Man stepped out, in complete shock. "This man seemed to be more intelligent that I thought him to be." He thought. He looked at the documents he was holding in his hand after presenting it to Trai Medthanan.

Their unexpected meeting went well, without Tul finding out. Trai scanned the documents thoroughly before handling them back to Man, he wished him well and went back into writing the email. Man bid him goodbye and now stood just before the door. Not knowing what to do first. He bobbed his head to both the sides before moving away from Trai's office.

Trai had instructed Man to bring the boys back to Bangkok, since he had all the proofs, with various witnesses beside him, Tul had no chance of standing up to them. Trai only told Man to do this much and leave the rest to him. As he had so much connections to various powerful people Tul probably may have never heard of.

Man walked out and went to Tul's room again, but found him no where. He thought the man to be sober from drinking too much. He already had work to do without being paid, and he didn't bothered. He had been paid so much already.

'You back?' Tul's voice echoed through the room, 'Quite late, y'know.' He seemed to have woken just from sleep. His hair a mess, eyes half sleepy and what he need was a literal shower.

'Y-yeah.' Man stuttered for a bit, and breathed normally. He smiled and spoke, 'I got another work to do actually..'

'So fast? You're being well known I guess?' Tul yawned, 'Father wants me in his office now, so I need to go. Do I need to send someone to drop you?'

Man widened his eyes for a minute, but didn't made it obvious. He just nodded.

'No need, I'm going directly for the work.' He hesitated, but the latter seemed to not notice. He nodded and wondered at the other man's work. He did got an offer quite swiftly. But he wasn't free to think about other people's business, it was better if he thought of his own, for a dreadful crime had had done.

Man said and went out leaving Tul dumbfounded. It wasn't new for him, Man was always straight forward in showing his hatred to him. Just like his brother. Tul shrugged it off as always and moved to his room on the first floor to freshen himself up. Wondering what out of the blue work his father had for him.

______

'You may burn in hell if you take my queen.' The grandfather gritted his teeth upon Tin taking two of his rooks. This was the third round they were playing. Tin had lost one, the older won one. This was the last, so to also announce the real winner.

Can, Xiao Xi and Li Yu were up in their bedroom minding their business. Tin was asked by the grandfather to have a match of chess with him. Though, it had been three rounds already.

It was about to be night. The grandmother was busy preparing the dinner, and it was long ago since the football match finished.

The starts were twinkling, there was noise of insects to add up to the scene, it was extremely dark outside but the street lights kept the hope up. There was sounds and shouting of children playing outside. There was a dangling sound of windchimes echoing the house. Everything was very pleasant and dreamy. Gossiping was to be heard outside of women and men loudly of useless topics. The construction workers were doing their job on breaking, shaping various types of cements and there was little fight between two people unnoticed. It was a beautiful February.

It was pretty cold to have two men sitting on the ground and play chess, but the mattress helped a little. For a person almost eighty, The grandfather was very sporty and a fun person to be with. His wife on the other side was cool, aloof and needed someone to loosen herself. Her husband was just the perfect kind. They had met during war and had befriended one another, and their friendship blossomed into love. They were very young during that time, and being refused to work as a comfort woman, the grandmother successfully ran away with some girls a bit older than her. They rather chose death than being raped.

The couple met when there was a horrible shooting going on in the village, they had very little information about one another, but opposites attracted. They survived by hiding in rivers, huts, taking a little bullets. After the war was over, the grandfather was reunited with his lost family, they accepted the new young lady very happily. But grandmother's family had cut off their relationship with their daughter, thinking that she had brought shame upon the honor they had maintained for so many decades. Their village resided a few miles away from the original village she had settled afterwards.

'You're not too bad for a chess player, Tin..'

'Thank you, grandfather.' Tin replied with a soft, rare smile. It was long since the game had finished. Tin won, and the grandfather expressed a dramatic grin upon his lost.

The grandfather still kept the satisfied grin on his face. He began, 'Tin, you must've met Prim, right?'

Tin tried to think. Prim? Haven't heard of that person.

'Can's mother, I mean,' Grandfather said and Tin nodded, 'You have met her husband?'

'You mean Can's father?'

'Yes..' The grandfather hissed, there was hint of hatred, dissatisfaction in his tone. Tin on the other hand thought, "Can never mentioned him.."

'No, Can never mentioned him..'

'Good..' Grandfather started keeping away the chess board. He sensed Tin's curiosity in the atmosphere. He looked up and smiled, 'You're curious to know, right? About Can's family?'

Tin had his mouth open all along. He shut it quickly and shook his head like a dog. He was caught in his innocence.

'You're really like my wife, you know? She's all cold and aloof, but sometimes she forgets that she has a reputation like that. She goes into another element.' Tin laughed awkwardly at the old man's statement. "Cold? Me? Never."

'You see Tin, Prim, Can's mother. Had cut off her relations with her husband a month after Can was born, They had liked each other in high school and got married after settling into an easy job. Prim's not really our biological child, some stupid idiot shit left her at our doorstep and then we raised her here.' Tin listened attentively, nodding at every statement the old man made. Obviously it was hard to make Can say all of this, so he was not mad.

'She met her husband, Lhong, two decades ago. They got married and had Lay within a year, later they fought like lions during their relationships. But Lhong's stupid parents pressured them to have another child and thus, Can was born. But situations worsened, and their marriage fell apart. I don't blame it on my daughter, both of them weren't at fault. Though, Lhong does meet Can and Lay on occasions, and has kept friendly relations with my daughter,' Tin just kept nodding, he understood this problem well, he had heard about his father having such problems in his first marriage, even though not being present there. Tin never knew what was the reason that cause his father to end his first marriage.

'But you know what I want to tell you children is that, don't hurry please,' The Grandfather's voice seemed to beg, 'I don't want you all to stop seeing each other, just don't do something stupid that would cause you pain later in life. Not all couple's fate turn out to be like mine and my wife...' The grandfather paused and Tin sat there blinking, absorbing all the things the old man sitting before him said. It never heard him until he realized what he was doing.

The dinner went silent and fun. Tin and the grandfather discussed about chess, while the other three kids made a fuss over matches and games. The grandmother had joined the children too by laughing at their funny argument.

The old couple went out for a walk after the dinner to digest all the food and had instructed the children to fall asleep in their respective rooms. They did what they were told to and went back in their rooms. They bid each other good night before enter and before Tin turned his back on the door, Can had already flopped himself.

'I really miss my school.'

Tin laughed loudly and laid beside him. 'You know, I really miss you with uniform.' Can said as he watched Tin furrow his eyebrows. He chuckled, 'Why?'

'I mean see Tin, you most of the time have your hands in your pockets and when you walk, y-you look l-like a penguin! Hahah!' Can laughed out very loud. Leaving Tin with his mouth gape open. "How on earth can I look like a penguin? Any other animal but Penguin?"

'What's there to laugh? Huh? Stop it.' Tin pursed his lips and laid there sulking. 'Shut up, Cantaloupe.'

'N-no! Haha! It's so god damn funny to imagine you as a penguin!' Can had tears at the corner of his eyes. He couldn't stop laughing, but Tin got up and sat there, not seeming to stop sulking. His ears were pink and his cheeks scarlet.

After teasing his lover, Can got up too and cupped his arms around Tin's broad shoulders. It was love-hate relationship between them. After all the horrible things they had faced, they still didn't seemed to let go of their original fun.

The magic of romance of their opposite personalities made them strong and reliable. They had each other's back and despite all the arguments they had had before, a few words of love and they were a couple next door.

Can chuckled and spoke, 'I really like penguins, actually, so you should be thankful.' Tin smiled and turned his head and what felt inches between their faces, he slowly closed that.

The war of tongues was difficult to win, but the submissive almost always gives up and let the other explore his mouth. Tin now turned his body and lifted up Can to settled him on his laps. Can pressed his body more onto Tin and wrapped his tiny, muscular legs around Tin's waist. He messed up his lovers hair and pushed his face more into Tin. Their body was very hot to be in the cold temperature.

They weren't planning to make love, but a little of affection wouldn't cause a problem, would it? Tin grabbed Can's waist more tightly and sucked more onto the latter's lips. His veiny hand slowly made their way up to Can's neck and till his cheeks, he head making perfect movements to make his lover moan into his mouth. They both had their eyes closed and perfectly knew what the other's intentions were. They were making out like it was their last.

It was past fifteen minutes since, and Tin slowly parted his lips away from Can. His cheeks flushing scarlet and biting onto his lips. It was so amazing. Can pecked Tin and smiled shyly, slowly made his way into Tin's neck and resided on it for the rest of the night. Tin took out the borrowed shirt, after the hot make out. He helped Can take his shirt off too and they snuggled into the blankets like small, mischievous children and slept in each others arms.

________

'You asked for me father?' Tul said, opening the door of his fathers office partly. It was past midnight already. He had asked Trai to keep their meeting later as he had some errands to run for.

Trai agreed and now he settled before his computer screen waiting for Tul. He had heard the creak and the door opening. He saw Tul stood there asking the question. His father smiled and asked the latter to come in. He raised his arm and signaled him, Tul smiled at the response and entered. He made himself comfortable with the wooden chair sitting opposite of his father, separated by a glass table, of computer and files.

'What is it, father?' Tul asked, Trai glanced at his computer screen and back at Tul. Trai got up and moved himself at his right. He held his computer and turned it around slightly enough for his son to read.

'Look at this,' Trai said, 'Its about Tin's internship, what do you think about it?' Trai softly spoke. He knew what his son was up to, and he was angry of course. Tul scoffed a little, enough for Trai to notice.

'But father, I don't know Tin would like it, you see, he has engaged himself into something else..,' Tul hesitated, he thought his father would've known and estimated by now that Tin, on any hand wants to leave and be left alone, at least that's what his brother's doings thought to made him do so. But Trai was smarter, for this wasn't a situation first time for him. There was a long silence until the old man broke it.

'Why not? He's just gone away for a holiday away from you with his lover isn't it?' Trai smirked, and Tul frowned his eyebrows, what did he said? 'I mean Tul, after you abducted Can, put Tin into a drug scandal, try kill them. I don't think you need have a stay here.' Trai moved his head closer to Tul. And Tul was caught off guard. How on earth did he knew?

'I'm not trying to push you away, but just that you've caused so much trouble, you have a need to go away.'

'Father..' what Tul said was a mere whisper, he hesitated, blinked several times and just nodded. He didn't knew how his father got knew, or why he was being sent away. 'I just wish you'd make peace with Tin..'

'That can't happen..'

'Don't provoke me to be cruel..' This time, Trai was truly angry and furious at his son, Tul flinched for a second. 'I'm bringing Tin back, and on my watch, you'd keep quiet and make peace with him, before going away.' Tul gritted his teeth and nodded, he failed. So did his father.

Trai took a deep breath, 'Listen,' Trai held Tul's hands, 'Tin's my son, you're too. But I don't wish my past to be repeated again..'

Tul nodded, he had always wished to move out, but not like this. His status remained like that.

Trai spoke with Tul about Tin, but he remained silent the whole time. They had a silent, deep, hard talk and left into their bedrooms.

"I'll bring my son back and you're not going to stop me.."

These words repeated in Tul's mind simultaneously. He gripped his hand so strong for his veins to pop out more. His father had a more powerful position than him, thus more power. And he was all alone. With evilness. He wasn't going to cry. But bow down to his younger brother whom he hated so much, never.

A loud thud and his table was scattered along with his laptop, his phone and all those important proofs and flies. His fury provoked his beast. He lost.

He slipped down and fell on the ground, his face fully covered with his hands. He had only himself, and his future unknown.