New grunted when Tay buttoned his shirt up to the last one.
"Yaaaah, it's too hot. Let me unbutton just two."
"No or everybody's gonna stare at your chest at work. I don't wanna fire people on the spot."
"Tssssss. You're so grumpy," he complained and returned to his desk.
"Aren't you gonna make me do something? Why am I even your secretary if you will just let me do nothing," he propped his arms on the table and looked at Tay.
Ever since that morning, he didn't do anything aside from accepting calls which did not even count up to five.
"Yeah, but you're my boyfriend so you're allowed to slack off once in awhile."
He rolled his eyes and heaved a huge amount of breath as he stared back at Tay who was leaning back on his chair.
"Can you stop ogling at me? You know what you should really transfer me to another department or we wouldn't finish any work here."
"Are you really my boyfriend now?"
He furrowed his eyebrows upon hearing Tay's question.
"Why? Do you want me to take back my words?"
"It just feels surreal. Please tell me I'm not dreaming."
He snorted and made face at Tay who was still staring dreamily at him.
"You know what I should get us some lunch. You're just hungry. What do you want to eat?"
"Just let Pluem handle the orders. Why don't you come here and hug me?"
As if on cue, somebody knocked and Pluem came in.
"Uhm, New, somebody gave you this."
Pluem handed him a what seemed to be a lunch box and a stem of rose.
"Who is it from?" Tay's voice echoed inside the office.
He looked at the card on the flower.
"It's from Kay," he unconsciously said and eventually regretted it when Tay approached him in large strides.
He could no longer say anything as Tay grabbed the lunch box and the rose from him and handed them back to Pluem.
"You're not getting that one. Pluem from now on, do not accept anything delivered to New. And report to me as soon as possible."
"Taay, I-I mean sir," he looked at Pluem who had a confused look on his face.
"No and when I say no it's final. Now tell me what you wanna eat and will have it delivered," Tay then grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the couch.
He nervously smiled at Pluem who was gaping at them with the lunch box and rose in his hand.
_____
"I didn't mean to pry but are you and Mr Tawan, errr, you know," Pluem asked him while he was helping him arrange some files.
He awkwardly smiled at him and bit his lips.
"Uhhh, I mean. That's kinda surprising as Mr Tawan strictly implements the no office romance policy in the company."
"Huh? Is that so?"
"Yeah. He doesn't want the idea of flirting at work but I guess some rules are made to be broken," Pluem grinned at him.
He immediately went back to Tay's office to confront him.
"You should definitely transfer me to another department or maybe I'll just apply at another company."
"What's the matter?" Tay put down his pen and stared at him.
"Oh come on. I don't want others to gossip about us. And why didn't you tell me you implemented a no office romance policy here?" he placed his hands on his hips as he stood in front of Tay who just laughed at him.
"Oh, come on. There's no need to fret, baabe. I mean if you like I can announce to everyone right now that the policy is denounced. Just stop asking me to transfer you, okay? How am I supposed to be motivated at work when I can't see you?"
"Yuck. That's way too cheesy," he faked gagged but Tay just laughed at him.
_____
New scanned the bottles of perfume on the display stand. He wanted to give Tay a gift but didn't know which one.
Luckily he was able to convince Tay that he wanted to see his mother first before telling her about their relationship or he would have followed him everywhere.
From Tay:
Are you home already? Send my regards to your mother. Next time I'll be seeing her as her future son-in-law.
He giggled and pocketed his phone. He just didn't bother replying to him or he wouldn't be able to finish what he wanted to do.
He was about to get his hands on the Jo Malone perfume when somebody got it too, grabbing his hand instead on the process.
"N-New?"
He gaped at Earth who was standing beside him.
"E-earth."
He automatically removed his hand from the bottle and cleared his throat.
"You can have it. I'm leaving," New said and attempted to leave but Earth was quick to grab his hand, grasping it tightly.
He tried to free his hand but failed.
"Can you talk to me first? Please? I have something to tell you."
He stared at Earth and saw desperation in his eyes.
He sighed and nodded.
"Fine. But make it quick. I don't want Tay to get the wrong idea. And can you let go of my hand?"
He was starting to get annoyed but for good time's sake, he gave in to his request. After all they were still friends.
"No. Come here," Earth refused and started dragging him towards a nearby coffee shop.
"Earth, come on. Just tell me what you have to say. I can't stay long. Tay would definitely get mad if he knows I'm with you," he ranted as Earth made him sit.
"Can you...Can you stop talking about him for once?!" Earth exclaimed in a low voice.
New unconsciously swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked at Earth who frustratingly grabbed his hair before sitting in front of him.
"I'm sorry. What do you wanna drink. I'll get it for you."
"Just tell me what you wanna say. I don't have plans of dillydallying with you," he crossed his arms across his chest and stared at Earth.
"Are you and Tay together now?"
"As far as I could remember, you're supposed to be telling me something, not questioning me."
"Fine. Just let me say sorry first for what happened during the vacation. I-I didn't mean to say what I said that time. I'm sorry."
He remained quiet. As much as it was painful to hear it from a friend, he had already moved on from it.
"And there's something you need to know about Tay, New."
He furrowed his eyebrows and shifted on his seat.
"I didn't fire you from your job, New. And my grandfather didn't also want to do it. It was Tay."
"What do you mean? How can Tay fire me when he literally works in another company? Earth I know you don't like him but can you not make up stories. I have to go," he got up from his seat and was about to leave when Earth said something that made him stop on his tracks.
"He told my grandfather he'll withdraw all his shares in the company if he doesn't do what he says. New, Tay is manipulative. I can prove that. Or you can ask him that. You know that I will never lie to you, New. You know much I love you and wouldn't do anything to hurt you."
"And why should I believe what you're saying?"
"New, you know how much I love you. Why would I remove you from the company if it means I get to see you every day? And why would I make up stories? I know you worked hard to get that job, New. And I wouldn't dare take it from you."
He didn't say a thing. He just shut his eyes for a few seconds and sighed before walking away from him.
_____
Tay dialled New's number for the nth time but didn't receive any answer.
"New, why do you always have to make me worry," he whispered and dialled his number again but still got no answer.
He was about to send him a message when he received a chat message from Off
Off: Hey I'm at the mall to catch some movie. Wanna go out with me? As a friend of course ð
Off then sent him a photo of himself in the mall. He was smiling from ear to ear as if he was not going through some major heartache.
He was about to send Off a reply when something on the picture caught his eyes.
He was sure of it. He couldn't be mistaken.
He clutched his phone tighter as he stared at Earth and New holding hands at the back. Earth was slightly out of frame but he was sure it was him.
He dialled New's number again and was finally answered this time.
"Where are you?" he asked in a low voice.
I'm at my unit.
He noticed the disinterest in New's voice.
"Are you sure?" he scoffed.
Tay I'm tired. Can you just disturb me some other time?
He bit his quivering lips and gripped his phone tighter when he noticed the annoyance in New's voice.
"You better be in your unit New or I'm gonna be killing somebody."
He ended the call and grabbed his car keys.
_____
Tay stepped on the accelerator as he beat the red light. He wasn't thinking right anymore.
He gripped the steering wheel tighter to project the anger that was building up inside him.
New's unit was a 30-minute drive from his but it took him only 15 minutes to get there.
He pressed the buzzer on New's unit but no one answered. He pressed it again and again but failed to receive some response.
Frustrated and annoyed, he punched in New's security code and hurriedly opened the door but found the room empty.
He trudged towards the bedroom and saw New lying on the bed.
"New, why aren't you answering my calls? Where have you been?" he exclaimed but New just stayed still.
He approached him and grabbed the blanket, uncovering New who was lying in a fetal position.
"What are you doing here?" New groaned and covered himself again with the blanket.
"Can you get up and talk to me?"
Tay grabbed his hair in frustration as he New closed his eyes like he was going back to sleep.
"Huh, so you want to be like this, huh? Why? Are you tired after your date with Earth?"
New quickly opened his eyes and furrowed his eyebrows at him.
"What the hell are you talking about?" New asked and sat up.
"You thought I didn't know you went to the mall with him? Goodness New! You could have used another reason to see him! You didn't have to use your mother to lie to me! So how was it? Huh? Was it that good that you literally have no energy right now?!"
He groaned when he felt a punch on his jaw. He stared back at New who was panting heavily, his fist at his side.
"You fucking piece of shit! You manipulative asshole! And you thought I wouldn't know about you pulling some tricks to remove me from my work?! How could you Tay! I literally shed blood just to get that position! You just don't know the struggle and preparation I had to go through just to land that job! I spent sleepless nights preparing my documents, practicing for the interview and go as far as losing hope when I thought I did poorly on the screening process! But you just ruined all them with a snap of your hand! And why? Because you're manipulative and selfish! Now don't make me the evil one here because if I hadn't talked to Earth earlier, I wouldn't have known how much of a jerk you are!"
Tay winced when New threw a pillow at him.
"New, can you listen to me first? I'll explain, okay? I can explain," he tried to grab New's hand to stop him from hitting him with a pillow.
"So it's true huh? You really pulled some tricks?! And for what reasons?! I hate you! I fucking hate you! I literally worked hard for that job you fucking jerk! You just can't take it away from me because you want to!" New raged and continued hitting him with the pillow.
"Hin! Let me explain first, please, babe please."
"Don't fucking babe me, you jerk!"
He successfully grabbed both of New's hand. He immediately went up the bed and pushed New down and pinned his hands on both sides.
"Can, can you calm down first? Let's talk when you've calmed down," he whispered.
He bit his lips when New started crying silently, his lips quivering and his breathing unstable.
He loosened his grip on New's hands and hugged him.
"I'm sorry, Hin. Please forgive me," he whispered as he buried his head in New's neck.
"Can you, can you leave me alone first? I don't wanna see you for the meantime," New replied in a broken voice.
He slowly lifted his head and stared at New. He wiped the tears on his eyes and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.
"Okay. But we'll talk when you're ready, okay? I love you, New. I really do," he whispered before climbing down the bed.
He sighed as he watched New go back to his position earlier, his back turned to him.
_____
Tay hit his head on the steering wheel and grunted as he waited for the Go signal.
"Urrgh! What the fuck Tay!" he palmed his face then grabbed his hair.
Off calling...
Hey friend, where are you? I'm at The Groove, come and join me here.
He sighed and placed his phone on the holder and pressed the loudspeaker.
"I can't, Off. New and I are going through a rough patch. I can't be drinking right now. He might call me anytime."
So, you're officially together now, huh? When do you plan on making him meet me? We should hang out together some time.
"Yeah we'll do. But let me solve this problem first. He just found out I was the one who caused his job's termination."
Shit. That's definitely a problem. Okay just tell me if you need help or anything.
"Thank you friend."
He ended the call and stepped on the gas as the traffic signal turned green.
He didn't wanna go back to his unit and be alone. In fact he wanted to see his parents and sister.
He was about to shift gears when he suddenly heard a loud sound that was immediately followed by a blinding light.
He then heard a loud crash.
And the next thing he saw was darkness.