KIMCHAY TALES: BITTERSWEET EXCHANGE

CHAPTER 39

"He's no monster, you are!"

—

Kim felt paused in time. His blood ran cold. He was still for a while after the phone call, the phone gripped tightly in his hand. A shocked and horrified expression etched on his face, his core shaking. The brief relief he felt earlier after seeing Porchay's caller ID on his phone instantly vanished when he heard a different person on the other line. It wasn't Porchay. The caller claimed Kim knew him and he knows where they are. Kim feels like he does know this person, but who? He couldn't pinpoint who it was, but the voice was familiar to him. He even called him a son. No one calls him that other th–

"Kim!" Tankhun's voice called to him so loudly that it cut through his internal trance. Tankhun also has his phone clutched in his hand, fear evident on his face. "It's Dad–"

"I don't care about him now. It's Porchay, someone got him. I need to go and save him." Kim answered, staring blankly at Tankhun. It felt like his mind just shut down on him. The moment he heard the man's voice and Porchay's screams on the other line, nothing was going on in Kim's mind but to save Porchay and kill the man. His whole system is itching to kill that man. He ever lays a hand on his precious Porchay, all hell will break loose.

Porchay's last words to him kept playing in his mind repeatedly, "Kim, I love you..." Those words still linger in him. Porchay still loves him. Kim is thrilled since after all this time being away from each other, Porchay still loves him. However, happiness doesn't last long. The words after those hunt him this very minute, "Please, don't come! Don't save me, Kim! It's a trap!" Someone got Porchay. He's in danger. The thought put Kim over the edge.

Kim was about to walk past Tankhun when his brother stopped him, "Wait! Porchay too?" he asked. Kim gave him a mixture of a confused and scowl look. Tankhun clucked his lips, "Dad got abducted on his way to a meeting. The guards don't know how, but they got to him." he said, uneasiness evident on his face. "Kim, they said that the abductors' were former bodyguards," he added.

It clicked to Kim, and the realization hit him hard. "The voice, I know who it was," he muttered under his breath. Kim thought it was all in the past, and he thought it wouldn't haunt him anymore. A single phone call made him remember the memories he chose to bury behind him. "It's Boswell," he added and ran a hand through his messy hair.

Tankhun furrowed his eyebrows, "The former head bodyguard?" he asked. Kim nodded repeatedly, head throbbing with stress. "That's Br–"

"Yes. Yes. Yes, Tankhun. Brent's father." he said. He went out of his room to think of a plan. The longer he stayed here doing nothing, the more danger Porchay was in. Who knows what's happening to him now? Kim wanted to burst. How did this happen? What does Boswell want with Porchay? They never met each other before.

"But Kim–" Tankhun started, following behind him. "After what happened Brent, he was just gone. Dad didn't even bother to find him. What I know is he was so mad at y–" he said.

"At me. I know, Tankhun. Thanks for reminding me." he said. He suddenly remembered the death threats he received months after Brent's death. Kim waited for those threats to happen, but it never did. Cowards, that's what Kim calls those people. They were just words, no action. If he is really mad at him, they should have done it. If Boswell is really mad at him, it must only be him. Why does he have to involve Porchay in this? Porchay has nothing to do with this. "Big!" he shouted.

"But why? After all these years, why now? How? I don't understand." Tankhun said. "Why did he kidnap Dad and Porchay?"

"He lost a son, Tankhun! And it is because of him! He is so cunning and manipulative. Boswell is a former head bodyguard, he knows things. Holes and flaws. " he muttered and he looked directly at Tankhun, "I don't know why he kidnapped Porchay too and I don't care. If he has beef with me, he has to deal with me." he said. He let out a shaky sigh, "I just want Porchay safe and sound, Phi." he said, voice quite quivering.