3 days later in Ran's art room:
Ran and Nat were sitting down at his sketching table teaching Nat how to draw, "how the the heck do you draw a realistic cat like that under an hour?!" Nat asked.
Ran's chuckled shaking his head, "this is nothing compared to my other work, I'm just trying to help you find a hobby to do."
Nat stared at the sketch of a cat Ran had effortlessly drawn, still in disbelief at how easy he made it seem. His own attempt sat next to it—a wobbly, disproportionate mess that barely resembled anything feline. He groaned, dropping his pencil dramatically.
"Maybe art's not my thing," Nat admitted with a defeated sigh. "This cat looks like it just survived a tornado."
Ran laughed, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "It's not that bad. You're just being hard on yourself." He picked up Nat's sketch and examined it thoughtfully. "Look, the eyes are pretty good, and the ears… well, they're kind of cute in a weird way."
Nat raised an eyebrow. "Cute in a weird way? Thanks, I feel so much better."
Ran playfully nudged his shoulder. "Art's about practice. You won't be perfect on the first try." He paused, tilting his head. "You were really good at helping Mae with her flower garden. Maybe you could try gardening? It's relaxing."
Nat shrugged. "Maybe… I just want to do something other than work, you know? Something for me."
Ran softened at that. "You'll find it. It just takes time."
They sat in comfortable silence for a moment before Ran grabbed a clean sheet of paper. "Okay, let's try something fun." He drew a quick cartoonish version of Nat—a chibi-like figure with exaggerated features. "See? Art doesn't have to be serious."
Nat laughed. "You made me look like a grumpy potato!"
Ran smirked. "A cute grumpy potato."
Shaking his head, Nat picked up his pencil, determined to draw something better this time. He sketched a little chibi version of Ran—his hair wild, with an overly dramatic artist's beret on his head.
Ran gasped in mock offense. "Is that what I look like to you?"
"An eccentric artist who drinks way too much tea? Yep," Nat teased, holding up his drawing proudly.
Ran burst into laughter, nearly doubling over. "Okay, okay, I'll give you points for creativity." He leaned closer, their shoulders touching as he admired Nat's work. "You know… maybe you're better at this than you think."
Nat turned to look at his there faces an inch away, he smiled as they both looked into each other's eyes. "You're so cute." He muttered.
They looked into each others eyes for a while until they started moving their faces closer to each other, "P'NAT!" A small high pitched voice disturbed them.
The quickly jumped apart from each other, Nat turned to his little sister who was standing in her school uniform looking a little bit sad. "What's wrong Mali?" He asked caring her into his lap.
"My teacher said tomorrow will be the last day to pay for the school trip, and you still haven't given me the money." She replied pouting. Nat gently fixed her hair and patted her cheek, "don't worry when I take you to school tomorrow I'll give your teacher the money, so you can go have fun with your friends on the trip."
"Are you sure?" She asked looking up at with puppy eyes, Nat smiled and nodded. "Have I ever lied to you?"
Mali shook her head, "now go inside I'm sure they made nice food for you."
Mali beamed and hugged Nat tightly before skipping off toward the main house. Nat watched her disappear, his expression softening. He let out a quiet sigh, running a hand through his hair.
Ran gently touched his arm. "I can hel-"
"No it's fine, I told you I can deal with my family." Nat cut him off before he could finish his sentence, "you're sick, you can't be worrying about things that I can simply help with." Ran told him.
"I shouldn't rely on you when it comes down to money, Mae and Mali rely on me so if I rely on you I won't be able to help them with anything."
Ran frowned, his hand lingering on Nat's arm. "Supporting each other isn't the same as relying on someone. You're allowed to accept help, Nat. It doesn't make you weak or less capable."
Nat clenched his fists, frustration flickering in his eyes. "You don't get it. I'm the only one they have… Mae works so hard already. If I can't take care of them, then what am I good for?"
Before Ran got to reply Nat got up, "I'll go get Mali ready for bed." He said walking out of the art studio
Ran watched Nat leave, his shoulders tense with unresolved frustration. He sighed, running a hand through his hair, feeling helpless. No matter how much he wanted to be there for Nat, breaking through that wall of stubborn independence felt nearly impossible.
Nat found Mali curled up on the living room couch, fast asleep with a storybook still clutched in her tiny hands. His expression softened as he carefully lifted her into his arms, mindful not to wake her. She stirred only slightly, snuggling against his chest with a contented sigh.
As he carried her to her room, his mind raced. He hated feeling powerless—like his best would never be enough. But seeing Mali safe and peaceful reminded him why he pushed himself so hard, why he had to keep going.
After tucking Mali in and gently brushing a strand of hair from her face, Nat lingered by her bedside for a moment, lost in thought.
.....
Later in the midnight while the Tharaporn mansion was quiet and asleep Nat snuck out of the room he shared with Mali grabbing a hat his wallet had a jacket. He silently walked out the house but once he got into the front yard guards stopped him in his tracks.
"Sorry sir it's past curfew, you can't live at this time." The guard said, "I'm heading out to work, just let me out this one time."
The guard frowned but remained firm. "Orders are orders, sir. No one leaves the estate past curfew without authorization."
Nat clenched his fists, frustration boiling beneath his skin. "I'm not sneaking off for fun. I need to work."
Before the guard could respond, a calm but authoritative voice echoed from the entrance.
"Let him through."
Nat turned sharply to see P'Sang approaching, hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable.
"P'Sang…" Nat started, uncertain.
The guard hesitated but nodded, stepping aside to allow Nat passage.
As Nat walked toward the gates, P'Sang fell into step beside him. "Where exactly do you think you're going?"
"Work." Nat didn't bother to lie. P'Sang sighed deeply. "You're still recovering. Do you really think collapsing at a second job will help anyone?"
Nat let out a heavy sigh before walking away without saying a word.
P'Sang watched Nat's retreating figure, frustration etched into his features. "Stubborn fool," he muttered under his breath before turning on his heel and heading back toward the mansion.
Nat walked briskly through the quiet streets, his thoughts a tangled mess. He knew P'Sang was right, but the weight of responsibility pressed on his chest like a vise. Every step felt heavier, his body still weak from his recent collapse, but he pushed forward.
As he approached the dimly lit bus stop, Nat checked his phone—no new messages. He thought briefly about texting Ran but dismissed the idea. Ran didn't need to know about this; he didn't want him worrying or offering help Nat couldn't accept.
The bus arrived, its brakes hissing softly as the doors opened. Nat climbed aboard, settling into a window seat. He rested his head against the cool glass, closing his eyes briefly, exhaustion washing over him.
Before he realized it, the bus lurched to a stop at his destination—a small 24-hour convenience store where he occasionally picked up late-night shifts. He greeted the night manager with a strained smile as he clocked in.
"Didn't think I'd see you back so soon," the manager remarked, raising an eyebrow.
"Just need the hours," Nat replied simply, tying on his apron.
Hours crawled by as Nat stocked shelves, cleaned the store, and handled the occasional customer. Every motion sent dull aches through his muscles, but he ignored the pain. He had to.
Near the end of his shift, he caught himself leaning against the counter, his head nodding from exhaustion. Shaking himself awake, he splashed cold water on his face in the restroom.
"You can't fall apart now," he whispered, gripping the edge of the sink. "Just a little longer."
As he returned to the front, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Frowning, he pulled it out and saw a single message from Ran:
"Are you okay? I had a weird feeling… Please text me."
Nat stared at the screen, guilt clawing at his chest. He wanted to reply, but what could he say? That he'd ignored everyone's warnings and was working himself into the ground again?
With a shaky breath, he typed back:
"I'm fine. Go back to sleep."
He hit send before slipping the phone into his pocket, forcing himself back to work—ignoring the heaviness in his chest that had nothing to do with exhaustion.
As dawn approached, Nat finished his shift, muscles screaming in protest. He clocked out with a weary sigh, stuffing his apron into his bag. The streets were quiet, bathed in the soft glow of the rising sun as he walked toward the nearest bus stop.
His phone buzzed again. This time, it was a missed call from Ran. Nat hesitated, his thumb hovering over the screen before deciding to ignore it. He couldn't face Ran—not after breaking his promise to rest.
The bus ride back felt longer than usual, and by the time he reached the Tharaporn estate, his entire body felt like it was made of lead. His legs wobbled as he stumbled through the front gate, grateful that the guards on duty didn't question him.
He quietly entered the guest house where his family was staying, slipping off his shoes as silently as possible. Just as he was about to tiptoe toward his room, a familiar voice cut through the stillness.
"Where the hell have you been?"
Nat froze. Slowly, he turned to see Ran standing in the dimly lit living room, arms crossed, his face etched with anger and worry.
"I—"
"Don't lie to me," Ran interrupted, stepping closer. "I know you didn't just go for a walk."
Nat's shoulders slumped, guilt washing over him. "I… needed to work. Mali's school trip money, Mae's meds… I couldn't sit around doing nothing."
Ran's expression softened, though frustration still lingered in his eyes. "I told you I could help."
"I can't depend on you," Nat insisted, his voice trembling. "You don't understand what it's like… having people rely on you for everything."
Ran closed the distance between them, gently placing his hands on Nat's face. "And what about you? Who do you get to rely on?"
Nat's breath hitched. "I have to go wake up Mali for school." He said ignoring the question. "One of the maids already got her ready, she's eating breakfast you should go get some rest." Ran replied.
Nat opened his mouth to protest but Ran cut him off completely, "nothing from you, I'm already mad at you."
Nat sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "Ran, I—"
"No." Ran's voice was firm but not unkind. "You've done enough damage to yourself. Go. Rest."
Nat hesitated, but the exhaustion weighing on his body left him with little choice. Without another word, he nodded and turned toward his room.
As he reached the door, he heard Ran's voice, softer this time. "I'm only mad because I care about you… Don't make me watch you destroy yourself."
Nat froze, guilt and something warmer stirring inside him. He clenched his fists, swallowing hard before stepping inside his room.
—————————
Later that afternoon, Nat woke up to the sound of light knocking on his door. Groggy but slightly rested, he pushed himself up. "Come in."
The door creaked open, and Mali peeked inside, holding a small tray with a bowl of soup and a glass of water. Her face lit up when she saw him awake.
"P'Nat! I brought you lunch! P'Ran said you need to eat before you turn into a grumpy bear."
Nat chuckled despite himself. "He said that, huh?"
She nodded eagerly, placing the tray carefully on the bedside table. "He also said you're not allowed to work anymore until you're all better."
Nat smiled faintly, ruffling her hair. "Is that so?"
"Uh-huh! He's really bossy… but nice."
TBC