Autumn is a second spring

65. Mediate 2

Ohm looked at the two people in front of him. "You both are individuals who have your own identities, your own jobs, your own achievements, and your own responsibilities. Neither of you is dependent on the other. What makes you feel less than each other? Please tell me. I really want to know."

He waited for a few minutes for an answer but got none.

"Look guys, when you are in a relationship, all these things like financial status, social status, family background, etc. are just external factors. Those are not the baggage that needs to be taken into consideration after you have started a relationship."

Both Boun and Prem were much calmer as they listened to Ohm speak.

"A relationship is a place where both the parties involved have an equal standing. It's a space where you can be yourself without considering what the other party will think of you. A space where you can feel at home, a space where you can call your safe zone. Relationships are not supposed to be like yours.

You guys don't even speak what is going on inside your head to each other! How on earth are you going to let the other person know things if you don't communicate properly?"

"I do try to communicate, phi," Prem mumbled.

"Well, your way of communication is wrong then. Because your intent is never conveyed in your way of communication." Ohm retorted. "Let's just take the recent incident. When Boun told you about going to Paris, you guys got into an argument and what was the next thing you did? Walk away? Is this the effective way of communication according to you, Prem? And you didn't even talk to him for days now. How are going to solve the issue if you don't talk at all?"

"P' Ohm, are you saying that it is my fault?" Prem asked.

"No. I am not saying that it is your fault for getting mad, but it is indeed your fault for not making this idiot understand why you are mad."

"He had already made up his mind, phi. He~"

"He had not, Prem. He had not. Look, I am not taking his side because I am his cousin, alright? He was asking for your opinion and suggestion on the matter because he knows that you love Bew as much as he does. He wanted you to help him decide on this."

"Phi, Hia thinks that there is nothing wrong with taking Bew to P' Merlin."

"Why? Are you worried that she wouldn't want to see Bew?"

"Not just that, phi. I am also worried that P' Merlin would want to keep her son with her or maybe Bew would want to be with his mom. If that happens, what are we going to do, phi?"

"Did he tell you this?" Ohm asked Boun.

Boun shook his head in denial. "He just got mad when I just mentioned P' Merlin."

"We have had this discussion over a hundred times before, Hia. I already told you that I don't want Bew to be involved with her after she abandoned him!" Prem argued.

"She didn't abandon him, Pao."

"She did!"

"Alright, alright! Stop! Don't start fighting here." Ohm interrupted. "Sit back down, both of you. Now!" He commanded. "I called you here to talk things out not to start another argument!"

He looked at the couple who were back in their seats and sighed. "First of all, Boun, Prem is right."

"But, Ohm, she is his mom na. How can we not let him meet her?" Boun grumbled.

"It doesn't matter that she is his mom. He doesn't even have a memory of her, Boun. All these years, she had not been in his life. If you are planning to bring Bew to her, have you ever thought that she might refuse to see him?" Ohm questioned.

"Of course, I have. I know that Bew would be disappointed if that happened. That's why I collected her contact info to call her and ask if she is willing to meet up." Boun replied.

"Did you call her?"

"Of course not! How am I supposed to call her when Prem is against the idea?" Boun huffed.

Prem suppressed the smile that was threatening to show on his lips. Internally he was really happy that Boun was thoughtful of him.

Ohm looked at the ceiling, wanting to curse out loud. He had always known that these two were considerate of each other but didn't know why the other party never saw these considerations.

"Prem, now that everything else is clear, let's address your worries," He turned to Prem. "You are worried that Bew will be taken away from you, right?"

"Khrab, phi." Prem nodded.

"If you are worried that Merlin would insist that she wants Bew back, I can ensure that it wouldn't happen," Ohm assured.

"What do you mean, phi?" Prem could sense that Ohm had a deeper meaning to his words.

"Ohm, we can't prevent P' Merlin from claiming Bew na," Boun, knowing his cousin's nature, spoke up.

"Boun, in less than a year's time, you are going to be crowned as the head of the Guntachai family na. Please start acting accordingly." Ohm scolded his cousin. "Do you think that managing the company and making decisions for the family are the only responsibilities of the head of the family?"

Boun hung his head low, not answering Ohm's questions.

"Don't you know that the Family head must raise the next heir for the family? Wasn't that why you gave Bew your surname while adopting him since you and Prem can't have kids on your own?" Ohm asked further.

"Yes, but~"

"What but, Boun? Don't you know all the family politics involved in this matter? Why are you letting your emotions cloud your judgment?"

"My emotions are not clouding my judgment, Ohm. I am just thinking logically. P' Merlin is Bew's biological parent. She will always have more rights on Bew than us. If she moves legally, we will surely lose Bew to her."

"You won't. The right you say she has, she had officially signed legal documents before she left to give up those rights. As for the part of being the biological parent, we have evidence to prove that she had not only disowned her son who was merely a baby but also her twin daughters who were toddlers. It wouldn't be difficult to prove to the court that both of you would be a better parent to Bew than she could ever be."

Boun fell silent, contemplating everything.

"Even if we can't convince the court, we can have her back out from the case. We just have to give her some compensation or something. If she doesn't give in while using the soft way, we could choose the hard way. Either way, Bew will be raised by you two and not her." 

Prem subconsciously gulped in fear. The Ohm in front of him was really scary.

He always used to think that Ohm was too nice of a guy to be dating someone like Fluke. But today, he got to see that Ohm was the same kind as Fluke. The kind that went 'my way or the highway'. The kind that who would do anything to make things done the way they want.