Roommates - Not in Bangkok anymore [completed]

Chapter 45

A/N: In case you are reading in real time: I have posted double chapters again, to have the family chapters in one go. If you haven't read chapter 44, go read it first!
After this, there are only one or maybe two chapters left until the end of the story. (Plus the special chapters I might add later.)

Can's POV

At first, Can found it interesting to watch how the Medthanans' mask-like faces subtly changed as Tin talked to them.

Tin had told them how he had been tricked into attending an illegal party at a nightclub last summer, how he had been framed as a drug user without doing anything wrong.

And then how someone had taken the fact that he was now openly dating a boy as a base to malign both of them in the eye of the public, nearly destroying Can's career in the process and irredeemably damaging Tin's reputation.

He had avoided saying his brother's name, and Can hated how Tin's parents' faces still looked slightly sceptical, even after having heard from both Coach Lavinia and Mr. Yaxley that the school knew Tin was innocent.

Can's eyes then remained on Tul, who seemed relaxed and now even showed a tiny sign of gloating.

Can distinctly remembered that the Medthanans had believed that Tin had been framed when the school administrator had first contacted them almost a week ago.

What lies had Tul whispered to them in the meantime for them to have changed their minds?

Oh, how he hoped that this fork-tongued douchebag would get what he had coming for him.

"... and I believe the someone behind these attacks is my brother, Tul," Tin finally said.

"How dare you accuse your brother of something like this!" Mr. Medthanan exclaimed in a sudden burst of anger.

"I'm disappointed, Tin. I really thought you had matured when I came here. You look so confident all of a sudden, I was even prepared to give you more control over your shares in the company once you return to Thailand. But you clearly are too young still. Or on what grounds would you make such a serious accusation?"

Can instinctively jumped up and was already about to scream all kinds of abuse at Tin's father, but he was pulled down by both Tin and Coach Lavinia who sat on either side of him, and all he could do was seething and glaring at Tul.

The bastard was now openly gloating.

"Please excuse my brother and his delusions, father," Tul said, in a sickeningly sweet, poisonous voice, "my brother no doubt took some nonsense I babbled last summer too seriously when I was drunk. I apologise that I fooled you there, Tin, I shouldn't have drunk so much, you know you'll always stay my most beloved, dearest brother to me."

"Liar," Can muttered under his breath, barely audibly.

When he looked sideways at Tin, Can noticed with surprise that Tin was still absolutely calm and composed.

"Brother dearest," Tin said, in an equally sweet voice, "is this really the story you want to stick with?"

A condescending smile grazed Tul's lips, before he nodded.

Enjoy your victory, dumbass, Can thought, knowing what Tin had in store for him.

"Last chance," Tin insisted, "is this really the story you want to stick with? Don't say I didn't warn you."

A first flicker of doubt appeared in Tul's eyes. But in his arrogance, he believed himself to be safe.

"Alright then," Tin smirked, "father, if you allow me – let me give you a bit more context. You know, so you have a chance to decide for yourself which one of your sons is more trustworthy after all."