KIMCHAY TALES: BITTERSWEET EXCHANGE

CHAPTER 12

Take hope from the heart of man and you make him a beast of prey.

-

Chay doesn't know why he ended up in that place. He remained silent and his gaze was lowered to avoid scrutiny from people around him.

It felt like a blur to Chay. All he remembers is that we woke up that morning and Big is already waiting for him outside his quarter. He felt chills when he heard what Big said to him.

"We need to go to the main house. Khun Korn wants to speak to you." Big said in a serious tone. Chay tensed, thinking about what he had done wrong. But, everything is fine. Kim is okay and in good health, at least.

"Why?" Chay asked heart in his throat.

"Don't ask why, Porchay. We don't question orders here." Big said.

"Okay. Uhm... Does he know? Does Khun Kim know?" he asked, still nervous. He doesn't know why, but he felt anxious suddenly.

"Khun Kim left early. We won't care. Let's go." Big dismissed and left Chay who was still processing what he said.

Now, he's here in a grand, grand house. The displays look so expensive. He even felt guilty for quite staining the white marble tiles. The walls and doors were made of expensive mahogany wood. He has never been in this kind of house. He felt overwhelmed.

He's in mafia territory. He needs to get himself together. He knows Kim's place is a mafia territory too, but there he feels safe. Here in the main house, not so much.

He's been picking his nail cuticles and nibbling his lips the whole ride to the main house. He's been convincing himself that he didn't do anything wrong. That he's doing his job right. He's pretty sure he's been doing more than his job description. Every eye of every bodyguard was on him every moment they passed. Some of them greeted Big who's in front of him.

Does Kim even know he's here? It won't be that bad, right? Like Big said, he won't care. Does he really not care? Chay wonders what Kim is doing right now. Big said he left early. For what? Chay was just worried that he might end up in trouble again.

Chay stood completely still in the middle of a huge room, more like an office. He's playing with the hem of his shirt, eyes still on the floor. There's a man sitting in front of him, working on his huge work table. He has seen this man before, once in a photo.

Kim's father, Korn Theerapanyakul.

He looks different in person. He looks much older. Perhaps, the photo was taken years ago. However, he can still see Kim's face on his. No doubt he's Kim's father. He hasn't given his attention to Chay yet, even if he's already right in front of him. He's too busy working.

Then, Chay heard a door open and closed. He's too scared to turn. He's afraid that one wrong move, he might end up dead. It's like his first day at work again, walking on eggshells and afraid for his life.

"Dad- Who's this?" A man's voice said. Chay glanced at the man. Oh, he knows this man. He had seen him before. Kim's brother. But, he doesn't know his name. Kim never told him his brother's name. The man stared back at him and squinted his eyes, "Why do you look familiar?" he said.

"Khun Kinn." Big greeted in one corner of the room, bowing his head low. "This is Porchay. He works as a housekeeper at Khun Kim's place," he added.

Kinn hummed, "That's why you looked familiar. You are Porsche's brother." he claimed.

Every nervousness on Chay's body suddenly disappeared. Right. His brother works here. Still nibbling his lips, Chay asked, "I-Is he here? My hia, is he here?"