"Get up," Chak muttered quietly. "Pretend you're exhausted from the work I gave you."
For half a second my heart stopped.
So this was the plan.
I pushed myself up immediately, trying to look disoriented, like I had just been interrupted in the middle of something important. Inside, however, my pulse was racing.
He picked up my hoodie from the floor and tossed it to me.
"Put this on."
I caught it clumsily. My hands felt strangely warm. Why am I nervous? It's just them. Just our friends.
Chak grabbed his red shirt from the chair and slipped it on with calm precision, as if nothing unusual was happening at all. How does he look so composed? Does nothing ever shake him?
"Come here," he whispered.
I stepped closer.
"Sit down. Pretend you're writing something for the wedding."
The wedding.
My stomach flipped.
He placed the laptop in front of me, typed in the password quickly, and opened a random document. The screen glowed innocently, like it had always been there for this exact purpose.
I swallowed.
Wedding… I should actually write something. What if they ask?
Chak stepped closer once more. He leaned down and pressed a soft, almost invisible kiss against my lips.
"Everything will be okay," he whispered.
His voice was steady.
I nodded, though my heart was pounding against my ribs.
Please don't let Non notice anything. Please don't let Pim start asking questions.
Chak straightened, walked to the railing, and looked down toward the dock.
"You can come up and take a look if you want," he called out casually.
Casually.
As if we hadn't just been lying on the loungers minutes ago.
Footsteps. Excited voices. The sound of shoes stepping onto the yacht.
"I can't believe I'm actually going to see what Chak's yacht looks like from the inside!" Pim's voice rang out dramatically.
I lowered my gaze to the laptop screen and forced my fingers to hover over the keyboard.
Type something. Anything.
Anamarija's voice followed, calmer. "You should be grateful my brother is in a good mood today."
Non snorted. "One day, when I marry Chak, we'll be family."
I nearly choked.
Marry—?
"I doubt that will ever happen," Anamarija replied flatly.
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling.
"Why are you destroying my dreams?" Non protested.
"I'm not destroying them," she answered coolly. "I'm just placing you back on realistic ground."
God, this is dangerous.
"Anamarija," Pim suddenly asked, "then who is the boss going to marry?"
There was a short pause.
My fingers froze over the keyboard.
Please don't look at me. Please don't look at me.
"I hope it's someone he truly loves," Anamarija said quietly.
My chest tightened.
For a split second, I forgot to breathe.
Then I heard footsteps approaching.
They climbed up fully onto the deck.
I lifted my head slowly.
And I watched their faces change the moment they saw me.
Surprise.
Confusion.
Suspicion.
"Niran?" Non blinked. "What are you doing here?"
My brain screamed. Say something normal. Don't overdo it.
"I'm working," I said, lowering my voice deliberately, letting it sound tired. "I was just about to go to sleep when he called me and said he needed me to come because he had work for me."
I avoided looking toward Chak.
If I looked at him, I knew I'd give us away.
Inside, my thoughts were racing.
Do I look convincing?
Do I look like someone who was dragged here for work?
Is my hoodie straight?
Does my hair look like someone ran their hands through it?
Stay calm. Just breathe.
I pressed a random key on the keyboard and stared at the screen as if my entire future depended on that document.
And somewhere behind me, I could feel Chak's presence.
Steady.
Unbothered.
As if he knew no one would dare question him for long.
And that, somehow, made me feel even more exposed.
Non narrowed his eyes at me.
"At this hour?" he asked slowly.
I forced a small, tired shrug. "Deadlines don't really care about the time."
Please stop looking at me like that. Please.
Pim leaned closer, peeking at the laptop screen. "What are you writing?"
My mind went blank.
Think. Wedding. Wedding.
"Something for the wedding" I replied, pretending to scroll. "For the ceremony."
"Ohhh," Pim gasped immediately. "Is it romantic?"
Romantic.
If only she knew what had happened here less than twenty minutes ago.
"It's… formal," I said carefully.
Behind them, Chak stepped forward, calm and composed, his voice smooth.
"I asked him to help finalize some details," he said. "The venue confirmation and a few adjustments to the program."
His tone left no room for further questioning.
God, he's good at this.
Non crossed his arms. "You dragged him here at night for that?"
Chak raised one eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"
Non instantly straightened. "No. Of course not. I admire dedication."
I had to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from smiling.
Anamarija's gaze moved between us.
She didn't say anything.
But she was observant. Too observant.
Her eyes dropped briefly to my hoodie.
Then to Chak's red shirt.
Then back to me.
My pulse spiked.
Does she recognize the shirt?
Does she know it's his?
"So this is the famous yacht," Pim said, spinning slowly in place. "It is romantic."
"It's minimalist," Anamarija corrected automatically.
"It's rich," Non added.
"It's private," Pim whispered dramatically.
My fingers tightened on the keyboard.
Chak stepped closer to me then — not too close, but enough for his presence to feel intentional.
"If you're done inspecting," he said calmly, "you can look around for ten minutes. Then I need quiet."
Authority.
Immediate silence.
Non saluted jokingly. "Yes, sir."
They scattered across the deck, peeking into corners, whispering, commenting on everything.
I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding.
Chak moved behind my chair.
His hand came to rest briefly on the back of it — close enough that I could feel the warmth of him through the thin fabric of my hoodie.
"You're doing well," he murmured quietly, so only I could hear.
My heart betrayed me immediately.
I kept my eyes on the screen. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
A faint huff of amusement escaped him.
"Maybe."
I typed a few random words just to make the act convincing.
Love. Chak. Future
The irony almost made me laugh.
Suddenly Non's voice echoed again.
"Hey, boss!"
My shoulders stiffened.
"Yes?" Chak answered smoothly.
Non comes to us and asked Chak. "Boss do you have anything for eat? I'm so hungry. "
"There is some fruit in the fridge, you can take it out." Chak said to him.
"Thank you." Non said.
Non disappeared toward the small kitchenette without waiting for further permission.
"I'm literally starving," he announced dramatically as he opened the fridge.
A second later he reappeared with the bowl of fruit in his hands.
"Ohhh," Pim said, immediately abandoning her inspection of the deck. "You actually have food."
"Of course I have food," Chak replied dryly.
Non placed the bowl in the center of the table and sat down heavily. "Alright. If we're going to emotionally process this night, we need sugar."
One by one, everyone took a seat around the table.
Pim crossed her legs on the chair.
Amara leaned forward eagerly.
Anamarija sat with quiet elegance, watching everything.
Non immediately grabbed a slice of mango.
I closed the laptop slowly and joined them.
Chak took the seat beside me.
Close enough that our knees brushed under the table.
My heart noticed.
Even if no one else did. Of course Anamarija knows.
They moved on as if nothing monumental had just shifted in the universe.
Non started talking about some ridiculous client meeting. Pim argued about flower arrangements for a wedding concept. Amara complained about the heat and how yachts should come with better air-conditioning. Laughter rose and fell naturally.
No one mentioned Chak.
No one mentioned me.
But under the table, his knee stayed against mine.
Not accidentally.
Not briefly.
Deliberately.
Every small movement sent electricity up my spine. I kept my eyes on the fruit plate, pretending to listen, pretending to breathe normally.
Chak looked completely composed, occasionally responding with short, calm remarks. If someone didn't know him, they'd never suspect anything.
But I knew.
The pressure of his knee shifted slightly.
A silent reminder.
You're here.
With me.
I swallowed.
And then, suddenly, his chair scraped lightly against the deck.
"I need some air," Chak said smoothly.
No one questioned it.
He turned his head slightly toward me.
"Niran. Come with me."
My pulse spiked.
Why does he say my name like that? Like it belongs to him.
I stood, trying to act natural, aware of Amara's curious gaze and Non's raised eyebrow.
We walked toward the cabin.
The moment the door closed behind us, the world changed.
The laughter outside became distant. Muted.
Before I could even speak, Chak stepped forward.
His hand cupped my jaw.
And then he kissed me.
Not soft.
Not hesitant.
Certain.
My hands instinctively gripped his shirt. I could feel his heartbeat through the fabric — steady, confident — the complete opposite of mine.
I melted into it.
Why does it feel like every kiss rewrites me?
His thumb brushed along my cheek as he deepened it slightly. The cabin felt smaller. Warmer. Safer.
And then—
The door burst open.
"Oh my GOD—!"
Amara's scream shattered the moment.
We jumped apart, but not fast enough.
Her hands flew to her face, eyes sparkling.
"AAAAAAAAAA".
Before either of us could react, she spun around and bolted back toward the deck.
"AMARA—" I started, mortified.
But she was already gone.
I stared at Chak, panic flooding my chest.
We're dead. We are absolutely dead.
Chak, however, looked… calm.
Annoyed.
But calm.
He took my hand briefly — just for a second — squeezed it.
"It's fine," he said quietly.
Is it though?!
We walked back out.
Everyone turned toward Amara immediately.
"What happened?" Non asked, confused.
"Why did you scream?" Pim added.
Amara was practically vibrating with excitement, clutching Non's arm now and half hiding behind him.
"Amara?" Non asked.
She tried to hold it in.
Failed.
"They kissed!" she blurted.
And then leaned dramatically against Non like she might faint from happiness.
Silence.
Complete, stunned silence.
I could feel heat crawl up my neck, my ears, my entire face.
I couldn't look at anyone.
Why is this more embarrassing than anything we've done?
Non's mouth fell open.
Pim gasped.
Anamarija just smiled — slow, victorious.
Chak stepped slightly closer to me.
Not touching.
But close enough.
Claiming space.
"It's true," he said evenly.
And somehow, those two words felt bigger than any explanation.
My heart was still racing.
But this time—
I wasn't hiding it.