Captured Effortlessly (Ain't Nobody)

Chapter 8 - I Make My Wish upon a Star

"Tin, spit it out, are you dating someone?"

Pete's persistent, gentle smile made Tin want to hide and run away from his friend.

"No, why would you think that?"

"Don't give me that look, Tin. Something's going on. We have barely seen each other in the last three months, you smile a lot more than you used to, and you haven't made a sarcastic comment about me and Ae for an entire evening."

Well... if that was all, Tin could certainly provide such a comment. That used to be half the fun about getting drinks with Pete. But even taking friendly stabs at Ae was getting old.

"Besides, rumour has it that people keep seeing you having lunch and going to the cinema and the park, and other places you go on dates to, with another guy. Come on, Tin, I'm your friend. Am I not?"

Tin sighed.

"Of course, Pete, you are my friend. Ahhhh... Whatever you think... I guess, if you want to know: Those rumours are wrong. These aren't dates. I have merely made a new friend. Like you."

As was to be expected from Pete, he couldn't just drop it and let it be.

"Oooh, Tin! Why didn't you tell me? It's good to hear that you're making friends. Who is he?"

Pete made a lot of effort to sound casual, Tin could hear, but he also... couldn't hide his curiosity and Tin just... he...

"I don't know why I didn't tell you... it's kind of, I don't... I guess it's just something I wanted to keep separate from everything else. He's... We're helping each other get a breather from our jobs, just relax and have fun together. I've never had anyone like that before."

Pete smiled.

"Then I don't want to take that away from you. Tin, this sounds amazing! But... how did you meet him? You usually never get out of your bubble."

Reluctantly, Tin shifted in his chair, took a sip from his drink and glanced at him some more.

He didn't want to tell Pete and create the wrong impression. And at the same time, Tin realised that he wanted to talk to someone about it. And... Pete was the only one he trusted, other than Can.

"You introduced us, kind of, indirectly..."

"I did? When? I don't remember introducing you to anyone recently, I know how much you hate being set up with new people."

Tin smiled.

"That night you took me to your club..."

"Really?"

They hadn't talked about that afterwards, the fact that Tin had participated in the demonstration, and disappeared into the backroom, and that Pete had been a volunteer in the punishment scene. Or, that Tin hadn't returned home with him and Ae.

"Yeah, that's where I met... Can."

"Can? Do I know him? Does he use a pseudonym at the club?"

And that was just one reason why Tin was reluctant to talk about his friendship with the warm and fuzzy Can, who had such a serious, fierce persona inside the club he owned.

"Yeah, I think you participated in his demonstration..."

It was funny to see Pete's realisation dawn on his face, slowly, surely...

"Wait..." Pete now almost stared at him, "your mystery friend... whom you have been spending all this time with... is Master Kirakorn?"

Tin nodded.