After finishing their breakfast with soft smiles and playful teasing, Pond and Phuwin decided to spend some time in the lush green garden outside the cottage. The morning was peaceful, the sound of birds chirping mingling with the light breeze, and the warmth of the sun making the moment even more serene. They sat together on a wooden bench, Phuwin nestled comfortably in Pond’s arms, snuggling into him as they enjoyed the tranquility.

Phuwin sighed contentedly, looking up at the clear blue sky. "It’s so nice and calm here," he said softly, tracing circles on Pond’s chest. "I don’t have a heart to leave this place. I wish we could stay here forever, just you and me."

Pond felt his heart flutter at Phuwin’s words. He pulled Phuwin closer, hugging him tightly, resting his chin on top of his head. "I don’t want to leave either, Phu," he whispered. "But we can come here often. I’ll make sure of it. And if you really want to stay here forever... then we can move in here. I’d be happy to do it for you."

Phuwin smiled, his heart warming at the sincerity in Pond’s voice. He knew Pond would do anything for him, and the thought made him feel so loved. Snuggling deeper into Pond’s chest, Phuwin let out a soft sigh of contentment. "You’re too good to me, Pond," he murmured.

Pond chuckled, kissing the top of Phuwin’s head. "You deserve nothing less, my honey Phu."

They sat in comfortable silence, enjoying each other’s presence and the peaceful atmosphere, the time to return to the city had arrived. Reluctantly, they packed their things and loaded them into the car.

As they drove back, Phuwin stared out the window, lost in thought, until he turned to Pond and said, "Pond, we need to tell our families about our engagement, right? Shall we start with mine?"

Pond grinned, glancing at Phuwin out of the corner of his eye. "Aww, my honey Phu," he said, his voice filled with affection. "Did you really think I’d propose to you without talking to your family first?"

Phuwin’s eyes widened in shock. "What?! What do you mean?"

Pond couldn’t help but laugh at Phuwin’s reaction. "Baby," he said, reaching over to take Phuwin’s hand in his, "I’ve been planning this for a long time. Before I proposed to you, I talked to your family and got their permission. After that, I asked you to marry me."

Phuwin’s mouth dropped open, his mind racing as he processed what Pond had just told him. "You... you talked to my family first?" he repeated, still in disbelief. "I didn’t know..."

Pond chuckled again, squeezing Phuwin’s hand. "Of course I did, baby. I wanted everything to be perfect. At first, I was only going to ask you to be my boyfriend. But when I was planning the proposal, something inside me just... clicked. I knew I didn’t want to spend another second without knowing you’d be mine forever. I want to pamper you, love you, and keep you with me for the rest of our lives. That’s why I proposed. I couldn’t wait anymore."

Phuwin’s heart swelled with emotion, feeling warmth flood through him at Pond’s words. He leaned over and kissed Pond’s cheek, his lips lingering for a moment. "Love you," Phuwin whispered, overwhelmed with love. He rested his head on Pond’s shoulder, taking a deep breath as he tried to calm the emotions stirring inside him.

Pond noticed how emotional Phuwin was, and his heart softened. Without a word, he pulled the car over to the side of the road, stopping in a quiet area surrounded by trees. He unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over, pulling Phuwin into a tight hug. "Come here," Pond whispered, patting Phuwin’s head and kissing his temple. "You don’t have to say anything, Phu. I know how you feel."

Phuwin melted into the embrace, his eyes closing as he took comfort in Pond’s arms. They stayed like that for a few moments, the quietness of the roadside wrapping around them like a protective cocoon.

After a while, Pond whispered, "Ready to go home, baby?"

Phuwin nodded, smiling softly as he pulled away and wiped at his eyes. "Yeah... Let’s go."

With one last kiss to Phuwin’s forehead, Pond started the car again, and they resumed their journey. Soon, they arrived at Phuwin’s mansion, and as the car pulled up to the grand entrance, Phuwin smiled, feeling a sense of peace and contentment wash over him. With Pond by his side, everything felt perfect.

Pond and Phuwin entered the grand mansion, the familiar warmth of home enveloping them immediately. As they stepped inside, they were greeted by a lively scene—Phuwin's parents, along with Mix, Earth, were already there, chatting and laughing. Phuwin's face lit up, and he greeted everyone cheerfully, making his way to the living room where they all gathered.

"Phuwin! Come here!" Mix called out teasingly, while Earth and Tay smiled at him with knowing looks. As Phuwin took a seat on the couch, he noticed the playful glances exchanged among the group. Confused, he followed their line of sight and realized they were all staring at Pond, who was sitting unusually close to him, one arm wrapped possessively around his waist.

Phuwin’s cheeks heated up, and a soft blush crept across his face as he noticed Pond’s affectionate gesture. He glanced at the others, their raised eyebrows and mischievous smiles clearly waiting for some sort of announcement. Finally, Phuwin shyly lifted his left hand, showing off the engagement ring sparkling on his finger.

"We’re... engaged," he said bashfully, his voice soft but filled with joy.

The room erupted with excitement. "Yay!" Mix and New shouted in unison, springing up from their seats and hugging each other, exchanging happy congratulations. Earth and Tay smiled fondly at them, their eyes shining with happiness, before they hugged each other too.

Fourth, always the energetic one, practically leaped onto Phuwin, throwing his arms around him. "Whoa!! My idol is going to be my brother-in-law and live in my home?! This is jolly, jolly, jolly!" Fourth cheered, bouncing up and down with uncontainable excitement. Phuwin couldn’t help but laugh heartily at Fourth’s antics, patting the younger boy’s head affectionately.

"Calm down, Fotfot!" Phuwin chuckled, still laughing as Fourth hugged him tightly.

Dunk approached Phuwin with a warm smile and wrapped him in a hug. "Congratulations, Little Phu," he said softly, his voice sincere and kind.

Gemini came next, though he didn’t say much. He hugged Phuwin tightly, but instead of letting go, he lingered in the hug for a while, burying his face in Phuwin’s shoulder. Phuwin noticed the slight tension in Gemini’s hold and immediately understood. His younger brother wasn’t expressing it verbally, but he was feeling a little sad knowing that Phuwin would be married soon and might leave the house. Phuwin’s heart ached at the thought, and he lovingly stroked Gemini’s hair, placing a soft kiss on his head.

"It’s okay, Gem," Phuwin whispered, letting his brother stay in the embrace as long as he needed. He knew Gemini was rarely open about his emotions and wasn’t the most sociable, but when it came to Phuwin, he turned into a baby, unafraid to show his vulnerability. Phuwin smiled, continuing to pat Gemini’s head gently.

The others, noticing the tender moment, began teasing playfully. "Leave him alone, Gemini! He’s not getting married tomorrow; you’ve got time!" New called out, chuckling.

"You’re being possessive already!" Mix added, laughing as Gemini ignored them completely, his head still firmly planted against Phuwin’s chest.

Phuwin just smiled warmly, hugging Gemini back as everyone laughed at the scene. Then, without warning, Gemini suddenly lifted his head from Phuwin’s chest and turned to face Pond, his expression serious. He narrowed his eyes slightly, frowning as he spoke, "P’Pond, take care of my Phu well, okay? Otherwise, you’ll have to deal with me. I won’t listen to Phu or anyone else—I’ll punch you until you bleed if you make him unhappy. So, you better be careful and make him happy, always. Or else... bear the consequences."

Pond, taken aback by Gemini’s fierce protectiveness, gulped lightly. He quickly nodded, his voice sincere as he replied, "Of course, brother-in-law. I won’t make him sad—I don’t have the heart to do that. I’m not stupid enough to hurt this precious baby. I’ll love and cherish him forever."

Hearing Pond’s heartfelt words, Phuwin blushed even more, feeling warmth flood through his chest. He gently nudged Gemini to lay his head back on his chest, patting his hair affectionately. "Aii, Gem, don’t worry na," Phuwin said softly. "He’ll take care of me... Pond loves me, and we’ll be happy, okay? So, no need to get angry, my little Gemgem."

Gemini remained silent, nodding slightly but keeping his head resting against Phuwin’s chest as Phuwin continued to caress his hair. The room filled with warmth as everyone looked on fondly, knowing how rare it was for Gemini to show his emotions so openly.

Mix smiled at the scene, leaning into Earth as they exchanged happy glances. New and Tay, holding each other, also shared a look of contentment, feeling joy for Phuwin and Pond.

The rest of the evening was spent with lively conversations and happy chatter, the room filled with the warmth of family and love. Everyone congratulated the newly engaged couple again, teasing and laughing, but beneath it all was an undeniable sense of happiness that radiated throughout the entire mansion.

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