All the way there, his eyes never left the window.
The streets were bursting with people, the scent of flowers filled the air, and the trees seemed to vibrate with the noise of the crowds.
Kao watched everything pass by, held safely by his seat belt as the car bumped along the road.
'Do I really need to go...?'
His fingers traced over the cookies in his lap as he thought about it.
'They will like my cookies... Right.'
The transparent wrapping paper crinkled against his chest as he held it close.
Tasuaka checked on him through the rearview mirror whenever he got the chance, feeling a mix of relief and worry. After all, the future was unpredictable—no one truly knew what even the next few seconds will bring.
"Young master..."
"Mmh..." Kao lifted his head in response.
"We've almost arrived. Do you need to buy anything?"
He gripped the cookies and shook his head.
Tasuaka turned the steering wheel to the left, entering the driveway before switching off the engine. He got out and opened the passenger door.
The small figure stood outside, dark strands of hair swaying in the breeze. Wearing a white knotted shirt tucked into loose, soft pants, he quietly admired the garden and the pool in front of the house.
"Young master..." Tasuaka knelt before him. "Call me if you need anything. I promise I'll come anytime you want."
A pair of shoes approached them from behind at an unhurried pace.
"Sawasdee khap," the man greeted Tasuaka, but he didn't receive a reply.
"Young master... I am going."
Kao lowered his head, hiding his pain.
Tasuaka stroked the strands of hair falling over his forehead, trying to cheer him up. He opened the car door, pausing for a moment as if he wanted to say something else. "Tell your leader to lay low for some time. It's an order from the chairman."
The door shut with a heavy click. The car reversed before gliding out onto the main road.
Kao stood like a statue, staring at the vehicle until it disappeared from sight. He clutched the fabric of his shirt.
Ahem!! The butler cleared his throat before taking the two large suitcases, the smaller bags, and a blue file.
"Please follow me."
...
They passed through the garden, crossing the flat brick steps in the middle of the pond before entering the living room.
Every servant froze at the sight of the sudden guest.
Whispers spread like wildfire.
"Is that him...?"
"He looks like Madam, right...?"
"Do you think he also has a problem...?"
Kao didn't hear everything, only catching a few words. He tightened his grip around the cookies, pressing them against his chest.
His small legs struggled a little as he climbed the long staircase.
'Hah... Haa...' Kao hid his panting by keeping his mouth firmly shut.
"Please move a little faster..." Ahead of him, the pimple-faced man in uniform moved quickly, carrying the luggage up the stairs.
They turned right at the top of the curving staircase, where two large double doors stood wide open.
A man sat inside.
His clean-shaven face had a few gray hairs hidden beneath the black. His legs were crossed as he rested his chin on his hand.
Kao stepped inside.
Another person stood beside the man, scanning him up and down.
"Let me see it, Fluke."
"Here..." Fluke passed him the paper they had been reviewing before Kao arrived.
[99.99% match, confirming the relationship...]
The man sighed and tossed it onto the table, clearly annoyed. Then, something else caught his attention.
"What's that?"
"I don't know either. That bodyguard gave it to me."
Kao lifted his head after hearing about Tasuaka from the butler.
"President... here." The butler's shoes tapped against the tiles as he hurried over. The more the President read the next paper, the more his reaction changed.
"Hahaha..." He laughed, staring at Kao before rising from his chair. He cupped the child's cheeks. "So you really are a lucky charm..."
The President glanced at the Butler. "Do you know what it is?"
Butler titled his head.
"A contract. They are giving us an exclusive one. I don't need to worry about the inspection this year. Our election will also go smoothly."
"President... You mean...?" Fluke words cut off.
"Yes... That's right." Turning, he poked the butler's head. "What a lowlife. Did you even understand what I said? Where is my secretary?"
"President, he actually went to pick—" Fluke's words trailed off.
The President kept glaring down at Kao. "He went to pick up some kid, but is he even alive...?"
Silence filled the room.
"Forget it... "
"President, then I am leaving. I have to go to the firm today. It's the day we arranged the meeting with the..."
"Oh... Is that today? Make sure that girl doesn't tell anyone. He is our minister's son. Also, it's not like no one else does wrong..."
"Yes." Lawyer Fluke bowed his head and left.
"You..."
"President, it's Kaopun. His name..."
"Mmh... Kaopun." He studied the child. "Make sure you become someone who rises higher. In this house, I will acknowledge you only if you achieve certain things."
That words felt empty but he understood only one thing: 'It's different here.'
...
After the heavy conversation, Kao was guided to his room.
Kao tapped the man's waist. "Can I see my Mae?"
"My name is Ton. I am the one overseeing this house. The tutors will arrive starting tomorrow. To see Madam, we need the President's approval..." Ton paused, reading the sadness on Kao's face. "...I mean, your father's permission. If you wait patiently, you can see her."
Kao smiled faintly and Ton returned to his daily chores.
Left alone on the edge of the bed, the room felt incredibly cold, but he didn't stop daydreaming.
...
Kao blinked his eyes open and sat up. He didn't know when he had fallen asleep.
Grrrr!!!
His stomach growled pathetically.
"I want water."
With a sigh, he checked the wardrobe, the small table, and even peered under the bed.
There was nothing.
Back when he lived with Grandpa, his room always had everything he needed; because he was so fragile when he first arrived, they never wanted him making unnecessary trips to the kitchen.
"Not even a glass is here... I miss Auntie..."
He took a deep breath, shaking his head as he resisted eating the cookies he had baked as a gift, heading outside.
Through the hallway window, the outdoor lights spilled into the dark patches of the hallway.
"The stars must have come to visit us..." he mumbled, remembering the stories Auntie Pang used to tell him.
He turned, only to flinch when a voice suddenly called out to him.
"Uncle...Ton..."
Ton gripped his fingers firmly. "Why didn't you come down for lunch? Not everyone has time to play with you. Please come and dine."
Kao quickened his pace, barely able to see the steps in the dim light.
'Hurts.'
Going down the stairs, he spotted two people eating.
'But my hand... Hurts...'
...
The dining table was wide, and the chairs were big and heavy. Kao struggled to take a seat, panting and wanting nothing more than a glass of water.
Creech!
"Mae... You're done eating?" Across from him, a boy was cutting meat with a fork.
"I don't have an appetite. You can continue." Her red lipstick was lightly faded. Kao didn't know who she was, but her voice wasn't friendly, so he only stole a quick glance before dropping his head as she walked upstairs.
"Ton, Mae doesn't want this, so reheat it in two hours and leave it in her room."
"Khap, young master." Ton bowed happily before clearing the place where the woman had been sitting.
"Where is his food?" the boy asked.
"Well..." Ton searched for words. "It's on the way." He signaled toward the kitchen and went back to cleaning.
One by one, dishes were placed in front of Kao. He picked up the steak knife and tried to cut the meat.
Clank!
The fork slipped from his hands, the loud sound echoing through the quiet hall.
"Ton, get another set," the boy ordered immediately upon seeing Kao's face.
"Khap."
"Hey..." The boy waved to get Kao's attention. "Can you watch my hands? I'll teach you."
Kao stayed silent but mirrored the movements exactly.
But it didn't help much.
"Let me do it." The boy stood beside him. "Like this." A sweet perfume lingered around the older boy as he cut the meat into tiny, manageable pieces, then returned to his own place.
There wasn't even the sound of chewing or swallowing. The boy gulped twice from a round, thin-legged glass before heading back to his room.
Again, Kao was left alone. But this time, he actually started eating.
Four bites. That was all he managed.
He sat there... One hour passed... Two... Three... No one came.
Tired, Kao picked up his plate and headed toward the kitchen. It was heavy for such a small child.
After a short walk from the dining room, he found the kitchen on the left, but it was completely dark and empty.
He saw the sink, but his height was a problem. Even children his own age were taller than him. When the doctor had examined him, he said it was due to malnutrition. He needed to eat a lot and drink milk to grow normally despite what he had suffered. Aunt Pang's calculation was two glasses of milk a day. In reality, Kao hated drinking it; it was a real challenge to make him finish a glass, and even Tasuaka struggled.
His toes strained as he reached up to wash the plate. Water splashed onto the tiles and his clothes.
"What kind of...?"
The sudden voice startled him, but he managed not to drop the glass plate.
A uniformed maid stood there. Her footsteps had been completely silent. Half of her hair was tied back, her nose was small, and her pale red lipstick stood out even in the dark.
"What are you doing here?" she raised her voice. "If you're done eating, go take a nap. Why bother making a mess?" She grabbed Kao's wrist, snatching the plate away. 'Does he think we have time to play? Look at this mess...' She was completely irritated by him, despite him being just a kid.
Expressionless, Kao passed the maid and returned to his room.
"Ungrateful things coming here to trouble my Madam..." she hissed.
Kao heard her clearly, but he pretended not to.
...
There was only a small window in the room. Nothing else. It was an ordinary space, prepared roughly for his size. The blankets grew colder as time passed, his luggage remained untouched, and the small wardrobe stood empty.
Leaning against the edge of the bed, he finally started eating the cookies.
Munch! Crunch!
'If Auntie Pang or Grandpa call to ask about the cookies, I can just tell them that everyone loved them and finished them all.'
Maybe that was why he planned to finish them all, or maybe he was just hungry.
The crumbs fell from his lips, and he wiped them away. After filling his stomach, he fell into a deep sleep, and gradually, a small part of the bed filled with warmth.
The gift-wrapping paper from his cookies was neatly folded and kept inside the wardrobe. As the hours went by, the air became freezing.
...
The next morning brought more of the same.
Chuckling and whispers followed him.
Somehow, Kao began to think the small house where he had lived alone before being found was much better than this place.
'At least I could just be alone there...' That was what the seven-year-old told himself. He missed Grandpa, Tasuaka, Pang...
Clank!
Ton barged in and told Kao to come with him.
Knock! Knock!
"President... I brought him..."
Only a low hum came from inside before they entered.
"Come closer..." The man laughed, inviting Kao near his desk.
That man was his father, but Kao didn't feel anything. There was no warmth or emotion that usually comes with being reunited after years apart.
"Your mother wants to meet you. Go... and don't get too close to her." It wasn't a loving statement; it was a strict warning. His hands waved, signaling for the boy to leave.
...
"How many times did I say this key is the problem...?" Ton muttered, utterly frustrated as the key remained jammed in the lock. "Wait here." Turning back, he grumbled, "Why now, of all times? We need oil..."
Kao's gaze fixed on the heavy black door. He wondered why this big, beautiful house had a hidden place like this.
Dark... and creepy.
'Is this where my Mae is...? Why here...? This house is so sparkling everywhere else...'
He pressed his ear against the door.
"My... my... bab..."
Kao clenched his chest. 'Mae... Is that Mae?'
He knocked lightly against the door, but there was no response.
"Mae... Mae..." he called, again and again.
Hearing the sound of approaching footsteps, Kao froze, his hands gripping his shirt to hide his despair. Soon, two more servants arrived. They oiled the lock and Ton tried the key once more.
A groan came from the heavy hinges.
Slowly, it opened.
"Mae..."