Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“You asked him to do WHAT??”

“Please don’t be mad, P’Newton, I only thought-”

“Your brothers are worried about you, New.”

Newton pinched the bridge of his nose. Hard. On most days he really really loved his little brothers. He loved that Faifa was sunshine incarnate, always trying to make everyone around him happy, even if it sometime was to his own detriment. He loved that Yotha was a fierce spitfire, not afraid to face injustices head on, misguided as he might have been sometimes. What he didn’t love was when the two of them deemed it necessary to mingle in his personal life decisions.

Especially when his best friends also decided to side with his siblings. Klao currently had a supportive hand on Yotha’s shoulder (when those two had become besties had definitely escaped Newton, though he can’t say that he wasn’t happy with that unexpected development), shooting Newton a frustrated look. Warich, who was casually leaning on the other side of the bar counter, nodded along.

“And I appreciate that you worry about me, guys, really I do,” he tried to reassure his little brothers who looked dejected at being scolded, “but there is no need for that. I’m just fine with the way things are. I’m so glad that you found your other halves, but that doesn’t mean that I’m unhappy being single. Also, it’s my duty as the eldest to worry about the two of you, not the other way around.”

Klao and Warich exchange a quick look that Newton couldn’t quite decipher. Yotha’s shoulders slumped further. It was Faifa who spoke up next, his brows drawn together and his eyes unusually serious.

“That’s the thing, Phi. You always took care of us, raised us when Mom and Dad were to busy fighting – which, by the way, was always – cooked for us, read us bedtime stories, helped with our homework, studied with us for exams, even if you were just a teenager yourself. Don’t you think it’s time to let us do something for you as well?”

Newton pressed his lips together, feeling a familiar sting behind his eyes. It was true, he had done everything in his power to ensure that Yotha and Faifa had at least the semblance of a happy home life when they were younger. Had tried to shield his brothers from their mother’s manipulations and their father’s cold indifference, taking them along to his band practices or on long walks around the block, where they would spend hours playing and talking, Newton always hoping that when they returned shortly before sunset, their parents would have turned in for the night and his siblings wouldn’t have to witness the destructive wrath of their parents’ broken marriage.

As if reading his mind, Yotha piped up and it broke Newton’s heart how unusually small his voice sounded.

“We know that whenever you took us on impromptu picnics or trips to the museum, you were protecting us from Mom and Dad. We know that when you turned up the music, it was so we wouldn’t hear them argue. We know that when we got home from school and you told us to go straight to our room and get everything ready to have a dinner party there instead of in the kitchen, it was because you were cleaning up the broken dishes they had thrown.”

Yotha kept staring at the ground while he spoke, his voice starting to shake the longer he went on. Newton saw Klao’s hand tighten on his shoulder, saw Faifa’s eyes big and wet with unshed tears.

His fingers subconsciously wandered to an old scar on his left hand, where he had cut it in his hurry to clean up the mess of shards his parents had left, before his brothers returned home. When they did and saw Newton’s bleeding hand, he told them he had dropped a plate. At the time he had thought they believed him. Yotha had run to get the first aid kit, while little Faifa had sternly berated him for not taking better care of himself. In hindsight maybe that should have been his first clue.

He blinked the tears away as Warich sidled up next to him, gently bumping their shoulders together.

“You were a kid as well, New. I remember how often you told me and Nop that you couldn’t hang out, because you had to take care of you brothers. You missed our school dances,” Yotha and Faifa shared a distressed look, but before Newton could interject Warich continued, “because your parents couldn’t be bothered to fulfil their role of guardians. You even brought them along to our meetups, just so you could make sure they were alright.”

“Which is how you ended up meeting Yotha, so I fucked up even that part of his life,” Newton said bitterly.

“You didn’t fuck up shit, I managed that all by myself,” Warich responded. Klao and Yotha, still next to each other, shared a pointed look and nodded in semi-amused agreement at that, before Klao turned to Newton.

“My fiance’s past misbehaviour aside, the point still stands nevertheless, Newton. You should have been busy with falling in love or studying or hobbies or whatever, not with being a stand-in parent. So why not accept a little help in the dating department now? Even if it’s from uni students, the perfect 10 liners seem to have a pretty solid track record when it comes to relationships.”

Newton shook his head. He wasn’t entirely sure what had convinced his friends that he suddenly needed a partner, but what he did know was that he absolutely didn’t need the help of his little brothers and their ragtag team of idiots to find one. “It’s not like I’ve never dated before. I’m not some blushing virgin, nor a hopeless romantic desperately searching for ‘the one’. Have you all ever considered that maybe I like being single?”

That made his friends exchange uncertain glances, but before Newton could feel triumphant at having gotten through to them Warich gently asked “Do you though?”

The worried sincerity in his tone gave him pause. “Because I see the wistful smile on your face whenever you interact with couples at the bar. You know that you deserve to be happy, too, right New?”

Suddenly Newton felt a hand carefully slip into his. For a second he felt transported back in time, a time when a five year old Faifa would always hold fast onto his hand, as if afraid that he too would leave him behind if he let go for even a moment. He squeezed his youngest brother’s hand, unbidden emotions welling up in him like waves about to crash into the shore.

“You don’t have to build your life around us anymore, Phi. Yotha and I are safe now. Mostly because of you,” his breath hitched, “I fear that we can never repay the debt we owe you for everything you sacrificed so that we could be happy. But I need you to know that we are. Happy that is. And you deserve to be as well.”

Newton felt his eyes sting again, stronger this time as Faifa sniffled and pulled him into a hug. He felt Warich leave his side, so that Yotha who had stepped around the bar could join his brothers in the embrace.

“Idiots, you don’t owe me anything!” Newton murmured, as he tightly held his little brothers, who he realised truly weren’t that little anymore, gently cradling them as he had done so often when they were young. He heard Yotha whisper ‘We love you’ against his shoulder and if at that the tears that had threatened to fall the entire time trickled down his cheeks and into his brother’s hair, it was for them to know.

Klao and Warich watched them fondly, before Faifa broke the moment.

“Also, yes, we know that you don’t need a relationship in order to be happy, but you did lament your lack of a partner the last time we all got drunk together.” Newton’s eyes snapped open as he incredulously stared at his siblings.

“I did what now?”

Chapter Text

This was how Newton ended up sitting in his own bar on a Saturday morning across from a bunch of university students who were all staring intently at him. When Yotha had informed him that he had roped his peer mentor into his plan to find Newton a partner, he hadn’t really expected Arm to show up with half of the engineering department in tow.

He knew Gun and Wine of course, as well as Arc who he had used to occasionally play football with while he was still at uni himself and Arc had been a freshman. In some weird twist of fate he had apparently ended up as Arm’s boyfriend. Jet he remembered as well, his buddy’s standoffish little peer mentee, who, after meeting his girlfriend Pun, had evidently transformed into the lovey-dovey guy he was today. Good for them, Newton thought.
And then there were the two guys Arm introduced as Pond and Sand, who seemed to also be coupled up. So everyone and their grandma was in a happy relationship in this group. Which, again, good for them. But apparently this also licensed them to act as part-time cupids, or at least that’s what Arm seemed to think.

A big binder with pictures of different people lay in front of him, papers with crossing lines and what frankly looked like the scribbles of a madman were scattered all around. Him and Gun were enthusiastically chatting and pointing at various photos. Yotha, who had leaned back in his seat, his arm slung around Gun's shoulder, sent Newton a sheepish smile when their eyes met.

"Phi, I remember you being quite adored around uni back in the days, how come a heartthrob like that would need help dating?" Jet asked. Newton had to resist the urge to bury his head in his hands. As if he hadn’t asked himself the very same question countless times since he agreed to his brothers' weird plan. How come, indeed.

"'Back in the days', stop making me sound so ancient, Jet, I'm like two years older than you!"

The outrage in his voice was mostly for show, but a small part of him wondered if maybe he really was past his prime already and had missed his chance at finding a significant other. He had never really fallen in love. Sure, he has had the occasional crush, which sometimes developed into makeout sessions or one-night-stands that made him long for more, but overall his brothers had always remained his no.1 priority.

Jet grinned apologetically, after Pun not so gently punched his shoulder. "Sorry that's not what I meant at all! It’s just that you and P'Tawan were always the cool older seniors, I just think it's still kinda stuck in my head like that."
At that Arm perked up. "Tawan?" he turned to Newton, his eyes wide and excited, "You know P'Tawan? The forefather of the Perfect 10 Liners?"

"We were quite good friends in uni. Haven't really seen each other in a while, what with his nomadic lifestyle and all..."

"Write that down, write that down!!" Arm instructed an equally excited Gun, flailing his hands at one of the notebooks. "Maybe we can rekindle a spark and-"

Newton blanched. "Woah woah woah! Absolutely not," he interrupted, smacking down Arm’s fingers, "there never was a spark. We're buds. Besides, someone else would absolutely have my head, if I tried anything with Tawan..." At the multiple eyebrows being raised at him, he added, "Ask him how Newwiee is doing next time you hear from him. But you didn't hear that from me!"

Beside him Faifa snickered knowingly. Arm seemed equal parts delighted by this information and disappointed by having his matchmaking crushed before it even began, but he was quickly distracted by a crashing sound in front of the bar.

‘Stupid fucking stairs!! Who puts stairs in a fucking bar entrance?!’ they heard someone curse, before the front door was flung open and that someone entered. Newton was about to tell them that they weren't open for business yet, when Arm and Sand leapt up while shouting a name in perfect unison. Newton briefly wondered, if they ever had to rehearse this, or if this was just the way they are.

They ran up to the person, before all three started loudly talking over each other. "Ai'Po!! What took you so long?" - "Po, we were getting worried!!" - “Sorry guys, granny needed help with the groceries!” Judging from Pond's exasperated expression and the way Arc rubbed his temple, their antics were not out of the ordinary for them. Pun shook her head in fond amusement before resuming her conversation with Faifa, while Wine and Yotha shared an unimpressed look, and then continued inspecting Arm's notes.

Newton had to once again resist the urge to bury his head in his hands. “Yotha, why exactly is there a need for yet another random person to join this haywire scheme of yours?” he asked, but before his brother could answer a jovial voice did it for him.

“Because, Phi, as the resident single of this friend group I might be able to attribute valuable insight into-” Silence. Then a frantically whispered: “What the hell, Arm?? THAT guy needs dating advice? Are you sure you gave me the right address?”

Newton stopped resisting and let his head sink into his palms. Really, what had his life become.

Thankfully Faifa chimed in before Newton’s body could decide to spontaneously combust. “It’s the right address, P’, come join us! This is our older brother Newton, who is overjoyed that we’re all sacrificing our free time to help with his non-existent love life.” Alright, scratch that then, the combustion was more likely to happen than ever.

“It’s not like I asked for that, you pest!” he hissed, but Fai just sent him a saccharine smile and waved for the others to sit back down. The newcomer still seemed a bit reluctant, but Arm and Sand dragged him with them, pushing him towards a seat diagonally across Newton. The young man folded his hands in a polite greeting, but when he looked up with a shy smile, Newton’s response got stuck in his throat.

Well, okay. This one could stay. The motto of the day seemed to be ‘the more the merrier’ anyway, right? Right.

His change of heart definitely had nothing to do with the fact that the guy had the prettiest eyes New had ever seen. They were a deep, warm brown, kindness and a hint of mischief glinting in them. Newton liked a bit of mischief.

Realising he must have been staring, he cleared his throat and nodded at the man. “I’m Newton. I appreciate you coming here, nong,” he said, willing his smile to look normal and not forced, or worse completely smitten.

When the other just continued to stare at him, Newton began to worry that he hadn’t been successful, before Arm’s sharp elbow aimed at his friend’s side seemed to pull him from whatever trance he had been in.

“Yeah! Uh, sure, of course, no problem at all! I love coming!” The snort from Arc interrupted his stammering, fortunately distracting from the way Newton choked on air at the statement. The boy’s eyes went big and his cheeks flushed pink, making him look unfairly cute in Newton’s opinion, as he tried to stutter out a correction. “I-, I mean, I love to come… here. To this bar. It looks like a great place. Anyways, please let’s forget I ever opened my mouth. I’m Pipo,” Clearly flustered, he ran his fingers through his – really pretty, and probably really soft – hair, making it stand up in all directions. Cute. Newton would have loved to do the same, soothing the younger’s worries.

He shook his head. Where the hell were those thoughts coming from now?

“Ai’Po, were you able to find out any intel?” Arm asked eagerly, once again flipping through his binder.
Clearing his throat Pipo answered: “Yeah, so, turns out Earn is already dating someone…” Arm nodded, tearing one of the pages from his folder. “...and Sing has apparently decided to enter monkhood, so, uh, guess he’s out as well…” Arm frowned, but nodded again. “...and uh… Parn seems to be in prison…”

“What the fuck!” Arm exclaimed throwing his hands up in frustration. Alarmed Newton shot his brothers an incredulous look. What the hell kinda people were they trying to set him up with?? Yotha wisely avoided his gaze and Faifa seemed to suddenly be very interested in the material of Wine’s shirt. Well, to be fair, he was most likely always interested in that, since it pertained to Wine, but still.

While Po continued talking, Arm and Gun kept removing sheets with profiles from the stack, until a substantial amount of them lay discarded by their side, Gun looking increasingly more dejected each time a new one joined the pile. “...aaand that’s all I could figure out,” Po concluded his long list of people who Newton apparently wasn’t gonna be matchmade with.

“Alright,” Arm announced, solemnly looking at his friends as if he was about to hold a eulogy, “I’ll be honest, most of my favourite candidates have just been eliminated. However we will just have to make due with what’s left then. I hereby suggest that The Council of Cupids-”
“I’m sorry, the what now?” Po interrupted him, confusion written all over his face. Newton truly couldn’t agree more.
Rolling his eyes, as if it had been Pipo who was making up random societies, Arm stage whispered ‘That’s us!’ while gesturing at the assembled group at the same time as Sand helpfully interjected ‘The Coc!!’, before he continued “Like I said, The Council of Cupids should probably vote on the most suitable romance options out of those still available. Gun and I have prepared a ranking, so we should…”

At this point Newton started zoning out, wondering if he’d even get to have a say in any of this. Judging by the way Arm kept shooting down suggestions Pun and Pond made, he assumed not. By now he was pretty convinced that Arm and Gun had watched one too many dating shows, and used this as their real life reenactment. He didn’t doubt their good intentions, but he nevertheless asked himself again how the hell he had ended up in this situation.

His gaze wandered from person to person before his eyes caught those of Pipo already watching him. The boy grinned, inclining his head in Arm’s direction and subtly mimicked a cupid shooting an arrow. Newton stifled a snort and Po’s smile widened. Newton liked that look on him.

“...probably ask him about that,” he heard Faifa say, just in time to notice several heads turning in his direction. Confused he blinked at his brother, before turning to Arm who was now sheepishly wringing his hands.
“He’s right, Phi, um, I might have gotten a bit carried away here... I’m sorry! I based everything on what Faifa and Yotha told me, without really asking you what you want…”
He closed his binder apologetically as Arc pet his head in a comforting manner. “So… what’s important to you in a partner?”

With all eyes now trained on him, Newton shifted uncomfortably in his seat. What was important to him in a relationship? Leaning back, he crossed his arms before he said “I think… I think I want someone who can make me laugh. Someone who isn’t afraid to be a bit ridiculous. A person who is kind and positive and who wants to hear about how my day was,” Someone who takes care of me too he thought, but didn’t say out loud.

Jet turned to Arc “What about Warm? He’s single right?” Arc shrugged.
“Warm is never truly with someone, I think he has too many admirers for that. But I can ask him if he’s interested, sure.”
Fantastic, Newton thought, just what he needed, a lot of people to compete with.
He was too lost in his thoughts to notice Po intently looking at him, an uneasy frown on his face.

Chapter Text

Contrary to what he expected, Newton actually ended up enjoying his blind date with Warm. The man was kind and attentive, had a pretty face and a good sense of humour. Newton understood why he was as highly coveted as Arc had suggested. They found that they both shared a love for music, Warm telling him about his side gig as a musician, and Newton in turn sharing stories about the band he had formed with a bunch of art majors back in uni, where he had played the drums.

They got along great and thoroughly enjoyed their dinner together. But while they both had a lot of fun, they mutually decided to end the evening as just friends.

↠♡↞

Newton was in the middle of trying to remove a bunch of particularly persistent stains from a table when Yotha and Klao entered the bar together.

“Buddy!” Klao shouted as they approached, waving enthusiastically. He really had mellowed out since his reconciliation with Warich.

It was rather unusual for them to show up this early in the evening, but Newton was happy to see them nevertheless. He greeted and gestured for them to sit before refocussing his attention on the stains; too distracted to notice Yotha and Klao mouth something at each other, that to a keener observer would have suspiciously looked like a ‘no, you do it’.

Klao seemed to draw the shorter stick in their silent argument, because he leaned forward on his elbows, an air of fake nonchalance around him, when he said: “Sooo Casanova, tell us: how did that blind date of yours go?” suggestively waggling his eyebrows at Newton.

Ah. Of course that was the reason for their unexpected visit.

With a shrug Newton continued to rub the wooden tabletops. “He sings and plays guitar, I might actually hire him to play at the bar sometimes. Maybe I can even dust of my old drum kit. Jam like the olden days. Some live music would be good for business, don’t you guys think?”

Klao made a face. “Dude! You weren’t supposed to make friends, you were supposed to find a lover!” He sounded so genuinely offended that Newton had to laugh. He didn’t miss Yotha kicking Klao’s shin.

“Live music is a great idea, Phi,” Yotha said, fidgeting in his chair. “but, uh, wasn’t he your type or…?”

Newton shrugged again. “He was really nice. And very attractive. And for all intents and purposes he should have been my type. But I guess the spark just wasn’t there...” he trailed off. “I’m honestly not even sure if I even have a type.”

Klao looked deep in thought and Newton was about to ask them what he should get them to drink, when his friend suddenly hit the – newly stainless – tabletop with the flat of his hand and excitedly shouted: “What you need is a coach, buddy!”

He looked as proud of himself as if he had come up with a solution to end world hunger.

Fixing Klao with his best unimpressed eldest-of-three stare Newton responded with a firm ‘I absolutely don’t’, but unfortunately Klao didn’t seem intimidated in the slightest. Maybe the amount of time he spends with Yotha now should have worried Newton after all. It probably made him seem quite a bit less scary. How annoying.

“You sure do,” Klao insisted again.

“I do not!”

“Do too!”

“Not!”

In their admittedly childish back and forth Newton didn’t realise that Yotha was on the phone until it was already too late.

“...uh huh. Alright. Great, so you’re gonna send someone? Oh I guess around noon? Perfect, thank you so much, P’Arm, you’re the best! Bye-bye!”

Abruptly stopping in his endeavours to try and put Klao in a head lock, Newton shot his brother an incredulous look.

“Please tell me you didn’t just call Arm and ask him to do what I think you did. Please.”

Beside him Klao grinned like the cat that just got the whole damn cream jug.

“So, uh, what are you doing tomorrow at noon, hia?”

“You little pest, who’s coming here??”

The wide grin on his little brother’s face was all the confirmation Newton needed to know that this wouldn’t bode well for him at all.

↠♡↞

Of course it had to be the cute one.

Why would the universe have mercy on Newton’s poor heart after all?

It was one thing having to live through lectures on his non-existent love life from his friends and brothers, but being forced to endure the same from a stranger – a stranger, who unfortunately also happened to be really attractive – was a whole new level of humiliation.

That’s why his first reaction to finding Pipo standing in front of his door was to just shut said door in said man’s face. He must have been a horrible person in his past life, maybe a hitman or something like that, to deserve for the galaxy (and – let’s be honest – his brothers) to conspire against him like this.

Realising with a start that he was currently behaving like a horrible person in this life as well, he yanked the door back open. Pipo was still stood there, his hand raised to knock again and an unsure expression on his face.

Newton wondered how deeply he’d have to bow for it to be an even remotely appropriate apology for his rudeness, but before he could the boy started to ramble.

“P’Newton, I’m so sorry!” Wait, what? “I know the bar isn’t open yet, I didn’t mean to intrude! It’s just that, uh… Arm said... I should have known! He just tricked me, when he said you of all people needed advice. Really, why am I even friends with him? What an asshole! I’ll get him back for this for sure...”

The rambling continued and Newton had to admit, that he was reluctantly charmed by the motormouth in front of him. Before the other could talk himself into an aneurysm, Newton held up a placating hand, bringing the incessant chatter to a halt, while putting on what he hoped was a winning smile.

“Nong Po, it’s nice to see you! Thanks for coming by, Yotha told me Arm had sent someone. I must apologise for closing the door on you! A, uhm, mosquito... bit me and I reflexively threw it shut.”

He knew full well that he wasn’t the greatest liar, but when he stepped aside and asked Po to come in, the easy smile had returned to the man’s face and that was all that mattered for the moment.

The curious glances Po cast around the room weren’t lost on him, but to New’s delight he didn’t seem judgy, merely interested. He wasn’t quite sure why it mattered to him, if Pipo liked his bar or not.

Or, well, maybe he had an inkling, but he also really didn’t want to follow the weird feeling, that kept tugging at his heart whenever he had thought of the younger man, down the rabbit hole it was sure to lead him into.

As Po’s eyes lingered on the assortment of bottles on the shelves behind the bar top, Newton took that as his cue to get into barkeeper mode. With a – wholly unnecessary and only slightly showy – flourish he put a cocktail glass in front of the other.

“I’m not sure I can drink, Phi,” Po said with genuine remorse tinging his voice, “since I’ve come here on a mission!”

Feigning ignorance Newton leaned closer, expectantly waiting for him to continue.

“So, the, uhm… ‘Council of Cupids’ sent m-”

“Please tell me that you agree that it’s a stupid name,” Newton interrupted without thinking.

When Pipo laughed his nose scrunched up a bit. It was adorable. Newton decided that he wanted to see it many more times.

“I mean, the acronym is ‘coc’. If nothing else, this alone should have stopped Arm from coming up with it!”

Basking in the way the younger man’s laughter made warmth bloom in his chest, Newton allowed himself to join in. For the first time since this whole matchmaking mess had begun, he let himself laugh about the absurdity of it all. Pipo’s giggling was contagious and every time Newton thought he’d have himself under control again, one glance into each other’s eyes was enough, before they burst out laughing again.

“So,” Newton said after regaining his composure and wiping a few tears from his eyes “since we’ve established now, that your ‘mission’ is anything but dead serious: what can I get you to drink?”

Affronted Po clutched his chest, putting on an almost convincing air of indignation. “Why, Mister, are you trying to suggest, that this is not a grave endeavour? That my assignment is merely child’s play to you? Are you aware that if I were to fail this, it could cost me my prestigious position as Ambassador of the coc and-”

He barely even got the last sentence out before Newton broke out into howling laughter, Pipo himself holding onto his pompous persona a moment longer before also joining in.

Newton wasn’t sure when the last time had been that his stomach had ached from laughing too hard. It must have been a while. He leaned on his bar, letting his flushed face sink into his crossed arms, trying to calm his breathing, but the giggles kept bubbling up. He felt giddy and light and when he looked back up Pipo eyes were already trained on him, his shoulders shaking with barely restrained laughter, his eyes warm and full of mirth. Newton could only at the very last second stop himself from leaning across the bar and kissing him.

His face hurt from grinning so much and Pipo had only been with him for all of ten minutes. He was so screwed.

“Have you ever considered going into acting? Or have your dreams of being an ambassador thwarted that career?”

The other man sobered a little at his question, but a soft smile still played around his lips. “To be perfectly honest, I actually was kind of artsy when I was younger. Acting, painting, stand up, you name it! I originally even planned to study fine arts.”

Newton listened with rapt attention. He tried to imagine the boy in paint splattered overalls, smudges on his cheeks, a paint brush behind his ear. Adorable.

Concentrate, Newton! he promptly chided himself out of his daydreams. He isn’t even here as another blind date, he’s here as your coach!

“So what made you change majors? Fine arts and engineering aren’t exactly related disciplines are they?”

At that Po flushed a lovely shade of crimson and his hand started nervously fidgeting with his hair. Oh Newton was definitely intrigued now. The wolfish grin that spread across his lips probably made the other’s sudden shyness worse, because he hid his face behind his hands, seeming utterly mortified. But Newton couldn’t help it. Po looked absolutely delectable, with a blush high on his cheeks, his ears a bright red.

“Ohh what was it? A crush on a teacher? Wait, don’t tell me! A girl you liked said she only liked engineers? A fortune teller told you to?”

Po squirmed, his cheeks still red, but he lowered his hands and began to twiddle with his fingers instead.

“I… there was a festival at university, it might have been Songkran? I don’t remember. And I accompanied a friend there who also wanted to study fine arts, because a guy he liked played there with his band and…”

“Aaand?”

“And one of the band’s members was really hot! And he was wearing the jacket of the engineering department,” Newton pretended his heart didn’t skip a beat at the male pronouns Pipo used to describe his crush, “so, I… It’s really stupid, okay? I saw a hot older guy, who had most likely finished uni by the time I started it, and that influenced me enough to change my career path.”

He once again hid behind his hands, hair strands falling into his face as he ducked his head in embarrassment. “But! I will say, in retrospect I’m glad. I still love painting and drawing, but I think it would have been hell having to churn out pieces even if I didn’t feel like it.”

Newton nodded his understanding. He had never been a particularly artistic person himself, but he too had had quite a few friends who had been art majors and who had bemoaned the same problems. Lack of muse. Sleepless nights when inspiration finally struck. Countless hours honing your skills, only for the end result to be harshly critiqued in the name of artistry.

“It’s also not like you have to end up in the exact same career that you studied for, if you don’t want to. I’m the prime example for that. I studied engineering, then worked in admin for a while, then decided I wanted a more hands-on job, and now I run a bar,” he laughed. Po perked up at that. “Life isn’t set in stone, especially not when you’re still this young. You can be whoever and whatever you set out to be.”

Newton wasn’t sure why he had suddenly transformed into an inspirational-quotes-calender, but the smile on Po’s face made it worth it.

“Also, engineering is really fun,” Po said, his voice no longer muffled by his hands, “and brings a lot of great job opportunities. So all things considered, it actually all worked out super well for me. All thanks to a random pretty stranger. At this point I honestly don’t even remember what he looked like anymore, it’s all blurring together… But I hope that he’s doing well.”

The quick flash of what dangerously felt like jealousy at Po’s dreamy tone was thankfully dampened by his next words: “So, you said you studied engineering as well, Phi?”

Newton nodded. “I had probably graduated already when you started.”

Something about this fact felt important, like an itch in the back of the mind, but Newton couldn’t quite put his finger on why exactly that was. It was frustrating.

Focussing instead back on the still empty glass in front of them, he once again pointed at it, shooting Po an expectant look.

“You’ve been sent here to… ‘coach’ me in all things love after all, right? If you prefer, I can just make you a virgin cocktail, but it’s not like one drink will stop you from being able to do that. Especially not since I now know that your dating advice will probably be ‘look for hot guys who can play music.’” he teased.

For Newton Po’s following laughter was music enough, as he playfully shoved him away, but still asked for a Mai Tai.

“Hey, rude! I was so young back then! I’ll have you know, that I have a lot more tricks up my sleeve nowadays,” he argued back good-naturedly, going so far as to stick his tongue out at Newton.

“And, I mean, honestly? Who doesn’t like a drummer, right?”

Newton almost dropped the bottle he was holding.

This couldn’t be.

Surely this was too much of a coincidence.

...was it?

Newton needed a drink.