After rain comes the clear sky (Kaoearth)

32. Suspicion

"What is it, Sui?" Jane looked at the butler who had just walked into the room after knocking.

"The old madam is looking for First Young Master," Sui replied respectfully.

Jane turned to Kao "Go, your Khun Yay is calling." She motioned him to follow the butler.

Kao nodded and reached out for the laptop.

"We haven't finished looking at all the pictures. You can go. We will return this once we are done." Tessa said firmly leaving no space for argument.

"Khrab." Kao reluctantly waied and left the room.

After making sure that Kao is out of sight, Ann looked at her two best friends. "Are you two thinking what I am thinking?"

"About the Earth kid?" Tessa asked.

Ann nodded.

"I am afraid so." Jane sighed.

"Hey, don't be so disappointed. Let's check these photos out. If our doubts are right. Then I am sure that he will definitely have that kid's photos." Ann patted Jane.

Jane frowned and nodded.

They swiped through the photos.

"Kao is really a good photographer," Tessa commented.

"I agree. Seeing all these pictures, I feel like visiting the place." Ann chimed. "How about we go on a family trip to Chiang Mai. Maybe-"

"Ann!" Jane called out massaging her temples. "Aren't you two forgetting something important?"

"Jane, stop being so worked up." Ann consoled.

"How can I not, Ann? If he is really..." Jane bit her lips. She didn't want to speak out loud. "You know how it is in our family. Just look what happened to Boun. P' Eric and P' Saen are still mad at Boun till date."

"Let's not jump to conclusions," Tessa said and started going through the photos one by one. Her fingers froze at one of the photos.

It was a photo of Kao and Earth from the wedding they attended the wedding back in Chiang Mai. The photo was the one Sammy had clicked when they were dancing. In the photo, Kao had his one hand around Earth's waist and Earth's hand was on Kao's shoulder. They were smiling widely lost in each other's eyes.

A tear drop rolled down Jane's eyes as she saw the photo of her son looking at the younger kid with so much love and tenderness. With trembling fingers, she moved to the next photo.

The second photo was also of the same day. Both of them were in matching suits. Earth smiling widely with the bride's bouquet in his hand while Kao was watching him as if he was mesmerised.

Photos after photo, Kao's eyes said everything.

"Kao has got taste. The kid is really pretty." Ann commented. Tessa nudged her to keep her mouth shut.

"Jane..." Tessa gently placed her hand on Jane's.

Jane jerked and looked at her friend. "I think Kao has fallen head over heels for that kid. What should I do now? What do I do?"

"You just let them be. If something actually happens then have his back." Ann said.

"Easy for you to say, Ann." Jane was annoyed at Ann's attitude. "It is not Ohm who is in love with a boy. Let's see if you would do as you say when Ohm brings home a boy as his lover."

"Of course. I will do as I say." Ann said confidently. "Because, for me, my child's happiness matters more than anything else. I don't care which gender his partner is. As long as he wants to be the person and the person is someone who is fit to stay by my son's side, I will accept them."

Jane was about to start a fight with Ann feeling that the latter was provoking her purposefully.

"Jane." Tessa held her back. "Ann does have a point here."

"Not you too, Tessa." Jane looked helplessly at Tessa.

"Wait. Hear me out before you say anything." Tessa said softly and Jane nodded.

"See, Kao had been around many gay men in the past. Even his secretary was a gay guy who had a huge crush on him. Still, he was unmoved."

"What are you implying, Tessa?" Jane wiped her tears.

"Maybe, Kao is not actually into guys but felt a little attracted to this Earth kid because he is just too pretty to be considered a boy," Tessa said.

Jane's eyes fell on the candid photo of Earth that Kao had clicked. Earth was wearing a pure white shirt with crystal hair accessory on his raven black hair looking up with a big smile as the flower petals fell.

"He is indeed pretty," Jane mumbled.

"See." Tessa slowly rubbed her back. "It might just be a passing crush."

"Really? You think so?" Jane looked up at Tessa hopefully.

"Yeah. Just take Boun for example. He left the family for a guy and now he isn't even in touch with that guy. Now he may play around, but only with girls." Tessa said.

At the mention of Boun and the incident that made him leave the family, Ann's expression changed. She didn't speak. Her clenched fists and straight face screamed out how angry she was.

"Just like that Kao is also going to forget this kid after a while. The kid lives in Chiang Mai, Jane. They won't even be meeting on a regular basis. So slowly their feelings even if they have any are going to fade away." Tessa said.

Jane looked unconvinced.

"Earth is just sixteen, Jane. How long do you think he will be willing to be in a long-distance relationship? That too with someone who is almost a decade older than him?"

Tessa's questions started making sense to Jane.

"I am sure that Earth will most probably stop contacting Kao by himself. So don't worry."

Ann rolled her eyes at her two best friends. She couldn't understand why the two of them were like this.

"I seriously feel bad for my nephews." Ann looked at her two sisters-in-law. "If I had known that you two would be like this earlier, I wouldn't have introduced you two to my Phis. I really do regret it now. All you care about is about what others will say, and not what your children feel."

Ann sighed and got up. "Kudos to you two for finding each other. May your friendship last forever."

"You don't have to be so sarcastic, Ann." Tessa glared at Ann.

"Tessa, we know well enough that Boun didn't leave the family because of some other guy, but because your eldest son manipulated everyone else to drive him out of the family including you. In the end, you and P' Saen took Alan's side and abandoned Boun. You are such a good mother."

Ann clapped exasperatedly. "Hats off to you to raise a son like Alan." She glared back at Tessa. "I wish you all the best with your plan. But I can assure you, if you ever try to separate Kao from Earth, it would hurt Kao more than you imagine. Mark my words. He would hate you for that."

She spun on her heels and left without looking back.