The Past begins in the Future (ohmnanon)

34. Old 'friends'

Tay stood frozen in front of the dilapidated cottage, feeling completely out of place. It wasn't just the peeling paint, the sagging roof, or the rickety wooden porch that made him feel disoriented—it was the fact that this rundown house was now New's home. 

He hadn't seen or spoken to New in years, not since New had left his side and disappeared from his world. But today, as he stood in Songkhla, he realized that the distance between them had been his own doing. 

After the tragic deaths of Chimon and Perth, Tay had been forced to confront his own mortality and the fragility of life. Time, he now understood, was not something to waste.

New had cut ties with Tay and settled down with his family far from the bustling chaos of Bangkok, choosing to leave the Kirdpans and the life they shared behind. 

Tay had never sought him out before. Maybe it was pride, or fear, or simply the belief that New was better off without him. But now, all that was irrelevant. He was here, finally, and yet, he didn't know how to proceed.

The sound of a door creaking open snapped Tay from his thoughts. A woman stepped out from the cottage, her eyes narrowing as she took in the sight of him. Tay recognized her instantly—Noi, one of New's siblings. 

He had seen Noi in the family photo of New.

She had been working at the resort where Perth and Chimon's ill-fated wedding had been planned. Tay hadn't noticed her at the time, but clearly, she had noticed him.

Noi's lips curled into a smile, but there was something calculating in her gaze. "You are one of the guests from the wedding, right?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity. "What are you doing here?"

Tay felt a wave of awkwardness wash over him. He wasn't used to explaining himself, especially not in situations like this. "Yes," he said softly, "I came to see New."

Noi raised an eyebrow, her smile widening. It wasn't every day that someone like Tay, with his expensive clothes and refined demeanor, showed up in their part of town. 

She wasn't blind to how good-looking and wealthy he appeared to be—Tay had an air of sophistication that immediately set him apart. Her mind whirred with possibilities. A rich man like him? Standing right in front of her house? This was an opportunity she couldn't pass up.

"I see," she replied slowly, glancing him up and down as though evaluating him. "Well, why don't you come inside?P' New isn't home yet, but you can wait here."

Tay hesitated. Something in her tone made him wary, but before he could refuse, Noi stepped aside, motioning for him to enter. 

Despite the growing unease, Tay felt obligated to follow. He had come all this way, and turning back now wasn't an option.

Inside, the house was even smaller than it looked from the outside. The furniture was old, worn, and mismatched, and the walls were stained with age. 

Tay could hear the faint murmur of a television in the next room, and soon enough, the rest of the family emerged, curious about their visitor.

"This is Khun Tay," Noi introduced him with a glint in her eyes. "He's from Bangkok. One of guests from the resort." She winked at her mother who immediately understands what her daughter left unsaid.

Immediately, Tay was surrounded by the Teechapaikuns, all eager to get a piece of the wealth they assumed he had. 

Poy, New's mother, greeted him with an exaggerated warmth that felt almost suffocating. She was a woman who clearly had ambition beyond the modest life she lived, and Tay could feel her eyes on him, evaluating him just as Noi had.

"You know New?" Poy asked, her voice laced with intrigue. "How wonderful! You must be good friends then?"

Tay opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat. Was he and New's relationship really something that could be summed up as "friends"? Before he could think of a response, Poy continued, her tone growing more enthusiastic. "Oh, it's so nice to see one of New's old friends. You should stay for dinner! You must have so many stories to share. New never tells us much about his time in Bangkok."

As Poy prattled on, Tay could see the calculation behind her words. She wasn't just happy to see someone from New's past; she saw an opportunity. Her eyes flicked toward her daughters, clearly imagining how wonderful it would be if one of them could catch Tay's attention. 

If they could marry into wealth, it would change their lives, and Poy was already thinking about how to make that happen.

"New never tells us anything about his fancy friends from the city," Poy mused. "It is a shame, really. It is good to have connections, don't you think? Maybe you could help our family... You seem so successful."

Tay felt the tension rise in his chest. He hadn't come here for this. The greed in their eyes, the way they fawned over him, it made his skin crawl. This wasn't what he wanted.

Just as he was about to excuse himself, the door opened, and New stepped inside.

New froze in the doorway, his eyes widening slightly at the sight of Tay standing in his family's living room. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the air between them thick with years of unresolved tension. 

Tay's heart pounded in his chest as he took in the sight of New after all this time. 

New looked different—his face more weathered, his posture more rigid—but it was unmistakably him, his Hin.

 Tay's throat tightened. He hadn't prepared for this moment, for the emotions that would flood back all at once.

New, on the other hand, didn't show any sign of emotion. His face was blank, his eyes unreadable. It was as though seeing Tay didn't affect him at all.

"Tay," New said flatly. "What are you doing here?"

Tay's mouth went dry. He had thought about this moment over and over again on the way here, imagining all the things he would say, but now that he was in front of New, he couldn't find the words. "I... I came to see you," he managed, his voice shaky.

Before New could respond, Poy jumped in, her voice sugary sweet. "Isn't it wonderful? Tay came all the way here to see you! It is so good to see old friends reunite, don't you think? You two must have been very close."

New's eyes flickered with irritation, and Tay saw the moment New understood what his mother was trying to do. With a sharp inhale, New stepped forward, grabbed Tay by the wrist, and dragged him out of the house without a word.

Tay stumbled after him, not resisting, letting himself be pulled along. New's grip was firm, and Tay could feel the tension in his hand, the frustration boiling just beneath the surface.

Once they were outside, away from prying eyes, New finally let go. He turned to face Tay, his expression dark and unreadable. "You shouldn't have come."

Tay swallowed hard, trying to steady his breathing. "I know. But I couldn't stay away."

New's eyes narrowed. "Why now? After all these years, why show up here?"

Tay took a deep breath, his heart pounding. "Because I realized I made a mistake, New. I should have never let you go. I came to bring you back to Bangkok with me."

New let out a bitter laugh. "Back to Bangkok? You think you can just waltz in here and expect me to drop everything? I have a life here, Tay. I'm not the same person you left behind."

Tay shook his head. "I don't care. I came for you. I'm not leaving without you."

For a moment, New stared at him, his face unreadable. Then, slowly, he shook his head. "It's too late, Tay. Go home."

But Tay, for the first time in his life, was unwilling to walk away.