In the evening of the warm summer, the airport buzzed with various announcements. Aries walks out of the airport with his luggage and finds his brother, Oliver standing outside, waiting for him with the car.

"Run faster! Why are you acting like you're returning after studying from abroad? It was a few days trip. Get in, I've work to do", yelled Oliver while honking his horn.

"Crap, P'Oliver! Now, all my fake scenarios are already gone", grumps Aries gets inside the car. 

On his way, he keeps scrolling through instagram. Aries kept laughing looking through the reels. Suddenly, a new message appears on his anonymous account which he used to stalk the man he once loved. He switches from his public account to that anonymous account abruptly and reads a news article shared, "Famous BL couple split after acting in two series together. The actor with the name of "C" is so devastated. Will reveal the identify soon"

Aries blinks twice, his mind racing with thoughts, "Could it really be them?"

Aries sighs in his heart, "Pretty sure P'Shin's girlfriend must've been furious because of those toxic fans. But what will happen now?"

Seeing Aries completely occupied in his smartphone, Oliver decides not to disclose about his best friend Carter staying in their house. Oliver knew Aries had unusual feelings for Carter three years ago. But he never thought it was something serious. After all, Carter always stirs up attention wherever he goes and tantalizes anyone with his aura. Oliver didn't intend to disclose about Carter's personal life to his brother.

But he had no clue that every information about Carter first reaches his so-called brother's ears before being leaked anywhere. 

Aries puts his phone down and looks outside the car with an indescribable emotion. "Well, It's not like I enjoy stalking him. But I'd be lying if I said I'd completely given up. I knew he's straight, yet I fell for him since high school. A part of me couldn't give up my first love and at the same time, I just don't have the courage to take another step closer to him, after that incident.."

Aries reaches his home and goes directly to his room which is located on the first floor. His parents live in Singapore to oversee their family's jewelry business, while his brother, Oliver, manages the Bangkok branch. 

Aries bursts into the room, tossing his luggage aside before collapsing onto the bed. With a tired sigh, he grabs his phone and opens Line, quickly firing off a message to the group chat with Kira, Sonic, and Leo: "Made it home." He fumbles for a moment, then pulls a thick blanket over himself, cocooning tightly as if trying to shut out everything beyond the safety of the covers.

No matter how many times he tossed and turned, he couldn't sleep even for a bit. Aries hears a notification and with his eyes closed, he takes his phone from the bedside table and squints his to read the text. 

"So, you met him?", texted Leo.

Aries, completely baffled, sends, "met who?"

Aries's phone rings, and he picks it up immediately. Leo, with a loud voice, P"Carter! Who else?!"

"Are you dumb? Why would I meet him?! You do know I've been avoiding this person after that incident"

Leo sighs, "Check his instagram story"

"Seriously? It's 10p.m already. Can I do that tomorrow?", grunts Aries.

"Now! Right now!", yells Leo.

Aries puts his phone on speaker, while opening his instagram, sees a story of Carter.

The phone he held in his hand drops onto the bed. In Carter's IG story, he could see his brother Oliver, and his friend Matt, Cleo, sitting at the backyard of their house, with beer bottles, while Carter casually giving thumbs up.

What in the world! Is he here? Why didn't Phi tell me earlier?! So many questions popped inside Aries's head as he picked up his phone, "Leo, we-we'll talk tomorrow" and cut the call.

Before cutting the call, he could clearly hear Leo yelling in a loud pitched voice, "Don't do anything stupid that you'll regret later!"

Aries opens his room door and runs fast towards his backyard but he bumps into someone in the hallway…

"Ouch!", they both cried out simultaneously.

Carter glares up, ready to curse, but the words die in his throat the moment he sees Aries's face. He drank a lot, yet he remains completely sober

Aries's legs shiver watching Carter this close after so many years, freezes like a statue.

He ran so fast only to see his face from the side, and did not expect to bump into him out of nowhere.

Aries snaps back to reality, and nods to Carter, before walking towards the kitchen. 

"Not again! I really am a stupid. Every time I see him, I can't bring myself to utter a single word! Whatever—I'll just pretend I came for something in the fridge," Aries tells himself with a deep sigh, reaching for the handle.

Carter follows him towards the kitchen. He watches Aries from behind, watching him take a bottle of water, and trying to open it.

Carter rushes and takes the bottle from his hand, opens it and gives it to him.

Aries, "Th-Thanks, P'Carter"

Aries awkwardly takes the bottle from his hand, drinking absentmindedly. As the water soothes his throat, his brain is in overdrive, wondering, "What should I say next?

Carter stares as Aries gulps the water, finding himself swallowing along with him. He wasn't intoxicated, yet Aries's every movement left an indescribable stir in his heart.

Without a second thought, "Do you wanna be my partner?", Carter pops the question.

Aries chokes on the water, his eyes widening as he looks at Carter in disbelief, certain he must have misheard.

"Wh-what did you just say?" Aries squeezed the water bottle on his hand to get a grip.

Carter steps closer, positioning himself between them with no space left, cornering Aries against the fridge. His hand hangs loosely by the door, his gaze unwavering as he stares into Aries's eyes, 

"Do you wanna be with my partner?"