MIDNIGHT DAYDREAM

Chapter 26

Chay feels the ground swallows him whole as he flips the kaleidoscope of photos. The clothes and poses are varied. So they were not taken on the same day.

The last photo is Kim being pushed by the woman against the wall, lips attached to each other. Chay stares at it. He can hear the sound of his own heart cracking. He harshly shuts and launches his laptop to the wall, can't stand to look at it anymore.

It hurts.

It hurts so bad like nothing he ever experienced before.

His mind goes into frenzy mode.

Can't breathe.

Don't want to open his eyes.

His rational part of mind tries to create loopholes for Kim.

This is fake.

Propaganda or some sort.

Someone must've created them with Photoshop.

They want to get Kim from his part of the angle.

There's got to be a reason for this.

The irrational part... It just stands still and watches as Chay's world burns.

'Should he call Hia?'

Chay picks up his phone and dials. The sound of dull tuts was heard again and again. No one picks up. He tries again with the same result then gives up.

His hia doesn't care about him anymore.

Chay flops down to the cold tile. He can't even stop as streams of tears run down his cheeks as he curls himself on that very floor.

He doesn't know how many times has passed but he doesn't want to get up.

Please, God. If this is true, don't allow him to get up again.
***

Kim is restless.

Chay can't be reached, but the people inside the Theerapanyakul's mansion said there is no movement of Chay. He is still inside his bedroom just as Kim left him this morning.

Is he asleep?

But this is already almost nighttime. It is a bit unusual for Chay.

Kim wants to give password codes to Big and order him to set foot inside Chay's room to check. But then, that's a heavy invasion of privacy that he isn't comfortable with.

He checks his watch again for the hundreds of times. When is this stupid meeting over? He looks at Kinn impatiently as one of the members of the board of directors for the hotel chain goes on and on about something he doesn't care about.

He reaches for his phone and texts. 'Do you want to shut him up or do I have to shoot him myself?'

Kinn hikes his brow when he reads. 'Be patient, asshole', he replies.

Time goes again in agony for five minutes before Kim realizes doesn't want to be patient. So, he raises his hand and says nonchalantly, "Something come up, gotta go."

Kinn is not amused, but he doesn't care. His eyes find Vegas's. He doesn't like the look on his cousin's face but he doesn't have time for any more bullshit.

The road to the house is crowded. At this kind of time, Kim regrets not using the helicopter. He gets there just in time for dinner for the employees so the house itself is quiet.

Big approaches as he enters the door. "Still no movement," he says.

Kim frowns. "Did he have his lunch?"