Chapter 4

[4. Light weight]

Dae could clearly understand that Aroon's uncles, aunts and cousins not really liked him coming to the party, just by the looks they were giving him. He himself didn't want to come here but it was his Dad's decision. 

As soon as they arrived, Aroon went and handed his Grandma, the gift bracelet he had bought for her. He sat near her and talked to her for a while. Then he joined his cousins. Dae was too afraid to even look at them or talk to them. They won't like him joining their group. So he stayed by his Dad's side. Nobody was coming to talk to his Dad also. And Kobsook was hesitant to go and begin a conversation with anyone. He just decided to come to the party because both of his brother in law's urged and forced him to come. He sat down on a couch in the corner and took out his phone. Dae followed him and sat down beside him.

"Dae...go join Aroon and the boys." Kobsook said turning to Dae.

" Ahmm...I will better sit here. Maybe they won't like me joining them." Dae said fiddling with his fingers and looking down at his lap. Kobsook opened his mouth to say something. But then he just nodded and looked back at his phone. He now felt sorry for dragging Dae here.

" Woah...! You are working even while in a party ?"

It was Narong, Kobsook's second brother in law, his first wife Sopa's second older brother. Sopa was the youngest of three siblings, the younger sister to two loving brothers. She was literally the apple in their eyes. 

" No... I was just scrolling through some messages.." Kobsook said.

" Oh..then let's go upstairs ?" Narong suggested.

" Yeah sure." Kobsook said placing his phone in his pocket, standing up. Narong smiled and then turned his face to Dae, shooting a glare at him, his smile turning into a frown of disdain. When he realized Kobsook noticed him glaring at Dae, he turned his heels and walked to the stairs. Kobsook looked at Dae for a brief second before he followed Narong.

Dae watched Kobsook climbing up the stairs behind Narong. Great ! Dad has left him alone. He felt nervous and lonely in the crowd of Aroon's relatives. Actually there were not many people. Only the relatives were there. It was a small party since Aroon's Grandma turned 70. The house was only barely decorated. It was just like a family get together. If Dae remember properly, there has never been a party before for celebrating her birthday.

Dae hung his head low and sat there praying nobody would notice him or come to him. If he had taken his phone, he could have sat there pretending busy on phone. But Aroon dragged him out of the room just as he wore his clothes. He didn't even let him comb his hair of take his phone. So the only thing he could do now was, fiddle with the hem of his shirt in tension.

" Hey."

He looked up. It was Isra, Aroon's cousin sister, his mother's eldest brother's daughter, standing there smiling brightly at him. Actually this is Isra's house. Aroon's Grandma is staying with them. Among her two Son's, she loves Isra's Dad the most. Isra is also 17 like Dae. She is his childhood friend. They both were in same class during primary school for six long years. After that they both went to different schools.

" Why are you sitting alone ?" She asked walking to him.

" Nothing...I just.." Dae smiled at her without completing his sentence. He didn't actually know how to respond to her question. Isra smiled cheerfully and sat down beside him. She was pretty and confident. She was always friendly to him and she never seemed to forget the closeness they shared as young kids. It surprised him that Isra still cared about him enough to come and talk to him when all the others kept distance from him.

" I am surprised that you came today. I didn't think you would." She said.

" Why ? " Dae asked with a frown. "You didn't want me to come ?"

" no no..that's not what I meant at all." Her face flushed in embarrassment. " I am really happy that you are here. I just wasn't sure you would come. Last time you didn't come."

" oh..hmm." Dae nodded with a smile.

" How are you doing ? It's long since we met."

" I am doing good. What about you ?"

" I am fine. Dae, Is Aroon nice to you ?"

" uhmm..yeah." He nodded

" But you guys are still not like before. Earlier he would never leave your hands. But now.."

" We are not kids anymore. We grew up, right ? It would be funny if he still walks holding my hands."

" No..that's not what I meant. I can sense there is something between you both. That issue is still not solved, right ?"

" Actually no. "

" Why don't you guys sit and talk ? How long are you gonna stay like this ? " Isra asked with concern etched on her face.

" Don't know. I tried to talk. But he won't listen."

" It was really nice to see you both happy together. I really miss our childhood."

" I miss too." Dae said glancing at Aroon who was now having a drink with his cousin brothers.

" Hey..Everybody, let's have dinner."

It was Isra's Dad screaming, clapping his hands gaining everyone's attention.

" Come let's have dinner." Isra said and stood up.

" I will sit with Dad. He went upstairs." Dae said.

" Hey c'mon..you are sitting with us." She said and grabbed his hands dragging him to Aroon and their four cousins. Aroon's blood boiled on seeing Isra holding Dae's hands. But he controlled himself. He has to pretend nice in front of others. So he didn't say anything when Isra made Dae join their team for dinner. 

Isra's older brother, virote smiled at him and pulled a chair for him. He is also nice to him like Isra. But the two sons of Aroon's second uncle, Narong don't like him. Their younger sister Sana, who is just five, also seems to not like him. Maybe her brothers have told her bad things about him and asked her to hate him. Three other teen boys and two girls joined the table with them. Dae had never met them before. They sat down and smiled at him. Maybe they are from Isra's mother's family. Aroon and the two sons of Narong were giving him glares all through the dinner. If Isra and Virote weren't there, he would have died just by the glares they were giving him. He kept his gaze down on his plate and ate silently.

After dinner, Isra's Mom brought out the cake decorated with a burning '70' candle. Everybody sang urging Grandma to make a wish. The old granny looked down at the cake and smiled showing her gums.

Following the cake, someone put a light melody music in the stereo and everybody sat down on the couches enjoying the music. The kid Sana was dancing to the music and everyone was laughing to her dance steps. Aroon was also sitting there smiling to his youngest cousin. Then her father, Narong approached him.

" Hey.."

" Oh..hi.", he responded.

" Aru...I need to talk to you. Let's move a bit from here ?"

" Yeah..sure." He said and stood up.

**

" I talked to your Dad. You know, When I asked him about you and your studies, he was just talking about Dae. Hmm..his results came today, right ? Your Dad is so proud of that boy. He was keeping on praising him. Didn't say a word about you. I feel sorry for you Aru. I think Kobsook likes him more than you. If this goes on like this Aru, your Dad will write all your property in his name and give your company to him. You will have to work under him. Hmm..that Dae, he is cunning. He is slowly snatching everything away from you."

Aroon's hands were shaking in anger. Yes his uncle was right. His Dad loves that orphan boy more than him. He is snatching everything away from him. " Uncle..what should I do ?" He asked. His eyes burning in anger.

" First of all, why did you let him score that high grades ? How the hell did he score that high marks ?" 

" I don't know. I tried my maximum to not let him study. He studies everything from school itself. But I never thought he would score this high." Aroon said exasperated.

" Hmm..we can't do anything about that now. Okay listen, never let him take business studies for university, understood?"

" Uhmm..yeah." Aroon nodded.

" Make him choose history or something. Aru, why did you choose engineering? You could have simply studied business. You are a fool."

" Because my interest lies in engineering. But I am learning business in free time. And I can do MBA after next year. I don't think it's necessary to learn business all the time to become a successful businessman. It's just boring. And Dad also encouraged me to take engineering. He said we actually need engineering skills for our company. "

" Okay, but make sure your Dad won't reduce you into just an engineer working in his company and let Dae become the CEO of Duangporn enterprises. " Narong said and noticed Aroon's fisted hands and clenched teeth. " Ahmm..that won't happen. But we should be careful you know. We should take precautions. Anyway, don't worry. My son Tin, is gonna major in business. He will assist you in business."

" Oh..hmm..that's nice." Aroon said flipping his hair backward.

" Aroon, always keep that boy under control. Never forget, what he has done to you. He is the one who made your Dad hate you. You know, he is a really good actor. He is a devil acting like an angel. Don't feel any sympathy towards him. Make his life a hell. But also be careful. Your Dad shouldn't know. And think about plans to make your Dad hate him."

" yeah..I will. I will bring his real self in front of Dad soon."

" Aru, I think Isra likes him. I guess my dear brother and his wife is making plans to marry Isra off to him. So they want Dae to take over your company instead of you."

" What ! No..! I won't let that happen. He marrying my cousin? No..no way. That won't happen when I am alive."

" Beware of that devil. He is so cunning. If you don't do anything, you will have to see all these happening. "

*****

When they drove back home after the party, Dae went asleep in the car. He was really tired because Aroon made him do a lot of works including making breakfast and lunch, cleaning the dishes, cleaning the whole house, arranging his shelves and cupboards and a lot more.

Kobsook looked at the tired boy sleeping peacefully in the back seat as they reached home. He didn't feel like waking up the poor boy up, who was already sound asleep. Aroon was about to harshly shook Dae out of his sleep when Kobsook interrupted him.

"Aroon...don't wake him up. Let him sleep. Poor boy...I think he is so much tired." 

"But Dad...Are you going to leave him inside car?” Aroon asked confused.

" You are strong enough to carry him to his room, right ?"Kobsook asked.

"What !?" Aroon exclaimed shocked at the thought of him carrying the little devil. "No Dad..I will just wake him up. He is not a 3 year old kid. " He said and shook the boy harshly but Dae didn't wake up, instead he growled softly and hugged Aroon's hands in sleep."

"Aroon What are you doing ? Just look...how tired and weak he is." Kobsook said and sighed. " I am really worried about him. He is really weak and sad nowadays. He is not at all happy even after he got the top marks. If I were him, I would have jumped around. I wonder what's wrong with him ? Is he sad about anything? He was upset during the party. And you just went and joined your cousins leaving him alone. Aroon, is there something wrong between you two?"

" No..Dad. There's nothing like that. He is just tired and sleepy now. Maybe it's just he didn't want to come to the party. And I didn't leave him alone. He was the one reluctant to come and join us. But we all ate dinner together. Dad, he is actually happy. He was running and jumping around all day. " Aroon said now feeling a bit tensed.

" Oh..really ?"

" yeah.." Aroon nodded assuring.

" Hmm...I just told you to carry him to know your responses. Okay...you can go. I will wake him up." Kobsook said and took a step towards the passenger seat. Aroon realized he is giving his Dad a lot of suspicions already. So he decided to carry Dae to his room. Without saying another word, he raised the boy from the seat, taking him in his arms and started walking to the door. His Dad just laughed on seeing that.

'He is so light weight. Am I starving him too much ?’ Aroon thought as the younger felt like a fluff ball in his arms. Dae clung onto Aroon's shirt and snuggled closer to his chest for warmth. Aroon clenched his teeth at that.

Dae was still sleeping peacefully in the older's arms without knowing anything, even when Aroon climbed up the steps. Aroon could get the younger's sweet smell and honestly speaking, It felt so nice that he tried to inhale it. But Just when he realized what he was doing, he cursed himself and gritted his teeth. He walked faster to the younger's room, quickly opening the door and throwing him onto the bed. But surprisingly the younger still didn't wake up. He groaned and squirmed a little and then again went into deep sleep hugging his pillow.

Aroon walked to the younger and stared at him. Dae was sleeping really peacefully breathing in and out cutely, his long eyelashes resting on his light pink cheeks and the most adorable thing, his chest moving up and down as he breathed. The scene of the angelic boy sleeping peacefully would have been a real treat to anyone else' eye but to Aroon, it was surely not or at least he tries to make it the truth.

"Huh..you still didn't wake up ? You terrible actor, stop acting. You bitch...." Aroon said and grabbed the younger's cheeks and it turned a light pink shade. But he still didn't get a response from the younger. Now he was sure that the younger was asleep since otherwise he would have seen tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Kim Tanawat..You are the one who ruined my life. You are a horrible actor. You acts like a innocent little angel in front of Dad and everyone and only I know that you are a devil. My Dad loves you more than me. He almost stopped calling me 'Aru ' and he calls you 'Dae'. Who do you think you are? There is no relation between you and my Dad and I know you fucking orphan....you are trying to steal everything from us. Dad will only realize it after he lose everything. But I, Aroon Duangporn, won't let that happen. I will bring your true self in front of Dad soon. Wait and see Kim Tanawat." Aroon whispered before he walked back to his room. Dae didn't hear anything as he was in deep sleep.