High Energy Collision [Completed]

Chapter 38 - Leadership Qualities

As soon as Mean had climbed into his own familiar car, he allowed himself to truly breathe for the first time this evening.

He had sent the driver from the agency home and called Tio instead to pick them up. Waiting for him to get here had felt like an eternity. Mean had been forced to navigate small talk with the remaining guests at the Chamber of Commerce. At the same time, Plan had made sure the Attachitsataporns were informed that he would leave early together with Mean, who had come to assist his fellow White Hand member.

For the entire waiting time, Mean had carefully paid attention not to act as anything other than the leader of White Hand. He had made sure there was no hint of intimacy between him and Plan at all.

Onlookers might even have concluded that Mean didn't particularly like Plan, and that he was forced by his parents to look after him.

He could only hope. It would take some of the pressure off his back.

This was also the reason why Mean had made no effort to open the car door for Plan or help him get in, nor to call Tio to do it for them.

He had even selfishly climbed into the backseat on the passenger side, silently forcing Plan to walk around the car to get in on the other side.

It was rude - but Mean was so afraid that someone would take pictures of them driving away from the gala, that he couldn't be seen standing even remotely close to Plan.

Furthermore, if there were witnesses complaining about how uncivilised Mean had acted towards an esteemed family guest and a fellow White Hand member, posssible dating rumours could be easily contained.

"Hi Tio," Plan said, as soon as he had gotten into the car, "I'm sorry that you have to drive around for us again."

"No problem," Tio quickly replied, smiling at Plan through the rear-view mirror. "It's my job."

Mean had a hard time not getting jealous over the smile.

"Even so," Plan argued, "I know you'd rather concentrate on agriculture."

Tio laughed.

"Plan, you're my friend. I would have driven you even if it wasn't my job anymore."

The answer made Mean frown darkly.

Tio was Plan's friend.

Not his.

As long as Mean was a member of the Attachitsataporn family, and Tio hadn't found a way to comfortably walk the path of his own choice, they would never be able to be friends.

Their status would always be too different to be friends.

"Still... Thank you," Plan insisted.

Tio nodded once, and finally started the engine.

"Do you want me to drive you back directly, or do you want to go somewhere else first?"

Go somewhere else would be nice, Mean thought, his mind automatically drifting back to the memory of a starlit night sky, a picnic blanket in front of a crackling fire... and Plan all over him.

As much as he was tempted by this thought, also knowing how Plan's usual reaction to stress was to run away - it would be too dangerous right now.

"Just don't take the fastest route," he said with an audible sigh.

He waited until the car had left the light of the hotel driveway safely behind. Then he carefully reached for Plan's hand under the jacket that lay on the middle seat between them.