Leaving Behind

35. That Memory

Pete

I woke up with a start. I winched as I slowly regained my consciousness. My head was throbbing in pain as my eyes were adjusting to the limited amount of light that entered through the gaps in the curtains.

I grunted as I realized that I was lying in a bed at a hospital. I raised my hand only to realise that my movement was restricted by the iv fluid catherer attached to my hand.

How many times has this happened? Why do I feel like it has been a routine of mine to always be waking up at the hospital? I was reminded about what just happened earlier today. Did I just break right in front of Vegas? No. Be exact, in his arm.

I looked around to make sure that he was no longer here. He has probably gone back to Grandma's house. Or even better, back to the Minor family mansion because I don't think I can face him anymore. I covered my eyes using the back of my free arm. I let out a long, deep breath to ease my breathing.

"Pete?" That was when I heard a familiar voice calling out my name.

I ignored him until he reached my arm and removed it from my face. He then removed the remaining hair that was covering my forehead before placing the back of his hand on my forehead.

"What are you doing?" I took his hand and removed it from my forehead. I asked him with my hoarse voice.

He helped me to sit down. He took the pillow that was previously placed under my head and adjusted it at my back so that I could sit comfortably. Then he proceeds to the bedside table and pours some water into a glass. He handed me the glass that was half-full of water.

He walked to the window and drew the curtains open. My eyes were following him until he sat down on the chair that was placed at the side of the bed.

"You had a fever. Thank goodness it is mostly gone now." He finally answered. I looked at him in confusion.

"What is it?" Vegas asked me.

"Why are you still here? Why didn't you just leave?" I asked him instead.

"After you broke down right in front of me last night?" His question made me immediately look away. I cupped my face, feeling emberrassed. Not allowing him to see my flushed face. I wish that he will be away once I open my eyes or even better, "I wish I could just... disappear."

He reached to my hands and slowly brought them down. He held them with care before looking at me, straight into my eyes.

"I won't allow that to happen." He said this while looking all serious.

There was a soft knock from the door, causing me to quickly pull my hands out of Vegas' hold. It was the doctors. They came to do the ward round. After finishing the routine, Vegas went out with the doctor and made a quick consultation with them before he went somewhere.

After about 20 minutes, Vegas returned to the ward room. Without even looking at me, he took out a hand baggage even though I never knew it existed. He packed up my belongings. There was nothing much to pack as I've only been here for one night. I was just looking at him in confusion. He raises his head to look at me.

He seemed to notice my confusion. "We will go back to Bangkok once you are ready." He told me.

"Why?" I asked him, still confused.

"Because I said so." He said it as if it is an order. It has been decided without giving me any say in the matter. As if my opinion doesn't even matter.

"No." I protested. "I never decide to go back today! "I didn't even get to spend more time with grandma." I continued. There is still some stuff left I need confirmation with, and I need Grandma for that.

Vegas stopped doing what he was doing and stared at me. He let out a heavy sigh and asked a question which I chose to ignore, "Pete, what do you think would happen if you stay here?"

Ugh. What different will it make? At this rate, even going back to the Main family mansion won't spare me from being hunted. He didn't even know anything.

"You didn't even answer me when I asked you about yesterday's incident." He scolded me. I broke the eye contact between us. It startled me. It is as if he can read my mind.

I took some time to find the most appropriate response to counterattack him. In the end, I decided to question his plan to bring me back to the main family. "Why should I go back to the main family today?"

He seemed taken aback. I continued, "Even Khun Kinn and Khun Noo haven't called me for any duty yet." And they are my employers. "I don't want to go back there! At least... not now." I slowed down my voice.

"I never said you are going back to the main family." He told me.

"What? Then..." I am getting even more confused. What did he mean by that? Where else could I be going if not to the Main family mansion?

Then he told me something absurb I almost couldn't even believe it. "You are going to the minor family. I am bringing you back to the minor family's mansion."

I looked at his eyes, wondering if he was joking about what he had just proposed to me. Me entering the Minor family mansion? Only... this time, it is not for doing the mission for the main family. Not as a spy... Or for doing undercover, but... as a guest? As Vegas' guest?

He...did everything for me. From managing my discharge process, packing up my stuff, booking the flight tickets to go back to Bangkok, making a new appointment to follow up on my health condition... literally everything.

Unfortunately, I couldn't even get the time to make a last visit to Grandma's house as Vegas will have to go to the Main family mansion. Fortunately, we managed to make a video call before we boarded into the aeroplane.

As we arrived at the Minor family mansion, Vegas led me to his bedroom and left me alone while he was doing his job in his office. Both his bedroom and office are connected, but thankfully, we are separated by a wall, and the connecting door is shut tight.

I tried to remember how I ended up getting hospitalized and how come Vegas was with me, but nothing came out. However, I can vividly remember what happened before I was attacked by the two people from the Don's family... or is it three?

Our encounter has somehow helped me to understand the whole situation, although not in detail. When I think about it, it is weird. In the many incidents I was involved in, Don Family always got involved, too. Recently, I have encountered them for ridiculously so many times that I don't think it is a coincidence anymore.

I was trying so hard to recall everything that has happened that I have fallen asleep. I didn't even realise it when Vegas went out to go to the Main family mansion. When I woke up, he had already gone.

I looked around the room. I was too tired to take any notice of it. This is the bedroom. This is Vegas' bedroom and office. This is where I got caught by Ken and Vegas. They look exactly the same as I remembered from my last memory. That memory.