Strongest

007 | ...in returning

He knew this day would come, the day he would be found. With him changing his name made it harder for them to find him. After all, his family isn't what everyone thought to be.

Kan is now sitting in one of the hidden corners of Fortuna Pacifica with an almost familiar man for him. "It's a pleasure to have finally met you Mr. Luang" the man said with an outstretched hand.

"Cut the crap Phi Max" Kan said as he rolled his eyes.

"Well, you surely made it hard for us to find you but I must say I'm impressed, Forth. You're company is almost rivalling with your father's. I'd have you know he is very proud and upset at the same time" Max said with a goofy smile.

Forth scratched his head, even if it isn't itchy, and grimaced. "I miss them...so much...but I had to stand on my own feet. I needed that, this. Phi, I can't just go back"

Kongphob was at the corner and was observing Kan and the man with him. He immediately recognised him. "Well what do you know. Kan is the missing Jamornhum heir" he murmured to himself.

"Just figured that out, Kong?" Arthit asked him as he joined him in observing the two men.

"When did you find out?" Kongphob asked back.

"Hmmm...sometime before we gave birth. I saw the news in Bangkok over the internet. I thought you knew. His family has been searching for him since then. That was almost, what, ten years ago" Arthit said as he stared out at the sea which is seen from the restaurant.

"No wonder he hated publicity. He was trying so hard to hide himself. I never paid any attention to Bangkok news, you know" Kongphob said.

"It was fun watching you fuss over him, like he is your brother...no, like your son" Arthit teased him.

"Ha! As if you don't. You're worse than me dearest" Kongphob bantered back.

Before they knew it, both of them were walking towards the table. "Is everything okay Kan?" Kongphob asked as he laid a hand on the younger man's shoulder.

"It's alright Phi. We're just negotiating" Kan answered with a tight smile.

Kongphob directed his next words to the man Kan was meeting. "How are you Attorney Diloknawarit? It's a pleasure to have you here in our restaurant"

Max Diloknawarit smiled. "It's nice to see you again Mr. Ruangroj or should I say, Mr. Suthilak"

"You know each other?" Kan asked out loud as he gaped at them.

"Kong's father used to be a client of ours but things went down the hill for their family when he left. I left the firm that time as your P'Tul and I just got married. I was hired by your family a few months later" Max answered.

"You had him all this time?" Max directed the question at the couple.

"Yep, but no clue that he is the missing Jamornhum heir...that was me but Arthit found out a few months after when he was staying with us" Kongphob said.

Kan looked at Arthit, full of curiousity. "Why didn't you question me Phi?"

"Kan, or should I call you Forth?" Arthit said with a smile. "If I questioned you, it would've driven you away and that might endanger you. I preferred for you to stay with us and be safe rather than poke my nose into your business. Whatever it is that made you leave, I'm sure you've got all you needed to face it and go back" he said afterwards, with a wink.

"Speaking of...there's a reason why you're being hunted by your parents" Max said with a somber look.

That caught Kan's attention. "Don't tell me..."

"Yep, arranged marriage" Max said it for him.

"But..." Arthit was about to say something when Kongphob held his hand and squeezed it.

Kan looked straight into Max's eyes. "Alright. When, where and who?"

"An heir of one of the richest in Bangkok who happens to be a business partner of yoyr father as well. If you fly to meet them, the wedding will be held a week after" Max said in a transactional manner.

"I'll ask P'Kong to book a flight for me"

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"Why did you agree Kan?" Kongphob curiously asked.

They were stuck in calling him Kan despite knowing his true identity, Forth Jaturapoom Jamornhum. For them, he will always be Kantaphon Luang, their eldest son, friend and brother all in one.

"Phi, I've already given them so much heartache when I left. This is all I could give my parents, besides, Bjorn has been nagging me to get married. He said he wouldn't mind" Kan answered with a shrug.

"Well, the child is too mature for his age. He likes to think outside the box. You've done well with your little boy Kan" Arthit praised both father and child.

"You and P'Kong helped too. It wasn't all me" Kan said gratefully.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Kan looked at the couple with a wistful smile. "I know you're both dying to know my story but I'm thankful you never pressed for any information and just took my words as the truth. I'll always be forever grateful"

"We just want you to be happy with whatever decision you make" Kongphob said.

"The same words I left for him" Kan chuckled sadly.

"What about him? Are you ready to forget him and move on Forth?" Arthit said and called him by his name for the second time that day.

Forth looked at him, surprised.

"What? That is your real name. If you're ready to go through with that arranged marriage, you must be ready to forget him, right?" Arthit said.

Kongphob just let his husband deal with Forth's rationale.

"I've long accepted the fact that we will never be Phi. Maybe that's why I haven't even told Bjorn about him because I don't want my son to long for someone he couldn't have" Forth answered. "I'm ready to move on Phi...I'll do my best to make my marriage work"

Forth left the restaurant after that with a clear and determined mind.

"I just hope they cross paths before Forth gets tied up" Arthit said with a sigh.

"What do you mean?" Kongphob asked.

"Beam, the man he left, is still single and never went through with the marriage"

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TBC
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A/N: I switched to calling him Forth at the end as Arthit already acknowledged him as Forth.

Oh no! He is getting married but to whom? And Forth's father was mentioned...hmmm 🤔🤔🤔