Chapter 1: Kittichai Shinawatra

148 8 0
                                        

Chapter 1: Kittichai Shinawatra

Name: Kittichai Shinawatra

Pronunciation: Kitty-Kai

Korean name is Park HoSung

Nationality: Korean-Thai (Mother is Thai, Father is Korean.)

___________

The dim sunlight crept through the cracked blinds, casting a jagged glow across the bedroom walls. The young man's eyes, bloodshot from lack of sleep, stared out the window at the bustling streets of Busan. The distant hum of traffic filtered through his closed balcony door, a constant reminder that life went on, even if his own felt like it had come to a grinding halt.

Looking up, Kittichai released a tired sigh, his gaze met a sky full of overcast clouds. The gray sky doing nothing to lighten his mood. His eyes, once bright with ambition, now held a dull sheen as they scanned the sky for answers that never seemed to come. The days seemed to blur together in an endless haze of restlessness. He turned from the window and found himself wandering aimlessly through his apartment, picking up objects only to set them down again, unable to focus on anything for more than a moment. There was an uneasy feeling that had been persistently gnawing at his gut for the last few weeks, and trying to figure out the reason was like trying to grasp a fistful of sand – the harder he tried to pin it down, the more it slipped through his fingers.

He rubbed the back of his neck absently as he returned his attention to back out the window, searching for more answers in the towering buildings and winding streets.

Releasing another sigh, Kittichai turned away from the window and began pacing across his living room once more. His feet made muffled thuds on the hardwood floor with every stride. He needed something – anything – to shake this feeling off of him before it consumed him completely.

A bit of time passed before his gaze shifted to the watch adorning his wrist. The rumbling of his stomach accompanied him as he registered the hour. It was approaching half past twelve; sleeping in had become a habit lately, at least when he managed to get a little shut eye, and because of it he had often neglected breakfast. As thoughts of hunger began to preoccupy him, he weighed his choices carefully. Following a moment of consideration, Kittichai decided to eat out, as cooking for himself was an undertaking he only enjoyed when hosting guests, which was a rare occasion.

Kittichai carelessly discarded his sleepwear, letting it land haphazardly on the already cluttered floor. Clothing dangled over nearby furniture, but he paid little attention to the mess as he retrieved his phone from the bed and began to style his hair. He gave himself a casual once-over in the mirror, noting how his eyes had dark circles under them. The dark circles caused from the lack of sleep weren't too noticeable as they blended in with his tanned complexion. Shaking his head, he shook off any lingering self-consciousness and headed towards the exit, making sure he grabbed his headphones from the nightstand before stepping out of his apartment.

An increasing sense of unease crept over Kittichai as he made his way to the restaurant. His growing apprehension led him to glance behind himself from time to time, ensuring he wasn't being followed by anyone or anything suspicious.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, he placed an order for jjigae and took a seat. After finishing his meal, Kittichai lingered at the table simply playing on his phone, reluctant to venture back into the streets just yet.

A/N: Jjigae are Korean stews. There are many varieties; they are typically made with meat, seafood or vegetables in a broth seasoned with gochujang (red chili paste), doenjang (soybean paste), ganjang (type of soy sauce) or saeu-jeot (salted fermented shrimp).

The Longest DayzWhere stories live. Discover now