feelings.
He was disappointed and angry that he was forced to get married, but was also a bit relieved that he hadn't married any stranger, but his Phii~.
He gave up reasoning his feelings when Mew shook him a bit informing him, that they were here.
He knew Mew was rich, but this stinking rich, he had never imagined. There is a freaking helipad on the top of the apartment complex! This guy puts on less than he has.
As soon as he entered Mew's apartment, he whistled in admiration. His place was adorned in blues and whites, giving a calm and soothing feeling, it was a very tranquil place and he liked it instantly.
"Gulf this is Mrs May, the housekeeper." Mew said with a smile.
And he bowed to the kind looking lady a bit taken aback. He had spent the past few hours with Mew and he hadn‘t seen Mew smile like that, not even towards his own mother. Maybe she is someone special Gulf thought.
She went back to the kitchen and Mew led Gulf to the bedroom.
"Yours is the one at the end. This is mine." He said and pointed towards the door at his right.
"You'll find everything you need stocked, and as for your other stuff, Cheer said she would send it in tomorrow. So make yourself at home."
Gulf walked into his room, it was a bit smaller than his own, but he could do with this. He dumped his Tux jacket on the large bed covered in satins and went in for a bath.
After his bath he walked in to the kitchen to find Mew sitting on the kitchen stool talking animatedly to Mrs May. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt paired with an equally boring plain grey pajamas.
“I was just about to send Mew to call you out for dinner." Mrs May said with a smile, when she saw Gulf.
Mew turned around, "A nice set of pajamas you have there." he said with a smirk.
Gulf was wearing his favorite pjs, the one that had small cats on them, and he was very much offended.
"At least they are better than yours, old man." he huffed.
"Now now." Mrs May said. "Come the food is getting cold."
Gulf sat down beside Mew, he was still fuming about the pajama remark.
"Hey now, my food didn't do anything to make you angry. So don't take it out on it." Mrs May said with mock anger.
Gulf grinned at her sheepishly and stopped picking at the salad in his plate and dug in.
He watched the conversation flow between the other two; Mew did most of the talking.
And whenever his eyes met with Mrs May, she would look pleadingly at him, mouthing a 'save me' to him.
And Gulf took an instant liking to her.
Mew was done first and excused himself to his study.
"He is a nice man." She said as she cleared the plates.
"He might tend to be strict and a bit irrational at times, but deep down he is a really kind man."
Gulf just nodded back at her. Well Mew did try to get to know him earlier, but the disapproving looks he shot at him didn't go unnoticed.
"I don't even know what I have done wrong, but he keeps looking at me, like I have done some grave mistake or something." Gulf said with a shrug.
"That, you should ask him." Mrs May said, a knowing smile on her face.
When Mrs May had cleared up after them, she went home, telling Gulf that he could come to her, if he ever needed anything.
Gulf tried to busy himself in watching re-runs of old lakrons, but his mind was still trying to grasp his situation. It still was unbelievable for him that he was married now. He didn't even know what exactly marriage meant. He wondered how his life would change now. Will he eventually come to like it or will he be trapped, with no way out?
"I'm going to bed." he heard Mew say.
He got up from where he sat and saw Mew heading towards the bedrooms.
Mew turned around. "You should sleep too; you have some schedule or something tomorrow right?"
Gulf nodded. He switched off the tv and went to his room.
**********
In the morning Mew was woken up by the loud noise blaring out from outside.
Gulf was up and about; he was jumping around the hall, roaring cheers and profanities. The TV is playing some soccer match in a loud volume.
Mew groaned and he placed the pillow beside him on his ear as shield, to stop the noise. And the instant he did that, the volume increased more.
He looked at the bedside watch beside him. It was 12, he was up early.
Sundays were the only days when he allowed himself to sleep in, it was the only holiday he got, the only day he could rest, and now even that was being taken away from him.
"Will you shut the fuck up!!!" Mew screamed, when he heard Gulf cursing like a sailor.
He sat up, taking deep breaths, trying to calm himself down.
In the last 24 hours he had done things he had never done before. Mew Suppasit never swore, nor he groaned aloud nor did he do any other such uncharacteristic things.
He sighed. God what's happening to me?
He went outside to find his hall a mess. All the cushions were on the floor. The coffee table was moved. Gulf was jumping from couch to couch, cheering aloud.
He was wearing a black wife beater and white shorts, sweating furiously.
Mew found the remote to the TV and switched them off.
"Hey man!" Gulf pouted at him.
He turned away immediately, such an expression, added to the way Gulf was dressed was too much for him to take so early in the morning.
"Don't you have to go to your practice or something?"
"Yeah I do! I was warming up for that!"
"Some warming up you do." Mew muttered to himself and went to the kitchen where Mrs May handed him his glass of orange juice.
"You disturbed my entertainment." she said with a pout, resembling the one he saw just a few seconds ago.
Mew shook his head. "Not you too now."
She laughed, and placed his breakfast in front of him.
"He ate?" Mew asked not looking up from his food.
"Yeah." she smiled fondly at him.
Mew just nodded back at her, too busy eating to reply back.
The intercom buzzed and after a few minutes he heard Kaownah's voice coming from the hall.
"That old bear is filthy rich." Kaownah said in astonishment.
Mew groaned at the name he was given.
"Hey, you do look like a bear, isn't that what Tar calls you?" Mrs May said chuckling softly.
Mew narrowed his eyes at her. She lifted up her hands in defense.
"Where is he?" Mew heard Kaownah ask.
"Slurping his honey for breakfast." Gulf said, and he heard Gulf and Kaownah's guffaws .
Mew bit his lip, his eyes narrowed at Mrs May who was now laughing.
"He definitely is an interesting man." She said in between her fits of laughter.
"Oh we'll see how interesting he is." He said.
After a few minutes, Gulf came to the kitchen. "I'm leaving, will be back in some time. 'Kay?"
Mew just grunted in response, still furious.
"What did he say?" Kaownah asked Gulf, when Gulf went back to the hall.
"He said something in his bear language."
"It's okay; I'll buy you a bear to human language translation book on the way."
And Mrs May doubled over laughing seeing the expression on Mew's face.
After a few important calls after breakfast, Mew found himself in Gulf's room, where Mrs May was sorting out Gulf's stuff that Cheer had sent.
He flopped down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
"Are you happy with your marriage?" Mrs May asked.
Mew thought for a while. "I don't know actually. It's confusing. I get angry and frustrated easily now. You know right, I don't behave like this. And he isn't what I had imagined him to be." he said with a shrug.
"I know one thing though; you don't like his hair color."
He groaned. "Don't even start with that. I don't think I'll ever come to like it."
Mrs May chuckled. "It's not that bad, it looks good on him."
Mew felt his phone vibrate, Cheer was calling.
"Hello?" Cheer shouted over the loud noise Mew could hear behind her.
Mew kept the phone at a distance from his ears, "Yeah."
"I called to remind you about the dinner at my parents place. Remember they think you both are hopelessly in love, so you have act all lovey-dovey in front of them. Okay?"
"Fine."
"So, go get your sorry ass ready, it's a long drive from your place. See you later." and she hung up.
He sighed and got up.
Looks like a long day today.
**********
A/N
Hey guys. Hope you like this story and please do comment abt ur opinion.
Love
Prijongsuk