Eyes on me

022

"We're here, Khun Porchay." Pete said as he held the door open for Porchay.

"The skies are beautiful." Porchay exclaimed, as he stared at the clear night sky in astonishment.

"Of course! I heard from Big that young master Kim was researching the best spots in Thailand to stargaze the whole of last night." Pete added, and Porchay couldn't help but blush at the mere idea of Kim putting in so much effort just because he said he'd missed stargazing.

"When is Khun Kim coming?" Porchay asked, as he helped Pete offload the stargazing equipment off the car.

"He should be on his way." Pete responded, "He is coming from a family banquet but he told Big explicitly that he will leave by 8pm."

"Ah..is it an important banquet?" Porchay asked worriedly. He felt bad that he was taking up Kim's time.

"Kinda. It's a major gathering that happens once a year, typically involving Thailand's most reputable families." Pete explained and it made Porchay realize once again just how powerful the Theerapanyakul family is to be invited to such grand events.

"But Khun Kim..he is allowed to leave earlier?"

Pete laughed. "There's nothing stopping young master Kim once he sets his mind onto something, and that includes you."

Porchay wore a shy smile as he busied himself setting up the stargazing equipment, hoping to deflect Pete's teasing. Yet, deep down, he couldn't deny the joy bubbling within him.

Perhaps...being with Kim wasn't wishful thinking after all because there was hope, even the slightest, that Kim liked him too.

—

"I know I'm the last person you'd want to see." Gameplay smiled bitterly, "And it was never my intention to find you again."

"I'm leaving." Kim dismissed him coldly even before Gameplay could finish his sentence, but he was halted in his tracks by the man's firm grip on his wrist.

"I owe you an explanation." Gameplay sighed, "and if you would allow me to-"

"I don't want to hear your excuses." Kim snapped, his eyes burning with disgust at the sheer audacity Gameplay had to even speak to him before shrinking away from the man's hold on his arm.

"I'm not trying to justify what I did. All I'm asking is for a chance to explain." Gameplay reasoned, like he was trying to hold everything together but it was evident that he was falling apart. "If you don't want me to be here, I'll leave."

Kim didn't know what to say. It was the first time that he ever felt so helpless in front of someone. A man he thought he'd never see again.

"I didn't leave you because I wanted to." Gameplay's voice croaked as he tried to explain, "I had to."

"If I hadn't. my father wouldn't have kept you alive."

"Excuses." Kim spat, "Your dad wouldn't have dared touch a single hair on me. You just couldn't accept me for who I was."

"You don't know him," Gameplay sighed. "He has more power than you think. It was only much later that I found out how deeply intertwined he is with your world. He has eyes and ears everywhere, even now as we speak."

"So why did you approach me?" Kim questioned, as he stared at him with wary eyes. He'd spare no one, not even Gameplay, if he tried to hurt him.

"Because-" Gameplay whispered,

"You're in danger."

—

It's been an hour since Porchay had been waiting for Kim. The latter said he'd be here by 9, but it was already 10 and he was nowhere to be found.

Pete had called Big, but even the bodyguard did not know where the young master went except that he got pulled away by Mr Korn and Big had never seen him since.

"Is everything okay?" Porchay asked worriedly when he saw the look on Pete's face as he got off the call with Big.

"No updates from Big either." Pete said, "But I doubt it's an emergency. Else, we'd definitely be notified."

Upon hearing Pete's reassurance, Porchay let out a sigh of relief, "That's good then."

"Do you want to wait inside the car? It's getting chilly." Pete suggested, seeing how the wind had picked up.

Porchay shook his head, determination gleaming in his eyes. 'I'll wait out here. Khun Kim should be arriving soon."

Pete was about to try and persuade the boy, but seeing how stubborn he was, he doubted the boy would have listened anyway. So, he accompanied Porchay as they waited for the young master, while the cold wind howled in the darkening sky.

—

"What danger?" Kim asked, his brows furrowed.

"My father is coming for your family." Gameplay said, "I heard him speaking to one of his supposed co-workers-"

"Jay." Kim breathed, as if a moment of realization had hit him.

"How did you know?" Gameplay asked, perplexed. His father was a careful man.

"We caught him." Kim replied, "He betrayed our family but we gave him an easy death."

"I don't think things are that simple," Gameplay responded, skeptical. "I know my father. If I only learned about his affairs with the underworld many years later, I'm pretty certain that he is a man with a lot of tricks up his sleeves that neither you nor I are aware of."

"What do you propose then?" Kim asked, "We cannot do anything until we have concrete evidence that he is after us."

"I can get it for you." Gameplay dropped his voice to a low whisper, "But I'll need your help."

Kim scoffed. "What can I possibly be of help with?"

"I need you to pretend that we're still together."

Kim stiffened.

Seeing that Kim did not reject the proposed idea upfront, Gameplay continued. "My father wouldn't have expected this to happen, and it's precisely because he didn't that it will derail him from his plans. This will give me enough time to collect the evidence you need while keeping you safe. He wouldn't do anything to you, not when I'm here."

"And why would you help us then?" Kim challenged. It was his own father that Gameplay was going against, and saving the Theerapanyakul family was of no benefit to him.

"Part guilt," Gameplay answered with remorse, "and part—"

"Feelings."