Chapter Text
"Dad,"
"Yes, Jo. Do you need anything?"
Johan hesitates to ask his father at first, but he eventually gives up and takes a deep breath.
"Is North’s case still on?"
Johan hears his father’s fingers stop typing on the other end of the line. He swallows the lump in his throat as he waits for an answer.
"In the police’s hands, yes. In my hands, no. Why are you asking this, Johan?" Jettena asks curiously, leaning back in his chair.
"Because I still want to know who that bastard is. He’s the reason I lost the person I loved," Johan says seriously. Jettena feels a quiet sense of pride at his stepson’s determination.
"I’m in the same position as you, Johan. But we only know that bastard’s name starts with Decha, and there are quite a lot of Dechas in Thailand,"
"I know that, but can’t you search deeper, Dad? I mean, does this Decha guy have any connections to influential people? Does he have a family or anything particular that could lead us somewhere?" Johan asks. Jettena pauses, thinking. He realizes he never considered looking into the man’s family before.
"Jo, you just gave me an idea,"
"What's the idea?" Johan raises an eyebrow, waiting patiently.
"I will work on the Decha guy's family maybe we will have a change. If this Decha guy is married it will be easier ‘cause we can interview his wife or his children,"
"Is it really necessary to question his family, Dad? What if they report it to the authorities?"
"It’s worth a try, Jo. Don’t you want to throw that bastard in jail for what he did to North?" Jettena smirks when he hears Johan growl softly.
"Oh hell, I do, Dad! Thanks for doing this for me," Johan smiles, knowing his stepfather truly loves him like his own son.
"No problem, Johan."
With that, Johan ends his phone call with his step-father with a small smile.
"Dao, wake up, baby,"
Daotok whines and rolls to the other side of the bed, hugging a large pillow tightly.
"Five more minutes and I will get up," he mumbles into the pillow and Tonfah chuckles softly. "You won’t, Dao. I know you too well,"
"Please, Ter… I wanna sleep," Daotok whines again, deliberately using the word Ter in the cutest voice he can manage, knowing it melts Tonfah’s heart. "Up, up, Khun Nu or your favourite pancakes will get cold," Tonfah teases as he heads toward the door. Before he can even reach it, Daotok suddenly shoots up from the bed and runs past him. Tonfah laughs quietly, knowing how obsessed the younger boy is with his pancakes.
"Oh my god! I haven't tasted these lovelies since you left!" Daotok squeals, clapping his hands as he admires the breakfast prepared for them.
"Since the owner of the recipe is back, the lovelies are born yet again," Tonfah says with a smile.
Without hesitation, Daotok leans forward and plants a quick kiss on Tonfah’s cheek.
"Ao? Just the cheek?" Tonfah pouts, his face turning red and Daotok giggles.
"Let's eat, I wanna put it in my tummy," he says happily, ignoring Tonfah’s cute pout as he sits down. Tonfah takes the seat across from him. Tonfah watches as Daotok eagerly picks up his fork. His eyes curve into a smile when he sees the fluffy pancakes, and his pink lips curl into a sweet grin.
"So, how is it?" Tonfah asks.
Daotok stuffs almost half a pancake into his mouth. He moans, the soft sound makes Tonfah stiffen slightly as he feels his body react before he quickly looks away, coughing slightly to calm himself down. "Delicious as always!" Daotok beams brightly. "I'm glad." Tonfah chuckles, finally digging into his own breakfast while watching Daotok happily talk to himself between bites of pancakes.
The bell of the florist shop echoes through the store.
North, busy arranging a bouquet, greets the newcomer with his usual routine.
"Welcome Tender Love Florist Shop, Khun. Can I help you with anything?" he says politely, smiling at the tall man in an expensive suit who looks obviously wealthy.
"So, this is what you look like now… after thirteen years of disappearing, Little North," Decha smirks faintly and slowly scans North from head to toe. "Excuse me, Khun?" North asks again, slightly uncomfortable under the man’s strange gaze.
The man doesn’t respond immediately. Instead, he keeps staring at North as if inspecting him.
"Oh yeah, I—"
Before Decha can say anything the bells of the shop echoed again and North smiles at the person who had his usual sweet smile on.
"Hey, North!" Johan walks in with his usual warm smile, casually slipping behind the counter. Without hesitation, he leans forward and plants a quick kiss on North’s heart-shaped lips.
North freezes. He blinks his large doe eyes, stunned that Johan just kissed him in front of a customer.
Johan notices the cute shocked expression and chuckles.
"Why do you look so surprised, North? Does my breath smell?" he asks, cupping his hand over his mouth and breathing into it. He pouts when he realizes his breath smells minty fresh.
"You literally kissed me in front of—"
"A customer," Decha finishes smoothly.
Both of them turn toward him. Decha stands there with his arms crossed, wearing an amused smirk.
"Well? Any apologies? You two just wasted my time, and I have a meeting in twenty minutes,"
North quickly wai in apology to Decha. He discreetly kicks Johan’s shin, forcing him to bow his head slightly as well. "I'm so sorry, it won't happened again," North apologies and Johan nods. Decha smirks again before shifting his gaze toward Johan. "Say kid, what's your name?" Decha asks casually making Johan frowns slightly at the sudden question and glances at North who also frowns at Decha’s sudden question.
"Johan Ratchata, Khun. Why do you ask?" Johan says a frown forming on his forehead at Decha’s smile widens just a little. Just like how I wanted after I lose both of you troublemakers. "Oh, nothing since this shop can't handle customers well, I will just head off," Decha says and left Johan and North who are itching to know who he is.
"Why do I have a feeling that I know I that guy?" Johan murmurs to himself, he walks toward the front window and hides slightly behind a display of flowers so he can watch Decha outside.
North tilts his head, feeling curious at Johan who was hiding behind the flower decorations. "Does P’Johan know that guy?" he mutters to himself.
Outside, Decha stands near his expensive car while checking his phone.
Johan studies his face carefully. He looks at Decha who had his creepy smile on. "If he smiles his right eye will crinkle and his teeth will be fully shown," Johan whispers.
He freezes.
A memory suddenly crashes back into his mind.
"Little troublemakers should be punish because they cause a lot of shitty troubles," Decha smiled making his right eye crinkle at the young version of Johan and North who whimpered in fear.
"P-Please, Khun… I don't want to be punish," North sobbed and Decha smile even more making Johan creep out by his fully teeth smile. "Sorry, Little North. We have to do it. Otherwise, you’ll grow up to be a bad boy," Decha glared at the youngsters and get on the same level as North and caressed North’s hair until his red puffy cheeks. "Just like the mother so innocent at first but a fucking whore who is desperate for money once she gets bored over you!" Decha growled and shoved North aside making North’s cheeks sting in pain from the tight grip.
"North!" Johan cried.
"Shut up!"
Johan flinched at Decha’s shout. "Please, Khun… don't hurt North but hurt me instead," Johan pleaded and got on his knees while rubbing his hands together. Decha smirked at Johan’s current position, he then walked closer to him making Johan looked up to him with his sore red eyes.
"You love him that much, Johan?"
Johan nodded desperately at Decha’s question making Decha smiled again creepily.
"Good for you ‘cause you two will rest in peace once I kill you both. And good for North too because he can meet his slut mother in heaven," Decha said it casually and cracked his knuckles earning whimpers in fear by both of Johan and North.
"What did Aunt Myra ever do to you, Khun?" John asked again and Decha growled under his breath.
"None of your business, Johan Amatayakul! I should kill your father too after I'm done with your head!" Decha snapped. "I'm not an Amatayakul!" Johan shouted back making Decha looks at him with anger. "You're a Amatayakul! Jettena fucking Amatayakul’s son! The Jettena Amatayakul who is a heartless person towards poor people!"
"I'm not an Amatayakul! Don't call me that!" Johan growled in anger because he doesn't like his step-father that time, he just wants his real father not a step-father. "Shut up! Before I shoot you on the spot!" Decha shouted back to Johan and let out his gun making North’s red puffy eyes widen and also for Johan.
"Stop talking or I will really shoot you, Johan Amatayakul or worse I will shoot North Hatsanat, got it?!" Decha said it one by one and Johan starts to sniffles and immediately nods, trembling.
"Good."
"P’Jo? P’Johan!"
North suddenly shouts into Johan’s ear.
Johan yelps loudly. "Shit! You scared me, North," he says, patting his chest. North crosses his arms. "Why are you looking at him? And he is literally not there anymore," North says and Johan blinks his eyes and faces back to where Decha stood before. "Where did he go?" Johan asks and looks at his left then to his right but sadly Decha is not there.
"He speeds off with his fancy car like five minutes ago," North says with a shrug. I need to tell dad about this. Johan clenches his jaw. Suddenly he grabs North’s shoulders, making the younger boy squeak in surprise.
"P’Jo, you're acting weird after that guy left the shop," North says worriedly making Johan sighs because he is worried as hell for both of them especially for his North cause he doesn't want to lose him again.
"North, listen,"
"Okay,"
"If that guy ever comes back here… please stay away from him, got it?" Johan asks while looking at North’s confused huge doe eyes. "Does he happen to be one of the reasons I lost my memory, P’Jo?" North asks and Johan freezes at the question.
"It's… um…"
"Just say it, P’Johan. Is he or not?" North looks at him seriously. Johan swallows hard before slowly nodding. North exhales. "I knew that guy was suspicious the moment he walked in. I need to tell my father about this,"
Johan raises an eyebrow since he didn't know what North was talking about.
"Tell your dad? Why?" Johan asks.
"Pa was investigating the man who hurt me years ago, but something happened and the case stopped while it was still in the police’s hands," North explains it and Johan nods slowly since he understands now why his father said the same thing to him before.
In the police’s hands, yes. In my hands, no.
"Is something wrong, P’Jo?" North asks. Johan looks at him, then smiles slightly. "Let's make our dads in one team."
North’s eyes brighten.
"P’Fah, where are we going?" Daotok asks cutely, clinging to Tonfah’s arm as they walk down the street together.
Tonfah easily gets bored at home, so he asks Daotok to go out with him since he has nothing better to do. He knows the younger boy would want to spend time with him too, especially after being apart for five years.
“Well, we’re already out on the streets,” Tonfah says with a small smile. “Where do you want to go?”
Daotok purses his lips while thinking about where their little outing should lead.
“How about Watsons? My skincare is still at home, and I’m too lazy to go back and get it. Can we buy some, P’Fah? I promise I won’t buy a lot,” Daotok asks, flashing his charming smile. Tonfah immediately melts. “Sure. Anything for my Khun Nu. Heck, if you want the whole shop, I’ll just buy it for you.”
Daotok giggles at his cheesy words. “No need for that. I’ll just buy what I need, P’Fah.”
Tonfah nods, and the two of them head toward the store.
Once they arrive, they walk inside. Almost instantly, Daotok lets go of Tonfah’s arm and rushes toward the cosmetics section. Daotok becomes so focused on examining the products that he doesn’t notice someone approaching. He accidentally bumps his shoulder into another person.
“Oh, I’m sorry—”
He looks up to apologize, but the words die in his throat when he recognizes the face in front of him.
“P’Arthit?”