Chapter Text
Two years. It’s been two years since Tee drugged him and dropped him at his uncle’s feet. Two years of hell, but he’s finally free. He’s going to see his parents, and then see if he can talk to Phee and try to explain. He started on the track home and stopped in his tracks when he saw a family moving into his house. Where did his family move to? He got his answer when the people started talking. “I heard the family that lived here all died.” The woman said and the man shook his head. “No, one son went missing, heard he r an off with some tutor he fucked, and the other son is off studying abroad somewhere.” He spoke. Another man walked out of the house and heard their conversation. “Yeah, apparently the parents committed suicide.” He added on.
Non’s breath hitched, and he shook his head. That can’t be, his parents couldn’t be dead. He pulled the hood of his jacket further up his head and sped walked to the library. He needed to look this up, see if it’s true and where their graves are. Once he got to the library, he hurried over to one of the public computers and searched for proof of their deaths. He held back his tears when he saw the proof. After finding the grave site he made his way there. He slowed down when he reached the graveyard and slowly sank to his knees when he found their gravestones. As he read the words engraved on their headstones, he finally let out the sob that was stuck in the back of his throat. He screamed and cursed the world. Cursed it for the hell it put him through and for driving his parents to suicide. He laid down in front of their graves and closed his eyes. He could find Phee tomorrow.
He woke up to the sun shining over the horizon. He counted the money that he found on the ground from his journey. He had just enough to buy a small breakfast. He walked to the cheapest place he could think of and ordered his food. He picked a table close to the back and picked at his nails while he waited. After he got his food and ate, he looked at the time. It should be late enough that Phee should be awake. He threw away his trash and headed to Phee’s house. As he turned the last corner to his house, he saw Phee’s bike there and sighed in relief. When he walked up to the door, he saw that it was open and decided to just walk in. Hopefully they wouldn’t mind. When he reached the top of the stairs, he heard noises and furrowed his brows in confusion. The closer he got to Phee’s room, the louder the noises were. And with that, the clearer it was to make out that those noises were moans.
Non stopped in front of Phee’s door and slowly cracked it open. His heart broke when he saw Phee fucking Jin into the mattress. He let out a soft choked cry and thanked every deity he knew that it was covered up their moans. He closed the door again and quickly left the house. Where was he supposed to go now? His parents are dead, and his brother is in England. He has nothing and no one. He needs to get out of here. He backtracked and silently said sorry as he took some cash from the wallet he saw sitting on the table in Phee’s house. He’ll take refuge in the town that Por’s parents’ vacation house is in. He doubts that Por will ever go back there, and the people were always nice to him. They seemed to be oblivious as to what went down two years ago the last time he was there.
With that plan in mind, he walked as far as his legs could take him before he had to take a cab to take him the rest of the way. It took him a few days, but he finally found a job in a cute little flower shop. He found refuge in an abandoned shack that he found when he ventured out into the woods. It’s been about a week since he moved here, and his chest has been feeling painfully tight for a few days. He didn’t have the money for a doctor's visit though, so he’s been taking pain meds. He’s made some friends, and a lot of the nice aunties and uncles like him.
His coworkers haven’t said anything, but he could tell they were getting worried. It was after one of his baths in the river near his shack that he started to cough. “Great, now I have to deal with a cough too. I can't get sick, a few more weeks and I’ll have enough to buy that cottage.” He murmured to himself. When he was looking at it, he thought it was going to be expensive. It was a cozy-looking two-story cottage on the outskirts of town. When Auntie Nina saw him looking at it, she told him that a murder had happened in the house, and everybody thought it was haunted. Because of that, nobody wants it, and they made the price super low in hopes that somebody will buy it.
When he went to work later that day Dan, a boy around his age, looked at him worriedly. “Are you sick? Why didn’t you call in?” He asked. “I’m fine, don’t worry.” Non said, trying to wave his concerns off. “Uh-huh, that cough just now really says you’re ok. Go home.” Dan sassed. Non shook his head and clocked in. Dan sighed and shook his head but let him do what he wanted. Non’s shift seemed to go on forever, but he didn’t mind. He loved working in the flower shop. He said his goodbyes to Dan and headed home. As he turned a corner, he heard faint crying. He furrowed his brows and slowly approached the ally it was coming from.
When he peaked in, he saw a child in a ratty t-shirt crouched on the dirty floor. He slowly approached the child and crouched down, so he was eye level with him. “Hey, I’m Non.” He greeted softly. The little boy looked up at him. “I’m Anurak.” He sniffed. “What’s wrong? Where are your parents?” Non asked worriedly. That made Anurak cry harder. “M-my parents are d-dead.” He sobbed. “Whose taking care of you? I can help you find them.” Anurak shook his head. “I’m alone. I don’t have nobody.” Non’s eyes widened. Why was nobody taking care of him? He couldn’t be older than 4!
“How about I take you to the orphanage down the street?” Non asked and Anurak quickly shook his head. “No! I don’t wanna! Take me with you!” Non was taken aback. This kid only knew him for a few minutes, and he wants to come home with him? “But you’d be safe at the orphanage. There’s nothing to be afraid of, they’ll take care of you.” He tried to reason, and thankfully the little boy nodded. Non took his hand and led him to the orphanage. “Now, all you have to do is knock on that door and tell them what you told me, ok?” Non asked and Anurak nodded. Non smiled at him and turned around to head home. A few seconds after he started walking, he heard a second pair of footsteps. Non stopped and let out a quiet sigh when the second set of steps stopped too. Non turned around and put his hands on his hips. “I thought we agreed on you going to the orphanage.” He said and held in a laugh when Anurak copied him. “I wanna go home with you!” He protested and stomped his little foot.
Non sighed and hunched over when it turned into a coughing fit. Anurak ran over to Non and held his arm. “Are you ok?” He asked and Non nodded. “You’re sick, so you need someone to take care of you, so you need me to come with you!” Anurak exclaimed. Non straightened up and held in a laugh, not wanting to be sent back into a coughing fit. “Oh really?” Non asked and Anurak nodded. “I’m a big boy, I’ll take care of you!” He said and puffed out his chest. Non let out a laugh and sighed. “Fine, you can come with me, but I can take care of myself.” Anurak nodded excitedly. Non grabbed Anurak’s hand and started on the path home again. Welp looks like he’ll have to buy that cottage sooner than he planned. He’ll have to put off buying those new shoes and groceries, but it’ll be fine. He still has a few days' worth of food. He’ll go and buy the cottage in a few days. He should have enough in a few days if he takes on some extra hours. “How old are you?” Non asked and Anurak threw up 3 fingers and said that he was 4. Non smiled at how cute he was and corrected him. Anurak laughed sheepishly and held up another finger.