Chapter 26: Chapter Twenty Five

GUN'S POV

We had a blast last night, today I plan to bring them to a bunch of places more but we're gonna have super early breakfast at my coffee shop. We tried to burn ourselves out last night so we could fight the jet lag but who are we kidding? We were awake until three in the morning.

"Hey Gun, what are we having for breakfast?" Off asked.

"I'm taking you to my coffee shop." I said and smiled.

"Tay is taking so long, I'm hungry" He said and pouted like a kid.

"Just wait a little while" I said pinching his cheeks and he also pinched mine.

We were laughing and pinching each other's cheeks while we wait for Tay to finish getting ready for the day.

When we all finished getting ready, I drove to my coffee shop and it was nice seeing a few new faces as part of my staff. I let Tay and Off order what they wanted and after, Off was intently looking for something at the menu.

"What do you want?" I asked him.

"That drink..." He said

"The customized one? Hang on, I think I have the same coffee beans here, I might be able to make you one" I said.

"Can I see you making it?" He said.

"Sure"

We left Tay at the table since he was already talking to New as well. I pulled Off to the counter where we make drinks and I wore an apron and washed my hands.

"What is the recipe for it? I wanna try to make it at my condo as well" Off said.

"Secret" I said and started grounding the beans.

"Okay then, you're making it for me always." Off said.

"It'll be my pleasure" I said and smiled.

I still remember how e told Tay he'd do anything for me, I didn't talked to him about it but of course I'd do anything for him as well.

I finished making his special drink and we made our way back to Tay who was already impatiently waiting because the food are already here. We enjoyed breakfast as we discussed our plans for today.

"You can have the last piece of bacon Off. I'll have the hash brown" Tay told Off.

"Nope. I'll have that hash brown" I said to annoy Tay

"You already had three of it" Tay said.

"and that doesn't mean I can have more" I said when Off laughed.

We finished up breakfast and I talked to my staffs for a little and we went ahead. I'll meet my staffs again tomorrow. I'd do the business purpose tomorrow so I can have the rest of the week for purely leisure purposes only.

I decided to bring them to the Brooklyn Bridge today. I felt their excitement when we got inside the car.

I wanted to bring them a little far from Manhattan because we would be around Manhattan for our whole stay and we surely would have the time to go around there this coming days.

"Are we going to the statue of liberty?" Tay asked like a kid seating at the back seat.

"Yeah, we're also going there today and probably rest a little before we head to Brooklyn Promenade" I said while driving.

"Tay made a research of all places he could ask you to take us to" Off told me.

It was a nice day of buying souvenirs and taking pictures again. I was tired, given the amount of sleep we all had but I guess they were as well. It was a quiet drive to Brooklyn Promenade because that were knocked out.

"Hey Off, wake up" I said as tapped on his shoulders lightly.

"Oh, we're here?" He asked and looked around

"Yep, lezzgo" I said.

"TAY!" I half-screamed for him to wake up trying to reach him in the back seat.

Tay was startled when I woke him up which made me and Off laugh our hearts out. We walked to see the view of New York. I know this is best at night but it is also very pretty late afternoon.

Tay and Off got busy taking photos while I sat on a bench because I was tired, I was just scrolling through social media and noticed that I have been in Off's story a lot. He even took a video of me making his special drink and posted it, no wonder his fans went crazy over shipping us together again, soon, we'll get there soon.

"Are you tired?" Off asked.

"Yeah, a little" I said.

"Thank you Gun..." Off said.

"For what?" I asked.

"For bringing me here with you, for being part of your escape" He seriously said.

"I told you, I like you Off. I'd prefer you by my side when things are good and tough, you just make everything better" I said and smiled.

"What would you say... if..." He trailed off suddenly quite nervous.

"If what?" I asked him and he looked straight into my eyes.

"If I ask you to be my boyfriend" he said without breaking the eye contact.

I felt butterflies in my stomach. I know he likes me too, but are we really ready for this? I was left dumbfounded with his question and when I was about to answer...

"Gun, say hi to New, he wanted to say hi" Tay said giving me his phone and we both looked at him.

"Why are you both looking at me like that? Here Gun, come on Off, take my picture" Tay said.

I looked at Off as Tay shoved the phone into my hands pulled off away to take pictures.

There was an awkward air when we headed to Manhattan Bridge. Off sat quietly and I had occasional glances at him but his expression gives nothing away. He seems to be thinking deeply about something...

It was around sunset when we arrived at Manhattan Bridge, there were a few people taking photos and all since the aesthetic golden hour is just perfect for photos... of course my best friend wouldn't dare to miss it as well.

"Guuuun, let's take photos" Tay said

Off volunteered to take our photos, I am really thankful to have a chance to travel with my favorite people and above all, my best friend, the only person that stuck with me through it all.

"Wow, that was a great shot" Tay said when he took his phone.

I looked at the photo, I was genuinely smiling while looking at Tay, he was laughing genuinely as well.

"Let's develop that one" I said taking my pocket polaroid printer out.

"I'll take photos, go there with Off" He said and left me.

I walked over to Off to the side of the street as I try to print my photo with Tay. Off smiled at me and pretended to be busy with his phone... I sighed and looked at him.

"Come on, let's take a selfie" I told him and pulled his hand.

I pulled him just at the right spot where the bridge can be seen and there are some streaks of the golden rays from the sun. I placed one of his arm around my shoulder and I went closer to him and held his hand that was dangling in my shoulder and smiled the biggest.

"Yes Off" I said after taking photos and I faced him.

"What do you mean yes?" He asked as he looked at me.

"I want to be your boyfriend" I said and smiled.

He immediately hid his phone and he hugged me so tight and even lifted me a bit.

"I love you Gun, so much" He said.

"I love you too Sugar Papii" I said ang giggled.

He let go of me and I saw Tay smiling from a corner. He nodded when I looked over at him, he's been waiting for this.

We went back to Times Square for dinner, we decided to have some fast food. We also decided to walk around and when we got tired they said they wanted to go visit Central Park that is why I brought them there.

"Sooooo, you and Off are now a thing?" Tay asked.

"I got a boyfriend in New York Tay!" I said and giggled.

"I was just waiting for the two of you to stop being like teenagers and finally put a label on" He said.

"It feels so good, this escape is really and escape indeed" I said.

The night went by and when were all really exhausted already we decided to go back to my apartment. I showered and immediately fell asleep after because I was too tired and it was hard to fight jetlag.

Jokes on me though, I woke up around quarter to six in the morning not knowing what to do because all of a sudden I didn't wanna sleep anymore. I went out of my bedroom and decided to head to my coffee shop instead.

There were a few people when I got to the coffee shop, some students, some business people and others. I grabbed a cup of coffee and pulled my laptop out as I sat on my usual corner. I missed this. The streets slowly lit up when the sun rose and it got busier with people flocking it.

I decided to check on the back up notification that was connected from my phone, the photos from yesterday were already backed up on my laptop and I smiled when I saw my photos with my best friend and boyfriend.

"Good morning" Someone said and when I looked up it was Jayler.

"Good morning, you're up early" I said.

Jayler lives near here that is why he is also my consistent customers, well of course I told my staff he is my friend to prioritize him as well.

"Yeah work stuff. We still down for the dinner with your friends later?" He asked as my staff served his order.

"Yeah" I said sipping my coffee.

"Okay, I'll see you later then" He said and started eating.

"Jayler, don't tell Paris and Oile yet" I said...

"About?" He asked.

"I... Me and Off... he's my boyfriend" I told him.

Jayler was quiet for a little while and I waited for his response as I fidgeted with the fork and poked the bacon on my plate...

"Good for you, since when?" He said

"Last Night" I smiled.

He gave me a small smile after that he finished eating and left as well because he said he has important matters to attend to for his work. I let him go and I also ordered a bunch of food for Off and Tay.

I went back to my apartment to bring the food for Off and Tay. Of course I got them coffee as well, especially Off's special drink.

"Where have you been?" Off asked as I was putting down the food on the countertop.

"My coffee shop, I woke up early and couldn't sleep" I said.

"I thought we're spending the day there? Why didn't you woke us up?" He said and hugged me from the back.

"I just didn't want to disturb you, It was too early" I said and leaned my head on his shoulder and looked up to him.

"What did you bring?" His mood shifted and took a look at the food while still hugging me.

"Breakfast" I said.

"Look" He said showing me his phone.

It was a post from him... Our picture last night, the one from Manhattan Bridge, he posted it with the caption "teeruk".

He was just hugging me for a while and before he let go of me I held his hand that was wrapped on my belly and I pulled his hair little to kiss his neck. I blushed and smiled after that he was all smiles as well.

"Good morning" Tay said when he finally woke up and decided to join us for breakfast.

Since I already had my breakfast I decided to just scroll on my social media as they have their breakfast. They both got ready after and we all took everything we need before we headed to the coffee shop. We all are gonna get some work dine since Off said he has to fix something with the new collection of his clothing line and Tay will get every schedule booked for the studio organized.

We had the dinner with Paris and Oile only because Jayler all of a sudden couldn't come because he has an emergency to attend to. It was fun and all, Oile invited us to have drinks after and me being me wouldn't say no.

"You're not drinking so much tonight" Off told me.

"Haha, I'm not broken hearted anymore, don't worry" I answered.

Oile said that she texted Jayler and that he's coming and gonna follow us here. I ordered a cocktail and just took a few shots of the whole liquor bottle that Oile ordered, Off only has a beer and Tay was the only partying.

"Gun, Oile parties every night doesn't she?" Off asked me.

"We all do, well... mostly every night but not literally EVERY night. We have work to attend to" I said.

"Yeah, she seems to have the partying under control unlike you who passes out" He said and giggled.

"It's fun" I said.

"You should tell your best friend that we're not in Thailand for him to get too drunk or he'll miss tomorrow's tour" Off said pointing to Tay at the dance floor holding a drink.

I walked over to Tay to dance with him a little and to pull him back to our table so that I could have him under control before he gets too drunk. Jayler was already on the table when we came, he was downing shots after another while having a drinking competition with Oile. Off and Paris seems to be talking about something and were just casually sipping on their drinks.

"You look like a mess Jayler, what happened to you?" I asked.

"Life's a Mess, I guess" He said raising the shot glass and downing it again.

I looked at him for a while, I saw this phase... when we were all lost and messed up, during my early years here in New York. I know him, there must be something wrong with him, either his business or something personal.

We all talked a lot more while drinking, Paris has high alcohol tolerance as well as Oile but they still have their limits. Jayler on the other hand has a not so good tolerance of it and as how it is looking now, he seems to be drunk already.

"Jayler, I think that's enough" Oile said as he almost spilled the drink when he took it.

"No, not yet. I'm not yet numb" He said which made me look at Oile immediately.

He wants to be numb and lost every time there is something wrong. He doesn't stop until he doesn't know what he's doing anymore. Until everything inside him shuts off and he doesn't care, he is scary when he's like that, he often gets to fights and troubles.

"What the fuck is wrong this time?" Oile asked pulling the liquor away from him.

"Me? I guess?" He said and then burst to laughter.

"What happened?" I asked which got him quiet and he stared at me for a while.

"Dude what happened?" Paris followed.

"The world is just so unfair you know... I was there for someone for a long time then that person goes away for a while promising not to forget or so, I hoped that person will give me a chance and then poof, that person is happy with someone else now. I should've known even after all the breakdowns and blackouts because we're drunk, I'm still not the man they'd choose" He said as a tear escaped from his eye but he quickly wiped it away to hide it from us.

We all tried to console Jayler but he disagreed with all of us, I was bothered though, he confessed to me back then, he liked me, and hearing his story, I kind of feel like it has something to do with me...  After a while, we said our goodbyes when Oile and Paris managed to calm Jayler down, they said they'd stay a while and wait until Jayler sobers up.

The days passed and we did so much stuff we could while we were in New York. We almost spent a whole day shopping when we had the chance to buy souvenirs and stuff for our friends and families back home. It was actually very fun.

I tried my best to take them to the places that were so dear to me when I was alone and all before, I replaced the memories with good ones with them. New York is better with your best friend and boyfriend indeed.

For the rest of the vacation, I had a time with Tay where we ate ice cream almost the whole day while touring around. We wandered the streets like we were just high school kids having the time of our lives. It gave me the time to thank Tay for being there with me through all the thick and thin. We laughed our hearts out and teased each other constantly.

Of course I also took time with Off. I looked back at how rough we started when we were classmates back in college. It may have not been a very long time ago but it is actually nostalgic, seeing where we are right now. We've got a lot of things to work on for our relationship to work. We have differences we need to cope up with. Being with him here in New York made me feel like I've made the bravest and best impulsive decision in my life.

I took them both to my favorite spot to watch sunset, the rooftop of my apartment building of course. It was nice and all, but before the trip ended and everything seemed to be so well, I decided to take a moment all to myself. I watched the sunset alone and waited for the city lights to light up my view... It was calming this time, knowing that I am growing and stepping out of my comfort zone at my own phase.

Whatever is there yet to come, I'd be ready... with everybody else that I love beside me this time.

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Thanks for reading! <3