S. F. - 29

***

New.

"What are you doing here?"

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion at Earth who was waiting for me in front of my unit when I got home. In his hand was a bouquet of red roses.

"I thought you're coming home tomorrow."

"Were you surprised?" he grinned at me before handing me the flowers.

"Who wouldn't be when you just called hours ago saying you won't be back until tomorrow," I playfully hit his arm and opened my unit.

"The convention ended earlier than expected and besides I missed you. Don't you miss me?" he asked tenderly as he followed me inside.

I carefully placed the flowers on the table turned to face him

"Tsss. We've been with each other like literally every day for almost a year. And I'm starting to grow tired of your face already," I playfully snorted at him.

One thing that I liked about Earth was his ability to make me feel at ease. Or was this because of the sense of home he had given me for the past months?

"Wow. That hurts."

I snickered when he acted like he was in pain and started clutching his chest.

"Funny."

He plopped down on the sofa and didn't say a thing which was unusual. For most times, he would have been already pestering me as his way of compensating for the days that we hadn't seen each other.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked as I sat beside him but he just looked at me with tired eyes. "You should have went home straight so you could rest."

Instead of answering, he just lied down on the sofa and rested his head on my lap, his way of telling me to run my fingers through his hair.

"But I can rest more when I'm with you," he heaved a deep sigh as he grabbed my hand and started playing with my fingers.

"Tsss. Silly."

"New."

"Hmmm?"

"Are you coming back to him?"

"Huh?"

"Tawan. Are you, are you coming back to him?"

For some reasons, the non-existent lump in my throat made it hard to swallow.

Silence enveloped us as none of us ever said a word. I avoided his gaze and looked at the night sky which could be seen through the glass wall.

I didn't know what to say. At the moment, I could say that I was angry at Tay, frustrated at Tay. But a part of me was starting to soften up, I was sure of it. And I was afraid that the more I spend time with Tay, the more I become vulnerable and eventually give in to him.

I wanted to secure my emotions. I had to secure my emotions, my feelings. I had to secure myself for I didn't wanna be hurt by the same man all over again.

I got out of my thoughts when Earth squeezed my hands and held them tightly.

"Promise me that if he hurts you again, you'll come to me. Promise me New. Please, promise me."

And all I could do was nod.

***

"What's happening?"

I was greeted by the employees excited faces. They were gathered in the hallway and murmurs filled the air as they talked about something.

"Good morning, Mr Techaapaikhun."

"Good morning. What's the commotion all about and why is everyone gathered here?"

"Uhm. Mr Vihokratana just came by to announce that he's treating all the employees to a beach trip this weekend."

My eyebrows immediately furrowed upon hearing what Prigkhing said.

"And why is he treating everyone?"

"He didn't say the reason, but I guess it has something to do with the company's transfer of ownership and— I-I'm sorry. We'll be back to our tables, Sir."

She quickly apologized. All of them then started scampering back to their posts.

I quickly went inside my office and slammed the door behind me.

"Huh. He really had the audacity to celebrate. The nerve of that guy."

***

I groaned as my phone was ringing incessantly. It was a Saturday and I was planning to stay in bed all day. To hell with that beach party. I didn't have plans of attending it in the first place.

With eyes still closed, I grabbed the phone from the bedside table and answered the call. I didn't mind looking at the screen for I supposed it was Earth.

"Yeees," I greeted sluggishly as I didn't have the energy to yell at him for disturbing my sleep.

"Where are you?"

"Beed. W-"

"Get ready in 20 minutes. I'm already outside your unit."

"Why, where are—"

My eyes went wide open as I suddenly realized something.

"Fuck," I muttered silently as I looked at the phone screen and saw an unregistered number. But despite the unknown number, I knew his voice too damn well.

"Who's this?" I pretended to not know or I'd definitely satisfy his ego.

"I guess you're still sleepy for you to not recognize my voice."

I rolled my eyes as Tay chuckled on the other line.

"Bye!"

I immediately ended the call and put my phone on silent mode.

"Tsss.. I don't care if you wait there the whole day."

***

I was already about to dive into a deep slumber when I found myself being lifted.

"What the hell!"

I gasped as I stared at Tay who, apparently, invaded my unit and how? I didn't have a fucking clue.

"What are you doing here? How the fuck did you get inside??!"

Then I remembered giving him my passcode when we were still...what should I call it? Flirting? Playing around?

I was deeply surprised by his sudden appearance, not to mention the fact that he was carrying me in his arms. But the jerk just smirked at me and started walking towards the bathroom.

I immediately flung my arm around his neck for support. "Put me down you moron!"

"No. Now, unless you want me to bathe you, you better-"

"Fine! Fine! Just put me down, okay? You're making me nervous!" I mentally groaned when I realized what I just said.

I rushed inside the bathroom the moment Tay put me down.

"Urghhh! See I told you, you should have changed your code! New, you're such a fucking idiot!"

I took the quickest shower I'd ever done in my entire life.

I heaved a a deep sigh of relief when I found a towel inside or else I would have to go out all in my naked glory.

"I suppose he already went out of the bedroom, right?" I muttered to myself as I grabbed the door open.

I tightened my grip on my towel and peeked behind the door. The heavens must have heard my prayers for I didn't see him.

"New! I already packed you some clothes. Hurry change into this one."

I jolted when he just popped out of nowhere and handed me a pink Hawaiian shirt and white shorts.

"Where did you get that? It's not even mine," I protested as I had never laid my eyes on that pink shirt.

"Just wear it okay."

I just stared at him.

Like seriously? Who was he to order me to do things?

"Okay, fine. I'll wear this on you then."

I might've screamed a little when he grabbed my arm and started slipping the shirt on me.

"Heey.. What the fuck are you doing?? Fine, fine. I'll wear it. I'll do it!"

I immediately whisked his hand away as I could feel my heart beating against my chest just by the simple touch of his skin against mine. And I didn't want him to notice that. But as soon as I used my force to make him stay away from me, something else came loose.

"Oh shit!" I immediately picked up the towel from the floor and covered myself again.

"Why?" Tay exclaimed and I couldn't be more embarrassed as he continued gawking at my groin.

"What? What 'why?'"

"Why did you cover Newwiee? I wanna see Newwiee!"

***

I could feel all my blood rushing towards my face as I glanced at Tay who just told me what happened on the night he first saw "Newwiee."

Ughh. For fuck's sake, New.

As a matter of fact, I rarely get drunk because one, I lose total control of myself and two, there's a eighty percent chance of me totally forgetting about what happened.

I shifted my position on the passenger seat. We were already heading towards the venue of the said beach party and being in the same narrow space as he was just made me anxious.

"You're turning into a tomato," he remarked all of sudden before chuckling.

"A what??"

"A tomato. Your face's red. Oh come on. There's no need to be embarrassed. It's not like I'm not gonna see it again."

I literally choked on my saliva as he gave me a side eye.

"Fuck you. And why would I show it again to you??"

He didn't say a word and just snickered. I was sure he had this all planned. He literally had a luggage of newly bought clothes for me. Not to mention the blue Hawaiian shirt he was wearing.

I slightly clutched my stomach when I heard it grumbling. I hadn't eaten breakfast yet, all because of this jerk.

Tay glanced at me before making a turn towards the nearby fast food restaurant.

"You want drive thru or dine in?

"Dine in. Just dine in," I immediately replied as I could already foretell him using driving as an excuse for me to feed him.

***

Tay had always been a head turner and it was no different when we stepped inside.

I rolled my eyes as the girls in the area started gushing over Tay in the most obvious way.

I followed Tay towards the counter whilst mentally cursing the girls who didn't even show any sign of shame as they took out their phones and started snapping photos of him.

"What do you want?"

I snapped out of my thoughts when Tay turned to me and held my arm.

"Ju-just anything."

"Okay. I'll just get you the same thing."

I caught a glance at the girls earlier as we looked for a table and noticed that they were scowling at me.

"Tsss."

"You look cute when you're jealous," Tay grinned at me as he held the tray containing our food.

"I'm not!" I immediately quipped as we settled at a table near the glass wall.

"But your face says otherwise."

"Tsss. Don't be too full of yourself. By the way, how much do I owe you?"

"No worries. My treat."

I started munching on my food, avoiding his gaze as much as possible. But the jerk just started kicking my legs out of nowhere.

"What?!" I exclaimed without even realizing that I attracted some attention.

"Aren't you gonna talk to me?" he asked as he pouted his lips like some kid asking for a candy.

He looked cute. I mean, he looked like a cute insect.

"Why would I?" I snarled at him and went back to eating.

"Oh, come on. The girls are ogling at me. Aren't you gonna do something?"

I didn't say a thing and just kept eating.

"A girl's approaching us. Should I give my number if she asks for it?"

True enough, a woman who seemed to be in her mid twenties approached our table.

"Hi. Can you get your number?"

Both of us froze the moment the woman asked for we were expecting her to talk to Tay, but instead she was talking to me. I caught a glance at Tay who had a grim look on his face.

"Huh?" I asked in confusion as she flashed a wide smile.

"I mean, that is if you don't have a girlfriend yet."

She then awkwardly handed her phone to me. I was about to reject her politely when all of  a sudden, Tay grabbed her phone and punched some digits.

"It's my cousin's number. He doesn't have a girlfriend yet. Now, can you leave so my boyfriend and I can continue having our breakfast?"

The woman immediately turned on her heels and went back to her table.

"Boyfriend?" I cocked an eyebrow at Tay who leaned on his seat and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Why? Aren't you?"

I scoffed at his arrogance. I leaned back on my seat and crossed my arms as well.

"May I remind you that you lost your one and only chance of becoming my boyfriend the moment you left. Now, can we just continue eating? I'm pretty sure the others have already arrived at God-knows-where you booked us for the party."

***

I might have snapped my neck as I abruptly turned to him as I noticed a very familiar path.

"Seriously? Of all places?" I scoffed as he parked in front of the very same resort where we spent a vacation together.

He just shrugged his shoulders and gestured me to come out.

"Here they are!"

I heaved a deep sigh as the employees started gathering around us the moment we went out of the car.

"Mr Tay, we thought you bailed on us. There's no way we can afford such luxury," Ms Nook commented to which everyone approved of.

Tay scratched the back of his head and chuckled.

When did he become close to them? Tsss.

"Come on. How can I? We just stopped by for some breakfast since New hadn't eaten yet.

The area then became silent. Well maybe because they hadn't seen me interact with them on such a friendly level. As much as possible, I wanted them to maintain an employer-employee relationship between us.

"By the way. What's with theee—"

Everybody glanced at Jennie who alternately pointed at us. It was then I remembered that we were actually wearing couple Hawaiian shirts.

"Oh. Why? Can't I wear matching shirt with the one I'm courting?"

***