Accidentally Married

50. Beer and buddy

Aum stood back and admired the last potted plant he had arranged in the corner of the shop. It had been a long day, and he hadn't even remembered the plant delivery until the driver called, saying he was waiting outside. He had rushed back after the party, still in the same outfit, not even having time to switch out of his dress shoes.

He let out a sigh, hands on his hips, satisfied with the final setup.

That was when he heard the bell over the door ring.

"We are clos-!" he called out automatically, without looking.

But the sentence trailed off halfway when he turned and saw who it was. His brows furrowed.

"Nai? What are you doing here? Didn't you go home with husband?"

Nai didn't reply right away. Instead, he strode past Aum and climbed the narrow staircase leading to the condo above the store. "Do you have any beer?"

Aum blinked, caught off guard. "Wait—what? Do I—yeah, probably, but—what's going on? Why the hell do you want a beer now? Did you two fight?"

He followed Nai up the stairs, watching his friend head straight for the refrigerator like he owned the place. Nai pulled it open, rummaged a bit, and came up with two cans of beer.

He cracked one open and handed the other to Aum.

Aum took it but didn't open it yet. "Okay, seriously—what happened?"

Nai hesitated for a second, his fingers curling tighter around the can. "He thinks I was wrong to push for Saifah and Jui's engagement."

Aum raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Nai sat on the couch and leaned back with a groan. "We argued. Zo said I was forcing something that shouldn't have happened. That I meddled where I shouldn't have."

Aum sat beside him, quiet for a moment as he listened.

"He is not entirely wrong," Aum said finally.

Nai took a big swig of his beer, then set the can on the coffee table. "Do you remember how I learned to swim?"

Aum blinked, confused by the sudden shift. "What?"

"Do you remember?" Nai pressed.

Aum gave a short laugh. "Of course I do. Your dad shoved you in the deep end because you wouldn't stop clinging to the floaty duck."

"I was terrified," Nai said, the edge of a smile tugging at his lips. "But I swam. Eventually."

"I was so embarrassed for you," Aum grinned. "Screaming like a banshee."

Nai chuckled, then his tone softened. "Jui is like that. He is scared. I don't know what of exactly—maybe being vulnerable again, maybe loving someone who won't stay—but he is scared. And Saifah... he is steady. Loyal. He is the type who wouldn't take love lightly. That's why I thought maybe if I gave Jui a push..."

Aum studied him. "You mean a shove."

Nai sighed. "It wasn't even me who arranged it, honestly. The grandparents were the one who did it. I just... clarified the whole identity situation, that's all. And Jui's family, you know what they have done to him. They have taken everything, even to the extend of removing his identity as a family. Maybe this engagement is the one thing left that ties him to his grandparents."

Aum nodded thoughtfully. "Still doesn't explain why you stormed out and showed up here instead of going home."

Nai took another deep gulp from his beer. "Zo said he is worried Saifah and Jui will 'end up like us.'" He made air quotes as he said it.