𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏

Surrounding by journalists, media, and reporters were standing at the hallway. Spotlights, cameras, flashes from the media, and the fans screaming and thrilling as soon as Gemini and Mint came out and took a walk on the red carpet while waving and smiling to their fans as sign of aprreciation and overwhelm.

As Fourth preparing his stuff in his new house from his parent's birthday gift. Ironing his uniform suit, packing his stuffs, and cook for breakfast, before go to school. Memorizing the exam reviewers while driving at the middle of the road.

He was driving in the middle of the road to go to university while memorizing the midterm exam reviewer. A fourth year college, taking a law course. His phone vibrated, and I saw a message when my mom's number popped up on my screen.

"Don't be late, my son. We have a dinner tonight," his mom sent a message.

"Khab, ma." I sent a voice message,

He saw his friend right after he arrived at the school parking lot. Waiting for Fourth to pissed him off, he threw a dirty look as he got out from the car, seems to be done with them.

"Praise God, our Fourth is here." Prom teased him right away. His bestfriend since highschool.

"Don't interrupt me if you guys want fucking answers." He sigh and walk away.

"Ai' Fourth. Wait for us!!" 

Gemini attend the GMM Award together with his showbiz couple for an awarding. "The best series of the year goes to... 'My Husband in Law" starting with Mr. Gemini Norawit and Ms. Mint Patranikorn."

"The best couple of the year goes to... Mr. Gemini Norawit and Ms. Mint Patranikorn."

Almost thousands of co-artists and directors gave a loud applause and some screams of their own from the fans, after the names of the two couples who will be awarded consecutively were announced. Standing at the big stage facing a crowded audience of journalists, media, and reporters, together with his showbiz partner.

"Thank you for this award, thank you for these achievements, and to our fans, thank you for supporting us." He gave a overwhelming speech.

"The best actor of the year... Goes to...

Mr. Gemini Norawit!" The speaker announced it.

He had goosebumps when the speaker mentioned his name, full of confidence, and walked on the stage again with his solo achievements.

"Thank you for another achievement. Thank you for my family, friends, co-artists, and my fans who support me. It is a great honor for me to receive this award. Thank you, everyone." He gave another speech and raised the trophy with happiness.

After a long day, Fourth arrived at his parent's house for dinner. As he stepped in, his mom immediately approached him and greet him, "You're here. How's your exam?"

"A very exhausting exam day." Fourth sigh. His eyes confirmed how he feel the tiredness after school.

Fourth halted momentarily and left in dazed as soon as he saw his childhood friend, auntie, and uncle sitting at the dining area, waiting for him. He put his palms together and shook his head slightly to pay respect.

"Goodeve, Auntie and Uncle... Gem." Fourth, greet them with his warm beam but wondering. He feel restless and confused at the same time.

"Good evening, N'Fourth." His aunt greeted him back.

While they were having dinner, the deafening silence echoes through the entire dining area. Not until Fourth's dad caught their attention with the announcement."Everyone, I have an announcement. This past few months, Uen and I decided that Fourth and Gemini will get married next month." Quan's declared, which makes caught everyone attentions.

Gemini drank some water as he choked while eating after he heard the unexpected announcement, as Fourth's spoon and the pork slid through his hand and fell on the plate, full of surprised.

"Fourth." Pan said, she rubs his son's back. Fourth's mom.

"No, I don't agree!" Gemini against about the announcement. He states with a hot-tempered.

"Gemini." Nhai spoke with a calm voice. Gemini's mom.

"I have a girlfriend. And I don't want to ruin my career because of this bullshit announcement--

"Gemini!" Uen yelled to his son. Gemini's dad.

"Dad." Gemini arguing and seems to be upset.

"We're in your uncle's house, show some respect!" He ask for Gemini's behavior.

"Ma, Auntie Pan... Are you agree with this?" Gem asked with a calmed tone. In a few seconds, Pan and Nhai were quite when they looked at him, and Gem smirked a little as if he realized Pan and Nhai knew about this announcement.

"No, stop playing around... This is not funny anymore." He smirk sarcastically, thinking that it's a half joke.

"Gemini, it's just a marriage." Uen tries to convince his son.

Gem promptly stood up and faced his dad. He said boldly, "Dad, did you hear what you've said? Just... a marriage. Marriage is only for two people who love each other! You want me to get married to the person I never loved?"

Fourth tilts his head and threw a  gazed at Gemini with a disappointment, his eyes glistening... But Gemini's glare was extremely mad.

"But you and Fourth have been childhood friends since birth, haven't you ever loved him?" His dad asked him.

"I love him as my friend, as brother... But I don't want to get married." Gemini said clearly. He threw a glance at Fourth right after he speak and break away.

He added, "I'm full, thank you for dinner."

Gemini took a short walk away from the dining area, planning to leave the house. When he reached his parked car, and immediately opened it, but suddenly, Fourth blocked him by closing the car door. 

"Gem." Fourth said with hushed tone.

"Fourth, please..." A sound of lazy voice form Gemini, he sigh deepened.

"Is it true... that you only love me as a. . . Friend?" He said sharply. Fourth questions their bond.

Gemini break away from the eye contact. He closed his eyes and gulped down, controlling his tempered towards Fourth and tries to calm down. "Yes, because you're my little brother. Is there's anything wrong?" 

"But I've been waiting for you for so long because I like you-

"Fourth, it's been a years since the last time we met. I'm sorry but I can't give the love you feel for me." He said abruptly and bluntly, which silence me.

He opened the door of car to hop on. But, before he get inside, he turned back to Fourth and left a words, "By the way, my glad that we meet again."

Gemini hop on to his car and start the engine to drive away.

*10 years ago

Fourth's POV:

Gemini and I were playing in the backyard of our house every day because our house is next to each other. We're in the tree house we made together as a room storage for our stuff toys because our parents were mad every time they saw our toys clattering on the house.

Sometimes we slept together in his bedroom and sometimes in my bedroom. Our family wasn't bothered because my dad and his dad had been mutual friends since high school. We're always together, to the point that  they can't separate us. We used sleep together, eat together, play together, take a bath together, and go to school together. Just like a normal friends and brothers do,

But unfortunately, I confessed to Gemini that can the wind blow changed and everything was vanished. Paticularly, when uncle Uen and auntie Nhai decided to go abroad for Gemini's college.

"P'Gem, I like-" I  almost confess.

"Fotfot, my parents decided to go to Canada." He abrupt and gasped sadly.

"Huh? You're leaving? How long will you stay in Canada? When will you go back here?" I said, full of sadness.

"Until I finished college." He answered.

"Huh?! How long? I'll go with you. I don't have a friend here." I begins to shed tears and my voice cracking.

"Fourth, you can't. You're still studying in high school."

I burst into tears and Gemini just gave me a comfort hug. But suddenly, I pushed him and got down to the ladder in our tree house. I ran toward our house while wailing, I locked myself in my bedroom.

It was midnight when he sneaked out to their house just to come over to my bedroom. As he reached the balcony of my room and tried to knock on the glass sliding door while calling my name, "N' Fourth! Fotfot! I know you're still awake. Please, open the door. Nah?" 

I got up from lying down to approach the balcony and open the curtain. He smiled at me. Although I harbored a grudge, I let him in because of his nagging that he was knocking loudly. 

"What are you doing here? It's already 1 a.m." I said with a drowsy voice.

When he got inside, I immediately close the window and pull back the curtain. "I sneak out, I want to sleep here."

He dive into the bed and seems to be excited to sleep together, but I refused, "No, you should go back to your bedroom. I can't sleep when you sleep here!" 

"Fourth, are you still sulking?"  He whispered so soft.

"You're leaving, so I should try to convince myself to sleep alone... Because I'm not used to sleeping without you." I frown.

"Fotfot, stop sulking. I'll promise if we arrive in Canada, you are the first one I will call, and I will update you every day." He grabbed my hand and pulled to bed for sleep. Gemini covered ourselves with the blanket and put his bicep under my head serves as a pillow. I bury my face on his chest and cuddling each other.

When I woke up and realized Gemini was no longer on my bed, I noticed my window was opened. He left sticky notes on my lamp. Fotfot, I need to go back to my bedroom before my parents awaken. - Gem.

I can't help but chuckled after read the note. I keep Gemini's sticky notes in my big jar and collect them. I have a lot of his letters, to the point where my big jar was about to fill up, and I never told him about collecting his letters.

*The day of flight

"Fotfot! Fotfot! Open the door, please. Don't you want to see me before I leave?" Gemini whispers while knocking at my door.

"Leave! I don't want to see you again. You're so unfair! I hate you! I hate you!!" I screamed the echoes throught out my room, filled of grudge. Hugging my knees on bed while crying and growling like a lost child.

"I'm sorry, fotfot." He whispers, 

A few moments passed,  I realized that I no longer heard his name behind the closed door. I open the door and ran hurriedly to chase him, "P' Gem! P' Gem!"

When I was in a distance of Gemini's house I saw the car in front of their house starting to drove away, I ran as fast as I can just to chased them.

"P' Gem!! P' Gem!!" I scream while calling his name. I was tired to chased the car, my knee was trembling and weakling because of tiredness. Suddenly, my knee fell on the ground. Gasping for a breath. Staring at the car drove away. I bend down my head slightly while sobbing and hiccuping as if I was hoping now for nothing.

I lose my hope to see him again.

Not until I saw a shadow who block the sunlight, I slowly lift my head then I saw Gemini standing in front of me. He offer his hand with a open palm and help me to stand up,

"stand up, I thought you doesn't want to see me again." He teased.

"P' Gem."

I ignore his hand that he offer to lift me up, I hurriedly stand up and wrapped my open arm around to his waist for a last hug. I release all the tears in his shoulder while hugging him, It took the moment for a seconds to the point the I want everything to stop, but it's impossible.

"I'll promise that once I graduate in high school, I'll follow you in Canada." I promised.

"Okay, I'll be waiting for you." Gem smirked and he pat my head.

"Gem, let's go...we'll gonna missed our boarding." Auntie Nhai standing at the middle of the road, waiting for his son.

"We're leaving, don't be stubborn to Auntie Pan and Uncle Quan. Take care of yourself." Gemini said. He turned his back on me and stepped away, I was holding to his hand so firmly.I don't want to let go of his hand, because I know this is the last day for seeing each other. I wax praying and hoping, even just a minute. Until, Our hand slowly slipped away, I was sniffing and sobbing while seeing him walking in distance.

I can't help but praying that he will turn his head to see me before he hop on the car, and I was surprised when Gemini turn back and ran towards me for a last hug again and gave a kiss in forehead with a great emphasis. I was blank that moment, after I felt his lips on my forehead. He left me in dazed. He ran away and wave at me before he hop on to the car and left me in the middle of the road.

Many days passed by, Gemini always updating me whenever he go, what time he go to school, Face time while eating at the same time, and video calls at night while talking about what we did in entirre day until he fall asleep.

Until one day, I can't reach Gemini's phone. I tries to call him many times but I can't reached out, I begans to confused and anxious because the missed calls was reached in 100 times but his phone was out of coverage. And I couldn.'t help it. I can help but to shred tears uncontrollably, trying to contact his number but can't reached at all.

"Ai' Gem, where are you... Please answer my calls." My voice was broken. I lost my hope. My hand was trembling while dialing his number countless times. Still hoping that he will answer my calls, but, one day I realized that I hoping for nothing. I his phone number due to the tiredness and grudge, it was tired of waiting for someone who wasn't sure if will come back.