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.
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