It's After Dark.

Hope is You.

Kongpob stared at the single red rose he was holding. His sixteen year old self, recalling whatever happened over and over. He just got rejected. And he just got his heart broken. But strangely, he couldn't cry. He wants to. But he couldn't. Because, in a way... It was his own fault.

He babysits their neighbours younger son, from when he was fourteen years old. Aiden is now ten. And he still sometimes looks after Aiden, when it's needed. He couldn't refuse. How could he? He also gets to meet Bright's older brother there.

Kong's mother died when he was four. And his father remarried. Everything was going fine... Samantha wasn't like his mother but she was fine. Because she never bothered about Kong or his needs. Just letting him be...

Kongpob grew up in his nanny's hands. Maria was with him from as long as he remembers. His always go to person. But not his mother or father. But he didn't mind... He learnt from a very young age, to not mind or cry...

No one comes to wipe his tears at night. And when he wipes them himself, it hurt little Kong more... Because he will always remember his mother those moments. His mother just won't come. No one did.

Kongpob had a little sister, when he was five years old. Mary. She was so small and cute, Kongpob instantly fell in love with her. He would spend hours by her crib after coming from his school. He loved her... But his life also started changing after her.

Samantha said Mary needed a bigger room... So Kongpob had to shift to the small make shift room in the attic. He didn't like it... It was dark and scary.

He complained about it... Crying to his father and everyone. And Samantha got mad. Saying that he hated his sister... Which wasn't true. Kongpob loved her so much...

Samantha told his father that Kongpob hurt little Mary. When she started crying hearing Kong's cries. And Kerkklai got mad at Kong. Told him to grow up and be a big brother.

No one rubbed away his tears, as they rushed to caress Mary. While he watched them, moving his things away. While Samantha smiled at Kong in satisfaction. As he was shifted to the attic.

It was scary and dingy, Kongpob couldn't sleep at night. When he will run to his father, saying there's a monster under his bed... He would expect his father to chase it away, like he used to. But he would be scolded instead. Asked to fight the monsters alone. He is not a kid anymore...

Kongpob would take a fiber bat with shaky hands and bang on the darkness under his bed. With scared tears in his eyes, asking the monster to leave him alone. And strangely, the feeling of fear will be gone.

Kongpob learnt that, no one comes to help you, so you help yourself.

He has learnt many things. Not having any right on his own things being one. His place in the house, his father, his room, his toys... Everything belonged to his sister now... he felt like a stranger in the place he loved so much.

And sometimes, when he would look at Mary being so beautiful and happy... He wished, he wondered with his all about how it would feel... If he was in Mary's place.

He started feeling pathetic with the thought. Started feeling pathetic of himself, from a young age.

Kongpob hit puberty and was soon tested a bearer. He started changing. His body changed, his face changed... People started noticing him more than Marilyn...

Every guest, every relative that came... Every person they met in the park when Kongpob would take Mary to play. Called him beautiful... That he will grow up to be a gorgeous person.

He was supposed to like it... He didn't. Because the more people called him appealing... The more Samantha called him a burden, a shame that they had to bare. That he was good for nothing. And the silence of his father... Added to it.