Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

--_--

Two months later

The two tired figures trudged their way up the stairs silently after being welcomed by the household help. It was late into the night, nearly morning and they didn't want to wake anyone up.

Arthit's meeting ran late and they bore the consequences. Kongpob had waved off the older man's constant apologies, smiling in understanding since his fiancé didn't have control over their circumstances. Arthit was bursting with love and gratefulness for having him as his life partner.

They crashed on the bed, as soon as they finished showering, which was a quick and silent affair. They did share a shower together and Kongpob not initiating anything was a testament to how tired he was.

Morning came too soon for the lovers, especially for the younger of the two. He could never fight off his circadian cycle, unless he was dead tired and sleep deprived to boot. Alas, he still woke up at dawn, sleep not visiting him anymore after he opened his eyes.

A smile stretched his lips as he watched his lovely P'Arthit sleep, the latter's pink lips slightly agape and inviting him to steal a kiss. So he did. He stole several pecks, in fact, and it led to one pale hand swatting at him as if he was a fly that was annoying the hell out of him. Maybe he was at that moment.

Chuckling, he smooched the sleeping man one last time before he rose from the bed and went to change his clothes. He might as well go to his customary run. Take in the fresh sea breeze and maybe watch the sunrise too.

After changing into a suitable outfit, he jogged down the stairs and met his equally morning person of a brother. They greeted one another with a hug, talked briefly and then he was off.

Weir himself was preparing to go out for a morning excursion to the market, along with one of the household helps. He was anticipating all those fresh seafood he could buy and going to cook for his brother and his fiancé. Speaking of, he still hasn't met the mysterious man who had managed to capture his brother's heart completely. He could tell from his brother's demeanor that the older man made him happy.

He definitely had to make sure to impress him! He knew how Kongpob was hopeless in the kitchen so it was up to him to cook for them in this getaway.

And his brother-in-law wasn't the only one he wanted to impress as well.

He smiled absently as he stared at the passing scenery, thinking about the absolute bombshell he managed to score. Theirs was a whirlwind romance, unlike the slow burn that his brother and his fiancé had. Somehow, he and his boyfriend just clicked.

Yes. Boyfriend.

After a month of wooing, he finally said yes to the younger male. And here they were, a little more than a month after they got official, and more than that after they met, here he was, about to let him meet his brother.

Kongpob knew of him dating someone. After they had made it official, he immediately called his twin– unthinkingly. He was met with silence at first, which made him nervous. Then the latter had gone off, asking if he was sure about the guy, if he was anything like that asshole Jean. He even asked for his details, his name, which he didn't give because he didn't want his twin scaring his new partner off.

Kongpob had even gone to their café for a visit– thank god his boyfriend had started working again that time– and started grilling his workmates about his partner. Even his boss.

His respect for his Sweet Day family had grown in size when they didn't buckle under the pressure of typhoon Kongpob when he stormed there for several days. They even managed to put in a good word about his lover and constantly reassured that he was taking good care of their resident chef. That they didn't feel wary around him unlike Weir's ex.

Kongpob had backed off, thankfully. Not before he made a promise to him of what he would do to his partner if something like Jean happened to him once again; that he couldn't hide his identity from him.

Weir had promised back that it would never happen, and that if it did happen, he'd be the first to know. They sealed it with a pinky promise and pinky promises for them were sacred.

Which brought them back to the present.

Weir had told Kongpob that he would be bringing his lover on this trip. His partner had finally gotten some days off work and he wanted to introduce him to his twin first before the rest of his family. And this getaway to the beach, which also doubled as his brother's engagement party, was the perfect opportunity. He'd finally be meeting his brother-in-law, too! Everyone had finally been able to take time off their busy schedules.

He was brought out of his reverie when his phone vibrated inside his pocket. Reading the message brought a smile to his face.

S: i've arrived.

W: oh no. I'm omw to the market.

S: sum1 let me in. Did u tell them to expect me?

Weir's brows furrowed. Had he told anyone about him yesterday? He didn't remember… Oh well. This was a good thing. He didn't need to make the other wait for him. Maybe it was his brother who let him in?

S: i got the right villa, right?

S: 

W: yep. Ur at d ryt place

W: wd've bn awkwrd 4 u 2 b at another am i ryt?

S: oooh, defo.

S: just thinking abt it makes me mortified.

W: 😂

Just then, the car stopped, making him look around him. Only to find out that they had already arrived and the driver was just parking the car. He sent a quick 'got to go' to his boyfriend before he prepared himself for their excursion.

He patted himself down for his things and that was when he discovered that he had forgotten his wallet! Double and triple checked, which yielded the same result. He didn't have his money with him. He looked awkwardly at the other people with him.

"Uhm…"

That was how he found himself sheepishly scratching his head and apologizing to the others as they went back to the villa. It was a good thing that it was a short ride and that they'd still make it to be able to choose the freshest of the ingredients before they got sold off. Probably.

–_–

Weir didn't make it back to the market. Why? Because… because…

The person he trusted the most… and the one that he thought would be his happy ever after; his endgame…

They were in an intimate embrace… and… and…

He couldn't take it anymore. He turned around and ran. Ran away from the hurt. He didn't heed the call of the driver and house help who were both waiting for him. He even nearly collided with the auntie that had welcomed him warmly last night, and he knew it was rude of him but he didn't even say sorry. He couldn't.

He was blinded by his disappointment and his very own self loathing. He couldn't believe that he had been so idiotic. Why did he have to fall in love with the wrong person all over again?!

And his brother…

Oh god. Kongpob…

"Why is this happening? Why me?" he murmured, finally stopping and collapsing on the soft sand of the beach. He didn't know where exactly he was. He didn't know if he managed to run away far enough that people from the house couldn’t find him. He just knew he had to get away from there, protect his own heart, his own self, from the hurt. It was only an act of self-preservation. Not cowardice.

Right?

Images of his boyfriend kissing his brother flashed through his mind and the first sob that he had been holding escaped his lack lips. Tears ran down his cheeks rapidly, like a dam breaking and raining down on the dry sand. He curled himself into a tight ball, wrapping his arms around himself. To protect or to keep himself together, he didn't know.

Why did they betray his trust…? Just why?

Hundreds of scenarios flashed like a movie reel in his mind, mocking him, twisting the knife that was constantly stabbing heart. Killing him with every vivid picture of that kiss, of them together, tangled in each other's arms.

The one that had driven the final nail in the coffin was the fact that it was his twin that the other used to cheat on him, the betrayal from his brother hurt him the most…

A gasp escaped his lips.

There was no way his brother would do that. Not his overprotective Kongpob.

And even if, let's say, his brother had changed over the years, the love and adoration that always made his eyes sparkle whenever he talked to him about his P'Arthit could never be faked. His love was real.

And the only conclusion that he had…

He stood abruptly, swaying a bit at the sudden action. He wiped his tears away then marched towards the direction of the villa.

He had been played. It seemed like his brother had been, too. He couldn't have that, couldn't let one person ruin both of their happiness.

They were better off alone together than settling with a cheater and a liar for the rest of their lives.

He needed to save his brother from that fraud of a man.

–_–

The first thing he saw was the broad back, the thin black fabric stretched deliciously over broad shoulders. He smiled unconsciously, his brain still half-asleep, as he trudged his way sluggishly towards the unmistakable back of his fiancé.

A few paces in, he halted on his steps as something very wrong was happening. There was something amiss on the picture of his fiancé's sexy back and that was the pale hand that snaked around the younger's neck, carding through those dark silky strands. He spied another hand that was running up and down that muscled back, making his brows furrow.

"Mine," he growled.

The people sprung apart after the sound, probably sensing the danger that was coming off him in waves. He was ready to kill, his brain's first instincts distinctly territorial, and he didn't know who to choose first. A gasp attracted his attention towards the younger man, the face he loved so much.

Seeing his face was such a mistake.

Lips swollen and a little bit shiny from the spit he shared with someone definitely not him, his face flushed still and his hair disheveled, he looked the part of a cheating bastard. He snapped his gaze towards the other occupant of the room, his fiance's– sorry, ex- fiance's partner in crime, and–

Stared at his own –shocked– face. What the fuck.

He gritted his teeth as the gears in his head finally cranked, spinning rapidly as he assessed the situation at hand.

"Really, Kongpob?" he asked quietly, looking at his fian– sorry, ex-fiancé in disdain, gesturing at the unwelcome person.

"I can explain!"

He let out a derisive laugh.

"You can explain? What is there to explain? And Kongpob– ugh– can you not be as cliché as any goddamn drama out there? Really? 'I can explain'? After cheating on me with this– with this–"

He couldn't even mention the other man. He could only glare at him fiercely, making him satisfied when he saw the other flinch away and cower at the corner.

'Good. I still have it in me.'

"There's a mistake! P'Arthit, this is all a mistake!"

"What mistake?! How could this be a mistake Kongpob?! Tell me, how?!"

"I thought he was you!"

Arthit scoffed at this. After catching him in the act, which he still couldn't believe, by the way, he still had the gall to lie. He never thought his fiancé– ugh, ex!-- could be this shameless.

"Stop it Kongpob. Just– please stop it."

"No! Listen to me! It really was a mista–"

"How could it be a mistake when he is inside the villa that your family owns? This is a private property, Kongpob! You don't even rent this to anyone else! How could he enter so easily?!"

"I-I-I don't know. P'Arthit, I really don't– this is a mistake, please just listen!"

"No!"

"P'Arthit–"

"Kongpob, just– stop! Stop! Stop please…"

"P'Arthit…"

"I'm leaving. Don't come after me."

"No, please! P'Arthit!"

Arthit turned on his heels and ran towards the stairs. He couldn't hear footsteps following him, and wasn't that a punch to his ego? His breath hitched in his throat. Kongpob couldn't even be bothered to go after him anymore.

After believing in him, sticking to him all those months ago; believing in him and defending him from his friends when they doubted him…

“How stupid,” he muttered angrily, stomping his way up the stairs and towards their bedroom.

As soon as the door was closed, it seemed like his legs had lost their strength, making him collapse on the floor, his back against the door. He curled up on himself, burying his head on his folded arms atop his knees and let the agonizing sob out.

He let his heart break into a million pieces. Years of being together, weathering each and every one of the challenges that came their way. Coming out stronger each time. But this… he didn’t know if he could come out of this victorious and unscathed.

Months ago, when the same scene unfolded before his eyes, they managed it somehow. Because it turned out to be a mistake then…

“Fucking deja vu,” he managed to mumble, rising to his feet and grasping at the door handle. He counted up to ten, breathing rhythmically to calm himself down.

Then he opened the door.

–_–

He opened the door and stomped inside, determination fueling him to retrace his steps he took some minutes ago. Distantly, he heard shouting, and one of those voices seemed to belong to his brother.

Oh, his poor brother. He needed to protect him from that bastard.

He hurried towards where the voices had come from, coming face to face with a clearly frazzled Kongpob and…

“You bastard!” he yelled. He hastened his steps as that liar turned to face him, alarm morphing his handsome features. He couldn’t believe he and his brother had been duped by his– admittedly– angelic face. He was nothing but the devil incarnate underneath that gentle mask of his.

He got him cornered against the counter in no time, his hands fisting on the frightened man’s collars. He heard his brother cry out in alarm but his focus was on the lying asshole in front of him.

“Have you enjoyed it, huh?! Having me and my brother at your beck and call? Or was I just a temporary fling before you tie the knot with Kongpob?! A little bit of enjoyment before you-you’re shackled to my brother?”

“There’s a big mistake here!” his supposed boyfriend and his brother’s fiancé shrieked.

“Weir, calm down, please! There is a mis–”

“No! Kongpob, break the engagement off! This bastard had been going behind your back and– I’m sorry for this, nong but you needed to know the truth. He’s the boyfriend I told you about–”

“Fuck!” his younger brother yelled in frustration. He would’ve gone to him to comfort him but he needed to deal with the bastard first.

“He’s been playing us for quite a while, Kong. Break the engagement off. Scum like him doesn’t deserve you.”

His ex-boyfriend’s face crumpled. Tears ran down his face as hurt flashed through his eyes. Weir could only sneer at him.

“What a fucking great actor you are. Is your name even Sunny? Huh, P’Arthit?”

“Yes! My name is Sunny! Everything I told you about myself is true–”

“Shut up! I don’t want to hear anymore of you lies–”

“Hey, hey. P’Weir. Just–just– listen to him– or no. Listen to us, please! N’Sunny–?”

“Sunny, yes…”

“N’Sunny here is telling the truth! He’s an actor, don’t you recognize him? He’s pretty famous in Thailand right now–”

“Kongpob! You believe in his lies?!”

“Yes! They aren’t lies! There had been a misunderstanding. A mistake! And I made a very huge blunder. Ginormous.”

“What? So you’re telling me that Sunny isn’t you P’Arthit? What?”

“He’s not.”

Realization dawned on Weir. Then he turned to his brother and started hitting his shoulder.

“Then you’ve been cheating on my brother-in-law?! Kongpob, why are you behaving like a scumbag?!”

“Weir, stop! Like I said, there was a big mistake– Ow! It was a mistake. A MISTAKE!”

“Fucking explain it to me then!”

“My P’Arthit looks a lot like N’Sunny here! I thought it was him when I got back from my run and unthinkingly kissed him! I’m sorry, Weir!”

“What?” Weir wasn’t sure if his brother was pulling his leg or something. A lookalike? Someone who’s not related even…? What were the chances?

“It’s true, P’! And, well… I thought P’Kongpob here was you, so… Umm… You do really look so much alike.”

“We’re identical twins,” Weir deadpanned, looking between his brother and his ex?boyfriend.

“I’m not sure if I believe you. Not unless you show me P’Arthit.”

He watched Kongpob groan in frustration.

“That is if he still wants to talk to me…”

“Well, from all your stories about him, he doesn’t seem to be an unreasonable man. Why wouldn’t he let you explain? He did hear you out when there was a misunderstanding like this months ago, right?”

“The thing is…”

“Kongpob?”

“I may or may not have been teasing him about N’Sunny for several months now…”

“What do you mean?” Weir looked at his twin, dreading his answer.

“You see… ever since I discovered about N’Sunny and how much they look alike… I may or may not have been teasing him about it. Watching his shows and following him on social media… just stuff like that…”

“And…?”

“... and praising him in his presence.”

“And.”

“And deliberately gushing about him…?”

“So basically, you acted like you have a celebrity crush? On N’Sunny?”

“Yeah… about that…”

“Kongpob.” Weir called out warningly, making the younger twin fidget.

“...I have a tiny crush on him?”

“Kongpob!”

“Hey! It’s just because he looks so much like my P’Arthit, okay?! Nothing more! I still prefer my lovely Ai’Oon anytime of the day! Oh, no offense, nong.”

“None taken P’.”

“You–! I’m speechless! You’re an idiot, Kongpob. An idiot!”

“I’m sorry…”

“You shouldn’t be saying that to me! God damn it, where’s P’Arthit?”

“He stormed upstairs. I was about to follow him when you came in, guns blazing. I had to save this poor nong here, and at least explain things. Good thing too since I discovered what really happened, and how the hell a celebrity got into our private villa without my knowledge.”

“Well, I did tell you I would be bringing my boyfriend!”

“Well, if you had told me his name, then this mess wouldn’t have happened!”

“After Jean?! Don’t think for a second that I didn’t know what you did to him after that debacle at the café!”

“I was only gonna do a background check on him! Not threaten him or anything! He makes you happy and I could see that, and the threat would come after you would have introduced us!”

“You! Kongpob!”

“Phis… Don’t you think you have more important things to do? Shouldn’t we clear up the misunderstanding with P’Arthit first?” Sunny intervened before the twins could even derail the discussion further.

Twin glares were directed on him and he thought his life flashed before his eyes. He took an involuntary step back, trying to get away from their reach.

“Ah. You’re right. Let’s go.”

The youngest of the bunch whimpered when his hand was grasped and he was dragged upstairs. The twins were scary, and he contemplated his life choices.

Gentle fingers threaded through his free hand, making him look at the other twin. Weir still didn’t look too happy but the warmth from his hand made him feel hopeful.

They arrived in front of a door, just a few paces from the staircase. Kongpob took a deep breath, his fist poised in front of the hardwood when the door opened all on its own. It revealed a puffy-faced Arthit, tear stains still evident on his face.

The clearly distraught man furrowed his brows further that they nearly met, watching their ensemble gathered before him.

“P’Arthit, please listen–”

“Inside.”

Arthit turned on his heels and walked back into the room, leaving the door ajar. His fiancé stood rooted on the spot, stunned at the other’s reaction. He was ready to plead on his knees just so the older man wouldn’t leave the premises without hearing him out. He didn’t expect this.

He was brought out of his reverie when his twin brother pushed him aside and went into the room, dragging the reason of their misunderstanding along with him. He followed after them and closed the door behind him.

Arthit eyed the three of them from where he had perched himself on the center of the bed, a pillow being hugged in front of him– a barrier to protect him from whatever hurt they might hurl his way. Or a possible weapon that he could wield if he didn’t like what they were gonna say.

“Wow.”

He looked questioningly at the other twin whom he was meeting for the first time.

“When my brother said you looked like my boyfriend, I assumed that there were only some resemblance. But– woah. Are you two related, somehow?”

Arthit narrowed his eyes at the younger male, who was still fascinated by him.

“Boyfriend?” he asked. He looked at his probable ex-fiancé for confirmation. Kongpob nodded at him hopefully, his eyes wide and pleading.

Slowly, he closed his eyes in embarrassment. Another misunderstanding.

“Khun Arthit?” asked the root of their problem, uncertainty evident in his voice. He opened his eyes as he leveled a calm look at the young actor.

“Yes?”

“Look, I’m sorry about the kiss...”

“You were taken by surprise by this idiot here. I get it.”

“Phi…”

“And you!” He turned towards his still probable ex. “Why is it that you just couldn’t keep it to yourself?! Your horniness is what brought us into this situation!”

He blushed, hard, after he realized what he just said. He shouldn’t have said that in front of the others, especially in front of Kongpob’s twin. If he was anything like Kongpob at all… which wasn’t too farfetched…

The smirk on the younger’s face said it all. Yep. Mischief ran in their veins.

“So, Kongpob…”

“Shut it, Weir.”

“Oi! The disrespect! You kiss your P’Arthit with that mouth?”

“Yes. And I also kissed your boyfriend with this mouth.”

Kongpob’s eyes widened. He slapped a hand over his mouth and looked at his fiancé– if he was still that– panicking over his slip of tongue. His sun sure didn’t look too amused.

“Low blow, Kong,” mumbled Weir, staring at him shrewdly.

“P’Arthit–”

“Stop,” Arthit said with a raised hand. Then he let out a sigh, deflating after everything. He was tired.

“I get it. It was a mistake. You– despite what everyone thinks– are also human. Capable of making mistakes too.”

“I’m sorry. Really, I am.”

“And I’m sorry, too. I went off on you like that…”

“Well, it is within your rights to confront me like that. It was, after all, an act of infidelity…”

“So you’re admitting to having cheated on me?”

Kongpob lowered his gaze to the floor, unable to meet his beloved’s eyes. He did betray his trust after all, even if it was a mistake.

“Didn’t I?”

Arthit observed the contrite man, before he crawled on the bed so that he could reach the younger. He pulled him onto the bed, into his arms, making the other yelp in the process.

“It was a mistake. I am willing to put this in the past. Let’s not dwell on this anymore?”

Kongpob held his fiancé– yes, he could still call him that– back tightly. He kept muttering apologies on his sun’s shoulder, sagging in relief in his arms, the other occupants of the room forgotten.

Sunny stared awkwardly at his shoes. He felt like he shouldn’t even be witnessing this intimate scene between the two lovers. He felt like an intruder. He glanced to his right to see if his boyfriend wanted to go out, only to find the latter with his phone out and a wide smile on his lips. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He gaped unattractively which garnered the attention of the latter.

Weir grinned at him, unashamed at being caught. He stopped his recording and then grabbed him by his arm before dragging him out of the room.

“Let’s go to the market? I hope there’s still fresh and good seafood around.”

–_–

The late breakfast had been a silent affair for the four of them. They were still raw from all the emotional rollercoaster they were subjected to, especially the fiancés. Sunny was still feeling awkward around the older couple, since he was the reason the couple nearly broke up, and also after discovering that… his boyfriend’s twin has a crush on him. It was awkward as hell.

“Okay, everyone! Ease up, please. You’re suffocating me with all this silence,” Weir said finally, having had enough of the heavy atmosphere.

“Sorry, Weir. I’m just tired,” Kongpob answered his twin, mustering a weak smile. Beside him, his fiancé grunted his agreement. Or disagreement. Weir couldn’t tell.

Sunny remained silent and this didn’t go unnoticed by the bothered twin.

“Sunny?” he asked softly.

“Hmm? Oh, uh, sorry P’Weir…”

“Hey, you don’t have anything to apologize about. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing! Nothing… It’s just that– I just feel awkward about everything…”

“I’m sorry about that nong–”

“Oh no, P’Kongpob. It’s not–”

“It’s definitely Kongpob’s fault,” Weir cut him off.

“Hey!”

“E-ermm…”

“So, why are you feeling awkward around us? It was a mistake, what happened a while ago. We’ve already talked about it when we went to the market.”

“I– I’m sorry P’Kongpob! I just didn’t expect my boyfriend’s twin to have a… crush on me…”

“He’s what.” Arthit asked dangerously, his tone flat. Kongpob put down his utensils and faced the couple at the other side of the table.

“Look, N’Sunny. Let me just be clear about this. I only have this little bit of fondness for you since you look like my lovely sun sitting right next to me. Nothing more, nothing less. Do you understand?” Kongpob told him bluntly.

Sunny could feel his face heat up. He definitely dug his hole with that. He ducked his head to hide his embarrassment. A hand migrated to his knees underneath the table, squeezing gently. He was glad for the reassurance his boyfriend lent him.

“Nice save, 0062,” Arthit said after a while, nonchalantly sipping his ambrosia, making Kongpob groan.

“What did I do wrong?” the younger man asked, looking at his fiancé next. He saw the quirk of pink lips wrapped around plastic straw and he could relax a bit.

“Nothing. Why are you asking?”

“You only call me that whenever you get serious.”

“Hmm… I love getting you on your toes sometimes.”

“Phi.”

A sweetness attacked his lips, there one second and gone the next. He unconsciously licked his lips, catching the sugary taste of pink milk on his lips.

“Cute. Love you,” he heard being murmured against his ears next.

Everything was fine.

–_–

The initial awkwardness diminished as the day progressed. The two couples decided to spend time with one another in order for them to get to know each other.

“You mean Tutah knew about N’Sunny being your boyfriend?!”

“Yes, Phi. Didn’t he tell you?”

“No! If he did, the misunderstanding wouldn’t have happened! Kongpob would have been more conscious of his surroundings and didn’t go kissing anyone who looked remotely like me.”

“N’Sunny doesn’t look remotely like you. He looks scarily like you, you both could’ve been twins like us. If only you shared the same age.”

“Okay, why do I have to be the one to look like him?! He also looks a lot like me!”

“Uhh, I hate to break it to you, babe, but he is older. So if we’re going by logic here, you would be the one copying his looks.”

“Whose boyfriend are you, P’Weir?!”

Arthit had never felt so smug. Both twins were taking his side.

“Yours, my lovely sunshine,” Weir answered, sucking up to his sulking boyfriend. The four of them were currently at the deck, sitting on lounge chairs and sipping on cocktails that the twins prepared. Or more like cuddling. Seriously, there were a lot of lounge chairs but they all chose to occupy only two. One for each couple.

Arthit felt weird as he watched the two flirting on the other lounge chair. It was like he was watching himself, except that he wasn’t as cheesy as that nong over there. He had dignity, he was cool as a cucumber.

“It’s weird right?” The words were murmured against his neck as his fiancé nuzzled the ticklish skin there.

“You took the words right out of my mind,” he answered, tilting his head up to give the other access. He was enjoying his ministrations quite a bit.

Kongpob chuckled at his answer, then laid tiny kisses on the bared skin. They lost their train of thought as they enjoyed each other’s touches. Then suddenly, Arthit chuckled.

“What?”

“I just thought, you really are twins.”

Kongpob hummed, a smile stretching lips. He looked over at the other couple from Arthit’s shoulder, watching them. He noted the happiness that made his twin shine, the same happiness that was mirrored on the young actor. Then he wondered to himself if he looked like that whenever he was with his own sun.

“You look like that. Whenever you look at me. You don’t know how breathtaking you are, how expressive your eyes are, the intensity in them, whenever you look at me. It’s… a novel feeling. To be the recipient of such pure adoration…” Arthit twisted around so that he could look his fiancé in the eyes. “So thank you for loving me, Kongpob. Thank you for making me feel what unconditional love felt like. Thank you for always sticking up to me especially since I am not the most pleasant person to be with. I know I don’t say this a lot but I do really love you. So much. I’ll try to say it as much as I can especially since we’re about to get married–”

“You don’t have to, my sun. I don’t need you to force yourself into telling them to me. I know for some, hearing those words is important, but I really don’t need that. You already tell it to me more than enough through your actions. I can never wish for more.”

Again, the overwhelming feeling of belongingness and warmth was reflected in those onyx eyes, melting his chocolate ones. He surged forward and captured those sweet lips, letting his actions show the depth of his feelings.

“I love you. So much. I can’t wait to be married to you, Kongpob Suthiluck.”

“Even with all those misunderstandings?”

Arthit slapped the other’s chest lightly.

“I sure hope that there will be less of those. I don’t think my heart could take it any more of it.”

Kongpob chuckled at his love’s answer.

“Just promise me that you won’t give up on me even though I wouldn’t want to hear your explanations. Promise me that you will talk things out with me and resolve every misunderstanding that we might have. Promise me this.”

“I promise.”

“Then, I promise you this, too. And also, I promise to believe in you. Give you the benefit of the doubt. Always.”

“I promise that too.”

“You’re already doing this, Kongpob.”

“I do?”

“Yep, you do.”

“Oi! It’s too early to be saying your vows and ‘I do’s’! Your wedding is not for another four more months!”

–_–

“Are we really doing this?”

“Heck yeah! Why are you chickening out?”

“No. it’s just that… This would probably be the most challenging acting I’ll ever do in my life.”

Arthit cocked an eyebrow at the younger male who bore the same face as his. Jeez, they even have the same height! It was scary how much they looked alike. It was a wonder how he had never been mobbed by his fans before…

“Don’t look at me like that, P’! I may be a professional actor, but acting without a script, and with only a vague storyline is very nerve wracking. I don’t think I can do this,” defended Sunny. Arthit pouted at him. He brought out the puppy-dog eyes.

“Nong…” he said softly, blinking his eyes for effect. “Do this for Phi, na?”

“You– P'Arthit! Why are you even agreeing to this–this– this crazy plan that the twin Phi’s had concocted? You should know by now how mischievous those two are! You’ve been dating one of them for seven years!”

The older of the two, blinked his eyes slowly, unprepared for the outburst. He observed the obviously frazzled actor and he had to pity him.

He laid a hand on Sunny’s shoulder, then looked at him in the eye seriously.

“N’Sunny. I know exactly how mischievous my fiancé is. I’ve been living with him for more than a year. God knows how many times I lost my cool with him. But, do you know how I survive his craziness?”

“How?” asked Sunny eagerly, almost desperately. Weir must have put him in on his paces already. He chuckled at the thought.

“I join him sometimes,” he replied with a grin. He patted the firm shoulder before he removed his hand from the other. The latter was left gaping, speechless. It seemed like his soul left his body.

“Being partners in life meant being partners in crime, too. If only to moderate over his craziness, I’m always there by his side.”

“Well, that– that was unexpected. I’ve always thought of you as the straight-laced, righteous older brother type.”

Arthit snorted. That was very far from the truth. So far from it.

“I have a temper, nong–”

“Really? I can’t see it.”

“Well, stick around for much longer and you’ll see,” he grinned widely, sending shivers down the spine of the younger male.

“Anyways, when you meet my bunch of friends, you’ll know why Kong and I click. Compared to them, Kong and Weir are saints, especially Bright and Tutah. Their combination is always deadly,” he warned the other seriously. Not that he was scaring the younger man, but he needed the warning. Those two combined needed a beware sign whenever they got together.

A head poked in and Weir’s bespectacled face appeared.

“You guys ready?” he asked in concern. Sunny widened his eyes, which looked comical, before shaking his head. The former frowned at his boyfriend.

“Are you chickening out, babe?” he asked, entering the room to stand before his partner.

“I’m not too sure I would be very convincing…”

Weir studied his lover who was looking every bit the shy person he was not. What the hell happened to his confident N’Sunny, with the cheeky dimpled grin and the twinkling dreamy eyes?

“Hey. Sunshine? You can do it. I’m also gonna be there. Don’t fret over this, okay? We’re doing this to get even with P’Tutah, who thought that it would be fun to keep a crucial information to himself. Remember, that misunderstanding a week ago would’ve been avoided had he told me about how you and P’Arthit looked alike. It nearly broke two relationships apart, so yeah…”

“And the fact that you just wanna toy with people again just like you did when you were young?” asked Sunny sarcastically.

“That, too. It was fun!” Weir answered enthusiastically. The actor expected for his boyfriend to feel a little bit of guilt but he guessed that wasn’t happening.

“They’re arriving any minute now, come on!”

It was a week after they arrived and they had already grown accustomed to one another. They learned a bit more about each other and bonded with one another over this short period of time. That was how the twins had come up with the plan. The plan to prank the friends of Kongpob and Arthit who would be arriving the beach villa for vacation. The gathering would also double as their celebration for Arthit and Kongpob’s engagement since they hadn’t had the chance to do so due to their hectic schedules.

The plan was simple: Weir and Sunny would act like Arthit and Kongpob and see how long it would take for their friends to realize that they weren’t who they were. Weir could easily pull it off since, well. They were twins. Sunny, on the other hand, had only known Arthit for a week and even though he was an actor and had received coaching from both Kongpob and Arthit, he was still unsure if he could actually emulate the older man. He was convinced that they would get found out ten minutes into the fray. Well, him. Not Weir. He was sure Weir could pull it off for as long as possible.

Just as Sunny was psyching himself up, Kongpob burst into the room and announced the most dreaded words of the actor at the moment.

“They’re here.”

–_–

“Hey guys.” Phew! His voice didn’t shake. Not at all!

“Aaaaaarthit!” came an annoying loud voice. He tried not to flinch away from the sound and tried to school his features to avoid showing his annoyance on his face. Bright is the loud and annoying one. You can punch him in the face if you like. Just so you can shut him out.

Right. He should show his annoyance.

“Fuck off,” he deadpanned.

The cannonball that spelled disaster, which was barreling towards him at the speed of light, stopped in its tracks. Everyone stopped to watch their exchange.

‘Fuck. Not even ten minutes in,’ he thought.

Bright– he had to be Bright– clutched at his chest like he was having a heart attack.

"You wound me! Is that how you treat your best friend?!"

'Best friend? Isn't Khun Knot his best friend? Or more importantly, I wasn't found out?'

"You're not my best friend," he said in the driest tone he could muster.

Bright looked hurt and he nearly broke character. His heart couldn't take the expression on the older man's face.

"Pffft. Who wants to be your best friend, Bright?" another tall man– he lamented the fact that they were all taller than him except for maybe Tutah– asked rhetorically. He was sporting the typical beach get up of an Hawaiian printed shirt over a white tank top, khaki shorts, and sneakers. His sunglasses was pushed up on his head and a camera was slung on his neck.

'K'Prem,' he hazarded a guess.

"Come on, Phis. You must be tired from the long drive," his boyfriend ushered them in.

It was so surprising watching him like this. His transition from being himself– Weir, the soft and gentle chef– into his twin– Kongpob, the gentle but hardened engineer– was a marvel. His acting was seamless. He got his brother's actions right, down to the smallest mannerisms that he had observed on Kongpob.

A hand landing on his shoulders brought him out of his awed daze.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"Huh?" he turned to his right and saw the hulk of a man he noticed a while ago. He had a smirk dancing on his lips.

"You're kinda zoning out after N'Kongpob over there. You had a week to get your fill of your nong yet it seems to me like you still want more?"

Sunny could feel heat creep up his neck.

"Wha– H– what the hell are you talking about?" he stuttered loudly, earning the attention of everyone else.

His P'Weir looked at him in concern, his eyes asking if everything was alright. He managed a weak smile to his boyfriend before catching himself and morphing his features into an annoyed expression.

"Shut up! You've been hanging out with Bright and Tutah too much!"

"Hey, why are you including me here?" squawked the latter.

"Because you both are bad influences?"

"Arthit! You wound me," Tutah pouted at him. His eyes twitched and he nearly lost character because of his guilt. "After all that we've been through, you still compare to this abomination?! I thought you knew me better than that."

Sunny wanted to laugh.

"Hey. Isn't abomination this big thing in the Hulk?"

"Yeah. Your point?"

"Shouldn't you be that? Since you're big and all– Ouch! Abuse! Abuser!"

"You deserve more than a slap! But I'm too fabulous for that, so be grateful!"

"I'm not! Your hand weighs a ton!"

Sunny really, really, wanted to laugh. He couldn't stop the twitching of his lips, so he marched further inside the villa and went after his boyfriend.

"Have a seat. I'll get refreshments for you, lot," he told them hastily as he made his escape towards the kitchen.

"Oi! No hanky-panky in the kitchen!" yelled one of them. He could only blush.

When he reached, his boyfriend was already preparing several glasses of iced tea on a tray. He made a beeline towards the older and latched himself onto his back. He felt the vibrations of a chuckle against his cheek and he felt himself sighing in relief.

"Why are we doing this again? I'm so nervous!"

"'Cause it's gonna be fun watching their reactions later?"

"What fun? I'm not having fun now."

"Aaww. They are pretty rowdy, I must admit." Sunny hummed in reply.

"They are. I can't keep up most of the time."

"Hang in there."

They brought the refreshments out to the living room and found the group still a little bit rowdy. They were scattered among the seats, just relaxing and stretching their limbs that must have been cramping from the drive here.

"Thanks Arthit, N'Kong," Prem told them when they set the coolers on the coffee table.

"Relax for a while, Phi, then we'll lead you to your rooms. You can choose wherever you like. Well, except for the room by the stairs. That one's reserved I'm afraid," Weir told them, smiling apologetically.

The others waved off his concern, Prem the one voicing his curiosity.

"Is there anyone else coming? Oh, is it a special request by one of the juniors? N'Em?"

Weir's eyes twitched a bit. Em was coming too? He was surprised. He thought only Kongpob and Arthit's college friends were coming. Unless, Em was his classmate.

"Yes, P'. That's usually his room whenever he comes here for vacation."

"Ooooiiii, so unfair!" cried Bright. It prompted the nearest person to him, which was Knot, to slap his head.

"Shut it. Em has been a long time friend of N'Kong. Of course he would have that privilege."

"That hurt! Barbarian!"

Weir and Sunny exchanged a glance before watching the interaction among these supposedly grown men devolve into something more akin to… children's petty arguments. With the inclusions of cursing and other colorful language. And rude hand gestures. Let's not forget those.

"What have we gotten ourselves into?" the young actor whispered to himself.

–_–

Sunny burst through the door and hurriedly dived into the soft mattress. The occupants of the mattress both looked down at him in concern.

"I can't take it anymore! They're too–! I don't know how to deal with them. Please. Please, I don't wanna do it anymore!"

Kongpob and Arthit exchanged guilty glances.

"Sorry, N'Sunny," the younger of the pair said, truly apologetic.

"I know my friends can be too much… sorry about that."

"Actually, P'... I think they're a little more extra than usual. Don't you think so?" Kongpob asked contemplatively. He looked at the screen which showed the live footage of the hidden cameras installed around the house, observing his seniors' actions.

"Mm-hmm. Yeah, that's how they've been acting since that night we all went to the club. I think they're acting like that because of the big elephant that's still unaddressed. As you can see, Tutah isn't like that. He is actually good at keeping secrets that matter. He knows our secret, so the fact that he acts the most normal among them makes me think that my theory is true."

Kongpob hummed in reply.

"What should we do, then?"

"I'm going down." At this, the man lying down on the bed, perked up.

"Really?"

"Yep. You will accompany my fiancé here for a while. Oh! No funny business, the two of you!"

"I have P'Weir," "I have you," the two simultaneously spoke, looking at him with serious expressions.

Arthit looked between them slowly, gauging their earnestness. When he was satisfied, he smiled smugly.

"Good."

Then he was off.

Sunny could finally breathe a sigh of relief. It had been years since he had felt this certain degree of nervousness about acting. There was no room for mistakes, because mistakes meant getting busted. Beside him, Kongpob reached out and patted his shoulder, a wordless encouragement to his frayed nerves.

He rose from his slumped position after a while and joined his Phi in watching the eldest act around his friends. His eyebrows rose high towards his hairline when he saw the sweet gestures his doppelganger was bestowing on his P'Weir.

"P'Kong."

"Hmm. I know," the older man answered, resigned. He was sporting a pinched look as he intensely stared at the fair hand that was draped on his twin's waist. "I guess this is revenge for that mistaken kiss. Or probably all those times that I teased him about you."

Sunny was left speechless, which wasn't even noticed by the elder, still busy watching the monitor with hawk-eyes.

"So that's why he's still acting so cold towards me! And all the snide remarks!" the actor exclaimed. "It was your fault for riling him up until he couldn't trust me anymore."

Kongpob finally glanced at the younger man, guilt painted on his face.

"I'm sorry, nong. I didn't think we'd get the chance to meet, hence why I kept on badgering him about your shows. Don't worry about it, though. You'll be fine. PArthit isn't like that. He’ll warm up to you in no time,” he told the other encouragingly.

Sunny pouted cutely, making the older of the two chuckle. He really did hope that the older engineer would open up to him. He could already feel himself idolizing the cool and aloof man, who seemed to be so mature and so dependable. Not to the point that he was crushing on him, no. That special feeling was only for his love, his adorable chef. His feelings for the older were more on the side of… hero worship. He couldn’t help it. He was just so cool.

Come to think of it, his lover’s twin also had the same air about him, albeit, he was more… soft than the older gentleman.

‘Must be the engineer in them?’ he mused. Anyhow, he was adamant to garner his older doppelganger’s trust.

–_–

After some time of hanging out with his friends, Arthit led them all to the available rooms upstairs. The villa boasted of ten rooms, two at the ground floor and eight at the second floor. Even so, hosting a total of eleven people, thirteen if Sunny and Weir were added to the number, the rooms had been just enough. The house had never seen this many people for quite a while and it sure would become lively in the next few days. The seniors were already making more than half of the noise with their rambunctiousness.

Weir was amused but he sure couldn’t keep up. He didn’t know where these seniors kept their boundless source of energy. He surely would like some of that. He was also amazed by his brother-in-law. Who could have thought that the mostly silent but very dependable man could have this side to him as well.

“We’ll leave you to it, guys. Decide who you’ll room with.”

Arthit turned around and dragged Weir with him, going straight to the master bedroom where their two accomplices were staying. The younger sagged in relief, dropping his body next to his boyfriend who was lying on the spacious bed. He scooted over and smothered the younger man, making the actor whine.

Meanwhile, the eldest threw all inhibitions to the air and went to straddle his fiance, who was sitting against the headboard, arms already waiting wide open for him. He buried his head on the warm crook of the tanned neck, inhaling the addicting scent of the younger male.

“I think Tutah is suspicious.”

His declaration perked the other occupants of the room.

“Yeah… I think so too. And I think it’s directed at Weir. I don’t think he suspects N’Sunny to be here, so I guess you’re off the hook,” Kongpob throws his two cents in, staring at the monitor which displayed the empty areas. They didn’t install cameras in the rooms, of course, since it would’ve been too much and definitely an invasion of the others’ privacy. So that left them with no definite proof whether the senior suspected them or not.

“Should I go out and act a little bit like Weir? Confuse him a little bit?”

“Hmmm. I like that idea,” Arthit mumbled, still not getting off his comfortable seat. Kongpob chuckled at the older man’s antics.

“But let’s stay here for a while. God, it’s like I’m dealing with toddlers. Knot isn’t helping at all!”

“They’re definitely exaggerating.”

“Yeah. They’re walking on eggshells around us. Remember that, except for Tutah, the other’s are still in the dark about your twin. So you’re basically still on probation. Well, for Knot and Bright anyway.”

“P’Prem too. I saw him watching Weir like a hawk whenever either of you weren’t paying attention on him.”

“But he said that he didn’t want to meddle?”

“He might not want to, but he does observe unconsciously anyway. He’s your brother, and I know for sure how they could be so overprotective.”

Arthit hummed in reply. Weir had an inkling of what they were talking about, after all, Tutah had talked his ear off one day when he and his boyfriend visited him at the café. How he was so glad that it had been him they had seen at the club. That his twin brother had always stayed loyal to his friend. By then, he felt guilt. Up until now.

“Should we… stop? Let’s go out and come clean to them, Kong,” he told his brother.

“Not yet,” Arthit said, finally extracting himself from his lover’s warmth. He was sporting a smirk. “I’m still not done yet with them.”

Then he turned to his soon-to-be husband.

“Come on. Let’s begin this show.”

–_–

The show was to let Tutah believe that Weir was really present and was posing as Kongpob, and then let him believe that Arthit was cheating with Weir. Or that he was confused with them.

And they did succeed.

Kongpob had the perfect imitation of his brother, just tweaking his gentleness to be more apparent and turning down his machismo a notch.

Just as they had guessed, Tutah was indeed suspicious. He was always watching them, looking contemplative and his observant eyes displaying shrewd curiosity. Not until they lit up knowingly. It was then that Kongpob had given the signal to Arthit and started acting more like his brother.

Afterwards, they engineered a scenario where they would be found in a compromising position by none other than their receptive friend. They were in the kitchen, starting on lunch, when naturally, they started to flirt.

Well, Kongpob started to flirt with Arthit.

Which escalated quickly, leading to the start of a heated make out sesh. They had even forgotten about their mission, forgotten that they could easily be caught by their nosy friends. And got caught, they did.

By Tutah and Bright. The latter of whom had his phone out.

“ARTHIT! WEIR!” Tutah had screeched out, startling his best friend badly, making him drop his phone on a pot of water, the sad piece of technology landing with a plop.

“THE FUCK, TUTAH!”

“Oh, shut it bastard! That’s what you get for filming them anyway! Now, scram!”

“You–!” Bright was about to run away, probably to tattle on the others about what happened, but he had to stop when something caught his attention.

“Who’s Weir?” asked the perceptive idiot, looking in between the trio, who looked like deer caught in the headlight.

“Weir? What Weir? Who’s that?” Tutah asked back, almost nonchalantly. But there was a quiver in his voice and Bright caught that. Read: perceptive idiot.

“Weir. The one you shouted. You know? Instead of saying, uhh, Kongpob! Yes, Kongpob. Since, you know, that’s the name of Arthit’s fiancé? Your junior? Ring any bells?” Bright was in full on sleuthing mode and currently grilling his best friend, who was looking more and more suspicious.

“Tutah? What aren’t you saying?” he then asked after an awkward pause.

The addressee turned accusing eyes at the pair, who were keeping quiet all this time, leaving him to fend the overly inquisitive guy. Bright followed his line of sight and landed on the couple, making them both shake their heads vigorously, their eyes displaying confusion as well. Tutah couldn’t help the disbelieving scoff that left his mouth.

The audacity! Not only had he caught his best friend, Arthit, cheating on his fiancé, he had to catch him with his junior’s twin, too! What a twist of events. He had never believed that their head hazer friend could do such a thing! But maybe… he got greedy?

Both Weir and Kongpob were great, after all. That much he could discern.

“You don’t want to tell them? Fine! I will.”

Tutah has had enough. He had been waiting for a couple months now for Arthit and Kongpob to come clean with them and explain the situation. But the stupid fiancés never did. Instead, they let their friends stay in the dark, kept on wondering if they should host an intervention or not, if they needed to rescue their friend, their brother, or not, if they should stop walking on eggshells every time they were around the couple. All of them, except for Tutah, who had come to know of the truth accidentally.

“N’Weir is N’Kongpob’s tw–”

“Arthit? You’re here?”

Just then, their two missing friends arrived at the kitchen, looking at their friend in astonishment. Then Knot noticed something which made him pale.

“Uhm. I’ve always been here? Kongpob and I were preparing for lunch,” Arthit explained to the newcomers, his heart still in his throat at Tutah’s would’ve-been revelation. The chubby bespectacled man scowled at the couple.

“Huh? But I just saw you upstairs. I–” a hand on Prem’s arm stopped him from continuing further. He looked to his right only to find the burliest of them all slightly paling.

“His shirt. Look at his shirt.” So, Prem looked. And promptly balked.

The Arthit they saw walking down the hallway past Prem’s chosen room was wearing a black Hawaiian printed button up. This one whom they were talking to was wearing the pastel pink button up over a white tank top that they had seen when they first arrived.

“And what’s up with the both of you?” asked Bright, slightly irritated. He didn’t appreciate the interruption since he was about to know the one secret that his best friend seemed to be keeping from them.

“I… We…” Knot couldn’t find his words. It was so unusual that it piqued Bright’s interest. Everyone’s interest.

“What?”

“W-we just saw Arthit upstairs… wearing a black shirt. We called for him but he never responded nor did he look at us…”

“Don’t joke around!” Arthit roared with a scowl. It made the others flinch.

But there was a tremor in his voice, too, and Kongpob sensed it. He threaded his fingers through Arthit’s, rubbing his thumb soothingly at the back of his palm.

“We aren’t! You– you just disappeared when we got out into the hallway. So we thought you went downstairs and followed you here.”

A tense silence descended upon them. No one uttered a thing as they all got spooked. They feared that if they talked about the issue any further, then whatever they saw on the upper floor would find them in the kitchen.

Kongpob ducked his head to try to hide the twitching of his lips. That wasn’t part of the plan, but knowing his mischievous brother, he just knew that he was the mastermind.

Meanwhile, inside the master bedroom, two figures were slumped together as they laughed until their tummies ached. They couldn’t stop chortling even when the worried burly man asked his twin about the history of the house, if there had been… sightings.

And his brilliant brother didn’t disappoint!

Kongpob, and there was a reason they were twins, had alluded to some fake stories regarding the villa, how it was built in the early 1900’s and how a lot had happened there. He also told them about accounts that househelps had, allegedly, experienced inside the house, in which their family had ultimately discarded as some mere baseless gossip. After all, it was the twenty–first century. Surely those things were irrelevant anymore, right?

Weir could clearly see that the seniors were shook to their core, their eyes widening at the news. Even Arthit was looking kinda terrified, and he was clinging so hard to his brother. He felt a hint of guilt but it wasn't enough to make him stop cackling.

In the kitchen, they continued to speculate about what the others saw, forgetting about the confrontation that was about to happen. Until it was brought up.

"No, no! Arthit and Kongpob were definitely here! Heck, I have video evidence of their heated make out to support our evidence!" Bright eagerly presented when Prem had voiced out his suspicion that maybe, just maybe, Arthit had run around in secret staircases just to scare them. All in the name of explaining the unexplainable.

"Right! That's another issue! Arthit!" Tutah barked when he remembered about the Weir issue, narrowing his eyes at the guilty couple.

"What is it?"

"This idiot here yelled Arthit's name along with some random name. Which is Weir. Which should be Kongpob, since you know, Kongpob's the one making out with Arthit."

"I'm not too sure about that!" Tutah said with narrowed eyes.

"What do you mean, Tutah?" asked Knot.

"Well, I'm not too sure if this nong here is really Kongpob. And that Arthit isn't cheating on his fiancé."

Arthit's eyebrows raised towards his hairline. Beside him, Kongpob fought hard to remain stoic.

"You… aren't making sense right now. Explain," Knot demanded, crossing his arms on his chest. He looked like a bouncer. Tutah huffed.

"How about you two explain?" Tutah passed the baton to the couple, scowling at them. He wasn't happy with what had been happening.

"Explain what, P'?" asked Kongpob, feigning hurt. "P'Arthit will never cheat on me. He's too innocent to be doing that."

The others eyed their friend who was looking at his fiancé, an unreadable look on his face.

"Look, I know you guys have been walking on eggshells around us all day. You're over enthusiasm really was a dead giveaway–"

"You lot were so extra," Tutah mocked.

"-- but everything is resolved now with Kong… and that mystery guy at the club."

"What? How–"

"We still don't know what happ–"

"We need an explanation!"

All of the three started to talk all at once making Arthit agitated.

"All of you, STOP!" he yelled in his hazer voice. "Chill! Or we won't be able to explain everything. Don't interrupt me or Kongpob, okay?"

"Kongpob? Not Weir?"

"Tutah!"

"Shutting up."

Arthit took a deep breath, looking at his friends who had a myriad of emotions dancing on their faces. Confusion, trepidation, curiosity, and a dash of irritation.

"The thing is… the guy we saw at the club is not Kongpob. That guy is this guy's twin," he declared bluntly, jabbing his thumb in the direction of his fiancé.

Pindrop silence met his statement. No one was even moving. Everyone had the same facial expression: incredulity. Except for Tutah.

"Twin… like a lookalike twin? Not related to one another, freak of nature kinda twin?" asked Prem dumbly. It made Arthit scowl, and Kongpob cock an eyebrow.

"Like twin-twin, Ai'sat. Like if they hook up, it would be incest. A twincest."

Kongpob's right eye twitched. He took a deep fortifying breath, then smiled serenely, looking towards his side where his supposed other half stood.

"Why would you think of incest of all things, P'Arthit? Do you have something to tell me?" he asked in a deceptively nice tone. Deep inside, he was unsettled.

Arthit snapped his attention towards him and saw those eyes that were betraying the calmness the younger man exuded. His eyes widened when his brain caught up with what his mouth said.

"U-uhm– ye-yeah no. Uh, too many TV shows I guess?"

Kongpob eyed him critically.

"No more Game of Thrones for you." Arthit gasped.

"Hey! That's not fair! Did I tell you to stop watching An Eye for an Eye? No right? Even though I am irritated that you keep watching that!"

"Hey–"

"Okay enough, you two. You're already getting married so spare us the bickering. God knows how much you'll bicker after you finally tie the knot."

The couple crossed their arms on their chest, sporting matching scowls on their faces.

"I think you're really Kongpob, then. No one bickers with Arthit like you do. Gosh I really can't tell you apart! I can only tell you apart with your actions! Although…" Tutah looked at his junior with a shrewd eye. "Were you, by chance, deliberately leading me on to believe that you're N'Weir?"

The younger male smiled innocently and shrugged. His fiancé on the other hand couldn't keep the smirk off his face.

"You planned this!" The bespectacled man accused the pair.

"Maybe? Maybe not?" Arthit answered.

"You definitely did! Ugh, I can't believe you, Arthit!"

"This is payback! Why'd you not tell N'Weir about me especially when you saw his boyfriend?" Arthit fired back, glaring at his so-called friend. Tutah's eyes widened. He was feeling incredulous towards his friend. The others were watching the proceedings like it was a game of tennis.

"What?! Just for that, you made me believe that you were cheating on N'Kongpob, knowing that I don't tolerate that kind of thing? And especially since we just had this issue just a few months prior? That's so childish of you Arthit."

"Well it did cause some major misunderstanding, Tutah! And it nearly cost my relationship and N'Weir's too!"

"What-why? What happened?"

"I know that it isn't just P'Tutah's fault. I was at fault too. If only I told Kong who I was dating then the whole misunderstanding would've been avoided," a new voice said, sounding so familiar and not at the same time. The seniors all looked towards the entry to the kitchen and subsequently screamed when they saw the newcomers.

"Arthit! Quick, you must not meet your doppelganger! You'll die!" screamed Prem, a tad bit hysterical. "Kongpob, what the hell are you doing?! Take Arthit away from here!"

Knot was frozen in place, along with Bright. The latter was looking at the pair by the entrance then towards the pair by the kitchen counters. He looked a bit faint.

"You– you're real?" asked Knot when he finally found his voice. He reached out a hand and poked at the man wearing the same black Hawaiian button up shirt that he saw a while ago. He retracted his hand hastily when he felt the solid form of the smiling man.

"Jeez, you even have the same dimple! And only one sided, too!"

"Err… I've been getting that a lot during this week, P'..." the sheepish Sunny scratched his nape.

Tutah could only roll his eyes.

"He's very real. Honestly guys, where have you been living these past few years? N'Sunny is a celebrity. A very famous one at that. Were all of you living under a rock? Even Arthit knows about him!"

"I only know of him because of this stupid having a crush on him."

"Wait, N'Kongpob?! You were faux-cheating on our Arthit?!" Bright decided to join the fray.

"It's not cheating! And I only have a crush on N'Sunny because he looks like my P'Arthit! I am loyal to my P'Arthit only!"

"You know, P’, when you keep repeating it like that, it’s bound to hurt," muttered Sunny.

"Sorry, nong."

"Don't worry. I'm here. I love you for who you are," Weir whispered to his sulking boyfriend. And that was the truth. Weir was deeply enamored with this down-to-earth actor.

Sunny turned to him and smiled boyishly, blushing a bit. He uttered a soft 'thank you' and confessed his love just as softly.

The others witnessed the exchange and they couldn't help but melt. It was such an innocent exchange, and so very pure.

"Heeeeey, look at that! Another mushy couple to give us hives!" Bright declared, exaggerating a shudder.

"It's just you, asshole. All of us have our own partners. So we're immune to those mushy things," retorted Prem.

"Oi! Back to the point please! What happened between you four?" Tutah asked.

"Hmm? Oh nothing. Just, you know, Kong thinking N'Sunny is me, and Weir thinking N'Sunny is cheating on him with his twin."

"Elaborate."

"A giant misunderstanding, is what it is," Arthit answered, evading the question.

"Kong kissed my boyfriend," Weir added as an afterthought.

A shocked silence reigned over them. Arthit buried his face in his palms while Kongpob scowled at his brother. Weir looked unapologetic, smiling wickedly instead and winking at him.

"So you did cheat!" Bright yelled triumphantly. Unthinkingly.

Prem slapped him on the back of his head.

"It was a GIANT MISTAKE! I thought it was P'Arthit I was kissing! I mean, I never would have thought I would be meeting N'Sunny in all of my life, okay? Because despite what my husband-to-be might think, I wouldn't go seeking him out, ever."

"Even as a fan?" Bright grilled the younger man.

"Even as a fan– ouch! Hey, what– P'Arthit!"

"So you admit you're a fanboy of his now?" Arthit asked menacingly. Kongpob looked at him strangely.

"I have been following his work, and I gotta admit, he's quite talented."

"You–!"

"P'Arthit– what's wrong with being a fan?"

"It's–!"

Arthit had no comeback. Not really. His jealousy had been irrational from the start, because he knew, deep down, his fiancé had only been doing it to tease him. And he was doing it because he looked a lot like the celebrity. He knew that. But his possessiveness and overthinking brain conjured up the irrationality of their situation and he let it fester deep inside him.

"You also idolize other celebrities, P'," Kongpob pointed out. The older male kept quiet. It made Kongpob sigh.

"Look, at the end of the day, I'd still always choose you. You know why, P'?" Arthit shook his head slowly, even though he already knew what the cheeseball would say. He might've wanted to hear him say it, so what?

"Because it's you. You're you. I fell in love with the grumpy, no-nonsense, stickler for the rules Arthit Rojnapat. I also fell in love with the sleep-loving, nomyen-addict, cute Arthit Rojnapat. I fell hard when I met this warm and kind-hearted senior of mine who would turn out to be the person who knew me inside out, and could always pinpoint my moods. The prickly pear senior who would always give me a hug whenever I need it, this cuddly senior that would not hesitate to call me out on my bullshit, this aloof cutiepie that taught me valuable life lessons loved me no matter what. Unconditionally.

I will never let go of such a precious gem. It would be stupid of me to do such a thing."

Arthit couldn't keep the eye-contact all throughout his fiancé's declaration. He could only take a peek at him from time to time as he listened with a flaming face on his love confession. The intensity in those onyx orbs was something and it made his heart beat like crazy. Everything about him made his heart beat like crazy.

"...I know. And I love you too," he grumbled.

Kongpob grinned happily.

–_–

After all the drama, Weir and Arthit could finally really start on lunch. The two didn't let their boyfriends cook– both were disasters in the kitchen– and only let them help at the food prep. The others had retired to their bedrooms, to either freshen up or to rest. It had been an emotional day after all, and they decided they needed a break to digest all the new shocking revelations.

In no time, the food was done and was served.

Lunch was a silent affair. Aside from the occasional bickering, instigated mostly by Bright (and Kongpob although he only teased his P'Arthit), it was subdued. They were exhausted. Acting like everything was okay was harder than they thought.

The hosts, the two couples, felt bad for a little bit so they coaxed them in mid-afternoon to walk along the beach. The others agreed, especially Prem, thinking of getting some fresh air. It was then that they began to act normally and Arthit counted it a success.

They went back in the late afternoon and everyone helped in dinner preparations. They planned on having a barbecue party.

"What time would the others arrive?* Knot had asked, frowning at the large clock he could see from the kitchen. It was already six-twenty.

"Hmm, they said they're about an hour away," Kongpob answered after taking a peek at his phone. He went back to continue chopping vegetables for the salad he was making.

At half-past seven, the juniors arrived, finally. It turned out that they had to wait for Wad since his bus from Chiang Mai had been delayed. He and Prem hugged it out. They had been having a long distance relationship for months.

"Oh, so you decide to show yourself now?"

All conversations ground to a halt after that angry outburst. Everyone who was at the living area looked in surprise at the tall fair-skinned man, whose face was set in an ugly snarl.

It was the first time that the seniors– Prem and Bright– saw this usually silent junior this angry. Em usually kept to himself whenever they saw him. Heck, they hadn't seen him this angry when they were once in a fight with students from another school at the bar that one time during college. So, yeah. Shell-shocked.

What was even more shocking, the very icing of the cake, was how his anger was directed to his supposed best friend.

Wad disentangled himself from Prem and approached the duo. He tried to defuse the situation but Em seemed to be adamant on getting on his best friend’s face.

And Kongpob wasn’t doing anything. In fact, he was frozen in place, his eyes wide with fear and– was that shame? His eyes were suspiciously shiny and they were downcast. His hands were fisted in front of him, his knuckles turning white at how tight he was clenching them.

“What? You’ve got nothing to say?”Em continued his tirade, visibly keeping himself in check while Tew had a hand wrapped loosely around his torso.

Just then, the girls entered the house, alerted to Em’s outburst. May rushed towards his boyfriend, going in between the two.

“Em! What is going on here?” she asked in an alarmed tone. Her boyfriend remained silent and ignored her. He never ignored her. It made the others gape at him.

May, getting impatient, turned towards their friend. She reached out a hand to touch Kongpob’s arm when her hand was rudely pushed aside by said man.

Gasps rang throughout the living room, followed by shocked silence. Then Em exploded.

“How dare you do that to May!”

Then it dawned to Prem and Bright what was happening. Em wasn’t angry at Kongpob. He was angry at Weir, who was the one standing there with them. They rushed towards the juniors, but before they could do anything another voice roared at them, sending shivers down their spine.

“0097!”

And there he was, his eyes spitting fire, reminiscent of their college days. Arthit hadn’t looked like this ever since he relinquished his position of head hazer. Or no. They hadn’t seen him like this even then. Only the seniors had known this side of their friend.

“What the hell is happening here?” he barked. He marched towards his frozen juniors, pulling the shaking man behind him.

Em glared at his senior, making Arthit cock an eyebrow at him. The former didn’t waver.

“He hurt Kong,” he answered simply.

The juniors looked at their friend like he had grown another head.

“You care about your fiance, right? P’Arthit? Then why aren’t you angry at him–”

“If you really care about your best friend, then you should know the answer to that question yourself, N’Em,” the older answered firmly, silencing the younger.

Em knew, deep down, the answer. His best friend was so good, so kind, that he knew the other would easily forgive someone. Especially if that someone was his twin.

“That’s the reason why I am so angry at him, P’. Kong had been so broken because of him, P’Arthit. He punished him for a long time, just because he got outed. Yes, Kong made a mistake, but he was only trying to help him at that time. He was standing up for him–”

“No one was punishing anyone.”

“Bullshit.”

“Nong Em!”

“Em!”

The juniors all gasped and looked at their friend in horror. Even Prem and Bright were aghast, approaching their friend just in case Arthit lost his temper and punched the younger man in the face.

To their relief, it didn’t happen. Arthit remained stoic and unyielding but never losing his temper.

“Nothing comes out of yelling and hurting one another, 0097. It will only make matters worse, only buries seeds of resentment within you, and then what? Wanna hear what’s gonna happen?” Arthit bit out. Em looked at him mulishly, unwilling to back down.

“It will turn your relationship sour, turn it into an unending vicious cycle of resentment, until you both are exhausted, and it will totally ruin the relationship you have with one another. Think, Em. Think for a second.” Arthit paused, stared at his junior for a while. The other’s eyes were suspiciously shiny and he could read the doubt clouding them.

“He’s someone that’s very important to Kongpob. More important than me, probably. Because he’s been with him all his life. The trust that they share knew no bounds. The depth of their understanding of one another is truly a sight to see.

Sure, there had been a time that he was absent, but even in his absence, I know Kong had been yearning for him. Thinking about him constantly. You know, Em, I’ve never seen Kong’s smile like that. So happy that it was practically hard to look at him because of how radiant his smile was.

Now, would you like to take that happiness away from your best friend? You care for him, right?”

“...I do.”

“Then do me a favor and hear him out. Talk to him. Then you can assess what you want to do next. Don’t just jump into conclusions without knowing the facts first. You’re a goddamned engineer, and you’re not using the basic scientific method? Shame on you, 0097.”

Em bowed his head in shame. Arthit was right, he did let his emotions get the better of him. He wasn’t like this, never like this. But seeing Kongpob’s twin made him remember his best friend’s face when he broke down in front of him back in college, when he went to collect him from Chiang Mai.

It made him remember the drunken confession, how the inherently good and kind human being did something so bad, he couldn’t bear to think about it. He had seen how darkness began to seep into the cracks in between Kongpob’s pieces that he had been trying so hard to keep together. If it hadn’t been for his senior right here, his best friend’s sun, he didn’t know if Kongpob would have been the same person he was today.

Because Kongpob did fall from the edge, did succumb to the darkness of hatred. But his tenacious hold onto the good things in his life– only his P’Arthit for a long while and then his friends and family afterwards– probably had kept him from falling further into the abyss of humanity’s filth, the dark side that each and everyone possessed.

“I’ve seen Kongpob at his lowest, P’Arthit… It wasn’t a pretty sight.”

Arthit continued to stare at him.

“Then you wouldn’t want to see him like that again, would you?” the older asked quietly after a while, prompting Em to look at him sharply.

“He’d be devastated to lose either you nor his brother. You should know that.”

“Aren’t you contradicting yourself, P’Arthit? You just said that he’s probably more important to him than you or me?”

“That doesn’t mean that he’s gonna be okay with your friendship strained, or worse, destroyed. He’d be hurt. I know that you know that. He considers you his brother. All of you are his brothers. It just so happens that this one is the closest brother he has.”

Em, cast his eyes down, shame coloring his frame. Around him, the others were silent, and he could feel their stares directed at him. He warred with himself, his rational mind agreeing with everything that Arthit had told him. Because he was right. There wasn’t anything that he said that wasn’t true, except, maybe the fact that he didn’t consider himself as important in Kongpob’s life as Weir. He didn’t believe for a second that Kongpob would put him behind anyone else in his life.

But then, there was his stubborn self, the one that was ego-centric, that kept on insisting to maintain his anger on the other man. On behalf of his best friend, who had been hurt so badly before by none other than the person he trusted the most, loved the most.

‘But is it all worth it?’

At the end of the day, he’d still be the only one feeling all these, and he’d be the one who was gonna feel tired from all the anger. He’s had years of resenting the other man, of cursing him and vowing to tell him a piece of his mind when they met again. It was exhausting, if he was honest with himself.

“...you’re right. I should–” he let out a harsh breath before looking back up and stared back at his senior, the one who had taught him to be tough back in college, unwavering. “We should talk it out… even if it’s only for Kong’s sake.”

Arthit looked at him even more before nodding decisively.

“Then can you promise me that if I leave the both of you alone, you won’t go attacking him?”

“I promise, P’. I won’t.”

“Good. N’Weir? Whenever you’re ready?” Arthit said, turning a bit to the figure who was hiding behind him, his head nestled in between his shoulder blades. He felt a slight nod, and the verbal affirmative continued afterwards.

Weir took a step back but he never did raise his head.

“Let’s go to the den.” With that, Weir bowed a bit, giving a wai to his brother-in-law and stalked off. Em followed shortly after him.

When the pair had disappeared from their sight, everyone flocked towards the drained senior, silently asking what just happened.

“It’s quite a sensitive topic. It’s best if those involved would be the one to tell you about it. Also, please don’t push them about it. They’re feelings are still raw, since they’re reopening this topic after so many years.”

“P’Arthit… who’s Weir?” asked Prae. She already suspected who he was but she still had doubts.

“N’Weir is Kong’s twin brother.”

His revelation earned gasps from the juniors. Nobody expected that because nobody knew about it. Kongpob had never even given an inkling that he had a brother. They didn't know what to feel.

Arthit snorted, looking at their disappointed faces.

"He also kept it from me, so. Like I said, there's something that happened and it's quite a sensitive subject."

He heaved a sigh before addressing them again.

"For now, let me lead you to your rooms. We're preparing the barbecue out back. You can freshen up first if you so choose. There's still plenty of time before dinner."

–_–

Em stared blankly at the fidgeting man. Weir had just finished telling his story– an abridged one– and he was feeling nervous of what the other might think. By the looks of it, the taller man wasn't happy.

Then Em did something the other didn't expect. He hugged him.

It was a hug so tight that he thought his ribs might break. He didn't protest, though. He accepted it along with the forgiveness that came along with it.

"You're dumber than Kong."

Weir sobbed against Em's shoulder.

–_–

At the spacious garden at the back of the villa, Kongpob kept looking at the structure from time to time. It was taking his P'Arthit too much time to fetch the missing ingredients for their dinner. His brother, who went in to get the extra bamboo skewers, was even later. He bit his lip.

"P'Kong, P'Arthit won't run away you know. And even if you stare down the door, it won't magically pull your fiance back to you," Sunny teased with a chuckle.

Kong managed a half smile.

"What's got you nervous, nong?" Tutah, who was grilling the meat beside them, asked, having been observing his junior for some time.

"It's just– I just feel uneasy, is all."

Tutah and Sunny both blinked at him.

"I think you're just overthinking, nong. You relax, okay? They're just inside the house."

"Hmmm…"

An inordinate amount of time passed and a little bit more fidgeting from Kongpob that even Knot noticed, the door leading to the patio opened up. Arthit came out, a tray of cooking implements and condiments in his hands.

Kongpob was surprised when the door revealed his other friends, and understanding dawned upon him. He concluded that his fiance must have played host, and let their friends settle before he went back to them. He shot the other with a relieved smile but it soon turned into a worried frown when the elder shot him a barely half smile.

“Is something the matter?” he asked when Arthit approached him. He didn’t notice his friends that were looking all too interested in him gathering around him.

“Oh nothing, just– you got some ‘splaining to do,” Arthit told him with a serene smile which was so fake, and Kongpob definitely knew it for what it was.

He looked warily at his fiance and then at his friends when he noticed that they had surrounded him. He looked back towards his fiance after seeing their serious faces, his countenance screaming for help. Then Arthit burst into laughter, the others following suit.

“Your face!” he exclaimed in between chortles.

“Did you get that Prae?”

“Oh definitely. Kongpob’s scared face is priceless! Blackmail material!”

“Guys! What–”

“Em is inside with Weir, who is apparently your twin brother. We didn’t know you had a twin. It was a surprise when Em suddenly shouted at him thinking it was you. We thought that the two of you had a misunderstanding. I mean, just imagine our shock when our silent gamehead suddenly attacked our saint of a friend,” Prae said. Kongpob’s eyes almost bulged out of their sockets at this news.

“No!” he yelled, dropping everything and scrambling to get to the house. Arthit managed to catch him before he got away.

“They’re only talking. Don’t worry too much. I already calmed N’Em. He won’t do anything to your brother.”

“P’, what happened?” asked a frantic Kongpob.

“Em blamed your brother for how you had been years before. I don’t know if he was talking about during your high school days or during your freshman year in college. Anyway, he wasn’t happy about Weir. But I managed to convince him to listen, to talk to one another; try to clear the air.”

“P’Arthit– are you sure we should leave them by themselves like that?” he asked, unsure.

“I think so. They should work this out between them, just like how you worked it out with him. Trust on your friend, Kong.”

The younger man still looked unsure but he nodded his head anyway. He had complete trust in his fiance and if he said that his best friend and his brother needed a one-on-one talk without him hovering in the background, then so be it. He’d wait patiently for the two.

For the meantime, he let himself get immersed in his friends’ silliness as they began to joke around with one another. Of course, the seniors were leading their shenanigans.

When they noticed the presence of an actor among them, it, again, resulted in another barrage of questions and comments. Sunny and Arthit took it graciously, and explained that they might share very identical looks, but they were far from related. Arthit reiterated that he was the original seeing that he was older, and Sunny was a copy. It made the young actor pout and sulk, which prompted Arthit to coax him and tell him it was only a joke.

After some time, the two missing members of their group finally emerged from the house, noticeably happier albeit with swollen eyes and reddish cheeks. They made a beeline to their respective partners, Kongpob watching them both with eyes full of worry.

Arthit then announced that they should eat dinner first. Bright and Tutah seconded this, claiming that they had been starving. Their exaggerated declaration of their hunger effectively broke the solemn mood that descended upon them when the two joined after their much needed talk. They had a peaceful dinner, if you count their rowdiness as peaceful.

Afterwards, Kongpob and Weir decided to come clean with the whole of the gang. Armed with beers and marshmallows and sticks, the bonfire crackling happily in the firepit, they gathered the others and started their tale.

Their partners were there beside them, and they were thankful that the others didn’t interrupt them all throughout. It was a bit out of character for both Bright and Tutah, but they did so. They only listened, with the seriousness that the moment warranted.

The twins told them what they could, and glossed over what they couldn’t, the heavier, darker parts of their history. The important people knew about it and that was all that mattered. They also told about Weir’s gynophobia, and the cause of it was one of those topics that was glossed over– mentioned but not elaborated.

Weir, at the end of their tale, had thought he would see pitying eyes directed towards him, but what he didn’t expect was the amount of compassion the others had for practically a stranger. It humbled him and he was very glad that his brother had managed to befriend them. They were a good bunch; a good family, and he could now understand about what Arthit had said a while back; that the others were Em’s and Kongpob’s brothers.

He turned towards his brother and smiled widely at him. Kongpob answered the same way.

“Your friends are awesome.”

“Even the girls?” teased Kongpob.

“Even them. I want to get better, Kong.”

“Then let yourself heal. You have me back. You have us now, because god knows they already adopted you into our rowdy gang. You and N’Sunny both. I mean, just look at them!” he gestured at the youngest of their group, laughing and chatting animatedly with the others, Arthit sitting beside him. Both of them took a second to admire both their partners.

“Our boyfriends look cute together,” Weir observed cheekily.

“Shut it.”

“Oh, so now you resent your fiancé being paired up with my boyfriend?”

“Of course! Why are you even partnering your boyfriend with my sun?”

Weir let out a bark of laughter.

“No clue. It was just an observation.”

Silence prevailed between them again. They were simply content, watching their partners enjoying themselves. Kongpob was the one to break the silence this time

“You know? It’s funny.”

“What?” Weir asked curiously.

“How we both have the same taste in men. Well, appearance-wise.”

“True that. Toast?” They clinked their bottles together.

“We also almost have the same endearment we use for them.”

“Hmm?”

“P’Arthit is my sun. N’Sunny is your sunshine.”

Weir chuckled at the observation of his twin. Everything he said was indeed true.

“Well… what can I say, we’re twins after all.”

--_--