Eyes on me

025

When Porchay fought to open his eyes, he felt a pair of tight ropes wrapped around him, strapping him to a metal chair. His legs and hands were bound by duct tape.

All Porchay remembered before he was knocked unconscious was being forcefully dragged into a vehicle by people he didn't recognise. He was with..Macau!

Porchay looked around, panicked. He hoped Macau had managed to get away, so seeing no traces of him in this barren warehouse was definitely a good sign.

"You're awake?"

Porchay turned his attention to the man who was speaking to him. He was dressed in an expensive suit, cladded in gold rings and a chain. Everything about him screamed sinister.

"Who are you?" Porchay instinctively asked as he tried to keep his composure.

"Ah, I'm a dear friend of the Theerapanyakul family." The man replied, "You can call me Thanarak."

If this person has ties with the Theerapanyakul family, then he must be one of the mafia heads, and a very prominent one at that. This means he is fully aware of who Porchay is and his relations with the Theerapanyakul family.

"I see you are very close with...Kim." Thanarak commented, "Friends...or more?"

"None of the above," Porchay uttered, although it was obvious he was lying as his eyes shifted nervously.

"Really?" Thanarak questioned as he took his seat in front of Porchay. "I do have some pictures of you and Kim and you certainly look like you knew him."

"I don't know what you want," Porchay spat, defiance laced in his tone. "But if you are trying to go against the Theerapanyakul family, I think you're wiser than that."

"Oh, I am planning something against them," Thanarak admitted blatantly, as if he had no shame. "But the interesting thing is, they don't even know who they are up against." The revelation hung in the air, creating an ominous silence in the warehouse.

"You've met my son, I suppose." Thanarak continued, as if his confession wasn't shocking enough.

Porchay looked at him, evidently confused. His puzzled look only made Thanarak even smugger than he was before.

"Gameplay? Ring a bell?"

Realization dawned on Porchay the moment the name escaped the man's lips. If anything, he would be the last person Porchay would've suspected.

"He's been obsessed over Kim. It's getting annoying." Thanarak lamented, visibly frustrated. "He calls it love but I think it's just..infatuation."

Thanarak then got up from his seat and paced leisurely around the warehouse. "But my son is incredibly stubborn. Since I cannot stop him, I'll just have to eliminate the distraction."

Porchay's eyes widened in horror. Thanarak was planning to kill Kim. By eliminating someone close to the Theerapanyakul family, Thanarak aimed to weaken their power, making it easier for him to bring them down and take their wealth for his own.

"You would never!" Porchay screamed, finding a sudden surge of courage within himself as the chair rattled violently against his attempts to break free. He didn't know where he got that bout of bravery, but the thought of Kim dying was much more frightening than if Porchay were to be shot dead.

Thanarak, seemingly unmoved, looked down at Porchay with a sly grin.

"He is much stronger than you think." Porchay argued. "And your son will make sure you won't even get close to him."

"Exactly. My son would most certainly not agree to my plan, and yes, I must admit Kim is... difficult to deal with," Thanarak smiled, a sinister glint in his eyes. "That is why I have you here, my dear boy-