Soulmate's Path| Complete

jjinxx

Is your "nom" Fai-approved?
Chapter 19

The date drew closer and closer. While Om was visiting his friends, Yaya was allowed time to herself, so she wandered aimlessly into the park as the afternoon sun glittered across the river.


“Yaya!” Someone caught her around the waist, and she looked down to see an ecstatic Bee hugging her. she ruffled his hair affectionately. “How are you honey?”

“This is great! Mommy brought me to the park and you’re here too!” She turned to see Nee approaching.

“Yaya,” Nee smiled, “Om told me you were here so I thought we could come keep you company.”

Yaya looked back gratefully.

“Bee, run along pick some flowers for mommy,” Nee said, and he happily obeyed. She then turned back and hesitantly asked, “You don’t look so well. Are you feeling okay?” She went on, “I’ve been meaning to ask you. Are you sure you want to marry Om? I just mean that, you two hardly know each other. Of course,” she added quickly, “I understand that you have your reasons.” Nee’s brow dipped in confusion seeing Yaya’s face grow impossibly drearier.

“I have a confession,” Yaya said quietly, breathlessly, “and I have no one to tell it to.”

“What is it?”

“I…don’t want to marry him.”

Shocked, Nee hadn’t expected such a straightforward answer. “W-what do you mean?”

Yaya buried her face in her hands. “I’m such a horrible person. I’ve already decided to be strong for him, but I can’t help…can’t help hurting every time I see him.”

“Yaya…” Nee was beginning to realize what just might be going on, but she restrained herself to ask slowly, “What are you talking about? Do you mean that…?”

“I don’t love him,” came Yaya’s weak voice. “I…I love…”

“Who?” Nee asked, leaning closer, “Who?”

As she suspected, the reply came in a distorted but comprehensible name. “…Nadech.” Yaya furiously wiped away her tears, forcing herself to look up. “Nee, please don’t tell anyone what I said! It would hurt Om so much, and all I want to do is treat him well.”

“…”

“Promise me you won’t tell anyone.”

“Yaya, don’t you think it was best if you followed your heart?” Nee asked, returning the gaze with a sympathetic simper in her eyes. “This isn’t right.”

“But it’s the only thing I can do. Nadech asked me to, so I have to.”

“He what?” Nee couldn’t believe her ears. Why were so many people standing in her way? Her fingers wrapped tightly around the edge of their bench. “But…regardless, how can you live a lie like that? All because of your hateful cousin?”

Yaya swallowed back her tears hard. Her decision had nothing to do with Pope; she no longer thought about him or wondered about what his intentions were. All of her present pain was enough to deal with. “I’ve already decided to do what Nadech wanted.”

Nee bit back an angry retort. How could this girl be so stupid? Presently, Bee returned with two bouquets of daisies for them, and Yaya excused herself, further embittering Nee when she mentioned that she was worried about Om.



The day before the engagement arrived, to which Yaya woke up as if in a daze.

Yaya remained motionless on her bed, the strange remnants of a nearly forgotten dream lingering wistfully on her lashes. The silhouette of a man she knew dearly had appeared beside her bed, brushed away her tear, and kissed her into the realms of sleep.

She stared up at her ceiling and wondered if the time since her parents’ death was all some twisted fairy tale that her subconscious had dreamt up. Her eyes fluttered closed. She waited for her mom’s voice. She waited for Mint to jump on to her bed. She waited until the door was knocked on, interrupting her vain attempt to escape.

“Time to wake up, dear,” Kat’s voice drifted in. “Tomorrow’s the big day!” she exclaimed, not even realizing that she was drowning the young woman’s spirits even deeper.

Suddenly, Yaya sat up in bed. “Kat.”

“Yes?”

“I want to cook dinner tonight.”

“Oh but there are many last minute things you should—“

“I really want to,” Yaya said, almost fiercely. She was determined, and wouldn’t give in until Kat and Mother had agreed.

When the busy day of plannings and decorating and keeping so busy that she and Om barely saw each other finally died down to a heavy sky of grayness, Yaya took to the kitchen. Just as she had gotten things rolling along, Om peeked in.

“Can I be of assistance?”

She replied pleasantly, “Just go relax, I know you’ve had a long day.”

He slipped in. “I’m not tired. Allow me the honor of helping you, please.”

She pursed her lips in a smile and nodded.

“Where’s the elbow grease you boasted of?” Yaya chuckled.

At this, Om whisked the contents of the bowl he held faster with concentration. When he was done, she added the ingredients together and he watched with fascination at the precision in her movements and confidence in everything she handled.

“Yaya, you’ve grown a lot,” he observed.

“I should hope so,” she said. “My mom said she wanted me to stay as her little daughter forever. But isn’t that a silly wish?”

“I suppose all parents want it to be that way. They always want to nurture us and protect us from harm.”

Though this thought pricked her heart a bit, she continued to do her work without trouble, moving moved around in a world of her own, unaware of anything outside while food steamed and boiled and sizzled at her magical touch.

“Alright,” she covered the pot on the stove with its cover, “we’ll just leave this alone until it’s ready.” Stepping to the side to wipe her hands with a towel, she grew conscious of Om’s close presence. He gently turned her to face him. Eyes cast down, she stood rigidly before him, waiting.

Om tilted his head down, slowly, closer. When she could feel his breath softly on her skin, he paused. He took the time to scout her every feature—those full lips, the perky nose that fit in her small face, and especially those eyes. Om had told himself again and again, that she was not Araya, but it was always Yaya’s eyes that called him back to the past with the woman he loved more than life itself. But standing here, closer than either would have imagined to be before, Om felt a rising reproach with himself. Because who he saw was not anyone remotely close to Araya, but a young woman who he suddenly knew was both eager to help him feel better and yet, trying to hold back her own yearning for…someone else? Is that what he was really seeing?

He didn’t love her, he knew that. But he did have the hope that they would provide a solid companionship for each other. But was their union the right way?

He came closer still. She felt him reach past her. “We should open the windows now,” he said, and just like that the air lightened around them as a breeze stole away the tantalizing scent of home cooking and shared it amongst the rain descending to feed the parched soil.

As if nothing had happened, they went about fixing dinner again, though in silence, until Om mentioned, “Nadech said that he was coming home late tonight. He’ll probably miss dinner.”

She replied without a single waver in her voice, “That’s fine.”

But he caught the dimming of her eyes, and once again sensed her hidden disappointment.

-------------
“You’re back,” Kat greeted Nadech as he shook off the rain droplets from his suit jacket.

Smiling tiredly, he was about to go up when she said, “Are you hungry? There’s some dinner that was saved specially for you.”

Thinking of his mom, he turned and said, “That sounds good actually. Could you set it out for me?”

“Yes sir.”

“Thanks.”

Sitting down at the table, Nadech didn’t give another thought before lifting the spoon to his mouth. That was when he recognized the flavor on his tastebuds and more importantly, knew exactly who had cooked that night.

Tomorrow was the day the two of them were going to promise to become partners. And it would become official to the world that she did not belong to Nadech. One after another, Nadech scooped each spoonful into his mouth, even when the lump in his throat threatened to stifle his airway, he forced himself to keep eating. It was all delicious of course. When the spoon caught a drop of his tear and transformed the flavor to that of the sea, he still didn’t stop, wanting to use that flavor as his outlet towards Yaya.



Up in his room, Nadech swung his window open. In washed a light spray of rain that collected like crystals on his face, feebly attempting to extinguish his heart that was smoldering to ashes, gray like the rolling clouds.

With the taste of Yaya’s cooking lingering on his tongue, Nadech turned away from his window, picked up his pen, and began to write on a plain sheet of paper. When he was done, he folded it thirds and let it lay alone on his desk.

-------------
It was strange that each time she beheld her reflection, Yaya seemed to see someone more and more different. Today had to be the crowning wonder of all, as the elegant woman in the world of glass returned her stare solemnly. To her surprise, her mind was clear of foolish yearning. There was nothing to do now but accept her duties and do her best for Nadech’s sake.

Someone knocked and then came in.

She gasped. “Mark!” Immediately, she was up and had reached for his arms that welcomed her warmly.

“Hey,” he said, hugging her close. “Did you think I was going to let you get away with not even telling me about this?”

Guiltily, she met his eyes with regret. “I’m sorry. Everything’s happened so soon that I just didn’t think.”

He took her by the shoulders and leaned forward slightly so they were level. “Hey, I’m not angry. Okay? Don’t worry, I’m just surprised that’s all. And I’m here to support you.” He cleared his throat, and slowly asked, “Is this…something that you truly want?”

The calculations were quite simple: Nadech wanted to help his brother, Yaya wanted to do whatever would make Nadech happy, and so the answer was clear to her.

“Yes,” she said.

Mark bit back a word of doubt, because he had expected a different outcome. But then, he thought, who was he to go around telling the future when he hadn’t seen Yaya in so long. So he silently nodded in understanding. “Okay then. My mom’s downstairs greeting Mrs. Theerada. I’ll wait for you.” He departed with an encouraging smile.


Not ten seconds later, Yaya’s phone rang. Any other day, she would have wondered who it was before picking up, but on this day, she was too distracted to question it, and so the voice that reached her from the other end nearly made her drop her cell phone.

“P’Rassa…”

“M-Mint?” Was she hearing things? Could it really be? “Mint?”

“You have to help me!” there was a fearful quiver in her voice, “I don’t know what’s going on. I’m scared, I’m scared of P’Pope. He’s changed and it’s…”

“Wait, what’s going on? Tell me what’s happening,” she tried not to let her mind think of the worst case scenario.

“P’Rassa, I’m really confused,” Mint cried, barely able to speak. “I don’t know how I feel anymore and everything is wrong. I…I have to leave! You have to help me get away from—“ Mint stopped and then said, “I have to go. I think he’s gone, maybe I can get out.”

“Mint?! Wait, Mint!” The line ended and Yaya’s felt her stomach heave with worry. What was happening? Was Pope that angry at her that he was taking it out on Mint, and treating her so badly that she was desperate enough to risk calling Yaya? Yaya didn’t realize she’d been pacing until she came to a stop and made a decision.


Loud footsteps thumped down the stairs and Nadech turned just in time to recognize that it was Kat who was dragging him urgently away. “What’s going on?”

When they were safely away from all the guests, Kat’s panic-stricken face turned to him and she said, “Yaya’s missing!”

Struck silent, he thought he must’ve heard wrong. “What did you say?”

“She’s gone!” Kat wailed in distress, “I went up to call for her but she was gone and—and just this was left.” She held out a piece of paper.

He took it and read the few words: I’m sorry. This is a matter of life and death, so I have to leave to go help. Please forgive me.

Life and death…Nadech’s blood seemed to freeze in fear. What was she thinking?

“Kat,” he said with surprising calm, “Go inform mom and P’Om. I…I’m going to try to find her.”


Finally breaking free of the front entrance, Nadech fished out his phone and just as he was getting into his car, the ringing stopped when her voice answered, “Hello?”

Hearing her, he clenched the phone and asked, “Where are you?”

Yaya tried to do her best to hold back the tremble in her words, “I had to leave. I’m so sorry, but Mint called me and she sounded so scared, I had to—“

“But what’s going on?” Nadech asked, stepping on the accelerating when he read through the anxiety she tried to hide. “Yaya, where are you going?”

“…Back,” she said. “I have to help her. I’m going back.”

“You can’t!” there was no need for him to panic. He shouldn’t believe anything would happen to her—he wouldn’t tolerate it! But just the idea of her going back to a place of unbearable memories, a place where the people there didn’t want her, Nadech felt it, felt the panic rise in him. “Stop, whatever you’re doing right now, stop.”

He couldn’t see the sad smile on her lips. “Nadech…if there was anyone in the world who I would believe could do anything, it would be you. But how are you going to stop a moving train?”

She was already on her way. “Yaya, please. Please don’t go back.”

His plead would have melted her at the knees if she’d been standing. But she was perched upon a seat in the train that was speeding her farther and farther from him, and Mint’s cries were making her crazy with worry. “I’m sorry, for not being able to do what you want.”



Om dropped upon a seat on the sofa. “She’s…really gone? She left?”

“Son, there must be a reason. Yaya would never have left if not for an emergency,” Mother wrung her hands anxiously, not even knowing what she should tell all the relatives and guests who had arrived for the engagement ceremony. “We have to find her first. Her message sounds serious!”

Mark frowned at the short message left by Yaya. His mom was beside him, equally restless about what had just happened. “It can’t be…” he murmured.

Nee’s ears perked up. She had come to the engagement telling herself this was not yet the real deal, so she would not have to take action. But if Yaya had left, and if they knew where she was...then all Nee needed was to be faster than them all and she would get what she wanted. She listened carefully to Mark.

“She couldn’t have…” Mark muttered, as if to convince himself. “Mom, you don’t think she went back, do you?”

“What do you mean?” Om asked.

“Do you know where she went?” Mother looked up with disturbed eyes.

Mark shook his head. “There’s only one other person that could have made Yaya this worried she would leave everything. Her cousin, Mint, back home. But I can’t think of any reason why she should have thought she was in danger,” he said, reading the urgent words that had been quickly scrawled to save time. “No, I don’t understand what could have occurred. But there isn’t anyone else.”

“This can’t be happening,” Mother shook her head. “Om, what should we do?”

“I’m going after her,” he stood up. “For whatever reason that she did it, we can’t let her get hurt.”

“Nadech ran out when I told him,” Kat informed them, “he said he was going to look for her.”
-------------
jjinxx
 

jjinxx

Is your "nom" Fai-approved?
I know you guys probably hate his guts, but Pope is an important character and I don't think I've done a good job getting that across but the reason for that is that you can't understand him without knowing HIS story, and the small act he committed in his adolescence that is tied to YADECH's story. That act is presented here, so if you feel up to it, here is part 1 of Pope's side story. It won't be as detailed but if you have questions, feel free to ask and in fact, the gist of his life is very simple once I get through it in the following parts.

SP SIDE STORY part 1

His new dad and new sister had come to live with them for almost a year, and Pope was already completely devoted to the little girl whole-heartedly. She was six years old, had a sheet of flowing dark brown hair and eyes that sparkled like stars--eyes that tugged at Pope’s heartstrings whenever she looked up at him. Her smiles were the best, and he counted each of those smiles every day greedily, collecting them in a box preciously locked inside of him. The day she held out her hand to him on their first meeting and called him “P’Pope” was the day he smiled for the first time since he was seven.

Four years earlier

A sharp sting bloomed acutely on his face where his mom had slapped him. Gaping in surprise through the tears that he didn’t even notice, Pope could hardly find his voice to ask, “…m-mommy?”

His mom eyed him unsympathetically—coldly, he thought, with a chill down his spine—and said, “Why did you help that child?”

Still not understanding what had merited this punishment, his breath and voice returned, “What did I do wrong, mom?” Never had he imagined that his mom would hit him. Suddenly, she roughly yanked him towards her by his arm so that she was level with him.

“You should have just left her alone.” As if she was too disappointed to even look at him, she turned away with a twisted frown. “If you hadn’t called for help yesterday, things would have been so much easier for us. Damn it.”

Now aware of the situation she was speaking of, poor Pope was even more confused. Yesterday, his little cousin had fallen and started turning blue. He'd lifted Rassa in his arms, and with all the capacity of his lungs, Pope had run through the house yelling for help until his uncle rushed in. Even the mere memory still scared Pope, yet right now, he shrank from his mother's subtly vicious touch. He felt scared of her too. “Rassa? But…if I hadn’t called for help, she would have…”

His mom narrowed her eyes at him. “She would have died.”

His eyes widened as this idea was thrown at him like cold water. “But that’s why I helped her.” He hissed in pain when her fingers tightened on his arm.

“From now on, you stay away from her, and if anything like that should occur again,” she held his gaze hypnotized by her icy expression, “if you witness anything like that again, son, you have to let her die.”

----
“P’Pope!”

Before he could move react, his cousin had reached him and grasped his hands. “Isn’t it exciting? We were all so sad, but now you’re going to have a father again!”

He pulled away not too gently. “Go away.” Pope had not forgotten the time his mom hit him; it, along with her fury every time she saw her niece, drove him to bitterly avoid Rassa, so that four years later, he had used that bitterness for his mom and turned it into hate for his younger cousin. He hated that she was always so happy. He hated that she received so much attention. He hated that she was the reason his mom had hit him. Glowering at her for a second, Pope turned and made his way down the road, leaving a sad and disappointed Rassa watching him grow further and further.

----

jjinxx
 
Great update naka. I tasted Nadech's tears --- that was so sad and so good the way you wrote it.

Yaya confessed to the wrong person. grrrr. I hope Nee is NOT that evil. there must be a little good in her somewhere.
Om was a little more tolerable today. Glad he is sensing Yaya's true feelings. Maybe he might not be a bad/selfish brother after all.

Can't wait for the next chapter ka. I just want to finish reading this already..... it's so good naka.
 

ukepearl

sarNie Hatchling
Jinx, i am seriously trying to hold back my tears... i can feel nadech's heartbreak and the way you wrote that scene.. tears... was beautiful!
ahhh i'm in science class for gods sake if i cry i'll get caught!! hahah
just like what kiki said good thing om was tolerable... haha and nee good thing she didnt do anything much... or else i wouldve been in a really bad mood!!! >Dl
 

jjinxx

Is your "nom" Fai-approved?
^lol, Kiki! Here you go!

Chapter 19

After ending the call with Rassa, Mint knew she had been given false hope. P’Pope had not left after all. He was standing before her, a heart full of turmoil evident on his face as he said, “I’ll take you to see her.”

Stunned, Mint stuttered, “…y-you…you what? Really?”

“The engagement is today,” Pope replied monotonously, “We can go. If you want.”

“Please,” she said immediately, “let’s go…please.”

“…Okay.”

-------------
Yaya’s first steps down the road proceeded haltingly. She knew what she would find at the far end, the site where everything had gone down in flames. Shaking her head, she made herself focus on another destination. Her aunt and uncle’s house stood past the farm; it would take a while to walk to the edge of her parents’ farm and then through the woods separating the two homes. Drawing in a deep breath, she began her trek towards an old home.



He’d been driving for two hours and finally stopped in front of the Surongtakul property. Hurrying to the front of the big house, he pounded on the door nonstop until it was answered.

A maid asked, “Who are you here to see?”

“Pope. Where is he?”

Perhaps she was startled by his appearance, or more likely, startled to hear that someone was requesting the presence of her boss. “H-he’s not here.”

“Tell him I need to meet him.”

“Pope isn’t here, I’m sorry,” she tried to close the door but he stopped her.

“Please,” he persevered, “Go get him.”

“I said he isn’t here. None of the family are home right now and they don’t like having strangers visit the house when they are gone. The elders are on vacation and the their children left earlier for an event. Go away.”

“No, wait!” He pounded on the door again but someone’s hands dragged him away away. “What the hell?” He shoved the guys away from him.

“You’re not welcome here,” one of them said.

“I just want to see Pope. His cousin came here to see him.”

“No one has been here,” the worker replied darkly. “The family isn’t even here, so why would there be visitors? Get off the property.”

Taken aback by their claims, Nadech had no choice but to retreat. In his car, he leaned on the steering wheel to race his mind through where in the world Yaya would be. He had to start somewhere.



Yaya whirled around. She thought she had heard the sound of some a human moving, it was too stealthy to be a wild animal.

Passing the place where her house used to stand, she hadn’t been able to resist closing her eyes, not caring if she tripped or ran into something. Finally making it past, she determined to have courage for Mint’s sake. She would not let anymore of her family get hurt.

Ducking under a branch, she kept going. There it was again, to her right. Feeling paranoid, Yaya gulped and tried to keep her eyes in front of her. She gasped inaudibly when the sure and certain sound of heavy footsteps came at her. Three men came into view, all strangers, all eying her as their deadly target. There was no pretending anymore; they were there for her.

“What a pretty little one,” one of them sneered.

“How lucky we are to be ending such a pretty little life,” the one closest to her smiled with bloodthirst.

Yaya stifled a shriek when the third grabbed her from behind. “This is probably our easiest job ever. Look at the sweet thing, wandering around alone like a forest nymph.”

Yaya cringed when he sniffed her hair. “L-let go! Who are you?”

He laughed. “I’m afraid it’s a waste of time for us to get acquainted. I regret it also. We kill you and get paid, so why don’t you just consider this as your merit?”

“Stop stalling, I don’t want to get caught on private property,” one of them snarled. “Just kill her already.”

She stiffened at the sight of a gun, so crass and intrusively ugly against the lush forest.

The gun was lifted.

Yaya blinked.

The gun was gone.

The one that had been aiming screamed in pain. “What the—“ his hand bled where the rock that had knocked his weapon away tore his skin. All three turned to meet the intruder.

Panting, but not one ounce less ferocious, Nadech shouted, “Get the hell away from her!”

Growling in rage at the sudden attack, the one who had held the gun charged toward Nadech who met him head on, blocking his punch and kicking his feet from under him, then swung another kick at his head to knock him out. He stumbled back, receiving a blow from the other guy, who ran and shoved him against a tree. The guy tried to headbutt Nadech, but he moved his head to the side so the guy’s forehead met with bark, then grabbed either side of his head and slammed it over and over while twisting out. Nadech ducked as he swung at him, crouching swiftly to let his hand trail on the ground, then rose and struck him with a heavy fist.

“Stop!” Nadech turned to see the last guys holding on to Yaya with the gun pointed to her head. “Or I’ll blow her head off.”

Breathing hard, Nadech slowly drew closer to them.

“Hold it! You come any closer and I’ll—“

“If you shoot her, you’ll give me time to attack you,” Nadech cut in.

The killer realized this was true. “So what?” he asked with a note of hysteria, “I’ll still have the gun.”

“Then shoot me.”

“No!” Yaya yelled. The two men ignored her.

Nadech repeated, “Shoot me, you know that’s the better choice.”

The killer scoffed. “You’re one messed up hero if you don’t realize I could kill her right after I shoot you.”

“Then do it. But you’ll have to be fast.”

Before the killer seemed to decide, he saw Nadech bring up an arm so he swung the gun at Nadech, but the trigger was squeezed too slow. Another stone had been let lose while Nadech dived forward, avoiding the belated bullet while his stone met its target between the eyes of the killer. He let out a howl as blood burst from his head. Turning around, he wildly began to shoot while blood ran in his eyes, but Nadech had already grabbed Yaya’s hand and they ran through the trees away.

When they were clear of the area of the trio, Yaya pulled at her hand. “No! We can’t leave! I have to go back!”

“Yaya!” he didn’t let her budge, whatever strength she used, “We have to get out! They might come after us!”

“I have to go to Mint!”

“She’s not there!”

“She called me!” Yaya feverishly shook her hand to free herself, “She’s hurt, I have to—“

“Will you just stop first?” He grasped her other wrist and roughly held her closer, “We’ll go back home and get help—“

“No!”

They struggled against each other, not noticing the changing slope of the ground until one of them tripped and was propelled forwards into the other, gravity claiming their bodies and dragging them down a slanted portion of the woods.


Rolling to a stop, they stayed in their tensed position for a minute, Nadech’s arms wrapped protectively around her. He looked up and saw that they were more densely surrounded by trees, making it look darker.

“Yaya?” he swept her hair from her face, “are you okay? Speak to me.”

Those lashes fluttered open and she let her eyes wander towards his, but there was no relief or joy to find that he was there. She wriggled out of his arms and pushed herself up.

She had never been allowed to take the shortcut through these woods before, only using the road, and so was confounded by where they had landed. “Where are we?” They couldn’t be too far from Mint’s house. She began walking but found herself held back by Nadech.

“We’re going home,” he said sternly, pulling her in the direction he felt was right.

She resisted, and then grabbed onto a tree. Nadech turned around with a huff and the return of his strict elder expression, but she didn’t yield.

“Yaya, she’s not in her house,” he said.

“How do you know?”

“Because I went there!”

“…Really?” She was stunned, by how fast he had acted, by how accurate he had been about her plans.

“YES,” he made a sound of frustration, “This is crazy, alright? You’re not going to find anyone home, the house looked dark and there weren’t any cars around. The worker said they'd all left.”

“But…” her eyes searched the ground in confusion, “they have to be…”

“Did Mint tell you where she was?”

“…No…” She hadn’t specified where she’d been. Did that mean Mint had been taken away from home? Or had the workers lied? No, Pope was someone who wouldn’t turn down a confrontation. If Nadech had gone to their house, then that meant they really weren’t there.

While she was distracted by this, he tugged her away again, and they traveled for a few minutes before she froze.

“Yaya, what is it?”

“Why are you here?!” she demanded, only just realizing how much she hadn’t wanted to get anyone else involved in her family problems. She yanked her hand out of his and demanded fiercely, “Why didn’t you stay back home?”

“What—Yaya,” he stuttered, “Shh, they might find us—“

“This wouldn’t be happening if you hadn’t come after me! Everything would have ended if you hadn’t come here and gotten those guys to start hunting you too! What were you thinking?”

“I had to find you!” he replied in a semi-muted volume.

“Well you have to get out of here!”

Furious at what SHE was thinking, he took hold of her upper arms and drew her up close. “I am not going to leave you here alone.”

“I’m not letting you put yourself in danger for me. Do you know what could have happened back there?”

“I know! That’s why I’m here! Neither of us are going to die, not me, and especially not you! I won’t allow it!”

“Argh! I should have left you with that snake bite!”

Taken aback from her irritated outburst, he was rendered speechless before inquiring, “Yaya?”

“What?” she snapped, keeping her gaze on the dirt floor, but was surprised when he wrapped his arms around her.

“Are you that mad at me?”

Weeks of suffering didn’t even compare to what she almost had to witness happen to him. She knew she had grown greedy under his care. It should have been enough to be present in his life, why should she ask to be loved by him too?

Then she could no longer hold back. Yaya threw her arms around him with such a staggering embrace that he was knocked backwards. They fell upon the leaf-strewn ground.

“You could have died!” She sobbed into her arms. Why was she being punished this way? What had she ever done wrong? One after another, the people she loved just got hurt.

Nadech’s arms squeezed around her in a circle, a circle of his never-ending love.

“I would have been happy to, as long as I could protect you.”

She shook her head over his shoulder. “No….” she cried.

“Yaya…”

She told him quietly, “When Mother mentioned your tractor accident, I realized that that same day was the day I almost died too. Don’t you see? You’re unlucky to be linked to me like this.”

Their lives were linked, he knew it without understanding it, and Nadech was not going to let her greet death anymore if he could help it. He’d been careless in his youth, disregarded safety, but never had it been more critical that he stay alive for the girl who held him so tightly that he felt both hers and his pain.

“Hey.” She felt him scoop her sideways onto his lap and re-enfold his arms around her in a cradle. Yaya tried to scoot away but he held her still. Hiccupping to hold back her tears, she finally allowed herself to look into Nadech’s eyes. “None of this is your fault. I hate that you keep going through so much agony, but I won’t stand for you to blame yourself. Shh…” He laid her head against his chest. “Do you really think any power in the universe will keep us apart? As long as you’re standing on earth, I’ll be with you. The only way for me not to die is for you to keep being strong. I know you can do it.”

She shook her head. What was she but one woman without anything to protect the people she loved?

“Yes, you can,” he said sternly. “Do I have to convince you?” He shifted and she lifted her chin, not expecting for his lips to come to a rest right on top of hers.

She was just about convinced that heaven and hell were next door to each other; one minute, her heart was about to explode from missing him, from seeing him get hurt; and the next, her heart was swelling just as hazardously, as he unleashed his passion for her in that kiss. Yaya had explored countless different flavors before. But she’d never tasted anything more exquisite than his lips. And she finally understood what he meant when he told her of a taste so savory that even in her next life, she would remember the person who made it.

Nadech should hate himself for this. On principle, what he was doing now, and feeling now for Yaya, was wrong. But nothing felt more wrong than that day he asked Yaya to let him go.

Understanding the sweetness of sin, he caught up her lips over and over, trading his breath for this sweet nectar that held her every essence, not comprehending how he had lived this long without her. Only when he felt her short breaths did he finally stop, laying his cheek next to hers.

“You and I will stay together.”

She squeezed her eyes shut. “Please…don’t make promises you won’t be able to keep.” She looked at him once more. “You promised,” she said quietly, wanting to be resentful, but unable to associate any negative feelings with him, “you promised me you would never be a brother to me.”

Heart aching, Nadech knew there was no easy way to fix things. “I’m sorry. I know nothing can ever make up for what I asked of you. But, I just wanted to help Om. I thought I could make you both happy, that in time, you would grow to love him. But it’s harder and harder to tell myself what I did was right. And what’s worse is that I can’t seem to give you up.”

She brought her hand up to caress his face. “I wish things were different. But I don’t blame you for it. I know you only tried to save us both. I don’t hate you for it.”

Her words bated his breath, and though she was trying to reassure him she would continue to do her duty well after this, it made it even more difficult for him to let her go.
“I’m sorry.” He brushed his lips against hers as a single tear from her eye slid down to imprint between their soft kiss.

Dusk was settling on the unseen horizon, and darkness sneaked through the trees around them as they treaded through the woods.

“We must have come the wrong way,” Yaya said. “Otherwise we should have reached where the old house was by now.”

Nadech removed his jacket and guided her hands through each sleeve. “We’ll have to wait for morning then.”

“But—“

“It’s okay. I don’t think they’ll come after us in the dark.” There was no point in wandering aimlessly, so he swept up a mat of leaves for them to rest on.

She conceded, and while she dozed off in his arms, he fixed her head snuggly on his chest so her neck wouldn’t hurt--not like the ache in his heart, and the ache he knew well enough was inside her too.

“It was you, wasn’t it?” came her soft murmur.

“Hm?”

“At the party. It was you.”

He didn’t have to make any response of affirmation, nor did she have to explain how she reached this conclusion. They both knew that what happened subsequently couldn’t be erased and that his decision, though arguably not right, could only be accepted. He thought of that night, of her face lit up from the evening breeze and the alcohol; and he thought of his broken promise.

“Bee told me that my soulmate is someone who loves me…” she said, cheek resting peacefully against him. “…Are you still my soulmate?”

“I was, am, and always will be.”

“And…you love me?”

He unfurled her fingers to press his thumb into the center of her palm. “I’ve never loved anyone before.”

“Before what?”

“Before you,” her hands were lifted up and his lips brushed her knuckles.

She drank in those words like golden honey. He gently bumped her chin with his finger, directing her gaze up to his eyes that swam with an abyss of adoration, accelerating her heartbeat. If she were to lose everything and still have those eyes of his to watch over her, she knew she’d be the most fortunate person on earth.

“Do you love me?” his voice silkily asked.

“I love you,” she replied, heart racing against her ribcage as if begrudging how long it had to keep those words to itself. The freedom of those words upon her tongue ached with a deliciousness she’d never encountered before.

“How much do you love me?”

“So much I could die for you.”

His lips quirked slightly, “That means I love you more.” Nadech nipped the tip of her nose with his, “Because I love you so much that I could live for you.”

Yaya pressed her nose into his neck, fighting tears of happiness, sadness and exhaustion. She didn’t want him to see her weak, not after having been rewarded with his love.

They were allowed that one night to freely hold each other, to absorb the depth of each other’s feelings under a cloak of leaves and stars.

-------------

SP SIDE STORY part 2

Pope frowned anxiously at the tone his mom was using, so harsh.

“Go fetch your sister! Gosh, I hate whenever she runs off to that house.”

“But she’s just playing with Rassa. Don’t get mad at her,” Pope attempted to soothe his mom’s resentment.

“Don’t talk back to me.” She eyed him with impatience. “Don’t you realize that the more time she spends with that brat, the more she’ll want to stay there? You want her to go live with your cousin?”

Pope gasped mentally. “That won’t happen!” he exclaimed. “Mint would never run away to stay there.”

His mother wasn’t paying attention and once again ordered him, “Go get her, I don’t want her to be around that family so long. She’ll become one of them,” she spat out in disgust.

Pope took off running down the dusty path, passing the field of crops and finally around to the back yard of the humble home of his aunt and uncle. There, he found his sister and cousin playing tea party on the picnic table under a tree.

“Mint!” he called, affection ringing his voice sweetly. “Let’s go home now.”

Mint, her long dark brown hair bound in a pink ribbon, turned to him and pouted, “But I don’t want to. I want to play with P’Rassa.”

“Mother is very mad right now. She wants us to go home,” he eagerly placated her, “I’ll play with you at home, okay?”

“No!” Mint wailed, swinging her feet so she could jump off the bench and run around to the other side where she took hold of Rassa’s arm. “I want to stay with P’Rassa.”

This innocent wish to continue playing set off Pope’s temper, as he began to take his mother’s words seriously. He stomped over and yanked her away.

“P’Pope, can’t Mint stay a bit longer?” Rassa asked.

“Didn’t I say mom told us to go?” he snapped back. “Come on, we’re leaving!” He dragged a tearful Mint all the way across the field to their house.

-------------
In the airport, Pope briefly glanced at the photo in his wallet before snapping it shut and stuffing it in his back pocket, a nearly unrecognizable smile playing his lips. Undeniably, he was a handsome young man, but few had ever been blessed enough to see his smile. Yet today there was no retaining his joy to be back home after those long years of school. He couldn’t wait to see the girl whose picture was preciously displayed inside his wallet. She would probably look just like the picture she’d sent him when she turned sixteen a few months ago. After boarding school, Pope had visited home too shortly and then been sent off to college, but this time, he was staying and no one could force him to leave her side again.


Two girls stood waiting for him to approach, but he had eyes for only one. He’d been annoyed that she wasn’t at home to receive him after his drive back, but all of that vanished to be replaced with simple bliss and adoration. She was grown now, more beautiful than ever, and would soon become a woman. But that didn’t matter as much as that her smile curved those pink lips just for him, and that he was determined to do whatever it took to keep that smile on her face every day of her life.

And when she said, “P’Pope, I missed you!” and opened her arms to hug him, Pope felt that granite lifeless soul inside him grow lighter with warmth. “I hope you don’t go away again,” she said, those big eyes beaming with life at him.

“I’m not going to leave you again, nong Mint,” he replied. "I love you."


It wasn’t until two years later that Pope realized that word ‘love’ which he held for Mint was much more than what a brother should feel for his sister. But though he was thrown off by it slightly, he did not try to reject his feelings. He was pleased enough to know that his love for her was that much deeper, and was more determined than ever with his self-awarded duty to give her happiness. Not once did he question how she would respond to these dramatically different feelings—he was confident that this was the way things should be. This was fate.

“P’Pope, what are you doing?” She appeared by his side and grinned at him. “Are you hungry?”

He nodded his head and hung an arm around her shoulder gently while she placed her head on his shoulder.

“I love you too P’Pope.”

-------------
“I hate you!” Mint sobbed, refusing to turn around and face him. “How could you agree to make Rassa do that!? Why did you make them put Mark in jail?”

“That’s where scum like him belongs,” Pope answered, irritated that she had said she hated him. Here was his golden opportunity; Rassa had given everything into his possession. It was his chance to finally tell Mint how he felt.

Pope knew she would be shocked, but he had not expected such a cold rejection from Mint after confessing that he loved her. She was more than cold, she thought he was crazy.

“You’re my brother!”

“You know that’s not true!” He retorted heatedly. Fresh tears lingered on her face.

Her father had married his mother when she was little. As soon as the young boy Pope set eyes on this beautiful child, he had promised she would belong to him, though the idea that they would have a relationship other than siblings had not yet occurred to him then. But once he realized it, he knew he could not go back, because they were more than a platonic love, more than siblings—they were soulmates.

He knew he would be able to stand against mom and dad if they disagreed—he always knew how to get what he wanted from them. But it was different with Mint. The heart inside him that many suspected didn’t exist was raked with a furious pain by the hate in Mint’s eyes, and yet, even her anger could not distort the soft beauty he had worshipped since they met.

“I love you,” he repeated, regaining composure, and commanding all of the power he had. “And now that I have all the family inheritance, I intend to keep it for us.”

“I don’t want it! Give it back to Rassa!” She leaped to her feet in front of him. “And I don’t want the love you’re giving me! You hurt P’Rassa and Mark! It’s all your fault that she’s not here anymore! I hate you!”

-------------
He dragged her away from Mark, fire roaring in his chest that that b.astard dared to show his face here. It wasn’t only that Pope had no time to deal with insignificant people like Mark, it was also that now that Mint had met with Mark, she would be more distraught.

True to his theory, Mint continued crying in her room late into the night and the sound of her tears tore at the fibers of Pope’s heart. He didn’t even bother answering their parents when they asked. Pope had as much animosity for his parents as the rest of the world. They were self-centered and foolish, and he hadn’t been able to wait until reaching adulthood so he’d be free from their controlling ways. The only person who he breathed for was Mint.

But she hated him. Pope chucked his glass of whiskey at the wall.

-------------
“She’s getting married?” Mint repeated in shock. “I want to go see her. Take me to see her,” she ordered.

Normally, Pope would have complied to anything she wished, but not if it had anything to do with Rassa nor if it meant she would only run from him. He had kept from her that he’d seen Rassa again a few weeks ago, but a casual comment from her had caused a slip of his tongue, so now she knew. “No.” He turned away, but she hurried around and blocked his path.

“Please?” She asked, “I miss her.”

“Is she the only one you think about?” he asked dully, before moving past her.

Mint forced herself to keep fighting. “Please,” she begged, grabbing hold of his arm to stop him. “Let me go see her. She’s my best friend and I haven’t seen her in so long.”

Pope pressed his eyelids closed for a second. “Why do you need others?” he asked, quietly, with none of his biting tones nor any coldness. To Mint, it sounded like a whisper; he sounded so tired and it made her heart twinge.

“Why can’t you just have me and have that be enough?”

She let go of him, growing rigid. He was doing it again. The first time P’Pope had told her about his feelings, she thought he’d gone crazy. They could never be anything more than brother and sister. She had yelled at him to come to his senses, had tried to ignore what he’d told her, had tried to hate him. But as the days passed by, and he expressed such patience and endurance, Mint didn’t think he was ever going to be her brother again.

What was worst was that she had found herself, just the other day, watching him working outside with the farmers, and not once did the thought that he was her BROTHER cross her mind. Once she was aware of this, Mint had gone through a period of dazed confusion. She then ignored HIM. Pope didn’t take that very well, and they ended up arguing again and again, until she simply refused to be in the same room as him, refused to talk to him, and refused to eat altogether. That had pushed her stress levels past tolerable, so that she found herself waking up weak one morning; and there P’Pope was, dozing by her side with her hand held in both of his as if he’d fallen asleep praying for her. Since then, he hadn’t brought up that forbidden subject again…yet it was Mint who couldn’t help noticing his gentleness as he wiped her forehead, his voice telling her to go to bed, his eyes never leaving her in case she might need him. His eyes had changed since that day Rassa left. They were warmer, more tender, as if he was tired of turning his back on the world and had settled down to only one humanly duty—taking care of her.

Mint turned to ascend the stairs and escape this madness inside of her, but found his arms around her.

“I want to give you the world,” he said, “won’t you just let me?”

Breath stolen, Mint was momentarily frozen in the warmth of his embrace that felt so different from previous ones. Or perhaps she had just never guessed there was more to be sought from his embrace before. “P’Pope, please let me go. I…” she struggled a little, “I think it would be better if I followed mom and dad to where they’re vacationing. If you’re not going to let me see Rassa, just please, let me go.”

He pulled her around to face him. “Why can’t you just accept that we’re different now?”

She shook her head hard, denying this as much as she could. “No. I don’t know what you mean!”

“We were never siblings!” he insisted, “That wasn’t the extent of how we should love each other.”

“I don’t love you!” she gasped. She covered her ears. “I don’t! I don’t!”

Pope framed her face with his hands and swept her close so that his lips touched hers.

All thoughts fled from her mind, along with time and space, right and wrong, old and new. The only thing that existed was that denied love that stirred in her when their lips met.

Pope hadn’t dreamt of ever kissing her before. Mint was his fragile gem, no one could ever hurt her, not even himself. But he became aware that he was hurting her at that moment, when the tear on her cheek soaked his. He looked down at her, devastated. What had he done?

A tumult of confusion reeling through her, Mint stepped back from him and took off up the stairs to vainly find solace in her room. But Pope would never be the same in her heart again—even if she didn’t accept it, she realized it was true. She had to reach out; Mint needed help, she couldn’t handle this by herself.

...
After ending the call with Rassa, Mint knew she had been given false hope. P’Pope had not left after all. He was standing before her, a heart full of turmoil evident on his face as he said, “I’ll take you to see her.”

Stunned, Mint stuttered, “…y-you…you what? Really?”

“The engagement is today,” he replied monotonously, “We can go. If you want.”

“Please,” she said immediately, “let’s go…please.”

“…Okay.”

------------------------------------------------------------
If things don't change, I believe the next chapter...will be the last...? Sorry for being so unreliable, but I just want to give fair warning. And perhaps bring a kleenex if you are the weak of heart...

jjinxx
 

jjinxx

Is your "nom" Fai-approved?
This is just the last part of the side story as a prelude to the finale. I'll post the final chapter tomorrow.


SP SIDE STORY part 3

“This is all my fault…” Mint covered her face in her hands. “I shouldn’t have called Rassa…”

“They’ll find her.”

“But it’s been hours and they haven’t found her yet and it’s getting dark!” Mint whimpered. “This is crazy. What if she got hurt?”

She found herself pressed in Pope’s embrace. Mint’s breath caught momentarily, hearing his voice murmur gently.

“We’ll head back first thing tomorrow. I’ll have everyone search every inch of the farm. We’ll find her.”

She nodded slowly.

“Okay?”

“…Okay…”

---- [Three days after Yaya and Nadech are found]

“Aren’t you…going to go see her?”

Mint quickly brushed away her tears. “…No,” she shook her head.

Pope remained by the doorway. “…Don’t you think she’d like to see you?”

“No. I…I’m the reason P’Rassa is sad. I can’t ever face P’Rassa again.” Mint bit back a sob. “If it wasn’t for my stupidity, she wouldn’t have come after me, and she wouldn’t have gotten into that mess. It’s…it’s my fault.”

“It was my fault,” he cut in sharply. “I was…the one who forced you to it. I’ll go tell her right now how everything is. She’ll see it wasn’t your, it was me.”

“Wait—“

Pope was half-way down the hall when she shouted, “Stop!”

He paused. “I’ll make her understand that it wasn’t your fault. I’m the idiot. I shouldn’t have ever said anything to you. You don’t have to worry, because things will go back to the way they were. I…” he swallowed hard, “…I’ll tell her, so you don’t have to worry about her hating you. She can hate me instead. And I’ll leave. I’ll leave you alone.”

Pope wasn’t prepared for her to run to him and wrap her arms around his waist from behind. He stood frozen like a statue, one that had thawed from the warmth of the woman holding him.

“Please don’t leave me…” her muffled voice pleaded, with her face pressed into his back.

“…”

“I’m sorry. What you told me…it’s hard for me to get used to.” Mint looked up, “But if you leave, I’ll never be able to forgive you. P’Pope…you belong with me…”

He closed his eyes, wanting to hold this precious moment forever. “If you tell me to, I’ll stay by your side forever.”

“Stay with me .”

-------------
jjinxx
 
please please please --- whatever you do, please don't kill off my Nadech naka. I will be totally broken hearted. I can't deal with anything but a happy ending for Yadech ka.
 

ukepearl

sarNie Hatchling
is this ending soon jinxxy?? :cry: :cry:
as much as i love this story and i want to see the end result and everything... but i don't want it to end!!!!!
cant waitxx
 

jjinxx

Is your "nom" Fai-approved?
Chapter 20

Up ahead, two men were calling for them. Mark’s face was full of relief as he hurried to close their distance and reach Yaya.

“My gosh, we actually found you two.” He hugged her before asking, “What happened? Why did you leave like that?”

“I’m sorry Mark,” she answered and all of her previous anxiety came rushing back, “It was Mint! She called me and I had to go after her.”

“Mint?” he repeated, also drawing from her fear.

“Yes, but the thing is that Nadech already went to their house. She’s not there, Mark! We have to find her. I don’t know what P’Pope is trying to do, but she sounded so scared.”

Mark quirked his brow with confusion. “Yaya, the thing is…I got a call from my mom yesterday that…that Mint and Pope showed up at Nadech’s house.”

“…What?”

“Yes, they were going to attend your engagement. It seems like,” Mark paused, shaking his head, “I actually don’t know what is going on, and Om and I had already left to come find you yesterday, but they must have had a misunderstanding, or a fight or something, but it seems like Pope decided to give in and let Mint come see you. Either way, mom says that Mint is still there at the Theerada house and not to worry. You’re okay right? What happened? Why didn’t you call or come back?”

While this exchange was going on, the two brothers had caught each other’s eyes and were taking wary steps towards one another. When there was about three feet between them, Om took a wide step forward and shoved Nadech back. He stumbled to the ground, but Om grabbed the front of his shirt and hauled him back up.

Face set sternly, Om said, “Hit me.”

“P’Om—“

“Damn it Nadech, what the hell were you thinking?”

“I was just…just—“

Om punched him. He grabbed Nadech’s collar once more and commanded, “Hit me back.”

Nadech obeyed, throwing a fast hook at him. Om leaned on his knees, as they both breathed hard.

“Yaya, don’t,” Mark held her back. She looked questioningly from him to the other two.

“You have to stop feeling sorry for me,” Om said, straightening up to face Nadech. “You have to stop letting me get away with things.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You don’t want her to marry me, right?”

Nadech looked away.

“I dare you to deny it.”

“Om, please don’t blame him,” Yaya said, stepping up to them. She halted, seeing his face, and this time, he was torn up with regret and shame.

He went over to Nadech and forced him to look up. “You are my brother,” Om said, swallowing back the lump in his throat, “I lost someone. And I almost made you go through the same thing. I almost put you through hell because I was too damn weak to move on. I can’t forgive myself, but I can’t forgive you either for letting me do it. What were you thinking?”

“I just thought…” Nadech clenched his jaw against the wave of mixed emotions in him, “that I could give you something. For once, you wouldn’t have to be the one fixing me up all the time.”

“You’re so stupid. You’re always going to be my careless little brother.” At once, they clasped each other’s shoulders tightly. “I have to apologize. To you and…” he pulled back and turned to Yaya. Yaya didn’t hesitate to take his outstretched hand. “I’m so sorry.”

“No,” she hugged him as he finally allowed himself to shed his tears.

Suddenly, they heard an ominous crack. Nadech hit the ground just as Mark lunged forward and knocked Yaya out of the way of the gunshot.

“Nadech!” she screamed, seeing his unconscious form on the ground.

“No!” Mark bellowed.

She yelled again, and tried to get past him but he roughly pushed her in the opposite direction.

“GO Yaya! We’ll help him. Run!” They missed another bullet. “RUN!”

She had to leave. She was the one they were after, so she had to run. Yaya took off, not allowing herself the temptation of looking back to see what her ears were telling her was happening to the others.

Lungs searing, she stopped to catch her breath, then looked fearfully over her shoulder. Were they alright? But they had no weapons, so how could they possible defeat the killers? Why were they after her in the first place?

“Yaya.”

She whirled around. What was going on?

Nee chuckled, “No, you’re not imagining it. I’m really here.”

If she was laughing, she must not know how dire the situation is. But Nee proved Yaya’s thought wrong.

“I told them not to hurt any of the other guys, so you don’t have to worry.”

That didn’t make things any easier to understand. “…What?”

“Should I tell you plainly?” Nee sighed, as if resigning herself to having a bit more patience. “I suppose I at least owe you an explanation. But then again, you’re the one who intruded on the happiness in my life.”

“Nee, what are you saying? Y-you’re the one who…”

Nee’s perfectly colored lips curved. “Yes, I’m the one who hired those guys. But I don’t mind getting the chance to finish the job myself. Especially since they’re so unreliable in the first place,” she scoffed.

“Why?” was Yaya’s foolish question.

“You really don’t know?” Nee asked, the smile leaving her face. “You really don’t know who I want? And how much I want him? So much that I’m willing to commit the same crime again?”

Araya’s picture flashed in Yaya’s eyes, the one she’d found in Nee’s house. “It was you?”

From Yaya’s wide eyes, Nee could tell she’d become enlightened. “You’re much smarter than I give you credit for. Too bad,” she unlatched her purse and pulled out a gun, “you should have just stuck to your little farm instead of coming to town.”

“But…” Yaya’s breath was about to leave her. Just a second glance at that gun, she knew she’d give up all hope, “But she committed suicide. You couldn’t have…”

Nee would have laughed if she hadn’t been so livid with all the nuisance of the people in her way. “It was so easy. All so easy, making it look like she did it herself. And now, it’s your turn.”

There was no point in telling her Yaya never intended to be with Om; Nee was too far gone. Yaya unsteadily fell to the ground, as if too scared to hold herself up anymore.

“Now, it’s time for you to get out of our lives,” Nee said.

Measuring her breaths carefully, Yaya looked up into the cruel eyes of the woman in front of her, who at that moment had mistakenly become preoccupied with the satisfaction of thwarting her unwilling foe. Not taking her eyes from Nee’s face, Yaya simultaneously leaped to her feet and threw as hard as she could. She didn’t wait to see how true her aim had been, but turned and ran as fast as her feet could carry her, not hearing Nee’s shriek as the rock loosened from Yaya effectively caught her in the collar bone.

There were so many trees; they seemed to jump out in her path, but nothing was going to stop Yaya, not before she had escaped death once more, and not before she found Nadech again. She didn’t think about the other fatal situation she was running towards—at least she wanted to see his face once more if she was going to die.

A gunshot made her skid to the side in shock, but she would have continued to run if her path hadn’t become barred. One of the men was in front of her and he didn’t look happy.

“Lost my gun,” he cracked his neck comfortably, “but this should still be a cinch.”

“Wait,” came a voice behind Yaya. Nee, blood dripping down her neck, had still managed to follow Yaya.

Yaya turned, taking deep breaths. “Please…don’t do this…”

Nee’s voice shook with hatred, “I got rid of one once, I can do it again. As long as I get Om to be mine. I love him.”

“I can’t believe you really did it. You say that you love him but how could you k…kill her?”

“Shut up! Don’t try to give me any of that guilt, it’s useless!”

Yaya surprised herself that she was still standing while the barrel of that gun was aimed straight at her. “You don’t feel bad at all?”

“Are you kidding me?” Nee laughed, “You know what, you’re just like her. Naïve and gullible. And…and your eyes,” Nee clenched her jaw, “Your eyes are just like hers. I don’t know what kind of spell you casted, but just like her, I’m going to wipe you off the face of this earth. You and Araya will never be in my way again!”

“What?”

They looked over. Om was standing there, his bruised face ashen. “What did you say?”

“Om,” Nee gasped, “you-you’re hurt!”

“WHAT did you say happened to Araya?”

Nee silently stuttered for words. “No, it’s not what you think! Please listen to me—“

“You did that to her?” It was very clear that Om was overwhelmed by this news. “Why…why?”

“I just wanted you to be with me,” Nee seemed to be reaching a breaking point as Om’s anguish spilled on his face with hatred, pain and loss. She shook her head, trying to deny it to him, but knowing he was never going to forgive her, she turned back to Yaya. “This is all your fault! You—“ She held her gun back up, but Om lunged at her.

“No!” he roared. “Yaya! Run!”

Yaya backed away from the killer, and quickly grabbed a log off the ground, swinging it at him and managing to catch the side of his head with her wooden weapon.

“No, don’t hurt her!” Om yelled.

Nee shrieked as they hit the ground. She fought against Om as he tried to wrestle the gun away, but she struck his temple with the piece of metal. He grunted in pain, allowing her to roll away and back up. Appalled that she had hit the man she loved, she screamed in fury, then looked around for Yaya.

“This is all your fault!” Nee finally pulled the trigger.

Yaya felt something impact against her. For a second, silence echoed throughout her whole body, and she thought she must have been shot… she thought her pain threshold couldn’t bear the level of hurt the bullet had inflicted on her…she thought she was instantly dead, never imagining that her eyes would open and let her suffer a sight infinitely more dreadful.

The second was over, and the next started. Her lids parted to see Nadech’s eyes, his ruffled hair framing a tired but happy face…she was happy to see him too, she thought, zoning in on every detail of his face…oh no, his head was bleeding…but he was smiling at her...

That second ended also, and his knees buckled under him, bringing them both down. Yaya realized something was very wrong. Where had that bullet traveled? Her arms were around Nadech, and she felt blood soaking into his shirt.

“No…no…”

She tried to hold him up, not aware of anyone else’s presence, not seeing Mark knock the gun away from Nee. She was not aware that other people had arrived, that Pope was ordering his workers to tie up Nee, or of Om scrambling over to her, just as horrified about what had happened.

She shook Nadech. “Please, no…”

“Nadech!” Om yelled.

Nadech winced, “I’m…okay.” He could barely stay conscious. Each breath felt like another bullet in his lungs. “Don’t worry.”

He couldn’t deceive either of them. Yaya’s eyes were growing hotter as she watched him struggle for breath. “Nadech, please hold on…please.”

“Hey,” he smiled weakly, “I’m not going anywhere…” He exhaled shudderingly, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. “Yaya…don’t cry…”

She wept loudly, unable to reply.

“Nadech,” Om tried to control his voice, “you’re not allowed to leave us, got that? Don’t you dare!”

“Aye aye,” Nadech whispered.

“I’m serious! Stay awake!” Om clutched onto his shirt. “Don’t let me down!”

“Bro, I dunno…if I can make any promises…” Nadech’s face contorted with pain, his body tensed, “Just…wish I…could see mom before…”

Om clasped his hand. “Don’t…don’t! You’re going to see her!”

“Hey, didn’t you…teach me not to lie?” Nadech smiled again. “It’s okay…”

“No it’s not!” both Om and Yaya yelled.

Nadech turned his attention to the doe-eyed young woman he was reclining upon. “I’m a bad person…huh? I always…make you cry.”

“No,” she shook her head. “You’re the reason I’m happy. You’re the reason I’m alive…” She bowed her head near his. “I don’t care how many more promises you break because I trust you. I can forget everything else, but I can’t forgive you if you leave me.”

“As long as you don’t blame yourself…I can bear your grudge to the next life…” His hand lifted agonizingly, determined to wipe away her tears. She was beautiful, here among the trees, like the first time he set eyes on her. Nadech wanted to give her a thousand more words, but couldn’t catch them as they flickered in his mind like the light through the tiny spaces between the leaves; and none of them would have been enough. Nadech was just glad that he was able to protect her again. “Yaya…Remember the first time we met? Don’t…don’t try to save me this time.”

“I will,” she swallowed back another sob, turning her lips to his fingers before catching them in her hand. He squeezed her hand softly.

“I'll...always be with you...I love you.” It was as if all the life left in him gathered in those words, and shined vividly through his eyes, letting her know he wanted to leave with her face as the last thing he saw, before his worn out soul was swept away by the forest breeze.

-------------
“Grandma said I can’t go see mama for a while because she’s working. But you’ll come visit me right?”

Yaya agreed that a prison was not the place a son would want to see his mother in, and her heart ached to see Bee so torn from missing his mom. It was unfair that such an innocent child had to get dragged into this mess, but there was nothing that could be done, and it was better for him not to know the truth.

“Bye sweetie,” Yaya said, before letting him leave with his grandmother.

The funeral flew by, as if she were merely reading about it from a book, not really paying attention, and catching glimpse here and there whenever her heart was strong enough to return her consciousness to her surroundings. Most of the time, Yaya just wanted to sit by herself and pretend she didn’t exist.

The guests were leaving, but two new ones appeared before her. She knew who they were, yet there was something odd about their presence. Yaya realized the reason for this might be that they were holding hands.

“P’Rassa,” Mint let go of Pope, and ran to hug Yaya. “I missed you so much!”

“I missed you too. How are you…?” Yaya glanced at Pope, who merely nodded in greeting, while he appeared more attentive to Mint.

“We’re well. I’m just…” Mint sniffled, holding Yaya’s hands, “I’m so sorry about what happened.”

Yaya did her best to smile for Mint. “I’m…” She sighed and pulled her cousin in for another hug. She needed that unconditional support for Mint at that moment. “I’m glad to see you…” She looked up at Pope once again.

For once in her life, she saw him seem to struggle with words. He lowered his eyes and said, “We’ll go pay our respects and…and if Mint wants, we’ll stay in town for however long you would like us to.”

“Auntie and Uncle might not like you guys being here.”

“Don’t worry about them,” Pope replied.

“If you’re busy, it’s enough that you’ve come today. I’m thankful.”

“I,” Pope stopped himself, before sighing. “I’m…sorry.”

His words were concise, and anyone else would have thought he was merely saying it to fit the occasion. But Yaya knew her cousin. She understood what he was trying to put into those few words. She didn’t have any energy to hold things against him, and nothing was his fault. Yaya reached over and squeezed his hand once. “It’s not your fault.”

He looked up as if her words were freeing him from some sort of self-oppressive guilt. Mint returned to his side and held his hand again. The two of them turned to Yaya, knowing she might not understand what was going on.

Pope took a deep breath. “There’s something we should tell you.”

“It’s okay. I can see it.”

Mint frowned worriedly, “Are you…against it?”

Yaya smiled weakly. “Who am I to judge love? I’ve always known that P’Pope was the one who loved you most in the world.”

Pope and Mint exchanged glances that were shy but affectionate.

As the two were leaving, Pope spoke up. “I want to let you know that I’m returning all of the land to you. It belongs to you.”

Yaya shook her head. “Please put it good use. I won’t be needing it.”

Mint frowned, “But—“

Yaya cut in, “I really can’t go back there anymore. I know you’ll be able to take care of dad’s farm, so please think of it as doing me a favor, and keep it.”

Pope nodded, seriously accepting this duty.

“And P’Pope, I’ve always wanted to tell you this, but never got the chance.” She chuckled sheepishly. “I think when we were little, I was scared you wouldn’t listen. But I want to tell you now. Thank you, for saving me that time when I fell in the kitchen and nearly died. Dad told me when I was nine. Ever since, despite the distance you tried to put between us, I could never believe you didn’t think of me as family. Thank you.”

Pope appeared taken aback by this. He’d indeed spent so many years trying to hate his cousin, and yet in the end, he’d failed to make it a habit. “…Yaya, I hope you find happiness.”



The funeral had ended, but the pain would never cease. And so, Yaya thought, she would take matters into her own hands. Hadn’t she promised to never be away from him?

The bottle of pills that would open her way back to Nadech was set upon his desk, while she sat in his chair. His belongings had been packed up, to be stored away. How could she keep living, keep living when someone as beautiful as Nadech and everything about him was only going to slowly fade away. Why endure this when her better half had been extinguished from life? Didn’t heaven know how selfish she was that she couldn’t bear to be parted from him?

Yaya’s head was bowed upon her arm, to hide her shameful tears from the world, her chest wracked with such heart-aching sobs that she expected to be torn in two right there. Exhausted from her cry, she continued to sit, bent forward on the desk like that for however long it was. She saw on the back of her eyelids, the treasure of Nadech’s smile, his gentle eyes with the sparkle that used to remind her how lucky she was to be on earth. But all of that was gone.

The time had arrived. She uncapped the bottle and shook out a handful of pills. They looked eerily beautiful, like pearls of death beckoning for her to let them ease her pain.

Suddenly, the contents she held dropped to the floor when she was startled to look up at the window, where a bird had beat its wings against the glass. Sliding from the chair to recover the precious pills, her hand fell upon a slip of paper sticking out from underneath the desk. When she picked it up, it fell open at its fold and revealed her name penned at the very top. Yaya’s heart quickened, instinctively aware that this object had been touched by Nadech’s hand and mind and held her name. The pills were forgotten as she flattened out the paper and was provided evidence as her eyes found his signature.

Crushing the sheet to her chest, she took off, flying down the stairs and out the back door, running as far as the yard permitted until she was nestled into a corner by the edge of the Theerada property. Yaya took a second to recover her breath from the sprint, before her trembling hands smoothed out the paper, scared that she’d deceived herself, scared of what she might find in the words in black ink. She began to read:

Yaya,
The sun is hiding today; rain is making its appointment with the earth. It all feels a little too coincidental that the sky should know how to mirror my heart that is dreading tomorrow’s event. It feels as heavy as those clouds and so it’s raining out these words to you.
I wonder if you know the joy you’ve brought to this house and to me ever since you arrived. I know that because of what happened to your family, you feel alone and tired, and now I’ve broken my promise to you and you probably feel abandoned again. That’s what hurts me the most, that I wasn’t able to give you the same happiness in return. Even after I gave you my word, even when I knew that we belong to each other, that the heavens had shackled us together, I decided to give in to the selfish temptation that I could help not only one but two people whom I love.
You don’t have to forgive me, but I beg of you, sweetheart, to please forgive life, because when all is said and done, life is better than both heaven and hell. I’m being selfish again, asking you to live, but I know that deep inside of you, there’s a strong soul, one that will only grow braver and more beautiful and make it through everything, a soul that is truly heaven’s piece of work. That’s what I admire about you.
So don’t give up, and don’t blame yourself, because you deserve happiness. Though I can’t be with you in this life, I’ll always be beside you for whatever you need, wherever you go, even if you were to walk to the edge of earth, I’d catch you before you fell. Even if you walked to the stars, I won’t let you wander off the path. Because we’re soul mates.
Tonight, the stars are not crying because of us. Because I’ve found you. No matter what befalls us in each life, I will always remember you, and will always find you.
Forever yours,
Nadech



Blotches splattered upon his words as she blinked away her tears so that she could read clearly, each beloved line.

‘The only way for me to not die is for you to keep being strong.’

She had been wrong. Nothing could make Nadech’s presence fade from her life, because she would live, and she would remember. She would remember all of his caresses, his laugh, his smiles and his voice telling her she was precious, she was a treasure, and she was loved.

-------------
Yaya let the ashes from the letter fly away, freeing a bit of the spirit kept within. She no longer needed it. There was no way she could ever forget him anyway.

“Yaya,” her friend called for her. “It’s time.”

Yaya looked over her shoulder at Mai, who was joined by Om as they held hands, waiting for her. She smiled at them.


“Sorry to keep you waiting,” she said, sitting down and letting her hand rest fondly on top of Mother’s.

“No worries dear. Come, you should blow out the candles.”

She closed her eyes to commemorate her favorite day of the year. ‘Happy birthday Nadech. I wish for you to be happy, and to be patient until we meet again.’
-------------
I know what you’re all probably thinking: this is the gal who found out that GRGR might have a bittersweet ending and freaked out because she wanted the golden kiss-on-forehead-hug-watch-the-sunset lakorn ending. WTH. But I’ve always wanted to write a tragic ending and so, here it is. Don’t be too hard on me dears, and I’ll make it up to you in my next story, na ka? Thank you so much for reading!

jjinxx
 

jjinxx

Is your "nom" Fai-approved?
^Take your time Kiki...!

Fun fact: Birds are the only monogamous animals. They have one and only one mate for their lives.
 
Jjinxx -- This was an extremely well written fan fiction! I haven't been so enthralled in one in the longest time until I came upon this one! The ending had me crying like crazy but it was beautiful. Thank you for sharing this with all of us!
 

ukepearl

sarNie Hatchling
Jinx. That was.. I am.. I would just like to say right now my shirt is stained with tears. Like legit. Good thing I didnt read it in school.. Or else I would've been crying in class and haha I'll get caught.. That was so bittersweet and really your writing has improved so much from ur past FFs. Please write more soon! Will be supporting your stories always. Thank you so much.
Pearlxx
 
I am going through "step" program feelings with you na. I think they say it starts with denial then anger... etc. hahaha

Yesterday, I was in "denial". Today - I am "mad"! lol. "ngorn" law na jjinnxxy! How can you do that? and I haven't even read the final ... just glanced and read a little here and there... I am here.... wishing that was just a dream na.
 

Dal

***LOVE, LOVE YADECH***
I still can't comment. Let's just say I cried yesterday for nearly 20 minutes & today I was bawling again.
 

jjinxx

Is your "nom" Fai-approved?
^ Oh, they very much are! The point is that they do not need to be with each other physically to feel one another's love. They are linked from the start, from when they saved each other; the important thing is that they may not have a happily ever after in this one lifetime, but they found each other and will always find each other and fall in love over and over again. They need each other but even without their physical presence, what is important is that they loved.
 
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