Wednesday. September 15

All morning the boy was in anticipation of meeting and "talking" with his beloved. He often smiled and giggled at his dark thoughts, and even chuckled once in English class. Khun Radi, her eyebrows furrowed menacingly, immediately called the head of the class to the blackboard and tortured him with phrasal verbs and conditional sentences of mixed types, but Hope withstood the onslaught, since he had no problem with that. The woman squeaked out a well-deserved grade, and the self-satisfied boy returned to his seat, once again immersing himself in the fantasies of his upcoming date.

"You're not having lunch with us again? Hope, don't you think you've been frequenting?" - Crossing her arms over her chest, Jean spoke unhappily.

"Sorry. Important conversation with the coach. Unfortunately I can't cancel it anymore," Hope gathered all his strength in his fist and said those words in a very serious tone. They stared at each other for a couple of seconds, and the headman noticed how his friend could barely contain her laughter, so much so that tears welled up in her eyes.

"I...I get it," she said and walked out of the classroom with flushed cheeks, and Hope grabbed a small bag from her locker and rushed to the coach's office.

Knock-knock-knock

The boy opened the door and stepped into Jake's office. The curtains covered the window so tightly that it was hard to see anything. As Hope stared into the darkness, the door slammed shut, and the man, who appeared to be right next to him, snapped the lock shut with one hand and pulled his lover into a hug with the other.

Melding together in a passionate kiss, they eagerly relayed to each other how much they missed being away from each other for a full twenty-four hours.

"Wait, Hia... I have a surprise for you," Hope whispered, barely breaking away from the soft lips that were tormenting him.

"Mmmmm, interesting. Are we going to make it in twenty minutes? What am I talking about though, ha, we've been over this before," Jake whispered and laughed almost silently.

"That's for sure. Pull up your pants and boxers, take off your shirt, and sit in the chair," the boy commanded quietly, and Lion quickly set about doing his mate's bidding.

When the order was obeyed, Hope pulled a blindfold from the bag and placed it on Lion before bringing his hands back and cuffing them to each other with child-sized handcuffs.

"Wow, something very interesting is in store for me, eh, tiger cub?"

"You're all mine now, Hia," he whispered those words in the ear of the anticipating handsome boy and began to cover his body with kisses, starting to leave deep hickeys on his chest in a certain sequence and then moving lower while digging his fingers into his thighs. Lion wriggled but tolerated it and didn't make a sound, remembering where they were now and only breathing intermittently through his mouth.

When he reached his target, Hope ran his finger over the already oozing head and then took two hard balls into his mouth. From this action, Lion arched up, whimpering softly, and moved his buttocks closer to the caressing mouth.

For about a minute, the guy sucked and occasionally lightly nibbled on the two fleshy testicles, and then proceeded to twitch his man's ginormous shaft. After running his tongue along each swollen vein and reaching the tender frenulum, he plunged the head into his mouth and began sucking it with his lips like a lollipop, without stopping the tongue's movement along the sensitive part. Lion began to move his hips, wanting to plunge his scepter fully into the warm cozy nest, but Hope was in no hurry, as by his calculations there was still time, so he pushed his head back, not allowing his lover to enter deeper.

When the alarm clock in Hope's pants vibrated, which had been set for a certain time according to plan, he immediately went on the counter-offensive and swallowed Jake's desired part under the root.

"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm," Lion still couldn't hold back a suppressed moan.

After making a few movements, the guy froze for a couple seconds as the throbbing cock entered his throat, then took the sweet confection completely out of his mouth.

"Hold on a second," the devil smiled slyly and made his way to the door. Gently twisting the lock, he opened the door literally half a centimeter and, whispering into the dark room, "You can take it from here," he stepped outside.

Hope stood against the wall opposite the coach's room, holding back a laugh:

"You're going to get mad now, aren't you? And I'm sure to know the full extent of your power, Lion. Oh, how I'm looking forward to it!"

Hope went to the stairs at the end of the hallway and stood there for another ten minutes, and when he saw a smiling Jake coming out of the coach's office, he went to class.

Lion hounded the boys mercilessly at practice, and Hope tried not to look him in the eye, not because he was afraid to look him in the eye, but because he was afraid to laugh.

After the second game part of the class was over, the coach let the boys go, but asked the captain to linger. When they were left alone in the gym, he walked slowly, glaring at his target, toward Hope, biting his lip in anticipation.

Once at arm's length, he whispered:

"You think you're going to get away with this, kitten?"

"What do you think, Coach? On the contrary. I sure hope not," the devil spoke in a languid voice, keeping his punishment-hungry gaze on the burning dark pools.

"Then wait for me in the shower room when everyone's gone," the predator grinned and turned to leave the room.

Hope covered his face with his hands: happiness, desire, passion were bursting out, but he had to get himself together right now to enter the locker room full of his teammates.

Sitting down on the bench near his locker, Hope answered a couple of his playmates' questions and then pulled out his cell phone to call Grandpa and ask him to pick him up later.

The screen informed him of eight missed calls from Troy, seeing which, and reading his guardian's message, "Call me when you're free. It's urgent," Hope immediately went out into the hallway, anxiously dialing in on the last missed one.

📞 "Grandpa, what's wrong?" - he blurted out as soon as the phone was picked up.

📞 "It's okay, son. Don't worry about it. It's just that there's a serious conversation and I'd like you both to be present. I'm running a little late. I plan on picking you up in twenty minutes."

"There's that twenty minutes again! It's not a very serious matter, judging by Grandpa's words, which means we can postpone it a bit" ran through the guy's mind and he replied:

📞 "Grandpa, we'll come by ourselves in a couple hours. Is that okay?"

📞 "Okay. We'll be waiting for you at home. See you later!" - Troy said goodbye and hung up.

He smiled and stood in the hallway for another ten minutes, pretending that he was having a serious talk, and when the last teammate came out of the shower room, he headed to the locker room to say goodbye to the team and get everything he needed for water procedures.

Standing under the warm jets, Hope closed his eyes and stroked his body with soapy hands, trying to quell the burning desire that had accumulated over three hours to be tormented by Lion, submitting his body and soul to him:

"Hia, where are you? I will be submissive. I will allow you to do to me absolutely anything your wounded lion's ego desires."

He didn't have to wait long. The door creaked open, and there was the sound of a key turning in the lock.

Then the boy was pushed roughly into the tiled wall, but he didn't crash into it, but leaned his cheek against a warm palm. Lion wanted payback for what he had done, but Hope felt he was one hundred percent protected, and that made him smile contentedly. His whole body began to shake in anticipation of his lover's next actions.

The man abruptly pressed his naked body against him and, biting his earlobe, spoke softly:

"I didn't expect this from you, little devil. Now I'll always be on standby, we'll see who's who next time..... And now you're going to have to answer for your pranks."

After his words, Jake immediately went into punishing action. His lips, tongue, and teeth went mercilessly over the boy's neck and back, while his merciless hands tormented his lower body, squeezing hard on his buttocks, the inside of his thighs, and finally on his already hard cock.

Burning with these hot sensations, Hope withdrew his hand and grabbed the tube he had prepared from the shelf and held it out to Lion, but his hand was immediately grabbed and pressed into the wall with his palm, causing the lubricant to slip out and fall to the floor.

"Don't move. I've got everything," the predator growled, immediately driving two lubed fingers into Hope's ass.

"Aaaaaaahhhh...yeeaaaah...Hia!" - Whispered the boy at the top of his voice.

The preparation was the shortest in their entire sexual life together. The fingers drove inside with a special frenzy, often traversing the sensitive bump inside. Hope moaned and wriggled his whole body, wanting to bite his Lion in response to every movement, but not being able to, so his lips suffered.

After a minute, Lion, growling, withdrew his fingers and began to push his slippery staff into the narrow space. The boy relaxed as much as possible to accommodate the huge ram of his mate and, clenching his fingers into a fist, groaned at each new thrust:

"Aaaaaaaaah... aaaaah... aaaaah... Hia... I want to... don't hold back... yourself."

"I'm not going to... aaaaahhhhhh," the words didn't disagree with the actions, Lion didn't wait as he had before for the kitten's channel to get used to his size, he went straight into a hard chiseling.

He realized that his thighs would be bruised after this kind of sex, but the pain was sweet to the point of goosebumps and only made him more aroused. Kitten's hands, several times trying to reach his throbbing shaft to help himself cum, immediately returned back to the wall.

The score was 3:2 in Lion's favor for two hours of hard animal sex. The second time Jake fucked him on the wet floor, and the third time he brought him back against the wall again.

Hope wanted to scream with happiness but had no energy, the last of it going into recovering his breathing after the extreme simultaneous orgasm. Lion was also breathing frequently and kissing his neck and shoulders while keeping his kitten's body upright.

After a while, Hope turned around on shaky legs and lifted a stiff arm and touched the strong chest with his fingers:

"Beautiful... Now everyone will know... that you're already busy."

"Do you think...besides you...anyone will see this?" - Jake asked, weightlessly kissing the boy's heated face.

"What if?"

"I like it...you're already leaving love messages on my body...I want to keep them healing for a long time to come."

"I can renew them if you ask," the kitten giggled and stroked light kisses over each mark on her lover's tanned skin.

"Wash up and to my place?" - Jake asked.

"Uh-huh... Oh, no! Grandpa wants to talk to both of us tonight! I completely forgot! Come on, we have to get ready soon," Hope stammered, standing up under the jets of still pouring water, not letting go of her lover as she was still dizzy.

***

Sitting down on the back seat of the cab, the boy immediately pressed himself against his other half, burying his face in his neck. Lion pulled the kitten closer and, hugging his tired body with both hands, kissed his face again and again. Hope tried to comprehend his feelings about what had happened in the shower. The punishment had been harsh and in places had brought him the bodily pain he still felt in his body, but it was as if it was playing some very pleasant tune and was akin to love filling with new colors.

"I want to know myself around you. I want to be gentle and sincere, sometimes playful and stubborn... submissive and willful. You can accept me like this, can't you, Lion?" - the words weren't spoken aloud, because Hope knew the answer, he could feel the mental closeness and absolute trust between them.

At Troy's house

When the couple entered the house, the housemates were sitting on the sofa watching the news on TV:

"Today at 3 p.m. there was an explosion at one of the warehouses of the well-known businessman Sana Klahan. According to firefighters, the explosion was caused by a short circuit in the electrical wiring. A police captain said that drugs were being manufactured in the burnt-out premises... The bodies of 18 people were found in the warehouse, among them, according to CCTV footage, was San Clahan himself."

Hope didn't know what he was talking about, so he shifted his gaze to the couple. Panit, dressed in a white shirt and shorts, had climbed with his feet on top of Troy and was resting his forehead against his cheek. Grandpa, in turn, was dressed in black.

"Hey, you two are like Yin and Yang. Where's little Mali?" - Hope said hello with a smile, and Grandpa immediately turned off the TV and looked at the entrants with a serious look:

"She's not feeling well today, she's sleeping in our room. Come on, let's go to the table."

(From the author: Yin and Yang is a concept from ancient Chinese philosophy. In their original meaning, Yin and Yang are the shadow and sun slopes of a mountain. Thus, they denote not so much the struggle of opposites as their unity and interrelation).

Something was wrong. He looked at his eldest, who was also unusually serious, and his heart clenched: "If Panit isn't smiling, then something bad has happened, and it's not just grandpa's jokes."

There was some hope in Hope's chest that it was just a prank, but after the gray-haired man's words, it burst like a soap bubble.

"I want you both to hear this. The situation isn't easy, but I have a plan to avoid any negative consequences," Troy began, tapping his fingers on the table, and Panit reached out and placed his palm over the younger man's folded hands. - Yesterday, word came in that Makoto was organizing a party in honor of her damn birthday. The event would take place this Saturday. And she ordered Norman to bring all the rainbows there to fulfill their duties..."

"Noooo!!! Not again! No!" - Hope jumped up from his seat as he realized what this would do to him. He wouldn't be protected by Troy and Norman at the event, Makoto would make him lie down under his vile guests. A chilling dread came over the boy as soon as he thought about it.

"Honey, nothing bad is going to happen. Listen to Snowy," Panit jumped up almost immediately after the younger man and walked over to him, wrapping his arms around him, but there was sadness and a hint of uncertainty in his words.

"He won't go! I'm taking him away, Hia," Lion said in a steely voice.

"Jake, do you think it's all that easy? That fragile looking woman is a scary person. But like I said, I have a plan, and I've already coordinated it with the right people. Son, sit down, and listen to me," Troy's voice didn't waver once, he spoke confidently, and Hope slowly sat back down, trying to calm down, while Panit stayed beside him.

"We're listening, Hia," Jake said, taking Hope's hand in his own, and looked intently at the master of the house, whose words now depended on whose words he and the kitten's future now depended.

"So. I recently did a humble favor for Khun Hime, for which he honored me with the honor of asking him for anything. I thought I'd never have to ask him for help, it's above my principles, but fate has decreed otherwise. It's only been two days and... today he and I spoke again. The Kitittchat family will help, not only you sweetie, but all your rainbow coworkers. Khun Hima and his partner, Khun Fai, and his friends will pick you out at this event and take you to rooms where you will just sit until the honoring of this bitch is over. Only, please don't tell your coworkers about this."

"Grandpa, I don't know these people... Do you think they can be trusted?" - Hope spoke in a colorless voice. Troy's words only slightly lowered the panic level, but he didn't believe in a good outcome to this situation yet. His heart was pounding frantically in his chest and he wanted to run away from his worthless life.

"I've known them for years, and Khun Nanfa is a friend of theirs and has spoken only positively about this family, and I'm willing to trust him with my life. Although these people belong to the dark world, they are honest, fair in their actions and always answer for their words. Khun Hima promised. 'I'm not worried, and neither should you, kid. And we'll get through this," Troy spoke in a soothing tone, but the smile that followed the words was strained, Hope noticed this and immediately snuggled into Lion's shoulder, trying to warm himself and believe that everything was going to be okay.

"Jake, can we talk in private?" - Troy asked.

"Talk in front of me, I'm not leaving," protested a flustered Hope.

"It's nothing serious, son. I can have a little talk with my son-in-law, can't I?" - Grandpa smiled sincerely.

While the lad hesitated to answer, Panit took him by the armpit and spoke in a velvet voice:

"Honey, let's go. Let the men talk and we'll talk about our own. I have a couple ideas, just in case."

After saying the words, the older man gave Nong a fleeting wink, turning his head so that only he could see this movement of the eyelids.

"Oh-okay," Hope got up on woozy legs and walked with Panit upstairs. At the door of his room they stopped, and the sunny fellow, pressing his forefinger to his lips, leaned against the wall, slid down and pulled Hope, who had already guessed his plan, after him.

They sat like mice hushed in their hole and listened to their halves talk.

"Jake, I think without me saying anything, you'll support my son, but I'd still like to ask you this. This whole rainbow thing is really hurting him, especially now that he has you," Troy began.

"Of course, Hia."

"I'm 90% sure everything will go according to plan on Saturday and Hope is in no danger, but still...I want you to keep me company. We'll be waiting around, just in case. I won't ask my boys, there will be enough bodyguards from the Kittitchat and Wongsawat families, and almost all of them are my students."

"I know nothing at all about this world, only isolated stories from newspaper and magazine articles. My bright little one doesn't belong there... Will I be able to help! The last fight I had was back in middle school..." - Jake's sad voice at this point ran sandpaper over Hope's heart.

"Come on, let's get a drink, Jake! I've got a bottle of 27-year-old Redbreast that's been waiting for a while," there was the sound of a chair being pushed back, followed by the clinking of glass, which meant that Jake had probably agreed to Troy's suggestion with a nod.

"Come on," Grandpa said, and the next second the glasses met and ice cubes rattled merrily in them.

"Hia, can you help me with some advice? How do I defend him? I'm no match for the pros in hand-to-hand combat, my skills are so-so, though I always keep myself in good shape, but basketball and track and field are all peaceful sports," Jake said.

"Ever held a gun in your hand?"

"No."

"In my world, if you can't fight, you have to be able to shoot. I can't teach you how to at least defend yourself in such a short time, but I can give you some lessons in the use of weapons. Come to our house tomorrow after class, and then come to my farm on Friday. That is...if you're really ready, Jake."

"Yes, I'm ready! No matter what, I have to do whatever it takes to keep the kitten safe. Thank you, Hia. But I'll take him to my place Friday night. I'll be able to drive up in the morning, by nine ... I couldn't protect Chom ... this time I'll do my best."

"I second your sentiment, Jake. I'll pick you up after I drop off my son ... Shall we have a drink?" - Grandpa's words were followed by a moment of silence, and then the glasses were filled again.

"You know, the other day Hope said to me... words that Chom said a lot. I don't know where they suddenly came from in his bright head. Maybe it's a sign. The gods have given me a second chance, and I'm going to hold on to it very tightly. He will have to come into contact with this world for almost another year. Isn't there anything that can be done?"

"Jake, the underworld is scary and ruthless, which is why there are sometimes drastic changes in it. This week another important piece on the chessboard of light and shadow is gone, but that spot won't be empty for long. I don't know who will take it, but I'd like it to be a man of honor like Khun Nanfa and Khun Hima. And Makoto... that bitch has dug herself a big hole, all she has to do is jump into it. Let's wait... Shall we drink to that?"

Hope was insanely interested in listening to this conversation, some clarifying questions were already piling up in his head, but he couldn't ask them. Panit opened the door to his room and tugged the younger man by the sleeve of his shirt. There was a strong urge to stay, but he couldn't disobey.

Once they were inside the room and Hope had carefully closed the door, Panit sat down on the rug and leaned his back against the bed and began to speak softly:

"Snowy has been on edge all day, let him and Jake relax, let's not get in the way. You and I are very lucky, Nong. We have men beside us who are willing to do anything for love...I know how scared you are right now...I'm worried too. Hia has done his best. And if he's confident that everything will go well, then we should be too. But just in case, I'll give you a little something tomorrow. If it happens... and you find yourself in danger, use it."

"Okay, P. I need to digest everything. I wonder if Nahun and the others know?" - Hope lay down on the soft carpet, unable to stand or sit any longer as his body had yet to recover from the hard sex in the shower, and tried to push away the bad thoughts that were ceaselessly attacking him.

"They haven't written anything in the general chat room, I guess they haven't been informed yet. It's good that Norman is on our side and Snowy found out beforehand, it'll give us a chance to prepare. If I could, I'd go with you..." - Panit looked now as he had the first day they met, sad olive colored eyes and a pale face spoke of his worries.

Hope pulled himself up on his outstretched arm:

"P, don't even think about it. Your support gives me so much already. It's going to be okay."

The boys looked at each other, and realized neither of them were one hundred percent sure.

"Don't think too much about it. I'm going to go see Mali, she had a slight fever today. That little girl has been attacking me with questions all day," the older one smiled, and Hope decided to seize on that glimmer in their fear and sadness shrouded conversation:

"The little girl thought she loves me, can you believe it? I've had a talk with her, hopefully we have closure on that one."

"Well, maybe, but now she's focused on something else. She's insanely curious about everything about your and my relationship with our soulmates. Some questions even I didn't know how to answer," the sunny kid laughed.

"I'm sure no one could do a better job than you at quieting her curiosity, P. Oh, good thing I'm not the one those arrows are flying at, ha ha," Hope was glad to sip some fun and temporarily forget about the inevitable Saturday event.

"So, huh? Okay, I don't mind - I have a special love for children," Panit laughed and braked the younger one's hair.

When the older man left, Hope took a shower and, deciding to wait for Lion in bed, fell asleep. He woke up in the middle of the night, finding himself in the warm embrace of his lover:

"What time is it?"

"Two... Sleep, kitten... I love you," Jake whispered, kissing the back of his head.

***

Ding-ding-ding

Hope reached over and turned off the alarm clock. His body was attached to his lover, who was wrapping his limbs around him.

"Come on, let's lie down for some more time," Jake asked in a half-sleepy, husky voice, pulling his treasure closer to him.

"It's a real blessing to wake up in bed with you," he whispered for a few seconds, trying to get out of the lion's embrace:

"Hia, sleep some more."

"Mmmmm. Good..." - The man kissed Hope's shoulder, rolled over to his other side and hugged his pillow, immediately falling asleep again.

"You're so cute when you're drunk and sleepy," the boy murmured with a smile and went to the bathroom.

His body had rested overnight, the ointment and suppositories were doing a good job again, and he hardly felt any pain anymore. Hope did the wellness manipulations on his ass again, brushed his teeth, and went downstairs.

Panit, clearing the table of the remnants of last night's repast, cheerfully greeted the younger man.

"Hello to you too, P, let me help you," Hope replied, and went to the sink to wash the dishes.

"Nong, and I thought you were your own modesty. Hee hee. You didn't just surprise Snowy, you surprised me too," the older man chuckled as he wiped the table.

"What?" - was all the dumbfounded boy could ask, setting down the already soapy plate, while a panicked thought was already pounding in time with his heart speeding up in a second: "Did Lion really tell everything about my performance last night? Ahhhh. No, no, no, no. No, no, no. If so...I won't be able to look Grandpa in the eye."

"Bigfoot came crawling to me at night under heavy drink and begged me to do the same," the light chuckles turned to loud laughter.

Hope blushed and, turning away, muttered:

"Sorry, P... I just wanted to mess around a little... The handcuffs were childish... and then, it's Jake's punishment..."

"Wow, that's interesting. I've never heard of such a thing. Sit down, tell me about it! Have you gotten this far?" - Panit exclaimed excitedly.

"Ah-what-what did Grandpa ask you to do?" - It was beginning to dawn on Hope that he had probably said too much again.

"About the heart-shaped hickeys on his chest. They'd been drinking and decided to work out, took their tops off, that's when he saw the beauty. Until I gave him one like that, he wouldn't let go. Ha-ha-ha. But I'm already curious to hear what was there before and after the body art," the older man talked and laughed while Hope wanted nothing more than to run off into the jungle and pretend to be a little incomprehensible monkey.

"Peeeee... I'm embarrassed. Can I not tell you? Jake can be a bit of a head case. I don't know where it comes from myself," Hope turned to the person he was talking to and looked at him pleadingly.

"There! That's exactly how Snowy looked at me when he laid out his request to me dozens of times: 'Suck my heart out!' Ha ha. Now our men are equally labeled. Okay, you can skip the details. But from what I hear, there was a punishment for your prank?"

"Yes. It was..." - Hope couldn't say the words out loud - "...very passionate and hard," sat back in his chair and covered his flaming face with his hands.

"I see, you liked it, then. I'm happy for you, sweetheart," Panit spoke with a smile, and then added carefully: "Just don't overdo it, heal your body in time and take care of yourself."

"Uh-huh. Thanks, P."

The rest of the morning was unusually quiet, after finishing his run, Hope learned from Panit that their halves were still snoozing sweetly, so he focused all of his attention on the awake and in good spirits Mali:

"How are you feeling, Nong?"

"I'm healthy! My forehead isn't hot anymore, and my stomach is fine, calmed down and taking whatever P'Panit prepared!" - chirped the girl cheerfully.

"That's great! I'm really excited. Let's get ready and go to school together. If the head of the household doesn't wake up, then we'll call a cab."

"No cab! Only with me!" - Troy rumbled down the stairs in a rusty voice.

"Snowy, good morning! Though no, you look like Bigfoot today," chuckled Panit, walking over to his soulmate and fingering his disheveled hair before snuggling against his chest and saying: "Why don't you stay home tonight? It's dangerous to get behind the wheel after such a fun night out."

"Sunshine, I'm not a frail teenager. A cup of strong coffee and I'm more alive than ever," the man gently cradled his baby boy and kissed the top of his head.

"Whatever you say, but know I'm still worried. No more than 50 kilometers per hour!" - Panit pouted his lip slightly and looked seriously at the smiling Yeti.

"Will do, Captain!" - Troy stood at attention and saluted, then laughed and walked towards the life-giving drink, hugging the halfling shaking his head.

"P'Hope, will you help me gather my hair so it doesn't get in the way on the way to school? And then my girlfriends will braid my hair," the girl appealed.

Hope agreed to help, and then, glancing suspiciously at the older boys who were whispering and giggling in the kitchen, led Mali upstairs to Troy's room so as not to wake Jake.

The boy had no experience with girl's hairstyles, but he did his best to make the usual ponytail look flawless. As he stood behind the girl, gathering and smoothing the unruly hairs, Mali looked at him through the mirror and began softly:

"P., did you know that my grandma went to another world not long ago?"

"Yes, baby girl, I did...Troy told me about it."

"Grandpa was cheerful around me all the time, but one time I walked into his office without knocking and saw him crying. That's when he told me about my grandma dying of an illness a month ago. I don't remember her at all. It's a pity we didn't get to see each other. From what Grandpa told me, she was very beautiful and kind. Do you think she is doing well now?"

"I'm sure she is. We'll definitely go with you to see her, cook her favorite dishes and bring her a huge bouquet of flowers."

"Okay! But she doesn't like flowers. She likes chocolate-covered jellybeans and listening to people sing. I'll sing for her."

"That's a great idea."

"And grandpa also said he was very grateful to his wife for introducing him to you and your family one last time, and that you, P, brought me back to him."

"And did he tell you how that happened?" - Hope wondered. He remembered his first meeting with Dr. Sunan at the Club.

"He said something about Grandma's favorite Red Dragon candy the day she died, but didn't tell me anything else," the little girl reported.

"Ahhh, the candy, I remember. I'm really glad we met, too. Good people are attracted to each other, remember that. I'm sure you'll attract a whole bunch of them to you! It's all set. Take a look, Nong," Hope realized that meeting Sunan was fate, though some might call it a mere coincidence. He had to lie a little to the little girl without going into details, since he couldn't tell about the Club, and he didn't want to lie much, so he quickly changed the topic of conversation.

"That's beautiful, P! Thanks! I'm going to Grandpa's house after school today. I don't want him to be sad alone."

"Do you want some company?"

"No. You have a game tomorrow, you need to rest after school. And you quit your part-time job? Did I get that right?"

"Not really... I'm on a little vacation right now," the girl's question brought her thoughts back to the Club and the Saturday night party, which dampened the mood a little for the guy trying not to think about it just yet.

When they got downstairs, Jake was already sitting fully assembled at the table across from Grandpa and Panit, eating breakfast.

"Hey, Hia! How are you feeling?" - Hope immediately sat down next to him and rested his chin on his shoulder.

"Good morning, kitten..." - he started to say, but immediately Troy entered the conversation:

"What's going to happen to him? He's a young and healthy man. Even someone slightly older has had to endure this heart-to-heart talk."

"Yeah, Hia's right, I'm fine," Jake reassured the boy who continued to stare into his eyes.

"Okay, my sons, we're all going to go about our business now, and I'll see you at home tonight - Jake and I have some work to do in the garage," the gray-haired man said, taking the empty cup to the sink.

"What's the deal? I hope it won't be a repeat of tonight?" - Panit asked surprised, and Hope once again mentally applauded his acting talents.

"It's a secret, we don't let the younger members of the family in on it," Troy turned and stuck his tongue out playfully for a split second.

"And then I have to vent again after your rendezvous?" - Panit narrowed his eyes.

"And if Jake's already part of our family, why can't I move in with him?" - Hope immediately screwed in a question.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa, easy, babies! Jake, do you see what I have to deal with all the time? They've sung together and now they're attacking me on both flanks. But I'm not going down for nothing! Kya-kya-kya-kya!" - Troy thrust his palms forward, ostensibly trying to defend himself, and then began throwing punches into the air with the edge of his palms, getting into an appropriate stance like Bruce Lee.

The house filled with laughter; Grandpa knew how to lighten the mood in his jovial way.

Jake took a cab to school, and Troy drove Hope and Mali. The weather was sunny again, the rainy season had been very lazy and funky this year, giving plenty of sunshine and holding back the refreshing moisture needed by all living things.

"Think more positively, Hope! And you'll attract good things to you. Nasty little bird, don't get cocky and sit still. Nothing's happened yet. Whew. Gotta breathe and get in the mood to study, or else..." - Hope pondered, but his train of thought was interrupted by a knock on his window. Hope flinched, and tried to get a good look at the man on the bike that had stopped next to their car while they waited for a green traffic signal.

"What do you want, blueface?" - Grandpa immediately scolded.

"That's an acquaintance of mine. It's okay grandpa, just drive safely and ignore him," Hope recognized the biker and relaxed again, turning away from the window.

"Oh, I know him! That's the captain of the basketball team from the other school. Look, his bike has blue stripes, just like his hair color! He's cool!" - came from the backseat in Mali's ringing, admiring voice.

"You told me I was cool," Hope chuckled.

"You're cool, and he's cool!" - grinned the little girl.

"You're too young to know anything about coolness," Troy snorted, and then, added: "Here I am - the coolest of all the cool! Only Bruce Willis is cooler than me!"

At the next stoplight next to Hope, the bike roared again, and then something happened that he certainly didn't expect. Brian got off his two-wheeler, breathed on the window next to his face, and drew a heart on the fogged glass with his finger. Then the catcher lowered his dark glasses and winked at the blond man in the Mercedes with a smile.

"Feeeeeeeeew. That's a wow, haha! I wish I had brought Jake with me. I wish I could have seen his face!" - bellowed Troy at the top of his lungs as Hope, blushing, lowered his head.

"It's not funny, Grandpa. Not at all. I don't want anyone to like me but Hia," muttered the embarrassed boy as the car started moving again.

"So tell him to fuck off! He probably won't understand though, he's definitely got a problem with his head, he's scratching around without his helmet on," the man shook his head, nodding toward Brian wiggling between cars.

"Didn't get a chance to talk. I'll handle it, just don't tell Hia."

"You think he'll be jealous? He told me yesterday he trusts you like he trusts himself. Should I check it out?" - Troy's tone and look told Hope that he was up to mischief again.

Grandpa texted someone and then calmly drove to school, but something about his smile tensed Hope.

"Oh, it's my girlfriends from parallel! Goodbye, Khun Troy, P! I'm off to run!" - rambled Mali and jumped out of the car as soon as it stopped in the parking lot.

"See you tonight, Grandpa!" - Hope said goodbye too and got out of the car. There was still time before school and he wanted to sit on "his" bench.

"Hope, hi!" - no sooner had the boy taken ten steps than a smiling Brian appeared in his path, coming out from behind one of the parked cars.

"Hi. Please don't ever do anything like that again," since the man had reappeared, Hope decided to make it clear to him right away.

"You mean the heart? I think it's cute. If you're embarrassed in front of your family, I promise I'll only show my feelings when you're alone," Brian stepped closer, and Hope took a step back, glancing around, and suddenly found himself staring into a pair of dark pools. Jake was standing five meters away from them, leaning against the wall of the building and watching intently.

"Brian, I already have a partner, so please back off nicely," Hope hissed, wanting to end the conversation as soon as possible.

"The one who's your guardian's boyfriend? I knew it was a joke right away," Brian spoke calmly and took a couple of steps again and was at arm's length.

"He isn't. What's more. We're dating. I don't understand what you see in me at all," Hope wanted to take a step to the side, but the XY captain quickly reached out and ran his fingers through his hair:

"See...a fluff."

The pushy guy smiled and showed his interlocutor a small white and pink part from an albizia flower that had been removed from his hair. Hope immediately looked at Lion, whose eyebrows rose upward.

"We're done talking and we're not going back to it," Hope cut him off and moved to the side, but Brian grabbed his arm and turned him around so that their faces were an inch apart and whispered, running his fingers over the grasped hand:

"You're so sweet, I just want to keep reaching for you."

Hope was taken aback at the insolence, and then, in a swift movement, clasping the hand that held him behind Brian's back, spoke into his ear in a vibrating voice:

"You think too highly of yourself. I'm not nice at all! It's just that we're on school property. You come near me again, I won't talk, I'll get right to the action. Got it?"

The answer came only after Hope ran his hand up the blue-haired man's arm a little higher:

"All right, all right! I got it."

Captain XW let go of Brian's hand, adjusted his shirt and walked toward the porch, catching a glimpse of Jake, who smiled at the same time and scratching the back of his head, motioned for him to follow.

"How often do you get hit on so brazenly?" - Lion asked softly as soon as they were on the same level.

"Very rarely, Hia. Jealous?"

"No, I'm sure of your feelings for me."

"And I would be jealous."

"I won't give you a reason to be. Be sure of that. I love you more than life," the man whispered, and just as Hope was about to respond in kind, there was a loud car horn from behind.

The couple turned around and saw Troy waving from the car window, followed by his voice cackling across the parking lot:

"Have a good day, son! If I get called to the principal's office, no problem! Last year! Have a blast!"

Several parents who were seeing their children off shook their heads in displeasure, and Hope and Jake, laughing, walked off to school.

Before parting, Lion said:

"You're in for a surprise today. Prepare to be squeezed by me right on the floor of your classroom."

"What do you mean?" - Stupefied the boy.

"You'll find out when the time comes," the coach smiled and walked with an easy gait towards the gym.

The day passed as usual, no surprises and did not smell, control and complex topics made the headman forget about the words of his favorite and fully immerse himself in the learning process.

Toward the end of the third class, he was unexpectedly called to the principal's office. It turned out that a group of people from the Ministry of Education came to the school with an extraordinary inspection. Hope was asked to explain the organization, conduct and control of extracurricular activities. During his report, the commissioners nodded approvingly and made notes in their notebooks, and then pelted him with questions, mostly about the school's organized assistance to the "students in need".

The headman returned to the classroom only in the middle of the lesson, and entering through the door near the teacher's desk, he immediately stood up like a stumbling block. The picture he saw was unimaginable and horrible. He stopped breathing. One of his classmates was lying on the floor, the best-looking one in his opinion, his shirt unbuttoned, exposing his handsome, pumped-up torso. Jake hovered over him and kissed the cute boy on the lips while his hands rested on the young man's bare chest.

Hope frantically shifted his gaze to his friends standing quietly around the kissing couple, and then looked again at Lion, who had said only that morning that he would give no cause for jealousy. His blood was boiling, it became very hot, he just couldn't believe what was happening, and the following words came out by themselves and rumbled throughout the room:

"What the fuck is going on here?"

Lion immediately pulled away from the handsome man, who appeared to be wearing special plastic and a wide tube for the CPR procedure, which the headman hadn't immediately noticed. Jake kept his unblinking gaze on his kitten. The classmates looked at the head teacher in shock, too, for they had never heard him say anything rude, but now he had said such a thing in front of the teacher.

"Here comes our starlet back! And just in time, as always!" - exclaimed Pruit, trying to lighten the mood.

Just then, an excited Jean jumped up to the headman, and stroking his back soothingly, said:

"P'Jake is showing us first aid techniques."

"I see..." - Hope muttered slowly, beginning to realize what was happening.

"Our president just got overexcited after the principal's debriefing. Maybe he should get CPR too?" - Pruit spoke up again.

Jake had by now gotten to his feet and lifted the 'injured' man up:

"Captain, you skipped the basics of first aid. This will be your homework. You will prepare a short oral report. The next class will be in a month, and you will speak at it. You'll choose the topic yourself."

"I've already got some great ideas. What would you be more interested in? Sprains, bleeding, frostbite of the extremities, burns?" - Hope couldn't slow down and exhale, his blood was still boiling and he couldn't get the picture he'd seen out of his head.

"Excellent choice, I'll think about it and let you know later," Jake smiled at him and then turned to the class. - Now let's watch a short movie as part of this course, it will briefly tell you about contraception and where babies come from."

The class immediately started humming and giggling, but the teacher raised his hand and everyone fell silent to listen to him:

"I realize you kids are mature and knowledgeable, but running through the basics one more time is not unreasonable. While you're watching the movie, I'll hand out sheets with the hotline numbers of a psychologist and a nurse who can confidentially listen to you and help you. Well, and I, on my own behalf, will never turn you down for support. Come up anytime."

Then, for the rest of the class, the whole class watched a video on the topic voiced. Hope barely heard anything as he kept glancing at Lion, remembering over and over again his hands on the handsome man's body:

"How could he touch him? Did he like it? Is his skin softer than mine? And the smell? Does he have a special scent?"

He tried to push the bad thoughts away, knowing they weren't real, but the sticky buggers wouldn't leave his head. He wished Jake would hold him right now and comfort him, but it was impossible.

The headman went to lunch in a lousy mood, and even the cheerful Pruit and affectionate Jean couldn't rouse him.

The physical education lessons were held in the same mix of feelings, and the captain waited for them to end so he could talk to Jake in the coach's room, but by the end of the sixth lesson, the same delegation from the Ministry, along with the headmaster, came in, and after looking at the equipment in the sports area, they took the coach away with them.

Hope spent the next two and a half hours doing extracurricular activities, and only called Jake when he was done, but he didn't pick up.

"That's what?? Arrrrrrrrrrrrrr! You're not even picking up the phone after all that you've done?"

When Hope ducked into the front seat of the old Mercedes, he was loaded to the brim.

"Hey, what's up with you?" - Troy asked.

"Hia's not picking up," the guy blurted out.

"Jake's already at our house, he and Panit are doing the garden. He said you had a little excess at school today, but he didn't specify what kind. Is that what's making you so tense?" - Troy kept the engine running and waited for an answer.

"He kissed my classmate!" - The accumulation came out in a way that wasn't quite true.

"Really? Right on the lips?" - Grandpa's eyes widened, and Hope, suddenly afraid that Jake was going to get screwed for essentially nothing, added, but still snapped out of it:

"No, he showed him how to do CPR... But he was groping him with his hands all over his naked body!"

"You mean he had his naughty hands all over him? Really?" - Troy was surprisingly calm.

"No, he wasn't. He was massaging his heart. But he was... touching..." - Speaking his tormented words aloud, Hope slowly began to come to his senses. Tension and anger left his body, replaced by a slight sadness and fear.

"Classmate is handsome I guess?" - Grandpa suddenly asked.

"Uh-huh, very. Brunette..." - the boy didn't continue as he could already feel the tingling in his eyes.

"Okay. Let's listen to some music. We'll get there, talk, and it'll go away. In the meantime, breathe and think about something else, and if you can't, count the white cars, you'll let me know the exact number at the house," the man stated calmly, turned on the radio and began to turn onto the road.

Troy had often given Hope this task before, only changing the items to be counted, the time period and the way he moved through space. He'd said it was his way of practicing his son's attention and memory after his mother died. But the boy knew that in fact these long monotonous actions, requiring strong concentration, were a distraction that helped to forget about the experience for a while.

As the car turned toward the garage of their house, Hope turned to Grandpa and reported:

"187".

"Not right. Think about it. I'll give you three seconds."

"188, including ours!"

"You're free to go, soldier! Good job!"

Hope walked into the house and saw Jake in a light-blue jumpsuit, drinking water from a glass:

"Hia... Can we talk?"

"Oh, kitten! It's good to see you! Panit and I planted..." - Lion began cheerfully, but the boy couldn't stand it and interrupted him:

"I want to talk... right now."

"Whatever you say, love," Jake replied less cheerfully and followed the kitten up to the second floor.

As soon as the man entered the room, Hope immediately snapped the lock shut and froze with his head down.

"Baby, are you still worried about what happened? You've got it all wrong. I was just informed yesterday that I was to teach this class. I was so excited, imagining how I was going to show everything on you, but the head teacher wasn't in the class and I chose the first one from the front desks," Lion put his hand on the kid's shoulder and tried to explain what happened.

"You picked the prettiest one..." - The man muttered quietly.

"I didn't. I didn't notice anything beautiful about him at all. My standard is you," Jake put his head on his shoulder and put his arm around his waist.

"You touched his skin...his chest...inhaled his scent..." - Hope realized he was acting like a child, but he couldn't help it; the desire not to give his to others was very strong and burning.

"Kitten," Jake turned the baby around and enclosed him in his arms. - You're my only one, I don't need anyone else. Just your skin, your breasts, and your scent."

"Really?"

"Got it. Apparently proof is needed!" - Crouching down, Jake grabbed Hope's legs, and placing him lightly on his shoulder, carried him into the bathroom, where he sat him on the toilet lid. He then quickly turned on the water in the shower and sink, and walking over to his uncomprehending soulmate, began to remove his shirt:

"Yesterday your father told me about the cardboard walls in the house and the story about your sleepless night. So we'll cover ourselves with the sound of the water just in case."

"You want me right now?"

"I want you forever! Especially now that you don't believe in my all-consuming obsession with you alone," with these words Lion gently lifted the kitten and, having removed all unnecessary and interfering things from him, began to cover every inch of his body with soft kisses. The man's hands closed slowly behind his back and then parted, one palm traveling weightlessly down his back and digging his fingers into his hair, the other sliding down to his buttocks.

Jake gently traced his fingers along the cleft between her buns, his lips caressing her neck and moving upward. Those touches were so gentle that Hope felt as if a feather was brushing across his skin, making his heart flutter and his body goosebumps wiggle as if he were high.

Finally, their lips met. This kiss told the kitten better than any words about the strong feelings of his lover. The boy's soul soared while his body yearned for the earthly joys of drowning in Lion's caresses over and over again.

Jake made the rounds with such care and tenderness that there was no trace left of the reckless and unfounded jealousy. It was as if Hope had been wrapped in a warm, downy blanket again, and he felt comfortable and secure, loved and cared for. Lion's movements were unhurried, but strong and deep, sending shivers through both bodies and sweat beading on his skin. Eye to eye, breathing and moaning in unison added a new and lively detail to their blossoming world as birds sang and brightly colored butterflies spread their fragile wings again and again.

Hope didn't want to let his lover go even for a second, so they didn't come down for dinner, spending time in each other's arms. It was a time without thoughts, two people connected by everything that people can be connected by and enjoyed this moment. Even the silence, and the slight movement of it's finger over the relief of her muscles drove the baby into a hypnotic happy state.

***

During the night, Hope awoke to the warm, embracing body disappearing somewhere. After looking around the room and not finding his lover, he went downstairs and saw the light from the refrigerator:

"Hia?"

Jake twitched, startled, his face looking like the face of a raccoon caught in a nighttime mauling, cheeks bloated from the food stuffed in them.

"I'm hungry," he mouthed guiltily, bringing his bulging eyes back to normal.

The kitten couldn't contain his laughter, and, laughing, said:

"I'm hungry too. Come on, I'll heat it up and we'll eat at the table."

Friday. September 17

The day started in a hurry as the familiar truck pulled up to the house and Grandpa's boys were once again bringing soundproofing materials into the house.

"What's that for?" - Hope asked at breakfast, looking at the guys passing them with boxes and rolls, for which he was gifted with a squint of emerald eyes:

"We watched cartoons at near maximum sound all night last night. Mali, did you like Monsters on Vacation?"

"Yes, Khun Troy, very much!" - replied the girl.

"So did I VERY much," the man said and continued to glare at the boys across the room.

Hope blushed, realizing that they'd completely forgotten about the cardboard walls of this old house for a moment, and shamefacedly began to state his thought:

"Maybe it would be better if... Hia and I..."

"Well, no. We'll make do with renovations for now, but I'll consider... buying a new house," Troy stated, which caused Panit's concern:

"Snowy, and I'm used to this house and our already beautiful yard. And my flowers?"

"Sunny, we will carefully move all your plants, and not only them, everything you want to take, but don't even worry about it yet, I just thought about it... - the man stroked his soulmate's hand and spoke very affectionately, and then he turned his head sharply and glared again in the direction of the couple that had already lowered their heads. - Thought about it just last night, must have been inspired by a CARTOON."

"And if you move, can I and Grandpa come with you?" - Mali asked modestly.

"Yes, I'd like you to live with us, little one. Panit, like all of us, is crazy about you. It will be better this way. All my family will be under my wing, so I can help and GUIDE you in time," and again the burning gaze was turned to her son, who couldn't take another bite, as he and Jake had had a good meal the night before.

"Snowy, why don't we go to a hotel today and spend some time by the pool? Mali can ride the slides and you can keep her company. Water always makes you feel better," Panit suggested.

"Yes! It's great... Although... only if you're in a tank top," Grandpa faltered, and when he saw Hope holding back a laugh and covering his face with her hands, he squinted his eyes at his half, "You blabbed again, honey?"

"Not blabbed, I told you. I don't see it as something you can't tell your younger self," Panit calmly withstood the attack and continued drinking tea.

"What's going on? Am I the only one not in the know?" - Jake entered the conversation.

"I don't understand anything either," Mali raised her voice.

"Grandpa just did some body painting that he doesn't want to show other people," Hope explained to the girl, and then turned to his soulmate and ran his finger down his T-shirt, tracing a heart kissed on his chest. Jake realized it immediately, and grinned at all 32 and looked up at Troy.

"Oh, I don't know when it happened, but I think I'm losing weight in the eyes of this family. The son used to be under my command, and now..." - Grandpa lowered his gaze, twirling his cup of leftover coffee with his hand.

"Well, come on, Snowy. You'll always be the leader of this pack. It's just that babies tend to grow up and mature," Panit said, resting her head on her man's strong shoulder, and everyone nodded in agreement.

"If that's the case, then I prescribe a morning jog for all the household except our baby!" - Troy said cheerfully, getting up from the table, and they all jumped up at once, not daring to disobey the order.

***

Hope had a lot of studying to do during the day, and he was ready for the game against XNM School, a familiar team, and he knew they would beat them easily.

But just before the match his phone began to be full of alarming messages in the rainbow group and from Green. Everyone had just found out today that they had to attend Makoto's event tomorrow, and Hope mentally scolded himself for forgetting to ask Grandpa for a chance to tell them about the party and Troy's plan.

The long-haired handsome man assured him that he'd be there to help if anything happened, and scolded the Foldie twins for not telling him right away, even though they'd found out about the "party" much earlier. Hope later realized why they hadn't put Green on notice when he read one of the messages in the general chat room:

<Blue: "Green was supposed to sign the papers to leave the basement today, but changed his mind for some reason."

Hope put two and two together, and immediately texted his friend:

<Hope: "Green, if you're not leaving for me, don't you dare! I can handle it. Everything will be fine."

<Green: "Wow, how fast information travels these days. One day won't solve anything for me. I'll feel better if I see your okay. See you at the coven tomorrow, tomato!"

Hope couldn't tell his friends about Grandpa's plan since he was asked to, so he just wrote:

<Hope: "I'm sure everything will be fine, guys. Let's not panic."

Afterward, he turned his phone off as questions from coworkers poured in and it was time for him to get on the field. Thoughts of possible bad scenarios at tomorrow's party never left his head. Hope tried to chase those nasty birds away, but the worms of doubt kept popping up out of nowhere and feeding them, making them stronger and stronger.

After the first period, Jake put the captain on the bench as he noticed his unusual absent-mindedness and lack of concentration on the game.

"Are you okay?" - he asked.

"I'm sorry, coach. I'll sit and try to concentrate," Hope mumbled.

"Okay, you sit there. And don't worry, the guys can handle it," Jake said and went back to the game.

Hope never went on the court, he didn't have the energy to support and guide, he was scared again, the memories of his work days came back to his mind and all he wanted was to be hugged and comforted, because the thoughts in his head at that moment were not the brightest:

"Next to Lion, I've become weaker. Feelings are like exposed wires. Will Red be able to pick them up tomorrow and rip them out if he has to?"

As soon as the siren sounded and the scoreboard read 68-35 in favor of XW, Hope congratulated the guys and, after apologizing to them, quickly headed for the locker room and then the coaches' room. Jake was waiting for him there, and immediately ran up and hugged his kitty:

"What's wrong? I'm sorry I couldn't help during the game. Are you sick?"

"Hia... I'm scared... I wish time would stop now and there would be no tomorrow."

"Babe, Troy has given me confidence in a good outcome, he and I have once again calculated everything. I'm ready to share it with you. Shall we go home? I'll call two cabs. You go first, and I'll close the gym and follow. The password to the door is 1704."

"Okay," the guy nodded.

***

Once inside Jake's apartment, Hope slowly changed into the shorts and T-shirt he'd borrowed from his lover. He went to the window and looked out at the dark sky, which was about to open with rain.

The mood, like the weather, was gloomy.  Feeling the bone-chilling cold, he went to the bathroom to warm himself under the hot jets, but once inside, he just stood there in a daze. His eyes fell on the beige terrycloth robe of his lover, he immediately took it and wrapped himself as if in a bulletproof vest. The thing smelled like Lion and made him feel safe. The boy stood like that, holding onto the sink, until he heard the sound of the door opening. When he heard his soulmate calling, he immediately regained full consciousness and ran into the hallway.

"Kitten, and my clothes look good on you," Jake said, smiling, and then quickly put the grocery bags on the floor and enclosed Hope in a tight hug.

"It's going to be okay. Come on, let's get distracted. You like computer games? I've got a couple of them that take your breath away."

"I rarely play, but I like the idea," the boy nodded.

"Then go to the computer, it's in sleep mode right now. There's no password. I'll make us a nice dinner," Jake rustled the bags in front of the kitten's nose and went into the kitchen.

Sighing, Hope walked over to the computer table, sat down in his chair, and clicked his mouse. The screen came woke up and he saw a removable disk window with a single "Important!" folder. Looking at the PC, he saw a flash drive inserted into the slot, the same metal half heart he had already encountered.

Unconsciously, he clicked on the folder, but it wouldn't open, requesting a password.

"Hia..."

"Yes! What is it? You couldn't find it?"

"Come over to me, please."

"Okay, five seconds!"

When Jake walked over, wiping his wet hands with a towel, and peered into the screen, the smile fell off his face:

"What is it? I deleted everything..."

"That folder didn't get deleted because it's password protected. Do you know how to open it?"

The man stared at the screen for a couple more seconds, and then, grabbing his head, whispered:

"It can't be... It was just a dream..."

"What are you talking about, Hia?"

"Try punching in the password for the door."

Hope did as Lion asked and the folder opened. It contained over a hundred files in various formats. Hope looked at Jake, still holding the computer mouse in his hand, and when he nodded, began opening the files one by one.

"This is..." - Hope whispered, but didn't finish the thought as he tried to get up to speed on the contents of lab reports, accounting invoices, and numerous contracts.

"Did Chom really work for Makoto? Her name is everywhere here," Jake said in a colorless, distant voice.

"Yes, it's her, her labs, her killing drug... Look, there are pictures here, it's definitely her," Hope's brain was working at every possible speed. He opened the photos one by one, showing the "snow queen" with the smile of a cunning hyena circling her domain.

At the very end was a Word file. When the guy opened it, he immediately looked at Lion and said quietly:

"This is for you."

"Read it with me, kitten. I have no secrets from you," Jake said, and they directed their eyes to the short note:

"Jake, if you're reading this, then I'm no longer by your side. "I'm sorry. I found out too late and had too little time to do something. The original documents are in the locker (N186) at Sai Tai Mai South Bus Station. I paid for the locker for a year, I hope you find these documents and punish this man with them. The code is 170408. Be careful, sweetheart.

P.S. I love you to the sun and back, and so hundreds of thousands of times!"

Hope swallowed, finishing it, as he realized that he'd said almost the exact same thing to Jake not long ago.

"So... Chom found out and decided to leave... If he was going to reveal that information, then... it was SHE who killed him... BITCH!!!!! ... WHORE! - Jake realized it all, and he couldn't hold in his growing anger any longer. - What are we gonna do about it? Call Troy? Call the police?"

Hope turned his head toward his lover and saw the horror and confusion on his face, so he immediately stood up and hugged him, then began to speak in a soothing tone, even though everything was churning inside him, too:

"Hia, I understand how you feel right now. Chom was a good man, he wanted to open that boil, but he didn't have time. Let's finish what he started, publicize the truth...only let's do it right. I know a man and a whole family who want revenge, just like you. I'll call him and we'll work it out."

"That's probably dangerous. I'd better call him."

"No. You can't. He'll believe me, since we know each other well, and he'll make it quick. Trust me," Hope said, not wanting to get Lion involved, and without waiting for an answer, immediately dialed Sonja's number.

📞 "Red, are you calling to wish me luck at that thing's party tomorrow night? You'll be there, too. We're gonna have a lot of fun!" - The first thing Hope heard the man on the other side of the wire say sarcastically, and it pissed him off:

📞 "Shut up and listen! I've got EVERYTHING. I'll send you the address right now. Come over right now. Some information I can only give you in person. Hanging up."

Hope sent a message with the address, and then went to the computer and transcribed the cell data onto a piece of paper; thinking about it, he also wrote down the password for the folder. He then deleted the Word file so no one would find out about the connection of this story to Jake so easily, and took out the flash drive.

"Soni will be here soon. I'm going to call Grandpa now and, let's exhale, get a little distraction and a bite to eat," Hope was shaking, but he was thinking more about his lover than himself and his worries at the moment.

"Okay. You're right," Jake agreed.

Troy listened to Hope's story without interrupting, then said:

📞 "I got it. You stay home like mice and keep your heads down until tomorrow. You do realize it's dangerous, right? Me and the guys...whatever. Give the information to Soni and lock the door. Keep your phone handy at all times."

📞 "Okay, Grandpa."

The couple didn't cook, but just munched on Jake's washed vegetables. After a while, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it. Don't show your face, just in case," Hope whispered and went to open the door.

Preliminarily looking through the peephole and making sure it was Indigo, he went to get a flash drive and a folded sheet of paper, and then, returning to the door, ran into Lion:

"I'll do it myself," he took the contents of the kitten's palm, opened the door and put the items into Soni's hand.

"What's this? Who are you and where is Red?" - he asked, hopefulness in his voice.

"Hurry," Jake said only one word and closed the door, immediately snapping the lock shut and pressing his back against it.

A few seconds later they heard a loud, happy, "Thank you!" and the distant footsteps of a running Indigo.

"Let's lie down, I'm tired and not hungry," the man said, walking over and putting his arm around Hope's waist.

"Why didn't you listen to me?" - whispered the boy, burying his face in his lover's neck.

"First of all, they're going to come out on me anyway, no matter how hard you spin it, and second of all, I'm not going to let you jump to the front of the line when I'm around. Let's go to bed," Lion agreed and pulled the kitten behind him.

They lay pressed against each other, listening to the beating of their hearts in unison to the accompaniment of the rustling rain outside the window. Each in his own thoughts, no words were spoken aloud, only occasionally one of them kissed his soulmate gently or touched his cheek with the palm of his hand. One second touch and a glance was enough to let the beloved know: "I am with you. I understand you. I love you more than life. Everything is going to be okay. We'll get through this."