THEWEDDINGPLAN, Chapter 2:
The customer is king, no matter how absurd they are—kings remain kings, day or night.
In his five years of working, Namnuea had learned that organizing weddings was a chaotic affair. But no matter how tight the deadlines, the biggest challenge was always… the clients.
Clients who wanted this, that, and everything their way—he was ready to handle their pickiness. But this time, he’d just met a bride who…
[I have to apologize, but for wedding details, Khun Nuea, it’s better to ask Phii Lom. I’m giving him full decisionmaking power.]
A bride who deferred to the groom for every aspect of the wedding planning.
“And don’t you have any vision for the wedding, Ms. Yiwa? Like the event style? How about I suggest a mix of Chinese banquet tables and cocktails? Chinese tables for the older guests, but we’d also have cocktail service. Since this event will likely have a lot of friends attending, a self-serve style could offer good variety.”
[That sounds nice, but Khun Nuea, you’ll have to check with Phii Lom to see if he’s okay with it. I’m fully following the groom’s lead.]
A bride who didn’t even have a dream wedding in mind. “And what about the event theme, Ms. Yiwa? Do you have any specific theme in mind?”
[The event theme? That’s tough. Back in university, when My friends asked me to think of a theme for a senior farewell party, I couldn’t come up with anything. Hmm, how about lots of flowers? But Phii Lom probably wouldn’t like that. Khun Nuea, you’d better ask Phii Lom what theme he wants.]
A bride who hadn’t discussed anything with the groom beforehand.
“And what about the hotel? I’ve sent a list of five-star hotels with available banquet halls for the dates you mentioned via email. Is there any place you’re particularly interested in, Ms. Yiwa? Or if you want to visit the venues in person, I can arrange for the person in charge to meet us.”
[I’m interested in the hotels near my place. There were two on the list you sent.]
This is the first time this conversation has started to make sense.
“Alright, should I schedule a visit to check out the venues in person?”
[But I’m not sure if Phii Lom will like them, I said. I’ll send the hotel names to Phii Lom for him to review, and then have Phii Lom contact you. It’s a good thing mine and Phii Lom’s wedding date isn’t during a popular time, or we’d never find a banquet hall in time.]
The bride probably realized how tight the timeline was. Most people book banquet halls a year in advance, but here they were, three months out, with no venue secured. Still… “Is it really okay to let the groom decide everything?” Smack your mouth, Nuea!
Even the speaker knew his tone carried a slight jab, enough to make Sister Eim whip her head around, giving him a look that made the hairs on his arms stand up. But he was at his limit with these clients who answered every question with “I don’t know,” “Haven’t thought about it,” or “Up to Phii Lom.” Even something as critical as the banquet hall wasn’t on their radar. And most importantly… why was everything dumped on that clueless groom?
The bride was easy to talk to but offered nothing concrete. The groom was nearly impossible to schedule, and his answer was always “anything goes.”
Wedding planners aren’t gods who can read the minds of brides and grooms and magically make things happen. It’d be easier to let the parents of the bride and groom get involved at this point.
Following the bride’s mother’s orders would be simpler than prying anything out of the bride herself.
Yet, the bride just laughed it off, unbothered.
[I really have to apologize to you. This wedding seems like it’s going to be quite a hassle for the team, especially for you Khun Nuea, who’s probably more exhausted than anyone.] There was something… oddly suggestive in the bride’s tone. Namnuea pushed the thought aside and focused on the matter that needed to be settled today.
“You mentioned that you have finalized the guest count, right? It’s around five hundred people, correct?” The number of guests was crucial for booking a banquet hall of the right size.
Although the list of hotels and banquet hall sizes sent to the couple via email had been calculated for about five hundred guests, he needed to confirm for certainty.
[Oh, I heard Phii Lom has a rough guest list already. His family has finalized their guest count as well. Khun Nuea, you should check with him. Oh, and sorry, Khun Nuea, you have to go now. Please take care of things!]
And with that, the bride hung up, leaving the listener… hanging. Crash!
“Goddamn it!!! Is this wedding even happening or what?!”
Namnuea prided himself on his patience, but this was too much. He slammed the documents down on the table with a loud thud, rubbing his head vigorously, drawing the stares of Sister Eim and other colleagues. “What’s your deal, Nuea?” Flop.
He buried his face on the table, muttering, “The guest list isn’t finalized, no banquet hall booked, no details for the morning ceremony, the bride and groom haven’t tried on their outfits. If the bride gets picky at the last minute and the dress can’t be tailored in time, what then? No theme in mind either, and neither the bride nor groom is cooperating. Is this even going to work, Sis?” He finally vented to his senior, who sighed and gave a faint smile.
“Done whining? Ready to quit that attitude?” Her question made Namnuea look up and meet her eyes.
No, alright, fine. Nuea’s done complaining. I’ll call the groom first.” Taking a deep breath, he brushed off the initial stress, grabbed his phone, and dialed the groom-to-be, only to hear…
(I told you I don’t like discussing important stuff over the phone. Just come see me this evening.)
No consideration at all. If it weren’t for the groom paying 150,000 for the event slot—300,000 total for morning and evening, not to mention the unlimited wedding budget— Namnuea wouldn’t be putting up with this.
“Alright, I’ll meet Lom this evening.”
He agreed, then turned to his close senior, who was casually sipping coffee.
“He’s making you meet him at the gym, huh?”
Namnuea had already told her about the other day, and she burst out laughing, patting his shoulder in delight, saying, “It’s a great chance for you to work out, Nuea. You’ve got to get that plan, so even if it means signing up for a gym membership to deal with Lom, you’ve gotta do it.”
“Are you nuts, Sis?” Who signs up for a gym just to discuss work with a groom? But…
“Does the company cover the cost?”
“In your dreams,” Sister Eim shot back. Namnuea pouted. “Why the hell would I spend thousands from my salary on a gym membership for some stranger’s wedding three months from now? Dream on.” He stood firm—he wasn’t working out.
Between the job and all the stress he faced daily, he was already wiped out. No way he’d waste energy for no reason. “Dream all you want, but don’t forget to talk to him about trying on the wedding suit. Oh, and don’t forget the pre-wedding photoshoot either!”
“Yes, yessss!”
In the end, Namnuea got smacked on the head with a rolled-up paper, as expected, while he was still brainstorming ways to deal with the groom.
There’s a sofa area outside the gym for discussing work with non-members. I can just wait there.
It’s almost 8 p.m., you know!
Namnuea could only grit his teeth. Sailom had scheduled the meeting for 7:30 p.m., and he’d made the effort to arrive early, shamelessly waiting in front of the gym. He’d firmly told the staff he wasn’t a customer but was there to meet someone coming to work out. Yet, despite waiting and waiting—long enough for the staff to start giving him curious glances—the person he was meeting still hadn’t shown up.
When he called, Sailom said he was stuck in traffic, forcing Namnuea to stay calm and resist the urge to call repeatedly.
Finally, when the long hand of the clock was inching toward twelve…
Creak.
“Khun Lom, hello!”
The glass door swung open, and the man he’d been waiting for finally appeared, carrying a large gym bag.
Hello. Sorry for being late. But can you wait for me for about an hour? I’ve got a session with my trainer at 8 p.m.” “What?!” Namnuea exclaimed, lunging forward to grab him, but the other man was quicker. Sailom swiped his card to pass through the barrier and turned to the staff at the counter. “Sorry, my friend here wants to try out the gym. Can you give him the form to fill out?” “Of course, Khun Lom!”
With that, Sailom strode confidently inside, leaving Namnuea frozen in place. Even as the staff handed him a guest form to fill out, he stood there, dumbfounded. This is straight-up coercion! A gym? For someone like him who hates working out?! Nuea had been to gyms before, mostly the kind found in hotels. But a fitness center like this, with zones for different types of workouts and rows of intimidating equipment— especially the weight-training machines—looked downright terrifying.
And there was Khun Sailom, working out his arms in that scary-looking zone.
What a freak, Nuea thought.
No, the young organizer wasn’t referring to the groom-to-be, whose tanned skin was glistening with sweat, looking tantalizingly biteable. It was himself, standing there in fitted jeans and a light-colored shirt, surrounded by health enthusiasts decked out in full workout gear.
Ms. Yiwa sent me to finalize the guest list with you, Khun Lom,” he said, mustering his professional demeanor to engage with the other party.
After filling out forms, answering a barrage of questions, and declining a trainer’s offer to recommend equipment, Namnuea scanned the room for his target. He spotted him stepping off a treadmill used for warm-ups and heading toward the intimidating zone filled with young men and women in workout clothes, confidently showing off their physiques. All he could do was take a deep breath and march straight toward him. “Just a sec,” said the tall man in sports pants and a dark tank top that revealed enviable arm muscles, lifting weights that made the food-loving Namnuea flinch just glancing at the load. No wonder they hadn’t talked yet—he seemed focused on controlling his breathing.
“You’re Khun Nuea, organizing Phii Lom’s wedding, right?” asked Kram, a trainer with a physique not unlike the man lifting weights. Namnuea turned and gave a dry smile.
“Sorry for barging in here.”
If he didn’t come to talk face-to-face, that groom wouldn’t even bother discussing anything.
He didn’t voice the last part to discredit his client, instead offering a smile to the undeniably charismatic man. But… he wasn’t quite as perfect as the groom-to-be.
Not that this trainer wasn’t handsome, but he didn’t make his heart flutter like that “whatever” guy sweating it out.
No worries. By the way, Khun Nuea, ever thought about working out here?”
Here we go, the sales pitch.
He glanced around, and honestly, the eye candy here was better than at any restaurant. But investing time, effort, and money just to ogle guys? Not his thing. Still, his wandering gaze seemed to lead the young trainer to a different conclusion. “Anyone can have a great, chiseled body. Building muscle through exercise is better than starving yourself to lose weight.” Why don’t you just call me fat?!
The man who was confident in his soft, huggable body cursed inwardly. His smile grew drier, and his confidence plummeted. Compared to many in this zone, he really couldn’t compete. Soft to the touch everywhere—not rock-hard like Khun Sailom, who seemed built from steel pipes.
Grumble… “But I think Khun Nuea is fine just the way he is.” But the man, who Namnuea thought would agree with the harsh words of a personal trainer, said something entirely different. The young man grabbed a small towel to wipe his sweat, set the weights down, and sat with his feet apart. Tilting his sharp, handsome face—glistening with large beads of sweat around his forehead—he looked up. Namnuea admitted bluntly… his heart was racing.
“You already look good in your own way,” Phii Lom said.
And just like that, Namnuea was at a loss for words. Namnuea didn’t care what the muscular trainer was saying, because his round eyes were fixed on the sharp, intense face staring him up and down, making him feel an indescribable shyness.
Compared to everyone else around, he felt utterly unremarkable.
But then the man in front of him smiled and said, “This is good enough.”
Nuea froze, feeling a strange, warm, fuzzy sensation swelling in his chest. For years, his friends—gay, straight, and everyone in between—had told him he’d let himself go, gaining too much weight. They’d even jabbed that as a gay man, he didn’t take care of himself, which is why his ex left him. In truth, it was a lack of time that ended the relationship. So, when a man as perfect as this one said something like that, his heart spun in ways he couldn’t describe.
If only the guy wasn’t about to marry a slender, beautiful woman.
“Thanks, Khun Lom. So, about the guest count…” Namnuea almost got carried away but snapped back to reality just in time, picturing the bride’s face. The other man smirked, grabbed his water bottle, took a big gulp, and said casually,
“I have a rough guest list in my locker. I’ll grab it after I’m done here. The number’s a bit higher than what we discussed before.”
As expected.
“And what about the hotel? Yiwa said she sent you a list of hotels she liked for you to decide on. Both venues can
accommodate the guest count.”
Which one do you think is better?” the groom asked, starting his third set of weights. Namnuea glanced down at his documents.
“For me, I’d recommend the first one. It’s not only convenient to travel to, but the hotel’s decor suits various wedding themes. The elevated stage they provide is perfect for setting up the wedding cake arch. Their proposal is also appealing, and I’ve worked with them often without any issues,” Namnuea said earnestly, as the hotel’s offer was quite good. Most importantly… working with them was stress-free.
Unlike this groom-to-be. “Then go with your choice.” What?!
Namnuea nearly gasped, because Khun Lom didn’t just agree—he said, “Go with your choice.”
My God, a groom like this actually exists in the world. “Lom, don’t you want to review the proposals from both venues and the budget first?” “Nah, I trust you.” Freeze.
Namnuea’s words caught in his throat. That knockout line left him rooted to the spot, staring at the man who gave a faint smile, his sharp, handsome face even more striking. Those eyes clearly conveyed the trust behind his words, making Namnuea feel hot and cold all at once, like he had a fever. His fair cheeks burned in a way he couldn’t explain.
Trust, huh? Why does that word make my heart race like this?
The planner, who’d been quietly biased against both clients, suddenly felt a surge of motivation. It was rare for a client to express such confidence in his ability to deliver. He couldn’t help but flash a smile.
A smile that the other man met with a steady gaze. “Thank you for trusting me. I promise this wedding will be unforgettable,” he assured, wanting to instill confidence. Sailom nodded. “That’s what I thought.”
Maybe it was just the young organizer’s imagination, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that those razor-sharp eyes held some hidden meaning. That slight smirk at the corner of the groom’s mouth made him uneasy in a way he couldn’t pinpoint. This wedding will definitely be unforgettable.
Is there something we don’t know?
Namnuea whispered the question to himself, his gut warning him as he worked. He couldn’t help but think the worst—that this wedding might not end well.
Come on, you’re overthinking it, Nuea.
“Oh, I need to try on the suit too, right?” Out of nowhere, the groom—who hadn’t seemed to care much about the wedding— brought up the topic. Namnuea eagerly agreed, following him as he switched to another workout machine, still focusing on arm exercises.
“Yes, I was just about to discuss that with you. When are you and Ms. Yiwa free? For the bride’s dress, if it’s custom-made, it could take three to six months. But I have connections with
several shops and designers who might be able to rush it. Still, it’s best to try things on within this week.”
“Sounds like a hassle.”
Is this groom seriously still thinking a wedding is a piece of cake?
Namnuea inwardly scoffed, glancing at the man who tilted his head slightly. Sure, he looked good enough to make hearts flutter, but that didn’t erase the fact that this guy was dragging his feet, stalling his own wedding’s progress.
“You’ll have to take us there, right?”
“Of course, it’s my job,” Namnuea replied. “Alright, are you free this Saturday at 10 a.m.?”
“Yes, is it okay to meet at the shop directly?” Namnuea answered eagerly, seeing signs that the job was finally moving forward. But the other man shook his head.
“I’ll meet you at your office instead, and then you can ride with me.”
Though Namnuea wasn’t thrilled about the idea—since it meant extra time going from the office to the shop—he didn’t refuse, especially with such good cooperation. They finalized the details, and he slipped away from the area as the gym grew increasingly crowded with people arriving around 8 p.m. “Wait a sec, Khun Nuea. Kram, give me a few minutes… You wanted to discuss the guest list, right?” Suddenly, the man who’d been difficult this whole time spoke up, addressing his trainer before leading the way toward the locker room. Namnuea hurriedly followed, but his eyes couldn’t help but wander… to the tall, muscular figure walking ahead.
What would it be like to try just once…?
His round eyes traced the man’s broad, upright shoulders, thick biceps, and perfectly sculpted body in a tank top that revealed a tapered waist and hips. He swallowed hard.
That’s a client!
Namnuea flinched as another voice in his head snapped him back to reality. But he couldn’t stop his gaze from lingering on that toned physique, and before he knew it… his hand started reaching out.
Can I just sneak a little touch?
His fingertips were just a fraction away from that tanned skin… just a little closer… almost there… “Khun Nuea.” Gasp!
Thud!
“Ow!!!”
Before his fingers could make contact, Namnuea jumped in shock as the man called his name. Too fixated on those gorgeous muscles, the sudden voice startled him beyond reason. He stumbled backward, not noticing someone else walking toward the locker room behind him, and crashed into them with full force.
Grab!
“Khun Nuea, are you okay?!”
Sailom was quick enough to catch Namnuea by the waist as he stumbled back toward him. The person he’d collided with looked visibly startled as well.
“Are you okay?”
“Oof… I’m fine,” Namnuea replied, still dazed. Sailom turned to the other person involved in the incident.
“He seems okay. I apologize on behalf of my friend.”
“No worries. I wasn’t watching where I was going either. Sorry about that,” the other guy smiled before heading toward the inner locker room. Meanwhile, Namnuea was still reeling, only realizing what was happening when his back felt unusually warm and a soft voice spoke just above his head.
“Are you hurt anywhere, Khun Nuea?”
“Uh… no.”
It was just a shock earlier, but now his heart was about to give out!
Finally regaining his composure, he could only widen his eyes. His body was enveloped in the embrace of the larger man, his back pressed against the chest he’d fantasized about touching. He could feel an intense heat, more than usual from exertion, radiating and tingling through him. Then there were the strong arms wrapped firmly around his waist, and the scent of cologne mixed with sweat hitting his nose, urging him to inhale deeply. It wasn’t a sweaty stench—it was a scent that screamed how irresistibly sexy the other man was. “Uh, Khun Lom, l-let go, please.”
Are you sure you’re okay? Can you stand?” But the groomto-be didn’t release him. On the contrary, he leaned down closer to his cheek, his warm breath grazing pale skin, prompting a hurried nod of confirmation.
Too close, way too close!
“I’m fine, please let me go,” he tried to say calmly, but his voice came out noticeably shaky.
With a firm affirmation, the arms around his waist shifted to touch his arms instead, as if ensuring he was steady. Then the larger man stepped back slightly, though still closer than a normal distance, making Namnuea lower his head in a frenzy because… his cheeks were burning alarmingly.
He absolutely couldn’t let him know how flustered he was. “Good to know you’re okay,” the deep voice sounded so close that he had to lower his head further, pretending to check himself for injuries, even though his little heart was trembling harder than before, beating faster than ever. Even without looking up, he could sense the other man… moving closer. The sharp-featured face drew nearer, and one large hand that had been holding his wrist let go, only to reach closer again as if to touch his cheek, nearly sending the young organizer into cardiac arrest.
Stop! What are you doing? What are you doing?! You’re about to get married!
Namnuea screamed internally, but he had no strength to resist the overwhelming charm. His body was already heating up from the closeness just moments ago.
The hand was getting closer… closer… less than ten centimeters from his cheek.
“Khun Lom, you’re about to…” get married!
Click
Before Namnuea could finish, he heard a faint sound beside his head. He froze, mouth agape, and whipped his head toward the noise. His face flushed even hotter, almost alarmingly so, because…
The large hand had indeed moved closer, but… it was to unlock the locker behind him.
“What did you say?” The groom-to-be leaned down, raising an eyebrow in curiosity, completely unaware of how many rollercoaster loops he’d sent the other man’s heart through. Namnuea blinked rapidly, and the moment he regained his composure, an overwhelming wave of embarrassment hit him, making it nearly impossible to meet the man’s gaze.
Whoosh
Nuea quickly ducked out of the danger zone, stepping back several paces, muttering in a trembling voice.
“N-Nothing…” The embarrassment was as intense as his realization. How could you think the groom-to-be was about to kiss you?!
“You seem kinda off.”
“You’re overthinking it, Khun Lom,” he said, voice shaky, eyes fixed downward, avoiding the man who was now pulling documents from the locker and holding them out to him.
Thanks. I’ll head out for today, then. See you Saturday,” Namnuea said, not wanting to linger in this humiliating moment any longer. He grabbed the documents, gave a quick farewell, and practically tripped over his own feet rushing out of the locker room. Unsurprisingly, he bolted out of the gym at the same frantic pace, one hand clutching his chest tightly.
“This is bad, Nuea. This is really bad.”
The young man could only mutter that much, because it… was truly bad for his heart.
Meanwhile, on the other side…
“Heh,” the groom-to-be chuckled amusedly, watching the figure that had fled far into the distance. He crossed his arms, leaning casually against the locker, thinking about those flushed cheeks that were so striking. He’d wondered before how red that fair skin could get when blushing, and it really was a vibrant glow.
As he raised his hand to his face, he could still feel the soft skin he’d brushed against.
Softer than my hard build when you hug it, huh?
How could Sailom not notice that just moments ago, the other guy was glancing left and right nervously, eyeing the gym-goers with unease? He looked out of place, a stark contrast to his usual confident demeanor. It was too tempting not to tease him a bit.
But what Sailom said… wasn’t a lie in the slightest.
“It’s fine like this,” the young man muttered before locking his locker and heading back to his personal trainer, unable to suppress the widening smile.
Like this is good—soft and warm to hug.
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