Not a Thing

Prologue

Thyme Akira Paramaanantra lives a pretty straightforward life. He wakes up in the morning, goes to work, comes home and then he sleeps. And repeat. Some days have a bit of embellishments but he just goes to work overseas. Needless to say, they all fall into the same cycle.

Life was not always this way. Thyme used to be a really fun teenager—maybe a little too fun if he was being honest. Thyme used to be the leader of F4, a group of four elite teenagers studying in Kocher High. Other students would come falling to their feet because they do not only carry powerful surnames, they were also attractive. Thyme pauses for a moment when he thinks of his former friends. It has been six years since the group fell apart. Kavin had to go abroad for college, Ren and MJ went to different universities, and Thyme was stuck in Bangkok. They all stopped talking and fell apart.

At least, that's what Thyme likes to think because Kavin particularly disappeared into thin air while Ren and MJ were always busy. They still smile and nod to each other casually at parties but something in their bond shifted after Kavin left.

He shrugs off the thought of his former gang. It was over now.

Thyme looks over to his watch. He has a lot of time before they land so he closes his eyes. Bangkok was four hours away from India so Thyme still has time to nap.

He needs it since he drank out of his mind the day before.

His secretary taps Thyme hours later to wake him up. He was still a bit disoriented but he wakes up.

To say that the flight from India left Thyme in a daze was to put it lightly. Sure, it wasn't as bad as a 16-hour flight but it was just as dreadful. He might've slept a bit but it was still not enough. It's Thyme's fault because he drank like a maniac last night but he still hates the feeling of interrupted sleep.

There weren't many people in the airport but Thyme can still feel a dozen stares coming his way. It wasn't everyday that the Parama CEO graces everyone with his presence, anyway. He wears his signature fierce look to scare everyone away and they bowed their heads as the CEO walked his way. Thyme smirks. How predictable.

He kept up with the fierce boy façade until a little boy tugs his suit asking for help. He looks at First, his secretary, who didn't do anything to stop the boy from going to him but he's shocked to see the boy.

The boy's eyes looked eerily familiar.

And then it clicks.

Roselyn Paramaanantra wasn't such a good mother but she made it a point to document Thyme's moments when he was a baby. It was strange but the boy's eyes looked familiar because they looked like his.

This boy resembled Thyme when he was just a baby.

Impossible, Thyme thinks.

Thyme snaps out of it as it was impossible for him to have a love child—he hated men and women the same so there was no way he would be involved with anyone.

"Papa?" The boy says.

"Kid, I'm not your papa." The boy stares at him for a while and registers his face.

"Sowwy, mistewr. You not my papa but you weawing the same cwothes." The boy tells him.

First signals his boss if he wants the kid away but Thyme dismisses him, totally mesmerized by the kid in front of him.

"What's your name, boy?" Thyme asks.

"My name is Bwight. I'm 4 yiws old." The kid answers.

"Okay, Bright. What's your Papa's name? I'll look for him." Thyme assures Bright.

"Uhm? Papa's name??? Hmmm." Bright thinks about it.

"Oooh, I wemembew! Kawin Taemiyakyin!!" Bright's face lights up at that.

"Kavin...Taemiyaklin?" Thyme repeats.

The name rolled off his tongue like honey. Kavin... it's been so long since he said the name yet it never failed to feel familiar.

"You know my Papa, mistewr?" Bright asks.

He used to be my best friend, kiddo. Bright thinks but before he can answer a man in the same suit as Thyme's goes their way.

"Bright! Oh my god, son!" Thyme knew exactly who that voice belonged to.

Kavin Taemiyaklin Kittiyangkul.

Thyme's ex-bestfriend.

He's here. He's back.

This kid is Kavin's son.

And he looks exactly like Thyme.

Thyme stares at them dumbly. His ex-best friend was here and he was taking it all in.

Kavin notices him, at last.

"Thyme." He greets.

"Kavin, it's good to know you're back," Thyme replies.

Kavin just smiles.

"Thanks for finding my son. I'm sorry, we're in a hurry and we need to go. Bright, say bye-bye." Kavin says before Thyme can speak.

"Bye bye, mistewr!! I found my Papa hihihi." The kid chuckles.

Everything was too much for Thyme to take in.

Knowing that Kavin Taemiyaklin Kittiyangkul was back after he ghosted him was already a surprise. It has been six years since he last saw his face. He doesn't know how to feel about it but his chest felt surprisingly light after that encounter. The unknown feeling Thyme had almost forgotten about suddenly came back upon hearing Kavin's name and it went crazier after he saw him. Kavin also has a son that Thyme didn't know of. And lastly, the most confusing of them all was that Kavin's son looks like Thyme.

Why would Kavin's son even look like Thyme? Who was the boy's mother? So Kavin, the playboy, married?

A lot of demons were dancing in Thyme's head. It's one thing for a friendship to fall apart but it's another to feel deeply estranged as if they did not grow up together.

First notices his boss' mood. He was always cranky but this one's different. The son of the Kittiyangkuls definitely affected his boss. He's sure of that.

"Boss, the car is waiting for us." He informs Thyme.

Thyme walked faster after his notice and he went straight into the car that was waiting for them.

He looks out the window. Bangkok was definitely a sight that's all too familiar yet still enthralling.

Like Kavin. 

Thyme shakes the thought off.

As he watches the busy city from his window, Thyme cannot help but remain confused.

The day was just starting but it was already full of surprises.