Me and Thee & Calm down Mr Rome Special.

Wake Up Call Special #5

Peachayarat rubbed his temple lightly as he stepped into the studio where the meeting was to be held. He hadn't slept well last night, tossing and turning, his mind restless with thoughts of the woman from dinner. In the end, he'd learned nothing. Neera had led their conversation in circles, never offering anything of real substance, and he, too much of a coward to press for her true intentions, had played along, smiling faintly as he let the meaningless chatter drag on until their meal ended. And now, here he was, overthinking everything.

 

With a long sigh, he told himself to let it go. She was just someone looking to stir up trouble. Nothing more. More importantly, he trusted his partner. A man like Kian wasn't the type to have never been in a relationship before, which was hardly surprising. What mattered was what came next. And Kian had never once broken a promise.

 

Taking a deep breath, Peach straightened his shoulders, forced a small smile back onto his lips, and pushed open the studio door. The room looked a little different from last time. The usual couch had been replaced with a long table, and sitting there alone was Nathan. The photographer looked tense, brow furrowed as he focused on the tablet in his hands. But when he glanced up and met Peach's gaze, he still managed a small nod of greeting before returning his attention to whatever he was reading. Something was up.

 

"Is there a problem?" Peach asked, settling into the seat across from him. Nathan let out a quiet sigh.

 

"Not exactly a problem. More of an inconvenience, really. Though, in a way, it could be a good thing." He paused before sighing again, clearly debating how to explain. 

 

"We just got word that a guest wants to join the project at the last minute. The issue is... their schedule clashes directly with our shoot, and I didn't arrange for any backup photographers or crew. There's no one available to cover it."

 

Peach tilted his head, intrigued. Last-minute additions weren't unheard of, but in a project like this, one that required travel, schedules were usually set well in advance. Especially with high-profile business figures, whose packed calendars left them with only narrow windows for interviews."

 

Someone suddenly deciding to jump in like this? No way there'd be a team free to accommodate them.

 

"But the theme and the magazine layout have already been set, haven't they? How can we add another person?

 

"The publishing house really wants this one. They're willing to cut other columns and add extra pages if necessary. We've actually reached out to him a few times before, but he was always unavailable." Nathan sighed, looking both frustrated and resigned. "Now that he finally has a slot, they're pushing for it, no matter what. Bottom line-we have to make space for five people in this issue."

 

Peach frowned, thinking over the problem. The only real solution was to merge the two teams so that one could be freed up to handle the new guest. Either that or have the businessman share a shoot with another confirmed participant. Both options were a logistical nightmare. These high-profile business figures weren't exactly the easiest people to accommodate. If they were displeased, things could spiral into an even bigger mess, with long-term consequences.

 

Having spent years working alongside Thee, Peach had started to see things the way he did. This wasn't just about scheduling or prestige-it was about security too.

 

"How about we just talk to the guest directly?" Peach suggested, though his tone betrayed his reluctance.

 

"Let's explain the situation and ask if they can reschedule for next week. I can stay behind and handle the shoot myself."

 

Nathan looked tense but eventually gave a slow nod. "That might be our best bet." Peach offered a small, reassuring smile as Nathan picked up his phone and started dialling. "I'm the team lead-I'll handle the extra shoot. You focus on your own model," Nathan muttered as he waited for the call to connect.

 

Peach nodded in understanding, glancing down at his tablet to review the information on the honorary model he was assigned to manage. The crew had already been sent to pick him up, so they'd be meeting soon. He figured it was best to go over the details again, especially since he'd been too preoccupied last night to read them properly. That was Mr Thee's fault. Because Peach had been worried about him, he hadn't prepared properly.

 

Peach pressed his lips together, sulking internally. Thee had been so wrapped up in his own worries that Peach had gotten swept up in them too. And yet, knowing Thee, he'd probably be pleased if he knew how much Peach fussed over him. A tiny smirk curled at the corner of Peach's lips as he let out a quiet breath. He was already missing Kian again.

 

"That's what we're going with?"

 

Peach looked up at the concerned tone in Nathan's voice. Their team leader had just turned toward him, his expression visibly uneasy. Despite that, he kept his conversation on the phone going without missing a beat.

 

"If Mr Simon has no objections, then I have no problem with it either," Nathan said, his voice composed yet cautious. Peach raised an eyebrow. Simon? That was the surname of the Italian businessman, just past forty, whom he was assigned to take care of.

 

"Understood. I'll make all the necessary arrangements." Nathan wrapped up the call with a few more courteous words before hanging up and turning to Peach, who instinctively sat up straighter as if there was going to be a problem ahead. Nathan let out a long sigh, his face clouded with guilt, before he finally spoke. 

 

"Our guest said he's a friend of Mr Simon and that he'd like to be in the same shoot. No need for a separate session. And Mr Simon himself has already agreed."

 

Peach blinked a few times. If that's the case... doesn't that mean he's the one stuck with double the workload?

 

"They also mentioned that they're very happy with the team we've arranged. No changes needed at all," Nathan continued, looking even more apologetic. I'm really sorry, but... would you mind taking responsibility for both of them?"

 

Peach chuckled softly, deciding to play it lightheartedly to keep the tension from getting worse. "No problem. But with all this extra work, shouldn't I be getting a pay raise?"

 

"Of course. It's basically two jobs now, so I'll sort that out for you." Nathan's voice was firm and reassuring as he handed over a business card. "Here's the contact for the coordination team. They've already picked up Mr Simon and our fifth guest. You can head over with the rest of the crew now. We've got a car ready for you."

 

Peach gave a brief nod before taking his leave. He strode out of the studio, and as soon as he stepped onto the street, he spotted a black van parked nearby, the name of a publishing company emblazoned on the side in bold letters.

 

"Excuse me, mind if I tag along?" Peach approached the crew with a polite smile, his tone warm and friendly. His demeanour earned him a few sideways glances from some of the team members, but they quickly looked away, clearly uninterested. He barely held back an eye roll. Not surprising.

 

"You must be Peach?" A young woman stepped forward, flashing him a welcoming smile. "Shall we get going? We don't want to waste any more time."

 

"Sure." He nodded and climbed into the van without fuss, not bothering to let the cold shoulders around him get under his skin. Some people still held onto the outdated belief that race determined skill, that no Asian could be better than a European. It was an ignorant, backward way of thinking, but one that, frustratingly enough, refused to die out even after all these years. Still, if all they could do was seethe in silence, why should he waste his energy caring about this?

 

The drive didn't take long. Soon, the van pulled up in front of a two-story white restaurant perched right by a wide river. A small, lush garden flanked the side of the building, its greenery wrapping around the space, making it feel secluded, as if the restaurant were cut off from the rest of the world. They had booked the entire place for the day. That meant today's shooting had to be wrapped up, no matter what.

 

Honestly, a single day should've been more than enough to get the photoshoot done. Peach had pulled off urgent shoots that had to be wrapped up within an hour before. But this was different. The person in question wasn't a professional model-he wouldn't have a clue how to hold his posture or control his movements. On top of that, the so-called honorary model for the day was someone with an incredibly high social standing, meaning Peach couldn't just bark orders like he normally would. And now, with two people to handle instead of one, things were bound to get even tighter.

 

The set crew arrived early in the morning. By the time Peach stepped into the restaurant, they had already arranged the interview space, setting up a cosy sofa area for the sit-down session. The first part of today's work was the interview, and his job was to capture shots for the magazine spread. Adjusting the grip on his camera, Peach moved around, searching for the best angles. Since this was primarily an interview piece, photography wasn't the main focus. And since he wasn't a world-renowned photographer, he had to figure things out for himself. He raised his camera to eye level, moving silently as he scanned for the right frame. Just then, a ripple of excitement spread through the staff around him. The buzz in the air meant that their esteemed guest had finally arrived.

 

Peach paid little attention to the murmurs. The real star here was the interviewer, not him. He panned his lens quietly, fine-tuning the focus. But then, through the viewfinder, a tall, broad-shouldered man came into focus. His powerful frame and commanding presence made the people around him instinctively step aside, parting like waves before a force of nature.

 

Smoky grey eyes gleamed under the studio lights, and his sharp jawline tilted slightly upward, exuding quiet authority. Peach's breath caught in his throat. His heart stalled for a split second before lurching back into a rapid rhythm. Slowly, he lowered the camera, eyes still locked onto that familiar grey gaze, the very same one he had fallen for at first sight and had loved ever since.

 

"Kian..." he murmured under his breath, meeting the eyes of the man he loved. The mafia boss curved his lips into a subtle smirk, his eyes softening. It was almost as if Peach could see an invisible tail wagging furiously behind him, restrained only by sheer willpower.

So the "urgent business trip abroad" was actually… this magazine interview?!

 

Theerakit shifted, clearly about to step toward him, but the moment Peach lifted a hand in silent warning, he stopped in his tracks. However, his expression darkened instantly with displeasure, a scowl settling on his otherwise striking features. The sudden change in his demeanour made several staff members hesitate, unsure whether to step forward or retreat in fear.

 

"Mr Thee, is there a problem?"

 

That voice was familiar enough to jolt Peach back to reality. Forcing himself to snap out of his daze, he swept his gaze over the room and finally noticed the two men flanking Mr Thee. On one side stood a tall, lean Thai man, his physique deceptively slender, though the sharp definition of his muscles and the veins running along his forearms told a different story. On the other side stood an imposing figure with ashen-grey hair, neatly styled to reveal a forehead as prominent as his piercing eyes, eyes that looked almost identical to Mr Thee's.

 

Mok, his former secretary-turned-brother-in-law. And the other one, Krichdanai, Rome, Arseny, Mr Thee's

biological younger brother, now the official head of the Arseny family. What was Peach supposed to freak out about first? The fact that his husband had shown up at his workplace unannounced, or the fact that the leader of one of the most powerful mafia families was casually strolling through his studio.

 

"Hey."

 

While Peach was busy massaging his temples, trying to stave off a headache, Theerakit had already closed the distance between them. The man cleared his throat and extended his hand. 

 

"You must be the photographer I'm working with today. Looking forward to it."

 

Peach shook his hand, surprised by the warmth radiating from the firm grip. He had planned to let go quickly, but Theerakit didn't seem to have the same idea. Instead of releasing him, he tightened his hold just slightly. Peach pressed his lips together, eyes darting around to make sure no one was paying too much attention. Then, as subtly as he could, he gave the other man's hand a small shake-his way of saying let go already. When he glanced up, wide brown eyes meeting cool grey, he wasn't aware that his expression carried a quiet plea.

 

"Would you mind coming this way? I want to go over today's shoot real quick."

 

Thee didn't hear a damn word. His focus was entirely on the warmth of Peach's palm, the slightly calloused fingertips, and that gaze looking up at him with something he couldn't quite resist. His body moved before his brain caught up.

 

"Sure," he said easily. "Whatever you want."

 

A smirk tugged at Rome Arseny's lips as he watched the entire exchange. He turned slightly, bumping his shoulder against Mok's with a teasing grin. "Look at my brother," he said in amusement. "Just hand over the leash and sit down like a good dog."

 

Mok glanced over, one brow lifting. That was enough to make Rome clear his throat and snap back into a more composed posture, straightening his back as if nothing had happened. The former secretary let a small, knowing smile creep onto his face before turning his attention back to Peach. 

 

When the two disappeared up the stairs, Mok shifted into position, blocking the path to make sure no one followed. Rome, never one to be left out of the action, strode forward and mirrored him, standing there like a damn bodyguard. His sharp eyes swept over the room, daring anyone to try to peek. Honestly, between Thee and Rome, there wasn't much of a difference in the way they acted.