Work Text:
Rome was fuming. Weeks... it's been weeks since Kian's wedding... weeks since his brother was allowed to love and to display that love... weeks since Rome was once again turned down by Mok. He had waited for so long... 12 long years... and in he end, he was still empty handed. Rome was disappointed : these last weeks, he had thought that he would finally be allowed to have his love story. Mok seemed to be less stiff, less strict, less stuck-up the ass. Mok had been raised for duty and for protection only... and he wasn't going to let such a silly thing as "feelings" get in the way of this family's legacy. And yet, when Kian found love, Rome noticed Mok becoming softer... eyes lingering on him more often... heart beating a little faster when he was close... smiles exchanged at the dinner table. But in the end, nothing had changed. After he was dismissed, Mok decided to stay with the Lees nevertheless : he just went from being Kian's assistant to being Peach's protector and confident. When Peach said he should take a vacation or find something else to do, Mok responded negatively... saying that this place was good enough for someone like him. He didn't even have to worry about money : Kian had been very generous with his termination bonus and with that sum, Mok was settled for quite some time. In the end, Mok's sense of duty for the Lee family won over his personal feelings and aspirations. Rome was thinking that perhaps it had been a mistake to come on so strong at the wedding : he saw an opportunity... right after Kian fired Mok... and he listened to Peach's sister and took it... just to be denied once again. He tried the subtle approach the night after the wedding... making sure Mok knew that he would have a visitor during the night... just to find the door double-locked. Nothing had changed... only Kian was allowed to have a shot at being normal... at being happy. And suddenly, Rome bursted from the inside... mentally pouring his bile against every single one of them. Mok was still ignoring him... his brother was happy and barely realizing what was happening... his parents were disgustingly flirting and not paying attention to him... and at that moment, Rome couldn't take it anymore. He left Bangkok... he went back to Hong Kong... he resumed his good little mafia soldier life... until an unexpected yet very promising turn of event. Rome was visiting an underground factory... the kind that was making and smuggling high quality alcohol all over Asia. After the visit, the boss welcomed Rome in the testing room... where both leaders ended up drinking vast amount of fine alcohol, quickly becoming friendly and chatty.
"Xiansheng Hong... your phone is vibrating... it's annoying."
"I'm sorry, Khun Lee. I promised my wife I'd be home for dinner and, once again, I'm breaking my promise : she is not happy."
"Do not ruin your marriage for my sake! Love is precious and the people who have it should cherish it... even if they are powerful underwold leaders."
"That's exactly what I told my father when he expected me to marry a Taiwanese heiress for convenience. You know... to make connections and to strengthen the Hong family."
"Seems familiar."
"In the end, I told my father to go to hell and I married my love match."
"Good for you. I wish I could do that... but it turns out I can't. Pity."
"Your father also wants you to marry for convenience?"
"Even worse : not marry at all. No romance, no love connections, no personal interactions to anyone."
"How sad! I trust your father was forced to a marriage of convenience for the legacy?"
"Yeah right! He married for love! And all these years later, he's still sickeningly in love! And yet, he set those rules... because he thinks love makes people weak... and weak is not something Lee men are supposed to be."
"That's one way to see things... but I disagree. I believe love makes us better people. We are already considered as monsters so, if we had no one to love, we'd become real monsters fast. I think having Mei-Hui by my side makes me feel better about myself : somehow, it feels worthier of doing that kind of business."
"Can you please call my father and tell him that?"
"That bad, huh?"
"I... I think I reached the point of no return, Xiansheng Hong."
"Which means you already have someone in your heart : you wouldn't be longing for something you don't know otherwise. Feel like pouring your heart out? Sometimes, it helps."
"That alcohol helps too. Finest grade, Xiansheng Hong."
"Tell you what... since we are now on friendly terms and that we became drinking buddies, how about we drop the honorifics?"
"I like that... your given name is Tao, right?"
"Yes. And yours is Kritdanai... which is a little hard for me to pronounce, so if you don't mind, I'll call you Rome. They say Thai people use their nicknames only with friends and family but surely you'll make an exception for me."
"Yeah... I hate that name anyway... Kritdanai... that's how he always calls me... ever since my father put that huge barrier in front of us. Bodyguard of the Lee family/Heir of the Lee family. It's like mixing water and oil... it doesn't work... or so Mok seems to think anyway. He's free now... my brother fired him... he let him go in order for him to find his happiness... and yet, he's still there... taking care of them. And when I try to lure him to my side, he evades me. I'm tired, Tao... tired of chasing after something that nobody is willing to let me have. And you know the most ironic thing in all this? The true heir... the older son... the one who told my father he wouldn't be a sole heir and that he would make a name for himself without the family's influence... the one who said I was someone better suited to work on that front... he has love and they recently joined their hands in holy matrimony."
"Really? Khun Thee got married?"
"Yep. And before you ask... no, it's not a marriage of convenience... it's a love match... with a totally common person."
"Hmm... so, let me get this straight : your father refused the rules enforced on him to marry his love match... your brother refused the rules enforced on him to marry his love match... but you can't refuse the rules enforced on you in order to marry your love match?"
"That about sums it up."
"This is quite unfair treatment. It's like favoritism between heirs or something. Not to mention the biggest paradox I've ever heard of! Your father marries for love and accepts for your brother to do the same... but you are denied that right because he believes it makes you weak. That's a contradiction as I know it."
"You definitely need to call my father, Tao. I told him all that but he doesn't listen to me. Maybe if he hears it from someone else's lips, he'll change his mind."
"Or maybe you need a bigger statement in order to open his eyes."
"What do you mean?"
"You know what's the worst thing that can happen in our world? Contrary to what some people think, it's not rival families or lack of power... or being in love as your father seems to believe. What we dread the most is publicity. The word "underground" is not for nothing... we don't like exposure... especially if it's to reveal little details of our professional life. Informants are a drag because they always manage to leak some of our trade secrets to the police. But even worse than the police, there's the press... because believe it or not, reporters are less easy to bribe than police officers."
"That's sort of funny... and ironic in some way."
"So... I was thinking... instead of trying to force the issue from the inside... in a family who obviously doesn't listen to you... why not make a very loud public statement? Not about official and unofficial business trades... but about the personal side of the Lee family. As long as you don't talk about the underground business, why not wash your dirty laundry in public? I can assure you that you can't get a bigger impact than that! Because more than mafia rumors, what people really like is a good love scandal."
When he went back to Bangkok, two weeks later, Rome was still hearing Tao Hong's words in his head. He had been thinking about it around the clock : public statement, declaration to the press, love rumors, scandal... and somehow, the whole idea felt like paradize to Rome. He decided to try one last time... talking to his father, his mother, his brother and finally to Mok. It didn't do any good... it didn't help... nothing had changed. And that's when Rome snapped... calling the number Tao had given him and making an appointment for the next day. When he sat in the corner office of the newspaper, facing the editor-in-chief, Rome felt more alive than he had ever been. He had bodyguards with him... obviously... but it felt more casual than any meeting he's had in the last five years. The editor-in-chief, a guy named Muenmile, was looking at him with raised eyebrows. He looked thoughtful for a while... taking notes and mumbling... and then, his mouth stretched into a wicked smile.
"This is interesting."
"I think so too."
"Something like that... it can be dangerous... for both you and me. We need clear terms."
"Name yours."
"Safety... obviously. Even if we don't mention anything concerning the unofficial aspect of your family's business, it's nevertheless a worry. I have to ensure my staff's safety : reprisal from your lot is not a joking matter."
"There will be no repercussion on any of your staff, Khun Muenmile. I will provide your newspaper with bodyguards and I will make sure all the people involved in this article are looked after even in their own private houses."
"I intend to write this myself. I'm not usually inclined to writing that sort of things... I have a team for that and I'm more of a criminal investigation reporter myself... but this is solid gold and I haven't written nearly enough lately. I just wanted to make sure they won't take one of my staff hostage to shut me up or anything like that. Not to mention my own lover, who is a well known doctor and could suffer the consequences for her career."
"That won't happen. Besides, just between you and me, I'll have you know that most of the security staff is on my side. My father made sure they consider me as the official heir so, except for the two who stick to him all the time, the others are very satisfied answering to "young master Rome". Ironic, don't you think?"
"And a huge additional weight on the paradox. What about your brother's security team?"
"P'Kian won't do anything against you. If he tries, his husband will scold him and he'll go back to being the whining poodle he is now."
"His husband... that's Peach, right?"
"You know him?"
"Of course I do. He's a photographer... a very talented one... and before going into commercial brands and fashion, he did a few shots for me. He really didn't like being a paparazzi... which is why he went to work at Arseni instead... but he got me some nice exclusives for a while."
"Peach photographing VIPs in back alleys or hotels... that's a weird thought."
"Showbiz and political scandals mainly. It obviously didn't suit him : he was really grumpy when he had to do that. But a man's got to eat so he did whatever work I would pay cash. I'm glad he's doing a job he likes now. Next step... privacy for your adopted nephew and niece, right?"
"No name... no picture : P'Kian would kill me... and probably Peach too. "
"We don't need to mention their names... just their very harsh background story to make readers emotional. They'll feel sorry for them and happy that they are now in a loving family. And once again, it will clash with the part where you are denied what your brother has. Financial contribution?"
"That goes without saying. Journalistic work takes time and money so I'm sponsoring you... effective immediately... under the guarantee that none of your reporters ever snoop around our professional business dealings."
"Very well. Now... details about you and him... details that maybe nobody knows."
"Everything uninhibited. I can even tell you things he doesn't know himself... like the self-harm because of the pain or the self-touch because of the lust."
"Really?"
"I've made up my mind, Khun Muenmile : I'm at my limit. Everything must be out in the open before I snap and do something even crazier than what I'm doing right now. If I'm going down, I'll do it in style. I want the front page, Khun... not a small editorial in page six... and I want a copy of the article prior to its release so I can assess and approve it. Other than that, you have carte blanche."
"We're in agreement then. I'm giving you this recorder so you can relate everything in the comfort of your own house... and then, you send it back to me. With that and today's notes, I'll write the best VIP love scandal people in Bangkok have ever heard of."
One week later, at the Lee's estate. It was breakfast time and it was spent in the most stuffy silence as usual. Rome was zipping his coffee absent-minded : he was thinking about the huge blow that was soon to happen in this dinning hall. He knew nothing would happen until Peach would arrive... because neither his parents or Kian read tabloids : his father was reading a paper about international politics, his mother was lost in the fashion magazines and Kian was on his phone, reading every article about Arseni his PR team could find. And suddenly, it was showtime. Peach barged into the dinner hall like a firing banshee from hell and he dropped a newspaper in front of Kian.
"Peach?" Asked Kian, looking questionably at him.
"You HAVE to read this, P'Kian! I mean... dear God!... this is HUGE! Khun Pa... Khun Mae... I've brought you copies... you need to see this too. This is unbelievable! P'Rome... what the hell were you thinking? You go to P'Muenmile with THAT? It's like throwing a baby to a shark, P'Rome! He craves for that sort of scoop and you just hand it over to him on a silver platter! You must be MAD!"
Rome smirked and shrugged. Vassili and Nat each grabbed a copy and started reading. Kian didn't touch the paper for a while : he was staring at the headline.
"The Lee Family's Paradox... or how I got an insight into the private life of one of the most influential families in Asia, by Muenmile Guntachai, editor-in-chief of Newsday Deeply."
Kian looked up, straight into the eyes of his brother, who was still smirking. And then, Kian took the paper and started reading. He should have done that years ago... that's what Rome thought as he was watching his family reading the article. Their reaction... not the fake act everybody had been putting on for years... their genuine and honest reactions was the most funny thing Rome had ever seen. How his mother's cheeks turned red and how she put her hand on her mouth... probably embarrassed by the few sexual details mentioned. How his father's face paled and how his fingers were clenching on the paper. How his brother's mask of stoicism slowly faded and how he was minutes away from pulling either his phone or his gun. But the funniest part was still to come... because when Mok barged into the room, glaring at Rome, holding the paper and throwing it to his face, Rome had to use all his self-restraint in order not to laugh.
"What the fuck did you do? Are you out of your fucking mind?"
"Woah... swearing in front of P'Kian and father? I didn't think you had it in you. I'm shocked as hell, Mok."
"You shouldn't have done that! What were you thinking?"
"Mainly, I was thinking about equality and freedom... two basic rights we have in this country and yet, two things we apparently don't have in this family."
"I can't believe you went to P'Muenmile," said Peach. "He must have been over the moon! Such a scoop falling right into his lap without having to do anything."
"Peach... that piece of trash newspaper... I'm closing it down," said Kian.
"You can't," assured Rome. "You have no means to threaten them... or to bribe them for that matter. I have detailed security in the building who is instructed to not let anyone from this family pass... whether it's you, father or any goons of yours. Those highly trained bodyguards father ordered to answer only to me are doing it very talentally. Also, I already gave Khun Muenmile a very generous contribution so he won't accept any bribe from you. And don't even think of buying the newspaper! Because, like Peach said, he's a shark and he'll fight tooth and nails to keep it. He's not like those weaklings you shower in money to impress, P'Kian."
"You play dirty," said Kian.
"I have to."
"Khun Kritdanai..." started Mok.
"Stop! I don't want to hear that name from your lips EVER again."
"Why did you do that? That's... you can't do that!"
"Well... I just did. And you know what, Mok? It's your fault. You decided nothing should change and everybody accepted your decision. Everybody but me... because I violently disagree. And, since nothing I do seems to be enough... and that nobody in my own family listens to me... I took matters into my own hands."
"By exposing us?" Asked Vassilli. "Do you know how dangerous that is?"
"Read that article again, father. It doesn't mention anything about what we do professionally. This is a personal issue, father... not underworld business. It doesn't expose our trade secrets to our enemies... it exposes the ironical and unfair treatment we receive in this house when it comes to love. Because guess what, father? People don't care about mafia business as much as they care for love gossips and scandals."
"This is... oh my!" Said Nat.
"Mother... don't panic and have a drink," said Rome.
"That's rather radical," said Kian.
"A man's got to do what a man's got to do."
"P'Rome... er... you do realize that every paparazzi out there is gonna show up here, right?" Asked Peach.
"Yes. How refreshing is that? Instead of being attacked by mobsters with guns, we're being attacked by the press with cameras! I don't know about you but I'm rather looking forward to it. By the way... P'Kian... are you aware you married an ex-paparazzi?"
"WHAT?" screamed Kian, looking at Peach with wide eyes.
"That was below the belt, P'Rome," said Peach, biting his lips.
"Maybe... but I can assure you that just this piece of information was enough to make my day. Mother... Peach busted that actress you don't like... er... what's her name?... Priya. You know... the scandal of her being an escort for rich sponsors in the hopes her career would get back up."
"Oh my!" Said Nat. "Really?"
"I... er... please, Khun Mae... do not ask anything! I'm ashamed enough as it is to have done such a nasty job."
"Then why did you?" Asked Kian.
"Good money. P'Muenmile is a shark with no morals... but he pays well."
"That editor-in-chief obviously took some liberties," said Vassili. "We can sue for that. How dare he imply you tried to..."
"I did."
"What?"
"Everything in that article is from my own lips, father. Khun Muenmile didn't add anything I haven't said myself. He just gave it a little bit of journalistic upgrading. Did you see the part where it's mentioned that I become ruthless every time Mok turns me down? I said that very crudely in my deposition... Khun Muenmile made it less vulgar. You have to admire his writing skills by the way : "the anger and the pain reaching its peak whenever he's denied and misunderstood by a suppositely loving family, who lets him drawn a little bit more every day"... I almost cried when I read that."
"You're the one who misunderstands the situation," said Vassili.
"Yeah... it's just my imagination, right, father? I don't think so. This article... it's everything... everything from the last twelve years... everything I felt... everything I did... everything I was foolish enough to believe when I really should have done what you did to grandpa : telling you to fucking go to hell!"
"Rome!" Said Nat.
"Mok just sweared and you didn't scold him, mother. Why are you shocked when it's from my own lips?"
"You did that?" Asked Kian. "Three times?"
"That's right."
"When?"
"First time, I was 18... the OD that was covered up as accidental but really wasn't. The second time, I was 21 : I thought maybe the pain would go away if I cut my wrists... I was wrong. And last but not least... last year... the little game of russian roulette I played with myself."
"Khun Rome..." said Mok with tears in his eyes.
"This is preposterous!" Said Vassili. "Are you telling me you stoop so low just for a... a..."
"A what, father? A fake feeling? An illusion? An itch that will eventually go away? Well guess what, father? The old adage that says "time heals everything" is bullshit! 12 years... 12 long years, father... during witch this "silly little fling"... as you called it when I confided in you at 16... far from disappearing and healing, it kept burning until I wanted to die!"
"You didn't tell me that," said Kian.
"Why should I have? You agreed with him. And when we were younger, you never missed a chance to taunt me... showing him off to everyone as your trusted sidekick and insisting that he will always stick around for you. Not for me... but for you! And every time I felt daring and asked you to switch assistants, you turned me down : your way of mocking me... but a stab in the heart for me. But of course, my own father and brother not showing mercy and cursing me into a life of violence and desolation wasn't even the worst. The worst... it's the way you managed to make him think like you. Because you groomed him, he started thinking that way too. And now, he's in pain and he doesn't do anything about it because... er... what was it you said, Mok?... oh yeah!... "we don't have the right to love"."
"You're right, P'Rome... this is bullshit."
"Peach!" Said Kian.
"I'm sorry, P'Rome... I didn't think... the way P'Kian was talking about it, I thought it was a one way thing... and that it annoyed Mok more than anything else. P'Kian made it sound like you were always teasing Mok to get a reaction from him... because you like to make him mad. He also said something about "out of control lust"... so I thought it was only sexual. And really... considering the older brother basically tried to buy sex with his brand ambassador when we first met, who could blame me for thinking the little brother was as equally perverted as the older one? And Mok never said anything to me so I didn't take it seriously. Mok... this is why you stayed, right? I couldn't understand why you were still here. After P'Kian let you go, I was thinking : "good for Mok!... he's gonna travel and enjoy himself... or find something he likes and turn it into a business or something". Instead, you stayed right here... and I couldn't understand why. This is the reason, isn't it? You stayed... not out of duty for Khun Pa... not because of your friendship with P'Kian... but to be close to him... to make sure he was okay... to watch over him."
"P-Peach... stop it... p-please..."
"Mok... honorable as it is, that's not enough. You can't just stay under his nose and act like nothing's changed! That's unfair... for him... and for you too. How can you bear it? It's not possible for a human being to repress that much for so long! One day, they burst. And now... P'Rome finally did... with a rather bold and over-the-top statement I might add."
"You married into the Lee family, Peach," said Rome. "You should know by now that we like to shine and make an impression."
"You let P'Muenmile write about Marn and Mork!"
"Their names are not mentioned and nothing I said puts the spotlight on them. It's their true story as everyone knows it. Saying you two adopted kids doesn't do any harm to them. Besides, as Khun Muenmile said, readers are very sensitive to tragic stories so they'll be moved to tears when reading what Marn and Mork have been through."
"Hmm... right... whatever. Anyway... Mok!... he made his statement... so you need to do the same."
"I... I can't."
"And why is that?" Asked Rome, tilting his head and looking at him angrily.
"That's... not... I have no right... a weapon only... protecting him only... he's out of my league... no right... I'm not worth him..."
"Khun Pa," said Peach. "With all due respect, there's been some serious issues with the way you raised your family and trained your staff."
"Excuse-me?" Asked Vassili.
"He's acting and talking as if love is a right you have to earn by proving yourself and that some people aren't meant to have. I'm sorry to tell you, Khun Pa... but that's wrong. Love isn't brains... you don't get to decide when you love someone. Love is blood... it runs inside like a fire and you can't put it out. You can't choose who you fall in love with... it just happens. And contrary to what you seem to believe, it doesn't vanish with time : like fine wine, it gets better with age... and unfortunately, when it's repressed and denied, it gets painful... sometimes leading to unfortunate incidents like P'Rome tried to do."
"I wanna be the president of Peach's fanclub," assured Rome, beaming.
"Dream on!" Said Kian. "I'm the president... and his sister is my vice-president."
"Bummer. Mok... you're crying. Are you finally letting everything out? It's about damn time!"
Indeed... the former bodyguard had fallen on his knees and he was crying heavily. That's when Nat took matters into her own hands. She got up, marched to Mok and squatted in front of him, holding his face and wiping his tears.
"Mok... I'm gonna ask you a question... not as your former employer... not as your best friend's mother... not even as your apparently future mother-in-law... but as a woman who, in addition to her own sons, raised a young orphan, making her believe she had three kids instead of two."
"Khun... Khun Nat..."
"I've always considered you my son, Mok. That's why I played blind and dumb : for me, you three were brothers... and that was it. But I forgot about blood... or in this case, absence of blood relations. It never mattered to me... but I guess it mattered greatly to you and Rome. Not being real siblings means hope... and we've been foolish to take that hope as fake. So, now, as the woman who raised you like a son, I want you to be totally honest with me, Mok : do you love him?"
Silence fell and it felt very heavy. Peach was holding his breath and Vassili was frowning. Kian was staring at Rome, who was staring at Mok, who was staring at Nat with teary eyes. His lips trembled and his throat was dry. And then, after an eternity, the words Rome had been waiting almost all his life, came out of Mok's mouth.
"Y-Yes... I... l-love him."
Nat nodded and took him in her arms : the emotional baggage was too much for Mok and he bursted into tears, weeping on Nat's shoulder. She stroked his head the whole time : she was the embodiement of a loving mother comforting her son.
"Okay then. I guess you really become my son now. A son-in-law... but a son nevertheless. Dear... let's head out : this matter is now closed and neither you or Kian have any say... understood?"
It was a question... but it sure sounded like an order. Vassili sighed and got up without a word, following his wife out of the dining room. Peach grabbed Kian by the elbow, forcing him up and dragging him away. The few bodyguards who had witnessed the whole scene left quietly. And then... there were two : one sitting in his chair... one kneeling on the floor... both of them crying. Rome wiped his tears and dropped to his knees next to Mok : he took him in his arms, resting his head on his shoulder, smelling his cologne and stroking his back. Mok went stiff for a minute and then, he relaxed into the arms of his loved one... the person he had tried to deny for so long... the person who never gave up and always waited for him.
"K-Khun Rome..."
"Not answering to that either, hon."
"Hon?"
"That's what I'm calling you from now on. You don't like it? Do you prefer "baby"? Or "darling"? Forget about "dear" though... because that's what my parents are calling each other and I've always hated it."
"You resented them for being happy."
"Who could blame me? So... that name issue... drop the honorifics, hon!"
"R-Rome..."
"That's better. Now... about what you just said... it sounded divine because I waited to hear that for 12 years and it made me cry. But still... you told it to my mother. So now, I'm waiting for those words thrown at me!"
"You're greedy."
"Damn right I am! And after what I endured, I have every right to!"
"One of the reasons I love you."
"Say that again!"
"See? Greedy. I... love... you."
"Oh, hon! I SO love you. You took your damn sweet time!"
"Sorry. You're right : I was really starting to think like him. I had almost forgotten about it when Khun Thee met Peach... because I thought that maybe I could... maybe it would be allowed... but Khun Vassili made it sound like you were going back to Hong Kong by yourself and that it should be this way... so... yeah... I thought... maybe not. "
"My father should preach what he practices if he doesn't want people to know more secrets than I already revealed. By the way..."
"What?"
"Did you catch the part that made my mother blush?"
"Rome..."
"No need to be shy, hon. I'm fairly certain you did the exact same thing. Now, before the paparazzis and other reporters arrive, how about we escape through the emergency exit number three?"
"You already have the car ready at the exit door, haven't you?"
"Always be prepared... that's our motto, right? And by the greatest of coincidence, I also happen to have some supplies in the glove compartement... supplies to help us through the day and night I plan to spend with you."
"The whole day and night? Someone's cocky."
"You owe me 12 years of good loving, hon. You're lucky I booked the cabin for one day and one night only!"
The end.