Learning Kim

Five

Chapter 5

"See, I told you they were lovers and the murderers!" Tankhun side-eyes Porchay and throws more popcorn on his mouth with flourish. They are sitting by Kim's bed, one on the left, the other on the right side, watching a movie on the tv that Tankhun has set up by the end of the bed.

"How many times have you seen Death on the Nile?" Porchay asks knowingly and keeps running his fingers through Kim's still slightly damp hair, that the two of them washed before their movie night.

"Never." Khun is clearly lying. Porchay keeps staring at him. "Ok, maybe once or twice, but I was still right!"

"Fine," Porchay rolls his eyes and laughs. "P'Kim, how about we blow-dry our hair, huh? I'm afraid you'll catch a cold," he asks Kim's unconscious form without expecting an answer. An alarm goes off on one of the monitors and Porchay sighs. He pushes two of the buttons before the nurses have to come in. He knows what it all means after two weeks of sitting by Kim's bed basically day and night.

The room has become a fortress, only close family members allowed in. Kinn usually stops by in the mornings for breakfast, Porsche keeps Porchay company in the afternoon and Tankhun is usually around for movie nights. Porchay is grateful for the company, the talks and the distraction, but the longer this lasts, the more he loses hope. The alarm a sign that Kim might need another dialysis soon, his kidney still barely working. His liver results are getting worse each day and the lungs are not healing the way they should, his body overwhelmed with all that is wrong and injured. Kim is getting worse, not better and Porchay can barely think about it without breaking down.

"They have to hook him up again tomorrow, huh?" Tankhun knows.

"Yeah," Porchay nods. "Any news about the donor result?"

"No, they are still making their way through all the blood samples. There were so many that there has to be someone who matches, especially from us as family. But so far, we haven't had any good news."

"Vegas asked if Venice could be checked, which is nice but not working." All of them are slowly getting desperate.

"Mmh... come on, lets's blow-dry his hair and maybe paint his nails. It's not like he can protest at the moment," Tankhun suddenly changes the topic and perks up for which Porchay is grateful. Tankhun knows when to change the mood.

"How about blue today?" Porchay suggests.

"Light blue it is," Tankhun agrees with him and they exchange a smile as they get to work, the nail polish already in the room.

"Hey, Khun, can I ask you something?" Porchay and Tankhun have got closer over the last weeks and bonded over Kim's care. They now work together as a team when it comes to changing him or washing his hair. Porchay never considered that Tankhun would wash one of his brothers, but he doesn't seem to mind at all. 'Not the first time' was all he said when Porchay asked.

"Sure, but I won't let you in on Kim's sordid sexual history. That you have to ask him yourself," Tankhun huffs.

"Uh, thanks, no." Porchay shakes his head. "I was actually wondering, if you have a boyfriend. Or girlfriend?" Porchay asks, even if that is not what he wanted to say.

"Me? Ha! Who would be worthy of me?" Tankhun questions exaggeratedly .

"No crush, no nothing?" Porchay keeps going, because it's a distraction from the bleak reality of the hospital room and because it's fun messing with Tankhun.

"No," Tankhun says a bit too quickly.

"You so have a crush on someone," Chay smiles. "You're blushing," he teases the older man.