THEWEDDINGPLAN, Epilogue Chapter:

A wedding isn’t just about two people.

But love is about two hearts.

   “I’ll head out early today, sis.”

“Hey, not taking the company van? You didn’t bring your car,” Sister Eim said.

“No worries, someone’s picking me up.”

It was another hectic Sunday afternoon. The talented organizers from The Wiwa Square were busy handling the final details of an engagement ceremony for the bride and groom, as usual. The event went smoothly, with everyone agreeing it was impressive—beautiful, meticulous, and elegantly befitting their status. However, since the event was held at the bride’s house, deep within a sprawling village, when a key assistant like Nuea asked to leave early, the head organizer, Sister Eim, couldn’t help but ask with concern.

This village is deep… really deep. No easy way in or out.    But when Nuea confidently said someone was coming to pick him up, the listener let out a loud “Oh!”    “Getting bold these days, huh, Nuea?”

“Come on, sis, it’s gotta happen sometime. We’ve been together for more than a month or two,” Nuea said with a chuckle, a hint of shyness on his face. He glanced at the successful ceremony, knowing full well that behind such triumphs were sweat, effort, and plenty of arguments to pull off an important event like this.

Today, as usual, most attendees were older relatives, which made Namnuea think back to the wedding that fell apart last year.

This event felt similar to that one. Getting the bride and groom to agree with their families on who to invite, who to exclude, and how to handle everything for today’s engagement nearly brought the bride to tears. Not to mention the upcoming celebration in two months—sorting things out with the family had already left the bride sobbing to Sister Eim.

Planning a wedding is stressful, but once it’s over, Namnuea believed it would be an unforgettable, cherished memory for a lifetime.

“Well, well, who’s picking up Nuea? That super handsome guy?” a curious intern swooped in to ask, eyes sparkling with interest. Namnuea grinned wide and tapped the kid’s head.

“What, you interested?”

“Nah, Phii, I’m interested in you! Totally my type. Such a shame you’re already his wife,” the cheeky intern teased, pouting and giving a playful glare. Namnuea patted the kid’s shoulder lightly and said with mock sympathy:

“Let me teach you something. There are two types of good guys. One…” he pointed at the groom standing faithfully by his bride, “already has a wife.” Then he pointed to himself. “And me… I already have a husband.”

“Wow, Phii Nuea is so proud of being the wife, huh? Don’t you differentiate, though? Guys with wives can have guy wives or girl wives too,” the kid in front whined, making Uncle Nuea burst into laughter. Just then, another crew member joined them and nudged Namnuea.

“Hey, Phii Nuea, your groom is waiting in his car out front.”    “Man, I’ve been wondering for a while—why does everyone call Khun Lom Phii Nuea’s groom?” the intern kid, clueless about last year’s events, asked. It made those in the know smirk, while another younger colleague puffed up their chest, answering proudly on their senior’s behalf.

“Because Phii Nuea snagged the groom who was about to get married, that’s why!”

“Whoa, Phii Nuea stole someone’s husband?!”

Thwack

Another smack landed.

“No way! Phii Nuea didn’t steal anyone. He was the one who comforted the groom when he was at his lowest point in life.

That’s when Khun Lom realized he’d fallen for Phii Nuea. Dude, it was the talk of the town—Phii Nuea turned a straight guy into an amazing boyfriend!” Namnuea could only glance at Sister Eim, who knew the truth, and they both shook their heads in weary amusement, not finding it all that funny.

Who would’ve thought Sailom’s plan would actually work?

Because so many people around him bought the story he spun.    Now, Sailom has completely closed his heart to women and opened it to a new world—when, in truth… he’s been gay from the start, hasn’t he?

   “Alright, enough. My bedroom life isn’t that interesting. I’m heading out, then. Sorry, Sister Eim, for not staying to help till the end.”

“No worries, go ahead, Nuea. It’s Khun Yiwa’s wedding today—she must be thrilled,” Sister Eim whispered softly. The listener nodded and slipped out of the bride’s house. Finding his ride wasn’t hard at all… that same flashy sports car.

Click

“You could’ve called me when you got here, Khun Lom. I would’ve hurried out.”

“I didn’t know if you were busy, and besides, I can wait,” the man who took his day off to pick up his boyfriend said with a smile, leaning over to plant a big kiss on Namnuea’s cheek. The kissed one tilted his neck slightly.

“Come on, I’m all sweaty. Been running around since morning.”

“Smells good to me. I love every scent of you.”

“Getting naughty again, you ex-groom?” The listener laughed loudly, then handed over some food he’d bought on the way. As the car pulled onto the road, heading straight for Namnuea’s condominium—

The place where Sailom has practically moved in already.    After the incident of being jilted by his bride, Sailom’s mother didn’t dare meddle too much in her son’s life anymore, only watching from a distance. This led her dear son to rarely return home, claiming that going back would only make him miss Yiwa more. This evoked pity from everyone around, and even his father suggested he could live elsewhere. Now, Sailom was in the process of buying a new condominium.

One big enough for two.

   “Sigh, such a pity,” Namnuea said.

“About what?”

Namnuea turned to the man beside him with sympathy.    “That we couldn’t attend Khun Yiwa’s wedding.” Khun Yiwa considered the man beside him family, an important brother figure, and so much more over the years. Yet, they couldn’t attend the small ceremony the two brides held in a church in Canada, due to the drama they’d orchestrated the previous year.    If they had gone, it would’ve revealed that Sailom harbored no resentment toward Yiwa. On the contrary, he would’ve been overjoyed for her.

   “It’s alright. Just sending our congratulations made Yiwa happy,” Sailom said with a faint smile, likely recalling when Yiwa Skyped across continents, screaming excitedly into his ear, announcing that her partner had proposed.

Her demeanor was worlds apart from when she was set to marry Sailom.

Now, with a stable career after moving there, it wasn’t surprising that they’d want to get married for real. Even if it was just in a church with a priest and a few local friends attending, Yiwa had made it clear to him:

“I don’t need a grand, extravagant wedding. All I wants is a wedding with the people I loves most by my side.”

“Jealous?” the man beside him teased, making him tilt his head slightly.

“Nah, I’m happy for her,” the young organizer replied, but Sailom didn’t change the subject.

“So, if we got married, what theme would you want for the wedding?”

“You’re still dreaming about that? A wedding between two guys in Thailand?”

“I’ve seen plenty of them,” Sailom countered. The listener shook his head, then asked a single question that knocked the other out cold.

“How about getting your mom to accept it first?”

“We all need dreams, Nuea. And my dream is to marry you.”    Thud.

The car dashboard figurine seemed to stare, while the driver glanced over briefly—just a fleeting moment, but enough to convey seriousness. Namnuea dipped his head slightly and let out a soft sigh.

“But I dreamt it’d be so chaotic. My family, your family, tons of friends, people from your company—they’d all be buzzing. The groom who once had a stunning bride suddenly has another groom show up at the wedding? That’s headline material for sure.”

Grab.

Before Namnuea could spiral further, as someone who’d organized countless events and knew chaos better than anyone, the driver reached over, took his hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“Nuea, don’t overthink it. Just relax and tell me what kind of wedding you want. We’re dreaming together, aren’t we?” Sailom said, causing the listener to pause briefly before continuing with a faint smile, as if he, too, had secretly been envisioning it. “For me, just a small wedding with my parents and yours there to bless us. That’s all I need. And if we want to tell friends, maybe a small restaurant party to announce we’re married. I just want people who genuinely want to celebrate with us, not those showing up for social clout.” He shook his head slightly.

“But it’ll still be chaotic.”

“Let’s plan one someday, yeah?”

“Hmm.” But the man beside him kept talking with a wide grin. When their eyes met, Namnuea saw the other was dead serious. As the car stopped at a red light, the young man turned, held his hand tighter, leaned in closer, and asked in an even more earnest tone.

“Someday… will you marry me, Nuea?”

“Khun Lom…” Namnuea could only let out a soft groan, staring at the unblinking eyes that felt like a marriage proposal right then and there. He didn’t know whether to be thrilled or flustered.

A proposal at a red light, really?

Smack.

“Look at the road, the light’s green,” Namnuea said, giving Sailom a firm pat on the shoulder. Sailom pouted but turned back to the road. Namnuea couldn’t help but tease.

“You already know weddings are a hassle. And you still want to plan one?”

“Because I love you.”

That one sentence wrapped it all up, just like Sun said.

Namnuea had no comeback, only a flushed face as he turned to stare out at the road.

That reaction prompted the former groom to ask softly, “Nuea, is it so chaotic you don’t even want to think about it?”    “It’s… not that,” Namnuea mumbled quietly. “It’s chaotic, sure, but even so, lots of people still want to do it. Me… someday…” His voice was faint. Last year, he didn’t even dare imagine his own wedding, thinking he’d live a lonely gay life forever. But this year, he’s been thinking about it… way too much.

Because of the Person by My Side

   Right now, he has someone he wants to plan a wedding with.    “Hmm, someday, Nuea,” Sailom said in a soft voice, intertwining his fingers with the hand he held.

A wedding might be chaotic, with many people involved, but Sailom promised, “I swear, Nuea, our love will be just us. I won’t let anyone make things hard for you, no matter what.” The tall figure spoke, and the listener could only offer a faint smile, trusting that this man could do it.

If Sailom said he’d do something, he could do anything.

   “It’s okay. I’m willing to face the hardship,” Namnuea replied.

“Hm?”

A raised eyebrow replaced a question, prompting Namnuea to speak with a steady voice.

“Because I love you. No matter how tough it gets, I’m ready to walk with you.”

“Thank you, Nuea. Thank you for loving me.”

Their tightly clasped hands were the answer. As the luxury car drove back to the condominium, they awaited a call from Canada, someone begging for wedding blessings.

The path they chose to walk together.

Even if today’s path doesn’t lead to a wedding ceremony, they’ve learned that a wedding means nothing if two hearts aren’t firmly bound. So, when the day comes when their hearts reach the altar, Sailom will surely ask again:

“Marry me.”

And on that day, Namnuea will answer with full conviction:

“With pleasure.”

Until that day comes… even without a grand wedding announced to the world, as long as their two hearts are tightly entwined, no matter the obstacles, they’ll support each other to overcome them.

   Because love is a matter of two people… not a crowd, and just two hearts.

   My Wedding Planner

   THEWEDDING PLAN CHAPTERS HOME

   THEWEDDINGPLAN, Chapter 13:

No one’s ever completely honest, not even the manliest of men.

    “I can’t believe Yiwa would do something like this. I have to apologize on her behalf. I never thought she’d cause such a scandal,” Yiwa’s mother said.

Sailom had been back in Bangkok for several days, but the issue of the “rain-fearing” bride who’d fled abroad still lingered. Today, Yiwa’s mother showed up at his house, her face heavy with sorrow, apologizing for her daughter’s actions. Sailom’s mother responded cautiously, her expression teetering on the edge of explosion.

“I have to apologize on Yiwa’s behalf too, dear,” she said, turning to the one most affected by this mess. Sailom sat with his hands loosely clasped on his knees, his sharp features shadowed by a scruffy beard, his dry, lifeless eyes betraying a lack of spirit. The woman who’d come to apologize could only sit there, uncomfortable under the weight of his silence.

“It’s fine. Maybe it’s my fault for not knowing she was already with someone else.”

“Lom.”

The young man turned to meet his mother’s pitying gaze as she called his name, reaching to place her hand on his. But the tall figure pulled his hand away, shaking his head slowly, signaling he didn’t want any sympathy. Then he turned to the other person.

“Auntie, has Yiwa contacted you at all?”

The other hesitated briefly before raising a handkerchief to wipe away tears.

“Not at all. Yiwa hasn’t reached out. And when she flew off, it seemed like she’d planned it thoroughly—got a visa, carried her passport. This is all because of that so-called friend of hers! If Yiwa hadn’t gotten involved with that… wrong-gender friend, this wouldn’t have happened!”

“Wrong-gender friend? What does that mean?”

The only one still clueless—that the bride didn’t run off with a man but with a woman—asked in confusion. The bride’s mother was stunned. Sailom, sitting quietly, let out a heavy sigh and broke the silence.

“In truth, she never loved me, did she? I was just… a front for

Yiwa.”

“Lom, you knew?”

The young man locked eyes with his mother and asked in a dry, hoarse voice.

“Do you think I’m that stupid, Mom? I had my suspicions, some inkling that Yiwa and that friend weren’t just friends. But because I loved her, I believed she loved me too. I tried to overlook it, lied to myself that she had to love me… but she never gave in to me. Not once.” His deep voice trembled with pain as he lowered his head, as if holding back tears. Both mothers pressed their lips shut.

One felt heartbroken for her son.

   The other… feared her daughter would never get another chance like this.

   “Lom, don’t give up yet,” the aunt said. “I’ll try to reach Yiwa. It might not be as bad as we think. Don’t be mad at her yet, give her a chance. I’m sure she knows how much you love her.” Her words went in one ear and out the other for the listener, but they struck the other mother’s heart. A chance? So her daughter could hurt her son again?    “What? Why would you say that?”

“Or is it not true? Yiwa’s done this much wrong, and you’re still asking for forgiveness? Of course—her daughter’s fled abroad! The ones left here to face the shame are our family, just Lom. How’s he supposed to face people as the foolish groom who was used by a woman all along?”

“Hey, don’t talk about my daughter like that!” The two, who’d gotten along like peas in a pod for over a decade, began arguing over whose fault it was. And neither seemed willing to back down.

“Where did I go wrong? I never should’ve let Lom get involved with that girl!”

From “Yiwa” to “that girl,” the change in pronouns seemed to snap the listener’s patience as well.

“I shouldn’t have gotten my family involved with someone as narrow-minded as you!”

“Huh, you dare insult me?!”

“Enough!!!”

As the two adults argued immaturely, a deep voice roared loudly. Sailom shot to his feet, glaring at the two adults who could only fall silent, exchange glances, and turn away from each other. Sailom then spoke firmly, with resolve.

“I’m going to call and cancel the wedding.”

“Lom!!! Don’t, son, give her a chance…”

“And if she doesn’t come back, are you going to let me stand there like a fool at the ceremony alone?!” The young man didn’t mean to be rude, but he couldn’t hold back and spoke harshly, staring at the other party, who was on the verge of tears and raised their hands in a wai.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful, but I’ve lost hope. Waa isn’t coming back… I’ll take my leave now. I have work early tomorrow.” With that, the young man strode quickly back to his bedroom, so fast that no one dared stop him. Especially the bride’s mother, who knew her hopes of having this young man as a son-in-law were fading, because he had made it clear: I’m going to tell everyone we’re canceling the wedding.

“Wait a moment, please…”

“No. Seeing my son like this, and you still tell me to wait? There will be no wedding between Sailom and Yiwa. Is that clear enough?!”

The adults’ argument echoed up to the second floor, reaching Sailom, who was about to enter his room. He paused briefly at the doorstep, letting out a heavy sigh. His younger sister, who had come to check on him, called out softly.

“Phii Lom…”

But Saifon was surprised, because the person she thought would be stressed and disheveled… was smiling broadly as he walked into his bedroom.

“Why is you smiling?”

“Hey, did you watch the drama last night?”

“Look, when the heroine chose the hero and dumped the second lead… I was crying!”

“Same, I went through a whole box of tissues…”

..

   Thud

“Ouch, oh, Khun Sailom, I’m so sorry… I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

During the lunch break, two female employees were walking and chatting enthusiastically, analyzing the latest drama episode with gusto. They didn’t notice a young man coming around the corner and crashed right into him. The moment they looked up and saw who it was, one of the women quickly apologized in a panic.

The sharp eyes glared down with displeasure, his voice curt.

“Watch where you’re walking. You have eyes, use them to look at the path, not just to watch dramas.”

“S-sorry!” The boss had already disappeared around the corner, but the two scolded employees, staring after him dejectedly, turned to face each other. And then… the gossip fest about the boss began.

“What’s up with Khun Lom? He’s usually so kind, but lately, he’s been acting like a menopausal grump.”

“What, you haven’t heard the news? They’re saying Khun Lom’s wedding fell apart because the bride ran off with her lover!”

“What? Are you serious or joking? Is there really a woman who’d ditch someone like Khun Sailom? Is she stupid or crazy?”

“Maybe both. People have been warning everyone to steer clear of Khun Lom lately. His mood’s all over the place, so don’t take it personally. He seems pretty heartbroken. They say he dated his fiancée for over ten years, but she got pregnant with someone else and fled abroad.” One asked, another answered, and they went on, embellishing the story with glee.

This made the listener’s eyes widen.

“Poor Khun Lom. I kinda want to go comfort him.”

“Daydreaming, huh? He’s head over heels for his fiancée.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have let himself go like some bandit.” As one told another, the story spread further, until everyone in the company was endlessly discussing it. The jilted second lead became the ultimate object of pity, more dramatic than the evening soap operas. It even reached the point where someone claimed they saw Khun Sailom trying to kill himself.

Now, the pity for him multiplied exponentially.

“Lom, can I talk to you?”

Sailom was sitting in the living room, sighing heavily, the television blaring through the house though he wasn’t watching it at all. His mother approached hesitantly. The “bandit” who’d let himself go grabbed the remote to mute the TV, saying in a low voice,

“No, Mom. I don’t have anything to talk about.”

“Lom, don’t be like this, son,” said the woman who’d always controlled her son, sitting beside him. She rubbed his back soothingly, looking at him with such pity that Sailom shook his head.

“What are you going to say now, Mom? Console me not to overthink when my fiancée ran off with someone else, and you know it?” The would-be groom spoke with a pained tone, letting out a heavy sigh. His mother clenched her fists, unsure how to comfort him, especially since she’d been complicit in supporting that woman all along.

Who would’ve thought that the sweet, proper Yiwa could do something like this? 

   “I’m not going to tell you not to overthink. You loved Yiwa for over a decade, and this has hurt you deeply. You need time to heal, but…” His sharp eyes met his mother’s as she took a deep breath and continued.

“There’s not just one woman in the world, son. There are plenty of women out there ready to take Yiwa’s place…”

“But in my world, there’s only one woman—Yiwa!”

Before his mother could finish, the young man cut in sharply, glaring at her with barely contained fury. He continued in a low, dangerous tone, signaling she’d touched a nerve.

“Even though I knew about Yiwa and her friend, I kept lying to myself for years. Why do you think I did that, Mom? Because I love Yiwa and only Yiwa. She’s the only woman, my entire world. Didn’t I tell you I’d only marry once in my life, to a woman named Yiwa? Now that she’s gone, who do you expect me to turn to? Who else is there?!”

His words stunned the listeners, who could only watch as he breathed heavily, struggling to keep his grief from exploding further.

“Lom, calm down, dear. I didn’t mean you need someone else right now. I meant later…”

“There is no later, Mom. There’s nothing left. You got what you wanted, didn’t you? I’ll only have one woman in my life, and it’ll stay that way forever.” His mother’s eyes widened in shock. She hadn’t realized that her outspoken support for her former would-be daughter-in-law, to the point of keeping her son from other women, had hurt Sailom so deeply.

Sailom won’t open his heart to anyone else? He shouldn’t hold on like this.

“But didn’t you teach me to hold on, Mom? Enough. I have nothing more to say.” With that, the man who’d been venting in the living room stood to his full height, turning as if he’d changed his mind and was heading out.

“Where are you going, Lom?”

“Got dumped, so I’m going to drink, aren’t I?” he said, raising his voice.

“You can drink at home.”

“No. I’m going to see Khun Nuea.” The organizer’s name slipped from her son’s lips—a name she’d heard so often lately it was familiar. Feeling too guilty to stop him, she understood why. Namnuea had been there when Sailom returned to Bangkok, and her son had grown close to the former wedding planner, consulting him and visiting often.

Her son trusted Namnuea more than he trusted her.

“It’s fine. Lom’s angry now, but it’ll pass. Once he’s feeling better, he’ll find someone good,” his mother said hopefully, unaware that her son had already found that “good person.” The problem was, she might not approve, because that person wasn’t a woman… but a man.

…

“And you’re hiding out here. Jerk,” Namnuea said.

“How am I a jerk, Nuea?”

“Every single part of you, that’s how.”

At Namnuea’s condominium, today welcomed a young man who’s been coming over so often lately it’s almost like he’s moved in. The guy wrapped his arms around Namnuea’s waist as he set down a plate of food—bought on the way home—on the table. Being a man himself, having a bigger guy clinging to him… was pretty inconvenient, to say the least.

“Man, I’m supposed to be heartbroken here. Not only did my fiancée dump me, but she’s also pregnant and ran off with another guy!”

“Whoa, how far has this rumor spread?” Namnuea said warily, eyeing the guy who was still grinning widely, clearly pleased despite being the talk of the town.

Of course, at his office too.

The sudden cancellation of the wedding between the dashing groom and stunning bride—before invitations were even sent— spread like wildfire. People speculated wildly, their creative minds spinning tales so vivid that Namnuea didn’t know whether to go along with them or cry for poor Khun Yiwa. One thing’s for sure: Khun Sailom seemed utterly pitiful.

Pitiful, my foot! The “pitiful” guy’s been cuddling up to me every night.

   Namnuea scoffed inwardly, glancing at the man who told his family he was coming over to drown his heartbreak in booze. Yet here he was, helping serve rice, pouring water, and sitting in his usual spot. And yeah—no alcohol involved whatsoever. Just a casual dinner together, like any couple.

“Let the rumors spread as far as they want. The further, the better. Make me the most pathetic, miserable guy alive,” the man said.

“I don’t see the point in you sitting here spinning lies to fool everyone, Khun Lom,” Namnuea replied.

The listener smirked, chuckling low in a way that screamed villainous mastermind, not some tragic second lead. Then, in a clear, pointed tone, he said:

“From now on, I’m the guy who’s sworn off women, scarred by a wound so deep no one can heal it. And right at that moment, you, my dear friend, step in to comfort me at my lowest. You pull me back, make me see the light, and that’s when I accidentally fall for you… I love this script the most.”

“Were you a sculptor in a past life or what? You’re way too good at spinning tales,” Namnuea quipped.

“If I were a sculptor, I’d be a master potter with golden hands, my work displayed in museums. My creations are tangible, realistic, and everyone believes they’re masterpieces… even if I just slapped them together,” the “heartbroken” guy shrugged with a charming air, flashing a smile and reaching to pinch Namnuea’s cheek. “When that day comes, I’ll bring you home, tell my mom straight up that I love you.”

It sounded touching, heartfelt even—if it weren’t for the fact that this drama had already been scripted by someone else.

“You’re luckier than you deserve. Before Khun Yiwa left, she paved the way, saying she used you, kept you as a front, turning you into ‘the most pitiful guy.’ When in reality, you’re probably the biggest liar of all,” Namnuea shook his head slightly, though deep down, he couldn’t help but agree with the plan, at least a little.

In the end, Sailom remains the good son in his mother’s eyes, but a turning point in his life revealed he’s gay—something he’s been all along. It seems the role he’s playing fits perfectly, and it’s even a good thing… a dear friend who pulls him back to a better life.

“But you went and fell for a liar like me,” the confident man said with a smirk, letting go of his hand and inviting the other to eat. He went on to share company gossip, leaving the listener unsure whether to feel exasperated on his behalf.

Poor Khun Sailom wasn’t even fazed yet, so why should he worry for him? But still…

“That handsome guy? Hard to believe he’s that good at lying.”

Sister Eim, who knew a bit of the story, could only shake her head and whisper in disbelief. She recalled the day Sailom walked into the office, announcing the cancellation of the wedding with a face full of pain. But behind the scenes, he whisked away the talented organizer somewhere unknown, even having the audacity to call and say he was “borrowing” them first. “I can’t believe I ended up with such a master liar for a husband,” Namnuea chuckled softly, muttering to himself, “But

I’m already in love.”

Hearing the murmur, the listener smiled faintly, reaching out to gently wipe sauce off a fair cheek.

“Thank you for understanding me and loving someone as problematic as me,” Sailom said with a serious tone, making the listener smile too. But then he teased, “Is this a drama or real life?”

That was enough to make the serious man’s face stiffen. He stood up from the chair, pulled the person eating to the sofa, wrapped both arms around a soft waist, and nuzzled into the smooth, fair shoulder he adored. He loved burying his face there, inhaling the sweet scent and kissing the soft skin regularly. Then, with a slightly sulky tone, he said,

“With you, everything is real… Don’t you believe me?”

“Well, knowing you’ve been acting to fool everyone at home and the company, I can’t help but wonder a little, Khun Lom.”

“But I’m serious about you, really,” the cunning man, who was just a clingy softie to Namnuea, insisted. The listener turned to look, but all he saw was a fluffy head buried in the crook of his neck. A fair hand reached out to pat it gently, and a small smile appeared.

“I believe you, Khun Lom… At least you haven’t lied to me, right?” When asked like that, the other lifted his face, met his eyes, and planted a soft kiss on his lips.

“You can be sure you’re the one I’ll always tell the truth to… I’ve told you everything, Nuea. Every lie I’ve told, every deception I’ve pulled on everyone—I’ve only shared the truth with you,” the confident man said, still holding his waist, his sincere tone softening Namnuea’s heart.

Truthfully, Namnuea believed him. If he intended to lie, he wouldn’t have shared every detail of his plans like this. “Thank you, thank you for telling me the truth,” he said, his round eyes shining with trust, making the man who had staked everything on their future smile widely with satisfaction.

Sailom truly poured everything into their shared future.

    Everything he’s doing now is to pave the way for his mother’s acceptance in the future.

   If his current state was like someone on the brink of death, unable to move forward no matter who tried to pull him up, yet one person could step in and fix it all, that person would be nothing short of a hero. And he wanted Nuea to be that person.

    Now, his mother no longer dared to meddle in his life… a good sign. A very good sign.

   “By the way, can I ask something?”

“Hmm?” Namnuea narrowed his eyes slightly, not meeting his gaze. “When are you shaving that beard? It’s all scruffy and patchy now,” he teased, playfully tugging at the whiskers.

Sailom raised an eyebrow and said coolly,

“You make it sound ugly. Everyone says I look like Johnny

Depp.”

“Funny.”

“You don’t think so?” When the other teased with a smile, Namnuea finally let out a laugh. He looked at the man claiming to be as handsome as a world-class actor and wanted to shave off that beard, but… he couldn’t bring himself to. Because, well, he was actually pretty handsome.

Ruggedly handsome, undeniably so.

“I’m not shaving yet. It gives me that heartbroken, fallen-man vibe. Plus… it’s necessary for some things,” the speaker said, his eyes gleaming mischievously, scanning the soft figure up and down until Namnuea grew wary.

That look definitely had something to do with him. Sailom pointed at the crook of his neck and demonstrated.

“Eek, no way, Khun Lom! I told you it tickles!” The sharpfeatured face nuzzled into the pale neck, rubbing the beard against the smooth skin, making Namnuea shrink back, tingling all over. After a few rubs, the fair skin turned a soft pink, as expected from someone so pale.

Khun Sailom’s favorite.

   “But you always tell me to keep going,” a husky voice whispered close to his ear, slyly. Namnuea pouted but couldn’t resist arguing back a bit.

“Just admit you like it. Look at the beard marks all over me. If I weren’t this pale, would you even like me?” The listener couldn’t help but laugh, pushing Namnuea to lean back on the sofa, raising an eyebrow again.

“Alright then, I’ll prove I don’t just like your skin.”

“Stop, stop, stop right now, K…kun Lom, STOP!”

Namnuea could only yell, pushing at the broad shoulders frantically, his round eyes pleading.

“I’ll give in, I swear, but not now! It’s the middle of the day, and I haven’t eaten yet, Khun Lom. Let me eat first, I’m starving! After that, you can have me all you want,” he whined, glancing longingly at the food on the dining table. It must’ve been a pitiful sight because the handsome man leaned in and planted a firm kiss on his pale cheek.

“Alright, I’ll hold you to it.”

“Stingy, huh?”

“It’s called being prudent, Nuea,” Sailom said, standing up and pulling the other man to his feet to resume their late dinner.

The meal, now quite delayed, started again. Sailom watched his lover eat with a smile, unable to resist smiling himself, his thoughts drifting to the day they first met.

Namnuea’s smile had truly captivated him. It melted away so much stress, making him want to get to know the man. If Yiwa hadn’t interrupted, or if there hadn’t been that meeting about the wedding, who would’ve believed Namnuea would end up being the one in charge of his event? It made Sailom grin, especially recalling those frustrated looks when he kept interrupting.

“I’m still curious, Nuea. That day we met… what were you looking for?”

Pause

Namnuea looked up instantly, eyes wide.

“Looking… looking for what? Nothing.” Of course, who’d admit they were spending their lunch break checking out guys passing by? But Sailom’s persistent, curious gaze seemed to fluster him, sparking an idea.

“What I was looking for doesn’t matter, Khun Lom,” Nuea said with a smile, scooping the last bite of rice into his mouth. Then he stood, walked around to the man sitting opposite, and leaned down to whisper in his ear.

“What matters is that, in the end… my eyes found you.”

Just like now, as Sailom looked up to meet his gaze, the man before him grinned widely. Unable to resist, Sailom pressed a firm kiss to his lips before pulling back.

“Alright, that’s the end of twenty questions. Get up and help me wash the dishes properly… wait, no. I bought the food, so you’re washing. I’m going to shower so I can pamper you sooner. So… are you staying over tonight, Khun Lom?” The long-winded spiel made the guest obediently stand to clear the plates, responding with a broad smile.

“I’d stay even if you didn’t ask.”

But before Namnuea could head to the shower, a deep voice followed.

“I’m glad I almost got married. Because that… led me to you.”

That made Namnuea smile to himself.

   This wedding mattered to him too… even if it ended in spectacular failure.

   A magical wedding where the groom found his true match… a wedding they’d never forget.

    

  

   THEWEDDING PLAN CHAPTERS HOME

   THEWEDDINGPLAN, Chapter 12:

Never trust the mood of a bride-to-be.

   They’re unpredictably volatile, believe me.

   Inside the guest bedroom reserved for close relatives, an uninvited guest had joined. After Sailom finished showering, he walked over and wrapped his arms around the waist of the man sitting on the bed watching TV. His sharp-featured face nuzzled into the pale neck, inhaling the sweet scent deeply, making Namnuea scrunch his neck to escape.

“Your stubble’s tickling me.”

“I’ll do more than tickle you,” Sailom teased, grabbing the remote to turn off the TV. His hands encircled the waist as his lips trailed along the smooth, pale shoulder, now faintly flushed from the scratch of his rough stubble. A low growl rumbled in his throat.

“You’re so pale, Nuea. Makes me want to kiss you all over.”

The listener laughed, no longer pulling away. Instead, he tilted his neck, offering his shoulder for the sharp face to bury into.

His hands squeezed the strong shoulders in return.

“Being pale is my one confidence.”

“Not just pale—delicious too.”

“Is that how you think of me?”

“I think of devouring you whole.”

“Hmm, don’t leave marks on my neck. My relatives might see,” Namnuea warned. Sailom knew his manners, but the sight of that fair skin, blushing with the slightest touch or squeeze, was too tempting. He couldn’t resist planting firm kisses, nibbling and grazing the soft skin. Soon, vivid red marks appeared, prompting Namnuea to protest.

“You’re not listening again!”

“Your collar will cover it, Nuea.”

“So stubborn.”

“I’ve always been stubborn, haven’t I?”

Not just talk, Sailom slipped his hand under the hem of the shirt, touching the soft, pale skin. His palm slid up to the smooth chest, savoring the faint moans from the man who no longer thought of escaping him. Namnuea gripped his shoulders tightly, his body visibly tensing as fingertips brushed lightly over sensitive, pale buds.

“Mm, Khun Lom, don’t tease.”

“I’m not teasing. I’m serious,” Sailom said, his hands slipping further under the shirt to toy with the pretty buds—flicking, grazing, until they perked up beautifully. Whether Namnuea meant to tease or not, wearing a thin white shirt made them stand out clearly, practically begging for firmer pinches. His lips never left the neck, kissing relentlessly, as the soft body writhed under his touch.

“Mm, don’t… don’t touch there… seriously… Khun Lom…”

“Your weak spot?”

“Nnngh,” Namnuea replied instead, glancing down at the hands, biting his lip. His breathing grew heavier, and he turned to meet Sailom’s gaze. Then, he leaned in, pressing a kiss to those well-shaped lips.

Sailom didn’t hold back, slipping his tongue inside, meeting the scorching heat that ignited him in a way he couldn’t believe. As their bodies pressed closer, rubbing against each other, the cold night breeze slipping through the slightly open window had no effect on them.

“Smack… mm… smack…”

Their tongues grazed and tangled, creating embarrassing sounds. Sweet saliva flowed, one retreating, the other chasing, one pulling back, the other pursuing, alternating back and forth. Meanwhile, large hands slid to tug at the thin fabric of a shirt, its owner yielding to let it slip off over his head.

Whoosh.

Then the young organizer flipped the dynamic, parting his legs and straddling Sailom’s body. His hands wrapped around broad shoulders, their eyes locking. Sailom saw the gaze before him— challenging, pushing his patience to the brink.

A challenge worth savoring.

Tonight, Namnuea was different from before. Maybe because he wasn’t drunk, wasn’t overwhelmed by emotions, and this wasn’t the mistake he’d once claimed. His eyes burned with fiery intensity, bold and daring, making Sailom want to dive headfirst into the flames. “What are you planning?” Sailom asked, brushing a hand against the pale cheek. The other grabbed his hand, kissed it, and answered cheerfully.

“Taking charge of you from the start, how’s that?”

“Can you handle it?” Two hands gripped the round, firm backside, squeezing fully, relishing it even more. The other flinched slightly, baring his teeth a little, but said nothing as the large hands continued kneading. Then, shifting slightly, the curved hips brushed against the bulge in Sailom’s pants. The pale figure began to roll his hips, grinding and pressing, making the recipient clench his jaw.

A blatant challenge.

“Come on, Khun Lom, let me have my fun first… please,” Namnuea said before the taller figure could flip them over. His hands pinned the broad shoulders firmly, and he… flashed a coy smile.

When the one who’d been dodging him suddenly turned flirty, what could the young man do but lie still? As Namnuea leaned his upper body down, those beautiful lips pressed kisses along the jawline. His tongue lightly teased the hollow of the neck, tracing up to the prominent Adam’s apple, sending waves of heat through Sailom’s body. The urge to flip them back vanished completely—he wanted to see what would happen next.

His lover, trailing along his body, stoked a smoldering desire. That low dip made Sailom’s eyes catch sight of a prominent peak, prompting him to reach out and gently squeeze it. “Has anyone ever told you you’re insanely naughty?”

“And does anyone know you’re the one who really drives me wild?”

“Haha, maybe one or two people.”

“Who?!” Sailom growled low, staring unblinkingly. The other grinned wide.

“Ex-boyfriend, huh? Did you think someone my age would come to you pure?” The listener’s face fell. He wasn’t expecting purity, not when he himself had been through plenty. But knowing that someone with such a sweet, captivating demeanor had been seen by others made his heart cloud with unease. And it seemed Namnuea could sense it. His warm lips pressed a kiss to the rough cheek, soothingly.

“But I’ve never done this much for anyone.”

This “much” made Sailom wait in anticipation. Let’s see if he’d get more than Namnuea’s past lovers. Namnuea’s hands roamed freely, pulling off his own pants and Sailom’s. Hot breaths poured over skin, and he clenched his jaw, holding back his urges as the other’s lips trailed below his navel.

“Damn, you’re really something.”

If Namnuea made an ecstatic face when savoring delicious food, he was making that same face now. But the one watching, now burning with desire, could only run a hand through soft hair, gazing at the flushed, porcelain face that was impossibly alluring.

Namnuea indulged him fully, his hands moving to prepare himself eagerly.

“Nuea, let me do it,” Sailom insisted stubbornly, despite his heavy breathing. He pushed his fingertips into the tight space, probing and stretching, all while his lips never stopped. The more he looked at the other, the more he had to summon immense restraint not to pull him down, flip him over, and become one.

“Nuea, I want you… I can’t take it anymore…”

Only when Sailom pleaded did Namnuea shift to straddle him. His hands pressed against Sailom’s chest, hips lifting. And Sailom found this view to be the best.

The handsome yet fair face of his lover had brows furrowed tightly, eyelids glistening with moisture and half-closed. Lips twisted, chest heaving with forceful rhythms as their bodies moved in perfect sync, becoming one.

It was all so captivating, impossible to look away.

“Nuea, let me kiss you,” Sailom whispered, his face tilting up to meet a searing kiss. As their bodies moved together, moans began to echo through the spacious room, mingling with the sound of skin against skin in a raw rhythm.

“Ah… mm… kiss…” The warm lips never parted, only broken by moans slipping through. Who would believe their bodies could fit so perfectly?

Slow, languid movements alternated with fierce, fiery ones, as if neither wanted it to end too soon. They stretched out each moment, kisses unbroken.

Skin rubbed against skin, hands clung tightly, sweat dripped.

The room was thick with a sultry haze. The bed creaked, echoing the intensity of their passion. Kiss after kiss, their bodies shuddered with each surge of intensity. How much time passed, they didn’t know, until hoarse, exhausted moans whispered the end.

“I can’t… Khun Lom… I can’t… anymore… sob…”

As if it were a signal, Sailom flipped the pale figure to lie beneath him, taking the lead, guiding the trembling, panting person to the edge of their destination. Two hands clung tightly to his neck, letting out moans that echoed through the silent valley at night.

Sailom followed closely, releasing all his pent-up desire to fill the other, then pressed warm lips to the prominent forehead.

They exchanged smiles.

Though no words of love followed their intimacy, a warm embrace was enough to fend off the chilly night air.

“When are you going back to Bangkok?”

“I took leave until Monday. You?”

“Didn’t your friend say you took indefinite leave?” Namnuea nearly laughed at his lover’s annoyed expression, head resting on the other’s arm, gazing at the sharp, crumpled face that seemed to hold a grudge against Sis Eim, not even answering his question.

“If I had a set date, would you not have followed me?” When he countered, Sailom made a difficult face but moved closer, hugging him, nuzzling into soft hair, as if unable to believe that the overly confident man could be this clingy. A deep voice spoke with a hint of sulking.

“Of course I’d follow. You were gone for two days, and I thought I’d die.”

“And I sat worrying for a month after sleeping with you. I didn’t complain.” The other fell silent but didn’t give in. The groom-to-be changed the subject.

“I’ll go back to Bangkok with you.”

“With me?”

“I’m not leaving you here alone. Sun said your cousin is terrifying and wouldn’t let you go back. I’d be devastated,” Sailom shook his head slowly. Even without meeting him, the eldest Phra Rin was this intimidated. If he met the big brother, he’d probably freeze to the bone. He’d already been through it.

“And you can take leave from work?”

“At worst, my uncle will fire me from the company,” the responder said carelessly, shrugging with a bored expression, then adding,

“Believe it or not, even my job was forced on me. I got an offer from a professor doing research in the U.S., but my mom cried her eyes out, saying she wouldn’t let me live abroad longer than my studies. My dad begged me to come back, and in the end, they made me work with my uncle. I’m dying to quit, but

I’m afraid he’ll fake a heart attack.”

“Am I going to survive this?” Namnuea asked, half-horrified. The storyteller flashed him a grin. “Of course you will. You’ve got me.”

“Says the guy who can’t even escape his own mom,”

Namnuea teased, wrinkling his nose. Whether the spirits of Bangkok were holy enough or not, Sailom’s phone suddenly blared loudly. Its owner whipped his head toward it, letting out a heavy sigh.

“Answer it,” the man in his arms nudged gently. But instead, Sailom… hung up and turned the phone off.

“Whoa, just like that?”

“This is my time with my wife, not my mom. Let her be. She’ll just be a bit annoyed at most,” the larger man said, tossing the phone to the corner of the bed before snuggling back down, pulling the warm body close. Then, he changed the subject.

“But I want to meet your mom. I’d like to thank her for letting me come chase you down here.” The sentiment mirrored Namnuea’s own gratitude toward the mother who’d allowed this man to come make amends. A smile slipped onto his face.

“Not scared of my mom?”

“No one’s scarier than my mom,” Sailom said with a chuckle, then doubled down. “Let me meet your parents.”

“In what capacity?”

Yeah, in what capacity? Especially since the other man was supposed to be getting married as a front. That thought made Namnuea return a smile, sliding his hand to intertwine their fingers tightly before whispering in his ear.

“As the one who’ll take care of you.”

That line left Namnuea completely flustered.

   “Didn’t know you were such a sweet-talker.”

“Want a taste?” Namnuea could only laugh, but he didn’t protest as that sharp-featured face leaned closer. As it seemed a second round was about to start, he raised his hands to wrap around those shoulders, feeling the beautiful muscles he’d only dreamed of before, lost in those deep tea-colored eyes that made his heart tremble. But then…

“Mmm… Sun… close the window… no… n-not… wait,

Nuea… might hear… ngh…”

Suddenly, a voice drifted in. Namnuea glanced toward the window, realizing it was slightly ajar. But from the clarity of the sound, the room next door definitely hadn’t closed theirs. And more importantly…

“Whoa, Little Sun’s got some skills, huh?”

Someone could make their fierce little brother whimper like a kitten?

   But the man above him seemed less than pleased.

   “I’m better than that kid.”

It seems like it’ll pull the kid.

Thinking about it, Nuea turned with a challenging eyebrow raise.

“I didn’t see that,” he said, perhaps missing the mark a bit, as a wicked smile appeared on his lips. Then the big guy pulled the blanket off to the foot of the bed, climbed on top, straddling Nuea’s body, his eyes gleaming so fiercely it startled him. And it got worse when that menacing voice whispered:

“Tonight, you’re not sleeping, huh? Fine. I’ll make it happen!”

This time, Nuea should’ve kept his mouth shut, because it seems the stubborn one loves to win. But it was… absolutely awesome.

Sister Eim. Now I am not single anymore, sis! No longer starving or parched, but stuffed and thriving!

   …

“Yiwa, why are you so calm when your man’s gone missing?”

“Just let him do whatever. He’s not a kid anymore.”

“But you’re about to marry Lom!”

In the big house, mother and daughter were arguing loudly about how the groom suddenly took leave from work and vanished without the other family even knowing what happened. While everyone else was panicking, the bride-to-be didn’t seem to care one bit, still chatting on the phone with her so-called best friend.

“Yes, we’re getting married, but I’m not his warden, and Phii

Lom isn’t a prisoner. He must have business with others.”

“Aren’t you afraid he’s cheating on you?”

“If that’s the case, what can I do?”

“Yiwa!!!” Her mother shouted. The young woman sighed softly, trying to stay calm, then brushed it off.

“Phii Lom probably has urgent work, Mom. You’re so upset— tonight, I’ll stay at a friend’s so we don’t fight.”

“Friends! Your friend again? Ever since you started hanging out with this friend, everything’s gone downhill…”

“Don’t you dare talk about my friend like that!!”

For the first time, Yiwa raised her voice at her mother. Normally, she used a soft tone to calm her down, but the moment her mother insulted the person she loved most, the young woman shot up to her full height, glaring with fury. Yet her mother didn’t seem to realize she’d crossed a line.

“You’re arguing with me because of that friend of yours. And what’s this? Going out, traveling, staying over—what, does this friend got no job to do that they keep my daughter around like this? No status, no class, and I can’t even stand looking at her face…”

“You have no right to talk like that!” Before she could finish, Yiwa screamed, her face red with anger, leaving her mother staring in shock.

“What’s wrong with you? I’m just stating the truth.”

“But you have no right to judge her… no right to judge the person I love! You don’t even know her!!”

“Wha… what do you mean, Yiwa?” The listener was stunned, eyes wide, staring at her daughter who had exploded with anger. It was as if this was the final straw she had been holding onto, because Yiwa was now spilling everything in her heart without any regard for plans or consequences.

“You didn’t mishear, Mom. The person you thought was my friend? He’s not a friend. She’s my girlfriend. Your daughter loves women. Did you hear that? I love women!”

“No way! B-but you’re about to marry Sailom, and what about

Sailom…?”

Yiwa gave a bitter smile. At this moment, her anger was too overwhelming to speak calmly, so all that came out was…     “Phii Lom is just a foolish man, a tool for me to use, that’s all.” With that, the young woman spun around and stormed out of the house so quickly that her mother could only stand there, pale-faced, lips trembling, calling her name. But Yiwa didn’t care. She sped off in her luxury car, tears streaming down her face.

Mom never understood her… never knew that the reason she could stand tall every day was because of the person Mom said she didn’t like. If it weren’t for her, she wouldn’t have endured living under her mother’s control until now. Her girlfriend cared for Mom even more than she cared for herself!

   “Phii Lom, I’m sorry. It seems I can’t keep up this act anymore. Travel safely, okay? Come back home when you have time.”

…

“Yes, Mom. I will head off now, Mom. Dad, too—don’t overdo it. Missing one day of fertilizing the plants won’t make your beauties wilt.”

At Chiang Mai Airport, Namnuea bid farewell to his parents who had come to see him off at the gate. Nearby stood a tall man who had promised to return with him. He noticed his father glancing at Sailom, so he quickly spoke, a bit nervously. Even though his father returned the gesture, it didn’t mean he was ready to easily accept his son bringing another man home.

“Tell yourself, Nuea, people need to keep fertilizing and tending the soil regularly for the flowers to bloom beautifully… right, Khun Lom?” His father didn’t address him but spoke to the other man who stepped forward to respond.

“Yes, sir. I’ll remember that.”

Whether a flower of love blooms depends on both people nurturing it together.

   The words that showed his father’s acceptance made Namnuea press his lips tightly, his eyes feeling warm.

Meanwhile, his mother also said her goodbyes, entrusting him to the other man.

   “Travel safely, okay? Take care of Nuea, Khun Lom. I’m worried about him being alone in Bangkok.” In the end, everyone entrusted him to the other man, who smiled broadly in acceptance. Namnuea could only shake his head as he followed the other to board the plane, feeling like a bride who had just left home for her new life.

“I like your family… no, I love it,”

“Falling for it so easily, Khun Lom?”

“It’s way cuter than my place.”

“Talking like that gives me chills,” Namnuea said nervously, but he took a deep breath to muster courage. As the other slid a hand to hold his without caring about anyone’s gaze, he felt a surge of strength to return to work in Bangkok and put on a fake smile at the sham wedding that was about to take place.

After just an hour of talking, the plane landed in the bustling capital, where countless complications awaited.

As soon as Sailom turned on his phone, which had been off the entire time, it rang almost instantly.

“Looks like you’re busy. I can head back on my own,” Namnuea said. Who would be crazy enough to leave a car parked at the airport for nearly a week? But, well, there was Khun Sailom, the one and only.

I’ll drop you off, just let me take this call,” Sailom insisted, holding onto the backpack while answering the phone with an utterly bored expression, his brows furrowing further as a loud voice blared from the device: “Where the hell are you, Lom? I just got hold of you!”

   “I had urgent business to take care of. Is something up,

Mom?” Usually, his mother would pry until she knew every detail, but this time, it seemed there was something truly urgent. She switched topics and spoke in a stern tone.

“You get home right now, Lom. It’s urgent!”

   “What’s going on? I’m dropping off a friend first.”

“Come back immediately. It’s Yiwa!”

   “Yiwa? What’s wrong with Yiwa?” Namnuea looked up, meeting his eyes curiously, stepping closer as if wanting to know what they were talking about. The voice on the other end answered with frantic urgency, almost on the verge of tears.

“It’s Yiwa! Out of nowhere, she called me saying she’s not getting married, apologized to me, and then flew out of the country! I’m stressed to death, Lom. What’s going on? What is this nonsense?!”

   “Whoa,” Namnuea, hearing every word, gasped in disbelief. He pictured the prim and proper woman who seemed agreeable to everything, defying her mother’s orders, calling to say she wouldn’t marry, and then flying abroad. This wasn’t a demure lady anymore—she was going all out.

“Mom, calm down, okay? I’ll try to contact Yiwa.”

“Her mother can’t even reach her, so how could you? Ugh,

I’m going insane. Why is this happening?!”

   “Mom, please calm down. I’ll head home soon, okay?” Sailom soothed until his mother calmed down and hung up. He turned to

Namnuea, whose eyes were wide, and said in disbelief,    “Who would’ve thought Yiwa would pull something like this?”

   “I’m one who believes it. She may look like that, but she’s stubborn as hell. If I hadn’t kept her in check, she wouldn’t have stayed quiet this long. She’s probably snapped now. No way she’s coming back to go through with the wedding,” the groomto-be said, but… why was he grinning so widely?

“Put on a sad face, at least.”

“No need. I’m actually pretty thrilled with this move. It’s my mom who’s going to lose it,” Nuea thought, genuinely impressed by this bride and groom. Instead of panicking over the extreme actions, he laughed, twirling the car keys casually, grabbing his shoulder, and even inviting him along.

“Are you crazy? Go to my house in what capacity?”

“Well, I’d say we bumped into each other at the airport, and I offered to give you a ride. But then my mom called, and I rushed back home, worried my fiancée had disappeared, accidentally taking your ring with me. Sounds plausible, right? That way, you can come to my place, Nuea.” Sometimes, his boyfriend’s wild ideas were hard to stomach, but… Namnuea found himself nodding.

“Sigh, fine, whatever. I’m already part of this scheme.”

“Great! Wanna grab something to eat on the way? I’m starving,” the man who’d just claimed to be in a hurry said with a faint smile, making the listener frown instantly.

“Is this really the time, Khun Lom? Aren’t you worried your mom might have a heart attack?”

“Her latest health checkup showed she’s perfectly fine—no heart issues whatsoever. She’s not going down that easily, so don’t worry. We’ll just say we got stuck in traffic, and that’s that,” Sailom said, not just talking but subtly dragging Namnuea along. The latter let out a heavy huff through his nose but followed obediently, growing unsure whether loving this cunning man was a mistake or not.

“Anything special you want to eat?”

Maybe Namnuea had caught the crazy bug himself, because he replied confidently, “How about we grab some McDonald’s?”

“Sounds good.” And so, the two men who were supposedly in a rush strolled to the car at a pace no faster than a limping turtle. By the time they finished eating and navigated through traffic to get home, Sailom’s mother was practically fainting from waiting, powerless to do anything but sit there.

Worse still, she’d be in for an even bigger shock if she learned the truth from Yiwa’s mother—that the runaway bride had fled with someone else.

   This wasn’t just a bride scared of a little rain; she’d dodged a Thai tornado and hightailed it overseas.

    

  

   THEWEDDING PLAN CHAPTERS HOME

   THEWEDDINGPLAN, Chapter 11:

Love is a miraculous thing. When hearts align, everything turns pink.

   A heavy silence enveloped the beautiful teakwood house for a fleeting moment, but it was a moment that felt eternal for both men. Namnuea’s eyes widened, his strength to resist drained as if sucked into the earth. His mind struggled to process the words the other had spoken, his senses overwhelmed. Love…

“You’re lying!”

“I’m not lying!”

The accused shot back firmly, forcing Namnuea to look up with eyes blazing with anger.

If the other thought saying “love” would make everything okay, he was underestimating Namnuea, treating him like a naive fool. The truth was right in front of him.

“Then what about Khun Yiwa?! You say you love me, but what about your bride? Or can you love multiple people at once?!” Nuea’s voice thundered through the house, causing the other to frown sharply. But the deep voice responded immediately, earnest and unwavering.

Yes, I love Yiwa.”

In that moment, Namnuea felt the ground beneath him crumble. Yet he steeled himself, forcing a mocking smile at the despicable man who dared admit to loving two people at once. He was about to snap back when Sailom continued, his voice firm.

“But I love Yiwa like a sister!”

“!!!”

Nuea’s eyes widened, staring into those sharp eyes that seemed to convey something deeper. But in that moment, he couldn’t see it, couldn’t feel it, couldn’t hear it. All he could muster was a look of disappointment and a voice that asked in disbelief.

“Do you think I’m that naive to fall for your childish lies?

Who would marry someone they love like a sister…?”

“I’m the one who has to marry someone I love like a sister to hide that I’m actually gay!”

Once again, Namnuea was speechless. He opened his mouth to retort, but no sound came out. In that moment, his mind spun like it had been thrown into a blender, staring at the other man as if witnessing the strangest thing he’d ever seen. Sailom didn’t wait for Namnuea to regain his senses, rushing to explain in a rapid, urgent tone, afraid he wouldn’t listen.

“Nuea, you felt it too, didn’t you? That something’s off about this wedding. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have asked if I was willing to marry. And yes, I intended to go through with it because it’s a marriage of convenience—to keep my family

 

from meddling in my life anymore. And why did I get involved with you? Because I liked you from the moment I saw you, and I don’t like women.”

Namnuea couldn’t respond. He stood frozen, like a madman in the arms of the groom-to-be, who was spilling a story that sounded like it belonged in a love advice column in some magazine. But this was real—painfully real, and he was caught up in it. He shook his head slowly, as if… he couldn’t believe it.

“Nuea, you have to believe me. This wedding isn’t about love.

Okay, Yiwa and I love each other, but it’s like siblings…”

“So you deceived Khun Yiwa?”

“Me? Deceive Yiwa? When did I ever deceive her?” Sailom shot back, confused. But Sister Eim’s words echoed in Namnuea’s mind, from a conversation about third parties.

So many gay men marry as a cover, hurting another woman’s life. And Sailom was one of them.

“You tricked Khun Yiwa into a sham marriage, didn’t you? You’re even worse than I thought. I can’t believe someone like you could have such a disgusting mindset. You’re…”

“Nuea, stop! Listen to me first, please, just listen!” Sailom’s voice rose sharply, gripping the shoulders of the man hurling accusations. Whether it was the serious tone or not, it made the angry Namnuea turn his face away, though he could feel the weight of his guilt intensifying.

Was he really Khun Lom’s secret lover behind Khun Yiwa’s back? Despicable… no different from the way Sister Eim cursed her friend’s husband.

   Namnuea’s suffocating discomfort prompted Sailom to quickly pull out his phone, one hand still holding the pale shoulder. His sharp eyes scanned the screen, fingers swiping rapidly, until his eyes lit up. Meanwhile, Namnuea, regaining his composure, started to pull away.

“Nuea, look at this first.”

“No. I’m not looking.”

His entire family understood, but the person in front of him…    “Right after the wedding, we’ll move out and live separately. Even in the same house, we agreed to live our own lives, completely independent. We’re only getting married to keep our mothers from meddling. That’s why this fake wedding is happening.”

It answered every question he’d had before.

Why didn’t the bride care about her own wedding? Because she didn’t love the groom at all.

   Why didn’t they invite the guests their parents wanted? Because it was just a staged act—the more people involved, the more they’d be lying to.

   “Then why me?”

Yes, if they were going to play this charade together, why drag Nuea into it?

Sailom reached out to clasp his cold fingertips, and this time, Namnuea couldn’t push him away. He stood frozen like a log, waiting for the answer that shook his heart the most.

“Because I love you, Nuea.”

The other man spoke with a firm voice, gripping his hand tightly, and continued, “I liked you from the moment we met at that McDonald’s, even before I saw you at the office.” Namnuea flinched, recalling the day he sat eating and eyeing some eye candy… not realizing the other man had noticed him too. “You know, Nuea, when you ate, you looked so happy. You smiled, you were content, you showed it all on your face. It made me feel that small joys could come from the littlest things we don’t expect. Or when you stared out the window, I kept wondering what made you laugh, what amused you. Your expression back then made someone as stressed as me feel good just by watching. It made me think, how much could this person make me smile? And you really did.”

Both hands now wrapped around him, and though Namnuea should’ve pushed them away, he was too embarrassed, his face burning red. He had no idea the other man had been watching him the whole time, and his “amusement” back then… was checking out guys.

Too ashamed to admit the truth.

   “I was glad you were the one handling my wedding. Yiwa threw everything to me because I told her I liked you. She helped me, wanted me to get closer to you. All those excuses— not liking to discuss important things over the phone, needing to hit the gym in the evening—they were just ways to get you to meet me in person, to let you know where you could find me. I did everything I could to keep you around longer, to get to know you better. But the more I liked you, the harder it was to tell you the truth,” he said, letting out a heavy sigh before leaning in, resting his face on Namnuea’s pale shoulder.

“I’m sorry. Back then, I didn’t dare trust anyone… not even the person I was pursuing. I didn’t want our plan to reach my mother. I’m sorry, Nuea, for hurting you, for making you blame yourself for stealing someone else’s man. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”

Countless reasons help Namnuea understand the whole story, and he can’t bring himself to be angry.

   It’s true you shouldn’t trust someone you’ve just met, even if you’ve started to fall for them—especially with something this important. But Namnuea can’t help but ask.

“Why are you telling me this now?”

The answer makes his small heart waver. “Because I don’t want to lose you.”

It’s more than just the word “love.”

The young organizer feels the other’s embrace, possessive and pleading for trust, filled with all the affection they have. It makes his hands, hanging limply at his sides, slowly move. He closes his eyes, unable to stop his heart.

He can’t stop his arms from returning the embrace. “You’re such a bad person, you know that, Khun Lom?”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

The strong arms of this man are too warm, so warm that his frozen heart begins to melt. Namnuea asks with a trembling voice, “I didn’t do anything wrong, did I?”

“No, you didn’t do anything wrong.”

 

I’m not someone’s third wheel, am I?” Like a small child seeking reassurance, his words make the listener hold his soft frame even tighter to affirm.

“You didn’t destroy anyone’s family or life, Nuea. On the contrary, you brought happiness to mine.”

“You’re really a bad person.”

“Yes, I’m a bad person.”

A bad person who made this Nuea cry. He buries his face in the broad chest, letting tears soak the other’s shirt as he hugs back with all his strength.

   All his fears fade with the clearest explanation.

   “But can this bad person love you?” Sailom, brimming with confidence, asks. Namnuea pulls back slightly, sniffles softly, wipes his face with the back of his hand, and asks in a shaky voice, “Can someone like you even be stopped?”

The man who chased him all the way here.

“You could stop me, but I just wouldn’t listen.”

Namnuea was truly angry at himself… angry that he was smiling through tears, that he didn’t resist when gentle fingertips wiped his face, and angrier still that his eyes closed when the other leaned down to press a soft kiss to his lips.

A kiss that was just a gentle press before pulling away. Then, those sharp eyes locked onto his, speaking the words he’d longed to hear from someone.

“I love you, Namnuea.”

The listener lowered his gaze slightly, using both hands to push the broad shoulders away. This time, Sailom let go.

I’ll forgive you, but I have one condition,” Namnuea said, and the other listened intently. Then Namnuea grinned… a wide, beaming grin, and…    Pow!

Crash!

“Ow!”

A warm fist slammed into the other’s cheek, sending Sailom staggering into the edge of a chair with a loud crash, crying out in shock. Namnuea shook his hand vigorously—he hadn’t expected punching someone’s face to hurt this much. Then, baring his teeth through tears, he glared at the man who’d caused him both physical and emotional pain, speaking in a firm voice.

“That’s for making me overthink and go crazy for so long. One punch isn’t even enough.” He turned to storm into his room, but… he wasn’t quick enough to escape the hand that grabbed his wrist.

“I’ll let you punch me as many times as you want, but I have one question.”

“…” Namnuea stayed silent, listening.

“Do you love me?” Nuea raised his fist again, but the other didn’t flinch, staring steadily. The one threatening with a raised hand… smiled.

“I don’t just love you,” he said firmly. “My answer is… I love you.”

Grab.

Hey! You’re still in hot water, let go! Let go!!” But the shameless opportunist yanked his wrist, pulling him onto his lap. Strong arms wrapped tightly around his waist as Namnuea protested lightly but didn’t truly resist. Their hearts were aligned now, they understood each other—why bother freaking out and exhausting himself?

“You can order me around, but I won’t listen,” Sailom teased.

“Then don’t ever let go,” Namnuea shot back.

“No need to tell me—I’m already doing it.”

Namnuea was still angry at himself, angry that he was too happy in the embrace of this cunning man.

“You said you like the color of the sunset.”

“Hmm. I do.”

At this moment, the couple, having just reconciled, sat on the balcony of the teakwood house, watching the sun dip behind the mountain’s edge. Namnuea leaned against the other, bringing up a topic they’d discussed before. Sailom smiled in response.

“So that’s why you used orange and white as the wedding theme.”

“Well, you didn’t help me at all,” Namnuea pouted, recalling the early days of planning the wedding, when he was utterly exasperated and tempted multiple times to dump the work on the client. This made Sailom burst into laughter, tightening his embrace around Namnuea’s shoulders.

“Because I didn’t actually want to get married.”

So what are you going to do next?” Namnuea asked, broaching the subject. The listener’s face turned serious, meeting his gaze.

“You won’t be mad at me, right? If I have to marry Yiwa,” Sailom said, clearly worried. It wasn’t fair to have a secret relationship while married, but for Namnuea, the fact that

Sailom had been open about everything was clear enough. He smiled lightly.

“So I’d be the third wheel, huh?”

“I don’t want you to use that word when I only love you,” Sailom said. But it was the truth they’d have to face. Namnuea would be involved with a married man… even though the bride herself already had a lover.

“What does Khun Yiwa’s partner think about it?”

“She doesn’t agree, but Yiwa’s stubborn. There’s no other way to solve it, so she’s reluctantly coming around,” Sailom said wearily, letting out a heavy sigh.

“If only my mom understood like yours.”

Namnuea knew he was lucky.

“I told you before, Khun Lom, every family has different problems, but what’s the same is that they love their kids. Ugh, anyway, I’m ready to dive into your mess. I love you this much, and I already know the deal. As long as this ‘other man’ doesn’t have to climb a thorny tree, I can handle it,” Namnuea said jokingly, though he was serious about his words.

 

It wasn’t that he was okay with his partner getting legally married, but the situation had gone too far for him to ask Sailom to stop. The listener hugged Namnuea tightly, whispering.

“Thank you, Nuea. I really mean it.” This time, Namnuea laughed before something occurred to him.

“Let’s make it a deal, then.”

“Hm?”

“It’s not hard,” Nuea said. “You just have to accept that I might balloon up. Stress makes me eat, you know. Just don’t ditch me if I get fat.” His words made Sailom break into a wide grin.

“No worries, I’ll help you work it off,” Sailom replied, his sharp eyes glinting mischievously, sending a hot-and-cold shiver down Nuea’s spine. But he wasn’t fazed.

“If it’s in bed, I’m fine. But the gym? I don’t know. Next time you teach me boxing, I might just whip you with a crocodile tail,” Nuea teased, making the groom-to-be burst out laughing. Sailom leaned down, pressing his face against Nuea’s forehead, planting kisses on his forehead and the tip of his nose with such affection that Nuea’s face flushed, suddenly shy in a way he couldn’t explain.

“The workers down there are cheering, you know,” Sailom said.

“Don’t worry. I already like you just the way you are, Nuea. Like this—warm and soft when I hold you.”

He’s head over heels, isn’t he?

Namnuea laughed to himself, seeing how Sailom would let him call a bird a tree or a tree a bird. So, he decided to reward him.

Smack

He pressed a firm kiss to Sailom’s cheek and pulled back.

“I love you, Khun Lom.”

Their eyes locked, hands clasped, and Namnuea knew what was coming… he was about to be kissed.

“I think you got the color of my work shirt wrong,” Sailom whispered softly just before their lips could meet, making Nuea open his eyes again. He saw those sharp eyes sparkling unbelievably.

“The sunset isn’t orange. I think it’s pink right now.”

Namnuea nearly gaped, but all he could do was laugh out loud at the cheesy line. Then warm lips pressed against his several times, both of them trying to stifle their laughter, until they were kissing and chuckling at the same time. But Namnuea couldn’t deny it.

The sunset wasn’t a fiery orange—it was a sweet pink, truly.

   People in love really do see everything in pink.

   “Ahem, Phii Riu…I can see your face is pink too. Looks like I’m blinded by love just like you,” came the voice of the honorary farm worker, interrupting their sweet moment. It made both of them turn to look, only to see the youngest, Riu, standing frozen at the balcony door, his cheeks bright red.

Smack

“You lunatic!” Catching the sneaky glance, the secret admirer turns and punches their partner’s shoulder to cover their embarrassment.

“Well, lunatic or not, I’m crazy in love with Phii Riu. Wink Oh, look, is Phii Riu’s face pink because you were eavesdropping from the start, or is it pink because everywhere I look, it’s all pink? Even the sunset’s pink. Seems like the whole house is colorblind,” the cheeky kid teases, landing a hit on everyone with a playful grin. He catches the fist aimed at him with his palm, facing the huffing, cat-like glare from the youngest, who’s hissing like a feline.

“Get inside already, you guys. Dinner’s ready. Today, Rerai and Phii Ton went to town, and Rarin’s not back yet. Come on, come eat to fuel up before you go ‘eat’ something else. Cause tonight, I’m eating—”

“Sun!!!”

“Whoa, whoa, angry kitty. Easy, Phii Riu, don’t be mad,” he teases, seeing Riu’s anger but still poking at it. He even winks at the two adults following into the house. This time, Namnuea sends a brighter smile and laughs.

“Looks like I won’t be hearing any wall-scratching tonight.”

Sun glances over, flashing a knowing grin.

“Oh, got it. Good call—no scratching sounds. That way, I can belt out at full blast,” he says, pulling the still-glaring Riu, who’s shooting daggers at Sailom, into the house. This leaves the man beside Namnuea to turn with a questioning look. Namnuea laughs loudly and leans in to whisper.

“Because tonight, I’ll be the one scratching the walls. Interested? You don’t have a place to stay yet—wanna crash here for a couple of nights?” The invitation makes the listener’s eyes gleam, instantly catching the meaning of “wall-scratching.” A wicked smile curls on his lips as he responds with full enthusiasm.

“I’m not just staying. I’m doing other things too.”

The challenging tone prompts Namnuea to retort with just one line.

“Then don’t let the kid outdo you. Last night, my little cousin was moaning like a cat, sneaking into a room. If you can’t keep up, you’re losing to a college kid.” With that, he hurries after his younger brother, leaving the challenged man with a determined grin that promises tonight will be fiery.

Last time, it was all hesitation and nerves. This time, it’s looking like the real deal.

   Now that he’s certain he’s not dancing in a red-hot pan, he might as well go for a scorching love session on the bed until they both drop.

    

  

   THEWEDDING PLAN CHAPTERS HOME

   THEWEDDINGPLAN, Chapter 10:

Love is about communication. If you don’t speak, how can the other person understand?

   “So, you’ve got a boyfriend… No wonder you haven’t been in touch with me lately.”

“Hey, Nuea, it’s not like that at all!”

“Yeah, yeah, Bro. I’m not just a boyfriend. I’m a husband!”

“Husband? Hahaha!”

The atmosphere in the orchard owner’s guesthouse is livelier than usual. It’s not just that the youngest son has come home with a handsome guy in tow, but a close relative who’s been absent lately is also at the dinner table. And the topic they can’t resist teasing is the youngest, sitting next to his partner.

The moment “husband” is mentioned, a heavy hand lands a loud smack on the speaker, but the one who said it doesn’t seem fazed. On the contrary, they seem to enjoy it.

“Keep smacking me like that, and tonight I’ll make you regret it.”

“Ahem, want to die young, Sun?”

Rarin, the head of the table and fiercely protective of her younger sibling, clears her throat. Her face shows no hint of joking—she’s dead serious about taking out her future brotherin-law. Sun shrinks a bit, scooting closer to the one who just smacked him, whining.

“Phii Riu, look, Phii Rarin’s gonna kill me!”

“Good, die already.”

“Wow, don’t come crying when you miss me later. Even when I’m sick, you can’t leave my bedside.” For Namnuea, it’s a strange sight. The fiercest younger sibling in the family is blushing, muttering “idiot,” but turns to their older sister with a pleading look, making the doting sibling sigh.

“Tomorrow, you’re helping the workers graft branches at 4 a.m., Sun.”

“Not scared, I’m in!” The Bangkok kid seems eager, probably guessing what Namnuea’s thinking, because he turns with a cheeky grin. “I’ve been through it all, mortar and pestle to battleships. But this family’s kind. On heavy workdays, a certain someone brings me a lunchbox.”

“Who’re you calling a girl?!”

“Look in the mirror, Phii Riu.”

Man, this kid’s fearless, and he’s really got Riu wrapped around his finger.

Namnuea couldn’t help but laugh, watching the two kids playfully teasing each other nonstop. Then he turned to the married couple nearby.

“And this pair—when are you giving my cousin a little cousin?”

“Not yet, Nuea. We’re planning to wait about three years so we can fully focus on the kid,” Ton said with a smile, before adding, “But no fewer than four.”

“Are you the one carrying them, Ton?” That was all it took for Rerai to flash a sweet smile, making her husband give a dry chuckle, though he still pleaded.

“Come on, Rerai, just three more.”

Rerai rolled her eyes dramatically but didn’t protest. Then Rarin, the close relative, turned to Namnuea.

“And what about you, Nuea?”

“Whoa, shouldn’t you be asking yourself first, Rarin? You’re practically headed for spinsterhood.”

“Spinsterhood? More like a diamond-encrusted golden bachelorette,” Rarin quipped, unfazed by her single status, which made Namnuea laugh, treating it like a joke as he went on casually.

“Ugh, it’s not like someone like me could score a guy like Riu here. Looks like I’ll just wither away, unable to snag a man who’d ‘carry my child.’ Oh well, single life’s not that scary. I’ve made peace with it since I realized I was gay. How many gay couples even get to have weddings?” Namnuea never hid that he was gay, though he didn’t always say it outright. His demeanor wasn’t overtly obvious either, so when he spoke plainly, Sun’s eyes widened, and he rubbed his chin.

“Someone like you, Nuea, staying single? I think you’ve got way better odds than Phii Rarin,” the kid said fearlessly. But the eldest sister didn’t take offense and even agreed.

“True. Back in the day, you were quite the charmer, with both guys and girls. You’ve got plenty for people to fall for, and you’re still saying you’ll stay single?”

“I think so too. If it weren’t for Phii Riu, I’d be hitting on you, Nuea,” Sun teased cheekily, but it seemed to rile up the guy next to him more than anything. Sun quickly backtracked.

“But sorry, my heart belongs to Phii Riu alone now. Right, Phii Riu? I’m so head-over-heels I can’t think straight.” As he spoke, Sun leaned to rest his head on Riu’s shoulder, only for Riu to shove him off with a grimace. But his flushed cheeks were a sight, and Namnuea couldn’t resist asking.

“So, Sun, what do you like about Riu?”

He glanced at the youngest, who was clearly intrigued. Sun grinned wide, snapped his fingers with a pop, and answered without hesitation.

“She’s gorgeous, fierce, spicy, and… so much, man.”

Smack!

Just now, Namnuea was sure he hadn’t imagined it. When the guy paused for emphasis, sneaking a glance, the listener nearly smacked his head into the table. This time, his face flushed with anger. He shot up, cursing loudly, flipping the middle finger at his boyfriend. Then Riu practically stormed back to his room.

“No eating, no drinking!”

“Whoa, Phii Riu, I’m serious! Last night was awesome,” Sun said, laughing.

“You idiot!” The scolding rang out, but Sun laughed it off. “Last night’s game was so damn fun. What’re you thinking, huh? Come on, let me get to the room nicely.” He sauntered over to knock on the door calmly, turning to wink at the folks at the table. Namnuea watched, thinking there was no way he’d get in—his partner looked fierce as hell. But, to his surprise… the door actually opened.

“Good night, everyone. If you hear any noises, just pretend it’s a cat scratching the wall,” Sun said before disappearing with the sound of curses from inside the room, making Namnuea’s eyes widen slightly. He glanced at his relatives, who seemed unfazed, already accustomed to the drama.

“Is this a regular thing?”

“Yep,” Rerai nodded with a chuckle, before Phii Ton urged them to focus on dinner. Meanwhile, Namnuea let out a quiet sigh.

He had to admit, he was genuinely jealous of those two kids.

    One seemed perpetually angry but was actually indulgent. The other loved to tease and provoke but was always attentive and conciliatory. It stirred deep envy in his heart.

   Could he ever find someone like that? No, better yet, could he first forget the man who’d caused him so much pain, Nuea?

   …

How long would it take to erase that man from his heart?

Sailom had barely stepped onto the grounds of Chiang Mai International Airport when he strode toward the domestic arrivals exit, intent on renting a car to head straight to the address he’d gotten from Namnuea’s coworker. He’d tried calling the number the day before.

“I’d like to speak to Namnuea, please.”

[Who’s this? A friend of Nuea? How’d you know he’s back home?]

   The voice on the other end sounded like it might be Namnuea’s mother. He could’ve lied, but he chose honesty.

“No, I’m not a friend of Namnuea. I’m… a client of his.”

It was true that the other person didn’t see him as a friend, and he was only ever in that role. But it seemed they were starting to realize no client would call their home like that. The line went quiet for a moment before a soft sigh came through, followed by a question that left him stunned.

“Are you the one who made Nuea cry?”

Once again, he was reminded that the person he loved had been shedding tears, and he could do nothing but say, “Yes.”

“Please, I’m begging you, leave Nuea alone. He’s suffered enough. Don’t you already have someone else? Don’t make things harder for him,” the voice pleaded.

They likely knew only what their son had shared. Sailom paused, then said urgently, “Please let me explain to him. The idea that I am with someone else—Nuea misunderstood me.

Please, let me talk to him.”

“I don’t know if Nuea will agree to talk to you.”

“That’s okay. If he won’t talk now, that’s fine. But may I come see him tomorrow? I’ll be in Chiang Mai tomorrow morning.”

The other end fell silent for a moment before asking, “What’s your name?”

“Sailom. My name is Sailom.”

Sailom wasn’t sure if they’d let him see Nuea easily, but he’d made his plea. Now he needed to find a ride to the address he’d been given. But…

“Khun Sailom, where are you? Khun Sailom!” A voice called his name loudly, and since it was unlikely anyone else shared his name, he turned to look. Sure enough, a young man, no older than a university student, was waving a large sign with “Sailom” written on it.

He immediately knew this person was connected to Namnuea. Part of him wondered if they were sent to intercept and send him back. But if they were sent by Nuea’s mother…

“I’m Sailom,” he said, stepping forward to introduce himself. The young man turned, met his eyes, and flashed a wide smile.

“Someone sent me to pick you up, Phii. You’re here for Phii

Nuea, right?”

“Mm,” Sailom nodded, eyeing the good-looking young man who gave him a sympathetic glance before covering it with a smile. Still, he couldn’t resist adding, “Phii Sailom, messing with this family takes some guts, you know.”

“Huh?” Sailom raised an eyebrow, confused, as the young man introduced himself. “Let’s just say I’m Sun. It’s hard to explain, but I’m… a worker at Phii Rarin’s farm. I’ll take you up to the farm.”

“Farm?” The more he heard, the more confused he got. He’d heard Namnuea’s home was in the city, and that comment earned him another sympathetic smile.

“Let’s just say you’ll figure it out when you get there. But fair warning: the reason all the seniors sent me is because I’m the absolute worst at driving up mountains. You’d better bring a plastic bag. Phii Rarin said to take you up the steepest route,” the other says with a sympathetic tone, reaching to help with the bag, but Sailom shakes his head and counters.

“What if I don’t go?”

“Then you’ll never find Nuea, even if you die trying… My wife asked me to pass that on. Oh, and he’s Nuea’s cousin, in case you’re wondering.” This kid’s sharp—not your average worker. He answers every question just by reading Sailom’s face, and that’s enough to make Sailom nod reluctantly.

What follows is hours of nerve-wracking mountain driving, teetering on the edge of death.

“Nuea, Nuea, have you seen Sun?”

Namnuea is letting a book read itself—well, not exactly, just sitting on the porch with it for ages. The youngest of the house approaches with a hard-to-read expression, carrying a large lunchbox that probably holds a variety of dishes, asking about his partner in a way that makes the listener smirk.

“Turning into quite the housewife, huh, Little Riu?”

“If you weren’t you, I’d have snapped back already,” Riu grumbles at being called a girl, his voice low, before circling back to the point.

“Have you seen Sun? I haven’t seen him since morning. Phii Rarin told him to go cut branches, sure, but I asked the workers—no one’s seen him since early morning, even though he left at dawn.” The youngest seems genuinely worried, and Namnuea can’t help but smile.

“That worried, huh?”

“Nah, just don’t wanna deal with picking up his body if he slips off the mountain.” He says that, but his face shows clear concern. It’s already past 2 p.m.

“I haven’t seen him either,” Namnuea replies. Just then, Rerai steps in and asks, “Sun still hasn’t come back?”

“Hey, where’d you send Sun off to?”

“Sent him to pick someone up from town,” Rerai says, calming Riu down. He sets the lunchbox on the table and asks a question Nuea’s curious about too.

“Picking up who? Mom?”

“Nope.” For some reason, Rerai glances at Namnuea with a sly smile. “Picking someone up from the airport.”

“Someone coming to check out the orchard?” the youngest guesses randomly, but Namnuea feels an odd premonition, growing stronger when his close relative says outright,

“Someone who wants to see Nuea.”

“Don’t tell me…”

Bang, bang!

“Oh, perfect timing,” Rerai said softly as the loud honk of a pickup truck echoed through the yard. But it was Namnuea who shot up, rushing toward the sound with a tense expression.

It’s not him… It’s not the guy you’re thinking of, Nuea.

    But his prayers went unanswered. The man stepping out of the pickup, pale-faced and brows nearly knitted together, was none other than the one who haunted his dreams every night.

“How the hell did you get here?!”

“I brought him myself, Phii,” the driver answered instead, flashing a wide grin and twirling the car keys, proud of his death-defying driving skills. Meanwhile, Sailom tried to stand straight, taking deep breaths to steady himself. He locked eyes with Namnuea and said earnestly, “I wanted to see you.”

“But I don’t want to see you!” Namnuea shot back loudly, then spun to glare at his close relative. “Was this your plan,

Rerai?”

“It was Auntie’s request, actually. It wouldn’t look good for a guy like him to chase after you in the middle of the village. Auntie didn’t want people gossiping about you, so she asked him to come here for a quieter talk,” Rerai explained honestly. Namnuea clenched his fists, turning back to meet Sailom’s gaze, and said curtly, “Go back. I don’t want to talk to you. And don’t forget, in just over a month, you’re getting married.”

“Damn… what the hell?” Riu cursed under his breath, while the others stood in stunned silence, shocked at the man they’d gone out of their way to help—even if they’d teased him with a nauseating car ride. They hadn’t expected him to have the audacity to show up when he already had a bride. Sailom quickly grabbed Namnuea’s arm firmly.

“You’ve got it wrong, Nuea.”

“Got it wrong? I’m the one planning your wedding. How could I get it wrong? You love your bride, not me. You should go back to Khun Yiwa. You shouldn’t be here. And if you’re worried I won’t finish your wedding, don’t be. I’ll be there, and once your wedding’s done, I’ll quit. Satisfied now?” Namnuea spat out angrily, his eyes brimming with tears, forcing him to shove the other man’s hand away forcefully.

Then he turned to his cousin. “Take him back, Rerai.”

Without waiting to hear more, Namnuea spun around and strode quickly into the orchard. Sailom started to follow, but…    Thud.

Both Rerai and Riu stepped in front of him, their initially friendly demeanor now openly hostile.

“Go back where you came from!” the younger one snapped, his temper flaring. The older one, with a tone of clear displeasure, demanded, “Can you explain what the hell this is about? Are you here to hurt Nuea even more?”

Sun shuddered on his behalf… he’d seen the wrath of this family’s siblings firsthand. With Sailom’s attitude, getting past their defenses to make amends would surely involve a long interrogation. And this was without Phii Rin around. If the eldest sister were here, it’d be a death sentence for sure.

“Why’d you come back? Why show your face again? I was finally starting to forget!”

Namnuea stormed into the flower field, cursing the other man in anger. But more than anything, he was furious with himself for feeling glad that Sailom had followed him here. It wasn’t a good thought—not even a little. It meant he still couldn’t let go, and it was unfair to Khun Yiwa.

Just seeing his face shattered the heart he thought was strong.

Swipe.

Namnuea wiped his face as tears welled up, taking deep breaths to calm himself before he turned into a madman crying in the middle of the field.

Finally finding a quiet corner, certain the other wouldn’t find him, Namnuea hunched his shoulders, his eyes staring blankly into the distance. It looked like he was watching the workers tend to the flowers, but in truth, his gaze stretched far beyond. The worst part was that the young organizer caught a glimpse of those eyes—eyes trying to explain something.

It’s not that I won’t listen, but everything’s already clear.

“Nuea.”

“Phii Ton,” he said, startled for a moment. But seeing who it was, he let out a huge sigh, forcing a smile for his brother-in-law as he made room for the farm manager to sit beside him.

“Everyone’s worried about you.”

“Phii Ton, I’m not Riu, you know. That guy’s the one you should worry about getting kidnapped,” he tried to joke, but the other only gave a faint smile.

“No, Nuea. You’re family, so we’re worried. Right now, Rerai’s on the phone saying Riu’s going wild, threatening to kill the guest. They’re trying to hold him back,” Phii Ton said with a grin, still the calm man he always was. Namnuea wasn’t surprised why everyone in the family accepted him.

Phii Ton was a good man—a really good man. That’s how you’d describe him.

   How many men would sit here comforting a gay guy on their wife’s orders, looking at him with genuine concern?

   “Have they sent the guest away yet?”

“He won’t leave. No matter how much they try to chase him off, he refuses to go.”

“I’m sorry, Phii. I’ve caused trouble here,” the young organizer said, feeling guilty. But Phii Ton just laughed.

“Then I owe you an apology. During our wedding, the one who worked the hardest was you, wasn’t it?” Phii Ton was saying that when the family’s struggling, they’ve got to help each other, right? Namnuea couldn’t help but smile, and… for some reason, something urged him to open up. He hadn’t told anyone else, not even Rerai.

   “But if you hear my story, you might not see me as family anymore… I slept with that guy,” Namnuea said, and Phii Ton visibly froze. But he kept going. “And… he’s the groom-to-be whose wedding I was organizing. Disgusting, right? Sleeping with my own client, knowing full well he’s about to get married.” Phii Ton looked angry right away, but not at him—it seemed he was furious at the man who’d left Nuea smiling like he was about to cry.

Good. This way, the whole family would probably chase Khun Lom away.

   “Why don’t you hear him out, Nuea?”

But then Phii Ton asked a question that Nuea couldn’t believe he was hearing.

“Hear out a guy who’s already taken?”

“If you don’t talk, don’t listen, you’ll keep hurting like this,” Phii Ton countered rationally, letting out a long sigh. “I know we’re outsiders in this, but let me warn you as someone who’s been married, who’s lived that life… No one can understand each other without talking. If he’s brave enough to come all the way here, he must have something to say. Talk it out clearly, reject him firmly, and you’ll feel better.” The older man spoke with reason, patting Namnuea’s shoulder firmly before standing up.

“He’s trying to talk to you now. It’s up to you whether you’ll listen. You should also say what you feel. If you feel guilty about the bride, you need to let him know. Go sort it out, Nuea.” Namnuea could only sit there silently, managing to say, “I need some time, Phii Ton. Right now… I’m really not ready to face him.”

“Take all the time you need… but before Rarin gets back.

Otherwise, that guy’s gonna end up as fertilizer under the farm,” Phii Ton said, trying to lighten the mood with a laugh before turning to leave, leaving Namnuea alone. Namnuea couldn’t help but chuckle softly… Rerai must’ve known he’d listen to Phii Ton, so she sent him to talk. And he did listen.

He sighed heavily, asking himself if he was ready to end it all.

    To end this, they’d have to talk it out for real. The question was whether he was strong enough to see it through without running away first.

   …

Sailom was anxious, sitting still like a prisoner in the teakwood house for hours. His heart urged him to go find the other man and settle things, but the family had sent a “guard” to watch him, warning him not to go anywhere—or else the farm workers would chase him with shovels. “Chill, Phii,” Sun said. “The women in this family are terrifying. If you try to go out for real, you’ll probably get thrown into a car and driven straight to the airport. But before that, you might get a beating.” The tall man sighed heavily, sinking back into his seat after nearly jumping up, rubbing his head in frustration.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Calm down and think carefully about what you’ll say to

Nuea. Make it good, one sentence, all-encompassing. From what I’ve seen, Nuea won’t listen to you for long. I mean, who wouldn’t misunderstand?” He’s already told the people here about Yiwa.

Why is it that the thing he most wants to tell Namnuea remains unsaid, yet he’s spilled it to unrelated outsiders? But if he hadn’t spoken, he probably wouldn’t have been invited to sit here either.

   Looking out the window, he sees the sun’s light fading, signaling late afternoon. He feels like he’s wasting hours doing nothing, but it’s given Sailom time to think.

He hurt the other person so much that they fled here… and quit their job.

   A few words convey the gravity of it all. The secret he kept was so severe that it drove the other to escape back here. If he keeps his mouth shut and doesn’t explain, he’ll just be the jerk who took everything from Namnuea.

   Just listen to me, Nuea. I’ll tell you everything.

   Sailom resolves firmly to himself. At that moment, someone else steps into the house. Sun sees them first, flashes an encouraging smile, and steps away, leaving Namnuea to approach and stand close behind the man seated at the dining table.

“Someone said you wanted to talk to me.”

Thump… whoosh.

“Nuea!” The moment he sees who’s behind him, Sailom springs up, instinctively moving closer, but he freezes when those round eyes lock onto him, unyielding.

That gaze seems to say it’s time to end everything.

“I have something to talk to you about too,” Namnuea continues. He takes a deep breath and speaks words that leave Sailom too stunned to move.

“Please, let me go, Khun Lom.”

 

Why are you saying this?” The listener forces a faint smile, his voice trembling.

“What else can I say? If you care about me at all, let me go. Don’t get involved with me anymore. I don’t want to climb the thorny tree. I don’t want to wrong Khun Yiwa. I don’t want to be known as the guy who stole someone’s husband. I’m begging you, don’t hurt me any more than this… Let me go, please.” His voice quivers, on the verge of tears, but he holds them back. The trembling tone and pleading words make his round eyes shimmer with pain. Don’t hurt me any more than this.

Sailom feels like he can’t breathe, the truth hitting him square in the chest. He realizes that his silence all this time has deeply wounded the person he thought he loved.

Namnuea steps back two paces, his voice shaking.

“I’m begging you, please go back,” they said, and it nearly made Sailom give up.

He should go back and finish playing his part, let everything end here. But…    Grab.

The young man lunged forward, seizing the other’s wrist tightly, holding it firm. He looked into those reddened eyes and said what he’d been longing to say most.

Sun was right. There was only one word he needed to say.

“I love you, Nuea. I love you.”

If there was a sentence that could say it all in one word, it was this… love.

I love you, so I can’t let you go,” Sailom said, pulling the slender figure into his embrace as the other stood stunned. Despite feeling the struggle, he refused to let go. He held on, determined to make Namnuea hear the whole story. And Sailom vowed to himself:

He would never let go of this hand.

       THEWEDDING PLAN CHAPTERS HOME

   THEWEDDINGPLAN, Chapter 9:

No place feels as comforting as the one called home.

   “Nuea, come eat, son.”

“…”

“Nuea.”

“…”

“Namnuea!!!”

Gasp

“Ouch, my ears are going to burst, Mom! I’m right here.” Namnuea was sitting on the balcony of his bedroom, arms resting on the railing, staring blankly at the neighborhood playground where four or five teenagers were playing basketball. It should’ve been a pleasant sight, but he just let out heavy sighs. He didn’t even notice his mother had entered the room and called out to him—until she practically shouted in his ear, loud enough for the teens at the court to turn and look, making him jump.

Still, he flashed a cheeky grin, only for his mother to smack his shoulder with a loud slap.

“I’m shouting so much my mouth’s about to tear!”

“Let me see, Mom. Where’s it torn? Need medicine? I’ll grab some for you,” he teased.

“Still joking around, huh?”

“No way, not me!” The handsome young man with fair skin grinned, showing off his perfectly aligned teeth, his tone playful. But his large, round eyes were red, betraying the tears he’d shed every night since coming home. His mother sighed heavily, took his hand, and led him back into the bedroom, pushing him to sit on the bed as if to say, I’m done waiting, tell me now.

“What happened in Bangkok?”

“…”

Namnuea wanted to keep up the playful act, like he did the day he returned home, but this time, he couldn’t muster the humor. His voice fell silent, and he couldn’t bring himself to meet his mother’s gaze.

He didn’t dare tell the truth about what he’d done…

Slept with a groom-to-be? That’s no different from being branded a homewrecker.

   “Nuea, you know, don’t you, that no matter what happens, you’re still my son?” His mother reached for his hand, squeezing it tightly as she sat beside him. Her eyes, full of concern, locked onto him, but Namnuea could only turn his face away.

“Mom, I did something wrong.”

“What did you do?” His mother didn’t even pause, her voice still soft and gentle. The listener bowed his head lower, like a six-year-old child caught in trouble.

“I did something very wrong, so wrong.” That’s all he can say, fearing the look in his mother’s eyes might change.

His mother raised him to be a good person. If she knew how weak he was, how would she see him?

“What did you do wrong? Can you tell me?”

“I don’t dare say. I don’t want to talk about it.” Namnuea lowers his head. The sunlight outside fades, the sky partly darkens, much like his heart, which feels nearly void of light to find a way out. “Will you keep suffering alone, my child?”

“I don’t want you to suffer too.”

“Then what’s the point of having a mother?”

The listener freezes, tears welling in his eyes, his heart trembling fiercely. He grips his mother’s hand tightly. Her cheerful son has become so depressed—how? Who did this to him? “Nuea, I can’t stand seeing you like this. Who did what to you?”

“No. He didn’t do anything!” Namnuea almost claps a hand over his mouth after blurting it out loudly. His mother stares at him, silent.

“Then what did he do?” She knows now his pain comes from someone else, so he bites his lip harder, afraid he’ll cry.

“He didn’t do anything… I did this to myself.”

If he’d been stronger, if he hadn’t let his heart fall for a man who’s already taken, he wouldn’t hurt this much. That night, if he’d been tougher, things wouldn’t have gone so far, leaving him with guilt so heavy he had to run away. Now, he could probably face Khun Yiwa without hiding in shame.

   His mother listens intently, and slowly, his heart begins to spill out. “Nuea shouldn’t have, Mom. Nuea shouldn’t… Nuea shouldn’t have loved him, knowing he’s already taken. Nuea shouldn’t…” He sobs, shoulders shaking. He might stay strong in front of coworkers, but not with this woman. Tears stream down his cheeks.

   His mother looks visibly shocked, but he can’t stop.

    “I did wrong, Mom. So wrong, unforgivably wrong. I should’ve been stronger, not so weak like this. I am awful. I shouldn’t have made that mistake.” Namnuea repeats the same words, but it’s a confession that makes his mother cry. Her tears fall, matching the hands holding him.

“Nuea did so wrong, didn’t you,”

“So wrong for being so weak,” he says, his tears unstoppable, just like when he confessed to her that he doesn’t love women.

And she does what she did then.

She reaches out, wraps her arms around his shoulders, and pulls his face to her chest, like he’s just a small child.

“Oh, my baby,” she says softly, holding him tightly, rubbing his back and shoulders to comfort him. His strength crumbles completely, and he lets all his weakness pour out to the person he trusts most. He clings to her waist, cursing himself as nothing but awful.

“Nuea, Nuea, listen to me. Everyone makes mistakes. There’s no such thing as someone who only does what’s right. What makes a person good or bad is whether they realize their mistake and whether they try to fix it, Nuea. If my son were a bad person, he wouldn’t be crying like this, wouldn’t feel this guilty, wouldn’t be telling me this. It’s okay, my dear. It’s okay.”

The more he listened, the more Namnuea’s tears fell. His arms tightened around his mother’s waist, and he sniffled loudly like a child.

“I didn’t let myself fall any deeper. I pulled back. It’s the responsibility I took for the mistake I made and fixed.”

“I may not know the details, but don’t torture yourself more than this, Nuea. Don’t see yourself as a bad person, because you’re the best—my son is the very best.”

“Mom, Mom, I’m sorry. I am sorry,” Namnuea could only repeat his apologies. He knew his mother was crying… crying for her son.

She was suffering just as much as he was.

“I won’t make the same mistake again. I won’t repeat it,” he sobbed, promising his mother he’d never put himself in that situation again.

Enough was enough with being the third party.

Love is for two people. As long as there’s a third, it’s no longer love. “That’s good, my dear. Good job, Nuea. You’re the best person for me,” she said. Namnuea pulled back from her warm embrace, looking up at the tearful smile on her face as she gently wiped his tears.

“But now my good boy should go wash his face and come down to eat. Your Dad’s probably been waiting for a while.” Namnuea nodded eagerly, but before he could leave, his mother added in a tender voice, “Don’t hesitate to come back, Nuea. Whenever you’re suffering, remember this is your home, always ready to ease your pain.”

Namnuea acknowledged her softly before hurrying to the bathroom, as he was about to cry again.

Even though a grown man like him wanted to act like a child, to cling to his mother more, he’d left his parents’ arms to live in Bangkok for nearly ten years. He should be able to act like an adult by now.

Despite thinking that, Namnuea knew it was wrong. Even as he walked downstairs with red eyes to eat, and his father didn’t ask questions, Dad kept telling Mom to do this or that for him, treating him like a little kid who needed to be spoiled. It showed how much his parents cared, and it eased his pain.

There was truly no place as comforting and safe as this.

Dad, Mom, Nuea promises to be stronger, to not be weak because of someone else, to not let anyone hurt me, and to not make you worry. Nuea promises.

He would erase the man who hurt him from his heart.

…

“Wow, it’s only been a few years, but this place has changed so much,” he said. “A few years for you, Nuea, is a long time.

My kid hasn’t even met Uncle Nuea yet.”

“Oh, sorry, Phii. Sorry!”

Three days after returning home, doing nothing but eating, sleeping, and reading, an unexpected visitor showed up at Namnuea’s house—Rerai, his cousin.

The young mother of one, having heard that he was back home on vacation, decided to drop by. Perhaps it was his haggard appearance or his mother’s complaints about him holing up at home that prompted her, but Rerai invited him to get some fresh air up on the hill… at their family’s flower farm, to be exact.

The flower farm belonged to the four siblings—Namnuea’s cousins. Rarin, the eldest sister, a charismatic woman tougher than most men, ran the operation. Her key assistant, Rerai’s husband, served as the farm manager. Rantaa, the third daughter, had been sent to study business in England. Meanwhile, the youngest brother, Riu, broke away to study engineering in Bangkok.

Now, Namnuea stood at the teakwood guesthouse at the hill’s edge, gazing out at the vast flower farm stretching as far as the eye could see, staffed by hundreds of workers.

“By the way, where’s my niece?”

“At home,” Rerai replied, referring to their house in downtown Chiang Mai. Namnuea raised an eyebrow, then nodded in understanding.

“Oh, so you didn’t drag me up here to see her. Mom told you to haul her moping son, who’s been cooped up at home, out for some fresh air, didn’t she?” The plan to get him out for air was clearly his mother’s doing. Rerai burst out laughing, nodding in admission, then turned to meet his eyes.

That searching look in her eyes made him instinctively look away.

“Something’s up, isn’t it?” This must be why his mother called Rerai over.

His mother probably thought they’d talk more easily, being close in age. And despite Rerai’s soft, feminine exterior—the perfect picture of a gentle, Nuea-style beauty—her true nature was formidable. How else could she keep her husband so firmly under her thumb?

“Just a little something.”

“Work? Money? Or love?”

“The last one, dear cousin. Satisfied?” he answered the cousin two months his senior, making Rerai wrinkle her nose.

“What if I say I’m not satisfied?”

“Then I’m still not telling you more.”

“Hmph,” Rerai huffed, turning away. But why would she need coaxing? She just leaned against the balcony railing, staring into the distance. Namnuea chuckled lightly.

“Any workers catch your eye? I can call one over tonight,” he teased. The stressed-out Namnuea finally let out a laugh, recalling years ago when he confided in Rerai about his sexual orientation and admitted he loved checking out the workers here. He’d jokingly asked her to use her status as the farm owner’s daughter to summon one for him. Naive Rerai had actually done it, nearly blowing his secret. Thankfully, they’d managed to cover it up.

Thinking back on it now, it’s hilarious, really… Alright, that guy then!

The handsome young man didn’t look like a farm worker at all—not with his hairstyle, his face, or his build. The only thing that fit the part was his worn-out clothes, dirtied from hauling dozens of kilos of fertilizer onto the truck. Pointing and picking him out seemed to make Rerai laugh even harder, practically doubling over with laughter.

“Hahaha… No way, Nuea… That guy… No way, hahaha! Oh God, I’m dying, I’m laughing so hard!” Namnuea raised an eyebrow in confusion, turning to look where she pointed.

If he wasn’t mistaken, the slender guy with a face too pretty for a man, standing next to the chosen one, was… his youngest cousin, the baby of the family.

“Yep, that’s Riu. And the guy next to him? That’s Riu’s boyfriend.”

“What?! Riu’s gone for a guy?!” Namnuea exclaimed, unable to believe his ears. He stared at his youngest cousin, who, sure, was pretty—prettier than most women, even—but fierce as a tiger. With that stunning face, plenty of guys had tried their luck, only to get chewed out and sent running. Riu used to swear up and down he was a “real man” (damn it!) and would never let anyone “top” him. Yet, after three or four years studying in Bangkok, had he swallowed his words?

Rerai nodded, laughing so hard she could barely contain herself.

“Haha, yep, he’s given in! That guy’s from the same uni, name’s Sun. He came to introduce himself two years ago. Got roped into being Phii Rin’s errand boy every semester break when he visits,” the second daughter explained. Namnuea thought of their eldest sister, who was manlier than most men, and couldn’t help but chuckle.

“The eldest and the youngest in this family should swap genders,” Namnuea quipped. Their chatter and laughter seemed to catch the attention of the group below, because the youngest looked up. “Phii Nuea! Phii Nuea!” Riu jumped up and down, waving enthusiastically, clearly thrilled. It made Namnuea grin, and he shouted back.

“Hey, Riu! Bringing your man to meet the family, huh?”

“Hey!” Riu yelped, his face turning bright red, shaking his head furiously and waving his hands in denial.

“Oh? Then who’s that?” Namnuea shot back, pointing at the good-looking guy who broke into a wide grin the moment he heard the word “man.” The guy even chimed in loudly, staking his claim. “Not another farm worker, Nuea!”

“I’m Riu’s husband, been for a while now! Nice to meet you,

Phii!!!”

That kid’s got some serious nerve.

Smack

“Sun, you wanna die or what?!” A husband and wife are bickering because the cheeky one slapped his partner so hard the face nearly turned, but the red cheek is visible even from here. Namnuea chuckles softly, watching the two kids chasing each other, while a close relative chimes in.

“I’m a year younger than Riu, his junior, but I’ve got him tamed,” they say. The listener nods a few times, his laughter fading to a faint, melancholic smile.

“Must be nice,” Namnuea murmurs softly. The person beside him turns to look.

“Having issues with someone in Bangkok? Just talk it out properly,” they say. His mother must not have told them what happened for them to ask like that, but it’s fine. He doesn’t dare say more either, so he laughs it off.

“There’s no talking left to do. It’s over… Anyway, mind if I go tease Riu a bit?” The young organizer swiftly changes the subject. The listener laughs slowly, then switches topics too. “Shouldn’t you be staying here tonight? How could you not? Mom practically threw your bag of clothes at you. Stay here a couple of days, yeah?”

“Stay as long as you want. This place is like home for Nuea,” the host says, and suddenly, he’s reluctant to leave. Being far from his problems makes him feel better. He knows the problems aren’t gone, but at least his heart gets a break before facing them again.

After Khun Yiwa’s wedding, he’ll have to seriously consider what Mom said.

   Should he quit his job and come back home?

   There, he has no one, but here, he’s surrounded by family.

   …

“What do you mean Namnuea’s on vacation?”

“Exactly what it sounds like, Khun Lom. Nuea’s taken a leave of absence and didn’t say when he’ll be back.”

The meeting room at The Wiwa Square is thick with tension. A big-spending client storms into the office, demanding to know where his event organizer is, only to learn that Nuea’s on an indefinite vacation.

Sharp eyes flash with obvious frustration.

Since the pre-wedding photoshoot, he’d asked Yiwa to take the two mothers home so he could clear things up with the organizer. But not only did the other party leave early, they turned off their phone, refusing calls. Calling the company got him nowhere—they said he wasn’t there. Two days of near insanity later, Sailom storms the office, only to learn the truth: his organizer has vanished, destination unknown.

“No need to worry, Khun Lom. I’ll take over the wedding invitations and favors myself…”

“I want to see Nuea.”

“I’m truly sorry, but we can’t reach Nuea either.” Though the woman in front of him speaks politely, Sailom isn’t fooled—she knows something. Her eyes brim with disapproval, and she’s clearly blocking him.

“I didn’t think Nuea was the type to abandon work like this.”

“Well, if someone pushed him to it, would that be so surprising?”

This woman knows.

The young man told himself immediately. She must know something about him and Namnuea, though not much, which is why her resistance was subtle. He forced himself to stay calm and spoke firmly.

“I’m begging you. I really need to talk to Nuea.”

“If it’s about the wedding, you can inform me, and we’ll ensure your wedding is perfectly beautiful…”

“It’s not about the wedding. It’s about me and Nuea,” Sailom interrupted sharply before she could finish, causing the woman’s polite demeanor to shift to hostility. Her eyes glared with disapproval and judgment, though she didn’t say it outright.

“We really haven’t been able to contact Nuea either.”

“Liar!”

“Feel free to ask everyone in the office, Khun Lom. No one has spoken to Nuea, and he’s turned off his phone,” Sis Eim said with a smile, while the listener clenched his fists. If she weren’t a woman, he might’ve grabbed her collar to demand answers. But he knew losing his temper wouldn’t help, so he took a deep breath.

“I need to talk to Nuea.”

“I think you should talk to Khun Yiwa instead.”

What does this have to do with Yiwa?!

Sailom wanted to shout, but a moment later, he realized he was in no position to argue. He couldn’t deny the special connection with Namnuea, but he also couldn’t ignore the reality everyone saw: he was about to marry a beautiful bride. If he were to reveal the truth behind the wedding, he wasn’t sure… he didn’t know how much he could trust this woman.

He hadn’t even told Namnuea yet. Why would he spill everything to her?

“Khun Lom, you should go back for now. If we reach Nuea, we’ll let you know.”

She’s definitely not going to do that.

Sailom concluded to himself, letting out a heavy sigh. He knew causing a scene would do no good and would only make him look worse. So, he decided to head to Namnuea’s condominium instead. If he was still hiding in Bangkok, he’d have to return home eventually… though he knew that might not be the case.

“Fine. I’ll go. I’ll contact you again,” he said, then strode out of the office toward his sleek car. Once inside, he slammed his fist against the steering wheel to vent the frustration in his chest.

“Damn it!!!”

While venting his frustration, the phone rang, forcing Sailom to grab it and answer curtly.

“Yes?”

[Lom, have you found Khun Nuea?]

   “No. He’s on leave, his phone’s off, and the people here act like they don’t want to talk to me,” Sailom said, irritated. The person on the other end went quiet for a moment.

[They probably know something happened between you and Khun Nuea. But the problem is, you’ve still going to marry me. No matter how you look at it, you’re coming off as a lousy guy who deserves a slap.]

   “Yiwa!” This wasn’t the time for teasing, so Sailom’s voice hardened. But the person on the line chuckled lightly before speaking with a weary tone.

[You don’t have to put me first all the time. Be a little selfish for once.]

   The listener was left speechless. The person on the line let out a long sigh.

[Wait there for a bit, okay? I’m driving over now. I’ll call

Ms. Imm to let her know we’re coming to meet.]

   “You’re really doing this? I just need to find Nuea and explain everything to him alone…”

[And not know when you’ll see him? If he can’t take it and quits, running away from you, where will you even find him? Don’t let time slip away for nothing. And I can’t just be selfish and happy alone. You’ve always helped me, Phii

Lom. Just this once, let me help you.]

   The flood of words left Sailom speechless, and he reluctantly agreed. He sat in his car, drained, closing his eyes and thinking of the one person he wanted to see most right now.

He must truly seem like a terrible person in Namnuea’s eyes— and everyone else’s.

   Did Sailom not want to pursue a relationship the normal way? Of course he did. But he couldn’t. He wouldn’t risk the truth he’d hidden for years coming out at such a critical moment. At first, he didn’t tell Namnuea because he didn’t fully trust him. But after what happened between them, and seeing how much pain the other was in, he could no longer be selfish and keep it to himself.

   If the wedding had to fall apart, so be it—because he had truly fallen for Namnuea.

   From the very first glance, Namnuea made him feel something incredible. His eyes, his smile, the natural way he ate that brought a smile to Sailom’s face. Even the frustrated, crumpled expression Namnuea wore, sneaking glances at him, was so amusing that Sailom found himself thinking about it for days.

    I don’t know when I fell in love, but by the time I realized it, I was consumed with thoughts of him, wanting to see him, talk to him, touch him, resorting to all sorts of tricks just to be near him.

   If Namnuea really ran away, what would I do?

   That thought tormented him the most. Besides knowing Nuea was born on a day of flooding, he knew nothing else—not where he lived, who his friends were. It made his heart ache in a way he couldn’t believe.

That day, the day they were together, if only he’d held on. If he hadn’t just been angry when the other insisted it was a mistake, he wouldn’t have let time slip by so meaninglessly.

“That night, I was truly happy to have you,” he whispered.

The morning that felt so bright turned dark when he saw the other’s reaction. But Namnuea wasn’t at fault. The one who was wrong was him, for not speaking up.

   Who could be happy knowing they’d just slept with someone else’s man?

   His thoughts drifted far until Yiwa pulled up, got out, and tapped on the window.

   Sailom stepped out, telling himself this time… he wouldn’t let Namnuea slip away.

He’d followed his mother’s wishes his whole life. All he wanted was the freedom to love someone else, just this once.

This time, visiting Namnuea’s coworkers clearly startled them, especially when Yiwa pleaded for his address. Sister Eim looked visibly conflicted, and his bride-to-be had to clarify, “The thing between Phii Lom and Khun Nuea isn’t wrong.”

“But Khun Lom and you are getting married.”

Yiwa took a deep breath, glanced at him, then said firmly,

“What if this marriage isn’t based on love?”

“What did you mean…”

“I’m saying, what if this wedding was staged from the start?” The listener looked visibly shocked, so Sailom spoke with conviction. “The thing between me and Yiwa is fake, but what’s between me and Nuea is real. Please, I’m begging you, tell me where Nuea is right now. I want to talk to him, to explain everything so he understands. Please, Sister Eim.” Though she seemed hesitant, glancing between Sailom and Yiwa, she finally sighed.

“Wait a moment,” she said, leaving the room.

Shortly after, the woman returned with a file containing Namnuea’s home address in the Northeast, along with a contact number, and said with a serious expression, “If you make my little brother cry again, don’t expect me to help you ever again!”

That realization hits Sailom hard—he’s made the person he loves cry. It’s time to set things right.

      

   THEWEDDING PLAN CHAPTERS HOME

   THEWEDDINGPLAN, Chapter 8:

Loving someone who’s taken is bad enough, but loving someone about to get married is even worse.

   “What’s wrong with Nuea?”

“No idea, boss, but it looks serious. I waved snacks under his nose, and he didn’t even flinch.”

“He’s practically in a coma!”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

At this moment, the staff at The Wiwa Square realized a national crisis was unfolding in the office. It was serious enough to warrant closing the meeting room, gathering everyone for an emergency discussion, and the agenda for today’s meeting was none other than… the abnormal behavior of Namnuea.

It started with a workaholic who never took a day off, never went on vacation, except when struck by the flu two years ago. Even then, after calling in sick, he showed up the next day looking like a wreck—pale, red-eyed, gaunt, like a walking patient. But what made everyone cover their mouths and widen their eyes in disbelief was…

“I’m not hungry.”

A heartbreaking sentence that shouldn’t have come from someone who loved to eat, who could devour anything no matter how stressed, depressed, or down they were. On top of that, he said he’d skip lunch to keep working. No matter who dangled snacks in front of him, he didn’t even twitch. Even when Sister Eim, despite her health-conscious rules, splurged on pizza for the whole office, Namnuea showed no interest, just sat there, chin in hand, sighing heavily.

Even though work didn’t slow down—in fact, it moved faster than usual because the guy worked non-stop without eating or resting—the office felt lifeless. No crunching sounds, no banter from the usual dynamic duo. It was too much like a graveyard. So, during the sacred lunch break, everyone sacrificed their time to huddle together.

“Sis, have you talked to Nuea yet?”

“Talk about what? He’s all ‘yeah, uh-huh, mm’—barely a few words. I invited him for dinner, and he still wouldn’t go,” one of the younger girls said, making Sis Eim clutch her head. She glanced around, and everyone shook their heads, wondering what was wrong with him. Sis Eim had a suspicion from the start—could he have been heartbroken? “What? Nuea, heartbroken?!”

“Shh! Why are you all shouting like that?!” Sister Eim, the team’s big sister, pressed a finger to her lips, nervously glancing toward the meeting room door. The scolded group quieted down a bit but still whispered excitedly. How could this not be juicy? “Is that even possible, Sis? Nuea, of all people? He’s at the office all day—when he’s not with clients, he’s with us. Sure, he goes out for shoots often, but we’ve never seen him with anyone,” one of the team analyzed. Sis Eim sighed, unsure herself. But before the gossip—er, discussion—could go further…

Knock, knock, knock

The meeting room door was tapped, making everyone jump and straighten up from their huddle. When it opened, the group flinched again.

“What are you all doing?” The man of the hour stepped in.    “Nothing, Nuea, nothing!” The room erupted in high-pitched denials. The newcomer shook his head and turned to his close colleague.

“Sister Eim, I’m heading to the studio in Sukhumvit.”    “Oh, which couple’s pre-wedding shoot is today?” The question made him pause slightly, and he gave a faint smile.

“Khun Yiwa’s couple, scheduled for today. I’ll head out now.”

Namnuea hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but didn’t.

He just flashed a weary smile and turned to leave. As everyone let out a collective sigh of relief, the man in question popped his head back in, as if remembering something.

“Oh, and when you gossip about someone, try to be more subtle.”

“Hey, no way!” The group jumped again as Namnuea continued.

“Nothing, I’m fine. Stop gossiping already. I’m not heartbroken, just on a diet.” With that, the subject of the rumors steps out immediately. The others exchange glances and murmur softly.

“How did he know?” Sister Eim’s question makes everyone give awkward smiles.

Well, with the whole office buzzing, leaving only Nuea sitting there sighing heavily alone, of course he’d know he’s the topic.    “Alright, let’s scatter. If he says he’s fine, he’s fine,” Sister Eim finally tells everyone, though her face shows concern. Her gut’s telling her something, and it’s not a pleasant feeling.

Don’t tell me Nuea’s secretly in love with the person I’m thinking of.

Please let me be overthinking this, Nuea. Please let it not be true.

(If you’re tired, come back home, dear. Nuea, you don’t have to exhaust yourself there. If you still want to work with weddings, there are big studios near home. With your skills, anyone would hire you.)

   Namnuea lets out a heavy sigh, recalling the conversation with his mother from last week. Truthfully, that night happened almost two weeks ago. He’s been trying to forget it by throwing himself into work. The other party hasn’t contacted him, which relieves him that the matter won’t drag on. But no matter how hard he works during the day to forget, the lonely nights still torment his heart.

The events of that night haunt him every evening, making him remember, making him yearn, making him long to be looked at with those tender eyes. But since that’s impossible, a loneliness he’s never felt before forces him to seek refuge. He might be called ungrateful, but Namnuea turns to his mother.    Never calling for ages, but running to Mom when there’s trouble—you’re really awful.

   Cursing himself to his heart’s content, Nuea makes the call. Every day, he whines to his mother, saying he misses her, saying he wants to see her. Though he doesn’t explain what happened, a mother can sense her child’s heartache. So, the one who’s always let him do whatever he wanted since school days starts suggesting he come home, visit, or return if he can’t handle it.

At first, he hesitated, but now, Nuea is leaning toward the idea.

All I do here is overthink. Wouldn’t it be better to go home?    But no matter how he tries to escape reality, time marches forward. The scheduled day for the pre-wedding photoshoot arrives. Delaying would mess up editing, retouching, and the video for the wedding. Plus, after this, they need to finalize the invitation design and favors. Everything has a timeline, and it can’t bend to the strength of Namnuea’s heart.

I don’t want to see them. I don’t want to hear about them. I don’t want anything to do with this couple anymore. But he can’t abandon his responsibilities.

   After greeting the familiar photographer and going over the concept again to ensure they were on the same page, Namnuea slipped away to make himself a coffee, his heart heavy with an indescribable wilted feeling.

It was just one night together, so don’t let your heart get so attached to him.

He sighed deeply, turning his back to the door, lost in his own thoughts, oblivious to the sounds around him. He didn’t notice that the client he’d scheduled had arrived early—or that the person he least wanted to see was standing behind him, watching.

“Ugh, just work a few more hours, and you won’t have to see his face anymore.”

“You really don’t want to see me that much?”

Gasp!

The familiar voice, the one he dreamed of every night, came from behind him. Namnuea flinched hard, whipping around in shock. The hand gripping his paper cup nearly crushed it. His eyes widened, staring at the man he couldn’t banish from his heart.

The man looked no different from usual—still handsome, polished, impeccable from head to toe. But what was different was his gaze. Those sharp eyes locked onto him, steady, as if trying to peer into his soul, forcing Namnuea to look away. He forced a strained smile and spoke in a tone that tried to sound cheerful.

“Hello, Khun Lom. You’re here early.”

“You still haven’t answered my question, Nuea.”    Don’t call me that.

Namnuea wanted to hurl the cup at his face, but all he could do was swallow every feeling, force another smile, and shake his head slowly, letting out a hollow laugh.

“It’s not like that. How could I not want to see a client?” He emphasized the word “client” sharply, causing the other man to pause briefly before stepping closer. Those piercing eyes still didn’t waver.

“Nuea, I need to talk to you.”

“But I don’t!” Namnuea cut in quickly. He couldn’t stop himself, surprising even himself. No wonder the other man let out a heavy sigh. But it seemed he wasn’t ready to give up. Long legs closed the distance until they were nearly touching, leaving no room to escape. Then, in a serious tone, he said, “I know I’m being selfish, but I really want you to hear me out, Nuea.”

“…”

The listener was speechless. He didn’t want to look into those eyes that made his heart soften and feel guilty all at once.

This is the studio for Khun Lom’s wedding photos. How could we let ourselves waver for him?

Click.

Namnuea wanted to pull his hand away when the other reached to hold it, but his strength had vanished. He could only lower his gaze to his own hand, listening to the deep voice echoing in his head, filled with confusion.

“I’m glad that night happened, Nuea. I wanted to contact you, but every time I picked up the phone, your words telling me to forget rang in my mind. I couldn’t let it go. I wanted to talk to you, but I knew you wouldn’t answer if I called. You only reached out to Yiwa… even today, you didn’t call me once,” the flood of words made Namnuea clench his fist tighter, biting his lip until it hurt.

Don’t give in, Nuea. Don’t give in.

His softening demeanor must have given the other hope, because Sailom spoke boldly.

“Nuea, do you have some time after this…”

“Oh, Phii Lom, there you are!”

Before he could finish, before anyone could waver, a sweet, clear voice rang out from behind. Namnuea’s heart raced, blood rushing to his face. Startled, he yanked his hand free from the grip, looked over the broad shoulder, and stumbled back, colliding with the edge of the table behind him.

“Oh! Khun Nuea are you okay?” The beautiful woman peeked out from behind Sailom. Namnuea shook his head vigorously. He wasn’t sure what expression he wore, but he forced a smile.

“I’m fine, Khun Yiwa. Hello! You’re here early.”    What kind of face did I just make?

Namnuea could only wonder, watching her bright smile and playful wink.

 

Well, Phii Lom insisted on getting here early, no matter what. He came up first… didn’t even wait for me. Wonder who he was in such a rush to see,” she teased. Namnuea couldn’t decipher the look in her eyes, but he flinched, feeling like a guilty child caught in the act. He lowered his head, unable to meet anyone’s gaze.

“I’ll go inform the team then. Khun Yiwa, you can head to the dressing room to get your hair and makeup done,” Namnuea said quickly, slipping past the tall man who said nothing more. And that was probably how it should be—the bride-to-be was standing right there.

Grab.

But it wasn’t like that. A large hand seized his upper arm, eyes filled with concern, and a worried voice asked urgently.

“Nuea, is your hand okay?”

“Oh no! Khun Nuea, quick, wash your hand! Did you get burned?” Khun Yiwa exclaimed. Namnuea followed their gazes and nearly dropped the paper coffee cup. He’d squeezed it so hard that dark liquid had spilled, coating his hand and dripping onto the floor. It should’ve burned, but he felt nothing.

“I’m… I’m fine,” Namnuea tossed the cup into the trash and flashed a smile at the bride-to-be, signaling he was okay.

“The coffee’s gone cold… It’s fine, I’ll call the housekeeper first. It’s spilled everywhere…”

“You need to wash your hands first.”

Swish

I’ll go myself, Khun Lom. You should hurry and get dressed. Thanks for the concern.” Before the other man could drag him to the bathroom, Namnuea quickly yanked his hand free. It wasn’t natural and was frankly quite rude, but he didn’t care anymore. His body felt numb in a way he couldn’t describe. He spoke in a brisk, businesslike tone and strode away from the pair toward the bathroom, not forgetting to tell the housekeeper to clean up the coffee stain. Can you handle this, Nuea? You haven’t broken down crying yet, have you? he thought, taking long strides and disappearing into the bathroom before his fake strength crumbled.

What did you just do? Why did Nuea look like he was about to cry?

“…”

“Phii Lom!”

Sailom didn’t answer the bride-to-be’s question, instead letting out a heavy sigh. He looked down at his hand, still feeling the lingering warmth of another’s touch, and said in a firm tone, “This is my business, Yiwa. Can you let me handle it myself?”     “You always mess things up when it comes to yourself,” she retorted. Though he wanted to argue, he couldn’t. He turned to Yiwa with a warning look, but she wasn’t intimidated in the slightest. She even poked his chest hard. “Stop sulking and go make up with him.”

“How am I supposed to do that when I’m your groom, Yiwa?” the man said, irritated, making the listener’s eyes widen as she gasped in shock.

You still haven’t told him the truth? Are you insane, Phii

Lom?”

The man accused of being crazy scowled, but she wasn’t scared. She slapped his broad shoulder several times. “If I were him, I’d be mad and confused too. You’re showing interest in him while you’re about to get married. No decent person would play along. Stop overthinking and tell him the truth. I don’t want to be selfish and be the only one happy. If you’re sure, just say it. One or two more people knowing the truth won’t hurt,”

The young woman said with an annoyed tone, while the listener sighed heavily but looked slightly better. Should I tell him?

“You’re only realizing this now?” Her sharp comeback stung, nearly making Sailom chase after the other person. But then…

RRRRRRrrrrrrrrrr

The loud ring of a phone interrupted. Yiwa quickly pulled it out to answer, then her eyes widened.

“It’s Mom, Phii Lom.” The mention of the caller made the listener freeze, turning to meet her gaze. He nodded for her to take the call. Judging by her expression, this wasn’t good news.

We’re in trouble now, Phii Lom.

“What’s wrong?” As soon as Yiwa hung up, she turned with a frustrated look, confirming his strange gut feeling, just as he’d feared.

“Mom and Aunt are coming to watch the photoshoot. They’re parking downstairs now,” the groom-to-be says, letting out a frustrated curse and a heavy sigh. Instead of clearing things up

 

with the other person, he now has to deal with two demanding women before things get even messier.

Time really isn’t on his side to chase after anyone else right now.

…

Nuea was quite surprised when the older relatives of the person he was coordinating with for work show up in the studio. But he quickly puts on a smile, greeting them politely while explaining the concept for today’s photoshoot, which the two middle-aged women seem to appreciate.

“It’s great. I prefer shooting in the studio too. Shooting outdoors under the sun and wind might ruin Yiwa’s skin before the big day,” one says.

“Speaking of the big day, has Yiwa started the bridal course we sent her?” Sailom’s mother asks.

“I gave it to her, but she keeps saying she’s too busy. Next month, I’ll make her go for the skin treatment, don’t worry. Yiwa will be the most beautiful at the wedding,” the two mothers chat enthusiastically, covering everything from bridal courses to the engagement. It’s almost too much for the listener, who can barely keep up the smile. “How’s the progress on the wedding invitations, Khun Nuea?” they ask, turning to him. Luckily, he brought the documents today and shows them samples to review.

“Khun Nuea, serious question—can we add maybe one or two hundred more guests?” Yiwa’s mother suddenly whispers, probably because she couldn’t get a straight answer from the couple. Namnuea gives a dry smile, hedging his response.    “We can probably adjust for about a hundred.” A hundred’s better than nothing—maybe fifty each?

“Ugh, those two are so stubborn. No matter what we say, they won’t budge,” the two women say with slight displeasure. “But, to be fair, those two have been inseparable forever. If one says something, the other follows. Like they share one heart,” Sailom’s mother adds, wrinkling her nose slightly, her tone fond. The other laughs along and turns to Namnuea.

“Did you know, Khun Nuea? They’ve been together since middle school,” she says, clearly eager to gossip about their kids. Normally, Namnuea would be happy to listen, but not this time.

The listener wants no part of these stories. Learning how long they’ve loved each other leaves him stunned, with guilt crashing over him. But seeing the eager looks in the mothers’ eyes, what can he do but force a smile and match their enthusiasm?    “Really? That’s amazing, loving each other for over a decade like that!”

“Right? When they told me they were dating, I was shocked but happy. They’ve known each other since they were kids. Thinking about it, it’s not surprising—they were inseparable. Yiwa was all about Phii Lom, and Lom was all about Yiwa. It’s heartwarming to think they’re about to tie the knot,” one says.

“But it’d be better if they didn’t keep defying us,” Sailom’s mother adds, though she seems pleased. Before Namnuea has to endure more stories of the couple’s love, the bride steps out of the dressing room, with the groom by her side.

The sight left Namnuea… frozen.

The stunning bride in a ball gown wedding dress looked like an elegant princess. The strapless gown was meticulously embroidered with lace and shimmering sequins that sparkled under the light. The side pleats accentuated her tiny waist, and the ivory skirt trailed gracefully along the floor. Combined with her flawless makeup and hair, Yiwa was nothing short of a beautiful princess ready for her wedding.

Beside her, the dashing groom stood in a luxurious suit, with an ivory dress shirt paired with a dark tie. The matching vest and jacket completed the look, making Sailom the perfect groom with a radiant bride by his side.

They were like a painting, a perfect match like gold and jade, so harmonious that it pierced the heart of the onlooker.    “No one could be more perfect together,” the elders said with delight, and Namnuea couldn’t argue. It was an undeniable truth.    “Yes, they’re the most perfect match… more than any couple I’ve ever worked with,” he said, forcing a smile. He glanced at the pair, who weren’t looking his way but were chatting intimately. And…

He didn’t want to look anymore.

The way Sailom gently held the train of the bride’s dress to help Yiwa walk more easily was so courteous, so attentive. No matter how you looked at it, they were the perfect couple, and Namnuea had to turn away.

So, while the elders went to chat and praise their children, Namnuea, who should have stepped in to assist, found himself unable to move. Instead, he slipped away to the photographer, sticking close and not daring to lift his eyes to the couple posing for photos in front of him.

“Move a bit closer, please. Bride, tilt your head up slightly. Place your hand on the groom’s arm… Perfect.” The instructions went in one ear and out the other. Namnuea swallowed hard, and when he finally glanced up once, he took a deep breath.

They were too perfect, making his guilt even heavier.

   He shouldn’t have looked.

   Namnuea hated himself for thinking he was strong enough. In truth, he couldn’t bear to look at the scene before him.    Where was the man who wanted to explain? Where was the one who said he couldn’t forget him? Where was the one who said he didn’t regret their night together? All he saw was a groom utterly devoted to his bride.

   The groom who leaned down to whisper in the bride’s ear, making her laugh brightly. His hands gently cradled her slender waist with care, his gaze filled with nothing but tenderness, captured through the camera lens. And the bride—it was clear how happy she was in this man’s arms.

They were so perfect together that he could no longer bear to watch.

“Phii, I’m heading back to the office first. Please take care of things here. Send me the photos when you’re done,” Namnuea said.

“What? You’re not staying until the end, Nuea?”

“I just remembered I have something urgent. I’m really sorry,” Namnuea apologized to the photographer, feeling guilty. But with the team fully prepared and the concept already clearly explained, slipping away early should be fine. The photographer didn’t mind, assuring him they’d handle everything. Taking advantage of the moment when the crew was busy touching up makeup, adjusting lights, and fussing over the bride and groom, Namnuea quickly stepped out of the studio.

He couldn’t bear to stay here any longer.

   Did watching the groom and bride together really hurt this much?

   It hurt so much he could barely breathe.

   The only thing Namnuea could do was call his boss, his voice trembling.

   “Can I take some time off? I know it’s sudden, but I really need to go home.” Then he called Sister Eim to say the same.

[Is something wrong, Nuea?]

   He wasn’t sure if it was those words, but Namnuea broke down, sobbing uncontrollably, his patience, restraint, and strength completely gone. All he could manage was to repeat the same words over and over.

“I’m sorry, Sister Eim. I can’t do this. I’m sorry… sorry…”    I can’t let go of that man who’s already taken.

[Hey, Nuea, calm down, calm down. If you can’t handle it, take a break. I’ll take care of things here. Don’t worry about work.]

   The words of concern only made Namnuea cry harder, tears streaming until he was spent. He knew he must seem like a madman, crying nonstop, but he truly couldn’t bear it. His heart hurt too much to endure any more.

If he couldn’t even handle watching their pre-wedding photoshoot, how could he possibly stand through the actual wedding day, smiling and offering congratulations?    Namnuea didn’t know the answer to that question and no longer wanted to find out. He drove straight to his condo to pack his things and return to his emotional refuge… he was going home.

   He could no longer stay in this place, where a man named Sailom existed.

      

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