Chapter 20 At The End Of The Day

Grandfather Suwannarat walked in with the help of Kittichat and Ying. Grandfather Suwannarat looked at KK and said, "It looks like it might rain tomorrow. Klaew Kla rarely comes to family dinners."

Kittichai said, "Grandfather, nong K may be very busy. Today is a family dinner. Also, we have guests, please..."

Grandfather Suwannarat frowned like crazy. "If he's half the man you are, then I'm not worried." Grandfather Suwannarat sat across the table, looking directly at KK who was sitting between Dussadi and Laddwan. "What kind of person is he, who likes others."

Mr. Suwannarat suddenly interrupted Grandfather Suwannarat, "Pa, please, not here, not now."

Mrs. Wongsawat grabbed Grandfather Suwannarat's hand, and said with a smile, "Pa, everyone is here today, let's have dinner first. Please..." She sent eye signals to Dussadi. "If you have anything to say, just wait for all the guests to leave first."

Dussadi quickly rose from her seat, rushed forward, and put her arms around Grandfather Suwannarat's neck. "Grandpa, after dinner, I will massage your shoulders. I learned a new massage technique." She kissed Grandfather Suwannarat's right cheek. She smiled. "But now, I'm so hungry that my little fingers don't have the strength to move."

Grandfather Suwannarat smiled, "Alright...Alright...Go back to your seat."

The dinner went well, and after Mrs. Wongsawat sent the guests home, she returned to the table with the maid and some desserts. She sat down in the chair and said, "Pa, try this." She pushed the dish of desserts to Grandfather Suwannarat. "These have less sugar."

KK stood up slowly and was about to walk out of the dining table when Grandfather Suwannarat pushed aside the dessert and said, "Klaew Kla, where are you going?"

KK looked at his grandfather and said, "The dinner is over, I'll go back first."

Grandfather Suwannarat said, "I haven't finished talking to you yet."

KK stood tall, looked at Grandfather Suwannarat and said, "If you're trying to tell me old words and advice, I've heard them."

Grandfather Suwannarat angrily hit the table with his left hand and stood up.

Mrs. Wongsawat, "Pa..."

Grandfather Suwannarat pointed at KK with his cane. He angrily said, "I have only two grandsons, I don't believe that I can't change you."

KK looked into Grandfather Suwannarat's eyes and said calmly, "No, you only have one grandson, the grandson standing beside you, not this weirdo standing opposite you."

Grandfather Suwannarat's cane trembled in the air, "You...

Mrs. Suwannarat took KK's arm, "KK, he is an elder, please don't talk back."

Grandfather Suwannarat walked quickly to KK, raised his cane and swung down to hit KK, Kittichat quickly grabbed Grandfather Suwannarat's cane and said, "Grandfather, please stop...nong K is not a child anymore." He looked at KK. "KK, apologize."

KK said stubbornly, "I'm not wrong, why should I apologize?"

Grandfather Suwannarat roared, "You toxic child." In a sudden rage of anger, Grandfather Suwannarat raised the cane in his right hand and hit KK in the head. He began coughing.

Kittichat hurriedly shouted, "Ying, quickly give grandfather his inhaler."

Ying quickly took out the inhaler from her handbag and handed it to Kittichat.

Mrs. Suwannarat grabbed a napkin from the table and wiped the blood from KK's forehead. She worriedly asked, "Child, does it hurt?"

KK sighed, "It's okay, ma, I'm leaving."

Mr. Suwannarat said, "Go ahead and if there is anything else I will call you."

KK has always hated coming to family dinner because if his grandfather showed up, everything would end like tonight. If KK shows up, his grandfather will bring up old things to prove to KK that Grandfather Suwannarat's way of life and way of thinking was right.

KK knew that his grandfather still lived an old traditional way of life, where the head of the family made all decisions for the rest of the family. Even if it's wrong, the younger generation can't speak up, and only bowed his head and be obedient. KK is a person who strives for equal respect; to him, whether rich or poor, young or old, male or female, as long as he admits his mistakes when he is wrong, KK does not care about who they are.

KK walked to his car and looked at his forehead, he checked it, only the outer skin had torn, he wiped his forehead. He put the car into gear and started to leave the Wongsawat family's house.

When grandfather Suwannarat calmed down and his heart rhythm returned to normal. He sat up and looked around the room slowly, but didn't see KK, which gave him a headache. For over the years, he tried his best to change KK's way of thinking, but it seemed that the harder he tried, the more their relationship went separate ways. He is hard on KK because he knows KK is much smarter than Kittichat and he wants KK to continue the family business, but it seems that no matter what he does to teach KK, KK distances himself further and further away from him. On the contrary, even regarded him as an enemy.

Ying said, "Grandpa, don't be angry. This will cause your blood pressure to rise and your heart rate to increase, which is not good for you."

Grandfather Suwannarat said, "Why didn't you teach your son to be more respectful to his elders? Why did you let him do whatever he wanted?"

Mr. Suwannarat said, "Pa, we've been through it many times, every time KK comes, it's always like this. I know you're his elder, maybe you could take a step back and try to understand him."

Mrs. Suwannarat said, "Pa, we were saddened when we first learned about his sexuality, but as parents we stepped back and opened up and listened to him. Being bisexual is not going to change him."

Grandfather Suwannarat said, "I couldn't accept the fact that he would be bringing a man home to meet me."

Mr. Suwannarat said, "Pa, the whole family knows about KK. We accept him for who he is. Why can't you? The world is changing, the new generation doesn't think like us. We live in the modern age, and our previous generation has to learn to walk with one eye close and one ear plug, so we can walk beside the new generation. No matter what they look like, at the end of the day, they are still our children. No matter how much we scold them, when they lie in the hospital bed, we will always be the first to show up because they are our children."

(Memory)

In the hospital, nurses and doctors walked back and forth, and Grandfather Suwannarat had just arrived at the hospital. He stormed through the emergency front door in only his pajamas and slippers. He saw Mr. Suwannarat and Mrs. Suwannarat standing by the window, and it seemed that Mrs. Suwannarat was still crying.

Grandfather Suwannarat rushed to them, "How is he? How is he?"

Mr. Suwannarat said, "Pa, the doctors are still pumping his stomach."

Mrs. Suwannarat said, "The doctors said he had passed out for too long. If they couldn't get his heart rate back to normal, he could be in a coma state."

Grandfather Suwannarat's knees softened, and he fell slowly. Mr. Suwannarat quickly helped Grandfather Suwannarat to a nearby chair. He asked, "How did you let this happen? What kind of father are you?"

As soon as Mrs. Cole saw Grandfather Suwannarat, she rushed in from the other side of the emergency room and walked towards Grandfather Suwannarat. She shouted, "What are you doing here? Get out! Get out!"

Mr. Suwannarat shook his head and said softly, "Khun, speak nicely."

Mrs. Cole shouted angrily, "I don't care who is who right now. If anything happens to my son, I will hold everyone with the surname Suwannarat accountable. I am not afraid of going head-to-head with your family at this point."

Mr. Cole pulled Mrs. Cole back and said, "I know you're upset, but accusing each other now doesn't help KK. Let's calm down, alright."

Mrs. Cole sobbed in Mr. Cole's arms, "But he's my son...I shouldn't have left him and to be tormented by these villains. No matter what anyone thinks of him, he's my son...at the end of the day, the weirdo that everyone hates is still my son..." She breaks down in tears. "Others may not be hurt, but I am. Others may not love him, but I love him...because he's my sweet sweet little boy."

(End Of Memory)

Mrs. Coles' sobbing slowly faded from Mr. Suwannarat's ears. He looked at Grandfather Suwannarat and asked, "Pa, do you want him to visit you at home, or do you want to visit him at the morgue?"

Grandfather Suwannarat sighed, "I..."

Driving alone on the road, KK didn't want to be alone, he was afraid that the old way of life might come back to him. The worst of his life is over, he's no longer the weakling who can easily be bossed by someone who doesn't value him. Then his phone alerted a new message. He pressed play. The woman's voice reads "Did you have fun with your family?".

KK pressed the call button on his steering wheel and Santichai picked it up. He asked, "What are you doing?"

Santichai said, "I'm about to eat."

KK asked, "What are you eating?"

Santichai said, "Ma-Ma with egg and vegetables."

KK said, "Make me a bowl, I'm not far from your house, see you in ten minutes." He ended the call.

He had just finished washing the vegetables when he heard a knock on the door. Santichai quickly turned off the water, walked to the door, opened it, and was shocked to see blood seeping from KK's left forehead.

Santichai asked, "What happened?"

KK joked, "I got robbed." He scoffed. "He hit me because I refused to let him take my wallet."

Santichai hurriedly closed the door and went to the cabinet to get the first aid kit. "Don't trade your life for a little pocket money," he said. He walked back to the sofa and started cleaning KK's wounds. "You can cancel your bank card at any time." He applied the ointment and put a band-aid over the wound. "Are you injured elsewhere?"

KK pulled Santichai in front of him and put his arms around Santichai's waist. Burying his face in Santichai's lower abdomen, he felt the safety and warmth he had never felt before. "It's worth it," he said.

Santichai asked confusingly, "What's worth it?"

KK murmured, "Although I stepped on many people's toes, such a hug like this, makes it really worth it at the end of the day."