A Vihokratana's tragedy

19. The healing hearts

Off didn't know where to begin. This was the least expected meeting with New he could have imagined. "It's been years, New. How have you been?"

After a silence of some good seconds New finally decided on speaking.

"Good. How about you and others?"

"I'm fine, the happiest I've ever been. I have a family now, New. A family that I love and that loves me back. I have a husband who always chooses me, and two precious gifts from God—my two boys. Can you believe it? I'm a father. Being a father—that's something I never thought I'd willingly become, but here I am. That guy sitting next to—I'm assuming your boyfriend or husband—he changed me, New. And I love him so much."

New didn't realize he had a small smile on his face as he listened to his friend. He hadn't even noticed when he began to relax around Off.

"That short, cute guy sitting next to your man is Gun. And it took me years of hard work to finally say, 'He's my husband.' As for the others, we're not in much contact these days."

New noticed the sadness in Off's eyes as he spoke about their other friends. Feeling the need to change the subject, he quickly redirected. "That's Tay." He finally looked up at Off, proudly introducing his husband. "My husband. He used to work for me at the Teechapaikhun's."

Off's eyes widened with realization. "Now I get it. So you just eloped with him, leaving the whole empire on your sister's shoulders. Quite vicious, New."

New chuckled for the first time since seeing Off, but quickly suppressed it, realizing the gravity of their conversation.

"I mean—look at him. Can't blame me." New turned back to glance at Tay's table. Tay seemed to be enjoying the company of someone else that night. A smile tugged at New's lips. Finally, he found the courage. He knew he couldn't keep running from Off any longer. He turned his face toward Off, inhaled deeply, and began.

"I'm sorry, Off. For everything I did in the past. To you, to Daisy, to your mom, to your company. I know I was wrong, and I don't know what got into me back then. My rebellious phase... I guess it never really passed. I was just a teenager going through some kind of phase, maybe because I got rejected. I just..." New sighed, feeling the weight of his words. He didn't have the strength to continue. His courage was away. Two tables away, to be more precise.

Off held New's trembling hands, his thumb gently rubbing soothing circles on the back of New's palm, as if trying to calm not just New, but also himself. His voice was low, yet heavy with unspoken emotions.

"New, I won't lie to you. I was so mad at you back then. So mad, I swear I wanted to knock some sense into you, you little shit," Off said with a bitter chuckle, his attempt at lightness barely masking the lingering hurt.

He took a deep breath before continuing, his gaze softening. "But then... our group fell apart. Everyone drifted away, and I lost the people who felt like my second family. And you, New—you disappeared just some years after. Left everything behind, your business, your life here. Just when I felt ready to fix things, to talk it out with you, you ran. And God, it hurt. It hurt so much."

Off's voice cracked slightly, his grip on New's hands tightening. "You were someone I cherished, New. Someone I thought I'd have in my life forever. But when you left, it felt like you erased yourself from my world, like you were never a part of it to begin with. And I hated that feeling. I hated avoiding you back then, and I've regretted it ever since. I kept thinking, 'If only I had said something sooner.'"

He paused, his eyes searching New's face for a reaction, for anything that could give him a sign of what New was feeling. "I don't want to lose you again. Not now. Not ever. Please, New, don't run away from me again. I forgive you-for everything. Just... stay. Stay here with me."