Morning light filtered through the curtains of Mix's room, but his mind was far away—back in Hawaii, five years ago.
He had been graduated when he slipped past Beam and Lam's watchful eyes, sneaking away for a forbidden holiday with Kengkla, Technik, and Techno. The family had forbidden them from entering Hawaii for reasons of their own, but the Hawaiian government had no such problem. For the boys, that was all that mattered.
At the beach party, Kengkla was dancing with a half-drunk Techno while Technik was surrounded by girls, enjoying every bit of the attention. Mix, restless and uninterested, had drifted toward the bar.
That was where trouble had found him.
A stranger pressed a packet into his hand. "High quality," the man whispered.
Mix had grown up in a mafia family—he knew the shadows behind such business. But he wasn't here to expose anyone. He pocketed the drugs, more out of curiosity than desire sliding money.
Then, another man approached. Dark eyes, sharp smile, confidence radiating off his posture. "I see you like the product," he said.
Mix looked him over. Definitely a catch. His heartbeat quickened.
" Are you the owner?" he asked. He had never been with a man before, but the thought of spending the night with this one sparked something reckless inside him.
One kiss at the bar turned into heated passion behind closed doors at the hotel penthouse. The night blurred in sweat, gasps, and whispered instructions. For the first time in his life, Mix let someone else take control, and for the first time, he realized how dangerous intimacy could be.
By morning, he was gone.
The only trace he left behind was a card on the coffee table, bold letters scrawled across it: THANKS FOR YESTERDAY.
When the stranger—Earth—woke, the boy was nowhere to be found. He picked up the card, lips curving into a smile. "So that's how you play, hmm?" he muttered.
He called the hotel reception, asking for the boy's details. But the receptionist told him the group had already checked out.
Earth leaned back, gripping the bedsheet still heavy with Mix's scent. "You ran too fast, beautiful. Don't worry. I'll find you again. And it'll be fun when I do." That's how they met. One night turned into long talks on phone & messages. The distance between the countries became small when you trust each other. That's happened between them without them knowing.
Present day.
Mix woke with a pounding headache, his body heavy against the mattress. As his eyes fluttered open, Park's calm voice greeted him.
"Awake?"
Mix blinked and frowned. "Good morning, Uncle. Were you... watching me sleep? That's creepy."
Park chuckled softly. "Don't flatter yourself. I was just waiting for you to wake up."
Mix groaned, pulling the blanket higher. "Fine, then talk. Get it over with."
Park sighed. Conversations with the boys were harder now—they weren't children anymore. Mix especially... he had built a company of his own, carrying the arrogance of independence.
"I just want you to remember," Park said gently, "We care for you. Me, Uncle Forth, Lam, Beam... and your parents."
Mix's lips curled into a hollow smile at the last word. "Yeah. I know you all do." He leaned his head against Park's shoulder, voice dropping. "I've got a bad headache, Uncle. Don't trouble yourself with me. Please, don't talk. I want to sleep again."
Park patted his arm. "Rest. But next time, don't drink so much you have to be carried home. Uncle Lam will nag you to death at lunch."
Mix only hummed and drifted back to sleep.
Park slipped out quietly, phone already at his ear. "Max... it will be better if you come here as soon as possible."
Before Max could reply, a cheerful voice rang down the stairs. "Good morning, Uncle!"
"Is that Boom?" Max asked quickly. "Let me talk to him."
Park called Boom over, but when the boy asked who was on the line, Park avoided answering, simply pressing the phone into his hand.
"Hello?" Boom said cautiously.
Max's throat tightened. His son's voice was deeper now. More distant. "Hey, sweetie. How are you?"
Boom hesitated, glancing at Park. "I'm fine... what about you?" No "Dad." word mention Not even once.
"I'm fine too. How are your studies?" Max asked softly.
"They're good. I'm good at studying, you know," Boom replied, tone light but clipped.
"I heard you're head hazer now. Your Uncle Forth was too, back in the day."
"I know the story." Boom's eyes flicked toward the door. "I've got to go. I'll pass the phone back to Uncle. Bye."
Before Max could say another word, the line went dead.
Park returned to the phone. "The boys are old enough to understand everything now, Max. You need to come soon. Drop the work. Come home."
Max closed his eyes, pain swelling in his chest. "Okay. I'll fly soon," he whispered, ending the call.
Downstairs, Lam intercepted Park immediately. "What happened? Boom left without breakfast—he looked upset. And where's Mix? You went to check on him."
"One at a time," Park said firmly. "Boom's angry with me. I gave him Max's call. Maybe he'll stay at the dorm tonight. As for Mix... he has a headache. Didn't want to talk."
Lam frowned. "Why are the boys ignoring Max and Tul? Boom doesn't even answer their calls. At least Mix does sometimes."
Park placed a hand on his shoulder. "They're upset. Boom was three when they left. He only saw Tul through video calls. Later, even that became rare."
"That's because Tul couldn't bear it," Lam said quietly. "Every time he saw the boys, he cried afterward. It broke him."
"I know," Park admitted. "You know. But the boys only know one truth: that their parents left, and we raised them instead. To them, it feels like abandonment."
Unnoticed, Mix had been listening from upstairs. His chest felt heavy, but he said nothing, slipping back into his room.
Outside, Pond found Boom slumped over the steering wheel of his car.
"Good morning, baby brother," Pond said warmly.
Boom looked up. "P'Pond... are you coming from the hospital or going there?"
"I'm heading in. But since I met you here, why don't we grab breakfast near your college? There's a porridge shop you'll love."
A smile tugged at Boom's lips. Unlike Mix, Pond and First pampered him endlessly. Dunk even got jealous of it sometimes.
They ate together, laughing softly over steaming bowls. Before Boom left, Pond kissed his forehead and waved. "Have a nice day, baby."
Boom smiled, watching him leave.
But across the street, Aau had just arrived at the building. His eyes narrowed dangerously at the sight of Pond kissing Boom. Jealous rage lit his chest like fire.