A/N:
This might be a straight-out 'weird' concept for people of other cultures but superstitions and believing in people who can tell the future and other similar concepts are BIG in most Asian countries. Mine included.
***
"I need a tiger," Max whispered almost to himself while browsing something on his phone.
A few days after the 'proposal' Zee noticed his friend Max getting 'weirder and weirder'.
Looking over his friend's shoulder to see what he was up to, Zee was shocked to find Max on a popular dating site for men. Or more specifically, on a site where men wanting to date men visit.
"Ai'Max what are you doing?!!!" Zee asked shell-shocked. "And more importantly, when did you start getting interested with men?"
"I'm not into men." Max answered him with nonchalance.
"Dude, my eyes are working well. Those parts aren't from women. And that site-"
"I told you, I need to reserve you for a night. You said fuck off. I don't have a choice."
Zee was utterly confused but more so, worried about his friend. Determined but unsure what's going on, he decided he will get to the bottom of this today.
So he grabbed Max phone. Close the site. Put the phone face down on the table. Grabbed his friend's shoulders and sat them down on the sofa.
"Spill."
"Got nothing to say."
"Spill it or else-"
"Or else what? You wouldn't give me a 'yes' either way."
"You can't just blindly proposed that and expect me to say 'yes', Max. And what's with changing your name? Tired of being called, Adam? I believe it all started after that. So spill it or I'll turn everything upside down if that means I'll get to the bottom of this insanity."
Max had his face in his hands and with much difficulty, decided to tell his friend what's going on.
"You know that my younger sister Aya is in the hospital, right." Max began.
"I know. She's in coma, you told me."
"Right. For five years. She's in coma. And she's only what--14 years old!" Max looked very distressed and troubled just relating the facts.
"How is she related to this?" Zee asked, his curiosity at peak.
"Well, you remember I told you a met someone in the hospital who told me I have a wretched fate and that I carry the aura of cold death? That my parents died because of me and my younger sister will soon follow them because she's living with me?"
"I remember that and I told you it's nonsense! It's not your fault. It was a car accident. You weren't there. You were not the one who ran your parents over. Your younger sister's condition isn't caused by you. You are a good person. Don't let other people tell you otherwise." Zee exclaimed and refuted the stranger's claims about his friend.
"I know. I really know. I KNOW shouldn't believe him. I KNOW it's not my fault. I KNOW it's all illogical. But you know what happened a few weeks back? Aya's conditioned worsened. She suffered a shock. And the funny thing is, I met the same person again and asked me to find Aya's white dress, drenched it in my own blood and changed my name and she recovered. All in a single night. Just when the doctors already talked to me and told me 'dying at home is more peaceful'."
Zee looked at his friend unable to fully comprehend the situation and skeptical about the whole turn of events.
"So think what you want. Believe what you want. Do what you want. I don't care. I will save my sister."
"I-I'm sure, it's all a coincidence. Surely-"
"I also thought my parents will surely live in their old age. That my sister will surely have a healthy childhood. I can call the best doctors with all the money I have after all. But they can't cure her. Logic and science are not enough."
"But Max-"
"So if you're really my friend, either you help me find a 'tiger' or you sleep with me. If you can't do any of the two. Just let me be. That's enough for me."
With that Max left.
"A tiger?" Zee was left to ponder on his own. "Wait does that mean, men born under the year of the tiger? Is that why he was asking me to-"
When everything clicked, Zee dashed out of the place to find his friend. He still find the whole thing unbelievable and downright crazy but knowing his friend was serious more so in serious trouble randomly asking strangers to spend a night with him, he decided he can't let him face this alone.
---
When Zee found Max, an old man, most probably twice their age is holding his hand and walking beside him.
Unable to contain his fury, Zee stormed towards them and grabbed Max' hand that was held by the stranger and pulled his friend to him.
"He's taken."
"Who-" Max who was surprised with the sudden pull was about to protest when Zee whispered to him in gritted teeth.
"I'll be your tiger so shut up or else I'm going to get really angry and you won't like what I'll do next."
"But he said-" The stranger was trying to protest but Zee silenced him.
With the figurative daggers coming out of his glare, Zee quieted the protests of the older guy. When the stranger backed down, Zee pulled Max away from the place and towards his car.
"You were so cool back ther-"
"I'm really angry right now." Zee said to which Max only responded with silence.
"Don't do this again. You heard me?"
Max is still silent.
"Answer me if you heard me."
"No, I can't promise that. I need a tiger."
"I told you I'll be your tiger, right. Are your ears still working?"
"But you don't mean-"
"I mean what I say, I say what I mean." Zee said firmly.
"So you will . . . ?"
"Whatever being your tiger means."
"So don't do this again, you hear me?"
"In that case, I don't have a need to do this again." Max said with his hands crossed over his chest
"Good."
"So where are we going now?"
"Well, I need to go back to Pentagon. I can call your driver so he can bring you home."
"No. The only options are your place or mine. You said you'll be my tiger. Keep your word."
"You mean, now?!" Zee asked shocked. Somehow, he wasn't expecting things to move this fast.
"Now."
Zee facepalmed internally.
***
A/N:
What am I doing?
P.S.
Please watch thai bl Venus in the Sky in September.
