Where Sky Meets Water

Chapter 10

Ubon's POV:

I wanted to stay back so I could see Jun again. It's been a week since I last went to the Café to work. I've already told them that I'll be gone for about 10 days but - since that incident at the bar, I just can't stop thinking about Jun. Perhaps maybe even before that.

The point is - I can't think straight, and I'm losing my mind. And now I've boarded a freaking plane to travel overseas to meet my fiancée.

Yeah, you read that right. My fiancée.

Wait, wait- hold up. Before you imagine throwing a dozen or so rotten eggs at me - hear me out.

We've been engaged for 2 years without deciding on marriage.

Well - both of us don't really have a thing for each other. Phi Te is such a nice person. We're more like - friends who mutually agree to be engaged without getting married as we're both busy neck-deep in our academic pursuits.

Everyone's told us that we're such a good match and we're a lovely couple. I'd agree with them if I see it from their perspective. A man from a respected family, striking good looks and a very kind, warm personality without any sort of expectations towards me. He's academically inclined too. There's nothing more I could ask for, right? Atleast some guy as good as Phi Te is better than no guy at all, right?

I feel guilty for expecting something more. I don't know what's really missing in here. Attraction? Anyone with two perfectly functioning eyes would probably melt into a puddle of goo at his feet, or so everyone around me says. But I guess I'm not really capable of appreciating what life has to offer for me, and I keep wanting more than what I have, ending up unsatisfied with everything.

It's not like we're dating right now. We did that for about 6 months before getting engaged - our first meeting being a blind date arranged by our parents on both sides. We wanted them off our backs so we agreed to date for a while and see if it works - meet every few weeks or so and hang out. If that's what you'd categorize as dating. And somehow we got engaged.

And I know very well that my parents won't stop nagging me until I get married to him. That's a good thing isn't it? For the past 25 years of my life I've been single until Phi Te, and what ensued after that didn't really feel like a relationship I've seen people talk about.

Right, I know. Real life is nothing like in the movies. I have to be more realistic. I've never really liked anyone seriously for that matter except for fictional men from the regency era, so what do you expect? It's as if I've now got a business deal. A friendly business deal, of course. Assuring me of friendly company when I'm old, so I don't die alone and a virgin probably.

It's about 6 in the evening by the time I make sure my attire is appropriate for meeting my fiancée. A modest evening dress with neutral, natural make-up. I grab my purse and I'm ready.

I take a taxi from my hotel to the restaurant where Phi Te said he reserved a table. The date we agreed to have every 3 months or so, to make sure our parents are satisfied. Although I don't really mind meeting him. He's really good company, and it's refreshing to have a stimulating discussion about our fields.
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I enter the place and look around to see Phi Te seated at one of the tables, as handsome as ever, with his hair perfectly in place, wearing glasses and reading something intently from his phone's screen.

I walk over to the table and tap over the table.

"Phi Te!"

He looks up at me with a start.

"Oh, haha. Nice to see you Ubon." He gives me that wide smile of his, his eyes crinkling up. "Why don't you sit down?"

"Oh yeah. Haha. Nice to see you too Phi. You look amazing, as always."