Where Sky Meets Sea

2: "That Guy"

The next day, all three rolled out of bed with minor hangovers and good spirits. They were having a lazy brunch at the resort cafe and chatting about which activity to go on later that day when Mike suddenly kicked Mix under the table. "Geez, what? What?!" Mike noisily whispered, "It's those girls from last night". Win rolled his eyes underneath the dark sunglasses he was wearing and carried on nursing his hangover with a tall glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. "Mike, can we like, just focus on whether we should go for the jet skis or the banana boats? You can pick up women back in the city, this is Mix's birthday trip." Mike grumbled but conceded. He kept looking at the group of the pretty albeit loud women seated nearby their table. It didn't help that Mix egged him on, "Yeah Mike, it's my birthday trip. No hookups allowed on my special weekend". At this point, Mike got irritated and started to poke at Mix's belly. Used to their squabbling, Win leaned back in his seat and just shook his head. Noise aside, he was feeling the most content he's ever been.

Life had not been easy despite appearances. It felt like this was probably the first time they could all just breathe and be themselves. The three men started from scratch after university and built up their start-up with many rough nights, pitches to investors, various failures i.e. lessons learned here and there to get to where they are. Even after going public after a few years on the market, they were still as hardworking as when they began. None of them came from wealthy families so they had many sleepless nights worrying if they could make it. This work ethic carried them through up till today.

Their friendship got stronger over the years because they weathered every up and down of their careers together. There was still a way to go but for now, they could enjoy the weekend and just be the carefree young men that they are at heart.

Suddenly Mix nudged Win's elbow, "Who's that dude there who keeps looking over? He's been staring at you since we sat down." Win turned in the direction he was speaking about and saw a dark haired guy quickly avert his eyes. He frowned, recollecting his thoughts. He was slouching in his seat, in an oversized cutoff tee and khaki shorts. He seemed somewhat familiar but Win couldn't quite place him.

The trio finished up their brunch and made their way down the resort towards the beach. They passed by the guy in question who was now speaking to a waiter. Win heard him and turned so fast that he nearly checked Mike with his shoulder. It's the guy from last night. He may not remember his features very well but he definitely remembers THAT voice. It was the same deep and mellow and all kinds of dark. Something tugged in his belly and he was tempted to stop but Mike shoved him to move along. They walked down the sands and the strange moment was quickly forgotten.

The three friends indulged in the thrills and spills of the beach activities to their hearts content. A few shades darker, and a whole lot tipsier, they laid on the beach watching the afternoon sun fade into a bright but brief sunset. They nursed beers and spoke about everything and nothing. Mix and Mike wanted to clean up for dinner at their villa while Win said he'll join them in a bit. His mind was blessedly blank, lulled into a comfortable white noise by the ocean sound and balmy breeze. He was already not looking forward to the end of Mix's birthday trip.

Someone sat next to him and he said without looking, "Did you or Mike forget the keys? You can have..." He trailed off as he realised it wasn't his friends. It was him. The guy from brunch. "I know you. You were there last night, at the party". It was getting dark but there was enough light for Win to see that this was not just some average beachgoer. He was tall, his cutoff tee showcasing his obviously fit physique but the most compelling feature was his eyes. He looked at Win shyly and slowly said, "Look, I don't want to be a creeper but I've just been waiting for a chance to talk to you alone since this morning. I'm Bright, is it ok if I buy you a drink? I'd just like a chance to get to know you." Win gulped, he didn't know how to react. He's not unaware of his effect on both the ladies and men, but the people who hit on him were usually a lot less blunt.

"You're not subtle at all, are you?" Win chuckled, showing off his teeth in a wide smile that he just couldn't help. Something about Bright's quiet demeanour put him at ease while at the same making him feel a little nervous inside. Bright smiled and said, "I figured I may never see you again after this so I'm just gonna shoot my shot and hope for the best. So, drink?" Win nodded and they both made their way to the resort bar.

They sat at a table overlooking the beach and started talking at the same time, "What are you here for?" "How long will be you here until?" Bright blushed a little and Win couldn't help but stare at the red flush staining his ears and neck. He wondered how low it dipped under the shirt. Pulling his thoughts out of the gutter, he asked again "What are you here for, Bright?". He was on a weekend break after a long acquisition in his position as the legal counsel for a multinational corporation. They had a lively conversation once they realised they were both in similar fields and talked at length about the woes of how work life balance is practically non-existent.

Bright seemed reserved at first glance but pick the right topic, and he could talk your ear off. Win noticed how animated Bright's hands would get while relaying stories and how his face would light up as well – completely different to what Win expected the first time he met him. He was enjoying listening to Bright talk about his misadventures in university when his phone vibrated. His eyes widened comically. "Shit. I totally forgot about dinner with my mates," he apologized to Bright and picked up the call.

He cringed and held the phone away from his ear when he heard Mix yelling. "I'm down at the bar having a drink. Ok, ok, I'll go change and be right there." He ended the call and looked at Bright regretfully. "Sorry, it's my best friend's birthday dinner and I can't miss it. It was really good to meet you Bright, I gotta go, so sorry." He rushed off without waiting for him to respond and it was only much later, when he was having birthday cake with the guys that he realised he forgot to ask for Bright's number.