21

WIN'S POV

I went home late and decided to put stuff away and do some school works that I missed. I also finished up a report for my dad's company. I needed to make sure everything was fine until I noticed that the sun was slowly rising already. 

I didn't know I fell asleep until I heard my alarm and Chi was nudging me. 

"I know you're tired, but you have to be a flight attendant, we have to get out of here." Chi said. 

I stretched out and decided to attend some classes. My phone was dead before I took a shower so I decided to charge it. I was in a rush because I stared too long in the shower. I just threw everything in my bag and left for school. 

I was behind some activities again so I decided to spend my free time catching up. There are so much I have to prepare for, I have to practice airline services and such but I also got a slot for overtime at the cafe today. 

I was too busy and the only break I had was my break at the coffee shop... I took my phone out since I haven't read any messages since the morning. There were a few from Dad asking me to come to the office tomorrow and then to prepare some papers. 

I actually have mixed work schedules since resigning from the coffee shop and coming back and resigning again... I just really needed the spare and they also need the help sometimes. 

"Win, 15 minutes." My workmate said. 

I took a bite from my sandwich and scrolled through my phone, there was a message from Namtan around 1PM...

Namtan

Win...

He went into a surge.

He's down into a coma. 

For real this time. 

It's like everything around me stopped spinning... I froze. I don't know  what to do. I just lost it... 

The hours felt like minutes. I was floating for the rest of the night. I don't know what to do anymore. I couldn't figure out how I got home but I did. I locked myself up in our bathroom. Pretended the shower was running but I was trying to let things sink in... 

A surge? A coma? I was lost... I didn't know what I was gonna do. I took all the courage in me to find the right words to Namtan. 

Namtan

Is he gonna be alright?

It took me fifteen minutes to send that to Namtan because I don't know what to tell her. I don't even have the courage to see him. I didn't went home to bother mom and Chi, I tried making school works to distract me, it was effective but after that, I was empty. 

It's unfair, there's all that possibility hat Bright doesn't wake up anymore. Leaving me like this. It shouldn't be like this. We should be at El Nido having the time of our lives, proving the world wrong that even though how much they bring us down, we'd make it. 

I was seating in a coffee shop until my phone won't stop ringing from my pocket. It was my dad. What is it this time?

"Can I not do anything for you until tomorrow?" I asked. 

"Is this Win Opas-iamkajorn?" An unfamiliar voice asked. 

I was trying to figure out who it was but it seemed too unfamiliar to me. Did my father got his phone stolen?

"I know you are Win. I have your dad. If his debt to my company doesn't get paid by the weekend, you will never see him again, the longer you keep us waiting, the more we will take from you. He has caused us so much trouble already." The guy on the line said. 

"Do whatever you want to do with him." I said without thinking about it. 

"How about your mother and your brother... or let us say... your connection with the Vachirawit..." I was pulled from my thoughts with that. 

"Not them." I said lost for words. 

"Start moving then. 15 million. I'll send the details. You get your father back and everybody remains unharmed" He said. 

I did not know where I was going to go... Should I tell Namtan and their mom? But they are already too stressed out about Bright's situation...

I took matters into my own hands, I didn't bother telling anyone even mom and Chimon. As long as they don't harm them or anything. I quickly made my way to the company. They all bombarded me with questions where my father was and what was he up to since he did not show up today. 

"Can you make a formal company announcement that my father is called for some emergency, all meetings and everything that has to do with him will be pushed aside until further notice." I said. 

I started digging through his files, his safe, his bank books and accounts in his office. I found several but the key was his mistress. I took everything I needed and made my way to my father's current house. 

"What do you need from us?" His mistress asked. 

"I need you to withdraw 15 million or write a check, I don't care. Just do it." I told her. 

"No way, I'm calling your father." She said trying to threaten me. 

"You are in danger, we all are, but go ahead, go see for yourself." I told her. 

She dialed my father's number while looking at me angrily as if I was gonna steal something from their house. 

"He's not answering." She told me. 

I took my phone out and decided it was probably best to use my number. 

"Where is it Win?" The guys asked again. 

I signaled Dad's mistress to stay quiet. She was in shock after hearing an unfamiliar voice from the other side of the line as well. 

"I need more time. I am already processing it. I need a guarantee that nothing will happen to me and my family." I firmly said. 

"It will be your father dealing with us after this. That's a promise, if I break it, your father will be the first to go down." He firmly said.

I hung up the phone and raised my eyebrow at her. She froze there but I didn't have the time to deal with her. 

"Process it for as long as you need but I need the money now if you want my father back. You are not allowed to tell anyone, if this goes downhill, we all are in danger and we won't see my father again." I told her. 

I had to use my father as the leverage for her to release the money because I know, he loved my father as well and not just his money.  She wrote a check and I made sure it was delivered. 

Days passed and I didn't even recognised it. It was all a blur, I barely ate, barely slept. All I did was make sure everything will be alright when I leave. I didn't want mom and Chi suffering more if I go. As much as I wanted to be with them, I had to choose myself. Because I already lost so many times and I cannot bear another. 

I always snuck to the hospital to see Bright without our fathers knowing. He is still in a coma. Everyday I hope he wakes up. We never really fixed us. We never really got the chance to make all the things that went wrong, right. I sighed as I stared at him at his hospital bed as the beeps of the machines echoed in our background. 

"You are unfair Bright. This wasn't in our plan." I said trying to stop my tears from falling. 

"Will it really work? Will you really hear me? I know you are still there. You can't do this to Ton... you're not suppossed to be even... You can't do this to us, to me..." I sighed. 

"Bright wake up." I said in frustration as the tears were falling from my eyes. 

"I'm fixing everything, all will be alright soon... or I hope so." I told him. 

I stayed there for a little longer there with the hope that every minute he would wake up. I sighed when Namtan walked in. I said goodbye to her after a while and went home. I am very tired but I couldn't sleep. I just wasted time looking at the ceiling as the time passed. I had a very short nap until it was time to go again. 

After school, I went straight to the company, I wanted to finish all the paper works as early as I can so I could just finish everything I have to do with my father. I also fixed some of my personal papers, I need them all in order before I go. 

"In a rush?" Love came when I told her that I was at the working station of the company. 

"I need to finish it. I have to go. I am very tired already." I told her and tried to smile. 

"Win... if there is only anything we could do to wake Bright up..." She said. 

"Have you fixed the dinner?" I asked. 

"Yeah, it's all arranged. Everything is according to plan." Love gave me a small smile. 

We worked on some partnership papers. I managed to close the cases and files with their company and Bright's. I sent them to my father for approval when I realized it was almost midnight. I  wrapped my things up and left the office. I went to the convenience store and bought a bottle of alcohol. This became an unhealthy coping mechanism of mine, my stomach doesn't hurt anymore and the rush of alcohol in my throat no longer burns. 

I was halfway through the bottle when I felt I was getting drunk. Tears were starting to fall from my eyes and I looked up to the moon. 

"Just give me this one. Let Bright live, I beg you." I said and closed my eyes. 

I sighed and managed to go down for the few hours of sleep I could get. 

*Two months later*

It was Friday. One last school day before the weekend. I asked Love to prepare a dinner for their friends and me. I just wanted to appreciate them for being there for me and Bright, they knew something was going on between us but they respected the fact that we weren't ready. 

The day flew like always. I was more free because I've closed majority of the responsibilities, cases and deals I have with my father's company. I also was able to catch up with school. It was almost summer vacation once again. 

Love

Hey

See yah stranger

See you.

After my classes I quickly went home and got ready for the dinner. It was casual, but it will mean so much to me and Bright. I arrived at the restaurant just in time and only waited for a few minutes for them. 

"What's going on Win?" Krist asked after we had our main course. 

"I just wanted to thank ya'll, you were there when Bright and I fell apart, you did all you could to keep him going. I know our relationship was a secret before, but given our situations now, it is time, we say thank you. You became family to us, when we didn't have one. Personally, I thank all of you, for being my friends, even though I know you were Bright's. All we could do is just really hope for the best." I said and smiled.

"Are we saying goodbye? Nobody is dying, we're not leaving." Film said questioning. 

"No... it's just that, we will need each other more as support systems. As Bright's support system." I told them. 

We decided to catch up a little more before we all went home. I didn't go home. I went to my father one last time to give him some important papers. Their house was quiet and he was still working late. Like he always does. 

"Here's everything you asked me to do. All is fixed and settled. You promised. Leave mom and Chi alone. Leave us alone. Just stick around for your responsibility as a father. We do not want anything from your business anymore. Give Chi the freedom of what he wants to be when he's at the right age. Let mom live the happy life she tries so hard to build when you came shattering it down. Let me be, I am very tired already. You've put us... through so much already." I said when I handed him the briefcase of files. 

"Win, I'm very sorry..." He said looking at me. 

"That's a few years late don't you think?" I said and gave him a small smile and stood because I was ready to leave. 

He remained quiet which was my signal to go. I didn't wanna stay longer there. That doesn't feel like family presence. It felt like hell, but at the same time, I am free.

I went home and packed all of my stuff, cleaned out all the clutter. I also placed aside the bank book allotted to mom and Chi. Everything seemed alright... but I wasn't. The tiredness won't go away, the void feeling inside me, was eating me up. I wasn't okay. 

"What has gotten into you?" Chi asked when they woke up with the breakfast ready and everything tidy. 

"It's nothing." I said and smiled. 

We enjoyed breakfast and talked a little until we they got busy with what they were supposed to do. When night came, I was ready to go. Everything was in order. It's time to rest. 

NAMTAN'S POV

I decided to bring some stuff for Win. He was already going through so much, and I saw how much he really loved my brother. I saw him crying to him several times, I allowed him. I know my brother was the one there for him, and it hurts him as much as it hurts us. 

"I'm coming with you." Ton said. 

"No." I told her. 

"He became a brother to me as well. He made my favorite sibling really happy. It's time we do the same." She insisted. 

We went shopping for a little while and headed to Win's condo. His brother opened the door looking very serious. 

"This is for Win." I said and smiled. 

"He is gone...

... he left already." He said with a bitter smile. 

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Thanks for reading! Two more chapters to be uploaded tomorrow 😊