Note: will be on 2 - 3 weeks hiatus after this.

***

Two hours before the will reading, Kinn and Kim met up at a cafe without bodyguards. Kim didn't trust anybody if not necessary at this point. Tankhun refused to come, saying he already knew how the conversation would go down and it would be pointless to come.

"You're going to accept it?" Kinn nearly shouted.

"Yes. If Pa was exactly like I predicted him to be and named me his successor, yes, Kinn, I'm going to accept it," Kim calmly replied.

"Are you out of your mind?"

Kim only smiled when he looked at his brother, who clearly was the one losing his mind here.

"I need this, Kinn. I need a way to be able to move freely to counter Amara."

"I can give you the access ..."

Kim shook his head. "It's not the same, Kinn, and you know it. And we need this if we want our plan to work."

Kinn put his face in his palms. He knew that Kim was right. He never felt more helpless than right now. "What can guarantee your safety?"

"Nothing."

Kinn shook his head. "We shouldn't have touched that trafficking ring."

"No, you can't blame yourself for that, Kinn," Kim moves forward, getting closer to his brother. "Our consciousness wouldn't allow that, and neither our lovers. I know Porchay will castrate me if he knows I do nothing about that when kids are involved."

Kinn smiles a little. He knows Kim is right. Porsche would strangle him while berating him up and down.

"Take the vacations I'm offering you. Take Porsche away for some time. He needs it. You need it. I'll be ok for a while. When you come back, then you guys can help me."

Kinn reluctantly agreed and took Porsche to a village in Switzerland for a month while Kim did his best to weed his father's grass. His father had many strong followers because of his appearance as a gentle wise man, although he ruled with iron fists.

Kim, on the other hand, used his good look and endless charm to woo the elders to his side. But those people already knew how he was when there was a job to be done. So those nice contradictions apparently won the hearts of many. Fucked up, he knew. But those people knew they needed someone who could win the public on the outside and still can get work to be done on the inside.

Kim, like his father said, was the perfect combination.

But by no means, he was easy to manipulate and mold. He said he was willing to work to make the organization even more prosperous as long as they did what they were told to do. That includes staying their paws away from harming his family, especially Porchay.

After those days of long tours to the elders' houses, he finally sets foot in Khun Amara's house. She is the last one, Kim deliberately put her last. She is known to the upper world as Khun Chariya Theerapanyakul. She was the best assassin the house ever had before Kim took that title from her at the age of 15 years old.

She is a beautiful and elegant woman, never married, quiet, and keeps her business to herself. Some say, she was in love with Korn Theerapanyakul, and Kim believes it as the evidence tilt in that direction.

Amara blindly followed his father, doing everything she could to make sure his father's reign in the underworld stayed. His father knew this and used it to his heart's content. Korn often used Amara's specialty even when the latter reclaimed to retire.

Amara is the one who connects the trafficking ring to the Theerapanyakuls. She is the main leader of the ring and the one who keeps the Sutivanischak's side clean on paper and brings money to both sides, mainly to her pocket.

His father 'allowed' this to happen out of 'care and love' for Amara. Kim knew better. His father didn't do anything that didn't gain him something.

The main butler of the house shows him the way to the main living room. Kim still stands, looking around the house and finding exits in case ugly things happen from where he stands still until Amara shows up.

"Ah, Kimhan," she greets, Kim gives a wai with a smile. "Please sit down."

There's a long pregnant pause after Kim sits. He guesses that his aunty is assessing him as he does her.

"So ...," she opens the conversation, "I guess congratulation is due."

Kim nods. "Thank you."

"Tell me, Kim, how did you kill your father?" Amara squints her eyes at Kim. Anger and hate battle in her eyes.

Kim smiles and doesn't falter. "I don't know what you're talking about," he says calmly.

"Your father's skin was blackened."

"Might be a side effect of his drug. He took them for a long time."

"And you didn't blow a man's head in front of him just weeks before?"

"I did, but you know the nature of our world."

"And you can also confirm that this ... 'incident' indeed happened because a boy named Porchay?"

Kim doesn't answer immediately. He knows what he has been lured into. No elders before her asked this question. Mainly because they already know the answer. His posture and mimic don't change although his emotion does.

"Yes," he answers.

"Your lover?"

"Fiance."

"Your father knew and accepted it?"

"Yes." Amara certainly had known the deal Kim made with Korn if she was his father's lover. There's no use in hiding it.

"Why? It's rather odd that he agreed, isn't it? He must've wanted an heir. Kinn is gay. Khun is unknown. So it falls to you."

"There are many ways to have kids today. I wouldn't worry about that."

Amara nods in agreement. "But your father didn't like love that can cloud your judgment. That's why ...," she pauses, catching herself just in time. But Kim knows what she is about to say.

'That's why your father keeps me under wraps because he loved me and didn't want me to cloud his judgment.'

What a bullshit. If Amara fell for that, she isn't as smart as everyone thinks she is.

"I want your father's legacy to continue, Kim. He spoke so highly of you."

Kim reads the sentence differently. It's a threat to Porchay and Kim. Because his father didn't want Porchay to be in Kim's life, then Amara doesn't either.

Kim nods again. He takes the diplomacy road. "I'll do my best to bring prosperity to the organization."

Amara's smile doesn't reach her eyes. This bitch loathes him, he knows. "What are you up to these days?" she asks nonchalantly.

"Trying to find a girl named Dahlia."

And there it is. Kim can see the slight change in posture and different light in her eyes although it's quickly shielded again with a nonchalant demeanor.

"I'll see what I can do to assist you. You can send her file to me if you want."

Kim smiles so sweetly, someone is going to have a toothache. "Thank you, Aunty."
***

Chay begins his routine not long after the sun shyly creeps up. It's not even six in the morning, and the air is the freshest, carrying the sea sent in it. His favorite.

He jogs religiously from the first time he woke up at his new home. It's great for his health and keeps up with his physical endurance in case something does happen. At the end of his 2 KM trail, there is a small Buddhist temple. He prays and offers merits just as religiously as he jogs now.

He keeps all the important people in his life in that prayer. His brothers, were Kinn, Khun, Macau, Vegas, Pete, Big, Arm, Pol, and even Kim.

Just because he doesn't want anybody to die.

That is what he keeps telling himself. It's true, but maybe not entirely. He wishes Kim happiness, a wish he unconsciously says to God. Even though, it's not with him. After all those nightmare experiences he called life, Kim deserves it. He still stands by that.

Maybe that woman can give him, happiness. A full happy family, complete with children of their own. Because, let's face it, Chay couldn't no matter how much he tried.

That's not his problem anymore.

But this morning, something just doesn't feel right. Chay regrets not taking the gun with him as the hair on his nape rises. Someone has been watching him since yesterday, he is sure of it. It's not his brother. This sneaking around thing, it's not Porsche's style. His Hia would've already banged his door if he knew his location.

And this stare ... This stare is different.

Chay decides to prolong his prayer for his safety. Just in case. Maybe talking to Porsche is a bad idea since it sharpens his hereditary paranoia.

Fuck his life.

Even when he decides to abandon it, that life is latching on to him like a stubborn leech.

Chay leaves with hurried steps. He prays again in his heart, that whatever it is that is about to come crashing on him will not affect the kind people that have kindly taken him in here. He can't bear it otherwise.

He jogs and turns into a full run. He meets Kiet on the way to his room. "J, Auntie asks if you can take the night shift because Mun can't. He would like to switch. Auntie called you, but you wouldn't pick up and called me instead."

"Oh, what's wrong?" Chay frowns.

"A date. That girl from the flower shop? She wants to watch a movie."

"On his motorcycle?" Chay asks, in disbelief. Kiet nods. "Man, it's going to be rough."

"No, actually it's easier. There are a few road cuts he can take with better condition and view."

"Oh, I'm glad for him. Sure. I don't have any shifts at the mini market, you know that. So I'm fine to switch."

"Ok, I'll tell Auntie. Talking about dates, what about you? You know many pretty girls want you to be their boyfriend, right?"

Chay laughs. "I haven't thought about that, Kiet. I need to build my life first."

Kiet chuckles. "If I were you, I would build my life and date around. How hard can it be?" Chay just laughs. "I'm going buy breakfast. Do you want anything?"

"No, thanks," Chay replies. He can't stomach anything right now.

Chay stays in his room all day until before he has to go to work. His whole body is full of worry, but he shuts it down. Auntie will have a hard time if he doesn't show up.

He looks up his gun, which strangely finds its way to his hand, and contemplates on taking it with him to work or not. Since when has his life become like this? He decides to better his chance of surviving and shoves the gun into his bag.

As soon as he exits the building, there's that feeling of being watched again. Chay tries to discreetly look around but finds nothing. He still isn't as good as Macau with this.

The work, surprisingly, goes as usual as ever, until when half an hour to close time, someone walks in and Chay knows where that prickling stare comes from now.
***

After a long day of playing real-world chest, Kim finally receives good news when Kinn informs him that Porchay made contact with Porsche last night and they quickly tracked the phone number to a public telephone in Hua Hin. They had dispatched a team to browse the area surrounding and found CCTV of the boy with his group. They were unable to identify the license plate of the car, but still, that was something positive.

He quickly gets to work.

"Mong, what's the farthest village from that city that can still be reached by public transport?"

"There is a small fishermen's village, about one and a half hours from it, Khun. It's Salaya."

That couldn't be, right? All this time ... If he is really there, it's really fate.

"Ask Te and Rak to the location. We have establishments there, so they will not be strangers that can draw attention."

"Yes, Khun."

Two hours later, Kim has confirmation that Porchay is indeed in the city. Te sends a photo of the boy sitting on the beach with a beer in hand. He looks so down that Kim wants nothing but to wrap his arms around him.

Kim quickly changes his suit to something more comfortable and hops on the helicopter. Te will pick him up while Rak stays to guard Chay.

In no time, Kim is already standing outside of Chay's apartment building.

He stays outside and puzzles his men. "Are you not going inside, Khun?" asks Mong.

"No. We'll stay here tonight."

Kim doesn't sleep. He watches the building diligently and raises his body when Chay appears early in the morning.

His eyes roam the boy's body hungrily. How he has changed a lot in three months and how good is the new look on him. Kim's lips part in a smile.

He follows Chay quietly, trailing the same quiet road to a temple by the end and waiting patiently as Chay prays.

It seems Chay senses him because the boy once or twice looks around as if something is wrong, but couldn't find anything. Vegas trains him well.

Kim waits outside the noodle shop until the night comes. It is time to make an appearance.

Chay doesn't disappoint him when the boy looks pissed off at him as their eyes collide.

'Hello there, my love', his heart sings.
***