Ambivalent

18. The Revelation

Akara

I sat on the same chair for hours, but Rune didn't appear. When I could think rationally again, I stopped the nurse and asked her about Rune. Thank God, she was a talkative one. She knew Rune, but his visits were irregular.

Being happy to learn that Rune was around, I left the hospital for the day.

Thursday... Friday... Saturday... Sunday...

I sat in the same spot for hours, but luck wasn't on my side. When I was bored, I watched Aof lying pitifully, depending on others. I was relieved to know that he couldn't hurt anyone anymore, but other than relief, there was no other emotion I could feel while looking at him. A few times, I thought about entering his room to show him who was the winner, but there was no point doing it as I didn't feel like a winner... I felt like a bastard, a miserable one.

Whatever. Let's not even start.

On Monday, luck was on my side for the first time. At eight am, I saw Rune passing the long corridor with tired steps and entering his father's room.

I thought I would be happy to see him again, but it only added to my misery. If he seemed happy and healthy, I would take my leave immediately, but seeing his condition, how could I leave? Even with a moment's glance, I saw how unwell he was. His face was sickly white and his shoulders stooped visibly as if even standing was difficult.

With my shaky legs, I moved towards the window and looked in from the corner. I saw Rune putting something into the drawer. Only then I noticed he was wearing a two-piece gray suit which was far too big for him as he was like a skeleton.

Why did he lose that much weight? Was he sick? Why wear a suit? Was he working in a formal job? But why?

The promiscuous questions in my mind were interrupted with the sight Rune moved towards the door although he was in for less than a minute. I turned my back towards the door and crouched down as if to tie my shoelace.

As expected, Rune didn't see me. With equally tired steps he left the hospital and I followed him, ignoring the little voice in my head saying I was a creep.

He hailed a taxi from the front entrance of the hospital, so I did the same while wondering where his Volvo was. With building anxiety, I watched him walking inside the hotel which was his father's once. As I expected him to leave there soon, I stood outside, waiting for him.

He exited nine hours later.

He must have been working in the hotel where he didn't want to work before. Guilt gnawed at me. I rushed in and told the receptionist that I wanted to see Mr. Rune Saetang.

"Mr. Saetang has already left, our accounting department works from nine to five."

Her words rang in my ear, making it hard for me to breathe. Accounting? What the hell Rune was doing in the accounting department?

Brimming with anger, I told her to call Mr. Kamol. After hearing my name, he agreed to see me. With a deadly slow speed, the elevator reached the fifteenth floor and I was led to Kamol's office by his secretary.

"Akara, what do I owe-"

"What the hell is Rune doing in the accounting department?!" I snapped at him, not allowing him to finish his words.

He threw me a deadly glare, but remained calm. He gestured to me to the empty chair in front of the table, but I continued to stand near the door.

As he saw my determination, Kamol didn't insist. Linking his fingers on the table, he said "Rune was looking for a job, so I offered him one."

"You promised not to touch him, how come he needed a job?" I persisted.

"Naive, aren't we?" Kamol smiled sardonically, "let me explain so that you will understand. All of Rune's money was coming from Aof's account which belonged to the hotel's owner. As Aof isn't the owner anymore, the account belongs to me now."

I could only gape. Seriously, how couldn't I guess that?

"See? I am being nice here. Although I hate that little bastard, I gave him a decent job and a good salary so that he can pay his father's hospital bill."

"I see," I murmured and excused myself with a bigger anxiety in my heart. I was aware that Kamol wasn't that kind-hearted as he declared, so I could only imagine what Rune was going through.

That night I didn't sleep as usual and after overthinking for hours, I went to the hotel at four thirty pm with the money bag in my hand.

Rune was sure to snap my neck, but I couldn't just let him suffer because of me. Even though I spent a tiny amount from the bag for the hostel I stayed at before, it must have been enough to give Rune a new start.

A new start... away from all those bad people, including me...