Chapter 20: April 30th

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"Let love rewind

Your twisted heart

and overflow

your fractured soul, 

until you're no longer

tangles and broken." 

-perry poetry-

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| K I R U N |

It has been a little over a week since the pub incident. Indah did not talk to me much save for the short replies I got. Each day, I asked her how she was and each day, I got the same reply: I am fine. Nothing more, nothing less. The track meet was a week away and things were in a rush. School was not helping at all with the assignments and projects due along with the resume of ours for the following year internships.

Today, the sun was high and the boys and I were out on the tracks, doing laps.

"You leaving tomorrow?" asked Ahren and I turned to him, still on my lane.

"Yeah"

"Need someone to come with you?" he asked again and I shook my head, no. Last year, I was there with Indah and the year before. She had made me promise that I'd bring her there with me each year. Somehow, we got over our differences just that one day. This year, however, I was not so sure about her appearance.

"No. Its okay" I replied and he nodded, running ahead of me. Should I tell her I was leaving tomorrow? Maybe I should leave her a message? A call?

"YO K! RUN!" I didn't know I was standing in the middle of the tracks until Kwan called me out. I shook my head clear of any thoughts and began jogging towards the idiots I call my friends.

***

I didn't call her nor did I text her. It was 3am in the morning and I was wide awake. I would have to ask dad to write an apology letter to the Dean for missing my lectures today but I can't do much. I would have to be back by the afternoon though to catch some sleep before over time classes tomorrow.

By four in the morning, I was up and ready to leave. I was dressed in jeans and white tees and a navy blue cardigan. My black one is still with Indah. I took my travel bag pack and put a pair of sweats and tees inside along with a few advils and bottles of water. I then placed my headphones, wallet and charger in another compartment. I took the bag, my phone and my car keys before slipping on a pair of converse and taking my Nike flip flops in the other hand. I locked the door behind me after checking that I had everything. The sun was still not up and it was 5am now. If I leave Bangkok now, I'd probably arrive there by 8am.

I was leaving for Kanchanaburi. The one place I visit every year on April 30th. This is my mom's province. She lived here in her final days, claiming this place was calming. So every year, I come here just to be with her memories. Memories before she left us to be. She died when I was around 5 and a half I think, and Krys was a year old. It was a few months after Krys turned a year old. So she doesn't remember mum much. But I do. So I visit here each year.

"You were thinking of leaving me, weren't you?" I halted on my tracks and turned to the gray haired girl leaning on the lobby wall in front of me. She was dressed in jeans, tees and my cardigan with converse. We almost matched. Almost.

"Not really" I replied, smiling slightly at her. She smiled back.

"You sure you want to come?" I asked her and she nodded, walking out of the lobby. We walked to my Rav4 and I unlocked it, opening the back door. I placed my bagpack inside and so did Indah. She had taken out her water bottle and I did the same before closing the back doors and turning to the driver's seat.

"Get in" I called out to her as I got in. She got into the passenger seat and buckled up. I buckled up and started the ignition. It was going to be a long ride.

***

Fifteen minutes later, literally fifteen, not even joking, Indah was hungry. And she was whining about food.

"Indah, its barely 5:30am, what deli will be open?" I muttered, turning to the next lane towards Sunny's Pizza.

"The pizza place" she replied and I knew she remembered it. I shrugged as I pulled into the parking lot of the pizza place. Pulling towards the drive through, I turned to the girl beside me. She looked giddy like a kid on Christmas.

"What do-"

"Tropical Pizza, with lots of pineapples and cheese" she replied and my eyes widened.

That was fast.

I turned to the speaker box where the lady asked for my order.

"Hey, can I have two large pizza's. Make it half Tropical and half BBQ. Also add lots of pineapples and cheese to both. Thank you"

"Thank you sir. Please move to the next counter for your order"

I drove to the next counter and waited for the order. Indah, meanwhile, shuffled with my radio.

"You will break it" I said and she glared at me.

"I know how to use it, okay. I am looking for AUX" she replied and turned to the console boxes. I turned to the boxes to and opened the large one between the two seats. Taking the AUX cord, I handed it to her. Before she could say anything, the lady called us.

"Sir, your order. It'll be 200 bhat" the lady said, smiling at me. I heard Indah scoff and I turned to her with a glare.

"I was doing that to your stupid radio!" she snapped back and I turned to the lady, giving her an apologetic smile.

"Get the money from my wallet, Cactus" I said, putting the two boxes of large pizza's at the back seat. I was in between the front two seats when I felt her lean from her seat towards my window to pay the lady. I thought she had gone back so I turned back, only to hit her small body. She let out multiple curses and I laughed, going back to the previous position to allow her to retreat. Once she did, I was back on my seat. I turned to the lady and thanked her as she handed me the two cups of coffee and the receipt.

In no time, Indah was shoving down the pizza on her own, not even bothering to ask me about it.

"Yo" I hit her with my left hand and she let out an 'ooww' with her mouth full. I glanced at her to see her still eating.

"Give me food woman!" I said, turning back to the road. The road was pretty clear for now since it was the morning hours but it will soon jam. I pulled out of the Bangkok highway towards the main road to the province.

"Here" she shoved pizza infront of my face and I bit a piece from it. It was nice.

Just then my phone rang and I answered it via bluetooth.

"Kiru-"

"P'Kirun! Have you left for the province yet?" I pulled over to the nearest stop and picked up my phone, holding it at my ear.

"Krystal! Why'd you call so early in the morning?" I asked her and she chuckled on the other line.

"I am in Thailand right now. Well, at the Suvarnabhumi Airport to be precise" I groaned in frustration.

"What are you doing in Thailand Krys?" I asked her, running my hand through my hair.

"Well, we have a three day break before exams and since its April 30th and I wanted to go....." she left the sentence hanging but I understood clearly.

"Stay there. I am on my way"

"You guys go in and out of the country so randomly" muttered Indah from beside me, chewing on her pizza. I glared at her causing her to break into chuckles.

I pulled out of the stopping and turned around, towards the airport to pick my little sister up.

As expected, she set outside of the airport on her luggage bag. She had on a cardigan and jeans with sneakers and her hair was all messy. I knew she didn't put much effort on her appearance. I pulled up beside her and called out to her.

"Yo Peasant!" she immediately looked up to me and grinned. Indah got off and walked to her. I guess I should too.

"Hey girlie" the two hugged and did some sister thing of theirs.

"Get in before I get pulled up for illegal parking!" I called out to the girls. Krys put her small luggage bag into the trunk and walked to the front.

"Take the front" Indah grinned at her and I turned to Indah. She gave up the front seat for my sister. That's weird.

Krystal took the front seat and buckled up.

"You have food?" was her first question. I shrugged and Indah passed her the other box of pizza.

"Ah finally"

***

The ride to the province was entertaining. To me at least. Krystal and Indah kept playing this game called singing random songs and whoever could not match up the lyrics, loses resulting in a flick on their forehead. By the time we reached the resort at Kanchanaburi, the two girls had dark spots on their foreheads.

I parked the car at the parking lot and got off, taking my phone and keys. I opened the back doors and took my bag before shutting it.

"Lets go" said Krystal, dragging her luggage behind her as she walked into the lobby of the resort.

Indah turned to me and gave me a sheepish smile.

"What?" I asked her and she shrugged, walking ahead of me. I jogged up to her and fell to her pace.

"What is it?" I asked her and she shook her head.

"Tell me!" I whined, walking through the front doors of the resort.

"Nothing! Lets go" she said and walked up to the reception where Krys was standing talking to Mr. Pete, the manager of this resort.

"Ah Miss. Indah and Mr. Kirun! Nice to see you two" he smiled brightly at us and I nodded at him.

"The deck is clear, no one is there" he said and I nodded, smiling gratefully at him.

"Go" he ushered us towards it.

It was something we did usually. This resort was dad's. Dad had it built when mom began falling sick after she had me. She really liked the quietness around here so we were usually here and since I was not going to school that time, I stayed around this place all the time. The deck was where mom spent her most time and was one place we usually went whenever we visited here. There was a flower garden she started here and whenever we came here, we paid a visit to it. It was her way to reminding us that she loved us and would always look out to us.

"Hey mom" Krystal whispered to the flowers blooming around with a smile on her face. Krys never knew what mom was like so these small things gave her an idea of mom's being.

Indah stood beside me as we looked ahead of us into the vast wildness. The place showed off nature to its peak and it was soothing.

"I like it here" whispered Indah from beside me. I turned to her and smiled. After the incident, we never really had a talk.

"You holding up good?" I asked her and she gave me a small smile.

"I guess so. I didn't want to leave bed, didn't want to face people nor go out. But I guess I am holding up well" she said and I nodded, shoving my hands in my jean pockets.

"You?" she asked me and I shrugged.

"Kirun....." she whispered from beside me, causing me to turn to her again. She looked up to meet my eyes and gave me a small smile.

"I meant the thank you" she said and I smiled down at her.

"No need. You know I will always be there"

| Snippet. |

It was the summer before senior year and the boys were excited. Not because of senior year, no. Instead they were excited to be off school and into the sun, sea and sand.

On the last day of school, the boys planned their entire summer while sitting in their shared dorm rooms. Their high school, which was a prominent private high school in the world, Kyoya High School AKA KHS. KHS caters the children of the richest and prestigious people around the globe, including the boys. The Huxley, Danzel and Arthit being their benefactors while Zhang and Baek-Hyun families being their ancestral foundation, the boys basically had the school to themselves.

But with the popularity came responsibilities. The boys still had to work hard to maintain their grades because of the fact that IUST required good grades for entry, no matter where you come from.

With that explained, it is easier to understand why the boys are so excited to enter summer. It was a month of relaxation before school began and so would their senior year lives.

"Maldives?"

"We went there last summer"

"Bahamas?"

"Last Christmas was there"

"Pataya?"

"We will be living in Bangkok starting next year. What is the point anyway?"

"India?"

"Too hot?"

"Lets just go to one of our farmhouses and chill. What say?"

The boys turned to the silent friend of theirs with green eyes. He did have a point.

"Ah. Since you said it-" said Ahren smirking. Kwan beside him grinned.

"Why don't we go to the Huxley farmhouse in Miami?" asked Kwan and everyone nodded. Carwayn shrugged.

"I am okay with it. Just tell Cay than we are comi-"

"You do it!" the boys yelled and Carwayn winced.

"Fine"

And that was how the boys ended up in Miami with their surf boards and bathing suits for one hell of a summer. And that was the summer when the boys realized they only had each other's backs.

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Heyy. Merry Christmas guysss. Have a nice one!! And stay safe! :) 

 | R C V |

Lots of love, 

-aalihha-