COLD RAIN

CHAPTER 9

On the second day after the competition, the three family members did not stay in the capital and bought the tickets to return immediately.

Before leaving, they took the time to visit a few relatives and friends.

Except for Pon's teacher, all of them were friends of Father Mew during his lifetime.

Talking about the past, Sammy, as cheerful as she was, couldn't help but shed tears.

Pon listened in silence, gaining an intuitive understanding of the family and a deeper sense of the great selflessness of a mother's love.

On the way to the railway station, they passed a park famous for its lakes and hills.

Sammy pointed to the sparkling lake and said to Pon, "It was here that your dad and I had our first date back then. He quit his well-paid job for me and came to the capital to start from scratch. At that time, I thought, if I have a child in the future, I will name him or her ''blessing."

(I looked up on google that Thanapon could mean blessing or wealth depending on the spelling.)

Before Pon could react, Sammy was displeased, puffed out her cheeks and complained that her parents were biased and gave the name to the boy first.

While Sammy was coaxing her youngest son, Pon put his head against the window and recalled the past things about his family, especially his mother.

Perhaps it was another coincidence. His mother had also told him that his "Thanapon" was taken from "All things that are blessed and full of wealth" in hope that he would always be bathed in blessing and wealth.

But he let her down.

He pinned all his hopes on one man, walking on thin ice all day long, worrying about personal gains and losses, using great wisdom to cover up self-deception, and finally ended up with such a bleak end.

There was no one to blame but himself.

Back in the small town, Pon first went to his appointment with Dr. Kenta.

Before going to the capital, Pon had met him with his hair cut short and at his guidance dropped some of his guard, half-heartedly confessing some confusion.

After a simple greeting, Dr. Kenta cut directly to the point, "Do you still have nightmares these days?"

Pon was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Not much anymore."

Dr. Kenta leaned forward and showed that he was listening, "Looking at your expression, it seems that you have a new problem?"

Pon lowered his head, his gaze fell on his clasped hands, his thumb rubbing the back of his hand unconsciously, and said slowly, "I... I can't draw people anymore."

"People? Are you referring to everyone in the world, or a specific person?"

Pon took a gulp of air and said, "A specific... one person."

Dr. Kenta observed his state, and after a while, he asked again, "Do you want to avoid him or forget him?"

After the shock of being seen through so thoroughly, Pon was silent for a long time.

He seemed calm, but his lowered eyelashes were trembling, revealing his inner tension and struggle.

Maybe there was still a bit of panic, the panic of never going back and never seeing that man again.

Seeing that he didn't answer, Dr. Kenta put it another way, "Do you want to abandon the past completely, or do you want to cover your ears while stealing a bell and watch him from a distance, secretly, where no one else can see?"