Fake This Love

Chapter 34: Tine

Tine opens his eyes and the world around him spins.

His brain could not form any new thoughts because it was filled with a high pitch piercing noise.

He squeezes his eyes shut. But all that does is play snippets of disjointed memories like a film through a low quality projector.

He could see himself in the studio late at night practicing choreography only to fuck it all up the next shooting day.

The film cuts and he sees Mil pushing him violently against the walls of the men's bathroom.

It cuts again and Tine sees himself losing his cool and pushing back, raising his fist to punch Mil's smug face.

But Mil speaks before he could punch: I bet Sarawat can't wait to get rid of you. Oh, you thought I bought your stupid fiancé act? Who would replace my sister with you?

Tine's arm drops to his side and Mil takes that opportunity to shove him and kick him in the gut. Tine falls to the floor, gasping for air.

"Enjoy the limelight while it lasts Iamkajorn. Do you really think you're good for him? Or for his company? The world is not as progressive as you think. Your own father can't even accept you."

Tine tries to fight back, claw his way upright but Mil never stopped kicking, never stopped speaking.

Was that where he was? Still lying on the bathroom floor? Has no one found him?

The back of his skull aches and he remembers more.

Pear.

Pear found him.

She heard his phone ringing over and over so she called a janitor to help her investigate.

He was too ashamed to go back into the studio but Pear did not want to let him stay in the bathroom.

Then what?

He remembers tea. And macarons he would not touch. He remembers Sarawat calling insisting to see him.

He remembers --

Men jumping out of Sarawat's SUV.

Pear screaming as she and the two of the restaurant staff hurried outside the cafe after him.

And another voice - he could have sworn he heard Sarawat calling his name.

Adrenaline shoots through his body. Where was Sarawat? What did they do to him? Was he here with Tine?

Tine forces himself to open his eyes, willing himself to ignore the skull-splitting pain.

His vision starts focusing and he realizes he's was on the floor of some sort of abandoned warehouse.

He tries to move and that confirms his hands and feet were bound. He slowly crawls on his belly until he was finally in a seated position.

He cranes his neck from side to side and he sees...was that blood?

Tine almost vomits in his mouth when he realizes he was staring at the unmoving body of Boris - blood pooled around the body guard's abdomen.

Is Boris dead?

Desperation grips at Tine's nerves.

Tine fights back the one question he didn't want to think but it spills out anyway --

Did they kill Sarawat?

No, no. Whoever was behind this would not be so stupid. If they wanted Sarawat's money, surely they needed him alive. Right?