Macau treats it as an insult. His face abandons politeness and morphs into a storm of dark clouds. He rarely gets angry, but when he does, he shows it fully. Vegas once said everyone should run to take cover when he is angry, but the person in front of him only tilts his head when he sees it. It angers him more.

He may be a spoiled brat, asking more things from his lover than an average man, but he is never, NEVER, a cheater. He always treats any relationship he has with respect and honesty. He rather break up than stay in a relationship but see someone else secretly.

He is determined to be different from his father who hurt his mom over and over again until the day she closed her eyes for good. He didn't know what she saw in that man that made her stay. Vegas said it wasn't easy to sever ties with a Theerapanyakul especially when they were legally married. Plus there were Vegas and Macau. Their mother loved them too much to be part of them because that is what would happen if she divorced their father.

Macau sometimes felt guilty about it. Still. Even when her mother already departed from this world years ago. His mother was beautiful and kind, mild-hearted, and totally not suitable for the dark world they were living in. She could've flourished and become even more beautiful in the right hand, not wilting and waiting for the day to die.

Will he become like that in Kai's hand? Will he flourish and bloom to the fullest? Or wilted and waiting for the day to die with hurried steps?

Kai is someone who can't be chained and tied up to anything, he learns that early on from the talks and whispers of others and seeing the vast evidence in front of his eyes. But the guy is willing to bend his back and knees for him, indulge, and spoil him to an extent that he himself didn't dare to dream.

The guy once abandoned an important meeting because Macau couldn't find the shirt that he wanted and took him shopping abroad to buy that shirt. It was a test, yes, but still, the man should feel irritated. Macau has shown the man that he isn't Porchay's type of boyfriend. He is demanding and wants more than other people. But Kai didn't even show annoyance.

For someone famous for his fiery temperament, Kai is very mild and patient with Macau. Of course, he gets angry sometimes, but he never crosses the boundary, unlike his father. Kai, even when he is very angry, will try to reason (a.k.a plead and beg) with Macau first before he leaves. It's a strange phenomenon that everyone in his clique shook their heads about.

That got to be counted as something, even if it's not love.

But Macau wants a marriage full of love and silly feelings. He wants what his brother has, what Porchay has.

He wants more. He wants that three little words and Kai is yet to give him.

Nao, that bastard, is smiling now when he sees how colorful Macau's face can be in a split moment. When Macau's lips tilt to one side in anger, his smile becomes wider. It causes Macau's irritation to spike.

Macau grabs the card from his pocket and places it on the table. "No, thank you very much for your offer." How he can say that politely is beyond Macau's understanding. He guesses it wasn't such a waste of money on his family's part when they sent him to etiquette class. "Now, will you excuse me?" He gets up from his seat.

But his step is held by a hand. "Don't play hard to get, Khun," Nao says in a perfect Thai that surprises Macau. "I know how a Theerapanyakul plays."

Macau squints his nose in anger. His whole family, dead or alive, is rather famous in the infidelity department. So he can't fault this guy's assumption. But, still ... "Well, you don't know this Theerapanyakul!" he hisses before freeing his hand harshly.

What an asshole! He thinks sourly, feeling his mood is now tilting to the bad side. He searches for his brother and Pete and finds them in the secluded VVIP area.

"What's wrong?" his brother asks when he sees Macau's expression, concerns written all over his face.

"Nothing," he tries to brush it off, not wanting to dampen everyone's mood. Pete is already eyeing him with concerned eyes. When he sees Vegas's body language, he frowns deeper, probably thinking in his bodyguard mode how many ways to hurt someone most painfully. "Just running into an asshole. Nothing I can't take care of on my own." He doesn't want to lie. Vegas has ways to pry the truth whether he said it or not.

"Are sure?"

"Yeah."

"Did you get his name?"

Macau, who knows this only spells trouble, shakes his head. Vegas nods and smiles, "Ok."

But Macau knows his ok is far from ok.

***
A ding in his phone takes his mind off of work. Kai picks it up and his face immediately darkens. He calls the sender and without even so much of a hello, he asks, "When is this?"

"Thirty minutes ago, Khun Boss," Kla's voice is on the other side of the receiver.

It's not that Kai isn't placing people to guard Macau in Japan, but that party is very exclusive, invitation only. Only selected people with carefully scanned thorough backgrounds can work in it. So he can't place people inside and can only beg Kla.

"Does Vegas know?"

"That his brother was getting hit by the notorious Naozumi Hiyama? Nope. All hell will break loose then. You know The Hiyama problem with The Theerapanyakul. You also know how fiercely protective Vegas is to Macau. Do you want a Mafia war between Thailand and Japan?"

Kai sighs. Things are rocky with his and Macau's relationship because of his stupidity. He meant well but he should've considered things from Macau's perspective also. Macau is still very young, and not really suitable for a very serious and committed relationship like Kai wants. But if he didn't strike while the iron was hot, Kai was afraid he would lose Mac.

For a boyfriend, he knows Macau has already been very lenient to him. He saw his lifestyle firsthand and didn't freak out or demanding him to stop. He just asked him not to embarrass him publicly. He lets him be himself and caters to his needs and wants as best as he can. He stays at the back and lets him have his spotlights and stands firm beside him with a smiling face and praises only after Kai gets it.

According to Vegas, whatever Macau feels for him is genuine and deep. Because usually Macau already abandoned people like him in a week. He won't spare for bullshits longer than that, in Vegas's words.

The feeling is probably love.

Just like how Kai feels for Macau. Kai even thinks whatever he feels for Macau is too big and deep to be categorized as only love.

He hopes so Macau feels the way he feels at least a third of it, if not the same.

He doesn't know the truth, though, even when they are six months into the relationship because they never said 'I love you' to each other. Kai never deems it necessary. He thinks his actions speak volumes.

But now ...

God. He knows how fucked up the sequence of their relationship is now.

Kai messes his face with his hand, feeling more fatigued than ever. "Did he take it?" The jealousy is still very much evident in his voice.

"Kai! That's an insult to my brother, mind you. Of course not, you moron! He is definitely not Vegas. Vegas's dick direction is more like his father before Pete. Macau is more like his mom. If I catch you doubting him one more time, I swear I will break you guys apart myself!"

He gulps. He knows Kla is serious. The guy really broke one of his fingers after that party. "Sorry," he says, "It's just ... old habit."

Kla sighs. "I know. I know how hard trust is for people like us. So what are you going to do?"

"What else can I do? I will get ready and see you guys tomorrow."

But luck isn't on his side this time.
***
There is the sound of annoying bells that disturb Macau's sleep. Reluctantly and while grumbling, he heads towards the door and peeps through the hole. There is a man with a big bouquet of roses in front. From Kai?

He opens the door to except when suddenly a man pushes his way through and enters the room.

Macau looks at Nao with a gapped mouth. "Out!" he says after five seconds of silence. But Nao ignores it. The man chooses to sit and makes himself comfortable instead.

Macau purses his mouth and walks away. He closes the door with a bang and then stands with a raging head in front of his room. There is a group of maids walking, Macau stops them and asks them for help to bring security to his room. Seeing it's a penthouse suite, his demand meets hurriedly.

When the guards come, they enter the room with stern faces but come out with apological ones. "Mr. Theerapanyakul, Mr. Hiyama said you open the door for him yourself and ...," They look at each other, "We can't force him to leave harshly."

"Why not? This is my room!"

"Because ..."

"Because I own this damn hotel!" Nao comes out with a smiling face.

Macau grits his jaw. "I'm a consumer. I paid for this room."

"That can easily be annulled."

"You want to kick me out?"

Nao tilts his head, amused that Macau settles for that kind of thinking. "No. What I mean is ... You don't have to pay."

Macau scoffs. "No, thanks. I don't need your charity."

"I know you have a lot of money. Your boyfriend also has a lot of money." The mention of Kai makes Macau highly alert. "But I want to show you, I also have a lot of money. I want to brag," he says with a sweet smile.

This man is insane!

"Save it! I just want you to leave me alone."

"I don't want to."

Macau finally snaps and shouts, "Are you fucking crazy, man? What did I do last night that tell you I was interested?"

Nao shrugs. "Maybe you're playing hard to get."

"Fucking ..."

Macau doesn't get to finish that because Vegas shows up. "What's going on here?" His eyes are quickly zeroing in on Nao and his stand changes to highly dangerous in a split second. "Are you harassing my brother, Hiyama? Do you want war?"

Nao puts his hands up as a backout sign. "No. Of course not. I don't want a war, Theerapanyakul. I just want a chance."

Vegas frowns. "A chance of what?"

"To compete to be your brother-in-law. I fall in love at first sight with your brother."

Macau's jaw drops to the floor.
***

Naozumi Hiyama (see above also).