Peace

Chapter 01: Pumpui

5:30 a.m. The airport at this early hour is as serene and unruffled as it ever is. Win moves with ease, pushing his big and heavy luggage through the quiet streams of humanity, who are freshly roused from their sleep and slumber. The young man yawns and startles at his own stomach that is roaring fiercely, asking for food. This is one of the 'perks' of being awake. Win gets hungry whenever his eyes are open.

He steps out of the arrival gate. His eyes instantly search for his parents, who promised to pick him up through the phone call they had yesterday before he boarded the plane.

"Win!" A familiar voice shouts for his name and he turns around. His perplexed frown twist into a surprised grin at the sight of his precious parents, Wanchai and Mantana Opas-Iamkajorn.

Win abandons his luggage and jogs towards them, feeling a lack of breath through his body due to it. "Mama, papa!" He beams with so much joy and happiness as he hugs them tightly at once. The fact that his parents are here for him before the crack of dawn is very touching. Win closes his eyes and inhales the familiar scents of home. This is home.

"Gosh, Win, what did you eat there? Oh my, how much do you weigh now?" Mantana gasps in shock, rubbing her son's back. He barely fits in her arms now.

Win releases his parents and pouts. "I don't know. The last time I checked it was around a hundred kilograms or more? You must know that the Americans make good burgers, mama." His chest is heaving some heavy breathing in between. It often happens when he moves a lot. Wanchai helps his son and pushes his luggage all the way to the car.

"I know how much you love to eat, honey. But here, you have to take care of your appearance," Mantana reminds the young man, who has his hands tightly wrapped around her forearm. Her heart feels at ease now that Win is back in Thailand after three years of being abroad.

Win huffs at the remark. "Nobody cares about it, ma," he says, though there is a trace of hesitation in his voice. Wanchai shakes his head at his son.

"Are you ready to study here? I've managed everything for you. You'll begin your third year in Thammasat this Monday," the father tells as they enter the car.

Win simply hums at the information, hugging his arms around his own body in the backseat. He is back in Thailand because his father wants him to help out at the company while studying. He wants Win to ace everything there is to know about the steel business they are doing and take over the company once he graduates.

This is where the conflict is laid out. His sisters, Mintra and Mesa, were allowed to study according to their interests. They now get to do what they love and work in their respective chosen field. It seems like his parents will allow his younger brother, Mick, to do the same too after he graduates from high school soon.

What's left now is him. If he comes to think of it again, he has never complained anything that his parents want him to do. He was sent to boarding school since he was thirteen and when he turned seventeen; he was sent to America to further his study in economics. Twenty years of his life, most of it has been spent away from his family. He doesn't know where it all began, but suddenly he's the one who will carry on the family's business.

Win jolts out of his reverie when his father's car comes to a halt. They're entering the gate of their house now. Nothing has changed. The garden is as beautiful as ever, with Norfolk pine trees planted along each side of the square space. "Win!" Mantana opens the car door, shaking her head at the young man, who seems to be staring into space for quite some time already.

"Khrab, ma," he turns his head to look at the woman. She is smiling at him, which is something rare. Win can't help but chuckle wholeheartedly at the sight. "So... what's for breakfast?" He blinks his eyes at his mother. She groans in return. It looks like she has to go for a battle in the kitchen today and cook for her son, who has just arrived from America.