Strongest

061 | ...even in doubt

It has been a slow day for Phana since he didn't have that much of patients. He was contemplating on the past days since it looks like his husband has been avoiding him. Then he remembered they had dinner with the Daichapanyas in the main house.

He didn't know what happened but something surely was up for Ming to act out of the norm. Now that he was able to notice it, it looks like it even began longer than that. His husband has been distancing himself for almost years now and he wants to know why.

He was still seated behind his desk while leaning on it and holding a pen. He had that distant look on his face as he tried to come up with a reason behind his husband's change.

Just then, Kit entered his office and it distracted him. "Oi Pha, what's with that look?" He asked his friend.

Phana turned to look at him blankly before shaking the look off and shrugged. "Nothing. I was just thinking about one of the cases I've looked into earlier"

Kit bit his lip as if trying to keep himself from saying something. He met Ming earlier while he was on his way to turn in his patients' files for the day to Medical Records. His brother-in-law seems to be bothered about something. The younger man seems to be avoiding his husband though.

He was walking with the files on one arm while he checks his phone as he walks towards Medical Records. When Kit took a turn, he nearly bumped into Ming.

"Oh, hey Ming. How are you? I haven't seen you lately" Kit greeted him with a smile.

Ming smiled awkwardly at Kit. "Hey Phi. I'm fine. Just have a lot to do these days"

"I heard from Pha that you changed shifts since you two don't arrive together in the morning" Kit stopped to chit-chat with his brother-in-law.

Ming scratched his head. "Uhm, yeah. I took an earlier shift to be able to check on the machines when there are less people around"

Kit scowled. "Oh Ming there is a reason why you are the Head of Department. You have subordinates to do that. I doubt that Forth gave you that post just to do that"

Ming sighed and chuckled. "It helps Phi. Doing paperwork is so stressful. I hated it when I was still studying. I prefer the lab works than just staring blankly into a piece of paper"

Kit tapped his shoulder. "You're just like Beam. He hates paperwork" he said with a smirk but then stared right into his eyes. "Or you're using that to avoid Pha? Are you having any issues?"

Ming looked away and faced the window in the hallway. "No Phi. We're okay" he answered.

"Ming. You're my husband's little brother, my best friend's husband and mostly my friend. We've been through a lot already and aside from not seeing you with Pha for quite sometime, I can read you like a book. Either you talk it out with him or you can talk to Mark or me" Kit said, voice full of concern.

Ming smiled thinly. "I'll keep that in mind Phi. Thank you for always being there for me and Mark. I need to go Phi. Those damn papers won't work on themselves" he said with a chuckle.

Now Kit is staring at Phana and took a deep breath. "Are you and Ming fighting?" He asked with an arched brow.

Phana's eyes widened at that and he looked back at one of his best friends. "What? Where'd you get that idea?"

"Oh come on Pha. I met Ming earlier and he was avoiding the same topic. What did you do or not do?" Kit asked bluntly.

Phana looked at him incredulously and chuckled. "Oi Kit, why do you think it was me? I didn't even know what's going on. Why are you biting my ass?"

Kit looked at him pointedly. "Cause you have the habit of being obtuse my dear friend. You're always clueless of whatever is happening around you. Sometimes I'm surprised you're good with your craft since you can be crappy most of the time"

Phana glared at him, clearly offended. "Kit, it's not being obtuse when you give your husband the freedom to chose whether to tell you their woes or not. It's called space and I don't tend to be nosy with Ming's decisions unlike some people I know"

Kit growled in frustration. He knows it won't help if he gives in to Phana's goading. "What are you planning to do now? Clearly he's avoiding you"

"Great observation Sherlock" Phana snapped at him sarcastically.

Kit threw a stress ball at his head. "Oi you ungrateful giraffe! I am trying to help you here. Knowing Mingkwan he already had several scenarios playing in his mind and before you know it, he's gone"

"I don't even know what happened Kit" Phana growled as he gripped his own hair with both hands. "I just noticed him acting weirdly ever since that freaking dinner or maybe it was even beyond that. He won't talk to me and you know I won't force him"

Kit knows how much Phana loves Ming. He knows he really won't force the younger man to even talk to him if he chose not to. Both of them are privy to what the twins went through when they were growing up. Mark's lucky he was able to overcome those however Ming still gets affected with their father's actions and words.

"How about you take him on a vacation? When was the last time you had time for each other without your son in the middle?" Kit asked.

"Will Forth agree?" Phana had that hopeful gleam in his eyes.

"I hope he will or we'll set Beam on him" Kit declared determinedly.

"How about Param? I don't think Ming will agree if he will be by himself at home" Phana worriedly said.

"Oh stop worrying Phana! Of course we'll have him at home while you go off and woo your husband. Is two weeks enough or a month will do?" Kit said.

"Oi, maybe our son would no longer know us if we are gone for that long" Phana flicked his friend's forehead.

Kit rubbed his forehead and glared at Phana. "I was merely suggesting. Who knows maybe when you return we'll have another addition to the family?" He said while waggling his eyebrows.

"Isn't Mikah and Keiran too much for you already?" Phana teased him.

Kit stared at him pointedly. "Why? Are you going to ship your newborn baby to us, if ever this becomes successful, and create more?"

🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻
TBC
061521

A/N: Goodnight people...I wasn't able to sleep the whole day yesterday and then I worked all night

I'll try to post the next chapter tonight...I said I'll try 😴😴😴

--- Sassybi