Are We Too Late or Am I Too Soon? (Completed ☑️)

CHAPTER 37

Once Off parked the car and turned off the engine, he looked at Gun sitting at the shotgun seat. He's been worrying about him since this morning when the other told him that he'll join him in talking with Lee. He knows the limit of Gun's temper, and he's afraid that Gun might not be able to restrain himself.

"Babe," he held Gun's right hand and squeezed it lightly, "you sure about this? I can just handle him alone."

Gun got the hint of worry on Off's voice, but he already made up his mind.

"You know how I love Newwiee, Papii. I saw how hurt he was last night and I can't get that image off my head. I can still hear him cry and I'm not letting Lee get away with what he did. He messed with Newwiee, so he might as well have messed with me", he answered with conviction but without looking at Off. 

The latter just sighed and got off the car. Gun followed soon after.

Gun made a reservation for a private room in one of the restaurants of one of his clients. He's expecting an altercation and he doesn't want to be under the public's eyes when it happens.

Once they got in, Off and Gun sat beside each other. 

"Where is he?" Gun asked Off, sounding irritated already.

Just then, the door opened, and in went Lee.

"Hey guys," Lee was smiling ear to ear as if he just greeted some close friends.

Off immediately held Gun's right hand as it balled in a fist as soon as they saw the man enter.

Lee pulled the chair across Gun and sat on it. He took off his mask and sunglasses and put them on the table. Once he was settled, he spoke, "Wow! Long time no talk, P'Off," he nodded at Off then he directed his gaze to the man beside him, "and you must be Gun. I never got the chance to meet you. I heard of you, though."

"It was my luck then," Gun answered sarcastically.

Lee let out a slight chuckle. "Oho! What a feisty guy you chose here, Phi!" He looked at Off as he laughed. "I didn't know you're into that. Last time I checked your type is an innocent, quiet girl." 

Before Gun came into his life, Off only had girlfriends. Before their fall-out with Lee, he was still with Aom, a non-showbiz woman who was Off's classmate in college and girlfriend for five years.

Off noted how Lee put stress on the word girl. Perhaps to piss Gun, he thought. So, before Gun could even react, he spoke soon.

"What exactly do you want from Tay, Lee?" Off asked, ignoring his remark.

"Oh. I want nothing from P'Tay, Phi. I want P'Tay. I guess I made that obvious when I kissed him," Lee responded with a smirk.

"You snake! You know he already has a boyfriend! He already has New!" Gun snapped and Off held his hand even more, silently telling him to calm down.

"Not according to P'Tay, though. He explicitly said he was single." Lee took the glass of water in front of him and sipped from it. He seemed to be enjoying how Gun is reacting. 

"Drop the act, Lee. You know what Tay meant when he said that. It's not like their relationship is known to the public," Off said.

"Because Newwiee is a coward," Lee interjected as soon as he put down the glass, "Hell, look where his cowardice brought them! Him getting married to someone else? What kind of boyfriend does that?"

"He has his reasons," Gun asserted.

"Enough to leave P'Tay behind? Or enough to keep him strung along while he goes home to his wife at night? Do you think P'Tay deserves that?"

Off and Gun were not able to respond immediately. Lee smirked at their stunned faces.

"You don't know the full story and as much as I want to slap the truth in your face, it is not my story to tell," Gun said with a strained voice.

"But I don't have to know, do I? No matter what New's reason is, he still chose to do it. He still chose to leave their relationship so I don't know what I could have done wrong when I kissed P'Tay."

"They did not break up!"

"They might as well have, with how New has been treating P'Tay." Lee leaned forward to the table. He propped his chin on his clasped hand and continued, "and the fact that the two of you are here means that I have shaken them both up. If I did, it means their relationship is not that strong anymore. Maybe a few more moves and I can already sway P'Tay?"

"YOU SICK FUCKER!" Gun stood up and slammed his hands on the table. 

Off was taken aback by the sudden outburst of his lover but Lee seemed like he had expected it. 

"You stay away from the both of them or I. Will. Ruin. You," Gun growled every word.

Lee slowly stood up and mirrored Gun's position. He leaned forward until his face is close to Gun.

"In case you didn't know, staying away from P'Tay is impossible. We're an official couple of the company now and we'll be tied with each other for a very long time" Lee let out an insulting chuckle. He looked at Gun from head to stomach and up to his eyes again. "Do you think I'm afraid of you? I'm one of the most in-demand actors right now and I am fucking famous. I mean, one simple criticism from me about your company and you might find yourself in a lot of trouble."

"Lee!" Off stood up but Gun glared at him as if telling him not to meddle.

Gun let out a chuckle, too, and looked at Lee, " You think you are a threat to me? I am the CEO of my very own company. I am a powerful man and I have powerful connections. Connections you don't have and never will. If you think you can bring me down, then, by all means, do it. I'll make sure you'll find yourself running back where you came from when I bite back."

Off can feel the intensity as the two stared at each other. Eventually, Lee pulled back and took his things. As he was wearing his mask, he said, "Give my regards to Newwiee and also to his wife and kid." He paused for a while before he continued, "and tell him, I am never backing down. I have an opportunity right now, and I'm not letting it pass by."

He took off, leaving Gun and Off behind.

"Aaargh!" Gun slammed his fist at the table, feeling frustrated.

"Babe." Off tried to get his lover's attention.

The other looked at him and with all seriousness, he said, "I can ruin him, Papii. I can make his sponsors pull out from his projects. I can hire investigators to look for anything that could damage him and have a publicist write about it. Or I can just have them write anything! I can even-"

"Gun." Off said in a low voice which made the other stop. "I will not allow you to do that."

"But he deserves it, Papii! He needs to be put in his place!"

"He deserves it but you don't. I don't want you to dirty your hands for someone like him." Off stood up and put his hands on Gun's shoulders. He turned the other's body so they are now facing each other. "We've done our part here. Now, let's go back to our friends." He kissed him on the forehead and somehow this calmed Gun down.

Gun hugged him and spoke while his head is buried on Off's chest, "They'll get through this, right? Pet and Newwiee?"

"They will. Not someone as measly as Lee can break them apart. Let's trust them both." Off said with both trust and conviction

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