Forever With You (ForthBeam)

Chap 16

My cupcakes, here is the other part of the family gathering.

I highly recommend you guys refer back to the character and cast reveal from the previous chapter before you start to read this one.

Here we go.

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The gathering went smoothly as all the family members were having lunch or desserts at the long table as they chatted about their lives. During that time, one hotel staff approached them to deliver a message.

"Greetings, sirs and madams. There is a man outside saying he is with you guys. Shall I invite him in, sirs?" questioned the staff politely.

The ringing of Phana's phone interrupted their conversation as he picked up the call.

"Grandpops, I'm outside with the staff. They won't let me in without your permissions," complained Forth through the call.

When Forth didn't reach the hotel in half an hour as he promised, the Kongtanins assumed he bailed out from the gathering. Unknown to them, Forth now has a valid reason to be there and was only late due to the heavy traffic in these peak hours.

"I didn't invite any extra-" P'Mew was going to answer them when Phana stopped him.

"It's okay, P'Mew. He is with us. That's my grandson out there," replied Phana to the hotel staff on behalf of the others.

"Your Champ's here? I haven't seen him in ten years. How is he?" asked Kit to Phana excitedly.

"You'll know when you see him, Kit. Before he comes here, I want to tell you guys something about my grandson. He is...," Phana tried to give them a heads up before Forth appeared in front of them.

But luck was not on his side as Forth walked into the room with a gentle, polite smile.

"Sawadee Khrab," Forth's polite greeting took everybody's attention away from Phana's statement.

The entire room becomes pin-drop silent as they see Forth standing tall and alive in front of them after so many years. Apart from the Kongtanins, the others were shocked by the sudden surprise. They don't know if they should be happy, surprised or terrified.

"Mama, Isn't that Uncle Forth?" asked Summer, confused to Stella on her side.

Summer remembers seeing a man similar to this guy in a photograph at their home. In fact, her grandparents have talked about him so extensively to them many times.

"Nice meeting you all. I'm Forth Darvid Kongtanin, son of Sun and Jane Kongtanin. How are you all?" Forth said once again as he noticed the weird reaction he gained from the others.

'What's with everybody's reaction today?! My parents' reaction at breakfast and now them?!' as Forth doubted his decision to join this gathering, Rain ran to him, and he shook his hands happily.

"You're the head hazer from the engineering orientation, right, P'Forth? I'm a big fan of yours. You were so cool during the speech for the high schooler, Phi. I want to join engineering and become your nong too. I want to be like you, Phi," Rain concluded his speech happily with excited little jumps.

It was funny how Ming's grandson was a replica of him when it concerned their P'Forth.

"Sure, nong. All the juniors are our nongs anyway," Forth replied with an awkward smile.

Unlike Summer, Rain didn't remember Forth at first glance. They were kids the last time they focused on the photo from the family album. He only remembered him as a senior he met during the university tour his school organized.