Riv takes Khom out of the conference hall. Mali saw this, she was worried for Riv. She tries to stop them by making up some excuse.
Mali (trying to help Riv) : Ms. Riva, could you please come with me for a moment. I need your help urgently
Riv saw through her excuse.
Riv (calmly) : Ms. Mali, I'll be back in a moment, kindly wait till then.
An hour later, Riv returns looking a bit exhausted. Mali, really worried for her, approaches her.
Mali : Riv are you alright? Did he do something to you?
Riv (calmly) : Chill, in fact I did something to him so that he would think a thousand times before messing with a girl.
Mali : I just hope no trouble follows.
Mali was a bit sad that Riv was leaving, yet accompanied her to the airport. They exchange hugs and good wishes.
Riv : I'll go in and collect our boarding passes.
Di : Kine is also not picking up his call. Let's go inside together.
Both of them go inside while Mali turns to leave.
Mali (surprised) : Mr. Mahek, are you going somewhere?
Mahek : Mali, I'm actually going to India. I got orders from the higher ups to settle everything there as soon as possible. So….
Mali : We're really gonna miss your presence.
Mahek nods, looks at his watch, smiles at Mali and enters the airport.
Finally, all of them land in India. Kine and Di standing outside at the airport exit.
Kine : Wanna hang out this weekend? I want you to meet my best friend since childhood. You can bring Riv too.
Di nodded, said see you and left.
Kine's condo, Mahek slumped on the couch.
Mahek : Bro..... After so long, finally I can get some rest. Hey Kine, pass me the bottle of water from the fridge….
Kine : Take it out yourself, I'm not your slave. I gotta take a bath.
Mek : Bastard,(opens the refrigerator) if not me who are you gonna (found the "melted chocolate") {reference : Chapter:15} Oh I see… (to Kine) Bro, how often do you come here?
Kine : Not very often. I usually come here for either epoch or with my boyfriend to hangout.
Mek (teasingly) : So your boy likes his popsicle chilled and frozen?
Kine (irritated, opens the door of the shower) : What are you blabbering? Won't you let me wash up in peace? Give me just two minutes, alright.
Two minutes later, Kine drying his hair with a towel with one of his hands, plops down on the couch. Mek pushes the frozen pack of contraceptive in front of him.
Kine (flustered) : It is….. You know…. Back then we weren't that close and his bestie sent this (Kine tells him the backstory)
Mek : What a supportive bestie! I wish to see someone like her.
Kine : Yeah, tomorrow we're going home and on the weekend we all are gonna hangout.
Both of them head to their respective rooms to sleep. Mek gets a call from his father
Mek : Yes Pa, I reached safely and I'm about to sleep.
Mahek's father (serious) : Listen son, there's a girl from the team that came from India. She has injured Khom, he has fracture in his right arm and (clears his throat) she has caused him to suffer *ED. I want you to take strict actions accordingly.
Mek (cold and calm) : Pa, what if I say no?
Mahek's father (surprised) : How dare you defy me! Only if you give me a satisfactory answer, I'll think it over.
Mek : The girl you are talking about is my first love. What do you say now?
Mahek's father (without dropping his cold composure) : Win over her and bring my daughter-in-law home as soon as possible.That's an order.
Mek (coldly) : Not possible.
Mahek's father (drops his cold composure) : What now??
Mek : (sighs) She's married
Mahek's father : (sighs) Do whatever you want. Go to sleep now.
They hang up the call, Mek thinks
Flashback,
Mek (7 years old) approaches Riv (4 years old) playing all by herself and gives her a flower.
Mek (smiling) : You're very cute.
Riv (smiles back) : Thank you (puts the flower on the back of her ear and pulls him to play with her, making sandcastles)
The two children play merrily in the park. As the darkness approached, Riv and Mek promised each other to meet again the next day. The next day, Mek came early to the park, waiting for Riv. He decided to make a sand castle for her. A small shadow appeared from behind him, thinking Riv had come, he turned around only to be disappointed. It wasn't Riv but some other girl. Full of pride that girl said
Roxine (proudly) : She is not going to come, I've locked her in her room. Play with me now.
Mek (coldly) : If not her then nobody. (turns to leave)
That 5-year old little devil pushed Mek brutally on the ground.
Soft bodied Mek, fractured his leg and cried in pain. Roxine gave him a cold smile and ran away. All of this was seen by Riv and Roxine's brother, Ravien. Ravien (10-years old, small yet mature) immediately called for help. After getting discharged from the hospital, Mek came back to meet Riv. He saw Riv being mistreated, but unfortunately, Ravien stopped and requested to not approach her. Ever since then, Mek has been only after Riv. Whether it was school or university, they were around each other yet they were never close. After Graduation, Mek moved to Thailand yet not even for once Riv was off his mind.
Back to Present,
Mek looks at his phone, a photo of Riv from university as his wallpaper.
Mek (to himself) : (sighs) What a fool I am! Didn't even think this once that it's just me who was waiting not her. (Turn off the lights and goes to sleep.)
_______________________________________
ED : Erectile Dysfunction