Accidentally Married

12. Single

"Argh! Even this stone face got married. Why am I still single?" Jui groaned, resting his head on top of the huge table.

"If you are done complaining, come give me a hand here in moving these flowerpots," Aum said while picking a huge flowerpot from the ground.

"No! I don't want to!" Jui protested. "Where are all the single men? God, why can't I find a nice guy for myself?" He stared at the roof as if was actually talking to God.

"If you were dying to get married, why didn't you come over when I gave you a call?" Nai asked while spraying water on the flowerpots that Aum moved.

Jui sat up on the table. "Do you expect me to grow a pair of wings and fly here from Samet? It's a four-hour ride on the road, dammit!"

"Then, I can only say that it's your bad luck" Nai shrugged.

"I didn't want to marry a stranger anyway," Jui mumbled.

Jui was a stylist. A rather successful one at that. He had begun his career by helping the confused clients from Saiai, to curate their looks for the events, be it a wedding, a party, or any other event. He quickly rose to fame, all thanks to his great fashion sense. He is now one of the most sort out stylists in the nation.

"How about I introduce you to some of Hia's friends? I swear, there are a lot of good-looking single guys." Nai suggested, referring to the Wongsrisai brothers.

"Ew. No! I don't want to date any of those rich brats! I just want an average man, with an above-average look and an average build." Jui answered, scrunching his face in disgust.

"You? Dating an average man?" Aum looked at his friend in amusement. "Are you running a fever or something?"

Jui laid back on the table with a pitiful expression. "When you are left on the shelf for too long, you have to make compromises to get chosen."

"You are talking as if you are some soon-to-be-expired food product. It's not like you are going to die or anything," Nai was used to his friend's antics and didn't think much of it.

"Easy for you to say. You already found a husband even without trying for it. It's me who can't even find a boyfriend" Jui complained.

"Then, what about me? I am also single." Aum said while rearranging the pots he just moved. "I am doing good by myself. I am not running behind any guy."

"That is because you don't have to. Men come running to you. It's not the same for me, honey," Jui retorted.

"Men come running to me?" Aum laughed mockingly. "Give me one example of such a man who came running to me." He challenged Jui.

"Just yesterday, one guy came to you, right?" Jui questioned in return.

"Yesterday?" Aum frowned. "Who are you talking about?"

"I am talking about your new apprentice." Jui smirked.

"Apprentice? Since when did you start taking in apprentices?" Nai was unaware of what had happened. He looked questioningly at Aum.

"It's just this one guy who wanted to learn floral arrangement," Aum answered Nai and turned to his other friend. "And he was not here for me. He was here to learn how to do floral arrangements. He wants to surprise his mom for her birthday."

"Birthday surprise his mom, my ass! He was just making an excuse, you idiot! Can't believe you actually bought it!" Jui laughed.

Aum was dumbfounded. "But..."

"There are no buts darling." Jui squeezed Aum's cheeks. "I could tell it from just the way he was looking at you. For a second I even thought that he might get on his knees and ask for your hand in marriage."

"Now you are exaggerating." Aum scoffed and shook his head.

"No. I am not. It is just that you, my dear, are too dense to notice the look he was giving you." Jui smiled teasingly.

"Sounds really interesting na." Nai had the same expression as Jui as he eyed Aum who was silent. "Tell me more about this dude." He nudged Jui.

"He is such a handsome stud. You had to see him. Dusky skin with a perfect jawline. Damn! He drove a Mercedes, you know. I don't think that he is poor either." Jui said excitedly.

"Wow. Sounds impressive." Nai encouraged Jui.

"You two should stop right here. Don't start shipping me with some random guy. I am already having enough of this shipping shit at home whenever Pia comes over." Aum picked up the hand spray and headed to the storeroom.

Nai and Jui looked at each other and nodded before following their friend to the storeroom.

"Pia is shipping you with someone? Who is she shipping you with?" Jui asked giddily.

Aum turned to look at his two best friends who were staring at him like curious kittens. "Promise me that you two wouldn't start shipping me like her."

"Of course, we promise." The two friends promised in unison while keeping their fingers crossed behind their backs to nullify their promise.

"The guy she is shipping me with is none other than her boss!"

"Her boss? Isn't he pursuing her?" Jui asked in surprise. He was really close to Pia and they often gossiped together.

"That is exactly what I don't understand. Why would she be shipping me with a guy who is trying to win her heart? I don't even know that guy!" Aum picked up a broom and handed it to Jui. 

Jui looked over at Nai with raised eyebrows.

"Don't!" Aum gave them a warning look. 

"Don't what, baby?" Jui blinked frequently, making himself look innocent and harmless.

"I don't know. Drop what ever idea you have inside that perverted head of yours." 

"What a bummer! Wouldn't let me have some fun," Jui pouted.

"Didn't you say you want a boyfriend? You better use your time on that" Aum commented.

"It's not that I don't use the time for that. But no one wants me! What can I do?" Jui frowned. He had been dumped so many times that he had lost his confidence in finding someone good.

"As long as you keep your smartass mouth shut, you will be alright" Aum pushed two of his friends out of the storeroom and locked it.

"Aum do have a point there." Nai agreed.

"Is it my fault that I am smart?" Jui scoffed.

"Men usually tend to dislike it when their partners are smarter than them, Jui. That hurts their ego" Nai patted his shorter friend.

"Then, I have to bear with them for their low IQ?" Jui was speechless. 

"No, next time you find a boyfriend, make sure that you find one with IQ that is higher than you, so that even you will look stupid in front of him." Aum laughed at his own suggestion.

Jui gave him a dirty look. 

"Chill na. You will find someone when it is time. We aren't that old. You still have time." Nai consoled his friend.

Jui remained silent. He just felt too lonely. He wanted a home. A home that he could come back to and relax after a long stressful day.