"KIM"

Chapter 19

A Name from the Past

Days turned into weeks, and Kornwit couldn't escape thoughts of Jeff. Their brief, wordless encounter had left a mark on him, stirring emotions he thought he had buried long ago. He found himself driving past Jeff's house more frequently, wondering if he could ever find the courage to approach him.

One sunny afternoon, Kornwit was at a local café, deep in thought, when he heard a familiar voice. "Mr. Kornwit?"

He looked up to see Nat standing there, beaming at him. "Nat! What a surprise," Kornwit said, his heart lifting at the sight of the boy.

Nat's enthusiasm was contagious. "Papa and I are here to buy some groceries. Do you want to come with us?"

Before Kornwit could respond, he saw Jeff approaching, carrying a basket. Their eyes met, and for a moment, the world seemed to stand still. Jeff's expression shifted from surprise to a look of deep hurt, as if old wounds had been reopened. "Kornwit?" he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "Did you change your name?"

Kornwit's heart pounded in his chest. "Jeff... I can explain."

Jeff's face tightened, a mix of shock and pain clouding his features. "I thought your name was Vegas. Why the change?"

Nat, sensing the tension but not understanding its source, tugged at Jeff's sleeve. "Papa, can Mr. Kornwit come with us to the market?"

Jeff hesitated, his eyes locked on Kornwit's. Finally, he nodded, though his voice was strained. "Sure, if he wants to."

Kornwit felt a surge of gratitude mixed with anxiety. "I'd like that."

As they walked through the bustling market, the three of them fell into an uneasy rhythm. Nat chatted excitedly about his school how he miss his friends and his teacher and he is happy that he found new friends here while Jeff and Kornwit exchanged glances, their unspoken words heavy between them.

At a fruit stall, Jeff turned to Kornwit, his expression guarded. "So, Kornwit or Vegas... why the name change?"

Kornwit took a deep breath, sensing the opening to share his feelings. " kornwit is my real name, Vegas is my nick name"

Jeff nodded, though his eyes still held a glint of hurt. "It's been a lot to process for me too. When you betrayed me ,it hurt. A lot. I had to find a way to move on, for Nat's sake."

then he chuckled, though it was tinged with bitterness. "I never knew my ex's real name. It's a shame I didn't know my ex's full name."

"Jeff, please," Vegas-Kornwit-said, his voice filled with regret.Jeff's face hardened. "

."A question had been nagging at Kornwit since he first saw Nat. He decided to voice it. "Is Nat your son?"Jeff looked at Kornwit, his expression unreadable at first, then softening into something more vulnerable. "Yes, I adopted him. He's not just my son; he's my world. He's the one I have."

Kornwit looked at Nat, who was examining apples with intense concentration. "You've done an amazing job with him. He's a great kid."

Jeff's expression softened slightly, pride mingling with the lingering pain. "Thank you. He's my world now."

They continued shopping, the initial awkwardness slowly giving way to a tentative truce. By the time they finished, the sun was beginning to set, casting a warm glow over the village.

As they walked back to Jeff's house, Kornwit felt a mix of hope and dread. When they arrived, Nat turned to him with hopeful eyes. "Mr. Kornwit, will you stay for dinner?"

Jeff looked at Kornwit, his expression conflicted. "You're welcome to join us," he said, though his voice lacked conviction.

Kornwit hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I'd love to."

Dinner was a simple affair, but the atmosphere was thick with unspoken words. They talked about their lives, shared stories, and laughed at Nat's antics, but an undercurrent of tension remained. After dinner, as Nat was getting ready for bed, Jeff and Kornwit found themselves alone in the living room.

Jeff broke the silence, his voice trembling slightly. "Why did you come back? After all this time, after everything that happened, why now?"

Kornwit looked into Jeff's eyes, seeing the pain and the hope mixed within them. "I never stopped thinking about you, Jeff. I know I hurt you, and I'm sorry. I needed to see you, to tell you how much I regret leaving."

"You have no idea how much you've hurt me," Jeff confessed, his words choked with anguish. "I loved you as Jeff, but you never loved me back. You loved the idea of me,the memory of your ex . It's not the same."

Kornwit felt a sharp pang of regret pierce his heart. He hadn't realized the depth of Jeff's pain, the extent to which his actions had wounded him.

"I'm sorry," Kornwit whispered, his voice heavy with remorse. "I never meant to cause you so much pain. I was lost in my own grief, unable to see beyond my past."

Jeff wiped away his tears, his expression a mixture of sadness and conflict. "I don't know if I can ever fully forgive you," he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I still love you and I'm afraid that if I let you back in, I'll only hurt again."

Vegas felt an overwhelming wave of remorse wash over him. Unable to bear seeing Jeff in pain, he reached out and gently cupped his face in his hands. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice trembling with emotion. "I'm sorry for everything, for causing you pain, for not being the person you needed me to be."

Jeff looked up, his eyes meeting Vegas's gaze, and for a moment, they were lost in each other's sorrow. The weight of their shared history hung heavy between them, a silent plea for understanding and forgiveness.

"I want to believe you," Jeff admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "But it's going to take time. Time to heal, time to trust again."

Vegas nodded, his own eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I understand. And I'll do whatever it takes to earn back your trust, to make things right."

Unable to contain his emotions any longer, Vegas pulled Jeff into a hug, wrapping his arms around him in a gesture of apology and support. Jeff hesitated for a moment, then slowly returned the embrace, allowing himself to be enveloped in Vegas's arms. He could feel the sincerity in Vegas's words, the genuine remorse radiating from him.

As they stood there, wrapped in each other's embrace, a sense of tentative peace settled over them. They knew that rebuilding what they had lost wouldn't be easy, that the road ahead would be filled with challenges and uncertainties. But for the first time in a long while, they both dared to believe that maybe, just maybe, they could find their way back to each other.

"I need time," Jeff whispered into Vegas's shoulder, his voice steadying with resolve. "I still love you, but I'm scared of getting hurt again."

Vegas tightened his embrace slightly, pressing his cheek against Jeff's hair. "I'll give you all the time you need," he murmured. "I'll be here, whenever you're ready."

And as the night stretched on, they held onto each other, both knowing that healing would take time and forgiveness would be a journey. But perhaps, in the end, there was still a glimmer of hope for their fractured hearts.