Chapter Text
Nani left the office later than usual. It had been one of those days when the universe seemed out to get him. First, he was late in the morning because his phone didn’t charge overnight, thanks to a rebellious cable, so he didn't hear his alarm.
Then, halfway to work, the bus broke down. And when Nani finally made it to the office, it felt like fate was pelting him with problems like popcorn.
His computer froze just as he was about to send a report he’d worked on for so long that it practically felt like part of him. And the coffee machine? It decided Nani didn’t deserve caffeine and let him know by hissing and puffing steam. After lunch, his boss, with a voice full of artificial sweetness, announced, “Everyone’s giving it their all, BUT we need to give even more.” Whatever that was supposed to mean.
After that chaotic day, Nani trudged toward the bus stop, exhausted, annoyed, and hungry. All he wanted was to be home, sink into the couch, sip some tea, and forget people existed. And then, of course, someone stepped into his path.
“Nani Hirunkit?” The stranger asked.
Nani narrowed his eyes. The guy was tall, ridiculously handsome, and looked like he’d walked straight out of a high-end men’s fashion catalogue. Black leather jacket over a fitted black T-shirt, perfectly styled hair, and a smile that screamed, “I know I look good, and you know it too, so let’s get down to business.”
“Whatever you’re selling, no thanks,” Nani said flatly, too tired to fake politeness. He tried to step around him, but the stranger stood firm.
“Sky Wongravee. Remember me?” The man said with a grin, pulling out his phone and showing a picture. “That’s you, right?”
Nani glanced at the screen. It was a scan of an old, film-developed photo. Two boys, maybe seven or eight years old, stood in a playground. One of them, Nani recognised himself, wore a flower wreath on his head and held some leaves. The other had a crooked tie, probably made from his mom’s scarf. They were holding hands and smiling at the camera.
Nani leaned in closer, and a long-buried memory slowly floated up from the depths of his mind.
“Wait... What do you want?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.
“That’s you,” the man - Sky said, pointing to little Nani. “And that’s me.” He pointed to the shorter boy with the scarf tie. “And this is our wedding photo.”
Nani burst out laughing. He wasn’t sure why it hit him so hard, maybe it was just the sheer absurdity on top of an already absurd day. Or maybe it was the dead-serious tone Sky had used. Either way, he couldn’t stop laughing.
“Oh, amazing,” he chuckled. “Do you have a marriage certificate written in colored pencil, too?”
Sky smirked, picking up on the sarcasm.
“No, but there was a cake. Made of sand. We made it for the toys in the sandbox.”
“Romantic,” Nani said, rolling his eyes. “All that’s missing is an orchestra made of battery-powered plastic instruments. Look, Sky, it was… nice seeing you, but I really need to get going, so…”
“Wait. I actually came looking for you because I’ve got, uh… some business to talk over. Can we go somewhere we can sit and talk for a moment?”
Nani eyed him suspiciously. Why would someone he hadn’t seen since they were eight suddenly show up with an old photo and start reminiscing about sandbox weddings? His wariness tangled with curiosity. After a moment, he sighed.
Curiosity won.
“There’s a café over there,” he said, nodding toward the corner. “Just a heads-up, if you start saying things like ‘everything happens for a reason,’ I’m not responsible for what happens next.”
***
When they were finally seated in the café and the waitress brought their order, two iced teas, Nani couldn’t take it anymore.
“Okay,” he said, leaning on his elbows across the table. “What’s going on? Where did you get that photo, and why are you acting like we’re celebrating our twentieth wedding anniversary?”
Sky sighed and answered bluntly.
“Marry me.”
Nani had just taken a sip of his tea. He’d made a lot of poor choices in life, but drinking tea at that moment had to be one of his most spectacular. He choked, spluttered, and drew concerned glances from several neighbouring tables.
Sky, like he was expecting a similar reaction, calmly handed him a napkin.
“I must’ve misheard,” Nani said once he’d regained control of his breathing. “Could you... repeat that?”
Sky sighed again, like he didn’t quite know why he was saying this out loud, but figured that, since he’d already started, there was no turning back.
“Look. You’re single, right?”
“Yes. Or at least I thought I was - until now. You're making me question whether I slept through a secret ceremony.” Nani’s irritation was growing with every passing second of this absurdity.
“It’s... a bit complicated. But since we got married in elementary school, I figured you could be my fiancé now, as adults.”
“No. Just no. Don’t say that in such a serious tone.” Nani raised his hand in a gesture that said 'please, stop talking'. "First of all, it was a fake marriage. For fun. The marriage ended when each of us returned home from the playground for dinner. And the second, I thought the usual order was: meet, get to know each other, fall in love, have a sweet engagement, and then a romantic wedding. Not: ‘Hey, remember when we played on the swings together? Marry me'.”
“True,” Sky admitted. “In my head, it sounded less desperate.”
Nani shot him a glare. He tossed the napkin onto the table and pushed his chair back, standing up.
“Okay, this was funny for like, two minutes. Now it’s not. Goodbye.”
“Wait! Let me explain!” Sky called after him.
Nani glanced back just in time to see Sky looking like a puppy. Cute, Nani thought before mentally slapping himself for even thinking that.
And yet… he hesitated. With a sigh, he sat back down, folding his arms and waiting for an explanation of this completely unhinged reunion.
“It’s because of my grandma,” Sky began.
“Of course it’s the grandma,” Nani muttered. "Sandbox weddings, flower crowns, and a vow like ‘we’ll always play together'.”
Sky ignored the sarcasm.
“She remembers you. You lived next door. She used to call you ‘sweetheart’ and said you were the nicest boy in the neighbourhood.”
“Lies. I was a little monster. But okay, continue.”
“Grandma’s been on my case for years to get married. She really wants to see me settle down. And I have absolutely zero interest in doing that.”
“And what does this have to do with me?”
“We used to play together sometimes when I visited her after school.”
Nani frowned. He hadn’t thought he’d remember something that far back. But then his mind filled with blurry memories of his old house... the nice old lady who always called him “sweetheart” and gave him treats... and her grandson he sometimes played with on the playground.
He looked at the man sitting across from him. He never imagined that this kid would grow up to be a lunatic.
“I recently found that photo in her album - she took it, by the way, and it brought back memories. And when she brought up marriage again recently… I panicked. I told her I'd met you again. And that we are together now.”
“You did WHAT?” Nani's voice jumped an octave. He waved his hand impatiently. “And?!”
“And she started crying. She said it was fate. That she always knew I’d end up with someone wonderful. And that she was thrilled it turned out to be ‘that sweet boy from next door.’” Sky rolled his eyes at the memory. He loved his grandmother dearly, but sometimes she overdid it with her reactions.
Nani stared at Sky like he’d grown a second head. He wasn’t sure which of them was more insane, Sky, for coming up with this ridiculous plan, or himself, for still sitting there listening to it.
He stood up again, the chair scraping across the floor like it was protesting this conversation too, and headed for the door. An elementary school pseudo-fiancé. This day couldn't get any more ridiculous.
But Sky wasn’t done. He caught up to him just outside the café.
“Don’t follow me!” Nani snapped, quickening his pace. “Or I’ll call the police and report a dangerous lunatic harassing innocent citizens!”
“Do you think I like this?!” Sky called after him. “I wanted a peaceful life, too! No drama, no wedding talk! But my grandma... she won’t stop until she sees me in a tux with a flower in the lapel.”
Nani stopped so suddenly, Sky nearly collided with him.
“You definitely take after her,” he muttered through gritted teeth, then said louder, “That’s NOT my problem. Go find yourself another... fiancé-for-hire.”
“One hundred thousand.”
“…Excuse me?”
“One hundred thousand dollars. Per month. To pretend to be my fiancé. Family dinners, a few staged romantic photos… As for the wedding, we’ll sign the papers at city hall, and in a few months, we divorce.”
Nani blinked. For a second, he didn’t move. Then he looked around, half-expecting a camera crew to jump out from behind a bush.
“Are you serious? This isn’t some social experiment? A prank? ‘I Got Engaged to a Stranger Challenge’?”
But Sky looked dead serious. Too serious for a joke. No “just kidding” expression. Either he was a world-class actor, or he meant every word.
“And your grandma will stop bothering you?” The question escaped Nani’s lips before he could bite his tongue. He really should’ve walked off minutes ago; instead, here he was, worrying about what the woman who used to bribe him with cookies would think of his fake engagement.
“For a while, yeah. Then she might try to set me up with her friend’s friend's niece or something. But I’ll tell her I’m still heartbroken from the divorce.” He made air quotes and grimaced slightly, clearly not happy about manipulating his grandma’s emotions, but also knowing it was the only way to stop her.
Nani groaned.
“I don’t know what’s worse. The fact that you’re asking me to enter a fake marriage so your family will leave you alone, or the fact that you're trying to buy me off with money."
“I prefer the term incentivise,” Sky said with a cheeky grin. “Think about it. A vacation. A new car." He looked over Nani's head at the bus departing nearby, then back at Nani. "Or whatever you want. And all you have to endure are a few awkward holiday dinners. Zero emotional investment. Kinda sounds like the perfect marriage, don’t you think?”
Nani squinted at him.
“Are you seriously trying to sell me a dream life bundled with a fake, but still legally binding, marriage?”
“Relax. Grandma will plan everything anyway. You won’t even have to choose the napkin colours.” He shrugged. “She’s probably already sewing us matching suits.”
Nani ran his hand through his hair.
“I regret ever playing on that damn playground.”
“And I regret not taking a picture of the rings we made from those round pepper chips we ate later.” Sky gave him a gummy smile and a wink.
Nani didn’t answer. He just gave him that look again, the one that clearly said, Have you lost your mind, Mr. Handsome, but absolutely unhinged?
Sky pulled something from his wallet and handed it over.
“My business card. Call me. I’ll be waiting.”
Then, as if he’d just suggested grabbing coffee sometime and not a paid, staged relationship complete with fake vows and real signatures, he turned and walked toward the parking lot.
Nani stood there for a moment, staring at the card. The company name, Skyline & Co., was printed in sleek, elegant lettering, and underneath it: Sky Wongravee, CEO.
He looked up at the sky, as if waiting for a sign from the universe.
It didn't come.
He wanted to crumple the card and toss it into the nearest trash bin.
But instead… he slid it into his pocket and headed for the bus stop, muttering curses under his breath.
***
Just a few hours ago, Nani had dreamed of lying in bed and sleeping through the rest of the day. But now, he couldn’t stay home. So, in the early evening, he was sitting on a park bench with his older sister and her little daughter. The little one was collecting pebbles and trying to stuff them into Nani’s pockets.
“What would you do if you suddenly won a hundred thousand dollars?” he asked the woman casually.
“Hmm… I’d renovate the apartment, send the little one to a better school… and buy a new car, because ours is practically on life support. Oh, and maybe take a real vacation, far from the city. Why do you ask?”
Nani looked at his niece, now attempting to build a tower from the pebbles she’d collected.
“No reason. Just… wondering. Purely theoretical.”
They fell into a comfortable silence. In the distance, a dog barked. Children squealed on the playground.
“Sometimes I think about what would happen if I just… did something completely different,” he added softly. “Something stupid. But maybe not as pointless as it seems.”
His sister gave him a short, thoughtful look but didn’t press. She knew him well enough to know he’d speak when he was ready—and if not, he’d carry it around for a while.
“Mom would love a vacation too,” she said after a moment. “She always says she’s not tired, but I know better.”
Nani bit his lip and didn’t respond. He thought of his mother, how she always smiled and said “it’s fine” even when exhaustion was written all over her face.
Then he thought of himself. Of how maybe it was time to do something that didn’t start with “for now” and end with “maybe someday.”
They sat there a little longer, in a silence that didn’t feel heavy.
And then Nani thought that maybe sometimes stupid ideas make more sense than they should.
***
A few days later
It had been raining since morning. Nani stood by the door of his apartment, trying to kick off his soaked shoes without splashing mud onto the wall. His eyes stung from exhaustion, and his wet clothes clung to him.
He tossed his bag into the corner, took off his jacket, and wiped his face with one hand. Then he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.
“Congratulations, Nani,” he muttered. “You’ve survived another thrilling episode of Life That Hates You.”
After a hot shower and a cup of instant noodles, he collapsed onto the couch. His gaze landed on the coffee table, where Sky’s business card still lay.
With a sigh, he picked it up, flopped onto the cushions, and stared at it. Turned it over in his hand. Wondered why he hadn’t thrown it out yet.
The idea was crazy. Absurd. Possibly stupid.
But maybe, deep down, it was exactly what he needed. An escape.
Something so far from the monotony of work, bills, and “we don’t have the budget for a raise, but you have to work for two” that it almost felt… refreshing.
“Okay. In the worst case, I die of embarrassment,” he muttered. “In the best case… I get a hundred grand a month for pretending to date a very attractive lunatic.”
He sat up and reached for his phone. His thumb hovered over the green call button. He hesitated for a moment, but then thought of his bank account. And his landlord. And the suspiciously frequent mentions of a rent hike.
He pressed “Call.”
After a few rings, he could hear the nice voice on the other side.
“Sky Wongravee.”
Nani let out a long, theatrical sigh. “I’m going to regret this. But congratulations. You just hired your first contract husband.”
There was a pause. Then Sky’s voice came back, a little too cheerful: “This is going to be a great adventure.”
Nani suspected that Sky was already opening the champagne.
“This is going to be chaos,” Nani muttered. “Just tell me where and when to sign this ridiculous pact with the devil.”
“We need to meet and plan our backstory before we end up at grandma’s court. Also, clear your schedule for Saturday. Family dinner.”
“Of course,” Nani said dryly. “Because nothing screams ‘solid start to a fake relationship’ like dining with a woman who’s probably already decided how many tiers our wedding cake will have.”
He heard Sky laugh softly through the receiver.
“I’ll text you the address and time. And… Nani?”
“Hm?”
“Thanks for saying yes.” Sky’s voice had changed, suddenly softer, more sincere. “This means a lot to me.”
Nani blinked, caught off guard by the shift. He didn’t know Sky. Not really. All he had was one absurd conversation and an old photo.
But still, something inside him, maybe the remnants of childhood trust in the playground boy, maybe the echo of his grandmother's cookies, made him just sigh and reply:
“Don’t thank me yet,” he said finally. “You still have to convince me this dinner won’t end with a cup full of water flying in my direction.”
Sky chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’ll get hit first. After all, you’re grandma’s favourite neighbour.”
“Lucky me,” Nani grumbled and hung up.
He flopped back down onto the couch, staring at the ceiling.
“What the hell did I just do?” He whispered to himself. “Nani, you idiot.”
But for the first time in what felt like forever, he didn’t just feel tired.
He felt something. Curiosity. Maybe even a spark of excitement.
He got up and opened his wardrobe.
“What does one wear to dinner with a fiancé and the grandmother who just adopted you into her family?”
He had no idea.
But one thing was clear: he’d just stepped into something he couldn’t walk away from without consequences.