Tiwa blinks and opens his eyes, feeling hazy and sore. He's been taken over again and again for the past two days. Curling his fingers on the blanket, he thinks about something. He can already feel the changes in his life that he can't turn back anymore, even if he wants to. A warm hand presses on his cheek, instinctively, he leans into it. He knows it's Pravat. What he doesn't know, however, is what will happen from now on.
"What will I do?" He wants to ask, but his throat feels sandy, so all that comes out is a weak groan.
"Shh," Pravat soothes, placing a kiss on Tiwa's forehead. "Just sleep, baby deer."
A weak smile curls on Tiwa's lips as a heavy emotion overwhelms him, reminding him that he's not alone. Biting his lip to prevent the emotions from spilling out as another loud cry, he wraps his arm around Pravat and buries his head into the alpha's neck. He can tell he is almost lying on top of him, but they both don't mind. Holding Pravat tightly, Tiwa nuzzles his neck and breathes in the musk scent to lull him back to sleep.
When he wakes up for the second time, the sun is already up. Groaning, he runs his hand over his neck and feels a notably hard bite against his throat. The throbbing sensation brings him back to reality, and he realizes that he's alone in bed. Unconsciously, he pats the space beside him and senses that it's cold, indicating that Pravat woke up a long time ago and went somewhere. "Where could he have gone?" He wonders.
He looks around the room in search of Pravat until his eyes land on the window. "It was dark when I first woke. But right now, it's so bright and sunny, which means I'm asleep for almost half a day unless I have slept for more than that and assumed the wrong time." He throws the blanket away and moves a little, wincing at the pain in his body.
Gritting his teeth to take the pain in, he accidentally knocks the remote from the nightstand, which switches on the television mounted on the wall, and screams his name. That's when he realizes what he's done. He looks up and sees a reporter standing at the airport where his next destination is, focusing the camera on his brother. Seeing Jaran's face submerged in frustration and betrayal, tears well up in Tiwa's eyes and threaten to fall.
"We're very sorry for stopping you," the reporter says. "We just found out that Tiwa Buathong is a male omega. Can you tell us something about the bite mark on his neck from the last concert?"
Jaran fumes in anger but remains silent, likely due to the strict training from their manager and bandmates.
Tiwa understands that if there isn't anything, Jaran will never be in control. He hates himself for putting Jaran in this situation, feeling like a dagger is piercing his heart. He wishes he could change the past, but unfortunately, he can't. Luckily, the camera switches focus to Decha as the Omega interrupts to handle the situation.
Tears stream down Tiwa's cheeks as he watches the scene unfold, and then his phone rings to get his attention. He looks around to find it and grabs the phone, realizing his sister is calling. "Does she also think I betray her?" His hands shake in fear as he doesn't know what to do. With a heavier heart in his chest, he takes a deep breath and switches off the television before attending the call.
"H-Hello, sister," He stutters and breaks down into sobs; he can't control his emotions.
"Hey, why are you crying?" Her voice is filled with concern and care. "It's okay, Tiwa."
"No, sister. It's just-" He tries to explain the situation without prompting.
"Decha told me everything. Don't blame yourself. In fact, I'm happy that you're finally together with your crazy boyfriend." She sounds happy, which brings a small smile to his lips, but it fades as soon as she mentions the other things. "Or you will still sacrifice your happiness for us. Don't think too much about Jaran. You know he can't stay away from you for so long, so he will come around soon."
Talking with her for a few minutes really feels positive, like a thousand-pound weight floating off his shoulders. He has new hope that everything will be fine. He throws the phone on the bed and slowly gets up to walk over to the window to watch the surroundings. It feels so peaceful that he doesn't realize another person's presence in the room until their chest presses against his shivering back.
With a newfound feeling, he cranes his neck and exposes it to the alpha, who kisses at his scent glands, teeth scraping along it, checking the already-bonded mark. "We have some unsaid things between us." Pravat talks into Tiwa's neck, his lips brushing against the sensitive skin. It's true. There are still unsaid things between them that they need to clear off.
***
Leaving the sleeping omega on the bed, Pravat steps out of the hotel room to buy lunch. He knows he can order, but he has another important thing to do. Handling that in front of his mate worries him, so it's best if he takes care of it alone. Making up his mind, he calls Decha over the phone and asks him about the situation. Throughout the whole thing, he understands one thing: Jaran wants to break the band after the massive four-month tour.
Pravat is grateful that he has prevented Tiwa from going with them to Seoul. Because if he didn't, Tiwa would be forced to face all of his brother's stupidity. It is not good when he's weak. Also, if an omega barely recovers from heat and puts too much stress on themselves, they will end up infertile. Pravat doesn't want that. So the only way to handle the situation now is to let it go.
Rubbing his forehead to ease the tension, Pravat returns to the hotel room with food bags and places them on the nightstand. He notices Tiwa standing at the window, unaware of his presence. Shaking his head, he releases his pheromones, not wanting to startle him, as he stands behind him and wraps his arms around him. Feeling that it's the perfect moment to address certain matters, he speaks softly, "We have some unsaid things between us," while planting a gentle kiss on the side of Tiwa's neck.
Tiwa stares out the window without responding to anything, and Pravat doesn't urge him, just giving him the time he needs. "After you were forced to leave the school, your thoughts troubled me day and night. I didn't know at that age what to think about it. But when I presented as an omega, I could understand some things: I don't hate you; instead, I have loved you unknowingly for years."
Pravat's lips curve into a smile at Tiwa's confession, and he plants a gentle kiss behind Tiwa's ear, encouraging him to continue sharing his feelings. "I waited to tell you this when you returned to my life because I knew you would one day come back. But then I started hating myself when my adoptive mother said being an omega was a sin. She wouldn't even let me talk to my brother-in-law, fearing I would endanger my sister's life. If my siblings and I questioned her, she would bring up those school moments to show that I caused trouble even before presenting, so she didn't want to take any chances." Tiny fingers curl on the bars while silent tears flow down the pale cheeks. "Even since my last visit to my hometown, she hasn't let me feel my sister's baby bump because I'm an omega."
Pravat tightens his grip around Tiwa's waist while listening to each word carefully. It hurts. If it hurts so much to listen, he can't imagine how it will be for Tiwa to experience that life. His heart bleeds for him, so he turns him into his arms and holds him against his chest, soothing his back.
"Have you ever wondered why I keep my true self hidden while Decha lives openly?" Tears welling up in his eyes, Tiwa looks up at Pravat and explains the painful truth. "It was my adoptive mother's condition when my brother and I set out to pursue our dreams. If I wanted to be successful and remain in the family, I had to conceal my true identity so that no one could accuse my brother of using me as a stepping stone." His voice falters as he recounts the heartbreaking realization.
Pravat's eyes skip over Tiwa's face, seeing the plain, raw emotion that goes straight to his heart. The inner rage he felt ten years ago simmers into a deep guilt that he can't bring himself to express.
"If that old lady has luck, she will never get into my sight. But, supposedly, if she does, that won't end well. There is no way in hell that will end well. I will burn her alive for what she's done to my baby deer. Even if Tiwa forgives her, I will never forgive her." He digs his fingers into Tiwa's waist, not realizing he's hurting him until Tiwa winces and buries his face into his neck. Pravat apologizes and presses a kiss on Tiwa's head while soothing the slightly bruised skin.
The moment lengthens until their eyes soften and their hearts are calm enough to hear each other's breath. Embracing each other's arms, they still stand at the window and watch the birds flying around the sky, chirping merrily. It feels like a peaceful wonder in which they're cheerful and not so blue.