Star's Birthday

Chapter 26

Ever since the news about Nani and Sky came out, things have started to shift, most noticeably for Sky. Some people, perhaps those with less open hearts, might keep their distance. But Sky, with his radiant spirit, doesn't let it faze him. He carries on with the same bright energy that has always made him so loved.

Sky's family, however, can't help but worry, not about his reputation or how the company might treat him, but about Nani. They've met Nani before and found him charming, but they never imagined he was from such a prominent, powerful family.

This revelation has left them with questions, not about Nani's intentions, but about whether Sky's gentle heart will be protected in this new chapter of his life.

When it comes to Nadao, Sky's parents are at ease. From the moment Sky first signed his contract, they made sure he'd be in good hands. They even invested in the company's shares and placed them under Sky's name, not out of distrust, but because they wanted to ensure he was cared for in every way possible. For them, Sky's happiness and security have always come first.

Now, their worries are more personal. They wonder if Nani, with all his family's influence, can truly be a safe haven for Sky, their youngest, their sunshine.

Even though Sky's family isn't as powerful as Nani's, they have built a comfortable life through their successful businesses. Their family enjoys a luxurious lifestyle, so they don't feel overwhelmed by the influence Nani's family holds.

Star's birthday is coming up, and she's decided to invite Nani to join. She knows her brother, Sky, has already accepted Nani's proposal, but Nani's playboy reputation hasn't faded easily.

When Star's friends found out that Sky is dating Nani, the rumors quickly made their way to her.

Star and Tee are friends, which is why Dew is also coming to the party. Star decided to host the party at her condo so everyone could relax and have fun together. Of course, Star had already celebrated her birthday with her family beforehand.

Dew was especially happy that not all of his friends could make it. This gave him more time to spend with Tee since it was just Sky and Nani joining them. By the time they arrived at Star's condo, the party was already in full swing. Star, much like Sky, is a social butterfly, so it was no surprise that the condo was filled with people having a great time.

Nani was sitting with Dew and Tee, while Sky was off talking to his sister's friends. Nani knew Sky had no other intentions with those young girls, but he couldn't help feeling a bit annoyed.

Although he was with Dew and Tee, it felt like they were in their own little world, leaving Nani to feel a bit out of place. Two young girls, noticing that Nani seemed bored, decided to sit next to him. Nani, trying to keep his distance as much as possible, knew he couldn't walk away like he usually did, since it was Star's party.

As Nani looked around for Sky, he noticed one of the young girls laughing at something Sky had said. Nani bit inside his cheek, trying to stay composed, though irritation stirred inside him.

He was about to walk out to get some air when the two girls continued to insist he stay with them. But they convinced him to take a shot so they would leave him alone.

Without much thought, Nani took the shot of alcohol, still trying to keep his calm, then made his way toward the balcony to get some air.

Nani let his thoughts run wild, wondering who knew dating an extrovert could be this hard. He knew it was important to respect each other's personal space, but he couldn't stop himself from overthinking.

Even though things seemed fine on the surface, Nani couldn't shake the thought of how much pressure Sky must be under because of their relationship. Especially from those who still judged harshly, believing it was wrong to date someone of the same gender.

Nani knew that while people might judge, they wouldn't dare act on it because of his family's influence. But that didn't make things easier for Sky. The thought of Sky dealing with all that left Nani feeling both guilty and frustrated.

When Nani was in London, he had planned to propose to Sky again and wanted everything to be perfect. He had asked Dew for help, and everything was ready, but work kept Nani from following through at the time. Then, suddenly, the news of their relationship got out.

Now, even staying close to Sky, Nani feels like it's not the right moment to propose again. He wants Sky to feel more comfortable with their relationship being public first, even though he deeply, deeply wants to marry him.

Sky deserved to feel completely at ease, free from the lingering stares and whispers. He wanted their engagement to be a moment of pure joy, not overshadowed by doubts or societal expectations.

As the party carried on, the cold wind wrapped around Nani, sending a slight chill through his body. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice Star quietly standing behind him.

"P Nani" her soft voice broke through his reverie, pulling him back to the present. He turned to see her looking at him with curiosity, a small smile playing on her lips.

"You've been out here a while." she said, tilting her head. "Are you okay?"

Nani managed a faint smile. "Yeah, just needed some air."

Star crossed her arms, leaning slightly against the balcony railing. "You know, for someone who's supposed to be in love, you're spending a lot of time brooding out here instead of enjoying the party with him."

Nani chuckled lightly, though his gaze drifted back toward the party.

"Got a lot on your mind?" Star asked, her voice light but curious.

"Kind of." Nani admitted quietly.

"I hope my brother isn't one of those things taking up space in your head right now," she teased with a knowing smile.

Nani just let out a small, faint smile in response.

"Well, I'll take your silence as a yes." Star said, crossing her arms.

"Even if I said no, you wouldn't believe me." Nani replied, a hint of humor in his voice.

Star chuckled. "Fair enough. Look, I might be Sky's younger sister, but trust me, I've got more sense than him sometimes. If something's bothering you, you can talk to me. No pressure, though, if you'd rather keep it to yourself."

Nani glanced out at the city lights, their glow reflecting in his thoughtful eyes. He let out a slow breath before speaking.

"To be honest...  I'm scared your brother might be under too much pressure because of me."

Star tilted her head, her expression softening. "Because of you? Or because of how people might treat him?"

"Both." Nani admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "Sky acts like he's fine, like none of it bothers him. But I know he's carrying more than he lets on. And I can't help but wonder if being with me makes things harder for him."

"You know, my brother is an actor and he is stronger than you think. He's been dealing with people's opinions his whole life. It's not new to him."

Nani sighed. "Maybe. But this  it's different. People talk, they judge, and I hate that he has to go through that because of me."

Star smiled faintly. "P Nani, if there's one thing I know about P Sky, it's that he doesn't do anything he doesn't want to. He's stubborn like that. If he's with you, it's because he wants to be with you. No one can pressure him into anything."

Nani looked at her, his expression softening as she continued.

"And about how much he cares about you, that's special. He might seem like he's always worrying about you, but trust me, that's just because it's you. With other people? He doesn't really care that much. You've got a side of him that no one else does."

Her words hit Nani harder than he expected, and he found himself smiling despite the weight in his chest. "I guess I really don't deserve him, do I?"

Star looked into Nani's eyes before letting out a soft laugh. "To be honest  P'Nani, when my friends first told me about your reputation. you know, the whole playboy thing, I was really against you being with my brother. I thought you'd just end up breaking his heart."

Nani winced slightly but nodded. "Fair enough. I wouldn't have trusted me either."

Star smirked, crossing her arms. "But seeing you like this, worrying about him so much, it's hard not to laugh. I mean, how does someone as cool and composed as you end up falling so hard for my silly brother?"

Nani let out a small chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "Trust me, Star, I ask myself that all the time. But Sky... he's different. He makes me feel things I never thought I'd feel."

Star reached out to pat his shoulder. "Well, I'm glad you're in his life. I can tell how much you care about him, and that's all that matters to me. Just... don't make me regret trusting you, okay?"

"You won't." Nani said firmly, his tone carrying a quiet promise.

"Now, seriously, let's go back inside. If P Sky sees us out here for too long, he'll probably think I'm grilling you." Star replied, a teasing glint in her eyes. Nani laughed and followed her back inside, his heart feeling a little lighter after their talk.

As they stepped back in, Nani's eyes scanned for Sky. He spotted him sitting with Dew and Tee. Unsurprisingly, Dew and Tee were deep in their own little world, chatting away as if no one else in the room existed.

Sky, on the other hand, seemed lost in his phone, scrolling until his expression changed. A notification had caught his attention.

It was a message from June:

"Hey, Sky! Our class trip to Phuket is finally happening! Wanna tag along? It's gonna be fun, and we could use your sunshine vibes to liven things up. Let me know!"

Sky's eyebrows lifted in surprise, and a small smile crept onto his lips. He hadn't been on a trip with his classmates in ages, and the idea of Phuket. A getaway filled with sun, sea, and sand was tempting. But then his gaze shifted, catching Nani returning from the balcony with Star.

He hesitated, fingers hovering over his phone. A trip sounded great, but how would Nani feel about it? They had been spending so much time together recently, and Sky wasn't sure if Nani would want him going off to Phuket without him.

"Who's texting you?" Nani's voice broke through his thoughts as he approached, his tone casual but laced with curiosity.

Sky looked up, holding out his phone with a sheepish grin. "June. She's inviting me to join the class trip to Phuket. Sounds fun, right?"

Nani's face remained neutral, but there was a flicker of something, concern, maybe?  "Phuket, huh? Sounds like a good time."

"Yeah." Sky replied, watching Nani carefully. "But only if you're okay with it."

Nani blinked, surprised by the comment. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Sky shrugged, his grin turning playful. "I don't know, maybe because you're secretly possessive and don't want me running off to a tropical paradise without you?"

Nani chuckled, shaking his head. "You're impossible. But seriously, if you want to go, go. It sounds like something you'd enjoy."

Sky leaned forward, resting his hand lightly on Nani's arm. "I'll think about it. But only if you promise not to miss me too much."

Nani shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips, and lightly tapped Sky's forehead with his fingers. "Just go and have fun, okay? Don't overthink it."

Sky laughed, leaning back in his seat. "Alright, alright. You said it, so no backing out when I spam you with beach selfies."

Nani rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the amused grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "If it keeps you happy, go ahead. Just don't forget sunscreen. You burn too easily."

Sky mock gasped "Nani! Are you worried about my delicate skin? How sweet.""

"More like I don't want to hear you complaining about sunburn for a week, idiot." Nani retorted, his tone dry but his eyes soft.

Their playful banter caught the attention of Dew, who finally glanced up from his conversation with Tee. "What's going on? You two planning another romantic getaway?"

Sky smirked, shaking his head. "Nope. Just a class trip to Phuket. Nani's trying to act all cool about it."

Tee raised an eyebrow. "Phuket, huh? Sounds fun. Don't forget to bring us back something nice, Sky."

Sky gave an exaggerated salute. "Yes, sir!"