Chapter Text
The annual Visionary Marketing gala was the event of the year—a glittering, black-tie affair held at one of Bangkok's most prestigious hotels, where the company's top executives, clients, and employees came together to celebrate their successes. It was a night of champagne and awards, of networking and glamour, of seeing and being seen. The ballroom was transformed into a winter wonderland of crystal chandeliers, cascading flower arrangements, and golden lighting that made everything and everyone look ethereal.
This year, however, the gala held special significance for four people in particular. Two couples, both engaged, both ready to share their joy with the world.
Dunk stood in front of the mirror in their bedroom, adjusting his bow tie for the fifth time. The suit was charcoal grey, tailored to perfection, with a crisp white shirt and a burgundy tie that matched the colour palette of their Prestige campaign. On his left hand, the engagement ring caught the light, a constant reminder of the promise Joong had made.
"You're overthinking again," Joong said, appearing in the doorway. He was already dressed in his tuxedo, the black fabric fitting him like a second skin. He looked devastatingly handsome—the kind of handsome that made Dunk forget how to breathe.
"I'm not overthinking," Dunk said, his voice defensive. "I'm preparing. Tonight is a big night."
"It is." Joong walked over, his hands coming to rest on Dunk's shoulders. "Tonight, we announce our engagement to the entire company. Tonight, we stop hiding. Tonight, we celebrate."
Dunk took a deep breath, letting Joong's words sink in. "I know. I'm ready. I just want everything to be perfect."
"It will be." Joong leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. "Because we'll be together. That's all that matters."
They arrived at the hotel together, hand in hand. The ballroom was already buzzing with activity, the guests arriving in their finest attire. Dunk spotted Pond and Phuwin across the room, their hands intertwined, their smiles bright.
"Joong! Dunk!" Phuwin called out, waving them over. "You made it!"
"Wouldn't miss it," Joong said, his voice warm. "Tonight is going to be special."
Pond's eyes flickered to their joined hands, a knowing smile on his face. "I have a feeling it's going to be very special indeed."
They made their way through the crowd, greeting colleagues and clients with practiced ease. Dunk could feel the stares, could hear the whispers, but he kept his head high and his smile bright. Tonight, they were done hiding.
"Joong! Dunk!" Aou appeared, Boom close behind him. They were both dressed impeccably, Aou in a deep emerald suit, Boom in a burgundy number that matched the gala's aesthetic perfectly. "You two look incredible."
"Thank you," Dunk said, his smile genuine. "You both look great too."
"Of course we do." Boom's grin was wide. "We always look great. It's a talent."
"Humility is not your strong suit," Aou said dryly.
"Humility is for people who have something to be humble about." Boom's eyes flickered to their joined hands. "So, You two. Making a statement tonight?"
"We're just being ourselves," Joong said, his voice calm. "Nothing more, nothing less."
"Being yourselves is making a statement," Aou said, his voice warm. "And it's a beautiful statement."
Santa approached them, his smile bright and uncomplicated. "Hey! Congrats again you two. I am so happy for you guys."
"Thank you, Santa." Dunk's voice was sincere. "It means a lot to have your support."
"You guys are goals," Santa said, his expression earnest. "Seriously. I hope I find something like what you have someday."
"Keep looking," Joong said, his voice softer than usual. "It's worth the wait."
The evening continued, the conversations flowing easily. But there was an undercurrent of excitement in the air—something big was about to happen, and everyone could feel it.
The formal part of the evening began with a series of speeches—Pond thanking the team for their hard work, Phuwin outlining the company's successes for the year, the CEO congratulating everyone on a record-breaking year.
But then, Phuwin stepped forward, his voice carrying across the room with practiced ease. "Before we move on to the awards, I have a special announcement to make. One that's very personal."
The room fell silent, all eyes on him. Pond stepped forward, taking his hand.
"Many of you know that Pond and I have been together for a long time," Phuwin continued, his voice warm with emotion. "What you may not know is that we've decided to take the next step. We're engaged!"
The room erupted in applause. Aou and Boom were the loudest, their whoops of joy echoing across the ballroom. Santa started clapping enthusiastically, and even the stoic CEO was smiling.
But Phuwin wasn't finished. He held up his hand, and the room fell silent again. "And we're not the only ones."
He turned, his eyes finding Joong and Dunk across the room. "Our dear friends and colleagues, Joong and Dunk, have also decided to take the next step. They're engaged too!"
The room exploded. This time, the applause was deafening. Dunk felt tears prick at his eyes as he and Joong stood up, accepting the congratulations with grace.
"Double engagement!" Boom shouted. "This is the best night ever!"
Pond raised his glass, his voice carrying across the room. "To love! To Joong and Dunk! To Phuwin and me! To all the love in this room!"
"To love!" the guests echoed, raising their glasses.
Dunk turned to Joong, his heart full. "This is perfect. This is everything."
"Me too." Joong leaned in, kissing him softly. "I love you."
"I love you too." Dunk smiled. "Let's enjoy this night. It's going to be one to remember."
The rest of the evening was a blur of congratulations and champagne. Colleagues approached them, some to congratulate them on their engagement, others to offer their support. The reactions were overwhelmingly positive.
"We're so happy for you," one of the senior account managers said, her smile genuine. "You two are so cute together."
"Thank you," Dunk said, his cheeks warm. "We're happy too."
A junior employee approached them, looking nervous. "I just wanted to say... I think it's really brave. What you're doing. Being so open."
"It's not about being brave," Joong said, his voice kind. "It's about being honest."
"That's the bravest thing of all," the young woman said. "Honesty."
Phuwin and Pond joined them at the bar, their smiles bright. "Well," Pond said, raising his glass. "We did it. We made the announcement."
"We did." Phuwin's voice was warm. "And it was perfect."
Dunk looked at them, his heart full. "Thank you for sharing the moment with us. It means more than you know."
"Thank you for sharing it with us," Phuwin said. "This is a night we'll never forget."
The music began, a soft melody from the live orchestra, and couples took to the dance floor. Joong offered his hand to Dunk, his eyes soft.
"Would you like to dance?"
Dunk felt his heart flutter. "I'd love to."
They walked to the dance floor, their hands intertwined. The stares and whispers didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was Joong, the warmth of his hand, the love in his eyes.
They began to sway, their bodies moving in sync. Joong's hand was on his waist, his touch light but possessive. Dunk rested his head on Joong's shoulder, letting himself be carried away by the melody.
"This is perfect," he whispered. "Everything I ever wanted."
"Me too." Joong pressed a kiss to his forehead. "I love you. I love you so much."
"I love you too." Dunk looked up at him, his eyes bright. "Thank you for this night. For everything. For being brave enough to try."
"Thank you for being brave enough to say yes." Joong's voice was soft. "For trusting me. For loving me. For choosing me every single day."
"Always." Dunk leaned in, kissing him softly. "Always."
Across the dance floor, Pond and Phuwin were dancing too, their movements just as synchronized. Aou and Boom were taking photos, their smiles wide. Santa and Perth were clapping along to the music. It was a perfect moment.
"We're really doing this," Dunk whispered. "We're really building a life together."
"We are." Joong pressed a kiss to his forehead. "And I wouldn't want to build it with anyone else."
"Same." Dunk snuggled closer. "Now let's enjoy this night. We have a lifetime ahead of us."
As the night wound down, the toasts began. Pond raised his glass, his voice carrying across the room.
"To Joong and Dunk! May your love continue to grow, may your happiness continue to multiply, and may you always find your way back to each other."
"To Joong and Dunk!" the guests echoed.
Dunk felt tears prick at his eyes. He turned to Joong, his heart full. "This is everything. This is absolutely everything."
"It really is." Joong wrapped his arm around him. "And it's only going to get better."
Aou stood up next, his voice warm. "I've known Joong and Dunk for years. I've watched them grow, watched them fall in love, watched them build a life together. And I can honestly say, I've never seen two people more perfect for each other."
"To Joong and Dunk!" Boom added, his voice bright. "May your love story be the inspiration for generations to come!"
The applause was deafening. Dunk felt overwhelmed by the love in the room.
At some point in the evening, someone suggested a group photo. The four of them—Joong, Dunk, Pond, and Phuwin—gathered together, their smiles bright, their hands intertwined.
"Congratulations, you four," Perth said, his phone ready. "This is going to be a photo for the ages."
They posed together, the two couples who had found love in the most unexpected place. The photo captured their joy, their love, their promise of forever.
"This is going to be our engagement photo," Phuwin said, laughing. "The four of us, together."
"We should frame it," Pond agreed. "Put it in our offices."
"Or our homes," Dunk added. "Right next to the wedding photos."
Joong pulled him closer. "Or right above the fireplace. Where everyone can see it."
The gala continued, the celebrations showing no signs of slowing down. Dunk found himself surrounded by his friends, his heart full to bursting.
"I can't believe this is our life," he said to Aou. "I can't believe we're engaged."
"Believe it," Aou said, his voice warm. "You deserve all of this. You deserve all the happiness in the world."
"I never thought I'd be this happy," Dunk admitted. "I never thought I'd find someone like Joong."
"Neither did I," Joong said, appearing beside him. "But I did. And I'm never letting go."
Boom joined them, his grin wide. "This is the best night ever! Two engagements, one party, infinite happiness!"
"Don't get too excited," Aou said, laughing. "We still have the weddings to plan."
"Double wedding!" Boom exclaimed. "I'm telling you, double wedding!"
As the gala wound down, Joong and Dunk found themselves on the balcony, looking out at the city lights. The night air was cool, the stars bright overhead.
"Thank you," Dunk whispered. "For this night. For everything."
"Thank you for being you." Joong pressed a kiss to his forehead. "For making me feel like I can be myself."
"I'll always make you feel that way," Dunk said, his voice soft. "I'll always be here. No matter what."
"I know." Joong's arms tightened around him. "I know."
They stayed on the balcony for a long time, wrapped in each other. The gala continued inside, but they didn't care. All that mattered was them.
"I love you," Joong whispered.
"I love you too," Dunk whispered back.
And they meant it. Every single word.
They later walked out of the hotel together, hand in hand, the night air cool and pleasant. The city was still alive, the lights twinkling in the distance.
"Tonight was perfect, the announcement, the wishes." Dunk said, leaning against Joong. "Everything I could have wanted."
"Me too." Joong wrapped his arm around his waist. “Every one was so happy for us, it felt so good to finally tell everyone hoe much I love you.”
"I love you too." Dunk looked up at him, his eyes bright. He kissed Joong on the tip of his home and whispered. "Now let's go home."
They drove home in comfortable silence, the city lights blurring past. Dunk's head rested on Joong's shoulder, his heart full.
"I can't believe we're engaged," he whispered. "I can't believe we're going to get married."
"Believe it." Joong pressed a kiss to his forehead. "It's real. We're real. We're forever."
"Forever," Dunk repeated. "I like the sound of that."
"Me too." Joong's voice was soft. "Now rest, my love. We have a big day tomorrow."
They lay in bed that night, their arms around each other, the city lights filtering through the curtains. Joong laid on Dunk’s bare chest chasing tiny circles on it. Dunk’s face was buried on Joong’s hair. He kissed Joong on his head after every few minutes.
"Thank you," he whispered. "For tonight. For everything. For being brave enough to love me."
"Thank you for being brave enough to love me back." Joong shifted a little up and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "For making me feel like I can be myself. For showing me what love really is."
"I'll always make you feel that way," Dunk said, his voice soft. "I'll always be here. No matter what. Through good times and bad, through fights and reconciliations, through everything."
"I know." Joong's arms tightened around him. "I know. And that's why I love you. That's why I'll always love you."
They lay there in comfortable silence, the weight of the day slowly lifting from their shoulders. Dunk could feel himself drifting off, the warmth of Joong's body the only comfort he needed.
"Joong?" he murmured sleepily, his voice barely audible.
"Mm?" Joong's voice was soft, sleep-laden.
"I'm glad we did this. The gala. All of it. I'm glad we're not hiding anymore. I'm glad everyone knows we're engaged."
"Me too." Joong's voice was warm with agreement. "I'm glad I get to show you off. I'm glad everyone knows you're mine."
"Show me off?" Dunk laughed, the sound soft and muffled in the Joong’s hair. "I'm not a trophy."
"You're not a trophy." Joong pressed a kiss to his bare chest. "You're my whole world. There's a difference."
Dunk's heart swelled. "You're impossible."
"You love me anyway."
"I do." Dunk snuggled closer. "Goodnight, Joong."
"Goodnight, Dunk. Sweet dreams."
Dunk closed his eyes, letting himself drift off into a deep, peaceful sleep. For the first time in a long time, he slept without dreams. The warmth of Joong's arms around him was all he needed—a constant, reassuring presence that told him everything was going to be okay.
They had faced the world together, and they had won. There was nothing left to fear.
The morning sun was low when they were having breakfast. It was weekend and they were very exhausted after yesterday’s gala.
They ate breakfast together on the back porch, the garden in full bloom. They were having crispy toast with runny eggs on top of them. Their coffee in their hands. The mango tree stood tall and proud, a symbol of their love and their future.
"I was thinking," Joong said, setting down his coffee. "About the wedding. About everything."
"What about it?" dunk replied, setting his own coffee down and giving Joong huis full attention.
"I want to get married soon. Not in a year, not in two years. Soon."
Dunk's heart raced. "How soon?"
"Three months." Joong's voice was firm. "Maybe four. I want to be married by the end of the year."
Dunk laughed, the sound bright and genuine. "That's soon."
"I know." Joong reached across the table, taking his hand. "But I've waited long enough. I've waited my whole life to find you. I don't want to wait any longer to marry you."
Dunk squeezed his hand. "Then three months it is. We'll be married by the end of the year."
Joong's face broke into a smile—wide and genuine and full of so much love it made Dunk's heart ache. "I love you. I love you more than anything."
"I love you too." Dunk lifted his hand, pressing a kiss to his knuckles. "Now let's start preparation. We have a wedding to organize. Its gonna be so much hectic."
“I can’t wait to do it.” Joong said
“Me neither”