To Keep Going On

75. I'm Pharm Vongviphan

Tin turned a bit to move his stiff body before his eyes fell on the little boy sitting on the couch by the side of the room, his knees pulled up and his head resting on them, arms hugging his legs as he sat sideways on the couch, staring outside the window and rocking his body back and forth.

Tin blinked. Then slowly, he sat up.

Though he was young, not much older than the boy himself, yet after the little time he'd spent with the boy, thanks to uncle Mike's training and his silent, observant nature, he could tell the boy was stressed. As he should be after nearly dying at the hands of a sociopath. Especially for a little child like Pharm, who Tin could tell so well had already been through some kind of hell that had left him scared and battered and distrustful towards the world.

Then what was he doing here? Why wasn't he home with his father who could calm him down?

"Young master..." He called in his hoarse tone but Pharm did not budge, as if he didn't hear him. He let out a sigh and just laid there, staring at the kid who at times was just any other sixteen years old who laughed and sulked and threw tantrums and fought with his baby brother while at other times he was this timid, scared kitten with a sorrowful soul that seemed to have lived ages.

Why? And why did he seem to care for the kid?

He knew he did not have any romantic feelings for the little boy. He was just a little kid he needed to protect. That was his job. The first ever job uncle Mike trusted him with. He was the young master that he needed to protect with his life and he was loyal to his job as he owed too much gratitude to master Banglenchit and uncle Mike. He was dead serious to protect the boys since the beginning.

But ever since meeting that shy and timid, down to Earth kid, seeing his fear for his father's safety and his undying love and devotion to his little brother, his half brother, a brother whose birth became the reason of his mother's demise, a brother fathered by the man who'd caused his mother's death, may be it was that love that made him feel this attachment to the boy, that made him actually want to die protecting a big brother so kind and loving as this little boy.

Since the world was full of so many bastards, people like this family, seeing Khun Lam's face when the man found out about some psycho threatening his cousin and nephews, seeing the gratitude on Dr. Beam's face every time he safely delivered his sons to him, the look of relief on Pharm's face whenever he got to see his father return home or his brother safe. That was the love he did not know exist. And that was what made a man like him, a cold man with no heart, no feelings, to actually want to protect the kids, not just as an obligation, but by heart.

Pharm just sat rocking himself on the couch, staring out at the moon from the window. He knew Tin would probably be discharged in the morning, that he had many men to look after him, care for him better than Pharm could. Hell, the guy didn't exactly needed help either. Yet, he insisted to stay. After all, P'Tin had taken such good care of him and Oon.

Well, that, and he really felt safe when he was around P'Tin. And he really needed to feel safe and not worry his dad. After what happened two days ago, he had no will or strength to even close his eyes, because when he did, that moment came back to haunt him, that psycho, his words, the gun in his hands, and then that shot. The fear for his life and his baby Oon's was still so real and fresh in his heart. And may be, it would stay there for a long long time.

What if Tin couldn't save him? What if Tin got badly hurt? What if that psycho killed them and then went to kill his Oon and his dad? What if-

"...master!"

He jumped in fright when he felt a hand on his shoulder, shaking like a leaf, only to breath out when he found a frowning Tin standing behind him.

"P'Tin..." He took deep breaths and then turned to sit up straight on the couch. "What are you doing walking around? Why didn't you just call me?"