A few hours ago...
"Ms.Kimhan is fine. She just needed some more rest and sleep." The middle age doctor said as he handed a prescription slip to Pie. The girl studied the list for awhile. Obviously, she didn't have any idea of what the medicine is all about.
"You can get the medicament later." The doctor added, realizing the confusion written all over the girl's face.
"When will Kim... wake up?" Pie faltered, unsure with her own gut.
"I'm afraid she won't until the next morning." The doctor laughed but it didn't sound funny to Pie. The man went silent immediately when she caught Pie staring. "What I meant is I let Ms.Kimhan to have a rest a little bit longer. The dose I have given to her is ample to restore her energy." The doctor explained. Only then, Pie nodded her understand.
"Alright, Ms.Pie. I think I'm done here. You can call me if you needed anything." The man said. He was no other but the private physician who had been serving the family for long years.
"Thank you."
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Current time...
Pie spent the whole day, watching Kimhan Jittaleela until she didn't realize she had lost the track of time and it was nearly late in the evening. The room gradually turned dark, indicating that the sun had descended from the west sky yet the moon was about to take over so soon. Kim was too deep in her slumber, lying motionlessly for the long hours. Colour seemed had drained from her face making the tom looked pale; as pale as the snow. It's not only that, the bruises she got in conjunction to the fight on the other day, made Kim looked like a horrible un-dead. There was a little cut in her lips, distorting the charm look she has ever had. It came to Pie's realization that Kim had went through a very hard time these past few days and she was partially causes of the suffering.
At this moment, Pie admitted that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Kim was not really absent. She was there, sleeping and unfortunately that mind was not able to connect to real world where they could possibly talk or at least arguing about the silliest matter. Previously, she hated it when Kim dictated her for every deal in the house. Not to mention, she had always wished that she could tear and cut Kim's lips into pieces whenever the tom smirked to her but now, when Kim froze right in front of her in the living unconscious state, she started to miss those moment terribly. It was kind of incomplete of not arguing with the tom for a day. It seemed something was missing when she had not seen the ugly smirk. It felt empty when she had not listen to Kim's voice; calling her name. In short, everything seemed to fall apart.
"Kim, wake up." Pie found herself whispering. She shook her head tossing away the thought; Kim needed to rest.
"I'll come back later." Pie said to the unconscious tom. She needed to clean herself and get some refreshment after long hours of staying there in the room.
Pie walked herself to leave the room when the messy working desk disturbed her sight. Kim rarely left her things untidy and ridiculously she did.
"I'll help you to clean this mess." Pie said.
The girl started to stack the pile of papers neatly to one corner of the table. Afraid that she might throw away some important documents, the girl only picked up those crumpled papers which spread all over the area. Pie stuffed the other Kim's belongings into the drawers which led her to a new discovery. It was not a shock to her to see a few old photos of Kim and Fern. She believed one day, the untold old stories between them will finally came to reach her knowledge. Indifferent about them, she continued with her work. Later, she found a dirty coffee cup under the pile of mess; Kim had probably staying up late previously. A few minutes later, Pie finally made everything back to their right place.
Exhausted yet required some break to catch her breath, Pie rested herself on the 'boss - like - chair' which she always assumed to be a great invention human being had ever created. She imitated the way Kim had always seated on it and laughed with her own childish demeanour. Pie threw her gaze to the shelf which placed various files and books at the right side of the desk. None of them caught her interest not until she saw something bizarre among all of them. No one will notice the thing if they didn't pay their attention to it; Pie saw a piece of paper in between the thick pages of a book protruding to her view.
The urge of getting it empowered Pie when her legs betrayed her hesitation. She rushed to see the thing, taking it in her hand. It was dusty; clearly neither Kim had ever notice its existence. She observed it again; it was not an ordinary paper. It was an old photo. For an instance, Pie felt her fingers had lost their grip. The photo nearly slipped from her hand.
"What is this?" Pie asked to no one. Her body began to quiver, shaking uncontrollably upon seeing the picture.
She rushed to get the door but then she turned around to Kim again. "Kim, I'll be back. I just want to meet Tavee for awhile." Pie told the sleeping tom.
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Somewhere around the town...
"Pie, are you aware that we leave Kim alone at home? What if she suddenly wakes up and you're not around? Gosh! She will freak out and I'll be in trouble." Tavee required to the girl next to her who seemed so deep in her own contemplation. The lady herself was in guilt of taking Pie out even though she was doing it upon the girl's request.
"It won't take that long." Pie answered as she tore her gaze from the window to the lady. "She won't wake up until the next morning." The girl informed.
"You know, you are not fully recovered yet. We can talk at your house. We don't need to do this." Tavee spoke. From time to time she glanced to the side mirror, the night seemed quiet and less vehicles on the road as to compare as usual. She thought tonight was a bit strange.
"I need some fresh air." Pie sighed. "Take me to wherever it could be refreshing."
Awhile later, Tavee pulled up the car to her favourite coffee house. It might provide a private and quiet place for Pie. She had no idea of what has happening back then. A few minutes ago, the girl made a call to her, asking whether she could pick the girl at the house. Without any doubt, she answered her yes. Only now she started to wonder so many things. Why Pie needed to meet her outside the house?
"Choose your drink Pie. It's my treat." Tavee said, handing the list of choices to the girl.
After somewhat they made their order, Tavee realized she could no longer hold her curiosity. "Do you want to share something with me?" She asked. Pie might not have other friends but her since the girl began to live with Kim. She rarely saw Pie hanging out with anyone what more to see the girl with somebody else. Kim seemed to cage the girl for the entire time and it somehow made her wonder how Pie could survive the 'hell' Kim had set up for her.
Later, she saw Pie took out a white envelope from her bag. The girl slid it gently to her and she took it immediately. Various thought rushed down to her mind; bad inkling was one of them.
"What is in here?" Tavee queried to Pie, hesitated to have a look to its content.
"Open in and take a look." Pie gestured.
Tavee didn't tear her gaze from Pie when she took out the content of the envelope. If someone could die from being nervous, she might one of the victims.
"It's just a picture; an old picture." Tavee raised an eyebrow, confused with the sight. Nothing seemed wrong with it. She saw four men in the pictures. They seemed to have a good time at that moment when they were all smiling brightly.
"Yes exactly it is an old photo." Pie nodded. "Do you know anyone of them?" Pie asked.
Tavee observed the picture for the longest time before she gasped on her own. "This is Mr.Jittaleela." She pointed to the most right side of the picture. "He looked more handsome now." Tavee giggled but Pie only managed to curve a faint smile.
"What about the person next to him? Do you know this man?" Pie queried.
Tavee stared to the picture again. It was almost losing its colour. It might be a bit difficult for her to recognise anyone of the men. "I think I know this man." Tavee said and it purposely caught Pie's attention.
"If I'm not mistaken, he is Fern's father; Mr.Leuvisadpaibul." Tavee told her. "He is one of Mr.Jittaleela's business partners." The lady added.
"Don't ask me about the other two. I don't know them." Tavee said before Pie spoke up.
"Where did you find this picture, Pie?" Tavee queried curiously. She kept observing the photo from edge to edge as if she was trying to find any clue from it.
"I found it in one of the books on Kim's shelf. I think the book belongs to Mr.Jittaleela." Pie told her and she nodded her response.
"What are we going to talk about it?" Tavee realized this is the matter which caused Pie to see her.
"Look." Pie took the photo from Tavee's hand and placed it on the table. "The person next to Fern's father is my late father." Pie said and she saw Tavee's eyes widen in surprise. "The last person in the row is Mike's late father. You know Mike, the man who accidently shot me the other day." Pie added and by now Tavee had already left her jaw hanging in startled.
"Are you trying to say that they were all related to each other?" Tavee surmised, scanning the old picture all over again. She could see it the four of them seemed to be best friends back in the past.
"Now, that's the question." Pie sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose as if the matter burdened her too much.
"I can help you if you want me to." It warmed Pie to hear it from Tavee. The lady had been her very good friend ever since their first met
"You already helped me." Pie smiled but Tavee returned a confusing look to her. "You told me the identity of the man next to Mr.Jittaleela. That's all I need." Pie explained and she saw the frown from the lady's face slowly subsided.
"The rest of the thing is my business to deal with." Pie murmured and Tavee didn't seem to hear it.
"You scared the hell out of me." Tavee giggled so did Pie. "I thought you were up to something. You know? Something..." They both broke into laughter without Tavee knew it Pie feigned one.
"Now, where is our drink? Why they took so long?" Tavee wandered her eyes around, trying to locate any waitress.
"Tavee, when we are done. Let's get home?" Pie queried.
"Ah, alright." Tavee nodded awkwardly. "I thought you said Kim is not going to wake up until the next morning?" The lady queried again and more confusion came to haunt her.
"Yes I did say that but I didn't say Kim allowed me to go out at night." Pie grinned.
"Oh come on Pie! You spent you whole life at the house and now you are free for awhile, why don't you just enjoy the night with me?" Tavee growled, wondering how Pie could be that loyal to Kim.
Tavee watched Pie tore her gaze away for a moment before the girl turned to look to her again. "I'm aware that Kim started to have feeling for me." Pie spoke.
"I knew it!" Tavee unconsciously raised her tone, making every person inside the coffee house to look to them; bewildered.
"So, what do you say?" Tavee seemed so excited with the news.
"No. I've told her that I can't do this. I'm not giving any false hope." Pie said. It left Tavee silent for the longest moment while Pie chose not to say any further.
"Pity Kim..." Tavee spoke and Pie heard it. Unfortunately Pie can do nothing about it. She refused to believe the thing called LOVE.