Every Breath You Take

Reclaiming What's Mine (Kongpob)

I spent all morning in court. This is where I excel, the courtroom. It's probably the main reason I love being a lawyer. It's a complete change from being an engineer, not that I ever became one. That ended once P'Arthit left my life. It's not like I wanted to go into that field in the first place but I did it for my father. I gave up economics to go into engineering because he asked me to. Then what did he do? He made my Pii leave me. He and my mother like to pretend that it wasn't their doing but I know. I know that they couldn't bear the thought of their son with another man so they removed that man.

I don't know how. I know he never would have left for money so there had to be a threat there. Something he couldn't go against, that would be his only reason to give up without a fight. As soon as he graduated he ended things and I dropped out of the engineering program. My father was livid but I didn't care, take away my happiness I take away yours. I went into law. They refused to pay. They said that if I was going to go down this path then I would have to do it alone, so I did.

I was able to get student loans but I still struggled. That's when I met Anuman Baramee. He's the head of one of the scariest mafia groups here in Thailand but to me he was the grandfather that likes to play chess with me. He must have really liked me, or really hated my parents, because he decided to help me. He covered all of my student debt and in turn I went to work for his family as their lawyer.

It took three years to get the degree so was I only a year behind the rest of my friends. Amazingly enough, they stuck by me.  I wasn't at all quiet about what my parents had done and why I was choosing a new path.  They all supported me and I couldn't be more grateful.   As far as my job goes, I'm pretty happy. I work strictly for Mr. Baramee. It only occasionally requires me to defend one of his underlings but mostly I deal with contracts and business law.

I'm at the club that I own talking to the staff. Mr. Baramee gifted it to me. He said if I could turn it around I could have it and I did. Sure from the outside it looks like a host club but that's not what it is. Our girls are strictly hands off. I don't run a prostitution ring here. At any rate, my club is pretty popular because it offers a little of everything. The basement has the dance floor with one of the best DJs around, the middle floor is where the karaoke is, and the top floor is the bar.

A few days ago one of our people was murdered and that doesn't sit well with me. In a fair fight I can understand that this could possibly be the outcome, but that's not what happened here. This was a young girl brutally murdered and it ticks me off. So much so that I'm thinking of asking Mr. Baramee for help to deal with it.

The door chimes as two men walk in. The manager immediately goes over to them to make them leave. That's when I notice that one of those men is my Pii. I walk over to them to see why they've come.

"What do you guys want now? I'm trying to run a business." My manager complains.

"And we're trying to solve the murder of one of your staff." The man with my Pii shouts.

"Gentlemen, I'm sure this can be handled in a more private area." I say calmly.

His head slowly lifts until his eyes meet mine. Surprise. That's what's written in them. I have to admit I'm a bit surprised to see him here too.

"P'Arthit. What are you doing here?" I ask.

"Investigating a murder." He says easily.

"I – I didn't realize that you became a police officer." I say feebly.

"It happened after Toota's murder. I couldn't think of anything else so I switched career fields and became a homicide detective." He says with a shrug.