Chapter - 5
991 Words
-----------
The moment he stepped in, warmth wrapped around him. The scent of butter and sugar lingered in the air, mixing with the faint sound of jazz music playing softly in the background. It felt... peaceful.
And then, Macau saw him.
The boy behind the counter.
For a second, Macau forgot why he was even here.
The omega was beautiful. Soft, tousled hair framed his face, and his round, doe-like eyes were filled with warmth. He wore a pastel apron over a white sweater, the sleeves slightly rolled up, making him look even smaller. There was a tiny smudge of frosting on his cheek, and Macau had the sudden, insane urge to wipe it off.
The boy tilted his head, giving Macau a gentle smile.
"Welcome! It's a bit late-I was about to close soon."
Macau snapped out of his daze and rushed to the glass display, pressing his small hands against it like a child staring at toys. His big eyes scanned the pastries, and he felt pure agony trying to choose.
"I want..." He paused dramatically, dragging out the suspense. "I want all of them."
The boy chuckled, his voice soft and sweet. "That's a big order. You must be really hungry."
Macau groaned, throwing his head back. "You have no idea. I had an exam and stupid group projects all day. I swear, I almost fainted in the car."
The omega behind the counter hummed in amusement. "That bad, huh? Hold on."
Before Macau could ask what he was doing, the boy grabbed a fresh croissant-still warm from the oven-and placed it on a plate, sliding it toward him.
"Here. Eat this first."
Macau blinked. "Wait... for free?"
That soft, genuine smile appeared again, and Macau felt something weird in his chest. "For free. But only if you promise to tell me if it's good or not."
He didn't need to be told twice. Macau grabbed the croissant and took a massive bite. The moment the buttery, flaky layers melted on his tongue, he let out an unfiltered moan of delight.
"Oh my god," he gasped, staring at the boy. "This is amazing!"
The omega laughed-a soft, happy sound that made Macau's ears twitch.
"I'll take that as a yes, then," the baker teased.
Macau nodded aggressively, already taking another bite. "You should open a shop near my school. You'd be rich in no time."
The boy grinned, his dimple showing. "I'll think about it."
Just then, Macau's phone buzzed. He pulled it out, and the second he saw the name on the screen, his stomach dropped.
Hia: Where are you?
Oh no.
Macau panicked, stuffing the rest of the croissant into his mouth before grabbing a few more pastries from the display. He wiped his hands on a napkin and turned toward the door. "I gotta go before my brother murders me."
The omega behind the counter raised a curious brow. "That serious?"
Macau groaned. "You have no idea."
As he rushed out, he stole one last glance at the boy.
Under the warm glow of the shop lights, the omega looked even more beautiful-like some kind of fairytale baker straight out of a cozy slice-of-life drama.
Macau had no idea why that thought popped into his head, but he decided not to question it.
Instead, he smirked. "I'm coming back! Your pastries are too good not to!"
Macau was halfway to the door when he suddenly paused.
Wait.
He had rushed in here, stuffed his face with a free croissant, and was about to run off without even knowing the cute baker's name? Unacceptable.
Turning back around, Macau tilted his head, eyes shining with curiosity. "Hey, what's your name?"
The omega blinked, surprised, then let out a soft chuckle. "You were about to leave in hurry then stopped just for asking my name?"
Macau huffed, crossing his arms. "I was in a life-or-death situation. My brother will scold me if i'm late."
The boy laughed again, shaking his head. "It's Pete."
Macau stared at him for a moment, then grinned. "Phi Pete."
Pete blinked. "Huh?"
"I'll call you Phi Pete," Macau said confidently, rocking on his heels.
Pete looked amused. "But aren't you calling me Phi like I'm older?"
"Yep." Macau smirked. "Because you give off big-brother vibes."
Pete raised an eyebrow. "I don't think that's how it works."
"Well, I don't care," Macau said smugly. "You're Phi Pete now."
Pete just shook his head, laughing. "Alright, alright. And you? What's your name?"
Macau's smirk widened. "Macau."
Pete smiled. "Nice to meet you, Macau."
Macau felt something warm in his chest at the way Pete said his name.
But before he could respond, his phone buzzed again. This time, it wasn't a message. It was a call.
Hia.
Macau yelped, clutching his phone like it was a bomb. "Oh no, I'm dead-bye, Phi Pete!" And with that, he bolted out the door.
The omega chuckled, watching as the small, bratty customer disappeared into the night.
He had no idea that the boy he had just fed was Macau Theerapanyakul-the younger omega brother of the most feared alpha in Bangkok.
---
Vegas stepped into the grand Theerapanyakul mansion, his sharp eyes scanning the dimly lit space. The house was eerily quiet, save for the faint sound of a clock ticking. That silence never meant anything good.
His father, Gun Theerapanyakul, sat in his usual spot-a grand leather chair in the center of the living room. A half-filled whiskey glass rested in his hand, his expression unreadable.
Vegas sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "You called me home."
Gun swirled his drink, watching the amber liquid move. "Sit."
Vegas didn't.
Gun finally lifted his gaze, cold and unwavering. "You're getting married."
Vegas stiffened. His fingers curled slightly, but his face remained unreadable. "To who?"
"My friend Chan's omega son."
A slow, cold anger burned in Vegas' chest.
His jaw tightened. "I don't want to marry him."
---
- Writer
