(Hi <3 hoping the best for you for the day/night you will read this and for your whole life <3)
"Where...are we?" Kim asked when they arrived in front of a place which looked like a restaurant.
"It's...a...I will explain to you after, okay?" Kim nodded, squeezing Porchay's hands. He had been like this since they left the river. They walked for one hour before reaching that place and everything was really overwhelming for Kim.
There were so many people, so much noise, so many things happening at a time and his eyes got a look on everything. Kim had developed a really attentive behavior, he needed it to hunt animals, he needed it to survive, to find the right tree to take wood from. He was observing but having so much to observe made him want to puke. It was making him dizzy, he was startled by each voice, he was jumping because of each sudden movement. When the calm was only what he knew, it was menacing to never know anymore where to step, where to look at, forgetting himself in the middle of the crowd.
The only physical link that got him to stay conscious was Porchay's hand. It was strong and soft, it was someone to follow, someone who wasn't scared at all and it reassured the boy a lot. He was led and liked to not be left alone, humans looked more dangerous than any sauvage animals he had a fight with.
The place was clear, the lights pretty, it was getting late now, but the woman who appeared terrified Kim and he hid behind Porchay.
"I told you to never come back, and yet." She spitted, looking angry before hugging Porchay tightly. Kim moved a little but didn't let go of that hand, Star still against his chest, his head hidden away as if he was Kim's twin.
"Phi...I need your help..."
"I told you to not come back." She whined, not taking in sight Kim.
"We need...your help." Porchay repeated, pushing on Kim's hand for him to be seen and she sighed, wondering what she had done for those brothers to act exactly the same.
—-
"We need to find this boy." Korn said, giving a piece of paper to his son from his desk , not even looking at him.
"For what?" The boy asked, looked at the weird drawing those attacked men did.
"Because I told you." Korn raised his head to show his authority but his son just put the paper back on the desk.
"I won't."
"Kinn!"
"You think that you can do anything but dad, surprise, this is my business too because I will be the one to continue it after, so you better explain to me why I need to put MY MEN on the front line, and myself to find this...weird guy, what are those hair?"
Korn bit his lips, thought for a moment before finding the bestest answer. "He needs to give money back. You find him, take him here."
"That's all?" Kinn asked again, not really buying those words. He never sent this many people and not even Kinn for money.
"That's all son..I promise."
Kinn took the paper back and nodded, closing the door behind him.
"How did it go?" Pete asked, taking the paper Kinn just showed him.
"This man should be found."
"And about... the business?" Arm asked.
"I still didn't ask...but I will..."
"It can't be helped...let's find that man! Those hair will be easy to find." Pete laughed, opening the road for the boy.
—
Porchay asked Kim to wait in a chamber. He had a hard time making the boy let go of his hand, but he promised to come back. He promised that he was just going to talk to that woman for them to stay here. Nothing would happen. No one would come. Kim began to realize what he did, how he just punched those men to blood. They were only attackers back then, monsters looking like people. But witnessing how many monsters were also outside, how all humans had some features in common, his brain began to make him wonder, reflect on what he did. It was just making him feel really vulnerable, he never thought this much before today. It was exhausting him and Porchay was learning that a tired Kim was less easy to reassure than a calm one. Was he ever calm? It was beginning to be Porchay's question, was he calm because he was or was he because he had nothing to be worried about? No one. No situation. Was his peace fake because he never really experienced the outside of the world? He was trying to be careful with Kim, he didn't need the boy to lost his trust in Porchay too, or he would be all alone, at the mercy of everything in this world.
"So...why are you here?" Yok asked, both sat on pillows.
"I need to work...and have a roof above us..."
"Chay, you know why you stepped away from here...you know why I didn't try to look for you like you told me..."
"I know...but you're my only hope Phi..."
"This is a brothel, Chay! Not somewhere for you!"
"But this is the only place I can trust you to let us out of this! Phi! I know that with you we will both be safe...I...you know I can stand to not eat, I can resist for days...I can sleep in the streets...but I can't let Kim live that...I can't just let him fall in hell when he can barely even survive alone!"
"Why are you so similar?" Yok sighed.
"Who?"
"You and Porsche...he had the same speech about you, how he needed to just save you from the worst while living it..."
Porchay just ducked down his head at those words, it had been a moment since he heard from his brothers, heard from someone else than the little voice of memories in his mind.
"Love! I am sorry!" Yok apologized, coming closer to him and giving a hug. "I am just kinda...nervous...I don't want to lose you too..."
"Then keep us here...don't you think that it's the best? This client won't come again right?"
Yok nodded, tightening their hug. "Okay, okay. I missed you Chay."
"Me too..." He whispered in a long breath, thankful to have found a place for them to stay.
—-
"So, we will stay here and I will make you learn how to work as a waiter okay?"
"Waiter?"
"I will be one too. Don't worry, you won't begin tomorrow, we will take our time."
"And Star?" Kim asked, the small cat sleeping on the bed.
"Star will wait for us here. P'Kim...this is our room okay? No one can come here except us and P'Yok."
Kim nodded quietly. "Also, come here...I need to cut your hair." He said tapping on the bed for Kim to sit.
"You can't." Kim simply answered, sitting too.
"Why can't I?"
"They are for protection."
"For what? Who told you that?"
"The rules..."Kim begin to say before lowering his voice, he knew he made a mistake by thinking about those rules. "I am sorry!"
"Don't be...It's okay..."Porchay said, caressing his head. "Though it is not true, your hair can't protect you...but we can be found if you keep it."
"How?"
"Did you see humans with hair touching their feet?"
"No..."
"Then...if they see you they will immediately catch us... but if we cut, they won't be able to recognize you easily."
"Then cut." Kim said, suddenly really sure of himself. "We can't be found right?"
"Yes...we can't." Porchay repeated, thinking of his beloved brother and wondering if he was also thinking this from the place he was. Wondering if by hiking he wouldn't just lose his chance to reunite with him.
This place was for sure, making the boy remember a lot of great but mostly awful memories.
In the dark of the night, Porchay shivered a little. Star was sleeping at their feet. The bed was small but just perfect for two people. It became suddenly smaller when Kim got closer, pushing Porchay against his chest.
"What are you doing?" Porchay whispered surprised.
"You were cold, and you said that my chest was the warmest place..." Kim simply explained and it warmed Porchay's trembling emotions. He just leaned into that chest and took deep breaths.
He didn't find the best place to stay but he found a place which wouldn't want to hurt them. And a stable environment, that room, where he already wanted to give lessons to Kim. This boy was just adorably listening to what he was saying but it worried him a lot. He needed to warn him, he needed to take his hand the time Kim would need it, to secure his existence, but for now he was just sleeping in his arms, because one thing they couldn't stop developing in that evil house was his natural path towards tenderness.