"As I said before, no thank you. I'm not interested," Macau says through gritted teeth. Just how many times more does he need to say this?

Vegas snaps his head from Macau to Nao and back again, understanding is dawn to him. "He's the asshole?"

Macau nods reluctantly. Why does he feel this is going to be a big BIG deal?

"You don't rat me out to your brother? Hm. That's interesting," Nao makes a pondering pose. Macau snarls at him. It cracks a smile on that handsome face. For Nao, Macau is amusing. There is no one like him in his life and he leads a pretty exciting life.

"Yeah, Macau. Why didn't you outright say who the fuck he was?" Vegas is pissed. Naozumi Hayama is not someone you can casually fuck with, not in a sexual term of course. His brother may be the crown prince of the Hayama clan, but it is Nao who really holds the ropes.

Macau makes an uncomfortable gesture. "Because I thought it would become a big deal."

"Of course it was. I would fucking blow his brain out if I knew!"

"And blows up decades of treaty between us?" Nao asks in a playful tone that Vegas knows it is anything but playful. No. This bastard wants something and Vegas thinks he knows what it is.

He thought three years could make everyone forget what happened, but it seems someone is determined to make him remember. Old pain is biting him in the ass now and it is after his brother.

"Fuck if I care about that!" Vegas moves closer to Nao in a swift fast movement, but Nao doesn't even blink. His smile doesn't falter. He moves closer even, until their breaths linger with each other. "You should. Because my family can crush yours easily, Theerapanyakul. You guys are nothing compared to us."

Macau is annoyed when he hears that. "Hey, take that fucking back!" he scolds. He loves his family. Well, at least with the existing members of it.

Nao looks at him for three seconds before he says, "I take that back," to Macau. He then returns his gaze to Vegas, "Sorry," he says easily. Vegas is still seething.

Everything is a game for Nao. That is what makes life exciting for him. Vegas knows because that is how he used to live his life.

Macau tries to dissuade the situation. "Look, whatever happened in the past, it's already over. Relationship comes and goes, so it didn't work out between you guys. So what?"

Nao gives him a hike of brows, face morphs into confusion. "What are you insinuating, Babe?"

Macau glares at him. "Don't call me that!"

Nao is clicking his tongue. "Better get used to it, Babe!"

"I am so not going to get used to it! I have a boyfriend!" he shouts, trying to get that thinking into Nao's apparently thick skull.

Vegas can't wrap his head around this situation. "What are you talking about, Nong?"

Now, Macau is the one who frowns. "Weren't you guys in some kind of relationship in the past, that's why the bad blood?" Vegas shakes his head. "Fuck buddies only then?"

Nao is now roaring in laughter. "Sorry, Babe. Your brother is so not my type."

Vegas snarls. "You think you're mine?"

Macau doesn't get it. "But didn't you say ..."

"I said 'known' isn't exactly the word." Nao looks at him in a calm expression, waiting for understanding to come to Macau.

"Then what are you to my brother?"

"Well, it's a long story, but the short version is Your father was having an affair with my mother, thus the bad blood. Then your brother here decided it would be ok to fucked and ditched my brother, thus the dislike and hate."

Macau gaps his mouth again. He seems to do that often today, and it isn't past morning yet. "What?" he shouts.

"Yeah, it's a lot to take in, but I'm sure your brother can fill in. Or you allow me to take you to lunch and I'll fill you in."

Macau puts his hands on his waist and looks up at the ceiling. This is a lot to take. "Fuck it, I'm going to bath!" he says. When he says that, just like on cue, a maid with a trolley full of food is closing in.

"Take this with you," Nao says casually, pointing at the trolley.

Macau rolls his eyes. "No, thank you. I can buy my breakfast."

Nao hinders his steps, holding him by the arm. "Quit being stubborn. You need to eat." His eyes tell Mac, he doesn't play.

Macau looks at him with the same heated eyes. "Quit telling me what to do. You're a nobody to me." He pushes his way past Nao and shuts the door harshly.

It then leaves Nao with Vegas only.

"If you want revenge, come at me. Don't come to my brother. He doesn't know anything."

"Who says I'm doing this for revenge?"

Vegas laughs without humor. "Please," he mocks, "You're straight, Hirayama, and apparently a traditional jerk homophobic at one too. That was why you find what your brother and I did, disgusting."

Vegas walks away, leaving Nao with a smile still on his lips. He takes a look at Macau's door one last time before he goes his own way too.
***
Macau circles the mall alone. Pete has to accompany Vegas, doing something for the family. Kla is getting ready for the race that will happen today.

Well, not totally alone. Ananda is somewhere at the back and there are a couple of Kai's men also.

All his life, the only time he is truly alone is in his dream.

Macau can't get anything from Vegas. He just stated that the whole Hayama clan is troubled in capital letters because their father is an asshole in capital letters. Better stay out of them to be out of problems. Maybe it's because there was Pete there so he can't talk freely.

But one thing Vegas said about Nao is that the guy is as straight as a pole. He doesn't even try to have sex with a man for science like Kim did. His dates, sexual encounters, and lovers are all women with curves and firm breasts and asses. All are beautiful too, judging from the photos.

"He just wants to get even, take revenge. Nothing good coming from meddling with him. So just act politely but stay at arm's length when he is around. If he does anything you dislike or see you outside, tell me. Please. If Kai knows this, and he will know this if you see Nao outside, he'll be pissed. We already pissed the Hayama in the past, we don't want to piss the Chaimongkon in the future."

Vegas knows how to draw the line and insert discipline. He never uses hands, feet, or any body part to make Macau follow his order. He doesn't have to. The respect and love Macau has for him is enough.

He wishes he could call Porchay right now, but that is out of option. Porchay won't get it and he is currently busy sucking Kim's face. Macau doesn't want to take away the little happiness that his best friend has in his life at the moment. Who knows how long that will last with the way the main family members behave?

He goes into one of the expensive brand shops at the mall and absentmindedly looks at the wallet sections. He has been using his current wallet for some time now. It's not broken, Macau just wants to change it.

He picks two that he likes the most and heads to the cashier section. The woman there inputs the purchase and before he can give her his card, she already hands him his bill.

Macau is confused. "But I haven't ..."

"It's already paid, Sir." The woman answered in English with a heavy Japanese accent.

"Paid by whom?"

"Mr. Naozumi Hiyama has informed us earlier today that everything you bought should be put in his account, Sir."

Macau is angry. He needs to inhale and exhale deeply five times before he can utter, "No, I will pay for myself, please." He knows the employees are not at fault so he can't vent his anger at them.

"But it's already been input, Sir. To go back, it needs at least half a day and many authorizations."

Macau's sour face doesn't seem to frighten the employees who still smile and stand in a very polite way. He curses inside of his head.

If Kai ever gets wind of this ... Macau is not sure his ears can live on.

Apparently, it's not only the luxury brands (he goes to at least ten of them and buys from 4 stores), but the whole shops at the mall. Usually, shopping can enlighten whatever shitty feeling he has for the day, but today shopping hits differently.

This time, shopping makes him want to strangle someone.

So here he is, seething and brewing with anger while munching a cheeseburger with a vengeance in a high-end restaurant inside the mall. He just knows he won't be able to pay this one too.

Someone slips to the chair opposite him and Macau's eyes find Nao's.

It takes him back to the days when he first got to know Kai. That guy popped up at strange times and places also. That guy wouldn't let him open his wallet also. That guy was annoying also.

The difference is, that Kai was an open card to what he wanted from Macau. Nao isn't. Vegas's words keep ringing inside his head.

Revenge. Get even. As straight as a pole.

So he opts to stay silent this time and munches his food.

Nao shoots his brows at hearing no words coming out of Macau's mouth. He expects the guy to shoot him with profanity like this morning. But he then only nods and calls the waiter to pick up what he wants to eat.

By the time his food is served, Macau is already done eating. When he stands up to leave, Nao's foot shoots up to prevent him from leaving. "Stay," the guy says in a gentle tone. "Accompany me."

Macau easily walks away from the barrier with bags in his hands. But then his arm is held. "Please."

He knows he can't get out of here without making a scene, so he sits. He opens his phone and starts texting.

"Who are you texting?" The guy dares to ask like he has the right. Macau ignores it. In five seconds the phone changes hands. "Vegas. Ok." Nao returns the phone.

"You have no right to invade my privacy." He says that with a calm even voice, betraying what he really wants to do: knocking some sense out of Nao's mind with his knuckle while shouting out of his lungs.

"You won't answer," Nao answers simply.

"Still ..."

Nao won't let Mac finish. "I'm not that Kai guy. When I ask, I expect you to answer me in a second."

There are sharp edges in Nao's voice that Macau doesn't want to get. "Excuse me? Who are you to telling me that?"

"Your future husband."

"Huh!" Macau scoffs and then lets a big laugh. "Last time I checked, I don't have breasts and vagina."

Nao creeps a smile. "You researched me. Wonderful."

Macau does his best to create a blank face. "I don't want to play games with you."

"You should try it. You might get addicted to it."

"I have a boyfriend. Soon a fiance."

"Ditch him. I'm better."

"You're not."

"But I am. In the underground world, my clan holds more power than most families in Asia. More than yours. I'm handsome, richer than your current boyfriend, as healthy as horse with a good stamina, I can blow your mind in sex, and I can give more secure protection."

The last part catches Macau off guard. "What did you do?" he asks through gritted teeth.

Nao smiles bigger, showing his beautiful white teeth. "I disabled his guards. Don't worry, Ananda is safe."

Macau frowns. Just how many connections, intels, and spies does this guy have to be able to have this much information in one night only?

Suddenly Macau doesn't feel good.

"C'mon, stay. I set aside my time out of my busy schedule just to see you. Please spare yours too."

"I don't ask you to."

Nao shrugs. "I'm taking the initiative kind of guy."

Macau sighs. "Look. I don't what is it that you want or why you want it from me, but for a hundred times, I'm not interested. I have a boyfriend and I love him."

With those parting words, Macau begins to walk away.

"Macau," Nao's calling halts his steps. "I want you. That's what I want. And I can make you fall in love with me if you give me a chance."

Outside, he calls the one person that he thinks can help with this problem. "Hello, Phi Kim? I need your help."
***