South; Beside the Sky. 

Chapter 36. Daotok: shooting star..

 

"So, you really did it?" I asked the person in front of me, who was wearing a student uniform and looking dishevelled. Tiger came to campus to meet us and brought a copy of the fake evidence Uncle Rit had prepared. I asked him for it because I wanted to see what the fake evidence looked like.

 

"Do you mean his eyes?"

 

"Hmm."

 

"Really."

 

"He's in the hospital, right?"

 

"It seems so."

 

"Will he go blind?"

 

“Are you asking because you feel guilty?” Tiger sat down on the couch across from Jo.

 

"No need, this is my job."

 

"I understand." I nodded to show I understood. After that incident, I thought about it for a moment. "If I had forbidden you that day, what would have happened?"

 

"I'll come home, and my father will scold me for disobeying his orders.

 

"Then he'll send someone else to gouge out his eyes, too," Tiger explained. I nodded again. I knew that even if I told him not to, it wouldn't do any good.

 

The crime of using false evidence to deceive the mafia won't disappear just because I forbade him from harming them. At the time, I didn't stop him for that reason. Because it was pointless. My opinion didn't matter. Besides, as Tiger said, even if he hadn't done it, they would surely have sent someone else to handle it.

 

"But honestly, even if you forbade me, I would still do it."

 

"Why?"

 

"I can't go against my father's orders."

 

“Ger, you’re a really good boy,” Jo teased.

 

“Usually,” Tiger replied nonchalantly, before getting up from the couch and preparing to leave.

 

"Hey, Jo," he turned to look at Jo as if he had just remembered something.

 

"What is it?"

 

"I heard someone took care of North. You should have told me sooner. The wound on North's face was his doing, right?"

 

"Hmmm."

 

"Bastards." Tiger immediately became angry. "North's harassment affected a lot of people. They should have thought before they acted." Tiger cursed in annoyance before leaving the room. We are now in a private room in a bar near the faculty.

 

"What did you mean just now?"

 

"Maybe because North is friends with a boy named Duen Nao."

 

"Duen Nao?" I raised an eyebrow and repeated the name, as if I'd heard it before.

 

"The person that bastard has been secretly lusting after for years, but that's all I know."

 

Jo shrugged slightly, not caring much. Knowing only that, I didn't think to ask anything else. I looked at the envelope of documents in my hand and opened it. The fake evidence Uncle Rit had provided wasn't a joke. Whether it was a car or a piece of land, if the documents were fake, as Tiger said, it was no wonder they were angry. It wasn't just about humiliating them; it was also about defrauding them of money.

 

"For example, if you have a car, you can use it as collateral to get a loan of one million baht. But Uncle Rit used a basic principle: he lied and said he had four cars when in fact he only had one, so he got four million. The million was reasonable because he had a car, but the other three million was like free money, even though there were no assets to back them. And what happens when they seize the assets because there's no money to pay the debt? There's no car to seize, so the three million can simply disappear."

 

"Let's see," Jo said. I handed him the document. He glanced at it and put it back.

 

"No wonder. The boy's father really hates fraud."

"Do you consider him a mafioso?" I asked.

 

"Ten or twenty million is no small feat. Only the mafia would dare let that slip away," Jo said. "I forgot to think about it at the time."

 

"That?"

 

"Even if you prohibit it, it will do no good. Evil will not disappear just because you prohibit it."

 

"Hmm, I know," I replied with a sigh. What Jo had said was no different from what I'd previously thought.

 

"If they forbid him and the child doesn't do it, what will he say to his father when he gets home? Oh, he didn't follow orders because one of his friends asked him to? That's ridiculous and not good, because it will only make the problem worse, considering his father will definitely not be happy."

 

"Forget it. I understand. But then why are you asking me?"

 

"I'm just testing you."

 

"WHAT?"

 

"I wanted to know what you would do. I just got here. I wanted to see how you would handle that situation.

 

"So, what do you think?"

 

"I think he likes you. If you work with him again later, it might be easier."

 

"Oh, okay. But I won't do it again."

 

"Why?" Jo frowned and looked at me.

 

"I don't really like this kind of work. Maybe I'll sell you the stock," I said thoughtfully. It was my first time running a business or trading stocks. Of course, Jo was always there to give me advice. But after trying it, I realised I didn't really enjoy it.

"Don't you like it? But you did well. You made a lot of profits in just a few months."

"Hmm. Well, do you want the shares? Become president in my place."

 

"Don't worry," Jo said. "I'm too busy. Ask Hill. What do you think?"

 

Hill, who had previously seemed indifferent, finally raised his pale face to look at us.

 

"What?"

Fah wants to sell shares in the company. Are you interested in becoming president?

 

"Which company?"

 

“Property,” I replied.

 

"Ah," Hill was silent for a moment, his usual casual air. In fact, Hill's father and Jo's father knew each other because they had worked together. Hill's family owned a large company, and Hill would inherit it. He didn't want to study medicine. He felt his grandfather was forcing him to do so. His grandfather dreamed he couldn't achieve his dream, so he passed it on to Hill.

 

"It sounds interesting. Let me analyse it first."

 

At that time, it was just the three of us in the room. I sighed, thinking of Thit, who was currently in California. I can't explain how worried I was. On New Year's Eve, we had agreed not to contact Thit until he contacted us first, but it was already the tenth day, and he still hadn't contacted us. Those signs made me even more anxious. During that time, I kept busy with work and attended conferences.

 

"Oh, yes, here it is," Jo said, taking a document out of her purse and handing it to me. I took it immediately. "Ms Phoon, the one you asked me to investigate."

 

After the incident with Uncle Rit, I asked Jo to help me find information about Phoon's birth mother.

 

“Ah, thank you,” I said gratefully, my eyes remaining focused on the details of the document.

 

Name: Nakamura Yuri (Name of young woman: Yoshida)

Maiden name?

Does this mean that Phoon's mother remarried?

 

"Wow, Phoon, you're Japanese."

 

"Is our cat a mixed breed?"

 

"Not really, her mother is of mixed heritage," North said, looking at my mother's identification document with interest. A few days ago, Phi Fah returned to the room with a slightly worried expression. He seemed hesitant for a long time before finally handing me my mother's identification. The first time I saw my mother's photo, I cried. All these feelings suddenly overwhelmed me to the point that I wasn't even sure what I was feeling anymore. But one thing was certain: it wasn't a negative feeling.

 

The document contained a photo, her name, surname (both maiden and married), year of birth, and various anecdotes about my mother's life, such as the schools she attended and the awards she received. It stated that, after my mother graduated from high school, my grandmother had died. My mother was eighteen and had gone to live in Thailand. Just two years later, she returned to Japan to start a new life. She worked in various jobs until she remarried and had a son.

 

"The information is very detailed," Ter said. "We're currently in Daotok's room because it's a holiday, and we agreed to meet here because Ter said Daotok disappeared during New Year's Eve and couldn't be contacted. Last time, he said he'd count down to the New Year alone with a mountain of work. After New Year's Eve, he went to see him because he feared Daotok was too absorbed in his work.

But it wasn't what he thought. Dao seemed brighter than the last time we'd met.

 

"Seven, Dao."

 

"What is it?"

 

"You look brighter," I said. Daotok, who had been interested in the documents North had, turned to me and smiled.

 

"I went to practice Dhamma."

 

"Really?" North frowned and turned to the person sitting next to him. At that moment, all three were interested in reading the document containing information about my mother, which was lying on the floor.

 

"WHAT?"

 

"During New Year's Eve?" Ter asked.

"YES."

 

"Do you like Dhamma? I just heard about it this time," North said.

 

"No," Daotok replied, shaking his head slightly. "I don't like it. But at the end of last year, I worked so hard that... what's it called? I felt like a mess. I couldn't concentrate on anything. Everything felt like a mess. It made it difficult for me to focus on my work. So I started practising Dhamma."

 

"And did that help you?" I asked.

 

"It helps me a lot. At least I can rest and have the energy to get back to work."

 

"Damn. No matter how hard I try, I never think about practising Dhamma," North said before looking back at the papers in his hand. "Hmm, you came to Thailand when you were eighteen? Why?"

 

"Because your grandmother is Thai," Daotok said. "According to this, your grandfather was Japanese, but he died when your mother was young."

 

"Oh, so it's like going back to your mother's hometown, because your father died when you were little and you had nowhere to go," North said. "But wait, Phoon, how old are you now?"

 

"Winds."

 

"So your mother is now thirty-nine."

 

"Yes, my mother had me at nineteen," I said. After arriving in Thailand at eighteen, she met my father and had me. It's hard to explain, but nineteen isn't exactly the right age to have a child. "I'm afraid I'm not the son she's ready for."

 

"Why do you care? Stop thinking about this nonsense."

 

"Why are you so rude to me again?"

 

"Whether you're ready or not, he loves you. If he didn't, he would have aborted you. He still sends you gifts every year, and your name and his have similar meanings, right?" I couldn't help but laugh at North's anger. He wasn't looking at me as he spoke.

 

"It is true?"

 

"Yuri means water lily and Ren means lotus."

 

"Oh," I nodded. I hadn't even thought about it. Ren was the name on the gift box I'd received. We were now ninety per cent sure my mother had sent it to me. And Ren was the name my mother had given me before they called me Fun.

 

"Ren-kun", scherzò North.

 

“That’s ridiculous,” I replied.

 

"By the way, your mother was very good in school."

 

"North, are you still on the front page?" I asked because my mother's transcript was on the front page. They'd been looking at it for a while, but hadn't made a move.

 

“Yes, North, why do you check every detail? There are so many pages,” Ter added.

 

"Well, this is a story about my friend's mom. I'm curious," North said.

 

"He's also class president. That's not unusual."

 

"Ah," I sighed, for some reason. I looked around Daotok's room. It wasn't the first time I'd been there, but each time I was amazed by the beauty of the decor. All the posters were drawn by Daotok. There was a lot of material related to his work: a large drawing table, with paints neatly arranged on shelves.

 

"So what do you do when you go to meditate?" I asked. "Do you go to the temple?"

 

"For three days. Nothing special, just observing the eight precepts and praying."

 

"YES."

 

Next time, you should invite North.

 

"What? Do you really think so?" North asked, annoyed. "Hey, Phoon, are you okay with your mom having a new family?"

 

"Yes, I'm happy she's starting a new life. Now she has someone who can take care of her. And look at the next page. The little girl is so cute."

"You're very noble," North said, turning the page. "Who is this boy by the ketchup bottle?"

 

"That's my little sister, Daiki. She's eight years old. She looks like the girl on the soy sauce bottle. I don't know what my mother feeds her, but she's really fat."

 

“The North isn’t much, but Phoon, don’t mess with your sister,” Ter said.

 

"I'm not kidding. She's really cute. I want to pinch her cheeks until they crack. She's so adorable!"

 

"Yeah, really fat. Are you tongue-tied? You're crazy about your sister," North said.

 

"Do you think everything will be okay? Will he accept me as his brother?"

I'll have another sister."

 

“Phoon, calm down,” Ter said, trying to calm me down.

 

“Your sister seems a little naughty, actually,” North added.

 

"What? You want to fight?"

 

"Look, she's smiling at the camera. Is that a student ID photo? Is smiling allowed in student ID photos in Japan? Even if it were allowed, she shouldn't be smiling so slyly."

 

"She just smiled," I said, frowning. I couldn't call her my sister yet, because I still didn't know if she'd accept me. It took me a while to go through all the documents on my mother. North handed them back to me.

 

"In the end, your mother seems to be doing well. Her husband works as an employee, and she is a housewife. They have a son. A normal, but peaceful family."

 

"That's why I was hesitant to go see her," I said. "When Phi Fah gave me this information, I was afraid she wouldn't be okay with my mother's second marriage. But honestly, my mother's marriage means she's starting a new life, right?

 

"Yes," North nodded.

 

"I shouldn't interfere, right? If I stepped in and caused his family to fight, it wouldn't be fair," I continued.

 

"Yes, that's true. If her husband is upset, it could be a problem. We didn't think about it when we first suggested you visit her," North said, and the room fell silent for a moment.

 

"You should go anyway," Daotok said. "He must miss you. Otherwise, why would he keep sending you gifts?"

 

"Contact her first," Ter suggested. "Contact your mother secretly, without her family knowing. If she truly loves you and misses you, at least let her know you're okay."

 

“Yes,” I nodded slowly.

 

"But be careful. If you cause problems in her family, you'll feel guilty forever, Phoon," North added. I nodded again. If problems arose just because I wanted to see my mother, that would be a bad thing. I didn't want to hurt my mother's new family.

 

"Contact her secretly first; it shouldn't be a problem. If my mother doesn't want to see me, I'll agree. I also need to make sure her new family doesn't find out."

 

"Maybe your mother has already told her family that she has a son."

North said, "That would be great. Daiki could really be your little sister."

 

"Yes, that would be great."

 

"It's nice to finally know who your mother is," Daotok said, smiling at me. "It's a New Year's gift."

 

Yes, it's a fantastic gift.

 

"Ehi," disse Daotok.

 

"What's wrong?" I asked.

 

"Tell me about your father. I think we missed that part," Daotok said.

 

"Can you tell me about it?"

 

"Sure, I can tell you," I replied. I knew Daotok wouldn't tell anyone. I started from the beginning, from when North had hit my father after hitting him first. Then I told him what had happened in the warehouse, just as Phi Fah had told me. At first, I was shocked to discover that Phi Fah was a shareholder in the company, that my father had stolen three million, and that he had used forged documents to deceive the gangsters.

 

In fact, I can't stop thinking about it. I recently asked Phi Fah about my father's condition. Phi Fah should ask other people, perhaps the gangsters. They told me my father is doing much better. All I can do is ask about his condition and hope he gets better soon and starts a new, better life.

 

At least, what I know is that, in addition to being unfaithful and having had many other women, he had three wives and three children. My mother, whom he chose to leave, and because he was unfaithful to Fan's mother, he also separated. Aunt Prae left him because he cheated on her. At least three women loved him, but he never cared for them. He even hurt them.

 

"If possible, I hope he doesn't cheat anyone again. Let him work and pay off his debt, so he won't be in any danger. Having a thirty-million debt to gangsters is not a good thing. It's unsafe, everyone knows that. If it's just a debt I can pay off, that's fine. But cheating them is the worst thing. When Phi Fah told me my father used fake documents to cheat gangsters and get a loan, I was terrified. I was afraid they'd kill him, but they didn't go that far. They just made him lose sight in one eye. It seems cruel, but that's how gangsters run their world. A dangerous and evil world that ordinary people like us shouldn't be involved in.

 

Given what he did, it's only natural that he's in this situation. I can't say I don't feel anything; I feel sorry for him. I'd like to be angry with those who did this to my father, but as I said, it's their job and their responsibility. If only my father hadn't deceived them from the beginning, none of this would have happened. They're in their world, and we're the ones who...

 

North said he was like a wild animal. He was in his place, and we got close to him. When he hurt us, it wasn't his fault. I'm not angry or resentful about how it ended. I'm just sorry and worried, but I can't see it. If I did, he might kick me out of the house. I'd like to send him flowers, but he might think my intentions aren't good, because my father never looked kindly at me.

 

I just hope he chooses the right path. That's all I can do. I always pray for him to have a peaceful life, and I will continue to do so, because that's the only thing I can give him as a son, even if I've never received a shred of his affection.

 

"The only thing your partner did was buy shares, right? And he didn't even withdraw them," Dao asked, to which I nodded. "So that shows he's pretty good. Actually. Well, your father's not all that trustworthy, is he? I've heard that if there's a risk of loss, most people withdraw their shares early."

 

"You know a lot, huh?" North commented.

 

"My father works in a company. In reality, everything he achieved was the result of his actions."

 

"Yes, that's true. At first, I thought Fah would withdraw his shares," North said.

 

"Are you angry with Tonfah?" Dao asked.

 

"No, why?" I replied.

 

"I'm happy. If you were angry, he'd be very sad. He did all this to protect you. In just a few months, he managed to buy a lot of stock. It can't have been easy. And what they did to him had nothing to do with your partner. How could he dare deceive someone so fearsome? They're gangsters, and so is North's partner."

 

"Huh?" North raised an eyebrow. "Yes, that's true, but how can I say it? Phi Jo is a tough guy. Even I'm scared when he gets angry."

 

"Phi Hill is the same; he won't stop anyone if someone hurts his family," Ter said. "Besides hitting Phoon, he also tried to send someone to teach him a lesson. It's very cruel to send someone to hurt his son; he's truly ruthless."

 

"I know, that's why I never said anything. If someone hurt my partner, I'd be angry too."

 

"Have you ever been afraid of Phi Jo and the others?" Dao asked. He was addressing the question to everyone. Oddly enough, we all shook our heads at the same time. "Why?"

 

"It's... I'm not sure; it's hard to explain. I just feel safe. No place in the world makes me feel safer than here. They make me feel like I'll never be hurt, no matter what."

 

My words made Dao smile widely.

 

"I understand. I was just asking," Dao said. "I felt it every time everyone talked about their partners. There was a warmth around them. I haven't met them all, so I can't fully sense it. I only saw Phi Hill with Ter. In that moment, my heart filled with warmth."

 

“Do you feel it that deep?” North asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

"Oh, I never told you?"

 

"Tell me what?" I frowned and looked at Ter, who also seemed interested. Dao looked uncomfortable, as if he'd said something he shouldn't have.

 

"Ah, I'm going to get some clothes."

 

“Dao, you can’t change the subject like that,” I said.

 

"Ah."

 

“How are you feeling?” Ter asked again, and Dao looked even more nervous.

 

"I'm just saying everyone should be able to feel it, right? Through their eyes, things like that."

 

"It's not enough to hear it," Ter said, crossing his arms. "You look suspicious. At first, I thought you could see ghosts."

 

"I don't see them often."

 

"Really?" North asked in surprise, before turning away from Dao. Ter and I were surprised too. "Did you really see a ghost?"

 

“Yes, now I see one,” Dao said, looking at North, who promptly patted him on the head.

 

"I'm not a ghost."

 

"You deserve it. Don't joke around with stuff like that."

 

"North, you don't have to be afraid of me."

 

"Even if you see a ghost, I don't want to play with you." After hitting Dao, North quickly left. Dao frowned.

 

"I'll make Mary scare you tonight."

 

"Who's Mary? No, please don't do anything to me," North said, grabbing my arm. As I said, North had a terrible fear of ghosts, so much so that you could tell he was a coward. Other than that, he wasn't afraid of anything.

 

"So, what happened?" Ter asked, returning to the topic. I wasn't afraid of ghosts, and Ter had the usual fears.

 

"It's not a secret, I just don't know how to say it."

 

"Oh, I see," I nodded, listening intently. I let North continue to hold my arm, even though his hand was sweaty.

 

"I don't see them clearly, only sometimes, when they want me to see them. And how can I put it? We're connected. Most of the time, it's more like 'hearing' than 'seeing'!"

 

"Do you hear ghosts?" asked Ter.

 

"No, no. I feel emotions. For example, when I met Phoon, I felt his sadness. A sadness so deep it almost made me cry."

 

"OH."

 

"And I also miss having someone next to him."

 

"Fan?"

 

"Yes, perhaps. I didn't see his face, I just felt it. There was a similar warmth, a nostalgia, a concern and sadness."

 

"Really?" At those words, I pursed my lips. "And now?"

 

"Now it's gone."

 

"Ah." I breathed a sigh of relief. Fan was truly gone; she didn't have to worry about me anymore. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

 

"I have a feeling he doesn't want me to say it."

 

"OH."

"But now I only feel happiness when I'm with you."

 

"Are you making this up?" North frowned. "I need proof, or I won't believe it."

 

"Better not to believe it," Dao said with a smile. "But when it comes to horoscopes, you have to believe anything."

 

"Oh, right. No wonder Dao has a sixth sense. When your fortune was told, you believed it blindly, right?" Ter said, looking at North. North relented, letting go of my arm and immediately frowning.

 

"Because you're absolutely right," North said irritably. "Okay, I believe you. But is there a ghost here?"

 

"I don't believe it."

 

"Oh, good. Looks like you have a ghost scanner. If you have time, take a look around my house. I'm afraid there's something in my room."

 

"But my sixth sense is very weak."

 

"Oh, better be careful first."

 

"It's probably safe. Remember when you gave me Phi Johan's birth date? I said his fortune and yours complement each other," Dao said. North nodded without answering. So he'd read Phi Johan's fortune, too? "From that alone, you should feel safe. Besides, ghosts aren't that dangerous."

 

"Oh, yes. Exactly. Did you do it too?"

 

"Yes, Dao also did the review and the luck between Phi Hill and me complemented each other."

 

"Do you want me to tell your fortune, Meow?"

 

"What? Oh no. I was afraid you'd seen something and made me think too much."

 

"Oh, okay." Dao nodded and didn't ask any further questions. Honestly, I wasn't surprised by what Dao said, because that's just how he was. Even if he could shoot lasers, it wouldn't surprise me.

 

When I asked Dao about Fan, he told me that when I decided to tell everyone everything, and they comforted me so I wouldn't cry, Fan was there too, crying and hugging me. Dao said he didn't always see Fan when he saw me, because sometimes she wasn't there. He wasn't sure where she'd gone, but she'd probably visited her parents. And the reason Fan didn't want Dao to tell me about her, according to Dao, was that he didn't want me to think only of her. If I'd known Fan was still by my side at that moment, I couldn't have done anything.

 

"Oh, Dao."

 

"YES?"

 

"Remember when we went out to eat, and video chatted? You asked me who the woman behind Phi Arthit was?" I asked, suddenly remembering. When Dao said that, we debated for a long time whether he was joking or serious. But now it might be true.

 

"When?"

 

"Oh, when we were at dinner, during the video call, you said you saw a woman behind the person sitting in front of me."

 

"It's not possible."

 

"Damn, you're thinking too much, man."

 

"Hey, I was just kidding."

 

"Why?"

 

"If I had actually seen it, I wouldn't tell anyone. I'm afraid everyone would be scared."

 

"Hm, I'm not scared at all, idiot." North took a deep breath.

 

"Uuuuuy, I won't talk to you for a week."

 

"Don't you want to?" Daotok asked softly, as if he were about to cry.

“Hey! I was just kidding,” North said.

 

"Hey, North! Why did you make Daotok cry? You bastard! That was so cruel!" Ter scolded North, who seemed at a loss for words. "Sorry, I was just kidding."

 

"Damn! You scared me so much!" North hit Daotok's head again in frustration. At first, Daotok looked like he was about to cry, but then North's expression instantly changed. Look, North couldn't stand the sight of tears.

 

"There's no need to be offensive."

 

"I was surprised too. Making you cry made me look stupid. Even today, I look stupid. Isn't that enough?" North tugged hard on Dao's cheeks until they hardened. Dao, whose cheeks were tight, frowned and looked annoyed.

 

"Ugh, it hurts."

 

"Sick? Good. But speaking of ghosts, be careful if you try to make fun of me."

 

"Ouch, uh, ouch, that hurts, that hurts," Dao shouted for help as he tried to push North's hand back, but no matter what he tried, he couldn't overcome North's strength. Ter and I laughed at the sight. As I laughed at Dao trying to push back North's cheeks, I thought about how wonderful it would be to be together like this. It was so nice to have everyone here. After playing for a long time in Dao's room, it was time to go home. North left first. After him, Ter left too. I was the only one left. Phi Fah sent a LINE message saying he'd be there in five minutes.

 

"You didn't forget anything, did you?" asked Dao.

 

"I don't think so. I brought almost nothing."

 

If you can contact your mother, please let me know.

 

"All right."

 

Not long after, Phi Fah sent another message, saying he was waiting for him downstairs.

 

"No need, thanks."

 

"Don't worry," Dao said as he walked me to the ground floor of the building. When Ter and North left, Dao accompanied them. Honestly, Dao is a charming person. He always cares deeply about us. I approached Phi Fah, who was leaning against the car. He smiled kindly when he saw me.

 

"Hello," she said softly to Dao. Dao returned the greeting with a smile.

 

"Alone."

 

"Hi," I said as I got into the car, waving to Dao, who waved back. Shortly after the car started moving, my phone rang with a notification. Had he forgotten something? We'd simply parted ways.

 

SS: I don't need to read your fortune or have extraordinary intuition.

Typhoon: What do you mean?

SS: I know just by the way you look at each other.

SS: There is true love between you and Phi Tonfah.