Autumn is a second spring

105. Plan

Fluke cleaned Ohm's wound with steady hands, dabbing the cotton ball against the split on Ohm's lower lip with precision and care. He had known Ohm long enough to understand that he wouldn't want anyone else treating him right now. 

The moment was heavy with unspoken emotions, the air in the hospital room thick with tension left behind after the fight with Boun. 

Ohm sat still, his face unreadable, but Fluke could sense the turmoil boiling beneath his silence. He knew better than to push him for words, so he worked in silence, the only sound in the room being the occasional rustle of medical supplies.

Once he finished applying the ointment, Fluke set the medicine down and turned to leave. But before he could take a step, he felt a sudden tug at his waist. Ohm's fingers curled into the fabric of his coat, his grip firm yet desperate. 

Fluke looked down, finding Ohm resting his forehead against his torso, his body trembling slightly. His first instinct was to pull away, but something stopped him—Ohm's vulnerability. 

This wasn't just about the fight. Something inside him had shattered, and Fluke could feel it in the way Ohm clung to him, as though anchoring himself from drowning.

Fluke let out a soft sigh and hesitantly placed his hand on Ohm's head, running his fingers through the short strands of his hair. "P' Boun will understand you one day na," he murmured. "He just needs time."

Ohm let out a bitter chuckle, his voice muffled against Fluke's stomach. "I don't think he ever will," he said, his tone void of hope. "Nor will P' Kao."

Fluke remained silent, waiting for Ohm to continue.

"In their eyes, my Mom and Dad have always been good parents. They never restricted me like Boun's or P' Kao's parents did. I had all the freedom in the world." He paused before letting out another humorless chuckle. "And you know why? Because they didn't care."

Fluke frowned, his fingers stilling against Ohm's hair. He could hear the weight in Ohm's words, the years of pain compressed into that single sentence.

"They didn't care about what I did, how I was, what I wanted." Ohm's voice was quiet, but the anger and hurt simmered beneath the surface. "They weren't bothered at all. They just felt that paying attention to whatever was happening in my life was a waste of their time."

Fluke exhaled through his nose. He didn't know what to say. Any words of comfort would sound hollow, and he didn't want to push Ohm further into his own grief. So, he simply stayed still, letting Ohm speak at his own pace.

"You know, I won my first award in kindergarten," Ohm whispered after a long pause. "The Best All-Rounder Student award."

Fluke blinked, startled by the sudden shift in topic.

"That day, when I went up on stage to receive the award, I looked out into the crowd, hoping my parents were there." A wistful smile curled at Ohm's lips, one filled with sadness rather than joy. "But they weren't. It was my nanny standing there, clapping for me. And I told myself it was okay. My dad was busy with work. My mom had to take care of Dream, who was still a baby back then. I understood."

Fluke's grip on Ohm's head tightened slightly, his own heart aching at the thought of a five-year-old Ohm standing on a stage, searching for his parents in the crowd, only to find them missing.

"When I got home, I was so excited," Ohm continued, his voice distant, lost in his memories. "My parents had just returned from a business trip. I ran straight to their room, eager to show them my award." He let out a shuddering breath. "But then I heard my mom's voice through the crack of the door."

Fluke felt his stomach drop.

"She was talking to Pa Jane, telling her that she hated me. That she wished I had never been born." Ohm's voice trembled, but he pressed on. "She admitted that she often had the urge to strangle me to death when I was a baby."

Fluke inhaled sharply. He felt his body tense, his jaw clenching at the sheer cruelty of those words. His free hand curled into a fist at his side.

"I was an accident," Ohm said, his eyes staring blankly at the floor. "An unplanned child who ruined my mom's life. That is what she believed." He laughed, but it was hollow, empty. "And you know the worst part?"

Fluke swallowed hard, bracing himself.

"My Dad didn't argue. He was sitting right next to her. He didn't scold her for saying such things. He didn't defend me." Ohm's fingers dug into Fluke's coat. "All he said was, 'As long as he doesn't cause trouble, just let him be.'"

Fluke clenched his eyes shut for a brief moment, fighting back the burning sensation in them. The image of a five-year-old Ohm, clutching his award in excitement, only to hear those devastating words—it was too much.

"I ran back to my room," Ohm whispered. "I didn't even show them the award. I couldn't bring myself to face them after hearing all this. That day, I decided I was going to be the best son they could ever want. I was going to make my mom's dream come true, even if she didn't love me."

Ohm pulled away slightly and looked up at Fluke, his eyes red-rimmed but still filled with the same defiance he had always carried. "So I entered the entertainment industry. Became a child actor. Did modeling gigs. I hoped that if I became famous enough, my mom would finally acknowledge me. If I became successful enough, my dad would be proud of me."

Fluke's throat was tight, his breath shaky.

"I trained to become the best Ritprasert heir. Balanced school, work, and endless training. And for what?" Ohm let out a broken laugh. "Everyone says I am a global star now. A successful entrepreneur. An excellent heir." His voice dropped. "But my parents still don't care."

He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling harshly. "I just survived death, Fluke. I was at death's door." His voice cracked slightly. "And yet, they barely visited me. When they did, it was when Boun was there. They would chat with him, then leave. They didn't even ask me how I was."

Fluke swallowed hard, the ache in his chest deepening. He knew it. He knew it all. He had paid attention to the people who had visited Ohm, though he had distanced himself from Ohm.

He had noticed that in a span of nearly three months that Ohm stayed in the hospital, Ann and Seth had only visited him six times, each visit lasting less than an hour.

Listening to Ohm retelling him the all too familiar story, Fluke could feel Ohm's determination to go through the plan.