Internal Affairs

Chapter: Thirty

 A / N

 Every story has to end 

 *****

 For six months Forth struggled to maintain the filing of a verdict for his family.  Compared to the death sentence put forward by the prosecutor, he wanted Phana and Oh Jamornhum to receive life sentences.  He assured the Thai public that capital punishment is not a proper punishment that can be given to people like Phana and Oh Jamornhum.  And after speaking several times in front of the media, Forth began to receive a lot of sympathy.  Domestic and foreign humanitarian activists support Forth's move.  Now Forth stood in front of the courtroom with mixed feelings.  He awaits the judge's decision against his father, Phana, and Mingkwan.

 Phloi Vongviphan who is a senior judge handling the Jamornhum family case has thought about her decision many times.  She even opened one by one sheet of Thailand's criminal law before determining her decision.

 Oh jamornhum looks resigned to whatever will be received.  He knows he has the right to receive the harshest punishment after everything he did.

 And when Judge Phloi Vongviphan tapped his hammer and gave life sentence to Oh Jamornhum and Phana without remission or any other special sentence reduction, Forth was moved to tears.  Phloi also sentenced Mingkwan to 20 years in prison because he cooperated with law enforcement officers.

 Oh Jamornhum looked at his second son without being able to say anything.  Forth moved towards Oh Jamornhum and hugged his father tightly.

 "Forth will visit Pho every week," he promised.

 "Stupid. What are you spending your precious time on an old man like me. Go on a date or spend your time with Beam," Oh Jamornhum said.

 Forth smiled briefly but his smile disappeared as the police pulled his father, Phana, and Mingkwan out of the courtroom.  The police are preparing to transfer them to the detention center.  Forth continued to follow his family.

 Phana stopped walking when he saw Beam.  He refused to follow the police and walked towards Beam who was standing in the hallway in front of the high courtroom.  Since the ambush, Beam was reluctant to see Phana but he always waited for every trial that Forth did.  He felt guilty, even though he knew he was just doing his job.

 Phana stood with an annoyed face in front of Beam.  Forth and some police try to block Phana but Beam asks for time to talk to Phana.

 Phana looked at Beam sharply "I lost" he said.  Beam looks at Phana in surprise.

 "Since on the racetrack until now, you are always one step ahead of me. I admit it" Said Phana.

 Beam laughed but he felt tears welling in his eyes.  He didn't understand why, maybe because Phana and Oh Jamornhum had really treated him like family for the past two years.

 "Promise me you will keep Forth for us," Phana asked.  Forth was a little surprised.  Beam smiled and nodded.  Phana let out a sigh of relief.  He looked away and looked at Forth.

 "Phi is proud of you and happy" he said.  Phana did not wait for Forth's reaction, he decided to leave Forth and get into the prison car in full struggle because of the pressure of the reporters and several community organizations who did not agree with the life sentence Oh and Phana received.  The police transferred Oh, Phana, and Mingkwan to the central prison and put them in a special cell.

 Beam witnessed how Forth stood before the court until all the people left the place.  Beam walked towards Forth and hooked their fingers together.  Forth looked away and looked at Beam in surprise.