A Sulawesi Romance

Chapter 40

A/N: The image above does not belong to me. It belongs to the person who uploaded it on the internet.

Third Person POV

"Before we start your orientation, I need you to come with me to the international airport in Jakarta," Mark announced to his cousin Hannah. "Make sure to remember the routes we will be taking to leave this island in order to get to Jakarta. Once you have memorized the route you can drive by yourself to Jakarta to pick up the replenishments for our general supplies."

"I will do my best," Hannah assured Mark. She was an eager learner and was determined to help Mark with his family business.

The trip to the airport gave Mark an opportunity to get updated with how Hannah had been doing during all the time that they had not been in contact with each other due to having to help with their individual family businesses.

"I'm sorry to hear that your bakery business folded up," Mark said to Hannah.

"Thank you. It was a devastating experience for me," Hannah replied, her face growing sad.

"I'm sure it was," Mark patted his cousin's shoulder as they made their way to the airport parking lot.

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Gun jumped nervously when he heard the announcement on the airport's intercom system.

"Attention, Mr. Gun Napat Na Ranong, please come to the Thai Airways desk right now. Attention, Mr. Gun Napat Na Ranong, you are being requested to report to the Thai Airways desk right now. Thank you."

Shit, Boat was now looking for him and had resorted to having him paged.

Gun glanced at his watch. It had been close to an hour ago when he had received the text from Mark that he was on his way to the airport. It would take him a few more hours before he got here.

Gun had been crouching behind a row of seats on the west wing of the departure area. He frantically looked around for another place to hide from his step father.

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Boat waited by the Thai Airways desk while the desk clerk made the announcement for Gun to come over to the desk.

When after half an hour of waiting Gun did not show up, he requested the clerk to make a second announcement.

Boat waited for an additional fifteen minutes and then told the clerk that he would go around searching for Gun and if Gun showed up while Boat was searching for him, the clerk was to instruct Gun to wait for him at the desk.

Boat left his luggage with the clerk in order to make it easier for him to quickly search the whole airport for Gun. 

A  fearful thought struck Boat. Was it possible that Gun had been abducted? No, please dear heavens, No."

As Boat quickly made his way to the sliding doors of the entrance to the arrival area of the airport, another thought suddenly struck him. Was it possible that Gun had changed his mind and had decided to go back to Sulawesi Island?

Boat's heart rate increased rapidly at the thought. No way, there was no way that Gun would leave him just like that. Gun had confessed to him that he liked him. His feelings couldn't possibly have changed this quickly. What then could be the reason that he had suddenly disappeared. Boat was back to the possibility of Gun having been abducted. Boat needed to wait for twenty four hours before he could file a missing person report to the police.

Boat frantically scanned the flow of people as they came and went by the wide sliding doors. He stepped out of the sliding doors and looked around the curbside to his left and to his right. His heart sank when he saw no sign of Gun.

Boat looked once more to his left. He saw someone with the same height and build as Gun wearing the same shirt getting ready to enter a taxicab.

"Gun!" Boat yelled as he ran towards the taxicab.

The young man turned around at the sound of Boat's voice. Fuck, it wasn't Gun. It was someone else.

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Mark was lucky to find an empty parking spot on the ground level. He parked his midsize SUV  there. 

"I have just arrived. Where are you?" Mark texted Gun.

"Departure area. I'm standing behind a large potted palm tree." Gun texted back.

Together with Hannah, Mark alighted from his car and started walking towards the airport departure area.

"Watch out for a slim young man wearing an olive green long sleeved shirt and khaki pants," Mark nervously instructed Hannah as they neared the departure area. "Watch out also for a large potted palm tree. He texted me that he will be standing behind it."

"Okay," Hannah nodded, already looking around for a slim young man wearing a long sleeved olive shirt and khaki pants. She looked around for a large potted palm tree as well.

"There it is!" Hannah excitedly grabbed Mark's arm.

Mark looked in the direction that Hannah was pointing.

There was a large potted palm tree where Hannah was pointing but there was no one standing behind it.

Mark's heart sank. How many other large potted palm trees were there by the departure area. This was the only one as far as he could see.