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 59: Sudden Act of ViolenceKim:Kim’s meeting with P’First had been a relatively fruitful one. He had rushed there as soon as he got the call, eager to go through whatever it is that P’First wanted him to see.P’First also seemed to prefer not wasting time because he skipped the pleasantries and guided Kim straight to his garage, where his cars were parked. “This is where it got shot,” he told Kim, pointing at the dent where a bullet used to be embedded. “I didn’t touch it, knowing it might be of use.”Humming thoughtfully, Kim knelt before the dent, and upon closer examination, he realized that they left the same indent as the one on his car. “Were you able to retrieve the bullet?”“Nah.” P’First sighed, his frustration evident. “It dropped off somewhere down the road. One of the downsides of having a bulletproof vehicle. But I did sent it over to your team to check the details of the indent. It matches with yours.”“So that confirms it,” Kim said, getting off of his hunches.
Chapter 60: Bringing the Ayutthaya Name to ShameKim:The mafia don could not speak for a few seconds, stunned by the sheer audacity of his brother—his brother who had placed the burden of authority on his young shoulders just to claim ‘the good life’ for his own… and the same brother who now had the gall to raise a hand against his superior.“Hia Kla,” he seethed, voice sharp and call. “Have you lost your mind?”But it seemed that P’Kla couldn’t care less about overstepping his boundaries and retorted, “Think again. It must be you who’s out of your mind! You are so eager to leave your wife-to-be and go after somebody else, that too when you just confirmed the pregnancy! What sane person does that?”Kim looked at his brother in stunned astonishment, unable to bear his audacity. How can he simply put all the blame on Kim’s shoulders when he knew the reality of the situation? How dare he raise a hand to the Jao Por and forget that his men were all around him, ready to take action agains
Chapter 61: Sudden Turn of EventsKit:Kit’s eyes widened as Earth dumped a bunch of snacks on the living room floor, along with a bunch of plastic cups.“Isn’t that a bit too much for just the four of us?” he asked, eying the fried chicken that was already laid out onto the table. “Actually, make that just three, since Prem confirmed that can’t come.”“He can’t?” Earth wrinkled his nose. “Damn! He’s missing out!”“I have an event to go with my father,” Prem had told them apologetically in another call. “But Ben can come, and he’s headed over there right now. ‘You’d better have all the drinks and food ready when I arrive,’ he told me to tell you.”Kit narrated their conversation, before pointing to the food once again. “Still…this just might be too much…”“Nah,” Earth chuckled, shaking his head. “That won’t be too much once we start drinking. Speaking of which, come with me outside, let’s buy some beer. Or are you feeling some tequila tonight?”In the end, they went for both, a case o
Chapter 62: Surrounded by DangerKit:Kit felt like his entire body was on fire, jolting him out of the alcohol induced stupor that he had been in a few moments ago.What happened? Why was he on the floor? He tried to grapple with these thoughts as his lungs burned for oxygen.One minute he was on his feet, looking out the window and now he was… he was… he couldn't breathe!Ben’s body was on top of him, pressing down on his lungs, groaning.Pushing Ben aside with all the strength he could muster, he sat up so he could better see what was happening around him, and when he noticed the shattered glass, the way Earth too was ducking down as he looked around in fright…he realized that they had just been shot at.“Shiaaa!” Kit cursed before turning towards Ben. “Sabai di mai?”“Yes,” came Ben’s low mutter as he tried to sit up. But Kit could see the blooming red on his shirt. Blood.“Fuck!” Kit looked closely at his friend, only to find shards of glass embedded onto his back from the way he
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