Child of Fire

So Right

(A/N: This is a double chapter update; Please check if you have read the chapter SO WRONG before reading this chapter SO RIGHT. Thanks!)

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Did you ever dream knowing that you were dreaming?

Saint knew he was dreaming but that didn't reduce the terror he felt in his heart. He was in the burning building again but this time there was no child to save. Instead, Zee was with him in this dream. They were both in a smoke-filled room, disoriented and their lungs burning. They clutched each other's hand tightly as they looked for a safe escape route. But before they found one, an explosion rocked the room. Saint watched in horror as the blast slammed Zee against the glass window. It was like running underwater as he raced towards Zee. But he was too late. Much too late because Zee fell from the building and Saint could only watch from above, hand outstretched grabbing nothing but air.

Saint woke up sweating like he'd run a marathon, chest heaving as he took in big gulps of oxygen. He swung his legs to the side and sat on the bed, elbows resting on his thighs as his hands cradled his head. After a few moments, he got to his feet and went to the living room. The space was empty, except for his keyboard, guitar and a punching bag. He didn't even touch his musical instruments and just went straight for the punching bag.

For nearly an hour, the only sound in the living room as that of flesh hitting leather-covered sand. When his fists and arms were too sore to continue, Saint methodically changed tactics and used his legs. Each thwack was louder than the previous ones and immensely satisfying to the ears. When his right leg was exhausted, Saint moved on to his left leg. When all his limbs finally surrendered from the punishing workout, Saint sat on the floor and fought back his tears.

Everything is fine.

The wedding was a surprise to Nine. Not that it happened but when it happened. He thought it would take at least a year to prepare because nobody in their right mind arranges a wedding at a drop of a hat. 

Apparently, P'Alex is crazy because as soon as P'Rain said yes, he immediately hired a wedding coordinator whose probably also a magician because she was able pull everything together in just two weeks! It was insane!

Rain looked resplendent in her pale gold traditional dress while P'Alex was fidgeting in his cream and bronze outfit. But his smile was bigger than the sun. Their wedding ceremony was simple, attended only by family and their closest friends. Nine brought Grandpa Channarong to Bangkok and the whole family stayed at a hotel.

In a way, the wedding was an unexpected blessing for a different reason. It has been quite some time that their little family was complete. The three-day hotel stay allowed the family to bond and catch up. Saint looked happy during these times but during the exchange of vows between the bride and groom, his smile seemed bittersweet.

Nine had always done his best to understand Saint even though he doesn't agree with his decision sometimes. He thought things would get better now that Saint is back in Thailand but there's an edginess in the way that Saint carries himself that tells Nine he thought wrong. Waiting for Saint to talk about what's really bothering him is like waiting for his height to grow another inch or two. Chances are slim to none. But Nine doesn't really need to wait because he thinks he knows what the real problem is.

The night before he needed to go back to Trat, Nine decided to pay Saint's problem a visit.

"Boss?"

"Hm?" Zee hummed his question, not looking up from the document he was reading. It was a proposal to subcontract a housing project at the outskirts of Bangkok. The terms were standard and the payment schedule was straight-forward, nothing jumps out of the ordinary.