HUSH

Part 1

"You said you hated me."

Pond's deep voice echoed in the empty restroom. Standing beside him right now was his future husband, Phuwin. The man looked calm, staring back at him in silence. Pond's blood started to boil.

"Why on earth did you agree to this...this stupid marriage arrangement, Phu? Is it to mock me with our past? Is that what you want?" Pond hissed, but Phuwin didn't even flinch. His expressionless face annoyed him so much. Phuwin's nonchalant way of accepting their ridiculous marriage arrangement was pissing him off. Pond's shoulders heaved as he panted. He tried so hard to suppress the typhoon of emotions that was trying to crush down on his sanity. He didn't want to make a scene.

Clenching his jaw in anger, Pond grabbed Phuwin's shirt collar and pushed him toward the bathroom wall. He didn't give a damn about ruining Phuwin's designer suit. Things between them ended badly many years ago; the emotional pain didn't go away. Time, time did not heal the wound; Pond was still bleeding inside. He would never forgive him. Until now, he was still holding a grudge against him.

Phuwin's face did not show any emotion. He didn't even struggle to break free from Pond's strong clutches.

"Why are you doing this?" Pond's voice got higher as he aggressively shook Phuwin's body. The painful memory between him and Phuwin came rushing back into his mind.

"I'm sorry...sorry for liking you, but why are you doing this to me?" Pond sniffled. It was bad enough for him when Phuwin rejected his confession yesterday, but to make matters worse, the video of him being rejected was spreading like wildfire all over the school.

"Answer me, you asshole!" Pond finally screamed, no longer able to contain his anger. He was getting agitated.

"Phuwin!"

A very good-looking man rushed to pull Phuwin away from Pond's hand. Pond was taken aback by the sudden impact but decided to let Phuwin go. His eyes never left Phuwin; he was still glaring at him. He then noticed that his harsh behavior made the skin around Phuwin's neck turn bright red. The sight of it made Pond's heart sink.

"Your parents are looking for you, Phi Pond," the handsome man said as he wrapped his arm around Phuwin's waist, assisting him to move away from Pond.

Pond remembered him; they had just met that night. He was Ohm, Phuwin's friend, who had been beside him since dinner. His mother said that because Phuwin didn't have any family, he attended their arranged marriage dinner with his close friend and his senior coworker, whom he treated as his father, Chief Earth.

"Let's go, Phuwin," he said, bowing politely at Pond before pulling Phuwin toward the restroom door.

---

Walking sluggishly inside his dark apartment, Pond sighed while massaging his temple.

'Why did he agree to his mother's request in the first place?' He groaned in frustration. Out of so many people in this world, why Phuwin?

"But mother," Pond spoke as he rested his head on her lap.

"You are not in a relationship right now, right?" Pond's mother asked. "I gave you the freedom to choose your partner for so many years, but none of them worked," she smiled while caressing Pond's hair.

"I..." Pond sighed, his heart clenched in pain. The one he loved always left him at the end. He was always the giver in the relationship, hoping that they would stay forever. He tried so hard to protect what he had, but ended up hurting the most. He could fool anyone but his mother.