Everlasting (PONDPHUWIN)

Chapter 27: Facing Old Demons

Life in their new home had settled into a comfortable rhythm for Palm and Nueng, but as they prepared to embark on the next chapter of their lives, an unexpected figure from Nueng's past reappeared, bringing with him unresolved issues that threatened the peace they had worked so hard to build.

It started with a phone call. One evening, as Nueng and Palm were finishing dinner, Nueng's phone buzzed on the table. He glanced at the screen, and his expression immediately darkened when he saw the name that flashed across it: Krit.

Palm noticed the change in Nueng's demeanor and frowned. "Who is it?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Nueng hesitated, his hand hovering over the phone as if he wasn't sure whether to answer it. "It's... Krit," he said quietly, the name leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. "He's someone from my past."

Palm's frown deepened. He had never heard Nueng mention this person before, and the tension in Nueng's voice set off alarm bells in his mind. "What does he want?"

Nueng shook his head, looking conflicted. "I don't know. We haven't spoken in years. The last time we did... it didn't end well."

Before Palm could ask more questions, the phone buzzed again, and this time Nueng sighed and picked it up, his expression hardening as he answered. "Krit," he said, his voice cold.

Palm watched as Nueng listened to the voice on the other end of the line, his face unreadable. After a few moments, Nueng's eyes flickered with something—anger, pain, or maybe a mix of both—and he finally spoke.

"What do you want, Krit? Why are you calling me now?"

Palm couldn't hear the words on the other end, but whatever Krit was saying, it was clearly having an effect on Nueng. His knuckles whitened as he gripped the phone tighter, and he bit his lip as he listened, his jaw clenching.

Finally, Nueng cut him off. "Fine. We'll meet, but this better be important." He hung up the phone with a sharp click and set it down on the table, exhaling slowly as if trying to calm himself.

Palm reached out, taking Nueng's hand in his. "Nueng, who is this guy? What does he want?"

Nueng looked down at their joined hands, his eyes clouded with old memories. "Krit was... a friend of mine. We grew up together, actually. But things got complicated. He was—he still is—part of the same social circle my parents were in. Back then, I thought we were close, but when I started to figure out who I really was, Krit didn't take it well. He became... someone I didn't recognize. Our friendship ended badly."

Palm's heart ached for Nueng. He knew how hard it had been for Nueng to navigate his identity in a world that wasn't always accepting, and the idea that someone who had once been a friend had turned against him made Palm's blood boil.

"What does he want now?" Palm asked softly, his thumb brushing gently over Nueng's knuckles.

Nueng sighed, his shoulders slumping as he leaned back in his chair. "He didn't say much on the phone. Just that he needed to talk, that it was important. I don't know what he's up to, but I don't trust him, Palm. I don't trust him at all."

Palm's protective instincts flared, and he tightened his grip on Nueng's hand. "You don't have to see him if you don't want to. You don't owe him anything."

Nueng shook his head, his expression conflicted. "I know, but... I think I need to hear what he has to say. Maybe it's nothing, but if there's any chance of putting this behind me, I have to take it. I can't keep running from my past."

Palm nodded, though he didn't like the idea of Nueng facing this alone. "Then I'll come with you. I don't want you to go through this by yourself."

Nueng smiled, touched by Palm's unwavering support. "Thank you, Palm. I don't know what I'd do without you."