Hiraeth : Numinous [COMPLETE]

▪️06▪️

" Sook… Top is not home. He is not at his apartment, nor at any of the other flats. I have asked everyone… I can't find him anywhere.  " A panicked Kong called Sook in the middle of the night. It took Sook, who had just woken up from sleep, almost 5 minutes to make sense of Kong's words. 

" When was the last time you saw him ? " Sook asked. It hadn't been first instance of Top suddenly disappearing, but it was definitely first in last three years.

" Three hours ago. " Kong supplied, looking at the sleeping figure of Arthit through the corner of his eyes. " I need to find him before Arthit knows of his disappearance. It can trigger his seizure and Top , he…. he —" Kong swallowed, his voice shook badly, tears pooled in his eyes. His brain was already in overdrive, wiping the beads of sweat collected on his forehead, he pinched the nose of the bridge. 

" Kong … I will find Top" Sook promised but it didn't provide even a tiny bit of relief to Kong "Don't worry. I promise, nothing will happen to him. " 

" He can… like that child …." Kong couldn't bring himself to say the words out loud. After Top had been diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder , he had been reading everything he could find on the subject. First case was of an adopted girl who comitted suicide, her parents later came to know their daughter suffering of RAD. There were many such cases, it had shocked Kong to the extent he was fearing letting Top be around even the butterknife.

After protecting the child like treasure, it was he — himself who pushed his son to pits of rejection. What if Top ? 

No…. 

He will never be able to forgive himself if anything happens to Top. He should have listened to Arthit who had been asking him to cut Top some slack. If the child was saying sorry again and again, he should have listened but he didn't. He was blinded by the agony of Arthit. Arthit who didn't even think Top was at fault. 

" You see Kong , it is our experiences that shape our thoughts. He doesn't look the same as we do, he doesn't think the same as we do. It's hard for him to let his trauma go, it had been subconsciously branded his brain. But, he is trying … it's our duty to encourage him on the right path he is finally deviating to. We have waited long for Top to come to us, Kong. Now that he is finally accepting us, himself. Do you think it will be right if we close our doors in his face ? " 

The words of Top's psychiatrist ran through his head " They don't see the world like us, Khun Suthiluck. Their brain, for a lack of a better word, is rewired to not trust an adult, especially in an authoritative and caregiving position. Your patience will be tested to its limits. Be prepared. " 

He thought he was , until he realised he wasn't strong enough to wait forever. Thread of his patience had almost tethered ….

Phone was long hung up… Kong was staring blankly at the wall. Images of convulsing Arthit, his son fading into the dark — wreaked havoc in his mind but on the surface he was calm — just like the ocean. 

❤️❤️❤️❤️

" P'Top. " He had heard Mike long before Nong ever reached him. Dusting his pants, he threw a last look to the first lights of dawn. Ofcourse, Mike was the one to find him, no surprises there. He somehow always knows his go to places.

" What are you doing here ? '' Top asked which younger just glared " It should be us asking you the question ? People have been searching you like crazy since midnight and you are chilling here ? " 

" Searching for me ? " Top asked surprised.

Mike stared at him as if Top had just asked a nonsensical question like —If Sun rises from the east ?