Win wakes to a text from Dean.
Dean: Meeting at 10am, coaches office, 1st year issue.
He sighs and turns back into the covers, he knew he would have to deal with this issue but he didn't expect it to be right after he returned, he wanted to stay in his honeymoon bliss for just a few more days. Oh well, it cant be helped, time to put this issue to bed so they can all move on. Team walks out of the bathroom in just his towel and Win wiggles his eyebrows at him trying to playful so he can hide the feeling of uneasiness inside him. "No" is all Team says firmly, he just smiles at him, how cute he thinks to himself. If there is one thing his boyfriend is good at, its worrying too much. He needs to know the outcome before he can let him know what is going on, trusting Team he will insist on going with and will end up taking all the blame as if the kid had no part in the situation they were all in.
Win wakes up and heads to the shower, Team sits on the edge of the bed and smiles at the ceiling. They had a great vacation, thinking about it still makes Team blush. Spending quality time with him really is rejuvenating. He often wants to smack himself for waiting so long to express his feelings to Win, knowing all the things he could have been having sooner. He experienced a whole new side to Win over the past 2 days, it was the first time he had seen his man let his guard down and just be himself, often whining and pouting when things didn't go his way. He lets out a slight laugh just thinking about it. He closes his eyes and savors the feeling, knowing this is the first time he has ever been truly happy since the incident which tormented him over the years. His thoughts are broken when Win bites his cheek. "Oi Hia, stop."
"What you thinking about so deeply? Wake up and change or you will be late." Win always the authoritarian.
"Nothing too serious, just happy." He wakes up and plants a soft kiss on Wins lips, "Love you." He watches his man break out in a sly smile and its one the most amazing things Team has seen in his life, watching Hia happy and knowing he is the reason is a feeling he can never get enough of. Team decided to get clothes and change or they both wont make it out of the house today, "Why are you going in today when you don't have classes?"
"I need to get some stuff done at the club, Dean texted this morning." Win turns away and walks to the cupboard to school his expression. The last thing he wants is to ruin Teams good mood. He can feel his eyes burning a hole through his back but he dare not turn around because he will tell him everything. "We have to go separately today, will you be okay to take your car?"
"Yep." Team knows Win well enough to know that he is acting strange today, a kiss on his lips plus flirting and he didn't even get a snarky comeback or anything. "Is everything okay Hia?"
"Sure, I just needed a little more sleep. I will call you later, text me when you get to school." Win walks over to his boyfriend and kisses his cheek before heading out the door. Well done you idiot, now he knows something is up. He sighs and head to his bike, he shakes his head to clear his thoughts not wanting to be distracted while riding.
******
Dean waits patiently as he watches Win walk up to him, "What took you so long?" Annoyed he narrows his eyes at his friend.
Win snorts, "You said 10am, its now 9:47am, what's your problem? Did you not get any last night?"
Dean punches him in the arm, "Don't be an asshole." He smiles at Win knowing that only his best friend can make him shy when being teased. "You're a grown up you know, when will you stop acting like a child?" He shakes his head. "Anyway, the kid is here with his mother, I called you in because they demanded that you be at the hearing seeing as you have something to do with this."
"And what exactly does this have to do with me? I was nowhere near you when all this happened. I also don't know if me being here is a good idea, if he starts talking about Team and trying to make this about him I will lose it." He runs his hands through his hair, opting to leave it loose today, not caring how he appears, just wanting to get this over with.
"Please, I'm begging you, I need you to be on your best behavior today. No snarky comments, no sarcasm, no proving you are the smartest one in the room."
"But I probably am the smartest one in the room and I don't just throw sarcasm and snarkyness unless someone provokes me. Also if I feel them disrespecting you or Team or the club I will not keep quiet and the best part of this is, you cant stop me." Win raises his eyebrow at Dean knowing full well that Dean cant counter because the one thing Win does accept is disrespect for anyone he cares about. He would put his hand on a chopping block before he accepts mistreatment from anyone and where his best friend is concerned he becomes super protective. Its not that Dean cant take of himself because he can, he often puts people in their place but when it comes to official business Dean is much more diplomatic and chooses to stay silent for the greater good, Win however doesn't care, he will not let it slide in any sitting.
"I can take care of myself, I'm asking you to take care of you. This is an official meeting with the university." Dean pleads with him but deep down he knows its moot. Win will do whatever Win thinks is right at the cost of anything, this is one of the reasons he loves and admires his best friend so much. Nothing can stop him from being true to himself in any situation. "Ug fine, just tone it down then if you must."
Win smiles widely at his friend and blows him a kiss, he watches Dean start laughing and shaking his head. "Yes sir." He salutes Dean who is done with his antics at this point. The coach comes out and calls the boys in, "We're ready." They give each other a nod and follow suite.
******
"This is Mrs. Anant, Riders mother. Ma'am this is the swim club president Dean and the vice president Win." The coach eyes them, trying to send a message to both of the boys to behave as the university is present and doesn't look happy at all.
Win and Dean say hello and look at each other again. They seethe kid sitting proudly next to his mother as if she is the queen of dragons. Win has to hold his facial expressions, he checks and makes sure that Dean is doing the same. "I have a question, why am I here?"
Dean almost face palms, obviously he would not last even one minute. He gives Win a glare who just shrugs his shoulders. He knows that its a valid question but just once he wished he could be more tactical in his approach. He clears his throat, "What Win meant is that this issue has nothing to do with him, the incident is between me and the junior Rider. Win was not present at the time and therefore should not be privy to a private matter between the university and us, furthermore it did not happen within the swim club premises so his not needed here as the vice president of the club either." Dean watches the kids mother straighten in her seat at look at him, not expecting that a university student would be so diplomatic.
"Well son, the problem here is that he says there is unfair treatment in the club because Win is dating one of the juniors, Nong Team." The university representative looks between the boys.
Dean cuts Win off before he can even start his sentence, "Well sir can you explain further all the ways there has been unfair treatment? It is to my knowledge that there is no rule about dating within the club or am I mistaken? Also, before the school year even started we had decided with the coaches and the university the schedules of training and events and we all agreed that Win would not do first and second year. Team is in second year, so I would like to know how the favoritism is towards him when Win has absolutely nothing to do with Team when it comes to the club. Win had been coaching the first and second years in the previous year and now it is my turn. We have always been switching as you can see in your records with the coaches."
Wow, Dean really came prepared, he should have been a lawyer instead of taking on business. Win is impressed. "If Nong Rider is so uncomfortable with the fact that Team and I are dating and is claiming favoritism, then why is he trying to get me to date him? Can you please explain this to the officials and your parent. I would also like to know the answer." Win looks at the kid who opens his eyes wide.
"That is not true, why would you lie?"
Win knows he has him now, he smiles sweetly in the boys direction, "Let me remind you Nong Rider, there are cameras all over the swim club, there has been many instances where you have been inappropriate with me, touching my thigh, grabbing onto me, trying to get close to me. I could have brought all of that as evidence if I was informed of this meeting beforehand."
"I didn't want to date you, I just wanted you to coach me. Don't get it confused." The boy states shakily under his mothers gaze.
"This is about you harassing me sexually, this has nothing to do with Win or the club so if you have anything to say in that regard I am listening. This is very unprofessional wasting the university and the coaches time to enact the plot of a high school drama." Dean is done with the games and makes sure that everyone knows it, even the university representative. This has gone too far, indulging this delusional kid is making him even more angry. He looks to the boys mother who is looking at him with distain.
"My son would never do anything like that. Tell them son." She looks at Dean up and down with disgust on her face.
Dean grabs Wins hand, sensing him ready tor retort, "Will you please play back the video for the lady." Dean looks at Win and shakes his head indicating he should just remain silent.
She watches the video, he can see her lip twitching in embarrassment. "This means nothing, for all I know the kid asked him to do it. I will not allow you to slander my boy."
He watches as the kid backs away from his mother when she raises her voice at him. Dean wonders what that's about. "There was a whole bus of witnesses and plus the coach was standing right behind him as you can see in the video. The kid has not denied it either. This is a serious issue and he can be criminally charged for this should I press a charge against him.
"You will become the laughing stock, look at my boys size and look at you. Pathetic." She sneers at Dean.
"I will advise you to refrain from addressing our students in such a disrespectful manner as their parents are not present. You are an adult Ma'am bullying children. Sexual harassment is a very serious offense and will not be tolerated in this university. I would also like to point out that you insinuating that because he is big and strong that he cannot be sexually assaulted is the reason many students refuse to come forward, because people like you shame the victim and that is horrendous behavior from an adult, especially one of your caliber and stature." The university representative turns to Dean, "Would you like to press charges young man?"
"No sir, I want this to end. I want the kid to be reprimanded and undergo sensitivity training as well a course in sexual harassment so that this does not happen in the future. I don't want to ruin his life because he did something in anger." Dean looks at the boy with no expression on his face. He can see the junior ready to cry, still he shows him no emotion. He has to learn that he cannot do whatever pleases him. "I also want him banned from competing in the first competition as punishment."
The boy gasps, "You cant do that. How will I beat Team if you do that?"
Win groans, "If there is nothing else I will leave." He turns and opens the door. He is started when he notices that the president of the university is standing in the doorway. He steps aside for the older man to enter. Before he can exit the president calls him back in. He feels nervous all of a sudden but does as he is told and retakes his position beside Dean who is also sprouting a nervous expression. Both of them knowing something is up.
"I am the president so my decision is final in this matter. I have decided that this is a small incident and doesn't need to be made into a bigger situation. The mother of the child in question has paid damages towards the university for all the trouble caused by the boy. Also regarding the vice president of the swim club being the coach for the boy, I approve this too. He will personally train the kid going forth. He will be reprimanded by getting a verbal warning for his actions. Okay, everybody get back to their business. Thank you for the cooperation."
The woman turns and smiles smugly at the two of them, Win is so furious he can feel himself shaking with rage. He looks to his friend who is grinding his teeth beside him, matching his expression to the T. "How much do I have to 'donate' so as not to be his coach? A couple million? Sure I got that in my bank account." The air in the room is sucked out as Win challenges the university president. He looks at Win shocked. "So money solves all this right? They are powerful, but do you know who I am?" Win proceeds to tell the president his full name and surname and watches the blood drain from his face. Win knows his family is powerful but he never used their name ever. Seeing how the woman and everyone else in the room reacted, he knew he hit his mark.
"Uh son, why didn't you say so sooner. I didn't know who you were." The president look ashamed. He knows that if he wanted to this kid could cause endless problems for the university. He also know just how rich and powerful his family is in Thailand. They mostly keep to themselves and stay out of the spotlight but they are vicious when it comes to business, owning and operating resorts and hotels all across the country.
"Right, and if I was someone like Team, who has no influential family or if I'm not rich then I would have had to bow down to this kid because he does have it? Does that seem okay to you Mr. President? What he did was break the law, if Dean was a young girl and he touched her then what? Would your anger be there then? So we don't have the same rights because we are boys? You take money and think the issue will be solved but this happened on university property and the university would rather accept a check then us trying to rehabilitate the boy so he can become a better person in our society." Win can feel himself on the verge of screaming, he takes a deep breath in and tries to calm himself down. "I actually feel disgraced to even say I attend this university after what you just did, and you can be sure that I will tell everyone about this, that includes the school board as well as other parents who think they are sending their kids to a university that cares." He turns to walk out when he stops and turns his head, "Also I quit the swim club."
Before he can even say anything Win is gone, Dean turns to face the people in front of him and shakes his head. "Thank you Mr. President for showing us where we stand in this university. I quit the swim club and also Mrs. Anant, please expect a call from the police because I will be pressing charges against your son. Make sure to wear your prettiest dress because I will also be inviting the news, a big story like this should make waves, don't you think?" He turns and follows his best friend. For all that Win has done for him and everyone around him, this time its time for them to protect and stand by him, no matter the cost. Dean knows his swimming career is probably over after this but he also knows he would much rather stand with Win in this fight. The protector becomes the protected, and its long overdue.