Chapter 10

By the time Tutor rushed in with the first-aid kit as requested by Tee, the atmosphere in the room had become stiflingly bizarre. However, he had no time to dwell on it.

​"Give me that."

​Out of conditioned reflex, Tutor thrust the kit into Tee’s hands. It was then that he noticed Nunew was no longer lying resting on the sofa. Instead, there was a small 'mound' beneath a blanket stained with patches of darkening red. His nose instinctively picked up the faint, metallic scent of blood lingering in the air.

​Tutor glanced at Zee, who was shrinking into a corner, then moved his gaze back to the sofa, sighing inwardly. No wonder. Earlier, P’Tee had let Zee into the room but insisted on standing guard outside, refusing even to leave for a meal. Left with no choice after distributing food to the staff, Tutor took two boxes and sat down beside Tee.

​Today, Tutor and Yim had no schedule other than following the DMD brothers to Wat Suthat to make merit. Normally, at events where many members gathered, Tutor and Yim would coordinate to interact while secretly gathering internal company news. Once home, they would filter the valuable information to use later.

​But no one expected a variable like the one at Wat Suthat.

​Tutor saw the way Zee desperately chased after a boy, so he quickly threw an arm around Yim’s shoulder, causing a few girls to squeal in excitement. Yim didn't understand what was happening at first, but the moment Tutor whispered a name in his ear, he immediately played along. Tutor felt James’s meaningful gaze from not far away, but he didn't care.

​Tutor had learned a few skills from Yim, including the ability to ignore the judgments of others.

​However, in Tutor’s personal opinion, this skill seemed completely useless against P’Tee, Nunew’s brother. Perhaps because Tee was so quiet, combined with the fact that Nunew had fainted at the temple, Tutor felt the temperature around Tee was lower than Chiang Mai in January. Sitting next to him to eat, Tutor felt a constant, restless trepidation.

​If he had to compare him to his senior and boss, Zee Pruk, Tutor honestly found Tee much more terrifying. It sounded strange—even though P’Tee was younger than Tutor’s senior—Tutor felt that Tee was far more unpredictable. Tutor tried to recall the brother Nunew used to describe with such pride and adoration, then looked at the man sitting beside him; they seemed like two entirely different people.

​Yet, after all the upheavals the family had endured, Tutor wasn't surprised that Tee’s personality had turned out this way.

​"Where is my good Nunew?"

​Tutor started at the voice that was usually cold but had suddenly become incredibly tender. He looked over at Zee and saw his senior still standing there, stunned like a statue.

​The 'mound' under the thick blanket shifted slightly, then fell still again.

​"Does good Nunew want to talk to me?" Tee continued to ask softly.

​No sound responded.

​"You don't want to?" It seemed Tee had expected this.

​Tee only looked up at the IV bag that was nearly empty, then moved his eyes down to the blood-spotted blanket. He quietly opened the medical kit, taking out sterile gauze, bandages, and a bottle of alcohol. Thinking of something, Tee signaled Tutor, asking him to grab the bag placed in a corner.

​When he received the bag, Tee only opened it to check briefly before placing it beside him.

​"It’s okay if you don't want to talk to me," he intentionally lowered his voice a tone.

"But can you show me your hands?"

​To add persuasion, Tee added: ​"Your IV bag is almost empty; I needs to change it for you."

He continued, "Once you finishes this new bag, we can go home."

​After a long while, Tutor saw the 'mound' shift toward the edge of the sofa. Then, a skeletal hand reached out from under the blanket, still clearly smeared with reddish-pink stains.

​Tutor’s jaw dropped right there.

​"Good boy. Can you show me the other hand too?" Tee smiled as he twisted open the alcohol bottle.

​As Tee was pouring alcohol onto his own hands to disinfect them, the 'mound' turned over slightly. The other hand, the one pierced with the needle, also appeared.

​Tee intended to use alcohol to clean the wounds on Nunew’s palms, but just as he was about to pour it, he stopped. Perhaps thinking of something, he called out to Tutor, who was standing awkwardly nearby.

​"Tutor, get me a bottle of water."

​Tutor remembered the water bottle he had grabbed when bringing food to Tee and quickly ran out. He returned with two bottles in hand, about to place them next to Tee when he heard:

​"Open it." Tee didn't even look at him, only gently cradling those tiny hands.

"Then pour the water here."

​The 'here' Tee referred to were the two palms encrusted with blood, where nails had dug deep enough to tear the skin. Tutor was a bit panicked by the contrast of red on Nunew’s deathly pale skin, but he didn't dare hesitate. When the water touched the injured flesh, the 'mound' flinched slightly, but Tee held on firmly.

​"Be good. We have to clean and bandage them so your hands stop hurting."

​The two hands trembled slightly but eventually remained still for Tee to wash the wounds. His task finished, Tutor retreated to a corner, his eyes glued to Tee’s bandaging. Seeing how Tee cherished those hands, bit by bit, he couldn't help but feel it was surreal. Maybe I’m overthinking, he thought.

​Tutor had never seen a brotherly relationship so tender. The last time he had seen two people considered 'brothers' treat each other this way was probably two years ago. Tutor suddenly snapped out of it; he looked at his senior, who had been silent from start to finish, looking like an invisible scarecrow.

​Zee didn't notice Tutor’s gaze; his eyes were fixed solely on the 'mound' beneath the blanket. It seemed his mind still couldn't escape the chaotic scene from earlier. Zee had never seen Nunew so terrified and resistant toward him. From screaming at him to get out, struggling and pushing him away, to losing control and sobbing in plea.

​"Hia, can you please just let me go?"

​It was as if he wanted to escape him at any cost.

​Zee felt a blockage in his chest, an emotion he couldn't even define. His body was frozen to the spot, unable to move even an inch, completely helpless during the scuffle when Tee tried to separate him from Nunew. Zee watched how Nunew frantically covered himself with the blanket and hid completely behind Tee’s back; he could only taste the bitterness in his mouth.

​The position Tee was standing in... It used to belong to him.

​"P’Zee." Zee turned his head; it was Tutor calling him. "I think we should go outside. He probably..."

​Tutor stopped halfway and went silent.

​How could Zee not understand his junior’s meaning? He smiled sadly, not even glancing at Tutor. Yet, seeing how his feet seemed nailed to the floor, Tutor knew he was lingering, unwilling to leave. It made sense.

​Who could believe they had hurt the person they loved?

​Tutor had to pull and tug for a long time before Zee reluctantly moved his feet. As they reached the door, Zee couldn't help but look back. The room that had once been a place where he and Nunew shared private, sweet moments now only held the scent of blood and the sound of wailing.

​Zee lowered his eyes and turned to leave.

​"Hia..." A weak voice suddenly tore through the bleak atmosphere.

​Zee froze at the threshold, his breath hitching.

​"Thank you, Hia, for showing me what love is."

​Nunew’s voice was hoarse from crying, yet still incredibly sweet.

​"But as you can see, Hia... I’m no longer the little one in your memory."

​Zee could hear him giggling through his tears.

​"I’m just a mental patient who needs medication to survive each day."

​Through that calm tone, he could almost visualize a pair of round eyes filled with utter despair.

​"Hia, can you really love this Nunew?"

​In a split second, countless images flashed deep within Zee. All of them related to the boy. And he truly wanted to say that he...

​"As for me... I no longer have the strength to keep loving you.'"