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Vegas wouldn't consider himself friendly. In fact most of the people he would refer to as friends publicly would have their purposes and functions one way or another in his life. He is on friendly terms with some people, but don't really consider them anything beyond an acquaintance. He does however, have a senior in university that he would consider above an acquaintance, but not quite a friend. Or is it?
He purposely rides his bike too close to the guy currently reading at one of the cafe's outdoor table. The man jerks and he quickly lifts his legs up, "OI!" Lifting up his helmet visor, Vegas shows the man a smirk, "I thought you're not scared of anything?"
The man glared at him before throwing his book to him. Vegas dodges unsuccessfully as the book hits him on the chest. Both men look at each other before bursting into laughter.
---
They first met during Freshers Week when one of the tasks was to find your own doppelgänger in the faculty. As he walked around the campus, he found this guy sitting in one of the benches, reading on his own. A fellow batchmate nudged him, "hey, that guy kinda looked like you!"
He remembered staring at the guy wondering whether they actually looked alike. Meanwhile, the guy looked up and their eyes met. There's a lopsided smile on his face, and he raised his chin up, "what did they make you do? Need a signature or something?"
Vegas walked over confidently, "no, we need to find our doppelgänger. Someone said we look alike."
The other man scoffed, "well, I'm flattered. You're a good looking guy. What's in it for me?"
"Huh?" Vegas was getting annoyed.
"If I come with you, what will I get?" He raised one of his eyebrows. Alike or not, Vegas was so close to planting a left hook on his mocking face.
The senior continued, "calm down will ya? I'm joking. Let's go," he closed his book and placed it in his bag, "I'm Jon Somosri. What's your name, kid?"
"Vegas Theerapanyakul," they stood facing each other, the guy is slightly shorter than him, so Vegas was pleased.
Jon still have that stupid mockingly raised eyebrow on his face and Vegas was so close to losing it, but then this doppelgänger of his chuckled, "I'll be damned, of THE Theerapanyakul empire?"
It was then Vegas' turn to lift his eyebrow in curiousity. Before he managed to say anything, Jon continued, "major family? minor?" As if noticing the deadly changes in Vegas' expression, Jon laughed and tapped him lightly on the shoulder, "don't look at me like that. My old man's in construction, he'd came across you guys a few times. Crossing path with scary big mafia men always made up a good story time."
He then sidestepped as made his way ahead of Vegas, "come on doppelgänger, since we've met, looks like it'll be our last day alive." Vegas made a mental note to check his family out.
They lost by the way, the facilitators disagreed that they looked like each other . Jon protested out loud, one of his hand placed on Vegas' shoulder, "we practically look like brothers!" One girl glared at him and that made him laughed out loud, pulling Vegas closer to him, "oh come on, you know that only makes you look cuter," he teased the girl. Vegas pushed him away and moved to create a distance from him.
---
"So what brings you home?" Vegas sips his coffee.
Jon sighs, "what? I need a reason to come home now?" and he waves his hands around. Vegas huffs and leans behind into his chair. "You," Jon points at him, "look different. Glowing somehow. Getting the good stuff all day, everyday huh?"
Vegas smiles and pulls out his phone. Not a minute later, he hands the phone over to the other man, "I got engaged."
Jon chokes on his drinks, "YOU GOT WHAT?" He takes the phone away from Vegas and looks at the photo currently on the screen. "His name is Pete, and we have a son together. Well, not exactly our son, but that's a story for another day," Vegas explains, still beaming.
"He's beautiful, and the kid's cute. Congratulations, bro! Though I'm pretty sure he would probably be mine if he meets me first," Jon says this with his eyes still fixed on the screen. Vegas snatches it away from him, "where the hell did you get that confidence anyway? Do they sell them online?"
---
He came across Jon again at the campus café a few weeks later. Since their last encounter, Vegas took the time to research this Somosri guy and found out there's nothing alarming about him. Like now, he liked reading when he's on his own. The eldest son of his family, he's loud and confident, whenever he opened his mouth though, the most unhinged of outputs are usually produced. Quite a social butterfly too, his Instagram page is full of photos of him hanging out with people.
Today however, was not a good day to meet him. The corner of Vegas' lips is swollen, thanks to the 'lesson' he received from his father yesterday. He had covered it with some make up, but somehow he could tell that if the other man saw it, he would point it out. He lifted his head to no longer seeing Jon at his earlier position.
He flinched when he felt a hand on his shoulder, "who dared to mess around with a big guy like you?" Vegas tilted his head and hummed a low "huh?" Jon gestured to his mouth and Vegas thought to himself, "of course he would."
Vegas shrugged, ".. was nothing. Just a boxing session gone wrong."
Jon sits across from him, "I won't cover a boxing accident with make ups if I were you." He inhaled deeply before continuing, "you need help? Well, kinda stupid to ask since you're.. you. But I don't lose anything for asking."
Vegas' heart thumped, but he forced himself to look straight at the man in the eyes, "no."
---
"Hia??" Both men turn their heads in the direction of the voice. Macau has Venice in his arms while Pete is behind them pushing the stroller. "What are you guys doing here?" Vegas makes his way to them. Venice reaches out to him and he takes the baby with him.
"They said the croffle here is nice. We're getting some," Macau turns to look at Pete and the older man nods in agreement. His eyes however, are looking at the man sitting with Vegas earlier. "Who's that?" He whispers, his eyes big and inquisitive.
Before Vegas could say anything, Jon half shouts, ".. must thank the god for my luck today. I got to meet the gorgeous Pete!" Macau winces, and Vegas rolls his eyes. Pete smiles, showcasing his dimpled cheeks.
---
He didn't get why his uncle insisted for Kinn to deliver the documents to him in university. But here they were, both cousins gritting their teeth as they tried to tolerate each other and complete whatever task at hand. Vegas made it a point to not cause any delay to this process and Kinn seemed to feel the same way, completing their work like two civilised men would, quickly and efficiently.
"We're done," Kinn passed the iPad they were working on to one of his bodyguards. Vegas nodded and walked away. As he got closer to the faculty building, he saw Jon seemingly waiting for him. He walked past the man but soon stopped in his track when he heard Jon, "what's up with that bushes of eyebrows on that guy?"
He turned around to look at Jon, who still have his eyes on Kinn and his entourage, "cool car, but them eyebrows irk the hell out of me. Family?"
Vegas clicked his tongue, "none of your business."
Jon scoffed, "ah, family then. One of the more important cousins? Your boxing accident?"
Vegas continued to glare at him and Jon chuckled, "oh come on, I'm just a concerned senior. You're my beloved junior after all."
"Not my boxing accident, but since you're so concerned, I don't mind if he disappear," his voice trailed off while he maintained eye contact.
The other man approached him, face inches away from his, "just say the words, and there are always the mountains of cement we have at our sites," and he smiled.
---
"Ah, so you're Vegas' senior in school!" Pete exclaims excitedly. Jon who is sitting next to him pulls his chair closer to Pete's. "Yes, he never told you about me?"
Pete shakes his head and Jon brings his face closer to Pete, "oh well, such a loss. It's okay, you can ask me anything you want to know now," he reaches out his hand to tuck a strand of Pete's hair behind his ear.
Pete's eyes widen at the action and Vegas growled from across them, "that's enough, Jon."
"He's the jealous kind, huh Pete?"
Laughing awkwardly, Pete answers, "... sometimes..."
After what seems like an eternity, Jon finally turns his gaze to Vegas, "how come you were never this possessive of me? I thought we have something special."
Both Macau and Pete look at the two men alternately. Jon has mischief in his eyes, and in Vegas' there's murder. Macau opens up his mouth to say something only to stop when Vegas turns to glare at him. "I didn't even do anything," the younger man scoffs defensively.
---
It wasn't hard to notice him from the crowd. The older man was red, and swollen somehow. "What the fuck happened to you?" Vegas barked at him.
"Oh these? It's nothing. I had seafood yesterday.."
Vegas maintained the puzzled look on his face, and Jon continued, "and I am allergic to seafood. Got a jab, but it'll take some time before this go down," he twirled to show the reddish bumps on his arms.
"You're an idiot."
Taking out a tub of cream from his bag, Jon started to apply it on his skin, "no, I'm smart. I will only live once, and why bother stop doing shit because of an allergy?"
"Because you will die!"
He continued to rub the cream on his face, and he pouted, "awww, are you worried about me? You know, you only have one life to tell me you love me. I know I'm the older brother you wished you'd have!"
Vegas threw him a disgusted look, "go die, Jon. Just go die."
---
Peace seems to be restored at the table, Jon has Venice on his lap. The funny faces he made never failed to amuse the baby. He chuckles out loud, squealing as he is tickled by his new found uncle.
Vegas and Macau fix their postures as they notice a lady coming their way. She places her hand on Jon's shoulder, "hey baby."
Jon turns to look at her, "you're here," he turns back to the baby, "Venice, meet your Aunty Faa. Babe, these are Vegas, Pete and Macau," he points to the guys. He stands up and gives her a kiss, "do you have the card with you?"
She passes him an envelope, "can I hold him?"
"Yea, he doesn't cry at all," he passes Venice over to her. He hands the envelope over to Vegas. "The wedding is next month, bring everyone. Though, if Venice isn't coming, then you don't need to come at all. He's my favourite Theerapanyakul now."
Macau looks at the lady hugging Venice, "you sure you want to marry him, P'? He was just flirting with my brother in law!" Vegas kicks him under the table and Pete scowls at him.
Jon looks at Faa, "that's true, babe. I can't help myself, look at him!"
Faa stares at Pete, "he's gorgeous. You do like beautiful people."
Vegas rubs his hands on his face, half amused, half done, "I see that you've found someone who is just like you, Jon. Good for you."
Jon nods, "oh babe, have I told you how much Vegas loved me?"