Chapter 28: The ReasonKim:“Sire…are you sure this is a good idea?” Aawut asked Kimhan for probably the thousandth’s time as they got off their private helicopter at the shores of Pattaya city, right outside The Paradise Resort, which was one of Kimhan’s many legal businesses.“Aawut…” Kim sighed, rubbing at his temples as the helicopter blades finally stopped their rotation and the ear-splitting noise finally came to an end, giving everyone instant relief.“Kit and Kaya have a right to know, I understand that.” He told his right hand man. “But how do you expect me to tell them that I came here to look for their father, who has just robbed another Jao por (mafia don) and run away with the money?”“But what if he contacted either of them?” Aawut insisted. “Wouldn’t it help us find him sooner? Pattaya is filled with all kinds of thugs. He could easily be taking shelter at any of the organized crime groups in the city or forming a gang of his own right now.”“Forming a group isn’t as ea
Chapter 29: Enemy’s EnemyKim’s P.O.V“The Russian’s aren’t locals,” Kim cursed out. “How the hell did they come in contact with him?”And when had the Russian mafia made base in Thailand without the knowledge of any of the Chao Pho families?Some traders now and then weren’t unheard of. In fact, some of the suppliers that came from overseas to trade weapons and drugs were members of the Bratvas. But an entire clan with a don residing here in Pattaya? That wasn’t something Kimhan had expected to hear.“At the south of the Central Market area, the Russians have set up their base in one of the warehouses.” Aawut informed Kim. “The base didn’t exist until about two months ago, but according to the locals here, one of the gang leaders was killed in an open fire between the gangs and they had taken over both the gang’s members and their hideout as well as their remaining stash.”“And now they’re operating out of that base while using their men to do their dirty work.” Kim grit his teeth to
Chapter 30: Keeping Secrets Kit: “No…because I won’t be staying here much longer.” Kit, Earth and Ben stared at their friend in surprise and confusion. “What?” Prem looked down at his meal, not answering the others as he continued to stay silent. The three boys exchanged nervous glances, wondering what this was all about, but not being able to find a reasonable explanation. “Prem?” Ben finally spoke up. “What did you just say and explain in details what it meant.” However, Prem shook his head, smiling at his friends like he hadn't said anything at all. “Nothing. You guys must have heard me wrong. Let’s get back now. The bell is about to ring.” Just as Prem said so, the bell signaling the end of lunch hours, rang loud and clear, all over the university and the four boys got up from the floor, dusting off their garments as they headed back downstairs to attend classes. Kit however, kept looking at Prem from the corner of his eye and he felt like he could tell almost instinctiv
Chapter 31: UnexpectedKit:Kit blinked rapidly…his mind racing as he tried to process what he had just witnessed.So many emotions rushed through him that he could hardly even keep track of what he was feeling…that was until he felt someone tug at his shirt from behind.Startled, he looked back to find Nong Kohsoom, P’Kim and P’Kla’s youngest sister, standing behind him with a worried look on her face.Before he could say anything, Som had taken a hold of Kit’s hand and was dragging him back inside the mansion once again and this time, Kit followed behind her reluctantly, not knowing what else to do.Som took them up the spiral staircase to the first floor where all their rooms were located, all the while they kept looking back to make sure that no one, especially P’Kla or P’Kanya, wasn’t following them.Finally, the two of them came to a stop right outside Som’s bedroom and she let go of his hand, panting with her hands on her knees as her tiny form tried to catch up with the lack o
Chapter 32: Awkward ConversationsKit:Kit stood next to his sister on his balcony that overlooked the vast gardens of the Ayutthaya mansion.It should’ve been a joyous reunion, after all Kit had been through a life and death scenario not too long ago and meeting his sister after a long time, even though it had been only a few days, after that incident…it felt surreal.However, now it just felt awkward.He hadn't expected to come home to find her kissing P’Kim’s older brother…And it was only after the thought had passed that he realized that he had just considered P’Kim’s mansion as his ‘home’.“So…it’s been a while…hasn’t it?” P’Kanya asked him hesitantly, rubbing her hands together constantly. “Sabai dee mai?” (How are you?)“Sabai dee khab,” (I’m fine) Kit nodded awkwardly. “How…”“Karthot…” Kanya lowered her head, feeling embarrassed. “I didn’t…I honestly don’t even know what I was thinking…but I was wrong…”“Mai pen rai na phi,” Kit shook his head, not wanting his sister to feel
Chapter 33: Counter AttackKim:P’First and a few other men from his famiglia hid in the shadows behind the warehouse that had once belonged to one of the local gangs in Pattaya, but was now the centre of the Russian trade.Their Don, Ivan Petrov, now welcomed Kimhan with open arms as he stepped out of his black SUV, surrounded by his most trusted men.“Sire…are we doing the right thing?” One of Kim’s men whispered to him through the listening devices that connected their team together.The connection extended to P’First as well; however, his end of the line was currently being blocked by their tech team, who were remotely surveying the area with the help of satellite navigation.That team was being led by Aawut himself. He had wanted to be in the field, being more compatible with most forms of combat and firearms than being behind the screen, but his current condition didn’t allow him to be anywhere near the field. And even though he hated it. Aawut understood that he would rather su
Chapter 34: A New AllyKim:Kim woke up with a start, his entire body drenched in cold sweat and his senses already on high alert.Even before he regained consciousness, his senses had alerted him to the threat in the room, but as he went to reach for the gun that he always placed under his pillow when he slept…not only did he not find any traces of the said weapon, but a sharp pain shot up the entire right side of his body, making him wince as he lowered his arm, trying to rake his memory as to what had happened.“Take it easy there Nong,” a very familiar voice spoke from right next to him. “You just got out of surgery.”Kim looked to his side, watching P’First’s lips tilt up in a smirk as he stared down at him from the seat next to the bed. “Good morning.”“P’First…” Kim looked around the sterile white walls of the hospital, the sound of a monitor beeping next to his ears finally registering on his senses. “What…what happened?”In all honestly…after the bullet had hit him in his che
Chapter 35: Becoming MoreKit:Kit pushed open the doors to the brightly illuminated hospital room, and stepped inside, closing the door behind him.He kept his eyes on the floor, unable to meet the eyes of the man who he had seen passed out and covered in blood not long ago.When P’Kim had refused to go into the operation theater for some reason, insisting that he be taken to Kit first, P’Aawut had made a video call to him instead, so that he could still hear Kit’s voice. Thankfully their plan had worked and after listening to Kit plead P’Kim to go into the operation theater, he had finally agreed.Kit shuddered now, as he remember the blood on his face, his shirt. So much blood…Thankfully he had kept his phone beside him even at that hour, pensively waiting for a call or a simple message that told him that Kim was alright. But instead, he had received a video call that had shaken him to the core. And that too at 3 in the morning.So when P’David had arrived at his door, telling him
Chapter 90: Unexpected NewsKit:Kit stood in his room, clothes, and essentials sprawled out over the bed. Packing had started casually enough—he’d just been grabbing a few shirts and some toiletries, tossing items from his closet onto the mattress. But as his suitcase began to fill, the reality of the trip hit him hard.What was supposed to be a light-hearted vacation to celebrate finishing his second year of college had taken a dark turn. He was going to Chiang Mai, but it wasn't just for the sights or the fun. It was to find his father, the man he once looked up to but now blamed for everything that had gone wrong in their family.Kit’s fingers paused over a stack of neatly folded shirts, and his mind started spiraling. How was he supposed to confront the man who had caused so much pain? The thought twisted his stomach, and he realized he hadn’t taken a full breath in a while. Slowly, he forced himself to inhale and exhale, trying to shake off the anxiety that was creeping up on hi
Kit:Kit could only nod, agreeing with Ben’s words, even though a part of him still ached. Knowing now that Ben had carried these feelings silently for so long — all those years of friendship, support, and sacrifices — it weighed heavily on Kit. The guilt flared at him, and before he could stop himself, he reached forward and wrapped his arms around Ben in a tight hug.“I’m so sorry, Ben,” he whispered. “I had no idea… everything you’ve done, the sacrifices you’ve made… even dealing with P’First for my sake. You didn’t have to do that.”Ben chuckled softly, his arms resting comfortably around Kit as he returned the hug. “It’s true that, back then, when I volunteered to stay with P’First that night, it was because I wanted to protect you. I thought it’d keep you safe, and I’d have done anything for that.” He pulled back slightly, a gentle smile on his face. “But now, I don’t regret it. I made my choices, Kit, and I don’t feel sorry for them.”Kit studied Ben’s face, the steady warmth i
Chapter 88: Didn’t Want to Change AnythingKit:Kit adjusted the strap of his vest, the unfamiliar weight pressing down on his shoulders as he stood in the shooting range. The gear felt strange, heavy, and bulky, but he forced himself to get used to it. Ben was by his side, moving around to check on his positioning, adjusting Kit’s stance and lightly pressing his shoulder to correct his posture.Any other time, it would’ve been calming, having Ben here. But, now there was an unspoken tension that Kit needed to sort out. Ben seemed to take everything in stride, unbothered by the pressure that Kit constantly felt bearing down on him."Relax, Kit," Ben murmured, stepping back and giving a warm smile. "You’re too tense. You need to be steady before you can shoot."Kit nodded, swallowing hard as he fixed his eyes on the target. He tried to breathe slowly, following Ben’s instructions, but every time he saw Ben’s easy grin or heard his laugh as he explained something new, an odd feeling set
Chapter 87: Hitting Two Birds With One StoneKit:P’Kim was sitting next to Kit in the back seat as P’David drove them back to the mansion. His mind was still stuck on the events that had happened earlier. He was no longer afraid because the moment had long since come and gone, but now, he could only think about how… inhumane his father had been.It seemed that he truly had no love of any kind for his own family. He was way too eager in threatening his life, as if he was not Kit’s father, and much more invested in what he wanted to get from Kit rather than listen to what Kit had pleaded for.And he even had the balls to threaten his pregnant daughter!Well, truth be told, Kit didn’t expect anything from him, so he was not hurt. Rather, he was just… surprised that any normal human being could do something as heartless as what his father had done. Then again, clearly his father wasn’t just any normal human being. Perhaps he was not even human anymore…“You did a great job,” P’Kim said t
Chapter 86: Unwanted ConfrontationKit:In the couple of days that followed, Kit did not dare let P’Kim out of his sight; he stuck to his lover like a shadow. He feared that if he looked away for even a second, something might happen to him or everyone else.Even though he had managed to talk himself out of being convinced his nightmare was a premonition, the fear was still there.When P’Kim had to go out for work, Kit would usually stay in the living room or his own bedroom and refused to leave the mansion. He wasn’t foolish enough to keep following P’Kim around, of course. He was satisfied with keeping his eyes on him while they were at home, but the outside world was a different story.Kit had called and talked to Earth later on. Their conversation had not been anything out of the ordinary as they hadn’t fallen out or anything, and in a matter of a few exchanges, they had already sorted out whatever differences they might have had the last time they met.But Ben… He was a different
Chapter 85: Use It Against HimKit:Kit stopped himself from spilling more of the truth to P’Kim. He shook hishead vigorously—he could not. If he slipped up more than he already has…god only knew what would happen next.“Ah, actually I couldn’t see their face,” he blurted out dishonestly. “Y-you know how dreams are, your brain either shows you a blurred figure, or some guy you saw briefly at the grocery three weeks ago.” Kit hoped it was a convincing lie, but he couldn’t meet P’Kim’s eyes, fearing they might give him away.“And… and anyway, you were right. It’s just a nightmare. It doesn’t matter anymore.”Kit released a deep exhale, before trying to return to the solace of his covers, only to be stopped by P’Kim, who held him by the shoulders, his hands firm and demanding not to be crossed.“Kit.”It was one single word. His name. And yet, his entire body became rigid.“Listen…” Kit started to say, “I’m really tired, so I should go back to sleep…”But P’Kim wasn’t listening. Instead
Chapter 84: A Terror in the NightKit:Kit was screaming before he even woke up, and by the time his consciousness took hold, his voice was hoarse, but he could not stop. He rose quickly from the bed, heart pounding frantically as though he had been running a marathon.He frantically looked around, searching for any signs of life. The room was dark, but the sound of shuffling footsteps outside and the low hum of murmurs was unmistakable.Relief and desperation washed over him in waves, and it was all that had been holding him back from crumbling right then and there. Curling in on himself, Kit let the tears fall, unable to stop the cries that left his lips, as if it would ease the pain in his chest.Even P’Kim’s immediate presence next to him couldn’t calm him down. He put a comforting hand on Kit’s back, pulling him into his embrace. “Hey, it’s alright. I’m right here. It was just a bad dream…”When Kit still wouldn’t look up from hiding his face in his hands, Kim went to give him a
Chapter 83: An Eerie SilenceKit:Kit woke up with a gasp, cold sweat dripping down his back. He had been trapped in eternal darkness, as though he was drowning and suddenly being pulled out of the water Ironically, even though he had woken up, he still felt like he was being suffocated even though he just escaped the hell of his subconscious.Cold sweat dripped down the side of his face. He looked around his room, trying to have his bearings back. It took a while for his disorientation to wear off. His head was spinning, and his heart refused to settle to a steady rhythm.“It was just a dream,” he whispered to himself, hearing his voice echo around him as though he was in a cave, but also muffled like he was underwater or hearing himself talk from a different room. “You’re fine.”But as much as his ears strained to listen to himself, his heart just wouldn’t cooperate. Still, it didn’t seem to matter because he was slowly starting to lose the dizziness that had held him hostage earli
Chapter 82: Now More Than EverKim:As Kim went back to the main mansion, he let his feet move on autopilot, his mind wandering and wondering how best to handle the situation and produce the most favorable outcome.While he didn’t feel bad about the subtle deception he performed to get to the truth of it all, he was very much bothered about Kit’s entire situation. He was worried about his teerak—it was clear he was going through a lot, burdened with the fact that his father was threatening him and all his loved ones.What’s worse was that he was also forced to endure a severe scarcity of confidants, so much that he resorted to seeking the help of the person he was least comfortable with.Kim couldn’t help but feel partially responsible for bringing Kit into the dangers of this world. If he hadn’t dragged Kit and his sister to this life, would they have been safer now? Would they have been happier?But then he started to rethink these notions. If he hadn’t taken them under his wing, Ay