7 Days Romance

"Hi! I'm Edward and I'll be your private tour guide for the entire week! Nice to meet you, Mr. Christian, and welcome to Sapporo!"

The man sitting on the couch with a cat on his lap, stroking it softly, stared at the television with an expression as cold as the snow piling up outside of his four-bedroom apartment. It is snowy wintertime in Sapporo and covering the entire living room is the blinding light coming from the screen, hitting his face with it as he watched quietly the news broadcasting live about a certain man named Edward and his said to be fiancé. With all the blabbering on the television, he can still hear him say it at the back of his mind, "Welcome to Sapporo!" with a cheerful voice. He put down the cat beside him and got up, walked sluggishly towards the kitchen, and yanked the refrigerator door, creating a slight shake inside. The uninterested man snatched a beer from the door bin and swallowed greedily the bitter juice making him scowl in an instant then returned to his seat and gulps another as he listened to the clapping and cheering when the pair announced a wedding to take place three months from now.

As gloomy as the weather is, his resentment overflowed, and just rolled his eyes at it.

"This kid, who would've thought. I was his first you know." He mumbled with an irritated hiss as he glances at the smiling pair again looking at each other as if true love exists, at least not for him.

He was basking in his bitter world when his phone which was on the side drawer rang. The surprised man with a raised brow drank down another sip before putting it on the table in front of him and reached for his shouting mobile, answering in an inactive tone.

"Christian speaking."

"Mr. Christian, it's me, Levi.."

"Oh. Yes?"

"Mr. John wants to talk to you about a client and urges you to call him as soon as possible."

The man puckered about the sudden news, rubbing his nose with his finger out of irritation.

"In this late hour? You guys couldn't wait until tomorrow?"

"I apologize, Mr. Christian, but, my boss's orders."

"And who does he think I am? I'll call him tomorrow. Gosh, these people!"

Just like that, the irritated man ended the call and switched off the television not wanting to hear another joyous statement about his used to be "friend", then waddled to his bedroom. Still grumbling to himself, he laid down on his comfy bed in pitch-black surroundings, remembering what happened four years ago on that radiant summer day when he, a broken-hearted guy went on a vacation and met the innocent and lively Edward, who back then was the complete opposite of what he is now. As he closes his eyes, the man's impressive profile hits him as well as the things they did together, from Edward being just a tour guide to them becoming friends, but with benefits. A quick getaway for a troubled man who only wanted to forget a painful separation.

"Chris, I think I have fallen for you."

Same words, the same phrases that keep reciting in his drowsy mind as if the man is whispering it in his ears. He can hear him repeating it in his deep and alluring voice like a roller coaster going around slowly that gives tickles inside his body.

Christian finally managed to fall senseless, completely hidden in his downy comforter while wiggling beside him is his short-legged cat, Jian Gou.

Every night, his dream sails him back to four years ago. Like in a love film, the setting is always flawless, the characters portray perfection and the story flows according to what his mind craves. Almost every night, he lives in that illusion his psyche rolls for him but then, of course, movies always have an ending and mostly happy ones but for him, it's not always like that because the moment he opens his eyes, his nightmares come to be.

Before everything fell to what they are now, he was in a complicated but happy relationship with his long-time boyfriend, Darren. An unrestricted, successful fashion designer and wedding planner from Singapore, Christian felt like his life was perfect even though they both kept their romance personal because of his lover's affluent background as a son of a CEO, people are quick to judge and he wants nothing to do with it. Until one day, news broke out of them being homosexuals and supposedly in a relationship which made most of the people in the county furious, dragging his name to every nasty controversy they can think of. Worse, his lover denied him and left without saying anything to him but what destroyed him to the core was that, after that time when all of the chaos was happening, he found that Darren was already in a relationship with a woman, an actress named Lulu.

His happiness came crashing down including his career which he worked hard to earn. Luckily, there were still a few people who stayed behind him and never left his side which gave him a slight ray of hope and courage to continue. After that agonizing breakup, that's when he decided to go away for a while, booked a flight to Japan, and visited Sapporo which one of his friends suggested.

And there, he met him. The man who for him, was just someone to cover that hole inside him at that time but then, never left his mind ever since. He was in despair and needed something or rather, someone to make him forget even for just a week.

He returned to Singapore without saying goodbye to him after another issue came about between them and that's when he realized that maybe being with a person like him, is no good after all and decided to stay away from serious relationships for good.

He tried to repair what was left of his career and thankfully got back on his knees slowly but surely and never mentioned again the names he once knew. And a year ago, he returned to Japan to open up another branch in Sapporo for his clothing collections which are wedding gowns and tuxedos. The man is quite popular with celebrities and those with wealth as his name began to spread all over the country, not only for his spectacular work but for his seriously beautiful face and captivating aura.

Thin beams of daylight pass in between the goblet drapery covering the wooden sliding door leading to the terrace of the man's master bedroom who was sleeping comfortably like a baby, still lost in his dream. It finally ended when a soft paw patted his cold cheeks which instantly woke up his senses, forcing his saggy eyes to open fully. He smiled upon catching a glimpse of his cat's broad yellow eyes as if telling him to stand already, pulling the furry creature closer to him and giving it a gentle tickle on the neck. The soft purr of his adorable pet made his morning start a little bit better and proceeded to stretch his stiff body while letting out a big yawn. His teary eyes shifted to look at the tiny glow enacting through the drapes, indicating a new day that he doesn't look forward to for he is not a morning person.

He looked away and sat up still very sleepy then clutched his fingers together, pushing them outward quite rough, finally breaking away from somnolence.

The still weary man reached for his cat walked around the bed and stood up, pulled his jacket which was on the chair next to his bed, and sauntered to the living room to feed the expressionless creature hanging from his arms. The first thing he does after waking up is put on music to loosen up a bit, not a lively song though, but a melodramatic one that he thinks suits his life best.

He hummed to the song as he puts down the cat then walked to the kitchen to look for the cat food on the lower cabinet. After giving plentiful grub to his pet, the not-so-spirited man heated some water and grabbed some lemon from the fridge, squeezing the juice out into his mug then putting honey on it. He can still lick the bitter taste from the beer he consumed the night before and so went on to the bathroom to wash up first and brush his teeth thoroughly.

No one is living with him except his cat so he doesn't bother looking raw and all in mornings like this one which for him is perfect.

He put on his winter jacket and returned to his bedroom unhurriedly with his cup in his hand, drinking up little by little his early morning beverage. He then pulled aside the thick drapes on both sides and peered outside the tempered glass which was a bit fogged up because of the frigid atmosphere, only to sigh and frown at the thing he couldn't detect properly so he turned his back instead to get his phone then walked to the living room to finish his drink.

Once seated, he crossed his legs and dialed the number of his business partner and good friend, John. He waited for him to answer with a grim face but to his annoyance, no one answered. The man hissed at his friend and tried to dial again but, a different voice answered him.

"John?"

"Hi. This isn't him, he is still asleep."

"Then who are you?"

"Justin, who is this?"

"Justin? That author, Justin?"

"Yes, may I know who I am speaking to please?"

Christian creased for a second, rolled his eyes, and shook his head at his irritation because knowing his colleague for almost ten years now, bringing home a random guy and sometimes associating with big names, is not unusual news for him anymore.

"He knows who I am. Please tell him to call me when he wakes up. Thank you, Mr. Author."

Before the man on the other line can speak, he finished off the call and continued to sip in his drink while listening to the songs playing through the whole place. One at a time, the songs bring back hurtful memories he knows he can't erase even he tries but just to sing along with it as he had lived his life for years now, just go with the flow. He was about to get up and got to the kitchen but then his phone rang in his hand, raising his brow to the name on the screen.

"You little-!"

Christian yelled but the other just laughed at his outrage making him curse under his breath, slouching again on the back pillow.

"Seriously, you get on my nerves sometimes. When will you stop playing around?"

"Now now calm down, Chris, and look who's talking! I didn't fuck the guy, alright? You sound like my twin it's annoying."

"You know, sometimes I wish you are Jarred. Anyway, what did your secretary call me about last night?"

"Harsh! We're twins but I'm not my twin so just try and live with that."

"You wanna fight? Now spit it! what?"

"Gosh, Chris! Why are you always so grumpy? It's still early in the morning! Okay! But, will you relax first?"

Truth hurts but his friend was right. Ever since that day, he became a different person, constantly cranky and sour making people fear him, especially his laborers, and as solace, he drowns himself in alcohol whenever his mind goes into distress mode.

"I'm waiting."

"Well, I'm sure you heard the news already. It's like a tornado swirling around the entire world."

"Go on."

"The upcoming wedding of the socialite and painter Maggie, and Edward, Darren's half, hot, sexy, and gorgeous younger brother. You know, Darren, your ex-"

Christian halted for a moment and sighed a silent one and tried to hide the discomfort behind his authoritarian voice.

"Hm. So?"

"Well, they just landed from London, and they want to meet up. The couple wants you to design their outfit for their upcoming wedding."

"I see. Okay. No problem."

"You sure? I mean, you might see Darren again one of these days, are you not-"

"No. Arrange for the couple to meet me tomorrow. Bye."

"Alright, but, Chris-"

He abruptly ended the conversation and shut his eyes, finally letting out the air that had built up inside his lungs throughout the whole phone call. He was not worried about seeing his dick of an ex for he doesn't care anymore rather, he was worried about seeing the boy he once knew and now the man he had grown to be. He is certain that the guy has a reason as to why they chose him as their designer and doesn't even want to think what but, with all these, he also had his reasons why he chose to leave that day and for him, it was valid.

TO BE CONTINUED..

Christian realized that there's not much sense to it now and no one can ever go back and change it, he thought to himself while gazing up at the ceiling.

Christian let out a weary sigh before standing up and throwing out the can of beer he left last night at the bin and putting his cup in the sink. After tidying a bit, he went back to his room to take a long and warm bath to calm his nerves down for it was too early for another drink, he just decided to bathe it out. He slowly slides his clothes onto his smooth skin and dipped his body into the tub already filled with white bumps floating around. He enjoys the warm water with eyes locked as he caresses his arms and legs with bubbles while drawing in his mind the layout for his big-time clients, what color, fabric he would use, and the one who would use it.

"I love you, Chris."

"Hold me."

"Are you going to leave me too?"

The memories suddenly inhabited him. He could hear his voice, so clear that it seemed like the man is just beside him.

Unexpectedly, the time he had spent in bed with Edward while he was on that break, all that sensual touch, the kiss, the cute noises the once young man brings about whenever he nuzzled his neck and the pleasure and satisfaction he felt on that seven-day romance came rushing back to him. The next thing he knew, he was performing it on his body, giving pleasure in his manhood while imagining that the other is doing it. After he was done, he opened his eyes slightly gasping, and bit his lower lip.

"What are you doing, you stupid man. Snap out of it. You can't have him back."

He whispered under his shaky breath still bathing on the now polluted water as he pushed his body up to go to the shower room. When he was done cleaning himself, he put on white long sleeves matched with grey pants then made himself a club sandwich for breakfast for he felt like all his energy has left him after that little thing he did in the bathroom. He moved to his study area and began to draw the designs he was imagining, giving them life on a piece of paper using his God-given talent.

By the time he finished, it was already ten past eleven and he was so immersed in his drawings, he didn't even eat half of the sandwich yet. He arranged his designs in a black folder and was putting it in his bag along with all his paraphernalia when his phone started to jingle.

"What is it again?"

"They said they would like to meet with you today."

"What happened to tomorrow?"

"Mr. hotness called me personally and insisted that you meet them today since they are in the City already."

Christian's expression changed from tired to aggravated when he heard what his colleague said, stood up from his chair, and heaved an annoyed sigh before talking again.

"Fine. I will be there in an hour."

"Ok good, because they'll be here in 25 minutes."

"Then, let them wait."

"Chris-"

"What?"

"You know how beautiful you look when you smile? Can you put that mask on today and pretend that you're nice? Can you at least do that? They're important people you know and our name is on the line here."

"John?"

"Yes?"

"You're are getting on my last nerve. Now, shut it."

"Okay, Chris, see you later! Don't be late!"

The terrified man gave a nervous laugh, immediately dropping the phone on him and Christian could only whiz at his jolly friend. He sat down and placed his face on his palms, disputing what attitude he should show the "important" clients. Should he be happy to see Edward again and just act normal as if nothing happened between them, offer him a handshake and a pat on the shoulder or, put his more serious and cold behavior and deceive everyone yet again since no one knows what transpired except for the two of them.

Pretending is not hard for him and tossing a simple smile out there is only one of the things he's not afraid of faking.

"Easy." He whispered as he got up and plod to his bedroom to change, puts on a beige cable knit crew neck, then topping it off with a black wool overcoat fitted with black slacks. Next, his brown checkered scarf then matched it with brown leather gloves and lastly, socks and boots to warm up his feet. He grabbed his bag containing the designs and newsboy flat cap on top of his drawer then said goodbye to his little playmate, rubbed its fat tummy and went on his way.

"See you later, nut."

As soon as he stepped outside, his nose began to redden, cheeks started to blush and steam started to appear as he exhales. He looked at the Children from his neighbors happily playing at the piling snow outside of their homes which brought a slight smile to his face. He looked down, quite envious of the sight. Because he wishes nothing more than to return to innocence once again like the youngsters giggling at their little hands buried into the snowdrift.

He took a deep breath, got into his car, and drove off in a hurry but as carefully as possible. He resides quite far from the main city but since he has a car, going back and forth was never a problem.

And after a 30-minute hustle, he finally made it to the location and instantly prepared his things including his fierce expression and professional posture. He looked at himself in the rearview mirror and again heaved a sigh before going out of his car. His brows wrinkled a bit when he saw bodyguards dressed in black suits waiting beside a luxury car and instantly knew that the stars have arrived.

He walked quickly and greeted the men with a slight nod.

As he holds the door handle, he felt a sudden tingling in his chest so he halted for a bit. He gulped at what he was feeling, but, went in with his usual tough demeanor. He was greeted by his employees and friend John who was all smile, but, relatively nervous.

"Chris, so glad you're finally here. They've been waiting for you at the VIP room."

Said the pleased one, extending his hand at the not-so-excited designer.

"Yes, I'm here."

He gave a fraudulent smile at his business partner and went on his way to the VIP room which is located on the 3rd floor of the building, where he and Edward will finally meet again after four long years. They had no communication ever since that day whatsoever and now, he is about to open the door and felt like throwing up all of a sudden.

When he managed to open the glass door, two persons whose backs are turned around were busily glimpsing outside of the glass window, enjoying the view when the girl wearing a pink coat with brownish curly hair noticed him come in. She greeted the designer with a lovely smile and so did the other.

"Mr. Christian! I'm so happy to finally meet you in person."

"Hello, Ms. Maggie. Glad to meet you too."

Both exchanged a handshake but his eyes quickly shifted to the man whose back is still turned away. The woman noticed it and called the man which made Christian's heart beat faster than it should, which Edward can only do.

"Baobei, the designer is here."

It was silent for a while until the man eventually turned around, facing each other once again. Christian's eyes twinkled as he gazed at the man who is still handsome as ever, but, looked different. It was not the same guy he met four years back, he admits. He's matured, but remarkably.

"He's changed. Is it because of me? I guess so. I think so. I know so. Those eyes, the spark, it's gone. And, it's my fault."

He thought to himself, bringing him back to where it all started.

TO BE CONTINUED..

Sparkling lights glimmer throughout the busy street of Singapore's most luxurious event of the year, The Grand Ball only for the rich and famous. Flashes from cameras everywhere, from paparazzi to enthusiasts trying to capture their favorite celebrities ambling on the red carpet with their sophisticated and elegant dresses, waving at the crowd like royalties, all while masquerading unnatural smiles for the naive public.

The screaming mob surprised the whole area when two men climbed down from a Rolls-Royce Phantom, the biggest roller only the fortunate can buy, shining from all the flashing lights surrounding it.

The son of the CEO of Crown Jewels, one of the largest jewelry creators in the world and number one in entire Singapore, the 29-year-old Darren who is second in command to his father as the President, strolled down the grand carpet dazzling like a prince like those in fairytales. All smiles for the camera, he waved at the screaming ladies with playful laughter, enough to make the women go crazy. Walking beside him is the fashion designer known for his mystifying beauty and charm which celebrities, especially females envy, Christian.

Not from a prominent background but popular among the wealthiest of the wealthy. Christian, the same age as Darren, made a name for himself with his incredible designs which can be compared to the top designers such as Chanel or Armani. But, his name was acknowledged worldwide when he designed the wedding gown of a royal couple which made his whole career blossom even more.

People screamed their names and the two who stopped in the middle of the runway, posing for the cameras, glanced at each other and giggled, exchanging words with their eyes only they can understand. Security was surrounding them as they started to walk towards the stadium and both quickly with their feet moved along like flash enough to reach their designated waiting area within seconds.

Both entered the same room and reasoned with the staff that they had something important to discuss, ordering both the guards and personnel to not disturb them until he asks them to since plenty of time was still available before the party started, which they politely obliged. The moment Darren locked the door, his body language changed, eyes became vicious like that of a lion as if ready to catch his prey who was behind him, and the other who instantly sensed the danger, sexily giggled which made the hungry creature turn his head for him. Darren bit his lips as soon as he saw the other's alluring stare, scanned his prey's exterior from toes to the chest in thought what to devour first while the target, teased the eager one by slowly walking backward, pretending to run away from his fierce predator.

"Daddy's hungry. Would you mind feeding me?"

Said the titillated one while removing his coat, then unbuttoning his shirt, slowly walking towards his victim.

"What do you want to eat first?"

Teased the playful man, already sitting on the couch waiting for his captor to come around and strip him down to nothing. By the time Darren reached for him, his clothes were already scattered on the floor, showing off his muscular physique which made his lover more excited, stroking his body way down to where his hard toy is located while looking seductively at each other.

Breathing heavily while Christian is fondling him, he pulled the man up which made the other gasp, and landed those sweet lips with a passionate but harsh kiss while slowly peeling away the man's upper garments.

Then, the other abruptly broke away from the kiss and whispered something to his lover's ears.

"Baby, what if someone hears us? Can't you wait until we're home?"

Questioned Christian who continued to lay kisses on his lover's neck.

"Don't be too loud. We'll be quick I promise."

"If it's too good, what if I can't control it?"

"Then by tomorrow, anticipate for our faces to be on the front page."

Darren chuckled but Christian's face all of a sudden turned serious.

"But what if one day they find out about us? Would you stay with me?"

The kissing halted and the questioning man instantly understood why. He already knew the answer to that matter but for some reason, still decided to implore hoping for the response to change, but, left embarrassed again instead. His lover stared at him in a dissatisfied manner and he just looked down then simply deliver a pessimistic smile.

"I know, Darren. I'm sorry for asking."

"Baby, we already talked about that."

"Yes, and I'm sorry. I won't ask again."

The unhappy face of Christian brought dismay to Darren's face and quickly let go of his lover's still body, which eyes were still attached to the floor. Christian did the same, withdrew his hand from Darren, and slowly pulled up his sleeves without looking up or uttering anything. The disappointed one who was just staring at his lover with hurting eyes just heaved a deep sigh not knowing what else to tell him except for another sorry.

"Chris."

But he, who is tired of hearing it, looked at Darren and interrupted him with a forced smile, squeezing his hand gently.

"It's okay, baby. I really should get used to it. I'm sorry for making this hard for you. Put on your clothes. Time for us to go out."

Christian drifted his eyes away and let go of his lover's hand but Darren quickly catches his arm, not wanting another misunderstanding.

"Chris, it's not like that."

"Darren, I know. It's better this way anyway. Just know that I love you."

Hearing the man say how much he loves him made Darren's heart ail for a moment. Firstly because for the past three months, he had been cheating on him with a woman, and secondly, he knows how much their lives and careers will be at risk if their relationship comes out. He is in love with him, yes, but, Darren doesn't see a future for them especially because they are both men and the rest of the world is not as open-minded as their mentalities are.

Christian noticed that Darren suddenly was not himself and didn't wait for him to answer back so he gently took away his arm from Darren's grip and grabbed his coat from the floor.

"I'll wait for you outside, okay?"

The night went on as usual for the two of them, conversing with top stars here and there, bragging off how much fortune everyone has and just all about riches and fame Christian struggles to get used to. Darren on the other hand was effortlessly confident to show off his fortune as the others for it is all he has ever known since childhood. Unlike Darren though, he had to work hard to get to where he is now.

Nine years ago, he was just a nobody trying to make it to the fashion industry which was his dream since he was a kid. He loves to draw and knew he wanted to become a designer thanks to his mother who showed him and taught him to make his first piece out of old pristine drapes. Bringing to life his sketches made him feel a sense of fulfillment and joy he knew he can never find at anything else. A pencil and a piece of paper were enough for him but as he grows older, he wanted to evolve to something much greater and so decided to do something to achieve it.

He worked several jobs to have the money for the fashion course he so wanted to take and sent them an email some of his designs which fortunately became his ticket to becoming a scholar at one of the top universities in Singapore. Since he has saved money from working, he didn't need to ask his mother for it and instead urges her to just save it, promising her a better life when he becomes successful. Unfortunately, his mother didn't get the chance to witness him coming to be the person he promised her he would be for she passed away two months after he moved out. He was devastated but he has a promise to keep and so continued his journey with great focus and determination, all for his mother.

Two years into the University, he would meet the man whom he will fall head over heels for.

Darren, the typical "most popular guy in school" type who was taking a management course, captured his eyes when he saw him walking along the packed path of the school entrance wearing only a simple smile which the man found attractive.

TO BE CONTINUED..