From Something To Everything (Bounprem)

162. Love

I was actually planning a mass update on 'Between us 1st anniversary' but got busy and couldn't find time to write. So I moved it to 'Until We Meet Again 4th anniversary'. Happy anniversary everyone.

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"Boun, I know that I am late, but son, I would still like to ask you to let me be a part of your life. " Ann cupped her nephew's face. " I want to know what you have been going through, dear. I want to be there for you. "

Boun reached out to Ann's hand on his cheek. As much as he wanted Ann to be involved in his life, he wasn't ready to tell her about his condition.

It wasn't easy with Prem either. But the younger gave him the courage to speak everything out.

But in the case of Ann, Boun knew he couldn't speak out like that.

"I understand if you need time, na Boun. I am willing to wait. I will wait till the day you feel at ease to open up to me."

Boun smiled in relief. He couldn't say no to her if she insisted otherwise.

Ann scoffed in self mockery " I know that it is funny that I am brazen coming here asking you forgiveness and to tell me everything when I never showed up when you needed me. " A tear drop escaped her eyes.

"Mae" Boun leaned in and hugged his aunt. "You might not have been there for me personally, but you did leave behind your most precious possession with me."

Ann looked at her nephew with question marks floating around her head.

"I am talking about Ohm, Mae. " Boun slid down to lay on her lap. " He was there for me in your place, Mae. And he has done more than anything I would have expected him to."

Boun smiled feeling Ann's fingers on his hair. " He had been the rock in my life, Mae. Even when I almost drifted away, he was there to anchor me down. "

Ann smiled fondly. " Does that mean that I have lost my position as your best friend to my own son? "

"I am afraid so, Khun Ann. " Boun smiled mischievously.

"Ohm, that child... I seriously don't get him."

"He is not that difficult to read, Mae." Boun looked at his aunt's forlorn expression.

"Maybe." Ann pressed her lips together. "Truth be told, other than giving birth to him, I haven't actually done anything for him as a Mae."

"But that idiot loves you so much na, Mae. "

"I know." Ann kissed Boun's forehead.

"Mae, I am suddenly craving the sweet and spicy noodles you used to make for me when we were young. " Boun whined.

Ann chuckled at Boun's antics. "Do you have the ingredients? "

Boun nodded vigorously.

"Then, please lead the way, host."

"Khrab." Boun jumped off Ann's lap and led Ann to the kitchen acting like a butler.

Ann entered the kitchen. Boun helped her put on the apron.

Ann looked at the sky-blue apron with a yellow chick embroidered in the middle of the chest portion and then at her nephew. "Is he good at cooking?" She asked with a teasing smile.

A small blush crept up Boun's cheeks. "He is still learning." He didn't actually mind that Ann figured out that the apron belonged to Prem.

Ann hummed in response, the smile on her lips growing wider. "I heard in a grapevine that he started learning how to cook so that he could surprise you."

"That little menace," Boun muttered under his breath. He was so sure that the grapevine his aunt was talking about was none other than Fluke. He knew that Fluke was like those parents who loved to boast about even the smallest achievement that their children made.

"So, how was it? Did you like it?" Ann asked.

Boun looked at his aunt with wide eyes. His ears were red in colour.

"I meant the food, Boun. The food he cooked for you. Was it good?" Ann knew from the look on her nephew's face that he was thinking something else.

"Khrab." Boun scratched the back of his neck. "It was delicious. He even baked me a birthday cake." He said proudly.

"Really? Tell me about it." Ann added the noodles to the boiling water and headed to the kitchen contour.

Boun followed her closely, taking a seat on the tall stool near the contour, watching his aunt chop the vegetables in a well-practised manner. He recounted bits of his life with Prem.

Ann's gaze softened watching the happiness in her nephew's face as he spoke. She could identify Boun's feelings from the way he looked. It was the same way Tessa used to look when she spoke of Saen before she found out about his affairs.

"You love him so much don't you?" Ann was glad that Boun finally found someone who would love him more than himself.

The smile on Boun's face dimmed a little which didn't go unnoticed by Ann. "Boun?" Ann put her knife away and sat next to Boun. "What happened, son?"

"Love... it just sounds like a huge word for me, Mae." Boun chewed on his inner lip.

Ann sighed. " Boun, you know, my husband and I had known each other since we were kids. We were family friends and P' Seth used to visit our place at least once a year along with his parents.

Truth be told, I really had no idea when I started falling for him. But once I realised my own feelings, I didn't hesitate even a bit. I went ahead and confessed my feelings for him, only to be rejected mercilessly."

Ann chuckled remembering how silly she was back in her teenage years. "Yet, I didn't give. I was persistent. For the sake of winning his heart, I did so many things. And that stubborn pursuit of love changed me from a spoiled brat to a desirable young lady.

I was almost a hundred per cent sure that P' Seth also had feelings for me the same way I did but he kept on denying it. Even though I told everyone around me that I was not taking that rejection to heart, there was still a part of me that constantly questioned me if I was not good enough."

Ann got up from the seat to turn off the flame, straining the partially cooked noodles out of the hot water. "That constant questioning was somehow affecting my level of confidence and I wouldn't want that to happen to anybody else, Boun.

It is clear as a day that you have totally fallen for that kid. The only thing that is left to do is for you to face your own feelings, son. It is something you will have to do it yourself. Being in denial or procrastinating your evaluation isn't going to change the fact."

Ann started preparing the sauce for the noodles. "Love isn't as scary as you think, Boun. Give it a chance and it will show you what a wonderful feeling it is. Trust me on this."

Boun looked at his aunt's smiling face with an unsure expression.