In Bloom Again

Tomorrow morning

Tee stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the ocean-colored shirt that hung softly over his white shorts.

It was the kind of outfit you'd see in a travel magazine, easy, breezy, perfect for a coastal shoot.

Dew had scenes by the sea, Tee had to come along too.

P'Jennie, ever the efficiency queen, had lined up all of Dew's ocean-themed shoots in one go, both the drama scenes and a sponsor campaign that apparently required maximum breeze and waves.

Tee gave himself one last look in the mirror, Just then, his phone buzzed.

A video call from JJ.

It was school break, so JJ and Poon had taken a trip to the coast.

Since Tee had to follow Dew to the ocean for his next set of shoots, it was the perfect chance for them to all meet up.

Tee accepted the video call, and the screen instantly filled with JJ's grinning face and the ocean wind nearly blasting through the speakers.

"TEE!"

JJ shouted over the wind, his hair flapping like a flag. "When you get here, don't forget to call us, okay?!"

Beside him, Poon tried to lean into the frame, nearly falling off-balance on the boat.

"Teerak! I heard you got a part-time job at GMM! Why didn't you tell us?!"

Tee's eyes widened, face instantly turning red. "I—I'll call you when I arrive, okay? Gotta go!"

Tee's hand shot to end the call with JJ and Poon a little too fast.

He stared at his reflection, cheeks burning.
It wasn't the wind from JJ's boat that made his face this red, it was something else entirely.

He hadn't told them... because he was still trying to calm down from what happened yesterday.

Flashback: The waiting room

Tee was breathless when Dew finally let go.

His lips were tingling, swollen from too much kissing.

And his brain was still halfway to the moon. The warmth of Dew's head lingering on his lap only made it worse.

It was unfair how someone could kiss like that and then act like it was just another Tuesday.

Dew finally let go of Tee's neck. And Tee quickly sit up straight avoiding Dew's eyes.

He didn't move, his head still heavy on Tee's lap, eyes half-lidded as he looked up at him.

"Usually" he said, voice low and slow "people line up just for a chance to be close to me."

He paused, voice dropping to a near whisper. "But right now, I'm the one asking."

His fingers toyed lazily with the edge of Tee's shirt, touch feather-light but deliberate.

"I'm asking you to take the chance everyone else only dreams of... because I don't want them. I want you."

Dew sat up but didn't move far.

Instead, he stayed close, too close, and Tee could still feel the ghost of his lips.

After what felt like forever, Tee finally spoke, a bit too loud.

"One month. I'll give you my answer in one month."

Dew raised an eyebrow. "One month?"

Tee's voice shot up a little in panic.
"Because—because we barely know each other! And I... I want to get to know you more first!"

Dew stared at him.
Then, unexpectedly, he let out a quiet laugh.

He stood up then, and for a moment Tee thought Dew might finally leave the room.

But no, Dew leaned in again.

Bending down, he stole one last kiss, quick, but filled with promise.

His lips brushed over Tee's, lingering just long enough to make Tee's knees weak again.

"One month it is" Dew murmured against Tee's lips, his breath warm, voice husky.

'But when that month is up... don't think you can run away.'"

Back in the present:

Tee slapped his cheeks once to wake himself up.

Why was that moment replaying in HD inside his head?

This trip to the ocean was definitely going to be dangerous but not because of the waves.

Because of Dew.