Errand

The next morning, Save's phone buzzed on the kitchen counter, pulling him from his thoughts. It was a message from his dad: "Bring food to Auau's workplace today. You need to understand his work environment."

Save stared at the screen, then let out a frustrated sigh. Of course. As if the whole forced wedding wasn't enough, now he had to start getting familiar with Auau's job too? he only knew Auau was some kind of doctor, but that didn't matter. This was just another thing he was being forced into.

He grabbed his keys and left the house, still grumbling under his breath. His dad had made it clear, this marriage was happening, and Save had to play his part. He'd barely gotten used to the idea of being with Auau in his personal life, and now he had to understand the work he did too?

The drive was short, but every minute felt like a reminder of the pressure building on him. He wasn't sure what to expect when he arrived at Auau's workplace.

Finally, he parked outside a small, nondescript building. The sign on the door read, Sestasittikul Family Medical Clinic. Save's eyes narrowed.

He grabbed the takeout bag from the passenger seat, hoping it would make this weird errand a little less awkward. As he walked toward the entrance, he took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for whatever came next.

Inside, the atmosphere was quiet and professional, but not cold. A receptionist smiled at him as he walked in.

"Can I help you?" she asked politely.

"Uh, yeah," Save said, a little caught off guard by how welcoming the place felt. "I'm here to bring food for Dr. Auau. My dad asked me to drop it off."

The receptionist raised an eyebrow but quickly nodded. "Dr. Auau's in the back. Let me show you to his office."

Save followed her through the hallways, trying not to think too hard about the situation. He wasn't here for a social visit. This was just another check on his growing to-do list.

They finally reached a door with Auau's name on it. The receptionist knocked softly before opening the door, letting Save step inside.

Auau was sitting at his desk, looking over some paperwork. He looked up when Save entered, his expression neutral but polite.

"You brought food," Auau said with a slight smile, standing up. "Thank you."

Save just nodded, holding out the bag. "Yeah. Dad told me to bring it."

There was a moment of awkward silence as Auau took the food from him, setting it on the desk. "I wasn't expecting you today," Auau said, his tone calm but there was a hint of curiosity. "But I appreciate it."

Save shoved his hands in his pockets, his frustration barely hidden. "I'm just following orders," he muttered, his eyes flicking around the room. The office wasn't anything fancy, but it had a comfortable feel.

There were medical certificates on the walls, a couple of plants in the corners, and a desk cluttered with patient files. It wasn't what he had imagined for a doctor's office, but it looked like a place where people came for help, nothing intimidating, nothing out of the ordinary.

"So, this is your work?" Save asked, half out of curiosity, half to fill the silence.

Auau glanced at him for a moment, and then nodded. "Yes. It's a small clinic, but I prefer it that way. I get to spend more time with my patients."

Save wasn't sure if that was supposed to make him feel better or worse. He just nodded in response. "Right."

Auau smiled slightly. "I know this must all feel strange for you. But we don't have to rush into anything. Just take your time."

Save didn't know how to respond to that. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but every time Auau spoke, it felt like a reminder that this whole situation wasn't something he had control over. He hated it.

"I should go," Save said abruptly, not wanting to linger any longer than he had to. "I've done what I came for."

But just as he was about to turn towards the door, Auau spoke up. His voice, calm as always, broke the silence.

"Wait."

Save stopped in his tracks, not sure if he should turn around or just leave without saying anything. But Auau was already looking at him, his expression unexpectedly warm.

"Why don't you stay for a while and eat with me?" Auau asked, motioning to the food on the desk. "It's been a while since I've had company. You can get to know my work environment a little more."

Save blinked. Was this really happening? Was he being invited to eat with Auau? The last thing he wanted was to sit down and pretend like they were friends or even acquaintances.

"Uh... I don't think that's a good idea," Save said quickly, his mind racing for an excuse to leave. He wasn't sure if it was the pressure of the situation or the fact that this was just... too much too soon, but he couldn't bring himself to stay here any longer than necessary. "I should go."

Auau smiled slightly, his calm demeanor unwavering. "It's just a meal. No pressure. We can talk about something else, anything you like."

Save felt a stab of frustration rise in his chest. This wasn't supposed to be how things went. He wasn't sure if he could trust himself to make a decision right now. Everything felt forced, but maybe this was a chance to escape the pressure, just for a moment.

"Fine," Save finally muttered, not looking Auau in the eye. He didn't want to seem like he was giving in, but he also didn't want to seem rude. "I'll stay. But I'm not staying long."

Auau's smile grew just a little, like he wasn't entirely surprised by Save's reluctance. He stood up from his desk and walked over to a small dining area in the corner of the room, where a table was set for one. "Make yourself comfortable. It's not much, but I like to keep things simple."

Save hesitated for a moment before walking over and sitting down across from Auau. He didn't know what to expect from this meal, but he definitely wasn't expecting it to be... so normal. The food was simple, but the effort was clear.

Auau began unwrapping the boxes, setting out the food with careful hands.

Save picking up his chopsticks. He took a bite, not sure what else to say. It felt strange, eating together like this.

They ate in silence for a while, the clinking of chopsticks the only sound between them. Save wasn't sure what to talk about, so he kept his eyes on his food. The awkwardness in the air made it difficult to focus on anything else.

Finally, Auau spoke, breaking the silence. "How's college going?" His voice was low, gentle, like he was genuinely interested.

Save stiffened for a second, not expecting the question. "It's fine," he said quickly, trying to brush it off. "Busy."

"Busy is good," Auau said, his voice thoughtful. "Keeps the mind focused."

Save paused, then answered, "whatever"

Auau chuckled. "I can imagine it's a lot of work, especially in the last year."

"It is," Save muttered, pushing his food around on his plate. "A lot of pressure."

"I get that," Auau said softly. "But you're almost there. You'll get through it."

Save looked up, meeting Auau's gaze for the first time in a while. For a moment, there was a strange understanding between them. Save wasn't sure if it was real or if it was just the weight of the situation that was making him think too much about it.

As they finished the meal, Save realized that, maybe, this wasn't as bad as he'd thought.

"Thanks for the food," Save said as he stood up, already feeling the awkwardness settle back in.

Auau stood too, his expression neutral but with a hint of something like understanding. "No problem. We'll do this again sometime," he said.

Save wasn't sure if he wanted that, but he nodded, then turned to leave.