"We should take him to a hospital! What if he got a concussion or something?!"
"Are you listening to me, Nonnie? Your fucked up boyfriend drugged Nanon! If we take him to a hospital and doctors decide to run some tests, they will fucking find out that the famous Thai idol Nanon Korapat is using illegal substances-"
"First of all, P'Mark is not my boyfriend, and second, I'd rather see my brother facing criminal charges than dead!"
"He's not dying! He's breathing, for heaven's sake!"
"So what? We wait for him to wake up? What if he doesn't?"
"He will! I told you he didn't hit his head. I caught him before he fainted on the stairs! Listen, you called me and asked me where he was! And I only told you about the situation so you wouldn't run to your mother and-"
"You have no idea what came to my head when I saw my brother's room destroyed like that! And the blood on the floor! I thought P'Mark had murdered him or something! His condo was empty and he wouldn't pick up his phone! You can't blame me for freaking out, and-"
"Well, now you know it is Ohm's blood on that floor, and your brother is safe and sound here. You should go."
"You can't tell me to go... P'Chimon, what do you think P'Ohm and the others are going to do with P'Mark?"
A long silence reigned after the girl's question. Nanon was listening to both of them. He was lying on Perth's living room couch. He had woken up to find Nonnie and Chimon arguing there, a few feet from him. He pretended to be unconscious for a while, since he wasn't in the mood to deal with neither of them. He was still worried about Ohm and the others, but he was aware that there was nothing he could do at that point. He didn't know how his sister got there, but it seemed that she had stopped by his condo and seen the state of his room. Nanon didn't have time to clean up, or fix the damage left there after his epic fight with Ohm. So he could understand why his sister was so agitated after entering his place without his permission, again. It seemed that somehow, she got a hold of Chimon, and he filled her in on the latest events. That's not how Nanon wanted his sister to find out that he knew about her affair with the psycho, but it was already done, and he was aware that he wouldn't be able to hide that fact from her forever.
"That's it! I'm calling my mom." An uneasy Nonnie announced, and right at that moment, Nanon knew that he had to 'wake up'.
"Don't you dare, Pitchaporn Kirdpan." Nanon said firmly after he sat up on the couch. Both Chimon and Nonnie's surprised eyes immediately fixed on him, and he almost fell on the ground when his crying sister ran to the couch and embraced him warmly.
"I'm sorry Phi! I'm so sorry, please forgive me! I didn't know he was a monster back then. I would've never gotten closer to him if I knew that he meant to hurt you. You have to believe me, I didn't even notice when he stole that key from my purse! I am so ashamed, Phi! Please don't hate me. When you told me about what he did, I felt so disgusted! I promise I will never hide anything from you again, I swear I'll never let my big brother down. I'll stand by you, no matter what. You're family Phi, and you will always come first-"
"It's okay, Nonnie. Stop crying. I forgive you. You're just a victim like me. How could you have guessed? I'm in the wrong too. I should've never brought Mark into our lives. It's not your fault. You're my little sister, and I would never be able to feel any kind of hatred towards you. I love you, and I always will." Nanon hugged her back and consoled Nonnie while stroking her hair tenderly.
"I can't believe you hit me." Chimon gave Nanon an accusing look. The singer scoffed.
"You deserved it. Are you more Ohm's friend than mine? Why would you listen to him? If he goes to prison, I'm gonna quit talking to you, you know." Nanon warned him, and Nonnie gasped.
"Why would P'Ohm go to jail? Is he going to hurt P'Mark?" She asked in an anxious tone.
Nanon and Chimon exchanged tense looks, but they didn't answer her. She was about to say something else when Perth entered the room looking quite disconcerted. The trio quickly approached him and asked about the others.
"Ohm dropped his brother home, brought me back here, and he's now outside waiting for you." Perth told Nanon, and the singer didn't even want to know what had happened, he simply ran out of the house to meet his boyfriend. Chimon was about to go after him but Perth pulled him back. "Let them talk."
When Nanon noticed Ohm's car parked on the driveway he practically flew in its direction, and when he finally opened the door, he couldn't help throwing himself at Ohm's arms.
"Ohm, you're back! Gosh, I'm so glad you're here. How could you leave me? I thought I'd never see you again. I love you so much. I love you, Ohm." Nanon exclaimed excitedly as he spread kisses all over his boyfriend's face and hugged him tightly.
"Non, wait. Calm down. We have to talk." Ohm's serious tone almost shunned away the relief washing over the singer.
"Why? What happened?" Nanon chewed on his lower lip as he unwillingly let go of Ohm and stared into his worn out eyes.
"There's been an accident." Ohm said softly.
"Where? What do you mean?" Nanon asked impatiently. Ohm took a deep breath and his eyes watered.
"I caused it." He confessed, as he ran a nervous hand through his hair.
"Is Mark dead?" An anxious Nanon asked as he reached for his hand, but Ohm brushed it away.
"Perth wanted to drive, but I didn't let him. He complained I was driving too fast, but I didn't listen to him. Thai was in the backseat, and he kept saying we were going to lose the fucker if we got trapped in traffic. So I sped up. Mark was driving like a blind crazy fuck. He made this turn on a less busy street and when my car caught up to his, he hit a lamppost."
"Is that it? So what? You didn't even hit his car. You didn't cause the accident, he-"
"I was chasing his car, Nanon! And when he hit the lamppost Perth told me to pull over, so we could check on him, and call an ambulance, but I didn't stop! I drove away even after we heard the explosion. We left him for dead." Ohm declared with a tinge of guilt in his voice. "I might've killed a man tonight."
Nanon frowned and swallowed. He didn't expect that. He didn't expect Ohm to feel so guilty for seeking justice for them. He thought he would feel avenged, just like he was feeling at that moment.
"I don't know about you, but I do hope he's dead." Nanon whispered carelessly.
"So do I. But if he's really dead, that makes me a murderer, right? Would you be okay dating a murderer?!" The older actor exclaimed with a conflicted expression plastered on his face. Nanon hated to see him like that.
"Ohm, listen to me. I sprayed Mark's eyes with some hairspray I found in Perth's bathroom. His sight was compromised even before he jumped from that fucking window and got into that car. If he hit that lamppost was because he had difficulty seeing it in front of him. You don't have to blame yourself for-"
"Should I blame you then?! Or perhaps Chimon for keeping me in the dark? For letting things come to this point?! Do you have any idea of what I felt when you told me what was going on? How could you and Mon deny me a little bit, just a little bit, of honesty all this fucking time!? And what the fuck was I supposed to do once you revealed the atrocities Pakin has been doing?! Do you think I'd let him keep doing that shit to you? Do you really think I would let him touch you just to keep him quiet about the pictures or the video? I'd rather let the whole world see you naked in those images, than let that man have his way with you!" Ohm snapped and punched the driving wheel a few times. "Goddammit! How could I let all that shit happen right under my nose!" He cursed and shook his head in frustration.
Nanon was a bit taken aback, but he wasn't afraid of him. He understood his boyfriend at last. Ohm did hate Mark, he did want the man to pay for his bad deeds, he wanted the man out of their lives, but he couldn't bear the fact that he had blood on his hands. Ohm was a thoroughly decent guy, and no matter how much he detested the former player, he felt like he violated his moral principles by having a hand in his death.
"Don't do this to yourself. Blame me then, if that makes you feel better. Blame Chimon too. Geez, blame Mark himself. But do not let what happened tonight build up a wall between us." Nanon spoke in a soft voice as he touched his boyfriend's face. "I almost lost my mind having to protect what we have. I can't bear to lose you now. I am tired, Ohm. I really need your love to make me feel safe again. To make me feel like myself again. All I'm asking is for you to love me." The singer leaned forward and Ohm's distressed expression softened. He slowly united their lips and buried his hand in Ohm's hair. The latter sighed into the kiss and swiftly surrendered to his boyfriend's tenderness. No matter how much angst possessed his mind, Nanon always had a way of calming him down. And Ohm missed him badly. He craved for his lover's touch for excruciating, endless days. The fact that he was led to believe, not long ago, that those lips were touching someone else's made his heart ache, and his soul burn ruthlessly. He needed that moment of reconnection. He yearned to lay his claim to those lips and remind himself that the man in front of him only belonged to him. They had kissed in Perth's house that same night. There, Ohm kissed a high Nanon who didn't know how to express his blinding fear and growing desperation. But now, those lips were sober and reassuring. The kiss started slowly, but soon Ohm was deepening it, while inserting his tongue into Nanon's mouth. The singer received his tongue passionately, hungrily, and he couldn't help moaning when Ohm pulled him to sit on his lap just to slip a hand under his shirt.
"We're free now, Ohm." Nanon whispered when Ohm released his mouth just to attack his neck with love bites. "We're free, my love. So love me."
Nanon palmed the front of Ohm's jeans, and he would've unzipped his pants, and rode his boyfriend right there if his enraged sister hadn't walked out of the house and started hitting the window of Ohm's car.
The older actor immediately pushed Nanon away and opened the door to check what was going on. Perth and Chimon were trying to hold back the girl in order to keep her from punching her brother's boyfriend as soon as he stepped out of the car.
"You! How could you do that? We've just seen the news on TV! P'Mark's in the ER, he's in really bad shape! Are you happy now?!" Nonnie shouted at a shocked Ohm, who could barely believe what he was hearing.
"He's alive? But how?" He asked, as he eyed a perturbed Perth by her side.
"It seems he was able to crawl out of the vehicle before it caught fire." Perth informed him with a conflicted expression on his face. Nanon was still inside Ohm's car. He cursed under his breath when he heard the news, and he could barely contain his disappointment as he heard Nonnie take the former player's side.
"But he was unconscious when we drove away. You, Thai and I saw it." Ohm commented as he stared at Perth in a mix of bewilderment and regret. He was feeling guilty about murdering someone minutes earlier, but now that he knew the man was alive, he did feel like he had failed Nanon. He really didn't want to be a murderer, but he hated the fact that Mark was still breathing.
"So what are you planning to do now?!" Nonnie cut him off abruptly just to shout a bit more. "Are you going to finish the job? What kind of animal are you? How can you call yourself a human being-"
"Pitchaporn! You're embarrassing yourself." Nanon finally stepped out of the car and faced his sister. The girl looked away in shame when her brother glared at her. "Are you pitying Mark Fucking Pakin now? Are you for real? That guy is the animal, that guy, whom you're so worried about, turned my life into a living hell! He used you and threatened me! Have you forgotten that? He drugged and harassed your own brother! And now you're trying to censor Ohm? He didn't even hit his car!" The singer pulled her from the others' grasp and made the girl look at him. "You will keep your mouth shut about what happened tonight, you hear me? You're not telling mom, nor the police, or anyone else about Ohm's involvement in this car accident. You owe me that, Nonnie." He took a deep breath and lowered his tone as he glimpsed the amount of shame and frustration in his sister's eyes before she averted her gaze from him. "You fell in love with the wrong guy, sis. I'm sorry you feel that way about him. I truly am. But family comes first, and you'd better show me that you really meant all those things you said to me inside this house minutes ago." Nanon declared, and Nonnie broke down in tears.
"She's gonna be okay. Leave her to me. I'll take her home." Chimon announced, and started leading the distraught girl to his car.
"Thanks, man. Thanks for everything. Drive safe, and call me when you get home." An exhausted Nanon said to his friend. Chimon just nodded to him before walking away even though he wanted to stay with them. The eldest of the 2000 gang wondered if Ohm would ever be able to truly forgive him for deceiving him. Chimon hoped Nanon did really understand why he had to lie. He was going to need the singer's help to get Ohm's trust back when the time came.
"Don't you guys wanna stay over? It's been a long night, and maybe you two should lay down." Perth offered, but Ohm shook his head and declined his offer.
"Thanks, man. But I don't think it would be good for Non to stay. Sorry about your door, by the way. Just send me the bill-"
"Forget about it, Phi. It was an emergency, and I'm just glad nothing too bad happened in that room." Perth said as he eyed a despondent Nanon leaning on Ohm's car.
"He's going to be okay." Ohm said as he followed Perth's concerned look.
"He's still barefoot." Perth commented as he took off his own sandals and handed them to Ohm. "Here. Make sure he doesn't get a cold."
"That's very kind of you, kid. I promise to give them back later." Ohm said as he took off his own sandals and put on Perth's. "I'll borrow yours, and give him mine for now. He'll be more comfortable in them." His Nong chuckled when he realized that Ohm wouldn't let Nanon wear anyone's stuff but his.
"Alright, if you say so." The younger shrugged and changed the subject. "You already filled me in on the whole Mark situation, but I'm still curious about something. If you and Chimon were headed to Mark's apartment when you two sneaked out of the house without telling anyone, how did you get here so fast?" Perth asked casually.
"Chimon and I weren't that far from the house when my brother texted me. We had to stop by a gas station to fill up the tank, and that's when I checked my messages. Thai was asking me why Nanon and I were being so loud in the bedroom, and even accused me of being a wife beater. He claimed that it was impolite to break stuff in the middle of the night, and disturb people's sleep." The older actor clicked his tongue and shook his head, wondering how his little brother had the ability to sound comical in the worst situations. "Since I had left Non in the room by himself, I immediately figured out who could be there with him."
"I see. So Thai texted you even before he knew you weren't the one with Nanon in that room."
"Yeah, and I'm glad he did." Ohm replied sourly. "Sorry for getting you involved in all this drama, man. This night did not end how I thought it would. We were meant to be enjoying some music and hanging out like normal-"
"Hey, P'Ohm, stop apologizing. A friend in need is a friend indeed. I've never had such a busy night quite like this one, and I'm not complaining. Tonight I've learned more about you and Nanon than I ever did throughout these years. And somehow, I think that this whole experience brought us even closer. I'm just glad I was able to help a little bit. After all, friends are supposed to stand by each other, right? By the way, don't get too upset about that car accident. I only understood why you left Mark on that street after you revealed to me what he had been doing to Nanon. Who am I to judge you? Perhaps, I would have done the same if I were in your shoes. Or worse." Perth declared sincerely, and gave him a pat on the shoulder. Ohm couldn't help smiling. Those consoling words did soothe his anguished soul a little.
"It's a good thing that I didn't kill him. But he's alive, and the problem still exists." Ohm's faint smile of a second ago vanished completely as he reminded himself of his unfinished business. "Nanon will never feel safe while this man-"
"Take it easy, Phi. There's no use worrying about tomorrow. Live the present, and just focus on one thing at a time. Tonight you have just one more mission left. It's late, and you need to bring your boyfriend home and comfort him." Perth suggested with an encouraging smile on his lips. "We don't know if Mark will survive his injuries, and we don't know what he will do if he does. We'll cross that bridge when we get there. Plus, now you have more people on the OhmNanon team. Thai and I are surely splendid acquisitions." Perth said, and Ohm couldn't help chuckling as the younger continued his motivational speech. "Look at the bright side. You have more allies now, and Mark is fucked up in a hospital bed. He will think twice before messing with you two again."
"I guess you have a point." Ohm gave him a nod of gratitude, unaware that someone was eyeing their interaction with clear annoyance on his face.
"I'll be here if you two need me. You and Nanon can count on me, so don't think twice before giving me a call. You guys are not alone." Perth would keep trying to cheer his Phi up if a vexed Nanon hadn't cleared his throat a few times and got into Ohm's car hitting its door with a loud thud.
"I appreciate all the support, Nong. But I guess I should get going now." Ohm said at last and gave him a hug.
When Perth finally said his goodbyes and got into his house barefoot, Ohm stepped into his car just to face an irritated Nanon by his side.
"What took you so long?" The singer demanded.
"Put these on." Ohm told him, handing his own sandals to Nanon.
"Why do you have to wear his sandals?" The younger actor asked briskly.
"Because you're gonna wear mine." Ohm replied, as he himself decided to put his sandals on his lover's feet. But Nanon kicked his hands when he tried to.
"Take off his sandals first!" Nanon said unreasonably. His boyfriend gave him a dirt look.
"What's your problem?!" Ohm asked impatiently.
"Are you seriously asking me what my problem is?!" Nanon eyed him in disbelief. Ohm sighed in defeat. That was legit the worst night of their lives so far. He knew his lover had a point, and he was entitled to his anger, but the last thing he wanted at that moment was to get into a fight with the singer after all the sit they went through that night.
"I know. I get that you're mad. Mark Fucking Pakin is apparently immortal, and he never really gets what he deserves." Ohm declared in a softer tone while giving his lover an apologetic look. "I'm freaking frustrated too. And, I'm sorry for leaving you earlier, I had no idea he would come after you here. I admit I'm an idiot. I shouldn't have left, but I came back-"
"Right! And then, when you do come back, you leave me waiting in the car just to chat with freakin' Perth!" The singer complained loudly. The older actor exhaled.
"Come on, Non. It's because of us that a lunatic broke into his property. We damaged the kid's door to get in that room, and afterwards I made him watch me leave someone for dead in the middle of some random street. We brought our problems to his house. He had nothing to do with this mess, and we dragged into this hellish nightmare... I guess I owed him an apology, that's all. It was the least I could do." Ohm replied, noticing that the vexation on his boyfriend's face only increased. He started driving to his own house, but he wasn't sure if Nanon would agree to stay over. Judging by his tone, the singer was in a fighting mode. But he'd rather see an irritated Nanon lashing out, than a crying Nanon, looking sad and defenseless.
"Why do you have to hang out so much with him anyway? That's what you've been doing while I was unwillingly sharing an apartment with Mark?! What's going on between you two? Just now you were smiling at each other. What the fuck was so funny anyway, Ohm? I really don't get it! Minutes ago, you were almost crying because you thought you had killed someone. Then Perth comes into the picture and you-"
"Wait, wait a minute! Are you jealous?!" A baffled Ohm glanced at him, but regretted saying that the moment Nanon started tearing into him.
"Do you even know how my night was?! I ran away from a fucker who was keeping me captive in his fucking apartment, and I was almost sure my best friend Chimon was being tortured somewhere. Then I find out you're hanging out with a 'friend', and when I arrive at this 'friend's house, you humiliate me in front of him and your brother. So I tell you the truth, I tell you everything I went through. I ask you to stay by my side, and you promise me you will. Then later, I wake up just to realize that you have abandoned me there! And guess who's in that bed with me? My worst nightmare! That sicko almost makes me pee in my pants, but that's not the worst part of all this dreadful night, no. You come back to rescue me, but you leave me again to chase after Mark, even though I beg you to stay! I lose my shit while thinking you're going to get killed by that psychopath we once called friend, but you survive! You do come back to me, but you're feeling all guilty and shit! We have a small argument, and then you find out the fucker is alive. My sister acts like a fucking basket case, and I'm not even sure we will be alright again. After all, Mark is alive, so my nudes and some freaking video are still out there to cause me grief! But all is good in Ohm Pawat's world, because he still can smile at that 'friend' of his when he tells him that everything is going to be alright!" Nanon clicked his tongue and exhaled. "Do you really think I'm jealous?! Well, fuck you, Ohm! I'm fucking pissed off, goddammit!" When Nanon finally finished narrating the horrible events of that night, he realized that Ohm had stopped the car. Nanon didn't even realize where they were before Ohm pointed to the building in front of them.
"Do you know where we are?" Ohm asked him abruptly, and when a fuming Nanon glanced at the building, he couldn't help gulping.
"What the fuck are we doing here, Pawat?" Nanon frowned, unable to understand what they were doing there.
"I own Pran's room. I bought it after the BBS filming was over. I didn't want anyone else to rent it. Do you wanna visit that rooftop with me?" Ohm asked suddenly. Nanon was agape. They were supposed to be having an argument. Was that Ohm's strategy to shut him up? Did his boyfriend just say that he owns Pran's dorm room for more than a year? For no reason at all?
"Why?" Nanon demanded, eyeing him in confusion. His wrath was slowly dissolving into something else. But he didn't want to feel melancholic or nostalgic. He knew that those feelings were pathways to a weak state of mind, and he didn't want to feel vulnerable, or sorry for himself anymore. He wanted to hold onto his indignation and avoid a full breakdown, even though he knew Ohm could melt the iciest barriers he tried to build around his heart.
"I couldn't own that beach, but I could own Pran's room. Plus, I get to check out that epic rooftop whenever I want." Ohm said softly as he smiled at him. His smile was so pure and soothing that Nanon almost forgot why he was so angry seconds ago.
"Ohm, we don't have time for this. Why exactly are we here?" The singer asked again in a resigned voice, after Ohm stepped out of the car and opened the passenger door for him. The older didn't answer him, he just offered his hand to him with a unreadable expression on his face. A long minute passed before a reticent Nanon finally put on his boyfriend's sandals and surrendered took his hand in his.
The singer let himself be led by the older actor to the rooftop of the building where Pat and Pran were neighbors for a while.
When the night-time air hit his face and the fabulous view of the city caught his eye, Nanon felt like being transported to that enthralling fictional universe of BBS again. That was the spot of Pat and Pran's first kiss, and although it wasn't the same spot where Ohm and Nanon had their first kiss, it was definitely a special place. During a certain dramatic scene of the series, it was there where Pat and Pran agreed to run away from their parents to protect their love.
That rooftop had the power to appease the singer's troubled mind, and give him hope at the same time. And when Ohm started talking again, Nanon knew exactly what they were doing there. He knew Ohm felt the same way he did about that rooftop.
"It was here where Pat and Pran decided to run away together when their parents found out about their relationship. It was here where they decided that they would fight for each other, and stick together even though they were facing such a critical time in their lives. They chose each other above everything else. They did not accept the tragic fate of traditional star-crossed lovers. It was hard to maintain their bond, but they managed it the best way they could. It was Pat and Pran against the world. And they won." Ohm sighed and took Nanon's hands in his. "This is also one of the places that reminds me of where we come from. And how we're able to turn the unbearable into endurable." He paused, and gently raked a hand through his boyfriend's hair.
"Ohm..." Nanon sighed, but let the other touch him. The singer yearned for those comforting fingers, and he couldn't help leaning on them.
"We acted as a BL couple for many months, but before that we were already Ohm and Nanon. We gave life to Pat and Pran, but after the series was over, we still remained as Ohm and Nanon. Pat and Pran made us kiss, cuddle, and get more intimate than ever. Those characters outlined what we could become, and how stronger our bond could get. But the trials that couple went through could never prepare us for the real thing." Ohm chuckled dryly. "The real world keeps throwing us maddening challenges that probably Pran and Pat wouldn't be able to handle as well as we do."
"I believe that too." Nanon commented quietly.
"You see, I often catch myself wondering if we'll ever be able to have a happy ending just like the characters we played did. I ask myself if our love will succumb to the harshness of our realities. Sometimes, when I feel too insecure I come up here to get my answers. I ponder and ponder, trying to get a glimpse of our future." Ohm paused and touched the singer's cheek lovingly. "Damn, we have been through so much shit together, so many wonderful things...Punches after punches... Conquests after conquests. Unimaginable sorrows, indescribable happiness... And whenever I come here and ask my inner Pat if the magic between you and I will persist just like his and Pran's did, he always gives me the same answer. He simply tells me that it will, because soulmates' love never fades away."
Nanon's eyes watered. He could have said a thousand things to Ohm after hearing his speech. He could've tried to explain to him that he had gotten the message. And that he should stop saying those things, because he didn't want to cry anymore. He could tell him that he truly understood the real meaning of his words, because he also believed that neither Mark nor anyone else would ever tear them apart. He could reveal to him how touched he was by that gesture, how emotional he got while being there and hearing such a sincere reaffirmation of his love for him. He could try to apologize, and admit that he was jealous, that he resented him for leaving him at Perth's room, or that he was just exhausted and frustrated by the whole blackmailing situation. However, Nanon didn't say anything like that. For someone as talkative as him, not knowing how to express himself was something quite rare. He felt like Pran, vulnerably locked inside himself. And when Pran couldn't voice what his heart screamed out loud, he relied on actions, after all, they were worth more than a thousand words. At that moment, Nanon felt like doing something meaningful for both of them.
"Take me to Pran's room." He whispered to Ohm, who gave him a curious look.
"Non, do you get what I'm trying to say here? Neither Mark, nor anyone else will ever separate us. We will figure this out together, we will overcome this bad phase in our lives, and we'll be alright again, and we'll celebrate our victory, just the two of us-"
"I know all that. Believe me, I know it, as well as you do." Nanon cut him off, and turned away from him. "Come on, let's race! Whoever reaches Pran's room first win, okay?" He added abruptly, and ran away from the rooftop leaving a flabbergasted Ohm behind.