Pave My Way to You

Chapter 21

Copter was staring on his roof, watching the spinning fan, trying to lull him to sleep. It had been the same cycle since his brother left him to live here alone. Getting home from work, taking a long bath, and without care about dinner, here he was, lying on the bed, trying to get himself some sleep. He blamed himself more and more every day. It must have been his fault that everyone would leave him, though he couldn't pinpoint what his fault was.

First, it was his P'Tae. When he thought what they have between them was strong and he felt confident his P'Tae was actually sincere with him, he left the next day. With nothing. No goodbye, no news, literally nothing. He kept asking himself, were those times he had together was nothing? Were those sweet memories could only bring tears to him, every time he would think about it?

And then the fire, which took away his father. The boys at the village had told him about Oat and the gang when they saw them linger around at the village, which was very strange, but then it wouldn't take long for them to connect the dots. And the fireman was even classified as an accident when the fire starts from their kitchen. "You must have didn't pulled out the fire fully after cooking that it got spread while you were sleeping."

That's what the fireman told him that he felt helpless. He knew it wasn't the case. He was cooking earlier than usual that day, even before his brother and father coming back from the field. If it were really the case, he could see the fire before he took his walkout from the house.

He felt afraid and insecure. The fact that those guys could burn him to death and get away with it as nothing had happened, that drives him to find a job and a new place to stay far from his village, where no one knew them.

And then his brother. The fact that the one who harmed them was Oat, he knew it was all of what he did. He wished he could turn to the day when he would not tell Tae anything. But he never thought Tae would do something about it, and he even makes it faster, that he wonders how he does it.

But when the doctor had told him the injury on Godt's leg would be permanent, even though the wound will be healed completely, the rush of various emotions in him makes him weak. He felt shocked, dumbfounded of the news he just heard, he felt afraid and sad thinking of what his brother would felt about it.

So, he tried his hard just to make sure his brother felt okay and safe, with him. He never thought he was tried too hard making his brother uncomfortable and in the end leaving him alone.

"P'Tae, P'Godt, I'm sorry. Please, come back to me, P. I'll do whatever you want me to do, P. Please, come back. I missed you two so much, P. Please."

Copter would be begging to no one the whole night until he got tired of it and fall asleep. It was all the same cycle every day that he thought he would felt tired of it and eventually stopped all of this, whatever that is. But, he couldn't let himself calm down, and those cycles never stopped no matter how much he tires himself out. Will, he ever get himself out of this misery?

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"I want to ask you out for lunch since I failed last time. I promise, it will never happen again, whatever happened that day." Joss was popped out of nowhere and asking Copter out for lunch. He actually did inform Kimmon before asking Copter out, which the latter was stunned with the offer.

But still, Copter was giving him his straight face and refuse politely to that offer. "I'm sorry Mr. Joss. I had things to do at my break. Why don't you ask Bas? He was hungry and his mood wasn't that good today, he was scaring the customer out. I really appreciate it if you could do that. I'll take care of the shop, so tell him don't worry."

Copter's statement makes him turn to Bas who was busily wiping a table. Copter was right, the usual cheerful face he saw wasn't there, but tilted eyebrows was there, making him frown. Somehow, he didn't like what he saw.

Copter could see Joss was walking slowly getting closer to Bas and was standing right beside him, making Bas turn to him, shocking a little. With the mood he had today, Copter couldn't see the usual excited reaction whenever the guy was seeing Joss, though he was smiling. Copter couldn't focus on the two guys anymore when a customer approached him.

"P'Joss, what are you doing here?" Bas was asking him while walking to put away the cloth he used to wipe the table and Joss was following him. "What's wrong?" His answer with a question makes Bas furrow his brows.

"What?" Bas asking back didn't understand exactly the meaning of the question. "You are not you, what's wrong? Any problems?" Bas was looking straight to Joss trying to think the perfect answer to create or to just be honest.

In the end, he decides to just be honest, since Joss was a friend too, to his brother at least. He was about to answer when Jos was cutting him again. "You know what? Let's talk over lunch. Copter said he would take care of the shop, so you could enjoy your lunch, with me."

Bas was smiling cheerfully to that and was glancing at Copter who busy attend to his non-stop customer. "That's a great idea, I was starving. Let's go, P'Joss." They both were stepped out of the shop with Copter who could only saw their retreating back pass the door, give out his small smile, though enough to pop out his dimple, making a few teenage customers giggle in front of him.

At the restaurant, Joss and Bas were just taking their seat. It was an authentic Thai restaurant this time, and Bas was really happy Joss brought him here since he loves to eat tom yam. Once they were ordered their respective meals, Joss change back their topic of conversation to his original question, since it was all completely different topic all the way until here. It was just empty talk about things here and there.

"So, what is it?" Bas was taking in a deep breath. "How long had you been friends with P'Kimmon, P?" Bas would then ask. "Hmm, it was quite long, since we were 16. We met at the Genius Camp, and we three had become friends right away. Kimmon and I are the same age, so it quite natural for both of us but the other one was a lot younger than us. More complicated too, well, to be at the same camp with us at his age, he definitely complicated. Why?"

"So you knew him for that long. My mom was married to his father when was I was 9, and he was 18. He was in a rebellious period at the time, and he was always drinking. You knew about his drinking habit, right? He couldn't accept us and be ignored for almost two years. He lives his life without even realize we were there. College, friends, clubs, and who knows what else he did outside. He was making dad worried so much, and I just hope I could approach him, but none of my efforts had paid off.

One day, he fainted, after coming back drinking with his friends. Only then, he was diagnosed with Arrhythmia, and the doctor had advised him to lessen his drinking habit or to just stop drinking. So, he tried, after a lot of arguments with dad, and he spent a lot of time being home with us, so we get slowly getting closer and I don't know-how, he had been such a good brother I ever wished.

After mom and dad died, he didn't touch any alcohol, at all, afraid I will be worried about him. But, last night, I don't know what happened, he did and my heart almost stopped when I saw him coming drunk in the middle of the night. I called the doctor right away, and luckily his heart didn't get worsen, or else, I don't know what to do, P.

I was worried, yes, but I was angry more, and he even had a hangover this morning, but I just ignored him and coming to the shop. I thought by distracting my mind with all the work, my mood could be better, but it doesn't get any better, P. "

Joss was holding Bas's hand trying to calm the crying mess of Bas down. "I don't know about his heart condition, he never told me about it. But, Bas, knowing Kimmon all this time, he might have a lot on his thought that brought him to drinking, and I'm sure he knew his limit. I don't want to admit this, but between us, he was more like a big brother even though we were at the same age.

He always made the call for the three of us, and every time, it was always the right one. I can assure you that, so, don't worry too much about him, Bas. And besides, there was no way he would do something without even thinking about you. Just like you, you are the only family he had left."

End of Chapter 21