Chapter 18: The Morning that Followed.

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"The things we do for love"

-2am-

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| K I R U N |

Safe to say I didn't sleep a wink last night. Indah had slept on my lap and I had been watching movies over movies to stay awake. It was now 6am and I knew the girls would wake up and be worried about her. I looked down at the gray haired girl on my lap with a smile. She had slept soundly through the morning with my hoodie. I think it is a habit of hers to sleep with something with a scent.

I stealthily moved her hands from around me and slipped out from the sofa, carefully placing her head and pillow on the couch itself. She did mummer incoherent words upon the movement though.

I walked to my closet, chose a random tee and jeans before heading for a shower. Once I was done, I changed and walked back to where Indah was still, silently sleeping. I hope she catches enough sleep.

Taking a pen and a sticky note, I addressed one to her before sticking it on the glass of water on the tray and placing it on the table in front of her. I placed an Advil on the table too, just in case her head pains.

I looked around the room and saw that it was neat so I guess I can leave. Taking my wallet and car keys from the table, I searched around for my phone and key card. Oh great.

I walked around the room twice before I found the two lying by the Sofa, the headphone still attached to the phone. I bent and picked it up before rushing to the door. I was almost out the door when I realized I don't have my watch with me.

What the hell is wrong with you?! I scolded myself before walking back in and grabbing it from the dresser of mine.

***

The shop beside the dorms was basically empty. It was no surprise because it was barely 7am. I ordered cold coffee before waiting by the tables for my order. My phone buzzed in my pocket and I took it out to check it.

Aqua: I hope Indah is doing well.

Carwayn: Take her to see a doctor, K.

Kwan: Make sure the blood test is done. I hope she is clear of any drugs in her system. Did she eat anything?

The group went silent, waiting for my reply. I sighed and typed my reply.

Me: Yes, I will take her to the hospital once she wakes up. She is still asleep. Do not go and yell around in my room please. She did eat pizza last night so thats a plus. Oh the leftover's are in the fridge. DO NOT enter my room anytime soon.

Aqua: That's good news. FINE we won't. Did you tell the other girls?

Me: Not yet. I tried calling them last night, no one picked up. Try calling them now and let me know of the results. Till then, I need coffee. Bye.

I switched off my phone and placed it back in my jean pocket. The morning air of Bangkok was cool, it was not cold but cool. I liked the calm and serene environment that surrounds me now.

"K!"

Spoke too soon.

I looked up to spot Aqua, Carwayn and Kwan walking towards me. They took their seats around my table and muttered a good morning to me. Carwayn hated mornings, Aqua loved them and Kwan could not be bothered to be out of his bed early Saturday morning. How these three ended up here with me was a question I did not wish to even ask.

"Coffee for 4" the lady placed our coffees on the table and I handed her the bills for it knowing that my best friends would probably not bother to pay up anyway.

Taking my large glass of coffee, I smiled inhaling the scent. I sipped on it slowly, letting each and every taste bud of mine be soaked in the coffee bean taste. I needed this. My daily dose of caffeine.

"Okay model, stop it!" snapped Carwayn and I glared at him.

"Why so snappy?" I snapped back, sipping onto my coffee again.

"He didn't get enough sleep. Let him be. Its Saturday morning!" said Aqua, gulping down his last bits of coffee and ordering another one. I did the same while Carwayn simply ordered another one, not bothering to quickly finish before his second.

"How is Indah by the way?" asked Aqua and I smiled slightly, sipping my coffee.

"She is fine. For now" I replied and went back to drinking my coffee.

"What will you do about Ace?"

I halted my actions.

I knew I had to answer this but I didn't know the answer. How am I supposed to handle Ace? For one, I know Indah will not appreciate me, meddling in her matters without telling her and two, I feel it is not my place to talk to Ace. On the contrary, that doesn't mean I can't beat the crap out of the guy. I mean, it is an option, right?

"I don't know. It is up to Indah" I replied and they nodded.

"I think you should tell Indah the truth K" I turned to Carwayn who was giving me his best cynical look. I knew he was thinking of something.

"What do you mean?" questioned Kwan and Carwayn rolled his eyes, before putting his coffee cup on the table and leaning onto it.

"K, you liked her for the longest time now. You kissed her and you saved her from Ace. She deserves to know how you actually feel. Talk it out" explained Carwayn and I stared at him.

"What the hell have you done to Carwayn Huxley?!" said Aqua causing us to laugh.

"I am still me but that was just something I think you should do. Before anything else comes up" he explained and I nodded. He was right though.

Finally we were done with our coffee.

"You guys want breakfast?" asked Ahren, walking into the scene. His hair was an array of messiness and his eyes were sleepy. He still needs more sleep.

"Why are you up at 8am?" asked Kwan and Ahren shrugged, rubbing his shoulders.

"I don't know. I was in bed with my phone and when I checked Line and realized what had happened last night, I decided to come to you guys for the update" he said. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Anyway, you guys want breakfast?" he asked and I shrugged.

"Lets go then" said Kwan and we walked towards our cars. The dumb part was that we all came at different times so we had our own vehicles. I unlocked my Rav4 and got in, waving at the boys. I took out my phone and placed it on the console box before getting into my seat. My phone rang through the vehicle and I picked it up without looking at the caller ID as I am trying to get my seat belt up and done.

"Thank you"

I halted my actions and picked up the phone from the console box.

"Hey"

And she hung up. Oh great. I dialed her number again and she kept rejecting my calls to one point where it was switched off. That's when I realized that she called me with her phone. The same one that was with Ace.

Panic and dread began to rise up within me and I dialed Carwayn's number.

"What is it?"

"Add the boys to the call" I said, pulling out of the parking lot of the cafe.

"Hey, why are we on conference all?" asked Ahren and I heard bickers. They are all there.

"Indah called me. She said thank you and when I said hey, she hung up on me" I explained.

"You called us to bit*h about that?" asked Ahren and I rolled my eyes, pulling into the highway towards IUST.

"I tried calling her again and again, she rejected all my calls and now, her phone is switched off" I said.

"Wait a minute-" said Kwan and everyone went silent. "-Isn't her phone with Ace?"

Another moment of silence before a series of curses broke out.

"I am calling the girls" said Aqua.

"Pull into IUST now" called out Kwan and soon I saw the four vehicles behind me. Carwayn's black Range Rover passed by me, followed by Kwan's wine Chevrolet Trax. I sped up and soon we found ourselves in the parking lot of IUST dormitory. I took my phone and key card before getting off and running towards the building.

"LOCK YOUR CAR, DIMWIT!" yelled Ahren from behind and I hastily tapped lock on my keys while running.

Finally I made it to the fourth floor and came to a halt at her room door. I knocked on it furiously and finally it opened.

"Indah what-" I then realized the one who opened the door was not Indah but one of her friends. She stared at me before walking out and closing the door behind her.

"What is it?" I asked her and she sighed, running her hands through her hair.

"We found her in her bathroom, in tears" said Daw and my eyes widened. When did this girl come out of my room?

"When?"

"Just now. We arrived just now" she said and I looked at the door behind her.

"Don't even think of entering, Arthit" she snapped at me and I stepped back. Her eyes were lit with anger and I knew Indah had not told them anything.

"I found this on her table" she held up the peach colored sticky note in her hands. I tried to take it but she moved away. I tried again and this time, I was successful in taking it from her. It was my note, I knew that much.

'Good Morning. Drink this when you wake up. I am out for coffee. Call me if something happens. DO NOT leave my room without telling me. Your things are in the washer.

Xx,

K'

"And?" I asked Daw and she glared at me.

"And? You tell me Kirun. We arrived in Indah's room, find this note on the table, find her in the bathroom; crying to death and she won't speak a word. What do you think we will infer from this!?!" she snapped at me and I shook my head.

"Nothing of whatever you are thinking happened. I tried calling you guys last night, none of my calls went through. What do you exp-" I felt my right cheek sting.

She punched me.

Again.

| Snippet. |

The stars glimmered in the night sky and the moon was out, showing its full beauty to anyone beholding it. The air was cold and leaves fell slowly from the large Banyan tree. The large tree stood tall with its roots implanted firmly on the ground. Around it, circled wooden benches for the people to sit upon.

The two figures walking side by side approached the said tree and took their seats, looking ahead to the streets ahead of them. It was past mid night, yet the streets were bustling with life.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes"

"You don't seem alright"

"I know"

"Care to share?"

"Mom died today"

Indah was taken back at Kirun's confession. She thought she was simply pestering him but for him to tell her this, she was definitely not expecting it.

"Oh"

"Yeah"

Silence rang through the air surrounding them. Indah pulled her cardigan closer to her and shifted ever so slightly towards Kirun to envelope in his warmth. Of course this did not go unnoticed by the said boy for he shifted more close to keep the warmth intact.

"Want to talk about it?" she asked him and he shrugged.

"She........ well I don't remember much about her. Only that she had green eyes, the most beautiful ones. Krystal inherited them. And that she had a melodic laughter. I vaguely remember her laugh on something that I did. It used to be so peaceful back then" Kirun said, smiling.

Indah smiled at the boy beside her. They shared a frenemy relationship. But somewhere, she felt she was much more than just a friend and enemy to him. For him to tell her things like this made her feel........ special. As if she had a reserved place in his life and that made her feel happy unintentionally.

The two were here with their Dojo again, for a bit of a calming nature. It was a good thing for Kirun for he had already planned to visit this place that day for it was the place that held his mother's last times. For Indah, it was just another dojo trip.

But it had turned into something more when she saw Kirun sneak out of the small villa and had followed him until he found out. He was too emotionally drained to reprimand her and she was with him anyway. So the duo had continued to walk until the Banyan tree.

"And?" she asked, hoping to see him smile more.

"There was an incident...... Krys was a few months old and mum had just returned from the hospital. I was around 5 that time.... I was sitting with her and Krys, rocking Krys in her baby carrier.... when mum, she asked me......" he stopped, trying to push away any tears that might betray him and fall off his eyes. Indah saw this and placed her hand on his.

"It is okay, you know" she whispered and Kirun smiled slightly.

"It was the time when she asked me to take good care of Krys. She told me that I must shower as much love and affection as I could on the little Krys. She was afraid........ afraid that she would not make it....... to see the little things in the baby's life" this time, tears were freely falling off Kirun's eyes and Indah felt her heart break even more. They knew each other for almost a year now and she had never seen his vulnerable side. He wiped off his tears and looked ahead of him, avoiding the hazel eyes looking at him with gentleness.

"She was afraid that she'd miss alot of things. So she wrote a letter for each occasion that she'd miss. For both of us. Turns out the moments she spent in the hospital and at home alone, she wrote for us."

Indah smiled at him. She knew he loved his mother dearly.

"And?"

"And............. when she passed away, her last wish was for all her inheritance to go to a good course. So dad opened a foundation for the children with cancer in the memory of mom. The foundation supports children with cancer, morally, spiritually and financially." he said and Indah wiped away her tears and smiled brightly at him. Kirun's face was red and his nose was even redder.

"At least you have good memories with her" she said and he nodded, turning to her.

"Thanks for being here with me today"

"Its no big deal. I have a condition though"

"Which is?"

"You will bring me to Kanchanaburi every year on April 30th"

Kirun nodded with a small smile. Upon seeing the smile, Indah also smiled.

Unbeknownst to the duo, a little piece of the latter's heart was captivated by the other in the most unusual manner.

***

'Kanchanaburi: This is a province in Thailand that is very much filled with nature. It has the calming sense to itself which was why the Dojo went there. 

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Update! Do enjoy it and let me know what you think. :) 

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-aalihha-