Destined Mann-er - Part 2

Akat heard a voice. "Wake up, my little boy. Let's go and sleep inside."

He smiled. It was Prapit's voice. How long had it been since he was called that? He couldn't remember.

Wait, was he dreaming? He opened his eyes. The rain had stopped. He was still in the car. The heater car had dried his clothes somewhat. He stared into Prapit's eyes. At this proximity, it was impossible for him to breathe.

He pushed Prapit and stomped toward the door.

Prapit smiled to himself as he locked the car and followed him.

They were in the middle of nowhere. There were a few houses, quite far from theirs, maybe a kilometer away. This seemed like a farmland area, away from the city, away from the noise.

Akat was curious, but he didn't ask anything. He wasn't going to give Prapit that satisfaction.

Prapit turned on the lights and put water on to boil.

He looked at Akat and said, "Follow me." Akat quietly walked behind Prapit, who entered the bedroom.

He rummaged through the shelf and pulled out a thick towel and nightclothes. He turned on the bath and then turned to Akat. "Get a nice bath, change, and come down; I will make something for us to eat and drink."

Akat looked at him defiantly. "What if I don't want to? I plan to sleep in these clothes. Maybe I will get pneumonia. Hopefully, if something happens to me, then at least my spirit will have the satisfaction of tormenting you for the rest of your life."

Prapit slowly walked towards him. "I will count to three... by then, if you do not remove your shirt, I will strip you and change your clothes myself."

Akat felt a sense of déjà vu. He gulped as he gathered the clothes and scurried into the bathroom.

Prapit's lips twitched. He walked down to whip up a quick meal.

As Akat immersed himself in the bathtub, he closed his eyes, remembering the first time he had this luxury. At that time, Prapit had threatened him the same way. When he had seen Akat's bruised body, he had looked like he was about to cry. That was the first time, after his parents' death, he had felt love.

Akat remembered going to school completely healed. He dreaded being bullied, but at least now he had a place to stay. It was after school, he clearly remembered, when the bullies in his class surrounded him.

"So, Akat, I heard you got beat up pretty badly, which is why you couldn't come yesterday. Who did that to you?" the head bully, Vartan, asked. Vartan was the son of a high-ranking police officer. He was proud of it and exploited it to the fullest. His father was a great donor and a key benefactor to people like Akat, who could study at a subsidized rate.

Akat, as usual, did not comment. "Just get done with it. I have to get back."

"Ah, where do you have to get back? You have no home anymore, did you forget?"

Just then, a minion barged in. "Ah, Vartan, your dad has come today. Were you expecting him?"

Vartan clicked his tongue. He then looked at Akat and said, "You got lucky today. You won't get this lucky tomorrow." He grabbed his bag and walked out.

Akat heaved a sigh of relief once everyone was out of sight. He then collected his bag and walked out.

When he walked out of the gates, he staggered back a bit when he saw Prapit talking to Vartan's father. He was smiling at Vartan and patting his head.

Akat had half a mind to turn back, but Prapit called out to him.

"Akat! Come here."

Akat slowly dragged himself to where Prapit stood.

"Prapit, I didn't expect you here."

Prapit smiled as he said, "Uncle Prapit," and he pulled Akat towards himself, his hand casually around Akat's neck.

"This is my nephew. Chief, it is a bit concerning that he comes back home every day, bruised quite badly. I fear it may be some street rats."

The chief nodded. "Boss, leave it to me. I will take it upon myself to have him picked up and dropped off. If there is even a single scratch on him, feel free to whip my own son as my punishment."

Vartan's face was drained of all color.

Prapit replied jovially, "I will drop him at school going forth, I only hope you can have someone keep an eye on him until he leaves school, though. He has grown up without knowing any hardships in life; we never taught him to fight. You understand, right?" Prapit winked at the Chief.

"Yes, Boss. Leave it to me." The Chief warmly shook Akat's hand and then turned to his son. "You heard that, right? You will have the honor of being this young man's bodyguard. If there is even a scratch on him, you will face the consequences."

Vartan looked stumped at the turn of events.

Prapit bowed and casually opened the door for Akat to sit. He then waved to the Chief before sitting inside the car.

"Prapit, why did you do that?"

Prapit glanced at him before shifting his focus to the road.

"I have introduced you as my nephew; should you not be calling me uncle?"

Akat commented, "Who said I wanted to be your nephew? You will always be Prapit to me."

Prapit sighed. This would be a discussion for another day. Maybe this kid would slowly come to like him. Two days of association would not help with that sort of bond, he reasoned with himself.

Akat asked him, "Why did you do that?"

Prapit shrugged," I don't want you to walk down the road I did. Your hands were not meant to be bloodied."

Akat replied, "I would never hurt them."

Prapit replied, "To hurt them back is not wrong. But you need to make sure you don't end up hurting yourself in the process. If you don't defend yourself, you will be their punching bag till you graduate. One day you will snap, and then there will be no turning back. Akat, that day should never come. Tell me your concerns, I will find a solution that won't hurt you, I promise. But do not hide your pain or break on the inside."

Akat stared at him. Prapit glanced casually at the mirror, to check for Akat's reaction.

Akat then asked, "Why me?"

Prapit looked surprised. "Huh?"

Akat asked," Why me? There are so many people in similar situations, why are you so kind to me?"

Prapit thought for a second, then laughed. "No one but you crossed paths with me. Should we call this destiny?"

Ever since that day, not once had Akat been bullied. He sighed as he got out of the bath. How could he stop being in love with that idiot? Every memory, every second of happiness he had experienced, was only with Prapit.