Beloved Dear, Look At Me For Once | ✔

Chapter One

A while earlier.

"C'mon man, ever since you got married, there's been only one time that you've hung out with us!"

The short man dragged the taller and fairer guy with him as the sound of rain water splashing resonated from their running feet,

"But—"

"No buts, Newwiee, all we ask for is a few hours from your boring ass life after that you can return to the ever sad music video montage you like to live in."

"Gun—"

The man named Gun stopped and turned around, slight anger visible in his eyes as he started, raising and waving his hand,

"New, we didn't stop you from ruining your life when you married that ass of a loser and we will not stop you from going back to him so please, just give us a few hours of your time, will you?"

New opened his mouth again but then closed when he saw the anger in Gun's eyes flicker into pleading,

"Okay... But only for tonight and I'm leaving by ten."

Gun rolled his eyes then, "Whatever." Yet grabbed New from the elbow and ran across to the Hainanese Chicken restaurant where they used to spend their days hanging out after school and university.

Running behind the short guy, as he fastened his grip of his free hand on the umbrella and office bag slung across his torso, he thought that if someone heard these words that Gun just said to him out of context, they would think what terrible friends he had,

When in reality—

"Look who's here!" The guy with tanned skin put in a sarcastic manner, as he put his hands on his slim waist, when he looked up from setting down the plates on the table,

A collective boo like roar rang among the five people, who were already sat at the chairs surrounding the table, when they turned around to see who it is,

"Let me go get another serving," The man cast a half glaring glance at New as the duo entered the shop, which wasn't opened for business yet, and turned to walk back to the kitchen.

Gun, shutting the gate of the shop, said with a frown lacing his voice, "Earth, I'd told you that I'd bring New along with me, then why didn't you already prepare it?"

Awkwardly, New set his umbrella aside and grabbed a seat as the stares of his friends felt like they're trying to burn his soul just with their glares, making him lower his gaze rather embarrassingly,

"And have another plate go to waste when you, my dear Gun, fail nine out of ten times to bring him here?"

By now, Gun has strutted beside his husband as he defended his childhood best friend while taking a seat beside him, "Well New is here now, isn't he? So stop teasing him and—"

"Wait," The only female among them spoke up as she turned to New, "Let me check myself if he brought the real thing over or just a ghost of him,"

Earth stalked back to the table with plate filled with the said serving of Hainanese Chicken as he stared with a raised eyebrow at his friend poking New's arm with her finger yet her almond shaped nail came in contact with his squishy muscles first, making her knuckle make a comical low curve,

Simultaneously, she and New met eyes as in the next moment they both burst out into chuckles,

"Really, Alice, what happened to your jokes?" New asked, shaking his head and rubbing his face as he calmed down from the chuckling fit,

"She gave away her jokes in your dowry." Her husband, Arm, almost snarled— who also happened to be New's senior and friend— as he folded his arms, giving a pressed stretch of lips,