'I'm going to see Kieng.'

 

'Ket, please. You're terribly unwell.'

 

I'm fine. I'll go no matter what.'

 

'Ket! Quit being stubborn!'

 

Mom, I did as you told me. You sent me to England, and I promised you I'd come back to Kieng after graduating. No matter what it takes. I'd go to him even if I wasn't sick. I don't have time anymore, Mom. I'll go to Kieng. I'll go to him no matter what.'

I once listened to a mother and son shouting at each other in their house. The fight was so loud that the maids ran off. Finally, Ket left with a huge backpack. His mother came to me and begged. ‘Take care of him for me, Kaning, please.'

 

My nightmare started at the moment Kieng walked out of our house, and I cut ties with our family after that. Letting my brother walk alone in the darkness would be a grave mistake that would haunt me until my last day. It was true that, deep down, I opposed the boys' relationship, but that feeling vanished like the dust in the

wind when I saw King's distressed expression. I didn't want Kieng to be hurt. The boy had already suffered so much because of his parents' rejection.

 

I asked my parents for mercy so they would let Kieng go. If they didn't love him, they should just let him go. However, they responded that they were afraid Kieng would damage the family's reputation. They locked him up until Kieng decided to run away. His small back was both fragile and strong. The little boy I'd cherished since he was born into this world had the guts to leave that house despite never receiving his mother's attention. Unlike him, I was a coward. allowed our parents to hurt me physically and emotionally in fear.

 

Thanks to Kieng, I began to have the courage to cut ties with our mother and leave that place. I loved my mother just because she gave birth to me. It was drilled into my head that I must respect my parents and relatives. I never felt any attachment to my family, but I obeyed my mother. She raised me, so I should endure it. As to Kieng, she almost aborted him.

 

Things should've ended when I cut ties with my family and let King fly freely to the place he loved and enjoyed. But one day, my phone rang as I was busy with my documents. I clearly remember it was a boy's voice.

 

[ls this Kaning?] The boy's voice sounded so miserable that it saddened me.

"Yes."

 

[It's Ket, King's boyfriend. I mean, his ex.]

 

I was surprised to learn the caller's identity.

 

"Why did you call me?"

 

[I remembered Kieng gave me your number just in case, so I searched for it in my school bag. Luckily, you still use this number.]

 

"Are you in Thailand right now?"

 

I thought he studied in England. I had always thought we should keep our family affairs in our family, but my parents were different. They threatened Ket's parents that they would kill Kieng if Ket still associated with him. Of course, it wasn't just a threat. They'd never wanted Kieng in the first place. As for Ket's mother, she was frightened because she had only one son. She was scared even more when she

saw the wounds on King's body. It spoke volumes about how far our family could go. Subsequently, we decided to separate the boys. I couldn't deal with this on my own. Unlike our oldest brother, I was a girl with no right to express opinions in the family.

Therefore, I chose to protect Kieng's body rather than his feelings.

 

Ket's mother chose to protect her son, not his feelings. Ket... chose to protect Kieng... not following his heart. Ket's mother was scared as a mom. She was scared to be the cause of King getting assaulted by his family. She was afraid Ket would be caught in the crossfire. Thus, she had to protect her precious son. Ket's family decided to send him to England because Ket couldn't move on and visited our house every day.

 

I had to watch the boy, hovering in front of the fence and getting scolded by our staff every day, while my brother lay soullessly in his room. That day, I did nothing but watch him because I was a coward. If I had a chance to redeem myself, I would stop being cowardly, no matter how much Kieng hated me. Fortunately, fate brought Ket back.

 

[I've been back for some time. I'm preparing a lot of things.]

Preparing? Preparing what?

 

[Ning, I have a favour to ask of you.]

"What is it?"

 

[I'm going back to Kieng.]

 

I went silent. Didn't we agree to take care of our boys and let them see each other later? Wasn't Ket supposed to stay in England longer? Did he graduate?

 

[I need to know if Kieng has cut ties with his family.]

"Yeah. They don't contact each other anymore."

 

[Great.] Ket sounded happy. [Kieng..isn't dating anyone, right?]

 

"To be honest, I have no idea. I don't know if that boy will be okay with you coming back to him."

 

[He won't be. I know Kieng hates me now, but I still want to see him. He should at least be happy. From now on, I don't want Kieng to blame himself for not doing anything. I don't want things to end that way. But if he's moved on and found someone who makes him smile, I'll give up.]

 

He wished to redeem himself. He didn't know if it was too late for that boy.

"How can I help you?"

 

[You can help me with so many things. If you have a pen, please note it down.]

 

Ket paused. I had promised myself that I would do anything in my power to help them if these boys wished to reunite, so this was unexpected.

 

[Think of it as a wish...of a dying person.]

 

And that day was the day I learned fate wasn't on my side at all...

It was playing a joke on me.