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 36: A Familiar AdversaryKim:The helicopter landed within the perimeters of the Ayutthaya estate, right in the centre of the territory and he helped Kit get off the copter once the blades had settled and his guards had held the door open for them.Kla and Kaya stood waiting for them to arrive and even from a mile away, Kim could sense the tension between them.If Kit hadn't already told him about what had happened between his Phi and Kaya, then Kim would’ve thought that the two of them were simply quarreling over petty matters, or that P’Kla was still mad about the fact that he had brought two unknown people into their property…into their lives.But now Kim knew that wasn’t the case. So maybe…he could find a way for Kaya and Kla to accept their feelings for each other along with Kit?Because there was no way he was actually going to listen to Kaya’s insane demands of trying to find a job and moving out. Not under any normal circumstances, and especially not now when there was
Chapter 37: Family MattersKim:Kim and Kla rushed to the main house as fast as they could, urgency coloring their hasty steps as they raced against time to reach Kit and Kaya before it was too late.But the sight that welcomed them as soon as they reached the main house wasn’t something either of them had expected.Kit and Kanya sat on the couch opposite to Charan Ayutthaya, guns pointed to their heads as they cowered in fear.“Khun Lung!” Kim called out to his uncle, his voice filled with authority as looked the man in the eye. The tension in the room was palpable and Kla was ready to step in case the matter resulted in guns being fired.“Kimhan.” Charan Ayutthaya, Kim and Kla’s uncle, their father’s youngest brother, raised his eyebrows with interest. “I heard you were shot. But I see that you are still fine and alive.”“Unfortunately.” Kim gave him a wry smile. “Looks like you have to wait even longer to dig your nails into our father’s fortune.”“Oh! Don’t be so sour, boy!” Chara
Chapter 38: Mixed Emotions Kim: As soon as Charan Ayutthaya left the manor with a disappointed expression, rushing his steps as he made it to his awaiting car in record time and sped out of the driveway, Kim and Kla both turned to Kanya, who had been sitting quietly all this time, knowing what was coming as soon as the cost was clear. “Kaya…” Kim’s voice was harsh, almost a warning as he narrowed his eyes at the woman who he called his best friend. “What exactly were you thinking when you spoke to Khun Lung?” “I wasn’t thinking, that’s the problem.” Kanya answered with a sigh, looking down at her hands on her lap. “I just knew that I didn’t want that man to pressure you into doing something that you didn’t want to do. That’s why I choose to step in…but now that I think about it, maybe this is the best way for all of us.” Kim’s eyebrows shot up at that statement. “Do elaborate.” He spoke, a touch of sarcasm in his voice. Kanya instantly knew that he was angry, because Kim only sou
Chapter 39: Unexpected PromisesKit:Kit looked up at the apartment building that the car had stopped under, before P’Kim held the door open for him so he could get out of the car.It was that same apartment at the fourteenth floor that they had made love in for the second time. To think that it was only a couple days since that incident and yet, P’Kim had been through so much in such a short span of time…P’Kim took his hand as he led him back up to that apartment and all the while, he could feel his heart hammer inside his chest as his mind played all the events that all led to this moment in time.As they reached the designated floor and entered the familiar apartment, Kit once again found himself being pushed against the wall before P’Kim’s lips descended upon his, his hands winding itself in his hair.“P’Kim…” Kit pushed him back reluctantly; licking his lips to get rid of the sensation that slowing started to flood his veins. “Can we please talk first?”“What’s there to talk abo
Chapter 80: Above All ElseKit:It seemed that his pleas had the opposite of his intended effect, because instead of sympathizing with him, it was clear that P’Kla was getting frustrated, if the way his brows met in the middle was any indication.“Stop talking in riddles,” he snapped. “If you want me to help you, then give it to me straight. Tell me directly what’s wrong and what you’re hiding.”If only P’Kla knew just how much Kit wanted to tell the whole world about the problems he was currently facing.“You have to promise me first,” he bargained, insistent. “You cannot tell anyone what you have seen.” He gestured to his neck. “Neither can you broadcast what I tell you to anyone else—anyone at all.”P’Kla was still obviously annoyed by these cryptic responses, but Kit knew that he had to be careful above all else.When P’Kla realized that such a thing was non-negotiable to Kit, he sighed, calming down a bit. “You came to me for help,” he reminded the younger man. “And so, I am doin
Chapter 79: I Fear For Those I LoveKit:It took quite some time before P’Kla finally headed downstairs after his guards informed him that Kit was there, demanding an audience. He didn’t really interact with Kit that much, mostly because there was no need for him to do so. Kit was Kim’s lover, and the man was very possessive about Kit, so Kla didn’t want to bother much about socializing.In fact, he wasn’t a people person. Moreover, he still had some leftover grudge on Kit that didn’t really go away—he had been sort of bitter about Kit being the apple of Kim’s eye, instead of Kanya, who was carrying his child, and even though that matter had already been resolved, it seemed that there was still some reluctance on Kla’s part.But since Kit had told the guards that he had something urgent to discuss with the cold and firm lawyer, the man in question managed to force himself out of his room to see what this “urgent matter” was all about.When Kla came down, he saw Kit huddled by himself
Chapter 78: Left with No Other ChoiceKit:As soon as P’Kim departed, shutting his door with a firm hand behind him, Kit was quick to spring up from his bed and lock the door.When he fell back on the bed, he proceeded to bury himself under the covers, fear and guilt churning in his gut for what he had just done. He hadn't meant to expose Ben’s secret to P’Kim, in fact, he had wanted to take that secret to the grave if possible. But circumstances hadn't left him with much of a choice.The only relief he felt was at the fact that talking to P’Kim about Ben had somehow lessened the guilt that he felt towards his friend for not realizing his feelings sooner. But the most prominent guilt remained, and it gnawed at him until he pulled the covers over his head, cowering away from the rest of world in hopes that if he hid away, somehow, everything would be alright.Unintentionally but also quite expected, he soon dozed off and only startled awake when a knock sounded at his door.He was sayi
Chapter 77: Mine AloneKim:Kim called David to his office as soon as he settled into his chair. He could not shake the feeling that something had happened at the restaurant to make Kit severely upset. But seeing as his first move was to go to his sister for comfort, it must have been something really serious, perhaps even something he was afraid of telling Kim.What was it? As Kim waited in the room, he racked his brain of all the possibilities. Did he get attacked while he was out? No, it didn’t seem like he was physically hurt, and if he did, David would have informed him immediately.Did he have a fight with his friends? Maybe. But that would mean that the Chiang Mai trip was off, right? And he doubted Kit would do something to ruin the plans that they had carefully crafted to catch the shooter.Did he just have a flashback of their mom for some reason? Maybe that was making him miss her? Perhaps. But if that had happened, that means something must have triggered his memories of h
Chapter 76: The Plight of Two SiblingsKit:David raced along the hallway, his heart in his throat as he took out his gun, trying his best to keep it from plain sight as he raced towards the washroom.He had been waiting for some time now, for N’Kit to come out of the restaurant, but when he didn’t do so, even after sending him the message that he was done, he couldn’t help but worry that something had happened to the Master’s lover.Reaching the washroom, he didn’t waste any time in kicking the door open, not waiting to check if the door was locked or not. But instead of finding N’Kit in any peril, he found him by the sink, throwing water onto his face.“Is everything alright?” He asked worriedly, out of breath. “What took you so long?”Kit mustered a smile and a nod. “Yes, everything’s fine, P’David.” He tried to look reassuring. “I just came to the toilet..for urgent business..”“Ah, I see.” P’David’s face colored, but he still looked around the room for anything suspicious, but fo
Chapter 75: Long Time No SeeKitKit froze in place, not knowing what to do or how to react. His heart was beating so fast in his chest that for an instant, all he could hear was the sound of his heartbeat as his entire body went numb. His mind couldn’t even come up with anything, it too seemed to have gone numb.He looked up into the mirror in front of him, because turning back wasn’t an option. And almost in slow motion, as if time itself had slowed down to a crawl, he saw the reflection of a man standing behind him, in dark hoodie with the hood covering his face…one of the telltale signs of suspicion that P’First and P’Kim had drilled into him and Ben, but both had failed to notice.And then the man, who was almost the same height as Kit, reached out with his free hand to remove the hood from his head, to reveal the face of his own father—the very same man whom everyone had thought had died a long time ago.Well…everyone had thought he was dead, most of all P’Kanya…but thanks to P’
Chapter 74: A Terrible FriendKit:Earth had guessed it right—Kit was having a hard time with this revelation. He couldn't believe that what he was hearing was real!Surely, it was impossible. Earth didn't know what he was talking about. He was mistaken!“Are you sure about this?” Kit asked again. “Are you sure you’re not making this shit up for keeping secrets from you about the Chiang Mai trip? Because it isn't funny.”Earth’s frown deepened as he looked at Kit. “Does this look like a prank to you, Kit? Do you think I would stoop so low as to make fun of such a thing at Ben’s expense? Everyone, even Prem could tell that Ben liked you.”Kit couldn’t believe what he was hearing. All his life, he thought that Ben was his closest friend, but now it was starting to hit him that Ben had had feelings for him this whole time.And that was quite challenging to accept—Ben was one of his best friends, after all. It was like the ground was being pulled from beneath his feet, making him trip and
Chapter 73: All This TimeKit:It was a while more before Kit and Earth were left alone to enjoy dessert. Ben had left when a car came to collect him for his doctor’s check-up, Kit’s eyes following as his friend disappeared behind the tinted windows of P’First’s familiar car and drove off.One of P’First’s men had actually entered the restaurant to look around as well, while they had come to collect Ben, and after a quick sweep, that man had told Kit that everything seemed to be alright so he could stay a bit longer if he wanted to.Earth followed Kit’s eyes with a sigh. “Ben has really changed a lot in the past few months, hasn't he?”“Hmm?” Kit belatedly returned his gaze to Earth. “Arai na? What exactly do you mean?’“Well, for starters, he’s gotten himself involved with a mafia don,” Earth pointed out with a scoff. “ And that said don just send his car to fetch his boy. They probably have the same relationship that you have with P’Kim. Don't you think so, too?”Kit considered it,
Chapter 72: Extended InvitationKit:Coming Thursday, Kit, Ben and Earth decided to meet up at a fancy café instead of their usual roadside Pa’s restaurant. Not that anything was wrong with the restaurant, but Kit and Ben had discussed that a less crowded place would be a better choice for them at the time. P’David drove Ben and Kit there together, while Earth told them he’d meet with them at the location.They were certain that whoever was spying on them would be there as well, not wanting to pass up the opportunity to observe them “unaware”.P’Kim and P’First had already oriented them on what to do, with P’Kim fretting more than the latter. “Do not engage,” he had said. “Again, you are simply there to observe and take note of anyone who could possibly be spying on you. If anything happens, P’David will be on standby, so just run. Got it?”“Yes, P’Kim, you said that more than five times already,” Kit had said, his patience wearing thin. He knew P’Kim just wanted to ensure their safet