Chay feels the ground swallows him whole as he flips the kaleidoscope of photos. The clothes and poses are varied. So they were not taken on the same day.

The last photo is Kim being pushed by the woman against the wall, lips attached to each other. Chay stares at it. He can hear the sound of his own heart cracking. He harshly shuts and launches his laptop to the wall, can't stand to look at it anymore.

It hurts.

It hurts so bad like nothing he ever experienced before.

His mind goes into frenzy mode.

Can't breathe.

Don't want to open his eyes.

His rational part of mind tries to create loopholes for Kim.

This is fake.

Propaganda or some sort.

Someone must've created them with Photoshop.

They want to get Kim from his part of the angle.

There's got to be a reason for this.

The irrational part... It just stands still and watches as Chay's world burns.

'Should he call Hia?'

Chay picks up his phone and dials. The sound of dull tuts was heard again and again. No one picks up. He tries again with the same result then gives up.

His hia doesn't care about him anymore.

Chay flops down to the cold tile. He can't even stop as streams of tears run down his cheeks as he curls himself on that very floor.

He doesn't know how many times has passed but he doesn't want to get up.

Please, God. If this is true, don't allow him to get up again.
***

Kim is restless.

Chay can't be reached, but the people inside the Theerapanyakul's mansion said there is no movement of Chay. He is still inside his bedroom just as Kim left him this morning.

Is he asleep?

But this is already almost nighttime. It is a bit unusual for Chay.

Kim wants to give password codes to Big and order him to set foot inside Chay's room to check. But then, that's a heavy invasion of privacy that he isn't comfortable with.

He checks his watch again for the hundreds of times. When is this stupid meeting over? He looks at Kinn impatiently as one of the members of the board of directors for the hotel chain goes on and on about something he doesn't care about.

He reaches for his phone and texts. 'Do you want to shut him up or do I have to shoot him myself?'

Kinn hikes his brow when he reads. 'Be patient, asshole', he replies.

Time goes again in agony for five minutes before Kim realizes doesn't want to be patient. So, he raises his hand and says nonchalantly, "Something come up, gotta go."

Kinn is not amused, but he doesn't care. His eyes find Vegas's. He doesn't like the look on his cousin's face but he doesn't have time for any more bullshit.

The road to the house is crowded. At this kind of time, Kim regrets not using the helicopter. He gets there just in time for dinner for the employees so the house itself is quiet.

Big approaches as he enters the door. "Still no movement," he says.

Kim frowns. "Did he have his lunch?"

Big shakes his head. "We delivered it to his room at 1 and knocked. He didn't answer so we left it outside. He didn't pick it up. I didn't know this because there was no tray outside. His guards said the maids picked it up, just got the report 10 minutes ago."

Kim fastens his steps. "Fire him."

Big nods. They are almost running now. When they get to the door, Kim punches the code impatiently before scanning his fingerprint. Why did he need a double checkup like this? At that time, it seemed to be a good move.

The room is dark. That's definitely not a good sign. When Kim switches the lamp, he needs time before he finds Chay, curled up into a ball on the floor.

"Chay!" he shouts as he rushes to the boy's side. When his boyfriend doesn't answer, Kim shakes his body lightly and finds how burnt the skin feels. His t-shirt is damp with sweat.

"Call the doctor!" he orders Big as he picks up Chay's limp body. Big nods and calls with hurried words. Kim feels his legs are heavier but he pushes himself to be as fast as he can, gets to the elevator, then walks fast again to the infirmary. He only needs a few steps because the doctor and nurses are already in front of the elevator with stretches.

"Status?" the doctor asks him.

"Unconscious, fever, heavy breathing."

"Do you know why?"

Kim shakes his head. "I don't know. I found him this way." He gulps. Something feels stuck in his throat. He prays. 'Please, please be ok.'

"Did he show any sick signs lately? Fatigue, headache, low appetite, anything."

"No. He was fine. He was fine this morning," Kim replies, irritated because it seems the doctor hints he is a lousy caretaker of Chay.

The doctor frowns before he nods. "Gives us some time to examine him, Khun Kim," he says politely. Kim nods and follows him to the inside of the room.

"Khun Kim, you can't ..."

All Kim needs to do is look at him in the coldest stare and the doctor gives up. Kim watches as the nurses open Chay's soak-up t-shirt and shorts with professional fastness. The cold water brought up. They now wipe him as gently and meticulously as they can.

Chay doesn't budge. No movement. Not even a micro one.

Kim's worry grows. His mind goes straight to hell. Just what the hell happened to Chay?

***
Porsche checks his phone after the meeting. Two missed calls from Chay. He frowns. Lately, calls from Chay are rare. He seems to be happy lately. The happiest Porsche had ever seen him in months.

He contemplates whether to call back or not when his phone rings. The mansion's infirmary calls and he wonders why as he picks up. "Yes?"

"Khun Porsche, this is the infirmary staff."

"Yes, I know. What is wrong?"

"We are informing you about Khun Porchay."

His voice hikes. "What's wrong with Chay?" Kinn frowns. He mouths, "Who?" Porsche mouths back, "House doctor."

"He was found unconscious in his room."

"What?" he shouts. "How the fuck does that happen?"

"We still don't know why. Khun Kim found him and he doesn't know too. We're still working on a diagnosis."

"Ok. I'm coming!" He looks at Kinn, waiting for an objection. They still have a schedule together. But Kinn only nods.

By the time Porsche gets there, there are already Kim, Khun, Macau, and Pete. All of their faces latch with deep worry.

Pete comes closer. "He is still not awake. Kim said he doesn't move at all. It's like he is shutting down."

Porsche feels like can't breathe.

"He had this before, Porsche."

"What? When?"

"In London."

Porsche wants to say something but nothing comes up. What kind of brother is he, not knowing this about Chay?

The guilt is eating him alive and makes him sob.

After a few hard gulps, he asks, "Why didn't you inform me then?"

Pete is about to answer but Vegas intercepts as he walks into the crowded room, "We did. You didn't answer."

If he just picked up the damn phone.

***

Macau stands before Kim. "Is something wrong with you guys?" he asks, his voice has a trace of tears in it.

Kim shakes his head. "No, nothing. We are good. More than just good. This morning he was still right. He was still laughing and ...," Kim presses his cries. This is no time to cry. He needs to be stronger in case anything happens and Chay needs him.

That seems to satisfy Cau as he nods and sits beside Kim.

"When we were in London, after a heavy session with his doctor, he had this. He didn't wake up no matter how hard I shook him. I panicked and called Hia. They told me to call a number. A couple of people came and took us to the best hospital in town. Hia and Pete came the next day. They did everything they could but they say it was psychosis. We waited two days then he woke up like nothing happened. We decided not to say anything to him and just said he fainted. He asked for his brother then. But ..."

"He didn't come." There are spits of anger in Kim.

"Yes."

They stay in silence for a while before Kim asks Macau to say what he said to him to the doctors. Macau agrees and leaves.

Kim stares at the wall. He doesn't respond to anyone after that.

***

Kinn arrives at the infirmary at 9 and sits beside the dejected-looking Porsche. He wraps his arm around his lover's shoulder. Porsche cries again on his chest.

Kinn does his best to soothe him with gentle hands and gentler words, that everything will be ok. That Porchay will be ok. They have the best doctors in the country at their back and call.

"He had this before, Kinn," Porsche's words come out as a whisper.

"What do you mean?" How come he never heard of this before?

"Vegas and Pete, They said he had this kind of episode in London. Psychosis thing. He woke up two days after."

"Why didn't they tell us then?" Kinn frowns in anger.

"They did. I didn't answer. I think it was the same time when we had to wrap a deal on a cruise ship."

Porsche cries harder. "I'm a failure, Kinn. I'm a bad brother."

"No, no, don't say that, Darling. You just didn't know. The situation ..."

"I should've checked on him periodically. I should've gone to London too. I should've ..."

Kinn shuts him up with his hand. "Stop it. There is no use of what-ifs now. You need to be strong for your brother now. He needs you."

Porsche wants to nod, but he can't. The what ifs roll again in his head.

'What if it's too late for Porche and Chay to go back to they were used to be again?'
***