Liam's Pov

There's three things that I am relieved about.

One, Tankhun being alive.

I don't think I would've been able to live with myself if Tankhun had died because I was unable to protect him.

I would never be able to forgive myself if I was the reason Kinn and Kim lost their older brother.

Two, I'm alive.

Why isn't that the first thing I'm relieved about?

I was mainly worried about Tankhun rather than my own safety and health. But can you blame me?

But, either way, I am happy to still be alive.

I don't think I could handle dying, again.

Actually, I don't think I could handle waking up back in my world and find out that everything was just some realistic dream.

Though, at least I would've had an awesome story to tell Jack.

Three, my necklace was found and brought back to me.

I can't believe I almost lost my necklace and was never going to get it back.

I'm so fucking grateful that Pol found it and kept it with him and gave it back to me.

I seriously need to find a way to repay him as my way of saying thank you.

Anyway...

After I made my way back to my room and got back into bed, true to their word, the others had a doctor come in and check on me to make sure that everything was fine.

It took only a few minutes before the doctor declared that everything was fine and that I had no permanent damage.

What a relief.

But, he did recommend that I rest for at least two days before getting back to work.

Something that Porsche, Chay and, surprisingly, Kinn didn't object to.

After my check up was over my brothers and Macau, after getting permission from Vegas, stayed with me the entire time in my room.

Kinn and the other bodyguards had gone back to the compound so they could inform Mr. Korn about everything.

Stupid piece of shit never came to check on his oldest son because he had work to take care of.

I'd say he's worse than Kan but even I know that's a lie.

Kan is way worse than him considering he does nothing but degrade Vegas and hit him whenever he has the chance.

But moving on from deadbeat dads...

When nighttime came around Macau had to leave since he did have school the next day.

He hugged me and bid me goodbye before leaving with Vegas and the bodyguards that came with them.

After they were gone Chay had to leave since he too had school the next day.

Porsche and I kissed him on his forehead before wishing him goodbye and he left with Pete, who had come to get him.

Now that just left the two of us.

Porsche was currently sitting on a nearby chair while staring out the window while I just laid on my hospital bed.

I was bored out of my mind and it didn't help that I didn't have my phone with me.

Not to mention I couldn't do what I wanted with Porsche in my room watching my every move.

I let out a sigh and turned to my brother.

"You know you don't have to stay here. You can head back to the compound if you want" I told him.

No doubt having to sleep on a chair is uncomfortable as well as it is sleeping on the ground.

Porsche shook his head, "i'm not leaving you here alone. You don't know what could happen".

"Nothing is going to happen to me. I'm safe here" I told him.

"Yeah, like you were safe back at our home?" Porsche sarcastically asked.

I sighed at that but didn't really know what to say. Since he did have a point.

But I'm not backing down.

"The men that kidnapped Tankhun and I are dead and the ones that tried killing us are dead too. They're not coming back" I said.

"That may be true but you never know who could appear to try and kidnap you again. I'm being cautious" Porsche told me.

"It wasn't just me that was kidnapped you know" I reminded him.

"I know but as far as I'm concerned you are my brother, my family, not Tankhun. Besides, he has his own brothers that can worry about him" Porsche said.

I sighed at that and rested my head against the pillow.

"Porsche, I can handle-" I started but he cut me off.

"You can handle yourself? Like you were able to handle yourself against those men that broke into our home and took you?" Porsche sarcastically asked.

I sighed in annoyance and resisted the urge to grab the pillow and hit him with it.

He's getting on my nerves but I do understand where he's coming from.

But this is making me feel like a little kid that needs a babysitter everywhere I go and that's not what I want.

What I want is to just leave this damn room and see Tankhun.

I haven't seen him since this morning and it's killing me.

"Look, hia, I know you're still angry at me for all that happened" I said.

"Understatement of the century" Porsche glared at me.

I ignored him and continued, "but you can't continue watching my every move like a hawk. I can take care of myself especially in this state. Not to mention the bad guys are gone and they aren't coming back, meaning there's no reason to panic. At least not now".

Porsche opened his mouth to say something but, surprisingly, nothing came out of his mouth.

He closed his mouth after a few seconds of trying to come up with something to say.

I took that as my opportunity to continue speaking.

"And I'm at a hospital where there aren't any bad guys around. Plus, Kinn has ordered bodyguards to be stationed outside mine and Tankhun's room" I reminded him.

It's true.

Before he and the others left he had ordered other bodyguards to be stationed outside of our rooms.

For safety precaution.

He, just like Porsche, is scared that something could happen and the last thing he wants is for his brother to get hurt again.

How he reacted when he learned that Tankhun got shot was bad enough.

I obviously wasn't there to witness it since I was knocked out when Tankhun and I were brought to the hospital.

But according to Porsche and Pravat, it was anything but pretty that's for sure.

What I don't understand is why I needed bodyguards stationed out my room when Tankhun is the oldest member of the family, therefore more important.

Porsche bit his lip, seemingly having a debate in his head, as he glanced at the door.

"I don't know" Porsche muttered.

I sighed and pushed myself up a bit.

"Hia, I promise I'll be fine. I promise I won't leave this room or do anything stupid" I softly said.

I made sure to keep my fingers crossed from where my hand was hidden from under the blanket.

Porsche turned to me and stared at me for a little bit before letting out a sigh.

"Alright, fine" Porsche said.

I brightened at that and had to stop myself from laughing at my victory.

"But you better stay here the entire time. The only time you should be getting out of bed is to use the bathroom and the only time you should leave this room is to inform the bodyguards that you need something or whatever" Porsche sternly said.

I nodded, "I promise".

"Good" Porsche nodded.

He got up from the chair he was sitting on and stretched his arms and legs.

He then walked over to me and placed his hand on top of my head.

"I'll come by tomorrow to check on you. And if I see you left your room for whatever reason, I am kicking your ass. Got it?" Porsche sternly asked.

I huffed in annoyance but nodded.

"Sir yes sir" I mock saluted at him.

Porsche scoffed and rolled his eyes before ruffling my hair.

Before leaving he gave my forehead a kiss and told me to get some good rest before leaving the room.

When the door closed behind him I let out a sigh and fell back down onto my bed, my head hitting the pillow.

I obviously couldn't leave now.

I had to wait for Porsche to leave and I had to wait for those bodyguards to take their break either to take a nap or to get something to eat.

The second they see me leave I'm back in my room and no doubt they're going to keep an extra eye on me.

I'll wait it out for a bit and then leave.

With that plan in mind I decided to pass the time by taking a quick nap since I had to admit I was pretty tired.

Closing my eyes I fell into a deep slumber.

An Hour Later

After waking up from my well deserved nap I decided it was time for me to leave and head on over to Tankhun's room.

I got out of bed and put my slippers on before walking towards the door.

I quietly opened it and looked around and to my relief there weren't any people or bodyguards around.

Meaning they're on their break and went to get something to eat or whatever.

I really don't care.

This just makes things easier for me.

I stepped out of the room and closed the door behind me. I began speed walking down the hallway in order to head to Tankhun's room.

When I got there I was relieved to see that the bodyguards were sitting on the ground, fast asleep.

"Just be quiet and it's a piece of cake" I muttered to myself.

I rushed over to Tankhun's door and quietly opened it and stepped inside. I quietly closed it before turning around.

There he was.

Tankhun.

Lying on his hospital bed, fast asleep.

The lights to the room were off but the lamp on the bedside table near Tankhun was still on.

Maybe Kinn or Kim left it on before leaving so that if he woke up he wouldn't get scared about being in the dark.

Not wanting to wake him up I did my best to quietly make my way over to the chair that Kinn had previously sat on.

I'll just stay in here for a bit, maybe talk a little, before leaving so that I don't get caught.

Especially if the bodyguards return and see that I'm not in my room.

Just as I was making my way to the chair, getting ready to sit down, something stopped me.

Or rather someone.

"You know for a bodyguard you suck at being quiet".

I jumped, holding in a yelp that threatened to escape my lips, and turned to the source of the voice.

And, behold, it was Tankhun.

Who was now lying on his bed wide awake with nothing but amusement shown in his eyes.

I muttered a small curse under my breath and turned to look at him, crossing my arms over my chest.

"You're awake" I said.

"Way to point out the obvious, genius" Tankhun scoffed while rolling my eyes.

"I thought you were asleep" I told him, huffing as I did so.

Tankhun sighed, "I was but I woke up a few minutes ago. I tried going back to sleep but I couldn't. But I pretended to go back to sleep when I heard the door opening".

"Why?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I thought it was Kinn or Kim. I didn't want them knowing I was awake because no doubt they would've started pestering me or worse, lecturing me" Tankhun said.

I hummed in understanding and nodded my head.

But then I glared at him and placed my hands onto my hips.

"Well, you should've continued pretending to be asleep. Because now you're going to have to deal with me" I told him.

"I'm shaking in my boots" Tankhun sarcastically smiled.

"What were you thinking about running in front of me and taking a bullet that was meant for me?" I asked.

Tankhun sighed and pushed himself up from his bed so that he was sitting rather than lying down.

"I was thinking that I didn't want you getting hurt. I didn't want to see you hurt. So, I ran and protected you" Tankhun said.

"So you decided to take it instead? Do you realize you could've been hurt or worse?" I asked in disbelief.

"You know you should really be thanking me for saving your ass rather than lecturing me. If it wasn't for me you would be in my position" Tankhun glared at me.

"Well guess what, I would rather be in your position. It would've been better if it was me and not you" I glared at him.

"Why?" Tankhun asked, scoffing.

"Because you have two brothers that still need you. Two cousins that need you even if you guys don't necessarily get along" I reminded him.

Does he not realize that he has two brothers and two cousins?

He has a family that cares about him and he could've died because of what he did.

His brothers and cousins, yes even Vegas, would've been devastated if they had lost him today.

"Yeah, well guess what, you have two brothers that still need you too. And may I remind you that you've been getting your ass into tons of trouble because of your recklessness. You're always ending up here, always worrying your brothers, and I didn't want that happening again. They can't lose you" Tankhun angrily said.

"And your brothers can't lose you either. They still need you" I reminded him.

Tankhun pressed his lips together at that and said nothing.

He simply turned his head to stare outside, admiring what he could see from where he was.

I stared at him for a few seconds before sighing as I ran a hand through my hair.

I then turned around and stared out the window myself, allowing myself to admire what I could from where I was.

All of a sudden I heard shuffling and turned around to see Tankhun scooting to the right side of the bed.

He looked at me and patted the now empty spot next to him.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Come join me. You shouldn't be standing and sitting on a chair isn't always comfortable" Tankhun said.

I frowned slightly, "are you sure?".

"Would I be asking if I wasn't?" Tankhun asked, slightly annoyed.

I huffed but let out a sigh and made my way over to him.

I climbed into bed and sat on the empty spot he left for me. I grabbed the blanket and pulled it up so that they were covering us.

Believe it or not but it's kind of cold in the rooms.

The two of us were now sitting together on his bed with our heads pressed against our own pillows.

Comfortable silence filled the air between us as we just sat there in silence.

Neither of us said anything but we really didn't need to.

We simply needed to be in the presence of each other, that's all we needed to calm ourselves.

Especially knowing that the other is fine.

But, the silence was beginning to kill me so I decided to break it.

"Thank you" I spoke to him.

Tankhun looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

"You're right. I should be thanking you for what you did, not the other way around. So, thank you for saving me" I softly said.

Tankhun hummed and nodded his head as he turned his head around to look forward.

"You're welcome. Besides, I just did what any other person would've done" Tankhun told me.

I hummed.

But then I turned to look at him again, nothing but seriousness in my eyes.

"But just promise that you won't do something like that again" I sternly said.

Tankhun scoffed and turned to look at me again.

"Sure, only if you promise to never be stupid and reckless like you always are" Tankhun said.

I rolled my eyes, "you know I can't do that".

Especially when so much more is going to be happening and I have to stop them, make sure nobody gets hurt.

Make sure nobody dies.

The ones that I care about, of course.

"Then I'm not promising anything either. Especially what you just mentioned" Tankhun told me.

"Why? I can handle myself" I asked, getting a little annoyed.

"I don't fucking care. I don't want you getting hurt. If you get hurt a part of me does too. The last thing I want is seeing the guy that I like, the guy that managed to steal my heart, getting hurt or worse. So forget it" Tankhun angrily spat.

"Why do you even..." I trailed off, getting angry myself.

But then I stopped.

I stopped because I had to process what he just said.

His words lingered in my head very clearly and I found my heart beating rapidly and could feel my cheeks heating up.

I turned to look at him and saw him staring at me intently.

It's clear that he knows what he said to me and it's clear that he knows that I know after seeing my reaction.

"What did you say?" I asked.

"You heard me" Tankhun said.

"Please repeat it" I said, more like begged.

Tankhun let out a soft sigh and before I knew it he was scooting closer to me.

He then brought his hand up and gently placed it on my cheek, resting it there, and began caressing it.

I leaned slightly into his touch and I could see his lips twitch upward at that.

"I don't want you getting hurt, Liam. I don't want to see you, the guy that I like, the guy that I gained feelings for, the guy that managed to steal my heart, hurt. Those times I saw you hurt, like after you saved my brother and after you saved Porsche, hurt me. It hurt my heart, it hurt every part of me. I don't want that, ever" Tankhun softly said.

I was speechless.

Really, I was.

I took in all of his words, every single one of his words echoed in my head multiple times and it was impossible to stop.

Honestly, I don't think I ever want it to stop.

I want those words to continue echo in my head so that it shows, it proves, that it's all real.

I only snapped out of my daze when I felt another hand rest on my other cheek, gently caressing it.

"Liam" I could hear Tankhun's soft voice.

I looked at him and when our eyes met I could see concern in them.

It's then that I realize that I hadn't said anything due to me being in a daze meaning I worried him.

Especially when I didn't say anything to his declaration for me. Which is stupid on my part.

"I'm sorry, I'm just trying to process it all" I told him.

Tankhun hummed, "that's alright. Take all the time you need". 

I pressed my lips together in a thin line before taking a deep breath and opening my mouth to ask what I need to.

"But, does that mean...?" I hesitantly asked.

Tankhun nodded, confirming that it's true.

"And everything you said, not just right now, but at the club that night. You..." I trailed off.

Again, he nodded.

"Yes. I meant every word of what I said. I may have been drunk but I do remember and I don't regret any of it. None of it. Everything I said was real, trust me" Tankhun sternly said.

And when he said that, he meant every word. All of it.

His tone held nothing but seriousness and determination, showing that he wasn't joking or messing with me.

I just stared at him, trying to comprehend everything.

It was then that I felt tears begin to build up in my eyes.

I was beginning to get emotional.

I've never felt this way before and even if I did accept the fact that I had feelings for Tankhun, that I really did like him as something more than a friend, I never thought he would feel the same way too.

I never thought that someone as amazing as him would go for someone like me.

It felt so unreal.

I only snapped out of my daze, again, when I felt him wiping away my tears that managed to slide down my cheeks.

"Hey, why are you crying?" Tankhun softly asked.

I sniffled and just let more tears fall and he happily, yet calmly, wiped them away.

"I'm sorry, it's just I've never really felt this way before. I never really had someone say those kinds of things to me before, especially romantically" I told him.

Tankhun let out a soft chuckle as he stopped wiping my tears but kept his hands where they were.

"Me neither but then again I've always been inside" Tankhun shrugged.

I managed to laugh at that, shaking my head in amusement.

While Tankhun beamed at my reaction, happy to have brightened my mood.

Technically, my mood brightened the second he told me that he felt the same way.

When I stopped laughing I took a deep breath, trying to calm my beating heart, before looking at Tankhun straight in the eye.

I slowly brought one arm to wrap it around his waist and brought him closer.

His eyes widened slightly at that but he wasn't complaining and I could definitely see the happiness in his eyes when I did that.

"I'm glad you've told me about your feelings towards me. Because, I feel the same way. I always have" I softly smiled.

Tankhun's eyes widened at that and he let out a laugh of disbelief.

Soon a smile appeared on his face just as tears, small ones, were beginning to build up in his own eyes.

"You really mean that?" Tankhun softly asked, looking at me pleadingly.

He didn't want my revelation to be fake.

He didn't want me to reject him when it's clear he really likes me.

And I want to hold him and tell him that he doesn't have to worry because I would never hurt him.

Especially not when I feel the same way he does.

But...

I brought my other hand up and placed it on his cheek and caressed it and, almost instantly, he leaned into it.

"Do you want me to prove it to you?" I softly asked.

If there's one thing mom always told me...

"How?" Tankhun softly asked, tilting his head slightly out of curiosity.

I really, and I mean really, wanted to coo at his adorableness but I refrained from doing so.

Instead, without saying anything else, I leaned in and captured his lips into a soft yet passionate kiss.

Tankhun gasped at my actions, shocked at what I had done and what was currently happening.

But, after getting over the shock, he melted into the kiss and before I knew it he began kissing me back.

I wrapped both arms around his waist, pulling him close. He still had his hands cupping both sides of my face, never wanting to let me go and that was good because I didn't want to let him go either.

Oh, and, back to what I mentioned before.

If there's one thing mom always told me, actions speak louder than words.