Chapter 51: An Awful AccidentKim:The pebbles on the fancy driveway of the two storied old Thai style wooden house crunched under Kim’s shoes as he stepped out of his car. With one lazy push, he closed the car door behind him and headed for the entrance where the guards watched the gates like hawks.He was in the outskirts of Thon Buri, Bangkok for a very important purpose and as he stepped onto the foyer, the guards scurried to open the gates for him, bowing to show respect to the Jao Por.He had merely stepped into the living area when the surprised faces of his uncle, Khun Charan Ayutthaya and Pa Chalita greeted him. It was clear that neither of them had expected him to visit; of course, he told nobody that he was coming over.Surprise was to be expected. But the way they exchanged secret, startled glances at each other might as well have confirmed Kim’s suspicions. Still, he smiled at the couple, his hands tucked inside the pockets of his expensive suit.“Kim!” Lung Charan exclai
Chapter 52: No One Other Than HimKim:The first thing Kim did upon returning to their territory was to discuss with Aawut about the coordinates of his uncle and his family at the time of the shooting.Pa Chalita was the designated driver for Aungpao, and they had taken an entirely different route from which Kit and Kanya had travelled, according to the CCTV traffic cams. And the most important factor was that the car had been a light grey in color and with a valid license plate. And they had been able to trace that car for quite some time after the time his own car was shot.As for his uncle, he had been in a country club, trying to get a dealer to work for him, but he had refused him outright, knowing very well what it meant to betray Kim’s trust.“So someone else was behind the shooting,” Aawut summarized. “That makes sense, because you leaving in a different car wasn’t planned at all, and that means whoever was responsible for it was targeting you, and didn’t know that you weren’t
Chapter 53: A Common EnemyKim:Kim swiveled his chair around, waiting for the door to his study to open once again, with thoughts swarming in his head that only Kit could calm.It hadn't been a whole lot of time since Aawut had gone in search for Kit, but Kim had little to no patience when it came to his lover. He couldn’t help but smile as he thought about how surprised Kit had been about their new bondage play in his bedroom the other night.But now, Kim couldn’t help but think that it opened a door to whole new possibilities in bed. Because Kit had liked what they had done, although belts and ties were just the beginning for him. He couldn’t wait to try a whole new array of toys with Kit, because with him, every experience felt new to Kim.Then, the silence in the room broke as his phone rang. Checking the caller ID, he couldn’t help but frown when he saw that it was P’First.“What?” he asked upon picking up, the annoyance evident in his voice. “If you need help for anything, you’
Chapter 54: To Have and To ComfortKit:Kit had been studying when P’Aawut peeked into his room and said, “The master requests your presence.”Usually, P’Aawut wouldn’t need to seek him out to find P’Kim, because P’Kim was more than capable of finding Kit himself. But then he remembered the last time that P’Aawut had come to fetch Kit when P’Kim needed him…and it had been when P’Kim had been in the hospital after being shot.Alarmed, he stood from his seat, instantly dropping his pen on the desk. “What? Why? What happened?” The words came tumbling out of him in a worried frenzy.P’Aawut, taken aback by his concern, but he smiled to make him feel relaxed. “Kar thot khab, Nong Kit. I didn’t mean to make you worry. Nothing bad has happened, it's just that…I believe Khun Kim is a bit stressed right now and he needs you to help him calm down. But that is, of course, if your study isn't being interrupted…”“Oh. Mai na, pom okay.” Kit’s tension eased, as a blush covered his cheeks at the mis
Chapter 55: To Make One UnderstandKit:In between preparing for final examinations and spending time with P’Kim, time flew by quickly, and before Kit knew it, three weeks had passed, and their final exams had come to an end.To celebrate their survival of the academic year, Kit and his friends went to their favorite restaurant, right outside of the university perimeters, and ordered all their favorite food on the menu.“Ohh…look at you boys! It felt like yesterday when you troublemakers joined the university,” the aunty who owned the restaurant teased them fondly. “Soon, you’ll be graduating and getting married.”They laughed at her teasing before Prem said, “Not so soon, Pa, we’ll still visit you, so don’t think you’ll get rid of us so soon.”“Dai, dai,” the aunt laughed. “Go on, pick your table, I’ll get the food there soon.”“The end of the semester, finally!” Kit exclaimed as they gathered around the table after having made their respective orders.“Right?” Earth agreed, throwing
Chapter 56: For Better or For WorseKit:When the celebration had slowed and they had finally made a list of all the fun things they were to do in Chiang Mai, they eventually parted ways and went home for the day.As the restaurant wasn’t that far from the Ayutthaya territory, Kit didn’t feel the need to ask P’Aawut to come fetch him once again since it was already late in the afternoon. Instead, he took the liberty of catching a bus home. It was good exercise, a bit of nostalgia to the time when he lived alone with his sister and the bus was the only mode of transportation he could afford.But as he sat by the window, looking out at the houses pass by, he couldn’t help but think that by taking the pocket money that P’Kim was offering him every week, and by staying at his house, enjoying all the luxuries provided…he was imposing a bit too much on P’Kim’s generosity.‘Should I get a job this summer?’ He thought to himself, wondering what he could do to at least earn a bit of his pocket
Chapter 57: Unbearable EmotionsKit:His heart thundered uncomfortably inside Kit’s chest. His stomach dropped, the sense of foreboding reaching its full potential. It was difficult for him to explain the mix of emotions raging in his heart right now. He felt awful, excited, afraid, and jealous all at the same time—and in multitudes.Especially when he saw the soft smile on P’Kim’s face as he embraced P’Kanya, before placing a soft kiss on top of her head.Jealousy reared its ugly head, and Kit’s fingers curled around the banister as his knuckles turned white. And he hoped and prayed to all the gods above that his inner turmoil’s weren’t visible on his face, because he didn’t want to be the party pooper at such an auspicious occasion.He had to constantly remind himself that this was all for P’Kim. It was to get his family members off his back and to allow him to hold onto the family business that his father had worked so hard to build from scratch. But try as he might, his heart ref
Chapter 58: Sympathizing with a FriendKit:Kit let his impulses take over and he left the mansion before dinner that night and headed straight to Earth’s house, without informing any of the guards or taking a car.Since the entire mansion had been in an uproar after the news, and the staff had been mostly busy preparing for the feast they wanted to have—understandably so—Kit hadn't been able to take the hushed murmurs and the laughter, the delight filtering into his room through the windows.Kit had felt overwhelmed even when he locked himself in his room, because the news had spread like wildfire and there was no way to suppress the excitement. His heart had felt heavy, so heavy it seemed that the longer he stayed in the house, the more he couldn’t breathe. Even the walls seemed to be closing in on him, suffocating him further.So when he couldn’t take it anymore, he left.As he snuck out, he called his friends, but neither Prem nor Ben picked up their phones. Thankfully, Earth answ
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