“Jackson, it's been a while~ Taylor’s mother greets him in front of their house door with a welcoming smile. As soon as she got the message of Jackson’s visit from the man himself, she urgently told the entire house staff to prepare. Their driver stands on the porch and quickly takes over Jackson’s car to park it, while the man leisurely walks to the main door as if he owns the house. “What brings you here?” She pats Jackson’s shoulder with motherly fondness and then gladly guides the young man inside.

Jackson tries his best to stretch his lips into something he hopes to look like a genuine smile. “There’s something I need to talk to Taylor aun- aunty” Jackson stutters awkwardly. This is the first time he calls her beside Mrs Kim, which is already polite enough by his standard.

Mrs Kim regards him slightly agape with Jackson’s completely unusual behaviour, not in a bad way. So she assumes her good-for-nothing son has finally softened Jackson’s heart and can properly act as a good fiance as he should be. A satisfied smirk slowly creeps on her lips, this is good progress before their marriage. “Oh right, he is in the dining room. You can get inside, I will bring the meal so you can eat lunch together with him. Hm?”

“I’ve eaten- “Jackson clears his throat, “Yes of course aunty, thank you” he manages to answer decently.

Mrs Kim nods in a delighted expression she can’t cover. “Yes, come in” she opens the dining-room door for him. Jackson let himself in.

Before Mrs Kim closes the door behind her, Jackson turns on his heel. “The cake was nice, thank you” In his attempt to show respect following Taylor’s Korean family custom, Jackson stiffly bows. Albeit, helplessly failed since he’s not quite sure how to do it properly and even almost bashes his head on the sturdy wooden door. He never bows or lowers his head to someone else, who knows a simple gesture can almost cause him a concussion.

Mrs Kim stares at him with wide eyes, surprised and baffled. She tries to register what Jackson means. The cake? What cake?

After recalling for a second, she remembers about the cake she gave him almost 3 weeks ago, the one Taylor packed in a food container so Jackson could bring it home. Despite all the oddness of his behaviour, Mrs Kim is grateful. Her soon-to-be son-in-law likes her baking and politely thanks her. Doesn't this mean Jackson also starts considering her as a mother-in-law? “Oh- oh no problem, I can always make another for you. I’m glad you like it, Jackson dear”

As the door closes, Jackson walks in. He finds Taylor, who is watching the whole scene. His boxy grin is already dripping satire without the need to utter any word yet. His big brown eyes gawked with a hint of pure amusement. “Dude, what spirit possessed you? Your decency gives me a chill,” he chuckles, back enjoying his salad peacefully.

Jackson scoffs. His doe-eyes darken, making them look more like a cold vicious glare of a wolf, “Laugh while you can” he growls. Despite being reluctant, Jackson throws himself onto the chair beside Taylor.

Taylor’s dining is excessively enormous, almost the size of the ballroom people use for their wedding. Holding a party with the capacity of 50 people in this little part of the entire house is completely plausible.

Jackson used to imagine the room would be filled with friends and colleagues, having a friendly chit-chat and heartwarming amicability, indulging in engrossing conversation about their circle of acquaintance.

Just like how he – as a child wished on his birthday party in his own large dining room. Except, no friends his age coming, nor someone he can share a story with. All who came were people from his mother’s business partner, her work circle, and dubious reporters.

Fortunately, Taylor often comes as well, since Mrs Kim was part of his mother’s business partner. And the boy always brought Noah with him or else he would throw a big tantrum, bawling on their porch and whining to go home even before Jackson blew his candle.

The three of them were so pure and innocent. They know nothing about money and hierarchy. There was only a sense of relief to encounter one another among tedious adults. They would be sneaking into the garden and playing without bothering each other’s background and social status. Noah never wears a fancy suit or high-end shoes but both Taylor and Jackson would always listen to him because he acted way more mature than the two of them. He never threw a fit or even slightly showed any child-like selfishness like a boy of his age normally would.  He was the type who would give in a bigger piece of his bread for Taylor and let Jackson choose his favourite flavour first before he would take what was left.

While Taylor considers Noah as his best friend, Jackson actually sees Noah more like a big brother figure.

They were fairly in a good relationship before. He wonders what caused them to tussle into this mud mess.

A uniformed maid enters the room after she knocks softly. With a trained gesture and a professional manner, she puts the meal in front of Jackson and sets the cutlery in perfect order. Just by looking at the appearance; of juicy and moist meat, well-seasoned and looking crisp on the outside. The steak cooked just how Jackson liked it. He wonders if Mrs Kim who’s actually cooking this one. Or do they have this crazy talented in-house chef?

After the maid closes the door behind her and leave, Jackson straight to the reason he came, “I caught the person who took the photo” he informs, starting to cut the meat while maintaining his expressionless face, meanwhile inwardly cheering when he finds the meat inside cooked in perfect medium-rare with red juice still dripping when his knife slashes it.

Taylor gulps his water. He almost jumps from where he sits, but something in him resists showing any sign of relief or curiosity in front of Jackson. Taylor remains calm when he asks, “Really? That’s good. Who is he?”

“Just some freelance reporters who tried to blackmail me. It’s not an important thing now. You know what I got when I hired him?” Jackson cuts his meat with shaky hands as he's giggling to himself. “Pfft…sorry…hahaha” The laughter burst at the most absurd time. His face was sour not long ago and now, as if he just recalls something so funny that he can’t contain his laughter. Jackson can hold it no more. He puts his knives and covers his mouth instead, struggling to make himself shut up.

Taylor thinks this guy just has lost his mind. To think he has to carry the entire Lewis group at such a young age, Taylor is surprised he has just gone crazy now after all this time. Sure, he pities him sometimes. But remembering how jerk and manipulative Jackson can be, Taylor has grown numb to him.

In any other circumstances, Taylor would hardly care about Jackson’s mental well-being, but something caught his attention. “You hired the reporter who blackmailed you?” Has he really gone nuts???

Jackson shrugs, biting his lips so he can cease the giggle and talk. “Just for fun at first. I don't know it’ll be this exciting”

Jackson bites the meat from his fork, elegantly wipes his mouth and pulls an envelope from his suit pocket, placing it in front of Taylor’s plate.

Taylor stares at every Jackson’s gestures nervously, “What’s this?”

Jackson is not a simple guy who will abruptly laugh because he’s thinking about his cute little puppy at home or because he recalls a funny scene from a comedy show he watched last night. He laughs because he’s plotting something and whatever is that will be ominous for Taylor.

“A gift” Jackson shrugs. “For my special one” he continues to devour his steak with a hideous smirk still attached.

Taylor gazes at the envelope in front of him for a while. His blood runs cold as he knows everything inside won’t be good news. Jackson likes to play this riddle game on Taylor, so that makes him nervous. He enjoys watching his fiance standing on his toe, hanging on the thin rope, knowing he’s the one who can pull him up if only Taylor begs. He knows all of Taylor's insecurity and dreams, what makes him stay and leave. As the clock ticks, Taylor knows there’s no chance to run away. In this peculiar ping-pong game, the two of them will always toss the hot ball to one another. Passing responsibility, waiting for the chance to take the upper hand. Sometimes, it’s all about endurance–the last to survive is the winner. Yet at any other time, victory is determined by who can execute the best trick among them.  

Taylor believes whatever Jackson prepared inside the envelope most likely is part of the trick to put the restraint on his collar or…he just simply wants to see Taylor crumble. Prolonging the inevitable is only wasting time, so Taylor decides to face it and grabs the fishy envelope and rips the seal off, taking out everything inside.

It’s a dim photo with an awful quality, just like what he saw earlier when Jackson tossed it on his bed. Similar quality, yet different content.

The photo was taken from behind the object as they didn’t realise someone watching them.

The background was a classic Japanese interior look like a restaurant with an open kitchen while the chef who cooked the food was also captured inside. The objects sat side by side but still facing each other, their faces easily recognised by Taylor despite the distance of the ‘paparazzi’.

The two people with the face Taylor is beyond familiar with; One has strawberry blonde hair with natural curls and friendly smiley eyes. The other one is a shorter guy with a pale complexion, in contrast with his jet black hair. The two most valuable individuals in Taylor’s life who were not supposed to know each other, are captured in one candid frame.

They are unmistakably Noah and Oliver. His best friend and his secret boyfriend.

Taylor has no idea both of them even know each other or were even close enough to touch one another. Oliver pinched Noah’s cheeks. He seemed annoyed but not in a serious manner, the face he always pulled whenever he got teased. And Noah's eyes curved into a crescent moon, a big heartfelt smile caused by lingering bliss from laughter.

If they can be this close, why does nobody mention each other in front of him?

Taylor cocksure he talked about Noah a couple of times with Oliver. He even had listened to his best friend’s voice before, so why did Oliver say nothing to him?

‘...No need to feel sorry for him, he’ll be a success regardless, he is a hard worker...’

“What a mess, what a mess~” Jackson sings a song, “You cheated on me, and he cheated on you with your best friend. What drama is this, hm?” Jackson roars with laughter as if he just reached the peak of his humour sense.