Vegas' POV
(Nursery school cafeteria - Events around Chapter 62 – Bring the pain Like)
"Take a tissue, sweetheart."
Grandma offers me a box of tissues.
"Thanks" (English)
I wipe the blood spatter from my lapel.
"Was your business good today, son?
"Yes thanks. Thanks for your advice, grandma...and guns. As soon as they heard Jui Feng, their attitude changed."
"Jui Feng can be also translated as phoenix...just like Feng Huang"
"I'm sure they got the message. Grandpa Noi got really excited. Is he okay?"
"He's absolutely fine, but Vegas...I hope he was not burden to you, son."
"Not at all! Grandpa took a bunch of huge guys down at once. It was impressive."
"Hmm...he misses it...being active...he left everything behind for me. He used to train secretly Khun Korn's best bodyguards, like P'Chan."
"P'Chan?!"
"Yes...but then Grandpa had to stop it. It was getting too risky for us."
"I see."
"Green tea?!"
"Yes, please, grandma."
"Show me that picture again, son."
"Oh...sure..."
I place the old photograph on the table.
"May I read you a fairy tale (English), dear?!"
"Fairy tale?! (English)...uhm...sure, grandma."
"Once open a time...there were three beautiful queens..."
Grandma's fingertip taps the picture.
"Is there a happy ending, Grandma?!"
Grandma Jui gives me sweet smile.
"They all die."
"...Grandma Jui...do you know who attacked Chumphon Island?!"
"You are looking at her, son." Grandma's finger points to the lady in red.
"This is... Porsche's mother?!" (in English)
I'm sure it's her in the photo. The features of that beautiful and seductive woman had not changed significantly over time.
"Of course! Was it not The Red Queen who issued that order against Pete and me?!"
"What does Porsche's mother have to do with it?! Just because she's dressed in red?! She was a victim of Korn's greed just like my mother!" I point to the beautiful, distinguished lady in black in the photo. "Uncle Korn was the one who held The Red Queen key. For some reason my father gave his key to him and got the black one in return...Uncle Korn had it kept inside his vault. He's the one behind this! I'm sure of it."
"Khun Korn was always so nice to me and Grandpa...I don't think he..."
"He killed his own brother, Grandma! He killed my mother! Can't you see?! He just used you and then decided to kill YOU, Grandpa and Venice to make me and Pete suffer an endless pain. Because that's exactly what I felt when I thought I lost you all."
"...Vegas..." Grandma's face expression softens at my abrupt and emotional reaction.
I get myself panting of anger and anxiety.
"I'm sorry, grandma...I didn't mean to be rude to you...it's just that I..."
"I know, son... I know...that's okay..." Grandma places her warm hand over mine affectionately.
"..." I try to ease my hard breathing.
"...but you are wrong." She says firmly.
"...?!..."
Grandma smiles faintly again. A glint in her eyes. Why does it remind me of an old fox?!
Grandma Jui removed her hand from mine, rummaged through her bag, and pulled out a gold case with a phoenix emblem.
"Do you mind, son?!"
I shook my head, a little puzzled. She took out a cigarette. She looked at me, and I took my lighter out of my pocket and lit the cigarette for her, instinctively obedient to her demeanor.
Looking closely, since I met Grandma Jui again, she doesn't look like Grandma Jui at all.
Her calm and low speech is nothing like Grandma Jui who speaks by shouting.
Her sharp reasoning is nothing like Grandma Jui's unreasonable demands.
The erect and measured posture of the lady dressed in white reveals her distinct manners.
"...?!?!..."
Where is Grandma Jui that I know?!
She draws on her cigarette elegantly and looks back at me sharply.
"How well do you pretend, son?!" She slightly smirks at me.
"..." I look at her, dumbfounded.
"You'll have to do better."
A thought flashes through my mind: Kind smile...captivating personality...how different is she from Uncle Korn in terms of deceiving people?! Grandma Jui was the White Queen, after all.
"Why do you say that, Grandma?"
"Pretend that you don't know what I'm about to tell you now."
"About what?!"
"About two red queen keys."
"Two?!"
"You're aware Khun Korn was not the firstborn, aren't you?! He was Minor Family once."
"Yes, I'm aware of that."
"By tradition in the Chess Room, Theerapanyakul Main family receives black color and Minor Family red color. For events you might know about, and I will not come into details, Khun Korn became Main Family, so his key would change for black, however he challenged the Chess Room rules not marrying a Yakuza daughter, and as punishment, your grandfather commanded the black key to be inherited by the next male son in line, Khun Kan. Korn was allowed to keep the Red King Key, but the Red Queen Key was inherited by his foster sister, Namphueng with the condition two keys would be made...one for her heir and one for Korn's heir...and the best of them would claim The Red Queen Position in the future."
"More fighting among family..."
"Your grandfather was a cold bastard, Vegas. He created a situation where his Theerapanykul survival system could work perfectly."
"Through constant hatred and battles."
"You have a shallow understanding of this mechanism, son."
"Why?!"
"More than that, Your grandfather gave them balance."
"Balance?!"
"He gave power to Khun Korn as chief of the Main Family, but also, he gave enough power to Khun Kan and Namphueng through the Chess Room. Because according to Theerapanyakul system, only the best one can be The Head of the Family, isn't it?!"
"So you mean grandfather gave them enough power to keep fighting each other constantly..."
"Of course! Constant challenge shapes the leader. If not suitable anymore, just exchange them for the fittest one. Namphueng founded her own company with her husband. Your father, even though constantly threatened by Minor Family stigma, managed to develop many businesses without Khun Korn's knowledge. All this possible because of those keys and the trading power behind them. Your grandfather wanted the best among them to rule the family."
"But why didn't they destroy Khun Korn and the system?! Father and his sister could have united and destroyed the system."
"Did they want it?"
"...Y-yes...I mean..."
"Did they want to end the system or rule it, Vegas?!"
"...I...don't know..."
Grandma Jui smiles sarcastically.
"Learn this, son. In your family's system, there are two main rules. One: the winner takes it all. This much power is very tempting."
"...very..." I confirm it, resigned.
"Two: nothing is for free. You must win all the time."
"Which means...trust no one and subdue everyone around."
Grandma Jui nods.
In that sense...it occurred me if it's logical for me to trust Porsche, and Porsche trusts me?!
Grandma Jui continues.
"For that reason, Khun Korn had to find means to control the other two...and so he did."
"He killed my mother... he tore my father to pieces... he destroyed Porsche's family... he killed his father and imprisoned his mother... that's how he defeated them all... that's how Khun Korn won, right?!"
"In a way, yes."
"How could you side with him, Grandma?!"
"Why not?!"
"Because he was the winner?!"
"Because he was not the one who betrayed my daughter."
...