TRIP TO LIBERTY (FREENBECKY)

Chapter 3

Becky's POV

With the revelation that "Neko" might mean "cat" in Japanese, my mind took an unexpected leap to a new suspect: Kitty Chicha Amatayakul. I knew it was a shallow assumption, an overly dramatic plot twist straight out of a mystery novel, to think Kitty could be Freen's secret lover. But at this point, I needed to explore every lead, no matter how improbable.

As the afternoon sun painted the yacht's deck with golden hues, I unsuspiciously followed Kitty, who was engrossed in her phone. She walked across the second deck with purpose, and my heart raced with anticipation. Could this really lead to something?

Kitty eventually stopped and engaged in conversation with Nakajima Yuto, or Yuto as everyone called him. He was a doctor, one of their former high school classmates. My heart sank a little as I realized that Kitty and Yuto seemed close. They laughed, shared inside jokes, and their body language spoke of familiarity.

I casually took a seat on a nearby couch, pretending to be engrossed in a magazine, my ears tuned to their conversation. They were a bit far, but close enough for me to catch snippets of what they were saying.

"Kitty, seriously, you need to avoid stress." Yuto said with genuine concern in his voice.

Kitty sighed, rolling her eyes. 

"Yuto, I know what I'm doing. I can handle it."

Yuto shook his head, his tone still worried. 

"You know that stress isn't good for the baby's health."

My ears perked up at that sentence. "Baby's health?" I thought. 

Did Yuto just say what I think he did?

I leaned in closer, my heart pounding in my chest. Could this mean that Yuto was the father? Or did he know something about the situation that others didn't? My mind raced, connecting dots and forming theories faster than a detective in a crime drama.

And then it hit me. Yuto was an Obstetrician-Gynecologist. It suddenly made sense. His concern about the baby's health and his profession aligned perfectly. If there was anyone who would understand the intricacies of pregnancy and stress, it was him.

As they continued to talk, my mind spun with possibilities. Was Yuto just a concerned friend? Or was there more to his involvement? Could he be the missing link that connects the dots in this intricate web of secrets?

My thoughts raced, and I realized that the idea of Kitty being Freen's secret lover was highly unlikely. The pieces just didn't fit. Yuto's profession, his concern, and their familiarity all pointed towards a different scenario.

I continued to listen to their conversation, trying to glean more information without appearing suspicious. Yuto's role in this narrative was becoming more intriguing by the second, and I was determined to find out what he knew.

As the conversation continued, my mind worked overtime, piecing together the puzzle of this tangled web of relationships and secrets. The afternoon sunlight danced on the deck, casting long shadows that seemed to mirror the complexities of the situation.

Kitty and Yuto's interaction held more clues than I could have anticipated, and I was now on the trail of a new lead—one that could potentially shed light on the truth behind Freen's secret, the meaning of "Neko," and the enigmatic connections that bound these classmates together.

As I remained seated on the couch, my attention divided between Kitty and Yuto's conversation and the eavesdropping-friendly Noey who had taken a seat beside me. Her short, tousled hair gave her an air of nonchalance, and her piercing eyes held a curiosity that seemed to match my own.

"Why are you sitting here all alone?" Noey's voice broke through my thoughts.

I turned to her, offering a casual smile. 

"Just taking a breather from the crowd. Plus, Saint's not really in the mood, so I thought he might need some space."

Noey nodded knowingly, her lips quirking into a half-smile. 

"That guy never changes, does he?"

I chuckled softly, shaking my head. 

"No, not at all."

"He's still short-tempered and all, huh?" Noey leaned in a little, her voice laced with amusement.

I glanced at Saint's retreating figure in the distance, feeling a pang of understanding. 

"Yeah, seems like he'd rather be anywhere but here. And honestly, I can't blame him."

Noey's gaze turned thoughtful as she looked at me. 

"You know, Becky, I understand why he wouldn't want to be here, especially seeing Freen in the flesh."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? Why's that?"

A knowing smile touched Noey's lips. 

"You're not from our class, obviously. Well, let me fill you in. Freen's not exactly the most beloved person among us."

Curiosity piqued, I leaned in slightly, my eyes fixed on Noey. 

"Really? Why's that?"

Noey's expression darkened a touch. 

"She's been homophobic since high school. And let's just say, some of us remember."

My eyebrows furrowed, processing this new piece of information. 

"Wait, Freen's homophobic?"

Noey nodded, her eyes holding a hint of bitterness. 

"Yep. It's like she's two different people—one in public and another behind closed doors."

Kitty and Yuto's conversation seemed to have ended, and they started to move away. I instinctively turned my attention back to Noey, my interest in her story growing.

"So, you're saying Saint's not the only one who's not exactly thrilled to be around Freen?" I asked, my curiosity mounting.

Noey shrugged, a mix of emotions playing on her features. 

"You could say that. Look, Freen may be successful and powerful now, but some of us respect Kitty more."

I leaned in a little closer, genuinely intrigued. 

"Why Kitty?"

Noey's gaze held a mixture of admiration and conviction. 

"She's authentic. She's always been true to herself. Unlike Freen, who suddenly supports the legalization of same-sex marriage for political gain."

A thought struck me, aligning with the skepticism I had been harboring about Freen's stance on the matter. 

"You think they're just using it for political leverage?"

Noey's eyes gleamed with a sense of agreement. 

"Exactly. It's like they're playing a game, and we're just pieces on the board."

The sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow on the deck. Noey's words resonated with a truth that was hard to ignore. The complexities of their relationships and the layers of deceit seemed to deepen with every revelation.

As Noey continued to share her insights, I found myself drawn into her perspective, seeing these individuals not just as names on a guest list, but as people with their own motivations, history, and hidden truths.