Ps: as I promised, a stream of uploads until my notes run dry. The playlist of the book is below.
***

The bus stop turns out to be not far from where he is now. Chay walks slowly while pacing his breath. He will look oddly suspicious if he runs, beside the bus is not here yet.

He waits in agony and when the bus finally arrives he sighs a relief. The bus is already taking off when he spots cars that he recognizes easily now. The family's. His brother is probably in there.

He has to switch buses twice before he gets to where he wants: Inter-city bus station. He scans his options and goes to the ticket counter. "One ticket to Hua Hinn, please."

"ID?" the girl sounds bored. She doesn't even look up.

"Erm, sorry, but I just got mugged. I lost my phone and wallet." Chay tries to sound as pitiful as he can be. The girl sighs but proceeds to ask, "What's your name?" It seems getting mugged is a common occurrence here.

He is about to say his name but then pauses. 'What's his name?' He must have common names.

"Jaran," he says. " Jaran Narravit."

In 5 minutes, he already sits inside the moving bus, on a journey to be out of Bangkok. There is a commotion at the station when the bus is just about to embark. The second driver enters the already-moving bus with a huff. "What's all that about?" the driver asks his friend.

"They said Khun Boss is looking for somebody, a boy."

"For what?"

The second driver shrugs. "I don't know but it must be serious if he lets all his men comb the city." The driver whistles.

Chay closes his eyes in relief that he gets away with it. He loves Macau to death, but for him to be able to coax his 'not-my-boyfriend' to do this, their relationship is more serious than what Macau lets out to be.

3 and a half hours later, he is eating a noodle cup in some random 24-hour mini-market in Hua Hinn. Chay takes his time and explores the surroundings with his eyes. He can hear the sea from where he sits, so there must be a beach somewhere close enough.

He wants to search this place on Google but then remembers he doesn't have a phone now. Sucks. But first thing first.

He approaches the guy behind the counter. "Sawatdee khrab," he says as he gives a polite wai. "Can I ask where to find a cheap inn here?"

The guy looks at him up and down. "Are you stranded here?"

He smiles, unaware that gives a sad one. "You can say that."

The guy looks like he understands. "Just wait until my shift is over, ok? In another hour or so. With a face like that, someone can fool and rob you blind."

Chay nods. His face does have that inclination.

After an hour passes, another guy comes and takes over the counter. The guy behind the counter introduces himself as Phan and his friend as Kiet. Chay introduces himself as Jaran.

"There's an empty slot beside mine. It's a good small apartment complex. One room only. Very small. You sleep, cook, eat, and watch TV in the same room, but there's a separate bathroom. It is also clean, has running water and electricity, is secure, and almost without problem. It's relatively cheap."

"How much?"

"It's about ฿3000 a month. Just a bit higher than the slump. I hear the owner doesn't really need money. But... There's a catch." 

Chay frowns. "What?"

"The previous owner died of suicide."

Chay's eyes go big and he coughs. "In the room?" he shrieks. Phan nods. Kiet visibly shudders. "Oh, shit," Chay gulps. But this is a very good deal and the dead can't come back.

Well, he hopes so.

"I'll take it. But, I got mugged and lost my phone and wallet. All my IDs are in there. Luckily, I stored most of my money here," he pats the bag.

Phan squints, like he is assessing Chay. "May I ask why are you here?"

"I ran away," he sighs, deciding to tell the truth. He's afraid he might slip later on if not. "Things are just suck from where I lived."

"Debt collectors?" Kiet asks, there is sympathy in his voice. Like he has that one problem.

Chay shakes his head. "No, family problem."

Both of them perform an 'ah' sound.

"Ok, I decided that I liked you enough to vouch for you to Phi Dan."

"Phi Dan?"

"He's the caretaker of the building. He's cool," Kiet explains. "If you take the room, you will live next to Khan. Ours is two rooms next to yours."

"Oh, you guys are roommates?"

Phan and Kiet nod. "We're not well-off enough and we have to give some of our money to our family. You know, to help out. How about you? Will you be ok living alone?"

"I'm good for about two months. But I need to start looking for a job."

Phan chirps, "The noodle restaurant near our mart is looking for a servant. You can apply there. The owner is Phi Dan's uncle. We also help the fishermen weekly to earn some money. You can come with us, they're always welcome newcomers. But it's a hard and dirty job. Might not be suitable for a city kid like you."

"I'll take what I can at this point. Beggars can't be choosers."

Kiet laughs and pats his back. "I like you already, man!"

Turns out, Phi Dan is cool. He gets the job at the restaurant for Chay although Chay has to promise to be hard working. The room is not bad and still has some of the previous owner's belongings that didn't get hauled by his family, like a small wardrobe, a small stove, cooking utensils, and a bed. Phi Dan lends him a new bed cover for him to sleep that night. They promise to take him to the market to buy the rest of Chay's needs.

When he lays himself in that small room on the first night, his mind is once again drifting to Kim.

How could he do something like that to Chay?

He begins to reason but shuts it down a second later. He doesn't want to think about it. He will have plenty of time for it. Just not now.
***

Kim wakes up a day and a half later. Pissed is really an understatement. He is raging.

"What's the status on Chay?" he asks Kinn.

"Negative. Right now they are looking all over the city. He left almost all his valuables, only took his ID card and money in his wallet. You know he never carried much. He can't go too far."

"Whose car was he taking?"

"Macau's."

There is no way Macau doesn't stash anything in his car and Chay doesn't know it. He can't take it as face-valued. It's too odd, too off, too convenient.

There is something the minor family hides. For what? Don't they want Chay to come back too? They love him that much.

"Status on Macau?"

Kinn is startled that Kim is asking about Macau. "I think he's fine."

"Where is he now?"

"I don't know. At his house, maybe. Kim, that kid is stressed enough already. Please, don't poke him. Not now," Kinn pleads.

"Is Vegas here?" Kinn nods in confusion and then yells when Kim casually rips off his IV off of his arm. "Kim!"

Kim is staggeringly walking away from his room. It takes five steps before he can pull himself together. One of his men comes up. Mongkut, his second in command along with Big. "Take me to Vegas," he says and the man nods. Mong leads the way to the elevator while working on his I-pad. "He's at the gun training ground. Pete is with him." Kim nods.

"Khun, Big is leading the search as we speak with ten shadows. They swept half of the city already. No words. Do you think somebody is hiding him?"

"That's what we're going to find out. Start tracing where the emails came from. I will work on it myself after this, but I need to gather my information first. Tell Pai to get a head start on it. Tell Big to start searching for Dahlia and her uncle  Her file is in our cloud. When found don't do anything to her. I'm going to snap that bitch myself!"

Mong shudders at the darkness in Kim's voice. His boss rarely shows this kind of emotion. To Kim, violence is a tool he only uses when necessary.

This Kim, this darker and unhinged one, showed up about a year and a half ago when he vowed to conquer Pattaya and its satellite cities. Both incidents involved Porchay.

Mong and the rests of Kim's men already know what role Porchay has in Kim's life before meeting him. When he first saw Porchay, he was surprised. Never would he thought a soft-looking boy could rope the devil and get a chokehold on him.

Porchay can make Kim do anything for him. But from what Mong observed, Chay never asked for anything. Not expensive things, not his exclusive time or attention.

Chay just accepted whatever Kim gave him. Maybe that's why this boy is so special to his boss.

His inner thoughts stop when they arrive in the room. Vegas is watching his partner practicing his shoot. His face doesn't indicate anything. A smooth surface.

Kim stops in front of Vegas. The latter gives him a small smile. "Hello, Kim. Feeling better?"

Kim doesn't answer. He doesn't feel like being polite. "What did Chay take with him from Macau's car?"

Vegas tilts his head like he doesn't understand the question. "Nothing, as I know of. You can check with the inspection team."

"Not even cash?"

"Cash is still there."

"What did you teach to him?"

Vegas looks offended. "Excuse me?"

"He can't just vanish, V. But he knew what he must do, what he must leave behind to be untraceable. You taught him something."

They both know they are the best in the art of vanishing, their selves or another person. They perfected the art for years.

"I taught him what's necessary. I don't want him to end up dead. Like most people, I have a soft spot for him."

Kim's eyes grow harder. This just means that whatever knowledge Vegas has about Chay's situation, he won't share it with anybody but his partner and brother.

"I can ask Macau," Kim says with underlying threat.

Vegas laughs, out loud but without humor. "Good luck with that! He's with Eakasit Chaimongkon now and he's doubling security on my brother. You know Kai. If you do him dirty, he will fight dirtier."

Eakasit Chaimongkon. Now that's a new problem. One that can cause a headache. But nothing or no one will stop Kim.

Kim gives Vegas a polite predatory smile that Vegas and Pete both dislike before exiting the room.

"He's going to go after Cau, isn't he?" Pete asks and Vegas nods. "Can Kai really protect our baby?"

"I won't worry about it. Kai has his own inner demon that can be a bitch to prostrate."

***

KimPorchay playlist:

- I knew you were trouble - Taylor Swift
- Style - Taylor Swift
- Almost over you - Jeff Satur
- Ghost - Jeff Satur
- Limbo - Keshi
- Give me love - Ed Sheeran
- Pano - Jack Tabudlo
- The only exception - Paramore
- My immortal - Evanescence
- Strawberry and cigarette - Troye Sivan
- Youth - Troye Sivan
- Could cry just thinking about you - Troye Sivan
- Tmblr girls - G-Eazy
- Angels like you - Miley
- Adore you - Miley
- Eyes closed - Halsey
- Die 4 me - Halsey
- Power - Isak Danielson