.
The beers I had, have eventually made their way through my system forcing my need to relieve myself.
As I wash my hands, all the information over load about Kuea overwhelmed me and played in my head.
So many clues were staring me right in the face but I ignored them all, for fuck all reasons.
My reverie is broken by something that sound like low growls.
But Kuea doesn't have any pets.
So that can only mean... those are his drunken snores.
Woah! He's snoring really loudly.
Poor Kid!
He's so drunk!
*And my behaviour was what drove him to it.!
Yay Me!!!*
If I was someone else I'd punch me after seeing Kuea's miserable state.
The snoring eventually peters out .. but they are replaced by soft sobs.
Is he crying?
Hurrying in I see him curled up fetal and softly whimpering in his sleep.
Unable to help myself I retake my position beside him and spend a good fifteen minutes running gentle fingers through his hair, patting his back occasionally until he slowly uncurls and seems to be soothed, sleeping peacefully again gripping my hand, fingers intertwined with mine.
I cannot leave him alone tonight!
But do I dare to stay here?
If he finds me with him tomorrow, how will he react?
I need to call Leo and Jay as well.
Extracting my hand from his grip with extreme caution I get up and walk out of the bedroom.
Fishing out the post-it from my jacket pocket I proceed to contact Kuea's employers ... his true friends if I am being honest, to report that I had followed their instructions to the t.
I settle on calling Jay.
He seemed to be the level headed and more cordial of the two.
"Hello Jay ... it's Lian."
"Yup.. here" he flatly replied
"I put Kuea to bed."
"Where's the picture?" Leo growled back which meant jay had me on speaker.
"He's sleeping! I'm not a goddamn creep stalker to take pictures of a sleeping person without their permission."
"FaceTime us then." He scoffed patronising, as if he was dealing with a cretin.
"Fine ... hold on." I curtly replied.
I reluctantly showed them a peacefully snoring, lost in dreamland Kuea.
"Well ... good to know you can follow instructions." Leo snorted.
"Wait there! We'll be reaching in half an hour or so. Don't you dare leave." He commanded cutting the call.
That was abrupt and to the point.
This man completely unnerves me.
Ok ...
I have half an hour to kill ... and I'm hungry.
Kuea can cook he'd definitely have ingredients so I can whip up something.
Maybe Pancakes or something should be enough.
... @@@ ...
What the ...???
There aren't any cooking utensils of any kind here ??!!
There are no groceries of any kind anywhere.
Chips snacks and Instant ramen Only???
The fridge is empty as well ...
Ok ... EVERYTHING I know about him is False it would seem.
Snooping doesn't look good on me but my curiosity has been piqued so I have to quench it asap or I will explode!
I remember a lot about little Nong Kuea and teenage Kuea but the Kuea sleeping in the other room is a stranger to me.
Summarily to me - he's a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.
My only aim I have now is to solve this riddle, unravel this mystery and decode this enigma.
Hopefully, by the end of it I will either gain a husband or free us both of this as he said "toxic,poisonous thing" we have been entangled in because of our families.
I walk around exploring his apartment, getting a lay of the land.
It isn't very big, kinda cozy and homey.
A sitting area, kitchen cum dining space and two rooms. One which is his bedroom and the other his study cum music room.
This second room is which catches most of my attention.
It's divided into two clear halves diagonally, the division clearly marked with neon green duct tape running across the floor.
A folded cloth divider indicates that he most probably even records videos here for SNS.
He has an outgoing personality in reality it would seem, so him having a strong online presence is but obvious.
He has a elaborate set of drums almost identical to the ones he plays at Gemini. Peeking into the wall closets I see ring lights and AV recording equipment neatly stored.
I have a long way to go before I may even scratch the surface of all that makes up Kuea.
Maybe I can start small, I can begin to change the course of our relationship by learning the bare basics about him first which is - get to know what course he is pursuing and at which exact university he's enrolled at.
That's the bare minimum so that should not be a tough task.
The cork board is covered with project submission schedules and news articles about me.
He keeps abreast of what I'm upto, high time I return the favour.
There's his back pack.
And would you look at that, his lanyard with his University ID is in the very front pocket of it.
Ok so ... he's enrolled at ... King Mongkut's University of Technology
Impressive.
But expected.
And he's
In ...
The ...
Department of ...
Of
Of ...
What ?!
Automotive Engineering!!!
What the ...
How???
He's really ...
Deep breaths Lian!
This kid is definitely... something else.
He has truly flown under everyone's radar and made it to the sixth semester of his degree without raising any red flags 🚩
When Grand Da said we were well matched he wasn't lying.
He is as quiet as me going after what he wants just like I don't let even my P.A. know how I plan to handle a contract or whether or not I will assimilate or dismantle a company I have acquired.
Clever, very clever indeed.
He has kept everyone oblivious of his actual ambitions.
Keeping up the act that he's pursuing computer engineering which will lead him to a cushy desk job as developer for apps or handling online security for sites.
While in actuality he wants to get his hands dirty building something which has actual mass and dimensions.
I keep poking and peeking around his apartment.
Finally reaching the wall closets of his bedroom.
The contents of which surprises me.
It takes me back to a conversation I had with his mother a while back when she'd confided in me that since junior year of high school Kuea had become quite frugal when it came to his wardrobe. No longer running up mile long credit card bills which had made her happy as he was slowly growing up and becoming conscious about the value of money.
I never believed her because he always came to our da... in all honesty... our weekly meal meet-ups wearing expensive suits.
Looking through his wardrobe here, I see clothes purchased from retail stores. There isn't a single high end brand in sight. Everything is almost like what I used to wear during my stint at university.
Simple, Functional, Comfortable.
Being in the faculty he is, clothes being irreparably soiled is a genuine hassle. His wardrobe choice does make perfect sense.
But he kept up the appearance of being a Young Master from an elite family around me alone, because under assumption that it was what I expected of him.
Jesus Fucking Christ!
What an absolute tangled web we've managed to have woven and strung up together.
A message notification ping pulls me out of my contemplative state.
Leo and Jay had arrived as in exactly 40 minutes as I had been notified earlier.
I opened the door of Kuea's apartment to find the couple exiting the elevator, Leo briskly walking ahead of his partner.
"Keys?" He asked stepping around me into the apartment
"On the dining table." I replied.
Leo headed in and came back with my jacket which he unceremoniously pushed into my hands.
"You can leave" he commanded.
When I wasn't quick enough for him in moving, proceeded to grab me by the bicep and almost throw me out slamming the door in my face.
That was ...
'Different' is the word that comes to my mind.
'Unique' is another word because despite knowing who I am he has no qualms in treating me as you would a stranger you dislike.
I have a lot to think about over the weekend.
Meeting be damned.
Kuea has to be my foremost priority now.
Yi was right I should check whether those vitamin supplements have an additive of stupid.
There is no other logical explanation for my behaviour towards Kuea or maybe I have become so power drunk that I have forgotten what simple human emotions look like.
I need some water and I need to pee again.
And for both I first and foremost need a GrabCab.