Melted: A MaxTul AU story

Seventy-Eight: Love Letters--Part One

The bustle of the Team2 office didn't slow down after Pongpat's funeral. If anything, it increased, but there was a definite mood shift. Some of the reason for this change was because they all missd Pong. He had remained a part of the team even after he had retired. Their evenings had been full of talking to him and being with his family or at least preparing for their turn to be with the family. Thus, his death also led to the loss of the whole family with their departure back to Switzerland. The twins cried for both Max and Ohm. Mint missed her friend Ramida—though they figured out the best times to video chat. And everyone missed Max. He had become an unoffico member of the team. They hadn't realized how much they relied on his commentary and input until he was no longer there at the ready.

They all also noticed the change in Tul. Wanna and Ann had been concerned that Tul would go back to the person he was before Max's arrival. Ann was worried because the new Tul was better integrated in the team, making the work and the quick responses needed to changes occur more naturally and with less disruption. Wanna was worried because she had found the previous Tul scary. She liked not being afraid and nervous at work.

Fortunately, the old Tul didn't come back, but everyone could tell that this new Tul wasn't the same without Max. He was still integrated in the team and joked around with them, but they noticed that his eyes always seemed sad and tired. The warmth that they started to have the longer Max was around was no longer there.

Tul was still staying with Prin. He had hired a company to come in and do a deep clean of his apartment. He had told Prin that he didn't want any reminders there. He wanted the smells of the others to be gone. Prin had worried about that comment not because Tul was angry when he said it but because he looked so lonely when he had said it. He hadn't commented on the apartment until the evening of his second night with Prin and after a courier had arrived to deliver food from Kuhn Bagnet.

Somehow, she knew that Tul was staying with Prin and wrote in the note to him to make sure Tul ate and in a note to Tul she had written that just because the Tappitaks and Max were gone he shouldn't think he was no longer a part of the family. When Tul had come into the kitchen from taking a shower that night, he had been surprised to see the food. He thought they were just going to order in, but the smell hit him. Kuhn Bagnet's roast chicken and sweet potatoes and her baked macaroni and cheese—his favorite of her meals. He wasn't sure he'd be able to swallow any of it at first (especially after reading her note), but his stomach betrayed his grief and he ended up eating two servings of each as Prin finally smiled.

"You are welcome to stay here as long as you like, Tul," he had said to his friend. "You know that, right? Especially if your being here means I get more of Kuhn Bagnet's food!"

Tul rolled his eyes and smiled, thinking he should text and thank her. He would when he finished eating. "But what are you going to do about the apartment?" Prin asked, bringing him back to the moment. "The cleaners sent a note that they were done."

"I know. I'm not sure that I'm ready to go back yet, to be honest. I also don't know how long I will be there." And to Prin's surprise, Tul seemed to perk up when he said this.

"Oh? Why not? I thought you grew to like it there."

"I did," Tul responded thoughtfully. "I hadn't really realized how nice the apartment was until uncle moved in. I'd been so resentful of it, but it really is nice, and then Max showed me how beautiful the views are sitting in the dark watching at night."

Prin noticed that Tul's eyes changed at the mention of Max. He couldn't recognize the emotion there, so he just prodded Tul since his voice had drifted off.

"But . . ?"

"Oh, yeah," Tul said, startled as if he was waking up again. "Mae's doctor said that she can be released soon, and the house is ready. I'm going to move her there and live with her for awhile I think, so I won't be staying at the apartment anymore. At least for awhile. I don't want my mother to be in any place that is owned by the Pakorns."