The Bad Son (Book 2)

Chapter 25

Tin stared at his text to Can. Still unread. Three days had passed and he wouldn't answer his calls nor read his texts. "Fuck it!" Tin threw his phone across the room and gloried in the sound it made, hitting the door. 

He winced, as his assistant carefully knocked, then opened the door. "Sir, is everything..." His words faded off as his eyes fell on the pieces of the phone. "I will get someone in purchasing to go and get you a new phone, sir."

Tin waved his hand. "No need. I'll pick one up on my way home. There's only an hour left in the day." The assistant nodded and silently shut the door. He should have stayed. Perhaps then Tin wouldn't have taken to silently banging his head on the desk, instead.

He couldn't concentrate. He couldn't focus. He simply could not think about anything except the look on Can's face as he left that night. Why was he so insistent on knowing? What did he think he could help with?

Tin trembled. He felt his loss deeply. He missed laughter. He found that the only normalcy in his life came from Can. Especially these strange days, with Tul moping around the house. He still didn't understand what happened the night he broke the glass.

What did he mean by "don't fuck up your life?" It was Tul who kept trying to screw him over! 

He gave up. He pushed his chair back so violently, it spun and was stopped by the bank of windows looking out over the city. Walking out of his office, he paused by his assistant's desk. "I'm leaving now. Have a good evening."

The assistant nodded. "I will clean up the mess, sir."

Tin shook his head. "No, the cleaning staff can. I removed the sim card already." He nodded and strode to the elevator. The company he now ran was mixed media, so they had a small outlet store on the main floor. Tin walked in and sighed. It needed to be revamped. It was outdated. 

Walking up to the counter, he paused for the sales rep to notice him. When she did, he wasted no time. "Give me a top of the line smartphone."

She nodded. "Android or iPhone, Sir?"

"Doesn't matter. Sim cards are compatible with both, are they not?"

"Yes, sir. Do you know what your last model was? You will have accounts transferring over." She was polite, but not pushy. Tin appreciated that. 

"Samsung, forgot the model." She nodded and came back with a Samsung S10e, in black with a slim fitted case. 

"Will this do, sir?" Tin nodded. She rang up the purchase and Tin fished out his gold card. Her eyes widened slightly but otherwise, her behavior never changed. She reached for a bag

Tin waved it away, and set the phone up. "It's activated once I put the sim card in?"

She nodded, "Yes, sir. If not, it's a simple call or text. Try it." Tin nodded. The lady pulled out a small key and opened the slot and he placed the sim card in and pushed. 

It took about ten minutes to go through the new set up but then, his messages and texts appeared. Tin thanked her and left. There was only one person he cared about - Can. Quickly, he clicked on his LIne and he still hadn't read his messages. 

He did notice that Father, Tul, Pete and Ae, of all people, had also left messages in the last hour and a half. He snorted and opened Ae's first.

You're a real asshole. WTF did you do to Can that he's drowning in fucking beer again???

Oh shit! Tin sighed, then opened Pete's:

I sent Ae to babysit. Fix this. Can's useless at the bar. 

Father was next. Like all his texts, it was brief and to the point:

We need to talk. Meet me after supper

Lastly, Tul's. Tin's finger hesitated over his name for a long time before opening the message:

I'm sorry. Can we talk? There was an address of a bar. Tin sighed. Tul would be the easiest. Out of all of them, it was Tul he could take his frustration out on safely. But there was still something bothering him.

He called Tapi. "Young Master," Tapi whispered quickly, "I am sorry for using these words, but shit is about to hit the fan and you need to be here. Also, if you can find Master Tul, bring him too." Tapi hung up.

Tin felt a shiver go down his spine. Their relationship had been brief, but solid. So far, Tapi had not steered him wrong. Opening up that text, Tul got in his car and drove to the bar. 

Walking into the dim, dark bar, with loud music blaring, it took time for Tin's eyes to adjust. His mind was working overtime. What the fucking hell was Tul doing in a dive like when he should be home, with his son?

Finding Tul, he slid on to the barstool next to him. He felt out of place but with his stoic face, it was well hid. Tul barely glanced at him before raising his hand. "Whiskey, neat." The bartender must have known him, as he didn't even spare a glance before two new shot glasses were placed before them.

Tul played with his glass, a small wrinkle between his eyes. This was a different Tul. He waited, almost impatiently, for him to DO something. Finally, he shot back his drink and sighed.

"Fuck, why do you always make things so difficult?" He went to raise his hand again. Tin shook his head at the bartender. He nodded, and backed away. "I have to tell you something and I really don't want to." 

Sighing, Tin stood. "Now's not the time. We need to go. Save it for later."

Tul stared blearily up at him. "I don't think I can wait any longer."

"Fuck, Tul, then pour your heart out in the damn car. I don't really care. Just come along." Tin didn't really want to touch him, but how else was he going to get him moving? Impatiently, he waited a few minutes, their eyes locked. 

Tin reached out and grabbed his upper arm, helping him to stand. "Why are you drinking? Fuck, you're drunk again." Tul was not steady. He slipped his arm around his waist and supported him as he walked him out the bar. 

Unnoticed in the back, two people watched the whole thing going down. Can grabbed the pitcher of beer, not bothering to refill his empty mug and drank directly from it, downing it in one go. Ae sighed. 

Well, there went going home early tonight. They had been here for two hours already. Can had been almost ready to talk about what had happened when Tin entered. Ae had noticed him first, and tried desperately to keep his attention away from the bar. It was the fucking waitress!

Happily, she had come up to Can, announcing loudly, "Hey, isn't that your man at the bar? I am sure I saw a picture of you two on my phone the other day? He sure is one fine looking man. You're lucky, Can. I wouldn't be here, getting drunk, with that waiting for me at home."

Can swiveled, his eyes widened, and he groaned at the sight of Tin and Tul together. "Bring me two more pitchers." 

Ae only sighed, brought out his phone and sent Pete a text: We're fucked. Tin showed up at the bar and met some hot dude. Can's destroyed.

It was a long, long evening as Can alternatively said odd things that made no sense, like "found a new hole", "tall man" and "fuck, he said he loved me."

Ae's brow wrinkled. Things were  not adding up. Somewhere, somehow, Tin and Can had forgotten to talk to each other, if they were using the "L" word already. This was beyond his abilities. He needed to talk to Pete in order to help Can.