"I'm hungry," was the first word that came out of Ruan's mouth after stepping at the white sand of the island. It's eight and they already left their bags in their rented beach house. They arrived early because Sasin told him not to cook breakfast and snacks anymore since he read in a travel article that the island has a five-star restaurant offering vegan meals.

"Let's go grab breakfast."

After a good fill, Ruan is already running around and setting up their beach umbrellas and collapsible sun loungers. Sasin sits under the huge parasol, applying sunblock all over his exposed body. He's wearing white, beach dress shirt and blue, swimming trunks.

"Meathead, come here. Put on sunblock," he calls Ruan when he passed by their spot. Ruan obediently follows Sasin's instructions, ignoring the insult just now. He's wearing a gray swimming trunk, exposing his toned body.

"Wait for thirty minutes before you go."

"A'ight."

Ruan tries to relax as he reclines on the sun lounger. It's rather awkward. Last night's events haunt him more than it should, but he can't bring himself to talk about it with Sasin since the prodigy's been acting as if nothing happened. Gaping at the other who's too occupied with spreading a generous amount sunblock on his face, he thinks that he might as well bury it at the back of his mind, too.

The ash-gray haired male snaps his fingers. "Time's up," he uttered then jumped from the sun lounger. Sasin wasn't paying much attention to him, so he was surprised when Ruan grabbed his wrist and rendered him powerless as he was dragged into the water.

"You know how to swim, right?" Ruan asked as the water level reached their waist.

"Of course," Sasin answers, watching Ruan let his wrist go. Suddenly, he remembered a detail from the past. "And you still don't?"

"Uh-huh," Ruan proudly answers.

"You're crazy," he scolds him then snatches his hand. "Let's not go too far."

They were just chilling in the water when Sasin was hit by a beach ball. Ruan laughed after hearing him screech.

"I'm sorry!" The players apologized meekly. After Sasin gives them on okay sign, they immediately resumed playing.

Ruan estimates their ages to be around fifteen and sixteen. He had a bright idea. "Sas, let's join them."

And that's how they ended up jumping and tossing around the same beach ball that hit Sasin earlier. Sasin wasn't going to agree, but when the kids told Ruan that he can't join if he's alone because their number will be uneven, he had no choice but to participate.

"Mine," Sasin yelled then attempted to smash the ball but failed miserably. Loud laughter filled their area after Sasin's face hit the sand. Ruan's the loudest, though.

"This brother is too funny," one of the players said and everyone agreed.

Sasin's been hitting the sand for a while now, Ruan inwardly remarks as he helped the other remove sand from his face. Makes sense. Aside from swimming, he never excelled in any sports before, too-

His thoughts went blank when Sasin lets out a fleeting laugh.

"Sports makes me stupid," he even expressed while grinning from ear to ear. Stunned, Ruan forgets that he's looking intently at the other's bright mug.

Weirded out by Ruan's sudden ogling at him, Sasin attempted to run back to his position and leave the spaced out guy. However, Ruan was a little quick to catch the waist band of his shorts. Sasin was dumbfounded when he was suddenly asked to laugh again while Ruan readies his phone's camera.

"Laugh!"

"No."

"I said, laugh right now!"

Their teammates burst into laughter as they witness the two lock horns.

When Ruan screamed in frustration, Sasin finally cracks a smile. Like a reflex, Ruan speedily clicks the shutter button before his grin faltered.

"Nice one, Ruan," he tapped his own shoulder for a job well done before going back to his team. Sasin just shakes his head in disbelief.

Lunch time came and the two found out that the majority of the 'children' they were playing with earlier are eighteen-year-olds that came to unwind from college stress. Ruan was taken-aback when the raven-haired male asked them if they want to eat at the same table. He's even more shocked when he told them it's going to be his treat. The 'leader' of the college clique was reluctant at first, but the others gladly accepted it that he just went with the flow.

One from the college clique recognized Sasin and asked if he's a celebrity. They couldn't believe it when Ruan revealed that Sasin is the C.E.O. of the XX publishing company and is only nineteen.

Struck with food coma, Sasin slept in the beach house they rented while Ruan bonded some more with the college clique since he found out that he shares the same course with them, although he's one year ahead.

By nighttime, Sasin springs from the bed.

He turned on the phone he used for work, and as anticipated, a lot of people are looking for him. His father, his only family, even left a missed call. The president of their company mostly used up his inbox and missed call log.

He reads one of his messages.

Message from: President Lee

You said it's a one-month vacation, and you're out for almost three months already. What are you doing, Sasin Young? You're angering the board.

Sasin turns his phone off and makes his way to the bathroom to shower. "It's no use to ask even a two-month vacation anyway," he grumbled as he stripped his clothes off, "Just fire me if it's more convenient. I'm dying after all."

"Why is it convenient to fire you?"

Sasin was caught off-guard at the sudden interruption. Turns out Ruan has already entered the bathroom before him.

"Want to shower together?" Sasin changes the topic a little too fast that he became suspicious to Ruan. The fact that he heard him grumble like a normal person earlier popped more question marks in his head.

Just one question, Ruan tells himself before asking. "What's going on?"

He waits for the other to respond, however, he doesn't look like he's going to give in, so the latter decided not to probe anymore.

"Okay," Ruan coldly said. "Let's shower together."

In a sour mood after cleaning himself up, Ruan left their beach house and went to drink with the college students from earlier. Sasin, on the other hand, strolled along the seashore after having dinner, smiling to himself after remembering the fun he had today. Then he remembers the dumb look on the other's face when he was dazed.

Poke. He promptly turned his body to look. "Ruan-"

It is not Ruan.

"Thank you for your treat earlier," the 'leader' of the college clique expresses, beaming at him. "I'm still amazed that you're Sasin Young, one of the world's successful young businessmen."

Sasin only chuckles.

"Actually, I've seen you a lot of times in the television. Everytime you appear in it, my mother would always point out how far you already are even though we share just the same age," the guy continued. Sasin just listens. He hears this quite often.

"But she would always say that, at least, I look happier."

Sasin's pupils narrowed and seemed to flee from the expanding whites of his eyes. He lowered his gaze.

"She told me once that at such young age, you already have a face of an insatiable businessman, one who'll keep on striving just because nothing will ever make you feel contented anymore. Gladly, it doesn't look like that."

Sasin's closed fist relaxes.

"You look like you're living your life," he says, followed by a short giggle. "You were smiling and laughing with us. You actually look happy and contented, contrary to what my mother said. She's just judgmental," he snorted. He was going to talk more when his phone rang. "Oh, they're looking for me. I have to go."

"It's okay."

"Well, I hope you keep being with people who makes you happy." He waved his hand as he walked backwards. "See you around!"

Sasin waved back with a small smile.

I hope you keep being with people who makes you happy.

The smile drops from his lips as he thinks of only one person.

When Sasin returned to the beach house, Ruan was unlocking the door whilst seriously staring at his phone.

"Where were you?" Ruan asked, immediately putting his phone back in the pocket of his shorts. He successfully unlocks the door and Sasin sprints to the bedroom without answering Ruan's question.

It wasn't long before Ruan laid himself beside him and started bugging him. "I asked you."

"I was just strolling," the raven-haired simply replied. He covered his nose with the blanket. "You smell booze. Wash up first."

The college student clicks his tongue, turning to face the businessman. "I'm tipsy. Did you eat?"

"Yeah," Sasin quietly responded.

Silence.

The ash-gray haired's brows furrowed. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know." Ruan sighs. "It's unusual. Do you want to have s*x?"

It took longer than a minute before Sasin reacted. "Maybe."

Ruan sneers then returns to gazing at the ceiling. "Did you know? It's the third anniversary of my foolishness."

Sasin just looks at him, surprised of what's he's suddenly brought up.

"I have," the college student trails off, fidgeting on his fingers which lie on the top of his stomach, "...So much suppressed emotions for you."